Line and Path Follower

Current Affairs Yearly Capsule I
January-December 2019
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Table of Contents
January 2019 .................................................................................................................................................... 3

February 2019................................................................................................................................................. 66
March 2019 .................................................................................................................................................. 123
April 2019 ..................................................................................................................................................... 201
May 2019 ...................................................................................................................................................... 279
June 2019 ..................................................................................................................................................... 349
July 2019 ....................................................................................................................................................... 420
August 2019 .................................................................................................................................................. 495
September 2019 ........................................................................................................................................... 567
October 2019 ................................................................................................................................................ 639
November 2019 ............................................................................................................................................ 710
December 2019 ............................................................................................................................................ 780
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January 2019
IndiGo to build its 2nd MRO at Bengaluru
• InterGlobe Aviation Ltd., which owns and operates air carrier IndiGo, has entered into a 20-year agreement with Bangalore
International Airport Limited (BIAL).
• The agreement is to sub-lease five acres of land at Bengaluru Airport to build a Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) facility.
• This will be IndiGo’s second MRO, after the one in Delhi. The facility will become operational by 2020.
4,78,670 Houses Sanctioned Under PMAY
• Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs has approved the construction of 4,78,670 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
(PMAY-Urban).
• This approval was given in the 42nd meeting of the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee held in New Delhi on January
30, 2019.
• The total number of houses sanctioned under PMAY(U) so far is 72,65,763.
Indian Oil Q3 profit down by 91%
• Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) reported a net profit of ₹716.82 crore in the third quarter of financial year 2018-19.
• The net profit was down 78% from the previous quarter and down 91% from the same quarter of the previous year.
• The variation was majorly due to inventory losses arising out of falling crude oil prices
• Revenues of IOC grew 6% to ₹1.6 lakh crore against ₹1.5 lakh crore.
A. Kumar is Western Naval Command Chief
• Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar P, PVSM, AVSM, VSM took over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command
on January 31, 2019.
• Vice Admiral Kumar was commissioned in the Indian Navy on July 1, 1981.
• He was the Vice Chief of Naval Staff at Naval Headquarters, New Delhi in his last appointment.
ICICI Bank sacks Chanda Kochhar
• ICICI Bank terminated the contract of former managing director and CEO Chanda Kochhar for violating the bank’s code of
conduct.
• In June last year, the bank formed the one-member panel to look into the allegations of conflict of interest against her for a loan
given to Videocon Industries.
• Ms. Kochhar, assumed charge as MD and CEO of ICICI Bank on May 1, 2009 and resigned in October 2018.
Malaysia crowns Sultan Abdullah as King
• Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah of central Pahang state was crowned as Malaysia’s 16th king on 31 January, 2019.
• The move came nearly a month after the sudden abdication of Sultan Muhammad V.
• Sultan Abdullah is a council member of the world football governing body FIFA, president of the Asian Hockey Federation, and an
executive board member of the International Hockey Federation.
Automatic listing of fresh cases in SC
• The Supreme Court launched its new system of automatic listing of fresh cases within three to seven days on January 30, 2019.
• The step was taken in a bid to do away with the system of mentioning of matters for urgent listing every day.
• The new mechanism will come into effect from February 4.
World’s biggest cyclothon ends in Delhi
• World’s biggest cyclothon 'The Swasth Bharat Yatra' concluded in New Delhi on January 29, 2019.
• The aim of this Yatra was to spread the message of ‘Eat Safe, Eat Healthy and Eat Fortified.'
• The Yatra began from six different locations - Leh, Panaji, Thiruvananthapuram, Puducherry, Kolkota and Agartala.
• This Yatra was led by Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
New Campus of NMI Inaugurated at Noida
• The new Campus of the National Museum Institute was inaugurated by Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar in Noida on 30th
January 2019.
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• The foundation stone for this 3 acre campus was laid on 31st January, 2015.
• Four new courses namely, Archaeology; Palaeography, Epigraphy and Numismatics; Structural Conservation and Cultural &
Heritage Management are expected to be commenced at the campus.
GST on Haj reduced to 5%
• Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi announced that the GST on Haj has been reduced from 18 per cent to 5
per cent.
• The move will save Haj pilgrims’ Rs 113 crore this year by lowering the airfare.
• He also inaugurated a new conference hall and passport section at the Haj House in Mumbai.
Air India flight from New Delhi to Najaf
• Air India is resuming its services from New Delhi to the holy city of Najaf in Iraq from 14th of February, 2019.
• The flight services are resuming after 25 years and initially being planned for twice a week.
• Najaf is an important pilgrimage place considered sacred by Shia Muslims.
• The capital city of Iraq is Baghdad and its currency is Iraqi Dinar.
UAE, Saudi Arab launch digital currency
• The central banks of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia have launched a common digital currency called ‘Aber’.
• The central bank-based digital currency will make cross-border financial transactions more secure and financially efficient.
• Dirham is the currency of UAE while Saudi Riyal is the currency of Saudi Arabia.
AI That Translates Thoughts Into Speech
• Scientists have created an artificial intelligence (AI) based system that directly translates thoughts into understandable,
recognisable speech.
• The AI system will help people who cannot speak regain their ability to communicate with the world.
• The technology has been created by researchers at Columbia University in the United States of America.
Madras HC Allows Online Sale of Medicine
• The Madras High Court has extended the permission given for the online sale of pharmaceuticals till 20th March, 2019.
• The HC had earlier banned sale of drugs online, pending the framing of regulations by the Centre for such sale.
• The Center had sought more time for framing regulations for the online sale of medicines.
Hike in Research Fellowship
• Central Government has enhanced the fellowship of Science & Technology Ph.D students and other research personnel
w.e.f. January 1, 2019.
• Junior Research Fellows will now receive ₹31,000 per month in the first two years of Ph.D programme instead of ₹25,000.
• Fellowship for Senior Research Fellow in the remaining tenure of Ph.D is increased to ₹35,000 per month from previous ₹28,000.
CPRI Regional Testing Lab at Nashik
• Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy, R K Singh laid the foundation of Regional testing laboratory
of Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) at Nashik, Maharashtra on Jan 30, 2019.
• The lab will test and certify electrical equipment manufactured in the western region as per national and international standards.
• CPRI is an autonomous body under Ministry of Power.
MS Pawar is Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
• Vice Admiral MS Pawar, AVSM, VSM assumed charge as Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff on 30th January, 2019.
• He has an experience of over 25 years in sea on diverse platforms ranging from small ships to aircraft carriers.
• The Admiral is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Pune, and he was commissioned on 1st July, 1982.
Piyush Goyal Presented with Carnot Prize
• Union Minister of Railways & Coal Piyush Goyal was formally presented with fourth annual Carnot Prize at Vigyan Bhawan, New
Delhi on 30th January, 2019.
• The prize was presented by Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design.
• The Carnot Prize is intended to honour distinguished contributions to energy policy through scholarship or practice.
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SEBI: Relaxed Norms for REITs, InvITs

• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) proposed a new set of relaxed norms for Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and
Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) on 30th Jan, 2019.
• This new framework will provide flexibility for fund raising and will boost investments in REITs and InvITs.
• REITs and InvITs are listed entities that invest in income-producing assets like infrastructure.
LKA Exhibition Commemorating Gandhi
• Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA) has organised an exhibition titled 'Mahatma Gandhi and World Peace' at the Lalit Kala Akademi Art
Galleries of in New Delhi.
• This was done to commemorate 150th Birth Anniversary of Gandhi and highlight his principles of non-violence and peace.
• The show has been organised in association with Sir J.J. School of Art, Mumbai.
Strategic MoUs between Syria and Iran
• Syria and Iran signed 11 agreements and MoUs including a "long-term strategic economic cooperation" deal on January 29, 2019.
• The agreements cover various fields including economy, culture, education, infrastructure, investment and housing.
• They were signed during a visit to Damascus by Iran's First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri.
India signs agreement with OECD
• The Union HRD Ministry signed an agreement with Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on January
28, 2019.
• This agreement was signed for India’s Participation in Programme for International Student Assessment- PISA 2021.
• The schools run by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) and schools in the UT of Chandigarh
would be participating.
Maha Govt scheme to curb infant deaths
• Maharashtra government launched a special scheme to curb infant deaths on January 29, 2019.
• The scheme involves distributing baby-care kits to the children born in primary health centres and government hospitals.
• The scheme is only applicable for the first child and it is expected to benefit around four lakh women across the state.
• The government has allocated ₹ 20 crore for the scheme.
G Ashok Kumar is Vice Chief of Naval Staff
• Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar, AVSM, VSM assumed charge as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff on 30 Jan 2019.
• Kumar has held various Staff and Command assignments during his distinguished naval career spread over more than three
decades.
• He is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Pune and was commissioned into the Executive Branch of the
Indian Navy on 01 Jul 1982.
New Packaging Norms Mandatory By July 1
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said that food businesses need to comply with new packaging regulations by
July 1.
• The new regulations prohibit packaging material made of recycled plastics including carry bags for packaging, storing, carrying or
dispensing articles of food.
• Pawan Agarwal is the CEO of FSSAI.
Steel Min to set up Safety Directorate
• Union Steel Ministry announced to set up a 'Safety Directorate' to oversee safety standards in steel industry on January 28, 2019.
• This decision was taken during the Consultative Committee Meeting of the Ministry in Goa which was chaired by Union Minister
of Steel, Chaudhary Birender Singh.
• It also plans to draft the 'National Scrap Policy' to make available nearly 7 MT scrap in the country.
RBI to inject ₹37,500 in February
• The Reserve Bank of India will inject Rs 37,500 crore into the system through purchase of government securities in February to
increase liquidity.
• The purchase will be done under Open Market Operations (OMOs) for an aggregate amount of ₹375 billion.
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• Three auctions of ₹125 billion each will be held during the 2nd, 3rd and 4th week of February.
Artificial Pancreas App for Diabetics
• Scientists, including those from Harvard University have developed an artificial pancreas smartphone app that will help in
regulating blood sugar levels in diabetes patients.
• The app is effective in regulating glucose levels under challenging conditions and is suitable for use in unconstrained
environments.
• The study was published in the journal Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics.
Sahitya Akademi Awards 2018 presented
• On January 29, 2019 Sahitya Akademi presented the Sahitya Akademi Award 2018 at a function in New Delhi during the Festival
of Letters.
• The awards were presented for writings in 24 different Indian languages.
• Renowned Hindi writer Chitra Mudgal, Dogri writer Inderjeet Kesar, Kannada writer KG Nagarajappa and Kashmiri story writer
Mushtaq Ahmad Mushtaq were among the 24 winners.
NGMA to organise Night At The Museum
• National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) New Delhi will organise the first edition of Night at the Museum on 30th January, 2019.
• It will be organised in collaboration with the India Art Fair.
• Works of art of Rabindranath Tagore, Amrita Sher-Gil, Raja Ravi Verma, and Nandalal Bose etc. will be displayed at the gallery.
• An exhibition paying homage to the Dandi March will also be on display.
India Improves Global Corruption Ranking
• India improved its ranking by three points to reach 78th rank in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Transparency
International.
• China and Pakistan lagged far behind at 87th and 117th rank, respectively.
• According to the index, Denmark is the least corrupt country followed by New Zealand.
• Somalia, Syria and South Sudan are the most corrupt countries in the world.
Mahatma Gandhi's 71st death anniversary
• India is paying homage to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on his 71st death anniversary on 30th January, 2019.
• He was assassinated by Nathuram Godse on this day in 1948.
• The day is also observed as Martyrs' Day.
UP Cabinet Approves Building Ganga Expressway
• UP State Cabinet approved the construction of a four-lane Ganga Expressway connecting Prayagraj to Western Uttar Pradesh on
January 29, 2019.
• At 600 km long, it would be longest expressway in the world after completion. The estimated cost of this project is ₹36,000 crore.
• A new 291 kilometres long Bundelkhand Expressway will also be constructed at a cost of ₹8864 crore.
India wins Award of Excellence at Travel Show
• India bagged the Award of Excellence for ‘Best in Show’ at New York Times Travel Show 2019.
• The show was held from 25th to 27th January in New York, USA.
• Many India centric activities were held at the show including Indian cultural performances, Indian Culinary Demonstrations, Food
tasting, etc.
• Indian was delegation led by Yogendra Tripathi, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, GoI.
Alphons inaugurated tourism project in Sikkim
• Union Minister for Tourism K.J. Alphons inaugurated first “Development of North East Circuit” project in Gangtok, Sikkim on 30th
January 2019.
• This project was sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan Scheme by the Ministry of Tourism in June 2015.
• Swadesh Darshan Scheme is one of the flagship schemes of Ministry of tourism for development of thematic circuits in the
country in a planned manner.
MoU b/w Ministry of Statistics & NCAER
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• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) and National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER)
signed an MoU on 29th January, 2019.
• The MoU was signed for capacity building, knowledge generation and sharing in the field of Official Statistics.
• The MoU would lead to strengthening of data quality of various statistical products and services generated by the Ministry.
Nitin Gadkari to Inaugurate Projects in Bihar
• Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate several road and
river projects in Bihar on 30 January, 2019.
• He will inaugurate two national highway projects in Raxaul and four national highway projects at Bagaha in Bihar.
• The minister will also initiate the development of 300 km long river route from Hajipur to Triveni Ghat.
₹7,214.03 Cr For States Hit By Disasters
• A High Level Committee approved Central assistance of ₹7214.03 crore from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to 6 States
and one UT affected by natural disasters.
• These included Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Puducherry.
• The Committee was headed by Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh.
PM Modi to visit Surat and Dandi in Gujarat
• PM Narendra Modi will lay the Foundation Stone for extension of Terminal building at Surat Airport on 30 January, 2019.
• The terminal is being constructed at a cost of Rs. 354 Crore.
• PM will also interact with the youth at the New India Youth conclave in Surat.
• In Dandi, he will dedicate the National Salt Satyagraha Memorial to the nation on Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary.
Pariksha Pe Charcha 2.0: New Delhi
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked students to stay focused, manage time well and not to succumb to stress.
• He was interacting with 2000 students, parents and teachers in the 2nd edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha in New Delhi.
• The PM said students should focus on acquiring knowledge to enrich their lives, without worrying about examination results.
Beating the Retreat ceremony: 29th January
• Beating the Retreat ceremony, marking the culmination of four day long Republic Day celebrations, will be held at the historic
Vijay Chowk in New Delhi on 29th January.
• As many as 27 performances at Vijay Chowk will enthrall the spectators with captivating and foot-tapping music of the bands
from the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the State Police and Central Armed Police Force.
CIAL donated Rs.10 crore to CMDRF
• Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) has donated Rs.10 crore to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF).
• CMDRF is an emergency assistance release mechanism granting immediate relief to families and individuals distressed by
calamity, loss of life due to accidents and chronic diseases.
MHRD grant Rs 50 crores to Madras University
• The University of Madras has received ₹50 crore from the Ministry of Human Resource Development for upgrading its research
capabilities.
• A total of 10 universities belonging to category I will get ₹100 crore and 17 universities falling into category II will receive of ₹50
crore.
• University of Madras is one of the oldest educational institutions in India established in the year 1857.
T Gehlot in Port Blair on one day visit
• Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, is on one day visit to Port blair.
• The Minister will distribute Aids and Assistive Devices to the Divangjans and Senior Citizens under Assistance to Disabled Persons
and 'Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana' during the visit.
• "RVS" provides Physical Aids and Assisted-living devices for Senior Citizen belonging to BPL category
Viswanathan Anand finishes joint third
• Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand played out an exciting draw with Ding Liren of China to move to joint third spot.
• Viswanathan Anand finished with 7.5 points at the Tata Steel Masters chess tournament.
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• Anand registered three victories, one defeat and nine draws in the tournament.
• Magnus Carlsen won a super tournament for the seventh time.
NASA solar probe begins second orbit of Sun
• NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has begun its second orbit of the Sun and is on track for its closest approach to our star.
• Just 161 days after its launch, the Parker probe completed its first orbit of the Sun on January 19.
• The spacecraft has now begun the second of 24 planned orbits, on track for its second perihelion, or closest approach to the Sun,
on April 4.
Tripura CM inaugurates exhibition centre
• Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Monday 29th Jan inaugurated an international indoor exhibition center here, the
largest facility of its kind in the Northeastern region.
• Built at a cost of Rs 66.52 crore at Hapania with an area of 10,800 sq metre
• The indoor centre has the capacity to house 170 stalls and accommodate 10,000 visitors.
'Kisan Gandhi' tableau wins first prize.
• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research tableau in the Republic Day Parade has won the first prize for its Kisan Gandhi theme.
• The ICAR tableau with the theme "Mishrit Kheti, Khushiyon Ki Kheti" portrayed Gandhi with goats and a cow and Kasturba
engaged with charkha and caring animals.
• The tableau showcased a view from Bapu Kuti at Wardha Ashram.
India: world’s second largest steel producer
• India has replaced Japan as world's second largest steel producer.
• China is the largest producer of crude steel accounting for more than 51% of production.
• China's crude steel output jumped 6.6 per cent to 928.3 million tonnes in 2018 from 870.9 MT in 2017
• India's crude steel production in 2018 was at 106.5 MT, up by 4.9 per cent from 101.5 MT in 2017
First Astro Turf Football Pitch inaugurated
• Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio inaugurates state’s first Astro Turf Football Pitch at Indira Gandhi Stadium in Kohima on the occasion of
100th Birth Anniversary of the legendary footballer, Dr. T. Ao
• The project was conceived in the year 2013-14 with total cost of 498 lakh rupees.
• The Astro turf has been installed following specifications of FIFA.
• The size of the play field is 105x66 meters.
SAG awards 2019
• Black Panther has won the top film award in at the 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles.
• The best actor awards for film went to Glenn Close for The Wife and Rami Malek for his performance as Queen frontman Freddie
Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody.
• Emily Blunt won the award for best female actor in a supporting role in the horror film, A Quiet Place.
Four highway projects launched in Rajasthan.
• Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of four National Highway
projects in Rajasthan.
• The project worth over 3 thousand 237 Cr. rupees.
• The Project include three projects in Bikaner and one in Nagaur District.
Tornado hits Cuba
• A huge tornado hit the Cuban capital, Havana, had left four people dead and 195 injured.
• It is the strongest tornado to hit Cuba in nearly 80 years.
• Miguel Angel Hernandez of the Cuban Center for Meteorology said the tornado was a Category F3, with winds between 155 and
199 miles per hour, produced when a cold front hit Cuba's northern coast.
• Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.
Syria and Iran sign economic cooperation deal
• Syria and Iran signed 11 agreements and MOU including a "long-term strategic economic cooperation"
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• The agreements covered a range of fields including economy, culture, education, infrastructure, investment and housing.
• The deal is signed by Syrian PM Imad Khamais and Iranian Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri.
US imposes sanctions on Venezuela
• In USA, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Venezuela's state-owned oil company, PDVSA.
• PDVSA is OPEC nation Venezuela's largest source of revenue and owns US refining arm Citgo Petroleum, Venezuela's most
important foreign asset.
• Nicolas madurothe is the 46th President of Venezuela since 2013.
Ambati Rayudu banned from bowling by ICC
• India's Ambati Rayudu has been banned from bowling in international cricket because of a suspect action.
• The suspension was done in "accordance with clause 4.2 of the ICC regulations" which deals with the legality of bowling actions.
• He is a right-handed middle-order batsman, who occasionally keeps the wicket, and a right-arm off break bowler.
Suman Kumari Pak 1st Hindu woman judge
• Suman Kumari has become the first Hindu woman in Pakistan to be appointed as a civil judge.
• She hails from Qambar-Shahdadkot, will serve in her native district.
• The first judge from the Hindu community was Justice Rana Bhagwandas, who served as the acting chief justice for brief periods
between 2005 and 2007.
1st Geographical Indication Store in Goa
• Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu inaugurates India's 1st Geographical Indication (GI) Store at Goa International Airport
in Dabolim.
• It is located on the 1st floor on Departure Terminal and set up by Airports Authority of India and The Cashew Export Promotional
Council of India.
• The products from the self-help groups, artisans and farmers' produce will be also displayed.
George Fernandes passed away at 88.
• Former Defence Minister George Fernandes passed away at the age of 88.
• He was suffering from Alzheimer's disease
• He had served as defence minister, under then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee between 1998 to 2004.
• He oversaw the Pokhran nuclear tests of 1998 and the Kargil war and the Kargil war in 1999.
• He was a key member of the Janata Dal and later founded the Samata Party in 1994
'Artisan Speak' organised by Textile Ministry
• Ministry of Textiles presented an event named 'Artisan Speak' at Elephanta Caves near Mumbai on January 28, 2019.
• The event showcased the rich handloom and textile tradition of India.
• The event will display the potential of GI (Geographical Indication) textiles so as to promote and build awareness of such
products and to strengthen skills and supply chain capacity of grassroots stakeholders.
Successfully testing of Anti-Radiation Missile
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the test of New Generation Anti-Radiation
Missile (NGARM) on 24 January 2019.
• The missile is capable of destroying the enemy radars, tracking system and communication facilities.
• The NGARM has a strike range of over 100 km.
• This missile is first of its kind in India and can be launched from a range of altitudes.
IRDAI sets up a panel
• On 23 January 2019, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) has set up a panel to identify Systemically
Important Insurers (SII).
• The panel will be headed by Pravin Kutumbe, Member-Finance & Investment, IRDAI.
• The panel will also develop a paper on assessment methodology for SIIs in India and recommend enhanced supervision for them.
Employment scheme launched in Madhya Pradesh
• The government of Madhya Pradesh launched the 'Yuva Swabhiman Yojana' on 26 January 2019.
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• It aims to provide employment to the youth belonging to the weaker section of the society mainly in urban areas of the state.
• Under this scheme, 100 days of employment will be provided to youngsters from economically weaker sections of the society in
urban areas.
Kerala to launch NRI pension scheme
• On 25 January 2019, Kerala Governor P. Sathasivam announced that the Kerala government will soon launch a 'Pravasi Dividend
Pension Scheme'.
• It will provide regular pension to Non Resident Keralites on a one-time payment of Rs 5 lakh
• The one-time payment of Rs 5 lakh will be deposited with KIIFB (Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board) for financing
infrastructure projects.
Nari Shakti is the Hindi Word of the year
• On January 26, the Oxford Dictionaries announced ‘Nari Shakti’ as the 'Hindi Word of the Year 2018'.
• The word, Nari Shakti, has been derived from Sanskrit and when broken down, the word ‘nari’ means women and ‘shakti’ means
power.
• The announcement was made during a session at the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF).
• Oxford had named 'Aadhaar' as its Hindi Word of the year 2017.
Anti-dumping duty imposed on MPDA
• The government of India has imposed an anti-dumping duty on Meta Phenylenediamine (MPDA) imported from China.
• The duty has been imposed for five years to protect domestic producers of the chemical intermediate from cheap shipments.
• MPDA is a chemical intermediate used for manufacturing dyes, engineering polymer and in photography and medical
applications.
Uttarakhand's 1st tulip garden in Pithoragarh
• Uttarakhand's first tulip garden will come up over 50 hectares of forest land near Chandak hilltop in Pithoragarh district at a cost
of Rs 50 crore.
• It will be developed by the ONGC under its corporate social responsibility programme.
• The proposed tulip garden will be the country's second after the one located in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
Poonam reappointed as WHO regional director
• On 27 January 2019, Poonam Khetrapal Singh was appointed as the South-East Asia Regional Director of the World Health
Organisation (WHO) for a second five-year term.
• She is the first woman to become Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia Region.
• She was unanimously nominated by 11 member-countries of the region for another five years.
All-Men Contingent lead by Lt. Bhavana Kasturi
• On 26 January 2019, Lieutenant Bhavana Kasturi became the first woman officer to lead an all-men Army contingent in the
Republic Day parade.
• She led the Army Services Corps contingent.
• An all-women contingent of the Assam Rifles was led by Major Khushboo Kanwar.
• Captain Shikha Surbhi of the Army Signals Corps performed a standing salute on a moving motorcycle.
PM Modi inaugurates IREP in Kochi
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited's Integrated Refinery Expansion Project
Complex (IREP) in Kochi on 27 January 2019.
• IREP will be a modern expansion complex and will be equipped for production of cleaner fuels for India.
• It will double the production of LPG & diesel and commence production of feedstock for petrochemical projects
Nat Conclave on Technical Textiles in Mumbai
• Ministry of Textiles will hold National Conclave on Technical Textiles on 29 January 2019 in Mumbai.
• The release of HSN codes for technical textiles will be one of the major highlights of the conclave.
• Technical textiles are textile material and products manufactured primarily for technical performance and functional properties
rather than aesthetic and decorative characteristics.
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Ministry of Defence Launches ‘RDP INDIA 2019’

• Ministry of Defence launched a mobile app 'RDP India 2019' on 26 January 2019.
• The aim of the app is to show the highlights of the Republic Day event, not only to the spectators at Rajpath, New Delhi but also
to the general public all over the world.
• This app contains information about the Parade on Rajpath, New Delhi, including Order of the March, details of the tableaux
presented etc.
Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open title
• Tennis player Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open Men's Singles title at Melbourne on 27 January 2019.
• He defeated Rafael Nadal in the final match.
• It was his 7th Australian Open Men's Singles title.
• He won the Australian Open Men's Singles title in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016.
• He also broke a tie with Pete Sampras, for third-most Grand Slam trophies.
Saina Nehwal wins Indonesia Masters title
• Badminton player Saina Nehwal won her first Indonesia Masters title 2019 on 27 January 2019.
• She won the finals after Spain's Carolina Marin limped out of the final due to a leg injury.
• Saina had won a gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games.
8th Annual Pulicat Day to be observed on 2 Feb
• The eighth annual 'Pulicat Day' will be observed on 2 February at Pulicat in Tamil Nadu.
• The aim of the day is to create awareness among people about the importance of protecting the Pulicat lagoon.
• Pulicat lake was once a prominent port of south-east coast for cotton export which attracted the Arabs in 700AD, Europeans in
1502 and Japanese in 1619 in AD.
Kartik Sharma won the Golf Championship
• India's Kartik Sharma won the New South Wales men's Amateur Golf Championship in Australia.
• He defeated Australia's Nathan Barberie in the scheduled 36-hole final to emerge as champion.
• He had also won the Indian golf 'Union Western India Amateur Golf Championship 2018'.
Tata among 100 most valuable global brands
• The 'Brand Finance Global 500 2019' report was released on 25 January 2019 at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
• As per the report, ‘Tata group’ has entered the list of top 100 most valuable brands.
• It got 86th rank.
• It also said that the total value of brand ‘Tata’ increased by 37% to $19.5 billion in 2019 from $14.2 billion in 2018.
'Atal Setu' inaugurated in Goa
• A 5.1-km long cable-stayed bridge named 'Atal Setu' on the Mandovi river was inaugurated in Goa on 27 January 2019.
• The bridge was constructed by the Goa Infrastructure Development Corporation and Larsen and Toubro.
• The bridge has 88 high tensile strength cables in the state-of-art single place harp type cable stay system and a real-time force
monitoring mechanism.
Naomi Osaka won the Australian Open title
• Naomi Osaka won the Women's Singles Final of the Australian Open on 26 January 2019.
• In Tennis, Japan's Naomi Osaka has become the first player since 2001 to win back-to-back Grand Slam titles.
• She also won the US Open in 2018.
• She also became the first Japanese player to achieve the world number one ranking.
International day for Holocaust Remembrance
• The International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust is observed every year on 27 January 2019.
• The theme for 2019 is The theme of the Holocaust remembrance and education activities this year is 'Holocaust Remembrance:
Demand and Defend Your Human Rights'.
• The theme highlights the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Govt announces Padma Awards 2019
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• On 25 January 2019, President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the Padma Awards, one of the highest civilian awards of the category,
to 112 people from various disciplines.
• The awards were conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
• The list comprises 4 Padma Vibhushan, 14 Padma Bhushan and 94 Padma Shri awardees.
• Twenty-one of the awardees are women.
BIS releases New Standard for Bio-Jet Fuel
• Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in collaboration with Indian Air Force, research organisations and the industry brought out a
new standard for Aviation Turbine Fuels.
• These specifications will align Indian standards with current international standards.
• An Indian Standard 'IS 17081:2019' Aviation Turbine Fuel (Kerosene Type, Jet A-1) containing Synthesised Hydrocarbons has been
formulated.
India enters $100 billion M&A space in 2018
• As per Grant Thornton’s Dealtracker, India has entered the $ 100 billion club in the Merger and Acquisition (M&A) space.
• In a first, 1200 deals worth around $ 110 billion or Rs 71,000 crore were concluded in India in 2018.
• The report also said that the deals worth $ 60 billion were concluded in 2017, and $ 57 billion in 2016.
Johan Botha retires from all forms of cricket
• South Africa cricketer Johan Botha has announced his immediate retirement from all forms of cricket on 24 January 2019.
• He played for South Africa in five test matches, 78 one-day internationals, and 40 T20 Internationals from 2005 to 2012.
• He captained South Africa in 10 ODIs and took the team to the No. 1 ranking after they defeated Australia 4-1 in Australia in
2009.
Indian Diplomat launches bilingual anthology
• A new anthology of poems titled 'New Brazilian Poems' was launched on 24 January 2019.
• It was translated and edited by Indian poet-diplomat Abhay Kumar.
• He is India's current Ambassador-Designate to Madagascar.
• In 2018, the University of Sao Paulo had published the Portuguese translation of 100 Great Indian Poems, which was edited by
Abhay Kumar.
Opportunity rover completes 15 years on Mars
• NASA's Opportunity rover has completed 15 years of its touchdown on the surface of Mars.
• The rover landed in a region of Mars called Meridiani Planum on 24 January 2004.
• The solar-powered rover went silent since a global dust storm in June 2018.
• The rover was designed to travel 1,006 metres and operate on the Red Planet for 90 Martian days.
Govt to develop 400 abandoned airstrips
• The government of India has decided to renovate and develop around 400 abandoned airstrips across the country to strengthen
air-connectivity.
• The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has prepared a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard.
• Jharkhand is the first state in the country where the MoU was signed to develop one such abandoned airstrip at Dhalbhumgarh.
Lakshmi Vilas Bank reappoints Parthasarathi
• Private sector lender Lakshmi Vilas Bank has reappointed Parthasarathi Mukherjee as its Managing Director for two more years.
• He joined the Lakshmi Vilas Bank on 25 January 2016 for three years.
• His extended term will begin on 25 January 2019.
• Reserve Bank of India has approved his reappointment.
• The bank’s board took the decision on the reappointment on 23 January 2019.
Exercises held b/w India & Japan coast guards
• Coast Guards of India and Japan held their disaster control, search and rescue exercises off the coast of Yokohama in Japan on 23
January 2019.
• Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Ship ICGS Shaunak is the main Indian ship taking part in the drills.
• The ICGS Shaunkak is an Offshore Patrol Vessel and is one of the largest ships in the Indian Coast Guard.
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• Rajendra Singh is the Director General of ICG.

NRL receives 'Best Miniratna PSU' award
• Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) was awarded the best Strategic Performance (Financial Category) at the sixth edition of
'Governance Now PSU' Awards on 25 January 2019.
• The awards are given out in recognition of the efforts of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) who have played a key role in the
country's growth.
• NRL is a joint venture between Bharat Petroleum, Oil India and Govt of Assam.
D N Chakraborty gets journalism award
• Assam government has conferred the 'Republic Day Journalism Award 2019 to veteran journalist and former editor Dhirendra
Nath Chakraborty on 26 January 2019.
• He has been honoured for his lifelong contribution to journalism in the state.
• He is the former Editor of Dainik Asom, Dainik Janambhumi and Ajir Batori group of newspaper.
Govt awards 235 routes under UDAN scheme
• On 25 January 2019, the government of India awarded 235 routes to the operators under the third round of the Ude Desh ka
Aam Nagrik (UDAN-III).
• SpiceJet, IndiGo, Jet Airways, Air India subsidiary Alliance, and Turbo Aviation are among the operators that have bagged the
routes.
• UDAN scheme seeks to connect unserved and underserved airports as well as make flying affordable.
Pak declares Sugarcane juice as national drink
• On 25 January 2019, the Pakistan government declared sugarcane juice as the 'National Drink' of the country after a poll on
Twitter.
• The government conducted a poll on Twitter at which people were asked to decide the national drink of Pakistan.
• Options including orange juice, sugarcane juice and carrot juice were given in the poll.
Tomy Abhilash awarded with Nao Sena Medal
• President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the Nao Sena Medal to Commander Tomy Abhilash on 25 January 2019.
• Tomy Abhilash had participated in the Golden Globe navigation race in 2018.
• Abhilash was stranded 3,200 km off the coast of Western Australia after his sailing vessel, INSV Thuriya's mast broken during a
severe storm in the Indian Ocean.
'Operation Olympics' commences in Kerala
• 'Operation Olympics', an expert programme to train athletes in 11 disciplines was launched in Kerala on 25 January 2019.
• The objective of 'Operation Olympics' is to provide international standard training with the help of eminent trainers from both
India and abroad.
• The programme includes athletics, boxing, cycling, swimming, shooting, wrestling, badminton, fencing, rowing and archery.
Greece ratify Macedonia name change deal
• On 25 January 2019, Greek MPs have ratified a landmark accord allowing Macedonia to change its name.
• Under the deal, Macedonia changes its name to North Macedonia.
• Greece will also allow North Macedonia to join the NATO and eventually the European Union.
• Greece's capital is Athens and its currency is Euro.
Army Chief awarded 'Param Vishisht Seva Medal'
• On 25 January 2019, Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat was conferred with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM).
• Fifteen lieutenant generals and three major generals have also been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM).
• Param Vishisht Seva Medal is the highest military medal awarded in recognition of peace-time services not relating to gallantry.
Jayant Kaikini wins DSC prize
• On 25 January 2019, Kannada author Jayant Kaikini, along with translator Tejaswini Niranjana, won the prestigious 'DSC Prize for
South Asian Literature' for the book 'No Presents Please: Mumbai Stories' for 2018.
• The award was presented at the Kolkata Literary Meet.
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• The award carries a prize of $25,000.

• This is the first time that a Kannada work and a work in translation has won the award.
Tamil translation of French book wins award
• The Tamil translation of Andrei Makine's 'La vie d'un homme inconnu' (The Life of an Unknown Man) was awarded the 'Romain
Rolland' Prize for literary translation on 25 January 2019.
• The book was translated by SR Kichenamourty.
• The award consists of an invitation to the Paris Book Fair 2019 in March for the publisher of the work and one-month residency in
France for the translator.
Bharat Ratna for Pranab, Deshmukh, Hazarika
• On 25 January 2019, President Ramnath Kovind conferred the Bharat Ratna on former President Pranab Mukherjee.
• Social activist Nanaji Deshmukh and Assamese musician Bhupen Hazarika were awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously.
• Bharat Ratna is India’s highest civilian award.
Dev authority for Anandpur Sahib to be set up
• Punjab government announced that a development authority for Anandpur Sahib will be set up in the wake of the 550th birth
anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in November 2019.
• The development authority would be formed to plan and execute the development plans in a systematic and planned manner.
• The authority would be established on the pattern of Dera Baba Nanak Development Authority.
61.7 mn affected due to extreme weather
• As per the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), earthquakes and tsunamis accounted for most of the 10,373 lives lost
in disasters in 2018.
• It also said that weather events accounted for most of 61.7 million people affected by natural hazards.
• The country most affected by disasters was India, where there were 23.9 million people hit, followed by the Philippines and then
China.
e-Courts services through CSCs launched
• The Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, decided to deliver e-Courts services to the litigant public through the 2
lakh Common Service Centres (CSCs).
• No fee will be charged from the customers for e-Courts related services delivered through CSCs.
• The aim of the e-Courts is to provide efficient and time-bound access to the Courts services to the litigant public.
National Declamation Contest inaugurated
• Union Minister Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore inaugurated the National Declamation Contest on Patriotism and Nation Building on
24 January 2019.
• The contest is organised by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS).
• The aim of the Contest is to further strengthen the spirit of Nationalism and Patriotic feeling amongst youth and masses for
wholehearted participation in nation-building.
Technology Mission Centre launched by govt
• Union Minister Harsh Vardhan launched three important centre’s set up by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) at
IIT Madras on 25 January 2019.
• The first one is the 'DST –IITM Solar Energy Harnessing Centre'.
• The second centre is the 'DST-IITM Water –IC for SUTRAM of EASY WATER'.
• The third centre is the 'Testbed on Solar thermal desalination solutions'.
Trade through the e-NAM portal started
• The first inter-State trade on e-Nam portal was carried between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on 19 January 2019.
• The trade happened between a farmer from Gadwal mandi in Telangana State, who sold 8.46 quintal of groundnut to a trader in
Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.
• The e-NAM is a pan-India electronic trading portal to connect with the existing wholesale market.
India Heritage Walk Festival to be held in Feb
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• The second edition of the India Heritage Walk Festival (IHWF) will be held across 37 cities in February 2019.
• It will be organised by the UNESCO and Sahapedia.
• The IHWF will be inaugurated with a heritage walk in Ahmedabad on 2 February 2019.
• The primary objective of the festival is to widen access to various aspects of India's tangible and intangible heritage.
India, SA seal 3-year strategic programme
• On 25 January 2019, India and South Africa signed a three-year strategic programme to further boost cooperation in a number of
key areas.
• The strategic programme will cover cooperation in a range of areas including defence and security, trade and investment, the
blue economy, tourism, IT, and agriculture.
• South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa will be the chief guest at the Republic Day.
Karthyani appointed as Goodwill Ambassador
• The Commonwealth of Learning appointed 96-year-old Karthyayani Amma as their goodwill ambassador on 22 January 2019.
• She bagged the first rank in the ‘Aksharalaksham’ literacy exam conducted by the Kerala government in November 2018.
• Commonwealth of Learning is a Canada-based organisation which works for the promotion of education in Commonwealth
countries.
I&B Ministry to facilitate JIFF 2019
• Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will extend support for organizing the second Jharkhand International Film Festival
(JIFF) at Ranchi in Jharkhand from 1 February 2019.
• The objective of promoting the Festival is to encourage states that have showcased the potential of promoting cinema.
• The support is will be provided under the Grants in Aid scheme.
NIC hosted conclave on New Technologies
• Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of National Informatics Centre (NIC) organised a two-day 'Technology Conclave' on 22 and
23 January 2019.
• The theme of the conclave was 'Technologies for NextGen Governance'.
• The technologies covered included Big Data and Advanced Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deep Learning,
Cloud Native Scalable Applications etc.
Satellites successfuly launched by ISRO
• India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C44) successfully injected Microsat-R and Kalamsat-V2 satellites into their designated
orbits.
• The satellites were launched on 24 January 2019 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
• Microsat-R is a defence application satellite.
• It is the first Indian satellite which was placed by ISRO in a low orbit at an altitude of 274 km
Krishna Sobti passed away
• Legendary Hindi writer Krishna Sobti passed away on 25 January 2019.
• She won Sahitya Akademi Award and Jnanpith award.
• She is considered as the Grande Dame of Hindi literature.
• 'Zindaginama' is considered to be one of her most acclaimed works.
• Some of her celebrated works include 'Daar Se Bichhudi’, 'Dil-o-Danish', 'Badalom ke Ghere', and 'Surajmukhi Andhere Ke' among
others.
Successful Flight Test of LRSAM
• The Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM) was successfully test fired from INS Chennai on 24 January 2019.
• LRSAM was jointly developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)
for the Indian Navy.
• LRSAM will help in enhancing the Navy's anti-air warfare capability.
National Voters’ Day: 25 January
• National Voters' Day (NVD) is observed in India every year on 25 January 2019.
• NVD is celebrated to mark the Foundation day of Election Commission of India, which was established on 25th January 1950.
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• The aim of the day is to encourage, facilitate and maximize the enrollment, especially for the new voters.
• 'My Vote Matters', a Quarterly Magazine will also be launched on the occasion.
Tribunal to decide ban on insurgents
• On 24 January 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs reconstituted a tribunal to adjudicate matters related to the extension of the
ban imposed on eight insurgent groups in Manipur for involvement in unlawful activities.
• The tribunal has been set up under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
• It will be headed by Delhi High Court's judge Justice G.S. Sistani.
Sultan Abdullah named as King of Malaysia
• Sultan Abdullah was elected as Malaysia's new King on 24 January 2019, following the abdication of Sultan Muhammad V in
January 2019.
• He is the ruler of the Malaysia state of Pahang.
• He will have a five-year term.
• He is the current President of the Asian Hockey Federation and a council member of FIFA, the world football body.
Conference on Agriculture held in New Delhi
• National Conference on Agriculture for Zaid Campaign-2019 was organised by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare in
New Delhi on 24 January 2019.
• Special sessions were held to discuss strategy for potential crops and irrigation potential for zaid season.
• It was also said that the total Foodgrain production in the country is estimated at 284.83 million tonnes in 2017-18.
Ronojoy Dutta named new Indigo CEO
• InterGlobe Aviation Limited, which owns and operates low-cost airline IndiGo, appointed Ronojoy Dutta as its new Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) on 24 January 2019.
• He joined IndiGo airlines in December 2018 as the principal consultant.
• He was the President of United Airlines.
• Indigo airlines also appointed M. Damodaran as an independent Non-Executive Director and the Chairman of the board.
Government launches new norms for JSS
• The government of India unveiled new guidelines for Jan Shikshan Sansthans (JSS) on 24 January 2019.
• The new norms are expected to help identify and promote traditional skills in a district.
• It will also help in the training of trainers to develop skills through National Skills Training Institutes.
• JSS comes under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship.
Ravneet Gill appointed as CEO of Yes bank
• Yes Bank appointed Ravneet Gill as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director (CEO & MD) on 24 January 2019.
• Ravneet Gill is the CEO of Deutsche Bank in India.
• He will take charge from the founder CEO Rana Kapoor, who will step down at the end of January 2019.
• He will join the bank on or before 1 March 2019.
Foundation laid for projects in Agra & Mathura
• Union Minister Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stones of six 'Namami Gange' projects in Agra and Mathura on 23 January 2019.
• The project includes an integrated sewerage infrastructure on Hybrid Annuity Mode with ‘One-City-One-Operator’ approach and
reuse of treated sewage water in Mathura refinery.
• There is also a project for cleaning of 27 Ghats in Mathura at a cost of Rs 3.60 crore.
United Nations' WESP report released
• The United Nations' World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2019 was released on 23 January 2019.
• As per the report, India's GDP growth is expected to accelerate to 7.6% in 2019-20 from an estimated 7.4% in the current fiscal
ending March 2019.
• The report further said the global economy would continue to grow at 3% in 2019 and 2020.
Nazir Ahmad to be conferred with Ashok Chakra
• Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani will be conferred with the Ashoka Chakra.
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• He was a militant but later joined the Indian Army in 2004.

• He was killed during an anti-terror operation in November 2018.
• He was also awarded the Sena Medal.
• Ashok Chakra is the highest peacetime military decoration for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the
battlefield.
App developed to detect new currency
• The Indian Institute of Technology at Ropar in Punjab has developed an Android App 'Roshni'.
• The app was launched on 23 January 2019.
• The app will assist visually impaired people to easily determine the denomination of currency notes using image processing and
analytics.
• It works well in a broad range of light conditions and holding angles.
MoU signed b/w SAAB and AAI
• Swedish aerospace and defence company SAAB signed a MoU with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on 23 January 2019.
• The MoU was signed to explore Air Traffic Management (ATM) solutions for airports operating under the UDAN Regional
Connectivity Scheme.
• SAAB's ATM solutions are now deployed in Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Guwahati, Jaipur, Lucknow, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, New
Delhi, and Cochin.
TCS 3rd most-valued IT services brand globally
• According to a report by Brand Finance, India's Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been ranked third most-valued IT services
brand globally in 2018-19.
• Accenture took the title of the world's most-valued IT services brand.
• IBM got the second rank.
• Three other Indian IT services companies that clinched spots in the top-10 global tally are Infosys, HCL and Wipro.
RBI starts two quarterly surveys
• On 21 January 2019, the RBI initiated two quarterly surveys- Industrial Outlook Survey (IOS), and the Services and Infrastructure
Outlook Survey (SIOS).
• The surveys will examine the current economic situation including the job scenario in India's manufacturing, services and
infrastructure sectors.
• SIOS seeks an assessment of the business situation for the January-March 2019 quarter.
Naval Air Base 'INS Kohassa' commissioned
• Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba commissioned the new Naval Air Base ‘INS Kohassa’ in Andaman and Nicobar Islands on 24
January 2019.
• The airbase will be used to handle operations of helicopters and small aircraft like the Dornier.
• INS Kohassa will be India’s fourth air base and the third naval air facility in the Andamans that overlooks key sea lanes of
communication and strategic points.
International Day of Education: 24 January
• International Day of Education is observed on 24 January.
• The aim of the day is to celebrate the role of education for peace & development.
• The United Nations General Assembly on December 3 adopted a resolution declaring January 24 as International Day of
Education.
• In India, National Education Day is observed on 11 November to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam
Azad.
Govt institutes 'Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar'
• The government of India instituted an annual award titled 'Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar'.
• The award recognises all Indian Citizens and organisations who have excelled in areas of Disaster Management.
• The award will be announced every year on 23rd January on the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
• For 2019, 8th Battalion of NDRF was selected for the award.
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ECI will host an International conference

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) will host an International Conference on ‘Making Our Elections Inclusive and Accessible’ in
Delhi on 24th January 2019.
• During the Conference, the January 2019 issue of ECI’s quarterly magazine 'Voice International' will be released.
• ECI will also renew the MoU for cooperation in the field of election management with the Election Commission of Bhutan.
Creation of National Bench of GSTAT approved
• On 23 January 2019, the Union Cabinet approved the creation of National Bench of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate
Tribunal (GSTAT).
• The National Bench of the Appellate Tribunal shall be situated at New Delhi.
• GSTAT shall be presided over by its President and shall consist of one Technical Member (Centre) and one Technical Member
(State).
Amendment to currency swap framework approved
• On 23 January 2019, the Union Cabinet approved an amendment to the 'Framework on Currency Swap Arrangement for SAARC
Member Countries' to incorporate a 'standby swap' amounting to $400 million.
• The standby swap was operated within the overall size of the facility which amounts to $2 billion.
• Under the facility, RBI offers swaps of varying sizes to each SAARC member country.
Cabinet approves MoU b/w India and Kuwait
• On 23 January 2019, the Union Cabinet approved the signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Kuwait.
• The MoU provides a structured framework for cooperation on domestic workers related matters.
• It also provides strengthened safeguards for Indian domestic workers including female workers deployed in Kuwait.
• The MoU is valid for a period of five years.
Cabinet approves MoC between India and Japan
• The Union Cabinet approved the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India and Japan in the field of food processing
sector.
• The MoC will help in increasing food processing in India by getting access to best practices and better markets
• The MoC will lead to the betterment of the food processing sector in India by introducing innovative techniques and processes.
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awards conferred
• On 23 January 2019, three Indian expats from the UAE were conferred with the 'Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award'.
• The award was conferred on Girish Pant, Surender Singh Kandhari and Dr Zulekha Daud.
• Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award is the highest honour conferred by the President on a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), Person of
Indian Origin (PIOs) or organisation or institution run by NRIs or PIOs.
Piyush Goyal named interim Finance Minister
• Piyush Goyal has been named the interim Finance Minister and interim Minister of Corporate Affairs during Arun Jaitley's
indisposition.
• He will retain his existing ministries of coal and railways.
• He was earlier given additional charge of the Finance Ministry in May 2018.
• Arun Jaitley will be designated as a minister without a portfolio during his period of indisposition.
Cabinet approves amendment to article 280
• On 23 January 2019, the Union Cabinet approved the amendment to Article 280 of the Constitution to increase powers of
Autonomous Councils in Sixth Schedule areas of North East.
• The amendment will give more powers to Autonomous District Councils of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, & Tripura.
• The Finance Commission will be mandated to recommend the devolution of financial resources to the councils.
National Girl Child Day observed on 24 Jan
• National Girl Child Day is observed every year on 24 January.
• The theme for 2019 is 'Empowering Girls for a Brighter Tomorrow'.
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• The aim of the day is to raise awareness on the issue of declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and create a positive environment around
valuing the girl child.
‘Joymati Bahini’ launched in Guwahati
• The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has launched a dedicated RPF Women Squad named as 'Joymati Bahini' at Kamkhaya Railway
Station in Guwahati on 23 January 2019.
• The squad comprises women sub-inspectors and constables of the Railway Protection Force.
• The main aim of the 'Joymati Bahini' is to strengthen women security around Guwahati region within railway premises and trains.
Global Investor Summit inaugurated in TN
• The two-day 'Global Investors Summit' was inaugurated in Tamil Nadu on 23 January 2019.
• It is being organised by the government of Tamil Nadu.
• Defence Minister Nirmala Sitaraman unveiled the Tamil Nadu's aerospace and defence industrial policy in the event.
• The Ford Motors inaugurated it's Global Technology and Business Facility at its sprawling Sholinganallur campus in Chennai.
VP presents Chhatra Vishwakarma & SAGY Awards
• The Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu presented the 2nd Chhatra Vishwakarma Awards to students & their mentors &
Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) Awards to institutions on 21 January 2019.
• The Chhatra Vishwakarma Awards aims to recognise the innovations and achievements of individuals as well as institutions.
• SAGY Award was given under the theme 'Developed Village-Developed Nation'.
Short film from India gets Oscars nomination
• An Indian short film titled 'Period. End of Sentence' has earned a nomination in the Documentary Short Subject category for the
91st Academy Awards.
• The short film was directed by Rayka Zehtabchi.
• Other documentary short films that were nominated are 'Black Sheep', 'End Game', 'Lifeboat', and 'A Night at the Garden'.
Pakke Hornbill Fest declared as state festival
• The government of Arunachal Pradesh on 20 January 2019 declared the 'Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival' (PPHF) as a 'state festival'.
• PPHF is the state’s only conservation festival.
• The first-ever PPHF was held on January 16–18, 2015.
• The aim of the festival is to recognise the role played by the resident Nyishi tribe in conserving hornbills in the Pakke Tiger
Reserve (PTR).
Global Talent Competitive Index 2019 released
• The 'Global Talent Competitive Index' (GTCI) 2019 was released by INSEAD business school in partnership with Tata
Communications and Adecco Group on 22 January 2019.
• India got the 80th rank.
• The index was topped by Switzerland and it was followed by Singapore, the US, Norway and Denmark.
• The report measures levels of Global Talent Competitiveness by looking at 68 parameters.
PM launches 'Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana'
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana' on 22 January 2019.
• Under 'Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana', a group of Indian diaspora will be taken on a tour of religious places in India twice a year.
• The government will bear all the expenses including the airfare from their country of residence.
• All people of Indian-origin aged 45 to 65 can apply for the tour.
'Save Tiger Protection Force' in Telangana
• On 22 January 2019, the Telangana government has decided to form a 'State Tiger Protection Force' (STPF) to save the tiger
population in the State.
• The 112-member-armed STPF will be headed by an Assistant Conservator of Forests to protect tiger population in Amarabad and
Kawal Tiger Reserves.
• The State and Central government will share the cost of the force on 40:60 basis.
Nigeria's new outbreak of Lassa fever kills 16
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• On 22 January 2019, Nigerian health authorities declared a new outbreak of Lassa fever that has killed 16 people since early
January 2019.
• Lassa fever belongs to the same family as Marburg and Ebola, two deadly viruses that lead to infections with fever, vomiting and
in worst-case scenarios, haemorrhagic bleeding.
• The Lassa was first identified in northern Nigeria in 1969.
Shami becomes fastest to reach 100 ODI wickets
• Indian cricket bowler Mohammed Shami became the fastest Indian to claim 100 wickets in One-day Internationals on 23 January
2019.
• He took 100 wickets in 56 ODI matches.
• Before Shami, Irfan Pathan reached the 100-wicket mark in 59 ODIs, while Zaheer Khan achieved this mark in 65 matches, Ajit
Agarkar got it in 67 matches and Javagal Srinath in 68 matches.
Former hockey player Raghbir Bhola passed away
• Former Indian hockey player Raghbir Singh Bhola passed away on 22 January 2019.
• He represented India in the 1956 Melbourne and 1960 Rome Olympics and won a gold and silver medals respectively for the
country.
• He successfully captained the Indian Air Force hockey and Services team from 1954-60.
• In 2000, he was honoured with the Arjuna Award for his achievements in hockey.
JNPT ranked among world's top 30 ports
• As per the Lloyds Report, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) has become India's only port to get listed among the top 30 global
container ports.
• It got 28th rank.
• JNPT's headquarters is located in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• Sanjay Sethi is the Chairman of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust.
‘Bharat Parv’ to be held from 26 January
• The Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with other central Ministries is organising the 4th edition of ‘Bharat Parv’ at the Red Fort
in Delhi from 26 to 31 January 2019.
• The event will showcase the spirit of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat'.
• The prime objective of the event is to generate a patriotic fervour among citizens and promote the rich cultural diversity of the
country.
Sitanshu awarded Saraswati Samman 2017
• Gujarati poet Sitanshu Yashashchandra was awarded 'Saraswati Samman 2017' on 22 January 2019.
• He was awarded for his poetry collection in Gujarati named 'Vakhar'.
• The award was instituted by K.K.Birla foundation.
• The award is given every year 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.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose museum inaugurated
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose museum at Red Fort in Delhi on 23 January 2019.
• The museum showcases various artefacts related to Subhash Chandra Bose and Indian National Army.
• The Foundation stone of the museum was laid during the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of Azad Hind Government in
October 2018.
Virat Kohli named Captain of ICC's Test & ODI
• On 22 January 2019, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the men’s Test and ODI teams of the year 2018.
• Virat Kohli has been named the captain of both sides following a remarkable 2018 as a batsman and captain.
• Three players, each from India and New Zealand, were named in Test team while four players, each from India and England, were
named in ODI squad.
Centre’s debt-to-GDP falls, States’ rises
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• According to the Status Paper on Government Debt for 2017-18, the Centre’s total debt as a percentage of GDP reduced to 46.5%
in 2017-18 from 47.5% as of March 31, 2014.
• The total debt of the States rose to 24% in 2017-18 and is estimated to be 24.3% in 2018-19.
• The Centre’s total debt increased from Rs. 56,69,429 crore in March 2014 to Rs. 82,35,178 crore in 2017-18.
Israel, US successfully test 'Arrow 3' system
• The Israeli and US defence ministries have successfully tested ballistic missile interceptors named 'Arrow 3' deployed at Israeli
airbases on 22 January 2019.
• The Arrow 3 interceptor system is designed to shoot down missiles above the atmosphere.
• The interceptor system is intended to serve as Israel's highest-altitude missile interception system.
Results of ‘Total Cleanliness Survey’released
• As per the ‘Total Cleanliness Survey’ of the Railways, North Western Railway (NWR) topped the zonal rankings in the ‘Premium’
category trains.
• Southern Railway, topped in the ‘Other than Premium’ category’ trains.
• The survey covered 209 trains and was conducted by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation.
'India-Africa Field Training' in March 2019
• The Indian Army will conduct the joint exercise named 'India-Africa Field Training' with African nations in March 2019 in Pune.
• Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique, and Uganda will participate
in the exercise.
• The focus will be training in anti-terror operations, humanitarian mine action and joint peace operations.
Nagendra Jamatia passed away
• Nagendra Jamatia, the tribal leader who brokered peace with insurgent outfit Tripura National Volunteers (TNV) in 1988, passed
away on 21 January 2019.
• He was the leader of the Tripura Upajati Juba Samiti, which is now known as the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura.
• He is known for his success in bringing TNV leader Bijoy Kumar to negotiate the peace accord with the government of India.
Virat declared ODI & Test player of the year
• Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli was named 'Men's Test Cricketer of the Year' and 'Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year' by
International Cricket Council (ICC) on 22 January 2019.
• He also won the 'Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy' for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year.
• Rishabh Pant has been named the 'Emerging Player of the Year' by the ICC for 2018.
Bihar posted highest state GDP in 2018-19
• According to the rating agency Crisil's report, Bihar topped the list of 17 states with 11.3% expansion in terms of Gross State
Domestic Product (GSDP).
• Bihar is followed by Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.
• Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh topped the tally in the proportion of CapEx in state spending in the past three years.
• Jharkhand, Kerala, and Punjab were at the bottom of the list.
Committee to monitor pricing of drugs
• The government of India has constituted a standing committee to monitor the pricing of medicines and healthcare products.
• The committee will be headed by a Niti Aayog member (Health).
• The committee will be the recommending body to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).
• NPPA is a government regulatory agency that controls the prices of pharmaceutical drugs in India.
Christophe appointed as PM of Burkina Faso
• Burkina Faso's President Roch Marc Christian Kabore appointed Christophe Dabire as new Prime Minister on 21 January 2019.
• Dabire was previously Burkina's representative at the eight-nation West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).
• Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in Africa.
• Burkina Faso's capital is Ouagadougou and its currency is West African CFA Franc.
IIT-H to launch BTech Program in AI
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• Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad is launching a full-fledged BTech Program in Artificial Intelligence (AI) from the coming
Academic Year (2019-2020).
• It has become the first Indian Educational Institution to offer such a program in AI.
• It is also the third institute globally after Carnegie Mellon University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to offer
such course.
WEF's annual meeting begins in Davos
• The World Economic Forum's (WEF) 49th annual meeting began on 22 January 2019 in Davos, Switzerland.
• The main theme of the meeting is 'Globalisation 4.0: Shaping a Global Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution'.
• Several topics will be discussed such as the future of the economy, environmental issues, the digital economy, media freedom,
and data governance.
Jallikattu event enters world record
• A grand 'Jallikattu' (bull-taming) event held in Tamil Nadu on 20 January 2019 entered the world record for the maximum number
of bulls released into the sporting arena.
• The bull taming sporting event saw the participation of 1,354 bulls and 424 tamers.
• Jallikattu is typically practised in Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal celebrations.
India signed MoU with Sri Lanka
• India and Sri Lanka signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 21 January 2019.
• Under the MoU, India will provide modern infrastructural facilities to Swami Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies of Eastern
University in Batticaloa district of Sri Lanka.
• The project involves refurbishment of the auditorium and construction of a modern building complex with recording facilities.
Cosmas & Worknesh clinch men’s, women’s titles

• Cosmas Lagat of Kenya and Worknesh Alemu of Ethiopia won the men's and women's titles in the Tata Mumbai Marathon in
Mumbai on 20 January 2019.
• Lagat, winner of the Sevilla Marathon in 2016, completed the 42.195-kilometre race in 2 hours 9 minutes and 15 seconds.
• In women's race, Worknesh Alemu completed the race in 2 hours 25 minutes and 45 seconds.
India among the most trusted nations globally
• The 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer's Global Trust Index was released on 21 January 2019.
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• China topped the Trust Index among both the informed public and the general population segments.
• India was at the second place in the informed public category and third place in the general population category.
• The Index is the average per cent of trust in NGOs, business, government and media.
India's economy to grow at 7.5% in 2019
• The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) World Economic Outlook (WEO) for January 2019 was released on 21 January 2019.
• As per the report, India's economy is projected to grow at 7.5% in 2019 and 7.7% in 2020.
• The report also said that India would remain one of the fastest growing major economies of the world.
• It also projected global growth at 3.5% in 2019 and 3.6% in 2020.
Shivakumara Swami passed away
• Shivakumara Swami, a renowned Lingayat seer, passed away in Karnataka on 21 January 2019.
• He was the head pontiff of five-centuries-old Siddaganga Mutt.
• He was known as a 'walking god' among his followers.
• He joined the Siddaganga Mutt in 1930 and became the mutt's seer in 1941.
Anurag Thakur gets Sansad Ratna Award
• Anurag Thakur, MP, Hamirpur, has been bestowed with the 'Sansad Ratna Award' for distinguished performance as a
parliamentarian on 19 January 2019.
• The Sansad Ratna Award was started in 2010 on the suggestion of former president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
• The award is given to 12 top performing parliamentarians, including a standing committee.
Aadhaar cards now a valid travel document
• Aadhaar cards are now valid travel documents for Indians under 15 and over 65 years travelling to Nepal and Bhutan.
• Indians other than those in the two age brackets will not be able to use Aadhaar to travel to Nepal and Bhutan.
• Indian citizens going to Nepal and Bhutan don't need a visa if they have a valid passport, a photo identity card issued by the
government of India.
Defence exercise 'Sea Vigil 2019' begins
• The Indian Navy in coordination with the Coast Guard and other stakeholders will conduct a two-day defence exercise
codenamed 'Sea Vigil 2019' from 22 January 2019.
• The exercise is being conducted under the aegis of Commander-in-Chief, Coastal Defence, Southern Naval Command, Kochi.
• The aim of the exercise is to test the country's preparedness against any attack through the sea route.
Nepal bans Indian notes above Rs 100
• Nepal's central bank has banned the use of Indian currency notes of Rs 2,000, Rs 500 and Rs 200 denominations.
• Under the new regulation, Nepali citizens cannot carry these denominations to countries other than India.
• Indian notes of 100 or below, however, are allowed for trading and conversion.
• This move could affect Indian tourists visiting the Himalayan nation.
I S Jha became a member of CERC
• On 21 January 2019, Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) Chairman Indu Shekhar Jha joined as a member of the Central
Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC).
• He was relieved from the post of Chairman on 21 January 2019.
• He had been the company's Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) since 2015.
• PGCIL Director (Personnel) Ravi P Singh was given the additional charge of CMD.
India & China sign protocol for tobacco export
• On 21 January 2019, India and China signed a protocol to export Indian tobacco leaves to China.
• The protocol was signed by India's Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan and Zhang Jiwen, Vice Minister of General
Administration of China Customs (GACC).
• GACC is responsible for examining market access and quarantine issues for India's agriculture and allied products.
First female IPS officer to reach South Pole
• Aparna Kumar has become the first woman Indian Police Service (IPS) officer to successfully complete the South Pole expedition.
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• She reached the South Pole on 13 January 2019 where she unfurled the National and ITBP flags.
• Ms Kumar is a 2002 batch UP Cadre IPS officer, who has been posted at the Northern Frontier Headquarters of ITBP in Dehradun.
Khelo India Youth Games concludes in Pune
• Khelo India Youth Games concluded in Pune on 20 January 2019.
• Maharashtra topped the Medal tally with 228 medals, whereas Haryana and Delhi claimed the second and third spot.
• Maharashtra bagged 'General Championship of Khelo India 2019' with 85 Gold Medals.
• The Khelo India Youth Games was organised by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Microsoft launches online portal for weavers
• In a bid to empower handloom weavers in Telangana, Microsoft India launched a new e-commerce portal, 're-weave.in' on 19
January 2019.
• The portal will help the weavers optimise operations and engage better with customers.
• It will host signature collections created by the weaver communities, and showcase traditional designs and products created from
natural dyes.
Bengali writer Atin Bandyopadhyay passed away
• Bengali writer Atin Bandyopadhyay passed away on 19 January 2019.
• He got Sahitya Akademi award in 2001 for his compilation of short stories 'Panchashati Galpo'.
• He also penned popular fictions like 'Nilkantha Pakhir Khonje', 'Aloukik Jaljaan', 'Nil Timi', 'Ekti Jaler Rekha'.
• He had also received the Bankim Puraskar (1998) for 'Dui Bharatbarsho'.
Inter-state bridge in J-K to be inaugurated
• Union minister Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate the 1.2 km-long 'Keediyan-Gandiyal' bridge on the Ravi river in Kathua district of
Jammu and Kashmir on 22 January 2019.
• The inter-state bridge will connect the secluded areas of Kathua district with Punjab.
• The bridge would strengthen the inter-state connectivity besides giving a boost to the social as well as economic development of
the region.
US spy satellite launched into orbit
• A US spy satellite named 'National Reconnaissance Office satellite' was launched into orbit from California on 19 January 2019.
• The satellite was launched on powerful Delta 4 Heavy rocket.
• The Delta 4 Heavy stands 233 feet (71 metres) tall.
• The National Reconnaissance Office is responsible for US intelligence satellites.
Irrawaddy dolphin census concludes
• The annual headcount exercise of Irrawaddy dolphins inhabiting in the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and Gahirmatha Marine
Sanctuary concluded on 19 January 2019.
• The enumerators covered the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary, Dhamara coast, estuaries in Bhitarkanika, Hukitola, Paradip and
Kujang coast.
• In 2018, the census teams had sighted 250 dolphins in the sea and deltaic zones.
TN Defence Industrial Corridor launched
• Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the 'Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor' on 20 January 2019.
• The Corridor will connect leading military manufacturing units in Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Coimbatore, and Tiruchirappalli.
• It will also help the industry to integrate with the global supply chain of Defence manufacturing.
• The first defence corridor was established in Uttar Pradesh.
Rao chosen for Sheikh Saud International Prize
• Scientist and recipient of Bharat Ratna C N R Rao has been chosen for the first 'Sheikh Saud International Prize for Materials
Research' by the Centre for Advanced Materials of the United Arab Emirates.
• The award involves a plaque, a medal and a cash prize of 1 lakh US Dollar.
• The award will be presented at the International Workshop on Advanced Materials in UAE on 25 February 2019.
Ranjani Murali wins 'Woman's Voice Award'
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• US-based Indian poet Ranjani Murali received the 'Woman's Voice Award' at the Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival (AKLF) on 20
January 2019.
• The aim of the award is to recognise and encourage creative writing by women in India and to support the publication of their
writing.
• Ranjani Murali's first book of poems 'Blind Screens' was published in July 2017.
IBBI sets up committee under UK Sinha
• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has set up an 11-member working group to look into the concept of ‘Group
Insolvency’ and suggest a suitable framework.
• The working group will be headed by the former SEBI chief UK Sinha.
• It will recommend a complete regulatory framework to facilitate insolvency resolution and liquidation of corporate debtors in a
Group.
Indian economy to surpass UK in 2019
• As per the PwC’s Global Economy Watch report, India is likely to cross the United Kingdom in the world’s largest economy
rankings in 2019.
• It also projects real GDP growth of 1.6% for the UK, 1.7% for France and 7.6% for India in 2019.
• PwC’s Global Economy Watch monitors trends and issues affecting the global economy and details its latest projections for the
leading nations.
Integrated Medicine Forum to be held in Goa
• The 2nd World Integrated Medicine Forum 2019 on the ‘Regulation of Homeopathic Medical Products; Advancing global
collaboration’ will be held in Goa from 23 to 25 January 2019.
• The forum is being organised by the Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, under the Ministry of AYUSH.
• The themes of the forum are: Regulatory collaborations, Converging on minimum regulatory & legal standards.
ASI finds 2,300-year-old artefacts in Odisha
• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) unearthed artefacts believed to be 2,300-year-old while carrying out excavation at the
Asurgarh Fort in Odisha’s Kalahandi district.
• The artefacts belonged to the Mauryan and Kushan period.
• Other discovered artefacts include glass bangle pieces of different designs and colours, sling balls, pestle, iron equipment like a
small wheel, ring, and arrowhead.
UNESCO: World Capital of Architecture for 2020
• The UNESCO has announced that the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro will be the World Capital of Architecture for 2020.
• Rio will be the first city to receive the title under a program launched together by UNESCO and the International Union of
Architects (UIA) in November last year.
• The city will host the World Congress of UIA, in July 2020, an event that occurs every three years.
World's oldest man Masazo Nonaka dies at 113
• The world's oldest man, Masazo Nonaka of Japan, has died at the age of 113 on 20 January 2019.
• He was officially recognised as the oldest male in the world by Guinness World Records in April 2018.
• He was born on 25 July 1905.
• Japan has one of the world’s highest life expectancies and was home to several people recognised as among the oldest humans
to have lived.
15th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas: 21-23 January
• The 15th edition of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas was inaugurated at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh on 21 January 2019.
• The theme for the 15th edition of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas is, 'Role of Indian Diaspora in building New India'.
• Several world leaders of Indian origin, including Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, will take part in the event.
Andry sworn in as President of Madagascar
• Andry Rajoelina was sworn in as President of Madagascar on 19 January 2019.
• The High Constitutional Court of Madagascar had declared him as the winner of the Presidential election on 8th January with
55.66%of the votes.
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• He was the President of Madagascar from 2009 to 2014.

• Madagascar's capital is Antananarivo and its currency is Malagasy Ariary
Uttarakhand CM flags off the air services
• Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat flagged off the air services from Dehradun to Amritsar from Jolly Grant Airport
in Dehradun on Jan 21, 2019
• Jolly Grant Airport/Dehradun Airport is a domestic airport located in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
• The main objective of this air services is to connect several cities of the country with Dehradun.
Odisha hiked social security pension
• On 19 January 2019, the Odisha government announced a hike of Rs 200 per month in the social security pension under 'Madhu
Babu Pension Yojana'.
• About 48 lakh elderly, widows and destitute women will be benefited from the scheme.
• The pension holders will get a revised pension of Rs 500 per month against Rs 300 while people aged over 80 years will get Rs 700
per month instead of Rs 500.
Ankita wins ITF's tournament in Singapore
• India's Ankita Raina has won the International Tennis Federation's $25,000 Women's tournament in Singapore on 20 January
2019.
• She defeated world number 122 Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands in the final match.
• It was the first title of the season and eighth singles title of her career.
Armoured Systems Complex inaugurated in Hazira
• The Larsen and Toubro's (L&T) 'Armoured Systems Complex' was inaugurated at Hazira in Gujarat on 19 January 2019.
• It is the first private facility in the country where the 'K9 Vajra' self-propelled Howitzer guns will be manufactured.
• L&T had in 2017 won the Rs 4,500-crore contract from the Ministry of Defence to supply 100 units of K9 Vajra-T to the Indian
Army.
Women to get 20% jobs in Military Police
• The government of India has decided to induct women for the first time in Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR) role in Corps of
Military Police.
• The women will be inducted in a graded manner to eventually comprise 20% of total Corps of Military Police.
• Their role would range from probing rape and molestation cases to assisting the Army wherever required.
'India Steel 2019' Expo will be held in Mumbai
• The 4th edition of 'India Steel 2019 - Exhibition & Conference' will be held in Mumbai from 22 to 24 January 2019.
• It is being organised by the Ministry of Steel and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
• It aims at developing a road map for the growth of the industry.
• Its theme is 'Balancing Steel Demand & Supply Dynamics: Building a New India'.
India to host conference on land degradation
• India will host the 14th session of the Conference of Parties to United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in
October 2019.
• The conference will address the issue of land degradation and desertification.
• The UNCCD, established in 1994, has 197 parties working towards maintaining and restoring land and soil productivity and
mitigating the effects of drought.
UP approves quota for poor among upper castes
• Uttar Pradesh became the third state to implement 10% reservation for economically poor among the general category in
government jobs and educational institutions.
• It comes into effect from 14 January 2019.
• The decision in this regard was taken by the UP cabinet on 18 January 2019.
• Gujarat and Jharkhand were the first and second states to implement 10% quota for the economically weak.
Sweden's PM Stefan Lofven wins second term
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• On 18 January 2019, Sweden's parliament elected Prime Minister Stefan Lofven to a second four-year term.
• The Prime Minister is expected to formally present his new government and its full programme on 21 January 2019.
• It will be one of the weakest administrations in Sweden in 70 years.
• Sweden's capital is Stockholm and its currency is Swedish Krona.
UP government renames Mughalsarai tehsil
• On 18 January 2019, the Uttar Pradesh cabinet gave approval to a proposal on renaming Mughalsarai tehsil in Chandauli district
of Uttar Pradesh after Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay.
• In August 2018, the Mughalsarai railway station was renamed after Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay.
• In October 2018, the government also renamed Allahabad as Prayagraj and Faizabad division and district as Ayodhya.
Satellite launched for meteor shower
• On 18 January 2019, Japan launched a satellite which aims to deliver the world's first artificial meteor shower.
• The satellite was launched on Epsilon-4 rocket.
• ALE Co., a start-up based in Tokyo developed the satellite for the celestial show over Hiroshima.
• The satellite will release tiny balls that glow brightly as they hurtle through the atmosphere, simulating a meteor shower.
India signs long term contract with Uzbekistan
• On 18 January 2019, India signed a long-term contract with Uzbekistan for the supply of uranium ore concentrates to widen its
source base for the nuclear fuel.
• Uzbekistan is the seventh largest exporter of uranium in the world.
• The Exim Bank signed an agreement with Uzbekistan to extend a 200-million US dollar line of credit for financing housing and
social infrastructure projects.
India's 2nd innovation hub in Maharashtra
• Union Minister of State for Defence, Subhash Bhamre said that Nashik in Maharashtra will be the site of the country's second
defence innovation hub.
• The defence innovation hub at Nashik will help local industries and entrepreneurs and further the Centre’s Make in India push in
the country’s defence sector.
• India's first defence innovation hub is in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
Gurinder got 'Rosa Parks Trailblazer' award
• An Indian-American philanthropist and entrepreneur, Gurinder Singh Khalsa was presented with the prestigious 'Rosa Park
Trailblazer' award on 18 January 2019.
• He was awarded for his continued demonstration of courage and compassion.
• He started a campaign that forced US authorities to change their policy towards headgear of the Sikh community.
Three new naval air squadrons approved
• On 18 January 2019, the government of India approved setting up of three new naval air squadrons in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
• The three new air squadrons will increase the overall strength of the Indian Navy.
• The government also sanctioned recruitment of manpower for manning additional aircraft in existing Dornier surveillance
squadrons in Kerala and Andaman Islands.
Aqeel Ahmed appointed as Chairman of CLE
• P R Aqeel Ahmed was appointed as the Chairman of the Council for Leather Exports (CLE) on 18 January 2019.
• Sanjay Leekha was appointed as Vice-Chairman of the CLE.
• The council is a trade promotion organisation of leather and leather products industry.
• It works under the aegis of Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
RBI approves appointment of V Vaidyanathan
• The Reserve Bank approved the appointment of V Vaidyanathan as MD and CEO of IDFC First Bank for a period of three years.
• In December 2018, IDFC Bank and Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) Capital First completed their merger.
• The merged entity has been named as IDFC First Bank.
• Prior to this, Vaidyanathan was the founder and chairman of Capital First.
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ISRO launches 'Young Scientist programme'

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the 'Young Scientist programme' on 18 January 2019.
• The programme is for school students who want to explore themselves in space research.
• Under the programme, three students from each state and Union territory will be selected.
• They will be given access to R&D labs and practical experience of building a small satellite.
Diffo Bridge inaugurated in Arunachal Pradesh
• On 18 January 2019, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the Diffo Bridge over Diffo (Chipu) River in Lower Dibang
Valley District in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The bridge is 426 mts in length and its work started in 2011.
• The bridge connects Dibang Valley and Lohit Valley region of Eastern Arunachal Pradesh.
• The bridge was constructed by Project Udayak, Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
Status Paper on Government Debt released
• The Ministry of Finance released the Eighth Edition of the 'Status Paper on the Government Debt' on 18 January 2019.
• It provides a detailed analysis of the Overall Debt Position of the Government of India.
• As per the status paper, the total liabilities of the government has increased by 49% to Rs. 82 lakh crore in the last four-and-half
years.
India and JICA sign Loan Agreements
• On 18 January 2019, the government of India and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed loan agreements
under the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) Loan Program.
• The loan is for construction of phase one of Chennai Peripheral Ring Road for about Rs. 2,470 crore.
• The loan is also for Japan-India cooperative actions towards SDGs in India for about Rs. 950 crore.
BHEL & LIBCOIN will build Lithium Ion Factory
• Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and LIBCOIN will build India's first 1GWh lithium-ion battery plant.
• The plant's capacity will be scaled up to 30GWh in due course.
• This project will bring energy independence by replacing oil imports with abundant renewable energy.
• It will also create an integrated manufacturing ecosystem resulting in self-reliance and lower cost.
7th ASEAN-India Tourism Ministers meeting held
• The Seventh Meeting of Tourism Ministers of ASEAN and India was held in Ha Long City, Viet Nam on 18 January 2019.
• The Union Minister for Tourism, K. J. Alphons co-chaired the Tourism Ministers’ meeting with the Minister of Culture, Sports and
Tourism of Viet Nam, Mr Nguyen Thien.
• The Ministers also launched the 'ASEAN-India Tourism Cooperation Year 2019'.
1.37 crore Rural Homes completed
• The Ministry of Rural Development has completed 1.37 crore Rural Homes since April 2014.
• The Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) was launched on November 20, 2016.
• PMAY-G has focused on deprived households and the poorest of the poor who live in kutcha houses.
• So far 66.6 lakh homes have been completed under PMAY-G.
• The remaining 33.4 lakh homes will be completed by March 2019.
Haryana students to get 'Shaurya Award'
• On 17 January 2019, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced 'Shaurya Award' to students.
• The award will be given to a student in the memory of a police martyr for courageous deeds every year in a village block where
the school is located and where a martyr studied during his childhood.
• This award carries a prize money of Rs 11,000.
'Shehri Samridhi Utsav' to be organised in Feb
• ‘Shehri Samridhi Utsav’, focusing on urban livelihoods is being organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, from 1st -
15th February 2019.
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• The event aims at extending the outreach of National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) to the poorest of the poor and the
most vulnerable.
• Job Melas will be organized by the State in all the cities having more than 5,00,000 population.
PM Modi inaugurates a hospital in Ahmedabad
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the super-speciality public hospital, 'Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of Medical
Sciences and Research' in Ahmedabad on 17 January 2019.
• The hospital was built by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
• The 1500 bed hospital would provide world-class services at an affordable price and is linked with Ayushman Bharat.
Streaming services sign self-regulatory code
• Eight video streaming services have signed the 'Self-Regulatory Code of Best Practices' that establishes guiding principles for
these platforms.
• The eight video streaming services are Hotstar, Voot, Zee5, Arre, SonyLIV, ALT Balaji, Netflix, and Eros Now.
• The code broadly prohibits content that deliberately and maliciously disrespects the national emblem or national flag.
Rs 1 crore fine on Bank of Maharashtra
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed an Rs 1-crore fine on Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) on 16 January 2019.
• The fine was imposed for non-compliance of 'Know Your Customer' guidelines and fraud-classification norms.
• In 2018, the RBI had imposed a fine of Rs 1 crore on BoM on account of delay on the part of the bank to detect and report fraud
in an account.
India's GDP growth at 7.5% in next fiscal
• According to Fitch Group firm India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra), the gross domestic product (GDP) of India is expected to grow
at 7.5% in 2019-20.
• It expects wholesale and retail inflation to average 3.4% and 4.3%, respectively, in FY20.
• The current account deficit (CAD) is likely to decline to 1.9% of GDP in FY20 from 2.4% of GDP, helped by softening of crude oil
prices in FY19.
Dr. Rattan Lal honoured with 2019 Japan Prize
• Dr Rattan Lal was honoured with '2019 Japan Prize' on 16 January 2019.
• He was awarded for his research on the processes and factors of soil degradation caused by inappropriate biological production.
• He is Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A.
• He has been listed among the World's Most Influential Scientific Minds (2012)
Raja appointed as member of a key committee
• US's Democratic lawmaker Raja Krishnamoorthi was appointed as a member of a Congressional committee on Intelligence on 17
January 2019.
• He became the first South Asian to serve in the powerful body tasked to strengthen U.S.’s national security.
• He represents Illinois’s 8th Congressional District in the House.
BES EXPO 2019 begins in New Delhi
• The 25th International conference and exhibition on terrestrial and satellite broadcasting, 'BES EXPO 2019' was inaugurated in
• Nearly 300 companies from 25 countries are displaying their products at the Expo.
• On the occasion, an exhibitor's directory was released by the dignitaries and BES awards were presented to the winners.
2nd 'World Orange Festival' begins in Nagpur
• The second 'World Orange Festival' was inaugurated in Nagpur on 18 January 2019.
• The festival, while offering its famed oranges to the world, will also showcase and brand the exquisite fruit in order to boost its
export.
• Agricultural experts and scientists from various countries will participate in the workshops and guide farmers.
Odisha extends free health services
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• Odisha government announced the extension of free health services under 'Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana' (BSKY) to all
government medical college and hospitals from 1 February 21.
• Earlier, the free treatment facility for all was available at sub-centres in villages and district headquarters hospitals.
• All patients, irrespective of APL or BPL category, will be able to avail of this facility.
Regional conference on 'DDRS' held in Mumbai
• Regional Conference on 'Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme' (DDRS) was held in Mumbai on 17 January 2019.
• It was organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• DDRS is a Central Sector Scheme for providing financial assistance to NGOs working for education and rehabilitation of persons
with disabilities.
PMRPY achieves one crore Milestone
• Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY), the flagship scheme of the Central Government for employment generation
has crossed the milestone of one crore beneficiaries as on January 14, 2019.
• PMRPY is being implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Employment through the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization
(EPFO).
• PMRPY was announced on 7 August 2016.
PM Modi will inaugurate the NMIC in Mumbai
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 'National Museum of Indian Cinema' (NMIC) in Mumbai on 19 January 2019.
• The visitors will be able to enjoy the century-long journey of Indian cinema via visuals, interactive exhibits and multimedia.
• The creation of the Museum has been guided by the Museum Advisory Committee headed by Shri Shyam Benegal.
ISRO’s UNNATI programme launched
• The ISRO launched the 'UNNATI' programme in Bengaluru on 17 January 2019.
• It was launched to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations conference on the exploration and peaceful
uses of outer space (UNISPACE 50).
• The programme aims to provide opportunities to the participating developing countries to become stronger in assembling,
integrating and testing nanosatellites.
Vinesh Phogat nominated for Laureus Award
• Wrestler Vinesh Phogat became the first Indian to be nominated for the prestigious 'Laureus World Sports Award'.
• She has been nominated in 'Laureus World Sporting Comeback' category for the year 2019.
• Vinesh had a stellar 2018 in which she won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, a silver in the 2018 Asian Championships in
Bishkek and a gold at the Asian Games in Jakarta.
Health Ministry bans 80 more FDC drugs
• The Union Health Ministry has banned 80 more fixed-dose combinations (FDC) drugs.
• It includes antibiotics, painkillers, medicines used for treating fungal and bacterial infections, hypertension and anxiety.
• An FDC contains two or more drugs combined in a fixed ratio of doses, available as a single dose.
• Drugs like Cefglobe OZ, Taxim -OZ etc have been banned by the health ministry.
Prabhat Singh appointed as DG in NHRC
• Senior IPS officer Prabhat Singh was appointed as Director General (Investigation) in the National Human Rights Commission
(NHRC) on 17 January 2019.
• He is at present Special Director, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
• He has been appointed to the post for a period up to 30 April 2020, the date of his superannuation.
Swamy appointed Karnataka HC acting CJ
• Justice Lingappa Narayana Swamy was appointed as the acting Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court on 17 January 2019.
• His appointment came after the elevation of Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari to the Supreme Court.
• Justice Narayana Swamy was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Karnataka High Court in 2007 and was made a permanent
judge in 2009.
Finance min starts 'Know your Budget' series
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• The Ministry of Finance has started the 'Know Your Budget' series on Twitter on 15 January 2019.
• 'Know you Budget' series seeks to educate the general public about the budgetary process.
• The series also explains the importance of Union Budget and its making.
• The government on 1 February 2019 would unveil the interim Budget for 2019-20.
ISRO to launch Kalamsat & Microsat satellite
• ISRO will launch a student satellite called 'Kalamsat' and an imaging satellite known as 'Microsat-R' on 24 January 2019.
• Both the satellite will be carried by 'PSLV C-44' rocket.
• PSLV is a four-stage launch vehicle.
• In PSLV-C44, the fourth stage (PS4) of the vehicle would be moved to a higher circular orbit so as to establish an orbital platform
for carrying out experiments.
Forest management project launched in Tripura
• A Rs 1,000 crore 'Sustainable Catchment Forest Management' (SCATFORM) project was launched in Tripura on 16 January 2019.
• The project will help improve forests in the targeted catchment areas.
• It would also create livelihood of the people living in and around the forest areas.
• The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will bear 80% cost of the project.
Sanjay Jain & K M Nataraj appointed as ASGs
• President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed senior advocates Sanjay Jain and K M Nataraj as Additional Solicitor Generals (ASG) of
India for the Supreme Court.
• Earlier in April 2015, Nataraj was appointed as ASG for southern zone.
• Sanjay Jain was appointed as ASG for the Delhi High Court in 2014.
• Sanjay Jain will hold the post of ASG till 30 June 2020.
First human rights TV channel launched
• The world’s first television channel dedicated to human rights was launched in London on 16 January 2019.
• The channel was launched by the International Observatory of Human Rights (IOHR).
• The web-based channel would bring human rights issues to audiences in over 20 countries across Europe, Latin America and the
Middle East.
WCD shortlists 26 children for National Award
• The National Selection Committee under the Women and Child Development Ministry have finalised the names of awardees for
'Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2019'.
• Maneka Gandhi is the Chairperson of the National Selection Committee.
• The award is conferred upon children for their bravery, social service, and exceptional achievement in the fields of innovation,
sports, and arts.
Cabinet approves integrated e-filing project
• The Union Cabinet approved an expenditure sanction of over 4200 crore rupees for 'Integrated E-filing and Centralized
Processing Centre 2.0 Project' of the Income Tax Department.
• It will help in improving taxpayers' awareness and education through continuous engagement.
• It will also help in faster processing of returns and issue of refunds to the taxpayers' bank account directly.
Vibrant Gujarat Global Trade Show inaugurated
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 'Vibrant Gujarat Global Trade Show' in Gandhinagar on 17 January 2019.
• It showcases business platforms of over 25 sectors with a focus on buyer-seller meet and vendor development programmes.
• It is the country’s largest exhibition ever.
• He will also inaugurate the 9th edition of 'Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit' on 18 January 2019.
SBI, other banks to finance Samruddhi Corridor
• A consortium of banks led by State Bank of India has agreed to provide finance for Nagpur-Mumbai 'Samruddhi Corridor'
expressway project.
• Other lenders include Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of Maharashtra as well as the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC)
of India.
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• SBI has agreed to lend the highest amount, 8,500 crore rupees.
India Rubber Expo - 2019 inaugurated
• Union Minister for Commerce and Industries, Suresh Prabhu inaugurated the 10th edition of the India Rubber Expo - 2019 in
Mumbai on 17 January 2019.
• The India Rubber Expo is claimed to be the Asia's largest rubber expo.
• The event offers a unique opportunity for Indian companies to meet and collaborate with overseas companies.
Satyarup Siddhanta scaled Mount Sidley
• Mountaineer Satyarup Siddhanta scaled the Antartica's highest point, Mount Sidley.
• With this feat, he became the first Indian and youngest man to climb the seven highest peaks and volcanic summits across all
continents.
• He achieved the feat at the age of 35 years and 262 days.
• On 5 December 2019, he scaled Pico de Orizaba which is the highest volcanic peak in North America.
Saksham 2019, annual event of PCRA, launched
• 'Sanrakshan Kshamata Mahotsav' (Saksham) 2019 was organised by Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) on 16
January 2019.
• Saksham is an annual high intensity one-month long people-centric mega campaign.
• The Saksham campaign will be organised for a month from 16 January to 15 February 2019 across the country.
• PCRA comes under the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
ECI launches Voter Awareness Forums
• Voter Awareness Forum(VAF) was launched by Election Commission of India on 16 January 2019.
• Voter Awareness Forums are informal Forums for generating awareness around the electoral process through activities like
discussions, quizzes, competitions and other engaging activities.
• VAF is part of the Electoral Literacy Club programme of Election Commission of India (ECI).
Gandhian Resurgence Summit inaugurated
• The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the 'Gandhian Resurgence Summit' in Prayagraj on 17 January 2019.
• The Summit is being held on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's 150 birth anniversary.
• The Summit is being organised by the Parmarath Niketan, the Harijan Sevak Sangh, and the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance.
Gandhi Peace Prize announced
• The Gandhi Peace Prize for the years 2015,2016,2017 and 2018 were announced on 16 January 2019.
• Vivekananda Kendra got the prize for 2015.
• Akshaya Patra Foundation and Sulabh International got the prize for 2016.
• EkalAbhiyan Trust got the prize for 2017.
• Yohei Sasakawa got the prize for 2018.
• The annual prize was instituted by the Government of India in 1995.
'Sanjhi Mujh Mein Kalakar' campaign launched
• Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) will launch the second phase of the Web Campaign ‘Sanjhi Mujh Mein Kalakar’.
• It is an initiative to document and promote the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and diverse cultural traditions of the country by
direct public-participation.
• The first phase of this campaign was launched in November 2018.
• SNA is the nodal agency of the Union Ministry of Culture.
GoM constituted on issues relating to lottery
• A Group of Ministers (GoM) on issues relating to the lottery was constituted by the GST Council on 10 January 2019.
• Sudhir Mungantiwar, Finance Minister, Government of Maharashtra was appointed as the convener of GoM.
• The GoM will decide if the disparity existing on tax rates on the lottery will continue or not.
• It will also see if there is a misuse of the lower tax rate on the lottery.
MoU b/w India and Australia approved
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• On 16 January 2019, the Union Cabinet gave its approval for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between
Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) and the Safety in Mines, Testing and Research Station (SIMTARS), Australia.
• The MoU will help in the implementation of a risk-based safety management system in mines.
• It will also help in modernising R&D laboratory of DGMS.
Numaligarh refinery capacity to be tripled
• On 16 January 2019, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved tripling the capacity of the Numaligarh Refinery in
Assam to 9 million metric tonnes per annum.
• It also approved the setting up of a crude oil pipeline from Paradip to Numaligarh and a product pipeline from Numaligarh to
Siliguri.
• The expansion of the refinery will meet the deficit of petroleum products in the northeast.
RBI eased ECB norms
• In a bid to improve ease of doing business, the Reserve Bank of India has decided to liberalise external commercial borrowing
(ECB) norms.
• It allowed all companies that are eligible for receiving foreign direct investment, to raise funds through the ECB route.
• The RBI has decided to keep the minimum average maturity period at 3 years for all ECBs, irrespective of the amount of
borrowing.
Stephen gave his resignation as football coach
• Stephen Constantine gave his resignation as the Head Coach of the Indian National Football team on 14 January 2019.
• His resignation came after the exit of Indian Football team from the Asian Football Cup.
• He was appointed as the coach in 2015 for an initial two-year tenure.
• It was his second stint as India coach after serving as the coach in 2002-05.
Yu Wensheng wins human rights award
• Chinese lawyer Yu Wensheng won the 'Franco-German Human Rights' award on 14 January 2019.
• Yu Wensheng is best known for suing the Beijing government over the city's once chronic pollution.
• He was detained by China in January 2018.
• He was among 15 winners of the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law for 2018, announced in November
2018.
CP Joshi is the speaker of Rajasthan Assembly
• Former Union Minister C P Joshi was elected as the speaker of the 15th Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on 16 January 2019.
• He took over the post from the protem speaker Gulab Chand Kataria
• He was the Member of Parliament from Bhilwara in the 15th Lok Sabha.
• He had also served as the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Panchayati Raj from 2009 to 2013.
Cabinet approves capital infusion in Exim Bank
• On 16 January 2019, the Union Cabinet approved fund infusion of Rs 6000 crore in Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank).
• The infusion would help the EXIM bank in expanding its business.
• The government had infused Rs 500 crore in Exim Bank last financial year.
• David Rasquinha is the Managing Director of EXIM Bank.
Glenn Close to receive Oscar Wilde Award
• The US-Ireland Alliance has announced that the veteran actor Glenn Close will receive the 'Oscar Wilde Award' on 21 February
2019.
• She will receive the award at the 14th Annual Oscar Wilde Awards.
• She also won the 2018 Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama for the film, 'The Wife'.
Narayanan quits as Myntra-Jabong CEO
• Myntra's Chief Executive Officer, Ananth Narayanan gave his resignation from the post on 14 January 2019.
• Amar Nagaram has been named as head of Myntra and Jabong.
• Amar will report to Flipkart Group CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy.
• Narayanan had joined Myntra in 2015 as its CEO.
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Biraj Kumar Sarma passes away

• Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) co-founder, Biraj Kumar Sarma passed away in Assam on 15 January 2019.
• He was one of the signatories of the historic Assam Accord of 1985.
• He was the leader of the Assam Movement led by the All Assam Students Union (AASU) in 1979.
• He was the co-founder of AGP, which was formed by the Assam agitation leaders in 1985.
Srihari Nataraj bags 7 Gold medals
• On 15 January 2019, Karnataka's swimmer Srihari Nataraj has emerged as the most prolific gold medal winner at the Khelo India
Youth Games.
• He has won 7 Gold medals in swimming events.
• P Likith from Karnataka won five gold medals and a bronze medal in swimming at the Khelo India Youth Games.
• They both were the most decorated gold medalists of the Games.
'IMBEX 2018-19' inaugurated on 14 January
• The second India-Myanmar bilateral Army exercise named 'IMBEX 2018-19' commenced at Chandimandir military station in
Haryana on 14 January 2019.
• The aim of this joint training event is to train the Myanmar delegation for participation in UN peacekeeping operations.
• The exercise includes participation of 15 officers from Myanmar Army and 15 officers from Indian Army
Gukesh is world's second youngest grand master
• Chess player D Gukesh became the second youngest Grand Master (GM) in the world and the youngest Indian to achieve the feat
at age of 12 years and 7 months.
• He achieved his third and final GM norm at the ongoing 17th Delhi International Open Chess tournament in Delhi.
• Gukesh became India's 59th Grand Master.
• Ukraine's Sergey Karjakin holds the record of being the youngest Grandmaster.
PM inaugurates 13-km, two-lane Kollam bypass
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kollam bypass on National Highway-66 in Kerala on 15 January 2019.
• The 13 km-long two-lane bypass road will cut travel time between Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram districts of Kerala.
• It will help in decongesting the traffic in Kollam town.
• The bypass includes three major bridges over the Ashtamudi Lake, having a total length of 1540 metres.
List of sites under Tirthatan scheme expanded
• The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Council has expanded the list of pilgrim centres under the 'Deendayal Matri Tirthatan
scheme' on 15 January 2019.
• The new additions to the list include Kaliyar Sharif, Tadkeshwar, Kalimath, Jageshwar, Baijnath, Gairad Golu, Gangoli Hat, Mahasu
Devta Mandir Hanol, Kalinka and Jwalpa Devi.
• The scheme earlier included Badrinath, Gangotri, and Ritha Sahib.
Veteran journalist Rajendra Prabhu passes away
• Veteran journalist Rajendra Prabhu passed away on 15 January 2019.
• He played a key role in the formation of the National Union of Journalists (India) in 1972.
• He also played a key role in ensuring fair wages and benefits to journalists.
Govt unveils national air cargo policy
• The government unveiled the 'National Air Cargo' policy on 15 January 2019.
• The policy seeks to make India among the top five air freight markets by 2025.
• It also aims to create air transport shipment hubs at all major airports over the next six years.
• The policy document released during the two-day Global Aviation Summit 2019 in Mumbai.
1st EMRS Sports Meet inaugurated in Hyderabad
• The '1st Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) Sports Meet 2019' was inaugurated in Hyderabad on 14 January 2019.
• The National Sports Meet is being held from 14th to 16th January 2019.
• The Tribal Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society is organising the sports meet.
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• There will be 13 events including Athletics and in Athletics there will be 13 different competitions.
New railway line inaugurated in Una district
• The newly built broad gauge railway line between Amb Andora and Daulatpur chowk in Una district in Himachal Pradesh was
inaugurated on 15 January 2019.
• He also flagged off the Himachal Express that will run daily between New Delhi and Amb-Andaura.
• Around 335 crore rupees have been spent to build the 16 km railway line which includes 10 bridges with no level crossing.
Govt forms GoM for GST issues in real estate
• On 15 January 2019, the government of India constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) to boost the real estate sector under the
GST regime.
• Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat Nitin Patel will be the convener of the GoM.
• It will analyse the tax rate of GST and suggest a composition scheme for residential construction units.
• Currently, GST on the under-construction flats and houses is 12%
RBI will purchase govt. securities on 17 jan
• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will inject 10,000 crore rupees into the banking system through the purchase of government
securities on 17 January 2019 to increase liquidity.
• The purchase will be made through Open Market Operations (OMOs).
• OMO refer to the buying and selling of government securities in the open market in order to increase or decrease the amount of
money in the banking system.
Farm debt-waiver scheme launched in MP
• Madhya Pradesh's Chief Minister Kamal Nath launched the Rs 50,000-crore farm debt-waiver scheme named 'Jai Kisan Rin Mukti
Yojana' on 15 January 2019.
• The state cabinet gave its nod to waive crop loans of 55 lakh small and marginal farmers on 5 January 2019.
• The loan waiver forms could be submitted till 5 February 2019 and farmers would start getting the benefits from 22 February
2019.
Manu Sawhney appointed as CEO of ICC
• Manu Sawhney was appointed as Chief Executive of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on 15 January 2019.
• He will formally take over from David Richardson after the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in July 2019.
• He is the former CEO of Singapore Sports Hub and Managing Director of ESPN Star Sports.
• He is also a non-executive director and member of the Audit Committee of Manchester United Ltd.
Shakil sets world record in indoor rowing
• On 14 January 2019, Asian Cup gold medallist Shakil Ahmed created a world record in indoor rowing by completing one lakh
meters in above-40 years category in Kolkata.
• He achieved the milestone of covering one lakh meters of simulated distance in 10 hours.
• He began his record-setting indoor rowing feat in Salt Lake stadium complex on 13 January 2019.
TCA Anant assumes charge as UPSC member
• Former Chief Statistician TCA Anant assumed charge as a member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on 14 January
2019.
• He was administered the oath of office by UPSC Chairman Arvind Saxena.
• Anant was appointed Chief Statistician of India-cum-Secretary, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, in June
2010 for five years.
DD Science and India Science channels launched
• On 15 January 2019, Department of Science and Technology along with Doordarshan launched two science communication
initiatives - 'DD Science' and 'India Science'.
• The two channels will have science-based documentaries, studio-based discussions, and virtual walkthroughs of-of scientific
institutions.
• India Science is an internet-based science channel.
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Finance Secy gets one-month extension

• Finance Secretary Ajay Narayan Jha has been given one-month extension in service and appointed as the member of the 15th
Finance Commission.
• He has taken the place of Shaktikanta Das.
• He is a 1982 batch Indian Administrative Service officer of Manipur cadre.
• Senior Gujarat-cadre IAS officer G C Murmu had been appointed Secretary, Department of Expenditure.
Sriram & Rama appointed as Ind. Directors
• ICICI Bank appointed former SBI Managing Director B Sriram on its board as Independent Director on 14 January 2019.
• It also appointed management consultant Rama Bijapurkar as Independent Director.
• Sriram retired as the managing director of IDBI Bank in September 2018.
• Both were appointed for 5 years, subject to the approval of shareholder.
Renowned director Lenin Rajendran passes away
• Eminent Malayalam filmmaker Lenin Rajendran passed away in Kerala on 14 January 2019.
• He is the Chairman of the Kerala Film Development Corporation.
• Rajendran helmed a number of critically acclaimed movies including 'Swathi Thirunal', 'Daivathinte Vikrithikal' etc.
Assam govt forms GoM on ST reservation
• Assam Government has set up a Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on 14 January 2019.
• The GoM will recommend measures for the protection of rights of existing tribal communities as well as to decide on the benefits
to be given to new Scheduled Tribes.
• The GoM was formed after the introduction of the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order on 9 January 2019.
Ali Qamar named women's boxing coach
• Mohammed Ali Qamar has taken over as Chief Coach for the country's women boxing on 14 January 2019.
• He won India's first Commonwealth Games gold medal in boxing.
• He replaced the veteran Shiv Singh.
• Ali Qamar has been an assistant coach in the national camp for more than a year.
Green nod for Sita Ram Irrigation project
• The Union Environment Ministry has given the final environment clearance (EC) for the Sita Rama Lift Irrigation Project in
Telangana.
• The project aims to divert Godavari river water to three districts of Telangana.
• The objective of the project is to provide water for irrigation as well as to supplement some of the existing/ proposed irrigation
schemes.
'Maha Agritech' project launched
• Maharashtra's Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched ‘Maha Agritech' project on 14 January 2019.
• Under the project, an area under cultivation from sowing to harvesting, climate, and diseases on crops will be monitored digitally
using satellite and drone technology.
• The project is supported by Maharashtra Remote Application Centre (MRSAC) and ISRO.
Army Day observed on 15 January
• Army day is observed every year in India on 15 January.
• On this day in 1949, Field Marshal Kodandera M Cariappa took over as the first Indian commander-in-chief of the Indian Army.
• On this day, Indian Army also remembers and pays tributes to soldiers, who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
Commerce Min launches 'Womaniya on GeM'
• Government eMarketplace (GeM) launched an initiative named 'Womaniya on GeM' on 14 January 2019.
• The initiative will enable women entrepreneurs and self-help groups to sell different products at the platform.
• GeM is an online platform of the Ministry of Commerce for the procurement of goods and services by government departments,
public sector units, and other agencies.
Macedonia parliament agrees to change its name
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• Macedonia's parliament passed an amendment to the constitution 11 January 2019 to rename the country as Republic of North
Macedonia.
• This in line with an agreement with Greece to put an end to a 27-year-old dispute.
• The agreement was signed in June 2018.
• Macedonia will start using it only after the parliament in Athens also ratifies the agreement.
Kerala: Spiritual Circuit project inaugurated
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the project 'Development of Spiritual Circuit: Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple-
Aranmula-Sabarimala' in Kerala on 15 January 2019.
• The project is implemented under the Swadesh Drashan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism.
• The Sree Padmanabaswamy Temple is one of the 108 divyadesams of Lord Vishnu.
Rudra won Gold Medal in weightlifting
• Weightlifter, S. Rudra Mayan won the gold medal by lifting a total weight of 269 kgs at the Khelo India Youth Games in Pune,
Maharashtra.
• He is from Tamil Nadu.
• Tamil Nadu's S. Darshini won the gold medal in weightlifting in girls Under -21 category.
• She managed a lift a total weight of 192kgs.
2-day Global Aviation Summit 2019 inaugurated
• A two-day Global Aviation Summit 2019 was inaugurated in Mumbai on 15 January 2019.
• The theme of the summit is 'Flying for all - especially the next 6 Billion'.
• It is organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in association with FICCI.
• The Summit offers stakeholders an opportunity to explore, deliberate and understand how technology-driven innovations will
change air travel.
International Conference on Micro Irrigation
• The 9th International Micro Irrigation Conference on Modern Agriculture will be held at Aurangabad in Maharashtra from 16 to
18 January 2019.
• It is organised by Ministry of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation.
• Issues related to micro-irrigation for modern agriculture and crop productivity will be discussed at the conference.
Akshata reaps Gold in Weightlifting
• Akshata Basvani Kamati of Karnataka has won a gold medal in the under-21 age 71 kg category in weightlifting at the Khelo India
Youth Games.
• Kamati comes from Halaga near Belgaum and her coach is Virpal Kaur.
• The 2nd edition of Khelo India Youth Games will be held from January 9 to January 20, 2019, at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports
Complex in Pune, Maharashtra.
10% EWS quota comes into force
• The Act providing 10% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)
among upper caste came into effect from 14 January 2019.
• The President gave his assent to the Bill on 12 January 2019, after it was passed by both Houses of Parliament.
• The Act amends Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution.
PM Narendra Modi receives Philip Kotler award
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the first-ever Philip Kotler Presidential award on 14 January 2019.
• The Award focuses on the triple-bottom-line of People, Profit, and Planet.
• He has been selected for his outstanding leadership for the nation.
• Prof. Philip Kotler is a world-renowned Professor of Marketing at Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management.
Commemorative coin of Rs 350 introduced
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a commemorative coin of Rs 350 to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh on
13 January 2019.
• Guru Gobind Singh was the 10th Sikh Guru.
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• On 5 January 2017, commemorative postage was released during the 350th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh.
Robots introduced for traffic management
• The Chennai Traffic Police inducted a road safety robot into service on 14 January 2019.
• The name of the robot is 'ROADEO'.
• The robot will help police in traffic management and assist pedestrians in Chennai roads.
• It will also ease the work of traffic police, as these robots can be integrated with the traffic signals, as well as can be operated
manually, through a Bluetooth app.
Govt prepares Action plan on drug abuse
• The government has drafted a five-year action plan to address the problem of drug and substance abuse in the country.
• The 'National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction' (2018-23) aims to employ a multi-pronged strategy to address the issue of
drug abuse.
• It involves education, de-addiction, and rehabilitation of affected individuals and their families.
Special weather services for Kumbh launched
• A mobile application named 'Kumbh Mela Weather Service' has been developed to disseminate the live weather information.
• It will provide information about the prevailing weather condition and forecasts to the people visiting Prayagraj during Kumbh
Mela.
• For this purpose, four Automatic Weather stations have been installed at four locations at Prayagraj.
Armed Forces Veteran Day observed on 14 Jan
• The Indian Armed Forces Veterans Day is observed every year on 14 January.
• The day is celebrated as a mark of respect and recognition of the services rendered by Field Marshal, who retired from service on
14 January 1953.
• K.M. Cariappa was the first Commander of the Indian Armed Forces.
HC forms committee to remove alien species
• On 11 January 2019, the Madras High Court constituted an expert committee to suggest ways and means to remove the alien
species from the Western Ghats.
• The committee will be headed by Cherukuri Raghavendra Babu, the Chairman of the expert committee on invasive species in
Chennai National Biodiversity Authority.
• The committee will study all aspects related to the forests.
WPI inflation at 3.80% in December 2018
• Inflation based on wholesale prices fell to an 8-month low of 3.80% in December 2018 due to reducing prices of fuel and some
food items.
• The Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation stood at 4.64% in November 2018, and 3.58% in December 2017.
• The deflation in food articles stood at 0.07% in December 2018, against 3.31% in November 2018.
India's largest startup ecosystem inaugurated
• India's largest startup ecosystem was inaugurated in Kerala on 13 January 2019.
• The Integrated Startup Complex under the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) includes the ultra-modern facilities of Maker Village
that promote hardware startups.
• It also includes the 'BioNest' that promotes medical technologies, BRINC which is the country's first international accelerator for
hardware startups
1956 Olympian footballer Zulfiqar passes away
• Former India footballer Mohammed Zulfiqaruddin passed away on 13 January 2019.
• He was the part of the Indian football team which took part in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne.
• He represented India in the 1958 Tokyo Asian Games and the Merdeka Cup in Malaysia
• He was the captain of Andhra Pradesh in the Santosh Trophy from 1955 to 1967.
Single-use plastics banned in Puducherry
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• On 13 January 2019, the Puducherry government announced a total ban on manufacture, sale, and storage of single-use plastics
in the Union Territory.
• The ban on single-use plastics such as paper cups, disposable plates and straws would come into effect from 1 March 2019.
• A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Puducherry's Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy.
Youth Parliament Festival 2019 launched
• The National Youth Parliament Festival 2019 was launched on 12 January 2019.
• The themes for National Youth Parliament Festival 2019 are 'Be The Voice of New India' and 'Find solutions and contribute to
policy'.
• It is organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• The Festival will encourage the youth to engage with the public issue and understand the common man's problem.
Abhinav Shaw won gold medal in shooting
• On 14 January 2019, 10-year old Abhinav Shaw became the youngest gold medallist in the shooting at the Khelo India Youth
Games in Pune.
• He teamed up with Mehuli Ghosh to help West Bengal win the 10m air rifle mixed team event.
• Delhi's Devanshi Rana bagged gold in Under-21 girls 25m pistol event.
Bengaluru Raptors win Premier Badminton League
• Bengaluru Raptors won the Premier Badminton League (PBL) title on 13 January 2019.
• They defeated Mumbai Rockets in the final match.
• Bengaluru Raptors consists of Kidambi Srikanth, Mohammad Ahsan, Hendra Setiawan, Sai Praneeth, Mithun Manjunath, Lauren
Smith, Sanjana Santosh, Marcus Ellis, Vu Thi Trang, and Nguyễn Tiến Minh.
• It is owned by Matrix Badminton Teamworks Pvt. Ltd
Gujarat implements new 10% quota law
• Gujarat has become the first state to provide a 10% reservation in jobs and educational institutions to the economically weaker
sections in the general category.
• It will be applicable from 14 January 2019.
• The eligibility of the new quota will be applicable only for which the announcement for jobs and admissions have been made but
the process has not yet begun.
Brahm Dutt appointed as non-executive Chairman
• The Yes Bank appointed Brahm Dutt as Non-Executive part-time Chairman on 12 January 2019.
• The appointment is till July 2020.
• He has been on Yes Bank’s board since July 2013 as an Independent Director
• He is a former IAS officer and was Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat and in the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.
GoM constituted to look into revenue shortfall
• On 12 January 2019, the GST Council had decided to set up a Group of Ministers (GoM).
• The GoM will be headed by Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi.
• The GoM will look into the revenue shortfall being faced by states following the rollout of Goods and Services Tax (GST).
• The committee will suggest steps for increasing the revenue of states.
Lt Gen JS Nain is Rising Star Corps Commander
• On 12 January 2019, Lt Gen JS Nain took over as the 14th Corps Commander of the strategic Rising Star Corps.
• He took over from Lt Gen YVK Mohan.
• The Rising Star Corps was raised in 2005 and is the Indian Army’s youngest corps.
• It has its area of operation in three districts of Jammu region including Jammu, Samba, and Kathua.
IDFC Bank renamed as IDFC First Bank
• Private sector lender IDFC Bank's name has been changed to 'IDFC First Bank Ltd' with effect from 12 January 2019.
• IDFC Bank and Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) 'Capital First' completed their merger on 18 December 2018.
• V Vaidyanathan, Founder of Capital First Ltd, was appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the IDFC First
Bank Ltd.
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Namita wins Sushila Devi Literature Award

• Writer Namita Gokhale won the 'Sushila Devi Literature Award' for her novel 'Things to Leave Behind' on 12 January 2019.
• She was awarded in the 'Best Book of Fiction Written by a Woman Author' category at the inaugural edition of Bhopal Literature
and Art Festival (BLF).
• The literary event was attended by over 70 writers and artists.
'One Family One Job' scheme launched in Sikkim
• Sikkim's Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling launched the 'One Family One Job' scheme on 12 January 2019.
• The scheme envisions employment to a member of every family which does not have a government job in the state.
• Under this scheme, all loan debts in the farming and agriculture sector would be revoked.
Adi Godrej conferred ICSI lifetime award
• Industrialist and Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej was conferred with the ICSIs Lifetime Achievement Award for 'Translating
Excellence in Corporate Governance into Reality' on 10 January 2019.
• The awards were instituted by The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI).
• The ICSI National Awards for Excellence in Corporate Governance were bagged jointly by Cipla Ltd and Dabur India Ltd
Nepal Army Chief conferred honorary rank
• On 12 January 2019, President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the honorary rank of General of the Indian Army to General Purna
Chandra Thapa, the Army Chief of Nepal.
• He was honoured with honorary rank of General of the Indian Army for his military prowess and contribution to fostering Nepal’s
long and friendly association with India.
• He became Nepal Army Chief in September 2018.
Government to launch a tech challenge
• The government of India will launch the 'Global Housing Technology Challenge' on 14 January 2019.
• The initiative will be launched under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U).
• It will address issues related to housing shortage in a time-bound manner and focus on the need for emerging, cost-effective and
speedy construction technologies
Cabinet approves Currency swap agreement
• On 10 January 2019, the Union Cabinet approved the bilateral currency swap arrangement between India and Japan.
• It authorised the Reserve Bank of India to sign the deal with the Bank of Japan for a maximum amount of $75 billion.
• The arrangement will bring stability to foreign exchange and capital markets in India.
• It will also help in maintaining an appropriate level of balance of payments.
MoU b/w India and Japan approved
• The Union Cabinet approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Japan on 10 January 2019.
• The MoU would lead to cooperation between India and Japan on the development of 'Advanced Model Single Window'.
• This will accelerate India's effort to promote Ease of Doing Business in India.
4th Meeting of CTDP held in New Delhi
• The 4th meeting of the Council for Trade Development and Promotion (CTDP) was held in New Delhi on 10 January 2019.
• It was chaired by the Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu.
• CTDP was constituted in July 2015, to create a framework for making States/ UTs active partners in boosting India’s export.
TOR b/w India & Swaziland approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the Signing of Terms of Reference (TOR) between India and Swaziland (Eswatini) on 10 January
2019.
• The TOR will govern a designated Indian Expert who will provide tax assistance to Swaziland under the Tax Inspectors Without
Borders Programme (TIWB).
• TIWB is a joint programme of UNDP and OECD.
• TIWB aims to strengthen the tax administrations of developing countries.
Fish Fest begins in West Bengal
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• The three-day 'Bengal Fish Fest 2019' was inaugurated in Kolkata on 11 January 2019.
• The festival is organised by the West Bengal's fisheries department.
• The aim of the festival is to make the people aware of the achievement of the state government in the area of fisheries.
• The festival gives a platform for showcasing the policies that helped in the improvement of fish production.
Government fixes price for gold bonds
• The government of India has fixed the price at Rs 3,214 per gram for the new series of Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGB).
• The Sovereign Gold Bonds 2018-19 (Series V) will be opened from 14 January 2019.
• The bonds are being sold through banks, Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited (SHCIL), designated post offices, and stock
exchanges NSE and BSE.
• The SGB scheme was launched in November 2015.
Two interceptor boats inducted into navy
• On 11 January 2019, the Indian Navy inducted two Fast Interceptor Craft (FIC) into its fleet at Nagapattinam in an effort to
increase the coastal security.
• They can carry a variety of armament like heavy machine guns.
• FICs are capable of operating in shallow waters and were acquired for 'Sagar Prahari Bal'.
• Sagar Prahari Bal is a unit of the Navy created post-26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
'Ama Ghare LED' scheme launched in Odisha
• The government of Odisha launched the 'Ama Ghare LED' scheme on 11 January 2019.
• Under the scheme, about 95 lakh families in the state will each get four LED bulbs free of cost.
• The LED bulbs (9-watt each) will be distributed to the beneficiaries registered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and
the State Food Security Scheme (SFSC).
Jaideep appointed as Secretary General of NHRC
• The Government of India appointed Jaideep Govind as Secretary-General of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on 11
January 2019.
• He is a 1984 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre
• At present, he is the Special Secretary and Financial Adviser in Ministry of Rural Development.
• Retired Justice HL Dattu is the Chairperson of NHRC.
Charles Kupperman appointed as Deputy NSA
• US President Donald Trump appointed Charles Kupperman as Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA) on 11 January 2019.
• Charles Kupperman is a former Boeing and Lockheed Martin executive.
• He also worked as a defence and foreign policy advisor to the Ronald Reagan presidential campaign.
• He also held a position in the President's General Advisory Committee on Arms Control and Disarmament.
Sushma Swaraj to visit Uzbekistan
• External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj begin her two-day visit to Uzbekistan on 12 January 2019.
• She will attend the First India-Central Asia Dialogue in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
• She will co-chair the Dialogue with Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov.
• Foreign Minister of Afghanistan will participate in the Dialogue as a special invitee.
Atal Tinkering Lab Handbook released
• NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) released the 'Atal Tinkering Lab Handbook – Nayee Dishayen, Naye Nirman, Naya
Bharat' on 11 January 2019.
• The Handbook captures the experiences of the young innovators of the country with the Atal Tinkering Lab.
• The AIM is the Government of India’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country.
Four projects sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan
• The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned four new projects for Rs.190.46 Crores under Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD schemes in
3 states.
• The 3 states are Meghalaya, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh.
• Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD schemes were launched for the development of tourism infrastructure in the country.
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• The project includes the development of Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur.

EC panel submits report on digital media
• The Election Commission appointed panel submitted its report on digital media and campaigning during last 48 hours before polls
to the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora.
• The panel was constituted under the Chairmanship of Sr. Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha.
• The panel was mandated to review and suggest modifications in the provisions of the Representation of the People Act.
Jet Airways tops global airline rating chart
• The airline safety and product ratings for 2018 was launched by global airline safety and product rating agency
'Airlineratings.com'.
• Jet Airways topped the ‘product’ category list with a score of 7/7 in the full-service carrier category.
• An airline is rated from 1 to 7 stars on the product category, with seven being the highest ranking for full-service carriers.
Industrial growth falls to 17-month low
• Industrial output growth dropped to a 17-month low of 0.5% in November 2018 on account of contraction in the manufacturing
sector.
• Industrial output is measured in terms of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), had grown by 8.5% in November 2017, as per
data released by the Central Statistics Office.
• The manufacturing sector constitutes 77.63% of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP)
National Youth Day: 12 January
• National Youth Day is observed every year on 12 January.
• The day is celebrated to commemorate the birthday of Swami Vivekananda.
• The aim of the day is to propagate the philosophy and the ideals of Swami Vivekananda.
• He was a social reformer, philosopher and thinker.
• In 1984, the government of India first declared to celebrate the birthday of Swami Vivekananda as National Youth Day.
25th edition of Partnership Summit in Mumbai
• The Partnership Summit 2019 will be inaugurated in Mumbai on 12 January 2019.
• The summit is a global platform for dialogue, debate, deliberation, and engagement among Indian and global leaders on
economic policy and growth trends in India.
• The Summit is being organized by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Government of Maharashtra and
Confederation of Indian Industry.
Kohli and Shastri receive membership of SCG
• Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri received the honorary membership of the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)
on 11 January 2019.
• The received the membership for their contribution to the sport of cricket.
• Apart from Kohli and Sashtri, the only other international cricketers to be granted the honorary membership of the SCG are
Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara.
Cabinet Approves 3 New AIIMSs
• The Union Cabinet gave approval for the establishment of three new AIIMS at Samba in Jammu, Pulwama in Kashmir and Rajkot
in Gujarat.
• TheseAIIMSs will be set up under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).
• The objective is to establish the new AIIMS is to provide quality tertiary healthcare, medical education, nursing education and
research in the region.
NIC Command & Control Centre inaugurated
• NIC’s Command & Control Centre (CCC) and Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI) by NIC was inaugurated at National
Informatics Centre (NIC) on 10 January 2019.
• The aim of the CCC is to increase the performance of ICT infrastructure in the country.
• The AI centre is designed to promote innovation in the application of AI to take e-Governance services to the next level.
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29th Indian Paint Conference held in Agra

• Indian Paint Conference was inaugurated in Agra on 11 January 2019.
• It was organised by the Indian Paint Association (IPA), the apex body of the country's paint industry.
• The theme of the Conference is 'Paints Pe Charcha - Naye Aayaam'.
• The IPA Conference will provide a frontal view of happenings in paints and associated industries.
Japan tops list of most powerful passports
• According to the Henley Passport Index, Japan retained its top spot as the world's most travel-friendly passport due to the
document's access to 190 countries.
• India jumped two positions from 81st in 2018 to 79th in 2019.
• The Henley Passport Index is based on data provided by the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) and covers 199 passports
and 227 travel destinations.
AIR organises National Symposium of Poets
• The 'Sarva Bhasha Kavi Sammelan' or National Symposium of Poets was inaugurated in Chennai on 10 January 2019.
• It is organised by All India Radio (AIR).
• Eminent poets of 22 Indian languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution are participating in the symposium.
• This is the first time the event is being held in Chennai.
Harendra Singh removed as India's hockey coach
• Indian men's hockey coach Harendra Singh was removed from the position on 9 January 2019.
• The team will be overseen by Hockey India High-Performance Director David John and current Analytical Coach, Chris Ciriello.
• Harendra Singh was brought in as men's coach in May 2018 after Sjoerd Marijne was moved back to the women's camp.
PM to inaugurate 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on 21 January 2019 at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
• On 21 January 2019, the inauguration of the 'Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas' will be held in partnership with the Ministry of Youth
Affairs and Sports.
• On 23 January 2019, 'Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards' will be conferred by President Ram Nath Kovind.
ISRO will set up Human Space Flight Centre
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced setting up of Human Space Flight Centre in Bengaluru.
• It will be headed by Unnikrishnan Nair.
• ISRO also announced that R. Hutton will head the Gaganyaan project.
• The Gaganyaan project will send three astronauts to orbit the Earth for three to seven days.
• The project is slated to happen before December 2021.
Su Tseng-chang appointed as Taiwan PM
• Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has appointed Su Tseng-chang as Prime Minister of Taiwan on 10 January 2019.
• Su is a former Prime Minister appointed in 2006 by then-President Chen Shui-bian and was a Chairman of Democratic Progressive
Party for two terms.
• The capital of Taiwan is Taipei and its currency is New Taiwan Dollar.
MoU b/w India and France approved
• On 10 January 2019, the Union Cabinet approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and France on
technical bilateral cooperation in the field of new and renewable energy.
• The MoU was signed on 3 October 2018.
• The technical cooperation will cover joint research working groups, pilot projects, capacity building programs, study tour, case
studies.
MoU b/w India and Denmark approved
• On 10 January 2019, the Union Cabinet approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Maritime issues between India
and Denmark.
• The MoU will facilitate cross-border cooperation and investments between the maritime sectors of India and Denmark.
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• It will also enable both countries to exchange expertise, information, data, and statistics for ensuring quality shipping.
Odisha to host conference on dam safety
• Odisha will host the two-day International Dam Safety conference starting from 13 February 2019.
• Experts will deliberate on several issues including challenges in dam safety management, global best practices in dam safety
management.
• The conference will be organised by the Union Ministry of Water Resources in collaboration with the Odisha government and the
World Bank.
MoU signed b/w BEE and CPWD
• The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) on 10 January 2019.
• According to the MoU, BEE and CPWD will cooperate on promoting designs and construction of Energy Conservation Building
Code (ECBC) compliant buildings.
• BEE is a statutory body under Ministry of Power.
Govt launches National Clean Air Programme
• The government of India launched the 'National Clean Air Programme' (NCAP) on 10 January 2019.
• The aim of the programme is to reduce particulate matter (PM) pollution by 20-30% in at least 102 cities by 2024.
• It will provide the States and the Centre with a framework to combat air pollution.
• The NCAP will be a mid-term, five-year action plan with 2019 as the first year.
Agreement for Renukaji Dam Project signed
• An agreement for Renukaji Dam Multipurpose Project was signed among six states on 11 January 2019.
• The six states are Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand.
• Under the agreement, three storage projects are proposed to be constructed on the river Yamuna and two of its tributaries -
Tons and Giri in the hilly regions of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
IWF President named as Chef de Mission
• On 10 January 2019, Birendra Prasad Baishya was named as Chef de Mission for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
• He is the President of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (WIF).
• It is for the first time that the sport of weightlifting was accorded with honour of Chef de Mission for the Olympic Games.
• He is also one of the Indian Olympic Association Vice Presidents.
GST burden on small businesses eased
• The 32nd meeting of GST council was held on 10 January 2019.
• In the meeting, it was decided that the companies with annual turnover up to Rs. 40 lakh will stay out of the GST net (Rs. 20 lakh
earlier).
• The annual turnover limit for eligibility for the Composition Scheme was raised to Rs.1.5 crore from 1 April 2019.
Deferment of capital buffer norms notified
• On 10 January 2019, the RBI deferred the implementation of the last tranche of Capital Conservation Buffer (CCB) from 31 March
2019 to 31 March 2020.
• The CCB is the capital buffer that banks have to accumulate in normal times to be used for offsetting losses during periods of
stress.
• Currently, the CCB of banks stands at 1.875% of the core capital.
1st India-Central Asia Dialogue in Uzbekistan
• The first India-Central Asia Dialogue will be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on 12 and 13 January 2019.
• It will be co-chaired by External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj and the Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdulaziz Kamilov.
• The participants of the conference will deliberate on connectivity issues between India and Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Mary Kom attained number one position
• Boxer MC Mary Kom attained number one position in the International Boxing Association's (AIBA) latest world rankings.
• She won the gold medal in the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.
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• She also won a silver at the prestigious 'Strandja Memorial' in Bulgaria.

• She successful boxer in the history of World Championship after she won the gold medal in the World Boxing Championship in
2018.
'We are Displaced' released in India
• A book titled 'We are Displaced' was released in India on 9 January 2019.
• The author of the book is Malala Yousafzai.
• The book gives a description of her experiences of traveling around the world and visiting refugee camps.
• Malala Yousafzai got the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
Bavleen won gold medal in gymnastics
• Jammu and Kashmir's Bavleen Kaur won the gold medal in the women's Under-17 all-around rhythmic gymnastics event at the
Khelo India Youth Games 2019.
• Maharashtra's Shreya Bhangale and Krisha Chheda took silver and bronze medals.
• The 2019 Khelo India Youth Games are being held in Pune, Maharashtra.
Airboat service from Varanasi to Prayagraj
• The government of India will launch an airboat service from Varanasi to Prayagraj for the Kumbh Mela from 26 January 2019.
• The airboat will have an engine of a vehicle and carry 16 people in one go. It can cruise up to 80 kilometers per hour and requires
a depth of only 10 centimeters.
• The Kumbh Mela will begin in Prayagraj on 15 January 2019.
SEBI constitutes 'Research Advisory' committee
• The Security and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) constituted a 'Research Advisory' committee.
• It will be headed by Dr. Sankar De.
• The committee will assist in formulating policy to undertake research relevant for the development and regulation of capital
markets.
• The committee would comprise prominent financial economists and market practitioners.
World Hindi Day observed on 10 January
• World Hindi Day is observed every year on January 10 to promote the greatness of the Hindi language.
• The first World Hindi Conference was held on January 10 in 1975 and to commemorate this day, World Hindi Day is celebrated
every year.
• The first World Hindi Conference was inaugurated by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in Nagpur.
Longest cable suspension bridge inaugurated
• Arunachal Pradesh's Chief Minister, Pema Khandu inaugurated India’s longest single lane steel cable suspension bridge over River
Siang in Upper Siang district.
• The name of the bridge is Byorung Bridge.
• The 300-meter-long Bridge was funded by the Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Ministry under Non-Lapsable
Central Pool of Resources.
UN chief appoints new Lebanon envoy
• On 9 January 2019, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Jan Kubis as the new UN special coordinator in Lebanon.
• He will take over from Pernille Dahler Kardel of Denmark, who was acting coordinator since November 2017.
• Jan Kubis was the Foreign Minister of Slovakia.
• He also served as UN envoy to Iraq and also led the UN mission to Afghanistan from 2011 to 2015.
Sri Lanka gets $400 million from RBI
• On 9 January 2019, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) agreed to provide $400 million to Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
• The RBI agreed to provide the funds under its SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) swap facility.
• The funds will help Sri Lanka to maintain an adequate level of external reserves.
• Indrajith Coomaraswamy is the Governor of Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
UNODC releases report in human trafficking
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• The 2018 'Global Report on Trafficking in Persons' was released by the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
• As per the report, the girls account for 23% of all trafficking victims detected globally, based on the data from 2016.
• Boys account for 7% of reported trafficking victims, down from 8% in 2014, and up from 3% in 2004.
Andaman to be 1st Island to operate seaplanes
• The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation approved operations on 13 water aerodromes under Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik-3 (UDAN-3).
• The very first seaplane could run within Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Four different islands from Andaman and one island from Nicobar have been selected to fly seaplanes.
• These are Havelock, Long Island, Neil Island and Hutbay Island in Andaman and Car Nicobar in Nicobar.
RBI allows 'tokenisation' services
• The RBI allowed the card payment providers to offer tokenisation services.
• 'Tokenisation' will ensure the safety of digital transactions and reduce the chances of fraud.
• It involves a process in which a unique token hides the sensitive card details.
• The token is used to perform card transactions in contactless mode at Point Of Sale (POS) terminals, Quick Response (QR) code
payments, etc.
Salah named Caf African Player of the Year
• Liverpool's Mohamed Salah was named 2018 Confederation of African Football's (Caf) 'Player of the Year'.
• He won the award for the second time.
• Houston Dash and South Africa forward Thembi Kgatlana was named Women's Player of the Year.
• Salah was voted the 'BBC African Footballer of the Year' for the second time in December 2018.
RBI made changes in Gold Monetisation Scheme
• On 9 January 2019, the RBI made some changes in Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS).
• Apart from the individual and joint depositors, GMS has been extended to charitable institutions, Central Government, State
Government or any other entity owned by the Government.
• The government of India had launched the GMS in 2015 to mobilise the gold held by households and institutions in the country.
Iranian bank allowed to open Mumbai branch
• On 8 January 2019, India allowed Iran's Pasargad Bank to open a branch in Mumbai.
• Alongside, India’s UCO Bank will open a branch in Iran.
• The two banks will facilitate transactions relating to the operation of berths at Iran’s Chabahar Port.
• The move is also expected to facilitate Indian businesses to trade on easier terms with Iran.
• India has taken over operations of the Chabahar port.
N. Ram appointed as President of AFMF
• N. Ram was appointed as the President of the 'Alliance for Media Freedom' (AFMF).
• AFMF is a cross-media advocacy and action group of media organisations, promoters, and journalists.
• The Alliance is dedicated to working for the cause of media freedom, media independence, and the safety of the journalist.
• N. Ram is the Chairman of 'The Hindu Group'.
Parliament passes 124th Amendment Bill
• On 9 January 2019, the Rajya Sabha passed the 124th Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2019.
• The bill seeks to provide a 10% reservation in government jobs and admission in educational institutions to economically
backward people among upper castes.
• The Bill will amend the article 15 and 16 of the constitution of India.
• The Bill was passed in Lok Sabha on 8 January 2019.
'Gangajal Project' inaugurated in Agra
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 'Gangajal Project' in Agra on 9 January 2019.
• The programme will provide a supply of better drinking water which will benefit the residents as well as tourists.
• Gangajal project aims to bring 140 cusecs of Ganga water to Agra.
• He also launched civic projects worth Rs 2,980 crore in Agra.
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'Web- Wonder Women' Campaign launched

• The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched an online campaign, ' #www: Web- WonderWomen' on 9 January 2019.
• The Campaign aims to discover and celebrate the exceptional achievements of women, who have influenced and impacted
society through social media.
• The Ministry in collaboration with 'Breakthrough' and 'Twitter India' has started this campaign.
Private FM channels allowed to carry AIR news
• Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore launched 'Sharing of All India Radio News with Private FM
broadcasters' on 8 January 2019.
• Private FM channels can now carry All India Radio News free of cost on trial basis up to 31st May 2019.
• The commercials which are broadcast during news bulletins have to be carried along with news in too.
IHMCL signed MoU with Oil Marketing Companies
• Indian Highways Management Company Ltd. (IHMCL) signed MoUs with state-run Oil Marketing Companies (IOCL, BPC, and HPC)
on 7th January 2019.
• This will ensure the availability of 'FASTags' at petroleum outlets across India.
• IHMCL has been mandated to implement the National Electronic Toll Collection Program in the country.
• IHMCL is a company promoted by National Highway Authority of India.
PM launches various projects in Maharashtra
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched road and underground sewerage system projects in Maharashtra on 9 January 2019.
• He also laid the foundation stone for a ₹1,811 crore housing project of 30,000 units under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
• The housing project will benefit the homeless poor like rag pickers, rickshaw pullers, textile and beedi workers.
Bhopal literature fest to begin from Jan 12
• The first edition of the Bhopal Literature and Art Festival (BLF) will be held from 12-14 January 2019.
• The author Namita Gokhale will be receiving the 'Sushila Devi Literature Award' at the festival.
• The three-day literature festival will see writers, thought leaders, artists, academics and celebrities from India, US, UK, and
Austria.
First Swadesh Darshan project inaugurated
• Meghalaya's Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma inaugurated the project 'Development of North East Circuit: Umiam (Lake View) - U
Lum Sohpetbneng- Mawdiangdiang - Orchid Lake Resort' on 9 January 2019.
• The project was implemented under Swadesh Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism.
• Under this project, various facilities like Multipurpose Hall, Log Huts, Cafeteria etc have been developed.
Maharashtra Cabinet approves SMART project
• On 8 January 2019, the Maharashtra Cabinet approved the ‘State of Maharashtra’s Agribusiness and Rural Transformation
(SMART)’ project assisted by the World Bank.
• The project will boost the agriculture sector and agri-allied businesses.
• The project will have an investment of ₹2,200 crore, of which 70% will be from the World Bank while the State government’s
share will be of 26.67%.
India to become 3rd largest consumer market
• The report titled 'Future of Consumption in Fast-Growth Consumer Market - India' was released by World Economic Forum on 9
January 2019.
• As per the report, India is set to become the world's third largest consumer market behind only USA and China by 2030.
• The consumer spending in India is expected to grow from 1.5 trillion US dollar at present to six trillion US dollar by 2030.
Egypt to host 2019 Africa Cup of Nations
• The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that Egypt will host the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
• Egypt will be hosting the tournament for the fifth time.
• Egypt will use eight stadiums during the tournament, hosting in five different cities: Alexandria, Ismailia, Port Said, Suez and the
capital Cairo.
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A stretch of NH 211 inaugurated in Maharashtra

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the four-laned, Solapur – Tuljapur – Osmanabad section of NH-211 (New NH-52) in
Solapur in Maharashtra on 9 January 2019.
• It will improve the connectivity of Solapur with the Marathwada region.
• The project is part of Solapur-Yedashi section in Maharashtra.
• The Prime Minister had laid the foundation for this project in 2014.
AP's seventh airport inaugurated
• Andhra Pradesh's seventh airport at Orvakallu near Kurnool city was inaugurated on 8 January 2019 by the Chief Minister N
Chandrababu Nadu.
• The airport has been categorized as '3C' and is capable of handling turboprop aircraft like ATR-72 and Bombardier Q-400.
• Visakhapatnam, Rajamahendravaram, Vijayawada, and Tirupati are major airports in Andhra Pradesh.
LS passes 124th Constitutional Amendment Bill
• On 8 January 2019, the Lok Sabha has passed the 124th Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2019.
• The bill seeks to provide a 10% reservation to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in the General category.
• The bill facilitates reservation for EWS in direct recruitments and admission in higher educational institutions.
• The Bill amends Article 15 of Constitution of India.
Sanjiv Arora appointed Secretary in MEA
• Senior diplomat Sanjiv Arora was appointed as the Secretary of Consular, Passport, Visa, and Overseas Indian Affairs in the
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) with effect from 1 February 2019.
• He is a 1984-batch officer of India Foreign Service.
• At present, he is India's Ambassador to Lebanon.
USA Cricket becomes ICC's 105th member
• On 9 January 2019, International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that USA Cricket became its 105th member.
• As a Member of the ICC, USA Cricket is now eligible to receive funding in accordance with the ICC Funding Policy.
• USA Cricket has become the 93rd Associate Member in accordance with the ICC Constitution.
• It can now sanction domestic and international matches in the United States.
MoU signed between Indian Army and PNB
• On 08 January 2019, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Army and Punjab National Bank
(PNB) on the Defence Salary Package.
• This MoU will benefit a large number of serving and retired Army personnel who have accounts with PNB.
• The salient features of the MoU are free 'Rakshak Plus' Scheme, overdraft facility and multicity 'At Par' cheques, and free SMS
alerts.
WB's Global Economic Prospects released
• The World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report was released on 9 January 2019.
• As per the report, India's GDP is expected to grow at 7.3% in the fiscal year 2018-19, and 7.5% in the following two years.
• It also said that India will continue to be the fastest growing major economy in the world.
• China's economic growth is projected to slow down to 6.2% each in 2019 and 2020.
Khelo India Youth Games begins in Pune
• The second edition of Khelo India Youth Games was inaugurated in Pune on 9 January 2019.
• Students from colleges and Universities will be allowed to compete in the games.
• Tennis and table tennis will also be a part of the games.
• The 1st edition of Khelo India games was held in Delhi in January 2018.
• The Khelo India games is organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.
Citizenship (Amendment) Bill passed in LS
• The Lok Sabha passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill on 8 January 2019.
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• The Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to make illegal migrants who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and
Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship of India.
• It will apply to those migrants who have entered India before December 31, 2014.
MoU on 'India-Norway Ocean Dialogue' exchanged
• Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks in New Delhi on 8 January 2019.
• The two countries signed a MoU on 'India-Norway Ocean Dialogue'.
• The MoU was signed for the establishment of the Joint Task Force on 'Blue Economy' in order to promote multi-sectoral
cooperation in various aspects of Blue Economy.
RBI constitutes a committee on digital payment

• On 8 January 2019, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) constituted a high-level committee that will work towards deepening digital
payments in India.
• The committee will be headed by Nandan Nilekani.
• It will submit a report to the RBI every three months.
• It will suggest measures to strengthen the safety and security of digital payments.
Pranav R Mehta becomes President of GSC
• Pranav R Mehta took over as the President of Global Solar Council (GSC) from 1 January 2019.
• The GSC has its headquarters in Washington D.C.
• GSC was launched on December 6, 2015, following the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UN COP 21).
• At present, he is the Chairman of National Solar Energy Federation.
Golden Globe Awards announced-II
• 'Roma' won the award for Best Foreign Language Picture.
• Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse won the award for the Best animated picture.
• Mahershala Ali won the award for the Best Supporting Actor.
• Regina King won the award for the Best Supporting Actress.
• Christian Bale won the award for the Best Actor – Musical or Comedy
• Olivia Colman won the award for the Best Actress – Musical or Comedy
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Golden Globe Awards announced-I

• On 6 January 2019, The Golden Globe Awards for 2018 were announced in the USA.
• 'Bohemian Rhapsody' won the award for Best Motion Picture – Drama
• Rami Malek won the award for Best Actor – Drama
• Glenn Close won the award for Best Actress – Drama
• Alfonso Cuaron won the award for the Best Director
• 'Green Book' won the award for the Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Malaysia's king Muhammad V resigns
• Malaysia's King Muhammad V has abdicated after two years on the throne on 6 January 2019.
• It is for the first time a king has resigned before completing their five-year tenure.
• Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy and the king assumes a largely ceremonial role.
• However, the king's assent is needed before the appointment of a Prime minister or senior public officials.
DNA (Use and Application) Bill passed in LS
• The Lok Sabha passed the 'DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019' on 8 January 2019.
• It seeks to provide regulation for the use and application of DNA technology for the purpose of establishing the identity of a
certain category of persons.
• The bill also seeks to establish a 'National DNA Data Bank' and 'Regional DNA Data Banks'.
App to alert police on traffic violators
• The Coimbatore city police launched the 'Police-E-Eye' mobile application on 7 January 2019.
• The app will enable the public to take photographs of traffic rule violators and upload them to the police.
• Based on this, the traffic department would issue photo challans to the violators' place to collect the fine amount.
Gita Gopinath joins IMF as Chief Economist
• Gita Gopinath has joined International Monetary Fund (IMF) as its Chief Economist on 7 January 2019.
• She is the first woman to occupy the top IMF post.
• She succeeds Maurice Obstfeld as Economic Counsellor and Director of the IMF's Research Department who retired on 31
December 2018.
• She is the professor of International Studies and Economics at Harvard University,
NABARD sets up venture capital entity
• On 7 January 2019, NABARD announced that it will provide early-stage capital to agriculture and rural enterprises through its
venture capital entity, 'NABVENTURES Ltd'.
• NABVENTURES Ltd has been incorporated by NABARD under the Companies Act.
• It will launch its maiden fund offer by the middle of February 2019.
• NABARD's headquarter is in Mumbai and its Chairman is Harsh Kumar Bhanwala
National billiards & snooker meet in Indore
• The 86th National Billiards and Snooker Championship will be held in Indore from 18 January 2019.
• The event will be hosted by Madhya Pradesh Billiards and Snooker Association.
• Top cueists, including Pankaj Advani, will take part in the event.
• The prize money of the event is 10 lakh rupees.
• The event will conclude on 10 February 2019.
Govt relaxes norms for fertiliser exports
• The government of India relaxed norms for exports of fertilisers, including urea, potassic and phosphatic.
• The export policy of fertilisers have been revised and items under the 'restricted' category moved to 'free' category.
• These exports are subject to prior permission/no objection certificate to be obtained by the manufacturers/exporters from the
Department of Fertiliser.
Jammu and Kashmir sets up law commission
• The Jammu and Kashmir administration has set up a law commission on 7 January 2019.
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• Justice (Retd) M K Hanjura was appointed as its Chairperson.

• The law commission will identify the redundant and obsolete laws that can be repealed and suggest measures for quick redress
of public grievances.
• The term of the Jammu and Kashmir State Law Commission will be for three years.
NASA probe discovers new planet
• NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) discovered a new planet.
• The planet has been named 'HD 21749b'.
• It orbits around a bright dwarf star about 53 light years away from the earth, in the constellation 'Reticulum'.
• It is the third planet discovered by TESS.
• The other two planets discovered by TESS are 'Pi Mensae b' and 'LHS 3844b'.
• TESS was launched in April 2018.
Alok Verma reinstated as CBI chief by SC
• On 8 January 2019, the Supreme Court reinstated Alok Verma as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director.
• The court ruled that he not to take any policy decisions till the statutory committee meets within a week and decides further on
the matter.
• The committee comprises the Prime Minister, CJI and the Leader of the Opposition.
Rajesh Chandra appointed as DG of SSB
• Kumar Rajesh Chandra was appointed as the Director General of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
• He has been appointed as SSB DG up to 31 December 2021.
• He is a 1985-batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre.
• He is at present the Director General of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).
• The SSB, which has about 80,000 personnel, guards India's borders with Nepal and Bhutan.
WB President Jim Yong Kim to step down
• World Bank President Jim Yong Kim will step down from his position on 1 February 2019.
• He was appointed as President of World bank in July 2012.
• Kristalina Georgieva, World Bank CEO, will assume the role of interim President from 1 February 2019.
• The United States is the largest shareholder of the World Bank.
• The World Bank's headquarter is in Washington D.C.
Indian economy expects to grow at 7.2%
• Central Statistics Office (CSO) released the first advance estimates of National Income for 2018-19.
• As per the CSO, the Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.2% in 2018-19 against 6.7% in 2017-18 due to improvement in the
performance of agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
• The growth of the manufacturing sector is expected to accelerate to 8.3% this fiscal, up from 5.7% in 2017-18.
AAI bans single-use plastic items
• Airports Authority of India (AAI) imposed a ban on single-use plastic items at its 129 airports across the country.
• Single-use plastic items like straws, plastic cutlery, plastic plates etc have been banned by AAI.
• Single-use plastic items are used only once and then thrown in the trash.
• Guruprasad Mohapatra is the Chairman of Airports Authority of India.
Raisina Dialogue to begin in New Delhi
• The fourth edition of the Raisina Dialogue began in New Delhi on 8 January 2019.
• The Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with Observer Research Foundation is organising the annual geopolitical and
geostrategic conference.
• The theme of the Dialogue this year is 'A World Reorder: New Geometries; Fluid Partnerships; Uncertain Outcomes'.
'Exhibitor of the Year Award' for DRDO
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) pavilion received 'Exhibitor of the Year Award' at 106th Indian
Science Congress (ISC) held at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab.
• The DRDO Pavillion at ISC was inaugurated on 3 January 2019.
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• The pavilion exhibited surface-to-air missile system - Akash, a model of BrahMos missile, remotely operated vehicle etc.
Gruh Finance to merge with Bandhan Bank
• Gruh Finance will be merged with Bandhan Bank.
• Gruh Finance is the affordable housing finance arm of HDFC.
• The move would help the Bandhan Bank to cut promoter stake from 82.3% to 61%.
• Post the deal, HDFC will have 14.9% stake in Bandhan Bank.
• Chandra Shekhar Ghosh is the CEO and MD of Badhan Bank.
• Post-merger, Bandhan Bank’s loan book’s assets under management will be Rs. 50,036 crore.
Navy to set up new air base in Port Blair
• The Indian Navy will commission a new airbase 100 miles north of Port Blair in the strategically located Andaman and Nicobar
islands.
• The base, INS Kohassa, will be commissioned by Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on 24 January 2019.
• This will be India’s fourth air base and the third naval air facility in Andamans and Nicobar Islands.
Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill passed in LS
• The Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018 was passed in Lok Sabha on 7 January 2019.
• It seeks to remove leprosy as a ground for divorce in five personal laws: Hindu Marriage Act, Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act,
Divorce Act (for Christians), Special Marriage Act and the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act.
• The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha in August 2018.
Monkey fever in Karnakata
• At least six people have died due to Kyasanur forest disease (KFD), also known as ‘monkey fever’, in Shivamogga district of
Karnakata.
• KFD is a re-emerging zoonotic disease endemic in Karnataka.
• It is caused by Kyasanur Forest disease virus (KFDV), a member of the virus family Flaviviridae.
• The disease can be transmitted to human via contact with a sick or recently dead monkey.
5,000 additional seats for JNVs approved
• On 7 January 2019, Ministry of Human Resource Development approved an increase of 5,000 seats at Jawahar Navodaya
Vidyalayas (JNVs) across the country.
• The total number of seats has increased from 46,600 to 51,000 at the JNVs.
• JNVs are run by Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, New Delhi, an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Human Resource
Development
'Tansen Mahotsav' to be held in New Delhi
• The 18th edition of the 'Swami Haridas Tansen Sangeet Nritya Mahotsav' will be held in New Delhi from 10 January 2019.
• The festival seeks to revive and promote the interest of the youth in traditional Indian art forms.
• It is dedicated to 16th-century poets and musicians, Swami Haridas and Mian Tansen.
• It is organised by Bharatiya Sangeet Sadan and Sri Ram Centre For Performing Arts.
Polavaram project created a World Record
• The Polavaram multi-purpose irrigation project entered the Guinness Book record in terms of using the highest volume of
concrete in a given day.
• The project contractor Navayuga Engineering Company poured 32,100 cubic meters of concrete in the spillway channel within 24
hours.
• The project beat the existing record set in Dubai while building a hotel in May 2017.
AAI signs MoU with SAMEER
• Airports Authority of India (AAI) signed MoU with Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research (SAMEER)
on 4 January 2019.
• The MoU will provide a platform for joint research programs in the field of Communication Navigation and Surveillance (CNS).
• SAMEER is an autonomous Research and Development (R&D) institute under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
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Quota for economically backward upper castes

• On 7 January 2019, the Union Cabinet approved a 10% reservation for 'economically backward' upper castes in government jobs.
• The reservation will be applicable for those belonging to the upper castes and earning less than Rs 8 lakh per year.
• A bill to amend Article 15 and 16 of the Constitution will be moved in the Parliament to this effect.
Sheikh Hasina took oath as Bangladesh's PM
• Sheikh Hasina took oath as Prime Minister of Bangladesh on 7 January 2019.
• President Mohammad Abdul Hamid administered the oath of office to her.
• Sheikh Hasina became Bangladesh's Prime Minister for the fourth time.
• She is the President of Awami League.
• Awami League and its allies secured 288 seats out of elections held for 299-member Parliament on 30 December 2018.
Net direct tax grew by 13.6%
• As per the Ministry of Finance, revenue from direct tax grew by 13.6% to Rs 7.43 lakh crore in the first nine months of the current
financial year 2018-19 (April-March).
• Gross tax collection grew by 14.1% to Rs 8.74 lakh crore.
• Corporate Income Tax (CIT) grew 14.8%, while personal income tax (PIT) grew 17.2%.
• The government also collected Rs 3.64 lakh crore advance Tax.
Odisha announces interest-free loans for WSHGs
• On 5 January 2019, Odisha's Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced interest-free loans of up to Rs. 3 lakh for Women Self-
Help Groups (WSHGs) in the state.
• There are around 6 lakh WSHGs in Odisha.
• The initiative will benefit about 70 lakh women.
• He also distributed financial assistance of Rs. 3,000 each to six lakh WSHGs as part of the state government's efforts to digitally
empower women.
Sydney to host new ATP World Team Cup
• Sydney will host the finals of inaugural 24-team ATP Cup men’s tennis tournament.
• The tennis tournament will be played from 3 January 2020.
• Sydney, Brisbane, and one other Australian city will co-host the tournament.
• The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), which runs the men's tennis tournament, voted in London to award the
tournament to Australia.
HRD introduces 70-point grading index
• The Ministry of Human Resource Development has introduced a 70-point grading index to assess the quality of school education
offered by states.
• A state performance grading will be done wherein the states will be marked out of 1,000 on 70 parameters.
• This will give the correct picture of where every state stands.
International Kite Festival inaugurated
• In Gujarat, the nine-day long international kite festival kicked off at Sabarmati River Front in Ahmedabad on 6 January 2019.
• The festival is a part of the celebrations for Makar Sankranti (also called Uttarayan).
• More than 150 kite fliers from 45 countries are participating in this edition of the festival.
• About 500 kite fliers 13 different states of the country are also taking part.
Bopanna and Sharan won the Tata Open title
• Rohan Bopanna's and Divij Sharan have won the ATP tour Tennis title at the Tata Open Maharashtra in Pune on 5 January 2019.
• The defeated Britain's Luke Bambridge and Jonny O'Maara in the final match.
• It was Bopanna's 18th ATP tour title while Sharan won his fourth tournament.
• Before this, Bopanna won the Vienna event in October 2017 with Pablo Cuevas.
Rani won gold medal in National's Judo C'Ship
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• Lady head constable, Rani of 5th Indian Reserve Battalion of Himachal Pradesh Police won a Gold medal in the Senior National
Women's Judo Championship on 5 January 2019.
• The championship was held in Visakhapatnam.
• She won the gold medal in the 78 kg category.
• She was also declared the best Judoka at the Championship.
Roger Federer clinched Hopman Cup
• Switzerland's Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic won the Hopman Cup on 5 January 2019.
• They defeated Germany's Angelique Kerber and Alexander Zverev in the final match.
• Roger Federer is the first player to win three Hopman Cups - twice with Bencic and once with Martina Hingis, in 2001.
• The Hopman Cup will be replaced by an ATP tournament in 2020.
Norwegian PM arrives in New Delhi
• Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg arrived in New Delhi on a three-day state visit to India on 7 January 2019.
• She will participate in the Indo-Norwegian Business Conference.
• Norway is a leading ocean country, and a major exporter of seafood, oil, and gas.
• Norway's capital is Oslo and its currency is Norwegian Krone
Govt notifies High-Level Committee for Assam
• The government has notified a High-Level Committee for implementation of Clause six of the Assam Accord on 6 January 2019.
• The committee is headed by former IAS officer M.P. Bezbaruah.
• It will assess the appropriate level of reservation of seats in the Assam Assembly and local bodies for the Assamese people,
besides providing employment opportunities.
Anganwadi workers to be honoured with awards
• Union Minister for Women & Child Development, Maneka Gandhi conferred National Awards to 97 Anganwadi Workers (AWWs)
on 7 January 2019.
• The awards were given for their Exceptional Achievements for the year 2017-18
• The award is given to motivate the AWWs and recognise their exemplary service in the field of child development and related
areas under the Integrated Child Development Scheme.
NCR launches mobile app for Kumbh Mela
• The North Central Railway (NCR) launched a mobile application to help people navigate through Prayagraj city during Kumbh
Mela starting from 15 January 2019.
• The name of the app is 'Rail Kumbh Seva Mobile App'.
• It will also provide information regarding all the 'Mela special' trains that will be run during the period.
• The app will provide a link to the user to buy the train tickets.
Orange alert for Andaman due to cyclone Pabuk
• The government of India issued an 'Orange' alert for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands due Cyclonic storm 'Pabuk' on 6 January
2019.
• 'Pabuk' is now over the Andaman sea and its neighbourhood.
• An 'orange' weather warning means people should be prepared and there is an increased likelihood of bad or extreme weather
which may disrupt road and air travel and threaten life and property.
UBI & Srei Equipment Finance signed a pact
• On 5 January 2019, United Bank of India and Srei Equipment Finance signed an agreement for financing the MSME and
agriculture sectors.
• Under the pact, UBI will leverage its low-cost loans with Srei to enable the purchase of equipment and vehicles in a seamless
manner.
• Ashok Kumar Pradhan is the United Bank of India's MD and CEO.
Dinu conferred with lifetime achievement award
• Veteran journalist Dinu Randive was conferred with the lifetime achievement award by the Mantralaya and Vidhimandal
Vartahar Sangh.
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• The Sangh is an association of journalists covering Maharashtra legislature and secretariat.

• Mr. Randive started his journalistic career in 1956.
• He also participated in the freedom struggle, the Sanyukta Maharashtra movement, and the Goa liberation movement.
Farooq to be honoured by Bimal Roy Society
• Farooq Sheikh and Asha Parekh will be honoured by the Bimal Roy Memorial and Film Society to commemorate the 52nd death
anniversary of the renowned filmmaker.
• The society was instituted in memory of the late filmmaker Bimal Roy.
• Its aim is to reward unsung heroes of the film industry.
• Awards will also be given to directors Ananth Mahadevan and Amit Rai for making socially relevant films.
Women’s Science Congress inaugurated
• The Women’s Science Congress was inaugurated at the Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar on 6 January 2019.
• Women’s Science Congress is a part of the 106th Indian Science Congress.
• The objective of the Women’s Science Congress is to showcase the work of women scientists.
Projects worth Rs 4,500-cr in Odisha launched
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched projects worth more than Rs 4,500 crore in Odisha on 5 January 2019.
• The projects are related to road highways and transport, petroleum and natural gas, railways, culture, tourism and passport
services.
• He also inaugurated the multi-modal logistics hub in Balasore as well as a project for restoration and conservation of historical
site of Haripurgarh.
Results of World Toilet Day Contest announced
• Salem District is one among the top 12 winners of the World Toilet Day Contest 2018.
• The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation organised contests from 9 to 19 November 2018.
• The aim of the contest was to encourage the districts to re-intensify the sanitation movement, with a special focus on open
defecation free (ODF) sustainability.
NGT imposes Rs 100 Cr fine on Meghalaya govt
• The National Green Tribunal imposed a fine of 100 crore rupees on Meghalaya government for its failure to curb illegal coal
mining in the state.
• The amount of the fine has to be deposited with the Central Pollution Control Board.
• The action comes after a high-level committee submitted an adverse report to a bench headed by NGT chairperson AK Goel.
Vadodara to host 8th International Marathon
• Vadodara will host the eighth International Marathon on 6 January 2019.
• The marathon will be held across four categories: 42 km, 21 km, 10 km and 5 km.
• Other categories include 'divyang paralympic run', 'swachhata run', 'pledge run' and 'jawan run'.
• The marathon is accredited to the Association of International Marathon and Distance Races.
Vijay Mallya named Fugitive Economic Offender
• Vijay Mallya became the first tycoon to be charged under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018.
• According to the new law, a fugitive economic offender is a person against whom an arrest warrant has been issued for his or her
involvement in economic offences involving at least Rs. 100 crore or more and has left India to avoid prosecution.
• The new law came into effect from August 2018.
Government merges three regional rural banks
• The government of India merged three Regional Rural Banks- Punjab Gramin Bank, Malwa Gramin Bank, and Sutlej Gramin Bank.
• The single RRB will come into effect from 1 January 2019.
• The sponsor banks of the RRBs are NABARD, the Government of Punjab and Punjab National Bank, SBI, and Punjab and Sind
Bank.
6 monuments of National Importance declared
• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) declared 6 monuments of National Importance in 2018.
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• The High Court Building in Nagpur, Maharashtra, and two Mughal-era monuments in Agra — Haveli of Agha Khan and Hathi
Khana.
• The Neemrana Baori in Rajasthan, the Group of Temples at Ranipur Jharail in Odisha, and the Vishnu Temple in Kotali
in Uttarakhand.
China tests its ‘Mother of All Bombs’
• China tested its most powerful non-nuclear weapon, dubbed as the 'Mother of All Bombs' on 4 January 2019.
• The bomb's strength is only second to that of a nuclear weapon.
• It was dropped by a Chinese H-6K bomber.
• The bomb is five to six meters long but weighs less than America's 'Mother of All Bombs' which was dropped in Afghanistan.
SEBI tweaks norms for commodity exchanges
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) directed commodity derivatives exchanges to disclose the quantum of trading
done by farmers and other commodity market participants.
• Market participants include millers and wholesalers.
• Currently, commodity derivatives exchanges disseminate turnover data for only two broad categories of participants — clients
and proprietary.
Every district covered under BBBP scheme
• According to the government of India, all the 640 districts of the country have been covered under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
Scheme (BBBP).
• The scheme is aimed at addressing the declining Child Sex Ratio and enabling girl child education.
• The scheme is implemented by the Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health & Family Welfare, and Human Resource
Development.
Organic Festival to be organised in Chandigarh
• The 6th 'Women of India Organic Festival' will be held from 12 to 14 January 2019 in Chandigarh.
• The festival will be organised by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• The aim of the festival is to celebrate and promote women farmers and entrepreneurs in the organic sector from the remotest
parts of India.
Wahengbam Singh to get National Bravery Award
• Wahengbam Lamnganba Singh from Manipur was selected by the Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW) for receiving National
Bravery Award.
• He will be receiving the award from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 23, 2019.
• He saved his cousin brother from drowning in a pond on 16 May 2018.
• The National Bravery Awards are given on every Republic Day.
Andhra tops ACI's Ease of Doing Business index
• Andhra Pradesh topped the Asia Competitiveness Institute's (ACI) 2018 'Ease of Doing Business' Index.
• Maharashtra and Delhi came in 2nd and 3rd place.
• The index is based upon three parameters called 'ABC'- Attractiveness to Investors, Business Friendliness and Competitiveness
Policies.
• Andhra Pradesh jumped from the 7th rank in 2016 to the 3rd rank in 2018 in Attractiveness to Investors.
AP govt bags CBIP award for Polavaram project
• The Andhra Pradesh government bagged the Central Board of Irrigation and Power (CBIP) award for speedy execution of
Polavaram multipurpose project.
• It received the award in the category of 'Best Implementation of Water Resources Project' for better planning, implementation,
and monitoring.
• Polavaram project multipurpose project on the Godavari river.
RBI limits customer liability
• The RBI decided to limit the liability of customers in case of unauthorised electronic payment transactions in Prepaid Payment
Instruments (PPIs) issued by non-banks.
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• If the fraud is reported between three and seven days, customer liability will amount to the transaction value or Rs. 10,000.
• For over seven days, the liability of the customer will be according to the policy of the PPI issue.
Vijay Kumar won the Ramnath Goenka Award
• S. Vijay Kumar was presented the 'Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism' Award for Investigative Reporting (Print category)
on 4 January 2019.
• He is Senior Deputy Editor with 'The Hindu'.
• The award has been instituted by the Ramnath Goenka Memorial Foundation.
• Awards were presented to 29 journalists across India in various categories.
Companies (Amendment) Bill passed in Lok Sabha
• On 4 January 2019, the Lok Sabha passed the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2018.
• The Bill seeks to improve ease of doing business, reduce the burden on the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and prescribe
strong action against non-compliant companies.
• The Companies (Amendment), Bill, 2018 replaces the Ordinance promulgated in November 2018.
National Table Tennis Championship begins
• The 80th National Table Tennis Championship began at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha on 4 January 2019.
• Odisha State Table Tennis Association (OSTTA) is hosting the National Table Tennis Championship.
• The event will conclude on 9 January 2019.
• As many as 35 teams, including 550 players from different parts of the country are participating in the championship.
New Delhi World Book Fair begins
• The 27th New Delhi 'World Book Fair' was inaugurated in New Delhi on 5 January 2019.
• The theme of 2019 'World Book Fair' is 'Readers with Special Needs'.
• All India Radio (AIR) is the radio partner for the fair.
• To mark Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary, there will be a special book exhibition of books on and by Mahatma Gandhi.
New Delhi Arbitration Centre Bill passed in LS
• The New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill was passed in Lok Sabha on 4 January 2019.
• The Bill seeks to establish an independent and autonomous regime for institutionalised arbitration.
• It also seeks for acquisition and transfer of undertakings of the International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ICADR).
• ICADR works under the aegis of the Supreme Court.
ICICI Bank & SBFC signed a MoU
• ICICI Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Small Business FinCredit India Pvt Ltd (SBFC) on 4 January 2019.
• Under the MoU, it will jointly provide loans worth up to Rs 1 crore to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• ICICI Bank will co-originate loan against property with SBFC at a mutually agreed ratio.
• The loans of up to Rs 1 crore is for a tenure of 15 years.
Trump signed 'ARIA' into law
• The US President Donald Trump signed the 'Asia Reassurance Initiative Act' (ARIA) into law.
• ARIA was earlier passed in the US Senate in December 2018.
• The act establishes a multifaceted U.S. strategy to increase US security, economic interests, and values in the Indo-Pacific region.
• The ARIA will authorise $1.5 billion in spending for a range of U.S. programs in East and Southeast Asia.
East Siang Dist. achieves 100% electrification
• In Arunachal Pradesh, East Siang District has achieved 100% electrification under the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana-
Saubhagya Scheme.
• Pasighat Electrical division, which falls under the East Siang district, has electrified 2,662 households.
• The power department has electrified 1,483 villages under 'Deen Dayal Upadhyaya-Gram Jyoti Yojana' in the state.
'Swachh Survekshan 2019' launched
• Housing and Urban Affairs Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurated the 'Swachh Survekshan 2019' on 4 January 2019.
• The cleanliness survey will cover 40 crore people across over four thousand towns and cities.
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• For the first time ever, inspection will be conducted without giving any prior information to the concerned official for real-time
check and survey will be based on people’s feedback.
'Indus Food 2019' will be held in January 2019
• The mega international food and beverage show 'Indus Food 2019' will be held in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh on 14-15
January 2019.
• The event is organised jointly by Trade Promotion Council of India and Department of Commerce.
• The event is a platform to promote India as a strong exporter of food and beverage products to the world.
• Odisha will participate as a partner state of the event.
World Braille Day observed on 4 January
• The United Nations observed the first official World Braille Day on 4 January.
• The aim of the day is to raise awareness of the importance of Braille.
• It also aims to raise awareness about the human rights of visually-impaired and partially-sighted people,
• The day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in November 2018.
Parliament approves NCTE amendment bill
• Rajya Sabha passed the 'National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment) Bill' on 3 January 2019.
• The bill seeks to provide retrospective recognition to central and state government funded institutions offering B.Ed and related
courses that are not recognised under the National Council for Teacher Education Act.
• The Lok Sabha has already passed this bill on 23 July 2018.
Telescope to detect cosmic X-rays launched
• US scientists have successfully launched a telescope from Antarctica that analyses X-rays arriving from distant neutron stars,
black holes, and other exotic celestial bodies.
• The name of the telescope is 'X-Calibur' instrument.
• It is carried by a helium balloon and will reach an altitude of 130,000 feet.
• Neutron stars are objects of very small radius.
Panj Tirath site declared as National Heritage
• Pakistan has declared the ancient Hindu religious site of 'Panj Tirath' in Peshawar as National heritage.
• Panj Tirath got its name from the five pools of water present there, also contains a temple and a lawn with date palm trees.
• The five pools of the heritage site now come under the Chacha Yunus Park and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and
Industry.
China’s probe lands on far side of moon
• A China's Chang’e-4 lunar probe touched down on the far side of the moon on 3 January 2019.
• The probe touched down at a targeted area near the moon’s south pole in the Von Karman Crater, after entering its orbit in mid-
December 2018.
• The tasks of the Chang’e-4 include astronomical observation, surveying the moon’s terrain, landform, mineral makeup, and
measuring the neutron radiation.
Bengali writer Dibyendu Palit passed away
• Renowned Bengali writer Dibyendu Palit passed away on 3 January 2019.
• He was conferred the Sahitya Akademi for his novel ‘Anubhab’ in 1998
• 'Chhandopatan' was his first short story and it was published in 1955.
• He was awarded the ‘Bankim Purashkar’ for 'Dheu' in 1990 and 'Ananda Purashkar' in 1984 for 'Sahojoddha'.
RTE (Amendment) Bill, 2018 passed
• On 3 January 2019, the Parliament passed the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2018.
• The Parliament empowered states to detain weak students in the same class if they fail to pass annual exams.
• As per the current provisions of RTE Act, no student can be detained up to class 8th.
• The bill also allows the reintroduction of examinations for primary schools.
National Entrepreneurship Awards held in Delhi
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• The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship hosted the third edition of the 'National Entrepreneurship' Awards in
• The awards aim to recognize and honor outstanding young first-generation entrepreneurs and those who have contributed
immensely to building the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
• A total of 43 awards were presented for 2019.
Custodial services in commodity market allowed
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) allowed custodial services in the commodity derivatives market.
• The move is aimed at enabling the participation of institutional investors such as mutual funds and portfolio managers in the
commodity derivatives market.
• Under the new framework, existing custodians will be permitted to add commodities as an asset class.
Committee formed to look into the JNV suicides
• The Ministry of Human Resource Development constituted a Task Force to look into the reasons of suicides reported in the JNVs.
• The Task Force will be headed by Psychiatrist, Dr. Jitendra Nagpal.
• The Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) are fully residential schools managed and run by the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, an
autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
Chhabilendra appointed as Fertilizer secretary
• Chhabilendra Roul has assumed the charge of Secretary, Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers from 31
December 2018.
• He replaced Bharathi S. Sihag, who retired on 31 December 2018.
• He was the Special Secretary of Department of Agricultural Research and Education.
• He is an Indian Administrative Services Officer of 1985 batch, from Punjab Cadre.
India Pharma 2019 will be held in February
• The Conference on Pharmaceutical & Medical Device sector will be held on 18 & 19 February 2019 in Bengaluru.
• It is organised by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry.
• The theme for India Pharma 2019 is ‘Enabling Quality Affordable Healthcare’ and that of India Medical Device 2019 is ‘Med-Tech
India: Gearing up for Ayushman Bharat’.
'Indian Panorama Film Festival' inaugurated
• The 'Indian Panorama Film Festival' will be organised from 4th to 13th January 2019 at New Delhi.
• The ten-day Festival is being organised by the Directorate of Film Festivals, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
• All the films selected under the Indian Panorama section in the 49th International Film Festival of India will be screened during
the Festival.
Syndicate Bank & SBI Insurance sign a pact
• Syndicate Bank and SBI Life Insurance signed a bancassurance pact on 3 January 2019.
• Under the pact, SBI Life Insurance will offer a comprehensive financial planning solution to its customers through the branches of
Syndicate Bank.
• The agreement was signed by Syndicate Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Mrutyunjay Mahapatra and MD and
CEO of SBI Life, Sanjeev Nautiyal.
Arunima Sinha climbs Mount Vinson
• Arunima Sinha has now become the first woman amputee to climb Mount Vinson (highest peak of Antarctica).
• She was the world’s first woman amputee to climb Mount Everest in 2013.
• She was a national level volleyball player who had one of her legs amputated in 2011.
• She had earlier scaled five peaks including Mt Everest, Mt Kilimanjaro, Mt Elbrus, Mt Kosciuszko, and Mt Aconcagua.
States to rollout ‘Parivesh’ by January 15
• The web-based ‘Parivesh’ will be rolled-out at state levels by 15 January 2019.
• ‘Parivesh’ (Pro-Active and Responsive facilitation by Interactive, Virtuous and Environmental Single-window Hub) is a single-
window integrated environmental management system, developed under the ‘Digital India’ initiative.
• It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2018 on World Biofuel Day.
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HDFC MF becomes the largest AMC in India

• HDFC Mutual Fund surpassed the ICICI Prudential MF to become the country's largest asset management company on 3 January
2019.
• HDFC manages assets of Rs 3.35 lakh crore, while those of ICICI Prudential MF stood at Rs 3.08 lakh crore.
• SBI MF is at the third place with Rs 2.64 lakh crore, followed by Aditya Birla Sun Life MF (Rs 2.42 lakh crore) and Reliance MF (Rs
2.36 lakh crore).
Justice Asif appointed as new CJ of Pakistan
• Justice Asif Saeed Khosa was appointed as the new Chief Justice of Pakistan.
• He is the senior most judge of Pakistan's Supreme Court.
• Justice Khosa will assume the charge of his office on 18 January 2019.
• The incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar will be retiring from service on 17 January 2019.
Bill to amend Arunachal's ST list approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the introduction of a bill to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The bill proposes the deletion of the 'Abor' tribe from the state's ST list as it is the same as 'Adi' tribe.
• The bill seeks to include the Mishmi-Kaman (Miju Mishmi), Idu (Mishmi) and Taraon (Digaru Mishmi) tribes in the list.
Haryana govt approves 11 projects
• The Haryana government approved 11 projects for the rejuvenation of the Saraswati river on 2 January 2019.
• These include the construction of Somb Saraswati barrage, Saraswati reservoir and Adi Badri dam on Somb river, a tributary of
the Yamuna that originates in the Shivalik Hills.
• The projects were approved by the Haryana Saraswati Heritage Development Board chaired by the Chief Minister.
Manufacturing PMI slows in December
• Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) slowed down a bit to 53.2 in December 2018 as against 54 in November 2018.
• This index is prepared on the basis of a survey which is conducted among purchasing executives in over 400 companies.
• The index is prepared by 'IHS Markit' and it is widely to explain the latest industrial situation in a country.
Continuation of family welfare scheme approved
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for the continuation of five schemes under the 'Umbrella
Scheme for Family Welfare and Other Health Interventions' from 2017-18 to 2019-20.
• The scheme will be funded 100% by Central Government.
• The five schemes listed in the proposal are crucial to attaining the goals and objectives laid in National Health Policy (NHP) 2017.
MoU signed b/w IIT Bombay & PSU Oil Companies
• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for setting up 'Centre of Excellence' in Oil, Gas, and Energy was signed between IIT
Bombay and PSU Oil Companies and EIL.
• The Centre of Excellence is aimed at collaborative Research & Capability Building in the areas of Oil, Gas & Energy.
• It will work towards developing sustainable solutions and explore new frontiers in technology for future energy needs.
Jayanta Kumar won 'National Geospatial Award'
• The Indian Society for Remote Sensing (ISRS) conferred the National Geospatial Award for Excellence-2017 (Life Time
Achievement Award) to IIT professor Jayanta Kumar Ghosh
• The award was given to him for his contribution to the development of geospatial science and applications.
• ISRS is an organisation known in the area of space science, remote sensing and geospatial technology.
P K Singh appointed CCI secretary
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) appointed Pramod Kumar Singh as its secretary.
• Prior to this, PK Singh was adviser (law) to the CCI.
• The secretary would act as the nodal officer for the Commission for making or receiving all statutory information and entering
into the any formal relationships
• The CCI was established in 2003 and draws its power from the Competition Act, 2002.
Ramakant Achrekar passed away
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• Cricket coach Ramakant Achrekar passed away in Mumbai on 2 January 2019.

• He was the Sachin Tendulkar's cricket coach.
• In 1990, he was honoured with the Dronacharya Award for Outstanding coaches in Sports and Games.
• He was also honoured with the Padma Shri in 2010.
• In 2010, he was honoured the 'Lifetime Achievement' award by the Sports Illustrated.
Union Cabinet approves restructuring of NHA
• The Union Cabinet approved the restructuring of existing National Health Agency (NHA) as 'National Health Authority' for better
implementation of Pradhan Mantri - Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
• National Health Authority will be chaired by Union Health Minister to enable the decision making at a faster pace.
• The authority will be working under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
Amendment to Trade Unions Act, 1926 approved
• The Cabinet has approved amendment to the Trade Unions Act, 1926 to make provisions regarding recognition of trade unions.
• The approval will facilitate the recognition of Trade Unions at Central and State level.
• The proposed Bill will ensure that the nomination of workers’ representatives in tripartite bodies by the government will become
more transparent.
Veer Savarkar Airport declared as checkpost
• The Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair was declared as an authorised 'Immigration Check post' for entry into/exit
from India.
• This will open up the Port Blair Airport for direct international flight and immigration facilities.
• The Superintendent of Police (CID), Andaman and Nicobar Police was appointed as the ‘Civil Authority’ for the purpose of the
immigration check post.
Saurabh Kumar is the new Chairman of OFB
• Saurabh Kumar took over as the Director General of Ordnance Factories (DGOF) and Chairman of the Ordnance Factory Board
(OFB) in Kolkata on 1 January 2019.
• He is a 1982-batch Indian Ordnance Factory Service officer.
• He was involved in drafting the 'Indian offset' policy for defence purchases and the ‘Make’ procedure in the Defence
Procurement Procedure of 2003-04.
Continuation of Scheme for youths approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of 'Rastriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram Scheme' for the Period 2017-18 to
2019-2020.
• The total budget outlay for the scheme is Rs.1160 crore.
• The scheme is an ongoing Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.
• The Scheme aims to develop the personality and leadership qualities of the youth.
Merchant exporters to get Rs. 600 crore sops
• The government of India decided to provide 3% interest subsidy to merchant exporters to enhance the flow of funds for them
with a view to boosting outbound shipments.
• The decision was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
• The proposal will entail benefits of around Rs. 600 crores to exporters on interest equalisation for the remaining period of the
scheme.
New panel to protect Assam’s heritage
• The Union Cabinet approved the setting up of a high-level committee for implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.
• The Accord provides for constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to protect, preserve and promote the cultural,
social, linguistic identity and heritage of Assam.
• It also recommended reserving Assembly seats for indigenous communities in the State.
U.K. Sinha to head RBI panel on MSME revival
• The RBI has appointed an eight-member expert committee to comprehensively review and propose long-term solutions for the
revival of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.
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• The committee will be headed by former SEBI chairman U.K. Sinha.

• The committee will examine the factors affecting the timely and adequate availability of finance to the MSME sector.
Union Cabinet approves merger of 3 banks
• On 2 January 2019, the Union Cabinet approved the merger of Vijaya Bank, Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda (BoB).
• Following the merger of these banks, BoB will become the third largest bank in India after the State Bank of India and HDFC Bank
in terms of assets.
• The government of India in September 2018 had announced the merger of these three banks.
Direct tax-GDP ratio in FY18 best in 10 years
• The Ministry of Finance said that the direct tax-to-GDP ratio of 5.98% achieved during 2017-18 fiscal is the best in the last 10
years.
• It was 5.57% in 2016-17 and 5.47% in 2015-16.
• The growth rate for corporate income tax (CIT) and personal income tax (PIT) stood at 17.7% and 18.3% respectively.
• The number of individuals filing return of income has also increased by about 65% in 2017-18.
Justice AK Sikri nominated as EC of NALSA
• President Ram Nath Kovind nominated Justice AK Sikri as the Executive Chairman (EC) of National Legal Services Authority
(NALSA).
• The post got vacant after the retirement of Justice Madan B Lokur.
• The NALSA was constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to provide free legal services to the weaker sections of
the society and to organise the Lok Adalats.
Anti-Dumping duty imposed on chemical
• The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has recommended anti-dumping duty on a chemical used in paint and
printing industries, imported from Brazil, Indonesia, and Thailand.
• The name of the chemical is 'non-plasticised industrial grade nitrocellulose damped in isopropyl alcohol having nitrogen content
in the range of 10.7-12.2%'.
• The duties have been imposed for three years.
Govt releases 6-crore LPG connection
• The government of India gave 6-crore free cooking gas (LPG) connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) on 2
January 2019.
• Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu handed over the 6 croreth LPG connection under PMUY to Jasmina Khatoon from Delhi.
• The PMUY was launched on 1 May 2016, with a target to give 5 crore connections by March 2019.
100% houses in 25 states electrified
• India achieved electrification in 100% households in 25 states at the end of 2018.
• Now, only about 10.48 lakh households are left to be electrified in 4 states - Assam, Rajasthan, Meghalaya, and Chhattisgarh.
• The 'Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana' (Saubhagya) in September 2017 to achieve the goal of universal household
electrification in the country by 31 March 2019.
Brazil's Bolsonaro takes oath as President
• Former Army captain, Jair Bolsonaro was sworn in as Brazil's President on 1 January 2019.
• He won the Presidential election of Brazil on 28 October 2018.
• He defeated leftist opponent Fernando Haddad.
• He was declared the winner by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal after 94% of the votes were counted.
Paytm Payment Bank to restart account opening
• The Reserve Bank of India allowed the Paytm Payments Bank to restart opening accounts for its customers.
• The bank started 'Know Your Customer' formalities for its wallets as well as its bank accounts from 31 Dec 2018.
• The RBI had asked the bank to stop adding new customers in June 2018.
• Satish Gupta is the head of the Paytm Payments Bank.
IOC to commission Ennore LNG terminal
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• Indian Oil Corp (IOC) will commission its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal at Ennore in Tamil Nadu in January 2019.
• This is the first LNG import terminal IOC has built on its own.
• The company holds 12.5% stake in Petronet LNG Ltd, which operates import facilities at Dahej in Gujarat and Kochi in Kerala.
• Sanjiv Singh is the Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation.
Aadhaar Amendment Bill introduced in Lok Sabha
• On 2 December 2018, the government of India introduced the Aadhar amendment bill in Lok Sabha.
• The bill seeks to provide legal backing for voluntary seeding of biometric Aadhaar ID with mobile numbers and bank accounts
after the Supreme Court barred mandatory use of the Aadhar by private firms.
• In December 2018, the Union Cabinet approved amending the existing Aadhaar law.
Justice Rana takes over as Nepal's new CJ
• Justice Cholendra Shamsher J B Rana took over as the new Chief Justice of Nepal's Supreme Court on 2 January 2019.
• President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath to Justice Rana.
• He will have a tenure of four years.
• He succeeded Chief Justice Om Prakash Mishra, who retired on 1 January 2018.
• He was appointed as the permanent judge of the Supreme Court on May 27, 2014.
Govt. notifies new GST return forms
• The government of India notified new annual GST return forms which are required to be filed by businesses registered under the
Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime by June 30, 2019.
• It notified GST form GSTR-9, GSTR-9A, and GSTR-9C on 31 December 2018.
• In the forms, businesses have to provide consolidated details of sales, purchases and input tax credit (ITC) benefits accrued in
2017-18.
Global advertising meet in Kochi
• The 44th Global Summit of the International Advertising Association (IAA) will be held in Kochi from February 20 to 22, 2019.
• The theme of the summit is 'Brand Dharma'.
• It is for the first time an Indian city is hosting the summit.
• The last three summits were held in Washington DC, Moscow and Beijing.
Renaming of Allahabad as Prayagraj approved
• The Union Home Ministry approved a Uttar Pradesh government proposal to rename Allahabad as Prayagraj.
• In October 2018, the UP government had proposed the change in name of Allahabad to Prayagraj.
• The Home Ministry clears the name change proposals after the Ministry of Railways, the Department of Posts and the Survey of
India confirm that no city, town or village has similar names.
Hemant appointed as interim chairman of LIC
• The government of India appointed Life Insurance Corporation's (LIC) Managing Director Hemant Bhargava as the interim
Chairman of LIC.
• He replaced V K Sharma, who retired on 31 December 2018.
• He was appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of LIC in February 2017.
• The government has already initiated the process to select a regular Chairman and Managing Director of LIC.
ISRO launches 'Samwad with Students'
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched a new platform named 'Samwad with Students' (SwS) in Bengaluru on 1
January 2019.
• Through the SwS initiative, ISRO aims to engage youngsters across India to capture their scientific temperament.
• The first SwS event saw 40 students and 10 teachers from select schools who interacted with ISRO Chairman Dr. K Sivan
Axis Bank MD and CEO Shikha Sharma retires
• Axis Bank's Managing Director and CEO Shikha Sharma retired on 31 December 2018.
• Amitabh Chaudhry was appointed as the new Managing Director and CEO of the bank with effect from 1 January 2019.
• He will hold the post for three years.
• He is the former MD and CEO of HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company.
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Defence items not covered under Arms Act

• The government of India announced that manufacturing of items of defence aerospace and warships will now be covered by
Industries (Development and Regulation) Act.
• The defence items now do not require licence under the Arms Act.
• In May 2017, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion was allowed to process applications for grant of licence for
manufacture of defence items.
Qatar will cease to be a member of OPEC
• Qatar ceased to be a member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) from 1 January 2019.
• Qatar is the first Gulf country to leave the bloc of oil-producing countries.
• Qatar is the world's biggest supplier of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
• The OPEC is an intergovernmental organisation of 15 nations, founded in 1960 in Baghdad and headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
RBI gives relief to MSME sector
• The RBI allowed a one-time restructuring of existing debt of up to 25 crore rupees for the MSMEs which have defaulted on
payment of loans.
• The restructuring of loans will be implemented by 31 March 2020.
• It will help the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) which are facing cash crunch due to demonetisation and GST
implementation.
US, Israel quit UNESCO citing bias
• The US and Israel had quit the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) with the close of 2018.
• The countries had announced their decisions in 2017 of withdrawing from the agency, accusing it of bias against Israel.
• Israel joined the agency in 1949.
• UNESCO is best known for its work to preserve heritage, including maintaining a list of World Heritage sites.
Jasprit becomes highest wicket taker of 2018
• Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah became the highest wicket-taker across all formats in 2018.
• He took 78 wickets in 2018.
• He took 48 wickets in 9 Tests, 22 wickets in 13 ODIs and 8 wickets in 8 T20I matches.
• South Africa's bowler Kagiso Rabada is at second place, who took 77 wickets in 2018.
DRDO day is observed on 1 January
• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) day is observed on 1 January.
• The DRDO was established in 1958 with just 10 laboratories to enhance the research work in defence sector.
• Dr. G Satheesh Reddy is the Chairman of DRDO.
• DRDO works under the Department of Defence Research and Development of Ministry of Defence.
Provision coverage ratio of banks increases
• Public sector banks' Provision Coverage Ratio (PCR) has increased to 66.85% as of September 2018.
• In 2015, the PCR was less than 50%.
• The provision coverage ratio (PCR) gives an indication of the provision made against bad loans from the profit generated.
• Higher the PCR, lower is the unexposed part of the bad debts.
Fund raising via NCD surges in 2018
• As per the Security and Exchange Board of India's (SEBI) report, Indian companies raised over Rs 29,300 crore by issuing Non-
Convertible Debentures (NCDs) to retail investors in 2018.
• The companies raised money for funding expansion plans and other general purposes.
• NCDs are loan-linked bonds that cannot be converted into stocks and usually offer higher interest rates than the convertible.
Govt approves Central assistance to Tamil Nadu
• On 31 December 2018, the government of India approved the release of Rs 1,146 crore to Tamil Nadu for the people affected by
cyclone 'Gaja'.
• The approval was given by High-Level Committee (HLC) chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
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• The Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Union Minister for Agriculture, Radha Mohan Singh and Vice Chairman, Niti Ayog, Dr.
Rajiv Kumar are the members of HLC.
Tropical storm 'Usman' strucks Philippines
• A tropical storm named 'Usman' struck the Philippines on 25 December 2018.
• Storm Usman resulted in heavy rain and triggered deadly landslides in the Bicol region in Manila, Philippines.
• The tropical storm Usman emerged as the deadliest weather disaster for the Philippines after typhoon 'Mangkhut' in September
2018.
Fourfold jump in bank frauds: RBI
• As per the RBI's Financial Stability Report, 5,917 frauds involving an amount of Rs 41,167 crore were reported by the banks in the
fiscal year 2017-18.
• There has been an increase in the number of large frauds involving amounts of over Rs 50 crore.
• There has been a huge jump in credit-related frauds in the first half of the current fiscal.
Govt infuses Rs 10,882 crore capital in 4 PSBs
• The government of India has infused 10,882 crore rupees in four Public Sector Banks (PSBs).
• It is a part of 28,615 crore rupees capital infusion to be done in about half a dozen public sector lenders.
• The four PSBs are UCO Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Syndicate Bank, and Central Bank of India.
• The recapitalisation would enhance the lending capacity of the PSBs.
Core sector growth slows in Nov 2018
• The Core sector growth slowed to 3.5% in November from 4.8% in October 2018, due to a slowdown in the coal, cement, and
electricity sectors.
• Coal production increased by 3.7% in November 2018 over November 2017.
• The cement sector saw growth in November 2018 slowing to 8.8% from 18.4% in October.
• The electricity sector grew 5.4% in November 2018 as compared with 10.9% in October 2018.
CLSS on home loans for MIG extended
• The government of India extended the Credit Link Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) on home loans for the Middle Income Group (MIG)
under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana till March 2020.
• The last extension was up to March 31, 2019.
• Under CLSS, the government provides a subsidy of up to Rs 2.67 lakh on the home loan.
• Till 30 December 2018, around 3,39,713 beneficiaries have availed loans under CLSS.
Allahabad Bank & SBI Life signed a pact
• Allahabad Bank signed a bancassurance pact with SBI Life Insurance on 31 December 2018.
• Under the pact, the SBI Life Insurance will be able to sell its products through various branches of Allahabad Bank.
• Sanjeev Nautiyal is the CEO & MD of SBI Life Insurance.
• Bancassurance is an arrangement through which an insurance company can sell its products through a bank.
Medical Council (Amendment) Bill passed in LS
• The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill 2018 was passed in the Lok Sabha on 31 December 2018.
• The bill aims to run the Medical Council of India (MCI) through a panel of eminent professionals.
• The powers of the council have been vested in a Board of Governors (BoG).
• It will continue to perform till a Council is constituted.
Govt sets up export promotion cell for MSMEs
• The MSME ministry has established an export promotion cell to create a sustainable ecosystem for Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (MSMEs).
• It will help in the integration of MSMEs into the global value chain.
• It will also look into the areas where improvements are required in order to be able to export effectively and efficiently.
Committee formed for implementation of RERA
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• The government of India constituted a committee to suggest recommendations to strengthen the 'Real Estate Regulatory
Authority' (RERA) and to remove difficulties in its implementation.
• It will be headed by the Union Housing & Urban Affairs Joint Secretary, Shiv Das Meena.
• RERA, which protects the interest of home buyers, empowers states to notify their rules & appoint regulatory authorities.
RBI: NBFCs balance sheet grew by 17.2%
• As per the RBI, the balance sheet size of Non-Bank Financial Companies (NBFCs) grew by 17.2% to Rs 26 trillion in September
2018 from Rs 22.2 trillion in September 2017.
• The NBFCs Capital to Risk-weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) decreased to 21% in September 2018 from 22.8% in March 2018.
• Loans and advances in the NBFC sector increased by 16.3% and investments increased by 14.1%.
WB govt announces two initiatives for farmers
• The West Bengal government announced two welfare initiatives for farmers on 31 December 2018.
• Both initiatives are part of the 'Krishi Krishak Bondhu' scheme and will come into effect from 1 January 2019.
• The 1st initiative will provide Rs 2 lakh to the family of a deceased farmer.
• Under the 2nd initiative, farmers will get Rs 2,500 twice a year for growing a single crop on an acre of land.
V K Yadav appointed as Railway Board Chairman
• The government of India appointed Vinod Kumar Yadav as Chairman of Railway Board (Ministry of Railways).
• He replaced Ashwani Lohani, who retired on 31 December 2018.
• He was the General Manager of South Central Railway (SCR).
• He belongs to the 1980 batch of the Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE).
Bank GNPAs improved to 10.8%
• The 'Financial Stability Report' was released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 31 December 2018.
• As per the report, banks showed improvement with Gross Non-Performing Assets' (GNPAs) ratio declining to 10.8% in September
2018 from 11.5% in March 2018.
• The Net Non-Performing Assets (NNPAs) ratio also witnessed a fall at 5.3% in September 2018 as against 6.2% in March 2018.
Veteran actor-writer Kader Khan passed away
• Veteran actor-writer Kader Khan passed away on 31 December 2018.
• He made his acting debut in 1973 with the movie 'Daag' and acted in more than 300 films.
• He also wrote dialogues for over 250 movies, with his first film as a dialogue writer being 'Jawani Diwani'.
• He was also a screenwriter.
Radhakrishnan appointed as CJ of Telangana HC
• B Radhakrishnan took over as the first Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court.
• He was administered the oath of office by Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana E S L Narasimhan.
• The separate High Court for Telangana came into existence on 1 January 2019, following the division of the High Court at
Hyderabad.
• The AP High Court at Vijayawada also comes into existence from 1 January 2019.
February 2019
Nuvoco won FICCI CSR Award 2017-18
• Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. (formerly Lafarge India Limited) bagged the FICCI CSR Award for 2017-18 in the Women Empowerment
category in New Delhi.
• They were awarded for their project 'Aakriti'.
• The project has been implemented in the Nimbaheda block of Chittorgarh, where, 400 women from neighbouring villages have
been trained in tailoring and associated skills.
Euro's Indian notes on Mahatma Gandhi
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• The first-ever Euro Souvenir Indian notes that celebrate 150th year of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary were unveiled
recently.
• The limited-edition Zero Euro 12–notes commemorative series were unveiled by Numisbing, with just 5,000 notes of each design.
• The first 2 notes of the series have been launched and the rest will be launched sequentially until Oct 2, 2019.
42 cancer drugs under price control
• The government brought 42 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs under price control, capping trade margin at 30%, on 27 February
2019.
• The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has invoked extraordinary powers under Para 19 of the Drugs (Prices
Control) Order, 2013 to control prices.
• As NPPA, the MRP for 105 brands will be reduced up to 85%, entailing minimum savings of Rs. 105 crore.
Anthem on plastic-free India launched
• Union Minister Harsh Vardhan launched an anthem as a part of a campaign to make India plastic-free by 2022 on 28 February
2019.
• 'Plastic Waste-Free India' is prepared and produced by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Smriti Manch (PDUSM).
• It has been launched in seven languages -- Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telegu, Malyalam and Kannada.
Schemes - II
• Karnataka is set to launch a major water conservation scheme titled ‘Jalamrutha’, which focusses on drought-proofing measures,
including protection and rejuvenation of water bodies.
• Haryana CM, Manohar Lal Khattar announced the "Mukhyamantri Parivar Samman Nidhi" scheme for farmers of the state
cultivating up to five acres of land and families having income less than R 15,000 per month.
Schemes - I
• Tamil Nadu CM, Edappadi K. Palaniswami launched the 'Athikadavu-Avinashi Groundwater Recharge Scheme' in Coimbatore,
Tirupur, and Erode districts.
• Odisha CM, Naveen Patnaik sanctioned an additional amount of Rs 1,000 crore for drinking water supply projects under the
Basudha scheme.
28 February: National Science Day
• National Science Day is celebrated across India on February 28 every year.
• Famous Indian scientist Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman or CV Raman discovered the Raman Effect on this day in 1928.
• The theme for this year is Science for people and people for science.
• Sir CV Raman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for his discovery.
Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes conferred
• PM Narendra Modi attended the award ceremony for the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology at Vigyan
Bhawan in New Delhi on 28 February 2019.
• He conferred the prizes for 2016, 2017 and 2018 to the awardees.
• The prize, named after Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, is given each year to recognize outstanding Indian work in various
disciplines of Science and Technology.
Jammu and Kashmir government launched portal
• Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik launched an official portal, State Infrastructure Monitoring System (SIMS).
• It will provide a single platform for all the state departments to upload the information of their respective languishing projects.
• The portal will deal with the management, monitoring, information and payment system of infrastructure projects.
New railway zone for Andhra announced
• Railway Minister Piyush Goyal announced a new railway zone for Andhra Pradesh.
• The new railway zone, Southern Coast Railway, will be headquartered in Visakhapatnam.
• The north Andhra region, comprising Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts, is very backward and needs an
impetus for development.
HRD ministry launched new scheme
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• The Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS) was launched on 27 February 2019.
• It has been launched for providing industry apprenticeship opportunities to fresh graduates.
• The scheme is a programme basket comprising the initiatives of 3 central ministries-HRD, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship,
and Labour & Employment.
New NASA mission selected
• NASA has selected a $42 million mission, Atmospheric Waves Experiment, that will help scientists understand and, ultimately,
forecast the vast space weather system around our planet.
• It will be launched in August 2022, attached to the exterior of the Earth-orbiting International Space Station (ISS).
• AWE will focus on colourful bands of light in Earth's atmosphere, called airglow.
Khelo India app launched by PM
• PM Narendra Modi launched Sports Authority of India's (SAI) first-of-its-kind mobile application, 'Khelo India App' on February 27,
2019.
• The app will create awareness about sports and fitness in the country.
• The app has 3 unique features that will make it convenient for youngsters to take up a sport.
• The app is available both in Hindi and English and can be used in the offline mode.
Ancient petroglyph site found near Kollur
• An ancient petroglyph site with 19 unique rock artwork was discovered near Kollur in Karnataka by the researcher, T Murugeshi.
• The carvings were discovered at Avalakki Parenear Kollur, a grazing plain land of 15-20 acres inside the reserve forest.
• Petroglyphs are images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, or carving as a form of rock art.
Saurabh and Manu clinched Gold
• Saurabh Chaudhary and Manu Bhaker won the gold medal in the 10-meter air pistol mixed team event of the ISSF World Cup
2019.
• The Chinese duo of Ranxin Jiang and Bowen Zhang won silver with, while the bronze went to the Korean pair of Minjung Kim and
Daehun Park.
• Earlier, Saurabh Chaudhary won the gold medal in his first senior World Cup in the same event.
India's 1st indigenous chip unveiled
• India’s 1st Indigenous Semiconductor Chip was unveiled by semiconductor company, “SIGNALCHIP” for 4G/LTE and 5G NR
MODEMs in New Delhi.
• 4 chips were unveiled at the event, which are- SCBM3412, SCBM3404, SCRF3402, and SCRF4502.
• The RF sections cover all LTE/5G-NR bands up to 6GHz and these chips also support positioning using India’s own satellite
navigation system, NAVIC.
Alastair Cook recieved knighthood
• Alastair Cook received the knighthood in the New Year’s Honours.
• He received the honour at a ceremony in the Buckingham Palace and has become the 11th Englishman to be knighted for
services to cricket.
• Enid Bakewell, a legend of the women’s game received an MBE, while Alvin Kallicharran and Peter Wynne-Thomas were both
recognised with a British Empire Medal.
MSP for minor forest produces launched
• The Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produces and the Value Addition component of Van Dhan was launched on
28 February 2019 in New Delhi.
• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is now scaling up the 'Van Dhan Scheme' and is ready to extend it to all tribal Districts of the
country.
• Friends of Tribes Scheme for sourcing of CSR funds from Public Sector Organisations (PSUs) was also launched.
DAC approved aquisition of defence equipment
• The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) gave approval for the acquisition of defence equipment for about Rs 2700 Crores on 27
February 2019.
• The council was chaired by Defence Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman.
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• Approval was granted for procurement of 3 Cadet Training ships for the Indian Navy.
• The ships would be capable of undertaking Hospital Ship duties, providing Humanitarian Assistance etc.
Andhra coast: New energy source discovered
• Methane hydrate, a potential fuel of the future was discovered in the Krishna-Godavari basin off the coast of Andhra Pradesh in
Bay of Bengal.
• The discovery was reported by scientists from the National Institute of Oceanography in Goa and the National Geophysical
Research Institute in Hyderabad.
• Methane hydrate is a solid crystal structure of water which traps a large amount of methane gas.
15,000 acres forest under fire in Bandipur
• A fire has ravaged Bandipur, Karnataka, which burnt over 15,000 acres of forest.
• Bandipur National Park is a 874-sq.-km forested reserve in the Karnataka.
• It is known for its small population of tigers.
• The 14th-century Himavad Gopalaswamy Temple offers views from the park's highest peak.
Sanath Jayasuriya banned for 2 years
• Former Sri Lankan Cricket captain, Sanath Jayasuriya has been banned from cricket for two years.
• He admitted breaching two counts of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.
• Sri Lankan cricket has been under investigation by ICC for last few years.
Indore and Bhopal won Saubhagya award
• The Central Zone Power Distribution Company, Bhopal and West Zone Power Distribution Company, Indore were awarded the
Saubhagya award on 26 February 2019.
• It was presented under Pradhanmantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana at the National Conference of Energy Ministers.
• The award carries a cash prize of 100 crore rupees each.
10% quota for weaker sections in Bihar
• Bihar government issued a notification to provide 10% quota for weaker sections in general category in jobs and educational
institutions.
• The reservation is meant for individuals whose annual earning is below 8 lakh rupees and who possess less than 5 acres of
agriculture land.
• Quota allocation for weaker sections in general category would help in providing more employment.
Assam launched PRANAM Commission
• Assam Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal launched the 'Parents Responsibility and Norms for Accountability and Monitoring'
(PRANAM) Commission in Guwahati on February 26, 2019.
• It is a panel set up to look after the issues concerning a Bill, for protection of parents of state government employees.
• It is an effort to protect elderly parents of government employees in their times of need.
Bhagavad Gita at ISCKON unveiled
• PM Narendra Modi unveiled the Bhagavad Gita prepared by ISKCON Temple devotees in New Delhi on the occasion of Gita
Aradhana Mahotsav on 26 February 2019.
• It measures over 2.8 meters and weighs more than 800 kg.
• It is one of its kind in the world and has the original verses of the Bhagavad Gita along with commentary.
Benchmarks for training in Yoga began
• Ministry of AYUSH and World Health Organisation (WHO) jointly organised a 3-day conclave for reviewing the WHO document
Benchmarks for Training in Yoga.
• WHO is developing the yoga document as part of its global strategy.
• It will be used in evaluating Yoga therapy and identifying trends in utilization.
Web Portal launched in Kolkata
• West Bengal Education Minister, Partha Chatterjee inaugurated a web portal, 'Banglar Shiksha'.
• The portal will provide real-time data on state-run and aided schools.
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• It will be up and running in two months and is probably the first-of-its-kind online initiative in the state as well as in the country.
IWAI and Indian Oil signed MoU
• Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) signed a MoU on 26 February 2019.
• It was signed for jointly developing infrastructure for fuels, lubricating oil, LPG, Natural Gas and any other related fuel and gas for
meeting the requirement of National Waterways.
• IWAI and IOCL have also agreed to conduct techno-economic feasibility studies.
Delhi Declaration on digital health adopted
• The Delhi Declaration on digital health was adopted at the concluding session of the ‘4th Global Digital Health Partnership
Summit'.
• The summit was hosted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and WHO.
• The declaration will engage citizens in partnering with the government for planning and management of digital health
interventions in health services delivery and improving governance.
3 banks out of RBIs weak-bank watch
• The RBI lifted lending curbs from Allahabad Bank and Corporation Bank and removed them from its weak-bank watch list after
the government infused capital in them.
• Private sector Dhanlaxmi Bank too has been taken out of the Prompt Corrective Action Framework.
• Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra and Oriental Bank of Commerce were also taken out of the PCA Framework, earlier on 31
January 2019.
Appointments
• Justice (Retd) P S Teji was appointed as the chairman of the Police Complaints Authority on 26 February 2019.
• The National Book Trust (NBT) has appointed educationist and author Govind Prasad Sharma as its new Chairman.
Odisha signed MoU with Nabkisan
• Odisha government signed an MoU with Nabkisan Ltd for access to collateral free loan facilities on 26 February 2019.
• The MoU encompasses the creation of a Rs 10 crore Credit Guarantee Fund by Odisha government.
• Loans given by Public Sector Banks and Nabkisan to the Farmer's Producer Organisations (FPOs) will be guaranteed under the
Credit Guarantee Fund, as per the MoU.
QRSAM missile successfully test fired
• DRDO successfully test fired indigenously developed Quick Reach Surface-to-Air missiles (QRSAMs) from ITR Chandipur, off the
Odisha Coast on 26 February 2019.
• The two missiles were tested for different altitudes and conditions.
• The missile has a strike range of 25-30 km.
• QRSAM will significantly boost the defence capabilities of the armed forces.
India to achieve 100% electrification
• The Conference of Power and Renewable Energy Ministers of States and UTs was inaugurated at Gurugram on 26 February 2019.
• The two-day Conference will review the implementation of various ongoing Schemes/ Programmes on issues pertaining to Power
and Renewable Energy sectors.
• India is on a path to achieve 100% household electrification by 31 March 2019.
Aviation Conclave 2019 organised
• The Ministry of Civil Aviation organised the Aviation Conclave 2019 with an overarching theme of “Flying for All” in New Delhi on
27 February 2019.
• Over 30 industry leaders discussed across 5-key sessions covering various topics such as the drone-ecosystem policy roadmap.
• Shri Jayant Sinha is the Minister of State of Civil Aviation.
First Indian player to score 8000 runs - Raina
• Suresh Raina became the first Indian player to score 8000 runs in T20.
• He achieved this feat when he scored 12 runs for UP against Puducherry in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match in Delhi.
• He also became the 2nd Indian player to have played 300 T20s after MS Dhoni.
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• Rohit Sharma is 3rd in the list with 299 matches.

20th session of JCEC began
• The meeting of 20th India-Italy Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation (JCEC) began in New Delhi on 26 February 2019.
• The JCEC is an institutional mechanism for bilateral trade engagement held at the level of Minister of Commerce and Industry of
the two countries.
• The 19th Session of India-Italy JCEC was held in Rome on 11th -12th May 2017.
India-Bangladesh Joint Exercise to be held
• A joint military exercise, Sampriti-2019 will be conducted between India and Bangladesh at Tangail, Bangladesh from 2 March to
15 March 2019.
• This will be the eighth edition of the exercise which is hosted alternately by both countries.
• The exercise is aimed to strengthen and broaden the aspects of interoperability and cooperation between both the Armies.
India Smart Utility Week 2019 begins March 12
• Upcoming Conference and Exhibition on Smart Energy, Smart Grid and Smart Cities India Smart Utility Week (ISUW 2019) will be
held from 12-16 March 2019, New Delhi.
• ISUW 2019 will be inaugurated by Shri AK Bhalla, Secretary, Ministry of Power.
• More than 40 International Organisations and experts from more than 55 countries and 300+ utility officials will participate in the
event.
IRCTC Rail Connect won National Award
• Railway's ticket booking mobile application, IRCTC Rail Connect, has been chosen for National e-Governance Awards 2019.
• The app was launched in January 2017 to facilitate the booking of train tickets in a faster and easier way.
• Chhattisgarh government's 'Khanij online' and 14 such IT projects will also receive the award.
Bihar: 1st state to have special dog squad
• Bihar has become the first state in India to have a special dog squad for detecting liquor consignment.
• The state also imposed a complete ban on liquor 2 years ago.
• 20 trained dogs are a part of the squad at present and were provided 9 months of intense training in Hyderabad.
• The dog squads are handled by Crime Investigation Department (CID).
Indra Nooyi joined as Amazon's BoD
• PepsiCo’s India-born former CEO Indra Nooyi joined Amazon’s board of directors.
• She was Pepsico CEO from October 2006 to October 2018
• Rosalind Brewer, Starbucks Executive joined the Amazon Board earlier in February 2019.
6 bronze murals created by Ram Sutar
• The 6 bronze murals located in the Veerta Chakra zone at the National War Memorial, have been created by Ram Sutar, credited
with designing the Statue of Unity.
• Its design draws inspiration from the ''Chakravyuh'' formation.
• The Noida-based sculptor, a Padma Bhushan-recipient also created the busts of 21 awardees of the Param Veer Chakra (PVC).
Russian embassy to train Indian students
• The Russian Embassy will provide industrial training to Indian students in the aviation sector for space missions.
• Around 65 spacewalks have been carried out since the inception of the Moscow Aviation Institute.
• Over the past few years, the number of students from India has been increased by three times.
Nua Odisha inaugurated
• Nua Odisha - Dharmapada Samvaad-Skill Saathi Youth Conclave was inaugurated at Rail Auditorium in Bhubaneswar on 25
February 2019.
• The first-ever Skill Saathi Youth Conclave was aired live across 427 locations in Odisha.
• More than 2 lakh candidates were mobilized for career counseling under Skill Saathi initiative.
Zimbabwe started trading new currency
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• Zimbabwe began formal trading of a new currency as it tries to ease a shortage of dollars that’s crushed the economy.
• The initial rate for the southern African nation’s currency, known as RTGS dollars, will be 2.5 per US dollar.
• The official inflation rate has soared to 57% from less than 4% a year ago.
Abhijeet Gupta won Cannes Trophy
• Indian Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta lifted the Cannes International Open trophy on 25 February 2019 for chess.
• He won the tournament with 7.5 points over nearest rivals Nikita Maiorov of Belarus, Nasuta Grzegorz of Poland and Yuri
Solodovnichecko of Ukraine.
• He took an easy draw with Pier Luigi Basso of Italy in the ninth and final round.
Karthikeyan received Lifetime Achievement
• G.R. Karthikeyan was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award at the FMSCI annual awards function on 25 February 2019.
• He is the father of India’s first Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan.
• Raghul Rangasamy received the Upcoming Motorsport Person of the Year award for the Raymond Gautam Singhania Trophy.
Smriti Irani inaugurated Titanwala Museum
• Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani inaugurated the ‘Titanwala Museum’ in Bagru, Rajasthan on 25 February 2019.
• The museum showcases the Chhipa community’s hand-block printing.
• It will be open from Monday to Sunday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
ICICI Lombard ties up with AnyTimeLoan.in
• ICICI Lombard entered into a strategic tie-up with AnyTimeLoan.in (ATL), a peer-to-peer lending platform on 25 February 2019.
• The partnership aims to de-risk exposure of its lenders and borrowers arising from uncertainties such as accidents, critical illness,
death, disability, etc.
• ATL facilitates loans as small as ₹ 1000 to ₹10 lakh for a minimum period of 1 day to a maximum of 3 years.
Prajnesh Gunneswaran: 94th in Tennis
• India's Prajnesh Gunneswaran achieved his career-best ranking, rising three places to 94th in the latest list on 25 February 2019.
• Ramkumar Ramanathan dropped 9 spots to 137, while Yuki Bhambri further slipped to 171.
• Ankita Raina continued to be the top-placed Indian at 164 in women's ranking, followed by Karman Thandi at 207 and Pranjala
Yadlapalli at 293.
NID inaugurated at Bhopal and Jorhat
• National Institutes of Design (NID) at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh and Jorhat in Assam was inaugurated.
• Both institutes are autonomous under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of
Commerce and Industry.
• NID Bhopal will begin its academic journey from July 2019 with 60 students in 4-year undergraduate courses.
Book launched by Venkaiah Naidu
• Vice President Venkaiah Naidu launched a book titled 'Quality, Accreditation and Ranking - A Silent Revolution in the Offing in
Indian Higher Education'.
• The book is edited by (Education Promotion Society for India) EPSI's Alternate President, Dr. H Chaturvedi.
• It consists of articles & essays authored by some of the prominent educationists and policymakers on Indian Higher Education.
Gandhi Peace Prize presented
• President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind presented the Gandhi Peace Prize on 26 February 2019.
• It was presented for the years 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018 at Darbar Hall, Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi. The awardees were:
• Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari - 2015
• Akshaya Patra Foundation and Sulabh International - 2016 (Jointly)
• Ekal Abhiyan Trust - 2017
• Sh Yohei Sasakawa - 2018.
Mahesh to be honoured with META lifetime award
• Eminent Indian playwright, Mahesh Elkunchwar has been chosen for the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META) Lifetime
Achievement Award 2019.
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• The award will be given on 12 March 2019.

• He is a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship and has over 30 plays and essays to his credit including works like
'Sultan', 'Holi', 'Garbo', 'Yatanaghar', and 'Atmakatha'.
PM Modi to confer Youth Parliament Awards 2019
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will confer the 'National Youth Parliament Festival 2019' awards to the winners on 27 February
2019.
• The National Youth Parliament Festival 2019 was launched on 12th January 2019.
• The aim of the festival was to encourage the youth in the age group of 18-25 years to engage with public issues and understand
the common man’s point of view.
Global Digital Health Summit inaugurated
• The ‘4th Global Digital Health Partnership Summit’ was inaugurated in New Delhi on 25 February 2019.
• It was hosted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with the World Health Organisation and the Global
Digital Health Partnership.
• The aim of GDHP is to improve the health & well-being of the citizens through the best use of evidence-based digital
technologies.
Rail Drishti Dashboard launched
• Minister of Railways and Coal, Piyush Goyal launched 'Rail Drishti Dashboard' on 25 February 2019.
• The url of the dashboard is 'raildrishti.cris.org.in'.
• The Dashboard has been launched to keep people informed about the work going on in the Railways across the country.
• It can be accessed using a desktop/laptop or mobile devices.
Rising India Summit 2019
• 'Rising India Summit 2019' was inaugurated in New Delhi on 25 February 2019. It is a two-day event. PM Modi addressed the
Summit.
• Theme for 2019 is "Beyond Politics: Defining National Priorities".
• It is India's biggest media network, which, this year, is taking place against the backdrop of the Pulwama massacre.
7-NH projects to come up in Kangra
• Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stone for seven National Highway projects in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district on 24 February
2019.
• The projects are likely to benefit the local people by way of increased tourism, safe journey, reduced travel time etc.
• The projects include four-laning of Punjab-Himachal Pradesh Border to Sihuni.
‘Period. End of Sentence’ won Oscar
• A film on menstruation, set in rural India, titled ‘Period. End of Sentence’, has won the Oscar in the Documentary Short Subject
category at the 91st Academy Awards.
• Rayka Zehtabchi directed the short film and Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment produced it.
• The film is a part of ‘The Pad Project’, started by students at the Oakwood School in Los Angeles and their teacher, Melissa
Berton.
Oscars 2019: Part 2
• Best Supporting Actress - Regina King for If Beale Street Could Talk.
• Best Original Song - Lady Gaga, Mike Ronson, Anthony Rossomondo and Andrew Wyatt for A Star Is Born.
• Best Animated Feature - Spiderman: Into the Spider Verse.
• Best Foreign Language - Roma.
• Best Animated Short - Domee Shi and Becky Neiman-Cobb for Bao.
Oscars 2019: Part 1
• The 91st Academy Awards were presented at the Dolby Theatre, in Los Angeles, California.
• Best Picture - Green Book.
• Best Actor in a Leading Role - Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody.
• Best Actress in a Leading Role - Olivia Colman for The Favourite.
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• Best Directing - Alfonso Cuarón for Roma.

• Best Supporting Actor - Mahershala Ali for Green Book.
AIIMS and UCL signed MoU
• The All India Institute of Medical Sciences and University College London signed a memorandum of understanding.
• MoU is signed to explore potential areas of collaboration, including research-oriented activities, staff and student exchange
programmes etc.
• The research will focus on impact on environment, on the health of pregnant women, lungs and maternal health.
Afghanistan launched new export route to India
• Afghanistan began exports to India through an Iranian port.
• Chabahar port is the result of healthy cooperation between India, Iran and Afghanistan that will ensure economic growth.
• The Iranian port provides easy access to the sea to Afghanistan and India has helped developed this route to allow both countries
to engage in trade bypassing Pakistan.
Princess Reema appointed as Ambassador to U.S
• Saudi Arabia appointed Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan as its new Ambassador to the United States on 23 February 2019.
• It is the first time that Saudi Arabia named a woman to such a post.
• Princess Reema will replace Prince Khalid bin Salman who took the post in 2017.
National War Memorial inaugurated
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the National War Memorial in Delhi on 25 February 2019.
• It will thereafter become the place for wreath-laying of all designated events such as Republic Day.
• The National War Memorial will commemorate the soldiers who died in wars and operations, including counter-terrorism, since
Independence.
IAF commissions aerial surveillance
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has commissioned the 'Hyper-Spectral Imagery Programme' for the first time in the country.
• The programme is an aerial surveillance system for monitoring suspicious moments under dense foliage cover along the
international border and some parts within the country.
• It is expected to be operational in the next two years.
Action plan for viral hepatitis launched
• The government of India launched the 'National Action Plan - Viral Hepatitis' in Mumbai on 24 February 2019.
• The aim of the programme is to combat hepatitis and achieve countrywide elimination of Hepatitis C by 2030.
• The action plan takes forward the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program launched by the Union Health Minister in July 2018.
MSME Ministry's conclave on Women Entrepreneur
• The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises organised a conclave on 'Empowering Women Entrepreneurs 2019,
Financing and Enabling Women from Marginalised Sections' in Mumbai on 25 February 2019.
• It was organised under the National SC-ST initiative of the MSME Ministry.
• Entrepreneurs and inspirational women achievers were awarded with 'Enterprising Women of the Year 2018 Awards'.
GST on under-construction homes slashed to 5%
• On 24 February 2019, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council slashed tax rates on under-construction housing properties to 5%
from the existing 12%.
• It also cut GST rates on affordable housing to 1% from 8%.
• The new tax rates will come into effect from 1 April 2019.
• GST is not levied on real estate properties for which completion certificate has been issued at the time of sale.
EVMs are 'information' under RTI Act
• The Central Information Commission (CIC) has ruled that an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) is 'information' under the Right to
Information (RTI) Act.
• This implies the Election Commission has to respond to an RTI application seeking the EVM either by providing it or refusing it
under exemption clauses in the Act.
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• The CIC is the highest adjudicating authority in RTI matters.

Brijbhushan elected as WFI President
• On 24 February 2019, Brijbhushan Sharan Singh was elected unopposed as the President of the Wrestling Federation of India
(WFI) for the third time.
• He will serve WFI for a three-year term.
• He was the Chef-de-Mission of the Indian contingent for the Asian Games 2018 held in Jakarta and Palembang.
• He is also a Member of Parliament from the Kaiserganj constituency of Uttar Pradesh.
Government of India to host construction expo
• The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry will hold a two-day construction expo and conference - 'Construction Technology
India' (CTI) in New Delhi from 2 March 2019.
• The expo will be organised under its Global Housing Technology Challenge (GHTC) initiative.
• Stakeholders across the world will showcase their best technologies to build houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban
(PMAY-U).
India to attend OIC meet for first time
• External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will attend the inaugural plenary session of the 46th meeting of Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation's (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers in Abu Dhabi on 1 and 2 March 2019.
• This is the first time that a leader of the non-Muslim country has been invited to the OIC conference.
• OIC consists of 57 countries and its headquarters is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
PM-KISAN scheme launched from Gorakhpur
• Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh on 24 February
2019.
• Under the Scheme, Rs 6,000 will be given per year to small and marginal farmer families having a combined land holding of up to
2 hectares.
• The amount will be transferred directly to the bank account of beneficiaries through Direct Benefits Transfer.
Apurvi Chandela won gold in 10m rifle
• Apurvi Chandela has won the gold medal in the women's 10-meter air rifle event at the ISSF World Cup 2019 in New Delhi.
• This is India's first medal of the ISSF World Cup 2019.
• She set a new world record by registering a score of 252.9 points in the final match.
• Zhao Ruozhu and Xu Hong of China won the silver and bronze medal respectively.
Manpreet Singh: Player of the Year
• The Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) has honoured Indian men's hockey team captain, Manpreet Singh with the '2018 Player of the
Year Award'.
• Women hockey team's striker, Lalremsiami bagged the '2018 Rising Player of The Year' award.
• Manpreet led the Indian hockey team at the Asian Champions Trophy in Muscat where the team was declared joint winners with
Pakistan.
Rapid transit system approved
• On 19 February 2019, the government of India approved the construction of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit
system (RRTS).
• The corridor is expected to connect the cities to the centre with a high-speed dedicated rail connector.
• The proposed RRTS will be implemented as a joint venture by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) and the
state governments.
MoU signed between India and Argentina
• India and Argentina signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost cooperation in the sector of nuclear energy on 18
February 2019.
• The MoU will strengthen the institutional linkages in civil nuclear research, development and capacity building.
• India and Argentina had signed an agreement in 2010 for cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
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India and Saudi Arabia signed 5 agreements

• India and Saudi Arabia have signed five agreements in various fields, including tourism and enhancement of bilateral investment
relations on 20 February 2019.
• A MoU was signed on investing in the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF).
• An MoU was signed for cooperation on broadcasting between Prasar Bharati and Saudi Broadcasting Corporation for exchange of
audio visual programme
Sweet Revolution scheme launched in Jharkhand
• Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das launched the first phase of the Rs 100-crore ‘Meethi Kranti’ or Sweet Revolution Scheme
on 21 February 2019.
• As per the scheme, 1,207 farmers will be given Rs 1 lakh for bee keeping.
• Of the amount, Rs 80,000 grant will be given by the government of Jharkhand, while the payment of Rs 20,000 will be done by
the beneficiary.
KP-BOT launched in Kerala
• Kerala police has become first police department in the country to use a humanoid 'robocop' for police work.
• The name of the robot is KP-BOT and it has been given a Sub Inspector or SI ranking.
• It was developed by Kerala Police Cyberdome.
• It will be stationed to perform front office duties at the police headquarters.
Ajay elected as head of Foundation of AIBA
• On 19 February 2019, India’s boxing Chief Ajay Singh was elected as President of the Foundation Board for Better Boxing,
governing body of the sport, AIBA.
• He will have a tenure of four years.
• Foundation for Better Boxing was constituted by the AIBA to address future development of the sport globally.
• Gafur Rahimov is the President of AIBA.
Maritime Safety Conference held in Mumbai
• The Regional Maritime Safety Conference 2019 was held in Mumbai on 19 and 20 February 2019.
• It was organised by the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), Ministry of Shipping and Ministry of External Affairs.
• The two-day conference deliberated on issues related to assuring maritime safety in the India-ASEAN sub-region, safeguarding
our shores and promoting maritime trade.
Merger with BoB to be effective from April 1
• Bank of Baroda's proposed merger with Dena and Vijaya Bank will be affected from 1 April 2019.
• The scheme has been named as 'Amalgamation of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda'.
• As per the Scheme, shareholders of Vijaya Bank will get 402 equity shares of BoB for every 1,000 shares held.
• Dena Bank will receive 110 equity shares of BoB for every 1,000 equity shares held.
Israel's first lunar lander launched
• Israel's first lunar lander, Beresheet, was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida on 21 February 2019.
• If successful, Israel will be the fourth country to achieve a controlled touchdown on the moon's surface.
• Beresheet will reach its destination on the near-side of the moon in mid-April following a two-month journey through 4 million
miles (6.5 million km) of space.
Divya Karnad won the Future For Nature Award
• Dr Divya Karnad won the prestigious Global Future For Nature Award 2019 for her work on marine conservation.
• She is the first woman and the second Indian to won the award.
• The first Indian who won the award is Dr Charudutt Mishra.
• The Future For Nature Award is a an international award that celebrates tangible achievements in protecting wild animal and
plant species.
NITI Aayog hosts Conference on Indian Banking
• A conference on 'The Future of Indian Banking' was held in New Delhi on 22 February 2019.
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• It was organised by NITI Aayog and the Foundation for Economic Growth and Welfare (EGROW Foundation).
• The aim of the conference was to increase and elevate the discourse on the banking sector in India and help develop insights to
inform the continued evolution of the Indian banking sector
Kannada writer Ko Channabasappa passed away
• Ko Channabasappa, a former judge, writer and a well-known liberal voice in Karnataka, passed away on 23 February 2019.
• He started his career as a lawyer and went on to become a judge.
• 'Swatantrya Mahotsava’, ‘Prana Pakshi’, ‘Jeeva Teertha’ are some of his poem’s collections.
• He also penned story collections like ‘Ghadi Paru’, ‘Namura Deepa’, ‘Gayaka Nillada Sangeeta’.
OMCs to appoint women as 'Ujjwala Didis'
• Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) will appoint more than 10,000 rural women as 'Ujjwala Didis' in Odisha.
• 'Ujjwala Didis' will act as grassroot energy ambassadors across Odisha to ensure sustainability of LPG use.
• They will act as a bridge between existing and prospective LPG consumers and the distributors in the state of Odisha.
Aero India 2019 celebrates Women’s Day
• Highlighting the achievements of Women in Aviation, ‘Women’s Day’ was celebrated on 23 February 2019 at the biennial Aero
India 2019 expo.
• It was held at the Yelahanka base of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• Women achievers in the aviation sector were felicitated on the occasion and a book and film on 'Women in Aviation' was also
released.
• Aero India show will continue till 24 February 2019.
Year-long state of emergency decalred in Sudan
• On 23 February 2019, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has declared a year-long state of emergency.
• He also dissolved his cabinet and local governments throughout the country.
• President Omar al-Bashir's term ends in 2020.
• The capital of Sudan is Khartoum and its currency is Sudanese pound.
Suresh Prabhu inaugurates various projects
• Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu inaugurated projects worth Rs. 1000 crore on 22
February 2019.
• He inaugurated skilling Common Facility Centre (CFC) in Udupi, Karnataka.
• Two spices parks at Kota in Rajasthan and Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh were also inaugurated.
• He also inaugurated National Institute of Design campus in Assam and Madhya Pradesh.
HAL hands over three ALH to Indian Army
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) handed over first three ALHs as part of the 22 ALH MK III contract to the Indian Army on 22
February 2019.
• HAL had entered into a contract with the Indian Army for 40 ALH in August 2017.
• The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) is a multi-role, new generation helicopter in the 5.5-ton weight class, indigenously designed
and developed by HAL.
NFFK to be held in Thiruvananthapuram
• The third edition of National Folk Festival of Kerala (NFFK) will begin on 23 February 2019 in Thiruvananthapuram.
• NFFK is organised by the Kerala State Youth Welfare Board.
• The main attraction of the festival will be kathputli from Rajasthan.
• The highlight of this year’s festival will be the performance of Barmer Boys from Rajasthan.
100-day job guarantee scheme launched in MP
• Madhya Pradesh government launched its flagship ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Swabhiman Yojana’ on 22 February 2019.
• The scheme guarantees 100 days of employment every year to urban youth from economically weaker sections.
• Under the new scheme, each youth will get Rs. 4,000 stipend per month during 100 days of period.
Committee to help bring down tax litigation
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• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has formed a four-member committee to address taxation-related pain points and cut
down the number of tax litigations.
• It will be headed by Income Tax Commissioner Sanjeev Sharma.
• It will also focus on some of the major issues that may lead to revenue generation.
• It will submit its final report and recommendations by mid-March 2019.
RBI merges NBFCs into one category
• On 22 February 2019, the Reserve Bank of India created a single category of Non Banking Financial Company (NBFC) by merging
their present three-tier structure.
• Asset finance, loan, and investment companies have been merged into a new category called NBFC- Investment and Credit
Companies.
• This will provide greater operational flexibility to NBFCs.
Defence Ministry approves torpedo acquisition
• On 22 February 2019, the Defence Ministry has approved the acquisition of more than 100 heavyweight torpedoes.
• The torpedoes will be equipped on Indian Navy's six Scorpene-class submarines being built at Mazagon Dockyards in Mumbai.
• Torpedo is a self-propelled weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface and propelled
underwater towards a target.
Sushma Swaraj to participate in 16th RIC
• External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will attend the 16th Russia-India-China (RIC) meeting on 27 February 2019.
• The meeting will be held at Wuzhen in China.
• The last RIC Foreign Ministerial Meeting was held in New Delhi in December 2017.
• Chinese Foreign Minister Mr. Wang Yi and the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will also participate in the meeting.
Two silk projects launched in Assam
• Union Minister Smriti Irani inaugurated two silk projects under the Ministry of textiles at Udalguri district in Assam on 22
February 2019.
• The two projects are: Integrated 'Soil to Silk' Project and Eri Spun Silk Mill.
• The projects are aimed at the economic uplift of the people below the poverty line by Eri silk farming.
BoB and KfW to fund solar projects in India
• Bank of Baroda (BoB) and Germany’s KfW Development Bank have tied up to extend funding of $113 million to refinance solar
power projects in India.
• The funding will be done as part of the scheme Solar Partnership II – Promotion of Solar PV in India, under the Indo-German Solar
Energy Partnership.
• In 2015, Germany committed to provide financial support to solar power projects in India.
Odisha govt approves 'Khushi' scheme
• Odisha government approved a Rs 466 crore 'Khusi' scheme on 22 February 2019.
• The aim of the scheme is to improve menstrual hygiene among adolescent girl students in the state.
• Under the scheme, free sanitary napkins will be provided to 17.25 lakh adolescent girl students of Class-VI to XII studying in
government and non-government aided schools of the state.
Tamil Nadu gets 2 Coast Guard districts
• Tamil Nadu became the first state in the country to get a second Coast Guard district headquarters in Thoothukudi.
• The first district headquarters are in Chennai.
• The Thoothukudi district headquarters were set up with an aim to augment security mechanism on the eastern coast.
• It will function under the administrative and operational control of the Commander Coast Guard Region (East).
Eri Farming project launched in Arunachal
• The Integrated Large Scale Eri Silk Farming project under North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS) was launched in
Arunachal Pradesh on 22 February 2019.
• The Project will cover five districts: Papumpare, East Kameng, Siang, East Siang and West Siang.
• The project is funded by the government of India.
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• Eri silk is derived from a silk worm which feeds mainly on castor plants.
Smart India Hackathon to be held in March
• The Ministry of Human Resource Development will conduct the Grand Finale of third edition (Software) of Smart India Hackathon
(SIH) - 2019 on 2 and 3 March 2019.
• SIH is an initiative to identify new and disruptive digital technology innovations for solving the challenges faced by our country.
• It is the largest ever Hackathon in the world and the only one to be held at the national level.
Australian rat becomes extinct
• The Australian government officially listed the Bramble Cay melomys as extinct.
• The small brown rat has not been seen since 2009.
• It was thought to be the only mammal native to the Great Barrier Reef.
• It was found only on a small sand island near the coast of Papua New Guinea.
China unveiled first female AI news anchor
• China's state-run news agency, Xinhua, unveiled the world's first female AI news anchor to read alongside its male AI news
presenters on Feb 21, 2019.
• It was developed jointly by Xinhua and search engine company Sogou and was shown off in a video on social media.
• It is remarkably lifelike, complete with hand adjustments while on camera, and just enough on-cue blinking.
World's largest bee rediscovered in Indonesia
• The world’s largest bee, Flying Bulldog, was rediscovered in a remote part of Indonesia in its first sighting in nearly 40 years on 21
February 2019.
• It was discovered in the 19th century by British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace and nicknamed the 'flying bulldog'.
• The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has listed the bee as vulnerable.
Iran announced 3-day Navy Drill
• Iran launched a 3-day annual navy drill, Velayat 97, in a vast area of the Gulf and the Indian Ocean on 22 Feb 2019.
• The drill will be held in the waters of Strait of Hormuz, Makran coast, Oman Sea and the north of the Indian Ocean.
• It aims to evaluate the navy's equipment, practice launching weapons and enable the troops to gain readiness for a real battle.
PM Modi recieved Seoul Peace Prize 2018
• PM Narendra Modi received the prestigious Seoul Peace Prize for 2018 for his contribution to international cooperation and
fostering global economic growth.
• The award was presented to him by the Seoul Peace Prize Foundation at a grand ceremony.
• A short film on the life and achievements of Prime Minister Modi was also screened at the event.
• He is the 14th recipient of the award.
Uma Nath Singh: 1st Lokayukta of Nagaland
• Justice Uma Nath Singh took oath as the First Lokayukta of Nagaland on February 22, 2019.
• Governor PB Acharya administered the oath of office to Justice Singh at a ceremony at Raj Bhavan in Kohima.
• He is a former Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court and will hold the office of the Lokayukta of Nagaland for a term of 5 years or
till he attains the age of 70.
Medical Fair India 2019 began in New Delhi
• A 3-day medical trade show, Medical Fair India (MFI) 2019, kickstarted on 21 February 2019.
• It will see the participation of global medical device manufacturers, healthcare experts, industry bodies, think tanks and
policymakers from over 25 countries.
• The MFI is being organised by Messe Dusseldorf India, the world's leading trade fair organiser and exhibitions service provider.
Lt Gen Ravi: 3rd member of CoA
• The Supreme Court appointed Lieutenant General Ravi Thodge as the 3rd member of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) for
BCCI.
• In 2017, the apex court had appointed a 4-member CoA, headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) Vinod
Rai.
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• The other 3 members of the CoA were -- former Indian women cricket captain Diana Edulji, Ramachandra Guha and Vikram
Limaye.
Nikhat and Meena won gold medals
• Nikhat Zareen and Meena Kumari Devi became the first Indian women boxers to win gold medals at the Strandja Memorial
Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.
• Zareen claimed a 5-0 win in the 51kg category finals against Filipino Irish Magno.
• Meena defeated Filipino Aira Villegas 3-2, in the bantamweight (54kg) summit clash.
• India won 11 medals including two gold at the 2018 edition.
ISSF Shooting World Cup held
• The ISSF (International Shooting Sports Federation) World Cup 2019 began in New Delhi on February 21, 2019.
• Various events in the World cup will start from February 23rd and end on 27th at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range.
• Around 503 shooters from 58 countries will be competing for top honours with 8 of the 10 events offering Olympic quota places.
Scheme for adolescent girls launched in UP
• UP CM, Yogi Adityanath launched a scheme for adolescent girls on 21 February 2019.
• It will focus on girls aged between 11 to 14 years who have left studies and will take steps for proper nutrition and special care
for them.
• The state will also observe Adolescent girls day on 8th of every month at Anganwadi centers across the state.
D.K. Jain appointed as BCCI Ombudsman
• The Supreme Court appointed retired judge of the court Justice D.K. Jain as the first BCCI ombudsman.
• He was appointed under the new BCCI Constitution approved on August 9, 2018.
• One of his first jobs would be to look into allegations of sexual assault against BCCI CEO Rahul Johri.
India Korea startup hub launched
• PM Narendra Modi launched India Korea startup hub in Seoul on Feb 21, 2019.
• India is one of the most open countries for FDI today and more than 90% of its sectors are now on automatic route for approval.
• India has become the 6th largest producer of renewable energy in the world, as said by PM Modi during the launch.
Home Ministry ordered pan-India survey
• Ministry of Home Affairs commissioned the Bureau of Police Research and Development to conduct a pan-India survey called, All
India Citizens Survey of Police Services.
• The survey will be conducted through the National Council of Applied Economic Research, New Delhi.
• The 9-month survey will cover a representative sample of 1.2 lakh households spread over 173 districts across the country.
India & Sri Lanka signed MoU
• India and Sri Lanka signed a MoU to establish a business centre for ICT incubators in Jaffna through grant of 25 crore Sri Lankan
rupees from India on 21 Feb 2019.
• The centre would provide opportunities and enhance the enabling environment for Information Communication Technology
(ICT).
• India’s overall commitment of development assistance to Sri Lanka stands at a total of 3 billion US$.
EPFO hiked interest rate
• Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation, EPFO decided to provide 8.65% interest on Provident Fund deposits for 2018-19 against
8.55% in the last year.
• Members of the Central Board of Trustees of EPFO agreed to give a higher interest for subscribers for the current fiscal.
• The proposal will now go to the Finance Ministry for approval.
President promulgated 4 Ordinances
• President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated 4 Ordinances on 21 Feb 2019.
• The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Second Ordinance is one of those, declares the practice of instant triple
talaq to be void and illegal.
• It will also make the offence punishable with imprisonment up to three years and fine.
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BEL unveiled its new product

• Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) unveiled its new product, the Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) at Aero
India 2019 on 21 Feb 2019.
• It was inaugurated by the Chief of the Army Staff General Bipin Rawat.
• The AWG can be used to generate water straight from the humidity present in the atmosphere.
• It is configurable in static and mobile (vehicular) versions.
'Waste to Wonder' Park inaugurated
• The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the “Waste to Wonder” Park under the South Delhi Municipal
Corporation (SDMC) in New Delhi on 21 Feb,19.
• He also lauded SDMC for improving its rank from 202 to 32 in Swachh Sarvekshan, 2018 ranking.
• Some of the main attractions of the “Seven Wonders Park” are the different sized tall replicas of Taj Mahal, the Great Pyramid of
Giza, etc.
ATL Drone Module released
• The ‘ATL Drone module: Get, Set, Go’ for Atal Tinkering Labs was launched at the ongoing Aero India 2019 in Bengaluru.
• It was launched by NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Drona Aviation, an IIT Bombay start-up.
• With the ATL Drone Module, young students of India will learn how to create their own drones and use them for solving
community problems in India.
Grid Connected Solar Programme-II approved
• On 19 February 2019, the Union Cabinet gave its approval for the Phase-II of Grid Connected Rooftop Solar Programme.
• Through this programme, a cumulative capacity of 40,000 MW from Rooftop Solar (RTS) Projects will be achieved by the year
2022.
• The programme will be implemented with total central financial support of Rs.11,814 crore.
Wallace Smith Broecker passed away
• Wallace Smith Broecker, a climate scientist who popularised the term 'global warming', passed away on 18 February 2019.
• He was also first person to recognise what he called the Ocean Conveyor Belt, a global system of ocean currents circulating water
and nutrients.
• He was known in science circles as the 'Grandfather of Climate Science".
Virtual Experiential Museum inaugurated
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Virtual Experiential Museum (VEM) in Man Mahal in Varanasi on 19 February
2019.
• VEM will show a glimpse of various cultural aspects of Varanasi.
• VEM was established by the National Council of Science Museum (NCSM) working under the Ministry of Culture.
• Man Mahal is a Centrally Protected Monument under Archeological Survey of India.
International Mother Language Day: 21 Feb
• The International Mother Language Day is observed every year on 21 February.
• The aim of the day to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and promote multilingualism.
• The day is known as Bhasha Dibas or Shahid Dibas in West Bengal and Bangladesh.
• The idea to celebrate International Mother Language Day was an initiative of Bangladesh.
Cabinet approves new Electronics Policy
• The Union Cabinet approved the new National Electronics Policy 2019 on 19 February 2019.
• The aim of the policy is to achieve a turnover of $400 billion for the electronics system design and manufacturing (ESDM) sector
by 2025.
• The new policy proposes to provide interest subsidy of 4% on loans up to Rs. 1,000 crore for setting up plant and machinery.
PayU India appoints Anirban Mukherjee as CEO
• PayU India appointed Anirban Mukherjee as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
• He will be responsible for all the operations and business lines of PayU India.
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• He will now report to Laurent Le Moal, CEO, PayU Global.

• He was the co-CEO of Reliance Payments Solutions Limited.
• PayU is an online payments service provider.
'Festival of India' begins in Nepal
• A month-long 'Festival of India' began in Nepal on 19 February 2019.
• The objective of the festival is to familiarise the new generation of Nepal about the similarities between Nepal and India.
• The festival is organised by the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Embassy of India in Nepal.
• The festival will conclude on 21 March 2019.
Govt to infuse Rs 48,239 crore in 12 PSU banks
• On 20 February 2019, the Ministry of Finance announced the final recapitalisation tranche amount of Rs 48,239 crore for 12
public sector banks.
• This will take the banks tout of Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) prompt corrective action framework.
• Corporation Bank will get the highest infusion of Rs 9,086 crore while Bank of Maharashtra gets the lowest at Rs 205 crore.
FDI during Apr-Dec 2018-19 falls 7%
• According to Ministry of Commerce and Industry's data, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into India contracted by 7% to US$ 33.49
billion during April-December in the current fiscal.
• The key sectors that received the maximum foreign investment were services, computer software and hardware, and
telecommunications.
• Singapore was the largest source of FDI during April-December 2018-19.
Rare frog species found in Arunachal Pradesh
• Scientists of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) found a rare frog (Megophrys pachyproctus) from the Tale Valley Wildlife
Sanctuary at Lower Subansiri district in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The medium-sized frog was found from Pange in Tale valley by Dr Bikramjit Sinha and Bhaskar Saikia of the ZSI.
• The frog was discovered in China in 1981.
Government relaxes norms for startups
• The government of India raised the investment limit for angel tax exemption to Rs 25 crore and extended the period of availing
benefits to 10 years for startups.
• Earlier, the investment limit for a startup to seek exemption was Rs 10 crore.
• An entity will be considered as a startup up to a turnover of Rs 100 crore as against the earlier limit of Rs 25 crore.
Attukal Pongala begins in Thiruvananthapuram
• Attukal Pongala festival has begun at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala on 20 February 2019.
• The festival is considered as one of the world's largest religious gathering of women on a single day.
• It is a 10-day festival celebrated at the Attukal Temple.
• Attukal temple is also popularly kown as women's Sabarimala.
• 'Pongala' is a mix of rice, jaggery and scraped coconut.
Saudi Arabia joins ISA
• Saudi Arabia signed the framework agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) on 20 February 2019.
• It has become the 73rd country to join the ISA.
• The signing of the agreement took place after a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Arabian
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
• Saudi Arabia's capital is Riyadh and its currency is Saudi riyal.
Ranking on Startup initiatives launched
• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) released second edition of 'Startup Ranking for 2019' on 20
February 2019.
• The Startup Ranking framework aims to rank the States/UTs for establishing a robust ecosystem for supporting Startups.
• The Ranking Framework 2019 comprises of 7 pillars and 30 action points.
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4th India-Asean Expo Summit begins in Delhi

• The 4th India-ASEAN Expo Summit is being held from 21 to 23 February 2019 in New Delhi.
• The event is being organised by Ministry of Commerce and Industries and FICCI.
• The aim of the event is to strengthen the India-ASEAN relations under the Act-East Policy.
• ASEAN comprises of Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia, Cambodia and Brunei.
12th edition of 'Aero India 2019' inaugurated
• 'Aero India 2019' was inaugurated by the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at Yelahanka Air Force station in Bengaluru on 20
February 2019.
• It showcased India’s air defence prowess and manufacturing capabilities.
• It is organised by the Ministry of Defence.
• This edition of Aero India, for the first time, combines the defence and civil aviation segments into a holistic event.
1st Mega Food Park of Tripura inaugurated
• Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti inaugurated Sikaria Mega Food Park Pvt Ltd in
Agartala on 20 February 2019.
• This is the first Mega Food Park in the state of Tripura.
• The food park is having facilities of fully operational Dry warehouse, Quality Control, Research and Development Centre etc.
• The food park is the 18th of its kind in the country.
MHRD launches Operation Digital Board
• On 20 February 2019, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) launched Operation Digital Board (ODB) to provide
better digital education in schools.
• The digital board will be introduced all over the country in government and government aided schools from class 9th onwards as
well as in higher education institutions.
• ODB aims at converting a class room into a digital class room.
Argentina becomes 72nd country to join ISA
• On 18 February 2019, Argentina became the 72nd country to sign the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance
(ISA).
• The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the official three-day visit of Argentinian President Mauricio Macri to India.
• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a group of 121 solar resource-rich countries with headquarters at Gurugram in Haryana.
‘SWAYATT’ launched on GeM
• Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu launched 'SWAYATT' on 19 February 2019.
• SWAYATT is an initiative to promote Start-ups, Women and Youth Advantage through e-Transactions on Government e
Marketplace (GeM).
• This will bring together the key stakeholders within the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem to Government e-Marketplace.
Nyaya Bandhu mobile app launched
• Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad launched Nyaya Bandhu mobile application and dashboard.
• It will enable the para legal volunteers (PLV)’s to perform on field pre-registration of cases.
• This is a pro bono app.
• It is integrated with a dashboard to enable online interface between beneficiary and the panel lawyer through video conferencing
and telephone facility.
India-OECD pact approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the agreement between India and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD).
• It has been done for participating in the Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA).
• PISA will be conducted by the OECD in 2021. The agreement was signed on January 28, 2019.
Kalia scholarship for farmer's children
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• Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik unveiled a scholarship programme for the children of the beneficiaries of the Kalia scheme
• Kalia scholarship or 'Kalia Chhatra Brutti' will ensure that not a single eligible child of Kalia beneficiaries be deprived of his/her
dream.
• The state government will bear all expenditure including course fees, hostel fees, and mess fees.
KUSUM approved for launch
• The Cabinet approved the launch of Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM).
• Its objective is to provide financial and water security to farmers.
• The scheme would comprise of 3 components A, B, and C, which when combined aims to add a solar capacity of 25,750 MW by
2022.
• The total central financial support provided under the scheme would be Rs. 34,422 crore.
3-day International Conference inaugurated
• An International Conference and Exhibition on Energy and Environment - Challenges and Opportunities (ENCO-2019), is being
held from 20th to 22nd February 2019 in New Delhi.
• It aims to deliberate and identify the R&D needs to innovate new techniques, technologies and applications.
• The conference was inaugurated by the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind.
Government launched NRETP project
• The Union Cabinet approved the Implementation of National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP).
• It is under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) through loan assistance (IBRD
Credit) from World Bank.
• DAY-NRLM lays special emphasis on targeting the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable communities and their financial
inclusion.
Dept of Fisheries: New posts approved
• The Union Cabinet approved one post of Secretary and one post of Joint Secretary in the in the Department of Fisheries on a
permanent basis.
• Newly created posts would enable the Department of Fisheries to undertake/monitor number of projects/schemes for
development of the sector.
• The department of fisheries was recently introduced in the interim budget of 2019.
3% hike in DA approved
• The Union Cabinet approved 3% hike in Dearness Allowance to central government employees and Dearness Relief to pensioners
with effect from January 1, 2019.
• The combined impact of the hike in dearness allowance and dearness relief will amount to Rs 9,168.12 crore per annum.
• Dearness allowance is provided as an adjustment to compensate for the increase in the cost of living due to inflation.
Hindi author Namvar Singh died
• Celebrated Hindi author and literary critic, Namwar Singh died on 19 February 2019.
• He received the Sahitya Akademi award for literary criticism in the year 1971 for `Kavita Ke Naye Pratiman'.
• He was the first chairman of JNU’s Centre of Indian Languages.
• He has authored over a dozen works including Kavita Ke Naye Pratiman, Chhayavaad, and Dusari Parampara Ki Khoj.
20 Feb: World Day of Social Justice
• 20 February is observed annually as the World Day of Social Justice to promote equal rights and opportunities among people
within a country and between nations.
• The day was approved on 26 November 2007 by the UN General Assembly.
• The theme of 2019 World Day of Social Justice is ‘If You Want Peace & Development, Work for Social Justice’.
Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, inaugrated
• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, visited BHU in Varanasi on 19 Feb 2019.
• He inaugurated Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Hospital and Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, Lahartara.
• PM also dedicated first New Bhabhatron with precision technology, to the nation.
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4 projects launched by Textile Minister

• Union Minister of Textiles, Smriti Irani, launched 4 projects in North East for development of silk sector through video conference
in New Delhi on 19 February 2019.
• She inaugurated Muga silk seed production centre in Tura, Meghalaya and silk printing and processing unit in Agartala.
• New office buildings of Weavers Service Centres (WSC) in Indore, MP and Kannur, Kerala were also inaugurated.
Mary Kom became women's training ambassador
• World amateur boxing champion M.C. Mary Kom signed a 2-year deal with Puma to be their ambassador for women’s training in
India.
• She is a bronze medallist at the 2012 Olympics and won her record 6th gold medal at the World Amateur Boxing Championships
in November 2018.
• Puma India’s managing director is Abhishek Ganguly.
Saudi Prince in India
• Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in New Delhi on visit on 19 February 2019.
• He is being closely watched after his 2-day stint in Pakistan, where he praised Islamabad's efforts for "regional peace and
security" just days after Pulwama attack.
• He announced investments worth 20 billion dollars at the end of his two-day visit to Islamabad on 18 February 2019.
Eco Circuit project inaugurated
• K.J. Alphons, Union Minister for Tourism inaugurated the project ‘Development of Eco Circuit: Pathanamthitta – Gavi – Vagamon
– Thekkady’ in Kerala.
• This Eco Circuit project was sanctioned in December 2015.
• Major works carried out under the project includes Eco-Adventure Tourism Park at Vagamon, Cultural Centre at Kadamanitta,
and more.
Deshpande won Shiv Chhatrapati awards
• Noted Mallakhamb coach, Uday Deshpande and aggressive opening batswoman Smriti Mandhana were conferred with Shiv
Chhatrapati awards on 17 February 2019.
• The awards were presented by Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao.
• Among the other award recipients are Suraj Karkera, Sanil Shetty, and Siddhant Thingaliya.
International Desert Festival began
• The 40th International Annual Desert Festival kicked-off with thousands of tourists participating in the colourful event in
Jaisalmer on 17 February 2019.
• The 3-day festival exhibiting the rich cultural heritage of the desert state commenced with a colourful procession from Gadsisar
lake fort.
• It will have interesting events like Mr. Desert and Ms. Moomal competitions, turban tying etc.
NGO Yuwa won Laureus Sport
• Yuwa, a Jharkhand-based NGO won the Laureus Sport for Good award.
• The NGO works for the girl empowerment.
• The NGO, founded by Americans Franz Gastler and Rose Thomson Gastler in 2009, runs a football program in rural Jharkhand
covering 450 girls.
• 4 girls out of the 450 will receive the award on behalf of Yuwa at The Laureus World Sports Awards.
1st fulldome 3D digital theatre inaugurated
• India's first fulldome 3D Digital Theatre was inaugurated at the Science City on 18 Feb 2019 in Kolkata.
• It has a 23 meter titled dome to offer a fully immersive experience to the visitors.
• It is capable of screening high resolution, full dome, and digital 2D/3D content by utilising 6, high-end projectors.
Anupama: Astronomical Society President
• Dr.G C Anupama became the first woman of the country to be elected President of the Astronomical Society of India (ASI).
• She is presently the Dean and Senior Professor at the Bengaluru based Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA).
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• She is also a recipient of the Sir C V Raman award for young scientists in 2000.
Iran launched a submarine
• Iran launched a new locally-made submarine capable of firing cruise missiles on 17 Feb 2019.
• Named the Fateh, the new submarine is Iran's first in the semi-heavy category.
• The near 600-tonne underwater vessel is equipped with torpedoes and naval mines in addition to cruise missiles.
• It can operate more than 200 metres below sea level for up to 35 days.
Cyber crime fighting facility inaugurated
• Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a state-of-the-art national cyber forensic lab (NCFL) and the Delhi Police's
cybercrime unit 'CyPAD' on 18 Feb 2019.
• With this initiative, law enforcers will be able to proactively address cyber threats.
• Both the cybercrime fighting units are based in a complex at Dwarka, Sector 16C.
RBI to pay Rs 28,000 cr as interim dividend
• The Reserve Bank will pay an interim dividend of Rs 28,000 crore to the government.
• This is the second successive year when the RBI will be transferring an interim surplus.
• RBI had given Rs 30,663 crore as dividend to the government in 2017-18.
• The central bank transfers its surplus amount to the government, under Section 47 of the RBI Act, 1934.
Bhopal to host History Congress
• After Pune University backed out, the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh has decided to host the 79th Indian History
Congress (IHC) beginning on February 26, 2019, in Bhopal.
• The 79th session was earlier supposed to be held at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) from December 28.
• Over 1,000 delegates including prominent historians are expected to participate in the IHC in Bhopal.
Govt forms committee for sale of enemy shares
• The government formed a committee for sale of 'enemy shares' worth Rs 3,000 crore.
• The move came two years after Parliament amended the Enemy Property Act.
• The 'enemy property' refers to any property belonging to, held or managed on behalf of an enemy, an enemy subject or an
enemy firm.
RBI to inject Rs 12,500 crores
• The RBI would inject Rs 12,500 crore into the system through purchase of government securities on Feb 21, 2019, to increase
liquidity.
• The purchase will be made through open market operations (OMOs).
• The eligible participants should submit their offers in electronic format on the RBI core banking solution (E-Kuber) system on
February 21.
Number 112 launched for women safety
• Home Minister Rajnath Singh launched the Emergency Response Support System, ERSS, for women's safety in 16 states and
Union territories.
• Persons in distress can dial a pan-India number: 112.
• The Home Minister also launched 2 portals - Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences and Safe City Implementation
Monitoring Portal.
India and Morocco signed 4 MoUs
• India and Morocco signed four MoUs in Rabat on 18 Feb 2019.
• The MoUs include setting up of Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and Cooperation in Housing and Human Settlement.
• Both countries have agreed to set up a Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism to develop a comprehensive approach to
combat the menace.
3 initiatives on women safety launched
• The Ministry of Women and Child Development has conceptualised 3 initiatives to promote the safety of women in their living,
working, and public spaces.
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• These were launched jointly by the Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh and WCD Minister, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi in New
Delhi on 18 Feb 2019.
• These 3 include Panic Button, SCIM portal, and DNA Analysis Facilities in States.
AntBot: The First Walking Robot
• AntBot is the first walking robot to have navigational capabilities without GPS or mapping.
• It has been designed by Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and Aix-Marseille University researchers at ISM.
• It is designed on lines similar to desert ants who use polarised lights and UV radiation to navigate.
• It consists of an optical compass which determines its movements.
Steel Minister dedicates SPU to nation
• Union Minister of Steel, Chaudhary Birender Singh dedicated SAIL’s Steel Processing Unit (SPU) at Bettiah in West Champaran,
Bihar to the nation on 18 Feb 2019.
• This unit will produce high-quality steel tubes and pipes.
• With an installed capacity of 50,000 tonnes per year, this Unit will play an important role in the development of the
predominantly agriculture intensive area.
Nitin Gadkari launched a portal
• Shri Nitin Gadkari launched PCS1x at the Regional Maritime Safety Conference in Mumbai on 19 Feb 2019.
• PCS1x is an upgraded version of the e-commerce portal Port Community System.
• It has been developed in record time by the Indian Ports Association.
• The platform allows improvement in payment cycle, transparency of transaction cycles, detailed tracking of vessels and berthing
schedules.
International Vision Zero Conference held
• A 3-day Conference on the VISION ZERO and its relevance to Occupational Safety and Health is being held from 18-20 Feb,19 in
Mumbai.
• The Conference is been organised by Directorate General Factory Advice and Labour Institutes (DGFASLI).
• The Vision is based on principles of Controlling Risks, Ensuring Safety and Health in Machines, Equipment and Workplaces and
Skill Upgradation of Workforce.
Conference on Pharma inaugurated
• The 4th edition of India’s biggest Global Conference on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices was inaugurated in Bengaluru on 18
Feb 2019.
• The theme of ‘India Pharma 2019’ is ‘Enabling Quality Affordable Healthcare & that of ‘India Medical Device 2019’ is ‘Accelerating
Growth to Achieve Universal Healthcare’.
• The event was organized by the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) and FICCI.
Book dedicated to Swami Pragyanandji launched
• A book dedicated to Late eminent Vedanti Swami Pragyanandji was launched by Governor of West Bengal H.E Keshari Nath
Tripathi.
• The book is written by Famous Industrialist and Philanthropist Mr. Dinesh Shahra.
• It is primarily aimed at offering saintly wisdom and guidance to lead a content and happy life.
Himachal Pradesh assembly passed Bill
• The Himachal Pradesh Assembly passed a Bill to make Sanskrit the second official language of the state.
• The Himachal Pradesh Official Language Bill, 2019 (Amendment) was introduced by Irrigation and Public Health Minister
Mahender Singh Thakur.
• It was passed without any discussion.
Drainage-cleaning robot introduced in Chennai
• A drainage-cleaning robot has been introduced for the first time in Chennai as part of efforts to get rid of manual scavenging.
• The robot named Bandicoot was introduced at a cost of 18 lakh rupees and was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Minister Kadambur
Raju.
• Drainage cleaning can be detected by viewing the blockages on the screen.
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RBI released a warning

• RBI has released a warning regarding an app called AnyDesk.
• You should not download this app through social media or any other channel, doing so might empty your bank account within
minutes.
• RBI alerted banks about potential fraudulent transactions on the unified payments interface (UPI) platform.
10-day Taj Mahotsav began
• The 10-day long Taj Mahotsav began on 18 February 2019 with the theme 'Parampara'.
• It was inaugurated at Shilpgram by the Governor of UP Ram Naik.
• Popular playback singers including Usha Uthup and Kumar Sanu will also be performing during this cultural carnival.
Jitendra Singh won 50km event
• Jitendra Singh Rathore of Rajasthan won the 50 km event in the 6th Open National Race Walking Championship in Chennai on 17
Feb 2019.
• He completed the race in a time of 4:23:23.00, pushing Joshi Sagar of Gujarat (4:24:21.00) to second place.
• Boys 10 km was won by Suraj Panwar, while Rogi Patel won the Girls 10 km.
Tabreed to build cooling system
• A UAE-based international cooling provider entered into a 30-year concession with Andhra Pradesh government to build India's
first district cooling system in Amaravati.
• The agreement was signed between the National Central Cooling Company (Tabreed) and Andhra Pradesh Capital Region
Development Authority (APCRDA).
• This will be the company's first plant outside its GCC market.
JP Morgan: first to create cryptocurrency
• US investment bank, JP Morgan Chase became the first US bank to offer its own cryptocurrency.
• The cryptocurrency, called 'JPM Coin' will always have a value equivalent to one US dollar.
• It will be initially used internally between JPMorgan Chase's wholesale business clients.
• The bank had also built an Ethereum-based blockchain platform for business customers in 2018.
RBI lifts cap on FPI investments
• The Reserve Bank of India withdrew the 20% limit on investments by FPIs in corporate bonds of an entity.
• It was stipulated in April 2018 that no FPI should have an exposure of more than 20% of its corporate bond portfolio to a single
corporate.
• This has been done with a view to encourage more foreign investments.
Banned Punjabi poem will be published
• A poem on the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, 'Khooni Vaisakhi', by Punjabi writer Nanak Singh has now been translated into English.
• It was banned by the British in 1920.
• Singh was present at Jallianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919, and was 22 years old at the time.
• It will be published by Harper Collins India in March to mark the centenary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Sunil Chhetri got Football Ratna
• Sunil Chhetri was conferred the first ever Football Ratna honour by Football Delhi.
• The award was presented by Football Delhi President Shaji Prabhakaran, a former player, and administrator at the All India
Football Federation and FIFA.
• Football Delhi also honoured Shubham Sarangi, youth player from Delhi, currently the player of Delhi Dynamos squad for ISL.
Abdul Aziz won major human rights award
• Abdul Aziz Muhamat, a Sudanese refugee won the prestigious Martin Ennals human rights prize.
• He has been held in Australia’s notorious offshore Manus Island processing centre for over 5 years.
• Muhamat, from the Zaghawa ethnic group of Darfur, in north-western Sudan, was granted refugee status in early 2015.
Infosys launches app for engineering students
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• Infosys announced the launch of a digital platform, InfyTQ, offering learning and engagement experiences for engineering
students.
• It is a free platform open to all engineering students in their third and fourth year and encourages holistic development.
• It will be available on both mobile and desktop and is equipped with a plethora of content, courses, and news.
Saina Nehwal beats PV Sindhu
• Saina Nehwal beat P V Sindhu to retain her women's singles crown at the 83rd Yonex Sunrise Senior Badminton Nationals on 16
Feb 2019.
• She registered a 21-18 21-15 against P V Sindhu.
• Saina Nehwal won her fourth Senior Nationals title.
• It was held in Guwahati.
World Sustainable Development Summit held
• World Sustainable Development Summit 2019 was held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 16 Feb 2019.
• The theme of WSDS 2019 was ‘Attaining the 2030 Agenda: delivering on our promise’.
• Frank Bainimarama, PM of Fiji was honoured with the Sustainable Development Leadership Award 2019 for his outstanding
contributions towards sustainable development in Fiji.
Pulwama attack:India hikes customs duty
• India raised the customs duty to 200% on all goods imported from Pakistan, as a strong action against the Pulwama attack.
• The 2 main items imported from Pakistan are cement and fruits, on which the current customs duty is 7.5% and 30-50%
respectively.
• India also revoked the MFN (Most Favored Nation) status to Pakistan after this incidence.
Odisha CM inaugurated development projects
• Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik inaugurated and laid foundation stones for development projects in Kalahandi district on 16 Feb
2019.
• He inaugurated the Red Medium Irrigation Project which will benefit 79 villages and provide irrigation facility for 8500 hectares of
agricultural land.
• Apart from this, he laid foundation stones for 38 development projects and launched 23 projects.
Argentina President on 3-day visit to India
• President of Argentina Mauricio Macri arrived in New Delhi on 17 Feb 2019 on a 3-day official visit to India.
• Delegation level talks were held to review progress in bilateral ties and explore new avenues of cooperation.
• The President of Argentina also addressed the Plenary Session of India-Argentina Business Forum.
Vidarbha won Irani Cup
• Vidarbha defended its Irani Cup title on 16 Feb 2019 at the Jamtha Stadium in Nagpur.
• The Irani Cup tournament was conceived during the 1959-60 season to mark the completion of 25 years of the Ranji Trophy
championship.
• It is related to cricket.
Elise Mertens won Qatar open
• Belgium's Elise Mertens claimed the Qatar Open by beating top seed Simona Halep by 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, in tennis.
• This is her first-ever WTA Premier-level crown, and the fifth title of her career overall.
• Mertens is world number 21.
DEPWD organised conference on DDRS scheme
• A Regional Conference on Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) was held at Kolkata, West Bengal on 18 Feb 2019.
• It was organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD).
• Under the scheme, every year more than 600 NGOs are provided with financial assistance for running their projects for the
rehabilitation of persons with disability.
IBBI organised 2-day workshop
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• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), organised a 2-day workshop on “Committee of Creditors: An Institution of
Public Faith” on 15-16 Feb,19 in Mumbai.
• It was the first of its kind organised jointly with State Bank of India (SBI) & Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA).
• Dr. MS Sahoo (Chairperson-IBBI) & Mr. Rajnish Kumar (Chairman-SBI) were some of the faculty members.
PM visited Dhule in Maharashtra

• PM Modi visited Dhule in Maharashtra to unveil multiple projects in the state.
• He inaugurated Lower Panazara medium Project under PMKSY, which will irrigate about 7585 hectares area of 21 villages of
Dhule.
• He also flagged off Bhusaval- Bandra Khandesh Express Train through a video link.
• He laid the foundation stone of the Water Supply Scheme and Underground Sewer Project under AMRUT.
PM unveiled development projects in Bihar
• PM Narendra Modi unveiled projects in Barauni on 17 Feb 2019 to boost development in various sectors.
• He laid the foundation stone of Patna Metro Rail Project and inaugurated the Phulpur to Patna stretch of the Jagdishpur-Varanasi
Natural Gas pipeline.
• He also inaugurated the 1st phase of River Front Development at Patna and laid foundation Stone for the Karmalichak Sewerage
Network.
President presented Tagore Award
• The President of India presented the Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony on 18 Feb 2019 at Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra, New Delhi.
• The award was presented to Shri Rajkumar Singhajit Singh; Chhayanaut, and Shri Ram Sutar Vanji for the years 2014, 2015 &
2016 respectively.
• The award was instituted from 2012.
• It is awarded annually and carries an amount of Rs.1 crore, citation, and Plaque.
PM visited Hazaribagh
• PM Narendra Modi visited Hazaribagh in Jharkhand on 17 February 2019 to unveil several development projects.
• He inaugurated the Medical Colleges at Hazaribagh, Dumka, and Palamu.
• He also inaugurated 4 Rural Water Supply Schemes in Ramgarh and Hazaribagh districts.
• He e-inaugurated the Only Women Engineering College at Ramgarh.
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Japan to recognise indigenous Ainu people

• Japan's government introduced a bill on 15 February 2019 to recognise the country's ethnic Ainu minority as an 'indigenous'
people for the first time.
• The Japanese government in the late 19th century banned them from practising their customs and using their language.
• The government will also allow the Ainu to cut down trees in nationally-owned forests for use in traditional rituals.
PM launched projects worth 20000 cr in Jhansi
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched various development projects worth over Rs 20000 crore at Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh on
15 January 2019.
• He laid the foundation stone of the Defence Corridor.
• Jhansi is one of the six nodal points of the UP defence corridor.
• He also inaugurated the Pahari dam modernisation project.
• Pahari dam is a water storage dam on the Dhasan river in Jhansi district.
'Exercise Vayu Shakti' held in Rajasthan
• Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted 'Exercise Vayu Shakti-2019' at Pokhran in Rajasthan on 16 February 2019.
• The aim of the Exercise is to demonstrate the IAF's combat and fire capabilities.
• Several indigenous aircraft weapons and types of equipment were showed at the Exercise.
• Some of these are the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), Akash missile etc.
Merchandise trade deficit widens
• India’s merchandise trade deficit widened to $14.73 billion in January 2019.
• The major commodity groups exhibiting growth in exports were engineering goods, gems and jewellry, organic and inorganic
chemicals, drugs and pharmaceuticals, and ready-made garments of all textiles.
• Silver imports grew by 104% in January 2019.
Income norm relaxed for judge posts
• The Supreme Court Collegium removed the need for lawyers to have a minimum income limit of Rs. 7 lakh in order to be
considered for appointment as High Court judges.
• The threshold has been relaxed for government lawyers and judicial officers who belong to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled
Tribes, and Other Backward Communities.
• The collegium took the decision on 12 February 2019.
PM inaugurated several projects in Maharashtra
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Maharashtra on 16 February 2019.
• At Yavatmal in Vidarbha, he inaugurated the Eklavya Model Residential School for tribal students.
• He also inaugurated Ajni (Nagpur)-Pune Train service.
• In Dhule district, he inaugurated the Lower Panazara medium project under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchan Yojana (PMKSY).
India - U.S. Commercial dialogue held
• India-U.S. Commercial Dialogue and India-U.S. CEO Forum were held in New Delhi on 14 February 2019.
• The meeting was chaired by Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu.
• The CEO Forum is an effective platform to highlight key issues that affect business entities and to identify areas for closer
collaboration for the mutual benefit of both economies.
UN appointed Chandramouli as Controller & ASG
• The United Nations appointed Chandramouli Ramanathan as Controller and Assistant Secretary-General for Programme Planning,
Budget, and Finance in the management strategy, policy and compliance department on 15 February 2019.
• He succeeded Bettina Tucci Bartsiotas.
• He also served as Assistant Auditor General (1993-1995) and Director of Accounts for the Auditor General of India (1989-1993).
Government increased MSP of Sugar by 2 Rs/Kg
• The government of India increased the Minimum Selling Price (MSP) of sugar by two rupees per kilogram to 31 rupees a kilogram.
• This move will help sugar mills, which will enable them to pay the sugarcane farmers on time.
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• MSP is the rate below which the mills cannot sell sugar in the open market to wholesalers and bulk consumers like beverage and
biscuit makers.
PC Mody takes charge as new CBDT Chief
• Pramod Chandra Mody was appointed as the new Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on 15 February 2019.
• CBDT is the apex policy-making body for the Income Tax Department. It comes under the Ministry of Finance.
• At present, he is the CBDT Member (Administration).
• He belongs to the Indian Revenue Service (batch 1981).
PTT Operation performed by all women crew
• The Indian Air Force's pilots, Sqn Ldr Kamaljeet Kaur and her co-pilot Sqn Ldr Rakhi Bhandari carried out successful Parallel Taxi
Track (PTT) landing and take-off operations at Sirsa.
• In a first, the 'OTTERS' squadron of Western Air Command undertook the PTT Operations with a full women crew in the Dornier
228 aircraft.
• PTT Operations are carried out when the runway is not available.
Binish won the Entrepreneur of the Year award
• Binish Chudgar was awarded the prestigious Ernst & Young 'Entrepreneur of the Year 2018' Award in the Life Sciences &
Healthcare category.
• He is the Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
• EY Entrepreneur of the Year award is the world's most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs.
Global unemployment rate falls to 5%: Report
• The 'World Employment and Social Outlook Trends 2019' report was released by the International Labour Organisation on 13
February 2019.
• As per the report, the global unemployment levels fell one percentile to a steady 5% in 2018.
• The global unemployment among young people (between 15-24) was 11.8%.
President of India to present Tagore Award
• The President of India will present the Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony on 18 February 2019.
• The award will be presented to Rajkumar Singhajit Singh; Chhayanaut (a cultural organisation of Bangladesh); and Shri Ram Sutar
Vanji for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016.
• The award was instituted by the Government of India in 2012.
• It is awarded annually and carries an amount of Rs. 1 Crore.
Government liberalised the e-Visa regime
• The e-Tourist Visa which was introduced in September 2014 with 46 countries has now been made applicable to 166 countries.
• E-Visa is valid for entry through two more designated Airports (Bhubaneswar and Port Blair) raising the total number of such
airports to 28.
• Duration of stay in India of e-Visas is maximum up to 1 Year with multiple entries subject to the stay stipulations.
IWAI launched a new portal- 'LADIS'
• The Inland Waterways Authority of India launched a new portal named 'Least Available Depth Information System' (LADIS) on 15
February 2019.
• LADIS will ensure that real-time data on least available depths is disseminated for ship/barge and cargo owners.
• This will help in better planning for the movement of ships.
• It will be available for NW-1, NW-2, Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route, and NW-3.
Swachhata Excellence Awards announced
• Municipal Corporations of Raigarh, Ambikapur and Kumbakonam won the first, second and third prizes respectively of
'Swachhata Excellence' Awards 2019.
• A total of 40 awards were distributed to the Area Level Federations (ALFs), City Livelihoods Federations (CLFs) and Urban Local
Bodies (ULBs).
• 28 ALFs received Swachhata Excellence Awards for 2019.
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Agreement signed between India and World Bank

• The Government of India, Government of Himachal Pradesh and the World Bank signed a $40 Million Loan Agreement on 15
February 2019.
• The loan amount will help in bringing clean and reliable drinking water to the citizens of the Greater Shimla area.
• It will also help in providing efficient sewage collection and treatment for all households in the Greater Shimla Area.
National Conference on SEIP Project organised
• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) organised the second National Conference on 'Sustainable and
Environment-friendly Industrial Production' (SEIP) Project in New Delhi on 15 February 2019.
• The Project is a joint programme of MoEFCC and GIZ.
• GIZ is a German development agency.
• The conference was organised under Indo-German Development Cooperation.
MoU signed between GS1 and GeM
• GS1 India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Government e-Marketplace (GeM) on 15 February 2019.
• GS1 India is a standards organisation set up by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• This will empower GeM’s buyers and vendors to make more informed decisions.
• Radha Chauhan is the CEO of GeM.
Rajasthan forms committees to review textbooks
• The Rajasthan government has set up two committees of experts and educationists to review the syllabus of school textbooks
from class 1 to 8 and from class 9 to 12.
• The committee to review the syllabus of class 1 to 8 will be coordinated by I V Trivedi.
• The coordinator for the four-member committee for class 9-12 is the former Chairman of Rajasthan State Public Service
Commission BM Sharma.
IAF gets its first woman flight engineer
• Flight Lieutenant Hina Jaiswal became the first woman flight engineer.
• She was commissioned in January 2015 to the IAF's engineering branch.
• She created history when she was chosen as the first woman candidate to pursue the elite course.
• A flight engineer is a member of an aircraft’s flight crew and requires special skills for constantly monitoring and operating its
complex systems.
NASA telescope to explore origins of universe
• NASA will launch a new space telescope in 2023 that could provide a glimpse of the first moments in the history of the universe.
• 'The Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx)' mission is a planned
two-year mission.
• Astronomers will use the mission to gather data on more than 300 million galaxies.
WPI inflation hits 10-month low
• Inflation based on wholesale prices fell to a 10-month low of 2.76 percent in January 2019.
• The Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation stood at 3.8 percent in December 2018.
• Inflation in kitchen essentials like potato, onion, fruits, and milk softened in January over the previous month.
• The retail inflation released earlier this week too declined marginally to 2.05 percent in January.
India withdraws MFN status from Pakistan
• India has withdrawn the MFN (Most Favoured Nation) status that it had granted to Pakistan.
• It followed the attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pulwama that left 37 CRPF personnel dead.
• The decision was taken during the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting held in New Delhi.
• India had granted the status to Pakistan in 1996, a year after WTO’s formation.
Pension scheme announced by Bihar Government
• Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar announced a Universal Old Age Pension scheme, named Mukhya Mantri Vriddha Pension
Yojana.
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• It is available to all irrespective except for those who are retired from government organisations.
• The scheme facilitates the amount of Rs. 400 monthly pension for all in the state above the age of 60.
• He also launched Bihar Patrakar Samman Yojana for journalists.
CRPF men attacked in Pulwana, J&K
• At least 37 CRPF personnel were martyred on 14 February 2019, when a convoy in which they were traveling was attacked by a
Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) suicide bomber.
• Bomber rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into one of the convoy’s buses in Pulwama district on the Srinagar-Jammu highway.
• It was the deadliest attack in terms of casualties in the last three decades of militancy in the State.
PM Modi on 2-day visit to South Korea
• PM Narendra Modi will pay a 2-day visit to South Korea from February 21 2019.
• He will be conferred with the 2018 Seoul Peace Prize on February 22, in recognition of his national and international
contributions.
• He will also hold talks with President Moon Jae-in on a host of issues to strengthen strategic ties.
Manfred Eigen passed away
• Manfred Eigen, who was awarded a one-half share of the 1967 chemistry Nobel prize died.
• He developed techniques to determine the rates of reactions and processes and also pioneered a process called relaxation.
• He founded the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry by merging the Max Planck Institute for Physical Chemistry in
1971.
16th Lok Sabha session concluded
• The last session of 16th Lok Sabha concluded on 14 Feb 2019.
• There were a total number of 331 sittings for Lok Sabha. 205 bills were passed and the productivity was 85%.
• For Rajya Sabha, 154 bills were passed and the productivity was 68%.
• The Interim Budget for 2019-20 was presented on 1 Feb 2019.
India's 1st Aqua Mega Food Park commissioned
• Godavari Mega Aqua Food Park was commissioned at Tundurru Village in Andhra Pradesh.
• It is promoted by Godavari Mega Aqua Food Park Pvt. Ltd.
• It is the 1st Mega Aqua Food Park operationalised exclusively for fish and marine products processing.
• It has been set up in 57.81 acres of land at a cost of Rs. 122.60 crores.
RBI imposed penalty on 3 PSU banks
• The RBI imposed Rs 3.5 crore penalties on 3 public sector banks, for violation of various banking norms.
• A penalty of Rs 1.5 crore was imposed on Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) and Rs 1 crore each on Punjab National Bank (PNB)
and Bank of India.
• The monetary penalty was imposed for non-compliance on monitoring of end-use of funds and on the restructuring of accounts.
NKAFC inaugurated at Dharwad
• "North Karnataka Agromet Forecasting and Research Centre (NKAFC)”, Dharwad was inaugurated on 14 Feb 2019.
• It will act as a center of excellence having multi-functions like observations, forecast, and research in Agro-Meteorological
services in Karnataka.
• 12 District Agro-meteorological Units (DAMUs) will be established in Karnataka by March 2019.
Vice Admiral SN Ghormade: Takes over as COS
• Vice Admiral SN Ghormade assumed the charge as Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam on 14 Feb 2019.
• He was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 Jan 1984 and is a graduate of National Defence Academy (NDA).
• He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal on 26 Jan 2017 and Nau Sena Medal in 2007 by the President of India.
Macedonia changed its name to North Macedonia
• The Republic of Macedonia has officially changed its name to the Republic of North Macedonia.
• It ended a decades-long dispute that should pave the way for NATO membership.
• North Macedonia Capital: Skopje.
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• Currency: Macedonian Denar.

PMAY(U) Mobile App launched
• Hardeep S Puri, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs launched the PMAY (U) Mobile App on 14 Feb 2019.
• The app will allow beneficiaries to capture and upload high-resolution photographs of completed houses along with their
families.
• The PMAY (U) mission was launched on 25th June 2015 with an aim to provide houses to every eligible urban household in India
by the year 2022.
PM-SYM scheme implemented
• Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) Scheme was implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on 15
Feb 2019.
• The features of the scheme are family pension and minimum assured pension.
• The unorganised workers whose monthly income is Rs 15,000/per month or less and belong to the entry age group of 18-40
years are eligible for the scheme.
Bradley Cooper won the best director from PETA
• Bradley Cooper was awarded the ‘Oscat’ by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
• The animal rights organisation awarded the best director award to Cooper for his enlightened decision to cast his own canine
companion in ‘A Star Is Born’.
• PETA is an American animal rights organisation based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president.
B P Sharma: CMD Pawan Hans
• B P Sharma was re-employed as the CMD of the state-run helicopter manufacturer Pawan Hans.
• He was the CMD of Pawan Hans earlier in March 2015.
• He will be serving for a period of 5 months.
• Pawan Hans has a fleet of more than 50 helicopters.
Sushil Chandra became Election Commissioner
• President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman Sushil Chandra as an Election
Commissioner.
• The post had fallen vacant after the appointment of the then Election Commissioner Sunil Arora as Chief Election Commissioner.
• Ashok Lavasa is the senior-most Election Commissioner.
Ashwani Lohani: Air India CMD
• Ashwani Lohani, a retired bureaucrat, was appointed the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of national carrier Air India, on
13 Feb 2019.
• This will be his second tenure.
• In August 2017, he was named the Chairman to the Railway Board and retired on December 31, 2018.
• Air India CMD Pradeep Singh Kharola was appointed as new Civil Aviation Secretary, earlier on Feb 6.
Environment Minister released publication
• Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan released a publication titled 'India - Spearheading Climate Solutions' on 12 Feb 2019.
• This coffee table book highlights actions taken by the country to combat climate change.
• It was unveiled at the Indira Paryavaran Bhawan.
Siddhartha Lal: Entrepreneur of the Year
• Siddhartha Lal, MD & CEO, Eicher Motors, was awarded the 'EY Entrepreneur of the Year' for 2018.
• He will now represent India at the 'EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award' in Monte Carlo from 6-8 June 2019.
• Azim Premji, Chairman of Wipro was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
• The WEOY award programme is celebrated across 60 countries.
Cobra Gold military exercise in Thailand
• One of the Asia-Pacific region's largest multinational military exercises, Cobra Gold began in Thailand with around10,000
personnel and 29 countries as participants.
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• It is aimed at enhancing interoperability, strengthening relationships among participating nations.

• This year's exercise is the 38th of its kind.
Rocket dispaly at Army's Exercise Topchi
• Indian Army demonstrated its artillery firepower at the annual ''Exercise Topchi'' held near Nashik using ultralight Howitzers and
Swathi weapon-locating radar.
• The event took place at the Deolali Camp.
• The aviation assets included the advanced light helicopter, light combat helicopter, Cheetah and Chetak helicopters.
Retail inflation declined to 2.05% in January
• Retail inflation declined marginally to 2.05% in January 2019 over the previous month on the continued decline in food prices,
including vegetables and eggs.
• The inflation was 5.07% in January 2018.
• The inflation in the 'fuel and light' category also fell to 2.2% in January 2019 from 4.54% in December 2018.
Industrial growth remained subdued at 2.4%
• Industrial output growth remained subdued at 2.4% in December 2018 on account of contraction in the mining segment and
poor show by the manufacturing sector.
• 13 out of 23 industry groups in the manufacturing sector showed positive growth during December 2018.
• The manufacturing sector constituting 77.63 % of the index, recorded a low growth of 2.7 % in December 2018.
LS passed the unregulated deposit Scheme Bill
• The Lok Sabha passed the Unregulated Deposit Scheme Bill 2018 on 13 Feb 2019.
• The Bill will protect the poor people who work in unorganised sector and invest small amounts of money in different schemes.
• It provides for a comprehensive mechanism to ban the unregulated deposit scheme and to protect the interests of depositors.
Parliament passed Personal Laws Bill 2019
• Parliament passed the Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 with Rajya Sabha's approval on 13 Feb 2019.
• The Lok Sabha had passed the bill in the last session.
• The Bill seeks to uphold the rights of people with leprosy, as the disease is curable.
• The Rajya Sabha also passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill 2019.
3rd Indo-German Environment Forum held
• Third Indo-German Environment Forum with the theme "Cleaner Air, Greener Economy" was held in New Delhi on 13 Feb 2019.
• It focused on challenges, solutions, and necessary framework conditions of air pollution control, waste management and circular
economy.
• It also focused on the implementation of NDCs and SDGs based on Paris Agreement and Agenda 2030 of UN respectively.
MoU between India and Morocco approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the MoU between India and Morocco for setting up of a Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter-
Terrorism.
• The Joint Working Group will help to deal with cases related to terrorist attacks.
• The MoU would be the basis for obtaining and exchanging information on terrorist activities.
MoU between India and Finland approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the MoU between India and Finland on cooperation in the field of peaceful uses of outer space.
• The MoU was already signed on 10th January 2019 at New Delhi.
• It will enable to work on interest areas of cooperation such as remote sensing, satellite communication, planetary exploration,
space science, and more.
Tenure of NCSK extended
• The Union Cabinet approved the proposal for extension of the tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karmacharis (NCSK)
beyond 31-3-2019 for 3 years.
• The NCSK was established in the year 1993 as per the provisions of the NCSK Act 1993.
• The major beneficiaries would be the SafaiKaramcharis & persons engaged in manual scavenging.
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Registration of marriage of NRI Bill approved

• The Union Cabinet approved the introduction of Registration of Marriage of Non-Resident Indian Bill, 2019.
• It provides amendment of the legal framework to act as a deterrent to the erring NRI spouses and offers protection against
exploitation of Indian Citizens married to NRIs.
• Once it is passed, marriages performed by NRIs would be registered in India or Indian Missions & Posts abroad.
Revision in the list of ST of Chhattisgarh
• The Union Cabinet approved official amendments in the Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order
(Amendment) Bill, 2016.
• It will modify the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs) of Chhattisgarh.
• Along with others, the following shall be inserted in the new act - Bhuinya, Dhanwar, Nagesia, Sawar, Binjhia.
MoU between India and Saudi Arabia - II
• The Union Cabinet approved another MoU between India and Saudi Arabia on establishing a mechanism for investment
Infrastructure in India.
• It will be a step forward to engage the institutions of Saudi Arabia to attract a potential investment into the infrastructure sector
in the country.
• It will also lead to boosting infrastructure development in the country and the creation of more jobs.
MoU between India and Saudi Arabia - I
• The Union Cabinet approved the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between India and Saudi Arabia.
• The MoU was signed on cooperation and mutual assistance in Customs Matters.
• The agreement will help in getting cost-effective information for the prevention and investigation of Customs offences.
Cabinet approved the continuation of CLCS-TUS
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the Credit Linked Capital Subsidy and Technology Up-gradation Scheme
(CLCS-TUS).
• It will facilitate technology up-gradation to MSMEs.
• The scheme through 'Zero Defect & Zero Effect' will promote the reduction in emission level of greenhouse gases.
e-AUSHADHI portal launched
• Minister of State for AYUSH, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik launched the e-AUSHADHI portal, on 13 Feb 2019 at New Delhi.
• It is launched for online licensing of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy drugs and related matters.
• AUSHADHI is an acronym for Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy Automated Drug Help Initiative.
'Crying' snake discovered by zoologist
• A new species of ‘crying’ snake was discovered in Lepa-Rada district of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The discovery of the non-venomous crying keelback with zoological name Hebius lacrima, has been published in Zootaxa, a New
Zealand-based mega-journal for animal taxonomy.
• Globally there are 3,709 species of snakes.
• The northeast is home to some 110 species, with Arunachal Pradesh having 55.
UNICEF join hands with Goa WCD
• The UNICEF in Maharashtra joined hands with Goa Women and Child Development (WCD) to focus on and support in the area of
child protection in the State.
• A training programme on Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), was organised by WCD on Feb 12, 2019.
• The government of India and UNICEF have worked on a 5-year Action Plan.
Conference on Unani Medicine concluded
• The 2-day National Conference on Unani Medicine organized by the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) in
New Delhi concluded on 12 Feb 2019.
• It witnessed the exchange of MoU for scientific collaboration in Unani Medicine between the CCRUM and Jamia Hamdard, New
Delhi.
• AYUSH Awards for Unani Medicine were also conferred on the occasion.
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1st LAWASIA Human Rights Conference 2019 held

• LAWASIA, in association with the Bar Association of India, hosted its 1st LAWASIA Human Rights Conference in New Delhi.
• The theme of the conference was “State Power, Business and Human Rights: Contemporary Challenges”.
• The President of LAWASIA is Mr. Christopher Leong, while the President of Bar Association of India is Dr. Lalit Bhasin.
BAFTA Awards 2019 held
• The British Academy Film Awards 2019 were held on 10 Feb 2019 at Royal Albert Hall, London, UK.
• 'Roma' won the Best Film and Best Director was won by Alfonso Cuarón for Roma.
• Best Leading Actor was won by Rami Malek for "Bohemian Rhapsody".
• Best Leading Actress was won by Olivia Colman for "The Favourite".
Prajnesh Gunneswaran: Ranks 97 in ATP
• Prajnesh Gunneswaran broke into men's singles top-100 for the first time in his career.
• A jump of six places took him to 97th position.
• He is only third Indian player to break into the top-100 barrier in the past decade after Somdev Devvarman and Yuki Bhambri.
NTPC signs pact with SBI for Rs 5000 crore
• NTPC signed a term loan agreement for Rs 5,000 crore with State Bank of India on 11 Feb 2019.
• The loan facility is extended at an interest rate linked to 3-Month MCLR of the Bank and has a door to door tenure of 15 years.
• The loan agreement was signed by Masood A Ansari, General Manager (Finance), NTPC Ltd and Neelabh Sinha, Dy General
Manager, SBI.
Feb 13: World Radio Day
• World Radio Day is observed every year on the 13th of February to celebrate radio as a forum for information and entertainment.
• The theme of this year is Dialogue, Tolerance, and Peace Broadcasts.
• The day was proclaimed on 3rd November 2011 by UNESCO's 36th General Conference.
Government takes steps to revive Maithili
• The HRD Ministry asked to apply the recommendations of a committee constituted in 2018 for the promotion and protection of
Maithili language and its scripts.
• Establishment of a Script and Manuscript Centre at Darbhanga has been recommended.
• Mithilakshar or Tirhuta is the script of broader cultural Mithila. It is an ancient script and is one of the scripts of the broader
North Eastern India.
Clouded Leopard: Mascot of National Games
• Clouded Leopard, the state animal of Meghalaya, will be the mascot of the National Games, 2022.
• This was finalised in a meeting chaired by Banteidor Lyndoh, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs on 11 Feb 2019.
• The stadium for the event will be constructed on 50 acres of land at a cost of Rs 300 crore in Mawdiangdiang.
National Cancer Institute inaugurated
• PM Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 6 projects in Haryana on 12 Feb 2019.
• He inaugurated National Cancer Institute (NIC) at Badhsa in Jhajjar district, Haryana.
• He also laid foundation stones for National Institute of Ayurveda, Sri Krishna Ayush University, Battles of Panipat Museum, and
Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay University of Health Sciences in Karnal.
2-day EarlyEd Asia 2019 held in Jaipur
• The two-day ‘EarlyEd Asia 2019’ conference began on 12 Feb 2019 at City Palace, Jaipur.
• It is aimed at providing a platform for learning, networking and sharing the best practices of early childhood education in Asia.
• This is Asia's biggest conference on early education being conducted in India.
Special National Standard Conclave held
• A Special National Standards Conclave was organised by the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry,
Government of India in Mumbai.
• It also saw the launch of voluntary certification and rating scheme for private security services developed by QCI.
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• Separation of roles for the avoidance of conflict of interest in regulatory framework was one of the recommendations.
Indo-US Commercial Dialogue in New Delhi
• The Indo-US Commercial Dialogue and the Indo-US CEO Forum will be held on 14th February 2019 in New Delhi.
• The Indian side will be headed by Suresh Prabhu, Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation Minister, and the US side will be led by
Mr. Wilbur Ross, US Commerce Secretary.
• They will share outcomes of the 2018 commercial dialogue work plan.
I&B Ministry organised 1st Annual Conference
• Ministry of Information & Broadcasting organised the First Annual Conference of Media Units on 13th Feb 2019 at Vigyan
Bhawan, New Delhi.
• The opening session was chaired by Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore, Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting and
Youth Affairs & Sports.
• The Conference aims to strengthen synergy between the Media Units in order to ensure last mile delivery.
5th Dam Safety Conference being held
• The 5th International Dam Safety Conference–2019 is being held from 13-14 February 2019 in Bhubaneswar.
• It is a joint initiative of the Government of India, Government of Odisha and the World Bank.
• India ranks 3rd after China and the USA globally in terms of the number of large dams with 5264 large dams in operation and 437
large dams under construction.
Sanjay Subrahmanyam won Dan David Prize 2019
• Noted Indian historian, Sanjay Subrahmanyam won Israel's prestigious Dan David Prize for 2019.
• He was awarded for his work on inter-cultural encounters between Asians, Europeans, and people of North and South America
during the early modern era.
• He won it under the category 'past time dimension' and shared his $1 million award with Prof Kenneth Pomeranz of the
University of Chicago.
Government introduced Bill in Rajya Sabha
• The government introduced a bill in the Rajya Sabha on 12 Feb 2019 to amend the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and impose a strict
penalty to combat the menace of film piracy.
• The film piracy offense will have imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of ₹10 lakh.
• The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan
Rathore.
India signed 700 crore deal to buy rifles
• The Indian government signed a contract to equip the Indian Army with new assault rifles.
• As per the deal, India will buy 72,400 rifles costing Rs 700 crore.
• The rifles will be supplied by US arms maker Sig Sauer.
• They will be made in the US and will be supplied within a year.
• These will replace the Indian-made 5.56x45mm Insas rifles.
NITI Aayog signed SOI with MSDF
• The NITI Aayog and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF) signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) on 12 Feb 2019.
• It has been signed to codify, document and share best practices to improve learning outcomes in public school education through
systemic reforms.
• As a part of it, the School Education Quality Index (SEQI) will be developed and SATH-E initiative will be implemented by NITI
Aayog.
PM addressed CREDAI YouthCon-19
• PM Narendra Modi addressed CREDAI YouthCon-19 on 13th Feb 2019 at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi.
• YouthCon is the annual Youth Conclave of CREDAI which is held to bring together the future of the real estate Industry in India.
• CREDAI was established in 1999 and is the apex body representing real-estate developers from over 200 cities in India.
Outreach Programme to be organised
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• Ministry of Textiles will organise an outreach programme for Textiles Sector MSMEs on 13th February 2019 in New Delhi.
• Smriti Irani, Minister of Textiles, will preside over the function and Dr. Thawar Chand Gehlot will be the Chief Guest.
• The support and outreach 100 days programme for MSMEs was launched by PM Narendra Modi on 2nd November 2018.
Pat Cummins won Allan Border medal
• Pat Cummins won the coveted Allan Border Medal at the Australian Cricket Awards on 11 Feb 2019.
• Nathan Lyon became the first specialist finger spinner to win the Test Player of the Year award.
• Glenn Maxwell took the T20I award and Matthew Wade bagged the Domestic Player of the Year award.
3-day Krishi Kumbh concluded in Motihari
• The 3-day Krishi Kumbh was held from Feb 9-11, 2019 in Motihari in Bihar.
• Its objective was to promote modern techniques and diversification in agriculture that could help in doubling farmers income.
• Over fifteen thousand farmers from different states and about two hundred agricultural scientists participated in the Kumbh.
8 new medical devices notified as drugs
• The Centre notified eight new devices as “drugs”.
• They include - all implantable medical devices, CT scan equipment, MRI equipment, defibrillators, dialysis machine, PET
equipment, X-ray machine, and bone marrow cell separator.
• Their import, manufacture, and distribution are now regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
• 27 types of devices were notified as drugs until last year.
Jamie Chadwick: First female to win MRF
• Jamie Chadwick became the first female winner of the MRF Challenge Series at the final event of the season.
• She won 3 of the 5 races in Chennai, India, to close an 18-point margin on Belgium's Max Defourny and take the title.
• She became the first woman to win a British F3 race in August 2018.
• The last woman to start Formula 1 Grand Prix was Lella Lombardi in 1976.
Bill on North East introduced
• A Constitution Amendment Bill in Rajya Sabha was introduced.
• This was done to increase the financial and executive powers of the 10 Autonomous Councils in the Sixth Schedule areas of the
northeastern region.
• It will impact one crore tribal people in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.
'Sarthi Sandesh Vahini' vehicles flagged off
• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off 33 'Sarthi Sandesh Vahini' vehicles in Gorakhpur.
• It is a mission started by the State's Family Welfare department with an aim to spread awareness regarding family planning in
urban and rural areas.
• The campaign will have 3 phases, the 1st till 28 Feb, the 2nd from 15 May-15June 2019, and the 3rd from 1-30 June 2019.
Challachitram Festival will begin in March
• Challachitram National Film Festival will be held in March with a special award for entries from the northeastern region.
• The theme of the festival will be 'Our Heritage, Our Pride'.
• Entries for animation films, short films, and documentaries have been invited for both the competitive and non-competitive
sections.
Jimmy carter won Grammy award 2019
• Former US President Jimmy Carter won his second Grammy Award for spoken word album for his biography "Faith A Journey For
All".
• The 39th president of the US won his first Grammy award in 2016 for one of his works, "A Full Life: Reflections at 90".
• He is not the only US President to win a Grammy, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have also won Grammy's in 2005 and 2008
respectively.
Kerala tops State Investment Potential Index
• Kerala topped the State Investment Potential Index 2018, based on the six pillars.
• The Kerala-specific findings of the survey were conducted by the National Council of Applied Economic Research.
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• It emerged winner based on 6 pillars, which were land, labour, infrastructure, economic climate, political stability and
governance, and business perception
IAV inaugurated in Thiruvananthapuram
• Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV) in Thiruvananthapuram.
• It is first of its kind research institute linked to the Global Virus Network (GVN) and will operate from the Bio 360 Life Sciences
Park at Thonnakkal in the capital city.
• It can confirm the viruses causing infectious diseases and detect new ones without any delay.
Railways won Senior Men's Hockey Championship
• Railway Sports Promotion Board lifted the 9th Senior National Men's Hockey Championship crown at Gwalior.
• They claimed the gold medal by defeating Punjab by 3-2.
• The bronze medal was clinched by Petroleum Sports Promotion Board, beating Punjab and Sind Bank, 4-1.
Dera Baba Nanak land: Immigration check point
• The Centre designated Dera Baba Nanak land post in Gurdaspur district of Punjab as an immigration checkpost.
• It is now an authorised immigration checkpoint for entry and exit of Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan.
• Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu laid the foundation stone of the Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib Corridor at an event at Mann
village in Gurdaspur district on 26 November 2018.
India and Norway launch initiative
• The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change signed a letter of Intent establishing the India-Norway Marine Pollution
Initiative on 11 Feb 2019.
• An MoU was already signed in January 2019 between the two nations to work more closely on oceans.
• Norway and India will share experiences and competence, and collaborate on efforts to develop clean and healthy oceans.
John Morris Ajax Fire Engine won trophy
• John Morris Ajax Fire Engine, a proud possession of Indian Railways was awarded the Statesmen Challenger Trophy 2019.
• It is preserved at the National Rail Museum, New Delhi and regularly bags trophies every year in various categories.
• The fire engine was built by famous fire engineers M/s. John Morris and Sons Ltd., of Salford, Manchester, in 1914.
Light House Projects challenge launched
• The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs instituted a challenge for constructing the Lighthouse projects under GHTC-India on 11th
Feb 2019.
• The challenge is for states/UTs and 6 sites which score the highest will be selected from the challenge.
• The MoHUA also already launched Global Housing Technology Challenge-India.
PM visited Kurukshetra
• PM Narendra Modi visited Kurukshetra, Haryana on 12th Feb 2019 to participate in Swachh Shakti 2019 and distribute its awards.
• Swachh Shakti is a national event which aims to bring in to focus the leadership role played by rural women in Swachh Bharat
Mission.
• The Swachh Shakti program was first launched in 2017 in Gandhinagar, 2nd in Lucknow, and 3rd edition in Kurukshetra.
INS Trikand participated in Cutlass Express
• A front-line warship of the Indian Navy, INS Trikand participated in Cutlass Express 2019, a multinational training exercise held
from 27 Jan-6 Feb 2019.
• The exercise was conducted in 2 phases - CPX and FTX.
• INS Trikand was commanded by Captain Srinivas Maddula.
Ruchira Kamboj: Indian envoy to Bhutan
• Ruchira Kamboj was appointed as the Indian envoy to Bhutan on 11th Feb 2019.
• She is an Indian Foreign Service Officer from the 1987 batch and currently India's High Commissioner to South Africa.
• She was appointed by the Ministry of External Affairs.
RBI changes threshold for bulk deposit
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• RBI has decided to alter the definition of bulk deposits in the recent monetary policy review.
• It has been revised as single deposits of Rs 2 crore and above.
• Final guidelines regarding this will be issued by the end of Feb 2019. Banks have also been asked to maintain their bulk deposit
card rates.
• This indicates that the interest rates are expected to go down.
'AMAN-19' kicks off
• Multinational Maritime Exercise AMAN-19 formally commenced on Feb 11, 2019, at Pakistan Navy Dockyard.
• AMAN-19 is a multinational Naval Exercise conducted biennially by Pakistan Navy since 2007.
• The current one is the 6th in the series having 45 nations as participants.
• Commander Pakistan Fleet, Vice Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi graced was the Chief Guest.
Suresh Prabhu launches 2 schemes in Mumbai
• Union Minister for Commerce & Industry Suresh Prabhu launched two schemes on 9 Feb 2019 in Mumbai.
• Under the Hirkani Maharashtrachi, 10 groups will be selected from each taluka and Rs. 50,000 will be given to each to implement
their idea.
• Under the District Business Plan Competition, 5 ideas will be selected from different categories and Rs. 5 lakh will be given to
them.
Shane Warne: Brand ambassador of RR
• Shane Warne has been named as the brand ambassador of Rajasthan Royals for the upcoming IPL.
• He captained RR for 4 seasons of IPL till 2011, after which he took retirement from all forms of cricket.
• Rajasthan Royals has also decided to change its jersey color from blue to pink this year.
Mukesh Ambani tops Hurun India list
• Mukesh Ambani topped the Hurun India Philanthropy List 2018 on Feb 9, 2019, with the highest contribution of Rs 437 crore
between October 2017 and September 2018.
• He was followed by Piramal Group Chairman Ajay Piramal who made Rs 200 crore donations.
• The list ranked individuals from India who donated Rs 10 crore and above between October 1, 2017, and September 30, 2018.
Abu Dhabi adds Hindi as 3rd court language
• The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) added Hindi as the 3rd official language to be spoken in the city’s courts, alongside
Arabic and English.
• The step is aimed at helping foreigners to learn about litigation procedures, their rights and duties without a language barrier.
• The step comes as part of the bilingual litigation system whose first phase was launched in November 2018.
KJ Alphons lays foundation stone
• Union Tourism Minister, KJ Alphons laid the foundation stone for Sree Narayana Guru spiritual pilgrimage circuit in Varkala,
Kerala on Feb 10, 2019.
• The project covers all the places where the Guru spent most of his life.
• The project, in Thiruvananthapuram district, was sanctioned last month and will help improve the infrastructure and facilities at
these centers.
Corentin Moutet clinches Chennai Open
• France’s Corentin Moutet clinched the Chennai Open ATP Challenger tournament title on 10th Feb 2019.
• He beat Andrew Harris of Australia 6-3, 6-3 in the singles final.
• This is the second Challenger title for Moutet, who received 80 ATP points, while Andrew got 48 ATP points.
Egypt's President: New Chairman-African Union
• Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has been elected as the chairman of the African Union at the continental body's summit in
Ethiopia.
• African Union chairman sets agendas of issues to be addressed during their one-year tenure.
• It is a continental union consisting of 55 countries of the continent of Africa and was founded on 26 May 2001.
Great Indian Bustard chosen as mascot
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• The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) has been announced as the mascot for the 13th UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory
Species.
• It will be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from 15-22 Feb 2020.
• The mascot was launched by Union Minister Harsh Vardhan.
• The CMS COP-13 is a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and has 120 countries as
participants.
New observatory in Tehri
• A Himalayan Cloud Observatory was set up in Tehri district of Uttarakhand on 8th Feb 2019.
• It is set up to receive forecast and monitor cloud burst incidents in the Himalayan region.
• It is established in the SRT campus Badshahithaul and is currently in the testing period.
• This is the 2nd observatory in the country to monitor cloud activities.
Grammy Awards 2019 - II
• 'Masseduction', by Jack Antonoff & Annie Clark won the Best Rock Song at the 61st Grammy Awards 2019.
• Best Rock Album was won by 'From the Fires' of Greta Van Fleet.
• Chris Cornell won Best Rock Performance for 'When Bad Does Good'.
• Kacey Musgraves won album of the year and Cardi B became the first woman to win best rap album as a solo artist.
Grammy Awards 2019 - I
• The 61st Grammy Awards were held on 10th Feb 2019 at Staples Centre in LA.
• The Song of the year was won by 'This is America' by Donald Glover and Ludwig Göransson.
• Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper won the Best Pop Duo for 'Shallow'.
• Ariana Grande won the Best Pop Vocal Album for 'Sweetener', while Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album was won by Willie Nelson
for 'My Way'.
Actor Mahesh Anand dies at 57
• Noted Bollywood actor Mahesh Anand passed away at 57 in Andheri, Mumbai.
• He is suspected to have died a few days ago and his decomposed body was sent for autopsy to ascertain the time and cause of
his death.
• He has been a part of major films like Majboor, Shahenshah, Thanedaar, Coolie No.1, Vijeta, Pyaar Kiya Nahin Jaata, and more.
PM inaugurates PETROTECH 2019
• PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the PETROTECH-2019 on 11th Feb 2019 at Indian Expo Centre, Greater Noida, UP.
• It is India’s flagship hydrocarbon conference, being organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
• It will showcase the recent market and investor-friendly developments in India’s oil and gas sector.
• Delegates from around 70 countries participated in the event.
PM visits Hubli in Karnataka
• PM Narendra Modi visited Hubli, Karnataka on 10th Feb 2019 to unveil several development projects.
• He laid the foundation stone for IIT-Dharwad and IIIT –Dharwad.
• City Gas Distribution Project 1.5 MMT Mangalore Strategic Petroleum Reserve facility was dedicated to the nation.
• He also witnessed the E-Griha Pravesh of 2350 housed constructed in Dharwad PMAY(U).
PM visits Tiruppur
• PM Narendra Modi visited Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu to unveil several development projects on 10th Feb 2019.
• He laid the foundation stone of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation’s (ESIC) multi speciality Hospital at Tiruppur.
• He also laid the foundation stone for the new building of Trichy airport and also inaugurated the new Crude Oil Pipeline in
Chennai.
1st Mega Food park of HP inaugurated
• Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Smt Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated Cremica Mega Food Park through a video
conference on 10 Feb 2019.
• This is the first Mega Food Park of Himachal Pradesh located at Singhain village, Una district.
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• The park has been set up at a cost of Rs. 107.34 crores and will provide facilities such as frozen storage, dry warehouse, deep
freeze, QC lab, etc.
Chief of the Air Staff visits Bangladesh
• Air Chief Marshal, Birendra Singh Dhanoa, Chief of the Indian Air Force, went on a 4-day official visit to Bangladesh from 11-14
Feb 2019.
• He will visit operational and training units of Bangladesh Air Force. This is a bilateral goodwill visit to a SAARC nation.
• He will also meet the PM and Chiefs of 3 defense services in Bangladesh. The visit will increase defence cooperation.
MoU signed between Mongolia and EIL
• An MoU was signed between Mongolia and Engineers India Ltd., on 10th Feb 2019.
• Engineers India Ltd. is a PSU under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
• It has been signed for Project Management Consultancy services for construction of an oil refinery plant in Mongolia by EIL.
• A 1.5 MMTPA greenfield crude oil refinery will be set up in the Sainshand.
India participated in Berlin Film Festival
• Ministry of Information & Broadcasting participated at the Berlin International Film Festival 2019.
• The festival is taking place from 7-17 Feb 2019 at Berlin, Germany.
• India Pavilion has been set up to showcase Indian Cinema at the global platform and facilitate new business opportunities in the
Media & Entertainment sector.
Assam government announces 'Arundhati' scheme
• Assam government has announced a scheme named 'Arundhati' scheme on 6 February 2019.
• Under the scheme, one 'tola' of gold will be presented to brides from communities where it is customary to provide gold at the
time of the wedding.
• The scheme will benefit poor families of the state who cannot afford to gift gold ornaments to their daughters at their wedding.
Cabinet approves unified regulator for IFSCs
• The Cabinet has approved the setting up of a unified authority that would regulate all the financial services in International
Financial Services Centres (IFSC).
• Currently, the banking, capital markets and insurance sectors in IFSCs are regulated by multiple regulators, i.e. RBI, SEBI and
IRDAI.
• This will be done through the International Financial Services Centres Authority Bill, 2019.
'Law, Justice & Judicial Power' book launched
• The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, received the first copy of the book 'Law, Justice and Judicial Power – Justice PN
Bhagwati’s Approach' on 8 February 2019.
• The book is written by Mool Chand Sharma.
• Justice Bhagwati has been called the father of Public Interest Litigation in India.
Jeremy Lalrinnunga won silver medal
• On 8 February 2019, Jeremy Lalrinnunga won the silver medal in men's 67- kilogram category at the EGAT's Cup International
Weightlifting Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
• Ruben Katoatau of Kiribati took the bronze with a total lift of 285 kilograms.
• Saikhom Mirabai Chanu won gold in the women's 48-kilogram category with a total lift of 192 kilograms.
Nyishi tribe celebrates Boori Boot festival
• The Nyishi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh is celebrating its fortnight-long 'Boori Boot Yollo' festival.
• Boori Boot Yollo is observed in the month of February every year to welcome spring and a successful harvest.
• The festival witnessed the grand display of Punu/Jajin and Boori Yapa dance.
Ladakh became third administrative division
• On 8 February 2019, the Jammu and Kashmir government approved the creation of a separate Administrative Revenue Division
for Ladakh.
• This division will comprise Leh and Kargil districts with its headquarters at Leh.
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• Two posts of Divisional Commissioner and Inspector General of Police (IGP) were created.
• Now J&K will have three divisions - Jammu, Ladakh, and Kashmir.
RBI raises collateral-free farm loan limit
• The Reserve Bank of India raised the limit for collateral-free agriculture loans to ₹1.6 lakh from ₹1 lakh.
• The increased limit will enhance coverage of small and marginal farmers in the formal credit system.
• Presently, the banks are mandated to extend collateral-free agriculture loans up to ₹1 lakh.
• This limit of ₹1 lakh was fixed in 2010.
Deworming day observed on February 8
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare conducted its eighth round of National Deworming Day (NDD) across the country on 8
February 2019.
• The aim of the NDD was to reduce the prevalence of parasitic intestinal worms among children.
• During the programme, Albendazole tablets were orally administered to pre-school and school-going children in the age group of
1 to 19 years.
Intellectual Property (IP) index 2019 released
• The International Intellectual Property (IP) index 2019 was released on 7 February 2019.
• It is released by the US Chamber of Commerce’s Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC).
• India got the 36th rank.
• India had ranked 44th of 50 economies in the 2018 index.
• The index ranks countries based on 45 indicators covering patent, trademark, copyright and trade secrets protection.
IITM establishes new AI & data science centre
• The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has inaugurated the Robert Bosch Center for Data Science and Artificial
Intelligence.
• The mission of the new centre is to create a societal impact on core challenges in data science (DS) and artificial intelligence (AI).
• It will be done through multidisciplinary interactions with government, academic, research and industrial collaborators.
Statue of Guru Padmasambhava unveiled
• Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik unveiled a 19-foot-high statue of Guru Padmasambhava at Jirang in Gajapati district.
• Guru Padmasambhava is the founder of Tibetan Buddhism.
• The statue is placed in the middle of ‘Padma Sarovar’, a large tank near Padmasambhava Mahavihara, the largest Buddhist
monastery in eastern India.
Delhi govt launched 'Zero Fatality Corridor'
• Delhi government launched the 'Zero Fatality Corridor' to examine the cause for accidents and crashes on the stretch between
Burari Chowk and Bhalswa chowk in Delhi.
• The initiative will be run in partnership with SaveLIFE Foundation, a leading road safety NGO.
• The stretch of road selected for the project is three kilometers long and is considered one of the most dangerous areas.
Mega Silk Event held in New Delhi
• Ministry of Textiles in association with Central Silk Board, organised an event, 'Surging Silk - Accomplishment and way forward', in
New Delhi on 9 February 2019.
• The event is being organised to highlight the growth of the silk industry in India over the past 4 years.
• It focusses on the distribution of Buniyaad Tasar Silk Reeling Machines to women reelers from tribal areas.
India and Bangladesh sign MOU
• On 8 February 2019, India and Bangladesh signed an MOU for training 1800 Bangladesh Civil Servants at the National Centre for
Good Governance (NCGG).
• NCGG is an institute under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions.
• This is the second time that NCGG would be entering into a MoU for a training program for Bangladesh Civil Servants.
• The first MoU was signed in 2014.
Francois conferred with Légion d'Honneur
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• Father Francois Laborde, a 92-year-old priest from West Bengal, was conferred the Légion d'Honneur (Legion of Honour).
• The award was given to him for his work for specially-abled children.
• Father Laborde had set up Howrah South Point, an organisation working for the development of specially-abled children.
• Légion d'Honneur is the highest civilian award of France.
PMAY (U) awards instituted for Implementation
• Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has instituted the ‘PMAY (U) awards for Implementation and Innovation’.
• The Awards will identify and reward the 'Top Performers' in different categories and will encourage others to compete and attain
the goal of ‘Housing for All’.
• A few Special Category awards to give special recognition to States / UTs have also been instituted.
Asiatic Lion Conservation Project launched
• A dedicated 'Asiatic Lion Conservation Project' was launched on 8 February 2019.
• The Asiatic Lion, endemic to Gir landscape of Gujarat, is one of the 21 critically endangered species identified by the Environment
Ministry.
• Asiatic Lion, being listed in Schedule-I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, has been accorded the highest degree of protection.
India to host 13th Conference of Parties (COP)
• The 13th Conference of Parties (COP) of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of wild animals (CMS) will be
hosted by India from 15 to 22 February 2020 at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
• CMS is an environmental treaty under the aegis of the United Nations Environment Programme.
• India has been a Party to the CMS since 1983.
• The COP is the decision-making organ of this convention.
Successful Flight Test of SFDR
• Defence Research and Development Organisation successfully flight tested the second indigenously developed ‘Solid Fuel Ducted
Ramjet (SFDR)’ propulsion based missile system from Chandipur, Odisha on 8 February 2019.
• The missile accelerated to achieve ramjet Mach number successfully.
• DRDO is responsible for the development and production of defence systems for the Indian military.
GeM and CCI signed an MoU
• Government e Marketplace (GeM) and Competition Commission of India (CCI) signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
on 6 February 2019.
• The MoU will enable a fair and competitive environment in the e-Marketplace.
• GeM is a public procurement platform of Ministry of Commerce and Industries.
• CCI is a statutory body and is responsible for enforcing the Competition Act, 2002.
ECI launched VVIP for General Elections 2019
• The Election Commission of India has launched a Voter Verification and Information Programme (VVIP) on 8 February 2019.
• The VVIP programme is for citizens for verifications of their names, new registrations, changes in the voter details and corrections
in the Voter Id Cards for the upcoming General Elections 2019.
• ECI has also set up Contact centres in all districts across India.
PM visited Guwahati, Itanagar and Agartala
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Guwahati, Itanagar, and Agartala on 9 February 2019.
• He laid the foundation stone for Greenfield Airport and Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh and North East Gas Grid in Assam.
• He inaugurated DD Arun Prabha Channel for Arunachal Pradesh.
• He also inaugurated the Garjee - Belonia Railway Line in Tripura.
NASA's first mini-spacecraft goes silent
• NASA has lost touch with the first mini-spacecraft named MarCO CubeSats that ventured into deep space.
• The MarCO CubeSats, nicknamed EVE and WALL-E, were launched in 2018 to test if such low-cost technology can operate in deep
space.
• They served as communications relays during the InSight’s Mars landing and have travelled well past Mars.
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IRDAI imposes fine on United India Insurance

• Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) imposed a fine of Rs 9 lakh on state-owned United India Insurance Co
(UIIC) Ltd for violating certain procedures.
• 3 violations were found during the inspection, of which 2 attracted the fine.
• UIIC is headquartered in Chennai, while IRDAI is in Hyderabad.
Yes Bank won Data Science Innovation Award
• Yes Bank was announced as the winner of the 9th edition of Aegis Graham Bell Award 2018 for its ‘Yes Engage Enrich Excel (EEE)’
project in data science.
• Its EEE program is an industry-first analytics tool that aids the Bank’s relationship managers with top 3 talking points to engage
with their customers.
• Aegis Graham Bell Award promotes innovations and entrepreneurship in the ICT domain.
SBI fined by RBI
• RBI slapped Rs 1 crore penalty on SBI, country's largest lender on 7th Feb 2019 for violating norms.
• RBI levied the penalty in the exercise of powers conferred under Section 47 A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
• SBI was charged for not monitoring the end use of funds in respect of one of its borrowers.
Indirect Tax Ombudsman abolished
• The Union Cabinet approved the proposal for Abolition of Institution of Income-Tax Ombudsman and Indirect Tax Ombudsman
on 6 Feb 2019.
• The Cabinet was chaired by PM Narendra Modi.
• The Institution of Income-Tax Ombudsman was created in the year 2003 in order to deal with the grievances of public related to
the settlement of complaints relating to Income Tax.
MoU between India and Finland approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the MoU between India and Finland on 6th Feb 2019.
• It will support the creation of long-term Research, Development & Innovation collaboration mechanism and establish and
strengthen cooperative network between Indian and Finnish organisations.
• The Cabinet was chaired by PM Narendra Modi and the MoU was signed on March 25, 2018 in Helsinki.
PM laid the foundation for NH Project
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the four laning of the Falakata-Salsalabari section of NH-31 D in the
northern part of West Bengal on 8 February 2019.
• This 41.7 Km long section of the National Highway falls in the Jalpaiguri district.
• It will have 3 railway over bridges, 3 underpasses, 2 flyovers, 17 minor bridges, and 8 bridges.
PM-KISAN scheme speedy implementation
• Union Minister of Agriculture, Radha Mohan Singh asked all states to support the PM-KISAN scheme.
• Under the scheme, all Small and Marginal farmers (SMF) families having cultivable land up to 2 hectares will be provided income
support of Rs.6000 per year.
• The amount will be provided in three equal instalments of Rs 2000 to farmers.
Chennai Police launches 'DigiCop' app
• Chennai Police Commissioner launched 'DigiCop' mobile app on 6 February 2019.
• The user can lodge mobile theft complaints using the app and can check if the user’s mobile is in the police list of retrieved
mobiles.
• Through the app, the user can also know the traffic condition in the city and also information about nearby police stations.
NASA: 2018 4th warmest year on record
• The global surface temperatures on the Earth in 2018 were the 4th warmest since 1880.
• This was found in an independent analysis by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
• The global temperatures in 2018 were 0.83 degree Celsius warmer than the 1951 to 1980 mean.
• 2018’s temperatures rank behind those of 2016, 2017 and 2015.
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RBI lowered repo rate to 6.25%

• The Reserve Bank of India lowered the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.25% on 7th February 2019.
• This is the first time in 17 months that the central bank has cut the rate.
• The reverse repo rate, too, was lowered to 6%, and the bank rate to 6.25%.
• The repo rate is the interest rate at which RBI lends to commercial banks.
Sanjiv Chadha awarded in UK
• The State Bank of India’s UK Chief Mr. Sanjiv Chadha has been honored with the ‘Freedom of the City Of London’.
• The award was given by the city of London Corporation in recognition of his contribution to promoting bilateral relations.
• The previous Indian recipient of the honour is Jawaharlal Nehru, the first PM of India. Other recipients include author J K Rowling
and actor Dame Judi Dench.
Mandhana scored India’s fastest T20I Fifty
• Indian opener Smriti Mandhana made the fastest fifty for India in Women’s T20Is.
• The left-handed batswoman struck a half-century in just 24 balls.
• She made the history in the 1st T20I against New Zealand at Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
• New Zealand’s Sophie Devine holds the record of the quickest half-century in women’s T20Is. She set the record in 2005 against
India in just 18-balls.
Pradeep Singh became Civil Aviation Secretary
• The government appointed Air India Chief Managing Director and Chairperson Pradeep Singh Kharola as the secretary of the
Ministry of Civil Aviation.
• Kharola will take over from Rajiv Nayan Choubey.
• He is an IAS officer of Karnataka cadre from the 1985 batch, who was named chairperson of Air India in November 2017.
• Jayant Sinha is the Minister of Civil Aviation.
Nitin Gadkari laid foundation of NH project
• Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, laid the foundation for 5 National Highway projects of length 632
km in Ayodhya on 8 Feb 2019.
• The estimated cost is Rs. 7195 crore and the project will establish direct connectivity from Ayodhya to Ambedkarnagar and
Chitrakoot.
• He will also visit Prayagraj to inaugurate Phase 2 of River Information System on National Waterway-1.
Ujjwala Utsav observed by Oil industry
• Ujjwala Utsav was observed by the Oil industry in New Delhi on 7th Feb 2019.
• It was observed to celebrate the stellar role played by all stakeholders in making PMUY scheme a success.
• PMUY anthem - 'Ujjwala Bharat Ujjwala' composed by Kailash Kher was also launched on the occasion.
• The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana aims to provide free cooking gas connections to 80 million families by 2020.
New Secretary of Ministry Minority Affairs
• Shri Sailesh assumed the charge as Secretary of Ministry of Minority Affairs on 7th Feb 2019.
• He is an IAS from Assam-Meghalaya Cadre, 1985 batch.
• Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is the Minister of Minority Affairs.
Suresh Prabhu addresses interactive session
• An interactive session on the Indo-Africa Strategic Economic Co-operation was held in New Delhi on 6th Feb 2019.
• It was organised by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• The bilateral trade between Africa and India has increased from $7 billion in 2001 to $78 billion in 2014 and then $60 billion in
2017.
• Suresh Prabhu is the Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation.
US to sell 2 missile defence systems to India
• The US has agreed to sell its 2 advanced missile defence systems to India at a cost of $190 million for 2 Boeing-777 Head-of-State
aircraft.
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• This decision will enhance the security of the planes flying the President and Prime Minister.
• The sale will also support the national security and foreign policy of the US. It will also strengthen the US-Indian strategic
relationship.
India's oldest elephant died at 88
• 'Granny Dakshayani', India's oldest elephant in captivity died at 88 in Kerala.
• She was awarded with the title 'Gaja Muthassi' and also took part in the temple processions and rituals for decades.
• India has around 2,454 elephants in captivity as per a survey released last month.
MoU approved between India and Namibia
• The Union Cabinet approved the MoU between India and Electoral Tribunal of Panama and Electoral Commission of Namibia on
6th Feb 2019.
• It would promote bilateral cooperation, aimed at building technical assistance/ capacity support for the Electoral Commission of
Namibia (ECN) and with Electoral Tribunal of Panama (ETP).
MoU between India and Malaysia approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the signing of MoU between India and Malaysia on 6th Feb 2019.
• The MoU is for mutual Cooperation to raise the status and prestige of the Practicing Company Secretary in both countries, and to
facilitate the movement of the Company Secretaries across borders in the Asia-Pacific Region.
India-Indonesia agreement approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the Framework Agreement between India and Indonesia on cooperation in the exploration and uses
of outer space for peaceful purposes.
• It was signed and exchanged in Jakarta on May 30, 2018.
• The agreement will strengthen the cooperation between India and Indonesia.
Establishment of Circuit Bench approved
• The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi approved the establishment of Circuit Bench of Calcutta High Court on 6th Feb
2019 at Jalpaiguri.
• It will have jurisdiction over 4 courts, which are Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, and Darjeeling.
• The decision came against the backdrop of the decision of the Calcutta High Court Full Court Meeting in 1988.
CCEA approves 12,000 MW power projects
• The CCEA chaired by PM Narendra Modi approved the proposal for setting up 12,000 MW Solar PV Power Projects.
• The proposal was by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy for the implementation of the CPSU scheme Phase-II for setting
up these projects.
• The power projects will be set up in 4 years at a cost of Rs. 48,000 crores.
CCEA approves creation of Agri-Market Fund
• The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs chaired by PM Narendra Modi approved the creation of Agri-Market Infrastructure
Fund (AMIF) on 6th Feb 2019.
• It is being created for the up-gradation and development of agricultural marketing infrastructure in Regulated Wholesale Markets
and Gramin Agricultural Markets.
• A corpus of Rs. 2000 crore has been approved for the creation of the fund.
4th conference of AYUSH inaugurated
• The 4th conference of UTs / AYUSH / Health Ministers of States was inaugurated by Shripad Naik, Minister of State of AYUSH on
6th February 2019.
• The conference was organised to provide an opportunity to UT/States to interact with each other for the development of AYUSH
sector.
• It also reviewed progress made by States and UTs in the implementation of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the NAM.
Parmanu Tech 2019
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• Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of the DoNER, delivered a keynote address at the 'Parmanu Tech 2019' conference on 6th February
2019.
• It was organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and Department of Atomic Energy in Delhi.
• The conference also discussed issues related to Radiation Technologies and Nuclear Energy.
Amitabh Bachchan stars in national campaign
• The Swachh Bharat Mission launched the 'Darwaza Band- Part 2' campaign on 6th Feb 2019 in Mumbai.
• The campaign was produced by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation was launched in the presence of iconic actor
Amitabh Bachchan.
• The campaign focuses on sustaining the open defecation free status of village across the country.
India-Germany join hands for cooperation
• The 3rd Indo-German Working Group for water and waste management concluded on 6th February 2019 in New Delhi.
• Delegates from both the sides met and discussed potential cooperation in the field of water and waste management.
• The Indian delegation was headed by Shri Anil Kumar Jain.
• Third Indo-German Environment Forum will meet in New Delhi on February 13, 2019.
Textile Minister launched project India Size
• Smt. Smriti Irani, the Union Minister of Textiles launched the India Size project in Mumbai on 6th February 2019.
• It aims to arrive at a standard Indian size for the ready-to-wear clothing industry.
• A size chart will be developed which will be specific to Indian consumers measurements.
• The project is undertaken by the Ministry of Textiles.
Sangeet Natak Akademi awards 2017
• Shri Ram Nath Kovind, President of India, presented the Sangeet Natak Akademi awards for the year 2017 on February 6, 2019, at
Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.
• Some of its recipients were Gurnam Singh, Sujata Mohapatra, and Parvathy Baul for their contribution in dance and music.
• The award is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists.
Cabinet approved scheme for Prasar Bharti
• The Cabinet gave its approval to the proposal to launch Prasar Bharati's 'Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development'
scheme.
• It will cost Rs 1,054.52 crore for 3 years from 2017-18 to 2019-20.
• It will help in strengthening broadcast infrastructure and network development.
• The Cabinet also approved the launch of DD ArunPrabha Channel from Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana app launched
• Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) App is launched on Google play store.
• Ayushman Bharat Yojana or PM-JAY is a centrally sponsored scheme launched in 2018.
• It was launched under the Ayushman Bharat Mission of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• This scheme aims to provide health care facilities at primary, secondary and tertiary levels to address healthcare holistically.
NIFTEM Bill, 2019 approved by the Cabinet
• The Cabinet has approved the introduction of National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Bill,
2019.
• Its objective is to confer the status of institutions of national importance to the NIFTEM, Kundli, Haryana and IIFPT, Thanjavur,
Tamil Nadu.
• The Cabinet was chaired PM Narendra Modi and the bill was approved on 6th February 2019.
Indian Coast Guard signed MoU with AAI
• Indian Coast Guard and the Airport Authority of India signed an Memorandum of Understanding at Coast Guard Regional
Headquarters in Port Blair.
• It is signed for coordination in the aeronautical, maritime search and rescue operations.
• The MoU with AAI is aimed at strengthening mutual interactions, interoperability, and validating procedures during the conduct
of search and rescue operations.
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Swine flu claimed 226 lives across the country

• Swine flu has claimed 226 lives across the country, with the worst hit in Rajasthan claiming 85 deaths.
• 2,263 patients have been found positive with influenza as per the NCDC report.
• A meeting was held on 6th February 2019 by the Ministry of Health headed by Preeti Sudan to take action to deal with it.
• Swine flu is caused by H1N1 virus and has symptoms similar to the regular flu.
Macedonia joined NATO
• Macedonia signed an accord to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
• By this, it became the 30th member of NATO.
• The Macedonia-NATO accord followed a deal with Greece, which ended a 27-year-old dispute over Macedonia’s name.
• NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance between North American and European countries.
• Macedonia Capital: Skopje.
• Currency: Macedonian Denar.
PM to flag off Vande Bharat Express
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag-off Vande Bharat Express on 15th February, 2019 from the New Delhi Railway Station.
• It is India's first engineless train.
• The train has been manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai and has become India's fastest train.
• It hit the speed of over 180 kmph during a trial run at the Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani route.
• Earlier, it was named Train 18.
Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen banned: MHA
• J&K-based Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen has been banned by the Home Ministry.
• The group that came into existence in 1990 has been fighting for the liberation of Kashmir, and was also involved in a series of
terror acts.
• A lot of cases have been registered by the J&K police in which TuM has played a major role in the commission of terror acts.
Punjab govt sets committee to boost dairy
• The Punjab government announced setting up a high-powered committee to boost the dairy sector to supplement farmer's
income in a result-oriented manner.
• The committee will consist of the Directors of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development and Chairman of State Farmers
Commission.
• It will suggest measures to promote diversification of agriculture.
World Heritage Centre to be set up in Mayapur
• A World Heritage Centre will be set up in Mayapur, housing spiritual camps of 45 countries.
• Mayapur is the global headquarters of ISKCON, in Nadia district of West Bengal.
• The camp of each country will reflect its lifestyle, culture, dress, ambiance, and food.
• The estimated cost of the centre is around 3000 crore.
Bullet train to pass through Sanctuary
• A committee chaired by Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan has accorded wildlife clearance to the Mumbai-Ahmedabad
high-speed train corridor.
• The corridor encroaches upon the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and flamingo sanctuary, the home to leopards, in Mumbai.
• The project for India's first bullet train was inaugurated in September 2017 by PM Narendra Modi.
NTPC signed an agreement with HDFC Bank
• NTPC signed an agreement with HDFC Bank on 5th February 2019 for a Rs. 2500 crore loan to part financial expenditure.
• The agreement has a 15 years tenure.
• It was signed by NTPC's Executive Director A K Gautam and Raveesh Bhatia, Regional Head, Corporate Banking, HDFC Bank.
India signed MoU with Russia
• India has signed an MoU with Russia for fast-tracking International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
• It will enable a smoother connectivity to the region through Iran.
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• The MoU was signed between the Container Corporation of India and Russian Railways Logistics Joint Stock Company.
• A joint workshop will also be organised to improve Indo-Russian logistics cooperation.
Oppo signed MoU with Telangana
• Oppo, a Chinese smartphone company, signed an MoU with the Telangana government to develop and support the startup
ecosystem in the state.
• Oppo will provide mentoring support and technical expertise to startups related to AI and gaming, camera and image processing,
payments, network, and system performance.
• It has also recently set its first R&D centre in Hyderabad.
NWM to be inaugurated on Feb 25
• The National War Museum will be inaugurated on 25th February 2019 at India Gate by PM Narendra Modi.
• It is built in the memory of 26,000 war heroes of the Indian Forces and is built on the sprawling lawns of India Gate.
• The NWM was first proposed by the armed forces in 1960.
Develop app to help the blind: Bombay HC
• The Bombay High Court asked the RBI to develop a mobile app to help the blind identify the denomination of various currency
notes of India.
• Justice NM Jamdar and Justice Naresh patil also directed RBI to develop a hardware-driven device to help the blind identify Indian
currency denominations.
• RBI has been granted 4 weeks to look into the suggestions.
Axis, Syndicate, UCO Banks penalised by RBI
• The RBI imposed monetary penalties on UCO, Axis, and Syndicate Banks over deficiencies in complying with different regulatory
norms.
• A penalty of Rs 2 crore each was imposed on Axis and UCO bank and an additional penalty of Rs 20 lakh was imposed on Axis
Bank.
• A penalty of Rs 1 crore was imposed on the Syndicate Bank.
CPSEs felicitated by Ministry of MSME
• Some Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) were felicitated by the Minister of State (I/C) for MSME, Giriraj Singh on 5th Feb
2019.
• They were recognised for their exemplary work under the Public Procurement Policy for the promotion of SC/ST entrepreneurs.
• 14 CPSEs were felicitated under various categories and around 70 participated in the event.
NFDC won award
• The National Film Development Corporation of India has been declared winner under the Mini ratna category by the Ministry of
MSME.
• This was done as a part of the Ministry to felicitate CPSEs to recognise their exemplary work towards promotion of SC/ST
entrepreneurs.
• NFDC was incorporated in the year 1975 and was formed for the integrated development of the Indian Film Industry.
Taj Mahal: top 10 revenue generating monument
• The top ten revenue generating monuments during 2015-18 are Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Agra Fort, Qutub Minar, Sun Temple
Konark, Humayun's Tomb, Ellora caves, Mamallapuram monuments, Khajuraho monuments, and Ajanta Caves.
• The information was given by Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State for Culture and Environment.
• The expenditure incurred in 2017-18 was 41076.79 lakhs.
Joint Statement: 1st India-Russia Dialogue
• The Joint Statement following the results of the 1st India-Russia Strategic Economic Dialogue was released recently.
• The dialogue was held on November 25-26, 2018 in St. Petersburg.
• It focused on 5 core areas - Transportation, Infrastructure and Technologies, Agriculture, SME and Trade.
• The statement covers 24 points including the MoU.
• It was chaired by Dr. Rajiv Kumar and Maxim Oreshkin.
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Shehri Samridhi Utsav launched

• An initiative of the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, Shehri Samridhi Utsav was launched on 4th February 2019.
• It aims to extend the outreach of Deendayal Antyodaya Mission to the most vulnerable.
• Its major highlight is the National Exhibition cum sale of SHG products and National Street Food Festival being organised in New
Delhi from 8th to 17th Feb 2019.
Bhoomipoojan of 3 National Highway Projects
• Nitin Gadkari did Bhoomipoojan of 3 National Highway projects in Odisha.
• 132 km long Highways will be constructed with worth Rs. 2345 crores.
• He also inaugurated port projects worth Rs. 431 crores.
• The National Highway projects will ensure better connectivity of the mineral-rich Angul and Dhenkanal districts of Odisha.
'Exercise Rahat' to be conducted soon
• Sapta Shakti Command will conduct 'Exercise Rahat' on 11-12th February 2019 on behalf of the Indian Army.
• It is a Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise.
• Its curtain raiser was organised on 4th February 2019 at the Jaipur Military Station.
• The exercise will be conducted in 3 places simultaneously, Jaipur, Alwar, and Kota.
Mobile app launched by NTA
• The National Testing Agency has launched a mobile app with the help of which students can take or practice mock tests on their
smartphones.
• A network of more than 4000 Test Practice Centres has been established to help aspirants, especially from rural areas, with
computer-based tests.
• The students can register themselves online through the NTA website or app.
New pharma policy approved by Haryana
• Haryana government approved the Haryana Pharmaceutical Policy 2019.
• It envisages to establish a state-of-the-art pharma park at Karnal.
• It aims to develop Haryana into a hub of pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• Haryana MSME policy 2019 has also been given a nod by the cabinet with an aim to create globally competitive MSMEs in
Haryana.
NGT slaps Rs.25 lakh fine on UP government
• The National Green Tribunal slapped a penalty of Rs. 25 lakh on the UP government for its failure to stop the discharge of dirty
water in the Upper Ganga canal.
• The bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said that adequate steps were not taken for proper waste
management.
• This was said while hearing a plea filed by Vivek Tyagi against Niwari Nagar Panchayat.
India successfully launched GSAT-31
• India’s latest communication satellite GSAT-31 was successfully launched.
• It was launched by European launch services provider - Arianespace’s rocket from French Guiana.
• The Ariane-5 vehicle injected GSAT-31 into the orbit.
• It is a “high power” communication satellite with Ku-band.
• Its weight is about 2,536 kg.
Swiggy acquihires Kint
• Swiggy has acquihired a Bangalore-based AI startup Kint.io for an undisclosed amount.
• The founding members of Kint.io Jagannathan and Pavithra will join the Swiggy team as per the deal.
• Kint.io was founded in 2014 and specializes in applying deep learning and computer vision for object recognition in videos.
Kerala:1st state to set price monitoring unit
• Kerala has become the first state to set up a Price Monitoring and Research Unit to track the violation of prices of medical devices
and essential drugs.
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• The move came more than 5 years after NPPA proposed such a system for the states and UTs.
• Pinarayi Vijayan is the CM of Kerala and Palaniswamy Sathasivam is the Governor of Kerala.
Fitch Group projects fiscal deficit to slip
• Fitch Solutions, an arm of the Fitch group has projected the government's fiscal deficit to slip to 3.6% of GDP in 2019-2020 fiscal.
• It said that 2019-20 Budget will show a strong populist bent in the run-up to the General election due by May 2019.
• The central government is planning to spend a total of Rs 27.8 lakh crore in fiscal 2019-20.
New project approved by Union Government
• A new project to control pollution in the river Sal in Goa was sanctioned by the Union government on 4th February 2019.
• The project will have a cost of Rs, 61.74 crores and will be borne by the Centre and state on 60:40 basis.
• It will significantly reduce the pollution in the river and improve its water quality.
Ramit Tandon wins Seattle Open
• Ramit Tandon won the final of the Seattle Open, a Squash event by defeating Egyptian Mohamed Al Sherbini on 2nd February,
2019.
• This is his fourth overall title in his career and first PSA title in 2019.
• He was ranked 58th in the world but was seeded for the Seattle Open.
PV Bharathi: New MD-CEO of Corporation Bank
• PV Bharathi has taken the charge as the MD and CEO of the Corporation Bank.
• Before this appointment, she was the Executive Director in Canara Bank.
• She was responsible for key areas including retail banking, corporate credit, human resources, risk management and more in
Canara Bank.
Uniphore won Aegis Graham Bell Award 2019
• Uniphore was announced the winner of the Aegis Graham Bell Award 2019 in 'Innovations and Data Science' category for
innovating 'auMina'.
• It was the 9th edition of the award ceremony and was hosted in Panaji, Goa on 4th February, 2019.
• The Aegis Graham Bell Award has been promoting entrepreneurship and innovations since 2010 in Information and
Communication Technology field.
MoU signed between India and Poland
• Ministry of Coal, India signed an MoU with the Ministry of Energy, Poland on 4th February 2019.
• The objective is to foster relations in the field of clean coal technologies and coal mining through research institutes and Joint
Coal Working Groups.
• The MoU will provide the opportunities to both nations to augment trade and investment in energy and mining sectors.
Women allowed to work in underground mines
• Women have been allowed to work in opencast and underground mines, as a part of the government's efforts to create more
employment opportunities for women.
• New rules have been issued by the labour ministry allowing to work from 7 pm - 6 am in opencast mines.
• The employment of women in underground mines was restricted earlier under the Mines Act, 1952.
Pope and Grand Imam sign historic pledge
• Pope and Grand Imam of al-Azhar have signed a historic declaration of fraternity, calling for peace between races, religions, and
nations.
• Sheikh Ahmed al Tayeb is the head of Sunni Muslim's most prestigious seat of learning and Pope Francis is the leader of the
world's Catholics.
• The document pledges that Vatican and al-Azhar will work together to fight extremism.
Fino Bank partners with Suryoday Bank
• Fino Payments Bank partnered with Suryoday Small Finance Bank on 4th February to launch a sweep account facility.
• The partnership will help FPB address the issue of deposit limit that the payment banks are facing at the moment.
• This would also allow customers to seamlessly transfer excess amount from their account in FPB to SSFB.
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India, EU submit proposal on reform of WTO

• India and the EU submitted a proposal recently on reform of the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism in order to address
various challenges.
• The mechanism of WTO ensures that the rules of the global trade do not get breached by members.
• The proposal addresses issues of timelines, appointment process of body members, etc.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Founded: 1995.
Juan Guaido: President of Venezuela
• Denmark, Sweden, Austria, France, Spain, and Britain recognised Juan Guaido as the President of Venezuela.
• This decision came after the expiry of 8-day deadline they had set for President Nicolas Maduro to call a new vote.
• Capital: Caracas.
• Currency: Venezuelan Bolívar.
Suresh Prabhu addressed India-Monaco Forum
• Suresh Prabhu, Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Commerce & Industry addressed the India-Monaco Business Forum in New
Delhi on 4th February 2019.
• He said that there is a vast scope of cooperation between Indian and Monaco in various sectors including tourism.
• Bilateral trade between India and Monaco in 2017-18 was USD 3.01 million
• Monaco Capital: Monte Carlo
• Currency: Euro.
Words Count Festival 2019 held
• The Words Count Festival 2019 was held in Pune, Maharashtra on 3rd February 2019.
• It is an initiative aimed to bring together speakers from different spheres to share their insights on various pertinent issues.
• This was the second edition of the festival, curated by award-winning author Advaita Kala.
• It featured talks that covered issues such as secularism, nation building, etc.
Increase in steel export by 16.7% in 2017-18
• The total steel export has seen an increase by 16.7% in 2017-18.
• The export of the finished steel was 8.245 MT in 2016-17 and 9.620 MT in 2017-18.
• The contribution of non-alloy steel segment was 8.727 MT.
Pope Francis visits UAE
• Pope Francis made his historic visit to UAE on 4th February 2019.
• Francis attended an inter-religious meeting and held Mass at Zayed Sports City.
• Pope Francis becomes first pontiff to visit Arabian Gulf.
• His visit to UAE has highlighted religious freedom.
Meeting of IORA in Delhi
• A meeting of Indian Ocean Rim Association will be organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs and National Disaster Management
Authority in New Delhi on 5-6 February 2019.
• The aim is to help strengthen cooperation in disaster response.
• IORA is an inter governmental organisation which has 22 disaster-prone countries as its members.
• Headquarters: Mauritius
• Founded: 1995
Air India's first Flight Simulator ready
• Air India's first ever Flight Simulator, Boeing-747-200 is ready for public view at Nehru Science Centre in Mumbai.
• It was extensively used by the pilots and was manufactured and designed by CAE, Canada.
• It was acquired by Air India in 1980 and was in service for about 21 years.
• A Memorandum of Agreement was also signed between AAI and National Council of Science Museums for worth 2 crores.
Programme on Agri Export Policy held in Pune
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• The first state-level awareness programme on agriculture export policy held in Pune on 2nd February 2019.
• The Agriculture Export Policy was recently released by the Government of India which aims to reinvigorate the entire value chain.
• It is framed with a focus on export promotion and agriculture export-oriented production.
Surajkund Mela organised on Mahrashtra theme
• World's biggest crafts fair Surajkund International Mela is being organised from February 1-17, 2019.
• This is the 33rd edition of the fair with Maharashtra as the theme state.
• It is being held in Fridabad, Haryana.
• It was inaugurated by CM of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis.
Sanjiv Ranjan: India's envoy to Colombia
• Sanjiv Ranjan has been appointed as India's new ambassador to the Republic of Colombia.
• He is the current ambassador to Argentina.
• He has also served as the Deputy High Commissioner of India to Mauritius from 2006-2009.
19% growth in India's tourism sector
• India's tourism sector has registered growth over 19% in 2018, as told by the Union Minister KJ Alphons.
• India has been ranked third in the tourism sector as per the World Travel and Tourism Council report 2018.
• The tourism sector fetched 234 billion US $ from both domestic and foreign tourists.
Nilambar Acharya: Nepal's envoy to India
• Nilambar Acharya has been appointed as the Nepal's ambassador to India.
• He is the former law Minister of Nepal and was made the ambassador, a year after Deep Kumar Upadhyay resigned.
• He is the first Nepalese ambassador to take the oath of office and secrecy from the President, as per the new provision.
Sana Mir: 1st woman cricketer to play 100 T20s
• Sana Mir from Pakistan became the first Asian woman cricketer to play 100 T20 international matches.
• She achieved the milestone during the final T20 against West Indies in Karachi.
• Overall, she is the 6th woman cricketer to complete a century of T20 internationals. Daendra Dottin from West Indies ranks first
with a total of 109 T20Is to her name.
Haryana Hammers won PWL
• Haryana Hammers won the 4th edition of the Pro Wrestling League defeating Punjab Royals by 6-3 in the summit clash.
• Padma Shri and Asian Games gold medalist Bajrang scored 11-0 win over Rajneesh.
• Aleksander Khotsianivski of Ukraine put Haryana on the road of victory by winning the 125 kg super heavyweight bout against
Korey Jarvis by 3-0.
New FDI norms for E-commerce policy
• India’s new e-commerce policy came into effect From February 1, 2019.
• A new set of policy rules had been formed for the e-commerce companies.
• It bars online retailers from selling products through vendors in which they have an equity interest.
• It also bars them from entering into exclusive deals with brands for selling products only on their platforms.
Development of MSMEs
• Giriraj Singh, Minister of State for MSME said that MSMEs have supported inclusive development and growth across the country.
• It reduces the regional imbalance.
• He said that 117 aspirational districts have been identified in the country by NITI Aayog and the Ministry has taken measures to
accelerate MSME development efforts in these districts.
National Road Safety Week launched
• The National Road Safety Week was launched on February 4, 2019 by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
• The aim is to generate awareness and sensitize people about safe road usage.
• A motor car rally covering a distance of 7250 km will also be flagged off to commemorate 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma
Gandhi.
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ASEAN-India Youth Summit organised

• The 2nd ASEAN-India Youth Summit is being organised from 3rd-6th February 2019.
• It is organised by India Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs and Government of Assam.
• The theme of the summit is 'Connectivity is the pathway to shared prosperity'.
• It is being organised in Guwahati, Assam and has youth delegates from all the 10 ASEAN countries and India.
Iran successfully tests a new cruise missile
• Iran has announced a successful test of a new cruise missile having a range of 1,350 km.
• The Hoveizeh cruise missile was successfully tested at a range of 1,200 km. It also accurately hit the set target.
• It flies at a very low altitude and can be ready in the shortest possible time.
• The test coincided with the celebrations of the 1979 Islamic revolution of the country.
Special postage stamp on Kumbh Mela released
• A special postage stamp on Kumbh Mela was released by Manoj Sinha, Union Minister of State for Railways and Communication.
• A special first day cover was also released costing five rupees.
• Kumbh Mela is being held from 15 January - 4 March 2019 in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
4th February: World Cancer Day
• World Cancer Day is observed every year on 4th February to raise awareness and encourage prevention and treatment of cancer.
• It was founded by UICC with an aim to significantly reduce deaths and illness caused by cancer.
• Nearly 9.6 million people die every year because of cancer.
• Theme for 2019 - 'I Am and I Will'.
Foundation stone laid for new terminal in Leh
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for construction of new terminal building of the KBR airport in Leh.
• The new terminal will have all the modern amenities and will provide a seamless passenger movement.
• Apart from this, he also inaugurated several other development projects including the University of Ladakh and hydroelectric
projects.
Development projects unveiled by PM in J&K
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a series of development projects in Jammu and Kashmir in order to give a boost to the
infrastructure in the state.
• He also laid the foundation stone of AIIMS at Vijaypur in Samba and announced that 500 seats in the state medical colleges will
be added soon.
• Apart from these, he also laid the foundation stone for construction of 2 hydroelectric projects.
World No. 1 ODI Batswoman: Smriti Mandhana
• Smriti Mandhana has attained number one ranking in the ICC ODI batting rankings.
• She is now above the Australians Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry after scoring an unbeaten 90 in 3 match series and her fourth ODI
century.
• Among the bowlers, Poonam Yadav and Deepti Sharma have secured 8th and 9th rankings respectively.
New Andhra Pradesh High Court inaugurated
• New building of the Andhra Pradesh High Court was inaugurated by CJI Ranjan Gogoi at Amravathy on February 3, 2019.
• The 2-storied building has a building cost of Rs. 150 crore, 16 court halls, and houses 2.70 lakh square feet office space.
• Andhra Pradesh has finally got its own court after four and a half years of state bifurcation.
NGT panel: AI and drones to monitor pollution
• A committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal has said that satellite imagery, AI, & drones can be used to monitor
pollution level of Yamuna caused because of dumping debris.
• These can also keep a track of location and quantum of debris being dumped, as said by the committee.
• The committee was set up in July 2018 by NGT Chairperson Justice A.K. Goel to monitor the cleaning of river.
Centre to install 1500 manual stations by 2024
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• The Centre has aimed to install 300 real time air quality monitoring systems and 1500 manual stations by 2024 across the
country.
• Around 731 manual and 150 real time stations are currently installed in 70 cities, of which 48 are in the national capital.
• A few of these installations will also be a part of the National Clean Air Programme recently launched to reduce 20-30% pollution
by 2024.
Aribam Shyam returns Padma award in protest
• Noted Manipuri filmmaker Aribam Shyam Sharma returned his Padma Shri Award on February 3, 2019.
• He received the award in 2006 and returned it to mark a protest against the Citizen (Amendment) Bill.
• Sharma is a recipient of several national awards for his films Sangai, Ishanou, Imagi Ningthe, etc.
20th Bharat Rang Mahotsav inaugurated in Delhi
• The 20th edition of Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) was inaugurated in Delhi on 1 February 2019.
• BRM is an annual international theatre festival of India.
• It is organised by the National School of Drama (NSD).
• The National School of Drama (NSD) is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture.
Rishi Kumar appointed as new CBI Director
• Rishi Kumar Shukla was appointed as the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on 2 February 2019.
• He is a 1983 batch IPS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre.
• He has been appointed for a period of two years from the date of assumption of charge of the office.
• He is at present Chairman of Madhya Pradesh Police Housing Corporation in Bhopal.
INS Dronacharya won the Regatta trophy
• The INS Dronacharya team won the Regatta trophy in the 'Kochi Area Pulling Regatta 2019' of the Southern Naval Command
(SNC) on 31 January 2019.
• The Boat Pulling Regatta is one of the most prestigious and traditional naval sporting activities conducted by the Navy.
• Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) School got second position & Diving School secured the third position.
Government revises FY18 GDP growth rate
• According to the first revised estimates of GDP, the Indian economy grew at 7.2% in 2017-18, as compared to earlier estimates of
6.7%.
• The Nominal GDP or GDP at current prices for 2017-18 has been revised to 11.3% from 10.0%.
• The real GDP growth rate has been revised to 8.2% from 7.1% for 2016-17।
Vani becomes 1st Indian to get a LPGA card
• On 1 February 2019, golfer Vani Kapoor became the first Indian to earn a card for the Australian Ladies PGA Tour (LPGA).
• She earned the card in the Qualifying Tournament at the Ballarat Golf Club.
• The top-20 from a field of 81 earned playing rights on the Australian LPGA.
• Other Indian girls in the Australian LPGA Qualifying were Diksha Dagar, Astha and Ridhima.
Dolphin declared as state aquatic animal
• On 1 February 2019, the endangered Indus River dolphin was declared as Punjab's State aquatic animal.
• In Punjab, the Indus River Dolphins are found mainly in the Sutlej and Beas rivers.
• The decision was taken in the Punjab State Wildlife Board presided over by the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.
NAHEP launched by ICAR
• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) launched the National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) to attract
talent and strengthen higher agricultural education in the country.
• This project will be funded by the World Bank and the Indian Government on a 50:50 basis.
• The second Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) was established in Barahi, Jharkhand.
'Africa Centre for Climate' launched in Rome
• The 'Africa Centre for Climate and Sustainable Development' was launched in Rome on 29 January 2019.
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• The centre has been set by the government of Italy and the United Nations.
• The centre will develop innovative solutions for sustainable development, implement the goals of the UN's 2030 Agenda.
• It is located near the headquarters of the Food & Agriculture Organisation in Rome.
UN declares 2019 as Year of the Periodic Table
• The United Nations announced 2019 as the International Year of the Periodic Table (IYPT) of the Chemical Elements.
• IYPT commemorates the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements,
• The periodic table was first published in 1869.
• It was first designed by the Russian scientist Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev.
DIPP renamed by Government of India
• The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) was renamed as the Department for Promotion of Industry and
Internal Trade.
• It will look into matters related to promotion of internal trade, the welfare of traders and their employees, facilitating ease of
doing business and start-ups.
• The matters related to internal trade were earlier under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.
'Jiban Sampark' project launched in Odisha
• Odisha's Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the 'Jiban Sampark' project in partnership with UNICEF India on 27 January
2019.
• The aim of the project is to generate awareness about the development and welfare initiatives of state government among the
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups of the state.
• The project's focus areas will include skill development and empowering communities.
Two Railway projects launched in West Bengal
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the electrification project of 294 kilometres long 'Andal- Sainthia-Pakur-Malda' and
'Khana- Sainthia' railway sections in West Bengal on 2 February 2019.
• Electrification of these sections will ease the transportation of coal, stone chips and ballast to North and North East India.
• He also inaugurated the Hijli-Narayangarh railway line.
Kala Ghoda Arts Festival inaugurated
• The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival was inaugurated in Mumbai on 2 February 2019.
• It is India’s largest multi-cultural street festival.
• It will host an exhibition to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• It will end on 10 February 2019.
• The festival is organised by the Kala Ghoda Association which was formed on 30 October 1998.
'Road Safety Week' will be launched on 4 Feb
• The 30th 'National Road Safety Week 2019' will be inaugurated in New Delhi on 4 February 2019.
• It will be attended by a host of school children, NGOs, and stakeholders in road safety from Government and industry.
• A Motorcar Rally will also be flagged off on the occasion to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
IEA’s Report 'The Future of Rail' released
• International Energy Agency's (IEA) report titled 'The Future of Rail' was released on 30 January 2019.
• The report analyses the current and future importance of rail around the world through the perspective of its energy and
environmental implications.
• The IEA is an inter-governmental organisation that works to ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy.
Arianespace to launch GSAT-31 on February 6
• India will launch its communication satellite, GSAT-31, on 6 February 2019 from French Guiana.
• The satellite will be launched by European launch services provider Arianespace's launch vehicle named Ariane-5.
• GSAT-31 will be used for supporting VSAT networks, Television uplinks, Digital Satellite News Gathering, DTH-television services.
• GSAT-31 is India’s 40th communication satellite.
Sunjay Sudhir appointed as India's envoy
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• The government of India appointed senior diplomat Sunjay Sudhir as India's Ambassador to the Maldives on 29 January 2019.
• He is a 1993 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer.
• At present, he is working as a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
• The government of India also appointed Vijay Singh Chauhan as the Ambassador of India to Burkina Faso.
Tamil Nadu won the Swasth Bharat Yatra award
• Tamil Nadu won the 'Swasth Bharat Yatra' award under ‘The Best Performing State’ category on 29 January 2019.
• Madurai and Sivakasi were also recognised as the ‘Best Performing Cities’.
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) organised the Swasth Bharat Yatra to commemorate the 150th birth
anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi from October 2018 to January 2019.
BoM, BoI and OBC removed from PCA framework
• The RBI removed Bank of India (BoI), Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) and Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) from Prompt Corrective
Action (PCA) Framework.
• BoI and BoM have met the regulatory norms including Capital Conservation Buffer (CCB) and have Net NPAs (non-performing
assets) of less than 6%.
• In case of OBC, the net NPA has come down to less than 6% after the government's capital infusion.
Manufacturing PMI rises to 53.9 in January
• The Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) increased from 53.2 in December 2018 to 53.9 in January
2019.
• This is the 18th consecutive month that the manufacturing PMI remained above the 50-point mark.
• A mark above 50 means expansion, while a mark below 50 denotes contraction.
Panel to explore prepaid payments by discoms
• The government of India has constituted a panel under the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) on 1 February 2019.
• The panel will look into problems of delayed payments from distribution companies to power generators.
• The committee constitutes Chairmen of distribution companies of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, representatives from Union
Power Ministry and power associations.
World Wetlands Day: 2 February
• World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on 2 February.
• It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) in
Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971.
• The international theme for World Wetlands Day 2019 is 'Wetlands and climate change'
• World Wetlands Day was first celebrated in 1997.
Interim Budget 2019-20: Allocation
• The Railways has been allocated Rs.64,587 Cr in the Interim Budget 2019-20.
• Infrastructure allocation for north eastern areas was increased by 21% to Rs. 58,166 Cr in 2019-20.
• Rs 1330 Cr was provided for the Mission for Protection and Empowerment for Women for 2019-20.
• Defence budget was hiked to Rs 3,05,296 Cr
Panel for Nomadic Communities
• A Committee under NITI Aayog will be set-up to identify De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic communities not yet formally
classified.
• The Govt will set up a Welfare Development Board under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for implementing welfare
programmes for these communities.
• Govt also proposed increase in allocation for welfare of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
Rajiv Nayan Choubey becomes Member, UPSC
• Rajiv Nayan Choubey took the Oath of office and Secrecy as Member of Union Public Service Commission on Feb 1, 2019.
• He is an officer of the 1981 batch of Indian Administrative Service of Tamil Nadu Cadre.
• The oath was administered by the Chairman of UPSC, Shri Arvind Saxena.
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UNSC extends sanctions against CAR

• The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has adopted a resolution to extend sanctions against the Central African Republic
(CAR) for another year.
• The resolution was adopted unanimously by the 15-member council on Jan 31, 2019.
• These sanctions include an arms embargo, a travel ban and an asset freeze till January 31, 2020.
Interim Budget 2019-20: Initiatives
• Govt announced to set up the ‘Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog’ for production and productivity of cows on Feb 1, 2019.
• Rs 750 crore was allocated for Rashtriya Gokul Mission in the current year.
• It also announced setting up a ‘Department of Fisheries’ to boost the fisheries sector.
• The interim budget proposed to provide 2% interest subvention for farmers pursuing animal husbandry and fisheries.
Interim Budget 2019-20:Rural development
• Government has allocated Rs 60000 crore for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
• Rs 19000 crore has been allocated for Gram Sadak Yojana for construction of more rural roads.
• Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and 2.5 crore rural households were electrified.
No Income Tax for incomes up to ₹5 lakh
• Govt. announced that individual taxpayers with annual income up to ₹5 lakh will not have to pay any Income Tax.
• Those with gross income of up to ₹6.5 lakh also won't have to pay any tax if they make investments in prescribed methods.
• This will give ₹18,500 cr tax benefit to 3 cr middle class people.
• He also said that Income Tax returns will be processed in 24 hours and refund initiated.
Fiscal Deficit will be 3.4% of GDP in 2019
• Finance Minister Piyush Goyal said the fiscal deficit will be at 3.4 per cent of GDP in 2019 while presenting the interim budget on
Feb 1, 2019.
• He also said that current account deficit is likely to be 2.5 per cent of GDP this year.
• He added that capital expenditure is pegged at 3.36,292 lakh crore.
Interim Budget 2019-20: Pension Scheme
• Center has announced its proposal to launch a pension scheme for workers in the organised and unorganised sectors who have a
monthly income below ₹15,000.
• The scheme called Pradhan Mantri Shramyogi Maandhan Yojana will assure a monthly pension of ₹3000 on retirement.
• It is expected to benefit 10 crore workers in the unorganized sector.
FDI worth $ 239 bn in last 5 years
• India has received foreign direct investment (FDI) worth $ 239 billion in the last five years.
• The main sectors that received the maximum foreign inflows were services, computer software and hardware,
telecommunications, trading, automobile, construction, and power.
• The top sources of FDI included Mauritius, Singapore, Netherlands, the US and Japan.
Interim Budget 2019-20: Agriculture
• Union Interim Finance Minister Piyush Goyal presented the Interim Budget 2019-20 on Feb 1, 2019.
• Govt. has introduced the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (KISAN) scheme to provide assured income to small and marginal
farmers.
• Under the scheme, vulnerable farmers with 2 hectares of land will get direct income support of ₹6000 per year.
• It is expected to benefit 12 crore farmer families.
Travelogue show launched on Doordarshan
• Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Road Transport & Highways and Shipping, Shri
Nitin Gadkari launched travelogue show “Rag Rag Mein Ganga” on Doordarshan in New Delhi.
• It has been made by DD in collaboration with National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to relay the need of rejuvenating River
Ganga.
• He also launched the quiz show “Meri Ganga".
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Mithali is first woman to play 200 ODIs

• Indian captain Mithali Raj has become the first female cricketer to play 200 ODIs on February 1, 2019.
• The 36-year-old achieved this feat against New Zealand at Hamilton.
• Mithali made her ODI debut in 1999 and has also played 10 Tests and 85 T20s.
Germany, France, UK set up INSTEX
• Germany, France and the UK have set up a payment channel with Iran called INSTEX.
• This was done to help continue trade with Iran and overcome US sanctions.
• This special payment system will help save the Iran nuclear deal by allowing Tehran to keep trading with EU companies.
• US had reimposed sanctions on Iran after US President Donald Trump abruptly quit the nuclear accord in 2018.
GST collections in Jan over ₹1 lakh cr
• The GST collections in January 2019 have crossed one lakh crore rupees mark.
• In January 2018, the GST collection was 89 thousand crore rupees.
• Finance Ministry said that this is a significant improvement in comparison to GST collection over 94 thousand crore rupees during
December 2018.
Bharat Parv concluded on Jan 31 in Delhi
• The closing ceremony of ‘Bharat Parv’ took place in Delhi on 31st Jan, 2019 in the presence of Union Tourism Minister K.J.
Alphons.
• The Parv was organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India at the Red Fort, New Delhi from 26th to 31st January,
2019.
• 27 States participated in the event by setting up of Stalls, Showcasing their food, handicrafts and tourism products.
PETROTECH-2019 from 10-12 Feb, 2019
• 13th International Oil & Gas Conference & Exhibition 'PETROTECH-2019' will be organised from 10th to 12th February, 2019 in
New Delhi.
• It is being organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, GoI.
• The PETROTECH-2019 Exhibition will see participation of over 13 country pavilions and about 750 exhibitors from over 40
countries
OPD Wing of ESIC Hospital inaugurated
• Minister of State (I/C) for Labour & Employment S.K. Gangwar, inaugurated OPD Wing of ESIC AYUSH Hospital, Narela in Delhi.
• This is the first dedicated Ayush Hospital of Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and is being constructed with a cost of
Rs. 30 crores.
• All the facilities under Ayush such as Ayurvedic, Homeopathic, Siddha, Unani and Yoga will be provided in this hospital.
LT Gen Rajeev Chopra is DG of NCC
• Lt Gen Rajeev Chopra assumed the appointment of Director General of NCC (DGNCC) on January 31, 2019.
• He was earlier the Colonel of The Madras Regiment since Jun 2016.
• He was commissioned in the Madras Regiment in December 1980.
• He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for his distinguished service in January 2018.
DAC Approves 6 Project 75(I) Submarines
• The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved indigenous construction of six submarines for the Indian Navy on 31st January,
2019.
• This is the second project under MoD’s Strategic Partnership (SP) model and will cost over Rs 40,000 crores.
• The DAC also approved the acquisition of approximately 5000 Milan Anti Tank Guided Missiles for the Army.
Budget session of Parliament Begins
• The budget session of Parliament started on 31st January, 2019 with President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the joint sitting of
both the Houses.
• The Budget will be presented on 1st February, 2019.
• The session will conclude on the 13th February, 2019.
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March 2019
Suraj Berry took over the eastern command
• Rear Admiral Suraj Berry took over the Command of Eastern Fleet of Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam on 30 March 2019.
• Rear Admiral Suraj Berry was commissioned on 01 January 1987 and is a specialist in Gunnery and Missile Warfare.
• He was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (Meritorious Service Medal) in 2006 for services during the Tsunami Relief operations in
Sri Lanka/ Maldives.
GRSE: 1st shipyard to build 100 warships
• Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) became the first Indian shipyard to build and deliver 100 warships.
• GRSE Chairman and Managing Director, Rear Admiral (Retd) V K Saxena, formally handed over the 100th warship, 'IN LCU L-56',
to the Indian Navy.
• GRSE had handed over its 99th warship, 'ICGS Priyadarshini' -- an advanced 'Fast Patrol Vessel' -- to the Indian Coast Guard.
Indian origin scientist awarded
• Dr. Rajendra Kumar Joshi was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) for his contributions in the field of science,
education, and medicine.
• Dr. Joshi is a scientist of Indian origin and is based in Switzerland.
• The PBSA is the highest honour conferred on Non-resident Indians by the President of India for their significant contributions
towards bringing honour and glory to India.
Dhanbad Scores 95.3% 4G Availability
• According to OpenSignal's measurements for 4G availability, Dhanbad scored 95.3%, becoming one of only two cities among
India’s 50 cities to pass the 95% mark.
• The other city was Ranchi which scored 95% in 4G availability.
• Scores of Delhi and Mumbai were close to 90%.
• In Open signal's India Mobile Network Experience report, Jio's national 4G availability score stood at 96.7%.
EU approves ban on single use plastics
• The European Parliament has approved a law banning a wide-range of single-use plastic items, such as straws, cotton buds, and
cutlery, by 2021.
• The law stipulates that 10 single-use plastic items will be banned in order to curb ocean pollution.
• The new plans come after it was found that plastics make up more than 80% of marine litter, which has disastrous effects on
wildlife and habitats.
Tesla builds its largest energy storage system
• In a bid to reduce energy demand and provide emergency backup power to trains in Japan, Tesla has developed its largest power
storage system in Asia.
• According to Tesla, it has installed a bank of 42 Powerpacks at a train station in Japan's Osaka that can provide sufficient backup
power to safely move a train.
• The power storage system is also the fourth largest in the Asia-Pacific region.
Tripura: 2nd highest number of child marriages
• According to Young Lives, Tripura ranks second in the list of states where child marriages among girls between the age of 15 and
19 are performed.
• The report also found that more than 80% of child marriages were registered in three districts of the state.
• Young Lives is a collaborative research project coordinated by a team based at the University of Oxford.
Tashigang is world’s highest polling station
• Tashigang, a small Himachal Pradesh village at an altitude of 15,256 feet, is now the highest polling station in the world.
• The polling station falls in Buddhist-dominated Lahaul-Spiti, one of the 17 assembly segments that form the Mandi Lok Sabha
seat, the second largest constituency in India.
• The polling station covers two villages— Tashigang and Gete.
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16th Canada-India JWG held in Ottawa

• The 16th meeting of the Canada-India Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter-Terrorism and its Expert Sub-group was held in
Ottawa on 26 and 27 March 2019.
• The Joint Working Group reviewed threats posed by terrorist groups worldwide and in their respective countries and regions.
• India offered to host the 17th meeting of the Joint Working Group and the third Expert Sub-group in 2020.
Google launches global council for AI
• Google launched a global advisory council to consider ethical issues around artificial intelligence and other emerging
technologies.
• The 8 member council includes technology experts, digital ethicists, and people with public policy backgrounds.
• The group is meant to provide recommendations for Google and other companies and researchers working in areas such as facial
recognition software.
Telengana govt. unveils portal for MSMEs
• A digital portal named Telangana State GlobalLinker (ts-msme.globallinker.com) was launched by Telangana government on 27
March 2019.
• The portal for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will provide them a digital profile, including an online product
catalog and e-commerce store.
• It will also allow access to global networking opportunities towards identifying buyers and suppliers.
Appointments
• PolicyX.com, an online insurance web aggregator has appointed Virender Sehwag as it's Brand Ambassador.
• Abhay Thakur, (IFS:1992) presently High Commissioner of India to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has been concurrently
accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Benin.
• Aeronutrix's Fast&Up appoints cricketer Mayank Agarwal as its Brand Ambassador.
Adani port handles 200 million tonnes cargo
• Adani Port and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) has become the first Indian port operator to handle cargo movement of 200
million tonnes (MT) in 2018-19.
• APSEZ, a part of globally-diversified Adani Group, is the largest port developer and operator in India.
• APSEZ's includes Mundra, Dahej, Kandla and Hazira, Dhamra in Odisha, Mormugao in Goa, Visakhapatnam , and Kattupalli and
Ennore in Chennai
Union Cabinet approves continuation of BRCP
• The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of the Biomedical Research Career Programme (BRCP).
• BRCP has made it attractive for high-quality Indian scientists working abroad to return to India.
• BRCP has increased the number of locations geographically within India where world-class biomedical research is undertaken.
Facebook launches tools for general elections
• Facebook launched two new India-specific tools called 'Candidate Connect' and 'Share You Voted' on 26 March 2019.
• Both the tool will help to boost civic engagement during the general elections.
• While 'Candidate Connect' will help people learn more about candidates, the 'Share You Voted' will provide people with polling
information and enable them to announce and celebrate their vote.
BoB to develop agri-digital platform
• Bank of Baroda will develop an agri-digital platform called 'Baroda Kisan' in order to provide solutions for all major agricultural
requirements.
• Six companies -- Skymet Weather Services, Weather Risk Management Services, BigHaat, Agrostar India, EM3 Agri Services and
Poorti Agri Services -- have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the bank for this project.
Electric potential of thundercloud measured
• For the first time in the world, researchers at the GRAPES-3 muon telescope facility in Ooty have measured the electrical
potential, size, and height of a thundercloud that passed overhead on 1 December 2014.
• At 1.3 gigavolts, this cloud had 10 times higher potential than the previous record in a cloud.
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• Clouds have negative charges along with their lower side and positive charges on top.
Appointments
• Karur Vysya Bank appointed N S Srinath as Non-Executive Chairman for a period of three years.
• Election Commission of India has appointed Gopal Mukherjee as Special Expenditure Observer for the upcoming Lok Sabha
Elections in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and also appointed D.D.Goel as Special Expenditure Observer for Arunachal Pradesh
and Nagaland.
Oslo: First city to get charging stations
• Norway's capital Oslo will become the first city in the world to install wireless charging systems for electric taxis.
• The project will use induction technology, with charging plates installed in the road at taxi ranks linking to receivers installed in
the vehicle.
• From 2023 onward all taxis in Oslo will have to be zero emission.
EC comes up with PWD app
• In Maharashtra, the Election Commission has come up with a mobile application called 'PWD' for making voting easier.
• The app would facilitate Divyang voters special facilities including wheelchairs, ramps, and transport from home at polling booths
during the Lok Sabha elections.
• The largest group among Divyang voters across Maharashtra are those suffering from visual impairment.
C-DAC announces Tech Conclave 2019
• Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) will host 2 days 'Technology Conclave' on 4 and 5 April 2019 at Pune.
• Exascale Computing, Microprocessor and Quantum Computing, AI & Language Computing, IoE, and Dependable and Secure
Computing and Next Generation Applied Computing will be discussed at the conclave.
• C-DAC is the implementing agencies of the National Supercomputing Mission.
NRAI won the best sports federation award
• The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) was presented the 'Best Sports Federation' Award in the country by the Association
Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM).
• The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) was founded in 1951 with a view to promote and popularize the shooting sports in
India.
• Raninder Singh is the president of NRAI.
WMO's global climate report released
• As per the World Meteorological Organisation's (WMO) annual state of global climate report, extreme weather last year hit 62
million people worldwide.
• Extreme weather also forced two million people to relocate as man-made climate change worsened.
• It also said that earth is nearly 1 degree Celsius warmer than when the industrial age started.
IIT Kharagpur and Wipro sign agreement
• Wipro has partnered with IIT Kharagpur to collaborate on industry-focused applied research in the areas of 5G and artificial
intelligence (AI).
• The two organisations will focus on AI research applicable in the healthcare, education and retail sectors as well as in domains
such as climate change and cybersecurity.
• Wipro will use the research outcomes to develop solutions for its customers.
Interest rate on small-savings unchanged
• The Finance Ministry has decided to keep the interest rate unchanged on small savings schemes for the 3 month period
beginning 1 April 2019.
• The announcement covers small-saving schemes such as the Post Office Saving Accounts, Post Office Time Deposits, National
Saving Certificates (NSC) etc.
• The unchanged interest rate means the NSC (5 years) and the PPF (15 years) will fetch 8% interest.
GAIL and BHEL sign pact
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• GAIL India Ltd signed an agreement with Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) for cooperation in the development of solar power
projects.
• GAIL shall be the project developer and BHEL shall act as an engineering, procurement, construction and project management
contractor.
• BHEL shall also provide operation and maintenance services during the initial period upon becoming successful bidder.
India again extends high import duties
• The government has again extended its deadline to impose retaliatory customs duties on 29 US products, including almond,
walnut, and pulses, till 2 May 2019.
• Government of India decided to impose these duties in retaliation to a move by the US to impose high customs duties on certain
steel and aluminium products.
• India's exports to the US in 2017-18 stood at USD 47.9 billion.
Shanghai: World's first district with 5G
• Shanghai has become the world's first district using both 5G coverage and broadband gigabit network.
• 5G is the next generation of cellular technology with download speeds that are 10 to 100 times faster than 4G LTE networks.
• 5G also enables high-definition transmissions in real time and will bolster development in the internet of things industry.
India offers USD 100 million credit
• India has offered USD 100 million credit to Bolivia after President Ram Nath Kovind held productive and extensive talks with his
Bolivian counterpart Evo Morales.
• President Kovind also addressed the India-Bolivia Business Forum on 29 March 2019.
• The event was partnered by Bolivian Chamber and Industry groups and the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and
Industry and the CII.
Rita to get Career Achievement award
• Veteran actor Rita Moreno will receive the '2019 Peabody Career Achievement Award' in May 2019.
• The Peabody Career Achievement Award is for individuals whose work and commitment to electronic media has left an indelible
mark on the field.
• She is one of the 15 people to win the coveted EGOT quartet of elite awards.
Two-day sports literature festival begins
• 'Play Write 2019', a two-day sports literature festival, was inaugurated in Chandigarh on 30 March 2019.
• The event is aimed at creating awareness of all kinds of sports in the country and will encourage youth to follow their passion in
sports.
• Play Write 2019' will witness participation of different sportspersons from the field of tennis to Kabaddi.
India to be guest country at Paris Book Fair
• India has been designated as the Guest of Honour at Paris Livre (Paris Book Fair) in 2020.
• India is the guest country was declared in a joint statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel
Macron in March 2018.
• France will be the Guest Country at the New Delhi World Book Fair 2022.
RBI clears Rs 19,240 crore CCL for Punjab
• The RBI cleared Rs 19,240.91 crore towards Cash Credit Limit (CCL) for Punjab for the purchase of wheat in the Rabi marketing
season.
• The release of the CCL would facilitate the state government in making timely payments to farmers against purchases of food
grains in the current season.
• The central government has fixed the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat at Rs 1,840 per quintal.
RBI sets NBFC-MFIs' average base rate
• The RBI has set the average base rate to be charged from borrowers by Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and Micro-
Finance Institutions (MFIs) at 9.21% for the first quarter of the next fiscal.
• The RBI comes out with the average of the base rates of the five largest commercial banks for the purpose of arriving at the
interest rates to be charged by NBFC-MFIs to its borrowers.
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NTPC to set up floating solar power plant

• National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is setting up a 25 MW floating solar power plant in its water storage reservoir at
NTPC-Simhadri in Visakhapatnam.
• The floating solar power plant is being set up as part of the company’s efforts to diversify into the solar segment.
• NTPC is also setting up a Flue-Gas Desulphurisation plant (FGD).
Govt gives GI tag to five coffee varieties
• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has awarded a Geographical Indication (GI) tag to five varieties of
Indian coffee.
• The coffee varieties are Coorg Arabica coffee from Karnataka, Wayanad Robusta coffee from Kerala, Chikmaglur Arabica from
Karnataka, Araku Valley Arabica from Andhra Pradesh, and Bababudangiris Arabica coffee from Karnataka.
REC deal makes PFC $80 billion lending company
• Power Finance Corp. Ltd (PFC) has completed the purchase of a controlling stake in Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) Ltd
that will create an $80-billion lending giant by assets.
• PFC paid ₹14,500 crore to the Union government to buy a 52.63% stake in REC.
• This would make PFC India’s second largest state-owned financial firm by market capitalization after State Bank of India (SBI).
ECI collaborates with Indian Railways
• Election Commission of India (ECI) and Indian Railways have collaborated for Voter Awareness campaign for Lok Sabha Election
2019.
• ECI will utilize four long-distance Trains to carry voter awareness and motivational messages.
• The Train displays Voter Helpline number and the National Voters’ Services Portal besides motivational messages urging people
to Vote.
Assam CEO launches 'Enajori' initiative
• Assam Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Sahu launched the 'Enajori' initiative in Guwahati.
• It is a joint initiative of CEO Assam and Social Welfare Department with an objective to make Lok Sabha Elections accessible to
Persons with Disability (PwD) voters.
• In Assam, the Bongaigaon district administration has developed a mobile app Sankalp to particularly reach out to the first-time
voters.
President of India visits Bolivia
• India and Bolivia have signed eight MoUs on the second day of President Ram Nath Kovind’s visit to that country.
• These MoUs were signed in the fields of culture, Visa waiver arrangement for diplomats, the exchange between diplomatic
academies, mining, space, etc.
• President Kovind was also conferred with the highest State honour of Bolivia, 'Condor de Los Andes en el Grado de Gran Collar'.
In Q3, current account deficit narrows to 2.5%
• As per the Reserve Bank of India's data, India’s current account deficit (CAD) for the third quarter narrowed to 2.5% of the GDP
compared with 2.9% in the preceding quarter.
• In absolute terms, CAD was $16.9 billion in Q3 compared with $19.1 billion in the second quarter.
• However, on a year-on-year basis, CAD in the October-December period widened from 2.1% or $13.7 billion.
MHA sets up Terror Monitoring Group
• On 29 March 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs formed a Terror Monitoring Group (TMG).
• The TMG will take coordinated action in all registered cases that relate to terror financing and terror-related activities and bring
them to a logical conclusion.
• The TMG will be chaired by Additional Director General of Police, CID of J&K Police.
'Indian Fiscal Federalism' book launched
• N.K. Singh, Chairman, 15th Finance Commission, launched the book 'Indian Fiscal Federalism.
• The book is written by Dr. Y. V. Reddy, former Governor of RBI and Chairman of the 14th Finance Commission of India along with
Dr. G. R. Reddy, Advisor (Finance) to the Government of Telangana.
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President Kovind reached Bolivia

• President Ram Nath Kovind reached Bolivia on the second leg of his three nations tour.
• President of Bolivia Evo Morales welcomed Mr. Kovind at Viru Viru International Airport, Santa Cruz.
• He is the first President of India to visit Bolivia.
INS Magar departed with relief material
• INS Magar, an amphibious warfare vessel, departed from Mumbai for Port Beira in Mozambique with essential relief material for
the cyclone ravaged areas.
• It is carrying 300 T of relief supplies including essential medicines, anti – epidemic drugs, food provisions, repair and
rehabilitation equipment, and temporary shelters.
• It is also carrying a naval Chetak Light Utility Helicopter.
World’s longest salt cave found in Israel
• Israeli cave explorers discovered the cave named Malham, the world’s longest salt cave with striking stalactites near the Dead
Sea.
• Previously, Iran's N3 cave held the record.
• The cave named Malham is stretched over 10 km.
• It runs through Mount Sodom, Israel’s largest mountain, and spills out to the southwest corner of the adjacent Dead Sea.
Manu Gulati gets Martha Farrell Award 2019
• Delhi government school teacher, Manu Gulati was honored with the Martha Farrell award for Excellence in Women’s
Empowerment 2019 in the Most Promising Individual category.
• She won prize money of INR 1,50,000 for promoting gender quality and women’s empowerment.
• The Awards were first awarded in 2017 in the memory of Dr. Martha Farrell, a prominent activist for gender equality.
RBI set to bring back ‘exotic currency bets’
• After a decade, the Reserve Bank of India is set to lift the ban on ‘exotic currency derivatives’.
• They are the double-edged, fancy products that were banned in 2007-08 amid allegations of mis-selling.
• Shaktikanta Das is the Governor of RBI.
Air Staff Chief felicitated sportsmen
• A ceremony was held at Air Force Station New Delhi on 28 March 2019 to felicitate meritorious sportsmen of IAF who have
excelled at National and International arena.
• Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa PVSM AVSM YSM VM ADC, Chief of the Air Staff felicitated 21 sportsmen and seven teams of IAF
and gave away the mementos.
Saudi arms export ban extended
• Germany has extended by six months an embargo on weapons exports to Saudi Arabia, instituted in October 2018.
• It is extended by six months from March 31 to September 30, 2019.
• Berlin reacted to Khashoggi's murder at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last October by declaring a freeze on weapons sales to
Saudi Arabia and other countries involved in the Yemen war.
Turing Awards presented
• Three pioneers in AI, Geoffrey Hinton, Yann LeCun, and Yoshua Bengio has been honored with the Turing Award.
• It is an annual prize awarded by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) since 1966.
• It is given to the individuals who’ve made contributions of lasting and major technical importance to the computer field.
• Hinton has been referred to by many as the ‘Godfather of AI.’
Amartya Sen to be honored Bodley Award
• Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen was awarded the prestigious Bodley Medal.
• It is the highest honor granted by the University of Oxford’s world-famous Bodleian Libraries.
• The medal is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the fields in which the Bodleian is awarded are,
including literature, culture, science, and communication.
Venezuela Juan barred from public office
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• Venezuela has barred opposition leader Juan Guaido from holding public office for 15 years.
• The decision was taken following an investigation that shows irregularities in his financial records.
• The decision will be for the maximum period established in the decree with the scope, courage and strength of the law against
corruption.
Cosmonaut Valery Bykovsky passes away
• Russian cosmonaut Valery Bykovsky, who made the first of his three flights to space in 1963, passed away at the age of 84 years.
• In June 1963, he first flew to space as a member of the Vostok-5 crew.
• He was a recipient of the Hero of the Soviet Union and Order of Lenin awards.
• Bykovsky made his second space flight in 1976 and his third in 1978. He spent nearly 21 days in orbit in all.
Coffee Board activated marketplace
• Commerce Secretary, Dr.AnupWadhawan, launched blockchain based coffee e-marketplace through video conferencing in New
Delhi on 28 March 2019.
• This pilot project will help integrate the farmers with markets in a transparent manner.
• It will also reduce the number of layers between coffee growers and buyers and help farmers double their income.
Assam launched initiatives to educate voter
• Assam State government has launched initiatives to educate voters.
• Folk song competitions, quiz programmes and appeals by celebrities are some of the initiatives being undertaken by the election
office in Assam for attracting peoples.
• Polling stations with low female voter turn-out have been identified and ‘mahila voter rallies’ are being held.
Deposits ordinance does not cover gold schemes
• The Centre’s recent ordinance banning unregulated monthly deposit schemes will not affect the ongoing monthly schemes
operated by jewelry and chit fund firms.
• Called the ‘Banning of Unregulated Deposit Scheme Ordinance’, it was promulgated by President Kovind during the last week of
February 2019.
• It is done to save gullible investors from losing money to Ponzi and fake deposit schemes.
Justice D.K. Jain to be Ad-Hoc Ethics Officer
• Supreme Court-appointed BCCI Ombudsman Justice D K Jain (retd) will now serve as the Ethics Officer of the Indian cricket board
on an ad-hoc basis.
• According to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), provisions in its constitution require an Ethics Officer to be
appointed to determine and decide issues related to conflict of interest.
UNSC's resolution to fight terrorist financing
• UNSC has unanimously passed the first-ever resolution ordering members to enforce laws against terror financing.
• UNSC resolution demands all states "ensure that their domestic laws and regulations establish serious criminal offenses" to
collect funds or financial resources to terrorist groups or individual criminals.
• Nations that fail to carry out the resolution would face U.N. sanctions.
Government to infuse Rs 5,042 crore into BoB
• The Finance Ministry has decided to infuse Rs 5,042 crore into state-owned Bank of Baroda.
• It is done ahead of the merger of two other public sector lenders Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda.
• The merger of Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda would be effective from April 1, 2019.
Manohar appointed as Deputy CM of Goa
• Goa Minister for Tourism and Sports, Manohar Ajgaonkar has been appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister of the state.
• Ajgaonkar had left the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) to join the BJP.
• Newly-inducted BJP MLA Deepak Pauskar was also inducted into Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's cabinet.
Malaysian PM interacts with IAF team
• Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad interacted with the Indian Air Force team and sat in a Tejas aircraft during the ongoing
Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition.
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• The Indian Air Force is participating in LIMA with LCA-Tejas aircraft for the first time.
• Along with the Tejas, the Indian Navy's Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Corvette INS Kadmatt is also participating in LIMA.
430 Lok Sabha MPs are crorepatis
• At least 430 (83%) of the 521 sitting MPs are crorepatis and 174 (33%) of them have declared criminal cases against them.
• It is according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an NGO working in electoral reforms.
• Out of 430 crorepati MPs, 227 are from BJP, 37 are from Congress, 29 from AIADMK, among others, it added.
AUSINDEX to be held from April 2 to 16th
• Third Installment of the Joint Naval Exercise of India and Australia AUSINDEX is to be held off the coast of Vishakhapatnam from
April 2 to 16, 2019.
• The exercise will focus on anti-submarine warfare, as part of efforts to ramp up bilateral naval cooperation in the strategic Indian
Ocean region.
• The exercise will feature the deployment of Australian personnel on Indian ships and vice versa.
IIT Delhi developed AI system for malaria
• Researchers at IIT Delhi have developed an AI-based electronic hardware system to detect malaria, tuberculosis, intestinal
parasite, and cervical cancer in milliseconds.
• The system can be used for healthcare access in resource-constrained areas with limited access to human specialists.
• The long-term impact would be to enable future deployment of the platform in rural areas.
Indo-Ger Dev Corp help in waste segregation
• The Indo-German Development Corporation, GIZ, will help the North Delhi Municipal Corporation carry out waste segregation
activities.
• The tie-up is for a five-year period during which time the development corporation will provide technical assistance such as
training.
• The company is already engaged in a waste segregation project called ‘Alag Karo’ in Gurgaon.
UMMEED launched by Care Hospitals
• CARE Hospitals in association with Piramal Swasthya announced the launch of community-based cancer screening programme
UMMEED.
• It has been launched to detect early cancer and reduce mortality due to it.
• It is expected to reduce the impact of cancer burden in the state of Telangana through early detection of oral, breast and cervical
cancers in rural areas.
India, US inked pact
• India and the US signed an agreement for exchange of country-by-country (CbC) report, a move that is expected to give huge
relief to subsidiaries of US-headquartered companies in taxation-related matter.
• The agreement was signed by PC Mody, Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), and Kenneth I Juster, US Ambassador to
India.
New Delhi: India's best airport
• Singapore's Changi Airport has been crowned the world's best aviation hub for the seventh time in a row.
• New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport featured at number 59, according to the Skytrax World Airport Awards.
• The list was compiled by the UK-based Skytrax, a consultancy firm which runs an airline and airport review and ranking site,
featuring 100 airports.
Kenichi Ayukawa: CEO Maruti Suzuki
• Maruti Suzuki India Ltd appointed Kenichi Ayukawa as its MD and CEO for the third straight term.
• Certain aspects of MoU between its parent company Suzuki Motor Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp., was also approved.
• Ayukawa took charge of Maruti Suzuki in 2013, when it was reeling with labour-related crises and loss of volumes due to the
increase in diesel vehicle sales across the country.
NTPC raised $ 450 million
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• NTPC launched a medium-term notes (MTN or bond) issue to raise $450 million as a part of its $6 billion (approx ₹41,400 crore)
MTN programme.
• The MTNs are also known as bonds in the overseas markets. The issue would close on 3 April 2019.
• The funds raised through this issue will be used for capital expenditure by the company.
Shares can be transferred in only demat
• Transfer of shares of listed companies can be done only in the demat form from 1 April 2019, as said by SEBI on 27 March 2019.
• Shares in the demat form would help in maintaining a transparent record of shareholding at companies amid rising concerns over
beneficial ownership of entities.
• The move does not prohibit an investor from holding the shares in physical form even after April 1.
Vedanta reported oil discovery
• Cairn Oil and Gas, a subsidiary of Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Ltd, announced an oil discovery in its Krishna Godavari basin block in
the Bay of Bengal on 27 March 2019.
• Cairn India had won the KG-OSN-2009/3 block in June 2010 during the edition of the New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP).
• The first exploration well A3-2 drilled in the block was a gas discovery.
SEBI defers implementation of norms
• Sebi deferred implementation of revised norms pertaining to royalty payment by listed companies to related parties by 3 months,
on 27 March 2019.
• The implementation of a provision of the amended norms has been deferred till June 30, 2019.
• The amendments were made to Sebi (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 - payment relating to
royalty and brand usage.
Savita to lead Indian Women's Hockey team
• Goalkeeper Savita will captain an 18-strong Indian women's hockey team for the five-match series against Malaysia starting from
4 April 2019.
• She will stand in for regular skipper Rani Rampal, who is nursing an injury.
• The 8-day tour to Kuala Lumpur will have defender Deep Grace Ekka as Savita's deputy.
• Rajani Etimarpu has joined the squad as the second goalkeeper.
Breakdancing to be added to Olympic 2024
• The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended adding breakdancing, skateboarding, sport
climbing and surfing to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
• The addition of these 4 sports to the Paris medal program offers the opportunity to connect with the young generation.
• All 4 sports will be assessed in terms of how they are managed, the integrity of competitions and judging.
Mentioning of caste in FIRs barred
• Punjab and Haryana High Court barred the mentioning of caste in the FIRs.
• The court directed its judicial officers and the governments of Punjab, Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, to not
mention the caste of the accused, victims or witnesses in any of the proceedings before it.
Nepal Investment Summit to be organised
• The Government of Nepal is organizing Nepal Investment Summit 2019 on March 29 -30, 2019 in Kathmandu.
• The main objective of the event is to project Nepal as a favourable investment destination.
• 77 projects worth 31.93 billion dollars in various sectors will be showcased and 12 MoUs will be signed during the summit.
• KP Sharma Oli is the PM of Nepal and will inaugurate the summit.
India Africa signed MoU
• An agreement was signed between India and the African Union to establish an India-Africa health sciences collaborative platform.
• It will pave the way for cooperation in research and development, capacity building, health services, pharmaceutical trade and
manufacturing capabilities for drugs and diagnostics.
US circulated draft resolution
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• The US circulated a draft resolution to UN Security Council to blacklist Masood Azhar, Chief of Pakistan-based terrorist group
Jaish-e-Mohammad.
• The draft resolution condemns the Pulwama attack and says that Azhar will be added to the UN Al-Qaeda and Islamic State
sanctions blacklist.
• The resolution is backed by France and Britain which joined the US in pushing for sanctions against Azhar.
Distance programmes in agriculture prohibited
• The University Grants Commission (UGC) has prohibited imparting distance degree programmes in agriculture.
• As per UGC Open and Distance Learning Regulations, 2017, professional programmes such as medicine and engineering are not
permitted to be offered in distance mode.
• YCMOU and IGNOU are among the institutions offering degree and diploma programmes in agriculture science.
Vijay Gokhale on 2-day visit to Nepal
• Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale is on a two-day visit to Nepal, beginning 28 March 2019.
• He will have a bilateral meeting with his Nepalese counterpart Shankar Das Bairagi.
• They are expected to asses progress of various projects including Motihari-Amlekhgunj oil pipeline, Railways, and Arun III
Hydropower Project.
MA Hampiholi: Assumed charge as the new DGNO
• Vice Admiral MA Hampiholi, AVSM NM assumed charge as Director General Naval Operations on 27 March 2019.
• He is a graduate of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned in the Executive Branch of the Indian Navy on 01 July
1985.
• He is a recipient of the Nao Sena Medal in 2011 and the Athi Vishist Seva Medal in 2019.
Creation of additional posts approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the creation of additional posts of 3 Judicial Members and 3 Technical Members in the National
Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).
• The posts will be created in Level 17 (Rs.2,25,000/- fixed) plus allowances as admissible.
• This will ensure to meet the mandate provided to NCLAT by the Finance Act, 2017, and the Companies Act, the IBC, 2016.
CWC land to be acquired by Telangana govt
• The Union Cabinet approved the acquiring of 372 sq. yards out of 10 acres of land including the compound wall in the eastern
side of Central Water Commission land by the Telangana Government.
• This would be done for improvement of Radial Road No.30 by widening of road with nil charges.
• A Center of Excellence is proposed to be constructed over the allotted land.
MoU between India and Indonesia approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the MoU between India and Indonesia on combating illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic
substances and its precursors.
• It will help in mutual cooperation in the regulation of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and in combating drug
trafficking.
• It will come into force on the date of signing and will remain in effect for a period of five years.
MoU between India and Korea approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the MoU between India and Republic of Korea on Startup Cooperation.
• The MoU was signed in February 2019.
• It would facilitate and promote bilateral cooperation between the startups of both countries, subject to their national laws and
regulations and any applicable international treaties, conventions and agreements to which the two countries are party.
MoU between India and Croatia approved
• The Union Cabinet gave its approval on the MoU between India and Croatia in the field of tourism.
• The MoU in the field of Tourism will help the two parties in creating an institutional mechanism for enhancing cooperation in the
tourism sector.
• It was signed on 26 March 2019 during the visit of President of India to Croatia.
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Manu and Saurabh bagged gold medal

• Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary bagged a Gold medal in the 10 m Air Pistol Mixed team event at the 12th Asian Airgun
Championship at Taoyuan in Taipei.
• The teenage Indian duo went on to win the five-team final with a score of 484.8 points.
• The duo won the ISSF World Cup stage gold at the same event in Delhi in February 2019.
Lokpal members took oath
• All 8 members of the Lokpal were administered the oath of office on 27 March 2019.
• Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose administered the oath of office to them.
• Dilip B. Bhosale, Pradip Kumar Mohanty, Abhilasha Kumari, and Ajay Kumar Tripathi are the judicial members.
• The non-judicial members are Archana Ramasundaram, Dinesh Kumar Jain, Mahender Singh, and Indrajeet Prasad Gautam.
India-Croatia Economic Forum held
• President Ram Nath Kovind participated in the India-Croatia Economic Forum meeting in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia on 27
March 2019.
• India and Croatia signed key agreements in the fields of sports, tourism and establishment of the Hindi and Sanskrit Chair at
University of Zagreb, on 26 March 2019.
• He also delivered an address at the University of Zagreb.
Tata to invest in GMR unit
• The Tata group has made its first investment in India's burgeoning airports sector by buying 20% stake in the GMR group's
airports vertical.
• GMR Infrastructure Limited (GIL) announced that it has raised ₹8,000 crore from 3 investors in its airport vertical, GMR Airports
Limited (GAL).
• The investment brings multiple strategic benefits and will pave the way for restructuring of the business.
A-Sat missile destroyed live satellite
• India has entered its name as an elite space power. An anti-satellite weapon A-SAT successfully targeted a live satellite in 3
minutes on a low earth orbit.
• Till now only the US, Russia and China have achieved this; now India is the 4th country to achieve this feat.
• Mission Shakti was a difficult target to achieve which was completed successfully within 3 minutes of launch.
ITC sold John Players to Reliance
• ITC has sold its John Players apparel brand and related trademarks and intellectual property to Reliance Retail.
• Launched about 2002, the apparel brand started with men’s shirts and was later extended to jeans, tees, and trousers.
• ITC will now focus on the premium-end through its WLS stores.
Rail Vikas Nigam to launch IPO
• Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, a Miniratna company incorporated by the Ministry of Railways, will open its initial public offering for
subscription on March 29, 2019.
• The price band for public issue, which will close on April 3, 2019, is fixed at Rs 17-19/share.
• A discount equivalent to 50 paise per share on the final offer price will be offered to retail investors and employees, respectively.
Obituaries
• Noted Malayalam writer Ashitha passed away on 26 March 2019 late night at a private hospital. She was fighting a prolonged
battle with cancer.
• HS D’Lima, an activist from Andheri Gaothan, who fought against illegal constructions and slumification of Mumbai’s
gaothans passed away on 26 March 2019.
• Ranking Roger, The Beat singer passed away battling lung cancer & brain tumor on 26 March 2019.
Appointments
• Shambhu S. Kumaran (IFS:1995) has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Morocco. He is presently
the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence and will take up the assignment shortly.
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• M.R. Kumar has been appointed as additional non-executive director and Chairman of LIC Housing Finance Ltd in place of Shri
Hemant Bhargava with effect from 25 March 2019.
Sharada Corridor plan approved by Pakistan
• The Pakistan government approved a proposal to establish a corridor that will allow Hindu pilgrims from India to visit Sharada
Peeth.
• It is an ancient Hindu temple and cultural site in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir (PcK).
• Established in 237 BC during the reign of Ashoka, the Sharada Peeth is 5000 years old.
Lakes beneath Antarctic glacier found
• Australian researchers have discovered huge underwater lakes beneath the largest glacier in east Antarctica.
• The lakes were detected by scientists setting off small explosives 2m below the surface of the Totten glacier and listening to the
reflected sound.
• The Totten glacier is 30 km wide and up to 2 km thick, and has the potential to raise sea levels by 7 m.
INS Kadmatt to participate in LIMA 2019
• Indian Navy's INS Kadmatt will participate in the 15th edition of Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition, LIMA-
19.
• Vice Admiral Karambir Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, and the Chief of Naval Staff designate,
would lead the Indian delegation.
• INS Kadmatt was commissioned into the Indian Navy in January 2016.
Croatia honored President Kovind
• President Ram Nath Kovind was honoured with Croatia's highest civilian award, the Grand Order of the King of Tomislav on 26
March 2019.
• He is on an 8-day visit to Croatia, Bolivia, and Chile to further strengthen bilateral ties between India and the three countries.
• It is awarded to heads of state for their important contribution towards the development of relations with Croatia.
Apple partnered for Apple Card
• Apple announced a new credit card called the Apple Card recently.
• The company has partnered with Goldman Sachs and Mastercard for payment handling and processing.
• Apple’s partner Goldman Sachs would not sell data to the third party for marketing and advertisement. The service would only be
available in the US, starting summer.
World's largest e-waste recycling hub opened
• The world's largest e-waste recycling facility has opened in Dubai.
• Located at the Dubai Industrial Park, the 280,000 square feet plant will process Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
(WEEE), IT asset disposition (ITAD), and refrigerant gas.
• It has a processing capacity of 100,000 tonnes of total integrated waste per year, of which 39,000 tonnes is e-waste.
Seamaster 2019 ITTF concluded
• Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge Plus, Oman Open, concluded at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher on 25 March 2019.
• Chinese Taipei Lin Yun-Ju, in the title-deciding contest, beat Sweden’s Mattias Falck (11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8).
• Japan’s Hina Hayata, the no.9 seed, beat Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching, the top seed, in the final (11-3, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8).
RBI slapped Rs 2 crore penalty on PNB
• The Reserve Bank of India slapped a penalty of Rs 2 crore on Punjab National Bank for non-compliance of regulatory directions
with regard to SWIFT operations.
• SWIFT is a global messaging software used for sharing information on inter-bank transactions by financial entities.
• RBI had earlier imposed penalties worth 71 crore rupees on 36 public, private and foreign banks for non-compliance.
Comoros President re-elected
• Comoros President Azali Assoumani was re-elected on 27 March 2019 according to results published by the electoral commission
of the Indian Ocean archipelago.
• Azali was way ahead of his closest rival Mahamoudou Ahamada, who garnered only 14.62% of the ballots cast.
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• Comoros is a volcanic archipelago off Africa’s east coast, in the warm Indian Ocean waters of the Mozambique Channel.
India, Bangladesh to begin cruise service
• India and Bangladesh will start a cruise service from 29 March 2019 that would take passengers through the Sunderbans to
Dhaka.
• The move aims to strengthen inland waterway routes between the two countries.
• Goods from India can go in the cheapest possible form up to Narayanganj and Dhaka in Bangladesh.
• India and Bangladesh also have very strong power connectivity through waterways.
1st Indian Army Expedition flagged off
• 1st Indian Army Mountaineering Expedition to Mt Makalu (8485m) was flagged off by Director General Military Training on 26
March 2019.
• It comprises five Officers, two JCOs and eleven OR.
• Mt Makalu, situated in the Himalayas is considered amongst the most dangerous peaks.
• The team will embark for it from New Delhi and will set up 6 camps en route to summit point on Mt Makalu.
India's carbon dioxide emissions up by 5%
• India emitted 2,299 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2018, a 4.8% rise from 2017, according to a report by the International
Energy Agency (IEA).
• India’s emissions growth was higher than that of the United States and China, primarily due to a rise in coal consumption.
• China, the United States, and India together accounted for nearly 70% of the rise in energy demand.
Cyrus Poonawalla and Rahat Khan to be honored
• Cyrus Poonawalla and singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan are among 8 people, who will be honoured by the University of Oxford at a
ceremony on June 26, 2019.
• The university will also confer the honorary degrees on academics Jennifer Doudna, Andrea Ghez, Shafi Goldwasser, Daniel
Kahneman and Simon Wessely, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
• Cyrus Poonawalla is the Founder and Chairman of Serum Institute of India.
Rajesh Pendharkar: Flag Officer
• Rear Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, VSM assumed the charge as the Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area on 25 March
2019.
• His notable sea appointments include Executive Officer of missile corvette INS Kirpan and missile destroyer INS Mysore and
command of missile corvette INS Kora.
• He is a recipient of the Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service.
Special observers appointed by ECI
• Election Commission of India appointed K K Sharma as Special Central Police Observer for the States of West Bengal and
Jharkhand.
• ECI appointed Sh Mrinal Kanti Das (IPS 1977 Retd DGP Manipur) as Special Central Police Observer for States of Tripura and
Mizoram.
• These Observers would oversee the deployment and other security-related issues in the States.
Stakes sold
• Prudential Corp. Holdings Ltd will sell a 3.7% stake in ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co. Ltd, on 26 & 27 March 2019.
• Fortis Healthcare Ltd is facilitating the sale of stakes owned by private equity investors in its SRL Diagnostics unit.
• Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd (KPTL) signed an agreement to acquire a 85% equity stake in Linjemontage I Grastorp AB (LMG)
for a value of $24 million.
Anil Nair: CEO of VMLY&R
• VMLY&R appointed Anil Nair as the CEO of its India business effective immediately on 25 March 2019.
• Based out of agency’s Mumbai office, he will report to VMLY&R Asia co-chief executive Tripti Lochan, who is based in Singapore.
• Nair will oversee VMLY&R’s India operation, driving growth and building on agency’s integrated service offering spanning
creative, technology and data services.
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Appointments I
• BBDO India appointed Kunal Solanki as Vice-President for the Mumbai office. He will report to Atin Wahal, Executive Vice-
President and Head of BBDO's Mumbai operations.
• Reliance-owned fashion e-commerce platform Ajio.com has appointed Anita Devraj Mookerjee as the Head of Brand Marketing.
She will report to Vineeth Nair, CEO, at the company.
Appointments II
• The Basketball Federation of India roped in Veselin Matic as the new head coach of the Indian men’s basketball team on 25
March 2019.
• The Board of Directors of Tourism Finance Corporation of India Ltd appointed Anirban Chakraborty as Additional Director and
Managing Director & CEO with effect from the date of his joining viz. April 9, 2019, for a period of 3 years.
SEBI modified commissions
• Sebi reviewed and modified the commission as well as disclosure norms for the mutual fund industry on 25 March 2019.
• The move came after Sebi in October 2018 asked the asset management companies (AMC) to adopt full trail model of
commission in all schemes.
• The commission will be paid from AMC’s books and only the first SIP(s) purchased by the new investor will be eligible for
upfronting.
No clinical trials in India for new drugs
• New drugs approved for use in select developed markets will be automatically allowed in India if the global trials included Indian
patients.
• The new Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019, has done away with the formality of conducting local trials.
• It will reduce the time taken by the company to introduce the drug in India and prevent duplication of studies.
55% internet users not share political views
• 55% of Internet users were concerned that expressing their political views online could get them into trouble with the
authorities, an India digital report prepared by the Reuters Institute showed.
• Since 2012 at least 17 people have been arrested for posting material that was considered offensive or threatening to a
politician.
• 68% identified smartphones as their main device for online news.
Gandhi's health records published
• Mahatma Gandhi’s health files, published for the first time, reveal that he ailed from high blood pressure, weighed 46.7 kg at a
height of 5 feet 5 inches (recorded in 1939).
• These facts related to his health have been published for the first time in a special edition the Indian Journal of Medical Research
(IJMR) on ‘Gandhi and Health @ 150’ by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Chandrayaan 2 to carry laser instruments
• India’s lunar mission Chandrayaan 2, scheduled to launch in April, will carry NASA’s laser instruments that allow scientists to
make precise measurements of the distance to the Moon.
• In Chandrayaan - 2 Mission, a 3,890-kg Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft will orbit around the Moon to study its conditions and collect
data of its topography, mineralogy and exosphere.
Indian Oil companies won ADNOC awards
• A consortium of 2 Indian oil companies, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and Indian Oil Corporation Limited have been
awarded the exploration rights for Abu Dhabi Onshore Block 1.
• The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, ADNOC, signed agreements awarding the exploration rights on 25 March 2019.
• The award has been endorsed by Abu Dhabi’s Supreme Petroleum Council.
RBI appointed 5-member committee
• RBI appointed 5-member committee under the chairmanship of Nandan Nilekani to further deepen digital payments and
enhance financial inclusion through Fintech.
• The RBI has requested the committee to give recommendations in 3 months in this regard.
• This was announced at the inaugural event of Fintech Conclave organized by Niti Aayog in New Delhi on 25 March 2019.
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Bharat Consumption scheme launched

• ICICI Prudential AMC launched ICICI Prudential Bharat Consumption Scheme on 26 March 2019.
• The scheme aims to benefit from the Indian consumption story, considered as one of the fastest growing consumption markets
globally.
• The offer will open on March 26 and close April 9, 2019.
• The scheme is an open-ended equity scheme following the consumption theme.
Vijaywada Railway station got gold rating
• Vijayawada railway station, one of the busiest railway junctions in the country, has received Gold Rating by the Indian Green
Building Council.
• Council Chairman Meka Vijaya Sai presented the gold rating shield to Divisional Railway Manager R Dhananjayulu on 25 March
2019.
• The station boasts of 100% LED lighting, five star rated fans, pumps and motors, and solar water heating systems.
Obituaries
• Singer-songwriter Scott Walker passed away on 25 March 2019, after a career that took him from 1960s pop icon to the 21st-
century avant-garde musician.
• One of Tupelo’s best known civil rights leaders Reverend Robert J. Jamison, Sr. passed away on 24 March 2019.
India ranked 76 on WEF's global index
• India ranked 76th on a global energy transition index, which has ranked 115 economies on how well they are able to balance
energy security and access with environmental sustainability and affordability.
• Sweden was on the top followed by Switzerland and Norway in the top three.
• China ranked even lower than India at the 82nd position.
India's G Sathiyan won bronze medal
• India’s top-ranked paddler G Sathiyan won a bronze medal at the ITTF Challenge Plus Oman Open on 24 March 2019.
• It was disappointing for India in women singles as both Madhurika Patkar and Riti Shankar failed to go past the first round of the
main draw.
• In men’s doubles, Sathiyan and Sharath lost their quarterfinals to the Russian pair of Denis Ivonin and Vladimir Sidorenko 2-3.
Apple announced Apple TV Plus
• Apple announced its Apple TV Plus streaming service along with a handful of original TV shows that are in the works, on 25 March
2019.
• However, it left key details such as price, a release date, or a real sense of the company’s strategy.
Apple Card introduced
• Apple announced Apple Card on 25 March 2019, an innovative, new kind of credit card created by Apple.
• It has been designed to help customers lead a healthier financial life.
• It is built into the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone, offering customers a familiar experience with Apple Pay and the ability to
manage their card right on the iPhone.
Exercise Al Nagah 2019 concluded
• The 3rd edition of Exercise AL NAGAH 2019 concluded at Jabel AI Akhdar training camp, Oman on 25 March 2019.
• It was a joint military exercise between the Indian Army and the Royal Oman Army.
• The two-week long exercise had commenced on 12 March 2019.
• 60 Soldiers of the Indian Army took part in the exercise along with similar strength of pers from the Royal Army of Oman.
ABHEDYA facility commissioned at Lonavala
• Admiral Sunil Lanba commissioned a Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Training Facility - ABHEDYA, at INS Shivaji, Lonavla on 25
March 2019.
• It will assist the Indian Navy in providing a realistic simulation of NBC warfare to its personnel.
• The steel structure of the simulator represents the relevant NBC compartment of the ship such as upper decks, citadels, cleansing
stations, etc.
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Peter Tabichi won Global Teacher Prize 2019

• Peter Tabichi won the Global Teacher Prize 2019.
• Peter was chosen from our top 10 finalists who come from all corners of the globe.
• Peter has dedicated his life to helping others.
• He gives 80% of his teaching salary to local community projects, including education, sustainable agriculture, and peace-building.
Edin Dzeko reached 100 Bosnia caps
• Bosnia and Herzegovina captain Edin Dzeko became the first player from his country to reach 100 international caps in their
opening Euro 2020 qualifier against Armenia on Saturday.
• The 33-year-old was presented with a shirt bearing the number '100', and a bouquet of flowers.
• He made his Bosnia debut on June 2, 2007.
• Dzeko is currently playing his club football for Italian giants Roma.
Govindaraj re-elected BFI president
• K. Govindaraj was unanimously re-elected as President of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) at its annual general-body
meeting.
• Chander Mukhi Sharma was re-elected secretary-general as the BFI promised a bunch of new ideas and tournaments.
• A new six-team women’s league would be held in the next three months, declared Govindaraj.
FY 20 looks a bad as FY 19: Icra report
• According to the ICRA report, Housing finance companies (HFCs) are expected to report a 13-15% credit growth in FY19, which
will inch up to 14-16% in FY20.
• Gross NPAs of the home loan segment will increase to up to 1.3% in the medium term from the present 1% levels.
• The home loans portfolio for HFCs and other NBFCs came down to 13% from 18% in the year-ago period.
Delhivery gets $413 million funding
• Logistics startup Delhivery Pvt. Ltd has secured $413 million in a funding round led by the SoftBank Vision Fund.
• Delhivery plans to use it to expand its presence to 20,000 pincodes by the first quarter of FY20 from 15,000 pincodes.
• Delhivery was founded in 2011 by Barua, Mohit Tandon, Bhavesh Manglani, Suraj Saharan and Kapil Bharati.
CBSE to introduce AI,Yoga as new subjects
• The CBSE will introduce artificial intelligence (AI), early childhood care education and yoga as new subjects in school curriculum
from the upcoming academic session.
• The CBSE is introducing AI as an optional 6th subject at Class IX from the session 2019-2020 onwards.
• yoga and early childhood education as elective subjects will be introduced at senior secondary level.
India gold imports dip 5.5%
• India's gold imports dipped about 5.5% in value terms to $29.5 billion in April-February 2018-19, which is expected to keep a lid
on the current account deficit.
• Total gold imports in the corresponding period of 2017-18 stood at $31.2 billion, according to commerce ministry data.
• India is one of the largest gold importers in the world.
Government garnered Rs 700 crore
• Sale of 'enemy shares' and buyback of stocks by CPSEs together yielded the government over ₹11,300 crore.
• This helped the exchequer mop up ₹85,000 crore from disinvestment in the current fiscal- the second highest receipt ever.
• Enemy property refers to the assets left behind by people who migrated to Pakistan or China and are no longer citizens of India.
EverSource Capital to invest $ 1 billion
• EverSource Capital is looking to invest over $1 billion in renewable energy investments through its Green Growth Equity Fund.
• The National Investments and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) of India and the UK government are anchor investors in Green Growth
Equity Fund.
• EverSource made an investment, jointly infusing $330 million along with NIIF and UK’s CDC, into Ayana Renewables in February
2019.
Naresh Goyal and Anita Goyal exit Jet Airways
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• Jet Airways founder and principal promoters Naresh Goyal, and his wife Anita Goyal stepped down from the board and left the
airline they founded nearly 25 years ago.
• The current CEO Vinay Dube is expected to stay on and steer Jet out of the current crisis.
IAF to induct 4 Chinook helicopters
• The Indian Air Force inducted the first 4 heavy-lift Chinook helicopters on 25 March 2019.
• They are capable of transporting howitzers and troops to forward and high-altitude areas across the country.
• The Chinook is considered one of the most modern heavy lift choppers in the world and can carry goods and cargo of upto 9.6
tonnes.
Meghna Gulzar won Best Director
• Meghna Gulzar won the Best Director at Filmfare Awards for her film Raazi, starring Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal.
• Shreya Ghoshal and Arijit Singh won Best Playback Singers for Padmaavat and Raazi respectively.
Obituary 2
• Shahnaz Rahmatullah, the queen of modern Bangla music with an illustrious career spanning decades, passed away on March 24,
2019, because of a heart attack.
• Jain Muni Hitruchivijayji passed away in Ahmedabad on 24 March 2019. He was one of the last disciples of Acharya
Ramchandrasurishwarji.
Obituary 1
• Ghulam Nabi Rathar of Manigam Kangan, a social activist, passed away after brief illness on 23 March 2019.
• Noted folk artist, music director and writer Vinjamuri Anasuya Devi died at Houston in the U.S. A recipient of Kala Prapoorna
award, she got her first gramophone record at the age of 8 years.
PJTSAU and IRRI signed MoU
• Professor Jayashakar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) and the Philippines-based International Rice Research
Institute (IRRI) signed a MoU on 23 March 2019.
• The MoU was signed to take collaborative research projects on rice in the State.
• IRRI and PJTSAU would prepare the action plan for rice varieties in view of the large-scale irrigation projects in the State.
Yarn Bank set up for weavers
• A yarn bank has been set up at the Mysore Powerloom Silk Manufacturers Cooperative Society on Avenue Road to benefit the
state’s weavers.
• The bank will supply pure silk yarn and zari to weavers who subscribe.
• The bank, regardless of the price rise in the open market and the menace of middlemen, ensures a steady supply of yarn to the
weavers from southern Karnataka.
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Foreign investors to pay higher taxes
• Changes in the Sebi listing and prevention of insider-trading regulations, revisions in the double-taxation avoidance agreements
with Mauritius and Singapore are set to come into effect from April 1.
• The changes in DTAAs give India the right to tax capital gains arising on Indian equity shares sold by a Singapore or Mauritian
resident.
• India amended DTAAs with Singapore and Mauritius in 2016
Karnataka Bank reported fraud to RBI
• Karnataka Bank reported a fraud to RBI amounting to Rs 13.26 crore in the fund-based working capital facility extended to SRS
Finance.
• The fraud was on account of diversion of funds.
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• SRS Finance is a non-banking financial corporation (NBFC) with focus on corporate finance and investments, and the consumer
finance business.
Schemes and Campaigns
• System for TB Elimination in Private Sector (STEPS) scheme was launched on 24 March 2019 to mark the World TB Day.
• YSR Congress party launched the Jagan Anna Kanuka campaign on 24 March 2019 to make voters aware of Navaratnalu, nine
promises made by YSRCP and its benefits.
Ola cabs back on Bengaluru roads
• The Karnataka government announced that it had revoked the suspension handed to Ola.
• It is done two days after it issued a notice banning the cab-hailing service from operating in the state for six months.
• Ola services were suspended by Karnataka transport dept for running bike taxis without permission.
DRDO satellite to be launched on April 1
• ISRO will launch an advanced electronic intelligence satellite EMISAT, developed by DRDO on April 1, 2019.
• It will be used to sniff out enemy radars and for collecting imagery and communication intelligence.
• Its characteristics are - help monitor the activities of enemy radars and sensors deployed along the border and know the exact
topography of enemy areas.
Thailand held its first election after 5 years
• Thailand held its first general election after five years of military rule.
• The military ousted an elected government in a coup in 2014.
• About 51.4 million people voted in the election.
• It will appoint 500 members to the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Parliament.
Oman signs agreement with USA
• Oman has signed an agreement with the USA that allow American ships and warplanes to take advantage of his ports and
airports.
• The framework agreement is aimed at bolstering Omani-American military relations.
• The agreement will allow the US forces to take advantage of the facilities offered at some of the Sultanate’s ports and airports
during visits of the US military vessels and aircraft.
Important Days
• The International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members is marked each year on 25 March on the
anniversary of the abduction of Alec Collett.
• The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery is observed every year on 25 March to honour and remember
those who suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system.
Filmfare awards 2019 announced
• 64th Filmfare Awards were held at Jio Garden, Mumbai on 23 March 2019.
• Raazi won the Best Film and Alia Bhatt received the Best Actress for Raazi.
• Ranveer Singh won Critics Best Actor for Padmaavat.
• Ranbir Kapoor won Best Actor for Sanju.
• Andhadhun won Critcs Best Film.
FinTech Conclave 2019 held
• NITI Aayog organised a day-long FinTech Conclave at Dr. Ambedkar International Center, New Delhi on 25th March 2019.
• The objective is to shape India’s continued ascendancy in FinTech, build the narrative for future strategy and policy efforts.
• It hosted more than 300 representatives from the leading Financial Institutions including HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI Card, Tata
Capital and FinTechs.
84% reduction in TB deaths in India
• India achieved an 84% reduction in tuberculosis deaths among people living with HIV by 2017.
• It is the highest recorded decline among over 20 nations and it is also three years ahead of the 2020 deadline.
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• World Health Organisation estimates have shown that globally, TB deaths among people living with HIV have fallen by 42% since
2010.
Threats to bumphead Parrot Fish in Andaman
• Bumphead parrotfish, Bolbometopon muricatum, is an important component of coral reef ecosystem but is highly endangered
globally.
• It is categorized as ‘vulnerable’ in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
• A group of researchers recently studied the distribution, abundance, and dangers to this species in the waters of Andaman and
Nicobar islands.
Navin Chawla's new book launched
• Former Chief Election Commissioner of India Navin Chawla’s book ‘Every Vote Counts’ was launched by former Vice President of
India, Hamid Ansari in New Delhi.
• This book is about how the electoral machinery works in India.
• The book explains about India is on the cusp of change.
Italy signs new Silk Road protocol with China
• Italy signed a “non-binding” protocol with China to take part in Beijing’s new “Silk Road”.
• Italy became the first G7 country to sign up for the massive project.
• The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or the Silk Road Economic Belt is a development strategy adopted by China involving
infrastructure development and investments in 152 countries.
‘World of Women’ awards presented
• The Hindu World of Women 2019 Awards were given to recognise women who have excelled in various fields.
• Ms. Menon was given The Hindu Lifetime Achievement Award2019.
• Preethi Srinivasan, founder, Soulfree, who became paralysed below the neck after a freak accident received 'The Hindu
Inspiration Award 2019'.
Vice Admiral Karambir to be next Navy Chief
• Vice Admiral Karambir Singh will be the next Chief of Naval Staff.
• He will be appointed after Admiral Sunil Lanba, who retires in May this year.
• Vice Admiral Singh is serving as the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief of the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam.
World Tuberculosis Day: 24 March
• World Tuberculosis Day is observed every year on 24 March.
• The aim of the day is to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of TB, and to
step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic.
• The theme of World TB Day 2019 - ‘It’s time’.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a joint initiative 'Find. Treat. All. #EndTB'.
Device developed to detect the temp drop
• A bracelet, Bempu, has been developed which gives out alerts whenever newborn's body temperature drops, a condition called
hypothermia seen in newborns with low birth weight.
• Bempu, an acronym for baby temperature, is a made in-India hypothermia alert device and was innovated in 2016 by Ratul
Narain.
• When worn by a newborn, the blue light on the bracelet flashes if the temperature is normal.
Sardar Singh named in OCA Standing Committee
• Former India hockey captain Sardar Singh was named in the Standing Committee of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) at its 38th
General Assembly in Bangkok.
• He is part of a 10-member panel which has been nominated for a four-year term from 2019 to 2023.
• The OCA General Assembly was held in Bangkok on 2 and 3 March 2019.
Dialogue on Indo-Pacific Cooperation held
• The maiden High-Level Dialogue on Indo-Pacific Cooperation was held in Indonesia on 20 March 2019.
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• The theme of the dialogue was 'Towards a Peaceful, Prosperous, and Inclusive Region'.
• It was inaugurated by Indonesia's Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
• Delegates from 18 members of the East Asia Summit including India attended the closed door High-Level Dialogue initiated by
Indonesia.
SAIL launches smart garbage bins
• Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has launched smart garbage bins made of SAIL Salem stainless steel.
• These smart garbage bins will be able to send a signal to the garbage collection vehicle about the ‘fill-up’ position of the bin,
aiding better cleaning and lower human intervention.
• These will be installed in underground Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) pits at the Smart Garbage Station.
SIB to raise up to ₹250 crore
• On 20 March 2019, South Indian Bank said it will raise up to ₹250 crore by issuing Basel III-compliant bonds.
• The bonds will be rated, unsecured, redeemable, non-convertible, Basel III is compliant and lower tier 2 bonds up to ₹150 crore.
• The bonds would bear face value of ₹1 lakh each.
MCCIL recognised as a Third-Country CCP
• Metropolitan Clearing Corporation of India Ltd (MCCIL), an arm of Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India, received recognition as
a Third-Country Central Counterparty (TC-CCP) by Bank of England.
• It will enable MCCIL to offer clearing services to UK-based entities.
• There are currently seven clearinghouses recognized by SEBI including BSE's Indian Clearing Corporation Ltd and NSE Clearing Ltd.
RBI to reform WMA system for states
• Reserve Bank of India has proposed a rule-based approach in fixing new Ways and Means limits for the state governments,
replacing the previous expenditure-based system.
• It will set up a panel to recommend parameters of the new system which is aimed at preventing automatic monetisation of
deficits.
• RBI acts as debt manager for state governments and provides a short-term loan to them.
Awards and Honours
• Sociologist and political psychoanalyst Ashis Nandy was named the recipient of 2019 Hans Kilian Award.
• The Hans Kilian Award was instituted by the Köhler Foundation in Germany.
• Hindi writer Leeladhar Jagudi will be honoured with the Vyas Samman 2018 by the KK Birla Foundation for his collection of poems
'Jitne Log Utne Prem'.
Govt clears proposal for grenade purchase
• Defence Ministry cleared a major project for the Indian Army for the acquisition of 10 lakh 'Made in India' multi-mode hand
grenades on 20 March 2019.
• The new hand grenades will replace the existing inventory, HE-36 grenades manufactured by the Ordnance Factory Board.
• The multi-mode grenades have been developed by the DRDO.
Annual TSJA awards announced
• Saina Nehwal was named ‘Sportsperson of the Year’ at the annual Telangana Sports Journalists Association (TSJA) Awards on 19
March 2019.
• P.V. Sindhu was given the ‘Outstanding Performer’ Award.
• P. Gopichand was presented the ‘Coach of the Year’ Award.
• The Indian badminton team was adjudged the ‘Team of the Year’.
• The Badminton Association of Telangana was named ‘Association of the Year’.
ESPN CricInfo ties up with IIT Madras
• Sports news website ESPNcricinfo in a partnership with the IIT Madras launched a tool called ‘Superstats’ for analyzing cricket
statistics on 20 March 2019.
• Superstats use data science to give a context to every event in a game, for forecasting and to explore the idea of assessing luck.
• It will analyse data to reveal trends and patterns during different periods of play.
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Appointments & Resignations

• Rear Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh took charge of the Western Fleet of the Indian Navy in Mumbai on 22 March 2019.
• Amateur boxing’s governing body AIBA's President Gafur Rahimov announced his resignation on 22 March 2019.
• Sudin Dhavalikar and Vijai Sardesai were appointed as Deputy Chief Ministers of Goa.
• K M Mammen was elected as Chairman of Automotive Tyre Manufacturers' Association (ATMA)
Forest-certification scheme gets recognition
• A Geneva-based non-profit organisation recognised the Certification Standard for Sustainable Forest Management developed by
Network for Certification and Conservation of Forests (NCCF), an Indian NGO.
• India now has a globally recognised forest-certification scheme developed for Indian forests.
• The NCCF was set up by forest-based industries, non-profits, and government forest departments.
India extends financial aid to Nepal
• India has extended Nepalese Rs 35.5 million as financial assistance for the construction of an educational campus in Nepal.
• The assistance was provided for the construction of the three-storied building for the Siddheswar Education Public Campus at
Ramechhap district of Nepal.
• The new building comprises of 12 classrooms that also includes a meeting hall, a laboratory room, and a library.
Raghu Karnad won the Windham-Campbell Prize
• Journalist and writer Raghu Karnad won the $165,000 Windham-Campbell Prize in the non-fiction category for his debut book,
The Farthest Field: An Indian Story Of The Second World War.
• Karnad is the second Indian to receive the prestigious prize, since Jerry Pinto won it for his novel, Em And The Big Hoom, in 2016.
• The Windham-Campbell Prize was established in 2013.
Indexes and Reprts
• Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani topped the Forbes' list of richest sports team owners with a
net worth of around $50 billion.
• According to world airport traffic rankings for 2018 released by the Airports Council International (ACI), Indira Gandhi
International Airport (IGIA) has now become the world's 12th busiest airport.
MoUs and Agreements
• The IIT Roorkee in Uttarakhand tied up with the ISRO to set up a Space Technology Cell in its campus.
• The Ministry of Human Resource Development signed an MoU with the Afghanistan government to work on digital education
initiatives.
Sports
• Formula One racer Valtteri Bottas won the Australian Grand Prix on 17 March 2019.
• Bengaluru FC won the maiden Indian Super League Football title.
• Lasith Malinga will retire from international cricket after 2020 T20 World Cup.
• FIFA banned former Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF) President Luis Chiriboga for life.
ICICI Lombard partners with MobiKwik
• ICICI Lombard General Insurance entered into a partnership with MobiKwik to provide cyber insurance cover for the mobile
wallet users.
• It aims to provide protection against unauthorised and fraudulent transactions online, across bank accounts, and mobile wallets.
• The insurance can be availed digitally through the app at only ₹99 per month and with a sum insured of ₹50,000.
ICG Vijit visits Sabang
• Indian Coast Guard Ship 'Vijit' became the first-ever Coast Guard ship to visit Sabang, Indonesia on 17 March 2019.
• This visit of the coast guard ship follows from the first-ever-visit of Naval Ship INS Sumitra to Sabang in July 2018.
• Vijit's visit also highlights strengthening cooperation in the area of maritime security and safety between India and Indonesia.
Tata Coffee appoints Chacko as MD And CEO
• Tata Coffee appointed Chacko Purackal Thomas as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
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• He will replace Sanjiv Sarin, who retires on 31 March 2019.

• He will assume the charge from 1 April 2019.
• He currently works as the executive director and deputy CEO of the Tata Group firm.
Islamic State group loses Syria
• The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) says the Islamic State's control is over after the militants were defeated in Syria.
• IS retains a presence in the region and has affiliates in several other countries such as Nigeria, Yemen, Afghanistan, and the
Philippines.
• The Kurdish-led SDF alliance began its final assault on IS in March 2019.
Karnataka govt bans Ola Cabs for 6 months
• The Karnataka government's transport department suspended app-based Ola Cabs's aggregator license for 6 months.
• The Ola is charged with running bike taxis in violation of license conditions and violated government rules.
• Aggregator means a person who is an aggregator or operator or an intermediary/market place who canvasses or solicits or
facilitates passengers for travel by taxi.
Pak to receive a loan of $2.1 billion
• Pakistan will receive over US$ 2 billion loans from China by 25 March 2019 to provide a boost to its ailing economy.
• The funds will be deposited in the State Bank of Pakistan.
• The loan facility will further strengthen foreign exchange reserves and ensure the balance of payment stability.
• Pakistan has received USD 1 billion each from Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Hockey India launches its Coaching Education
• Hockey India launched its ambitious 'Hockey India Coaching Education Pathway' on 22 March 2019.
• It aims to provide certification to those candidates who are already coaches or wish to pursue coaching as a career option.
• The program consists of a combination of web-based modules and face-to-face interactive courses.
European Union delays Brexit
• The European Union has agreed to postpone Brexit from 29 March 2019.
• EU leaders agreed to delay Brexit after the UK Parliament twice overwhelmingly rejected the deal that was agreed with the EU on
how to withdraw from the bloc and voted against a no-deal exit.
• More than 17 million Britons voted in favor of leaving the EU in a 2016 referendum.
Facebook announces AI for social good summit
• Facebook will organise 'AI for India Summit' on 26 March 2019 in Bengaluru.
• The summit will focus on discussing inclusive growth and solutions to the most enduring social challenges.
• The Summit will bring together key representatives from the AI (Artificial Intelligence) community in India such as policymakers,
start-ups, and the developer community.
Bank in News
• Canara Bank launched an issuance of 5-year senior unsecured bonds (Medium Term Notes) to the extent of US$ 400 million
under Medium Term Note (MTN) programme, through its London branch on 21 March 2019.
• The RBI rejected IDBI Bank's proposal to change its name following the transfer of controlling 51% stake to LIC from the
government of India.
AIIMS launches mobile methadone vans
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi launched mobile methadone vans on 22 March 2019.
• The vans will provide treatment to opioid addicts in Delhi.
• The National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre of AIIMS has initiated the new mobile van service.
• Methadone is a drug given in a syrup form to patients as it helps in controlling the craving and withdrawals due to opioid
addiction.
Sports
• According to the Chennai SuperKings' director, the entire ticket proceeds of the inaugural match will be given to the families of
CRPF personnel killed in the February 14 terror attack in Pulwama.
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• The International Cricket Council (ICC) has allowed Test-playing nations to have the players sport their names and numbers on
their jerseys.
US will recognise Israel's Golan Heights
• US President Donald Trump announced that the US will recognise Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
• Golan Heights was captured by Israel from Syria in 1967.
• Previous US administrations have treated Golan Heights as occupied Syrian territory, in line with UN security council resolutions.
Jimmy is the longest-living U.S. President
• Former President Jimmy Carter became the longest-living president in United States history on 22 March 2019.
• Jimmy Carter is the USA’s 39th President.
• He has broken the previous record held by the late President George H.W. Bush, who died in November 2018.
Appointments
• PhonePe, the payments and financial services arm of Flipkart, appointed Bollywood actor Aamir Khan as its brand ambassador.
• Paralympic high jumper Girish N Gowda has been appointed as Karnataka Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Ambassador.
NSEIT acquires cybersecurity company Aujas
• NSEIT, the IT-services subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange, acquired Aujas Networks Ltd.
• Aujas Networks Ltd. is a company which provides information security consulting and IT risk management services.
• N Muralidharan is the CEO & MD of NSEIT.
• NSEIT currently provides technology solutions across industries such as capital markets, financial markets, banking, and insurance
7 Indians in the list of Influential People
• Union Ministers Piyush Goyal & Dr. Harsh Vardhan are among the seven Indians who have been named in the 'World's 100 Most
Influential People in Climate Policy for 2019' for taking steps in order to combat climate change.
• The list was released by Apolitical, a global network for government helping public servants to find the ideas, people and partners
they need to solve the hardest challenges.
RBI forms panel to make currency notes
• The RBI informed the Bombay High Court that it constituted a 4 member committee to look into the issue of currency notes,
which will be helpful to blind people.
• Bombay HC was hearing a petition filed by the National Association of the Blind.
• RBI said that it was in the process of developing a mobile application to help the visually impaired identify the denomination of
currency notes.
RBI defers launch of IndAs again
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has postponed the rollout of the new accounting standards (IndAS) for the second time.
• It is awaiting amendments to the banking laws before adopting the norms.
• The loan-loss provision under the IndAS is recognised based on the expected credit loss (ECL) model.
• The IndAS will further add to banks’ compliance burden, especially for loan-loss provisions.
Obituaries
• Karnataka Minister for Municipal Administration C.S. Shivalli passed away on 22 March 2019.
• Communist leader and former MLA Balwant Singh passed away on 21 March 2019.
• Goldie Small, the oldest person in Broome County in New York passed away on 22 March 2019.
Banks and Business
• State Bank of India (SBI) raised Rs. 1,251.30 crore by issuing Basel III-compliant bonds.
• State-owned Power Finance Corporation (PFC) will acquire the entire 52.63 percent shares of the government in REC for Rs
14,500 crore by the month-end, a move that will help the center to meet its disinvestment target.
Days and Events
• World Meteorological Day (WMD) is observed every year on 23 March. The theme for WMD 2019 is 'The Sun, the Earth and the
Weather'.
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• Martyrs' day is observed in India on 23 March in the memories of three freedom fighters – Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and
Sukhdev. The day is also known as Shaheed Diwas.
India won SAFF Women's C'ship for fifth time
• On 22 March 2019, in football, India won the SAFF Women's Championship for the fifth time in a row.
• India defeated Nepal in the final match.
• India's Indumathi Kathiresan and Sabitra Tamang of Nepal remained top scorer of the tournament, both scored four-goal each.
• This is India's 23rd straight victory in the championship since the inception of the tournament in 2010.
President Kovind to visit Croatia
• President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Croatia, Bolivia, and Chile from 25 March 2019.
• He will participate in India-Bolivia business forum meeting and interact with students.
• He will meet President and Prime Minister of Croatia and discuss the issues of mutual interest.
• The capitals of Croatia, Bolivia, and Chile are Zagreb, Sucre, and Santiago.
Employment generation in formal sector high
• According to the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) payroll data, net employment generation in the formal sector
touched a 17-month high of 8.96 lakh in January 2019.
• The EPFO has been releasing payroll data from April 2018, covering the period starting September 2017.
• The EPFO manages social security funds of workers in the organised and semi organised sector in India.
Government exceeds disinvestment target
• According to the Ministry of Finance, the government has overshot its disinvestment target for the second consecutive year.
• The disinvestment proceeds this financial year crossed Rs. 85,000 crore against Revised Estimate of Rs. 80,000 crore.
• In 2017-18, the government had earned a little more than Rs. 1 lakh crore from disinvestments against a target of Rs. 72,500
crore.
Indian Air Force to participate in LIMA 2019
• Indian Air Force, for the first time, will participate in Langkawi International Maritime Aero Expo (LIMA-2019) in Langkawi,
Malaysia from 26 to 30 March 2019.
• It will showcase its indigenously developed LCA fighter aircraft.
• Participation of IAF in LIMA-2019 will provide an opportunity to air-warriors to interact with their Royal Malaysian Air Force
(RMAF) counterparts.
Awards II
• A Brazilian Jewish physicist and astronomer Marcelo Gleiser has won the 2019 Templeton Prize for his work blending science and
spirituality. By this he became the first Latin American to win Templeton Prize.
• Nexteer Automotive, has been recognized as a Manufacturing Leadership Awards winner for its outstanding achievement in
Enterprise Integration and Technology Leadership.
Awards I
• EcoEnergy Insights has been awarded this year's Frost Radar best practices award for Growth, Innovation and Leadership in the
global building energy management system (BEMS) segment.
• ColorTokens Inc., a pioneer in workload and endpoint security was named Next Gen Security Company of the Year at the 2019
Cyber Defense Magazine InfoSec Awards.
NASA discovers pulsar speeding through space
• NASA discovered a pulsar hurtling through space at nearly 4 million km/h.
• It is so fast that it could travel the distance between Earth & the Moon in just 6 minutes.
• Pulsars are super dense, rapidly spinning neutron stars left behind when a massive star explodes.
• This one, dubbed PSR J0002+6216, has a radio-emitting tail pointing towards the expanding debris of a recent supernova
explosion.
Fitch Cuts India GDP Growth Forecast For FY20
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• Fitch Ratings cut India’s economic growth forecast for the next financial year starting April 1, to 6.8% from its previous estimate
of 7%.
• It was done so on weaker than expected momentum in the economy.
• The rating agency has also cut growth forecasts for FY20 and FY21 to 7% from 7.3% and 7.1% from 7.3%, respectively.
CBSE launches app Shiksha Vani
• Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) launched its podcast app, 'Shiksha Vani'.
• It will be used to send out major announcements made by the board and is expected to be the quickest way to information.
• The first official circular on the app confirmed the beginning of the evaluation process of the 2019 Board Examinations.
World Down Syndrome Day observed: March 21
• Recognizing the need to support people suffering from Down Syndrome, the WHO on 20th December 2007, recognised March
21st as ‘World Down Syndrome Day’.
• World Down Syndrome Day 2019 theme is “Leave no one behind”.
• Down Syndrome is a genetic disorder causing delayed physical and mental growth in individuals.
• Children or adults suffering from Down Syndrome have lower IQ.
India one of world's fastest-growing economies
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said India has been one of the fastest growing large economies in the world.
• IMF asserted that the country has carried out several key reforms in the last five years.
• This was stated by IMF communications director Gerry Rice while responding to a question on India's economic development in
the last five years.
Kane Williamson gets Sir Richard Hadlee Medal
• Kiwi captain Kane Williamson got Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for Men’s Player of the Year on 21 March 2019.
• Williamson also got the Test Player of the Year award and the Redpath Cup for First Class batting.
• Kerr also bagged three awards — the Women’s ODI Player of the Year, Phyl Blackler Cup for women’s domestic bowling and the
Venus Cup for Secondary Schools Female Player of the Year.
Intain Fintech to launch blockchain product
• Intain Fintech, an AI and block chain-based software products firm, will be launching 'eMulya', an intelligent block chain.
• It facilitates efficient, secure and trustworthy asset securitisation transactions for NBFCs in India by end-2019.
• Intain has its global AI Lab in Pune with 10 people and it will hire 15 more staff in Chennai for this purpose.
Person in news
• Radhika G.R., Superintendent of Police from the Andhra Pradesh clinched a peak in Papua New Guinea.
• India cricketer Gautam Gambhir joined the BJP.
Bill for total liquor prohibition in Mizoram
• Mizoram assembly passed a bill to bring back total prohibition of liquor in the northeastern state after four years.
• The state government decided to prohibit the manufacture, import, sale, and consumption of liquor for the common people for
their general health.
• Earlier total prohibition was in force in Mizoram from 1997 to 2015.
Obituaries II
• L.V. Sharada, veteran actor of Kannada cinema, passed away on 21 March 2019. She was suffering from cancer.
• Veteran Malayalam director KG Rajesekharan passed away in Chennai. He had entered the film industry as the assistant director
of ‘Midumidukki’ in 1968.
Obituaries I
• Communist leader and former MLA Balwant Singh died on 21 March 2019 after a brief illness. He was also former Punjab
secretary of the CPI(M).
• Renowned Indian artist Haku Shah, best known for his themes of tribal and folk art, passed away on 21 March 2019 following a
cardiac arrest at his home in Ahmedabad.
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UN warns about crop-guzzling insect

• UN's Food Agency has warned about a crop-guzzling insect, which has moved from its native America to Asia.
• Farmers from India to Thailand can lose billions of dollars due to it.
• Fall armyworms (FAW) have been moving steadily east since 2016 and caused up to 3 billion US dollars worth of damage to crops.
• The insect can devastate crops such as maize, rice, and sugarcane, overnight.
Xiaomi launches 'Mi Pay' App
• Xiaomi has launched the 'Mi Pay' App.
• The Mi Pay app will be available on Xiaomi devices that run on the Android-based MIUI.
• App is seamlessly integrated across SMS, contacts, scanner, app vault and settings within the MIUI environment.
• Xiaomi has tied up with ICICI Bank for the role of the payment service provider while the NPCI monitored UPI will be the digital
wallet interface.
Oxford Dictionary includes word 'chuddies'
• Chuddies, the Indian English word for underwear, is among 650 new entries recognised as official English words by the definitive
Oxford English Dictionary' (OED) in the latest update.
• Chuddies made popular in the UK by the popular sitcom starring British Indian actors.
• It is defined as short trousers, shorts.
New Zealand Bans Assault Weapons
• New Zealand has imposed an immediate ban on assault weapons following the Christchurch massacre that claimed the lives of 50
mosque-goers.
• Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern announced assault rifles and military-style semi-automatic weapons would be
banned with immediate effect.
• It is done to ensure that nothing like Christchurch massacre ever occurs in the nation again.
International World Water Day
• International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March.
• It focuses attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
• The theme for World Water Day 2019 is ‘Leaving no one behind,’ which is the central promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development.
Deepest shaft cave discovered in Meghalaya
• India's deepest shaft cave Krem Um Ladaw has been discovered in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district.
• The cave has a 105 m deep shaft entrance passage.
• This comes a year after the world's longest sandstone cave Krem Puri was discovered in Meghalaya.
• With all these discoveries, Meghalaya has become one of the top caving regions of the world.
Evidence of water found on asteroid Bennu
• Scientists have discovered evidence of abundant water-bearing minerals on the surface of the near-earth asteroid Bennu.
• Data from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft that is currently orbiting the asteroid confirm the presence of aqueously altered,
hydrated minerals on its surface.
• Scientists say similar objects may have seeded the earth with water and organic materials.
CCFC was crowned the I League champion
• Chennai City Football Club (CCFC) was officially crowned the I-League champion.
• Special awards were given to:
• Fair play award: Shillong Lajong
• Top goal scorer: Pedro Manzi (CCFC) and Willis Plaza (Churchill Brothers) (21 goals each)
• Best goalkeeper: Bilal Khan (Real Kashmir)
• Best defender: Roberto Eslava (CCFC)
• Best midfielder: Nestor Gordillo (CCFC)
• Hero of the League: Manzi
Special Olympics World Games
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• Special Olympics World Games concluded on 21 March 2019.

• India has bagged 368 medals - 85 Gold, 154 Silver, and 129 Bronze at Special Olympic Games 2019 in Abu Dhabi.
• The next Special Olympic Games are set to take place in Sweden in 2021.
Persons in news
• China’s SAIC-owned British vehicle manufacturer Morris Garages announced the signing of actor Benedict Cumberbatch as the
brand ambassador for its India operations.
• AIADMK Sulur MLA R. Kanakaraj died of cardiac arrest. He was 64.
New sea level oscillation discovered
• Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services researchers, in collaboration with scientists from France, have discovered
the existence of a ‘synchronous oscillation’ of sea level across the entire Tropical Indian Ocean.
• It was seen with a time period of 30 to 80 days from December to April.
• This wind is associated with tropical weather phenomenon called Madden-Julian Oscillation.
Indian Navy to provide aid to Mozambique
• The Indian Navy was requested to provide Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) to the local population post-
cyclone 'IDAI'.
• INS Sujata, ICGS Sarathi and INS Shardul are providing necessary support to the local administration.
• Cyclone 'IDAI' made landfall at Beira, causing widespread damage and loss of human life in the Central and Northern provinces.
SBI signed pact with Bank of China
• The country's largest lender SBI signed a pact with the Bank of China to boost business opportunities.
• SBI signed a MoU with Bank of China (BoC), to enhance business synergies between both the banks.
• Through this pact, both SBI and BoC will gain direct access to their respective markets of operation.
UAE announced pan-Arab body
• 11 Arab states including Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Morocco signed on to the first regional team to cooperate on a space
programme.
• The pan-Arab team's first project is 'a satellite that Arab scientists will work on from here in the UAE'.
• The astronaut programme would make the UAE one of only a handful of states in the Middle East to have sent a person into
space.
Vymo won FICCI Award
• Vymo was recognized by FICCI (The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) at the recently concluded 2nd
Edition of the FICCI PICUP Conference for 'Innovation in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics'.
• Vymo was earlier awarded the 'AI for All' award in the category 'Empowering Employees with AI' by Microsoft.
April: Delaware Sikh Awareness Month
• Delaware Governor John Carney signed an executive proclamation naming April 2019 as the 'Delaware Sikh Awareness and
Appreciation Month'.
• This was done in recognition of the contribution of the small but influential Sikh community in the economic and social milieu of
the state.
Prajnesh made it to main draw of Miami Open
• India's number one singles player, Prajnesh Gunneswaran made it to the main draw of the Miami Open, his second straight
Masters appearance.
• He defeated Briton beat Jay Clarke, 6-4, 6-4 in the second qualifying round of the ATP-1000 tournament in Miami to progress to
the main draw.
• Prajnesh reached a career-high rank of 84 earlier.
Goa government passed floor test
• The Goa government, under the new CM Pramod Sawant, passed the floor test in the legislative assembly by 20 to 15 votes.
• The support of at least 19 MLAs was required to pass the test.
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• The BJP-led coalition government garnered support of 20 MLAs -- 11 from the BJP, three MLAs each from the MGP and the GFP
and three independents.
Nirav Modi arrested by London Police
• A UK court remanded the fugitive jeweller Nirav Modi, in custody till March 29, 2019.
• Nirav was arrested in Holborn on 20 March 2019. He is the main accused in the 13,500 crore rupees PNB scam case.
• His arrest came days after a London court issued an arrest warrant against him in response to a request by the Enforcement
Directorate for his extradition in a money laundering case.
RR launched academy in England
• Rajasthan Royals tied up with the Star Cricket Academy in Surrey, England to re-launch the facility as the 'Rajasthan Royals
Academy'.
• The centre has a state-of-the-art cricket centre named the Jarrett Centre.
• It is an indoor cricket training centre run by former professional batsman Siddharth Lahiri, along with his team of coaches.
Finland happiest nation
• Finland topped a global happiness ranking for the second year in a row.
• The ranking saw the U.S. drop one place, to 19th, while people in South Sudan were the least happy.
• India has been placed in the 140th spot, way below countries like Pakistan, Uganda, and Ethiopia.
India-Oman signed a deal
• India’s Accord Group and Oman’s Ministry of Oil and Gas signed a $3.85 billion deal to build an oil refinery in Sri Lanka.
• 200,000 barrel-per-day refinery will be built on 585 acres near the site of the new Hambantota international port.
• The refinery will produce 9 million metric tonnes of refined products a year for export from the Hambantota port.
Google unveiled Stadia
• Google unveiled a video-game streaming platform called Stadia, positioning itself to take on the traditional video-game business.
• The platform will store a game-playing session in the cloud and lets players jump across devices operating on Google's Chrome
browser and Chrome OS.
• Google made the announcement at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.
Vodafone Idea board approved rights issue
• Shares of Vodafone Idea (VIL), tumbled after its board approved Rs 25,000-crore rights issue, one of the largest in Indian markets.
• The stock recovered after falling as much as 7.6% to Rs 29.6 a piece (close to a 52-week low of Rs 28.8), ending at Rs 33 a piece,
up 3% from the previous close.
• VIL shareholders would be able to buy 87 shares for a 60% discount to the current stock price.
Scientists successfully levitate objects
• Scientists have designed a way to levitate and propel objects using only light, by creating nanoscale patterns on the objects'
surfaces.
• Though still theoretical, the work is a step toward developing a spacecraft that could reach the nearest planet outside of the solar
system in 20 years, powered and accelerated only by light.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics torch unveiled
• Organisers of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics unveiled a cherry-blossom shaped torch for the Games.
• The shiny rose-gold torch is 71 centimetres (28 inches) long and weighs 1.2 kilograms (2 pounds 10 ounces).
• Fukushima was chosen as the starting point for the Olympic torch relay.
• The passing of the flame is scheduled to start on March 26, 2020.
Jagmeet Singh entered Canada Parliament
• Indian-origin Jagmeet Singh created history in Canada by making debut in the House of Commons as the first non-white leader of
a major opposition party in the country.
• Singh, the leader of the New Democratic Party, was elected in federal by-elections held on February 25, 2019.
• His arrival coincided with the induction of a senior woman member into Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet.
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15th Finance Commission to visit Mizoram

• The Fifteenth Finance Commission shall be visiting the State of Mizoram on 25-26 March 2019.
• This will be the 20th State that the Commission will be visiting.
• As part of its visit, the Commission will be holding detailed meetings with Chief Secretary and Senior officers of the State and will
be given a presentation by the State Department of Finance, Urban Development, and Rural Development.
Astana to be renamed as Nursultan
• Kazakhstan's Parliament voted to rename the country's capital Astana as Nursultan in honour of longtime ruler Nursultan
Nazarbayev, a day after he resigned as President.
• Kazakhstan's new interim President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed renaming the capital.
• Astana replaced Kazakhstan's largest city Almaty as the capital in 1997.
Gauri Sawant: 1st transgender ambassador
• The Election Commission appointed transgender social activist Gauri Sawant as one of the 12 election ambassadors from
Maharashtra.
• Following the Supreme Court order, transgenders got the right to vote for the first time in 2014.
• There are 113, 184, and 123 registered transgenders in constituencies of Bhiwandi, Kalyan, and East Mumbai respectively.
Special Expenditure Observers appointed
• Election Commission appointed two eminent former Civil Servants Shailendra Handa and Ms. Madhu Mahajan as Special
Expenditure Observers for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections.
• Shailendra Handa has been deployed in Maharashtra and Madhu Mahajan has been deployed in Tamil Nadu.
Maldives Sign Agreement With Exim Bank
• Maldives finance ministry has signed an agreement with India’s EXIM for line of credit of 800 million US dollars to finance the
new government’s infrastructure projects.
• The LOC is part of 1.4 billion US dollars finance assistance announced by the Indian government during President Ibrahim
Mohamed Solih’s state visit in December 2018.
• The EXIM Bank loans come with a 1.75% interest rate.
'Conquer Exam, Be a Warrior' App launched
• Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar has developed a mobile application called as ‘Conquer Exam, Be a Warrior’.
• It is made in collaboration with the National Mental Health Program, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Gujarat.
• This application creates awareness as well as help students to analyze their weak points and overcome from the exam pressure
by providing assistance.
Karen becomes 1st woman to win Abel Prize
• Mathematician Karen Uhlenbeck has become the first woman to win the Abel prize.
• Sometimes called the Nobel prize of mathematics, is given to her for the impact of her work on "analysis, geometry and
mathematical physics".
• She is also an advocate for gender equality in science and mathematics.
• Abel Prize is named after Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel.
Important Days
• World Sparrow Day is observed every year on 20 March to raise awareness to save sparrow and other common birds.
• International Day of Happiness is observed every year on 20 March. The theme for 2019 is 'Happier Together'.
Worlds largest rail coach manufacturer
• Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Chennai has overtaken China's largest coach manufacturing unit to become the largest rail coach
maker in the world.
• From April 2018 to February 2019, ICF manufactured 2,919 coaches, while the biggest Chinese firm produces around 2,600
coaches/year.
• ICF registered 40% increase as compared to the production in the first 11 months of the previous financial year.
Kazakhstan President resigned
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• Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced his resignation after nearly 30 years in power.
• He had ruled the country since it emerged from the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.
Ice Stupas created
• Over 12 villages in Ladakh have built Ice Stupas in various villages.
• In each Ice Stupa, at least 30-50 lakh litres of water is saved. This is apart from the naturally saved water in the slopes of
mountains.
• With the technical and material support by the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh ( HIAL), village youths enthusiastically
participated in building the ice Stupas.
Goa CM Pramod Sawant to face floor test
• Newly-appointed Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will face a floor test in the Assembly on 20th March 2019.
• Governor Mridula Sinha has convened a special session of the Assembly for the government to prove its strength.
• A floor test is primarily taken to know whether the executive enjoys the confidence of the legislature.
UN patent data showed Asia innovation surge
• More than half of all international patent applications filed last year came from Asia, a further sign of innovation shifting from
west to east.
• The US remained the leading individual country for applications in 2018, however, on a regional basis, Asia's surge continued.
• India registered the largest innovation jump. Patent applications jumped more than 27% from 1,583 in 2017 up to 2,013.
PC Ghose appointed as India's first Lokpal
• Former Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose was appointed as the country's first Lokpal by President Ram Nath
Kovind.
• The Lokpal will have four judicial and four non-judicial members.
• Dilip B. Bhosale, Pradip Kumar Mohanty, and Abhilasha Kumari and Ajay Kumar Tripathi have been appointed as judicial
members.
Special Olympics World Games
• In Judo, Sonu Kumar from Rohtak, Haryana won the gold medal by winning all three bouts.
• Muskan bagged a silver each in squat and bench press. She also won a gold in deadlifting.
• India has sent a 378-strong contingent that is participating in the 15th edition of the Games.
• The closing ceremony of Special Olympics World Games is scheduled for March 21.
Abu Dhabi to host T10 league for five years
• Abu Dhabi Cricket, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the Department of Culture and Tourism-Abu Dhabi, has
signed a five-year agreement with the organisers of the T10 Cricket League.
• The shortest form of the game will now be played exclusively at Zayed Cricket Stadium.
• The first match of the T10 League 2019 will be held on October 23.
BWF badminton rankings
• Lakshya Sen and Riya Mookerjee broke into the top-100 among Men’s and Women’s singles players in the latest World
Badminton Rankings.
• Lakshya Sen is placed 76th while Riya Mookerjee is placed at 94th.
• In the women's singles rankings, P V Sindhu and Saina Nehwal are at 6th and 9th position respectively.
• Kidambi Srikanth is the best placed Indian in the men's rankings at 7th.
Obituaries
• Bengali actor Ramen Roy Chowdhury, who had acted in memorable films such as 'Sobuj Dwiper Raja' and 'Banchharamer Bagan',
passed away on 19 March 2019.
• Former Supreme Court judge Justice Satya Brata Sinha passed away on 19 March 2019 following age-related ailments.
Exim Bank gave $ 83 million to Congo
• Exim Bank gave a loan of $ 83.11 million to Congo to finance three solar power projects in the central African country.
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• The loan will be utilised for financing 3 solar photovoltaic power projects with a total capacity of 35 MW in 3 provinces -- Karawa,
Mbandaka, and Lusambo.
• Projects covered under the LOCs extended to Congo include hydroelectric power projects, power transmission, and more.
ADB to invest $ 50 million in Avaada
• Asian Development Bank (ADB) inked an agreement to invest $ 50 million in solar energy project developer Avaada Energy Pvt
Ltd on 19 March 2019.
• The investment will come equally from ADB's Ordinary Capital Resources and Leading Asia's Private Infrastructure Fund (LEAP).
• LEAP is a funding arrangement provided by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which is administered by ADB.
Spicejet got IATA membership
• SpiceJet joined global airlines' grouping IATA as a member, becoming the first Indian low-cost carrier to get the membership.
• The International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents more than 290 airlines, including Air India, Jet Airways and Vistara.
• The IATA membership is significant on account of SpiceJet's plans for rapidly expanding its international footprint.
International Sanskrit Conference commenced
• A 3-day international Sanskrit conference commenced on 19 March 2019 in Nepal.
• It is titled 'Sanskrit a common treasure of Nepal and India' and aims to endorse the ancient language as a common treasure of
Nepal and India.
• More than 45 working papers on different aspects of Sanskrit language, literature and philosophy will be presented by scholars
from the two nations.
India- Sri Lanka joint exercise to be held
• Exercise MITRA SHAKTI, between armies of India and Sri Lanka, will be conducted from 26 March-8 April 2019 in Sri Lanka.
• Troops from 1st Battalion of the BIHAR Regiment of the Indian Army and Gemunu Watch Battalion of Sri Lankan Army would be
jointly undertaking the exercise.
• The aim of the exercise is to build and promote close relations between the armies of both countries.
33rd India-Indonesia Corpat commenced
• The 33rd edition of the India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) is being held from 19 March- 4 April 2019 in Port
Blair.
• The ship and aircraft from both the countries would undertake patrolling on the respective sides of 236 nautical miles long
International Maritime Boundary line.
• The 33rd IND-INDO CORPAT is coinciding with 70 years of India-Indonesia diplomatic ties.
Conclaves concluded
• The 14th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnerships concluded in New Delhi on 19th March 2019. The three-day
conclave was organised by the Ministry of Commerce in association with Confederation of Indian Industry and EXIM Bank of
India.
• Ministry of Steel organised a two-day Vigilance Conclave in New Delhi which concluded on 19th March 2019.
Gallantry awards II
• In a rare occurrence, President also awarded a Shaurya Chakra to 16-year-old Irfan Ramzan Sheikh who thwarted a militant attack
on his home in 2017.
• Kovind also awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal to 13 senior officers of the three armed forces.
• He presented the Uttam Yuddh Seva Medal to 2 Army officers.
• 26 officers of the three armed forces were also awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.
Gallantry awards I
• President Kovind awarded Kirti Chakras to Sowar Vijay Kumar and Constable Pradip Kumar Panda.
• Shaurya Chakras were awarded to soldiers for their role in counter-terror operations in Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir.
• Kirti Chakra is awarded for “conspicuous gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy” while Shaurya Chakra is awarded for
“gallantry otherwise in the face of the enemy“.
IBBI, SEBI sign MoU
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• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) signed an MoU with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
• The IBBI and the SEBI seek effective implementation of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code) and its allied rules and
regulations.
• The rules have redefined the debt-equity relationship and aim to promote entrepreneurship and debt market.
World's most expensive cities
• According to the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, Asia's Lion City - Singapore has been joined
by Paris and Hong Kong in a tie at the top of the list.
• According to the report, India's Bengaluru, Chennai and New Delhi are among the ten cheapest locations surveyed.
• The Survey compares the prices of more than 400 items across 160 products and services.
Operational Readiness Exercise reviewed
• The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Admiral Sunil Lanba debriefed the recently concluded annual Theatre Level Readiness and
Operational Exercise (TROPEX) in Kochi.
• Commanders-in-Chief of all the three naval Commands, attended and participated in the discussions held at the Naval Base,
Kochi.
• The review of TROPEX 2019 was undertaken to assess operational readiness of the Indian Navy.
Prajnesh Gunneswaran rose to 84th position
• In Tennis, India's Prajnesh Gunneswaran rose to career-high rank of 84 in the latest men's rankings of the Association of Tennis
Professionals(ATP).
• In the Women's Tennis Association rankings, Ankita Raina continues to be India's top-ranked player at 168.
• She was followed by Karman Kaur Thandi, who jumped seven places to 203.
Water-resistant electronic skin created
• Scientists have created a self-healing electronic skin that could be used in to develop a range of devices from water-resistant
touchscreens to aquatic soft robots.
• The material has been developed by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the University of California.
• The electronic skin is created by printing the novel material into electronic circuits.
EFIs can trade in commodity derivatives
• Eligible Foreign Investors (EFIs) can participate in commodity derivatives trading on stock exchanges located at the International
Financial Services Centre (IFSC).
• This statement was released by SEBI on 18 March 2019.
• The contracts would be cash-settled on the settlement price determined on overseas exchanges.
• Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) is the 1st IFSC in India.
Japan's Uncle Olympics passed away
• Businessman Naotoshi Yamada, known as 'Uncle Olympics', passed away due to heart failure recently.
• He attended all 14 summer Olympics from the 1964 Tokyo Games to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
• He stood out among the audience as he often wore a traditional Japanese jacket and a golden hat while cheering loudly and
waving the Japanese flag.
McIlroy secured 15th title on PGA Tour
• Rory McIlroy secured his 15th PGA Tour title by winning The Players tourney, coming in two under par at 70 at the TPC Sawgrass.
• It was McIlroy's 23rd career title worldwide, earning him the $2.25 million purse and getting him into the top slot of the FedEx
Cup standings.
• So far in his career, he has won four majors - the 2011 US Open, the 2012 and 2014 PGA and the 2014 British Open.
PCB paid $ 1.6 million to BCCI
• The Pakistan Cricket Board paid the BCCI approximately USD 1.6 million as compensation after losing the case in the ICC's Dispute
Resolution Committee.
• The PCB had filed a compensation case against the BCCI in 2018 for an amount of around USD 70 million.
• PCB had sought a huge amount from BCCI for not honouring a MoU signed between the two boards.
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Military bands to perform in CSK-RCB opener

• Military bands will perform at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium ahead of the opening fixture of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
• BCCI will also contribute Rs. 20 crore for the welfare of the armed forces in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, where 44
CRPF personnel were killed.
• Indian players had also paid their respects by sporting Army camouflage caps in the third ODI in Ranchi.
K.M. Mammen: ATMA Chairman
• K.M. Mammen and Anshuman Singhania, have been elected as chairman and vice-chairman, respectively, of Automotive Tyre
Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA).
• ATMA acts as a key link between tyre makers and the Centre, and assists in policy formulation on the sector.
• It regularly publishes industry data and brings out status notes on industry issues.
Mizoram Assembly passed a bill
• The Mizoram Assembly passed the Mizoram Maintenance of Household Registers Bill, 2019 on 18 March 2019.
• The bill seeks to detect foreigners illegally residing in the northeastern state, that shares an over 700-km border with Bangladesh
and Myanmar.
• The measures proposed under the legislation are intended to provide a credible individual identification system.
Name change of Nagaland village
• The Centre gave its consent for changing the name of Mangkhi village in Tuensang district of Nagaland to Mungankhun village.
• The central government has given its 'no-objection' to rename 22 villages, towns and railway stations across the country since
December 2017.
• Some of the cleared proposals are Arikkod as Areekode in Malappura, Kerala and Laxman Garh as Adawala in Rajasamand,
Rajasthan.
Alan Krueger passed away
• Alan Krueger, a groundbreaking Princeton University economist, passed away recently.
• He served as a top adviser in two Democratic administrations and was an authority on the labor market.
• He also worked for President Barack Obama as a top Treasury official and then as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers
from 2011 to 2013.
Hawaii to ban plastics at restaurants
• Hawaii would be the first state in the US to ban most plastics at restaurants under legislation that aims to cut down on waste that
pollutes the ocean.
• In the US, 500 million plastic straws are used and thrown out every day.
• 95 percent of plastic packaging worldwide is thrown out after being used once.
Hyundai, KIA to invest $ 300 million in Ola
• Hyundai Motor Co and KIA Motors Corp will together invest $300 million in Ola, playing catch-up in the global race to invest in
mobility firms.
• Hyundai, Kia, and Ola will collaborate to develop fleet and mobility solutions, electric vehicles and infrastructure specific to the
Indian market.
• Ola's other investors include SoftBank Group Corp and Tencent Holdings Ltd.
Net direct tax collection crossed Rs10 lakh cr
• The net direct tax collection figure crossed the Rs 10 lakh crore mark as on March 16, 2019.
• The net direct tax collection during April-January of this fiscal stood at Rs 7.89 lakh crore as against Rs 12 lakh crore targeted for
the entire fiscal of 2018-19.
• The government in the interim Budget revised customs collection target from Rs 1.12 lakh crore to Rs 1.30 lakh crore.
Ola signed MoU with Telangana government
• Ola signed a MoU with the Government of Telangana on 18 March 2019 to support the efforts in strengthening traffic
infrastructure in the city.
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• The partnership would see Ola 'share intelligent insights' that enable the Government to implement smart solutions to enhance
'mobility experience' in the city.
• Ola will work with the government to build innovative solutions for the city.
Gopi Thonakal qualified for World Athletics
• Gopi Thonakal qualified for the World Athletics Championships in marathon, to be held in Doha in September-October 2019.
• He achieved it after finishing 11th in the Seoul International Marathon, clocking his personal best time of 2 hours 13 minutes 39
seconds.
• This was the 2nd best ever by an Indian after the 4-decade old national record of 2 hours 12 minutes held by Shivnath Singh.
i-help launched in Assam
• The ‘i-help’ initiative to promote digital electoral literacy in Assam was launched in view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll.
• It is a joint initiative of the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and Common Service Centres (CSC).
• The CSCs are internet-enabled access points spread throughout the country delivering various government and non-government
digital services to the citizens.
Pramod Sawant: New CM of Goa
• BJP leader Pramod Sawant was named as the next Chief Minister of Goa, to succeed Manohar Parrikar, on 18 March 2019.
• He is the Speaker of the Goa legislative assembly and was sworn in as the 11th Chief Minister of Goa.
• Mridul Sinha is the Governor of Goa.
3rd Indo-Japan Workshop held in New Delhi
• The 3rd Indo-Japan Workshop on Disaster Risk Reduction was held on 18 March 2019 in New Delhi.
• It was organized with an objective of enhancing collaboration between research institutes, cities and private sector in the field of
Disaster Risk Reduction.
• The Government of India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in
September 2017.
Global Recycling Day
• Global Recycling Day is held on March 18 every year.
• Global Recycling Day was created in 2018 to help recognise, and celebrate, the importance recycling plays in preserving our
precious primary resources and securing the future of our planet.
• It is a day for the world to come together and put the planet first.
• The theme of 2019 as ‘Recycling into the Future’.
Krishna Swaminathan assumes Charge as FOST
• Rear Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, VSM, has assumed charge as Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) at Kochi.
• Swaminathan, a specialist in Communication, and Electronic Warfare was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 Jul 87, and is
an alumnus of the NDA, Khadakwasla at Pune.
• He has commanded five frontline ships of the Indian Navy including the missile vessels, INS Vidyut and INS Vinash.
Ritu became Cultural ambassador of Uzbekistan
• Popular Indian fashion designer Ritu Beri has been appointed as the Cultural and Tourism Ambassador of Uzbekistan in India by
the Ministry of Tourism of Uzbekistan.
• This is in recognition of her contribution towards bringing the two countries together by way of fusing cultures in her clothing
line.
• She is the first Indian to be appointed to this position.
Thiem won his Maiden Masters Title
• Dominic Thiem claimed the biggest title of his career by defeating Roger Federer in the BNP Paribas Open final.
• He secured his first ATP Masters 1000 trophy in his third final appearance.
• Thiem denied Roger Federer a record sixth BNP Paribas Open crown.
Obituaries
• Senior journalist and environmental activist Darryl D'Monte, who worked with leading English dailies, died.
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• Legendary Bengali film actor Chinmoy Roy, known for his excellence in comic roles, has died after suffering a heart attack.
A gel to selectively remove oil or water
• A natural biopolymer, chitosan, which is water-soluble, has been chemically modified by researchers at the IIT Guwahati.
• It can selectively remove either an oil or water phase from an oil-water mixture.
• The researchers have also made it possible to switch the chitosan-based material’s property from being extremely water-
repelling to extremely oil-repelling and vice-versa.
NGT asks for action plan on air quality
• The National Green Tribunal has directed 6 states to submit action plans for bringing air quality standards within the prescribed
norms by April 30.
• Failing which they would be liable to pay ₹1 crore each.
• A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel ordered the chief secretaries of Assam, Jharkhand Maharashtra,
Punjab, Uttarakhand and Nagaland governments to submit their plan
India’s first REIT
• India’s first real estate investment trust (REIT) is going to come up.
• It is backed by Embassy Office Parks, a Bangalore-based real estate developer.
• The first REIT initial public offering (IPO) is open for investment between March 18 and 20, 2019.
• The Embassy Office Parks REIT plans to raise ₹4,570 crore through the IPO.
Persons in news
• AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes has quit Facebook following the live-streaming of terror attack on two
mosques in New Zealand's Christchurch.
• Former IAS officer Shah Faesal, who became the first IAS topper from J&K in 2009, has launched a political party named 'Jammu
and Kashmir Peoples' Movement' in Srinagar.
NGT fines Adani Group ₹5 cr
• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a ₹5-crore fine on the Adani Group over its power plant in Karnataka's Udupi.
• The NGT also canceled the environmental clearance given to Adani Group to expand its power plant in the area.
• This comes after nearby residents complained about the ill-effects on public health and decreasing agricultural yield due to the
plant.
Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure
• An International Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (IWDRI) will be inaugurated on 19 March.
• The two-day workshop is being organised by the NDMA in collaboration with UNISDR, and in partnership with the Global
Commission on Adaptation, UN Development Programme and the World Bank.
• The workshop aims to identify good practices of disaster risk management in key infrastructure sectors
Special Olympics
• In Special Olympics, in Roller Skating, Supreet Singh from Haryana in 1000-meter, Rishabh Jain from New Delhi in 1000-meter and
Priya Prakash Gada from Maharashtra in 100-meter won a Gold Medal each.
• Amanjot Singh won gold in the squat contest after lifting 385 kg.
• Indian roller skaters bagged 29 medals comprising nine golds, 13 silver, and two bronze.
Kohli retains top spot in ICC ODI rankings
• Indian skipper Virat Kohli and pacer Jasprit Bumrah have retained top positions in the latest ICC ODI rankings.
• Kohli remained at the number one spot in the list of batsmen.
• Rohit Sharma remained number two.
• In the team rankings, India is second, behind England.
India came second at Asian Youth C'ships
• In Asian Youth Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, boys medley relay team won a gold medal for India.
• Indian youth team finished second in the overall medals tally with a total of 26 medals including eight gold, nine silver, and nine
bronze medals.
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• China topped the overall medals tally with 31 medals that included 12 gold, 11 silver, and 8 bronze medals.
NGT asks to prepare a noise pollution map
• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to prepare a noise pollution map and
remedial action plan.
• It is done to solve the noise pollution issue across the country.
• A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the CPCB to identify noise pollution hotspots and
categorise cities with specified hotspots.
India signed agreement with Maldives
• External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met her Maldivian counterpart Abdullah Shahid and had a joint ministerial meeting.
• She had an agreement for further collaboration, including development cooperation and enhancing people to people contact.
• Three agreements were exchanged on visa facilitation for diplomatic and official passport holders, development cooperation and
renewable energy.
Pinaki Chandra named as India's first Lokpal
• Pinaki Chandra Ghose is likely to be India’s first anti-corruption ombudsman or Lokpal.
• He is the former Supreme Court judge and current member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
• The Lokpal Act passed in 2013 provides for setting up of Lokpal at the center and Lokayuktas in the States to probe corruption
complaints against top functionaries and public servants.
K T Irfan qualified for Tokyo Olympics
• A 29-year-old Indian athlete from Kerala, K.T. Irfan qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.
• He finished fourth in the men’s 20-kilometer category at the Asian Race Walking Championships in Nomi, Japan.
• He got qualified for next year's Tokyo Olympics.
• The Two other Indian race walkers, who qualified for the World Championship are Devinder and Ganapati.
EC sets pre-poll deadline for manifestos
• Election Commission barred political parties from releasing election manifestos 48 hours before both single and multiphase
polling.
• In a multi-phased poll, the silence period of the last 48 hours may be on in certain constituencies while the campaign is ongoing
in other constituencies.
• It also said that during the silence period, political leaders should refrain from addressing the media.
Sports
• Diksha Dagar became only the second Indian woman golfer to win the Ladies European Tour.
• China's Badminton player Shi Yuqi won the Swiss Open Badminton tournament in Basel on 17 March 2019.
• Javelin thrower Annu Rani qualified for the Asian Championships to be held in Doha next month.
Goa CM Manohar Parrikar passed away
• Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar passed away in Panaji on 17 March 2019.
• He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in February 2018.
• He served as Chief Minister of the Goa from October 2000 to February 2005, and March 2012 to November 2014.
• From November 2014 till March 2017, he served as the Union Defence Minister.
• He served as a Rajya Sabha MP from November 2014 to September 2017.
U.K. lifts cap on PhD-level work visas
• The United Kingdom has lifted the 'restricted cap' which was imposed in 2011 by the government has been lifted for student
visas.
• Currently, Ph.D. holders who apply for Tier 2 work visas are limited by a restriction of only 20,700 visas per year.
• It will be implemented from the beginning of September 2019, but the cap of 20,700 will stay till 2021 for official reasons.
President confers Padma awards
• Folk Singer Teejan Bai, scientist S. Nambi Narayanan were among the 54 noted citizens to be conferred with the Padma award by
President Ram Nath Kovind on 16 March 2019.
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• Teejan Bai and Naik received the Padma Vibhushan Award.

• The awards were conferred in two ceremonies with 47 dignitaries receiving the honour on March 11, while 54 were honoured on
16 March 2019.
India Pavilion inaugurated at London Book Fair
• The India Pavilion at London Book Fair was inaugurated on 12 March 2019.
• The Fair was held in the London Olympia from 12 to 14 March 2019.
• The India Pavilion lays special focus on 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• It displays the digital version of the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi.
A K Misra is new ASRB chief
• Aditya Kumar Misra, a veterinary professor and former Vice Chancellor of GB University of Agriculture and Technology,
Pantnagar, has been appointed as the new Chairman of Agricultural Scientific Recruitment Board (ASRB).
• He would hold the new position till January 5, 2022.
• ASRB recruits technical manpower for national agricultural research system
SCO to hold joint anti-terrorism exercise
• India, Pakistan and the other members' states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will take part in a joint anti-
terrorism exercise 'Sary-Arka-Anti-terror 2019'.
• The decision to hold the joint exercise was taken in the 34th meeting of the SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) council
held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
• India and Pakistan were admitted into the bloc in 2017.
First BRICS Sherpa meeting concludes
• The first BRICS Sherpa meeting under the Presidency of Brazil concluded on 15 March 2019 at Curitiba in Brazil.
• T S Tirumurti, Secretary of Economic Relations in the Ministry of External Affairs, led the Indian delegation at the two-day
meeting.
• Brazil has identified countering terrorism as one of its priority areas for BRICS under its presidency.
AFINDEX-19 to begin from March 18
• A 10-day long Africa-India Joint Field Training Exercise (AFINDEX-19) between the Indian Army and 16 African nations will be
conducted from 18 to 27 March 2019.
• The exercise will be conducted in Pune, Maharashtra.
• The aim of the exercise is to train the participating contingents in Humanitarian Mine Assistance (HMA) and Peace Keeping
Operations (PKO) under the United Nations Charter.
Ved Rahi won the Kusumagraj literature
• Film director and novelist Ved Rahi was selected for prestigious 'Kusumagraj' national award for literature.
• The award was instituted by the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) in Nashik, Maharashtra.
• Ved Rahi has penned seven novels in Dogri language. He was given Sahitya Akademi award for his Dogri novel, 'Aale' in 1983.
Nara Lokesh, Poonam in Global Leaders list
• According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh, BJP MP Poonam Mahajan and Xiaomi
India head Manu Kumar Jain are among the Indians featuring in the list of Young Global Leaders.
• Telangana government's Chief Innovation Officer Phanindra Sama, SaveLife Foundation's Piyush Tewari, and Kaleidofin's co-
Founder Sucharita Mukherjee are also in the list.
RBI relaxes norms for trade credit
• On 13 March 2019, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) relaxed norms for imports of capital and non-capital goods by raising the trade
credit limit to USD 150 million under the automatic route.
• Oil and gas refining & marketing, airline and shipping companies can avail trade credits under the automatic route.
• For others, the limit is up to USD 50 million or equivalent per import transaction.
Dream11 to be official partner for IPL
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• On 15 March 2019, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Dream11, Indias biggest sports game, as the official
partner for the Indian Premier League (IPL).
• This four-year exclusive partnership will begin with the upcoming IPL 2019 season.
• Additionally, the 'Official Fantasy Game' of IPL will also be powered by Dream11.
GI tag for Coorg Arabica Coffee & four others
• The Geographical Indications Registry has granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag to Coorg Arabica Coffee, Wayanad
Robusta Coffee, Chikmagalur Arabica Coffee, Araku Valley Arabica Coffee, and Bababudangiris Arabica Coffee on 1 March 2019.
• Coorg Arabica Coffee is grown specifically in Karnataka.
• GI tag is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin.
India gets first TIR shipment from Afghanistan
• The first shipment under the United Nations ‘Transports Internationaux Routiers’ (TIR) convention arrived in India from
Afghanistan through Iran’s Chabahar Port.
• The consignments arrived at the port of Nhava Sheva, Mumbai and Mundra on 13 March 2019.
• India had joined the United Nations Customs Convention on International Transport of Goods under cover of TIR Carnets on 15
June 2017.
IHMCL inks pact with CSC e-Governance
• To ensure faster implementation of electronic toll collection, Indian Highways Management Company Ltd (IHMCL) has inked a
pact with CSC e-Governance Services for the issuance of FASTags through common service centers.
• IHMCL is promoted by the National Highways Authority of India.
• It has been mandated to implement the National Electronic Toll Collection programme under the brand name FASTag.
DDC constitutes a 17-member committee
• The Dialogue and Development Commission (DDC) has set-up a 17-member high-level committee on reforming higher education
in Delhi.
• The committee will be chaired by DDC vice-chairperson Jasmine Shah.
• It will recommend goals, metrics, policies, and actionable plans for reforming Delhi's higher education system within a year.
India ranks 11th in gold holding
• As per the latest report by the World Gold Council (WGC), India has the 11th largest gold reserve, with the current holding
pegged at 607 tonnes.
• The US is ranked first which boasts of gold reserves of 8,133.5 tonnes, followed by Germany with 3,369.7 tonnes.
• Italy and France complete the top five list with reserves of a little over 2,400 tonnes each.
MP appoints its first transgender govt officer
• In a first in Madhya Pradesh, the state has appointed a transgender government officer.
• Sanjana Singh recently joined as the personal secretary of the director of social justice and disabled persons welfare.
• Before her present posting, Sanjana had become the first para-legal volunteer of District Legal Services Tribunal and was also a
nominated member of the Lok Adalat of the tribunal
Appointments and Resignations
• Santosh Jha (IFS:1993), presently Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Washington, was appointed as the next Ambassador
of India to the Republic of Uzbekistan.
• Rahul Bajaj will step down as the Chairman and Non-Executive Director of Bajaj Finserv on 16 May 2019.
• Delhi Capitals has appointed Sourav Ganguly as the advisor for the upcoming edition of Indian Premier League (IPL).
Global Environment Outlook report released
• The sixth Global Environment Outlook report was released by the United Nations on 13 March 2019.
• As per the report, air pollution from vehicles and industry as well as burning fuels was resulting in about seven-million deaths
annually.
• It also said that the water quality has worsened due to increased organic and chemical pollutants such as plastic, pathogens,
heavy metals and pesticides.
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Aviva Life Insurance launches Wings Programme

• Aviva Life Insurance has announced the launch of ‘Wings' programme on 13 March 2019.
• It is a specially designed mentorship program to empower the female workforce.
• The program is an initiative of the SHE division of the company, for mentoring all the women employees.
• SHE was conceptualised in 2016 by Aviva India’s Women Network
Health ministry calls for ban on e-cigarettes
• The union health ministry has called for Juul Labs Inc's electronic cigarettes to be blocked from entering the country.
• Juul has plans to launch its products in India by late 2019.
• In February 2019, drug regulator told all states to ensure that e-cigarettes were not sold or manufactured in their region.
• More than 900,000 people die each year in India due to tobacco-related illnesses
NGT suspends expansion of thermal plant
• The Principal Bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has suspended the expansion plan of the thermal plant of Udupi Power
Corporation Ltd. (UPCL) at Yellur in Udupi district on 15 March 2019.
• The thermal power plant got the Environmental Clearance of 1 August 2017.
• The thermal plant project was challenged in 2004 by the Nandikur Janajagrithi Samithi, an NGO.
4th UNEA session held in Nairobi
• The 4th United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) was held in Nairobi from 11 to 15 March 2019.
• In a significant first, India piloted resolutions on two important global environmental issues relating to Single-use Plastics and
Sustainable Nitrogen management.
• The theme of the UNEA 2019 was Innovative Solutions for environmental challenges and sustainable production and
consumption.
Highest growth in affordable housing
• The report titled 'Affordable Housing: The Blue-Eyed Boy of Indian Real Estate' was released by Anarock Property Consultant Ltd
and Confederation of Indian Industry on 15 March 2019.
• Delhi NCR and Mumbai together accounted for 57% sales and 55% supply of all affordable housing units built between 2013 and
2018.
• As per the report, affordable housing units cost between ₹20 lakh and ₹30 lakh.
IIT Kharagpur to adopt AWS Educate Programme
• The Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur will adopt Amazon Web Services (AWS) Educate programme.
• This will help students gain cloud computing skills in artificial intelligence (AI).
• The programme is Amazon's global initiative to provide students and educators with the resources needed to accelerate cloud-
related learning.
Sushma Swaraj to vist Maldives
• External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will visit the Maldives on a two-day visit beginning on 17 March 2019.
• The aim of the visit is to strengthen the close and friendly relations between the two countries.
• She will have a bilateral meeting with various ministers of Maldives.
• Ibrahim Mohamed Solih is the President of Maldives.
• Maldives capital is Male and currency is Maldivian Rufiyaa.
BusinessLine Changemaker Of The Year presented
• Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presented the 'BusinessLine Changemaker Of The Year' award to Union Minister Arun
Jaitley on 15 March 2019.
• The award was given to him for successfully introducing the Goods and Services Tax.
• The award was shared by petitioners against Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, who managed to get the law against same-sex
relations quashed in September 2018.
Namaste Thailand festival inaugurated
• The 3rd edition of Namaste Thailand festival was inaugurated in New Delhi on 15 March 2019.
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• The aim of the festival is to strengthen the bilateral ties and increasing cultural exchange between India and Thailand.
• The three-day festival was organised by the Royal Thai Embassy.
• The Namaste Thailand festival will feature a series of Thai craft activities.
Device which creates water from thin air
• Scientists have developed a novel solar-powered harvesting system that absorbs moisture from the air and converts it into clean,
usable water.
• It relies on hydrogels, gel-polymer hybrid materials designed to be 'super sponges' that can retain large amounts of water.
• The technology could be used in disaster situations, water crises or poverty-stricken areas and developing countries.
Mozambique city of Beira hit by Cyclone Idai
• Cyclone Idai, which is carrying heavy rains and winds of up to 177 km/h, made landfall at the port city of Beira on 14 March 2019.
• The cyclone has now moved west towards Zimbabwe.
• Beira is the fourth-largest city in Mozambique and its port sits on the mouth of the Pungwe River, that runs to Zimbabwe.
• Mozambique is the third most at-risk country in Africa when it comes to extreme weather.
Kent RO receives best purifier award 2018-19
• Kent RO Systems Pvt. Ltd. received the Best Domestic Water Purifier Award 2018-19 for its RO+UV+UF technology at the Water
Digest Water Awards event.
• Water Digest Water Awards is backed by the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and
UNESCO.
• The award honours the Organisations/NGOs/Corporate that has worked to ensure that the efficient use of water resources.
• Nitin Paranjpe, a former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), was appointed as the Chief Operating
Officer (COO) of Unilever.
• IDBI Bank said that Hemant Bhargava had ceased to be its Non-Executive Chairman as he no longer heads the parent company
LIC.
• On 15 March 2019, Vedanta Ltd appointed metals industry veteran Pankaj Kumar as CEO of Sterlite Copper.
Brookfield to buy East-West gas pipeline
• Canadian investor Brookfield-led India Infrastructure Trust (InVIT) agreed to buy Mukesh Ambani's East-West gas pipeline for Rs
13,000 crore.
• The East-West pipeline originates at Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh and travels 1,460-kilometers up to Bharuch in Gujarat.
• It transports Reliance Industries Ltd's eastern offshore KG-D6 gas to various customers.
Sports
• In Athletics, Kamalpreet Kaur won a gold medal in the women's discus throw event. Kaur also qualified for the Asian
Championships in the process on the opening day of Federation Cup in Patiala.
• Shivpal Singh also booked a berth in the next month's Asian Championships in Doha in men's javelin throw by crossing the
qualifying standard set by Athletics Federation of India.
President gives National Grassroots Awards
• President Ramnath Kovind on 15th March 2019, awarded National Grassroots Innovators at Grambharti near Gandhinagar in
Gujarat.
• Prakash Singh Raghuvanshi from UP has been awarded lifetime achievement award for his innovations in new varieties of
agriculture crops.
• The first prize in Veterinary, Herbal medication for coccidiosis was presented to Periyasami Ramasami of Salem, Tamil Nadu.
West Nile Virus fever patient reported
• The government of India sent a special medical team to Malappuram district of Kerala from where a confirmed case of West Nile
Virus (WNV) fever, a mosquito-borne disease was reported.
• Birds are the natural hosts of WNV and it spreads to human by Culex mosquitoes.
• The symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and swollen lymph glands.
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Bandhan Bank gets RBI approval

• Bandhan Bank received no objection from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for the proposed acquisition of Gruh Finance.
• Gruh Finance is the affordable housing finance arm of HDFC Ltd.
• It was taken over in January 2019 by Kolkata-based Bandhan Bank in a share-swap deal.
• As part of the deal, Bandhan Bank has to transfer 14.9% stake to HDFC for merging Gruh with itself.
SBI launches cardless ATM withdrawal
• State Bank of India (SBI) launched YONO Cash on 15 March 2019.
• YONO cash is designed to help SBI customers withdraw cash without a physical debit card.
• ATMs enabled for this service will be termed YONO Cash Point.
• ATM cash withdrawals using SBI's YONO will be secured with two-factor authentication.
Australia to launch military exercises
• Australia will launch a seven-nation Indian Ocean military exercise from 18 March 2019.
• The exercise will start in Sri Lanka.
• Some 1,000 Australian security personnel in four naval ships and a military aircraft will participate in the biggest joint exercise yet
with their Sri Lankan counterparts.
Asian Youth Athletics Championships
• India bagged 5 medals, including two gold, on the opening day of the Asian Youth Athletics Championships in Hong Kong.
• Philip Maheswaran Thabitha grabbed the first gold for India by winning the boys' 110 metres hurdles.
• Vipin Kumar added the second gold medal for India in the boys' hammer throw.
• Harshita Sherawat, Deepak Yadav, and Ajay are the other three who won silver and bronze medals.
New guidelines on price-sensitive information
• On 15 March 2019, the Reserve Bank of India came out with guidelines to prevent misuse of price-sensitive information by
participants in markets for financial instruments.
• Market participants shall not undertake any action with the intention to manipulate the calculation of a benchmark rate or a
reference rate.
• The guidelines have come into effect from 15 March 2019.
General Wolters new NATO supreme commander
• US Air Force General Tod Wolters was nominated to become the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's (NATO) Chief.
• The North Atlantic Council has approved the nomination of General Tod Wolters.
• General Wolters is currently serving as Commander, United States Air Forces Europe, United States Air Forces Africa and Allied
Air Command.
India to host U-17 Women's World Cup in 2020
• On 15 March 2019, International Football Federation (FIFA) President Gianni Infantino announced that India will host the U-17
Women's World Cup in 2020.
• This will be the second FIFA tournament India will be hosting, after the U-17 Men's World Cup in 2017.
• As the host country, India automatically qualified for the U-17 Women's World Cup event.
Awards and Honours
• Swati Shingade of Pune, Maharashtra won the first prize of DD Mahila Kisan Award for 2018-19.
• Renowned Kathak dancer Seema Mehta was given the 'Nari Shakti Puraskar' award for her contribution towards women
empowerment over the last 15 years.
India's trade deficit narrows
• According to data released by the Commerce Ministry, India's exports grew by 2.44% year-on-year to 26.67 billion dollars.
• India's imports declined by 5.4% to 36.26 billion dollars.
• The exports grew on account of higher shipments in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, engineering, and electronics.
• The gap between imports and exports was 12.3 billion dollars in February 2018.
ECI to launch Observer App
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• The Election Commission of India (ECI) will launch the Observer App, a mobile application, that will help poll observers to submit
reports.
• The poll observers will get all the important notifications and alerts through the ‘Observer App’.
• It will also help them get their deployment status and download the ID card.
Neomi Rao to become federal judge: US
• The US Senate has voted to confirm Indian-origin Neomi Rao as a judge on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.
• Rao will replace Brett Kavanaugh who was confirmed to the US Supreme Court in October last year.
• The 45-year-old, who was nominated by US President Donald Trump, currently heads the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs.
Karnataka won Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
• Karnataka defeated Maharashtra by 8 wickets in the finals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
• It was played at Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore.
• Mayank Agarwal scored an unbeaten 85 off 57 balls to help Karnataka win their first ever Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Important Reports
• The National Green Tribunal has directed all States to furnish reports pertaining to the management of bio-medical waste to the
Central Pollution Control Board by April 30.
• According to the recent report of Lancet, people live longer in countries that became democracies from 1970 to 2015. Study of
170 countries found that life expectancy improved more quickly in democratic countries.
Anthem of Special Olympics World Games 2019
• The official song for Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019 is titled Right Where I’m Supposed To Be.
• It was revealed for the first time at the Opening Ceremony of the World Games.
• Avril Lavigne's song ‘Fly’ was the official anthem for the 2015 World Games.
Climate vulnerability index for India
• The Department of Science and Technology (DST) will be commissioning a study to assess the climate risks faced by States in
India.
• This follows an assessment of the global warming risks faced by 12 Himalayan States.
• A climate portal will be made, whereby users can zoom in on any district in the country and get a sense of what kind of risks are
present.
A task force to address mental health issues
• Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) has formed a task force to tackle mental health issues of college-going students.
• As India is set to have a large population below 25 years by 2020, experts predict a spurt in cases of depression, anxiety, and
suicides.
• The task force consists of three senior psychiatrists: Dr. Kersi Chavda, Dr. Avinash Desouza, and Dr. Amrit Pattojoshi
Dolphin numbers dropped in Gandak
• A count of the Ganges River Dolphin in rivers, Gandak and Ghaghara, has revealed the presence of 280 dolphins.
• The number of dolphins recorded in a 324-km stretch of Gandak river was 155.
• The last survey carried out in 2009-10 had recorded the presence of 257 dolphins in the same stretch.
• In a 99-km stretch of Ghaghara river in Bihar, researchers found the presence of 125 dolphins.
Padmanaban won Commonwealth Youth Award
• Padmanaban Gopalan, the founder of No Food Waste, was named the winner of the Commonwealth Youth Award for the Asian
region in London.
• His initiative runs a geo-mapping platform, which allows users to drop food at located 'hunger spots'.
• It has so far recovered over 650,000 meals across 14 cities and the platform has been used by over 12,000 volunteers.
Supreme Court set aside ban on Sreesanth
• The Supreme Court has set aside the life ban on cricketer S Sreesanth, imposed by the BCCI.
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• The disciplinary committee of the BCCI may reconsider within three months the quantum of punishment to be given to
Sreesanth.
• The disciplinary committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, BCCI imposed the ban on Sreesanth for his alleged
involvement in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal.
Greta nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
• Greta Thunberg, the Swedish schoolgirl who has inspired an international movement to fight climate change, has been
nominated to receive Nobel Peace Prize 2019.
• If she wins, she would be the youngest recipient since Pakistan's Malala Yousafzai, who was 17 when she received the prize.
• She was nominated by three Norwegian MPs.
Argentina, Colombia to co-host Copa America
• Argentina and Colombia are poised to co-host the 2020 Copa America after South America's ruling body CONMEBOL once again
ruled out a US proposal to host the tournament.
• The decision marks the first time in the modern Copa America era that the tournament will be split between two countries.
Russia issued a commemorative coin
• The Bank of Russia has issued a commemorative coin to mark five years since Russia staged a disputed referendum in Ukraine’s
Crimea.
• The Bank of Russia has issued a base metal coin in denomination of 5 rubles.
• The face value of the coin also features an illegally-built bridge to connect the peninsular to mainland Russia.
World Consumer Rights Day: 15 March
• World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated every year on 15 March as part of an initiative by Consumer International.
• It was inspired by President John F Kennedy, who was the first leader in the world to address the issue of consumer rights in a
special message sent to the US Congress on 15 March 1962.
• The theme for World Consumers day 2019 is 'Trusted Smart Products'.
FINE inaugurated by President
• President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the Festival of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (FINE) in Gandhinagar in Gujarat on 15
March 2019.
• FINE is an initiative to recognise, respect, showcase, reward innovations and foster supportive ecosystem for innovators.
• It is aimed at providing a platform for innovators for building linkages with potential stakeholders.
Obituaries
• Maate Mahadevi, a prominent woman pontiff of Lingayat community and seer of the 'Basava Dharma Peetha', died at a private
hospital on 14 March 2019.
• YS Vivekananda Reddy, a former Lok Sabha member passed away at his home in Pulivendula due to a cardiac arrest.
• Charlie Whiting, Formula 1's long-serving race director, died.
NTPC signed pact with Indian Railways
• NTPC signed a MoU with Hazipur-based East Central Railway Zone for transportation of fly ash under Indian Railways' Special
Freight Train Operator (SFTO) scheme.
• The move will help enhance ash utilisation at Rihand and Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power plants.
• NTPC has become the first entity in the country to sign an SFTO agreement with Indian Railways.
Appointments II
• Acuité Ratings and Research said that former deputy RBI governor S S Mundra has been appointed as non-executive chairman to
its board with immediate effect.
• M.R. Kumar, the newly-appointed chairman of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), took charge on 14 March 2019.
Appointments I
• Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant will head the National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage, which is being set
up to promote clean and sustainable mobility initiatives in the country.
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• The Supreme Court appointed P S Narasimha as the mediator for resolving various disputes related to cricket administration in
the country, on 14 March 2019.
RBI Governor chaired the panel of regulators
• Markets regulator SEBI, insurance regulator IRDAI, and Pension Fund Regulator PFRDA, along with senior officials of the finance
ministry discussed key issues faced by the economy.
• The meeting of the sub-committee of the Financial Stability and Development Council was chaired by RBI Governor Shaktikanta
Das.
• They also reviewed the functioning of state-level coordination committee.
Panel formed to keep tab on fake news
• Several committees are formed to keep watch on instances of paid and fake news.
• The committees have been formed in coordination with Information and Public Relations Department.
• Pre-certification is mandatory for any political party or candidate to advertise in electronic media or e-papers.
• Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) will be formed in all 33 districts of Rajasthan.
83 supermassive black holes discovered
• Astronomers discovered 83 quasars powered by supermassive black holes 13 billion light-years away from the Earth.
• The finding is published in The Astrophysical Journal.
• Supermassive black holes, found at centers of galaxies, can be millions or even billions of times more massive than Sun.
• A supermassive black hole becomes visible when gas accretes onto it, causing it to shine as a quasar.
MPATGM successfully test fired
• DRDO successfully test fired Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) for the second time on 14 March 2019 in the
ranges of Rajasthan desert.
• It is an indigenously developed, low weight, fire and forget missile.
• MPATGM is incorporated with advanced features including state-of-the-art Imaging Infrared Radar (IIR) Seeker with integrated
avionics.
First workshop on IEMF held
• The NITI Aayog and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) organized the first workshop on
development of the India Energy Modelling Forum.
• it has been envisaged as a pan-stakeholder platform for debating ideas, scenario-planning & discussing India's energy future.
• The 2-day workshop was held with the support of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL).
IDBI categorised as private bank
• IDBI Bank has been categorised as a private sector bank by the Reserve Bank of India, with effect from January 21, 2019.
• The move came following the acquisition by Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
• SBI, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank will continue to be identified as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs).
SBI launched doorstep banking service
• SBI launched a doorstep banking service for senior citizens over 70 years of age and differently-abled customers.
• Eligible customers can avail this service at a nominal fee of 100 rupees per transaction for financial transactions and 60 rupees for
non-financial transactions.
• Cash pickup and deliver, check pickup, and checkbook slip, are some of the services that will be provided.
US to set up 6 Nuclear plants in India
• India and the United States have committed to strengthen bilateral security and civil nuclear cooperation, including the
establishment of six US nuclear power plants in India.
• The 9th round of the India-US Strategic Security Dialogue was held in Washington DC on 13 March 2019.
• The Indian delegation was led by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale.
Gallantry awards conferred
• President Ram Nath Kovind conferred 3 Kirti Chakras and 15 Shaurya Chakras to Armed Forces Personnel on 14 March 2019.
• Two Kirti Chakras and one Shaurya Chakra were given posthumously.
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• Fifteen Param Vishisht Seva Medals, one Uttam Yudh Seva Medals and twenty-five Ati Vishisht Seva Medals to senior officers of
the Armed Forces were also conferred.
Cabinet approved 3 agreements
• The Cabinet approved the proposal for accession of India to:
• (i) The Nice Agreement concerning the International classification of Goods and Services for the purposes of registration of
marks,
• (ii) The Vienna Agreement establishing International Classification of the figurative elements of marks,
• (iii) The Locarno Agreement establishing International classification for industrial designs.
Karur Vyasya Bank raised Rs 487 crore
• Karur Vysya Bank raised Rs 487 crore through Basel III compliant bonds to fund its growth plans, on 13 March 2019.
• Basel III is an international regulatory framework with a set of reforms to improve the regulation, supervision and risk
management within the banking sector.
Renedy Singh named Neroca FC Coach
• Former India midfielder Renedy Singh was named head coach of Neroca FC, succeeding Spaniard Manuel Retamero Fraile, on 13
March 2019.
• He had a stint as assistant coach of Indian Super League side Pune City FC in the 2015-16 season. He is an AFC - A Licence holder.
• Neroca lost to Real Kashmir 2-3 at home in their final match of the 12th I-League to finish with 26 points (from 20 matches).
Vienna: Most livable for 10th year
• The Austrian capital Vienna topped Mercer's index of most liveable cities for the 10th year in a row, while Sydney fell out of the
top ten.
• Being medium-sized, safe and relatively green are some of the features it shares with second-placed Zurich. Auckland, Munich
and Vancouver came joint third.
• Brisbane rose to 35th while Perth (21st), Adelaide (29th) and Canberra (30th).
US-India joint exercise to be conducted
• As a part of the US-India security partnership, the US military forces and the Indian National Security Guard (NSG) will carry out
joint exercises in Hyderabad.
• The key intent is to be well prepared and deploy actions to tackle crisis that may endanger public health and safety.
• The exercise will be overseen from the US Embassy, New Delhi and US Special Operations Pacific Command in Hawaii.
MCA released national guidelines
• The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) came up with national guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC).
• For this purpose, the National Voluntary Guidelines on Social, Environmental and Economic Responsibilities of Business, 2011
(NVGS) have also been revised.
• MCA is also in the process of developing India’s National Action Plan on Business & Human Rights (NAP) by 2020.
Rohit Sharma: 3rd to cross 8000 ODI runs
• Rohit Sharma became the 3rd fastest player to cross 8000 runs in ODI cricket.
• He is also the 9th Indian batsman to do so after Virat Kohli, Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Rahul Dravid, Virender
Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Azharuddin.
• He surpassed MS Dhoni as the player to record for most ODI sixes for India.
Appointments
• Private sector lender Axis Bank appointed Rakesh Makhija as its non-executive chairman for a term of 3 years, with effect from
July 18, on 12 March 2019.
• The government appointed MR Kumar as the Chairman of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) and Vipin Anand and TC Suseel Kumar
as the managing directors (MDs) on March 13, 2019.
RBI to inject $5 billion liquidity
• RBI will conduct a US dollar /Indian rupee buy/sell swap auction of $5 billion for a tenor of 3 years on March 26 to inject rupee
liquidity for longer duration.
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• Under the buy/sell foreign exchange swap, a bank will sell US dollars to the RBI and simultaneously agree to buy the same
amount of US dollars at the end of the swap period.
• This will support credit growth and soften bond yields.
Airbus India launched programme for women
• Airbus India launched an ambitious programme for women professionals who want to return to corporate careers after a
sabbatical or maternity leave.
• ‘Fly Again’ was launched on International Women’s Day (March 8, 2019).
• It will support Airbus India in meeting its requirement for talent as well as increase diversity and inclusion at the workplace,
contributing to long-term business success.
Indian Oil won Gold Cup
• Indian Oil retained their Bombay Gold Cup Hockey crown on 13 March 2019.
• They defeated Punjab and Sind Bank (PSB) 9-7 via penalty shootout in the summit clash.
• Bharat Petroleum's Darshan Gawkar was adjudged as the most promising player of the tournament and received a cheque of Rs
10,000 awarded by the Sports Journalists' Association of Mumbai.
Special Olympics Worlds Games 2019 began
• Special Olympics World Games 2019 is being held from March 14-21, 2019 in UAE.
• It made history by welcoming a record-breaking 200 nations ahead of the Games.
• Of the 200 nations, 195 will compete in the Games and 5 will observe.
• It is being held in West Asia for the first time. 7,500 athletes will take part in 24 Olympic-style sports over 7 days.
2 Amendment Regulation approved by Cabinet
• The Union Cabinet approved Promulgation of the Daman and Diu Civil Courts (Amendment) Regulation, 2019 and the Dadra and
Nagar Haveli (Civil Courts and Miscellaneous Provisions)Amendment Regulation, 2019 under Article 240 of the Constitution.
• The move will be helpful in bringing uniformity in Judicial Service.
Indo-Oman Joint Exercise began
• Indo Oman Joint Exercise Al Nagah III 2019, a joint military exercise between Indian and Royal Army of Oman (RAO), commenced
on 13 March 2019 at Nizwa, Oman.
• The Omani contingent was represented by Jabel Regiment of the RAO while the Indian side was represented by troops of 'Tenth
Battalion of The Garhwal Rifles Regiment'.
India awarded scholarships to Nepali students
• The Indian Embassy in Nepal awarded 200 Golden Jubilee Scholarships to meritorious Nepali students on 13 March 2019.
• This year the scholarships recipients covered for 36 undergraduate courses including MBBS, BDS, BE, BSc, BBA and BCom etc.
• The Government of India started the Golden Jubilee Scholarship Scheme in 2002 to mark the completion of 50 years of India-
Nepal Economic Cooperation.
World Kidney Day celebrated
• World Kidney Day (WKD) is observed annually on the second Thursday in March.
• It is celebrated to create awareness on the importance of the kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease.
• The theme of WKD 2019 is 'Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere', which calls for universal health coverage for prevention and
early treatment of kidney disease.
HDFC Bank crossed Rs 6 trillion
• HDFC Bank Ltd crossed the ₹6 trillion market capitalisation for the first time on 13 March 2019, making it only the country's third
firm to achieve the milestone.
• HDFC Bank's stock gained for the fifth session in a row, rising as much as 6% during the period.
• Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) and Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) are the other 2 companies to cross it.
India-Pakistan meeting on March 14
• Indian and Pakistani officials will meet at Attari, near Amritsar, on 14 March 2019 for finalising the modalities of the Kartarpur
corridor to enable Indian pilgrims to pray at the historic Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan.
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• The Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara is located about 4.5 km from the international border near the border town of Dera Baba Nanak in
Gurdaspur district of Punjab.
BoB launched child daycare facility
• Bank of Baroda launched Crèche – Child Daycare facility within its Mumbai Corporate Office premises on 12 March 2019.
• It will bear 60% of costs for each child, the rest to be borne by parents.
• The larger objective is more representation of women employees in senior positions.
• The daycare is an initiative in creating an environment that is conducive to working women and parents.
India ranked 16 in human impacts
• Human impacts on species occur across 84% of the earth’s surface, found by a study published on March 13, 2019 in PLOS
Biology.
• India ranked 16th in such human impacts, with 35 species impacted on average.
• Southeast Asian tropical forests — including India’s biodiversity-rich Western Ghats, Himalaya and the north-east are some of the
affected places.
• Malaysia ranked 1st in it.
Indian Ocean exploration: Live broadcast
• A British-led scientific mission to document changes taking place beneath the Indian Ocean has broadcast its first live, television-
quality video transmission from a 2-person submersible.
• The first transmission came from 60 meters (200 feet) down. The new broadcast uses cutting-edge wireless technology.
• Monsoon storms and underwater current continued to present a challenge at greater depths.
YouTube launched music streaming services
• YouTube launched its paid service, YouTube Premium and music streaming app, YouTube Music, in India.
• It will be available for Rs 129 a month, and will also include membership to YouTube Music Premium.
• The service will offer an ad-free experience with background play and offline downloads for millions of videos on YouTube, as
well as access to all YouTube Originals.
Gender-neutral AI voice developed
• A Denmark-based team created a voice nicknamed Q that was presented at the South by Southwest (SXSW) creative festival in
Texas and is designed to be perceived as neither male or female.
• Barking orders at a digital device that responds in a woman's voice can reinforce sexist stereotypes, according to the team.
Zinedine reappointed as coach of Real Madrid
• Zinedine Zidane has been re-appointed as the coach of Spanish football club Real Madrid till 2022.
• He replaced Santiago Solari, who was sacked after less than five months in charge.
• Zidane resigned from the club after leading it to three consecutive Champions League titles.
Facebook to support start-ups
• Facebook launched Facebook Hubs, an initiative to foster innovation and offer support for budding entrepreneurs on 12 March
2019.
• It will extend support for start-up community by hosting mentor hours and conducting trainings, workshops, discussions across
20 locations in India.
• The locations are Delhi, Goa, Gurugram, Noida, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune,and Navi Mumbai.
Annual Sabrimala festival began
• The annual festival at the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala began with the ceremonial flag-hoisting on 12 March 2019.
• The Utsavabali ritual will be performed on all days till March 20. The Pallivetta ceremony will be held at Saramkuthi on March 20
evening.
• The arat ceremony, marking the culmination of the 10-day festival, will be held at the arat Kadavu in the Pampa on March 21
forenoon.
India to take on Maldives in 5th SAFF
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• Defending champion India will take on the Maldives in the 5th South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women's Championship in
Biratnagar, Nepal on 13 March 2019.
• In the 6-team competition, India has been drawn in Group B with Maldives and Sri Lanka. Host Nepal has been kept in Group A
with Bangladesh and Bhutan.
• India remained unbeaten in 19 matches from last 4 editions of the championship.
Water molecules observed on Moon
• Scientists, using NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), observed water molecules moving around the dayside of the Moon.
• This would help them learn about the accessibility of water that can be used by humans in future lunar missions.
• Scientists have hypothesised that hydrogen ions in the solar wind may be the source of most of the Moon's surface water.
BoI raises Rs 660 crore by selling shares
• Bank of India (BoI) raised Rs 660.80 crore by issuing shares to employees under Employee Share Purchase Scheme (ESPS) on 12
March 2019.
• The bank issued 6,25,52,188 shares of Rs 10 each to eligible employees.
• It offered a discount of 24.28% on the applicable price to the employees and about 94.70% of total employees participated in the
scheme.
Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft to be grounded
• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation decided to ground Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft with immediate effect.
• The decision came in the wake of Ethiopian Airlines crash on 10 March 2019 in Addis Ababa killing all 157 people on board.
• Spice Jet has around 12 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircrafts in its fleet, while Jet Airways has five in the country.
76% Indian businesses hit by cyber attacks
• 76% of organizations were hit by online attacks in 2018, as revealed by a new survey '7 Uncomfortable Truths of Endpoint
Security' released on 13 March 2019.
• IT managers discovered 39% of the most significant cyber attacks on their organization’s servers and 35% on its networks.
• The survey polled more than 3,100 IT decision makers from mid-sized businesses in 12 countries.
12 states banned e-cigarettes
• Following an advisory from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued in 2018, 12 states in India have banned Electronic
Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS).
• These include Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
Puducherry and Jharkhand.
• ENDS emits nicotine, the addictive component of tobacco products.
New frog species found in Kerala
• A star-speckled frog species with several features resembling frogs found in South America and Central Africa was discovered in
the Western Ghats in Wayanad, Kerala.
• The frog has been named Astrobatrachus Kurichiyana after the indigenous community living of Kurichiyarmala.
• An analysis revealed that the frog separated from its near relative almost 60 to 70 million years ago.
IoT India Congress 2019 to be held
• IoT (Internet of Things) India Congress, will be held in Bengaluru from August 22-23, 2019.
• It will include tracks on segments such as healthcare, manufacturing, smart cities, energy, cybersecurity, skills and development,
IoT Standards, and agriculture.
• The announcement of the 4th edition of it was made by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) IoT Panel at a
conference.
GoDaddy partnered with ICC
• GoDaddy announced its partnership with International Cricket Council (ICC) as the official sponsor for the upcoming men's cricket
World Cup on 12 March 2019.
• The 2019 World Cup will be held in the UK from May 30 to July 14, 2019.
• Under the partnership, GoDaddy will get visibility on the ground, perimeter of the boundary, side screen during the matches.
• MS Dhoni is its brand ambassador.
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Sona Yukti won SEN award

• Skill development and training institute Sona Yukti was given the Social Enterprise Network (SEN) sustainability award for
education.
• The award was presented by Young Presidents Organisation to CEO of Sona Yukti Chockalingam Valliappa in Cape Town, South
Africa.
• Sona Yukti is the only Indian organisation to be selected as part of the SEN awards for 2018.
10 countries added in tax blacklist
• The European Union expanded its tax haven blacklist by 10 countries, adding the UAE and Bermuda on 12 March 2019.
• The list, now 15 countries long, was first drawn up in 2017 in wake of several scandals, including the Panama Papers.
• 7 countries will be moved back from a greylist because reform commitments had not been met. These are Aruba, Belize,
Bermuda, Fiji, Oman, Vanuatu and Dominica.
India extended USD 250 million to Nepal
• India extended grant assistance of USD 250 million to Nepal for the reconstruction of infrastructures in the areas of housing,
education, and health.
• A lot was destroyed during the devastating April 2015 earthquake which saw the death of over 9,000 people.
• India-Nepal Joint Project Monitoring Committee meeting was held on 12 March 2019 to review the progress of reconstruction
projects.
Retail inflation rose by 2.57%
• Retail inflation rose to a 4-month high of 2.57% in February, mainly driven by higher food prices.
• The retail inflation based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 1.97% in January and 4.44% in February 2018.
• Food inflation based on CPI, however, was in negative at 0.66%.
Japan announced Rs 22 Lakh for Kolkata Museum
• The Japanese government announced a donation of Rs 22 Lakh ($31,800) to the Rabindra Bharati Museum on 12 March 2019.
• This was done in a bid to strengthen historical and cultural ties with India.
• A MoU was signed between the Consul General of Japan in Kolkata, Masayuki Taga, and the Vice Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati
University, Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury.
Tejaswini won women's 50m rifle event
• Tejaswini Sawant of Maharashtra won the 4th national selection trial in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions event on 12 March
2019.
• She defeated Punjab's Anjum Moudgil and scored 458.0, while Anjum scored 457.1.
• Army's Sandeep Singh won the men's 10m air rifle (T4 trial) with a score of 250.0.
• In the men's 25m centre fire pistol, Gurpreet Singh, representing Army, won with 583.
SEBI lifted foreign investment cap
• Markets regulator SEBI withdrew the 20% limit on investments by Foreign Portfolio Investors in corporate bonds of an entity on
12 March 2019.
• In June 2018, SEBI had mandated that no Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) shall have an exposure of more than 20% of its
corporate bond portfolio to a single corporate.
• The restriction is being withdrawn in accordance with a circular issued by RBI.
J&K got its 1st palliative care centre
• Jammu & Kashmir got its first centre for palliative care programme and treatment of cancer patients on 12 March 2019.
• It has been set up under the national palliative care programme by AIIMS, New Delhi and the Union health ministry and the Asia
Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network, Singapore.
• Palliative care focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients.
Industrial growth slowed down to 1.7%
• Industrial output growth stood at 1.7% in January on account of slowdown in the manufacturing sector.
• Factory output as measured in terms of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) had grown by 7.5% in January 2018.
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• During April-January 2018-19, industrial output grew at 4.4% as against 4.1% in the same period previous fiscal, as per the data
released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
Molinari won the Arnold Palmer
• Francesco Molinari of Italy topped an international leaderboard at Bay Hill.
• He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in fine style, with three Englishmen, a Spaniard, a Northern Irishman and two South
Koreans all within the top-10.
• He is 36-year-old and world number 10 player.
DRT transfers UBL shares

• Liquor firm United Breweries Ltd said the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) in Bengaluru has transferred 2.80 percent stake held by
Vijay Mallya-linked United Breweries (Holdings) in the company.
• It is worth Rs 1,025 crore.
• According to the BSE data for the December 2018 quarter, United Breweries (Holdings) Ltd (UBHL) held 2.80 per cent stake in
UBL.
Ronnie O’Sullivan breaks record
• Snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan (UK) has become the first snooker player to make 1,000 competitive centuries.
• The five-time world champion reached the landmark during the last frame of the Players Championship final in Preston, UK.
Arecanut got its first GI tag as Sirsi Supari
• For the first time in the arecanut sector, ‘Sirsi Supari’ grown in Uttara Kannada has received the Geographic Indication (GI) tag.
• It is cultivated in Yellapura, Siddapura and Sirsi taluks.
• The arecanut has unique features like a round and flattened coin shape, particular texture, taste.
Wood snake rediscovered by scientists
• A species of wood snake that wasn’t seen for 140 years has resurfaced in a survey conducted by scientists in the Meghamalai
Wildlife Sanctuary.
• The species, endemic to the Meghamalai forests and the Periyar Tiger Reserve landscape, was rediscovered by R. Chaitanya.
• It was last spotted and recorded by British military officer and naturalist Colonel Richard Henry Beddome in 1878.
India: 2nd largest arm importer in world
• India has dropped to the second position behind Saudi Arabia among the world’s largest arms importers after remaining at the
top for almost a decade.
• The data was released by a global think-tank, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), on 11 March 2019.
• India was the world’s 2nd largest arms importer in 2014-2018, accounting for 9.5% of the global total.
Harappan trove discovered
• Archaeologists have stumbled upon a massive burial site dating back to the Harappan civilization, around 360 km from Dholavira
in Kutch district, Gujarat.
• The excavation was done jointly by the Kutch University and Kerala University near Khatia village of Lakhpat taluka.
• Estimated to be around 4,600-5,200 years old, the burial site is 300 m x 300 m-big with more than 250 graves.
RBI to become 10th largest holder of gold
• The RBI is set to become the tenth largest holder of the gold worldwide, displacing the Netherlands.
• It added 6.5 tonnes of gold to its reserves in January, taking its total holding forming part of its foreign exchange reserves to 607
tonnes.
• According to the World Gold Council, India’s share of gold held globally has been rising steadily to stand at 6.2% at the end of
2018.
Admiral Sunil Lanba on a visit to UK
• Admiral Sunil Lanba, PVSM AVSM ADC Chairman COSC and Chief of the Naval Staff is on an official tour to UK from 12-15 March
2019.
• His visit will consolidate existing maritime cooperation initiatives as well as explore new avenues.
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• He will hold discussions with the Chief of Defence Staff, UK in London and the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff of the
Royal Navy at Portsmouth.
Appointments
• Retired IAS officer C Lalsawta became the first Lokayukta of Mizoram. Governor Jagdish Mukhi administered him the oath of
office at the Raj Bhawan in Aizawl.
• Nagesh Thakur, former president of Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and professor of physics at Himachal Pradesh
University in Shimla, was appointed as Member, the University Grants Commission.
Indian defence lab developed combat drugs
• DRDO's medical laboratory has come up with a range of 'combat casualty drugs' that can extend the golden hour till the trooper
is shifted to hospital.
• The spectrum includes bleeding wound sealants, super absorptive dressings, and glycerinated salines.
• Chances of survival and minimum disability are highest when effective first aid care is given within the golden hour.
New Visa agreement between India and Maldives
• The new visa agreement between Maldives and India came into force from 11 March 2019.
• The agreement will provide a liberal visa policy for Maldivians seeking medical treatment as well as education and business
opportunities in India.
• The visa deal will allow Maldivian businessmen and tourists to stay in India for 90 days without a visa.
Projects inaugurated in Bangladesh
• PM Narendra Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina jointly unveiled e-plaques for development projects in Bangladesh on 11
March 2019.
• Both the leaders unveiled e-plaques for the supply of buses and trucks, the inauguration of 36 community clinics, and 11 water
treatment plants.
• National Knowledge Network will connect scholars and research institutes in Bangladesh, to India and the world.
34th edition of AAHAR began
• The 34th edition of AAHAR - the International Food and Hospitality fair - began in New Delhi on 12 March 2019.
• The fair will feature a wide range of food products, machinery, hospitality and Decoration and Confectionery items from over 560
participants from India and abroad.
• Around 20 countries, including the US, Russia, China, UK, and Germany will participate in the 5-day fair.
Obituaries
• Veteran Hindi Newsreader Vinod Kashyap has passed away following a prolonged illness. She served All India Radio for about 30
years.
• One of America’s finest and most remarkable cyclists, Kelly Catlin, has died at the age of 23. She won three consecutive world
titles in the pursuit between 2016 and 2018 and also won a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics.
India's Internet base crossed 500m mark
• The internet user base in India exceeded 500 million mark and is likely to reach 627 million by end 2019, according to the Kantar
IMRB ICUBE report.
• The number of internet users is estimated to be 566 million as of December 2018, registering annual growth of 18%.
• Bihar showed the highest growth in new internet user additions across urban and rural areas; registering growth of 35% over
2018.
Collection of 3 lakh clothes made record
• A campaign by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, member of erstwhile royal family of Udaipur, has received a donation of over three lakh
clothing items.
• It created a Guinness World Record for the largest collection of clothes for donation.
• Over 76,000 people donated the clothes, which were distributed to the needy.
• The campaign reached out to over 120 schools, 15 colleges, and 30 NGOs.
IBM to train 1m female students in India
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• IBM will collaborate with Central and State governments to upskill around 1 million female students over a period of 3 years.
• They will be trained in the fields of Maths, Engineering, and Science and Technology.
• As part of its engagement with the government, around 4,000 mentors and 6 Lakh mentees will benefit from IBM's AI-powered
mentor platform which will include 5 lakh women students.
605 people have died of swine flu in 2019
• According to data from the Union Health Ministry, as many as 605 people have died due to swine flu this year (2019).
• Over 19,380 people have tested positive for the virus, according to the data compiled until 10 March 2019.
• Rajasthan has reported 4,551 swine flu cases and 162 deaths, the highest in the country.
US set to become net exporter of oil: IEA
• The USA will become a net exporter of oil from 2021, a development which should reinforce global energy security.
• New technology that allows for extracting oil and gas from shale rock formations has led to a boom in oil production in the US in
recent years.
• The IEA forecasts the US will account for 2/3rds of the increase in global oil production.
Russian arms export in India fell by 42%
• Russia's arms export to India, fell by 42% between 2014-18 and 2009-2013, according to a SIPRI report.
• Russia accounted for 58% of total Indian arms imports in 2014-2018, compared with 76% in 2009-2013, according to the report.
• The five largest exporters in 2014-18 were the United States, Russia, France, Germany and China.
FMCG sales grew 22% in 2018
• Country’s organized grocery stores registered 22% growth in sales, according to Reformatting Retail in India report by Nielsen
India released in March.
• The market for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sold through modern retail stores stood at ₹41,416 crore as of August 2018.
• However, the overall contribution of supermarkets and organized grocery stores remained 10% of overall FMCG sales.
VP Naidu to receive doctorate from UN
• The University of Peace honoured Vice President Venkaiah Naidu with the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in San Jose.
• He was honoured for his contribution to the Rule of Law, democracy and sustainable development in India.
• He was the chairman of UN Habitat previously, that seeks to promote affordable housing under the Sustainable Development
Goals.
MEIL in Limca Records
• Infrastructure giant Megha Engineering Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) has won a place in Limca Book of National Records and Asia
Book of Records.
• It was awarded for its outstanding achievement of completing Power Sub Station in a record time of 7 months.
• Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) appreciated MEIL and awarded 'Best Debutant Award' with a Memento and
Citation.
Padma awards conferred on 47 personalities
• 47 prominent personalities were conferred the Padma awards by President Ram Nath Kovind on 11 March 2019.
• Kuldip Nayar, Sukhdev Singh, and S Jaishankar were some of the recipients of the award.
• The Padma Awards, one of the highest civilian awards of the country, are conferred in 3 categories: the Padma Vibhushan, the
Padma Bhushan and the Padma Shri.
Guided PINAKA sucessfully test fired
• Defence Research and Defence Organisation (DRDO) successfully test fired the Guided PINAKA from Pokhran ranges on 11 March
2019.
• The weapon system is equipped with state-of-the-art guidance kit comprising of an advanced navigation and control system.
• The indigenously developed Guided Pinaka by DRDO will significantly boost the capability of the artillery to make precision hits.
14th CII-Exim Bank Conclave to be held
• Ministry of Commerce and Industry will be organising the 14th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave in New Delhi from March 17-19, 2019.
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• The event will mark the deepening of India-Africa economic and business ties and pave the way for cross-border project
partnerships.
• The bilateral trade between India and Africa has increased by nearly 22% touching USD 62.66 billion in the year 2017-18.
Reservations in Odisha and MP
• Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced 33% quota for women in the allocation of Lok Sabha tickets of BJD party.
• Madhya Pradesh Congress government issued an ordinance to raise the reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from 14%
to 27%.
India's 1st LGBTQ clinic inaugurated
• India's first HIV treatment centre and holistic clinic for the LGBTQ community was inaugurated by Humsafar Trust in Mumbai.
• The centre will give free counseling and provide Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART).
• ART is the use of HIV medicines to treat the infection and is recommended for everyone who is infected with virus and delays the
progression of the disease.
Acko wins Golden Peacock Award
• ACKO General Insurance was awarded the coveted Golden Peacock Innovative Product Award – 2019, for their contextual
microinsurance product -Ola Ride Insurance.
• The award was presented to Biresh Giri, Appointed Actuary & CRO, Acko in the presence of global business leaders in Dubai.
• Acko introduced the revolutionary Ola Ride Insurance, a first of its kind in the Indian market in March 2018.
Appointments
• Aditya Kumar Misra, a veterinary professor and former Vice Chancellor of GB University of Agriculture and Technology,
Pantnagar, has been appointed as the new Chairman of Agricultural Scientific Recruitment Board (ASRB).
• Former Infosys chief financial officer Rajiv Bansal is joining US IT services firm DXC Technology as senior VP and head of finance,
Americas.
CBDT paved way for offshore managers
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has started paving way for offshore fund managers to relocate to India for managing
their offshore funds.
• This is being done for the public markets space, mainly foreign portfolio investors (FPI) structures.
• This will also boost flows into India as fund managers will be closer to the ‘deal ecosystem’.
Surat Metro Rail Project approved
• The central government approved the 40.35 km Surat Metro Rail project with 2 corridors.
• The project would be completed in 5 years at an estimated cost of Rs.12,020.32 crore.
• The project will be implemented by the Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC) Ltd.
• It will provide affordable, reliable, safe, secure and seamless transport system in the urban agglomeration of the city.
Vijay Gokhale on 3-day visit to US
• Foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale began a three-day visit to the US on 11 March 2019 during which he will meet senior officials of
the Trump administration.
• He will also meet with senior leaders in the US administration and US Congress.
• He will also exchange views on major foreign policy and security-related developments.
PNB sanctioned debt worth Rs 689 cr.
• Punjab National Bank sanctioned loans worth ₹689 crore to over 1,600 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through
the psbloansin59minutes.com portal.
• Under the Mudra Yojana, the bank has offered loan to over 2.69 lakh small entrepreneurs this fiscal, till Feb 14, 2019.
• In November 2018, PM announced the launch of the 59 minute loan portal to enable easy access to credit for MSMEs.
Jet Airways got loan from PNB
• Jet Airways (India) Ltd secured fresh credit facilities of ₹2,050 crore from Punjab National Bank (PNB).
• It has raised foreign currency term loans worth ₹1,100 crore and a non-fund based credit facility of ₹950 crore from PNB.
• The credit facility has been raised in two lots through separate agreements with PNB.
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IDBI Bank to sell Rs. 100 bn of bad loans

• IDBI Bank Ltd., the lender with India’s worst-bad loan ratio will sell 100 billion rupees of stressed assets.
• It will be out of the RBI's prompt corrective action framework by September as bad-loan ratio narrows and profits rise.
• IDBI’s gross bad loan ratio stood at about 30 percent as of December 31, 2018.
Appointments
• Senior bureaucrats Anup Kumar Dubey and Sushil Kumar were appointed special directors in the Enforcement Directorate (ED)
on 10 March 2019.
• The J&K Governor’s administration approved the appointment of ‘Metro Man’ E. Sreedharan as the principal adviser to two mass
rapid transit systems to be built in the State.
LIC hunts synergies
• Life Insurance Corporation of India and IDBI Bank Ltd. set up a task force to implement synergies.
• This came four months after India’s biggest insurer agreed to put more than 200 billion rupees into the troubled lender.
• Sales of insurance policies through bank branches are among immediate areas where gains can be made.
• Hemant Bhargava is acting chairman of LIC.
3 special observers appointed for J&K
• The Election Commission formed a 3-member committee to assess the situation on the ground in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The 3 members of the committee are two retired IAS officers Noor Mohammed and Vinod Zutshi and a retired IPS officer, A.S.
Gill.
• EC will be regularly and on a real-time basis monitoring the situation in the state and the decision of holding Assembly elections
will be taken soon.
India, Costa Rica signed 2 documents
• India and Costa Rica signed 2 documents during Vice President's visit to the Central American nation from March 7- March 9,
2019.
• An MoU was signed on waiving Visa requirements for Diplomatic and Official passport holders.
• A Letter of Intent was signed to collaborate in the field of biotechnology.
11 new regional DD channels launched
• Prasar Bharati launched 11 state Doordarshan channels, including five for northeast through DD Free Dish, on 9 March 2019.
• This was done to widen the reach and accessibility of the government broadcaster.
• Chhattisgarh, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Uttarakhand
got their own DD channels on satellite network through DD Free Dish.
Data usage in India to grow by 2022
• India’s data consumption is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 72.6% to 10,96,58,793 MB by 2022.
• Video streaming constitutes roughly 65-75% of the traffic, as per the Nokia Mobile Broadband Index 2018.
• Internet penetration is increasing in India, and mobile internet penetration is set to reach 56.7% in 2022 from a mere 30.2% in
2017.
Pulse Polio program launched in Nagaland
• The Nagaland Health and Family Welfare Department launched the first round of 'Intensive Pulse Polio Immunization’
programme on 10 March 2019.
• It is targeting to administer polio drops to all eligible children upto 5 years throughout the state in 2274 polio booths.
• More than 17 cr. children below 5 years across the country will be given polio drops as part of the central government's drive.
Lok Sabha polls from 11 April- 19 May
• Elections to the 17th Lok Sabha will be conducted in 7 phases across the country from April 11 to May 19.
• The Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines, a total of 17.4 lakh units, will be used for the first time at all stations.
• The Model Code of Conduct came into effect immediately on the announcement of the schedule.
Kavinder fetched gold in GeeBee
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• Kavinder Singh Bisht (56kg) struck gold at the 38th GeeBee Boxing Tournament in Helsinki, Finland on 10 March 2019.
• Shiva Thapa (60kg), Govind Sahani (49kg), Mohammed Hussamuddin (56kg) and Dinesh Dagar (69kg) claimed silver medals in the
event.
• Sumit Sangwan (91kg), Sachin Siwach (52kg) and Naveen Kumar (+91kg) claimed bronze medals.
International News
• Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas appointed Mohammad Shtayyeh as Prime Minister on 10 March 2019.
• An Ethiopian Airlines flight, 'Boeing 737 Max' from Addis Ababa to Kenya's capital Nairobi crashed early on 10 March 2019 with
149 passengers and eight crew members on board.
Pulse Polio Programme for 2019 launched
• On 9 March 2019, President Ram Nath Kovind launched the Pulse Polio programme for 2019.
• Children of less than five years across the country will be given polio drops as part of the drive of Government of India to sustain
polio eradication from the country.
• The programme was launched on the eve of National Immunisation Day which is observed on 10 March 2019.
Japanese woman officially named oldest person
• A 116-year-old Japanese woman named Kane Tanaka was honored as the world's oldest living person by Guinness World
Records.
• She was born on 2 January 1903.
• The previous oldest living person was another Japanese woman, Chiyo Miyako, who passed away in July 2018, aged 117.
India signed a pact with Russia
• On 7 March 2019, India signed a US$ 3 billion deal with Russia for leasing of a nuclear-powered attack submarine for the Indian
Navy for a period of 10 years.
• Under the pact, Russia will have to deliver the Akula class submarine, to be known as Chakra III, to the Indian Navy by 2025.
• It will be the third Russian submarine to be leased to the Indian Navy.
IBBI & IFC signed a cooperation agreement
• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has signed a Cooperation Agreement with the International Finance
Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group (WBG).
• The agreement will enable IFC to assist IBBI to further build the capacity of insolvency professionals.
• The Cooperation Agreement envisages technical assistance up to 30 June 2021 by the IFC to IBBI.
Priyanka Dubey gets Chameli Devi Jain Award
• Priyanka Dubey, a bilingual correspondent with the BBC, was named for the Chameli Devi Jain Award for an Outstanding Woman
Journalist for the year 2018.
• She was chosen for her multi-faceted, investigative and interrogative reportage.
• The Chameli Devi Jain Award has been awarded to women journalists for the past 37 years for upholding standards of excellence
through a sustained body of work.
India won 1st prize at at ITB, Berlin
• The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has won the First Prize in the category of 'TV Cinema Spot' at the prestigious
international 'Golden City Gate Tourism Awards 2019'.
• The Awards are given annually in various categories related to the Tourism and Hospitality sectors.
• The annual award ceremony took place at ITB Berlin, the world’s leading tourism trade show.
Doon-Mussoorie ropeway project foundation laid
• Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat laid the foundation stone for the Dehradun-Mussoorie ropeway project on 6
March 2019.
• Poma, a French company which manufactures cable-driven projects, will provide the technical support to the project.
• It will shorten the one-hour zigzag drive to just 15 minutes from Purkul village the base camp at Dehradun to Mussoorie.
Ministries of WCD & Skill Development sign MoU
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• The Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship signed MoU on 8
March 2019.
• The aim of the MoU is to improve women livelihood and empowering them through skill development.
• The Ministry of Women and Child Development through Rashtriya Mahila Kosh will identify the skill sets which are suitable for
enhancing the livelihood of women.
TVS Motor won sustainability award
• TVS Motor Company won the 'Green Era Award for Sustainability' on 4 March 2019 at Lisbon in Portugal.
• It also won the 'Quality and Business Excellence Award'.
• The awards are based on the conclusion of the research team of Otherways Management and Consulting in France.
• The companies chosen were ranked against criteria such as investment attraction, high technologies, and management methods.
Malaysia becomes a member of ICC
• Malaysia has become the 124th member of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
• The ICC is the world's only permanent war crimes court and aims to prosecute the worst abuses when national courts are unable
or unwilling.
• The headquarters of International Criminal Court is in The Hague, Netherlands.
• Malaysia's capital is Kuala Lumpur and its currency is Malaysian Ringgit.
World Bank to support AP Healthcare Project
• The government of India, government of Andhra Pradesh and the World Bank signed a loan agreement of $328-million for AP
Health Systems Strengthening Project (APHSSP) on 6 March 2019.
• The aim of the project is to improve the quality and responsiveness of public health services in the state.
• The loan has a six-year grace period and a maturity of 29 years and 6 months.
First exoplanet spotted by Kepler confirmed
• The scientists have confirmed the existence of the exoplanet named Kepler-1658 b.
• The exoplanet was the first spotted by NASA’s Kepler space telescope in 2011.
• It is a massive hot Jupiter that rotates around its star every 3.85 days.
• Kepler-1658 b is 50% more massive and three times larger than the Sun.
‘One Delhi’ mobile app launched
• The Delhi government launched 'One Delhi' mobile application on 5 March 2019.
• The application will provide a real-time location of bus stops and buses through which commuters can easily locate the nearest
bus stops, number of buses, and routes.
• The app will be updated every 45 minutes with information related to bus and metro routes.
IRDAI and NHA form a joint working group
• Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and the National Health Authority (NHA) has formed a Joint
Working Group (JWG).
• The joint working group will be chaired by Dinesh Arora, Deputy CEO of NHA.
• The JWG will recommend measures to help improve the implementation of the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan
Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
Yuvashree Arpan scheme launched in West Bengal
• 'Yuvashree Arpan' scheme was launched in West Bengal on 6 March 2019.
• Under the scheme, 50000 youth in the state will receive financial assistance of Rs 1 Lakh for setting up an enterprise.
• The MSME department of the state government will be funding the scheme.
Free milk scheme launched in Uttarakhand
• Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat launched the 'Mukhyamantri Anchal Amrit Yojana' in Dehradun on 7 March
2019.
• Under the scheme, 2.5 lakh children at 20,000 Anganwadi kendras in the state will be given 100 ml milk twice a week for free.
• Flavoured, sweet, skimmed milk powder will be made available to the 20,000 Anganwadi kendras across the state under the
Amrit Yojana.
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Scheme for construction workers launched

• The Maharashtra government launched 'Atal Aahar Yojna' for construction workers in the state on 7 March 2019.
• Under the yojana, construction workers will be provided nutritious and hygienic food at their workplace for just Rs 5.
• The Yojana will be implemented in some areas of the state on a pilot basis and later its scope will be expanded.
RBI notifies 2% interest subsidy scheme
• On 7 March 2019, RBI notified the norms for banks with regards to 2% interest subvention or subsidy for short-term crop loans
during 2018-19 and 2019-20.
• It will be calculated on the crop loan amount from the date of its disbursement up to the date of actual repayment of the crop
loan by the farmer.
• For such farmers, the effective rate of short-term crop loans works out to be 4% per annum.
RBI relaxes norms for white-label ATMs
• The Reserve Bank of India relaxed norms for white label ATM (WLA) operators and allowed them to buy wholesale cash directly
from the Reserve Bank of India.
• The RBI also permitted WLA operators to source cash from any bank, including cooperatives and regional rural banks.
• WLAs are owned and operated by non-bank entities on behalf of the banks.
Marayoor jaggery received GI Tag
• The Marayoor jaggery, the traditional and handmade product from Idukki district, received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag
from the government of India.
• This jaggery is made from sugarcane and no chemicals are added during the manufacturing process.
• It is dark brown in colour, high in sweetness and iron, with less sodium content and insoluble impurities.
India launches 3rd IT corridor in China
• India launched its third IT corridor in China that will facilitate partnerships between Indian and Chinese companies.
• The IT corridor was developed by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) and China's Xuzhou
city from Jiangsu Province in China.
• The other two IT corridors are at Dalian and Guiyang cities of China
Centre approves strategy to create carbon sink
• The government of India approved a strategy for creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide
equivalent through forest and tree cover by 2030.
• The strategy will help in fighting against climate change.
• Carbon sinks are natural or artificial reservoirs that absorb and store the atmosphere’s carbon dioxide through physical and
biological mechanisms.
Assam government announces cultural awards
• Assam government announced that the 'Srimanata Sankardeva Award 2017' will be conferred on Satriya exponent Basistha Dev
Sarma of Barpeta Satra.
• It also declared that the 'Madhavdev Award' 2016 will be given to Jugadananda Chandra Goswami of Mayamora Dinjoy Satra.
• The 'Kalicharan Brahma Award' 2018 will be given to the Satradhikar of Borongajuli Srimanta Sankardev Satra
India, Japan hold inaugural space dialogue
• The inaugural India-Japan Space Dialogue was held in New Delhi on 8 March 2019.
• The dialogue brought together ministries and agencies related to outer space of the two countries and provided an opportunity
for information exchange on the respective space policies
• Discussions were also held on bilateral cooperation between JAXA-ISRO, their space industries, global navigation satellite system.
Indian Railways appoints OSD for new zone
• The Ministry of Railway appointed SS Srinivas as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) of South Coast Railway on 8 March 2019.
• SS Srinivas, an Indian Railways Personnel Service (IRPS) officer, was working as Chief Personnel Officer (Administration), South
Central Railway.
• The South Coast Railway (SCoR) is headquartered at Visakhapatnam and comprises Guntakal, Guntur and Vijayawada divisions.
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RBI slaps penalties on 36 major banks

• The RBI imposed penalties worth Rs 71 crore on 36 public, private and foreign banks on 9 March 2019.
• It imposed penalties for non-compliance with various directions on time-bound implementation and strengthening of SWIFT
operations.
• The banks include Bank of Baroda, ICICI Bank, SBI and YES Bank.
• SWIFT is a global messaging software used for transactions by financial entities.
Govt liabilities rise to ₹83.40 lakh crore
• As per the government report, the total liabilities of the government increased to ₹83.40 lakh crore at the end of the December
2018 quarter.
• Public debt accounted for 89.5% of total outstanding liabilities by December 2018.
• During the October-December 2018 period, the central government issued dated securities worth ₹1.27 lakh crore.
Sadiq Khan named UK Politician of the Year

• London Mayor Sadiq Khan was named the Politician of the Year at the Annual Political and Public Life Awards presented by
Britain's 'Asian Voice' weekly newspaper.
• He was awarded for his ongoing contribution to the political life.
• UK defence secretary Gavin Williamson was named as Cabinet Minister of the Year and Indian-origin politician Priti Patel named
as Conservative Party MP of the Year.
Marshall Islands to launch digital currency
• The Marshall Islands will launch a digital currency named 'SOV' this year.
• The Marshall Islands government partnered with Neema, the Israel-based company, to develop the digital currency.
• The Marshall Islands, a tiny Pacific atoll nation with a population of just 55,000, passed legislation in 2018 to develop digital
currency as legal tender.
'Ratnagarbha' conferred on 10 mothers
• On the occasion of International Women's Day, Ten successful mothers, whose children have become achievers in their fields of
work, have been awarded 'Ratnagarbha' award on 8 March 2019.
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• The mothers of billiards icon Sourav Kothari, filmmaker Kaushik Ganguly were among those who were given the award.
• The award was instituted by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Strategy document UNNATEE launched
• Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) launched a strategy document titled 'UNNATEE' (Unlocking National Energy Efficiency potential)
on 8 March 2019.
• It describes a framework and implementation strategy to establish a clear linkage between energy supply-demand scenarios and
energy efficiency opportunities.
• The document addresses India’s environmental and climate change mitigation action plan.
India Cooling Action Plan launched
• Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched 'India Cooling Action Plan' (ICAP) on 8 March 2019.
• ICAP is a 20-year road map (2018 to 2038) to address the cooling requirements for all sectors such as buildings, cold chain,
transport and refrigeration.
• It aims to reduce cooling demand across sectors by 20% to 25% and reduce refrigerant demand by 25% to 30% by 2037-38.
SBI links short term loan rates to repo rate
• In a first of its kind, State Bank of India has decided to link the interest rate paid on the savings bank balance of over Rs. 1 lakh to
the repo rate.
• It will also link cash credit accounts and overdrafts, with limits above Rs. 1 lakh, to the repo rate.
• The new system will come into effect from 1 May 2019.
• The aim of the system is to increase the effectiveness of monetary transmission.
3-member panel to mediate in Ayodhya dispute
• A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court appointed 3-member panel to mediate in Ayodhya dispute on 8 March 2019.
• The panel consists of former Supreme Court judge F.M.I. Kalifulla as Chairman, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and
Sriram Panchu, a senior advocate with experience in alternative dispute resolution.
• The mediation will start in Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh.
India and WB sign $137 Million Loan Agreement
• On 8 March 2019, the government of India and World Bank signed a $137 Million loan agreement for financing the Dam
Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP).
• DRIP will help rehabilitate and modernise over 220 selected large dams in the States of Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh,
Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand.
• In 2010, the World Bank approved $350 million to finance the DRIP.
India and ADB sign $26 Million Loan Agreement
• The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $26 Million Loan Agreement on 8 March 2019.
• The loan will be used for improving drainage infrastructure in Dibrugarh town of Assam under the Assam Urban Infrastructure
Investment Program.
• The Program is helping to improve solid waste management and drainage infrastructure in Guwahati and Dibrugarh.
PM Modi inaugurated PDUIA in Greater Noida
• The Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archaeology (PDUIA) in Greater Noida
on 9 March 2019.
• The Institute of Archaeology (IA) is an academic wing of Archaeological Survey of India under the Ministry of Culture.
• The aim of this Institute is to provide an opportunity for students to achieve excellence in the field of archaeology.
Andhra and Madhya Pradesh got new NCLT benches
• The Government of India has approved the establishment of two new benches of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for the
faster disposal of cases.
• The benches will be established at Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh and the other at Indore in Madhya Pradesh.
• The jurisdiction of the Bench at Amaravati will be the state of Andhra Pradesh and that of Indore will be the state of Madhya
Pradesh.
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AICF recognised as National Sports Federation

• The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports granted provisional recognition to All India Carrom Federation (AICF) as National Sports
Federation with immediate effect.
• It will facilitate the participation of Indian Athletes in the forthcoming National/International competitions.
• The recognition means granting a major role to AICF for development of the Carrom sport in India.
Committee formed to examine insurance scheme
• The government of India has set up a 5 member committee to examine issues related to framing of a structured scheme for
providing insurance cover to advocates.
• The committee will be headed by Legal Affairs Secretary Alok Srivastava.
• The committee will also have one representative each from the Bar Council of India and the State Bar Councils.
Appointments
• The government of India appointed Subhash Chandra Garg as Finance Secretary in the Ministry of Finance on 8 March 2019.
• Ashu Khullar, currently the head of Asia Pacific Capital Markets Origination at Citigroup Inc., was appointed as Chief Executive
Officer of Citi India, with effect from 1 April 2019.
Female labour force participation fell
• According to the Deloitte report ‘Empowering Women & Girls in India’ the female labour force participation in India has fallen to
26% in 2018 from 36.7% in 2005.
• It is because of lack of access to quality education and underlying social, economic barriers limiting the opportunities for women.
• 195 million women are employed in the unorganised sector or are in unpaid work.
Mizoram Governor resigned
• Governor of Mizoram Kummanam Rajasekharan has resigned from his post.
• Mr. Kovind appointed Prof. Jagdish Mukhi as the Governor of Mizoram.
• Jagdish Mukhi, Assam Governor, will hold the post until regular arrangement for the office of the Governor of Mizoram is made.
Padma Lakshmi: UNDP Goodwill Ambassador
• Indian-American television personality and food expert Padma Lakshmi was appointed by the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) as its Goodwill Ambassador.
• She was appointed on 7 March 2019.
• She will mobilise support for the Sustainable Development Goals with a focus on fighting inequality, discrimination and
empowering the disenfranchised.
Gondi to be taught in tribal districts
• Ancient tribal language Gondi will be taught in tribal districts of Madhya Pradesh.
• MP CM Kamal Nath has decided to include Gondi in the primary education curriculum of the state's tribal-dominated districts.
• The rapid decline in the number of people who speak the language is a matter of concern and needs to be saved from becoming
a past.
Ausaf Sayeed: new ambassador to Saudi Arabia
• Dr. Ausaf Sayeed was been appointed as the next ambassador of India to Saudi Arabia.
• He is currently the High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Seychelles.
• He will succeed Ahmad Javed, who had been serving as envoy to Saudi Arabia since December 2015.
Foundation stone for KV corridor laid
• PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of corridor and beautification at Kashi Vishwanath Temple at Varanasi on 8 March
2019.
• This temple corridor will be a role model for all temples and their safety and security.
• All rules, standards and ethical values mentioned in our Shastras have been kept in mind while preparing the model of this
corridor.
Creation of post of Technical member approved
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• The Union Cabinet approved the creation of the Post of Technical Member in Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT), Mumbai.
• The post will have a pay scale of Rs. 2,25,000/- (fixed) or Level 17 of the Pay Matrix as per the 7th Pay Commission.
• Creation of the post will facilitate the creation of an additional bench in SAT, thereby allowing speedy disposal of the increased
number of appeals in SAT.
e-Dharti app launched
• e-Dharti app, a new online system where all the 3 main modules- Conversion, Substitution, and Mutation have been made
online, was launched recently.
• The public can now submit their applications online by visiting L&DO website.
• e-Dharti Geo Portal, another important application on which L&DO has started working, is GIS-based mapping of approx 65000
properties.
Suresh Prabhu released a coffee table book
• Minister for Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu released a Coffee Table Book- Cruising New Heights- Flying For All on 7 March 2019.
• The Publication throws light on the outstanding achievements made in the civil aviation sector during 2018.
• It brings out various innovative policy initiatives like drone ecosystem roadmap, green aviation policy, Rupee Raftar for financing
and leasing of aircrafts.
Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas released
• A compilation of selected speeches of PM Narendra Modi, titled Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas was released by Arun Jaitley on 8 March
2019.
• Spanning 5 volumes, the books, brought out by Publications Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, were released both
in Hindi & English.
• It reflects the vision of the PM of seeing all citizens of the country as one.
MoU signed between Labour Ministry & SIMTARS
• Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) and Safety in Mines, Testing and Research Station (SIMTARS) signed a MoU on 7
March 2019.
• Opportunities including the feasibility of technical knowledge sharing in the area of occupational safety and more will be
explored.
• SIMTARS is a premier training and research institution under the Government of Queensland, Australia.
MoU between India and Germany approved
• The Union cabinet approved the MoU between India and Germany on Cooperation in the field of Occupational Safety and Health
(OSH).
• The MoU was renewed on 13th November 2018.
• Under the MoU, German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) through the International Social Security Association (ISSA) is bringing
in know how to meet the OSH challenges.
Agreement between India and Belarus approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the agreement between India and the Republic of Belarus on Mutual Legal Assistance (MLAT) in Civil
and Commercial Matters.
• The Agreement will promote Mutual Legal Assistance between the Contracting Parties in Civil and Commercial Matters.
• The proposal aims to benefit the citizens of the respective Parties seeking Legal Assistance in both matters.
Cabinet approved Kiru Hydro Electric Project
• The Cabinet Committee approved the investment sanction for construction of Kiru Hydro Electric (HE) Project (624 MW) in
Jammu & Kashmir.
• The project is located on River Chenab in Kishtwar district of J&K and will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs.4287.59
crore.
• The project is envisaged as a Run of River (RoR) Scheme, designed complying with the requirements of Indus Water Treaty 1960
Advanced braking systems mandatory
• Ministry of Road Transport & Highways mandated advanced braking systems and technologies for improved road safety and
reducing accidents.
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• The provision will be binding on all vehicles with 9 seats and above as per a notification issued on 7 March,19.
• The existing vehicles will be required to adopt new provisions from April 2021, while new vehicles, from April 2022 will have
these pre-fitted.
MoU between India and Austria approved
• The MoU between the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, India and the Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation, and
Technology, Austria was approved by the Cabinet.
• The MoU was signed on Technology Cooperation in the Road Infrastructure Sector.
• It aims to create an effective framework for bilateral cooperation in the field of Road Transportation between both countries.
Scheme to rebate state embedded taxes
• The Union Cabinet approved the scheme to rebate state and central embedded taxes to support the textile sector.
• This will enable the Government to take various measures for making exports of apparel and made-ups zero-rated.
• At present, apparel and made-ups segments are supported under the Scheme for Rebate of State Levies (RoSL).
MoU between India and UK approved
• The Union Cabinet approved a MoU between India and U.K. on Cancer Research Initiative.
• The MoU was signed on 14th November 2018.
• The India-UK Cancer Research Initiative will identify a core set of research challenges that address issues cancer by bringing
together leading Indian and UK experts.
FMBAP approved by the Cabinet
• The Union Cabinet approved the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP) for Flood Management Works in the
entire country.
• River Management Activities and works related to Border Areas were also approved for the period 2017-18 to 2019-20 with a
total outlay of Rs.3342.00 crores.
• FMBAP Scheme will be implemented for effective flood management, erosion control, and anti-sea erosion.
Nari Shakti Puraskar 2018 awarded
• President of India, Ram Nath Kovind presented the Nari Shakti Puraskar 2018, in New Delhi, on International Women’s Day, i.e. 8
March 2019.
• Nari Shakti Puraskar is the highest civilian honor for women in India held in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• This year, 44 awardees were selected out of around a thousand nominations received by the Ministry.
8 March: Women's Day
• International Women's Day is observed across the world on March 8.
• It is a global day that celebrates social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
• International Women’s Day 2019 campaign Theme - #BalanceforBetter.
• International Women’s Day 2019 Theme: Think equal, build smart, innovate for change.
ISRO and CNES signed agreement
• ISRO and its French counterpart CNES signed an agreement on 6 March 2019 to set up a joint maritime surveillance system in the
country in May.
• The 2 nations will explore putting up a constellation of low-Earth orbiting satellites that will track the movement of ships globally.
• The 2 agencies have put up 2 climate and ocean weather monitoring satellites Megha-Tropiques & SARAL-AltiKa.
Government doubled income tax exemption
• The government doubled the income tax exemption limit for gratuity to Rs 20 lakh on 6 March 2019.
• It will benefit lakhs of salaried employees, who are now retiring as well as those who retired over the last 12 months.
• Gratuity Act applies to all employees working in an organisation that employs 10 or more employees during a year.
Government announced new 20 rupee coin
• The government announced new Rs 20 coin on 7 March 2019 which will be shaped like a 12-edged polygon (dodecagon).
• The composition of the coin is 65% copper, 20% nickel, and 15% zinc for the outer ring.
• PM Narendra Modi also released the new series of visually impaired friendly circulation coins (Re 1, Rs 2, Rs 5, Rs 10 and Rs 20).
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400 acre wetland became dust bowl in 6 months

• A wetland habitat in Uran, near Mumbai that drew a variety of birds, has been completely flattened with dirt and debris.
• Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) was accused of carrying out illegal reclamation at the Dastan Phata wetland.
• A huge biodiversity area has been lost in 6 months and action against JNPT officials will be taken.
Govt banned import of solid plastic waste
• The Centre amended the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016.
• This was done to include a prohibition on the import of solid plastic waste even in special economic zones (SEZ) and by export-
oriented units (EOU).
• The amendment has been done keeping into consideration the 'Ease of Doing Business' and boosting 'Make in India' initiative.
ISRO to receive training for Gaganyaan
• ISRO experts will receive training for the 'Gaganyaan' project at Toulouse Space Centre, France from March 2019.
• The experts will also be trained at CADMOS, the center for development of microgravity applications and space operations, and
MEDES Space Clinic in France.
• The space agencies of India and France signed an agreement to build a constellation of satellites for maritime surveillance.
Grasim bought Soktas India for Rs 165 crore
• Grasim Industries Ltd signed an agreement to acquire 100% equity shareholding of Soktas India Pvt Ltd (SIPL) for ₹165 crore on 6
March 2019.
• SIPL will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Grasim after the completion of the transaction.
• SIPL is currently a wholly owned unit of 'SOKTAS Tekstil Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S', a global producer and marketer of fabrics, with its
main facilities in Turkey.
SBI launched new digital payments platform
• SBI and Hitachi Payment Services Pvt Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd have launched their merchant-acquiring joint
venture, SBI Payment Services Pvt Ltd in Mumbai.
• It will establish a digital payments platform for India and other countries in the region.
• The joint venture will facilitate the expansion of the digital payments landscape in India via its digital payments platform.
Government to launch I-STEM portal
• The center is all set to launch a national portal 'I-STEM' of publicly-funded research facilities and equipment.
• It will enable easy and timely access of resources to researchers working anywhere in the country.
• The web portal is developed by scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru and is expected to be officially
launched soon.
Soumya Swaminathan: WHO Chief Scientist
• Soumya Swaminathan was moved from the position of deputy director-general of WHO on 7 March 2019.
• She will now be the chief scientist heading the organisation's new chief scientist division.
• She was the first Indian to hold the position at WHO.
• Swaminathan, who joined WHO in October 2017, has been replaced by Zsuzsanna Jakab, currently regional director, WHO
Europe.
Bharat Electronics launches SWAGAT
• Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), presented SWAGAT – the Automatic Fare Collection Gating System.
• Modi launched the system as part of the inaugural of Phase-I of the Ahmedabad Metro.
• SWAGAT is an initiative by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in collaboration with BEL and Centre for Development of
Advanced Computing with the support of DMRC, NPCI, and SBI.
Janaushadhi Diwas: 7 March
• Janaushadhi Diwas is being celebrated across the country on 7th March 2019.
• PM Narendra Modi addressed 5000 Janaushadhi stores across the country through video-conferencing on the occasion.
• More than 5050 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana Kendras are functional in 652 districts.
Web Wonder Women felicitated
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• The Ministry of Women and Child Development hosted a felicitation event for Web Wonder Women in New Delhi on 6 March
2019.
• It was organised to celebrate the exceptional achievements of women, who have been driving social reforms via social media.
• 30 women, who were selected after an extensive research process, were honoured by the Minister for Women and Child
Development, Maneka Gandhi.
CERN approved new experiment
• CERN Research Board approved a new experiment designed to look for light and weakly interacting particles at the LHC.
• FASER (Forward Search Experiment), will complement CERN’s ongoing physics programme, extending its discovery potential to
several new particles.
• It will search for a suite of hypothesised particles including dark photons.
Ajit Kumar appointed BARC chief
• Scientist Ajit Kumar Mohanty was appointed Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) on 6 March 2019.
• He has been appointed for a period of 3 years and is at present Director, Physics Group in BARC and Director, Saha Institute of
Nuclear Physics.
• The BARC is India's premier nuclear research facility based in Mumbai.
OECD cut global growth forecast
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development lowered its forecast for global economic growth to 3.3% for 2019.
• It is down from 3.5% it predicted in November.
• High policy uncertainty, ongoing trade tensions, and further erosion of business and consumer confidence contributed to the
slowdown.
• OECD revised growth estimates lower in almost all of the countries in the G20 group.
KIFI recognised as NSF by Sports Ministry
• Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports granted provisional recognition to Kudo International Federation India (KIFI) as National
Sports Federation with immediate effect.
• The recognition means granting a major role to KIFI Association for promotion and Development of Kudo sport in India.
• Kudo is an official Japanese Cultural Budo sport under the same category as Judo, Aikido, and Kendo.
Sonbhadra tops NITI Aayog's ranking
• Sonbhadra, Sahibganj, and Chatra topped the ranking of aspirational districts by Niti Aayog for the December-January period of
2018-19.
• The rankings measured the incremental progress made by 112 aspirational districts in December 2018-January 2019 across six
developmental areas.
• Of 115 aspirational districts, only 112 participated in the survey.
Odisha announced assistance for craftsmen
• As a token of appreciation towards the craftsmen, the Odisha government launched a scheme Mukhya Mantri Karigar Sahayata
on 6 March 2019.
• The scheme will provide them with monthly assistance.
• Craftsmen with over 10 years of experience and annual income below Rs 1 lakh would be eligible to get an assistance of Rs 800 a
month.
• Those above 80 years would get Rs 1,000 monthly allowance.
CBDT announced relaxed norms for startups
• The income tax department notified the modified norms for startups to enable them to seek 'angel tax' exemption for
investments of up to Rs 25 crore.
• The modified norms are aimed at encouraging budding entrepreneurs.
• To avail the exemption a startup will be required to submit a self-declaration about the use of the raised amount to the
Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
MoU signed between NCGG and IICA
• National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) and Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) signed an MoU on 6 March 2019.
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• IICA will support NCGG for utilization of infrastructure facilities during the training programme of NCGG at Delhi and for academic
& intellectual interactions for 5 years.
• IICA's primary objective is establishing, managing, and running a world-class institute.
Indore: Cleanest city 3rd time in a row
• Indore bagged the cleanest city award for the 3rd straight year under Swachh Survekshan 2019.
• President Ram Nath Kovind presented Swachh Survekhshan-2019 Awards in New Delhi.
• New Delhi Municipal Council area got the cleanest small city award.
• Uttarakhand's Gauchar was adjudged as the Best Ganga Town in the survey.
NABL launched Quality Assurance scheme
• NABL launched a scheme called Quality Assurance Scheme (QAS) for Basic Composite (BC) Medical Laboratories (Entry Level) in
February 2019.
• The scheme will help to bring quality at the grass root level of India’s health system.
• The base criterion of the scheme is based on the requirements enlisted in Gazette notification dated 18th May 2018 by Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW).
Google launched new app
• Google unveiled a new app 'Bolo' on 5 March 2019 that aims to help children in primary school learn to read in Hindi and English.
• The free app, which is being launched in India first, uses Google's speech recognition and text-to-speech technology.
• The app features an animated character 'Diya', who encourages children to read stories aloud and helps if the child is unable to
pronounce a word.
Nobel prize in literature to be awarded twice
• 2 Nobel prizes in literature will be awarded in 2019, to make up for the lack of one in 2018, as announced on 5 March 2019.
• Last year’s Nobel was withheld for the first time since 1949 after the Swedish Academy was hit with a sexual misconduct scandal.
15 most polluted cities in India
• Fifteen of the top 20 most polluted cities in the world are located in India, according to an analysis of air quality in several cities
around the world.
• Gurugram, in Haryana, topped the list with an average annual particulate matter (PM 2.5) quality of
135 μg/m3 (micrograms/cubic meter), in 2018.
• Bangladesh emerged as the most polluted followed by Pakistan and India respectively.
Trump to end trade terms for India
• US President Donald Trump intends to end the preferential trade terms for India under the U.S.’s Generalized System of
Preferences (GSP) program.
• The program accounts for some $5.6 billion of India’s exports to the U.S, making India the largest GSP beneficiary.
• India has not assured the United States that it will provide equitable and reasonable access to the markets of India, Trump said.
Arata won Pritzker Architecture Prize
• Japanese architect Arata Isozaki was awarded this year’s Pritzker Architecture Prize, known internationally as the highest honour
in the field, on 5 March 2019.
• Founded in 1979, the prize honours each year a living architect or architects whose work demonstrates talent and vision.
• Isozaki is credited with bringing together the East and West in his innovative designs.
65% hate crimes against Dalits
• 65% hate crimes against Dalits were documented by Amnesty India’s interactive Halt the Hate website.
• Of the 218 documented incidents, 142 were against Dalits, 50 against Muslims, and 8 each against Christians, Adivasis and
transgender people.
• For the 3rd straight year, Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of reported crimes, with 57 such incidents.
CDPQ signed pact to invest Rs 1800 crore
• Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) signed an agreement to invest ₹1,800 crore in ECL Finance Ltd. on 5 March
2019.
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• The agreement with CDPQ will enable ECL Finance to capitalize on opportunities in the credit market.
• CDPQ will make the investment through its arm, CDPQ Private Equity Asia Pte Ltd, according to a statement by ECL Finance.
Government introduced transport scheme
• The government introduced the Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA) scheme on 5 March 2019.
• It will provide financial assistance for transport and marketing of agriculture products.
• Under the scheme, the government would reimburse a certain portion of freight charges and provide assistance for marketing of
agricultural produce.
Appointments
• The government appointed P V Ramesh as the director-general of the National Archives of India.
• Supreme Court judge, Justice S A Bobde was nominated as Executive Chairman of the National Legal Service Authority on 5
March 2019.
World's youngest self-made billionaire: Kylie
• Kylie Jenner was named the youngest self-made billionaire of all time by Forbes magazine.
• Jenner, 21, made it onto the annual Forbes list of billionaires after debuting her Kylie Cosmetics online in 2015.
• Forbes said she is both the world's youngest billionaire and also the youngest self-made billionaire ever.
Permanent Commission to women
• Ministry of Defence has taken steps to ensure implementation of grant of Permanent Commission to Women officers in the
Armed Forces.
• Women officers will be granted Permanent Commission in the Indian Army in all the 10 branches where women are inducted for
Short Service Commission.
• All branches, in IAF, including Fighter Pilots are now open for women officers.
HP to build 3D printing centre in AP
• HP Inc India signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government on 5 March 2019 to build a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for 3D
printing.
• The pact was inked with the Andhra Pradesh Innovation Society (APIS) and the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board
(APEDB).
• The CoE would be equipped with 3D printers that can handle short-run production and functional prototyping.
Mukesh Ambani is 13th richest in world: Forbes
• Richest Indian, Mukesh Ambani jumped six positions to rank 13th on Forbes World's Billionaire list.
• Amazon founder Bezos with $131 billion remained the world's richest person followed by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.
• Ambani saw wealth soar from $40.1 billion in 2018 when he was placed 19th richest in the world, to $50 billion to be rank at 13th
in 2019.
India signed agreement with World Bank
• The World Bank signed a $96 Million Loan Agreement to provide additional funds to the State of Uttarakhand on 5 March 2019.
• These funds will help the state in its post-disaster recovery plans, ongoing since the floods of 2013, as well as strengthen its
capacity for Disaster Risk Management.
• The disaster, in 2013, hit more than 4,200 villages, damaged 2,500 houses, and killed 4,000 people.
3 banks fined by RBI
• RBI imposed a fine of ₹2 crore on Allahabad Bank, Rs 1 crore on ICICI Bank, and Rs 1 crore on Yes Bank for non-compliance of
norms.
• Yes Bank was fined for non-compliance of directions on Swift.
• Allahabad Bank was fined for non-compliance of directions with regard to Nostro accounts.
• ICICI Bank was fined for delay in compliance with directions related to global messaging software Swift.
Loan agreement for Chhattisgarh
• The Government of India, the State Government of Chhattisgarh and the World Bank signed a $25.2 Million Loan Agreement in
New Delhi on 5 March 2019.
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• It was signed to support the State’s Reforms in Expenditure Management to cover things such as expenditure planning.
• The Loan Agreement was signed by Mr. Sameer Kumar Khare, Ms. Kamal Preet Dhillon, and Mr. Hisham Abdo.
World Bank and India signed agreement
• The World Bank and the Govt of India signed a $250 Million Agreement for the National Rural Economic Transformation Project
(NRETP) in Delhi on 5 March 2019.
• It will help women in rural households to shift to a new generation of economic initiatives.
• The Loan Agreement was signed by Mr. Sameer Kumar Khare, Ministry of Finance, and Mr. Hisham Abdo, Acting Country
Director, World Bank India.
PM visited Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
• PM Narendra Modi visited Kalaburagi in Karnataka and Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu on 6 March 2019 to launch various
development projects.
• He dedicated to the nation the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal Terminal and ESIC Hospital and Medical College, Bengaluru.
• He also unveiled multiple projects in roadways, railways, and energy sector at Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu.
6 billion people inhale polluted air
• UN expert on environment and human rights David Boyd said over 6 billion people regularly inhale air so polluted that it puts
their life, health, and well-being at risk.
• Air pollution is a silent killer responsible for the premature death of seven million people each year, including 600,000 children.
• 800 people die every hour of respiratory illnesses because of breathing polluted air.
Nepal govt officials joined INGAF course
• The 3rd group of 22 officials of Nepal's Ministry of Finance joined their training course on ‘Global Perspectives on Public Financial
Management’.
• They joined the course at the Institute of Government Accounts and Finance (INGAF) in New Delhi on 4 March 2019.
• The training is being held under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme of the Ministry of External
Affairs.
India and Oman to begin joint exercise
• The 3rd edition of the bilateral joint exercise between India and Oman, Al Nagah 2019 will begin from 12 March 2019 at Jabel Al
Akhdar Mountains in Oman.
• It will continue till 25th of March and both the armies will exchange expertise and experience in tactics, weapon handling, and
firing.
• The aim of this exercise is to enhance interoperability in counter-terrorist operations.
Azadi Ke Diwane museum inaugurated
• Minister of State for Culture and Environment, Dr. Mahesh Sharma inaugurated ‘AzaadikeDiwane’ museum at Red Fort, Delhi on
5 March 2019.
• It is created by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and pays homage to all unsung heroes of freedom struggle of the nation.
• The museum is 5th in the series of recently inaugurated museums in the Red Fort Complex including Subhash Chandra Bose
museum.
Handloom Haat at Janpath inaugurated
• Textiles Minister Smriti Irani inaugurated the refurbished Handloom Haat at Janpath in New Delhi on March 5, 2019.
• The main objective of the Haat is to provide infrastructure support to handloom agencies to augment their sales of handloom
products.
• She also launched 3 projects besides this, which are Trend Forecasting, Design Innovation Incubator and Textiles, and Crafts
Repository.
Uttarakhand to set up CoE for Himalayan Fibre
• The Uttarakhand government has decided to set up a center of excellence for Himalayan fiber in Almora district of Kumaon.
• It will be set up with support from the Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA) - Ghaziabad.
• NITRA, under the Union Ministry of Textile, will set up a training institute for developing fiber products at the Centre.
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Project BOLD-QIT inaugurated

• Project BOLD-QIT (Border Electronically Dominated QRT Interception Technique) on India-Bangladesh border in Assam was
inaugurated on 5 March 2019.
• I&T Wing of BSF undertook the project in January 2018 and completed it in record time.
• Implementation of this project will help BSF to curb all types of cross border crimes and provide respite to the troops from round
the clock human surveillance.
1000 MW NTPL project dedicated to nation
• Coal Minister Piyush Goyal dedicated to the nation a 1,000-megawatt (MW) thermal power project of Neyveli Tamil Nadu Power
Ltd (NTPL) on 4 March 2019.
• He also dedicated 150-MW solar power projects of NLC India Ltd (NLCIL) in Tamil Nadu.
• The 1,000-MW coal-fired thermal power project of NTPL is a joint venture between NLCIL and TANGEDCO with equity
participation of 89:11.
Appointments
• Veteran Indian sports administrator Randhir Singh was appointed as the chairman of the Coordination Committee of the 2022
Hangzhou Asian Games by the General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia.
• Beverage major Coca-Cola India appointed Nishi Kulshreshtha Chaturvedi as Vice President, Human Resources, India and South
West Asia.
Important Mergers and purchase
• Zomato will sell its UAE food delivery business to Germany’s Delivery Hero Group for about $172 million.
• ICICI Bank will acquire 9.9% stake in non-banking finance company Kisan Finance for cash consideration of ₹17.82 crore.
BHEL to set up EV charger network
• BHEL will be setting up a network of solar-based electric vehicle chargers on the Delhi-Chandigarh highway.
• The project will be covered under the Department of Heavy Industry's FAME scheme (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of
(Hybrid) & Electric Vehicles in India).
• EV chargers would allay range-anxiety among the electric vehicle users and bolster their confidence for inter-city travel.
96% usage of toilets under Swachh Bharat
• The National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) 2018-19, found that 96.5% of the households in rural India who have access
to a toilet use it.
• The survey also re-confirmed the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status of 90.7% of villages.
• The survey was conducted between November 2018 and February 2019, covering 92040 households in 6136 villages across the
country.
Air pollution costing India $30 billion/year
• Air pollution due to crop stubble burning in northern India causes an economic loss of $30 billion annually, as per a study
unveiled on 4 March 2019.
• Researchers from the US-based International Food Policy Research Institute found that living in districts with air pollution from
crop stubble burning can cause acute respiratory infection (ARI).
• This is first of its kind study.
New airports inaugurated
• PM Narendra Modi will launch civilian flight operations from Hindon airbase on 8 March 2019. He will also inaugurate the 9.4 km-
long Dilshad Garden-New Bus Adda section of Delhi Metro's Red Line.
• Sindhudurg airport in Parule-Chipi area of Maharashtra's Konkan region was inaugurated by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis
and Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu on 5 March 2019.
Guinness Book of World Record for Kumbh Mela
• The Prayagraj Kumbh Mela 2019 secured a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
• It set the record for the largest crowd management, largest sanitation drive and largest painting exercise of public sites.
• The festival began on January 14 and concluded on March 4, 2019, with the sixth and final Shahi Snan on the occasion of Maha
Shivratri.
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India tops in Consumer Confidence Survey

• India topped the Global Consumer Confidence Survey, conducted in collaboration with Nielson.
• The survey was conducted over the internet and polled more than 32,000 consumers in 64 countries across Asia-Pacific, Europe,
Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and North America.
• India had a Consumer Confidence Index score of 133 in the 4th quarter of 2018.
RBI slapped fine on 4 banks
• RBI imposed a total monetary fine of Rs 8 crore on 3 banks - Karnataka Bank, United Bank of India and Karur Vysya Bank.
• Banks were charged for non-compliance of directions on Swift messaging software.
• Rs 4 crore fine was imposed on Karnataka Bank, United Bank faced a penalty of Rs 3 crore, and Rs 1 crore fine on Karur Vysya
Bank.
• Rs 1 crore was also charged on Yes Bank for the same reason.
Shikha, Jhulan in top 5 women's ODI rankings
• 2 Indian bowlers, Jhulan Goswami, and Shikha Pandey joined the top 5 club in the latest ICC women's cricket rankings for ODI
bowlers issued on March 4, 2019.
• Shikha Pandey was placed joint 3rd along with South Africa's Dane van Niekerk.
• Veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami topped the latest ICC women's cricket rankings.
India-Bangladesh began joint exercise
• The 8th edition of joint military exercise Sampriti between India and Bangladesh began on 3 March 2019 in Tangail, Bangladesh.
• 'Sampriti' aims to increase mutual cooperation between the armies of two countries.
• Bangladesh side was represented by 36 East Bengal Battalion, while Indian side was represented by 9th Battalion of the
Rajputana Rifles.
PM Shram Yogi Mandhan Yojana launched
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan Yojana at Gandhinagar.
• This is a national pension scheme for workers and labourers of unorganised sector.
• It will provide a monthly pension of 3000 rupees to the employees of the unorganised sector after 60 years of age.
• The scheme will benefit 10 crore workers in unorganised sector.
ISRO launched Young Scientist Programme
• ISRO launched a special programme for School Children called “Young Scientist Programme” “YUva VIgyani KAryakram” (यु�वका).
• It is primarily aimed at imparting basic knowledge on Space Technology, Space Science and Space Applications to the younger
ones.
• It will be of around two weeks duration during summer holidays and students of the 9th standard are eligible for it.
Sanjeev Ranjan to be new Road Transport Sec
• Senior IAS officer Sanjeev Ranjan was named secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
• He is the chairman of National Highways Authority of India at present and has been appointed an officer on special duty in
MoRTH.
• Nagendra Nath Sinha will replace him as the new NHAI chief.
Gurugram is the Most Polluted City
• Gurugram topped the list of the most polluted cities in the world in a recent study conducted by NGO Greenpeace India.
• It was ranked first among 62 polluted cities in the report, Global Air Pollution 2018.
• The report measures the air quality in terms of PM 2.5 data as aggregated through the IQAir AirVisual platform in 2018.
Obituaries
• Ex-Union Minister V Dhananjay Kumar passed away. He was Cabinet minister for civil aviation and tourism in 1996.
• Actor Luke Perry died. He rose to fame in the hit 1990s television series "Beverly Hills, 90210"
Vice President on visit to Paraguay
• Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu is on a two-nation visit to Paraguay and Costa Rica.
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• The 8-day tour aims at strengthening bilateral ties with the two Latin American countries.
• President of Paraguay - Mario Abdo Benitez.
• President of Costa Rica - Carlos Alvarado Quesada.
Hailakandi: Top aspirational district
• Assam's Hailakandi district has shot up to number 1 from the 52nd position, among the aspirational districts of the country as per
a new report by the Niti Aayog.
• It ranked 1st among the 112 aspirational districts of India based on the performance during November-December 2018 and
January 2019.
• Deputy commissioners of awarded districts would receive an additional allocation on 6 March 2019.
Essar got nod for shale exploration
• Essar Oil & Gas Exploration and Production Ltd (EOGEPL) received environment clearance for exploring shale gas reserves in its
Raniganj block in West Bengal.
• The expert appraisal committee (EAC) allowed Essar to drill 20 wells to explore shale gas in its Raniganj CBM block.
• It has been awarded an exploration lease for shale gas, CBM, and hydrocarbons in the Raniganj block.
Crew Dragon Rocket launched
• SpaceX launched an unmanned Crew Dragon craft from Florida to the International Space Station on 2 March 2019.
• It is a milestone for Elon Musk's goal of enabling humans to live on other planets.
2 New Rail projects flagged off
• Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis flagged off 11.28 km long 2nd phase of the Chembur-Wadala-Jacob Circle of Mumbai
monorail network on 3 March 2019.
• PM Narendra Modi flagged off the Tejas Express between Madurai and Chennai, with two commercial stops.
Bhagwan Lal Sahni to head NCBC
• Bhagwan Lal Sahni, a BJP leader from Bihar's Muzaffarpur, assumed charge as the chairman of the newly constituted National
Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).
• The NCBC was given constitutional status by Parliament in 2018.
• Kaushalendra Singh Patel, Sudha Yadav, and Achary Talloju have been appointed as members of the commission.
Only 6 countries give equal rights to women
• The World Bank found that only 6 countries in the world enshrine gender equality in laws affecting work as per its report
'Women, business and the law 2019' report.
• These countries are Sweden, France, Denmark, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Latvia.
• The index assessed eight indicators that influence economic decisions women make during their working lives, of which only 6
got full marks.
CISF set new Guinness World Record
• Central Industrial Security Force achieved a Guinness world record feat in single line bicycle parade to mark the 50 years of the
paramilitary force on March 3, 2019.
• The new record was created at the Yamuna Expressway in Noida.
• Personnel of CISF rode 1,327 bicycles non-stop with a uniform distance between bicycles in a single line.
• The parade covered 3.2 km distance non-stop.
U.S. closed Jerusalem consulate
• The US officially shuttered its consulate in Jerusalem, downgrading the status of its main diplomatic mission to the Palestinians by
folding it into the US Embassy to Israel.
• The consulate functioned as a de facto embassy to the Palestinians for decades.
• The symbolic shift hands authority over U.S. diplomatic channels with the West Bank and Gaza to Ambassador David Friedman.
Deal with Russia to produce AK-203 rifles
• India signed a deal with a Russian firm to manufacture 7.5 lakh AK-203 rifles, the latest derivative of the AK-47 rifles.
• The AK-203 rifles will be produced at the Indian Ordnance Factory at Amethi's Korwa.
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• The new rifles will replace the indigenous INSAS rifles in the Army, Air Force, and Navy.
Adani Power's Jharkhand SEZ project
• The government has approved Adani Power's ₹14,000-crore Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project in Jharkhand.
• It will export power generated to Bangladesh.
• The group had sought approval for setting up the project over an area of 425 hectares.
ICC's Cricket Committee head: Anil Kumble
• The ICC has reappointed former Team India captain Anil Kumble as the chairman of ICC's Cricket Committee during its quarterly
meet in Dubai.
• Kumble, who has been the chairman of the committee since 2012, will be serving for a final three-year term.
• Kumble had replaced former Windies' captain Clive Lloyd in 2012.
New Memorandum of Understanding
• An MoU was signed between the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation and Chinese paper manufacturing firm 'Nine
Dragons' to invest Rs 4500 crores in the state.
• EDB, the investment promotion arm of Bahrain, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the
Maharashtra government to provide a framework for co-operation to promote fintech in their respective markets.
Indian Bank received Best Bank Award
• Public sector Indian Bank bagged the Best Bank Award from the Tamil Nadu government on 3 March 2019.
• It was awarded for meeting the needs of women's self-help groups (SHGs).
• Chief Minister of the state K Palaniswami handed over the award to the executive director of the bank M K Bhattacharya.
Aadhar, voluntary ID proof in banks
• President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to an ordinance that allows voluntary use of Aadhaar as ID proof for opening bank
accounts and buying SIM cards.
• The ordinance will omit Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act relating to the use of Aadhaar by private entities.
• The changes entail a civil penalty of up to Rs. 1 crore on entities that violate the provisions of the Aadhaar Act.
4 banks fined by RBI
• RBI imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 3 crore on Union Bank, Rs 2 crore on Dena Bank and Rs 1 crore each on IDBI and the SBI on
2 March 2019.
• They were charged for non-compliance with various directions.
• The penalty on the Union Bank was imposed for delay in adherence to its directives on 'Time-bound implementation and
strengthening of SWIFT-related controls'.
PM on 2-day visit to Gujarat
• PM Narendra Modi is on a 2-day visit to Gujarat from 4 March 2019.
• He will launch the Pradhan Mantri Shram-Yogi Maandhan Yojana (PM-SYM) and inaugurate the first phase of 6-km-long
Ahmedabad Metro service.
• He will also lay foundation stones for Umiya Dham temple and launch SAUNI water scheme.
One Nation One Card launched by PM
• PM Narendra Modi launched 'One Nation One Card' in Ahmedabad on 4 March 2019.
• It can be used for paying for travel on any mode of transportation.
• It will enable people to use them either in PoS machines deployed at ticket counters or just use them like Metro Rail smart cards
to enter a platform.
Bajrang Punia won gold in Bulgaria
• Wrestler Bajrang Punia won a gold medal in 65 KG freestyle in Bulgaria.
• The tournament, Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov was held in Ruse.
• He overpowered Jordan Oliver of USA by 12-3 in the final on March 2, 2019, and secured the maximum ranking points from the
tournament.
• This is his 10th medal in international tournaments since the 2017 World Championships in Paris.
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Gwalior: Centre for Disability Sports

• A Centre for Disability Sports will be set up at Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh.
• It will ensure the effective participation of Persons with Disabilities in sports activities.
• It is being developed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• It will have an Outdoor Athletic Stadium, Indoor Sports Complex and Aquatic Centre.
Abhinandan will be awarded Mahavir Award
• IAF Wing Commander, Abhinandan Varthaman will be the 1st recipient of the ‘Bhagwan Mahavir Ahimsa Puraskar’ instituted by
the Akhil Bharatiya Digambar Jain Mahasamiti.
• He shot down a Pakistani Air Force jet F-16 with an R-73 air-to-air missile in a dogfight on February 27.
• He will be awarded on April 17, 2019. The award has a cash prize of Rs. 2.51 lakh, citation, and memento.
Kalashnikov rifles unit inaugurated in Amethi
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a Kalashnikov rifles manufacturing facility at Amethi in Uttar Pradesh on 3 March
2019.
• The facility has been set up by Indo-Russia Rifles Pvt Ltd.
• Indo-Russia Rifles Pvt Ltd is a joint venture between India's Ordnance factory and a Russian firm.
• The facility will produce the last series of Kalashnikov rifles in the Korwa Ordnance Factory.
Roger Federer claims 100th title
• Roger Federer won the Dubai Tennis Open for the 8th time on 2 March 2019.
• He defeated Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final match.
• With this win, he claimed the 100th title of his remarkable career.
• He is the second male player to win 100 singles titles after American Jimmy Connors, who won 109 titles.
Senegal's President Macky Sall won second term
• On 28 February 2019, Senegal's President Macky Sall won a second term of five years.
• He got 58% of the vote in the poll in which he faced four candidates from other parties.
• He was first elected as President of Senegal in 2012.
• Senegal is an African country and its capital is Dakar and currency is West African CFA Franc.
Appointments
• IDBI Bank appointed LIC's Chairman and Managing Director Hemant Bhargava as its Non-Executive and Non-Whole time
Chairman for three years on 26 February 2019.
• On 2 March 2019, the Commerce Ministry reappointed P K Bezbaruah as the Chairman of Tea Board.
• Bhagwan Lal Sahni was appointed as the Chairman of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) on 1 March 2019.
RBI to infuse Rs 25,000 crore into banks
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will infuse Rs 25,000 crore into the banking system through Open Market Operations (OMO).
• The RBI will conduct the purchase of government securities through multi-security auction using the multiple price method.
• The decision on OMO is based on a review of the evolving liquidity conditions in the banking system.
Heat Wave 2019: Workshop on Preparedness held
• A National workshop on Preparedness, Mitigation, and Management of Heat Wave was conducted in Nagpur on 27 and 28
February 2019.
• It was conducted by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Government of Maharashtra.
• The workshop aims to sensitise States on the need of preparing and implementing specific Heat Action Plans in line with NDMA’s
national guidelines on Heat Wave.
DRDO Chief got Missile Systems Award 2019
• DRDO Chief G Satheesh Reddy was conferred with the prestigious 'Missile Systems Award 2019' for his leadership role in the
Indian missile programmes.
• The award was conferred by American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
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• The award recognises excellence in developing or implementing missile systems technology, and for inspired leadership of missile
systems programs.
Atal Innovation Mission partners with Adobe
• NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Adobe signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) on 27 February 2019.
• Adobe will adopt 100 schools under Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) initiative.
• Adobe will implement its Digital Disha Program in ATLs, under which free licenses of Adobe Spark premium shall be offered to
ATLs.
Rice Knowledge Bank launched
• ‘Rice Knowledge Bank - Assam’, an agriculture web portal was launched on 28 February 2019.
• The portal is a part of the World Bank funded project- Assam Agri-business and Rural Transformation (APART).
• The portal dedicated to enhancing knowledge on rice production techniques and technologies, best production practices and
state agriculture facts.
Agreements
• The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the government of India signed a loan agreement of US$455 million to
finance the Andhra Pradesh Rural Roads Project.
• IDBI Bank and Life Insurance Corporation of India have signed a bancassurance agreement, under which the products of LIC will
be available through the bank branches of IDBI.
World Wildlife Day : 3 March
• World Wildlife Day is observed every year on 3 March.
• The theme for 2019 is 'Life below water: for people and planet'.
• The aim of the day is to celebrate and raise awareness of the world's wild fauna and flora.
• On this day, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was adopted.
K.L. Rahul only Indian in top 10 batsmen
• K L Rahul was the only Indian to feature in the top 10 batting list in the latest ICC T20 International Players Rankings released on
27 February 2019.
• Afghanistan's Hazratullah Zazai jumped 31 spots to be placed at career-best seventh position.
• In the ICC Men's T20 International Team Rankings, India has retained their second position.
Government extends ban on SIMI
• The government of India has extended the ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).
• It was involved in a series of terror acts in the country, for five years.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs termed the SIMI as an unlawful association.
• The decision has been taken as the organisation continues to indulge in subversive activities.
2nd Edition of ISL Dictionary launched
• The 2nd Edition of Indian Sign Language (ISL) Dictionary was launched in New Delhi on 27 February 2019.
• The dictionary was developed by Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) under the Department of
Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
• The first edition of the dictionary with three thousand words was launched in March 2018.
STARS Scheme launched by HRD Ministry
• Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) launched STARS – Scheme for Translational and Advanced Research in
Science to fund science projects.
• The ministry has approved funds worth Rs 250 crore for the scheme.
• These funds will be utilised to sponsor about 500 science projects.
• The project will be coordinated by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.
India & Bangladesh held a joint exercise
• Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) held a three-day ‘Mainamati Maitree Exercise 2019’ at Tripura-
Bangladesh Border.
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• The exercise concluded on 28 February 2019.

• The exercise is a part of ‘Confidence Building Measures’ between the two border guards.
• The exercise was named after a hill range situated 8 km west of Comilla township in Bangladesh.
Report on trade in South Asia released by WB
• A report titled ‘Exports to Jobs: Boosting the Gains from Trade in South Asia’ was released by the World Bank on 28 February
2019.
• The report said the share of trade in India’s GDP has fallen from 55.8% to 41.1% between 2012 and 2017.
• The Indian economy grew at a rate of 7.2% in 2017, bringing down the number of people living in poverty.
Cabinet approves phase 2 of FAME scheme
• The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved a Rs 10,000 crore package for the second phase of Faster Adoption
& Manufacturing of Electric (and hybrid) vehicles (FAME) scheme on February 28.
• Phase 2 will continue for three years till 31 March 2022.
• FAME II will focus on the electrification of public transportation including 'shared transportation'.
Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Jl-VAN yojana
• The Union Cabinet approved the 'Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana' (Jaiv Indhan- Vatavaran Anukool fasal Awashesh Nivaran) on 28
February 2019.
• The aim of the scheme is to provide financial support to Integrated Bioethanol Projects using lignocellulosic biomass and other
renewable feedstock.
• The Yojana will be supported with total financial outlay of Rs.1969.50 crore for 5 years.
PNB comes first in executing ‘reforms agenda’
• The BCG-IBA report – EASE Reforms for Public Sector Banks (PSBs) was released on 28 February 2019.
• Punjab National Bank was ranked first among public sector banks in the implementation of ‘reforms agenda’.
• The report measures the performance of each PSB on 140 objective metrics across six themes, including customer
responsiveness, credit offtake, and digitalisation.
Guiness Book of World Record created by DEPwD
• A National Conference on “Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS)” was inaugurated in Gujarat on 1 March 2019.
• '7th Guinness Book of World Record' was created by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) on 28
February 2019 at Bharuch, Gujarat.
• The record was created for implanting 'Modern Artificial Limbs (Legs)' on 260 Divyangjans within eight hours.
United States slaps new sanctions on Venezuela
• The United States has imposed new sanctions on Venezuela.
• The sanctions were imposed a day after Russia and China vetoed a US and European resolution at the UN Security Council.
• The US imposed sanctions on the members of President Nicolas Maduro's security forces.
• The US also revoked the visas of 49 Venezuelan officials and their family members.
UNSC designates Hamza under its sanctions list
• The United Nations Security Council has designated Hamza bin Laden under its sanctions list.
• He is the son of Osama bin Laden and is now subject to a travel ban, assets freeze, and an arms embargo.
• A reward of a US$ 1 million was announced for information leading to his capture.
• Saudi Arabia revoked the citizenship of Hamza bin Laden via a royal decree in November 2018.
Abhinandan Varthaman returns home
• Indian Air Force Wing Commander, Abhinandan Varthman arrived in India on 1 March 2019.
• He was handed over to Indian authorities by Pakistan at Attari-Wagah border.
• He was captured by Pakistani authorities on 27 February 2019 after an aerial engagement between the 2 countries.
• A suicide bomb attack was carried in Pulwama, J&K in February 2019 that killed approx 40 paramilitary troops.
AN Jha joins as Member Finance Commission
• Ajay Narayan Jha joined the Fifteenth Finance Commission as its Member on 1 March 2019.
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• He joined in place of Shri Shaktikanta Das who had resigned as a Member of the Commission after being appointed as Governor,
Reserve Bank of India.
• He is a 1982 batch IAS officer of Manipur cadre and was the Finance Secretary to the Government of India.
Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue to be held
• The second edition of Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) - 2019 will be held on 5 and 6 March 2019 in New Delhi.
• The aim of the IPRD is to focus attention on the Indo-Pacific, as a maritime geographical-entity.
• It is organised by the Indian Navy and the National Maritime Foundation.
• The IPRD 2019 is based on five themes would be addressed in five sessions spread over two days.
Book on 'Mann Ki Baat' released
• A book titled, 'Mann Ki Baat - A Social Revolution on Radio' was released by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi on 2
March 2019.
• The book is a compendium encompassing 50 editions of the 'Mann Ki Baat' programme by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on All
India Radio.
• The book is published by Rupa, in collaboration with BlueKraft Digital Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation.
Defence Appointments
• Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar was appointed as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Air Command of the Indian Air
Force on 1 March 2019.
• Rajiv Dayal Mathur was appointed as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Air Command of the Indian Air Force on
1 March 2019.
OSDMA won the SKOCH Award
• The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) won the SKOCH Award 2018 for its achievements in the field of
disaster management.
• The award covers the areas of finance, governance, banking, disaster management, technology, economics, and inclusive growth.
• The OSDMA also received an Order-of-merit in the Gold category for constructing 879 multipurpose cyclone and flood shelters.
Thanga gets AB Vajpayee Life Time award
• Thanga Darlong was conferred Atal Bihari Vajpayee Life Time Award by the Tripura government on 1 March 2019.
• He is a tribal musician, who plays Rosem, a flute like tribal musical instrument made of bamboo.
• In January 2019, he was conferred the prestigious Padma Shri award for his contribution to the field of music.
Ayushman Bharat cover for Uber cab drivers
• The Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) has joined hands with Uber to extend health cover to their
driver and delivery partners.
• Under the agreement, Uber, under its Uber CARE initiative, will help set up common service centers (CSCs) at Partners Seva
Kendras.
• The facility will not be available in Delhi, Odisha, and Telangana.
Indian economy to grow at 7.3% in 2019-20
• The US-based rating agency, Moody's released the quarterly Global Macro Outlook for 2019 and 2020 on 1 March 2019.
• As per the report, the Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.3% in the calendar years 2019 and 2020.
• In 2018-19 fiscal, ending March 2019, the Indian economy is estimated to have grown 7%, lower than 7.2% in 2017-18.
Gill takes over as MD & CEO of Yes Bank
• Former Indian Chief of Deutsche Bank, Ravneet Gill took charge as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of private
sector lender Yes Bank on 1 March 2019.
• He will have a three-year term and it has been approved by the Reserve Bank of India.
• He succeeded Rana Kapoor, the co-founder of the bank, whose term ended on 31 January 2019.
Manufacturing PMI at a 14-month high in Feb
• According to the Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index, the manufacturing activity expanded to a 14-month
high of 54.3 in February 2019.
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• The rise is due to an increase in sales, output, and employment, according to a private sector survey.
• A reading over 50 denotes an expansion in activity and one below 50 shows a contraction.
SEBI slashes regulatory fee for brokers
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has lowered the regulatory fee that it charges from market intermediaries.
• The move is expected to bring down the overall trading costs for investors.
• The fee that brokers have to pay to SEBI has been reduced by 33.33%, while the fees levied on agri-commodity brokers has been
cut by 93.33%.
Hasmukh Adhia appointed as BoB's Chairman
• On 1 March 2019, former Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia was appointed as Non-Executive Chairman of Bank of Baroda (BoB)
for three years.
• Dr. Adhia superannuated as Finance Secretary in November 2017.
• Bank of Baroda is set to become the third largest lender of the country after amalgamation with Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank
effective 1 April 2019.
IRCTC launches IRCTC iPay
• The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) launched its own payment aggregator system, iPay.
• It will provide an improved online digital payment convenience and ease of doing business to passengers availing online travel
services through the IRCTC website.
• This will help reduce the gap between IRCTC and banks which will lead to a substantial reduction in payment failures.
7th RCEP ISSM was held in Cambodia
• The 7th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Intersessional Ministerial Meeting (7th RCEP ISSL MM) was held on 2
March 2019 in Cambodia.
• The meeting was chaired by Chutima Bunyapraphasara, Acting Minister of Commerce of Thailand.
• RCEP is a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between 10 countries of ASEAN and their six FTA partners.
• Cambodia's capital is Phnom Penh.
India and ADB sign $926 Million Loan Agreement
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $926 Million Loan Agreement on 1 March 2019.
• The loan amount will help in operationalising the two metro rail lines for the Mumbai Metro Rail System project.
• The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will implement the project.
Government to celebrate ‘Poshan Pakhwada’
• The Government of India will celebrate the first anniversary of 'POSHAN Abhiyaan' by organising Poshan Pakhwada across the
Country.
• The Pakhwada will be launched on International Women’s Day, 8th March, 2019.
• The Ministry of Women & Child Development is the nodal ministry for coordinating activities during the month.
RBI constitutes task force under Usha Thorat
• The RBI announced a task force to examine issues related to offshore rupee markets and recommend policy measures to ensure
the stability of the external value of the domestic currency.
• It will be headed by its former deputy Governor Usha Thorat.
• The eight-member task force will assess the causes behind the development of the offshore rupee market.
20,000 crore GST evasion detected
• The government detected ₹20,000 crore worth GST evasion so far this fiscal.
• Between April-February 2018-19, GST evasion worth ₹20,000 crore had been detected, of which ₹10,000 crore was recovered.
• A fake invoice worth ₹1,500 crore was detected which was used to claim illegal GST credit of ₹75 crore.
Naresh Goyal resigns as Chairman
• Jet Airways' founder Naresh Goyal has agreed to step down as chairman of the airline's board.
• Mr. Goyal, who founded the full-service carrier 25 years ago, has also agreed to reduce his 51% stake.
• He would continue to be a part of the company in some capacity even after stepping down as chairman.
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Blast-proof LPG cylinders to be launched

• A new breed of blast-proof composite Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders will soon be available in India.
• Confidence Petroleum India Limited and Time Technoplast Limited announced the launch of their brand ‘GoGas Elite’ in Mumbai.
• The lightweight cylinders are manufactured using composite material and are non-corrosive, UV-protected &100% recyclable.
GDP growth at 6.6% in December
• India's GDP or gross domestic product growth stood at 6.6% in the quarter ended December 31, 2018, government data showed
• This is the slowest rate of GDP expansion recorded since the quarter ended September 2017, and lower than economists'
estimate.
• The growth in GDP during 2018-19 is estimated at 7.0% as compared to the growth rate of 7.2% in 2017-18.
Foundation stone laid for NIUM
• AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik laid the foundation stone of National Institute of Unani Medicine, NIUM at Ghaziabad on
March 1, 2019.
• Once established, the 200-bedded hospital will be one of the largest institutes of Unani Medicine in North India.
• The institute is an extension of the existing NIUM at Bengaluru and will be developed on a 10-acre area, costing about 300 crore
rupees.
Aadhaar Amendment Bill cleared
• The Cabinet approved the promulgation of an ordinance to allow voluntary use of Aadhaar as identity proof for opening bank
account on 28 February 2019.
• It was necessitated as the Aadhaar Amendment bill, passed by the Lok Sabha on January 4, 2019.
• It will give effect to changes in the Aadhaar Act such as giving a child an option to exit from the biometric ID programme after 18
years of age.
1 March: Zero Discrimination Day
• Zero Discrimination Day is observed on March 1 and it aims to address the issue of discrimination faced by people across the
world.
• The theme for Zero Discrimination Day 2019 is 'Act to change laws that Discriminate'.
• It was launched by UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé on February 27, 2014, with a major event in Beijing.
MoU between India and USA approved
• The Cabinet approved the MoU between India and the USA to access tipline reports on Missing and Exploited Children.
• The MoU was signed between the National Crime Record Bureau, India and the National Centre for Missing and Exploited
Children, NCMEC, USA.
• It will provide access to more than one lakh tipline reports available with NCMEC, USA and enable law enforcement agencies in
India.
PM launched projects in Tamil Nadu
• PM Narendra Modi launched 5 National Highways projects worth 3000 crore rupees in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu on March 1,
2019.
• He also launched a Road Safety Park and Transport Museum.
• He dedicated to the nation the 2 and 4 laning of the Madurai-Ramanathapuram section of NH-87.
• In Visakhapatnam, he addressed a public meeting "Praja Chaitanya Sabha" at the Railway grounds.
J&K approved 10% reservation for general sect
• The Union Cabinet has approved the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Amendment Order, 2019.
• It will serve the purpose of application of a relevant provision of the constitution as amended through the constitution (77th
Amendment) act, 2019 for J&K.
• It will extend the reservation of up to 10% for the economically weaker section.
Amalgamation of DBS bank approved
• RBI approved the amalgamation of 'DBS Bank, India' with 'DBS Bank India' on 28 February 2019.
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• DBS used to operate in the 'branch model' and is among the first foreign lenders to come forward and operate as a WOS (wholly
owned subsidiary).
• The scheme of amalgamation between the two entities has been sanctioned under the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act,
1949.
4-lane bridge approved on Brahmaputra
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved construction of 4-lane bridge on South Bank on NH-127 B in the State of
Assam/Meghalaya.
• The total length of the bridge will be 19.282 km.
• The bridge will be built under the scheme of North-East Road Network Connectivity Project Phase-03.
• Its construction over river Brahmaputra will save huge travel distance from 205.3 km to only 19.282 km.
MoU between India and Argentina approved
• The Union cabinet approved the MoU between India and Argentina on cooperation in the field of Medical Products Regulation.
• The approval would facilitate a better understanding of the regulatory aspects between the two sides.
• It will also help in increasing India’s export of medical products to Argentina and better coordination in the international fora.
RBI and Bank of Japan signed BSA
• RBI and Bank of Japan signed a Bilateral Swap Arrangement (BSA) on 28 February 2019.
• The BSA provides for India to access 75 billion US dollars whereas the earlier BSA had provided for 50 billion dollars.
• The BSA was approved by the Union Cabinet in January 2019.
India and Brunei signed agreement
• India and the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam signed an Agreement in New
Delhi on 28 February 2019.
• It was signed for the Exchange of Information and Assistance in Collection with respect to Taxes (TIEA).
• The agreement is based on international standards of tax transparency and exchange of information.
DDRS organised by DEPwD
• A National Conference on Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) was organized on 1 March 2019.
• It was organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment at
Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
• Its objective was to sensitize the stakeholders of the scheme.
2nd advance estimate released
• The Central Statistics Office (CSO) released the Second Advance Estimates of National Income at Constant (2011-12) and Current
Prices for the financial year 2018-19.
• Quarterly Estimates of GDP for the third quarter October-December (Q3), 2018-19 was also released.
• The growth in GDP during 2018-19 is estimated at 7% as compared to the growth rate of 7.2% in 2017-18.
25th Prime Minister's Trophy presented
• 25th Prime Minister’s Trophy for Excellence in Performance of Integrated Steel Plants for 2016-17 was presented in New Delhi on
1st March 2019.
• The objective of the award is to give recognition to outstanding performance in integrated steel plant sector of the national
economy.
• The award is presented in 4 categories, of which the best performance gets Rs.2 crore as prize money.
Scheme for knitwear sector launched
• Textile Minister, Smriti Irani launched a scheme for development of Knitting and Knitwear Sector under PowerTex India in New
Delhi on 28 February 2019.
• Yarn bank scheme, solar energy scheme, group work shed scheme, and creation of new service centers are few of its
components.
• Combined SFC of PowerTex India Scheme and Knitwear Scheme were approved with an outlay of Rs. 487.07 crores.
Nigerian President re-elected for 2nd term
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• Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has been re-elected for a second four-year term.
• Buhari defeated his main rival, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar with a margin of around four million votes.
• Capital: Abuja Trending.
• Currency: Nigerian naira.
April 2019
India to bid for 2024 World TTC
• Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) has decided to bid for the 2024 edition of the biennial World Team Championships.
• The last time India hosted a World Championships was way back in 1987.
• The last big ITTF event was staged in India was in 2012 when Hyderabad hosted the World Junior Championships.
Indian para-athletes clinched medals
• Indian para-athletes secured a silver and two bronze medals at the Asian Road para-cycling championships at Tashkent,
Uzbekistan.
• Divij Shah clinched silver while Asian Para Games bronze medallist Gurlal Singh and Hand cyclist Sudhakar Marathe claimed
bronze.
DD-Kashir launched kashmiri version of KBC
• DD-Kashir launched the Kashmiri version of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' at the Doordarshan Kendra's Srinagar Studios on 29 April
2019.
• The show is named, 'Kus Bani Koshur Karorpaet'.
• The broadcast will be at 8 PM from Monday to Saturday and will be repeated the following day at 7 am and 2 PM.
IGNOU to launch course on GST
• The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) will launch an awareness programme on Goods and Services Tax (GST) in
collaboration with Bombay Stock Exchange Institute Limited.
• The programme will be launched from its July 2019 session.
• It aims to impart the basic knowledge and skills required to fulfill various requirements under the GST Act.
Drug-resis diseases to cause 10 mn deaths
• Drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050, warned the United Nation Ad Hoc Interagency
Coordinating Group (IACG).
• The report also highlighted that by 2030, antimicrobial resistance could force up to 24 million people into extreme poverty.
• Currently, at least 700,000 people die each year due to drug-resistant diseases.
Aurobindo got environmental nod
• The ₹250-crore expansion plan of Aurobindo Pharma's manufacturing facility in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh has been
accorded environmental clearance.
• The project also involves installation of a captive power plant of 8.85 MW.
• The project is expected to create jobs for 600 people directly and 120 indirectly.
4 Indian academic quali. to be recognised
• 4 Indian academic qualifications will now be recognized by the French government with effect from May 1.
• These are Senior School Certificate (SSC), Bachelor's and Master's degrees and PhDs - from government-approved institutions.
• Similarly, the French equivalents of these qualifications will be recognized by the Indian government.
GRSE to build 8 ASWSWCs for Indian Navy
• Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) has been awarded a ₹6,311 crore contract to build 8 anti-submarine
warfare shallow watercraft for the Indian Navy.
• These crafts are designed for a deep displacement of 750 tons, speed of 25 knots and complement of 57.
India to develop certification facility
• The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is developing India’s own certification facility for air pollution monitoring equipment.
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• The move could boost the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

• At least 40,000 such machines are being used by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and other government agencies to
monitor air pollution levels, including both ambient and source-based emissions.
Twitter announced premium content deals
• Twitter has announced premium content deals with Univision, The Wall Street Journal, NFL, ESPN, and Viacom for live-streaming
videos on its platform.
• The deals will showcase new live and on-demand premium video programming, offering advertisers new opportunities to
connect with influential and receptive audiences.
Petra won Maiden Grand Prix 2019
• World number three tennis player Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) beat Anett Kontaveit (Estonia) to win Stuttgart’s Porsche Grand
Prix for her second title of the year.
• Kvitova is a two-time Wimbledon champion.
• The championship was held at Stuttgart, Germany.
Jacques received Ikhamanga Award 2019
• Jacques Kallis was honoured with the Order of Ikhamanga in the Silver Division.
• The national honour is bestowed by the President of South Africa on citizens who have made significant contributions to arts,
literature, music, journalism, culture, and sports.
• He was rewarded for his successful cricket career.
• He played 166 Tests, 328 ODIs and 25 T20Is, returning 62 hundreds and 577 wickets.
IRDAI formed 13 member panel
• Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has set up a 13 member committee under IRDAI Executive
Director Suresh Mathur.
• It will review the regulatory framework on microinsurance & recommend measures to increase the demand for such products.
• It has been formed in the backdrop of a less-than-desired offtake of microinsurance products despite their inherent benefits.
India-Japan joined hands in manufact. sec.
• Japan partnered with India for polishing technicians in the manufacturing sector.
• Japan’s Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu inaugurated the Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing (JIM), at Andhra Pradesh.
• JIM is part of a Manufacturing Skill Transfer Promotion Programme initiated by the Government of Japan in India under a MoU
signed by both countries in 2016.
India raised import duty on wheat to 40%
• India has raised its import duty on wheat to 40% from 30% to support local farmers.
• India is the world’s No. 2 producer of the grain.
• Local wheat prices have fallen over 11% in 2019 due to ample supply from last year’s crop and forecasts of record output.
Dominic won Barcelona Open Title
• Dominic Thiem clinched the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell 2019 title held at Barcelona, Spain which was held from April 22- 28,
2019.
• He secured 6-4, 6-0.
• He became just the fourth player in the past 15 years to lift the title in Barcelona, joining Rafael Nadal, Kei Nishikori, and
Fernando Verdasco.
• He’s also the first Austrian winner at this event since Thomas Muster in 1996.
Eliud Kipchoge won London Marathon tilte
• Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge clinched his fourth London Marathon 2019 crown on 28th April 2019 at London, UK.
• Kipchoge strode clear of the field to win with the second fastest-ever time of 2:02:37.
• He set the world record time of 2:01.39s at Berlin in 2018.
• In the women’s section, Brigid Kosgei won the title.
• She finished the course in 2:18:20 and defeated Vivian Cheruiyot and Roza Dereje.
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RBI proposed strict rules

• India’s Central Bank, the RBI would tighten rules on opening and operating current accounts of corporate borrowers
• This would be done to prevent the diversion of funds.
• The rules would be applicable to corporates who have borrowed and used credit facilities of more than Rs 50 crore from the
banking system.
Valtteri Bottas won Azerbaijan Grand Prix
• Valtteri Viktor Bottas of Mercedes won Formula 1 State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2019.
• He defeated Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton at the Baku City Circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan.
• Bottas finished the race 1.5 seconds ahead of Hamilton Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari finished with 3rd position and Max Verstappen
Red Bull gained 4th position.
NZ Open Badminton Tournament began
• The New Zealand Open Badminton tournament began in Auckland on 30 April 2019.
• Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal will be aiming to win her second title this year.
• Parupalli Kashyap, B Sai Praneeth, HS Prannoy, Subhankar Dey and Laskshya Sen will be seen in action in the Men's section.
Cyber Exercise conducted in New Delhi
• Directorate of Indian Defence University organised a 2-day Cyber Exercise on Scenario Building & Response on 29-30 April,19 at
Purple Bay, New Delhi.
• The Exercise was represented by Services, NSCS, NTRO, CERT-in, DRDO, NIC, CSRC, Academia and Industry.
• The scope of the exercise would encompass the threat landscape and its impact, incident reporting & response framework, and
more.
Raheem: Footballer of the year 2019
• Raheem Sterling has been named the 2019 footballer of the year by the Football Writers' Association (FWA).
• The Manchester City and England forward topped the poll of the 400-strong FWA membership as a winner, with 62% of the
votes.
• He was more than 100 votes ahead of Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk.
Social media fraud increased 43% in 2018
• A study has found that social media fraud increased by 43% in 2018.
• The cybercriminals are increasingly relying on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other legitimate social media and messaging
platforms to sell stolen identities, credit card numbers and other ill-gotten gains.
• The name of the report is Current State of Cybercrime - 2019, released by RSA security.
Wipro acquired Splash Corporation
• Wipro Consumer Care has signed an agreement to acquire Splash Corporation, a Philippines-based personal care company.
• The transaction strengthens Wipro’s consumer care portfolio in personal care and completes its South-East Asian footprint.
• This is Wipro’s 11th acquisition in the consumer line business and the 9th acquisition in the personal care segment overall.
China hosted 2nd Belt and Road Forum
• The second edition of Belt and Road Forum (BRF) was held in Beijing, China from April 25th to April 27th, 2019.
• The theme of this event was 'Belt and Road Cooperation: Shaping a Brighter Shared Future'.
• The Belt and Road Forum is a part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• The idea of BRI was first proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013.
CPWD set up committee
• The Central Works Public Department (CPWD) constituted an expert committee to formulate a design policy for building
construction and infrastructure development.
• The committee has been set up under the chairmanship of CPWD’s Additional Director General M K Sharma.
• The move is aimed at reviving building construction and infrastructure development at all levels in the CPWD.
Dentists can practice as Gen. physicians
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• Niti Aayog has agreed to the proposal of the Dental Council of India which had sought to allow dentists to practice as general
physicians after a bridge course.
• The proposal was made to explore unconventional methods to address the shortage of doctors in the country, particularly in
rural areas.
• Indian Medical Association vehemently opposed the proposal.
ICMR launched MERA India
• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has launched the Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA) India.
• It is a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control in order to eliminate the disease from India by 2030.
• The National Vector Borne Diseases Control Program (NVBDCP) of India has also developed a framework to achieve the target of
Malaria free India by 2030.
Doru Isac became technical director of AIFF
• All India Football Federation (AIFF) appointed Romanian Doru Isac as the technical director of for a 3-year tenure.
• The All India Football Federation, also simply known as the AIFF, is the governing body of association football in India.
• Formed in 1937, the federation was one of founding members of the Asian Football Confederation, the overseer of football in
Asia.
New species of crab found
• Scientists have discovered a new species of crab that swam the sea 95 million years ago.
• The small, pocket-size crab, named Callichimaera perplexa, was very different from its modern-day cousins.
• The crab fossils were discovered in 2005 in the Andes Mountains in Colombia.
World Veterinary Day: 28 April
• The World Veterinary Day is observed on 28th April.
• It celebrates the contributions of veterinarians to the health of animals and society.
• The theme for 2019 is Value of Vaccination.
• The day was initiated by the World Veterinary Association.
Claire to become first women umpire
• Australia’s Claire Polosak created history as the first woman umpire ever to stand in a men’s One-Day International
• She took the field in the final of the ICC World Cricket League Division 2.
• She was the first woman to stand in a men’s domestic fixture in Australia in her first List A match in Australia in 2017.
Obituaries
• Former Indian footballer Poongam Kannan, who was facing acute financial crisis, died at a city hospital on 28 April 2019.
• Siram Subrahmanyam, a noted percussionist and founder secretary for Vijayawada Music Academy and also for Vijayawada
Cultural Academy passed away on 28 April 2019.
Hima Das included in World Relays team
• Hima Das was named in India's women 4x400m relay team for the World Relays to begin in Yokohama, Japan next month.
• Hima made the cut despite pulling out of the Asian Athletics Championships in Doha earlier this month due to lower back pain.
• She was dropped out midway through her 400-metres heats and was later ruled out of the Women's 4x400m relay and Mixed
4x400m relay races.
ISSF World Cup: India won 3 golds, 1 silver
• India topped the standings at the International Shooting Sport Federation, ISSF World Cup on the final day in Beijing, bagging four
medals- 3 Gold and a Silver.
• Anjum Moudgil and young Divyansh Singh Panwar won a gold in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team competition.
• Abhishek Verma won India's third gold in men's 10m Air Pistol event.
Kento Momota won Badminton Championship
• World number one Kento Momota retained his Badminton Asia Championships title in Wuhan.
• He defeated Shi Yuqi of China 21-12, 11-11, 21-18.
• Yamaguchi, a silver medallist two years ago, won the women's crown with a victory over He Bingjiao 21-19, 21-9.
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Sumatra floods killed 17: Indonesia

• In Indonesia, at least 17 people have been killed and nine are missing after days of heavy rain triggered floods and landslides on
the island of Sumatra.
• Some 12,000 people have been evacuated, and hundreds of buildings, bridges and roads damaged.
• The severe weather has affected nine districts across Bengkulu province.
Defence Minister visited Bishkek
• Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting in the
Kyrgyz capital Bishkek on 29 April 2019.
• She is on a three-day visit to Kyrgyzstan.
• Mrs. Sitharaman will also hold bilateral meetings with her counterparts from some SCO member countries on the sidelines of the
conclave.
Cyclone Fani likely to intensify
• The Cyclone Fani in South East Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm.
• India Meteorology Department said it will further intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm by tomorrow morning.
• It is moving in a north westwards direction at a speed of 21 kilometres per hour.
International News
• Srilankan President has banned the National Thawheed Jamath (NJT) and Jamathei Milathu Ibrahim (JMI) two of the
fundamentalist terror networks linked with attacks.
• Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has issued an order for a ban on burqa, veil or covering of the face in a manner which
prevents anyone from being identified.
India ended with 16 medals at AWC
• India wrapped up their campaign at the Asian Wrestling Championships at Xi'an, China, on a resounding note with 16 medals.
• Men's freestyle wrestlers bagged eight medals comprising one gold, three silver and four bronze. Women wrestlers claimed four
bronze.
• These included Harpreet Singh's silver in 82kg and bronze by Gyanender in 60kg on the final day of the competitions.
India ends with 13 medals at ABC
• India has won 13 medals, including two gold, four silver and seven bronze at the Asian Boxing Championships.
• Boxer Amit Panghal picked up his second successive gold medal of the year, claiming the top honours in the 52-kilogram
category.
• National champion Deepak Singh and Kavinder Singh Bisht in 56-kilogram category signed off with silver medals after close losses.
Indian Army signed MoU with NHPC
• Indian Army signed a MoU with National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited.
• The agreement is to build four underground tunnels along China and Pakistan borders for storage of ammunition and other war-
related equipment.
• 3 tunnels will be built along the Chinese border and one tunnel will be built along the Pakistan border.
• The tunnel can store 175-200 metric tonnes of ammunition.
World Day for Safety and Health: 28 April
• World Day for Safety and Health at Work is a UN international day that is celebrated every April 28.
• It is an annual international campaign to promote safe, healthy and decent work.
• It has been observed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 2003.
International Dance Day: 29 April
• April 29 is celebrated as International Dance Day annually.
• It aims to bring people together with a common language - dance.
• In 1982, the Dance Committee of International Theatre Institute founded International Dance Day.
• The theme for 2019 is Dance and Spirituality.
Ajinkya Rahane to join Hampshire
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• Ajinkya Rahane became the first overseas player from India to join Hampshire as South Africa batsman Aiden Markram's
replacement.
• With this, Rahane becomes the first Indian cricketer to represent Hampshire.
• Rahane will feature in eight county matches from May to July, subject to visa clearance
Floating nuclear power plant launched
• A floating nuclear power plant that is also known as 'Chernobyl on ice' is ready to begin supplying the electricity in Russia.
• The Akademik Lomonosov is reportedly destined to provide power for a region in Russia’s far east.
• The ship’s 70-megawatt reactors could power a city of 200,000 people.
• China is constructing a similar floating power station.
Helen get Deenanath Mangeshkar Award
• Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, scriptwriter Salim Khan, and Helen were honoured with the prestigious Master Deenanath
Mangeshkar Award on 25 April 2019.
• The award has been instituted by Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratishthan, a charitable trust.
• The award is given to legends from the fields of music, drama, art and social work.
Wirecard expands partnership with RBL Bank
• Wirecard, a digital financial technology provider, announced an expanded partnership with RBL Bank to promote financial
inclusion in India.
• This partnership will make digital payment and banking transactions more readily accessible to all Indian citizens.
• Wirecard will empower its retail agents, who serve as customer service representatives in various areas across the country,
Stephanie Frappart first woman referee
• French official Stephanie Frappart will become the first woman to referee a Ligue 1 football match.
• She has been selected for the game by the French Football Federation.
• She will officiate at her second Women's World Cup later this year.
• Frappart, 35, was the first woman to referee a Ligue 2 fixture in 2014.
Days and Events
• World Day For Animals In Laboratories (WDAIL) (also known as World Lab Animal Day) is observed every year on 24 April.
• International Girls in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Day was observed on 25 April 2019.
• World Immunization Week 2019 is observed from 24 to 30 April 2019 and the theme of this year's campaign is 'Protected
Together: Vaccines Work!'.
Konkani version of Constitution released
• A Konkani translation of the Indian Constitution was released by the Mangaluru Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha.
• The translation has been done by Professor Stephen Quadros Permude, author of several books in Konkani.
• The book was brought out by the Mangaluru Diocesan Commission, led by its convener Father J.B. Crasta.
USA secure ODI status for first time
• The United States secured the One-Day International (ODI) status.
• There will be 20 ODI nations after the end of the tournament, with the top four sides to join Scotland, the United Arab Emirates,
Nepal, and the Netherlands in having temporary status.
• Oman has also secured their ODI status, leaving Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Canada, and Hong Kong to fight it out for the
remaining two places.
IndusInd Bank & BFI merger approved
• National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved the merger of IndusInd Bank with Bharat Financial Inclusion (BFIL).
• The merger will be completed within 2-4 weeks.
• Post-merger, BFIL will become a subsidiary of the Bank.
• Bharat Financial Inclusion Limited BFIL is a non-banking finance company, licensed by the Reserve Bank of India.
Wipro BFSI President resigns from his post
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• Shaji Farooq, President of Wipro’s Banking Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) business unit, has stepped down from the
company five years after he was elevated to the role.
• Angan Guha will take over as senior VP and global head of the BFSI unit effective 1 July 2019.
• Guha has been with Wipro for over 25 years and was the vertical head for BFS Americas in his previous role.
Platform for Cryptocurrency Trading launched
• BuyUcoin, the second oldest Cryptocurrency Exchange in India, has announced the launch of a new and unique platform for
wholesale cryptocurrency trading.
• The platform allows its users to trade on a large scale with low price fluctuations.
• It currently works on free trading model i.e. charges zero fees on any trade.
• The platform is aptly described and known as OTC (Over-the-counter) desk.
RBI first to begin interest rate easing cycle
• The Reserve Bank of India is the first central bank in the Asia-Pacific region to begin an explicit interest rate easing cycle buoyed
by benign food inflation and easier global financial condition.
• The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has cut rates in February and April 2019.
• The RBI has cut policy interest rates twice by 0.25% each to a one-year low of 6%.
Kotak Bank launches debit card-based e-mandate
• Kotak Mahindra Bank launched a debit card-based authentication solution on NPCI’s e-Mandate API platform.
• With this, the bank has become the first Destination Bank to go live with Net Banking and Debit Card-based e-mandate
authentication.
• It will enable its customers to create electronic mandates via both the Debit Card and Net Banking channels.
National Fire Service Day observed
• The Fire Service Week (FSW) was observed nation-wide from 14 to 20 April 2019.
• FSW is observed under the guidance of the Fire Adviser, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
• This is in remembrance of the lives lost in the devastating fire that erupted and the explosions that followed on 14 April 1944 at
the Victoria Dock in the Bombay Port and also to prevent fire in all industries.
Global warming shrank economy by 31%
• According to a Stanford study, global warming has caused the Indian economy to be 31% smaller than it would have been.
• The study shows how Earth's temperature changes have increased inequalities.
• It showed that growing concentrations of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere since the 1960s have enriched cool countries
like Norway and Sweden.
BEML & Syndicate Bank sign MoU
• Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for financing earthmoving and construction
equipment manufactured by BEML with Syndicate Bank.
• Syndicate Bank and BEML expect to book business worth ₹100 crore, by March 2020 under this window.
• Under the MoU, BEML will nominate Syndicate Bank as a preferred financier.
Anti-hijack panel revamped
• The government of India has revamped its high-level anti-hijack panel to include top officials of the Prime Minister’s Office,
especially National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
• He will be empowered to coordinate any immediate military response.
• The panel will be called the Committee of Secretaries on Aircraft Hijack (COSAH).
• The panel will be headed by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha.
'Total Health Secure Goal' plan launched
• Bajaj Allianz General Insurance and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance in collaboration launched their first product 'Total Health Secure
Goal'.
• The new insurance product is a combination of two existing plans: Health Guard policy by Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, and
iSecure from Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance.
• A customer can opt for a Plan with a sum insured that ranges from Rs 1.5 to Rs 50 Lakh
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East Asian birds make Andaman stopover

• Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo (Chalcites basalis) was sighted at the Andamans and Nicobar Islands.
• It is distinguished by the green and brown plumage on its back, the diminutive Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo (Chalcites basalis) is a
native of Australia and New Guinea.
• The sighting was the first recorded instance of the bird in India.
Fabio Fognini won Rolex Montecarlo Masters
• Fabio Fognini became the first Italian to win an ATP Masters 1000 title at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.
• He defeated Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 38 minutes.
• Fognini is the eighth player to win his first Masters 1000 title over the past 17 events at the elite level.
• In the 92 ATP Masters 1000 events prior to 2017 Rome, only eight players won their first Masters 1000 crown.
New Rs. 20 notes to be issued soon
• The RBI would soon issue new Rs 20 notes in greenish-yellow colour.
• The banknote in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) series will have a motif of Ellora Caves on the reverse, depicting the country’s
cultural heritage.
• The dimension of the new Rs 20 note will be 63 mm x 129 mm.
Mr. Naidu visited National Museum of Cinema
• The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu visited the National Museum of Indian Cinema, in Mumbai on 26 April 2019.
• Exhibits at the museum would take the visitors down the memory lane of their favorite movies, actors and the music.
• Cinema being the most loved and watched platform by the almost every Indian can act as an instrument of social change.
15th FC met Ministry of Panchayati Raj
• The Ministry of Panchayati Raj made a presentation to the Chairman of 15th Finance Commission, Shri N.K. Singh, its Members
and senior officials of the Commission.
• The Ministry has proposed an allocation of Rs. 10,00,000 crores to Panchayats by the 15th Finance Commission.
• It is a hike of 399% from that given by the 14th Finance Commission.
BepiColombo mission completed tests
• The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)'s BepiColombo mission has successfully
completed a series of test.
• It has completed its near-Earth commissioning phase.
• It is now ready for the operations that will take place eventually for its scientific investigations at Mercury.
Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary resigned
• Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando resigned on 25th April after the Easter attacks.
• He took the responsibility for the deadly serial bombings.
• The new Secretary is yet to be named.
• Mr.Fernando is the first official to step down after both President Maithripala Sirisena and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said they
were unaware of the imminent threat.
Etihad: 1st to operate plastic-free flight
• Etihad Airways has become the 1st airline in the Gulf region to operate a flight EY484 without any plastics on board, in a bid to
raise awareness about pollution on Earth Day (April 22).
• Etihad identified that over 95 single-use plastic products are used across its aircraft cabins.
• By the end of 2019, it will have removed 100 tonnes of single-use plastics from its inflight service.
SBI launched Green Car Loan
• State Bank of India (SBI) launched ‘Green Car Loan’ to encourage customers to buy electric vehicles (EVs) in the country.
• The interest rates on the loan will be 20 basis points (0.2%) lower than SBI’s existing auto loans.
• Thus, the equated monthly instalment (EMI) per Rs 1 lakh will be lower at Rs 1,468 for 96 months.
• The scheme comes with the longest repayment period of up to 8 years.
WHO issued screentime guidelines for children
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• World Health Organisation (WHO) has released new guidelines on physical activity, sedentary and sleep for children under 5
years of age.
• It also issued its first-ever guidance for how much screen time children should be allowed - limited and none at all for one-year-
olds.
• Kids under 5 should not spend more than one-hour watching screens every day - and that less is better.
Cyril Almeida won IPI's award 2019
• Dawn editor and Columnist Cyril Almeida from Pakistan won the IPI’s (International Press Institute) World Press Freedom Hero
award in 2019.
• He was awarded for his critical and tenacious coverage of the civil-military relations in Pakistan.
• Mada Masr, an Egyptian news site, has won Free Media Pioneer Award 2019 of the IPI and International Media Support (IMS).
Aegon Life Ins. collaborated with Mobikwik
• Mobikwik, digital financial services company collaborated with the Aegon Life Insurance.
• Aegon Life Insurance planned to launch a Rs 20 smart digital insurance product in order to protect its wallet users from death and
accident-related disability cover for up to Rs 2 lakh.
• The main objective for this initiative is to improve the insurance penetration in India (this is currently at 3.7%).
World Intellectual Property Day: 26 April
• World Intellectual Property Day is observed annually on 26th April.
• The theme for 2019 is Reach for Gold: IP and Sports.
• The event was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000.
• The aim is to raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life.
2 new bird species found in Indonesia
• Zoologists at Trinity College Dublin discovered 2 new bird species named as the Wakatobi white-eye and the Wangi-Wangi white-
eye in the Wakatobi Archipelago of Sulawesi, Indonesia.
• Details of their discovery were published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
• In the same journal, Alfred Wallace and Charles Darwin published their original ideas about speciation in 1858.
Regional language on the medicine labels
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recommended that the government should take necessary steps to include the
regional language in the medicine labels.
• The aim is to curb fake, sub-standard and expired drugs.
• Initially, the proposal will be implemented for Iron tablets and polio drops as they are the drugs most commonly administered to
children at government centres.
Vedanta to expand its plant in Rajasthan
• Mining firm Vedanta Ltd. has received environment clearance for the expansion of its oil and gas operation in Rajasthan.
• This would entail the company an investment of Rs.12,000 crore.
• The proposal is to expand onshore oil and gas production from 3,00,000 BOPD (barrels oil per day) to 4,00,000 BOPD in Barmer
and Jalore districts.
Russia and North Korea held first summit
• Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un held first summit talks in Vladivostok.
• Its aim was to strengthen ties that date back to the Soviet Union's support for the founder of North Korea, Kim's grandfather Kim
Il Sung.
Sri Lanka banned drones after Easter bombings
• Sri Lanka banned the use of drones and unmanned aircraft following the Easter bombings that killed over 350 people and injured
more than 500.
• The ban will be in effect until further notice.
• Ranil Wickremesinghe is the PM of Sri Lanka, while Maithripala Sirisena is its President.
Skyroot to test Vikram series of rockets
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• Skyroot Aerospace, a Hyderabad startup, is gearing up to test-launch its 'Vikram' series of rockets to send satellites into space by
mid-2021.
• The aerospace company is betting big on the proposed Space Activities Bill-2017 which is under discussion at the Cabinet-level.
• Once the Bill is passed, it would enable and regulate the activities related to space by the private players.
UAE's sewage plant inaugurated
• The UAE's biggest sewage treatment plant, Jebel Ali STP, built by Larsen and Toubro (L&T) has been inaugurated.
• The 3,75,000 cum/day Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) Jebel Ali (Phase 2) is the biggest in the UAE, built by L&T for the Dubai
Municipality.
• The Jebel Ali treatment facilities have a total treatment capacity of 675 MLD which includes existing 300 MLD of Phase - 1.
DPIIT proposed Startup India Vision 2024
• The Commerce and Industry Ministry has proposed a host of measures such as tax incentives to promote budding entrepreneurs
as part of the 'Startup India Vision 2024'.
• The vision document aims at facilitating setting up of 50,000 new start-ups in the country by 2024 and creating 20 lakh direct and
indirect employment opportunities.
SC asked RBI to disclose information
• The Supreme Court directed the RBI to disclose information pertaining to its annual inspection report under the Right to
Information (RTI) Act.
• A bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao also directed it to review its policy to disclose information relating to banks under
RTI.
• In January 2019, SC had issued contempt notice to RBI for not disclosing annual inspection report of banks under RTI.
Japan created 1st artificial crater
• Japanese scientists succeeded in creating the first-ever artificial crater on an asteroid, a step towards shedding light on how the
solar system evolved.
• The crater from images captured by the probe is located 1,700 metres (5,500 feet) from the asteroid's surface.
• NASA's Deep Impact probe succeeded in creating an artificial crater on a comet in 2005, but only for observation purposes.
2.9 mn children missed measles vaccine
• India has 2.9 million children who have missed out on the first dose of measles vaccine between 2010 and 2017 despite over 80%
of immunisation coverage.
• India, with its large annual birth cohort of 25 million, is followed by Pakistan and Indonesia - 1.2 million each.
• In 2017 Nigeria had the highest number of children under 1 year of age who missed out on the 1st dose of vaccine.
Microsoft topped trillion-dollar mark
• Microsoft hit the trillion-dollar value mark for the first time, becoming the third technology giant to reach the symbolic
milestone.
• Shares in Microsoft rallied some 5% to USD 130.59 in early Wall Street trade after a robust earnings report a day earlier.
• That gave Microsoft a market capitalization of just over USD 1 trillion, before dipping back slightly.
ICF won Arjan Singh Int Hockey Tournament
• Integrated Coach Factory, Chennai beat South Central Railway, Hyderabad via penalty shootout in the final to win the 2nd
Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh Memorial International hockey tournament title.
• A total of 16 teams participated in this tournament.
• ICF Chennai won 7-5 in the penalty shootout after the two sides were tied 2-2 at the end of the regulation time.
Appointments II
• LIC Housing Finance has appointed Siddhartha Mohanty as its chief operating officer.
• Prior to taking over as the position, he was the executive director with LIC of India.
• Former Army chief Dalbir Singh Suhag has been appointed as India's next high commissioner to Seychelles, a country which is of
strategic importance to India in the Indian Ocean region.
Advani won Asian Snooker Tour title
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• India's ace cueist Pankaj Advani defeated Ehsan Heydari Nezhad of Iran 6-4 to claim the inaugural Asian Snooker Tour title.
• Advani, a 21-time world snooker and billiards champion, beat Nezhad 52-40, 66(58)-0, 1-63(62), 78-4, 35-47, 0-51, 47-35, 38-39,
53(49)-35, 51(50)-20 in the final.
• Advani had earlier won the second leg of the Tour in China.
IIT-KGP, Jindal Stainless tie up
• IIT-Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) and Jindal Stainless have come together to introduce a 3-credit course on stainless steel and advanced
ferrous alloys.
• This is a part of IIT-KGP's post-graduate curriculum for the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering.
• The course shall comprise the study of stainless steel and the uniqueness of its various grades.
US envoy launched initiative
• US envoy to India Kenneth I Juster launched a new initiative designed to help India's corporate sector in the fight against
tuberculosis (TB).
• The initiative supports the Indian government's goal of eliminating TB by 2025, which would be 5 years ahead of the UN's
Sustainable Development Goal.
• It creates a shared platform for corporations committed to ending TB in India.
Meghalaya to augment fish production
• The Meghalaya government will invest Rs 378 crore in fish production for meeting a supply deficit of 15,000 metric tonnes.
• The state has been able to produce 12,000 MT of fish annually against the demand of over 27,000 MT.
• An investment of Rs 161 crore was made in the first edition of the Meghalaya State Aquaculture Mission (MSAM) that had
benefited 21,000 persons in 2012.
Archaeologists uncovered an ancient tomb
• In Egypt, archaeologists have uncovered an ancient tomb with mummies believed to date back about 2,000 years in the southern
city of Aswan.
• The tomb is from the Greco-Roman period, which began with Alexander the Great in 332 B.C.
• Archaeologists found artefacts, including decorated masks, statuettes, vases, coffin fragments and cartonnages- chunks of linen
or papyrus glued together.
UN, EU signed joint framework
• The UN and the European Union (EU) have signed a joint framework aimed at strengthening partnership in counter-terrorism
efforts.
• The framework was enacted on the occasion of the second EU-UN high-level political dialogue on Counter-Terrorism that was
held in New York.
• The UN-EU initiative will focus on terrorism and violent extremism prevention in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
ABU Media Summit underway in Nepal
• 5th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Media Summit on Climate Action and Disaster Preparedness began in Kathmandu on
25 April 2019.
• The theme of the two-day summit is 'Media Solutions for Sustainable Future: Saving Lives, Building Resilient Communities'.
• Nepal’s Minister for Communication and Information Technology Gokul Prasad Baskota inaugurated the summit.
NASA's InSight detected quake on Mars
• NASA's robotic Mars InSight lander has recorded a likely mars quake for the first time ever.
• The US space agency said the faint seismic signal, detected by the lander's Seismic instrument, was recorded on April 6, 2019.
• This is the first recorded trembling that appears to have come from inside the planet, as opposed to being caused by forces
above the surface, such as wind.
Textile Ministry
• The Union Ministry of Textiles is in talks with the Japanese Government and some companies in the U.S. to support the Indian
textile industry with technology for speciality fibre and related products.
• Two committees have been formed in regard to this: One for speciality fibre and one to see how to take the segment forward.
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RBI asked banks to disclose NPA results

• RBI has asked banks and financial institutions to disclose the non-performing assets (NPA) stemming from their exposure
to Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) in their upcoming results announcements.
• An account becomes non-performing if repayment is due for more than 90 days.
• Banks have to set aside capital as provisions for NPAs.
Uber Asia Pacific head Amit Jain resigned
• AmitJain, Uber’s Asia-Pacific region Head, announced his resignation at the end of May 2019 after four-year service to spend time
with his family.
• Uber’s head of Europe, Middle East and Africa, Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty will take over the additional charge of APAC.
Rana Dasgupta won Literary prize
• Author Rana Dasgupta was awarded the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2019 for his 2010 novel Solo.
• It is the second edition of the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize.
• The Prize aims to revive poetry and books that can change lives.
• The prize consists of an amount of $10,000, a Tagore statue and a certificate for contribution to literature will be given to the
awardee.
Divya, Manju won bronze medals in AWC
• In Wrestling, India's Divya Kakran and Manju Kumari bagged bronze medals for the country in the women's competition of the
Asian Championships in Xi'an, China.
• It was double delight for India as Manju also secured a bronze medal earlier in the day by beating Vietnam's Thi Huong Dao 11-2.
• Kakran defeated Battsetseg Soronzonbold of Mongolia via fall in the playoffs of the 68-kilogram category.
Centre invested in cell based mutton project
• The Centre has approved a Rs. 4.5 crore grant to two premier Hyderabad-based institutions for research into technology that
involves growing animal cells in a laboratory to produce slaughter-free meat.
• The grant, from the Department of Biotechnology, is for an 18-month project, which will look into developing methods to
cultivate stem cells from tissue samples of sheep, to produce mutton.
Army to induct women as military police
• In a historic first, the Army began the process to induct women in the military police, nearly two years after Army Chief Gen. Bipin
Rawat said women will be recruited as jawans.
• The Army started the online registration for recruitment in the Corps of military and the last date for filing application has been
fixed as June 8.
'Plaints to RBI ombuds increased 25% in FY18
• The number of complaints by bank customers to the RBI's banking ombudsman increased by 24.9% in the financial year 2017-18
as compared to the previous year.
• The major grounds of complaints received during the year were non-observance of fair practices code (22.1%), ATM and debit
card issues (15.1%), credit card issues (7.7%), failure to meet commitments (6.8%).
Appointments I
• Ravi Uppal, chairman and managing director of Steel Infra Solutions Private Ltd., has been appointed as Chairman of Ring Plus
Aqua Ltd., and JK Files (India) Ltd., the two subsidiaries of Raymond Ltd.
• Supreme Court judge Indu Malhotra was appointed as the third member of the in-house inquiry panel set up to examine
allegations of sexual harassment against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.
India: Guest of Honour at Abu Dhabi Fair
• The India Pavilion at the 29th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair was inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister of United Arab
Emirates, Shri Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on 24th April 2019.
• India has been designated as the Guest of Honour for the Book Fair, which is being held from 24-30 April 2019.
• The India Pavilion lays special focus on the life and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi.
India bagged 2 gold at ISSF World Cup
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• In Shooting, India opened its medal account with gold each in 10 m Air Rifle Mixed Team and 10 m Air Pistol Mixed team events
on the 3rd day of ISSF World Cup in Beijing.
• Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary took the top spot in the 10 m Air Pistol Mixed Team.
• Anjum Moudgil and Divyansh Singh Panwar opened the country's gold account in the 10 metres Air Rifle Mixed Team event.
International Hockey Tournament 2019 held
• 2nd Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh Memorial International Hockey Tournament was held at Astro Turf Hockey
Ground, Chandigarh from 15-25 April 2019.
• A Total of 16 teams participated in this tournament.
• Air Force teams from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka also participated in this edition, making it truly an international event.
All public payments digital: RBI panel
• A RBI committee may recommend that all government payments to citizens should be made digitally, one person aware of the
matter said, requesting anonymity.
• The move seeks to ensure higher adoption of digital payments among the masses.
• The 5-member panel called Committee on Deepening of Digital Payments was led by former Unique Identification Authority of
India chairman Nandan Nilekani.
Jalan Panel report in June
• A 6-member panel looking into the appropriate capital reserves the RBI should maintain is likely to submit its report by June.
• The committee, headed by former RBI governor Bimal Jalan, was appointed on December 26, 2018, to review the RBI’s economic
capital framework (ECF).
• It was to submit its report in 90 days from the first day of its meeting held on January 8.
Dark matter search: Xenon unstable
• In a spectacular discovery, the XENON collaboration publicly announced the discovery that xenon-124, an isotope of the element
Xenon, is fundamentally unstable.
• Its half-life is 1.8 × 1022 years: more than 1 trillion times the present age of the Universe.
• It’s the longest half-life humanity has ever measured directly, and its implications for the nature of reality couldn’t be more
profound.
Cultural festival began in Guwahati
• South Central Zone Cultural Centre (SCZCC) of Ministry of Culture, Government of India is organizing Madhya Dakshini Festival
2019 from April 25-28 in 4 venues of Guwahati.
• In the festival, around 100 folk artists from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Andra Pradesh will perform folk
dances showing the rich cultural heritage of India.
Agriculture prices to fall 2.6%: World Bank
• Agriculture prices are projected to fall 2.6% this year but are estimated to rebound in 2020 due to lower crop production and
higher costs for energy and fertilisers.
• Agricultural and food prices are expected to remain stable over the medium term.
• The outlook by the World bank also adds that in 2020, agricultural prices are expected to rise by 1.7%.
Obituaries II
• Terry Rawlings, who worked as an editor with director Ridley Scott on Alien, Blade Runner and Legend, has passed away.
• Musician, singer and actor Durlav Chandra Saikia passed away at his Kumargaon Sankar Mandir residence.
Obituaries I
• Actor Ken Kercheval, who played the role of Texas oilman Cliff Barnes opposite Larry Hagman's devious J.R. Ewing on the hit TV
series 'Dallas', passed away.
• Noted social worker Meher Engineer died in the city on Wednesday. Engineer, who was a scientist, passed away at the age of 75.
• An internationally-renowned opera singer, Charity Tillemann-Dick has passed away.
17 Coordinators appointed to help Indians
• External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said 17 coordinators have been appointed to help Indians leaving Libya.
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• Indian Embassy is helping them with Exit Visa even in cases where their visa has expired.
• Earlier the Minister had asked Indians living in Tripoli in Libya to leave the war-ravaged country immediately as Government of
India will not be able to evacuate them later.
RBI sold entire stake in NHB
• RBI has exited the National Housing Bank (NHB) and the National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (Nabard), by selling
its entire stakes to government for Rs 1,450 crore and Rs 20 crore.
• With this divestment, the government now holds 100 percent stake in both these financial institutions.
US recorded 695 measles cases in 2019
• The United States has recorded 695 cases of measles in 2019, the most of any year since the disease was declared eliminated in
2000.
• The high number of cases in 2019 is primarily the result of a few large outbreaks in Washington State and in New York that
started late 2018.
• Outbreaks in the US have been confined to tight-knit communities where vaccination rates are lower.
Malawi to undertake the RTS
• Malawi, the African Nation, is to undertake large scale pilot tests for the world's most advanced experimental malaria vaccine in a
bid to prevent the disease.
• The RTS, S vaccine, the first to give partial protection to children, trains the immune system to attack the malaria parasite.
• RTS, S vaccine under the trade name Mosquirix has been developed by GlaxoSmithKline.
Arab League pledged $100 mn to PA
• The Arab League has pledged $100 million per month to the Palestinian Authority (PA) to make up for funds withheld by Israel.
• Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the Arab League in Cairo, as part of a diplomatic effort to rebuff the Trump
administration’s Middle East peace plan.
• Israel collects taxes on behalf of the PA but withheld $138m in transfers in February.
RBI has Rs.3 lakh cr in excess reserve
• Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofAML) notified the excess reserves that RBI holds could be up to Rs.3 lakh crore ($43 billion) or
1.5% of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product).
• This also includes the excess capital in contingency reserves and revaluation reserves.
• The BofAML report stated that capping overall reserves at 20% from 25.5% will release Rs. 1.96 lakh crore.
Indonesia's Mount Agung erupted again
• The active volcano of Indonesia Mount Agung has erupted again to a height of 2km.
• Two other volcanoes popular with tourists Mount Bromo in East Java and Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta also continues to erupt.
• Mount Agung is an active volcano in Bali of Indonesia.
FIEO joined hands with Welingkar Institute
• Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) inked an agreement with Welingkar Institute of Management Development and
Research in order to support startups engaged in the export sector.
• Under the MoU, FIEO launched a post-graduate programme in foreign trade management (PGP-FTM) at Mumbai.
• The aim of this partnership is to attract new entrepreneurs in exports.
National Panchayati Raj Day: 24 April
• The National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated every year in India on 24th April.
• The Constitution of India recognizes Panchayats as 'Institutions of self-government'.
• This day marks the passing of Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24 April 1993.
• The first National Panchayati Raj Day was celebrated in 2010
Uday Kumar resigned from Assocham post
• Uday Kumar Varma resigned from the post of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) Secretary-
General.
• Currently, Assocham’s Deputy Secretary-General Saurabh Sanyal is discharging the duties of secretary general.
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• Assocham was founded in 1921 and is headquartered in New Delhi.

New community in Golan be named after Trump
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a new community in the Golan Heights would be named after US
President Donald Trump.
• Israel has also stated it intends to name a proposed train station near Jerusalem’s Western Wall after him.
• Israel captured the Golan from Syria in a 1967 war and annexed it, in a move not recognized internationally.
World Malaria Day: 25 April
• World Malaria Day is observed every year on 25 April, to spread awareness about malaria disease globally and to promote efforts
to prevent malaria around the world.
• The theme of World Malaria Day 2019 is 'Zero malaria starts with me'.
• World Malaria Day was developed from Africa Malaria Day which was first held in 2008.
Appointments
• Shri Rajendra Kumar Nayak took over as the 52nd Controller General of Defence Accounts. He is from the Indian Defence
Accounts Service of 1983 batch.
• GS Caltex India, a 100% owned subsidiary of GS Caltex Corporation, South Korea, has signed cricketer Shikhar Dhawan as it's
brand ambassador.
Indian Coast Guard Vessel commissioned
• A new Coast Guard vessel was commissioned by Chief Secretary, Government of Kerala Sri Tom Jose at Vizhinjam harbour, on 24
April 2019.
• Indian Coast Guard Ship C-441 is capable to undertake multifarious tasks such as close coast surveillance, and interdiction.
• The ship is commanded by Assistant Commandant Amit K Choudhary and has 13 crew onboard with specialisation in various
fields.
ICRA estimated 7-7.5 GW solar power addition
• Rating agency ICRA has estimated 7-7.5 GW solar power capacity addition during the current financial year, which includes 1 GW
of rooftop solar power.
• Solar capacity addition is estimated to have remained subdued at around 6 GW to 6.5 GW in the financial year 2018-19.
• Tendered project awards for solar PV (photovoltaic) projects during CY 2018 stood at about 11 GW against 4.5 GW in CY 2017.
Money Loji launched app to offer loans
• Money Loji, has launched its App, which offers quickest and the most secure loans to salaried professionals for an immediate
requirement.
• It has flexible repayment options starting from 7 days to a maximum of 90 days.
• The eligibility criterion is a minimum in-hand salary of Rs 20,000 per month and a minimum age of 23 years.
Mercury has solid inner core
• The smallest planet in our solar system, Mercury, has a massive solid inner core.
• Mercury has a solid inner core about 2,000 kilometers in diameter, making up about half of Mercury’s entire core.
• The planet has a weak magnetic field generated by circulation of molten metal in that liquid core.
• The solid inner core makes up about half of the total core. The entire core is 85% of the planet.
Vikas Khanna: IAAC brand ambassador
• Michelin-star chef Vikas Khanna was named brand ambassador of Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC).
• The IAAC will present the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF), North America's longest-running and most prestigious Indian film
festival from May 7-12, 2019.
• The festival's centerpiece is 'Photograph', directed by Ritesh Batra and starring Sanya Malhotra.
Int. Day of Multilat and Diplomacy for Peace
• April 24 is observed as the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace every year.
• It was officially approved on 12 December 2018 through resolution A/RES/73/127.
• The day is a reaffirmation of the UN Charter and its principles of resolving disputes among countries through peaceful means.
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Obituaries
• Luxembourg's Grand Duke Jean, who reigned over his country for 36 years before abdicating in 2000, passed away on 23 April
2019.
• Born on January 5, 1921, Jean de Luxembourg was the son of Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg and Prince Felix de
Bourbon of Parma.
Pharma exports rose to 11% in 2018-19
• The country's pharmaceutical exports rose by 11% to USD 19.2 billion in 2018-19, mainly driven by higher demand in regions such
as North America and Europe.
• The pharma exports in 2017-18 stood at USD 17.3 billion and USD 16.7 billion in the previous fiscal.
• North America constitutes about 30% of Indian pharma exports, followed by Africa and the European Union with 19% and 16%
share.
Yogi won assembly elections in Japan
• An Indian-origin Japanese has been elected to Tokyo's Edogawa Ward assembly, becoming the first Indian to win an election in
Japan.
• Puranik Yogendra, a naturalised Japanese, secured 6,477 votes, the fifth highest of the 226,561 valid ballots cast, in the April 21
poll.
• Over 34,000 Indians live in Japan.
Britain's youngest accountant: Ranveer Singh
• A 15-year-old Indian-origin boy has been lauded as Britain's youngest accountant after setting up a successful accountancy firm
while still at school.
• Ranveer Singh Sandhu, based in south London, has set himself a goal of becoming a millionaire by the time he turns 25 after he
set up his first business when he was aged just 12 years.
• He charges between 12-15 pounds per hour for his services.
Farmers received 1st tranche under PM Kisan
• Around 3.10 crore small farmers have so far received the first tranche of Rs 2,000 each under the PM-Kisan scheme.
• 2.10 crore peasants have got the second installment as well, costing Rs 10,500 crore to the exchequer.
• The government had announced that 12 crore farmers would be covered under the Rs 75,000-crore Pradhan Mantri Kisan
Samman Nidhi scheme.
India will stop importing crude oil from Iran
• India will stop importing crude oil from Iran following the US move to end sanction waivers, and will use alternate supply sources
such as Saudi Arabia.
• The Trump administration decided not to renew waiver that let countries like India buy Iranian oil without facing US sanctions.
• India was the second biggest buyer of Iranian crude oil after China.
Authorised capital of Allahabad Bank raised
• State-owned Allahabad Bank said the government has increased its authorised capital by ₹5,000 crore to ₹8,000 crore.
• The central government increased the authorised capital of the bank from ₹3,000 to ₹8,000 through Gazette Notification.
• The increase in authorised capital will help enable the bank to raise further fund up to a maximum ceiling of ₹8,000 crore.
Gujarat Govt to pay Rs 50 lakh to Bilkis Bano
• The Supreme Court directed the Gujarat government to make a payment of ₹50 lakh as compensation to Bilkis Bano, who was
gang-raped during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
• She was 21 years old when the horrific incident happened with her.
• In January 2008, a special court sentenced 11 men for raping Bano and killing her family members, but acquitted seven people.
Import of milk products from China banned
• The government extended the ban on import of milk and its products, including chocolates, from China.
• Food regulator FSSAI had recommended extending the ban until all labs at ports are modernised to test the chemical.
• The ban was first imposed in September 2008 and extended subsequently from time to time.
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Online courses to be offered in 482 schools

• University of Cambridge approved worldwide assessment system, which will offer 482 schools across India the chance to use a
wider new range of online courses.
• Pamoja Education has received its approval by Cambridge Assessment International Education.
• The market for online learning in India is currently growing at 20% per year.
Tata Global to acquire Dhunseri Tea
• Tata Global Beverages Ltd (TGBL) has entered into a non-binding agreement to acquire the branded tea business of Dhunseri Tea
and Industries Ltd, for up to Rs 101 crore.
• The proposed acquisition will be subject to due-diligence, signing of definitive binding agreements and applicable approvals.
• Dhunseri's branded tea business include 'Lalghoda' and 'Kalaghoda' brands in Rajasthan.
Pak Navy successfully test fired missile
• Pakistan Navy successfully test-fired an indigenous cruise missile in the Arabian Sea on 23 April 2019.
• The indigenously developed cruise missile has anti-ship missile and land attack capability.
• Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Kaleem Shaukat witnessed the live firing, which was conducted by the Navy's fast attack
craft.
Goswami received best sportsperson award
• Jhulan Goswami, world's leading wicket-taker in women's one-day internationals, was awarded the Best Sportsperson' award by
the Calcutta Sports Journalists' Club.
• Sambaran Banerjee and former India winger Sukumar Samajpati won the Lifetime Achievement awards.
• Promising Sportsperson of the Year was given to Neelash Saha.
• Best footballer was given to Pritam Kotal.
WB Govt's scheme won UN award
• West Bengal government's 'Utkarsh Bangla' scheme was awarded the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) award of
the United Nations.
• Out of 1062 nominations in 18 categories from all over the world, #UtkarshBangla emerged No 1 in the Capacity Building
category.
• The WB government had received another UN award in 2017 for its 'Kanyashree' project.
Jadhav bagged bronze: AAC
• Asian Games gold medallist heptathlete Swapna Barman and the 4x400m mixed relay team clinched a silver each on the 3rd day
of the Asian Athletics Championships.
• Sanjivani Jadhav won a bronze in 10000m race on 23 April 2019.
• Barman logged 5993 aggregate points from the seven events to finish second behind Ekaterina Vornina (6198 points) of
Uzbekistan.
Bajrang Punia won gold in AWC
• India clinched one gold, one silver and bronze at the Asian Wrestling Championship in China's Xian on 23 April 2019.
• World number one Bajrang Punia claimed a gold medal in it.
• He defeated Kazakhstan's Sayatbek Okassov 12-7 in a nail-biting 65kg men's freestyle final.
• In 97 Kg category Satywart Kadian, picked a bronze medal defeating Haobin Gao of China by 8-2.
J&K: Campaign Sweep inaugurated
• In J&K, under a unique Initiative under SVEEP, District Election Officer Kargil Baseer Ul Haq inaugurated the Campaign Sweep for
voters education and awareness from TFC Kargil.
• Under the initiative, more than 1000 employees conducted a sanitation drive along the banks of River Suru covering an area of
more than 4 Km.
• The campaign will continue till 5th of May 2019.
Indonesia released special stamp
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• Indonesia released a special commemorative stamp on the theme of Ramayana to mark the 70th anniversary of the
establishment of its diplomatic ties with India.
• The stamp is designed by renowned Indonesian sculptor Padmashri Bapak Nyoman Nuarta.
• It features a scene from Ramayana in which Jatayu valiantly fought to save Sita.
AIR receive Swacchta Pakhwada Award 2019
• All India Radio, Publication Division and Children's Film Society of India were given Swacchta Pakhwada Awards-2019 in New
Delhi on 23 April 2019.
• Secretary in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry Amit Khare gave away the awards.
• Director General of All India Radio F. Sheheryar and Director General (News) Ms. Ira Joshi received the Award for All India Radio.
Operation Night Riders began
• The Motor Vehicles Department’s Operation Night Riders began on 24 April 2019.
• It will keep tabs on 500 tourist omnibuses operating from key cities in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh to the State.
• State Transport Commissioner Sudesh Kumar asked all Enforcement Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) to form 3-member
squads under a Motor Vehicles Inspector.
Iran brands US military as terrorist
• Iranian lawmakers approved a Bill that labels U.S. military forces as terrorist.
• 173 out of 215 lawmakers at the Parliament session in Tehran voted for the new Bill.
• The Bill also demands the Iranian government take unspecified action against other governments that formally back the U.S.
designation.
• Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Israel have all supported the Trump administration’s designation.
RBI swap auction got bid more than thrice
• The second dollar-rupee buy/sell auction saw healthy demand with the RBI getting 255 bids worth $18.65 billion compared with
the notified amount of $5 billion.
• The cut-off premium was 838 paisa compared with 776 paisa the last time.
• The liquidity injected in the first leg was Rs. 34,874 crore.
Leather exports rose 8% in FY19
• India registered about 8% growth in export of leather, leather products and footwear during 2018-19 and is aiming to achieve 9%
to 10% growth during the current fiscal.
• In rupee terms, exports during 2018-19 grew to Rs. 36,562.34 crore from Rs. 33,894.71 crore in the corresponding year-earlier
period.
• For the current year, CLE is aiming to achieve 9% to 10% growth.
SEBI tweaked norms for REITs, InvITs
• SEBI has reduced the minimum subscription requirement as well as defined trading lots for Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs).
• REITs have to offer their units in lots worth at least Rs. 50,000 in initial and follow-on public offers.
• The minimum value of a single lot should be Rs. 1 lakh in the case of InvITs.
HDFC to hold 9.9% stake in Bandhan Bank
• The RBI has given its nod to HDFC Ltd. for acquiring up to 9.9% stake in Bandhan Bank following the Gruh Finance deal.
• Gruh Finance, the affordable housing finance arm of HDFC Ltd., was taken over by Bandhan Bank in a share-swap deal in January
2019.
• After the announcement of the deal, an application was made by HDFC to the RBI for holding shares in Bandhan Bank, HDFC Ltd.
IIM-B ranked 12th in APAC
• After being ranked number one in the NIRF Rankings 2019 under the management category, IIM Bangalore has added another
feather to its cap.
• Its Post Graduate Programme in Enterprise Management (PGPEM) has been ranked 12th in APAC and 61st globally in the QS
Executive MBA Rankings 2019.
• IIM-B has become the only B-school in India to be a part of top 100 B-Schools globally and top 16 in APAC.
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ISB inked pact with Moscow School

• Indian School of Business (ISB) signed a MoU with Moscow School of Management, Skolkovo, on 22 April 2019.
• As per of the MoU signed, the two schools agreed to conduct joint educational modules, exchange faculty and research staff,
organise joint events, academic research and other initiatives.
• Both schools have agreed to work on areas related to executive education and family business.
Sri Lanka declared emergency
• Sri Lanka enforced a state of emergency from 22 April 2019 in the wake of the deadly Easter blasts that killed 290 people and
wounded more than 500 others, enhancing the counter terrorism powers of the security forces.
• The decision was made during a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) chaired by President Maithripala Sirisena.
SBI GI launched cyber defense insurance
• SBI General Insurance launched its new product – cyber defence insurance to protect businesses from financial and reputational
losses due to cyber attacks.
• The main focus on SMEs and mid-market businesses to larger businesses.
• This offers protection against the growing threat of cyber breaches like hacking attacks, identity theft, and business interruption.
KAU IPR Cell won National IP Award 2019
• The Intellectual Property Rights Cell (IPR Cell) of Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has been selected for the National
Intellectual Property Award 2019.
• The award, comprising a prize money of ₹1 lakh, will be presented at in New Delhi on World IP Day on April 26, 2019.
• It is conferred on persons and organisations working in the field of patents, trademarks, and Geographical Indications.
Iran, Pakistan declare joint border reaction
• Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani announced that Iran and Pakistan will create a joint ‘reaction force’ on the border between the
two countries, for combatting terrorism.
• The announcement came during a two-day visit to Iran by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, the first of his tenure.
• Iran and Pakistan share a 959 km land border.
India ranked 17th in Global Startup Ecosystem
• According to data released by StartupBlink, India moved up to 17th position in 2018 from 37th spot last year in the Startup
Ecosystem Ranking for 2019.
• The top three spots remained unchanged with the United States, United Kingdom and Canada.
• The cities with the most vibrant startup ecosystems in India are Bangalore, New Delhi, and Mumbai.
AWC: Jhili won silver
• Youth Olympics gold medallist Jeremy Lalrinnunga went on a record-smashing spree at the Asian Weightlifting Championship.
• Jeremy secured second place in group B of the 67Kg men’s event. During his record-smashing spree, he claimed three world
marks.
• Jhili Dalabehera opened India’s medal account, claiming a silver medal in the women’s 45kg category.
BCCI shifted finals to Hyderabad
• The IPL final scheduled on May 12 was shifted from Chennai to Hyderabad after the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) failed
to get requisite permission from the government to open the three closed stands.
• The 3 stands make up for more than 12,000 tickets and BCCI would have lost out on a few crores of the gate money.
Benny Antony won National IP Award
• Benny Antony, Joint Managing Director, Arjuna Natural Ltd, has been conferred with the National Intellectual Property Award for
2019 in the category of Top Individual for Patents and Commercialization.
• Along with the National IP Award, the Intellectual Property Office India and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
also conferred the ‘WIPO Medal for Inventors’ to Antony.
Vijender Singh: Congress Candidate
• The Congress fielded champion boxer Vijender Singh, who won the bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, from the South
Delhi constituency.
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• He will take on BJP’s sitting MP Ramesh Bidhuri and AAP’s Raghav Chadha.
• In all, the Congress has so far declared candidates for 422 Lok Sabha seats.
World Book Day: 23 April
• World Book Day is celebrated by UNESCO and other related organisations every year on the 23rd of April.
• Also called the World Book and Copyright Day, it is an occasion to promote the joy of books and the art of reading.
• The theme for this year is Share A Story.
Sixth Sense Ventures invested in MyHealthcare
• MyHealthcare, a digital integrated healthcare ecosystem has raised $3 million from Sixth Sense Ventures, as part of its ongoing
Series A fundraise.
• MyHealthcare works with hospitals, diagnostics, and speciality health institutions in building their digital health business.
• It had raised $2 million in 2018, led by Hunch Ventures and Ajay Nanavati.
IL&FS to sell wind portfolio to GAIL
• Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS) has agreed to sell its 874 megawatts (MW) operational wind energy
portfolio to GAIL (India) Ltd for ₹4,800 crore.
• GAIL’s offer of ₹4,800 crore at 100% enterprise valuation implies that the accumulated debt of ₹3,700 crore on the wind power
special purpose vehicles (SPVs) will be fully repaid.
ZestMoney raised $20 million funding
• ZestMoney has raised $20 million in its Series B round led by Quona Capital, a venture capital firm focused on financial
technology products.
• Australian fintech investor, Reinventure, and existing investors Ribbit Capital, Omidyar Network and PayU also participated in the
round.
• The new funding will support the company’s expansion plans for 2019.
India ranked 19th in ICP
• The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has released the 2019 Index of Cancer Preparedness (ICP) in which India's overall rank is
19th out of 28 countries, with a score of 64.9.
• Australia topped the ICP, followed by the Netherlands and Germany.
• Saudi Arabia, Romania, and Egypt are at the bottom in Index.
Asian Badminton Championships began
• The Asia Badminton Championships began at Wuhan in China on 23 April 2019.
• It will continue till 28 April 2019.
• India will be represented by Kidambi Srikanth and Sameer Verma in men's singles and P.V. Sindhu and Saina Nehwal in women's
singles.
Appointments
• Former deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi has been appointed as special observer for Tripura where the Lok Sabha polls
to one of the seats were postponed in view of the law and order situation.
• India’s newly-appointed men’s hockey chief coach Graham Reid took charge of the national camp here and asked his players to
put the team first in his maiden address to them.
Medical assistance to ANA
• Vinay Kumar, Ambassador of India presented 100 motorized wheelchairs to the Afghan National Army on 22 April 2019.
• India also remains committed to extending medical relief and assistance to the ANA personnel.
• Till date, Indian Army has also trained 4880 ANA personnel in various professional, educational and military training programs,
including training ANA doctors & medical technicians.
MoU signed between AYUSH and CSIR
• A MoU was signed between the Ministry of AYUSH and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi on 22 April
2019.
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• It was signed for cooperation in research and education in areas of traditional systems of medicine and its integration with
modern science.
• It was signed by Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH and Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, Director General, CSIR.
TCS signed a deal with India Post
• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), has partnered with the Department of Posts in a bid to transform it into a multi-service digital
hub.
• The Core System Integration (CSI) program has been designed and implemented by TCS for transformation.
• The integrated solution is built to cater to the Department’s immense scale and future needs
Appointments
• Twitter has appointed Manish Maheshwari as new managing director for the India market effective 29 April 2019.
• Based in Delhi, Maheshwari will report to Maya Hari, vice-president and managing director - Asia Pacific, Twitter.
• Maheshwari took over from Balaji Krish, who has been leading the Twitter India team in the interim for the past few months.
M3 Inc. acquired NHPL
• Japan-based M3, Inc., has acquired a majority stake in Bengaluru-based Neuroglia Health Private Limited (NHPL).
• Neuroglia Health owns and operates 'DailyRounds' mobile app, which enables case-based problem-solving for doctors.
• It also runs 'Marrow' which is a test-preparation platform aimed at post-graduate specialty courses in medical schools in India.
India bagged 5 medals in the opening day: AAC
• India won five medals on the opening day of the Asian Athletics Championships on 21 April 2019.
• Annu Rani and Avinash Sable led the charge with a silver medal.
• M P Poovamma, 5000m runner Parul Choudhary and 10000m runner Gavit Murali Kumar bagged a bronze each.
1st Hindu temple to be built in UAE
• The foundation stone of the first Hindu temple in UAE’s capital Abu Dhabi was laid recently.
• Mahant Swami Maharaj, spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar-Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) presided
over the four-hour ceremony.
• The temple embodies the timeless Vedic values of Vasudev Kutumbakam.
US to end sanction waivers to India
• The United States announced that all buyers of Iranian oil will have to end their imports shortly or face sanctions.
• In November, the US reimposed sanctions on exports of Iranian oil after President Trump unilaterally pulled out of a 2015 nuclear
accord between Iran and six world powers.
Saudi Aramco to acquire Royal Dutch Shell
• Saudi Aramco will acquire Royal Dutch Shell's 50% stake in their Saudi refining joint venture SASREF for $631 million.
• Saudi Aramco Shell Refinery Co (SASREF), based in Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia, has a crude oil refining capacity of
305,000 barrels per day (bpd).
• Shell has sold over $30 billion of assets in recent years as it shifts its focus to lower carbon businesses.
Jan Dhan Bank deposits to cross Rs 1 lakh cr
• The total deposits in bank accounts opened under the Jan Dhan scheme are set to cross Rs 1 lakh crore soon.
• The cumulative balance in 35.29 crore accounts under the flagship programme of the Modi government reached Rs 97,665.66
crore as on April 3, 2019.
• The Modi government launched the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) on August 28, 2014.
World Earth Day: 22 April
• World Earth Day is observed every year on 22 April.
• On 22nd April 2009 the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 22nd April as the 'International Mother
Earth Day'.
• World Earth Day 2019 theme is ‘Protect Our Species’.
• It will mainly focus on saving species which are on the verge of extinction due to climate change, deforestation, pollution and
illegal poaching.
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Nasim Zaidi quit Jet Airways board

• The non-executive and non-independent director of Jet Airways, Nasim Zaidi has quit the board, citing personal reasons and time
constraints.
• Zaidi, the former Chief Election Commissioner and ex- civil aviation secretary, joined the Jet Airways board in August last year.
Spicejet, Emirates signed MoU
• Budget carrier Spicejet announced the signing of an initial pact for code share partnership with Gulf carrier Emirates on 22 April
2019.
• The partnership will allow the opening of new routes and destinations for passengers of the two airlines.
• Code-sharing allows an airline to book its passengers on its partner carriers and provide seamless travel to destinations where it
has no presence.
New level of complexity in dolphins: Study
• A new study has found that there are hundreds of sound that the dolphins use to communicate.
• The study was published in the Journal ‘PeerJ’.
• The Araguaian dolphins, also called botos, are hard to find and difficult to study.
• They identified 237 different types of sounds that the dolphins make.
Indian battleships arrived in China
• Battleships from India and countries like Singapore and Australia arrived in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao on 21 April 2019.
• They will be taking part in a maritime parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army Navy.
• China will display new warships, including nuclear submarines, destroyers, warplanes and the country’s first aircraft carrier, at
the parade.
Naval Commanders Conference to begin
• The first edition of Naval Commanders’ Conference of 2019 is scheduled at New Delhi from 23 to 25 April 2019.
• The Chief of the Naval Staff will review major activities undertaken during the previous 6 months.
• The themes of 'Functional Reorganisation of Indian Navy towards improving Operational Efficiency' and 'Optimal Manning' will
form the core of discussions.
290 dead in Sri Lanka bomb blasts
• A series of 8 devastating bomb blasts ripped through high-end hotels and churches holding Easter services in Sri Lanka on 21 April
2019.
• The blasts killed 290 people, including dozens of foreigners and injured 500.
• At least two of them involved suicide bombers, including one who lined up at a hotel breakfast buffet before unleashing carnage.
Hardik, Rahul fined Rs. 20 lakh
• Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and K.L. Rahul were fined 20 lakh rupees each by the BCCI ombudsman Justice D.K. Jain.
• They were fined for their sexist comments on a popular TV chat show.
• Pandya and Rahul have already served a provisional suspension and tendered an unconditional apology for their loose comments
on women.
Maldivian President visited Bangalore
• Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih visited Bengaluru on 21 April 2019 to attend an IPL match on the invitation of BCCI.
• He was accompanied by two of his cabinet members including foreign minister Abdulla Shahid.
• He watched the match between the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings.
Asian Weightlifting Championships began
• The Asian Weightlifting Championships began in Ningbo, China on 20 April 2019.
• The competition will continue till the 28 April 2019.
• As many as 278 participants from 28 nations and regions, including China, Japan, South Korea, India, Iran and North Korea have
registered for the competition.
• Former World Champion, Mirabai Chanu will spearhead India’s challenge at the Championship.
Services lifted Santosh Trophy
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• In Football, the Services lifted the Santosh Trophy, beating Punjab 1-nil in the final at Ludhiana on 21 April 2019.
• In the first half, both the teams were goal-less.
• In the second half, Services scored the lone goal and held on till the final whistle.
• Services beat Karnataka 4-3 in the semis via a penalty shootout to book a place in the title clash for the 11th time.
Zelensky won Presidential elections
• In Ukraine, comedian and political newcomer Volodymyr Zelensky secured a victory in the Presidential election.
• Exit polls indicated that he is going to take 73% of the votes while incumbent Petro Poroshenko securing 25%.
• His victory will open a new chapter in the history of a country that has gone through two popular uprisings in the last 20 years.
Himalayan expedition flagged in Leh
• The 14 days, 11 members Himalayan Heights Motorcycle Expedition from Leh to Karakoram Pass was flagged in at Leh by Lt Gen
YK Joshi.
• The expedition began on 7 April 2019 and traversed over 1000 Km in the forbidding landscape of Eastern Ladakh.
• The expedition team comprised six motorcyclists from the Army Service Corps.
Longest spaceflight by a woman
• A National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut is all set to set a record for the longest spaceflight by a
woman.
• NASA astronaut Christina Koch is going to have her mission on the International Space Station (ISS) extended to 328 days.
• This would set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman.
• Christina Koch will remain in orbit until February 2020.
India to partner with Japan and UAE
• India is joining hands with Japan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to implement two projects in Africa.
• India will build a cancer hospital in Kenya in collaboration with Japan, it will partner with the UAE to set up an ICT center in
Ethiopia.
• This will extend India's footprint on Africa where strategic rival China has made deep inroads.
Chennai central station's name is not longest
• The Chennai Central railway station, officially known as Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station, lost
the distinction of having the world’s longest railway station name by an alphabet.
• The record for the longest railway station name, which is 58 letters long, is held by
‘Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch’ in Wales.
Christian Garin claimed his first ATP title
• Christian Garin claimed his first ATP title at the US Men's Clay Court Championships.
• With this, Garin becomes first Chilean ATP champion in a decade.
• He defeated Casper Ruud in the final match.
• Garin also won their only previous career meeting last month in Sao Paulo, Brazil and earned his first title in just his 11th career
tournament.
PIO-led team's CubeSat to be launched by NASA
• A team led by Keshav Raghavan has been chosen by NASA to have their CubeSat flown into space on future missions of NASA.
• CubeSats are miniature satellites intended as a standard, inexpensive design that can easily fit alongside larger satellites aboard
launch vehicles.
• The team's CubeSat BLAST (Bouchet Low-Earth Alpha/Beta Space Telescope) is named for physicist Edward A Bouchet.
BoM joins M1Xchange TReDS platform
• Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) partnered with M1Xchange Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) platform for MSME bill
discounting.
• TReDS is a digital platform to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to get their bills financed at a competitive
rate through an auction where multiple registered financiers can participate.
• TReDS platform facilitates a smooth flow of liquidity.
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Saudi Arabia to host G20 leaders' summit

• Saudi Arabia will host the annual G20 leaders' summit on 21-22 November 2020 in Riyadh.
• The G20 is made up of 19 of the world's biggest economies, as well as the European Union.
• It was formed in 1999 to discuss policy matters and financial stability.
• Japan will host the 2019 G20 summit in Osaka.
• In 2018, the conference was held in Buenos Aries, Argentina.
Sri Lanka’s 1st satellite ‘Raavana-1’ launched
• Sri Lanka’s first satellite ‘Raavana-1’ was launched into space from NASA’s Flight Facility on 18 April 2019.
• ‘Raavana 1’ weights around 1.05 kg and the lifespan of the satellite is around one and a half years.
• The launch marks Sri Lanka’s entry into the global space age.
• Its mission is to capture images of Sri Lanka and its neighbouring countries.
Cholamandalam Insurance gets ISO certification
• Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Limited has been certified with ISO 31000:2018.
• ISO 31000:2018 is an international risk management standard.
• The standard provides guidelines, principles, framework, and a process for managing risk.
• It can be used by any organization regardless of its size, activity or sector.
• The Certificate is valid for a period of 3 years.
Hamied receives UK Royal Society honour
• Prominent scientist and businessman Yusuf Hamied was honoured in the 2019 list of new fellows of the UK's Royal Society.
• He is Chairman of pharmaceutical major Cipla.
• The Royal Society is an independent scientific academy of the UK and the Commonwealth, dedicated to promoting excellence in
science.
Gagandeep Kang elected to Royal Society Fellow
• The Royal Society of London has announced a list of 51 eminent scientists elected to its fellowship in the year 2019.
• Gagandeep Kang is the first Indian woman to be elected to the Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS).
• She works with the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad.
• Princeton professors Manjul Bhargava and Akshay Venkatesh have also been elected to the FRS.
Universe’s first molecule detected in space
• Scientists have detected the most ancient type of molecule in our universe in space for the first time ever.
• Helium hydride ion (HeH+) was the first molecule that formed almost 14 billion years ago.
• It was detected by NASA's flying observatory SOFIA towards a planetary nebula.
• Helium combined first with free electrons to form the first ever neutral atom.
World Liver Day: 19 April
• The World Liver Day (WLD) is observed every year on April 19.
• The aim of the day is to build awareness and understanding the importance of liver in the human body and how liver ailments are
treated.
• The liver, which measures about 1,00 grams in weight and 15 cm in length, is the second largest organ and is a key player in our
body’s digestive system.
CRISIL to transfer rating business
• CRISIL Ltd, a diversified global analytics company, will transfer its rating business to its proposed new wholly-owned subsidiary.
• The board of CRISIL gave the nod for the transfer, which is being done to comply with SEBI norms of last year.
• SEBI modified its regulations for credit rating agencies and mandated the segregation of rating and non-ratings businesses of
credit-rating agencies.
Non-life insurers witness 13% rise in premium
• According to data from IRDAI, Non-life insurance firms registered a rise of 13% in their collective premium income to Rs 1.70 lakh
crore in March 2019.
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• The 34 non-life insurers had a gross premium of Rs 1.51 lakh crore in 2017-18.
• Among these insurers, as many as 25 are categorised as general insurers, seven private sector insurers while the rest of the two
are government-owned insurers.
Reliance retail crosses Rs 1L cr revenue
• Reliance retail has become the first Indian retail company to clock more than Rs 1 lakh crore in annual revenues.
• The retail venture of Reliance Industries reported an income of Rs 1,30,556 crore for 2018-19, 89% more than the previous year.
• It reported Rs 6,201 crore as profit before depreciation, interest, and taxes (PBDIT) for the year against Rs 2,529 crore in FY18, an
increase of 145%.
Appointments
• Ravinder Kumar Passi has been elevated to the post of Chairman of the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH)
• N. Kashinath took over as Member (Signal &Telecom) Railway Board on 16 April 2019.
• Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan (IFS:1997) was appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Lebanon.
• Sanjay Manohar was appointed as a next Managing Director of McAfee India.
Election Commission launches Voter Turnout app
• The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched the Voter Turnout app on 19 April 2019.
• The mobile app is for the voters across the country to see the real-time availability of voter turnout during the election season in
the country.
• The app captures the real-time information gathered by the Returning Officers following which it calculates the estimated totals.
Antares launches Cygnus on ISS cargo mission
• A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket successfully launched a Cygnus spacecraft on 17 April 2019 carrying 3.5 metric tons of cargo
bound for the International Space Station (ISS).
• The Antares lifted off from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.
• The Cygnus is scheduled to be captured by the ISS’s robotic arm.
• It will remain at the station for about 90 days.
Guided missile destroyer INS Imphal launched
• The Indian Navy launched its third guided missile destroyer 'INS Imphal' as part of its Project 15B on 20 April 2019.
• The Navy had launched INS Vishakhapatnam, the first Project 15B ship, in April 2015, while the second ship, INS Mormugao, was
launched in September 2016.
• The INS Imphal was designed indigenously by the Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design.
World’s first armed amphibious drone boat
• China has successfully tested the world’s first armed amphibious drone boat.
• It could be used in land assault operations and is capable of forming a combat triad with aerial drones and other drone ships.
• The drone ship has been named Marine Lizard.
• The Marine Lizard can be remotely controlled via satellites.
• It can reach a maximum speed of 50 knots while maintaining stealth.
Tata tech joined hands with FutureMove
• Tata Technologies has inked a pact with China's FutureMove Automotive to develop connected mobility solutions for automotive
manufacturers in China and other markets.
• The companies signed a MoU on the sidelines of the Shanghai Motor Show 2019.
• Tata Technologies has strong capabilities in delivering end-to-end vehicle programmes.
Bajrang at top spot in world wrestling
• Bajrang Punia regained the world number one spot in the men’s 65kg freestyle category in the rankings issued by United World
Wrestling.
• He won gold in the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games as well as a silver in the World Championships 2018.
• He won a gold at the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov tournament in Bulgaria in March 2019.
IN seek access to French base in Djibouti
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• After operationalising the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) signed with France, the Indian Navy is looking for access
to French naval base in Djibouti.
• Indian Navy Mig-29K fighters and French Navy Rafale-M fighters operating off their aircraft carriers will exercise together off Goa
coast in May under the bilateral exercise Varuna.
Ravi Shastri appointed as corporate ambas.
• Former Cricketer Ravi Shastri was appointed as Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) exclusive Corporate Ambassador to the
Indian Business Community.
• As a brand Ambassador Ravi Shastri may attract more Indian business leaders to set up or expand their operations in UAE
through RAKEZ.
Mirabai to superhead India's campaign
• Former World Champion, Mirabai Chanu will spearhead India’s challenge at the Asian Weightlifting Championship, 2019 that
began at Ningbo, China on 20 April 2019.
• She will be competing in the 49kg category from 48kg following the International Weightlifting Federations’s rejig of weight
categories.
• Among male weightlifters, India’s hopes will be on Jeremy Lalrinnunga.
India ranked 140 in WPFI 2019
• India’s rank in the World Press Freedom Index 2019 dropped down to 140th from 138th in 2018, two points below the previous
year.
• The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on April 18, 2019, released the World Press Freedom Index 2019, reflecting growing
animosity towards journalists.
• Norway topped the index, followed by Finland and Sweden.
Kaushik Shaparia: Deutsche Bank India head
• Deutsche Bank AG appointed Kaushik Shaparia as the chief country officer for India.
• Shaparia currently serves as the Asia Pacific Head of Trade Finance & Cash Management for Corporates for Regional Operations
at Deutsche Bank (China) Co., Ltd.
Tata Sponge to shift base to Kolkata
• Tata Sponge Iron Ltd has decided to shift its registered office from Keonjhar in Odisha to Kolkata.
• Tata Sponge has recently acquired Kolkata- based Usha Martin's steel business at a cost of Rs 4,090 crore.
• In 1991, Tata Steel acquired Ipicol's entire stake and Tata Sponge became an associate company of Tata Steel.
Airtel Bank partnered with Bharti AXA
• Airtel Payments Bank has teamed up with Bharti AXA General Insurance for a two-wheeler insurance product offering.
• The product is available on MyAirtel App and at over 40,000 Airtel Payments Bank points across India during the first phase of
launch.
• The offering entails personal accident cover, protection against third-party liabilities and inspection-free renewal.
Appointments II
• Former Judo Federation of India chief Mukesh Kumar was re-elected as general secretary of the Asian governing body at its
ordinary congress at Fujairah in the UAE.
• Incumbent Judo Federation of India President Partap Singh Bajwa was elected as Vice President of Judo Union of Asia as well as
President of South Asia Judo Federation.
Indian-American scientist in Hall of Fame
• An Indian-American scientist and social activist has been inducted into the Cleveland International Hall of fame for his
contribution in applications in systems biology, global issues and sustainable development.
• Prof Sree Sreenath was inducted into it, along with five other inductees Dr. Akram Boutros, Ingrida Bublys, Paul Burik, Richard
Fleischman, and Marilyn Madigan.
UN report on major industrial accidents
• The 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy is among the world's 'major industrial accidents' of the 20th century, as per a UN report.
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• 2.78 million workers die from occupational accidents and work-related diseases each year.
• The report titled 'The Safety and Health at the Heart of the Future of Work - Building on 100 years of experience'.
• It was released by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Sairee Chahal: Board of Director PPB
• Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPB) has appointed entrepreneur Sairee Chahal to its board of directors.
• Chahal is the founder and CEO of SHEROES, a community platform for women.
• PPB, which was incorporated in August 2016, formally began its operations in 2017.
Saudi increased India's Haj quota to 2 lakh
• Saudi Arabia has issued a formal order increasing the Haj quota of India to 2 lakhs from 1,75,000.
• The decision will ensure that all the Haj applicants from big states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar can
embark pilgrimage this year.
• As many as 2,340 Indian Muslim women will go for the pilgrimage without a male companion or Mehram.
India rebuild Kundeling monastery in Nepal
• India has rebuilt Chhyoiphel Kundeling Monastery in Nepal.
• Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche inaugurated newly reconstructed Monastery at Lisankhu village in Sindhupalchok district on 19 April
2019.
• The Chhyoiphel Kundeling Monastery was established in 1946 with the active initiation and contribution of Lisankhu villagers.
Chemists and druggists are passe
• First coined in 1945, the words ‘chemist’ and ‘druggist’ are headed for a change, with the Union Health Ministry replacing them
with ‘pharmacy’.
• The phrase ‘chemists and druggists’ was coined over seven decades ago, is quite old, and has lost its relevance in the current
scenario.
• The matter was deliberated upon by the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB).
UN honoured Indian peacekeepers
• United Nations honoured 150 Indian peacekeepers serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) with medals of honour
for their dedicated service and sacrifice.
• UNMISS is working to deter violence against civilians by providing a safe and secure environment for South Sudanese people.
• UNMISS is committed to helping build durable peace in South Sudan.
High proportion of antibact. agents in Ganga
• A study found that the river water of Ganga contains a significantly higher proportion of organisms with antibacterial properties.
• The study, ‘ Assessment of Water Quality and Sediment To Understand Special Properties of River Ganga,’ began in 2016 and was
conducted by the National Environmental Engineering and Research Institute.
Gold imports dipped 3% in FY19
• The country’s gold imports dipped about 3% in value terms to $32.8 billion during 2018-19, which trend is expected to keep a lid
on the current account deficit.
• Total imports of the precious metal in 2017-18 had stood at $33.7 billion, according to data from the Commerce Ministry.
• After recording negative growth in February, the imports grew 31.22% to $3.27 billion in March.
Asian Tea Alliance launched in China
• The Asian Tea Alliance, a union of 5 tea-growing and consuming countries, was launched in Guizhou, China on 19 April 2019.
• The members of the alliance are the Indian Tea Association, China Tea Marketing Association, Indonesian Tea Marketing
Association, Sri Lanka Tea Board and Japan Tea Association.
• It plans to work towards enhancing tea trade, cultural exchanges and globally promoting tea.
Obituaries
• Peru's former president Alan Garcia shot himself in the head to avoid arrest in connection with alleged bribes from Brazilian
builder Odebrecht.
• Alan Garcia served two terms as Peru’s president, from 1985 to 1990 and from 2006 to 2011.
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Funds to implement 10% EWS quota approved

• Union cabinet approved the sanction of Rs 4315.15 crore for the 158 Central Educational Institutions for implementation of
reservation in admission to students belonging to Economically Weaker Section (EWS).
• Over 2 lakh additional seats will be created in 158 CEIs across the country to implement 10% reservation for the Economically
Weaker Section (EWS).
Walmart, Amazon kicked off pilot program
• Amazon and Walmart kicked off a 2-year government pilot program allowing low-income shoppers on government food
assistance in New York to shop and pay for their groceries online for the first time.
• ShopRite will join the 2 retailers on the program.
• The pilot program will test both online ordering and payment.
Int. Hockey Fed imposed fine on Pakistan
• The International Hockey Federation (FIH) imposed a fine of 1,76,000 Euros on Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) for not
honouring the Pro League commitments.
• The FIH has given the Pakistan sports body time until 20th June to pay the fine or else the penalty would be doubled.
• PHF was fined for not sending the national team for the Pro League matches in Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand.
Appointments I
• Shri V.P. Pathak, Indian Railway Stores Service Officer of 1980 batch, took over as Member (Materials Management) Railway
Board.
• The Election Commission appointed senior IAS officer Ajay V Nayak as a special observer for West Bengal.
7th China Int Tech Fair kicked off
• The 7th China International Technology Fair opened on 18 April 2019 in Shanghai, a national-level professional fair focused on
international technology trade.
• With an exhibition space covering 35,000 square meters, the fair has five exhibition areas including professional technologies,
technological innovation, and trade services.
220 million yr old dinossaur fossils found
• A site containing the 220-million-year-old fossilised remains of nearly a dozen dinosaurs has been discovered in western
Argentina.
• There are almost ten different individuals, it's a mass of bones, there's practically no sediment.
• This discovery is doubly important because there are at least seven or eight individuals of dicynodonts, the ancestors of
mammals, the size of an ox.
14 products receied GI tags
• Himachali Kala Zeera, Jeeraphool from Chhattisgarh and Kandhamal Haldi from Odisha are among the 14 products that have
received Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the government for 2019.
• The other products which received this tag include Coorg Arabica coffee from Karnataka, Wayanad Robusta coffee from Kerala,
Araku Valley Arabica from Andhra Pradesh, and Sirisi Supari from Karnataka.
Scientists identified green material
• Researchers have identified an eco-friendly solid that could replace the inefficient and polluting gases used in most refrigerators
and air conditioners.
• When put under pressure, plastic crystals of neopentylglycol yield huge cooling effects, and are competitive with conventional
coolants.
• The material is inexpensive, widely available and functions at close to room temperature.
India suspended LoC trade with Pakistan
• India has suspended the trade across the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan from 19 April 2019.
• This was done after probe agencies found the route was being misused to smuggle illegal weapons, drugs, and fake currency.
• A stricter regulatory and enforcement mechanism is being worked and the issue of the reopening the trade routes will be
revisited once they are implemented.
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Terra Drone inked pact with IIT Hyd

• Terra Drone Corporation and Terra Drone India signed a tripartite MoU with IIT-Hyderabad to co-establish Centre of Excellence
for Unmanned Aerial Solutions (drones).
• Under the MoU, the Japanese company and its Indian subsidiary would offer a complete sales-service-support module for the
drone ecosystem in India.
Fintech startups to test regulatory sandbox
• RBI proposed that fintech start-ups could set up a regulatory sandbox or live-testing of innovative products and services.
• This would be done in segments such as retail payments, money transfer, artificial intelligence and data analytics in the financial
sector.
• A regulatory sandbox (RS) refers to live-testing of new products or services in a controlled and test regulatory environment.
Exim Bank funded projects in Rawanda
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said Exim Bank has provided soft loans of USD 266.60 million to Rawanda for various projects.
• The funding is done in 3 separate tranches to support agricultural projects, development of special economic zones (SEZs) and for
financing road projects.
• USD 66.60 million will be funded for the Base-Butaro-Kidaho Road Project.
Delhi Police launched 2 helpline numbers
• The Delhi Police launched 2 helpline numbers as a precautionary measure to curb noise pollution and incidents of mob lynching
in the national capital.
• The 2 helpline numbers 155270 and 155271 are operated by the Police Control Room.
• These will remain operational 24x7 to ensure quick response and action into complaints of mob violence or calls related to noise
pollution.
Police officers awarded for writing book
• A Delhi Police officer has been awarded 'Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant Award' for his book 'Samvidhan Kavya'.
• Bureau of Police Research and Development gave the award to Special Commissioner of Police (Operations) Sunil Kumar Gautam
for 2018-19.
• The book presents the provisions of the Constitution in a simple and poetic form.
Obituaries
• NASA's first female astronaut candidate, pilot Jerrie Cobb, has died.
• In 1961, Cobb became the first woman to pass astronaut testing.
Book on Khooni Vaisakhi released in UAE
• India's Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri has commended the launch of a book containing the english translation of the
Punjabi poem, Khooni Vaisakhi.
• The poem was translated by Suri whose grandfather Nanak Singh, a Jallianwala Bagh survivor, wrote it after witnessing the
events.
• The book was released in New Delhi on April 13, 2019, marking 100 years of the massacre.
20 states joined helpline number 112
• 20 states and UTs have so far joined a pan-India network of single emergency helpline number '112' on which immediate
assistance can be sought by anyone in distress.
• The '112' helpline is an integration of police (100), fire (101) and women (1090) helpline numbers and the project is being
implemented under the Nirbhaya Fund.
• It is similar to '911' in the United States.
HAL resumed tests of jet trainer
• Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has resumed test-flying its intermediate jet trainer (IJT) in a modified version after a gap of
almost 3 years.
• It had halted flight tests of the IJT in 2016 after the aircraft encountered problems while undergoing critical spin tests.
• The trainer aircraft, called the HJT-36, is being developed for new pilots of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.
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WHO issued guidelines on digital health tech

• The WHO has released new recommendations on 10 ways countries can use digital health technology, accessible via mobile
phones, tablets and computers, to improve people’s health and essential services.
• The guidelines demonstrate that health systems need to respond to the increased visibility and availability of information.
I-T Dept proposes new norms for taxing MNCs
• The income tax department proposed a change in the methodology for taxing multinational companies (MNCs).
• This includes digital firms, having permanent establishment in India by giving weightage to factors like domestic sales, employee
strength, assets and user base.
• MNCs that are incurring global losses or a global profit margin of less than 2% will be deemed to have made a profit of 2%.
BoB, Srei enter co-lending alliance
• Srei Equipment Finance Ltd. and Bank of Baroda will come together to offer joint loans for infrastructure equipment under a new
agreement.
• The partners will be able to leverage each other’s customers and cross-sell their products.
• The offerings would include both business-to-business and business-to-customer propositions.
Appointments
• Former Oil Secretary Vivek Rae was appointed as chairman of Hindustan Oil Exploration Company Ltd.
• Seasoned diplomat Jaideep Sarkar has been appointed as India's next High Commissioner to South Africa.
UPI payments now live on ETMONEY app
• ETMONEY has integrated Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as a payment option on the application.
• The company hopes to simplify the user journey through the app, especially for making payments for mutual funds.
• It has set a target to grow to Rs 5,000 crore in mutual fund transactions in the next 12-18 months and is targeting 10 million users
by the end of the current year.
Nepal launched its first satellite from USA
• Nepal successfully launched its first satellite NepaliSat-1 into space from America on 18 April 2019.
• The satellite developed by the Nepalese scientists was launched from Virginia in the US, according to Nepal Academy of Science
and Technology (NAST).
• Nepali scientists, Aabhas Maskey and Hariram Shrestha developed the satellite under the BIRDS project of their institute.
Amazon, Google allowed each other's apps
• Amazon and Google agreed to allow each other's streaming media applications to work on their platforms, ending a spat over
video between the tech giants.
• The YouTube apps will be available on Amazon's Fire TV in the coming months, allowing users of the Amazon platform to access
content from the Google-owned service.
• The agreement also enables Amazon Prime members streaming to Chromecast.
Uber won $1bn investment from Toyota
• Toyota and SoftBank Vision Fund unveiled an investment of $1 billion in U.S. company Uber to drive forward the development of
driverless ridesharing services.
• Toyota has already invested $500 million in Uber as the firm races Google-owned Waymo and a host of other companies,
including major automakers, to develop self-driving vehicles.
Bandhan Bank to merge with Gruh Finance
• Bandhan Bank has received approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for the proposed scheme of acquiring of
Gruh Finance.
• Bandhan Bank had, in January 2019, announced the merger of Gruh Finance with it.
• The move was taken to bring down promoter holding in the bank to 61% from 82.3%.
Canara Bank: 1st to meet RBIs EMV mandate
• Canara Bank has successfully rolled out major new functionality to support EMV card acquiring across its ATM network and
Aadhaar Authentication.
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• It is the first public sector bank to shift to EMV chip and PIN for card present transactions across the country’s vast ATM network.
• The EMV shift is aimed at reducing lost and stolen card fraud and making counterfeit card fraud more difficult.
IMF and WB launched learning coins
• The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have together launched a private blockchain with a pseudo-token.
• The new token, called 'Learning Coin' and only accessible within the IMF and World Bank, has a purpose to teach relevant
individuals within the organizations about blockchain.
• Though the coin has no real value, hence the description pseudo-token.
Scientists elected fellows of Royal Society
• 51 eminent scientists have become Fellows of the Royal Society, as well as ten new Foreign Members and one Honorary Fellow
for their exceptional contributions to science.
• This year’s newly elected Fellows and Foreign Members of the Royal Society have been drawn from diverse fields of enquiry -
epidemiology, geometry, climatology.
Guwahati fuel stations go cashless
• In a major step towards Digital India, the petrol pump owners of Guwahati, have decided to go cashless completely from 18 April
2019.
• The petrol pump owners have been facing trouble over cash transaction after the enforcement of Model Code of conduct (MCC)
for the Lok Sabha Elections.
• The owners expressed that they had to face numerous hassles during cash deposits into the banks.
Obituaries
• Two Telugu television actresses were killed in a car crash in Telangana's Vikarabad district on 17 April 2019.
• The actresses identified as Bhargavi (20) and Anusha Reddy (21) were returning to Hyderabad after completing shooting of a
serial.
• Car driver Chakri and another person Vinay Kumar travelling in the same vehicle were injured.
Mitsui to buy Reliance ethane carrier fleet
• Reliance Industries Ltd' wholly owned subsidiary Reliance Ethane Holding Pte. Ltd is selling its fleet of six very large ethane
carriers (VLECs) through an investment deal with Japanese shipping group Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd.
• RIL has 100% holding in six limited liability companies (LLCs) which own the VLECs.
FMCG growth to slow down in 2019
• India's fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry is likely to grow at a slower pace at 11-12% in 2019, almost 2% lower than
that in 2018, as per a report.
• The industry is also expected to grow at 12-13% during the April to June quarter of the calender year 2019, according to Nielsen.
• In line with the FMCG growth forecast for Q1 2019 at 13-14%, this sector grew at 13.6%.
Rakesh Suryakant resigned as Adani CFO
• Adani Enterprises' CFO Rakesh Suryakant Shah has resigned.
• Rakesh Suryakant Shah has tendered his resignation as chief financial officer (CFO) with effect from April 16, 2019.
• Adani Enterprises is a diversified conglomerate with business interests across integrated coal management and mining, solar cells
and module manufacturing, agri-storage infrastructure and food products.
Govt bonds issuance jumped to Rs. 64,192 cr.
• The issuances of government-fully serviced bonds (GoI-FSBs) rose to ₹64,192 crore in the year ended March 2019 as compared to
₹15,095 crore during the last fiscal.
• These borrowings are estimated to have accounted for 0.34% of GDP for FY19 as compared to 0.09% of GDP for FY18.
• The total outstanding value of these GoI-FSBs stood at ₹88,454 crore at the end of FY19, according to Icra.
Boeing conducted test flight of 737 MAX
• Boeing has conducted a final test flight of a 737 MAX model with an updated anti-stall system prior to its certification by aviation
authorities.
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• Test pilots have completed 120 flights totaling more than 203 hours of airtime with the software fix for the Maneuvering
Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS).
Govt targetes IRCTC, IRFC IPOs
• The government is targeting to raise about ₹1,500 crore from initial public offerings (IPOs) of two railway companies, IRCTC and
IRFC, by September 2019.
• Earlier in April 2019, the government raised about ₹480 crore by selling 12.12% stake in Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL).
• The government has budgeted to raise ₹90,000 crore by way of CPSE disinvestment in the current financial year.
Indiabulls got IRDAI approval
• Indiabulls General Insurance has received preliminary approval from regulator Irdai to foray into non-life business.
• In January, another subsidiary Indiabulls Life Insurance Company had received R1 approval from Insurance Regulatory and
Development Authority of India.
• The company is in the process of moving ahead with the next step of filing its application for registration with Irdai.
Mt Everest to get an eco-friendly toilet
• Mount Everest will get an eco-friendly toilet at a Chinese campsite 7,028 m above sea level in an ongoing campaign to deal with
the peak’s waste problem.
• Decades of commercial mountaineering have turned Mount Everest into the world’s highest rubbish dump.
• The toilet will make it easy to collect the human waste produced by the climbers.
Mars based simulator unveiled in Gobi Desert
• In the middle of China’s Gobi desert sits a Mars base simulator, the facility is full of teenagers on a school trip.
• Surrounded by barren hills in northwestern Gansu province, Mars Base 1 opened on 17 April 2019
• Its aim is to expose teens and soon tourists to what life could be like on the planet.
Thunderstorm leaves 50 dead in 4 states
• Over 50 people were killed as rain, coupled with thunderstorm and lightning, hit several parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh,
Gujarat and Maharashtra overnight.
• The unseasonal rain and storm also caused damage to property and crops in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
• Rajasthan witnessed 25 deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 15 and10 people were killed in Gujarat, three were killed in
Maharashtra.
SpaceX to fly its DART mission
• NASA announced that SpaceX will fly its Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) planetary-defense mission.
• The total launch cost for NASA is estimated to be about $69 million.
• DART - Double Asteroid Redirection Test.
• It is a planned space probe that will demonstrate the kinetic effects of crashing an impactor spacecraft into an asteroid moon for
planetary defense purposes.
IDRBT set up 5G lab for banking sector
• The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) has launched a 5G Use Cases Lab for banking and
financial sector.
• The 5G technology, along with blockchain, will be progressively adopted by banks.
• The use of 5G will change a range of technologies and applications including point of sale machines in the banking sector which
were now using 2G.
World Heritage Day: 18 April
• April 18 is annually observed as the International Day for Monuments and Sites (IDMS), also known as World Heritage Day.
• This day is celebrated to remind the citizens about beautiful places or heritage sites in our country.
• The theme for 2019 is Rural Landscapes.
• The day was proposed by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) on 18 April 1982.
Jet Airways seek Rs. 400 crore
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• The Jet Airways board authorised its management to engage with lenders to secure at least a few hundred crore rupees of
interim funding to continue operations.
• The CEO approached the lenders to release Rs.400 crore for the sake of the employees and to prevent a shutdown.
• Jet requires at least Rs.1,000 crore to meet its immediate needs.
FIFA banned former football President
• FIFA banned former Brazilian Football Confederation president Jose Maria Marin from all football-related activities for life.
• In August 2018, Marin who led Brazil’s organizing committee for the 2014 World Cup, was sentenced to 4 years in prison for
racketeering, money laundering, and wire fraud.
• Earlier Marin was arrested at a luxury Zurich hotel in May 2015.
Appointments
• PwC has named Padmaja Alaganandan as its new chief people officer.
• Alaganandan, who was leader-people and organisation at PwC earlier, takes over from Jagjit Singh.
• Alaganandan is also in the PwC's India leadership team since January 2019.
2nd edition of IN – VPN BILAT EX concluded
• The 2nd edition of 'Indian Navy-Vietnam Peoples’ Navy Bilateral Exercise' (IN – VPN BILAT EX) off Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam from
13-16 April 2019.
• The exercise was undertaken as a part of the ongoing Overseas Deployment of Eastern Fleet ships to South East Asian countries.
• IN Ships Kolkata participated in the exercise, comprising a harbour and a sea phase.
Time 100 most influential people report
• The Time 100 most influential people of 2019 includes lawyers Arundhati Katju and Menaka Guruswamy.
• They were instrumental in the Supreme Court partly striking down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.
• Reliance Industries (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani also featured in the TIME magazine's list of 100 most influential people.
Atul Jalan's book hit the stands
• Entrepreneur, technologist and science storyteller, Atul Jalan launched his new book titled, 'Where will man take Us? - A Bold
story of the Man Technology is creating'.
• It is published by Penguin Random House Books.
• Authored by Atul Jalan, CEO of Manthan Systems, the book looks at the immediate future of mankind and what lies in wait.
Deepest radio images of sun created
• Scientists have captured the deepest radio images of the Sun, an advance that may help reliably predict space weather and its
possible effects on Earth.
• Sun's emission can change within a second and can be very different, even across nearby frequencies.
• The Sun has some of the most powerful explosions in the solar system.
Titan has 100 m deep methane lakes
• Saturn's largest moon Titan has small liquid lakes that run more than 100 metres deep, perched atop hills and filled with
methane.
• This was founded by scientists using data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft.
• The findings are published in the journal Nature Astronomy.
• They provide new information about the way liquid methane rains on, evaporates from and seeps into Titan.
Banks must flag bad loans
• RBI told the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) that banks had an obligation to mark bad loans as non-performing
asset (NPA) after the default of 90 days.
• The banking sector regulator has moved the NCLAT seeking a modification of its February 25 order.
• An asset is tagged as non performing when it ceases to generate income for the lender.
China's GDP grew by 6.4%
• China's economy grew 6.4% in the first quarter of 2019, slightly more than expected.
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• China's GDP reached 21.343 trillion yuan in the first 3 months of 2019, and the growth pace was the same with that of the fourth
quarter of 2018.
• The first quarter GDP growth was in the range of 6% to 6.5% target fixed by the Chinese government for this year.
Earth's surface heating up: NASA study
• Satellite measurements by NASA researchers have verified the ground-based data which shows the Earth's surface has been
warming globally over the past 15 years.
• The team used measurements of the 'skin' temperature of the Earth taken by a satellite-based infrared measurement system
called AIRS from 2003 to 2017.
• The study was published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.
Commerce industry laid down new procedure
• The commerce ministry has laid down a procedure for import of a few varieties of pulses for the current fiscal and has invited
applications from millers.
• According to the ministry's foreign trade arm DGFT, millers and refiners of these pulses need license for imports.
• Procedure for import of 2 lakh tonne pigeon peas/toor dal, 1.5 lakh tonne urad dal, & 1.5 lakh tonne moong dal, is laid down.
Arantxa: Ambassador TCS World 10k run
• Former women's world no. 1 tennis player Arantxa Sanchez Vicario was named the ambassador of the IAAF Gold Label TCS World
10K run.
• Vicario will encourage the 25,000 runners of the 10k run through her story of determination and never-say-die-attitude.
• The Spanish legend accumulated 14 Grand Slam titles, four singles, six doubles, and four mixed doubles.
Eligible NBFCs to get license
• Systematically important non-deposit taking NBFCs offering foreign exchange transactions on individual accounts will be eligible
to obtain Authorised Dealer (AD) Category-II licence from it.
• AD-Cat II means entities that are authorised by the RBI to deal in foreign exchange for specified purposes.
• These include upgraded full-fledged money changers (FFMCs), and select regional rural banks.
Mujibnagar Day observed in Bangladesh
• In Bangladesh, the historic Mujibnagar day is being observed on 17 April 2019.
• The day marks the oath-taking ceremony of Bangladesh's first government in 1971 at Baidyanathtala in Meherpur.
• The day is being observed by political parties and social and cultural organisations through various programs across Bangladesh.
Sunil Lanba on a visit to Thailand
• Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba will be on a 3-day bilateral visit to Thailand from 17 April 2019.
• The visit is intended to consolidate and enhance the maritime bilateral relations between India and Thailand and also to explore
new avenues of defence cooperation.
• He will visit the Royal Thai Navy and Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters in Bangkok.
IDBI Bank launched paperless account
• The NRIs living in nearly 40 countries will now be able to open an account in IDBI Bank without submitting paper documents.
• IDBI Bank has launched 'NRI-Insta-Online' account opening process for NRIs residing in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
member countries.
• The person will not be required to furnish physical documents as well as KYC proofs for opening an account with the bank.
ADB provided loan to India
• ADB committed to provide $3 billion in sovereign loans to India in 2018, the highest level of assistance since sovereign operations
began in the country in 1986.
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB), owned by 68 member countries, committed a total of USD 3.88 billion.
• New commitments included USD 21.6 billion in loans, grants and investments from ADB's own resources.
Google opened AI lab in Ghana
• Ghana and Google have cooperated to open Africa’s first AI research laboratory, which, experts hope, will take on some of the
region’s struggles.
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• Africa has many challenges where the use of AI could be beneficial, sometimes even more than in other places.
• The AI research lab will work to create solutions for healthcare, educations, and agriculture.
SFB awarded Clement Model 2019 Award
• Fincare Small Finance Bank (SFB) has been awarded the Celent Model Bank 2019 Award in the category of Financial Inclusion, for
'Redesigning Lending to Reach Small Businesses'.
• The award recognizes LAP (Loans Against Property) D.Lite, a tab-based solution designed and developed in-house by Fincare SFB.
• LAP D.Lite is one of the 22 initiatives from around the world to receive this award.
Mithali raj: Goodwill Ambassador SCCWC 2019
• Indian women's cricket team captain Mithali Raj has been named the goodwill ambassador of Team India at the Street Child
Cricket World Cup (SCCWC).
• She, alongside Saurav Ganguly and Rajasthan Royals, joins in supporting the team.
• The 2 teams, India North and India South, are put together by Save the Children, HOPE Foundation, Magic Bus and Karunalaya.
NASA found Alien World
• NASA's newest planet hunter has discovered its first Earth-size alien world.
• The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) spotted the planet, as well as a weird sub-Neptune world, circling the star HD
21749, which lies about 53 light-years from Earth.
Coast Guard ship Veera commissioned
• Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat commissioned the Indian Coast Guard Ship Veera at a ceremony held at Naval Jetty,
Visakhapatnam.
• Veera, third in the series of offshore patrol vessels of the Coast Guard, was built by L&T at its shipbuilding facility at Kattupalli in
Chennai.
• Its induction will give a fillip to the maritime protection of India’s vast coastline of Eastern Seaboard.
ICC partnered with UNICEF
• International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket for Good in partnership with UNICEF announced #OneDay4Children, a tournament-
wide campaign.
• It is focussed on bringing the world of cricket together as one team to help build a better world for every child, at the World Cup.
• Former England batsman and #OneDay4Children ambassador Nasser Hussain along with Chris Woakes launched the campaign.
Durjanpur to be renamed as Shivdham
• The MHA approved a proposal to change the name of a village in Madhya Pradesh from 'Durjanpur' to 'Shivdham'.
• The move came after the Home Ministry got no objection from the Geographical Survey of India (GSI), the Department of Post,
the Ministry of Railways.
• Some of the name change proposals cleared by the Home Ministry in recent past include Arikkod as Areekode and Laxman Garh
as Adawala.
Aretha Franklin's posthumous win
• Aretha Franklin received the Pulitzer Prize Special Citation honor.
• She became the first individual woman to earn a special citation prize since the honor was first awarded in 1930.
• Franklin died on August 16, 2018, at her home in Detroit from pancreatic cancer.
3-member women team set out to summit Everest
• For the first time, a 3-member team of women climbers from India, Nepal, and China set out to scale the world's highest peak, Mt
Everest.
• This is being done to spread the message of women empowerment, world peace, and friendship.
• The expedition, supported by the Visit Nepal Year 2020 campaign of the Nepal Tourism Board, was flagged off on 16 April 2019.
BBC India launched Chatbot
• BBC India launched an experimental interactive election chatbot in Hindi and English on Facebook's Messenger platform as part
of a series of Indian General Election-related content.
• The chatbot allows users to interact with the BBC, ask questions and get regular updates as the elections unfold.
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• The special election coverage will be available on smartphones.

Govt granted financial powers to buy weapons
• In the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, the government has granted emergency powers to the three services to procure
weapons and military hardware.
• This would enhance their operational preparedness along the border with Pakistan.
• The threshold granted to the three forces a couple of weeks ago for each proposal is around Rs 300 crore.
Astronomers discovered 3rd planet
• Astronomers have discovered a third planet in the Kepler-47 system, securing the system’s title as the most interesting of the
binary-star worlds.
• Using data from NASA’s Kepler space telescope, a team of researchers, led by astronomers at San Diego State University,
detected the new Neptune-to-Saturn-size planet orbiting between two previously known planets.
NPS signed contract with ISHKS
• Northgate Public Services (NPS) announced the launch of the Indian Joint Registry (IJP), after signing contract with the Indian
Society of Hip and Knee Surgeons (ISHKS).
• ISHKS has signed a contract with NPS to develop and maintain the IJR to enable hospitals across India to submit data securely and
efficiently.
• NPS is a software and outsourcing business with experience in the public sector.
Appointments
• Cairn Oil & Gas appointed Ajay Dixit as its chief executive officer (CEO).
• Mr. Dixit succeeds Sudhir Mathur who, after seven successful years with the company, moves on to pursue personal endeavors.
• Punjab National Bank (PNB) appointed Rajesh Kumar Yaduvanshi as the Executive Director of the bank with effect from April 15,
2019.
NASA awarded 3 Indian teams
• NASA awarded 3 teams from India as part of its annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge,
• The team from KIET Group of Institutions, Uttar Pradesh, won the AIAA Neil Armstrong Best Design Award.
• The Mukesh Patel School of Technology Management and Engineering, Mumbai, Maharashtra, won the Frank Joe Sexton
Memorial Pit Crew Award.
• A team from LPU, Punjab, won the STEM Engagement Award.
World Haemophilia Day: April 17
• April 17 is observed as the World Haemophilia Day every year.
• It was started in 1989 by the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) which chose to bring the community together on April 17 in
honour of WFH founder Frank Schnabel’s birthday.
• World Hemophilia Day theme for the year 2019 is ‘Outreach and Identification’.
TikTok blocked by Google in India
• Google has complied with an Indian court order to block access to the popular app TikTok over government concerns with illicit
content.
• The move could handicap the app's owner, China's Bytedance Ltd., the world's most highly valued startup, in one of its most
promising markets.
RBI put Rs 50 notes into circulation
• The RBI has put into circulation 50 rupees denomination banknotes signed by its Governor Shaktikanta Das.
• The design of these notes is similar in all respects to 50 banknotes in Mahatma Gandhi new series.
• All banknotes in the denomination of 50 issued by the Reserve Bank in the past will continue to be legal tender.
Home Expo India 2019 began
• The 8th edition of HOME EXPO INDIA 2019 opened at India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida on 16 April 2019.
• The 3-day exhibition has been organized by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH).
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• Buyers from more than 50 countries including USA, Europe, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, UAE, Lebanon, Iran, Nigeria,
Ghana, and South Africa, will be visiting the home expo.
Workshop on Loss & Damage conducted
• A 1-day National Consultation on Loss and Damage was hosted by the Ministry of Environment in New Delhi on 16 April 2019.
• India has been experiencing weather and climate-related loss and damage, the Kerala floods and Ockhi being the rarest of the
rare events.
• The workshop had 2 technical sessions on topics including ‘Strengthening response to address loss and damage’.
SC banned mining activities in Kaziranga park
• The Supreme Court has banned all mining activities along the Kaziranga National Park and catchment area of rivers originating in
Karbi Anglong Hills in Assam.
• A bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta issued a notice to the Assam government and sought its reply within
3 weeks.
100 sanitary pad machines to be installed
• As part of a police welfare scheme, Mumbai Police is set to install over 100 sanitary pad vending machines and incinerators for
women police officers across the city.
• Action Committee Against Unfair Medical Practices along with Brihan Mumbai police have launched a project "Smart Maitrin".
• Under this project,140 sanitary pad machines will be installed at 93 police stations across the city.
Volkswagen to expand corporate business
• Volkswagen announced the expansion of its corporate business centre (CBC) programme in India with the addition of 10 more
such outlets across its sales network over the next three months.
• The company had first introduced CBC as a pilot project in Kochi. It was further introduced in Coimbatore.
Swedish Actress Bibi Andersson passed away
• Bibi Andersson, the Swedish actress who starred in classic films by compatriot Ingmar Bergman, including 'The Seventh Seal'
passed away on 14 April 2019.
• Andersson was the only person to have been named best actress four times in its annual awards.
• In 1958, Andersson also shared the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her performance in Bergman's 'Brink of
Life'.
Govt signed agreement with insurgent groups
• The Centre extended the ceasefire agreement by 1 year with 2 insurgent groups in Nagaland, while a fresh pact for suspension of
operations was signed with another outfit.
• A ceasefire is in operation between the Union government and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland and National Socialist
Council of Nagaland/Reformation (NSCN/R).
Greenam Energy set up power plant
• Greenam Energy has set up its first floating solar power plant at Tuticorin.
• AM International Group Founder-Chairman Ashwin Muthiah laid the foundation stone for the power plant, which would lead to
significant energy savings.
• The 24 MW floating solar power plant would be one of its kind and the first floating renewable energy initiative to optimise
energy production in industrial plants.
Karnataka, Punjab win in Santosh Trophy
• Punjab defeated Sikkim 1-0 while Karnataka thrashed Assam 5-1 in Group B matches on the 8th day of the 73rd National Football
Championship for Santosh Trophy.
• In the first match of the day, Karnataka proved too good for Assam in a lopsided match.
• Punjab skipper Taranjit Singh scored the all-important goal in the 20th minute.
MS Dhoni: Brand ambassador of redBus
• Bus ticketing platform redBus has appointed cricketer icon MS Dhoni as its brand ambassador.
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• He will drive all major campaigns for the brand across media platforms and will soon appear in his first promotional concept for
the brand.
• The CEO of redBus is Prakash Sangam.
• redBus commands a strong foothold in the Indian online bus ticketing segment.
12 months to sell non-crore assets
• State-run companies will have 12 months to monetise non-core assets identified by a ministerial panel, failing which the finance
ministry may restrict budgetary allocations to the CPSEs.
• The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) issued the guidelines for monetisation of non-core assets
of CPSEs and immovable enemy properties, following a Cabinet decision in February.
Army to hold joint exercise with coast guard
• Indian army chief General Bipin Rawat said the army is planning to carry out joint training and exercise with the Indian Coast
Guard.
• He said the coast guard and the Indian Navy maintain coastal security and maritime surveillance.
• After commissioning the coast guard's offshore patrol vessel (OPV) Veera, he said Veera would help the coast guard monitor
maritime boundaries more effectively.
India's service exports rose 5.5%
• India's services exports rose 5.5% to $16.58 billion in February 2018-19 from $15.71 billion in the same month a year ago, as per
the data from RBI.
• However, the exports during February 2019 were lower than January's USD 17.75 billion.
• Services imports in February 2018-19 declined by 3.3% to USD 9.81 million, as per the RBI data on 'India's International Trade in
Services: February 2019'.
Jitendra Chaddah: New Chairman of IESA
• Industry body India Electronics and Semiconductor Association has appointed Jitendra Chaddah as its chairman.
• Chaddah, Intel India senior director for operations and strategy, has over two decades of industry experience.
• IESA also appointed Satya Gupta as the new Vice Chairman and Veerappan V, co-founder and director.
INS Magar reached Mozambique
• Another Indian naval ship INS Magar reached Mozambique's Beira city loaded with suitable relief material.
• The ship handed over 250 tonnes of rice and 500 kg of epidemic medicines for the population of Beira affected by Cyclone Idai.
• The material was received by Mozambican Minister of Agriculture Higino Francisco de Marrule.
Himachal Pradesh celebrated 72nd state day
• The 72nd Himachal Day was celebrated with gaiety and fervour in the state on 15 April 2019.
• Governor Acharya Devvrat unfurled the national flag at an event on the historic Ridge maidan in Shimla to mark the day.
• He inspected an impressive parade led by Parade Commander Deputy Superintendent of Police Shakti Singh.
Marshal Arjan Singh's anniversary celebrated
• A bust of the late Marshal of the Indian Air Force, Arjan Singh, was unveiled at the Vayu Bhawan by Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa
to mark the birth centenary of the celebrated war hero.
• Various events have been planned over a period of one year to commemorate the occasion.
• As a tribute to his vision, a seminar on 'Air Power in the 2040: Impact of technology' was also held on 15 April 2019.
Datamatics won IMC award
• Datamatics Global Services Ltd. (DGSL) won IMC Digital Technology Awards 2018 under the Excellence in Emerging Technology
category for TruBot, its Robotic Process Automation product and TruAI, its AI platform.
• The award ceremony was held on 12th April 2019 at St Regis, Mumbai.
• The IMC Awards recognize achievements across all areas of the IT industry.
Electricity from falling snow created
• Scientists have designed a first-of-its-kind 3D-printed device that can produce electricity from falling snow.
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• The device designed by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the US is inexpensive, small, thin and
flexible like a sheet of plastic.
• The device can work in remote areas because it provides its own power and does not need batteries.
India, UK renewed MoU
• In an effort to further expand defence cooperation, India and the U.K. have renewed the Defence Equipment Memorandum
between the two countries.
• The Memorandum of Understanding renews a previous Defence Equipment Cooperation MoU signed on April 1, 1997 which was
renewed on April 20, 2007.
Exports outspace imports at 11%
• India’s exports rose to a five-month high of 11% in March on account of higher growth mainly in pharma, chemicals and
engineering sectors.
• It marked the outbound shipments at $331 billion for FY 2018-19.
• Merchandise exports in March stood at $32.55 billion as against $29.32 billion last year.
• This is the best growth rate for exports since October 2018, when shipments grew by 17.86%
NBFCs raised Rs. 26,000 crore
• Non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) and microfinance companies (MFIs) raised about Rs. 26,200 crore through securitisation
in FY19, a growth of 170% over FY18.
• In FY18, NBFCs and MFIs raised Rs. 9,700 crore through securitisation.
• The sectors faced tight liquidity conditions in FY19 after a series of defaults by Infrastructure Leasing and Finance Services
(IL&FS).
India narrowed trade deficit with China
• India cut its trade deficit with China by the most in more than a decade.
• India's exports to China jumped 31% year-on-year to $17 billion in the financial year ended March 31, 2019.
• In the process, it cut the bilateral trade deficit by $10 billion to $53 billion.
Rotary Club of Madras North started project
• Project Kannamma is the initiative of the Rotary Club of Madras North to provide sanitary napkins to the students.
• It was started in August 2018 by providing free, biodegradable sanitary napkins to 82 students at the Government High School in
Uthandi of Tamil Nadu.
• The sanitary napkins are provided by the Irula Tribal Women's Welfare Society (ITWWS).
4th RC Asia-Pacific Congress began
• The 4th Resilient Cities Asia-Pacific Congress 2019 started in New Delhi.
• It is organised by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and co-hosted by South Delhi Municipal
Corporation.
• It will conclude on 17th April 2019.
• It offers a lot of innovative solutions that build resilience to climate change at the sub-national level.
Bamboo rice in Odisha after four decades
• Bamboo rice has shown up in Odisha nearly after four decades.
• Odisha had last witnessed Bamboo rice in 1979.
• The Forest Authorities of Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary in Cuttack district have opened up the gates for the forest
dwellers to collect the Bamboo rice.
• The rare rice grows out of a dying bamboo shoot.
Harsheel Dani won Dutch Title
• India’s Harsheel Dani defeated Mads Christophersen of Denmark, world no 149, to clinch the 20th Victor Dutch International
Badminton title in Wateringen.
• He won the Ghana international crown in 2018 and Karvy All India junior-ranking badminton tournament in 2012.
• The Victor Dutch International is the Netherlands’ second biggest badminton event Prize money of $10.000.
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300% increase in measles globally

• WHO raised alarm over a 300% increase in the case of measles globally in the first quarter of 2019 compared with last year.
• So far this year, 170 countries have reported 112,163 measles cases to WHO.
• Africa has witnessed the most dramatic rise - up 700% which has weaker vaccination coverage than other regions.
Prajnesh Gunneswaran rose to ranking 80
• In tennis, India's Prajnesh Gunneswaran achieved a career-high ranking of 80 in the latest ATP rankings released on 15 April 2019.
• He broke into the top 100 in February 2019, improved 2 places to become the sixth highest in terms of singles ranking in the
history of Indian tennis.
• Another Indian Ramkumar Ramanathan dropped 16 spots to slip out of the top 150. He is now at the 157th position.
Notre Dam in Paris caught fire
• A major fire engulfed the medieval cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, one of France's most famous landmarks.
• The 850-year-old Gothic building's spire and roof have collapsed but the main structure, including the two bell towers, has been
saved.
• Notre-Dame has stood tall above Paris since the 1200s.
• A Unesco World Heritage site, it was built in the 12th and 13th centuries.
INS Kozhikode decommissioned
• Indian Naval Ship Kozhikode was decommissioned in a grand ceremony conducted at Naval Jetty in Visakhapatnam.
• Vice Adm S N Ghormade, Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command was the chief guest for the occasion.
• INS Kozhikode was commissioned on 19 December 1988 at Riga (erstwhile USSR) and was the sixth and the last of the modified
NATYA class of minesweeper.
DRDO successfully test-fired Nirbhay
• India successfully test-fired its first Sub-sonic cruise missile, Nirbhay on 15 April 2019.
• The launch was conducted from a test range in Odisha at 11:44 am.
• The missile can be deployed from multiple platforms and was launched by DRDO from complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range
(ITR) at Chandipur.
• The last successful trial of ‘Nirbhay’ cruise missile was conducted on November 7, 2017.
Major decline in India's steel export
• India's steel export to the US in 2018 declined by 49% to USD 372 million, while that of aluminum increased by 58% to USD 221
million.
• The Report was given by the independent Congressional Research Service (CRS).
• In 2018, the US imports of steel and aluminum products totaled USD 29.5 billion and USD 17.6 billion respectively.
India to partner with Japan and UAE
• India is joining hands with Japan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to implement two projects in Africa.
• India will build a cancer hospital in Kenya in collaboration with Japan.
• It will partner with the UAE to set up an information and communications technology (ICT) centre in Ethiopia.
Medical devices to get CDSCO certification
• All imported, as well as locally manufactured medical devices sold in India will soon be required to clear specific safety and
quality standards.
• The move is aimed at preventing fiascos such as the one involving Johnson and Johnson hip implants.
• The import, manufacture, and sale of all medical devices will need to be certified by the Central Drugs Standard Control
Organisation (CDSCO).
New Urea Policy 2015 extended
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved to extend the duration of New Urea Policy 2015 for existing gas-based
urea unit from 1 April 2019 until further orders.
• The move will facilitate the continuation of operations and regular supply of urea to farmers.
• At present, there are 31 urea units in the country of which 28 units are gas-based.
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Tech can kill 45 million jobs in 6 years

• The Advent of digital technologies will displace up to 45 million jobs by 2025.
• Productivity gains through digital technologies will help create up to 65 million new jobs during the same timeframe, as per the
McKinsey Global Institute report.
• Retraining and redeployment will be essential to help some 10-45 million workers whose jobs could be displaced or transformed.
Additional post of Deputy CAG cleared
• The government has decided to create an additional post of Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General, which will oversee
coordination of audits of states as well as telecommunication.
• The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 April 2019.
• Expenditure on account of the creation of this post will be about Rs 21 lakh.
Uber to launch IPO
• Uber revealed the paperwork for its giant IPO.
• This paperwork doesn't yet include key details, like how much the company expects to charge for each share of its stock, or how
many shares it will sell.
RBI employees not government servants
• The Madras High Court observed that the employees of RBI cannot be referred to as 'government servants' while identifying their
employment status.
• The observation came after an RBI employee, E. Manoj Kumar, moved the High Court seeking the declaration of his result in the
Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC).
WPI inflation spiked to 3.18% in March
• Wholesale price-based inflation rose for the second consecutive month to 3.18% in March on costlier food and fuel, as per a
government data.
• The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based inflation was at 2.93% in February. It was 2.74% in March 2018.
• Inflation in ‘Fuel and power’ category also spiked to 5.41%, from 2.23% in February.
Lewis Hamilton won Formula One's 1,000th race
• In motor racing, Lewis Hamilton won the Chinese Grand Prix for a record sixth time on 14 April 2019.
• He seized the overall lead from his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas in Formula One’s 1,000th world championship race.
• Valtteri Bottas was second for his team’s third one-two finish in as many races this season. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel took third
place.
Meena Kumari clinched gold in Boxing World Cup
• India finished with 5 medals in the Boxing World Cup which concluded at Cologne, Germany on 13 April 2019.
• Meena Kumari Maisnam won gold in the 54 kg category.
• Sakshi (57 kg) and Pwilao Basumatary (64 kg) settled for the silver.
• Pinki Rani (51 kg) and Parveen ( 60 kg) won bronze.
Tiger Woods clinched his 5th Masters
• Golfer Tiger Woods clinched his fifth Masters and a 15th major title.
• He is just three majors behind the all-time record of Jack Nicklaus.
Mohd. Ishteyah: New Palestine PM
• Palestine’s new PM Mohammed Ishtayeh and his 22-member cabinet took the oath of office a second time, on April 14, 2019.
• Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has sworn in a new government led by a long-time ally from his Fatah party on 13 April
2019.
UAE to host world's foremost AI Summit
• UAE is set to host the world’s foremost Artificial Intelligence, AI Summit to empower global dialogue on the future of
government, business and society.
• The inaugural 'AI Everything', will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre, between 30 April- 1 May 2019.
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• It will be hosted by the UAE National Programme for Artificial Intelligence.

New year celebrated in 3 states
• President Ram Nath Kovind greeted citizens on Vishu, Bohag Bihu, and Naba Barsha.
• PM Narendra Modi greeted people on the occasion of Bengali New Year Poela Boisakh, Assamese New Year Bohag Bihu and
Malayalam New Year Vishu.
Half Marathon organised by IAF
• A Half Marathon was conducted in Delhi on 14 April 2019 to mark the 100th birth centenary of the legendary Marshal of the
Indian Air Force (MIAF) Arjan Singh.
• A total of 800 air warriors from all the Air Force Stations and Units of the IAF in the Delhi NCR participated in the event.
• The Half Marathon was flagged off by Air Marshal R Nambiar, from the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at 0530h.
UNESCO Cano Press Freedom Prize announced
• The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize 2019 has been awarded to Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo.
• The prize carries a reward of $25,000 Prize.
• It recognises the exceptional courage in reporting on alleged human rights violations in Myanmar's state of Rakhine.
• The award was established in 1997 and named after Guillermo Cano Isaza
Unique oil-eating bacteria discovered
• At the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the Earth’s oceans, scientists have discovered unique oil-eating
bacteria.
• But the new research reveals the Mariana Trench is home to the greatest concentration of these life forms anywhere in the
world.
• The 2,550km long ocean trench is located in the western Pacific Ocean and reaches a maximum depth of about 11,000 metres.
World's biggest airplane took flight
• The largest airplane ever created and its record-breaking 385-foot wingspan took off for the very first time on 13 April 2019.
• The aircraft, from the company Stratolaunch, has been eight years in the making.
• By 2022, the company hopes to use the twin-fuselage, six-engined, catamaran-style aircraft to launch satellite-bearing rockets
into space.
Last female of rare turtle species died
• The only known female member of one of the world’s rarest and most endangered turtle species died on 13 April 2019. It was
more than 90 years old.
• The female Yangtze giant softshell turtle died at the Suzhou Zoo in Suzhou, China.
• The death means only three giant softshell turtles remain in the world.
Egypt unveiled 4300 years old Tomb
• Egypt unveiled the 4,300-year old tomb of a Fifth Dynasty nobleman adorned with colourful reliefs and well-preserved
inscriptions a month after being discovered.
• The tomb is located south of Saqqara, a vast necropolis south of Cairo, and belongs to a senior official named Khuwy.
• It is mostly made of white limestone bricks and is adorned with ornate paintings.
Burka and Milaw won Paris Marathon
• Ethiopians Abrha Milaw and Gelete Burka won the men and women’s races to end Kenya’s dominance at Paris Marathon on 14
April 2019.
• Milaw won it in 2 hours, 07 minutes and 04 seconds.
• Clémence Calvin of France settled fourth in a personal best of 2:23:36.
Budenholzer received NBCA Coach of the Year
• Budenholzer was named the 2019 recipient of the Michael H. Goldberg NBCA Coach of the Year honors.
• He, in his first year as head coach of the Bucks, led the franchise to the top record in the entire NBA.
• Budenholzer also led the Bucks to their first divisional title since the 2000-2001 season.
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Kento Momota won Singapore Open

• Japan's Kento Momota won the Singapore Open final 10-21, 21-19, 21-13 on 14 April 2019.
• The World champion dug deep to fight back from 16-11 behind in the second game to force a decider.
• In the women's final, Tai Tzu-ying claimed her second Singapore Open title with a 21-19, 21-15 victory over Japan's Nozomi
Okuhara.
Obituaries
• Former Shiromani Akali Dal legislator Nand Lal passed away in a hospital in Punjab's Mohali on 14 April 2019 after a prolonged
illness.
• Actor JK Rithesh, who was last seen essaying the role of an antagonist in the Tamil political satire drama LKG, passed away on 14
April 2019 afternoon.
Jean Michel: New PM of Haiti
• President Jovenel Moise announced that Jean Michel Lapin will be the new Prime Minister of Haiti, a French-speaking Caribbean
Community country.
• Lapin had been serving as acting prime minister ever since 93 of the 103 members of the Chamber of Deputies voted in favour of
removing Prime Minister Jean-Henry Ceant.
• The capital of Haiti is Port-au-Prince and Haitian gourde is its currency.
Julian Assange arrested in London
• Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange has been arrested at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
• He took refuge in the embassy in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden over a sexual assault case that has since been dropped.
• He will face up to five years in US prison if convicted on the charges of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion.
Anand secured 5th place in chess
• Viswanathan Anand secured 5th place in the Shamkir Chess 2019 tournament, Shamkir, Azerbaijan.
• He drew with Veselin Topalov in the ninth round to finish fourth with 4.5 points, the same as Alexander Grischuk and Teimour
Radjabov.
• He was placed fifth in the rankings behind Magnus Carlsen, Ding Liren, Sergey Karjakin, and Grischuk.
Essel World launched bird park
• Essel World launched an interactive bird park in Gorai recently.
• The first-of-its-kind rain forest-themed park spread across 1.4 acres is home to over 500 exotic birds from more than 60 species.
• The park is equipped with small ponds for aquatic birds, dense cover of trees for birds to incubate their eggs and a water stream
that offers drinking water to birds.
Apollo Hospitals launched advanced centre
• On World Parkinson’s Day, Apollo Hospitals launched an advanced centre for movement disorders.
• It will offer medical and surgical treatment for patients affected by various movement disorders including Parkinson’s Disease.
• The centre would offer Deep Brain Stimulation surgeries and other services to treat a wide spectrum of diseases such as
Parkinson’s Disease, cerebral palsy, and dystonia.
New sensor can detect dangerous chemicals
• Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US have developed a spectrometer that can be used in smartphone-
sized devices to detect dangerous chemicals.
• Spectrometer could be integrated with the camera of a typical cellphone.
• The device collects information about each individual pixel in an image to identify materials or detect specific objects
Industrial growth declines to 20-month low
• Industrial growth slowed In February 2019 to 0.1%, driven by an across-the-board slowdown, especially in key sectors like
manufacturing, mining, capital goods, and infrastructure.
• Growth in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) slowed in February from 1.44% in January.
• Within the Index, the mining and quarrying sector saw growth slowing to 2% from 3.92% over the same period.
Appointments
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• The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) a global body to promote professionalism and standards in the real estate
sector, has appointed Tata Housing MD and CEO Sanjay Dutt as chairman of its South Asia board.
• Bibhu Kalyan Nayak became the first Indian to be appointed Chair of International Hockey Federation (FIH) Health and Safety
Committee.
Prasar Bharati Chairman releases booklet
• Prasar Bharati Chairman, A Surya Prakash released a booklet of the 'Selected speeches of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar in the
Constituent Assembly', in New Delhi on 12 April 2019.
• The event was organised to commemorate the contributions of Baba Saheb in the upliftment of underprivileged in the country.
• The event was organised to mark the 128th birth anniversary of Dr. B R Ambedkar.
Impact of space travel on astronauts revealed
• Scientists have found no major epigenetic differences in astronaut Scott Kelly, who spent a year in space aboard the International
Space Station, and his twin brother, Mark Kelly, who remained on Earth.
• Epigenetic changes involve chemical tweaks to DNA that can influence gene activity.
• The changes affect when and how a gene is read, or expressed, for its protein-encoding instructions.
Important days
• National Safe Motherhood Day (NSMD) is observed annually on 11 April.
• The theme of 2019 NSMD is "Midwives for Mothers".
• The aim of the day is to raise awareness about the proper healthcare of women and maternity facilities to pregnant and lactating
women.
• International Day of Human Space Flight is observed on 12 April
Murali Kartik appointed as brand ambassador
• Funtasy11, a fantasy sports platform, appointed former Indian cricketer Murali Kartik as its brand ambassador.
• A classical left-arm spinner, Kartik has represented India across formats between 2000 and 2007.
• Funtasy11 is a skill-based prediction and fantasy sports platform that also provides curated social media content, making it a one-
stop solution for a fantasy gaming user.
A new human ancestor species discovered
• Scientists have identified a new human ancestor species named 'Homo luzonensis' in the Philippines.
• They are 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.
• They are estimated to be three to four feet tall.
Digital Sukoon receives Best Digital award
• Digital Sukoon founder, Sudhanshu Kumar was honoured with the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Nobel Award by International Human
Rights Council on 10 April 2019.
• Digital Sukoon received the Best Digital Agency of the Year 2019.
• Digital Sukoon provides a comprehensive 360-degree solution to their clients for the promotional needs by creating innovative
campaigns and optimum usage of technology tools..
IMO’s new rule on information exchange
• A new global rule mandated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for national governments to introduce electronic
information exchange between ships and ports took effect from 8 April 2019.
• The rule seeks to make cross-border trade simpler.
• The rule is mandatory under IMO’s Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention).
Banks close FY19 with 13.24% credit growth
• According to the Reserve Bank data released on 11 April 2019, bank credit rose 13.24% to Rs 97.67 lakh crore for the fortnight to
29 March 2019.
• The deposits grew by 10.03% to Rs 125.72 lakh crore during the same period.
• In FY17, aggregate deposits in the banking system grew a mere 6.7% in 2017-18, while credit grew still lower at 4.54%, the lowest
since fiscal 1963.
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PayU acquires digital payments company Wibmo

• PayU, an online payment service provider on 12 April 2019 announced the acquisition of Wibmo.
• Wibmo is an industry leader in digital payment security and mobile payment technologies.
• Wibmo will continue to operate and serve all of its clients as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Naspers’ PayU under the leadership
of Govind Setlur, founder of Wibmo.
Autobiography of social worker released
• 'Ashakiranam,’ an autobiography of noted social worker Sankurathri Chandrasekhar, was released on 10 April 2019.
• Penned by Dr. Chandrasekhar in English with the title ‘A Ray of Hope’ the autobiography was translated into Telugu by
Godavarthi Satyamurthy.
• Religious scholar Chaganti Koteswara Rao released the book while writer and literary critic Vadrevu Veeralakshmi Devi reviewed
the work.
World Allergy Week 2019 : 7-13 April
• World Allergy Week 2019 was observed from 7 to 13 April 2019.
• The theme for World Allergy Week 2019 is “The Global Problem of Food Allergy”.
• World Allergy Week is a global campaign of the World Allergy Organisation (WAO), which aims to raise awareness of the impact
of allergy in our communities.
Obituaries
• Renowned Hindi poet Pradeep Choubey died on 12 April 2019.
• Former Congress MP and freedom fighter Paripooranand Painuli died on 13 April 2019.
• Colonel Raj Kumar Kapoor who introduced Shah Rukh Khan in Doordarshan's Fauji died on 10 April 2019.
• Drupad Borgohain, a veteran communist leader and parliamentarian from Assam, passed away in Assam on 10 April 2019.
Inzamam become MCC Honorary Life Members
• Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mark Boucher, the former South Africa wicketkeeper, were made Honorary Life Members of the
Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on 12 April 2019.
• The two have been included in recognition of their outstanding achievements in cricket.
• Inzamam is now the fifth Honorary Life Member of the MCC from his country, after Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and
Shahid Afridi.
CMFRI and ISRO ink MoU to protect wetlands
• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• They will map, validate and protect smaller wetlands by restoring them through coastal livelihood programmes.
• They will develop a mobile app and a centralised web portal with a complete database of wetlands.
Abdelkader: Interim President of Algeria
• The Algerian Parliament on 9 April 2019 confirmed upper house Speaker Abdelkader Bensalah as the interim President of the
country.
• The interim President has to conduct the elections within 90 days and cannot legally contest in the polls.
• On 2 April 2019, Bouteflika resigned as Algeria's president before his mandate was to end on April 28, after remaining in power
for about 20 years.
HDFC tops Forbes' list of best Indian banks
• Forbes has compiled a first-ever list of the World's Best Bank 2019 in terms of customer services and technological
advancements.
• The private lender, HDFC Bank, was ranked at the top of the list.
• After HDFC Bank, another private lender ICICI Bank took the second spot, while DBS was at the third rank in Forbes list of Indian
banks.
Lapin confirmed as Haiti’s new Prime Minister
• Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise confirmed Jean-Michel Lapin as the country’s new Prime Minister.
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• Lapin, the former culture and communications minister, was named acting prime minister on 21 March 2019.
• Lapin is the third head of government under president Moise, who has led the Caribbean island nation since February 2017.
Agreement b/w Paisalo Digital and SBI
• Paisalo Digital has signed a co-origination loan agreement with State Bank of India.
• It is the first agreement of its kind in the country that State Bank of India has signed.
• The company aims to disburse 200,000 loan applications in FY20.
• Sunil Agarwal is the MD of Paisalo Digital Ltd.
Hong Kong is third-largest stock market
• Hong Kong beat Japan to become the world's third-largest stock market.
• It is now only behind the US and mainland China.
• Hong Kong’s market cap was $5.78 trillion compared with $5.76 trillion for Japan.
MoU between AITA and Serbian TF
• All India Tennis Association (AITA) signed an MoU with Serbian Tennis Federation (STF) to train Indian junior players.
• The MoU was signed by Secretary General, AITA, Hironmoy Chatterjee, and CEO, STF Dusan Orlandic.
• Both federations also agreed to work towards educating officials, coaches and physical trainers and hold exchanges for
tournaments.
NMCG awarded at Global Water Summit
• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) or Namami Gange was given the ‘Public Water Agency of the Year’ award by Global
Water Intelligence at the Global Water Summit in London.
• It is an integrated mission for Ganga rejuvenation, and was approved by the Union Government in June 2014.
• Global Water Summit is the major business conference for the water industry worldwide.
UAE & Saudi Arabia agencies to help Iran
• UAE & Saudi Arabia relief agencies announced a joint initiative to help people in flood hit Iran.
• The Emirates Red Crescent will coordinate with its Saudi counterpart on the best ways of implement the initiative.
• The operation is being undertaken within the framework of Islamic brotherhood and in solidarity with the Iranian people.
State of World Population 2019 report
• The United Nations Population Fund released the State of World Population 2019 report.
• Between 2010 and 2019, India’s population grew at an average annual rate of 1.2% to 1.36 billion.
• It was more than double the annual growth rate of China with population of 1.42 billion in 2019.
Sudan's Ibn Auf resigns from military council
• The head of Sudan's ruling military council General Awad Ibn Auf has stepped down from his post.
• He named Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Burhan as his successor.
• The announcement came after the ouster of long-time president Omar al-Bashir.
US: Legislation for US-India partnership
• US lawmakers introduced new legislation in the House of Representatives to strengthen US-India strategic partnership.
• This will allow the US-India partnership to flourish in line with the US’s security commitment to the Indo-Pacific region.
• The legislation will bolster national security and help ensure full alignment between the Department of Defence and the
Department of State.
India, ASEAN to boost maritime ties
• India and ASEAN have vowed to strengthen ties by deepening cooperation in the maritime sector and boosting connectivity.
• The two sides met at the 21st ASEAN-India Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) held in New Delhi on April 11-12.
• The two sides also decided to hold an ASEAN-India Conference on Renewable Energy in 2019.
Jet Airways halts international flights
• Jet Airways cancelled all international flights until 15th April.
• This includes flights from London, Paris and Amsterdam.
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• Jet Airways is saddled with more than $1billion of debt.

• Vinay Dube is the CEO of Jet Airways.
HRDM appoints VCs to 3 universities
• The Union HRD Ministry has appointed vice chancellors to three universities after getting nod from the EC.
• Najma Akhtar has been appointed as the V-C of Jamia Millia Islamia.
• Sanjiv Sharma has been appointed as the V-C of Mahatma Gandhi Central University in Motihari.
• Rajaneesh Kumar Shukla has been appointedas the V-C of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya in Wardha.
PM Modi to receive Order of St Andrew
• Russia will confer the Order of St Andrew the Apostle on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The award is being given for Mr. Modi’s exceptional services in promoting special and privileged strategic partnership between
the Russian Federation and India.
• The award is Russia’s highest state decoration.
SpaceX carries first commercial launch
• SpaceX carried out its first commercial launch with its Falcon Heavy rocket which took a Saudi satellite in orbit.
• The launch took place in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA.
• The rocket carried a Saudi Arabian satellite operated by Arabsat.
• Elon Musk is the founder of SpaceX.
Baisakhi festival being celebrated today
• The festival of Baisakhi is being celebrated with enthusiasm in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh today.
• It is a spring harvest festival for the Sikhs.
• Baisakhi also commemorates the formation of Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.
Retail inflation up to 2.86% in March
• Retail inflation rose to 2.86% in March this year due to increase in prices of food articles and fuel.
• Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation reported that the inflation based on Consumer Price Index was 2.57% in
February 2019.
• It was 4.28% in March 2018.
RBI issues norms for currency chests
• Reserve Bank of India has issued guidelines for banks to set up new currency chests.
• These guidelines include a minimum area of 1,500 square feet for strong room and a processing capacity of 6.6 lakh pieces of
banknotes per day.
• For banks situated in hilly or inaccessible places, this capacity should be 2.1 lakh pieces of banknotes per day.
UNSC votes to end peacekeeping in Haiti
• The UN Security Council voted unanimously to completely end its peacekeeping operations in Haiti by October 15, 2019.
• It will continue to support government efforts to promote order and development in the country.
• Haiti is Latin America's poorest country and its capital is Port-au-Prince.
First ever image of black hole released
• Scientists have taken the first ever image of a black hole located in the distant galaxy.
• The image has been captured by a network of eight telescopes across the world, known as the Event Horizon Telescope Project.
• The feat was achieved by global collaborators at Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian.
64th Railway Week of Railway Board
• The 64th Railway Week Function of Railway Board was organized in New Delhi on 13 April, 2019.
• 45 officials of Railway Board were presented with awards for their outstanding performances in the year 2018-19.
• V K Yadav is the Chairman of Railway Board.
Parties to share info on electoral bonds
• SC has directed all political parties to provide receipts of electoral bonds to the Election Commission.
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• The apex court also directed all political parties to share details of the amount and bank accounts of donors by 30th May.
• The Centre had notified the Electoral Bond Scheme in January 2018.
• Bonds may be purchased by any person, who is a citizen of India or established in India.
69.43% voter turnout: phase 1 of LS election
• A voter turnout of 69.43 per cent was recorded in phase one of Lok Sabha elections held on 11 April, 2019.
• A total of 91 Lok Sabha constituencies spread across 18 states and two Union territories had gone for polls in the first phase.
Virtual Reality Centre launched by Indian Navy
• Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba inaugurated a new state-of-the-art, Virtual Reality Centre (VRC) in New Delhi.
• It will provide a major boost to indigenous warship design capabilities of the Navy.
• The project will facilitate collaborative design reviews to improve design and ergonomics onboard warships.
Jallianwala Bagh massacre centenary
• The nation is paying homage to martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh massacre on its hundredth anniversary on 13 April, 2019.
• Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will release a Commemorative Coin and Commemorative Postage Stamp.
• Hundreds of innocent people were killed by Brigadier General Dyer during a peaceful meeting at the Jallianwala park on this day
in 1919.
Rama Navami being celebrated in the country
• Sri Rama Navami is being celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country on 13 April, 2019.
• The festival marks the birth of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
• President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished people on the occasion.
Varanasi: third most polluted city
• According to the 'Political Leaders Position and Action on Air Quality in India 2014-2019' report, the air quality in Varanasi is
ranked third on the WHO's list of 15 most polluted cities in the world.
• Fourteen of the 15 most polluted cities in the world, listed by World Health Organisation (WHO) are in India, of which four are in
Uttar Pradesh.
• Kanpur is the most polluted city in the world.
Eni Nuraeni: Best Athletic Coach in Asia
• Indonesian Eni Nuraeni was named by Asian Athletic Association (AAA) as the best athletic coach in Asia for the short-haul run
category in 2019.
• It was announced by Indonesian athletic sports association (PB PASI).
• Eni coaches young sprinter Lalu Muhammad Zohri to win the 100m gold medal in 10.20 seconds in the 2019 Grand Prix Malaysia
Open athletics championships.
Cairn India CEO and CFO resigned
• Vedanta-owned Cairn India’s CEO and CFO, Sudhir Mathur and Pankaj Kalra have resigned in quick succession.
• The frequency of exits in the company since Anil Agarwal’s Vedanta took over it in 2011 has raised many questions.
India to be Guest of Honour at ADIBF 2019
• India will be the Guest of Honour country at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, ADIBF 2019, to be held from 24th to 30th of
this month.
• The fair aims to highlight the UAE’s rich heritage, showcasing its authenticity and modernity, as well as its cultural and literary
output.
• The book fair will celebrate India, with its authentic culture, arts, heritage, and knowledge-based traditions.
Siva Reddy selected for Saraswati Samman 2018
• Telugu poet K Siva Reddy has been selected for the prestigious Saraswati Samman, 2018 for his collection of poetry titled Pakkaki
Ottigilite.
• The award carries a cash prize of 15 lakh rupees, a citation, and a plaque.
• The award, instituted by the KK Birla Foundation in 1991, is given annually for an outstanding literary work written in any Indian
language, published during the last 10 years.
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Paralympics medallist won Fellowship

• Rio Paralympics silver medallist Deepa Malik was named as the recipient of the New Zealand Prime Minister's Sir Edmund Hillary
Fellowship for 2019 in recognition of her 'inspiring achievements'.
• She will work to promote sporting, cultural as well people-to-people relationship between India and New Zealand.
• She is a recipient of India's civilian honour Padma Shri and the Arjuna Award.
India, Sweden inked pact
• India and Sweden launched a joint programme that will work towards addressing a range of challenges around smart cities and
clean technologies among others.
• The programme was co-funded by the Indian Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Swedish agency Vinnova.
• Vinnova will provide funding to Swedish participants up to 2,500,000 Swedish Krona (around Rs 1.87 crore) as a grant.
RBL Bank tied up with CreditVidya
• RBL Bank has partnered with CreditVidya to improve the lender's customer experience.
• Through this partnership, the private sector lender will be able to gain significant insights into its customer base.
• This, in turn, will allow it to improve user experience and build customised offerings for over 15 lakh customers.
Jeff Kinney out with new book
• Renowned author Jeff Kinney has come out with a new book 'Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson's Journal',
• It was announced by publishers Puffin, the children's imprint of Penguin Books on 11 April 2019.
• It is written from the point of view of Rowley Jefferson, the best friend of 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' protagonist Greg Heffley.
SEBI came up with system audit framework
• Sebi came out with revised guidelines for system audit to be conducted by mutual funds and asset management companies
(AMCs).
• Besides, mutual funds (MFs)/ AMCs have been directed to constitute a technology committee entrusted with the task of
reviewing the cyber security and cyber resilience framework for MFs and AMCs.
Indian foreign investment rose by 18%
• Foreign investment of Indian companies grew 18% to USD 2.69 billion in March as compared to the year-ago period, according to
an RBI data.
• The domestic firms made investment of USD 2.28 billion in their subsidiaries and wholly-owned units abroad during March 2018.
• In February 2019, the investment by Indian firms stood at USD 1.71 billion.
Jamia got its woman vice-chancellor
• Professor Najma Akhtar was appointed as the first woman vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia.
• The other persons, who were shortlisted by the government for the post were S M Ishtiaque of IIT-Delhi and Furqan Qamar,
currently the secretary-general of Association of Universities.
• Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla is the chancellor of the university.
Voter Park inaugurated in Gurugram
• India's first-of-its-kind 'Voter Park' was inaugurated in Gurugram on 11 April 2019.
• It is aimed at increasing voter awareness and educating people about the electoral process.
• Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Rajeev Ranjan inaugurated the park in Vikas Sadan building complex.
Reinsurance brokers can open FC accounts
• Reinsurance brokers have been permitted by RBI to open non-interest bearing foreign currency accounts with banks for
undertaking transactions.
• Foreign currency account refers to a bank account held or maintained in currency other than the currency of India or Nepal or
Bhutan.
• Earlier, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India had issued a notification in this regard.
GIC India Chief awarded
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• The Chairman and Managing Director of the General Insurance Corporation (GIC) of India, Alice G Vaidyan was awarded the
Freedom of the City of London.
• She was awarded in recognition of her work to promote insurance ties between India and the UK.
• The Freedom of the City of London dates back to the 13th century and is bestowed upon individuals who make an impact in the
financial hub of London.
National Symposium held in Delhi
• A national symposium on evidence synthesis began in Delhi on 11 April 2019.
• Its focus was on making science and synthesised knowledge the bedrock of all societal and policy interventions in the areas of
public health, medicine, and social development.
• The symposium is being organised by The George Institute for Global Health and the Campbell Collaboration.
India, Netherlands to strengthen ties
• India and the Netherlands discussed ways to strengthen bilateral political and economic ties, including boosting cooperation at
the United Nations.
• The two countries held Foreign Office Consultations with the Indian side led by A Gitesh Sarma, Secretary (West), Ministry of
External Affairs.
• Johanna (Yoka) Brandt, Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, lead the Dutch delegation.
Image of toddler won World Press Photo
• The haunting image of a little girl crying helplessly as she and her mother are taken into custody by US border officials has won
the prestigious World Press Photo Award.
• The picture of the wailing toddler was published worldwide and caused a public outcry about Washington's controversial policy
to separate thousands of migrants from their children.
• The picture was taken by John Moore.
SpaceX carried out first commercial launch
• SpaceX has carried out its first commercial launch with its Falcon Heavy rocket tasked with placing a Saudi satellite in orbit.
• The rocket exerts 5.1 million pounds of thrust -- that of more than a dozen jetliners.
• The rocket carried a Saudi Arabian satellite operated by Arabsat.
India stares a pile of solar e-waste
• By 2050, India will likely stare at a pile of a new category of electronic waste, namely solar e-waste, as per a study made public on
11 April 2019.
• Currently, India’s e-waste rules have no laws mandating solar cell manufacturers to recycle or dispose waste from this sector.
• India’s PV waste volume is estimated to grow to 200,000 tonnes by 2030 and around 1.8 million tonnes by 2050.
2 Bengal government schemes won UN awards
• Two schemes of the West Bengal government for skill development and distribution of bicycles to students have won the
prestigious World Summit on the Information Society awards of the United Nations.
• The 2 schemes are the Utkarsh Bangla and Sabooj Sathi projects for youngsters.
EU, UK agreed to delay Brexit
• Britain didn't leave the EU on April 12, 2019, after Britain and the EU agreed to an extension till the end of October 2019.
• The period is longer than the extension till June 30 that Prime Minister Theresa May had sought.
• Leaders made clear that the onus was very much on Britain to find a solution and deliver within this period.
Airtel-Tata Tele merger approved
• The Department of Telecom gave approval for the merger of Tata Teleservices (TTSL) with Bharti Airtel.
• On April 9, Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha gave a conditional nod for the merger.
• The DoT had asked Airtel to furnish bank guarantees totalling Rs. 7,200 crore.
Google Pay launched gold buying
• Google partnered with bullion refiner MMTC - PAMP India on 11 April 2019.
• This will allow Google Pay users to buy and sell gold through the app.
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• Through this partnership, Google Pay users will be able to buy 99.99% 24-karat gold.
AFC Conference inaugurated
• The first bi-annual Commanders’ Conference of IAF for the year 2019 began on 11 April 2019 at the Air Headquarters (Vayu
Bhawan).
• Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa welcomed the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman to the
conference.
• The theme of the conference is ‘Enhancing our operational capability in the short and long term’.
Benjamin Netanyahu won Israel's elections
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has managed to hold on to power, winning a record fifth term in office despite a
bruising reelection fight.
• Netanyahu is the longest-serving Prime Minister in Israeli history — even longer than David Ben-Gurion, the country’s first prime
minister.
NGT set central monitoring panel
• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) constituted a Central Monitoring Committee to ensure the implementation of action plan
meant for reducing pollution stretches across the country.
• It will undertake a national initiative by way of preparation and enforcement of a national plan to make river stretches pollution-
free.
• The panel will coordinate with States to oversee the action plans.
GPF interest retained at 8% for April-June
• The government has retained the interest rate for General Provident Fund (GPF) and other related schemes at 8% for the April-
June quarter.
• The interest rate will be applicable on provident funds of central government employees, railways and defence forces.
• The rate is in line with that of the Public Provident Fund.
Procurement of 464 T-90 tanks cleared
• The government has cleared the procurement of 464 T-90 tanks from Russia in a deal worth over Rs 13,500 crore, despite the
tensions with Pakistan.
• Under the new deal, the tanks would be provided to the Armoured Corps of the force which will use them for deployment along
the border with Pakistan.
• The new deal would increase the number of T-90s in the Army to close to 2,000.
Dost Education bagged Tech prize
• India's education tech startup 'Dost Education' bagged a $25,000 tech prize along with 2 other winners from Tanzania and Egypt.
• The Next Billion Edtech Prize 2019 recognises the most innovative technology destined to have a radical impact on education in
low income.
• Dost was awarded for its ability to empower parents to take charge of their child's early education.
UK introduced online safety regulations
• The UK government introduced the world’s first framework designed to hold internet companies accountable for the safety of
those using their services.
• The Online Harms whitepaper is a joint proposal from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the
Home Office.
• Various technology companies will be subject to the laws, including social media platforms.
Namami Gange got global recognition
• The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was awarded the distinction of 'Public Water Agency of the Year'.
• It was awarded by the Global Water Intelligence at the Global Water Summit in London on April 9, 2019.
• The Global Water Awards are presented at the Global Water Summit, the major business conference for the water industry
worldwide.
TCS partnered with Google
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• Tata Consultancy Services partnered with Google Cloud to build industry-specific cloud solutions, on 10 April 2019.
• TCS’ solutions on Google Cloud Platform (GCP) will help enterprises build secure, cloud-native analytics platforms that are cost-
effective, easy to maintain, and future ready.
• TCS offers a set of cloud enablement services on GCP, applying the Machine-First Delivery Model.
Tata Trust and Microsoft signed MoU
• Tata Trusts and Microsoft India signed a MoU to jointly rejuvenate the handloom clusters in the Eastern and North-Eastern parts
of the country.
• Microsoft’s ReWeave initiative helps preserve traditional weaving forms by upskilling, design, marketing, and entrepreneurship.
• Tata Trusts’ initiative, ‘Antaran’, aims at rejuvenating ailing handloom clusters through an end-to-end programme.
India's population grew at 1.2% average
• India’s population grew at an average annual rate of 1.2% between 2010-2019 to 1.36 billion, according to a report by the United
Nations Population Fund.
• India’s population in 2019 stood at 1.36 billion, growing from 942.2 million in 1994 and 541.5 million in 1969.
• The data was given by the UN sexual and reproductive health agency in the State of World Population 2019 report.
Varun Dhawan: Navratna brand ambassador
• Emami has roped in Varun Dhawan to endorse Navratna Cool brand.
• Emami will launch Dhawan as its new brand ambassador of Navratna Cool and he would feature in the new commercial.
• Navratna brand, over the years, has been endorsed by leading actors including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Govinda, and
Shilpa Shetty.
• Some of its products are Navratna Oil and Navratna Cool.
Google launched new cloud platform
• Google launched Anthos, a new open platform from Google Cloud, that lets users run applications from anywhere, on 10 April
2019.
• It allows users to run applications, unmodified, on existing on-premise hardware or on the public cloud and is based on the Cloud
Services Platform.
• It is a complete software-based solution. Users can set it up on existing hardware.
Appointments
• Justice Vikram Nath, seniormost judge of the Allahabad High Court, has been appointed Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High
Court. He succeeds acting CJ Justice C. Praveen Kumar.
• In a bureaucratic reshuffle, the Centre has appointed Gargi Kaul, a 1984-batch officer of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service
(IA&AS), as Secretary, Defence Finance.
Indian Oil bagged AIMA award
• Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) bagged the prestigious 'AIMA Managing India Award 2019 for outstanding PSU of the year.'
• The award was presented by former President Pranab Mukherjee to Sanjiv Singh, Chairman, Indian Oil.
• The AIMA awards declared under 11 categories, shortlisted 11 eminent enterprises and personalities of the country for their
contribution to nation-building.
WB Govt fined for virtual ban on a film
• The West Bengal government was slapped with a fine of Rs. 20 lakh by the Supreme Court for imposing a 'virtual' ban on the
public screening of a Bengali film.
• The court had asked Mamata Banerjee's government in March to ensure that the satirical film is screened without obstruction.
• The film, 'Bhobishyoter Bhoot' had disappeared from movie halls a day after its release on February 15, 2019.
Cyclone Idai's death toll rose to 1000
• The death toll from the cyclone Idai is now above 1,000.
• Mozambique has reported 602 deaths while 59 people have died in Malawi.
• Cyclone Idai smashed into the coast of central Mozambique in March 2019. It unleashed hurricane-force winds and rains that
flooded the hinterland and drenched eastern Zimbabwe.
• Around 2 million people have been affected in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi.
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INS Shikra hosted Naval Investiture Ceremony

• The Naval Investiture Ceremony was held at the naval helicopter base INS Shikra of Western Naval Command (WNC), Mumbai on
10 April 19.
• Admiral Sunil Lanba conferred Gallantry and non-Gallantry Awards to meritorious personnel, as well as citations to Naval units
which have distinguished themselves during the past year.
• A 50-men Guard of Honour was paraded during the ceremonial parade.
India builds maternity hospital in Nepal
• India has built a 25-bed maternity hospital in Nepal. It has been built under the Government of India's Small Development
Projects Scheme.
• The Hospital will provide quality maternity and health care services to the people of 50 Village Development Committees in and
around Siraha district.
• The Hospital will be run by the Chandra Narayan Yadav Memorial Trust on no profit-no loss basis.
Vice President conferred awards
• Vice President Venkaiah Naidu conferred President’s Certificate of Honour and Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman Awards at New
Delhi, recently.
• The award of the Certificate of Honour was introduced in the year 1958 to honour the scholars of Sanskrit, Arabic and Persian
Languages.
• Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman was introduced in the year 2002.
CRPF Veer Pariwar app launched
• President Ram Nath Kovind launched ‘CRPF Veer Parivar’ app, a mobile application for families of CRPF personnel killed in the line
of duty.
• He also paid homage to the martyrs at National Police Memorial in New Delhi on the occasion of 54th Valour Day of Central
Reserve Police Force, CRPF.
• The app will render all assistance to the families of the martyred CRPF personnel.
EI launched banking via Whatsapp
• Emirates Islamic announced the launch of Chat Banking services for customers via WhatsApp, marking a global first in the Islamic
banking sector.
• The bank’s customers will now be able to conduct daily banking activities via WhatsApp in a seamless and hassle-free manner.
• It is supported by Infobip and allows customers to use features such as checking account balances and more.
Virat Kohli: Wisden's Leading Cricketer
• Team India captain Virat Kohli has been named as the Wisden Almanack’s ‘Leading Cricketer of the Year’ for the third time in a
row.
• He smashed 2,735 runs in 47 international innings at an average of 68.37 in 2018, including 11 hundred and 9 fifties.
• Smriti Mandhana has been named the Women’s Leading Cricketer of the Year for 2018.
HDFC AMC ranked 1st
• HDFC Asset Management Co. Ltd has claimed the top spot with an average AUM of Rs.3.42 trillion.
• It overtook ICICI Prudential Asset Management Co. Ltd with an average AUM of at Rs.3.20 trillion.
• India’s asset management companies (AMCs) own assets under management (AUM) worth Rs24.46 trillion, according to data
released by the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi).
Lok Sabha elections 2019 begin
• Voting began in 91 Lok Sabha constituencies spread across 18 states and 2 union territories in the first phase.
• In Odisha, voting for 28 out of 147 assembly seats and four Lok Sabha seats was also held on 11 April 2019.
• Voting for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases: April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19.
Counting will be done on May 23, 2019.
River Periyar witnessed decolorisation
• The River Periyar in Kerala is witnessing decolorization.
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• The Pollution Control Board (PCB) has attributed the change in colour to the poor quality of water as a result of eutrophication.
Muguruza claimed Monterrey Open Title
• Garbine Muguruza of Spain successfully claimed back-to-back Monterrey Open title 2019 as Victoria Azarenka succumbed to
injury in the final.
• Asia Muhammad & Maria Sanchez claimed women's doubles title in Monterrey Open.
• The Monterrey Open is a professional women's tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts.
Dogs can sniff out cancer with 97% accuracy
• Dogs can pick out blood samples from people with cancer with 97% accuracy, as per a study.
• Dogs have smell receptors 10,000 times more accurate than humans', making them highly sensitive to odours we can not
perceive.
• For the study, the team used a form of clicker training to teach four beagles to distinguish between normal blood serum and
samples from patients with malignant lung cancer.
Yutu travelled 170 m on Moon
• China's lunar rover Yutu-2 traveled 170.92 meters on the far side of the Moon, as per the Lunar Exploration and Space Program
Center of the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
• It has run a total of 163 meters during the previous three lunar daytime periods.
• During the third one, the rover conducted scientific examination over stones and tracks on the Moon.
Black Hole photograph released
• The first ever photograph of a black hole was released on 10 April 2019.
• Scientists working in the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration presented their observations at 6:30 PM IST.
• Sagittarius A, a supermassive black hole site is 26,000 light years away, while the second is at the centre of the supergiant
elliptical M87 galaxy in the Virgo constellation.
GlowRoad got $10 mn funding
• Social commerce platform GlowRoad has raised $10 million in a Series B funding round led by China’s CDH Investment.
• CDH Investment's other investments in India include Mayfair and Cashify, an online platform for selling used electronic products.
• GlowRoad was founded in 2017 by Sonal Verma, Kunal Sinha, Nitesh Pant, Shekhar Sahu, and Nilesh Padariya.
BSNL collected Rs 6500 crore revenue
• BSNL has collected a record revenue of ₹6,500 crore from enterprise segment, making it sufficiently funded, which will help in
meeting its various requirement.
• BSNL has been ailing because of a high revenue-to-wage ratio as a large number of government employees were transferred by
the telecom department to the telecom PSU.
SC to pay $1.1 billion for violations
• Standard Chartered agreed to pay $1.1 billion to US and British authorities for illegal financial transactions.
• A former banker at the Dubai branch pleaded guilty in New York state court in connection with the conspiracy to violate
sanctions.
• SC paid US authorities $667 million in 2012 for illegally moving millions of dollars through the US financial system.
Manish Mehan: New CEO Thyssenkrupp Elevators
• German steel giant ThyssenKrupp has appointed Manish Mehan as new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ThyssenKrupp Elevators
(India).
• Earlier, Mehan held the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in ThyssenKrupp Elevator (India) for the last 12 years.
DEO Puducherry app launched
• The Elections Department of Puducherry has launched DEO Puducherry, an IT application.
• This will help voters with details of all polling stations in 25 Assembly constituencies in Puducherry district
• The new app was launched by Senior Superintendent of Police (Law and Order) Apoorva Gupta.
• The app features messages from the DEO, propaganda, law and order regulations.
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India-Singapore joint exercise conducted

• Armed forces of India and Singapore kicked off a joint military exercise, ‘Bold Kurukshetra–2019’, in Jhansi’s Babina Cantonment
on 8 April 2019.
• The 3-day exercise is aimed at bolstering cooperation against terrorism, developing defence technology and improving maritime
security.
• India and Singapore entered into an official agreement in November 2017 to strengthen defence ties.
PFS partnered with USICEF
• PFS joined hands with the US-India Clean Energy Finance (USICEF) to leverage funds for solar projects in India.
• It is an innovative facility which can contribute in achieving India's distributed energy target of 40 GW by 2022.
• PTC India Financial Services (PFS) has processed and sanctioned 3 distributed solar power projects.
IIT Madras: No.1 in Atal and NIRF rankings
• IIT Madras has been ranked as the 'Best Educational Institution' in the country in the latest edition of National Institutional
Rankings Framework (NIRF) 2019.
• It also emerged as the 'Top innovative Institution' in the country in the maiden edition of the Atal Ranking of Institutions on
Innovation Achievements (ARIIA), bagging the Rank number 1 in Government Institutions category.
London implemented pollution charge zone

• London became the first city in the world to implement a special Ultra Low Emission Zone that would charge an entry fee for
older vehicles if they do not meet the emission standards.
• In an attempt to reduce air pollution and protect public health, the ULEZ will be operational for 24 hours and 7 days a week.
• A vehicle that does not meet the new emission standard will have to pay daily charge.
IIT Madras tied up with GE
• IIT Madras and General Electric (GE) have collaborated for establishing a ‘Cold Spray’ SMART (Surface Modification and Additive
Research Technologies) Laboratory.
• This is the first of its kind High-Pressure Cold Spray (HPCS) facility that is being installed in any academic institute in India.
• IIT Madras will be developing advanced coatings meeting specifications of the aerospace standard.
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K.M. Mani passed away

• Kerala Congress chairman K. M. Mani, the longest-serving legislator in the State’s history, passed away on 9 April 2019.
• He had represented the Pala Assembly constituency for 52 years since its formation in 1965.
• Till now, he has won all the 13 elections from the constituency. He had held the Finance portfolio for the longest period and
presented 13 budgets.
SBI cut interest rates on home loans
• The State Bank of India has re-priced home loans up to Rs 30 lakh by 10 basis points.
• Accordingly, the interest rate on housing loans of such size will now be in the range of 8.6 to 8.9%.
• The bank has also lowered its lending rates by a nominal five basis points across all tenors.
Alphabet launched public drone service
• Wing, the drone delivery company owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, is launching its first public drone delivery
service in Canberra, Australia.
• Around 100 homes in the suburbs of Crace, Palmerston, and Franklin will initially have access to the service.
• Drones will not be allowed to fly over main roads, they will only be allowed to fly between 7 am and 8 pm from Monday to
Friday.
17th edition of WEF held
• The World Economic Forum in the Middle East and North Africa took place at Jordan’s Dead Sea on April 6 and 7, 2019.
• The forum assembled more than 1,000 government, business and civil society leaders from more than 50 countries.
• The forum was themed on three major visions: generating job opportunities, empowering Arab women and promoting the most
intriguing startups.
BSE, HDFC Bank signed MoU
• The BSE has signed a MoU with HDFC Bank with an objective to strengthen the BSE Startups platform.
• The MoU has been signed to spread more awareness on the benefits of listing of startups on this BSE startup platform.
• BSE had launched the startup platform on 22 December 2018 with an aim to encourage entrepreneurs to get listed and raise
equity capital for their growth and expansion.
IMF forecasts dipped in global growth
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected that global growth will be 3.3% in 2019, down from 3.6% in 2018 and 4% in
2017.
• This lower projection is due to lower global expansion in the second half of 2018 caused because of factors like U.S.-China trade
tensions.
• India’s growth is projected to pick up (from 7.1% in 2018) to 7.3% in 2019 and 7.5% in 2020
India's gold reserves increased
• India has marginally increased its gold holding in February while maintaining the tenth position among countries in terms of
yellow metal reserves, as per the World Gold Council.
• India added 1.7 tonnes in February 2019 while most other countries, barring Russia and China, saw their reserves unchanged in
the recent past.
• As per WGC, India had total gold reserves of 608.7 tonnes in February.
YouTube's largest growing market: India
• India has become YouTube’s largest and fastest growing market with 265 million Indians watching the video-sharing website
every month.
• In the last one year, YouTube’s consumption on mobile has increased to 85%, with 60% of the watch time coming from outside
the six largest metros in India.
• YouTube has more than 1,200 Indian creators crossing the million subscriber-milestone.
Tata arm acquired Usha Martin's business
• Tata Sponge Iron Ltd. (TSIL) announced the completion of its acquisition of the steel business of Usha Martin Ltd.
• It completed the acquisition on April 9, 2019, which included UML’s steel business undertaking along with captive power plants.
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• UML’s steel business has a rich mix of carbon steel and alloy steel, catering to the automotive sector as well as high-end wire-rod
makers.
Appointments
• Karnam Sekar, CEO and MD of Dena Bank, will become the MD and CEO of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) effective from July 1, 2019.
• After superannuation on June 30, 2020, he will join IOB as OSD and whole time director.
• Vijaya Bank MD and CEO, R.A. Sankara Narayanan, has been named MD and CEO of Canara Bank.
Elements can be solid and liquid at same time
• Scientists have discovered a new state of physical matter in which atoms can exist as both solid and liquid simultaneously.
• Until now, the atoms in physical material existed typically in one of three states – solid, liquid or gas.
• A team led by scientists from the University of Edinburgh used powerful computer simulations to study the existence of the state
– known as the chain-melted state.
Guwahati Station gets ISO certification
• The Guwahati Railway Station has become the first ever railway station in the Indian Railways to get an ISO certification from the
National Green Tribunal (NGT) for providing passenger amenities in a clean and green environment'.
• The station also has amenities such as High-class reserve (VIP) lounge, waiting rooms, AC and non-AC retiring rooms, food courts
and sanitation facilities.
India highest recipient of remittances
• According to World Bank India retained its position as the world's top recipient of remittances with its diaspora sending a
whopping USD 79 billion back home in 2018.
• India was followed by China.
• India has registered a significant flow of remittances from USD 62.7 billion in 2016 to USD 65.3 billion in 2017.
Shiv Das: New NBCC Chairman
• Shiv Das Meena, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has been appointed as the Chairman
cum Managing Director (CMD) of National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC).
• Meena, the 1989-Batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre has taken over the office from Dr. Anoop Kumar Mittal, the outgoing
CMD, who had served the organisation for 34 years.
Obituaries
• Bollywood actor Navtej Hundal passed away on 8 April. His recent movie was ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike'.
• Former Manipur minister and former Lok Sabha MP Holkhomang Haokip passed away on 8 April 2019.
Dream 11 entered Unicorn Club
• Dream11, online gaming firm, announced the completion of a secondary investment by Steadview Capital, an Asia-focused
alternative asset manager.
• The investment takes Dream11’s valuation at over $1 billion making it first Indian gaming company to enter the Unicorn club.
• In terms of total user base on a fantasy sports platform, Dream11 is the market leader with over 50 million users.
World Homeopathy Day: 2-day convention
• World Homeopathy Day is observed on 10 April to commemorate the birth anniversary of the founder of Homeopathy, Dr
Christian Fredrich Samuel Hahnemann.
• On the occasion, the Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, CCRH, organized a two-day convention in New Delhi.
Avaada Energy raised Rs.1000 crore from ADB
• Avaada Energy Pvt Ltd raised ₹1,000 crore from investors such as the Asian Development Bank on 9 April 2019.
• The equity raised is for financing Avaada Energy’s 2.4 gigawatt (GW) renewable energy portfolio.
• Avaada Group is targeting a 5 GW capacity and has executed 2 GW of renewable energy project in India.
1500 Indian railway stations WiFi enabled
• RailTel has provided free high-speed Wi-Fi services to as many as 500 stations in just seven days.
• Sahibabad has become the 1500th station in the country to get free Wi-Fi facility provided by RailTel, as per an ANI report.
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• RailTel Corp. of India is a PSU under the Ministry of Railways which focuses on providing broadband and VPN services.
PNB Housing Stake sale to boost PNB capital
• The PNB's 13% stake sale in PNB Housing Finance for ₹18.5 billion will strengthen the bank's capital, as per Moody's.
• The report said that it estimates the sale will increase PNB's Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio by about 40 basis points from the
6.9% reported in December 2018.
• The bank's pro forma CET1 ratio exceeds the Basel III March 2019 regulatory requirement of 7.375%.
Singapore sold 6.8 crore shares of DLF
• Singapore government sold 6.8 crore shares of DLF for ₹1,298 crore through open market transaction, with its stock price
tumbling sharply by over 8%.
• Singapore government held around 7.32 crore shares in DLF as on December 31, 2018 quarter, which were worth 4.11% stake in
the realty company.
• Shares of the company closed at ₹184.60, 8.43% lower on the NSE.
Coffee Day formed joint venture with Impact
• Coffee Day Enterprises Ltd, along with its subsidiary Coffee Day Global Ltd, announced that Japanese company Impact HD will
acquire a 49% stake Coffee Day Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd for $15 million.
• Post subscription of equity shares by Impact HD, CDEL and CDGL will hold 51 % of the paid-up equity capital of CDCSPL.
• Coffee Day group will have 51% stake in the joint venture.
ICMR's ethical guidelines mandatory
• The Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical Research is now mandatory and
needs to be adhered to for all biomedical research in India.
• This was decided as per the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules 2019.
• This will help bring about much-needed transparency and accountability.
PVs grew 2.7% in FY19
• The passenger vehicle (PV) segment grew 2.7% in 2018-19, the slowest pace in the last five years, according to the Society of
Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).
• According to SIAM data, passenger vehicle sales in the last fiscal stood at 33,77,436 units, compared to 32,88,581 units in 2017-
18.
• This is the slowest pace of growth for the industry since 2013-14, when sales declined 6.7%.
Isaak Hayik set new record
• Isaak Hayik became the world's oldest player to take part in a professional game at the age of 73.
• He set the record by playing as a goalkeeper for Israeli team Ironi or Yehuda recently.
• He received the Guinness World Records prize at a ceremony after the match, just days ahead of his 74th birthday.
Kushagra Rawat qualified for 2020 Olympics
• Indian swimmer Kushagra Rawat qualified for 2020 Olympics on 7 April 2019.
• He did so after achieving the B standard of the 800m freestyle event at the Speedo Thailand Age Group Championships in
Bangkok.
• Rawat clocked 08.07.99 to cross the Olympic Games B standard qualifying time of 08:08.54 for the men's 800m freestyle event.
Adani Power received LoI
• Adani Power received the Letter of Intent (LoI) to acquire the insolvent Korba West Power Company (KWPCL) on 8 April 2019.
• The LoI dated April 6, 2019, was issued by the resolution professional appointed by the Ahmedabad bench of the National
Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).
• KWPCL owns and operates a 600 megawatt (MW) thermal power plant in Raigarh District, Chhattisgarh.
Indo-Sri Lanka joint exercise concluded
• The 6th edition of the joint military training exercise between the Indian Army and the Sri Lankan Army, Exercise Mitra Shakti
concluded in Sri Lanka on 8 April 2019.
• The 2-week long training had commenced on 26th March 2019
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• The 2 army contingents also shared the best practices of each other to further enhance their learning experiences.
NGT formed committee
• The National Green Tribunal formed a committee to look into the alleged erosion of Yamuna floodplain in Haryana's Sonipat
district.
• The nodal agency for coordination and compliance will be the principal secretary of the Haryana Irrigation and Water Resources
Department.
• The joint report may be furnished within 1 month by e-mail so that matter can be taken up before monsoon.
Tata Motors launched initiative for drivers
• Tata Motors Monday launched an initiative to promote driving profession in the trucking space.
• Under the Tata Motors Samarth initiative, the company plans to address four critical areas -- health and wellness, insurance,
education and financial planning for the drivers' well-being.
• The auto major aims to reach to five lakh drivers every year under the programme.
Appointments
• Usha Martin has appointed Anirban Sanyal as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with effect from 10 April 2019.
• SUN Group Chairman Vikramjit Singh Sahney elected as the new president of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) - India.
• Australian Graham Reid has been appointed as the Indian men's hockey national team's chief coach till the end of 2020.
Army gets more fire power with Dhanush
• The Indian Army received the first batch of six 'Dhanush' artillery guns from the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB).
• The guns were handed over by Saurabh Kumar, Director General, Ordnance Factories and the OFB chairman, at a ceremony
organised in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
• The 155mm x 45 calibre modern artillery gun system was developed by the Ordnance Factories jointly with the Army.
RBI issued norms for banks
• The Reserve Bank of India came out with guidelines for banks to set up new currency chests, which include a minimum area of
1,500 square feet for a strong room.
• Besides, the new chests should have a processing capacity of 6.6 lakh pieces of banknotes per day.
• For those situated in the hilly/ inaccessible places, a capacity of 2.1 lakh pieces of banknotes per day.
Delhi scored high in HRD rankings
• Six colleges of the Delhi University have figured in the top 10 rankings by the HRD Ministry.
• Miranda House scored a hattrick in bagging the first rank.
• Hindu College has been ranked second.
• IIT Delhi has been ranked third in the overall ranking of higher education institutions and the second best among the engineering
institutions.
India Rankings - 2019 released
• The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, released the India Rankings – 2019 on 8 April 2019.
• He also presented the India Rankings awards to the top eight institutions in different categories at a function held in New Delhi.
• He also released the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) and presented the ARIIA awards to the top
two institutions.
New feature of Whatsapp tested
• In a bid to minimize fake news on its platform, WhatsApp is now testing a new feature within its Groups Settings to help users
stop sending 'Frequently Forwarded' messages.
• It is working on 2 features that will help over 1.5 billion users know how many times a message has been forwarded.
• When the feature is enabled, nobody will be able to send a Frequently Forwarded message in the group.
Etihad Airways to seek loan
• Etihad Airways PJSC is seeking a loan of about $600 million to help make initial payments for planes.
• Etihad Airways has 43 unfilled orders from the Boeing Co.’s 787 family, according to a Boeing January report.
• The airline is also being sued over an August 2017 decision.
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BARC resumed viewership data publication

• Television viewership monitoring agency BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) has resumed the publication of viewership
data on its websites.
• On 1 April 2019, TRAI had issued a show-cause notice to BARC for not complying with its direction on the release of TV viewership
data.
• It is related to the sector's migration to the new tariff regime.
US Homeland Secretary stepped down
• US President Donald Trump announced that US Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen is stepping down.
• She would be temporarily replaced by Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan.
• Ms. Nielsen's department was responsible for implementing the proposed border wall and the separation of migrant families.
India, Sri Lanka agree to increase cooperation
• India and Sri Lanka have agreed to increase cooperation in security and defence spheres in several areas.
• The cooperation areas include regional security, curbing drug smuggling and human trafficking.
• The issues came up for discussion when Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra called on Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirsena in
Colombo during his official visit.
CRPF celebrated 54th Valour Day
• Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) celebrated its 54th Valour Day on 9 April 2019.
• On this day, in 1965, a small contingent of 2nd Battalion of CRPF successfully fought and repulsed an attack by a Pakistani Brigade
on Sardar Post in the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat.
• On the Occasion, President Ram Nath Kovind paid homage to the martyrs of police at National Police Memorial in New Delhi.
SEBI gave nod for Airport fund
• SEBI has approved an ‘Airport’ specific fund of capital up to Rs 10,000 crore as a Category II AIF.
• Chennai-based ‘Taking Off To The Future Investment Management LLP’ is the sponsor and the investment manager of the fund.
• The management and operation of ‘Sponsor/Investment Manager’ is led by its designated partner Gigi George.
85% Ujjawala beneficiaries use earthen stoves
• A study from the Research Institute for Compassionate Economics shows that 85% of Ujjwala beneficiaries in rural Bihar, Madhya
Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh still use solid fuels for cooking.
• The survey, conducted in late 2018, covered a random sample of 1,550 households in 11 districts of the four States, which
collectively have two-fifths of the country’s rural population.
EC to raise random sampling of EVMs
• The Supreme Court ordered the Election Commission to increase random sampling of EVMs using VVPAT from the current one
EVM per assembly segment to 5.
• The order came on a plea filed by 21 Opposition parties that have sought directions to the poll body to randomly verify at least
50% of electronic voting machines (EVMs) using voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) slips.
World Health Day: 7 April
• World Health Day is observed every year on 7 April under the sponsorship of WHO.
• The theme for World Health Day 2019 is ‘Universal Coverage: Everyone, Everywhere’ to ensure that no human being will ever
have to make a choice between the two.
• The day celebrates the establishment of the WHO and this year it marks the end of the World Health Organization’s 70th-
anniversary celebrations.
National Handloom Week: April 7-14
• The National Handloom Week is being observed from April 7-14, 2019.
• National Handloom Day is observed every year on 7 August to mark a 1905 movement that boycotted British products in favour
of the revival of domestic ones.
Expedition to Karakoram Pass flagged off
• The Himalayan Heights Expedition was flagged off on 7 April 2019 from Karu Military Station.
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• 14 days, 11 bikes and 1 dream expedition, the expedition from Leh to KK Pass will cover over 1,000 km and is likely to qualify for
inclusion in the record books.
• The expedition is led by Indian Army team comprising riders from Army Service Corps, Royal Enfield, and Himalayan Motorsports.
Lin Dan clinched Malaysia Open
• Chinese badminton ace Lin Dan clinched the Malaysia Open in Kuala Lumpur on 7 April 2019.
• After an electric performance, he beat countryman Chen Long 9-21, 21-7, 21-11.
• The title is Lin's first win this year, and also his first major success since taking the Malaysia Open in 2017.
NC won air weapon championship for 4th time
• Udhampur-based Northern Command has won the 15th edition of General J J Singh air weapon championship for the fourth
consecutive time.
• The championship was conducted at Army Marksmanship Unit, Mhow between March 25 and April 3, 2019.
• Over 100 male and female young shooters from across the Indian Army competed in the 10-meter air rifle and air pistol
categories.
Usha Padhee: CMD of Pawan Hans
• Usha Padhee, joint secretary in the civil aviation ministry, has been given additional charge of the post of CMD of the
disinvestment-bound Pawan Hans Limited.
• She is the first woman CMD of the company.
• The government, in 2018, initiated the disinvestment process in the company, in which it holds 51% stake and the ONGC 49%,
and was looking to complete the process by March 2019.
Justice Nandrajog sworn in as CJ of BHC
• Justice Pradeep Nandrajog was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court on 7 April 2019.
• He was earlier Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court.
• He now succeeds Justice Naresh Patil, who retired as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court on 6 April 2019.
• Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao administered the oath of office to Justice Nandrajog at the Raj Bhawan.
Yellow weather warning for Himachal Pradesh
• The Meteorological Department issued a yellow weather warning for rain in Himachal Pradesh.
• The weather department forecast thunderstorm with hail in isolated places of mid hills, including Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, Chamba,
Solan, and Sirmaur.
• Yellow is the least dangerous of the weather warnings - it indicates the possibility of severe weather over the next few days that
could affect people.
INS Shakti to take part in Chinese celebration
• Two Indian naval ships INS 'Kolkata' and 'Shakti' would take part in the Chinese Navy's 70th anniversary of celebrations later in
April 2019.
• The two ships are scheduled to visit Chinese port of Qingdao from 21 to 26 April to participate in an International Fleet Review to
celebrate the 70th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.
Coal import rose to 8% in Apr-Feb FY 2019
• India's coal import increased by 7.8% to 212.11 million tonnes in the April-February period of FY19 as per a report.
• The country produced 196.59 million tonnes (MT) of coal in the April-February period of fiscal 2017-18, according to the report
by mjunction services.
• Coal imports in the month of February was at 18.31 MT (provisional) as compared to 21.15 MT (revised) in January 2019.
Former Maldives President made comeback
• The former Maldives President vowed sweeping reforms and an end to government corruption after leading his party to a
landslide victory just five months since returning from exile.
• Mohamed Nasheed made a dramatic return to the top of the national parliament, with his Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)
headed for a two-thirds majority in the 87-member assembly.
Melting of Arctic ice impacts India
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• Researchers found that rising temperatures in the region is causing the sea-ice to melt faster than expected.
• The study was conducted by Germany-based Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research.
• The faltering of Transpolar Drift could lead to weather implications across countries, including India.
BPEA to acquire 30% stake in NIIT Tech
• Baring Private Equity Asia (BPEA) agreed to buy a 30% stake in NIIT Technologies Ltd for about ₹2,627 crore ($381 million).
• Funds affiliated with BPEA have signed definitive agreements to purchase the stake totalling 18.85 million shares of NIIT
Technologies from NIIT Ltd and other promoter entities.
• Baring will acquire the shares at ₹1,394 apiece.
India's eco growth driven by domestic demand
• According to World Bank India's economic growth has been driven by domestic demand and its exports were about one-third of
its potential.
• According to World Bank the next government needs to focus on export-led growth in India.
• In the last five years, India's overall growth was "too much" driven by domestic demand.
Amazon India partnered with Ketto
• Amazon India joined hands with Mumbai-based crowdfunding company Ketto to help its sellers raise funding for business
expansion, product development and even for medical assistance.
• As a part of the programme named Amazon Wings, the company will allow its sellers to use Ketto’s platform and raise small
ticket funds beginning from INR 50K at a subsidized fee for initiating fundraisers.
India evacuated CRPF contingent from Libya
• India evacuated its entire contingent of 15 CRPF personnel from Tripoli after the situation suddenly worsened in Libya.
• The CRPF contingent was deployed as a peacekeeping force in Tripoli.
• The military conflict in Libya escalated after forces of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar launched an air strike in an area in Tripoli.
• Indian Ambassador in Tunisia has the concurrent charge of Libya.
BAC Conference began
• The biannual Army Commanders’ Conference began in New Delhi on 8 April 2019.
• Important issues were discussed such as the management of the extant security dynamics, mitigation of future security threats
and enhancement of combat edge over potential adversaries.
• Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman delivered her opening address at the conference.
Battle of Kangla Tongbi: Platinum Jubilee
• The Battle of Kangla Tongbi, considered one of the fiercest battles of World War II, was fought by Ordnance personnel of 221
Advance Ordnance Depot (AOD) on the night of 6/7 April 1944.
• The Platinum Jubilee of the Battle of Kangla Tongbi War was commemorated on 7 April 2019 by Army Ordnance Corps at Kangla
Tongbi War Memorial near Imphal.
US to designate IRG as terrorist organization
• The US will designate Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRG) as a terrorist organization.
• The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) was formed after the 1979 Islamic revolution with a mission to defend the clerical
regime.
• IRGC is in charge of Iran's ballistic missiles and nuclear programmes.
• The IRGC has an estimated 125,000-strong military with army, navy and air units.
Renowned dramatist Kartik Rath dies
• Eminent theatre organiser and playwright Kartik Chandra Rath passed away in Odisha on 1 April 2019.
• He is the recipient of Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademi award and Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi award.
• He has penned over a hundred plays and directed over 500 plays in his career as a dramatist.
Bolivia joins International Solar Alliance
• Bolivia joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
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• Bolivia's President Evo Morales signed the Solar Alliance Framework agreement during the visit of President Ram Nath Kovind to
Bolivia.
• The International Solar Alliance (ISA), is an initiative by India and France, whose major aim is to fight climate change and global
warming.
Café Scientifique to be launched in Kerala
• A group of science experts of the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology will launch ‘Café Scientifique’ in Kerala.
• Café Scientifique, the first such initiative in the State, aims to promote science among the public in an interesting way.
• Café Scientifique is a grassroots public science initiative based on the French Café Philosophique model.
BIS inks an MoU with IIT Delhi
• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology
in Delhi to collaborate in the field of standardisation and conformity assessment.
• Under the MoU, the Centre of Excellence will be set up in the field of standardization, testing, and conformity assessment.
• IIT Delhi will provide infrastructure support for R&D.
CCMB scientists make major breakthrough
• Researchers at the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) proclaimed new discovery on new antimicrobial
approaches.
• They are studying the cell growth in bacteria and have discovered a new enzyme 'Murein EndopeptidiaseK' which would cut the
bacteria cell wall.
• The researchers had identified a new enzyme which would act on the protein of cell wall in Escherichia coli (E. coli).
Mayoori is now Google India industry head
• Mayoori Kango was appointed as head of Google's industry - Agency Partnership.
• She will be leading Google's engagement with Publicis and DAN.
• Before joining Google India, Mayoori has worked as a Managing Director in Performics which is part of Publicis Groupe.
• She is the former Bollywood actress who has worked in films like Naseem.
Fitch affirms India's rating at BBB-
• Fitch Ratings kept India's sovereign rating unchanged at the lowest investment grade of BBB- with a stable outlook.
• Fitch expects growth of 6.8% in the fiscal year ending March 2020 (FY 20) and 7.1% in FY 21.
• Gross FDI inflows into India of 1.4% of GDP in the year through the third quarter of FY 18 were below 1.7% of GDP four years
earlier.
India's first A.I enabled motorcycle
• Revolt Intellicorp will manufacture India's first AI-enabled electric motorcycle in June 2019.
• Revolt Intellicorp has been founded by Micromax's co-founder Rahul Sharma.
• The headquarters of the company is at Gurgaon.
• The manufacturing facility of the company is located in Manesar.
Global coalition for clean cooling launched
• The first-ever global coalition on clean and efficient cooling was launched at the First Global Conference on Synergies between
the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement, which concluded on April 3, 2019, in Copenhagen, Denmark.
• The Global Coalition links action across the Kigali Amendment, Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals.
• India has developed its National Cooling Action Plan.
Appointments
• Anwar Haleem (IFS:1991), presently Joint Secretary in the National Defence College, has been appointed as the next Ambassador
of India to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
• Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa was re-elected unopposed to the position as president of the Asian Football Confederation.
• Rakesh Malhotra appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Cameroon.
Roadis, NIIF to invest $2 billion
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• Roadis, a private investor and operator of transport infrastructure worldwide and the National Investment and Infrastructure
Fund (NIIF) have jointly set up a platform to invest in road projects in India.
• The platform would invest up to $2 billion of equity targeting toll-operate-transfer models, acquisitions of existing road
concessions and investment opportunities in the road sector.
Investigation head for Myanmar appointed
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Nicholas Koumjian of the US as head of the Independent Investigative
Mechanism for Myanmar.
• Koumjian will be the first head of the Myanmar mechanism, which was established by the Human Rights Council on 27
September 2018.
• At present, he is serving as the International Co-Prosecutor for the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.
RBI sets WMA Limit for Government
• The Reserve Bank of India has decided that the limits for Ways and Means Advances (WMA) for the first half of the financial year
2019-20 will be Rs 75000 crore.
• The interest rate on WMA will be Repo Rate and overdraft will be 2% above the Repo Rate.
• RBI may trigger fresh flotation of market loans when the Government of India utilises 75% of the WMA limit.
WhatsApp launches tip line feature
• WhatsApp launched an India-focused fact-checking feature called tip line feature on 2 April 2019.
• It was developed to combat fake news and rumors starting with the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
• The tip line feature will help create a database of rumors to study misinformation during elections.
• It has been developed in collaboration with India-based media skilling startup PROTO.
7th Foreign Office consultations held
• The 7th Foreign Office consultations between India and Italy were held in New Delhi on 4 April 2019.
• The Indian side was led by Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, A. Gitesh Sarma.
• They also exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues, including cooperation in the United Nations and other
international organizations.
Appointments
• The board of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS) has redesignated Vineet Nayyar as its executive Vice-
Chairman and appointed CS Rajan as Managing Director.
• Vijay Chandok appointed as Managing Director and CEO of ICICI Securities.
• Vipin Anand has taken charge as Managing Director of LIC of India on 1 April 2019.
Karnataka Bank signs pact with Bharti AXA
• Karnataka Bank has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Bharti AXA Life Insurance Company to distribute the
latter’s life insurance products.
• This is the third similar tie-up by the Bank after with PNB Metlife India Insurance Company Ltd and LIC.
• The bank will be able to provide a wide choice of life insurance products to its customers across 836 branches.
BSE, India INX sign MoU with Moscow Exchange
• A memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Moscow Exchange and India's BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) and the
India International Exchange Limited.
• The ultimate objective of the MoU is of connecting the investors’ community and companies in both countries and allowing a
capital formation platform on a larger scale.
• The MoU was signed in Moscow on 3 April 2019.
A village with carbon-positive tag
• Phayeng in Manipur has become India’s first carbon-positive settlement.
• A village is given the carbon-positive tag if it sequesters more carbon than it emits, slowing the accumulation of greenhouse gases
and mitigating the effects of climate change.
• As part of the carbon-positive village project, Phayeng will receive a grant of ₹10 crore in phases to facilitate afforestation.
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Chennai Central railway station renamed

• The Chennai Central railway station has been renamed as Dr. MG Ramachandran Chennai Central railway station.
• Dr. MG Ramachandran is the former state chief minister and founder of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).
• The no-objection certificate was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs for renaming the railway station.
L&T gets CCI approval
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved Larsen and Toubro Ltd's (L&T's) takeover bid for Mindtree Ltd.
• The L&T-Mindtree deal is the first hostile takeover bid in the Indian IT industry.
• The L&T will purchase up to 66.32% stake in the Bengaluru-based IT services firm for around ₹10,700 crore.
Rasikh: 2nd cricketer from J&K to play in IPL
• Rasikh Salam Dar has become second ever cricketer from Jammu & Kashmir to play in Indian Premier League.
• He made his debut for Mumbai Indians in the tournament.
• Parvez Rasool is the first player from Jammu and Kashmir to play in the Indian Premier League.
Noted Tamil scholar Chellappan dies
• Noted Tamil Scholar and orator Silamboli Su. Chellappan died on 6 April 2019.
• His discourses on the Tamil epic Silapathikaram were very popular.
• He has written Silamboli, Silapathikara Sinthanaigal, Sanga Ilakiya Thaen and other books.
• The State Government and Tamil fora awarded him in recognition of his contribution to Tamil literature and language.
Technical Analysis of FAME II Scheme released
• The NITI Aayog and the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) released a report on opportunities for the automobile sector and
government under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles II (FAME II) scheme.
• The title of the report is ‘India’s Electric Mobility Transformation: Progress to Date and Future Opportunities’.
Army Commanders' Conference: April 2019
• The biannual Army Commanders’ Conference shall commence on 8 April 2019.
• Army Commanders’ Conference, chaired by Chief of the Army Staff is held biannually for formulating important policy decisions
through collegiate deliberations.
• It is an important event for the planning and execution process of the Indian Army.
Scientist discovers 'death-switch' in plants
• Chinese scientists have discovered a possible "death switch" mechanism in the plant's immune system that triggers infected cells
to self-destruct.
• This will limit the spread of the disease and keeping other parts of the plant healthy.
• Scientists said the discovery provides clues to cell death control and immunity for plants.
Int day of sports development: 6 April
• International Day of Sport for Development and Peace is observed on 6 April.
• The adoption of this Day signifies the increasing recognition by the UN of the positive influence that sport can have on the
advancement of human rights, and social and economic development.
• This date commemorates the inauguration, in 1896, of the first Olympic games of the modern era, in Athens (Greece).
Treaty signed between India and Brazil
• India and Brazil have sealed a treaty for repatriation of convicted prisoners so that they can serve their remaining jail term in
their own country.
• The Instruments of Ratification by India and Brazil were exchanged on January 24, 2019.
• A sentenced person will be transferred under this agreement only on the conditions that the sentenced person is a national of
the receiving state.
New Bombay HC CJ to take oath on 7 April
• Justice Pradeep Nandrajog will be sworn-in as the new Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court on 7 April 2019.
• Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao will administer the oath of office to the Chief Justice-designate.
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• Nandrajog was previously the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court.
• He will succeed outgoing Chief Justice Naresh Patil, who retires on April 6.
Neeraj and Sindhu won the ESPN award
• P V Sindhu and star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra were named as female and male sportsperson of the year in the ESPN India
Multi-Sport Awards for their achievements in 2018.
• Neeraj was picked for the top men's award for his gold at 2018 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
• Saina Nehwal won the award for the 'Comeback of the Year' after bagging the bronze at the 2018 Asian Games.
Tata Steel gets Global Slag award
• Tata Steel has been named as the 'Global Slag Company of the Year' at the 14th Global Slag Conference and Exhibition 2019.
• The award was presented to Tata Steel for its innovative practices in the development of new applications for Steel by-products
(Slag).
• The conference was held in Germany and was attended by major steelmakers, steel mill service providers & associated
companies.
NTPC signs loan pact with Canara Bank
• NTPC signed a term-loan agreement with Canara Bank to raise Rs 2,000 crore on 5 April 2019.
• The loan facility is extended at an interest rate linked to 3-Month MCLR of the Bank.
• The loan has a tenure of 15 years and will be utilized to part finance the capital expenditure of the NTPC.
• In February 2019, NTPC signed a term loan agreement for Rs 5,000 crore with State Bank of India.
Praful Patel elected as FIFA Council member
• All India Football Federation president Praful Patel was elected as a FIFA Council member on 6 April 2019.
• He is the first Indian to enter the prestigious council in a landmark development.
• He was one of the eight candidates vying for the spot in the election which was held during the 29th AFC (Asian Football
Confederations) Congress in Malaysia.
Panel set up to oversee Essar Steel
• Essar Steel’s committee of creditors (CoC) has set up a monitoring committee to oversee the operations of the steel firm and
ensure a smooth transition to ArcelorMittal.
• The monitoring committee is headed by resolution professional Satish Gupta.
• The lenders — SBI, IDBI Bank, ICICI and Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company — have their representatives as members of
the monitoring committee.
Japan's probe drops explosive on asteroid
• Japan's space agency has said its Hayabusa2 spacecraft released an explosive onto an asteroid to make a crater on its surface.
• It will also collect underground samples to find possible clues to the origin of the solar system.
• The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said that Hayabusa2 dropped a "small carry-on impactor" made of copper onto the
asteroid and safely evacuated and remained intact
Vikram Kirloskar is CII’s new chief
• Vikram Kirloskar, CMD of Kirloskar Systems Ltd., and Vice-Chairman of Toyota Kirloskar Motor has assumed office as president of
the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for 2019-20.
• Uday Kotak, founder and MD & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank, is the President-Designate of CII for 2019-20.
• T.V. Narendran, CEO & MD of Tata Steel Limited, takes over as CII Vice-President for 2019-20.
Amal Clooney appointed U.K.’s media envoy
• Amal Clooney has been appointed the U.K.’s special envoy on media freedom.
• The UK and Canada are hosting a ministerial conference in London in July to draw attention to attacks on journalists.
• Ms. Clooney will chair a panel of legal experts who will work to support countries to repeal outdated and draconian laws and
strengthen legal mechanisms to protect journalists.
Indian Navy signs MoU with CSIR
• The Indian Navy and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) inked an MoU on 5 April 2019.
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• The MoU provides undertake joint research and development of advanced technologies for the Indian Navy.
• It would facilitate joint R&D activities in diverse fields of Mechanical, Electronics, Communication, Computer Science, Propulsion
systems, Metallurgy and Nanotechnology.
David Malpass to be the President of the WB
• American David Malpass is selected as the new President of the World Bank.
• David Malpass is currently US Treasury Department's Under Secretary for International Affairs.
• He was a senior economic adviser to US President Donald Trump during his 2016 election campaign.
• Malpass succeeds Jim Yong-Kim, who stepped down on February 1 to join an investment firm.
National Cardiology Conference inaugurated
• Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the National Cardiology Conference 2019 at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute
of medical sciences in Lucknow on 5 April 2019.
• The conference is organised by the Department of Cardiology.
• The conference offers an opportunity to showcase newer innovations in Cardiology that can help deliver cost-effective cardiology
care to patients.
Shah Rukh conferred with Honorary Doctorate
• Eminent Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan conferred with an honorary doctorate in Philanthropy by the University of Law,
London.
• He was awarded this for his efforts to give back to society.
• He has received the merit during a graduation ceremony which had more than 350 students in attendance.
Indian Navy to acquire 6 lethal submarines
• Indian Navy will acquire 6 lethal submarines under Project-75.
• Under Project 75-India, the Navy wants to build six conventional diesel-electric submarines.
• The submarines should have the ability to carry and launch 18 heavyweight torpedoes in the sea.
• For the Indian Navy, the Project 75I-class submarine is a follow-on of the Project 75 Kalvari-class submarines.
LVB to merge with Indiabulls Housing
• On 5 April 2019, the Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) and Indiabulls Housing Finance (IBHF) boards approved the merger of the two
entities.
• The new entity will be known as Indiabulls Lakshmi Vilas Bank.
• The merger will help Indiabulls get access to low-cost stable funds and entry into banking.
• IBHF is India’s second largest housing finance firm.
Nasscom appoints Keshav Murugesh as CEO
• IT industry body Nasscom has appointed WNS Global Services Group CEO Keshav Murugesh as its chairman for 2019-20.
• He succeeded Rishad Premji (Wipro chief strategy officer and board member).
• Nasscom has appointed Infosys COO U.B. Pravin Rao as its vice-chairman for 2019-20.
Survey 2019: Ambitions Beyond Growth
• An additional annual investment of USD 1.5 trillion, equivalent to a dollar per person per day, would allow countries to achieve
the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, as per a United Nations survey.
• The survey, titled 'Survey 2019: Ambitions Beyond Growth', was launched by the United Nations Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), a regional arm of the UN.
RBI lowered GDP growth forecast to 7.2%
• The RBI lowered the GDP growth forecast for the current fiscal to 7.2% from the earlier estimate of 7.4% amid probability of El
Nino effects on monsoon rains and uncertain global economic outlook.
• It had projected the GDP growth for 2019-20 at 7.4%,
RBI tweaked LCR norms to boost liquidity
• RBI provided additional 2% liquidity window to the lenders by tweaking liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) norms.
• The LCR indicates the proportion of highly liquid assets held by banks to ensure their ability to meet short-term obligations.
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• NBFCs-NDSI in the category of Investment and Credit Companies (ICCs) will be made eligible to apply for Authorised Dealer
Category II licence.
Vacuum assisted airplane toilet invented
• Scientists have invented a vacuum-assisted toilet that is about half as loud as the regular airplane commode.
• It took researchers at the Brigham Young University (BYU) in the US two years of trial and error, three academic publications and
thousands of flushes to figure out how to make toilets quieter.
• An air-water mix in vacuum-assisted toilets travels more than 483 kilometres per hour.
VG Patel passed away
• Viharidas Gopaldas Patel, noted economist and ‘Father of Entrepreneurship Movement’ in India, passed away on 4 April after a
brief illness.
• In 2017, the Government of India had decorated him with a Padma Shri for his contribution to the entrepreneurship movement.
• He had set up the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) in Ahmedabad in 1983.
CO2 levels highest in 3 million years
• The levels of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were higher on 4 April 2019 than ever before in the past
three million years.
• A study found that ice age onset, and the start of the glacial cycles from cold to warm and back, was mainly triggered by a
decrease of CO2-levels.
• Global mean temperatures never exceeded by more than 2 degree Celsius in the past 3 million years.
China deployed new missile destroyer
• China deployed its latest guided missile destroyer and frigate in the fleet of naval ships participating in anti-piracy operations in
the Gulf of Aden and Somalian coast in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.
• China's 32nd convoy fleet to the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters set sail from a military port in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang
Province on 4 April 2019.
Coimbatore student entered Guinness Book
• Sridhar Muthukrishnan, a 2nd-year student of BSc Visual Communications entered the Guinness Book of World Records in light
painting photography with 1,350 light orbs.
• His work was submitted to the Guinness Book officials on February 13, 2018, and the certificate was issued in March 2019.
New Chief Justice of Calcutta sworn in
• Justice T B N Radhakrishnan was sworn-in as the new Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court on 4 April 2019.
• West Bengal Governor K N Tripathi administered the oath of office to Justice Radhakrishnan in a solemn ceremony at the high
court.
• He was earlier the Chief Justice of the High Court of Hyderabad for the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh from July 7, 2018.
New tug Bahadur in Navy fleet
• To meet the growing needs of Indian Naval ships, a new 10-tonne bollard pull tug 'Bahadur' was inducted into service at the naval
ship repair yard (NSRY) on 4 April 2019.
• The vessel has been designed and built at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, Visakhapatnam, and has steerable rudder propulsion (SRP)
with advanced remote control.
• The NSRY provides technical and services support to all the ships.
Rinzin Dwar inaugurated in Shimla
• Army's Western Command chief inaugurated Rinzin Dwar, the entrance to Pirthi Military station, named after a slain Army
officer, in Shimla district.
• It is situated at Averipatti in Rampur and is named after late Sub Rinzin Dorje of Dogra Scouts.
• He was an accomplished mountaineer who summited Mt Everest and several other prominent peaks.
April 5: National Maritime Day of India
• In India, the National Maritime Day is celebrated every year on April 5.
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• On this day in 1919, navigation history was created when SS Loyalty, the first ship of The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd
travelled to the UK.
• The day was first celebrated on April 5, 1964.
• The theme of the 56th edition of the National Maritime Day is 'Indian Ocean-An Ocean of opportunity'.
Prevention of Blindness Week 2019
• Prevention of Blindness Week 2019 is being observed from 1st of April to 7th of April 2019.
• It is celebrated for increasing the awareness towards the blind people.
• There are 10 million people who are suffering from blindness in India. The worldwide number of blind people is approximately 37
million.
• It was first started by the Jawaharlal Nehru and Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur in the year 1960.
TRAI asks Telcos to submit plan details
• The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has directed operators to submit before it all tariff plans that they offer to
select segments of customers at the end of every month.
• TRAI also directed service providers to share with it the number of subscribers at the end of each month who have availed the
segmented offer.
Tata Projects bagged $321 million order
• Tata Projects has received order worth USD 321 million (around ₹2,182 crore) from Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL).
• This 2x700 MW power plant order is the company's third contract in the nuclear power sector.
• The scope of work involves construction of main plant buildings, structures and other associated works of Gorakhpur Haryana
Anu Vidyut Pariyojana.
Indian Army discovered wreckage of aircraft
• A 12-member Indian Army patrol along with a police representative recovered wreckage of a World War II US Air Force aircraft in
Roing district of Arunachal Pradesh recently.
• The patrol located the aircraft debris covered by thick undergrowth and buried under five feet of snow.
• Its discovery and other warlike stores will definitely lead to revelation of some historical inputs.
Health Ministry formed Solidarity Human Chain
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and WHO formed a Solidarity Human Chain on 4 April 2019.
• This was done as part of the World Health Day celebrations to reaffirm their commitment to working collaboratively towards
Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
• 7 April is observed every year as the World Health Day and the theme for 2019 is Universal Health Coverage: Everyone,
Everywhere.
Indian football team rose to 101 FIFA ranking
• The Indian men's football team gained two places to rise to 101 in the FIFA rankings released on 4 April 2019.
• With 1219 total ranking points, the Indian team lies 18th among the Asian countries.
• Belgium holds on to the top spot, while Iran topped the Asian rankings at 21 followed by Japan (26), South Korea (37), Australia
(41) and Qatar (55).
Nepal-India Conclave to be held in Kathmandu
• Nepal-India Franchise Investment Expo and Conclave will be held in Kathmandu from 15th to 16th May 2019.
• It will focus on building the relations between India and Nepal through entrepreneurship development.
• It is being organised by Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FNCCI) and Embassy of India and Franchise
India.
• It will bring the leading Indian iconic brands to Nepal.
Russian delegation visited I&B Ministry
• A Russian Delegation led by the Russian Deputy Minister of Digital Development, H.E Mr. Alexey Volin met Amit Khare, Secretary,
Ministry of I&B on 4 April 2019.
• It was mutually agreed that an Annual Indo-Russian Forum for Media Cooperation be organized alternately in India and Russia to
institutionalize the process of cooperation between the 2 nations in the media and entertainment sector.
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Vikram Patel got Global Health Award

• Vikram Patel, a psychiatrist and professor of global health at Harvard Medical School, has won the prestigious John Dirks Canada
Gairdner Global Health Award.
• Laureates receive a $100,000 cash honorarium and will be formally presented with their awards on October 24, 2019 at the
annual Canada Gairdner Awards Gala in Toronto.
UAE honoured PM Narendra Modi
• UAE honoured PM Narendra Modi with its highest decoration in recognition of the 'pivotal role' played by the PM in
strengthening ties between the two nations.
• He was presented the Zayed Medal by the UAE President.
• The Zayed Medal is the highest decoration awarded to Kings, Presidents, and heads of states.
International Mines Awareness Day: 4 April
• International Mines Awareness Day is observed every year on 4 April.
• The theme for IMAD 2019 is 'United Nations Promotes SDGs – Safe Ground – Safe Home'.
• On 8 December 2005, the General Assembly declared that 4 April of each year shall be observed as the International Day for
Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
Study: Dark matter not made of black holes
• Scientists have put the Stephen Hawking theory to its most rigorous test to date, saying dark matter is not made up of primordial
black holes smaller than a tenth of a millimetre.
• About 85% of the matter in the universe is believed to be made up of dark matter.
• Its gravitational force prevents stars in our Milky Way from flying apart.
IL&FS arm’s gross NPAs stand at 90%
• IL&FS Financial Services Ltd. (IFIN), reported a gross non-performing asset (NPA) ratio of 90% as at end December 2018.
• The gross NPAs were around 5% in March 2018.
• IFIN’s total exposure as on March 31, 2019 was ₹18,805 crore, of which external exposure was ₹10,656 crore and exposure to the
group, ₹6,949 crore. About ₹1,300 crore is categorised as ‘other assets.’
BSNL got license for in-flight connectivity
• BSNL has received in-flight and maritime connectivity (IFMC) license from the department of telecommunications (DoT).
• People will soon be able to surf the net and send mails and WhatsApp messages while flying in and over Indian airspace.
• BSNL has partnered with Inmarsat, a leading global mobile satellite communications player.
SCUF to raise Rs 750 crore
• Shriram City Union Finance plans to raise up to ₹ 750 crores through non-convertible debentures (NCD).
• The base size of the issue is ₹ 100 crore with an option to retain oversubscription of ₹ 650 crore.
• The company is offering three bonds maturing in 2, 3 and 5 years with coupons ranging between 9.55% to 9.75 %, on an annual
basis.
London exhibition paid tribute to Mary Quant
• Mary Quant was the subject of a major retrospective opening at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum this week.
• She was the fashion queen of Britain’s Swinging Sixties.
• The 85-year-old has gone down in history for popularising the mini-skirt and for making women’s clothes fun and affordable.
RBI cut policy rates by 25 basis points
• RBI has reduced its key policy rate by 25 basis points in order to boost private investments and support domestic growth.
• It has left the cash reserve ratio unchanged despite a downward revision to growth outlook.
• For FY21, the RBI expects inflation to move in the range of 3.8-4.1 %.
Home Purchase Affordability Index launched
• JLL India launched Home Purchase Affordability Index Annual index analyzing affordability trends across key Indian cities.
• Affordability improved across India's key markets from 2014 to 2018 led by favorable home loan rates.
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• Most affordable residential market in 2018 was Hyderabad, followed by Kolkata and Pune.
Paytm to offer insurance by June
• Paytm Payments Bank is planning to launch risk-free insurance and mutual fund products by June 2019.
• As on date, the Paytm Payments Bank has 4.4 crore savings bank account with a deposit of over Rs 400 crore; and there are as
many as 26 crore wallet accounts.
• Paytm Payments Bank was incorporated in August 2016 and formally began its operations in May 2017 from a branch in Noida.
Govt permitted import of maize at 15% duty
• The government permitted import of feed grade maize at a concessional import duty of 15% with a view to meet the shortage of
the poultry feed in the country.
• The import of up to 1 lakh tonne of it will be allowed on actual user condition.
• Keeping in view the urgency, the feed grade maize is proposed to be imported under TRQ (tariff rate quota) with certain
relaxations and conditions.
Automotive industry to converge
• Automotive industry and experts from the US, Europe, Japan and other Asian countries will brainstorm on development of smart
technologies and challenges faced by the industry at the NuGen Mobility Summit in November 2019.
• The International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) is organising the summit at Manesar from November 27-29, 2019.
Indian women's team registered win: Football
• In Football, the Indian women's national team registered a 2-0 win over Indonesia in its opening match of the Olympic Qualifiers
Round two in Mandalay, Myanmar on 4 April 2019.
• With this win, India went a step closer to making it to the 2020 Tokyo Games.
• India will face Nepal in the second match of the group stage on 6 April 2019.
ICC to join hands with Interpol
• The International Cricket Council (ICC) has sought closer working relations with the Interpol to widen the scope of its fight against
corruption in the sport.
• The idea is to ensure that players are better educated about the corruptors and Interpol's vast network would be helpful in this.
'Game Changer' to hit stands on April 30
• Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi's biography 'Game Changer' will hit the stands on April 30, 2019.
• The biography is written by well-known TV anchor and broadcaster, Wajahat S Khan.
• He retired from all cricket in April 2016 after a 20-year international career in which he appeared in 27 Tests, 398 ODIs and 99
T20 internationals.
App launched to facilitate elderly voters
• Sahulat, a mobile app aimed to facilitate voting by elders was launched in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on 3 April 2019.
• District Election Officer Mohammad Aijaz Asad launched the Android-based application to reach out to the voters who are 90
years old or above.
• The app has a simple and user-friendly interface with very simple login operation making it convenient for everyone.
Sana Dua: Brand ambassador J&K election dept
• Lawyer-turned-model Sana Dua would be the brand ambassador of the Jammu and Kashmir election department for the
upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
• She was the first runner-up in the Femina Miss India 2017 contest and has also participated in the Miss United Continents 2017
and figured among the top 10 contestants.
Lori Lightfoot: First black woman Mayor
• Chicago created history by electing an African-American woman as its mayor for the first time.
• She will take over office from Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who previously served as chief of staff under former President Barack
Obama.
• She will also be Chicago's first openly gay mayor.
Reliance Jio signed pact with Haptik
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• Reliance Jio Digital Services Limited (RJDSL) entered into an agreement with Haptik Infotech Pvt. Ltd., for Rs. 700 crore.
• On a fully-diluted basis, Reliance would hold about 87% of the business.
• The focus of the investment is on enhancement and expansion of the platform, with an addressable market opportunity of more
than one billion users in India.
Garuda Prakashan launches ‘Saffron Swords’
• The Indian Publishing company, Garuda Prakashan Private Limited, launched its book ‘Saffron Swords- Centuries of Indic
Resistance to Invaders’.
• Written by Manoshi Sinha Rawal, it is a book on 52 unsung warriors of India from the last 1300 years.
113 M people experienced acute hunger in 2018
• More than 113 million people across 53 countries experienced acute hunger in 2018 according to a new joint UN and European
Union (EU) report.
• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP) and EU Global Report on Food Crises 2019, shows
that the number remained well over 100 million over the past three years, with the number of countries affected, rising.
1.2 M deaths in India due to air pollution
• Over 1.2 million people died in India due to air pollution in 2017, as per a global report on air pollution.
• As per the State of Global Air 2019, overall long-term exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution contributed to nearly 5 million
deaths in 2017.
• The report was released by the US-based organisation Health Effects Institute.
South Korea to launch 5G network
• South Korea launched the world's first fully-fledged 5G mobile networks.
• The superfast communications heralded by fifth-generation wireless technology will ultimately underpin everything from toasters
to telephones; from electric cars to power grids.
• It will bring smartphones near-instantaneous connectivity -- 20 times faster than the existing 4G.
ADB cut India's growth by 7.2% in 2019-20
• Asian Development Bank (ADB) lowered India’s growth by 40 basis points to 7.2% in fiscal year 2019-20.
• It will still be the fastest growing economy in the world.
• For entire Asia, the growth will soften to 5.7% in 2019 and 5.6% in 2020.
Indian army builds longest suspension bridge
• The Indian Army has successfully built the longest suspension bridge ‘Matiri Bridge’ over the Indus River in the Leh-Ladakh region.
• Built in a record time of 40 days ‘Maitri Bridge’ is longest Suspension Bridge over Indus River.
• The 260-feet long suspension bridge was built by the combat engineers belonging to the 'Sahas aur Yogyata' regiment of Indian
Army’s Fire & Fury Corps.
RBI circulars to banks
• The Supreme Court struck down a February 2018 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) circular giving lender banks six months to resolve
their stressed assets or move under the Insolvency Code against private entities who have defaulted in loans worth over Rs. 2000
crore.
• The judgment ranges from power to telecom to steel, infrastructure, sugar, and fertiliser.
ISRO to launch defence satellite
• Starting May 2019, ISRO plans to send up at least eight earth observation (EO) satellites of varied hues and at the rate of almost
one a month.
• Communication satellite GSAT-32 is also in the offing next year to replace GSAT-6A, which was lost in a failed launch and was
meant to mainly serve the ground forces.
Odisha received GI tag for Kandhamal Haldi
• 'Kandhamal Haldi', a variety of turmeric indigenous to southern Odisha, has earned the Geographical indication (GI) tag from
Intellectual Property India.
• The recognition coincided with the state's Foundation Day (Utkal Divas).
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• Odisha, on April 1 1936, was carved out as a separate state in the then British India on a linguistic identity.
Manufacturing at 6-month low
• Manufacturing activity slowed to a six-month low of 52.6 in March 2019 due to lower levels of new orders and production,
according to a private sector survey.
• The Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index came in at a lower reading in March from 54.3 in February 2019
• A reading over 50 implies expansion while one below that denotes a contraction in activity.
4th session of IU-WGTEC held
• The 4th Meeting of India-Ukraine Working Group on Trade and Economic Cooperation (IU-WGTEC), was held on 2 April 2019 in
New Delhi.
• A protocol was signed at the end of the meeting which deals with the review of trade, and cooperation in the field of small and
medium entrepreneurship and more.
• The Indian delegation was led by Bidyut Behari Swain, Additional Secretary, Foreign Trade (CIS).
Algerian President resigned
• Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned after weeks of mass protests.
• He was in power for 20 years and was under mounting pressure to step down since his decision to seek a fifth term.
• Mr. Bouteflika was rarely being seen in public after suffering a stroke in 2013.
Malaysia's ex-PM went for trial
• Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak went on trial on 3 April 2019 over a multi-billion-dollar financial scandal.
• He faced the first of several trials over his alleged involvement in the looting of sovereign wealth fund.
• In the trial, Najib faced seven charges of corruption and money laundering over the alleged theft of some 10.3 million dollars.
US approved sale of 24 helicopters
• The US approved the sale of 24 multi-role MH-60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters to India at an estimated cost of 2.4 billion US
dollars.
• It is considered the world's most advanced maritime helicopter.
• The choppers will provide the Indian defence forces with the capability to perform anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare
missions.
India signed agreement with IAIARD
• India signed an agreement with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Consultancy Service, NABCONS for setting
up India-Africa Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development (IAIARD) in Malawi.
• IAIARD will be a Pan-African Institute wherein trainees from Malawi and other African countries, will receive training to develop
their human resources and build their capacity.
AUSINDEX-19 set to begin
• The 3rd edition of AUSINDEX ( Australia India Exercise) commenced at Visakhapatnam on 2 April 2019.
• The aim of the exercise is to strengthen and enhance mutual cooperation and interoperability between the IN and RAN.
• The arrival of HMAS Canberra (L02), a Landing Helicopter Dock, and HMAS Collins, a conventional submarine plenishment oiler,
was also seen.
Sri Lankan Navy Commander visited India
• Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva, Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy visited India from 30 March to 02 April 2019 on an official visit.
• This is the first visit of the Admiral to India after taking over as Commander, Sri Lanka Navy.
• The aim of the visit was to consolidate bilateral naval relations between India and Sri Lanka as also to explore new avenues for
naval cooperation.
Kotak Mahindra Bank to Charge For UPI Use
• Kotak Mahindra Bank (Kotak) stated that it will charge customers for UPI transactions starting 1st of May 2019.
• For each Kotak Bank account, the first 30 UPI fund transfers will be free, after which a charge will be levied on all fund transfers
from the bank account.
• This will be applicable across all platforms, including Paytm, PhonePe, Google Pay or Truecaller Pay among others.
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First secure link between India, US navies

• India & the US have set up the first ever secure communication link between the Indian Navy & US Central.
• US has also activated the Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module GPS system in some of C-130 and C-17 transport aircraft
• COMCASA - COMmunications, Compatibility And Security Agreement is the Indo-US military-information sharing pact and was
signed at the 2+2 bilateral summit in 2018
Japan names new imperial era as 'Reiwa'
• 'Reiwa' will be the name for the new era when Prince Naruhito succeeds his father Emperor Akihito, whose abdication on April 30
will end the 31-year 'Heisei' era (Since 1989).
• While 'Rei' means "good" and "beautiful" as well as "order" or "command", 'Wa' means "peace" or "harmony".
• Japan imported the imperial calendar system from China about 1,300 years ago.
Centre to set up TMG in J&K
• The Union Home Ministry has announced setting up of a Terror Monitoring Group to ensure synergised and concerted action
against terror-related activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
• TMG will act against all registered cases related to terror and bring them to a logical conclusion.
• It will identify all key persons including leaders of the organisations who are involved in supporting terrorism.
Deadline to link PAN with Aadhaar extended
• The government has extended the last date to link Permanent Account Number (PAN) with Aadhaar number by six month till
30th of September.
• Earlier, March 31st was the last date.
• The CBDT has also made it clear that it is mandatory to quote and link Aadhaar number from April 1, 2019 in filing the Income Tax
Return.
Google India Head Rajan Anandan Resigned
• Rajan Anandan, vice president for Google India and South East Asia, and essentially heading Google in India, is leaving the
company after an eight-year stint.
• Anandan had joined Google from Microsoft India in 2010.
• Vikas Agnihotri, who is currently serving as Google’s country director for sales, will take on the interim responsibility until the
company finds a new managing director.
ISRO opens its 1st visitors gallery
• In a first, ISRO opened a visitors' gallery with 5,000 capacity at Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota island on Sunday.
• The gallery has a clear line of sight to two launch pads and large screens to explain launcher and satellite features, ISRO said.
• This comes as ISRO launched defence satellite EMISAT along with 28 foreign satellites.
Vinod Dasari named Royal Enfield CEO
• Eicher Motors Ltd. has appointed Vinod K. Dasari as the chief executive officer of Royal Enfield.
• He will also join the board of Eicher Motors as executive director with immediate effect.
• He stepped down as MD and CEO of Ashok Leyland on March 31.
• He takes over from Siddhartha Lal, who will continue as the MD of Eicher Motors.
Supply of Euro-VI grade fuels begins in NCR
• Supply of ultra-clean Euro-VI grade petrol and diesel has begun in cities adjoining the national capital.
• Delhi in April 2018 became the first city in the country to leapfrog from Euro-IV grade petrol and diesel to Euro-VI fuels.
• Rest of the country will follow suit from April 2020.
Centre extends disturbed area tag under AFSPA
• The Centre has extended the "disturbed area" tag under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for three districts of Arunachal
Pradesh for another six months.
• The three districts which will continue to be designated as disturbed areas under AFSPA are Tirap, Changlang and Longding.
• The AFSPA is imposed in areas where armed forces are required to operate in aid to civil authorities.
Obituaries
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• Eminent theatre organiser, playwright and economics teacher Kartik Chandra Rath passed away at his residence in Cuttack. He is
a recipient of Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademi award.
• Dilip Sarkar (62), former Tripura Minister and five-time MLA from Badharghat in Agartala, died early on Monday after a
prolonged illness.
• Noted film director J. Mahendran passed away following a brief hospitalization
Army Chief Bipin Rawat on four day US visit
• Army Chief General Bipin Rawat is on a four-day tour to the US to discuss issues of mutual interest in military cooperation.
• During the visit, General Rawat will interact with senior military officers of the US Armed Forces to take forward the military to
military cooperation.
• His visit to the US aims at giving impetus to the military ties and enhance strategic engagements.
Tribunal to adjudicate ban on Jamaat-e-Islami
• The Centre has set up a tribunal to adjudicate if there exists sufficient cause to ban the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir and
the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front-Yasin Malik faction.
• The tribunal will be headed by Justice Chander Shekhar of the Delhi High Court.
• The decision to constitute a tribunal was taken while exercising the powers conferred under the Unlawful Activities Act.
Hyundai unveils BlueLink connectivity in India
• Hyundai will soon roll out the ‘BlueLink’ connectivity feature in India.
• This will allow users to interact with their cars using voice.
• BlueLink is Hyundai’s global technology which will be introduced in the Indian market with 33 features, of which 10 would be
India-specific features such as a panic button, for most practical and holistic connectivity.
RBI tweaks NPA divergence disclosure rules
• RBI asked banks to disclose bad loan divergences in their financial statements if the additional provisioning exceeds 10% of profit
before provision and contingencies.
• Earlier, banks were to make suitable disclosures if the additional provisioning requirements assessed by RBI exceeded 15% of the
published net profits.
• RBI will inject long-term liquidity worth $5 bn into the banking system.
India won ICC Test Championship mace
• India has won ICC Test Championship mace for the third year in a row after finishing at the top of ICC Test team rankings on the
cut-off date of April 1.
• India has also been awarded $1-million cash prize.
• New Zealand, who are ranked second, won $500,000 prize money after finishing with 108 points, eight behind India.
• South Africa finished 3rd with 105 points.
Reliance MF launched Voice-Based Transactions
• Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management (RNAM) has joined hands with Google to enable the customers of Reliance Mutual Fund
to carry out voice-based financial transactions.
• With this, RNAM became the first company in India, to provide a conversational interface that would help customers regarding
funds transactions.
• Sundeep Sikka is the CEO of Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management.
BOB becomes 3rd Largest Bank
• The amalgamation of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank into the Bank of Baroda (BoB) has come into effect and all branches of the
former two will function as branches of BoB.
• The merged entity would also receive Rs 5,042 crore fund infusion from the government.
• Post the merger, Bank of Baroda has become the third largest bank in the country.
India Open 2019 concluded
• The 2019 India Open, officially the YONEX-SUNRISE India Open 2019 badminton tournament concluded.
• It took place in New Delhi, India.
• Viktor Axelsen of Denmark won in the men’s singles category while India’s Srikanth Kidambi became the runners-up.
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• Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand won in Women’s singles category.

Manu Sawhney became Chief Executive of ICC
• Manu Sawhney took over as the International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
• Sawhney has been working alongside the outgoing CEO David Richardson for the last six weeks to ensure a smooth transition
within the organisation.
• Richardson will remain with the ICC until July as originally planned to oversee the delivery of the upcoming Men’s Cricket World
Cup 2019.
Lewis Hamilton won Bahrain Grand Prix 2019
• Five times world champion Lewis Hamilton won Bahrain Grand Prix 2019.
• He defeated Valtteri Bottas of Finland who secured the second position.
• Charles Leclerc was finished at the third position and became Ferrari’s youngest ever race winner at the age of 21.
Asian Airgun Championships
• India ended the 12th Asian Airgun Championships 2019 in Taiyuan, Taipei, with an overall tally of 25 medals including 16 gold, 5
silver, and 4 bronze.
• On the concluding day of the championship, Yash Vardhan and Shreya Agrawal struck gold in the men’s and women’s junior 10m
air rifle event respectively.
• They also won the team gold in the events with their respective partners.
India and Chile Exchange 3 MoUs
• India and Chile signed three MoUs in the fields of mining, culture, and empowerment of persons with disabilities.
• Chile will allow visa-free entry to Indians holding valid US Visa.
• President Kovind participated in India-Chile Business Forum at the University of Chile.
• The two countries also agreed to explore opportunities for other cooperation in the defence sector.
World Autism Awareness Day: 2 April
• World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognized day on the second of April every year.
• The United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day to highlight the need to help
improve the quality of life of those with autism.
• The theme for this year is ‘Assistive Technologies, Active Participation’.
GST recorded highest collection in FY 2018-19
• Total Gross GST revenue collected in the month of March, 2019 is Rs. 1,06,577 crore
• CGST is Rs. 20,353 crore, SGST is Rs.27,520 crore, IGST is Rs.50,418 crore (including Rs. 23,521crore collected on imports) and
Cess is Rs. 8,286 crore (including Rs. 891crore collected on imports).
• The total number of GSTR 3B Returns filed for the month of February up to 31st March, 2019 is 75.95 lakh.
Earth Hour 2019 celebrated worldwide
• Earth Hour 2019 was celebrated in 188 countries worldwide
• To mark this day, cities worldwide turned their lights off for one hour from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm local time.
• It was the 13th edition of Earth hour and the campaign of Earth Hour 2019 was ‘Connect2Earth’
• It was aimed at building mass awareness on the importance of nature and create an unstoppable movement for nature.
South Korea won Azlan Shah Hockey Cup
• South Korea won the Azlan Shah hockey cup 2019 by defeating India.
• South Korea won this for the 3rd time, earlier in 1996 and shared with India in 2010.
• The host country for Azlan Shah hockey cup was Malaysia which finished 3rd after defeating Canada by 4-2 goals.
Sports
• Sanju Samson became the first player to hit a century in the twelfth edition of the Indian Premier League.
• England's Football captain Harry Kane received an MBE award from Prince William at Buckingham Palace following the Three
Lions' World Cup heroics.
• Roger Federer wins Miami Open with 6-1 6-4 victory over John Isner.
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FB launches ‘Why am I seeing this post'?

• Facebook has introduced a new feature titled “Why am I seeing this post”
• This will help users understand and control the kind of posts surfacing on their News Feed from friends, Pages, and Groups.
• This means people will be able to tap on posts and ads in News Feed, get context on why they’re appearing and further take
action to personalize what they see.
IAF MIG-27 (Upgrade) Crash
• An Indian Air Force MiG-27 (Upgrade) aircraft got airborne from Air Force Station Uttarlai, Rajasthan for a routine sortie.
• The aircraft crashed approximately 120 km south of Jodhpur.
• The pilot ejected safely and has been recovered by Search and Rescue helicopter.
• A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the accident.
China launches 2nd gen relay satellite
• China launched its first data relay satellite, the Tianlian I-01
• China has successfully launched the first of its new-generation data relay satellites into orbit that will provide data relay,
measurement, and control services for its manned spacecraft.
• The satellite is developed by the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology
Corporation.
ET Prime Women Leadership Awards 2019
• GIC India's Alice Vaidyan wins ETPrime 'Woman CEO of the Year'.
• Indra Nooyi wins ETPrime 'Global Indian Woman of the Year'.
• Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw wins ETPrime 'Business Woman of the Year'.
• Anu Aga honored with ET Prime 'Lifetime Achievement' Award.
• Meera Sanyal won ET Prime 'Lifetime Achievement' award posthumously.
• Aarthi Subramanian gets ET Prime 'Technology Leader of the Year' award.
Sports
• Elavenil Valarivan dominated the women’s air rifle in winning the gold in the 12th Asian Airgun championships.
• Divyansh dominated the men’s air rifle in winning the gold in the 12th Asian Airgun championships.
• Chelsea striker Gonzalo Higuain has announced his retirement from the Argentina national team.
ISRO’s PSLV-C45 launched today
• ISRO’s PSLV-C45 has successfully put the electronic intelligence satellite EMISAT in the 749 km orbit.
• PSLV-C45 took off from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota with EMISAT as well as 28 satellites from Spain (1), Lithuania
(2), Switzerland (1) and the United States (24) as part of its payload.
• This will be the 47th mission for ISRO’s PSLV programme
Massive Storm in Nepal
• In Nepal, at least 27 persons have been killed and around 500 injured in a massive storm in Bara and Parsa districts.
• Nepal's Ministry of Home Spokesperson RK Subedi told AIR correspondent that 26 people were killed in Bara and one person died
in Parsa district yesterday evening.
• Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expressed grief over loss of lives.
Arab leaders condemn U.S. move on Golan
• Arab leaders condemned on Sunday a U.S. decision to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights and said West Asia’s
stability depended on creating a Palestinian state.
• Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz told Arab monarchs, Presidents and Prime Ministers at the meeting that his country
”absolutely rejects” any measures affecting Syria’s sovereignty over the Golan Height
Int airport in goa suspended by SC
• SC suspends eco clearance for an international airport in Goa.
• The health of the environment is key to preserving the right to life, the Supreme Court has observed in a recent judgment and
suspended the environmental clearance granted for an international airport at Mopa in Goa.
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President visits Pablo Neruda Museum in Chile

• President Ram Nath Kovind visited Pablo Neruda Museum that houses literary works and art collections of renowned Chilean
poet and writer Pablo Neruda.
• He gifted a fountain pen to Museum in recognition of Neruda's fondness for a fountain pen.
• He will hold talks with Sebastian Pinera and discuss issues of mutual interest.
• He will interact with young scientists at the University of Chile.
President in community reception at Santiago
• President Ram Nath Kovind participated in a community reception at Santiago, organized by Indian community and Friends of
India.
• Addressing Members of the Indian Diaspora and Friends of India, said about the universal messages of peace and tolerance
preached by Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Gandhi are increasingly relevant.
• He is on a three-day visit to Chile on the third leg of a 3 nation tour.
Odisha statehood day, Utkal Diwas
• Utkala Dibasa or Odisha Day is celebrated on 1 April across the state with great fervor and gaiety in the memory of the formation
of the state. The Indian state of Odisha came into being on April 1, 1936.
• It is also called Orissa Foundation Day and Vishuva Milan.
• President, Vice President, and Prime Minister have greeted the people of Odisha on the occasion of statehood day, Utkal Diwas.
PNB sells 13.01% stake - housing finance
• PNB is selling part of its stake in PNB Housing Finance to global private equity firm General Atlantic Group and investment firm
Varde Partners for Rs 1,851.60 crore.
• PNB will sell 10.89 million equity shares each to General Atlantic and Varde Partners at Rs 850 per share, aggregating to Rs
1851.60 crore.
• PNB is an Indian multinational banking and financial services founded in 1894
Appointments
• Vivek Gupta has assumed charge as the new Director (Raw Materials & Logistics) at Steel Authority of India.
• Election Commission of India has nominated Vivek Dube as the Central Police Observer for the States of West Bengal and
Jharkhand during General Elections 2019.
• Hitachi Payment Services appoints Rustom Irani as Managing Director
Hyper local connectivity app - Bhonga
• The Mumbai-based company Linkus Infratech has launched a hyper-local connectivity app called "Bhonga" to connect users to
people in their neighborhood in the city even without an Internet connection.
• Bhonga" is a word in the Marathi language that translates to meaning megaphone or loudspeaker.
• The app is in the process of collaborating with partners like blood-banks, ambulances.
Slovakia's first female president
• Zuzana Čaputová, a 45-year-old lawyer and anti-corruption campaigner, won 58.4% of the votes in Saturday’s poll and will take
office in June.
• She campaigned on the platform of ‘humanism, solidarity, and truth’.
• She was a civil activist best known for blocking a planned landfill site in her home town in and played a role in protests after the
murder of journalist Ján Kuciak.
NAACP Awards II
• This Is America – Childish Gambino won Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album
• “Black Panther” won Outstanding Motion Picture
• Ryan Coogler won Outstanding Director in a motion picture for “Black Panther"
• Boseman won Outstanding Actor in a motion picture for “Black Panther”
• Amandla Stenberg won Outstanding Actress in a motion picture for 'The Hate U Give'.
NAACP Awards I
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• The 50th Annual NAACP Image Awards were Held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
• Beyonce was named Entertainer of the Year.
• Power Won the Outstanding Drama Series.
• Omari Hardwick received Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for Power.
• Taraji P. Henson won Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for “Empire”.
• “Becoming” – Michelle Obama won Outstanding Literary Work-Biography/Autobiography
US museum to feature Dylan’s paintings
• A Tulsa museum will soon open a new Bob Dylan exhibit that will showcase 12 pastel portraits the musician painted, handwritten
songs lyrics, an electric guitar.
• The Gilcrease Museum will display “Bob Dylan: Face Value and Beyond” from May 10 to Sept. 15.
• He’s best known for his music, also a writer of prose, a filmmaker, and someone who has been involved in the visual arts for
decades
May 2019
Goldman Sachs invests $250 mn in India
• New York-based investment and financial services major Goldman Sachs has pumped in $250 million to construct one of its
largest global workspaces in Bengaluru.
• The Bengaluru office has grown in size and technological sophistication to become an incubator of talent for our businesses
around the globe - David M. Solomon (The global investment bank’s chairman and CEO).
Modi changes 40% of Ministry
• In the Union cabinet, 2019 Modi changes the 40% of Ministry; debutants hog the show.
• In Modi's new Cabinet, one-third of the total ministers are debutants, including BJP president Amit Shah and former foreign
secretary S Jaishankar.
• While G S Shekhawat and Giriraj Singh have been promoted, Anurag Thakur is a replacement for JP Nadda from Himachal
Pradesh.
South Korea U18s stripped of trophy
• South Korea Under-18s football team have been stripped of a trophy for "immoral" celebrations after a player posed for a photo
with his foot on it.
• South Korea beat China by 3-0 to win the Panda Cup but the team was forced to apologize after they were criticized online for
the "unforgivable" images.
• Even the tournament organizers suggested South Korea would not be invited back.
South Africa slashes cabinet size
• South Africa slashes cabinet size, appoints 50% women in the cabinet
• South African President Cyril Ramaphosa cut the number of cabinet ministers from 36 to 28, in a move he said would tackle the
country's "bloated" government and improve efficiency.
• Half the new ministers are women, making South Africa one of the world's few gender-balanced governments.
Sachin Bansal joins Ujjivan Bank as director
• The founder of Flipkart, Sachin Bansal joins Ujjivan Small Finance Bank as director.
• Ujjivan Small Finance Bank is chasing a plan to upgrade itself into a state-of-the-art mass-market bank.
• This is the second big futuristic move by Ujjivan management after it roped in HDFC Bank’s digital banking head Nitin Chugh as its
next chief executive.
Adm Karambir Singh takes over as Navy Chief
• Admiral Karambir Singh took over as the Chief of Naval Staff today with a career spanning over 37 years.
• Karambir Singh served as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff at the headquarters in New Delhi before moving to Vishakhapatnam last
year as the Eastern Naval Commander.
Del Potro beat Nishiokal in five set battle
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• Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro makes the sign of the cross as he celebrates after winning against Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka
during their men's singles second round match on day five of The Roland Garros 2019 French Open tennis tournament in Paris.
• Juan Martin del Potro was pushed to the limit before eventually taming Japan’s plucky Yoshihito Nishioka to reach the French
Open third round.
Young scientists to advise apex council
• The principal scientific advisor to the PM is putting together a team of young researchers who would act as sounding boards for
new ideas and help implement the country’s scientific missions.
• The Prime Minister’s Science,Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PMSTIAC) has 21 members including senior
researchers and government officials, who help develop and implement various missions.
Four allies to hold fourth quadrilateral meet
• India, US,Japan, and Australia are set to meet for the fourth time and with the latest quadrilateral meet set to occur in Bangkok.
• India has said the quadrilateral meeting is a consultative process, not a military alliance.
• The issues for discussion during the last meeting were on expected lines centered on the Indo-Pacific. It means free passage for
ships and a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Tech gaint slam UK proposal on encrypted chat
• Top tech giants, including Apple, Google and Microsoft have slammed a proposal by the UK intelligence agency GCHQ to snoop
on users' encrypted chats.
• In an open letter published on Lawfare, a group of 47 tech firms on Thursday criticised the move, asking the agency to abandon
its plans for a so-called "ghost protocol".
6 Indian origin students win US Spell Bee
• Six Indian-origin students are among the eight participants who won the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee, taking home
more than USD 50,000 in cash and prizes, after defeating over 550 other contestants in an unprecedented competition in the US.
• It is the first time in the 94-year history of the competition that more than two co-champions have been named. It is a high
profile test.
FICCI forecasts India's GDP at 7.1% for FY20
• The country's median GDP is forecast at 7.1 percent for FY20 and 7.2 percent for FY 21.
• The industry body FICCI's economic outlook survey said that the minimum and maximum growth estimate stood at 6.8 percent
and 7.3 percent, for 2019-20.
• The survey was conducted in May 2019 among economists belonging to the industry, banking, and financial services sectors.
India concludes best ISSF WC performance
• In Shooting, India topped the medals tally with five golds and a silver at the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany.
• Second-placed China bagged nine medals two gold, two silver, and five bronze medals.
• India gold medallists included Apurvi Chandela in the Women's 10 meters Air Rifle, Rahi Sarnobat in the Women's 25m Pistol and
Saurabh Chaudhary in the men's 10m Air Pistol.
UN extends sanctions against South Sudan
• The UN Security Council has extended an arms embargo and sanctions on South Sudan for a year, despite resistance from African
countries, Russia and China.
• A US-drafted resolution was adopted by a vote of 10 in favor with five abstentions. Resolutions in the 15-member council require
a minimum of nine votes for adoption.
World No Tobacco Day- 31st May
• The focus of World No Tobacco Day 2019 is on "tobacco and lung health."
• The campaign will increase awareness on the negative impact that tobacco has on people’s lung health, from cancer to chronic
respiratory disease, the fundamental role lungs play for the health and well-being of all people.
• The campaign also serves as advocating for a effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.
US warns India on missile deal with Russia
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• India's decision to buy the long-range S-400 missile defense system from Russia will have serious implications on defence ties, the
Trump administration has warned.
• The S-400 is known as Russia's most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system.
• China was the first foreign buyer to seal a government-to-government deal with Russia in 2014 to procure the lethal missile
system.
New govt's first defence buy to be NUH
• The Rs 21,738-crore procurement of 111 light Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH) for the Navy is on track to be the first big
procurement of the new (NDA) government.
• At least three international original equipment manufacturers submitted proposals to build their helicopters through an Indian
industry designated as strategic partner (SP).
Trump announces new Mexican tariffs
• President Trump announced that he is slapping a 5% tariff on all Mexican imports, effective June 10, to pressure the country to
do more to crack down on the surge of Central American migrants trying to cross the US border.
• Trump has accused the Mexican government of failing to do enough to halt the flow of Central American migrants from countries
like El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala.
PM's to meet President of the Kyrgyz Republic
• President of the Kyrgyz Republic, H.E Sooronbay Sharipovich Jeenbekov, graced the Swearing-in Ceremony of PM Shri Narendra
Modi.
• Kyrgyzstan is the current Chair of Shanghai Cooperation Organization and is an important partner of India in Central Asia.
• President Jeenbekov reiterated the invitation for him to visit Kyrgyzstan for the SCO Summit and a bilateral visit during 13-15
June 2019.
US to end India's GSP trade program
• President Donald Trump announced in March he would end India's access Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) trade
program over what the U.S. said was lack of access to India's market.
• The program allows emerging countries to export goods to the US without paying duties.
• The official said the benefits could be restored if India gave U.S companies fair and equitable access to its markets.
Goa celebrates its statehood day.
• Goa celebrated its statehood day on 30th May.
• It was on this day in 1987 Goa became the 25th state of the Indian Union.
• Before this, Goa, along with Daman and Diu, was a union territory. Statehood helped in shaping Goa’s distinct identity.
• It’s a day to reflect on people’s achievements and evolve a strategy to achieve a prosperous and advanced state - Pramod
Sawant, Goa chief minister.
Europa League final: Chelsea beat Arsenal 4-1
• Chelsea got the better of its English Premier League rivals to win the Europa League final Wednesday, beating Arsenal 4-1 in the
Baku Olympic Stadium.
• Chelsea won their fifth major Uefa European competition final, with only Liverpool winning more among eight English clubs.
Godfather actor Carmine Caridi dies aged 85
• Carmine Caridi, known for roles in The Godfather franchise, has died at the age of 85.
• The actor, who played Carmine Rosato in The Godfather: Part II and Albert Volpe in The Godfather: Part III, died
• He also appeared in several television shows, such as ’70s sitcom Phyllis and NYPD Blue from 1993-1999.
Imbibe skills for techno-driven warfare.
• Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa,on 30May reviewed the Passing Out Parade of 136th Course at the National Defence Academy at
Khadakwasla.
• This included 218 Army cadets, 34 Navy cadets and 39 Air Force cadets. 15 cadets from the friendly foreign countries
of Afghanistan, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Maldives, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea also passed out from the academy.
Fastag can be Purchased Online through Amazon
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• FASTags are now available on e-commerce platform Amazon. These were earlier launched by IHMCL, a company promoted by
NHAI.
• FASTag is a ‘bank-neutral’ FASTag i.e. no bank is pre-assigned to the FASTag at the time of purchase by a customer from a Point-
of-Sale or Online.
• It offers the flexibility to the customer to link the FASTag with their existing bank account by using My FASTag Mobile app.
Science books released by Secretary DST
• Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Prof. Ashutosh Sharma released four popular science books published by
Vigyan Prasar.
• Books were released at a function held at Indian National Science Academy (INSA) in New Delhi.
• The books released were ‘Voyage to Antarctica’, ‘Story of Consciousness’, ‘An Autobiography of Moon’ and 'Sambhu Nath De -
The Discovery of Cholera Toxin’.
AK Jain: Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief
• Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain takes over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command from Vice Admiral
Karambir Singh.
• A Gunnery and Missile Specialist, he has held various Operational, Staff and Command Appointments in the course of his
distinguished career spanning over 37 years.
• He was awarded Vishisht Seva Medal in 2009 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2015.
Workshop for PRC organised by Health Ministry
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is organizing a two-day orientation workshop for Population Research Centres (PRCs)
• This program is to highlight the various features of the flagship schemes of the Health Ministry for concurrent monitoring.
• The PRCs are autonomous in nature and administratively under the control of their host University/Institutions.
Manu Bhaker clinches Tokyo Olympics quota.
• Manu Bhaker was able to capture Olympic quota place in women’s air pistol in the shooting World Cup in Munich on 29th May
although she missed a medal by 0.1 point
• Despite shooting a 10.3, the best among the four shooters at the halfway stage of the final, Manu bowed out as she was
overtaken by the slender margin by Anna Korakaki of Greece, the eventual gold-medallist.
'Hawa Aane De' launched to spread awareness.
• Union Environment Ministry on 29th May launched the song 'Hawa Aane De' to spread awareness about Air pollution.
• The song was launched by Secretary, Ministry of Environment C K Mishra ahead of the World Environment Day on 5th of June.
• The theme of Environment Day for 2019 is Air Pollution.
Pasta-like rocks best bet for life on Mars.
• Rocks on the surface of Mars that look like layers of pasta may be the most obvious sign of life on the Red Planet, a NASA-funded
study suggests.
• The bacterium that controls the formation of such rocks on Earth is ancient and thrives in harsh environments that are similar to
conditions on Mars, according to the study published in the journal Astrobiology.
No 10% EWS quota for PG medical courses in MH
• The Supreme Court on Thursday said that 10 per cent EWS quota cannot be applied to PG medical courses in Maharashtra for the
academic year 2019-20.
• A vacation bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose said 10 per cent EWS quota cannot be granted at the
cost of others unless additional seats are created by the Medical Council of India.
Narendra Modi to take oath as PM for 2nd term.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take the oath of Office and Secrecy along with a new Council of Ministers for his second
consecutive term.
• The function will be attended by Governors, Chief Ministers, Opposition leaders, a galaxy of leaders from BIMSTEC countries and
foreign envoys.
• Over 6,000 guests are expected to attend the ceremony.
Food delivery apps drowning China in plastic
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• The food delivery apps in China have become the major reason for the astronomical growth of plastic in China.
• People in China generate less plastic waste, per capita, than America, a report said, but researchers predict that nearly three-
quarters of China’s plastic waste ends up in badly managed landfills or out in the open, where it can easily make its way into the
sea.
US jets are in China’s rare earth firing line
• China’s grip on the global market for rare-earth metals gives it the ability to target American weaponry in its trade war with the
US.
• Everything from Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet to guided missiles and lasers used to determine targets rely
on the elements to perform key functions.
World’s tiniest surviving baby born in US.
• A California hospital on 29th May 2019 disclosed the birth of the world’s smallest baby ever to survive, weighing a mere 245
gms the same as a large apple when she was born.
• The girl, nicknamed Saybie by hospital staff in San Diego.
• The father was told by doctors that he would have about an hour with his daughter before she passed away.
Jagan Reddy sworn in as Andhra Pradesh CM
• YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has taken oath as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on 30th May 2019.
• Governor ESL Narasimhan administered him the oath of office and secrecy at Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium in Vijayawada.
• In his maiden address as chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, he announced that he would create one lakh 60,000 jobs by October
in 2019.
China DB leaks 42.5m records from dating apps
• As many as 42.5 million records of users of different dating apps were found in a single Chinese database that doesnt have a
password protection, a security researcher has said.
• Jeremiah Fowler on May 25 discovered a non password protected Elastic database that was clearly associated with dating apps
based on the names of the folders.
Israel to hold fresh polls
• It is the first time in the country's history that a Prime Minister-designate has failed to form a coalition.
• In an unprecedented development, Israeli lawmakers have voted to dissolve Parliament after Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government before a midnight deadline, triggering a fresh general election to be held on
September 17.
Rupee rises 12 paise to 69.71 against Dollar
• The rupee opened strong at 69.76 at the Interbank Forex market then gained further ground to touch 69.71 per dollar amid
positive opening in domestic equities, displaying gains of 12 p against the greenback.
• The rupee appreciated by 12p to 69.71 against the U.S dollar in opening trade on may 30,driven by positive opening in domestic
equities and weakening of the greenback in overseas markets.
Mahathir urges US to talk with China
• Mr. Mahathir warned that conflict between the U.S. and China would only lead to “greater destruction.”
• Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday called for talks to resolve the ongoing trade dispute between
Washington and Beijing and urged the world to accept China’s technological prowess.
Taiwan military trains for a Chinese invasion
• Taiwanese tanks and soldiers have fired at simulated Chinese forces in an anti-invasion drill on the island’s coast.
• The live-fire drill in southern Taiwan is part of an ongoing annual exercise designed to showcase the military’s capabilities and
resolve to repel an attack from across the Taiwan Strait.
P-notes investments rises to ₹81,220 crore
• Till April-end, ₹58,820 crore was invested in the equities segment
• There is a rise of 3.98% in the total value of P-notes investment from the previous month.
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• Participatory notes(P-notes) are issued by registered foreign portfolio investors(FPIs) to overseas investors who wish to be a part
of the Indian stock market without registering themselves directly going through a due diligence process
Sundar Pichai turned down a big stock award.
• The Google CEO hasn’t received an equity award in more than two years. A key reason is that Pichai turned down a big new grant
of restricted stock in 2018 because he felt he was already paid generously, according to a person familiar with the decision.
• Since 2016 big stock award, Sundar Pichai has collected a $650,000 annual salary and typical CEO perks such as the cost of
personal security
legislation to protect work permits for H-4
• H-4 visas are issued to the spouses of H-1B visa holders, a significant number of high-skilled professionals from India.
• H-4 visa holders had obtained work permits under a special order issued by the previous Obama administration.
• The H-1B offers temporary US visas that allow companies to hire highly skilled foreign professionals working in areas with
shortages of qualified American workers.
NMDC’S 4TH Quarter results
• NMDC has produced and sold 32.36 million tonnes of iron ore during 2018-19 against production of 35.58 million tonnes and
sales of 36.08 million tonnes during previous year.
• The Company’s turnover for the year 2018-19 is Rs. 12,153 crore against Rs. 11,615 crore during 2017-18, registering a growth of
5%.
Admiral Sunil Lanba retires on 31st May.
• Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba will retire on 31st May after the completion of his tenure.
• During his tenure, he set the tone for several transitions in operational, training & organizational philosophy of the Indian Navy.
• He has also steered the implementation of the new transition cycle which facilitated the improvement of the overall readiness of
ships in undertaking operational tasking.
SBI sees opportunities in cash crisis of NBFC
• India’s shadow lenders have been under pressure since last year
• Privately-owned banks are also showing greater caution, providing another opportunity for SBI.
• India’s largest lender is hoping to capitalize on the country’s shadow banking crisis by building its mortgage and small business
loan book as the non-banks are forced to pull back.
TCS bats for FMCG-like valuation
• Peers say tech spending tied to global growth and any talk of re-rating sector is premature.
• Tata Consultancy Services Ltd believes that it is time money managers re-look at how they have valued the company, which in
the year ended March 2019 overtook DXC Technology Co., to become the world’s third largest IT services firm.
Pema Khandu sworn as Arunachal Pradesh CM
• Pema Khandu, who pitchforked into politics after the death of his father in a helicopter crash eight years ago, was on Wednesday
sworn in as the first Chief Minister of an elected Bharatiya Janata Party government in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Apart from Mr Khandu, Governor Brigadier (Retd.) B.D. Mishra administered the oath of office and secrecy to Chown Mein as the
Deputy Chief Minister.
Naveen Patnaik takes oath as Odisha CM
• Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik was sworn in as Chief Minister of Odisha for the fifth consecutive term in
Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.
• As many as 20 other members of the new Council of Ministers were also sworn in at the ceremony held at the Exhibition Ground.
The Council of Ministers has 10 new faces, including two women.
Software helps unearthen illegal abortions
• Every pregnant woman has to register on a software PICME (Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation) It was one
such registration in Kadaladi Primary Health Centre PHC that helped officials zero in on illegal abortions in Tiruvannamalai.
• It is a project implemented by the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. It is mandatory for pregnant women to
register.
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Apple unveils first new iPod model

• Apple on May 28 introduced its first new iPod model in four years, highlighting music and games as it continued to make a
priority of serving up digital content.
• The new-generation iPod touch, essentially an iPhone without the phone calls, was available in more than two dozen countries at
Apple's online shop starting at $199.
Jio GigaFiber Tops Netflix ISP Index
• The Netflix ISP Index is a measure of Netflix Prime Time performance on particular internet service providers.
• This is what sets this test from Netflix apart from other tests which calculate the performance of ISPs on different parameters.
• Now, Netflix has released the ISP Index report for April and Reliance Jio GigaFiber is leading the chart for the eight consecutive
time.
IIT-Madras alumni appointed new CTO of Walmart
• Suresh Kumar's appointment comes as Walmart is undertaking major investments in its e-commerce business.
• Suresh Kumar was associated with Google where he was serving as vice president and general manager of display, video, app ads
and analytics.
• He holds a Bachelor of Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, and a PhD in engineering from Princeton
University.
Airtel,Jio in advance stage of testing VoWiFi
• Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJio) are in advanced stages of testing Voice over WiFi (VoWiFi) services.
• VoWiFi technology allows users to connect without a mobile signal as the technology eliminates mobile blackspots by allowing
users to make and receive calls over WiFi or wireless internet connections.
• OTT players like WhatsApp are currently offering this service or feature.
Bailey launches Digital Dilemma in Hindi
• John Bailey, President of Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (popularly known as Oscar Academy), e-launched the Hindi
translation of an Academy Publication, "Digital Dilemma", in Delhi.
• John Bailey said that the translation of the Academy publication into Hindi is important in order to reach out to film fraternity in
India.
Ola Electric appoints Arun Sarin
• Ola Electric has announced the appointment of Arun Sarin as an independent director on its board.
• Arun is the former CEO of Vodafone Group and serves on the boards of Cisco Systems, Accenture, Charles Schwab, and Ola’s
parent company ANI Technologies.
• Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons, invested in Ola Electric as a part of the entity's Series A funding.
Ivo is the oldest man to win at Roland
• Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic became the oldest man to win a match at the French Open for 46 years, as he beat Spain’s fellow veteran
Feliciano Lopez in a first-round duel.
• Karlovic became the oldest man to win, since Torben Ulrich in 1973 at the age of 44. He is also the oldest male player to win a
Grand Slam match since Ken Rosewall, also 44, did so at the 1978 Australian Open.
PM Modi To Host Xi Jinping For An Summit
• PM Modi will host Chinese President Xi Jinping this year for an informal summit, a foreign ministry spokesman said after meeting
several times over the past year to try to defuse tension.
• The two held their first informal summit in Wuhan in April 2018 and at that meeting President Jinping had accepted PM Modi's
invitation to come to India for a second meeting.
India updated travel advisory for SL
• The External Affairs Ministry says the security situation is gradually returning to normal in the island nation but Indian nationals
travelling there need to be careful and vigilant.
• It said that Indian nationals requiring any assistance can get in touch round the clock with the High Commission in Colombo, the
Assistant High Commission in Kandy and the Consulates in Jaffna and Hambantota.
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Army Conducts CSA Camp 2019

• Western Command Children Summer Adventure Camp 2019 is being organised at Manali from 27 May to 02 June 2019.
• The seven day camp is being conducted under the aegis of Rising Star Brigade.
• This camp aims to provide a wholesome outdoor exposure to young boys and girls through educational, recreational and
adventure activities.
BS Dhanoa will be Chairman COSC
• Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa received the baton of Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee from
outgoing Chairman COSC
• Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, an alumnus of Rashtriya Indian Military College and the National Defence Academy,
was commissioned in the Flying Branch of Indian Air Force in June 1978.
Agreement for Rajasthan with World Bank
• India signs Loan Agreement with the World Bank for Strengthening the Public Financial Management in Rajasthan Project.
• The objective is to improve Budget execution, enhanced accountability and greater efficiency in Revenue Administration in
Rajasthan
• Project size is USD 31 million, USD 21.7 million will be financed by the World Bank& USD 9.3 million by State Budget. Tenure -5
years
US Rules Out Exemptions from Iranian Sanctions
• The US has ruled out giving any exemption from its punitive sanctions to some countries for buying oil from Iran, saying America's
maximum pressure campaign was working and the Trump administration remains unwavering in its tough policy on Tehran.
• US President Trump l refused to give waivers to countries like India from buying oil from Iran in an attempt to reduce Iran's oil
exports to zero.
Ancient supernova led humans to walk
• Cosmic energy bombarded by supernovae eight million years ago may have triggered a chain of events that eventually led to
ancient humans walk on two legs, a study claims.
• The research, published in the Journal of Geology, suggests that the supernovae initiated an avalanche of electrons in the lower
atmosphere.
Chaudhary Charan Singh's death anniversary
• Former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh's death anniversary is being observed on 29th May.
• Also known as the champion of peasants, Charan Singh died in 1987.
• He played a critical role in politics post-independence and served as the 5th Prime Minister of India.
• His cremation site is remembered as Kisan Ghat, memorializing the work he did for the farming communities of India.
Mississippi floods longest ,1927 Great Flood
• In the US, Mississippi River flooding has affected at least eight states since January, and it has become the longest-lasting since
the "Great Flood" of 1927.
• Many parts of the lower Ohio and lower Mississippi river valleys have received more than two feet of rain.
• Hundreds of people died in the 1927 flooding, which remains the benchmark flood event for the country's biggest river.
International Day of UN Peacekeepers, 29 May
• The first UN peacekeeping mission was established on 29th May 1948.
• The objective is to pay tribute to the invaluable contribution by the uniformed and civilian personnel and to honour more than
3,800 peacekeepers who have lost their lives while rendering peacekeeping services.
• The theme of 2019 is “Protecting Civilians, Protecting Peace”.
Papua New Guinea PM resigns
• Papua New Guinea’s embattled Prime minister stepped down capping a months-long political crisis and calling a multi-billion-
dollar French and US-backed gas deal into question.
• Apart Facing a string of cabinet resignations and a vote of no confidence he looked sure to lose, veteran leader Peter O’Neill told
parliament he had handed his letter of resignation to the country’s governor general.
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RBI extends last cut-off timing for RTGS

• The Reserve Bank of India has extended the last cut-off timing for customer transactions through Real Time Gross Settlement
Systems (RTGS) from 4.30pm to 6pm on all working days, effective June 1, 2019.
• The transactions will now take place under three windows.No Charges for first window and for second and third additional
charges has been set at Rs.2 and Rs.5 respectively.
FY20 to be SBI's turning point
• The use of technology in delivering banking services has become more broad-based.
• This financial year, FY20, will be a turning point for State Bank of India (SBI) as the bank will direct its efforts to achieve a more
sustainable mix of business, domestically and in overseas operations.
• SBI posted a profit of Rs. 838.40 crore for the fourth quarter of FY19.
US removes India from its currency watch list
• India maintains ample reserves according to the IMF metrics for reserve adequacy, the US treasury department said in a report.
• India for the first time was placed by the US in its currency monitoring list of countries with potentially questionable foreign
exchange policies in May 2018 along with five other countries i.e Switzerland, China, Japan, South Korea and Germany,
Lokpal launches competition for its logo
• The newly created anti-corruption ombudsman, Lokpal, has launched a competition for its logo and motto.
• It has sought entries and is offering a cash prize of Rs 25,000.
• The language for the motto/slogan could be Hindi/ Sanskrit/ English.
• The entries will be evaluated by a selection committee which would be constituted by the Lokpal.
FIDE to restore Elo ratings of Indian players
• The World Chess Federation (FIDE) has decided to restore the Elo ratings of dozens of Indian players, whose ratings were banned
by the All-India Chess Federation (AICF) nearly a decade ago.
• The country's national chess body (AICF) had banned several players for taking part in tournaments conducted by rival chess
association and in unrecognised events.
Nasheed nominated as new Speaker
• In Maldives, former President Mohamed Nasheed has been nominated as speaker of new parliament or Majlis.
• Mr. Nasheed leads the Maldives Democratic Party (MDP).
• Another MDP MP Eva Abdulla has been nominated for the post of deputy speaker.
• As per the constitution of Maldives, the new MPs are supposed to elect a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker from its members by
secret ballot.
Obituaries
• Veeru Devgan, one of the most celebrated action and stunts directors in Bollywood, passed away in Mumbai in 2019.
• He is the father of Bollywood actor Ajay Devgan.
• Kalpana Dash, the first woman mountaineer from Odisha passed away in 2019.
Tribunal for adjudicating ban on LTTE est
• The government has constituted the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal to adjudicate whether or not there is sufficient
cause for declaring the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as an unlawful association.
• The Tribunal is comprised of Delhi High Court Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal.
• The government of India has extended ban on LTTE in India for a period of five years.
CIC directed RBI to provide loan defau. names
• The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the RBI to disclose the list of big loan defaulters it had sent to banks for
resolution.
• The CIC’s directive came while deciding on a plea by Lucknow-based activist Nutan Thakur.
• The RBI had accordingly directed banks to file insolvency applications against 12 large accounts comprising about 25% of the total
NPAs.
Fiat, Renault pursue merger of $35 billion
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• Fiat Chrysler announced that it will look to pursue a $35 billion merger with French automaker Renault.
• The merger would mean the creation of the world's third-largest automaker by sales.
• It will displace Daimler from its current position behind Toyota and Volkswagen with an estimated 8.7 million deliveries.
Manmohan won't be nominated in Rajya Sabha
• Former PM Manmohan Singh, who has represented Assam in the Rajya Sabha for the last 28 years, will not be nominated to the
Parliament's Upper House this time.
• The party will not nominate anyone because it does not have the numbers in the Assam Assembly.
• Manmohan's current term will end on June 14, 2019.
Rahi Sarnobat won gold in WC
• Indian shooter Rahi Sarnobat won the gold in 25m Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup 2019 in Munich.
• She also sealed a quota place for India in the event for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
• Rahi scored a total of 37, beating Ukraine's Olena Kostevych, who was champion at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Govt projected rise in non-GST revenue
• The Centre has projected a sharp increase of 26.6% in non-Goods and Services Tax collection in 2022-23.
• In the same year, total GST collection is expected to gross Rs 9,80,807 crore, a growth of just 2.3% compared to 12.1% and
12.3% in FY21 and FY22, respectively.
• The government has estimated to mop up Rs 7.61 lakh crore in GST collection during 2019-20.
Rivers loaded with antibiotics waste
• Rivers worldwide are polluted with antibiotics that exceed environmental safety thresholds by up to 300 times, according to
research.
• Scientists found one or more common antibiotics in two-thirds of 711 samples taken from rivers in 72 countries.
• At one location in Bangladesh, concentrations of another widely used antibiotic, metronidazole, were 300 times above the limit.
Malaysia's last male Rhino died
• Malaysia’s last male Sumatran rhinoceros died on May 27, dashing efforts to save the critically endangered species in the
country.
• The rhino, named Tam, was about 30 years old and lived at a wildlife reserve in Sabah state on Borneo island since his capture in
2008.
• Another female rhino, Puntung, died in captivity in 2017.
AI adoption to double productivity by 2021
• Adoption of AI is expected to help double the rate of industrial innovation and may result in over two times jump in employee
productivity in India by 2021.
• The study was conducted by research firm IDC on behalf of Microsoft.
• Organisations that have adopted AI saw tangible improvements in the range of 8-22% in areas like customer engagement,
margins, and competitiveness.
Pema Khandu to take oath as CM of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Pema Khandu will be sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh on 29 May 2019 for the second time.
• After having a landslide victory in the Assembly elections with 41 seats in the 60-seat house, the BJP held it's Legislature Party
Meeting in Itanagar on 27 May 2019.
• Mr. Khandu met Governor Dr. BD Mishra and staked claim to form the government.
IAF all-woman crew flies Mi-17 chopper
• On 27 May 2019, an all-woman crew of Indian Air Force (IAF) flew a Mi-17 V5 helicopter for the first time in India.
• Flight Lieutenant Parul Bhardwaj (Captain), Flying Officer Aman Nidhi (co-pilot) and Flight Lieutenant Hina Jaiswal (flight engineer)
were part of the crew.
• The crew flew the helicopter for a Battle Inoculation Training Mission at a forward airbase in South Western Air Command.
Saurabh Chaudhary won gold
• In ISSF shooting World Cup 2019, in Munich Germany, India's Saurabh Chaudhary has won 10m Air Pistol Gold.
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• He scored 246.3 bettering his previous best of 245 points that was set in New Delhi World Cup Shooting in February this year.
• He has already secured a berth for the Tokyo Olympics.
• This is India's second Gold in the championship.
India elected in UN Executive Board
• India has been elected to the Executive Board of the first UN-Habitat Assembly.
• It was elected at the Plenary Session of the Assembly which started on 27 May 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya.
• The special theme for the UN-Habitat Assembly is Innovation for Better Quality of Life in Cities and Communities.
IAF Chief lead missing man formation
• Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa led a four aircraft, MiG-21 'Missing Man' formation flypast at Bhatinda, Punjab.
• It was done to honour the valour and supreme sacrifice of men killed in action during Operation Safed Sagar at Kargil.
4 new Delhi HC court judge took oath
• 4 new Delhi High Court judges, including a woman judge, were sworn in, taking the working strength of the court to 40.
• Justices Talwant Singh, Rajnish Bhatnagar, Asha Menon and Brijesh Sethi were administered the oath by Delhi High Court Chief
Justice Rajendra Menon.
• The Delhi High Court has an approved strength of 60 and faces a shortage of 20 judges.
DRDO successfully test fired AKASH-MK-1S
• DRDO successfully test fired AKASH-MK-1S missile from ITR, Chandipur, Odisha on 25 and 27 May 2019.
• AKASH-MK-1S is an upgrade of existing AKASH missile with indigenous Seeker.
• AKASH-MK-1S is a surface to air missile which can neutralize advanced aerial targets.
• The Akash weapon system has combination of both command guidance and active terminal seeker guidance.
Telangana to have 1st blockchain district
• Telangana will have 1st blockchain district.
• Land at subsidised rates, funding of research and regulatory and policy support are among the features of Telangana
government's draft Blockchain Policy.
• It is aimed at wooing firms and startups in the field to set up shop in the state.
New bullet train model hit record speed
• A new model of bullet train set to enter service ahead of the Tokyo Olympics hit a record speed of 360 kilometers (224 miles) per
hour in a test run.
• The N700s is the first new model of bullet train on Japan’s busiest line for almost a decade.
• The train is lighter and uses less energy than current designs, as well as boasts additional safety features in case of earthquakes.
Papua New Guinea's PM resigned
• Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill resigned following a string of high-profile political defections that threatened his
leadership.
• Neill - who had been in power since 2011 - handed over the reins to Julius Chan, who has twice been prime minister.
Motilal AMC launches WhatsApp trans. platform
• Motilal Oswal Asset Management Company launched its WhatsApp transaction platform for new as well as existing investors.
• It is the first of its kind initiative by any fund house in India to do mutual fund transactions through the messaging app.
• The investor through his/her registered number can initiate a transaction in Motilal Oswal MF funds just by typing a salutation.
Rs. 1 cr. fine on 25 states, UTs
• More than 25 states and Union Territories face environmental compensation of ₹1 crore each.
• They were fined for not submitting action plans on systematic disposal of plastic waste to the Central Pollution Control Board.
• The National Green Tribunal had ordered them to submit action plans by April 30, failing which they would have to pay
compensation at the rate of ₹1 crore/month.
DPIIT to cut startup compliance time to 1 hr
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• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has proposed to reduce compliance time for startups to one
hour per month.
• Currently, startups comply with requirements like GST filings, tax returns and local laws every month.
• Reduction in compliance time can enable startups to focus on their core work.
P.S. Golay: New CM of Sikkim
• Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) president Prem Singh Tamang, or P.S. Golay, on May 27 took oath as the Chief Minister of Sikkim.
• He was administered the oath by Governor Ganga Prasad at Paljor Stadium.
• Mr. Golay is not a member of the State Assembly at present as he did not contest the polls.
L.V. Navaneeth: CEO of The Hindu
• L.V. Navaneeth will be taking over as the new CEO of The Hindu from June 1, 2019, on completion of the term of the incumbent
CEO and MD, Rajiv C. Lochan.
• Mr. Navaneeth served this organisation between 1998 and 2006 in a senior position in Advertising and Marketing.
Lewis Hamilton won Monaco Grand Prix
• Lewis Hamilton won the Monaco Grand Prix 2019 in a triumphant tribute to his Mercedes team’s late Formula One great Niki
Lauda.
• Mercedes, who extended their winning run to six, lead Ferrari by 118 points in the constructors’ standings.
• Hamilton has 137 to 120 for Bottas, with Vettel moving up to third place on 82.
11 Indians got notices from Switzerland
• Since March, at least 25 notices have been issued by the Swiss authorities to Indian clients of Switzerland-based banks.
• They have been given one last chance to appeal against sharing of their details with India.
• It is being done to increase transparency and prevent cross-border tax evasion.
Odisha govt to sponsor Indian hockey teams
• Both the men and women's Indian hockey team will be sponsored by the state government of Odisha.
• The announcement was made by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in New Delhi.
• The state government has decided to support the team for a period of five years.
Sagar Kasana scaled Mt. Everest
• A Ghaziabad-based mountaineer, Sagar Kasana, has scaled Mount Everest, the world's highest peak.
• He unfurled the Indian flag at the summit at 10.15 a.m. on May 22, 2019.
• Sagar, along with Krick Wood from Australia, Alexander from Russia and Evan Tommo from Bulgaria, reached the third base camp
on May 4.
• On the way to the peak, Tommo died due to altitude sickness.
Whatsapp to put ads on status in 2020
• WhatsApp Status will start displaying ads from 2020, the messaging platform's parent firm Facebook has confirmed.
• Its already monetized WhatsApp Business app will get richer messaging formats, including viewing text alongside image or PDF in
a single message.
Octopus-inspired wearable sensors
• Scientists from Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea have developed flexible wearable sensors.
• They stick to the skin, paving the way for novel health trackers that could monitor a variety of human activities.
• It could monitor an array of human activities, including electrocardiogram signals, pulse and speech patterns.
Men's compound team won bronze
• The men's compound team of Rajat Chauhan, Abhishek Verma and Aman Saini won a bronze medal in the Archery World Cup
Stage III at Antalya in Turkey.
• The trio put up a solid performance to edge out higher seeded Russian team of Anton Bulaev, Alexander Dambaev and Pavel
Krylov 235-230 in the bronze medal play-off.
Mahesh Mangaonkar won Sekisui Open
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• In squash, India's Mahesh Mangaonkar triumphed for the second time in the Sekisui Open 2019 in Kriens, Switerzland.
• Sekisui Open is a Challenger tour event of the Professional Squash Association (PSA).
• Top-seeded Mahesh beat third seed Bernat Jaume of Spain in four games 11-9, 3-11, 11-5, 11-5 to win his 8th PSA title.
China won 2019 Sudirman Cup
• China won the badminton world mixed-team championship, Sudirman Cup 2019 in Nanning.
• They beat Japan in men's doubles, women's singles and men's singles to clinch the title for the 11th time.
• In the latest Men' singles match Shi Yuqi stunned world champion Kento Momota 15-21, 21-5,21-11.
• Japan has never won the Sudirman Cup.
Apurvi won gold in ISSF World Cup
• Apurvi Chandela grabbed a gold, winning the women's 10m Air Rifle competition in the ISSF World Cup 2019.
• She shot a score of 251 in the final to outshine Wang Luyao of China, who shot 250.8.
• Manu Bhaker shot 289 and was a bit behind in 24th spot, while Chinki Yadav shot 276 to be in 95th place.
European elections: EPP won 178 seats
• European Parliament published the provisional results for this year's elections.
• The European People's Party group won 178 seats and remained the largest political group in the legislature.
• The second largest group is the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) with 152 seats, in the 751-member
legislature.
Trump meets Japan's emperor
• US President Donald Trump made history, becoming the first world leader to meet with the new emperor of Japan.
• Emperor Naruhito ascended to the throne on May 1, 2019, opening what is called the era of Reiwa or beautiful harmony.
• Trump will go to the Japanese state guest house later for meetings and joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe.
India projected to grow at 7.1%
• The World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2019 Mid-year Update was released by the United Nations on 21 May 2019.
• India's economy is projected to grow at 7.1% in the fiscal year 2020.
• As per the report, the Indian economy, which generates two-thirds of the regional output in South Asia, expanded by 7.2% in
2018.
SEBI and IRDAI set up regulatory sandbox
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) set up
Regulatory Sandbox (RS) for fintech innovations.
• RS is an infrastructure that helps fintech players live test their products or solutions, before getting the necessary regulatory
approvals for a mass launch.
• It saves start-ups time and cost.
Pune scientist wins German chemistry prize
• Ankur Patwardhan from Pune has bagged the second prize of €25,000 for a project at the ‘Elsevier Foundation-ISC3 Green and
Sustainable Chemistry Challenge’.
• His project named ‘Butterfly attractant for pollination and ecosystem health’ is about the relationship between chemistry and
ecosystem.
• He is also the president of a committee on Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani Eco-Sensitive Zone.
Bharti AXA Claims Excellence Award
• Bharti AXA Life Insurance, a private life insurer, has been conferred with the FICCI Claims Excellence Award.
• The award was given for its customer-friendly claims services in the life insurance sector.
• The insurer improved its individual claim settlement ratio, the number of claims paid to the number of claims received, to 96.85%
in the financial year 2017-18.
High-level panel pitches for 'Elephant Bonds'
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• A government-appointed advisory group has suggested issuance of 'Elephant Bonds' wherein people declaring undisclosed
income will have to mandatorily invest half of that amount in these securities.
• These recommendations are part of a report prepared by the 12-member group, set up by the commerce ministry in September
2018.
5th Smart Cities India 2019 expo inaugurated
• The 5th Smart Cities India 2019 expo, including Transport India, Solar India, Buildings India and Water India expos, was
inaugurated by Durga Shanker Mishra on 23 May 2019.
• It is organised by India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) and Exhibitions India Group.
• The event displays a vast array of products and solutions relevant to building smart cities in India.
Modern currency chests to hike service charges
• The Reserve Bank of India allowed large modern currency chests to increase the service charges on cash deposited by non-chest
bank branches from the existing rate of ₹5 per packet of 100 pieces to a higher rate subject to a maximum of ₹8 per packet.
• For this, only a currency chest (CC) that fulfils the minimum standards will be eligible to be classified as a large modern CC.
Priyanka Mohite scaled Mount Makalu
• Priyanka Mohite, a mountaineer from Satara, Maharashtra became the first Indian woman to successfully scale Mount Makalu.
• Mount Makalu is the fifth-highest mountain in the world at 8,481 metres.
• In 2013, Mohite had become the youngest girl from her state to have conquered the 8,848m Mount Everest — the highest peak
in the world — becoming only the third-youngest Indian to do so.
Jitender Kumar posthumously with UN medal
• Police Officer Jitender Kumar posthumously was honoured with the Dag Hammarskjold Medal by the United Nations on 24 May
2019.
• He made the supreme sacrifice while serving in the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (MONUSCO).
• India is the fourth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to the UN peacekeeping.
TAFE appoints Akshay Kumar as its ambassador
• TAFE, India’s second largest tractor manufacturer by volumes, appointed Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar as its brand ambassador
for the Massey Ferguson brand of Tractors.
• TAFE is present across 100 countries as of now with a cumulative sale of about 2.5 million tractors.
Liquid hydrogen storage tank launched
• ISRO Chairman K Sivan flagged off the shipment of India's largest liquid hydrogen storage tank at the VRV Asia Pacific's
manufacturing plant at Sri City in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.
• VRV Asia Pacific manufactured the storage tank with a Liquid Nitrogen shield, in a collaborative effort with Satish Dhawan Space
Centre.
• Liquid hydrogen is used as fuel for satellite launch vehicles.
New medicinal plants found in Manipur
• Scientists attempting to document indigenous medicinal knowledge of Zeliangrong ethnic group in Manipur have found new
medicinal plants.
• Scientists identified plants like Gynura cusimbua, Hedyotis scandens, Mussaenda glabra and Schima wallichii whose medicinal
usage are reported for the first time.
• Zeliangrong ethnic group is one of the 32 tribes in Manipur.
Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh banned
• Bangladesh-based terror outfit — the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) — was banned by the government of India under
the anti-terror law UAPA.
• JMB was involved in the 2016 terror attack at a cafe in Bangladesh's capital city Dhaka.
• The outfit has committed and promoted acts of terrorism and has been engaged in radicalisation and recruitment of youths for
terrorist activities in India.
Corporation Bank launches ‘Corp SME Suvidha’
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• Corporation Bank has launched ‘Corp SME Suvidha’, a product for GST-registered MSMEs.
• The product has been designed as part of the bank's efforts to provide best products to MSME sector.
• PV Bharathi is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the bank
Women bosses are good for businesses
• The International Labour Organisation (ILO) released a new report titled 'Women in Business and Management: The business
case for change'.
• The report revealed that around 57% of companies agreed that increased gender diversity initiatives result in better business
performance.
• Most of these companies also said that they observed profit increases between 5 and 20%.
Nalini Malani wins Joan Miró Prize for 2019
• Indian artist Nalini Malani has won the biennial Joan Miró Prize for 2019.
• The award is named after Spanish painter and sculptor Joan Miró, one of the most influential artists the 20th century.
• The award is given by Fundació Joan Miró, the Spanish art museum along with the bank La Caixa.
• La Caixa will provide Malani a €70,000 (Rs 54.5 lakh) award.
NewSpace India officially inaugurated
• NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), was officially inaugurated in
Bengaluru on 23 May 2019.
• NSIL's main objective is to scale up industry participation in Indian space programmes.
• NSIL will act as an aggregator for all space-related activities in industry and develop private entrepreneurship in space-related
technologies.
NASA unveils schedule for 'Artemis'
• NASA unveiled the schedule for the 'Artemis' program that will return astronauts to the Moon, including eight scheduled
launches and a mini-station in lunar orbit by 2024.
• Artemis 1 will be an uncrewed mission around the Moon planned for 2020.
• Artemis 2 will orbit the moon with a crew around 2022; followed finally by Artemis 3 that will put astronauts on lunar soil in
2024.
Shakib tops ICC ODI all-rounders rankings
• Bangladesh cricketer Shakib Al Hasan stands 1st now with 359 points followed by Afghanistan's Rashid Khan who has 339.
• Shakib hit 140 runs and picked up 2 wickets in the recent Tri-nation series.
• Kedar Jadhav is the highest ranked Indian all-rounder at the 12th position.
Days and Event
• International Commonwealth Day was observed in Commonwealth countries on 24 May.
• International Missing Children's Day is observed every year on 25 May.
• International Day to End Obstetric Fistula was observed on 23 May.
Indian appointed as the head of UN Mission
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Indian Army officer Lieutenant General Shailesh Tinaikar, as the new Force
Commander of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
• He is currently serving as the Commandant of the Infantry School since July 2018.
• Lieutenant General Tinaikar will succeed Lieutenant General Frank Kamanzi of Rwanda who completes his assignment on May 26.
Fungi that oxidise gold particles
• Australia's national science agency CSIRO has discovered new thread-like fungi that oxidise tiny particles of gold from their
surroundings and attach the gold to their strands.
• The fungi, Fusarium oxsporum, were found to grow larger and spread faster than those that don't interact with gold.
• Gold is so chemically inactive that this interaction is both unusual and surprising.
Paytm Bank turned profitable in 2nd year
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• Paytm Payments Bank has turned profitable within its second year of operations, posting a ₹19-crore profit for the financial year
2018-19.
• It had reported a ₹20.7-crore loss for the financial year 2017-18.
• Paytm Payments Bank formally began operations in 2017 and claims to have over 19% of mobile banking transactions' market
share as of March 2019.
Mary Kom, Sarita won gold at India Open
• Six-time world champion MC Mary Kom and Sarita Devi won gold medals at the second India Open boxing tournament.
• The tournament concluded on 24 May 2019.
• India won medals in 52 kg, 81 kg, 91 kg and +91 kg men's categories.
• While, 51 kg, 57 kg and 75 kg in women's to conclude the campaign with 12 of the 18 gold medals available.
Craftsvilla up for sale after 8 years
• Eight years after being launched in 2011 and raising about $58 million to date, Mumbai-based ethnic wear e-tailer Craftsvilla is
looking to get acquired.
• Craftsvilla reportedly approached Snapdeal for the same, which is highly unlikely to do so.
• The company is now looking at Future Group or Reliance Industries as possible avenue of acquisition.
17th Lok Sabha to witness 78 woman MPs
• Seventy-eight seats have been won by women candidates in the 17th Lok Sabha elections, the highest since the first Lok Sabha in
1952.
• Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are sending the highest number of women to the house, 11 each.
• A total of 724 women candidates contested, with Congress fielding the maximum 54 women, followed by BJP at 53.
Ola shut food delivery business
• Ola has shut down the delivery business of Foodpanda, terminated 1,500 delivery executives and 40 mid-level staff.
• The company, however, has retained the cloud kitchen business operating under private labels- the Great Khichdi Experiment,
FLTR brands and Lovemade.
• Ola had acquired Foodpanda in 2017 for an approximated $30 million from German-based hero company.
Facebook to launch cryptocurrency in 2020
• Facebook, which owns WhatsApp and Instagram, is gearing up to launch its own cryptocurrency in 2020.
• Called 'GlobalCoin', the cryptocurrency would work with a new digital payments system in about a dozen countries starting in the
first quarter of 2020.
• Facebook has been in contact with US and British financial regulators to launch it.
1.37 cr. formal sector jobs created in FY2019
• Around 1.37 crore jobs were created in the formal sector during the financial year 2018-19, according to data released by the
Central Statistics Office (CSO).
• The CSO used addition to the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) subscriber base to derive employment generation in the formal
sector.
• As per the latest data, in the month of March 2019, around 8.27 lakh EPF subscribers were added.
Naveen to take oath for 5th term as Odisha CM
• Naveen Patnaik is all set to take oath as chief minister of the State for a record fifth term in a row.
• The Biju Janata Dal headed by him has won a decisive victory in the assembly polls bagging 112 of the 146 assembly seats.
• The 15th State Assembly which was formed on June 12, 2014, will complete its term on 11th June 2019.
HK Patil resigned from Congress Campaign
• In Karnataka, senior Congress leader HK Patil has resigned as President of state Congress Campaign Committee.
• He took the responsibility for the party's disastrous defeat in Lok Sabha polls.
• He said the results have shocked all Congressmen and the outcome in Karnataka is contrary to their expectations.
Chandrani Murmu became youngest Lok Sabha MP
• BJD’s Chandrani Murmu became the youngest ever Lok Sabha MP.
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• The 25-year-old BTech graduate won the reserved Keonjhar, Odisha's seat by defeating a two-time MP.
• The Keonjhar Lok Sabha seat is reserved for Scheduled Tribes.
Presi Trump, PM Modi to meet at G-20 Summit
• US President Donald Trump and PM Narendra Modi agreed to meet at the G-20 Summit in Japan in June 2019.
• Both the leaders pledged to further strengthen the US-India strategic partnership and build on the achievements of the last two
years.
• The G-20 Summit meeting is slated for June 28 and 29, 2019.
Theresa May to resign as PM
• British PM has announced that she would resign as the UK's Conservative leader on June 7, 2019.
• The decisions came after she failed to win over her ministers with a revised strategy to withdraw Britain from the European
Union.
Int seminar on noise organised
• International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) organized an international seminar-cum-workshop on Automotive Noise,
Vibration and Harshness (iNVH).
• It was held on 23-24 May 2019 at ICAT, Manesar.
• This event was the fifth in a series of biennial training programmes on Automotive NVH, organized by ICAT.
Sahara: A hostel for Veer Naris
• Hon'ble Lt Governor of Delhi Shri Anil Baijal inaugurated the Sahara Naval Hostel for the ‘Veer Naris’ at Vasant Kunj, New Delhi.
• The project steered by the Indian Navy for ‘Naval Veer Naris’ has been built in CSR partnership with National Buildings
Construction Corporation (NBCC).
• It comprises compact suites equipped with all necessary amenities for a dignified living.
Brahmos missile successfully test fired
• A BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile was successfully test-fired by a Unit of Eastern Command, Indian Army from Car Nicobar
Islands as part of joint training by 3 defence forces.
• The Combat missile was test fired on a specially designed target chosen at a range of 270 km.
• It validated deep penetration capability by the supersonic cruise missile and accurate engagement of targets in depth.
AN-32 certified to operate on Bio-Jet fuel
• IAF’s AN-32 aircraft was formally fleet certified to fly on blended aviation fuel containing up to 10% of indigenous bio-jet fuel.
• The approval certificate was received at the aero-engine test facilities at Chandigarh by Air Commodore Sanjiv Ghuratia.
• This will promote the ‘Make in India’ mission as this bio-fuel would be produced from Tree Borne Oils sourced from tribal areas
and farmers.
Dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha approved
• The Union Cabinet gave its approval to dissolve the Sixteenth Lok Sabha, which was constituted on 18 May 2014.
• The first meeting of the Sixteenth Lok Sabha was held on June 4, 2014.
• The life of the present Lok Sabha is, therefore, to expire on June 3, 2019, unless the President dissolves it earlier.
India participated in SCO Mass Forum
• The Second Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Mass Media Forum is being held at Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from 23-26 May,
2019.
• A Delegation from I&B Ministry comprising of Shri TVK Reddy and Shri Ankur Lahoty is representing India at the Forum.
• The Forum was inaugurated by the President of Kyrgyz Republic Mr. S. Jeenbeko.
Guided bomb successfully test-fired
• DRDO successfully flight tested a 500 kg class Inertial Guided Bomb from Su-30 MKI Aircraft from the Pokhran test range,
Rajasthan.
• The guided bomb achieved the desired range and hit the target with high precision.
• All the mission objectives have been met. The weapon system is capable of carrying different warheads.
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Days and Events

• World turtle day is observed on 23rd May.
• It is sponsored yearly since 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue.
• May 24 is observed as National Brother’s Day in the United States to honor the brothers in one’s life.
ADB signed agreement with IRFC
• Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed an agreement with Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC).
• It will provide $750 million long-term financing for the Railways Track Electrification Project as part of a broad modernization
program.
• It is the largest single non-sovereign loan ever.
18 hidden planets uncovered by NASA
• German scientists have discovered 18 Earth-sized planets beyond solar system.
• Scientists re-analysed part of NASA's Kepler Telescope data using new method developed by them.
• They estimate the method may lead to over 100 more exoplanet discoveries from entire Kepler dataset.
Scientists broke superconductivity record
• International researchers have broken the record for superconductivity at the highest temperature recorded to date at around -
23°C.
• They created a new material, called lanthanum superhydrides, to achieve the same.
• The material was, however, placed under extremely high pressure ranging between 150-170 gigapascals to reach the new record.
Chamling lost after 25 years
• Longest serving CM of any state Pawan Kumar Chamling-led Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) lost after 25 years to Sikkim Krantikari
Morcha (SKM) in the state Assembly elections.
• In the 32-member assembly, SKM gained majority by winning 17 seats, while SDF won 15.
• Notably, in 2009 Assembly elections, SDF had won all 32 seats in the state.
Sethu crowned Indian Women's League champion
• Sethu FC clinched their first ever Indian Women’s League trophy defeating Manipur Police.
• The match was held at the Guru Nanak Stadium, in Ludhiana, Punjab.
• The third edition of the Indian Women's League (IWL) was held in Ludhiana, Punjab.
• The Indian Women's League is the top division women's professional football league in India.
• The league is ran by the All India Football Federation.
Mary Kom entered 51kg category final
• In Boxing, Mary Kom has entered the women's 51kg category final by defeating Nikhat Zareen.
• Mary Kom will face Vanlal Duati of Mizoram in the gold-medal bout on 25 May 2019.
• Sachin Siwach will have a gold medal clash against Asian Games gold medalist Amit Panghal.
4 new SC judges to take oath of office
• 4 new judges of the Supreme Court will take oath of office on 25 May 2019, raising their number to 31.
• Justices B.R. Gavai, Surya Kant, Aniruddha Bose and A.S. Bopanna will be administered oath of office by Chief Justice of India
Ranjan Gogoi.
• The apex court will have its full strength of judges for the first time since 2008 when Parliament had increased the number of
judges from 26 to 31.
Remya: Kerala's only Dalit woman MP
• Remya Haridas has created history by becoming the only woman to have elected to parliament from Kerala.
• She is also the second ever Dalit woman MP to have elected from Kerala.
• She was one of the toppers of Gandhi's 'Talent Hunt' in search for upcoming leaders held in 2010.
• She has won against nearly insurmountable odds from Alathur, Kerala.
Appointments
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• The Centre has cleared the appointment of Justice D N Patel as the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court.
• He will succeed the present Chief Justice Rajendra Menon, who will retire on June 6, 2019.
• He hails from Gujarat High Court and is presently at Jharkhand High Court on transfer.
NASA ordered 1st seg. of lunar space station
• NASA has chosen its first commercial partner for a proposed space station, known as the Lunar Gateway, to be built near the
Moon.
• Maxar Technologies would build the first component of the Gateway—the power and propulsion element.
• It will provide electricity to the Gateway and help move it around.
SpaceX launched satellites for internet serv.
• Elon Musk's SpaceX company launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida on a mission.
• It carried the first batch of five dozen small satellites into low-Earth orbit for his new Starlink internet service.
• The new Starlink venture is an important new revenue stream for SpaceX.
New Zealand PM's giant mural unveiled
• A giant mural depicting New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern embracing a Muslim woman in the wake of the Christchurch
terror attack has been unveiled in Australia.
• The mural is 25 meters tall or just over 80 feet and shows the two figures towering across a silo in the suburb of Melbourne's
Brunswick.
• It has been created by street artist Loretta Lizzio.
WHO unveiled plan to tackle global snakebite
• WHO unveiled a new strategy to dramatically cut deaths and injuries from snakebites.
• Each year, nearly three million people are bitten by poisonous snakes, with an estimated 81,000-138,000 deaths.
• Another 400,000 survivors suffer permanent disabilities and other after-effects, according to WHO figures.
• WHO categorised snakebite envenoming as a Neglected Tropical Disease 2 years ago.
Pakistan successfully test fired Shaheen-II
• Pakistan successfully test-fired surface-to-surface ballistic missile Shaheen-II.
• It is capable of hitting targets as far as 1,500 kilometers away, bringing major Indian cities under its range.
• The launch was aimed at ensuring operational readiness of the Army Strategic Forces Command.
33,000 voters opted NOTA in Himachal P.
• In Himachal Pradesh, over 33,000 none of the above (NOTA) votes were polled.
• 0.87% of voters opted for NOTA out of over 38 lakh voters.
• The highest 11,327 voters chose NOTA in Kangra, followed by Shimla, Hamirpur, and Mandi.
Al Qaeda affiliate Zakir Musa killed
• In Jammu and Kashmir, Zakir Musa, the so-called chief of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind was killed in an encounter with security forces in
Pulwama district on 23 May.
• Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hinda is a group affiliated with Al-Qaeda.
• Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation at Dadsara village in Tral and a gunfight broke out when the
terrorists tried to escape.
Jagan Mohan to be CM of Andhra Pradesh
• In Andhra Pradesh, YSR Congress Chief Jagan Mohan Reddy will be sworn in as chief minister of Andhra Pradesh on 30 May 2019.
• His party achieved victory in the legislative elections for Andhra Pradesh Legislative assembly held on April 11th.
Radial Rib antenna demonstrated
• Radial Rib antenna (RRA) is a world-class technology demonstrated in-orbit in RISAT-2B spacecraft.
• This 3.6 metre antenna was folded & stowed during launch and later successfully unfurled & deployed in-orbit.
• The deployment was completed in 7 mins and 20 seconds.
• The antenna was realised indigenously by ISRO team in a record time of 13 months.
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BJP set to form new government

• BJP led NDA is all set to form a new government at the Centre bagging 347 and leading in 4 in the 543 member Lok Sabha
elections.
• BJP alone has won an absolute majority and heading for a landslide victory. It has secured 303 seats.
• The UPA has won 89 and leading in 1 while others got 95 and leading in 6.
• The Congress alone has bagged 52 seats.
Naval drills in Western Pacific held
• U.S. Navy ships conducted joint drills with warships from allies Japan, Australia and South Korea in their first combined exercise in
the Western Pacific.
• The six-day exercise involves two Japanese destroyers, two Australian frigates and a destroyer from South Korea, with as many as
3,000 sailors participating.
1st Kashmiri woman to summit Everest
• Nahida Manzoor created history by becoming the first Kashmiri woman to successfully summit the World’s highest peak, Mount
Everest.
• Nahida Manzoor went with her Sherpa Guide Nima Kancha.
• On March 4, 2019, she had started crowdfunding to support her dream journey as she required Rs 30 lakh for the adventure.
Kenya's Olympic coach banned for 10 years
• The coach of Kenya’s Olympic track team in 2016, Michael Rotich, has been banned for 10 years for corruption.
• He asked for $12,000 to give athletes advance notice to help them beat doping tests.
• Rotich was banned by the IAAF ethics board following a three-year investigation.
• Rotich promised to help British runners dope with EPO.
China delivered fighter jet to Pakistan
• China has delivered the first overhauled multi-role JF-17 fighter jet to Islamabad.
• This is a part of a project undertaken by the two countries over a decade ago for the development and manufacture of the
aircraft.
• China and Pakistan had begun joint development and manufacture of the single-engine light JF-17 jets over a decade ago.
Anish Kapoor ranked 1st in Hurun Art List
• With sales estimated at ₹168.25 crore, contemporary sculptor Anish Kapoor has topped the first edition of the Hurun India Art
List.
• He is followed by artists Akbar Padamsee and Krishen Khanna, whose works were sold for ₹45.84 crore and ₹9.48 crore
respectively.
• The Hurun Research Institute ranked the top 50 Indian artists alive based on the sales of their works.
Karnataka Bank launched savings bank product
• Karnataka Bank launched a new savings bank product called 'KBL SB Salary' for salaried class with three variants of Executive,
Prime, and Classic.
• All these 3 variants of KBL SB Salary Scheme are available for the Salaried People with a host of Digitally Powered features and
without any Minimum Balance Criteria.
• No annual charge on Debit Cards is a major feature.
India ranked 117 in KidsRight Index
• India stands in a lowly 117th position out of 181 countries in the KidsRight Index.
• It is an annual global index which ranks how countries adhere to and are equipped to improve child rights.
• Countries are judged on five indicators: right to life, right to education, right to health, right to protection and enabling
environment for child rights.
• Iceland topped the index.
Shyam Saran to be conferred with Award
• Former foreign secretary Shyam Saran will be conferred with Japan's second highest national award.
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• He will be awarded for his contributions to strengthen the strategic ties and enhancing mutual understanding between India and
Japan.
• The Government of Japan announced that in its 2019 Spring Imperial Decorations, it will confer Saran, 'the Order of the Rising
Sun, Gold and Silver Star'.
Study: Moons' formation brought water
• A cosmic body that hit the Earth and led to the formation of the Moon about 4.4 billion years ago may have also delivered large
quantities of water to our home planet, scientists have found.
• The Earth is the only terrestrial planet with a large amount of water and a relatively large moon, which stabilises the Earth's axis.
• Both were essential for Earth to develop life.
32-team format in 2022 World Cup
• FIFA shrugged off any possibility of expansion from 32 to 48 teams at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
• On January 10, 2017, FIFA Council unanimously decided in favour of expanding the FIFA World Cup to a 48-team competition as
of the 2026 edition.
Coral bleaching near Palk Bay
• The National Centre for Coastal Research has found an alarming pattern of bleaching in the reefs in Mandapam, Keezhakkarai
and Palk Bay.
• When the sea surface temperature was 28.7°C to 31°C in the August 2018-February 2019, there was no bleaching seen.
• However, when the temperatures rose to 32°C and 36°C between March 2019 and May 2019, researchers observed a pattern of
bleaching in corals.
Oldest fungus fossil found in Arctic
• In a new study published, a team of scientists detailed how the multicellular fungus, which they named Ourasphaira giraldae,
lived in an estuary environment about 900 million to 1 billion years.
• Until now, the oldest-known fungus fossil was one about 410 million years old from Scotland.
• The discovery sheds light on the origins of an important branch in the Earth's tree of life.
Traffic Jam-like situation at Mt. Everest
• Mt Everest witnessed a traffic-jam like situation as over 200 mountaineers attempted to reach the summit point.
• Climbers from many countries reached above the Camp IV early morning and complained of waiting for more than two hours in
queues.
• The government issued a record number of 381 climbing permits to the mountaineers representing 44 teams this spring season.
Wirecard to work with India
• German payments company Wirecard would work with India to simplify the process of issuing tax identity cards required to open
bank accounts, transfer money or complete business transactions.
• Wirecard's network of 15,000 retail agents in 350 cities would help collect and scan in the documents that people need to apply
for a PAN card.
Fl Lt. Bhawana: 1st woman to fly fighter jets
• Bhawana Kanth became the first woman pilot of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to qualify to undertake combat missions on a fighter
jet.
• She has completed operational syllabus for carrying out combat missions on Mig-21 Bison aircraft during day time.
• Bhawana joined the fighter squadron in November 2017 and flew the first solo on MiG-21 Bison in March last year.
Indra Nooyi received doctorate from Yale
• Former PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi was presented with the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Yale
University.
• She was presented the doctorate for her achievements in business.
• Nooyi received a degree in Master of Public and Private Management from the university's Yale School of Management in 1980.
New initiative for real time voting results
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• Election Commission has come up with a new initiative to provide real-time trends and results of the Lok Sabha vote counting
across the states and union territories.
• The counting trends and results will be available on the Commission Website at www.results.eci.gov.in as well as on the Voter
Helpline App.
MoU for joint collab. on cancer research
• An MoU for supporting joint collaborative research programmes in the area of Cancer was signed on 22 May 2019.
• It was signed between the Department of Biotechnology and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
• This MoU shall help strengthen the various initiatives specifically for cancer.
Affiliation signed between AR and ICG
• The Director Generals of Assam Rifles and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) signed an Affiliation Charter between 3rd (Naga Hills)
Battalion of Assam Rifles and Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Shaurya’.
• Assam Rifles have 46 Battalions manning the Indo-Myanmar border.
• ICG, with 142 ships & 62 aircraft is one of the youngest Armed Force under Ministry of Defence.
Brahmos missile successfully fired
• IAF successfully fired the BrahMos air version missile from its frontline Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft.
• The launch from the aircraft was smooth and the missile followed the desired trajectory before directly hitting the land target.
• The air-launched BrahMos missile is a 2.5-ton supersonic air to surface cruise missile with ranges of close to 300 km.
Nadal clinched Italian Open 2019
• In Tennis, defending champion Rafael Nadal of Spain has clinched the Italian Open 2019 title after beating Novak Djokovic.
• This is Nadal's ninth Italian Open title. It is the 81st title of Nadal's career.
• Whereas, in Women's single Czech's Karolina Pliskova registered two straight-set victory against Britain's Johanna Konta to claim
the Italian Open title.
Bedbugs evolved 50 million years ago
• It turns out bedbugs are older than bats – a mammal that people had previously believed to be their first host 50-60 million years
ago.
• Bedbugs in fact evolved around 50 million years earlier, a recent study suggests.
• Bedbugs rank high among the list of most unwanted human bedfellows but until now, little was known about when they first
originated.
Send names to fly on Mars
• The US space agency has invited public to submit their names to fly abroad the next rover to Red Planet in 2020.
• Souvenir boarding passes will display names submitted by the people which will also be on microchips aboard the Mars 2020
rover.
• The rover is scheduled to launch as early as July 2020, with the spacecraft expected to touch down on Mars in February 2021.
Human brain genes added into monkeys
• Scientists in China have created a new kind of monkey using human brain genes in an attempt to understand how human brains
develop.
• As per the Beijing’s National Science Review journal, researchers took human copies of the MCPH1 gene.
• They introduced it into monkey embryos by means of a virus that carried the gene.
• The gene is believed to play an important role in our brain development.
Keval scaled highest mountains in 6 days
• A 28-year-old Indian climber has scaled two mountains above 8,000 metres, including the Mt. Everest, in just six days.
• Keval Hiren Kakka touched the peak of Mount Lhotse, world's fourth highest mountain on 21 May 2019.
• He had scaled Mt. Everest on 16 May 2019.
Bengaluru doctor got Global Asian award
• Bengaluru-based medical doctor Hema Divakar was honoured with the 'Global Asian of the Year 2018-19' award in Dubai
recently.
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• She was awarded for her yeomen services and contributions to the women's healthcare ecosystem, in India,
• She received the award at the Asian Business & Social Forum 2019 under the 'In Service of the Society and the Nation' category.
NPPA reduced prices of 9 cancer medicines
• The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has reduced the prices of 9 non-scheduled cancer drugs by up to 87%.
• This decision is in continuation of nodal agency's efforts to bring down drugs prices.
• In February 2019, the government had capped about 42 cancer drugs at 30%.
Rajasthan govt to revamp Ujala clinics
• Rajasthan Government set to revamp ‘Ujala Clinics’ for adolescents.
• It will appoint peer educators for counseling the youngsters in order to ensure coordination with other medical and health
schemes.
• Ujjala Clinics function under Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) in 10 districts of the state.
Joko Widodo elected President of Indonesia
• Indonesia’s Joko Widodo has been re-elected as President of the country.
• He beat his rival Prabowo Subianto, a retired general.
• Widodo and his vice-presidential running mate Ma’ruf Amin won the election by a 55.5% to 44.5% margin over Prabowo Subianto
and Sandiaga Uno.
• The next top parties by the number of votes are Golkar, and the National Awakening Party (PKB).
Anirudh and Niki won ITF Tennis title
• Anirudh Chandrasekar and Niki Poonacha won the 2019 International Tennis Federation (ITF) men’s Futures tennis tournament
title in Kampala, Uganda.
• The pair defeated Simon Carr and Ryan James Storrie and secured 6-3, 6-4.
• It was the maiden international title for Anirudh, while it was fourth doubles title for Poonacha.
India allowed refurbished mobile exports
• India allowed the import of refurbished mobile phones or second mobile phones only if they are certified by the Bureau of Indian
Standards (BIS).
• Earlier, the Government of India didn’t give its assent to refurbished mobile imports with the fear of dumping and negative effect
to Make In India initiative.
2 new Badminton formats launched
• Recently, Badminton World Federation (BWF) launched two new formats of Badminton named as AirBadminton & Triples.
• BWF launched AirBadminton at Guangzhou with new dimensions of the court and an innovative shuttlecock called Airshuttle.
• The AirBadminton will be an outdoor game as compared to traditional badminton which is indoor games.
Kapil Sharma: Most viewed stand-up comedian
• Kapil Sharma named as most viewed stand-up comedian in India and abroad by World Book of Records London.
• He had started his career as a stand-up comedian from different comedy shows and got fame from Comedy Nights with Kapil.
Jokha Al Harthi won Booker International Prize
• Oman Author Jokha Al Harthi won the prestigious Man Booker International Prize for 'Celestial Bodies'.
• It is the story of three sisters of a desert country confronting its slave-owning past and a complex modern world.
• She is the first Arabic-language writer to take the prize.
• She will split the 50,000 pounds or 64,000 US dollar purse with her UK-based translator, Marilyn Booth.
Saray: 1st black woman to climb Mt. Everest
• Saray Khumalo became the first black African women to conquer Mt. Everest in her fourth attempt.
• She has also conquered Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, Aconcagua in Argentina and Mount Elbrus in Russia.
• She is on a hunt to conquer the highest peaks on each continent.
Reliance Industries: Biggest company by rev.
• Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has become the country’s biggest company by revenue.
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• Reliance, in the 2018-19 fiscal year that ended on March 31, reported a turnover of Rs.6.23 lakh crore.
• Reliance has achieved the number one position in terms of all three parameters - revenue, profit, and market capitalisation.
Bangladesh stopped Visas for Pakistanis
• The Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad has stopped issuing visas to Pakistani nationals for one week.
• This is a mark of protest as a Bangladeshi diplomat's visa-extension application has not been cleared by the Pakistan government
for the last four months.
• In 2018, Dhaka denied a visa to the Pakistan High Commissioner.
World Biodiversity Day: 22 May
• The International Day for Biological Diversity (or World Biodiversity Day) is observed on May 22 every year.
• The theme for 2019 is 2019 - Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health.
• It is a United Nations-sanctioned international day to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.
BCCI elections to be held on 22 October
• The Committee of Administrators (CoA) announced that the elections of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will be
held on October 22, 2019.
• The CoA was appointed by the Supreme Court in January 2017 to oversee the sweeping reforms recommended by the Lodha
panel.
Sushma visited Kyrgyzstan
• Sushma Swaraj attended the meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Bishkek,
Kyrgyzstan on 22 May 2019.
• The Council of Foreign Ministers meeting will review the preparations for the forthcoming SCO Summit which will be held in
Bishkek next month.
PSLV-46 successfully launched RISAT-2B
• India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C46) successfully launched the RISAT-2B satellite on 22 May 2019.
• It was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
• This was the 72nd launch vehicle mission from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota and 36th launch from the First Launch pad.
Facebook released maps
• In a bid to fight disease outbreaks, Facebook has built new maps that can help its health partners better understand where
people live, how they are moving and whether they have connectivity.
• All of these maps, when combined with information from health systems, can improve the way organisations deliver supplies and
respond to outbreaks.
AI-model developed to detect lung cancer
• Alphabet’s Google team has reported a new research which can use artificial intelligence (AI) to predict lung cancer risks.
• Lung cancer results in over 1.7 Mn global deaths per year — even more than the combined number of cases of breast, prostate
and colorectal cancer.
• In 2018, 2.09 million cases of lung cancer have been reported worldwide.
Evidence of water found on Ultima Thule
• NASA has found evidence for a unique mixture of methanol, water ice, and organic molecules on Ultima Thule’s surface-the
farthest world ever explored by mankind.
• Researchers are also investigating a range of surface features on Ultima Thule, such as bright spots and patches, hills and troughs,
and craters and pits.
The kilogram to be redefined
• The kilogram will be redefined by a fundamental property of nature known as Planck's constant.
• For 130 years, this golf-ball-sized hunk of 90% platinum and 10% iridium has served as the international prototype kilogram.
• The microscopic contaminants in the air caused Le Grand K to grow a bit heavier, thus the kilogram itself grew a bit heavier.
Obituaries
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• Legendary Formula One driver Niki Lauda passed away in May 2019.
• Lauda won the Formula One drivers' world championship three times, in 1975 and 1977 for Ferrari and in 1984 with McLaren.
Acquisitions and Mergers
• Larsen and Toubro (L&T) acquired 73,953 shares of Mindtree from open market, taking its shareholding in the IT services firm to
26.53%.
• ICICI Bank has entered into an agreement with the BSE to buy stake in its subsidiary INX - located at GIFT City Gujarat - for nearly
₹31 crore.
Bank credit to infra sector grew 18.5%
• Bank credit to infrastructure sector grew by 18.5% to ₹10.55 lakh crore as of 2018-19, the highest since 2012-13 fiscal, as per the
RBI data.
• Outstanding bank credit to the sector was ₹8.91 lakh crore as at March 2018.
• In FY18 and FY17, growth in bank credit to the sector was negative at 1.7% and 6.1%, respectively.
Noida to become Zero Discharge City
• Noida is all set to outdo Nagpur by recycling 100 percent of the sewage water generated in the city.
• Nagpur, till now, is leading the efforts with recycling more than 90 percent of the sewage water it generates.
• Noida has a total of six STPs across Sectors 54, 50, and 123, 168, with the capacity to treat a total of 231 MLD of sewage, which is
beyond the 175 MLD the city currently generates.
Tripura Gramin Bank under top 3 rural banks
• Tripura Gramin Bank received India’s top three Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) in terms of profit, business, and growth.
• Currently, India has 46 Regional Rural Bank out of which Tripura Gramin Bank ranked 3rd in the country.
• Tripura Gramin Bank posted a profit for 7 successive years to Rs 125.45 crore in fiscal 2018-19.
Facebook registered new cryptocurrency firm
• Facebook Global Holdings registered a new cryptocurrency firm named ‘Libra Networks LLC’ in Geneva, Switzerland.
• It will provide financial and technology services by developing related hardware and software components.
• Facebook has been very secretive about its new cryptocurrency project.
• Facebook has hired 2 cryptocurrency compliance experts who formerly worked at Coinbase.
Anti-Terrorism Day in India: 21 May
• Every year May 21 is observed as Anti-Terrorism day in India.
• The day is observed in the memory of former Indian PM Mr. Rajiv Gandhi who passed away on this day.
• Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated at an election rally near Chennai by a suicide bomber from the LTTE on 21
May 1991.
PCT Humanity entered Guinness World Records
• PCT Humanity, a charity run by an Indian, in the UAE has entered the Guinness Book of World Records.
• It got recognised for its hunger relief efforts during the holy month of Ramzan in Abu Dhabi.
• The charity set the new Guinness World Records for 'Longest Line of Hunger Relief Package' in Abu Dhabi.
ISRO announced 7 missions in next 10 years
• ISRO has announced to conduct 7 Mega Missions for the upcoming 10 years and also prepared a roadmap for the next 30 years.
• The 7 Mega Missions includes India’s second moon mission Chandrayaan-2, XPoSaT and Aditya L-1.
• ISRO categorized its six Mega Missions (excluding Chandrayaan-2) in two broad categories- Defined Missions and Undefined
Missions.
US approved sales of missiles to Japan
• The U.S. State Department has cleared $314 million in possible sales of air defense missiles to South Korea.
• Also, the DSCA reported that separately, Japan was also cleared to buy $317 million worth of medium-range air-to-air missiles
from Washington.
Sri Lanka marked 10 years to the civil war
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• Sri Lanka marked 10 years since the end of a decades-long civil war that left more than 100,000 people dead.
• The United Nations has urged Sri Lanka to investigate alleged war crimes committed by both sides.
• The Sri Lankan Civil War was an armed conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. It began on 23rd July 1983 and ended on 18 May
2009.
Ashish to lead gymnastics team
• A three-member team led by Ashish Kumar will represent India at the second World Challenge Cup Series gymnastics tournament
in Osijek, Croatia.
• It will be held from 23-26 May 2019.
• Besides Ashish, the Indian contingent will also have Rakesh Kumar Patra and Shraddha Talekar.
• The World Challenge Cup is a major FIG event with broader participation of 110 gymnasts from 30 different countries.
Appointments
• Pakistan has appointed career diplomat Mueenul Haq as the High Commissioner to India.
• Haq, the current ambassador to France, has previously served as chief of protocol at the Foreign Office.
Brief on SIMBEX-2019
• IN ships Kolkata and Shakti are continuing their stay at Singapore to participate in the annual Singapore India Maritime Bilateral
Exercise SIMBEX-2019.
• It is being held from 16-22 May 2019.
• The Singapore side will be represented by RSN ships Steadfast and Valiant, maritime patrol aircraft Fokker-50 (F-50) and F-16
fighter aircraft.
8th Indo-Myanmar coordinated patrol
• Myanmar Navy Ship UMS King TabinShweHtee (773) and UMS Inlay (OPV-54) arrived Port Blair on 20 May 2019.
• The 8th Indo-Myanmar coordinated patrol (IMCOR) is being organised at Andaman and Nicobar Command.
• The Myanmar delegation is led by Commodore Htein Win.
• The CORPAT initiative between the two navies is meant to address issues inimical to interest of both nations.
Lok Sabha Polls at 67.11%
• An estimated 67.11% of the nearly 91 crore electors turned up to cast their vote in 2019's seven-phase Lok Sabha elections.
• This is the highest ever turnout recorded in any parliamentary polls in India.
• The overall turnout in 2014 was 66.40%.
World Metrology Day: 20 May
• World Metrology Day is observed every year on 20 May.
• It commemorates the anniversary of the signing of the Metre Convention in 1875.
• The theme for World Metrology Day 2019 is The International System of Units - Fundamentally better.
Sneha Sharma shines in F4 SEA Champ.
• India’s top woman racer Sneha Sharma jumped into the lead in the ladies’ category after Round 3 of the Formula 4 South East
Asia Championship.
• Sneha won the leading trophy in each of the 4 races to grab the Overall Cup for women in the Thailand round.
• She even clocked a best time of 1:46:6 to finish in the Top Eight against 11 of the finest racers from 10 different countries.
US Navy destroyer sailed in South China
• Two U.S. guided missile destroyers sailed near disputed islands claimed by China in the South China Sea on 19 May 2019.
• The USS Preble and USS Chung Hoon traveled within 12 nautical miles of the Gaven and Johnson Reefs.
• The operation comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and China over a possible trade deal.
Sushma to visit Kyrgyzstan
• External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will visit Kyrgyzstan on 21 May 2019.
• She will represent India at the 2-day meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
(SCO).
• This will be the second CFM meeting that India will be attending as a full member of the SCO.
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Starbucks opened 'silent cafe' in China

• Starbucks has opened a silent cafe in the Chinese city of Guangzhou, where about half of the staff are hearing impaired.
• This is a part of an initiative to support the employment of disabled people.
• This might be the quietest Starbucks of over 3,800 shops on the Chinese mainland.
• The shop has a specially-designed ordering system that allows people to place orders without saying a word.
NASA's new robot got 1st hardware check
• Astrobee, a free-flying robot system has had its first hardware checks on the International Space Station.
• The system is actually a trio of robots, named Honey, Queen, and Bumble, which are propelled by electric fans.
• They can return to their docking station to recharge their batteries.
Google to shut down Jump VR in June
• A dwindling user base has forced Google to shut down its Jump virtual reality (VR) platform.
• It would go offline by the end of June 2019.
• The company is telling users to download their data before it shuts down the video stitching platform completely.
• Launched in 2015, Jump is Google's professional VR video solution.
J&K youth selected for AYIMUN Conference
• Bandipora youth Mudasir Nazir Wani has been selected for the Asia Youth International Model United Nations (AYIMUN)
conference.
• He was selected from more than 33,000 applicants across the globe.
• Mudasir is one of the 2,500 delegates who would be participating in the conference.
Virat Kohli: 1st cricketer with 100 mn foll.
• Virat Kohli is the first cricketer in the world ever to break into the 100 million category for followers on social media.
• Virat Kohli has Facebook (37.1 million), Twitter (29.4 million) and Instagram (33.5 million) to his name.
• Cristiano Ronaldo is the most popular sportsperson on social media with 77 million followers on Twitter, 122 million on Facebook
and 166 million on Instagram.
Global Drugs Survey released
• The Global Drugs Survey found that Indians are seeking help to reduce their alcohol intake which reflects an awareness of abuse.
• Alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis were the most common stimulants used by Indians.
• About 6% of the female Indians surveyed reported seeking emergency medical treatment in the last 12 months.
Obituaries
• leoh Ming Pei, who was the mastermind behind the bold Louvre pyramid in Paris, died in May 2019.
• Pei's designs are renowned for their emphasis on precision geometry, plain surfaces and natural light.
Rohingya refugees got identity cards
• Over 2.7 lakh Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh have been registered by the United Nations, several getting identity cards as their
first-ever proof of documentation.
• The Rohingya Muslims living in Myanmar have not been able to acquire formal citizenship, leaving them stateless and deprived of
basic rights.
• The cards are aimed at improving the accuracy of data on refugees in Bangladesh.
Taj, Singapore signed Rs. 4000 cr partnership
• Indian Hotels Company, which runs hotels under Taj, Vivanta and Ginger brands partnered with Singapore's wealth fund GIC to
invest ₹4,000 crore for buying hotels in India.
• The equity contribution of Indian Hotels in the acquisitions will be 30% and GIC's will be 70%.
• The partners will acquire fully-operational hotels mainly in the luxury, upper scale and upscale segments.
Tech Mahindra partnered with Rakuten
• Tech Mahindra and French digital content publishing firm Rakuten Aquafadas signed an MoU to collaborate on building enhanced
customer experience offerings.
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• Rakuten Aquafadas and Tech Mahindra aim to build a Customer Experience Offering leveraging the suite of software that
Rakuten Aquafadas provides for digital publishing.
Kerala 1st state to list Masala bond
• Kerala became the first state to tap into masala bond market by listing the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB)’s
masala bond in LSE’s International Securities Market (ISM).
• The masala bond has tenor of 5-year and a 9.723% coupon.
• The main objective of this initiative was to tap masala bond market and to rebuild the infrastructure in Kerala from the proceeds
of masala bond.
BSNL partnered with Google
• Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) partnered with Google on the occasion of World Telecom Day.
• The main objective is to expand BSNL Wifi footprint in the country.
• Currently, there are around 38,000 BSNL Wifi hotspot locations working across the country and one can use these after buying
the Wi-Fi vouchers worth of Rs 19 and more.
AI system in MCA 21 to be introduced
• The government plans to introduce artificial intelligence system in the MCA 21 portal.
• This would make the compliance process easier as well as ensure routine enforcement activities are done round-the-clock on
autopilot basis.
• MCA 21 is the electronic backbone for the dissemination of information to all stakeholders.
PV Sindhu to spearhead Indian challenge
• In Badminton, Sudirman Cup tournament began at the Guangxi Sports Center Gymnasium in Nanning, China on 19 May 2019.
• Top shuttlers PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal will spearhead the Indian challenge at this prestigious tournament.
• Sudirman Cup is a mixed team Badminton Championship held every two years.
2nd India Open Boxing Tourn. began
• The Second India Open International Boxing Tournament began at Sarusajai stadium in Guwahati on 20 May 2019.
• 16 countries will participate in the tournament where nearly 200 boxers will vying for the podium.
• India has fielded a strong contingent of 38 men and 37 women in the tournament including Mary Kom in 51-kilogram category.
Eastern Army Commander visited MISA Camp
• Lieutenant General MM Naravane, Army Commander Eastern Command visited Misa Camp.
• He was briefed in detail on the Op-preparedness of the formation.
• He felicitated the meritorious Officers, Junior Commissioned Officer and Other Ranks by awarding commendation cards.
Indian short film wins Nespresso Talents award
• Indian filmmaker, Achyutanand Dwivedi's film, 'Seed Mother', won the third prize in the international section of Nespresso
Talents Awards 2019 in Cannes.
• The awards are held annually as part of the Cannes Critics' Week to encourage new perspectives in filmmaking.
• The theme for the 2019 awards was 'We Are What We Eat'.
Insurance for vector borne diseases launched
• HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company announced the launch of 'Mosquito Disease Protection Policy'.
• This new policy will cover an individual against common mosquito-borne diseases like Dengue Fever, Malaria, Chikungunya,
Japanese Encephalitis, Kala-azar, Filariasis and Zika Virus.
• HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company is India's third-largest non-life insurance provider in the private sector
Claude Monet's 'Mueles' sells for $110.7 mn
• Claude Monet's 1890 work 'Mueles' sold for a record-breaking price of $110.7 million on 14 May 2019.
• Mueles is regarded as the finest example from Monet's acclaimed 'Haystacks' series.
• The artwork also became the first impressionist work to cross the $100 million thresholds at auction.
• Monet's 'Haystacks' series was created in the early 1890s.
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India-Botswana Office Consultations held

• The third round of Foreign Office Consultations between India and Botswana was held in New Delhi on 15 May 2019.
• The entire gamut of bilateral relations, including political, economic, commercial, defence, consular and international
cooperation was reviewed.
• The Indian side was led by Joint Secretary, East and Southern Africa in the Ministry of External Affairs Dr. Neena Malhotra.
SRFI-HCL tie-up for improving Indian squash
• The Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) signed an MoU with HCL on 15 May 2019.
• The aim of the MoU is to improve the condition of the sport in the country.
• Through 'HCL Squash Podium Programme', multiple tournaments will be organised at both the senior and junior level.
• SRFI will conduct 12 PSA World Tour and Challenger Tour events every year across the country.
Jeffrey confirmed as US' next Deputy AG
• Jeffrey Rosen was confirmed as the United States' latest Deputy Attorney General by the US Senate.
• He has previously served at the Department of Transportation as the deputy secretary.
• He will replace Rod Rosenstein who oversaw Robert Mueller's investigations into Russian collusion in the 2016 Presidential
elections.
• US President Donald Trump nominated Rosen for the job in February 2019.
BharatPe appoints Salman as brand ambassador
• Merchant service and UPI payments app BharatPe appointed Bollywood actor Salman Khan as its brand ambassador.
• The new brand campaign will be focused towards educating merchants and users about UPI payments along with driving
adoption of BharatPe app for all their business needs.
• BharatPe offers merchants a single interface for all UPI apps like Paytm, PhonePe, Google Pay, BHIM, Mobikwik.
'Most bird-like' dinosaur ever found
• Scientists in Germany have found a new species of flying dinosaur that flapped its wings like a raven.
• Archaeopteryx, a small feathered dinosaur, was considered to be the oldest flying bird.
• Scientists have named the new bird-like dinosaur Alcmonavis poeschli.
• Alcmonavis poeschli was the most bird-like bird discovered from the Jurassic.
New vine snake species found in Odisha
• Zoologists have discovered a new vine snake species from the eastern State of Odisha.
• A new taxon of vine snake is being found after a gap of over a century.
• The last time a vine snake species was described was in 1906.
• Vine snake is a slender rear-fanged snake with narrow heads and pointed snouts.
• Seven vine snake species are found in India.
India signs Christchurch Call
• India signed 'Christchurch Call To Action', an international call initiated by the governments of France and New Zealand along
with top social media companies after the Christchurch attacks.
• The document was signed by 26 countries.
• Among the social media companies and IT enterprises were: Microsoft, Qwant, Daily Motion, Google, YouTube, Twitter,
Facebook and Amazon.
11th India Iran JCCM held
• The 11th Joint Consular Committee Meeting between India and Iran took place in New Delhi on 14 May 2019.
• The status of ongoing cooperation in consular and visa related issues was reviewed in the meeting.
• Both sides discussed issues of mutual interest including the early conclusion of Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance on civil
and commercial matters.
Taiwan legalises same-sex marriage
• Taiwan's parliament has become the first in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage following a vote on 17 May 2019.
• In 2017, the island's constitutional court ruled that same-sex couples had the right to legally marry.
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• Parliament was given a two-year deadline and was required to pass the changes by 24 May 2019.
• It will take effect after Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen passes it into law.
Maritime defence exhibition held in Singapore
• Two warships of the Indian Navy-INS Kolkata and INS Shakti--participated in the International Maritime Defence Exhibition Asia
(IMDEX Asia-2019) in Singapore.
• IMDEX Asia-2019 commenced on 14 May 2019.
• After IMDEX, Indian Naval ships will participate in the 26th edition of Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX)
scheduled from 16 to 22 May 2019.
SIDBI’s pilot scheme for fintech NBFCs
• Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) launched a pilot scheme to extend financial assistance of up to ₹10 crore to
fintech Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs).
• Fintech NBFCs are digital loan companies.
• They should have minimum capital risk-weighted assets ratio of 15%.
• Their non-performing assets should be less than or equal to 4%.
Female referee team to officiate AFC Cup game
• The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced that for the first time an all-female referee team will take charge of a men’s
continental club cup clash.
• Japanese referee Yoshimi Yamashita and assistants Makoto Bozono and Naomi Teshirogi will officiate the AFC Cup match
between Myanmar’s Yangon United and Cambodia’s Naga World.
Days and Events
• World Hypertension Day (WHD) is observed every year on 17 May.
• World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is observed on 17 May.
• The Second International Day of Light was observed on 16 May.
• The International Day of Living Together in Peace was observed on 16 May.
Appointments
• Ms. Radha Venkataraman, presently Director in the Ministry, has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the
Kingdom of Eswatini.
• Virat Kohli and batsman Rishabh Pant have been appointed as new official brand ambassadors of the country's leading wellness
firm, the Himalaya Drug Company.
TIME's top 10 'Next Generation Leaders'
• Indian YouTuber Ajey Nagar has been named by Time magazine in its list of top 10 'Next Generation Leaders' 2019.
• The 'Next Generation Leader' is a list of 10 young people from around the world who are establishing new paths in politics, music
and other areas.
• He has a YouTube channel, named as CarryMinati.
Insurance cover to local train passengers
• Bajaj Finserv launched a specialised insurance cover for passengers travelling in local trains in Mumbai.
• The travellers will get an insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh against a payment of Rs 399 per annum.
• The 'Mumbai Local Train Cover' insurance policy was introduced through lending arm Bajaj Finance and will provide coverage in
case of a mishap during a train journey.
Awards and Honours
• Antano & Harini – Legacy Accelerators received the ‘Award of Honour’ from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment,
Government of India.
• Actor Sunny Pawar has bagged the Best Child Actor award for Chippa at the 19th New York Indian Film Festival.
Chinkara sanctuary declared in Bukkapatna
• Nearly 148.45 sq. km of forests in Bukkapatna in Tumakuru district of Karnataka has been declared as a Chinkara Wildlife
Sanctuary
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• The Chinkara sanctuary is the second protected area for the conservation of the rare antelope in the State after Yedehalli in
Bagalkot.
Centre issued drought advisory
• The Centre has issued a drought advisory to Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu, asking
them to use water judiciously.
• The drought advisory is issued to states when the water level in reservoirs is 20% less than the average of live water storage
figures of the past 10 years.
IBM Garage to create AI-based solutions
• IBM India announced that it has tied-up with HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company to co-create new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-
based solutions.
• Teams from HDFC ERGO and IBM Services will work together to develop and test new solutions.
• The IBM Garage team comprises insurance industry experts, design thinkers, data scientists, architects, and others.
IHCL tied up with GIC
• Indian Hotels Co. Ltd (IHCL) signed a strategic partnership with GIC Pte Ltd to jointly invest around ₹4,000 crore over three years.
• The investment platform will acquire fully operational hotels in the luxury, upper upscale and upscale segments in India.
• The equity contribution from IHCL will be at 30% and the balance will be contributed by GIC.
Spencer's to acquire Nature's Basket
• Spencer’s Retail Ltd is set to acquire Nature’s Basket Ltd for ₹300 crore.
• The deal will give Spencer’s access to 36 Nature’s Basket stores in prime locations of Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru.
• The Kolkata-based retail chain will also get access to Nature’s Basket’s online platform.
Sri Lanka celebrates Vesak festival
• In Sri Lanka, the Vesak festival is being observed with religious fervour amid tight security in the wake of Easter attacks.
• The day is celebrated to mark the birth, enlightenment and death of Lord Buddha.
• In view of security restrictions, the number of food camps during Vesak is limited to 92 compared to around 6,000 last year.
Brazilian Bishop resigned
• Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of a Brazilian bishop who is under investigation by local authorities.
• The Vatican announced the resignation of Bishop Vilson Dias de Oliveira and named Archbishop Orlando Brandes of Aparecida as
a temporary replacement.
• de Oliveira is being investigated for extortion, illicit enrichment and the coverup of alleged cases of sexual harassment.
Debit card PoS swipes rose 27%
• As per data from the RBI, debit card swipes on Point of Sales (PoS) terminals jumped more than 27% in March 2019 compared to
2018.
• In contrast, ATM withdrawals grew at a slower pace of 15%.
• In absolute terms, debit card swipes for March stood at 407 million almost half of ATM withdrawals at 891 million.
Panel on digital payments submitted reports
• A Reserve Bank-appointed committee headed by Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani submitted its suggestions on promoting
digital payments to Governor Shaktikanta Das.
• In January, a five-member panel was set up by RBI on deepening digital payments.
• The RBI will examine the recommendations of the committee and will dovetail the action points, in its Payment Systems Vision
2021 for implementation
Indian Navy conducted missile tests
• The Indian Navy conducted significant missile tests boosting its anti-air warfare capabilities.
• The first cooperative engagement firing of the Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) or Barak-8 was held on the
Western Seaboard.
• The firing was undertaken on the western seaboard by the INS Kochi and the INS Chennai.
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Ordinance on Maratha quota approved

• Maharashtra Cabinet approved to circulate an ordinance to amend the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC)
Reservation Act, 2018.
• It also approved to recompense the fees to the general category-students, who will be affected after the promulgation of the
ordinance.
Appointments
• Ujjivan Small Finance Bank appointed Nitin Chugh as its Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
• He has been appointed for a period of 3 years from December 1, 2019.
Kerala to go paperless
• The Kerala State Assembly is undertaking E-Vidhan, an initiative to digitize all records.
• The first phase of the project is expected to be completed in 14 months. The project is expected to cost around Rs.40 crore.
• Once the project is completed, all the Assembly proceedings will go paperless.
ICC Commentary Panel for World Cup 2019
• Former Indian cricketers Sourav Ganguly and Sanjay Manjrekar are inducted into the International Cricket Council’s (ICC)
commentary panel for World Cup 2019.
• World Cup 2019 will begin from May 30, 2019 in England and Wales.
• The debut commentary will be made by Michael Clarke, a former Australian batsman.
Union Ministry of Envt to undertake a project
• Union Ministry of Environment announced a project to create DNA Database for Indian Rhinos.
• This is done in order to curb poaching and collect evidence for wildlife crimes including Rhinos.
• The deadline to meet this project is 2021.
• The database will be kept in the Wildlife Institute of India(WII) headquartered in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
International Museum Day: 18 May
• International Museum Day (IMD) is celebrated on 18th May every year.
• It is coordinated by the International Council of Museums (ICOM).
• The objective of International Museum Day (IMD) is to raise awareness that, Museums are an important means of cultural
exchange.
• The theme for International Museum Day (IMD) 2019 is Museums as Cultural Hubs: The future of tradition.
Dr. P.K. Mishra conferred with Sasakawa Award
• United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) conferred Sasakawa Award 2019 for Disaster Risk Reduction to Dr.
Pramod Kumar Mishra.
• He is the Additional Principal Secretary to Prime Minister of India.
• The award was announced during the ongoing 6th Session of Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) 2019 at
Geneva.
414 mn pieces of plastic found on islands
• A recent survey on plastic pollution found an estimated 414 million pieces of plastic on the beaches of remote Cocos (Keeling)
Islands in the Indian Ocean.
• The survey published in the journal, Scientific Reports, estimated that the beaches on the islands are littered with 238 tonnes of
plastic.
Advisory Council of the 15th FC held
• The third meeting of the Advisory Council of the 15th Finance Commission was held in New Delhi on 17 May 2019.
• The Council Members were informed about the progress made in terms of State Visits by the Commission and
consultations with the RBI, bankers and financial institutions.
Obituaries
• Veteran Telugu actor Rallapalli Venkata Narasimha Rao passed away in May 2019.
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• Rallapalli began his acting career in theater at a young age and subsequently entered films.
• I M Pei, who designed the Louvre’s crystal pyramid and the angular East Building of Washington’s National Gallery of Art, died in
May 2019.
First NCC girls expedition flagged off
• The National Cadet Corps (NCC) Girls’ Mountaineering Expedition to Mt. Tenchenkhang in Sikkim was ‘Flagged Off’ on 17 May
2019.
• The team is led by Lt Col Madhab Boro and constitute three officers, 17 PI staff and 20 NCC Girl Cadets.
• This is the first NCC cadets’ expedition in Sikkim ever since 1970.
Green cards replaced with 'Build America' visa
• Donald Trump has said he will replace the existing green cards with 'Build America' visa.
• The US President unveiled a new merit and points-based immigration policy that seeks to increase the quota for highly-skilled
workers.
• Every year, the US issues nearly 1.1 million green cards, which gives foreign nationals life-time permission to live and work in US
and a path to citizenship in 5 years.
Int. aid for education to India down by 26%
• International aid to India for education has fallen by more than 26%, compared with a global downturn of 2%, data from United
Nations showed.
• India received $464 million in 2017, as against $634 million in 2016.
• This is according to data compiled by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in a global education aid
monitoring report.
India gives 2 Mi-24 helicopters to Afghanistan
• India handed over a pair of Mi-24 helicopters to Afghanistan.
• They are given with the aim to strengthen the Afghan air force as it battles a deadly Taliban insurgency.
• The two Mi-24 helicopters are a replacement for the four attack helicopters previously gifted by India to Afghanistan in 2015.
Saudi Arabia approved permanent residency
• The Saudi government has approved a scheme that gives permanent residency to certain expatriates.
• It will allow them to own real estate in the kingdom and reside with their families without a Saudi sponsor.
• The 'Privileged Iqama' system will offer a permanent residence scheme.
• It can be renewed annually to highly skilled expatriates and owners of capital funds.
Kami Rita scaled Mount Everest for 23rd time
• A Nepalese Sherpa climber Kami Rita has scaled Mount Everest for 23rd time.
• He broke his own record for the most successful ascents of the world's highest peak.
• Rita is a native of Thame village located in the shadow of Mount Everest.
BoI reported Rs.252 crore profit
• Bank of India reported a net profit of ₹252 crore for the quarter ended March 31, compared with a loss of ₹3,969 crore in 2018.
• The Gross NPA ratio improved from 16.58% in March 2018 to 15.84% in March 2019.
• Net NPA ratio declined from 8.26% to 5.61%.
• Provision coverage ratio improved from 65.85% in March 2018 to 76.95% in March 2019.
Obituaries
• Two Indian climbers, Biplab Baidya and Kuntal Karar have died in Nepal due to high altitude sickness near the summit of Mount
Kanchenjunga during an expedition to the world's third tallest peak.
• Bob Hawke, one of Australia's longest-serving Prime Ministers and a champion of the trade union movement, died in May 2019.
CBIC introduced weightage system
• Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) introduced a weighting system for appointments under compassionate
grounds.
• It will be based on nine criteria like family income, dependents, remaining service period of the deceased, etc.
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• The main objective is to ensure objectivity, transparency, and uniformity in the selection process for appointments on the
compassionate ground.
Cyril Ramaphosa re-elected President
• African National Congress (ANC) won South African elections with 57.51% votes and Cyril Ramaphosa elected as South African
President.
• Last year in February 2018, Cyril Ramaphosa was elected as South African President after President Jacob Zuma resigned from
the post.
35% graphite reserves found in AP
• About 35% of India's total Graphite reserves are found in Arunachal Pradesh, as per the GSI report.
• This is the highest found in the country.
• With 35% of India's Graphite deposits being found in Arunachal Pradesh, the State could now be developed as the leading
producer of graphite in the country.
Johnson Bird to get lifetime Achievement
• Former rivals Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are to receive a joint Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2019 National Basketball
Association (NBA) Awards.
• The two previous recipients of the award are Bill Russell (2017) and Oscar Robertson (2018).
• The NBA Awards is an annual awards show presented by the NBA to honor and recognize the league's top performers and
accomplishments.
Lokpal website launched in the country
• The website of the Lokpal www.lokpal.gov.in has been launched in India.
• It was inaugurated by Chairperson Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose in presence of all the Members of Lokpal in New Delhi.
• It provides basic information about the working and functioning of the anti-corruption ombudsman.
China to host 2023 Asian Cup
• China has become the sole contender to host the Asian Cup Football tournament in 2023.
• The announcement came after South Korea has announced to withdraw its bid to host the game.
• The 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup will be the 18th edition of the AFC Asian Cup.
• It is organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
• The tournament will involve 24 national teams.
RBI mandated Chief Risk Officers for NBFCs
• The RBI has mandated all the Non-Banking Financial Company's (NBFC) with a size of over Rs.5,000 crore to appoint Chief Risk
Officers (CROs).
• With the increasing role of NBFCs in direct credit intermediation, there is a need for NBFCs to augment risk management
practices.
• RBI’s move comes in the wake of ongoing rating downgrades of non-banks which has raised fears of liquidity crisis.
Anil Kapoor to be honoured
• Council of European Chambers of Commerce (CEUCC) in India and European Union (EU) delegation will felicitate Indian actor Anil
Kapoor.
• He will be honoured for promoting Children’s Rights and his effort to protect the rights of girls in collaboration with Plan India
and the European Union.
• He will be accompanied by the EU Ambassador to India Tomasz Kozlowski.
Eiffel Tower Celebrates 130th Birthday
• The Eiffel Tower celebrated its 130th birthday in Paris.
• Built for the 1889 World's Fair, the tower is 324 metres in height and weighs 7,300 tonnes.
• The tower was the tallest structure in the world for 41 years until the construction of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930.
ICGS Vigraha decommissioned
• The Indian Coast Guard ship (ICGS) Vigraha was decommissioned at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
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• The decommissioning ceremony was attended by eight former Commanding Officers who had been at the helm of the ship, along
with former and the present crew.
• It was commissioned into service on April 12, 1990.
Appointments
• The Retired judge of Indian Supreme Court Justice Madan B Lokur is appointed as a judge of Supreme Court of Fiji's non-resident
panel. He has been appointed in the new role for a period of three years.
• Former Indian opening batsman Wasim Jaffer has been appointed as the batting coach for the Bangladeshi men’s team.
3 COP meetings held - II
• 3 COP meetings are:
• The 14th meeting of COP to Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their
Disposal.
• The 9th meeting of the COP to Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals
and Pesticides in International Trade.
• The 9th meeting of the COP to Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
3 COP meetings held - I
• The joint meetings of three conventions on chemicals and waste were held in Geneva.
• An Indian delegation of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, with other ministries participated in the meeting
held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 29 April to 10 May 2019.
• The theme of the meetings this year was “Clean Planet, Healthy People: Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste”.
MoUs and Agreements
• Housing finance major HDFC Limited has partnered with the India Mortgage Guarantee Corporation (IMGC) to offer a mortgage-
guaranteed home loan product.
• Mexican cuisine chain Taco Bell, a part of Yum Brands Inc, announced Burman Hospitality as its master franchise partner in India,
with plans to open 600 outlets by 2029.
Exports growth slid to 4-month low
• India's export growth slid to a four-month low of 0.64% in April as shipments of engineering goods, gems and jewellery, leather
and other products declined.
• Imports increased by 4.5% to $41.4 billion, the highest growth in the last six months as crude oil and gold shipments shot up in
the month.
• Merchandise exports stood at $26 billion in April while imports at $41.4 billion.
NSE penalised 250 companies
• The National Stock Exchange (NSE) penalised around 250 companies for non-compliance with the SEBI Listing Obligation and
Disclosure Requirement Regulations (LODR) 2015.
• Violations include non-appointment of woman director, compliance officer, share transfer agent and delay in intimation of board
meeting.
Defence Ministry to set up 2 units
• The Defence Ministry has announced setting up of two separate units to handle space and cyber warfare.
• Rear Admiral Mohit Gupta would head the new defence cyber agency, while Air Marshal S.P. Dharkar would head the defence
space agency.
• Major General A.K. Dhingra was named the head of the special forces division.
• The three new agencies are expected to become operational by Oct-Nov 2019.
BSE launched a mobile app
• BSE has launched 'BSE StAR MF' app to enable more participation and help mutual fund distributors process transactions faster.
• BSE StAR MF mobile app supports real-time client registration and paperless transactions, creates and uploads mandate for SIPs,
generates the basket of multiple orders, and more.
• Its launch would further provide the comfort of doing business to its 24,000 members.
RBI released 'Vision 2021'
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• The RBI released a vision document for ensuring a safe, secure, convenient, quick and affordable e-payment system.
• It expects the number of digital transactions to increase more than four times to 8,707 crore in December 2021.
• The 'Payment and Settlement Systems in India: Vision 2019 - 2021', has its core theme of 'Empowering Exceptional (E)payment
Experience'.
RBI to push up digital transactions to 15%
• The RBI aims to push up digital transactions to about 15% of gross domestic product over the next two years from nearly
10% now.
• Cash as a percentage of GDP is at 11.4% compared to 11.8% before cash ban.
• RBI hopes to Increase digital payment transaction turnover as a percentage of GDP to 14.80% in 2021 from about 10.37% in 2019.
Defence Space Agency to come up at Bangalore
• India is setting up its military space agency headquartered at Bengaluru with the ace fighter pilot Air Vice Marshal SP Dharkar as
its likely head.
• The tri-services Space agency is likely to command all the space assets of the three services including the A-SAT capability, which
can be used to destroy enemy space-based satellites and other assets.
National Dengue Day: 16 May
• National Dengue Day is observed every year of 16 May.
• It aims to spread awareness about dengue and to increase preventive measures as well as find out ways to prevent and control
the disease across the country.
• A viral disease caused by the dengue virus, it is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito (Aedes aegypti) bite infected with any one of
the four dengue viruses.
Electoral Bonds worth Rs. 3600 crore sold
• Electoral bonds worth over Rs 3,500 crore were sold to the donors of India’s political parties in just the last two months, an RTI
response from the SBI noted.
• Sales then shot up by 65% in April 2019, with bonds worth Rs 2,256.37 crore being purchased, making it a total Rs of 3,622
crores.
• Electoral bonds are a transparent way to raise money.
Obituaries
• Tamil Nadu swimmer and South Asian Games gold-medalist MB Balakrishnan died in a road accident in Chennai in May 2019.
• He was a former 50-metre national record holder.
• He went on to win the gold in the 50-metre backstroke and silver in the 100-metre backstroke event in the 11th South Asian
Games in Dhaka in 2010.
Fine imposed on Nainital Bank
• RBI has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1 crore on Nainital Bank for its failure to fully automate the non-performing asset (NPA)
identification process.
• The penalty was imposed under the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
• This action is based on the deficiencies in regulatory compliance.
Paytm partnered with Citibank
• Digital payments company Paytm, in association with Citibank, launched its first credit card called Paytm First Card.
• Paytm First Card comes with unlimited cash back and will be accepted in India as well as globally.
• The card is issued by Citibank and doesn’t involve any hidden fees or charges.
Indian Defence Forces held joint exercise
• Indian Army, Navy and Air Force held joint exercise Bull Strike at Teressa Island in Andaman and Nicobar.
• The objective was to enhance their coordination in dealing with major security challenges and also to showcase joint operation
capability of the three forces.
• 170 troops from all three services participated and carried out para drop operations in a Combat Free Fall and Static Line mode.
ICICI Bank, Goibibo launched new travel card
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• ICICI Bank along with online travel booking portal Goibibo launched co-branded multi-currency card- Goibibo ICICI Bank Travel
Card.
• Customers can use one card for multiple currencies and enjoy discounts on flights and hotel bookings.
• The card is accepted across 200 countries and 4.6 merchants globally and can be dealt in 15 currencies.
Govt to mandate QR code based payments
• The Indian government is planning to mandate a quick response (QR) code based payment method option using Unified
Payments Interface (UPI) at all shops.
• The prime idea is to make digital payment more popular and bring a behavioral change in the ecosystem.
• The GST council approved the proposal. The move will also provide a GST benefit to both shops and consumers.
International Day of Families: 15 May
• The International Day of Families (IDF) is observed on the 15th of May every year.
• The Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993.
• The day reflects the importance the international community attaches to families. It was first observed in 1996.
• The theme for IDF 2019 is 'Families and Climate Action: Focus on SDG 13'.
Workshop on Artifical Bio Organs held
• Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) recently organized a 1-day workshop on Organ Bio Printing at the Kalam Convention
Center, AMTZ Campus in Visakhapatnam.
• The workshop explored 3D printing, an innovative technology that covers all medical disciplines and offers new opportunities in
diagnostics and therapy.
Project SPARROW-CBIC implemented
• Project ‘SPARROW-CBIC’ for Group ‘B’ and ‘C’ Officers of Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) was implemented.
• It is online writing of Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) in SPARROW (Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording
Online Window) .
• It is one of its kind in terms of Scale/number of employees covered as far as Central Government Departments are concerned.
MoU signed for Rudraksh Plantation
• A MoU was signed between National Mission for Clean Ganga, HCL Foundation and INTACH for taking up a project of ‘Plantation
of Rudraksh Trees in Uttarakhand’.
• It is a part of CSR initiative under the ‘Namami Gange’ Programme.
• The project aims at planting 10,000 Rudraksh trees in the catchment area of river Ganga in Uttarakhand.
Aarohi: 1st woman to fly solo across Atlantic
• Aarohi Pandit has become the world’s first female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA).
• She completed the feat when she landed at Iqaluit Airport in Canada on 13 May, having flown there from Wick in the UK.
• It also made Pandit the first female pilot in the world to successfully complete a solo flight across the Greenland ice cap in an LSA.
1st women astronaut to go on Moon
• Mission Artemis will likely carry the first woman astronaut to the Moon.
• The mission has been named after the Greek Moon goddess who was also the twin sister of the Apollo.
• The first men to walk on the Moon did so under the Apollo missions between 1960 and 1972.
• Now, 50 years later, NASA has planned to send the first woman to the Moon in a manned lunar mission in 2024.
NABARD announced rs 700 cr capital fund
• The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development announced a Rs 700-crore venture capital fund for equity investments
in agriculture and rural-focused startups.
• NABARD has been contributing to other funds till now and this is the first time that the rural development bank has launched a
fund of its own.
• The fund has been launched by Nabventures with a proposed corpus of Rs 500 cr.
Study: The moon is shrinking
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• The Moon is steadily shrinking, causing wrinkling on its surface and quakes, according to an analysis of imagery captured by
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO).
• A survey of more than 12,000 images revealed that lunar basin Mare Frigoris near the Moon’s north pole has been cracking and
shifting.
• Since the moon’s crust is brittle, these forces cause its surface to break.
Global oil prices jump over 1%
• Oil prices rose after Saudi Arabia said explosive-laden drones had attacked two pumping stations belonging to state oil company
Aramco.
• Brent crude futures were at $70.79 a barrel at 1035 GMT.
• Aramco had halted pumping on the East-West pipeline until the damage was evaluated.
US lawmakers brought bill
• A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced identical resolutions that would require the US government to develop a list of
scientific and engineering institutions affiliated with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).
• The bill seeks to prohibit individuals employed or sponsored by these Chinese military institutions from receiving student or
research visas to the United States.
India had highest child mortality rate
• India had more deaths among children under five than any other country in 2015, a Lancet study has found.
• The researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the US analysed state-level Indian data on the causes
of death among children under five for the years 2000-2015.
Ban on LTTE extended for 5 years
• The central government has extended the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for five years with immediate effect.
• The ban has been extended under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
• The notification stated that the LTTE's continued violent and disruptive activities are prejudicial to the integrity and sovereignty
of India.
Maruti Suzuki set up skill training centre
• Maruti Suzuki India has opened a skill training centre at ITI-Becharaji, in Gujarat, that can provide training to over 7,000 trainees
annually.
• The Centre of Excellence (CoE) at Becharaji was set up in collaboration with Gujarat government.
• It will be used to train and improve the level of technical education of ITI students in the state and effectively contribute to Skill
India initiative.
Yamaha Motor achieved new milestone in India
• Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer Yamaha Motor has achieved 10 million production milestone in the country.
• The company has three manufacturing facilities at Surajpur (Chhattisgarh), Faridabad (Haryana) and Chennai (Tamil Nadu).
• It also achieved a milestone of producing five million units between 2012 and 2019.
Union Bank posted Rs. 3369 crore loss
• Union Bank of India reported a net loss of ₹3,369 crore in the March quarter of FY19, owing to higher operational expenses, and
provisions on account of bad loan divergences.
• The losses in Q4 of FY19 was wider than the ₹2,583-crore loss in the same period in 2018.
• The bank said that RBI has found gross non-performing asset (NPA) divergence for FY18 at ₹867 crore.
Jet Airways CEO resigned
• CEO of Jet Airways Vinay Dube has resigned with immediate effect due to personal reasons.
• Dube's resignation comes just a day after chief financial officer (CFO) and deputy chief executive officer (deputy CEO) Amit
Agarwal quit from his positions with effect from 14 May 2019.
•
Appointments
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• RBI has appointed former deputy governor Rama Subramaniam Gandhi as an additional director on the board of Yes Bank for two
years, from 14 May 2019 to 13 May 2021.
• Former Supreme Court judge A K Sikri has been appointed as the chairperson of the News Broadcasting Standards Authority.
Dubai costlier than Delhi
• Victoria, the capital of Seychelles, is the most expensive city with an index value of 192 and a rank of 28, as per the Mint
Globetrotter Index's 'others' category.
• The cost profile of Lagos, a Nigerian city, is very similar to that of India and it ranks fifth on the index and is the cheapest in the
category.
• Dubai is way more costlier than Delhi and ranks 24 on the overall cost index.
Fully recyclable plastic created
• The scientists have created a next-generation plastic that can be fully recycled into new materials of any colour, shape, or form,
without loss of performance or quality.
• A team of researchers at the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has designed it.
• All plastics are made up of large molecules called polymers, which are composed of monomers.
Virat Kohli bagged cricketer of the year
• India captain Virat Kohli bagged the International Cricketer and Batsman of the Year award during the CEAT Cricket Rating (CCR)
International awards 2019.
• Pacer Jasprit Bumrah was adjudged as International Bowler of the Year.
• Ashutosh Aman was awarded Domestic Cricketer of the Year.
• Mohinder Amarnath was bestowed with the 'CCR International Lifetime Achievement Award'.
GS Lakshmi on ICC international panel
• India's G.S. Lakshmi has become the first woman to be appointed to ICC's international panel of match referees.
• She will be eligible to officiate in international games with immediate effect.
• Claire Polosak had become the first ever woman umpire to stand in a men's ODI, earlier in May 2019.
NGT directed 18 states to submit action plan
• The National Green Tribunal directed 18 states and 2 Union Territories to submit an action plan within three months to the
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
• This is being done to ensure utilization of treated waste to reduce pressure on the groundwater resources throughout the
country.
• The states which have not submitted action plans include Gujarat, Assam, Bihar, and Punjab.
India to co-chair CG of GFDRR
• India has been chosen as co-chair of the Consultative Group (CG) of Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR)
for the fiscal year 2020.
• GFDRR is a global partnership that helps developing countries better understand and reduce their vulnerability to natural hazards
and climate change.
• The decision was taken during the meeting of GFDRR held in Geneva, Switzerland.
Jaisalmer to host Int. Army Games
• International Army Scout Masters Competition as a part of International Army Games will be organised at Jaisalmer from 24 July-
17 August 2019.
• The event will witness participation of the Mechanised Infantry Scout Teams of eight countries including Russia.
• The Competition will be conducted in 5 stages, which will test the overall skills of Mechanised Infantry Scouts.
IN's SSB inaugurated at Kolkata
• Admiral Sunil Lanba, the Chief of Naval Staff inaugurated Indian Navy’s first full-fledged Service Selection Board (SSB)at Diamond
Harbour, near Kolkata on 14 May 2019.
• This is the fifth Service Selection Board of the Indian Navy and caters for selection of both Permanent and Short Service
Commission officers.
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Doordarshan launched a souvenir store

• Public service broadcaster Doordarshan has launched a souvenir store on online shopping website Amazon India.
• A range of merchandise with the tagline 'I am in your DNA, I am your Doordarshan' will now be available on the store.
• The idea is to establish an even stronger relationship with viewers who have grown up on shows like Malgudi Days, Ramayana
and Mahabharat in the 1980s and 90s.
Airtel partnered with HDFC Life
• Bharti Airtel and HDFC Life Insurance announced a partnership on 13 May 2019.
• Under this, Airtel has launched a prepaid bundle that will come with in-built life insurance cover (term plan) from the private life
insurer.
• Airtel's new ₹249 prepaid bundle will come with ₹4 lakh life cover from HDFC Life along with 2 GB data, unlimited calls to any
network and 100 SMS/day.
Jet Airways CFO resigned
• Jet Airways (India) Ltd's CFO and deputy CEO Amit Agarwal has resigned from his positions at the airline.
• Amit Agarwal, who joined the airline in December 2015, is a chartered accountant with over two-and-a-half decades of
experience.
• Considered close to founder Naresh Goyal, Agarwal was responsible for all financial and fiscal management aspects of the
company’s business.
Delhi's air quality very poor: SAFAR
• Delhi's air quality was recorded in the 'very poor' category, but the pollution level is expected to reduce due to thunderstorms, as
per SAFAR.
• The air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 339 which falls in the 'very poor' category
• An AQI between 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', and
401-500 'severe'.
HDFC Bank wholesale book increased 32%
• HDFC Bank grew its wholesale book by 32% in 2018-19.
• As a result, the wholesale lending book is now 46% of the total book compared with 43% a year ago.
• This came at a time when most lenders are shying away from lending to the corporate sector.
CTBTO invited India to be an observer
• The executive secretary of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), Lassina Zerbo, has invited India to be an
observer in the CTBT.
• Being an observer would give India access to data from the International Monitoring System located in 89 countries.
• This system can detect even small nuclear explosions using seismology, hydroacoustics, infrasound and radionuclide technology.
Infosys' FCRA licence cancelled
• The Home Ministry has cancelled the FCRA licence of Infosys Foundation after a request was made by the not-for-profit initiative
of it.
• The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) enables an association or an NGO to receive foreign funds, and they have to
mandatorily register under it to receive such funds.
Carbon dioxide levels hit historic high
• Scientists in the US have detected the highest levels of planet-warming carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere since records
began.
• The Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, which has tracked atmospheric CO2 levels since the late 1950s, detected 415.26 parts per
million (ppm).
• It was also the first time on record that the observatory measured a daily baseline above 415 ppm.
India to host Syria, Tajikistan
• The All India Football Federation confirmed the participation of Syria, DPR Korea, and Tajikistan in the 2nd edition of the
Intercontinental Cup, starting on July 7, 2019.
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• The Blue Tigers (Indian football team) come into the competition as defending champions, having won the inaugural edition in
June 2018 by defeating Kenya.
• New Zealand and Chinese Taipei were the other two teams in the fray
Sebi issued notice to Kotak, HDFC MF
• Sebi has sent show-cause notices to Kotak Mutual Fund and HDFC Mutual Fund, seeking details about their investments in the
debt instruments of Essel Group companies.
• Essel Group promoters have sought time to repay their lenders.
• Both fund houses had exposure to Essel Group companies in their fixed maturity plans (FMPs).
Retail inflation at 6-month high in April
• India's retail inflation touched a six-month high in April to 2.92% on high food prices, compared with 2.86% in March.
• As per the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementations, despite a slight increase in inflation, consumer price index
remains below the target of 4 (+/-2)%.
• The consumer price index (CPI)-based retail inflation was at 2.57% in February 2019.
Manchester City won Premier League Title
• Manchester City won another Premier League title.
• It retained the title after defeating Brighton 4-1 at the Amex Stadium.
• It's the first time a team has won back-to-back titles since Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United in 2009.
• City's total of 98 points is the second highest haul in Premier League history.
Admiral John of the US Navy visited India
• Admiral John Michael Richardson, Chief of Naval Operations, US Navy, was on an official tour to India from 12 to 14 May 2019.
• His visit was intended to consolidate bilateral naval relations between India and the USA and also to explore new avenues for
naval cooperation.
• Indian Navy and US Navy interact regularly and participate in maritime exercises such as MALABAR and RIMPAC.
ABHYAS successfully tested
• DRDO conducted a successful flight test of ABHYAS - High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) from Interim Test Range,
Chandipur in Odisha on 13 May 2019.
• The flight test was tracked by various RADARS & Electro Optic Systems and proved its performance in a fully autonomous
waypoint navigation mode.
• The configuration of ABHYAS is designed on an in-line small gas turbine engine.
Mary Kom to debut in Indian Boxing Tournament
• Mary Kom will make her competitive debut in 51kg in the second edition of the India Open boxing tournament.
• It will be held in Guwahati from 20th to 24th of May 2019.
• India Open will witness 35 men and 37 women boxers from India vying for glory, even as close to 200 pugilists from 16 boxing
powerhouses will participate in the tournament.
Cannes Film Festival began
• Cannes Film Festival began on 14 May 2019 in France.
• Information and Broadcasting Secretary Amit Khare will inaugurate India Pavilion on 15 May 2019.
• Indian Delegation will also release a special poster to mark the golden jubilee of International Film Festival of India (IFFI-2019).
Tanjung Datu arrived in Port Blair
• Indonesian Coast Guard ship (BAKAMLA) ‘Tanjung Datu’ arrived in Port Blair along with a high-level delegation led by First
Admiral Eko Murwanto.
• The aim of this goodwill visit is to enhance bilateral cooperation between the Coast Guards of two countries.
• The ship ‘KN Tanjung Datu’ is a Patrol Vessel.
• The ship has a complement of 25 officers and 40 sailors.
Yuvika 2019 inaugurated
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• The Young Scientist Programme ‘Yuvika2019’ was inaugurated by ISRO Chairman Dr. K Sivan, through video mode in Bengaluru
on 13 May 2019.
• The two-week residential summer vacation programme is spread over four ISRO centres in Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram,
Ahmedabad, and Shillong.
• It will be attended by 110 students.
India, Iran held talks
• Foreign Minister of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif held talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi on 14 May
2019.
• The talks primarily focused on the impact of the US ending waivers on import of Iranian oil and ways to deal with it.
• India is one of the most important partners of Iran and both countries have regular consultations on various issues.
Appointments
• LIC Mutual Fund appointed Dinesh Pangtey as the company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He joined LIC as a direct recruit
officer in 1984.
• ITC Ltd named managing director Sanjiv Puri as its chairman. He will take over the legacy of Y.C. Deveshwar, the company’s
longest serving chairman who died on 11 May 2019.
Sana becomes highest wicket-taking spinner
• Pakistan off-spinner Sana Mir has become the most successful woman ODI spinner in history.
• She took her 147th wicket, highest ever by any spinner in One-day International (ODI) cricket.
• It was her 118th appearance for Pakistan and surpassed West Indies spinner Anisa Mohammed and Australia’s Lisa Sthalekar,
who had accumulated 146 wickets each.
1st women's cricket magazine launched
• World’s first exclusive women’s cricket magazine CRICZONE has released.
• It has Indian women’s cricket team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana featured as the cover story.
• The publisher of the magazine is Yash Lahoti.
• The objective of this magazine is to empower young aspiring women cricketers to take the sport as a profession and able to make
a sustainable living.
Odisha CM demanded special category
• Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik demanded special category status from Centre for his disaster-prone state, saying it faces natural
calamities almost every year.
• He said special category status is the need of the hour due to the massive loss to infrastructure which may stall growth of the
state.
• In the last five years, Odisha has witnessed Phailin, Hudhud, Titli and now Fani.
Thrissur ‘Pooram’ festivities began
• An unprecedented crowd gathered to witness Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran of 36-hour-long Pooram celebrations at
Thekkinkadu maidan on 12 May 2019.
• The elephant Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran, fondly called as ‘Raman’, opened the Thekke Gopura Nada of Sree
Vadakkunnathan Temple.
• The Vilambaram ritual declares the pooram celebrations open.
Chennai to get its first unmanned substation
• The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) has identified a substation to be upgraded into an
unmanned substation- the first of its kind in the city.
• The 33 (KV)/11 KV substation is located right at the heart of the central business district of Anna Salai, near the Express Mall on
Woods Road.
• It has been chosen for the upgrade.
Assam produced an orchid link to the Orient
• An Assam forest officer’s chance discovery has given India one of its smallest orchids in terms of size and duration of bloom to be
recorded botanically.
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• Lecanorchis taiwaniana is a mycoheterotroph, one of two types of parasitic plants that have abandoned photosynthesis.
• The Japanese Journal of Botany has published it as a new record for the flora in India in its latest issue.
Hinduja brothers named UK's wealthiest people
• The billionaire Hinduja brothers have been named as the wealthiest people in the UK for a third time, according to the Sunday
Times Rich List.
• Sri and Gopi Hinduja saw their fortune increase by 1.356 billion pounds ($1.7 billion) in the last year to 22 billion pounds.
• The Hinduja Group was founded in Mumbai in 1914.
Asian economies to dominate 7%
• The 2020s are set to be the Asian decade, with the continent dominating an exclusive list of economies expected to sustain
growth rates of around 7%.
• Ethiopia and Côte d’Ivoire are also likely to reach the 7% growth pace.
• India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Myanmar and the Philippines should all meet that benchmark, according to a research note.
Kerala linked Aadhaar to attendance
• Kerala’s Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has made Aadhaar-based attendance mandatory for all government offices in
the state.
• All government offices are to install Aadhaar-based biometric attendance systems within six months, according to the 6 May
order.
• 560,000 officials, from those in the secretariat to government school staff, will need an Aadhaar number to draw their salaries.
Indian Pavillion to be set at Cannes
• India Pavilion is set to be inaugurated at Cannes Film Festival, which will be held from 14th to 25th May 2019.
• The Indian Delegation this year will be led by Shri Amit Khare, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
• The will be set up by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Industry.
Jehan won FIA Formula 3 Championship
• Indian racer Jehan Daruvala, won the inaugural round of the FIA Formula 3 Championship, one of the support events to Formula
One in Barcelona on 12 May 2019.
• The FIA F3 Championship was created by merging the erstwhile GP3 Championship and FIA F3 European Championship.
• Jehan is the only Indian to win a Grand Prix when he won the New Zealand Grand Prix.
Novak won Madrid Open Title
• Novak Djokovic of Serbia beat Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece 6-3, 6-4 to win his third Madrid Open title on 12 May 2019.
• Djokovic lifted the title in Madrid and has now won 33 Masters 1000 titles - the same number as Rafael Nadal and five more than
Roger Federer.
WTO meeting began in Delhi
• The World Trade Organisation ministerial meeting of developing countries began in New Delhi on 13 May 2019.
• The meeting will provide an opportunity for the Ministers to discuss various issues and way forward.
• 16 developing countries and 6 Least Developed Countries, LDCs are participating in the meeting including China, South Africa,
Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Bangladesh.
India,Vietnam to strengthen partnership
• Vice President Venkaiah Naidu held talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Xuan Phuc in Hanoi on 12 May 2019.
• The two leaders discussed a wide range of issues and underscored the importance of strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic
Partnership between the two nations to ensure peace and security in the region.
New fish species discovered
• A team of researchers led by Professor Walter Salzburger from the University of Basel recently analysed fish living in deep-sea
habitat and discovered that certain deep-sea fish have expanded their rhodopsin genes.
• The deep-sea fish have adapted to detect a certain wavelength of light.
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Universal debt relief scheme on cards

• India has begun work on a universal debt relief scheme for small borrowers aimed at micro enterprises, small farmers and
artisans.
• Individuals below a specified income and asset threshold will be eligible for debt relief.
• People with annual income of Rs 60,000 or less, outstanding loans of Rs 35,000 or less, and assets worth Rs 20,000 or less may be
eligible.
SBI cuts lending rates
• The SBI and ICICI Bank posted quarterly results with both their managements exuding confidence that the worse is over in terms
of asset quality.
• SBI has cut its marginal cost-based lending rates (MCLR) by five basis points across tenors.
• RBI has withdrawn its circular asking banks and financial institutions to declare details of their exposure and provisions related to
the (IL&FS).
4 ships subjected to sabotage operations
• Four commercial ships were subjected to sabotage operations near UAE territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman, east of Fujairah.
• There had been no injuries or fatalities on board the vessels and that there had been no spillage of harmful chemicals or fuel.
• Such irresponsible acts increase tension and conflicts in the region and expose its peoples to great danger.
RBI proposed new mobile app
• The RBI proposes to come out with a mobile application to aid visually impaired persons in identifying Indian currency notes.
• At present, banknotes in the denominations of ₹ 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 2,000 are in circulation, besides Re 1 notes issued
by the Government of India.
• The mobile application shall provide multi-lingual support as well as audio notifications.
Mumbai Indians won IPL 2019
• Mumbai Indians became IPL champions for the fourth time after defeating Chennai Super Kings by one run in Hyderabad on 12
May 2019.
• Last ball dismissal of Shardul Thakur by paceman Lasith Malinga registered final win for Mumbai over Chennai.
• MS Dhoni became the most successful wicket-keeper in the history of IPL by taking his dismissals tally to 132, surpassing Dinesh
Karthik.
International Nurses Day: 12 May
• International Nurses Day (IND) is an international day observed around the world on 12 May each year.
• It marks the contributions that nurses make to society.
• It was first observed in 1965.
• The theme for the year 2019 is Nurses: A voice to lead - Health for All.
GRIHA Council launches rating system
• GRIHA Council released a rating tool ‘GRIHA for Existing Day Schools’ on 6 May 2019.
• The rating will help in evaluating the environmental performance of existing schools across India.
• The rating familiarises the students with the concepts of sustainability by involving them, under the guidance of their teachers,
on evaluating the environmental impact of schools on the environment.
FIFA announces two new award categories
• FIFA announced two new award categories to promote women's football across the globe.
• The two new award categories are off Women's goalkeeper of the year and a women's team of the year.
• This announcement means and both men and women will be up for receiving accolades in the same categories at the FIFA Best
ceremony in Milan on September 23.
Airtel to merge satellite business with Hughes
• Bharti Airtel has decided to merge its broadband satellite, or VSAT, business with Hughes Communications India.
• The merger will help in increasing scale, improve operational efficiencies and target new customers in areas such as in-flight
connectivity.
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• Hughes Communications will own 67% share of the new entity.

• At present, Hughes has a 36% share of the market.
World Migratory Bird Day: 11 May
• World Migratory Bird Day is observed every year on 11 May.
• The theme for this year's World Migratory Bird Day is ‘Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution.’
• The aim of the day is to highlight the need to protect migratory birds and their habitats.
India is a hot spot for illegal sand mining
• A report titled ‘Sand and Sustainability: finding new solutions for environmental governance of global sand resources’ was
released by the United Nations Environment Programme.
• India and China top a list of countries where illegal sand mining has become a major environmental problem.
• In 2017, China recorded the highest use of cement in the world.
• India came second followed by the USA.
Global Health Security Strategy unveiled
• The US unveiled the 'Global Health Security Strategy'.
• The strategy is a first of its kind strategy to prevent, detect and respond to threats from infectious diseases occurring naturally or
accidentally.
• Under the new Strategy, it will work to ensure that every partner country has a plan to achieve self-reliance in the critical area of
health security.
UN to hold 2020 Ocean Conference In Lisbon
• United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will hold its 2020 high-level conference early June in Portugal’s Lisbon to support the
sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources.
• The Conference will support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans,
seas and marine resources for sustainable development in Lisbon.
KS Radhakrishnan appointed as member of CSAT
• K S Radhakrishnan, former Supreme Court Judge, has been appointed as a member of the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral
Tribunal, London.
• He will render his services as a member of the Tribunal for a period of four years from 1st of June, 2019 to 31st of May, 2023.
• He served as the Chief Justice of the Gujarat and Jammu & Kashmir High Courts before his term in Supreme Court from 2009-
2014.
WHO for eliminating industrial trans fats
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has partnered with the International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA).
• Trans fat could be eliminated from the industrially produced global food supply by 2023 if the World Health Organization (WHO)
has its way.
• Trans fat is also called the worst form of fat in food, responsible for over 5,00,000 deaths globally from coronary heart disease
each year.
Microsoft launches 'ElectionGuard'
• In a bid to help countries ensure secure and verifiable voting, Microsoft announced 'ElectionGuard', a free open-source Software
Development Kit (SDK).
• ElectionGuard is verifiable, allowing voters and third-party organisations to verify election results.
• It is also secure, auditable and open source -- free and flexible with the ability to be used with off-the-shelf hardware.
Grizzled giant squirrel spotted near Gingee
• For the first time, researchers have sighted nests of the grizzled giant squirrel at Pakkamalai Reserve Forests near Gingee in the
Eastern Ghats.
• The squirrel is an endangered species listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act.
• Owing to habitat loss and poaching, the species has been categorised as near threatened by the Red List and listed under
Schedule II of CITES.
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Road accidents still cause most deaths

• According to a World Health Organisation (WHO), Road accidents are the leading cause of death among people in the 5-29 age-
group worldwide with more than 1.35 million lives lost each year and 50 million sustaining injuries.
• The reasons listed for this trend include rapid urbanisation, poor safety, lack of enforcement, distracted, influence of drugs or
alcohol, and speeding.
Amul to be sponsor of Afghanistan cricket team
• Dairy major Amul will be the principal sponsor of the Afghanistan cricket team for the upcoming ICC World Cup hosted by
England and Wales.
• This is the third time that Amul is sponsoring a cricket team in the World Cup.
• The logo of brand Amul will appear on the team jerseys as well as on training kits throughout the World Cup.
2019 to be observed as ‘Year of next of kin’
• The Indian Army is commemorating 2019 as the ‘Year of Next of Kin’.
• It plans to reach out to the next of kin of battle casualties, ex-servicemen and serving soldiers to inform them of entitled financial
benefits, welfare schemes and help resolve pension-related problems.
• The issue gains importance in light of most next of kin of deceased soldiers being unaware of the financial benefits.
Road Safety Week: 6-12 May
• UN Global Road Safety Week was observed from 6 to 12 May 2019.
• It is celebrated every two years and highlights the need for strong leadership for road safety.
• The theme for 2019 is 'leadership for road safety'.
Bengal tigers may not survive climate change
• According to a report by the UN, Royal Bengal Tiger, which dominates the marshy areas of the Sundarban forest reserves, may be
pushed into extinction due to rise in sea levels and climate change.
• The Sunderbans, a 10,000-km area of wet and marshy land sprawled across Bangladesh and India, is among the world's richest
mangrove forest reserves and supports species like Bengal Tiger.
First brown bear sighting in Portugal
• The first brown bear sighting in Portugal in more than a century was confirmed by wildlife experts.
• The bear belongs to a population living in the western Cantabrian Mountains in northern Spain.
• Brown bears have been extinct in Portugal since the 19th century.
• The animal was spotted in the Montesinho Natural Park and Braganca commune in northeastern Portugal.
Highest-resolution image sensor unveiled
• Samsung Electronics Co introduced the world's highest-resolution image sensor, with 64 megapixels for smartphones to meet the
growing demand for mobile devices with better image quality.
• Samsung unveiled two new 0.8-micrometre pixel image sensors: the 64-megapixel ISOCELL Bright GW1 and the 48-megapixel
ISOCELL Bright GM2.
Appointments
• Group Captain Chandra Shekhar Bhatt took over the command of Air Force Station Faridabad from Group Captain Kaushik Das.
• Karnataka Bank Limited has promoted two of its General Managers, Balachandra YV and Gokuldas Pai, as Chief Operating Officer
(COO) and Chief Business Officer (CBO), respectively.
Muhammad-Bande appointed as President of UNGA
• TIJJANI Muhammad-Bande, a professor and former vice chancellor of Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, has been appointed
the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
• He was the permanent representative of Nigeria at the UN.
• When he assumes the role, the professor will become the second Nigerian to be president of the UN General Assembly.
Non venomous snake species discovered
• Taxonomists have discovered a non-venomous species of snake in Mizoram.
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• The findings about the snake were published in the taxonomic journal, Zootaxa, by a team of scientists from India and abroad.
• The Mizo rain snake (Smithophis atemporalis) has been named after eminent British herpetologist, Malcom A Smith, for his
contribution to Indian herpetology.
Cannes Festival to roll out new initiative
• This year, the Cannes film festival is rolling out an initiative called Le Ballon Rouge – named after a children’s film by Albert
Lamorisse.
• The innovations are part of the festival’s modernisation process, in response to the Harvey Weinstein scandal and the #MeToo
movement.
Ajay Mehta: New Maharashtra Chief Secretary
• Mumbai municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta has been appointed as Maharashtra's new Chief Secretary.
• Ajoy Mehta succeeds UPS Madan who has been named as the special advisor to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Extinct bird species came back from the dead
• A previously extinct species of bird returned from the dead, reclaiming the island it previously lived on and re-evolving itself back
into existence.
• The white-throated rail colonized the Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean and evolved to become flightless.
• It was completely wiped out when the island disappeared below the sea around 136,000 years ago.
Bezos unveiled lunar lander
• Jeff Bezos unveiled a mockup of a lunar lander being built by his Blue Origin rocket company.
• The lander will be able to deliver payloads to the lunar surface, deploy up to four smaller rovers and shoot out satellites to orbit
the moon.
• Bezos unveiled a model of roughly the size of a golf cart, and presented a new rocket engine called BE-7, which can blast 10,000
pounds (4,535 kg) of thrust.
National Technology Day: 11 May
• National Technology Day is observed every year on 11t May in India.
• It acts as a reminder of the anniversary of Shakti, the Pokhran nuclear test which was held on 11 May 1998.
• The aim of the celebration is to highlight the achievements of the scientists and engineers of India in the field of science and
technology.
First vaccine for dengue fever approved
• The Food and Drug Administration approved the first vaccine against dengue fever.
• The agency ruled that Dengvaxia, manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur, can only be used in individuals aged 9 to 16 living in parts of
the United States where the dengue virus is endemic.
• The vaccine can only be given to children and teens who have had one previous laboratory-confirmed case of dengue.
India to add 3 million tech jobs
• The Indian tech industry will add another 3 million new jobs by 2023, as per the Indian Staffing Federation (ISF).
• With the additions, the size of the country’s tech army will be 7 million by 2023.
• All these new jobs would come up in digital technology areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, Internet of
things (IoT), data science, analytics, big data, and blockchain.
NDDB developed 1st genome assembly of buffalo
• National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has developed the world's first complete parent-wise genome assembly of buffalo.
• Named as 'NDDB ABRO Murrah', the genome assembly of riverine buffaloes would provide more insights about buffalo genome.
• The estimated population of buffaloes in the world is 224.4 million, of which 219 million (97.58%) are in Asia.
Trump raised tariffs on imports from China
• US President Donald Trump has ordered his top officials to begin the process to raise tariffs on almost all the imports from China.
• This amounts to about $ 300 billion.
• This is in addition to the Chinese imports worth $200 billion on which Trump increased the import duty from 10% to 25%.
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YC Deveshwar passed away

• YC Deveshwar, ITC’s longest-serving corporate chief, passed away at a private hospital in May 2019.
• He stepped down from executive role in 2017 but remained as a chairman in non-executive capacity.
• Sanjiv Puri is the current CEO and MD of the company.
India, Vitenam reiterated commitment
• India and Vietnam reiterated the importance of building a peaceful and prosperous Indo-pacific region on the basis of respect for
national sovereignty and international law.
• Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and his Vietnamese counterpart Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh discussed a whole range of areas of
cooperation in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi.
Georgian plane forced to land at Jaipur
• A Georgian AN-12 aircraft was forced to land at Jaipur by Indian Air Force interceptors on 10 May 2019.
• The aircraft did not follow the authorized Air Traffic Services (ATS) route and was not responding to Radio calls from Indian
controlling agencies.
• However, when challenged, the aircraft responded that it was a non-scheduled An-12 aircraft that had got airborne from
Georgia for Delhi.
1st Apache helicopter handed over to the IAF
• First AH-64E (I) - Apache Guardian helicopter was formally handed over to the Indian Air Force at Boeing production facility in
Mesa, Arizona, USA on 10 May, 2019.
• Air Marshal AS Butola, represented the Indian Air Force and accepted the first Apache.
• IAF had signed a contract with US Government and M/s Boeing Ltd in Sep 2015 for 22 Apache helicopters.
India's industrial output in March falls 0.1%
• Industrial output contracted 0.1% in March 2019 due to slowdown in the manufacturing sector.
• Factory output as measured in terms of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) had expanded 5.3% in March 2018.
• During the entire 2018-19 fiscal, industrial output witnessed a 3.6% growth as against 4.4% in the previous fiscal.
Konkan Railways signs agreement with Nepal
• Konkan Railways Corporation Ltd has signed a contract agreement with Nepal's Department of Railways to supply two 1600 HP
DEMU train sets.
• These trains will be used to operationalise railway link between Jayanagar in India and Kurtha in Nepal.
• The train sets will be manufactured by the Integrated Coach Factory, Chennai.
Ireland declares climate emergency
• Ireland has become only the second country in the world to declare a climate and biodiversity emergency.
• It happened after the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) report on Climate Action was accepted by the government and opposition
parties without a vote.
• The United Kingdom became the first country to declare the emergency on 1 May 2019.
Dia Mirza appointed as SDG Advocates of UN
• The United Nations appointed 17 global figures including Indian actress Dia Mirza and Alibaba chief Jack Ma as the new advocates
for Sustainable Development Goals.
• SDG Advocates are influential public figures committed to raising awareness, inspiring greater ambition and pushing for faster
action on the SDGs.
• SDGs were adopted in September 2015.
20th Conference of RHCA concludes
• The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) had organised a Conference of the Regional Heads of Customs
Administration of Asia Pacific Region of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) in Kochi from 08 to 10 May 2019.
• India hosted this Conference in its capacity as Vice-Chair of the Asia Pacific Region of WCO which it assumed on 1st July, 2018 for
a two-year period.
Ministerial Meeting of Developing Countries
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• A WTO Ministerial meeting of developing countries is being hosted by India in New Delhi on 13-14 May 2019.
• Sixteen developing countries, Six Least Developed Countries (LDC) and Director General of World Trade Organisation (WTO) are
participating in the meeting.
• The Twelfth Ministerial Conference of the WTO to be held in Kazakhstan in June 2020.
Hyderabad's International Airport Ranked 8th
• With the eighth position, the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad has been ranked among the top ten best airports in
the world.
• The survey was conducted by AirHelp.
• The Hamad International Airport in Qatar has topped the list followed by Japan's Tokyo and Greece's Athens International
airports.
Fiscal deficit touched 4.52% at end-February
• Finance Ministry told that the country's fiscal deficit at ₹8.51 trillion at the end of February 2019 had touched 4.52% of the GDP.
• The government's has pegged its fiscal deficit target for 2018-19 at 3.4% for which was revised upwards from the earlier 3.3%.
Singapore reports first case of monkeypox
• Singapore has reported its first case of the rare monkeypox virus.
• Monkeypox, a virus similar to the human smallpox which was eradicated in 1980.
• Human monkeypox infections have only been documented three times outside of Africa, in the United States, the United
Kingdom and Israel, according to the U.S.-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
World's fastest bullet train starts test run
• Japan is testing the fastest-ever shinkansen bullet train, capable of speeds of as much as 400 kilometers (249 miles) per hour.
• Called the Alfa-X, the train is scheduled to go into service in 2030.
• Rail company JR East plans to operate it at 360 kilometers per hour. That would make it 10 kph faster than China’s Fuxing Hao,
which links Beijing and Shanghai and has the same top speed.
Morgan Stanley downgrades RIL
• Morgan Stanley has downgraded Reliance Industries Limited’s (RIL) stock to ‘equal weight’ (EW), leading to a 3.41% fall in the
company’s shares to ₹1,255.15.
• With this fall, the company has again lost the tag of India’s most-valued firm to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
• RIL’s market capitalisation fell to ₹7,98,628.55 crore compared with TCS’s ₹8,13,779.67 crore.
Esha and Akull won silver in the Shooting
• India’s Esha Singh and Akull Kumar won silver in junior mixed air pistol event in the International Shooting Competition at
Hannover, Germany.
• They secured 5.4 points and defeated by the German pair of Jan Luca Karstedt and Vanessa Seeger.
• It was the second mixed medal for Esha, after the one she won recently with Anmol Jain in Plzen, Czech Republic.
First indigenous microprocessor AJIT developed
• Engineers from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay have developed a microprocessor called AJIT.
• It is the first to be conceptualised, designed, developed and manufactured in India.
• The project was funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and IIT Bombay.
Genetic study conducted on Lakshadweep
• For the very first-time scientists carried out a genetic study on people of Lakshadweep Islands.
• It was conducted by a team of researchers at CSIR's (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research) Centre for Cellular and Molecular
Biology (CCMB).
• It found the close genetic link of Lakshadweep islanders with people from the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and India.
India's first mega science exhibition
• India’s first ‘mega-science’ exhibition ‘Vigyan Samagam’ was inaugurated in Mumbai.
• It is organised by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and the National
Council of Science Museums (NCSM).
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• After Mumbai, the exhibition will move to Bengaluru from 7 July, and on to Kolkata and then New Delhi.
Reliance acquires British toy-maker Hamleys
• Reliance Brands Limited, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, will acquire Hamleys Global Holdings Limited, the owner of British
toy brand Hamleys.
• Hamleys, owned by Hong Kong-listed C Banner International Holdings, has 167 stores across 18 countries.
• In India, Reliance has the master franchise for Hamleys and presently operates 88 stores across 29 cities.
Govt prohibits imports of electronics goods
• The government of India has prohibited Import of second-hand or refurbished electronics and IT goods without registration with
the Bureau of Indian Standards.
• Under the Electronics and IT Goods (Requirement of Compulsory Registration) order 2012, imports of these goods is allowed
through the registration with the BIS or on specific exemption letter from the ministry of IT and electronics.
Hari Menon appointed as Country Director
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has appointed Hari Menon as the Country Director for India, effective from May 24.
• He takes over from Nachiket Mor, who held the position for the past three years.
• Currently, he is the Director, Global Program Advocacy & Communications, based out of the foundation's headquarters in Seattle.
TCS reclaims most valued firm status
• On 9 May 2019, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) reclaimed the status of the country's most valued firm by market valuation
surpassing Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL).
• TCS is the country's most valued firm followed by RIL, HDFC Bank, Hindustan Unilever and ITC.
• The m-cap figure of companies changes daily with stock price movement.
New system to monitor rowdy-sheeters
• Hyderabad Police has launched a new monitoring system on the activities of rowdy-sheeters, assuring its citizens of a safe and
secure environment.
• The new monitoring system is known as 'rowdy-sheeters module,' which is incorporated in 'TSCOP' mobile application.
• Through this system all the rowdy-sheeters data is available police station-wise.
India and China sign protocol
• On 8 May 2019, India and China signed a protocol for export of Indian chilli meal to China.
• It was signed after a meeting of Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan and China's Vice Minister Li Guo.
• India has identified and shared with China a list of 380 products, including horticulture, textiles, chemicals and pharmaceutical
products, as their shipments hold huge export potential.
Deborah appointed CEO of Recording Academy
• Deborah Dugan has created history by becoming the first woman to head Recording Academy.
• She has been appointed as Academy President and CEO and will replace Neil Portnow.
• She is currently serves as co-chair of the award-winning storytelling nonprofit The Moth.
• The new president will oversee all affairs of the Academy.
NASA to crash spacecraft into asteroid in 2022
• In a first, NASA will launch a spacecraft that will collide with an asteroid in 2022 to demonstrate a planetary defense technique.
• The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) will get one chance to hit its target, a small moonlet in the binary asteroid system
Didymos.
• The asteroid poses no threat to Earth.
Thresholds for class action lawsuits notified
• The Corporate Affairs Ministry has notified the thresholds for filing class action -- a provision aimed at providing a redressal
mechanism for small and minority investors.
• Under Section 245 of the Companies Act, investors can file a class action suit.
• An application for class action can be filed by a member or members representing 5% of the total members of a company.
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Navy joins exercises in South China Sea

• Navy ships INS Kolkata and Shakti carried out Group Sail with the naval ships of Japan, the Philippines and the U.S. in the South
China Sea (SCS) from 3 to 9 May 2019.
• The group sail exercise showcased India’s commitment to operating with like-minded nations to ensure safe maritime
environment through enhanced interoperability.
• The ships undertook various exercises.
Bank credit grows 13.2% in FY19
• Bank credit grew by 13.2% in financial year 2018-19 as compared to 10.3% in the previous financial year, mainly aided by loans to
services and retail sector.
• Credit growth in services sector till the middle of February was 23.7% and in retail sector it was 16.7%.
• Credit growth in the industry sector was 5.6%.
Peruvian Climber died on Nepal Peak
• Experienced Peruvian climber Richard Hidalgo was found dead on Mount Makalu.
• The body of the 52-year-old was found in his tent at 6,600 metres (21,650 feet) by Sherpa guides who went to check after he did
not wake up.
• The guides said that it seemed he had died in his sleep.
CBIC to organise meeting of Regional Heads
• Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) is organising a meeting of the Regional Heads of Customs Administration of
Asia Pacific Region of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) in Kochi from 08th to 10th May, 2019.
• India is hosting this meeting in its capacity as Vice Chair of the Asia Pacific region that it assumed on 1st July, 2018 for a two-year
period.
India CEO forum organised on climate change
• India CEO Forum on Climate Change was organized by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)on 8 May
2019.
• The Forum consisted of high-level discussions across several sessions covering topics from India’s Nationally Determined
Contributions.
• The sessions voiced deliberations from the government on India’s international commitments to fighting climate change.
India & Turkey to strengthen economic relation
• India and Turkey vowed to strengthen economic relations with the aim of reaching 10 billion US dollars bilateral trade by 2020.
• Turkey's Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal held talks with Gitesh A Sarma, Secretary under the institutional mechanism of
foreign office consultations.
• Other aspects such as enhanced cultural interaction, tourism, people-to-people contacts were also discussed.
Kalavathi: CEO of Philips Innovation Campus
• Kalavathi G V has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Philips Innovation Campus in Bangaluru.
• Kalavathi, currently the head of Global Customer Service and Operations for Philips' Healthcare Informatics business, will succeed
Srinivas Prasad M R.
• Philips Innovation Campus in Bengaluru is a premier software research and development unit in Philips.
US imposes sanctions on Iran
• The Trump administration imposed sanctions on Iran's iron, steel, aluminum and copper industries.
• This comes a year after Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal.
• Trump said his announcement "puts other nations on notice that allowing Iranian steel and other metals into your ports will no
longer be tolerated."
Obituaries
• Renowned economist Baidyanath Mishra passed away on 8 May 2019.
• Veteran film and TV actor Mrinal Mukherjee passed away on 8 May 2019.
London: Base for WhatsApp payments
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• Facebook has chosen London as the centre for the global roll-out of WhatsApp pay.
• Facebook chose London because it attracts a multicultural workforce from many of the countries.
• Out of WhatsApp user base of 1.5 billion people, more than 200 million people are in India -- the single largest market for the
popular messaging platform.
Singapore passes new law to police fake news
• Singapore's parliament has passed a sweeping "anti-fake news" bill.
• It includes ability to demand corrections, order the removal of content, or block websites deemed to be propagating falsehoods
contrary to the public interest.
• Penalties for not complying with orders include steep fines and jail time.
FAW outbreak affects over 5,000 farmer
• An outbreak of 'Fall Armyworm' has affected at least 5,636 farming families in over 200 villages in Mizoram.
• The outbreak caused by the crop pest has affected maize cultivation in 2,055 hectares in 227 villages of all the eight districts.
• Agriculture experts said that FAW is a lepidopteran pest feeding on multiple plants (polyphagous).
Vice-President Naidu on Vietnam visit
• Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu will undertake a three-day official trip to Vietnam from 9 May 2019.
• He will hold meetings with Vice-President of Vietnam Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
• He will also meet beneficiaries of the Jaipur Foot Artificial Limb Fitment Camp organized in Vietnam under the 'India for
Humanity' initiative
L&T buys Mindtree shares worth ₹368 crore
• Infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro bought shares of Mindtree worth about ₹368 crore through open market transactions.
• According to bulk deal data available with the NSE, L&T bought over 37.53 lakh shares, or 2.28% stake, worth ₹367.8 crore, with
the average price being ₹979.96 per scrip.
RBI withdraws mandate on IL&FS NPAs
• Following the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal’s decision to allow banks to declare NPAs of Infrastructure Leasing &
Financial Services Limited and its group entities, the RBI has now withdrawn its circular.
• The circular mandated to disclose bad loans of the IL&FS group in its notes of accounts.
• Previously, RBI had asked banks and financial institutions to disclose the NPA.
BharatPe launches UPI for merchants
• BharatPe, a fintech startup enabling payments for merchants through interoperable UPI QR codes, has announced its foray into
merchant services with a new app.
• The app allows merchants to record their cash/credit (udhar) sales customer wise, request accounts receivable from customers
via SMS payment links, and keep track of accounts payable to suppliers.
India’s newest pit viper found in Arunachal
• India now has a fifth brown pit viper but with a reddish tinge.
• Scientiscts have described a new species of reddish-brown pit viper, a venomous snake with a unique heat-sensing system from a
forest in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The team of herpetologists was led by Ashok Captain.
Pt. Swapan Chowdhury conferred with D. Litt
• Noted writer Sanjib Chattopadhyay, Classical dancer Sonal Mansingh and Tabla Maestro Pt. Swapan Chowdhury were conferred
with D.Litt degrees by the Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) in Kolkata on 8 May 2019.
• The Chancellor of the University and West Bengal Governor Mr. Keshari Nath Tripathi presented the degrees.
• Noted educationists Professor V. N. Jha delivered the convocation address.
Sea phase of 'Varuna' exercise begins
• The sea phase of the Indo-French naval exercise 'Varuna' began on 8 May 2019.
• This year's edition of the Indo-French naval exercise currently underway off the Goa coast is the largest ever undertaken by the
two navies.
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• The exercise, began on May 1, will culminate on May 10 after sea phase operations.
• The first bilateral naval exercise between India and France was held in 1983.
Thrust to make State thalassaemia-free by 2020
• The Thalassaemia Welfare Association (TWA) launched a campaign to spread awareness among doctors on screening pregnant
women to find out if they were thalassaemia (a genetic blood disorder) carriers.
• Revathi Raj is the honorary president of TWA.
• This was done on the World Thalassaemia Day i.e. 8th May 2019.
Greenfield IT park to come up in Guindy
• Olympia Cyberspace, a unit of the Chennai-based Olympia Group, is coming up with a 1.1 million square feet greenfield IT park
jointly with US Private equity fund Apollo Global, in Guindy.
• The project will entail investments upto ₹750 crore.
• Apollo Global, an alternate investment platform with $270 billion in assets under management, is the joint venture partner of
Olympia for this project.
Rakesh Sharma elected as IMMA Vice-President
• Bajaj Auto Executive Director Rakesh Sharma has been elected as Vice-President of Geneva-based International Motorcycle
Manufacturers Association (IMMA).
• He is a representative of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).
• Geneva-based IMMA has membership from various manufacturers associations from across the world.
Yes Bank acquired shares of CG Power
• Yes Bank has acquired eight crore shares in electric equipment maker CG Power and Industrial Solutions which were pledged to it
by a borrower.
• The acquired shares represent 12.79% ownership in the company and will be valued at ₹292.56 crore.
• CG Power had a turnover of ₹6,287 crore in fiscal year 2017-18.
NCLT began bankruptcy process
• The lenders to the crippled Reliance Communications (RCom) moved NCLT to appoint a new resolution professional (RP) and
form a committee of creditors.
• It is the first step to begin the bankruptcy process of the Anil Ambani group company that owes close to ₹50,000 crores to 31
lenders led by SBI.
• RCom was in trouble for years forcing it to discontinue operations two years ago.
India, US agree on preserving Afghan gains
• India and the US have agreed that the gains made in Afghanistan in the past 18 years have must be preserved and consolidated.
• During Khalilzad’s talks in New Delhi, it was agreed that Afghanistan’s political future is for Afghans to decide through an inclusive
and legitimate process'.
• India has committed more than $3 billion to the reconstruction and rebuilding of Afghanistan since 2001.
Exports to Maldives exempted from restriction
• Exports of specified quantity of essential commodities to Maldives have been exempted from any kind of domestic restrictions or
prohibition in the current fiscal.
• Export of potatoes, onion, rice, wheat flour, sugar, dal and eggs has been permitted to Maldives under bilateral trade agreement
between India and Maldives during the period 2019-20 with effect from April.
SpaceX successfully launched cargo mission
• SpaceX successfully launched a Dragon spacecraft on a cargo mission for NASA to International Space Station (ISS).
• This is SpaceX's fifth launch of the year.
• The launch was rescheduled earlier due to some electrical problem on ISS.
• It was launched on a 'Falcon 9' rocket, from Cape Canaveral in Florida. It is being used for the first time.
2 reporters freed in Myanmar
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• Two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar after they were convicted of breaking the Official Secrets Act walked free from
prison after more than 500 days behind bars.
• Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had been convicted in September and sentenced to seven years in jail.
• They were released under a presidential amnesty for 6,520 prisoners.
100 US firms to join Dept of Commerce
• The U.S. Commercial Service will bring more than 100 U.S. companies to India as part of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s
largest annual trade mission program, Trade Winds.
• Trade Winds Indo-Pacific features a three-day business forum in New Delhi, with additional trade mission stops in Ahmedabad,
Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Bangladesh.
Jus PR Ramachandran: New CJ HC
• Justice PR Ramachandra Menon was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court.
• Governor Anandiben Patel administered him the oath of office and secrecy at a function here at Raj Bhawan.
• He was earlier a judge in the Kerala High Court.
World Red Cross Day: 8 May
• World Red Cross Day, also known as World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is observed every year on May 8.
• It is a gentle nod to all the volunteers who have made unparalleled contribution to people in duress or need.
• The 2019 theme is, ‘#Love’ and aims to broaden the public’s understanding of the society by highlighting the diversity and
universality of its work and approach.
Odisha sought Rs.7000 crore under PMAY Scheme
• The Odisha State government demanded special allotment of Rs.7,000 crore under the Prime Minister Awas Yojna with 90:10
funding ratio.
• Provision of five lakh disaster-resilient affordable houses which would require Rs.7,000 crore was sought by the State.
• Centre will provide further assistance to cyclone-hit Odisha after the assessment by an inter-ministerial Central team.
Odisha’s wildlife sanctuaries ravaged by Fani
• Cyclone Fani, packing wind gusts of up to 240 kmph, rendered not only millions of people homeless but also dealt a body blow to
wildlife and forest resources in the region.
• On May 3, the storm swept across several wildlife sanctuaries as it crossed the Odisha coastline.
• The sanctuary has been reduced to a wasteland with hardly any tree left untouched by Fani,
TAFE inked pact with PCRA on energy use
• TAFE has signed a pact with Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) to aid efficient utilisation of energy in
agriculture.
• Under the pact, workshops would be held, involving TAFE dealership in making farmers aware on the advantages of better
maintenance of tractors.
• This would help farmers maximise productivity and profitability.
ECube ropes in Badrinarayanan
• ECube, an ESG (environment, social and governance) platform announced the appointment of Chandru Badrinarayanan as
managing partner.
• Early this year, Ecube had announced a fundraise of $1 billion jointly with Quantum Advisors.
• Mr. Badrinarayanan was till recently executive director and head of MSCI’s India business and has more than 30 years of
experience.
Mastercard to invest $ 1 bn to develop India
• Mastercard will invest $1 billion in India over the next five years, with plans to make the country a global technology node for its
platforms.
• The company has already invested $1 billion in the Indian market in the last five years.
• This investment will help foster innovation and increase Mastercard’s speed-to-market capabilities and value-added services.
Appointments
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• Ilapuram Raja has been appointed as member for RTI Commission.

• India's Jagjit Pavadia was re-elected to the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) for another term, posting the highest
number of votes at 44.
Piramal, Canadian fund set up renewable trust
• Piramal Enterprises Ltd. and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) have entered into a MoU to co-sponsor a renewable
energy-focused Infrastructure Investment Trust.
• The InvIT would seek to acquire up to 1.5-2GW of stable and cash-generating renewable assets on a hold-to-maturity basis.
• Both PEL and CPPIB will act as co-sponsors of the proposed InvIT and hold up to 75% of the units.
2 Indians among 115 UN staff honoured
• An Indian police officer Jitender Kumar and a consultant Shikha Garg are among 115 UN peacekeepers and staff honoured by UN
for their sacrifice.
• They lost their lives in the service of peace between January 2018 and March 2019.
• UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres paid tribute to 115 peacekeepers from 43 nations, who sacrificed their lives in the line of
duty at the solemn ceremony.
India-US to strengthen eco. cooperation
• India and the United States have agreed to strengthen economic co-operation and bilateral trade by ensuring greater
collaboration amongst stakeholders.
• A bilateral trade meeting was held between the two countries in New Delhi on 7 May 2019.
• Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu and US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross co-chaired the meeting.
Obituaries II
• Noted actor Mrinal Mukhopadhyay died in a private nursing home in May 2019.
• Renowned singer and composer Subir Nandi died while undergoing treatment at Singapore General Hospital, in May 2019.
• Former West Indies batsman Seymour Nurse passed away after suffering from a prolonged illness in May 2019. He played 29
Tests between 1960 and 1969.
Obituaries I
• Father of modern legal education in India, Dr.NR Madhava Menon passed away in May 2019. He is credited with the
conceptualization of five year integrated LLB course, in place of the earlier 3-year course.
• Former MLC G Ram Reddy, who is popularly known as Telangana Ram Reddy, passed away in Hyderabad in May 2019.
India re-elected observer to Arctic Council
• India has been re-elected as an observer to inter-governmental forum Arctic Council.
• The Arctic Council promotes cooperation, coordination and interaction among Arctic states on common issues.
• India is committed to do more contributions in the Arctic Council.
NIOS and NHMPH signed MoU
• The National Institute of Open Schooling Ministry of Human Resources Development and National Health Mission of Public
Health Department of Government of Maharashtra signed a MoU in Mumbai on 7 May 2019.
• It focused at offering Vocational programmes to the Health Service Providers of National Health Mission (NHM) through National
Institute of Open Schooling.
Desert Storm 2019 began
• Desert Storm 2019, touted to be the longest Cross-Country Rally in India kicked off on 8 may 2019.
• The four-day-long Rally will see over 100 teams competing in high temperatures, treacherous dune crossings and fast technical
gravel straights.
• It comprises 600 km of extremely harsh Special Stages in addition to over 900 km of Transport Stages.
NEET-PG cut-offs reduced by 6 percentile
• The government has decided to reduce the qualifying marks for NEET-PG for 2019-20 by six percentile.
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• General category candidates with minimum marks of 44 percentile, persons with disabilities category with a minimum of 39
percentile and SC/ST and OBC category candidates with 34 percentile will become eligible for admission to postgraduate medical
courses.
India and Bangladesh to jointly produce film
• India and Bangladesh agreed to jointly produce the film based on the life and works of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
• The movie will be directed by Shyam Benegal and the scriptwriter of the movie will be Atul Tiwari.
• Additionally, Prasar Bharti decided to carry Bangladesh TV on DD Free Dish platform and also to waive carriage fees.
Microsoft unveiled its Blockchain service
• Microsoft has unveiled Azure Blockchain Service that would simplify the formation, management and governance.
• Azure Blockchain Service will let businesses develop their applications on its Cloud-based platform.
• Microsoft has also announced a partnership with J.P. Morgan to make "Quorum" (an enterprise-focused version of open-sourced
platform Ethereum).
40% amphibian species threatened
• Relentless pursuit of economic growth, twinned with the impact of climate change, has put one million species at risk of
extinction, as per a report.
• Known as the Global Assessment, the report found that up to 1 million of Earth’s estimated eight million plants, insect and animal
species are at risk of extinction within decades.
• The study is compiled by 145 expert authors from 50 countries.
Mahashakti temple to be relocated
• The Madras HC directed the State government to relocate the Mahashakti Mariamman Temple following its removal last year
from the ‘Girivalam’ path in Tiruvannamalai.
• Justice K. Ravichandrabaabu directed the Tiruvannamalai Collector to assign the temple at about 270 metres from the original
location.
Tiger Woods awarded Presidential medal
• US President Donald Trump bestowed Tiger Woods with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honour.
• Woods is only the fourth and the youngest golfer ever to have received the highest American civilian award.
• Mr. Trump praised Mr. Woods as one of the greatest athletes in the history of sports.
Google to launch privacy tools
• Alphabet Inc's Google is set to roll out a dashboard-like function in its Chrome browser to offer users more control in fending off
tracking cookies.
• Cookies are small text files that follow internet users and are used by advertisers to target consumers on the specific interests
they have displayed while browsing.
Apple, Google removed 3 dating apps
• Apple and Google have removed 3 dating apps from their online stores after the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleged the
apps allowed kids as young as 12 to access them.
• In a recent letter, the FTC warned Ukraine-based Wildec LLC, which operates the apps Meet24, FastMeet, and Meet4U.
• These apps appeared to be in violation of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
Notto nod must for organ allocation
• In the last one year, the number of Indian patients receiving organs from brain-dead donors has gone up by 56% in Tamil Nadu.
• The number of lungs transplanted on Indians went up from 43 in 2017 to 84 in 2018.
• The National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (Notto) has mandated that an organ could be allocated to a foreign national
only after it gives its approval.
Nepali teenager created new record
• Bandana Nepal danced continuously for 126 hours to set a Guinness World Records on Longest Dancing Marathon by an
Individual, a feat previously hold by an Indian.
• Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli honoured the 18-year-old girl, Bandana Nepal, for achieving the feat.
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• Bandana Nepal beat the record set by Kalamandalam Hemlatha, who danced continuously for 123 hours and 15 minutes in 2011.
ISRO to launch RISAT-2BR1 on 22 May
• ISRO is set to launch its Radar Imaging Satellite, the RISAT-2BR1, on May 22, 2019 from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
• The RISAT, a remote sensing satellite, provide all-weather surveillance using synthetic aperture radars (SAR).
• RISAT's are the first all-weather observation satellites from ISRO and are designed to provide a continuous view of earth either at
day or night.
Appointments
• Visa has announced the appointment of Sujatha V Kumar as Head of Marketing for India and South Asia.
• Reza Baqir, an economist with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has been appointed as Governor of the State Bank of
Pakistan (SBP) for three years.
Gregor appointed global ambassador
• Gregor Robertson has accepted an ambassador role with the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.
• The Global Covenant of Mayors is a coalition of over 9,000 cities and is the largest global alliance for climate leadership.
• In his role as ambassador, the former mayor will be taking his knowledge of urban climate change strategies to organizations
around the world.
Obituaries
• Mappilappattu singer and Kerala Folklore Akademi vice chairman Eranholi Moosa died at his residence at Gopalpeta in Thalassery
in May 2019.
• Popular folk singer and activist Rama Rao passed away while undergoing treatment for a heart-related ailment in Hyderabad's
Durgabai Deshmukh Hospital in May 2019.
RBI raised caps on home loans by SFBs
• The RBI has increased the eligibility cap on home loans extended by regional rural banks and small finance banks to ₹35 lakh in
metropolitan areas and ₹25 lakh in other centres.
• All such loans will be now classified by these banks as priority sector loans.
• In addition, the existing family income limit of ₹2 lakh per annum is revised to ₹3 lakh per annum for EWS and ₹6 lakh per annum
for LIG.
Indian boxers won 6 medals
• Indian boxers finished with six medals, including two gold at the 36th Feliks Stamm International Boxing Tournament in Warsaw,
Poland.
• Gaurav Solanki and Manish Kaushik bagged one gold each.
• Indian boxers also clinched a silver and three bronze.
• The six-day competition saw boxers from all over the world participating in 10 categories in the men's section.
Mali President named new government
• In Mali, the president has named a new government after its predecessor resigned in April 2019.
• President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita announced the new executive of 37 members under Prime Minister Boubou Cisse.
• He was appointed on April 22, 2019, to oversee the formation of a broad-based government.
PM announced Rs 1000 cr assistance for Odisha
• PM Narendra Modi announced to provide manpower, machine, material and money for restoration work in cyclone FANI
affected areas in Odisha.
• Rs 1000 crore financial assistance will be given to Odisha.
• Before the cyclone, 381 crore rupees assistance in advance was declared by the Prime Minister.
• Eastern Command of the Indian Navy is also providing relief materials in Puri and Khurda districts.
Mumbai's last captive white tiger died
• Bajirao, the last captive white tiger, died recently at Sanjay Gandhi National Park, in Borivali, Mumbai.
• He was 18 years and died due to old age related issues.
• Bajirao was born at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in 2001.
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• There are six remaining Royal Bengal tigers at the park, four female and two male, all above 10 years of age.
G D Robert honored with V K Menon Award
• Indian-origin journalist G D ‘Robert’ Govender was conferred with V K Krishna Menon Award 2019 in the UK for his contribution
as a pioneer of decolonised journalism.
• The award is given to mark the 123rd birth anniversary of V K Krishna Menon, Indian diplomat and politician.
• He is the first person who has been awarded the V K Krishna Menon posthumously.
Roger climbed 3rd in men's rankings
• Former world number one Roger Federer has returned to third in the ATP Men's rankings released on 6 May 2019.
• He replaced Alexander Zverev after he was knocked out of the Munich Open at the quarter-finals stage.
• Novak Djokovic remains first ahead of Rafael Nadal to mark the Serb's 250th week as world number one.
India and US held Bilat. Trade Meeting
• India and the United States held the India-U.S. Bilateral Trade meeting in New Delhi on 6 May 2019.
• India appreciated the US Trade Winds Indo-Pacific Business Forum and Mission initiative 2019, being held at New Delhi.
• The forum will bring together distributors, representatives and partners and enable them to increase sales by taking part in
business-to-business meetings from 8-10 May 2019.
INS Ranjit decommissioned
• INS Ranjit, a Rajput class destroyer was decommissioned at Visakhapatnam on 6 May 2019.
• The ship commissioned on 15 September 1983 by Captain Vishnu Bhagwat has rendered yeoman service to the nation for 36
years.
• The ship since her commissioning has sailed for 2190 days covering a distance of over 7,43,000 nautical miles.
T.N. gives ₹10 crore to cyclone-hit Odisha
• Extending a helping hand to cyclone-hit Odisha, the Tamil Nadu government has announced financial assistance of ₹10 crore as
an immediate relief contribution.
• Edappadi K. Palaniswami is the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
• Severe cyclonic storm Fani has caused unprecedented and extensive damage in certain districts of Odisha, especially in Puri.
Swami Atmabodhanand breaks fast
• A 27-year-old hermit in Haridwar, Swami Atmabodhanand, has broken his 194-day fast in protest against sand mining and the
upcoming dams on key rivers that feed the Ganga.
• He had decided to break his fast after “assurances” from Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director-General, National Mission for Clean
Ganga, that laws banning sand mining on certain stretches of the Ganga would henceforth be enforced.
Miscellaneous News
• Actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra is all set to launch her own holistic wellness application. "Shilpa Shetty" app is available on iOS from
May 6 and on Android from June 8.
• Researchers from Ruhr-Universitat Bochum (RUB) in Germany have developed a simple blood test that may help detect
Alzheimer's disease eight years before the first clinical symptoms occur.
SpaceX Launches Falcon 9 Rocket
• Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (Space X) launched its 17th commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station
by using Falcon 9 rocket with Dragon Spacecraft.
• The 213-foot-tall rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
• This mission is a part of NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services program, which uses commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to the
ISS
Shahid Afridi released his autobiography
• Pakistan’s former captain and star all-rounder Shahid Afridi released his autobiography, titled ‘Game Changer’.
• The book is co-authored by Afridi and journalist Wajahat S Khan.
• Afridi stated that he was born in 1975 and not 1980 as stated in the official records.
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PM Narendra Modi visits Odisha

• Narendra Modi reached Odisha’s capital Bhubaneswar on 6th May to visit districts hit by Cyclone Fani.
• The Prime Minister was received by Governor Ganeshi Lal, CM Naveen Patnaik and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan at the
Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar.
• Modi undertook an aerial survey of Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak & Balasore district.
Business News
• Ride hailing major Ola said Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, has invested in its EV business - Ola Electric Mobility.
• Hindalco Industries, the country’s biggest aluminium producer, has tied up with two international manufacturers of beverage
cans — US-based Ball Beverage Packaging AMEA and CAN-PACK India. The consortium, to be called the Aluminium Beverage Can
Association of India.
Fani: longest-lasting cyclone in the century
• The powerful Cyclone Fani which ravaged the eastern coast of India was the longest-lasting cyclone in April over Bay of Bengal in
a century, said the India Meteorological Department.
• It was the longest-staying system over Bay of Bengal in April, from 1901.
• Cyclone Fani was one of the strongest since the Super cyclone 1999 and Cyclone Phailin in 2013, killing at least 16 in India.
G7 environment ministers held meeting
• Environment ministers of the G7 nations met in France, before the release of what is expected to be another alarming report on
the state of the planet.
• Ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US gathered for the two-day meeting in the city of Metz.
• They were due to discuss measures to tackle deforestation, plastic pollution and the degradation of coral reefs.
‘Avengers: Endgame’ crossed ₹300 crore mark
• Marvel’s blockbuster superhero flick Avengers: Endgame has closed its second weekend in India by crossing the ₹300 crore mark
to earn ₹311 crore.
• This is the first Hollywood film to cross the ₹300 crore mark in the country, besides having emerged as the highest Hollywood
grosser already.
• It has beaten the ₹227 crore earnings of previous installment Avengers: Infinity War by a long margin.
Navy launches 4th Scorpene class submarine
• The fourth of Indian Navy’s stealth Scorpene class Submarines of Project 75 was launched at the Kanhoji Angre Wet Basin of
Mazagon Dock Limited at Mumbai in Maharashtra.
• The submarine has been named ‘Vela’ after an earlier submarine, which was the lead submarine, of the erstwhile Vela class.
• The submarine has completed joining of all its sections.
IIT Kanpur collaborates with CSC
• Ministry of Electronics & IT, and CSC e-Governance Services India Limited partnered with the IIT Kanpur to upscale ‘Unnat Bharat
Abhiyan’.
• 'Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’ is the programme of the HRD (Human Resource Development) Ministry which is working towards
achieving solutions for increasing sustainable growth in rural India.
Myntra appoints Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma
• Flipkart-owned fashion e-commerce platform Myntra announced that it had appointed celebrity couple Virat Kohli and Anushka
Sharma as its first brand ambassadors.
• This is couple’s second big brand endorsement deal after men’s ethnic wear brand Manyavar, which they have been associated
with since 2017.
Yes Bank slips to 10th most valuable lender
• Private lender YES Bank Ltd has slipped three notches to 10th spot, in terms of market valuation, for the first time.
• Its shares slumped over 30% in the last two sessions after the bank reported a surprise net loss in its March quarter earnings.
• HDFC Bank is the most valued Indian bank with a market cap of ₹6.45 trillion.
Obituaries
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• Veteran CPI leader and former Lok Sabha member Duti Krushna Panda died at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar. Panda was
elected to Lok Sabha from Bhanjanagara Parliamentary Constituency (presently Aska) in 1971.
• Madhya Pradesh Advocate General and Senior Advocate Rajendra Tiwari passed away. Tiwari was appointed Advocate General
for the State of Madhya Pradesh in December last year.
Indian & Australia's co-operation on terrorism
• India and Australia have agreed to further deepen counter-terrorism co-operation through regular exchange of information and
sharing of best practices on countering extremism and radicalization.
• The two countries held the 11th Meeting of Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism at Canberra.
• Prime Minister of Australia -Scott Morrison.
N Korea fires several short-range projectiles
• North Korea has fired several short range projectiles into the Sea of Japan.
• State media confirmed that North Korean leader gave the order of firing to increase the combat ability of the country.
• It said the purpose of the drill was to test the operating ability and accuracy of multiple rocket launchers and tactical guided
weapons by the defence units.
• North Korean leader - Kim Jong-un.
Russian plane crash
• Around 41 people were killed when a Russian passenger plane made a fiery crash-landing at a Moscow airport.
• Two children are among the dead.
• Russian Superjet 100 was flying from Moscow to Murmansk when a fire broke out on board.
• Aeroflot Flight SU1492 returned to Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, making a hard landing.
• Russian President - Vladimir Putin.
Sri Lanka blocks social media platforms again
• In Sri Lanka, several social media platforms were blocked again following a tense situation in Negombo which led to overnight
police curfew.
• The access to social media was restricted soon after the Easter bombings.
• At least 257 people including 42 foreigners were killed when nine suicide bombers attacked eight locations including five-star
hotels and churches all over the country.
Asian Individual Squash Championship
• Ace Indian squash players Saurav Ghoshal and Joshna Chinappa won their respective Asian Individual Squash Championship titles
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• Saurav Ghoshal defeated Leo Au Chun Ming of Hong Kong to win the men's title. He is the first Indian male player to reach top
ten of the world rankings.
• Joshna Chinappa retained her title by beating Annie Au of Hong Kong in the women's final
SBI new rules on savings account from May 1
• SBI linked interest rate on large savings account deposits to RBI's repo rate from 1 May 2019.
• The interest rate on SBI's short-term loans like cash credit and overdraft facilities will also be linked to the repo rate.
• Interest rates on large SBI savings account deposits and interest rate on some short-term loans will automatically change as and
when RBI changes its repo rate.
Nasscom partners with GE healthcare
• NASSCOM has partnered with GE Healthcare to encourage startups to work on digital healthcare solutions in India.
• This strategic partnership would focus on co-creating solutions for real-world healthcare challenges in the areas of digital
applications for early detection, productivity solutions, and remote and connected care among others.
1st Japanese monarch to abdicate in 200 years
• Japan's Emperor Akihito formally abdicated on 30 April 2019 in Tokyo.
• He is the country's first monarch to step down from the Chrysanthemum Throne in two centuries.
• Akihito's reign and the Heisei era officially ended at midnight on 30 April 2019.
• Hereafter the 85-year-old will be known as Emperor Emeritus Akihito.
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Committee constituted for clean air programme

• The Union Environment Ministry has constituted a committee to implement the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
• The committee will be chaired by the Secretary, Union Environment Ministry.
• The NCAP unveiled in January 2019 is envisaged as a scheme to provide the States and the Centre with a framework to combat
air pollution.
Geological display boards set up at 2 places
• The Geological Survey of India (GSI) North Eastern Region (NER) installed two geological display boards at two important sites --
Mawmluh cave and Therriaghat, Sobhar in East Khasi district in Meghalaya.
• GSI is the organisation that studies various aspects of the Earth forming processes and evolution of life.
• GSI is also the primary custodian of the rocks and fossils of the country.
Putin signs Russian sovereign internet law
• Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law new measures that would enable the creation of a national network, able to
operate separately from the rest of the world.
• The new law aims to protect Russia from foreign online restrictions by creating a 'sustainable, secure and fully functioning' local
internet.
• The legislation takes effect in November 2019.
BSNL launches 'Bharat Fibre' broadband service
• BSNL has become the first operator to start optical fiber-based high-speed broadband service in Pulwama with the launch of
'Bharat Fibre'.
• This is the first such FTTH (fiber-to-the-home) service deployment in the (Kashmir) Valley.
• The Bharat Fibre services are generally not affected even during adverse weather conditions.
Buddhist sculptures unearthed in Telangana
• Archaeologists excavated a rare life-size stucco Buddhist sculpture in Phanigiri, Suryapet district in Telangana.
• The figurine represents one of the Bodhisattvas belonging to the Jathaka Chakra.
• The sculpture is also one of the largest Buddhist stucco sculptures unearthed in India till date.
Sino-Indian border trade opens at Nathu La
• The 14th edition of the annual Sino-Indian border trade opened at Nathu La in Sikkim on 1 May 2019.
• The bilateral border trade between the two countries is organised four days a week for six months, between May 1 and
November 30, every year.
• It was resumed in 2006 after a gap of 44 years.
Meeting of Asia Cooperation Dialogue held
• The 16th Ministerial Meeting of Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) was held in Doha, Qatar.
• Gen. (Dr) V.K. Singh (Retd), Minister of State for External Affairs led the Indian delegation.
• Earlier, Mr. Manish, Joint Secretary (South) attended the Senior Officers’ Meeting (SOM) held on 30 April 2019.
• The theme of the meeting is 'Partners in Progress'.
LIC HFL launches Udyam centre
• LIC Housing Finance (LIC HFL) has launched ‘Udyam’, a skilling center in Bengaluru.
• It was launched in association with Lok Bharti Education Society, the implementing partner.
• The Centres of Excellence will provide training to marginalised youth in the BFSI, retail, and IT/ ITES sectors.
• Centers of Excellence (CoE) have been launched in Delhi and Bengaluru.
Netherlands got $12.8-b Indian FDI in 2017
• The Netherlands has emerged as the third largest foreign direct investor in India during 2017-18.
• The Netherlands was also the second largest destination for foreign investment by Indian companies, after Singapore, with
investments worth $12.8 billion in 2017.
• During 2017-18, the bilateral trade topped $ 8.77 billion while the Indian exports to the Netherlands grew at 14.7%.
'God of Chaos' asteroid to pass near Earth
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• In 2029, a massive asteroid called 99942 Apophis will fly past earth at an approximate distance of 19,000 miles within the
distance of some orbiting spacecraft.
• Apophis is named after the Egyptian god of chaos.
• The asteroid was originally discovered in 2004 by astronomers at the Kitt Peak National Observatory, which is located in Arizona.
Jaipur to host Women Handball Championship
• Jaipur will host the 8th Asian Youth Women Handball Championship in which 10 teams will be participating.
• The tournament would be played in the city from 21 to 30 August 2019.
• Earlier Delhi had hosted it in 2015 where the hosts India had finished seventh.
• 2017 edition was held at Jakarta in Indonesia.
New initiative measuring violent deaths
• SIPRI has set up a new initiative aiming to establish the annual number of violent deaths worldwide.
• SIPRI’s Global Registry of Violent Deaths (GReVD) will count deaths caused by all forms of violence and display these in the
database.
• The database will allow researchers, policymakers and the general public to track trends in violence at global, regional, national,
city and municipal levels.
Vodafone Idea signs multi-million dollar
• Vodafone Idea Ltd on 3 May 2019 announced a five-year multi-million-dollar IT outsourcing deal with IBM.
• The deal will provide a platform for fast-track joint initiatives in Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things.
• The new infrastructure platform will remove constraints to an exponential growth of data usage driven by increasing
consumption of video, streaming and digital commerce.
CEA included in finance panel’s council
• Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian has been included in the Advisory Council of the 15th Finance Commission
as its member.
• The Advisory Council was set up in April 2018 to advise the commission on any issue or subject related to the terms of reference
(ToR) of the commission.
• The council had also been mandated to help in broadening the 15th Finance Commission’s ambit.
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Appointments
• Paytm, India’s mobile payment and commerce platform’s President, Bhushan Patil, has quit the company.
• Godavarthi Venkata Srinivas (IFS:1993), presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, has been appointed as the
next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Senegal.
• Justice Ravindra Bhat has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court.
Researchers identify drugs that block CRISPR
• Scientists have discovered the first small-molecule inhibitors of the Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) protein.
• The discovery could enable more precise control over CRISPR-Cas9-based genome editing.
• They disrupt the binding of SpCas9 to DNA and thereby interfere with their ability to cut DNA.
• These first small-molecule CRISPR-Cas9 inhibitors readily enter cells
Days and Events
• International Firefighters' Day (IFFD) is observed every year on May 4.
• Coal Miners Day is observed every year on 4 May to highlight the conditions of coal miners as it is the toughest profession known.
• National Space Day is observed annually on the first Friday in May which was 3 May.
• World Tuna Day is observed on 2 May every year to raise awareness about tuna fish globally.
WB gives $545 mn for cyclone-hit SA
• The World Bank will extend more than half-a-billion dollars in grants for cyclone-ravaged southern African countries.
• A total of up to USD 545 million will be disbursed to Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi - the three countries hit by Cyclone Idai
in March.
• Cyclone Idai caused catastrophic damage earlier this year that affected millions of people.
Article on coalgate wins ACJ Award
• The article titled Coalgate 2.0' published in The Caravan magazine in March last year has won the ACJ Award for Investigative
Journalism, 2018.
• It is authored by Nileena M S.
• The final jury comprising Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Nilita Vachani and Dr A R Venkatachalapathy Friday unanimously decided on
Nileena's work as the winner, says an ACJ release.
Semenya wins Doha 800m
• Caster Semenya won the 800 metres at the Doha Diamond League.
• The South African, a two-time Olympic champion, timed 1min 54.98sec to defeat Burundi's Francine Niyonsaba, who clocked
1min 57.75sec and Ajee Wilson of the United States in 1min 58.83sec.
King Vajiralongkorn crowned Rama X of Thailand
• King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Rama X of Thailand, was crowned on 4th May.
• King Vajiralongkorn is the tenth monarch of the Chakri dynasty, which has reigned since 1782.
• He ascended the throne over two years ago following his the death of his beloved father, but waited until after a long mourning
period before setting his coronation date.
Japan's MOMO-3 rocket reaches outer space
• A Japanese aerospace startup funded by a former internet maverick has successfully launched a small rocket into space.
• Interstellar Technology Inc. says the unmanned MOMO-3 rocket has exceeded 100 kilometers (60 miles) in altitude before falling
into the Pacific Ocean.
• The rocket, about 10 meters (32 feet) long and 50 centimeters (1.5 feet) in diameter, weighs about 1 ton.
Gates Foundation hires Sanjay Ubale
• The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has hired a senior executive from Tata Group, India’s largest business group, for its
operations in the country.
• Sanjay Ubale will join Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as policy director in its India office.
• In his new job, Ubale will oversee the Seattle-based charity’s healthcare, poverty alleviation and educational activities in India.
India to purchase 10 Kamov-31 choppers
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• The Defence Ministry approved Indian Navy's proposal to acquire 10 Kamov-31 choppers from Russia at a cost of around Rs 3,600
crore.
• It will strengthen its capability against aerial threats to its aircraft carriers and large warships.
• The Navy already has a fleet of 12 of these Kamov-31 choppers which sanitise the air space around the aircraft carriers and
destroyers operating in open seas.
Wolters sworn in as military officer of NATO
• US Air Force General Tod D. Wolters has been sworn in as the top military officer of the 29-nation NATO military alliance.
• The former pilot, who has served in Afghanistan and Iraq, became Supreme Allied Commander Europe at a ceremony today at
NATO's military headquarters in Mons in southern Belgium.
• Wolters' term is likely to run two to three years.
NIOS signs MoU with Indian Medical Association
• NIOS has signed a MoU with Indian Medical Association for imparting skill education in Paramedical Courses to the learners.
• The MoU is initially for period of three years for the paramedical courses all over the country through its Accredited Vocational
Institutions.
• In the first Phase Diploma in Medical Imaging Technology and Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology are being offered.
ISRO planning to study sun
• Indian Space Research Organization is planning to send a probe to study the sun early next year.
• Scientists are exploring possibilities to study more about Sun and the probe named Aditya-L1 will be sent to observe the solar
corona, the outer layers of the Sun.
• He said, the satellite would be added in a halo orbit around the L1 (Lagrangian point 1) of the Sun-Earth system.
India extends tariff deadline on U.S. items
• The government has again extended its deadline to impose retaliatory import duties on 29 U.S. products, including on almonds,
walnuts and pulses, till May 16.
• A Finance Ministry notification said that implementation of increased customs duty on specified imports from the U.S. has been
postponed from May 2 to May 16 this year.
• These deadlines have been extended several times since June 2018.
Asia-Pacific to grow 5.7% this year: ADB
• The Asia-Pacific region is expected to power ahead growing at 5.7% this year, but escalating trade tensions are a source of worry,
according to Takehiko Nakao, President and Chairperson, ADB.
• Mr. Nakao said that consumer and investor behaviour could be undermined by trade tensions between countries.
• The bank’s lending grew to a record $21.6 billion in 2018, 10% higher compared to 2017.
RBI slaps penalty on 5 PPI
• The Reserve Bank of India said it has imposed penalties on 5 prepaid payment instrument issuers for violation of regulatory
norms.
• A penalty of ₹3.05 crore has been imposed on Vodafone m-pesa and ₹1 crore each on Mobile Payments, PhonePe, Private and GI
Technology.
• Penalty on Western Union and MoneyGram has been imposed by the RBI under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
RBI slaps Rs 11 lakh fine on Yes Bank
• Yes Bank said the Reserve Bank of India has imposed a penalty of Rs 11.25 lakh on it for violating money transfer norms.
• RBI imposed a penalty of Rs 11,25,000 under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
• The RBI has identified certain violations of its circular of 2011 on Domestic Money Transfer - Relaxations and master directions
issued in October 2017.
Kiran Kumar gets France’s Highest Honour
• Former ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar was conferred with France’s highest civilian honour, Chevalier de l’Ordre national de la
Legion d’Honneur.
• He was awarded for his contribution to India-France space cooperation.
• He currently holds the Chair of the ISRO Committee on Earth Observation Satellites.
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All EVs to use green number plates

• The Central government has made mandatory for all Electric Vehicles (EVs) to use the green number plates.
• All EVs should use green number plates wherein the private electric vehicles will get white lettering on a green background and
commercial EVs will get yellow lettering.
• The aim is to help distinguish green vehicles to provide easy identification for preferential treatment.
PayPal launches One Touch for seamless trans
• PayPal India used Google Smart Lock and launched its OneTouch experience in India.
• OneTouch feature permits Indian consumers to register their android device with PayPal and stay logged into PayPal for further
PayPal purchases on that device.
• India becomes the first market where the feature of Google Smart Lock has been integrated.
BHEL and ARAI together signed MoU
• BHEL and Automotive Research Association of India signed an MoU.
• It is for effective cooperation on different projects related to e-mobility and implement solutions for electric & trolley bus, EV
(Electric Vehicles) chargers, battery and charger testing.
• Electro mobility refers to full and hybrid electric vehicles as well as those using hydrogen fuel cell technology.
Mangaluru police gets an all-women patrol
• Mangaluru City Police launched an all-women police patrol unit ‘Rani Abbakka Force’.
• The force will handle issues related to eve-teasing and chain-snatching, among others.
• All-women police patrol force named after the 16th-century warrior of coastal Karnataka, Queen Abbakka of Ullal near
Mangaluru, who fought the Portuguese in the 16th century.
UK passes Environment Emergency declaration
• UK Parliament became the first national government to pass a national declaration of an Environment and Climate Emergency.
• This move marks a serious emergency in dealing with climate change.
• The declaration was preceded by a visit by teenage activist Greta Thunberg (to the Parliament), the feature of David
Attenborough’s documentary movie titled ‘Climate Change: The Facts’.
BSE's first independent woman director
• Bombay Stock Exchange has appointed its first independent woman director Jayshree Vyas.
• Vyas is a chartered accountant working as the managing director of Shree Mahila Sewa Sahakari Bank, Ahmedabad, since 1986.
• She helped in launching the first financial literacy programme in Sewa Bank in 2001.
London top choice for Indian investors
• London emerged as the top choice for Indian investors ahead of other cities such as Dubai and Singapore.
• The investments by Indian companies in the British capital reached an all-time high in 2018.
• The UK emerged as the top most country to attract Indian FDI with 52 projects, ahead of the US (51) and the UAE (32) in 2018.
Global Gold Demand Increases 7%
• The WGC’s 2019 First Quarter Global Trends Report said that worldwide gold demand increased to 1,053 tonnes in the Q1.
• This is an increase of 7% compared to the first quarter of 2018.
• Central banks continued to dominate the gold market with global official gold purchase totaling 145.5 tonnes in the first quarter,
a 68% increase compared to the first quarter of 2018.
India on top spot in ICC Test rankings
• India retained its top position in the ICC Test rankings, and gained two points to become the world's second best ODI team.
• England remained the number one ODI side in the latest annual rankings released in Dubai.
• New Zealand gained three points in the Test rankings to move two points behind India.
Afghanistan peace summit ends in Kabul
• A huge peace meeting aimed at finding an exit from Afghanistan's war concluded in Kabul on May 3, 2019.
• It saw about 3,200 religious and tribal leaders, politicians and representatives gather to negotiate a peace deal with the Taliban.
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• The meeting comes as the Taliban, who were not at these talks, are this week separately meeting in Doha with US peace envoy.
Chewbacca actor in Star Wars movies dies
• British-born actor Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca the Wookiee in five of the “Star Wars” movies has died.
• He was 74 years old.
• He made his first appearance as Chewbacca character in the landmark 1977 sci-fi action-thriller “Star Wars,” and went on to co-
star in four more films in the blockbuster series.
‘mySuger’ App to Manage Diabetes
• Roche Diabetes Care (RDC) has unveiled an integrated Diabetes Management Solution (IDMS) in India, by introducing the
‘mySuger’ App.
• It is accompanied by ‘Accu-Chek Instant’ blood glucose monitoring system and is aimed at effective management of the disease.
• This will offer a collaborative, integrated and personalised approach for optimal therapy for people with diabetes.
Huawei: World's 2nd Biggest Smartphone Maker
• Huawei Technologies Co. overtook Apple Inc. to become biggest 2nd biggest smartphone maker in the world.
• The networking giant grew shipments 50 percent from a year earlier according to research firm IDC.
• Samsung is the biggest smartphone maker in the world.
I-T Dept., GSTN to sign MoU
• The Income Tax Department and the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) will sign an MoU that will allow the two to match
their data regarding company financials to pin down any anomalies.
• The MoU will also include the rules pertaining to the modalities of the exchange and the confidentiality of the data.
• The order also provides for the automatic exchange of data.
Pakistan to freeze assets of Masood Azhar
• Pakistan has issued an official order to freeze the assets of and impose a travel ban on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar.
• This move comes after the United Nations declared him a “global terrorist” after China lifted its hold on a proposal by the U.S.,
the U.K. and France to blacklist him.
• Pakistan-based Azhar is also banned from selling or purchasing arms and ammunition.
TB is India's Deadliest Infectious Disease
• Tuberculosis is one of India's deadliest infectious diseases.
• It claimed close to three lakh lives between 2012 and 2016,
• Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh registered a high number of deaths per one lakh of the population.
• Sikkim recorded the highest deaths per lakh of the population (66 per 1 lakh population) due to TB.
Obituaries
• Former Finance Minister of Kerala, V. Viswanatha Menon, passed away in Kochi on May 3, 2019.
• He served as the Finance Minister in the Left Democratic Front government led by E.K. Nayanar in 1987.
• Former Chief Justice of the Kerala and Madras High Courts B. Subhashan Reddy died on May 1, 2019.
• Justice Reddy was also the first chairman of the A.P. State Human Rights Commission and Lok Ayukta.
BHEL commissions 2 lift irrigation projects
• Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has successfully commissioned 2 motor pump set units for the Kaleshwaram Lift
Irrigation Scheme in Telangana.
• Under the scheme, 89 cumecs of water will be used for irrigation and water supply in nearby drought prone areas.
• BHEL is presently executing hydro-electric projects of more than 2,900 MW across the country, and 3,904 MW in Bhutan & Nepal.
Bajrang Punia Wins Gold In Wrestling
• Bajrang Punia won the gold medal in the Ali Aliyev wrestling tournament held in Kaspiisk, Russia.
• In his final bout, he defeated Russian Viktor Rassadin by 13-8 in men's 65kg freestyle.
• The 25-year-old currently holds the number one spot in World Wrestling Rankings.
World Press Freedom Day 2019
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• World Press Freedom Day is observed annually on May 3 to inform the international community that freedom of the press and
freedom of expression are fundamental human rights.
• The main celebration of World Press Freedom Day 2019 is taking place in Addis Ababa, from 1 to 3 May 2019.
• The overall theme of this year's event is the role of media in elections and democracy.
Press freedom globally under intense pressure
• Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI) released a report saying that governments across the world are increasingly
clamping down on press freedom by enacting new laws.
• It also reported that as many as 55 journalists have been killed since May 2018.
• With 139 journalists in prison, Turkey remains the world's top jailer of journalists, the IPI said.
FANI Cyclonic Storm moves north-northeastwards
• Cyclone FANI is expected to cross Odisha Coast between Gopalpur and Chandbali around Puri during forenoon of 3rd May.
• The cyclone constitutes maximum sustained wind speed of 170-180 kmph gusting to 200 kmph and continued landfall.
• Extremely heavy rainfall (>20 cm) has been forecasted in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam &
Meghalaya.
Govt. and IIT-D to set up Centre of Excellence
• GoI and IIT-Delhi will set up a Centre of Excellence for Waste to Wealth Technologies to commemorate the 150th birth
anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• This will be done to implement sustainable, scientific and technological solutions for waste management.
• This will provide an effective platform to bring together integrated approaches for effective recycle, reuse & resource recovery of
waste.
Water Storage Level in Reservoirs Down by 1%
• The water storage available in 91 major reservoirs of the country for the week ending on May 02, 2019 was 40.592 BCM.
• This is 25% of total storage capacity of these reservoirs.
• Storage during current year is less than storage of last year and is also less than average storage of last ten years
• 37 Reservoirs out of these 91 have hydropower benefit with installed capacity of more than 60 MW.
750th birth anniversary of Sri Vedanta Desikan
• Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu unveiled a postage stamp to commemorate the 750th birth anniversary of Sri Vedanta Desikan
in New Delhi on May 2, 2019.
• He was a poet, devotee, philosopher and master-teacher (desikan) in the post-Ramanuja period.
• The stamp was released by the Indian postal department to commemorate the great philosopher's life and highly valued works.
GST Rev collection for April 2019
• The total gross GST revenue collected in the month of April 2019 is Rs 1,13,865 crore of which CGST is Rs 21,163 crore.
• The total number of GSTR 3B Returns filed for the month of March up to 30th April 2019 is 72.13 lakh.
• The government has settled Rs 20,370 crore to CGST and Rs 15,975 crore to SGST from IGST as regular settlement.
Hyderabad's Charminar damaged
• From the 428-year-old Charminar, a huge chunk of lime-plaster from its south-west minaret broke and fell to the ground.
• Pictures from the site showed that the lime-plaster comprising eight flower-petals, sized about 2.5 meters/0.8 meters, came-off
the minaret.
IIT Indore in top 50 Asia University Rankings
• The second generation Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore has yet again pipped its older peers like IIT Bombay, Delhi, and
Madras to be the only IIT to rank in the top 50 Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings.
• The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru maintain its lead position at 29th, same as last year.
India's manufacturing sector grew slow
• The country's manufacturing sector performance eased to an eight-month low in April as new business growth moderated.
• The Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index declined from 52.6 in March to 51.8 in April.
• This is the 21th consecutive month that the manufacturing PMI remained above the 50-point mark.
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DCIL signed MoU with WAPCOS

• Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL) signed a MoU with WAPCOS Limited,
• WAPCOS is a mini-ratna PSU under Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
• The main objective is to jointly recognize suitable future projects and carry out geotechnical investigation and engineering
consultancy in the fields like water resources.
Chandrayaan-2 modules to be launched in July
• All modules of India's second moon mission 'Chandrayaan-2', are scheduled for launch in July 2019.
• They are getting ready and the lander is expected to touch down on the lunar surface in early September 2019.
• The three modules- Orbiter, Lander (Vikram) and Rover (Pragyan) -- of Chandrayaan-2 are getting ready for July launch.
Obituaries
• Senior cine actor and noted theatre personality Master Hirannaiah passed away in May 2019.
• Hirannaiah is known for mocking senior political fraternities.
Naxal attack in Gadchiroli killed 15
• A reinforcement party of the Quick Response Team (QRT) of the Kurkheda police travelling to Purada was attacked in a landmine
blast.
• Gadchiroli is a district in Maharashtra.
• Devendra Fadnavis is the CM of Maharashtra, while C. Vidhyasagar Rao is the governor.
Masood Azhar designated as a global terrorist
• US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has hailed the listing of Pakistan-based Jaish e Mohammed group chief Maulana Masood
Azhar as a terrorist.
• Designating him a global terrorist is a big diplomatic win for India.
• The task was accomplished when China relented and dropped its technical hold on a French proposal to ban Azhar at the UN’s
1267 Sanctions Committee.
India's growth forecast lowered to 7.3%
• India Ratings & Research (A Fitch Group Company) has lowered the country’s growth forecast for the current fiscal to 7.3%, from
the earlier projection of 7.5 %.
• The agency has listed three key reasons for lowering its projection.
Improve English Language with Online Courses
• Improve your hold on English Language by enrolling in the Online LIVE Course for A-Z Vocabulary building. Increase your vocab
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• Reading Comprehension & Para Jumble forms a major part of many Govt Exams. Master the art of solving the RC & Para Jumble
Questions with Nitin Sir & improve on your language skills.
Bharti Axa tied up with Wishfin
• Bharti AXA General Insurance has tied up with Wishfin’s insurance arm Wishpolicy, to offer two-wheeler insurance to customers
via WhatsApp.
• This service option is an instant and additional customer service option for policyholders, apart from Bharti AXA General
Insurance’s multiple channels.
SEBI fined NSE over Rs 625 Crores
• Markets regulator SEBI directed National Stock Exchange to pay more than Rs625 crore in the case of misuse of its co-location
facility.
• SEBI has been probing alleged lapses in high-frequency trading offered through NSE’s co-location facility.
• The National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. is the second largest in the world by nos. of trades in equity shares from January to
June 2018.
Appointments II
• Senior IAS officer Dilip Kumar was appointed as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the office of Lokpal.
• He has been appointed for a period of six months on additional charge basis or till a new incumbent joins the post.
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• Viacom18 has appointed Gourav Rakshit as the chief operating officer (COO) for the Viacom18 Digital Ventures vertical.
G Sathiyan in top 25 of ITTF Rankings
• India’s G Sathiyan has become the first Indian to break into the top-25 of world rankings in Table Tennis.
• Sathiyan rose four spots to be 24th in the latest ITTF rankings, following his impressive sixth place finish in the Asia Cup in
Yokohama.
• India’s number one female player, Manika Batra, slipped three spots to be 59th.
Kumar Sangakara: 1st Non-British Pres of MCC
• Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara was appointed as the first non-British president of the Marylebone Cricket Club.
• He will be the first overseas MCC president in the organization's 233-year history.
• His nomination announced by current President Anthony Wreford will begin with one-year tenure in October.
Sreejesh nominated for Rajiv Gandhi awards
• Indian goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh has been nominated for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award by Hockey India.
• Chinglensana Singh Kangujam and Akashdeep Singh and women's team defender Deepika have been nominated for the Arjuna
Award.
• Hockey India has also nominated R.P. Singh and Sandeep Kaur for Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Apurvi attained world number 1 spot
• Indian shooting ace Apurvi Chandela attained the world number one position in the women's 10 metres air rifle event.
• Anjum Moudgil rose to number two after consistent performances in recent years.
• Among men, Divyansh Singh Panwar reached world number four spot in 10 metres air rifle category.
Indian and French Navies conducted Varuna Ex
• The first part of the Indo-French joint naval exercise, Varuna 19.1 is being conducted off the Goa coast from 1-10 May 19.
• It includes the participation of the French Navy’s aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle, two destroyers, FNS Forbin and FNS
Provence.
• The exercise will be conducted in 2 phases.
• The second part, Varuna 19.2, is scheduled to be held at the end of May in Djibouti.
Appointments I
• Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria PVSM AVSM VM ADC took over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff on 1 May 2019.
• Air Marshal SK Ghotia VSM took over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Training Command on 1 May 2019.
Workshop on Space Warfare and Tech held
• Directorate of Indian Defence University (IDU) is organizing a 2-day workshop on Space Warfare and Technology on 2-3 May,19 in
New Delhi.
• It is being held for senior and middle-level officers from the three Services.
• The workshop intends to cover Weaponisation and Militarisation of Space, preparation for Absorption of High-End Technology
for Self-Sustenance in Space Operations, and more.
Appointments II
• President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka of the Bombay High Court as the Chief Justice of the
Karnataka High Court.
• The President of India has appointed Kerala High Court Judge Justice P.R. Ramachandra Menon as Chief Justice Of Chhattisgarh
High Court.
Eric Schmidt left Google board
• Google-parent Alphabet said that Eric Schmidt, who was chief of the internet giant for a decade, will leave the board in June.
• Mr. Schmidt stepped down as chairman of the Alphabet board at the start of 2018, remaining a member but shifting to a role as a
technical advisor.
Government to take over NHB from RBI
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• The government will be taking over the National Housing Bank (NHB) after buying entire stake for Rs 1,450 crore from the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• The RBI has exited the NHB, thus making it a fully government-owned entity.
• RBI was holding 100% stake in the NHB, the housing finance regulator.
SAIL introduced new pension scheme
• Steel maker SAIL has introduced a pension scheme for its current as well as former employees.
• Under this scheme, all executive employees who were on rolls of the company on or after January 1, 2007, as well as non-
executive employees on rolls on or after January 1, 2012, shall be covered in the scheme.
• The scheme will extend coverage to more than 55,000 ex-employees.
Ayushman Bharat Diwas: 30 April
• As part of Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, Ayushman Bharat Diwas was celebrated across the country on April 30, 2019.
• During the event, information regarding Ayushman Bharat Scheme was provided to people during health camps organised in
rural areas.
• The Ayushman Bharat -National Health Protection Mission (AB- NHPM) was launched by PM Narendra Modi on April 14, 2018, at
Bijapur, Chhattisgarh.
Beirut set new Guinness World record
• Lebanon's capital Beirut has set a new Guinness World Record for the number of national flags raised in a city for 24 hours.
• The Beirut Alive Association, on 28 April, raised a total of 26,852 Lebanese flags breaking New York's Waterloo record of 25,599
flags.
• The event was organised under the patronage of Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
Nitendra finished at 27th in London Marathon
• Indian marathon runner, Nitendra Singh Rawat finished 27th in the men’s Elite race of Virgin Money London Marathon 2019 at
London, the UK.
• It was won by EliudKipchoge of Kenya for record fourth time.
• This was the fourth fastest in his career and his second fastest time in this season.
Alfred won Golden Environmental Prize
• Alfred Brownell, an environmental lawyer, and activist was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize.
• He was awarded for exposing alleged abuse by the palm oil company Golden Veroleum Liberia and helping to prevent it from
converting about 50 km2 of the forest.
• He won the Goldman prize along with five others for grassroots environmental activism.
Niramai won gold prize at Hack Osaka
• Niramai, the Bengaluru-based health tech startup nailed gold prize at the Hack Osaka event, Japan, imprinting India’s technology
at the global level.
• The startup is developing an AI-based solution for early detection of breast cancer.
• The concern is the brainchild of Geetha Manjunath and Nidhi Mathur, marking their inception in 2016.
Bajrang :1st Indian to fight at Madison sq.
• Bajrang Punia is set to become the first wrestler from India to fight at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York.
• He is currently the World No.1 in the 65-kg weight category.
• Bajrang will be up against two-time US national champion Yianni Diakomahlis at the 'Grapple at the Garden -- Beat the
Streets' event.
BCCI recommended Bumrah for Arjuna Award
• Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recommended 4 Indian cricketers - Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra
Jadeja and Poonam Yadav for the Arjuna Award 2019.
• Bumrah is currently the world number one ODI bowler, while Jadeja is the world number three Test all-rounder.
• Poonam Yadav is ranked second in women's T20I rankings for bowlers.
CBSE announced new internal exams
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• CBSE will conduct 2-level exams for Class 10 mathematics and English exams in which 20 marks internal exam will be conducted
by respective schools and 80 marks will be given to theory.
• The circular has been sent to schools with proper guidelines and will be implemented from board 2020.
• A total of 20 marks will be assigned for school-based assessment in each of the exams.
US to withdraw from U.N Arms Trade Treaty
• US is withdrawing from the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty, in response to concerns from gun rights activists that it could impinge on
Americans’ right to bear arms.
• Former US President Barack Obama signed the treaty in 2013 and sent the treaty to the Senate for ratification.
• The Trump administration has withdrawn from a number of international agreements including the Iran nuclear deal.
3000 kg waste collected from Mt. Everest
• A total of 3,000 kg of solid waste has been collected from Mt. Everest, since April 14, 2019, as a part of a campaign launched by
Nepal.
• The campaign seeks to bring back and safely dispose of a total of 10,000 kg of waste.
• The 45-day 'Everest Cleaning Campaign', led by Solukhumbu district's Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality began on April 14,
2019.
India ranked 4th in SIPRI
• Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's (SIPRI) report said that India is the world’s 4th biggest military spender in
2018.
• The United States topped the list followed by China and Saudi Arabia.
• France also figures on the list of top five spenders that together accounted for 60% of the global military spending in 2018.
Gurpreet Singh recommended for Arjuna Award
• All India Football Federation (AIFF) recommended the names of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Jeje Lalpekhlua for the prestigious
Arjuna award 2019.
• The federation had been pushing the cases of the two footballers since 2017 but the Arjuna award committee continued to
ignore their claims.
• In 2017, the AIFF recommended the two along with Bembem Devi but only the last name was conferred with it.
Obituaries
• Former president of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Negasso Gidada passed away in Germany in April 2019.
• Justice Subhashan Reddy passed away in Hyderabad in April 2019
International Labour Day: 1 May
• International Labour Day, also known as International Worker's Day or May Day is celebrated every year on 1 May.
• The day is celebrated to honour the contribution of working men and women.
• The theme of Labour Day 2019 is - Uniting Workers for Social and Economic Advancement.
• In India, the first Labour day or May Day was celebrated in 1923 in Chennai.
Benjamin Netanyahu: New PM of Israel
• Benjamin Netanyahu was elected as the new PM of Israel.
• Mr. Netanyahu will seek to form a governing coalition in the days ahead.
• His Likud party won 35 seats in the election, the same as his main opponent from the centrist Blue and White alliance, led by
former military chief Benny Gantz.
Appointments I
• President Maithripala Sirisena appointed a former Army commander General S.H.S Kottegoda to the post of Defence Secretary.
• Japan's new emperor, Naruhito, has formally ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne, replacing his father, Akihito, who had
abdicated a day earlier.
June 2019
Priya Serrao crowned Miss Universe Australia
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• Priya Serrao has won the Miss Universe Australia title for 2019.
• She will now represent Australia in the Miss Universe competition later this year.
• Western Australia’s Bella Kasimba and another Victorian Marijana Radmanovic rounded out 2019’s top three, placing second and
third.
Qu Dongyu to head UN's FAO
• Qu Dongyu became the first Chinese national to be elected to head the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
• He will succeed Brazil's Jose Graziano da Silva.
• FAO looks into the issue of food security, agricultural development, agro-business, trade, and biotechnology.
• The headquarters of FAO is in Rome.
Important Days
• The ‘Day of the Seafarer' is observed around the world every year on 25 June.
• International Day in Support of Victims of Torture is observed every year on 26 June. The aim of the day is to serve as a reminder
to people that torture is a crime.
• International Day of the Tropics is observed every year on 29 June.
Rachna won RedInk award for Aadhaar expose
• Rachna Khaira of The Tribune has bagged the prestigious RedInk Award for 'Journalist of the Year'.
• She won the award for her expose during 2018 on the functioning of the UIDAI and its Aadhaar data cache.
• Khaira's investigation confirmed that personal data of millions of citizens were at risk of being hacked or traded for a price.
Korean Ambassador launched 'Jaipur Foot Korea'
• Korean Ambassador to India Bong-kil Shin launched 'Jaipur Foot Korea' on 24 June 2019.
• It is a collaborative initiative between Korea and Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), a prosthetic limb
organisation.
• Under this agreement, Korea will provide financial and technical assistance to further research and development collaboration in
the med-tech sector.
List of best police stations in India released
• An internal survey was conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs to find the best police stations in India.
• As per the survey, the three best police stations in the country are in Rajasthan, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and West Bengal.
• The Kalu police station in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district is ranked number one.
• The second in the rank is Campbell Bay in Nicobar district.
Loan agreement signed b/w Uttrakhand & WB
• The Government of India, the Government of Uttarakhand and the World Bank signed a Loan Agreement of $31.58 million for the
Uttarakhand Public Financial Management Strengthening Project.
• The project will help improve the State's ability to manage it's Financial Systems and utilization of Development Resources.
• The project will help the State enhance accountability in public finances.
Girish Koushik is India’s 63rd Grandmaster
• Girish A. Koushik from Mysuru became India’s 63rd Grandmaster at the 37th Balaton International Chess Festival in Hungary.
• Girish had completed his second GM norm in Mallorca late in May, and the third in Budapest the following week.
• He became Karnataka’s third GM after MS Thej Kumar and GA Stany.
Centre forms 3 member panel
• The government of India approved the formation of a three-member dispute resolution committee.
• It will look into the disputes between private solar and wind power developers and public sector companies.
• The members of the committee under this mechanism will be former Heavy Industry Secretary M F Farooqui, former Coal
Secretary Anil Swarup and former Sports Secretary A K Dubey.
Surjit Bhalla Committee on Trade and Policy
• High Level Advisory Group (HLAG) headed by Dr. Surjit S. Bhalla has been constituted by the Department of Commerce.
• The HLAG will look into ways for boosting India’s share and importance in global merchandise and services trade.
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• The Committee has recommended 'Elephant Bonds' as a specialised security product providing funds towards Long Term
Infrastructure.
Haryana govt launches Krishi Kiosk
• Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Om Prakash Dhankar launched 'Krishi Kiosk' at Panchkula for facilitating the
farmers.
• Through this Kiosk, the farmers will not only be able to get information about the schemes of the Department, but the formalities
related to claims to Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana can also be completed.
• He also flagged off the ‘Suchana Rath’ facility.
WB launches free crop insurance scheme
• West Bengal government has announced a crop insurance scheme in collaboration with the Agriculture Insurance Company of
India (AIC), for the 2019 kharif season.
• The scheme called Bangla Shashya Bima is applicable for farmers in 15 districts.
• The crop insurance scheme would be free of cost for the farmers.
• The crops that will come under insurance are Aman paddy, aus paddy, jute and maize.
2.22 cr villagers given Digital Education
• Electronics and Information Technology Minister Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad has said that around 2.22 crore villagers are given
Digital Education under Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA).
• He also said that over 2.30 crore beneficiaries have been enrolled under PMGDISHA.
• After the training, 1.34 crore have been duly certified by authorized 3rd party certifying agencies.
India-Brunei Foreign Office Consultations held
• The 7th Foreign Office Consultations between India and Brunei Darussalam was held on 24 June 2019 in New Delhi.
• The Indian side was led by Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary(East).
• The consultations provided an opportunity to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including political, trade and
investment, defence, cultural and people to people contact.
Shampoo-sachet health plan launched
• Payments service provider MobiKwik has launched ‘Shampoo-Sachet’ health plan.
• For this, it has partnered with health insurer Max Bupa.
• The idea behind the shampoo-sachet plan in the insurance sector is to make it extremely affordable and instantly available to the
people.
• As part of its deal with Max Bupa, MobiKwik has launched a HospiCash plan that has an annual premium of Rs 135.
New tortoise species found in India
• Wildlife experts have discovered the Impressed Tortoise also known as the Manouria impressa – a new species of tortoise near
Yazali of Lower Subansari district in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The species were last found in Gwa in Myanmar.
• The first-ever sighting of the rare Impressed Tortoise or Manouria impressa will help to focus on turtle conservation in Northeast
India.
STA to hold 32nd Congress in Hyderabad
• The International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) held its 32nd Congress in Hyderabad on 26 June 2019.
• The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and the Telangana government jointly hosted the Congress.
• Congress will have a symposium on seed technology and quality in a changing world.
RBI sets base rate of 9.18% for NBFC-MFI
• The Reserve Bank of India has set an average base rate of 9.18% for Non-Banking Financial Companies and Micro Finance
Institutions (NBFC-MFI) to be charged from their customers for the quarter beginning 1 July 2019.
• The Reserve Bank of India sets the average base rate for NBFC-MFIs on the basis of the average of the base rate of the five largest
commercial banks.
Appointments
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• Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has elected Sharad Kumar Saraf as its new president.
• Justice PK Saikia sworn-in as Arunachal Pradesh's Lokayukta Chief.
• Author Amish Tripathi has been named the Director of London's Nehru Centre.
• Amazon India head Amit Agarwal has been appointed as the new chairman of the Internet and Mobile Association of India
(IAMAI).
Govt forms working group for revision of WPI
• On 27 June 2019, the government has set up an 18-member working group for the revision of the current series of Wholesale
Price Index (WPI).
• The working group is under the Chairmanship of Ramesh Chand, Member, NITI Aayog.
• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade will be the nodal office for the group.
Statistics Day : 29 June
• Statistics Day is being celebrated on 29 June every year.
• It is observed to popularize the use of Statistics in everyday life and sensitize the public as to how Statistics helps in shaping and
framing policies.
• The theme of 2019 Statistics Day is Sustainable Development Goals.
• The day is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Prof. P C Mahalanobis.
Mumbai among top 20 expensive Asian cities
• Mumbai is India's most expensive city and among the top 20 costliest cities surveyed in Asia for expatriates, according to a survey
by global consulting leader Mercer.
• According to Mercer's 25th Annual Cost of Living Survey, Mumbai fell 12 spots and was ranked at the 67th position out of the 209
cities surveyed.
• New Delhi is at 118th place, Chennai 154th, and Bengaluru 179th.
First black female Bishop appointed
• The Church of England’s first black female bishop has been appointed by Downing Street.
• Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons, was announced as the new bishop of Dover.
• Hudson-Wilkin will succeed the Rt Rev Trevor Willmott, who retired from the role in May 2019.
• She will be consecrated in November 2019.
RBI relaxed leverage ratio for banks
• The RBI relaxed the leverage ratio (LR) for banks to help them boost their lending activities.
• The leverage ratio stands reduced to 4% for Domestic Systemically Important Banks (DSIBs) and 3.5% for other banks effective
from the quarter commencing October 1, 2019.
• The leverage ratio, as defined under Basel-III norms, is Tier-I capital as a percentage of the bank's exposures.
Govt cut interest rate on small saving schemes
• The government has reduced interest rate on small savings schemes, including the National Savings Certificate and Public
Provident Fund, by 0.1% for the July-September quarter.
• PPF and NSC will fetch an annual interest rate of 7.9% from the existing rate of 8%, while Kisan Vikas Patra will yield 7.6%.
• The Sukanya Samriddhi Account will fetch a lower return of 8.4% from 8.5%.
BCCI unveiled India's away jersey
• India's away kit for ICC Cricket World Cup was unveiled by BCCI on 28 June 2019.
• Virat Kohli's men will be sporting the jersey for their big-ticket World Cup match against England in Birmingham.
• As both England and India don blue colour jerseys, they will wear their away kits as per ICC regulations.
• The colour of the new jersey is blue and orange.
PM Modi outlined his 5 I vision in G-20 meet
• PM Narendra Modi has outlined his 5 I vision to maximize digital technology for social benefit.
• He put thrust on inclusiveness, indigenization, innovation, investment and infrastructure and international cooperation.
• He also held a tri-lateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin and discussed issues like
terrorism and climate change.
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President's rule in J&K extended

• The Lok Sabha approved the resolution seeking an extension of President rule in Jammu&Kashmir for a further period of 6
months with effect from 3rd July 2019.
• The House also passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
• It proposes to give reservation in educational institutions and government jobs to people living within 10 kilometres of the
International Border in Jammu.
World Bank and Kerala govt signed agreement
• The Government of India, the Government of Kerala and the World Bank signed a Loan Agreement of USD 250 million for the
First Resilient Kerala Program.
• This will enhance the State's resilience against the impacts of natural disasters and climate change.
• It will focus on strengthening the state's institutional and financial capacity to protect the assets and livelihoods of the poor.
83.62 lakh houses sanctioned under PMAY(U)
• The cumulative number of houses sanctioned under PMAY(U) now stands at about 83,62,975 after more than 2.5 lakh houses
were sanctioned in 10 states.
• These figures were discussed in the 44th meeting of the Central Sanctioning cum Monitoring Committee (CSMC) under PMAY(U),
held 28 June 2019.
• Secretary, Ministry of Housing& Urban Affairs, Durga Shanker Mishra was the Chairman of the meeting.
Defence
• First Indian Army Mountaineering Expedition to Mt Makalu (8485 M) 2019 has been ‘Flagged In’ by Defence Minister Rajnath
Singh on 28 June 2019. Indian Army has now climbed all eight-thousander peaks in Nepal.
• All India National Cadet Corps (NCC) Girls’ Mountaineering Expedition 2019 to Mt Tenchenkhang was ‘Flagged In’ by Lt General
Rajeev Chopra, Director General NCC here on June 27, 2019.
5-year vision plan finalised by HRD ministry
• The Department of Higher Education of HRD Ministry has finalized and released a five-year vision plan named Education Quality
Upgradation and Inclusion Programme (EQUIP).
• The report has been prepared after a detailed exercise done by the experts from various areas, including promoting excellence.
• They have suggested more than 50 initiatives that would transform the higher education sector.
BYPL to launch energy saving app
• Power distribution company BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) will be launching a ‘behavioural energy saving app’ to reduce
electricity consumption.
• The app Susthome, developed by BYPL and TERI will track energy consumption patterns.
• In first phase of the pilot project, the power discom has selected cooperative housing societies such as Mayur Vihar to use the
app.
Obituaries
• Well-known Telugu story writer and recipient of the Sahitya Akademi award Abburi Chaya Devi passed away in June 2019. Some
of her popular stories are ‘Bonsai Bathuku’, ‘Prayanam Sukhantam’, ‘Akhariki Aidu Nakshatralu’, and ‘Wood Rose’.
• Popular Malayalam director Babu Narayanan passed away in June 2019. He had directed popular movies like Maanthrikacheppu,
Sthreedhanam etc.
Business and Economy
• India's automobile retail industry has sought recognition as micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Union Budget
2019-20 which will be presented on 5 July 2019.
• India’s current account deficit (CAD) widened to $57.2 billion, or 2.1% of GDP, in FY19 from 1.8% a year ago.
2-day North East Conclave 2019 began
• In Meghalaya, a 2-day North East Conclave 2019 on ‘Transforming North East India through Science and Technology’ began on 28
June 2019 at Shillong.
• It has been organised by the Institute of Bio-resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD).
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• The North Eastern States of the country are a treasure house of rich biodiversity and their endowments can contribute to the
nation’s progress.
Appointments
• Former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela has been appointed as the new state president of Nationalist Congress Party,
NCP, in the state.
• Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Bihar on 28 June
2019.
Pullela Gopichand bestowed honorary doctorate
• India's chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand was bestowed upon an honorary doctorate by IIT Kanpur.
• He received the honour on the occasion of their 52nd convocation on 28 June 2019.
• The past recipients of the honour are Former President APJ Abdul Kalam and former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.
Indian Naval Ship Tarkash reached Alexandria
• Indian Naval Ship Tarkash reached Alexandria on a 3-day visit to Egypt, as a part of Western Fleet Overseas Deployment
programme.
• Tarkash is a state of the art warship of the Indian Navy equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors.
• It is a part of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet and is under the operational Command of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief,
Western Naval Command.
Govt on a mission to clean Ganga by 2022
• Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has said that the government is working in a mission mode to clean Ganga.
• The flow of raw sewage into the river Ganga will be completely stopped by 2022.
• The government is also planning to provide piped water to a large population.
• India has 18% of the world population and an equal percentage of livestock, but the share of water is less than 4%.
NDMA conducted mock exercise on earthquake
• National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) conducted a multi-state mock exercise on earthquake in Delhi and NCR on 28
June 2019.
• The exercise was aimed to practise the preparedness and response mechanism of the state governments to mitigate the impact
of a high-intensity earthquake.
• Preparedness activities were reviewed through interaction with the Chief Secretary and senior officials.
RBI's 13th Annual Conference
• RBI's 13th Annual Conference was held on 28 June 2019.
• The theme of the conference is 'Statistics for the Future - Select Issues'.
• RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has cautioned against cherry-picking of data by experts, saying correlations can conveniently be
used to establish "spurious causality" to achieve desired results.
Committee Report and Survey
• The M. Ramachandran committee tasked by the government to look into the fares being collected by all-India tourist omnibuses
on inter-State routes has recommended continuation of the fares.
• According to survey conducted by rural media platform Gaon Connection, loan schemes don't reach almost 60% people in rural
India.
Polity
• The deadline to submit suggestions on draft of New Education Policy is extended for a month i.e till 31st July. The draft of
Education policy has been put on a public domain from May 31.
• Union government introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha to implement for the first time a quota for economically weaker section in
the recruitment of professors in government-run higher educational institutions.
Miscellaneous News
• The Central government is formulating a detailed strategy to tackle the problem of drugs in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.
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• On the 180th death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the legendary ruler of Punjab, a statue was unveiled at the Lahore Fort
on 27 June 2019.
• Modi attended the Indian community event in Kobe, Japan on 27 June 2019.
National mission on nat language translation
• The Ministry of Electronics and IT will place before the Union Cabinet a ₹450 crore proposal for Natural Language Translation.
• The proposal is part of the 100-day action plan charted out by MeitY, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s instructions.
• It aims to make science and technology accessible to all by facilitating access to teaching and researching material bilingually.
SEBI tightens norms for MF investments
• Securities and Exchange Board of India tightened norms on investments by Mutual Funds (MFs).
• It came as a reaction to a series of credit-related events that put investor money at risk.
• SEBI said MFs will now be mandated to invest in only listed non-convertible debentures.
• Ajay Tyagi is the chairman of SEBI.
New unprinting method to recycle paper
• The new 'Unprinting' method, developed and led by a team of researchers at Rutgers University in the US, can work with the
standard, coated paper used in home and office printers.
• According to a study in the Journal of Cleaner Production, this innovation uses pulses of light from a xenon lamp.
• This method makes it possible to unprint and then reprint on the same paper at least five times.
Obituaries
• Eminent Social Activist and secretary of the Gandhi Ashram Trust in Jayag, Noakhali, Bangladesh Jharna Dhara Chowdhury passed
away in June 2019 in Dhaka. She was deeply influenced by the Gandhian principles of non-violence and communal harmony.
• Former Bengal cricketer Shyam Sundar Mitra passed away in June 2019.
Go Tribal Campaign launched
• Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Renuka Singh launched the Go Tribal Campaign by Tribes India on 28 June 2019.
• TRIFED has organized this event to institutionalize collaborations and partnerships with different organizations to promote tribal
products.
• TRIFED is an organization under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and is engaged in the marketing development of tribal products.
India, Andhra and WB signs a Loan Agreement
• The Government of India, Government of Andhra Pradesh and the World Bank Executive signed a Loan Agreement of $328
million.
• It will help improve the quality and responsiveness of public health services in Andhra Pradesh.
• The Government of Andhra Pradesh is scaling-up its efforts to bring better health care to all its citizens.
India, Rajasthan and WB signs a Loan Agreement
• The Government of India, Government of Rajasthan and the World Bank signed a US$ 250 Million Loan Agreement for the
Rajasthan State Highways Development Program II Project.
• The Project will support the construction, upgradation, improvement and maintenance of 766 km of state highways and major
district roads.
• It will also help build an online project management system and a smartphone app.
India beat England in ODI rankings
• India dethroned England to rise to the top of ODI rankings, just three days ahead of their blockbuster World Cup clash.
• As per the latest rankings released by the ICC, India led the chart with 123 points, followed by England (122) and New Zealand
(114).
• India is also the top-ranked Test side and lie fifth in T20 Internationals.
• Virat Kohli regained top spot in ICC ODI rankings.
Singhey Khababs Sindhu Festival in Leh
• Singhey Khababs Sindhu Festivals is being celebrated on the bank of Indus River in Leh on 28 June 2019.
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• The festival is celebrated every year to attract tourists to Ladakh by presenting the Indus River as a symbol of the multi-
dimensional cultural identity of India.
• The main attraction of the festival is local Folk songs and dances, exhibitions of handicrafts, and ethnic food items.
Maratha quota valid but to be cut to 12-13%
• The Bombay High Court upheld the constitutional validity of reservation for the Maratha community in government jobs and
education.
• A division bench of Justices Ranjit More and Bharati Dangre, however, said the quota percentage should be reduced from the
present 16% to 12-13%.
• The reduced quota is as recommended by the State Backward Classes Commission.
SAI withdrew controversial orders
• The Sports Authority of India (SAI) withdrew its controversial circular to ban parents and personal coaches of shooters from the
Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi during practice.
• Recently, an order issued at the shooting range restricted the movement of parents and coaches inside the range.
• As per international guidelines, they will, however, be not allowed on Field of Play.
Central Railway, Union Bank emerge champions
• In Hockey, the Central Railway beat Western Railway 3-2 in an absorbing women's final of the St Peters Youth Centre Open
Hockey Tournament in Mumbai on 27 June 2019.
• In the men's final, Union Bank of India prevailed over Coorg eleven by a comfortable 2-0 margin to emerge champions.
• Olympian Preeti Yadav was adjudged the Best player of the Tournament.
WTO panel ruled in India's favor
• A World Trade Organisation, WTO dispute resolution panel has ruled in favour of India in a case against the United States.
• The panel stated that America's domestic content requirements and subsidies provided by eight of its states in the renewable
energy sector are violative of global trade norms.
• The panel concluded in its ruling that the measures of the US are inconsistent.
FSSAI planned labels for packaged food
• Packaged food companies will be required to label high fat, sugar and salt content levels on the front side of the package with
red-colour-coding.
• Draft regulations have been proposed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, FSSAI.
• According to it, the packaged food companies will have to declare nutritional information such as calories, saturated fat on the
front of the pack.
PM Modi attended informal BRICS meeting
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the informal BRICS meeting in Osaka on 28 June 2019.
• BRICS is an association of 5 emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
• It was founded in the year 2006 and is headquartered in Shanghai, China.
• Kundapur Vaman Kamath is the chief of the New Development Bank of BRICS countries.
Prithvi-II test fired succesfully
• India successfully test-fired indigenously developed nuclear-capable missile Prithvi-II as part of a user trial by the Army from a
test range off the Odisha coast.
• The trial was carried out from a mobile launcher from Launch Complex-III of the Integrated Test Range, ITR Chandipur.
• The missile is capable of carrying 500 to 1000 kg of warheads and is powered by liquid propulsion twin engines.
India signs agreement with World Bank
• India has signed a loan agreement worth 400 million dollar with the World Bank to help treat and eliminate Tuberculosis from the
country.
• In India, around five lakh people died every year due to Tuberculosis.
• The World Bank supported program will cover nine States and it will support the government's National Strategic Plan to end TB
in India by 2025.
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Noida to issue 'red cards' for harassing women

• In order to strengthen its 'anti-Romeo squads', Noida Police will issue red cards as warnings to men found harassing women in
public by following them or passing comments.
• While issuing the red cards, the details of the men will be noted by the police.
• If the same person commits a similar offence again, strict action will be taken against him.
Payment firms can process abroad: RBI
• The RBI has said foreign payment firms can process transactions outside of the country but the related data should be brought
back for local storage within 24 hours.
• Such data must be "deleted from the systems abroad", it added.
• The previous RBI directive in April 2018 didn't specify whether data can be processed abroad or should only be done locally.
Appointments
• PB Acharya was sworn-in as Governor of Manipur at Raj Bhawan in Imphal.
• The senior most judge of the High Court of Manipur Justice Lanushungkum Jamir administered him oath of office.
• Nagaland Governor Acharya will serve as Governor of Manipur as an additional charge from 27 June 2019 during the absence, on
leave, of Dr Najma Heptulla, Governor of Manipur.
Entrepreneurship lessons at Delhi govt schools
• Delhi government is introducing a new curriculum with compulsory entrepreneurship lessons for classes 9-12 in 1,024
government-run schools from July 1.
• The non-graded subject, for which about 3,000 teachers are undergoing a week-long training, will comprise a daily 40-minute
class.
• Students will get ₹1,000 as 'seed money' to enable them to develop an entrepreneurial mindset.
Chennai to get third desalination plant
• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami laid the foundation stone for the 150 MLD-desalination plant in Chennai.
• The project involves an outlay of ₹1,259.38 crore.
• Currently, there are two desalination plants each with a capacity of 100 MLD catering to the 10 lakh residents of North Chennai
and 9 lakh residents of South Chennai.
• The new plant is expected to go on stream in 2021.
New election rules in Uttarakhand
• People with more than two kids cannot contest panchayat polls in Uttarakhand.
• The amendment approved by the Assembly, makes it mandatory for panchayat poll candidates to have passed class 10.
• While women and SC/ST male candidates need to pass only class eight, SC/ST women need to pass only class five to be eligible to
contest in rural polls.
Bill to fine people for blocking ambulances
• The Union Cabinet led by PM Narendra Modi has approved Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill.
• It proposes ₹10,000 fine for anyone seen blocking the way of emergency services such as ambulances on roads.
• The same amount of penalty would be levied in case of drunk driving.
• The Bill is yet to be passed in the Parliament.
Monolith for martyred soldiers in Bengaluru
• The National Military Memorial in Bengaluru will install a monolith structure, that will bear the names of martyred soldiers.
• The 78-foot-tall monolith structure weighs 450 tonnes.
• National Military Memorial is located adjacent to Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park in Bengaluru.
Virat became fastest cricketer to score 20,000
• Virat Kohli became the fastest cricketer to score 20,000 international runs.
• The India captain reached the milestone when he reached the score of 37 against West Indies at Old Trafford.
• Rahul Dravid is the third fastest Indian on the list of players to have score 20,000 international runs.
• He bettered the time taken by legends such as Sachin Tendulkar and Brain Lara.
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International MSME Day : 27 June

• International Macro Small and Medium Enterprises Day 2019 is observed every year on 27 June.
• Indian MSMEs have stood the test of time, technology and labour.
• International MSME Day 2019 is not just recognised as a day to celebrate the growth of MSMEs, but also to identify the
challenges and provide solutions for the sector.
Appointments
• Indian Olympic Association president Narinder Batra was elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee. Batra
was elected to the prestigious seat during the IOC Session here as one of the 10 new members.
• Sarada Kumar Hota, managing director and chief executive officer of Can Fin Homes, will take charge as the MD of National
Housing Bank.
Obituaries
• Veteran director and actor G Vijaya Nirmala passed away in June 2019.
• She directed 44 films in Telugu. In 2002, she entered the Guinness Book of Records as the female director of the most number of
films.
• She made her debut at the age of seven as a child artiste with a Tamil movie Machcha Rekhai (1950).
31.45% of Indian children will be stunted
• Almost 1 in 3 Indian children under 5 years will still be stunted by 2022 going by current trends, according to an analysis of the
country’s food and nutrition security.
• Over the last decade, child stunting, which is a measure of chronic malnutrition, has reduced at a rate of about 1% per year.
• At this rate, 31.4% of children will still be stunted by the 2022 deadline.
Balakot air planner named RAW Chief
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on June 26 approved the appointment of Arvind Kumar as the new head of the
Intelligence Bureau.
• Samant Kumar Goel will be the chief of the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW).
• Mr. Kumar will succeed Rajiv Jain, who retires on June 30, 2019.
• Mr. Goel will take over from A.K. Dhasmana, who completes his tenure on June 29, 2019.
Amitabh Kant got 2-year extension
• Amitabh Kant was given a two-year extension as Chief Executive Officer of Niti Aayog.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the extension of Kant’s tenure for a further period of two years
beyond June 30, 2019, i.e. up to June 30, 2021, on the same terms and conditions.
Recognize honeybees as inputs
• The Beekeeping Development Committee (BDC) has released its report on 26 June 2019.
• As per Food and Agricultural Organization database, in 2017-18, India ranked eighth in the world in terms of honey production.
• The report mentions that beekeeping cannot be restricted to honey and wax only, products such as royal jelly and bee venom are
also marketable and can greatly help Indian farmers.
NASA witnessed biggest methane gas emission
• NASA has confirmed that the Curiosity rover recently detected the largest amount of methane ever measured during the mission.
• The levels were enough to pause the rover's activities as scientists sought more answers.
• Curiosity's methane reading came to 21 parts per billion units by volume, which is thrice the amount it sniffed out during a surge
in 2013.
International Convention inaugurated
• The Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises is organizing an international convention in New Delhi.
• The theme would be 'Indian MSMEs, Global Aspirations'.
• It is being organized to observe the International MSME Day on 27 June.
• Further, as part of continued celebrations, the second edition of the International SME Convention 2019 will be held from 28th -
29th June 2019.
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Meeting of Paris Pact Initiative held

• The Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance is hosting a Meeting of Expert Working Group on Paris Pact Initiative in
Afghanistan.
• The Meeting is being held on 27-28 June 2019 and is being organised with the support of United Nations Office on Drugs &
Crimes (UNODC).
• Paris Pact is a group of 58 countries and 23 International Organisations affected with drug trafficking of Afghan Opiates.
Italy won the 2026 Winter Olympic Bid
• The prosperous northern Italian regions of Lombardy and Veneto, representing Team Milan-Cortina has won the bid to host the
2026 Winter Olympic Games.
• The Italian bid was chosen over the only other candidate, a dual bid between Stockholm and the ski resort of Are, Sweden, in a
vote of 47-34 by I.O.C. delegates.
Google Maps launched Stay Safer feature
• Google Maps introduced India-first 'Stay Safer' feature for its users.
• The feature will alert and notify users traveling in taxis, auto-rickshaws when their vehicle goes off-route and also share the live
status of their trips with friends/family.
• Indian users will be able to use the new feature on their Android phones with the latest version of Google Maps.
Govt eyes 500GW renewable capacity by 2030
• India announced an ambitious aim to set up 500 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity by 2030 in what could potentially
help the country reshape the global energy market dynamics.
• The plans were revealed at the 17th meeting of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) council in Abu Dhabi.
• India currently has an installed renewable energy capacity of around 80 gigawatts.
Cauvery board asked Karnataka to release water
• The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) directed Karnataka to release 9.19tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) and
31.24tmcft of water in June-July, to Tamil Nadu.
• Tamil Nadu is suffering one of its worst dry spells and acute shortages of drinking water.
• However, the water will be released when there is sufficient rain and the inflows into the reservoirs in Karnataka have increased.
Astronauts returned to earth from ISS
• The first crew to the International Space Station after Russia's launch accident returned to earth safely on 25 June 2019.
• Anne McClain, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and David Saint-Jacques touched down near the Kazakh city of Dzhezkazgan.
• The trio's launch on 3rd December 2018 was the first after a Soyuz rocket carrying Russia's Aleksey Ovchinin and US astronaut
Nick Hague failed.
32nd Congress of ISTA begna in Hyderabad
• The 32nd Congress of the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) kick-started in Hyderabad on 26 June 2019.
• The Seed Congress is being held for the first time in South Asia.
• Over 600 delegates from nearly 70 countries are taking part in the Congress.
• They will be focusing on various technologies for increasing quality seed production and seed export-import policies.
IOC stripped AIBA of Olympic status
• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped Olympic status from the troubled world boxing body AIBA.
• As a result, the IOC will now organize qualifying and final tournaments for the 2020 Tokyo Games.
• AIBA had created very serious reputational, legal and financial risks for the IOC and its American stakeholders.
• AIBA is near bankrupt with debts of about 17 million US Dollars.
BIMSTEC Day celebrated in Dhaka
• Members of the 7 countries regional grouping Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)
celebrated the BIMSTEC Day in Dhaka on 25 June 2019.
• Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr A K Abdul Momen was the chief guest of the event.
• Acting High Commissioner Bishwadip Dey represented India in the event.
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Lok Sabha passed SEZ Amendment Bill

• Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed in the Lok Sabha on 26 June 2019.
• It was initially promulgated as an ordinance in March prior to the announcement of General Elections.
• NK Premachandran of Revolutionary Socialist Party moved a statutory resolution to disapprove the Special Economic Zones
(Amendment) Ordinance, 2019.
Bills in Parliament
• The Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was taken up for consideration and passing in Lok Sabha on 27 June 2019.
• The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers' Cadre) Bill, 2019 is listed to be introduced the House.
WAPCOS celebrated Golden Jubilee
• WAPCOS, which was incorporated as Public Sector Enterprise in 1969 by the Government of India celebrated its Golden Jubilee at
Siri Fort, New Delhi on 26 June 2019.
• The theme for the event was 'Transcending Boundaries- Touching Lives'.
• Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Rattan Lal Kataria was the Guest of Honour at the event.
PM Modi reached Osaka for G20 Summit
• PM Narendra Modi reached the Japanese city of Osaka to attend the G20 Summit which will be held on 28-29 June 2019.
• He will hold talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe and meet US President Donald Trump on 28 June 2019.
• He will attend nearly 30 programmes during his 57 hours stay in this visit.
Government to provide broadband connectivity
• Government plans to provide broadband connectivity under BharatNet Project to all Gram panchayats in the country.
• 1,28,870 gram panchayats have been connected with optical fibre till date.
• Under BharatNet project, the last mile connectivity is to be provided at all the 2.5 lakh gram panchayats in the country.
• WiFi spots have been installed in 44,140 Gram panchayats as of now.
Day against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking
• The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed every year on 26 June.
• The day is observed to raise awareness about the major problem that illicit drugs represent to society.
• The theme for 2019 is Health for Justice, Justice for Health, which highlights that justice and health are two sides of the same coin
when it comes to addressing drug problems.
Nirmala Sitharaman among 100 influential women list
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is among the 100 most influential women driving the UK-India relationship forward.
• The '100 Most Influential in UK-India Relations: Celebrating Women' list was launched by UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid to mark
India Day in the Houses of Parliament in London.
• Penny Mordaunt, Britain's Secretary of State for Defence, is the other politician in the list.
Acquisitions
• Capgemini will acquire Altran Technologies SA in a 3.6 billion-euro ($4.1 billion) deal in order to win more tech clients and keep
up with rivals.
• Adani Power Tuesday said it will acquire GMR Chhattisgarh Energy Ltd (GCEL) as the consortium of lenders has approved its
resolution plan.
Gross NPA's of banks may fall to 8% by March
• According to a report by credit rating agency, gross NPAs in the banking system are set to fall by 350 bps to 8 per cent by March
2020 from 11.5 per cent in March 2018.
• Since 2016, loans worth Rs 17 lakh crore have been identified as NPAs (nonperforming assets) with 80 per cent of these loans
held by public sector banks.
UNSC non-permanent seat: India won
• India’s candidature for a non-permanent seat at the powerful UN Security Council for a two-year term has been unanimously
endorsed by the Asia-Pacific group at the world body.
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• Elections for five non-permanent members of the 15-nation Council for the 2021-22 term will be held around June 2020.
• The five permanent members of the Council are China, France, Russia, UK and the US.
Mysore station to get ISO certificate
• Mysuru Railway Station has become the first railway station in South Western Railway to receive the Integrated ISO certificate.
• The Railway Board had identified 37 major stations across the country to be developed as ‘Eco Smart’ stations and Mysuru
railway station was one of them.
• ISO is International Organisation for Standardisation. It provides standards to services provided by businesses.
2.35 cr people used free railway WiFi
• Over two crore users logged into the railway WiFi at 1,606 stations across its network in May 2019.
• The facility of free internet would be extended to the remaining 4,791 stations within 2019.
• Stations in tier 1 cities like Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai registered a greater number of user logins and data consumption than
their tier 2 counterparts.
Appointments
• The state government has appointed former chief secretary (CS) Harikrishna Paliwal as an advisor to the government, in the rank
of a cabinet minister.
• Defence and aerospace major Boeing Co appointed former Indian Navy official Surendra Ahuja as the managing director of its
defence vertical, Boeing Defence India (BDI).
Krishnaswamy: New DG of ICG
• Krishnaswamy Natarajan was appointed as the next Director General of the Indian Coast Guard.
• He replaced Rajendra Singh, who was the first cadre officer to head the force.
• He would take over on June 30, 2019.
• He joined the force on January 18, 1984.
• Natarajan has held various important Command and Staff appointments, both afloat and ashore.
Obituaries
• A renowned freedom fighter from Himachal Pradesh, Sushil Rattan, passed away in Chandigarh after prolonged illness in June
2019.
• One of the founders of Airbus, Roger Béteille passed away in June 2019.
• A veteran freedom fighter from Goa and Padmashri Mohan Ranade died in June 2019 in Pune, after a prolonged illness.
Swami Satyamitranand Giri Maharaj passed away
• Swami Satyamitranand Giri Maharaj, a renowned seer, passed away in June 2019 after a prolonged illness.
• The 'samadhi' will be at Haridwar-based Raghav Kutir.
• He devoted his life towards empowering the poor, marginalised and downtrodden.
• He was extremely proud of India's rich history and culture.
RBI panel suggested Rs.5000 cr fund for MSMEs
• An RBI committee has suggested a ₹5,000 crore stressed asset fund for domestic micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
• The committee to study the problems faced by MSMEs was chaired by U.K. Sinha, former chairman of the Securities and
Exchange Board of India.
• India’s 63.38 million MSMEs contribute significantly to the country’s economic growth.
RBI union moots collegium
• RBI's employees association has called for a collegium of experts to select a new governor and deputy governors so as to ensure
the autonomy of RBI.
• As per Section 8 of the Reserve Bank of India Act of 1934, the governor and deputy governors are appointed by the government.
• Acharya, the youngest ever deputy governor, resigned from his position a few weeks back.
Murray clinched doubles titles
• Andy Murray won the Queen's Club championships doubles title with Feliciano Lopez.
• He and Spaniard Lopez claimed a 7-6(6) 5-7 10-5 over Briton Joe Salisbury and American Rajeev Ram.
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• Murray is a five times singles champion at the grasscourt event and three-time Grand Slam champion.
Breakdance moved closer to Olympic debut
• Breakdancing, known as breaking in Olympic circles, moved a step closer to the 2024 Olympics.
• The street dance competitions will have 16 athletes in each of the men’s and women’s medal events in Paris.
• IOC members formally endorsed requests from Paris officials in February 2019 to provisionally add breakdancing to the program.
Mette Frederiksen: New Denmark Prime Minister
• Mette Frederiksen has become the country’s youngest ever Prime Minister.
• Denmark has become the third Nordic country in 2019 to form a leftist government after she won the elections.
• She is the leader of the Social Democratic party leader.
Malayalam film won in Shanghai
• Veyil Marangal (Trees Under the Sun), directed by Bijukumar Damodaran, won the award for ‘Outstanding Artistic Achievement’
at the 22nd Shanghai International Film Festival,
• It became the first Indian film to win a major award at the festival.
• The film was one among the 3,964 entries submitted from 112 countries in the prestigious Golden Goblet Award competition.
Meenakshi Lekhi penned debut novel
• BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi has written her debut novel, The New Delhi Conspiracy.
• It talks of undercurrents of Delhi's political landscape and attempts to lay bare.
• It has been co-authored with Krishna Kumar and published by HarperCollins India.
• It is slated for release on July 8, 2019.
Anupam Kher penned autobiography
• Bollywood actor Anupam Kher is coming out with his autobiography, Lessons Life Taught Me Unknowingly that is set to hit stands
on August 5, 2019.
• It will be published by Penguin Random House.
• Kher, one of the most prolific actors in the Indian film industry, has over 530 films in several languages.
• He has won 2 National awards, 2 Filmfare awards and the Padma Shree and Padma Bhushan awards.
L&T bagged Rs. 7000 crore project
• Larsen & Toubro (L&T) bagged a turnkey contract for building a power generation project worth over Rs 7,000 crore after a dry
spell of three years.
• The company will do engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) for the 1,320 MW ultra-supercritical power plant in Buxar
district in Bihar, for SJVN Thermal Private.
• This order is the biggest it has received for a power generation project.
No-confidence motion against Speaker on 1 July
• DMK president M.K. Stalin proposed the motion of no-confidence against Mr Dhanapal.
• Mr. Dhanpal issued show-cause notices to three AIADMK legislators asking why they should not be disqualified for associating
themselves with AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran.
• No- confidence motion in India can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha.
IIFT slipped in HRD Ministry's ranking
• Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) has slipped eight places to 31 in the HRD Ministry's 2019 national ranking of higher
education institutes under management category.
• The IIFT featured on the coveted list at 23rd spot in 2018, 30th in 2017 and 81st in 2016.
• The current rankings are based on 2017-18 data when IIFT had about 40 faculty members across two campuses.
Flipkart shares sold to Walmart
• Binny Bansal, the co-founder of Flipkart, sold around 54 lakh of his equity shares valued at $76 million to Walmart's Luxembourg
entity FIT Holdings SARL.
• Doug Mcmillon is the CEO of Walmart, which is headquartered in Arkansas, United States.
• Flipkart is headquartered in Bengaluru, India.
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Infosys announced partnership with Toyota

• Infosys announced a long term strategic partnership with Toyota Material Handling Europe (TMHE).
• As an IT services partner, Infosys will help TMHE in its digital transformation journey by facilitating transformation to a scalable
digital hybrid cloud platform.
• It will help drive innovation and optimization agenda backed by Next Generation AI and automation solutions.
Tech-Mahindra introduced AI Humanoid
• Tech Mahindra Ltd introduced K2, the first Human Resource (HR) Humanoid, for its Noida Special Economic Zone Campus in Uttar
Pradesh.
• K2 would take over the routine HR transactions to provide constant assistance to the HR team in creating an enhanced employee
experience.
• It can respond to queries with text display along with speech and can address general HR-related employee queries.
Logistics sector to add new jobs
• The logistics sector is likely to add 149,000 new jobs between April and September of this fiscal.
• This was given in the TeamLease Services' biannual 'Employment Outlook' report.
• The report estimates that the logistics sector will witness a growth of 3%.
• The logistics sector employs around 8.24 million people as of second half of 2018-19.
SEBI to allow IPOs by tech companies
• SEBI plans to allow technology companies having superior voting right shares to launch their IPOs.
• It is planning to issue a new set of norms for differential voting rights.
• The new norms are particularly aimed at helping new technology companies with asset light business model.
New rules to make roads safer
• The Union cabinet approved proposed changes to the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill.
• It aims to address crucial issues such as road safety, with stiff penalties for violation of rules, strengthening the public
transportation system and curbing corruption.
• According to the amendment, the penalty for drunk driving has been raised five times to ₹10,000.
Ghazouani: New Mauritania's President
• Former Defense Minister Mohamed Ould Ghazouani was declared winner of Mauritania's presidential election.
• Ould Ghazouani won 52.01% of the votes cast according to the country's electoral commission.
• 6 candidates vied in the polls, including human rights activist Biram Ould Dah Ould Abeid, who trailed second with only 18.5% of
the votes.
Nalanda Capital exits Mindtree
• Nalanda Capital sold its entire 10.61% stake in Mindtree Ltd to Larsen and Toubro Ltd (L&T) for ₹1,707.46 crore.
• The stake purchases from Nalanda, mutual funds and some index funds have brought L&T’s shareholding close to 48% in
Mindtree.
World Bank approved loan to Jharkhand
• The Government of India, the Government of Jharkhand and the World Bank, signed a $147 Million Loan Agreement.
• It will provide basic urban services to the people of Jharkhand and help improve the management capacity of the urban local
bodies.
• The Jharkhand Municipal Development Project will focus on improving the municipal sector’s capacity.
• It will invest in services like water supply.
RBI launched CMS for filing complaints
• The RBI has launched an application on its website for lodging complaints against banks and NBFCs.
• It will improve customer experience in timely redressal of grievances.
• RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das launched the Complaint Management System (CMS) i.e. a software application on 24 June 2019.
• The application also improves transparency by keeping the complainants informed.
Maharashtra to get floating solar plants
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• Maharashtra is all set to get floating solar power generation plants on four dams.
• The backwater of Wardha, Bebala, Khadakpurna and Pentakli dams has been selected for setting up the floating solar panels as
per the Swiss Challenge method.
• The estimated investment per megawatt is 4.45 crore rupees, with a total installed capacity of 500 MW.
Maharashtra govt to set up vigilance mechanism
• The Maharashtra government will soon set up its vigilance mechanism to ensure fast redressal of grievances regarding drought
mitigation.
• The government will keep strict vigilance through tehsil and district level committees to ensure officials are available for farmers.
• The state government will recommend changes in the parameters for the compensation payment.
Junior women's boxing team adjudged best
• In Boxing, India's junior women pugilists clinched seven medals, including five gold.
• The team was adjudged the best of the tournament in the Black Forest Cup in Villingen, Schwenningen, Germany.
• Haryana's Neha (54kg) and Karnataka's Anju Devi (50kg) claimed the honours of best boxer and promising player of the
tournament.
• Countries including Ukraine and Germany took part in the tournament.
30.6 lakh people enrolled under PM-SYM scheme
• Over 30.6 lakh persons have been enrolled so far under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) scheme.
• Under the scheme, Government provides assured monthly pension of 3,000 Rupees, for workers in the unorganised sector after
60 years of age.
• The highest number of beneficiaries was reported from Haryana at over 6 lakh, followed by Maharashtra at 5. 53 Lakh and UP at
5.10 lakh.
Aadhar Bill introduced in Lok Sabha
• Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad introduced the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha on 25 June
2019.
• It will replace an ordinance issued in March 2019 and proposes stiff penalties for violation of norms.
• It seeks to amend Aadhaar Act 2016, the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002.
Obituaries
• Rajasthan State BJP President Madan Lal Saini passed away in New Delhi in June 2019.
• Saini had served as an MLA also from Udaipurwati assembly seat of Jhunjhunu District.
Univers. Smart Card Driving Lic to be launched
• Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has decided to modify the format of driving licenses to smart card type driving licences.
• It has prescribed a common standard format and design of the Driving Licence for the whole nation.
• Its application SARATHI, has a common countrywide database of all driving license holders.
• It has the feature to identify duplicate records online in real time.
NITI Aayog released 2nd edition of a report
• NITI Aayog released the 2nd edition of 'Healthy States, Progressive India' report in New Delhi on 25 June 2019.
• The report takes a comprehensive look at health in terms of health outcomes, governance and processes and impact of policy
interventions.
• The report has been prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with technical assistance from the
World Bank.
Mike Pompeo on 3-day visit to India
• US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be on a three-day visit to India from 25 June 2019.
• This will be the first high-level engagement with the US after the General Elections in India.
• His visit will be an important opportunity for both sides to explore ways to further strengthen the India-US Strategic Partnership.
• He will hold talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
E. Sreedharan resigned as Advisor
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• The Principal Advisor to Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) Padma Vibhushan E. Sreedharan submitted his resignation citing
health issues.
• Sreedharan, popularly known as the Metro Man, has years of experience in handling mega Metro projects in the country.
• In February 2014, LMRC appointed Sreedharan as its Principal Advisor for shaping the project in the state capital.
Obituaries
• Former Tamil Nadu Director General of Police V.R. Lakshminarayanan, one of the most distinguished IPS officers in the country,
died in June 2019 in Chennai.
• Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar passed away in June 2019. Sattar served as the Foreign minister under then-
president Pervez Musharraf government from 1999 to 2002.
Central ATFM Complex inaugurated
• Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State (I/c) for Civil Aviation inaugurated the Air Traffic Flow Management - Central Command
Centre in New Delhi.
• The C-ATFM system is primarily meant to address the balancing of capacity against the demand to achieve optimum utilization of
the major resources.
• It integrates flight data from various subsystems like ATC Automation System and flight updates.
RBI's Deputy Governor resigned
• Viral Acharya who had made a fervent pitch for autonomy for the RBI, has quit 6 months before the scheduled end of his term.
• Acharya, who joined the central bank on January 23, 2017, was RBI's youngest deputy governor post economic liberalisation.
• Acharya has been uncomfortable ever since the exit of Urjit Patel as Governor of RBI.
NSIC signed MoU with CSC
• The National Small Industries Corporation signed an MoU with Common Service Centres (CSC) e-Governance Services India in
New Delhi.
• It was signed for enhancing new offerings for the MSME sector by synergizing each others' competence.
• It will have a special focus on providing services to village level entrepreneurs (VLEs).
International Olympic Day: 23 June
• The International Olympic Day is observed every year on 23 June.
• It is celebrated to promote participation in different sports throughout the world without any discrimination of the gender, age
and athletic ability.
• On 23 June 1894, delegates from 12 countries gathered at the Sorbonne (Paris), to support 'Pierre de Coubertin's' proposal to
revive the Olympic Games.
Brain likes new information just like money
• New information acts on the brain's reward system in the same way as money or food.
• Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in Los Angeles scientists explained why people can't stop checking their phones,
even when they are not expecting any important messages.
• The study also lays the groundwork for unravelling the neuroscience behind how we consume information.
Swimming in oceans increases infection risk
• A study at the University of California has found that Swimming in the ocean alters the skin microbiome and may increase the
likelihood of infection.
• Human skin microbiome plays an important role in immune system function, localised and systemic diseases, and infection.
• During the study, researchers detected ocean bacteria on all participants after air drying at six and 24 hours post-swim.
Indian women's rugby team claimed victory
• The Indian women's rugby team claimed a historic 1st-ever international Rugby 15s victory with a 21-19 win over Singapore.
• They finished 3rd in the Asia Women's - Division 1 Rugby XVs Championship in Manila.
• China won the tournament with a 68-0 victory over hosts Philippines in a one-sided final.
• It was one of the qualifying rounds for the 2021 Women's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Brazil, Venezuela entered Copa America q.final
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• In Copa America, Brazil and Venezuela have become the first two teams to enter the quarter-finals.
• Both teams won their third and final Group-A matches to advance to the last-eight stage.
• In the other game at Minas Gerais, Venezuela got the better of Bolivia, three-one to end second in the group.
New headquarters of IOC in Switzerland
• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) opened its new headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, exactly 125 years after the
Olympic Games were revived.
• The Olympic House has been built on the site of the former headquarters, and 95% of the old materials were reused and
recycled.
• The signature feature is a central staircase linking together the five Olympic rings.
Indian women's hockey team clinched FIH series
• Indian women's hockey team beat Asian Games champions and hosts Japan 3-1 in the summit clash of the FIH Series Finals in
Hiroshima 23 June 2019.
• Indian men had won the FIH Series Finals in Bhubaneswar recently.
• The Indian team qualified for the FIH Olympic Qualifiers 2019 after securing a place in the finals of the competition with a win
over Chile in the semi-final.
Virat fined 25% of his match fee
• Virat Kohli has been fined 25% of his match fee for aggressive appealing during World Cup match against Afghanistan.
• He was found to have breached ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.
• One demerit point has also been added to the disciplinary record of the Indian skipper.
• It is his second offence since the introduction of the revised code in September 2016.
Maharashtra SSAC to have dope tests
• Maharashtra State Senior Athletics Championship will have dope tests for the first time ever in a state championship in Mumbai.
• The two-day Athletics Championship will begin on 25 June 2019.
• The National Anti-Doping Agency-NADA will conduct dope tests.
• There is zero-tolerance to doping and the association has pushed the government to have a dope control in every single state
meet.
Ethiopian's Army Chief, Reg President killed
• Ethiopia's army chief and the president of a key region have been shot dead in a wave of violence.
• There is political instability in the country as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed tries to push through reforms.
• The attack was led by Amhara's security chief Asaminew Tsige.
• The chief of the staff of the national security forces Seare Mekonnen was killed by his bodyguard.
India rejected a US report
• India is proud of its secular credentials, its status as the largest democracy and pluralistic society with a longstanding
commitment to tolerance and inclusion.
• A query on the latest report on International Religious Freedom published by the US State Department was raised.
• BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain termed the US report as meaningless and absurd.
Event to commemorate Kargil operation
• An event to commemorate 20 years of high altitude operations during Kargil conflict was held at Air Force Station Gwalior on 24
June 2019.
• Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa graced the event as Chief Guest.
• Serving and retired Kargil war veterans were present.
• A static display and a flypast enthralled the audience.
Government developed National Strategic Plan
• The government has developed a National Strategic Plan with the goal for ending Tuberculosis (TB) by 2025.
• India accounts for 27.4 lakh estimated new TB cases annually, which is the highest in terms of absolute numbers.
• India ranks 35th in the world in terms of TB cases per lakh population.
• Over 5 lakh 62 thousand patients were cured of TB in 2018.
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PM Modi to attend G-20 summit in Japan

• PM Narendra Modi will attend the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan from June 27-29.
• He would hold bilateral discussions and participate in plurilateral meetings.
• The G-20 members are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy,
Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the UK and the US.
India's 1st solar cruise vessel to debut
• Kerala is gearing up for the launch of the country’s premier solar-powered cruise boat.
• The initiative comes from the State Water Transport Department, whose solar ferry Aditya in the Vaikom-Thavanakadavu route
proved to be a success.
• It will be rolled out in Alappuzha in December.
Government set up 713 Krishi Vigyan Kendras
• The Government has set up 713 Krishi Vigyan Kendras and 684 Agricultural Technology Management Agencies at the district level
in the country for dissemination of technologies among the farming community.
• This is aimed at meeting the target of doubling the farmers' income by 2022.
• An Inter-Ministerial Committee has been constituted to examine issues relating to doubling of farmers' income.
Air Traffic Flow Management command inagurated
• The Central Command Centre for Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) was inaugurated in Delhi on 22 June 2019.
• The central ATFM system integrates flight data from various subsystems like ATC Automation System, flight updates and flight
update messages.
• The system also displays weather information along with static information about airports, airspaces and air routes.
Nitesh Kumar wins Innovation Award in UK
• Nitesh Kumar Jangir won the 2019 Commonwealth Secretary-General's Innovation for Sustainable Development Award in
London.
• He won the award for breathing support device (Saans) to tackle avoidable deaths of premature babies from respiratory distress
syndrome.
• Saans is the world's first neonatal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device that can be powered in multiple ways.
Yerry Mina: Brand Ambassador of Hero MotoCorp
• Hero MotoCorp announced the appointment of Yerry Mina, the popular Colombian professional footballer, as its new Brand
Ambassador.
• Mina is one of the promising young footballers and delivered impressive performances for the Colombian national football team
during 2018 FIFA World Cup.
• In 2016, Hero MotoCorp set up its first international facility at Villa Rica in Colombia.
Important Days
• International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is observed every year on 19 June.
• Autistic Pride Day is observed every year on 18 June.
• The Autistic Pride Day is generally observed to celebrate the neurodiversity of people in the autism spectrum.
• International Picnic Day is observed every year on 18 June.
India accounts for 6.3% of fish production
• As per the Fisheries Department, India is the second largest fish producing country in the world as it accounts for 6.3% of the
global fish production.
• It also said the fisheries sector in the country is growing at the rate of 7%, sustaining 14.5 million fishermen.
• Fisheries sector is a sunrise sector in India.
Sri Lanka launches first satellite ‘Ravana-1’
• Sri Lanka's first satellite 'Ravana-1', designed and developed by two local engineers, was successfully launched into orbit from the
International Space Station (ISS) along with two other BIRDS 3 satellites from Japan and Nepal.
• Raavana-1 is the cube satellite.
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• Raavana-1 is expected to fulfil five missions including the capturing of pictures of Sri Lanka and surrounding regions.
June 21 is longest day of the year
• June 21, marks the beginning of summer season solstice, which is the longest day of the year.
• The summer solstice also called estival solstice or mid-summer.
• The Summer Solstice is when the tilt of the earth's axis is most inclined towards or away from the sun and when the sun reaches
its highest position in the sky, it's the day with the longest period of daylight.
Cancer cell detection ‘dots’ developed
• A team of scientists in Assam has developed a chemical process that turns ‘dirty’ coal into a 'carbon quantum dots' (CQDs) to help
detect cancer cells.
• CQDs are carbon-based nanomaterials whose size is less than 10 nanometre.
• Carbon-based nanomaterials are used as diagnostic tools for bio-imaging, especially in detecting cancer cells, for chemical
sensing and in optoelectronics.
Kolhapuri Chappals gets GI tag
• Maharashtra's handcrafted leather Kolhapuri chappal has been given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
• The GI tag has been granted for Kolhapuris chappals to four districts of Maharashtra — Kolhapur, Solapur, Sangli and Satara.
• The artisans producing Kolhapuris in these districts will now be able to make and market their product in domestic and
international markets.
Panel to review margins on derivatives
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has decided to set up a working group to review the current framework of
margins in the futures and options segment.
• The working group will be headed by NSE Clearing Ltd.
• It will submit its recommendations to the Secondary Market Advisory Committee.
• The existing margin requirement in the derivatives segment is increasing the cost of trading.
US: India's largest merchandise trade partner
• The US overtook China to once again become India's top goods trading partner in 2018-19.
• India’s trade surplus with the US declined to $16.8 billion from $21.2 billion in 2018-19.
• The decline in India’s trade surplus with the US comes amid a year-long trade war.
• Also, India’s dependence on Chinese imports declined to $70 billion from $76 billion a year ago.
MoUs and Agreement
• IDBI Bank has entered a bancassurance corporate agency agreement with Tata AIG.
• The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has entered into an agreement with the Government of Telangana to offer
MeeSeva portal users the option to pay using UPI Collect Request, RuPay Debit and Credit Cards for the services on the portal.
Water clinic for elephants opens in Mathura
• India has opened its first specialised hydrotherapy treatment for elephants suffering from arthritis, joint pain and foot ailments in
Mathura.
• The new hydrotherapy jumbo pool has 21 high-pressure jet sprays that create water pressure that massage the elephants’ feet
and body.
• The facility is run in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department and the NGO Wildlife SOS.
Operation Bandar: Code name of Balakot strike
• The air strike by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on a terrorist training camp in Balakot, Pakistan, was code-named ‘Operation Bandar’.
• To maintain secrecy till the mission was executed, the Mirages took off directly from their home base in Gwalior.
• Balakot air strike was carried in response to the Pulwama terror attack which claimed the lives of 40 security personnel.
1,103 railways stations developed
• Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said that 1,253 stations have been identified for development under Adarsh Station Scheme (ASS).
• Out of which 1,103 railway stations have been developed so far.
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• Modernisation and upgradation of railway stations in Indian Railways is being under various modernisation schemes such as
Model Station Scheme, Modern Station Scheme and Adarsh Station Scheme
1st iron mine discovered in Bangladesh
• The Geological Survey of Bangladesh (GSB) has discovered the country’s first magnetite or iron ore mine in Dinajpur.
• The iron in the mine was 65% which indicates the high quality of the ore.
• The Geological Survey of Bangladesh first took up drilling of the area in 2013 and the second drilling was started in April 2019.
NABCB secures international equivalence
• The National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) secured international equivalence for its accreditation
programme for personnel certification bodies in the annual meetings of the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation in Singapore.
• NABCB, a constituent Board of the Quality Council of India, an autonomous body attached to the Ministry of Commerce and
Industry.
Cricket Australia signs contract with HCL
• HCL Technologies has signed a multi-year contract with Cricket Australia, the governing body of Australian cricket.
• This is India’s third-largest information technology services firm’s third biggest sports deal, after Volvo Ocean Race and
Manchester United (ManU).
• Before HCL, Accenture had been working with Cricket Australia for a five-year deal from November 2013.
Scheme for smokeless kitchens in Maharashtra
• A pilot project aimed at providing a smoke-free environment in the kitchen for women will be launched by the Maharashtra
government.
• The project, named 'Chullah-free and smoke-free Maharashtra', will target the women who have not benefited under the Ujjwala
scheme.
• The pilot project will be implemented in Naxal- affected areas as well as the districts where the farmer suicide rate is high.
India's forest cover increased in last 1 year
• Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said India's green cover has gone up by 1% in last one year.
• If one tree is chopped for development work, three to four are planted either in the same area or elsewhere, he added.
• According to India State of Forest Report 2017, over 24% of India's geographical area constitutes of green cover.
NITI Aayog to convert 2-wheelers to electric
• Government think-tank NITI Aayog has proposed that two-wheelers with an engine capacity less than 150 cc to be converted to
electric by 2025.
• Moreover, it also aims to make three-wheelers to be fully electric by 2023.
• Niti Aayog has reportedly asked conventional two-wheeler and three-wheeler makers to suggest concrete steps towards
transition to electric mobility within two weeks.
Modi voted 'world's most powerful leader 2019'
• PM Narendra Modi was voted the 'World's Most Powerful Person 2019' in the reader's poll conducted by UK-based British Herald
magazine.
• PM Modi received 30.9% of total votes to beat US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese
President Xi Jinping.
• PM Modi will feature on the cover page of the July 15 edition of the magazine.
Bill passed for 16% Maratha quota in PG course
• The Maharashtra Legislative Council cleared a bill to provide 16% reservation to the Maratha community students in post-
graduate (PG) medical courses.
• This comes a day after the bill was unanimously passed in the Legislative Assembly.
• As both the Houses of the Legislature have cleared the bill, it will now be sent to the Governor for his approval.
Startups get India's 1st drone certifications
• Directorate General of Civil Aviation has, in a first, certified one drone model each of two Bengaluru startups, Skylark Drones and
Throttle Aerospace Systems.
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• The drones are compliant with the NPNT (no permission, no take-off) protocol under the new drone policy.
• Under this protocol, a software layer allows drones to fly only after they get automated permission from authorities.
Forex retail platform to roll out
• The currency trading platform for retail trading is ready for roll-out by the Clearing Corporation of India (CCIL) on August 5, 2019.
• It will enable transparent and fair pricing for retail users, such as individuals and micro, small and medium enterprises.
• The customer orders would be bunched up to make marketable lots of $5 million and above, which can be directly traded by CCIL
platform.
35,000 km highways to be built by 2022
• The government will build 35,000 km of highways, besides expressways, by 2022.
• Under the 'Bharatmala Project', construction or upgradation of about 35,000 kilometres of national highways is to be undertaken
by 2022.
• In addition, under the 'Sagarmala Project', a network of good-quality roads is being constructed in coastal areas and areas
adjoining ports.
Navy issued EOI for building 6 submarines
• The Centre has taken a major step towards building advanced submarines for the Indian Navy.
• The defence ministry issued an Expression of Interest to shortlist Indian strategic partners for the construction of six conventional
submarines under Project 75 India (P-75I) worth about Rs 45,000 crore.
• This is a step towards opening a second production line for diesel-electric submarines in India.
Tech Mahindra signed contract with Airbus
• Tech Mahindra signed a multi-year contract with Airbus for cabin and cargo design engineering.
• The aim is to capitalise on the specialised skills and competencies in the growing cabin engineering business over the next few
years.
• Airbus is a strategic customer and partner of Tech Mahindra.
Women's cricket nominated: Commonwealth 2022
• Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) nominated the inclusion of women's cricket in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in
Birmingham.
• The inclusion of women's cricket in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games would be a landmark moment in the
development of the sport.
• This is a part of the global ambition for cricket to inspire and empower women and girls around the world.
Capacity Building Program organised
• The India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) (ECI) organized 5-day training programme on
Use of Technology in Elections for Election Officials of Union Election Commission of Myanmar.
• The ongoing Capacity Building Programs on Electoral technology is the 7th program in the series of the 09 programs scheduled
across 2018-2019.
Group constituted to solve e-commerce issues
• A group has been constituted under the secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade for ensuring
inter-ministerial coordination on resolving issues related to e-commerce.
• A draft national e-commerce policy has been drafted and placed in public domain.
• The policy addresses broad areas of the e-commerce ecosystem such as infrastructure development and market places.
Fernando Torres announced retirement
• Former Liverpool and Chelsea striker Fernando Torres announced his retirement from football.
• He scored 81 goals across four seasons with Liverpool and won the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup with Chelsea.
• A World Cup winner with Spain in 2010, Torres announced his retirement through social media.
1st Bangladesh Int Theatre Festival held
• The first international theatre festival of Bangladesh is being held at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka.
• It was inaugurated by the Bangladesh State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid on 20 June 2019.
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• Theatre troupes from India, Bangladesh, Russia, China, France, Vietnam and Nepal are participating in the festival.
India, France to deepen cooperation
• India and France have decided to deepen cooperation in the cyber security sector.
• They will jointly work towards curbing the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes and online radicalisation.
• The third Indo-French cyber dialogue was held in Paris on 20 June 2019.
• France and India have reaffirmed their commitment to open, reliable, secure, stable and peaceful cyberspace.
Russia temporarily banned its airlines
• Russia has temporarily banned its airlines from flying to Georgia from July 2019.
• The move came following violent clashes in Georgia after a Russian lawmaker addressed parliament in Tbilisi.
• President Vladimir Putin signed a decree banning Russian airlines from undertaking flights from the territory of the Russian
Federation to the territory of Georgia from July 8, 2019.
GST council simplified registration rules
• The GST Council has simplified rules for registration and Aadhaar will now be used by businesses for registration under GST.
• In the earlier system, people had to give various documents and now, several advantages will occur to the business by using
Aadhaar.
• GST Council approved imposing a penalty of up to 10% on entities not passing on benefits of GST rate cuts to consumers.
FATF warned Pakistan
• The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) said that Pakistan failed to complete its action plan on terror financing.
• The FATF strongly urged Pakistan to swiftly complete its action plan by October 2019 or face consequences.
• Saudi Arabia has become the first Arab country to be granted full membership of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
FM chaired 35th GST Council meeting
• The 35th GST Council Meeting was held on 21 June 2019 under the chairmanship of Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister
Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman.
• Altogether, 12 Agenda items were discussed during the Council meeting.
• Some of these items were of regular nature like confirmation of the Minutes of the 34th GST Council Meeting, deemed
ratification by the Council of notifications.
Telangana started project to end water woes
• Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao inaugurated world’s largest engineering marvel, Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project, at
Medigadda Barrage in Kaleshwaram of Bhoopalpally district.
• The total estimated cost to finish this project is Rs 80,000 crores.
• The project will give assurance for employment, crop production, food security, poverty eradication and improvement of health.
Gray seals can copy human speech
• Researchers in Scotland said gray seals can copy the sounds of human words and songs including Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.
• The study by the University of St Andrews researchers showed that three trained seals were able to imitate parts of popular
tunes.
• It also suggested that gray seals could be a new model to study speech disorders.
• They use their vocal tracts the same way as humans.
Indiabulls and Lakshmi V. Bank merg. approved
• Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the merger of the Indiabulls Housing Finance and Lakshmi Vilas Bank.
• Shares of Lakshmi Vilas Bank hit the upper circuit of 10% after CCI approved its merger with Indiabulls Housing Finance.
• The combined entity, with employee strength of 14,302, will have a loan book size of ₹1.23 lakh crore for the first nine-month
period of 2018-19.
Pranati Nayak won bronze in gymnastics
• In Gymnastics, India's Pranati Nayak clinched a bronze medal in vault event at the Senior Asian Artistic Championships in
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
• She came up with a score of 13.384 to claim the bronze medal.
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• She had scored 13.400 and 13.367 in the first and second vault.
• China's Yu Linmin and Japan's Ayaka Sakaguchi won the gold and silver medal at the event.
PM Modi to attend 14th G20 Summit in Osaka
• PM Narendra Modi will attend the 14th G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan on 28-29 June 2019.
• Former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu will be India's sherpa at the summit.
• The theme of the summit is Human-centred future society.
• More than 20 countries will be participating in the G20 Summit.
• India has participated in all the G20 Summits held so far.
• It will host the same in 2022 for the first time.
Pankaj clinched Asian Snooker Championship
• Pankaj Advani clinched the 35th men's Asian Snooker Championship in Doha to complete a career grand slam in cue sports.
• He defeated Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon 6-3 in the final to become the only one to win the Asian and World championships in all
formats.
• He will now take part in IBSF World Cup next week in Doha.
Insolvency petition against Jet Airways filed
• National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) decided to admit an insolvency petition against Jet Airways Ltd filed by its creditors.
• The insolvency process will allow lenders led by SBI to sell the company as a whole or sell its assets and bring to end uncertainty
over the airline's future.
• NCLT instructed Interim Resolution Professional (IRP) to finish the process for the airline in 3 months.
NHB tightened norms on HFC's leverage
• The National Housing Bank (NHB) has tightened its rules on leverage and capital adequacy ratio for housing finance companies
(HFCs).
• It now mandates HFCs to bring down their total borrowings to not more than 12 times their net-owned funds as on 31 March
2022.
• The capital adequacy ratio for HFCs has been increased to 13% by March 2020, 14% by March 2021 and 15% by March 2022.
World Music Day: 21 June
• World Music Day or International Music Day is observed on June 21 every year.
• In India, Exchange4Media & Loudest.in are hosting annual music conference, Music Inc.
• The theme for 2019 is ‘Music at the intersections'.
• The first ever music day took place in 1982 in Paris as the Fête de la Musique.
• The move was proposed by Jack Lang (French politician) and Maurice Fleuret.
L'Oreal named first female President
• L’Oreal SA named the first female president of its flagship cosmetics label, elevating Delphine Viguier-Hovasse to the top job at
the world’s biggest beauty brand.
• Viguier-Hovasse, who has been running the company’s Garnier unit, succeeds Pierre-Emmanuel Angeloglou as head of L’Oreal
Paris.
• Angeloglou is taking on a new role with LVMH‘s Louis Vuitton.
Dentsu and Ulka won bronze: Cannes Lions
• 3 Bronze Lions were won by digital agency Dentsu Webchutney while IPG Group owned creative agency FCB Ulka won a single
Bronze Lion at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity.
• Dentsu Webchutney won a Bronze Lion for their work on Swiggy's 'Voice of Hunger' challenge.
• FCB Ulka won a Bronze Lion for their work with The Millennium School on the 'Open Door Project'.
Appointments
• Barbara Chapman has been appointed chair of the CEO Summit Committee for APEC 2021.
• UK TV producer Krishnendu Majumdar will become BAFTA’s next chairman.
• The Nomination and Remuneration Committee and the Board of Directors of Mindtree Ltd, have approved the appointment of
Mrs. Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa as Independent Director.
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Shawkat Ali Thokan passed away

• Shawkat Ali Thokan, an Indian-origin man considered the pioneer of the Islamic movement in South Africa, died in June 2019.
• He was the first National Coordinator of the South African National Zakah Fund (SANZAF).
• He was also instrumental in setting up the Islamic Medical Association, As Salaam institution for orphans, and in 2000 AWQAF SA.
Abhinav Bindra appointed to sort AAI Mess
• Abhinav Bindra was appointed as an independent person by the World Archery to sort out the ongoing mess in the national
federation (AAI).
• The world body de-listed the Archery Association of India for violating the constitution by unanimously electing two parallel
bodies in Chandigarh and New Delhi.
• He will be part of the selection panel, also consisting of IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta.
30 judges in NCLT courts appointed
• The ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) has appointed 30 new judges to the various benches of the national company law tribunal
(NCLT) across the country.
• 7 new judges were appointed in Mumbai while 5 new judges were appointed in New Delhi.
• The National Company Law Tribunal is a quasi-judicial body in India that adjudicates issues relating to Indian companies.
Obituaries
• Senior keyboards player and accordionist P. D. Francis died in Thrissur in June 2019. He was a close associate of composer G.
Devarajan and a key member of his orchestra.
• Multi-awarded actor-director Eddie Garcia passed away in June 2019.
Canara Bank updated rules for cash deposits
• From July 1, 2019, Canara Bank customers can deposit cash of up to Rs 50,000 for free only thrice a month.
• From the fourth transaction or for cash deposits of over Rs 50,000, there will be a service charge of Rs 1 per thousand, with a
minimum of Rs 50 and a maximum of Rs 5,000 plus GST.
• For current account/overdraft/open cash credit account holders a minimum Rs. 100 will be charged.
Gurugram's infant mortality rate halved
• The infant mortality rate (IMR) of Gurugram district and Haryana has improved over the past five years.
• This was shown in the samples registration survey data released by the Registrar General of India in May 2019.
• For two years —2015-16 and 2016-17—the IMR for the district was 13.
• This figure was 20 for the year 2014-15 and 23 in 2013-14.
Walmart to pay over 282 mn
• Walmart agreed to pay over $282 to various US bodies to settle charges of violating anti-corruption regulations while conducting
its business in India, China, Brazil and Mexico.
• These violations were conducted by Walmart's third-party intermediaries who made payments to foreign government officials
without reasonable assurances.
Int Day of Yoga celebrated in Dhaka
• The 5th International Day of Yoga was celebrated on a grand scale in Dhaka on 21 June 2019.
• Around 7000 people participated in the programme organised at the Banga Bandhu stadium by the Indian High Commission.
• Experts and students of Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) demonstrated Common Yoga Protocol and yoga asanas.
Fresh bill to ban triple Talaq
• A fresh bill to ban the practice of instant triple talaq was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 21 June 2019.
• The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, which has been listed in the Lok Sabha's agenda, will replace an
ordinance issued in February 2019.
• The Bill proposes to make the practice of instant triple talaq (talaq-e-biddat) a penal offence.
Awards for promotion of Yoga
• PM Narendra Modi announced the awards for the promotion and development of Yoga.
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• Swami Rajarshi Muni, Ms. Antonietta Rozz, Bihar School of Yoga, and Japan Yoga Niketan are the recipients of the Prime
Minister's Award for outstanding contribution for promotion and development of Yoga for the year 2019.
• The winners will be felicitated with a Trophy, Certificate and a Cash Award each.
Government to widen Khelo India Programme
• The new government has decided to widen the spectrum of the 'Khelo India Programme' to cover the entire country.
• Under this programme, 2,500 talented players have been selected and are being trained.
• This facility will now be provided to 2,500 new players every year.
India named 23-member squad for AJBC
• India named a 23-member squad to represent the country at the Asian Junior Badminton Championship.
• The tournament will be held in Suzhou, China from 20 July 2019.
• The boys' singles challenge will be spearheaded by Manipur's Maisnam Meiraba Luwang.
• The girls' team will be spearheaded by Malvika Bansod of the Airport Authority of India.
Navy launched operation in Gulf
• Indian Navy has deployed Ships INS Chennai and INS Sunayna in the Gulf of Oman to re-assure Indian Flagged Vessels operating
or transiting through the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
• Aerial surveillance by Indian Navy aircraft is also being undertaken in the area.
• The Information Fusion Centre - Indian Ocean Region is also keeping a close watch on the movement of ships in the Gulf region.
Michael Pompeo to visit India from June 25-27
• US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo will be in India from June 25-27.
• He will hold talks with the leadership here to strengthen the strategic partnership.
• His visit comes ahead of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of
the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan on June 28-29.
International Yoga Day: 21 June
• 5th International Yoga Day is celebrated on 21 June 2019.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in celebrating yoga day from Ranchi in Jharkhand.
• The theme for the year 2019 is Yoga for Heart Care.
• The idea of the International Day of Yoga was first proposed by PM Modi during his speech at the United Nations General
Assembly (UNGA) on September 27, 2014.
Government to revamp Mudra Scheme
• The finance ministry plans to revamp Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojna (PMMY), to ensure better access to credit for small firms,
boost entrepreneurship and promote financial inclusion.
• Under the scheme, collateral-free loan of up to ₹10 lakh falls under three categories—Shishu, Kishore and Tarun.
• Shishu accounts for loans of up to ₹50,000, while ₹50,001 to ₹5 lakh are disbursed under Kishore.
Indusind Bank to merge with BFIL
• IndusInd Bank announced 4 July, 2019 as the effective date of the merger with Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd (BFIL).
• M R Rao, current CEO of BFIL, will become the CEO of IndusInd Financial Inclusion Ltd (IFIL).
• The Business Correspondent network of BFIL will operate under IFIL.
President announced farmer income support
• President Ram Nath Kovind announced that the government was working towards a ₹25-trillion farm productivity spend and
₹900-billion annual spend on farmers’ income support.
• Fixing problems in the rural economy and giving relief to farmers was the top priority of the Narendra Modi government during
its second term.
• ₹25 trillion will be invested to improve agriculture productivity.
• Punjab National Bank (PNB) recovered ₹20,000 crore of bad loans during the financial year ended March 2019, almost double the
recovery amount in the preceding year.
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• Yes Bank shares fell as much as 4.3% to ₹98.75 on BSE, after credit agency Moody's put the company under review for a
downgrade.
Mark Zuckerberg ahead of Tim Cook
• Social media giant Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has dropped from his 2018 rank of number 16 to number 55 on the list of top
Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in the US 2019.
• Adobe's Shantanu Narayen and Microsoft's Satya Nadella bagged the coveted fifth and sixth spots in the list gaining an employee
approval rating of 98% each.
Unemployed Graduate in Rajasthan to get Rs.3500
• Unemployed youth having graduation or equivalent degree will be given unemployment allowance up to Rs 3,500 by the
Rajasthan government.
• They will get the benefit of the Chief Minister Yuva Sambal Yojana from February 2019.
• To be eligible for the scheme, applicants should be natives of Rajasthan.
• The amount will be given for two years or until they get employed.
India extended grant to Niger
• India has offered a helping hand to Niger by granting $15 million to help organize the African Union (AU) Summit in July 2019.
• The grant assistance was handed over by Indian envoy to Niger Rajesh Agarwal to that country’s deputy foreign minister Lamido
Ousseini Bala Goga Salamatou.
• Niamey - Capital.
• Mahamadou Issoufou - President
• Brigi Rafini - Prime Minister.
HP made GPS device must for trekkers
• The Himachal Pradesh government made it mandatory for trekkers to carry a GPS device to tackle any exigency.
• A decision in this regard was taken at a review meeting chaired by Additional Chief Secretary Shrikant Baldi on preparedness for
the monsoon.
• Kullu and Dalhousie have been identified for installation of early warning systems.
KSEB signed power purchase deal
• Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) signed a power purchase agreement with Kochi-based GJ Eco Power Pvt. Ltd.
• Under the agreement, the KSEB will purchase the power generated from the 9.76 MW — WtE plant at a rate of ₹6.17 per unit for
a period of 20 years from the commercial operation date.
• The tariff has been approved by the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
Appointments
• BMW Group India has appointed Rudratej Singh as the President and CEO effective from August 1. Singh, in his last assignment,
was Global President at Royal Enfield.
• Malawian President Peter Mutharika has appointed Minister of agriculture Joseph Mwanamvekha, an economist and former
banker, as finance minister in his new cabinet.
Shefali: India's representative to ICAO
• Senior bureaucrat Shefali Juneja was appointed as India's representative in the Council of International Civil Aviation Organisation
(ICAO), a UN body.
• She has been appointed to the post of Representative of India in the ICAO, Montreal, Canada, for a period of three years.
• She will replace senior IAS officer Alok Shekhar who was named for the post in October 2015.
New CJ named for Telangana, Himachal HCs
• The government has cleared the appointments of Justice RS Chauhan as Chief Justice of the Telangana high court and Justice V
Ramasubramanium as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh high court.
• On June 7, the government had notified the appointment of Justice Ravi Shanker Jha as the Acting Chief Justice of the Madhya
Pradesh high court.
Obituaries
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• British wrestling legend Adrian McCallum, known by his ring name of Lionheart, passed away in June 2019.
• Renowned theatre person, writer and working president of Ranga Niranthara D K Chowta passed away in June 2019.
• Senior Trade Union and the CPI(M) leader B. Madhava passed away at his residence in June 2019.
RBI fined South Indian Bank
• The RBI has imposed a fine of Rs. 10 lakh on South Indian Bank for violating norms regarding bank guarantees.
• The penalty follows references from a government department and a private party alleging non-payment of invoked bank
guarantees by the lender.
• Examination in this regard revealed a violation of RBI directions on 'Guarantees and Co-acceptances'.
23 Indian Institutions among best universities
• 23 Indian Institutions have been ranked among the best global universities in QS World University ranking released on 19 June
2019.
• IIT Bombay has become India's best institute, securing 152nd rank.
• IIT Delhi and Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore have also been figured in the top 200.
Voluntary Euthanasia became legal in Victoria
• Victoria has become the first state in Australia to enact Euthanasia laws.
• It would now allow terminally ill patients suffering from intolerable pain to legally ask their doctor for lethal drugs to end their
lives.
• The state's historic laws were effective from 19 June 2019.
• Queensland and Western Australia are now considering enacting the legislation.
Bangladesh: fastest growing economy
• Bangladesh has emerged as the fastest growing economy among the 45 countries of the Asia-Pacific region according to Asian
Development Bank (ADB).
• In the financial year, 2018-19 Bangladesh attained a growth rate of 7.9 % which is its fastest rate since 1974.
• Higher public sector investment, stronger consumption demand, were among the key factors of the high growth performance of
Bangladesh.
Cancer Institute at GMC Jammu approved
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare formally approved Rs.120 crore Cancer Institute at Government Medical College, Jammu.
• With the setting up of the facility at GMC Jammu, the patients now need not move outside the State for specialized treatment
facilities.
• Earlier, one State Cancer Institute was approved for Shere Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar.
World Refugee Day: 20 June
• World Refugee Day is observed on the 20th of June every year.
• It celebrates the stories and contributions of refugees.
• The theme this year is Step with Refugees - Take a Step on World Refugee Day.
• According to the latest annual study released by the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, 70.8 million children,
women and men were forcibly displaced at the end of 2018.
Archery Association of India de-listed
• Archery's world body has de-listed the Archery Association of India (AAI) as a member and given it a month's time to either get its
house in order or face suspension.
• The World Archery will wait for the Supreme Court's verdict on the controversial elections of the AAI.
• The decision to de-list AAI will not prevent Indian archers from taking part in international events.
EAM met Russian Deputy PM
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met visiting Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev in New Delhi on 19 June 2019.
• They discussed ways to strengthen ties between the two nations.
• Various aspects of India-Russia relationship including the visit by PM Narendra Modi to Vladivostok for the Eastern Economic
Forum were all discussed.
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2-day workshop on piracy issues held

• A 2-day international workshop on issues related to piracy began in New Delhi on 19 June 2019.
• The participants are being trained on issues related to piracy and armed robbery such as international laws, prosecution process,
forensics and emerging threats.
• It was organised by the Indian Coast Guard in cooperation.
PM to set up committee for an issue
• PM Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of Presidents of all political parties having representation in Parliament on the issue of One
Nation One Election.
• He will form a committee to look into the various aspects of this issue in the country.
• The idea of One Nation, One Election envisages a system where elections to all states and the Lok Sabha will have to be held
simultaneously.
4th National Yoga Olympiad organized
• A 3-day National Yoga Olympiad of school children, organised by the National Council of Educational Research and Training is
being held at Chacha Nehru Bhawan in New Delhi.
• This is the fourth edition of National Yoga Olympiad. It was first started in the year 2016.
• The Olympiad creates awareness about a scientific and holistic way of living.
Indian archers felicitated
• Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports, Shri Kiren Rijiju felicitated the Indian archery contingent.
• They performed superlatively at the World Archery Championships held in Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
• India won one silver and two bronze medals at the event, making it the best-ever medal haul in an Archery World Championship.
World to get half its power from solar energy
• Nearly half the world’s electricity will come from renewable energy by 2050 as costs of wind, solar and battery storage continue
to plummet.
• That titanic shift over the next three decades will come as electricity demand increases 62% and investors pump $13.3 trillion
into new projects.
• Coal will be the biggest loser in the power sector, with its share of global generation at 12% in 2050.
RBI to infuse Rs. 12,500 liquidity
• The RBI will infuse ₹12,500 crore of liquidity into the system through purchase of government bonds.
• The Central bank would purchase five government bonds under open market operations (OMOs) on June 20, 2019.
• On June 11, the RBI had infused ₹15,000 crore into the system through OMO purchase of six government bonds.
2 Jet Airways directors resigned
• Jet Airways informed about the resignation of two independent directors Ashok Chawla and Sharad Sharma.
• Information that Jet's shares will be removed from daily trading of futures and options from 28 June, further accelerated the fall
in its shares.
• The airline has a total liability of about ₹25,000 crore, which includes dues of operational creditors.
Everest summits smash records
• A record 885 people climbed Everest in May 2019, capping a deadly traffic-clogged season that also saw 11 climbers die on the
world's highest mountain.
• The number smashed last year's record of 807 summits despite a short weather window that resulted in fatal bottlenecks on the
peak.
• Another 241 reached the top from the northern flank in Tibet.
Morgan hit record 17 sixes
• England captain Eoin Morgan created a new world record for maximum sixes in ODI innings.
• He hit 17 sixes en route to his breathtaking 148 off just 71 balls against Afghanistan in their World Cup tie at Old Trafford.
• The previous record (16 sixes) was held jointly by Chris Gayle, Rohit Sharma and AB de Villiers.
RBI fell short of meeting Basel 3 norms
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• RBI has fallen short of meeting the tougher requirements set under the Basel 3 norms as per a report by Basel Committee on
Bank Supervision (BCBS).
• The committee reports that RBI is yet to publish the securitization framework and rules on total loss-absorbing capacity (TLAC)
requirements.
• Globally, the norms held in the banking book had come into effect on 1 January 2018.
Libra: Facebook's cryptocurrency
• Facebook is leaping into the world of cryptocurrency with its own digital money, designed to let people save, send or spend
money as easily as firing off text messages.
• ‘Libra’, described as a new global currency was unveiled in a new initiative in payments for the world’s biggest social network.
• Libra Association debuted with 28 members including Mastercard, Visa, and Women's World Banking.
NASA funded programme to produce videos
• A programme funded by NASA in the U.S. has produced a series of videos about popular archaeological sites and institutions in
India.
• The videos come with lesson plans in Hindi, to aid in teaching the language internationally using themes of science and
technology.
• The NASA-funded programme STARTALK made a USD 90,000 grant to Ved Chaudhary, director of the project.
Srikanth only Indian in Race to Guangzhou
• K. Srikanth is ranked 6th in the HSBC Race to Guangzhou Rankings, which will determine the qualifiers to the HSBC BWF World
Tour Finals.
• Sindhu and Saina are ranked 13th and 12th in the women’s singles list headed by Thailand’s Ratchanok Inthanon.
• Srikanth is the only Indian in the HSBC Race to Guangzhou Rankings which is being headed by Jonatan Christie.
Ms. Das to head Indian Cultural Centre
• Shrimati C. Das, an academician and a translator from Hubballi, has been appointed Director of Gurudev Tagore Indian Cultural
Centre in Mexico. The appointment of Ms. Das is for three years with the diplomatic rank of First Secretary.
• Former WB Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will be the Congress party’s leader in the Lok Sabha. K. Suresh from Kerala
will be designated as Chief Whip.
Indian-American population grew by 38%
• The population of Indian-origin people in America grew by 38% in seven years between 2010 and 2017.
• This was released in a report by the South Asian advocacy group.
• There are at least 630,000 Indians who are undocumented, a 72% increase since 2010.
• Nearly 250,000 Indians overstayed their visa in 2016, therefore, becoming undocumented.
Amendments to curb the use of black money
• Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) vice chairman Justice Arijit Pasayat suggested appropriate
amendments in existing tax laws to curb the use of money power to win elections.
• Nearly Rs. 3,800 crore was seized from across the country during the time of elections in April-May 2019.
• SIT that was formed in 2014 has already prepared its seventh interim report.
Obituaries
• Veteran athletics coach N. Lingappa passed away due to age-related illness in June 2019.
• Lingappa had trained several international athletes like D.Y. Biradar, P.C. Ponnappa, Uday Prabhu and Ashwini Nachappa during
the course of his over 60-year career as a coach.
RBI fined HDFC bank Rs. 1 crore
• RBI fined HDFC Bank Rs 1 crore for not reporting frauds and non-compliance with other directions.
• The fine pertains to submission of forged bill of entries (BoEs) by certain importers to HDFC Bank for remittance of foreign
currency.
• The penalty was imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) and Section 46(4)(i) of the
Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
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Japan researchers developed cooling vest

• Japanese researchers have developed a new type of cooling vest for sports athletes that may help them compete safely in
sweltering summer conditions.
• The cooling vest is filled with ice packs and features a collar that can also cool the neck.
• The aim is to cool the athletes' upper-body skin which can decrease heart rate and temperature of their neck and skin.
Diamond Jubilee of Naval Air Squadron
• Indian Navy's first Naval Air Squadron 550 celebrated its Diamond Jubilee on 17 Jun 19 at naval base Kochi.
• It has played a key role in training the Navy's Maritime Reconnaissance pilots and observers.
• The squadron has been part of several operations, from the 1971 Indo-Pak war to Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief
(HADR) operations during the December 2004 Tsunami, and more.
Goa Revolution Day: 18 June
• Goa Revolution Day is celebrated on 18 June.
• On this day in 1946, freedom fighter Dr Ram Manohar Lohia had given a clarion call to Goans to fight for the state's liberation
from Portuguese rule during a speech at Margao in South Goa.
• The speech provided a fillip to the Goan liberation movement, with the state finally being liberated in 1961 after around 450
years of Portuguese rule.
World Sickle Cell Day: 19 June
• The World Sickle Cell Day is observed every year on 19 June.
• It is observed each year to raise public awareness about the sickle cell disease and its treatment methods.
• Sickle cell disease is an inherited form of anaemia in which red blood cells are not able to carry adequate oxygen throughout the
body.
NEC, NPC agreed on tie-up venture
• The North Eastern Council (NEC) and the National Productivity Council (NPC) have agreed on a tie-up venture in the area of
capacity building and evaluation of projects.
• With this initiative, the benefits to the North Eastern Region would be immense in terms of improved capacity in project
implementation and management.
• This will help in timely completion of projects.
Maharashtra govt to launch new programme
• Maharashtra government will soon launch the Chief Minister's Employment Generation Programme for Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• It will create 10 lakh jobs in the next 5 years.
• The flagship programme of the Industries Department will have 30% reservation for women entrepreneurs.
• The scheme envisages setting up one lakh units in five years, 40 per cent of them in rural areas.
Lander Vikram reached Sriharikota
• The lander and rover meant for India’s 2nd lunar mission Chandrayaan-2 reached the ISRO’s launch pad at Sriharikota.
• The rover called Pragyan is installed within the lander known as Vikram.
• Chandrayaan-2 will be launched GSLV-Mark-3 on July 15th with the aim of making the lander to soft-land on the South Pole of
the moon by September 6, 2019.
• India would be the 4th country to do so.
Black tiger shrimps back in Kerala
• Ending a decade’s slide in the production of black tiger shrimps, Kerala is experiencing a comeback of it.
• The MPEDA’s efforts to revive the production of black tiger shrimps on a mass sale of its seeds have been receiving encouraging
feedback.
• The inaugural sale was done by MPEDA chairman K.S. Srinivas by handing over 1 lakh seeds to former Kerala Director-General of
Police Hormis Tharakan.
Air India bid adieu to A320 Classic
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• Air India’s Delhi-Mumbai flight, AI 865 was the last flight by Airbus 320 Classic aircraft, which will make way for the advanced and
fuel-efficient Airbus 320 Neo.
• It flew 61,600 hours and carried out 38,000 landings.
• VT-ESL was the last of Air India’s A320 Classic fleet having been delivered to Air India 25 years back in 1994.
Om Birla: New Lok Sabha speaker
• 2-time BJP MP from Rajasthan Om Birla will be the new Speaker of the Lok Sabha after he was nominated by the ruling NDA for
the post.
• Mr. Birla has been a three-time MLA in the Rajasthan Assembly and represents the Kota-Boondi constituency in the Lok Sabha.
• The proposal for his name will be moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Fresh crater spied on Mars
• A small space rock crashed into the Mars' surface recently, producing a fresh crater that researchers estimate is 49 feet to 53 feet
(15 to 16 meters) wide.
• The dramatic feature is clearly visible in a newly released image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).
• A color image from HiRISE, shows a large black-and-blue bruise on the landscape amid a flat area of red Martian dirt.
Miscellaneous
• Amazon India is the most attractive employer brand in the country followed by Microsoft India and Sony India, says a survey.
Others in the top 10 include Mercedes-Benz at 4th position, IBM (5th), and Larsen & Toubro (6th).
• Yes Bank Ltd. plans to raise $1.2 billion over 18 months to bolster its capital buffer through a mix of public and private share
sales.
Fitch cut India's growth forecast to 6.6%
• Fitch lowered India's growth forecast to 6.6% for the current fiscal from 6.8% projected earlier.
• In its latest Global Economic Outlook, Fitch retained its GDP growth forecast for the next fiscal (2020-21) at 7.1% and 7.0% for
2021-22.
• In the last fiscal, the Indian economy grew at a 5-year low pace of 6.8%.
• India's GDP growth declined for the fourth consecutive quarter in January-March.
Paris Air Show opened
• Aviation executives descended on the Paris Air Show with pledges to improve transparency over plane safety.
• President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the event at Le Bourget airport.
• Few blockbuster products or orders are expected at the world's biggest aerospace show, which brings together nearly 2,500 firms
from 49 countries, and 290 official delegations
1st floating solar plant to be completed soon
• Vedanta's first pilot floating solar plant will be completed in the next 2-3 months.
• The plant will be located at Ghosunda Dam, near Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.
• The floating plant will contribute to saving water evaporation loss, thus resulting in the conservation of water.
• The solar plant is expected to have an energy yield of 1,993 MWh a year and will be able to power 1,400 houses a year.
Govt launched pilot project in 5 states
• India has launched a pilot project to restore degraded forest landscapes in five states over the next 42 months.
• In the first phase, the pilot will be conducted in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Karnataka.
• The project launched in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
• It aims to enhance the capacity of forest landscape restoration (FLR).
Only BS-6 vehicles to be available from 2020
• Only BS-6 vehicles will be available from 2020 onwards, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said.
• Vehicles contribute 20-22% of pollution in the country.
• In Delhi, BS-6 fuel was started.
• Vehicles that will be available from next year will support BS-6 fuel only.
• Today, 60,000 trucks, which do not have any work in Delhi, now don't enter Delhi.
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Cannes Lions 2019: India won 2 bronze medals

• India won 2 bronze medals at the ongoing Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity with advertising agency.
• It won in the print & publishing and health & wellness categories.
• India launched an interactive print tool kit ‘One Mindful Mind’ which helps every parent turn into a counsellor for their child.
Green Building List: Maharashtra topped
• Maharashtra bagged the top slot, followed by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, in the 2nd edition of the US Green Building Council’s
(USGBC) list.
• The list consists of India’s top 10 states that have a maximum number of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
certified green buildings.
• LEED is a widely used green building rating system.
India to host UN meet in September
• India for the first time will host the 14th session of the Conference of Parties of the United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification (UNCCD) in September 2019.
• It will see participation from at least 5,000 delegates from nearly 197 countries and will be held between September 2 and 14 in
Delhi.
• India faces a severe problem of land degradation, or soil becoming unfit for cultivation.
Gary Woodland won US Open
• Gary Woodland won the 119th US Open, capturing his first major title, in golf.
• He defeated two-time defending champion Brook Koepka at Pebble Beach, California.
• The two-time defending champion Koepka finished second with a score of 10-under.
Joshna Chinappa won squash title
• Joshna Chinappa won a record 17th national squash title after outplaying Tamil Nadu's Sunayna Kuruvilla in the final.
• She won the match 11-5, 11-4, 7-11, 11-5 and thus broke a 27-year-old record set by Bhuvneshwari Kumari, who had won 16
titles.
• In the men's category, top seed Mahesh Mangaonkar lived up to his billing to emerge as the winner.
29 journalists conferred with Matri Awards
• 29 journalists from print and electronic media were felicitated with Matri Shree Media Awards for their contribution towards
journalism.
• Former mayor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation Adesh Gupta was also felicitated for his contribution to social service.
• The Matri Shree Media Awards was constituted during the Emergency.
• The first award was presented to journalist Lala Jagat Narayan.
India's population to surpass China
• India has been projected to surpass China as the world's most populous country around 2027.
• It is expected to add nearly 273 million people between now and 2050.
• This was revealed in The World Population Prospects 2019: Highlights, published by the Population Division of the UN
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Autistic Pride Day: June 18
• Autistic Pride Day is being observed every year on 18 June.
• Autistic pride recognises the importance of pride for autistics and understands it not as a disease but as a difference.
• Autism is a range of complex neurodevelopment disorders characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties,
restrictive and repetitive pattern of behaviour.
Naomi, Novak continue as World no. 1
• Japan's Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic of Serbia continue as World No.1 in the latest WTA and ATP rankings.
• Naomi Osaka is just 252 points ahead of world No.2 Ashleigh Barty of Australia in unchanged top 20 WTA rankings.
• Novak Djokovic leads the men's ATP tennis rankings ahead of French Open champion Rafael Nadal and former world number one
Roger Federer.
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Appointments
• Union Minister for HRD Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and Minister of State for HRD, Shri Sanjay Dhotre took oath as Members
of Lower house of Parliament in Lok Sabha.
• Senior BJP leader J P Nadda has been appointed as the BJP working President. The decision was taken at the BJP Parliamentary
Board meeting held at party headquarters in New Delhi.
Obituaries
• In Egypt, former President Mohammed Morsi passed away in June 2019 after collapsing during a session in court. He was
country's first democratically elected President.
• Gloria Vanderbilt, the intrepid heiress, artist and writer passed away in June 2019.
World Food India to be held from Nov 1
• World Food India will be held in New Delhi from 1st of November 2019.
• The event which will continue till 4th November will position India as Food Processing Destination of the World.
• Indian Food Processing Industry has grown tremendously recording 11% growth rate, which is twice the pace of Global Industry.
1st semi-open jail for women in Tihar
• The first semi-open prison for women will be inaugurated on June 20, 2019 in Tihar, Delhi.
• The premises are a 4 minute drive from Jail where 375 women inmates are lodged.
• On the first floor is a work station, where the five women make seviyan.
• Semi-open and open prisons for men have been functioning at Tihar Jail for a while now.
India, Myanmar conducted joint operation
• The armies of India and Myanmar carried out a three-week-long coordinated operation from May 16 in their respective border
areas.
• They targeted several militant groups operating in Manipur, Nagaland and Assam.
• Myanmar is one of the strategic neighbours of India and shares a 1,640-km border with a number of north-eastern states,
including the militancy-hit Nagaland and Manipur.
Bitcoin causing CO2 emissions
• The use of Bitcoin, a popular virtual currency, emits over 22 mega tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, a study has found.
• Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany carried out a detailed calculation of the carbon footprint
of the Bitcoin system.
• The team was able to localise 68% of the Bitcoin network computing power in Asian countries and 17% in European countries.
Rohit Sharma smashed ton, broke record
• India's vice-captain Rohit Sharma struck his 24th ODI hundred in the ongoing World Cup.
• He brought up his 3rd century in World Cup.
• He got to his 100 in 85 balls, hitting nine fours and three sixes.
• He, along with K.L. Rahul broke a 23-year-old record set by Sachin Tendulkar and Navjot Singh Sidhu for the highest opening
partnership in a World Cup match against Pakistan.
Virat became fastest to score 11,000 ODI runs
• Virat Kohli became the fastest batsman to reach 11,000 runs in one-day internationals after scoring a fine half century against
Pakistan.
• He broke the record of Sachin Tendulkar, who had reached the milestone in 276 innings.
• Kohli, who took only 222 innings to achieve the record, has become the third Indian and ninth overall to reach the 11,000 mark in
ODIs.
NITI Aayog's fifth governing council meeting
• PM Narendra Modi spelt out his government's vision 2024 at the NITI Aayog's fifth governing council meeting at Rashtrapati
Bhavan.
• On the health front, PM Modi said tuberculosis should be wiped out by 2025.
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• He announced a high-level task force to bring structural reforms in agriculture in the country. It will be formed in the near future
and report will be submitted in the next 2-3 months.
New income tax rules from June 17
• The new income tax guidelines kicked in from June 17, 2019, and apply to all cases for compounding received on or after this
date.
• Offences forming category 'A' include failure to pay tax deducted at source under Chapter XVII-B or tax payable under Section
115-0.
• The category 'B' offences include willful attempt to evade tax and failure to produce accounts and documents.
IGNOU launched 6-month course in Yoga
• The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has launched a certificate programme in yoga (CPY) ahead of the upcoming
International Yoga Day.
• The course will begin from July 2019 session.
• It will be imparted in the English language, and anyone who has passed Class XII from any recognized board, irrespective of their
stream, will be eligible to get enrolled in the programme.
Gayathri Sreekrishnan passed away
• Gayathri Sreekrishnan, who was a popular playback singer during the budding stages of Malayalam cinema, passed away at New
Delhi in June 2019.
• Her debut as a film singer was through the movie- Rarichan Enna Pouran- which was released in 1956.
• Her first solo song was Thekkunnu nammaloru chakka vaangi from the same movie.
Rabi Mishra named RBI executive
• The RBI has promoted Rabi N Mishra as the central bank’s executive director (ED) after the position fell vacant on Rosemary
Sebastian’s retirement.
• Mishra was principal chief general manager of the bank’s risk management department.
• As ED, Mishra would be looking after the newly-created specialised supervisory and regulatory cadre within the RBI.
Skill University to be set up in Darrang
• Assam government will set up a Skill University at the cost of 850 crore rupees at Darrang district.
• This will be perhaps the first skill university of the country with a capacity of 10 thousand seats.
• The International Yoga Day will be observed at 459 centers of the Skill Development Mission.
June celebrated as the LGBT Pride month
• June month is celebrated as the Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) Pride month all over the
world.
• The LGBTQ pride month is celebrated to commemorate the anniversary of Stonewall riots at Stonewall Inn in New York, a
gathering space for LGBTQ community during the 60s.
• LGBT History Month originated in the United States. It was first celebrated in 1994.
Zuzana: 1st female Slovakia President
• Zuzana Caputova was sworn in as Slovakia's first female President.
• The swearing-in ceremony took place at Constitutional Court chair Ivan Fiacan parliamentary session held in Bratislava, Xinhua.
• She is the fifth president in the modern Slovak.
• She was elected in the month of March. She defeated Smer-SD candidate Maros Sefcovic.
High level force for agri reforms to be set
• The Centre is to set up a high-level task force for agri reforms.
• The decision was made in the fifth meeting of the NITI Aayog governing council.
• The task force is for undertaking structural reforms in agriculture, including strengthening logistics, produce marketing, food
processing as well as changes to the Essential Commodities Act.
• The task force will constitute of few chief ministers.
Suman Rao crowned Miss India 2019
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• Suman Rao from Rajasthan won Femina Miss India World 2019 Title.
• The ceremony was held at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Indoor Stadium, New Delhi.
• Shivani Jadhav, Chhattisgarh won Femina Miss Grand India 2019 title.
• Shreya Shanker, Bihar won Miss India United Continents 2019 title.
AWC: Indian men's team bagged silver medal
• The Indian men's recurve team bagged a silver medal in the Archery World Championships.
• The competition was held at Den Bosch in The Netherlands.
• Jyothi Surekha Vennam helped India clinch two bronze medals in the compound women's section of Archery World
Championships in the Netherlands.
Yoga event organised at Syangboche
• To celebrate 5th International Day of Yoga, the Indian Embassy in Nepal organised an event at Syangboche at around 13,000 feet
in the lap of Mt Everest.
• First time, the International Day of Yoga celebrations were also held at the base camp of Mt. Everest.
• India's Mount Everest climber Bharat Sharma created history by performing Yoga at 17600 feet in the backdrop of mighty Mt.
Everest.
World Day to Combat Desertification & Drought
• World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed every year on 17 June.
• The day promotes public awareness of international efforts to combat desertification.
• The theme for 2019 is Let's grow the future together.
• It is an occasion to remind everyone that land degradation neutrality is achievable through problem-solving, strong community
involvement and co-operation at all levels.
New policy to protect Indian languages
• Rashtriya Siksha Ayog has been proposed to be set up under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister.
• The member of draft New Education Policy Prof. M K Sridhar said that the new policy protects the Indian languages which are on
the verge of extinction.
• The new policy will put education on the pedestal of evaluation and performance and lay emphasis on teachers’ education.
Death toll rose to 83 due to Encephalitis
• In Bihar, the death toll due to Encephalitis in Muzaffarpur and adjoining districts reached 83.
• Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan asked Bihar government to establish ICU at primary health centres in Encephalitis
affected areas.
• He emphasized to step up several measures to contain the disease at the initial stage when symptoms of Encephalitis detected in
children.
'My Protection Quotient' tool launched
• Max Life Insurance Co. Ltd. has launched 'My Protection Quotient' tool (MyPQ).
• MyPQ tool will gauge the level of an individual's financial protection and promote awareness and importance of term plans in
protecting the financial future of families.
• The tool will post a set of diverse questions to seek inputs on their level of preparedness for all possible financial responsibilities.
Karnataka’s first solar-powered Gram Panchayat
• Amasebailu in Kundapura Taluk of Udupi district has become Karnataka’s first solar-powered Gram Panchayat.
• Over 1800 houses were provided solar lamps at a total cost of 2.13 crore rupees.
• The project was funded by the Centre and State Government in the ratio of 30:20.
• The solar lamps have a guarantee of five years.
Zonel Sougaijam enters Facebook ‘Hall of Fame’
• Zonel Sougaijam from Manipur has made it to Facebook’s 'Hall of Fame 2019' for detecting a WhatsApp bug that violated the
privacy of a user.
• He found that during a voice call through WhatsApp, the bug used to allow the caller to upgrade it to a video call without the
authorisation of the receiver.
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• He is currently at the 16th positions in a list of 96 people in Facebook’s list for this year.
Scientists discover frog in Assam
• A team of scientists from Delhi University and the Wildlife Institute of India have discovered a new species of ‘paddy frog’ in
Assam.
• The frog belongs to the microhylid genus Micryletta, a group of narrow-mouthed frogs.
• The new species has been named Aishani.
• The first known species of this genus was originally described from Sumatra in Indonesia.
16th Asia media summit held in Cambodia
• The 16th Asia Media Summit was held in Cambodia on 12 June 2019.
• The summit was held under the topic of Media Digitalisation Focusing on Developing Markets.
• It was organised by the Cambodian Ministry of Information in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting
Development (AIBD).
Exim Bank inks loan agreement with Ghana
• Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) will provide a line of credit worth USD 245 million to Ghana and Mozambique.
• US$ 150 million for Ghana will be used for financing strengthening of agriculture mechanisation services centres, while a line of
credit US$ 95 million for Mozambique will be used for financing procurement of railway rolling stock including locomotives,
coaches and wagons.
India gets $42-billion FDI inflows in 2018
• As per the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's (UNCTAD) World Investment Report 2019, India received
foreign direct investments worth $42 billion in 2018.
• In South Asia, FDI inflows increased by 3.5% to $54 billion.
• The report also highlighted that of the 5,400 special economic zones (SEZs) in the world, more than 4,000 are in developing
countries in Asia.
57 Indian companies on Forbes Global list
• 57 Indian companies have figured in Forbes magazine's list of the world's 2000 largest public companies.
• In the consumer financial sector, American Express has topped the chart while HDFC Ltd is ranked 7th.
• Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) topped the list.
• Reliance Industries was the top-ranked Indian company (ranked 71st globally).
Appointments
• Bhola Nath Shukla was appointed as Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd on 13 June 2019.
• Chief Economic Adviser Krishnamurthy Subramanian and former MD and CEO of IDBI Bank B Sriram were appointed as part-time
members of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) on 11 June 2019.
• Virendra Kumar has been chosen as the pro tem speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha.
Blackstone acquires Aadhar Housing Finance
• Global investment firm Blackstone has bought a majority stake in Aadhar Housing that caters to the housing financing needs of
low-income households.
• Blackstone has bought a 97.7% stake in Aadhar for about Rs 2,200 crore.
• As part of the transaction, Blackstone has also infused Rs 800 crore primary equity capital into Aadhar to fund the company for
future growth.
India ranked 141 on Global Peace Index 2019
• India's rank has slipped five places to 141 among 163 countries on the Global Peace Index 2019.
• Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world, a position it has held since 2008.
• Afghanistan is now the least peaceful country in the world, replacing Syria, which is now the second least peaceful.
• In South Asia, Bhutan topped the index with 15th rank.
Important Days
• Green Mizoram Day was observed across the state on 11 June 2019.
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• International Albinism Awareness Day was observed on 13 June 2019.

• 'Still Standing Strong' is the theme for the 2019 International Albinism Awareness Day.
Bihar launches pension scheme for poor
• On 14 June 2019, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched the Mukhyamantri Vriddha Pension Yojna for poor people above 60
years of age in the state.
• Poor people above 60 years of age will get Rs. 400 per month and those above 80 years will get Rs. 500 per month.
• The scheme, which is effective from April 1, 2019, will not cover retired government employees.
Australia to participate in Copa America 2020
• Australia and Qatar will be the guest teams to participate in Copa America 2020, the South American Football Federation
(CONMEBOL) announced on 13 June 2019.
• The 2022 FIFA World Cup host Qatar is making its Copa America debut in 2019.
• The 2020 Copa America tournament will be held jointly in two countries -- Colombia and Argentina.
Chinese President awarded highest honour
• Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov awarded Chinese President Xi Jinping the 'Manas Order of the First Degree'.
• The award is the highest national honour of Kyrgyzstan.
• President Xi is on a state visit to Kyrgyzstan and has attended the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
Highest operating weather stations installed
• The National Geographic Society has successfully installed the world's highest operating weather stations on Mount Everest.
• The station will provide researchers, climbers, and the public with near real-time information about mountain conditions.
• The Balcony weather station is the first weather station installed at an elevation above 8,000 metres.
Tilloo receives ‘Save Water Hero Award’
• Social activist Makarand Tilloo received the ‘Save Water Hero Award’ for his efforts to raise awareness about water conservation
in Pune.
• He started a campaign to save water by replacing leaking taps with new ones.
• He was felicitated by the HridayMitra Foundation.
• The HridayMitra Foundation is an organisation which aims to spread awareness about diseases.
Bharat Dynamics bags contract from Indian Navy
• Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) has signed a contract worth of Rs 1,187.82 crore for supply of Heavy Weight Torpedoes -
Varunastra - to the Indian Navy.
• The weapon will be manufactured at BDL Visakhapatnam Unit under collaboration with the Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO).
• The Heavy Weight Torpedo is an electrically propelled underwater weapon and is launched from the ship.
Edelweiss & Bank of Baroda to co-lend to SMEs
• ECL Finance and Bank of Baroda signed an agreement to form a strategic partnership to explore co-lending opportunities.
• Both entities will jointly offer loans and expertise for the growing needs of micro, small and medium enterprises besides self-
employed as well as priority sector groups.
• ECL Finance is the flagship non-banking financial company of Edelweiss Group.
FundzBazar launches 'Selfiewala KYC'
• Online mutual fund investment platform FundzBazar announces the release of its new feature called 'Selfiewala KYC' for first-
time mutual fund investors.
• The feature is hassle-free and investors can complete their KYC process from the comfort of their home or office using mobile or
laptop in just a few minutes.
• This feature will speed up the KYC process and save time.
NASAs OSIRIS REx spacecraft creates new record
• NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft entered its second orbital phase around asteroid Bennu, called Orbital B.
• It broke its own world record for the closest orbit of a planetary body.
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• The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft was sent to study the asteroid Bennu and return a sample from its surface to Earth.
• The spacecraft is on a seven-year journey.
Defence Exchange Programme began
• A group of 160 defence officers and their families reached Colombo on 15 June 2019.
• The same number of Sri Lankan officers and their families are on their way to India on a familiarization visit under defence
exchange programme.
• The visit is a part of high-level defence co-operation between the two neighbours and to show solidarity with Sri Lanka after
Easter Sunday attacks.
New system for research journals launched
• The University Grants Commission (UGC) has launched a Consortium of Academic and Research Ethics (CARE).
• It will identify, continuously monitor and maintain UGC-CARE Reference List of Quality Journals across disciplines.
• This new list of approved journals will be available at newly launched website https://ugccare.unipune.ac.in.
Govt to sign MoU for 300 gaushalas
• MP Government is set to sign a MoU with a company that has promised to build 300 Smart Gaushalas over the next 5 years.
• The company will not charge a penny from the government, but will make money by exporting items made from gaumutra, gobar
and the stiff hairs on a cow’s tail’.
• The company has sought 50 acres of land for and will spend Rs 11 crore on each of them.
CBDT issued new norms
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes issued new norms for compounding of offences on 14 June 2019.
• The new guidelines have exclusion provisions, under which, offences under the Black Money and Imposition of Act, 2015, cannot
be compounded in normal cases.
• This includes money laundering cases.
• Compounding means that the authorities agree to not prosecute offenders in return for a consideration.
Shikha Sharma: Tech Mahindra Director
• Tech Mahindra board has proposed appointment of former Axis Bank CEO Shikha Sharma and Khaitan & Co Partner Haigreve
Khaitan as independent directors.
• They will hold office for a term of five consecutive years each commencing from August 1, 2019.
• R Ravi Kulkarni and Anupam Puri, who are currently independent directors on the board, have opted not to be re-appointed.
2 women leading Chandrayaan 2 team
• For the first time, ISRO has 2 women project directors- Ritu Karidhal and Muthayya Vanitha for its inter-planetary mission
Chandrayaan 2.
• Chandrayaan 2, all set for launch on July 15, is the most challenging mission for ISRO due to soft landing the organisation is
attempting with its lander.
• The project cost is close to Rs 1,000 crore with the involvement of close to 600 industries.
Uber, Paypal to back FB's cryptocurrency
• Facebook Inc has enlisted companies including Visa Inc, Mastercard Inc, PayPal Holdings Inc, and Uber Technologies Inc to back
its new cryptocurrency.
• Each company will invest around $10 million in a consortium that will govern the cryptocurrency.
• The cryptocurrency, under Facebook's "Project Libra", is aimed at allowing Facebook's global users to transfer money across
borders.
WPI inflation at 2-year low of 2.45%
• Wholesale price-based inflation slipped to 2.45% in May helped by falling prices of food articles, fuel, and power items.
• The Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation was at 3.07% in April. It was 4.78% in May 2018.
• Inflation in food articles basket was 6.99%, down from 7.37% in April.
• However, onion prices spiked during the month with inflation at 15.89%, against (-) 3.43% in April.
Assam Transport Minister launched app
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• Assam Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary launched the State Transport Corporation's Chalo app for Guwahati on 14
June 2019.
• The app will help commuters to know about the live arrival time of their bus so they can plan their travel accordingly.
• Mr. Patowary also unveiled a one-of-a-kind transport map for the State Transport bus network in Guwahati that has been
developed by Chalo.
DG to join hands with Cisco and Accenture
• Directorate General of Training (DGT) joined hands Cisco and Accenture, to skill youth for the digital economy, through its
Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
• Nearly 15,00,000 students across all the ITIs in India can access the digital learning module via the Bharat Skills portal.
• Cisco will also provide access to Networking Academy courses directly to ITI students across the country.
India, Kyrgyzstan to boost bilateral trade
• India and Kyrgyzstan have prepared a five-year road map to increase the bilateral trade.
• He said this while addressing the India-Kyrgyz Business Forum.
• Modi and Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov jointly inaugurated the India-Kyrgyz Business Forum.
• The Union Cabinet had approved the signing and ratification of bilateral investment treaty between India and Kyrgyzstan.
Akshaya Patra gets BBC Award
• The Bengaluru-based NGO Akshaya Patra has been awarded the BBC World Service Global Champion Award.
• The award is presented at the BBC Food and Farming Awards in Bristol, London.
• The award recognises a project or person who is changing the way the world produces, processes, consumes or thinks about food
for the better.
RBI tightened noose around banks
• The RBI asked banks to ensure their ATMs are grouted to a wall, pillar, or floor by September-end, except those installed in high
secured premises.
• The RBI has told banks that they will have to pay penalty for keeping ATMs dry.
• Banks can not keep ATMs out of cash for more than 3 hours, doing which will attract penalty and the penalty will be imposed
region-wise.
India to impose retaliatory tariffs
• India has decided to impose retaliatory tariffs on 29 goods imported from the U.S. from June 16, 2019 onwards.
• The tariffs will place a burden of $220-290 million on the U.S.
• A Tariff is a tax or duty to be paid on a particular class of imports or exports.
20th Anniversary of Kargil victory
• The year 2019, marks the 20th anniversary of victory in ‘Operation VIJAY’ popularly known as the ‘Kargil War’.
• This year, the 20th anniversary is being celebrated with the theme ‘Remember, Rejoice and Renew’.
• The celebrations will be spread over 3 days from 25-27 July 2019 and will be organized at Dras and New Delhi.
Bahrain to ban plastic from July
• Bahrain will start phasing out the use of plastic products from July 2019.
• A Ministerial order will regulate and phase out the use of plastic bags.
• The first phase will focus on single-use plastic bags as well as banning the import of non-biodegradable plastic bags.
• Later phases will witness a permanent ban on the use of plastic bags at certain malls and supermarkets.
Sahitya Puraskar 2019 announced
• Sahitya Akademi has selected 22 writers for the Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2019 and 23 writers for Yuva Puraskar
2019.
• For the Bal Sahitya Puraskar, the Awards relate to books first published during the five years immediately preceding the year of
Award.
• Meanwhile, 11 books of poetry, 6 short stories, 5 novels and 1 literary criticism have won the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar.
India static at 101 in FIFA rankings
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• The Indian football team remained static at 101st place in the FIFA rankings issued on 14 June 2019.
• India had finished third in the King's Cup in Thailand.
• The Indian team is at 18th spot among the Asian countries led by Iran (20th), Japan (28), Korea (37), who form the top five in
Asia.
• Belgium continued to top world rankings, followed by France, Brazil, England, and Portugal.
ISRO to open its labs for school students
• ISRO has, for the first time, opened its laboratories for Indian school students to undergo two-week training from 2019.
• The first batch of 108 students recently completed their exposure in its laboratories in Bengaluru, Sriharikota,
Thiruvananthapuram, and other places.
• The training module has been devised as part of its new Young Scientists Programme, or Yuva Vigyanik Karyakram, YUVIKA.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day: 15 June
• World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is observed on 15 June every year.
• It is observed to voice opposition to the abuse and suffering inflicted on elderly people.
• It was officially recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2011.
• According to the UN, around 1 in 6 older people experience some form of abuse. It is predicted to rise as populations age
worldwide.
HCL to roll out TechBee
• HCL Technologies is all set to roll out Tech Bee, a company initiative.
• Under this, it will train and hire students who have completed Plus Two, across several states.
• As many as 700 students have now become employees of the company while some of them are pursuing higher studies as part of
the initiative.
India: 2nd largest internet user
• More than half the world’s population is active on the internet, with India accounting for about 12% of them, retaining its second
position.
• This was revealed by an annual report on internet trends by venture capitalist Mary Meeker.
• China has the largest base, accounting for 21% of all internet users globally, and the US comes third at 8%.
JNU awards to be presented to Union Ministers
• Jawaharlal Nehru University conferred its Distinguished Alumni Award to Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
• They will be the first recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award.
• Nirmala Sitharaman is the Finance Minister of India.
• Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is the External Affairs minister of India.
Priyanka Chopra to be awarded by UNICEF
• Unicef will honour Priyanka Chopra with the Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award at the Unicef Snowflake Ball in December 2019.
• The event will be held on December 3 in New York.
• Priyanka is a global Unicef Goodwill Ambassador for Child Rights.
• She promotes various causes such as environment, health and education, and women's rights and is particularly vocal about
gender equality and feminism.
India to build space station in 7 years
• India will build its own space station in low earth orbit to conduct microgravity experiments in space in 5 -7 years.
• The proposed Indian space station would be much smaller than the existing International Space Station (ISS).
• The prospects of setting up such a space station at an altitude of 400 kilometres from Earth would hinge on successfully carrying
the 'Gaganyaan' human space mission.
New app to help students
• The U.S. Embassy organised its fifth annual ‘Student Visa Day’ and launched ‘EducationUSA India’, a mobile application.
• It will provide Indian students with current, comprehensive and accurate information about studying in the U.S.
• It was launched by the Embassy in collaboration with the United States-India Educational Foundation.
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• A key feature of the app is the ‘AnswerBot’.

ZPCC meeting began in Kohima
• The North-East Zonal Programme Co-ordination Committee, ZPCC Meeting of All India Radio Stations began on 13 June 2019 in
Kohima.
• The meeting is being hosted by AIR Kohima under the aegis of Additional Director General (Programme), North East Region
(NER).
• Heads of Programme and Programme Executives of the region were all a part of the 2-day meet.
Mizoram CM presented state budget
• In Mizoram, CM Zoramthanga presented the state budget for 2019-2020 amounting to 10,692.30 cr. in the state Legislative
Assembly, on 13 June,19.
• A provision of 750 crore rupees for implementation of the Socio-Economic Development Policy (SEDP) has been proposed.
• The SEDP is the flagship program of the Mizo National Front (MNF) government.
• The budget proposals have not imposed any new taxes.
NIRDPR launched training programme
• The National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) launched a training programme.
• It is of Sustainable Livelihoods and Adaptation to Climate Change (SLACC) to help Rural Poor Farm Holds adapt to Climate Change
and sustain their livelihoods.
• Total 638 drought and flood-prone villages of MP and Bihar are being covered on pilot basis under this first of its kind initiative.
Obituaries
• A DMK legislator Radhamani in Tamil Nadu passed away in Puducherry in June 2019. He represented the Vikkiravandi Assembly
Constituency.
• Poet and lyricist Pazhavila Ramesan passed away in June 2019. He is a recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for overall
contribution.
World Blood Donor Day: 14 June
• World Blood Donor Day is celebrated every year on 14 June to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and
to thank blood donors.
• The theme for 2019 is - Blood Donation and Universal Access to Safe Blood Transfusion, as a component of achieving universal
health coverage.
• The slogan - Safe Blood for All - has also been adopted.
Narendra Singh Tomar chaired meeting
• Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar chaired a meeting with Agriculture Ministers of all States and
Union Territories via video conference on 13 June 2019.
• The implementation of three key schemes were discussed in the meeting.
• These are Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna (PM-Kisan), Pension Scheme for Small and Marginal Farmers and Kisan
Credit Card Campaign.
EAM to attend CICA Summit in Dushanbe
• External Affairs Minister, Dr S. Jaishankar, attended the 2-day 5th Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures
in Asia, CICA, Summit in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
• The summit began from 14 June 2019.
• CICA is a pan-Asia forum for enhancing cooperation and promoting peace, security and stability in Asia
E-FT to be set up in Assam
• The Centre approved setting up of e-Foreigner Tribunal (e-FT) in Assam.
• The proposed integrated e-FT IT system will be implemented across the state for effective monitoring and resolution of cases
registered with Foreigner Tribunal.
• The main objective of the project is to maintain a statewide bio-metric and biographic data, to capture the illegal migrants’ data.
Persons in News
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• Cancer-hit Malaysian Badminton star Lee Chong Wei announced his retirement on 13 June 2019.
• Senior TRS leader and Rajya Sabha Member Dr. Keshav Rao has been elected as Parliamentary Party leader.
• Virat Kohli is the only Indian on the Forbes World's Highest-Paid Athletes.
Boris Johnson topped first ballot
• In UK, Boris Johnson has secured the highest number of votes in the first ballot to select the Conservative party leader and next
Prime Minister.
• He received 114 votes in the first round of a secret ballot, followed Jeremy Hunt in second place with 43 and Environment
secretary Michael Gove third with 37 votes.
• The winner of the contest is expected to be announced in the week of 22 July 2019.
India, Bangladesh hold DG level talks
• India and Bangladesh held the Director General Level Talks between the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard
Bangladesh (BGB) in Dhaka on 12 June 2019.
• The two delegations discussed various issues related to control of fake currency, narcotics trade and cattle smuggling on the
India-Bangladesh international border.
• The BSF delegation was led by Director General BSF Rajni Kant Mishra.
Farmers to contribute Rs.100 per month
• Farmers will have to contribute 100 rupees per month under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Pension Yojana.
• The scheme seeks to provide a minimum fixed monthly pension of 3,000 rupees on the attainment of 60 years.
• The central government will also contribute an equal amount to the pension fund to be managed by the LIC, which will be
responsible for the pension payout.
Cyclone 'Vayu' changed its course
• Cyclone 'Vayu' spared Gujarat after changing its course towards northwest but the threat of furious wind, dust storm and rainfall
still continues.
• The India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert over Cyclone Vayu.
• A yellow alert signifies moderate danger, followed by an orange alert that means high danger level and a red alert means
maximum level of danger.
Royal Navy delegation visits SNC
• Commodore Stuart Henderson, Safety Director of the British Royal Navy Safety Centre is on a 2-day official visit to Southern Naval
Command.
• The delegation interacted on the matters pertaining to safe operations at sea and in shore units, as well as areas for mutual
cooperation between the two navies.
• The Safety delegation would also be visiting Water Survival Training Facility at INS Garuda.
ESI contribution rate reduced by govt.
• The Government of India has reduced the rate of contribution under the ESI Act from 6.5% to 4%.
• Reduced rates will be effective from 01/07/2019.
• This would benefit 3.6 crore employees and 12.85 lakh employers.
• The reduced rate of contribution will bring about a substantial relief to workers and it will facilitate further enrollment of workers
under the ESI scheme.
Astitva exhibition inauguarated
• Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State (I/C) of Culture & Tourism, Government of India inaugurated the exhibition titled
'Astitva: The Essence of Prabhakar Barwe'.
• It was inaugurated at National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi on 13 June 2019.
• It is the first of its kind to be held in New Delhi that will present his artistic oeuvre in four distinct phases.
Triple talaq bill cleared
• The Cabinet cleared a fresh bill to ban the practice of instant triple talaq.
• The bill will be introduced in the Budget session of Parliament to replace an ordinance issued in February by the previous BJP-led
NDA government.
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• With the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha in May 2019, the previous bill had lapsed as it was pending in Rajya Sabha.
2 Indian women on IBM'S list of top 40
• 2 Indian women have been featured on American multinational IT firm IBM's list honouring 40 women in Artificial Intelligence
(AI) from 15 different countries.
• The list includes Harmeen Mehta, Chief Information Officer for Bharti Airtel, Seema Gaur, Executive VP and Head IT for IFFCO
Tokio General Insurance Company.
• Some of the other names include Christine Gabbard and Sabine Scheunert.
Hypersonic missile successfully test fired
• India conducted a successful first test flight of the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) from a base off the
Odisha coast.
• The only other countries that possess this technology are the US, Russia, and China.
• The HSTDV is an unmanned scramjet demonstration vehicle that can cruise up to a speed of mach 6 and rise up to an altitude of
32. km in 20 seconds.
Nripendra, PK Misra granted extension
• Nripendra Misra and P K Mishra were re-appointed as Principal Secretary and Additional Principal Secretary respectively to PM
Narendra Modi with cabinet minister rank.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved both the appointments with effect from May 31, 2019.
• Their appointments will be co-terminus with the term of the Prime Minister.
E-gov initiatives for ST schemes launched
• Shri Arjun Munda, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs launched the “e-governance initiatives for ST Welfare schemes” on 12 June
2019.
• These e-governance initiatives will serve their purpose of the betterment of tribal communities across the nation.
• Ministry of Tribal Affairs has developed online portals namely DBT Tribal and NGO Grants Online Application & Tracking System
for the same.
Appointments
• Reckitt Benckiser Group named PepsiCo Inc.’s Laxman Narasimhan as its next CEO.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the continuation of I V Subba Rao, as secretary to the Vice President.
• Vigilance Commissioner Sharad Kumar has been named interim CVC until a new incumbent is chosen by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi-headed selection panel.
Japan to invest Rs. 13000 cr in north-east
• Japan has decided to invest about Rs 13,000 crore in several ongoing as well as new projects in different states of the north-
eastern region.
• New areas of collaboration will be sought which could possibly include bamboo-related projects.
• Other projects in which Japan will collaborate include Guwahati water supply and sewage projects in Assam, and more.
Aadhar and Other Laws Bill approved
• Union Cabinet approved the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill 2019 to replace Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment)
Ordinance 2019.
• This will enable UIDAI to have a more robust mechanism to serve the public interest and restrain the misuse of Aadhar.
• The amendment will also ensure providing 10% reservation to Economically weaker section.
19th SCO Summit began
• 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit began in Bishkek from 13 June 2019.
• PM Narendra Modi will address the plenary session of the SCO Summit, where he will present his vision for the regional
cooperation and development through the SCO forum.
• PM Modi will also meet Presidents of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Mongolia and Iran on the sidelines of SCO Summit.
Indian team for Gymnastics Champ announced
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• Gymnastics Federation of India announced the Indian team for the Senior Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships to be held in
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 19-22 June 2019.
• The four men's team comprises Rakesh Kumar Patra, Yogeshwar Singh, Debang Dey, and Arik Dey.
• Pranati Nayak, Shraddha Talekar, Pranati Das, and Papiya Das are in the women's team.
Indian archery team secured Olympic quota
• Indian men's archery team secured the Olympic quota for the 2020 Tokyo Games by storming into the quarterfinals of the World
Championships with a 5-3 win over Canada in the Netherlands.
• This is for the first time after the 2012 London Olympics that Indian men could secure a team quota.
Tokayev took oath as President of Kajakhastan
• In Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took oath as the new President of the country.
• He was acting President following the surprise resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev in March 2019.
• The career diplomat became the country’s second elected president after succeeding Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Obituaries
• In Uttar Pradesh, veteran journalist and former Rajya Sabha Member Rajanath Singh 'Surya' died in Lucknow in June 2019. Mr
Surya had worked in various newspapers and he was a well-known columnist.
• UP Bar Council president Darvesh Singh was shot dead in the court premises by a lawyer. She was the first woman President of
the Bar Council.
Special Economic Zones Bill approved
• The Union Cabinet approved a Bill, namely, the Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Bill, 2019 that is the Bill to replace the
Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019 (12 of 2019).
• The Bill will be introduced in ensuing session of the Parliament.
MoU between India and Thailand approved
• The Union Cabinet approved a MoU on the cooperation between India and Thailand in the field of Astronomy / Astrophysics /
Atmospheric Science.
• The MoU will lead to new scientific results, human resource development through increased scientific interaction and training,
joint use of scientific infrastructure, etc.
• The MoU was signed in November 2018.
MoU between India and Bolivia approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the MoU on the cooperation between India and Bolivia on cooperation regarding Bioceanic Railway
Integration Corridor Project.
• The MoU will facilitate exchange of information, expert meetings, seminars, technical visits and implementation of jointly agreed
cooperation projects.
• The MoU was signed in March 2019.
MoC, MoU b/w India and Kyrgyzstan approved
• A MoC between India and Kyrgyzstan was approved for collaborative research work on High Altitude Biology and Medicine.
• It will help in understanding the physical and mental picture of soldier system at high altitude.
• A MoU was approved in the field of Legal Metrology between India and Kyrgyzstan. It will be signed from June 13-14, 2019.
MoU between India and Russia approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the MoU on the cooperation between the Ministry of Railways, India and Railway Research
Institute, Russia.
• The MoU will facilitate the exchange of information, expert meetings, seminars, technical visits, and implementation of jointly
agreed cooperation projects.
• The MoU was signed in April 2019.
MoU between Indian and Finland approved
• The Union Cabinet, approved a MoU on the cooperation in the area of Cyber Security between India and Finland.
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• The MoU intends to promote closer cooperation for exchange of knowledge and experience in detection, resolution and
prevention of security related incidents between India and Finland.
• The MoU was signed in January 2019.
LOI approved between India and Costa Rica
• The Union Cabinet approved the signing of Lotter of Intent (LOI) between India and Costa Rica in the field of Biotechnology.
• It has been signed to work out the agenda for the collaboration for Innovation in Science & Technology Diplomacy.
• The LOI was signed in March 2019.
2nd resignation in Yes Bank
• Yes Bank's independent director Mukesh Sabharwal has stepped down from the lender's board of directors to devote his time to
academic pursuits.
• Sabharwal has worked with the private lender for over seven years.
• The resignation comes a day after non-executive director Ajai Kumar quit the lender's board due to personal reasons.
Ola hired Prashant Kumar as Director
• Ola hired NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar's son Prashant Kumar as its director of public policy.
• He will drive policy for corporate relations and will closely work with the head of Ola Electric Mobility Anand Shah.
• He was earlier heading the Mumbai office of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum.
TCS has higher market value than IBM
• India's largest software services company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has surpassed IBM in terms of market capitalisation.
• The market cap of TCS stood at ₹8.37 lakh crore ($120.5 billion) compared to IBM's $119.5 billion.
• TCS reported revenue of $20.9 billion in the previous fiscal while IBM ended 2018 with $79.6 billion in revenue.
Jail for children abandoning elderly parents
• The Bihar government has approved the proposal to punish sons and daughters, who abandon their elderly parents, with a jail
term.
• Such cases will be registered under the non-bailable section after receiving complaints from elderly parents.
Ashleigh Barty became world no. 2
• Ashleigh Barty has risen to the no. 2 position from number eight in the latest Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings after
winning the French Open title.
• She is now 136 points away from the number one ranked women's tennis player Naomi Osaka (6486).
• Barty is the first Australian woman to win the French Open since Margaret Court in 1973.
Team Indus to build moon lander for NASA
• Team Indus is part of a consortium that has bagged a contract from NASA to design and build a lander for its next lunar mission in
2020.
• NASA has awarded the consortium a $97 million contract to fly four payloads to Mare Imbrium, a lava plain in one of the Moon’s
craters, by September 2020.
Google Maps' new feature tested in India
• Google is experimenting with a new off-route safety feature for Maps, exclusively in India for now.
• It will alert users if their cars or taxis deviate from their route by more than 500 meters.
• The off-route alerts can be found within the Stay Safer menu, which is accessible after the user has selected their destination but
before they enter navigation mode.
Microsoft introduced next-gen Xbox console
• Microsoft introduced its next-generation Xbox console at its pre-E3 press conference in Los Angeles.
• Codenamed Project Scarlett, the console will be 4x more powerful than the Xbox One X, Microsoft claimed.
• The device promises faster load times, real-time ray-tracing capabilities, Xbox One backwards capability and will support 8K
gaming.
NASA to test green fuel for spacecraft
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• NASA is planning on testing a new fuel for spacecraft.

• Dubbed the Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM) it uses a non-toxic, rose coloured solution that can be a breakthrough in
space exploration.
• The GIPM is a spacecraft which will use the aforementioned fuel to power the mission.
29 children dead due to encephalitis
• Over 29 children have died in various north Bihar districts due to symptoms akin to that of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES).
• A 7-member team of experts from the central government is arriving here soon to find out exact reasons for the epidemic.
• About 19 deaths in this season were reported from the SKMCH in Muzaffapur alone.
New GST return system to be introduced
• The GST Council has decided to introduce a new GST return system to facilitate taxpayers.
• A plan has been worked out to ease the transition to the new return system.
• There are 3 main components to the new return - one main return (FORM GST RET-1) and two annexures (FORM GST ANX-1 and
FORM GST ANX-2).
• A prototype of the offline tool has already been shared on the common portal.
RBI constituted a committee
• The RBI has constituted a 6-member committee to review the entire gamut of ATM charges and fees.
• Chief Executive of Indian Banks’ Association VG Kannan will chair the committee.
• The committee will review existing patterns of costs, charges and interchange fees for ATM transactions.
• It is to submit its report within two months from the date of its first meeting.
Int. Day against Child Labour: 12 June
• June 12 is observed as the International Day Against Child Labour every year.
• The day brings together governments, employers and workers organizations, civil society as well as millions of people to highlight
the plight of child labourers and measures to help them.
• The theme for 2019 is, 'Children should not work in fields but on dreams'.
UP govt hiked old age pension
• Uttar Pradesh Government has hiked old-age pension in the age group 60 to 79 years by Rs.100 monthly.
• Now the old-age pensioners would receive 500 rupees per month from the existing 400 rupees.
• The 100-rupee hike would be enforced from January 2019.
• The newly hiked pension will benefit around 44.21 lakh people in the state.
VAYU: Cyclone warning for Gujarat coast
• The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘VAYU’ over East-central Arabian Sea moved nearly northwards with a speed of about 13 kmph
on 12th June 2019.
• It is very likely to move northwards and cross Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Mahuva as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
with wind speed 145-155 kmph gusting to 170 kmph on13th June 2019.
Shikhar ruled out from the World Cup
• In-form senior India opener Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out of at least two World Cup matches after his left thumb was found to
have a hairline fracture.
• Dhawan will miss the game against New Zealand and the marquee clash against Pakistan.
• Dhawan was the hero of India's win over Australia with a knock of 117 off 109 balls.
US won Women's FIFA World Cup
• In Football, the United States recorded the biggest-ever victory in the Fifa Women's World Cup.
• They crushed Thailand, 13-nil in a Group-F match at Reims in France.
• Alex Morgan scored five times for the three-time winners and defending champions.
• The US has lost just one international game since July 2017 and has now won seven games in a row.
Clean drinking water to be provided by 2024
• The Centre has set a target of providing clean drinking water to all by 2024.
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• In states like UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha, the coverage of clean drinking water is less than 5%.
• Only in Sikkim 99% of households get tapped water.
• Emphasis will also be laid on water conservation, citing the widening gap between water supply and demand.
Amitav Ghosh to be conferred Jnanpith award
• The Jnanpith award for the year 2018 will be given to the noted English writer Amitav Ghosh.
• Former Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi will present the award to him in New Delhi on 12 June 2019.
• The award is given for outstanding contribution in literature.
Thawarchand Gehlot: Rajya Sabha leader
• Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thawarchand Gehlot has been appointed as the leader of Rajya Sabha.
• He will replace senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley who opted out of the government citing health reasons.
• Mr. Gehlot is a Rajya Sabha member representing Madhya Pradesh.
Facebook to launch updated Portal devices
• Facebook is set to launch an updated version of its video chat device 'Portal' later in 2019.
• Facebook would also reveal some new form factors, including Ripley, that Portal would be shipped with.
• The device is also powered by Amazon's voice assistant Alexa and comes with front cameras.
• It was first launched in November 2018.
NPAs plunge to 9.3% in FY19
• The system-wide non-performing assets stock has declined massively to 9.3% in March 2019.
• This is much faster than the RBI's estimate and steeply down from 11.5% in 2018.
• In its half-yearly financial stability report, RBI had estimated that the gross non- performing assets ratio might improve to 10.3%
by March 2019 from 10.8% in September 2018.
Mahindra won gold award in South Africa
• India's automobile major Mahindra won the Gold Award for fairing on various indicators.
• The automobile giant, which has more than 60 dealers in South Africa, secured the top position out of the 29 vehicle brands
surveyed for the awards.
India's first dinosaur museum in Gujarat
• Gujarat has joined the Jurassic bandwagon with India’s first ever Dinosaur-Museum-cum-Park in Raiyoli in Mahisagar district.
• Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani inaugurated the museum that is set to give visitors a Jurassic Park feel.
• Located in Raiyoli area of Balasinor, the museum will have fossil records and remains of various dinosaur species.
US diplomat to visit Sudan
• A top US diplomat will visit Sudan to encourage talks between Sudan’s military rulers and protesters.
• The US, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, Tibor Nagy, during his visit plans to meet members of both sides.
• Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) called the strike after more than 100 protesters were killed by a paramilitary group on 3
June 2019.
Canada to ban plastics from 2021
• Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that single-use plastics will be banned in the country from 2021.
• He declared it a global challenge to phase out the plastic bags, straws and cutlery clogging the world's oceans.
• Single-use items represent some 70 percent of the plastic waste littering the marine environment.
China to make trade deal with the US
• China will enter into a trade deal with the United States, as told by US President Donald Trump.
• Increased tariffs on Chinese products is having an impact on its economy.
• China will subsidise their product because there is a need to keep people working, so China is going to pay a lot.
• The US has put 25% tariffs on 250 billion dollars of Chinese goods.
US Secretary to visit India in June 2019
• US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would visit India in June 2019 to forge relations with India.
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• He would outline the US strategy on the Indo-Pacific ahead of his trip to India.
• New Delhi would be Pompeo's first stop during the nearly week-long visit to the Indo-Pacific region.
• The tour includes Sri Lanka and Japan with South Korea being his last stop.
Finance Minister held pre budget meet
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held her first pre-budget consultation meeting with representatives of farm bodies,
Industry and Trade in New Delhi.
• In the meeting, she sought the views of different agriculture organisations and farm economists on ways to boost the farm sector
growth and double farmers' income.
• Mrs Sitharaman will present the budget on 5th of July 2019.
NDMA conducted training programme
• The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is conducting a basic training programme at the Deendayal Port Trust in
Kandla, Gujarat.
• The 5-day training programme is aimed at increasing awareness and enhancing the preparedness of Seaport Emergency Handlers
(SEHs).
• Earlier this year, three batches of SEHs were trained at Mangalore, Kochi and Navi Mumbai.
Yuvraj Singh announced retirement
• Yuvraj Singh announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on June 10, 2019.
• Yuvraj featured in 40 Tests, 304 ODIs and 58 T20Is, while also playing a pivotal role in India's two big triumphs - the 2007 World
T20 and the 2011 World Cup.
Novak Djokovic tops ATP rankings
• Novak Djokovic topped the ATP rankings released on 11 June 2019.
• Austrian Dominic Thiem is at fourth place behind Roger Federer.
• Ashleigh Barty leaped six places to world number two in the WTA rankings released after his win at the French Open.
India invited to G-7 outreach session
• India has got an invitation from France to attend the outreach Session at the G-7 Summit to be held in France in August 2019.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted the invitation from French President to attend the outreach session of the G-7
Summit as a special invitee.
• The 45th summit of the G7 group of countries is going to take place from 24 to 26 August 2019 in Biarritz in France.
States can now constitute Foreigners Tribunals
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has amended the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, 1964.
• MHA has empowered district magistrates in all States and Union Territories to set up tribunals to decide whether a person
staying illegally in India is a foreigner or not.
• Earlier, the powers to constitute tribunals were vested only with the Centre.
Cheque books for no-frills accounts
• The RBI has allowed banks to offer cheque book facility and other services to the no-frills account holders.
• But they could not ask such account holders to maintain any minimum balance for such services.
• As per the norms of no-frills account, account holders are not required to maintain minimum balance and can get certain
minimum facilities for free.
Ajit Kumar quit Yes Bank Board
• Yes Bank informed that Ajai Kumar, non-executive director of the bank, has resigned citing personal reasons.
• The former chairman and MD of Corporation Bank was appointed to Yes Bank board on January 29, 2016.
• Mr. Kumar was appointed as the bank’s interim CEO for a month after Rana Kapoor’s term ended on January 31, 2019.
Appointments
• Japanese auto major Nissan announced the appointment of Sinan Ozkok as the President of its Indian operations.
• Mr. Ozkok will be based out of Gurugram and responsible for all functions in India, for both Nissan and Datsun brands.
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V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust inked MoU

• The V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust, Tuticorin and Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) signed a MoU on 10 June 2019.
• It will facilitate Direct Port Entry (DPE) of e-sealed factory stuffed export container to the port under ‘Ease of Doing Business’.
India's 1st BS-VI certificate released
• International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) released India’s first Type Approval Certificate (TAC) for Bharat Stage - VI
(BS – VI) norms for the 2-wheeler segment in New Delhi.
• The certificate was released and handed over by Director ICAT, Dinesh Tyagi to top officials of the OEM (Original Equipment
Manufacturers).
IRSDC entered into tripartite agreement
• Indian Railway Station Development Corporation (IRSDC) entered a Tripartite Agreement with French Railways (SNCF) & AFD, on
10th June 2019.
• Under this agreement, AFD has agreed to provide in-kind grant financing up to 7,00,000 EURO, through French National Railways
(SNCF)-Hubs and Connexions to IRSDC
• This will support the Railway Station Development Program in India.
India to gift cricket stadium to Maldives
• India will build a cricket stadium, which is likely to come up at Hulhumale, an island south of North Male atoll.
• India will also train young Maldivian men and women in cricket.
• Ties between India and the Maldives have warmed considerably after the election of Ibrahim Mohamed Solih as the president in
September, 2018.
Govt to procure 2 supercomputers
• The government will procure 2 more supercomputers whose combined computing powers would be 8 times the existing
capacity.
• Plans are afoot to buy these supercomputers, with a combined total computing speed of 80 petaflops, at a cost of approximately
₹1,500 crore.
• The new supercomputers will be set up at the two existing institutes of the MoES.
Amazon most trusted among other brands
• E-commerce major Amazon is the most trusted among the Internet brands in India, followed by Google and Facebook, according
to a recent report by TRA Research.
• Among the 32 Internet brands surveyed, Indian messaging app Hike ranked fourth, beating Facebook-owned Whatsapp, which
ranked 10th.
• The name of the report is Brand Trust Report 2019.
Ferry service to connect India and Maldives
• India and the Maldives have agreed to launch a passenger-cum-cargo ferry service between Kochi and the Maldivian capital Male
via Kulhudhuffushi.
• The initiative was announced during PM Narendra Modi's 2-day state visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago.
• A MoU was signed between the two sides for the establishment of passenger and cargo services by sea.
Modi, Jinping to meet at SCO Summit
• Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit at Bishkek.
• He would also meet PM Narendra Modi there.
• This would be the first meeting between the two leaders after the BJP's massive victory in the general elections.
• The SCO summit is due to be held on 13-14 June in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Mekathoti: Dalit woman Home Minister of AP
• YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy named a Dalit woman as the home minister of the
state.
• Mekathoti Sucharita represents Prathipadu (SC) reserved constituency in Guntur district.
• She was sworn in as a cabinet minister, along with 24 others at a ceremony held at Velagapudi in Amaravati.
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PM Modi: 1st leader to visit Sri Lanka

• PM Narendra Modi arrived in Sri Lanka on his way back to India from the Maldives.
• PM Modi is the first world leader to visit the island nation over two months after the serial bombings on Easter left more than
250 dead.
• PM Modi was received by Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe at the airport.
Sirisena gifted Buddha statue to PM Modi
• Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena presented PM Narendra Modi a Buddha statue in meditation posture.
• This replica of the Samadhi Buddha statue has been hand carved using white teak.
• This masterpiece has taken almost two years to complete.
• This is considered to be one of the best sculptures in the Anuradhapura era.
• The original statue was sculptured between the 4-7th centuries AD.
Obituaries II
• Former Puducherry Chief Minister and DMK leader R.V. Janakiraman passed away in June 2019. Mr. Janakiraman became the
Chief Minister in 1996 and represented the Nellithope Assembly constituency for five consecutive times.
• Veteran journalist and Tamil Nadu Chief of news agency ANI E Gopinath passed away in Chennai in June 2019.
Appointments
• Jammu and Kashmir government removed Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Bank Chairman Parvez Ahmad.
• It appointed R K Chibber as interim chairman of the lender.
• Chibber will replace Ahmad, who was appointed in 2016 as the Chairman of the bank.
Maldives to confer award to PM Modi
• PM Narendra Modi was conferred with Maldives highest award ‘Nishan Izzuddin’.
• The main aim of his visit was to further cement ties with the Indian Ocean archipelago.
• PM Modi and President Solih held delegation-level talks as the two countries signed a slew of agreements to strengthen bilateral
ties in a number of key areas including defence.
Hamilton won 7th Canadian GP
• Lewis Hamilton secured a record-breaking 7th win at the 2019 Canadian Grand Prix after Sebastian Vettel was penalised for
dangerous driving.
• A five-second race time penalty was given to Vettel.
• Ferrari will appeal against the decision over the five-second penalty given to Vettel which costed him the race.
JDU not part of NDA outside Bihar
• Janata Dal-United, JD(U) has decided that it will not be part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) outside Bihar.
• This decision was taken in the party's national executive meeting in Patna which was chaired by JD(U) President Nitish Kumar.
• The party will contest assembly polls separately in four states-Jharkhand, Haryana, Delhi, and Jammu & Kashmir.
Mumbai metro completed five years of operation
• The Mumbai metro completed five years of operation in June 2019.
• During the last five years of operation, Metro has achieved running the service without a single case of an accident or any fatality.
• The metro completed 6.17 lakh trips transporting 54 Crore commuters.
• The present metro line connects Versova western part of the metropolis to Ghatkopar in the central line.
Home Ministry issues advisory to WB
• The Centre has strongly advised the West Bengal government to ensure that all necessary measures are taken to maintain law
and order, peace and public tranquility in the state.
• Expressing deep concern over the violence even after the conclusion of General Elections, the Centre has asked the state to take
strict action against officials.
Pakistan's economic growth to hit 3.3%
• Pakistan's economic growth in the financial year ending in June is expected to hit 3.3%, well below the target of 6.3%.
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• According to the Economic Survey, the dip in economic growth is expected as the government failed to meet targets in nearly all
sectors.
• The manufacturing sector slid by 0.3% and the large scale manufacturing showed a negative growth of 2%.
India called upon G-20 countries
• India has called upon the G-20 countries to urgently fix the issue of taxing profits made by digital economy companies in
countries where they do not have a significant physical presence.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the 2-day meeting of the G-20 Finance Ministers and central bank Governors at
Fukuoka in Japan on 9 June 2019.
Rafael Nadal won French Open
• In Tennis, world number two Rafael Nadal lifted the French Open Men's Singles title for the 12th time.
• He became the first player to win 12 Singles titles at the same Grand Slam and has now won 18 majors overall.
• Nadal is now just 2 titles behind Roger Federer's all-time record of 20 majors and is 3 ahead of world number one Novak
Djokovic.
India announced U-19 squad for ODI series
• All-India Junior Selection Committee announced the squad for the upcoming U-19 Tri-nation ODI series to be played against
England and Bangladesh.
• The series will begin from July 21 and will be played in England.
• The first match will be played between India and England at Worcester.
Kazakhstan elected new leader
• Kazakhstan elected the successor of former president Nursultan Nazarbayev with 70% of the vote.
• The victory of Kassym Jomart-Tokayev was never in doubt after he received the blessing of powerful Nazarbayev.
• His nearest opposition rival Amirzhan Kosanov had around 15% votes.
Meeting on water crisis issues to be held
• The Centre will hold a meeting with Water Resources Ministers of different states on the issue of water conservation and
drinking water on 11 June 2019.
• Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will chair the meeting in New Delhi.
• He will discuss the issue of water crisis and seek states co-operation to overcome it.
Obituaries I
• Noted actor, dramatist and Jnanpith awardee Girish Karnad passed away in Bengaluru due to multi-organ failure in June 2019.
Besides the Jnanpith award, Karnad was also conferred the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan.
• Ex-UEFA chief Johansson, also known as the father of Champions League, passed away due to illness in June 2019.
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra appointed IMD chief
• Renowned scientist and cyclone warning specialist Mrutyunjay Mohapatra was appointed as the chief of India Meteorological
Department (IMD) on 4 June 2019.
• Mr Mohapatra leads the Cyclone Warning Division of the IMD.
• The IMD is responsible for weather and climate-related forecasts in the country.
• It is also mandated to issue warning to people about severe weather phenomenon like cyclones.
L&T launches ‘Digital Sakhi’ in Tamil Nadu
• L&T Financial Services’ (LTFS) ‘Digital Sakhi’, an educational programme aimed at digital financial inclusion of rural women, was
launched in 20 villages of Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu.
• LTFS in association with Sri Aurobindo Society will train and develop a team of 100 rural women (Digital Sakhis) as digital
enablers.
India and China hold bilateral dialogue
• India and China held the sixth round of dialogue on disarmament and non-proliferation in New Delhi on 3 June 2019.
• The dialogue was held within the framework of regular bilateral exchanges.
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• The Indian delegation was led by Indra Mani Pandey, who is the additional secretary of disarmament and international security
affairs in the ministry.
Index to measure fiscal performance launched
• Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has launched a Fiscal Performance Index (FPI) to assess state and central budgets.
• The Index incorporates qualitative assessments of revenue expenditure, capital expenditure, revenues, fiscal prudence and the
level of public debt arrive at a more holistic picture of fiscal performance than the fiscal deficit to GDP ratio.
Ashok Leyland ties up with Suryoday SFB
• Ashok Leyland on 4 June 2019 has partnered with Suryoday Small Finance Bank for vehicle loans.
• Under the pact, the bank will provide end-to-end financial solutions to Ashok Leyland's customers for auto loans across India.
• The two partners have signed an initial agreement to enter a strategic financing partnership for three years.
'Benchmarking India's Payment Systems' report
• The report on 'Benchmarking India’s Payment Systems' was released by RBI on 4 June 2019.
• The report says India has a strong regulatory system and retail payment systems but more efforts are needed to bring down the
volume of the paper clearing.
• The country is 'strong' in areas like having necessary laws and cash in circulation per capita.
Mumbai ‘most congested’ city
• ‘Traffic Index-2018’ was released on 5 June 2019 by location technology specialist TomTom.
• Mumbai ranked first in the index with a congestion level of 65%.
• New Delhi ranked fourth with a congestion level of 58%.
• The study covered 403 cities in 56 countries and defined congestion as the extra time added to road travel when traffic doesn’t
flow freely.
Delhi Metro receives power from waste
• The Delhi Metro has become the first ever project in the country to receive power generated from a waste-to-energy plant.
• Delhi Metro has started receiving 2 MW power from a 12 MW capacity waste-to-energy plant set up in Ghazipur.
• The waste-to-energy plant set up by East Delhi Waste Processing Company Limited (EDWPCL).
Appointments
• Gianni Infantino was re-elected as president of the football governing body FIFA for a four-year term until 2023.
• Nigeria’s Ambassador to the UN Tijjani Muhammad-Bande was elected as the next President of the United Nations General
Assembly.
• On June 1, 1983-batch BSF-cadre officer S S Chahar was appointed as the head of the Tekanpur based BSF academy
Days and Events
• Maharana Pratap Jayanti was observed on 6 June 2019.
• World Brain Tumor Day is observed on June 8 every year with the objective of spreading awareness and educating people about
the Brain tumor.
• International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing is observed on 5 June.
Prayuth Chan-ocha elected Thai PM
• Thailand's new parliament has elected military government chief Prayuth Chan-ocha as the country's Prime Minister.
• Prayuth's appointment becomes official when it is endorsed by King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
• Prayuth Chan-ocha is a retired army general and had led a military coup in Thailand five years ago.
YES Bank conducts e-auction for forest produce
• YES Bank has conducted the first e-auction of forest produce in Dhanora Mahasangh in Maharashtra.
• The online auction enables the online purchase of goods aimed at facilitating effective and transparent price discovery.
• YES Bank said that this was done in April under the A.R.T approach along with their fintech partner, Sparsh Technologies.
Fincare SFB included in 2nd schedule
• Fincare Small Finance Bank and Kookmin Bank have been included in the second schedule of the Reserve Bank of India Act.
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• The Banks can now issue certificates of deposits and get access to interbank borrowings at competitive interest rates.
• They can also get deposits from new sources such as governments, public sector undertakings, corporates, etc.
Bajaj Finserv & Motherhood hospitals sign MoU
• Bajaj Finserv announced its partnership with motherhood hospitals, a comprehensive network of women & children hospital.
• The partnership will enable patients at all motherhood hospitals to avail Life Care Finance (LCF) from Bajaj Finserv that converts
their medical and wellness bills into an interest-free EMI finance loan.
Swachh Survekshan League launched
• Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri launched Swachh Survekshan League 2020 on 6 June 2019.
• It will be conducted in three quarters of 2019 and the final quarter in 2020.
• The results of the League will form part of Swachh Survekshan 2020, the 5th edition of the annual cleanliness survey of urban
India to be conducted in January-February 2020.
Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurates Exhibition
• The Minister of State (I/c) of Culture & Tourism, Prahalad Singh Patel, inaugurated the exhibition titled 'Unknown Masterpieces
of Himachal Folk Art', in New Delhi on 7 June 2019.
• The Exhibition is being jointly organised by the National Museum, New Delhi and Home of Folk Art (Museum of Tribal, Folk and
Neglected Art).
• The exhibition was curated by Mr B.N. Aryan, Director, Home of Folk Art.
3rd advance estimates of major crops released
• The 3rd Advance Estimates of production of major crops for 2018-19 have been released by the Department of Agriculture,
Cooperation and Farmers Welfare on 3 June 2019.
• As per Third Advance Estimates for 2018-19, total Foodgrain production in the country is estimated at 283.37 million tonnes.
• The total pulses production during 2018-19 is estimated at 23.22 million tonnes.
DDS women bag UN award
• Women members of Deccan Development Society (DDS) sanghams have bagged one of the most coveted UN awards — Equator
Prize for 2019.
• DDS sanghams have made a significant contribution towards environment combating climate change, food and nutritional
security.
• The US$10,000-prize was officially declared on World Environment Day on June 5.
Swachh Bharat reduce groundwater contamination
• A study titled 'Environmental impact of the Swachh Bharat Mission on Water, Soil, and Food' was released by the UNICEF on 5
June 2019.
• According to the study, the 'Swachh Bharat' initiative has led to a reduction in the contamination of groundwater.
• For the study samples were collected and studied from ODF and non-ODF villages of Odisha, Bihar and West Bengal.
Remdesivir may help protect against Nipah
• An experimental antiviral drug, remdesivir, designed to treat Ebola virus disease can effectively help fight off Nipah virus.
• Remdesivir completely protected four African green monkeys from a lethal dose of Nipah virus.
• Remdesivir, is being developed by Gilead Sciences, Inc. in collaboration with scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC)
Govt to award media houses
• The government has decided to honour media houses for their contribution towards creating awareness about yoga.
• 33 awards will be given 11 each for newspaper organisations, TV and radio channels.
• A six-member jury will consider the entries in all 23 languages.
• Media campaigns on yoga from June 10 to June 25 will be considered for International Yoga Day, celebrated annually on June 21.
Greta Thunberg got Amnesty Award
• Sweden's teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg was awarded Amnesty International award for mobilising world public opinion
on the looming peril of global warming.
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• Thunberg, a fierce campaigner with a gift for public speaking, has become a figurehead for young climate activists internationally.
Paytm ahead of major banks in digi transact.
• Paytm Payments Bank has received a target of 501.16 crore digital transactions for the financial year 2019-20.
• It is higher than the targets set for major banks including HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Punjab National Bank.
• Paytm Payments Bank is only behind the State Bank of India, which has the highest target for digital transactions.
3 Indian-origin women among richest in the US
• 3 Indian-origin women have been named by Forbes among America’s 80 richest self-made women.
• The list has been topped by Diane Hendricks, who chairs ABC Supply, one of the largest wholesale distributors of roofing.
• Jayshree Ullal, Syntel Neerja Sethi, and Neha Narkhede are in the Forbes list of 'America’s Richest Self-Made Women 2019'.
2019 Women's World Cup began in France
• The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup is the 8th edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup which began in France.
• It is being contested by the women’s national teams between 7 June and 7 July 2019.
• The first time the country will host the tournament, and the third time a European nation will.
SBI cut interest rate on CC/OD
• State Bank of India announced introduction of repo rate linked home loans from 1 July.
• It will pass on the 25 bps repo rate cut, announced by the Reserve Bank of India, to some cash credit borrowers.
• The effective repo-linked lending rate (RLLR) for CC/ OD customers is 8% now, while for savings deposits above ₹1 lakh the new
rate would be 3%.
NASA to open space station for tourists
• NASA will open up the International Space Station to business ventures including space tourism with stays priced at $35,000 a
night.
• It seeks to financially disengage from the orbiting research lab.
• There will be up to two short private astronaut missions per year.
Shiv Sena to distribute foodgrains to farmers
• The Shiv Sena will distribute foodgrains to farmers staying in fodder camps in nine drought-affected districts of Maharashtra.
• Shivsena chief Uddhav Thackeray will kick-off the initiative in memory of late party supremo Bal Thackeray, in Salegaon village in
Jalna district.
• There are 34 fodder camps in Jalna and 28 in Aurangabad.
First ever World Food Safety Day celebrated
• The first-ever World Food Safety Day was celebrated by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on 7 June 2019.
• The theme for this day was ‘food safety, everyone’s business.’
• Dr. Harsh Vardhan unveiled a statue of ‘Gandhiji on a Bicycle’ installed at the FSSAI complex.
MCA and SEBI signed MoU
• A MoU was signed between the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) and SEBI for data exchange between the two regulatory
organizations.
• The MoU was signed by Shri K.V.R. Murty, Joint Secretary, MCA and Smt. Madhabi Puri Buch, Whole Time Member, SEBI.
• The MoU comes in the wake of increasing need for surveillance in the context of Corporate Frauds affecting important sectors of
the economy.
UN Chief praised India's commitment
• UN's Secretary General Antonio Guterres has praised the India-UN Development Partnership Fund for championing greater
prosperity.
• India is a valued supporter of South-South cooperation.
• The India-UN Development Partnership Fund is a welcome contribution that is championing greater prosperity and opportunity
for all.
RBI relaxed stressed asset norms
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• The RBI issued a new prudential framework for resolution of stressed assets, effectively replacing its controversial 12 February
2018 circular.
• Three major changes mark the new circular.
• The central bank has made it voluntary for lenders to take defaulters to the bankruptcy court.
• The framework now applies to a larger universe of lenders.
• Penal provisions have been introduced for lenders.
Kotak Mahindra penalised by RBI
• The RBI imposed a penalty of Rs. 2 crores on Kotak Mahindra Bank for not complying with the central bank's directions to furnish
details of its promoter shareholding.
• The bank was directed by RBI to furnish information about details of the shareholding held by its promoters.
• It also asked the bank to submit details of the proposed course of action or strategy of the bank.
596 new plant and animal species found in '18
• Scientists and taxonomists have documented 596 new species of flora and fauna from India in the year 2018.
• The details of the discoveries were made public by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).
• Of the 596 species, 372 come under fauna (311 invertebrates and 61 vertebrates).
• The newly identified 224 plant species include seed plants, lichens, etc.
Foreign Minister on a 2-day visit to Bhutan
• External Affairs Minister of India, S Jaishankar reached Bhutan on June 7, 2019, on a two-day visit.
• This is his first overseas trip after assuming charge of the Foreign Ministry.
• During his visit, the two countries discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including the upcoming high-level exchanges,
economic development, and hydro-power cooperation.
Appointments
• Justice Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court.
• Lt Governor Anil Baijal administered the oath of office to Justice Patel at a function held at Raj Niwas.
• Justice Prashant Kumar was appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court.
New species of beetles found in Tawang
• A new species of dung beetle was discovered in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district.
• The new discovery named ‘Enoplotrupes tawangensis’ is a 27-mm-long insect, relatively bigger than most dung beetles.
• The shining dark blue insect was first examined by two scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) -- Kailash Chandra and
Devanshu Gupta.
World Oceans Day: 8 June
• World Oceans Day is celebrated on 8th June every year.
• The day was declared in 2008.
• The theme for the year 2019 is Gender and Oceans.
• It was first proposed in 1992 by Canada's International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD) and the Ocean Institute of Canada
(OIC) at the Earth Summit.
2 children milk teeth found in Siberia
• Researchers found two children's milk teeth buried deep in a remote archaeological site in northeastern Siberia.
• This discovery has revealed a previously unknown group of people who lived there during the last Ice Age.
• The group of people have been named as the Ancient North Siberians and described their existence as a significant part of human
history.
CM Yogi unveiled a 7 foot tall statue
• UP CM Yogi Adityanath unveiled a 7-foot tall statue of Lord Rama at the Shodh Sansthan museum in Ayodhya on 7 June, 2019.
• Adityanath will also inaugurate the event to celebrate Mahant Nritya Gopal Das.
• The statue is made out of a single rosewood block statue which was from Karnataka.
Former CEC named BCCI's electoral officer
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• Former Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami has been appointed as an electoral officer for the BCCI's Annual General
Meeting.
• The Committee of Administrators (CoA) had announced that the long-awaited elections of the BCCI will be held on 22nd October.
Laldingliana Sailo passes away
• Former Doordarshan and All India Radio News Editor Laldingliana Sailo passed away in Aizawl.
• Sailo, a senior officer in the Indian Information Service, was inducted as Field Publicity Officer under the Ministry of Information
and Broadcasting in the year 1972.
• His first posting was in Arunachal Pradesh Tawang.
• He retired as Director in the Directorate of Field Publicity for Kohima Region.
India signs ₹300-cr deal to buy bombs
• The Indian Air Force signed a ₹300-crore deal with Israel for around 100 Spice-2000 bombs.
• These bombs were used during the February 26 air strikes in Pakistan's Balakot.
• The bombs would reportedly be delivered to the Air Force in the next three months.
• This is reportedly the first defence deal to be inked by the new government.
Andhra CM to get 5 deputies
• Jagan Mohan Reddy, who took power in Andhra Pradesh, will have a record five Deputy Chief Ministers.
• He would have five deputies and a full 25-member cabinet, which would represent the aspirations of all communities.
• The deputy Chief Ministers will represent SCs, STs, Backward Classes, minorities and the Kapu communities.
India's 1st mutual fund side pocket launched
• Tata Mutual Fund has announced plans to introduce segregated portfolios (side pockets) in three schemes.
• This instance is India’s first formal use of the side pocketing provisions introduced by SEBI in December 2018.
• This is the first time an AMC is actually proposing to carry out the procedure.
Liverpool's Champions league triumph
• Liverpool overcame Tottenham Hotspur in a cagey game to win Europe’s biggest club tournament for a historic sixth time.
• Liverpool has won the Champions League for the sixth time.
HDFC Bank appointed new Auditor
• After the RBI restricted audit firm S.R. Batliboi & Co. Llp from auditing commercial banks for a year, HDFC Bank cancelled the
appointment of the auditor.
• HDFC Bank has now appointed MSKA & Associates as its new statutory auditor.
• Accordingly, the Bank cannot appoint S.R.B as the Statutory Auditor of the Bank as was earlier proposed.
Russia launched Arctic train service
• In Russia, the first tourist train traveling through Russia's Arctic region and on to Norway, set off from St. Petersburg station on 6
June 2019.
• It had 91 passengers aboard for the inaugural trial journey.
• The tourists came from seven countries including the US, Germany, Norway, and Russia.
• The train is named Zarengold.
Nirmala to attend G20 meeting in Japan
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will attend the 2-day meeting of G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank governors in
Japan on June 8-9, 2019.
• It is the first overseas visit of Sitharaman as the Finance Minister.
• The main aim is to focus on the risks and challenges of overseas trade and investment in infrastructure which are faced by our
country.
Google Stadia to be launched in November
• Google is leading the way in the nascent business of streaming games announcing pricing and a raft of new titles for its Stadia.
• Stadia, which the Alphabet Inc. unit unveiled in March, will launch in November 2019.
• It will have titles from major game developers including Ubisoft Entertainment SA and Bungie Inc.
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• Access to Stadia’s library of games will cost $9.99 a month.

Rihanna: World's richest female musician
• Forbes magazine has named Rihanna as the world’s richest female musician.
• Rihanna's Fenty Beauty brand business endeavors have officially made her the richest female musician in the world.
• Her worth is estimated at $600m (£472m) which includes revenues made from her fashion and beauty lines in addition to those
from her music career.
Tamil Nadu govt, World bank signed agreement
• Tamil Nadu Government(GoTN) and the World Bank signed a $287-million loan agreement for the Tamil Nadu Health System
Reform Programme (TNHSRP).
• The main aim is to improve the quality of healthcare and to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
• Tamil Nadu is also dealing with a growing burden of NCDs as they account for nearly 69 percent of deaths in the State.
India and France to carry out Garuda exercise
• Indian Air Force and French Air Force have planned to carry out Garuda, a 2-week-long air exercise, beginning on July 1 in France.
• The aim is to boost the military-to-military ties between the two countries.
• A fleet of Sukhoi 30 fighter jets of the Indian Air Force will engage in dogfights with France’s Rafale multirole aircraft in simulated
scenarios as part of it.
10% decline in approval rate of H-1B Visa
• There was a 10% decline in the approval of H-1B visas by the U.S. in 2018, which is popular among highly skilled Indian IT
professionals.
• The experts attributed to the aggressive policies of the Trump administration to clamp down on the use of the work visa
programme.
• The H-1B visa programme is the main vehicle through which US employers can sponsor skilled foreign workers for admission.
India routed Russia in Int Fed. of Hockey
• In the International Federation of Hockey men's series Finals, India routed Russia 10-0 in their opening match.
• The match began in Bhubaneshwar on 6 June 2019.
• Harmanpreet Singh and Akashdeep Singh scored braces as six others got on the score sheet.
• Nilakanta Sharma was declared man of the match.
PM Modi to visit Maldives
• PM Narendra Modi will be on a two-day visit to Maldives beginning 8 June 2019.
• The visit is reflective of the new momentum in high-level exchanges between India and Maldives.
• The visits to Maldives and Sri Lanka will demonstrate the priority India attaches to its Neighbourhood-First Policy and the SAGAR
(Security And Growth for All in the Region) Doctrine.
Defence Minister Rajanth in 4 more committees
• Rajnath Singh's name in only two Cabinet committees - economic affairs and security.
• The government effected a change,bringing him in four more panels;those on political affairs,parliamentary affairs,Investment
and growth,empowerment and skill development.
• Official sources said Singh will now head the Cabinet committee on parliamentary affairs of which Modi is not a member but shah
is in.
PM Modi reconstitutes Niti Aayog
• PM Modi reconstituted the federal policy think-tank National Institution of Transforming India (NITI) Aayog by introducing key
Cabinet ministers as ex-officio members.
• Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nirmala S and Narendra Singh are now ex-officio members of the think tank that is headed by Modi.
• Rajiv Kumar will continue to be the vice-chairperson.
RBI removes NEFT, RTGS payment charges
• RBI has removed charges for payments via NEFT and RTGS.This means that payments via NEFT and RTGS would become either
free or charges would be low.
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• RBI levies minimum charges on banks for transactions routed through its Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) meant for
large-value instantaneous fund transfers and the National Electronic Funds Transfer System for other fund transfers.
Taxi aggregators to go electric by 2026
• India plans to order taxi aggregators convert 40% of their fleet of cars to electric by April 2026.
• Uber and Ola would need to start converting their fleet as early as next year to achieve 2.5% electrification by 2021, 5% by
2022,10% by 2023 before hiking it to 40%
• Motorcycles for commercial purposes like food delivery or for use by e-commerce companies will need to be electric from Apr
2023
Wipro founder Premji to retire next month
• IT major Wipro Ltd announced that its founder Azim H Premji would retire as executive chairman and MD of the company by the
end of July.
• Azim Premji is a recipient of Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan awards.
• He's going to hand over reins of the firm to his son Rishad.
• Wipro board has also announced that CEO and executive director Abidali Z. Neemuchwala will be re-designated as CEO and MD.
India-China Trade to Cross $100 Bn
• India's Ambassador in Beijing has inaugurated an Indian oleoresin extraction firm's 3rd manufacturing facility in the country to
expand its business in the Chinese food market.
• Economic and commercial engagement between India and China constitutes a major component of the bilateral relations with
bilateral trade, which crossed $95 billion last year, is set to cross USD 100 billion this year.
Forest Dept signs MoU for Byculla extension
• The state forest dept and the civic body signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the handing over of around 100 acres
of land at Aarey Colony in Goregaon to extend the Veermata Jijabai Bhosle Udyan (Byculla zoo).
• After the extension, the civic body plans to introduce state-of-the-art facilities at par to the zoos located abroad the expenditure
for which, would be around Rs 500 crore.
Centre reconstitutes eight Cabinet commitees
• PM Modi-led Central government has reconstituted eight key cabinet committees including appointments committee,the cabinet
committee on economic affairs and security among others.
• Modi is part of 6 committees,Amit Shah is part of all cabinet committees.Nirmala is part of all the committees except the
Appointments Committee.
Tayari Jones wins literary award for her novel
• Tayari Jones won the Women's Prize for fiction on 5 June with An American Marriage, her story of a family torn apart by the US
judicial system.
• Jones, a professor of English at Emory University in Atlanta, beat five other finalists including Anna Burns, winner of 2018's
Booker Prize.
• An American Marriage is Jones' fourth novel, but the first to be published in Britain.
FB will launch its Crypto Currency this month
• Facebook reportedly be unveiling this currency this month.
• The social media giant is calling its currency ‘GlobalCoin’ and its testing should probably begin by the end of the year.
• FB plans to launch a digital payments system using cryptocurrency in a 12 countries by the first quarter of 2020.
• There is also the possibility of having an ATM like machine for dispensing of this cryptocurrency.
Pramila Jayapal to preside over US House
• Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal held the Speaker’s gavel becoming the first South Asian American woman to
preside over the US House of Representatives.
• The 116th Congress broke records with women and lawmakers crossing racial and religious barriers, including an all time high for
Asian American lawmakers.
RBI cuts repo rate by 25 bps to 5.75%
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• RBI Monetary Police Committee unanimously cut repo rate,the rate at which it lends to banks by 25 basis points from 6% to
5.75%.
• The bank also changed the monetary policy stance from neutral to accommodative.
• This is the third straight interest-rate cut under RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, who also heads the Monetary Policy Committee
(MPC).
Gehlot to Participate in 2nd GD Summit
• Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Gehlot will participate in the “2nd Global Disability Summit" to be held at
Buenos Aires Argentina during 6-8 June'19.
• Objective of the summit is to deliberate on issues across the world concerning empowerment and inclusion of Persons with
Disabilities and to work out a mechanism for enabling them to live an independent and dignified life.
Gajendra gives away Ganga Quest'19 Awards
• Gajendra Singh Shekhawat,Union Minister for Jal Shakti participated in event organized by National Mission for Clean
Ganga(NMCG) to celebrate World Environment Day 2019.
• During the event, awards were given to the winners of Ganga Quest 2019,a month-long online quiz organized for awareness and
knowledge dissemination about river Ganga.
DHFL's stake sold to Warburg Pincus
• RBI has approved the sale of DHFL's stake in Avanse Financial to Warburg Pincus Group.
• DHFL board had approved the divestment of the company's entire 30% shareholding in Avanse Financial Services Limited to Olive
Vine Investment, an affiliate of the Warburg Pincus Group.
• Avanse Financial Services is an education-focused NBFC. It is an associate enterprise of of housing finance firm DHFL.
NASA’s first SpaceX astronauts ready for space
• The first U.S. astronauts chosen to fly aboard a SpaceX capsule built for NASA.
• Space shuttle veterans Bob Behnken, 48, and Doug Hurley, 52 are slated for blastoff later this year from Cape Canaveral,Florida.In
the debut manned flight of the Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station.
• California-based SpaceX,the privately owned venture owned by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.
House, Senate elect Prayut Thailand's new PM
• MPs and senators overwhelmingly voted for Prayut Chan-o-cha to be prime minister of Thailand.
• Gen Prayut will be the head of a coalition government led by the Palang Pracharath Party.
• The combined members of the House of Representatives and Senate cast 500 votes for Gen Prayut,enough to elect the former
junta leader as the 29th PM.
House passes bill to protect 'Dreamers'
• The House voted to protect so-called Dreamers and establish a path to citizenship for more than 2 million immigrants without
legal status.
• The bill would grant permanent residency in three categories-Immigrants who came to the country illegally as
children,Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) programs.
China launches rocket from ship at sea
• China successfully launched a rocket from a ship at sea for the first time.
• The Long March 11 rocket blasted off from a platform on a large semi-submersible barge in the Yellow Sea.
• The small rocket designed to be deployed quickly and from mobile launch sites such as a ship,carried seven satellites including
one that measures sea-surface winds to forecast typhoons.
Govt. to bolster employment,economic growth
• PM ordered the formation of two new Cabinet committees that will focus on employment and economic growth.
• The committees are constituted under PM's chairmanship.
• The Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development constitutes of 10 members including Amit Shah,FM
Nirmala,Piyush Goyal,Narendra Singh,Ramesh Pokhriyal,Dharmendra Pradhan,MahendraPandey,Santosh Gangwar and Hardeep
Singh.
Air India subsidiary commence from Jharsuguda
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• Air India's subsidiary,Alliance Air started two new flights from Odhisha's Veer Surendra Sai (VSS) Airport in Jharsuguda.
• The two new flights will connect Jharsuguda with Bhubaneswar and Chattisgarh's capital Raipur.
• The two flight were launched under the Centre's aUde Desh Ka Aam Nagrik' (UDAN) scheme.
China clamps down on US companies
• Changan Ford Automobile Co. will be fined 162.8 mn yuan ($23.6 million) for restricting retailers’ sale prices in the southwestern
city of Chongqing since 2013.
• The fine amount is equivalent to 4% of Changan Ford’s annual sales in Chongqing.
• The announcement comes after the Trump administration declared a ban on business with telecommunications giant Huawei
Technologies Co.
Govt may announce infusion of ₹4,000cr in PSU
• The government is likely to announce infusion of about ₹4,000 crore in three public sector general insurance companies to shore
up their capital-National Insurance Company,Oriental Insurance Company and United India Insurance Company.
• The capital infusion will help them improve their financial health to an extent that the proposed merger of the general insurance
firms.
Wipro to acquire US-based ITI for ₹312 crore
• IT major Wipro will acquire US-based International Techne Group Incorporated (ITI) for $45 million (around ₹312 cr).
• ITI provides Computer Aided Design and Product Lifecycle Management interoperability software services.Founded in 1983 and
headquartered in Ohio,USA.
• ITI has offices in the UK,Italy,Israel and Germany.It has 130 employees as of March 2019.Its revenue stood at $23.2 mn in FY'18
Trai plans to frame network testing rules
• The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) plans to frame pre-launch network testing rules for wired broadband operators
on the lines of those in place for mobile services.
• The Trai recommendations came on the back of criticism from telecom operators that the regulator had failed to address
network testing rules for wireless services after the entry of Reliance Jio in September 2016.
US company to pay $1.1 mn in back wages
• An American employment service company has agreed to pay $1.1 million in back wages to nearly 600 H-1B employees.
• A large number of whom are highly-skilled Indian IT professionals.
• This follows an investigation by the Department of Labour's Wage and Hour Division which found that Populus Group failed to
pay H-1B employees required wages when worksites were shut down for holidays.
Earth recycles ocean floor to diamonds: Study
• Australia's Macquarie University researchers revealed salt traces trapped in many diamonds show they are formed from ancient
seabeds that got recycled after being buried deep beneath Earth's crust.
• Researchers carried out experiments at extreme pressures and temperatures found 200 km underground.
• At 120-180 km depth, results showed salt balance similar to that found in natural diamonds.
India will make America’s private moon lander
• The first US lunar lander in the 21st century will be designed in India.
• NASA says it will spend more than $250 million hiring private companies to transport scientific missions to the moon.
• Three companies—Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines, and Orbit Beyond—have been awarded contracts for missions into 2021.
China will host 2023 Asian Cup, confirms AFC
• China will stage the 2023 Asian Cup football after South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia dropped their bids.
• This was confirmed by the Asian Football Confederation in Paris on 4 June.
• It will mark the second time for China to host the quadrennial continental tournament.
• In the 2004 edition, China had finished runners-up to Japan.
Women's hockey team clinches Fitzgerald U21
• The Indian junior women's hockey team clinched the Cantor Fitzgerald U21 International 4-Nations title after beating Ireland 1-0
in the final at Dublin, Ireland on 4 June.
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• The win meant India ended the tournament with an unblemished record.
• With three goals in four games, Mumtaz Khan finished as the highest goal scorer of the tournament.
US imposes new restrictions on travel to Cuba
• The US has imposed major new travel restrictions on its citizens visiting Cuba.
• It banned cruise ships and ended a heavily used form of educational travel as it seeks to further isolate the communist
government.
• The Treasury Department has announced that the US will no longer allow cruises to Cuba or the group educational and cultural
trips known as "people to people" travel to the island.
UN Security Council meets on Sudan crisis
• The UN Security Council met to discuss the crisis in Sudan.
• This came after Khartoum’s military rulers announced plans to hold elections following a crackdown that killed nearly 40 people.
• Germany and Britain requested the urgent talks amid international alarm over the violence in Khartoum where security forces
broke up weeks of protests against military rule.
Campaign 'SelfiewithSapling' launched
• Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar launched a people’s campaign #SelfiewithSapling urging all to join and plant a sapling
and post the selfie with the sapling on social media.
• This year the theme of Environment Day is Air Pollution.
• Air pollution is the biggest environmental health risk of the current time.
Pichai to receive Global Leadership Award
• Google's India-born CEO Sundar Pichai and Nasdaq president Adena Friedman have been chosen for the prestigious Global
Leadership Awards 2019.
• The award will be conferred during the next week's 'India Ideas Summit'.
• The Global Leadership Awards recognise top corporate executives from the US and India whose companies play a major role in
catalysing growth in the US-India commercial corridor.
AAI signs with Boeing to improve airspace
• The Airports Authority of India (AAI) signed a technical assistance agreement with aerospace major Boeing.
• The agreement aims to develop an air traffic management roadmap which will improve airspace utilization and help maintain
efficient aircraft operations.
• The AAI will use guidance in the modernization of the Indian National Airspace System (NAS).
Makhija appointed as chairman of Axis Bank
• Rakesh Makhija, independent director was appointed as the non-executive (part-time) chairman of the bank, for a period of 3
years, with effect from July 18, 2019, up to July 17, 2022.
• Rakesh Makhija has held a number of top management positions within the SKF Group.
• Prior to joining SKF, he was the chief executive officer and managing director of Tata Honeywell Ltd.
Mahindra Susten partners with Mitsui & Co. Ltd
• Mahindra Susten, the private equity division of Mahindra Group, has partnered with Mitsui & Co. Ltd, of Japan.
• The aim is to jointly develop and operate distributed solar power generation projects in India.
• Mahindra Susten will hold 51% stake in Marvel Solren Private Ltd. with Mitsui holding the rest 49%.
Sivakolundhu elected as speaker of Puducherry
• Deputy Speaker VP Sivakolundhu was elected as the new Speaker of the Puducherry Assembly.
• The post fell vacant after Congress' V Vaithilingam stepped down on March 21 to contest the Lok Sabha election from the lone
Union Territory seat of Puducherry.
US terminates India's preferential status
• US terminated India's preferential trade status under the Generalized System of Preference (GSP) programme.
• GSP is the largest and oldest US trade preference programme.
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• The move was taken on determining that India has not committed to provide “equitable and reasonable access to its markets”
for the US.
Bank Fraud touched Rs 71,500 Crore in 2018-19
• The Reserve Bank of India has revealed that over 6,800 cases of bank fraud involving an unprecedented ₹71,500 crore were
reported in 2018-19.
• This is 74% higher than the amount involved in 5,916 such cases reported in 2017-18.
• The bank frauds were categorised and analysed for 13 sectors, including gem and jewellery.
World Environment Day - 5 June
• World Environment Day is celebrated on the 5th of June every year.
• It is the United Nation's principal vehicle for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of our environment.
• It was first held in 1974.
• The theme for 2019 is "Beat Air Pollution".
• 2019 host nation is China.
Indian Navy deployed P-8I aircraft
• Indian Navy deployed its P-8I long-range maritime surveillance aircraft for anti-piracy sorties from Salalah in Oman to patrol the
Gulf of Aden.
• It is an expansion of its Mission Based Deployments (MBD) in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• The P-8I is long-range anti-submarine warfare, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and
littoral operations.
Indian Army commissioned air quality monitor
• Under 'Go Green' initiative, a "Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS)" was commissioned at Fort William
Military Station in Kolkata by Indian Army.
• The system monitors air pollution on a real time basis.
• The CAAQMS at the Eastern Command headquarters will measure air pollution including particulate matter throughout the year.
Delhi government plans free rides for women
• Delhi government has announced its plan to subsidize travel in public transport for women commuters in the Capital.
• The announcement was made by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
• The government intends to allow women to travel for free on metro trains and State-run buses by the month of August-
September.
• The new scheme, which is to be implemented, is to encourage the use of public transport.
MP passes resolution to increase OBC quota
• Madhya Pradesh Cabinet passed a resolution to increase the percentage of reservation quota for Other Backward Classes from
existing 14 percent to 27 percent.
• The move will lead to the reservation in the state breaching the Supreme Court-mandated 50 percent cap to reach 63 percent.
• Madhya Pradesh is the only state in the country to have a 27 percent quota for OBCs.
US house passes USD 19bn disaster relief bill
• After months of negotiations and a week-long recess, the US House of Representatives cleared a USD 19.1 billion disaster relief
bill aimed at providing funds to areas hit by earthquake,hurricanes, flooding and wildfire.
• The bill,which passed in the House would provide approximately USD 900 mn for US unincorporated territory Puerto Rico, which
is still recovering from 2017's Hurricane Maria.
India in UN marks World Bicycle Day
• India joined the United Nations initiative to acknowledge "uniqueness, longevity, and versatility" of the bicycle on the occasion of
World Bicycle day.
• UN Headquarters in New York marked the day with a special outdoor event, which General Assembly President Maria Fernanda
Espinosa observed comes "at a crucial time" as there are only 11 years left to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
US to sell 34 drones to allies in South China
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• The Trump administration has moved ahead with a surveillance drone sale to four US allies in the South China Sea region.
• The drones would afford greater intelligence gathering capabilities potentially curbing Chinese activity in the region.
• The Pentagon would sell 34 ScanEagle drones,made by Boeing Co. to the govt. of Malaysia,Indonesia,Philippines and Vietnam for
a total of $47 mn.
Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers
• The All-India CPI-IW for April, 2019 increased by 3 points and pegged at 312.On 1-month percentage change.It increased by (+)
0.97 % between March and April,2019 when compared with the increase of (+) 0.35% between the corresponding months of
previous year.
• A Consumer Price Index measures changes in the price level of market basket of consumer goods and services purchased by
households.
Canadian schools are offering Sanskrit classes
• The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) becoming the first major city in Canada to start formal classes in the Sanskrit language.
• These classes are part of the mushrooming of formal Sanskrit education in Canada, moving beyond temples and private tutors
where such instruction was available earlier.
• Children in the classes range from those in kindergarten to Grade 8 (aged 13 or 14).
Financial Literacy Week 2019 - Inauguration
• Financial Literacy Week 2019 was inaugurated on June 3, 2019 in Reserve Bank of India,Hyderabad.
• The Financial Literacy Week is an initiative of RBI to promote awareness on key topics every year through a focused campaign.
• Financial Literacy Week 2019 will be observed from June 3-7 on the theme of “Farmers” and how they benefit by being a part of
the formal banking system.
Munda appoints as Minister of Tribal Affairs
• Shri Arjun Munda assumed charge as the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs.
• He served as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand form 2003-2006. He was the leader of opposition in Jharkhand from 2006-2008. He
was elected to 15th Lok Sabha in 2009 but resigned on 26 February 2011.
• Smt. Renuka Singh, the new Minister of State for Tribal Affairs also assumed charge.
Foundation Day of HBNI Celebrated
• The Foundation Day of Homi Bhabha National Institute was celebrated at the institute campus in Anushakti Nagar,Mumbai.
• Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI) was established in 2005 and started its academic programme in 2006 It was recognised as
a Grant-in-aid institution of Department of Atomic Energy in 2014.
Indian tycoon Ali gets first Gold Card in UAE
• The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship of the United Arab Emirates announced that it had issued its first gold
residence card to Indian business leader Yusuff Ali MA, the chairman of LuLu Group International.
• Yusuff Ali was awarded the query gold card here by Brigadier Saeed Salem Al Shamsi, the executive director of the General
Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs.
National Education Policy draft revised
• The earlier version of the draft’s pitch for the proper implementation of the three-language formula in schools across the
country.
• Two members of the govt. appointed committee have objected to their chairperson’s decision to revise a contentious paragraph
in the draft National Education Policy(NEP),dropping a reference to Hindi and English in the recommendation on the three-
language formula.
Airtel Africa to raise $750 million via IPO
• Bharti Airtel on 4th june said its subsidiary Airtel Africa expects to raise at least $750 million (around ₹5,189 crore) through a
public offering and subsequent listing on the London Stock Exchange.
• Airtel Africa would proceed with an initial public offering for admission and listing of its shares on the main market of the London
Stock Exchange (premium segment)
Vietnam tops list from US-China trade war
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• The Southeast Asian nation,which shares a border with China, gained orders from trade diversion on tariffed goods equal to 7.9%
of GD in the year through the first quarter of 2019.
• Taiwan is a distant second among the winners, with gains equivalent to 2.1% of GDP.
• American and Chinese orders for more than half of the 1,981 tariffed products in the U.S.-China trade.
Cataract treatment inventor Dr.Bath (76) dies
• Dr. Patricia Bath, a pioneering ophthalmologist who became the first African American female doctor to receive a medical patent
after she invented a more precise treatment of cataracts, has died. She was 76.
• Bath won a National Science Foundation scholarship.She graduated from Howard University’s medical school.
• Bath held five U.S. patents. She also authored more than 100 papers.
Raksha Mantri Visits Siachen Glacier
• Honourable Raksha Mantri (RM) Shri Rajnath Singh made his maiden visit to the world’s highest battlefield.
• The RM accompanied by General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army Staff arrived at the Thoise airfield and was received by Lt Gen Ranbir
Singh, GOC-in-C, Northern Command.
• Siachen glacier, located in the eastern Karakoram Range in the Himalayas falls under the Line of Control, b/w Pak and India.
Gen V K Singh as Minister of State for RT&H
• General V K Singh (Retd) took charge of the office of the Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways in New Delhi.
• He was Union Minister of State for External Affairs in the previous government.
• General V K Singh is a member of Lok Sabha since May 2014.
India will be 5th largest economy in 2019
• India is forecast to become the world's fifth largest economy in 2019, reaching a total GDP size exceeding $3 trillion, and
overtaking its former colonial ruler, the United Kingdom.
• By 2025, Indian GDP is also forecast to surpass Japan, which will make India the second-largest economy in the Asia-Pacific
region.
Govt slams OIC's communiqué on J&K rights
• India slams OIC for references to J-K in its Makkah summit declaration.
• Indian govt. said it was unacceptable over the OIC reference to J&K in a communiqué adopted at its summit meeting.
• Govt. also rejects OIC's decision to appoint a special envoy for J&K.
UC appoints Kriti Sanon as brand ambassador
• UrbanClap,digital home services platform announced that it has appointed Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon as its brand ambassador
for the beauty vertical.
• Sanon joins actor Ayushmann Khurrana who endorses UrbanClap’s air conditioning repair services.
• UrbanClap adds to the overall endorsement portfolio of Sanon which includes more than 15 brands.
M&M will be ready with BS-VI vehicles by FY20
• Mahindra & Mahindra(M&M) will be ready with BS-VI compliant petrol and diesel vehicles in 3-4 months or by end Q2FY20
• The company said it has invested more than ₹1,000 cr in developing new petrol and diesel engine platforms to comply with the
BS-VI emission norms, which see implementation from 1 April 2020.
• In Europe the emissions transitioned from Euro stage-IV to stage-VI in over 10 yrs.
Govt will initiate 5G trials in 100 days
• The department of telecommunications (DoT) will auction airwaves in fifth generation or 5G and other bands in the current
calendar year, newly appointed Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said after taking charge.
• 5G is seen as the next frontier in machine-to-machine communication, enabling secure connectivity between devices other than
smartphones such as sensors, vehicles, robots and drones.
P Khimhun sworn-in as Pro-tem speaker.
• MLA Phosum Khimhun has been sworn-in as the Pro-tem speaker of the 7th Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
• Governor Dr. BD Mishra administered the oath to Phosum Khimhun in an official ceremony at Raj Bhawan in Itanagar this
evening.
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Free rides for women in Delhi Metro and buses

• In order to provide safe travel experience to women, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced free ride for them in all
Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses, cluster buses and Delhi Metro trains.
• Those women who can afford the fares can give up the subsidy.
• 33 percent of women avail services of DTC buses and metro. The decision will be implemented within 3 months.
Doval to continue as NSA,gets Cabinet rank
• National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval reappointed and upgraded his position from Minister of State (MoS) rank to a Cabinet
in recognition of his contribution over the last five years in the security of the country.
• In 2014, Doval, who was appointed as India's fifth NSA,played a crucial role in ensuring the secure return of 46 Indian nurses who
were trapped in a hospital in Iraq.
US Representative discuss Afghan peace in Pak
• Zalmay Khalilzad,the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, arrived in Pak to facilitate peace process that ends
the 19 years of war in Afghanistan.
• Khalilzad has long been trying to reach a peace deal with the Taliban to end the war in Afghanistan that has entered its 19th year.
• He will travel to Afghan,Belgium,Germany,Pak,Qatar,UAE from May 31 to June 16, 2019.
Nayib Bukele Sworn in as El Salvador President
• Conservative businessman Nayib Bukele took office as President of El Salvador, tasked with turning around grinding poverty and
rampant gang violence that are sending thousands fleeing to the United States.
• He has said a priority of his five-year term is cracking down on gangs that recruit young people into their ranks while profiting off
drug trafficking and extortion.
Two-day Elephanta Festival begins in Mumbai
• The MTDC organises the festival every year to promote tourism and the culture of Mumbai.
• The festival is held on Gharapuri island, which was christened Elephanta by the Portuguese after they found a statue of an
elephant on the island.
• State Tourism Minister Jk Rawal said MTDC has created several tourist attractions like cruise tourism and Nagpur orange festival
to attract visitors.
IATA calls on govt. to reduce carbon emissions
• The International Air Transport Association(IATA) has called on governments to implement the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction
Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) as agreed through the UN International Civil Aviation Organisation(ICAO)
• CORSIA is the first global carbon pricing instrument for the industry sector.It will cap net carbon emissions from international
aviation at 2020 levels.
Indian Navy steps up anti-piracy patrol
• In an expansion of its Mission Based Deployments (MBD) in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the Navy deployed its P-8I long-range
maritime surveillance aircraft for anti-piracy sorties from Salalah in Oman to patrol the Gulf of Aden.
• Since 2008, India has been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the commercially crucial Gulf of Aden.
Haryana HC grant all animals as living person
• The Punjab and Haryana High Court has accorded the status of “legal person or entity” to animals in Haryana, granting them the
“corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a living person”.
• The verdict comes nearly a year after Uttarakhand High Court passed a similar order “to protect and promote greater welfare of
animals”.
ONGC overtakes IOC as most profitable PSU
• ONGC, India's top oil and gas producer, has toppled Indian Oil Corp (IOC) to regain crown of being the country's most profitable
public sector company.
• According to earnings statements of the listed companies, Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) reported a 34 per cent jump in its
2018-19 fiscal net profit to Rs 26,716 crore.
Anton re-elected as Badminton Asia President
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• Indonesia's Anton Aditya Subowo was re-elected as the President of Badminton Asia (BA).
• There were seven other people who were selected as the vice-presidents. They are Wei (China), Kim Jong Soo (Korea), Darmadji
(Indonesia), Chang Kuo-Tso (Chinese Taipei), Ali Almarri(Kuwait), Himanta Biswa(India), Mohammad Taqawi (Bahrain)
• BA also got in a new Secretary-General Moosa Nashid (Maldives)
Telangana celebrates State formation day
• The fifth-anniversary celebrations of the formation of Telangana State on 2 June, were off to a simple start on Sunday.
• Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao addressed people to strengthen the hands of the government in the implementation of
three new legislation in the offing with focus on weeding out corruption in the administration.
Yousef Aldobeay as its special envoy for J&K
• The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has appointed Yousef Aldobeay of Saudi Arabia as its special envoy for J&K
• The Summit reiterated the Conference principled support for the legitimate right to self-determination of the people of J&K in
accordance with UN resolutions.
• The OIC is a 57-nation grouping which claims to be the collected voice of Muslims across the world.
Apple focus on health apps
• CEO Tim Cook and other leaders will make a keynote presentation at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose,
California, to unveil updates of Apple’s operating systems and a new approach to apps.
• Apple is launching a trio of new apps for the Mac – Music, TV, and Podcasts – to replace iTunes
VP Inaugurates two-day conference by the IIPE
• VP Inaugurates a two-day conference on Industry Academy Interaction for Improvement of Quality of Academics organized by
the Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE) in Vishakhapatnam.
• The Vice President of India has appealed to people to study, analyze and debate the Draft New Education Policy and not to come
to hasty conclusions.
Chief of the Air Staff Visit to Sweden
• Air Chief Marshal B.S Dhanoa,Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of the Air Staff Indian Air Force is on a four day
official visit to Sweden from 03 to 06 Jun.
• The bilateral goodwill visit is on invitation by the Chief of the Swedish Air Force.
• The CAS is scheduled to visit various operational and training units as well as interact with senior functionaries of the Swedish Air
Force.
Psychedelic rocker Roky Erickson dies
• Roky Erickson, who headed the Austin-based 13th Floor Elevators, a pioneering psychedelic rock band in the 1960s that scored
with "You're Gonna Miss Me," has died. He was 71.
• His famous works include "Don't Slander Me,", All That May Do My Rhyme, True Love Cast Out All Evil.
• A 2005 documentary by Keven McAlester about him was called "You're Gonna Miss Me".
Trekkers trash rock art: Nilgiri Forest
• Close to 40% of the the rock paintings in Karikiyoor at Kil Kotagiri in the Nilgiri forests have been destro-yed by trekkers, tourists,
and vandals.
• The rock paintings in Karikiyoor contain analogous-Indus script, meaning they resemble the script found in Indus civilization sites
of northern India
RBI to cut Repo rate by 25BPS on weak growth
• The RBI’s monetary policy committee (MPC) will cut the key policy rate by 25 basis points (bps) as inflation cooled and economic
growth slowed to a five-year low,
• Basis point (BPS) refers to a common unit of measure for interest rates and other percentages in finance.One BPS is equal to
1/100th of 1%, or 0.01%, or 0.0001, and is used to denote the percentage change in a financial instrument.
India won 21st USIC World Railways tennis.
• The Indian team maintained its impressive record of not dropping a set in 20 matches as it beat Czech Republic 4-0 in the super
league and retained the title in the 21st USIC World Railways tennis championship
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• It was a consistently solid performance by Nitin Kumar Sinha, Mohammed Fahad, P.C. Vignesh and Prithvi Sekhar.
• In the league stage, India had beaten Slovakia and Czech Republic.
India has 20 health workers per 10K:NSSO
• National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) data showed that India has 20.6 health workers per 10,000 people.
• This is less than the World Health Organization's (WHO) minimum overreach of 22.8 per 10,000 people.
Petrucci wins Italian Grand Prix
• Ducati's Danilo Petrucci fought off a stiff challenge from Marc Marquez to win the Italian Grand Prix, his first ever MotoGP
victory.
• Petrucci's win comes a day after he recorded the highest speed in MotoGP history.
• Petrucci, an Italian riding for local team Ducati.
• 5-time MotoGP champion Marquez on a Honda briefly took the lead in the last lap but Petrucci recaptured first place and won.
India moves up to 43rd in competitiveness
• India has moved up one place to rank 43rd most competitive economy in the world in the 2019 edition of the IMD World
Competitiveness Rankings.
• Singapore has moved up to the top, from the third position last year, while the US has slipped to the third place.
• The IMD World Competitiveness Rankings, established in 1989, incorporate 235 indicators from each of the 63 ranked
economies.
Sri Lanka, Japan and India sign deal
• Sri Lanka, Japan and India on 28 May 2019 signed an agreement to jointly develop the East Container Terminal at the Colombo
Port.
• As per the agreement, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) retains 100% ownership of the East Container Terminal (ECT).
• Sri Lanka will hold a 51% stake in the project and the joint venture partners will retain 49%.
IOB launches ‘Bank on Wheels’ facility
• Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) launched ‘Bank on Wheels’ facility in 14 of its lead districts in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
• The mobile van facility will enable the public, especially senior citizens, conveniently get door-step banking facility available at
identified locations of the lead districts.
• A dedicated banking correspondent will accompany the vehicle with a micro-ATM inside the van.
Puerto Williams is world's southernmost city
• Puerto Williams, a hamlet in Chile, has been upgraded to the category of 'city' by Chilean authorities, making it the world’s
southernmost city.
• Puerto Williams has nudged out Ushuaia in Argentina for the title.
• The capital of Chile is Santiago and its currency is Chilean Peso.
First woman fighter pilot to fly Hawk jet
• Flight Lt Mohana Singh has become the first woman fighter pilot to fly by day on a Hawk advanced jet aircraft.
• Her training involved flying both air-to-air combat and air-to-ground missions.
• She and two other women officers, Bhawana Kanth and Avani Chaturvedi, joined the fighter stream in June 2016.
• Flight Lt Bhawana Kanth became the first daytime woman fighter pilot to fly a MiG-21 Bison.
Anita is the new UN Asst Secretary-General
• Anita Bhatia has been appointed as the Assistant Secretary-General for resource management, sustainability and partnerships
and Deputy Executive Director of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).
• She is a veteran of strategic partnerships, resource mobilisation, and management.
First Rafale jet to be part of 17 squadron
• The first Rafale combat aircraft would be inducted into the Indian Air Force's 'Golden Arrows' 17 Squadron.
• 'Golden Arrows' 17 Squadron was commanded by Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa during the Kargil war in 1999.
• The 17 Squadron which was earlier located in Bhatinda in Punjab and will now be shifted to Ambala in Haryana.
• The 17 Squadron used to operate the MiG-21s earlier.
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RBI sets up task force on secondary market

• The RBI constituted a task force to suggest policy and regulatory interventions required for the development of the secondary
market in corporate loans, including loan transaction platform for stressed assets.
• The task force will be headed by Canara Bank Chairman T N Manoharan.
• Secondary loan market in India is largely restricted to asset reconstruction companies.
RBI sets up committee for housing finance
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has set up a committee to look into the current state of mortgage securitisation in the country.
• It will identify the issues faced by the securitisation market and give suggestions to develop it going ahead.
• Bain & Co's senior advisor Harsh Vardhan has been appointed as the chairperson of the committee.
Annie Zaidi wins Nine Dots Prize
• Indian playwright and journalist Annie Zaidi was announced the winner of the 2019 Nine Dots Prize for her essay 'Bread, Cement,
Cactus'.
• The Nine Dots Prize is a book prize for creative thinking that tackles contemporary societal issues.
• Zaidi’s book based on her Nine Dots Prize-winning essay will be published by Cambridge University Press in May 2020.
Indore's airport gets 'international' status
• Indore's Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar airport was declared as an international airport on 29 May 2019.
• The airport, named after Maharani Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore, is considered as the busiest airport in Central India.
• An international airport has customs and border control facilities enabling passengers to travel between countries.
James Marape elected new PNG Prime Minister
• James Marape, a former finance minister, has been elected by parliament as the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (PNG).
• His appointment comes after the outgoing leader Peter O'Neill resigned on 29 May 2019.
• Papua New Guinea, a South Pacific nation of 7.3 million people, has rich reserves of copper, gold, and oil.
India's only orangutan dies in Odisha
• Binny, India’s only orangutan, has died at Nandankanan Zoological Park in Odisha.
• Binny was brought from the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park in Pune to the zoo in 2003.
• Binny was undergoing treatment for an infected wound on her throat for the last two years.
Secretary DST releases 4 popular science books
• Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Prof. Ashutosh Sharma released four popular science books published by
Vigyan Prasar.
• The books released were 'Voyage to Antarctica', 'Story of Consciousness', 'An Autobiography of Moon' and 'Sambhu Nath De -
The Discovery of Cholera Toxin'.
• Voyage to Antarctica is authored by Dr Felix Bast.
Days
• World Digestive Health Day is observed every year by the World Gastroenterology Organisation, in collaboration with the WGO
Foundation.
• Nepal celebrates Mt. Everest Day on May 29 every year in memory of the first summit of Mt. Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and
Tenzing Norgay.
• The Global Day of Parents is observed on June 1 every year.
• World Hunger Day is observed every year on 28 May.
RBI allows banks to use Aadhaar for KYC
• The Reserve Bank of India has said that banks can now use Aadhaar for KYC verification if the customer gives consent.
• RBI also updated Aadhaar to its list of documents eligible for identification of individuals.
• In 2018, the Supreme Court prohibited the use of Aadhaar for KYC due to privacy concerns.
IIT Guwahati signs MoU with ISRO
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• IIT Guwahati has signed an MoU with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to set up an IITG-ISRO Space Technology Cell
(STC) at the institute.
• IITG-ISRO STC would be first of its kind in the North-east region to augment research and capacity building processes in the field
of space technology.
• The space technology cell will constitute faculty members from IIT Guwahati.
Planet discovered in Neptunian Desert
• Astronomers have discovered an exoplanet with its own atmosphere in the Neptunian Desert.
• NGTS-4b, nick-named ‘The Forbidden Planet’ is smaller than Neptune but three times the size of Earth.
• The exoplanet has a mass of 20 Earth masses, a radius 20% smaller than Neptune, and temperature of 1000 degrees Celsius.
• It orbits around the star in only 1.3 days.
New species of wasp identified in Goa
• A new species of wasp from the genus Kudakrumia has been identified by scientists in Goa.
• The new species was collected in the forests of Western Ghats.
• The wasp, Kudakrumia rangnekari, was named after Goa-based researcher Parag Rangnekar.
• He is the author of a book 'Butterflies of Goa', which is perhaps a first field guide with photographs of the species found in this
region.
Appointments
• Yoga instructor and fitness expert Namrata Menon was appointed Goa's brand ambassador to promote the ancient system of
physical and mental practices in the coastal state.
• Truecaller has appointed Sandeep Patil as the Managing Director for India.
• Indonesia's Anton Aditya Subowo was re-elected as the President of Badminton Asia.
RBI proposes new liquidity norms for NBFCs
• RBI has issued draft guidelines on liquidity management for the NBFCS and proposed a liquidity coverage ratio for large NBFCs.
• It covers all deposit taking NBFCs and non-deposit taking NBFCs with an asset size of ₹5,000 crore and above.
• Company fixed deposits (FDs), unlike bank FDs, don’t come with insurance.
NASA plan to send equipment to Moon from 2020
• NASA has chosen Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines and Orbit Beyond to send equipment to the Moon.
• Donald Trump has accelerated the timetable for putting humans back on the Moon with 2024 the new target date.
• Each company has developed lunar landers of different sizes and shapes: one is tall, and the other two are more compact.
Rajasthan government banned E-cigarettes
• Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced the ban on the sale of e-cigarettes in Rajasthan.
• Gehlot issued the order on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day on May 31.
• The government had banned the online or offline sale, storage, production, distribution, and advertisement of e-cigarettes in the
state.
World Milk Day is observed on 1 June
• World Milk Day is a day established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to recognize the
importance of milk as a global food.
• It has been observed on June 1 each year since 2001.
• The day is intended to provide an opportunity to bring attention to activities that are connected with the dairy sector.
Science Film Festival to be held in Agartala
• 10th National Science Film Festival of India will be in Agartala, Tripura in January-February 2020.
• This is for the second time the event will be held in a North-Eastern city. It will be jointly hosted by Vigyan Prasar of the Central
Government, State Government, and Tripura Central University.
• Chief Minister of Tripura is Biplab Kumar Deb.
RBI to observe fin lit week from June 3-7
• The Reserve Bank of India will observe Financial Literacy Week across the country from 3rd to 7th June 2019.
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• The theme this year is - 'Farmers and how they benefit by being a part of the formal banking system'.
• In a release, the apex bank said, posters and leaflets will be used to spread awareness and spread the message of financial
literacy among the farming community.
Health Ministry to focus on tobacco control
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in partnership with World Health Organization, India, today organized a National
Consultation on ‘Tobacco and Lung Health’ to commemorate the World No Tobacco Day 2019.
• The Ministry has commissioned three National Tobacco Testing Laboratories (NTTL) which possess world class facilities to analyze
various kinds of tobacco products.
China gave $6.56 billion to Pakistan
• China gave $628.4 million for the construction of two ongoing nuclear power plants known as K2 and K3 in the past 10 months.
• China also gave $1.4 billion in financing largely for projects that form part of the CPEC
• Project loans have largely been disbursed for the Sukkur-Multan motorway, Havelian-Thakot project of the China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor(CPEC) and the Lahore Orange Line project.
Cabinet approves Rs 3,000 pension for 60y old
• The Cabinet chaired by PM decided to give monthly pension of Rs 3,000 to small traders,businessmen and shopkeepers after they
attain the age of 60 years.
• All small shopkeeper with Goods and Services Tax (GST) turnover below Rs 1.5 crore and aged between 18 and 40 years can
enroll themselves for the scheme.
• The decision is likely to benefit 5 crore small traders in the coming three years.
India Per-capita income showing a rise of 10%
• In 2017-18, the monthly per-capita income had stood at ₹9,580.
• The country's per-capita income is estimated to have risen by 10% to ₹10,534 a month during the financial year ended March
2019.
• The gross national income (GNI) at current prices is estimated at ₹188.17 lakh crore during 2018-19, as compared to ₹169.10 lakh
crore during 2017-18, rising by 11.3%.
AAI signs agreement with NTrust Infotech
• Airports Authority of India (AAI) signed an agreement with NTrustInfotech - Anarock Consortium for asset rationalization, lease
administration and related services on a pan-India basis through cutting edge Lease Administration Technology.
• This agreement will help AAI in identifying the best potential of land asset which in turn will improve its revenue stream.
New initiative to control Foot & Mouth Disease
• This initiative pertains to controlling Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis to support the livestock rearing farmers.
• FMD is very common amongst the livestock.
• If a cow/buffalo gets infected with FMD, the milk loss is upto 100% which could last for four to six months. Further, in case of
Brucellosis the milk output reduces by 30%, during the entire life cycle of animal.
PM-KISAN Yojana extended to all farmers
• PM-KISAN Scheme extension to include all eligible farmer families irrespective of the size of land holdings.
• The key element of PM-KISAN is income support of Rs.6000/- to the small and marginal landholder farmer families with cultivable
land holding upto 2 hectare across the country which has been now expanded.
• The amount will be released in three 4-monthly instalments of Rs.2000/- each year
GDP growth slumps to 5.8% in March quarter
• India’s GDP grew at 5.8% in the January-March 2019 quarter, dragging down the full year growth to a five-year low of 6.8%.
• The unemployment rate in the country rose to a 45-year high of 6.1% in 2017-18
• The data showed that 7.8% of the employable urban youth and 5.3% of employable rural youth was without jobs.
Additionally 6.2% male and 5.7% of females across the country were jobless.
New Draft Policy for education and RTE
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• A committee led by Chairman Dr Kasturirangan submitted the Draft National Educational Policy 2019 to improve the education
structure and expansion of Right to Education (RTE)
• The government had initiated the process of formulating a New Education Policy to meet the changing dynamics of the
requirements of the population with regard to quality education, innovation and research.
Jal Shakti Ministry formed by Modi Government
• A new ‘Jal Shakti’ Ministry in which the Ministries of Water Resources and Drinking Water and Sanitation will be merged.
• Shekhawat took charge of the Ministry on Friday, a day after he was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister.
• The Ministry will encompass issues ranging from international and inter-State water, the flagship initiative to clean the Ganga and
the provision of clean drinking water.
Nirmala S to present maiden Budget on July 5
• Nirmala Sitharaman, the country’s first full-time woman Finance Minister, will present the Union Budget on July 5.
• First session of 17th Lok Sabha is slated to begin on 17 June and continues till July 26.
• President Ram Nath Kovind will address a joint session of both the Houses on 20 June prior to budget presentation in the first
week of July.
List of portfolios retained by Narendra Modi
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will retain Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions also in-charge of Department of
Atomic Energy; Department of Space.
• All important policy issues and All other portfolios not allocated to any Minister.
Few portfolios allocated to Cabinet ministers
• Nitin Jairam Gadkari has been appointed as Minister of Road Transport and Highways; and Minister of Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises.
• Ramesh Pokhriyal gets Minister of Human Resource Development.
• Ram Vilas Paswan gets Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
Piyush Goyal gets to retain the Railways
• Piyush Goyal gets to retain the Railways portfolio and has also been given Commerce and Industry which was held by Suresh
Prabhu, who has been dropped.
• Smriti Irani has been made the Minister of Women and Child Development and Minister of Textiles.
Nirmala S second woman FM after Indira Gandhi
• Nirmala Sitharaman, formerly the country’s defence minister, as the next finance minister.
• Before Sitharaman, Indira Gandhi was the only female Finance Minister who served for a short period.
• Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who opted out of this government due to ill health.
Amit Shah gets home, Rajnath defence minister
• The new government on Friday announced the allocation of the Cabinet portfolios.
• Amit Shah has been appointed as the new Home Minister.
• Rajnath Singh has been appointed as the new Defence Minister.
• Former foreign secretary turned minister S Jaishankar has got the External Affairs ministry
July 2019
Nepali, Santhali to be included in fellowships
• Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel has announced to include Nepali and Santhali languages in the Sub-Field of Literature for
award of Senior or Junior Fellowships to Outstanding Artistes.
• The Ministry administers a scheme namely Award of Senior or Junior Fellowships to Outstanding Artistes in the Fields of Culture.
• The fellowships are awarded for undertaking research oriented projects.
Pakistan opens historic Hindu temple in Punjab
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• Pakistan has opened a 1,000 year old Hindu temple in Sialkot for worship for the first time since partition on the demand of the
local Hindu community.
• The Shawala Teja Singh temple, located in city’s congested Dhaarowal locality, some 100 km from Lahore, is more than 1,000
years old, according to the book ‘History of Sialkot’ by the late Rashid Niaz.
• PM - Imran Khan.
• President - Arif Alvi.
Miscellaneous News
• India has signed a deal worth around Rs 1,500 crore to acquire R-27 air-to-air missiles from Russia to be equipped on the Su-
30MKI combat aircraft. The R-27 missile is a medium-to-long-range air-to-air missile for MiG and Sukhoi series of fighter jets.
• Infosys launched its state-of-the-art Cyber Defence Center in Bucharest, Romania. CEO and MD of Infosys - Salil Parekh.
Computer that can predict India's pollution
• With the 'smog season' in just a few months away, US and Chinese scientists have developed a novel computer model that can
help accurately predict air pollution levels in the region a season in advance.
• The statistical model, described in the journal Science Advances, uses certain climatic patterns related to the ocean which have a
regulatory effect on the air pollution over northern India.
South Asia Air Quality Tech Camp in Kathmandu
• The U.S. Embassy in Nepal has organized a South Asia Air Quality Tech Camp in Kathmandu.
• The aim of camp is to address political, social, and scientific facets of the problem and engage governments, empower the public
and take action to improve air quality in South Asia.
• Participants from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka attended the camp.
President Kovind reaches Gambia
• President Ramnath Kovind has reached at the Banjul Airport, Gambia on his second leg of his three Nations visit.
• This is the first-ever state visit to the Gambia by an Indian President.
• The National Assembly building complex in Banjul is one of the prominent projects in west Africa built under the line of credit
extended by India.
• Gambian President - Adama Barrow.
Domestic banks can sell NPAs abroad
• The Reserve Bank of India allowed domestic banks to directly sell their bad loans in manufacturing and infrastructure sectors to
investors abroad as part of one-time settlement (OTS) exercises.
• The move will allow overseas investors to take direct loan exposure to Indian corporates.
• It will also allow companies to raise cheap, long-term loans easily now.
Appointments I
• The Reserve Bank of India said Economic Affairs Secretary Atanu Chakraborty has been nominated on its central board. Last
week, former economic affairs secretary Garg was shunted to the power ministry in a bureaucratic reshuffle announced by the
government.
• Tata Motors said its shareholders have approved appointment of N Chandrasekaran as director on the company's board.
• The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to appoint YCP leader and Telugu comedian Ali as the new chairman of AP Film
Development Corporation (APFDC). Earlier, TDP senior leader Ambika Krishna was heading the APFDC chairman post.
• Senior BJP leader Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri is all set to become the new Speaker of the Karnataka state Assembly.
Parliament passed the Muslim Women Bill 2019
• Parliament passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2019.
• This act will free Muslim women from the practice of Triple Talaq.
• This bill is a historic step to protect the dignity of Muslim women and keep it intact.
• It will bring a new era of hope and respect in the lives of Muslim women.
22nd Nat. Conference to be held at Shillong
• The 22nd National Conference on e-Governance 2019 will be held on 8-9th August, 2019 at Shillong, Meghalaya.
• This is the first time the event is being organized in North-Eastern region of the country.
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• This Conference provides a platform to disseminate knowledge on effective methods of designing.

• The theme of this Conference is 'Digital India: Success to Excellence'.
Indian IT companies contributed 57.2 bn $
• Indian IT companies contributed 57.2 billion dollars to the GDP of the US in 2017.
• India-based global IT services companies employ more than 175,000 workers in the US accounting for 8.4 per cent of
employment in the computer systems design industry.
• The two-way investments between India and the US have reached about 60 billion dollars.
RBI relaxed Ext Commercial Borrowing norms
• The RBI has liberalised the end-use stipulations for the External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs) both for corporates as well as
liquidity starved non-banking lenders.
• The liberalisation will be applicable to ECBs taken for working capital, general corporate purpose loans or repayment of rupee
loans.
• The RBI also issued a revised circular for bankers capturing the changes.
Venugopal Rao announces retirement
• Former India batsman and Andhra Pradesh skipper Venugopal Rao announced retirement from all forms of the game.
• He made his debut against Sri Lanka at Dambulla on July 30, 2005.
• He played his last ODI against West Indies at Basseterre on May 23, 2006.
Sports
• Indian Test opener Prithvi Shaw has been suspended by the BCCI till November 15, 2019, for a doping violation. Shaw had
inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance, which can be commonly found in cough syrups.
• B.Sai Praneeth has jumped four places to enter in the top 20 players in the latest World Badminton Rankings. Praneeth is now
World No.19 in Men's Singles badminton ranking.
Atal Mission to launch new program
• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) will launch a new programme for Community Innovation in New Delhi on 31 July 2019.
• The new initiative aims to encourage the spirit of innovation in the country.
• The Atal Innovation Mission is a flagship initiative set up by the NITI Aayog to promote innovation and entrepreneurship across
the length and breadth of the country.
Obituaries
• Founder of the Cafe Coffee Day chain V G Siddhartha who went missing over the Netravati river bridge was found dead on 31 July
2019. His body was fished out from the backwaters of the river near Ullal.
• Former RBI Deputy Governor and renowned economist Subir Gokarn passed away on 30 July 2019. He served as Deputy
Governor of the RBI between 2009 & 2013, during the tenure of Governor D Subbarao
New Finance Secretary of India: Rajiv Kumar
• Senior IAS officer Rajiv Kumar will be the new Finance Secretary of India.
• Kumar will succeed Subhash Chandra Garg as the Finance Secretary.
• The Finance Secretary holds the top bureaucratic position among the five department of the Finance Ministry - economic affairs,
revenue, expenditure, financial services and department of investment and public asset management.
Parliament passed Companies (Amendment) Bill
• Parliament has passed the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2019, as the Rajya Sabha approved it.
• The Lok Sabha has already passed the bill.
• The Bill seeks to amend the Companies Act, 2013.
• It aims to tighten Corporate Social Responsibility-CSR compliance, transfer certain responsibilities to National Company Law
Tribunal and recategorise certain offences as civil offences.
Bills passed
• Lok Sabha passed the Consumer Protection Bill, 2019 that aims at protecting the interests of consumers by establishing
authorities for timely and effective administration and settlement of consumers’ dispute.
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• Lok Sabha also passed the Code on Wages Bill, 2019 that seeks to regulate wage and bonus payments in all employments where
any industry, trade, business, or manufacture is carried out.
Tarun Chaudhri: 1st pilot to skydive jump
• Wing commander Tarun Chaudhri became the first pilot of Indian Armed Forces (IAF ) to do a wingsuit jump.
• The jump was accomplished by Chaudhri from a Mi-17 helicopter from an altitude of 8500 feet.
• This is the first flying wingsuit jump demonstration at an organised gathering.
• The jump was undertaken during the Kargil Diwas celebrations at Air Force Station Jodhpur on 21-22 July 2019.
3rd orbit-raising manoeuvre of Chandrayaan 2
• ISRO was successful in completing the third earthbound orbit raising manoeuvres of Chandrayaan-2 satellite.
• The satellite is 3 steps closer to the moon.
• Chandrayaan-2 comprising of the orbiter, the lander Vikram and rover Pragyan was launched by GSLV Mark III launch vehicle
from Sriharikota on July 22.
• The fourth orbit-raising manoeuvre will take place on 2 August 2019.
India offered US$ 100 mn to Benin
• India has emerged as the largest trading partner of Benin with 2-way trade crossing US$ 800 million.
• Fresh Line of Credit worth US$ 100 million for developmental projects in Benin was also announced.
• President Ram Nath Kovind reached Cotonou, Benin on 28 July 2019 on the first leg of his state visits to three West African
nations – Benin, Gambia and Guinea.
Odisha Rasagola gets GI tag
• The rasagola, a popular dessert of Odisha, has received the geographical indication tag from the Registrar of Geographical
Indication after years of controversy around the sweet.
• The registration was conferred to ‘Odisha Rasagola’ under Section 16(I) or of authorized Section 17(3)(c) of Geographical
Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act 1999 on 29 July 2019.
Sports
• Former France and Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has announced his retirement. He had played 81 times for France
and also captained the side at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
• American Collin Morikawa has won the US PGA title at the Barracuda Championship. This was his 1st win in the US PGA title. US’s
Troy Merritt finished as the runner up of the event.
World Day Against Trafficking in Persons
• UN observes 30 July every year as World Day Against Trafficking.
• In 2013, the General Assembly designated July 30 as the World Day against Trafficking in Persons to raise awareness of the
situation of victims of human trafficking and for the promotion and protection of their rights.
• The tagline for 2019 is: Human Trafficking: call your government to action.
India signed MoUs with Benin
• India and Benin signed four MoUs on education, health and e-visa facilities.
• The agreement was signed on mutual exemption of visa requirement of diplomatic and official passports and on the fresh line of
credit of 100 million US $ by India to finance development projects in Benin.
• 2 more MoUs were signed on tele education program e-vidyabharati and Tele medicine initiative e-Arogyabharati.
Fagu Chauhan: New Bihar Governor
• Fagu Chauhan, a six-time member of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, was sworn in as the 29th Governor of Bihar on 29 July 2019.
• He was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of Patna High Court Amreshwar Pratap Shahi at the Raj Bhavan in Patna.
• Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and several other leaders were present during the
ceremony.
India and Myanmar signed MoU
• India and Myanmar signed a Memorandum of Understanding on defence co-operation.
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• Senior General Min Aung Hlaing (MAH), Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services (CDS) of the Republic of Union of Myanmar, is
currently on an official visit to India from 25th July-2nd August 2019.
• India has steadily increased defence co-operation with Myanmar in recent years.
RBI slapped fine on Mobikwik and Hip Bar
• The RBI has imposed a fine of about Rs.26 lakh on 2 online payment solutions providers for non-compliance of regulatory
guidelines.
• Mobikwik Systems Private Limited has been slapped a fine of 15 lakh rupees while Hip Bar Pvt Ltd faced a fine of 10.85 lakh
rupees.
• Bipin Preet Singh is the CEO of Mobikwik, while Venkata Prashant Rao Adurty is the CEO of Hip Bar.
Obituaries
• In Gujarat, senior BJP leader and former Lok Sabha MP Vithalbhai Radadiya passed away in July 2019. The six-time MLA also
served as a Minister in the Gujarat government.
• Telangana's senior Congress leader and former minister Mukesh Goud passed away in Hyderabad in July 2019. He was suffering
from cancer.
Helpline Jeene Do launched in J&K
• In Jammu and Kashmir, District Administration Udhampur has launched a helpline, 'Jeene Do'.
• The objective is to improve sex ratio and deal with defaulters of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques or PCPNDT
Act under the Centrally sponsored Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme.
• A Mobile Number -9469793363 has been dedicated to the Public to register complaints regarding this.
Person in News
• Karnataka Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar announced his resignation after the House adopted the confidence motion
moved by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and passed the Appropriation Bill.
• Anandiben Patel took oath as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh. The Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, Govind Mathur,
administered her the oath of Office and Secrecy at Raj Bhawan in Lucknow.
ICC launched World Test Championship
• ICC officially launched the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC), which will get underway on 1 August 2019.
• To be played over two years, the World Test Championship will witness the top 9 Test teams in the world compete in 71 Test
matches across 27 series.
• The 2 top teams will then go head to head in the World Test Championship final to be held in the United Kingdom in 2021.
12,000 children killed and injured in conflict
• A UN report said that more than 12,000 children were killed and injured in armed conflicts in 2018.
• Afghanistan, Palestine, Syria and Yemen topped the casualty list.
• According to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' annual report to the Security Council on Children and Armed Conflict, deaths
and injuries were among more than 24,000 grave violations against children verified by the UN.
IN LCU L56 ship commissioned into Indian Navy
• The sixth ship of the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) MK IV class, IN LCU L56, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 29 July 2019.
• Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain, Eastern Naval Command commissioned the ship in Visakhapatnam.
• LCU L56 is an amphibious ship with its primary role being transportation and deployment of Main Battle Tanks, Armoured
Vehicles, Troops and Equipment from ship to shore.
India, Mozambique signed 2 MoUs
• India and Mozambique signed two MoU on sharing white shipping information and co-operation in the field of Hydrography.
• The agreement will further strengthen the ongoing Indo-Mozambican Defence co-operation and India Mozambique relations in
general.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is on a 3-day visit to Mozambique.
Report of green ratings released
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• Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar released the latest report of green ratings on fertilizer sector in New Delhi on 29
July 2019.
• Centre for Science and Environment along with its Green rating project, prepared the report based on 42 parameters.
• The government is working to boost environmental protection incentives which are must to encourage people.
Appointments
• The Indian Federation of Sports Gaming (IFSG), India’s first and only self-regulatory industry body for the online fantasy sports
gaming sector, on July 29, appointed Justice A K Sikri as its ombudsman and ethics officer.
• Bandhan Bank announced the appointment of Siddhartha Sanyal as chief economist and head of research who will spearhead the
bank's research and business strategy.
Bill to ban unregulated deposit schemes passed
• Parliament passed the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill 2019 with the Rajya Sabha approving it unanimously.
• The bill seeks to provide for a comprehensive mechanism to ban the unregulated deposit schemes other than deposits taken in
the ordinary course of businesses and to protect the interest of depositors.
TN girl won gold medal in World Deaf title
• Tamil Nadu girl Jerlin Anika has won the gold medal in the World Deaf Youth Badminton Championships held in Taipei.
• Anika bagged four medals in the championship, including the gold, two silver and one bronze.
• The President of Taiwan is Tsai Ing-wen and the Currency of Taiwan is Taiwanese Dollar.
Egan Bernal claimed Tour de Title
• Egan Bernal became the first Colombian to win the Tour de France when he retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey after 21st
and final stage won by Caleb Ewan of Australia.
• He beat Geraint Thomas of Britain with Dutchman Steven Kruijswijk coming home third.
• Slovakian Peter Sagan wrapped up a record seventh green jersey for the points classification.
Sports I
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• World number one Brooks Koepka celebrated a three-stroke victory and claimed his maiden World Golf Championship. He
defeated Rory Mcllory.
• In the Freedom Cup, New Zealand’s All Blacks and the South African Springboks shared the trophy after the two teams ended
with a 16-16 draw.
Sports II
• Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad set new 400 meter hurdles record in 52.20 seconds, smashed previous mark of 52.34
seconds. McLaughlin finished second in 52.88, with Spencer third in 53.11.
• The third edition of Khelo India Youth Games will be held in Guwahati in 2020. Games to be held from 18th January next year, will
see participation of more than 10,000 athletes and officials.
IIT Hyderabad developed solar cells
• Scientists at IIT Hyderabad have developed low-cost, environment-friendly solar cells by employing a dye used to make kumkum
or vermilion in India.
• The dye-sensitised solar cell (DSSC) is based on New Fuchsin (NF) dye with aqueous electrolyte and platinum-free counter
electrodes.
• However, there were many drawbacks impeding the organic photovoltaic technology as organics are less robust.
Yediyurappa won trust vote
• Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa sails through successfully by winning the Trust Vote on BJP's own strength in the Legislative
Assembly on 29 July 2019.
• Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar, who took up the motion moved by the Yediyurappa, declared that the motion was passed by voice
vote.
• Congress-JDS Coalition Government failed to sail through Trust vote since more than 17 MLAs rebelled against.
Tiger estimation report released
• On International Tiger Day Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the results of 4th cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation.
• He also presented an award to Sathyamanglam Tiger Reserve, for showing the highest increment in the four-year Management
Effective Evaluation.
• The report says India, with around 3,000 tigers, is one of safest habitats for them in the world.
IAF got 1st batch of 4 Apache attack
• US aerospace major Boeing handed over the first four of the 22 Apache attack helicopters to the Indian Air Force on 27 July 2019.
• Additional four choppers will be delivered to the IAF next week.
• The AH-64E Apache, also flown by the US army, is one of the world's most advanced multi-role combat helicopters.
• This will be the Indian army's first fleet of attack choppers.
President Kovind to visit 3 African countries
• President Ram Nath Kovind left on a state visit to three African countries Benin, The Gambia and Guinea on 28 July 2019.
• The 7-day visit will be the first high-level tour of any Indian President to the three West African countries.
• Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Minister of State for MSME/Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, and Member of Parliament, Dilip
Ghosh, accompanied the President.
Awards and Honours
• DD News was awarded Champions of Empathy Award for spreading awareness about hepatitis. Director General of DD News,
Mayank Agrawal received the Award from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
• International sand artist, Padmashri Sudarsan Pattnaik won People's Choice Prize at Boston International Sand Art Championship
in the US. He was among the 15 top sand artists selected from across the world.
World Hepatitis Day: 28 July
• WHO observes 28 July every year as World Hepatitis Day to step up national and international efforts on hepatitis.
• It is the birthday of Nobel-prize winning scientist Dr Baruch Blumberg, who discovered hepatitis B virus (HBV) and developed a
diagnostic test and vaccine for the virus.
• The theme for 2019 is 'Invest in eliminating hepatitis'.
• Pakistan is the host country this year.
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Nikoloz won German Tennis Championships

• Nikoloz Basilashvili emerged victorious after a three-set battle with Andrey Rublev to successfully defend his title at the German
Tennis Championships.
• The reigning champion claimed his 12th straight win in Hamburg 7-5 4-6 6-3.
• With the win, he has become first player to win the event in successive years since Roger Federer in 2004-2005.
Himalayan Conclave held in Mussoorie
• In Uttarakhand, a Himalayan Conclave was held in Mussoorie on 29 July 2019.
• The objective was to discuss various issues related to the development of the Himalayan States.
• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the conclave as the chief guest.
• The main agenda for the conclave was water conservation, with focus on conserving rivers, glaciers, lakes and water bodies.
Mary Kom, Simranjit won gold
• Mary Kom in 51kg category and Simranjit Kaur in 60kg category grabbed a gold each in 23rd President's Cup Boxing Tournament
in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia.
• Mary decimated Australian April Franks 5-0 in finals.
• Simranjit Kaur defeated Indonesia's Hasanah Huswatun 5-0 in the finals.
• Indian boxers finished their campaign in the tournament with 9 medals. The rich haul comprised 7 gold and 2 silver.
Max clinched German Grand Prix
• Red Bull's driver Max Verstappen clinched the rain-hit German Grand Prix at Hockenheim on 28 July 2019.
• Verstappen now has the second title of the Formula One season.
• Four-time former champion Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel claimed the second spot after starting from the rear of the grind.
• Russian Daniil Kvyat achieved the third spot for Toro Rosso.
Chandigarh received affiliation from BCCI
• Chandigarh has finally received affiliation from the BCCI, thus providing an opportunity for the city cricketers to play in BCCI
tournament.
• Chandigarh cricketers, who were earlier forced to represent Punjab or Haryana, can now directly represent the city.
• The city can also now have their own team in the Ranji Trophy.
• Delhi is the only other Union Territory with BCCI affiliation.
India-Nepal Logistics Summit inaugurated
• Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli inaugurated the India-Nepal Logistics Summit in Kathmandu on 28 July 2019.
• The theme of the summit was Transforming Logistics Landscape.
• Nepal and India have a significant volume of trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people movement for which smooth and
quality logistics including easy transit facilities is very essential.
Rajnath Singh on a 3-day visit to Mozambique
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Maputo on a 3-day visit to Mozambique.
• He will hold talks with President, Defence Minister, Foreign Minister and Interior Minister of Mozambique during his visit.
• India and Mozambique will sign bilateral agreements to boost military cooperation.
• During his visit, India will also hand over two fast interceptor boats and 44 SUVs to Mozambique.
People in news
• IPS officer VK Johri has been appointed as the next Director General of Border Security Force. He is presently serving as the
Special Secretary in RAW, under the Cabinet Secretariat.
• Vidisha Baliyan, from Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar, was crowned Miss Deaf World 2019. The pageant was held in Mbombela,
South Africa. Vidisha became the first Indian to bag the title.
Obituaries
• Former Union minister S Jaipal Reddy passed away in Hyderabad in July 2019.
• Meghalaya Assembly Speaker and former Chief Minister Donkupar Roy passed away in July 2019.
• Tulu playwright and former chairman of Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy M.K. Seetharama Kulal passed away in July 2019.
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• Veteran actor Russi Taylor, who voiced Disney's Minnie Mouse for more than 30 years passed away.
Global Tiger Day: 29 July
• Global Tiger Day is celebrated across the world on 29 July.
• This day is observed every year to create awareness about tiger conservation and protection of natural habitat of tigers.
• Due to concerted efforts under Project Tiger, at present India has the distinction of having the maximum number of tigers in the
world.
• From 1706 in 2010, tiger population has increased to 2226 in 2014.
GIIS to launch India's first smart school
• The Singapore-headquartered Global Indian International School (GIIS) will launch India's first SMART campus in Pune.
• The SMART Campus has features to enhance learning outcomes for the students with the use of SMART Campus pedagogy and to
prepare the students for the future.
• Also, for the first time in India, GIIS will introduce Sports Analytics at the school level.
NPCI ties up with JCB for global RuPay card
• The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and JCB International, along with domestic banks, have launched RuPay JCB
Global Cards.
• The cards will be accepted in India at all POS terminals and ATMs that accept JCB cards.
• NPCI had earlier tied up with Discover for international cards.
All lanes at toll plazas to be ‘FASTag lanes’
• To ensure seamless traffic and prevent congestion at toll plazas, the government decided to declare all lanes at toll fee plaza on
national highways as ‘FASTag lanes’ from 1 December 2019.
• Among all lanes, one ‘hybrid lane’ will be allowed at every toll plaza to facilitate and monitor over-dimensional or oversized
vehicles, where FASTag and other modes of payment will be accepted.
Government ban on colistin for use in poultry
• The Centre has issued an order banning the last line antibiotic, colistin, for use in animals.
• Colistin is an antibiotic meant for therapeutic purposes in veterinary but this drug is highly misused in the poultry industry as a
growth promoter for prophylactic purpose.
• One of the reasons for anti-microbial resistance in India is due to unwanted use of the drug in poultry industry.
ISRO will launch Aditya L-1 solar mission
• After the successful launch of Chandrayaan-2, the ISRO now looks to launch its solar mission called the Aditya L-1 by 2020.
• The Aditya L-1 solar program will be studying the Sun’s corona which is basically the outer layers.
• The mission will also try to understand and predict climate change on Earth.
• The Aditya L-1 satellite will be inserted in a halo orbit about 1.5 million km from Earth.
Wipro launches digital product compliance lab
• On 24 July 2019, IT major Wipro announced the launch of its global Digital Product Compliance lab in Hyderabad.
• The lab will offer integrated digital product testing services to ensure compliance with international standards for reliability,
safety and security for customers across industries.
• The new lab is equipped with environment chambers designed to test products.
RBI launches banking framework 'Utkarsh 2022'
• RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das launched Utkarsh 2022, the central banks' medium-term strategy framework on 23 July 2019.
• The framework has been launched to achieve excellence in the performance of RBI's mandates and strengthening the trust of
citizens and other institutions.
• The strategic framework contains, the RBI's mission, core purpose, values and vision statements.
Kochi hosts global meet on shark trade
• A four-day global expert meeting on shark trade was organised in Kochi on 24 July 2019.
• The aim of the meeting was to address deep knowledge gaps and support the management of existing shark and ray fishery
across the globe.
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• The event was jointly organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute
(CMFRI).
Appointments
• IFS officer Sanjeev Kumar Singla has been appointed the Private Secretary (PS) to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Bandhan Bank has appointed State Bank of India's Sanjeev Naryani as its head of the business.
• Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane has been appointed the next vice-chief of Indian Army.
Gujarat tops in solar rooftop installations
• In the area of solar rooftop installations, Gujarat has stood first in the country with total 261.97 megawatts (MW) of installed
rooftop solar capacity as on 23 July 2019.
• As per the Central government data, total rooftop solar installations in India is 1700.54 MW.
• Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have solar rooftop installations at 198.52 MW and 151.62 MW respectively.
Vande Bharat completes trial run
• India's fastest train Vande Bharat Express's trial run from New Delhi to Katra was successfully conducted by the Indian Railways'
Northern Railway zone.
• Vande Bharat's second trial run was successfully completed in Kanpur Central Railway station earlier in July 2019.
• Vande Bharat express, also dubbed as 'Train 18', can run up to a maximum speed of 160 kmph.
Centre proposes light urban rail 'Metrolite'
• The Centre has proposed light urban rail transit system - 'Metrolite' - in small cities and towns having a lower projection of
ridership, with each train having three coaches and a restricted speed of 25 kmph.
• 'Metrolite' system which will be developed on the surface and elevated stretches.
• Metrolite platforms will not have AFC gates, platform screen doors, X-ray and baggage scanner.
IIT Kharagpur develops app for elderly people
• In a move to help geriatric care, students of IIT Kharagpur have built an app which will inform the caregiver when the elderly
person falls down with the exact location.
• ‘CARE4U’ the android-based app will connect the caregiver to the elderly person.
• CARE4U can also detect emotions and whenever the elderly opens the app, the phone takes his picture and a mood index is
calculated.
China’s Tiangong 2 was Destroyed by China
• On 19 July 2019, China’s Tiangong-2 space laboratory successfully entered Earth’s atmosphere under controlled conditions and
burned up above the South Pacific Ocean.
• Tiangong-2 was launched into orbit on 15 September 2016.
• In total, the station spent over 1,000 days in orbit, exceeding its proposed 2-year lifespan considerably, and orbited Earth 16,209
times.
Agreement signed b/w India and Aireon
• The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has signed a contract to use the Aireon space-based surveillance system to track aircraft in
the oceanic airspace regions off Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.
• The agreement immediately provides AAI surveillance coverage of regions in the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian
Ocean, representing 6 million sq km.
• Aireon is based in Virginia in the USA.
Dr Samir Rawat invited to Psychology congress
• Lieutenant Colonel Dr Samir Rawat invited as an eminent keynote speaker at the 32nd International Congress of Psychology 2020
(ICP) in Prague.
• ICP is the most prestigious and biggest international event in the psychological world.
• Dr Samir Rawat is a combat veteran and an ardent contributor in military psychology space and travels all over the military world.
UP becomes No. 1 in implementation of PSBY
• Uttar Pradesh has become number one in implementation of Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Beema Yojana (PSBY) in the country.
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• 1.95 crores people have been given insurance cover under the scheme till 31 march 2019.
• Under PSBY, people between the age group of 18 to 70 get an accidental insurance cover of rupees 2 lakh at a premium of 12
rupees annually.
ICMR launches forum to improve data collection
• The Indian Council of Medical Research's (ICMR) National Institute for Medical Statistics, in partnership with Population Council,
launched the National Data Quality Forum (NDQF) on 24 July 2019.
• NDQF will integrate learnings from scientific and evidence-based initiatives.
• Its activities will help establish protocols and good practices of data collection and storage.
Committee formed for issues related to FDI
• A committee has been constituted under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to examine issues
related to FDI in the e-commerce sector.
• The committee will be headed by an additional secretary-level officer from the DPIIT.
• According to the current policy, 100% FDI is allowed in the marketplace format of e-commerce retailing.
PMLVMD Yojana notified by Labour Ministry
• Santosh Kumar Gangwar-led labour ministry has notified the pension scheme for retailers and traders benefitting over three
crore self-employed workers in the country on 22 July 2019.
• The scheme, which is an extension of the PM Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana, will make all beneficiaries eligible for a monthly
pension of Rs 3000 after the age of 60 at a minuscule monthly contribution.
Underwater museum of military vehicle unveiled
• Jordan has unveiled its first underwater military museum off the coast of Aqaba.
• The vehicles, including tanks, troop carriers and a helicopter, imitating a battle formation, have been stationed at a coral reef in
the Red Sea.
• Aqaba is the lone port city of Jordan and is a popular destination for divers.
BRICS Foreign Ministers meeting
• India along with other BRICS nations called on all states to prevent the financing of terrorist networks and terrorist actions from
their territories during the meeting of the BRICS Foreign Ministers in Brazil on 27 July 2019.
• India was represented by Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways VK Singh.
• BRICS consists of five nations Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
Iran test fires ballistic missile
• Iran has test-launched a medium-range ballistic missile inside its borders.
• The missile, a Shahab-3, is a liquid-fuelled, medium-range ballistic weapon capable of carrying a nuclear weapon.
• It is derived from a North Korean missile called the Nodong-A and can fly up to 2000 kilometres.
Nikhat and Deepak won silver medal in boxing
• In Boxing, former junior world champion Nikhat Zareen in 51 kg and Asian silver-winner Deepak Singh in 49 kg category won
silver medals in the Thailand Open International Tournament in Bangkok on 27 July 2019.
• Deepak Singh lost to Mirzakhmedov Nodirjon of Uzbekistan and Nikhat bowed out to Chang Yuan of China.
GST rates reduced on Electrical Vehicles
• The GST Council has decided to reduce GST Rate on Electrical Vehicles from 12% to 5%.
• The new rates will come into effect from the 1 August 2019.
• The Council also approved an exemption from GST on the hiring of Electric Buses by local authorities.
• It also decided to reduce the rate on Electric Vehicle Chargers from 18% to 5%.
Tree Plantation Programme launched Arunachal
• Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on 25 July 2019 launched the State-wide tree plantation programme – ‘Clean-
Green Arunachal Campaign 2019’ – by kickstarting the campaign by planting 1 lakh tree saplings within the next 24 hours.
• The campaign is being held as part of Van Mahotsav celebration has also set the target of planting 1 crore tree within the next
five years.
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Meryl Streep to receive Award at TIFF 2019

• Veteran star Meryl Streep will be honoured Tribute Actor award at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival.
• She will be the first-ever recipient of the award.
• Her next film 'The Laundromat', about the Panama Papers scandal, is among the films that will be screened at the film festival.
IBBI amends norms for liquidation process
• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended norms pertaining to insolvency resolution process for
corporate persons and liquidation process.
• The amendments specify the process for withdrawal of applications before the constitution of Committee of Creditors (CoC) and
other scenarios.
• CoC has to approve a plan providing for contribution for meeting the liquidation costs
Delhi Cabinet nod for 22 commercial courts
• The Delhi Cabinet approved proposals for establishing 22 new commercial courts and 18 permanent fast-track courts in the
national capital.
• The commercial courts will enable quicker disposal of disputes and improve the city's ease-of-doing-business rank.
• Nearly 89,000 civil cases are pending with 59 subordinate courts in the city.
Nagaland government sets up committee
• The Nagaland government has set up a four-member committee to compile the customary practices and usages of all the tribes
of the state.
• The committee will be headed by the Chief secretary.
• The other members of the committee are Home commissioner, secretary of Justice and Law departments.
• The commissioner of the Art and Culture department will be the member secretary.
7th Economic Census to be launched in Tripura
• The fieldwork of the 7th Economic Census will be launched in Tripura on 29 July 2019.
• The fieldwork in other State/ UTs will be launched in August/ September 2019.
• The enumerators and supervisors engaged by CSC have been trained to collect data on a mobile application developed for data
capture, validation, report generation and dissemination.
High-level committee formed for Olympics
• A high-level 10-member Committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju to coordinate
and strategise the preparation for the 2020 and 2024 Olympics.
• The objective of the committee is to ensure that the performance of the Indian athletes is optimised in the Olympics and other
multidisciplinary events.
Government approves national permit scheme
• The government of India has approved the national permit scheme for inter-state travel for bus operators.
• The move is likely to increase the state revenue by 3-4% as the money will be directly credited to the states in a proportionate
manner.
• The government will also provide the online facility of obtaining a permit for the electric vehicles including buses, car taxis, autos
and bike taxis.
B.S Yediyurappa sworn in as CM of Karnataka
• B S Yediyurappa was sworn in as Chief Minister of Karnataka on 26 July 2019.
• Yediyurappa has the record of taking the oath of office as Chief Minister for the fourth time.
• He served as Chief Minister of Karnataka from 2008 to 2011.
Lok Sabha passes Companies (Amendment) Bill
• The Lok Sabha passed The Companies (Amendment) Bill 2019 which seeks to amend the Companies Act 2013.
• It aims to tighten Corporate Social Responsibility compliance, transfer certain responsibilities to National Company Law Tribunal
and categorise certain offences as civil offences.
• Under the Bill, any unspent annual CSR funds must be transferred to the funds under Schedule 7 of the Act.
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New vine snake species discovered

• Researchers from Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru have discovered a new vine snake species in the southern Western
Ghats.
• The species 'Proahaetulla antiqua' is believed to have evolved around 26 million years ago.
• The vine snake species are not only a new species but also belong to a new genus.
Scaly foot snail declared endangered
• Researchers of Queen’s University Belfast found that the scaly-foot snail is the first species to be declared endangered as a result
of deep-sea mining.
• The IUCN has also added the scaly-foot snail to its global Red List, the international inventory of at-risk species.
• Scaly foot snail was first discovered in 2003. It live at depths of up to 9,500 feet in the sea.
Appointments
• Sunil Kumar has been given additional charge of chairman and managing director of the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited.
Kumar is currently Director at MTNL and takes over from PK Purwar who was recently appointed chairman and managing
Director of BSNL.
• RP Upadhyaya took charge as the new DGP of Arunachal Pradesh. He succeeded SBK Singh, who has been transferred to
Mizoram.
NGT approves to build mega reservoir in Delhi
• The National Green Tribunal has approved an ambitious plan of the Delhi government to tap the Yamuna rainwater by building a
1,000 acre mega reservoir on 25 July.
• The project aims to conserve water in the floodplain between Palla on the Delhi-Haryana border and Wazirabad.
• The government's move is to deal with the water shortage in the capital, particularly during summers.
India creates records in nuclear power sector
• India made huge achievements in the nuclear power sector during the last 3 years.
• It includes setting of World Record in the continuous operation of 962 days by Unit-1 of Kaiga Generating Station among nuclear
power plants of all technologies.
• Completion of 50 years of safe operation of Units 1&2 of Tarapur Power Station, which are currently the oldest reactors in
operation in the world.
INS Tarkash arrived in Russia
• Indian Naval Ship Tarkash arrived at St. Petersburg, Russia on 25 July 2019 to participate in the Russian Navy Day Parade.
• INS Tarkash will form part of the mobile column for the review by the President of the Russian Federation.
• During its stay in harbour, the ship will be berthed at Lt Schmidt Embankment and remain open for visitors on 26 and 27 July
2019.
Adhir Ranjan: Chairman of PAC
• Leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, was appointed as the chairman of the Public Accounts
Committee (PAC).
• Chowdhury is the lone member of the party in the PAC from the House.
• The appointment was made by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
• The PAC has 15 members from the Lok Sabha and seven from Rajya Sabha.
Dubai World Expo 2020
• Dubai World Expo 2020 will take place for six months beginning 20th October 2020 up to 10th April 2021.
• The theme of the Expo is 'Connecting Minds, Creating the Future' with 3 sub themes – Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability.
• At expo, the Indian Pavilion will showcase the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways - Piyush Goyal.
Dashboard of DDP launched
• Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh launched a Dashboard of Department Defence Production (DDP), Ministry of Defence, to
help in effective monitoring of various initiatives and schemes of the department.
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• Through this initiative, the Ministry will be able to keep track of the major components of Defence Production, including defence
exports, defence offsets, and MissionRaksha Gyan Shakti.
IIM Calcutta inked MoU with foreign univ.
• IIM Calcutta has signed MoU, each, with Carleton University, Canada and Montpellier Business School, France for fostering
advancement in teaching, research, cultural understanding.
• The MoUs have been signed under the banner of IIM's Student Exchange Program.
• It is aimed at providing IIM Calcutta students an opportunity to have learning experience from international environment.
VP Venkaiah Naidu released book
• Vice President Venkaiah Naidu released titled 'New-Age Technology and Industrial Revolution 4.0' book written by Rajya Sabha
Member, Narendra Jadhav on 25 July 2019.
• This book examines and elaborates on various dimensions of the so-called Industrial Revolution 4.0.
• Narendra Jadhav is an Indian economist, educationist, public policy expert, professor and writer in English, Marathi and Hindi.
Cars24 got NBFC licence from RBI
• Cars24 has received a non-banking finance company (NBFC) licence from the RBI.
• It is set to carve out the lending business as a separate entity within the Cars24 group.
• The company plans to foray into both consumer lending and business lending, to eventually expand its scope of operations and
help it cater to a larger clientele.
Increase of loan limits to MSME sector
• A Committee was constituted by Reserve Bank of India (RBI), headed by former SEBI Chairman UK Sinha.
• It has recommended that the limit for collateral free lending should be increased to Rs 20 lakh for MSMEs and Self-Help Groups
(SHGs).
• The Committee has also recommended revision of loan limit sanctioned under MUDRA to Rs 20 lakh from Rs 10 lakh.
PMAY approved construction of 1.4 lakh houses
• The Centre approved construction of nearly 1.4 lakh more houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), taking the
number of houses to be built under the scheme to over 85 lakh.
• A total of 492 projects will cost ₹6,642 crore.
• PMAY is an initiative in which affordable housing will be provided to the urban poor with a target of building 20 million affordable
houses by 31 March 2022.
GDP growth to be at 6.8% in FY20
• DBS estimates that the Indian economy will not be able to achieve the official forecast of 7% growth in FY20.
• Singaporean lender DBS estimates FY20 growth to stay at 6.8%, the same as FY19.
• The report expects the focus on fiscal consolidation and low inflation will help the monetary policy to be more growth-oriented.
• DBS Headquarters: Singapore.
• CEO: Piyush Gupta.
NTPC, BHEL inked pact
• NTPC Limited and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) have signed a MoU for forming a Joint Venture company.
• An 800 MW Technology Demonstration Plant (TDP) will be set up at NTPC’s existing power plant in Sipat, Chhattisgarh.
• The demonstration plant shall be based on the Advanced Ultra Super Critical (AUSC) technology.
• It will reduce carbon-di-oxide emission by about 20%.
Home Minister Amit Shah to head a panel
• Home Minister Amit Shah will chair a panel of four cabinet ministers to examine ways to prevent workplace sexual harassment.
• The new panel includes Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
• The #MeToo movement triggered a public outcry in the country, with former junior Foreign Minister M J Akbar being accused of
sexual misconduct.
Int-State River Water Disputes Bill introduced
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• A Bill to help adjudicate disputes relating to waters of inter-State rivers and river valleys at a faster pace was introduced in Lok
Sabha.
• The Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019 seeks to amend the Inter State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 to
streamline the adjudication of inter-State river water disputes.
• Union Jal Shakti Minister of India is Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
Byju's as Team India's official sponsor: BCCI
• The BCCI announced that Byju's has replaced Oppo India as the official Team India sponsor.
• The deal period will begin from 5 September, 2019 until 31 March, 2022.
• Byju's logo will be seen on the Indian team jersey September 2019 onwards when the home series against South Africa begins.
• Byju Raveendran is the founder and chief executive of Byju's.
Appointments
• Retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and former Director-General (DG) of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Ranjit Kumar
Pachnanda is the new Chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC).
• Pro Kabaddi League outfit UP Yoddha have announced former cricketer and Member of Parliament, Gautam Gambhir as their
official brand ambassador.
India, Saudi Arabia held discussions
• Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held discussions with Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral
Resources of Saudi Arabia Khalid Al-Falih to further enhance bilateral hydrocarbon cooperation.
• Minister Al-Falih emphasized the need for capitalizing on the growing momentum in bilateral hydrocarbon cooperation.
• Saudi riyal is the currency of Saudi Arabia.
Obituaries
• Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, the North African country's first democratically elected leader, passed away in July 2019. The
veteran politician, the oldest head of state after Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, came to power in 2014,
• Rutger Hauer, the Dutch actor best known for his role as android Roy Batty in film Blade Runner, died in July 2019.
Triple Talaq Bill passed in Lok Sabha
• The Lok Sabha passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 commonly known as Triple Talaq bill by
voice vote.
• It was important to bring in a law banning instant triple talaq as the practice has continued despite a Supreme Court verdict
passed in 2017.
• The Bill is banned in many countries.
Earth-bound orbit of Chandrayaan-2 raised
• The earth-bound orbit of Chandrayaan-2 has further been raised, in preparation of its journey to the South Pole of the moon.
• The orbit has been increased by 9354 kilometres at the farthest point from the earth, as compared to its initial ion during the
launch.
• On 14th August 2019, it is planned to nudge the spacecraft away from its earth-centric orbit to begin its trans-lunar trajectory.
20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas
• The 20th Anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas was celebrated on 26 July 2019.
• The day is named after the successful Operation Vijay in 1999, when India regained the control of the high outposts which had
been stealthily taken over by Pakistan.
• The celebrations of 20th Anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas began in Delhi on 14 July 2019.
Parliament passed RTI Bill 2019
• Parliament has passed the Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019 with the Rajya Sabha approving it amid opposition
walkout.
• The Bill seeks to empower the Centre to make rules to decide the tenure, salary, allowances and other terms of service of
Information Commissioners of the Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions.
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Noida to get 100 charging stations

• 100 charging stations for electric vehicles are in the offing for Noida, where the authority is planning a tie-up with a government-
backed agency for setting up infrastructure for mobility based on clean energy.
• A MoU is expected to be signed between Noida Authority and EESL, a joint venture of public sector undertakings under the Union
Ministry of Power.
IIT Kanpur partnered with Ericsson
• IIT Kanpur and Ericsson will together deploy an NB-IoT (narrowband internet of things) based sensor network to monitor air
pollution in Delhi.
• NB-IoT is a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) radio technology standard developed by 3GPP to enable a wide range of
cellular devices and services.
• Ericsson will use locally-developed air quality sensors capable of sharing environmental data.
India to launch 1st-ever space war exercise
• The Indian armed forces are all set to conduct the country’s first-ever simulated space warfare exercise “IndSpaceEx”.
• This excercise will lead to an assessment of the imminent threats in the expanse beyond earth and the drafting of a joint space
doctrine for futuristic battles.
• Ministry of Defence will organize exercise with all three forces together.
Nishagandhi Sangeetha Awards conferred
• Minister for Tourism Kadakampally Surendran presented the inaugural Nishagandhi Sangeetha Puraskaram to musicians
Parassala B. Ponnammal and T V. Gopalakrishnan at the valedictory function of the five-day music festival Nishagandhi Monsoon
Ragas at Nishagandhi Auditorium on 24 July 2019.
• Instituted by Kerala Tourism, the award carries ₹1.5 lakh in cash, citation and memento.
India's 1st dragon blood-oozing tree
• Assam has found a plant that yields dragon’s blood, a bright red resin used since ancient times as medicine, body oil, varnish, and
dye.
• A trio of researchers led by Assam forest officer Jatindra Sarma has discovered Dracaena cambodiana, a dragon tree species in
the Dongka Sarpo area of West Karbi Anglong.
• This is for the first time that a dragon tree species has been reported from India.
6 firms honoured with CSR awards
• 3rd Edition of the CSR Journal Excellence Awards honoured 6 firms for the best practices in Corporate Social Responsibility.
• The theme of the event was ‘India First’.
• The 6 firms- Tata Power, ReNew Power, Hindustan Zinc, Aditya Birla Capital Ltd., YES Bank Ltd. and Mahindra & Mahindra
emerged as the winners of the awards.
Penalty on Airtel, Vodafone approved by DCC
• The Digital Communications Commission approved imposing cumulative penalty of Rs 3,050 crore on Bharti Airtel and Vodafone
Idea for not providing points of interconnection to Reliance Jio.
• The penalty on Airtel and Vodafone works out to be about Rs 1,050 crore each.
• In case of Idea, it comes to about Rs 950 crore.
Shiva Thapa won gold in Kazakhstan Cup
• 4-time Asian medallist Shiva Thapa became India’s first gold-medallist at the President’s Cup boxing tournament in Astana,
Kazakhstan.
• Signing off with a silver medal was woman boxer Parveen (60kg) who lost her final bout to local hope Rimma Volosenko.
• Thapa had lost to Safiullin in the Asian Championship semifinal earlier in 2019.
Kanungo to run monetary policy portfolio
• With the exit of Viral Acharya, the RBI rejigged portfolios of the other three deputy governors giving the important monetary
policy and forecasting department to B P Kanungo.
• Now, all the other 3 deputy governors -- N S Vishwanathan, B P Kanungo and M K Jain have been made responsible for 12
departments each.
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• Viral Acharya resigned in June 2019 as the deputy Governor of RBI.

HAL delivered Chetak to Indian Navy
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has delivered a Chetak helicopter ahead of schedule to the Indian Navy.
• HAL had entered into a contract with the Indian Navy in August 2017 for the supply of eight Chetak helicopters.
• Two helicopters were scheduled to be delivered in August 2019 while the remaining were to be delivered in August 2020.
Indian ranked 52nd in Global Innovation Index
• Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways, Piyush Goyal, launched the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2019 in New
Delhi on 24 July 2019.
• India jumped five places to improve its position from 57th last year to 52nd in 2019.
• Switzerland remains number one is the GII index followed by Sweden, the United States of America, the Netherlands, and the
United Kingdom as top 5.
Unlawful Activities Amendment Bill passed
• Lok Sabha passed the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019 on 24 July 2019.
• The object of the proposed amendments is to facilitate speedy investigation and prosecution of terror offences and designating
an individual as terrorist in line with the international practices.
• The original law was enacted in 1967.
15th Commission on 3-day visit to Chhattisgarh
• The 15th Finance Commission, headed by Chairman NK Singh met representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, Urban Local
Bodies and the Political Parties of Chhattisgarh in Raipur on 24 July 2019.
• The Finance Commission is on a 3-day visit to Chhattisgarh from 23-25 July 2019.
• It will have a detailed discussion with Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel along with his cabinet colleagues.
Appointments 1
• Biswa Bhusan Harichandan took charge as new Governor of Andhra Pradesh in Rajbhavan in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. His
oath was administered by the AP High Court Acting Chief Justice Justice C. Praveen Kumar.
• Lalji Tandon will take oath as Madhya Pradesh Governor at a function at Raj Bhawan in Bhopal on July 29, 2019. He is the
Governor of Bihar at present.
Priti Patel: Britain's Home Secretary
• British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has appointed Indian origin Priti Patel as the country Home Secretary.
• The Prime Minister named former Home Secretary Sajid Javid to take over from Philip Hammond as the Finance Secretary or
Chancellor.
• Brexit hardliner Dominic Raab was named as the country's Foreign Secretary.
Facebook slapped with 5 bn US dollar fine
• US regulators formalized a record 5 billion US Dollar fine on Facebook for violation of users' privacy in the Cambridge Analytica
data scandal involving 87 million users.
• The penalty was the largest ever imposed on any company for violating consumers' privacy and one of the largest penalties ever
assessed by the US government for any violation.
ADB sanctioned Rs. 1925 cr for projects
• Asian Development Bank has sanctioned Rs.1,925 crore project for upgradation of power generation and distribution in Tripura.
• The project has been sanctioned for upgrading capacity of 63 MW Rokhia Project to 120 MW and modernising Gumti Hydro
Electric Project.
• Rokhia project is located at West Tripura district whereas Gumti project is in Gomati district.
Rajya Sabha passed POCSO Amendment Bill
• The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2019 has been passed by Rajya Sabha.
• The bill seeks to enhance punishment, including a provision for death penalty, for committing sexual crimes against children.
• The government has sanctioned 1023 fast track courts for speedy dispensation of pending cases under POCSO and sexual assault.
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National Affairs
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA has approved the creation of buffer stock of 40 lakh Metric Tonnes of sugar
for one year from the 1 August 2019.
• The Cabinet has approved the merger of National Institute of Miners' Health with ICMR - National Institute of Occupational
Health. This will help both the institutes in terms of enhanced expertise in the field of occupational health.
Amendments to Aadhaar Bill approved
• Union Cabinet has approved Official Amendments to the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill 2019.
• The government has decided to make Aadhaar as identification document so that people can avail the benefit of state subsidies
directly in their bank account and to eliminate middlemen.
• There are around 128 crore Aadhaar cardholders in the country.
PM Modi released book on Chandra Shekhar
• PM Modi released book on Chandra Shekhar.
• The book titled 'Chandra Shekhar- The Last Icon of Ideological Politics’ is written by Deputy Chairman in the Rajya Sabha,
Harivansh and Ravi Dutt Bajpai.
• PM informed that a museum is being built at the Teen Murti Bhavan complex in New Delhi on Prime Ministers of India.
Appointments 2
• Ajay Kumar Bhalla has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Home Affairs with immediate effect.
• Subhash Chandra Garg will now be the Power Secretary.
• Atanu Chakraborty, has been appointed as Secretary in Department of Economic Affairs.
• Anshu Prakash will now be the Secretary in Department of Telecommunications in the Ministry of Communications.
Paypal opened new centre in Hyderabad
• American digital payments firm PayPal announced expansion of its India footprint with the launch of 3rd global technology
centre.
• The Hyderabad facility would house around 100 engineers across roles, including risk management and operations, to provide
cutting-edge digital payments solutions to customers around the world.
• PayPal's other centres are in Chennai and Bengaluru.
RIL became top ranked Indian company
• Reliance Industries (RIL) has become the top-ranked Indian company to feature in the latest Fortune Global 500 list.
• The oil-to-retail major has toppled state-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) as the top-ranked Indian company.
• RIL has attained a rank of 106 in the latest list, recording an improvement of 42 positions.
• IOC improved its position to 117th rank, registering a jump of 20 spots.
AIIB withdrew from Amaravati Project
• After the World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has withdrawn funding for the Amaravati capital city project in
Andhra Pradesh (AP).
• The AIIB was to finance the upcoming city by providing $200 million, while the World Bank was to fund the Amaravati project
with $300 million.
• The World Bank and AIIB were to pump in $500 million, while the Andhra govt the rest.
Ehsan Mani: Chief of ICC Committee
• Pakistan Cricket Board’s chairman Ehsan Mani has been appointed as the head of the ICC’s influential Finance and Commercial
Affairs committee.
• The F&CA assists the ICC in discharging its responsibilities in relation to all financial and commercial matters.
• Another PCB official, Salman Naseer, who is its general counsel and barrister, has been included on the ICC's Safeguarding panel.
Appointments
• The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) has appointed the Canadian Dejan Papic as the head coach of the Indian table tennis
team. He has signed a one-year contract and will be the in charge through the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
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• The U.S. Senate confirmed former soldier Mark Esper as Secretary of Defense, filling America’s longest-ever Pentagon leadership
vacuum.
Acharya Devvrat: New Gujarat Governor
• Gujarat’s new Governor Acharya Devvrat was sworn in on 22 July 2019.
• He was administered the oath of office by the acting Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court, Justice Anant S. Dave, at Raj Bhawan in
the presence of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, outgoing Governor O.P. Kohli and others.
• Mr. Devvrat, who is the 20th Governor of the State, took the oath in Sanskrit.
Kalraj Mishra: New Governor of Himachal P.
• Former Union Minister Kalraj Mishra took oath as the new Governor of Himachal Pradesh in Shimla.
• Kalraj Mishra replaced Acharya Devvrat, who has been shifted to Gujarat.
• Kalraj Mishra is an Indian politician and he is also the former Cabinet Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the BJP-
led NDA government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Andhra: 1st state to reserve 75% private jobs
• Andhra Pradesh became the first state to reserve 75% jobs for local youth in industrial units, factories, joint ventures and projects
set up under public-private partnership mode.
• The assembly recently passed the Andhra Pradesh Employment of Local Candidates in Industries/Factories Act, 2019.
• The CM of Andhra Pradesh is Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Bills introduced in Lok Sabha
• The Code on Wages Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha to amend and consolidate the laws relating to wages and bonus and
matters connected therewith.
• The Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha to amend the laws
regulating the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions of the persons employed in an establishment.
MP Assembly passed bill raising OBC quota
• MP Assembly passed an amendment bill raising reservation in government jobs and education for Other Backward Classes (OBC)
to 27% from the present 14%.
• The Bill is now going to the Governor and President for assent.
• After this amendment, reservation in Madhya Pradesh will touch 73%, including 10% quota for the Economically Weaker Section
from the general category.
Virat on No.1 in ICC Test Rankings
• Virat Kohli has retained his number 1 position in the latest ICC Test batsmen's rankings.
• New Zealand's Kane Williamson (913) is second and Cheteshwar Pujara (881) third in the rankings released on 22 July 2019.
• In the team rankings, India remains in the first place followed by New Zealand (2) and South Africa (3) with England (4) and
Australia (5) rounding up the top five.
Abhay, Tanvi won Bengal Open Squash
• Abhay Singh of Tamil Nadu and Asian Games medallist Tanvi Khanna clinched the men's and women's titles respectively in the
6th Bengal Open squash tournament in Kolkata on 23 July 2019.
• Singh defeated Abhishek Pradhan 11-6 11-6 11-4, while Tanvi fought her way past Aparajitha Balamurukan 11-7 11-6 5-11 13-11.
• Shameena recently won the U-15 title at the All India Squash Open in Mumbai.
Bangladesh: Scientists developed a new method
• Scientists in Bangladesh have developed a method to convert Jute fibre into low-cost bio-degradable cellulose sheets named
'Sonali'.
• It can be used as a wrapping material and carrying bag.
• The Eco-friendly jute poly bags made up of Sonali can be used in garments and food packaging work and they are not harmful for
human health.
• Its commercial production is likely to start by 2019 end.
Boris Johnson took over as Britain PM
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• The new leader of Conservative party Boris Johnson took over as Prime Minister of Britain on 24 July 2019.
• Mr Johnson is scheduled to meet the Queen at Buckingham Palace where he will be invited to form a new government.
• He also announced senior cabinet posts, including chancellor of the exchequer and home secretary.
New India-UK schme to fund students from UK
• A new India-UK bilateral pilot scheme has been launched to support Britain's universities to collaborate with Indian partners to
send UK students to India to study.
• The “UKEIRI Mobility Programme: Study in India”, an initiative of Universities UK International (UUKI) and British Council India,
opened on 23 July 2019.
• It aims to generate up to 200 opportunities for undergraduate UK students.
National Affairs I
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the increase in the number of awards given to the cadets of National Cadet Corps
(NCC) from the existing 143 to 243 and cash incentives in various categories.
• The Supreme Court extended the deadline for publication of final National Register of Citizens, NRC, in Assam by a month, from
July 31 to August 31, 2019.
Parliament passed Finance Bill
• Parliament has passed the Finance Bill 2019 and Appropriation Bill 2019 with the Rajya Sabha returning them to the Lower
House.
• The Finance bill gives effect to the financial proposals of the Central Government for the financial year 2019-20.
• The Appropriation Bill seeks to authorise payment and appropriation of certain sums from and out of the Consolidated Fund of
India for the FY 2919-20.
Government to install solar projects by 2022
• The government has set a target for the installation of Rooftop Solar projects of 40,000 MW by 2022 in the country.
• The projects include installation of solar panels on the rooftop of houses.
• Over 1700 Mega Watt of grid-connected rooftop systems has been installed in the country till 18 July 2019.
• 1.5 million units per MegaWatt per year are generated from solar rooftop plants on an average.
Motor Vehicles Bill passed
• The Lok Sabha has passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 by voice vote.
• The bill seeks to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 to provide for road safety.
• The Bill proposes a scheme to allow cashless treatment of victims in a road accident during the golden hour.
• The Bill proposes to increase the minimum compensation for hit and run cases.
National Affairs II
• The government has extended the deadline for filing of Income Tax returns by individuals for financial year 2018-19 to 31st of
August from 31st July, 2019.
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) celebrated the 159th Income Tax Day on 24th July 2019. It was on 24th July, 1860 that
Income Tax was introduced for the first time in India by Sir James Wilson.
MMRCL gave order to Blue Star
• Blue Star Ltd has won an air conditioning and tunnel ventilation system order valued at ₹253 crore from Mumbai Metro Rail
Corporation Ltd (MMRCL).
• The scope of work includes installation and commissioning of the air conditioning and more for 9 underground stations.
• MMRCL is a joint venture between the central government and the state government of Maharashtra.
Greenko raised $950 million
• GIC Holdings Pte. Ltd and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) backed Greenko Energy Holdings has raised $950 million.
• The bond raise followed after the 2 sovereign wealth funds agreed to pump in an additional $329 million in Greenko Energy
Holdings.
• Greenko owns operating assets of 4.2 gigawatts (GW) and under-construction assets of 7 GW.
Paytm to give instant digital loan
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• Paytm partnered with Clix Finance to offer instant digital loans to customers and merchants on its platform.
• The company would offer loans to Paytm customers and merchants through Deferred Payment or Postpaid and Merchant
Lines facilities.
• Over the next few months, Clix and Paytm will introduce several new products to further enhance customer experience and meet
customer demand.
Shane Lowry won British Open
• Irishman Shane Lowry won British Open to claim his first major golfing title at Royal Portrush.
• He became the 2nd player from the Republic of Ireland, after Padraig Harrington in 2007 and 2008, to lift the Claret Jug.
• Players from Ireland and Northern Ireland have won five of the past 13 Opens, with Darren Clarke (2011) and Rory McIlroy (2014)
also hoisting the Claret Jug.
LIC to offer 1.25 trillion by 2024
• LIC has agreed to offer Rs 1.25 trillion line of credit by 2024, to fund highway projects.
• The Rs 8.41 trillion ambitious Bharatmala project aims to lay a grid of highways pan-India,
• The Bharatmala programme will be funded through cess, toll revenue, market borrowings, private sector participation, insurance
fund, pension funds, masala bonds and the LIC credit line was one such initiative.
National Broadcasting Day: 23 July
• National Broadcasting Day is observed every year on 23 July.
• On this day in 1927, the first-ever radio broadcast in the country went on the air from the Bombay Station under a private
company, the Indian Broadcasting Company.
• On 8th of June, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service became All India Radio.
• Since 1927, radio has been an important part in people's life in India.
Kanwar Yatra app for pilgrims in Meerut
• A Kawad Yatra Management app has been designed for facilitating and guiding the Kawariya's on their journey in the Meerut
Zone.
• The app provides all information about the routes, temples, hospitals, police and 'Shivir' (camps).
• It can be downloaded on Google play store and will operate on any Android mobile phone like other applications.
Right to Information Bill passed
• Lok Sabha passed the Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019 on 22 July 2019.
• In this amendment, it is proposed to amend the Right to Information Act, 2005 so as to provide that the term of office of, and the
salaries, allowances and other terms and conditions of service of, the Chief Information Commissioner and Information
Commissioners.
Keshav, Prasun chosen for Mohun Bagan Ratna
• Two-time Olympic gold medallist Keshav Dutt and former India Football Captain Prasun Banerjee will be conferred the 'Mohun
Bagan Ratna' on 29 July 2019.
• July 29 is celebrated as the 'Mohun Bagan Day' because on this day in 1911, the Mariners became the first club to defeat a British
club, East YorkshireRegiment, and lift the IFA Shield.
PV Sindhu to lead Indian in Japan Open
• In Badminton, PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth will lead the Indian campaign at the Japan Open BWF World Tour Super, starting
in Tokyo from 23 July 2019.
• B Sai Praneeth faced Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto. Sindhu opens her campaign against China’s Han Yue in women's singles on 24 July
2019.
• The men's doubles partners Manu Attri and Sumeeth B Reddy took on Goh Seh Fei and Nur Izzudin of Malaysia.
Harmeet, Ayhika won gold: TT Championship
• In Table Tennis, host India claimed all the seven gold medals at the 21st Commonwealth Championships, which concluded in
Cuttack on 22 July 2019.
• Harmeet Desai and Ayhika Mukherjee won the men's and women's singles titles and claimed gold.
• Anthony Amalraj and Manav Thakkar claimed the men's doubles gold by stunning top seeds Sathiyan and Sharath Kamal 3-1.
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UP government to install statue of Lord Ram

• UP CM Yogi Adityanath approved the plan to install a 251-metre-tall statue of Lord Ram at Ayodhya.
• The statue would be taller than the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's Statue of Unity in Gujarat, which is 183-meter-tall.
• The statue of Lord Ram would be installed on the 100 hectares of land near River Sarayu in Ayodhya.
Maharashtra topped in ATM frauds
• Maharashtra reported 233 cases of ATM fraud in 2018-19, the highest in the entire country, Reserve Bank Of India (RBI) data
revealed.
• The data showed that Delhi grabbed the second spot with 179 cases, followed by Tamil Nadu with 147 cases of ATM fraud.
• In Maharashtra, people lost Rs 4.8 crore to bank fraud, while in Delhi people lost Rs 2.9 crore.
Navy Commissions Dornier Squadron INAS 313
• The Navy commissioned its fifth Dornier Aircraft Squadron - Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 313 in Chennai on 22th July 2019.
• INAS 313 derives its name ‘Sea Eagle’ from the bird of prey family Accipitridae.
• The Squadron will be operating from Chennai International Airport.
• With this Tamil Nadu will have three naval air bases; which is the highest number for any Coastal State.
Ban on cryptocurrencies in India recommended
• India seems to ban private cryptocurrencies after an inter-ministerial committee (IMC) suggested outlawing private
cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin.
• The committee comprised of the Secretary (Economic Affairs) as the chairman, along with the Secretary, Ministry of electronics
and information technology, SEBI chairman and the deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India.
Yukiya Amano passed away
• Former Japanese diplomat and International Atomic Energy Agency Chief Yukiya Amano passed away in July 2019.
• He had been chief of the key U.N. agency that regulates nuclear issues worldwide since 2009.
• As Head of the IAEA, Amano also dealt with the aftermath of the devastating 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan.
8 Air Routes Made Functional Under UDAN Scheme
• Eight routes under regional connectivity scheme UDAN have become functional.
• According to Civil Aviation Ministry, by this the total number of operational routes have become 194.
• The ministry had launched the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme on October 21, 2016 to stimulate regional air
connectivity and make air travel affordable to the masses.
World Brain Day: 22 July
• World Brain Day is observed on July 22 every year.
• The day aims at promoting interest of neurology. Previously, World Brain Day has covered topics like dementia, epilepsy and
stroke, in cooperation with other societies.
• World Brain Day 2019 theme is Migraine: The Painful Truth.
• This year, the focus is on migraine, which is known to be one of world's most common brain diseases.
Protection of Human Rights Bill passed
• Parliament has passed the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019 with Rajya Sabha approving it 22 July 2019.
• The bill provides for a reduction in the tenure of Chairpersons of National Human Rights Commission and State Human Rights
Commissions to three years from the current five years.
• It amends the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
NDA government completed 50 days in 2nd term
• The Narendra Modi Government has completed fifty days in office in its second term.
• PM Narendra Modi has already laid down the vision of India becoming a Five-trillion dollar economy by 2024-25.
• Indian economy is expected to grow at 6.8% in 2018-19 while maintaining macro-economic stability.
• Measures have been proposed to enhance the sources of capital for infrastructure financing.
PM to visit Bhutan in August
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• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a two-day official visit to Bhutan in August 2019.
• The visit will reflect the importance New Delhi attaches to its ties with Bhutan and would reiterate the government's emphasis on
its Neighbourhood First policy.
• The two countries share a unique and time-tested bilateral relationship, characterized by trust, goodwill, and mutual
understanding.
NASA prepared to send 1st woman on moon
• The world marked the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing recently.
• The US space agency has doubled down on its next giant leap with the Artemis programme that would take the first woman and
the next man to the lunar surface.
• Artemis is named after the twin sister of Apollo who is also the Goddess of the Moon and the hunt.
Dhoni to train with Parachute regiment
• MS Dhoni’s request to train with a battalion of the Indian Army’s Parachute Regiment for two months has been approved by
Army chief General Bipin Rawat.
• Some part of his training is expected to take place in Jammu & Kashmir.
• He holds the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army unit of the Parachute Regiment (106 Para TA battalion).
Indian Army to witness change
• The Indian Army is all set to see a major change in its top brass as the government is expected to announce the appointment to
the post of Vice Chief of Army Staff and top Army Commanders anytime soon.
• Eastern Army Commander Lt General MM Narawane is set to take over as the Vice Chief of Army Staff to replace incumbent Lt
Gen Devraj Anbu who is due to retire on August 31, 2019.
PV Sindhu clinched silver in Indonesia Open
• Fourth seed Akane Yamaguchi defeated PV Sindhu in straight games 21-15, 21-16 to lift her maiden Indonesia Open title at Istora
Senayan Stadium in Jakarta.
• Sindhu had to settle for just a silver medal in her first final of 2019.
• The last time the Indian lost to the Japanese was at the semifinals of the All England Championship in 2018.
Manny Pacquiao won WBA welterweight title
• Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao claimed the WBA welterweight championship after scoring a split-decision win against Keith
Thurman.
• He ended the American Keith Thurman’s undefeated run at the MGM Grand, where two judges had the fight 115-112 in favour of
the 40-year-old Pacquiao.
• One judge scored the welterweight bout 114-113 to Thurman, who was knocked down by Pacquiao in the opening round
S. Sowmya chosen for Sangita Kalanidhi Award
• S. Sowmya has been chosen for the Sangita Kalanidhi award of the Music Academy.
• She will preside over 93rd annual conference of the Academy to be held between December 12, 2019, and January 1, 2020.
• Nagaswaram player Vyasarpadi Kothandaraman and vocalist Rajkumar Bharathi will get the TTK awards while Aarti N. Rao will get
the Musicologist Award.
President appointed new Governors
• President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed new governors for the states of UP, West Bengal, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and
Nagaland.
• Anandiben Patel will serve as Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Jagdeep Dhankhar as Governor of West Bengal, Ramesh Bais as
Governor of Tripura, Lal Ji Tandon as Governor of Madhya Pradesh, Phagu Chauhan as Governor of Bihar and R. N. Ravi as
Governor of Nagaland.
Miscellaneous
• The World Bank continues to support Andhra Pradesh with an over one billion USD programme that covers the health,
agriculture, energy and disaster management sectors.
• The government has asked Air India to put a freeze on large-scale promotion and appointments. A new flight has to be started
only when it is extremely necessary and after due diligence from commercial aspect.
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11th DefExpo to be organised in 2020

• The 11th biennial edition of DefExpo India- 2020 is scheduled to be held for the first time in Uttar Pradesh.
• It will be held from 5th-8th February 2020.
• Main theme of the DefExpo India- 2020 will be ‘India: The Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub’ and focus will be on ‘Digital
Transformation of Defence’.
50th anniversary of Apollo 11
• The 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 moon landing was celebrated on 20 July 2019.
• On this day, American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the Moon.
• Their lunar module, named Eagle, touched down on 20th July, 1969.
• Ex-fighter pilot Collins remained in lunar orbit, where he was in touch with ground control.
FDI inflow registered growth of 79%
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow has increased during the last six years from 36.05 billion US Dollars in 2013-14 to 64.38
billion US Dollars in 2018-19.
• The growth registered during this time was 79%.
• The intent is to make the FDI policy more investor-friendly and remove the policy bottlenecks that have been hindering
investment inflow into the country.
9725 houses to be built under PMAY-U
• In Manipur, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban(PMAY-U) is being implemented effectively.
• Till now, 26,348 beneficiaries for 24 towns have already been approved by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• Nearly 9,725 houses will be built by the end of 2019 under the scheme.
• A target to obtain approval for 46,360 numbers of beneficiaries has been kept by the Manipur government.
Obituaries
• The senior LJP leader and MP Ramchandra Paswan passed away in July 2019. He was from Samastipur, Bihar.
• Former BJP Delhi President Mange Ram Garg passed away in July 2019. He was the former member of Delhi Legislative Assembly
and was elected to the assembly in 2003.
Sports
• The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the three Indian squads (ODIs, T20Is and Tests) for the upcoming tour
of the West Indies. India's tour of the West Indies will begin on August 3, 2019 in Florida.
• Ravinder Kumar Malik has clinched Mr. South Asia title. He was crowned the champion at 12th South Asian Bodybuilding and
Physique Sports Championship held in Kathmandu.
Hima das won gold in 400 m race
• Hima Das won a gold medal in the 400-meter race with a season-best time of 52.09 seconds at Nove Mesto in the Czech Republic
on 21 July 2019.
• It was Hima's fifth gold medal since July 2 when she ran her first competitive race in Europe.
• Hima has already won gold in 200 meters race at the Poznan Athletics Grand Prix and Kutno Athletics Meet in Poland earlier in
July 2019.
PMKSNY: 7 cr 32 lakh families received install
• Over 7 crore 32 lakh farmer families across the country have received the first and second instalments of Rs. 2000 each under the
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.
• UP with over 2 crores 20 lakh farmer families topped the list followed by Andhra Pradesh with 72 lakh and Maharastra 50 lakh
farmers.
• PM-KISAN envisages covering approximately 14 crore 50 lakh beneficiaries.
20,000 wellness centres to be completed
• 20,000 wellness centres will be completed by the end of the current year under Ayushman Bharat programme.
• A total of 1.5 lakh wellness centres are to be established in the country under this programme.
• The government has set a target of eradicating Tuberculosis from the country by 2025.
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• Ayushman Bharat programme as a successful model in implementing universal health.

Chandrayaan-2 launched at 2:43pm
• India’s expedition to the moon was launched on 22 July 2019.
• Chandrayaan-2 was launched by using the heavy-lift launch vehicle GSLV-Mark-Three.
• The rocket carrying the prestigious probe will be ignited at 2.43 pm from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in
Andhra Pradesh.
• Originally Chandrayaan-2 was planned to be launched on the 15th July 2019.
Appointments
• Rajya Sabha MP D Raja was appointed as the General Secretary of CPI on 21 July 2019.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Shri Ajay Bhadoo, as Joint Secretary to the
President for a tenure co-terminus with the President.
NSG facility inaugurated at CCMB
• The Next Generation Sequencing (NSG) facility was inaugurated at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad on
20 July 2019.
• The facility includes technology for high genome sequencing and also diagnostic sequencing of clinical samples.
• The NSG would help prenatal genetic screening and counselling, thereby generating large scale genomic data for diagnosis and
therapy.
SIDBI introduces web-based application system
• Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has introduced a web-based application system for contribution from the
Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS).
• The aim of the system is to improve the turnaround time and increase transparency.
• Applications for contribution from various Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) will now be accepted online.
Government of India cuts interest rate on GPF
• The government of India has lowered interest rate on General Provident Fund (GPF).
• For the July-September, General Provident Fund and other similar funds will pay a 7.9% interest rate to its subscribers, as
compared to 8% in the previous quarter.
• This interest rate will be applicable on provident funds of central government employees, railways and defence forces.
HDFC bank launches 'MoneyBack' Credit Card
• HDFC Bank and Government of India’s Common Service Centre (CSC) have launched a co-branded small business MoneyBack
Credit Card for Village-Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) and VLE-sourced customers.
• The credit card will give users easy access to credit for their day-to-day business expenses.
• CSCs act as access points for delivery of various services.
Israel Aerospace signs $50 Million deal
• State-owned defense contractor Israel Aerospace Industries has signed a $50 million follow-up contract to provide
complementary missile systems to the Indian navy and India’s MDL Shipyard.
• The agreement involves a range of maintenance and other services for sub-systems of Israel Aerospace's naval medium-range
surface-to-air missile.
12 beaches selected for 'Blue Flag’ challenge
• The Union Environment Ministry has selected 12 beaches in India to vie for a ‘Blue Flag’ certification.
• These beaches are at Shivrajpur (Gujarat), Bhogave (Maharashtra), Ghoghla (Diu), Miramar (Goa), Kasarkod and Padubidri
(Karnataka), Kappad (Kerala), Eden (Puducherry), Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu), Rushikonda (Andhra Pradesh), Golden (Odisha),
and Radhanagar (Andaman & Nicobar Islands).
Palau signs ISA Framework agreement
• Palau signed the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework Agreement.
• Palau became the 76th country to sign the ISA Framework Agreement, which till date has been ratified by a total of 54 of the 76
countries.
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• The ISA was jointly launched by Prime Minister Modi and then French President Francois Hollande at the UN Climate Change
Conference in Paris on November 2015.
ICICI Bank launches InstaBIZ Banking Platform
• ICICI Bank launched ‘InstaBIZ’ a new digital platform for MSMEs and self-employed customers to enable them to undertake their
business banking transactions digitally and instantly.
• The programme allows customers to avail as many as over 115 products and services on their mobile phone or internet banking
platform.
• MSMEs, who are not customers of the Bank, can also download ‘InstaBIZ’
Important Days
• The Nelson Mandela International Day is celebrated every year on July 18.
• Nelson Mandela is remembered as an anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and philanthropist.
• International Justice Day is observed on 17 July.
• World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) was observed on 15 July 2019.
Indian Cyber Crime Centre launched by MHA
• Ministry of Home Affairs has rolled out a scheme ‘Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C)’ for the period 2018-2020, to
combat cybercrime in the country, in a coordinated and effective manner.
• The scheme has seven components.
• The Central Government has launched the Cybercrime Reporting Portal to enable citizens to report online content pertaining to
Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
Andhra Bank launches AI Chatbot
• Andhra Bank on 15 July 2019 launched its Artificial Intelligence interactive assistant — ABHi.
• With ABHi, customers will be able to get the information instantaneously 24x7, anytime they want.
• The Bank's AI-powered chatbot-ABHi uses the latest Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) algorithm to
understand the customer query.
India's current account balance deficit grew
• 'The External Sector' Report was released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on 17 July 2019.
• According to the report, India's current account (CA) balance deficit grew to $68 billion in 2018-19 from $49 billion the previous
year.
• India's overall international reserves, though stood at $411.9 billion at the end of March 2019, down from March 2018 by $12.5
billion.
Gujarat tops in MSME lending potential
• As per TransUnion CIBIL- SIDBI’s MSME Pulse Report, Gujarat has emerged as the top state, in terms of performance and credit
growth potential for MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) Corporate Lending in India.
• It is followed by Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka and Delhi.
• MSME corporate entities are borrowers with aggregate credit exposure of up to ₹50 crore.
Repco MFI wins award from NABARD
• Repco Micro Finance, an NBFC-MFI promoted by Repco Bank, has received NABARD’s award for outstanding performance in
terms of Self-Help Group (SHG) linkage in Tamil Nadu for 2018-19.
• Repco Micro Finance institution currently headquartered in Chennai and it operates from 90 branches in Tamil Nadu and
Puducherry.
• Repco Micro Finance has provided SHG loans worth ₹3,600 crore.
India & China joint military drill in Dec
• The next edition of India and China military drill will be held in December 2019.
• The joint military exercise 'Hand-in-Hand' will be held in Umroi near Shillong, Meghalaya.
• The last exercise, which was the seventh edition, was held in Chengdu in December 2018.
• In Umroi, the two forces will focus on counter-terror operations, establishment of the joint command post and joint combat drill.
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India's first garbage cafe launched

• India's first garbage cafe was launched Ambikapur Municipal Corporation in Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh.
• Under this program, any person fetching a kilo of plastic waste to the garbage cafe will be assured of a full meal while those
collecting at least 500 grams will get breakfast.
• The city of Ambikapur has been ranked second cleanest city in India after Indore.
India's first space tech park in Kerala
• The Kerala government will set up India’s first space tech park at Thiruvananthapuram's Knowledge City.
• The move is aimed at making the city a manufacturing hub for space-related technology.
• A space museum named after former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam will also be a part of the infrastructure.
• The entire investment in the park will be made by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.
Sports
• The Cricket Association of Pondicherry (CAP) has been granted the status of a Full Member of the BCCI by the Committee of
Administrators (CoA).
• Squash players Anahat Singh won the girls’ U13 title while Neel Joshi won the boys’ U17 title.
• North Korea won the second edition of Intercontinental Cup football tournament beating Tajikistan in the final match on 19 July
2019.
Obituaries
• Cesar Pelli, the Argentine designer behind the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia, passed away on 20 July 2019.
• Three-time Delhi Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Sheila Dikshit passed away on 20 July 2019 in New Delhi.
• Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal passed away in Chennai on 18 July 2019.
'Happiness Utsav' begins in Delhi schools
• On 16 July 2019, the Delhi government launched the 'Happiness Utsav' across all 1,031 schools of the directorate to celebrate the
success of the ‘happiness curriculum’.
• The first 50 minutes of each school day will be dedicated to the festival with all students of the Delhi government schools taking
part in it.
• The festival will conclude on 31 July 2019.
International Chess Day: 20 July
• The ‘International Chess Day’ is observed every year on 20 July.
• It’s a special day for India as Chess is one of the precious gifts of India to the world.
• Just two days ago, Indian chess got its 64th Grandmaster Prithu Gupta, a very symbolic day as the chess board is made up of 64
squares.
• The origin of chess is found in ‘Chaturanga’ – a strategy game played in India in the medieval era.
South Asia's first cross border pipeline
• South Asia’s first cross border petroleum pipeline will link Motahari in India and Amlekhgunj in Nepal.
• Motihari- Amlekhgunj petroleum pipeline will be a game-changer for Nepal.
• It has been successfully completed and there is a need to lay a gas pipeline.
• The 69-kilometre long petroleum pipeline from Motihari in Bihar to Amelkhgunj in Nepal has been constructed by India.
World Bank dropped Amaravati Project
• The World Bank has pulled out of the Amaravati Sustainable Infrastructure and Institutional Development Project.
• The World Bank’s website shows the status of the Amaravati Sustainable Infrastructure and Institutional Development Project as
‘Dropped’.
• The Bank has taken into consideration various complaints from people’s groups about environmental concerns.
Exercise Garuda-VI successfully conducted
• After successful exercise Garuda-VI, the Indian Air Force (IAF) Contingent landed back in India from France on 19 July 2019.
• Exercise Garuda provided a unique opportunity for the exchange of knowledge & experience in a dynamic warfare environment.
• This was one of the biggest air exercises that are being planned between the two Air Forces.
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PingPong launched Global Payment Service

• PingPong is one of the world's fastest-growing cross-border B2B payment platforms.
• It has announced its launch in the Indian market, providing cross-border payment services for Indian sellers.
• PingPong simply has a 1% fee rate in India, which means that cross-border sellers who use PingPong can save at least half of the
service fee during the payment process.
Algeria lifted Africa Cup of Nations
• Algeria won the Africa Cup of Nations for the 2nd time when a freak 2nd-minute goal by Baghdad Bounedjah gave them a 1-0 win
over gallant Senegal in the final.
• Algeria committed 32 fouls according to official match statistics.
• Senegal was awarded a penalty for handball in the second half but the decision was revoked following a VAR review.
Defence
• Indian Army successfully carried out summer user trials of third Generation Anti-Tank Guided Missile NAG at Pokhran Field Firing
Ranges, conducted between July 7-18, 2019.
• INS Tarkash, a frontline warship of the Indian Navy, made a port call at Karlskrona, Sweden on 19 July 2019. This marks the first
visit of an Indian Naval Ship to Swedish shores after a gap of more than 15 years.
Miscellaneous
• Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar inaugurated the 10th Jagran Film festival at Siri Fort Auditorium
in New Delhi.
• In yet another European Union move against a US tech giant, the bloc's antitrust chief on 18 July 2019 fined chipmaker
Qualcomm $271 million, accusing it of 'predatory pricing' to drive a competitor out of the market.
Sri Lanka signed agreement with India
• Sri Lanka signed an agreement with India to upgrade tracks in a key railway segment connecting the north and south at a cost of
$ 91.26 million.
• This is the first time in 100 years that the 130 km-long-tracks, running from Maho town in the North Western Province to
Omanthai in the Northern Province, are being upgraded.
Appointments
• Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Vivek Kumar was appointed as private secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 19 July
2019.
• Senior diplomat Sanjeev Kumar Singla has been appointed as the next Indian Ambassador to Israel.
• Israel Capital - Jerusalem
• Currency - Israeli new shekel
New e-challan system for Delhi Traffic Police
• Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik launched the new e-challan system and the e-payment gateway for the use of Delhi
Traffic Police.
• The payment gateway will help the citizens with the flexibility to login securely at their convenience and settle the pending
violation notices with proof of payment.
• The E-challan devices are enabled with active GPS.
Rajnath Singh to inaugurate 2 bridge projects
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be on a day-long visit of Jammu and Kashmir on 20 July 2019.
• During his visit he will pay tributes to the Martyrs on 20th anniversary of Kargil war and will interact with troops.
• He will also inaugurate 2 bridge projects on the rivers Ujh in Kathua district and Basantar in Samba district of Jammu division.
Himachal Pradesh CM received Victory Flame
• In Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur received the 'Victory Flame' at Mandi on 19 July 2019.
• It illuminated from the National War Memorial, New Delhi on 14 July 2019 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas.
• The Kargil Vijay Diwas is being celebrated across the country and on this occasion, we renew our resolve to safeguard the honour
of the tricolour.
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Bihar: More than 52,000 placements done

• In Bihar, under Prime Minister Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PMKVY) more than 52,000 placements have been done during last 3 years
after the training of youths.
• Under the short term courses and training, 1.66 lakh youths got registered out of which 1.37 lakh trained since 2016 in the state.
• Unemployed youths are getting their skills honed at several institutions.
Kolkata MC to launch special cleanliness drive
• The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has decided to launch special cleanliness drive in Dengue prone 22 wards in the city.
• The Civic body will form special teams for cleaning of garbage at Dengue prone areas.
• The State Health Department has earmarked beds for Dengue affected patients at Government hospitals.
• 132 patients have been attacked by dengue in the metropolis in 2019 so far.
Sanjivani Yadav handed 2-year suspension
• India's runner Sanjivani Yadav has been handed a 2-year suspension by the IAAF's Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for a doping
violation.
• She won the 10,000m bronze at the 2019 Asian Championships and 5000m bronze in the 2017 edition.
• She admitted to her first violation resulting in disqualification all past results since June 29, 2018.
Sports I
• In Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship held in Cuttack, India made a record by winning gold in both men’s and women’s
category. The Indian women team won gold for the first time in the history in the commonwealth games.
• Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju launched the All India Football Federation's Golden Baby Leagues handbook 2019-20 on the sidelines
of the Intercontinental Cup in Ahemadabad.
Aishwarya Pratap Singh clinched gold
• In the Shooting Junior World Cup, Aishwarya Pratap Singh Tomar clinched gold with a junior world record in the final of rifle 3-
position event in Suhl Germany.
• After qualifying in the 4th place with a total of 1171, Tomar with a score of 459.3 score won a gold.
• India finished the ISSF tournament on top of the table with 10 gold, 9 silver and 5 bronze for a total of 24 medals.
Sports II
• The Maharashtra sports department has sought funds of over Rs one crore for ace shooter Rahi Sarnobat. She has qualified for
the next year's Tokyo Olympics.
• India is in line to get the Asian Games gold in 4x400 mixed relay as Kemi Adekoya of Bahrain, who was part of the gold winning
team, has been handed a four-year ban for failing a dope test.
NDRF deployed 124 teams in the country
• The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 124 teams in the various parts of the country to respond to any type
of disaster emergency, natural or man-made.
• 84 teams have been pre-positioned in 23 states at 71 locations as per the flood vulnerability profile of the states.
• 40 teams have been permanently deployed in 27 Regional Response Centers (RRCs) for a prompt response.
Army Chief Bipin Rawat visited Dras sector
• Chief of Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat, visited Dras sector on 19 July 2019.
• During the visit, he was briefed by the General Officer Commanding, 'Fire & Fury' Corps on the prevailing situation and
operational preparedness in the Sector.
• He also interacted with soldiers deployed on the Line of Control (LC).
• He was accompanied by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command.
Piyush Goyal to launch Global Innovation Index
• Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will launch the Global Innovation Index, GII on 24 July 2019 in New Delhi.
• The GII has been a charter for assessing the innovation capabilities of national economies worldwide.
• This year’s theme is Evaluating the Medical Innovation Scenario of the Next Decade.
Protection of Human Rights Bill passed
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• The Protection of Human Rights(Amendment) Bill 2019 was passed by voice vote in Lok Sabha on 19 July 2019.
• The amended Act will enable the appointment of the retired Chief Justice or retired Judges of the Supreme Court as the
Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission.
• It also provides for appointing three instead of two members from civil society who have knowledge of Human Rights.
President Kovind to visit 3 African countries
• President Ram Nath Kovind will embark on a week-long visit to Benin, Guinea Conakry and Gambia, beginning 28 July 2019.
• This will be the highest-level visit from India ever to the three West African countries.
• Since the Modi government took office in 2014, there has been a rise in high-level visits to resource-rich Africa, especially since
the third India Africa Summit in 2015.
IIT Madras to offer tech MBA to undergrads
• IIT Madras is launching a first-of-its-kind tech MBA programme for its undergraduate (UG) students from all the engineering
streams.
• The students taking tech MBA programme will be awarded 2 degrees - Engineering UG degree (B.Tech.) and Master's degree in
Management (MBA).
• The Institute is introducing the programme from the Academic Year 2019-20 and it will have an intake of 25-30 students.
Jio pipped Airtel: 2nd largest operator now
• Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd has overtaken Bharti Airtel to become the second-largest operator in terms of mobile subscriber base.
• The data was given by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
• As of May end, Jio had 322.98 million users as against Airtel’s 320.38 million users.
• Vodafone Idea continues in the top position with 387.55 million users.
Mergers and Acquisitions
• Larsen & Toubro Infotech Ltd has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Lymbyc, a specialist AI company to strengthen it’s
digital and analytics offerings for ₹38 crore.
• Ebix Inc has acquired Yatra Online Inc, for a value of $337.8 million (Rs 2,323.6 crore) in an all-stock deal. The two companies
have entered into a definitive agreement under which Ebix will acquire Yatra via merger.
NIIT bagged ASSOCHAM awards 2019
• NIIT Limited has bagged the ASSOCHAM Education Excellence Awards 2019 as the 'Best Innovative Brand' in the Education sector.
• It received the award for company's continuous effort to offer new-age Career Programs to address the changing workforce
requirements.
• Over the last 38 years, NIIT has contributed extensively to the IT sector by impacting over 35 million learners in IT.
PT Usha nominated for IAAF veteran pin
• Former Olympic track and field athlete P T Usha has been nominated for the International Association of Athletics Federations
Veteran Pin for her ‘long and meritorious service to the cause of World Athletics’.
• She will receive the pin during the opening ceremony of the 52nd IAAF Congress in Doha.
• Usha is often called the 'queen of track and field'.
BSE, Haryana govt signed pact
• BSE has inked a pact with Haryana government to encourage and support state’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)
to raise capital.
• The Government of Haryana and BSE intend to facilitate SMEs in raising funds through BSE’s dedicated platform for SME’s 'BSE
SME'.
• By getting listed on the BSE's SME platform, the enterprises will get equity financing opportunities.
Appointments
• BharatPe has appointed Pawan Pathak as its senior vice-president (product) and Abhishek Sharma as its vice-president (product).
• The company provides merchants interoperable QR codes that can be used to take digital payments from customers.
• BharatPe has operations in 13 cities and serves over 10 lakh merchants.
Sachin: 6th Indian in ICC Hall of Fame
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• International Cricket Council has inducted Sachin Tendulkar, Allan Donald and Cathryn Fitzpatrick into the ICC’s Hall of Fame.
• Other Indians on the list are Bishan Singh Bedi, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid.
• Sachin Tendulkar has 34,357 runs across formats and is the only batsman to have 100 internationals hundreds under his belt.
2 new districts to be formed in Tamil Nadu
• In Tamil Nadu, two new districts are going to be formed, taking the total number of districts in the state to 35.
• Tenkasi District would be carved out of Tirunelveli and Chengalpet District would be established by splitting Kanchipuram district.
• Special Officers would be appointed for the formation of the new districts.
Telangana Legislative Assembly passed 3 bills
• Telangana Legislative Assembly passed 3 Bills replacing ordinances relating to Municipal Laws, Regulation of Age of
Superannuation, and State Commission for Debt Relief.
• They are meant for facilitating more divisions in Municipalities, increasing the retirement age of professors in Medical Colleges to
65 years.
• CM Chandrashekhar Rao also introduced the Telangana Municipalities Bill 2019.
Sports
• In Shooting, extending India's domination at the ISSF Junior World Cup, Sarabjot Singh shot a 239.6 to bag the men's 10 metres
air pistol gold. This is India's ninth yellow metal at the event in Suhl, Germany.
• The International Cricket Council, ICC has suspended Zimbabwe Cricket with immediate effect over violation of global body's
constitution which doesn't allow any government intervention.
G7 Finance Ministers agree plan for taxing
• G7 Finance Ministers meeting in France agreed a plan for taxing digital companies such as Facebook and Google that will set a
minimum level of taxation for them.
• G7 looks forward to further progress in the context of the G20 and a global agreement on the outlines of the architecture by
January 2020.
• Ministers fully supported a two-pillar solution to be adopted by 2020.
Union HRD Minister launched Paramarsh scheme
• The Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launched ‘Paramarsh’ – a University Grants
Commission (UGC) scheme on 18 July 2019.
• It will mentor National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) Accreditation Aspirant Institutions.
• The scheme will target 1000 Higher Education Institutions for mentoring with a specific focus on quality.
GeM and SAIL signed MoU
• Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and Steel Authority of India (SAIL), signed an MoU to set up GeM Organizational
Transformation Team (GOTT)Project Management Unit (PMU).
• The MoU was signed by S. Suresh Kumar, Additional CEO, GeM and Harinand Rai, Director (Technical), SAIL.
• SAIL has become the first PSU to establish GOTT PMU for transforming their procurement landscape through this MoU.
INS Sagardhwani embarked on Sagar Maitri Misn
• Oceanographic research vessel of DRDO, INS Sagardhwani, embarked on a 2-month long SAGAR MAITRI (SM) Mission-2 from
South Jetty, Southern Naval Command (SNC) in Kochi on 18 July 2019.
• INS Sagardhwani has been designed and developed by Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi.
• SAGAR MAITRI Mission-2 commemorates the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of ship INS Kistna’s missions.
Indian waterway to transport Cargo
• The first-ever use of an Indian waterway will transport cargo from Bhutan to Bangladesh via India.
• For this, a shipment of stone aggregates was formally received at Narayangunj by the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh,
Riva Ganguli Das, along with Ambassador of Bhutan to Bangladesh Sonam T. Rabgye.
• The Indian cargo ship MV AAI arrived in Narayanganj in Bangladesh on July 16, 2019.
Railways to conduct recruitment drive
• Indian Railways will conduct the largest recruitment drive for the paramedical categories from July 19, 2019.
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• The Computer-Based Test, CBT for recruitment to 1,923 posts of Para-Medical categories will be conducted over three days.
• This is the first recruitment by Indian Railways in which reservation for Economically Weaker Sections will be available to eligible
candidates.
National Affairs
• Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank released the UGC Guide to Student Induction Programme -
Deeksharambh in New Delhi on July 19, 2019.
• The Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha on 19 July 2019. The Bill provides for a
comprehensive mechanism to ban the unregulated deposit schemes.
Lok Sabha passed Finance Bill 2019
• The Lok Sabha passed the Finance Bill, 2019 that gives effect to the proposals of the Central Government for the year 2019-2020.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pointed out that the said amendments will promote 'Make in India' and Startups.
• The deduction on the loan interest is to encourage buyers, keeping in mind the state of the environment.
MoU signed to eradicate TB by 2025
• Union Health Ministry signed an MoU with Ministries of Ayush, Defence and Railways to strengthen the efforts towards a TB-Free
India by 2025.
• Around 28 lakh people contract the disease every year in the country and four lakh people die every year.
• TB will be completely eradicated from the country in the same way polio was, as told by Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr.
Harsh Vardhan.
Chandrayaan-2 to be launched on July 22
• The Indian Space Research Organisation will launch the Chandrayaan-2 on July 22, 2019.
• Chandrayaan-2 is India's second Moon mission and aims to land a rover on the lunar surface.
• The mission was scheduled to be launched at 2:51 am on July 15, 2019, but had to be called off after ISRO scientists detected
some glitches at the last moment.
Jalan panel proposed nominal transfer of funds
• The Bimal Jalan committee has proposed a nominal transfer of surplus to the central government in a phased manner.
• The report has proposed a formula for a nominal transfer of a portion of the RBI’s reserves to the central government in a period
of three-five years.
• This is in line with the current practice being followed by the RBI for transferring dividend annually.
UK's programme to boost Indian start-ups
• The UK government has expanded its Go Global initiative to India.
• The aim is to give the country's most innovative and cutting-edge start-ups the skills they need to grow their business, build links
with the UK's digital sector.
• It forms part of the UK-India Tech Partnership announced by outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May and her Indian
counterpart Narendra Modi in April 2018.
Tata: India's most valuable brand
• The brand 'Tata' has become India’s most valuable brand for the second straight year in 2019, according to the Brand Finance
India 100 2019 report.
• Tata’s brand value rose 37% to $19.6 billion as compared to $14.2 billion in 2018.
• The 2nd most valued brand was the government-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) at $7.3 billion and a close third
was Infosys at $6.5 billion.
Microsoft, AT&T signed cloud deal
• Microsoft Corp and AT&T Inc reached a deal under which the telecommunications company will tap Microsoft's Azure cloud
service for its computing needs and use Microsoft 365.
• Under the deal, both will also work together on edge computing, which will see Microsoft technology deployed alongside AT&T's
coming 5G network.
• The multi-year deal is worth more than $2 billion.
Agreement between India and USA approved
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• The Inter-Institutional Agreement between India and the USA in the areas of regenerative medicine and 3D bioprinting, and more
has been approved.
• The objective of the Agreement is to contribute towards the development of research and education of both the Institutions
through academic collaboration.
• The joint research projects, etc. will be open to all qualified scientists and technologists.
Appointments
• Bengaluru-based IT services firm Mindtree Ltd., has appointed A M Naik (the current chairman of L&T) as the company's new
non-executive chairman with effect from 18 July 2019.
• Coca-Cola announced top-level changes in its India and South West Asia unit with appointment of Sarvita Sethi as Vice-President-
M&A and New Ventures, and Harsh Bhutani as Vice President - Finance (CFO).
Bernard Arnault: World's 2nd richest person
• Bill Gates has never ranked lower than No. 2 in the seven-year history of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
• But he dropped to No. 3 behind France’s Bernard Arnault. LVMH, Arnault’s luxury-goods maker, advanced to a record in Paris and
pushed his net worth to $107.6 billion.
• Arnault has added $39 billion to his fortune in 2019 alone.
ADB cut India's GDP growth forecast to 7%
• Asian Development Bank lowered India's GDP growth forecast to 7% for the current year on the back of fiscal shortfall concerns.
• India is expected to grow by 7% in 2019 (FY20) and 7.2% in 2020 (FY21), slightly slower than projected in April because the fiscal
2018 outturn fell short.
• For the south Asian region, the growth is projected at 6.6% in 2019 and 6.7% in 2020.
ICJ stayed Kulbhushan Jadhav's execution
• The International Court of Justice (ICJ) stayed the execution of Kulbhushan Jadhav by Pakistan.
• Jadhav had been arrested in Pakistan’s restive province of Balochistan in 2016 and accused of terrorism, spying, and fomenting
trouble in Balochistan.
• He was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in 2017.
Ebola outbreak: Global health emergency
• The deadly Ebola outbreak in Congo is now an international health emergency, the World Health Organization announced on 17
July 2019 after the virus spread this week to a city of two million people.
• More than 1,600 people have died since August in the second deadliest Ebola outbreak in history.
• This is the fifth such declaration in history.
India permitted raw sugar export to US
• The government has permitted the export of 1,239 tonnes raw sugar under its tariff-rate quota (TRQ) to the US, which enables
shipments to enjoy relatively low tariff.
• TRQ is a quota for a volume of exports that enter the US at relatively low tariffs.
• The country enjoys duty-free sugar exports to the US for up to 10,000 tonnes annually under preferential quota arrangement.
Doubling of railway line in Assam approved
• CCEA has given its approval to the doubling of 142.97 km long railway line between New Bongaigaon and Agthori via Rangiya in
Assam.
• The total estimated cost of the project is around Rs.2042 crore and will be completed by 2022-23.
• It will traverse through Bongaigaon, Baksa, Barpeta, Nalbari and Kamrup districts of the state.
Sports
• At the ISSF Junior World Cup, Anish Bhanwala claimed gold in 25m rapid fire pistol competition in Suhl, Germany on 17 July
2019. Adarsh Singh came 4th, while Agneya Kaushik 6th with 9 points.
• Former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq has decided to step down as Pakistan chief selector. He would not seek an extension or
renewal of his contract, which is due to expire by the end of July 2019.
Hima Das won 4th gold medal in 15 days
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• Hima Das clinched her 4th gold in a fortnight as she won the 200m race with a creditable timing in the Tabor Athletics Meet in
Czech Republic on 17 July 2019.
• Hima won the race in 23.25 seconds, which had a mediocre field with most of the competitors representing clubs of Czech
Republic.
• In men's 400m, Muhammad Anas won in 45.40 seconds, KS Jeevan was third with a timing of 46.60 seconds.
Deepika Kumari clinched silver
• India's top-ranked woman archer Deepika Kumari clinched silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games test event.
• This was Deepika's first individual final in a world event since she won a gold at the third stage of the World Cup in Salt Lake City
in June 2018.
• In the men's category, Atanu Das made a second round exit, losing to Bae Jaehyeon of Korea 4-6.
National Affairs
• Union Cabinet approved 1,600 crore rupees for Dibang Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh. The project is envisaged as a
storage-based hydro-electric project with flood moderation as the key objective.
• A bill to scrap 58 redundant laws was also approved. The NDA government in its two terms has sent to the chopping block 1,824
old laws which had become redundant.
National Medical Commission to be set up
• The Union Cabinet approved National Medical Commission Bill, 2019.
• The bill provides for setting up of a National Medical Commission in place of Medical Council of India and repeal the Indian
Medical Council Act 1956.
• The NMC Bill proposes a common final year MBBS exam, to be known as National Exit Test (NEXT).
Cabinet extended 15th FC's term till Nov 30
• Cabinet has approved the extension of the term of 15th Finance Commission up to 30th November 2019.
• It will enable the Commission to examine various comparable estimates for financial projections.
• The 15th Finance Commission was constituted by the President on 27th November, 2017.
• It was to submit its report by 30th October 2019 covering a period of 5 years commencing from 1st April, 2020.
'Find the Incredible You' campaign won award
• The 'Find the Incredible You' campaign of the Tourism Ministry, has won the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award,
2019.
• The campaign focuses on digital and social media and the promotion of niche tourism products of the country.
• The campaign won the award under the 'Marketing - Primary Government Destination' category.
National Affairs I
• The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) plans to convert all electricity meters into smart prepaid meters by 2022. It is part of the
government’s electricity distribution plan prepared by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
• Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that a website would be launched listing staff of Jet Airways and help find
employment in other private entities.
Warburg Pincus co-CEO resigned
• Joseph Landy is stepping aside from his role of co-chief executive of Warburg Pincus, after two decades of managing one of the
most renowned private equity firms.
• Warburg Pincus has invested more than $77 billion in more than 870 companies in over 40 countries around the world.
• Charles Kaye, co-chief executive and Landy's partner, will take over as the sole CEO of the PE firm.
Ustad Bismillah Yuva Puraskars announced
• The Sangeet Natak Akademi has selected 32 artists of India for Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2018.
• In the field of music, there are 8 recipients of Yuva Puraskar including Sameehan Kashalkar and Ruchira Kedar for Hindustani
Vocal Music.
• The award carries a purse money of Rs 25,000.
• The Yuva Puraskar will be presented at a special ceremony, by the Chairman, Sangeet Natak Akademi.
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UK JETCO meeting held in London

• The UK-India Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) was held in London on 15 July 2019.
• India and the UK agreed to set up three new bilateral working groups to tackle barriers in specific sectors including food and
drink, healthcare and data services.
• The India – UK JETCO was established on 13th January 2005, to further develop a strategic economic relationship.
DoT and ICRIER signed MoU
• The Department of Telecom (DoT) and the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) signed an
MoU to develop a Broadband Readiness Index (BRI) for Indian States and UTs.
• The first estimate will be made in 2019 and subsequently every year until 2022.
• The index will appraise the condition of the underlying digital infrastructure at the State/UT level.
Smriti and Rohan received Arjuna Awards
• Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports gave Arjuna Awards to Smriti Mandhana and Rohan Bopanna on 16 July
2019.
• Smriti Mandhana and Shri Rohan Bopanna were selected for Arjuna Awards 2018 for their outstanding achievements in Cricket
and Tennis respectively.
• They could not receive the Awards from President of India during the Award Ceremony held on 25th September 2018.
Government to set 4200 Ayush Wellness Centres
• The government plans to set up 4,200 Ayush wellness centres in the country in FY 2019-20 across several states.
• 2,500 new centres are planned to be opened within the first four months of the present government.
• The government has also provided financial assistance to set up integrated Ayush hospitals in 85 districts across various states,
and has plans to add more.
RM trophy for best command hospitals
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh awarded Raksha Mantri Trophy for the Best and Second Best Command Hospitals of the Armed
Forces Medical Services (AFMS) for the year 2018, on 16 July 2019.
• Command Hospital Air Force Bengaluru was adjudged Best Command Hospital.
• Command Hospital Central Command Lucknow was adjudged the Second-Best Command Hospital.
B Murli Kumar: Special Expenditure Observer
• The Election Commission of India has appointed Ex- DG IT Chennai Sh B Murli Kumar as Special Expenditure Observer for 8-
Vellore Parliamentary Constituency.
• The then Spl Expenditure Observer Ms Madhu Mahajan had recommended countermanding of Election to 8 Vellore PC as this
organised way of inducement of voters had vitiated the electoral environment.
Internet Saathi to empower rural women
• Google India's 'Internet Saathi' programme is aimed at empowering rural women on how to use the Internet.
• It has now added two more states -- Punjab and Odisha.
• With this, the programme has now reached 2.6 lakh villages in 20 states.
• These women, in turn, impart training to other women in their community and neighbouring villages.
• It was launched as a pilot project in 2015.
Zakir Hussain selected for Sangeet Natak Fello
• Zakir Hussain and dancer Sonal Mansingh are among the 4 eminent personalities who have been selected for the Sangeet Natak
Akademi Fellowships in the field of performing arts.
• The two other personalities are dancer and choreographer Jatin Goswami and Bharatnatyam exponent K.Kalyanasundaram Pillai.
• The awards will be conferred by President Ram Nath Kovind at a special investiture ceremony.
US banned Myanmar Army Chief
• The US has banned visits by Myanmar's Army Chief and 3 other top officers due to their role in the ethnic cleansing of the
Rohingya minority.
• The US is the first government to publicly take action with respect to the most senior leadership of the Burmese military.
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• Also sanctioned were Deputy Commander-in-Chief Soe Win, Brigadier-General Than Oo and Brigadier General Aung Aung.
Assam govt to plant saplings across NH
• The Assam Government is to plant sapling spread over one thousand kilometres across the National Highways.
• This initiative is being taken to improve green coverage in the state.
• The National Highway Authority of India has sanctioned the plantation at 810 kilometres area.
• A variety of saplings will be planted near the national highways.
National Affairs II
• The Centre launched a public awareness campaign in Delhi on 17 July 2019 to accelerate vector control measures. The 3-day
campaign aims to sensitize the community for prevention and control of diseases like Malaria, Dengue and Chikungunya.
• Maharashtra government has decided to increase the compensation from 25 lakh to Rs 1 crore for families of security personnel
hailing from the state.
Sports
• The 21st Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship began in Cuttack on 17 July 2019. 12 countries including Australia and
England are participating in the event. The event will conclude on 22 July 2019.
• Vijayveer Sidhu picked up his 3rd gold medal of the ongoing ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany, combining with Rajkanwar
Singh Sandhu and Adarsh Singh to clinch the men's 25m pistol event.
Euro Comm. elected 1st female President
• German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen has been elected as the European Commission's first female president.
• Leyen's nomination was approved by 383 votes at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France on 16 July 2019.
• She was nominated to become the first woman in Brussels' top job in June 2019 by the leaders of the bloc's 28 member states, to
the annoyance of many MEPs.
Christine resigned as MD of IMF
• International Monetary Fund, IMF MD Christine Lagarde has resigned ahead of a decision on her nomination to become head of
the European Central Bank, ECB.
• If the European Council approves her nomination, she will become the central bank's first-ever female leader, responsible for the
Euro and the monetary policy of the eurozone.
• She has been heading the IMF since 2011.
NGT set deadline of 3 months
• The National Green Tribunal has directed the Central Pollution Control Board, CPCB, to shut down polluting industries within 3
months.
• On the basis of a study jointly carried out by the CPCB and state pollution control boards in 2009-10, industrial clusters were
notified as Polluted Industrial Areas (PIAs).
• They were ranked depending upon Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index scores.
Appointments
• President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Anusuiya Uikey as Governor of Chhattisgarh.
• Biswa Bhusan Harichandan has been named as Governor of Andhra Pradesh. The appointments will take effect from the dates
they assume charge of their offices.
• Swatantra Dev Singh has been appointed as the new Uttar Pradesh BJP Chief. Singh is currently a minister in Yogi Adityanath
government.
India bagged 6 awards at SAARC film festival
• Indian entries bagged 6 awards including the Best Feature Film for the movie Nagarkirtan at the 9th SAARC Film Festival held in
Colombo.
• Kaushik Ganguly got the Best Director Award.
• Riddhi Sen won the best actor award for the movie while Prabuddha Bannerjee bagged Best Original Score at the film Festival.
India, Italy to set up fast-track mechanism
• India and Italy have decided to set up a fast track mechanism to facilitate investors and companies.
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• The fast-track system in Italy aims to identify and solve problems faced by Indian companies and investors.
• Commerce and Industry Ministry said a meeting was held in New Delhi on 16 July 2019 in this regard.
India-Uzbekistan held meet
• The 8th meeting of India-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism was held in New Delhi on 16 July 2019.
• The Group discussed measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the sphere of counter-terrorism.
• Cooperation in multilateral fora including UN, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure and EAG
was also discussed.
2 Ind airports in world's best airports list
• Online travel agency Globehunters has compiled a list of world's 45 most popular airports and ranked them according to their
suitability for business travellers.
• Japan’s Narita Airport, which recorded 81.1% on-time flight arrivals, was crowned as the world's best business airport.
• Delhi's IGI Airport is at the 38th spot while Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is at 43rd.
MP: 1st international flight from Indore
• In Madhya Pradesh, the first international flight from Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar International Airport of Indore left for Dubai on 15
July 2019 with 153 passengers on board.
• The non-stop flight has fulfilled a long-standing desire from the travel fraternity and tourists for direct connectivity to the Gulf.
• Air India is operating 162-seater A-320 Neo aircraft on this route.
Kerala to get loan from the World Bank
• The World Bank will extend a USD 250 million loan for the Resilient Programme in Kerala, which had been devastated by worst
floods in August 2018.
• The Centre, state government and the World Bank had signed the loan agreement of US$ 250 million for the programme in June
2019.
• It aims at enhancing the state's resilience against the impacts of natural calamities and climate change.
Appointments I
• Former Supreme Court judge Justice A K Sikri has been appointed as an International Judge of the Singapore International
Commercial Court. The SICC is a division of the Singapore High Court, dealing with international commercial disputes. It has 16
international judges in its panel.
• Varun Dhawan has made an announcement of his association with the fitness brand Reebok India.
Appointments II
• Senior BJP leader Kalraj Mishra was on July 15 appointed as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh. He replaced Acharya Devvrat,
who has been transferred and appointed as the Governor of Gujarat.
• Dr Kiran Pandya, head of department of human resource development (HRD), Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU),
has been appointed as member of National Statistical Commission (NSC).
Raghu Ram conferred with Surgeons fellowship
• Padma Shri awardee breast surgeon P Raghu Ram was conferred honorary fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of
Thailand.
• This is the highest recognition bestowed by the institute.
• Raghu Ram is also the President-elect of the Association of Surgeons of India.
• His surgical career spans 24 years since he qualified to become a surgeon in 1995.
Shah Rukh Khan to receive honorary doctorate
• Shah Rukh Khan will receive an honorary doctorate degree from Melbourne-based La Trobe University for his contributions
through Meer Foundation.
• He will be visiting Australia to attend the 10th edition of Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) in August 2019 as its chief
guest.
• La Trobe University is the first Australian university to award Khan with an Honorary Degree.
RBI fined SBI, Union Bank
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• The RBI has penalised State Bank of India and Union Bank of India for violating certain regulatory guidelines.
• SBI was fined ₹7 crore for non-compliance with the directions issued by the RBI.
• A ₹10-lakh fine was imposed on Union Bank for non-compliance with the directions on the cybersecurity framework in banks
issued by the RBI.
30 lakh people enrolled under PM-SYM scheme
• Total 30,85,205 persons have been enrolled under Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Scheme, PM-SYM, till 10 July 2019.
• The government had launched the PM-SYM a voluntary and contributory pension scheme for the benefit of unorganized workers
in February 2019.
• The scheme assures the minimum monthly pension of three thousand rupees to the beneficiaries after attaining the age of 60
years.
NDHB report released by Health Minister
• Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare released the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB) report on
15 July 2019.
• The report is in line with the vision of the Prime Minister to reach each individual of this country with services at their doorstep
under Digital India Programme.
• Its vision is to create a National Digital Health Eco-system.
Cycle rally in South Africa
• Indian diplomats in South Africa participated in a cycle rally to promote greater awareness of Mahatma Gandhi's ideals of non-
violence and satyagraha.
• This was done to celebrate his 150th birth anniversary.
• Conceived by Indian Consul-General in Johannesburg Dr K J Srinivasa, the event was co-hosted by the Gandhi Walk Committee.
Wholesale inflation declined in June
• Wholesale price-based inflation declined for the second consecutive month to its 23-month low of 2.02% in June 2019.
• According to official data, the Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation was at 2.45% in May 2019.
• Inflation in the fuel and power category cooled substantially to minus 2.20% from 0.98% in June.
Sports
• Indian youth boxers clinched four Silver and a bronze medal at the 37th Golden Glove of Vojvodina International Tournament
held in Serbia.
• Novak Djokovic's successful defence of his Wimbledon crown ensured that he remained at world number one in the latest ATP
rankings. He collected his fifth Wimbledon title and 16th major on 14 July 2019.
Extinction of 2 birds: SC formed panel
• The extinction of two Indian birds, Great Indian Bustard and the Lesser Florican has been alarming.
• The Supreme Court has constituted a high powered committee to urgently frame and implement an emergency response plan for
the protection of these species.
• The plea has contended that over the last 50 years the population of the Great Indian Bustard has recorded a decline of over
82%.
Kohli, Bumrah at top spots in ICC rankings
• Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah retained their number one position in the ICC batsmen and bowlers' rankings for the One-Day
Internationals.
• Another notable gainer in the rankings for batsmen is Ravindra Jadeja who has been lifted by 24 places to 108th position.
• In the team Rankings, England has increased their lead over India to three points after their maiden World Cup triumph.
India bagged 2 gold at ISSF Junior World Cup
• India bagged 2 Gold and 1 Silver medal in the Women's 10-metre Air Rifle event at the International Shooting Sport Federation
(ISSF) Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany.
• In the Individual section of the category, Elavenil Valarivan claimed the top honours with a total score of 251.6.
• India remains at the top of the medals tally with 14 medals, six Gold, six Silver and two Bronze. China is 2nd.
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PV Sindhu to spearhead at IOB

• PV Sindhu will spearhead the Indian campaign at the Indonesia Open Badminton tournament beginning in Jakarta on 16 July
2019.
• Sindhu, seeded fifth, will play her opening game against Japan's Aya Ohori on 17 July 2019.
• Srikanth will face Japan's Kenta Nishimoto, Praneeth will take on Wong Wing Ki of Hong Kong.
• Prannoy will meet second-seeded Chinese Shi Yuqi.
20 mn children missed vaccination in 2018
• United Nations said almost 20 million children missed out on potentially life-saving vaccinations in 2018.
• In an annual report issued in Geneva, the World Health Organization and the UNICEF said, in 2018 19.4 million children were not
fully vaccinated, up from 18.7 million in 2017 and about 18.5 million in 2016.
• Some 350,000 measles cases were reported globally in 2018.
821 mn people suffering from hunger
• A UN report has said, more than 821 million people suffered from hunger worldwide last year.
• It is the third year in a row that the number has risen.
• The report named, 'The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World' is produced by the UN Food and Agriculture
Organization and other UN agencies, including WHO.
U.S. celebrates 50 years of Apollo 11 mission
• U.S. celebrates the Apollo 11 mission’s 50th year anniversary.
• In the celebrations, new statues of Astronaut Neil Armstrong were unveiled and an education centre was dedicated to him in
Ohio, US.
• Present Administrator of NASA - James Frederick Bridenstine.
• Headquarters - Washington, D.C.
Motor Vehicles Bill introduced in Lok Sabha
• The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha by road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari.
• The Bill seeks to amend the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. Increasing penalties of traffic violations is among the changes proposed in
the amendment.
• The amendment Bill proposes to omit a clause of the Motor Vehicle Act to decide certain other aspects.
Unicorn India Ventures launched new fund
• Unicorn India Ventures has launched a ₹400 crore fund, its third venture capital fund, to back companies at the pre-Series A and
Series A stage.
• The fund aims to invest exclusively in business-to-business technology startups, including software-as-a-service, artificial
intelligence, machine learning, and Internet of Things (IoT).
• Through this, the firm plans to invest in about 24 companies.
RBI to launch a mobile app
• The RBI will soon come out with a mobile app that will read out the denomination of currency notes for the visually-challenged
population.
• The mobile app will be able to identify the denomination of legal tender banknotes of Mahatma Gandhi Series and Mahatma
Gandhi (New) series by scanning the image of the notes with the mobile phone camera.
• It can also be used to count notes later on.
Vijendra Singh won 11th pro bout
• Boxer Vijender Singh clinched a Technical Knockout over Mike Snider on his debut in the US professional circuit at Newark in US.
• He prevailed in four rounds for his 11th consecutive victory in the circuit.
• This was Vijender's eighth knockout win in all.
• The triumph came in the second minute of the fourth round when Vijender cornered Snider with a flurry of straight punches.
Indian House to be set up in Tokyo
• Indian House would be set in Tokyo with all facilities for the Indian players as a part of preparations of Tokyo Olympics 2020.
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• The nutritional food as per the advice of the coach and nutritionist would also be made available at proposed India house.
• The government is now also creating a system to help those players who had won medals but were not in good financial
condition.
Djokovic claimed 5th Wimbledon title
• In Tennis, Serbian Novak Djokovic won his fifth Wimbledon title after defeating Swiss tennis ace Roger Federer 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6,
13-12.
• The match had to be decided in the fifth set, as both of them won two sets each in the longest ever final to be played so far.
• This is Djokovic's 16th Grand Slam and 5th Wimbledon title. He is now level with Bjorn Borg as a five-time Wimbledon winner.
Sports
• Lewis Hamilton made a thrilling victory in the Silverstone circuit to win his sixth British Grand Prix, his seventh victory in ten races
in 2019.
• India wrestler Vinesh Phogat won gold in the 53kg category at Yasar Dogu International in Istanbul. Phogat beat her Russian
opponent Ekaterina Poleshchuk 9-5 in the final match to bag the gold medal.
England lifted ICC World Cup
• England lifted their maiden ICC World Cup cricket trophy beating New Zealand in a nerve-wracking final that was decided via a
dramatic Super Over in London.
• In the Super Over, England batted first and the duo of Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler made 15.
• England's Ben Stokes was named player of the match while New Zealand's Kane Williamson was adjudged player of the
tournament.
Indian won 6 medals on day 2 of ISSF World Cup
• India bagged 6 medals, including two Gold, on day two of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup at
Suhl in Germany.
• In the Men's 50 metres Pistol event, Gaurav Rana claimed the top honours, while Arjun Singh Cheema settled for a Silver.
• In Women's 50 metres Pistol event, Priya Raghav won Silver, while Vibhuti Bhatia claimed the Bronze.
14 July: National day of France
• The French prepared to mark their national day on 14 July, known as July 14th in France and Bastille Day abroad.
• European Union leaders joined the French president for the world's oldest military parade.
• This year celebrates the 230th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison in Paris, a turning point in the French revolution
that set the stage for the birth of the Republic.
Obituaries
• Bangladesh's former president Hussain Muhammad Ershad died due to complications from old age at a hospital in Dhaka in July
2019.
• Ershad took over the state power in a bloodless coup in 1982 and subsequently ran the country for eight years until he was
forced to quit in a pro-democracy mass upsurge in 1990.
Over 5 bn dollar penalty imposed on Pakistan
• An international arbitration court has imposed a penalty of over 5 billion dollars on Pakistan for unlawful denial of a mining lease
to a company for the Reko Diq project in 2011.
• The Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) had filed claims for international arbitration before the World Bank's ICSID in 2012.
• The project stopped in November 2011, when the Balochistan government rejected its application.
Consistent decline in left-wing extremism
• There has been a consistent decline in both Left Wing Extremism violence and geographical spread of its influence in the country.
• Violent incidents have declined from a high of 2258 in 2009 to 833 in 2018.
• The resultant deaths have also declined steadily from 1005 in 2010 to 240 in 2018.
• The trend of decline in violence has continued in 2019.
2nd round talks between India and Pak held
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• The 2nd round of talks between India-Pakistan on the modalities for operationalisation of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor was held
at Wagah, in Pakistan on 14 July 2019.
• The meeting discussed the modalities and draft agreement for facilitation of pilgrims on the corridor.
• It was agreed to allow five thousand pilgrims to visit Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib using the corridor everyday.
IFFI's Golden Jubilee to be held in Goa
• The Golden Jubilee Edition of International Film Festival of India, IFFI will be held from 20-28 November 2019 in Panaji, Goa.
• The business exhibition will showcase the latest technology, film production and distribution and other aspects regarding films.
• President of Oscar Academy John Bailey has been invited for the event.
• Russia will be IFFI partner in this edition.
20th anniversary of Kargil victory celebrated
• The celebrations of 20th Anniversary of the victory in Operation Vijay at Kargil began in Delhi on 14 July 2019.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief General Bipin Rawat paid tributes to the martyrs at National War Memorial
where a Victory Flame was illuminated.
• It is being celebrated with theme ‘Remember, Rejoice and Renew’..
Chandrayaan-2 launch called off
• ISRO has called off the launch of India's second mission to Moon - Chandrayaan-2 onboard GSLV MkIII-M1 due to a technical
snag.
• The countdown for the launch scheduled was stopped 56 minutes and 24 seconds before lift-off following the announcement
from the Mission Control Centre.
• It was supposed to explore the lunar south pole, 11 years after ISRO's successful 1st mission - Chandrayaan-1.
4th anniversary of Skill India Mission
• The 4th anniversary of the Skill India Mission was being observed on 15 July 2019.
• National Skill Development Mission also known as Skill India Mission was launched on this day in 2015.
• Nearly One Crore youth are being presently imparted skills training annually under the mission.
• BJP has appointed BL Santosh as its general secretary. He is presently the party's joint general secretary.
• Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has resigned from Punjab Cabinet. He sent his resignation to Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi on
10th June 2019.
• Gujarat Governor O.P. Kohli was accorded a farewell at a ceremony in Gandhinagar on completing his tenure.
3 bills introduced in Lok Sabha
• Three bills were introduced in Lok Sabha on 15 July 2019.
• These are Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, and the National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill.
• In Rajya Sabha, the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, to further amend the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 is
scheduled to be introduced.
Ad-hoc committee to run taekwondo affairs
• The Indian Olympic Association has formed an ad-hoc panel to run the affairs of taekwondo in the country and conduct the
federation's election within six months.
• The five members ad-hoc panel will be headed by IOA joint secretary Namdev Shirgaonkar.
• The decision to form the ad-hoc committee was taken during the General Assembly of the IOA in December 2018.
Russia launches space telescope
• Russia launched a space telescope, Spektr-RG, from the cosmodrome in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on 13 July 2019.
• The Spektr-RG, developed with Germany, is a space observatory intended to replace the Spektr-R, known as the 'Russian Hubble'.
• Spektr-R was launched in 2011 to observe black holes, neutron stars and magnetic fields.
Tropical Storm Barry hits Louisiana in US
• In the United States, Tropical Storm Barry began hitting Louisiana with wind and rain, building towards hurricane strength.
• It is the first hurricane of the season.
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• The centre of the storm was about 5 miles northeast of Intracoastal City.
• It has weakened from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm.
Sports
• In Wimbledon Tennis, seventh seed Simona Halep has won the women's singles Wimbledon title of 2019.
• She defeated Serena Williams in the final match.
• India has secured three Gold Medals in the Yasar Dogu Ranking series wrestling tournament in Turkey.
• Weightlifter Pardeep Singh created a new Commonwealth record in the clean and jerk category at the Commonwealth
Championships in Apia.
Meghalaya: First state to have water policy
• The Meghalaya became the first state to approve a draft water policy to address water issues, conservation, and protection of
water sources in the state.
• As per the policy, committees will be formed at the village level and the issue of groundwater will also be catered through this
policy.
• It will also monitor the quality of the water to check if it has a high content of iron or if acidic.
Homicide rate declines by 10% in India
• The Global Study on Homicide 2019 was published on 8 July 2019 by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
• The overall homicide rate in India has decreased by 10% over a period of six years till 2015 but the trend increased noticeably in
some northern states.
• It was also found that the number of female homicide victims was more than that of males in India.
NHAI inks deal with NIIF for highway projects
• National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) inked a deal with quasi-sovereign wealth fund National Investment Infrastructure
Fund (NIIF).
• Under the deal, NIIF will provide funds for large greenfield road projects, which will be executed by the highway authority in the
future.
• In 2015, Centre had set up NIIF to fund commercially viable greenfield, brownfield and stalled projects.
Samsung partners with Paisabazaar.com
• Paisabazaar.com, India's largest online marketplace for financial products, announced its partnership with Samsung.
• Paisabazaar.com will provide Samsung Pay users with a one-stop solution to their financial requirements.
• By using the facility, Samsung Pay users can apply for credit cards and personal loans from the platform.
Walmart Labs acqui-hires two Indian startups
• Walmart Labs, the technology arm of the US retail giant, has acqui-hired health tech start-up FloCare and B2B trading platform
BigTrade.
• Walmart has brought on-board the teams of the two Bengaluru-based companies to help strengthen its customer technology and
supply chain.
• FloCare which was co-founded by former Google research scientist Gagan Goel and former InMobi employee Gaurav Gupta.
ICSI launches UDIN for corporate governance
• The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) has rolled out an initiative in the form of a Unique Document Identification
Number (UDIN).
• UDIN will provide ease of maintaining a register of attestation and certification services.
• The ICSI UDIN will be mandatory for every document except an e-form, signed or certified by a company secretary with from 1
October 2019.
Port integrity campaign launched in India
• Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) has announced the launch of a Port Integrity Campaign in India.
• The campaign aims to reduce and (in the long term) eliminate integrity issues and bottlenecks to trade during operations in
Indian ports.
• MACN is a global business network of over 110 companies working to tackle corruption in the maritime industry.
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Exim Bank inks loan pact with PNG and Senegal

• Exim Bank has signed agreements with Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Senegal governments for providing USD 124 million.
• The loan amount will be used to finance infrastructure and health care projects in these countries.
• The agreement under this line of credit is effective from 25 June 2019.
France passes GAFA Tax
• France became the first major economy to impose a tax on digital companies.
• The tax is known as the GAFA (Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon).
• The law will levy a 3% tax on total annual revenues of the largest tech firms providing services to French consumers.
• GAFA targets digital companies with global sales of more than 750 million euros and sales in France of at least 25 million euros.
Delhi girl bags ICJ internship programme
• Isha Kanth is one of the two persons in the world to have bagged an internship programme at the International Court of Justice
based in Hague.
• She has earlier worked in rural Bihar spreading awareness on the right to education and women empowerment among children
belonging to the marginalised sections.
• The ICJ is the principal judiciary organ of the United Nations.
Japan lands spacecraft on distant asteroid
• Japanese scientists have successfully landed an unmanned spacecraft, Hayabusa 2, on the distant asteroid Ryugu for the second
time as part of an ongoing mission to help explore the origins of the solar system.
• The spacecraft first arrived at the asteroid in June 2018 to carry out experiments.
• Hayabusa 2 will depart Ryugu in December 2019 and return to Earth by the end of 2020.
Indian scientists develop 'black gold'
• Scientists at the Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) developed a new material called 'Black Gold'.
• Scientists used gold nanoparticles and by rearranging size and gaps between them developed a new material.
• It has unique properties such as the capacity to absorb light and carbon dioxide.
• It could also act as a catalyst and could convert carbon dioxide into methane.
AGCL, OIL, and GGL signed agreement
• Assam Gas Company Limited (AGCL), Oil India Limited (OIL) and GAIL Gas Limited (GGL) signed an agreement for setting up a new
company for implementation of the City Gas Distribution (CGD) network in five districts of Assam.
• The joint venture will supply Piped Natural Gas (PNG) to the domestic, commercial and industrial customers.
• Around 95,000 households will be connected with the PNG.
India's 1st ethanol-based motorcycle launched
• TVS Motor has launched India's first ethanol-powered motorcycle, a 'green' version of its popular Apache RTR 200 4V.
• The bike uses 100% ethanol to replace petrol.
• Ethanol is produced domestically from renewable sources, including remains and alcohol from sugar factories and is lesser
polluting as well.
• The bike will initially be available in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka.
Gandhi-Mandela Peace Medal 2019 announced
• The annual Gandhi-Mandela Peace Medal 2019 has been awarded to Thich Nhat Hanh.
• Thich Nhat Hanh is a global spiritual leader, poet and peace activist.
• The first edition of Gandhi-Mandela Peace Initiative was held in New Delhi.
• The Initiative was organised by Believe Foundation in association Dr Raman Bhai Patel Foundation (RBF).
Women Startup Summit to be held in Kochi
• The Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) will host the Women Startup Summit 2019 in Kochi on 1 August 2019.
• The Summit aims at encouraging aspiring women professionals to take up their entrepreneurial journey and developing an
inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystem in the State.
• The summit will be organised in association with the Indian Women Network floated by Confederation of Indian Industry.
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India USTR Talks Held in New Delhi

• The bilateral talks were held between India and the United States Trade Representative(USTR) in New Delhi on 12 July 2019.
• The aim of the meeting was to provide a new impetus to bilateral trade and commercial ties between India and the USA.
• The Indian delegation was led by Sanjay Chadha, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce.
Film Divisions to launch documentary film club
• Film Divisions of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting launched 'KSHITIJ', a documentary film club in Mumbai on 12 July 2019.
• The initiative was launched in association with Indian Documentary Producer’s Association. Public screenings will begin at 5:30
PM on the second and fourth Friday of every month.
• The screenings will be held at Films Division Complex.
Conference on Media Freedom held in London
• Indian delegation attended the Global Conference on Media Freedom in London.
• The Conference was attended by Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash, Member of Parliament Swapan Das Gupta and
Kanchan Gupta, Member, Press Council.
• The UK government has committed 18 million pounds towards improving media freedom across the world and announced the
creation of a new Global Media Defence Fund.
Miscellaneous News
• 'Ulto Rath Yatra' celebrated in West Bengal.
• In Madhya Pradesh, continuous rain has damaged Asia's largest solar Power project in Rewa.
• West Bengal government observed Save Water Day on 12 July 2019. The aim of the day is to create awareness among people to
check misuse of water.
Obituaries
• Former Secretary of Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI), Mr C. Kapur passed away on 12 July 2019.
• Well known Malayalam cinematographer M J Radhakrishnan passed away on 12 July 2019.
• Veteran journalist C.M. Ramachandra passed away on 12 July 2019. He was the Editorial Representative of The Hindu in
Karnataka.
Appointments
• Yadlapati Raghunath Babu has been appointed as Tobacco Board Chairman.
• Rashid Khan has been appointed the captain of Afghanistan cricket team in all three formats.
• Former skipper Asghar Afghan will be the Vice Captain of Afghanistan Cricket team.
Agri-Business Incubation Centre started
• An Agri-Business Incubation Centre has started in Raipur.
• The centre is set up by the Union Agriculture Ministry in the Indira Gandhi Agriculture University.
• The Centre is set up under the National Agriculture Development Scheme- RAFTAAR.
• Under the scheme, guidance, technology and infrastructure will be provided to youth and entrepreneurs for start-ups in different
areas of agriculture.
Rafting Expedition on Indus River flagged off
• Fire and Fury Corps Chief of Staff Major General Arvind Kapoor flagged off White Water Rafting Expedition on Indus River in Leh
on 12 July 2019.
• The expedition is undertaken by the 27 member Parashu Brigade led by Capt Hrishikesh Ghogare from Nyoma to Nimu.
• The expedition will commemorate the sacrifices of the brave soldiers to win the Kargil war.
WB Govt decides to construct 8.3 Lakh houses
• The West Bengal Government will construct 8 lakh 30 thousand houses under Bangla Abas Yojana for the people belonging to
economically weaker sections.
• The Rural Development Department is implementing the project as per the Socio-Economic Census of 2011.
• The centre is giving 60% of the fund while the State Government is bearing the rest of the expenditure for implementation of the
project.
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Sports
• The independent Atlantic League became the first American professional baseball league to let a computer call balls and strikes.
• In Archery, Deepika Kumari finished fourth in the women's recurve qualifying round at the Tokyo Olympic Games test event on 12
July 2019.
• In Table Tennis, G. Sathiyan and Anthony Amalraj won the bronze at the World Tour Platinum Australian Open on 13 July 2019.
India, Russia hold talks on space cooperation
• India and Russia held high-level talks to elevate bilateral cooperation in the field of space, including assistance in
India's 'Gaganyaan' mission.
• NSA Ajit Doval and Dmitry Rogozin, Director-General of Russia's space agency ROSCOSMOS, led the two sides in the meeting held
on 11 July 2019.
• India shares robust cooperation with Russia in strategic areas of defence, nuclear and space.
First train under Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra
• Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal flagged off the first train under the Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra scheme from the Safdarjung
railway station on 12 July 2019.
• Under the scheme, fully funded by the Delhi government, the train will ferry 1,000 senior citizens on the Delhi-Amritsar-Wagah
Border-Anandpur Sahib tour circuit.
• The scheme covers five routes of religious importance.
Mysterious Black Hole Disc discovered
• Using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have discovered a disc very close to a starving black hole.
• The unexpected thin disc of material was found encircling a supermassive black hole at the heart of the spiral galaxy NGC 3147,
located 130 million light-years away.
• A black hole is a region of space time exhibiting gravitational acceleration so strong that nothing can escape from it.
SBI waives IMPS charges from August 1
• State Bank of India (SBI) decided to remove the charges on fund transfer through mobile phones using the IMPS (Immediate
Payment Service) from 1 August 2019.
• It has waived charges on NEFT and RTGS transactions through the Internet and mobile banking from 1 July 2019.
• Before July 1, SBI used to charge between ₹1 and ₹5 for transactions through NEFT and ₹5 to 50 for RTGS transactions.
Central Universities Bill passed in Lok Sabha
• The Lok Sabha passed the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2019 to establish a central university and a tribal university in
Andhra Pradesh.
• Tribal University will provide research facilities in tribal art, culture and customs.
• The establishment of a Central University and a Central Tribal University in Andhra Pradesh was obligatory under the Andhra
Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Microsoft launches AI for Cultural Programme
• Microsoft will now channel $10 million into an AI project that focuses on tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
• It will use AI to work with nonprofits, universities and governments around the world to help preserve the languages we speak,
the places we live and the artefacts we treasure.
• AI for Cultural Heritage was announced by the company's President Brad Smith.
Anshula Kant is World Bank MD and CFO
• Anshula Kant, Managing Director of the State Bank Of India, has been appointed as Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer
of the World Bank.
• She will be the first woman CFO of the Bank. She will be responsible for financial and risk management.
• Her duties will include risk management and financial reporting and she will work with the Bank’s CEO to mobilise financial
resources.
YouTube Introduces ‘Learning Playlists’
• YouTube is bringing a new education feature “Learning Playlists” with dedicated landing pages for educational videos on topics
like math, science, music and language.
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• YouTube was investing $20 million to fund resources for educational creators and organisations through a Learning Fund
initiative.
• CEO of YouTube - Susan Wojcicki.
• You Tube Established- February 2005.
Best performing state in education: Chandigarh
• Chandigarh has been ranked best among states and Union territories in the field of education and is followed by Kerala and
Gujarat, according to HRD Ministry.
• As per the Performance Grading Index 2017-18, Arunachal Pradesh is the least performing state and has been ranked 36 on the
index.
• The information also shared by Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank'.
IAF to get ASRAAM
• The Indian Air Force plans to adopt Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM), a new European visual range air to air
missile, across its fighter fleet.
• IAF aims to expand its Su-30 fleet with a proposal to build 40 more jets under license at HAL’s Nashik facility.
• The adoption is a part of a £250 million IAF contract with MBDA, UK.
• The contract was signed in July 2014.
The 2019 global Multidimensional Poverty Index
• UN Development Programme has released the 2019 global Multidimensional Poverty Index.
• India’s MPI value reduced from 0.283 in 2005-06 to 0.123 in 2015-16.
• India has lifted 271 million people out of poverty between 2006 and 2016, recording the fastest reductions in the
multidimensional poverty index.
• In India Child mortality dropped from 4.5% to 2.2%.
Jeremy Lalrinnunga sets records
• In Weightlifting, Youth Olympics gold medallist Jeremy Lalrinnunga smashed three records at the Commonwealth Championships
in Apia, Samoa.
• Jeremy, competing in the 67 kg category, obliterated the Youth World, Asian and Commonwealth records in the snatch category
with a lift of 136 kgs.
• Achinta Sheuli lifted a total of 305 kgs to win the senior and junior men's 73kg gold.
Commonwealth Championships I
• Papul Changmai clinched the silver medal in 81 kg category by lifting a total of 313 kgs at the Commonwealth Championships
2019 in Apia, city of Samoa.
• P Anuradha lifted 221 kg to grab the first place in the men's 87 kg category.
• Commonwealth gold medallist RV Rahul settled for the second spot by lifting 325 kg in the 89 kg event.
Commonwealth Championships II
• Indian weightlifter Ajay Singh has won Gold in 81 kg category at the Commonwealth Championships 2019 in Apia, city of Samoa.
• He also created a new Commonwealth record in the clean and jerk category by lifting more than double his body weight (190 kg)
to score vital points at the Olympic qualifying event.
• He also smashed the national record in the same category.
NMMC launches rental services for e-bikes
• Along with the hugely popular Public Bicycle Sharing System launched by Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation in November last
year, the civic body has now introduced rental services for electric bikes.
• Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has taken a lead in promoting electric vehicles in Maharashtra
• To hire an e-bike, one has to simply download YULU app on their mobile phones and scan a code.
Centres for skill development in aviation
• Gujarat Government will develop Centers of Excellence for skill development in the Aviation industry.
• This was announced by Captain Ajay Chauhan, Director of Civil Aviation- Government of Gujarat.
• It was said during 2nd Gujarat Aviation Conclave Conference on Business Opportunities in the aviation sector held in Ahmedabad.
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US-India trade could reach USD 238 billion

• US India Strategic and Partnership Forum has said, the bilateral trade between the two countries could reach 238 billion Dollars
by 2025 from the current 143 billion Dollars.
• In a report released on the occasion of its second annual leadership summit, the US-based group USISPF said, this growth will
occur if trade grows by 7.5 per cent each year.
India, EU hold high-level talks on migration
• The 5th India-EU High-Level Dialogue on Migration and Mobility was held in New Delhi.
• External Affairs Ministry said the discussion encompassed a wide range of issues of mutual interest in the context of migration
and mobility along the India-EU corridor.
• Both sides reaffirmed that migration and mobility are important dimensions of the strategic partnership between India and EU.
India-US trade talks held in New Delhi
• India and US held trade talks in New Delhi to discuss bilateral and economic issues.
• The visiting USTR delegation will also call on Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal today.
• This is the first meeting on trade issues after the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Donald Trump in
Japan on the sidelines of the G20 summit.
Model Tenancy Act (MTA) drafted
• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has drafted a ‘Model Tenancy Act’, 2019.
• It envisages to balance the interest and rights of both the owner and tenant and to create an accountable and transparent
ecosystem for renting the premises in disciplined and efficient manner.
• Hardeep Singh Puri - MOS independent charge.
Mansukh Mandaviya to flag off vessel
• Minister of State for Shipping and Chemical & Fertilizers, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya will flag off an inland waterways vessel
containing cargo from Bhutan to Bangladesh via River Brahmaputra (NW 2) and the Indo Bangla Protocol Route.
• This is a first of its kind movement where an Indian inland waterways is being used for connecting two countries – landlocked
Bhutan and Bangladesh.
Bank of Baroda to launch e-commerce platform
• Bank of Baroda plans to launch an online marketplace to its customers offering banking services and farm-related products.
• The state-owned lender has invited bids seeking a partner to supply 'digital commerce platform' to provide assistance to
merchants.
• The bank will offer various kinds of banking services and farm-related products on its e-commerce platform.
Appointments
• Balbir Singh Dhilon has replaced Rahil Ansari to become Audi India's new head. Dhilon currently heads dealer development and
will be taking up his new position from September 1, 2019.
• Accenture has announced that Julie Sweet has been appointed chief executive officer. David Rowland, currently interim chief
executive officer, has been appointed executive chairman.
Secretary of Overseas Indian Affairs appointed
• Senior diplomat Vikas Swarup has been appointed as Secretary, Overseas Indian Affairs, according to an order issued by the
Personnel Ministry.
• Swarup, a 1986-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service, is at present India’s High Commissioner in Ottawa.
• He has been appointed as the Secretary, in the External Affairs Ministry with effect from August 1, 2019, the order said.
Obituaries
• Former Bengal and Railway leg-spinner Soumendranath Kundu passed away. Kundu was conferred the CAB Kartick Bose lifetime
Achievement Award 2014. Kundu took 127 wickets in 30 First Class matches between 1958-59 and 1968-69. He also took 10
wickets in a match thrice.
• Actor Amit Purohit, who starred in the hit Telugu film, Sammohanam, died.
Rajghat plant to be turned into solar park
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• The Delhi government has announced that the Rajghat thermal power plant will be officially shut and turned into a solar park and
electricity museum.
• A 5,000 KW of solar power will be produced at the 45 acre plant site.
• The coal-based plant, whose current units were commissioned in 1989, has been lying in a shutdown mode from 2014.
Isha Kanth bags ICJ internship programme
• Indian girl, Isha Kanth is one of the two persons in the world to have bagged an internship programme at the International Court
of Justice.
• She has earlier worked in rural Bihar spreading awareness on the right to education and women empowerment among children
belonging to the marginalised sections.
• Headquarters: The Hague (Netherlands).
• President: Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf (Somalia).
India gives pre-fabricated houses to Myanmar
• India handed over 250 pre-fabricated houses to Myanmar in Maung Daw for use of displaced returnees from Bangladesh.
• The Indian government had taken up the project under its Rakhine State Development Programme for $ 25M for a period of five
years.
• The MoU on RSDP signed between India and Myanmar in December 2017 aims to contribute to the socio-economic development
of the area.
Government banned 'Sikhs for Justice' group
• Union cabinet banned the US Based Pro-Khalistani group Sikhs for Justice for alleged anti-national activities.
• It propelled the Sikh Referendum 2020 as part of its separatist agenda.
• SFJ openly supported the cause of Khalistan, a Sikh separatist movement.
• It challenged the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.
Oriental Bank of Commerce bank cuts MCLR rate
• Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) has reduced the marginal cost of funds-based lending rate (MCLR) by up to 10 basis points
(bps) for various tenors.
• It is effective from 11 July 2019.
• MCLR for overnight has been reduced to 8.20% from 8.30% and one-month loan tenor has been reduced by 10 bps from 8.35% to
8.25%.
World Population Day: 11 July
• The United Nations observes 11 July every year as World Population Day.
• This year’s World Population Day calls for global attention to the unfinished business of the 1994 International Conference on
Population and Development.
• United Nations Headquarters - New York, USA
• Founded - 24 October 1945.
• Secretary General - Antonio Guterres.
Index and rankings
• Actor Akshay Kumar is the only face from Bollywood to make it to Forbes’ annual Highest-Paid Celebrities list. Singer Taylor Swift
has topped the list, yet again after 2016.
• Max Life Insurance Company Ltd., one of India’s leading life insurance companies, is the only life insurance company to be
recognised amongst India’s “Top 100 Great Places to Work For” by Great Place to Work Institute.
Smith & Nephew's NAVIO honored
• NAVIO has recently been felicitated at the prestigious 'The Economic Times Best Healthcare Brands 2019'.
• NAVIO is a robotics-assisted surgery system from Smith & Nephew, a Global medical technology provider.
• This coveted and one of the most prestigious awards in India honors brands which have shown robust growth by high customer
satisfaction in the healthcare sector.
Govt to establish first Nat. Police University
• Centre said it has initiated a proposal to establish the first National Police University in the country.
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• It will be dedicated to imparting education in policing and internal security.

• The university will conduct academic programmes in specialized subjects.
• Gujarat, Rajasthan and Jharkhand have set up dedicated universities for conducting courses in police services and internal
security.
Lok Sabha passes NDAIC Bill
• Lok Sabha passes New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill.
• It seeks to provide for the establishment and incorporation of New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDAIC) for the purpose
of creating an independent and autonomous regime for institutionalized arbitration.
• The legislation has provision to declare the NDIAC as an institution of national importance.
Prasar Bharati signs MoU with IIT Kanpur
• Prasar Bharati and Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur signed a Memorandum of Understanding for research collaboration in
newly emerging technologies and broadcasting-related areas in New Delhi.
• The move is likely to boost research activities in the broadcasting field.
• Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati - Shashi Shekhar Vempati.
• Director, IIT Kanpur - Abhay Karandikar.
CavinKare & FanMojo appoints Brand Ambassadors
• CavinKare announced Bollywood star Sonakshi Sinha as the brand ambassador for its largest shampoo Brand, CHIK. Venkatesh
Vijayaraghavan is the Group Director & CEO – Personal Care & Alliances.
• FanMojo has appointed cricketer Prithvi Shaw as its brand ambassador. Fanmojo is a fantasy platform where users play skill-
based games to earn money.
FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019
• The Estádio Bezerrão in Brasília (Gama) will make football history on 26 October when it hosts the opening match of the FIFA U-
17 World Cup.
• It is the first-ever edition of this prestigious tournament to be staged in Brazil.
• Three cities and four stadiums will host the FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019.
• In the past it has hosted 1950 and 2014 FIFA World Cups, as well as 2016 Olympics.
Bank in News
• RBI working group has suggested calibrated extension of forex market trading hours from 9 am to 9 pm. The RBI regulates money
markets, Government Securities (G-Sec) market, foreign exchange (Forex) market and the markets for derivatives on interest
rate, currency and credit derivatives.
• The RBI cancelled licences of 1,701 non-banking financial companies in the year ended 31 March.
RPF launched “Operation Thirst”
• To curb the menace of unauthorized PDW (PACKAGED DRINKING WATER) in Railway premises, an all India drive named
'Operation Thirst' was launched.
• In the drive all the Zonal Principal Chief Security Commissioners (PCSC) were asked to crackdown these unauthorised activities.
• During the drive, 1371 persons were arrested for selling of packaged drinking water of unauthorised brands.
Organized Group ‘A’ Status to RPF
• The Union Cabinet has approved Grant of Organised Group 'A' status to Indian Railway Protection Force (RPF).
• It will also give consequential benefits of Non-Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU) with effect from 01-01-2006.
• Grant of status of Organized Group 'A' service to RPF will end stagnation, improve career progression of the officers and keep up
their motivational level.
Cabinet approves Transgender Persons Bill 2019
• The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal to introduce The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019.
• The Bill provides a mechanism for their social, economic and educational empowerment.
• The Bill will benefit a large number of transgender persons, mitigate the stigma, discrimination and abuse against this
marginalized section and bring them into the mainstream of society.
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'Code on Occupational Safety' approved

• The Cabinet has approved for introduction of the Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Bill, 2019 in the
Parliament.
• The decision will enhance the coverage of the safety, health and working conditions provisions manifold as compared to the
present scenario.
• The New Code has been drafted after amalgamation of the relevant provisions of the 13 Central Labour acts.
'Banning of Unregulated Deposit Bill' passed
• The Cabinet has approved the banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2019.
• It will replace the banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Ordinance, 2019.
• The Bill will help tackle the menace of illicit deposit taking activities in the country.
• Illicit deposits, at present are exploiting regulatory gaps to dupe poor and gullible people of their hard-earned savings.
VNL signs pact with Vietnam
• Vihaan Networks Ltd (VNL) has inked a pact with Vietnam to develop digital villages.
• Vihaan Networks Ltd will offer solutions for advancing rural connectivity by developing digital villages in Vietnam’s underserved
areas through solar-based cellular and broadband solution.
• Vietnam Capital -Hanoi.
• Currency - Vietnamese dong.
• Prime Minister - Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
• President - Nguyen Phu Trong.
Duty waived on products for nuclear plants
• Government of India has waived off basic customs duty (BCD) on products imported for nuclear plants.
• "All goods for use in generation of nuclear power” and “all forms of uranium ores and concentrates for generation of nuclear
power” will now have to pay no basic customs duty.
• The department of atomic energy (DAE) imports uranium ore concentrate from firms in Kazakhstan and Canada, and Russia
Deposits in PMJDY crosses Rs 1 lakh crore
• Deposits in bank accounts opened under Jan Dhan scheme have crossed the Rs 1 lakh crore mark.
• As per the latest finance ministry data, the total balance in over 36.06 crore Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana accounts was at Rs
1,00,495.94 crore as on July 3.
• The PMJDY was launched on August 28, 2014, with an aim to provide universal access to banking facilities to the people in the
country.
Rakhi Halder & Davinder Kaur won a gold medal
• Rakhi Halder and Davinder Kaur won a gold medal each in the senior women’s section in Commonwealth Weightlifting
championship 2019.
• Kaur lifted a total of 184 kg (80+104) to win the women’s 59 kg gold.
• while Halder clinched the yellow metal with a combined effort of 214 kg (94+120) in the 64 kg category.
• India also won five other gold medals in the junior and youth sections.
Ukraine inaugurates world’s largest Metal Dome
• Ukraine has inaugurated the world’s largest movable metal dome encasing the destroyed reactor at the infamous Chernobyl
plant.
• It is a 108-meter high dome which weighs 36,000 tonnes.
• The Chernobyl nuclear power station was the scene of the world's worst civilian nuclear accident on April 26, 1986.
• Thirty people were killed in an explosion and many hundreds died of related illnesses.
Sports
• MS Dhoni became the only second Indian player to reach the 350-game mark in One-Day International cricket (ODI). The first
Indian to set the record was Sachin Tendulkar.
• India physiotherapist, Patrick Farhat’s tenure ended after India lost to New Zealand in the World Cup 2019.
• Elina Svitolina became first Ukrainian woman to reach Wimbledon major semi finals.
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Appointments
• LinkedIn appointed Ashutosh Gupta as its new country manager for India. He will replace Mahesh Narayanan. He was the country
manager for India from January to June 2019.
• Arun Kumar has been appointed as the Director General of aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation. He will replace
BS Bhullar.
Museum of Indian Cinema launched NMIC Bulletin
• The National Museum of Indian Cinema launched a fortnightly bulletin named “NMIC Bulletin“.
• It is located in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• It was brought out by the Films Division with veteran filmmaker Jahnu Barua.
• The Museum was inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India on 19th January 2019.
Defence Ministry signed MoU with IPFC and NRDC
• IPFC, Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence and NRDC, Ministry of Science and Technology signed an MoU with
a vision to bridge the capacity shortfall.
• It will promote a culture of Innovation and Intellectual Property Rights IPR in Indian Defence industry.
• The move will be a boost to the Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti.
India to host 14th COP of UNCCD
• India is set to host the 14th Conference of the Parties (COP) of United Convention to combat Desertification (UNCCD) from
September 02 to 13.
• The global conference will be hosted at India Expo Mart Limited in Greater Noida.
• Ahead of COP-14, Minister also launched “Bonn Challange”, a maiden project to lay emphasis on India’s capacity for forest
landscape restoration.
Art and Culture
• The auspicious Kharchi Pooja started. Kharchi puja is a Hindu festival in Tripura. The festival involves the worship of the fourteen
gods forming the dynasty deity of the Tripuri people.
• In Sri Lanka, the fortnight long annual festival at historic Kataragama temple began. Kathirgamam temple is dedicated to Buddhist
guardian deity Kataragama deviyo and Hindu War God Murugan.
Commonwealth Weightlifting championship I
• India won 13 medals on the opening day of the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship in Apia, Samoa.
• The medals comprised 8 Gold, 3 silver and 2 Bronze.
• Former world champion Mirabai Chanu led the Indian medal rush in the senior women's 49 kg event to win the gold medal in the
Olympic qualifying event.
Commonwealth Weightlifting championship II
• Jhilli Dalabehra also clinched the first place on the podium with a lift of 154 kg in the senior women's 45 kg event which is not an
Olympic weight category.
• In the senior women's 55 kg, Soroikhaibam Bindyarani Devi won the gold while silver went to Matsa Santoshi.
• In the senior men's 55kg category, Rishikanta Singh grabbed the gold with a total lift of 235 kg.
Dutee Chand clinches gold medal
• Dutee Chand clinched a gold medal in the World Universiade in 100 m dash event at Napoli in Italy.
• With this, she became the first Indian woman track and field athlete to win Gold.
• She took 11.32 seconds to finish the race.
• Dutee has now become the second Indian sprinter to win a gold in a global event after Hima Das.
Madhya Pradesh to produce its own seeds soon
• The Madhya Pradesh State Cooperative Seed Federation will produce seeds.
• The decision has been taken in a Board of Directors’ meeting held under the chairmanship of the Minister for Cooperatives
Govind Singh in Bhopal.
• The brand name of seeds will be ‘Sah-Beej’.
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• A plan has been made to produce seeds from the next Rabi season.
NGT asks states to tackle crop burning
• National Green Tribunal has asked states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh as to how they intend to tackle the problem of
crop burning.
• The bench is headed by NGT Chairperson Justice AK Goel.
• The direction by the tribunal came following news reports on deaths caused in the NCR due to air pollution, and crop burning
being one of the reasons for the poor air quality.
Russia successfully launched Soyuz-2.1
• Russia successfully launched Soyuz-2.1 a carrier rocket with a hydrometeorological satellite and 32 small satellites.
• The satellite will provide images of clouds, the surface of the Earth, ice and snow covers in the visible, infrared and microwave
ranges.
• The ride-share mission lifted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in eastern Russia.
Sharjah issues 1st permanent residency visa
• Sharjah’s first Golden Card visa was issued to an Indian expat businessman Lalu Samuel.
• The move is a part of the permanent residency system tailored for investors.
• The Golden Card is a 10-year long-term visa eligible for investors and entrepreneurs to engage them in the renaissance and
development of the UAE.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis becomes Greece’s new PM
• Kyriakos Mitsotakis was sworn in as the Prime minister of Greece.
• Mitsotakis is the son of former prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis, one of the country’s longest serving parliamentarians.
• Greece Capital - Athens
• Greece Currency - Euro
Sri Lanka eliminates measles
• Sri Lanka has become fifth country in the World Health Organisation (WHO) Southeast Asia region to eliminate measles.
• The other countries in the region which have achieved this feat are Bhutan, Maldives, DPR Korea and Timor-Leste.
• Measles is a highly infectious illness caused by the rubeola virus.
• WHO estimate that 2.6 million people who have not had the vaccine die of measles every year.
Awards and Honours
• Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar’s directorial ‘Gully Boy’ has won the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema Award at the 23rd
Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea.
• The amplified version of honey bees sound used by the Northeast Frontier Railways to ward off elephants from tracks, thereby
preventing any mishap deaths has won Indian Railways' best innovation of the year award.
Sports
• Magnus Carlsen won the 2019 Croatia Grand Chess Tour title. India’s Viswanathan Anand ended up with 4.5 points and finished
11th.
• Arinjeeta Dey, a 10-year-old girl, has won a silver medal in the World Youth Cup held in Umag, Croatia. The tournament was
organised by World Karate Federation affiliated to the International Olympic Association.
Appointments
• Lieutenant General Shailesh Tinaikar of India assumed charge as Force Commander of United Nations Mission in South
Sudan. Shailesh Tinaikar has been awarded the Sena Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal for Distinguished Service.
• BCCI has formally appointed Rahul Dravid as the Indian National Cricket Academy’s Head of Cricket. Dravid will oversee all cricket
related activities at NCA.
Obituaries
• Former India football goalkeeper from Tamil Nadu A. U. Celestine passed away. He played for the Tamil Nadu men’s team in the
senior Nationals as a keeper in the 1965 and 69 National championships.
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• Rip Torn, a distinguished actor in theater, television and movies and an Emmy winner in his 60s for his comedy piece on TV's 'The
Larry Sanders Show has passed away.
AIFF Awards announced
• Indian men's football team captain Sunil Chhetri and women's footballer Ashalata Devi bagged the top honours at the All India
Football Federation's Awards.
• Development Programme - Jammu & Kashmir Football Association.
• Best Referee - R. Venkatesh.
• Best Assistant Referee - Joseph Tony.
• Emerging Women’s Footballer 2018-19 - Dangmei Grace.
• Emerging Men’s Footballer of the Year- Abdul Sahal.
2nd India-Russia Strategic Economic Dialogue
• The 2nd India-Russia Strategic Economic Dialogue began in New Delhi.
• The first Dialogue was held in St. Petersburg in November 2018.
• The meeting will focus on six core areas of cooperation, including development of transport infrastructure and technologies,
agriculture and agro-processing sector and small and medium business support.
France to impose green tax on plane tickets
• France will impose green tax up to €18 on plane tickets from 2020.
• The move aims to fund less-polluting transportation projects.
• A similar tax was introduced in Sweden in April 2018, which imposed an added charge of up to €40 on every ticket in a bid to
lessen the impact of air travel on the climate.
CP 9th most expensive office location in world
• According to property consultant CBRE, New Delhi’s Connaught Place (CP) is the 9th most expensive office location in the world.
• Hong Kong’s Central district retained the top spot as the world’s most expensive market for prime office rents.
• Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex and Nariman Point CBD slipped to 27th and 40th position.
2 new Chinook helicopters arrived in Gujarat
• American aerospace major Boeing announced the arrival of two new heavy-lift Chinook helicopters for the Indian Air Force at the
Mundra port in Gujarat.
• The Indian Air Force has ordered 15 Chinooks and the first four helicopters arrived in February.
• The advanced multi-mission helicopter will provide the Indian armed forces unmatched strategic airlift capability.
Venkaiah Naidu released 'Vivekadeepini' book
• Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu released a book titled Vivekadeepini.
• It was initially written by Adi Shankaracharya who is one of India’s greatest spiritual and literary geniuses.
• Vivekadeepini is a summary of Prashnottara Ratnamalika written by Adi Shankaracharya.
• It contains universal truths and are the starting point for reflection.
Next session of Heritage Committee in Fuzhou
• The city of Fuzhou (China) will host the next session of the World Heritage Committee in 2020.
• This decision concluded the work of the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee, meeting in Baku since 30 June.
• During this year’s session, the World Heritage Committee inscribed a total of 29 new sites on the World Heritage List.
• The committee included Jaipur in UNESCO's cultural list.
Budj Bim Cultural Landscape in UNESCO's list
• The Budj Bim Cultural Landscape in south-west Victoria has been included in UNESCO's World heritage list.
• It is the 20th site in Australia to make it to the UNESCO's List.
• The landscape is marked for its Aboriginal cultural importance.
• It is considered as one of the oldest aquaculture sites in the world.
• The site was cared for over 6,600 years and is important to the Gunditjmara People.
Vinesh Phogat won gold medal
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• India’s wrestler Vinesh Phogat won her first gold medal after shifting to 53 kg category at the Grand Prix of Spain 2019 at Madrid,
Spain.
• Divya Kakran claimed the top honours in the 68 kg category.
• In the championship, India finished second with 130 points in team championship behind Russia which secured 165.
• Vinesh defeated Jessica Blaszka (Dutch) at the finals.
Odisha implemented Witness Protection Scheme
• The Odisha government implemented the Centre’s Witness Protection Scheme 2018.
• By this Odisha became the first State to implement the Scheme.
• On December 5 2018, Supreme Court has directed all States and Union Territories to endorse the scheme.
• The Witness Protection Scheme, 2018 shall be the 'law' under Article 141 and 142 of the Constitution, till the enactment of
suitable legislation.
Mexico won 8th CONCACAF Gold Cup
• Mexico's men's soccer team have won their record eighth CONCACAF Gold Cup by defeating the United States 1-0 in the final.
• The single goal was hit by Mexico’s Jonathan dos Santos.
• CONCACAF is the international men’s football championship of North, Central American, and Caribbean region.
• The 2019 CONCACAF was hosted by US, Costa Rica and Jamaica.
Operation Milap of Delhi Police
• The Delhi Police Crime Branch has rescued 333 children from Delhi as these children were missing since January 2019 from
various parts of the country.
• The operation Milap was launched in December 2014.
• Under this project, the Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Delhi Police develops information, rescues the trafficked or
kidnapped person and arrests the kidnappers.
US approves arms sale to Taiwan
• The U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale to Taiwan of M1A2T Abrams tanks, Stinger missiles and related
equipment at an estimated value of $2.2 billion.
• This was done despite China's criticism of the deal. US said that this will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
• The United States is the main arms supplier to Taiwan, which China deems a disloyal province.
Jallianwala Bagh Bill introduced in Lok Sabha
• The Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (amendment) Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha by Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel.
• It seeks to remove the Congress president as a permanent member in a trust that runs the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial
trust.
• The members are- PM as the chairperson, President of INC, Culture Minister, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Punjab
governor & CM.
DEEP-CEE: AI Powered tool launched
• Matthew Chan, a doctoral researcher at Lancaster University has developed deep learning technology called 'Deep-CEE' (Deep
Learning for Galaxy Cluster Extraction and Evaluation)
• It speeds up the hunt for galaxy clusters by using neural networks, which mimic the way the human brain identifies objects i.e.
by using specific neurons that can visualise patterns and colours.
Earth Alliance launched
• Leonardo DiCaprio, Laurene Powell Jobs and Brian Sheth will launch Earth alliance to tackle climate change.
• Caprio has merged his Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation into Earth Alliance.
• The alliance will work globally to protect ecosystems, climate change, support renewable energy, and secure indigenous rights to
the benefit of all life on earth.
New tranche of gold bonds out
• The government announced a new tranche of sovereign gold bonds at an issue price of ₹3,443 per gram, with a discount of
1.45%.
• Sovereign gold bonds track the price of physical gold and also pay out an interest of 2.5%.
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• These bonds are government securities denominated in grams of gold and come with a maturity period of 8 years with an exit
option from the fifth year.
India's 1st elephant rehabilitation centre
• India's first elephant rehabilitation centre will be situated in Kottoor, Kerala. It is an ecotourism village.
• It is being planned on the lines of the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka.
• It will have an elephant museum, mahout training centre, super-specialty hospital, a retirement home and crematorium for the
animals, will house orphaned, injured and older elephants.
Sri Lanka inaugurates first model village
• Ranidugama- The 1st Model Village having 2400 houses and built with Indian assistance in Sri Lanka was inaugurated.
• This is a part of housing project meant for civil war-affected people and estate workers.
• India has partnered with Sri Lankan Ministry of Housing and Construction and Cultural Affairs and will also provide a grant of Rs
1,200 million (USD 17.5 million) for the same.
RBI's norms stricter than requirements: BCBS
• RBI's norms on large exposures for banks are compliant with the Basel requirements, infact they are stricter in some areas,
according to the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.
• The assessment was conducted by the Regulatory Consistency Assessment Programme (RCAP) and focused on the completeness
and consistency of the domestic regulations in commercial banks in India.
Parliament passes Aadhaar amendment Bill
• Rajya Sabha passed the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 by a voice vote, which was passed by Lok Sabha on July
4.
• It allows voluntary use of Aadhaar as identity proof to open bank accounts and get mobile connection.
• It provides for a ₹1 crore penalty and a jail term for private entities violating provisions on Aadhaar data and also allows Adhaar's
use for KYC authentication.
50 years of partnership of India and UNWFP
• Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar launched a Coffee Table Book-50 years of
Partnership for Change.
• This was launched along with Dr. Hameed Nuru, Representative and Country Director, UN World Food Programme in India, to
commemorate 50 years of partnership between the Ministry and the agency towards addressing food and nutritional security in
India.
Delhi-Lucknow Tejas-first privately run train
• The Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express is set to be the first train to be operated by private players, as a part of the 100 day agenda of
Indian railways to hand over the operation of two trains to private sector on a trial basis.
• The train was announced in 2016 but was introduced in the new time table released recently.
• It is currently parked at the Annandnagar railway station in Uttar Pradesh.
US Congress to vote for Green card bill
• The US Congress will vote for the Green card bill that will remove the per country cap on the number of green cards issues by the
US.
• This will mainly benefit high-tech professionals on H-1B work visas from countries like India.
• The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act, also known as HR 1044 is being supported by 203 Democrats and 108 Republicans,
and requires 290 votes to be passed.
Facebook to clarify how it makes money
• Facebook is updating its terms and services guidelines to clarify how it makes money from the personal information of its users.
• This is an attempt to satisfy regulators in the U.S. and Europe, which have urged the company to make sure users know what
they are signing up for.
• Even after deleting the information, it might still exist on Facebook’s servers for 90 days.
Twitter to mark rule breaking tweets
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• Twitter would label and deprioritise tweets from officials and politicians that violates its rules.
• Users will see a notice about a tweet which violates the rules and must then tap or click through to see the message.
• It would only apply to verified political candidates and government officials with more than 1,00,000 followers.
iPhone designer John Ive quits Apple
• Apple's Chief Design Officer, John Ive will quit Apple after more than two decades.
• He's the man behind the iconic designs of the iPhone, iMac and iPad.
• He will be starting his own new design firm, LoveFrom, from which he will cater to Apple.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to visit India
• Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu will be making a short visit to India in Sept.
• He was supposed to visit India in Feb which was cancelled due to elections in both the countries. Earlier, he had visited India in
2018 which marked 25 years since the establishment of full diplomatic relations.
• PM Modi was the first Indian PM to visit Israel in 2017.
RBI board finalises Utkarsh 2022
• RBI board finalised the three-year medium-term strategy - Utkarsh 2022 during its meeting held in New Delhi.
• The issues to be discussed were finalised by the committee headed by outgoing Deputy Governor Viral Acharya.
• It is a roadmap to improve regulation and supervision, currency management and payment system etc. The board also
finalised RBI's budget for July 2019-June 2020.
India slams OHCHR's reports on J&K
• India has strongly condemned the report released by Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.
• The report mentions that neither India nor Pakistan have taken any concrete steps to address the concerns raised by it last year
in its first-ever report.
• India strongly protested that this report is a continuation of the last year's report, which wasn't favouring India either.
J&K govt approves Aadhaar-linked payment mode
• Jammu and Kashmir government has approved Aadhaar-linked payment mode for disbursal of pension to beneficiaries under
various central and state-sponsored schemes.
• It is done to ensure transparency and avoid delays.
• The move is aimed at ensuring transparency and avoid delays in disbursement of pension to eligible old-aged, widows and
physically challenged persons.
Operation ‘Sudarshan’ launched
• BSF has launched the operation ‘Sudarshan’ to fortify the ‘anti-infiltration grid’ along the Pakistan border in Punjab and Jammu.
• It was launched on July 1 and will cover the entire 1,000-kms length of the India-Pakistan International Border.
• The Border Security Force is the primary force guarding this frontier as the ‘first line of defence’.
UAE Foreign Minister on India's visit
• Foreign Minister of United Arab Emirates Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan will held bilateral talks with External Affairs
Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi.
• The UAE Foreign Minister is on a three-day visit to India.
• The UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner and fourth largest energy supplier.
Deutsche Bank exits from Equities Business
• Deutsche Bank, the German bank, announced that it is to pull out of global equities sales and trading, scale back investment
banking.
• The decision of the bank will cut down 18,000 jobs for a global headcount of around 74,000 employees by 2022.
• The move comes after the departure of the chief Garth Ritchie by mutual agreement.
P Kashyap gets silver medal
• In Badminton, India's Parupalli Kashyap lost to Li Shi Feng of China in the men's singles title clash of the Canada Open.
• He got silver medal in the tournament.
• Kashyap entered the final, defeating Taiwan's Wang Tzu-wei in a semi-final encounter at Calgary.
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Govt to set up 3 CoE in Sports at Itanagar

• Youth Affairs and Sports minister, Kiren Rijiju has informed that central government is going to set-up three Sports Centre of
Excellence in Itanagar.
• The three centre of excellence will be for Martial Arts, Weight Lifting and Boxing.
• The government will also set up 12 to 15 football stadiums in the next 3 years.
• He also said that Arunachal Pradesh will host the North East Youth Festival.
Medals won by India
• Hima Das won her second international gold in women's 200m with a top finish at the Kutno Athletics Meet in Poland.
• Hima took 23.97 seconds to clinch the gold while VK Vismaya bagged the silver in 24.06 seconds.
• Muhammed Anas won the gold in men's 200m race in 21.18 seconds.
• MP Jabir won the gold in men's 400m hurdles in 50.21 seconds while Jithin Paul was third in 52.26 seconds.
World’s First Interactive Browser Launched
• Popshot, the world’s first ever interactive browser built for smartphones, launches in India.
• Popshot is a smart app that changes the way people explore, share, and save the web through a first-of-its-kind interactive
screenshot feature.
• This promises to redefine the users’ digital capabilities in exploring, bookmarking and sharing content by making it more visual,
organized and direct.
Indian Army to buy long-range howitzer ammo
• The Indian Army is planning to acquire the Excalibur artillery ammunition from the Americans under the emergency procurement
procedures.
• It is capable of hitting targets more than 50 Kilometers away.
• This Excalibur ammunition can be fired from US-made M-777 ultra-light howitzers which are already in process of being inducted
in the Army.
DRDO carries out successful Nag missile tests
• DRDO carried out three successful test firings of the Nag missiles in the Pokhran firing ranges.
• The Defence Acquisition Council has last year approved the procurement of DRDO's designed and developed NAG Missile System
(NAMIS).
• The system includes a third generation Anti-Tank Guided Missile, the NAG, along with the NAMICA.
• The NAG missile is a third generation anti-tank guided missile.
Rohit Sharma made history
• Rohit Sharma made history by making 5th century in 2019 World Cup against Sri Lanka.
• 5 centuries is an all-time record for most tons in a single edition of the tournament. Kumar Sangakkara, with 4 centuries in the
2015 World Cup, was the previous holder of this record.
• Rohit became the second Indian batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to score 600 or more runs in a single World Cup edition.
Sports I
• Jasprit Bumrah became the second-fastest Indian bowler to bag 100 ODI wickets.
• JP Duminy and spinner Imran Tahir of South Africa ended their One-day International careers at Old Trafford.
• Roger Federer created the history by becoming the first player – man or woman – to win 350 singles matches at the majors.
Sports II
• The United States won a record-extending fourth FIFA Women’s World Cup with a 2-0 victory over the Netherlands. Megan
Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle confirmed their status as the leading power in the women’s game.
• Brazil won the Copa America Final 2019. Gabriel Jesus made one goal and showed exceptional skills. Brazil defeated Peru by 3-1.
Banks in News
• The Reserve Bank of India announced an additional liquidity facility to banks for purchase of assets from and on-lending to non-
banking financial companies and housing finance companies. This will enable banks to avail additional liquidity of ₹1,34,000
crore.
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• Punjab National Bank has reported RBI about a fraud of more than Rs 3,800 crore by Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd.
PM unveils Lal Bahadur Shastri statue
• The Prime Minister unveiled the statue of former Prime Minister Sh. Lal Bahadur Shastri at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International
Airport in Varanasi.
• He then launched the tree-plantation drive at Anand Kanan Vatika in Varanasi.
• He also visited the virtual museum at Man Mahal.
• The museum is a cultural landmark in the city of Varanasi, showcasing the various aspects of our cultural heritage.
Assam to develop over 300 tourist spots
• Assam government has taken a step to develop 316 tourists spot in the state.
• 150 crore rupees will be spent to develop these locations under Axom Darshan.
• MD of Assam Tourism Development Corporation Phukan added that river tourism is one of the sought after sectors in Assam and
the state government will utilise the mighty Brahmaputra to develop the sector.
Obituaries
• Joao Gilberto, the legendary Brazilian musician and songwriter died. He was a pioneer of the lilting, melodious music known as
bossa nova.
• Cameron Boyce, a young actor who starred in the Disney Channel series Jessie and played a major role in the Descendants series
of Disney crossover movies, has died.
• R. Ramakrishnan, a member of the Rajya Sabha between 1981 and 1987, passed away.
Appointments
• J&K Bank announced the appointment of Rajni Saraf as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the bank. Having experience of more
than three decades in the banking industry, Saraf currently heads the Supervision and Control Division of the bank.
• Kartik Aaryan is Manyavar’s new brand ambassador and Katrina Kaif is Reebok's new brand ambassador.
Miscellaneous News
• To serve the underprivileged children, Bring a Smile Foundation along with Cyberabad Police, SCSC and GHMC, launched Smile
Box campaign aimed at bringing a 'smile' on their faces.
• As part of celebrations of 20 years of Kargil victory, commemorative treks were organised by 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles and 18
Grenadiers battalion of the Indian Army to Batra Top and Tiger hill.
Vertical steep dive version of Brahmos tested
• India has successfully tested the vertical steep dive version of the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile that changes the dynamics
of conventional war fare.
• The CEO of Bramhos Aerospace Dr. Sudhir Mishra said that the 'Made in India' Brahmos Aerospace is also ready with a longer 500
km range version of the Brahmos missile.
• It can be fired from Sukhoi 30 fighter jets.
One-time settlement scheme launched
• On 1 July 2019, the Uttarakhand government launched a one-time settlement scheme for those who have taken a loan of up to
Rs 60 lakh from co-operative banks.
• The scheme has been launched to recover co-operative banks' Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) worth Rs 391.50 crore which has
piled up over the last 25 years.
• The 100-day scheme will last until 7 October 2019.
Guidelines on self-care interventions launched
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched its first guidelines on self-care interventions for health.
• The guidelines focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights.
• The guidelines have been launched in response to an estimate that by 2035 the world will face a shortage of nearly 13 million
healthcare workers.
Jaipur listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site
• On 6 July 2019, Jaipur made an official entry in the list of the UNESCO World Heritage sites.
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• The decision was taken at the 43rd session of the Unesco World Heritage Committee.
• With Jaipur's inclusion, the number of heritage sites across India that are on the UNESCO World Heritage list has grown to 38,
including 30 cultural properties, seven natural properties and one mixed site.
Bharti Airtel completes merger of TTSL
• Bharti Airtel and Bharti Hexacom announced the merger of the Consumer Mobile Businesses (CMB) of Tata Teleservices (TTSL)
and Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) (TTML).
• As part of the merger, Airtel will absorb TTSL’s CMB operations in 19 telecom circles — 17 under TTSL and two under TTML.
• It also agreed to take over a small portion of the unpaid spectrum liability of TTSL.
NASA tests launch-abort system
• NASA carried out a successful test of a 'launch-abort system' for the Orion capsule designed to take U.S. astronauts to the Moon.
• It aimed to test in almost real-life conditions the evacuation of astronauts from the capsule in the event of an explosion or rocket
booster failure.
• In the test, an unmanned Orion capsule was launched by a mini-rocket.
Azim Premji to receive excellence awards
• The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) said that Mastercard CEO and President Ajay Banga and Wipro Chairman Azim
Premji will receive the 2019 Global Excellence Awards at its Second Annual Leadership Summit in Washington on 11 July 2019.
• Jared Kushner, senior adviser to the President of the United States, will present awards during the summit.
Karnataka Bank launches web tool
• Karnataka Bank Ltd has launched the web tool – ‘Vasool So-Ft’ (Vasool So-Fast) – for digitalising the NPA (non-performing asset)
recovery process of the bank.
• The tool for the recovery of stressed assets will provide an end-to-end digital solution.
• It will enable easy and faster processing, real-time information and immediate decision making in the recovery area.
ISRO teams up with Russian company
• The Indian Space Research Organisation has signed a contract with a Russian company Glavkosmos on 2 July 2019.
• The contract has been signed for selection support, medical examination and space training of Indian astronauts for the country’s
proposed maiden manned space mission ‘Gaganyaan’.
• Glavkosmos is a Russian launch service provider and a subsidiary of the state corporation Roscosmos.
Appointments
• Nalin Shinghal has been appointed as Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) for five years.
• B Harideesh Kumar has been appointed as Director of Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) for a period of three years.
• Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN) has elected Manoj Kumar Nambiar, managing director of Arohan Financial Services, as
its Chairman.
Tata Steel Kalinganagar joins WEF's GLN
• Tata Steel Kalinganagar (TSK) has been included in the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Global Lighthouse Network (GLN).
• GLN is a community of manufacturers showing leadership in applying Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to drive financial
and operational impact.
• TSK in Odisha's Jajpur district is the first and the only Indian manufacturing plant to be included in the GLN.
Punjab & Sind Bank sets up centralised hub
• Punjab & Sind Bank has set up a Centralised MSME & Retail Group (Cen-MARG).
• Cen-MARG will process retail and MSME loans for better efficiency of branches in business acquisition.
• Cen-MARG will be housed at its head office in New Delhi.
• It will ensure qualitative improvement in credit appraisal, improved turnaround time, uniform documentation, and efficient
monitoring.
Reliance Jio ties up with Facebook
• On 3 July 2019, Reliance Jio announced a digital literacy initiative for first-time Internet users in the country.
• The name of the initiative is 'Digital Udaan'.
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• The initiative has been launched in collaboration with Facebook.

• Jio will engage with its users every Saturday to help them learn about JioPhone features, use of various apps and Internet safety
including the use of Facebook.
World’s most powerful passports revealed
• Henley Passport Index 2019 was launched by Henley and Partners.
• The Indian passport has been ranked 86 with a mobility score of 58.
• Japan and Singapore hold the joint top spot on the Henley Passport Index.
• The index includes 199 passports and 227 travel destinations — including micro-states and territories.
India's 1st Design Development Centre launched
• India's first Design Development Center 'Fashionova' was launched in the Textile city Surat.
• The aim of the centre is to promote the city in the field of the fashion design sector.
• Fashionova has been named in the Start-up scheme of the Government.
• The main objective of this studio is to provide a strong platform to all those who have a flair of the apparel business.
Longest electrified tunnel commissioned
• South Central Railway has commissioned the longest electrified tunnel between Cherlopalli and Rapuru stations in Andhra
Pradesh.
• The length of the tunnel is 6.6 km.
• The construction of this tunnel paved the way to operate freight trains on Obulavaripalli - Venkatachalam - Krishnapatnam Port
new railway line for a distance of 113 km.
India's first highway corridors for e-vehicles
• India's first highway corridors with charging stations for electric vehicles are expected to come up along the Delhi-Jaipur and
Delhi-Agra highways by 2020.
• The e-corridors are proposed to be the first under the Ease of Doing Business Programme (EODB) of the Advance Services for
Social and Administrative Reforms (ASSAR).
• Eighteen charging stations will be set up on the two routes.
Hong Kong approves over $9 million for Odisha
• The Hong Kong government has approved over $900,000 for relief and rehabilitation work in cyclone-hit Odisha.
• Odisha was hit by 'Very severe cyclonic storm' Fani in May 2019.
• The grants will benefit around 45,100 cyclone victims and will be used to provide hygiene kits, kitchen kits, water, education,
household items and shelter kits.
Control of HFCs handed over to RBI from
• The government has taken away the powers of the National Housing Bank (NHB) to regulate housing finance companies (HFCs)
and handed them to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Act will be amended to give the RBI powers to regulate the HFC sector.
• NHB was part of the RBI till April 2019 when the government decided to take it over.
Important Days
• World Zoonoses Day is observed every year on July 6.
• The aim of the day is to commemorate the scientific achievement of administering first vaccination against a zoonotic disease.
• Zoonoses are infectious diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites that spread between animals and humans.
'Jan Choupal' programme inaugurated
• Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel inaugurated 'Jan Choupal' program in Raipur on 3 July 2019.
• Under this new 'Jan Choupal' program, public meetings will be held once every week.
• The people can discuss their issues in the 'Jan Choupal' and get it resolved.
Genesis Foundation gets Award
• Genesis Foundation, a Gurgaon based Non-Profit Organization won the CSR Implementation Partner award in the leadership
category at the 3rd edition of CSR Health Impact Awards.
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• It works towards the treatment of underprivileged children suffering from congenital heart disorders.
• The CSR Health Impact Awards is constituted to inspire organizations to drive a nationwide CSR-based health movement
EFLU, IIM-V signed MoU
• English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), Hyderabad and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Visakhapatnam signed a
MoU for mutual capacity-building and skill development.
• The objective was to attain standards of global excellence in common areas of research and teaching.
• It provides an opportunity for EFLU students pursuing foreign languages to study short-term courses of IIM-V.
Appointments and resignations
• The RBI has appointed its former executive director A K Misra as the additional director on the board of Jammu and Kashmir Bank
(J&K Bank). Misra shall hold the office for a period of two years up to July 2, 2021, or till further orders, whichever is earlier.
• L&T's Chief Executive Officer Rostow Ravanan, Chairman Krishnakumar Natarajan and Vice Chairman Parthasarathy NS have quit
the company.
International Day of Cooperatives: 6 July
• The United Nations observes first Saturday of July every year as International Day of Cooperatives.
• The day is celebrated to increase the awareness of cooperatives.
• The event underscores the contributions of the cooperative movement in resolving the major problems addressed by the United
Nations.
• The Theme for the year 2019 COOPS 4 DECENT WORK.
Sports News
• The government will set up a National Sports Education Board under Khelo India to popularise sports at all levels. Sports minister
Kiren Rijiju thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the finance minister for the initiative.
• Shoaib Malik, a veteran of 35 Tests, 287 ODIs and 111 T20Is for Pakistan, has announced his retirement from ODI cricket.
400 cr allocated for educational institutions
• An amount of Rs. 400 crore has been provided for FY 2019-20 to create World Class Institutions in the field of education.
• The Government will also bring in a New National Education Policy to transform India’s higher education system to one of the
global best education systems.
• The programme ‘Study in India’ was also announced that will focus on bringing foreign students to study here.
Mongolian delegation visited India
• A Mongolian delegation led by the Chairman, Civil Service Council of Mongolia, Mr. B. Baatarzorig, met the Union Minister of
State for Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Dr Jitendra Singh.
• The MoU between the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Civil Service Council of Mongolia (CSC) has been signed on
3rd of July, 2019.
• Ulaanbaatar is the capital of Mongolia.
Iraq Babylon: World Heritage Site by UNESCO
• UNESCO's World Heritage Committee has voted to list the sprawling Mesopotamian metropolis of Babylon as a World Heritage
Site.
• Iraq had been trying since 1983 to have the site - a massive 10sq-km complex of which just 18% has been excavated thus far -
recognised by UNESCO.
• The city was the centre of the ancient Babylonian empire more than 4,000 years ago.
National Affairs
• Ministry of I&B has set up FM Radio Transmitter on 103.7 MHZ frequency at Baltal, on the Amarnath route. Amarnath
Yatra program is being generated from Baltal base camp.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said an exclusive television channel will be set up for startups that will serve as a platform
for discussing issues affecting their growth and match-making with venture capitalists.
MoU signed between Indian Army and NeGD
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• The Army and the National eGovernance Division inked a pact for developing a revamped application to maintain the centralised
database for personnel, equipment and major stores.
• The NeGD is a part of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• The Management Information Systems Organisation (MISO) of the Indian Army is the nodal agency under the DGIS.
NSIL incorporated as a new arm
• A Public Sector Enterprise, New Space India Limited (NSIL) has been incorporated as a new commercial arm of Department of
Space to tap the benefits of the Research & Development carried out by ISRO.
• It will spearhead commercialization of various space products including production of launch vehicles.
• The Budget Estimates for Department of Space for FY 2019-20 is Rs 12,473.26 crore.
Fertilizer subsidy saw a hike
• Allocation towards the Fertilizer Subsidy has been increased and it would further help in increasing the efficiency of subsidy
transfers to the farmers through DBT.
• The Fertilizer Subsidy allocations have seen a hike of around Rs. 10,000 crores from Rs. 70,090.35 crores (Budget Estimates 2018-
19) to Rs. 79,996 crores (Budget Estimates 2019-20).
• Urea subsidy comprises of Rs. 53,629 crores.
Budget I
• The Union Budget 2019-20 proposed customs duty reductions on certain raw materials and capital goods needed for nuclear
power plants. These measures will further promote domestic manufacturing.
• Union Budget envisaged a total outlay of Rs 27,86,349 crore. Out of this Rs 3,18,931.22 crore has been earmarked for Defence
(excluding Defence Pension).
Budget II
• Government has increased funds allocation for drug de-addiction measures to Rs 135 crore from Rs 33 crore in 2014. There is
provision for fining the culprits responsible for drug menace in the country.
• FDI inflows into India have remained robust despite global headwinds. India’s FDI inflows in 2018-19 remained strong at USD
64.375 billion marking a 6% growth over the previous year.
Budget - III
• 4 new embassies will be opened in 2019-20, to improve footprint of India's overseas presence and to provide better public
services to local Indian communities.
• The government has proposed to increase budget allocation for the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare by over 78% to
1.39 lakh crore rupees for the current fiscal.
WB govt to increase daily allowances
• The West Bengal Government has decided to increase daily allowances of Ministers and MLAs for their presence in the State
Assembly.
• The daily allowances for the Ministers will be Rs.3000 while Legislators will get Rs. 2000 per day for their attendance in the
House.
• Additional 15 crore rupees will be spent from the State exchequer to implement the decision.
Niqab banned in Tunisian Government offices
• Tunisia's Premier banned the Niqab, Muslim face covering for women in government offices, citing security concerns after
attacks in the country.
• Prime Minister Youssef Chahed banned access to public administrations and institutions to anyone with the face covered for
security reasons.
• On June 27 double suicide bombing in Tunis left 2 dead and 7 wounded.
World's largest burn surgery instit. started
• The world's largest burn and plastic surgery institute in Dhaka started functioning from 4 July 2019.
• About 6 lakh people suffer burn injuries in Bangladesh every year who will benefit from the institute.
• Named Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute, the 500-bed hospital with 50 ICU and 12 operation theatres will
provide advanced treatment to burn patients in Bangladesh.
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India to train 1800 Bangladeshi civil servants

• 1800 Bangladeshi mid-career civil servants will be trained at the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) in Mussoorie
between 2019-2025.
• The Bangladeshi civil servants are being trained at the National Centre for Good Governance based on the MoU signed in
February 2019.
• The first batch of 30 civil servants paid a visit to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka on 5 July 2019.
Budget aimed at 10-year vision
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said budget 2019-20 is aimed at the ten-year vision and five-year target for every
sector.
• It lays emphasis on the overall development of the economy.
• Start-ups have been given a whole set of tax benefits, which will enable them to do their business with much bigger ease.
Kargil tribute song released
• Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has released a Kargil Tribute Song to honour, salute and pay homage to the Kargil martyrs and
war veterans.
• It was released at a function organized in New Delhi as part of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.
• The song, a tribute to the soldiers has been composed by eminent Hindi lyricist Sammer Anjaan and sung by Shatadru Kabir.
Star Air records best OTP
• Star Air, a scheduled commercial airline by Sanjay Ghodawat Group having its base at Kempegowda International Airport
Bengaluru has recorded the best On-Time Performance (OTP) of 89% since its inception.
• It is the best achievement by a startup airline in the Indian commercial aviation sector.
• Star Air is currently operating at five stations, Bengaluru, Hubballi, Belagavi, Ahmedabad, Tirupati
Damanganga-Pinjal River Linkage project
• In Maharashtra, the state government has decided to inter-link rivers to solve the crisis of drought.
• For Mumbai, the best option is the Damanganga–Pinjal river inter-linking project, which is seen as an ideal, long-term solution for
Mumbai’s water needs.
• This will fulfil Mumbai’s water needs till 2060.
A Global B2B Managed Marketplace - iConnect
• iConnect Business Pvt Ltd has announced that it will soon launch iConnect, a global B2B managed marketplace for
worldwide MSMEs to seamlessly trade with each other.
• iConnect will be an end-to-end solution provider to trade across borders.
• It will enable MSMEs to get access to import export data from 200+ countries, find genuine trade counterparts and trade service
providers.
Bahrain & UK first to pilot new AI guidelines
• Bahrain has announced it will pilot new guidelines for the procurement of Artificial Intelligence in the public sector.
• It partnered with the UK government to help design the guidelines and assesses them in real-world conditions.
• It is produced by the World Economic Forum (WEF) Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
• By this Bahrain and UK became first in the world to do so.
Elavenil won silver medal in 10 m air rifle
• India’s Elavenil Valarivan outshone everyone at the 30th World University Summer Games to score 630.8, a new university world
record in the qualification stage.
• She won a silver medal in 10m air rifle event at Napoli, Italy on 4 July 2019.
• Elanevil finished ahead of Lin Ying-Shin and Lucie Brazdova in Qualification round to create the university record.
Sports News
• Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman Ikram Ali Khil achieved a rare feat as he broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record of the highest score
by a teenager in the World Cup. With a 86-run innings, Khil broke the record of Sachin Tendulkar of scoring 84 runs in 18 years
323 days in the World Cup 1992 World Cup.
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• Dutch winger Arjen Robben announced he is ending his playing career at the age of 35.
Vladimir Putin signed a bill
• Vladimir Putin has signed a bill suspending Russia's participation in a pivotal nuclear arms pact with the United States.
• The Russian president’s decree formalises his country’s departure from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
• Russia has denied any violations and accused the US of breaking the accord.
UP govt promised piped water to households
• UP CM Yogi Adityanath said that every household in the state will receive piped water within two years.
• This project will start from Bundelkhand region by the end of August 2019.
• As many as 15 rivers, which have gone dry, will also be rejuvenated in the coming months.
• To make Ganga clean, committees have been constituted in the district near the bank of the river.
UP govt launched toll-free CM helpline 1076
• The UP government launched a toll-free Chief Minister helpline number 1076.
• It will enable people from across the state to register their complaints and will ensure a time-bound action on the complaints
also.
• The CM helpline number 1076 will work 24x7 and anyone from any part of the state can call on this number anytime.
• The 500-seater call centre has been established for the helpline.
Rath Yatra celebrated in Bangladesh
• In Bangladesh, the starting of Rath Yatra was celebrated at a number of places on 4 July 2019.
• In Dhaka ISKCON and other religious bodies celebrated the Rath Yatra with several programmes in the city.
• The centuries old Rath Yatra started from the Madhav Temple at Dhamrai in Bangladesh with devotees singing Kirtans in the
praise of Lord Jagannath.
Dubai airport shops to accept Indian currency
• Dubai Duty Free announced that Indian Rupee will now be accepted at all the retail outlets of the Dubai airport.
• However, the change, if any, will be given back in Dirhams and not the Indian currency.
• Notes of various denominations, including 100s, 200s, 500s and 2000s will be accepted.
• The move makes the Indian rupee the 16th international currency to be accepted at Dubai's airports.
Aadhar and Other Laws Bill passed
• Lok Sabha passed Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
• The Bill seeks to amend Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act 2016.
• It also seeks to further amend the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002.
• It proposes giving a child an option to exit from the biometric ID programme after 18 years.
Indian Medical Association Bill passed
• Parliament has passed the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2019 with the Rajya Sabha approving it on 4 July 2019.
• Lok Sabha has already passed it.
• The Bill seeks to supersede the Medical Council of India (MCI) for a period of two years with effect from 26 September, 2018.
• The bill aims at ensuring transparency, accountability and quality in the governance of medical education.
Rural sanitation coverage jumped to 99%
• Under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), 9 crore 62 lakh individual household toilets have been constructed so far.
• The sanitation coverage in the rural areas of the country has increased to more than 99%, which was over 38% on 2nd October
2014.
• 632 Districts, 30 States, over 2.50 lakh Gram Panchayats and 5 lakh 67 thousand 498 villages have been declared open defecation
Free.
Govt started review of Foreign Trade Policy
• The Ministry of Commerce and Industry started an exercise to review the current Foreign Trade Policy.
• The objective is to boost exports and domestic manufacturing and reduce the trade deficit.
• The present Foreign Trade Policy was brought out on 1 April 2015 and is valid for five years, which ends on 31st March 2020.
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• A mid-term review was held in December 2017 after the introduction of GST.
Finance Minister presented first budget
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the first budget in the second term of the government, for the fiscal year 2019-
20 in the Lok Sabha.
• This is the first budget being presented by a woman Finance Minister.
• From 1.85 trillion dollars in 2014, the economy has reached 2.7 trillion US dollars and we can very well reach 5 trillion dollars in
the next few years.
Economic Survey projected 7% GDP growth
• Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey 2018-19 in both Houses of Parliament on
July 5, 2019.
• The survey projects GDP to grow at 7% in 2019-20.
• The Indian economy is expected to grow at 6.8% in 2018-19.
• The theme of the survey is about enabling shifting of gears to sustained economic growth to achieve a 5 trillion dollar economy
by 2025.
National Affairs
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices, MSP for all Kharif crops for
2019-20 Season.
• In Mizoram, drug abuse has gone up to an alarming level. The official record reveals that more than 300 people lost their lives last
year in drug abuse related incidents.
June was hottest ever on earth
• June was the hottest June ever recorded worldwide.
• This is according to the data provided by the Copernicus Climate Change Service, implemented by the European Centre for
Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
• The data showed that European temperatures were around 2 degrees Celsius hotter than normal, and globally Earth was 0.1
degree Celsius hotter than the previous June record in 2016.
Sitting while watching TV cause heart attack
• A study, led by researchers at Columbia University in the United States, found that leisure-time sitting while watching TV was
associated with a greater risk of heart disease and death.
• Sitting for longer hours at work may not be as bad for the heart as sitting while watching television.
• The research was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association
Miscellaneous I
• Chief of Defence Force of Maldives National Defence Force, Major General Abdulla Shamaal is on a 3-day visit to India.
• Merck Foundation in partnership with The First Lady of Ghana, Rebecca Akufo-Addo launched an inspiring children story of Kofi
and Ama for children to strengthen family values of love and respect since young ages.
Miscellaneous II
• National Cadet Corps (NCC) has undertaken a pan-India Mega Pollution Awareness Pakhwada (fortnight) from July 01-11 2019.
The pakhwada aims to sensitise the people against various kinds of pollution and their effects.
• The government said that the recruitment examination of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) will now be conducted in 13 regional
languages in addition to English and Hindi.
Special Rhino Protection Force in Kaziranga
• The Special Rhino Protection Force (SRPF) is deployed across the Kaziranga National Park.
• A first ever batch of 82 constables of a SRPF has been deployed in various parts of UNESCO World Heritage Site Kaziranga
National Park in Assam.
• This is the first time a special force that has been dedicated to keep a check on rhino poaching and related activities in the
Kaziranga National Park.
Maharashtra ranked first in AMFFR Index
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• Maharashtra got first rank in NITI Aayog's “Agricultural Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index (AMFFRI)”.
• The index ranks states based on the degree of reforms they have undertaken in agricultural marketing.
• AMFFRI can have a score that can have minimum value “0”, the score implies no reforms and they have maximum value “100”
implying complete reforms in the selected areas.
Hima Das won gold in women's 200 m
• Indian sprinter Hima Das won the women's 200m gold in the Poznan Athletics Grand Prix in Poland.
• National record holder shot putter Tajinder Pal Singh Toor bagged a bronze.
• Asian champion Toor won the men's shot put bronze with a best effort of 19.62 metre.
• KS Jeevan won the men's 400-metre bronze in 47.25 seconds.
Economic Survey 2018-19
• A day before the Union Budget is presented, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 4 July 2019 tabled the Economic Survey
2018-19,
• It has been prepared by Chief Economic Adviser Krishnamurthy Subramanian, in the Parliament.
• The Economic Survey projects the state of health of the Indian economy and outlines the challenges.
• The Indian economy is at a 5-year low of 6.8% in 2018-19.
27% disabled children never went to school
• More than one in four children with disabilities between ages 5 and 19 in India have never attended any educational institution.
• A report by UNESCO and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences released on 3 July recommends structural, funding and attitudinal
changes to ensure that no child is left out of the right to education.
First investors summit to be held in J&K
• Jammu & Kashmir will host its first-ever investor summit in September-October 2019 in Srinagar, with a chapter in Jammu, to
attract investment and counter perceptions about the State.
• The State is presently under President’s Rule.
• The strong points of the State are tourism, horticulture and handicrafts. The stress would be on the power sector and
manufacturing as well.
Athi Varadar: Idol that emerges every 40 years
• The Kanchi Athi Varadar festival began on July 1, 2019.
• The temple of Varadar is in Kancheepuram.
• The deity is made of fig tree and hence the name Athi Varadar. He is immersed in Anantasaras, the temple tank.
• He is brought out once in 40 years, pujas done for 45 days and restored to his water bed.
• The last time he came out was on July 2, 1979, and earlier on July 12, 1939.
Ambati Rayudu retired from cricket
• Indian middle-order batsman Ambati Rayudu retired from all forms of cricket on 3 July 2019.
• The Andhra Pradesh batsman was in India's official standbys list for the on-going World Cup but was omitted twice.
• Rayudu played 55 ODIs for India, scoring 1694 runs at an average of 47.05.
• He, however, did not play any Test.
Int Arbritration Bill introduced in Lok Sabha
• The New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha on 3 July 2019.
• The Bill replaces an Ordinance which was promulgated in March 2019.
• It seeks to provide for the establishment and incorporation of New Delhi International Arbitration Centre for the purpose of
creating an independent and autonomous regime for institutionalized arbitration.
Rahul Gandhi resigned as President of Congress
• Rahul Gandhi officially resigned as Congress President on 3 July 2019.
• In his resignation letter, Mr Gandhi said, he is responsible for his Congress' defeat in Lok Sabha elections.
• The party's working committee should meet immediately to decide on his successor.
• Accountability is critical for the future growth of Congress and therefore, he resigned as party president.
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Obituaries
• Former newsreader of All India Radio Barun Haldar passed away in Kolkata in July 2019. He retired as Chief Newsreader of AIR in
1990.
• Lucha legend Perro Aguayo has passed away in July 2019. He is one of the biggest non-masked draws in the history of Mexican
wrestling.
• Birla Group patriarch and a doyen of the Indian industry Basant Kumar Birla passed away in Mumbai in July 2019.
MoU signed between India and Maldives
• The Union Cabinet approved the MoU between India and Maldives for the establishment of passenger and cargo services by sea.
• Male and Kulhudhuffushi are good prospects for introduction of ferry service from Kochi for both tourists as well as cargo.
• The proposed ferry service would contribute in a big way to promote people to people contact and to boost bilateral trade.
Workshop on Glacial Hazards conducted
• National Disaster Management Authority in partnership with Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) organized a
2-day meeting on the assessment of glacial risks and GLOFs.
• GLOFs refer to the sudden discharge of a water reservoir that has formed either underneath, at the side, in front, within, or on
the surface of a glacier.
• The 2013 Kedarnath disaster was a result of the same.
MoU signed between BPR&D and Morarji Institute
• Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) and Morarji Desai National Institute Yoga (MDNIY) entered into a MoU on
3rd July, 2019,
• They will organize Yoga education and training courses/programmes for Police Personnel and CAPFs at different levels and their
family members across the country.
• This will help the Police personnel in overcoming stress in day to day professional lives.
SoI signed between Agriculture Ministry & IBM
• Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) for undertaking a pilot study in 3 districts of
Bhopal, Rajkot and Nanded with IBM India Private Limited, in New Delhi.
• IBM’s Watson Decision Platform will give solution in the field of agriculture through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and weather
technology at village level/ farm level.
Cabinet approved 2 proposals
• The Union Cabinet approved the proposal for leasing out of three airports viz. Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Mangaluru of Airports
Authority of India (AAI) through Public Private Partnership (PPP).
• The Union Cabinet approved the proposal for Grant of Organized Group ‘A’ Service (OGAS) to Group ‘A’ Executive Cadre Officers
of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).
MoU approved between India and Morocco
• The Union Cabinet approved the MoU between India and Morocco.
• It has been signed for developing, promoting and strengthening mutual cooperation between the judiciaries of the two countries.
• The approval will promote cooperation between India and Morocco in judicial and other legal areas and enable exchange of
knowledge in infrastructure and information technology.
MoUs approved between India and Maldives
• The Union Cabinet approved the MoU between India and Maldives for the establishment of passenger and cargo services by sea.
The MoU was signed on June 8, 2019 during the visit of Prime Minister of India to Maldives.
• The Union Cabinet has given approval to the MoU between India and the Government of the Republic of Maldives on
cooperation in the field of Health signed on 08th June, 2019.
HDFC, Manipal Academy launched a programme
• HDFC Bank along with Manipal Global Academy of BFSI has launched a future bankers programme for training and grooming
candidates.
• The bank plans to hire 5,000 such professionals over the next two to three years who will be posted as personal bankers.
• The starting salary for the job is ₹4 lakh per annum plus allowances depending on the category of town or city of posting.
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ICICI Bank tied up with Indostar

• ICICI Bank has tied up with IndoStar Capital Finance Ltd (IndoStar) to finance purchase of used and new commercial vehicles (CV)
by small and medium fleet owners.
• IndoStar has over 322 branches across the country and a niche in financing used commercial vehicles.
• Under this partnership, IndoStar will originate and service the customers through the entire loan life-cycle.
RBI set up working groups to review norms
• The RBI has set up a working group to review the regulatory and supervisory framework for core investment companies (CICs).
• The six-member working group, which will be headed by Tapan Ray, Non-Executive Chairman, Central Bank of India.
• The working group has also been tasked with recommending appropriate measures to enhance RBI’s off-sight surveillance and
on-site supervision over CICs.
TESS discovered its smallest exoplanet
• TESS’ (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) most recent discoveries include a 3-planet system that orbits a star located 35 light-
years from Earth.
• One of the planets, L 98-59b, is between the sizes of Earth and Mars – effectively making it the smallest exoplanet discovered by
TESS to date.
• The discovery also highlights the sophistication of TESS and doubles the number of small exoplanets.
50 lakh trees to be planted by 2020: J&K
• In Jammu and Kashmir, the Governor’s Administration has approved the launch of Green Jammu and Kashmir drive from July 8,
2019.
• Under this major environment-friendly initiative 50 Lakh trees will be planted by June 2020.
• In the 1st phase, the plantation activities will primarily be focussed in Jammu and 9 Lakh trees over 2300 Hectare area are
targeted for plantation this Monsoon season.
Miscellaneous News
• Odisha is all set to organise the 21st Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship at Jawaharlal Indoor Stadium in Cuttack from
July 17 to 22, 2019.
• The world-famous Jagannath Rath Yatra began on4 JUly 2019 at Puri in Odisha. Lakhs of people are gathering in Puri to witness
Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra riding three giant wooden chariots.
Code on Wages Bill approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the Code on Wages Bill.
• It seeks to subsume existing laws related to workers remuneration and enable the Centre to fix minimum wages for the entire
country.
• The Code on Wages is one of the four codes that would subsume 44 labour laws with certain amendments to improve the ease of
doing business and attract investment for spurring growth.
Delhi, Vijayawada get UIDAI centres
• The UIDAI has operationalised the first 'Aadhaar Seva Kendra' in Delhi and Vijayawada.
• It is part of an ambitious plan to set up 114 such centres by the year-end.
• These Aadhaar centres, meant to facilitate enrolment, updation and other activities, will be UIDAI’s own and operate in addition
to thousands of centres, currently being run by banks and post offices, and in government premises.
India seeks to buy $2.2 billion warships
• India sought bids for purchase of warships and support vessels for its navy and coast guard.
• It is done to ramp up security of its maritime border in the Indian Ocean region.
• The government asked 7 shipyards to submit proposals for the construction of six missile warships and other smaller vessels.
• The tender includes 8 fast patrol vessels, 12 hovercrafts and 8 missile-cum-ammunition barges
• Ola Electric Mobility Pvt. Ltd has raised about $250 million from SoftBank Group Corp. By this it became the second company
founded by Bhavish Aggarwal to join the coveted unicorn club of startups valued at more than $1 billion.
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• Total service tax arrears grew 41% year-on-year to ₹1.66 trillion in 2018-19, according to a Comptroller and Auditor General of
India (CAG) report for 2018-19.
Indian universities in Young universities list
• Three Indian universities are among the top 150 best young universities in the world.
• It was according to global ranking agency Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).
• IIT-Guwahati was placed in the top 70-80 university bracket, Anna University and the Jindal Global University in Haryana were
ranked in the 101-150 bracket.
Airtel Payments Bank ties up with Bharti AXA
• Airtel Payments Bank has partnered with Bharti AXA Life Insurance to offer a life term insurance plan across the country.
• The product, Bharti AXA Life POS (Point of Sale) Saral Jeevan Bima Yojana, is a pure life term insurance plan which is aimed at the
under-insured and uninsured segments in India.
• Vikas Seth is the managing director and Chief Executive Officer of Bharti AXA Life Insurance.
Coal to dominate India power to 2030
• Coal may account for half of India’s power generation in 2030 despite a boom in solar and wind energy projects.
• It is according to analysis by the country’s power-planning body, Central Electricity Authority.
• The CEA’s analysis shows that India may be able to exceed one of its 2015 Paris Agreement commitments — reaching 40% of
installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources.
Records created for India at World Cup
• Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul broke the record for the first wicket partnership for India at the ICC cricket World Cups.
• The duo added 180 for the first wicket against Bangladesh at Edgbaston which is the record for India at the World Cups.
• Previous best was between Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan at Seddon Park in Hamilton during the 2015 World Cup.
• India went on to win the match by 8 wickets.
Sports
• The 28th Yonex Sunrise Smt. Krishna Khaitan Memorial All India Junior Selection Badminton Tournament will be held from August
13-18 in Panchkula.
• Rohit Sharma slammed his fourth century of the World Cup 2019 to become the leading run-scorer of the ongoing tournament
during the match against Bangladesh. He equals the record of Kumar Sangakkara of hitting four centuries in a World Cup.
Lee Lacocca passed away
• Lee Iacocca, the auto executive and master pitchman passed away in Bel Air, California in July 2019.
• In his 32-year career at Ford and then Chrysler, Iacocca helped launch some of Detroit’s best-selling and most significant vehicles,
including the minivan, the Chrysler K-cars and the Ford Escort.
• He put the Mustang in Ford’s lineup in the 1960s and became a corporate folk hero.
TSSOCA chief is the new ISTA Vice President
• Director of Telangana State Seed and Organic Certification Authority (TSSOCA) K. Keshavulu was elected vice president of
International Seed Testing Association (ISTA).
• ISTA regulates seed certification at the global level.
• He is not only the first Indian but also first from any Asian country to hold one of the top executive posts in ISTA.
Shakambari festival held in Warangal
• The annual Shakambari festival at the historic Bhadrakali temple began from 3 July 2019 and will run up to July 16, 2019.
• It is believed that by worshipping Goddess Shakambari, people can live in peace.
• The temple will be closed at 6 p.m. on July 16 and reopen at 10 a.m. the next day after conducting samprokshana.
Mekadetu project to take land away
• More than 60% of land needed for the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir project will be in the core area of the Cauvery Wildlife
Sanctuary.
• Of the 52.52 sq. km needed for the project, 31.81 sq. km comes in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, while another 18.69 sq. km is
adjacent forest land.
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• The project will also see the displacement of the Iruliga tribals and other residents of five villages.
SC slapped fine on Meghalaya Government
• The Supreme Court directed the Meghalaya government to deposit the ₹100 crore fine imposed on it by the National Green
Tribunal
• It failed to curb illegal coal mining with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
• The National Green Tribunal had fined the Meghalaya government on January 4, 2019.
• It admitted that a large number of mines were operating illegally in the northeastern state.
Ajay Singh elected to IATA board
• Low cost carrier SpiceJet's Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh was elected to the board of the International Air
Transport Association (IATA).
• The new board of the global airlines' grouping would be chaired by Lufthansa Group Chief Executive Officer Carsten Spohr.
• In March 2019, SpiceJet became the first Indian low-cost carrier to take membership of the IATA.
4000 yr old pyramid opened for public in Egypt
• Egypt's 4,000-year-old Lahun pyramid has opened its doors to the public for the first time, displaying a network of passageways
and an ancient burial chamber.
• A small team of archaeologists from the Egyptian ministry of antiquities spent around a year clearing out the burial chamber
inside the pyramid.
• A variety of artefacts were excavated including amulets, scarabs, shells, and chains.
Assam delegation of MLAs visited Dhaka
• A delegation of five MLAs from Assam visited the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 2 July 2019.
• The delegation was welcomed in the High Commission by the Acting High Commissioner Bishwadip Dey.
• The members of delegation had a discussion on how to promote people to people relations between India and Bangladesh.
• The meeting also discussed the issue of promoting tourism.
Medical Council (Amendment) Bill passed
• Lok Sabha passed the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill 2019 by a voice vote.
• The main aim of the legislation is to enhance quality of education imparted in medical colleges.
• It provides for supersession of Medical Council of India for a period of two years with effect from September 26, 2018.
• It also proposes to increase the number of members in the board of Governors to 12 from 7.
David Lipton: Interim leader IMF
• American economist David Lipton will serve as interim leader of the International Monetary Fund, replacing Christine Lagarde.
• Lagarde has been nominated to head the European Central Bank.
• First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton will now be the Acting Managing Director of the IMF.
• IMF or International Monetary Fund is headquartered in Washington D.C., US.
European Council appointed new EU leaders
• The European Council elected Charles Michel as President of the European Council.
• It adopted the decision proposing Ursula von der Leyen to the European Parliament as candidate for President of the European
Commission.
• It considered Josep Borrell Fontelles to be the appropriate candidate for High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy.
Algeria Parliament President resigned
• President of the Algerian parliament Moad Bouchareb resigned after prolonged demands for his removal by protesters.
• Terbech Abderazak, a member of parliament, would take over the job temporarily.
• Bouchareb is a former head of the National Liberation Front (FLN) party, which has ruled Algeria since independence from France
in 1962.
RBI imposed fine on 4 public sector banks
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• The RBI has imposed penalties ranging between Rs 25-50 lakhs on four banks for violating Know Your Customer (KYC) norms and
anti-money laundering standards.
• Punjab National Bank, Allahabad Bank, and UCO Bank were fined Rs 50 lakh each while Corporation Bank was fined Rs 25 lakh.
• Notices were issued to the banks advising them to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed.
Tax Treaty to be implemented
• India has ratified the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit
Shifting (MLI).
• It was signed by the Finance Minister at Paris on 7th June 2017 on behalf of India, alongwith representatives of more than 65
countries.
• The Multilateral Convention/MLI is an outcome of the OECD / G20 Project to tackle Base Erosion and Profit Shifting.
2.5 lakh new jobs to be created in IT sector
• About 2 lakh 50,000 new jobs will be created in the IT sector in the coming months through the comprehensive skill development
programme.
• Rapid advances made in the digital technology in the country can take this sector to the tune of 7.2 billion dollars from 2.5 billion
in 2018.
• Transforming the world's largest youth force into a truly skilled force is the vision of the NDA government.
WB: 10% reservation to backward section
• The West Bengal Cabinet has decided to give 10% reservation in Education and Employment to the economically backward
section people of the state.
• The State Cabinet took the decision under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata.
• People who get reservations under caste system will not get the benefit.
Baloch Liberation Army designated terror group
• The US has designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as a terrorist organisation.
• BLA is an armed separatist group that targets security forces and civilians, mainly in ethnic Baloch areas of Pakistan.
• The department has also made it a crime for anyone in the US to assist the BLA terrorists and freezing any US assets they may
have.
Govt to raise health services expenditure
• The government has set a target to raise health services expenditure to 2.5 per cent of the country's GDP by 2025.
• The National Health Policy 2017 envisages the same.
• The public expenditure on health services is continuously increasing.
• The policy recommends that State governments should spend more than 8% of their budget on the health sector by 2020.
SBI, NIIF signs pact
• The State Bank of India has signed a memorandum of understanding with National Investment and Infrastructure Fund to boost
availability of capital for infrastructure projects.
• The scope of the agreement includes equity investments, project funding, bond financing, renewable energy support and take-
out finance for operating assets.
• Rajnish Kumar is the Chairperson of SBI.
AFSPA extended for six months in Nagaland
• The Home Ministry extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act for another six months, till December-end in Nagaland.
• It declared the region a “disturbed area” and in a “dangerous condition”.
• Imposing AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without prior notice.
• It has been in force in Nagaland for several decades.
Railway speeds up trains under Mission Raftaar
• The Indian Railways said that it has speeded up 261 trains, by up to 110 minutes, over different zones.
• It is a part of its Mission Raftaar to provide faster travel to passengers.
• 'Mission Raftaar' was announced in the Railway Budget 2016-17 and envisages a target of doubling average speed of freight
trains in the next five years.
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Vishwanathan reappointed RBI deputy governor

• N.S. Vishwanathan was reappointed as deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India.
• The Appointments Committee of Cabinet has approved the extension of Vishwanathan's term as RBI deputy governor by one
year with effect from 4 July this year, the order issued by the Personnel Ministry.
• His tenure was to end on 3 July.
Iran announces breach of nuclear deal
• Iran exceeds its stockpile of uranium in a breach of the 2015 nuclear deal.
• Trump warns Iran while UN asks Iran to respect the terms of nuclear agreement.
• Iran enriched its uranium stockpile passing the 300-kilogram limit set by the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
15 year old beats Venus Williams
• 15 year old Cori Gauff beats five time champion Venus Williams in first round at Court 1 of the All England Club.
• By doing so she became the youngest player to win a match at the premier tournament.
• Gauff became the youngest player since 1991 to register a win in the first round of women's singles at Wimbledon.
First battery-powered cruise ship sails
• The world’s first cruise ship propelled partially by battery power sailed out from northern Norway on its maiden voyage.
• The hybrid expedition cruise ship, the Roald Amundsen, can take 500 passengers and is designed to sail in harsh climate waters.
• It is named after the Norwegian explorer who navigated the Northwest Passage in 1903-1906 and was first to reach the South
Pole in 1911.
First ever IICTF fair to be held in October
• The First Ever India International Cooperatives Trade Fair (IICTF) is going to be held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from 11th till
13th October, 2019.
• Steered by NCDC, the Fair is being conducted with the support of one international organization (NEDAC), 3 Ministries, 4 State
Governments.
• The Trade Fair is aimed at promoting cooperative to cooperative trade within India and abroad.
8 core sectors growth record of 5.1% in May
• The eight core sectors in the country have recorded a growth of 5.1 per cent in May 2019 on the back of healthy output in steel
and electricity.
• These sectors are coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity.
• Steel output increased by 19.9 per cent, while electricity grew by 7.2 per cent during the month under review.
Appointments
• The competent authority has approved assignment of additional charge of the post of Secretary, Ministry of Textiles to Shri
Rabindra Panwar, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• K. Natarajan took over as the Director-General of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). He is the 23rd chief of India’s coastal security
force. He took over form Rajendra Singh.
Miscellaneous News
• India has pledged to contribute 5 million US Dollars in 2019 to the UN Palestine refugee agency.
• Ministry of Railways has released its new All India Railway Time Table known as 'Trains At A Glance' effective from 1st July 2019.
• In Jammu and Kashmir a campaign has been launched in Rajouri, a border district of Jammu division called “Operation Khumaar”
to make 312 panchayats tobacco-free.
US Senate gives India NATO ally-like status
• The United States Senate has passed a legislative provision that brings India at par with America's NATO allies and countries like
Israel and South Korea for increasing defence cooperation.
• The amendment provides for increased US-India defence cooperation in the Indian Ocean in areas of humanitarian assistance,
counter-terrorism, counter-piracy and maritime security.
AYUSH, MeitY signs MoU
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• The Ministries of AYUSH and Electronics and Information Technology signed a Memorandum of Understanding in New Delhi.
• It is to collaborate on the digitization of the AYUSH sector.
• The Electronics and Information Technology Ministry has agreed to give technical support to the AYUSH Ministry for planning and
development of AYUSH GRID Project.
• Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha is the Secretary of AYUSH.
Centre constitutes chief ministers’ panel
• Centre has constituted a high powered committee of Chief Ministers of several states for the transformation of Indian
Agriculture.
• Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis will be the convenor of the committee.
• Union Agriculture, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister will also be a member of the committee.
• Besides, NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand has been named the Member Secretary.
Aparna scaled North America's Highest Peak
• Aparna Kumar created history by becoming the first civil servant and IPS officer to achieve the incredible and rare feat of
completing ‘7 Summits’ challenge'.
• Kumar hoisted India's tricolour on Mount Denali in Alaska, USA.
• Aparna Kumar is an ITBP Dehra Dun Frontier DIG.
• She is also the first woman IPS officer to reach the South Pole on January 13.
TN declared Tamil Yeoman as state butterfly
• 'Tamil Yeoman', a kind of butterfly found in Western Ghats is declared as Tamil Nadu state butterfly.
• It is also known as 'Tamil Maravan'.
• Tamil Nadu is the fifth state in the country to announce its state butterfly.
• Its scientific name was 'Cirrochroa thais'.
• Maharashtra was the first to declare Blue Mormon (Papilio polgmnestor) as its state butterfly.
Money in Swiss banks: India slips to 74 place
• According to the annual banking statistics report compelled by the Swiss National Bank, India slipped to 74th place in terms of
money with Swiss banks.
• United Kingdom remained top in the list of the survey.
• The top-ranked countries in the list are
• 1.UK, the US (United States)
• 2. West Indies, France, and Hong Kong.
UGC approves new initiative STRIDE
• The University Grants Commission (UGC) has approved a new initiative - Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India’s
Developing Economy (STRIDE).
• It is to boost research culture in the country.
• STRIDE will provide support to research projects that are socially relevant, locally need-based, nationally important and globally
significant.
Project of planting 33 crore saplings launched
• Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis launched the state’s ambitious project of planting 33 crore saplings within the next two
months.
• The aim was to create a record of planting over 50-crore saplings during the tenure of the current BJP-led State Government.
• Maharashtra Government has successfully planted 2.82 crore saplings in 2016, 5.17 crore saplings in 2017 and 15.17 crore in
2018.
Vaibhav won WBC Asia title
• Indian pro boxer Vaibhav Yadav became the World Boxing Council (WBC) Asia silver welterweight champion.
• He defeated Thailand's Fahpetch Singmanassak in the title bout held in Pattaya, Thailand.
• The fight, which took place last night, was conducted by the Asian Boxing Council and approved by the WBC.
India boycotts ‘Osaka Track’ at G20 summit
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• India, South Africa, and Indonesia have boycotted the “Osaka Track" on the “digital economy".
• Countries boycotted the “Osaka Track"at the G20 leaders’ summit in Osaka.
• It undermined “multilateral" principles of consensus-based decisions in global trade negotiations, and denied "policy space" for
digital-industrialisation in developing countries.
India signs ₹200 crore anti-tank missile deal
• India has signed a deal to acquire 'Strum Ataka' anti-tank missile from Russia for its fleet of Mi-35 attack choppers.
• The deal for the missiles is worth around ₹200 crore and would give an added capability to the Mi-35 attack choppers to take out
enemy tanks and other armoured elements.
• Recently, the IAF has acquired the Spice-2000 stand-off weapon system.
Kohli scripted history
• Kohli became the first captain in the history of the Cricket World Cup to score five consecutive fifties. Only Steve Smith of
Australia has scripted this feat of scoring five consecutive fifties in the 2015 World Cup.
• Mohammed Shami made a record by taking four wickets or more in three consecutive World Cup matches. This was held
previously only by Shahid Afridi.
Formula 1: Max Verstappen wins Austrian GP
• Max Verstappen won the Austrian Grand Prix for a second straight year.
• He defeated Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
• Championship-leading team mate Lewis Hamilton, winner of the previous four races, finished fifth and behind Ferrari’s Sebastian
Vettel.
Chief Secretary of Haryana: Keshni Anand Arora
• The Haryana government appointed senior IAS officer Keshni Anand Arora as the State’s new Chief Secretary on June 30.
• Arora will replaces D.S. Dhesi, who retired on June 30, 2019.
• She will be the 33rd cabinet secretary of Haryana since 1966, when it was carved out as a separate State.
• Meenakshi Chaudhary was the State’s first woman chief secretary when she took charge in 2006.
Obituaries - I
• Padma Shri awardee, educationist and founder of Vijayawada-based Montessori Educational Institutions V Koteswaramma
passed away in June 2019. She received the Padma Shri award in the Education and Literature category in 2017 at the age of 92.
• In 1971, she was selected for the Best Teacher national award and the very next year, she was awarded the Best Teacher award
at the state-level.
Obituaries -II
• Rakesh Shukla, former India leg-spinner, passed away in Delhi in June 2019. He had represented Delhi and Bihar in First-Class
cricket. Shukla played 121 first class matches, claimed 295 wickets and aggregated 3798 runs.
• Eminent Odia film producer Keshav Chandra Rout passed away in June 2019. Apart from producing several popular Odia films,
Rout had also made a number of television serials.
Mann Ki Baat
• PM Narendra Modi called upon people to start a mass movement for water conservation and resolve to save every drop of water
amidst water scarcity in several parts of the country.
• Keeping the importance of water in mind, a new Jal Shakti ministry has been created in the country.
• He was addressing the nation through Mann Ki Baat for the first time after resuming office for the 2nd term.
Mining polluted rivers in Goa: Study
• In Goa, iron ore mining has adversely impacted the sediments of rivers in the state, as per a study.
• The study was conducted by the Marine Science Department of Goa University.
• Researchers carried out detailed assessments of the impact of mining on the sediment cores of the rivers in Goa and also on the
metal concentration in Zuari.
• The rivers are Bicholim, Mandovi and Terekhol.
Special Camp to mark Kargil Diwas anniversary
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• Special national integration camp under the aegis of national cadet corp is being organised in Ladakh region of Jammu and
Kashmir.
• It marks the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.
• The theme is 'Rejoice, Renew, Remember'.
• More than 500 cadets from all over the country are participating in the special national integration camp at the Ladakh scout
regimental centre.
NALCO to get President's award
• Odisha-based Navaratna Company NALCO has been selected for President's award for utilisation of Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) fund in social development.
• It started a scheme Aliali Jhia in 2015 to adopt and promote the poor and talented girls for education.
• Under this scheme, 416 girls from BPL families of 66 villages in Anugul and Koraput district.s have been adopted by Company.
Inaugation of Chabra's Thermal Station Unit
• In Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot inaugurated 5th and 6th Unit of Chabra Super Critical Thermal Power Station on 30
June 2019.
• This is the state’s First project based on Super Critical Thermal Power Technology and the estimated cost of this project is 9
thousand 550 Crore Rupees.
• 3 crore additional units of power daily will be generated and 78 lakh new consumers will get benefited.
Campaign to eradicate AES launched in UP
• In UP, a large scale campaign to eradicate deadly Acute Encephalitis Syndrome and Japanese Encephalitis disease was launched
on 1 July 2019.
• Under this state-wide campaign teams will go door to door in every village of the 75 districts of the state to create awareness
about the communicable diseases as well as JE and AES.
• Districts sensitive for the vector-borne diseases have been marked.
Dennis van de Pol conducting 7-day camp
• Hockey goalkeeping trainer Dennis van de Pol of the Netherlands is conducting a 7-day special camp for nine Indian custodians
from 1 July 2019.
• The camp will be held at the Sports Authority of India centre in Bengaluru and overseen by India's chief coach Graham Reid.
• This is the first goalkeeping camp of 2019.
Wimbledon 2019 began
• The iconic tennis championships Wimbledon 2019 began from 1 July 2019.
• Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have been placed on one half of the draw after the Spanish superstar was seeded No 3 for the
tournament.
• World No 1 Ashleigh Barty, defending champion Angelique Kerber and 2018 runner-up Serena Williams are all in the top quarter
of the draw.
Fund transfer through NEFT to get cheaper
• Fund transfer through Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) and National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) systems became
cheaper from 1 July 2019.
• The transaction cost comprises two components-RBI’s charges plus banks’ services charges based on the infrastructure cost they
incur.
• The RGTS system is for large-value fund transfers.
• The NEFT system is for fund transfers of up to Rs. 2 lakh.
Jal Shakti Abhiyaan launched
• Jal Shakti Abhiyan was launched across the country from 1 July 2019 to accelerate water harvesting and conservation measures.
• The scheme is aimed at making water conservation and promotion of irrigation efficiency through asset creation and
communication campaigns.
• Over 250 officers have been appointed as in-charge of water-stressed districts in the country.
Government to introduce new system for GST
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• The government introduced the new return system on a trial basis on the second anniversary of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on
1 July 2019.
• It will come into force from 1st of October this year on a mandatory basis.
• The government will rationalize a single cash ledger in such a manner that earlier 20 heads are merged into 5 major heads.
Commemoration of Digital India initiative
• Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad launched the commemoration of four years of Digital India
initiative in New Delhi.
• The aim of this initiative is to bridge the digital divide and create awareness about Information Technology.
• The Project aims to connect all gram panchayats by broadband connectivity under BharatNet Project to promote e-governance.
One Nation One Card scheme to be implemented
• The Government will implement One nation-one ration card scheme in the whole country by 30th June 2020.
• This was announced by the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan.
• The Food & PD department will also be implementing a new Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme for Fortification of Rice and its
Distribution under Public Distribution System.
Defence Minister visited Visakhapatnam
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was on a visit to Eastern Naval Command.
• He was briefed on the operational readiness of the Command and other aspects of maritime and coastal security on the Eastern
Seaboard on 30 Jun 19.
• He also visited Indian Navy’s indigenously conceived design and constructed frontline stealth frigate INS Shivalik and Indian Naval
Submarine Sindhukirti at Visakhapatnam.
Veer won U-19 Asian Squash title
• In Squash, Veer Chotrani won gold by beating compatriot Yash Fadte in the Under-19 title at the Asian Junior Championship in
Macau, China.
• With this victory, Veer became the third Indian to win the Asian trophy after Ravi Dixit and Vela Senthilkumar.
• India finished the tournament with one gold, three silver and as many bronze medals.
Abu Dhabi hosted first ISALEX19 exercise
• Representatives of 50 law enforcement agencies of the International Security Alliance took part in the first joint security exercise
in Abu Dhabi which began on 30 June 2019.
• The International Security Alliance is an international working group to confront organised, transnational and extremist crimes.
• It comprises 9 countries including the UAE, Bahrain, France, Singapore, and Morocco.
NBFC growth may have fallen by a third: RBI
• The share of non-banking financial companies in loans extended to the commercial sector shrank by almost a third in the
previous financial year.
• NBFC exposure in the industry credit pie narrowed to 26.6 per cent in FY19 from 39.1 per cent a year earlier.
• This was given in the Reserve Bank of India's bi-annual Financial Stability Report (FSR).
August 2019
Harish Chandra: Acting CJ of Jharkhand HC
• The Government has notified the appointment of Justice Harish Chandra Mishra as the Acting Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High
Court.
• The appointment was made in view of the demise of Acting Chief Justice Prashant Kumar.
• Justice Mishra commenced his practice at the Patna High Court, dealing with both civil and criminal matters.
• Justice Prashant Kumar passed away on 30 August 2019.
Call for expansion of aquaculture sector
• Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu called for expansion of India's aquaculture sector through diversification, value addition and
penetration in the hinterland and non-coastal states.
• He addressed the fifth edition of Aqua Aquaria India (AAI) recently.
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• During 2018-19, India exported 14,37,445 tonnes of seafood worth $6.8 billion. The US is the major market followed by the
European Union.
Amrita Pritam honoured by Google Doodle
• Google doodle honoured Punjabi poetess Amrita Pritam with a doodle, marking her 100th birthday.
• A renowned poetess, Amrita was born on 31 August 1919 in Gujranwala, Punjab of British India, which now fall in Pakistan.
• Amrita is considered a path-breaking woman, who rose to fame with her literary works like Pinjar, Suneray and Nagmani.
Delhi cabinet approved free travel for women
• The Delhi cabinet approved free travel for women in buses in the national capital.
• The scheme, announced by chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, will be effective 29
October 2019.
• There will be a single-journey pass issued by the conductor for women travellers.
• The scheme is voluntary and women travelers can choose to not avail the plan.
Mumbai ranked 45th on world's safest city
• Mumbai has been ranked as the 45th safest city on the Safe Cities Index (SCI), while Delhi stood at the 52nd position, as per a
report by Economist Intelligence Unit.
• The Safe Cities Index (SCI) 2019 ranks 60 countries worldwide across five continents and measures the multi-faceted nature of
urban safety, with indicators categorised as digital, infrastructure, health and personal security.
Trump to launch Space Command
• US President Donald Trump announced that it is to launch the space Command to defend America's interests in the next war-
fighting domain.
• The US is to unveil the new Space Command called SPACECOM.
• It will be the US's 6th branch of the military, U.S. Space Force, for space defense.
• SPACECOM is expected to defend America's vital interests in space in the next warfighting domain.
HUA launched 'Angikaar campaign'
• The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry launched the 'Angikaar campaign'.
• It is aimed at bringing beneficiaries of PMAY (urban) into the fold of other central schemes such as Ujjawala and Ayushman
Bharat.
• The convergence would especially focus on Ujjwala for gas connection and Ayushman Bharat for health insurance to the
beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana(U).
Air India to ban single-use plastic
• Air India, India’s national airline, will ban the usage of single-use plastic aboard its flights from October 2, 2019.
• The ban will come into effect on all flights of Air India Express and Alliance Air flights.
• Air India will replace plastic teacups and tumblers with sturdy paper cups and tumblers.
• Chairman and MD of Air India Ltd: Ashwani Lohani.
Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
• UN observes 30 August every year as International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
• The day is observed to prevent enforced disappearances and bring to justice those responsible, as enforced disappearance has
frequently been used as a strategy to spread terror within the society.
• 2011 marked the inaugural commemoration of this day.
Lifeline Express inaugurated at CSMT, Mumbai
• The Lifeline Express, also known as Hospital on Wheels, was inaugurated at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus by the Central
Railway (CR) for its latest project, which involves providing medical treatment to poor patients.
• The train will now move to Sahibganj in Jharkhand from Mumbai for its next project.
• The Indian Railways had launched the Lifeline Express on July 16, 1991.
BSE, SUFI joined hands to launch steel futures
• The Steel Users Federation of India signed a MoU with the Bombay Stock Exchange to launch trading in steel futures.
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• BSE and SUFI will work towards enlisting steel futures in both long and flat segments, which will bring stability, risk-aversion
besides creating a level-playing field for all players.
• BSE offers trading in commodities like gold, silver, crude oil, guar, cotton and turmeric.
Government-e-Marketplace signed MoU with SIDBI
• Government e-Marketplace signed an MoU with Small Industries Development Bank of India.
• The MoU aims to benefit MSMEs, women entrepreneurs, Self Help Groups, Women Self Help Groups and various loan
beneficiaries under MUDRA and Stand-up India scheme.
• GeM and SIDBI will take steps to ensure payments within a guaranteed timeframe to sellers.
India's NDC delegation visits Nepal
• A delegation from the 59th course of National Defence College (NDC) India comprising 15 senior officers from civil services and
defence forces of India, UK, Japan, Mongolia and Bangladesh visited Nepal.
• The delegation was briefed about various functions of the Nepali Army during its visit to Nepali Army headquarters. The team
also visited Western Division Headquarters at Pokhara.
Govt announced mega merger of pub. sec. banks
• The government has announced the merger of ten public sector banks into four banks.
• It announced the merger of Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank with Punjab National Bank as well as the merger of
Canara Bank and Syndicate Bank.
• The merger of Union Bank of India, Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank and the consolidation of Indian Bank with Allahabad Bank
was also announced.
Government to set up 12,500 AYUSH centres
• The government has set a target of setting up 12,500 AYUSH centres across India.
• The government is trying to set up 4000 such centres this year itself.
• 1.5 lakh health and wellness centres are being opened across the country.
• During a ceremony held recently, PM Modi released 12 commemorative postal stamps to honour eminent scholars, practitioners
and Great Master Healers of AYUSH Systems.
CBDT constituted special cell
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes -CBDT has constituted a five-member special cell to address grievances of start-ups with
relation to angel tax and other tax-related issues.
• The cell will work towards redressal of grievances and mitigate tax-related issues in case of start-up entities with respect to the
administration of Income-tax Act,1961.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to visit Japan
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will embark on a two-nation tour of Japan and South Korea on the 2nd September 2019.
• As part of his visit to Japan, the Minister will co-chair the Annual Defence Ministerial Dialogue with his Japanese counterpart
Takeshi Iwaya.
• He will visit South Korea on the 5th September.
• He will have a bilateral dialogue with Minister of National Defence Jeong Kyeong Doo.
• Rajiv Gauba took over as the new Cabinet Secretary after the superannuation of PK Sinha. He has held important assignments
including Union Home Secretary and Secretary of Ministry of Urban Development.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted the request of his Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra to be relieved of his post. He
will be relieved of his post from the 2nd week of September 2019.
Person in news
• Rating agency Moody’s Indian arm ICRA terminated its Managing Director (MD) and Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Naresh
Takkar’s employment.
• Veteran actor Nimu Bhowmik who essayed major character roles in Bengali classics such as 'Ganadebata', 'Baghini' and 'Dadar
Kirti' passed away in August 2019. His last film, 'Dash Mash Das Diner Galpo', was released last month.
Appointments
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• IndiGo has appointed GE-Healthcare official Aditya Pande as its chief financial officer. Pande replaces Rohit Philip, who leaves the
company on 16 September 2019. He is currently the CFO at GE Healthcare.
• Ukraine's new parliament selected 35-year-old Oleksiy Honcharuk as the country's prime minister. Ukraine's new president,
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, formerly a comedian, made the decision.
DAY-NULM conferred SKOCH Governance Gold Award
• Deendayan Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), a flagship mission under the Ministry of Housing
and Urban Affairs has been conferred the prestigious SKOCH Governance Gold Award.
• It was awarded for its Portal for Affordable Credit and Interest Subvention Access (PAiSA).
• PAiSA is a centralized IT platform which was launched in November 2018.
Rare tarantula sighted in Villupuram district
• Researchers sighted a critically endangered species of tarantula for the first time beyond its known habitat in the Eastern Ghats.
• The spider belonging to the genus Poecilotheria is commonly known as the Peacock Parachute Spider or Gooty Tarantula.
• It was spotted by a team of researchers of Indigenous Biodiversity Foundation (IBF) in the Pakkamalai Reserve Forests in
Villupuram district.
TB Division of the Health Ministry signed MoU
• The Central TB Division of the Health Ministry signed a MoU with Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence to explore the
application of cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence technology in its fight against TB.
• As part of the collaboration, Wadhwani AI would be supporting National TB programme become AI-ready which would include,
developing, piloting, and deploying AI-based solutions.
Gorewada Int. Zoo to be set up at Nagpur
• The Government planned to establish an International Standard Zoo and Biopark on the forest land at Gorewada, Nagpur.
• The main aim is to protect forests.
• The Zoo will have attractions like Bio Park, Indian Safari, African Safari, Night Safari, Research, Education and Training, facilities
for tourists.
• The Government agreed to provide Viability Gap Funding (V.G.F) of Rs. 200 crore for it.
Virgil van Dijk, Lucy Bronze won UEFA Award
• Liverpool Football player Virgil van Dijk has won UEFA’s Player of the Year award.
• He beat Barcelona captain Lionel Messi and Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, while England footballer Lucy Bronze took the
Women’s Player of the Year award.
• UEFA also handed out positional awards for male players, with Van Dijk for Champions League Defender of the Season.
Dindigul lock, Kandangi saree got GI tag
• Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul locks and Kandangi sarees have received Geographical Indication (GI) tags.
• The famous Dindigul locks are known throughout the world for their superior quality and durability, that's why the city is called
Lock City.
• The hand-woven Kandangi sarees also have a 150-year-old tradition, and its history is related to the business community of
Chettiars.
Delhi government to launch a 10-week campaign
• Delhi government will launch mega 10-week campaign against dengue and chikungunya.
• The campaign has been titled as '10 Hafte, 10 Baje 10 minute Har Ravivar, Dengue Par War'.
• As per the campaign, people of Delhi are requested to give 10 minutes every Sunday at 10 a.m. to check all sources of stagnant
water at their homes as the dengue mosquitoes breed only in clean water.
India launched world’s first ever facial BSID
• India became the first country in the world to issue Biometric Seafarer Identity Document (BSID), capturing the facial biometric
data of seafarers.
• The new facial biometric technology is a marked improvement over the two-finger or iris-based bio-metric data, with modern
security features.
• The project was taken up in collaboration with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC).
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International Day Against Nuclear Tests

• UN observes International Day Against Nuclear Tests on 29 August every year.
• It is observed to increase awareness about the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions and the
need for their cessation as one of the means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.
• 2010 marked the inaugural commemoration of the International Day against Nuclear Tests.
Ind-Ra cuts GDP growthforecast in FY20 to 6.7%
• India Ratings and Research has revised downwards its projection of the country’s GDP growth in financial year 2019-20 to 6.7%.
• It is a six-year low, from its earlier forecast of 7.3%.
• The agency expects growth in the first quarter of the current financial year to decline for the fifth consecutive quarter to 5.7%.
India, Nepal organized training programme
• The Embassy of India in Nepal and National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) of Nepal organized a 2-day training programme in
Kathmandu on the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of India’s Line of Credit guidelines and procedures.
• Senior experts from the EXIM Bank of India conducted the training programme which was attended by 27 officials from
Government of Nepal.
Air India to be privatized
• The government is determined for the privatization of Air India and people are interested in buying it.
• Total privatization will be done in the shortest possible time and with the best deal.
• A web portal was launched recently.
• Aviationjobs brings together job seekers and prospective employers in the Indian civil aviation sector.
Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat visited Srinagar
• Army Chief General Bipin Rawat visited Srinagar on 30 August 2019.
• He will review the security situation and preparedness of security forces in the Kashmir valley.
• This is the first visit of Gen Rawat to the valley after the abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.
• Authorities have restored mobile phone services in five sensitive districts of Jammu region.
‘Walk to work’ campaign in Meghalaya launched
• Meghalaya Conrad K Sangma launched the campaign of Fit India Movement on 29 August 2019.
• He launched the #WalktoWorkMeghalaya which is a part of the ‘Fit India Campaign’.
• The idea of 'walk to work' will have multiple benefits, cuts the cost of fuel including reduction of CO2 emission, reduce
congestion in the city and more importantly for health and fitness.
Rs 47,000 cr released to increase green cover
• Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar handed over Rs 47,000 crore from Compensatory
Afforestation Fund to various states.
• This was done as a major step towards increasing afforestation in the country.
• The fund will be utilized for the compensatory afforestation, catchment area treatment, wildlife management, natural
regeneration, etc.
PM Modi presented Yoga Awards
• PM Narendra Modi presented Yoga Awards to the winners for Outstanding Contribution for Promotion and Development of Yoga
in New Delhi on 30 August 2019.
• He also released 12 commemorative postal stamps to honour eminent scholars, practitioners and Great Master Healers of AYUSH
Systems.
• Japan Yoga Niketan and Bihar School of Yoga were awarded in the institutional category.
ADB President met PM Modi
• Asian Development Bank President Takehiko Nakao met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pledged to support the government’s
new flagship initiatives.
• Mr Nakao commended the government’s vision to make India a five trillion dollar economy.
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• ADB expects the country’s growth in 2019 at 7.0 per cent and in 2020 at 7.2 per cent, despite downside risks in the global
economy.
Sports News
• India and Nepal secured the top two spots in the Under-15 SAFF Football Championship at the Kalyani Stadium in West Bengal on
29 August 2019. India beat defending champions Bangladesh 4-0, while Nepal trounced Bhutan 6-0.
• In shooting, Abhishek Verma won the gold medal and Saurabh Chaudhary the bronze, in the men's 10m air pistol event of the
World Cup at Rio de Janeiro.
Person in news
• Ajantha Mendis, the mystery spinner from Sri Lanka, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. He played 19 Tests, 87
ODIs and 39 T20Is for Sri Lanka, taking 70 Test wickets, 152 ODI wickets and 66 T20I wickets.
• Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has selected Pramod Agarwal as the next chairman of Coal India. He will take over after
the present chairman A K Jha.
• Former human rights lawyer Lionel Aingimea won the presidential election of the pacific nation Nauru by defeating his rival David
Adeang by 12-6 votes. He is now the 15th President of Nauru succeeding the outgoing President Baron Waqa.
• The tenure of CBDT Chairman P C Mody has been extended by an year. Mody, took over as the Central Board of Direct Taxation
(CBDT) chief in February 2019.
Obituaries
• Congress MLA from the Mukerian assembly seat in Punjab, Rajnish Kumar Babbi passed away in August 2019. He was first elected
to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in the 2012 assembly polls as an Independent from Mukerian.
• Socialist leader and former MLA of Palghar Navnitbhai Shah passed away in August 2019. He took part in the freedom struggle in
1942 at the Gowalia Tank maidan in Mumbai.
Establishment of CDRI approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the Establishment of an International Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) along with
its supporting Secretariat Office in New Delhi.
• The proposal was approved by the Prime Minister on 13th August 2019.
• The CDRI is proposed to be launched at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York, USA on 23rd September 2019.
Dharmendra Pradhan on a visit to Moscow
• Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel Dharmendra Pradhan lead a business delegation from oil & gas as well as steel
sectors to Moscow from 29-30 August 2019.
• This is his first overseas’ visit since his assumption of office.
• He will also participate in an Energy Dialogue with Russian and Indian Oil & Gas and Steel Companies.
MoUs and Agreements
• The Union Cabinet approved the signing of agreement between the National Medicinal Plants Board and the National Institute of
Health, Peru on Cooperation in the field of Medicinal Plants.
• A MoU between the Indian Navy and India Meteorological Department was signed at Naval Base, Kochi on 28 Aug 19 for the
handing over of Cyclone Detection Radar (CDR) building by IMD to the IN.
12th India Security Summit held
• The 12th India Security Summit on the theme Towards New National Cyber Security Strategy was held on 28 August 2019.
• During the conference, many issues were discussed such as protection of critical national infrastructure, emerging cyber threats:
incidents, challenges and response.
• India is the third-largest user of internet and cyber crime has increased manifold in recent years.
Indian Bank opened MSME processing centre
• Indian Bank has opened MSME CPC (centralised processing centre) in Chennai.
• The centralised processing centre will give a boost to the bank’s MSME portfolio and will lead to speedy disposal of micro, small
and medium enterprises’ loans.
• The bank has also deployed skilled manpower in the CPC to improve credit quality and shorten transaction processing time.
Astra Rafael opened facility
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• An Indo-Israel joint venture’s Astra Rafael Communication System was inaugurated in Hyderabad.
• The system will design, develop and manufacture tactical communication systems for Indian armed forces.
• The Joint Venture between Astra Microwave and Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has become India’s first private
sector firm to manufacture software-defined radios in multiple variants.
NOAPS-single window clearing system launched
• The Minister of State for Culture & Tourism launched an integrated NOC online Application Processing System for National
Monuments Authority in New Delhi.
• This will help in online processing of applications requesting NOC for construction-related work in the prohibited and regulated
area of ASI protected monuments.
• 6 new states will be part of it including MP, Haryana, Punjab, and Telangana.
ONGC CMD honoured with Distinguished F'ship
• ONGC CMD Shashi Shanker was honoured with the Distinguished Fellowship of the Institute of Directors (IOD) 2019.
• He was honoured during the 29th Institute of Directors (IOD) Annual Day Ceremony for his distinguished contribution to business
and society.
• The theme of this year’s IOD Annual Day Ceremony was ‘Future Boards: Leading Strategy to Embrace Sustainability’.
‘I’m Jeeja’ won award at We Care Film Festival
• Indian documentary film I’m Jeeja won the award at the 14th edition of the ‘We Care Film Festival on Disability Issues’.
• It won the award in the ‘Under 30 minute’ category.
• The documentary directed by Swati Chakraborty attempts to explore the lives and battles of people living with the disability.
• Another Indian film 'Post Dark' received a jury mention in ‘Under 5 minutes’ category.
Govt permitted 100% FDI in coal mining
• The Union Cabinet relaxed Foreign Direct Investment rule for foreign single-brand retailers and permitted foreign investment in
contract manufacturing and coal mining.
• 100% FDI under automatic route in coal mining and associated infrastructure has been approved.
• 26% FDI has also been allowed under government route for uploading and streaming of News and Current Affairs through Digital
Media.
25th Sr Women’s Nat Football C'ship to be held
• The 25th Senior Women’s National Football Championship will be held in Arunachal Pradesh for the first time from September
10-24, 2019.
• The tournament will be held in the oldest town of the state Pasighat in East Siang District.
• A total of 30 teams from across the country, representing various States, Union Territories and Indian Railways will participate in
the tournament.
Vigyan Mela in Ladakh inaugurated
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Ladakh to inaugurate a Vigyan Mela on 29 August 2019.
• It will showcase crops and grains suitable for growing in high altitude areas.
• His visit to Ladakh was his first to the UT after it was carved out from the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
• He inaugurated the 26th Ladakhi Kisan Jawan Vigyan Mela at Defence Institute Of High Altitude Research( DIHAR).
National Sports Day: 29 August
• National Sports Day 2019 is being celebrated on 29 August across India.
• It marks the birth anniversary of the legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand, who was born on August 29 in the year 1905.
• The day is observed every year to spread awareness about the importance of sports and games in the life of every individual.
• 29 August was proclaimed as the country’s National Sports Day in 2012.
PM Modi launched Fit India Movement
• PM Narendra Modi launched a nation-wide Fit India Movement on the occasion of National Sports Day on 29 August 2019.
• The campaign is aimed at encouraging people to inculcate physical activity and sports in their day to day life.
• President Ramnath Kovind gave away the national sports awards in New Delhi.
• Bajrang Punia and Deepa Malik were conferred with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.
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J&K Governor announced 50,000 govt jobs

• J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik announced that in coming 2-3 months, about 50,000 government jobs will be provided to the
youths of the State.
• The Administration is opening mobile phone connectivity in Kupwara and Handwara districts of Kashmir and soon it will be
opened in other districts as well.
• 50 more degree colleges will be set up in the state.
MoU approved between India and Guinea
• The MoU between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Republic of Guinea was approved on
Cooperation in the Field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy.
• The MoU was signed on 2 August 2019 during the 3-day visit of the President Shri Ram Nath Kovind to Guinea.
• It will be of great importance to both countries considering their shared cultural heritage.
MoU approved between India and Gambia
• The Union Cabinet approved the MoU between India and Gambia in the Field of Traditional Systems of Medicine.
• The MoU will provide a framework for cooperation between India and Gambia for the promotion of traditional systems of
medicine and will mutually benefit the 2 countries in this field.
• The MoU was signed in Gambia on 31 July 2019 during the visit of the President Shri Ram Nath Kovind.
Person in News
• West Indies pacer Cecil Wright announced his retirement from all forms of cricket at old age of 85. He claims to have played over
two million games taking over 7,000 wickets in professional cricket.
• Former Manchester United forward player Eric Cantona will be honoured with the 2019 UEFA President’s Award. The award
recognises outstanding achievements and professional excellence of the player.
National Affairs I
• Leh District Deputy Commissioner, Sachin Kumar Vaishya, launched Rotavirus vaccine on 28 August 2019. Rotavirus is one of the
cause of Diarrhoea in infants.
• 200 Foreigners Tribunals will become functional from 1st of September 2019 in Assam. If someone's name doesn't appear in the
NRC, he or she can appeal before the Foreigners Tribunals.
National Affairs II
• The Union Cabinet has approved setting up of 75 new Medical Colleges by 2021-22. The move will add 15,700 more MBBS seats
in the country.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah flagged off the first fleet of eco-friendly electric buses in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on 29 August
2019. He also inaugurated the country's first automated battery charging and swapping station for e-buses in Ahmedabad.
India to host UNCCD COP-14
• India will host 14th Conference of Parties of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification between 2-13 September
2019.
• The government aims the restoration of 50 lakh hectares of land in next 10 years.
• The conference of Parties will focus on desertification and degradation of land.
• Over 3000 representatives from over 200 countries will participate in it.
All villages to be linked with Wi-Fi
• The Government reiterated its commitment in providing Wi-Fi in all the villages through GramNet with connectivity between
10mbps to 100 mbps speed.
• BharatNet also plans to provide 1 GBPS connectivity, which can be expanded up to 10 GBPS and C-DOT’s XGS-PON will help in a
great way to achieve this.
• C-Sat-Fi technology of C-DOT will empower Indian People especially in rural and remote areas.
IRCTC has came up with a new scheme
• Indian Railways' ticketing and catering arm IRCTC has come up with a new scheme for passengers.
• If Tejas Express (IRCTC has bagged the rights to run the train) is late by more than hour then passengers may be eligible for
compensation.
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• IRCTC is planning to start the first of the two trains from Delhi to Lucknow from October 2019.
• The ticket prices will be in the line of Shatabdi Express.
Commencement of 10th CGD bidding round
• Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel Dharmendra Pradhan has launched the commencement of work for 10th City Gas
Distribution (CGD) bidding round.
• It will cover 50 Geographical Areas (GAs) in 124 districts.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the 10th CGD bidding Round on 22 November 2018.
• 2.02 crore PNG domestic connections will be provided and 3578 CNG stations will open.
Canara Bank launched OTP facility
• Public sector lender Canara Bank has launched the first OTP facility for ATM withdrawals.
• In order to offer a more secured and safe system, Canara bank will activate OTP facility for cash withdrawals of Rs 10,000 or more
in a day.
• This move is in line with banks trying to take security measures to safeguard customers who use debit cards to withdraw cash at
ATMs.
Cartosat-3 satellite to be launched
• India will launch its advanced cartography satellite, Cartosat-3, towards the end of October or early November 2019.
• Cartosat-3 will be launched using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket.
• An earth observation or remote sensing satellite, Cartosat-3 is an advanced version with better spatial and spectral
characteristics as compared to the Cartosat-2 series satellites.
Mobile application- Janaushadhi Sugam launched
• Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, D.V. Sadananda Gowda launched a mobile application Janaushadhi Sugam.
• He also announced that Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Oxo-Biodegradable Sanitary Napkin will now be available at only One Rupee per
pad.
• The Janaushadhi Sugam will enable people to search Janaushadhi generic medicines and the stores at the tip of their fingers.
SIDBI partnered with Incuspaze
• Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has partnered with Incuspaze Solutions Private Limited (Incuspaze) to open a
first-of-its-kind co-working space.
• This coworking space is exclusively designed for MSMEs and startups and named @Workspaze.
• It is a fully furnished office equipped with training and conference room, fast-speed internet, etc.
Peru proposes emergency Amazon summit
• Peru and Colombia have proposed an emergency Amazon summit for countries in the region on September 6, 2019 in Colombia
to protect the vast rainforest.
• The Summit's aim is to establish a pact to conserve, develop and sustainably use the Amazon rainforest while also benefitting the
communities that live there.
• No mention, however, was made of which other countries would be invited.
Indore set a record
• After holding the top position in Swachhata Abhiyan since the last 3 years, the citizens of Indore have taken a rapid step to
become number one in Jal Shakti Abhiyan too.
• A record has been set by installing 1500 water harvesting system in a day in Indore Municipal Corporation area.
• Water harvesting system capsules are being given free of cost under CSR on first come first serve basis.
Bimal Jalan panel report
• The Bimal Jalan panel of the Reserve Bank has recommended that the revised economic capital framework will be reviewed every
five years.
• The RBI, under the revised framework, decided to transfer 52,637 crore rupees excess provisions to the government.
• The panel's report also recommended that the RBI accounting year may be brought in sync with the fiscal year from the next
financial year.
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Feroz Shah Stadium to now be Arun Jaitley St.

• Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi will be renamed as Arun Jaitley Stadium in memory of its former president who passed
recently.
• The renaming will take place on 12 September 2019 at a function where a stand at the Stadium will also be named after India
captain Virat Kohli.
• Though the Stadium will be named Arun Jaitley Stadium, the name of the ground will remain as Ferozeshah Kotla Ground.
Microsoft to train government employees on AI
• Microsoft India launched a program under which it will train 5000 government employees over the next year on AI and cloud
computing skills.
• The program, called ‘Digital Governance Tech Tour’, will comprise of physical and virtual workshops.
• The program will be open for technocrats and IT professionals across the government, including employees of Public Sector
Undertakings (PSUs).
Indians have higher average resting heart rate
• Indian Heart Study found that Indians have an average resting heart rate of 80 beats per minute, higher than the desired rate of
72 beats per minute.
• Unlike people of other countries, Indians have higher blood pressure in the evenings than in mornings.
• The study was conducted on 18,918 participants, both men and women, across 355 cities in 15 states over a period of 9 months.
Gujarat retained first position in CWMI
• Gujarat has retained its first position in the Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) 2.0 announced by the NITI Aayog.
• This is the 3rd consecutive year that the state has retained its position in water management sector.
• Composite Water Management Index is an important tool to assess and improve the performance of States and Union Territories
in the efficient management of water resources.
IIP set up plant to turn plastic into diesel
• Union Minister for Science and Technology, Dr. Harsh Vardhan and CM of Uttarakhand, Trivendra Singh Rawat inaugurated a
waste plastics to diesel plant in Dehradun.
• The plant has been set up in the Indian Institute of Petroleum whose scientists will process waste plastics into fuel.
• It has the capacity to produce 800-litre diesel from one tonne of plastic.
Sports Minister gave Rs 1.82 cr to medallists
• Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju handed over 1.82 crore rupees to the medallists of the Para-Badminton World Championship.
• He amended the policy for para-athletes to make them eligible for more cash awards.
• As per the amended guidelines, medal winners in world events and world championships, organised by International Paralympic
Committee will be eligible for cash awards from the government.
Sports News
• The Indian team created history by winning one gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the 45th World Skills Kazan 2019
competition, in Russia on 27 August 2019.
• Virat Kohli maintained his lead over Australia's Steve Smith in the latest ICC Cricket Test rankings released in Dubai on 27 August
2019. Top-ranked Kohli has 910 points while Smith, with 904, is placed second.
Prakash Javadekar inaugurates Toy Bank classes
• Union Minister Prakash Javadekar congratulated the "THE TOY BANK" on completion of its 5000 centers in the country.
• 'A world where all children are empowered through healthy play' is the motto of "THE TOY BANK".
• Union Minister Praksash Javadekar inaugurated the classes.
• 'The Toy Bank' director - Vidyun Goyal.
Appointments
• Indian Air Force's Wing Commander S Dhami is the first female officer in the country to become Flight Commander of a flying
unit. Dhami took over as Flight Commander of a Chetak helicopter unit at Hindon airbase, recently.
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• The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has appointed Pavan Kapoor as India’s next Ambassador to the UAE. He will replace
Navdeep Singh Suri.
Manasi secures maiden gold
• India had a world champion in Basel (Switzerland) even before the whole nation trained its attention on champion shuttler, P.V.
Sindhu, taking on Japanese Nozomi Okuhara in the women’s singles final.
• 30-year-old Manasi Joshi clinched the gold in women’s singles SL3 final defeating World No. 1 and compatriot Parul Parmar 21-
12, 21-7 to pick her maiden title in Para World badminton championship
India's Sumit Nagal gave Roger Federer a scare
• World No. 190 Sumit Nagal of India became the 1st Indian to take a set off Roger Federer in Tennis.
• Nagal will rise to a career-high ranking of 175 following his maiden Grand Slam appearance.
• Sumit Nagal won the 2015 Wimbledon boys' doubles title with his Vietnamese partner Lý Hoàng Nam.
• He became the sixth Indian player to win a junior Grand Slam Title.
Military Veterans Employment programme
• Amazon India has launched a Military Veterans Employment programme in the country.
• This programme will create employment opportunities for military veterans and their spouses across the company’s fulfilment
centres, sort centres and delivery centres in India.
• It is partnering with the office of the Director-General of Resettlement (DGR) and the Army Welfare Placement Organisation
(AWPO).
ISRO releases photos of Moon craters
• ISRO released a set of pictures showing the surface of the Moon using the Terrain Mapping Camera installed on Chandrayaan-2.
• The pictures shows craters such as Jackson, Mitra, Mach and Korolev.
• The Mitra crater was named after Professor Sisir Kumar Mitra, an Indian physicist and a Padma Bhushan recipient who was
known for his pioneering work in the field of ionosphere and Radiophysics.
National Digital Library of India launched
• HRD Ministry has launched the National Digital Library of India project.
• It has been launched under the National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology, NMEICT.
• Currently, there are more than 3 crore digital resources available through the National Digital Library.
• National Digital Library is also integrated with UMANG App.
Health Ministry signs MoU with Ministry of SJE
• The Health Ministry signed a MoU with the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry for enhanced HIV/AIDS outreach.
• The MOU will catalyze in achieving the national goals and objectives of HIV prevention and impact mitigation.
• It will help in reaching out to the marginalised groups and will provide opportunity for empowerment.
Tenzing Norgay National Award 2018 Announced
• Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards are given every year to recognize the achievements of persons in the fields of
adventure.
• The award is given in 4 categories namely, Land Adventure, Water Adventure, Air Adventure and Life Time Achievement.
• The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India along with other Sports Awardees at the Rashtrapati Bhawan
on 29 August, 2019.
Person in News
• Mobil India has announced its association with wrestling champion Bajrang Punia as the new brand ambassador for its
commercial vehicle lubricants’ segment.
• Veteran batsman-wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik was named captain of the Tamil Nadu team for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy.
This was announced by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association's (TNCA) State Senior Selection Committee.
Appointments
• Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk has appointed Kartik Aaryan as the brand ambassador. Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk has grown to be one of our
most successful chocolate innovations in the country.
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• Shraddha Kapoor has become the face of an environment-friendly beauty brand. The brand got the actress to be their face as she
resonates with their theme, the most.
Karnataka CM Yediyurappa named 3 deputy CMs
• Karnataka CM Yediyurappa appointed Govind Makthappa Karajol, Ashwath Narayan CN and Laxman Sangappa Savadi as the
deputy CMs.
• Deputy Chief Minister Govind Makthappa Karajol has been allocated the Public Works Department.
• Ashwath Narayan CN has been allocated the department of higher education, IT and BT, and science and technology
departments.
Person in News
• Ferdinand Piech, Volkswagen AG's former chairman and chief executive passed away in August 2019. During his nine-year tenure
Piech turned a loss equivalent of 1 billion euros into a 2.6 billion euro profit.
• Noida-based digital payments company Paytm has appointed ex-Goldman Sachs executive Amit Nayyar as a president of the
company, in a bid to strengthen its leadership team.
Integrated Texti. Tourism Complex in Meghalaya
• In Meghalaya, the Union Minister of Textiles Smriti Zubin Irani laid the foundation stone of the Integrated Textiles Tourism
Complex at Nongpoh, Ri Bhoi district.
• She also announced that under the ‘Samarth’ scheme which plans to skill 7,200 youth in apparel and garments, textiles and
handloom sectors has now been extended, after the request of the Chief Minister.
TN: Edu. Dept launched TV channel for students
• The Education Department in Tamil Nadu has launched an exclusive 24-hour television channel for the school students.
• Interviews and motivational programmes on joining civil services, defence forces and banks would be aired by the television as a
form of career guidance.
• It was launched by the state Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy at a function in Chennai.
Indian Army established 45 Army schools
• As a part of this goodwill initiative, the Indian Army has established 45 Army Goodwill schools in J&K wherein over 14 thousand
students are studying at present.
• Children belonging to low-income group families are given admission for pursuing their studies free of cost in these schools.
• The Goodwill Schools are also providing employment to qualified youth of the State.
Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya passed away
• Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya, India’s first woman Director General of Police (DGP), passed away in August 2019.
• Bhattacharya, a 1973 batch officer, made history in 2004 when she was appointed as the DGP of Uttarakhand, thus becoming the
first woman in the country to hold such position.
• She was also the second woman IPS officer in the country, the first being Kiran Bedi.
Miscellaneous
• A bus service between Nepal's capital Kathmandu and India's Siliguri in West Bengal has started. The 44-seater air-conditioned
deluxe bus will complete 650 Kilometre-journey between Kathmandu and Siliguri in 18 hours.
• There has been more than 80% decline in new HIV infection cases in the country since its peak in 1995. The global average of
decline in new infection is estimated at 47%.
5 lakh local water conserv. infra. developed
• Over 3 crore 70 lakh people have joined the nationwide Jal Shakti Abhiyan.
• The government had launched the ambitious initiative on 1 July 2019 to enhance water security, especially in water-stressed
districts.
• During the past two months, the initiative has delivered over five lakh local water conservation infrastructures in 256 districts.
7th Community Radio Sammelan began
• The 7th Community Radio Sammelan began in New Delhi on 27 August 2019.
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• The three-day Sammelan, being organized by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, will witness participation of all
operational Community Radio Stations across the country.
• The theme of this year’s event is Community Radio for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
India to have 10,000 CNG stations in 5 years
• India will have 10,000 CNG stations in the next 5 years.
• By 2050, India's incremental energy needs will be primarily met by CNG.
• India is the 3rd largest energy consumer of the world and will become top consumer in a decade.
• The present share of gas in the energy mix in the country is 6.2% compared to 24% globally and the aim is to increase share of
natural gas to 15% by 2030.
RBI accepts recommendation of Jalan Committee
• RBI implemented the recommendations of Bimal Jalan Committee and decided to transfer Rs 1.76 lakh crore dividend and
surplus reserve fund to the government.
• Bimal Jalan committee was asked to decide how much reserve money the central bank should have.
• Finance Secretary Rajiv Kumar was included in this committee on behalf of the government.
• The committee had finalized its report on 14 August
Three new judges for Telangana High Court
• 3 advocates were appointed judges of the Telangana High Court.
• The President has appointed lawyers Tadakamalla Vinod Kumar, Annireddy Abhishek Reddy and Kunuru Lakshman judges of the
HC in that order of seniority.
• A notification to this effect was issued recently.
• With this, the total strength of the Telangana HC judges rose from 11 to 14.
Bandhan Bank launched co-branded credit card
• Bandhan Bank launched a co-branded credit card in association with Standard Chartered bank.
• This credit card would be offered to 40 lakh savings bank account holders across the 1,000 branches of Bandhan Bank.
• As part of the tie-up, while Standard Chartered bank will take the credit risk, Bandhan Bank will be responsible for identifying and
issuing cards to its customers.
Jonathan Hall: General Counsel of ICC
• ICC named Jonathan Hall, who has legal experience of 27 years across sports such as football and rugby, as it's General Counsel
and Company Secretary.
• He has been in senior consultative roles for a number of international and UK sports organizations including the UEFA and
Laureus.
• Before joining The FA, Hall was General Counsel and Company Secretary at the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
BM Kutty passed away
• Well-known peace activist and Pakistani politician of Kerala origin BM Kutty passed away in Karachi in August 2019.
• Biyyathil Mohyuddin Kutty, popularly known as BM Kutty, was born in Kerala’s Tirur on July 15, 1930.
• He migrated to Pakistan in 1949 at the age of 19 and rose to prominence there.
• He was associated with Pakistan Awami League and National Awami Party (NAP).
PM launched project of Hindu temple in Bahrain
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched redevelopment project of the 200-year-old Sri Krishna temple in Manama, Bahrain.
• The $4.2 million redevelopment project will be on a piece of land measuring 16,500 square feet.
• The new 4-floor structure covering will cover 45,000 square feet, will have an overall height of 30 meters.
SRK launched heritage postal stamp
• Shah Rukh Khan launched heritage postal stamp of Bandra station on the completion of 150 years of the railway station.
• He urged the people present at the launching event to use the postal stamps instead of online texting.
• Ashish Shelar, Minister of School Education, Sports and Youth Welfare of Maharashtra was also present at the Bandra station.
Virat: India’s most successful Test captain
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• Virat Kohli added yet another feather to his cap but this time as the captain of India after leading his team to a 318-run win over
the West Indies in the first Test in Antigua.
• This was India's biggest margin of victory in away Tests in terms of runs.
• The victory saw Virat Kohli equal MS Dhoni's record of 27 Test wins, making him the joint-most successful captain for India in Test
cricket.
PM Modi launches RuPay card in UAE
• PM Narendra Modi launched the RuPay card in UAE on 24 August 2019, making the UAE the first country in the Middle East to
initiate the Indian indigenous system of electronic payment.
• RuPay card scheme was launched in 2012 to fulfil the Reserve Bank of India's vision to have a domestic, open and multilateral
system of payments.
• India has already launched RuPay card in Singapore and Bhutan.
Prabhakar Singh chosen for Engineer Award
• Prabhakar Singh, DG, CPWD has been chosen for the ‘Eminent Engineer Award for the Year 2019’ by the Institution of Engineers
(India).
• He will be awarded for his distinguished and exemplary Service in the field of Engineering and Technology.
• This Elite and Prestigious Award shall be conferred to him on the ‘Engineers Day’ on September 15, 2019, in New Delhi.
IIT-Delhi established DESMI Centre of Exc.
• IIT has entered into a partnership with Denmark-based firm to start DESMI Centre of Excellence on Waste-to-Wealth at IIT-Delhi.
• The centre was set up under the guidance of the office of the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA).
• The centre will provide support for implementing framework of pilot projects, which address waste collection and management
with possible energy generation.
2 lakh bio-toilets installed in train coaches
• Over 2 lakh bio-toilets have been installed in 60,906 train coaches of Indian Railways.
• The 'Bio-Toilet project' of Indian Railways is an innovative and indigenous development of technology.
• The technology for Bio-toilets have been innovated, designed and is 'Made in India'.
• It has been developed jointly by Indian Railways' Engineers & DRDO's scientists.
PV Sindhu created history at WBC
• P V Sindhu became the first Indian to win badminton World Championships gold on 25 August 2019.
• She beat Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in the final.
• It was Sindhu’s fifth World Championships medal.
• Sindhu has also won an Olympic silver in 2016 Rio Games, a silver at Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, an Asian Games silver at
Jakarta and the BWF World Tour Finals in 2019.
India, Bahrain agreed to enhance cooperation
• India and Bahrain agreed to enhance cooperation in the field of security and counter-terrorism on 25 August 2019.
• In a joint statement, both the countries urged the international community to reject terrorism infrastructures and to cut off any
kind of support to the terrorists.
• The two countries also signed MoUs on cultural exchange programme, space technology, solar energy.
BS Dhanoa embarked on 3-day visit to Thailand
• Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa embarked on a three-day visit to Thailand on 26 August 2019.
• During his visit, he will attend the Indo Pacific Chiefs of Defence Conference in Bangkok.
• The conference will provide perspectives on common challenges faced by attending nations.
• The theme for the conference is Collaboration in a free and Open Indo - Pacific.
PM Modi arrived in France for G7 Summit
• PM Narendra Modi arrived in Biarritz, France to participate in the G7 summit.
• Top leaders of the world gathered to discuss various issues including global warming, climate change, biodiversity, taxation and
digital transformation.
• The theme for 2019 is Fighting Inequality.
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• He held bilateral meetings and spoke on issues including Ocean, Bio-diversity, Climate and digital transformation.
Sept. to be celebrated as a month of nutrition
• PM Narendra Modi announced to celebrate September as a month of nutrition.
• In his Mann Ki Baat programme, he laid emphasis on creating awareness to fight malnutrition among children, particularly the girl
child.
• Gujarat Government launched a pilot project, Poshan Abhiyan, last year, which is a statewide mission to eradicate malnutrition
among children.
Arun Jaitley passed away
• Arun Jaitley, the former finance minister passed away in August 2019.
• As finance minister, Arun Jaitley presented all of the Narendra Modi government 1.0's budgets.
• A senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he stepped down as finance minister in January 2019 due to ill health.
• A lawyer by profession, he also served on the Atal Bihari Vajapyee cabinet.
CVC constituted panel to examine bank fraud
• The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has constituted Advisory Board for Banking Frauds (ABBF) to examine bank fraud of over
50 crore rupees and recommend action.
• The panel was previously known as the Advisory Board on Bank, Commercial and Financial Frauds.
• The ABBF headed by former Vigilance Commissioner T M Bhasin has been formed in consultation with the RBI.
Sports News
• In football, Gokulam Kerala FC won the 129th Durand Cup, defeating heavyweights Mohun Bagan at the Salt Lake Stadium in
Kolkata on 24 August 2019.
• India's Komalika Bari became recurve cadet world champion at the World Archery Youth Championships in Madrid, Spain on 25
August 2019. She defeated Sonoda Waka of Japan 7-3 in the final and earned India's second gold.
Obituaries
• Famous Bharatanatyam dancer Parvathi Kalakshetra passed away in August 2019. She founded Pradhana School of Performing
Arts, Thevara.
• Former Chief Secretary of Odisha Lalat Indu Parija passed away in August 2019. He was appointed as the Chief Secretary twice
during his service. Recently, his book ‘Fate Takes A Hand’ was unveiled at Cuttack on March 20, 2019.
Insects that can walk on water discovered
• Scientists of the Zoological Survey of India have discovered seven species of water treaders, semi-aquatic insects that can walk or
run on the surface of the water.
• They belong to the genus Mesovelia whose size ranges from 1.5 mm to 4.5 mm.
• The seven insect species are Mesovelia and amana, M. bispinosa and M. isiasi, M. occulta and M. tenuia and M. brevia and M.
dilatata.
Nicotine is now a class A poison in Karnataka
• The Karnataka government has amended the Karnataka Poisons (Possession and Sale) Rules 2015, notifying nicotine as Class A
poison under the rules.
• This will strengthen the enforcement of the ban on production and sale of electronic cigarettes.
• Highly toxic chemicals, which even in very small quantities as gas or vapour in the air are dangerous to life are notified under
Class A.
Government removes DRR requirement
• The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has amended the Companies (Share Capital & Debentures) Rules by removing Debenture
Redemption Reserve requirement for Listed Companies, NBFCs and HFCs.
• Debenture Redemption Reserve for unlisted companies reduced to 10% of outstanding debentures from the present level of
25%.
• The decision has been taken in pursuance of the Budget announcements for 2019-20.
India: World's biggest sulphur dioxide emitter
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• According to an analysis of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) data released by environmental NGO
Greenpeace, India is the world's largest emitter of anthropogenic sulphur dioxide, which is produced from coal-burning.
• India has more than 15% of all anthropogenic sulphur dioxide (SO2) hotspots in the world detected by the OMI (Ozone
Monitoring Instrument) satellite.
Serbia becomes 73rd country to join AIIB
• Serbia officially became the 73rd non-regional member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
• The membership allows the country access to favourable loans for priority projects.
• The AIIB started operations in 2016, and besides Serbia, non-regional members included Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy,
Spain and other.
'India Economic Summit' to be held in October
• Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and tennis star Sania Mirza will be among co-chairs for 'India Economic Summit' to be
held on October 2019 in Delhi.
• The two-day summit will be held by Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF) in collaboration with Confederation of Indian
Industry (CII).
• The theme of the summit is 'Innovating for India: Strengthening South Asia, Impacting the World'.
Mahindra to acquire 58% stake in Ideal Finance
• Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services (Mahindra Finance) has entered into a joint venture deal with Sri Lanka's Ideal Finance
to acquire up to 58.2% stake in the company.
• Mahindra Finance will invest LKR 2 billion until March 2021 for up to 58.2% stake in Ideal Finance.
• Ideal Finance Ltd (IFL) focusses on rural and semi-urban sector IFL, and started its operations in 2012.
124 tigers poached every year in Asia
• The report named 'Skin and Bones Unresolved: An Analysis of Tiger seizures from 2000-2018' was released by TRAFFIC, an
international non-profit working on trade in wild animals and plants.
• As per the report, an average of 124 tigers were killed each year between 2000 and 2018.
• The top three countries with the highest number of tiger seizure incidents were India, China and Indonesia.
RTGS System To Open At 7 AM
• In order to promote digital transactions, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the customer transactions timing for Real-
Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system by an hour.
• Funds can be transferred through the RTGS system from 7 am instead of 8 am from 26 August 2019.
• At present, RTGS system is available for customer transactions from 8 am to 6 pm.
Water pollution is causing growth decline
• The report, titled 'Quality Unknown' was released by the World Bank.
• As per the report, heavily polluted water is reducing economic growth by up to a third in some countries.
• The report found that when Biological Oxygen Demand -- an index of the degree of organic pollution -- crosses a threshold of 8
milligrams per litre, GDP growth in downstream regions drops by 0.83 percentage points.
Discovery & WWF tie up to preserve Sundarbans
• To help save the world’s only mangrove tiger habitat, Discovery India and WWF India have partnered with the Forest Directorate,
the government of West Bengal and local communities in the Sundarbans.
• Through this partnership, two Sundarbans Ecological Observatories will be set up, each featuring data loggers, monitoring buoys
and an onsite laboratory.
Conference on Varmam Science inaugurated
• Union Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik inaugurated the two-day National Conference on Varmam Science in
Chennai on 22 August 2019.
• 'Varmam' is a constituent of the Siddha system of medicine, that also doubles up as a martial art.
• The national conference is being organised by the National Institute of Siddha in Chennai.
CSC signs pact with Panchayat Ministry
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• The Common Service Centre (CSC) has signed a pact with the Panchayati Raj Ministry to turn gram panchayats into ‘digital
panchayats’.
• The move is aimed at providing speedy delivery of government services to people in rural areas and promoting rural BPO across
all panchayats in the country.
• Gram Panchayat Bhawans will host CSCs, to provide easy access to government services in rural areas.
Bharti AXA Life ties up with Akshaya Patra
• Bharti AXA Life Insurance has partnered with Akshaya Patra Foundation to support and contribute to the mid-day meal
programme for government school children.
• Akshaya Patra Foundation, the world’s largest non-profit organisation, serves nutritious mid-day meals free of cost to children
studying in government-run schools.
SEBI eases FPI norms
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on 21 August 2019 eased the process for onboarding overseas investors.
• SEBI also introduced an ‘informant mechanism’ to gather better evidence and crackdown on insider-trading cases.
• FPIs would no longer be required to meet the ‘broad-basing’ criteria, under which at least 20 investors were required to establish
a fund.
Moody's cuts India GDP growth forecast
• On 23 August 2019, Moody's Investors Service has cut India's GDP growth forecast for 2019 calendar year to 6.2% from the
previous estimation of 6.8%.
• For 2020 calendar year, it reduced the estimate by a similar measure to 6.7%.
• Moody's said the weaker global economy has stunted Asian exports and the uncertain operating environment has weighed on
investment.
Time's 100 greatest places in world declared
• The 'Statue of Unity' in Gujarat and Mumbai's Soho House have been featured by the Time magazine in its second annual list of
the 2019 World's greatest places.
• The 2019 World's greatest places is a compilation of 100 new and newly 'noteworthy destinations to experience right now'.
• The 'Statue of Unity', the world's tallest statue, is a tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Vivek Menon wins Clark Bavin Award
• Conservationist Vivek Menon, head of Delhi-based conservation non-profit, Wildlife Trust of India was awarded the prestigious
Clark R Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award for the year 2019 on 20 August 2019 in Geneva.
• He was presented the award by Ivonne Higuero, the secretary-general of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species (CITES).
Abdalla Hamdok appointed as PM of Sudan
• Sudan has appointed a new prime minister as the country embarks on a three-year transition to civilian rule.
• His appointment comes as Lt-Gen Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan was sworn in as leader of the new Sovereign Council.
• The new Sovereign Council replaces the Transitional Military Council (TMC) that took charge after the Islamist ruler was toppled
after mass protests.
Punjab signs pact with UNDP
• The Punjab government signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
• Under the agreement, a Sustainable Development Goals Coordination Centre (SDGCC) would be set up in the planning
department with UNDP's support.
• It will result in the integration of the administrative departments to ensure sustainable and holistic development of the state.
Smart Policing Awards presented
• Haryana Police received two Smart Policing awards-2019 instituted by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(FICCI) in a function held in New Delhi on 23 August 2019.
• Haryana Police was awarded for best practices under ‘Apki Sangini’ in the category of community policing.
• 35 Smart Policing awards were given to the officers for working in the areas of child safety, etc.
National Food Laboratory of FSSAI inaugurated
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• Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan inaugurated FSSAI's National Food Laboratory in Ghaziabad on the occasion of 13th
anniversary of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
• The lab is a result of a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP), the first-of-its-kind in the food laboratory sector.
• It houses the Food Safety Solution Centre and the Centre for Microbiological Analysis Training (C-MAT).
PM Modi unveiled a Memorial in Paris
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi while on a day’s visit to France inaugurated a memorial at St. Gervais on 23 August 2019.
• It honours the victims of two Air India crashes at the foothills of the Mont Blanc mountain in France, in which several Indians,
including Homi J Bhabha, regarded as the father of India's nuclear programme breathed last.
Composite Water Management Index 2.0 Report
• NITI Aayog has prepared the second Round of Composite Water Management Index (CWMI 2.0).
• The Report was launched on 23 August 2019 by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Jal Shakti.
• The CWMI is an important tool to assess and improve the performance of States/ Union Territories in efficient management of
water resources.
• CWMI 2.0 ranks various states for the reference year 2017-18.
Jaipur Hunar Haat organised
• Jaipur is organising the Hunar Haat from 24 August 2019.
• This will be the first Hunar Haat of the Government.
• Earlier, lakhs of artisans and craftsmen have been provided employment and employment opportunities through more than a
dozen Hunar Haat in last 3 years.
• More than 200 master artisans and culinary experts including a large number of women artisans participated in it.
Dr Jitendra Singh presented ANUBHAV awards
• The Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Dr. Jitendra Singh presented the ANUBHAV
Awards, 2019.
• The Anubhav portal was created in 2015 with a vision to preserve rich experience of retired official in digital form.
• He also inaugurated the All India Pension Adalat organised on the occasion.
First World Youth Conf on Kindness inaugurated
• President Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the first World Youth Conference on Kindness in New Delhi on 23 August 2019.
• The first World Youth Conference on Kindness is being organised by the UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for
Peace and Sustainable Development, Ministry of Human Resource Development.
• The aim is to impart critical competencies in global youth to inspire them.
Microsoft partnered with ISB
• The Indian School of Business (ISB) and Microsoft India announced a new partnership on 23 August 2019.
• Through the creation of the AI Digital Lab, the two organizations will collaborate in research which will use AI and Machine
Learning (ML).
• The partnership will also jointly introduce a new executive program titled Leading Business Transformation in the Age of AI in
October 2019.
NASA confirmed Europa Clipper mission
• NASA confirmed the next phase of development of the Europa Clipper Mission.
• It is an interplanetary mission to Jupiter’s smallest moon Europa with the target.
• It is conducting an in-depth exploration of Jupiter’s moon Europa whether the icy moon can have suitable conditions for
sustaining life and increase our insights into astrobiology.
Modernized AOPC inaugurated
• Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment inaugurated the ‘Renovated ALIMCO Orthotics and
Prosthetic Centre (AOPC) and Residential complex building of ALIMCO Headquarters at Kanpur.
• The concept of Make in India is beginning to take shape in the precincts of ALIMCO, Kanpur.
• Two of the Projects under the modernization plan of ALIMCO have been completed.
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Iran unveiled new missile defence system

• Iran has unveiled new missile defence system Bavar-373.
• This is also Iran’s first domestically produced long-range missile defence system which has been inducted into the country’s
missile defence network.
• The system was unveiled at an occasion of Iran’s National Defense Industry Day.
• With a range of more than 200km, the long-range missile system is suited to the country's geography.
Int. Day for the Remembrance of Slave Trade
• United Nations observes 23 August every year as International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.
• The Day is observed to inscribe the tragedy of the slave trade in the memory of all peoples.
• The day was designated by UNESCO to memorialize the transatlantic slave trade.
• Headquarters of United Nations: New York, USA
• Founded: 24 October 1945.
India to launch Bharatcraft for MSMEs
• Union Government is planning to launch an e-commerce portal named Bharatcraft for MSME’s.
• The portal is based on other e-commerce portals like ‘Alibaba’ and ‘Amazon’.
• The portal will provide a platform for MSMEs to market and sell their products and in turn boost the sector.
• The Bharatcraft portal has a huge potential to generate revenue worth ₹10 lakh crore in next 2-3 years.
Bihar government to ban single use of plastic
• Bihar government has taken several measures following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to ban single use of plastic.
• The government has banned single-use carry bags throughout the state.
• Licence of those factories has been cancelled who produces single-use of carry bag.
• Milk co-operative federations have been asked to collect milk pouch from customers for recycling.
Dubai Airports celebrated arrival of Vistara
• Dubai Airports celebrated the arrival of the inaugural flight of Vistara from Mumbai at a ceremony at Dubai International airport.
• India was the single largest destination country for Dubai International in 2018 with 12.3 million passengers.
• With the launch of Vistara’s flights, Dubai is now served by six Indian carriers operating some 370 weekly flights to 21
destinations across India.
Pakistan blacklisted by Asia-Pacific Group
• The Asia-Pacific Group of the global watchdog for terror financing and money laundering has put Pakistan in the Enhanced
Expedited Follow Up List for its failure to meet its standards.
• Pakistan was non-compliant on 32 of the 40 compliance parameters of terror financing and money laundering.
• On 11 parameters of terror financing and money laundering, Pakistan was adjudged as low on 10.
Centre announced series of measures
• The government has unveiled a series of measures to achieve higher economic growth.
• It has withdrawn enhanced surcharge on Foreign Portfolios Investors FPIs, restoring the pre-budget position.
• Surcharge on domestic investors in equity markets has also been withdrawn.
• The government has also decided to withdraw angel tax provisions for startups and their investors.
India won bronze medal in archery
• In Archery, the Indian team of Sukhbeer Singh, Sangampreet Singh Bisla and Tushar Phadtare clinched a bronze medal in the
junior compound men's team event in the World Youth Championships in Madrid on 23 August 2019.
• The compound junior mixed team of Raginee Markoo and Sukhbeer Singh also assured India of a second silver medal, beating
their Iranian opponents.
POSHAN Abhiyaan Awards conferred
• Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani gave away the Poshan Abhiyaan Awards for the year 2018-19 in
different categories on 23 August 2019.
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• The awards were given to the States, Districts, Blocks and Anganwadi Workers for their contributions in scaling up the Abhiyaan
and ensuring that it reaches every household in the country.
Person in News
• Suparna Singh, interim CEO of NDTV has resigned with immediate effect. She became interim CEO of NDTV in 2017 with a
approval from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• One of the political luminaries of the country Professor Muzaffar Ahmed passed away in August 2019. He was the president of
Bangladesh National Awami Party (Pro-Moscow NAP) for over five decades.
PM Modi to be honoured with the order of Zayed
• Prime Minister Modi arrived in UAE on 23 August 2019 in the second leg of his tour.
• This is the third visit of PM Modi to UAE in four years.
• During the two day visit, the Prime Minister will be honoured with the highest national award of UAE - the order of Zayed.
• The Highest National Award to PM Modi is a mark of special relationship between India and UAE.
Nitin Gadkari launched new website for MoRTH
• Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari launched New website of the Ministry of Road Transports and Highways in Delhi.
• The revamped website will be important to share critical information about the ministry and its policies.
• The 63 clauses of Motor Vehicle Act will be implemented from September 1 in which penalties will be increased in cases of
drunken driving, over speeding and overloading.
Dabur India acquired Excel Investments
• Dabur India's arm Dabur International has acquired management control of Excel Investments in UAE effective August 20, 2019.
• Accordingly 'Excel Investments (FZE)' has become a step down wholly owned subsidiary company of Dabur India Limited.
• The acquisition will help the group in holding and consolidating the investments in step down subsidiaries operating in West Asia
Region.
India, France signed agreements
• India and France signed an agreement on behalf of ISRO and National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) for the establishment of a
'joint maritime domain awareness mission.
• The mission will detect and tackle threats emanating from the sea.
• The two sides further signed an agreement between the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing and Bezons-based
Atos.
Book on Flipkart to release in October
• Big Billion Startup, a book on Flipkart will be (Pan Macmillan India), releasing in October 2019.
• It is the riveting and revealing account of how the Bansals built and sold India's largest internet company.
• Established in October 2007, Flipkart began as an online bookstore and soon came to be known for its ‘customer obsession'.
• Founders: Sachin Bansal, Binny Bansal
India-U.S. 2+2 meeting held in California
• Indian and U.S. officials gathered in the Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, California, for the 2+2 inter-sessional and the
Maritime Security Dialogue.
• Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary, Americas, will participate from the Indian side.
• During the inter-sessional, the two sides will discuss ways to advance cooperation on critical diplomatic and security priorities.
Union HRD Minister launched NISHTHA
• Union HRD Minister launched the training programme NISHTHA, (National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic
Advancement) to improve Learning Outcomes at the Elementary level across the country.
• This is the largest teachers training programme of its kind in the world.
• The basic objective of it is to motivate and equip teachers to encourage and foster critical thinking in students.
Super 50 programme launched in Maharashtra
• Maharashtra’s Tribal Development Department in association with the Pace Educational Trust launched an academic programme
Super 50.
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• The programme has been launched for young tribal students aspiring to be doctors and engineers.
• The Super 50 programme will mentor 50 most meritorious tribal students from the State and prepare them for engineering and
medical exams.
Amazon’s largest campus inaugurated in Hyd.
• Amazon has opened its largest campus in the world in Hyderabad.
• The campus covers 1.8 million square feet and can accommodate 15,000 workers.
• This is Amazon’s first owned-building outside of the US and is also its largest tech base outside the Seattle headquarters, which
has about 155,000 contract employees.
• Telangana is home to one-third of Amazon’s total Indian employees.
RBI allowed e-mandate for cards
• The RBI has permitted processing of e-mandate on credit and debit cards for recurring transactions (merchant payments).
• The maximum limit for such a transaction will be Rs 2,000.
• While processing the first transaction in e-mandate-based recurring transaction series, additional factor authentication (AFA)
validation should be performed.
AWHO and Tata Realty signed MoU
• Army Welfare Housing Organization (AWHO) and Tata Realty & Housing have signed a MoU on 22 August 2019.
• The MoU enables the personnel of Indian Army to immediately take over dwelling units in 13 ‘Ready to Move in’ projects of Tata
Realty spread over 10 cities at a discount ranging from 11% -27%.
• AWHO will now facilitate acquisition of homes from reputed private builders at discounted prices.
Acko partnered with Zestmoney
• Acko General Insurance has partnered with ZestMoney, a consumer lending fintech, to offer credit insurance.
• This insurance will help ZestMoney customers cover their monthly EMI payments during times of crisis.
• Acko will offer credit insurance to these consumers and cover them during eventualities like hospitalization or critical illness
when they’re unable to pay their instalments.
Akshay Kumar: World's 4th highest paid actor
• Actor Akshay Kumar has made it to the fourth position on the Forbes magazine’s Worlds Highest-Paid Actors Of 2019 list.
• Akshay has raked in $65 million.
• Hollywood star Dwayne ‘Rock’ Johnson tops the Forbes list of the 10 highest-paid actors collecting $89.4 million between June 1,
2018, and June 1, 2019.
• Chris Hemsworth and Robert Downey Jr. are at 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Rocket carrying life-sized robot launched
• Russia launched a rocket carrying life-sized robot to the International Space Station (ISS) from Baikonur cosmodrome in
Kazakhstan.
• The robot, named Fedor is the first-ever sent into space by Russia.
• In order to test a new emergency rescue system, the robot was the Soyuz rocket's only passenger.
• During its 10 days at the ISS, Fedor will learn new skills such as connecting electric cables.
5th UIDAI Aadhaar Seva Kendra operational
• Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) 5th stand-alone Aadhaar Seva Kendra has become operational at Hisar in
Haryana.
• Till now, four Aadhaar Seva Kendras are operational and three more will become operational by next week.
• This is part of the UIDAI’s plan to open 114 such centres in 53 cities across the country for providing hassle-free Aadhaar
enrollment and services.
PM Modi to launch Fit India Movement
• PM Narendra Modi is set to launch Fit India Movement.
• The nation-wide campaign aims to encourage people to inculcate physical activity and sports in their everyday lives.
• A 28 member committee headed by Sports Minister, Kiren Rijiju has been formed to advise the government on the movement.
• Actors Shilpa Shetty and Milind Soman will also be involved.
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R K Singh approved a proposal

• Minister of New and Renewable Energy R K Singh approved a proposal to declare ocean energy as Renewable Energy.
• The decision will give a boost to ocean energy in the country.
• He has also clarified to all stakeholders that energy produced using various forms of ocean energy such as tidal, wave and ocean
thermal energy conversion will be considered as Renewable Energy.
24th meeting of Western Zonal Council held
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 24th meeting of Western Zonal Council at Panaji in Goa on 22 August 2019.
• It is a forum for the Centre and states to exchange ideas on issues like health, security and social welfare.
• Modalities for allocation of surplus land of Central Government for housing for poor, utilisation of funds for police modernisation,
etc. were discussed in the meeting.
Sports News
• Constable Monali Jadhav won 3 medals, including 2 golds, at the recently concluded World Police and Fire Games International
Championship held in China.
• The World Anti-Doping Agency has suspended the accreditation of India's National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) for 6 months.
The suspension has been imposed due to non-conformities with the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL).
Appointments
• Former opener Vikram Rathour will replace Sanjay Bangar as India's new batting coach while Bharath Arun and R. Sridhar were
retained as bowling and fielding coaches.
• Ajay Kumar Bhalla was appointed as the new Union Home Secretary. He is currently serving as an officer on special duty in the
home ministry. He replaces Rajiv Gauba, who was appointed as the new cabinet secretary.
Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojna launched in Punjab
• The CM of Punjab launched a universal health insurance scheme Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana benefiting nearly 46 lakh families.
• Punjab has become the first state in the country to offer medical insurance cover to the maximum number of its people.
• The scheme would entitle beneficiaries to avail annual cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year, including pre-
existing diseases.
Power Minister launched SARAL Index
• The Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, RK Singh
launched the State Rooftop Solar Attractiveness Index-SARAL on 21 August 2019.
• Karnataka was placed 1st in the Index that evaluates Indian states based on their attractiveness for rooftop development.
• Telangana, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh got 2nd, 3rd and 4th rank respectively.
Meeta Narain conferred the Pushkin Medal 2019
• JNU Professor Meeta Narain was conferred the ‘Pushkin Medal – 2019’.
• This award is the highest honour given to an Indian scholar by the Russian government.
• Pushkin Medal is given to a scholar of Russian language and literature for outstanding contribution to Russian studies abroad.
• She was awarded the medal at an event organised at the Russian Center for Science and Culture.
World’s largest computer chip revealed
• Cerebras Systems has unveiled the world’s largest single silicon-based processor named Cerebras Wafer Scale Engine(WSE).
• This chip has 1.2 trillion transistors, the basic on-off electronic switches that are the building blocks of silicon chips.
• The rectangular shape chip measures 21.5cm sq (8.5in sq), comes with 400,000 AI (Artificial Intelligence) cores and 18 gigabytes
of on-chip memory.
India won gold in World Police and Fire Games
• B.N.S. Reddy, a current member of the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit won the gold medal at the World Police and Fire Games in
Chengdu, China, recently.
• He beat Bruce Barrios of the U.S. 7-6, 6-3 in the men’s singles final.
• This is the third consecutive time Reddy has won a gold medal at the World Police and Fire Games.
Int. Day Commemorating the Victims of Violence
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• United Nations observes 22 August every year as International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on
Religion or Belief.
• The day is observed to strongly condemn continuing violence and acts of terrorism targeting individuals, including persons
belonging to religious minorities, on the basis of or in the name of religion or belief.
International Day of Remembrance: 21 August
• United Nations observes 21 August every year as International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.
• This year, the 2nd commemoration of the day focused on the resilience of victims and their families.
• A photographic exhibition was launched on August 21, 2019, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to observe the day.
SEBI announced reward of Rs.1 crore
• SEBI has announced a reward of upto Rs.1 crore for informants willing to provide credible information regarding insider trading
cases.
• This will be a part of the detailed set of rules for the new 'Informant Mechanism' under Prohibition of Insider Trading
Regulations.
• The norms also propose a possible amnesty or settlement for minor wrongdoings in return for cooperation in the probe.
Delhi leg of Op-Blue Freedom flagged off
• Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and former India football captain Baichung Bhutia flagged off the Delhi leg of Op-Blue Freedom on 21
August 2019.
• This is an initiative in which a group of armed forces veterans train sports enthusiasts in survival training and self-defence.
• Op-Blue Freedom is a nation-wide adaptive scuba diving programme for people with disabilities as well as the able bodied.
Indian hockey teams won Olympic Test event
• Both the Indian Women's and Men's hockey teams won the Olympic Test event in Tokyo on 21 August 2019.
• Women's team defeated Japan 2-1 in the finals. Navjot Kaur hit a goal at the 11th minute while Lalremsiami struck winning goal
at 33rd minute of the game for India.
• Indian men's hockey team also won the Olympic Test event beating New Zealand 5-0.
EC introduced a programme for electors
• The Election Commission of India introduced a programme for the electors to crosscheck their details registered in the voters'
list.
• The move is to ensure a cent per cent error-free electoral roll.
• It is in connection with the special summary revision of the roll with 1 January 2019 as the qualifying date.
• The verification programme would be from the first to the 30th of next month.
National Affairs I
• Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel launched the book - the Diary of Manu Gandhi at a function in New Delhi. The book has been
brought out by National Archives of India, on the occasion of 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• The Centre has asked all the Cooperative Milk Federations and Private Dairies to at least halve the use of plastic by Gandhi
Jayanti on 2nd October 2019.
High-level meeting b/w Indian, Sri Lankan CGs
• The Indian Coast Guard held a High-Level Meeting (HLM) with the Sri Lanka Coast Guard at Coast Guard Headquarters in New
Delhi on 20 August 2019.
• The meeting took place under the provisions of the MoU signed between the two sides for the establishment of a collaborative
relationship to combat transnational illegal activities at sea and develop regional co-operation.
Railways to enforce ban on single use plastic
• Ministry of Railways has directed all its units to enforce ban on single use plastic material, with less than 50 micron thickness
from October 2nd this year.
• The move came in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to eliminate single use plastic in the country.
• A pledge will also be administered on 2nd October to cut use of plastics.
• Railway Minister: Piyush Goyal.
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National Affairs II
• FASTags will become mandatory for all vehicles from December 2019. FASTag enabled vehicles can cruise through the dedicated
FASTag lane without stopping at toll plazas on National Highways.
• Centre has notified new sets of health warnings for all tobacco products by making an amendment in the Cigarettes and other
Tobacco Products Rules, 2008, which will come into effect from September 1, 2019.
Appointments
• Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba will be the new Cabinet Secretary. The Appointments Committee approved his appointment
with a tenure of two years from 30 August 2019.
• The government has appointed Ajay Kumar as Defence Secretary. Ajay Kumar, is a 1985 batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre and is
currently serving as Secretary, Department of Defence Production.
MHA opens up 137 peaks for mountaineering
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has opened up 137 peaks located in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and
Sikkim to foreigners 'desirous' of obtaining a mountaineering visa for climbing and trekking purposes.
• 15 peaks have been opened up in Jammu & Kashmir under the initiative.
• Tourism Minister: Prahlad Patel.
Paytm strikes bumper new deal with BCCI
• Paytm strikes bumper new deal with BCCI to continue association as India's title sponsors.
• In per match terms, BCCI will now get 3.8 crores per match from title rights as opposed to Rs 2.42 crores which Paytm was last
paying them.
• BCCI awarded title sponsorship rights to Paytm for five more years.
• Previously, Star India got the rights at a heavy discount, 2 crore per match for 2013-14.
P. Chidambaram arrested in corruption case
• CBI arrested India's former finance minister, P. Chidambaram, on suspicion of involvement in corruption and money laundering.
• This came a day after the Delhi High Court rejected his application to seek exemption from arrest.
• The CBI and Enforcement Directorate have alleged that Chidambaram was involved in money laundering and conspired around
the approval of a telecommunications deal in 2006
India to receive first Rafale jet on Sept 20
• Rafale is set to handover its first fighter jet built for the Indian Air Force.
• Air Force Chief BS Dhanoa and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be in France on September 20 to receive the first Rafale jet
manufactured for the Indian Air Force.
• The Indian Air Force will deploy one each squadron of the Rafale combat aircraft at its airbases in Ambala in Haryana and
Hashimara in Bengal.
Lok Sabha Secretariat bans use of plastic
• The Lok Sabha Secretariat has prohibited the use of non-reusable plastic water bottles and other plastic items within the
Parliament House Complex from 20 August 2019.
• All officers/staff of the Secretariat and other allied agencies working in the Parliament House Complex have been advised to use
environment-friendly/biodegradable bags/materials instead.
OSDMA to launch special cell for PwDs
• Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) has decided to open a cell for PWDs.
• The cell would look into special needs of the persons with disability during Evacuation, Search & Rescue, Rehabilitation and
Resettlements.
• It will make networking with both Government & Private organizations and prepare a database of Persons with Disabilities.
9TH Session of India-Kenya JTC held
• The 9th Session of the India-Kenya Joint Trade Committee (JTC) was held on 19-20 August 2019 in New Delhi.
• The Indian delegation was led by Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways, Piyush Goyal.
• Both sides reviewed the developments in their bilateral trade and noted the trends since the last session of the India-Kenya JTC
held in August 2018.
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NAREDCO 15th National Convention inaugurated

• The Housing for all 2022: NAREDCO 15th National Convention: Real Estate Reflection Point: Readying for the future was
inaugurated on 20 August 2019.
• The event was organised by National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO).
• NAREDCO was established as an autonomous self-regulatory body in 1998 under the aegis of the Ministry of Housing and Urban
Affairs, Government of India.
DRDO hands over design of Mobile Metallic Ramp
• DRDO handed over the design of Mobile Metallic Ramp (MMR) to the Indian Army on 20 August 2019.
• With load bearing capacity of 70 metric ton (MT), the MMR has been designed and developed by Centre for Fire, Explosive and
Environment Safety (CFEES) on the requirements projected by Army.
• The ramp will provide the strategic mobility for Armoured and Mechanized units and formations of the Army.
3000th railway station gets Wi-Fi
• Ellenabad railway station under Bikaner Division of North Western Railway became the 3000th station in the country to have free
public Wi-Fi.
• A town in Haryana, Ellenabad is situated at the north of the Ghaggar- Hakra river, and serves as a port of entry into Haryana from
Rajasthan.
• Incidentally, the 2000th station to get Wi-Fi was Rana Pratap Nagar, also under the North Western Railway.
Wipro partnered with IISc on robotics and 5G
• Wipro announced a strategic partnership with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to conduct advanced applied research in
autonomous systems, robotics and 5G.
• Wipro IISc Research and Innovation Network (WIRIN) will drive idea discovery, research and innovation in technology and
product design.
• Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Wipro: Abidali Z. Neemuchwala.
Winners- National Sports Awards 2019
• Bajrang Punia and Deepa Malik won Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for wrestling and para athletics respectively.
• 6 Dronacharya awards were presented to coaches including Vimal Kumar and Sandeep Gupta.
• 19 awardee were presented Arjuna Awards including Ravindra Jadeja and Anjum Moudgil.
• Dhyanchand Awards were conferred upon 5 including Manuel Fredricks and Manoj Kumar.
National Sports Awards 2019
• Selection Committee for the Sports Awards 2019 has announced the National Sports Awards 2019.
• National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports.
• The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organized function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
• Selection Committee was headed by Justice Mukundakam Sharma.
IIT-Delhi won start-up award
• An IIT-Delhi-incubated start-up working on the design and development of inclusive learning resources for visually impaired
people won the award for developing a multisensory kit.
• The device narrates the content in the picture when a visually impaired person touches it.
• Ankita Gulati, founder of TouchVision was awarded the NCPEDP-Mphasis Universal Design Award 2019.
Uday Exp to run between Vizag and Vijaywada
• Indian Railway’s 2nd double-decker Uday (Utkrisht Double-Decker Air Conditioned Yatri) Express will run between
Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada.
• The train would consist of 9 double-decker coaches and 2 power cars.
• The trains are primarily allocated to routes with heavy passenger traffic.
• They are equipped with WiFi facility, have striking interiors, cushioned seating, and display screens.
Live tracking system for MSRTC buses launched
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• Maharashtra Transport Minister Diwakar Raote launched a tracking system for MSRTC buses which will allow people to have real-
time information about their commute.
• The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation has over 18,000 buses in its fleet and carries more than 67 lakh passengers
daily.
• At present, it is ready on Mumbai-Nashik route for all Shivneri buses, the premium brand of MSRTC.
Sports News I
• The Ombudsman of the BCCI has ordered that S Sreesanth's ban for alleged spot-fixing will end in August 2020. The BCCI banned
Sreesanth for life in August 2013 along with Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan.
• Lee Duckhee became the first deaf player to win an ATP Tour main draw match. He defeated Henri Laaksonen 7-6(4) 6-1 in the
first round of the Winston-Salem Open.
Sports News II
• Sushil Kumar sealed his berth in the India squad for the World Championship defeating Jitender Kumar 4-2 in a 74 kg final here on
20 August 2019.
• The current fielding coach of the Indian team, R Sridhar, is all set to be reappointed to the position for the next 2 years. Recently,
Ravi Shastri was reappointed as the team's coach till the end of T20 World Cup in 2021.
Books and Authors
• The Story of Babri Masjid (Babri Masjid ki Kahani), a pictorial history book in English, Hindi and Urdu was released in New Delhi on
20 August 2019. Advocate A. Mohammad Yusuf released the book on Babri Masjid.
• At the same event, two other relevant books Warriors of Malabar: Muslim Religious Scholars (English) and Badr: Lessons of the
Battle (English) were also released.
National Affairs
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the issues related to final publication of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in
Assam. The review meeting was held in New Delhi on 19 August 2019.
• The J&K Government has constituted 3 high-level committees for the formal establishment of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and
Ladakh. These Committees will deal with financial matters and other issues.
Obituaries
• In Madhya Pradesh, former CM of the state Babulal Gaur passed away in August 2019. He served as the CM of MP from August
2004 to November 2005 and represented Govindpura Assembly seat for 10 times.
• Thresia Thomas, who was considered the first woman hunter in Kerala, passed away in August 2019. She is considered Kerala's
first female hunter and has killed animals such as wild elephants.
Satendra crossed America's Catalina Channel
• Divyang Satendra Singh Lohia from Madhya Pradesh has become the first Asian swimmer to cross the Catalina Channel of
America.
• Satendra holds the Asian record of crossing both the English and Catalina channels.
• Satendra led the Indian Para Relay team along with five team mates and crossed the Catalina Channel in 11 hours 34 minutes.
President Kovind launched plantation drive
• President Ram Nath Kovind planted a sapling of Maulsari in the Rashtrapati Bhavan Estate and launched a plantation drive as part
of Van Mahotsav celebrations.
• Over the next few weeks, the President's Secretariat will be planting over three thousand trees and around three thousand
shrubs.
• The President’s Estate is spread over 330 acres of harbours rich biodiversity.
Zambian President arrived in New Delhi
• President of Zambia Edgar Chagwa Lungu arrived in New Delhi on a three-day visit to India on 20 August 2019.
• He will meet President Ram Nath Kovind and will hold delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The state visit of President Lungu will provide an opportunity to further energize India's mutually beneficial partnership with
Zambia.
External Affairs Minister arrived in Dhaka
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• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Dhaka on 19 August 2019.

• He is on a three-day visit to Bangladesh.
• He will be holding a meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart Dr A K Abdul Momen. He is also scheduled to call on Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina on 20 August 2019.
• It will be the first Bangladesh visit of him after the new government took oath in India in May 2019.
Mumbai to host World Youth chess meet
• For the first time ever, India is to host the World Youth Chess Championship 2019.
• The All India Chess Federation (AICF) won the bid to conduct the World Youth and Junior Chess championships 2019 in the
country.
• The championship will be held from 1-13 October 2019 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• The championship aims to produce many young stars and aspire to take part in such world events.
State Tourism Ministers Conference inaugurated
• The Union Minister of State for Tourism & Culture Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated the State Tourism Ministers’ Conference in
New Delhi on 20 August 2019.
• It was organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
• The Conference provided a platform for the Ministry of Tourism to apprise the States / UTs about new initiatives taken and those
in the pipeline.
100 Years of Chrysostum
• A function was held to celebrate the Guinness Book of World Records entry of 100 Years of Chrysostum.
• It is a biographical documentary on Metropolitan Emeritus of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar, Philipose Mar
Chrysostum.
• The documentary has found an entry in the Guinness Book as the longest documentary film.
• It was scripted and directed by filmmaker Blessy.
Odisha approved conservation plan of lakes
• The Odisha Wetland Authority has approved implementation of an integrated management plan of lakes Chilika and Ansupa.
• The Chilika lake is India’s largest brackish water lagoon and Ansupa is the Odisha’s largest freshwater lake.
• The 5-year management plan of lakes is intended at strengthening livelihood of thousands of fishermen relying on the two water-
bodies.
World Humanitarian Day: 19 August
• World Humanitarian Day is observed across the world on August 19 to pay tribute to workers who risk their lives in humanitarian
services and to gather support for people affected by crises around the world.
• The day was designated by the UN General Assembly to commemorate the 19 August 2003 bombing of the United Nations
headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq.
• WHD 2019 campaign: #WomenHumanitarians.
Sports News I
• India finished its campaign at the World Junior Track Championship in Frankfurt with three medals, including two individual
medals from Esow Alben.
• Three archers of the Assam Rifles archery team bagged five Gold, three Silver and one Bronze medals at the World Police and Fire
Games held in Chengdu, China. The team was trained by 9 Sector Assam Rifles.
Stand for Virat Kohli: DDCA
• The best age-group cricketers will be recognised and awarded by the Delhi and District Cricket Association on September 12,
2019.
• Virat Kohli will become the third cricketer from Delhi to have a stand named at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium after him, following
Bishan Singh Bedi and Mohinder Amaranth.
• September 12 marks 11 years since he made his international debut.
Sports News II
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• Former Tamil Nadu and South Zone all-rounder D Vasu was appointed head coach of the state senior cricket team. Vasu would be
the head coach for the season 2019-2020, while former Tamil Nadu batsman R Prasanna would be the assistant coach.
• Aishwarya Pissay of TVS clinched the Fim Baja World Cup 2019 Women’s Category. She recently became the first Indian ever to
win a world title in Motorsport.
National Affairs I
• Prasar Bharti Chairman A Suryapakash has announced that Prasar Bharati would soon be introducing two awards - the Neelum
Sharma Tejaswini award and the Achyutananda Sahoo Award.
• Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has approved various infrastructure projects for Mumbai and its adjoining areas. The
3 projects would be constructed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
National Affairs II
• All personnel working in the Central Armed Police Forces will now retire at a uniform age of 60 years. A Home Ministry
order corrected the anomaly where personnel superannuated at the age of 57, instead of 60.
• The nation paid homage to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 75th birth anniversary. Several programmes
were organised in different parts of the country to mark the occasion.
Manipur CM launched a scheme
• Manipur CM N Biren Singh launched the School Fagadaba (Make education better) scheme to improve the infrastructure of
government schools.
• The objective of the scheme is to ensure better infrastructure, quality education and overall improvement of government schools
to make them model schools.
• Biometric devices would be installed in schools for ensuring regular attendance of teachers.
NS Tasneem passed away
• Eminent Punjabi writer and Sahitya Akademi winner Professor Niranjan Singh Tasneem passed away in August 2019.
• He was awarded Punjab’s highest literary honor – Punjabi Sahit Rattan – in 2015.
• It was in 1999 that Tasneem was awarded Sahitya Akademi award for his novel ‘Gawache Arth’ (The Lost Meaning) which was
based on Punjab and lives of Punjabis in 1984.
Sports News III
• Former Chelsea, Arsenal and England football player Ashley Cole announced his retirement from football. He won 3 Premier
League titles and seven FA Cups.
• Former Australian pace bowler Mitchell Johnson has been elected as an Honorary Life Member of the Marylebone Cricket Club
(MCC). Johnson represented Australia in 153 One Day Internationals picking up 239 wickets.
Sports News IV
• India's junior women boxers clinched 12 medals at the third Nation's Cup in Vrbas, Serbia. The team won four gold, four silver
and four bronze medals and claimed the runners-up trophy.
• Indian skipper Virat Kohli retained the top spot in the latest Test batsmen's rankings released by the International Cricket Council
in Dubai. Australia's Steve Smith moved to the second position.
Task Force On Direct Tax Code Submits Report
• Government-appointed task force headed by Central Board of Direct Taxes Member Akhilesh Ranjan submitted its report on the
new Direct Tax Code, which seeks to replace the existing Income Tax Act.
• The details of the report, however, could not be known immediately.
• The task force was supposed to submit its report by May 31, but the then finance minister Arun Jaitley gave it a 2 month
extension
Appointments
• Vodafone Idea appointed Ravinder Takkar as its new CEO. It came after Balesh Sharma stepped down as the CEO due to 'personal
reasons'.
• Senior IPS officer Sudhanshu Sarangi is appointed as the Commissioner of Police of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack. Sarangi, a 1990 batch
officer, will replace Satyajit Mohanty.
Rajesh Tapadia appointed as CEO of Nxtra Data
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• Telecom operator Bharti Airtel has appointed Rajesh Tapadia as the CEO of its data centre and cloud business, Nxtra Data.
• Before joining Nxtra, Tapadia worked at Netmagic Solutions as the chief service officer and executive director on the board
where he managed data centre operations across multiple cities.
• Bharti Airtel MD and CEO (India and South Asia) - Gopal Vittal.
Obituaries
• Jack Whitaker, an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster who covered many sports died. Whitaker's career spanned nearly four
decades after starting at CBS Sports in the late 1950s.
• Five-time MLA and the 'Robin Hood of Rae Bareli' Akhilesh Singh died. A local strongman, who had the image of Robin Hood,
Akhilesh Singh was known for his bold statements.
Veteran music composer Khayyam passes away
• Veteran composer Khayyam passed away.
• Mohammed Zahur Hashmi, popularly known as Khayyam was best known for his music in classic films such as Umrao Jaan and
Kabhi Kabhie.
• The musician's other notable works include films such as Trishul, Noorie and Shola Aur Shabnam.
• Khayyam was also a recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Padma Bhushan.
HP broke record, received highest rainfall
• The local Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that Himachal Pradesh recorded highest ever rainfall on 18th August
2019 by breaking the record of last 70 years.
• According to the IMD, rains across different places in the state will continue for the next 24 hours.
• Naina Devi recorded the highest rainfall at 360 mm and Shimla recorded 153 mm of rainfall.
Pb Govt brought 4500 journalists into SSBY
• Punjab Govt brought around 4500 journalists into the ambit of its recently launched universal health insurance scheme Sarbat
Sehat Bima Yojana (SSBY).
• All journalists holding yellow cards, will be eligible to be covered under the scheme.
• The State Government will bear the entire premium under the scheme, for nearly 400 private hospitals in Punjab have been
empanelled.
28th BASIC Ministerial Meeting held
• The 28th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil recently.
• The BASIC Group could play an important role in making Paris Agreement accepted by all the countries in its true letter and spirit.
• BASIC countries comprise of Brazil, South Africa, India and China.
• It was formed on 28 November 2009.
Vice President held talks with Lithuanian Pres
• Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu held talks with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on 17 August 2019.
• He discussed important aspects of bilateral relationship as well as global and regional issues of common interest.
• Vice President is on a five-day trip to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, the first ever high-level visit from India to the three Baltic
countries.
Former Bihar Chief Minister passed away
• Former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra passed away in August 2019.
• He was a 3-time Chief Minister of the State.
• He was also the last Congress Chief Minister of the State.
• Dr Mishra became Chief Minister in 1975, 1980 and 1989.
• He also served as the Union Minister.
• His brother Lalit Narayan Mishra was Railway Minister at the Centre during Indira Gandhi’s regime as Prime Minister.
Appointments
• Paytm announced the promotion of its Chief Financial Officer Madhur Deora as the company's President. Prior to joining Paytm
in October 2016, Deora served as Managing Director in Citigroup's investment banking business.
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• Raisin has recently signed Bollywood actress Bhumi Pednekar as their brand ambassador. The Surat-based brand is present in
more than 160 stores across India.
Pretomanid: A new drug to treat TB
• The USFDA approved a new drug called Pretomanid.
• It is only the third new anti-TB drug approved for use by USFDA in over 40 years.
• Pretomanid is part of the same class of drugs as delamanid -- one of the other two TB drugs approved in the last half century,
developed by pharmaceutical corporation Otsuka.
• The drug is used over a six-month period in concert with two other TB mediciations.
HRD Minister inaugurated 2-day int. conference
• Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ inaugurated an international conference on teacher education in New Delhi on
17 August 2019.
• The 2-day event was organized by the National Council of Teacher Education as part of silver jubilee celebration of its
establishment in 1995.
• The Ministry will launch the world's biggest project for teacher training on August 22, 2019.
PM Modi signed 10 MoUs with Bhutan
• PM Narendra Modi and his Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering held a wide ranging talks on 17 August 2019.
• The 2 nations signed 10 MoUs to infuse new energy in their ties in the field of space research, aviation, IT, power and education.
• He inaugurated the Mangdechhu hydroelectric power plant and also launched stamps to commemorate five decades of India-
Bhutan Hydropower cooperation.
President inaugurated Bunker Museum in Mumbai
• President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the underground Bunker Museum at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai on 18 August 2019.
• The 15,000 square feet underground bunker museum has virtual reality booths in which visitors can time travel to the 19th
century.
• The bunker was created in the 19th century to fire cannons at approaching enemy ships.
• The museum will be opened for the general public later in 2019.
NCPCR & IIT Kanpur developed kit
• IIT Kanpur has developed a kit in collaboration with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to spread awareness
about sexual abuse among children.
• The kit can be used in classrooms for kids aged between 8-12 and in a group of 30-35 students in one session.
• The kit constitutes a set of cards, posters, short animation clips and games, which can be used by teachers or an NGO.
National Affairs
• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formed a committee to examine allegations of illegal sand mining in the Yamuna River and
sought a report within a month.
• Union Minister of State for Chemical & Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya announced that the first Central Institute of Chemical
Engineering & Technology (CICET) will be set up in Gujarat.
Okjokull glacier commemorated with plaque
• In Iceland, people gathered to commemorate the loss of the glacier Okjokull, which was officially declared dead in 2014 at the
age of 700.
• The glacier was officially declared dead by the Icelandic Meteorological Office when it was no longer thick enough to move.
• What once was glacier has been reduced to a small patch of ice.
• The people will lay a plaque which carries a letter to the future.
Debt waiver for 'small distressed borrowers'
• The government plans to give debt waiver for small distressed borrowers under the insolvency law framework.
• The proposed waiver would be offered as part of 'Fresh Start' provisions under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).
• The IBC provides the framework to deal with distressed assets through a market-driven and time-bound process.
5 new fish species discovered in Arunachal P.
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• In Arunachal Pradesh, researchers of the Rajiv Gandhi University have discovered 5 new fish species in various districts of the
state.
• The scientific names of the newly-discovered fish species are Mystus prabini, found in Sinkin and Dibang rivers and Exostoma
kottelati.
• Other discovered species are Creteuchiloglanis tawangensis, Garra ranganensis, and Physoschistura harkishorei.
India won gold in Asian Tennis Team c'ship
• India won gold at the Under 12 Asian Tennis Team championship held in Kazakhstan.
• India defeated Chinese Taipei 2-1 in the summit clash to win the title.
• The final was a tie of three matches - 2 singles and one doubles and India won both the singles matches while lost the doubles
encounter.
• The team comprised Manas Dhamme, Arnav Paprakar and Tamil Nadu's Pranav Rethin.
Sports News
• In Badminton, BWF World Championships began on 19 August 2019 at Basel in Switzerland. Sai Praneeth B will clash with Jason
Anthony Ho-Shue of Canada, while HS Prannoy will take on Finnish Eetu Antti Oskari Heino.
• Hima Das and Mohammad Anas won a gold each in 300m races at the Athleticky Mitink Reiter event in Czech Republic.This was
Hima's 6th gold in 2019 in European races since last month.
Person in News
• The Bangladesh Cricket Board appointed former South African Coach Russel Domingo as the Head Coach for the national cricket
team. Russel Domingo has served as the Head Coach for South Africa’s T20 side in 2012.
• Doordarshan Anchor and Nari Shakti Award Winner Neelum Sharma passed away in August 2019. She was known for her
programmes like ‘Tejaswini’ and ‘Badi Charcha’.
5th Meeting of India-Nepal JC to be held
• The 5th Meeting of India-Nepal Joint Commission will be held in Kathmandu on 21- 22 August 2019.
• Minister for External Affairs Dr S. Jaishankar and Nepal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali will co-chair the
meeting.
• India-Nepal Joint Commission was established in June 1987.
• Its meetings are held alternately in Nepal and India.
PM Modi to visit UAE, Bahrain
• PM Narendra Modi will embark on a 3-day visit to UAE and Bahrain beginning 23 August 2019.
• He will first travel to UAE where he will meet the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
• He will receive the Order of Zayed, the highest civil decoration of the UAE which was conferred earlier in April 2019.
• He will also launch the renovation of Shreenathji temple in Manama.
Committee to review defence procurement
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the setting up of a Committee under the chairmanship of Director General (Acquisition)
to review the Defence Procurement Procedure 2016 and Defence Procurement Manual 2009 to strengthen the 'Make in India'
programme.
• The Committee will revise and align the procedures with the aim of ensuring a seamless flow from asset acquisition to life cycle
support.
ADB signs pact to invest $23 million
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed an agreement to invest USD 23 million in a debt instrument being issued by GRIL.
• The amount will help GR Infraprojects Limited’s (GRIL) in scaling up the construction of roads and highways in India through the
purchase of new building equipment.
• GRIL is an engineering, procurement, and construction company in India.
ANZ slashes forecast for India's GDP growth
• Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) slashed its forecast for India's economic growth to 6.2% in the financial year
ending next March from a previous estimate of 6.5%.
• India's quarterly GDP growth slowed to a five-year low of 5.8% in January-March 2019.
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• ANZ also downgraded its forecast for the year to March 2021 to 6.5% from 7.1%.
Rajdeep Sardesai bags Prem Bhatia Award
• Veteran journalist Rajdeep Sardesai has been awarded the 2019 Prem Bhatia Award for Outstanding Political Reporting.
• The annual award was established in the memory of veteran journalist Prem Bhatia, who was well known for his political
reporting.
• The 2019 award for environmental reporting went to Down to Earth's Ishan Kukreti and independent journalist Sharada
Balasubramanian.
‘Uber for tractors’ launched
• The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare has launched ‘Uber for Tractors’ app.
• The app will help rural farmers to access cutting-edge technology at an affordable price at their doorsteps.
• Farmers can book and hire all the expensive agricultural equipment.
• There is also a rating system in the app which will register feedback from both the Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs) and the farmers.
World’s first negative interest rate mortgage
• Denmark’s third-largest, Jyske Bank, launched the world’s first negative interest rate mortgage – handing out loans to
homeowners where the charge is minus 0.5% a year.
• Negative interest rates effectively mean that a bank pays a borrower to take money off their hands, so they pay back less than
they have been loaned.
• Anders Dam is the CEO of Jyske Bank.
Navy to host multi-lateral exercise in Vizag
• The Indian Navy would be hosting 'MILAN', a multilateral naval exercise, in Visakhapatnam in March 2020.
• The MILAN series of biennial exercises, which commenced in 1995 and conducted at Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC)until
last year, was being conducted for the first time on the mainland at the Eastern Naval Command (ENC).
1st museum on Chaitanya Mahaprabhu opened
• West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the world's first museum dedicated to the life and teachings of a 16th-
century saint and social reformer Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Kolkata.
• The museum was constructed by Gaudiya Mission.
• The Gaudiya Mission, a spiritual and philanthropic organisation established in 1935, propagates the teachings of Sri Chaitanya
and the Vaishnava faith.
More than half of forest wildlife declined
• There has been a 53% decline in the number of forest wildlife populations since 1970, according to the first-ever global
assessment of forest biodiversity by World Wide Fund for Nature.
• The new findings were based on the Forest Specialist Index, developed following the Living Planet Index methodology.
• In total, data were available for 268 species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
'Village Volunteers System' launched in Andhra
• Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched government's flagship programme Village Volunteers system on
15 August 2019.
• The scheme, aimed at providing governance services at doorsteps of people, will involve over 2.8 lakh volunteers.
• Under the scheme, one volunteer will cover 50 families in each village.
• Each volunteer will get an honorarium of Rs 5,000 per month.
Online land revenue payment system launched
• Odisha has launched the online land revenue payment system in the state on 15 August 2019.
• Developed by NIC Bhubaneswar, the system will enable farmers to make payments within minutes and get rent receipts.
• This is the first of its kind initiative by the state Revenue department under the Odisha government's '5-T mantra' to provide
better services to the people.
Vellore district to be trifurcated
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• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on 15 August 2019 said that Vellore district will be trifurcated and two new
districts, Ranipet and Tirupattur, will be formed.
• Vellore will be the headquarters of these two new districts.
• With the creation of two more districts, the total number of districts in Tamil Nadu mounts to 37.
SC clears Chardham highway project
• Supreme Court has cleared the decks for the Chardham highway project.
• The project will connect four holy places of Uttarakhand through 900-km all-weather roads.
• The apex court also asked the Union Environment and Forest Ministry to form the high-powered committee by August 22 to look
into environmental concerns.
MCA amends provisions of Companies Act
• The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has amended the provisions relating to the issue of shares with Differential Voting Rights
(DVRs) provisions under the Companies Act.
• The objective is to enable promoters of Indian companies to retain control of their companies in their pursuit for growth and
creation of long-term value for shareholders, even as they raise equity capital.
Centre launches San-Sadhan Hackathon
• Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), under Swachh Bharat Mission, launched San-Sadhan
Hackathon on 17 August 2019.
• The DEPwD has launched San-Sadhan Hackathon with an aim to enhance sensitivity and develop an ecosystem for creating a
barrier-free environment.
• Startups, student innovators, technology enthusiasts, academicians and industry experts have been invited.
China launches rocket for commercial use-CCTV
• A Chinese government space agency successfully launched on 17 August 2019 its first rocket meant for commercial use.
• Smart Dragon-1 rocket, which weighs 23 tonnes and was developed by a unit of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.
• China envisions constellations of commercial satellites that can offer services ranging from high-speed internet for aircraft to
tracking coal shipments.
India gets its first NEDL
• India has got its first National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL) finalised by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
• NEDL aims to bridge the current regulatory system’s gap that does not cover all the medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic device
(IVD).
• The list is meant for facilities from the village till the district level.
FDA approves new drug for tuberculosis
• The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new oral three-drug regimen for the extensively-drug resistant
tuberculosis (XDR-TB), estimated to have a mortality rate of 60 per cent.
• The treatment involves 'Pretomanid' tablets in combination with bedaquiline and linezolid, collectively referred to as the BPaL
regimen.
• It has an efficacy rate of 90%.
'Second Night' Novel launched
• Former diplomat Rajiv Dogra's third novel 'Second Night' was launched on 16 August 2019.
• He has penned two books on Indo-Pak relations and the Durand Line.
• He was India's Ambassador to Italy and Romania.
• 'Second Night', published by Rupa, is about a woman determined to escape and a man who has vowed to find her.
• It is a story of friendship, love and loss.
Naveen announces 'Mo Sarkar' initiative
• Odisha's Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on 15 August 2019 announced the 'Mo Sarkar' initiative.
• The new initiative will commence from October 2 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
• Under the new initiative, the chief minister and other ministers will call common citizens to seek their feedback on the kind of
response and service they received when they visited the government facilities.
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Padma Shri Awardee Damodar Ganesh Bapat Dies

• Noted social worker Damodar Ganesh Bapat died in Chhattisgarh.
• Mr Bapat was known for his social work in tribal areas in Chhattisgarh.
• He dedicated his life to the treatment and service of leprosy patients at Bhartiya Kushta Nivarak Sangh in Janjgir-Champa district.
• He was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, by President Ram Nath Kovind in 2018 for his service to society.
Scientist discover pain sensing organ in skin
• Researchers have discovered a new sensory organ in the skin that is able to detect painful mechanical damage, such as pricks and
impacts, an advance that may help develop novel painkillers.
• Almost one person in every five experiences constant pain and there is a considerable need to find new painkilling drugs,
according to research published in the journal Science.
Four New Products get GI Tag
• The Geographical Indication (GI) under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has recently registered 4
new GIs.
• Palani Panchamirtham from Palani Town in Dindigul District of Tamil Nadu State, Tawlhlohpuan and Mizo Puanchei from the state
of Mizoram and Tirur Betel leaf from Kerala are the latest additions to the list of registered GIs.
National Workshop on Sustainable Sanitation
• The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs will organize a one day national workshop cum exhibition at Vigyan Bhawan on 19
August, 2019.
• Shri Thawar Chand Gehlot, Union Minister, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will be the Chief Guest of the event.
• The workshop on sustainable sanitation is being organized in order to bring relevant stakeholders to strategize on mitigating the
risks.
Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurates ABVIMS
• On the first death anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Union Health Minister of India Harsh Vardhan
inaugurated the medical college named after the late Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in
New Delhi on August 16.
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences (ABVIMS) started with 100 MBBS seats this year.
NASA scientists flew over Greenland
• NASA scientists are crossing Greenland on a mission to track melting ice.
• Greenland has been melting faster in the last decade and this summer, it has seen 2 of the biggest melts on record since 2012.
• Both warmer air and warmer water are eating away at Greenland, causing it to lose billions of tons of ice daily in the summer.
80 lakh farmer families to benefit from PMKSNY
• In MP, about 80 lakh eligible farmer families will benefit from the Pradhanmantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana in the state.
• Under the scheme, total Rs 6,000 that is Rs 2,000 each in three installments are being deposited every year directly in the
accounts of the eligible farmer families.
• Scheme has been envisioned with an aim to improve the life of small and marginal farmers of the country.
Scheme to involve school eco clubs launched
• In Delhi, a scheme to involve school eco clubs in the DDA's plantation drive was launched at a green belt in Rohini's sector 37 on
16 August 2019 by Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri.
• As part of an afforestation drive of the Delhi Development Authority, 4 lakh indigenous trees will be planted this year across
various biodiversity parks in the national capital.
Assam got 1st ever fuel station
• Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the first ever CNG fuel station of the state in Dibrugarh on 17 August
2019.
• With the inauguration of this clean and green fuel station, it will reduce environmental pollution.
• Mr. Sonowal has given much emphasis to make the state free from pollution.
• Since CNG is an affordable fuel it will be cost effective for the users.
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Appointments
• Ravi Shastri was re-appointed head coach of the Indian men's team by the Kapil Dev-led Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC). He
has been reappointed for a two-year period, ending with the 2021 T20 World Cup in India.
• Harshad Pandurang Thakur has been appointed as the director of National Institute of Health and Family Welfare.
Sports News
• India's Prithviraj Tondaiman shot a 47 on the first day qualifiers of the men's trap event in the International Shooting Sport
Federation Shotgun World Cup in Lahiti, Finland. He was the best placed Indian at sixth.
• Wrestler Bajrang Punia has been nominated for the country's highest sporting honour - the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. His
name was finalised by a 12-member selection committee.
Obituaries
• Renowned Bangladeshi novelist and the Ekushey Padak winning author Rizia Rahman passed away in August 2019.
• She wrote in all genres of creative work including short stories, poems, essays and children's fiction but she was renowned for
her novels.
PM Modi on 2-day visit to Bhutan
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left for a two-day visit to Bhutan.
• He will receive audiences with the King of Bhutan, hold delegation-level talks with his counterpart, meet the Leader of
Opposition, inaugurate 720 megawatt Mangdechhu hydro-power project and release a commemorative stamp to mark the 50
years of Indo-Bhutan hydropower relations.
Aadi Mahotsav began in Leh
• Tribal Affairs Ministry and Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India are jointly organizing a 9 Day Aadi
Mahotsav (National Tribal Festival) in Leh- Ladakh from 17 August 2019.
• The theme of the festival is 'A celebration of the spirit of Tribal Craft, Culture and Commerce'.
• The festival will showcase traditional art and handicrafts and cultural heritage of the country.
Vice President on 3-day visit to Baltic nation
• Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu will embark on a 3-nation visit to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia on 17 August 2019.
• He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation.
• His visit will be the first-ever high level visit to the 3 Baltic countries.
• The visit takes place in the context of increasing political engagement, as well as intensified trade and commercial ties.
Eastern Air Command Commanders' Conclave began
• A 2-day Commanders Conclave of the Eastern Air Command (EAC) was inaugurated by Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal B S
Dhanoa on 16 August 2019 at HQ EAC in Upper Shillong.
• He discussed the prevailing security scenario and emphasised on the need for all air warriors to remain ever vigilant.
• He also conveyed appreciation on successful completion of various exercises conducted by HQ EAC.
Albama: Moon spacecraft Headquarters
• NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced that Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama will serve as headquarters for
NASA's programme to build a spacecraft to put astronauts back on the moon by 2024.
• The programme has been named Artemis.
• The new lunar mission is likely to cost $20 billion to $30 billion dollars over five years.
Liverpool won UEFA Super Cup
• Liverpool beat Chelsea 5-4 on penalties and won the UEFA Super Cup in Istanbul,
• It is Liverpool’s 4th Super Cup victory, with their last coming in 2005 in Champions League triumph, also in Istanbul.
• They have now won 13 European trophies overall.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee resi. schools to be set
• In UP, state government will set up Atal Bihari Vajpayee residential schools for children of labourers in all 18 divisions of state.
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• CM Yogi Adityanath announced many projects in state including a memorial in Bateshwar, the former prime minister's native
village in Agra.
• A 25-foot-tall statue will be stalled at the Secretariat Lok Bhawan on Vajpayee's birth anniversary on December 25, 2019.
Municipal Corporation of Lucknow fixed penalty
• In UP, municipal corporation of Lucknow has fixed the penalty on keeping plastic bags from 16 August 2019.
• Now keeping plastic bags or throwing them on roads will attract a penalty of maximum Rs.25,000 from any group or institute and
one thousand rupees from individual in the city.
• Corporation has launched a drive against the use of plastic and it will run for next two months.
IIHM Initiative on Independence Day
• Supporting the 17 goals of Sustainable Development, International Institute of Hotel Management launched an initiative.
• On 15th August, 2019, students of IIHM across the country have visited, children's homes and old age homes where they
distributed fruits and cooked food among the inhabitants.
• The name of this initiative is 'Freedom from Hunger'.
INS Tarkash participated in Konkan Bilat Ex
• The 14th Edition of KONKAN series of annual bilateral exercises between Indian Navy and Royal Navy of Britain is currently
underway off the South Coast of UK.
• INS Tarkash is exercising with the Royal Navy's Daring Class Destroyer, HMS Defender with integral helicopter Wildcat.
• KONKAN-19 will involve Gunnery Shoots, Manoeuvres, Cross Deck Flying, ASW Screening and Air Defence exercise.
Virat Kohli: 1st batsman to score 20,000 runs
• Indian captain Virat Kohli has become the first batsman to score 20,000 international runs in a single decade.
• Kohli has aggregated 20,502 runs across three formats out of which he has scored 20,018 in the ongoing decade.
• Kohli made his Test and T20 Internationals debut in 2010.
• He had already scored 484 runs in ODI cricket after making his debut in 2008.
Deepak Punia became jr world wrestling champ
• Deepak Punia etched his name into the history of Indian sports by being the first Indian in 18 years to win a title at the Junior
World Championships in Estonia.
• He won the final of the 86-kg junior freestyle category on 14 August 2019, beating Alik Shebzukhov of Russia.
• The final ended 2-2 on scores, but Deepak was awarded the bout as he had registered the last point-scoring move.
Cricket umpire died after being hit by ball
• Veteran cricket umpire John Williams succumbed to his injuries on 15 August 2019.
• He was hit on the head while officiating a Division Two game between Pembroke and Narberth in Wales on July 13.
• He passed away on August 15.
• The match had been stopped immediately after the incident.
• The injured umpire was treated at the scene by ambulance service.
India won Physical Disability World Series
• India beat England by 36 runs to win Physical Disability World Series 2019.
• Ravindra Sante scored a quickfire half-century to star in India's victory.
• The Indian team defeated England by 36 runs.
• The six-nation tournament was organized by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
• India posted a huge total of 180 runs on the board before successfully defending it to win the game comfortably.
India contributed 1 million to UN Fund
• India has contributed 1 million US Dollars to the United Nations Special Purpose Trust Fund for the Resident Coordinator System.
• Special Purpose Trust Fund (SPTF) is housed within the UN Secretariat.
• It is established to receive, consolidate, manage all contributions and financial transactions of the new Resident Coordinator
system in a transparent and effective way.
Indian Army continues to lead in Scouts Comp
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• Indian Army team continued its outstanding performance and has come first amongst 8 teams in Stage IV of the ongoing
International Army Scout Masters Competition held in Jaisalmer.
• Stage IV of the competition primarily included Timed Reflex Shooting, Breaching of the Mine Field and checking of Close Quarter
Battle capability of all the teams under simulated battle field conditions.
Free ATM transactions not for failed transac.
• The RBI asked banks not to count failed transactions at ATMs due to technical reasons as part of “free ATM transactions”
permitted every month.
• Besides, use of ATMs for balance enquiry and fund transfers too should be not part of the free transactions facility given to a
customer.
• Banks provide certain number of free transactions at ATMs to their customers and beyond that impose charges.
12-year-old Karnataka boy awarded
• A 12-year-old boy in Karnataka has been awarded for bravery for guiding an ambulance, which was deeply stuck over a flooded
bridge after incessant rainfall in the area.
• Venkatesh was awarded by the Raichur District Collector for helping the driver take his ambulance out of the flooded bridge
safely.
• Karnataka CM - B. S. Yediyurappa.
• Karnataka Governor - Vajubhai Vala
Short film by Indian Railways won award
• A short-film –'Madhubani- The Station of Colours', bagged the ‘Rajat-Kamal’ award at the 66th National Film Awards for 2018.
• It narrates the beautification of a remote railway station belonging to the East Central Railway (ECR).
• The Madhubani railway station located in a remote part of Madhubani district of Bihar was earlier ranked as the country’s second
most dirty railway station.
Textiles Mnstry signed MoU for skill training
• The Union Textiles Ministry signed a MoU with 16 State governments to offer skill training programmes under the Samarth
scheme (Scheme for capacity building in the textiles sector).
• 18 States had agreed to partner with the Ministry.
• The agencies nominated by the State Governments will train four lakh people.
• After the training, the candidates will be placed at the textile units.
National Water Stress Rankings
• A World Resources Institute (WRI) report informed that India comes under the Extremely Stressed baseline while being ranked at
number 13th globally.
• The Middle East and North African countries are the most water-stressed areas.
• WRI’s Aqueduct tools reveal that 17 countries face extremely high levels of baseline water stress.
• 44 countries face high levels of stress.
Asit Tripathy: New Odisha chief secretary
• Asit Kumar Tripathy will be the new chief secretary of Odisha.
• Tripathy, a 1986 batch IAS officer will succeed AP Padhi, who was appointed the State Election Commissioner.
• Prior to his appointment as chief secretary, Tripathy was the Development Commissioner and also in-charge of the Home
department and Chief Administrator of the KBK region.
Air India flew over the North Pole
• Air India became the first Indian airline to fly over the North Pole while connecting New Delhi and North America.
• The inaugural flight over the Polar region took on August 15, 2019 and flew from New Delhi to San Francisco.
• This was one big achievement for the civil aviation in India as none of the Indian airlines has ever done this.
• It was piloted by Capt Rajneesh Sharma and Capt Digvijay.
Shopee announced Cristiano as brand ambassador
• Shopee announced a collaboration with Cristiano Ronaldo, who has become its newest brand ambassador.
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• Ronaldo and Shopee are to present various initiatives, starting with an annual shopping campaign, the 9.9 Super Shopping Day,
from Aug. 16 to Sept. 9, 2019.
• The 9.9 Super Shopping Day features offers and entertainment, such as free shipping, cashback vouchers, discounts, etc.
ISRO chairman conferred APJ Abdul Kalam Award
• Chairman of ISRO K. Sivan was awarded Tamil Nadu government’s Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award on 15 August 2019.
• Under his leadership, the organisation launched its Chandrayaan-2 mission.
• Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami handed over the State government’s Kalpana Chawla Award for Courage and Daring
Enterprise to P. Ramyalakshmi, Assistant Director of Fisheries posted in Cuddalore.
VG Somani: New Drug Controller General
• The government appointed VG Somani as Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).
• DCGI heads the Indian drug regulatory body the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO),
• His functions include ensuring the quality of drugs and cosmetics sold in the country, approval of new drugs and regulating
clinical trials.
• Somani is currently Joint Drugs Controller of India.
V.B. Chandrasekhar passed away
• Former India and Tamil Nadu cricketer V.B. Chandrasekhar passed away in August 2019.
• He was a part of the last Tamil Nadu team which won the Ranji Trophy in 1988.
• He represented India in seven ODIs, with an innings of 53 being his highest score.
• In 81 first class matches, Chandrasekhar notched up 4999 runs with a highest score of an unbeaten 237 at an average of 43.09.
He made 10 centuries.
Vidya Sinha passed away
• Veteran Bollywood actress Vidya Sinha passed away in August 2019.
• She was known for her role in Basu Chatterjee’s film Rajnigandha.
• Her list of notable films includes Mera Jeevana, Chhoti Si Baat, Safed Jhooth and many others.
• She was also seen in teleserials like Kkavyanjali (2005), Qubool Hai (2012), and lately in Kulfi Kumar Bajewala (2018 onwards)
India beat China in fintech deals
• The number of fintech deals in Indian start-ups surpassed those in China for the previous quarter.
• India saw 23 fintech deals during the 2nd quarter of 2019, compared to 15 investments in China, according to the Global Fintech
report from CB Insights.
• However, China had marginally higher investments at $375 million during the period, compared to the $350 million in India.
Chief of defence staff post to be created
• PM Narendra Modi announced the government would create the post of a chief of defence staff (CDS).
• It will integrate the operations of the three forces--the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force.
• The CDS was to be a five-star rank general – a rank above the chiefs of the army, navy and air force.
• Speculation is that army chief Bipin Rawat, could be named to the post.
Former Axis Capital head to acquire IDFC Secu.
• Former Axis Capital MD and CEO Dharmesh Mehta, along with other investors, will acquire 100% stake in IDFC Securities.
• The move comes after the previous buyer TCG Group and IDFC decided to call off their pact to sell IDFC Securities.
• The sale of IDFC Securities is part of IDFC group’s plans to sell its non-core assets.
Largest rural sanitation survey launched
• Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched the Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2019 (SSG 2019) on 14 August 2019.
• To be instituted from August 14-September 30, 2019, SSG 2019 will cover 17,450 villages in 698 districts across India and include
87,250 public places.
• Around 2,50,000 citizens will be interviewed for their feedback as part of the survey.
President awarded scholars
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• The President awarded the Certificate of Honour to the scholars of Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, Pali, Prakrit, Classical Kannada,
Classical Telugu, Classical Malayalam and Classical Odiya for 2019.
• The distinction is conferred once a year on the Independence Day in recognition of substantial contribution in field of these
languages.
• The Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman was also announced.
Gallantry awards conferred
• President Ram Nath Kovind approved 132 Awards to Armed Forces Personnel and members of Paramilitary Forces.
• The awards include two Kirti Chakras, one Vir Chakra, 14 Shaurya Chakras, eight Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 90 Sena Medals
(Gallantry), five Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry), seven Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry) and five Yudh Seva Medals.
• The Army has been awarded 8Shaurya Chakra awards.
Rare tea variety sold for Rs 75,000 per kg
• A rare variety of tea from Upper Assam's Dikom Tea Estate set a new record today after it was auctioned for Rs. 75,000 per kg at
the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC).
• The tea, 'Golden Butterfly', was purchased by city-based Assam Tea Traders.
• An exotic tea is judged by its aroma, taste and colour and this tea is characterised by extremely mellow and sweet caramel
flavour.
Medal of excellence to 96 police personnel
• 96 police personnel, including 15 Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers, have been awarded the Union Home Minister's
Medal for Excellence in Investigation for 2019.
• 11 are from Maharashtra Police, 10 are from UP Police, 9 are from Kerala Police, 8 are from Madhya Pradesh Police, 6 are from
Delhi Police and Karnataka Police.
• The recipients also include 13 women officers.
RBI to issue revised norms
• Housing finance companies (HFCs) will be treated as a category of non-banks, as per RBI.
• It will release a revised regulatory framework for these entities.
• This comes after the Finance Act, 2019 amended the National Housing Bank Act, 1987, conferring certain powers for regulation of
HFCs with the Reserve Bank of India.
WhatsApp brought fingerprint authentication
• One of WhatsApp's most awaited features, fingerprint authentication, is finally rolling out to Android users.
• The feature is currently available to those who have registered in WhatsApp's beta programme for Android.
• This is the first time the feature has made its way to a stable WhatsApp beta build for Android.
Penguin announced book on Sridevi
• On cinema legend Sridevi's 56th birth anniversary, Penguin Random House India have announced a book on the life of the actor.
• The book, titled 'Sridevi: Girl Woman Superstar', is written by author-screenwriter Satyarth Nayak and approved by the actor's
producer husband Boney Kapoor.
• The book will be published under the Ebury Press imprint of Penguin Random House in October 2019.
Wg Cdr Abhinandan honoured with Vir Chakra
• Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman has been conferred the Vir Chakra, India's third-highest war time gallantry medal.
• The defence ministry announced the military awards on the eve of Independence Day celebrations.
• From the Army, Sapper Prakash Jadhav of the Rashtriya Rifles will be posthumously awarded Kirti Chakra, the second highest
peacetime gallantry award.
Simone Biles made history
• Simone Biles made history with a never-before-seen 'triple-double floor exercise landing.
• She performed the landing featuring two flips and three twists in U.S. Gymnastics Championships held in Kansas City.
• Biles already has a vault skill and a floor exercise maneuver named for her as their originator.
‘Panchamirtham’ got GI tag
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• The famous Palani panchamirtham, given as ‘prasadam’ at the Murugan temple, Tamil Nadu, has been granted the Geographical
Indication (GI) tag.
• This is the first time a temple ‘prasadam’ from Tamil Nadu has been bestowed with the GI tag.
• The panchamirtham is a combination of five natural substances — banana, jaggery, cow ghee, honey and cardamom.
Gujarat govt to open Army schools
• Gujarat government will open Army schools in tribal-dominated areas to provide required training to youths and to help them get
selected to serve in defence forces.
• The government has set up medical colleges in the tribal-majority districts of Dahod, Tapi, Surat and Valsad.
• The government has taken adequate steps to ensure that tribal population is not deprived of higher education.
Mumbai to get first Indian Institute of Skills
• Mumbai is all set to get the first Indian Institute of Skills - IIS, the foundation stone of which will be laid in September 2019.
• Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey announced that the institute will be
operational by 2020.
• The project will be executed on a Public-Private Partnership basis.
Tripura got direct flight service
• Tripura gets its direct flight service from 14 August 2019.
• In a new development in air transportation for Tripura state, the Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb flagged off Delhi -Agartala
direct flight service at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport.
• The direct flight would be helpful in attracting more tourist, enhancing business and all other sectors.
Sports News
• The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has suspended Five Russian weightlifters, including a 2012 Olympic bronze
medallist, provisionally after doping tests on samples recovered from the Moscow lab.
• A new sports policy was under consideration where every player would be supported by government. This policy will be
introduced after consultations with various sports organisations.
PM announced Jal Jeevan Mission
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced 'Jal Jivan' mission to make drinking water available to all households.
• The government will spend 3.5 lakh crore rupees for it.
• The movement towards water conservation has to take place at the grassroots level and it should not be limited to mere a
Government programme.
• People from all walks of life have to be integrated in this movement.
Inter-State Council reconstituted
• The government has reconstituted the Inter State Council and the Standing Committee of the Inter State Council.
• According to the notification, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the Chairman of the Inter State Council.
• Chief Ministers of all States and six Union Ministers including Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Nirmala Sitharaman are the members
of the Council.
Wesley Sneijder announced retirement
• The Netherlands' player Wesley Sneijder announced his retirement from football, bringing down the curtain on a trophy-laden
career that spanned 17 years.
• He played 134 times for his country.
• His displays earned him the Silver Ball for the tournament's second best player behind Uruguay's Diego Forlan.
• He made his international debut in 2003 and picked up a World Cup runners-up medal in 2010.
Ola acquihired AI startup Pikup.ai
• Ola has ‘acquihired’ Pikup.ai, an artificial intelligence start-up from Bengaluru, for an undisclosed amount.
• As part of the deal, Ola will hire Pickup.ai’s team following the acquisition.
• Pickup.ai is co-founded by Inder Singh and Ritwik Saikia.
• The start-up uses autonomous technologies like artificial intelligence and sensor fusion to provide seamless AI-powered solutions
for businesses.
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Obituaries
• Argentina World Cup winner Jose Luis Brown passed away in August 2019. Brown made 36 appearances for his country, the most
famous of which came in the 1986 World Cup final in Mexico.
• Dango Nguyen, a onetime Georgia firefighter who appeared on the third season of The Walking Dead, passed away in August
2019. He also appeared on the TV series The Originals and MacGyver.
Swachh Nagar app launched
• Swachh Nagar app was launched by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.
• It will allow users to have waste collected by their urban local bodies along with a new protocol on wastewater treatment that
would become a part of cleanliness rankings of cities.
• The app had been tested in Gurugram and in some of the General Pool Residential Accommodation colonies for government
staff.
Swachh Survekshan 2020 launched
• Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State for Housing & Urban Affairs launched the Swachh Survekshan 2020.
• It is the fifth edition of the annual cleanliness survey conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
• SBM Water PLUS Protocol and Toolkit, Swachh Nagar – an integrated waste management app and AI-enabled mSBM App were
also launched.
Watan - a patriotic song by DD - released
• Union Minister Prakash Javadekar released patriotic song Watan produced by Doordarshan to mark the occasion of
Independence Day, 2019 in New Delhi on 13 August 2019.
• The song pays tribute to New India.
• It highlights several path-breaking initiatives of the government including the determination and vision behind the recent
successful launch of Chandrayaan 2.
Motorcycle Expedition from Dras to Pune
• An Adventure Bike Expedition was undertaken from Dras on 26 July, 2019.
• The expedition comprising of 2 Officers and 11 other ranks of Bombay Sappers after traversing approx 2000kms had reached
Delhi on 11 Aug 2019.
• On 13 Aug 2019 the Team was flagged off by the Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen D Anbu.
• The rally will be flagged in at Pune, Bombay Engineer Group Centre on 21 Aug 2019.
Railways to launch its commando unit
• The Commandos for Railway Safety (CORAS) will be deployed in Naxal-prone belts, Jammu and Kashmir and North East after
its launch on 14 August 2019.
• Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and MoS Railway Suresh C Angadi will launch CORAS in New Delhi.
• CORAS is headed by the Director General of the RPF and is armed with special uniforms with bullet-proof jackets, helmets and
sophisticated weapons.
State of Art Gallery inaugurated
• Union Minister of Textiles and Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani, inaugurated Textiles Gallery at National Crafts
Museum in New Delhi on 13 Aug 19.
• The gallery will serve to be a resource centre for the students of fashion technology, apparel sciences and textiles designing.
• It consists of more than 230 different types of textiles collections divided into categories of 30 traditions.
Centre amended National Housing Bank Act
• The government has activated two Budget proposals laid out to provide relief to the Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs).
• The National Housing Bank Act has been amended to bring housing finance companies (HFCs) under the RBI's ambit.
• Also, banks can now classify the credit provided to NBFCs (for example, HFCs) for on-lending as priority sector lending.
Japanese Self Defence Ship visited Kochi
• A missile destroyer, JS Sazanami of the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), is on a two-day goodwill visit to Kochi
from 13 August 2019.
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• During the stay at Kochi, various activities such as visit of IN personnel onboard JS Sazanami and professional interaction between
the two navies were conducted.
• JS Sazanami is planned to depart for Bahrain on 14 August 2019.
CSR non-compliance should be a civil offence
• A high-level committee has recommended that non-compliance with CSR norms be made a civil offence and moved to a penalty
regime.
• This is a departure from the recent policy change which had provided for a three-year jail term for violating CSR norms.
• The committee chaired by Injeti Srinivas, secretary, corporate affairs ministry, submitted its recommendations to Sitharaman.
RPF launched Operation Number Plate
• Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Indian Railways launched a Special Drive with a Code Name – Operation Number Plate.
• It will identify and verify all vehicles parked in Railway premises, circulating area, parkings and ‘No Parking’ areas for longer
duration.
• The unidentified vehicles are considered as a serious threat to security and safety of passengers and other stakeholders of
railways.
MoU signed between Indian Navy and CIAL
• A MoU between Naval Air Enclave (NAE), Kochi and Cochin International Airport Limited(CIAL) was signed recently.
• It was signed in connection with the commencement of naval air operations from the NAE, a naval aviation facility.
• Military aircraft would use the CIAL runway for take-off and landing and the NAE taxy track for proceeding to and from the
dispersal/ hangar.
Scheme regarding partial credit guarantee
• The Government has issued a scheme regarding partial credit guarantee.
• It would enable the public sector banks (PSBs) to purchase pooled assets of financially sound NBFCs amounting to Rs. one lakh
crore.
• The objective is to address temporary asset liability mismatches of otherwise solvent NBFCs/HFCs without having to resort to
distress sale of their assets for meeting their commitments.
Appointments I
• The Committee of Administrators (CoA) cleared Rahul Dravid's appointment as Head of Cricket at the National Cricket Academy
(NCA), ruling that there is no conflict of interest case against the former India captain.
• CARS24, announced a strategic partnership with former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He will be its brand ambassador,
as a part of the partnership.
National Affairs
• The legislative party of Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) merged itself with BJP on 13 August 2019. Out of 13, 10 MLAs of the SDF
joined BJP in the presence of party general secretary Ram Madhav in New Delhi.
• Maharashtra government will conduct disease-wise survey of the flood-hit areas. The aid surveys are also being conducted on the
basis of diseases like fever, diarrhoea and jaundice.
Appointments II
• Naresh Kumar has taken over the charge as the new Chief Secretary of Arunachal Pradesh. He has succeeded Mr. Satya Gopal.
• PT Usha has been made a member of the Athletes Commission of the Asian Athletics Association in recognition of her stellar
achievements at the continental stage. She will be one of the six members of the AAA Athletes Commission.
Women's cricket to be part of CW Games
• Women's T20 Cricket has been confirmed for inclusion at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022.
• Eight teams will compete across eight match days.
• Edgbaston will host all the matches.
• The 2022 Commonwealth Games will take place in England from 27th July to 7th August, 2022.
Global Investors Summit to be held in Srinagar
• Jammu and Kashmir government will host a 3-day Global Investors Summit from 12th October 2019 in Srinagar.
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• The first ever summit in the state will provide J&K an opportunity to showcase its strengths, strategies and potential.
• The summit will also provide an opportunity to allay fears and apprehensions in the minds of outside trade and business
community.
Headgear mandatory for children above 4 years
• Protective headgear of prescribed standards has been made mandatory for children above four years while travelling on a
motorcycle.
• The safety measures for the children travelling on motorcycles have been included in the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019
that is passed by Parliament.
• The President of India gave assent to the Act recently.
Bianca Andreescu won Rogers Cup 2019
• Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu wins Rogers Cup tennis tournament 2019 held in Toronto, Canada.
• She was the first Canadian to win the event in 50 years.
• Serena Williams was the runner-up in the final.
• Serena Williams retired with a back injury in the final of the Rogers Cup in Toronto.
Person in News
• As Reliance Industries (RIL) held its 42nd Annual General Meeting, one of its veteran board members and the first independent
director of the company M.L. Bhakta retired. He has been on the RIL board since 1977.
• Fitness and lifestyle brand Reebok recently announced Varun Dhawan as its new brand ambassador.
IIT Kg researchers developed blood test device
• Researchers from IIT Kharagpur have developed a low-cost diagnostic device.
• It can perform various pathological tests by using blood taken from a fingerprick.
• The device requires only a paper strip based kit integrated with a smartphone to enable analytics and readout functions and LED
light for imaging.
• The key aspect of the kit, developed by a research team led by Prof Suman Chakraborty.
National Youth Awards conferred
• The Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports Kiren Rijiju conferred the National Youth Awards on 12 August 2019.
• They were conferred upon individuals and organizations for excellent work and contribution in different fields of development
and social service.
• During the National Youth Awards Function he also inaugurated a Photo Exhibition on China through Eyes of Indian Youth - 2019.
Gandhi's 150th birth anniv as Community Day
• The railways will mark Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary as Community Day, according to an action plan of the Railway
Board.
• A special exhibition titled From Mohan Das to Mahatma would also be held.
• 150 small nurseries are to be set up on railway land adjacent to tracks, especially around metro areas.
Gujarat to sign 2 MoUs in Vladivostok
• Diamond sector representatives accompanying Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani to Vladivostok in Russia signed two MOUs.
• They are related to sourcing of rough diamonds and setting up of diamond processing units there.
• Rupani was in Russia from August 11-13, 2019 along with a delegation of 28 members from the state representing sectors such as
diamond, petroleum and pharmaceutical.
Goa inked trade MoU with Kamchatka
• Goa inked an agreement with Russia’s Kamchatka region on 12 August 2019.
• It will pave the way for cooperation in the field of trade, economic investment, scientific and technical cooperation and even
tourism.
• The MoU aims at deepening mutual beneficial cooperation and will allow the exchange of information on the investment climate,
business conditions, etc.
Haryana, Russia signed MoU for trade
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• A MoU was signed on 12 August 2019 between Haryana and a Russian province for trade and investment in many areas,
including timber, healthcare, real state and education, in Vladivostok.
• This would expand and strengthen economic cooperation between the Sakha Republic of the Russian Federation and Haryana.
• PM Narendra Modi would visit Russia to attend Eastern Economic Forum in September 2019.
Aditya Puri: Top paid bank CEO
• HDFC Bank MD Aditya Puri remained the highest-paid bank chief executive in India with a monthly basic salary of Rs 89 lakh in
FY19.
• Puri has led the bank the most valuable lender in the country since its inception 25 years ago.
• Axis Bank CEO Amitabh Chaudhry, who took over the position in January, was second at a basic monthly salary of Rs 30 lakh.
NASA Demos Water-Powered Spacecraft Abilities
• NASA demonstrated the first coordinated manoeuvre between 2 tissue box-sized water-powered spacecraft in the low Earth
orbit.
• They were orbiting Earth about 9 km from one another.
• The two spacecraft established a radio frequency communication cross-link to talk with each other.
• One spacecraft issued a command to the second to activate its thruster and close the gap between the two.
India-China film week inaugurated
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Wang Yi jointly inaugurated the 'India-China Film Week' on 12 August 2019 in a bid to
strengthen people to people connection and cultural activities between the two countries.
• The initiative marks the commemoration of 100 activities that would be organised in the coming months in the domain of film,
broadcasting, education, among others.
Person in News
• Former judge of the Supreme Court of India, Justice Madan Lokur moved up taking oath as a judge of the Supreme Court of Fiji.
He retired as Supreme Court judge on December 31, 2018, after a tenure of more than 6 years.
• Guatemalans have voted in Alejandro Giammattei of the Vamos party as the country's next president. He had spent several
months in prison in 2008.
India, China signed 4 MoUs
• India and China signed 4 MoUs and agreed to organise 100 activities in the coming months in the domain of film and
broadcasting.
• The 4 agreements were signed following the second meeting of the India-China High-Level Mechanism (HLM) on Cultural and
People-to-People Exchanges.
• They also agreed to enhance cooperation in the field of traditional medicine.
Trans-lunar injection to move Chandrayaan-2
• ISRO will undertake on August 14, 2019, the crucial process of trans-lunar injection to move Chandrayaan-2 from earth's orbit
towards the moon.
• By this manoeuvre, Chandrayaan-2 will leave earth's orbit and move towards the moon.
• It will finally land near the south pole of the moon on September 7, 2019.
• ISRO is expecting a soft landing on the lunar surface.
Vikram Sarabhai's celebrations kick off
• The year-long centenary celebration of the birth anniversary of Vikram Sarabhai, father of India's space programme, was kicked
off in Ahmedabad on 12 August 2019.
• The centenary programme includes exhibitions, competitions to school children, journalism awards and speeches by eminent
personalities.
• The programme will be conducted across 100 selected cities and will end on August 12, 2020.
French envoy confers Indian chef
• French Ambassador to India Alexandre Ziegler conferred Indian chef Priyam Chatterjee with the distinction of Chevalier de
I'Ordre du Merite Agricole, also known as the Order of Agricultural Merit on August 12, 2019.
• He is the first Indian chef to be conferred this honour.
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• He is known to honour French cuisine by revisiting the traditional dishes of his native place.
Government to start special hospitals
• Special hospitals offering Indian Systems of Medicines like Siddha and Ayurveda will be started in 150 districts across the country.
• This was stated by Union Minister of State for AYUSH Sripad Yesso Naik, while inaugurating an Ayurveda medical College in Tamil
Nadu.
• A six months course in basic medicine has been started with the intention of providing basic healthcare in rural areas.
India, China agreed to further strengthen ties
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on 12 August
2019.
• Four MoUs were signed on the occasion in various fields including traditional medicine, and sports.
• The two countries agreed that maintenance of peace and tranquility in border areas was essential for smooth development of
relations.
Sports News
• Aishwarya Pissay became the first Indian to claim a world title in motorsports, annexing the FIM World Cup in the women's
category after the final round of the championship at Varpalota in Hungary.
• Novak Djokovic remained at the top of the ATP rankings, released on 12 August 2019. Roger Federer stayed third and Dominic
Thiem fourth. Stefanos Tsitsipas dropped two places.
YES Bank appointed Anurag Adlakha as CFO
• Yes Bank announced the appointment of Anurag Adlakha as chief financial officer (CFO).
• Raj Ahuja was serving as the CFO of the company till now.
• He will continue to report to Chief Executive Officer Ravneet Gill.
• Ahuja will now be in charge of strategy, planning and functions of the bank.
• Adlakha was earlier senior group president and head of financial management & strategy.
Chhattisgarh locals formed 15-km long chain
• Thousands of students and members of several social organisations unfurled a 15-km long national flag by forming a human chain
in Raipur on 11 August 2019.
• The event, organised by Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam Foundation, entered the Champions Book of World Records (for the longest
tricolour).
• Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel felicitated the families of martyrs during the event.
Freedom fighter Dayanidhi Nayak passed away
• Freedom fighter Dayanidhi Nayak, who struggled against the British Government during the Quit India movement passed away in
August 2019.
• One of the 32 freedom fighters from Panimora, he joined the Quit India movement against the British government and was a
devout follower of Mahatma Gandhi.
• He was one of the last two surviving of the 32 foot soldiers from Panimora.
GRSE launched fifth FPV for Coast Guard
• Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) launched a fifth Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
• Named Kanaklata Barua after a freedom fighter from Assam, the vessel is the last of the five FPVs built by GRSE for the Coast
Guard.
• The vessel is 50 metres long and 7.5 metres wide with a displacement of around 308 tonnes.
• It is equipped with three main engines.
UCO, Allahabad bank slashed MCLR
• Allahabad Bank and UCO Bank slashed marginal cost of funds- based lending rate (MCLR) across all tenors.
• Allahabad Bank has reduced its MCLR by 15 to 20 basis points (bps) for different tenors, effective from August 14, 2019.
• UCO Bank has cut the same by 15 bps across all tenors.
• The one-year MCLR is the rate based on which the retail loans such as home and car advances are linked.
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Army launched 'Mission Reach Out' in Jammu

• The Army launched Mission Reach Out in Jammu to ensure that basic necessities and essential services are available in the region
post the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 and reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir.
• A high level conference to review the prevalent situation in the region was held in the Nagrota Military Station, which was
chaired by Lt Gen Paramjit Singh.
Person in News
• Senior Advocate and former Additional Solicitor General Amarendra Sharan passed away in August 2019. He enrolled with the
Bihar State Bar Council in 1975 and started practice in Patna High Court.
• India's Congress party appointed Sonia Gandhi to serve as interim president until it elects a new party chief. The party accepted
the resignation of Rahul Gandhi, who quit in July 2019.
Virat Kohli created record
• India captain Virat Kohli surpassed Pakistan great Javed Miandad to become the highest run-scorer against the West Indies in ODI
cricket.
• He needed 19 runs before the start of the second ODI against the West Indies to surpass Miandad's tally of 1,930 runs against the
two-time World Cup winners.
• Miandad took 64 innings to reach his tally while Kohli has taken just 34 innings to surpass that.
Vivek Gambhir: highest paid FMCG honcho
• Godrej Consumer Products MD and CEO Vivek Gambhir was the highest paid FMCG executive in the previous fiscal with a total
remuneration of ₹20.09 crore.
• He was followed by HUL's Sanjiv Mehta at ₹18.88 crore.
• The country's top FMCG players are Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), Nestle India, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL), Dabur,
Marico and Emami.
Chennai Lions beat Dabang Delhi to win UTT
• Chennai Lions won the Ultimate Table Tennis league on 11 August 2019.
• They defeated Dabang Delhi in the finals by 8-1.
• Chennai Lions collected the winner’s share of Rs. 75 lakh while Delhi settled for Rs. 50 lakh.
• Petrissa Solja, Tiago Apolonia, Sharath Kamal and Petrissa starred for the Chennai Lions.
• Petrissa Solja and Portugal's Tiago Apolonia proved to be the stars of the grand finale.
Chandrima Shaha to head INSA
• Chandrima Shaha is set to be the 1st woman president of the Indian National Science Academy.
• Her tenure will begin from January 2020.
• Chandrima Shaha was formerly the Director of the National Institute of Immunology, Delhi.
• She has been a vice-captain of West Bengal’s first women’s cricket team and also the first woman cricket commentator for All
India Radio.
Venkaiah Naidu launched a scheme in Jharkhand
• VP Venkaiah Naidu launched the Jharkhand government's 'Mukhya Mantri Krishi Ashirwad Yojana'.
• Under this scheme, money would be directly transferred into the bank accounts of farmers in the state.
• Beneficiaries having farm land of less than one acre to five acres, will get Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 in their bank accounts.
• CM of Jharkhand- Raghubar Das
• Governor of Jharkhand- Draupadi Murmu
International Youth Day: 12 August
• The International Youth Day 2019 is observed across the world on 12 August.
• The theme for 2019 is Transforming education.
• International Youth Day 2019 will examine how Governments, young people and youth-led and youth-focused organizations, as
well as other stakeholders, are transforming education so that it becomes a powerful tool to achieve the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development.
2-day exhibition on DAE Technologies
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• The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) organized a 2-day exhibition on DAE spin-off technologies for non-power applications at
New Moti Bagh recreation club, New Delhi.
• The exhibition is open to public for two days (Aug 11-12, 2019).
• It is covering technologies developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Raja Ramanna Centre for Advance
Technology, Indore and other Units of DAE.
Amit Shah launched book based on Vice Presi
• Union Minister for Home Affairs, Amit Shah launched the book ‘Listening, Learning and Leading’ in Chennai on 11 August 2019.
• This book is based on Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu’s 2 years in office.
• The book captures glimpses of his 330 public engagements across the country during this period.
• It gives a glimpse of his life after assuming the office of the Vice President.
Punjab govt to provide 28000 agro-machines
• The Punjab Agriculture Department has initiated a massive drive to provide more than 28000 agro-machines/farm equipment to
farmers.
• Subsidy component of Rs.278 crore will be provided for the scheme during the current fiscal year under the first phase for in-situ
management of paddy residue.
• Subsidy ranging from 50%-80% is being provided to the farmers under the scheme.
Sports News I
• Hockey India named 33 players for the junior men's national camp, beginning 12 August 2019 at the Sports Authority of India
centre in Bengaluru.
• In Badminton, Indian junior shuttlers won six medals at the Bulgarian Junior International Championships which concluded in
Pazardzhik, Bulgaria on 11 August 2019. The medals comprised of three gold, a silver and two bronze.
Sports News II
• Bajrang Punia defended his title at Tbilisi Grand Prix and Vinesh Phogat reached her fourth final at Medved event. Bajrang
prevailed 2-0 over Iran's Peiman Bibyani in the 65 Kilogram category.
• In Badminton, Sourabh Verma clinched the Men's Singles title in the Hyderabad Open on 11 August 2019. He beat Singapore's
Loh Kean Yew 21-13, 14-21, 21-16 in a 52-minute final clash.
India cancelled Samjhauta Express train
• Indian Railways has cancelled Samjhauta Express train after Pakistan suspended operations on its side.
• According to Northern Railway, Pakistan has cancelled the Samjhauta Express running between Lahore and Attari.
• The railways run the train on Sundays from Delhi to Attari and back, while Pakistan used to run the train between Lahore and
Attari.
PM Modi to feature in 'Man Vs Wild'
• PM Modi will feature in a special episode of the TV series 'Man Vs Wild' on Discovery channel on 12 August 2019.
• The show will be hosted by adventurer Bear Grylls.
• Shot in a Jim Corbett National Park, the show will create awareness about environmental changes and wildlife conservation.
• The episode will be showcased in over 180 countries across the world on Discovery network of channels.
Walmart ranked as India's top retailer
• US retail giant Walmart is India’s top retailer, according to a study by Euromonitor International tracking Asia’s largest retailers.
• Walmart topped the rankings in India for 2018, after it acquired internet retailer Flipkart last year in a $16 billion deal.
• Future Group ranked third, followed by Reliance Group that has formats across electronics, apparel, and grocery retail, among
others.
Mastercard launches identity check express
• Mastercard announced the launch of Identity Check Express, a next-generation, mobile-first authentication solution.
• The solution will help eliminate unnecessary friction and enhance the security of online transactions.
• It combines the latest technology, including device intelligence and behavioural biometrics, with the latest EMV 3-D Secure and
FIDO authentication standards
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Iran unveils 3 new precision-guided missiles

• Iran unveiled three precision-guided missiles on 6 August 2019.
• The new line-up of air-to-air missiles are named as the 'Yasin', 'Balaban' and 'Ghaem' and was developed jointly by the ministry
and Sa Iran, also known as Iran Electronics Industries.
• The Yasin is a guided-missile with folding wings that can be fired from a range of 50 kilometres of its target from manned or
unmanned aircraft.
NBFCs to receive more liquidity support
• The RBI has allowed banks’ lending to Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) for on-lending to agriculture, micro and small
enterprises, and housing to be classified as priority sector lending, up to specified limits.
• The RBI raised any bank’s exposure limit to a single NBFC from the existing 15% to 20% of tier-1 capital.
• The idea is to ease liquidity pressure in NBFCs.
LIC launches Jeevan Amar protection plan
• LIC has launched a new term insurance plan called Jeevan Amar.
• It is a non-linked, without profit, pure protection plan, and is available for sale offline.
• It offers the flexibility to choose from two death benefit options – the level sum assured and increasing sum assured.
• The minimum sum assured under the plan is ₹25 lakh with no maximum limit.
NCAER sees GDP growth at 6.2%
• Economic think tank NCAER (National Council of Applied Economic Research) expects the agriculture gross value added (GVA) to
remain flat in 2019-20, pulling down the country’s economic growth rate to 6.2% in FY20, from 6.8% in FY19.
• The NCAER’s projection for the economic growth rate is the lowest among the various estimates that have come so far.
Plan for coastal zone management unveiled
• The Environment Ministry has unveiled a draft plan that will dictate how prospective infrastructure projects situated along the
coast ought to be assessed before they can apply for clearance.
• The draft Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) is part of a World Bank-funded project.
• The document lays out guidelines out for coastal States.
PNG has most number of languages
• The Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea (PNG) has the highest number of 'living' indigenous languages in the world (840),
while India stands fourth with 453.
• 2019 is the United Nations' International Year of Indigenous Languages.
• Ethnologue, a directory of languages, lists 7,111 living languages worldwide.
• Chinese, Spanish, English, Hindi and Arabic are the widely spoken languages.
'Speed Dial - your partner for life' launched
• Max Life Insurance launched the one-of-its-kind initiative, 'Speed Dial Max Life Insurance - Your Partner for Life'.
• Under this initiative, Max Life will assign every customer a dedicated relationship manager, known as the 'Partner for Life' for all
their policy-related service needs.
• The initiative will provide a quick and easy resolution of policy servicing needs to customers.
PV Sindhu: Only Indian in Forbes List
• P.V. Sindhu is tied for 13th place in Forbes list of highest-paid female athletes.
• She is the only Indian and one of just three non-tennis athletes to be named in the list which is topped by American tennis great
Serena Williams.
• She became the first Indian to win the season-ending BWF World Tour finals in 2018.
• Serena tops the list with total earnings of USD 29.2 million.
Universities get access to Urkund software
• All universities in India, public and private, have been given trial access to anti-plagiarism software 'Urkund'.
• Final subscription to access the Swedish software will begin from 1 September 2019.
• It will be available to teachers, students, and researchers.
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• The Urkund software was chosen through a global tender process.

PNB Housing Finance raises Rs 522 cr via ECB
• PNB Housing Finance raised fresh equity of Rs 522 crore ($75 million) as External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) from Sumitomo
Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) of Singapore.
• The ECB is under the Reserve Bank of India's automatic route of approval and the proceeds will be used by the company as per
the applicable RBI guidelines.
• Sanjaya Gupta is the Managing Director of PNB Housing Finance.
Extended hours for forex market recommended
• The Task Force on Offshore Rupee Markets, headed by Usha Thorat, former RBI Deputy Governor has recommended that
onshore market hours may be suitably extended to match the flexibility provided by the offshore market.
• It was constituted in view of the sharp growth in offshore trading volumes in the rupee Non-Deliverable Forwards (NDF) market.
Jana SFB gets Scheduled Bank status
• Jana Small Finance Bank Ltd, which commenced banking operations in March 2018, has got the status of a Scheduled Bank.
• The Government notified this on 27 July 2019, putting Jana Small Finance Bank on the list of the banks included in the second
schedule of RBI Act 1934.
• Ajay Kanwal is the MD & CEO of Jana Small Finance Bank.
Largest parrot discovered in New Zealand
• Fossils of the largest parrot ever recorded have been found in New Zealand.
• The fossils are estimated to have weighed about 7kg, it would have been more than twice as heavy as the kakapo, previously the
largest known parrot.
• Palaeontologists have named the new species Heracles inexpectatus to reflect its unusual size and strength and the unexpected
nature of the discovery.
Sports
• Chess Surya Shekhar Ganguly won the Belt and Road China Hunan International tournament.
• South African spinner Colin Ackermann becomes the 1st player in T20 cricket history to claim a 7-wicket haul.
• Bangalore will host the 10th AASF Asian Age Group Championships 2019 from 24 September to 2 October 2019.
Krishi Ashirwad Yojana inaugurated
• 'Mukhya Mantri Krishi Ashirwad Yojana' was inaugurated in Jharkhand on 10 August 2019.
• Under the scheme, farmers holding land of an acre or less would be eligible for receiving Rs 5,000 and farmers with five acres of
land would be eligible to receive Rs 25,000 in two fixed instalments.
• The scheme was incorporated in the state budget from the financial year 2019-2020.
EnKash launches corporate credit card for SMEs
• Business-to-business payments startup EnKash on 9 August 2019 launched the country's first corporate credit card called
'Freedom Card' for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
• The Freedom Card would give SMEs and startups the freedom to avail credit facility for immediate needs and to manage their
liquidity.
• The card caters to the varied billing cycles as per the working capital cycles.
CAIT launches digital payments initiative
• Traders body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) launched an initiative -- Digi Vyapari-Safal Vyapari -- to accelerate
acceptance of digital payments among merchants across the country.
• CAIT has partnered with HDFC Bank, Mastercard, Common Service Centres (CSCs) of Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology (Meity) and Global Linkers for the initiative.
1st State to Release Bio-Fuel Policy
• The Rajasthan government on 9 August 2019 released biofuel rules-2019 on the eve of the World Biofuel Day.
• Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot said Rajasthan is the first state in the country to bring the policy for biofuel after the
notification of the Centre.
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• Promotion of biofuel will reduce the need for fossil fuel in the interest of the environment, and also generate employment.
Air India launched 'Discover India' scheme
• Air India introduced a 'Discover India' scheme valid for sale and travel up to March 31, 2020.
• The scheme is rolled out to meet the growing demand of passengers to fly to different places of tourist and religious interest
within the country by the Indian diaspora and foreign tourists.
• 10 domestic economy class tickets are also on offer for Rs 75,000 with a validity period of 30 days.
Hyderabad Police created green corridor
• Hyderabad Traffic Police created a green corridor on 9 August 2019 to facilitate the transportation of a live heart here.
• The organ was transported from Care Hospital in Banjara Hills to Care Hospital, Nampally.
• The 6-kilometre journey was completed within ten minutes, 10-15 minutes earlier than in regular traffic.
• The ambulance reached Care Hospital, Namapally at 8.18 PM.
Valentina: Green Ambassador of Manipur
• Valentina Elangbam, a 9-year-old girl from Manipur, has been appointed as the brand ambassador for the Chief Minister's Green
Manipur Mission.
• The young child was seen weeping profusely in a viral video after two trees that she had planted were cut down.
• She will be involved with several government-sponsored tree plantation programmes that include World Environment Day and
Van Mahotsava.
PM Modi to visit Bhutan on 17 and 18 August
• PM Narendra Modi will visit Bhutan on 17 and18 August 2019 on the invitation of Bhutanese Prime Minister Dr. Lotay Tshering.
• He will discuss a host of issues of bilateral importance.
• Prime Minister Modi's visit to Bhutan, very early in his second term, is in line with government's continued emphasis on its
'Neighbourhood First Policy'.
Website for COP14 launched
• Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar launched a website 'unccdcop14india.gov.in, which contains all the information
related to COP14 .
• The 14th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP14), will take
place on 2-13 Sept 2019 in Delhi.
• Over 3,000 participants from all over the world are expected to participate in COP14.
Haryana government to roll out new scheme
• Haryana Government announced the roll-out of 'Mukhya Mantri Parivar Samridhi Yojna' on 9 August 2019.
• Under the scheme, Rs 6000 per year will be given to each eligible family.
• Families having an annual income less than Rs 1,80,000 or a total landholding of fewer than two hectares are eligible.
• Each beneficiary family will be entitled to get Rs 500 per month.
RBL Bank launched 1st health credit card
• RBL Bank and digital healthcare platform Practo have partnered to launch an industry-first co-branded health credit card.
• The card is powered by Mastercard and is available on both Practo and RBL mobile apps and websites.
• It offers benefits like unlimited and round-the-clock online consultations with experienced doctors and 2 complimentary
domestic airport lounge accesses every quarter.
TRAI proposed third party apps
• TRAI proposed having a channel selection system developed by a third party to make the process easy.
• The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, in March 2017, had notified the 'New Regulatory Framework' for Broadcasting and
Cable services.
• It issued a draft amendment to the Telecommunication Services Standards of Quality of Service and Consumer Protection
Regulations, 2017 on 9 August 2019.
Indian Bank, Aditya Birla Sun Life inked pact
• Indian Bank inked a pact with Aditya Birla Sun Life to offer life insurance products to the bank's customers.
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• The partnership would see around 2,900 branches of the bank offering a diverse range of life insurance policies to its customers.
• Aditya Birla Sun Life insurance would work with the bank for sales training, product support and ensuring smooth operational
processes.
IIT-M student designed system to recycle urine
• A student specialising in environmental engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras has come up with a method to
recycle human urine.
• Project Water Chakra won the Indian Innovation Growth Programme 2.0 award in July 2019.
• The concentrated urine is stored for three days to allow the urea to get converted to ammonia.
• Through electrochemical process, 90% of water can be recovered.
Cochin Shipyard launched two ro-pax vessels
• The Cochin Shipyard launched two ro-pax (roll-on roll-off passenger) vessels designed and built by it for the Inland Waterways
Authority of India (IWAI).
• The vessels were the third and fourth in a series of 10 vessels, eight ro-pax and two ro-ro vessels, ordered by the IWAI.
• The vessels would be operated in National Waterways 1 and 2.
• They are capable of accommodating 200 passengers each.
Indian Bank inked pact with Cholamandalam
• Indian Bank signed a corporate agency agreement with Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company for distribution of its
insurance products to bank customers.
• According to it, Cholamandalam MS, a Murugappa Group company, would sell its range of insurance policies to customers of
Indian Bank.
• Both Indian Bank and Chola MS seek to fulfill the non-life insurance needs of bank's customers.
Inter-State portability inaugurated
• The Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan inaugurated the inter-State portability
in two clusters of adjoining States of Andhra Pradesh & Telangana and Gujarat & Maharashtra.
• This will enable beneficiaries from either States’ cluster to avail the benefits accruing to them under the National Food Security
Act from any of the two States.
Piyush Goyal to lead delegation at Vladivostok
• The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry and Railways, Piyush Goyal, will lead a delegation to Vladivostok in the Russian Far
East from 11-13 August 2019.
• The reason is to explore investment opportunities and strike close partnerships with the Far East provinces.
• The delegation includes Chief Ministers of Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh and an official from the State of Assam.
World Biofuel Day: 10 August
• World Biofuel Day is observed every year on 10th of August.
• It is observed to create awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels and
highlight the various efforts made by Government in the biofuel sector.
• The theme of the World Biofuel Day 2019 is Production of Biodiesel from Used Cooking Oil (UCO).
3rd Int. Electric Vehicle Conclave inaugurated
• The 3rd International Electric Vehicle Conclave was inaugurated in Manesar, Gurugram on 9 August 2019.
• The Conclave was held to create a knowledge-sharing platform to ensure flow of information at all levels in the automotive
sector.
• It has grown and transformed itself into a global event since 2017.
• It focuses on new trends and challenges in the field of electric mobility.
INS Tarkash at Bergen, Norway
• Indian Naval Ship Tarkash, entered the port of Bergen, Norway on 9 Aug 2019 for a 3-day visit as part of Western Fleet Overseas
Deployment 01/ 2019.
• The ship is part of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet and is under the operational Command of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief/
Western Naval Command.
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• The port call by Tarkash at Bergen is a demonstration of India's warm ties with Norway.
UP created record
• In UP, 4 world records were made in the massive plantation drive Vriksharopan Mahakumbh on the occasion of 77th anniversary
of Quit India Movement.
• More than 22 crore saplings were planted at 12.2 lakh locations under the drive.
• Free distribution of saplings in Prayagraj district created a world record and was certified by the Guinness as the largest
distribution of saplings in the world.
Gujarati Film Hellaro won Best Feature Film
• Gujarati Film Hellaro wins the best feature film at the 66th National Films Awards.
• Keerthy Suresh wins the best Actress award
• Sanjay Leela Bhansali won Best Music Direction (Songs) award for Padmaavat.
• Uttarakhand won the National Award for most film friendly state.
• ‘The World's Most Famous Tiger' won the Best Environment Film award.
• Andhadhun won Best Hindi Film award.
66th National Film Awards for 2018 announced
• The 66th National Film Awards were announced on 9 August 2019.
• Ayushman Khurana and Vicky Kaushal jointly won Best Actor Award for their performances in ‘Andhadhun’ and ‘Uri: The Surgical
Strike’. ‘
• 'Badhai Ho’ bagged the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
• Hindi movie ‘Padman’ was declared Best Film on Social Issues.
BCCI to come under the ambit of NADA
• The BCCI agreed to come under the ambit of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).
• This decision makes it a sports federation as per government norms despite being financially autonomous.
• The implication of this development is expected to be massive as BCCI now becomes a designated National Sports Federation and
will face more pressure to come under the government's Right to Information Act.
25% cargo through coastal shipping
• The government has set a target of transporting nearly 25% of cargo through coastal shipping and inland waterways over the
next 10 years.
• Increase in exim cargo will help reduce inflation by nearly 2.5%.
• Logistics cost is still 5% more than global cost.
• The port-led development initiatives taken by the government will help achieve this target.
DBS Bank India ties up with Social Alpha
• DBS Bank India has tied up with Social Alpha to mentor enterprises that focus on sectors such as inclusion, healthcare, and
environment.
• DBS Bank will also give an annual programme grant of ₹1 crore.
• DBS Bank will mentor and support three ventures over the next 18 months.
• This includes Even Cargo, Trust Circle, and Incredible Devices.
MS Swamianathan award to Kenneth M Quinn
• The Rotary Club of Madras East conferred the MS Swamianathan Award for Environment Protection upon Kenneth M Quinn,
President of the World Food Prize Foundation.
• The award was presented for his contribution to global food security and sustainability.
• Quinn is globally renowned for his works on Food & Agriculture with a particular focus on the supply of nutritious food.
Odisha small savings incentive scheme launched
• The Odisha government launched a small savings scheme for 2019.
• It will stop people from transacting with 'suspicious' non-banking private financial institutions.
• Under this scheme, any eligible person who deposits a minimum amount of Rs 2,000 in any small savings scheme during 2019 in
any post office or bank in the state, can obtain a free web based coupon from the office of collectors.
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India's first underwater train to be launched

• India's first underwater train project in Kolkata is almost complete.
• The metro will soon be operational.
• India's first underwater train will soon get started in Kolkata under the Hubli river. This train is proof of the progress made by
Indian Railways.
• The 16-kilometer long Kolkata Metro project will connect Salt Sector 5 with Howrah Maidan.
Shamnad Basheer passed away
• IDIA Founder and Professor Shamnad Basheer passed away in August 2019 in a tragic accident.
• In 2014, Prof. Shamnad Basheer was awarded the Infosys Science Foundation Prize, 2014 for his contribution to the field of
research in humanities.
• In 2011, Basheer, founder of Spicy IP, was selected as one of the top 50 global IP leaders.
ADB to provide $200 million to Maharashtra
• Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 200 million loan for improving road infrastructure in 34 districts of
Maharashtra.
• The aim of the project is to connect rural areas with markets and services.
• Roads in rural areas would be upgraded to all weather standards which will boost links between local residents and economic
centres across the state.
OBC, IDBI Bank cut MCLR up to 15 basis points
• Oriental Bank of Commerce and IDBI Bank announced a cut in the range of 0.05 to 0.15 percentage point in the marginal cost of
funds based lending rates (MCLR).
• Oriental Bank of Commerce has decided to decrease its MCLR by up to 10 basis points across various tenors.
• IDBI Bank announced a reduction of 0.10 percentage point in its one-year MCLR to 8.95%.
SBI extended tenure of MD by 2 years
• SBI has extended the term of office of its Managing Director Dinesh Kumar Khara for further period of two years.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the proposal of the Department of Financial Services for extension of his
tenure.
• He was appointed MD of SBI on 10 August 2016 for a period of three years which was extendable by two years after review of
his performance.
Indian Army team 1st in Stage 1 of AISMC
• Indian Army team secured 1st position followed by Kazakhstan & Russian Army teams in Stage 1 of the ongoing International
Army Scout Masters Competition at Jaisalmer Military Station.
• A total of 7 teams from friendly foreign nations-Armenia, Belarus, China, Uzbekistan, Russia, Sudan, Kazakhstan are participating.
• Indian Army is participating in the competition for the first time as hosts.
Virasat-e-Khalsa Museum set record
• The Virasat-e-Khalsa Museum in Punjab’s Anandpur Sahib town is all set to find a place in the Asia Book of Records for becoming
the most visited museum in the Indian sub-continent in a single day.
• The museum had witnessed a record footfall of 20,569 visitors on a single day on March 20, becoming the most visited museum
in the Indian sub-continent in a single day.
Int Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
• United Nations observes 9th August every year as International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
• The day is celebrated to raise awareness of the needs of these population groups.
• This year’s observance is dedicated to Indigenous Peoples’ Languages in view of 2019 being marked as the International Year of
Indigenous Languages.
• The theme for the year 2019 is Indigenous Languages.
Rajnath Singh chaired Roundtable
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the Make in India in Defence Industry Roundtable on 9 August 2019 in New Delhi.
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• It was organised by the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence (MoD).

• It aims to explore ways to attract investment, address the concerns of the industry and promote innovations in Defence sector.
• The MoD has taken several steps to promote FDI in this sector.
Workshop on Tribal Enterprise inaugurated
• Arjun Munda, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs inaugurated a National Workshop on Tribal Enterprise with focus on Honey,
Bamboo and Lac on 8 August 2019.
• He also released the Flyers and Reports on (1) Bamboo and Bamboonomics ; (2) Lac; and (3) Honey on the occasion.
• National Workshop was organized to fine-tune its action plan on the Promoting Tribal Enterprise on Bamboo, Honey and lac.
Manipur topped in Breastfeeding rankings
• Manipur has topped the rankings in Breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in the country.
• Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan released a report on Breastfeeding in New Delhi on 8 August 2019.
• Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar are at the bottom positions in the report card.
• National capital Delhi is also among the worst-performing states.
India, Bangladesh to set up committee
• India and Bangladesh agreed to set up a Joint Technical committee for optimum utilisation of Ganges water as being received by
Bangladesh under the Ganga Water Sharing Treaty 1996.
• Both also agreed to prepare a framework for interim water-sharing agreement for 8 rivers including Feni, Gumti and Teesta.
• The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna mega-basin is the 2nd largest hydraulic region in the world.
Govt sanctioned over 5,000 electric buses
• Government has sanctioned 5,595 electric buses in 64 cities for intracity and intercity operations under the second phase of
FAME India scheme.
• The objective of the scheme is to encourage faster adoption of electric and hybrid vehicle by way of offering upfront incentives
on purchase of electric vehicles.
• This will give a further push to clean mobility in public transportation.
DAC approved procurement of indigenous SDR
• Defence Acquisition Council approved procurement of indigenous Software Defined Radio (SDR) and Next Generation Maritime
Mobile Coastal Batteries for the Indian Navy.
• The SDR is a complex and state of art communication system which will enable information sharing.
• The Batteries will be fitted with supersonic BrahMos surface-to-surface cruise missiles and would be deployed along the coast.
National Affairs I
• Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched ‘Samagra Shiksha-Jal Suraksha’ drive on 9 August 2019 in New Delhi to
create awareness about Water Conservation among all school students in the country.
• The Central Information Commission held a seminar on Human Resource Development and Right to Information Act 2005 on
9 August 2019 in New Delhi.
Awards and Honours
• The NITI Aayog launched the 4th Edition of Women Transforming India (WTI) Awards on 9 August 2019. The theme for 2019 is
‘Women and Entrepreneurship’.
• The 4th edition of the National Entrepreneurship Awards, instituted to recognize and encourage outstanding Indian
Entrepreneurs by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has been announced.
National Affairs II
• A special Postage Stamp and First Day Cover was released to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Edition of International Film
Festival of India. The festival will take place from the 20-28 November 2019 in Goa.
• Ministry of New & Renewable Energy organised Curtain Raiser ceremony for the 3rd Renewable Energy Investors' Meet and Expo
which will be held from 30 October-2 November 2019 in India.
Sports News I
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• The World Archery (WA) suspended the Archery Association of India (AAI) for defying its guidelines by electing two parallel
bodies, asking the federation to put its house in order by the end of August 2019.
• South African batsman Hashim Amla retired from all international cricket with immediate effect. Amla played 124 Tests, 181 ODIs
and 44 T20Is between in his 15-year-long cricketing career.
Sports News II
• Bangladesh will host Zimbabwe for a tri-nation 20-20 tournament in September despite the African nation being suspended by
the International Cricket Council.
• In Boxing, veteran L. Sarita Devi (60kg) will be gunning for her first world championship medal in more than 10 years after she
was named in India's 10-strong women's squad today along with five debutants.
Sports News I
• Rishabh Pant became the first Indian batsman to register two T20I half-centuries before turning 22. The wicketkeeper-batsman’s
42-ball 65 is also the highest by an Indian wicketkeeper in T20I cricket.
• The first match of the T20 series will always be remembered in which the Haryana-born Navdeep Saini took 2 wickets in his first
over. In his four overs, he conceded 17 runs and took 3 wickets.
Sports News II
• Saudi Arabia will host the world’s richest horse race in Riyadh at the King Abdulaziz Racetrack in 2020, with a purse of $20 million.
It will have a maximum 14 runners, with the winner set to land $10 million.
• Naomi Osaka’s Grand Slam title wins at the U.S. and Australian Opens has put her up at 2nd, behind Serena Williams, in Forbes’
list of the highest-paid female athletes over 2018.
SpaceX launched Falcon 9
• US carrier rocket Falcon 9 loaded with Israeli AMOS-17 communication satellite successfully lifted off from a space center in
Florida, on 7 August 2019.
• Falcon 9 launch marked this booster's third flight and SpaceX's 25th reflight of an orbit class rocket.
• Amos-17 will provide Ka, Ku and C-band signal transmission and expand Spacecom's coverage in Africa, the Middle East and
Europe.
Person in News I
• Actor Steve Coogan will be felicitated with the Charlie Chaplin Award by the British Academy's Los Angeles branch. He will receive
the honour during the 2019 Britannia Awards.
• Nobel Prize-winning US author Toni Morrison passed away in August 2019. In 1993, Morrison won the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Her 1987 novel 'Beloved' earned her a Pulitzer Prize.
Amit Shah visited Bangladesh
• India's Home Minister, Amit Shah met Home Minister of Bangladesh Asaduzzaman Khan, on 7 August 2019.
• The two sides embarked on high-level delegation talks, with matters of internal security on both ends dominating discussions.
• India has been discussing various bilateral issues with Bangladesh.
• The two countries have been in talks to discuss ways to strengthen the anti-terror mechanism.
World's thinnest '2D' gold
• Scientists have developed '2D' gold so fine that even a human fingernail is thicker in comparison.
• The scientists at the University of Leeds, have created the world's thinnest gold measuring two atoms thick or million times
thinner than a fingernail.
• In its 2D form, gold becomes flexible that adds to its potential of being used more efficiently such as in bendable screens, etc.
Pakistan expels Indian ambassador
• Pakistan expelled India’s ambassador, Ajay Bisaria after India stripped its portion of the contested Kashmir region of special
status.
• Moin-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s newly appointed ambassador to India, has yet to take up his post.
• In the year 1969, the fifth Finance Commission had given status of Special Category State to Jammu & Kashmir on the basis of
Gadgil Formula.
Person in News II
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• State-owned Power Grid Corporation Director (Finance) Kandikuppa Sreekant assumed the charge of the chairman and managing
director of Power Grid Corporation of India.
• Legendary Uruguay striker Diego Forlan has announced his retirement from professional football. He had won the Golden Ball
award after being adjudged the best player of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Odisha police station in top 10 in India
• Tarava police station in the Subarnapur district of Odisha has been adjudged as one of the 10 best police stations in India in the
annual ranking for the year 2018.
• The certificate of excellence and a trophy were handed over to Tarava police inspector Dulamani Bhoi by Odisha DGP R.P.
Sharma.
• Tarava P.S. got this award on the basis of smart policing, citizen-centric policing, and more.
Appointments
• OYO Hotels and Homes announced the appointment of Mandar Vaidya as the Chief Executive Officer for Southeast Asia and the
Middle East, effective from August 1, 2019.
• DG of Fire Services Bijay Kumar Sharma, one of the State’s top IPS officers, was appointed Director General of Police (DGP) In-
Charge and Head of Police Force (HoPF) of Odisha on 7 August 2019.
Naaz Joshi won Miss World Diversity title
• India's transsexual woman Naaz Joshi has made history with a third successive victory in the beauty pageant Miss World
Diversity.
• Naaz was crowned Miss World Diversity 2019 on August 3 in Port Louis, Mauritius.
• The Miss World Diversity 2019 was held in Port Louis, Mauritius.
ISRO announced Vikram Sarabhai Award
• ISRO has announced its Vikram Sarabhai Journalism Award in Space Science, Technology and Research.
• It recognizes and rewards journalists who have actively contributed towards the field of space science, applications, and
research.
• The articles published from 2019 to 2020 will be considered.
• The nominations are open to all Indians who have a good experience in journalism.
UNIDO and NISE to partner
• An agreement was signed between the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) and the United Nations Industrial Development
Organization (UNIDO).
• They will initiate a skill development programme for different levels of beneficiaries in the solar thermal energy sector.
• Both will engage national and international experts to bring the best practices by developing specialized training material.
Mary, Lovlina selected for world boxing C'ship
• M C Mary Kom and Lovlina Borgohain have been selected for the upcoming women's world boxing championships based on their
recent performances.
• Mary Kom, who has already claimed two gold medals in 2019 in India Open and in Indonesia, has been selected in the 51kg
category.
• Lovlina will be competing in the 69kg category.
• The world championships are scheduled from October 3 -13, 2019 in Russia.
Pranab Mukherjee honoured with Bharat Ratna
• Former President Pranab Mukherjee, was honoured with India's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna.
• He served as India's 13th President from 2012-2017, prior to this he also served as the Union Finance Minister from 2009 to 2012.
• The other Presidents, who had been conferred the Bharat Ratna include Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Rajendra Prasad, Zakir Hussain and
V.V. Giri.
National Affairs
• A day-long NHRC National Level Review Meeting on Mental Health concluded at India International centre, New Delhi on 7
August 2019.
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• The e-version of Rozgar Samachar has been launched recently by Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting Shri Prakash
Javadekar. It will make aspirants aware of job opportunities in government sector including public sector enterprises.
• Within hours of a steeper 35 basis points reduction in the repo rates by the Reserve Bank, the State Bank of India announced a 15
basis points reduction in its lending rates. The new rates of 8.25 will be effective from August 10, 2019.
• PNB has recovered ₹278.66 crore as penalty in the financial year 2018-19 from the poor account holders for not maintaining a
minimum balance.
HIV to be reduced by 2020: Health ministry
• Health ministry has set target to reduce HIV cases by 2020.
• Its aim is to bring down incidence of HIV/AIDS by 20,000 per year for the next two years.
• As of now, there are about 2.1 million patients suffering from the disease, however, only 1.3 million are registered with
Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) centres and getting the treatment as per the National Aids Control Organization (NACO).
India to participate at SCO exercise in Russia
• Indian army will participate in an anti-terrorism military exercise in Russia.
• The exercise, an initiative under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, is to be held from September 10 to September 21 at
Orenburg in Russia.
• This year, Russia has asked Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Belarus and Iran to send their troops as special guests to take part in the
anti-terrorism military exercise.
UP extended MoU with Netherlands
• UP government and Netherlands have extended the existing bilateral agreement of cooperation in several fields by another five
years.
• A MoU in this regard was signed by officials to extend the cooperation between two countries till 2024.
• Netherlands President- Jan Anthonie Bruijn
• Currency- Euro
• Capital- Amsterdam
Obituaries
• Veteran director and actor Hritik Roshan's maternal grandfather, J Om Prakash, passed away in August 2019. He produced box
office hits like Ayee Milan Ki Bela, Aaye Din Bahar Ke, Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke, Aas Paas and Aandhi.
• TDP leader Mallela Ananta Padmanabha Rao passed away in August 2019. He served as the Sarpanch of Ibrahimpatnam village in
Krishan district for 48 years.
RBI cuts repo rate by 35 basis points
• The RBI's monetary policy committee lowered its repo rate by an unconventional 35 basis points to 5.4%.
• This is the fourth reduction in a row of its key policy rate since Shaktikanta Das took over as the governor of the central bank in
December 2018
• The path of CPI inflation is now projected at 3.1% for the second quarter of FY20 and 3.5-3.7% for second half of FY20.
RBI opened liquidity tap for stressed NBFCs
• The RBI announced 2 key measures to help non-bank financial companies.
• The first initiative deals with harmonisation of single counterparty exposure limit for banks’ exposure.
• The second initiative deals with credit to the priority sector.
• Detailed guidelines on the above measures will be issued by the end of August 2019.
• The RBI plans to make the online payment system, the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT), available 24x7, in what may
provide a boost to the government’s digital payments plan.
• The RBI has decided to set a Central Payment Fraud Registry to track frauds in the payment systems. Payment system
participants will be provided access to this registry for near-real-time fraud monitoring.
Sports News
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• Fiona Kolbinger won the mixed annual 4,000km cycling Transcontinental Race in France. She became the 1st woman to win one
of the world’s toughest cycling races.
• Ravichandran Ashwin was named as Professional Cricketers Association’s Player of the month of July 2019. He hit 197 runs and
picked up 23 wickets from just 3 matches for Nottinghamshire.
SGX and NSE to operate jointly in GIFT City
• SEBI approved Singapore Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange of India Ltd to operate jointly in Gujarat International
Finance Tec-City, Gandhinagar.
• The two entities will create a new platform for trading called NSE International Financial Service Centre (IFSC)-SGX Connect.
• NSE-IFSC will allow trading in Nifty index derivatives and single-stock derivatives of Nifty’s 50 constituent.
Person in News
• Former Padma Shri award winner and educationist Rajalakshmi Parthasarathy passed away in August 2019. She received the
Padma Shri award in 2010 for her contribution to the field of education.
• Australia’s reigning world-champion hurdler Sally Pearson announced her surprise retirement due to injury. She is an Olympic
gold-medallist in 2012 and 2-time world champion over 100 metres hurdles.
Mountaineering Exp. flagged off to Mt. Elbrus
• Minister of State for Defence Shripad Yesso Naik flagged off an Expedition Team of Himalayan Mountaineering Institute,
Darjeeling to Mt. Elbrus, Russia on 6 August 2019.
• The expedition team of 8 professional mountaineers, led by HMI Principal, GpCapt Jaikishan, plans to summit Mt. Elbrus, on
August 15, 2019, and hoist India's flag atop the mountain to coincide with 73rd Independence Day.
22nd National Conference on e-Governance
• The 22nd National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) 2019 will be held on 8-9th August 2019 at Shillong, Meghalaya.
• The theme of this Conference is 'Digital India: Success to Excellence'.
• The Conference is a part of the DARPG’s 100 days initiatives in the new Government.
• This is the first time the event is being organized in North-Eastern region of the country.
PMAY(U) Awards for Beneficiaries instituted
• Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs has instituted PMAY(U) Awards for Beneficiaries for the first time to recognise the
contribution of States/UTs, Urban Local Bodies and Beneficiaries.
• This award is in addition to CLSS Award for recognising the contribution of PMAY (U) Banks and Housing Finance Companies.
• The winners will be awarded during a National level Event.
States & Districts felicitated under BBBP
• The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development felicitated those Districts and States who have successfully implemented
the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP)scheme in the country.
• The function was held on 7th August, 2019 in New Delhi.
• The BBBP scheme launched on 22 January 2015 has been implemented in phases.
• Currently, it is being implemented in 640 districts (as per census 2011).
5th National Handloom Day: 7 August
• The 5th National Handloom Day was celebrated on 7 August across the country.
• The day is observed annually to honour the handloom weavers in the country and also highlight India’s handloom industry.
• The first National Handloom Day was inaugurated on 7th August 2015 by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, at the centenary of
Madras University in Chennai.
IIT Guwahati developed portable device
• A team of researchers at IIT Guwahati has developed a portable device to detect bacteria without cell culture.
• The hand-held device, with a bio-compatible sensor, can also diagnose time-critical illnesses such as meningitis.
• The teamwork has been patented and published in the July 2019 issue of 'Journal of Materials Chemistry of the Royal Society of
Chemistry'.
Malaria killed 1,800 people in Burundi in 2019
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• The UN's humanitarian agency said that Malaria has killed more than 1,800 people in Burundi in 2019.
• As per its latest situation report, 5.7 million cases of malaria had been recorded in Burundi in 2019, a figure roughly equal to half
its entire population.
• Brundi Capital - Gitega
• Currency - Burundian franc
• Continent - Africa
India contributes USD 5 million to UNRWA
• India contributed USD 5 million to the UN Palestine refugee agency and called for ensuring sustained fiscal support for the
organisation's work.
• The cheque was handed over to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian Refugees by
Representative of India in Palestine, Sunil Kumar in Jerusalem.
• India increased its annual assistance from USD 1.25 million to 5 million.
Bangladesh Home Minister left for India
• Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan left Dhaka on a 3-day visit to Delhi to attend the 7th India- Bangladesh Home
Minister level bilateral talks starting on 7 August 2019.
• Issues like trans border security, cross border trafficking and border management are likely to come up for discussion during the
talks.
• Sheikh Hasina is the PM of Bangladesh, while Bangladeshi Taka is its currency.
Rankireddy-Shetty jumped 7 spots in badminton
• In Badminton, Indian men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty jumped 7 places to enter the top 10 of the
latest world rankings.
• This follows their historic win at last week's Thailand Open. They are placed ninth in the doubles rankings.
• In the women's singles rankings, Olympic medallists P V Sindhu managed to hold on to her fifth place and Saina Nehwal the
eighth spot.
India topped latest ICC Test rankings
• India topped the latest ICC Test team rankings while New Zealand is placed 2nd and South Africa is in 3rd position.
• India skipper Virat Kohli retains his number one position in the latest ICC Test batsmen’s rankings.
• In rankings for Test all-rounders, Jason Holder of the West Indies tops the list while Ravindra Jadeja is placed 3rd and
Ravichandran Ashwin is in sixth place.
Consumer Protection Bill passed
• Parliament passed the Consumer Protection Bill, 2019, with the Rajya Sabah approving it on 7 August 2019.
• The bill aims at protecting the interests of consumers by establishing authorities for timely and effective administration and
settlement of consumers’ dispute.
• It has a provision to set up a Central Consumer Protection Authority to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers.
National Affairs
• Chandrayaan-2 successfully completed its fifth and final earth-bound orbit-raising manoeuvre on 6 August,19. The manoeuvre led
the spacecraft to reach an orbit of substantial apogee, that is the farthest point from the Earth.
• The 4th session of the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly began on 6 Aug 2019. CM Neiphiu Rio introduced the Nagaland
Protection of Interests of Depositors Bill, 2018.
Former EAM Sushma Swaraj passed away
• Former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj passed away in New Delhi in August 2019.
• She worked tirelessly as External Affairs Minister in the last 5 years.
• She had served her fourth term in Lok Sabha and had long been her party’s most prominent woman face.
• She was the youngest cabinet minister at 25 when she joined the Haryana government in 1977 and the first woman CM of Delhi.
TTAA and CATA signed MoU
• The Tours and Travels Association of Andhra (TTAA) signed a MoU with the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA) to
facilitate mutual cooperation.
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• TTAA will promote Cambodia and CATA in A.P. with a focus on destinations in Visakhapatnam and the Buddhist circuit in the
State.
• TTAA President K. Vijay Mohan and CATA’s Phav Proeun exchanged the MoU papers.
Mahesh Bhupathi named captain for Davis Cup
• All India Tennis Association (AITA) announced Mahesh Bhupathi as the skipper for the India-Pakistan Davis Cup tie.
• It will be held on September 14 and 15, 2019 in Islamabad.
• Six players have been named by the association, who will be taking part in Davis Cup.
• Mukund has been named as the reserve and Zeeshan Ali will be the coach of the team.
Ontario Teachers’ to invest $2 bn in NIIF
• AustralianSuper and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan will invest $1 billion each in the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund
(NIIF) Master Fund.
• The agreements include commitments of $250 million each in the Master Fund and co-investment rights of up to $750 million
each in future opportunities.
• NIIF is India’s first sovereign wealth fund that was set up in February 2015.
US designated China as currency manipulator
• The US has designated China a currency manipulator.
• China is intent on continuing to receive the hundreds of Billions of Dollars they have been taking from the US with unfair trade
practices and currency manipulation.
• China has a long history of facilitating an undervalued currency through protracted, large-scale intervention in the foreign
exchange market.
Aman announced new destination
• Aman announced its forthcoming debut in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2023.
• Following a partnership with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), Aman will develop three distinct resorts of architectural
excellence in North West Saudi Arabia, in AlUla, a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage.
• The 3 resorts will offer an incomparable insight into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
RBI imposed penalty of Rs 8.5 cr on 11 banks
• The RBI has imposed a monetary penalty on 11 banks for non-compliance with certain provisions frauds classification and
reporting by commercial banks.
• The banks are Bank of Baroda, Corporation Bank, Federal Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu & Kashmir Bank, Oriental Bank of
Commerce, Punjab & Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India, UCO Bank and United Bank of India.
Int. Army Scout Masters Competition began
• The fifth edition of International Army Scout Masters Competition was kicked off in Jaisalmer on 5 August 2019.
• A total of 8 countries comprising of China, Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Sudan are participating in the event
including the Indian Army team.
• The event commenced on August 5 and will continue till August 16, 2019.
Ext Affairs Minister Jaishankar to visit China
• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will travel to China on August 11, 2019 on a 3-day visit ahead of the second informal
summit in India in October 2019.
• He will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.
• It will be Mr. Jaishankar’s first visit to China after becoming External Affairs Minister.
French inventor crossed English Channel
• French inventor Franky Zapata is 1st person in history to cross the English Channel on Flyboard Air, a jet-powered hoverboard.
• Zapata completed the crossing in 22 minutes, reaching speeds of up to 110mph (177km/h) flying 15-20 metres (50-65ft) above
the water.
• Zapata made the 35-kilometre (21.5 miles) crossing from the French seaside town of Sangatte to St. Margaret’s Bay in Dover,
England.
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National Affairs I
• Aamir Khan attended the launch function of Mission Shakti, an initiative by Maharashtra Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar to train
athletes from Chandrapur and Gadchiroli for international events like the Olympics.
• Arunachal Pradesh State Home Minister Bamang Felix flagged of 5 Anti-Riot police vehicle, also known as Vajra, from Police
Headquarter in Itanagar.
AI used to detect fast radio bursts
• Scientists have developed an automated system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect and capture fast radio bursts (FRBs)
in real-time.
• FRBs are mysterious and powerful flashes of radio waves from space, thought to originate billions of light-years from the Earth.
• The system, described in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society has already identified 5 bursts.
Workshop organized by NCRB
• A 1-day Workshop on ‘Role of Technology in Reuniting Missing Children & Trafficked Persons’ was jointly organised by National
Crime Records Bureau and Indian Police Foundation on 5th August, 2019.
• The workshop deliberated on the use of biometrics by law enforcement agencies for the identification of persons.
• Use of biometrics has become a necessity in today’s complex world.
Second All India Annual Conference organized
• The Second All India Annual Conference of Indian Information Service Officers was organized in New Delhi on 5 August 2019.
• It was organized with a view to attain greater integration of all Media Units under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in
order to further amplify government communication.
• A Performance Review of Media Units was also conducted during the Conference.
Mohali got first 3-D traffic signal
• Mohali traffic police launched 3-D Smart Traffic Signal devised by the students of a Chandigarh university.
• The wireless system, called 'Intelights', has been installed at the traffic crossing near the Airport Road, on a pilot project basis.
• It will regulate traffic signals with a smart bird's eye view wireless sensor system.
• It uses existing CCTV cameras to gather live traffic video feed.
Rajasthan Assembly passed bills
• Rajasthan legislative assembly passed two important bills to curb honour killings and Mob Lynching in the state on 6 August 2019.
• 'The Rajasthan Protection from Lynching Bill, 2019' and ‘The Rajasthan Prohibition of Interference with the Freedom of
Matrimonial Alliances in the Name of Honour and Tradition Bill, 2019’ was passed by the assembly with a voice vote.
National Affairs II
• Competition Commission of India imposed a penalty on SAAR IT Resources Pvt. Ltd., CADD Systems and Services Pvt. Ltd. and
Pentacle Consultants (I) Pvt. Ltd for doing bid-rigging.
• Lalit Kala Akademi celebrated its 65th Foundation Day on August 5th, 2019, at the Lalit Kala Art Galleries of Rabindra Bhawan,
New Delhi. ‘Mithila Ki Lokchitrakala’ a book by Avdhesh Aman was also launched here.
Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill passed
• The Upper House passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Bill, 2019 by voice vote.
• The Bill seeks to make Jammu and Kashmir a Union Territory with the legislature and Ladakh Union Territory without legislature.
• The government also announced the repealing of Article 370 which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir on 5 August
2019.
Person in News
• Congress's Rajya Sabha MP and chief whip Bhubaneshwar Kalita resigned from the membership of the House opposing the
party's stand on the abrogation of Article 370.
• South African bowler Dale Steyn announced his retirement from Test cricket. He has played 93 Tests for South Africa, finishing
with 439 wickets, the most in the long format by a South African bowler.
Transgender Persons Bill passed
• Lok Sabha passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019.
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• The Bill prohibits discrimination against a transgender person, including denial of service or unfair treatment in relation to
education, employment, healthcare, etc.
• The Bill defines a transgender person as one whose gender does not match the gender assigned at birth.
Bills passed
• Lok Sabha passed the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019 that prohibits commercial surrogacy, but allows altruistic surrogacy. It will
prevent exploitation of surrogate mothers and children born out of surrogacy.
• The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha. It proposes an increase in number of
judges in SC from 30 to 33 excluding the Chief Justice of India.
Udaipur to host largest education brainstorm
• The 3rd edition of the ScooNews Global Educators Fest (SGEF) will be held on the 9-10 August 2019, Udaipur.
• It will bring together over 500 educators to discuss the way towards establishing India as the next global education powerhouse.
• The theme is ‘Education for Sustainability: Moving on from Conformity to Creativity’.
• Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar of Udaipur Royalty is the patron for 2019.
Hinako Shibuno won Women’s British Open
• Hinako Shibuno of Japan won the Women’s British Open by one shot over Lizette Salas on 4 August 2019.
• She played for the first time outside of her country and birdied five of the final nine holes in a 4-under 68 and 18-under 270
overall.
• Morgan Pressel (67) finished fourth at 15 under, just ahead of former leader Ashleigh Buhai (70).
RBI updated fit & proper norms for PSB boards
• Members of Parliament, state legislatures, or local bodies such as municipal corporations cannot be on the boards of public
sector banks, as per RBI.
• Also, partners of chartered accountancy firms engaged as statutory central auditors at any public sector bank cannot join the
boards of these banks.
• Candidates for the post of board members should also not be a member of any rival bank.
Bangladesh PM to visit India in October
• Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit India in October 2019 after assuming power for the third consecutive term.
• This was announced on 4 August in Dhaka by the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh AK Abdul Momen.
• Both the countries are expected to discuss issues of mutual interest including the issue of water sharing of common rivers.
Deloitte quit as auditor of crisis-hit DHFL
• Deloitte has quit as the auditor of cash-strapped DHFL.
• Cash-strapped DHFL sits on a debt pile of ₹90,000 crore and has defaulted on its various repayment obligations in a serial manner
in the recent past.
• DHFL in mid-July posted its biggest-ever quarterly loss of ₹2,224 crore for the quarter ended March of 2018-19 fiscal.
• The financial results were delayed due to the ongoing concerns.
Reliance to buy Google-backed Indian company
• Reliance Industries Ltd. agreed to buy an Indian technology startup funded by Google.
• Reliance will buy a controlling stake in Shopsense Retail Technologies Pvt, which operates the Fynd platform.
• The investment unit of Reliance will pay as much as 2.95 billion rupees ($42 million) in cash, with an option to plow in a further 1
billion rupees.
Virat, Rohit broke records
• Rohit Sharma became the most prolific six-hitter in T20 Internationals while Virat Kohli attained pole position among Indians.
• Rohit hit three maximums on his way to a 51-ball 67 in the second T20 International against West Indies.
• On the way to his 28 off 23 balls, Kohli bettered Suresh Raina's record to become the highest run-getter among Indians in T20
cricket.
RBI imposed ₹50 lakh fine on SBI
• The Reserve Bank has imposed a penalty of ₹50 lakh on SBI for non-compliance relating to reporting of frauds.
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• RBI has slapped penalties on eight commercial banks, including, Punjab National Bank and Bank of Baroda, for a host of
violations.
• RBI imposed a penalty of ₹50 lakh on PNB for delay in reporting of fraud in the account of Kingfisher Airlines.
Amit Shah moved RS to scrap Article 370
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah moved the Rajya Sabha to scrap Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, removing the special status
granted to the state.
• The order, which has been signed by President Ram Nath Kovind, comes into force immediately.
• Shah also proposed the reorganization of the state, with Jammu and Kashmir to be declared a Union Territory with an Assembly.
National Population Register data to be collected
• The next round of recording biometric and family-tree details of Indian citizens under the National Population Register (NPR) will
be conducted in September 2020.
• The exercise is different from the decennial Census and is not linked to the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
• The objective of the NPR is to create a comprehensive identity database of every usual resident in the country.
Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ inaugurated TechEx
• Union HRD Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ inaugurated the TechEx - technology exhibition at IIT Delhi on 4 August 2019.
• He also released TechEx Volume containing abstracts of all the IMPRINT and UAY projects.
• TechEx is a unique effort, which offers an excellent platform to the researchers to showcase their work and inspire them to do
their best in their respective domains.
Elephant population estimated at 29,964
• Elephant population in the country is estimated at 29,964 as per the census conducted in 2017.
• The South Region accounted for 14,612 followed by North East with 10,139 elephants.
• As per the India State of Forest Report 2017, there has been an increase of 6,778 kilometres of forest cover at the national level
as compared to the assessment of 2015.
35 lakh people benefited from ABY scheme
• Chhattisgarh is one of the best performing state under Ayushman Bharat Yojana.
• About 35 lakh people have so far benefited from the scheme in the country of which five lakh are from Chhattisgarh.
• The scheme was launched with a vision to provide the poor, and the underprivileged with better healthcare and treatment.
• This scheme envisions health assurance of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year.
Kanti Bhatt passed away
• Veteran Gujarati journalist, author and columnist Kanti Bhatt passed away in August 2019.
• Kanti Bhatt was born on 15th July 1931 in Sachra village in erstwhile Bhavnagar state of Gujarat.
• Kanti Bhatt joined journalism in 1966 in Mumbai.
• He worked as a writer and editor in various Gujarati publications like Chitralekha and Mumbai Samachar.
India participated in 8th RCEP Meeting
• The Commerce Secretary Dr. Anup Wadhawan led a delegation to the 8th RCEP Inter-sessional Ministerial meeting held in Beijing
on 2-3 August 2019.
• He highlighted India’s contribution in shaping the RCEP negotiations till date.
• India’s concerns regarding market access and other issues leading to imbalanced trade between some of the partner countries
was specifically flagged during the meeting.
Noel Quinn: CEO HSBC
• HSBC announced the departure of its Chief Executive Officer John Flint.
• Noel Quinn, the head of HSBC’s Global Commercial Banking unit will replace John Flint as the interim CEO.
• HSBC also declared a further buyback of $1 billion, defying some analysts' expectations it might pause its strategy of returning
extra capital to investors.
Sports News
• Vinesh Phogat bagged gold in women's 53kg category of the Poland Open wrestling tournament in Warsaw.
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• Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty became the first Indian pair to win a BWF Super 500 badminton tournament.
• Formula One Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton hunted down Max Verstappen to win the Hungarian Grand Prix for a record-
extending seventh time.
Obituaries
• Yesteryear cricket commentator Anant Setalvad died in Mumbai in August 2019. He had shared the mike with the likes of former
Test opener and ex-selection panel chief Vijay Merchant on AIR.
• Known social worker and a producer with Educational Multimedia Research Center (EMMRC) University of Kashmir, Farooq
Ahmad Lone, passed away in August 2019.
Indian boxers end their campaign with 6 medals
• Indian boxers have ended their campaign at the Magomed Salam Umakhanov Memorial International Boxing Tournament in
Kaspiysk, Russia with a rich haul of six medals.
• These comprised two gold, one silver and three bronze.
• World Championships bronze-medallist, Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) and India Open gold-medallist champion Neeraj (57kg),
clinched gold medals.
India test-fired SAR from Chandipur
• India successfully test-fired its all weather tracked-chassis Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QR-SAM) at Chandipur in Odisha
on 4 August 2019.
• It was the second developmental trial of the missile in this year from the same test range.
• QR-SAM system can engage multiple targets within a range of around 25 to 30 km with two vehicle configuration for area air
defence.
ISRO released first set of earth pictures
• ISRO released the first set of pictures of the earth, captured by Chandrayaan 2, the country's second Moon mission.
• The pictures were captured by L 14 camera onboard Chandrayaan II.
• The pictures show the earth in different hues.
• The LI-4 camera onboard the lander Vikram of the spacecraft show the crystal clear and panoramic view of the earth, around
which it is still revolving.
New Chairman of estimates committee: Girish
• Girish Bapat, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Pune member of Parliament, has been appointed Chairman of the estimates
committee.
• Estimates committee is one of the three financial standing committees of the parliament apart from the public accounts
committee and committee on public undertakings.
• The members of Estimates Committee include Dilip Ghosh, PP Choudhary, KC Patel.
Priya receives 'Indian Woman influence award'
• Eminent fashionista, social entrepreneur and philanthropist Priya Priyadarshini Jain has been felicitated with the prestigious
'Indian Woman of Influence' award at the House of Lords, the United Kingdom Parliament, London.
• The award recognised the power of Indian women residing in different parts of the world.
• This award assures that women are the leaders in their respective fields.
5th Dharma-Dhamma conference held in Rajgir
• The fifth international Dharma-Dhamma conference was inaugurated in Rajgir on 27-28 July 2019.
• The main purpose of this conference was to address people about the terror, violence and global warming prevalent in the world.
• This two-day conference addressed the subjects of Sat-Chit-Ananda and Nirvana which are the pivotal topics of Buddhism.
Israel 'Successfully Tests' Arrow 3 Missile
• Israel successfully conducted a series of tests of the Arrow 3 missile defense system in Alaska, in cooperation with the American
Missile Defense Agency (MDA).
• This is the first time the Arrow 3 system managed to intercept a real missile, one that simulated a ballistic missile.
• The Arrow 3 is meant to intercept ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere.
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Odisha Secretariat renamed Lok Seva Bhawan

• Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced in the State Assembly that the Sachivalaya or Secretariat building in
Bhubaneswar will now be called ‘Lok Seva Bhavan’.
• The Odisha secretariat building was inaugurated on November 12, 1959, by the then Home Minister Govind Ballabh Pant.
• Ganeshi Lal is the Governor of Odisha.
Govt to set up National traders Body
• The commerce and industry ministry will soon notify the constitution of a National Traders’ Welfare Board.
• The Board will identify ways to improve access to funds for this unorganised sector.
• It will also make recommendations to reduce the compliance burden of traders as well as to ensure social security benefits such
as insurance, pension, and healthcare for traders and their employees.
World's smallest monkey fossil found
• Scientists have uncovered remains of the smallest fossil monkey ever found in Peru's Amazon jungle.
• The specimen is important because it helps bridge a 15-million-year gap in the fossil record for New World monkeys.
• The new fossil was unearthed from an exposed riverbank along the Ro Alto Madre de Dios in southeastern Peru.
Air quality measurement system launched
• A two-year India-UK joint initiative in Bengaluru was launched on 1 August 2019 that would provide a unique air quality
measurement system by integrating satellite and sensor data and support India’s transition to Electric Vehicles (EVs).
• The initiative – Innovating for Clean Air (IfCA) will identify innovations having potential to improve air quality.
India’s large cities staring at water crisis
• The sub-national Water Stress Index, formulated by London-based risk analytics firm Verisk Maplecroft, lists India as the 46th
highest risk country in the world.
• According to the index, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Nashik, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Indore are among the cities facing
‘extreme risk’.
• It measures the water consumption rates of households, industries and farm sectors.
Mumbai Police gets criminal tracking system
• The Maharashtra government has set up the Automated Multimodal Biometric Identification System (AMBIS) - the first-of-its-
kind in India.
• The AMBIS system can collect demographic and biometric data of criminals including finger and palm prints; IRIS and face
recognition and can be stored in the system.
• This system would be useful in quickly providing information about criminals.
Nigeria to join coalition to save pollinators
• Nigeria became the fourth African country to join the Global Coalition of the Willing on Pollinators on 25 July 2019.
• Ethiopia was the first African nation to join the coalition in 2017.
• The organisation was formed to follow up on the findings of IPBES Assessment on Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production,
which found that many of the world’s pollinator species are on the decline.
Dr Vinayak felicitated with an Award
• Dr Vinayak S Hiremath, known for his exemplary work in the field of medicine and is the youngest doctor of Gulbarga, has been
felicitated with the 'Pride of the Nation Award'.
• The Award is given to the people who have made a notable contribution in their fields and in the process made India proud.
• Dr Vinayak is the first South Indian doctor to offer free insulin consultation and treatment.
Microsoft has acquired BlueTalon
• Microsoft has acquired BlueTalon, a start-up whose software can prevent people from accessing certain high-value data that
companies keep.
• BlueTalon’s software works with data stored in the open-source file system Hadoop and other databases.
• The software lets people run queries on sensitive data to make observations, while not revealing the actual underlying
information.
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Tamil Nadu to get Silk Samagra

• Tamil Nadu will receive about Rs 6.22 crore under the 'Silk Samagra' — an Integrated Scheme for Development of Silk Industry
(ISDSI) implemented by the Union government through the Central Silk Board (CSB).
• Tamil Nadu has been ranked among the leading silk-producing States in the country.
• Tamil Nadu has registered a production of 2,072 metric tons of raw silk up to March 2019.
PM chairs 30th interaction through PRAGATI
• On 31 July 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired his thirtieth interaction through PRAGATI - the ICT-based platform for
Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation.
• The Prime Minister reviewed the progress in the resolution of grievances under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban).
• He underlined the resolve of his government to ensure that no family will be left without a home by 2022
Amit Shah to head panel on mob lynchings
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah will head the panel constituted to combat incidents of mob violence and lynching across the
country.
• The government had formed a Group of Ministers (GoM) in 2018 to deliberate on incidents of lynching and make
recommendations.
• When constituted, the panel was headed by then Home minister Rajnath Singh.
Crisil cuts FY20 GDP growth forecast to 6.9%
• Ratings agency Crisil has cut its forecast for GDP growth in 2019-20 to 6.9% from its earlier forecast of 7.1%, citing weak
monsoon, slow global growth and poor high-frequency data for the first quarter of the financial year.
• Crisil also expects corporate sector growth to slow to 8% in 2019-20.
• It also said that banking sector NPAs are expected to come down to about 8% by the end of 2019-20
Appointments
• Abhay Thakur has been concurrently accredited as the next Permanent Representative of India to the Economic Community of
West African States.
• R N Ravi, a former Intelligence Bureau officer and the Centre's interlocutor for Naga peace talks, was sworn in as the 20th
governor of Nagaland on 1 August 2019.
NASA satellite discovers first super-Earth
• NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has discovered the super-Earth planet — named GJ 357 d.
• The exoplanet is more massive than the earth.
• With a thick atmosphere, the planet GJ 357 d could maintain liquid water on its surface like Earth.
• The planet, GJ 357 d, orbits a dwarf star in the Hydra constellation.
Flipkart launches 'Samarth' initiative
• E-commerce company Flipkart launched ‘Samarth’, an initiative to bring weavers, artisans and makers of handicrafts to its
platform.
• Flipkart Samarth will support such artisans, weavers, etc, by on-boarding them and helping them in the process of selling on the
internet.
• This includes support for cataloguing, account management, seller support, and warehousing support.
SBI:1st bank to link up with China pay. sys.
• The SBI's Shanghai branch is now connected to China's National Advance Payment System (CNAPS), becoming the first Indian
Bank to operationalise it.
• The CNAPS was launched in 2008 by People's Bank of China (PBOC).
• It provides real-time settlement services for all payments cleared in mainland China, as well as in all clearing banks in offshore
yuan centers, such as Hong Kong.
IFFI celebrated Golden Jubilee
• Year 2019 marks the Golden Jubilee edition of International Film Festival of India which will be organised from 20th-28th
November 2019.
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• International Film Festival of India (IFFI) started way back in 1952, is an 'A' grade film festival accredited to the International
Federation of Film Producers' Associations (FIAPF) and is one of the oldest and most prestigious festivals in Asia.
US scientists announce 3D heart printing
• Scientists in US have successfully built functional heart parts out of collagen using a 3D bioprinter, a breakthrough they say could
one day create entire organs.
• Their technique replicates the body's own complex biological scaffolds that provide the structure and biochemical signaling
organs need to function.
• Collagen is an ideal biomaterial for the task.
Sports
• Soccer body CONMEBOL suspended Lionel Messi from international matches for three months because of accusations of
corruption he made at the latest Copa America. He was also fined USD 50,000 for his comments.
• In the ongoing World Cadet Wrestling competition in Sofia, Bulgaria, Indian wrestler Sonam Malik won Gold in 65kg category; She
beat Binbin Xiang 7-1 in the final.
Regional Conference on Good Governance
• The Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG) will organize the Regional Conference on Good
Governance on 14-15 November, 2019 at Jaipur, Rajasthan.
• The theme is Strengthening State Institutes of Public Administration.
• It will bring National and State level organizations on the same platform to share experiences and implementation of good
governance initiatives.
Person in News I
• Well-known character artiste Devadas Kanakala passed away in August 2019. One of his last outing as an actor was in Bharat Ane
Nenu starring Mahesh Babu in 2018.
• EU governments picked Bulgaria’s Kristalina Georgieva as the bloc’s candidate to lead the International Monetary Fund. She got
the backing of a majority of the 28 EU states, defeating the Dutch candidate Jeroen Dijsselbloem.
NBFCs won't charge loan foreclosure penalties
• The Reserve Bank barred non-banking finance companies from charging pre-payment penalties or foreclosure charges from
individual borrowers.
• Foreclosure charges are part of the fee income for any lender and adds to its bottomline.
• These direction covers both deposit-taking and non- deposit-taking NBFCs which are considered systemically important ones.
RBI imposed fine on 7 PSBs
• The Reserve Bank has imposed a collective penalty of ₹11 crore on seven public sector banks for violating norms on current
account opening.
• Allahabad Bank and Bank of Maharashtra have been imposed a fine of ₹2 crore each, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Indian
Overseas Bank and United Bank of India have been fined ₹1.5 crore each, while Oriental Bank of Commerce with a penalty of ₹1
crore.
Appointments I
• The former Cognizant executive Debashis Chatterjee has been appointed as the new chief executive officer and managing
director (CEO and MD) of the IT services firm Mindtree Ltd.
• IFS officer Madhumita Hazarika Bhagat was appointed as India's next High Commissioner to Cyprus. She is presently a Joint
Secretary in the MEA. She will be succeeding RK Raghavan.
World Breastfeeding Week- 1 to 7 August
• The World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is being observed from 1st to 7th August 2019.
• The Food and Nutrition Board, Ministry of Women and Child Development, is organizing a number of activities on the theme
'Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding'.
• The focus this year is on protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding.
Government approved proposal given by RBI
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• The government has approved a proposal given by the RBI on draft modalities of the guarantee to operationalize the Budget
announcement.
• This is in regard to one-time partial credit to the Public Sector Banks for purchase of high-rated assets of financially sound Non-
banking financial companies.
• The Department of Financial Services would put in place an oversight mechanism for this scheme.
Gujarat CM launched ‘Vhali Dikri Yojna’
• Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani launched the ‘Vhali Dikri Yojna’ in Rajkot on 2 August 2019.
• According to scheme, the State Government will pay Rs. 4,000 to every girl child at the time of admission to Standard 4th, Rs.
6,000 at the time of taking admission to Standard IX, Rs. 1-lakh at the time of taking admission for higher education at the age of
18 and another Rs. 1-lakh at the time of marriage.
11th Annual General Meeting held in Colombo
• The 11th Annual General Meeting of Indo-Lanka Chamber of Commerce & Industry was held in Colombo on 2 August 2019.
• The Chief Guest was High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Mr. Taranjit Singh Sandhu.
• The Indo-Lanka Chamber has strengthened bilateral economic relations between the 2 countries.
Order of Merit given to Indian President
• President Ram Nath Kovind has been awarded the National order of Merit by the President of Guinea.
• He was awarded for his exceptional contribution to the advancement of overall relations and development of mutual
cooperation between India and Guinea.
• This is the highest award of Republic of Guinea.
• Three MoUs were also signed between the two countries.
AERA Bill passed
• Parliament has passed the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India, AERA (Amendment) Bill- 2019.
• The bill increases the threshold of annual passenger traffic for major airports from 15 lakh to over 35 lakh passengers.
• The threshold has been increased as the number of air traffic passenger has been increased 117 million from 2008 to 345 million
now.
Person in News II
• Bhasha Mukherjee, a 23-year-old Indian origin doctor was crowned Miss England 2019. Bhasha holds two different medical
degrees, has an IQ of 146 and is fluent in 5 different languages.
• The government appointed IRS officer Saurabh Kumar as the Private Secretary to Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. He will
serve in the post for a period of four years and 10 months.
Appointments II
• Ravi Capoor, an IAS officer, assumed charge of the office of Secretary, Ministry of Textiles in New Delhi. He has vast experience of
working in international agencies like the World Bank.
• The government-appointed PM Prasad as the CMD of BCCL, the country's largest coking coal producer. Prasad has been
appointed the CMD, BCCL, for a period of five years.
Bills passed
• Rajya Sabha passed The Code on Wages Bill, 2019 on 2 August 2019. It will ensure statutory protection for minimum wages and
timely payment of wages to approximately 50 crore workers of organized as well as unorganized sector.
• Rajya Sabha passed the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019. It gives powers to DG, NIA to attach properties
acquired from proceeds of terrorism.
Sports News
• At the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Russia, India was handed a bronze medal upgrade. The Indian team of KT Infra, Babubhai
Panucha and Surinder Singh had finished 4th in the men's 20 km team event in May 2012.
• In Shooting, Adarsh Singh won the gold medal in both men and junior 25 metres rapid fire pistol event in the Sardar Sajjan Singh
Sethi Memorial Masters competition.
National Affairs
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• The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released a list of 20 institutes - 10 public and 10 private for the grant of the status of
Institutions of Eminence (IoE).
• PM Narendra Modi inaugurated a 2-day workshop for all BJP MPs in New Delhi on 3 August 2019. Multiple sessions on various
subjects took place aimed at enhancing parliamentary behaviour among the newly elected BJP lawmakers.
NIA (Amendment) Act came into force
• National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Act, 2019 has come into force on 2 August 2019.
• Parliament had approved the bill giving more powers to NIA on 17th July 2019.
• The act aims at enhancing the jurisdiction of National Investigation Agency (NIA) to investigate scheduled offences committed
outside India targeting Indians as well as Indian assets abroad.
• The NIA was set up in 2009.
IIT-KGP researchers develop tech
• A research team at IIT Kharagpur has developed a technology which can generate energy from solid waste with high moisture
content.
• The new technology - Hydro Thermal Carbonization (HTC) - can convert municipal solid waste to biofuel, soil amendment and
absorbents.
• The moisture in the waste is used to the advantage of the process which uses water for the reaction.
Ravish Kumar won Ramon Magsaysay award 2019
• Indian journalist Ravish Kumar has been awarded the 2019 Ramon Magsaysay Award for harnessing journalism to give voice to
the voiceless.
• The award was started in 1957 and celebrates the leadership example of the former Philippine President Ramon del Fierro
Magsaysay.
• The awardees are presented with a medallion with a right side facing profile image of Ramon Magsaysay and a certificate.
Appointments I
• Mr. Girraj Prasad Gupta took over as the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) in New Delhi. Earlier, the Government of India had
appointed him as the CGA, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.
• Atish Dabholkar, a theoretical physicist from India, has been appointed as the new director of Abdus Salam International Centre
for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy.
1st Nat. Time Release Study to be conducted
• The Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance is conducting India’s first national Time Release Study (TRS) between 1-7 August
2019.
• Exercise will be institutionalized on an annual basis, during the same period every year hereafter.
• The TRS is an internationally recognized tool advocated by World Customs Organization to measure the efficiency and
effectiveness of international trade flows.
Army launched E-car to combat pollution
• The Indian Army has launched an ecological initiative with employing E Cars for use of its officials in New Delhi in partnership
with Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL).
• The introduction of E-Car in Army at Delhi was visualised on World Environment Day and launched on 01 Aug 2019 with flagging
off the first lot of E-Cars for Indian Army by QMG, Lt Gen Gopal R.
Spanish ship Mendez Nunez visited Goa
• Spanish Navy Ship Mendez Nunez arrived at Mormugao Port, Goa on 1 August 2019.
• A number of activities between Indian Navy and the Spanish warship are planned during the ship's three-day stay at Goa.
• Mendez Nunez, with pennant number F-104, is a Multipurpose Frigate in service with Spanish Navy.
• A Seahawk Lamps III helicopter is also carried onboard.
KABIL set up to ensure supply of minerals
• Khanij Bidesh India Ltd. (KABIL) is to be set up with the participation of National Aluminium Company Ltd.(NALCO), Hindustan
Copper Ltd.(HCL) and Mineral Exploration Company Ltd. (MECL).
• The objective of constituting KABIL is to ensure a consistent supply of critical and strategic minerals to Indian domestic market.
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Netherlands banned face-covering clothing

• The Netherlands banned face-covering clothing, such as a burqa or niqab, in public buildings and on transport as a contentious
law on the garment came into force.
• Between 100 and 400 women are estimated to wear a burqa or niqab in the European country of 17 million people.
• The legislation also applies to other face coverings such as full-face helmets, balaclavas or ski mask.
ONORC scheme implemented on pilot basis
• Government launched the One Nation-One Ration Card scheme on a pilot basis in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and
Gujarat from 1 August 2019.
• Families who have food security cards can buy subsidized rice and wheat from any ration shop in these states.
• Their ration cards should be linked with Aadhar Number to avail this service.
World’s first ultra-fast hyperloop project
• Maharashtra has granted infrastructure project status for a $10-billion plan.
• It will build the world’s first ultra-fast hyperloop project, aiming to link the financial hub of Mumbai with Pune.
• Hyperloops use magnets to levitate pods inside an airless tube, creating conditions in which the pods can shuttle people and
freight at speeds of up to 750 miles (1,200 km) per hour.
India at 7th Spot in GDP Rankings of 2018
• India has slipped to the 7th spot in the global GDP rankings of 2018.
• The UK and France have raced ahead and taken the fifth and the sixth spots respectively.
• As per the data compiled by the World Bank, in 2017, India was the fifth-largest economy while France stood at number seven.
• China was the second-largest economy with $13.6 trillion, while Japan stood third with $5 trillion.
Appointments II
• Colgate-Palmolive has announced the appointment of Ram Raghavan as managing director effective August 01, 2019. Prior to
this role, Raghavan served as vice-president Marketing of Asia Pacific Division of Colgate-Palmolive.
• Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra assumed charge of the office of Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
(DPIIT) in New Delhi.
BoC to offer regular banking services in India
• The RBI has allowed Bank of China to offer regular banking services in India.
• All commercial banks, like SBI, HDFC Bank, PNB and ICICI Bank, are in the Second Schedule.
• Banks falling under this schedule have to adhere to the norms of the RBI.
• The name of 'The Royal Bank of Scotland plc' has been changed to 'NatWest Markets Plc' in the Second Schedule.
West Bengal launched awareness campaign
• The West Bengal Government has launched an awareness campaign for preserving the greenery and keeping the environment
clean.
• CM Mamata Banerjee launched the campaign named as ‘Save Green, Stay Clean’ in Kolkata on 1 August 2019.
• The State Government will distribute more than 1 lakhs saplings throughout the state for spreading of greenery.
BIS to set up Pashmina testing centre in Leh
• Bureau of Indian Standards would set up a Pashmina testing centre in Leh, in partnership with the lab of Ladakh Autonomous Hill
Development Council (LAHDC), Leh.
• 'Drive for Pashmina', a Motor bike expedition to create awareness and promote Pashmina was flagged by the Hill council CEC
Gyal P Wangyal and BIS DG Surina Rajan.
• Setting up of a lab in Leh would take two months time.
Sports News
• In Shooting, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar clinched a gold medal in Men's Rifle 3 Positions (3P) at 12th Sardar Sajjan Singh Sethi
Memorial Masters competition in New Delhi on 1 August 2019.
• Football Giant East Bengal Club turned 100 years on 1 August 2019. On this day in 1920 East Bengal Club was established at
Kumartuli Park in North Kolkata.
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President Kovind reached Guinea

• President Ram Nath Kovind has reached the Guinea capital, Conakry on the last leg of his three West African nation visit to Benin,
Gambia and Guinea.
• Guinea is a developing country in the tropical southwestern part of West Africa at the Atlantic Ocean.
• He will hold delegation-level talks with Guinea President Alpha Conde.
• This is the first-ever state visit by an Indian President to Guinea.
Appointments II
• In US, prominent Indian-American lawyer Kashyap Pramod Patel, an ardent supporter of US President Donald Trump, has been
appointed to a key counterterrorism position in the White House.
• Malabar Gold & Diamonds, one among the largest global jewellery retailer with 250 showrooms has signed Bollywood Icon Anil
Kapoor to its star-studded list of brand ambassadors.
Bills passed
• Parliament passed the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill 2019 with the Lok Sabha approving it on 1 August 2019. The
bill provides for a time-bound settlement of disputes as well as accountability of the arbitrator.
• The Rajya Sabha passed the National Medical Commission Bill, 2019 with few amendments. The Bill seeks to repeal the Indian
Medical Council Act, 1956.
Mr. Kovind inaugurated exhibitions in Gambia
• President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated exhibitions on Mahatma Gandhi and Khadi at the Ebunjan Theatre in The Gambia to
commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of the Mahatma.
• These exhibitions will be held till 2nd October 2019.
• Khadi samples for the exhibitions have been provided by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), while that for the
Gandhi exhibitions by Gandhi Smriti.
POCSO (Amendment) Bill approved
• Parliament passed the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, POCSO, 2019 with the Lok Sabha approving
it unanimously.
• The Rajya Sabha has already passed the bill.
• The bill seeks to enhance punishment for sexual offences against children, with a provision of death penalty.
• Sexual harassment is covered under POCSO.
Gujarat Gas to set up 200 CNG stations
• Gujarat Gas Ltd is planning to set up 200 compressed natural gas (CNG) stations across India in the next two years.
• Last financial year, the company added 69 CNG stations, the highest ever to its tally of over 344 CNG stations.
• Gujarat Gas Ltd (GGL) is present across 23 districts in Gujarat, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Thane Geographical Area (GA), including
Maharashtra's Palghar district.
London: World's best city for students
• London has been named the world’s best city for students for the second consecutive year.
• It beat Tokyo and Melbourne that came second and third, respectively, on a new worldwide ranking released on 31 July 2019.
• The QS Best Student Cities Ranking compiled by global education consultancy QS Quacquarelli Symonds highlights each city’s
performance across different categories.
UN Convention on Int Settlement Agre. approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the signing of the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements (UNISA)
resulting from mediation by the Republic of India.
• It is scheduled to be held at Singapore on 7th August 2019, or at United Nations Headquarters.
• It will provide a positive signal to foreign investors about India's commitment to adhere to international practice on ADR.
ISRO Technical Liason Unit approved at Moscow
• The Union Cabinet approved the setting up of ISRO Technical Liaison Unit (ITLU) at Moscow, Russia.
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• An average annual expenditure of about Rs. 1.50 crore per annum is anticipated to be incurred at ITLU in Moscow, Russia
towards salary, office expenses, rent, taxes etc.
• ISRO will be able to collaborate with Space agencies in Russia and neighbouring countries for mutually synergetic outcomes.
MoU between India and Bolivia approved
• The Union Cabinet approved to the MoU between India and Bolivia on Cooperation in the Exploration and Uses of Outer Space
for Peaceful Purposes.
• The MoU was signed between ISRO and the Bolivian Space Agency on March 29, 2019 at Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.
• It would lead to develop a joint activity in the field of application of space technologies for the benefit of humanity.
MoU between India and Bahrain approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the MoU between India and Bahrain on Cooperation in the Exploration and Uses of Outer Space for
Peaceful Purposes.
• The MoU was signed on March 11, 2019 at Bengaluru by India and on March 28, 2019 at Manama by Bahrain.
• It would lead to set up a Joint Working Group, drawing members from DOS/ISRO and the Bahrain National Space Science Agency
(NSSA).
Obituaries
• Dr. Subir Vithal Gokarn, the Executive Director for India at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), passed away in July 2019. He
has had an illustrious career spanning over three decades.
• Malcolm Nash, the Glamorgan bowler who entered cricket folklore when Garfield Sobers struck him for six sixes in an over,
passed away in July 2019.
Prakash Javadekar launched e-projects
• Union Minister Prakash Javadekar launched several e-projects of Publications Division on 31 July 2019.
• The projects include redesigned dynamic website, mobile app 'Digital DPD', e-version of Rozgaar Samachar and e-book 'Satyagrah
Geeta'.
• The mobile app for Publications Division would help in improving the reading habits of people in the era of e-books and Kindle.
Mobile library buses launched
• The Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism, Prahlad Singh Patel launched the Mobile Library Buses procured under C.S.R
assistance from Airports Authority of India.
• The Programme was organized by Delhi Public Library of Ministry of Culture in New Delhi on 31 July 2019.
• It was launched under 'Ghar-GharDastakGharGharPustak' Scheme which aims to provide books to the citizens of Delhi.
Inauguration of FCP and launching of Mob App
• Minister of HRD, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ inaugurated the ‘Facilitation cum Publicity Pavilion (FCP)’ at the National Bal
Bhavan, New Delhi.
• Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa launched the upgraded 3D Air Combat Mobile Game 'Indian Air Force: A Cut Above' at the same
venue.
• The FCP is an endeavour to connect to more than 7.5 lakh children that visit the Bal Bhavan annually.
Delegation of IAF met Dr Jitendra Singh
• A delegation of International Astronautical Federation (IAF) met the Union Minister of State for DoNER, Dr Jitendra Singh.
• The delegation extended the invitation to the Minister to participate in the upcoming International Astronautical Congress (IAC)
to be held in Washington on 21-25th October 2019.
• Issues related to the developments in the Department of Space were discussed.
WorldSkills International Competition 2019
• Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), announced the 48-member contingent which will represent India at
WorldSkills International Competition 2019.
• The event is scheduled in Kazan, Russia from 22-27 August 2019.
• More than 1,500 competitors from 60 countries will compete in 55 skill competitions.
• India will participate in 44 skills including mobile robotics, baking, etc.
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8 core sectors growth drops to 0.2% in June

• Growth of 8 core industries dropped to 0.2% in June mainly due to a contraction in oil-related sectors as well as in cement
production.
• The 8-core sector industries - coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity - had expanded
by 7.8% in June 2018.
• During April-June, the 8 sectors grew by 3.5% compared to 5.5% in the same period in 2018.
National Affairs I
• The six-time MLA from Sirsi Assembly constituency and senior BJP leader Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri was unanimously elected as
the new Speaker of the Karnataka state Assembly on 31 July 2019.
• Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani formed 10 Task Forces to examine, review and suggest inputs for formulating New Industrial Policy of
the state. The Task Force Committee will be headed by Chief Secretary JN Singh.
52nd ASEAN summit held
• Foreign Ministers from South East Asia are attending the 52nd ASEAN summit in Bangkok.
• ASEAN also plays host to a series of foreign ministers from key strategic and dialogue partners, including US, China and Russia.
• ASEAN leaders at their summit meeting in June adopted an Indo-Pacific engagement framework that sought to keep on the good
side of both Washington and Beijing.
Appointments
• BJP Vice President Avinash Rai Khanna will be the in-charge for the upcoming State Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
The decision was taken by the Party Core Group meeting.
• Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has inducted Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai as a new Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil
Aviation. Mr. Bhattarai is a ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) lawmaker from Taplejung.
India Post Payments Bank to convert into SFB
• The Postal Department has decided to convert the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) into a small finance bank (SFB), enabling it to
offer small loans to customers.
• Besides, the department also looks to open one crore accounts for IPPB in 100 days.
• The decisions were taken at the annual Heads of Circles Conference held at Srinagar.
National Affairs II
• The Government has allowed the task force, formed to draft new direct tax law, to submit its report by August 16, 2019. Earlier,
the force had to submit its report by July 31, 2019.
• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced that the Lower House will become paperless from the next session. The move will save
crores of rupees to the exchequer.
India became fifth largest investor in Africa
• India has become the fifth largest investor in Africa with cumulative investment at over 54 billion US dollars.
• African continental Free Trade Area Agreement launched in July 2019 will make Africa the largest free trade area in the world.
• After South Asia, the African Continent is the largest recipient of Indian overseas assistance.
Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill passed
• The Rajya Sabha passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 with some amendments.
• The bill seeks to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 to provide for road safety.
• Provisions related to increasing penalties of traffic violations, addressing issues on third-party insurance, regulation of cab
aggregators and road safety are proposed in the amendment.
September 2019
IPCC Meet on Climate Change began in Delhi
• India is hosting the Second Lead Author Meeting of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group III
Sixth Assessment Report at New Delhi, beginning 30 September to 4 October 2019.
• IPCC authors and scientists are working to deliver the most relevant and up-to-date research on climate change mitigation.
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Pilot project launched by railways

• A pilot project for the introduction of 'Industry 4.0' in the country has been launched at the Modern Coach Factory in Uttar
Pradesh's Raebareli district.
• Industry 4.0, commonly referred to as the fourth industrial revolution, is a name given to the current trend of automation, inter-
connectivity and data exchange in manufacturing technologies to increase productivity.
Exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi inaugurated
• Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar inaugurated an exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi
and Leo Tolstoy at Yasnaya Polyana, Russia on 28 September 2019.
• The exhibition presented and highlighted their correspondence and their thought process in a very artistic manner.
• He also inaugurated a special day-long seminar organised to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
India handed over School Building To Nepal
• India has handed over a new school building costing Rs. 2.41 crores to the Nepal government that would boost the learning
environment of students from the marginalised sections in the Himalayan nation.
• Established in 1989, Kuleshwor Awas Secondary School currently has 800 students and is run with community support.
• Over 50 per cent of the students in the school are girls.
India among 20 most improved countries
• India ranked as one of the top 20 improvers in Doing Business 2020 by the World Bank.
• The list includes 20 economies improved the most on ease of doing the business score.
• The Ease of Doing Business 2020 detailed report will be published on October 24, 2019.
• India has been named in the top 20 economies which have improved their ease of doing business score due to reforms.
Real Kashmir FC nominated for BAFTA Awards
• A documentary on Srinagar-based football club Real Kashmir FC has been nominated in the British Academy Film and Television
Arts (BAFTA) Awards.
• The documentary has been nominated in two categories.
• Its director Greg Clark has picked up a nod for the ‘Director Factual’ category, while the show will battle it out in the ‘Single
Documentary’ category.
World Heart Day 2019: September 29
• World Heart Day (WHD) is observed annually on 29 September across the world.
• The day which is celebrated annually creates awareness of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) including heart disease & stroke and
highlights the preventive and control measures.
• It was launched in 2000 by the World Heart Federation as an annual event.
• The theme for the World Heart Day 2019 is My Heart, Your Heart.
Thanu got MP Birla Memorial Award
• Physicist Thanu Padmanabhan received the M P Birla Memorial Award 2019 for his contributions to the world of cosmology.
• He is a professor of Inter-university Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics in Pune.
• The award was introduced in 1993 in recognition to the excellence in research in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Science and
related areas.
Nepal Rastra Bank issued commemorative coins
• The Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, Dr Chiranjibi Nepal & Indian Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri released 3 coins (100, 1000 and
2500 Nepali rupees) bearing the Sikh symbol to commemorate the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
• A book titled Sikh Heritage of Nepal based on the Sikh heritage of Nepal was also launched.
• The book has been published by BP Koirala India-Nepal Foundation.
UP CM inaugurated mobile hospital
• Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated Shri Kashi Vishwanath Arogya Mandir, a mobile hospital in the Varanasi.
• A team of doctors and paramedics will be available here and after stabilizing serious patients, they will be shifted to the district or
Banaras Hindu University Hospital.
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• He also dedicated to the devotees the incense sticks made up of flowers offered to the deities.
Biggest festival of Nepal ‘Bada Dashain’ began
• Bada Dashain, the biggest festival of Nepal has begun.
• The festival starts on first day of Navaratri with Ghatsthapana.
• Devotees performed Ghatsthapana and sowed maize and barley seeds for germination of the auspicious Jamara (barley shoots).
• The germination ceremony of Jamara was also held at famous Hanumandhoka Dashain Ghar in Kathamndu with Vedic rituals.
Ten-day Mysuru Dasara festival inaugurated
• The ten-day Mysuru Dasara festival was inaugurated by Dr. S L Bhyrappa on 29 September 2019.
• The festival will be marked by cultural programmes, sports events, wrestling competition, film and food festival, book exhibition,
flower shows.
• P V Sindhu will launch the Dasara sports events.
• Ranu Mandal will be honoured on the occasion.
Delhi-Meerut Package-3 inaugurated
• Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the Delhi-Meerut Package-3 connecting Dasna in
Ghaziabad to Hapur.
• The package is a 22 kilometre-long stretch built with a cost of 1989 crore rupees.
• The package has six-lane section with two plus two lane service road on either sides.
• The 82 kilometre-long Delhi-Meerut Expressway connects Delhi with Meerut in UP.
India lifted SAFF U-18 C’ship title
• In Football, India defeated Bangladesh by 2-1 in the final of SAFF Under-18 Championship 2019 to lift the title in Kathmandu.
• India's Ninthoinganba Meetei was declared Most Valuable Player of the championship.
• This is India's maiden SAFF U-18 trophy.
• Host Nepal had lifted earlier two editions of the Championship but could not qualify for semi finals this time.
Kaushal Dharmamer clinched men's singles title
• In Badminton, Kaushal Dharmamer clinched the men's singles title at the Maldives International Challenge with a win over Siril
Verma in Male.
• He registered a comfortable 21-13, 21-18 victory over his compatriot in a match that lasted 35 minutes.
• In the women's doubles event, the duo of Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy ended as runner-up after going down 10-21, 21-17,
12-21.
Sports News
• The Indian mixed 4x400m relay team qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after reaching the finals in the World Athletics
Championships in Doha. The finalists top 8 in the World Championships are automatic qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympics.
• In Table Tennis, Indian junior boys Raegan Albuquerque and Yashansh Malik won the bronze medal at the Serbia Junior and Cadet
Open in Mumbai.
Days and Events
• WHO observes World Rabies Day on 28 September every year. The day is celebrated annually to raise awareness about rabies
prevention and to highlight progress in defeating this horrifying disease.
• The UN observes International Translation Day on 30 September every year. International Translation Day is meant as an
opportunity to pay tribute to the work of language professionals.
Obituaries
• Veteran Bollywood actor Viju Khote passed away in September 2019. The actor best is remembered for his role as Kalia in Sholay.
He worked in over 300 Hindi and Marathi films. He has been working in film since 1964.
• Former diplomat KPS Menon (junior) passed away. He was a 1951 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer. He had served as the
Foreign Secretary of India from 1987 to 1989.
Sports News
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• Sumit Nagal won the Buenos Aires ATP Challenger clay event. This is the first ATP Challenger title by an Indian this season. This is
the second Challenger title in Nagal’s career.
• Vikram Pratap Singh scored the opening goal for the Indian U-18 team against Bangladesh in the final match of the SAFF U-18
Football Championship at Kathmandu, Nepal.
• India’s Bhavani Devi won the silver medal in women’s individual category in the Tournoi Satellite Fencing competition at Ghent,
Belgium on 29 September 2019. In the final, she lost to Bashta Anna of Azerbaijan.
• Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton won the Russian Grand Prix in a Mercedes one-two on 29 September 2019. Valtteri
Bottas took second place.
Agri Min launches app based CHC services
• The government of India launched a multilingual app-based service - CHC Farm Machinery for Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) and
Krishi Kisan App.
• This service will facilitate local farmers the use of shared resources including tractors and other farm machinery at affordable
prices.
• Krishi Kisan app will provide farmers with the information of high-yielding crops and seeds in their nearby area.
NASA launches miniature satellite
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has launched a miniature satellite designed by Aabhaas Sikka from
NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility.
• The satellite is named 'RamanSat 2' and measures 4 cm x 4 cm x 4 cm.
• The satellite is made to measure radiation from the sun and space reaching the Earth.
Greta Thunberg wins 'alternative Nobel Prize'
• Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg was named as one of four winners of the 2019 Right Livelihood Award, known
as Sweden's alternative Nobel Prize.
• Thunberg won the award for inspiring and amplifying political demands for urgent climate action reflecting scientific facts.
• She shares the award with Brazilian indigenous leader Davi Kopenawa of the Yanomami people.
ADB sharply cuts India's GDP growth forecast
• As per the Asian Development Bank's Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2019 Update, India's growth forecast for the current
fiscal is 6.5%.
• The report also said India will rebound to 7.2% growth in fiscal 2020 (FY21).
• As per the latest ADO, South Asia's growth momentum has softened.
• For the region, the growth forecasts are lowered to 6.2 per cent for 2019 and 6.7 per cent for 2020.
Govt reconstitutes EAC-PM till 2021
• The government of India reconstituted the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister for a period of another two years.
• Part-time member Ashima Goyal of Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research and full-time members Bibek Debroy of Niti
Aayog and Ratan Watal will continue to be part of the EAC-PM.
• Bibek Debroy retains his role as chairman of the EAC-PM
16th Global SME Business Summit held
• The 16th Global SME Business Summit 2019 was held in New Delhi on 24 September 2019.
• The Summit is organized every year by the Ministry of MSME and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).
• The theme this year is 'Making Indian MSMEs Globally Competitive'.
• The summit was attended by more than 500 delegates from more than 15 countries.
Hyundai & BoB tie up for vehicle finance
• Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) has signed an agreement with Bank of Baroda to be the preferred financier for its dealers and
consumers.
• Under the agreement, the bank will provide detailed financing structure for both dealers and consumers.
• Dealer financing will be done as per the bank’s existing product program of supply chain finance.
PNB launches Preventive Vigilance portal
• Punjab National Bank (PNB) launched a Preventive Vigilance portal on 25 September 2019.
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• The PV portal will facilitate all staff members to contribute towards arresting procedural lapses and unhealthy practices.
• Sunil Mehta is the Chairman and Managing Director of Punjab National Bank.
Power scheme for tenants launched
• Delhi government announced a new scheme under which people residing as tenants in Delhi will be able to avail power subsidy.
• The name of the scheme is 'Mukhyamantri Kirayedar Bijli Meter Yojna'.
• Under the scheme, there is no charge for the electricity consumption of up to 200 units.
21st session of WHO-FAO held in Goa
• The 21st session of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Coordinating
Committee was inaugurated in Panaji on 23 September 2019.
• The objective of the session is to focus on food and safety at primary production involving issues and best practices for an
evolving region, critical and emerging issues related to food safety.
Jitendra Singh launches CPGRAMS
• Minister for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension Dr Jitendra Singh launched Centralized Public Grievance Redress and
Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) of Department of Posts on 25 September 2019.
• CPGRAMS primarily aims to enable submission of Grievances by citizens from anywhere and anytime.
• CPGRAMS is an on-line web-enabled system developed by National Informatics Centre.
Saudi Arabia to offer tourist visas
• Saudi Arabia will offer tourist visas for the first time.
• Saudi Arabia opened applications for online tourist visas to citizens of 49 countries on 28 September 2019.
• It will also ease its strict dress code for foreign women,
• Visas are currently restricted to expat workers, their dependents and Muslim pilgrims travelling to holy sites in Mecca and
Medina.
PNB MetLife and Religare Health tie up
• PNB MetLife India Insurance Co. Ltd. has tied-up with Religare Health Insurance to offer a product that would cover health, death
and illness.
• The product will be offered during mid-December.
• The tie-up will offer an additional earning opportunity for the life insurer’s distribution channel partners.
• The headquarters of PNB MetLife is in Mumbai.
The Second Interstellar Object detected
• The second interstellar object has been officially detected in the Solar System.
• According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the comet is 'unambiguously' interstellar in origin, and it has now been
given a name: 2I/Borisov.
• In 2I, I stands for 'interstellar', and 2 for being the second interstellar object ever discovered, after 'Oumuamua, which was
detected in October 2017.
New 'cat snake' species discovered
• A team of biodiversity researchers has discovered a new species of ‘cat snake’ in Maharashtra’s Western Ghats —making it the
first such discovery in 125 years.
• The species has been named ‘Thackeray’s cat snake’, (scientific name Boiga thackerayi), after Tejas Thackeray.
• The snake feeds exclusively on tree frogs and their eggs.
Bhopal Metro to be named after Raja Bhoj
• Bhopal metro will be named after Indian King 'Raja Bhoj' and be called 'Bhoj Metro'.
• The first phase of the metro rail network Madhya Pradesh and Indore will be operational by 2023.
• Bhoj was the king in the Paramara dynasty that ruled Malwa and surrounding areas in west-central India between the 9th and
14th centuries.
Odisha launches mascot 'Tiki Mausi'
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• Odisha's Women and Child Development (WCD) department unveiled a mascot ‘Tiki Mausi’ to popularise programmes and
schemes of the department.
• Tiki Mausi will also disseminate information about various services like Sakhi centres and schemes like ‘Mamata’, ‘Biju Sishu
Surakhya Yojana’ and nutrition programmes with the active help of panchayat representatives and women self-help groups.
Rupa Gurunath becomes 1st woman to head TNCA
• Rupa Gurunath was elected unopposed as President of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA).
• She is the first woman to head a state unit of the Indian Cricket Board.
• Rupa was elected at the TNCA's 87th Annual General Meeting in Chennai.
BIS launches Green Bond
• The Bank of International Settlements (BIS) launched a fund to enable central banks around the world to invest in 'green bonds',
citing a growing demand for climate-friendly investments.
• The new fund would help central banks to incorporate environmental sustainability objectives in the management of their
reserves.
• The open-ended fund is denominated in US dollars.
RBI places Lakshmi Vilas Bank under PCA
• The Reserve Bank of India has placed the Laxmi Vilas bank under its prompt corrective action (PCA) framework.
• Under PCA, banks are mandated to cut lending to corporates and focus on reducing the concentration of loans to certain sectors.
• They are also restricted from opening new branches and paying dividends.
India ranked 44th in world digital rankings
• India was ranked 44th in the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2019 produced by the IMD World Competitiveness
Center.
• The US was ranked as the world’s most digitally competitive economy, followed by Singapore in the second place.
• The center measured the capacity and readiness of 63 nations to adopt and explore digital technologies.
Facebook to invest in tech start-ups in India
• Facebook will make substantial investments in technology start-ups in India.
• Around 1.95 start-ups are getting registered every hour in the country.
• There are 22,895 registered start-ups in the country as per the records till September 2019.
• Around 45 per cent of start-ups have come from tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
• About 9 to 10 per cent start-ups have women as founders.
20 countries including India signed agreement
• 20 countries, including France, Britain and India, have signed an agreement at the United Nations to stop the spread of fake news
on-line.
• The signatories, which also included South Africa and Canada, committed to promoting independently reported, diverse and
reliable information on the internet under an accord initiated by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
Government launched new framework
• The Union Jal Shakti Ministry’s Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), launched a 10-year national rural
sanitation strategy to sustain India’s 100 per cent Open Defecation Free (ODF) status claimed by the Centre.
• The framework, to be in place from 2019 to 2029, will ensure that people sustain their usage of toilets. It will also focus on solid
and liquid waste management.
West Bengal Government To Set Up Museum
• West Bengal government plans to set up a museum at the north Kolkata house of 19th century social reformer Ishwar Chandra
Vidyasagar.
• The museum will come up at Vidyasagar's residence at Badur Bagan area where pictures and models, chronicling his life from his
birth place will be put on display.
• Some items used by Vidyasagar will be brought out for public viewing at the museum.
CIAL won an international award
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• Cochin International Airport Ltd has been selected as the best airport in terms of services it offered to passengers, based on a
survey conducted by Airport Council International (ACI).
• CIAL was emerged the topper in 5-15 million passenger category among the airports in the Asia-Pacific region.
• It ranked amongst the best airports in the 5-15 mn category in the Asia Pacific region for 2018.
Renuka Singh inaugurated Aadi Mahotsav
• Renuka Singh, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs inaugurated Aadi Mahotsav being organised by Ministry of Tribal Affairs
in Noida.
• The theme of the festival is: A celebration of the spirit of Tribal Culture, Craft, Cuisine and Commerce.
• The festival will feature exhibition-cum-sale of tribal handicrafts, art, paintings fabric, jewellery and much more through 70 stalls.
National Tourism Awards 2017-18 presented
• Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu presented the National Tourism Awards 2017-18 on World Tourism Day in New Delhi on 27
September 2019.
• A total of 76 Awards under various categories were presented.
• On this occasion, a workshop on ‘ Tourism Jobs of the Future’ was also organized by UNWTO in collaboration with its affiliate
member in India, Outlook Responsible Tourism Initiative.
RailTel Corp Ltd posted profit of Rs.110 crore
• RailTel Corporation of India Ltd held its 19th Annual General Meeting on 27 September 2019.
• Currently 4900+stations are live with RailTel’s RailWire Wi-Fi.
• RailTel has achieved a turnover of Rs.1017 crore and posted a Profit before Tax amounting to Rs. 179 crore and net profit of
Rs.110 crore during 2018-19 on standalone basis.
• Total dividend payout for the FY 2018-19 would be Rs.64.20 cr.
Internship to be extended to students of J&K
• All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has implemented the Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme for Jammu
and Kashmir Students.
• AICTE and IIT Guwahati signed a MoU for the same.
• Under this MoU, IIT Guwahati will enrol 100 Meritorious students from Jammu and Kashmir in batches of 25, for internship at IIT
Guwahati from 1- 30 May 2020.
Indo-Kazakhstan JME KAZIND - 2019
• Joint Military Exercise KAZIND-2019 between India and Kazakhstan will be conducted at Pithoragarh from 2 to 15 October 2019.
• Exercise KAZIND-2019 is the fourth edition of an annual event which is conducted alternatively in Kazakhstan and India.
• The aim of this exercise is to conduct company level joint training with emphasis on counter terrorism operations in mountainous
terrain.
Mahatma Gandhi's letter unveiled in Israel
• A short handwritten letter by Mahatma Gandhi 80-years-ago has been unveiled for the first time by the National Library of Israel,
NLI.
• Gandhi was wishing the afflicted (Jewish) people an era of peace in the letter, written on the same day World War II broke out.
• Gandhi wrote the letter to Head of the Bombay Zionist Association, A E Shohet.
• It was written on Rosh Hashana on 1 September 1939.
Bangladesh lifted ban on Hilsa export to India
• Bangladesh will allow 500 tonnes of Hilsa fish to be exported to India as a goodwill gesture during the Durga Puja.
• Export of the popular Hilsa or 'Ilish' fish from Bangladesh was banned in 2012 after local business establishments called for
controlling the price of fishes.
• Bangladesh accounts for nearly 75% of world Hilsa production.
World’s biggest transport space ship launched
• Japan launched an unmanned H-2B rocket towards the International Space Station.
• The H-2B rocket lifted off with cargo vessel Kounotori8, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
• The launch took place from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan.
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• This Rocket is considered as the world’s biggest transport spaceship.

Infosys bagged UN Global Climate Action Award
• Infosys has received the United Nations Global Climate Action Award in the ‘Climate Neutral Now’ category.
• Infosys is the only corporate from India to earn the recognition for its efforts to combat climate change.
• The announcement of the winners was made after the UN Climate Summit in New York convened by UN Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres.
First Indigenous Fuel Cell System launched
• President Ramnath Kovind unveiled the first Indigenous High-Temperature Fuel Cell System.
• This system is developed by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under New Millennium Indian Technology
Leadership Initiative (NMITLI).
• The 5.0 kW fuel cell system generates power in a green manner using methanol / bio-methane, with heat and water as bi-
products for further use.
Deepak Punia claims world no. 1 spot in 86 kg
• In the latest rankings issued by the international wrestling federation, World Championship silver medallist wrestler Deepak
Punia has jumped to world number 1 position in 86kg category.
• But, Bajrang Punia lost the top rank in the 65kg category.
• In 57kg, world bronze medallist Ravi Dahiya has entered the top-five bracket.
• Vinesh Phogat jumped to number 2 in 53kg category.
INS Khanderi commissioned in Mumbai
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned submarine INS Khanderi in Mumbai on 28 September 2019.
• Khanderi is inspired by the fish name Kanneri found in the Arabian sea.
• Key features of the submarine include a state-of-the-art stealth technology which reduces its noise under the sea.
• Defence Minister also commissioned, INS Nilgiri, the first ship of the P-17A frigates.
Person in News
• Former India Captain Mohammad Azharuddin was elected President of the Hyderabad Cricket Association. He polled 173 votes
while his opponent Prakash Chand Jain got 73 votes. The victory marks his entry into cricket administration.
• Boman Rashid Kohinoor, senior partner at the iconic Britannia & Co (Mumbai) passed away in September 2019.
Appointments
• Former South Africa all-rounder Lance Klusener has been appointed as new Head Coach by the Afghanistan Cricket Board. Lance
Klusener is Level 4 certified coach and has served as bowling coach of Mumbai Indians in IPL.
• Air Marshal HS Arora has been appointed as the Vice Chief of Indian Air Force. He will succeed Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria who
will take over as the Chief of Air Staff.
DRDO, Central University of Jammu signed MoU
• DRDO and Central University of Jammu (CUJ) entered into a MoU for the establishment of Kalam Centre for Science and
Technology (KCST) at the university.
• The centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment leading to increase in research scholars in these areas.
• The CUJ is a Central Government funded University, established under Central Universities Act 2009,
President to visit Odisha, WB and Jharkhand
• President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal from September 27-October 1, 2019.
• On September 28, 2019, he will present Colours to Corps of Army Air Defence at Gopalpur, Odisha.
• On September 29, 2019, he will visit Vikas Bharti, Bishunpur, Gumla in Jharkhand.
• On September 30, 2019, he will grace the 33rd convocation of Ranchi University.
UP to launch industrial projects
• After laying the foundation of industrial projects worth more than Rs 1.25 trillion over the past 15 months, Uttar Pradesh
government is planning to launch additional projects totalling Rs 65,000 crore in December 2019.
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• Projects worth Rs 65,000 crore were in pipeline and the government will decide the dates for holding their groundbreaking
ceremony sometime in December.
Karnataka government partnered with Nasscom
• The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) signed a Statement of Intent and entered a strategic
collaboration with the Department of IT & BT, Government of Karnataka (KITS).
• The partnership would entail both driving their efforts towards initiatives that promote, enable and position Karnataka as the
Global ER&D destination.
Airtel Payments Bank partnered with HDFC ERGO
• Airtel Payments Bank joined hands with HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company to offer unique Mosquito Diseases Protection
Policy (MDPP) to protect against mosquito-borne diseases.
• Mosquito Disease Protection Policy offers cover against seven common mosquito-borne diseases – Dengue, Malaria,
Chikungunya, Japanese Encephalitis, Kala-azar, Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis) and Zika virus.
Int. Day for Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
• The UN observes 26 Sept every year as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.
• The day provides an occasion for the world community to reaffirm its commitment to global nuclear disarmament as a priority.
• It provides an opportunity to educate the public – and their leaders – about the real benefits of eliminating such weapons.
World Maritime Day: 26 September
• The United Nations observes 26 September every year as the World Maritime Day.
• The theme for 2019 is: Empowering women in the maritime community.
• It provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of gender equality, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable
Development Goals, and to highlight the important yet under-utilized contribution of women within the maritime sector.
Payal Jangid received the Changemaker Award
• Payal Jangid became the 1st Indian to receive the Changemaker Award 2019 at the Goalkeepers Global Goals Awards 2019.
• The Award was presented by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at a ceremony held in New York, US.
• She is the President of her village’s Bal Panchayat.
• She was awarded for her work towards the abolition of child marriage in her village and other neighbouring areas.
Gen Bipin Rawat: New Chairman, COSC
• Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat will take over as the new Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.
• He is succeeding Indian Air Force chief, Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa, who retires from service in Sept 2019.
• The Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) comprises chiefs of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force and the senior-most member is
appointed its chairperson.
• He will retire at the end of 2019.
Facebook bagged digital content rights for ICC
• The International Cricket Council has inked an agreement with Facebook.
• Under this, the social media platform will get exclusive digital content rights for select cricket matches in the Indian subcontinent
including the Women’s T20 World Cup 2020-22, Men’s T20 World Cup 2020-21.
• The social media platform also bagged the rights for match recaps for rest of the world for the next 4 years.
Pranab Mukherjee launched a book
• Former president Pranab Mukherjee released a book written by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy that tracks the country's economic
development over the years and offers solutions for future growth.
• The book is titled 'Reset: Regaining India's Economic Legacy'.
• Swamy is an outspoken figure who has often criticised the economic policies of the Modi government.
Global Goals Jam 3.0 organised
• World University of Design (WUD) hosted Global Goals Jam 3.0.
• The Indian edition of the global event focusing on design thinking and service design methodologies was hosted with the theme:
eWaste.
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• 70 participants from across India, divided into ten groups, participated in the workshop and presented their ideas and vision for
the future.
World Tourism Day: 27 September
• The United Nations observes 27 September every year as World Tourism Day.
• The UN World Tourism Organization expects that tourism will continue to grow at an average of 3% annually until 2030.
• The sector also represents an estimated 10% of the world’s GDP and 1 in 10 jobs globally.
• Theme for 2019: Tourism and Jobs: A Better Future For All.
UP govt announced aid for triple talaq victims
• CM of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath announced an annual support of ₹6,000 to the victims of triple talaq till their rehabilitation
and they will get free legal aid.
• The victims of triple talaq come under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK).
• Govt will give rights over waqf properties and also call for several welfare measures that should be undertaken for their
rehabilitation.
Singapore - India Hackathon to be organised
• To promote innovation, 2nd edition of Singapore - India Hackathon will be organised at IIT Madras, Chennai from Sep 28 -29,
2019.
• India-Singapore Hackathon is the first of its kind joint International hackathon between India and Singapore during which the
selected bright students from India and Singapore will work in collaboration to develop innovative and out-of-the- box solutions.
2nd Uday Express at Visakhapatnam flagged off
• The minister of state for Railways Suresh Angadi flagged off second Uday Express on 26 September 2019 at Visakhapatnam.
• The double ducker express will run from Visakhapatnam to Vijayawada.
• The first Uday Express runs from Coimbatore to Bangalore.
• Rs.50 lach crores will be invested for the betterment of Railways in the coming 10 years.
PM Modi held talks with Iranian President
• PM Narendra Modi met Iranian President Dr Hassan Rouhani on the sidelines of the High-Level Segment of the 74th Session of
United Nations General Assembly in New York on 26 September 2019.
• They discussed bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest.
• It was agreed to mark the 70th Anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations in 2020.
Govt approved construction of 1.23 lakh houses
• Centre has approved construction of 1.23 lakh more houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban).
• The 47th Central Sanctioning And Monitoring Committee approved 630 proposals from participating states for construction of
1.23 lakh houses with an overall investment of 4,988 crore rupees.
• The commitment from government as central assistance will be 1,805 crore rupees.
PM Modi addressed UN General Assembly
• PM Narendra Modi addressed 74th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York on 27 September 2019.
• He highlighted his government's key initiatives towards poverty alleviation, affordable healthcare and steps taken to combat
terrorism and climate change.
• It focused on establishing India's aspiration at the global level apart from talking tough on terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
Delhi HC launched mobile app for lawyers
• The Delhi HC launched an official mobile application for providing digital access of its services to lawyers and litigants.
• The application provides details of case status, display board, cause list and access to other important links of the high court
website.
• The advocates registered with the High Court's e-filing software will also be able to apply for e-inspection and online gate pass.
Person in News
• French former-President Jacques Chirac, a center-right politician who led the country between 1995 and 2007, passed away in
September 2019. He earned the nickname Le Bulldozer early in his career due to his drive and ambition.
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• The EC appointed Shurbir Singh, belonging to the AGMUT cadre as the new Chief Electoral Officer of Puducherry. He is presently
Secretary to the territorial government.
INS Tarkash At Maputo, Mozambique
• As part of Indian Navy's Overseas Deployment to Africa, Europe and Russia, Indian Naval Ship Tarkash arrived at Maputo,
Mozambique on 25 Sep 19 for a 3-day visit.
• INS Tarkash, commanded by Captain Sathish Vasudev, is a potent frontline frigate of the Indian Navy equipped with a versatile
range of weapons and sensors.
National Water Mission Awards 2019 presented
• NWM, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti has initiated the
‘National Water Mission Awards’ to recognize excellence in water conservation, and efficient water use.
• NWM has 5 goals and 39 strategies prescribed in the Mission Document.
• The awards are given in 10 categories defined under 5 goals of NWM.
SBI Life signed pact with Repco Home Finance
• SBI Life Insurance has signed a corporate agency agreement with Repco Home Finance Ltd to offer the company’s range of
products to RHFL customers.
• According to the agreement, the partnership would see over 148 branches and 27 satellite centres of RHFL spread across the
country to offer SBI Life Insurance products to its customers.
ICG Ship ICGS Varaha commissioned
• Defense Minister Rajnath Singh formally commissioned the Indian Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel ‘Varaha’ at the Chennai
Port Trust.
• The vessel includes Integrated Bridge System, automated power management system, high power external firefighting system,
etc.
• It also carries 4 high speed boats including two rigid hull inflated boats for boarding operation.
'Professor Ayushman' comic book released
• A new comic book series ‘Professor Ayushman’ conceived by the National Medicinal Plants Board(NMPB) was unveiled by the
Ayush ministry in New Delhi.
• This book will raise awareness in children about the importance of medicinal plants and their usage.
• The comic book, conceived by the NMPB talks about plants like Aloe Vera, Tulsi, Amla, Giloy, Neem, Ashvagandha and Brahmi.
Malabar 2019 trilat. maritime exercise began
• The 23rd edition of the trilateral maritime exercise of India, Japan and the United States(US) named Malabar 2019 began at
Sasebo, Japan on 26 September 2019.
• 2 frontline indigenously designed and built Indian naval ships -- multi-purpose guided-missile frigate Sahyadri and ASW Corvette
Kiltan arrived at Sasebo to participate in the exercise.
Exchange of programmes b/w India & Bangladesh
• Exchange of programmes between Akashvani Maitree and Bangladesh Betar will begin from 1 December 2019.
• A MoU was signed between India and Bangladesh to this effect during launching of Maitree Channel in 2016.
• The main aim of the channel is strengthening relations between two countries through joint Radio productions besides catering
proper information through current affairs programmes.
112 emergency helpline no. launched in Delhi
• A single emergency number -112- was launched for police, fire and ambulance emergency services.
• Now, the citizens of Delhi can avail the facility of all these three emergency services by dialing the number - 112.
• This call immediately passes to the Control Room.
• Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy inaugurated the Emergency Response Support System.
Housing loan subsidy scheme launched in Assam
• The Assam Government launched a housing loan subsidy scheme to provide financial assistance on purchase or construction of
the first house for a family.
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• Subsidy up to 2 lakh 50 thousand rupees will be provided for loan amounts from 5 lakh to 40 lakh rupees.
• This scheme is meant for the loan sanctioned in this financial year.
• This initiative would provide impetus to the economy.
Pankaj Advani-Aditya Mehta won Snooker title
• The Indian duo of Pankaj Advani and Aditya Mehta won the IBSF World Snooker Team title at Mandalay, Myanmar on 25
September 2019.
• The Indian pair beat Thailand's team comprising C.Pongsakorn and D.Poramin by 5-2 in the final.
• This takes Advani's world title tally to a phenomenal 23 while Aditya claimed his maiden title.
• He had also won the world billiards event at Mandalay recently.
PT Usha honoured with IAAF Veteran Pin
• International Association of Athletic Federations, (IAAF) honoured the Indian track and field legend PT Usha with a Veteran Pin in
recognition of her contribution to the growth of the sport.
• IAAF chief Sebastian Coe presented her the Veteran Pin during the 52nd IAAF Congress at Doha.
• At the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games, she won silver medals in 100m and 200m events.
Rohit Sharma moved up to 8th in T20 rankings
• Rohit Sharma moved up a place to world number eight in the latest ICC T20 Rankings for batsmen, released in Dubai on 25
September 2019.
• Rohit is tied at the eighth spot with England's Alex Hales.
• India skipper Virat Kohli gained one spot and reached 11th in the list.
• In the T20 team rankings, India is placed fourth, South Africa 3rd and England 2nd. Pakistan tops the list.
Tripartite mechanism for Rohingya Repatriation
• Bangladesh, Myanmar and China have agreed to form a tripartite joint working mechanism to oversee the repatriation process of
Rohingyas to Myanmar.
• Myanmar and Bangladesh already have a joint working group and China is only helping the two countries in implementing the
agreements they already have.
• Bangladesh has more than nine lakh Rohingya refugees.
1st India-Caribbean leaders summit held
• PM Narendra Modi met the leaders of the Caribbean Community and Common Market during the first-ever India-Caricom
leaders' summit in New York on 25 September 2019.
• The meet focused on fighting climate change and increasing India's participation with the grouping.
• Mr Modi announced a 14 million US dollar grant for community development projects in the Caricom.
National unity award named after Sardar Patel
• The Centre has instituted the highest civilian award for contribution to the unity and integrity of India, in the name of Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel.
• The award seeks to recognize notable and inspiring contributions to promote the cause of national unity and integrity and to
reinforce the value of a strong and united India.
• The award will be announced on National Unity Day on 31 October 2019.
PM Modi delivered keynote address
• PM Modi delivered a keynote address at the third edition of Bloomberg Global Business Forum in New York.
• Bloomberg Global Business Forum meet is an annual event organized by philanthropist Michael Bloomberg.
• The theme for 2019 - Restoring Global Stability.
• India is going to invest 1.3 trillion dollars in modern infrastructure in the coming years.
India committed to eradicate TB before 2025
• Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan launched 'TB HAREGA DESH JEETEGA' campaign in New Delhi on 25
September 2019.
• India is committed to eradicate TB before 2025.
• One-third of the people in the world have TB bacteria, and 10 per cent of them can become a victim of TB at any time.
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• People who have been cured of TB will be made campaign ambassadors.

9th India-China Financial Dialogue held
• 9th India-China Financial Dialogue was held in New Delhi on 25 September 2019.
• A high-level Chinese delegation led by Ms. Zou Jiayi, Vice Minister, Ministry of Finance, China interacted with the Indian
delegation.
• The India-China Financial Dialogue is a mechanism between the two countries with an aim to promote cooperation in the
financial sector.
Appointments
• Bulgaria's Kristalina Georgieva has been selected as the new head of the International Monetary Fund. She will succeed Christine
Lagarde for a five-year term from October 2019.
• The President of Athletics Federation of India, Adille Sumariwalla was re-elected as member of the Council of International
Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for a second four-year term.
Person in News
• Visa has signed up world badminton champion Pusarla Venkata Sindhu as its brand ambassador for two years. Sindhu has also
become an athlete member of Team Visa for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
• Telugu comedian Venu Madhav passed away in September 2019. Venu got his first major break with Sampradayam (1996), which
also marked his debut in the Telugu film industry.
Malvika claimed her maiden title
• Indian shuttler Malvika Bansod has won the Maldives International Future Series held in the Maldives, in badminton.
• She defeated Myanmar’s Thet Htar Thuzar by 21-13, 21-11 to win the Maldives International Future Series.
• Also, Vaibhav and Prakash Raj claimed the men’s doubles title after beating Thailand’s Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Panitchaphon
Teeraratsakul by 21-16 and 21-15.
Pink tickets for women for free travel in DTC
• Pink tickets will be issued to women passengers under the Delhi government’s scheme for free travel in DTC and cluster buses
which was approved by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) board.
• The scheme has been approved till March 2020 and it will be rolled out on Bhai Dooj on 29 Oct 2019.
• Women travelling in DTC and cluster buses will be given pink tickets having a face value of ₹10 each.
Appointments
• Madhuri Dixit has been chosen as 'goodwill ambassador' by the Chief Electoral Office in Maharashtra to create awareness among
people about the importance of voting.
• Dr. Rhondemo Kikon is appointed as DAAD young ambassador. German academic exchange services or DAAD is the world’s
largest funding organisation for the international exchange of students & researchers since its inception in 1925.
SEBI penalised Aurobindo Pharma
• SEBI has imposed a penalty of over Rs 22 crore on Aurobindo Pharma and its promoters.
• They have been penalised for violating insider trading norms.
• The regulator had conducted an investigation into the trading in the scrip of Aurobindo Pharma Ltd.
• SEBI found that these entities purchased shares while in possession of the UPSI pertaining to Aurobindo, and made unlawful
gains.
Wipro tied up with FEBRABAN
• Wipro has tied up with FEBRABAN, an industry body representing the Brazil’s financial services industry.
• Wipro will develop an online platform Noomis for the financial services industry in Brazil.
• Noomis will serve as a meeting point and a discussion platform for the finance professionals in Brazil who will participate in CIAB,
an information technology trade show.
Exercise Tiger Triumph to be held In November
• India and the United States are set to hold their first tri-services exercise code-named Tiger Triumph at Visakhapatnam and
Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh in Nov 2019.
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• The plan for this exercise was discussed during the Final Planning Conference for India-US Tri-Services Humanitarian Aid and
Disaster Relief.
• For the first time, the US and India will be holding the tri-service military exercise.
1969 moon landing lab to be demolished in 2020
• NASA has said that the Houston building where Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong and his colleagues emerged from quarantine
after their 1969 moon mission has fallen into disrepair and will be demolished.
• The Lunar Receiving Laboratory at Johnson Space Center hasn't been used for two years and will likely be torn down in 2020.
• It was designed to isolate the astronauts and lunar rock samples.
Koneru Humpy won Grand Prix
• Koneru Hampi of Gudivada clinched Fide World Grand Prix 2019 title with 8 points from 11 rounds in Skolkovo, Russia.
• In the final round, Hampi just needed a draw with top seed Ju Wenjun of China to win the title.
• She is the third strongest female player of all time, behind Judit Polgar and Hou.
• She is ranked fourth in the world at the moment.
Ramanujan prize for U.K. mathematician
• The SASTRA Ramanujan prize for 2019 will be awarded to Adam Harper.
• Mathematician Adam Harper is an Assistant Professor with the University of Warwick, England.
• The prize is conferred annually on mathematicians from across the world who are less than 32 years of age and working in an
area influenced by the genius Srinivasa Ramanujan.
• The prize carries a citation and an award of $10,000.
Swachhata hi Seva Abhiyan to be observed in MP
• Madhya Pradesh government launched a month-long Swachhata hi Seva Abhiyan from September 25 till October 25, 2019,
against the single-use plastic.
• During the campaign, various awareness programmes will be conducted in urban bodies.
• The campaign will encourage alternatives by eliminating single-use plastic and non-standard polythene in markets, malls and
shops etc.
J&K issued highest number of golden cards
• J&K has become the 1st state in India to issue highest number of golden cards under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan
Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
• Over 11 lakh golden cards have been generated within first 90 days.
• Under the scheme, 155 Hospitals including 126 public and 29 private hospitals have been empanelled to provide free and
cashless treatment to the entitled beneficiaries.
Manipur clinched 25th Senior Women's NFC
• Manipur clinched the title of the 25th Senior Women's National Football Championship.
• It is their 20th title.
• In the final on 24 September 2019, Manipur defeated Railways 1-0 in a thrilling contest.
• Bala Devi is the highest scorer in the tournament with 20 goals.
• Railways’ Sanju was declared the Player of the tournament.
• Arunachal Pradesh hosted the tournament for the 1st time.
India won 1 gold, 2 silver in Swimming C'ships
• In Swimming, India won a gold and two silver medals at the Asian Age Group Championships in Bengaluru on 24 September 2019.
• Men's relay team opened India's account with a gold.
• In the women's 4x100m freestyle relay for open category, the Indian team won the silver medal with a total time of 4 mins and
00.76 sec.
• India's 2nd silver medal came in the 4x100m freestyle relay for group II boys.
Amitabh named for Dada Sahab Phalke award
• Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan has been named for the prestigious Dada Sahab Phalke award for his outstanding contribution
to the film industry.
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• The award is conferred by the Government for outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian Cinema.
• It consists of a Swarn Kamal and a cash prize of ten lakh rupees.
Amit Shah launched a new portal
• Home Minister Amit Shah launched the Private Security Agency Licensing Portal at a function in New Delhi on 25 September
2019.
• The portal will become functional in all official languages like Hindi, Gujarati, Telugu and Tamil within three months.
• The number of licensed agencies in the states will also be available on the portal so that people do not fall prey to the
fraudulent agencies.
Gandhi Solar Park inaugurated at UN HQs
• PM Modi along with others world leaders inaugurated the Gandhi Solar Park at the UN headquarters and released a
commemorative stamp issued by the UN on the occasion of Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary.
• The platform is a living example that Mahatma Gandhi was from India but did not belong only to India.
• Gandhiji had stressed on the real strength of democracy.
PM Modi received Global Goalkeeper award
• PM Narendra Modi was conferred the "Global Goalkeeper" award by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the Swachh
Bharat Abhiyan launched by his government.
• Over 11 crore toilets were built in the country in the last five years, which is a record.
• The cleanliness campaign was launched by the Modi government during its first term on October 2, 2014.
India announced 12 million dollar grant
• PM Narendra Modi met leaders of the Pacific Islands Developing States (PSIDS) on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly
session in New York.
• He announced the allocation of 12 million US Dollar grant towards the implementation of high impact developmental project.
• He also announced a Distinguished Visitors Programme under which eminent persons from these countries can visit India.
Appointments
• Godavarthi Venkata Srinivas was appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Guinea Bissau. He will succeed
Partha Satpathy. He is presently the country’s Ambassador to the Republic of Senegal.
• Nilesh Shah, MD of Kotak Asset Management Company (AMC), has been appointed as the new chairman of the Association of
Mutual Funds in India (AMFI).
Person in News
• National women’s badminton coach Kim Ji-Hyun has stepped down from her post of National women’s coach of India. She has
played a vital role in helping P.V. Sindhu win the 2019 badminton World Championship gold.
• Animation producer J. Michael Mendel, known for his work on 'The Simpsons' and 'Rick and Morty' passed away in September
2019. He was a four-time Emmy award-winner.
India's 2nd largest railway overbridge in WB
• The Indian Railways has completed the construction of the giant four-lane cable-stayed railway overbridge (RoB) at Burdwan
Junction in West Bengal.
• The RoB, considered to be the second largest in the country will be inaugurated by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.
• The railway overbridge was completed in 197 days without affecting traffic for even a single day.
India to increase non-fossil fuels share
• World leaders have gathered in New York on 23 September 2019 for the United Nations Secretary General (UNSG) Climate Action
Summit.
• India is going to increase the share of non-fossil fuels to 175GW by 2022, and to further increase it to 450GW, announced PM
Narendra Modi.
• He also informed that India has launched the Jal Jeevan mission for water conservation and rainwater harvesting.
‘India Tourism Mart 2019’ inaugurated
• Nitin Gadkari and Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated the India Tourism Mart (ITM) 2019 in New Delhi on 23 September 2019.
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• The Ministry of Tourism and the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) have jointly organized this
Mart.
• Over 240 international delegates from 51 countries and 160 exhibitors from across the country are taking part in the second
edition of ITM.
ECI appointed 2 Special Expenditure Observers
• The Election Commission of India appointed two ex-Indian Revenue Service officers – Ms Madhu Mahajan and B Murali Kumar as
Special Expenditure Observers for the forthcoming Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra.
• They will be supervising and monitoring the work being done by the electoral machinery and ensure that stringent and effective
enforcement action is undertaken.
Davo Karnicar passed away
• Davo Karnicar, a skier passed away in September 2019.
• Davo Karnicar, in 1995, was the first skier to make a successful descent from the summit of Annapurna in Nepal.
• On Oct. 7, 2000, Davo Karnicar’s fervor for extreme skiing took him to the summit of Mount Everest.
• His goal: ski nonstop to base camp, 12,000 feet down — a feat no one had yet achieved.
Kiren Rijiju felicitated Amit and Manish
• Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju felicitated boxers Amit Panghal and Manish Kaushik with cash awards for their medal winning
performances in the Men’s World Championships in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
• Panghal was handed a cash award of Rs 14 lakh for his silver medal winning effort in 52kg category, Kaushik received Rs 8 lakh for
winning the bronze in the 63kg.
Messi won FIFA player of the year awards
• Lionel Messi won his 6th FIFA player of the year award, while Megan Rapinoe won her first at Milan’s iconic Teatro all Scala on 24
September 2019.
• Rapinoe was rewarded at the FIFA Best awards for leading the US to the women’s World Cup title in July 2019.
• She scored six goals in the tournament, earning her the Golden Boot for the tournament’s top scorer and the Golden Ball as the
top player.
Rajnath Singh on 2-day visit to Chennai
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh embarked on a 2-day visit to Chennai on 24 September 2019 to attend the investiture ceremony
of Indian Coast Guard.
• The Defence Minister will also be taking part in the commissioning ceremony of the ship 'ICGS Varaha'.
• On September 19, Singh had scripted history by becoming the first Defence Minister to fly the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) 'Tejas'.
Govt announced new medical college in Leh
• The Central government on September 23, 2019, announced a new medical college for the Leh district of Ladakh region.
• The Health and Medical Education Department has prepared a detailed project report (DPR) for construction of government
medical college as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare for the opening of 75 new medical
colleges throughout the country.
Ponung Doming created history
• Ponung Doming, created history after she became the first woman officer from Arunachal Pradesh to hold the rank of Lieutenant
Colonel in the Indian Army.
• She was elevated to the post of a Lieutenant Colonel on 23 September 2019.
• Wing Commander Shaliza Dhami became the first woman officer of the Indian Air Force to be elevated as the Flight Commander
of a flying unit in August 2019.
HDFC Bank to organise 1,000 grameen loan melas
• HDFC Bank plans to organise 1,000 Grameen Loan Melas over the next six months.
• The Grameen Loan Melas or village loan fairs will be held across more than 300 districts and cover around 6,000 villages across
India and will be a one-stop shop for people from five to six nearby villages.
• Local residents can avail tractor loans, auto loans, two-wheeler loans, agri loans, etc.
PM Modi addressed UNSG Climate Action Summit
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• PM Narendra Modi addressed the UN Climate Action Summit in New York and initiated Coalition for Disaster Resilient
Infrastructure.
• He announced that India will take the leadership launching Coalition of Disaster Resilient Infrastructure in partnership with
Sweden.
• This is the second global initiative after the International Solar Alliance where India is taking the lead.
71st Emmy Awards 2019 declared- I
• The 71st Emmy Awards were held in Los Angeles on 22 September 2019.
• Game of Thrones wrapped up its run with an Emmy for best drama series -- and 12 total for its final season.
• Outstanding Comedy Series was won by Fleabag.
• Bill Porter received Lead Actor, Drama for Pose.
• Jodie Comer received Lead Actress, Drama for Killing Eve.
• Bill Harder received Lead Actor for Comedy for Barry.
71st Emmy Awards 2019 declared- II
• Chernobyl won Outstanding Limited Series.
• Black Mirror: Bandersnatch won Outstanding Television Movie.
• Phoebe Waller won Lead Actress, Comedy for Fleabag.
• Peter Dinklage won Supporting Actor for Drama for Game of Thrones.
• Julia Garner won Supporting Actress for Ozark.
• Jharrel Jerome and Michelle Williams won Lead Actor and Actress for Limited Series or Movie.
Ravish received Gauri Lankesh National Award
• Senior journalist and Ramon Magsaysay awardee, Ravish Kumar has received the 1st Gauri Lankesh National Award for
Journalism.
• The award was conferred by the Gauri Lankesh Memorial Trust.
• The award was presented to him by freedom fighter H.S. Doreswamy.
• Three books, Neera Nade by Vinaya Okkunda, Dehali Nota by D. Umapathy, and Maatige Enu Kadime, by Harshakumar Kugwe,
were released.
‘Tejas Express’ ready to hit tracks on Oct 4
• In Uttar Pradesh, country's first corporate-run train from Lucknow to Delhi, Tejas Express is all ready to hit the tracks on 4th of
October 2019.
• Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will flag off the train from Lucknow which will be run by IRCTC.
• The train will run 6 days in a week with advance coaches and it will be the fastest train between Lucknow and Delhi.
Muzaffarpur Administration launched drives
• In Bihar, Muzaffarpur District Administration launched several drives for nutritional, sanitation needs and medical facilities for
Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) affected blocks.
• 5 blocks of the district Mushari, Bochahan, Motipur, Kanti and Minapur are said to be epicentre of AES, which claimed lives of
160 children.
• Affected families are being given facilities at their doorsteps.
Government launched ‘UMMID’ initiative
• Science and Technology and Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launched ‘UMMID’ initiative to tackle inherited genetic diseases
of newborn babies.
• The new initiative aims at creating awareness about genetic disorders amongst clinicians and establish molecular diagnostics in
hospitals.
• He also inaugurated NIDAN (National Inherited Diseases Administration) Kendras.
Sports News
• Indian tennis player Divij Sharan clinched the men's doubles title in the St. Petersburg Open with partner Igor Zelenay on 22
September 2019, defeating Matteo Berrettini and Simone Bolelli.
• Daniil Medvedev won a sixth career title as he defeated Borna Coric in the final of the St Petersburg Open, Russia. World no. 4
Medvedev won his third title of the year and sixth of his career.
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Sports News
• Carolina Marin defeated Taiwan’s Tai Tzu Ying 1 in the women’s badminton singles final match to lift the China Open title. She
returned to the court after 8 months.
• Ferrari Sebastian Vettel has won the Singapore Grand Prix. The event was held at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore.
Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen finished the race at 2nd and 3rd position respectively.
Anushka Sharma on Fortune India’s list
• Actress Anushka Sharma has been named in the Fortune India’s top 50 list of Most Powerful Women of 2019.
• The actress is the youngest woman on the list and ranks at 39.
• She is also the only Bollywood actor to feature on the list.
• Co founder of AZB & Partners, Zia Mody topped the list.
World Rose Day 2019: 22 September
• Every year Sept 22 is observed as World Rose Day.
• This day, celebrated in the memory of 12-year-old Melinda Rose from Canada, aims at introducing sparks of happiness into the
lives of people who are fighting cancer.
• Melinda Rose was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer, Askin’s Tumour.
• While doctors said she wouldn’t survive more than a couple of weeks, she lived on for 6 months.
Nigam won Magnificent Performing Arts Award
• Sonu Nigam was honoured with the Magnificent Performing Arts Award at the annual 21st Century Icon Awards in London.
• Nigam was among a host of winners across a range of categories at a gala awards ceremony.
• The 21st Century Icon Awards were initiated by UK-based Indian-origin entrepreneurs and co-founders of Squared Watermelon
Ltd. Tarun Ghulati and Preeti Rana.
Bihar inaugurated 1st all-women employee PO
• The state of Bihar got its first all-women employee post office on 21 September 2019.
• Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad inaugurated the post office on the campus of Bihar Public Services Commission (BPSC).
• Sub-post office of BPSC has been upgraded to the status of Bihar's first all-women employee post office.
• Postal accounts will also be linked with Aadhaar for greater transparency.
Petronet LNG signed deal with Tellurian Inc
• Petronet LNG Ltd, India's biggest liquefied natural gas importer, signed a preliminary deal to buy a stake in Tellurian Inc's
proposed Driftwood project in Louisiana and import 5 million tonnes a year of LNG.
• The deal is worth about USD 2.5 billion.
• The deal was signed in Houston in the presence of PM Modi.
• The estimated cost of the agreement is $7.5 billion.
International Day of Sign Languages: 23 Sept
• International Day of Sign Languages is observed on 23 September globally.
• The day aims to create awareness to bring out the importance of sign language in the full realization of the human rights of
people who are deaf.
• It also aims to preserve the sign languages as a part of linguistic and cultural diversity.
• The theme for the year 2019 is Sign Language Rights for All!
Arvind Kejriwal launched ‘champions campaign’
• CM Arvind Kejriwal launched Champions Campaign to fight dengue and urged citizens to become ‘champions’ and encourage 10
friends to check their homes for mosquito larvae.
• Earlier, he had also launched 10Hafte 10Baje 10Minute campaign.
• He had urged the Delhi residents to give 10 minutes every Sunday to check the surroundings to prevent the breeding of dengue-
carrier mosquitoes.
CBDT sets up NeAC in New Delhi
• Central Board of Direct Tax(CBDT) has newly set up National e-Assessment Centre (NeAC) in Delhi.
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• CBDT has also appointed 1984 batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Krishna Mohan Prasad as the first Principal Chief
Commissioner of Income Tax of NeAC.
• The Centre will have 16 officials and will be headed by a Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-tax (PCCIT) as its chief.
Max Bupa and Indian Bank signed bancassurance
• Indian Bank signed a bancassurance agreement with Max Bupa to provide Max Bupa’s suite of health insurance products to its
customers.
• Under the agreement, Max Bupa will provide comprehensive health insurance solutions and services to over 40 million
customers of Indian Bank spread across 2800 branch network, through a slew of digital touchpoints.
Gully Boy is India’s entry for Oscars
• Bollywood film, Gully Boy was selected as India's official entry in the International Feature Film category at the Oscars.
• The film is directed by Zoya Akhtar and stars Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt in lead roles.
• It is a coming-of-age drama centred around the life of a rapper Murad, portrayed by Ranveer.
• The film was inspired by the real-life stories of Mumbai rappers Divine and Naezy.
UP celebrated first anniversary of PMJAY
• Uttar Pradesh celebrated the first anniversary of PM Jan Arogya Yojna, as Ayushman Bharat Day on 23 September 2019.
• Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath felicitated the beneficiaries and volunteers called Ayushman Mitra in a function in Lucknow.
• Under the scheme, more than 36 lakh golden cards have been issued in the last one year in the state.
20 Nat. Centres of Excellence to be created
• Ministry of Sports will create 20 National Centres of Excellence to groom athletes for 2024 and 2028 Olympics.
• Each Centre of Excellence will offer funds for four to six specific sports.
• The new scheme will ensure that athletes in the same premises have access to similar facilities unlike before.
• Standardising training will enable athletes to attain much higher performances.
Special schedule for Heritage Hill Railway
• In Tamil Nadu, the Southern Railways announced a special schedule for the Heritage Hill Railway from Udhagamandalam to
Mettupalayam.
• Special trips of the mountain train will be run on all weekends from October 5 to November 29, 2019.
• This coincides with the second flower season in the world-renowned hill station.
• It will have halts at Kallar, Hill Grove, Aruvankadu, Wellington and Coonoor.
DCD awarded licences to 18 places of worship
• The Department of Community Development (DCD) in Abu Dhabi awarded licences for the existing 18 non-Muslim places of
worship in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; 17 churches and the BAPS Hindu Mandir which is under construction in Abu Dhabi.
• Pujya Brahmavihari Swami and Dr B. R. Shetty on behalf of the Board of Directors accepted the license TH001 at a formal
ceremony at the Emirates Palace.
5-year period set to be hottest on record
• A new UN report has said the world is badly lagging behind in the race to avert climate disaster as a result of runaway warming.
• The report said that the five-year period ending 2019 is set to be the hottest ever.
• The period is currently estimated to be 1.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial (1850-1900) times and 0.2 degrees Celsius
warmer than 2011-2015.
Rahul Aware won bronze in 61 kg category
• Rahul Aware won a bronze medal in men's 61 kg freestyle category at the World Championship in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
• he beat American Tyler Lee Graff 11-4.
• This, however, was not an Olympic category and thus the bronze did not help Aware qualify for the Tokyo Games.
• It was India’s fifth medal at this edition of the World Championships with a total haul of 1 silver and 4 bronzes.
National workshop on Post Disaster organized
• National Institute of Disaster Management organized a day-long National Workshop on Post Disaster Needs Assessment in New
Delhi on 23 September 2019.
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• Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai was the Chief Guest on this occasion.
• The workshop discussed the issues and challenges faced by states in the assessment of damage and loss.
Obituaries
• India Test opener for seven Test matches in the early 1950s Madhav Apte passed away in September 2019. He played 67 first-
class matches, scored 3336 runs, with six centuries and 16 half centuries.
• Noted American Journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Skinner Boyd passed away. He shared a 1973 Pulitzer Prize with
colleague Clark Hoyt.
Appointments
• Madhukar Kamath was elected as the chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) for 2019-20. He will replace Hormusji N
Cama. He presently served as the chairman emeritus of DDB Mudra group and mentor of Interbrand India.
• IDBI Bank’s Board of Directors approved the appointment of Samuel Joseph Jebaraj as Deputy Managing Director (DMD) for a
period of 3 years.
Person in News
• Bollywood’s famous horror film producer Shyam Ramsay passed away in September 2019. He helmed horror movies like Andhera
(1975), Saboot (1980), Purana Mandir (1984), Purani Haveli (1989), Dhund: The Fog (2003), Koi Hai (2017).
• InterGlobe Aviation Limited operated IndiGo, approved the appointment of advocate Pallavi Shardul Shroff as an independent
woman director in the company.
'ERSS- Dial 112' launched
• Union Minister for Home Affairs, Amit Shah launched three citizen-centric services of the Chandigarh Police on 20 September
2019.
• The services include the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS - Dial 112), ‘E-Beat Book’ System and the ‘E-Saathi App’.
• ERSS is one of the key projects of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs under the Nirbhaya Fund.
Sardar Patel National Unity Award constituted
• The Union Home Ministry said that Sardar Patel National Unity Award, a new honour for outstanding efforts to further national
integration on the pattern of Padma awards will be bestowed annually to an individual or any institution or organisation.
• It said that any person without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex shall be eligible for the award.
RBI tightens norms for failed transactions
• The Reserve Bank of India prescribed a turnaround time (TAT) for banks to settle failed transactions for customers and also
notified compensations payable for various types of customer complaints.
• The timeline for auto-reversal has been set at between one day after the transaction to five days.
• Most financial compensations have been set at ₹100 per day if the reversal does not happen.
Saudi Arabia wins membership in IAEA Board
• Saudi Arabia has won a membership in the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for a period of
two years 2019-2021.
• The election was held in the 63rd session of the IAEA General Conference held in Vienna, Austria.
• The board is responsible for making most of the policy of the IAEA and makes recommendations to the General Conference on
IAEA activities.
Raghu Rai wins international photography award
• Renowned Indian photographer Raghu Rai has been chosen as the first recipient of the inaugural edition of the 'Acadmie des
beaux-arts Photography Award - William Klein'.
• The award is in honour of the photographer and filmmaker William Klein, best known for his unusual photography techniques.
• The prize is intended to reward a photographer for their entire career
Mukhya Mantri Seva Sankalp helpline launched
• Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur launched Mukhya Mantri Seva Sankalp Helpline '1100' for the speedy and time-bound
redressal of public grievances.
• The people of the State would now be able to register their complaints online and also monitor the progress of the complaint.
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• 56 departments of the State has been involved in this helpline by geo-mapping and geo-tagging.
National Police University to be set up in UP
• India ’s first central police university, 'National Police University', will be set-up in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
• It will offer the students formal education programmes leading to the award of bachelor's, masters' and doctoral degrees as well
as PG Diploma in policing sciences.
• States like Rajasthan, Gujarat and Jharkhand already have dedicated police universities.
Visa & BillDesk signed an agreement
• Visa and BillDesk have partnered to roll out of SI-Hub.
• SI-Hub is a seamless and secure way to make recurring payments using cards with a one-time enrollment.
• With this, the banks and merchants will be able to offer recurring payments/ standing instructions (SI) services to their
cardholders to help manage payment across utilities, subscription services etc.
Govt waives lock in period for IDF bonds
• The government of India has waived the three-year lock-in period on investments made by non-residents in Infrastructure Debt
Funds (IDFs), to promote funding in the infrastructure sector.
• To attract off-shore investments into IDFs, any amount of interest received by non-resident or foreign company from investment
in such IDFs is charged at a reduced tax rate of 5%.
Greta Thunberg wins human rights award
• Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg and the Fridays for Future youth movement received Amnesty International’s
‘Ambassadors of Conscience’ award.
• The award was given for their work highlighting the need for urgent action to avert climate disaster.
ISRO & DRDO join hands for Gaganyaan project
• ISRO signed a set of MoUs with various DRDO (Defence Research Development Organisation) labs to develop technologies
specific to the Gaganyaan Mission.
• Some of the critical technologies to be provided include space food, space crew health monitoring, emergency survival kit, and
parachutes for the safe recovery of the crew module and others.
Meghalaya wins Subroto Cup U-17 Category
• Meghalaya's Hopewel Elias Higher Secondary School won the U-17 junior boys Subroto Cup football tournament.
• They defeated Krida Shiksha Prothishtan (BKSP) of Bangladesh in the final match.
• The winning team will take home a sum of Rs 4,00,000 and the runners-up will be walking away with prize money of Rs 2,50,000.
UAE tops in investments by non-residents
• According to the Reserve Bank of India’s, ‘Survey of Foreign Liabilities and Assets of Mutual Fund Companies, 2018-19’, Non-
residents’ (NRIs’) investments in Indian mutual funds are up by nearly a tenth and is now approaching Rs 1 trillion.
• The UAE, the UK and the US were the largest investors together accounting for one-third of the MF units.
Maha to set up Swachh Bharat World University
• The Government of Maharashtra has decided to set up ‘Swachh Bharat World University’ in Wardha to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s
150th birth anniversary.
• The University will focus on research studies in sanitation, cleanliness and environment.
• The State has formed a committee headed by the Minister of Education Vinod Tawde to look into the requirements of the
University.
OECD slashes India's economic growth
• The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has projected the Indian economy to grow by 6.3%.
• The OECD predicted that the global economy will see its weakest growth since the 2008-2009 financial crisis, slowing from 3.6%
last year to 2.9% this year.
• The OECD's growth forecast, however, is higher than 5.5 per cent in 2012-13
SEBI sets up committee for stock exchange
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• SEBI has set up a high-level panel to suggest possible structures and regulations for creating 'social stock exchanges' to facilitate
listing and fund-raising by social enterprises as well as voluntary organisations.
• The committee will be headed by Ishaat Hussain (Director at SBI Foundation and former Finance Director at Tata Sons).
Railways install bottle crushing machine
• The Western Railway for the first time has installed a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle crushing machine in Mumbai
Rajdhani Express.
• This machine can crush up to 3,000 bottles per day.
• The PET bottle crusher machine was installed in the train as part of the Indian Railways' Swachh Bharat and Go Green missions.
• These machines can accept all types of PET bottles.
Open defecation down by 47% in India
• As per the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme report, 43% of Indians have gained access to basic sanitation, while the
practice of open defecation decreased by 47% in the country between 2000 and 2017.
• An estimated 2.1 billion people around the world gained access to basic sanitation.
• Between 2000 and 2017, 91 countries reduced open defecation by a combined total of 696 million people
Secunderabad station gets platinum rating
• Secunderabad Railway Station has become the first station in the country to be awarded the CII-IGBC (Indian Green Building
Council) Platinum rating.
• The rating comes under the IGBC Green Railway Stations Rating System.
• The Green Railway Stations rating is a tool to facilitate the adoption of green concepts.
Second Scorpene submarine Khanderi launched
• India's second Scorpene submarine Khanderi was handed over to the Navy by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in
Mumbai on 19 September 2019.
• Khanderi is a Kalvari-class diesel-electric attack submarine.
• Khanderi has been Designed by French company Naval Group (earlier known as DCNS).
• It will become the 17th submarine of the Navy after it is commissioned.
IIT Bombay top Indian institute in QS rankings
• IIT Bombay leads India's representation in the latest QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020 with a 111-120 band ranking, up
from 141-150 band in 2018.
• At 151-160 band and 171-180 band, IIT Delhi and IIT Madras formed the three best-ranked Indian institutes in the latest rankings.
• The rankings cover the world's top 500 universities and explores how employable a university is.
World Alzheimers Day: 21 September
• World Alzheimer's Day is observed on 21 September every year.
• The month of September is dedicated to bringing awareness about Alzheimer's and other dementia conditions.
• As per 2018 World Alzheimer Report, over 50 million people worldwide suffer from the disease.
• The theme for World Alzheimer's Month 2019 is Raising awareness and challenging stigma.
Akila Dananjaya banned from bowling for 1 year
• The International Cricket Council announced that Sri Lanka spinner Akila Dananjaya has been banned from bowling in
international cricket for 12 months following an independent assessment of his action.
• He was assessed after the legality of his bowling action came under question by match officials in the first Test against New
Zealand in Galle from 14-18 August.
Punjab, Haryana to ban e-cigarettes
• In Punjab and Haryana the people and the governments have welcomed the ordinance brought by Central government to ban
the e-cigarettes.
• According to the ordinance, first time violators will face a jail term of up to one year and a fine of Rs 1 lakh.
• The storage of e-cigarettes shall now be punishable with imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to Rs 50,000 or both.
Amit entered World Men's C'ship finals
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• In Boxing, Asian Champion Amit Panghal became the first Indian to make to the finals of the World Men's Championship while
Manish Kaushik signed off with a bronze medal.
• In 52 kg category, Panghal prevailed 3-2 against Kazakhstan's Saken Bibossinov.
• The past Indian medal-winners at the world meet are Vijender Singh (2009), Vikas Krishan (2011), Shiva Thapa (2015) and Gaurav
Bidhuri (2017).
UP: Screening of malnourished children easy
• In UP, Mobile App of Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram has made screening and referral of malnourished children easy.
• During the first fortnight of Poshan Maah in the state, a total of 8,405 children have been identified and referred using this App.
• Majority of these identified children were suffering from Vitamin A deficiency while some were having low hemoglobin and
Vitamin D.
Wipro launched startup venture fund
• Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting launched Wipro Consumer Care–Ventures, a startup venture fund to invest in startups in the
consumer brands space.
• The venture will focus on companies with a differentiated approach where both parties can learn by leveraging their strengths
and add value to each other.
• Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting is a $1 billion plus arm of Wipro Enterprises.
Public Sector Banks to organise loan melas
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that Public Sector Banks will organise ‘loan melas’ in 400 districts.
• The meetings will be organised to provide loans to NBFCs and retail borrowers, including homebuyers and farmers.
• PSBs will focus on giving loans to the ‘RAM‘ category: retail, agriculture and MSMEs.
• The open house public meetings will be held in two tranches.
1st Jammu Int. Film Festival to be held
• The first-ever Jammu International Film Festival will be held in Jammu from 26 September 2019.
• 37 short films and documentaries from 11 countries will be screened at the inaugural edition of Jammu International Film
Festival.
• The festival will also present an annual ‘Inspiring Icon Award‘, which will be given to a person, who hails from the region and has
made it big in the film industry.
Tata Communications partnered with Cisco
• Tata Communications partnered with Cisco to offer enterprises a secure, fully-managed, multi-channel, cloud-based Cisco Webex
Contact Center solution.
• This joint offering is an end-to-end managed solution and gives contact centre users a seamless user experience across up to 150
countries on the back of Tata Communications’ global network.
• The solution will allow for simplified licensing.
Ola drivers to get healthcare benefits
• Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) has partnered with Ola, to extend the welfare to its drivers.
• The partnership will provide comprehensive health insurance for secondary and tertiary care to tens of thousands of drivers
working with the cab aggregator and their families.
• Eligible drivers and employees will obtain an Ayushman Bharat card at a minimal cost of Rs 30.
Telecom body approved projects
• The Digital Communication Commission has approved multiple projects worth over Rs 8,500 crore.
• The projects aim to set up mobile towers and laying of optical fibre, to provide improved connectivity.
• A special scheme to cover upto 12,000 uncovered villages in aspirational districts was also approved.
• The approved infra projects include laying of BharatNet fibre in Tamil Nadu and Telangana,
International Day of Peace: 21 September
• Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September.
• The General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations
and peoples.
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• The theme for International Day of Peace 2019 is Climate Action for Peace.
• The UN Headquarters: New York, United States.
DSCI, MeitY and Google India joined hands
• Nasscom’s Data Security Council of India (DSCI) collaborated with the electronics and IT ministry (MeitY) and Google India to
launch a nationwide awareness campaign ‘Digital Payment Abhiyan’.
• The campaign will educate end-users on the benefits of making digital payments and urge them to adopt security and safety best
practices.
• The campaign was launched at the Google for India event
16th Session of the JEC between India-BLEU
• The 16th Session of the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) between India and Belgium Luxembourg Economic Union (BLEU) was
held in New Delhi.
• The JEC between India and BLEU was established in 1997 and is the main vehicle for discussing bilateral economic and
commercial issues.
• Both sides negotiate cooperation on a wide range of issues of mutual interest such as transportation, life science, etc.
NTPC to build India’s biggest solar park
• National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) plans to set up a 5-gigawatt solar park in the western state of Gujarat, which
would be the biggest in the country.
• The plan is part of NTPC’s aim to reduce the share of fossil fuels in the energy mix to 70% from around 96% by 2032.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is targeting 175 gigawatts of renewable capacity by 2022.
Ladakhi Shondol dance created history
• Ladakhi Shondol dance has created history by breaking into the Guinness book of world records as the largest Ladakhi dance.
• 408 women artists in traditional dresses performed gracefully the Shondol dance on the occasion of the Annual Naropa Festival.
• It is a famous dance which used to be performed by artists for King of Ladakh on special occasion.
• It was organised by the Live to Love India.
DoNER Ministry approved more than 200 projects
• DoNER Ministry has approved more than 200 projects worth Rs 3,000 crores in the North East including Assam.
• Out of these megaprojects, 110 projects worth Rs.1699 cr. were sanctioned for the development of the North East states where
66 projects costing 820 crores have been completed.
• Construction of double-lane road from Lanka to Umrangso, Digboi town water supply scheme are amongst others.
Bajrang, Ravi won bronze at World C'ships
• In Wrestling, Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya have won bronze at the World Championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
• This is Bajrang's second consecutive medal at the Worlds and third overall while Dahiya has managed to win bronze in his very
first appearance at the senior championships.
• Bajrang defeated Mongolian Tulga Tumur Ochir while Dahiya beat Iran's reigning Asian champion Reza.
India, Mongolia signed MoUs
• India and Mongolia have exchanged documents in areas including space, disaster management and culture.
• Two MoUs were signed in the fields of disaster management and space cooperation.
• Other documents which were exchanged include Cultural Exchange Protocol and a Comprehensive Work Plan between Ministry
of Fisheries and Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry of Mongolia.
Piyush Goyal on two-day visit to UAE
• Commerce, Industry and Railways Minister Piyush Goyal is on a two-day visit to the UAE from 21 September 2019.
• He will unveil the design of the four-storey India pavilion in the Opportunity District at the Expo site in Dubai.
• He will also attend the meeting of 7th India-UAE High-Level Task Force on Investment.
• He will co-chair the meeting with Sheikh Hamad bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Amazon vows to be carbon neutral by 2040
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• Amazon.com Inc CEO Jeff Bezos committed the company to being carbon neutral by 2040 and said part of that pledge is an order
for 100,000 electric delivery vans from a start-up the online retailer has invested in.
• The first electric delivery vans for Amazon will be on the road by 2021, and all 100,000 will be deployed by 2024.
Ministry of HRD announced NEAT Scheme
• Ministry of HRD announced a new PPP Scheme, National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT) for using technology for
better learning outcomes in Higher Education.
• The objective is to use Artificial Intelligence to make learning more personalised and customised as per the requirements of the
learner.
• MHRD proposed to launch and operationalise NEAT in early November 2019.
Ministry of Railways signed a MoU with Odisha
• East Coast Railway under the aegis of Ministry of Railways signed a MoU with Government of Odisha for development of
Bhubaneswar station as Multi-Model Transport Hub in New Delhi.
• Under this MoU, Bhubaneswar station will be redeveloped as Multi-modal transport hub, jointly by Ministry of Railways and
Government of Odisha.
• The multi-modal Hub is expected to be completed in three years.
World's Biggest Amphibian discovered
• A newly-identified amphibian is possibly the world's biggest, new research of museum specimens shows.
• According to Phys.org, researchers from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and London's Natural History Museum identified
new species of giant salamander using DNA from museum specimens.
• The species that is probably the largest has now been given a new name: Andrias sligoi.
Four new Supreme Court judges appointed
• The Ministry of Law and Justice appointed 4 new judges to the Supreme Court, taking the total number of Supreme Court judges
to the sanctioned strength of 34.
• Justices Krishna Murari, SR Bhat, V Ramasubramanian and Hrishikesh Roy have been appointed as judges of the top court.
• The appointments come a month after Parliament passed a bill increasing the judicial strength from 30 to 33.
IIFA awards held-II
• Best Debut Actor and Actress was given to Ishaan Khatter for Dhadak and Sara Ali Khan for Kedarnath, respectively.
• Best Playback Singer was given to Arijit Singh, Harshdeep Kaur, and Vibha Saraf.
• Saroj Khan was honoured for her Outstanding Contribution to Indian Cinema.
• Best Story was awarded to the film Andhadhun.
• Best Lyrics was given to Amitabh Bhattacharya for Dhadak.
IIFA awards held- I
• The IIFA (The International Indian Film Academy Awards) were held in Mumbai recently.
• Alia Bhatt received the Best Actor (Female) award for Raazi and Ranveer Singh bagged the Best Actor (Male) Award
for 'Padmaavat'.
• Sriram Raghavan won Best Director for AndhaDhun.
• Best Supporting Actor and Actress was given to Vicky Kaushal for Sanju and Aditi Rao Hydari for Padmaavat, respectively.
National Geoscience Awards conferred
• The National Geoscience Awards for the year 2018 for outstanding contributions in the field of geosciences, mining and allied
areas were presented to 22 scientists from across the country.
• Prof. Syed Wajih Ahmad Naqvi, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), received the Award for Excellence.
• Dr Sohini Ganguly of Goa University was conferred with the Young Scientist Award-2018.
Anurag Thakur announced sports academy for Leh
• Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur announced that a cricket and sports academy will be set
up in Ladakh.
• This cricket and sports academy will ensure that talented athletes of the region get the required training to excel.
• He also joined Army personnel in Leh to carry out a cleanliness drive to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 69th birthday.
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8.65% interest rate for EPFO members

• Government has approved 8.65% interest rate on deposits in Employees Provident Fund for 2018-19.
• Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified 8.65% rate of interest on EPF deposits for its over six crore subscribers.
• The EPFO has been settling EPF withdrawal claims at 8.55% interest rate, approved for 2017-18.
• Now, the EPFO will settle accounts on higher rate of 8.65% for 2018-19.
Lord Buddha's statue unveiled
• PM Narendra Modi and Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga jointly unveiled the Lord Buddha's statue at Gandan
Monastery in Ulaanbaatar through video-conferencing on 20 September 2019.
• The Mongolian President also met President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.
• This is the first State Visit by a Mongolian President in last ten years.
Indian army conducted exercise ‘Chang Thang’
• The Indian Army conducted a massive rare exercise ‘Chang Thang’ in Eastern Ladakh bordering China.
• The exercise involved the use of infantry, mechanised forces, T-72 tanks, with force multipliers such as artillery guns and
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
• The Indian Air Force was also roped in the exercise.
• This is the first time such kind of exercise has happened in the region.
Google announced new AI research lab in India
• Google has announced that it will open an artificial intelligence (AI) based research lab Google Research India.
• The lab will be opened in Bengaluru.
• The Indian AI lab will be led by Dr. Manish Gupta, a renowned computer scientist in the country.
• Google has various AI research labs across the world, under its Google Artificial Intelligence arm.
• The Bengaluru lab will be the first in India.
Skill India signed agreement with IBM
• The Directorate General of Training signed an agreement with IBM to carry out a nationwide Train-the-Trainer programme in
basic artificial intelligence.
• As part of the programme, ITI trainers will be trained on basic AI skills towards using technology in their day-to-day training
activities.
• This programme aims at enabling the trainers with the basic approach, workflow and application of AI.
India slipped to 104th spot in FIFA ranking
• The Indian football team slipped a place to 104th position in the latest FIFA rankings released.
• Indian Football Team in recent times is playing under the leadership of new coach Igor Stimac.
• Belgium managed to hold on to the top position, while France has surpassed Brazil to reach the second spot.
Telangana to celebrate 2020 as Year of AI
• The Telangana government has decided to declare 2020 as Artificial Intelligence year by organising various activities related to
the emerging technology.
• A lot of hackathons and meetings will happen and the government agencies will give challenges and make available data sets on
which companies can run algorithms.
• CM of Telangana: K Chandrashekhar Rao
• Capital of Telangana: Hyderabad
Bajrang, Ravi qualified for 2020 Olympics
• Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics winning their respective quarterfinal matches in World
Wrestling Championships at Nur-Sultan in Kazakhstan.
• Bajrang lost the semi-final to the wrestler Daulet Niyazbekov while Ravi Dahiya lost his match to world champion Zaur Uguev
from Russia.
• Vinesh Phogat already booked an Olympic quota for India in women's 53 kg.
PM Modi to embark on seven-day visit to US
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• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a seven-day visit to the United States on 21 September 2019.
• During his visit, he will be in Houston and New York and address the United Nations General Assembly on 27 September 2019.
• He will also be honoured with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Global Goalkeeper's Award for his leadership in field of
sanitation through Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
Person in News
• Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria will be the next chief of Indian Air force. Air Marshal Bhadauria, will take charge from
the incumbent Chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on 30 September 2019.
• Tunisia’s former President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali passed away in September 2019. He came to power in 1987, ousting Habib
Bourguiba to become Tunisia’s second-ever president.
• Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao has announced his resignation. He became the president of ADB on
April 28, 2013. He expanded the operations of the funding agency from USD 14 billion in 2013 to USD 22 billion in 2018.
• Robert O’Brien has been appointed as the National Security Adviser of United States of America. Robert O’Brien will replace John
Bolton as the NSA of US.
Amazon partnered with Western Union
• Amazon.com is making it easier for US consumers to use cash by letting them pay for online purchases at Western Union Co.
locations.
• Amazon expanding its PayCode service to the US is already available in 19 countries around the world.
• The system lets shoppers select PayCode at checkout, after which they will have 24 hours to pay in cash at one of 15,000 Western
Union offices.
Rajnath Singh: First to fly in Tejas
• Union minister Rajnath Singh became the 1st defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built aircraft Tejas from the HAL airport
in Bengaluru.
• He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre.
• Tejas is a multi-role fighter with several critical capabilities.
• It is meant to strengthen India’s air defence capabilities.
Waste Management Accelerator launched
• Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched several initiatives of All India Council for
Technical Education (AICTE)in New Delhi.
• It includes Facilitation through Margadarshan and Margadarshak, Model Curriculum for Diploma Courses, Waste Management
Accelerator for Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs (WAWE Summit 2019) and 360-degree Feedback of Faculty.
Airtel Payments Bank launched new scheme
• Airtel Payments Bank launched 'Bharosa savings account' which enables customers to withdraw cash, check their balance or
access a mini statement of their account at over 6,50,000 Aadhaar-enabled payment system (AePS) enabled outlets across India.
• These services have been designed for deepening financial inclusion in the country.
• It will be available at over a quarter-million banking points.
T-Hub signed MoU with ‘VentureLink’
• Hyderabad-based incubator T-Hub signed a tripartite MoU with ‘Choose New Jersey’and ‘VentureLink’ at the New Jersey Institute
of Technology (NJIT).
• Through the agreement, T-Hub will provide growth-stage startups in India with business opportunities, market understanding
and access to clients in the US.
• Under the agreement, 2 individuals per startup will get complimentary space for 2 months.
Sarah Thomas crossed English Channel in 54 hr
• American breast cancer survivor Sarah Thomas became the first person to swim across the English Channel four times non-stop in
a 54-hour feat of endurance.
• She was diagnosed with cancer in 2018.
• She said the hardest part of the swim was dealing with the saltwater, which left her throat and mouth sore.
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• Only 4 swimmers have previously completed the channel crossing between Britain and France.
Kerala govt inked MoU with Maldives
• Kerala signed a MoU with the Maldives to strengthen cancer care in the island nation.
• The Kerala government and the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) jointly signed it with the health ministry of Maldives as part of
improving cooperation between the 2 countries.
• The MoU was signed between Maldivian Minister Abdulla Ameen and Kerala Health Minister KK Shylaja.
South Asia’s tallest tower in Sri Lanka
• Sri Lanka unveiled South Asia’s tallest tower, costing over $100 million, 80% of which has been funded by China under the
controversial Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• The 350-metre-tall 17-storey Lotus Tower is located in the heart of Colombo city.
• The tower is spread over an area of 30,600 sq. metres.
• The project began in 2012 under the then-president Mahinda Rajapakse.
Delhi Police’s launched Tatpar app
• ‘Tatpar’ app, developed by the Delhi Police was launched recently.
• It is a one-stop destination for access to over 50 citizen-centric services.
• It amalgamates all the websites and mobile apps of Delhi Police, and over 50 services which can now be accessed with a single
touch.
• Through the app, citizens can navigate to their nearest police station, traffic pit and prepaid taxi booth.
Paralympic and Olympic mascots unveiled
• A smiling panda and a walking Chinese lantern will be the mascots for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing,
China.
• The mascots were revealed at a ceremony at the Shougang Ice Hockey Arena in the Chinese capital.
• Bing Dwen Dwen, a panda was revealed for Beijing Winter Olympics 2022.
• Chinese lantern Shuey Rhon Rhon was declared the official mascot for Winter Paralympics 2022.
India Post expanded speed post service
• The Department of Posts has announced commencing of International Speed Post (EMS) Service to Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Brazil, Ecuador, Kazakhstan, Lithuania and North Macedonia.
• EMS or Express Mail Service is a premium service that enables its users to send documents and merchandise faster and with the
added facility of being able to track the movement of the item on the internet.
Sports News
• India was assured of 2 medals at the AIBA World Men's Boxing Championships after Amit Panghal and Manish Kaushik entered
the semifinals of the marquee event at Ekaterinburg in Russia.
• Asian Games Championship gold-medallist Panghal defeated Filipino Carlo Paalam in the 52-kg category.
• Commonwealth Games silver-medallist Kaushik beat Brazil's Wanderson de Oliveira in the 63-kg category.
Home Minister to chair a meeting in Chandigarh
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the 29th meeting of the Northern Zonal Council.
• The grouping comprises states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan besides UTs of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh
and the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
• 5 zonal councils were set up in 1957 under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.
• Amit Shah is the chairman of each of these 5 councils.
Int. Workshop for National Water Museum
• The Jal Shakti Ministry is planning to develop a National Water Museum to increase awareness among people on the
conservation of water.
• The Ministry is also organising an International Workshop which will be attended by experts from India and abroad.
• The outcome of the workshop will be a blueprint for establishing the proposed National Water Museum under the aegis of Jal
Shakti Ministry.
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Anand Kumar felicitated with an award

• Super 30 founder Anand Kumar was felicitated in the US with Education Excellence Award 2019.
• The Foundation For Excellence (FFE) awarded him on the occasion of the organisation’s 25th anniversary.
• Anand has been running a highly innovative Super 30 programme for the last 18 years.
• He mentors 30 students free off cost through a year-long residential coaching for India’s premiere IIT-JEE.
World Bamboo Day: 18 September
• World Bamboo Day is observed every year on 18 September by the World Bamboo Organization to generate awareness about
conserving and promoting the bamboo industry.
• Known as poor man’s timber, bamboo is omnipresent in tribal cultures and community living.
• From artifacts to sustainable architecture, bamboo remains a favourite as it’s fast to grow, low on maintenance and has versatile
potential.
Govt inaugurated 15 power projects in J&K
• Union Power Minister RK Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik jointly inaugurated 15 power projects and laid
the foundation stone for 20 others worth 10,000 crore rupees in the state.
• The government is working to ensure 24 hours electricity supply to all the citizens of the country.
• Development works in J&K will prompt People of POK to revolt against Islamabad and join India.
MIS launched by Union Minister Gehlot
• The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, has developed
a Management Information System, MIS for stakeholders of Accessible India Campaign.
• It will bring all the nodal ministries and States and Union Territories on a single platform for monitoring the progress being made
against each target of Accessible India Campaign.
Obituaries
• Veteran Kerala actor Sathar passed away in September 2019. He made his acting debut in 1975 with Malayalam movie Bharyaye
Aavashyamundu and in 1976 with Vincent Master’s directorial Anavaranam.
• Rangers legend Fernando Ricksen passed away in September 2019. He helped Rangers win two league titles, two Scottish Cups
and three League Cups and gained legendary status among fans.
Mongolian Prez in New Delhi on 5 day visit
• President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga arrived in New Delhi on 19 September 2019 on a 5-day state visit.
• The visiting dignitary will meet President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Both sides will hold discussions on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues and will review ongoing cooperation in fields of
infrastructure, etc.
5th Int. Ramayan Festival organized
• The 5th International Ramayan Festival was organized by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), in New Delhi.
• International Ramayan Festival is being organized for 5th year in a row, during which 17 countries have participated with their
artists and rendered their versions of Ramayan.
• The Union Minister for Home Affairs, Amit Shah presided as Chief Guest over the Ramayan Festival.
Green signal for writing Indian border history
• Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has given approval for initiating work of writing the history of the country’s borders.
• It is proposed that the work will cover various aspects of borders including tracing its making; making & unmaking and shifting of
borders; role of security forces.
• The project is expected to be completed within two years.
Appointments
• Havells India announced Vicky Kaushal as the Brand Ambassador for its male grooming products. Ravindra Singh Negi is the
President of Electrical Consumer Durables, Havells India.
• Tara Sutaria who made her Bollywood debut with Karan Johar’s Student of the Year 2 has been signed by New Delhi based fine
jewelry brand Hazoorilal Legacy as their Brand Ambassador.
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Indian diaspora largest in the world: UN

• India is the leading country of origin of international migrants in 2019 with a 17.5 million strong diaspora.
• It is according to International Migrant Stock 2019, a data set released by the Population Division of the UN Department of
Economic and Social Affairs.
• The report says that India hosted 5.1 million international migrants in 2019, less than the 5.2 million in 2015.
Ooty to host 2nd flower festival
• Udhagamandalam also known as Ooty, in Tamil Nadu will host the second flower festival of the year during the North East
Monsoon in October and November.
• More than eighty five exotic varieties, including predominantly English flowers like Dahlia, Merigold, Calentula and Daisy will be
exhibited during the festival.
• Flower plants are being replanted in two and a half lakh small pots.
Vinesh qualifies for 2020 Tokyo Olympics
• India's star wrestler Vinesh Phogat qualified for the 2020 Olympics.
• She beat American Sarah Hildebrandt in the World Championships in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan.
• She scored an impressive 8-2 win over the world championship silver medalist to secure her place at the Tokyo Games.
Kovind: First President to reach Slovenia
• President Ram Nath Kovind reached Ljubljana, Slovenia in the final leg of his visit to – Iceland, Switzerland and Slovenia.
• Ram Nath Kovind’s visit is the first-ever presidential visit from India to Slovenia.
• President Ram Nath Kovind held a bilateral meeting with President of Slovenia Borut Pahor at Lubliyana, the capital city of
Slovenia.
Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar presented
• Labour and Employment Minister, Santosh Kumar Gangwar gave away the Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar & National Safety
Awards for the Year 2017 in New Delhi.
• 28 awards were given for Vishvakarma Rashtriya Puruskar while 81 winners bagged the National Safety awards.
• The Minister said, his ministry has planned to set up regional offices of technical wing of the Ministry in Kashmir.
ISRO, DRDO inked MoUs
• ISRO joined hands with DRDO for development of human-centric systems for the Human Space Mission.
• The purpose behind the development is to provide technologies for human-centric systems and technologies specific to the
Human Space Mission.
• ISRO aims to demonstrate human spaceflight capability before the 75th anniversary of India's independence in 2022.
New York: 2nd US State to ban E-Cigarettes
• New York became the second US state to ban flavored e-cigarettes, following several vaping-linked deaths.
• A health council passed emergency legislation proposed by Governor Andrew Cuomo outlawing flavored vaping products amid an
outbreak of severe pulmonary disease that has killed seven people and sickened hundreds.
• Michigan became the first state to declare a ban on it.
Neena Gupta won two awards
• Bollywood actress Neena Gupta has won 2 awards at Indian International Film Festival of Boston.
• The actress won the Best Actress award for ‘Badhaai Ho‘ and her film ‘The Last Color‘ emerged victorious in Best Feature Film
category.
• ‘The Last Color’ was directed by chef Vikas Khanna.
• The film deals with taboo surrounding widows in Vrindavan and Varanasi in India.
Agnes Kharshiing conferred Hrant Dink Award
• Meghalaya-based rights activist Agnes Kharshiing, who survived an assault by the coal mafia almost a year ago, received the 11th
International Hrant Dink Award.
• She received the award along with Turkish activist against male violence, Nebahat Akkoc.
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• The Hrant Dink Award is presented every year to individuals, or groups that work for a world free from discrimination, racism and
violence.
Tamilnadu: US company TI to set research lab
• Texas Instruments (TI), a US company, will set up a hi-tech, research lab at National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Trichy,
Tamilnadu.
• The MoU in this regard was inked recently.
• It envisages joint R&D projects over a period of 3 years for the development of new technologies in various engineering domains.
• As a part of the MoU, TI will deliver products and EVMs worth USD 25,000.
Moti Bagh nominated for Oscars
• A documentary film based on life of a Uttarakhand farmer has been nominated for Oscars.
• The documentary film named Moti Bagh is based on the life of Vidyadutt, a farmer living in Pauri Garhwal region of the state.
• The state CM Trivendra Singh Rawat congratulated the director, Nirmal Chander Dandriyal, and said it will inspire youths to stay
in their villages and work for their communities.
Central Railway fined Rs 92 crore
• Central Railway has earned Rs 92.19 crore in fines from 17.29 lakh cases of irregular travel between April and August 2019, up
from 15.70 lakh cases in the same period in 2018.
• The amount includes Rs 13.45 crore in fines collected in August.
• Around 2.72 lakh cases of irregular travel, including unbooked luggage, were detected as against 2.53 lakh cases in August 2018,
an increase of 7.50%.
Indian successfully flight-tested Astra
• Indian Air Force has successfully flight-tested air-to-air missile Astra off the coast of Odisha.
• The missile was launched from a Sukhoi Su-30 MKI combat aircraft on 16 September 2019 as a part of User trials.
• The missile was tracked using radars, electro-optical tracking sensors and struck its target successfully.
• The missile has been developed by DRDO.
Person in News
• Former Indian Cricket all-rounder Dinesh Mongia announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. His first-class record of 121
matches included 21 centuries.
• Veteran journalist Cokie Roberts, winner of three Emmys and a legend and trailblazer in broadcasting, passed away in September
2019. Roberts worked in television, public radio and publishing for over 40 years.
San-Sadhan Hackathon organized for Divyangjan
• A San-Sadhan Hackathon was organized by Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Department of Empowerment of Persons with
Disabilities (Divyangjan) in association with Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and NITI Aayog.
• It came out with thought-provoking ideas for accessible toilets for Divyangjans.
• The three day long Sansadhan hackathon is the latest initiative under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM).
New plant species discovered in Western Ghats
• A team of researchers have reported the discovery of two new plant species belonging to the Asclepiadaceae or milkweed family
from the shola forests of the Western Ghats.
• Tylophora balakrishnanii, a straggling vine, has been discovered from the Thollayiram shola in Wayanad.
• Tylophora neglecta has been discovered from the shola forest on the Thooval Mala hill in Kollam.
Hyderabad-Karnataka region renamed
• Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa announced that the Hyderabad-Karnataka region has been renamed as ‘Kalyana
Karnataka’ and a separate secretariat would be established for its development.
• Hyderabad Karnataka region comprising six north-eastern districts of the State — Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal and
Ballari.
• Karnataka Governor - Vajubhai Vala.
BEML, Wipro to work together
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• Defence PSU BEML Limited and Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN) signed a MoU to work together in aerospace, industrial
automation, 3D printing, artificial intelligence and hydraulic system engineering.
• This is a first of its kind MoU for WIN with a large public sector enterprise in India.
• The key focus areas include aerospace components and parts through SEZ.
Scope of Bharat Bill Payment System expanded
• The RBI has expanded the scope of the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) by adding other categories of recurring payments
through the portal.
• BBPS is an interoperable platform that enables a customer to pay bills such as telephone, water, gas, at a single location.
• With the expansion of the scope of the payment facility, other recurring payments such as school fees can also be paid via BBPS.
IIFA comes home with first ceremony in India
• The international Indian film academy awards are to be held in India for the first time in their history.
• Mumbai will host the 20th IIFA awards ceremony on 18 September 2019.
• The event has been held in countries around the world since it began in 2000, with previous host cities including London, Toronto
and Singapore, and most recently Bangkok.
Anjali Singh: India's 1st military diplomat
• Wing Commander Anjali Singh has become India's first female military diplomat to be posted in any of the Indian missions
abroad.
• Singh has joined the Indian Embassy in Russia as the Deputy Air Attache.
• Singh, who is trained on MiG-29 fighter aircraft, joined her new assignment on September 10, 2019.
• An air attaché is an Air Force officer who is part of a diplomatic mission.
Wargaming software handed over to Indian Navy
• Institute for Systems Studies and Analysis (ISSA) Delhi, has designed and developed a new generation Wargaming Software in
collaboration with Maritime Warfare Centre, Visakhapatnam to meet the contemporary operational and tactical level wargaming
requirement for the Indian Navy.
• It was handed over to Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar at ISSA, on 16 September 2019.
Steel Import Monitoring System launched
• Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways, Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, Hardeep
Singh Puri launched Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) in New Delhi
• The system has been developed in consultation with Ministry of Steel on the pattern of US Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis
(SIMA) system.
• It will provide advance information about steel imports.
Ministry of Coal entered into allot agreement
• The Central Government entered into an Allotment Agreement with the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited
(WBPDCL) regarding the DeochaPachamiDewanganj-Harinsingha coal block.
• The WBPDCL has been allocated the DeochaPachamiDewanganj-Harinsingha coal block located in the State of West Bengal
containing an area of 12.28 sq. km. for generation of power.
IN-RSN-RTN Trilateral Exercise commenced
• A maiden trilateral exercise, involving Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), Royal Thailand Navy (RTN) and Indian Navy (IN)
commenced at Port Blair on 16 September 2019.
• The five-day-long exercise is aimed at bolstering the maritime inter-relationships amongst Singapore, Thailand and India.
• This would also strengthen the mutual confidence amongst three navies in terms of interoperability.
National Centre for Clean Coal R&D inaugurated
• Union Minister of Science & Technology, Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the National Centre for Clean Coal Research and
Development at Indian Institute of Science (IISc)-Bengaluru.
• Dr. Harsh Vardhan also dedicated an Interdisciplinary Centre for Energy Research(ICER) to the Nation which is India’s first of its
kind centre equipped with state-of-art facilities.
Sumit Nagal rose to ATP Ranking of 159
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• India's Sumit Nagal jumped 15 places to achieve a career-high ranking of 159 in the latest ATP rankings released on 16 September
2019.
• He ended runners up in the Banja Luka ATP Challenger following a first round appearance at the US Open in August 2019.
• .Meanwhile, Prajnesh Gunneswaran continued his run in the top-100. He rose three places to be world no. 82.
New govt portal to find lost stolen phone
• The Central government has launched a portal which will help the users to detect their lost or stolen mobile phones.
• Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad unveiled a portal where a user can report a complaint of lost or stolen phones.
• The project has started on a pilot basis in Maharashtra and later it will be implemented across the country.
Bangladesh: PM Hasina received Award
• PM Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh was conferred the Dr Kalam Smriti International Excellence Award 2019 in Dhaka on 16
September 2019.
• The award has been instituted in the memory of former Indian President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
• The award citation lauded Prime Minister Hasina for her vision of a peaceful and prosperous South Asia, free of tension, conflicts
and terrorism.
38th Sharjah Intl. Book Fair to be organized
• The 38th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) will be organized from 30th of October to 9th of November 2019.
• UNESCO has named Sharjah as the World Book Capital City for the year 2019 in recognition of the city’s continuous efforts in
promoting books and literacy.
• Aligning itself with the title, the SIBF will be organized under the theme 'Open Books, Open Minds'.
Gangs Of Wasseypur’ in the Guardian Best 100
• Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs Of Wasseypur has become the only Indian film to feature in The Guardian list of 100 Best
Films of the 21st century.
• The film has bagged the 59th position.
• The two films of Gangs Of Wasseypur series were released in 2012 and narrated the saga of a coal mafia family in the town of
Wasseypur in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand.
Int Day for the Preservation of Ozone Layer
• The United Nations observes 16 September every year as International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.
• The ozone layer is a fragile shield of gas which protects the Earth from the harmful portion of the rays of the sun and thus help in
preserving life on the planet.
• The Theme of the day for 2019: 32 Years and Healing.
• Headquarters of United Nations: New York, USA
ICC Test Rankings: Virat Kohli on second spot
• India cricket captain Virat Kohli has managed to hold on to his second position in the ICC Test Rankings for batsmen, released in
Dubai on 16 September 2019.
• Kohli, with 903 rating points, is 34 points behind Australia's Steve Smith who tops the position with 937 points.
• Smith's compatriot Pat Cummins has also retained his number one position in the ICC Test bowlers' rankings.
PM Modi to visit Sardar Sarovar Dam
• PM Narendra Modi is on a 2-day visit to Gujarat.
• He visited Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam at Kevadia in Narmada district to mark the historic moment of overflowing of the Dam.
• The Narmada water at Sardar Sarovar Dam was completely filled up for the first time after raising its height to 138.68 metres.
• He will also visit various ongoing projects of tourist attractions near the statue of unity.
Centre to give support of Rs 8,500 cr to ECGC
• The Central government will give support of Rs 8,500 crore to Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India, ECGC, in the next
five years.
• Interest rates will now be just close to 3.5 per cent.
• ECGC has introduced a scheme called Niryat Rin Vikash Yojana - NIRVIK to enhance loan availability to exporters.
• The scheme will also help ease the lending process.
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Appointments
• Former judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court P. Lakshmana Reddy has been appointed as State’s Lokayukta. He is known for
his campaign against corruption.
• Cognizant has appointed Ramkumar Ramamoorthy as the chairman and managing director of its India business. Ramamoorthy,
who has been with Cognizant for over 21 years, will be reporting directly to the company’s executive committee.
Obituaries
• Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, former speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, passed away in September 2019. He was
one of the senior-most leaders of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
• The renowned writer of Kerala Sivaraman Cheriyanad passed away. He received the Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award in 1988 and the A.P.
Kalakkad Award in 2009. He was a recipient of the National Teachers Award in 1989.
Uttar Pradesh: Children's week to be observed
• Under the nutrition month campaign, children's week will be observed at all angan wadi centers across the state from 16
September 2019 in Uttar Pradesh.
• Poshan Abhiyaan is a mission with the vision to address malnutrition in children, adolescent girls, and pregnant ladies.
• On the first day, Mamta divas is being observed under which mothers will bring homemade food to the angan wadi centres.
Indexes and Reports
• Chandigarh University has been awarded the prestigious A+ grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
It has placed it amongst India's most elite and prestigious Higher Educational Institutions.
• The Scindia School, Gwalior, has achieved the no.1 rank in the category of Boys Boarding Schools, according to the Education
World India School Rankings (EWISR) 2019 survey.
Exercise TSENTR 2019 started off
• The opening ceremony of Exercise TSENTR 2019 was conducted at the DONGUZ Ranges near Orenburg in Russia's Central Military
District on 15 September 2019.
• It aims at countering the threat of international terrorism
• As many as 2,500 personnel and 500 vehicles from all participating nations took part in the ceremony.
• India is also taking part in the exercise along with Pakistan and China.
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Udhampur: First women marathon organised

• In an innovative initiative, a women-only marathon with an aim of spreading social message regarding drug addiction was
organised in Udhampur district on 15 September 2019.
• The marathon witnessed the participation of attendees from all different age groups.
• This is the first time that a marathon specifically for girls and women has been organised.
• This was on the theme of Drug Awareness.
BNS Somudra Avijan arrived in Visakhapatnam
• Bangladesh Naval Ship (BNS) Somudra Avijan arrived Visakhapatnam on a four-day visit to the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) on
14 September 2019.
• The Bangladesh Navy ship was accorded a warm welcome by officials from the ENC and Eastern Fleet.
• A series of activities are scheduled between the two navies which include professional interactions and sporting events.
Spain won FIBA World Cup
• Spain won its first FIBA World Cup since 2006.
• It was also its 25th victory in 28 meetings with Argentina.
• The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup was the 18th tournament of the FIBA Basketball World Cup for men's national basketball
teams.
• The tournament was hosted in China and was rescheduled from 2018 to 2019.
IAF receives first batch of Spice 2000 bombs
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has started receiving the supply of Spice 2000 bombs from an Isreal firm, the first batch of which was
delivered recently.
• The first batch of Spice 2000 bombs, with Mark 84 warheads and bombs, arrived in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, which is the main
base of the Mirage 2000 fighter planes.
• The new version of these bombs has the capacity to completely destroy buildings.
President unveiled statue of Mahatma Gandhi
• President Ram Nath Kovind unveiled the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, marking the 150th anniversary of the Father of the Nation
on 14 September 2019.
• The President, in a special event organised in Villeneuve, Switzerland, thanked the commune of Villeneuve for celebrating
Gandhi's legacy and naming a Square after him.
• Mahatma Gandhi believed in the oneness of humanity.
Government to offer 1000 PhD fellowships
• The government is set to launch a major programme offering 1,000 PhD fellowships to ASEAN students at IITs in India.
• The admission portal for the programme is being executed by IIT Delhi for offering PhD fellowships to ASEAN students in all IITs in
India.
• The launch ceremony of the ASEAN PhD fellowships at IITs was held on 16 September 2019.
INS Tarkash at Walvis Bay, Namibia
• Indian Naval Ship Tarkash made a port call at Walvis Bay, Namibia, on 15 September 2019 for a three days visit.
• The port call is a demonstration of India’s warm ties with Namibia and its commitment to enhance operational reach, maritime
security and its solidarity with friendly nations.
• It is a state of the art warship of the Indian Navy equipped with a versatile range of weapons.
Eminent Engineers Award conferred
• Vinod Kumar Yadav, Chairman, Railway Board was awarded with Eminent Engineers Award.
• The award was presented at the special event to mark the 52nd Engineers’ Day organised by the Institution of Engineers in New
Delhi on 15 September 2019.
• The award was given for his outstanding contributions in the field of engineering.
• The theme of 52nd Engineers’ Day was Engineering for change.
International Day of Democracy:15 September
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• The International Day of Democracy is observed on 15 September.

• The day aims to provide an opportunity to review the state of democracy in the world.
• The day urges all governments to respect their citizens' right to active, substantive and meaningful participation in democracy.
India conducted special training programme
• India is conducting a 2-week special training programme for Maldivian civil servants from 16 September 2019 in Delhi and
Mussoorie.
• It is part of a bilateral MoU on Training and Capacity Building Programme between the National Centre for Good Governance
(NCGG) and the Maldives Civil Service Commission (CSC).
• NCGG's head office is at New Delhi and registered office at Mussoorie.
Pankaj Advani clinched 22nd world title
• Pankaj Advani clinched a record 22nd world title by winning a fourth straight final in the 150-up format at the IBSF World Billiards
Championship in Myanmar.
• He defeated Nay Thway of Myanmar.
• He has brought home a world trophy every year ever since returning from a professional stint in the UK in 2014.
• In the short format of billiards, this is Advani's fifth title in the last six years.
Railways to undertake Massive Shramdan drive
• Railways will undertake Massive Shramdan drive from 17 September 2019, with main focus on collection of plastic waste.
• This Shramadan is for enhanced cleanliness, through collection of plastic waste from all railway premises.
• The Ministry has asked all Divisional Heads to provide plastic bottle crushing machines, at over 4000 stations by 2 October 2019.
Great Ganga Run-2019 flagged off
• Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju flagged off Great Ganga Run-2019 at Jawaharlal
Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on 15 September 2019.
• It was organized to create awareness about the river Ganga.
• Participation of the people in the run corroborates the fact that people are not only aware of the importance of water but are
active to conserve it.
Sports News
• India clinched the Under-19 Asia Cup title, with a win over Bangladesh in a low-scoring final at Colombo on 16 September 2019.
Defending a total of 106, India dismissed Bangladesh for 101 in 33 overs.
• In badminton, Kaushal Dharmamer clinched the Myanmar International Series with a win over Indonesia's Karono Karono in a
thrilling men's singles final in Yangon on 15 September 2019.
• In Badminton, Sourabh Verma clinched the Vietnam Open Super 100 title, defeating China’s Sun Fei Xiang in Men's Singles
summit clash at the Ho Chi Minh City on 16 September 2019. This victory marks his second Super 100 win in this year.
• In Badminton, Lakshya Sen clinched men's singles title at the Belgian International Challenge on 14 September 2019. He defeated
Victor Svendsen of Denmark.
Neermahal Jal Utsav concluded in Tripura
• In Tripura, the 3-day-long traditional Neermahal Jal Utsav concluded on 15 September 2019 with a boat race and swimming
competitions at Rudrasagar lake.
• Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb flagged off the boat race.
• Neermahal is a water palace built at the middle of Rudrasagar lake by Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya in 1930 as his
summer resort being inspired by Mughal style of architecture.
Obituaries
• Bollywood editor Sanjib Datta who worked on films like Dor, Mardani, Iqbal, Ek Hasini Thi passed away in September 2019. He
was a long-time collaborator of filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor, working as an editor in almost all his films.
• Congress veteran Bhikajirao Jijaba Khatal Patil passed away in September 2019. He was an active participant in India's
independence struggle.
First Indian to complete Enduroman triathlon
• Mayank Vaid has become the 44th person in the world and the first Indian to finish the Enduroman.
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• Enduroman is considered to be one of the most toughest endurance competitions in the world.
• Vaid also broke the record for the fastest time in which the triathlon has been completed.
• Enduroman is a triathlon from England to France.
WB to sanction Rs 3,000 crore for food parks
• The World Bank will provide Rs 3,000 crore assistance to finance mini and mega food parks across India.
• The announcement was made by Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries during the 15th Indo-US Economic
Summit.
• The 15th Indo-US Economic Summit was organized by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce-North India Council (IACC-NIC)
in New Delhi.
Former bureaucrat B.N. Yugandhar passes away
• Former bureaucrat and Secretary to the PMO, B.N. Yugandhar passed away.
• He served as Secretary to the PMO between May 1995 and March 1997 during former PM P.V. Narasimha Rao’s term.
• He also served in the Ministry of Rural Development from March 1993 to May 1995.
• B.N. Yugandhar was the father of Microsoft’s present Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella.
India jersey with new sponsor logo unveiled
• India will sport a new-look jersey when they take on South Africa in the 1st T20I in Dharamsala on 15th September 2019.
• The jersey will have the logo of Byju’s, Bengaluru-based educational technology and online tutorial firm, in place of Chinese
mobile manufacturer Oppo.
• BYJU’S will be the official Team India sponsor from 5th September, 2019 until 31st March, 2022.
Drought Toolbox launched at COP-14
• The Drought Toolbox was launched at the COP-14 (Conference of Parties) on 11 September 2019.
• The toolbox can be used by countries to assess drought risks in their regions much in advance, and prepare to deal with the water
scarcity.
• The drought toolbox, which uses 30 parameters, can accurately evaluate the vulnerability of different geographic regions to
drought.
118 new Community Radio Stations to be set-up
• Union Minister Prakash Javadekar announced that 118 new Community Radio Stations (CRS) are in the process of being set-up.
• Community Radios are small (low power) FM radio stations with a coverage area of around 10-15 Km radius, depending on the
geography of the area.
• CRSs act as essential communication channels for enhancing the last mile of the outreach of government.
Government inducts first batch of ISDS
• The government has inducted the first batch of the Indian Skill Development Services (ISDS), the newest central government
Group A services on 9 September 2019.
• The ISDS has 263 all India posts.
• This service has been specially created for the training directorate of the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship.
‘Mukhyamantri Dal Poshit Yojana’ launched
• ‘Mukhyamantri Dal Poshit Yojana’ was launched in Uttarakhand on 13 September 2019.
• Under the scheme, two kilogrammes of pulses per month would be made available to 23.32 lakh ration card holders.
• Under the Dal Poshit Yojana, chick pea is being made available at a rate of Rs 44 per kg this month.
• The current market rate of this pulse is Rs 65 to 70 per kg.
Abhijit Guha to lead RCC and UNMHA
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Lieutenant General (retired) Abhijit Guha as the Chair of the Redeployment
Coordination Committee (RCC) and head of the UNMHA.
• He is tasked with leading the UN oversight of a ceasefire agreement in Hodeidah.
• He will succeed Lieutenant General Michael Lollesgaard, who served as RCC Chair and head of UNMHA.
Indian Army will conduct 'HimVijay'
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• The Indian Army is scheduled to conduct a major Exercise ‘HimVijay’ with the Chinese Army in October 2019 in Arunachal
Pradesh and Assam.
• The Panagarh based 17 Mountain Strike Corps will conduct Exercise HimVijay spread over a month and a half with three newly
created Integrated Battle Groups (IBG) from October.
• The concept of the IBG was war-gamed and tested by the 9 Corps early this year.
Ambassador Navdeep Suri honoured by UAE
• UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has bestowed the First Class Order of Zayed II award on Ambassador, Navdeep
Singh Suri.
• The award was given in recognition of his efforts during his tenure and his contribution to the development and strengthening of
friendly relations and co-operation between the two friendly countries.
• It is a rare honour given to any diplomat.
IFC collaborates with FIDC for training NBFCs
• The International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the
Finance Industry Development Council to collaborate on training of NBFCs in India.
• FIDC is a representative body of asset and loan Financing NBFCs.
• Training programs for NBFCs would be conducted on 'Commercial Credit Reporting'.
India joins global research hub
• India has become a part of the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Development Hub on 12 September 2019.
• The hub is aimed at helping countries decide the allocation of resources for research and development (R&D) on antimicrobial
resistance (AMR) by identifying gaps and overlaps.
• The hub was launched during the 71st session of the World Health Assembly in 2018.
Rajasthan launches information portal
• The first-ever public information portal - Jan Soochna Portal-2019 - was launched in Rajasthan on 13 September 2019.
• The portal will provide information about government authorities and departments suo motu to the public in the true spirit of
the Right To Information Act.
• The State government has collaborated with the civil society groups to develop the portal.
Kapil Dev: Chancellor of Sports University
• The government of Haryana appointed Kapil Dev as Chancellor of the Haryana sports university at Rai in Sonepat district.
• Kapil Dev was also known as Haryana Hurricane.
• The sports university at Rai would be the third varsity set up by a state government in the country after the Swarnim Gujarat
Sports University at Gandhinagar and Tamil Nadu Physical education and sports university at Chennai.
Iran inks deal to develop gas field in Gulf
• Two Iranian companies, Pars Oil and Gas Company and PetroPars, have signed a 440-million Dollars agreement to develop a gas
field in the sensitive Gulf.
• Under the agreement, the companies will develop the Balal field in the gulf.
• The Balal gas field is located at Lavan island in the Gulf.
• The deal aims to reach a production rate of 500 million cubic feet of gas per day.
Govt notifies e-assessment process
• The central government has notified the ambitious e-assessment scheme also called the faceless assessment for income-tax
payers.
• The centre will serve notices to the assessees specifying the issues for selection of their case for assessment and after a response
is received from them within 15 days, the centre will allocate the case to an assessing officer using an automated system.
Jaldoot vehicle flagged off in Pune
• Union Minister for Environment and Forest and Information & Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar flagged off a Jaldoot vehicle in
Pune.
• The van carrying the 'SAVE WATER' message will travel to different parts of the state.
• An exhibition on 100 days of Union Government has also been organized on the occasion by Regional Outreach Bureau in Pune.
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14th COP adopts Delhi Declaration

• The 14th Conference of Parties (COP-14) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) adopted the Delhi
Declaration.
• In Delhi Declaration, the parties expressed support for new initiatives aiming to improve human health and well-being, the health
of ecosystems and to advance peace and security.
Bangladesh School project wins Aga Khan Award
• An innovative project for constructing a floating school for marginalised children in Bangladesh has been awarded the prestigious
Aga Khan Architecture Award 2019.
• The award was given to the Republic of Tatarstan for the Arcadia Education Project in South Kanarchor of Bangladesh.
• The project involved the construction of a school in an area which is underwater during the monsoon months.
Akilisi Pohiva passed away
• Climate change campaigner of the South Pacific and Prime Minister of Tongan Akilisi Pohiva passed away.
• He was long-time pro-democracy campaigner and leader in the fight against climate change.
• He was awarded the Defender of Democracy Award in 2013 by the Parliamentarians for Global Action, the first Pacific Islander to
receive the prize.
DRDO handed over ‘Netra’ aircraft to IAF
• The DRDO has handed over the second airborne warning plane, Netra, to the Indian Air Force.
• The Netra, an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEWC) aircraft, is useful for surveillance, tracking, identification and
classification of airborne and sea surface targets and is useful in detecting incoming ballistic missile threats.
• It had played a stellar role during the Balakot airstrikes.
Megan Schutt entered record books
• Australian fast bowler Megan Schutt scripted history by becoming the first woman to claim two hattricks in white-ball cricket.
• The right-arm medium-pacer claimed an ODI hat-trick to become the first Australian woman to achieve the feat.
• She became the first Australian women to claim a hattrick in ODIs.
• Schutt had claimed her first hattrick in a T20 game against India.
Railway ministry signed MoU with CII
• The Railway Ministry signed a MoU with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for evaluating the green initiatives and rate the
performance of its industrial units.
• The MoU was signed for Green Business Centre (GBC) of CII to extend technical co-operation for various green initiatives.
• It has developed a GreenCo Rating system to evaluate the various steps and rate them.
NGT constituted committee
• The National Green Tribunal has constituted a committee to formulate steps to cease illegal groundwater extraction.
• The committee aims to ensure that groundwater is not illegally extracted and to monitor manning and functioning of the Central
Ground Water Authority (CGWA).
• The committee comprises joint secretaries of Ministry of Environment and Forests and Ministry of Water Resources.
DAC approved procurement of Rs 2,000 crores
• The Defence Acquisition Council accorded approval for Capital Procurement for the Services amounting to approximately Rs
2,000 crores.
• The decision was taken during the Defence Acquisition Council meeting held under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath
Singh
• Focussing on the ‘Make in India’ initiative, DAC approved procurement of DRDO developed Mechanical Mine Layer (Self
Propelled).
Andrew: Chairman of ECB’s cricket committee
• Former England captain Andrew Strauss has been appointed as the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s cricket
committee.
• As a chairman, Strauss will monitor all levels of cricket in England and Wales.
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• Andrew Strauss played 100 tests for England from 2004-12, scoring more than 7,000 runs at an average of 40.91, and captained
the team to two Ashes series wins.
Hindi Diwas celebrated on 14 September
• Hindi Diwas is observed every year on 14 September to mark the popularity of Hindi as an official language of India.
• On the occasion, International Hindi Conference was also organised by World Hindi Council in New Delhi.
• On this day in 1950, the Constituent Assembly of India had adopted Hindi, written in Devanagari script as one of the official
languages of the Republic of India.
J&K: Rs 827-crore plan approved
• In J&K, a plan of 827 crore rupees has been approved under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
• State Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam reviewed the implementation of the schemes during the last fiscal and subsequently
approved the Action Plan for the current financial year.
• Meanwhile, as part of Mission Reach Out, the Indian Army has been conducting various people-friendly campaigns.
WB to implement 6th Pay Commission from Jan 1
• The recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission for West Bengal Government Employees will come into effect from January 1,
2020.
• The Commission has submitted its first report to the Government and her Government will accept of its recommendations.
• As per recommendations of the Pay Commission, the Minimum Gross Pay of an Employee will stand at 20 thousand 146 rupees.
Odd-even scheme to be implemented in Delhi
• Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal announced that odd-even road rationing scheme will be implemented in Delhi from November 4 to 15,
2019.
• The move was aimed at combating high levels of air pollution in winters when crop stubble burning takes place in neighbouring
states.
• Under the scheme, odd and even-numbered vehicles ply on alternate days. Delhi has earlier also experimented with Odd-Even
plan.
2020 Women's U-17 World Cup to be held
• The FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, to be hosted by India, will be held from 2nd to 21st November 2020.
• The age group showpiece event of the FIFA will be held in four cities across the country.
• The Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar has been provisionally confirmed as a venue, pending FIFA approval.
• India was announced as the host country in March 2019.
5 Indian women police officers honoured by UN
• 5 Indian women police officers were honoured by the United Nations for their commendable services in UN mission in South
Sudan.
• These are Reena Yadav, Gopika Jahagirdar, Bharati Samantray, Ragini Kumari, and Kamal Shekhawat.
• The women officers were honoured with medals by the United Nation for upholding the UN mandate of protection of civilians in
conflict-ridden South Sudan.
ESIC plans 100 bedded hospital for Srinagar
• Employees' State Insurance Corporation, ESIC, will set-up 100 bedded hospital at Srinagar and 30 bedded hospital at Leh.
• The approval has also been accorded to provide cashless Secondary and Tertiary medical care services under Ayushman Bharat
package rates to entitled ESI Beneficiaries.
• The treatment will be given in the newly implemented area of 102 designated Districts.
Amit Shah launched 'Seva Saptah'
• Home Minister Amit Shah launched a week-long programme 'Seva Saptah' to mark the birthday of PM Narendra Modi on 17
Sept. 2019.
• He launched the campaign by joining cleanliness drive and distributing fruits among the patients at AIIMS in Delhi.
• Three pledges will also be administrated among the people related to Swachata Abhiyan, save water and shunning single-use
plastic.
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Centre to set up 12,500 Ayush Wellness Centres

• Union Government has set a target of setting up 12,500 Ayush Health and Wellness Centres across the country.
• Out of which four thousand will be set up during 2019.
• The Unani Medical Centre and Siddha Clinical Research Unit will provide holistic health care to patients visiting Safdarjung
Hospital from different parts of the country.
Maritime communication services launched
• Union Minister for Communications, Electronics and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad launched maritime
communication services.
• He also launched a web portal for reporting stolen mobiles to help trace them.
• Maritime connectivity will enable high-end support to those travelling on sailing vessels, cruise liners and ships in India.
Appointments
• Japanese footwear company ASICS announced youth icon and Bollywood star Tiger Shroff as its brand ambassador in India. This
association is a step towards the brand’s expansion into SportStyle and athleisure.
• Jasprit Bumrah has been roped in as the brand ambassador for Seagram’s Royal Stag. Bumrah will soon be seen in the brand’s
full-fledged 360 -degree marketing campaign.
Justice Meenakshi: Acting CJ Of Sikkim HC
• The centre has notified the appointment of Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai as the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court.
• She is the senior-most Judge of the Sikkim High Court.
• The present Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court, Justice Vijai Kumar Bist, is set to retire on September 16.
Jual Oram: Chairperson of Committee on Defence
• BJP MP from Sundargarh, Jual Oram is appointed as the chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence.
• BJP MP Jual Oram appointed chairperson of Parliamentary Committee on Defence.
• MPs including Rahul Gandhi, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut and RJD lawmaker Prem Chand Gupta were
appointed as committee members.
Hima Das: Brand ambassador for Gatorade
• PepsiCo India has roped in star athlete Hima Das as the brand ambassador for its sports drink brand Gatorade.
• She will join PV Sindhu and Neeraj Chopra as the brand’s ambassadors in the country.
• Gatorade India will also work with Hima Das during the period of partnership to understand her training and race-day nutrition
better.
CBSE Teacher Awards - 2018 presented
• Union HRD Ramesh Pokhriyal ' Nishank' presented CBSE Teacher Awards - 2018 to 34 teachers of the country on 12 September
2019.
• He also launched CBSE's portal 'Vidyadhan' on Diksha App, a Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (National Forum for
Teachers) and released CBSE's annual activity calendar.
• He also released 10 CBSE Manuals on various subjects like art integration.
Visit of Indian Naval Ships to Malaysia
• As part of Indian Navy's Overseas Deployment to South East Asia and Western Pacific, Indian Navy ships Sahyadri and Kiltan made
a port call at Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia on 12 September 2019, for 3 days visit.
• The port call is a demonstration of India's warm ties with Malaysia.
• IN Ships Sahyadri and Kiltan are the latest, indigenously designed and built multi-role ships of the Indian Navy.
'Rudrashila' Flagged off at Jaisalmer
• The white water Rafting Expedition christened 'RUDRASHILA' being undertaken by Kalidhar Battalion was Flagged Off on 11
September 2019 at Jaisalmer.
• 'Rudrashila' has been organised to commemorate the 75th Raising day of the Kalidhar Battalion.
• 'Kalidhar Battalion' was raised on 01 November 1943 and has participated in all major operations of the Indian Army.
Indo-Thailand Joint Exercise Maitree - 2019
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• Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-2019 between India and Thailand will be conducted at Foreign Training Node, Umroi (Meghalaya)
from 16-29 Sep 2019.
• Indian and Royal Thailand Army (RTA) comprising 50 soldiers each will participate in the exercise.
• Exercise MAITREE is an annual training event which is being conducted alternatively in Thailand and India since 2006.
International Day for South South Cooperation
• International Day for South-South Cooperation is observed on 12 September every year.
• The day celebrates the political, social and economical developments made by regions and countries in the south in recent years.
• The theme for the year 2019 South-South Cooperation is 'From Commitment to Action — Follow up to Buenos Aires Plan of
Action+40'.
Curriculum for Life Skills launched
• Union Minister of State for HRD Sanjay Dhotre, launched the Curriculum for Life Skills (JeevanKaushal) designed by University
Grants Commission (UGC), in New Delhi on 11 September 2019.
• The curriculum covers the set of human talents acquired by an individual via classroom learning or life experience that can help
them to deal with problems encountered in day to day life.
Astronomers discover water vapor in atmosphere
• Astronomers have for the first time discovered water vapour in the atmosphere of a distant planet called K2-18b.
• Astronomers at the University College London used data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to make the discovery.
• They published their findings in the journal Nature Astronomy on 12 September 2019.
• The exoplanet, K2-18b, is eight times the mass of Earth and known as a super-Earth.
Sri Lanka flagged off ‘Make In India’ train
• A newly ‘Make In India’ train Pulathisi Express rake was flagged off from Colombo Fort Railway station.
• The rake of the train was manufactured in the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.
• The train which has been inducted under an Indian Line of Credit has an on-board entertainment system, modular interiors and
fully-rotating seats in Air Conditioned Chair cars for passenger comfort.
Thailand to roll out plain cigarette packaging
• Thailand became the 1st Asian nation to unveil plain cigarette packaging to reduce the appeal of smoking and complied with the
World Health Organisation’s (WHO) guidelines.
• In 2012, Australia became the first country to require tobacco products to be sold without colourful brand logos.
• Capital of Thailand: Bangkok
• Currency of Thailand: Baht.
Haryana launched two insurance schemes
• The State government of Haryana launched 2 insurance schemes for registered small and medium traders.
• The schemes are Mukhyamantri Vyapari Samuhik Niji Durghatna Beema Yojana and Mukhyamantri Vyapari Kshatipurti Beema
Yojana“.
• An insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh would be provided under the former one.
• An insurance cover ranging from Rs 5 lakh-Rs 25 lakh would be provided under the latter one.
Rs 1680 cr water supply scheme for Aurangabad
• Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis approved a 1680.50 crore rupees water supply scheme for Aurangabad in Marathwada
region.
• Around 16 lakh people of Aurangabad will be benefitted by the scheme which envisages supply of water directly from the
Jayakwadi dam.
• \Marathwada comprising eight districts has traditionally been a low-rainfall area.
• It was reeling under drought conditions since 4 years.
Lasith Malinga makes new records - I
• Lasith Malinga, 36, took 4 wickets in 4 consecutive balls in the 3rd T20I against New Zealand.
• He passed Shahid Afridi to become highest wicket-taker in T20Is.
• Malinga is the second bowler after Rashid Khan to take four wickets in four consecutive balls in T20I cricket.
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• In T20s, Andre Russell and Al Amin Hossain are the others to have taken four wickets in four balls.
Lasith Malinga makes new records - II
• Malinga is also the only bowler to have taken two hat-tricks in T20I cricket. He had picked up a hat-trick in 2016/17 against
Bangladesh before this.
• This was Malinga’s fifth hat-trick in international cricket, the most by any bowler.
• Malinga also reached his 100th T20I scalp in the course of his record-scripting spell, a mark no other bowler has reached as of
now.
Wi-Fi at 6 railway stations inaugurated
• Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani inaugurated Wi-Fi facility at 6 railway stations including Amethi, on 11
September 2019.
• Mrs Irani was on a two-day visit to her parliamentary constituency Amethi.
• She inaugurated the kitchen garden at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya and held a chaupal in Cheda village on 12 September 2019.
Indian cyclists top medal tally at Track Cup
• India picked up three medals on the concluding day of the Track Asia Cup cycling competition and emerged as champion.
• Ronaldo Laitonjam won his four gold in the meet. He had earlier collected a gold each in sprint, 1km time trial and team sprint
junior events.
• India topped the medal tally with 10 gold, 8 silver and 7 bronze medals as the tournament came to an end at the IGI Sports
Complex.
Mary Kom added to TOPS scheme for Olympics
• MC Mary Kom, shooter Yashaswini Singh Deswal and shuttler Sai Praneeth were among 12 top sports persons who were included
in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) of the government.
• The TOPS is a flagship program of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports which is an attempt to provide assistance to India’s top
athletes.
• It looks to add a premium to the preparations of these athletes.
RBI increases banks' loan exposure limit
• The RBI increased loan exposure limit of banks to a single Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) - excluding gold loan
companies - from 15% to 20% of its capital base.
• This move will help increase credit supply to the crisis-ridden shadow banking sector.
• NBFC are establishments that provide financial services and banking facilities without meeting the legal definition of a Bank.
Miscellaneous News
• President Ram Nath Kovind addressed the Indian community and friends of India in Berne at Switzerland on 12 September 2019.
He is visiting Switzerland as part of his 3-nation tour.
• India has begun exporting bulletproof jackets as per its own standards to over 100 countries including European nations. India is
the fourth country after the US, UK and Germany to have its own national standards.
Obituaries
• Indonesia’s third president, Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, also known as BJ Habibie, passed away in September 2019. He was known
as a scientist and father of technology.
• Tonga's Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva' died in the Auckland in September 2019. The Acting Prime Minister is honorable Semisi
Sika currently.
S.East Asia's largest solar power farm opened
• Vietnam has inaugurated Southeast Asia's largest solar power farm which has the capacity to produce 688 million kWh of
electricity annually.
• The Dau Tieng Solar Power Complex occupies 540 hectares in Tay Ninh province and has an investment of more than $391
million.
• The complex, was constructed on the Dau Tieng Reservoir - the largest artificial lake in Vietnam.
Bandaru Dattatreya: Himachal Pradesh Governor
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• Former Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya took oath as the 27th Governor of Himachal Pradesh on 11 September 2019.
• The Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court, Justice Sanjay Karol administered him oath of Office and Secrecy at Rajbhavan
in Shimla.
• Duttatreya has replaced Kalraj Mishra who is now the Governor of Rajasthan.
• He has served as a Member of Parliament for five terms.
2nd Scorpene-class sub to be commissioned
• India's second Scorpene-class attack submarine INS Khanderi will be commissioned into the Navy by Defence Minister Rajnath
Singh in Mumbai on September 28, 2019.
• The conventional diesel-electric submarine has been manufactured by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in Mumbai.
• The first Scorpene-class submarine INS Kalvari had been commissioned into the Indian Navy in December 2017.
India, ASEAN agree to review free trade pact
• India and 10-member bloc of South-East Asian nations have agreed to review their free trade agreement, signed in 2009.
• The two sides also decided to constitute a joint committee for this purpose.
• This was agreed upon during the meeting between economic ministers of ASEAN and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in
Bangkok.
• They met for the 16th AEM-India consultations.
Leader of Opposition of Haryana: Bhupinder
• Days after Congress decided to elect former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda as Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader,
Haryana Assembly Speaker Kanwar Pal Gujjar also recognised him as Leader of Opposition (LoP) on 10 September 2019.
• Congress presently has 16 MLAs in the 90-member Assembly.
• Abhay Singh Chautala had held the post of Leader of Oppostion but lost it in March 2019.
BCCI partnered with All India Radio
• The BCCI announced a two-year radio rights arrangement with All India Radio (AIR) for live commentary of the national cricket
team’s international games.
• This initiative will offer millions of listeners across India the opportunity to follow cricket via live radio commentary.
• The audio commentary will commence from the first game of T20 International series against South Africa.
Rajnath Singh to visit France in October
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to receive the first of 36 Rafale fighter jets in Paris on October 8, 2019 -- the foundation day
of the Indian Air Force.
• He will travel to Paris on October 7 on a three-day visit.
• India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in September 2016 for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a
cost of around Rs 58,000 crore.
Noor Wali Mehsud designated global terrorist
• The US has slapped sanctions on the chief of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Noor Wali Mehsud and designated him
as a global terrorist.
• Noor Wali Mehsud was designated as a 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist' by the US Department of State, on the eve of the
18th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
• Noor took over the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan in June 2018.
Kerala to set up India’s 1st iWTC in Kozhikode
• Kerala will set up India’s first international women’s trade centre (iWTC), in consonance with the United Nations sustainable
development goals (SDGs) in Kozhikode.
• It is envisaged as a safe space away from home for women to harness their entrepreneurial capabilities.
• The first phase of iWTC, being executed under the gender park’s Vision 2020, is scheduled to be completed by 2021.
Niti Aayog, McKinsey to launch DCC
• Niti Aayog has selected McKinsey & Company to set up India’s first Digital Capability Centre (DCC).
• McKinsey supports five such digital capability centres across the globe – Aachen, Chicago, Singapore, Venice, and Beijing.
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• DCC is a unique digital manufacturing learning centre offering company leaders and their workforces hands-on experience and
workshops in next-generation technology.
CHC Farm Machinery App launched
• Minister of State for Agriculture, Parshottam Rupala has launched a multilingual Mobile App CHC Farm Machinery during a
conference on Crop Residue Management in New Delhi.
• The app will allow farmers to avail custom hiring services of CHCs located in a radius of 50 km.
• With the help of it, the farmers will now be able to get affordable access to cutting-edge technology at their doorsteps.
Pawan Munjal to be honoured
• MD and Chairman of Hero MotoCorp, Pawan Munjal will be inducted into the 2019 Asia Pacific Golf Hall of Fame.
• He will be inducted for his support to Golf in India and around the world.
• The induction ceremony will be held at the 2019 Asian Golf Awards Gala Banquet.
• With the honour, he will join the legendary players such as Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player who were bestowed with the same.
Gurugram Police tied up with Google
• The Gurugram traffic police have tied up with Google maps for real-time traffic updates.
• The information such as planned road closures, diversions, traffic alerts regarding road crash etc. will be shared by Gurugram
traffic police with Google maps.
• Responding to the situation, Google maps will immediately update the information on its public maps.
Boycott & Strauss honoured with knighthoods
• England cricket greats Geoffrey Boycott and Andrew Strauss have been given knighthoods by Theresa May in her resignation
honours list.
• Both received the honour for their services to sport after outstanding careers for England.
• Geoffrey played 108 tests between 1964-1982 for England and scored 8,114 Test runs.
• Andrew played 100 tests for England from 2004-12, scoring more than 7,000 runs.
Cryodrakon boreas: The largest flying animal
• Scientists have unveiled a newly discovered species of a pterosaur, the largest ever flying animal according to a study conducted
by Queen Mary University in London.
• These species come from the Azhdarchid group of pterosaurs.
• The pterosaur’s name Cryodrakon boreas roughly translates to ‘frozen dragon of the north wind’.
Union HRD Minister launched initiatives
• Union HRD Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ attended the First Annual Innovation Festival of the MHRD’s Innovation Cell
(MIC).
• MIC organized the first Annual Innovation Festival in coordination with AICTE on 11 September 2019.
• He also launched the Smart India Hackathon 2020, Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) 2020, and
Institution’s Innovation Council 2.0.
GeM and Punjab Government signed MoU
• Government e Marketplace (GeM) and Government of Punjab, signed MoU to set up a GeM Organizational Transformation Team
(GOTT) Project Management Unit (PMU) in the state.
• GeM is the national public procurement portal which was launched in August 2016.
• It has facilitated procurement worth over Rs. 34,000 crore of goods & services by various Government Departments,
Organisations and PSUs.
MPATGM successfully test fired
• DRDO successfully flight tested indigenously developed low weight, fire and forget Man Portable Antitank Guided Missile
(MPATGM) in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh on 11 Sept 2019.
• The missile hit the target in top attack mode and destroyed it with precision.
• All the mission objectives were met.
• This is the third series of successful testing of MPATGM.
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PM Modi launched Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2019

• PM Narendra Modi launched Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2019, a massive countrywide awareness and mobilization campaign on
Swachhata at Mathura on 11 September 2019.
• SHS 2019, with special focus on ‘plastic waste awareness and management’ is being organized from 11 September to October
2, 2019.
• It was launched by the Departments of Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Drinking Water and Sanitation.
Appointments
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Dr. P.K. Mishra as Principal Secretary to
Prime Minister with effect from 11th September 2019.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of P.K. Sinha as Principal Advisor to Prime
Minister with effect from 11th September 2019.
Gujarat government reduced traffic fine
• The Gujarat government reduced fine amounts stipulated in the new Motor Vehicles Act passed recently.
• The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2019 was passed by Parliament in July and its steep fines were to come into effect from 1
September 2019.
• The penalty for driving without a licence has been brought down from ₹5,000 to ₹2000 for two-wheelers and ₹3000 for four-
wheelers.
Delhi: 3rd Highest Consumer of Cannabis
• According to a new study, Delhi is the third-largest consumer of cannabis in the world, having consumed 38.26 metric tonnes or
38,260 kgs.
• The study, '2018 Cannabis Price Index' was conducted by ABCD, which is a data-driven media campaign outlet,
• It has released new data which reveals the number of marijuana head and growshops in 120 cities around the world.
Reliance joins hands with green activist
• Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is helping clean up Mumbai’s Mithi, or the Mahim, river, which causes flooding in
the central suburbs during the monsoon.
• It has joined hands with activist Afroz Shah to clean up the Mithi.
• Mithi flows through 17.84km before meeting the Arabian Sea at the Mahim creek.
• It starts at the Vihar and Powai lakes.
Tata Grp to set up Indian Institute of Skills
• The Ministry of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship has joined hands with Tata Group to set up an Indian Institute of Skills
(IIS) in Mumbai,
• Tata Group will invest around ₹300 crore in it.
• Inspired by Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the IIS will be developed on a public-private-partnership (PPP) model, with the
land coming from the government and capital from the Tata Group.
India to spend $130 bn to modernise military
• India has finalised to spend $130 billion in the next 5-7 years to modernise the armed forces and bolster their combat capabilities
over rivals in the region.
• The plan includes procurement of a range of weapons, missiles, air defence systems, fighter jets, submarines and warships,
drones, surveillance equipment and developing infrastructure for extensive use of artificial intelligence.
Mumbai at 5th in Knight Frank co-living index
• Knight Frank India, the leading international property consultancy, launched a report titled Insights on Co-living – An Asia-Pacific
Perspective, on 9 September 2019.
• As per the report, Mumbai is ranked 5th in Knight Frank India's co-living Index that tracks markets’ possibility of success as co-
living destination.
• New Delhi was ranked 11th, while Bengaluru was ranked 19th in the index.
1st Helicopter summit 2019 held in Dehradun
• The Ministry of Civil Aviation organised India’s first-ever helicopter summit in Dehradun recently.
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• The Indian Air Force was invited at the summit to talk on the role of IAF helicopters in MEDEVAC (Medical evacuation) at the
national level.
• The conclave was attended by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, the Aviation Secretary, and the Chief Secretary
of Uttrakhand.
World Suicide Prevention Day: 10 September
• The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) observes World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) on 10 September
every year.
• The purpose of this day is to raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented.
• The number of countries with national suicide prevention strategies has increased in the five years since the publication of
WHO’s first global report on suicide.
UP govt announced Agriculture Export policy
• Uttar Pradesh Government has announced it's maiden Agriculture Export policy, 2019.
• The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting on 10 September 2019 chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
• Cabinet also cleared a proposal to compensate victims of lynching as directed by the Supreme Court.
• The policy will target to augment farmers’s income and promote export of farm commodities.
J&K govt to roll out MISP Scheme
• In J&K, the Special Market Intervention Price Scheme (MISP) will be rolled out to procure nearly 12 Lakh Metric Tons of Apple
from farmers of Kashmir on remunerative prices.
• Nearly 60% of the estimated annual Apple production will be procured from the Apple growers nearer their doorsteps.
• The period of procurement would be for six month beginning 1st of September 2019.
Campaign against plastic began in Bihar
• In Bihar, the campaign against single used plastic began on 11 September 2019.
• Mass Awareness Campaign was launched by holding Swatchha Hi Seva campaign from 11 September till 1 October 2019 from
Urban areas to villages.
• Under this campaign, single used plastic will be collected at ward level and it will be sent to collection centres of local bodies for
recycling.
MP: 313 Anganwadi centres developed
• In Madhya Pradesh, 313 Anganwadi centres have been developed as Child Education Centre under Rashtriya Poshan Maah -
National Nutritional Campaign.
• These centres are now providing primary education along with distribution of nutritious food.
• 27 thousand smartphones have also been provided in the state for monitoring of nutritional food distribution in Anganwadi
centres.
J&K: 85,000 LPG refills distributed
• In Jammu and Kashmir, 85,000 LPG refills have been distributed through home-deliveries to consumers in Srinagar in last three
weeks.
• The number includes 60,000 refills distributed in the last two weeks of August and 25,000 distributed in the first week of
September 2019.
• Moreover, since September 1 around 50 thousand quintals of rice has been distributed among consumers in Srinagar.
Sports Mstry derecognised Paralympic Committee
• The Sports Ministry has de-recognised the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), citing a violation of the National Sports Code in
the body's decision to sack President Rao Inderjit Singh.
• In the suspension order issued, the Ministry wrote that the PCI has been penalised for misgovernance.
• The Ministry had received a complaint from Mr. Singh, who was removed by a majority vote.
IAF resurrects 17 Squadron 'Golden Arrows'
• The IAF resurrected the Air Force Station Ambala-based 17 Squadron 'Golden Arrows', which will operate the first squadron of
Rafale fighter jets in the near future.
• The ceremony was presided over by IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa.
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• The squadron was formed at Ambala on 01st Oct 1951 under the command of Flight Lieutenant D L Springett and was then
equipped with Harvard-II B aircraft.
Centre set up 3-member panel
• Centre has set up a three-member panel to oversee the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.
• The committee will look into the distribution of assets and liabilities of Jammu and Kashmir between two successor Union
territories, which will come into existence on 31 October 2019.
• The committee will be headed by Former Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra.
India, Iceland signed agreements
• India and Iceland signed agreements to enhance cooperation in the field of sustained fisheries development and organised
cultural exchange programme between 2019 and 2022.
• Iceland also declared exemption from Visa for Indian diplomatic and official passport holders.
• The agreements were signed in the presence of President Ram Nath Kovind and Gudni Johannesson in Reykjavik in Iceland.
2nd Multi-Modal Terminal to be inaugurated
↵
• PM Narendra Modi will dedicate to the nation India’s second riverine Multi-Modal terminal (MMT) built at Sahibganj in
Jharkhand on 11 September 2019.
• It has been built at a cost of 290 crore rupees in a record time of about two years.
• This is the second of the three Multi-Modal Terminals being constructed on river Ganga under Jal Marg Vikas Project.
• Urmila Matondkar and former Maharashtra Minister Kripashankar Singh announced their resignations from the Congress.
Matondkar unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election in April 2019 from Mumbai.
• Rajasthan born freedom fighter of India Heeralal Sharma has passed away in September 2019. He took active participation in the
freedom struggle and was jailed for two years.
Person in News
• Nissan Motor CEO Hiroto Saikawa is stepping down after an internal investigation revealed falsified documents that boosted his
compensation in 2013.
• John Wesley, best known for playing Dr.Hoover on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, passed away in September 2019. Wesley had more
than 100 acting credits to his name, working alongside stars like Denzel Washington.
Appointments
• An industrialist and 'Mrs Universe Lovely' winner Shilpa Agrawal has been appointed as Brand Ambassador of Fit India Campaign
as part of Fit India Movement.
• Audio equipment maker JBL has signed Bollywood star Ranveer Singh as its newest global brand ambassador.
• The Body Shop introduced Bollywood's millennial icon Shraddha Kapoor as its new face in India.
Recipients of Visitor’s Awards 2019 announced
• Recipients of Visitor’s Awards 2019 were announced on September 09, 2019 by the President’s Secretariat.
• This year Visitor’s Awards will be presented for Research in - Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences; Physical Sciences; and
Biological Sciences and Technology Development.
• The Visitor’s Award for Research in Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences will be presented to Prof. Sibnath Deb.
India participated in Thessaloniki Fair
• An Indian delegation led by Minister of State (MoS) for Commerce and Industry, Hardeep Singh Puri participated in the 84th
Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) in Greece recently.
• India is the honoured country at the 84th TIF.
• India's economy is expected to reach USD 5 trillion in 2025 and it will be among the largest in the world.
India & ADB signed $200 million loan
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $200 million loan on 9 September 2019.
• It will upgrade rural roads to all-weather standards in 34 districts of Maharashtra State, improve road safety and better connect
rural areas with markets and services.
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• The project will improve the condition of about 2,100 kilometres (km) of rural roads to all-weather standards.
ANGAN- A 3-day Conferencen began in New Delhi
• An international conference ANGAN (Augmenting Nature by Green Affordable New-habitat) focussed on Energy Efficiency in
Building Sector began on 9 September 2019.
• The Conference is being organised by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power, Government of India.
• It will provide a platform to deliberate on interdependence between organizations and systemic sustainability.
PM Modi to address annual UNGA on September 27
• PM Narendra Modi will address the annual high-level UN General Assembly session on September 27, 2019.
• PM Modi had given his maiden address to world leaders at the UN General Assembly in 2014.
• Imran Khan will address the UNGA session shortly after PM Modi's address.
Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated PRA-KASHI
• Union Minister of State for Culture & Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated the exhibition PRA-KASHI on the finest trends of
contemporary weaving, in New Delhi on 9 September 2019.
• The National Museum in collaboration with Devi Art Foundation has organized this exhibition.
• The exhibition will remain open for general public till 8th October 2019 between 10 am to 6 pm on Tuesday to Friday.
Kisan Man Dhan Yojana to be launched on 12 Sep
• PM Narendra Modi will launch Kisan Man Dhan Yojana (KMDY) scheme during his visit to Jharkhand on September 12, 2019.
• It will secure the lives of 5 crore small and marginal farmers by providing a minimum pension of Rs 3,000 per month to those who
have attained the age of 60.
• He will also inaugurate 400 Ekalvya Model Residential schools.
Book on spin quartet launched
• ‘Fortune Turners: The Quartet That Spun India To Glory’, book on India’s spin quartet has been launched.
• The book is on India’s 4 spin legends: Bishan Singh Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chandrashekhar and S. Venkataraghavan.
• It has been written by Aditya Bhushan and Sachin Bajaj.
• The book has been published by Global Cricket School.
1st SCO conference on military medicine
• India will host the first conference on military medicine for member nations of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) in
New Delhi from 12-13 September 2019.
• It will be the first military co-operation event to be organised in India under the SCO after it joined the organisation in 2017.
• The objective of the conference is to share best practices in the field of military medicine.
Brigid Kosgei ran fastest-ever half-marathon
• Kenya's Brigid Kosgei ran the fastest half-marathon ever by a woman on 8 September 2019, winning the Great North Run in a
time of 1 hour, 4 minutes and 28 seconds.
• Her time was 23 seconds quicker than the world record set in 2017 by fellow Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei but the course in the
northeast of England is not eligible for records.
• Mo Farah won the men's race for 6th successive year.
Senior Women’s National Football C'ship began
• The 25th Senior Women’s National Football Championship kicked off on 10 September 2019 at Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Altogether 30 teams from across India are participating in the 15-day event.
• Teams have been divided into eight groups.
• Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Telangana are in group H.
• The inaugural match will be played between Railways and Mizoram.
Motihari-Amlekhganj pipeline inaugurated
• PM Narendra Modi and Nepal's PM K.P.Sharma Oli jointly inaugurated Motihari-Amlekhgunj cross border petroleum products
pipeline through video conference on 10 September 2019.
• This is the first transnational petroleum pipeline form India and first South Asian oil pipeline corridor.
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• It will ensure smooth, cost-effective and environment-friendly supply of petroleum products to Nepal.
India to raise target to restore degraded land
• India will raise target of restoring land with degraded status from 21 million hectares to 26 million by 2030.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this while addressing the 14th Conference of Parties (COP14) of the UN Convention to
Combat Desertification(UNCCD) in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh on 9 September 2019.
• Desertification affects over two-thirds of the countries of the world.
DPIIT to launch a campaign
• Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of Commerce Ministry will launch plastic waste management
campaign under Swachhta Hi Sewa 2019 on 11 September 2019.
• Under the campaign, DPIIT will ensure recycling of plastic waste collected on 2nd October 2019 in cement kilns.
• It will also collect plastic waste through nationwide shramdaan on 2nd October 2019.
Aadhaar-enabled payment services rolled out
• The government announced the rollout of Aadhaar Enabled Payment System Services by India Post Payments Bank.
• With this launch, IPPB has become the single largest platform in the country for providing interoperable banking services to
customers of any bank by leveraging the last mile unprecedented reach of the Postal network.
• 1st anniversary celebrations of IPPB were held on 9 September 2019.
Kalraj Mishra sworn in as Rajasthan Governor
• Former Union minister Kalraj Mishra was sworn in as Governor of Rajasthan in a ceremony at the Raj Bhawan on 9 September
2019.
• Mishra replaced Kalyan Singh, who has completed his five year tenure.
• Rajasthan High Court Chief Justice Shripathi Ravindra Bhat administered the oath of office to Mishra.
• Mishra is a former union minister who was the Governor of Himachal Pradesh prior to Rajasthan.
Sports News
• Jamie Murray and Bethanie Mattek-Sands defended their US Open mixed doubles title, defeating Taiwan’s Chan Hao-Ching and
New Zealand’s Michael Venus in straight sets, in tennis.
• Elise Mertens and Aryna Sabalenka won their first career Grand Slam title with a hard-fought 7-5 7-5 win over Ash Barty and
Victoria Azarenka in the US Open doubles final in tennis.
Appointments
• Microsoft has appointed Rajiv Kumar as the new MD for its Indian research and development arm, Microsoft India (R&D) Pvt Ltd
(MIRPL). He will take over from Anil Bhansali, who held this role for the last six years.
• Congress MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra was appointed as Advisor to the Chief Minister of Punjab in the rank and status of Cabinet
Minister.
Appointments
• The Andhra Pradesh (AP) government appointed Justice P Lakshmana Reddy, a former judge of the AP high court, as the state's
Lokayukta for five years.
• Vijay Kumar Chopra has been unanimously elected as Chairman of Press Trust of India. Vineet Jain, MD of Bennett, Coleman and
Company Limited (BCCL), the publisher of Times of India, was elected for the post of Vice-Chairman of the news agency.
• Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has won the Italian Grand Prix. Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes finished the race at 2nd
and 3rd position respectively.
• In boxing, India opened their campaign at the ongoing men's World Championships in Ekaterinburg, Russia, on 10 September
2019. India's Brijesh Yadav (81 kg) will take on Poland's Maleusz Goinski in the opener.
Ram Jethmalani passed away
• Senior Advocate and former Union law minister Ram Jethmalani passed away in September 2019.
• Jethmalani’s career has been marked by high-profile cases.
• Jethmalani’s spectacular journey began in the 1950s when he became involved in the famous Nanavati murder case of 1962 —a
love-triangle where a naval officer was tried for the murder of his wife’s alleged lover.
Rajnath Singh visited 'historic site'
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• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 7 September 2019 visited the historic site where South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un planted tree for peace during the inter-Korean summit at Panmunjom on April 27, 2018.
• He also visited the Demilitarised Zone which lies between South Korea and North Korea.
India to receive delivery of S-400 missiles
• S-400 air defence missile systems will be delivered to India in strict accordance with the schedule, within 18-19 months.
• India had signed a USD 5.43-billion deal with Russia for the purchase of five S-400 systems during the 19th India-Russia Annual
Bilateral Summit in New Delhi on October 5, 2018 for long-term security needs.
Joker won Golden Lion at Venice film festival
• Film Joker won the Golden Lion Award at the 76th Venice International Film Festival on 7 September 2019.
• Jury president Lucretia Martel announced the winners of the prestigious award during a ceremony on the Lido.
• Roman Polanski’s Dreyfus affair film, An Officer and a Spy, won the grand jury prize.
• Roy Andersson won best director for About Endlessness.
Veeru Krishnan passed away
• Bollywood Actor and dance trainer Veeru Krishnan died in September 2019.
• He was best known for his roles in Akele Hum Akele Tum, Raja Hindustani and Ishq.
• Besides acting, Veeru Krishnan was a Kathak guru.
• Many Bollywood and TV actors, including Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif and Karanvir Bohra among others, had received training
in Kathak from Veeru.
Justice Vikram Nath appointed as CJ Gujarat HC
• Justice Vikram Nath has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court.
• The Supreme Court collegium had recommended the name of Justice Nath for the top post in the Gujarat High Court on 22
August 2019.
• He is at present posted as a judge in the Allahabad High Court.
• Justice Anant Surendraray Dave was appointed as the acting CJ of the Gujarat HC on 14 November 2018.
International Literacy Day: 8th September
• International Literacy Day celebrated annually on 8 September.
• It is an opportunity for Governments, civil society and stakeholders to highlight improvements in world literacy rates, and reflect
on the world’s remaining literacy challenges.
• The Theme of International Literacy Day 2019 is Literacy and Multilingualism.
PNB put up 11 NPA accounts for sale
• Punjab National Bank (PNB) has put up for sale nearly a dozen non-performing assets (NPA) to recover dues of more than 1,234
crore rupees.
• It has invited bids from asset reconstruction companies non-banking financial companies, banks, financial institutions for 11 NPA
accounts.
• The bank is set to merge two peer banks - Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank of India with itself.
UTs of J&K, Ladakh to have common High Court
• The UTs of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh will have a common High Court.
• The Legislative Assembly will be formed in J&K as UT but there will be no Legislative Assembly in the UT of Ladakh as it will be
directly controlled by the Union Government.
• 108 Central Laws will be applicable on the two UTs while 164 State laws will be repealed and 166 State laws will continue to be
applicable.
Nadal clinched 4th US Open Tennis title
• In tennis, Rafael Nadal won US Open Men's singles beating Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 on 9 September 2019.
• This is his fourth US Open title and 19th Grand Slam trophy.
• He won his 19th career Grand Slam singles title, in his 27th Slam final.
Eighth edition of Ladakh Marathon held in Leh
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• The eighth edition of Ladakh Marathon was held on 8 September 2019, in Leh.
• It is the highest marathon in the world as it is held at over 11, 000 feet above the mean sea level.
• The Marathon was held in the categories of 42KM Full Full Marathon, 21KM half marathon and 7 km long Run for Fun.
• The 9th Edition to be held in 2020 will be a qualifying race for the Abbot World Marathon Majors.
Payas Jain won silver medal
• India's Payas Jain settled for a silver medal in the 25th Asian Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Championships which concluded in
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on 7 September 2019.
• Jain lost to top-seed and world number 1 Yuanyu Chen of China 0-4.
• India's campaign at the championship ended with two silver medals -- one by the junior boys team and another by Jain.
24th World Energy Congress commenced
• The 24th World Energy Congress commenced on 9 September 2019 in Abu Dhabi under the patronage of Sheikh Khalifa bin
Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.
• The 4-day World Energy Congress aims to bring together international energy stakeholders, including governments, private and
state corporations, academia and media.
• It is set to welcome over 250 high-level speakers, 72 Ministers, 500 CEOs.
President Kovind on 9-day visit to 3 nations
• President Ram Nath Kovind embarked on an official nine-day visit to Iceland, Switzerland and Slovenia on 8 September 2019.
• This visit will enhance India's political and economic ties with the three European countries.
• During the first leg of his visit, he will arrive in Iceland and will hold talks with his Icelandic counterpart Guðni Th. Jóhannesson
and Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir.
PM Modi to address segment of COP-14
• PM Narendra Modi addressed the High-Level Segment of the 14th Conference of Parties of the UN Convention to Combat
Desertification in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh on 9 September 2019.
• The Conference is being held at a time when India has assumed the COP Presidency from China for two years.
• Around 30 decisions will be taken at the Conference that aim to strengthen land-use policies worldwide.
3.5 lakh cr to be spent on Jal Jeevan Mission
• PM Narendra Modi has announced that the central government will spend 3.5 lakh crore rupees in the next five years on 'Jal
Jeevan Mission'.
• He also announced that under the MUDRA scheme, one woman in every SHG will get a loan of 1 lakh rupees and this will help
them start new ventures and grow their business.
• The Jal Jeevan Mission was launched in August 2019.
Appointments
• The Committee of Administrators (CoA) of BCCI has appointed a three-member Independent Supervisory Committee to run the
cricketing affairs of Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) and also conduct fresh elections.
• MLA Puvvada Ajay Kumar was appointed as the Transport Minister of Telangana. Ajay was allotted the portfolio by the Chief
Minister, K. Chandrashekar Rao.
Sports News
• The Indian men's hockey team was static at number 5 while the women's team climbed a place to number 9 in the FIH rankings
released on 8 September 2019. The fresh list was released following the conclusion of the Oceania Cup.
• Russian tennis player Oksana Selekhmeteva and Latvian player Kamilla Bartone won junior doubles trophy at US Open. They won
over Aubane Droguet and Selena Janicijevic.
Miscellaneous News
• India has announced a humanitarian assistance of one million dollar to help people in the Bahamas affected by Hurricane Dorian.
• The 68th Plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) began in Guwahati on 8 September 2019. During the 2-day session,
there will be presentations from various ministries and state governments on various developmental issues critical to the North
East.
Obituaries
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• Actor and director Rajasekar, who has worked on several Tamil films as well as in television shows, passed away. He had directed
films such as Palaivanacholai.
• Senior journalist and resident editor of the Business Standard (Odisha edition), Dillip Satpathy, passed away in September 2019.
He had worked for several media outlets and was a panelist for OTV live news and debates very often.
Ashok Leyland meets BS-VI emission norms
• Ashok Leyland Ltd has become the first Indian original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to meet the BS-VI emission norms.
• It met the BS-VI emission norms across the full range of heavy-duty trucks – Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 16.2 tonnes and above.
• The company received the certificates, confirming compliance to BS-VI emission standard, from Automotive Research Association
of India (ARAI).
India to launch deep sea research project
• India will launch ‘Samudrayaan’ project in 2021-22.
• The project proposes to send a submersible vehicle with three persons to a depth of about 6000 metres to carry out deep
underwater studies.
• The vehicle is capable of crawling on the sea bed at a depth of six-kilometre for 72 hours.
• The 'Samudrayaan' project undertaken by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT).
World Bank to fund tourism projects in UP
• World Bank will fund ‘pro-poor tourism’ (PPT) development projects worth more than $57 million in top tourist hotspots of Agra
and Braj-Mathura regions in Uttar Pradesh.
• While the World Bank will incur 70% of the project cost, the remaining 30% will be borne by the UP government.
• Pro-poor tourism is a holistic tourism concept aimed at poverty alleviation.
Government constitutes a task force
• The central government has set up a task force to draw up plans for building infrastructure worth Rs 100 lakh crore over the next
five years.
• The task force under the chairmanship of Secretary (DEA) has been constituted to draw up a 'national infrastructure pipeline'
from 2019-20 to 2024-25.
• The national infrastructure pipeline project would include greenfield and brownfield projects.
An exhibition organised by Culture Ministry
• The exhibition ‘Superbugs: The End of Antibiotics?’ was inaugurated on 6 September 2019 at National Science Centre, New Delhi.
• The Exhibition explores how society is responding to the enormous challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antibacterial
resistance (ABR) in particular featuring scientific research from across the globe and personal stories of those waging war on
Superbugs.
Rs 125 crore allotted to IIT-Kharagpur
• IIT Kharagpur has been selected for setting up a Sophisticated Analytical and Technical Help Institute (SATHI), a Department of
Science and Technology initiative of the Centre, for which Rs 125 crore has been earmarked over a period of three years.
• The primary objective of the SATHI will be to extend help to the academic institutes in the neighbouring regions.
Panel to look into insurance guidelines
• Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has decided to review its 3-year-old guidelines on trade credit
insurance.
• Trade credit insurance policy provides coverage to a supplier of goods and services against delay in payment or non-payments of
trade credit.
• The panel will be headed by New India Assurance CMD Atul Sahai.
Uttar Pradesh Launches 'C-Plan' App
• The Uttar Pradesh Police has launched a ‘C-Plan’ smartphone application that will help them keep a tab on anti-social elements to
counter their nefarious designs in time.
• The app will not only help police to be informed of simmering communal tensions or other disputes taking place even in far-flung
villages by common people but also help them verify the received information.
Govt will prepare master plan for tigers
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• Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the central government will prepare a master plan for tigers at high
altitudes.
• He said this after releasing a report which revealed that tigers have been found in high altitude regions.
• The report, prepared by the Global Tiger Forum (GTF), provides the action strategy for a high altitude tiger master plan.
Food ministry to ban single-use plastic
• Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry has decided to ban single-use plastic in its various departments as well as the public sector
units under its administration from September 15.
• The decision was taken at a meeting held by Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.
• Cloth or jute bags, locally tailored and produced, can be a viable alternative.
Edelweiss and SBI sign pact
• ECL Finance Limited, a subsidiary of Edelweiss Financial Services Limited and State Bank of India (SBI) have signed a co-origination
agreement.
• The aim of the agreement is to increase access to credit for micro, small and medium enterprises.
• It plans to provide business loans, machinery loans and SME asset-backed loans ranging from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 50 lakh at a blended
rate of interest.
CBDT signs 26 advance pricing agreements
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has signed 26 advance pricing agreements (APAs) in the April-August period.
• The total APAs entered into by the board now stands at 297, which includes 32 bilateral APAs.
• APAs were introduced to provide tax certainty to those multinational corporations that agree to certain principles relating to the
valuation of their cross-border transactions.
FDI grows to $16.33 bn in Q1 FY20
• According to government data, Foreign direct investment into India grew by 28% to $16.33 billion during the first quarter of the
current fiscal.
• The inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) during April-June of 2018-19 stood at 12.75 billion.
• Singapore emerged as the largest source of FDI in India during the first quarter of the fiscal with $5.33 billion investments.
MCX and Zhengzhou Exchange sign MoU
• The Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) and Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange (ZCE), one of the leading commodity
exchanges in China, have signed an MoU.
• The MoU will facilitate cooperation between the two exchanges in areas such as knowledge sharing, education & training,
organizing events.
• MCX offers commodity futures contracts in bullion, base metal, energy and agricultural commodities.
UNESCO and Rajasthan government join hands
• UNESCO and the Rajasthan government joined hands on to promote music, art and craft forms, and other intangible cultural
heritage of the state to spur socio-economic growth of several artist communities.
• The project, which will run for around 3.5 years, will be implemented in Jodhpur, Barmer, Jaisalmer and Bikaner districts.
• The project will focus on cultural heritage and traditions.
Kochi to host India International Seafood Show
• The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) in association with the Seafood Exporters Association of India
(SEAI) will organise the 22nd edition of India International Seafood Show (IISS) in Kochi from 7-9 February 2020.
• This biennial show will provide an ideal platform for interaction between Indian Exporters and overseas importers of Indian
marine products.
28th Indo–Thai CORPAT
• 28th edition of India-Thailand Coordinated Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT) between the Indian Navy (IN) and the Royal Thai Navy is
being conducted from 5 to 15 September 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand.
• INS Kesari and His Majesty’s Thailand Ship Kraburi are participating in the CORPAT.
• The Objectives of the exercise is to ensure effective implementation of United Nations Conventions on Laws of the Sea.
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Govt launches updated CLSS Scheme

• The government of India launched the updated Credit linked Capital Subsidy Scheme (CLCSS) to allow micro, small and medium
enterprises (MSMEs) access to capital.
• The scheme provides an upfront subsidy of 15% on institutional credit up to Rs 1 crore for MSMEs in the specified 51 sub-sectors.
• The government will also prepare a final report on the recommendations of the U K Sinha committee.
'Oscar Of Science' Award announced
• The team from the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration project won the ‘Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics’ - an
award considered the ‘Oscars of Science’.
• The team won a prize of $3 million for their work.
• The Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration project published the first image of a supermassive black hole.
Books and Authors
• Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu released the Coffee Table Book titled 'Glorious Diaspora- Pride of India' containing brief
profiles of the recipients of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards from 2003 to 2019 in New Delhi on 5 September 2019.
• A new book, 'Phoolpur: Indian Flowers, Their Myths, Traditions and Usage', written by Jhelum Biswas Bose will be released on 8
September 2019.
Railways won award
• Shri Ram Nath Kovind presented an award to Indian Railways as the best ministry for implementation of Swachhata action plan
for 2018-19.
• He also presented the best Swachh iconic Place award to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Mumbai under the Swachh
Bharat Mission initiative.
• The three best stations as per Cleanliness Ranking Survey for 2018 were Jodhpur, Jaipur & Tirupati.
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan on Saudi Arabia visit
• Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, will visit Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar from 7-12
September 2019.
• He will participate in the 8th Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable (AMER) at Abu Dhabi on 10 September, where India is the co-
Host along with UAE.
• India will host the 9th edition of Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable in 2021.
Volume 2 of ‘Loktantra Ke Swar' released
• Vice President of India Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu released the books ‘Loktantra Ke Swar (Khand 2)’ and ‘The Republican Ethic
(Volume 2)’ in a function organized at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra, New Delhi.
• The books are a compilation of 95 speeches delivered by the President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind during his second year in
office (July 2018 to July 2019).
First Mega Food Park in Telangana
• Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the first Mega Food Park in Telangana.
• It is situated at Village Lakkampally, Nandipet Mandal of Nizamabad District, Telangana.
• Mega Food Park is a scheme to establish a direct linkage from farm to processing and then to consumer markets through a
network of collection centres and primary processing centres.
7th RCEP Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok
• Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways, Piyush Goyal, will attend the 7th RCEP Ministerial Meeting, 16th ASEAN
India Economic Ministers meeting and the 7th East Asia Economic Ministers Summit being held in Bangkok from 8-10 September
2019.
• The meetings will be attended by Economic Ministers and senior leaders of 10 ASEAN member countries and 8 East Asia Summit
(EAS) countries.
PM Modi to launch a programme
• PM Narendra Modi will be launching National Animal Disease Control Programme for Foot and Mouth Disease and Brucellosis on
11 September 2019 in Mathura.
• He will also launch National Artificial Insemination Programme during the event.
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• He will visit Pashu Vigyan Evam Arogya Mela and launch Babugarh Sex Semen facility and simultaneous countrywide workshops
in Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs).
Microsoft and CBSE partnered
• Microsoft India and the Central Board of Secondary Education have partnered to build AI learning for schools.
• They will conduct capacity building programmes for high school teachers with an aim to integrate cloud-powered technology in
K12 teaching.
• The programme is for teachers of grades 8-10 and will be conducted in 10 cities across the country.
Indian Army to participate in TSENTR 2019
• Indian army will participate in a multilateral exercise TSENTR 2019 to be held in Russia.
• Armies of Pakistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Russia will also participate in the exercise.
• This will be the first time that forces from India and Pakistan will participate in a multilateral exercise together since the Balakot
airstrikes conducted by Indian forces.
India on 34th rank on world tourism index
• According to the World Economic Forum (WEF) report, India jumped 6 places to claim 34th spot on world Travel & Tourism
Competitiveness Index 2019.
• The WEF report shows, over 1.5 crore international tourists arrived in India while the share of travel and tourism industry was
3.6% and that of industry employment was 5.1%.
• Spain tops the ranking index followed by France and Germany.
Institute of Eminence status to 5 institutions
• The HRD Ministry awarded the Institute of Eminence status to 5 public institutions.
• The status was awarded to the following institutions: IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, Delhi University, Benares Hindu University,
University of Hyderabad.
• Each of the above university has to sign a MoU with the HRD Ministry and will lay out its plan to achieve the objective of
becoming a world-class institution.
Standard Chartered launched DigiSmart card
• Standard Chartered Bank has launched a DigiSmart credit card that is focussed on millennials.
• The card is available for a monthly fee of ₹49, which will, however, be waived off if the customer spends more than ₹5,000 in the
previous month.
• In the initial phase, Standard Chartered has partnered with marquee brands such as Myntra, Grofers, Yatra, Zomato, Ola and
INOX
WHO to eliminate measles and rubella
• WHO South-East Asia Region has resolved to eliminate measles and rubella by 2023.
• The resolution to eliminate the highly infectious childhood killer diseases measles and rubella was taken at the 72nd session of
the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia in Delhi.
• The member-countries resolved to strengthen the immunisation systems against the two diseases to achieve the new targets.
Odisha won the IT Excellence Award
• Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) has won the IT Excellence Award, 2019.
• It has won the award for its innovative conception of app by using information technology in the field of disaster management.
• The app is named SATARK - System for Assessing, Tracking and Alerting Disaster Risk Information based on Dynamic Risk
Knowledge.
Anupama won bronze in Martial Arts M'ship
• Indian woman athlete Anupama Swain won a bronze medal in the recently concluded World Martial Arts Mastership Jiu-Jitsu
2019.
• The event was held in Chungju, South Korea.
• Now she has qualified for the 2022 Asian Games.
• She was the only Indian to participate in the championship.
• Jiu-Jitsu is a form of martial art and combat sport.
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India Pavilion at Toronto Film Festival

• The High Commissioner of India to Canada Vikas Swarup inaugurated the India Pavilion at the 44th Toronto International Film
Festival 2019 on 6 September 2019.
• It will provide a platform to showcase Indian Cinema in the overseas market and facilitate new business opportunities.
• TIFF also provides the ideal platform for the global outreach of the 50th International Film Festival of India 2019.
IAF pilots clear test for Mission Gaganyaan
• The Indian Air force announced the completion of level-1 selection of Indian astronauts for Mission Gaganyaan, the country's first
human mission to space.
• Level-1 of Indian Astronaut selection was conducted at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine.
• Selected Test Pilots underwent extensive physical exercise tests, lab investigations, radiological tests, and clinical tests.
UPI Transactions jumped 6 Times In 2018-19
• UPI or Unified Payments Interface transactions surged nearly six times in the year to June 30, 2019.
• In value terms, UPI transactions soared nearly eight times during the year, according to RBI data.
• Instant payment system UPI is developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which is regulated by the
Reserve Bank of India.
Sex ratio improved from 918 to 931 in 5 years
• States and districts were honoured on 6 September 2019 for improved sex ratio and awareness generation under the Beti Bachao
Beti Padhao campaign.
• Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh received honours for improving sex ratio at birth.
• The country has made remarkable 13 points jump in national sex ratio from 918 to 931 in last 5 years.
India, South Korea sign two major agreements
• India and South Korea have signed two major agreements to further defence educational exchanges and extend logistical support
to each other’s Navies.
• The agreements will help enhance defence co-operation between the two countries.
• The agreements were signed after the talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his South Korean counterpart Jeong
Kyeongdoo in Seoul on 5 September 2019.
PM Modi to visit Mumbai
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Mumbai and Aurangabad on 7 September 2019 to inaugurate a slew of new projects.
• He laid the foundation stone for three Metro corridors worth over 19,000 crore rupees.
• He inaugurated the first coach for Mumbai Metro built under the 'Make in India' programme.
• In Aurangabad he inaugurated the Aurangabad Industrial City’s Shendra project.
6th India-China Economic Dialogue began
• The 6th India-China Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) began in New Delhi from 7 September 2019.
• The three-day dialogue will comprise of round table meetings of joint working groups on infrastructure, energy, high-tech,
resource conservation, pharmaceuticals and policy coordination.
• It was set up between the Planning Commission and National Development and Reform Commission of China in 2010.
Lander Vikram lost its communication
• The lander of the lunar craft Chandrayaan 2 went incommunicado just minutes before its planned soft landing near the moon's
South Pole on 7 September 2019.
• Vikram Lander descent was initiated as planned and normal performance was observed up to an altitude of 2.1 km.
• Subsequently, the communication from the Lander to the ground stations was lost.
• The data is being analyzed.
Obituaries
• Pakistan's master leg-spinner Abdul Qadir died in Lahore in September 2019. He played in 67 Tests and 104 ODIs had a total 368
wickets in his international career.
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• Congress leader and former MP Sukhdev Singh Libra passed away in September 2019. He was the member of the 14th and 15th
Lok Sabhas. He was also a Punjab MLA in 1985. He was a member of Rajya Sabha from 1998-2004.
• Arif Mohammad Khan assumed charge as Kerala Governor on 6 September 2019. Mr. Khan, succeeds P. Sathasivam, the former
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
• Chief Justice Vijaya K Tahilramani of the Madras High Court, currently placed at the top in the all-India seniority list of High Court
judges, resigned on 6 September 2019. She was due to retire in October 2020.
Appointments
• Mohey, from the house of Manyavar, has roped in Bollywood star Alia Bhatt as its new brand ambassador. As a part of this
collaboration, Bhatt will endorse Mohey – an ethnic celebration wear for women.
• Senior diplomat B Bala Bhaskar was appointed as the next Indian Ambassador to Norway. Bhaskar will replace Krishan Kumar,
who has been heading the Indian mission in Norway since July 2018.
Bianca: 1st teen to reach US Open semi-finals
• Canadian teen Bianca Andreescu became the first teen US Open semi-finalist in a decade.
• She defeated Belgium's Elise Mertens.
• She will fight with Belinda Bencic in the final.
• Andreescu, a winner this year at Indian Wells and Toronto, is the first teen in the US Open's last four since Caroline Wozniacki in
2009.
• Serena Williams will face Elina Svitolina in the other semi-final.
Gujarat, Delaware State of America signed MoU
• Gujarat Government and Delaware State of America signed MoU for sister state.
• MoU was signed in Gandhinagar, when a delegation of Delaware State of America called on Gujarat Chief Minister Delaware’s
Vijay Rupani.
• This is the first sister state MoU signed by Gujarat with any state of America.
• Sectors like biosciences, animal husbandry have been shortlisted for future cooperation.
Steve: 2nd Australian to score 500
• In Cricket, Steve Smith has become the second Australian after Allan Border to score 500 and more runs in the consecutive Ashes
series in England.
• Smith reached this milestone after he added 122 runs in the ongoing 4th Ashes Test.
• The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia once every 2 years.
• Before Smith only Border had scored 500 plus runs in the Ashes.
SLINEX 2019 to be held from 7 September
• Sri Lankan Navy is sending two ships to India to participate in the SLINEX 2019, the joint maritime naval exercise with the Indian
Navy.
• The annual Joint Indo-Lanka maritime fleet exercise - SLINEX 2019 is scheduled to be held from 7 September 2019.
• The week-long exercise will be attended by 323 Sri Lankan navy personnel including the commanding flag officer of the naval
fleet.
Conference on Cybercrime Investigation
• The first National Conference on Cybercrime Investigation and Forensics was organized by the CBI on 5 September 2019 at CBI
Headquarters in New Delhi.
• Union Minister of State of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Dr Jitendra Singh addressed the conference.
• Around 50 Officers including DGPs, ADGPs, IGPs, DIGPs and SPs dealing with cybercrime participated in the Conference.
India-Pakistan progress on Kartarpur corridor
• India and Pakistan have broadly agreed on modalities of visa-free travel by Indian pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan
using the Kartarpur corridor.
• The third round of talks between Pakistan and India on the Kartarpur corridor concluded at Attari, Amritsar.
• Persons of Indian origin holding Overseas Citizenship of India card too can visit the Gurdwara using the Kartarpur corridor.
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PM Modi to visit Aurangabad on Sept 7

• PM Narendra Modi will visit Aurangabad on 7 September 2019 for inauguration ceremony of Aurangabd Industrial City (AURIC)
and address the Woman Self Help Group (SHG).
• Nearly 2,500 police force including top brass police officials have been deputed at AURIC of Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor
(DMIC) at Shendra MIDC.
• This is Modi's second visit to Aurangabad city after becoming Prime minister.
Development of Russia's Far East
• India announced a line of credit worth one Billion US dollars for the development of the Far East region of Russia, on 5 September
2019.
• This announcement will prove to be a take-off point for India's 'Act Far East' policy.
• The two countries signed 15 agreements of mutual co-operation and both expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the
summit.
Jio Fiber: India's latest broadband service
• A high-speed broadband service, Jio Fiber was launched on 5 September 2019.
• Jio Fiber's annual plans include free TVs, set-top boxes and subscriptions to premium streaming services.
• Reliance will charge subscribers $10 to $118 a month for speeds ranging from 100Mbps-1Gbps.
• The free services are coupled with low-cost internet.
Equitas SFB misses RBI mandate of listing
• Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB), which completed three years of operations on 4 September 2019, has missed its listing
timeline.
• Equitas Financial Holdings, which owns 100% stake in Equitas SFB — is a listed entity, the RBI rules mandate that the SFB be listed
separately within three years of launch of business.
• Equitas SFB, the first such bank, began operations on September 5, 2016.
India and Russia target $30 billion in trade
• India and Russia are targeting $30 billion of annual trade by 2025.
• Seeking to boost bilateral trade from its current $11 billion, the two countries announced deals in sectors including energy,
defence and shipping.
• India aims to raise the proportion of gas in its energy mix to 15% in the next few years and diversify its energy supply to hedge
against geopolitical risk.
YouTube fined $170 million
• The US’s Federal Trade Commission has fined Google’s YouTube with $170 million.
• YouTube will have to pay $170 million to settle allegations of collecting personal information about children.
• It has been accused of tracking viewers of children’s channels using cookies without parental consent.
Mobile Science Exhibition flagged off
• The Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel flagged off the first-ever Mobile Science Exhibition
(SCIENCE EXPLORER) for the entire Ladakh Region in Leh on 5 September 2019.
• The Union Culture Minister simultaneously launched 25 new Mobile Science Exhibition buses for Aspirational Districts of India.
• Topics for the exhibition are measurement, food & health, etc.
INS Tarkash at Lagos, Nigeria
• As part of Indian Navy's Overseas Deployment to Africa, Europe and Russia, Indian Naval Ship Tarkash made a port call at Lagos,
Nigeria, on 5 Sep 19 for a 3-day visit.
• The port call has been scheduled to celebrate the 60th anniversary of establishing of diplomatic relations between India and
Nigeria.
• INS Tarkash is one of the most potent frontline frigates of the Indian Navy.
Visit of Indian Naval Ships to Cambodia
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• As part of Indian Navy's Overseas Deployment to South East Asia and Western Pacific, Indian Navy ships Sahyadri and Kiltan are
making a port call at Sihanoukville, Cambodia from 5-8 Sep,19.
• The ships are part of the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet under the Operational Command of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief.
• The two ships are equipped with a versatile array of weapons and sensors.
Annual Kaushalacharya Awards announced
• The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) organized Kaushalacharya Samadar 2019 to felicitate trainers
from different sectors.
• A total of 53 trainers from diverse backgrounds were honored.
• The Ministry also announced the Kaushalacharya Awards would be an annual event to recognize the contribution made by skill
trainers in the vocational training ecosystem.
States felicitated under BBBP Scheme
• The Union Minister of Women and Child Development and Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani felicitated districts and states which have
successfully implemented the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme.
• The felicitation and award function was held in New Delhi on 6 September 2019.
• The BBBP scheme was launched on 22nd January, 2015. Now it is being implemented in 640 districts.
Rashid Khan became youngest Test Captain
• Rashid Khan scripted history as he became the youngest ever Test captain on 5 September 2019 leading Afghanistan against
Bangladesh in the one-off Test.
• The record was earlier held by Zimbabwe's Tatenda Taibu who was 20 years and 358 days old when he led his side against Sri
Lanka in 2004.
• Rashid is 20 years and 350 days old.
Delhi, Mumbai fell in Liveability Index
• Indian cities Delhi and Mumbai fell in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index for 2019, released on 4 September
2019.
• The EIU’s index ranks cities by five headline criteria.
• New Delhi dropped six places to 118, from 112 last year, as there’s been an increase in crime cases.
• Mumbai also fell by two places to 119, from 117 last year.
Appointments
• India’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Jaideep Sarkar has been concurrently accredited as the next High Commissioner of
India to the Kingdom of Lesotho, with residence in Pretoria. He earlier served as envoy to Israel and Bhutan.
• The Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Department has re-appointed JC Sharma as the head of a one-man commission to address
issues regarding the SC list in the state.
Obituaries
• A novelist and playwright Kiran Nagarkar passed away in September 2019. Nagarkar, who was born in Mumbai in 1942, published
his first novel, Saat Sakkam Trechalis, in Marathi in 1974.
• Zimbabwe's former president Robert Mugabe passed away in September 2019. He is one of the men who led his nation to
independence from the British through then-liberation party Zanu PF
Wipro bags $300 mn contract from ICICI Bank
• Wipro has bagged a seven-year contract worth $300 million from ICICI Bank.
• Under the deal, which is expected to be completed by September 30, the IT major will offer a range of services through its
artificial intelligence platform Wipro HOLMES.
• As a part of the agreement, Vara Infotech's 3,800 employees will be taken on board by Wipro.
Rohit Sharma launched Campaign to save Rhinos
• Indian Cricket team vice-captain Rohit Sharma is launching Rohit4Rhinos campaign, in partnership with WWF India and Animal
Planet.
• This campaign will help to build awareness for the need to conserve the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros or the Indian Rhino.
• The Indian rhinoceros faces several threats, including poaching, habitat loss and mass mortality from inbreeding and disease.
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Muhammad Yunus conferred Lamp of Peace award

• Nobel Laureate from Bangladesh Professor Muhammad Yunus was conferred the 'Lamp of Peace of Saint Francis ' award by the
Vatican for his contribution towards establishing peace and harmony.
• The award is a recognition for distinguished work by an individual for promoting peace and dialogue among people.
• The award was first given to the Polish trade union leader Lech Walesa in 1981.
International Day of Charity: 5 September
• The UN observes 5 September every year as International Day of Charity with the objective of sensitizing and mobilizing people,
NGOs, and stakeholders all around the world to help others through volunteer and philanthropic activities.
• The date was chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa.
• She also received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
India among top 10 nations in gold reserves
• India has surpassed the Netherlands to move into the list of top10 countries in terms of total gold reserves.
• According to the World Gold Council, India has gold reserves totalling 618.2 tonnes, which is marginally higher than the
Netherlands’ reserves of 612.5 tonnes.
• The U.S. leads the country list followed by Germany with 3,366.8 tonnes.
• In terms of individual countries, India ranks 9th.
India to go ahead with $3.1 billion US deal
• India is set to go ahead with a $3.1-billion deal with the US to acquire maritime aircraft for the Navy that will add to its
surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region.
• The procurement of 10 Boeing P8I maritime patrol aircraft is likely to be cleared at a key acquisition meeting.
• The deal will include a mandatory clause for at least 30% offsets to domestic companies.
Crisil lowers India's GDP growth forecast
• Crisil cut India's GDP growth forecast to 6.3 per cent for fiscal year 2020 from its earlier forecast of 6.9 per cent.
• This comes after the GDP growth was at its slowest in almost 6 years and grew only at 5 per cent in the first quarter.
• Earlier, Moody's too had revised India's GDP growth forecast for the current year to 6.2 per cent.
Banks to link lending rate to ext benchmark
• The RBI made it mandatory for banks to link their retail and MSME loans to external interest rate benchmarks.
• Home, car and personal loans for travel are expected to fall benefiting borrowers.
• This new norm will be effective October 1 where banks have to migrate from the Marginal Cost of Lending Rate regime to
external benchmarking and will have the freedom to choose which one to follow.
Qatar unveiled 2022 FIFA World Cup logo
• Qatar unveiled the logo for the 2022 World Cup which will be hosted by the Gulf emirate, displaying it in public spaces in Doha
and cities around the world on 2 September 2019.
• The design is a stylised Arabic white unisex shawl with maroon patterning, which is displayed in a figure-of-eight symbolising
infinity while creating a heart shape above the words FIFA WORLD CUP Qatar 2022.
NASA and the European Space Agency to meet
• NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) will meet in Rome to discuss their plan for planetary defence against asteroids.
• The two-part mission dubbed Asteroid Impact Deflection Assessment plans to collide with Asteroid Didymoon- the smaller of the
Didymo's binary system.
• NASA is in charge of conducting the actual impact while ESA will analye the aftermath.
World's First iPS Corneal Transplant
• A Japanese woman has become the first person ever to receive an iPS corneal transplant.
• In an incredible feat of medical advancement, a team from Osaka University in Japan conducted the first-ever corneal transplant
in July, using reprogrammed stem cells.
• The woman, who is in her forties, was suffering from corneal epithelial stem cell deficiency, which can lead to blindness.
IGI Airport gets India's tallest ATC Tower
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• The tallest ATC tower in the country was inaugurated at the IGI Airport.
• The Delhi Air Traffic Service Complex, which is the tallest Air Traffic Control tower in India with a height of 102 metres.
• The new complex comprises of three buildings - the Aerodrome Control Tower, Area & Approach Control Services Building and
the Administrative Block.
• Mumbai Airport's tower was the tallest till now.
National Award to Teachers-2018 conferred
• President Ram Nath Kovind conferred National Award to Teachers-2018 in New Delhi on 5 September 2019.
• The national level awards are given to teachers on Teachers' Day to celebrate the unique contribution of some of the finest
teachers in the country.
• The award carries a Silver Medal, Certificate and Rs. 50,000/- as award money.
Vaishno Devi topped in ‘Swachh Iconic Places’
• Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir has been adjudged as the“Best Swachh Iconic place in the country in the
‘Swachh Iconic Places’.
• It has been adjudged on the basis of the overall improvement in sanitation.
• President Ram Nath Kovind will confer the award to its board during the ‘Swachh Mahotsav’ to be organised by Ministry of
Drinking Water and Sanitation on 6 September 2019.
UDAN regional connectivity scheme launched
• Hisar, Haryana has entered into the civil aviation map after the launch of the air shuttle service between Hisar and Chandigarh.
• SpiceJet has started the air shuttle service between Hisar and Chandigarh under the Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) Regional
Connectivity Service scheme.
• SpiceJet would provide the service of two flights between Hisar and Chandigarh daily.
NYKS to prepare Disaster Response Teams
• In collaboration with National Disaster Response Force, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan under Dept of Youth Affairs of MoYAS will
prepare Block Level Disaster Response Teams.
• The team has been constituted for Disaster Risk Reduction.
• The trained NYKS Youth Volunteers will work as DRTs and will be called ‘NDRF- friends’.
• They will act as first responders in NDRF selected hazard prone districts.
Joint India-New Development Bank Workshop held
• A joint India- New Development Bank workshop was held in New Delhi.
• The workshop was organized to enhance the NDB’s engagement with the India’s private and public sector.
• The NDB is the first Multilateral Development Bank established by developing countries and emerging economies: Brazil, Russia,
India, China and South Africa.
• President of NDB: K V Kamath; Headquarters: Shanghai, China
Int. symposium on buckwheat being organised
• In Meghalaya, a four-day international symposium on buckwheat is being organised by North Eastern Hills University, Shillong
from 3-6 September 2019.
• The theme for it is diversifying food systems for health and nutritional security.
• The flour of buckwheat can be used either as food or as medicine.
• Buckwheat is used to improve blood flow by strengthening veins and small blood vessels.
ICC Test ranking: Steve Smith top batsman
• Steve Smith dethroned India captain Virat Kohli to reclaim the top spot in ICC Test rankings.
• Kohli was dismissed for a first-ball duck in the second innings of the final Test against the West Indies, which saw him slip to the
No.2 spot.
• Steve Smith (904) and Virat Kohli (903) are separated by a single rating point in the latest Test rankings.
CBI's 1st national conference inaugurated
• CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla inaugurated the 1st National Conference on Cyber Crime Investigation and Cyber Forensics
in New Delhi on 4 September 2019.
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• The two-day conference covers one of the mandates of CBI which is to investigate crimes with inter-state and international
ramifications.
• The conference is aimed at creating a platform to discuss challenges related to cybercrime.
Appointments
• Former Union Minister and Congress MP, Kumari Selja will be the Congress Haryana unit chief. While Former state Chief Minister
Bhupinder Singh Hooda has been appointed as Congress legislature party leader and chairman of the state election committee.
• Nissan announced the appointment of Rakesh Srivastava as Managing Director, Nissan Motor India.
Sports news
• In Table Tennis, the Indian boys team has settled for a silver medal after losing the final 0-3 to top seed China at the Asian Junior
and Cadet Championships held at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
• Former captain Misbah-ul-Haq has been appointed as head coach and chief selector of Pakistan’s cricket team. Waqar Younis will
join him as the team’s new bowling coach.
Person in News
• Maharashtra’s Governor-designate Bhagat Singh Koshyari was accorded the ceremonial Guard of Honour at Raj Bhavan. The
swearing-in ceremony of the new Governor was held on 5 September 2019.
• Zimbabwe captain Hamilton Masakadza announced to retire from international cricket after conclusion of Bangladesh &
Afghanistan T20I Tri-series. He represented Zimbabwe in 38 Tests, 209 ODIs and 62 T20Is.
Appointments
• Kesh King, the leading ayurvedic hair and scalp care brand from the house of Emami Ltd., announced the introduction of Shilpa
Shetty, as its new brand ambassador for its shampoo.
• Varun Dhawan is the brand ambassador for a soap brand Santoor. It roped in Varun for its new multi-media campaign. This
is the first time the Bollywood actor is associated with Santoor.
UP to have Atal B. Vajpayee Medical University
• By the end of this year, Uttar Pradesh will start work on a medical university in memory of former prime minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee.
• State Cabinet on 3 September 2019 approved the transfer of 50 acres of land for the proposed Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical
University to be set up in Lucknow.
• It will serve as an umbrella institution for all medical and dental colleges in the state.
B K Modi launched OCI investment platform
• Businessman B K Modi announced the setting of an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Investment Forum with a proposed fund size
of $100 billion.
• As its first project, the OCI investor forum will undertake investment in the region of Kashmir to develop 100 Global Wellness
Hotels in Kashmir.
• Other key sectors of investment will include healthcare, real estate and education.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus won top honours
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) has won the best Swacch Iconic Place award for 2019, topping the charts in
cleanliness.
• The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, has declared phase I of the Swacch Icon
Awards.
• The award will be given at a ceremony during the Swacch Mahotsav in Delhi on September 6, 2019.
India to have its own pavilion at 5th EEF 2019
• India will have its own pavilion called the India Lounge with the support of the Roscongress Foundation at the 5th Eastern
Economic Forum.
• The lounge will serve as a platform to demonstrate investment opportunities in the Far East, promote Indian investments in the
region, and attract Russian investors to the growing economy of India.
• India has the status of a guest country at the EEF 2019.
Rajnath Singh visited Japan MUIW
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• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the second day of his visit to Japan toured Japan Marine United Isogo Works.
• He was accompanied by Deputy Minister of Parliament of Japan.
• The Japan Marine United Isogo Works is known for its use of modern technology in the manufacturing of ships worldwide.
• He also visited the headquarters of the Training Command of Japanese Air Force at Hamamatsu.
PM Modi visited Zvezda shipbuilding complex
• PM Narendra Modi visited Zvezda shipbuilding complex along with Russian President Vladimir Putin on 4 September 2019 and
interacted with the management and workers of the shipyard.
• The shipyard is being set up on the base of the Far Eastern Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Center by a consortium of Rosneft,
Rosneftegaz and Gazprombank.
• It will produce heavy tonnage ships, ice-class vessels, etc.
Malaria linked to 30% risk of heart failure
• Malaria infection is linked to 30 per cent higher risk of heart failure, a new research has warned.
• The mosquito-borne infection affects more than 219 million people worldwide each year, according to the 2018 statistics of the
World Health Organization (WHO).
• Malaria can also affect vascular pathways that cause inflammation in the heart, which could lead to fibrosis and then heart
failure.
Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2019 to be held
• Exercise Yudh Abhyas - 2019 is being conducted at Joint Base Lewis Mc Chord, Washington, USA from 5-18 September 2019.
• It is one of the largest joint running military training and defence corporation endeavors between India and USA.
• This will be the 15th edition of the joint exercise hosted alternately between the two countries.
Indian Army Team Summit Mt. Leo Pargyil
• An Indian Army team successfully summited Mount Leo Pargyil (6773M) on 20 Aug 2019, hoisting the National Flag atop it.
• The expedition was flagged in by Lieutenant General PM Bali, AVSM, VSM, COS, Western Command on 31 Aug 2019..
• The expedition was flagged off on 10th August 2019.
• Leo Pargyil is the third highest peak of Himachal Pradesh.
ESIC signed an agreement with SBI
• A Memorandum of Agreement has been signed between the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and SBI.
• The SBI would provide e-payment services directly to the bank accounts of all ESIC beneficiaries and payees without any manual
intervention.
• The SBI would provide e-payment integration with the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) processes of ESIC.
PAN for people filing ITR with Aadhaar
• The Income Tax Department will automatically issue PAN to a taxpayer using Aadhaar number for filing returns as part of a new
arrangement to link the two databases.
• A person who furnishes Aadhaar, as they do not have PAN, shall be deemed to have applied for allotment of PAN and they will
not be required to apply or submit any more documents.
• The rule has come into effect from Sept. 1, 2019.
Reliance Power inked pact with JERA
• Reliance Power has signed a partnership agreement with Japanese energy major Japan’s Energy For a New Era (JERA).
• Reliance Power will hold 51 per cent stake, while JERA will hold 49 per cent stake in the joint venture company.
• They will jointly set up 750 mega watt gas-based combined cycle power project at Meghnaghat, Bangladesh.
• Anil Ambani is the Chairman of Reliance Group of companies.
Book on the history of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
• The book, India’s Lost Frontier the Story of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan, has been penned by veteran civil
servant Raghvendra Singh and was released recently.
• He was the Director-General of the National Archives of India.
• This book is based on the history of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, earlier known as the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP).
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Mahakaleshwar temple to be developed

• In Madhya Pradesh, Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain will be developed on the lines of the ongoing development works at Kashi
Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi.
• Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and one of the twelve Jyotirlingams, which are the most sacred
abodes of Lord Shiva.
• The development and expansion plans include Mahakal theme park, Mahakal corridor, etc.
Western Odisha districts celebrating 'Nuakhai'
• The much-awaited day, Nuakahi, for the people of western Odisha districts came on 3 September 2019 with much pomp and
gaiety.
• People offer the newly harvested crop called Nabanha to their respective presiding deities at a stipulated moment this morning.
• The Nuakhai Juhar is a major ritual of the festival. It is an exchange of greetings with friend relative and well-wishers.
RBI panel recommended self-regulatory agency
• A task force set up by the RBI submitted its report on the development of a secondary market for corporate loans on 3
September 2019.
• The task force headed by Canara Bank chairman T.N. Manoharan recommended setting up of a self-regulatory body (SRB).
• The SRB may be set up as an association by scheduled commercial banks, public financial institutions.
IDBI Bank to be recapitalised
• The Cabinet cleared recapitalization of IDBI Bank with a one-time infusion of funds by both the government and the LIC.
• It has approved 9,000 crore capital infusion into IDBI Bank, including 4,557 crores by the government as one-time re-
capitalisation.
• This will help both IDBI and LIC, and it shows the government's commitment to take banking to a sound level.
Mithali Raj announced her retirement
• Indian women's cricket great and ODI captain Mithali Raj announced her retirement from T20 Internationals on 3 September
2019.
• She ended her T20 career with 2,364 runs from 89 matches at an average of 37.5 and the highest score of 97 not out.
• She made her T20 International debut in 1999.
• Mithali is also the first Indian woman to reach the landmark of 2000 T20 runs.
National Afffairs
• India has announced a contribution of 22 million US Dollars to the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFTAM) for the 6th
replenishment cycle (2020-22).
• Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar released a report on Status of Tiger Habitats in high altitude ecosystems in New
Delhi on 3 September 2019. It reveals that even ecology at high altitude is compatible for the tiger growth.
Appointments
• Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora assumed Chairmanship of Association of World Election Bodies (AWEB) for the term
2019-21 as India takes over the Chair from Romania.
• Former India spinner Sunil Joshi has been appointed as coach of the Uttar Pradesh Ranji team for a one-year term. He is from
Karnataka will join the training camp on September 20.
Index of Eight Core Industries
• The Eight Core Industries comprise 40.27 per cent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
• The combined Index of Eight Core Industries stood at 131.9 in July, 2019, which was 2.1 per cent higher as compared to the index
of July, 2018.
• Its cumulative growth during April to July, 2019-20 was 3.0 per cent.
Army to train 1st batch of Women Soldiers
• Army is preparing to receive and train the first batch of women soldiers.
• The training of the selected 100 is likely to start in Dec 2019 in Bengaluru.
• Duration of the training will be for 61 weeks just as male soldiers.
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• Every year, a batch of 100 will be inducted till there will be 1700 cadre strength.
Joint Naval Annual Quality Conclave to be held
• The Joint Naval Annual Quality Conclave (JNAQC) will be hosted by the Naval Quality Assurance Establishments under the aegis of
Director General Quality Assurance (DGQA), Ministry of Defence in Visakhapatnam on September 5, 2019.
• Its theme would be ‘Transformation of QA Paradigm: Opportunities and Challenges’.
• Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain will be the Chief Guest for the annual event.
72nd Ses. of the WHO Regional Committee held
• Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare addressed the 72nd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for
South-East Asia on 2 September 2019 in New Delhi.
• He was elected as Chair of the 72nd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia.
• This is the second time that India is hosting the Regional Committee meeting; the previous one was also hosted in New Delhi.
PM Modi to be awarded by Bill & Melinda Found.
• PM Narendra Modi will be conferred with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, for the PM's ambitious pet project, Swachh
Bharat Abhiyan.
• Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was one of the first few ambitious projects that PM Modi launched in his first term in 2014.
• The project was launched as an ode to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary on October 2, 2014.
KVIC launched 'Terracotta Grinder'
• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) launched first-ever 'Terracotta Grinder' at Sewapuri in Varanasi.
• This machine can be used to grind wasted and broken pottery items for re-use in pottery-making.
• It will make grinding of wasted pottery items faster than the traditional mortar and pestle.
• It will also lessen the cost of production.
South Asian Speakers Summit concluded
• The fourth South Asian Speakers’ Summit kicked off in the Maldives capital on 1 September 2019 with the secretary general of
the Inter-Parliamentary Union and senior lawmakers from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
• The 2-day meeting focused on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
• The annual summit was organised jointly by IPU and the Maldives parliament.
Rishabh Pant beat another Dhoni record
• Rishabh Pant became the fastest Indian wicket-keeper to claim 50 dismissals in Test cricket, surpassing MS Dhoni.
• He claimed his 50th victim in his 11th Test while Dhoni had taken 15 Tests to touch the milestone.
• Pant took an easy catch to dismiss West Indies’ Kraigg Brathwaite off an Ishant Sharma delivery in the second innings of the hosts
in the second Test.
Apurvi Chandela, Deepak Kumar bagged gold
• World number one in women’s 10M Air Rifle, Apurvi Chandela, partnered with Deepak Kumar to win mixed 10m air pistol gold in
the ISSF World Cup.
• Anjum Moudgil and Divyansh Singh Panwar won a bronze medal.
• India now has a total of four gold, one silver and two bronze for a total of seven medals in the Rio World Cup.
India beat West Indies
• India beat West Indies by 257 runs at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica on 2 September 2019 to complete a 2-0 whitewash over
the hosts.
• The victory gives Virat Kohli and Co. their first series win in the ICC World Test Championship, thus taking them to the top of the
table with 120 points.
• The win was 28th in Tests for Virat Kohli, which made him the most successful Indian captain.
Virat: India’s most successful Test captain
• Leading India in the 257-run win over West Indies in the second Test of the series, India captain Virat Kohli became the most
successful Test captain of the nation on the same ground he had made his Test debut in 2011.
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• Virat Kohli now has the most Test wins as India captain (28 wins in 48 matches), who is followed by MS Dhoni (27 wins in 60
matches), Sourav Ganguly (21 wins in 49 matches).
Nankana station to be named after Guru Nanak
• The Nankana Sahib railway station in Pakistan's Punjab province will be named after Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism.
• It will be one of the best stations in Pakistan and will play a vital role in promoting religious tourism in the country.
• A new train, namely Baba Guru Nanak train, would also be started from Lahore to Nankana soon.
OYO acquired Danish data science firm Danamica
• OYO Hotels & Homes has acquired Danamica, a Copenhagen-based data science company for an undisclosed amount.
• This acquisition is in line with OYO's continued commitment to its global vacation rentals business through strategic investments
in technology products, processes and people.
• In August 2019, OYO had announced €300 million investment in the vacation homes business in Europe.
Modi to attend 20th India-Russia Summit
• PM Narendra Modi will be attending the 5th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostoc, Russia, as the chief guest between
September 4-6, 2019.
• He will also attend the 20th India Russia Bilateral Summit.
• The EEF is held on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University, one of Russia's oldest universities, and gives the students a
chance to experience World Affairs right on their campus.
School built with India's assistance in Nepal
• Nepal’s Attorney General Agni Prasad Kharel and Ambassador of India to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri jointly inaugurated a school
building constucted with India's assistance in Jhapa District on 2 September 2019.
• The new building of Shree Schoolchaun Higher Secondary School has been built with Government of India’s grant of 35.70 million
Nepali Rupees.
Steering Committee submitted report
• A government constituted Committee has recommended for putting in place a comprehensive legal framework for consumer
protection keeping in mind the rise of Fintech and digital services.
• The Steering Committee on Fintech related issues submitted its report to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on 2
September 2019.
• It recommended the adoption of regulation technology.
Police academy to be set up soon in Lucknow
• A police academy of international standards will be set up very soon in Lucknow for training cops which will be the first of its kind
of institute in the state.
• State Police Headquarter's ‘Signature’ building in Lucknow was inaugurated on 2 September 2019.
• It was running from a camp office established as make-shift arrangement in 1937.
Shweta Ratanpura created history
• Shweta Ratanpura became the first Indian woman to get a medal a the World Skills event.
• The event was held in Russia and was attended by 63 countries.
• India ended on number 13 with 1 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals.
• Apart from Shweta's bronze in graphic designing, Indian won silver in web technologies, another bronze in jewellery and gold in
water technology.
India finished at top at ISSF Shooting C'ship
• India finished at the top of the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol Championship in Rio De Janeiro with 5 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze
medals.
• Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Choudhary won gold in the summit clash of 10-Metre Air Pistol mixed team event.
• India has now finished as the leading nation in the event in 2019 with 16 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze medals.
ICMR-NIN conducted programmes
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• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) is going to conduct programmes to
implement the effectiveness of diet and lifestyle intervention with respect to lifestyle diseases like Hypertension and diabetes.
• This will be done through information, education and communication through Anganwadi Workers on the occasion of the
National Nutrition Week.
Apache AH-64E inducted into IAF
• 8 US-made Apache AH-64E attack helicopters were inducted into the Indian Air Force on 3 September 2019.
• The addition of the Apache fleet will significantly enhance the IAF's combat capabilities.
• The AH-64E Apache is one of the world's most advanced multi-role combat helicopters.
• The IAF had signed a contract with the US and Boeing Ltd in Sept. 2015 for purchase of 22 Apache helicopters.
Garvi Gujarat Bhavan inaugurated
• PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Garvi Gujarat Bhavan in New Delhi on 3 September 2019.
• He listed out series of measures taken by the Gujarat government for the development of the state.
• Gujarat is doing well in terms of water harvesting.
• He expressed confidence that every household will get drinking water by 2024.
Udit Pratap Deo passed away
• The Maharaja of erstwhile princely state of Odisha’s Kalahandi Udit Pratap Deo passed away in September 2019.
• Deo was coronated as the 32nd king of Kalahandi in 2001.
• He was elected to the Odisha assembly on a Swatantra Party ticket in 1974 from Junagarh seat.
• Deo, had, in 2014 joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with his wife Padma Manjari Devi.
Appointments
• Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has been appointed chairman of Saudi Aramco as the
world’s biggest oil company gears up to list shares on a stock market.
• The board of directors of IndiGo appointed Aditya Pande as the budget carrier’s chief financial officer. He will replace Rohit Philip
who is resigning the post on September 16, 2019.
Jinson Johnson bettered own national record
• Asian Games gold medallist Jinson Johnson from India bettered his own 1500m national record while clinching a silver in the
ISTAF Berlin event.
• He clocked 3 minute 35.24 seconds to finish second behind Joshua Thompson of United States at the Olympic Stadium.
• His earlier national record was 3:37.86 which he had set at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018.
Sports News
• Charles Leclerc fended off Lewis Hamilton to claim a bittersweet first Formula One win on 1 September 2019. It was also Ferrari’s
first win this year.
• The Indian selection committee led by M.S.K Prasad chose Nick Webb as the top candidate for the Indian team’s Strength and
Conditioning Coach.
Sports News
• Lasith Malinga became the highest wicket-taker in T20I cricket in the first T20I of the three-match series against New Zealand at
Pallekele International Stadium. He surpassed Pakistan's Shahid Afridi.
• Formula Two driver Anthoine Hubert died after a crash during the Belgium Grand Prix. Hailing from France, Hubert was last
season’s GP3 champion.
Bodybuilder S Bhaskaran felicitated
• Bodybuilder S Bhaskaran who was conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award was felicitated by the Indian Body Builder
Federation on 31 August 2019.
• He became the first bodybuilder to win the Arjuna award since T Pauly in 1999.
• He won the Asian championship and the world championship in Thailand in 2018.
Electors Verification Programme launched
• The Election Commission launched a new mega Electors Verification Programme across the country.
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• It will go on till the 15th October 2019.

• Under the programme, a voter from each family will get a username and password, allowing a person to upload all documents
related to electoral registration and tag similar details about his or her family members.
• Chief Election Commissioner - Sunil Arora.
Sept to be celebrated as Rashtriya Poshan Maah
• The entire month of September will be celebrated as the Rashtriya Poshan Maah.
• This year the theme is Complementary Feeding.
• Prime Minister's Scheme for Holistic Nourishment - POSHAN Abhiyaan is a multi- ministerial convergence mission with the vision
to address malnutrition with a targeted approach by 2022.
• Both poor and affluent families are affected the most by it.
New Governors Appointed in 5 Indian States
• A total of 5 governors have been appointed by President Ram Nath Kovind.
• Kalraj Mishra has been appointed as the Governor of Rajasthan.
• Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan has been appointed as the Governor of Telangana.
• Bhagat Singh Koshyari has been appointed as the new Governor of Maharashtra and Arif Mohammed Khan has been appointed
as the Kerala governor in place of P Sathasivam.
4000th railway station to get free public WiFi
• Tinsukia Junction in northeast region has become the 4000th railway station in the country to have free public WiFi.
• According to the Indian Railway, on average they have been rolling out WiFi in 83 stations everyday.
• The journey started from Mumbai Central in January 2016 and in the coming few weeks all railway stations over Indian Railway
will have fast and free Railwire WiFi.
Country's longest electrified rail tunnel
• In Andhra Pradesh, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu dedicated the country's longest electrified rail tunnel between Cherlopalli
and Rapuru and the electrified railway line between Venkatachalam and Obulavaripalli on 1 September 2019.
• The length of the rail tunnel is 6.6 kilometre.
• He also flagged-off a new inter-city super fast express train between Guduru and Vijayawada.
Projects inaugurated in Dadra & Nagar
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah dedicated a series of developmental projects at Silvassa the headquarters of Union Territory of
Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
• He also laid the foundation stone for education hub at Zanda Chowk and Tokarkhada in Silvassa.
• He also flagged off mobile vans for delivering Mid-day meals to school children. It will be operated by Akshaypatra Foundation.
Yashaswini Deswal wins gold at ISSF World Cup
• Young shooter Yashaswini Singh Deswal won gold in the women's 10meter Air Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup at in Rio de
Janeiro in Brazil.
• With the win, she has also secured an Olympic quota for India.
• This is India's ninth quota in shooting for 2020 Tokyo Games.
• World no.1 Olena Kostevych of Ukraine claimed the silver, while Serbia's Jasmina Milavonovic bagged the bronze.
Tejinderpal Singh Toor won silver
• Shot putter Tejinderpal Singh Toor won a silver medal during an athletic meet at Decin in the Czech Republic.
• He came up with the best throw of 20.09m in his last attempt at the event.
• Tajinder has been awarded the Arjuna Award this year.
• He has already qualified for World championship being the Area champion following his gold-winning feat at Asian Athletics
Championships.
COP14 to UN Convention began in Greater Noida
• The 14th Conference of Parties, COP14, to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification will get underway in Greater Noida on 2
September 2019.
• The Conference will focus on desertification and degradation of land and will go on till 13 September 2019.
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• The objective is to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought in countries experiencing serious drought or
desertification.
EC to host 4th A-WEB at Bengaluru
• Election Commission of India is scheduled to host the 4th General Assembly of Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) at
Bengaluru on 2 September 2019.
• India will take over as A-WEB’s Chair for the 2019- 2021 term.
• An International Conference on Initiatives and Challenges of Social Media and Information Technology in Elections will also be
held on 4 September 2019.
CGHS services to be available in 100 cities
• Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan launched a new scheme of Annual Health Check-up for Central government health schemes
(CGHS) beneficiaries who are pensioners of the age of 75 years and above.
• He also inaugurated state-of-the-art CGHS Bhawan in New Delhi.
• The CGHS services will be available in 100 cities by 2022.
• The CGHS services were started in 1954 in Delhi.
National Affairs
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Tokyo for a bilateral visit. As part of his visit to Japan, he is going to chair the Annual
Defence Ministerial Dialogue with Takeshi Iwaya, Minister of Defence of Japan.
• Bollywood has taken lead to promote India’s plastic-free movement with Varun Dhawan's upcoming movie 'Coolie No.
1' becoming the first Bollywood film to go plastic-free.
Sports News
• Hockey India named a 33-member probables list for the senior men's national coaching camp, beginning September 2, 2019 at
the Sports Authority of India, Bengaluru.
• In football, India lifted the SAFF Under-15 title at Kalyanai, West Bengal with a 7-0 win over Nepal. They won the title for a record
third time after previous wins in 2013 and 2017, both of which came in Nepal.
National Affairs
• A statue of former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley would be installed in Patna. Jaitley’s birthday on 28th of December would
be celebrated as state function every year.
• The elite Fire and Fury Corps celebrated its 20th raising day at Leh on 1 September 2019. It was on September 1, 1999, in the
aftermath of the Kargil War that this elite Corps was raised.
• Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Nitin Gadkari announced the decision to use tiny earthen pots or
kulhad for serving tea at around 400 railway stations across the country.
• The stage is all set for the crucial separation of lander Vikram from Chandrayaan 2 Orbiter. The separation will allow the lander to
travel towards the lunar surface.
Appointments
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of P.K. Sinha as Officer on Special Duty in the office of
the Prime Minister. He was earlier serving as the Cabinet Secretary.
• Shrikant Baldi, the additional Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur was appointed as the
Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh on 31 August 2019.
Boeing delivers 11th C-17 Globemaster to India
• American aerospace major Boeing delivered the 11th C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft to the Indian Air Force, boosting its
strategic airlift capabilities.
• The C-17 Globemaster III is a premier transport aircraft.
• The massive, sturdy, long-haul aircraft can carry large combat equipment, troops and humanitarian aid across long distances in all
weather conditions.
App launched to help Paralympians
• A mobile app was launched to help para-athletes to look up accessible places in Tokyo during their visit to the city for the 2020
Paralympics Games.
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• The application -- IndTokyo -- which was launched by Arhan Bagati, Awareness and Impact Ambassador of Paralympic Committee
of India, at the 'Countdown to Tokyo 2020'.
• The 2020 Tokyo Paralympics was inaugurated 25 August 2019.
IRDAI sets up single point of contact for RS
• Insurance regulator, IRDAI has set up a single point contact for its Regulatory Sandbox (RS) initiative.
• Now financial technology firms can seek permission to experiment with innovative approaches for the growth of the sector.
• Regulatory sandbox (RS) usually refers to live testing of new products or services in a controlled/test regulatory environment.
Noida girls win U.S. tech prize
• The all-girl team ‘Tech Witches’ from Noida have developed a mobile App, called Maitri, that connects children at orphanages
with senior citizens in old-age homes.
• ‘Maitri’ clinched the bronze medal at the Technovation Challenge, the world’s largest technology and entrepreneurship
programme for girls, held in San Francisco.
• Maitri allows old-age homes and orphanages to organise meetings.
Himachal top India’s child well-being index
• Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh and Puducherry topped the charts in the child well-being index, a tool designed to
measure and tracks children’s well-being comprehensively.
• Meghalaya, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh featured at the bottom.
• The index was released by the non-government organisation World Vision India and research institute IFMR LEAD.
BBC journalists win Kalinga-FCC Awards
• Journalists from media organisations such as Reuters, BBC, and Germany-based European Press Photo Agency (EPA) won awards
at the Kalinga-FCC Awards for Excellence in Journalism for 2019.
• The awards are aimed at encouraging extensive and informed coverage in the global media of India and seven other countries in
South Asia.
• Each awardee received a cheque for Rs 1,00,000 and a trophy.
Union HRD Minister launches 'Shagun'
• Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched one of world’s largest Integrated Online
Junction for School Education ‘Shagun’ in New Delhi on 28 August 2019.
• School Education Shagun is an over-arching initiative to improve the school education system by creating a junction for all online
portals and websites relating to various activities of the HRD Ministry.
Sports
• Ashish Kasodekar from Pune in Maharashtra has become the first Indian national to complete the ‘La Ultra The High’ marathon,
which is 555 km long, in Ladakh.
• Indian sprinter V K Vismaya won the gold medal in the women 400m run at the International Athletic Meeting -- Josef Seckr
Memorial (MJS) in the Czech Republic.
3rd estimate of horticultural crops released
• As per the third advanced estimate of horticultural crops, The production of fruits and vegetables would go up marginally to
313.85 million tonnes (mt) in 2018-19 as compared to 311.71 mt in the previous season.
• At 25.49 million hectares, the area under horticultural crops remained more or less the same as last year.
• Fruits production is estimated to be around 98.57 mt.
RBI releases annual report
• According to the RBI's Annual Report, the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) balance sheet expanded by 13.42% to Rs 41.03 lakh crore
while its income soared by 146.59% to Rs 1.93 lakh crore in 2018-19.
• Interest income grew 44.62% to Rs 1.06 lakh crore.
• The RBI's holding of government securities grew by 57.19%.
Samsung India ties up with Mastercard
• Mastercard, RBL Bank and Samsung India have announced the launch of Samsung Pay for RBL Bank’s credit cardholders.
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• The partnership will allow RBL Bank Mastercard credit cardholders to make contactless mobile payments using their Samsung
Pay-enabled phones.
• These payments can be made via any PoS (Point of Sale) machine where a card can be dipped, swiped or tapped, both in India
and abroad.
UN warns of rising seas and storm surges
• According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC), 'special report' on oceans and Earth's frozen zones, by
2050, many low-lying megacities and small island nations will experience 'extreme sea-level events' every year.
• The 900-page scientific assessment is the fourth such tome from the UN in less than a year.
• The report will be released in Monaco in September 2019.
Mizoram wins U-14 Subroto Cup title
• Mizoram's Saidan Secondary School won the Under-14 boys champions of Subroto Cup International Football tournament.
• The defeated Unique Model Academy of Manipur by 2-0 in the final match.
• It was the Mizoram school's maiden title win in the tournament.
Borneo: Site of new capital of Indonesia
• Indonesia's President Joko Widodo has said that capital city will be relocated to the province of East Kalimantan on the island of
Borneo.
• The site in the province of East Kalimantan is at “minimal” risk of natural disasters.
• The current capital, Jakarta, home to more than 10 million people, sits on swampy land.
• No name was given for the capital's planned replacement.
NPCI caps BHIM UPI discount rate
• To drive digital payments in both small and large merchants’ transactions, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) said
the BHIM UPI merchant discount rate (MDR) for large ticket transactions has been capped at a maximum of Rs 100 and made
zero at offline merchants for transactions up to Rs 100.
• Currently, MDR is capped at 0.25% for transactions up to Rs 2000.
GDP growth at 5% in Q1 FY20
• India’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth slumped to a 25-quarter low of 5% in Q1 FY20.
• The slowdown in investment and consumer demand derailed manufacturing, which grew just 0.6%.
• A meagre 2% rise in farm sector added to the demand slowdown.
• Private Consumption collapsed to an 18-quarter low of 3.1% from 10.6% in the March quarter.
Digital payments growing in India at 12.7%
• The report titled 'Fintech in India - Powering mobile payments' was released by the global advisory KPMG.
• As per the report, Digital payments in India are witnessing thriving growth with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.7%
in the number of non-cash transactions.
• The global digital payments market is expected to touch $10.07 trillion by 2026.
TDS on cash withdrawal above ₹1 crore
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said that the 2% tax deduction at source (TDS) on cash withdrawals of over Rs 1 crore
will come into effect from 1 September 2019.
• The government had made the provision of levying 2 per cent TDS on cash withdrawals exceeding Rs 1 crore in the Union Budget
with an aim to discourage cash transactions and move towards a less-cash economy.
HPCL Bags ‘Best Navratna’ Award
• HPCL bags ‘Best Navratna’ award in ‘Manufacturing Category’ at Dun & Bradstreet PSU Awards 2019.
• The award ceremony was held on 22 August 2019 at New Delhi.
• Dun & Bradstreet PSU Awards have been instituted to recognise and felicitate the top-performing PSUs in India for business
excellence and acknowledge their contribution in the socio-economic development of the country.
Carbon nanotube computer chip developed
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• Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed the biggest-ever computer chip using carbon
nanotubes (CNT).
• The RV16XNano is a 16-bit processor that contains 14,000 transistors — electronic switches.
• These switches are made up of CNT — tiny cylinders made of rolled-up, atom-thick sheets of graphene.
October 2019
Nirmal climbed 14 highest peaks in 189 days
• The mountaineer from Nepal, Nirmal Purja, created a new speed record by climbing the world’s 14 highest peaks over 8,000
metres in just 189 days.
• The 14th peak which he climbed was Shishapangma, located at Nyalam County, China.
• The other 13 peaks are Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Kanchenjunga, Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum
II, K2, Broad Peak, Cho Oyu and Manaslu.
9th Bangladesh-India Friendship Dialogue
• The 9th edition of Bangladesh-India Friendship Dialogue will be held at Cox Bazar in Bangladesh from November 1, 2019.
• It aims to draw from learning and experiences in some sectors between India and Bangladesh.
• It will cover a wide range of issues like trade and investment, connectivity, technology, energy, regional security, extremism, and
sustainable development among others.
Facebook launched healthcare tool
• Facebook has unveiled a ‘Preventive Health’ tool that connects people to health resources and sends check-up reminders.
• Facebook has launched the tool in the United States.
• The tool is designed to help users to find affordable places to receive care, set reminders to schedule tests and mark when tests
are completed.
• The recommendations will be provided on the basis on their age and sex.
World Cities Day: 31 October
• The UN General Assembly has designated the 31st October as World Cities Day.
• The Day is expected to greatly promote the international community’s interest in global urbanization and contributing to
sustainable urban development around the world.
• The theme for 2019 is Changing the world: innovations and better life for future generations.
Pakistan released commemorative coin
• The government of Pakistan released a new coin to commemorate the 550th anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.
• The coin worth Pakistan Rupees 50 will be available at the Kartarpur Sahib along with a postal stamp worth Pakistan Rupees 8 to
the travelling pilgrims.
• Prime Minister of Pakistan: Imran Khan
• President: Arif Alvi.
• Currency: Pakistani rupee
• Capital: Islamabad.
India now has 28 states and 9 UTs
• According to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the appointed day for the two Union Territories J&K and Ladakh
was October 31, 2019.
• This is for the first time that a state is converted into two Union Territories.
• The total number of states in the country will now be 28 while the total Union Territories will go up to nine.
1st ever Indian Brain Atlas created
• Researchers from the Indian Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad (IIIT-H), Telangana have created the first-ever ‘Indian
brain atlas’(IBA).
• The study has revealed that the Indian brain, on an average, is smaller in height, width and volume when compared to Western
and other Eastern populations.
• This will help in early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and other brain-related ailments.
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Twitter to ban all political advertising

• Twitter will ban all political advertising worldwide from 22nd November 2019.
• This is in response to growing criticism over misinformation from politicians on social media.
• Twitter's rival Facebook recently ruled out a ban on political ads.
• According to the BBC, news of the ban has divided America's political camps for the 2020 election.
3rd Guwahati Intl Film Festival inaugurated
• In Assam, the third edition of the Guwahati International Film Festival was inaugurated by CM Sarbananda Sonowal in Guwahati
on 31 Oct 2019.
• The week-long festival is being organised by Assam government-owned Jyoti Chitraban in association with the Dr. Bhupen
Hazarika Regional Government Film and Television Institute.
• 100 films from 65 countries will be screened during the Festival.
Nagaland govt launched Ex-gratia Scheme
• Nagaland Govt launched the Nagaland Ex-gratia Scheme for Students Studying outside Nagaland belonging to any recognized
scheduled tribes and indigenous inhabitants of the state.
• The scheme is targeted for students who die outside the state while pursuing secular, technical, professional, diploma and
theology courses.
• Corpus Fund of 5 crore rupees will be kept in a fixed deposit for the same.
Ravinder settled for silver
• At the Under-23 World Wrestling Championship in Budapest, Indian grappler Ravinder settled for a silver medal after going down
to Kyrgyzstan's Ulukbek Zholdoshbekov in the final.
• He suffered a 3-5 loss to Ulukbek in 61 kg category.
• Ulukbek is the current Asian U23 champion.
• This was India's first medal at the 2019 edition and overall fifth silver at the Championships.
Satwiksairaj, Chirag Shetty reclaim top 10
• Indian men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty reclaimed its position in the top 10 of the latest BWF
Badminton rankings.
• Satwik and Chirag, who became the first Indian pair to enter the finals of a BWF World Tour Super 750 event at the French Open
last week, gained two places to grab the ninth place.
• Lakshya Sen moved up a place to 51, while Shubankar Dey to no. 38.
Swastika, Kavya Sree Baskar clinched bronze
• India's Swastika Ghosh and Kavya Sree Baskar have secured bronze medals in the Oman Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Open in
Muscat.
• Swastika beat Wan-Hsuan Lee in the quarters 4-3 to advance to the medal round.
• Kavya Sree lost 1-3 against eventual champion Pu-Syuan Cheng of Taipei in the Cadet Singles to be content with the bronze
medal.
Sharjah International Book Fair inaugurated
• The 38th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) 2019 was inaugurated on 31 Oct 2019 by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al
Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
• Nearly 1800 exhibitors from 77 countries are participating in the Fair.
• The fair will showcase 987 activities presenting scientific, knowledge and literary themes.
• The theme for 2019 is Open Books Open Minds.
National Unity Day: 31 October
• National Unity Day - Rashtriya Ekta Diwas - was observed across the country 31 Oct, on the occasion of the 144th birth
anniversary of the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• Since 2014, October 31st is observed as the National Unity Day and people from all walks of life participate in the 'Run For Unity'.
• PM Narendra Modi paid floral tribute to Sardar Patel at the 'Statue of Unity'.
Amit Shah flagged off Run For Unity
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• Home Minister Amit Shah flagged off Run For Unity from New Delhi's Major Dhyanchand National Stadium.
• The run started from the main gate of the Major Dhayanchand National stadium and ended at Amar Jawan Jyoti.
• Around 15,000 people participated in the event.
• To facilitate people taking part in the Run for Unity Metro services began at 4 am from terminal stations of all lines.
28th Vyas Samman conferred
• The 28th Vyas Samman for the year 2018 was conferred on Leeladhar Jagoori on 30 Oct 2019 for his poetry collection- Jitne Log
Utne Prem.
• The Vyas Samman, started in 1991, is given by K K Birla Foundation for an outstanding literary work in Hindi authored by an
Indian citizen published during the last 10 years.
• It carries an award money of four lakh rupees along with a citation and plaque.
Border Personnel Meeting organized
• Border Personnel Meeting between the Indian Army and People's Liberation Army was conducted by the People 's Liberation
Army on 30 October 2019 on the Chinese side at Bum La.
• The BPM on 30th Oct every year is in vogue since the signing of Border Peace and Tranquility agreement between both the
Nations on 7 September 1993.
Appointments
• Former Mumbai Police Commissioner and Maharashtra DGP Datta Padsalgikar was appointed as Deputy National Security
Advisor. He had earlier served in the Intelligence Bureau for 26 years.
• Radha Krishna Mathur took oath as the first Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh. He was administered the oath of office by the
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Justice Gitta Mittal in Leh.
Person in News
• Rafael Mariano Grossi of Argentina has been elected as the new Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency. He
succeeds Yukiya Amano of Japan, who passed away in July 2019.
• Popular mimicry artist and actor Mano passed away in a tragic accident in Chennai in October 2019.
• Actor and comedian John Witherspoon, a notable figure in the "Friday" franchise passed away.
French minister to visit India
• French Deputy Minister for Ecological and Inclusive Transition Brune Poirson is visiting India.
• He will co-preside over the second Assembly of the International Solar Alliance on 31 Oct 2019.
• The International Solar Alliance brings together 80 States and offers concrete solutions that help reduce the cost of solar
installations, particularly in developing countries.
India signs MoU with Saudi Arabia
• India signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia to launch the RuPay card in the country, making it the third nation in the West Asia
to initiate India's digital payment system.
• It will benefit not only the 2.6 million Indians in the Gulf Kingdom but also Haj and Umrah pilgrims.
• The RuPay card is a first-of-its-kind Indian domestic Debit and Credit Card payment network.
First phase of Bishwa Ijtema on Jan 10-12
• The first phase of Bishwa Ijtema, the second largest congregation of Muslim community after Hajj, will be held from January 10 to
January 12 in 2020.
• The second phase will take place from January 17 to January 19 in 2020.
• The decision was taken at a preparatory meeting for holding the Bishwa Ijtema at the Home Ministry conference room.
Swaroop Singh completed Ironman Malaysia
• Indian Army’s officer Lt. Col. Swaroop Singh Kuntal became the fastest Indian to complete Ironman Malaysia in a record timing of
12 hours and 14 minutes.
• Ironman event consists of sea swimming followed by cycling and running.
• The triathlon is required to be done in a cut- off time of 17 hours.
• During cycling, the maximum temperature reached 380C, and while running, it reached 350C.
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IIM Calcutta’s MBA ranked in top 20

• IIM Calcutta has secured the 17th rank globally in the 'Financial Times Masters in Management Rankings 2019'.
• The institute got the ranking for its 2-Year Masters in Business Administration (formerly Post Graduate Programme in
Management).
• The position has been advanced by six ranks this year and the institute bagged the 1st place among the five Indian B-Schools
listed in the rankings.
International Animation Day: 28 October
• The International Animation Day (IAD) was observed on 28 October.
• The day marks the main global event to celebrate the art of animation.
• The day recognizes and celebrates the artists, the scientists, and the technicians behind animated art, including animated movies.
• International Animation Day was proclaimed in 2002 by the Association Internationale du Film d’Animation (ASIFA).
Odisha launched new initiative
• In an effort to raise awareness about the perils of using plastic, the Kotpad Notified Area Council (NAC) in Koraput district Odisha
is providing free meals to the poor in exchange for a kilogram of plastic waste.
• The programme entails a meal for anyone who brings a kilogram of used polythene bags, plastic bottles and cups.
• It is being carried out under the State government’s ‘Aahar’ scheme.
Obituaries
• A Japanese academic and diplomat Sadako Ogata who became the first female to be appointed UN High Commissioner for
Refugees passed away. She worked on some of the largest crises of the decade during her time in service.
• Robert Evans, Hollywood producer who backed such seminal 1970s films as Chinatown, The Godfather and Harold and Maude,
passed away in October 2019.
President Kovind confered first CSR awards
• President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the first National Corporate Social Responsibility Awards to the companies for their
outstanding contribution in the area of CSR on 29 Oct 2019.
• These awards will be conferred every year on 2nd October from now on.
• Every fiscal year since 2014-15, the corporate sector has set aside more than Rs. 10,000 crore for social welfare.
TN: 1st state to enact law on contract farming
• Tamil Nadu has become the first State in the country to enact a law on contract farming.
• President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to the Agricultural Produce and Livestock Contract Farming and Services (Promotion
and Facilitation) Act.
• The law would safeguard interests of farmers during times of bumper harvest or fluctuating market prices.
• They would be paid at a pre-determined price.
India's First Day-Night Test to be held
• The Bangladesh Cricket Board has agreed to India's proposal to play a day-night Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata during the
upcoming two-match series.
• The game, starting on November 22, 2019, will be the first day-night Test for both teams and second of the series.
• The first day-night Test took place in 2015 between Australia and New Zealand.
RBI imposes fine on 2 banks
• The RBI has imposed a fine of Rs 1 crore on Pune-based Janata Sahakari Bank and Rs 25 lakh on Jalgaon Peoples Co-operative
Bank.
• The fine is imposed for violating income recognition, advances management and asset classification norms.
• The penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in the RBI under the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
EU Parliamentary delegation visited Srinagar
• A delegation of 23 Members of Parliament from different European countries which is on a two-day visit to Srinagar met
students, women, traders, fruit growers besides panchs & sarpanchs.
• The delegation is the first international group to visit Kashmir after scrapping of J&K’s special status.
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• The delegation also visited Army’s 15 Corps Headquarters at Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar.
India to adopt Brazil model of human milk bank
• The Centre has set a target of ensuring at least 70 per cent infants to have access to breast milk by the year 2025.
• The target will subsequently be increased to 100 per cent.
• India has taken inspiration from Brazil's success in the field of human milk bank and decided to adopt a similar model in creating
a wide network of human milk banks.
Nirmala Sitharaman releases special coin
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has released a special commemorative coin on Paramahansa Yogananda to mark his 125th
Birth Anniversary.
• Paramahansa Yogananda was a great son of India, who was recognized globally.
• His universal message was to bring harmony among mankind and making it so acceptable globally even when communications
modes were limited.
Three Indian-origin CEOs in top 10
• Three Indian-origin CEOs have been featured in a list of world's top 10 best-performing chief executives.
• 'The Best-Performing CEOs in the World, 2019' list compiled by the Harvard Business Review has been topped by NVIDIA's CEO
Jensen Huang.
• On the 6th spot is Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, followed by MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga, ranked 7th and Microsoft chief Satya
Nadella on the 9th spot.
India, Saudi Arabia to establish Council
• India and Saudi Arabia have agreed to establish a Strategic Partnership Council.
• They resolved to strengthen cooperation in combating terrorist operations and signed 12 MoUs in various areas of mutual
interests.
• The Strategic Partnership Council Agreement was signed by Prime Minister Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman
in Riyad.
Indian Railways introduced refund system
• To make the mechanism for a ticket-refund more accessible to the general public, Indian Railways have implemented a new One
Time Password-OTP based refund system for tickets booked through authorised IRCTC ticketing agents.
• The OTP will be received as SMS on the registered mobile no. of the passenger provided at the time of booking.
• The passenger will be required to share it with the agent.
Nagaland partnered with Madhya Pradesh
• Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat' programme has brought in the states of Nagaland and Madhya Pradesh as one to celebrate the
spirit of national integration.
• The Directorate of Higher Education of Government of Nagaland as the nodal department of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat' has
conducted various activities undertaken in partnership with Madhya Pradesh.
Person in News
• Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde was appointed as the 47th Chief Justice of India. Justice Bobde will take oath as the CJI on November
18, 2019. He will have a tenure of 17 months and would demit office on April 23rd, 2021.
• Bangladesh Test and T20 Captain Shakib Al Hasan has been banned by ICC from all cricket for two years. He accepted three
charges of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.
Horticultural legend passed away
• The man who helped make St. Albert the forested gem it is today, horticulturalist and parks planner John Beedle, passed away in
October 2019.
• Both John Beedle Park and the John Beedle Volunteer Centre are named in his honour.
• Beedle was a founding member of the St. Albert Garden Club in 1982 and for decades served as a judge at area horticultural
shows.
Person in News
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• Bollywood actor Yami Gautam will be the brand ambassador for Rising Himachal Global Investors’ Meet-2019 to be held in
Dharamsala on November 7 and 8, 2019.
• Chakravarthula Raghavachari, an eminent Telugu journalist who had served as editor of the Communist Party-sponsored
Visalandhra Telugu daily for over 32 years, passed away in October 2019.
Indian Railways launched ‘Operation Dhanush’
• Indian Railways’ Central Railway zone conducted ‘Operation Dhanush’ recently against ticket touts involved in e-ticketing.
• The operation was carried out in all the five divisions falling under the Central Railway Zone.
• The operation was aimed to control touts on e -ticketing in view of Diwali rush of passengers to their native places.
• The drive yielded arrest of 23 agents.
Simona Halep beat Bianca Andreescu
• Simona Halep of Romania beat Canada's Bianca Andreescu 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3 in their purple group round-robin clash at
the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Finals.
• Simona Halep is a Romanian professional tennis player.
• She has been ranked world No. 1 in singles twice between 2017 and 2019.
• The WTA is the principal organizing body of women's professional tennis.
Payas Jain bagged team gold
• Indian paddler Payas Jain teamed up with South Korea’s Seongil Jang and Sora Matsushima of Japan to win the gold medal at the
ITTF World Cadet Challenge played in Wladyslawowo, Poland.
• In the girls team event, Yashaswani Ghorpade led the Asian challenge to help them earn a bronze medal with a 3-0 win over
Poland.
Nepalese Festival 'Kukur Tihar' began
• A 5-day festival, called Tihar, has begun in Nepal.
• The 2nd day is traditionally known as Kukur Tihar, or the day of the dogs.
• Dogs, during this festival, are adorned with flowers, have tikka put on their foreheads and offered food as part of the ceremony.
• In Nepalese customs, dogs are believed to be messengers of Yamraj or the god of death and the ceremony is an attempt to
appease the god.
Mastercard to launch solution for smartphones
• Mastercard is set to launch a solution in India where a smartphone can become a contactless acceptance device.
• If your phone has NFC, then it can become a point-of-sale (POS) device.
• A customer can tap the contactless card on the phone.
• With this innovation, a retailer doesn’t need to invest in the hardware for accepting contactless payments. The phone will be
sufficient.
PM Modi to address at FII Forum in Riyadh
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reached Riyadh on one day official visit, was accorded guard of honour at the Riyadh airport.
• He will address the 3rd Future Investment Initiative, FII, forum in Riyadh and will hold bilateral discussions with King Salman bin
Abdul Aziz Al Saud.
• At least 12 Agreements are likely to be signed during the visit.
Gujarat Ayurveda University signed MoU
• Gujarat Ayurveda University has signed an MoU with a wellness brand Sri Sri Tattva.
• Established in 1965 by an Act of Gujarat State Government, Gujarat Ayurveda University aims to promote the ancient science of
Ayurveda by carrying joint studies, trial and R&D projects in the field of Ayurveda.
• The MoU signed will be complimenting each other's area of expertise on the subject of Ayurveda.
Gujarati New Year 2019
• During the five day Diwali festival celebrations, Gujarati New Year falls on October 28, coinciding with Govardhan Puja.
• Gujarati New Year is celebrated a day after Badi Diwali.
• Going by the Hindu calendar, it falls on Shukla Paksha Pratipada.
• Gujarati New Year is also called Bestu Varas.
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• According to the Hindu calendar, it is the Gujarati Vikram Samvat 2076 which has begun.
‘Right to Health Conclave’ to be inaugurated
• A 2-Day Right to Health Conclave will be inaugurated on Madhya Pradesh Foundation Day, November 1, 2019.
• The Subject Experts connected to health and social works from across the country will participate in the conclave.
• They will hold deliberations on issues related to the health during various sessions during the conclave.
• The first session will be on the subject ‘Spirituality and Health’.
Rajnath to attend SCO meet in Uzbekistan
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh would represent India at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) heads of state meeting in
Uzbekistan.
• On the bilateral front, the first Army exercise between India and Uzbekistan is scheduled to begin next week.
• He will represent Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the SCO heads of state meeting on November 2, 2019.
Thotlakonda Buddhist site to be renovated
• Thotlakonda Buddhist site will be renovated as a meditation place for Vizagites and tourists.
• It was a sacred place of Buddhists during 300 BC to 300 AD.
• The 2,000-old Maha Stupa at Thotlakonda collapsed on one side due to heavy rains,.
• Thotlakonda Buddhist Complex is situated on a hill near Bheemunipatnam about 15 kilometres from Visakhapatnam in Andhra
Pradesh.
Women in Delhi to get free rides in buses
• Women in Delhi will get free rides in public buses starting from 29 Oct 2019.
• As per the plan, conductors will distribute pink tickets having face value of 10 rupees each to women passengers for free-travel.
• The government will then reimburse the transporters based on the number of such tickets issued.
• Currently, 3,400 bus marshals are already working.
World Day For Audiovisual Heritage: 27 October
• World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is celebrated all over the world on 27th of October.
• The theme for World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 2019 is “Engage the Past Through Sound and Images”.
• In 2005, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) General Conference declared October 27 as
World Day for Audiovisual Heritage.
MIT researchers developed new technology
• Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US have developed a new technology to capture carbon
dioxide from a stream of air, virtually at any concentration level.
• This may pave the way for new strategies to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas levels.
• The new method could take out the gas even when it was present in very low concentrations.
RBI imposes Rs 35 lakh penalty on TMB
• RBI has imposed a penalty of Rs 35 lakh on Tamilnad Mercantile Bank for violating norms on frauds classification and notification.
• It imposed the fine via an order dated October 24, 2019.
• It stated that the bank has been penalised for non-compliance with certain provisions of directions issued by RBI on frauds
classification and reporting by commercial banks and select FIs directions 2016.
PwD can now vote through postal ballots
• The people over 80 years of age and person with disability can now cast their votes through postal ballot.
• However, such voters will have both the choices available either voting through postal ballot by following due procedure or going
to the polling station on polling day for voting.
• The Ministry of Law and Justice has amended the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961.
Air India depicted 'Ik Onkar' on tail
• In a unique gesture to mark 550th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, Air India has depicted Sikh religious symbol 'Ik
Onkar' on the tail of one of its aircraft.
• The flight is set to fly from Amritsar to Stansted in the United Kingdom on 31 Oct 2019.
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• Air India will fly its aircraft thrice a week on the Mumbai-Amritsar-Stansted route.
Indo-French bilateral exercise to be conducted
• The bilateral 'Exercise SHAKTI' between the armies of India and France will be conducted from 31st October to 13th November
2019 at Foreign Training Node in Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, Rajasthan.
• The joint exercise will focus on counter-terrorism operations in semi-desert terrain.
• The exercise aims at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the two armies.
29th BASIC Ministerial Meet concluded
• The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar participated in the 29th ministerial meeting
of the BASIC countries on Climate Change.
• The meeting was held in Beijing, China on 25th-26th October 2019.
• The meeting was chaired by H.E. Mr. LI Ganjie, Minister of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China
Boxer Deepak won silver
• Deepak won a silver medal while tennis player N Sriram Balaji claimed a bronze medal in their respective events at the ongoing
seventh Military World Games in Wuhan, China.
• Deepak settled for the silver in the men’s light flyweight (46-49kg) category after losing to Zhussupov Temirtas of Kazakhstan.
• Balaji defeated Uzbekistan’s Fomin Sergey 6-2 6-3 in the men’s singles bronze medal contest.
Varun Jain won Businessworld 40 Under 40 Award
• udChalo, a brand of Upcurve Business Services Pvt. Ltd, an online travel portal for the Defence Forces, announced that its
Founder, Director & CEO, Varun Jain was recently named as India's Most Definitive List of Young Achievers, by Businessworld 40
under 40 in association with BW Disrupt.
• BW 40 under 40 summit is a quest for the most influential leaders of the year.
Tiger Woods won the Zozo Championship
• Tiger Woods won the Zozo Championship by three strokes matching Sam Snead’s record of 82 PGA Tour victories. Snead was 52
years old when he recorded his final tour victory in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1965.
• Lewis Hamilton won the Mexican Grand Prix for Mercedes on 27 October 2019. Hamilton’s 10th win of the season, and 83rd of
his career, was also a 100th for Mercedes as a constructor.
Gandhi Mandela Award 2019
• The Gandhi Mandela Foundation has constituted India's first International Award, The Gandhi Mandela Award.
• The award was announced on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• The award honours exemplary work and achievements of the Heads of State and Government and other distinguished
persons/organizations around the world.
China, Russia, Pakistan call for peace talks
• Representatives of Pakistan, China, and Russia called on the US and the Taliban to return to the negotiation table at the earliest
and reach an agreement with an aim to end the 18-year long war in Afghanistan.
• The discussion in this regard was held during the four-party consultations between representatives of US, China, Pakistan and
Russia on the Afghan peace process.
First-ever Ladakh Literature Festival
• Ladakh administration is organizing the first-ever Ladakh Literature festival.
• The 3-day Literature Festival is being organized from 29 to 31 October 2019.
• The first-ever Ladakh Literature festival aims to celebrate the uniqueness of the region in the fields of Art, Culture and Literature.
• There will be screenings of Ladakhi films, discussions on Heritage of Ladakh.
Dilip Parikh passed away
• Former Gujarat Chief Minister Dilip Parikh passed away.
• He served as the 13th Chief Minister of Gujarat between October 1997 and March 1998.
• He was an industrialist and also served as president of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
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IOB launched health care plus insurance policy

• Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) in association with Universal Sompo General Insurance Co Ltd. has launched upgraded health care
plus insurance policy.
• It is a co-branded insurance scheme exclusively designed for IOB customers with a sum insured starting from ₹50,000 and going
up to ₹15 lakh.
• The policy issuance will be made on a real-time basis at the IOB branches to its customers.
‘Kyarr’ will become a super cyclone
• The Meteorological Department said the situation in the Arabian Sea could become very bad in the next 24 hours following the
condition of the Kyarr cyclone turning in to a super cyclone.
• The storm could affect the coastal areas of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa.
• According to the weather department, the center of Cyclone Kyarr is currently about 540 km from the west-southwest coast of
Mumbai.
Satwiksairaj-Chirag lost French Open final
• The Indian men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty finished second best at the French Open Super 750.
• They lost the finals in straight games against top seeds Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo of Indonesia.
• Satwik and Chirag, had won their maiden Super 500 title at the Thailand Open in August 2019.
Papua New Guinea qualify for World T20
• Papua New Guinea secured their place in the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2020.
• ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2020 will be held in Australia.
• Papua New Guinea secured a 45-run win over Kenya in Dubai.
• Assad Vala is the captain of the Papua New Guinea men's cricket team.
MP named 3rd ‘Best Value Destination’
• Madhya Pradesh has been ranked under Top three ‘Best Value Destination’ of the world in 2020 by Lonely Planet.
• It is one of the most diverse tourist destinations.
• The state is blessed with rich wildlife experiences, marvelous heritage, divine pilgrim spots, several architectural wonders.
• Lonely Planet provides trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973.
World’s first guitar-shaped hotel
• Hard Rock opens world’s first guitar-shaped hotel.
• The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is built in South Florida.
• The guitar-shaped hotel features the recognizable body of an guitar.
• Its aqua-glass tones reflect the Florida sunlight during the day.
Sophie Wilmes to be first woman PM of Belgium
• Belgian Budget Minister, Sophie Wilmes has been chosen as the country's new caretaker Prime Minister.
• She is the first woman to hold the post in Belgium.
• The 44-year-old will be sworn in by King Philippe.
• Current Prime Minister, Michel is set to take over as European Council president on December 1.
• Belgium Capital - Brussels.
• Belgium Currency - Euro.
Jasprit Bumrah and Mandhana won Wisden award
• Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and batswoman Smriti Mandhana are the two Indian names among the five winners of the
prestigious Wisden India Almanack Cricketer of the Year award.
• Mandhana is the third woman to be named Cricketer of the Year, after Mithali Raj and Deepti Sharma.
• Stalwarts Gundappa Viswanath and Lala Amarnath were inducted into the Wisden India Hall of Fame.
Security partnership between India and France
• French President Emmanuel Macron announced a three-pronged security partnership with India in the southern Indian Ocean in
the backdrop of China’s growing ambitions in the region.
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• These will help in maritime surveillance, protection of marine areas, construction of a joint agenda to avoid any form of
hegemony or intrusion.
• France is the 2nd largest maritime power in the world.
California declares state-wide emergency
• California's Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state-wide emergency due to the unprecedented high winds that have led to the
Kincade Fire in the state.
• The blaze has destroyed dozens of homes and wineries, including the iconic Soda Rock Winery built in 1869.
• The Kincade Fire ignited on 23rd October 2019 and spread quickly due to powerful wind gusts up to 145 kilometres per hour.
Manohar Lal Khattar takes oath as Haryana CM
• Manohar Lal Khattar took oath as the Haryana Chief Minister for a second term and will lead the BJP-JJP (Jannayak Janata Party)
coalition government in the state.
• JJP leader Dushyant Chautala took oath as his deputy, a day after the governor invited him to lead the alliance that also has the
support of seven Independents.
• Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya administered the oath.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi dead
• The fugitive leader of the Islamic State (IS) group killed himself during a US military operation in north-west Syria, President
Donald Trump has said.
• Baghdadi came to prominence in 2014, when he announced the creation of a "caliphate" in areas of Iraq and Syria.
• The jihadist group imposed a brutal rule in the areas under its control and was behind many attacks around the world.
PM Modi to visit Saudi
• On October 29, 2019, the Prime Minister Modi is to attend the third session of Future Investment Initiative Forum in Saudi
Arabia.
• He will also meet the Saudi king Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
• During his visit, India and Saudi Arabia will sign a raft of key pacts to ramp up ties in several key sectors.
• An India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council will be launched.
Colombo Declaration
• On October 24, 2019, the member states of United Nations endorsed a proposed road map for action on nitrogen challenges
called Colombo Declaration on Sustainable Nitrogen Management.
• It was organized by Sri Lanka with the support of UN and its member nations.
• The aim of the Declaration is to halve nitrogen waste by 2030.
• The event endorsed UN plans for a campaign called “Nitrogen for Life”.
'Deepotsav’ Enters Guinness World Records
• The much-talked-about ‘Deepotsav’, the annual Diwali festival in Ayodhya, entered the Guinness Book of Record with the
illumination of 5.51 lakh earthen lamps on the occasion.
• The event made it to the Guinness World Records for ‘the largest display of oil lamps’.
• It has been achieved by Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh and Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya Awadh University.
Bio Bricks from Agri waste
• The researchers from IIT Hyderabad and School of Architecture, Bhubaneswar have developed bio-bricks from agricultural waste.
• The product serves dual purposes of development of eco-friendly sustainable material and also waste management.
• The bricks are made from agro-waste like wheat straw, paddy straw, sugarcane bagasse and cotton plant.
• Bio-bricks are more sustainable than clay bricks.
ISRO to launch 14 Satellites
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch 14 small satellites.
• The payloads will launch on PSLV’s C47, C48 and C49 missions, scheduled to launch in November and December 2019 from Satish
Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
• In each of the three PSLV flights, ISRO will have one of its earth observation satellites as the larger primary payload.
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Yoga Inspirational teacher V Nanammal dies

• India's oldest exponent and teacher of yoga, V Nanammal, has died at her home near Coimbatore, in the southern state of Tamil
Nadu.
• She was 99 and still teaching a hundred students a day until a few months ago.
• Known affectionately as "Yoga Grandma", Nanammal received the Padma Shri - one of India's highest civilian honours.
UP CM launched new emergency helpline no. 112
• UP CM Yogi Adityanath launched an all-encompassing emergency helpline number '112' to access police, fire brigade, ambulance
and other services under the Emergency Response Support System.
• He also launched a senior citizen safety initiative 'Savera'.
• This single helpline number 112 will reduce the response time.
NCRB report
• National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has released a report on criminal cases that happened in India between 2017-18.
• Out of the total 3, 59,849 cases, Uttar Pradesh alone had 56,011 cases.
• Maharashtra with 31979 cases and West Bengal with 30,002 cases were second and third on the list.
Lucknow school bagged Guinness World Record
• Lucknow-based school has won the Guinness World Record for becoming the 'world's largest school' in terms of strength of
students.
• City Montessori School (CMS) has won the global award for having 55,547 students in 2019-20, as stated by CMS founder, Jagdish
Gandhi.
• Currently, the CMS has 18 branches and approximately 56,000 students all over the city.
Appointments
• Birender Singh Yadav has been appointed as India's next Ambassador to Iraq. A 1997-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer,
Yadav is expected to take up the assignment shortly.
• The MEA also announced the appointment of Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi as India's next High Commissioner to Samoa. Pardeshi is
currently serving as the Ambassador to New Zealand.
Odisha inked LoU with UNICEF
• The Odisha government has signed a Letter of Understanding (LoU) with UNICEF to provide safe drinking water to every
household in the state.
• The LoU was signed by the state housing and urban development department (HUDD) to provide 24-hour safe drinking water and
the project has been named as 'Drink From Tap Mission'.
• The project will be launched on a pilot basis for about 1.2 lakh people.
Justin Trudeau wins Canada's general election
• After the elections in Canada Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party will return to power, but as a minority government.
• The victory ensures that Trudeau will serve as Prime Minister for a second term.
• Canada Capital - Ottawa.
• Canada Currency - Canadian dollar.
NASA To Launch Golf Cart-Sized Rover
• NASA will send a golf cart-sized robot to the moon in 2022 to search for deposits of water below the surface.
• This is an effort to evaluate the vital resource ahead of a planned human return to the moon in 2024 to possibly use it for
astronauts to drink and to make rocket fuel.
• The VIPER robot stands for Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover.
Odisha Mo Parivar programme launched
• Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launched a social service initiative aimed at encouraging environment protection, blood donation,
and the welfare of Odias in distress.
• The initiative will also come to the rescue of Odias stranded in foreign countries.
• The programme is a tribute to late Biju Patnaik.
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• The BJD President appointed party leader Arup Patnaik as its convener.
Travel advisory for tourists visiting Turkey
• The Government of India has issued travel advisory for Indian tourists visiting Turkey.
• The government has asked Indian nationals travelling to Turkey to get in touch with the Indian missions posted there for any
assistance.
• This comes amid tensions between the US and Turkey growing after President Donald Trump decided earlier this month to
withdraw all 1,000 US troops from the region.
‘Maharatna’ status granted to HPCL & PGCIL
• ‘Maharatna’ status has been granted by the Government to state-owned Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and Power
Grid Corporation of India Limited.
• The status also comes with greater operational and financial autonomy.
• The grant of Maharatna status to the PSUs will impart enhanced powers to their Boards to take financial decisions.
CBSE & NCERT launched ‘Tamanna’ test
• CBSE and NCERT have launched an online aptitude test called ‘Tamanna’.
• Tamanna stands for Try And Measure Aptitude And Natural Abilities.
• Tamanna is an aptitude test that aims to help students of Class 9 and 10 to make a better choice of subjects, eventually helping
them in making an informed decision while choosing subjects in Class 11 and 12.
First kerosene-free district of Gujarat
• Gandhinagar has become Gujarat’s first Kerosene-free district.
• Home Minister Amit Shah allotted 1,000 LPG connections to the people in Gandhinagar.
• Amit Shah said that rural women have been allotted LPG connections under the Ujjwala Yojana.
• It was also announced that ONGC completed this scheme with a cost of Rs. 6.13 core.
• This scheme is covering more than 75,000 rural women.
Bill Gates overtook Jeff Bezos
• Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates overtook Jeff Bezos to become the world’s richest person.
• Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos lost the title as the world’s richest man, after losing nearly $7 billion in stock value leaving
his net worth to $103.9 billion.
• Bill Gates' current worth is $105.7 billion.
• He debuted on Forbes’ first ever billionaire list in 1987 with a net worth of $1.25 billion.
PM KISAN call centre to be set up
• The government is planning to set up a call centre to respond to farmers’ queries about the PM Kisan minimum income support
scheme.
• It plans to have a dedicated round-the-clock interactive voice response (IVR) system.
• At present there is a helpline number for farmers to register complaints and seek information, but there have been complaints
galore that farmers do not getting any response.
SAI facilities to be made free of cost
• The Sports Ministry announced that sports facilities and stadia across the country under the auspices of the Sports Authority of
India (SAI) would be made free of cost from November 1, 2019.
• Facilities would be free for national sports federations, clubs and various leagues.
• The facilities can be availed for free only for sports events.
White water rafting expedition flagged off
• The white water rafting expedition ‘Rudrashila’ undertaken by Kalidhar Battalion was flagged in by Lieutenant General VS
Sreenivas, on 25 October 2019 at Jodhpur Military Station.
• The white water rafting expedition was organized by Kalidhar Battalion to commemorate its 75th Raising Day.
• The team covered a total distance of over 140km from Rudraprayag to Rishikesh in the mighty Ganges River.
ICICI Bank sold entire stake in GST Network
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• ICICI Bank has exited the GST Network by selling its entire 10 per cent stake to as many as 13 state governments.
• The stake sale is for aggregate cash consideration of ₹1 crore.
• The stake transfer to various stake governments will be completed by the end of March 2020.
• The bank will transfer 0.14 per cent stake to the Assam government and 0.81 per cent stake to the Telangana government.
Angela Merkel to visit India on Nov 1
• German Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit India on November 1 for the fifth biennial Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC).
• Under the IGC format, the counterpart ministers from both countries will hold initial discussions in their respective areas of
responsibility.
• Merkel had met Modi on the sidelines of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in Sept 19.
Delhi recorded season's worst air quality
• Delhi's air quality dropped to season's worst on 25 Oct 2019, with the decreased wind speed leading to accumulation of
pollutants and affecting dispersion.
• The city's overall air quality index (AQI) fluctuated between 315 and 284.
• Most of the places in Delhi recorded the AQI in the "very poor" category, while the situation inched towards "severe" in some
areas.
Mahindra to fully acquire Peugeot Motocycles
• Mahindra & Mahindra's subsidiary Mahindra Two Wheelers Europe will fully acquire France-based Peugeot Motocycles.
• Mahindra Two Wheelers Europe already has 51 per cent stake in PMTC.
• The acquisition would help the company introduce seven new products between 2019 and 2021.
• The Peugeot brand will continue to be used in the future under the Trade Licence Agreement between PMTC and Peugeot.
Railways to convert saloons to tourist trains
• Railways has decided to convert 200 saloons into 10 luxury tourist trains to be run by the IRCTC.
• This would be done to regulate the use of the colonial era-style carriages and generate additional revenue.
• These saloons comprise of two bedrooms, a lounge, a pantry, a toilet and a kitchen which are built to facilitate stay for up to five
days.
Ayurveda Day: 25 October
• The Ayurveda day is observed on 25 October 2019.
• Every year, the National Ayurveda Day is celebrated on the occasion of Dhanwantari Jayanti (Dhanteras).
• The government is to organize the fourth Ayurveda Day at the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA) in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
• Dhanwantari Pujan and National Dhanwantari Ayurveda Awards 2019 ceremony are to be held at NIA.
Nifty Midcap150 Quality 50 Index launched
• NSE Indices Ltd launched the Nifty Midcap150 Quality 50 Index, which will track performance of mid-cap companies based on
profitability, leverage and earnings growth variability.
• The beta index includes top-50 companies from its parent Nifty Midcap 150 Index, selected based on their 'quality scores'.
• The base date for the index is April 1, 2005, and base value 1,000.
6 new medical institutes for Tamil Nadu
• The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare gave its approval to Tamil Nadu’s proposal to establish six new medical colleges.
• The institutes will come up in Tiruppur, the Nilgiris, Ramanathapuram, Namakkal, Dindigul and Virudhunagar at a cost of ₹1,950
crore and will be attached to existing hospitals in these districts.
• The Centre would sign MoU with the Tamil Nadu govt for the same.
Indian tourists to be exempted from visas
• Indian and Chinese tourists will be exempted from visas to enter Brazil for tourism or business purposes.
• Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said that there will be no reciprocity in the beginning.
• US, Australia, Japan, and Canada are already exempt from short-term tourist and business visas.
• Both India and China are part of BRICS.
CSIR conducted genome sequencing
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• Council of Scientific and Industrial Research has done genome sequencing of over one thousand persons from different parts of
India.
• The initiative called IndiGen has enabled benchmarking the scalability of genome sequencing and computational analysis at
population scale in a defined timeline.
• The outcome will be utilized towards understanding the genetic diversity on a population scale.
BharatPe won award at Meity
• BharatPe, India's largest merchant fin-tech company has won the DigiDhan Mission Fin-tech Award 2018-2019 for 'Innovation in
Digital Payments through Emerging Technology' at the MeitY Start-up Summit 2019 held in Delhi.
• The award was presented by Chief Guest, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Communication, Electronics & IT and Law & Justice.
Rajbhasha Awards presented
• CEO, Prasar Bharati, Shashi Shekhar Vempati gave away Rajbhasha Awards to the winners of Hindi Pakhwada competition held at
Prasar Bharati secretariat.
• Winners, who received awards, are employees at Prasar Bharati Secretariat.
• The theme of the competition was Plastic Free India and Cleanliness drive.
• The competition was conducted in 10 categories, including essay writing.
Ilham Tohti won Sakharov Prize
• The European Parliament has awarded the Sakharov Prize to Uighur intellectual Ilham Tohti.
• He has been awarded the Sakharov Prize for his attempts to foster dialogue between Chinese people and the Uighur.
• Ilham Tohti, who is from the Uighur minority, has been a fierce critic of China’s treatment of the Uighur people.
• The former Professor of economics was sentenced in 2014.
Data on Police Organizations released
• Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy has released the Bureau of Police Research and Development’s flagship
publication Data on Police Organizations (DoPO 2018) in New Delhi.
• The Data on Police Organisation in India is an important compilation of information on police infrastructure, manpower and other
resources from all States, Union Territories, CAPFs and CPOs.
Vigilance Awareness Week: 28 Oct-2 Nov
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will observe the Vigilance Awareness Week from 28 Oct to 2 Nov 2019.
• The week will be observed with the theme of Integrity- a way of life.
• The week will be observed as per directions of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).
• CVC observes Vigilance Awareness Week every year to promote probity in public life and to achieve a corruption free society.
Karnataka crowned Vijay Hazare Trophy champs
• Karnataka was crowned the 2019-20 Vijay Hazare Champions as they beat Tamil Nadu by nine wickets in the Vijay Hazare Trophy
at Bengaluru.
• Abhimanyu Mithun and Mayank Agarwal put on a masterclass performance as Karnataka won their fourth Vijay Hazare Trophy
title with a dominant display against Tamil Nadu via VJD method.
• As per VJD method, Karnataka should have been 86/1 in 23 overs.
Appointments
• IAS officer Girish Chandra Murmu has been appointed as Lt. Governor of Jammu-Kashmir and R K Mathur as Lt. Governor of
Ladakh. Murmu is serving as the Expenditure Secretary in the Union Finance Ministry currently.
• P.S. Sreedharan Pillai has been appointed the new Governor of Mizoram.
• The incumbent Governor of the Jammu and Kashmir Satya Pal Malik has been moved to Goa.
Obituaries
• Former Gujarat Chief Minister Dilip Parikh passed away in Oct 2019. He served as the 13th Chief Minister of Gujarat during 1997-
98 when he was with Rashtriya Janata Party - RJP.
• Veteran journalist and former sports editor at the Indian Express KR Wadhwaney passed away. He also authored 31 books on
sports and its various aspects.
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Odisha and the World Bank signed agreement

• The Government of India, Government of Odisha and the World Bank signed a US$165 million loan agreement to support
smallholder farmers strengthen the resilience of their production systems.
• The Odisha Integrated Irrigation Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture will be implemented in rural areas vulnerable to
droughts and largely dependent on rainfed agriculture.
Indian Railways launched One Touch ATVM
• Indian Railways has launched ‘one touch ATVM’ at 42 suburban stations of Central Railway to render fast ticketing to millions of
commuters over Mumbai Suburban Network.
• Railway passenger can avail the service of this new machine at 42 suburban stations.
• This new machine will reduce the waiting time of the passengers and allow passenger to avoid standing in long queues.
New Delhi to host Global Bio-India 2019 Summit
• The Global Bio-India 2019, one of the largest biotechnology stakeholders conglomerate will be held for the first time in India at
New Delhi from 21st to 23rd November 2019.
• The event has been structured to bring together stakeholders from 30 countries, 250 start-ups, 200 exhibitors.
• Central and State ministries, regulatory bodies, investors, totalling to 3500 participants is anticipated.
President to present National CSR Awards
• The President of India Ram Nath Kovind, will present the National Corporate Social Responsibility Awards (NCSRA) to select
companies for their outstanding contribution in area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on 29th October 2019 in New Delhi.
• These awards are the highest recognition in the domain of CSR by the Government of India.
Homen Borgohain awarded Lifetime Achievement
• Eminent writer Homen Borgohain was conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 6th edition of the Sadin-Pratidin
Achievers Award 2019 on 23 October.
• The Sadin-Pratidin Achievers Award is presented by the Guwahati-based media group Sadin-Pratidin group.
• It recognizes the eminent person and luminaries who have excelled in their chosen area of activities.
India and the US signed pact
• The PM Narendra Modi led Union Cabinet approved the proposal for Agreement on Science & Technology Cooperation between
India and the US on 24 October 2019.
• Under the agreement, both sides agreed to strengthen bilateral relations by a significant convergence of mutual interests in
science and technology.
• Science and innovation-based public-private partnerships will be established.
Abhijit Banerjee conferred life membership
• The Mohun Bagan Athletic Club has conferred life membership to Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee.
• The club handed him the First Day Cover of 1911 and the maroon green jersey with his name written on it.
• In 1911, Mohun Bagan became the first Indian club to win the Indian Football Association (IFA) Shield beating the East Yorkshire
Regiment of the British Army in the final.
Union Cabinet approved merger of BSNL and MTNL
• The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved the merger of BSNL and MTNL as part of a revival package.
• The revival package includes raising sovereign bonds, monetising assets and voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for employees.
• The revival package for BSNL and MTNL includes raising of Rs 15,000 crore sovereign bonds and monetising Rs 38,000 crore of
assets in next 4 years.
Vijaya Bank Museum inaugurated in Bengaluru
• The Vijaya Bank Heritage Museum has been inaugurated at the headquarters of the Vijaya Bank i.e. Bengaluru.
• The museum has a rare collection of photos through which the growth of the bank is showcased.
• Vijaya Bank was one of the premier nationalised banks in the country.
• The erstwhile Vijaya Bank, along with the erstwhile Dena Bank, was amalgamated with Bank of Baroda on April 1, 2019.
UP CM launched Kanya Sumangala Yojana
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• UP CM Yogi Adityanath launched its flagship scheme Kanya Sumangla Yojna on 25 October 2019.
• The scheme will provide an amount of 15 thousand rupees in a phased manner to every family in which a girl child takes birth.
• Funds will be released in instalments when a girl child completes various achievements, like vaccination, admission in class 1, 5
and 9, graduation.
J&K Governor announces new initiatives
• Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik announced several new initiatives to further empower the urban local bodies and
fulfil the demands of elected representatives.
• He announced delegation of financial powers to each Municipal Council/Committee to the tune of 25 lakh rupees.
• The Governor also announced life and health insurance coverage to all Safai Karmcharies.
Fitch cut India's FY20 GDP growth forecast
• Fitch Ratings slashed India's GDP growth forecast in the current fiscal to 5.5%.
• Fitch, had in June 2019 put India's GDP growth at 6.6% for the fiscal year that began in April 2019.
• The projection is lower than 6.1% that the RBI had forecast in early October.
• GDP expansion will pick up to 6.2% in the next financial year (2020-21) and to 6.75% in the year after.
Amit Shah on a four-day visit to Gujarat
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah is on a four-day visit to Gujarat from 25 October 2019.
• During this visit, he will dedicate and lay foundation stones of series of development projects in his Gandhinagar Lok Sabha
constituency.
• On the 1st day, he distributed financial assistance to the beneficiaries of various government schemes at a programme held at
Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.
President Kovind visited Rajgir
• President Ram Nath Kovind visited Rajgir in Bihar on 25 October 2019.
• He inaugurated day long golden jubilee celebrations of Vishwa Shanti Stupa (World Peace Pagoda) in Rajgir.
• The Vishwa Shanti Stupa has completed 50 years of its establishment.
• Situated on Ratnagiri hillock, this iconic structure was constructed by Japanese Buddhist monk popularly known as Fujii Guruji in
1969.
National Unity Day to be celebrated on Oct 31
• National Unity Day will be celebrated on 31st October 2019 to mark the birth anniversary of Ironman Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kevadia in Gujarat to pay homage to the great leader at the Statue of Unity.
• Home Minister Amit Shah will flag off the commemorative Run For Unity from New Delhi's Major Dhyanchand National Stadium.
Appointments I
• Senior IAS officer Arvind Singh has been appointed as the chairman of Airports Authority of India and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu will
head the National Highways Authority of India.
• Ganji Kamala V Rao, at present in his cadre-state Kerala, has been named the chairman and managing director, India Tourism
Development Corporation (ITDC) Ltd.
Appointments II
• IAS officer Amit Yadav, joint secretary in the department of telecommunications, has been appointed as the director general,
directorate general of foreign trade.
• Pramod Kumar Tiwari, joint secretary, department of food and public distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, will be the DG of
the Bureau of Indian Standards in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
Appointments III
• Senior bureaucrat K Sanjay Murthy will be chief executive officer and managing director, Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor
Development Corporation under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Keshav Kumar Pathak, who is serving in his cadre-state Bihar, has been appointed as MD, National Highways & Infrastructure
Development Corporation Ltd. under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Appointments IV
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• K Moses Chalai, additional secretary in the Ministry of Women and Child Development will be secretary, North Eastern Council
Secretariat. He is a 1990 batch IAS officer of Manipur Cadre.
• B Srinivas has been named as the MD, National Horticulture Board, department of agriculture, cooperation and farmers
welfare. He is a 1991 batch IAS officer of Kerala Cadre.
Appointments V
• Satya Brata Sahu, who is director, National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited will be additional
secretary, department of land resources.
• IAS officer Vijayendra will be chairman & managing director, National Small Industries Corporation Ltd. He is at present joint
secretary, department of defence production.
IIT-Bombay topped QS India University Rankings
• The latest 2 edition of Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) India University Rankings 2020 was released recently.
• IIT Bombay has again topped all Indian Institutes in the list with an overall score of 88.5 followed by IISc- Indian Institute of
Science, Bangalore (ranked 2 with 84.7 score).
• Indian Institute of Technology Delhi has improved a notch to rank 3 with 82.2 scores.
IIM Kozhikode & MRPL joined hands
• IIM Kozhikode and Mangalore Refineries and Petrochemicals Ltd. have announced a special drive Labelled as La Eve to support
women entrepreneurs in the country.
• The initiative aims to identify innovative, promising women-founded start-ups to provide a comprehensive start-up support
programme.
• The initiative would be steered by the institute’s entrepreneurship development centre.
IRDAI imposed penalty on Cholamandalam MS GIC
• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India has imposed penalties of Rs 1.01 crore on Cholamandalam MS GIC.
• The insurer was penalised for violations observed during an inspection.
• The penalty of Rs 1 crore is for violation of Clause 15 of Schedule I of IRDA (Health Insurance) Regulations, 2013.
• The other penalty of Rs 1 lakh is for motor insurance.
Grasim partenered with German’s MR
• Grasim Industries Limited signed a definitive agreement to form a joint venture company in India with Maschinenfabrik
Reinhausen GmbH (MR) of Germany.
• The joint venture is for the manufacturing and sale of Composite Hollow Core Insulators to serve the power transmission and
distribution (T&D) industry globally.
• It will bring together Aditya Birla Insulators and Reinhausen Power Composites.
Graeme elected as MCC Honorary Life Member
• Former South Africa skipper Graeme Smith has been elected as Honorary Life Member of the Marylebone Cricket Club.
• He has an impressive record in One-Day International, scoring 6,989 runs including ten centuries and also became South Africa’s
youngest ever captain at 22.
• Tim May was also awarded Honorary Life Membership in recognition of his outstanding achievements in cricket.
Indian Army to conduct Sindhu Sudarshan ex
• The Indian Army will conduct exercise Sindhu Sudarshan for the year 2019 in the deserts of Rajasthan from November 29 to
December 4, 2019.
• The aim of this exercise is to evaluate the capability of the defence services in an integrated air-land battle.
• The operational efficiency of the Strike Corps fighting in the desert terrain will be assessed during the exercise.
Vreedhi Financial Services received licence
• Vreedhi Financial Services has secured a non-banking finance company licence from the RBI.
• It’s objective is to provide credit and other services to micro-enterprises operating in tier two-three cities and small towns.
• The company will create a digital lending model by the next financial year.
• It will address the gap between the addressable and viable credit in the micro-enterprises space.
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GeM and Federal Bank signed MoU

• The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) signed a MoU with Federal Bank to offer a number of services including transfer of funds
through GeM Pool Accounts (GPA), advising of Performance Bank Guarantees (e-PBG) and Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) to the
registered users on the portal.
• The MoU will facilitate a cashless, paperless and transparent payment system on the portal.
Appointments
• Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone and Indian badminton player PV Sindhu were named the ambassadors for Bharat Ki Laxmi
on 22 October 2019. It is an initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Ashok Malik has been appointed as the policy advisor in the Ministry of External Affairs with the rank of additional secretary. He
was press secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind for a two-year term.
Male white bellbird is the world’s loudest
• The male white bellbird is the world’s loudest bird which hits 125.4 decibels.
• This study was published in the journal Current Biology.
• This was recorded by Biologist Jeff Podos at Brazil in the mountains of the northern Amazon.
• The call by the bird is made as part of their mating rituals and it’s mating call is about three times louder than screaming phias.
United Nations Day: 24 October
• 24th October is being celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948.
• The United Nations was founded in 1945 to support collective action to realize peace, development and human rights for all.
• United Nations will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations in 2020 with inclusive global conversation on the
role of global cooperation in building the future we want.
World Development Information Day: 24 October
• The UN observes World Development Information Day on 24 October every year.
• The General Assembly in 1972 established World Development Information Day to draw the attention of the world to
development problems and the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve them.
• The General Assembly decided that the date for the Day should coincide with United Nations Day i.e. 24 October.
World Bank released report
• The World Bank released its latest Doing Business Report (DBR, 2020) on 24 October 2019.
• India has recorded a jump of 14 positions against its rank of 77 in 2019 to be placed now at 63rd rank among 190 countries
assessed by the World Bank.
• The World Bank has recognized India as one of the top 10 improvers for the third consecutive year.
• India is at 1st position among South Asian countries.
Assam govt started scholarship scheme
• The Assam government has decided to start a scholarship scheme for children of tea tribe community, studying in 10th and 12th
classes.
• It would cover students of all tea gardens in the state.
• An amount of 10 thousand rupees will be provided to each student.
• ‘Shramik Mitras’ would be appointed in every tea garden to make people aware of the scheme.
Rohit Sharma reached top 10 in all formats
• Rohit Sharma has become the third Indian batsman to reach the top 10 in all three formats after series against South Africa.
• Rohit's player of the series effort of 529 runs helped him make huge strides from 44th place before the series.
• He has held a career-high ranking of second in ODIs in February 2018 and seventh in T20 in November 2018.
Praveen: 1st Indian to win gold in Wushu
• Praveen Kumar became the first Indian man to win a Wushu World Championships gold, beating Russel Diaz of Philippines in the
48kg category in Shanghai.
• India finished third overall in the championship in event with a gold, two silvers and a bronze.
• Wushu is a Chinese martial art which combines full-contact kickboxing, including close-range punches and kicks.
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Person in News
• Kais Saied, a political outsider and retired law professor, was sworn in as Tunisian president. He took the oath before the National
Assembly on 23 Oct 2019.
• Marieke Vervoort, Belgian Paralympic athlete has ended her life through euthanasia (the practice of intentionally ending a life to
relieve pain and suffering). She won gold in the 100 meters at the 2012 London Games.
President laid foundation stone for a project
• President Ram Nath Kovind laid the foundation stone for Sri Sathya Sai Sanathana Samskruti Project at Sai no Sato, Kakegawa,
Japan on 24 October 2019.
• Sai no Sato will be developed as a temple on the lines of Akshardham and Swaminarayan Temple to promote Indian traditional
culture.
• The President also attended a banquet hosted in his honour by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan.
First national protocol launched
• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched the first national protocol to enumerate the snow leopard
population in the country on the occasion of International Snow Leopard Day.
• The Day is celebrated on October 23 every year to protect and conserve the snow leopards and preserve the beautiful wildlife of
the Himalayas.
• India is believed to have 400 to 700 snow leopards.
M. Venkaiah Naidu to lead Indian delegation
• Vice President Venkaiah Naidu will lead the Indian delegation at the 18th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-
Aligned Movement (NAM) to be held at Baku, Azerbaijan on 25-26 Oct 2019.
• The theme for the Summit is -Upholding the Bandung Principles to ensure concerted and adequate response to the challenges of
the contemporary world.
Anandan won gold in Military World Games
• Para-athlete Anandan Gunasekaran won two gold medals in the disabled men's 100m and 400m IT1 events to open India's medal
account at the 7th CISM World Military Games.
• Gunasekaran clocked 12.00 sec to win the 100m event, India's first medal in the ongoing Games.
• Peru's Casas Jose was second with a timing of 12.65 while Fajardo Pardo Teodicelo of Colombia took the bronze with 12.72 sec.
First all women-run automobile service station
• India’s first all-women-run automobile service workshop in Jaipur was inaugurated by Mahindra & Mahindra recently.
• This move is part of the company’s initiative called ‘Pink Collars’ to promote the recruitment of women in core productive roles.
• The Compact Qwik workshop has women in roles including technicians, service advisors, drivers, part managers and security
guards.
No govt jobs for those with more than 2 kids
• The Assam Cabinet decided that no government jobs will be given to persons having more than two children after January 1,
2021.
• The important decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting that also adopted a New Land Policy, which will give three bighas of
agricultural land to landless indigenous people and half a bigha for constructing a house.
Railways to carry Amazon consignments
• The Railways has decided to allow carriage to goods of e-commerce giant Amazon on a pilot basis for three months during the
non-peak hours.
• With the pilot project of allowing to carry the e-commerce consignments, the parcel business of Indian Railways will get a major
boost.
• Carrying of e-commerce consignment of Amazon in EMU services commenced from Sealdah to Dankuni in EMU local.
Int workshop on Environmental Flows Assessment
• International workshop on Environmental Flows Assessment and Implementation for India was inaugurated by Gajendra Singh
Shekhawat, Union Minister for Jal Shakti at Delhi.
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• The exchange of Indian, European and International Experiences was brought together by National Mission of Clean Ganga
(NMCG) along with the Indo-German Cooperation with its project Support to Ganga Rejuvenation(SGR).
Hunar Haat to be held in November 2019
• The next 'Hunar Haat', an initiative of the Minority Affairs Ministry, will be organised from November 1-10, 2019 in Prayagraj,
Uttar Pradesh.
• More than 300 master artisans and culinary experts including a large number of women artisans will participate in it.
• All the 'Hunar Haats' to be organised in 2019 and 2020 will be based on the theme of Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat.
Researchers developed new catalyst
• Researchers have developed a new catalyst that can help turn carbon dioxide from car exhaust pipes and other sources into fuels
like natural gas or propane.
• The latest approach from engineers at Stanford University in the US yields four times more ethane, propane and butane than
existing methods that use similar processes.
• It could significantly reduce the near-term impact on global warming.
MeitY launched MeitY Startup Hub
• MeitY Startup Hub (MSH), a platform to connect the startup ecosystem, has been formally inaugurated by Ravi Shankar Prasad,
Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, at the MeitY Startup Summit 2019.
• It will work like a social media platform for all the stakeholders of the ecosystem, including incubators, accelerators, mentors,
angel funds, and venture capitalists.
India, Swiss to work together
• India and Switzerland have decided to carry forward working together in the Rail Transport sector.
• The 2 sides have followed upon the 1st meeting of Joint Working Group (JWG) held between two sides after the MoU for
cooperation this sector was signed in 2017.
• The discussions focused on Freight and Passenger Cars, Railway Electrification Equipments, Multimodal transport, tunneling
technology.
DRDO is manufacturing a hypersonic missile
• The DRDO is working on manufacturing a hypersonic missile, that would be capable of travelling at a speed five times faster than
that of sound.
• The next generation hypersonic weapons will have the capacity to move at a speed of about a mile per second.
• A wind tunnel is being worked on at the moment where the weapon will be tested and fine-tuned, before it is put to operational
use.
Raunak Sadhwani: India’s 65th Grandmaster
• Raunak Sadhwani became India’s 65th Grandmaster.
• He defeated Russian GM Alexander Motylev to become the Grandmaster at the age of 13 years.
• Sadhwani’s first GM norm came in the 2019 Aeroflot Open and the 2nd in the 2019 Porticcio Open and the final norm at FIDE-
Chess Grand Swiss.
• He has joined the growing list of country’s teenaged GMs that includes Nihal Sarin and D. Gukesh.
Gully Boy & Delhi Crime won award
• Gully Boy & Delhi Crime have won awards at the Asian Academy Creative Awards.
• Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt-starrer Gully Boy won the best film from India award in the regional finals at the Asian Academy
Creative Awards ceremony.
• Netflix series Delhi Crime won for Best Actress, Best Direction, Best Drama Series, Best Editing and Best Original Programme.
NCRB released Crime in India Report 2017
• National Crime Records Bureau has released the annual Crime in India Report 2017.
• The report has been released after a delay of 2 years.
• According to the report, 3.59 lakh cases of crime against women were reported in the country.
• Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 56,011 cases followed by Maharashtra with 31,979 cases and West Bengal 30,002 in cases of
crime against women.
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2024 Olympic Games logo unveiled in Paris

• The logo for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games unveiled at a ceremony in the French capital Paris.
• The circular design with Paris 2024 in the art deco style which was in vogue in 1924 when Paris last hosted the Games, also
incorporates the lips and outline of Marianne, the personification of the French Republic since the revolution in 1789.
Bengal Warriors won 7th Pro Kabaddi League
• In the final of 7th season of Vivo Pro Kabaddi League 2019, Bengal Warriors won their first title by defeating Dabang Delhi by 39-
34 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
• Most Valuable Player award of the League was bagged by Naveen Kumar from Dabang Delhi, Best raider to Pawan Kumar
Sherawat from Bengaluru Bulls; Best defender award to U Mumba’s Fazel Atrachali.
IAF fired two BrahMos missiles at Trak Island
• 2 BrahMos surface to surface missiles were fired by Indian Air Force at Trak Island in the Andaman Nicobar group of islands.
• The missile engaged the designated mock targets close to 300 km away.
• The firing of the missiles has enhanced Air force capability to engage the grounds targets with pinpoint accuracy from a mobile
platform.
National Panchayat Awards 2019 conferred
• Minister of Panchayati Raj Narendra Singh Tomar conferred the National Panchayat Awards 2019 at a function in New Delhi on
23 Oct 2019.
• The Awards were given to awardee Panchayats and States in various categories.
• These categories are Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Sashaktikaran Puraskar, Nanaji Deshmukh Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha
Puraskar, Gram Panchayat Development Plan Award, etc.
Appointments I
• The Appointments Committee of Cabinet approved the appointment of Tuhin Kanta Pandey as Secretary Department of
Investment and Public Asset Management.
• Braj Raj Sharma has been appointed Chairman of Staff Selection Commission while Sanjeev Nandan Sahai as new Power
Secretary.
• Pankaj Kumar will be the new CEO of Unique Identification Authority of India.
Appointments II
• Pramod Kumar Das has been appointed Minority Affairs Secretary.
• Sanjeev Gupta- Secretary, Inter-State Council Secretariat.
• Sailesh-Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises.
• Alok Tandon-Secretary in Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances
• Nagendra Nath Sinha-Secretary, Department of Border Management in the Home Ministry.
Person in News
• Godavarthi Venkata Srinivas has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Cabo Verde. He
will replace Rajeev Kumar.
• Abhishek Nayar has announced his first-class cricket retirement after 13 long years of first class cricket playing for Mumbai and
Puducherry. He is known more for his contribution to Mumbai’s successive Ranji Trophy triumphs.
Joko Widodo re-elected as the President
• Joko Widodo has been re-elected as the President of Indonesia.
• This will be his second Presidential term in Indonesia.
• Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia.
• Indonesian Rupiah is its currency.
Toyota-Suzuki to launch compact elec. vehicle
• Toyota Motor Corporation, will launch a compact electric vehicle in India, in collaboration with Suzuki Motor Corporation, in the
next few years.
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• In 2017, both Toyota and Suzuki announced a tie-up to manufacture small battery electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles for the
India market.
• Toyota, as part of the collaboration, will also transfer its hybrid powertrain technology to Suzuki.
PM Modi to visit Saudi Arabia
• PM Narendra Modi will visit Saudi Arabia during 29-31 October 2019 to participate in an annual investment forum to be held in
the kingdom.
• Modi’s visit comes eight months after Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman paid a visit to India in February 2019.
• Modi will address the Future Investment Initiative forum - regarded as the Davos of the Desert.
Uber partnered with DMRC
• Uber has partnered with Delhi Metro Rail Service and, starting 22 Oct 2019, will introduce a seamless commuter service 'Uber
Transit' at select metro stations in Delhi.
• Delhi will be the first city in Asia where the US-based company will launch Transit.
• Under the service, when riders enter a destination, they’ll see ‘Public Transport’ as an option alongside ‘UberGO’, ‘Premier’ and
‘UberPool’
Ayurveda Palliative Care Unit inaugurated
• Minister of State for AYUSH and Defence Shripad Yesso Naik inaugurated Ayurveda Palliative Care Unit at Palliative Care Centre,
base Hospital, Delhi Cantt, New Delhi.
• A MoU was also signed between Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Defence for the Integration of AYUSH under the health
establishments of Directorate General of Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS).
Piyush Goyal on a Two-Day Visit to Sweden
• Commerce and Industry & Railways Minister, Piyush Goyal will attend the 19th Session of the Indo-Swedish Joint Commission for
Economic, Industrial and Scientific Cooperation.
• It will take place in Stockholm, Sweden on 23rd October 2019.
• The session will be co-chaired by Ms. Anna Hallberg, Minister of Foreign Trade, Government of the Kingdom of Sweden and
Piyush Goyal.
Dharmendra Pradhan to visit Russia and Japan
• Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan will be visiting Russia and Japan from 22-26 October 2019.
• During his visit, he will have meetings with Mr. Sergey Tyrtsev, First Deputy Minister for Development of the Russian Far East and
Arctic, and Mr. Igor Sechin, CEO of Rosneft.
• Engineers India Ltd. (EIL) will sign MoU with the Russian National Chamber of Engineers.
50 IFFI announced films for Open Air Screening
• The 50th International Film Festival of India announced the films in Open Air Screening section of the festival.
• The International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa celebrates its Golden Jubilee Edition from 20th-28th November 2019.
• Every year IFFI organises Open Air Screenings to bring the best of Cinematic experience to the Cine enthusiasts.
• The theme would be ‘The Joy of Cinema’.
Siachen now opened for tourists: Rajnath Singh
• Siachen glacier, known for its arduous climate and difficult terrain, is now open for tourism.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 21 Oct 2019 announced that the Siachen area is now open for tourists and tourism.
• The Kumar Post is at height of more than 15,000 ft.
• Tourists will be able to travel from the base camp at Partapur at 11,000 feet to the Kumar Post.
United Nations WFP launched campaign
• The UN World Food Programme (WFP) launched a cinema advertisement campaign 'Feed Our Future' to raise awareness and
take steps against hunger and malnutrition in India.
• The campaign launch event included a panel discussion hosted by TV host Mini Mathur.
• Actor-director Nandita Das and filmmakers Neeraj Ghaywan and Anubhav Sinha shared their perspectives over cinema and social
change.
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Riya Bhatia won ITF title in Nigeria

• India's Riya Bhati has won the ITF women’s tennis tournament in Lagos, Nigeria.
• She defeated Slovenian player Nastja Kolar of Slovenia 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 in the summit clash of the $25,000 ITF women’s tennis
tournament.
• This was the 3rd singles title in the professional circuit for Riya, who had won her last two titles in 2016 and 2017.
The 18th NAM Summit to be held in Azerbaijan
• The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit has been scheduled to be held between 25-26 October 2019 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
• The 18th Summit Conference of the NAM will be hosted by H.E. Mr Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
• Nepal PM Oli and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina will be attending the summit.
• The NAM was founded in 1961.
• India is a founding member of the NAM summit.
Denis Shapovalov won the Stockholm Open
• Canadian Denis Shapovalov won his first ATP Tour title.
• The fourth-seeded Shapovalov, of Richmond Hill, Ont., captured the Stockholm Open on 20 October 2019 with a 6-4, 6-4 win over
Serbian Filip Krajinovic.
• Not only was it Shapovalov's first ATP title but he also became the first Canadian Tour winner since Milos Raonic of Thornhill,
Ont., in Brisbane in January 2016.
Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2019-20 opened
• The Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2019-20 (Series-6) opened from 21 Oct 2019.
• It will continue till 25th Oct 2019.
• The issue price of the Bond during this subion period will be three thousand eight hundred and 35 rupees per gram, with the
settlement date of 30th of this month.
• The Centre has decided to allow a discount of 50 rupees per gram to those investors who apply online.
India-Bangladesh Stakeholders’ Meet began
• India-Bangladesh Stakeholders’ Meet begins in Guwahati on 22 Oct 2019 with trade and connectivity high on the agenda.
• A 70-member delegation from both countries is participating in the two-day meet.
• The idea of the meet is to put Assam at the focus point of India’s trade expansion with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
as well as Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.
India to sign Agreement on Kartarpur on Oct 23
• India is ready to sign the Agreement on Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on 23 Oct 2019.
• Pakistan will levy a service fee of USD 20 per pilgrim per visit to the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib.
• This comes on the auspicious occasion of the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
DAC approved procurement of equipments
• The Defence Acquisition Council has accorded approval for Capital Procurement for the Defence forces for indigenously designed
and developed equipment.
• The first two projects include third-generation Anti-Tank Guided Missiles and the Auxiliary Power Units for the T-72 and T-90
Tanks.
• The third project pertains to discrete Electronic Warfare systems for the mountain and High-Altitude terrain.
Nepalese Govt Officers' 2nd group training
• The second group of 18 officers of the Government of Nepal have started their training on Anti-Money Laundering and
Countering Financing of Terrorism.
• It is being held at Regional Centre of National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and Narcotics (NACIN) in Bengaluru.
• NACIN is a premier training institute of India in the field of financial investigations and anti-money laundering matters.
Obituaries
• Dadu Chougule, wrestler and recipient of Major Dhyanchand award, passed away. In 1973, Chougule had won the titles ‘Rustum-
e-Hind’ and ‘Mahan Bharat Kesari’ in national-level tournaments.
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• Actor T.P. Radhamani, who was active in Malayalam and Tamil films, passed away in October 2019. She donned big and small
roles in around 105 films in Malayalam and Tamil films.
Sports News
• Andy Murray won the men's singles title at the European Open 2019 on 20 October 2019. He defeated Switzerland's Stan
Wawrinka by scoring 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. This is his 1st ATP title since March 2017.
• Virat Kohli broke Mohammad Azharuddin’s record for being the Indian skipper who has enforced the most number of follow ons.
He beat Azharuddin’s record of seven matches.
Mars once had salt lakes: Study
• Mars once had salt lakes similar to those on the Earth, according to a study which indicates that its climate 'dried out' over a long
time.
• The study was published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
• It noted that over 3 billion years ago the lake that was present in Gale Crater underwent a drying episode.
• The Gale Crater formed about 3.6 billion years ago when a meteor hit Mars.
Rohit Sharma hit maiden double hundred
• Rohit Sharma is the first Indian opener to register two 150-plus scores in a single Test series and also the fourth Indian batsman
to score a double century against South Africa.
• He scored 212 runs from 255 deliveries before losing his wicket to Kagiso Rabada.
• His stellar innings had 28 fours and six sixes.
G20 Okayama Health Ministers' Conference held
• India has highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Sab Ka Saath - Sab Ka Vikas - Sab Ka Vishwas' for inclusive health
along with scheme -- Ayushman Bharat, at the on-going two-day G20 Okayama Health Ministers' Conference in Japan.
• Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan also highlighted Mr Modi's vision of FIT India Movement and Eat Right
campaigns.
World Statistics Day: October 20, 2020
• World Statistics Day is to be observed on 20 October 2020.
• The day aims to show that good data and statistics are indispensable for informed decision-making by all actors in society.
• The United Nations celebrates the event every five years.
• The day was instituted by the United Nations in 2010.
• The theme of the 2015 World Statistics Day was Better Data, Better lives.
Sri Lanka removed from FATF's Grey List
• Sri Lanka has been removed from the "Grey List" of the international terror financing watchdog FATF.
• It will no longer be subject to the Financial Action Task Force's monitoring.
• The FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and other related
threats to the integrity of the international financial system.
IIT Kharagpur graduate developed unique device
• IIT Kharagpur graduate Debayan Saha has invented a device called PM 2.5 which he claimed when fitted near the silencer pipe in
vehicles will curb air pollution.
• The technology uses a combination of electric energy and wave energy to influence the pollutants like PM 2.5 such that they act
like a magnet attracting other particulate pollutants from the ambient atmosphere to get attached to it.
India-Myanmar Naval Exercise: IMNEX-2019
• The India-Myanmar Naval Exercise called IMNEX-2019 is being organised in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
• The opening ceremony of the second edition of Indo-Myanmar joint naval exercise was conducted onboard INS Ranvijay.
• Myanmar naval ships UMS Sin Phyu Shin (F-14) and UMS Tabinshweti (773) arrived at Visakhapatnam.
• The exercise would be conducted in two phases: Harbour phase and Sea Phase.
Sudarshan Chakra Vahini began at Jaisalmer
• Two-day long manoeuvres by Sudarshan Chakra Vahini of Indian Army Started at Jaisalmer, field firing range in Rajasthan.
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• In this war exercise, the army is going to exhibit its strength regarding Agni Missile and artillery.
• Artillery, Arms and mechanized forces, Army air defence and helicopters of army aviation are participating in this exercise to test
mutual coordination.
Multimedia exhibition organized in Frankfurt
• A multimedia exhibition as part of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was organized in the India Pavilion at the
Frankfurt International Book Fair.
• The life and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi were celebrated by performing Dandi Yatra on 19 Oct 2019.
• The Frankfurt International Book Fair is the largest and most important book fair which is held annually in the month of October.
World’s oldest known natural pearl discovered
• The oldest known natural pearl in the world has been discovered by Abu Dhabi archaeologists working at a Neolithic site on
Marawah Island, just off the coast of Abu Dhabi.
• Dubbed the ‘Abu Dhabi Pearl’, it was found in layers that have been radiocarbon dated to 5,800-5,600 BCE, during the Neolithic
period.
• The earliest known pearl in the UAE came from a Neolithic site in Umm Al Qaiwain.
AIR National Sangeeth Sammelan concerts began
• All India Radio National Sangeeth Sammelan concerts, a major series in the music calendar, began in 26 centres, including
Thanjavur, in Tamil Nadu.
• The concerts, recorded live in front of an invited audience will be broadcast as a national programme overall stations of AIR from
November 9 to December 15, 2019.
• Some of the prominent performers include Dr N Rajam and Malladi Suri Babu.
Renewable energy storage device developed
• Researchers have developed a new dielectric capacitor- a device that stores energy like a battery, taking inspiration from a
French pastry.
• The croissant is made by folding multiple layers of dough.
• The researchers found that by pressing and folding a polymer film capacitor, they were able to store 30 times more energy than
the best-performing commercially available dielectric capacitor.
100 more Mohalla Clinics inaugurated in Delhi
• Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal inaugurated 100 more Mohalla Clinics in Delhi on 19 Oct 2019.
• With these new health clinics, a total of 302 Mohalla Clinics are now functional in the city.
• These clinics are part of the city government's push to set up 1,000 neighbourhood clinics
• Facilities of diagnostic tests such as lipid profile, kidney and liver function test are available free of cost.
Kuhoo Garg-Dhruv Rawat won Egypt title
• In badminton, Kuhoo Garg and Dhruv Rawat won the mixed doubles title at the Egypt International 2019 in Cairo on October 20,
2019.
• They showed excellent understanding as they had accounted for the second seeds Ahmed Salah and Hadia Hosny 21-16 21-15 of
Egypt in the second round and 16-21 21-16 21-9 win over fourth seeds Koceila Mammeri and Linda Mazri of Algeria in the semi-
finals.
Amit Panghal won in World Military Games
• In Boxing, Amit Panghal won his opening bout in the men's flyweight (52kg) category as the boxers gave India a good start in the
7th CISM World Military Games in Wuhan, China on 20 Oct 2019.
• Panghal beat Douglas Andrade of Brazil 4-1, while Chirag (56kg) defeated Zambia's Katanga Christopher 5-0.
• A total of 9308 military personnel from 109 countries are competing in the World Military Games.
Col. Chewang Rinchen Setu inaugurated
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Col. Chewang Rinchen Setu which has been constructed at an altitude of 14,650
feet in the forward area of Ladakh region.
• This bridge has been built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
• This Bridge is built on the strategically important road Durbuk Shyok Daulat Beg Oldie in sub sector north in eastern Ladakh.
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Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated CCRT e-portal

• Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated e-portal of Centre for Cultural Resources and
Training and YouTube Channel in New Delhi on 21 Oct 2019.
• The aim is to take India to newer digital pinnacle and to promote Indian culture.
• He attended the “Digital Bharat - Digital Sanskriti” program organised by Rashtriya Centre for Cultural Resources and Training.
Most Eminent Senior Citizen Award presented
• Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu presented Most Eminent Senior Citizen Award to legal luminary and former Attorney General K.
Parasaran in New Delhi on 20 October 2019.
• He was honoured on the occasion of the Elder’s Day celebration of Age Care India, an organization working for the welfare of the
elderly.
• Throughout his distinguished career, Mr Parasaran had handled a wide array of cases.
Miscellaneous News
• PM Narendra Modi released a book titled 'Bridgital Nation' in New Delhi. The book has been authored by Chairman, Tata Sons, N
Chandrasekaran and Roopa Purushothaman.
• Mahindra & Mahindra announced the inauguration of India’s first all-women-run automobile service workshop in Jaipur. This is
part of the company’s larger initiative named ‘Pink Collars’
Appointments
• Election Commission has appointed Vinod Zutshi, former Deputy Election Commissioner as Special Observer for the ensuing
elections to Assandh Assembly Constituency in Karnal District of Haryana.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Sudhaker Shukla as Whole-Time Member,
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI).
The second phase of GOAL Programme announced
• The second phase of GOAL Programme was announced recently by the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda.
• GOAL stands for Going Online as Leaders.
• The programme aims for digital skill training of Tribal Women.
• For this programme, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has partnered with the Niti Aayog and Facebook.
NASA unveils space-suit for Moon mission
• NASA has unveiled its next-generation space-suits for upcoming Artemis programme.
• Artemis is scheduled to launch by 2024.
• It will be NASA’s first woman mission on the Moon.
• This space-suit will be more flexible and easy to wear, NASA reported.
• NASA announced that it will allow astronauts to squat to pick up rocks and move more easily.
Justice SA Bobde to take oath as 47th CJI
• CJI Ranjan Gogoi on October 18, 2019 recommended the name of Justice SA Bobde for appointment as the next Chief Justice of
India.
• If appointed, Justice Bobde will take the oath of November 18, 2019, a day after the retirement of incumbent CJI Gogoi.
• Justice Bobde will serve as the 47th Chief Justice of India (CJI) for a total period of one year and five months till April 23, 2021.
State of the World’s Children Report 2019
• The ‘State of the World’s Children’ Report 2019 of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) states that Malnutrition causes
around 69 per cent of children’s death in India.
• As per the report, 149 million children of under 5 age were stunted and around 50 million children were wasted in 2018.
• The report also says that every second Indian woman is suffering from anaemia.
Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Council abolished
• Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Council was abolished on October 18, 2019, making the way for the bifurcation of Jammu &
Kashmir State into two Union Territories - Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
• The J&K Council was dissolved under Section 57 of the J&K Reorganisation Bill, 2019.
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• With this, the tenure of all the Members of the Legislative Council has come to an end.
Bio methane plant inaugurated in Coimbatore
• Swiss Minister for Environment, Energy Simonetta Sommaruga inaugurated bio methane plant in Coimbatore.
• The Swiss-funded Rs.45 lakh project will generate bio methane from 1.5 ton solid waste collected from Ward 22 in West Zone,
which can generate about 150 units of power.
• The power will mainly be used for electrification of street lights in the area.
Shahbaz Nadeem makes test debut
• Shahbaz Nadeem has made debut in India vs South Africa test series on October 19.
• Shahbaz was selected in the team because fast bowler Ishant Sharma is on rest.
• He has a rich experience of 15 years as a cricket player.
Head of European Bank: Christine Lagarde
• European Union leaders confirmed the appointment of Christine Lagarde as the new chief of the European Central Bank.
• She will be replacing Mario Draghi (Italy) from November 1.
• She will be chief for a non-renewable term of 8-years.
• She served 8-years as the head of IMF since 2011.
Sajjan Jindal became vice Chairman of WSA
• The World Steel Association (Worldsteel) has elected Sajjan Jindal, Chairman and Managing Director, JSW Steel, as Vice-Chairman
of the association for one year.
• The association has also appointed Tata Steel CEO and MD T V Narendran and Arcelor Mittal Chief L N Mittal as its members.
• The board also elected a 14-member Executive Committee.
Sangam Youth Festival organised by Indian Army
• Over 1,500 students from 32 different colleges and university participated in the ‘Sangam Youth Festival’.
• It was organised by the Indian Army in collaboration with Jammu University Campus in a bid to spread the message of peace,
prosperity, communal harmony and national integration.
• During this festival, several events were held so the students can showcase their talents and skills.
India Post launches mobile banking facility
• The Department of Post announced that it has launched mobile banking for its savings account customers.
• The facility will be available on all the post office savings account holders of the CBS (core banking solutions) post offices.
• The launch of the mobile banking facility comes almost a year after the Department of Post launched Internet banking facility for
its savings account holders.
3rd SAFF U-15 Women’s Championship
• The Indian football team won the 3rd Edition of the SAFF U-15 Women’s Championships 2019 by beating Bangladesh by 5-3 in
the penalty shoot-out.
• The tournament was organized by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) and was held at Changlimithang Stadium in
Thimpu, Bhutan.
• Indian captain is Shilky Devi.
India in a Warming world book released
• A new book titled 'India in a Warming World: Integrating Climate Change and Development' is set to release on November 2019.
• This book is featuring a collection of articles by climate experts including Sunita Narain, Anil Agarwal, Dr Friederike Otto & Shibani
Ghosh, edited by Navroz K Dubash.
• It is published by Oxford University Press.
DANX-19 exercise conducted
• Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) has conducted the 2nd edition of Defence of Andaman & Nicobar Islands 2019 (DANX-
19).
• The Indian Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard carried out mobilisation and field manoeuvres.
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• It was done to validate defensive plans of Headquarters ANC towards pursuance of the Command’s responsibility and ensuring
the territorial integrity of the islands.
11th Nuclear Energy Conclave
• Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the 11th Edition of Nuclear Energy Conclave 2019 in New Delhi.
• It was organized by India Energy Forum.
• A nuclear plant is coming up in the Gorakhpur of Haryana.
• A 'Hall of Nuclear Energy' was also opened at Pragati Maidan in Delhi.
• The theme of the Conclave: 'Economics of Nuclear Power- Innovation towards Safer & Cost-Effective Technologies'.
UN elects 14 Member States to UNHRC
• The United Nation General Assembly has elected 14 States to the 47 member body of UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
• The UNHRC is responsible for promoting and protecting all human rights around the globe.
• The Assembly elected Armenia, Brazil, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Libya, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Namibia, Netherlands,
Poland, Republic of Korea, Sudan and Venezuela.
Book penned by Viswanathan Anand
• Indian Chess player, Viswanathan Anand has penned a book titled “Mind Master: Winning Lessons from a Champion’s Life”.
• The book, published by Hachette India, is releasing on December 11.
• The book is based on the experience he had in the game of Chess.
• In the book, he revisits his greatest games and worst losses, his unique experiences of playing against the best minds.
New whole-time member of IBBI
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Sudhaker Shukla as Whole-Time Member
of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI).
• He is a 1985 Indian Economic Service officer.
• His period of service for 05 years or up to the age of 65 years.
IRCTC Buddhist Circuit Tourist train announced
• The very first IRCTC Buddhist Circuit tour for the current season 2019-2020 has been launched by IRCTC.
• The special IRCTC tourist train will explore major destinations related to Lord Buddha’s life such as Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda,
Varanasi, Sarnath, Lumbini, Sravasti, Kushinagar, and Agra.
• The Tourist package of 8 days/7 nights will begin from October 19 and will go on till October 26.
Obituaries
• Cuban ballet dancer Alicia Alonso passed away at 98. She is considered one of the greatest 20th Century ballerinas. In 1948, she
founded the Alicia Alonso Ballet Company in Cuba’s capital. She formed the National Ballet of Cuba after the revolution.
• Veteran Kannada writer KB Siddhaiah passed away. He was one of the founder members of Dalitha Sangharsha Samithi (DSS)
during the eighties.
President Ram Nath Kovind reaches Manila
• President Ram Nath Kovind was accorded ceremonial reception in Manila on 18 Oct 2019.
• During his five-day visit to the Philippines, President Kovind will also hold delegation-level talks with Philippines President Rodrigo
Duterte
• On 20 Oct 2019, he will attend the installation of the Mahatma Gandhi Bust in Quezon City before meeting with the Indian
community.
Scientists discovered the worlds fastest ant
• Scientists have discovered the world’s fastest ant which runs at speeds equivalent of 360mph in humans.
• The Saharan silver ant, named after where it lives, can put in 50 strides a second, covering a distance of nearly a metre (85.5cm).
• The length of their strides quadrupled from 4.7mm to 20.8mm as their speed accelerated, according to a paper published in the
Journal of Experimental Biology.
6th Edition of Seapower Seminar Concludes
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• The sixth edition of the Dilli Series Seapower Seminar on Role of Sea Power in Shaping of Nations concluded on 18 October 2019
at the Indian Naval Academy (INA).
• Eight papers were presented during the seminar centered on the theme.
• The INA christened the Annual Seminar as the ‘Dilli’ series after Mount Dilli located at Ezhimala.
NIN centenary stamp released
• A special commemorative postal stamp of the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad was released by Union Minister for
Health & Family Welfare, Harsh Vardhan.
• The stamp has been brought out under the Corporate My stamp scheme of India Posts.
• These stamps are of limited edition and are made to order.
• Alongside these, the NIN also opted for printing its centenary logo.
Goa gov inked deal with STPI to set up IT Park
• The Goa government signed a MoU with the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) for setting up an information technology
(IT) park at Dona Paula.
• The MoU was signed at the Vibrant Goa Global Expo and Summit 2019.
• Approximately 14,000 square metres of land will be given to the STPI at Dona Paula for creating a startup and IT industry
promotion activities in the state.
Goa Electricity dept ties up with HDFC Bank
• The Goa electricity department tied up with the HDFC Bank for online payment of electricity bills wherein consumers in Goa can
pay their bills digitally using the additional payment gateway.
• Consumers will have an option to make payments through various modes such as credit or debit card of any of the bank, net
banking by visiting the department’s website – www.goaelectricity.gov.in.
First Robotic restaurant of Odisha
• A restaurant in Bhubaneswar opened its doors to customers claiming to be the first eatery in eastern India where two
indigenously developed robots will serve customers.
• Named ‘Champa’ and ‘Chameli’, the two humanoid robots rolled on the floor of the Robo Chef restaurant and served food to the
waiting customers.
• After serving, the two robots even chimed “Apana mane khushi to” (Are you happy).
India Govt organised camp in Bangladesh
• A camp is being organized under India for Humanity initiative of Government of India to commemorate 150th Birth Anniversary
of Mahatma Gandhi at NITOR in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• A team of eight experts from Jaipur based Bhagwan Mahaveer Vikalang Sahayata Samiti is conducting the camp.
• Around 500 amputees will be provided artificial limb in Dhaka through the camp.
Maharashtra police ties up with AI firm
• The Maharashtra Police has tied up with Logically, an extended intelligence (artificial and human intelligence)-powered tech firm,
to detect and prevent the spread of fake news.
• The company helps detect fake news, logical fallacy, and inaccuracies.
• It has been monitoring various social media platforms since 20 days to monitor cases of violation under the Model Code of
Conduct (MCC).
Adani group inks MoU
• Adani Group has signed a MoU with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), BASF and Borealis for a joint feasibility study to
evaluate a collaboration for the establishment of a chemical complex at Mundra in Kutch district.
• The partners are aiming to finalise the joint feasibility study by the end of the first quarter of 2020 and intend to start production
in 2024.
DRDO signed 30 agreements on Tech Transfer
• DRDO has signed 30 licensing agreements for Transfer of Technology (ToT) with 16 Indian companies, including three start-ups, at
Vibrant Goa Global Expo and Summit 2019.
• The Summit was held at Goa University, Taleigao, Goa between October 17-19, 2019.
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• Vibrant Goa Summit provided an opportunity for the companies to interact with DRDO scientists who have developed these
technologies.
15 films to compete for Golden Peacock Award
• Fifteen films representing 20 Countries will compete for the Golden Peacock Award at the 50th International Film Festival of India
(IFFI).
• This will be the golden Jublee edition of the festival.
• The selection of the films has been made from over 700 entries.
• Mr. John Bailey will chair the International Jury of 50th International Film Festival of India.
First all-female pairing to spacewalk
• Two Female Astronauts of USA, Christina Koch and Jessica Meir became the first all-female to carry out a spacewalk on 18 Oct
2019.
• The US sent its first female astronaut into space in 1983 and has now had more women astronauts than any other country.
• But the first woman in space was Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova in 1963, followed by compatriot Svetlana Savitskaya in
1982.
Odisha's biggest trade fair to begin on Nov 12
• Baliyatra, one of the biggest trade fairs of Odisha, is scheduled to begin on November 12, 2019.
• The trade fair will continue for eight days.
• This year’s Baliyatra will be jointly organized by the Cuttack District Administration, District Cultural Council, and the Cuttack
Municipal Corporation.
• There will be separate vending zones for small traders and vendors.
Indian boxers clinched 21 medals
• Indian boxers at the Asian Junior Championships, clinched 21 medals, including six golds and nine silvers, to end with the best
medal haul among 26 competing countries in Fujairah, UAE.
• The Indian men's squad fetched two golds, three silvers and an equal number of bronzes, while the women claimed four gold, six
silver and three bronze medals.
Interpol to hold general assembly in India
• India will host the 91st Interpol General Assembly in 2022.
• A proposal in this regard was given to Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock by Union Home Minister Amit Shah when the two
met in New Delhi during Mr Stock's official visit in August 2019.
• The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) had hosted the general assembly in India in 1997.
India, Philippines agreed to work closely
• India and the Philippines have committed to work closely to defeat and eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
• The Philippines and India have also agreed to deepen defense and maritime security partnership.
• India and the Philippines signed 4 agreements covering maritime domain, security, tourism, science and technology and culture.
Girls to be admitted in Sainik Schools
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved a proposal for admission of girl children in Sainik Schools from academic session 2021-
22 in a phased manner.
• The decision is in line with the objective of the government towards greater inclusiveness, gender equality, enabling greater
participation of women in Armed Forces and strengthening the motto of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao'.
Appointments
• Senior IPS officer of Gujarat cadre Anup Kumar Singh has been appointed as Director-General of the National Security Guard
(NSG).
• Election Commission of India has appointed Vivek Dube as Special Observer for the ensuing Bye Elections to the State Legislative
Assemblies of Sikkim 2019 in general and 10 Poklok -Kamrang Assembly Constituency in Sikkim.
Obituaries
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• Internationally acclaimed painter of Bangladesh Kalidas Karmakar passed away in Dhaka in October 2019. He was awarded
Shilpakala Padak in 2016 and the Ekushey Padak in 2018 by the Government of Bangladesh.
• Mark Hurd, who until Sept 2019 was one of two CEOs leading the database software giant Oracle, has passed away. Hurd joined
Oracle nine years ago.
Kerala extends maternity leave benefits
• Kerala is extending maternity leave benefits to teachers and other staff of private educational institutions, including those in the
unaided sector.
• When the amendment to the Act comes into force, Kerala would become the first state in the country to provide maternity
benefits in the private educational sector.
• Employees covered under the law can avail 26 weeks’ maternity leave with salary.
India-Bangladesh rail links will reopen
• Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina announced on 16 October 2019 that all the rail links with India closed after the 1965
war will be reopened.
• The first rail line between India and Dhaka was opened in 2008 when Maitree express between Dhaka and Kolkata was started.
• In 2017 Bandhan express was also started between Kolkata and Khulna.
International film festival inaugurated
• The 6th edition of the Writers and Artists International Film Festival was inaugurated at Arunachalam cinema theatre
Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu.
• it is being organised by the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association
• Screening of 22 international films from 12 countries will be part of the five-day festival.
Veerjeet clinched gold in Junior Nationals
• Weightlifter Veerjeet Kaur has won a gold medal in the 49kg weight category at the ongoing Junior National Weightlifting
Championship 2019 in Bodh Gaya, Bihar.
• Veerjeet lifted a total of 160kg — 70kg (snatch) + 90kg (clean and jerk) — to beat her closest opponent by a margin of 15kg.
• Earlier, Veerjeet had won a bronze medal in the Khelo India Games.
PV Sindhu 13th highest paid woman sportsperson
• PV Sindhu is the most marketable Indian woman sportsperson and also the most marketable woman badminton player in the
world, according to the Forbes list of highest paid women sportspersons for the year (June 1, 2018 to June 1, 2019).
• Sindhu is ranked 13th in the world with a total earning of 5.5 million USD for the year.
• Serena Williams tops the list.
Lionel Messi won 3rd straight Golden Shoe
• Barcelona captain Lionel Messi received his 6th Golden Shoe as the top scorer in the European leagues.
• Messi won the trophy for a 3rd straight year after scoring 36 goals, 3 more than his closest challenger, Kylian Mbappe of Paris
Saint-Germain.
• Messi now has two more Golden Shoes than his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
• The award was created in 1967 when it was won by Eusebio.
Int. Day for the Eradication of Poverty
• The United Nations’ (UN) International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed on October 17 each year since 1993.
• It promotes people’s awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution worldwide, particularly in developing countries.
• 2019 Theme: Acting Together to Empower Children, their Families and Communities to End Poverty.
World’s 1st AI university in UAE
• UAE announced the establishment of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence( MBZUAI) in Abu Dhabi.
• This is the first graduate-level, research-based AI university in the world.
• MBZUAI will enable graduate students, businesses and governments to advance the artificial intelligence field.
India ranked 82 in the 2019 World Giving Index
• India ranked 82 spots among the 128 countries surveyed in the World Giving Index (WGI).
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• The average figures for India over the past decade show that 34 per cent people helped a stranger, 24 per cent donated money
and 19 per cent volunteered or donated their time.
• According to the WGI, the USA stood at the top followed Myanmar, New Zealand and Australia.
‘Shinyuu Maitri’ 2019 began in West Bengal
• IAF and Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) are carrying out a joint military air force exercise ‘Shinyuu Maitri’ October 17-23,
2019 in West Bengal.
• C-130 J aircraft of the Special Operations Squadron of IAF and C-130 H of Tactical Airlift Squadron of JASDF will participate in the
exercise.
• Its focus is to undertake Joint Mobility and Tactical interoperability among the two forces.
IAF began Joint Exercise with Oman
• Indian Air Force is participating in a Bilateral Joint Exercise with Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), named EX-EASTERN BRIDGE-V,
from 17 Oct 2019 in Oman.
• The last exercise, EX-EASTERN BRIDGE-IV was held in 2017 at Jamnagar.
• For the first time, MiG-29 fighter aircraft will be participating in an International Exercise outside India.
• The IAF contingent comprises of MiG-29 and C-17 aircraft.
India's livestock population increased
• India's livestock population has increased to over 535 million showing an increase of 4.6% over Livestock Census-2012.
• The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying released the 20th Livestock Census -2019 on 16 Oct 2019.
• As per the livestock census, the share of cattle is around 36%, goat is over 27%, buffaloes is over 20%, sheep around 14% and pigs
around 2%.
Home Credit India tied with Karur Vysya Bank
• Home Credit India (HCIN), has tied-up with Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) for joint lending using end-to-end automated processing
which will help the customer get real-time approval and disbursement.
• Under the agreement, HCIN and KVB will disburse loans in a single amount to customers.
• With this partnership, Home Credit India will be able to reach out to a new segment of customer.
Italy to introduce web tax on digital giants
• Italy approved a new tax on digital companies, including U.S. tech giants, as part of its 2020 draft budget on October 16, 2019.
• The levy, due to be introduced from 2020, will oblige companies such as Facebook, Google and Amazon, to pay a 3% levy on
internet transactions, according to a text of the draft budget.
• The Italian scheme is expected to yield about 600 million euros a year.
Hong Kong’s orchestra won Gramophone Awards
• Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra has been named orchestra of the year at the 2019 Gramophone Awards.
• The group is the first Asian orchestra to win the award.
• Dutch-born conductor Van Zweden is its Music Director since 2012.
• The category is the only one of the classical music magazine’s awards open to the public vote.
Defence exports grown by 7 times in 2 years
• India's defence exports have grown 7 times in the last two years, reaching a value of two billion dollars.
• 440 companies in the private sector have taken up defence production in the last five years.
• These companies have been given contracts worth five lakh crore rupees for the supply of defence equipment.
• AI is one of the areas in which the startups are going to play an innovative role.
Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman presented
• West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee presented Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman to 79 community Durga Pujas that received awards
in different categories.
• Durga Puja festival helps in community development, building relations among people to people besides generating income.
• UNESCO has agreed to recognize Durga Puja as World Cultural Heritage.
Magnificent MP Conference inaugurated
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• CM of MP Kamal Nath formally inaugurated the 2-day Magnificent Madhya Pradesh Conference on 17 Oct 2019 in Indore.
• He also inaugurated the Global Trade Exhibition at the Brilliant Convention Centre, Indore.
• 223 industries are investing in Madhya Pradesh.
• Foreign investment proposals worth 4,385 crore rupees are in the process of consideration.
Karnataka topped India Innovation Index
• The first-ever India Innovation Index was launched by NITI Aayog in New Delhi on 18 October 2019 in order to promote
competitiveness among the states.
• Karnataka has emerged the topper among major states.
• Tamil Nadu is second and Maharashtra is on the third position followed by Telangana, Haryana, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, West
Bengal, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.
Miscellaneous News
• The road starting from Kapurthala connecting Goindwal Sahib and terminating near Taran Taran in Punjab has been declared as
new National Highway - 703 A A and named as Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Marg.
• A two-day international conference on biosciences, BIOSUMMIT’19, was inaugurated at Vellore Institute of Technology.
Int. level chess tournament inaugurated
• International chess tournament for chess players whose FIDE rating is below 1600 was inaugurated on October 15, 2019 at the
grounds of Koteshwara Karnataka Public School.
• This tournament is organized by Kashvi Chess School (KCS).
• The tournament ended on October 17, 2019.
• The tournament was inaugurated by gold medal winner of Commonwealth Games of 2018, Shriyana S Mallya of Mangaluru.
Digital museum inaugurated
• Lok Sabha MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary inaugurated a three-day spiritual fest in form of a digital museum to showcase the life
and philosophy of Guru Nanak via ultra-modern technology at Lyallpur Khalsa College.
• It was a humble effort of the Punjab government to commemorate the 550th Parkash Purab of Guru Nanak.
• The museum had brought together various technologies such as LFD screens and RFID.
Colour themed Kalam library inaugurated
• Colour themed Dr Kalam Library was inaugurated by The Arc Foundation India and Rotary Club of Coimbatore Heritage as a mark
of love and tribute to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam on his birth anniversary at the Government High School, Koundampalayam.
• The Joint Managing Trustee of The Arc Foundation India, M.A. Aparna addressed the children on the purpose of inaugurating
such a library.
GoAir received the Best Airline award
• GoAir has received the ‘Best Airline’ award by Andaman Tourism Award - 2019 in its first edition for its leadership in attaining on-
time performance for 12 consecutive months.
• Andaman Tourism Award was organised at Port Blair.
• According to the data released by the DGCA, GoAir has emerged as the most punctual airline in August 2019, thereby creating
history in the Indian aviation sector.
Textiles Secretary inaugurated IHGF-Delhi Fair
• Textiles Secretary, Ravi Capoor, inaugurated the 48th edition of the Indian Handicrafts and Gifts Fair (IHGF) at the India Expo
Centre & Mart at Greater Noida on 16 October 2019.
• The Fair is being held from on 16-20 October 2019.
• The IHGF-Delhi Fair 2019 will have knowledge seminars on various topics by expert faculties, fashion shows and ramp walks by
models.
Army Wife achieved Guinness World Records
• Kiran Uniyal, wife of a serving Colonel of Indian Army has created Individual Guinness World Records for The most full contact
knee strikes in three minutes (one leg) (female), 263 strikes & The most full contact knee strikes alternate legs in one minute
(female),120 strikes.
• The earlier records were of 177 strikes and 102 in female category respectively.
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Assam govt to host two-day stakeholders' meet

• The Assam government will be hosting a 2-day stakeholders' meeting between India and Bangladesh from 22 October 2019 in
Guwahati.
• A 70-member delegation from Bangladesh, including two Central ministers will be participating in the meet.
• The idea of the meet is to put Assam at the centre point of India’s trade expansion with ASEAN and Bangladesh, Bhutan and
Nepal or BBN countries.
India ranked 102 in Global Hunger Index 2019
• The 2019 Global Hunger Index (GHI) indicates that the level of hunger and undernutrition worldwide falls into the serious
category.
• As per the index, India ranks 102 out of 117 qualifying countries, with a score of 30.3.
• India has slipped from 95th rank in 2010 to 102nd in 2019 on the Global Hunger Index (GHI).
• The aim of the GHI is to trigger action to reduce hunger around the world.
IMF cut World and India growth rates
• The World Bank-International Monetary Fund (IMF) annual meetings kicked off.
• IMF downgraded global growth in 2019 to 3%, the slowest since the global financial crisis.
• India’s growth projections have also been downgraded to 6.1% and 7.0% in 2019 and 2020 respectively, down by 1.2 percentage
points and 0.5 percentage points relative to April projections.
UP Culture Dept to organise programme
• The Culture Department of UP government is going to organise the country’s first training and performance programme of world-
famous KHON Ramlila, a masked form of Ramlila art of Thailand in collaboration with the Thai government.
• KHON Ramlila of Thailand is included in the list of UNESCO’s Intangible cultural heritage and it’s a form of masked dance
depicting the scenes of Ramlila.
41st DRDO Directors Conference inaugurated
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the 41st DRDO Directors Conference in New Delhi.
• Chiefs of the three forces & DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy were also present on the occasion.
• The discussion included efforts taken by DRDO to ensure technological advancement of the Indian forces to safeguard the
country.
9 ‘Sewa Service’ trains flagged off
• Railways Minister Piyush Goyal flagged off 9 ‘Sewa Service’ trains.
• These trains will connect small towns to major cities.
• The Vadnagar-Mehsana train was gifted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The trains are – Delhi-Shamli, Bhubaneswar-Nayagarh town, Murkongselek-Dibrugarh, Coimbatore-Palani, Coimbatore-Pollachi,
Vadnagar-Mehsana, Asarya-Himmatnagar, Karur-Salem, Yesvantpur-Tumkur.
India handed over 2nd pair of Mi-24V
• India handed over the second pair of Mi-24V helicopters to Afghanistan, boosting the capability of the Afghan Air forces.
• The helicopters were officially handed over by Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar to Afghanistan’s acting Defence Minister
Asadullah Khalid in Kabul.
• These helicopters are a replacement for the four attack helicopters previously gifted by India to Afghanistan in 2015 and 2016.
Mastercard and MS Dhoni partnered
• Mastercard, along with cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni, launched a nationwide initiative ‘Team Cashless India’ to accelerate the
acceptance and adoption of digital payments.
• The initiative brings consumers and merchants to the forefront of the digital payments dialogue.
• The campaign encourages all Indians to nominate one or more merchants who currently do not accept digital payments.
Shirui Lily Festival inaugurated in Manipur
• Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated Shirui Lily Festival, 2019 at Shirui Vangayan
Ground of Ukhrul in Manipur on 16 Oct 2019.
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• He inaugurated the Strength of Unity Statue as a mark of opening the third edition of the four-day state festival.
• Folk dances and songs of different ethnic groups and performance by rock bands will be the main attractions.
Yashasvi Jaiswal: Youngest to score 200
• Yashasvi Jaiswal created history as he became the youngest cricketer in the world to score a double century in One Day cricket.
• His is the ninth instance of an Indian scoring a List A double-ton.
• Playing in his debut Vijay Hazare season, the 17-year-old scored 203 off 154 balls against Jharkhand at Alur, Karnataka.
• His score comprised 12 sixes and 17 fours.
Food Safety Mitra scheme launched
• On the occasion of World Food Day, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan launched Food Safety Mitra
Scheme, Eat Right Jacket and Eat Right Jhola.
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has introduced this scheme.
• Eat Right Jhola is a reusable, washable and bio-degradable bag.
Miscellaneous News
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated a 2-day international seminar at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi.
• Chenani- Nashri Tunnel on NH 44, in Jammu and Kashmir will be named after Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. It is the humble
homage to Mukherjee whose battle for Kashmir, One Nation One Flag has immensely contributed in national integration.
Appointments
• Anoop Kumar Mendiratta has been appointed as the new Law Secretary in the Union Law Ministry. He is presently the District
and Sessions Judge, North-East District, Karkardooma Courts, Delhi.
• Government of India has appointed J. P. S. Chawla as the new Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Ministry of Finance,
Department of Expenditure. He will replace Girraj Prasad Gupta.
Person in News
• P.C. Sharma has taken over as Member (Material Management), Railway Board and ex-officio Secretary to Govt. of India on 11th
October, 2019. Prior to this, he worked as General Manager, Metro Railway, Kolkata.
• Boxer Patrick Day passed away in October 2019. He won two Nationals titles, the New York Golden Gloves tournament and an
Olympic Team alternate, all in 2012.
TCS named India's most outstanding company
• Tata Consultancy Services has been voted as the overall most outstanding company in India and the most outstanding company
in India's IT services sector in Asiamoney's 2019 Asia's outstanding companies poll.
• Additionally, TCS was recognised as the most awarded company of the decade in India for topping Asiamoney's various investor
surveys and awards like the best-managed companies award.
Mylan along with DCGI to launch new TB drug
• Multinational pharmaceutical company Mylan is working with Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to launch pretomanid, a
medicine used to treat drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB),
• Non-profit drug developer TB Alliance and Mylan NV had in April 2019 announced a global collaboration to make the
experimental drug pretomanid for the cure of pulmonary tuberculosis.
Indian Railways to become net 0 carbon emitter
• As part of India’s strategy to combat climate change, Indian Railways will become net zero carbon emitter by 2030.
• India is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases after the US and China, and is among countries most vulnerable to climate
change.
• Meanwhile, the national carrier has a rail network of around 125,000km, making it the world’s largest railway network under a
single management.
MoS Organized the 17th Meeting of MSDC
• The Ministry of Shipping is working on a plan to develop a national port grid based on the synergy between major and minor
ports in the country.
• The 17th Meeting of Maritime States Development Council (MSDC) was held on 15 October 2019.
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• The government is looking at developing synergy between the major and minor ports so that together they can bring port-led
development in the country.
DPIIT launches website, mobile app for IPR
• Secretary Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Guruprasad Mohapatra launched the website and
mobile application L2Pro India (Learn to Protect, Secure and Maximize Your Innovation) on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs).
• The website and app will be very useful to the startup community which holds great promise for India and its economy.
Director Priyadarshan got Kishore Kumar award
• Noted director and producer Priyadarshan, who has made several blockbuster Malayalam and Hindi films, was conferred the
Madhya Pradesh government’s National Kishore Kumar Samman for 2018-19 at a function in Khandwa, MP.
• The award carries a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh and a citation.
• Khandwa is the birthplace of the legendary singer-actor Kishore Kumar.
ICC changed super over rule
• The International Cricket Council (ICC) has changed the super-over rule for all its major events following the uproar over the
outcome of the men’s World Cup final in 2019 when England was declared winners against New Zealand on boundary count.
• As per new rule, in case of a super over tie, there will be a repeated super over until one team has more runs than the other.
International Day of Rural Women: 15 October
• The International Day of Rural Women is observed on 15th October.
• The day recognizes the crucial role of women and girls in ensuring the sustainability of rural households and communities,
improving rural livelihoods and overall wellbeing.
• The theme for 2019 is Rural Women and Girls Building Climate Resilience.
2nd phase of LOTUS-HR launched in New Delhi
• The 2nd phase of an Indo-Dutch project called Local Treatment of Urban Sewage Streams for Healthy Reuse, or LOTUS-HR was
launched at Barapullah drain in New Delhi.
• This project was launched by Minister of Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan and the Dutch Royal couple, Netherlands King
Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima.
• The (LOTUS-HR) project was set up in 2017 at the Sun Dial Park.
Air India becomes first airline to use Taxibot
• Air India became the first airline in the world to use a TaxiBot on an Airbus A320 aircraft operating a commercial flight with
passengers onboard.
• A TaxiBot or a Taxiing Robot is a pilot-controlled semi-robotic towbar-less aircraft tractor used as an alternate taxiing equipment.
• It is used for taxiing an aircraft from parking bay to runway and vice versa.
Bengaluru to have dedicated ATS from Nov 1
• Bengaluru will have a dedicated Anti-Terror Squad from November 1, 2019.
• The decision was taken after National Investigation Agency warned that at least 20 sleeping cells of terrorist groups exist in
Bengaluru.
• Anti Terror Squad will work in coordination with NIA, cybersecurity cell and Psychotropic drug control cells.
World Students’ Day 2019: 15 October
• World Students’ Day is celebrated every year on October 15 on former president APJ Abdul Kalam’s birthday.
• The day is commemorated on his birth anniversary since he was a dedicated teacher and identified himself foremost in that role
before anything else.
• In 2010, the United Nations declared October 15 to be World Students’ Day.
CBIC launched programme
• Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs has launched a programme to attract investments into India and strengthen Make in
India.
• This would be done under the bond scheme, of Customs Act, 1962.
• The Section enables conduct of manufacture and other operations in a customs bonded warehouse.
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• The scheme has been modernized with clear and transparent procedures.
World Food Day: 16 October
• World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and
Agriculture Organization in 1945.
• The theme for WFD 2019 is Our Actions Are Our Future, Healthy Diets for A #ZeroHunger World.
• This day generates awareness globally for those who suffer from hunger and to ensure the need for food security and nutritious
diets for all.
Swiss glaciers melt rate reached record level
• Switzerland's glaciers have lost a 10th of their volume in the past 5 years alone, a melting rate unmatched during observations
stretching back more than a century.
• Measurements on 20 Swiss glaciers have shown that melt rates in 2019 have reached record levels, according to the annual study
on the state of the glaciers, published by the Cryospheric Commission, Swiss Academy of Sciences.
UP govt makes women as nodal officers
• UP government has made women officers as nodal officers and directed them to go to their respective districts and review the
implementation of welfare schemes for women.
• 3-member teams of women officers will visit their allocated districts on October 18, 19 and 20, 2019.
• They will make women aware about the various government schemes such as Ujjwala Yojna, Mission Indradhanush.
14 skills training centres to be set up
• 14 Authorized World Skills India Training Centres will be set up across 9 cities for media and entertainment sector.
• These cities are Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Mumbai, Pune, Shillong and Trivandrum.
• The institutes will be set up for advanced skill training of candidates in media and entertainment sector and to further develop
skilling eco-system for training candidates.
MoS External Affairs V on 2-day visit to UAE
• Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan is on a two day official visit to UAE from 16 October 2019.
• He is expected to participate in the ministerial level meeting of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD).
• The Minister is also scheduled to participate in the Indian Community function being held in Sharjah.
• The Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD) was established in 2008.
Sports News
• Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas won the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix held at the Suzuka International Racing Course in Suzuka in Mie
Prefecture, Japan. Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton were ranked at the 2nd and 3rd respectively.
• India beat Bangladesh 5-3 via a penalty shoot-out to win the SAFF U-15 Women’s Championship title after the summit clash
ended goalless in regulation time.
Appointments
• Information and Broadcasting Secretary Amit Khare has been given the additional charge of Secretary, Department of School
Education and Literacy in Ministry of Human Resources Development.
• Kais Saied is elected as the new President of Tunisia. He won Tunisia’s presidential election with 73% of votes. The elections
followed the death of President Beji Caid Essebsi in July 2019.
MoUs and Agreements
• The Gujarat government has signed a MoU with the Japanese company Automotive Electronics Power Private Limited (AEPPL) to
set up a Rs 4,930 crore lithium battery plant in the state.
• The Kerala state archives department and national archives of the Netherlands will sign a MoU to share digitalised old
documents at Dutch Palace on October 17, 2019.
RBI imposed Rs 1 crore fine on LVB
• The RBI imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 1 crore on Lakshmi Vilas Bank Ltd for non-compliance with certain provisions of
directions issued by RBI on 'Income Recognition and Asset Classification' (IRAC) norms.
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• A monetary penalty of Rs 75 lakh has been imposed on Syndicate Bank for non-compliance with the directions issued by RBI on
frauds classification and reporting.
Miscellaneous News
• Manyavar announced Ranveer Singh as their brand ambassador. He will be seen endorsing the brand’s latest festive collection
through a slew of commercials spread across television, digital, and social media.
• Rajendran, a 70-year-old temple elephant belonging to Paramekkavu Devaswom, who was a regular presence in the famed
Thrissur Pooram festivities for over 50 years, passed away.
Apeksha made a record
• A post-graduate student from Mangaluru, Apeksha Kottary, has entered the India Book of Records for making the longest gift
item, an explosion box, designed on the theme Incredible India.
• She has made over 35 varieties of unique gift items so far.
• The measurement of this box is 25x25 cm when closed and when opened, its length is around 1,000 cms.
India’s first 5G powered ‘connected music’
• Ericsson and Airtel enabled a 5G powered Connected Music performance during the inauguration of the India Mobile Congress
(IMC) 2019.
• A first for India, the show involved connecting two parts of a musical performance using a live 5G network and presenting it as
one, for live audiences at both locations.
• The ultra-low latency of the 5G network powered the connected music showcase at the IMC.
India won the 3rd and final ODI
• In Women's cricket, India won the series against South Africa by 3-0.
• India scored 146 runs in 45.5 overs.
• For India, Harmanpreet Kaur scored a brilliant 38 runs and Shikha Pandey 35.
• Mithali Raj became only the second captain with 100 wins in women's cricket.
First blind IAS officer: Sub-collector
• India's first visually-impaired IAS officer Pranjal Patil has taken charge as Thiruvananthapuram sub-collector.
• This is her second assignment since her appointment into service in 2018.
• Pranjal lost her vision at the age of 6. Hailing from Ulhasnagar, Maharashtra, she completed her postgraduation in internal
relations from JNU.
India won four UNESCO heritage awards
• The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation were announced on 14 Oct 2019.
• The four winners from India, include one from Ahmedabad -- Award of Distinction for Vikram Sarabhai Library, Indian Institute of
Management (IIM); and three from Mumbai -- Award of Merit for Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue and Our Lady of Glory Church;
while Honourable Mention for Flora Fountain.
World Bank slashed India growth forecast
• The World Bank has sharply cut India’s growth forecast for current fiscal to 6%, down from 7.5% forecast in April.
• However, the bank in its latest edition of the South Asia Economic Focus said the country was expected to gradually recover to
6.9% in 2021 and 7.2% in 2022.
• Moody’s Investors Service recently lowered its growth forecast for India to 5.8% for the current fiscal year from 6.2%.
Brigid Kosgei broke marathon world record
• Brigid Kosgei of Kenya has broken the world record for the women’s marathon with a time of 2:14:04 hours at the Chicago
Marathon on 13 October 2019.
• Kosgei has broken a record that has been undisturbed for 16 years.
• The previous existing world record had been held by Great Britain’s Paula Radcliffe.
• The earlier record had been 2:15:25 hours.
Andhra Pradesh launched water grid project
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• The Andhra Pradesh government has launched an ambitious project to provide a drinking water connection to every household
in the state by 2022.
• The statewide water grid project would ensure supply of clean drinking water to every household from 2022 for at least the next
30 years.
• Groundwater levels in the state have fallen to below 1,100 feet in districts like Anantapur and Chittoor.
India to invest $60 bn in developing gas supp.
• India is investing over $60 billion in developing natural supply and distribution infrastructure as it chases the target of the share
of natural gas in its energy base to 15 per cent by 2030.
• Natural gas currently constitutes 6.2 per cent of all energy consumption in the country.
• Natural gas is gradually becoming a bridging fuel for low carbon economy in India.
ICICI Bank launches new FD scheme FD health
• ICICI Bank launched a fixed deposit scheme called FD Health, that comes with an in-built critical insurance policy.
• The FD Health – Critical illness Cover will be provided to only the primary holder of the FD account.
• Anyone between of 18-50 years, will get complimentary insurance cover for a year on 33 critical illnesses.
• Free of cost insurance cover will be provided for 1st year.
IIT Madras to collaborate with ExxonMobil
• IIT Madras will collaborate with ExxonMobil on Research in Energy and Biofuels.
• The 5-year joint-research agreement focuses on biofuels, data analytics, gas conversion and transport, and is intended towards
finding low-emission solutions.
• India is the 3rd highest producer of agro-residues globally with the surplus potential of over 230 million tonnes per year after
China and Brazil.
Margaret and Bernardine won Booker Prize
• Margaret Atwood and Bernardine Evaristo have jointly won the 2019 Booker Prize after judges flout the rules by declaring a tie.
• British Indian novelist Salman Rushdie's tragicomic 'Quichotte' was among the six books shortlisted for the prize.
• Evaristo is the first black woman to win the prestigious award since its creation in 1969.
Abhijit Banerjee won Nobel Prize for Economics
• The 2019 Nobel Prize for Economics has been jointly won by Indian-American Abhijit Banerjee, his wife, Esther Duflo, and
Michael Kremer of the United States for their experimental approach for alleviating global poverty.
• Abhijit is currently the Ford Foundation International Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
President Kovind to visit Philippines, Japan
• President Ram Nath Kovind will embark on a visit to the Philippines and Japan on the 17 Oct 19.
• He will attend the Enthronement Ceremony of the Emperor of Japan, His Majesty Naruhito.
• The state visit is taking place on the occasion of 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
• On the second leg of the tour, Mr Kovind will visit Japan on the 21 Oct 19.
Sports News
• Priyanshu Rajawat claimed the men's singles title at the Bahrain International Series Badminton at Isa Town on 14 Oct 2019. He
beat Jason Anthony Ho-Shue from Canada in the finals.
• India’s double Asian Games silver medallist Fouaad Mirza bagged the top honours at the CCI3*S, an Olympic qualifying event,
held in Strzegom, Poland.
Sports News
• Lalitha Prasad Polipalli successfully defended his 52kg national title. Prasad is a national champion at sub-junior, junior and thrice
at seniors.
• Zimbabwe and Nepal were re-admitted as ICC members in a meeting held in Dubai on 14 October 2019. Zimbabwe will now be
able to take up their place in the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup in January and the ICC Super League later in 2020.
Sports News
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• Daniil Medvedev lifted his second Masters 1000 title to continue his scintillating run on the ATP Tour. This was Medvedev's 9th
straight sets victory as he has not dropped a single set since St Petersburg Open in Sept 2019.
• Dutee Chand completed a sprint double in the 59th National Open Athletics Championships, clocking the fastest time in 200m by
an Indian in 2019 with a 23.17 second burst.
Gauff: Youngest American woman to win WTA
• Coco Gauff won the Linz Open title on 13 October 2019 in Austria.
• She became the youngest American woman to win a tour singles title since 1991 to win the Women's Tennis Association (WTA)
title.
• Because of this win, Coco Gauff is set to become World No. 71.
• The previous record was set by Jennifer Capriati in 1991.
• Venus and Serena Williams won their first WTA titles when they were 17.
Nitin Gadkari to inaugurated a Conference
• Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and MSME inaugurated a conference on One Nation One FASTag in
New Delhi.
• The conference saw the signing of MoUs with state departments / other agencies for bringing in a unified electronic tolling
solution across the country.
• Another MoU between the Indian Highways Management Company Ltd. and GSTN was also signed.
World Standards Day observed on 14 October
• World Standards Day is observed on 14th October every year.
• The day is observed to raise awareness of the significance of standardization to the global economy.
• The theme for 2019 is Video Standards create a global stage.
• The day pays tribute to the efforts of the experts all over the world who developed the voluntary technical agreements that are
published as International Standards.
Int Day for Disaster Risk Reduction: 13 Oct
• The United Nations observes International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on 13 October every year.
• The day celebrates how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters and raising
awareness about the importance of reining in the risks that they face.
• Theme for 2019: Reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services.
‘Sabse Pehle Life Insurance’ to be launched
• Life Insurance Council has decided to launch the Indian life insurance industry’s first joint mass media campaign with the slogan
‘Sabse Pehle Life Insurance’.
• The slogan will encourage Indian households to opt for adequate life insurance cover as the fundamental necessity in their lives.
• The campaign represents joint efforts of all 24 Indian life insurance companies.
10th edition of JME ‘Vajra Prahar 2019‘ began
• The 10th edition of the joint military exercise ‘Vajra Prahar 2019’ between India and the US began on 13 Oct 2019 at Joint Base
Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in Seattle, US.
• It is a Special Forces joint training exercise conducted alternately in India and the US.
• These exercises will enable the sharing of best practices and experience in areas such as joint mission planning capabilities.
Person in news
• Former India captain Sourav Ganguly will be the new president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Jay Shah is likely
to be the new secretary, while Arun Dhumal could be the new treasurer.
• First female head of Nobel’s Literature Award Body, Sara Danius passed away. She served as the first female permanent secretary
of the Swedish Academy between 2015 and 2018.
India won Test by innings and 137 runs
• India won the second Test against South Africa in Pune by an innings and 137 runs.
• India made history by their 11th consecutive win.
• India had won the series-opener in Bengaluru by 203 runs.
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• India scored a mammoth 601 for five in their first innings with skipper Virat Kohli leading the side with a majestic double
hundred.
Sanju Samson set international record
• Sanju Samson eclipsed Pakistan’s Abid Ali 209 to score the highest-ever List A score by a wicketkeeper as he smashed an
unbeaten 212 runs off just 129 deliveries against Goa in Alur.
• He was playing for Kerala.
• He scored 20 fours and ten sixes in his sublime knock of 212 runs.
Deepika Padukone's foundation honoured
• Actress Deepika Padukone's The Live Love Laugh Foundation has been honoured with the Dr. Guislain's Breaking The Chains of
Stigma Award for 2019 in Ghent, Belgium.
• The organisation has received the award for its positive dialogue around mental illness in India.
• The award is an initiative by the Dr. Guislain Museum in Ghent, Belgium.
Indian nun Mariam, 4 others declared Saints
• Indian nun Mariam Thresia and four others were declared Saints by Pope Francis at a grand ceremony at the Vatican City on 13
October 2019.
• Mariam Thresia founded the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family in Thrissur in May 1914.
• She was canonised along with Cardinal John Henry Newman, laywoman Marguerite Bays, Sister Dulce Lopes and Sister
Giuseppina Vannini.
Narendra Modi: Most-followed world leader
• PM Narendra Modi has become the most-followed world leader on Instagram with over 30 million followers.
• He is now the only world leader to reach the 30 million followers milestone on the social media platform.
• He has 50.7 million followers on Twitter and has over 44.4 million likes on his Facebook page.
• He has his own YouTube channel as well.
• He made his Instagram debut in November 2014.
India, ADB signed 190 mn dollar loan agreement
• India and Asian Development Bank have signed 190 million dollar loan agreement for improving road connectivity in Rajasthan.
• The agreement was signed to upgrade 754 kilometres of state highways which will benefit about 26 million people in 14 districts
of Rajasthan.
• The project provides for constructing more than 200 bus stops and 2 kilometer of raised sidewalk on project roads.
National Cultural Festival to be held in MP
• In MP, the 10th edition of the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav-National Cultural Festival is being organized by the Union Ministry of
Culture from 14-21 October 2019 under the 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat' campaign.
• The National Cultural festival will display diverse forms of folk, art and culture of 22 states.
• Its concept was conceived in the year 2015.
Lakshya Sen won maiden BWF World Tour title
• Lakshya Sen clinched his maiden BWF World Tour title by winning the Dutch Open men's singles at Almere in the Netherlands on
14 October 2019.
• Lakshya, currently ranked 72nd, had won the Belgian Open last month and reached the finals of Polish Open this year.
• He had also won the Asian Junior Championships, a silver at Youth Olympic Games and a bronze at World Junior Championships
in 2018.
Sports News
• Manju Rani settled for silver medal in World Women's Boxing Championships at Ulan-Ude in Russia. Ekaterina Paltceva defeated
Rani 4 -1 in 48 kg category in the final match of the tournament.
• Simone Biles broke the all-time record for most medals by any gymnast at the world championships by winning the balance beam
competition at the World Gymnastics Championship in Stuttgart, Germany.
Sports News
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• M C Mary Kom settled for a bronze medal in the World Women's Boxing Championships after losing to Turkey's Busenaz
Cakiroglu in an intense semifinal bout at Ulan Ude in Russia.
• Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge has successfully completed the first-ever marathon under two hours in the Austrian capital of Vienna. He
ran forty-two kilometres in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds.
India, Sierra Leone signed six agreements
• India and Sierra Leone signed six agreements including extending a credit line of 30 million US Dollars for rice cultivation.
• Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio committed to further strengthening bilateral
relations.
• Mr. Naidu reached Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone for the second leg of his ongoing five-day visit to the West African countries.
Prahlad Singh participated in BRICS meeting
• Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel participated in BRICS Culture Ministers' meeting held in
Curitiba, Brazil on 13 October 2019.
• BRICS countries have witnessed cultural cooperation scaling to new heights.
• He proposed to add literature as another field of cooperation between the countries to enhance cooperation in the field of
literary works.
Netherlands King, Queen arrived in New Delhi
• The Netherlands King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima arrived in New Delhi on 13 October 2019 on a five-day visit.
• King Willem-Alexander's trip will be his first state visit to India, following his ascension to the throne in 2013.
• The King and Queen will visit New Delhi, Mumbai and Kerala.
• The visit is expected to boost economic and political cooperation between the 2 countries.
Kochi to host national health informatics meet
• The Health Informatics and Information Management Association (HIIMA), Kerala, and the Health Records Association of India
(HERAI) are jointly organising the 20th annual national conference in Kochi on February 7 and 8 next year.
• The theme of the conference – Medrecon 2020 – is ‘Value of Data in Health Care Ecosystem’.
Tripura gets its first-ever SEZ
• The government of India has given in-principle approval for setting up of Tripura's first-ever SEZ at Sabroom.
• The estimated investment in the project will be around Rs 1550 Crore.
• Rubber based Industries – Tyres, Threads etc, Textile and Apparel Industries, Bamboo Industries and Agri-Food Processing
Industries are the industries which will be set up at the SEZ.
'Brand Finance Nation' ranking released
• India jumped two levels to 7th position in the Brand Finance Nation ranking of 2019.
• As per the latest report by independent brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance, India has jumped to the seventh position
from 9th last year, after recording a solid 19% growth in brand value to USD 2.6 trillion.
• The US, China and Germany continued to be the top three nations, respectively even in 2019.
RBI introduces new reporting system
• The Reserve Bank of India has introduced a new reporting system – the Central Information System for Banking Infrastructure
(CISBI) – for all co-operative banks.
• Under this system, these banks are required to submit information pertaining to opening/closing/ conversion of branches,
offices, and non-administratively independent offices in a single proforma online on the CISBI portal.
‘YSR Kanti Velugu’ launched in Andhra Pradesh
• Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the ‘YSR Kanti Velugu’, a comprehensive, sustainable and universal eyecare
scheme.
• Under the scheme, eye check-up will be conducted for all people in the State.
• Beginning from schoolchildren in the first phase of the programme, nearly 5.40 crore people will undergo a screening test under
the medical scheme.
WHO India Cooperation Strategy launched
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• The Union Health Ministry has launched the ‘World Health Organisation (WHO) India Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) 2019–
2023: A Time of Transition on 9 October 2019.
• The strategy will provide a strategic roadmap for the WHO to work with the Indian government towards achieving its health
sector goals.
• It will help in improving the health of its population of India.
WHO Launches its first World Report on Vision
• The World Health Organisation launched its first 'World Report on Vision'.
• It provides new data on the global magnitude of vision impairment and seeks to generate greater awareness as well as increased
political will and investment to strengthen eye care globally.
• The report estimates that US$14.3 billion is needed to address the backlog of 1 billion people living with vision impairment.
Singapore to ban ads on sugary drinks
• Singapore is set to become the first country in the world to ban ads for unhealthy drinks with high sugar content.
• The ban, which will apply to 'the least healthy' sugar-sweetened beverages, will cover all media platforms including print,
broadcast and online.
• In addition to an ad ban, sugary drinks would also be required to display a colour-coded, front-of-pack nutrition label.
NIIF, EESL form joint venture
• The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) have announced a new joint
venture to implement, finance and operate the smart meter roll-out by power distribution companies.
• The venture, called IntelliSmart Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, will lay the foundation for smart grids.
• EESL was established in 2009.
Appointments
• K Satish Reddy, Chairman of Dr Reddy’s has been appointed as President of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) for 2019-
2021.
• Rajesh Jain, Managing Director of Panacea Biotec Limited, will continue as the Vice President of IPA.
• Vikas Varma has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer of Mastercard.
Plastic-eating' Bacteria Discovered
• Researchers at Shiv Nadar University have discovered two strains of 'plastic-eating' bacteria from the wetlands of Greater Noida,
an advance that may lead to eco-friendly alternative clean-up methods for plastic waste worldwide.
• The bacterial species namely Exiguobacterium sibiricum strain DR11 and Exiguobacterium undae strain DR14 were isolated from
the wetlands adjoining the university.
Estimates of blindness reduced by 47%
• The National Blindness and Visually Impaired Survey (2019) was released by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on 10 October
2019.
• The estimated prevalence of blindness in India has reduced by approximately 47% in the last 12 years.
• According to the survey report, visual impairment has come down by 51.9% to 2.55% as compared to 2010.
India joins global alliance on smart city
• India has joined the league of 15 of the world's leading city networks and technology governance organisations that will work
towards advancing the responsible and ethical use of smart city technologies.
• The G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance will create global norms and policy standards for the use of
connected devices in public spaces.
RBI slaps fine on Toyota Financial
• The Reserve Bank of India has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹12.88 lakh on Prepaid Payment Instrument issuer Balancehero
India Private and ₹5 lakh on Toyota Financial Services India.
• RBI imposed a penalty under Section 30 of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
• It has imposed the monetary penalty on Balancehero India Private Ltd for non-compliance of regulatory guidelines.
Credit Saison India gets NBFC licence
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• Credit Saison India has received a non-banking financial company (NBFC) licence from the Reserve Bank of India.
• It is the domestic subsidiary of Japanese financial services leader Credit Saison.
• The company, which operates in the country under its registered name of Kisetsu Saison Finance India, has also received $30
million from the Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed parent entity.
India Ratings lowers its growth forecast
• India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) revised its forecast of India's gross domestic product (GDP) growth in current financial year
downward to 6.1%.
• This is Ind-Ra's second downward revision.
• Ind-Ra had cited a slowdown in both urban and rural consumption demand growth as one of the key reasons for the downward
revision.
NASA Launches ICON Space Weather Satellite
• NASA has launched the Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) spacecraft aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket,
which was released in midair from its carrier plane, a Stargazer L-1011.
• ICON will study the earth's ionosphere, a layer of atmosphere that overlaps with the boundary of space.
• It will help scientists better understand the link between space weather and terrestrial weather.
Scientists discover new fish species
• A research team led by Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) has discovered a unique species of miniature
well-dwelling subterranean fish from Kozhikode.
• The new species has been named 'Pangio bhujia'.
• It is the first species of eel-loach in the world that has been discovered to be living in subterranean environments.
‘mHariyali Mobile App’ launched by MoHUA
• Minister of State for Housing & Urban Affairs Hardeep S Puri launched a mobile App, 'mHariyali', which is aimed to encourage
public engagement in planting trees and other such green drives.
• The App provides for automatic geotagging of plants.
• This app will also enable nodal officers to periodically monitor the plantation.
• The App is user-friendly and works on any android mobile phone.
Rajasthan govt increases monthly allowance
• The Rajasthan government has increased the unemployment allowance for transgenders in the state from Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500
per month.
• The Rs 500 monthly increment has been made under the Mukhyamantri Yuva Sambal yojna.
• A person availing the benefit should be a graduate from a recognised university.
Obituaries I
• Robert Forster, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Jackie Brown, has died. He appeared in more than 100 films
including Mulholland Drive and Medium Cool.
• Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, the first person to conduct a spacewalk, passed away on 11 October, aged 85. On 18 March
1965, Alexei Leonov became the first person to float freely outside a spacecraft in Earth orbit.
Obituaries II
• Eminent academician and founder of Vani Nikethan educational institutions Cheeti Ayodhya Rama Rao passed away at the age of
84 at his residence in Mukarampura locality in Karimnagar town.
• Dominic Jala S.D.B., Archbishop of Shillong, Meghalaya, passed away in a car accident at Colusa County, Oakland, California, USA.
India extends line of credit to Comoros
• India will extend a Line of Credit of over 60 million US Dollars to Comoros in the field of energy and maritime defence
cooperation.
• Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu told this while addressing the parliament of Comoros at its capital Moroni.
• He was also conferred 'The Order of the Green Crescent', the highest Civilian Honour of Comoros, by Azali Assoumani, President
of Comoros in Moroni.
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Women’s Cricket: India clinch series 2-0

• In Women's cricket, India defeated South Africa by five wickets in the Second One-Day International at Vadodara and clinched
the three match series by 2-0.
• India women overwhelmed the victory target of 248 in 48 overs losing only five wickets.
• The third and final ODI between India and South Africa women will be played at Vadodara on 14th October 2019.
Dutee Chand breaks her own national record
• Star sprinter Dutee Chand smashed her own national record, clocking 11.22 seconds, in the women's 100m semifinals at the 59th
National Open Athletics Championships in Ranchi.
• The 23-year-old surpassed her previous timing of 11.26 second which she had set at the Asian Championships in April this year.
• Later she won the gold, leaving Archana Suseendran and Himashree Roy behind.
JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research
• President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, laid the foundation stone for the campus of JSS Academy of Higher Education and
Research at Varuna Village, Mysuru.
• The Global Campus of JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research at Varuna Village is a tribute to Sri Shivarathri Rajendra
Mahaswamiji whose 104th Jayanti is being celebrated this year.
Virat Kohli creates history
• Virat Kohli scripted history as he scored a record seventh double hundred of his career and became the first Indian captain to
score 250 plus in a single Test inning.
• Kohli became the fifth Indian batsman to score 250 in a Test innings after Virender Sehwag, Karun Nair, VVS Laxman, and Rahul
Dravid.
• He also became the first Indian to smash 40 international hundreds as Indian captain.
Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN – 2019
• Joint Military Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN-2019 between India and Japan will be conducted at counter Insurgency and Jungle
Warfare School, Vairengte from 19 Oct to 02 Nov 2019.
• Indian Army and Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces comprising 25 soldiers each will participate in the exercise.
• Its aim is to share experience gained during various Counter Terrorism Operations in respective Countries.
Kayakalp Awards given to hospitals
• Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan gave away Kayakalp Awards to different Central Government institutions, district
hospitals, community health centres and private hospitals.
• The awards were given for their work in maintaining high standards of sanitation and hygiene in public health facilities.
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi bagged a cash prize of three crore rupees.
Delhi's second airport begins operations
• The first commercial flight from the Hindon civil airport started from 11th October.
• A private aircraft with nine passengers on board took off from Pithoragarh's Naini-Saini airport at 11.30 am.
• The Hindon airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 8.
• Hindon Airport will serve as the ‘second’ airport.
• The air force station is located close to Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Mumbai 12th wealthiest city in the world
• According to 'The Wealthiest Cities Worldwide in 2019 list' by New World Health, Mumbai is the 12th richest city in the world
with a total wealth of $960 billion.
• It is the only Indian city to feature in the top 20 list of wealthiest cities in the world.
• Delhi is the second Indian city with 22nd position on the list.
• New York City topped the list with a total wealth of $3.0 trillion.
Annu Rani won gold at Athletics Championships
• Javelin thrower Annu Rani won a gold medal in the women's javelin throw event at the 59th National Open Athletics
Championships in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
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• She defeated Sharmila Kumari to win the title.

• In October 2019, the 25-year-old set the national record at 62.43m at the World Championships in Doha.
Government to introduce POSHAN atlas
• The government is to introduce POSHAN atlas under POSHAN Abhiyan.
• The announcement was made by Union Minister of WCD Smriti Irani at the 5th National Council on India’s Nutrition Challenges.
• POSHAN atlas is developed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in association with the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation and Deendayal Research Institute.
• The atlas aims to tackle malnutrition.
DNA barcoding of spiders in India
• Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India undertook a barcode of at least 100 species of spiders based on their DNA.
• It is the largest exercise on DNA barcoding of spiders from India.
• DNA barcoding is a method used to quickly identify any species based on extracting a DNA sequence from a tiny tissue sample of
any organism.
Ashleigh Barty wins ‘The Don’ Award
• Ashleigh Barty has been awarded Australian sport’s highest individual honour ‘The Don’ Award at the annual Sport Australia Hall
of Fame.
• With the award, she has joined legends like Cathy Freeman and Ian Thorpe in lifting the prestigious prize.
• Barty was the first Australian to win the French Open in 46 years.
National Postal Week is being celebrated
• The Maharashtra and Goa Circle of the India Post is celebrating National Postal Week which will end on 15 October.
• The week is being celebrated to spread awareness about services provided by the department and efforts made to meet
changing requirements of customers.
• The week also commemorates the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss capital Berne.
The Nobel Peace Prize for 2019 given
• The Nobel Peace Prize for 2019 is awarded to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.
• He has been awarded for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to
resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea.
• He will receive a full cash prize, valued this year at 9-million kronor ($918,000), a gold medal and a diploma.
World Migratory Bird Day: 12 October
• World Migratory Bird Day is observed on 12 October every year.
• It is an annual awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats.
• It has a global outreach and is an effective tool to help raise global awareness of the threats faced by migratory birds.
• The Theme for 2019 is 'Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution!'.
2nd edition of India-Bangladesh CORPAT begins
• The 2nd edition of Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) of the navies of India and Bangladesh begun in Northern Bay of Bengal.
• Guided-missile destroyer INS Ranvijay and missile Corvette INS Kuthar are participating in the exercise along with BNS Ali Haider
and BNS Shadinota from Bangladesh.
• The exercise aims at development of mutual communication and sharing of best practices between the two navies.
Moody’s cuts India’s GDP growth forecast
• Moody, the rating agency has lowered its 2019-20 GDP growth forecast for India to 5.8% from 6.2%.
• It stated that the Indian economy is experiencing a pronounced slowdown partly due to long-lasting factors.
• It expects growth to pick up to 6.6% in FY21 and around 7% over the medium term.
• India’s economic growth slumped to a six-year low of 5% in the April-June quarter.
Railways launched new online facilities
• The Indian Railways has launched a website and mobile app that allows passengers to register their complaints online.
• Union minister Nityanand Rai launched the website www.railways.delhipolice.gov.in and the mobile app Sahyatri.
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• This will facilitate the railway police in addressing complaints of passengers from across India and crime detection by integrating
the criminal database online.
Kejriwal address C-40 Climate Change Summit
• Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addressed the C-40 Climate Change Summit through a video conference on 11 October
2019 after the Ministry of External Affairs denied him permission to visit Denmark.
• The session is titled 'breathe deeply, city solutions for clean air'.
• He will also address a joint press conference with mayors of six major world cities on 11 October 2019.
U.K. to issue coin in honour of Mahatma Gandhi
• The UK government has decided to issue a commemorative coin to mark the 150th birthday anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• This was announced at the annual GG2 ceremony in London to celebrate the British Asian success.
• Sajid Javid has topped the power list released annually by the Asian Media Group (AMG), UK-based publishers behind the GG2.
SARAS Aajeevika Mela being held
• The Ministry of Rural Development is organising SARAS Aajeevika Mela at India Gate Lawns from 10-23 October 2019.
• SARAS Aajeevika Mela is an initiative by the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
• Its objective is to bring the rural women Self Help Groups (SHGs) under one platform to showcase their skills and sell their
products.
GeM signed MOU with Union Bank of India
• Government e-Marketplace (GeM) signed a MoU with Union Bank of India (UBI) in New Delhi on October 10, 2019.
• Through this partnership, UBI will be able to offer an array of services including transfer of funds through GeM Pool Accounts
(GPA), advising of Performance Bank Guarantees (e-PBG).
• The MoU will facilitate a cashless, paperless and transparent payment system on the portal.
A new species of giant Dinosaur found
• A new species of dinosaur that was 4 times bigger than a velociraptor and lived around 145 million years ago has been unearthed
in Thailand.
• The 26 feet long dinosaur is an early member of a widespread group of dinosaurs called Carcharodontosaurids.
• Carcharodontosaurids included some of the largest land predators ever known.
International Girl Child Day: 11 October
• International Day of the Girl Child is globally observed on 11 October every year.
• The day aims to meet the needs and challenges faced by girls.
• It also aims to promote girls' empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.
• The theme for the year 2019 is Girl Force: Unscripted and Unstoppable.
World Obesity Day: 11 October
• World Obesity Day is observed globally on 11 October every year.
• The day aims to raise awareness about the prevalence, severity, and diversity of weight stigma.
• The obesity often reinforces inaccurate and negative stereotypes about the weight which can lead to weight stigma.
• World Obesity Day was initiated by the World Obesity Federation in the year 2015.
GEMINI system to aid fishermen
• GEMINI, a new system, is launched to aid fishermen.
• It is a portable receiver developed to avoid communication blackouts.
• It linked to ISRO-satellites and is fail-proof and warn fishermen of danger.
• GEMINI is an India-made global positioning system.
RBI approves merger of DCBs
• The RBI has given approval to the Kerala government to amalgamate 13 district cooperative banks (DCBs) with the Kerala State
Cooperative Bank to form Kerala Bank.
• Except the Malappuram District Cooperative Bank, all district banks had approved the scheme of amalgamation proposed by the
State government at their respective general body meetings.
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Saturn: The planet with most moons

• A team of astronomers has discovered a haul of 20 new moons orbiting the ringed planet, Saturn.
• This discovery has brought its total to 82 moons, while Jupiter, by contrast, has 79 natural satellites.
• The moons were discovered using the Subaru telescope on Maunakea, Hawaii.
• Each of the newly discovered objects in orbit around Saturn is about 5 km in diameter.
38th India Carpet Expo began in Varanasi
• The 38th India Carpet Expo is being held in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
• The expo is organized by the Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC).
• It aims to promote the cultural heritage and weaving skills of Indian hand-made carpets and other floor coverings for the visiting
overseas carpet buyers.
• It is being held from 11-15 October 2019.
1st National Hindi Science writers conference
• In Uttar Pradesh, the first 2-day long National Hindi Science writers conference started on 11 October in Lucknow.
• Its aim is to release science writing from the clutches of English and to promote use of Hindi and other Vernacular languages.
• More than one thousand science writers from across the country are expected to take part in this conference.
WB Govt organizing Durga Puja Carnival
• The West Bengal Government is organizing Durga Puja Carnival in Kolkata on 10 October 2019.
• The carnival will showcase the award-winning idols of Goddess Durga of this year’s Durga Puja Festivals.
• The event will provide glimpses of Bengal's rich and thriving cultural traditions.
• 80 Biswa Bangla Sarad Samman 2019 award winning community pujas will participate in the carnival.
Biplab Kumar Deb inaugurated ‘AngiKaar’
• In Tripura, CM Biplab Kumar Deb inaugurated the ‘AngiKaar’ campaign for the state in a formal function held at the city’s town
hall on 10 October 2019.
• The objective of the ‘AngiKaar’ campaign is to bring the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban (PMAY-U) under one
fold of other central government implemented scheme.
Nobel Prize in Literature announced
• The 2019 Nobel Prize in Literature has been announced along with the 2018 Prize.
• Austrian author Peter Handke has won the 2019 Prize while Polish writer Olga Tokarczuk has received the 2018 Prize.
• Handke's notable works include Short Letter, Long Farewell and A Sorrow Beyond Dreams.
• Tokarczuk was awarded for a narrative imagination with encyclopedic passion.
Govt launched Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan
• Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan launched Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan, SUMAN initiative in
New Delhi.
• It was launched during the 13th Conference of Central Council of Health and Family Welfare.
• The initiative aims at assuring dignified, respectful and quality health care at no cost and zero tolerance for denial of services for
every woman and newborn.
Piyush Goyal to attend 9th RCEP Meeting
• Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal will attend the 9th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, RCEP Intersessional
Ministerial meeting beginning 11 October 2019 at Bangkok in Thailand.
• This will be the last Ministerial before the 3rd Leaders Summit to be held on 4th November 2019 in Bangkok.
• He will also hold a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts during the Ministerial.
HRD Minister inaugurated programme ‘DHRUV’
• Union Minister for Human Resources Development Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank launched DHRUV programme in the headquarter
of ISRO in Bengaluru on 10 October 2019.
• DHRUV is a unique programme to identify talented students and mentor them in the centre of excellence for 14 days so that they
can reach their full potential and work for the society.
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Person in News
• Noted saxophonist Kadri Gopalnath passed away in October 2019. He is a Padma Shri awardee whose son is a noted music
director.
• Yes Bank Ltd has appointed Anita Pai as the Chief Operating Officer and Jasneet Bachal as the Chief Marketing Officer of the
bank. Jasneet Bachal will head the marketing and communication efforts of the bank.
Muslim Man of the Year- Imran Khan
• Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been declared as Muslim Man of the Year 2020 by Jordan’s Royal Islamic Strategic
Studies Centre.
• Imran won the title in the recent list of the most persuasive Muslims in the world issued by the Centre.
• He has also become the sixth most popular world leader on Twitter, boasting 10.5 million followers on the social media platform.
Appointments
• Bengaluru-headquartered cure.fit, announced its association with Jasprit Bumrah as the brand ambassador for its premium
sportswear brand, Cultsport.
• Congress president Sonia Gandhi appointed Gaurav Gogoi as AICC incharge of Tripura and Manipur, relieving Luizinho Faleiro of
the post. His removal comes days after former Tripura Congress Chief Pradyot Debbarman resigned from the party.
Virat became 2nd to Captain India in 50 Tests
• Virat Kohli became just the second Indian captain to lead India in 50 Test matches as he walked out for toss in the second Test
against South Africa in Pune.
• MS Dhoni is the only other player who has completed this milestone.
• Dhoni captained the side 60 times between 2008 and 2014 while Sourav Ganguly is third on the list, having led the side 49 times.
BSE joins hands with FICCI
• BSE and FICCI organised a brainstorming session to identify gaps in the existing policies and make suggestions for robust policies.
• Besides, the session was organised to promote Udyam Saathi and Udyam Sakhi initiatives to foster the MSMEs sector.
• The MSMEs were invited to present their summary of ideas and suggestions as well as discuss their main issues of concern to the
ministry.
Delhi govt launched Farishte Dilli Ke scheme
• Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched 'Farishte Dilli Ke’, a new initiative aimed at felicitating citizens who take accident
victims to hospitals.
• The government will bear all the expenses related to a road accident.
• More than 3,000 lives have been saved during the trial run of this project in the past one and a half years.
• 'Farishte Dilli Ke’ scheme was launched in February 2017.
The US to award Pepsico India
• The United States has named PepsiCo India for the 2019 Secretary of State's Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE).
• The award will be presented in a ceremony on 31 October 2019.
• The award recognizes the company's efforts to save more than 17 billion litres of water.
• The company saved water through community water programmes which positively impacted 60,000 community members.
India handed over vaccines to Myanmar
• India has handed over 10,000 vials of anti-rabies vaccines to Myanmar in an effort to help the Naypyitaw in its fight against the
Rabies disease.
• The aim of this goodwill donation was to provide support to the Government of Myanmar for its fight against Rabies and to
showcase the strength of India's pharmaceutical industry in manufacturing high-quality vaccines at a highly competitive price.
World Mental Health Day: 10 October
• World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year.
• It is observed with an aim to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world.
• It also aims to mobilize efforts in support of mental health.
• The theme for World Mental Health Day 2019 is Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention.
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IIT Madras students developed new service

• IIT Madras students have developed an AI-based solution called ‘Eye in the Sky’ for disaster management and aid services.
• A team of engineering students is building drones enabled with AI and computer vision to develop an end-to-end solution for
identifying accurate and critical information on people trapped in disaster-hit areas and communicate them to relief task force.
1st Day Care Recreation Centre in Leh
• A day-care cum recreation centre for senior citizens has been inaugurated in Leh.
• The first Government-sponsored and operated day-care cum recreation centre for senior citizens was inaugurated by Supreme
Court judge, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer.
• It will also be equipped with computer learning and a library and the aged citizens can entertain themselves with recreational
activities.
Spirit Of Kerala won People’s Choice Award
• Short film from Kerala Spirit Of Kerala has won the People’s Choice Award at the recently concluded My Rode Reel film
competition.
• The film won the honour beating 1,680 entries.
• The short film is based on a boat race and directed by Arun Joseph.
• My Rode Reel film competition is touted as the ‘world’s largest short film competition’.
Reliance MF renamed: Nippon India Mutual Fund
• Reliance Mutual Fund has been renamed as Nippon India Mutual Fund.
• The organization was renamed following the purchase of 75% stake in Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management by Nippon Life
Insurance.
• Nippon India Mutual Fund has become the largest foreign-owned Asset Management Company in India.
• Sundeep Sikka will continue to lead the company as the CEO.
Infosys bagged digital transformation deal
• Infosys has been selected as the main supplier to deliver Volvo Cars’ digital transformation services for its enterprise digital
commercial operations applications and products.
• Infosys will offer next generation application services leveraging its global delivery model (GDM), agile delivery, automation and
other service optimisation levers to deliver effective service operations.
2019 Nobel Prize for Chemistry announced
• The 2019 Nobel Prize for Chemistry has been announced.
• Three scientists, John Goodenough, Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino, have been jointly awarded the coveted prize for
their development of lithium-ion batteries.
• John Goodenough of the University of Texas is the oldest laureate ever awarded a Nobel prize.
• M Stanley Whittingham is from the State University of New York at Binghamton.
‘Garbage Cafe' in Chhattisgarh commenced
• The first-of-its-kind 'Garbage Cafe' commenced in Ambikapur city of Chhattisgarh.
• The café is being run by the Ambikapur municipal corporation.
• In this unique Cafe, poor people and rag pickers will get free food in exchange for one kilogram of plastic, while breakfast will be
provided if half a kilogram of plastic is brought to the cafe.
MP Tourism Board to organize City Walk Fest
• MP Tourism Board will organize a month-long City Walk Festival in 11 cities from October 12 till November 10, 2019.
• Local, national and international tourists of all age groups will participate in the festival.
• More than 100 city walks will be organized during the festival on subjects including art, culture, heritage, food, textile,
photography and spiritualism.
Mithali Raj: 1st female to complete 20 yrs
• Indian women's cricket captain Mithali Raj became the first female player to last more than 20 years in international cricket.
• She achieved the feat while leading India to an emphatic eight-wicket win over South Africa Women in the first ODI at Vadodara.
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• Mithali, who made her ODI debut against Ireland on June 26, 1999, completed 20 years and 105 days in the 50-over format.
Army Aviation Corps in Nashik presented
• President Ram Nath Kovind awarded the prestigious Presidents Colour to the Army Aviation Corps (AAC) in Nashik on 10 October
2019.
• The personnel in the Corps have been excellent ambassadors of India while operating overseas in countries like Somalia and the
Democratic Republic of Congo, while on United Nations Peace Keeping Missions.
Thailand FM arrived in Delhi on 3-day visit
• Thailand Foreign Minister, Don Pramudwinai arrived in New Delhi on 9 October 2019 on a three-day visit to India with an aim to
boost bilateral relations.
• He will hold a meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar.
• He is also scheduled to attend the 8th Joint Commission Meeting between India and Thailand.
• Several agreements are also likely to be signed following the Meeting.
Appointments
• Antonio Costa has been re-elected as the Prime Minister of Portugal after winning the general elections. He got the most votes in
Portugal’s general election, leaving it poised to continue leading the government for another four years.
• Anumula Gitesh Sarma has been appointed as India's next High Commissioner to Australia. Sarma is a 1986 batch Indian Foreign
Service officer.
U.S. pulled back troops in northeast Syria
• In Syria, US troops have begun withdrawing from positions in northern part, paving way for a Turkish operation against Kurdish
fighters in the border area.
• U.S. forces had withdrawn from an area between the towns of Tel Abyad and Ras al-Ayn.
• The withdrawal will leave Kurdish-led forces in Syria that have long allied with Washington vulnerable to a planned incursion by
the Turkish military.
IAF Squadrons awarded citations
• 2 squadrons of the Indian Air Force, which played a key role in the Balakot air strike, were decorated with citations at the Hindon
base on the 87th IAF Day on 8 Oct 2019.
• IAF chief RKS Bhadauria decorated the 51 Squadron and the 9 Squadron.
• Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman and fighter pilots, who were a part of the Balakot operation, participated in the
flypast.
Dharmendra Pradhan participated in a ceremony
• Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan participated in the ceremony for commissioning the
infrastructure facilities constructed to support the proposed oil refinery project in Mongolia.
• Accompanied by an official and business delegation, he is on a 3-day visit to Mongolia, as a follow up of the State visit the
President of Mongolia to India in September 2019.
Shubh Loans gets NBFC licence from RBI
• Fintech start-up Shubh Loans has received a licence from the Reserve Bank of India to set up a non-banking financial company.
• The licence has been received through the subsidiary -- Ekagrata -- of its parent company Datasigns Technologies.
• It has already raised series A2 funding of Rs 34 crore from Omidyar Network India.
• Shubh Loans is set to implement NBFC compliant frameworks and gove.
JNU signed MoU with ICMR
• The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) signed an MoU with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for institutional
collaboration in education and research.
• The main objectives of the MoU is to promote and enhance interactions and collaborations between the faculty, staff and
students of the university with the ICMR institutions through visits and exchange programmes.
Startup mission inked MoU with Bahrain
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• The Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) and the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), the Gulf country’s investment
promotion agency, have signed a MoU for jointly promoting innovation in FinTech, Information and Communications Technology
(ICT), and related emerging fields.
• The agreement aims at building business opportunities for each country’s start-ups in the other’s market.
e-learning platforms for African nations
• The Center has launched two e-learning platforms to facilitate the delivery of online education to African countries.
• The Union Foreign Affairs Minister (MEA) S launched the e-VidyaBharti and e-ArogyaBharti at the celebrations of the 55th India
Technical and Economic Cooperation Program (ITEC).
• The new logo for ITEC was also presented on the occasion.
Bastian Schweinsteiger announced retirement
• World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger announced his retirement at the age of 35, following the end of the American MLS
season.
• Schweinsteiger, who has played for Chicago Fire since 2017, is among the most decorated German footballers, having won many
titles with Germany’s Bayern Munich and the national team over a 17-year professional career.
India to host 3×3 baskeball Olympic qualifiers
• India will host the Tokyo Olympic Games 3×3 basketball qualifying tournament in March 2020.
• The event will be held under the aegis of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) and will be organised by the International
Basketball Federation (FIBA).
• Six spots (three each for men and women) for 2020 Olympics will be up for grabs at the FIBA 3×3 Olympic Qualifying
Tournament.
India pays regular annual dues
• India is among a handful of only 34 UN member states which paid their regular budget dues in full and on time to the world
organisation.
• India paid 23.25 million dollars in regular budget assessments by January 31, 2019, the 30-day due period specified as per UN's
Financial Regulation rules.
• Only 33 other nations paid their regular budget assessments in full within this 30 day due period.
2 Indian-origin entrepreneurs in Fortune list
• 2 Indian-origin persons have been named by American magazine Fortune in its annual list of 40 most influential and inspiring
young people in business under the age of 40.
• Arjun Bansal, Intel's vice-president of artificial intelligence software and the AI lab, and Ankiti Bose, fashion platform Zilingo CEO
and co-founder, made it to Fortune's 2019 '40 Under 40' list.
India to get BS-VI fuel from next April
• Bharat Stage (BS)-VI fuel will be available in several big cities of the country, including Jaipur, from April 1, 2020 and the initiative
will reduce vehicular pollution by 80-90%
• An investment of Rs 60,000 crore has been made for this.
• The government has prepared a national clean air programme for 122 cities of the country under which schemes for reducing
pollution will be made.
Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit India
• Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit India from October 11-12, 2019 for an informal summit with PM Narendra Modi.
• The second informal summit will be held in the seaside temple town of Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu.
• The informal summit is expected to focus on taking forward bilateral ties notwithstanding differences on several sticky issues.
India slipped on global competitiveness index
• India slipped 10 spots to rank 68th in the annual global competitiveness index as several other economies in the world climbed
up on the list due to improvements in economic and business activities.
• India was ranked 58th in 2018 in the annual Global Competitiveness Index compiled by Geneva-based World Economic Forum
(WEF).
• Singapore replaced the US as the world's most competitive economy.
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First Rafale Fighter Jet Delivered to India

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh received the first of 36 Rafale fighter jets and flew a sortie in the MMRCA fighter jet from a
French airbase in Paris to gain first-hand experience of the aircraft.
• Rafale was handed over to Singh on the foundation day of the Indian Air Force.
• The first Rafale bears a tail number ‘RB 01', where 'RB' stands for Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria.
October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• The month of October is observed as the Breast Cancer Awareness Month every year.
• The annual campaign aims to raise awareness of the disease.
• It also helps to increase attention and support for awareness, early detection, and treatment as well as palliative care of this
disease.
• WHO aims to promote breast cancer control programmes as part of national cancer control plans.
World Post Day: 9 October
• UN celebrates World Post Day every year on 9 October.
• The purpose of World Post Day is to bring awareness to the Post’s role in the everyday lives of people and businesses, as well as
its contribution to global social and economic development.
• The day marks the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern.
• It was declared World Post Day in 1969.
Simone Biles won 15th world title
• Simone Biles has clinched a record-extending 15th World Gymnastics Championship title in Stuttgart, Germany.
• With the victory, she has become the event’s most decorated woman.
• Simone Biles won a record 21st medal at the world gymnastics championships as the United States retained their women’s team
all-around title.
• She earned the most points in the vault, balance beam and floor.
Nobel prize in physics awarded
• Nobel Prize 2019 for Physics were announced.
• Three scientists, James Peebles, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz have won the Prize for their contribution to the understanding
of the evolution of the universe and earth's place in the cosmos.
• They will share a 9-million kronor cash award, a gold medal and a diploma.
• The laureates will receive them at a ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, 2019.
India International Cooperative Trade Fair
• A 3-day India International Cooperative Trade Fair will be held in New Delhi from 11 October 2019.
• The fair is aimed at promoting cooperative to cooperative trade within India and abroad leading to enhanced rural and farm
prosperity.
• This will be India's first and the largest international cooperatives trade fair promising to usher in a new era of cooperative
excellence.
eDantseva website and mobile app launched
• Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare launched the eDantseva website and mobile application.
• It is the first ever national digital platform on oral health information and knowledge dissemination.
• This marks an important milestone as e-DantSeva will reach out to more than one billion people with one click in the form of a
dedicated website and mobile application.
First Training Squadron at Mombasa, Kenya
• Indian Naval Ships Tir, Sujata and Shardul and Indian Coast Guard Ship Sarathi, arrived at Mombasa Kenya 7 Oct, 19 for a three
day visit.
• The Senior Officer of First Training Squadron is Captain Varun Singh, who is also Commanding Officer of INS Tir.
• The training curriculum includes subjects like Seamanship, Navigation, Shiphandling, Boat Work and Engineering, etc.
Vice President on a two-nation tour to Africa
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• Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu will embark on a tour to Comoros and Sierra Leone on October 10, 2019.
• This will be the first-ever visit by such a high-level Indian dignitary to Comoros, an archipelago situated off the Southeast coast of
Africa and to Sierra Leone.
• He will meet President of the Union of Comoros, Mr. Azali Assoumani and will address the Indian community living in Comoros.
National e-Assessment Centre of IT Department
• Revenue Secretary Shri Ajay Bhushan Pandey inaugurated National e-Assessment Scheme (NeAC) on 7 October 2019.
• In the first phase, the Income Tax Department has selected 58,322 cases for scrutiny under the faceless e-Assessment Scheme
2019 and the e-notices have been served before 30th of September 2019 for the cases of Assessment Year 2018-19.
Salford University honoured Asha Bhosle
• Ace singer Asha Bhosle, has added yet another feather to her cap.
• She was conferred with an honorary doctorate on 7 October 2019 by the University of Salford in Greater Manchester, England.
• She has won several other prestigious awards including the Guinness Book of World Records.
• She is also a recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008.
Nagpur to host 5th international conference
• The fifth international conference on sleep disorders is being hosted in Nagpur from 12 October to 13 October 2019.
• The conference is held under the aegis of the Southeast Asian Academy of Sleep Medicine(SEAASM).
• It is conducted by the Department of Respiratory, Critical Care, Sleep Medicine & Interventional Pulmonology at Getwell Hospital
& Research Centre at Chitnavis Centre in Nagpur.
Indian Army organized Veer Kutumb Rally in J&K
• In J&K, Crossed Swords Division organized a VEER KUTUMB RALLY at Tanda, Akhnoor with an aim to reach out to veterans, veer
naris, widows and their families.
• The Rally was organised by the Indian Army as part of its activities to observe 2019 as the 'Year of the Next of Kin'.
• General Officer Commanding (GoC) Crossed Swords Division, Maj Gen R. Dewan, was the Chief Guest on the occasion.
NHA tied with Google
• National Health Authority signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) with Google to collaborate and strengthen the implementation of
Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY).
• The two organizations will now work together to increase process efficiencies in day-to-day applications.
• Google will support NHA in improving digital presence of PMJAY.
Christine Wolf won Hero Women’s Indian Open
• Austria’s Christine Wolf has won the Hero Women’s Indian Open at Gurugram, Haryana.
• It was Christine’s first title after six years on the Ladies European Tour.
• Norway’s Mariaane Skarpnord finished as runner-up while England’s Meghan MacLaren finished third in the competition.
• Among the Indian players, Anika Varma finished at fifth position while Tvesa Malik was at 6th position.
AIM NITI Aayog & UNDP launched Youth Co:Lab
• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India jointly launched Youth
Co:Lab.
• The lab aims at accelerating social entrepreneurship and innovation in young India and to recognize young people as critical
drivers of sustainable development.
• During the launch, a Letter of Intent (LOI) was signed between AIM, NITI Aayog and UNDP India.
2019 Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded
• The 2019 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to scientists William G Kaelin, Jr, Peter J Ratcliffe and Gregg L
Semenza.
• The Nobel Committee announced that they received the award jointly for their discoveries of how cells sense and adapt to
oxygen availability.
• The three will share the Nobel prize sum of nine million Swedish kronor or about 9 Lakh 14 thousand US dollar.
Ramesh selected for Asia Environmental Award
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• Senior Indian Forest Service officer Ramesh Pandey has been selected for the Asia Environmental Enforcement Award by the
United Nations Environment Programme.
• He is known for his investigation and intelligence gathering on poachers.
• Pandey will receive the award on November 13, 2019 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok.
63rd Dhammachakra Pravartan Din celebrated
• In Maharashtra, 63rd Dhammachakra Pravartan Din was celebrated at Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur on 8 October 2019.
• Buddhist followers from the different parts of the country and abroad reached at the venue to pay homage to Dr. Babasaheb
Ambedkar.
• Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Smarak Samiti along with District Administration and Nagpur Municipal Corporation are organizing this
mega event.
WTO to host first World Cotton Day celebration
• World Trade Organisation, WTO hosted the first World Cotton Day (WCD) celebrations in Geneva on 8 October 2019
• This event stems from the application by the Cotton-4 countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali) to the United Nations
General Assembly for its official recognition of a World Cotton Day.
• Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani is representing India in the five-day event.
India, Mexico agreed to work together
• The fifth round of Foreign Office Consultations between India and Mexico were held in New Delhi on 7 October 2019.
• The two sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation, including political, trade and economic cooperation.
• Both sides underscored the need to hold a regular dialogue in these areas through the established bilateral mechanisms.
Stone laid for IIM campus in Amritsar
• Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank laid the foundation stone of the campus of the IIM in
Amritsar's Manawala.
• The IIM campus would come upon 60,000 square metres and have state-of-the-art facilities in the library, academic block and
hostels.
• The allocation of 350 crore rupees has been sanctioned for the first phase of the construction.
Indian Air Force to marked 87th anniversary
• Air Force Day is being celebrated on 8 October 2019, marking 87th anniversary of Indian Air Force.
• IAF is the fourth largest air force in the world after the US, China and Russia.
• The IAF has over 60 airbases all over India.
• The Hindon Air Force Station of the Indian Air Force is the largest in Asia and 8th largest in the world.
Government launched Ganga Aamantran Abhiyan
• Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched a unique initiative called 'Ganga Amantran' to connect with the
stakeholders of the river.
• It is a pioneering exploratory open- water rafting and kayaking expedition on the Ganga river to begin on 10 October till 11
November 2019.
• The expedition will start at Devaprayag and culminate at Ganga Sagar.
ICC women's ODI rankings: India at second
• In the latest ICC women's ODI rankings, India maintained their second position but increased the points lead over third-placed
England.
• The Indian women's team is now three points ahead of England.
• India now has 125 points against England's 122.
• In the T20 International ranking, India is placed at the fifth position.
Person in News
• In Uttar Pradesh, Congress MLA from Tamkuhiraj constituency in Kushinagar Ajay Kumar Lallu has been appointed as party's State
Unit President, replacing Raj Babbar.
• Comedian Rip Taylor, best known for his many energetic game-show appearances and self-described as the King of Confetti,
passed away.
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Naomi Osaka won second straight WTA title

• Japan’s Naomi Osaka beat Australian world number one Ash Barty in the final of the China Open in Beijing.
• It was world number four Osaka’s second title in the Asian swing after clinching the Pan Pacific Open in Japan in September 2019.
• Osaka broke the reigning French Open champion Barty three times and dropped serve only once in the one-hour-50-minute
encounter.
Sumit achieved career best ranking of 129
• Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal achieved a career-best ranking of 129 after jumping six places in the latest men’s singles
rankings.
• Nagal had attainted his career-best ranking of 135 after jumping 26 spots, riding on a title finish at the Buenos Aires ATP
Challenger clay event in Argentina in September 2019,
• He was in the limelight after he made his Grand Slam debut.
Vishnu to join largest Arctic expedition
• For four months from November 2019, Vishnu Nandan will not see sunlight.
• He will be aboard the German research vessel Polarstern, anchored on a large sheet of sea ice in the Central Arctic.
• He will be the only Indian among 300 scientists from across the world aboard the multidisciplinary drifting observatory for the
Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expedition.
Scotland to ban the smacking of children
• Scotland has become the first part of the UK to ban the smacking of children.
• The country introduced a law that makes smacking the children a criminal offence for parents and carers to use physical
punishment against a child.
• The law change is aimed to give children the same protection from assault as adults.
• The law has brought Scotland into line with United Nations recommendations.
Indian Army to hold Him Vijay exercise
• Indian Army will hold Him Vijay exercise, the biggest ever mountain combat exercise, in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The exercise borders the Chinese controlled Tibet Autonomous Region.
• Hence, China has raised concerns about the exercise.
• Three battle groups each comprising of 4,000 soldiers will be participating in the exercise.
• It will end on 25 October 2019.
World Habitat Day: 7 October
• World Habitat Day is observed on 7 October 2019 every year.
• The day aims to reflect on the state of the towns and cities and the basic right of all to adequate shelter.
• It also aims to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat.
• Theme: The theme for 2019 is Frontier Technologies as an innovative tool to transform waste into wealth.
50th IFFI, 2019 to witness over 200 best films
• The 50th International Film Festival of India, 2019 will witness over 200 best films from 76 countries, 26 feature films and 15 non
feature films in Indian panorama section.
• This was announced by Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar.
• 12 prominent films in different languages that have completed 50 years in 2019 ,will also be showcased from 20th to 28th
November.
Person in News
• US actress Diahann Carroll, who won Golden Globe and Tony awards and was nominated for an Oscar passed away. She was also
the first black woman to win the Tony Award for best actress.
• The Punjab government has appointed Justice Vinod Kumar Sharma as the new Lokpal. Justice Sharma had served as Punjab and
Haryana high court judge from March 22, 2006, to October 26, 2010.
GoI launches eco-friendly crackers
• Union Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan launched eco-friendly green firecrackers which have been manufactured in India.
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• Environment-friendly fireworks have been developed by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) labs and
manufactured by licensee-manufacturers.
• A green logo as well as a Quick Response (QR) coding system has been developed for their differentiation.
India’s first e-waste clinic to be set up
• The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) have joined hands to set up the
country’s first e-waste clinic.
• It would enable segregation, processing and disposal of waste from both household and commercial units.
• The electronic waste will be collected door-to-door or can be deposited directly at the clinic in exchange for a fee.
Harmanpreet Kaur: 1st Indian to play 100 T20Is
• Harmanpreet Kaur has become the 1st Indian to play 100 T20 International matches.
• She has joined the club of 10 female players who have reached the three figure mark in terms of appearances.
• New Zealand’s Suzie Bates and Australia”s Ellyse Perry are on top of the list with 111 appearances.
• Harmanpreet Kaur has 2 more appearances in T20Is than MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.
Health Minister launched trans-fat free logo
• Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare launched the Trans Fat Free logo of Food Safety & Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI), at the 8th International Chefs’ Conference (ICC VII).
• This marked an important milestone in the movement against Trans-Fats and also provided a momentum to accelerate the ‘Eat
Right India’ movement of FSSAI.
Paintings of Indian tribal woman on exhibit
• The paintings made by an 80-year-old tribal woman of Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh are now being showcased at the
ongoing exhibition in Italy.
• Paintings of Jodhaiya Bai Baiga are showcased at Milan which is the global capital of fashion and design.
• She hails from Umaria district's Lorha village of the state.
A drug to prevent heart failure
• The researchers have developed a potential drug to treat heart attack and prevent heart failure -- for which no cure currently
exists.
• The study was published in the journal Nature Communications Biology,
• The drug works based on our body's natural clock called the circadian rhythm found in all cells of the body.
• The discovery might ultimately help find other heart therapies.
Appointments
• Justice Lingappa Narayana Swamy was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on 6 October 2019. He
was administered the oath of office by Governor Bandaru Dattatraya.
• UNESCO appointed Mexican actress Yalitza Aparicio as its goodwill ambassador for indigenous peoples. She made history as the
first indigenous performer nominated for best actress at the Academy Awards.
Sports News
• Novak Djokovic clinched the Japan Open tennis title defeating Australian qualifier John Millman 6-3, 6-2 in straight sets. Djokovic,
playing in his first Japanese competition, dominated throughout the game.
• Surender Singh of India created three world records at the ongoing World Powerlifting Championship in Berlin, Germany.
Surender bagged gold medal in 110 kg category.
Sports News
• In the Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship, Niki Poonacha and Sowjanya Bavisetti were crowned champions in the men's
and women's singles events in New Delhi. Niki beat Aryan Goveas 6-2, 7-6 in the men's singles final.
• India's Avinash Sable qualified for Tokyo Olympics in men's 3000m steeplechase event by shattering his own national record for
the second time in three days.
Dharmendra Pradhan on 3-day visit to Mongolia
• Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan will pay a three-day visit to Mongolia beginning 7 October 2019.
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• The Minister will participate in the opening ceremony of infrastructure that Mongolia has already constructed for the Indian
funded, Mongol Refinery project.
• The Mongol Refinery project is being developed under a line of credit of 1.236 billion US dollars extended by India.
Name of Sq. Leader added to Nat. War Memorial
• The name of Squadron Leader Ravi Khanna has been added to the National War Memorial after it was approved by the Indian Air
Force.
• Squadron Leader Khanna and three other IAF personnel were killed in January 1990 in Kashmir allegedly by JKLF founder Yasin
Malik.
• Twenty-seven bullets were pumped into Khanna's body.
• The trial against Malik had resumed last month in Jammu.
Finance Minister inaugurated NeAC
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated National e-Assessment Centre (NeAC) for better taxpayer service and
promotion of ease of doing business in New Delhi.
• Income Tax Department's NeAC, will avoid face-to-face interaction between taxpayers and tax officials.
• Setting up of NeAC is a step to reduce taxpayer grievances in line with the prime minister's vision of 'Digital India'.
U.S. claims successful ICBM tests
• On 2 October 2019, the U.S. military had tested an unarmed 'Minuteman III' intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with
reentry vehicle from a base in California across the Pacific Ocean.
• It was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, the re-entry vehicle travelled about 6,750km across the Pacific Ocean to the
Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
World Teachers' Day: 5 October
• World Teachers' Day or International Teachers' Days is celebrated on 5 October every year.
• Its aim is to acknowledge the significant role of educators across the world.
• It commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of UNESCO's 1966 recommendation concerning the status of teachers.
• This year's theme is 'Young Teachers: The future of the Profession'.
Current account deficit narrows to 2% of GDP
• As per the data released by the Reserve Bank of India, India’s current account deficit (CAD) narrowed to $14.3 billion or 2% of
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during April-June quarter.
• However, on a sequential basis, CAD widened from $4.6 billion or 0.7% of GDP.
• CAD measures the difference between the value of the goods and services a country imports and the value of its exports.
CBDT inks 300th advance pricing agreement
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) signed the 300th advance pricing agreement (APA) in September 2019.
• The APA scheme provides tax certainty to multi-national enterprises and is in line with the government's commitment towards
fostering a non-adversarial tax regime.
• Three APAs were entered into in September which has taken the total number of APAs signed by CBDT to 300.
WTO cuts global trade growth forecast
• The World Trade Organization (WTO) on Tuesday trimmed by more than a half its 2019 global trade growth forecast to just 1.2%
• The WTO had in April projected a 2.6% rise in the volume of merchandise trade for 2019.
• It also cut its forecast for 2020 to 2.7% from 3% predicted in April. World merchandise trade volume grew 3% in 2018.
Bajaj Finance overtakes SBI in market cap
• On 1 October 2019, Bajaj Finance Ltd surpassed state-run lender State Bank of India (SBI) in terms of market capitalisation for the
first time.
• Bajaj Finance has a total loan book of ₹1.25 trillion, whereas SBI’s loan book stood at ₹22.40 trillion.
• Rajeev Jain is the CEO of Bajaj Finance.
• It is headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
1.34 crore street lights to be replaced
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• The number of LED street lights in the country has doubled from 49 lakh in March 2018 to 1 crore on 1 October 2019.
• These lights are being installed under the Street Lighting National Programme that was launched on 5 January 2015 with the
objective to replace all conventional street lights with smart and energy-efficient LED street lights by March 2019.
• This has been fixed for March 2020.
CBDT launches document identification number
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) implemented a computer-generated Document Identification Number (DIN) which will
ensure greater transparency and accountability in tax administration.
• The DIN system, which becomes operative from 1 October 2019, will apply to all kind of communications from the income tax
department.
• This will also help taxpayers detect fake notices and letters.
App to register consumer grievances launched
• The government of India launched the 'Consumer App' that would help consumers register their grievances online as well as give
suggestions on consumer-related issues.
• This will serve as a one-stop solution for consumer grievance redressal and complaints filed on the app can be tracked by
consumers to know the progress.
• The App is available in both English and Hindi.
Ecuador to quit OPEC in 2020
• Ecuador, one of the smallest members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), said it will leave the 14-
nation bloc from January 2020 due to fiscal problems.
• Ecuador produces about 545,000 barrels per day (BPD) of crude oil.
• Ecuador joined OPEC in 1973, withdrew in 1992, then rejoined in 2007.
SBI, Bank of Baroda limit cash withdrawals
• State Bank of India (SBI) and Bank of Baroda (BoB) have limited the number of cash withdrawals for customers using micro-ATMs
of other banks to just up to four times a month.
• Micro ATMs are the handheld point of sale terminals used to disburse cash in remote locations where bank branches cannot
reach.
• Through micro-ATMs, banks can remotely connect to their core banking system.
Paisalo Digital signs MoU with BoB
• Paisalo Digital has signed a co-origination loan agreement with Bank of Baroda on 1 October 2019 to empower the Agri, MSME
segment and small businesses.
• Under this agreement, both the entities will jointly reach out to prospective customers and conduct due diligence for extending
small ticket size, ranging from Rs 10000 to Rs 40000 loans in India with special focus on Uttar Pradesh.
Scientists create world's strongest silver
• Scientists claim to have developed the strongest silver ever—42% sturdier than the previous world record.
• The team used a copper impurity -- a form of doping or 'micro-alloy' as the scientists style it -- to control the behaviour of defects
in silver.
• It can overcome a traditional trade-off in industrial and commercial materials between strength and ability to carry electrical
current.
Koneru Humpy climbs to world No 3
• India’s Koneru Humpy has jumped to world No 3 in the latest rankings released by the International Chess Federation.
• Grandmaster Humpy accumulated 17 ELO points to rise to the third spot with a global rating of 2,577.
• Chinese players Hou Yifan (2,659 points) and Ju Wenjun (2,586 points) occupied the first and second spots in the latest ranking.
Rajasthan to create pneumoconiosis fund
• Rajasthan has announced the creation of a Pneumoconiosis Fund, which will be majorly financed by money from the District
Mineral Foundation (DMF).
• This Fund will be used to finance a comprehensive policy on the disease released by the Rajasthan government on 3 October
2019.
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• Pneumoconiosis, a lung disease, mostly affects workers who work in the mining and construction sectors.
NHSRC to be WHO collaborating centre
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has announced the re-designation of the National Health Systems Resource Centre
(NHSRC) as the WHO Collaborating Centre for Priority Medical Devices and Health Technology Policy.
• NHSRC as a collaborating centre has supported WHO in formulating technical specifications for medical devices such as oxygen
concentrators and resuscitation devices.
Village Secretariat system launched in Andhra
• The Andhra Pradesh government launched 'Village Secretariat programme' on 2 October 2019.
• Under the new system, one Village Secretariat has been set up for every population of 2,000, with each one comprising close to
a dozen village officials.
• The idea behind it, according to the state government, is to ensure that its services reach people on the ground
Interest on house building advance reduced
• The Centre has reduced the interest on House Building Advance from 8.5% to 7.9% for its employees
• According to the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, the new interest rate has come into force from October 1.
• The House Building Advance is admissible to permanent employees and all those temporary employees who have rendered five
years of continuous service.
Army inducts Israeli Spike missiles
• The Indian Army inducted the Israeli 'Spike' anti-tank guided missiles or ATGMs on 3 October 2019.
• The Spike missile integrates a top attack capability which means it is able to fly over its target and knock it out from above.
• The long-range Spike missile has a range of 4km and can be guided by an operator mid-flight, in case course correction is
required.
Portability of Ration cards started
• An inter-State portability for ration cards has been launched for Rajasthan and Haryana to facilitate the distribution of foodgrains
to beneficiaries of the National Food Security scheme.
• Labourers in the unorganised sector, migrating from one State to the other state, will mainly benefit from the scheme.
• The Centre would implement the portability of ration card all over the country soon.
India's 1st plastic to diesel conversion plant
• Mathura MP Hema Malini inaugurated the country's first plastic to diesel conversion plant in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.
• Notably, a model of this plant had been placed for a demonstration before PM Modi when he had arrived in Mathura some time
back as a part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
• This model is now working on a full scale at the Mathura Municipal Corporation's (MMC) trenching grounds.
Katarina Johnson won Heptathlon gold
• Katarina Johnson-Thompson won Heptathlon gold at the World Championships 2019 in Doha, Qatar.
• She won with a British record of 6,981 points.
• She defeated 2017 champion Nafissatou Thiam by 304 points.
• Austria's Verena Preiner took third.
• Johnson-Thompson secured Britain's third medal in Doha, after Dina Asher-Smith's 200m gold and 100m silver.
12-day India-Kazakhstan JME began
• A joint military exercise between India and Kazakhstan with focus on counter-terrorism operations in mountainous terrain began
on 3 October 2019.
• The 12-day exercise named KAZIND-2019 will conclude on October 15, 2019.
• The aim of the exercise is to conduct company-level joint training with an emphasis on counter-terrorism operations in the
mountainous terrain.
Shanti Raghavan, Dipesh Sutariya won Award
• Shanti Raghavan and Dipesh Sutariya of EnAble India were awarded the 10th Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award, 2019, for
building an ecosystem of skilling, employment and entrepreneurship for persons with disabilities (PwDs).
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• EnAble India has changed the mindset of 729 business houses and built frameworks of inclusion in universities and government
agencies,
First UAE astronaut returned safely
• NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Soyuz Commander Alexey Ovchinin of the Russian space agency Roscosmos and visiting
astronaut Hazzaa Ali Almansoori from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) safely returned to Earth on 4 October 2019 after an eight-
day stay.
• The crew landed safely in Kazakhstan.
• On 14 March Hague and Ovchinin along with NASA astronaut Christina Koch started their mission to ISS.
Rajnath Singh on a visit to Paris
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will fly a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet on October 8 from a French airbase in Paris.
• He is scheduled to travel to Paris on October 7 on a three-day visit, primarily to receive the first of 36 Rafale fighter jets.
• The ceremony to hand over the first Rafale jet will take place on October 8, the foundation day of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
World Animal Day: 4 October
• World Animal Day is celebrated on 4 October every year.
• The day aims to raise awareness about the protection of animals all over the globe.
• On this day, the feast day of Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, is also celebrated.
• The day is dedicated to spread awareness and improve the welfare standards of animals around the world.
Indian Air Force released promo video
• The Indian Air Force released a promotional video featuring the story of the Balakot airstrike.
• The video was released by IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria ahead of the Indian Air Force Day, which falls on October 8.
• The promotional video features shots of fighter jets taking off, dropping missiles and radars zooming in to targets.
Bandhan Bank and Gruh Finance to merge
• Bandhan Bank and Gruh Finance will merge, with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) clearing the scheme of
amalgamation.
• The scheme has been approved by NCLT's Kolkata and Ahmedabad benches.
• October 17, 2019, has been fixed as the record date following the effectiveness of scheme for determining shareholders of the
merged entity.
BSNL partnered with Paytm
• Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) partnered with Paytm to offer a Smart Wi-Fi onboarding feature across India.
• The partnership aims to bring a revolution in the adoption of public Wi-Fi.
• BSNL and Paytm are working together to enable more hotspot locations to increase the digital footprint.
• This move will boost the mission of a Digital and Connected India.
CM of HP launched Pragati Rath of HDFC bank
• CM of Himachal Pradesh Jai Ram Thakur launched Pragati Rath of the HDFC bank.
• It is a month-long initiative where the van would move to different parts of Himachal to provide financial and digital literacy to
the people.
• The bank announced adopting of 15 villages of the State under Holistic Rural Development Programme and also launch of
Sustainable Livelihood Initiative in the State.
RBI cut repo rate by 25 bps to 5.15%
• The RBI slashed the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 basis points to 5.15% from 5.40% with
immediate effect.
• The reverse repo rate under the LAF stands reduced to 4.90%, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate to
5.40%.
• RBI has revised the GDP outlook for 2019-20 to 6.1%, from 6.9% in previous Monetary Policy committee meet.
Tourism Ministry launches App for 12 sites
• Tourism Ministry launched the Audio Guide facility Audio Odigos for 12 sites of India on the occasion of Paryatan Parv 2019.
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• An MoU for Gol Gumbad, Delhi with Government of Delhi and Resbird Technologies was also exchanged for the development of
Tourism Amenities.
• Audio guide odigo offers Government of India verified content, with visuals & voice over support.
UCO Bank launched UCash, Digilocker and an App
• UCO Bank launched three new digital products called, UCash, Digilocker and an app in Kolkata, West Bengal.
• UCash enables customers to withdraw money from ATMs through mobile banking without using a debit card.
• Digilocker aims to eliminate the use of physical documents and enables sharing of verified electronic documents.
• The new mobile app integrates four existing apps of the bank
President appointed Chief Justices to 7 HCs
• President Ramnath Kovind appointed Chief Justices to 7 high courts on 3 October 2019.
• Lingappa Narayana Swamy- Himachal Pradesh High Court (HC)
• Ravi ShankerJha- Punjab and Haryana HC
• Indrajit Mohanty- Rajasthan HC
• J.K. Maheshwari-Andhra Pradesh HC
• S. Manikumar-Kerala HC
• Arup K. Goswami-Sikkim HC
• Ajai Lamba- Gauhati HC
CM of Andhra Pradesh launched YSR Vahana Mitra
• CM of Andhra Pradesh YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the YSR Vahana Mitra scheme on 4 October 2019.
• The amount of Rs 10,000 is for the recurring expenses like insurance and maintenance of the vehicle to procure fitness
certificate.
• The allowance of Rs 10,000 would be given every year and the amount will be credited into the bank accounts directly.
Goa Maritime Conclave began
• Goa Maritime Conclave started in Goa on 4 October 2019.
• National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was the chief guest for the inaugural event of the Conclave.
• Indian Navy through the Naval War College, Goa is hosting this Conclave.
• The Theme for the Conclave is Common Maritime Priorities in Indian ocean Region and need for Reginal Maritime Security.
Appointments
• Vijay Patil and Sanjay Naik were elected as President and Secretary of the Mumbai Cricket Association. Mr Amol Kale was elected
as the Vice-President. Mr Shahalam Shaikh was chosen as Joint Secretary while Mr Jagdish Achrekar was elected as the Treasurer.
• Roger Binny, the former India all-rounder, was elected President of the Karnataka State Cricket Association.
Obituaries
• The second highest Buddhist leader of Bangladesh and head of Sima Bihar of Ramu, Satyapriya Mohathero passed away. He was
awarded the second-highest civilian award of Bangladesh Ekushey Padak in 2015 for social work.
• Farook Khan, an Indian-origin journalist in South Africa passed away. He had started the Miss India South Africa Pageant as part
of the Miss India Worldwide Pageant.
Appointments
• Groupe SEB India roped in Yami Gautam as a brand ambassador for their popular home brands, Maharaja Whiteline. She will be
the face of the new communication campaign.
• Pepsi Co’s potato chips brand Lay’s announced that Bollywood actors Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt have come on board as brand
ambassadors. As part of the association the stars will be part of Lay’s new campaign Smile Deke Dekho.
Aqua Stallions rafting team created record
• Lieutenant Colonel Pravin Grewal and paratrooper Ganpat Singh who were part of the Indian Army's Aqua Stallions rafting team
have created the national record for fastest rafting in high altitude areas.
• The team created the record at Zanskar river in Ladakh in September 2019.
INS Tarkash at St Denis, France
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• As part of Indian Navy's Overseas Deployment to Africa, Europe and Russia, INS Tarkash arrived at St Denis, Reunion Island,
France on 3 Oct 19 for a 3-day visit.
• INS Tarkash, commanded by Captain Sathish Vasudev, is a potent frontline frigate of the Indian Navy equipped with a versatile
range of weapons and sensors.
• The ship is part of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet.
Maj AQ Khan Won Silver Medal
• Maj Abdul Quadir Khan of the Corps of Signals brought laurels to India by winning a Silver Medal at the 53rd Asian Body Building
and Physique Sports Championship held at Batam, Indonesia on 2 Oct 19.
• His accomplishment in the sport has also brought glory to the Indian Army and Corps of Signals.
• He was commissioned in June 2014.
Indo-Mongolian Joint Ex Nomadic Elephant 2019
• 14th edition of Indo-Mongolian joint military training, Exercise Nomadic Elephant-XIV, will commence from 5 Oct 2019.
• The exercise will be conducted from 5 Oct 19 to 18 Oct 19 at Bakloh.
• The Mongolian Army is being represented by officers and troops of the elite 084 Air Borne Special Task Battalion while Indian
Army is being represented by a contingent of a battalion of RAJPUTANA RIFLES.
Exercise Ekuverin to be organised
• 10th edition of the Joint Military Exercise Ekuverin between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force will be
organised from 7-20 October 2019 at Aundh Military Station in Pune, Maharashtra.
• The Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Forces have been conducting Exercise Ekuverin meaning ‘Friends’ in the
Dhivehi language since 2009.
India got its first Floating Basketball Court
• India got its first-ever Floating Basketball Court in the Arabian Sea near Bandra Worli Sealink.
• It was installed by the National Basketball Association on 2 October 2019.
• On 20 December 2018, NBA India had announced that the first-ever NBA game would be organized in the country in October in
Mumbai.
• The NBA India Games 2019 will feature the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers.
A new book The Tech Whisperer released
• A new book entitled The Tech Whisperer, written by digital transformation expert Jaspreet Bindra was released recently.
• The book has been published by Penguin India.
• The book will describe and simplify emerging technologies like AI, blockchain, Internet of things, virtual reality, and talk about
how companies can employ these to drive their digital transformation.
Mahindra, Ford announced joint venture
• Mahindra & Mahindra and Ford Motor Company have signed an agreement to create a Rs 1,925 crore joint venture (JV).
• Mahindra & Mahindra will have a 51% stake in the new entity and Ford will own the remaining 49%.
• The agreement will see Ford transferring its India operations to the JV, including its personnel and assembly plants in Chennai
and Sanand.
Uttarakhand CM launched awareness campaign
• Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat launched an awareness campaign -- Urjagiri, which aims at stopping power theft and
saving.
• The campaign is a good start towards spreading awareness in the society.
• The government is committed to ending power theft.
• He also instructed the officers of UPCL Vigilance Cell to effectively stop the power theft.
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launched initiative
• CM Naveen Patnaik rolled out ‘Mo Sarkar’ programme on 2 October 2019.
• The objective of ‘Mo Sarkar’ is to improve governance by collecting feedback on behaviour and professionalism displayed by the
Government officers.
• It has been launched in 21 district headquarters hospitals and medical colleges at Cuttack, Sambalpur and Berhampur.
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Azizbek Ashurov won Nansen Refugee Award

• Human rights lawyer from Kyrgyzstan Azizbek Ashurov was awarded the 2019 UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
prestigious Nansen Award.
• He will receive the award comprising of a commemorative medal and a cash prize of USD 150,000 prize money at a ceremony in
Geneva on Oct 7, 2019.
• He has helped Kyrgyzstan become the world’s first country to end statelessness.
NBCC signed MoU with the Ministry of Sports
• National Buildings Construction Corporation(NBCC) has signed a MoU with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• It will provide project management consultancy for the development of National Sports University at Imphal, Manipur.
• NBCC has bagged a Rs 400-crore contract to develop National Sports University.
• NBCC has secured a total work order of approximately Rs.2,028 cr.
Ben Stokes named PCA player of the year
• Ben Stokes has been voted Professional Cricketers’ Association player of the year at the Professional Cricketers’ Association
awards.
• Tom Banton of Somerset picked up the PCA young player of the year, while England bowler Sophie Ecclestone collected the
women’s player of the summer award.
• The 50th NatWest PCA Awards were held at the Roundhouse in Camden.
Sarbat Da Bhala Express train flagged off
• Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Harsh Vardhan and Harsimrat Kaur Badal flagged off 'Sarbat Da Bhala Express' train at New Delhi
railway station on 4 October 2019.
• The renamed New Delhi-Ludhiana Intercity Express will ply from New Delhi to Lohian Khas via holy city Sultanpur Lodhi.
• A 6-metre skywalk is being constructed to connect New Delhi station to airport metro and yellow line.
Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express flagged off
• UP CM Yogi Adityanath flagged off the country's first corporate train Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express on 4 October 2019.
• The train will run 6 days in a week with advance coaches which will have tea-coffee vending machines, call bell and toilet
indicator facilities.
• High-quality food and beverages will be provided to passengers.
• The commercial run of the train will start from 5 October 2019.
Portal for monitoring coal supply launched
• Power Minister RK Singh and Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi have jointly launched PRAKASH -
Power Rail Koyla Availability through Supply Harmony- portal in New Delhi.
• The portal aims at bringing better coordination for coal supplies among all stakeholders.
• The portal is designed to help in mapping and monitoring the entire coal supply chain for power plants.
PM Modi, Mauritian PM inaugurated projects
• PM Narendra Modi and Mauritian PM Pravind Jugnauth jointly inaugurated two landmark projects in Mauritius through video
conferencing on 3 October 2019.
• These are Phase-1 of the Metro Express and a new ENT Hospital.
• Both these projects will serve the people of Mauritius and they are symbols of India’s strong commitment to the development of
the Island nation.
Appointments
• The Ministry of External Affairs of India notified that Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi was appointed as the next High Commissioner of
India to Niue, with residence in Wellington, New Zealand.
• The Ministry of External Affairs of India was appointed Amrit Lugun as the next Ambassador of India to Greece. He is an Indian
Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of the 1989 batch. He will replace Shamma Jain.
Person in News
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• Tata Communications has named Amur S Lakshminarayanan as Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer designate of
the company. He was the President and CEO of TCS Japan, Ltd.
• American-Austrian film producer Eric Pleskow the Hollywood tycoon passed away. He was the president of the film company
United Artists from 1973 to 1978 and then as co-founder of Orion Pictures.
Person in News
• Oil India Limited appointed Sushil Chandra Mishra as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the
company. Mishra will replace Utpal Bora.
• Centenarian philatelist and coin collector Krishna Gopalkrishna Kadekodi passed away in October 2019. He was the first tahsildar
of Panaji after the liberation of Goa from Portuguese occupation.
World Space Week: October 4-10
• World Space Week is an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the
human condition.
• The United Nations General Assembly declared in 1999 that World Space Week will be held each year from October 4-10.
• The theme of World Space Week 2019 is ''The Moon: Gateway to the Stars".
PM Modi declared India open defecation-free
• Declaring India ‘Open Defecation-Free’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed on removing single-use plastic and optimum use
of water as next steps of the Swachh Bharat Mission.
• He stressed upon the need of water recharge and water recycle and pointed out that the government has earmarked 3.5 lakh
crore for the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Dina Asher-Smith wins world 200m gold
• Dina-Asher Smith became the first British woman to win a major global sprint title as she stormed to victory in 200m at the World
Championships.
• She won silver in the 100m and outclassed the field to take gold in a British record of 21.88 seconds.
• Brittany Brown took silver (22.22) and Swiss Mujinga Kambundji bronze (22.51).
Digital Gandhi Gyan-Vigyan inaugurated
• Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Prof. Ashutosh Sharma inaugurated an exhibition titled Digital Gandhi Gyan
Vigyan Exhibition.
• The exhibition has been organised in collaboration with a technology start-up under incubation by IIT, namely, M/s Vizara
Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
• The Dept has also engaged IIT Gandhinagar for organising a workshop for children on 3 and 4 Oct 2019.
PM Modi Inaugurated Swachh Bharat Diwas 2019
• PM Modi inaugurated the Swachh Bharat Diwas 2019 in Ahmedabad on 2 October 2019.
• He released postage stamp and silver coin to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• He also distributed the Swachh Bharat Puraskar to the winners.
• He paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Sabarmati Ashram.
• He visited the Magan Niwas (Charkha Gallery) and interacted with the children there.
DGTR launched an online system named ARTIS
• The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has launched an online system - ARTIS - for filing of anti-dumping applications
by domestic industry with an aim to facilitate speedy resolution of dumping issues.
• ARTIS (Applications for Remedies in Trade for Indian Industry and other Stakeholders) is developed for filing of applications,
responses with respect to trade remedial measures.
Jaipur stn topped Station Cleanliness Survey
• 3 stations in Rajasthan bagged top honours in the top 10 list of railways’ cleanliness survey, unveiled by Railway Minister Piyush
Goyal on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Jaipur, Jodhpur and Durgapura were the top three ranking railway stations among 720 stations.
• Among the 109 suburban stations assessed, Andheri, Virar and Naigaon were the top three.
Axis Bank launched Express FD
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• Axis Bank launched the Express FD, a digital fixed deposit (FD) product that allows a customer to open an FD account in 3 minutes
through the digital mode without opening a savings account with the bank.
• ‘Express FD’ offers attractive interest rates and zero issuance fees.
• A customer can open an Express FD account by investing a minimum Rs 5,000 up to Rs 90,000, for a tenure of 6-12 months.
China unveiled DF-41 missile
• China unveiled the Dongfeng-41 (DF-41) intercontinental-range ballistic missile, the most powerful missile on the planet at the
National Day parade, as China observed its 70th anniversary of Communist rule.
• It has a range of up to 9,320 miles, more than any missile on Earth.
• It is capable of carrying 10 independently targeted nuclear warheads and could theoretically, hit the US in 30 mins.
Rajasthan: 3rd state to ban pan masala
• Rajasthan became the third state in India after Maharashtra and Bihar to ban certain categories of pan masala containing
magnesium carbonate, nicotine, tobacco, mineral oil and flavoured ‘supari’.
• All such products will now be banned in the State under the Food Safety Act.
• Production, storage, distribution and sale of these products will not be allowed in the state.
Bank of Baroda signed MoU with Indian Army
• Bank of Baroda signed a MoU with the Indian Army under which it would offer customised services along with a host of facilities
to account holders.
• The MoU includes free personal accident insurance cover, free air accident insurance cover and an overdraft facility up to 3 times
of monthly net salary.
• The features are also applicable for pensioners of Indian Army up to the age of 70 years.
World Women's Boxing Championship began
• The World Women's Boxing Championship began at Ulan Ude in Russia on 3 October 2019.
• The best female boxers in the world will compete in the 11th edition of the championships.
• M C Mary Kom will start as a strong medal contender for India yet again in 51 kg category.
• Spotlight will also be on former champion and Mary Kom's contemporary L Sarita Devi in 60 kg category.
Fit India Plog run to mark Gandhi Jayanti
• Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju flagged off 'Fit India Plog run at in New Delhi on 2 October 2019 to mark Gandhi Jayanti.
• Member of Parliament and Singer Manoj Tiwari, Wrestler Bajrang Punia, Poet Ashok Chakradhar among others were present on
the occasion.
• The run was organised at over 2,000 places all over the country including 225 places in the national capital.
Nationwide ‘Paryatan Parv 2019’ kicked off
• The Paryatan Parv, 2019 kicked off on 2 October 2019 to promote tourism in the country.
• It will continue till 13 October 2019.
• The aim is to propagate the message of Dekho Apna Desh to encourage people to visit tourist destinations of the country and
also spread the message of Tourism for All.
• The govt is developing 17 tourist sites into world-class destinations to attract more tourists.
President conferred Vayoshreshtha Samman-2019
• President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the Vayoshreshtha Samman-2019 on the eminent senior citizens and institutions in
recognition of their services towards the cause of the elderly persons.
• The Vayoshreshtha Samman is a Scheme of awards instituted by the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry and are presented
as part of the celebration of the International Day of Older Persons on 1 October.
Delhi-Katra Vande Bharat Express flagged off
• Home Minister Amit Shah flagged off the Delhi-Katra Vande Bharat Express on 3 October 2019.
• The high-speed train will bring down the travel time between Delhi and Katra, the last station on way to the Vaishno Devi temple,
to 8 hours from the current 12 hours.
• The first commercial run of the train will be on 5 October 2019 and booking of tickets is now open on the IRCTC website.
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Sachin Tendulkar received award

• President Ram Nath Kovind presented the most effective Swachchta Ambassador award to Sachin Tendulkar on 150th birth
• In the past 5 years, the sanitation drive launched in the country had truly become a mass movement.
• The UN has set sustainable development goals to be achieved by 2030, but India would be achieving them 11 years ahead of the
schedule.
• Kapil Dev has resigned from the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) of BCCI. He resigned as the chief of the CAC days after Shanta
Rangaswamy stepped down from the 3-member committee.
• SS Mallikarjuna Rao was appointed as the Managing Director(MD)and Chief Executive of the Punjab National Bank(PNB). He is
currently serving as chief executive of the Allahabad Bank.
Person in News
• Air Marshal S K Ghotia took over as the new Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the South Western Air Command (SWAC) of the
Indian Air Force (IAF). He replaced Air Marshal H S Arora, who moved to Air Headquarters as the Vice-Chief of Air Staff.
• The doyen of nutrition research in India, Colathur Gopalan, passed away in October 2019. He was a recipient of the Padma Shri
and the Padma Bhushan.
Person in News
• The government has appointed Surjit Bhalla as the executive director of the International Monetary Fund for a period of 3 years.
He earlier served as a member of the PM's economic advisory council.
• Renowned kidney transplant surgeon and Padma Shri recipient Dr Hargovind Laxmishanker Trivedi passed away. He was awarded
Padma Shri in 2015 for his contribution to society as a nephrologist.
2,600-year-old walls discovered at Keeladi
• The fifth phase of the ongoing excavation at the archaeological site in Keeladi in Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu has unearthed a
total of four brick walls dating back to the Sangam age.
• The State Archeology Department unearthed four walls which are 2,600 years old at the site.
• Excavation work in Keeladi village has been conducted on behalf of the Central Archeology Department since 2015.
First aircraft carrier dry dock inaugurated
• The Indian Navy's largest dry dock to date was inaugurated at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai in a ceremony presided over by
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
• Named 'Aircraft Carrier Dry Dock', the 281m long, 45m wide, and 17m deep facility is capable of accommodating INS
Vikramaditya, the service's sole 44,750-tonne refurbished Kiev-class carrier, as well as ships of up to 90,000 tonnes.
India's Largest 'Charkha' inaugurated
• India's largest 'charkha' made of used plastic waste was inaugurated on the eve of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary in
Noida.
• The 1,650-kg spinning wheel was inaugurated by Union Minister Smriti Irani.
• The 'charkha', which symbolises Gandhi's dream of Swadeshi, measures 14ft, 20ft and 8ft and is made of 1,250 kg of used plastic.
S&P slashed India growth forecast
• S&P Global Ratings reduced India’s growth projection for 2019-20 from 7.1% to 6.3%.
• In the April-June quarter, the economy expanded by just 5%.
• Data released by IHS Markit showed the India Manufacturing PMI at 51.4 in September and the lowest since May 2018.
• The output of India’s eight infrastructure sectors contracting for the first time in more than four years in August at 0.5%.
India, US to launch clean energy initiative
• India and America will launch a new initiative for clean energy to fuel economic growth in the strategically-important Indo-Pacific
region where China has been trying to expand its sphere of influence.
• China has been trying to expand its military presence in the biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the western
and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.
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Book on India-Netherlands relationship

• The Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Venu Rajamony, released his book titled India and the Netherlands, Past, Present and
Future in Amsterdam.
• The King of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander, received the first copy in the presence of the Queen Máxima of the Netherlands.
• Guests included the Dutch Minister for Education, the Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam and the ambassadors of 26 countries.
Russia marked 100th birthday of Kalashnikov
• Russia is preparing to mark the centenary of the birth of Mikhail Kalashnikov, maker of the legendary rifle.
• At Victory Museum in western Moscow, visitors including the young cadets are invited to assemble Kalashnikovs and pose for
selfies at the exhibition.
• Russia will celebrate the life of Kalashnikov, designer of the AK-47 with a number of events including the museum display and a
biopic.
Rita, India's Oldest Chimpanzee died
• India's oldest chimpanzee, Rita, which had been battling old age-related health problems and was on a liquid diet, died at the
Delhi zoo on 1 October 2019.
• Born on December 12, 1960, in Amsterdam Zoo and acquired by the Delhi zoo in 1990, Rita was the oldest chimp in India and
probably the oldest in Asia.
• On an average, a chimpanzee has a lifespan of around 50 years.
Nitin Gadkari launched cow dung soaps
• Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched soaps made of cow dung and bamboo water bottles manufactured by Khadi and Village
Industries Commission.
• The bamboo water bottle is priced at ₹560 and the soap variant of 125 grams costs ₹125 each.
• The ministry proposed a scheme which entails 10% equity participation by the Central government in such listed micro, small and
medium enterprises.
CMFRI teamed up with ISRO
• A mobile app has been developed to collect the complete datasets on smaller wetlands across the coastal region of India.
• The app was developed by the Space Applications Centre (SAC) of the ISRO upon the request of the Central Marine Fisheries
Research Institute (CMFRI).
• The mobile app is aimed to generate a centralised digital database of the smaller wetlands (2.2 ha) across the country.
Union Government launched unified portal
• Union Minister G Kishan Reddy launched a single-window online system for licensing of eating and lodging houses.
• The portal is a step in the direction to achieve PM Narendra Modi's vision to establish a corruption-free economy by bringing in
welfare-oriented economic reforms.
• India has progressively improved its ease of doing business ranking.
Gandhi Jayanti: 2 October
• Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated across India on 2 October every year.
• It marks the birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi who was born 2 October 1869.
• It is one of the three national holidays of India.
• The UN General Assembly announced on 15 June 2007 that 2 October will be celebrated as the International Day of Non-
Violence.
Indian Embassy in Moscow organised exhibition
• Indian Embassy in Moscow in collaboration with the Russian State Duma organised an exhibition on 2 October 2019 dedicated to
the mutual influences of Mahatma Gandhi and Leo Tolstoy on each other's work.
• The exhibition, curated by renowned Gandhian scholar, Dr. Birad Yajnik, will showcase the correspondence between the two
great souls of the 20th century.
Palestine issued commemorative stamp
• Palestine has released a commemorative postage stamp on Mahatma Gandhi, honouring his legacy and values, to mark the 150
birth anniversary of the world leader.
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• Palestinian Authority's Minister of Telecommunication and Information Technology Ishaaq Seder released the stamp in the
presence of Representative of India PA Sunil Kumar at a ceremony held at the ministry in Ramallah.
Khadi Nepal fashion show organised
• On the eve of Gandhi Jayanti Khadi Nepal fashion show ensembling Khadi and handloom couture from India and Nepal was held
in Kathmandu.
• The programme was organised by the Embassy of India in association with South Asia Foundation as part of celebrating 150th
Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Many renowned fashion designers from India and Nepal presented their creations at the show.
Telangana became fully electrified state
• Telangana has become one of the fully electrified states in the country after providing electricity to over 5 lakh 15 thousand
households under the Soubhagya Yojana introduced by the Centre in October 2017.
• During the last two years, the entire state has been covered and the households in remote areas have been provided electricity
under the Sahaj Bijili Ghar Yojana (Soubhagya).
Bongaigaon District Admin launched Campaign
• In Assam, the Bongaigaon District Administration has launched Plants for Plastic Campaign to remove the harmful plastics from
the eco-system.
• The campaign aims to encourage people to collect and remove plastic from their houses, commercial establishments and
educational institutions.
• Any person can deposit 1kg plastic in the municipality office and get a valuable sapling for free.
India registers fourth win in Belgium tour
• In Hockey, the Indian men's team won over reigning World and European champions Belgium to register their fourth consecutive
win of the tour in Antwerp, Belgium on 1 October 2019.
• Amit Rohidas and Simranjeet Singh scored for India while Belgium's lone goal came from captain Felix Denayer.
• India will again face Belgium on 3 October 2019.
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina to visit India
• PM of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina will be visiting India between October 3-6, 2019.
• This will be the first visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India since she came to power in Bangladesh and Prime Minister
Narendra Modi was elected for the second time.
• During the visit, Sheikh Hasina will hold bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 5, 2019.
Sports News
• In Tennis, Andy Murray beat Matteo Berrettini 7-6, 7-6 at the China Open on 1 October 2019 to set up a second-round tie against
fellow Briton Cameron Norrie.
• In athletics, Avinash Sable qualified for the finals of the men's 3000-meter steeplechase after bettering his own national record at
the World Championships in Doha. He also became the 1st Indian man to qualify for a track event final.
Core sector growth slips to 52-month low
• Growth in the eight core sectors in August slumped to the lowest in four years and four months.
• That is, the -0.5% registered in August 2019 was the lowest since April 2015.
• Growth in five out of the eight sectors of the Index of Eight Core Industries fell into the negative zone in August.
Kalli Purie gets award
• India Today Group Vice-Chairperson Kalli Purie was awarded India's Most Powerful Women in Media award.
• She received the award at the British Parliament.
• She is the Vice-Chairperson of the India Today Group.
• Kallie Purie began working with the India Today Group in 1996 as a marketing executive and reporter for their flagship magazine,
India Today.
Global Student Solar Assembly to be organised
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• To commemorate 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in association with IIT
Bombay is organizing the Global Student Solar Assembly on 2nd October 2019.
• 2 Guinness world records will be attempted during this workshop, (a) sustainability lessons to the largest number of participants
at a single place (b) largest number of solar lamps lit together.
An iceberg broke off from the Amery Ice Shelf
• The Australian Antarctic Division said that a new iceberg has broken off from the Amery Ice Shelf in East Antarctica.
• It is more than half the size of the Australian Capital Territory.
• Amery Ice Shelf was located at Mac. Robertson Land.
• It is a broad ice shelf in Antarctica located at the head of Prydz Bay.
MietY, NeGD, and NLIU signs MoU
• National eGovernance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the National Law
Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal signed an MoU at New Delhi on 30 September.
• The MoU aims to implement an Online Capacity Building Programme on Cyber Law, Crime Investigation and Digital Forensics
through NeGD Learning Management System (LMS).
Kerala tops NITI Aayogs SEQI report
• Kerala has emerged on top among 20 large states in terms of quality of school education in the School Education Quality Index
(SEQI).
• SEQI was jointly released by NITI Aayog, Ministry of Human Resource Development and the World Bank, alongside sectoral
experts.
• The report is based on indexing of states and Union Territories (UTs) on the learning outcomes for school-going children.
Asteroid named after Pandit Jasraj
• The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has named an asteroid after Indian classical singer Pandit Jasraj.
• The asteroid formally known as a minor planet, is located between Mars and Jupiter.
• It was discovered on November 11, 2006, by the Catalina Sky Survey.
• Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj is an exponent of Indian classical vocal music.
Fraser-Pryce won World Championship 100m gold
• Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won gold medal in 100m race of 2019 IAAF World Championships held in Doha.
• This was her 4th women’s 100 metres world title.
• She defeated Britain’s European champion Dina Asher-Smith who took silver medal while Marie-Josee Ta Lou finished 3rd.
UNESCO, DD Join Hands for TV Show
• UNESCO and Doordarshan have joined hands to telecast TV bilingual programme ‘Mahatma Lives‘ or ‘Bapu Zinda Hain’ on 1-2
October 2019.
• UNESCO and Doordarshan will telecast TV bilingual programme to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of the
Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.
• The objective of the programme is to celebrate his ideas and teachings.
International Day of Older Persons: 1 October
• The UN observes 1 October every year as International Day of Older Persons.
• The International Day of Older Persons is an opportunity to highlight the important contributions that older people make to
society and raise awareness of the opportunities and challenges of ageing in today’s world.
• 2019 Theme: The Journey to Age Equality.
SBI to have office in Australia’s Victoria
• The State Bank of India has opened its Melbourne office and has become the first Indian bank to have a branch in the Australian
state of Victoria.
• The Melbourne office will assist the growing trade and investment relations between Victoria and India and is the outcome of the
state’s 10-year India Strategy.
• This investment is a testament to our thriving financial services sector.
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Gandhi Film Festival to be organised in Mumbai

• Film Division in association with India Tourism will organise a Gandhi Film Festival in Mumbai from 2-6 October 2019.
• The festival as part of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary will showcase select films focussing on Swachh Bharat and non-
violence.
• Movies to be screened include ‘Gandhi’ by Richard Attenborough, ‘The Making of Mahatma’ and ‘Maine Gandhi ko Nahi Maara’.
RBI announced contests to promote innovations
• RBI has announced two contests to promote innovations and ideas in the payment and settlement systems.
• Shortlisted participants will get an opportunity to present their ideas before a jury of eminent persons while outstanding
innovators will be awarded prizes and citations.
• The contest will be organised through Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), Hyderabad.
Annu Rani qualified for Javelin Throw Final
• Annu Rani has become the first Indian to qualify for Women's Javelin Throw Final at World Athletics Championships in Doha.
• She smashed her own national record during the qualification round of the Championships with best attempt of 62.43 metres.
• Annu Rani finished fifth in the qualifying round, a place above the current World Record holder Barbora Spotakova.
Wilson Singh-Satish Kumar pair won gold
• In Swimming, India's N Wilson Singh and Satish Kumar Prajapati won a gold medal in 10 metres platform synchronised event at
the ongoing 10th Asian Age Group Championships in Bengaluru.
• India, thus, extended their total tally to 60 medals (17 gold, 23 silver and 20 bronze) in the championships.
• The bronze medal went to Mojtaba Valipour and Masood Vakili of Iran with a score of 266.16.
BrahMos supersonic cruise missile test-fired
• DRDO successfully test-fired a land-attack version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile off the coast of Odisha from the
Integrated Test Range in Chandipur on 1 October 2019.
• The missile, with a strike range of 290 km, can be fired from land as well as sea-based platforms.
• It has been fitted with increased indigenous equipment and is a version used by the Army.
PM Modi addressed function of Arogya Manthan
• PM Narendra Modi presided over the valedictory function of Arogya Manthan in New Delhi on 1 October 2019.
• It is a two-day event organized by the National Health Authority to mark the completion of one year of Ayushman Bharat, PM-
JAY.
• He launched a new mobile application of Ayushman Bharat and Ayushman Bharat Start-Up Grand Challenge and also released a
commemorative stamp.
Appointments
• Senior Indian Information Service officer, KS Dhatwalia, has been appointed as the Principal Director General of Press Information
Bureau. He will be the 28th Principal Spokesperson of the government.
• The RBI has superseded the Board of Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank Limited, Mumbai and appointed Jai Bhagwan
Bhoria as the bank's administrator with all powers of the board.
Obituaries
• Celebrated opera singer Jessye Norman, passed away in September 2019. She was a Grammy winner. She was known for her
seemingly effortless soaring voice and effervescent personality.
• Busbee, a Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer best known for his work with the singer Maren Morris, passed away in
September 2019.
Obituaries
• Legendary Mexican singer Jose Jose who was often called ‘El Principe de la Cancion’ or ‘The Prince of Song, passed away. In a
career of more than four-decade, the singer sold millions of albums and picked by 6 Grammy nominations.
• Indian National Army (INA) veteran V Ganesan passed away. He joined Nethaji’s INA at the age of 18 and received six months of
military training in Singapore.
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November 2019
Commissioning of INAS 314 - “Raptors”
• Indian Naval Air Squadron 314, the sixth Dornier aircraft squadron was commissioned at an impressive ceremony held at Naval
Air Enclave, Porbandar.
• INAS 314 derives its name Raptors from the Bird of Prey family. The insignia of the squadron depicts a ‘Raptor bird’ searching
over the vast blue expanse of the sea.
• The Dornier aircraft with twin turboprop engine manufactured by HAL Kanpur.
Home Minister Amit shah attends the 47th AlPSC
• Union Home Minister addresses the Concluding Session of 47th All India Police Science Congress in Lucknow.
• He said that a Holistic approach essential for Internal Security to fight 21st Century Challenges.
• He also metioned that Several Legislative measures are in the offing to strengthen Security Apparatus in the Country.
India and Japan will hold first 2+2 Dialogue
• India and Japan will hold their first-ever Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue (2+2) in New Delhi.
• The two sides are expected to discuss boosting defence and security ties besides other issues of mutual interest.
• The Indian delegation will be led by Rajnath Singh and S Jaishankar. Japan's Foreign Affairs Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and
Def Minister Taro Kono will lead the Japanese side.
ECI organizes Orientation Programme for CSO
• The 2 days workshop/orientation programme on Electoral Literacy Clubs (ELCs)for Civil Society Organizations from 24 States and
UTs was organized at United Service Institution of India
• After LS Election'19, it was decided to conduct workshops to take feedback from the Civil Society Organizations working on the
grassroots level for Voter Awareness and reaching out to voters through ELCs.
President to Visit UP from Nov 30 to Dec 1
• The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, will visit Uttar Pradesh from November 30 to December 1, 2019.
• The President will inaugurate a conference on recent advancements in computer, communication and information technology at
PSIT College of Higher Education, Kanpur.
• He will also attend the first alumni meet of Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur.
President of India hosts President of SriLanka
• The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind received His Excellency Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the President of the Democratic
Socialist Republic of SL at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• He also hosted a banquet in his honour.
• The President said that India has always been keen to strengthen the economic pillar of our bilateral relationship and promote
greater trade and investment links between India and SL
PM announces USD 450 Mn Financial assist to SL
• PM Modi announced financial assistance of USD 450 million to Sri Lanka including USD 50 million to fight terrorism.
• SL police and security personnel are taking training in various Indian institutes on counter terror measures.
• Present Sri Lanka President:Gotabaya Rajapaksa and PM:Mahinda Rajapaksha.
Promotion of e-agriculture in full swing
• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research(ICAR) has established a network of 715 Krishi Vigyan Kendras to mandated with
Technology Assessment and Demonstration for its Application and Capacity Development(TADA–CD).
• To update the knowledge and skills in modern agricultural technologies, 47,000 training courses on various technologies were
organized benefitting as many as 13.51 lakh farmers.
DARPG holds meetings with J&K Higher officials
• A delegation led by the Additional Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances(DARPG) held
meetings with the senior officials of Govt of J&K.
• The officials discussed and firmed up modalities for collaboration between DARPG, National Institute of Financial Management,
National Centre for Good Governance and other departments for conducting capacity building programs.
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Diamond Quadrilateral Bullet Train NW Project

• Government has sanctioned Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) Project with the technical and financial assistance of
the Government of Japan.
• A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) namely National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has been formed to implement
this project.
• This project is targetted for completion by the year 2023.
Ranjana wins National Award for Journalism
• Dr Mangalam Swaminathan Foundation announced the 'National Award for Excellence in Journalism' 2019 to former UNI
journalist Ranjana Narayan for her lifetime achievements.
• She worked for UNI and also worked as the commissioning editor with reputed publishing houses
• The award consists of a cash prize of Rs one lakh, a memento and a citation in bronze
Mandatory BIS hallmark for jewellery from 2021
• Hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts will be made mandatory across the country from 15 Jan 2021 to ensure the purity of
the precious metal.
• BIS is already running a hallmarking scheme for gold jewellery since April 2000 and around 40% of gold jewellery is being
hallmarked currently.
• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has formulated standards for hallmarking gold jewellery.
Bizongo tops in the Fast 50 India programme.
• Bizongo (Smartpaddle), a company that solves packaging design, development and procurement challenges with a tech-enabled
platform.
• It has been declared as the overall winner of the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 India programme.
• The programme conducted by the Deloitte ranks the fastest growing tech companies in India based on their percentage revenue
growth over the past three financial years.
Cybersecurity COE, Hyd signs MoU with IIAAT
• Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence, Hyderabad today signed an MoU with IIAAT, Ministry of Science & Education, Govt. of The
Russian Federation.
• IIAAT is comprehensively engaged in Design, Development and Productization of Next Generation Solutions for Information
Security.
• IIAAT stands for International Institute for Advanced Aerospace Technologies
LPU Scientist to be honoured at 107th ISC
• Associate Professor at School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of LPU Dr Sachin Kumar Singh becomes the first pharmacist to be
awarded at 107th Indian Science Congress (ISC)-2020.
• He has been continuously working towards the development of diabetic medicines using herbal drugs.
• He is also a recipient of Young Scientist Award by DST/SERB and Bharat Shiksha Ratan Award.
Jammu-Srinagar metro operations starts by 2024
• The J&K govt has set a Sept. 2024 deadline to start operations on the ₹9,590 crore metro project for twin cities of Jammu and
Srinagar.
• The Light Metro Elevated Corridor in Jammu will connect Bantalab to Bari Brahmana Railway Station (Corridor-1) with a total
length of 23 kM in phase-I
• Exhibition Ground to Udheywala (Corridor-1) and Exhibition Ground to Satwari Chowk (Corridor-2) in Phase-II
Sept. quarter falls to 4.5%, lowest in 25 qtr
• The Ind economy in the Sept. quarter falls to 4.5%,lowest in 25 quarters,from 5% in the preceding quarter as manufacturing
output contracted.
• During the 2nd qtr,only govt expenditure supported growth by growing at 11.6%,while the financial services sect grew 5.8%.
• China’s GDP growth slowed to 6% in the Sept. qtr the weakest quarterly growth rate since 1992,down from 6.2% in the previous
qtr.
Malayali poet Akkitham wins 55th Jnanpith awd.
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• Malayalam poet Akkitham was conferred with the 55th Jnanpith award for his outstanding contribution to the Malayalam
literature.
• Akkitham is the sixth from Kerala to be bestowed with the highest literary honour and he has authored 55 books.
• Born in 1926, Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri, popularly known as Akkitham is one of the most revered names in Malayalam
poetry.
MG Motor to use recycled Li-ion batteries
• MG Motor India announced its partnership with Umicore, a lithium battery recycling solutions provider, for effective life cycle
management of the lithium-ion batteries.
• MG Motors had also collaborated with Exicom, to ensure effective re-usage of lithium batteries to be used in its electric vehicles.
• MG Motor is a subsidiary of SAIC Motor a Shanghai-based Chinese state-owned automotive.
FASTag implementation postponed to Dec 15
• Central government has postponed the mandatory implementation of FASTag to 15 December.Earlier the date of
implementation was on 1 December.
• FASTag is an electronic device installed in the vehicle to enable drivers to pass through toll plazas without halting for paying the
toll tax.
• The aim is to promote digital payments at toll plaza and decongest national highways.
IBBI amends the IPRCP Regulations, 2016
• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India(IBBI) amends the Insolvency Resolution Process for Corporate
Persons(3rd Amendment) Regulations.
• Regulation 25A has been inserted.
• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code) envisages CIRP for reorganisation and insolvency resolution of corporate
debtors.
Former Japan PM yasuhiro nakasone dies at 101
• Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, an ardent conservative who worked to forge a stronger military alliance
with the United States, died on Friday at the age of 101
• In-office for five years from November 1982 to November 1987, Nakasone was known for trying to transform the nation defeated
in World War II into a full-fledged member of the West during the Cold War era.
IIT Researchers To Create 'Gandhipedia'
• Two IITs (Gandhinagar & Kharagpur) and the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) have joined hands to develop
'Gandhipedia', an online repository of books, letters and speeches written by Mahatma Gandhi.
• The entire project will be done with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• In the first phase, over 40 books written by Mahatma Gandhi will be digitised and indexed.
Mukesh Ambani 9th richest person in the world
• Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani is the ninth richest person in the world, according to 'The Real-Time Billionaires
List' of Forbes.
• According to the Forbes 'The Real-Time Billionaires List', RIL Chairman's 'Real Time Net Worth' stood at $60.8 billion.
• The list was headed by Jeff Bezos, CEO and Founder of Amazon
ADB signed a Loan to strengthen Power Conn
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the GOI signed a $451 mn loan to strengthen power connectivity between the southern
and northern parts of the Chennai–Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor.
• The project will help establish an extra-high-voltage transmission link between Virudhunagar and Coimbatore to transfer the
additional generation capacity of 9,000 MW, including 6,000 MW from renewables.
IFFI 2019 Award winners
• IFFI: International Film Festival of India(Goa).
• The Best Actor (Male) Award has gone to Seu Jorge for his portrayal of Carlos Marighella in the Brazilian movie ‘Marighella’.
• The Best Actor (Female) Award has gone to Usha Jadhav for her portrayal of ‘Prabha Mai’, in the Marathi film ‘Mai Ghatt: Crime
No. 103/2005’.
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• Pema Tseden walked away with the Special Jury Award for his film ‘Balloon’.
‘Rwanda’ won the ICFT–UNESCO Gandhi Medal
• Italian film ‘Rwanda’ directed by Riccardo Salvetti won The ICFT –UNESCO Gandhi Medal.
• ‘Bahattar Hoorain' the Indian movie directed by Sanjay P. Singh Chauhan earned the special mention under ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi
medal category.
• The medal bears a portrait of Gandhi engraved by the French artist Pierre-Yves Tremois. Etched underneath is Mahatma’s
message: In the midst of darkness light prevails
‘Particles’ wins the Golden Peacock Award 2019
• ‘Particles’ directed by Blaise Harrison and produced by Estelle Fialon has won the coveted Golden Peacock Award at the 50th
International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.
• Lijo Jose Pellissery conferred Best Director Award for ‘Jallikattu’
• Amin Sidi Boumediene and Marius Olteanu receives Award for ‘Best Debut Feature Film of a Director’ for ‘Abou Leila’ and
‘Monsters’
K Reddy inaugurates Landslide Risk conference
• The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri G. Kishan Reddy inaugurated the 1st International Conference on “Landslides
Risk Reduction and Resilience".
• The different States of the country as well as others from countries participated and shared their views during the conference.
• More than 50 International Knowledge partners participated in this conference.
Minister Supriyo visits IFFI@50 exhibition
• Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate change Shri Babul Supriyo visited hi-tech digital, interactive and
multimedia exhibition-IFFI@50 organised by Bureau of Outreach and Communication and NFAI in Goa.
• IFFI@50 was conducted as a tribute to IFFI journey from its inception in 1952 till now.
• NFAI stands for National Film Archives of India.
Deloitte appt. as advisor for BPCL stake sale
• The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management has appointed Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd as advisor for the
strategic sale of Bharat Petroleum Corporation.
• Completion of the stake sale in India’s second-largest state-owned oil refiner by March 2020 could help the government mobilise
more than Rs 60,000 crore or $8.4 billion and narrow the fiscal deficit.
Government has launched new Aadhaar app
• UIDAI has updated its Aadhaar mobile app with a new set of features aiming to enhance overall usability and security of the app
and data.
• The new Aadhaar app is available on both Android and iOS.
• UIDAI claims that the new app adds more functionality and secure than the older app with several new features to users such as
the ability to download Aadhaar offline, eKYC authentication, pin lock.
Cybersecurity Tech program by IIT-Kanpur & TS
• IIT-Kanpur has announced an Advanced Certification Program in Cybersecurity and Cyber Defense in partnership with
TalentSprint.
• The program is designed for current and aspiring professionals who are keen to explore and exploit the latest trends in
cybersecurity technologies.
• Its intense practical approach will allow participants to master in-demand skills and build world-class expertise.
CFG acquired majority stake of Mumbai City FC
• Manchester City's parent company City Football Group acquired a majority 65 per cent stake in Indian Super League franchise
Mumbai City FC.
• It is the first time ever,a European club will be acquiring a majority stake in an Indian club.
• Ferran Soriano is the CEO of City Football Group and the Nita Ambani is the chairperson of Football Sports Development Limited
(FSDL) and Reliance Foundation,
Labour Code on IR Bill introduced in Lok Sabha
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• L&E minister Santosh introduced the Labour Code on Industrial Relations Bill in the LS.
• The bill was proposed to make it easier for an employer to engage and disengage workers based on the requirement.
• The Bill also supports fixed-term employment of any duration across sectors and makes provision for all statutory benefits like
social security and wages at par with the regular employee.
IR First electric loco shed 91st anniversary
• The electric loco shed at Kalyan is the first electric loco shed of Indian Railways and is maintained by the Central Railway zone.
• The electric loco shed was established on 28 November 1928 under the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR).
• The electric loco shed at Kalyan during its journey of the last 91 years has maintained nearly 16 different types of electric
locomotives.
Schneider Electric FTY to launch in Bengaluru
• Global energy management and automation company Schneider Electric has opened a new factory in Bengaluru.
• The factory was launched for the manufacture of industrial uninterruptible power supply(UPS) systems and variable speed drives
that regulate the rotation speed of an electric motor.
• This is Schneider's second Smart factory in India, The first unit was launched in Hyderabad in Feb'19.
UP buses accepts credit cards to buy tickets
• Passengers will soon be able to use their credit, debit and smart cards to buy tickets in UP buses.
• UPSRTC will introduce 15,000 Android electronic ticketing machines(ETMs) on all its buses over the next six months.
• The board also approved a policy to offer a “telescopic fare system" to reduce long-distance fare.
• A new bus station to build at Kamta and acquired LDA land for a 90-year lease.
No Pegasus sypware is used for UA interception
• IT minister Ravi responded to the Oppositions’ queries that the govt didn't negotiate any deal or did any bus transaction with the
Israel-based tech firm NSO.
• He said that the govt didn't use Pegasus spyware for the unauthorized interception of WhatsApp.
• He also mentioned that the Centre is conducting cyber auditing, training for officials and skilling of cybersecurity team at CERT-IN
Alok urges pvt hospitals to run in small towns
• NITI Aayog advisor Alok Kumar says to cater to Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY demand, the large private hospitals should manage govt
hospitals in smaller cities.
• Alok also mentioned that the govt is willing to listen to hospitals and other private entities and make changes to the policy.
• PM Modi is the chairman and Amitabh Kant is the CEO of NITI Aayog(National Institution for Transforming India)
RIL market cap hit ₹9.5 lakh crore
• Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is the first Indian company to cross Rs.9.5 lakh in market capitalization (m-cap).
• On 26 Nov 2019, its m-cap touched Rs 9,99,045 crore nearing the Rs 10 lakh crore mark.
• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), RIL’s closest rival in market capital had a share price of Rs.2,110, 2% lower on BSE and m-cap of
Rs.7,71,996.87 crore.
Billie Eilish: Billboard’s Woman of the Year
• Singer Billie Eilish will be honoured as Billboard’s 2019 Woman of the Year on December 12, 2019.
• Taylor Swift will also be honoured at Billboard’s event, receiving the inaugural ‘Woman of the Decade’ award.
• Billie has disrupted the entertainment industry through her music and social media platforms, leaving an indelible impact on the
global cultural zeitgeist.
Guru Ghasidas Park now a tiger reserve
• The Chhattisgarh government has decided to declare Guru Ghasidas National Park in the state’s Korea district as a tiger reserve.
• The decision was taken at a meeting of Chhattisgarh State Wildlife Board chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
• Presently the state has three tiger reserves, namely Indravati in Bijapur district, Udanti-Sitanadi in Gariaband and Achanakmar in
Bilaspur.
SBI & U GRO signed agreement
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• NewQuest-backed U GRO Capital inked a SME loan co-origination agreement with SBI to facilitate broader credit outreach and
faster disbursal.
• The collaboration will work towards offering credit at a competitive rate of interest with a reduced turn-around time by using U
GRO Capital’s indigenously developed co-lending technology platform ‘GRO- Xstream’.
Ekalabya award 2019 for Jhilli Dalabehera
• Odia women weightlifter Jhilli Dalabehera will receive the 27th Ekalabya Award for 2019.
• The annual award instituted by Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust (IMPaCT) comprises a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh along with a
citation.
• She has won two gold, three silver and a bronze medal in different International weightlifting events held between April 1, 2017,
and March 31, 2019.
Suresh Krishna got Quality Ratna award
• India’s first ‘Quality Ratna’ award was awarded to Suresh Krishna, Chairman, Sundram Fasteners Ltd.
• He has been a role model for society in embracing the principles of quality in both personal and professional life.
• This award was awarded by trade body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Institute of Quality, in its 27th Quality Summit held
in Bengaluru.
8th WATEC Israel 2019 held
• Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Gajendra Shekhawat represented India at the 8th WATEC (Water Technology and Environment
Control) Conference 2019 recently in Israel.
• The theme for it was Water Stewardship and Innovation–driving global leadership in the responsible planning management, and
protection of water.
• The conference aimed to get updates on technologies related to water management.
2nd tranche of USD 150 mn for West Bengal
↵
• Asian Development Bank has approved second tranche of USD 150 million for West Bengal to boost capital investment and
infrastructure in the state.
• It is a policy based programme loan of USD 300 million (about Rs 2,130 crore) by ADB for West Bengal Development Finance
Program, which was approved in September 2017.
• The programme comprises two tranches of USD 150 million each.
Book on Hemant Karkare released
• On 11th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, a book titled “Hemant Karkare -A Daughter’s Memoir” was released in
Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• The book has been published by The Write Place.
• The book portrays former Anti-Terrorism Squad(ATS) chief Hemant Karkare’s life as a father to Jui Karkare Navare.
• 18 security personnel lost their lives in the 26/11 terror attacks.
Indian journalist Neha Dixit won award
• Indian journalist Neha Dixit has received 2019 International Press Freedom Awards.
• This award was presented by Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a non-profit organization whose aim is to enable journalists
to work without the fear of reprisal.
• She has covered politics, gender, and social justice in print, TV, and online media for more than a decade.
IWA donated 2 electric vehicles in Nepal
• Indian Women’s Association (IWA) has donated two electric vehicles to Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) in Nepal.
• President of IWA, Namrita Puri handed over vehicles to Dr Pradip Dhakal, Member-Secretary of PADT in Kathmandu.
• These eco-friendly vehicles will be very helpful for the pilgrims visiting holy Pashupati temple especially for elderly and
differently-abled people.
Logo, motto introduced for Lokpal
• Lokpal Chairman Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose launched the new logo and motto for the apex anti-corruption ombudsman.
• A new motto, “Ma Gridhah Kasyasvidhanam (Do not be greedy for anyone’s wealth)”, was also adopted.
• A logo designed by Prashant Mishra, a resident of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, was finally selected out of 2,236 entries.
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Sudhir Dhar passed away

• Renowned cartoonist Sudhir Dhar passed away in November 2019.
• His cartoons have appeared in The Independent, The Pioneer, Delhi Times, New York Times, Washington Post and Saturday
Review among others.
• Sudhir Dhar began his career with The Statesman in 1961 after which he moved to Hindustan Times.
47th All India Police Science Congress began
• In UP, the 47th All India Police Science Congress (AIPSC) began in Lucknow on 28 Nov 2019.
• The two-day event was inaugurated by Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be the chief guest at the valedictory function.
• It is the second time since the inception of the Annual Mind Churning exercise in 1960 that Lucknow is organizing this event.
Abhishek-Jyothi claimed gold in Archery
• Abhishek Verma and Jyothi Surekha Vennam claimed the gold in compound mixed pair event at the 21st Asian Archery
Championships.
• The Indians defeated Chinese Taipei opponents Yi-Hsuan Chen and Chieh-Luh Chen 158-151 in the final clash.
• India picked up seven medals including one gold, two silver and four bronze meddles in the event.
Person in News
• Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray took oath as the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra on 28 Nov 2019. He will head the Shiv
Sena-NCP-Congress alliance government.
• Australian writer and broadcaster, Clive James passed away in Nov 2019. He delivered wry commentary on international
programming in shows such as Clive James On Television.
IFFI concluded at Panaji in Goa
• The International Film Festival of India, IFFI, came to an end at Panaji in Goa on 28 Nov 2019.
• The 50th edition of Asia's biggest film festival began on the 20 November 2019.
• The theme of the event was Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat.
• More than 30 Masterclass and In Conversation sessions were conducted this time at IFFI.
• Filmmakers like Imtiaz Ali and Priyadarshan held such sessions.
Gadkari addressed NuGen Mobility Summit 2019
• The NuGen Mobility Summit 2019 is being held at International Centre for Automotive Technology Centre, ICAT in Gurugram.
• Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari addressed the summit on 27 Nov 2019.
• The three-day Summit is being attended by experts from the automotive industry, system and technology companies, experts in
technology domains, researchers, from across the world.
Authorised capital of FCI enhanced
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved to increase the authorized capital of Food Corporation of India (FCI) from
the existing Rs 3,500 crore to Rs 10,000 crore.
• With this, additional equity capital can be infused in the FCI through the Union Budget, to fund the foodgrains stock, perpetually
held by FCI.
• This will reduce the borrowings of FCI and save its interest cost.
Agreement approved between India, Chile
• The Union Cabinet approved signing of the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement and Protocol between India and Chile.
• This will facilitate elimination of double taxation, prevention of fiscal evasion and avoidance with respect to taxes on income.
• A clear allocation of taxing rights between Contracting States will provide tax certainty to investors and businesses of both the
nations.
Assam Tourism signed MoU with Times Group
• The Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) signed a MoU with the Times Group for organising the 65th Filmfare
Awards on February 15, 2020.
• This is the first time the main Filmfare awards show is being held outside Mumbai.
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• The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Bennett Coleman and Company Limited
managing director Vineet Jain.
Andhra Pradesh govt launched helpline
• Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched ‘14400’, a citizen helpline number.
• It will enable people to complain about corruption in government departments.
• Citizens could directly call the helpline and lodge a complaint against corruption in any government department.
• The Chief Minister made the first call on the occasion to the call centre and enquired about its functioning.
India to host naval drill Milan 2020
• The Indian Navy will host military drill 'Milan 2020' in March 2022 which will witness the participation of several countries.
• The drill will be held in Visakhapatnam.
• MILAN denotes Multilateral Naval Exercise.
• MILAN series of biennial exercises commenced in 1995.
• It was held at Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) for the first time.
Intel partnered with MediaTek
• In a bid to bring its new 5G modem to PCs, MediaTek is partnering with Intel.
• Dell and HP are expected to be among the first original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to deliver laptops powered by Intel and
MediaTek's 5G solution.
• Through this partnership, Intel has been working with MediaTek on the 5G solution for deployment in key consumer and
commercial laptop segments.
Bipin Rawat to be first Chief of Defence Staff
• General Bipin Rawat will end his tenure as the Army Chief in December 2019.
• He will take over as the first Chief of Defence Staff – a four star position being created as part of a defence management
overhaul.
• He will get a term of 2 years as the CDS.
• He took over as the 27th Chief of Army Staff on 31 December 2016 after General Dalbir Singh retired.
Sumatran rhinoceros are extinct in Malaysia
• The Sumatran rhinoceros is now extinct in Malaysia.
• The country’s last female rhino, Iman, died of cancer recently.
• Iman was captured in March 2014 and was given the very best care and attention after the capture.
• Tam, Malaysia’s last male rhino, died in May 2019.
• Sumatran rhinoceros also known as Asian two-horned rhinoceros is the smallest rhinoceros.
Railways set up Institute in Hyderabad
• The Indian Railway Institute of Financial Management (IRIFM) has been set up in Hyderabad, Telangana.
• This new entity is set up to impart professional training in the management of railway finances.
• The project was conceived and constructed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) at a cost of Rs 85 crore.
• It marks an important addition to the list of premier professional institutions in India.
National Tribal Craft Mela 2019
• CM of Odisha Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the National Tribal Craft Mela – 2019 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha recently.
• The objective of the Mela is to preserve, promote and popularise traditional tribal art and craft and help the artisans to find
better opportunities.
• More than 240 tribal artisans from 18 states including Sikkim, Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, etc. are participating in the Mela.
Ashok Leyland Ltd, ICICI Bank signed MoU
• Ashok Leyland Ltd. (ALL) has entered into a two year MoU with ICICI Bank.
• It will offer customised financial solutions to customers across India with a focus on semiurban and rural geographies.
• The bank will work in close coordination with the authorised dealers of Ashok Leyland to provide financial solutions to the
customers.
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National Milk Day: 26 November

• National Milk Day is observed every year on 26 November.
• India is one of the largest milk-producing countries in the world.
• National Milk Day is celebrated to commemorate the birthday of Dr. Verghese Kurien, the father of India’s White Revolution.
• Milk production in India has gone up from 137 million tonnes to 187 million tonnes and farmers have benefited immensely.
Devi Ahilya University gets A grade from NAAC
• The Indore-based Devi Ahilya University has become Madhya Pradesh's first varsity to be accorded A grade by the National
Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
• The Centre of higher learning is now entitled to several other facilities.
• It may introduce courses recognised by the University Grants Commission without its permission besides commencing open
distance-learning courses.
UP to set up state's 1st vulture conservation
• The Uttar Pradesh government will set up state's first vulture conservation and breeding centre in Farenda area of Maharajganj
district.
• It will be set up on the lines of Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre at Pinjore in Haryana, which is also the first in the country.
• There has been a sharp decline in the population of vultures from 40 million to 19,000 in a span of over three decades.
Seminar DEFCOM INDIA 2019 began in New Delhi
• A two-day seminar "DEFCOM INDIA 2019" is being held in New Delhi.
• The theme for it is “Communications: A Decisive Catalyst for Jointness”.
• The seminar began on 26 Nov 2019.
• It is devoted to the seminal theme of leveraging communications for achieving jointness between the three services.
• Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik inaugurated and addressed the event.
Mayank Agarwal made maiden entry in top 10
• Opener Mayank Agarwal made his maiden entry into the top 10 in the ICC Test rankings issued on 26 Nov 2019.
• Virat Kohli with 928 rating points, reduced the gap from 25 to three points with Australian Smith 931 to retain the second spot.
• Mayank jumped one place to 10th with 700 points.
• He is the fourth Indian batsmen in the top 10 list.
Indian archers clinched 3 bronze medals
• Indian archers bagged 3 bronze medals on 27 Nov 2019 and also ensured three silver medals, at the ongoing Asian Championship
at Bangkok.
• The Indian archers are competing in the tournament as neutral athletes under the World Archery flag due to the suspension of
the national federation, Archery Association of India.
• Atanu Das first clinched a bronze in the men's recurve individual event.
ISRO launched satellite Cartosat-3
• ISRO launched India’s most sophisticated Earth observation satellite Cartosat-3 on 27 Nov 2019.
• The third generation, agile and advanced satellite was carried by PSLV-C47 along with 13 other nano-satellites belonging to a US
firm.
• It was ignited from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
Anti Tank Guided Missiles inducted in Army
• The Indian Army has inducted Israel made Anti Tank Guided Missiles Spike along the LoC in the northern command theatre in
Jammu and Kashmir.
• It will strengthen defence along the border with Pakistan.
• Known as the "fire and forget" missiles, Spike are portable by men and are powerful enough to destroy tanks and bust bunkers
within four kilometres.
Person in news
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• Suman Billa will join the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) at its headquarters in Madrid, Spain. He will take
charge as Director, Technical Cooperation and Silk Road Development.
• Newly sworn-in Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis resigned on 26 Nov 2019 after the resignation of Deputy CM
and NCP leader Ajit Pawar, reducing the BJP-led government to a minority.
Transgender Persons Bill passed
• Parliament passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019 on 26 Nov 2019.
• It defines a transgender person as one whose gender does not match the gender assigned at birth.
• It provides every transgender person a right to reside and be included in his household.
• The Bill prohibits discrimination against a transgender person including denial of service, etc.
National Institute of Design Bill passed
• Parliament has passed the National Institute of Design (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
• It seeks to amend the National Institute of Design Act, 2014, which declares the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad as an
institution of national importance.
• It also seeks to declare 4 National Institutes of Design in Amaravati, Bhopal, Jorhat and Kurukshetra as institutions of national
importance.
'She Shuttle' for women launched
• An exclusive bus service for women passengers in Hyderabad has been launched.
• The initiative by Infosys, called 'She Shuttle', was inaugurated by the police at Infosys, Pocharam Village, Ghatkesar on 25 Nov
2019.
• 'She Shuttle' is equipped with a well-monitored surveillance system with CCTV cameras, a lady security guard and a smartphone
app for every passenger with a panic button.
Etawah Lion Safari inaugurated in UP
• The Etawah Lion Safari was thrown open for public in Uttar Pradesh without the lion segment, on 24 November 2019.
• It is one of the biggest safari parks in Asia with an area of 350 hectares.
• It has been developed as an educative tourist destination for children as well as youths.
• The safari is expected to attract tourist and make Etawah a major tourist centre in the country.
Global prosperity index 2019
• The first-ever Prosperity & Inclusion City Seal and Awards (PICSA) Index, was released in the Basque Country capital of Bilbao in
northern Spain recently.
• Bangalore emerged as India’s highest-ranked city at No. 83 in the new index of the world’s 113 cities in terms of economic and
social inclusivity, topped by Zurich in Switzerland.
• Delhi is at 101st and Mumbai at 107th places.
SEBI slapped Rs 40.5 lakh fine on 7 firms
• SEBI imposed a total fine of Rs 40.5 lakh on 7 companies for indulging in fraudulent trading in the illiquid stock options segment
on the BSE.
• Rs 10.5 lakh was levied on Green Venture Securities Management Pvt Ltd while Morgan Financial Services, Niranjan Housing,
Navrang Tradelinks, Niranjan Metallic, Nishu Leasing and Finance and Midpoint Tradelink faced a fine of Rs 5 lakh each.
5% reservation to sportspersons in jobs in MP
• MP government has announced 5% reservation to national and international medallists sportspersons in state government jobs.
• The announcement was made by MP Minister of Sports and Youth Welfare Jitu Patwari while inaugurating the Regional Olympic
Games at Kampoo sports complex in Gwalior.
• He also announced that under-16 zonal Olympics will be held in MP to facilitate talented children.
5G in India to become available in 2022
• The next generation mobile services on 5G technology is expected to become available in India for subscription in 2022.
• This was announced by Ericsson in a report released on 25 November 2019.
• The company in an annual mobility report projected that 5G connections will account for 11 per cent of total subscription in India
by 2025.
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Person in News
• Four days after selling a stake in India’s largest listed television network, Subhash Chandra has stepped down as chairman of the
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL). It was founded in 1992.
• The South Korean singer and actress Goo Hara passed away in November 2019. She was a former member of the K-Pop group
Kara, which she joined in 2008.
5 medical colleges to be set up in Rajasthan
• The Central government has approved the proposal of setting up five new medical colleges in different districts of Rajasthan.
• Medical colleges will come up in Hanumangarh, Dausa, Tonk, Sawaimadhopur and Jhunjhunu districts of the state.
• With the approval of these medical colleges, the state will have medical colleges in 30 out of its 33 districts.
11th anniversary of 26/11
• The Nation remembered the martyrs of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks on its 11th anniversary on 26 Nov 2019.
• Various events have been organised in the city.
• Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu paid tributes to the martyrs of the terror attack.
• On November 26, 2008 Mumbai was attacked by 10 terrorists of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba.
• 166 people including 18 police officers had lost their lives.
Anti-corruption helpline launched in Prayagraj
• The Prayagraj police have launched an anti-corruption helpline.
• People can lodge complaints against police personnel on this number.
• The identity of the complainant is kept confidential.
• A complaint can also be posted with an audio or video proof against the cops on the WhatsApp number that is monitored directly
by the SSP.
• 9369887221 is the helpline number.
3rd Military Literature Festival to be held
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the three-day long Military Literature Festival (MLF) on 13 December 2019 at
Chandigarh.
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• The event would present an international level forum to foster and preserve the exchange of knowledge related to military
literature and associated works.
• The ten books of noted defence and literary authors would also be released on occasion.
RBI expanded the scope of SNRR account
• RBI has enhanced the scope of Special Non-resident Rupee (SNRR) by allowing persons residing outside India to open such
accounts for purposes like trade credit in INR.
• Any person residing outside India, having a business interest in India can open a non-interest SNRR account with a bank for bona
fide transactions in rupees.
• The restriction on the tenure of SNRR account has also been removed.
NVIDIA announced world’s largest supercomputer
• NVIDIA has announced a new kind of GPU-accelerated supercomputer in the cloud on Microsoft Azure.
• NDv2 supercomputer is designed to handle demanding AI and high-performance computing applications, using up to 800 NVIDIA
V100 Tensor Core GPUs.
• It enables customers to rent an AI supercomputer on-demand from their desk, and match the capabilities of large-scale on-
premises supercomputers.
Indian archers bagged bronze
• The embattled Indian archers Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari won bronze medal in the recurve mixed pair event of the Asian
Archery Championships on 25 Nov 2019.
• They competed under a neutral flag due to the suspension of Indian federation.
• They defeated Yichai Zheng and Shaoxuan Wei of China 6-2 in the event.
Israeli fire experts delegation visited Mumbai
• A delegation from Israel National Fire and Rescue department visited Mumbai to discuss special training program for Mumbai’s
Fire Brigade personnel.
• The 3-day visit is a part of capacity building and exchange and collaboration progamme between the two countries.
• To mark the 11th anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, they also visited Nariman House on 26 Nov 2019.
Sangram, Varsha won double trap national title
• Sangram Dahiya and Varsha Varma clinched double trap titles, winning gold at the 63rd National Shotgun Shooting Championship
in New Delhi 25 Nov 2019.
• Sangram, from Haryana, shot 142 out of 150 targets to leave behind former world champion Ankur Mittal.
• Varsha, from MP, in the women's category, clinched the gold ahead of state-mate Manisha Keer, who won a Silver.
Floating school project in Bangladesh awarded
• Floating school project in Bangladesh won Aga Khan Architecture Award.
• ‘The Arcadia Education Project’ in South Kanarchor of Bangladesh is an innovative concept.
• The school also serves as a shelter, a daycare centre and a vocational training centre for the local people.
• The project has been lauded for its contribution to improve the lives of rural students coming from poor families.
Constitution Day celebrated on 26 November
• Constitution Day or Samvidhan divas was celebrated on 26 Nov 2019 across the country.
• The day marks the adopting of the Indian Constitution by the Constituent Assembly in 1949.
• It came into force on 26th January, 1950, marking the beginning of a new era in the history of Indian Republic.
• The government has planned year-long activities to mark 70 years of the adoption of the Constitution.
Taxation Laws Bill, 2019 introduced
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha on 25 Nov 2019.
• The Bill provides domestic companies with a new option to pay tax at the rate of 22%, provided they do not claim certain
deductions under the IT Act.
• Currently, domestic companies with an annual turnover of up to 400 crore rupees pay income tax at the rate of 25 per cent.
Subsidy Services Awas Portal launched
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• Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri launched Credit-linked Subsidy Services Awas Portal, CLAP, in New
Delhi on 25 Nov 2019.
• The portal provides a transparent and robust real-time web-based monitoring system for credit-linked Subsidy Services, CLSS,
beneficiaries.
• Using the portal, a beneficiary can track his application status in real-time.
Amaravati included in India's political map
• The Survey of India released a new political map of India with Amaravati as the capital of Andhra Pradesh.
• Amaravati was missing from the new map, which was released by the Survey of India on November 2, 2019.
• Telangana has Hyderabad as its capital and it is the capital for Andhra Pradesh too for a period of 10 years from the date of
bifurcation from 2014.
India ranked 44th in Food Vulnerability Index
• According to a new report by Nomura Global Market Research, India is ranked 44 out of 110 countries in Nomura's Food
Vulnerability Index (NFVI).
• NFVI ranks countries on the basis of their exposure to large swings in food prices.
• At 4.6%, India’s retail inflation for October 2019 touched a 16-month high because of the jump in food prices.
Muthoot Finance to acquire IDBI Mutual Fund
• Muthoot Finance Ltd entered into a definitive agreement to acquire IDBI Asset Management Ltd and IDBI Mutual Fund Trustee
Company Ltd.
• Muthoot Finance will purchase 100 per cent equity shares of IDBI Asset Management and IDBI MF Trustee for a total
consideration of Rs 215 crore.
• The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of February 2020.
Marathon man Kipchoge won Athlete of the Year
• Eliud Kipchoge, the first man to run a marathon in less than two hours, and 400 metres hurdles world champion Dalilah
Muhammad won the World Athlete of the Year awards.
• Kipchoge claimed the prize after making history in Oct 2019 when he ran the marathon distance of 42.195 kilometres in 1hr
59min 40.2sec.
• Muhammad set a world record of 52.20 sec at the US Trials in Iowa in July 2019.
Day for the Elimination of Violence: 25 Nov
• The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is observed across the world on 25 November annually.
• The theme for 2019 is “Orange the World: Generation Equality Stands Against Rape”.
• The colour orange in the theme symbolizes a better future without the pervasive human rights violation that affects 1 in 3
women and girls all over the globe.
Aquatic environment with no life form found
• Researchers have found an aquatic environment on the Earth with complete absence of any form of life.
• The study, published in the journal, Nature Ecology and Evolution, revealed that any form of microbial life was absent in the hot,
saline, hyperacid ponds of the Dallol geothermal field in Ethiopia.
• The research may lead to an improved understanding of the limits of habitability.
Rising surface temperature causes El Nino
• A study shows, rising surface temperature in the tropical Pacific Ocean for prolonged periods leads to a climate process called the
El Nino.
• El Ninos have become more intense in the industrial age, which stand to worsen storms, drought, and coral bleaching.
• El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is 25 per cent stronger than in the pre-industrial records.
Railway installed honey been sound system
• In Assam, the Rangia Division of the North-East Frontier Railway has achieved success in avoiding deaths of wild animals while
crossing tracks.
• Special honey bee sound system has been installed at 21 locations.
• These instruments proved useful in avoiding the deaths of elephants as honey bee sounds distract elephants.
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• This instrument will be installed in five more places.

India to host SCO forum
• India will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Forum of Young Scientists and Innovators in 2020.
• The 5th Meeting of SCO Member States Heads of Ministries and Departments of Science and Technology concluded in Moscow,
Russia recently.
• The Indian delegation was led by Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Dr. Shekhar Mande.
International Film festival of India updates
• The 50th IFFI edition is screening three films for those with special needs, under the ‘Accessible India-Accessible Films’ section.
This is a joint collaboration between IFFI, Saksham Bharat and UNESCO.
• A Masterclass titled Sound Cinema and Experience was held at IFFI by Sound designer Bishwadeep Chatterjee. He has done sound
effects for popular films like Bajirao Mastani, Uri and Piku.
Sangai Festival 2019 began in Manipur
• In Manipur, week-long Manipur Sangai Festival 2019 started from 24 Nov 2019.
• The festival is being organized by the State Tourism Department and is the biggest festival held annually to promote tourism.
• The formal inaugural function of the festival was held at Hapta Kangjeibung at Imphal.
• The festival will conclude on the 30th of November 2019.
UP govt launched immunisation campaign
• UP government launched a massive immunisation campaign against the filariasis or Filaria from 25 Nov 2019.
• The Central government has set the year 2021 as the deadline for complete eradication of filaria in the country.
• Under this campaign, more than 65 thousand teams of health workers will distribute medicines to around 6.5 crore people till 10
December 2019 in 19 districts.
Obituaries
• The General Secretary of The Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and former West Bengal Minister Kshiti Goswami passed away in
Nov 2019. He was PWD Minister in Jyoti Basu and Buddhadev Bhattacharjee's cabinet.
• Former Madhya Pradesh CM Kailash Joshi passed away. Called as the 'saint of politics', he served as the state's Chief Minister
from 1977 to 1978. He was MLA for eight terms.
3-day Commonwealth Youth Parliament began
• Delhi Assembly is hosting a three-day Commonwealth Youth Parliament which began on 25 November 2019.
• Around 47 participants from 24 Commonwealth countries will participate in the event along with eleven participants from India.
• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will be the Chief Guest of the event.
• It is for the first time that an Indian Legislature is hosting the Commonwealth Youth Parliament.
India won 28 medals in U-15 Wrestling C’ships
• In wrestling, India concluded its campaign at the Under-15 Asian Championships with 28 medals, including 13 gold, 14 silver and a
bronze.
• Deepak Chahal won the gold in 75kg, Vishal in 62kg, Sagar Jaglan in 68kg and Jatin in 85kg.
• For the first time, India finished on top of the team rankings in freestyle category with 225 points as all 10 wrestlers finished on
the podium.
Lakshya Sen won Scottish Open title
• In badminton, India's Lakshya Sen has won the Scottish Open men's single title, defeating Brazilian Ygor Coelho to seal his fourth
title in three months.
• He registered an 18-21, 21-18, 21-19 win in 56 minutes to claim the title in Glasgow.
• He also the Belgian International in September 2019.
• He won BWF Super 100 title at the Dutch Open and the SaarLorLux Open in Germany.
Rafael Nadal clinched sixth Davis Cup title
• In tennis, world number one Rafael Nadal clinched sixth Davis Cup title for Spain after beating Denis Shapovalov of Canada in
Madrid.
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• Nadal defeated Shapovalov 6-3, 7-6 (9-7) to clinch Spain’s 2-0 win against Canada.
• In 2010 Nadal won three majors, and in 2019, he won the French Open and the US Open, made till the Australian Open final and
also reached the Wimbledon semifinals.
Railways to implement automatic system
• The Railways is planning to cover its entire network of 68,000 route km with automatic train protection system in a phased
manner.
• This was announced at the 62nd annual day of Indian Railways Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunication.
• The system would be implemented on 650 route km of the golden quadrilateral corridor connecting the 4 metros - Delhi,
Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.
Miscellaneous News
• Union Minister for Road Transport Nitin Gadkari released a booklet titled 'Convergence of National Highway
improvement/construction with water conservation and groundwater recharge' at Agro Vision-2019 in Nagpur.
• The two-day Air Force Commanders' Conference began in New Delhi on 25 November 2019. Defence Minister Rajnath
Singh inaugurated the meet.
NCC celebrated its 71st Raising Day
• The National Cadet Corps (NCC), the world's largest uniformed youth organization, celebrated its 71st Raising Day on 24 Nov
2019.
• Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar and DG NCC Lt Gen Rajeev Chopra paid homage to the martyrs at the National War Memorial in
New Delhi.
• The multifaceted activities and varied curriculum of NCC provide unique opportunities to the youth for their development.
CCRAS signed MoU with JNU and ILBS
• Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) has entered into a MoU with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and
Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS).
• It was signed for cooperation in the field of Research & Development and Training in Ayurveda & Traditional Medicine, in New
Delhi on 20th November 2019.
India successfully test fired Prithvi 2
• India successfully testfired its indigenously developed nuclear-capable surface-to-surface Prithvi-2 missile from a test range off
Odisha coast.
• Two Prithvi-2 missiles were test-fired consecutively and both tests met all parameters.
• Prithvi-2 is capable of carrying 500-1,000 kg of warheads and is powered by liquid propulsion twin engines.
13th edition of the Hero I-League launched
• The 13th edition of the Hero I-League was officially launched at a ceremony in New Delhi on 21 November 2019.
• The League will kick off on November 30, 2019.
• The league will feature 11 teams this season, with the induction of TRAU FC, winners of the Hero Second division last season.
• The first match will be played between Mohun Bagan and Aizawl FC in Aizawl.
GeM signed MoU with Government of NCT Delhi
• Government e Marketplace (GeM) signed an MoU, with the Government of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi recently.
• It was signed to facilitate buyer organizations of Delhi towards a market-based procurement.
• The MoU will further expedite the harmonisation of the procurement guidelines of the two entities and integration of the
systems, enabling seamless procuring experience.
172nd Defence Pensioners Adalat inaugurated
• Rajnath Singh inaugurated the 172nd Defence Pensioners Adalat in Lucknow on 23 Nov 2019, becoming the first Defence
Minister to be a part of the event.
• The two-day Adalat aims at redressal of pension related grievances of veterans of Armed Forces and their Next of Kin residing in
all districts of UP.
• It has been organised by Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions), Prayagraj.
Vijender Singh claimed 12th successive win
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• Vijender Singh defeated Ghana’s former Commonwealth champion Charles Adamu to claim his 12th successive win on 22
November 2019.
• The former Olympic bronze-medallist prevailed unanimously in an eight-round super middleweight contest against Charles.
• This was Vijender's second win of 2019.
• His previous win was in August 2019 in which he beat Mike Snider via a fourth-round TKO.
AIIA signed MoU with Western Sydney University
• All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) has signed a MoU with Western Sydney University, Australia at New Delhi.
• The MoU will promote collaboration in research and developing guidelines for integrating Ayurveda principles with modern
medicine.
• The MoU was agreed and exchanged during the event “India Australia International Education and Research Workshop” in New
Delhi.
Ocean Dance Festival 2019 began in Bangladesh
• The four day long Ocean Dance Festival 2019 kicked off in Cox Bazar of Bangladesh on 22 Nov 2019.
• Ocean Dance Festival is the largest international dance festival of Bangladesh in which more than 200 dancers, choreographers
and scholars from 15 countries are participating.
• The theme for the year 2019 is 'Bridging the distance' or Durotter Shetubandhan.
Andhra Pradesh govt launched a scheme
• Andhra Pradesh State government launched YSR Matsyakara Bharosa on 21 November 2019.
• Under this, 1,32,332 fishermen in the 21-60 age group will get an enhanced monetary relief of Rs 10,000 each during the marine
ban and lean period every year between April and June.
• Also, subsidy on diesel has been enhanced under the new scheme from Rs 6.03 to Rs 9 per litre.
Digital Gurukul partnered with Certif-ID
• Digital Gurukul, awarded Asia's best digital marketing institute from Indore partnered with Germany based company - Certif-ID to
issue blockchain-powered Certificates to its students.
• It has become India's first institute to do so.
• All students graduating from Digital Gurukul will now be able to share the credential of their diplomas with future employers
around the world without any hassle.
5th AIEC meeting held
• Union Minister for Human Resource Development Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' co-chaired the 5th Australia-India Education
Council (AIEC) meeting along with Australian Education Minister Dan Tehan in New Delhi.
• The meeting was held on 22 November 2019.
• On the sidelines of the meeting, the two ministers inaugurated the India-Australia International Education and Research
Workshop.
Indian Army celebrated Poonch Link Up Day
• Poonch Link Up Day was celebrated by the Indian Army on 23 November 2019.
• The day marks the Operation Easy conducted by Indian Army in 1948 to defend the border district from the invading Pakistani
raiders.
• The day marks the historic link up carried out by Brigadier Pritam Singh's forces with Brigadier Yadunath's forces from Rajouri at
Danna Ka Pir on 21 November 1948.
Manisha Kulshreshtha won award
• Noted writer from Rajasthan, Manisha Kulshreshtha, was awarded the 28th Bihari Puraskar for 2018 for her novel Swapnapash,
on 22 Nov 2019.
• The award is presented by the KK Birla Foundation and is for writers of Rajasthani origin.
• It is given annually to an outstanding work in Hindi or Rajasthani published in the past 10 years.
• It carries a cash prize of Rs 2.5 lakh, a citation, and plaque.
IAAF officially changed its name
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• The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has officially changed its name and will now be known as “World
Athletics”.
• The name has been changed in a bid to make the sport more accessible.
• The IAAF was founded in 1912 as the International Amateur Athletic Federation and changed its name to the “International
Association of Athletics Federations” in 2001.
Brazil lifted U-17 World Cup title
• The Brazilian football team defeated the football team of Mexico in the finals for 2-1, to win the 18th edition of the FIFA
(Fédération Internationale de Football Association) under 17 World Cup trophy held in Brasilia, Brazil recently.
• The victory added to Brazil’s successes in 1997, 1999 and 2003 as it moved within one of Nigeria’s record of five championships.
Bajrang Punia honoured in Dubai
• Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia was conferred the Indian Personality of the Year Award (Sports) at the Indo Arab Leaders Summit &
Awards 2019 in Dubai recently.
• World powerlifting champion Mahant Gaurav Sharma was also honoured with Visionary Leaders of the Year (Sports) award.
UNICEF released a booklet
• UNICEF released a 28-page booklet “From uttapam to sprouted dal parantha”.
• It gives recipes of freshly prepared foods and their respective costs of preparation.
• The book is based on the findings of the overall National Nutrition Survey 2016-18, according to which 35 % of children under the
age of 5 are stunted, 17 % are wasted (low weight for height) and 33 % are underweight.
Uttarakhand CM launched a project
• Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat launched a project that will connect 500 secondary schools to virtual classrooms.
• Schools facing a shortage of teachers will benefit from the new technology.
• Virtual classes are attended through video conferences where students can meet the teacher on a real-time basis and ask
questions.
• Around 1.90 lakh students will benefit from the project.
Chitharesh Natesan crowned Mr Universe 2019
• Chitharesh Natesan became the first Indian to win ‘Mr. Universe (Pro) 2019’ in 90kg category at the 11th World Bodybuilding and
Physique Sports Championship(WBPF) in South Korea.
• He is a hockey player turned bodybuilder also known as the ‘Indian Monster’ by bodybuilding circles.
• India secured the second position in the team championship category behind Thailand.
Climate Emergency: Word of the Year
• Oxford Dictionaries has named “climate emergency” as its 2019 Word of the Year.
• The use of the term “climate emergency” increased by a hundredfold since 2018, according to data collected in the Oxford
Corpus.
• Climate emergency is defined as a situation in which urgent action is required to reduce climate change and also to avoid the
possible irreversible environmental loss resulting from it.
Greta Thunberg received Peace Prize
• Greta Thunberg was awarded an international children's peace prize on 21 Nov 2019, for her work in the struggle against climate
change.
• Cameroonian peace activist Divina Maloum also received the International Children's Peace Prize.
• The award was given by the Dutch KidsRight organisation, which has been handing out the prize since the year 2005.
Appointments
• Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled his new cabinet which includes Anita Indira Anand, making her the first Hindu to
be a federal minister in the country.
• Election Commission of India has appointed Sh Mrinal Kanti Das (IPS 1977 Retd) as Special Police Observer for the ensuing
Elections to the State Legislative Assembly of Jharkhand 2019.
NIA hosted counter-terrorism exercise
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• The National Investigation Agency (NIA) hosted the first-ever counter-terrorism (CT) exercise for the Quad countries in New Delhi
on 21-22 Nov 2019.
• The Quad countries include the United States (US), India, Australia, and Japan.
• According to the NIA, the exercise was to assess and validate CT response mechanisms in the light of emerging terrorist threats.
World COPD Day: 20 November
• The WHO and Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) organize World COPD (Chronic Obstructive
Pulmonary Disease) Day on the third Wednesday of November every year.
• This year it was observed on 20 Nov 2019.
• It was first launched in 1997 by WHO, GOLD and other institutes in the US.
• For 2019, the day is marked to create awareness in the Theme: All Together to End COPD.
Kalaburagi Airport inaugurated under UDAN
• The 1st flight from Kalaburagi Airport to Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru took off on 22 Nov 2019 after its
inauguration by the CM of Karnataka.
• The airport has been built under the UDAN-RCS Scheme of Govt. of India.
• Kalaburagi Airport will act as a gateway for tourist destinations including Buddha Vihar, Sharana Basaveshwara Temple, Khwaja
Banda Nawaz Dargah, and Gulbarga Fort.
US cleared sale of Naval Guns to India
• The US State Department cleared the sale of sophisticated MK-45 naval guns worth $1 billion to India.
• The MK-45 guns will enhance India’s naval capabilities, particularly in the Arabian Sea.
• The Gun System will provide the capability to conduct anti-surface warfare and anti-air defence missions while enhancing
interoperability with the U.S. and other allied forces.
Lieutenant Shivangi: 1st woman pilot for Navy
• The first woman pilot for Navy Lieutenant Shivangi will join naval operations on completion of operational training on December
2, 2019.
• She hails from Muzzafarpur, Bihar.
• She was inducted into Indian Navy as SSC (Pilot) as part of 27 NOC course in Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala.
• She will get authorisation on December 2, 2019, to fly Dornier aircraft.
Indian scientists identified a protein
• Scientists at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad have demonstrated the role of a protein
secretagogin (SCGN) in increasing insulin action in obesity-induced diabetes.
• SCGN binds to insulin and protects it from various stresses, increases its stability and adds to its action.
• The findings have established SCGN as a functional insulin-binding protein.
J&K achieves highest road length under PMGSY
• Jammu and Kashmir has achieved the highest road length in the country in 2019 so far under the centrally-sponsored scheme
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
• The scheme is a mega flagship programme with the main objective of providing connectivity to rural areas.
• The Union Territory has completed around 11,400 kilometres covering 1,838 habitations.
Indian Army dedicated Goodwill Park
• As a mark of tribute to Late Naib Subedar Chuni Lal, an Army Goodwill Park was dedicated at Bhara in Doda on 22 November
2019 by GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh.
• The Army Goodwill Park has a statue of the martyred soldier, beside a Children park and open Gym for the villagers.
• Late Naib Subedar Chuni Lal was one of the most decorated soldiers of the Indian Army.
India, China to hold celebratory activities
• India and China will jointly hold 70 celebratory activities to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties
between the 2 nations.
• The year-long activities starting from 2020 will demonstrate historic connect between 2 civilisations as well as growing bilateral
relations.
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• Activities will be held related to martial arts exchange, traditional sports, entrepreneurship, etc.
2-day Conference began at Rashtrapati Bhavan
• A 2-day Conference of Governors, Lieutenant Governors began on 23 Nov 2019 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• President Ram Nath Kovind presided over the conference.
• It is the 50th such Conference to be held in Rashtrapati Bhavan and the third Conference to be presided over by President
Kovind.
• The Conference will discuss important thematic issues including tribal issues, Jal Jeevan Mission, etc.
Person in News
• Devendra Fadnavis has taken oath as the Maharashtra Chief Minister for the second term on 23 Nov 2019. NCP's Ajit Pawar has
become the Deputy Chief Minister.
• Veteran actor and Shabana Azmi's mother Shaukat Kaifi passed away in November 2019. She and her husband were leading lights
of the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) and the Progressive Writers Association (IWA).
Short documentary film on Water Conservation
• Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat released a short documentary film on Water Conservation named
'SHIKHAR SE PUKAR' in New Delhi on 22 Nov 2019.
• The film has been made to promote 'Jalshakti Abhiyan' and is based on the Journey of an IAS Officer Ravindra Kumar.
• It gives a glimpse of the significance of Himalaya as the main source of water needs of India through rivers.
Tax department launched web portal
• The Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), P C Mody inaugurated the Web Portal for Exchange of Information on
Income Tax Website in New Delhi on 22 Nov 2019.
• The Web Portal consolidates all the relevant Automatic Exchange of Information related information at one place for financial
institutions, officers and public.
11th edition of Agro Vision inaugurated
• Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the 11th edition of Agro Vision- 2019, an Agricultural exhibition at Reshimbag Ground
of Nagpur on 22 Nov 2019.
• The 4-day event will comprise of national Agri exhibition workshop for farmers and seminars.
• A Pavilion dedicated to Micro Small Medium Enterprise and display of livestock will be a special attraction in Agro Vision 2019.
7 cr farmers benefited under PM-KISAN scheme
• Over seven crore farmers have been benefited under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme.
• Under this scheme, six thousand rupees per year are being given in three instalments to the farmers.
• Over one crore 67 lakh farmers in Uttar Pradesh are benefited under the scheme which is the highest among all the all states.
Govt approved setting up of six plastic parks
• The government has approved setting up of six plastic parks in different parts of the country.
• These parks will be located in Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu.
• Out of them, the plastic park at Tamot in Madhya Pradesh is functional.
• These will enable common facility to consolidate and synergize the capacities of the domestic downstream plastic processing
industry.
Government approved 35 proposals
• The govt has approved 35 proposals for setting up of State Cancer Institutes and Tertiary Care Cancer Centres in the country.
• These have been approved under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular
Disease and Stroke.
• 61 lakh hospital admission were reported till 20 Nov 19 under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
Miscellaneous News
• 1149 Railway stations have been developed under Adarsh Station Scheme by October 2019. 1253 stations have been identified
for development under this scheme.
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• Railways have decided to fit Closed Circuit Television, CCTV cameras in trains and coaches. Till date, CCTV cameras have been
provided in more than two thousand coaches in around 114 mainline trains,
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw conferred with award
• Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairperson and MD, Biocon, was conferred with Lifetime Achievement Award by the Indian Council of
Medical Research (ICMR).
• She was awarded for her outstanding achievement in healthcare and contribution to the society at large.
• Bill Gates, co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, gave away this award to Mazumdar-Shaw in New Delhi recently.
IIM Indore signed MoU with LBSNAA
• IIM Indore signed a MoU with Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie.
• The MoU is in line with the vision to remain socially conscious and contribute to the society and nation.
• Under the MoU, the institutes can exchange faculty members for various training programmes, joint case study developments,
and specially designed modules.
Health Mstry signed pact with Gates Foundation
• The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare signed a MoC with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
• Under the MoC, Gates Foundation will provide technical, management and program design support through its grantees and
other partners.
• The Foundation will support the ministry’s work towards strengthening the primary health aspects such as reducing maternal and
child mortality.
Census 2021 to be conducted in 16 languages
• Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed that Census 2021 will be conducted in 16 languages.
• During Census 2021, a mix mode approach is being adopted for data collection.
• Census will be conducted in two phases – House-listing and Housing Census from April to September 2020 and Population
Enumeration during February 09-28, 2021.
World Philosophy Day: 21 November
• The World Philosophy Day is observed globally on the third Thursday of November every year.
• This year it was observed on 21st November 2019.
• On this day, UNESCO highlighted the value of philosophy for the development of human thought, for each culture and individual.
• The 2019 edition aims to highlight the importance of philosophy in different regional contexts.
World Television Day: 21 November
• World Television Day is observed on 21 November every year.
• The day is observed to acknowledge the role of broadcast media.
• On this day, the journalists, writers, bloggers, and others who are associated with the medium promote the role of television in
communication and globalization.
• On 21 November and 22 November 1996, the U.N. held the first World Television Forum.
Satya Nadella topped Fortune List
• Microsoft’s India-born CEO Satya Nadella has occupied the top spot in Fortune’s Businessperson of the Year 2019 list.
• The list also includes Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga and Arista head Jayshree Ullal.
• Banga is ranked 8th, while Ullal comes in at the 18th spot in the list.
• The list features 20 business leaders who tackled audacious goals, overcame impossible odds, found creative solutions.
Swachh Survekshan Grameen Awards 2019
• The Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2019 awards were conferred to top-ranked states, Union Territories, and districts in the
various categories on the occasion of World Toilet Day on 19 Nov 2019.
• The top-ranked state was Tamil Nadu, the top-ranked district was Peddapalli (Telangana), and the state with the maximum
citizen participation was Uttar Pradesh.
‘Destination North East’ Festival to begin
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• Union Minister of State Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Dr Jitendra Singh will inaugurate the ‘Destination North
East’ Festival in Varanasi, UP on 23 Nov 2019.
• All 8 North East states will be present at the event along with their handicrafts, handloom, organic products and cultural troupes.
• The event will be held from 23-26 November 2019.
Potential Diarrhea vaccine developed in Sweden
• The researchers of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden have developed a potential Diarrhea vaccine.
• Science journal, The Lancet, reports that it has been proved safe and effective in an early-stage clinical trial in Bangladesh.
• 80-100% of the children aged 2-5 years selected for the study responded to all key immunity generating components of the
vaccine.
World Fisheries Day: 21 November
• World Fisheries Day is celebrated every year on 21 November.
• The day highlights the importance of maintaining the World's fisheries and the importance of lives of water creatures.
• In India, Fisheries Awards were presented to the fish farmers for their exemplary contribution in the sector, on this day.
• The annual production of fisheries has reached up to 13 million metric tonnes in India.
I&B Minister inaugurated Film Bazaar
• The Film Bazaar was inaugurated by the Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar on the sidelines of the
International Film Festival of India.
• It encourages creative and financial collaboration between the South Asian and International film communities.
• Over the years, films such as Lunch Box, Margarita With A Straw, have been through one or more programmes of the Bazaar.
World's biggest Islamic Congregation began
• In Madhya Pradesh, the four-day Alami Tablighi Ijtima, world's biggest Islamic Congregation began in Bhopal on 22 Nov 2019.
• More than one million people from 54 countries are expected to attend the congregation which will continue till 25th November.
• The first Alami Tablighi Ijtima took place in Bhopal in 1944 and only 14 people attended it then.
Assam govt released the new Land Policy 2019
• Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal released the new Land Policy 2019 in Guwahati on 21 November 2019.
• The Land Policy was approved by Cabinet on 21st October 2019 and it has been prepared by the Revenue and Disaster
Management Department after 30 years.
• It was last prepared in 1989.
• The Policy would remove complications regarding land allotments and settlements.
Three-day Global Buddhist Congregation began
• In Maharashtra, a three-day Global Buddhist Congregation began at Nagsenvan in Aurangabad.
• The event is being held from 22-24 November 2019.
• The inaugural ceremony took place in the presence of Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama and Mahanayaka Thero from Sri
Lanka.
• Dalai Lama delivered two lectures in the Congregation.
Jemimah Rodrigues in top 5 of T20 ICC rankings
• India's Jemimah Rodrigues jumped to the fourth position in the batting chart as per the latest rankings issued by ICC.
• Slow left-arm spinner Radha Yadav is placed second among bowlers in the latest Women's T20 International Player Rankings.
• Shafali Verma gained 57 slots to reach 30th position.
• There are now 3 Indian bowlers in the top 5 as Radha Yadav has moved up to the second spot.
ISSF World Cup: Manu Bhaker won gold medal
• In Shooting, India's Manu Bhaker, Elavenil Valarivan and Divyansh Panwar clinched gold medals in their events in the ISSF World
Cup Finals in Putian, China on 21 November 2019.
• Elavenil claimed gold in the women's 10 metres air rifle competition.
• India is currently top of the table with three gold medals, followed by China's two gold, one silver, one bronze.
Multimedia exhibition inaugurated at IFFI
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• Information and Broadcasting Secretary Amit Khare inaugurated an interactive digital exhibition IFFI @50 at the Kala Academy in
Panaji on 21 November 2019.
• The exhibition is considered as a highly hi-tech interactive multi-media exhibition.
• The exhibition - IFFI@50 - is a tribute to the journey of IFFI from its inception in 1952 till date.
Gram Panchayats to be connected with internet
• Centre has set a target to provide internet and broadband connectivity to two lakh Gram Panchayats by March 2020.
• A total of over 1,28,000 Gram Panchayats have been made Service Ready till 7 November 2019.
• BharatNet project is being implemented in a phased manner to provide broadband and internet connectivity to all 2,50,000 Gram
Panchayats in the country.
UIDAI operationalized 21 Aadhaar Seva Kendras
• Unique Identification Authority of India, UIDAI has operationalized 21 Aadhaar Seva Kendras as part of its plan to open 114 stand-
alone Aadhaar enrollment and centres across the country.
• These are in addition to 35,000 Aadhaar Enrollment Centers run by Banks, Post Offices and State Governments.
• These centres have the capacity to handle up to 1,000 enrollment and requests per day.
Sir David Attenborough to receive award
• The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2019 will be conferred on renowned naturalist and
broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.
• He will be awarded for his tireless work to preserve and protect biodiversity.
• This prestigious award, named after former prime minister (PM) Indira Gandhi, is being accorded annually by Indira Gandhi Trust
since 1986.
Kolkata installed ‘Third Umpire’ Machines
• The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has installed first of its kind high-end reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction
(RT-PCR) machines in India.
• These are for quick detection of diseases like dengue, tuberculosis and swine flu.
• These machines are to serve as a ‘third umpire’ in situations when medical reports and blood tests reveal contradictory results.
Max Verstappen won F1 Brazilian Grand Prix
• Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands) won F1 Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos in São Paulo, Brazil.
• Verstappen was followed by Pierre Gasly (France) and Carlos Sainz Vázquez de Castro (Spain) in the second and third place
respectively.
• This marked Verstappen's third win this season, following victories in Austria and Germany.
World Children’s Day: 20 November
• World Children’s Day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day and is celebrated on 20 November each year.
• It promotes international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare.
• It is also the date when the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.
ICGS ‘Amrit Kaur delivered to ICG
• Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) delivered its 102nd warship, ICGS Amrit Kaur, to the Indian Coast Guard.
• ICGS ‘Amrit Kaur’ is a 50-metre-long and 7.5-metre- wide medium-range surface vessel, with a displacement of around 308
tonnes.
• It is capable of performing rescue, patrolling, anti-smuggling and anti-poaching operations in the maritime zones of the country.
Virat Kohli named Person of the Year
• India captain Virat Kohli was named People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India’s ‘Person of the Year for 2019’ for
his animal advocacy efforts.
• The PETA awards are given to people or organisations that take initiative in the welfare of animals and violence against animals.
• Past recipients of the award include Shashi Tharoor, Anushka Sharma, R Madhavan, and Jacqueline Fernandez.
Cabinet approved a bill
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• The Cabinet approved a bill which provides for a legal framework to grant ownership rights to nearly 40 lakh people living in
unauthorised colonies in Delhi.
• The National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill, 2019 will allow
registration of properties and provide certain relief to the residents of 1731 unauthorised colonies.
Maiden Coastal Security Workshop held
• The Coastal Security Workshop for BIMSTEC countries began in New Delhi on 20 Nov 2019.
• It aims at sharing views, best practices and experiences on issues of common maritime interest.
• The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, BIMSTEC is an international organisation of
7 nations - Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan.
J&K to launch Back to Village programme
• The Jammu and Kashmir administration is all set to launch the second phase of ‘Back to Village programme’ from 25-30 Nov
2019.
• The flagship programme is aimed at empowerment and development of Panchayats.
• It ensures the functionality of Panchayats in terms of manpower, 100% coverage of beneficiary oriented schemes and doubling
the income of rural people.
42 projects under Himayat Mission sanctioned
• The Jammu and Kashmir administration is working on effective implementation of Himayat Mission.
• Under this, 42 projects have been sanctioned for training and placement target of 68,134 youths.
• They will be provided free skill training for a duration ranging from 3 to 12 months.
• 63 Training centres have been set up within & outside the Union Territory with the enrollment of 5815 candidates.
MP to develop 34 cities on global standards
• MP govt is planning to develop 34 cities in the state on the lines of the seven best-planned cities in the world.
• 28 per cent of the total population of the state lives in cities which the government wants to develop into world-class cities.
• The government is also planning to operate intra state rapid rail, faster than Metro trains between Indore- Ujjain, Indore-
Pithampur and Indore-Dewas.
UP CM inaugurated Munderwa Sugar Mill
• UP CM Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the newly-established Munderwa Sugar Mill in Basti district on 21 Nov 2019.
• It is the third inauguration of sugar mills in the state in just three weeks after the opening of mills in Ramala in Baghpat and
Pipraich in Gorakhpur.
• Munderwa mill will has a capacity of 5000 Tons of Cane per Day and generate 27 Mega Watt of power.
DSEJ launched special enrollment drive
• In Jammu, the Directorate of School Education (DSEJ) has launched a special enrollment drive under the banner 'Aao School
Chalein'.
• The aim is to increase the enrollment in government schools.
• It would be conducted across all the villages and catchment areas of the government schools, under the supervision of chief
education officers of all the districts of Jammu Division.
Mahinda Rajapaksa: New PM of Sri Lanka
• In Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in as new Prime Minister on 21 Nov 2019 after Ranil Wickremsinghe decided to
resign.
• Mr. Rajapaksa served as two-term President from 2005 to 2015 and is the elder brother of current President Gotabaya Rajapksa.
• He was barred from contesting Presidential elections because of two-term limit and will be staging a political comeback as Prime
Minister.
Sale of govt stake in five CPSEs
• The government has approved sale of its stake in five Central Public Sector Enterprises, CPSEs, including Bharat Petroleum
Corporation Limited (BPCL).
• The government will sell its 53.29 per cent stake in BPCL.
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• CCEA approved strategic disinvestment of Government's shareholding of 63.75 per cent in Shipping Corporation of India and
30.8% in Container Corporation of India.
Conclave of Accountants General held
• PM Narendra Modi addressed the conclave of Accountants General in New Delhi on 21 Nov 2019.
• Mr Modi also unveiled a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, before his address.
• The theme of the conclave is Transforming Audit and Assurance in a Digital World.
• It is being held to consolidate experience and learning and chart out the path of Indian Audit and Accounts Department for the
next few years.
87 lakh homes completed under PMAY-G so far
• 87 lakh homes have been completed in different parts of the country, under the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana -
Gramin, so far.
• This was stated by Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi on 20 November 2019.
• The aim of the scheme is to have 2 crore 95 lakh houses by 2022.
• The scheme was launched in the year 2015.
Union Cabinet approved MoU with Finland
• Union Cabinet approved a MoU between India and Finland for strengthening cooperation in the tourism sector.
• The MoU seeks to establish the basis for a cooperative relationship to encourage and promote successful bilateral cooperation in
the field of tourism.
• Both nations will also be exchanging best practices through workshops and study visits for experts of the two countries on
cooperation.
National Institute for Sowa-Rigpa to be set up
• The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of the National Institute for Sowa-Rigpa (NISR) in Leh as an autonomous
organization under the Ministry of AYUSH.
• It will be established at an estimated cost of Rs. 47.25 crore.
• The setting up of the National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa (NISR) would provide an impetus for the revival of Sowa-Rigpa in the Indian
Sub-continent.
Global Bio-India Summit began in Delhi
• 3-day Global Bio-India Summit began in New Delhi on 21 Nov 2019.
• It is one of the largest biotechnology stakeholders conglomerate to be held in India for the first time.
• It will bring academia, innovators, researchers, start-ups, medium and large companies together on the same platform.
• Over 3000 delegates from around 25 countries and over 15 states of India are participating.
IRCTC signed MoU with KSDTC
• IRCTC has signed MoU with Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) to market and operate the Golden
Chariot Train in New Delhi.
• IRCTC is planning a revamp of the train itineraries.
• The new itineraries will be a mix of history, culture, wildlife and nature.
• IRCTC is expected to carry out the internal refurbishment of the train and commence operations from March 2020.
AOA will launch Grassroot Olympics
• The Assam Olympic Association (AOA) will launch a new programme Grassroot Olympic – Mission Talent Hunt’ to identify and
groom sports talent in the state.
• Sarbananda Sonowal was the president of the Assam Olympic Association.
• AOA will organize sports events in five categories covering players from 10 years to 60 years of age in the state.
• Assam will host the 3rd edition of KIYG in 2020.
ADB give $91 mn. loan to Karnataka
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $91 million loan to modernize the Vijayanagara
Channel irrigation systems and prepare river basin management plans in the Krishna river basin
• It will help improve irrigation water use efficiency and contribute to improving sustainable water security in Karnataka.
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• HQ: Mandaluyong, Philippines

• President: Takehiko Nakao
Shaheen-1 test conducted by Pakistan
• Pakistan successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile which can strike targets up to 650 kilometres,
bringing many Indian cities under its range.
• The Shaheen-1 missile is capable of delivering all types of warheads up to the range of 650 km.
• Pakistan earlier successfully test-fired nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile Ghaznavi.
Person in News
• Lieutenant Colonel Jyoti Sharma has been appointed as Indian Army’s first female Judge Advocate General officer to be deployed
on a foreign mission. She will serve the government of the East African country of Seychelles as a legal expert.
• Spain’s striker David Villa announced his retirement from football. He represented Spain in three World Cups and won Champions
League title with Barcelona.
ISRO to launch Cartosat-3 on Nov 25
• India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C47 will launch Cartosat-3 and 13 commercial nanosatellites into Sun Synchronous
orbit from Sriharikota on 25 Nov 2019.
• Cartosat-3 satellite is a third-generation agile advanced satellite having high-resolution imaging capability.
• PSLV-C47 is the 21st flight of PSLV in ‘XL’ configuration, that is with 6 solid strap-on motors.
NHM Jammu & Kashmir launched BMEWMP programme
• National Health Mission Jammu & Kashmir, has launched the Bio-Medical Equipment Waste Management Programme
(BMEWMP) in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
• The program is designed in a way that the equipment in the district level health care facility will have an uptime of 95%, in sub-
district hospital 90% and in PHC 80%.
• The programme was launched on 18 November 2019.
1st Indo-Qatari joint Naval Exercise began
• Navies of India and Qatar have started a 5-day bilateral maritime exercise “Za’ir-Al-Bahr”.
• The exercise began in Doha, Qatar and is being held from 17-21 Nov 2019.
• Indian Navy Ship (INS) Trikand captained by Vishal Bishnoi, Patrol Aircraft P8-I is participating in the inaugural edition of the
exercise.
• The exercise will include a three-day ‘harbour phase’ and two-day ‘sea phase’.
Meghalaya-based insurgent group banned
• Meghalaya-based insurgent group, Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has been banned by the central government.
• It was banned for its increased activities of violence and other subversive acts.
• HNLC has been openly declaring as its objective the secession of the state’s areas, which are largely inhabited by Khasi and Jaintia
tribals, from the Indian Union.
Home Ministry launched campaign
• The Home Ministry in collaboration with the UN Women flagged off an awareness campaign To End Violence Against Women,
from Sultanpur metro station in Delhi.
• The initiative is part of the #OrangeTheWorld global campaign.
• As part of the campaign, people would be made aware about India’s single emergency helpline 112.
• The 112 helpline services are available in 27 States/UTs(Union Territories).
IMD World Talent Ranking Report released
• The International Institute of Management Development’s (IMD) World Talent Ranking (WTR) report for the year 2019 was
released.
• In the released report, India was ranked at 59th position, a slip by 6 places on a global annual list of 63 countries.
• The list was topped by Switzerland followed by Denmark(2nd), Sweden(3rd), Austria(4th), Luxembourg (5th), Norway(6th), and
Iceland(7th).
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ICICI Lombard partners with Fino

• Continuing with their health insurance focus, ICICI Lombard and Fino are launching a Dengue and Malaria policy.
• It covers treatments pertaining to these diseases upto Rs. 10,000 at a premium as low as Rs. 49.
• They are introducing comprehensive insurance for bikes and scooters thereby giving Fino's customers access to ICICI Lombard's
range of motor insurance solutions at affordable rates.
NCAER forecasts India’s GDP growth at 4.9%
• The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) forecasted India’s GDP growth for 2019-20 at 4.9% as against 6.8 %
in 2018 (or FY-19).
• It is the lowest among the recent forecasts by rating agencies, multilateral institutions, research firms, and government
institutions.
• Earlier, Moody’s cut its calendar year 2019 GDP forecast for India to 5.6 per cent from 6.2 per cent.
Delhi Metro won 2 awards
• The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has been conferred with two awards for its commendable initiatives in promoting the
metro as a green and sustainable mode of transport among the masses.
• DMRC was awarded for the ‘Last Mile Connectivity’ project and the ‘Green Metro project.
• It was awarded at the 12th Urban Mobility India Conference and Expo 2019 held from 15-17 Nov, 2019 in Lucknow.
Africa Industrialization Day: 20 November
• Africa Industrialization Day is celebrated on Nov 20 each year.
• It is a time when governments and other organizations in many African countries examine ways to stimulate Africa’s
industrialization process.
• It also draws worldwide media attention to the problems and challenges of industrialization in Africa.
• 2019 Theme: “Positioning African Industry to Supply the AfCFTA Market”
Golden Jubilee celebrations of IFFI begun
• India's biggest cinematic event International Film Festival of India (IFFI) opened in Goa on 20 Nov 2019.
• The Opening ceremony of the 50th edition of IFFI began at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Panjim.
• French actor Isabelle Huppert will be conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
• Rajinikanth will be conferred with the Special Icon of Golden Jubilee award.
Golden luxury train to start from March 2020
• The Indian Railway Catering And Tourism Corporation, IRCTC, will operate and manage luxury train, Golden Chariot from March
2020.
• An agreement in this regard was signed between Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation, KSTDC, and IRCTC in New
Delhi on 19 Nov 2019.
• The Golden Chariot Train commenced operations in 2008 and travels through the UNESCO world heritage site, Hampi, and more.
1 Tola Gold to Brides free of cost
• Assam Govt approved Arundhati scheme to provide 1 Tola Gold to Brides free of cost.
• Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal approved this scheme to give 1 tola Gold (11.66 grams ) to brides parents belonging to the
economically weaker sections of the society.
• This scheme can be availed by formal registration of the marriage under the Special Marriage (Assam) Rules, 1954 at the time of
marriage.
IPEC inaugurated at Nagpur on 19 November
• RSS Chief Dr. Mohan Bhagwat inaugurated the International Principal’s Education Conference (IPEC) at Nagpur on 19 November
2019.
• Super 30 founder and noted mathematician Anand Kumar was honoured with Nachiketa Sarvottama Award on the occasion.
• The theme of the 3-day conference for the year 2019 is-Scripting the Legends of Human Excellence through Schools.
India-Pakistan Davis Cup tie shifted
• India will travel to Nur-Sultan to take on Pakistan in the upcoming Davis Cup tie.
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• The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has nominated the Kazakhstan capital to host the matches.
• The Davis Cup tie will take place on 29-30 Nov 2019 in Nur-Sultan, formerly Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.
• The tie was pushed to this date after India expressed concerns about the safety of their players.
Sri Lankan President to arrive in India
• Sri Lanka’s new President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will embark on his maiden visit to India on 29 Nov 2019.
• Gotabaya assumed office as the seventh President of Sri Lanka on 19 Nov 2019.
• He will reach New Delhi on the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The visit signifies the importance attached to bilateral relations between the two neighbours.
President's Colour presented to Naval Academy
• President Ram Nath Kovind presented the prestigious President's Colour to the Indian Naval Academy at Kannur in Kerala on 20
November 2019.
• President's Colour is a visible symbol of excellence and is earned through worthy contribution both during war and peace.
• A special parade was also held at INA honouring the President.
• Later, Mr. Kovind held talks with the officers in the academy.
Winners of Gandhian Challenge announced
• The NITI Aayog has announced top 30 winners of the Gandhian Challenge, which was organized to commemorate the 150th birth
• The aim of the challenge was to encourage children to read and understand Mahatma Gandhi’s principles and apply them to
come up with innovative solutions for New World challenges.
• It saw the participation from more than 3,800 children.
Jallianwala Bagh Bill 2019 passed
• Parliament has passed the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
• Rajya Sabha approved the bill on 19 Nov 2019, while Lok Sabha had passed it in the last session.
• The Bill seeks to amend the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Act, 1951.
• The Bill also allows the Central government to terminate the term of a nominated trustee before the expiry of the period of his
term.
India and Singapore to strengthen cooperation
• India and Singapore agreed to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and taking it to greater heights.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed satisfaction at the increasing engagement of the Armed Forces of both the countries in
conducting joint exercises.
• The Defence Minister will co-chair the 4th India-Singapore Defence Ministers’ Dialogue today before concluding his two-day visit.
Smriti Irani addressed Safety Summit
• Union Minister Smriti Irani addressed the 2nd edition of South Asia Safety Summit in New Delhi on 19 November 2019.
• She revealed that three lakh crimes registered against women are committed by husbands and relatives.
• She informed that 10 one-stop centres open every month across the country.
• By the end of 2019, every district will have an operational one-stop centre.
40,000 Health Centres to be operational by Mar
• Around 13 thousand more Health and Wellness Centres will become functional by the end of March 2020.
• At present 27 thousand, such centres are already operational in different parts of the country.
• The government has decided to set up 1.5 lakh Health and Wellness Centres by 2022 under Ayushman Bharat Yojana.
• These Centres will strengthen the primary healthcare delivery system in the country.
International Cherry Blossom festival 2019
• The 4th International Cherry Blossom Festival 2019 held in Shillong, Meghalaya concluded recently.
• For the first time, India & South Korea jointly celebrated this festival that witnessed the celebration of unique autumn flowering
of Himalayan Cherry Blossoms (scientifically known as the Prunus serrulata).
• The festival took place from 13-16 November 2019.
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Sridevi and Rekha conferred with award

• The veteran actors Sridevi and Rekha were conferred with the Akkineni Nageswara Rao National Award for 2018 and 2019
respectively, on 17 November 2019.
• The award was presented by renowned Telugu actor Chiranjeevi.
• The award is instituted by the Akkineni International Foundation and honours those who have made a lasting impact on Indian
cinema.
SAANS campaign launched in Gujarat
• Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan launched ‘SAANS’ campaign in Gujarat recently.
• The aim of SAANS is to reduce child mortality due to pneumonia, which contributes to around 15% of deaths annually of children
under the age of five.
• SAANS stands for ‘Social Awareness and Action to Neutralise Pneumonia Successfully’.
Sindhu Sudarshan ex conducted in Rajasthan
• The Sudarshan Chakra Corps of the Indian Army conducted ‘Sindhu Sudarshan’ exercise in Barmer, Rajasthan on 16 Nov 2019.
• Around 40,000 jawans of the Indian Army are participating in it.
• It will continue till 5 Dec 2019.
• The aim of the exercise is to evaluate the capability and battle readiness of the defence forces in an integrated air-land battle in a
semi-developed terrain of the desert.
World Toilet Day: 19 November
• World Toilet Day is celebrated on 19th November every year.
• It aims at inspiring action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and help achieve Sustainable Development Goal, which promises
sanitation for all by 2030.
• The day was formally recognized as an official UN day in 2013.
• The theme for the year 2019 is Leaving No One Behind.
Pakistan introduced vaccine to combat typhoid
• Pakistan became the 1st country in the world to introduce a new Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV).
• The vaccine, approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2018, will initially be used during a two-week immunisation
campaign starting from November 18-30, 2019 in the urban areas of Sindh.
• Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) is a one-dose vaccine, that will be injected intramuscularly.
Darjeeling’s green and white teas got GI tag
• The green tea and white tea of Darjeeling have been registered as a geographical indication (GI) products in the country.
• These two varieties of Darjeeling tea have been registered under Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection)
Act 1999, with effect from October 2019.
• This will strengthen the protection of the intellectual property rights of the Darjeeling tea.
Breaking carbon dioxide is faster and cheaper
• Scientists from the University of Connecticut in the US have found a novel catalyst that breaks down carbon dioxide into useful
chemicals faster, cheaper, and more efficiently than the standard method.
• Carbon dioxide's stability makes this tough.
• It is hard to get the molecule to react with anything else.
• Many chemists are working on efficient ways to turn CO2 into other useful products.
Miscellaneous News
• The ongoing 39th India International Trade Fair at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi opened for general public from 19 Nov 2019. The
theme of the fair for 2019 is 'Ease of Doing Business'.
• International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will be presenting the Soul of Asia section for 2019. Films and filmmakers from China,
Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and Sri Lanka will be screened in this section.
Haryana to create Foreign Cooperation dept.
• Haryana Government has decided to create a dedicated new department namely Department of 'Foreign Cooperation'.
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• It will streamline and provide focus to various initiatives taken by the state government for the promotion of investment,
employment for youth and welfare of Non-Resident Indians.
• A decision to this effect was taken in the meeting of State Cabinet chaired by CM Manohar Lal.
Bhubaneswar to host Hockey Pro League matches
• Bhubaneswar will host India's home matches during the 2020 Hockey Pro League.
• The second edition of the Hockey Pro League will be played between 11th of January and 28th of June 2020.
• Bhubaneswar has become a hockey hub in India and has been hosting a majority of tournaments, the most recent being the
Olympic qualifiers.
• The Pro League will feature 144 matches in the coming season.
Shreyasi Singh won gold medal
• Shreyasi Singh won the women's Trap Gold at the ongoing 63rd National Shooting Championship for shotgun events in New Delhi
on 18 Nov 2019.
• Rajeshwari from Punjab managed 38 hits to settle for silver.
• Pragati Dubey of Madhya Pradesh won bronze with a finals score of 31.
• This was Shreyasi's fourth individual career National title but her first in Women's Trap.
NGT slapped Rs 280 crore fine on 22 tanneries
• The National Green Tribunal, NGT, has imposed a penalty of Rs 280 crore on 22 tanneries in Kanpur for causing pollution.
• A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel also held the UP government liable and slapped a penalty of 10
crore rupees on it.
• The problem has not been tackled for the last 43 years and it has resulted in the contamination of groundwater.
NITI Aayog released new report
• NITI Aayog released the report on ‘Health Systems for a New India: Building Blocks-Potential Pathways to Reforms, on 18 Nov
2019.
• The report intends to prepare the road-map to build a health system in the medium- to long-term for those belonging to the
middle class.
• Nearly 50 per cent are still not covered under any public healthcare system and the idea is to pool their risk assets.
Chit Funds Bill, 2019 moved in Lok Sabha
• The Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was moved for consideration in the Lok Sabha on 18 Nov 2019.
• The Bill seeks to amend the Chit Funds Act, 1982 which regulates chit funds and prohibits a fund from being created without the
prior sanction of a state government.
• Chit funds provide an important source of finance and avenue to save small businesses and households.
Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh announced
• Union Government announced Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh on 18 November 2019.
• It is a repository of diverse crops across 128 agro-climatic zones for better nutritional outcomes.
• The Kosh aims at reducing malnutrition through a multi-sectoral results-based framework, including agriculture, among women
and children across the country.
Exhibition on Jallianwala Bagh at Kolkata
• Victoria Memorial Hall, will for the first time host an exhibition on the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919.
• The installation exhibition is titled ‘Ways of Remembering Jallianwala Bagh & Rabindranath Tagore’s Response to the Massacre’.
• The exhibition will be held for almost six weeks.
• The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place on 13 April 1919, where hundreds of people were killed.
India, France to jointly patrol IOR
• The navies of India and France will carry out joint patrolling in the Indian Ocean region in 2020.
• This was announced by French Navy Chief Admiral Christophe Prazuck on 18 November 2019.
• The joint patrolling could be carried out in the northwestern or southern Indian ocean around the island administered by France.
Indra Nooyi's portrait in the NPF
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• Indian-American former PepsiCo head Indra Nooyi and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos have been inducted into the Smithsonian National
Portrait Gallery.
• They have been inducted for their accomplishments and positive impact on America’s shared history, development and culture.
• The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery was founded by Congress in 1962.
• It is situated in Washington D.C, USA.
250th session of Rajya Sabha commenced
• 250th session of Rajya sabha commenced on 18 November 2019.
• The historic 250th session of the House was marked with a change in the uniform of its marshals.
• The two marshals, who stand next to the Chair, were seen in military-style uniform on the first day of winter session.
• The new uniform will be worn by the four marshals in the House as and when they are on duty.
Day for remembering road traffic victims
• The UN observes World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on 17 November every year.
• The day offers an opportunity for drawing attention to the scale of emotional and economic devastation caused by road crashes
• The theme for 2019 is based on Pillar 3 of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety – Safer vehicles.
Harmeet Desai claimed Indonesia Open
• Indian paddler Harmeet Desai won men’s singles title at International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Challenge Indonesia Open
2019 held at Batam, Indonesia on 17 Nov 2019.
• Harmeet defeated compatriot Amalraj Anthony by 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9 score.
• This is Harmeet's second International title of 2019, after the Commonwealth championship in July in Cuttack.
IFFI 2019 Updates
• The Golden Jubilee of International Film Festival of India, IFFI in Goa has curated a special section on the Retrospective of the
New wave in Indian Cinema.
• IFFI will pay homage to 2 great filmmakers who passed away in 2018. One is Bernardo Bertolucci and the other is Agnes Varda.
• Seven Konkani movies including Amori will be screened at IFFI reflecting the nuances of Goan Society.
Anil Ambani resigned from Reliance Comm.
• Reliance Communications Chairman Anil Ambani along with four directors have resigned from the company, which is going
through the insolvency process.
• The development comes a day after RCom posted a consolidated loss of Rs 30,142 crore for July-September 2019 due to
provisioning for liabilities.
• This was the second-highest loss posted by any Indian corporate till date.
Appointments
• Justice Dr Ravi Ranjan took oath as the Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court today. He was administered the oath of office by
Governor Draupadi Murmi. He is the 13th Chief Justice Of Jharkhand HC.
• Justice Akil Abdulhamid Kureshi was sworn in as the new Chief Justice of the High Court of Tripura on 16 Nov 2019. Governor
Ramesh Bais administered the oath of office in Agartala.
Special winter-grade diesel launched
• Home Minister Amit Shah launched a special winter-grade diesel on 17 Nov 2019.
• It is developed by Indian Oil Corporation, for use in the high-altitude regions of Ladakh.
• Motorists in high-altitude sectors like Ladakh, Kargil, Kaza and Keylong face the problem of freezing of diesel in vehicles when
winter temperatures drop to as low as minus 30 degree Celsius.
North India's 1st sugar mill inaugurated
• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has inaugurated North India's first sugar mill which will produce ethanol direct from
sugarcane.
• The mill was inaugurated in Pipraich area of Gorakhpur on 17 November 2019.
• The mills, which previously produced around 8,000 quintals of sugar, will now produce more than 50,000 quintals of sugar every
day
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3-day Bengaluru Tech Summit inaugurated

• Karnataka CM B.S.Yediyurappa inaugurated the 3-day Bengaluru Tech Summit at the Bangaluru Palace on 18 Nov 2019.
• More than 3500 delegates, 12,000 visitors and 200 speakers will be part of the Summit.
• 250 Exhibitors will showcase their services, products, and technologies to visitors.
• This IT event will focus on artificial intelligence, Cyber Security, Space and Drone Revolutions, etc.
India recorded best-ever 9 medal haul
• India has recorded the best-ever nine medals haul at the World Para Athletics Championship in Dubai.
• With two gold, two silver and five bronze, India secured 13 qualifying spots at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
• Javelin thrower Sandeep Chaudhary in F64 category won the Gold for India.
• Another gold came from Sundar Singh Gurjar who won it in men's javelin F46 category.
Sports News
• The 63rd National Shotgun Shooting Championship Competitions 2019 began in New Delhi on 17 Nov 2019. The competition will
close on 30 November 2019.
• England has qualified for the UEFA Euro 2020 football tournament and also became the top scorer with 38 goals in 2019. This is
England's second-highest number ever and the highest since achieving the same total in 1966.
Person in News
• Laishram Sarita Devi of Manipur is among the six boxers from 5 continents who were elected as members of AIBA Athletes
Commission. She is DSP in Manipur Police.
• Senior journalist Rajat Sharma resigned from the post of President of Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA). He cited his
inability to continue amidst various pulls and pressures within the organisation.
Stefanos Tsitsipas won ATP Finals title
• Greek tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas won the ATP Finals on 17 Nov 2019 beating Austria's Dominic Thiem 6-7, 6-2, 7-6.
• This was the debut of Tsisipas in ATP Finals.
• The match, which was held at the O2 Arena in London, lasted for 2 hours and 36 minutes.
• Tsitsipas had qualified for the finals after defeating six-time champion Roger Federer in the semi-finals on 16 Nov 2019.
Indian women clinched five gold medals
• Indian women have clinched five gold, while men bagged two silver at Asian Youth Boxing Championship in Mongolia on 17 Nov
2019.
• All five women finalists, Naorem Chanu (51kg), Vinka (64kg) Sanamacha Chanu (75kg), Poonam (54kg) and Sushma (81kg) won
Gold for the country.
• Among the men, Selay Soy (49kg) and Ankit Narwal (60kg) settled for silver.
• India won a total of 12 medals in the event.
Appointments
• Justice SA Bobde took over as 47th Chief Justice of India (CJI) on 18 Nov 2019. President Ram Nath Kovind administered him the
oath of office. He succeeded justice Ranjan Gogoi.
• Gotabaya Rajapakasa was sworn-in as new President of Sri Lanka at Anuradhapura on 18 Nov 2019. He received over 52 percent
of votes defeating his nearest rival Sajith Premadasa.
Bhutanese Foreign Minister reached New Delhi
• Bhutanese Foreign Minister Lyonpo Tandi Dorji reached New Delhi on 17 Nov 2019 on a week-long visit.
• Mr Dorji will hold bilateral discussions with his Indian counterpart External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and review the entire
gamut of India-Bhutan relations.
• He will also pay a visit to Bodhgaya and Rajgir in Bihar and Kolkata.
6th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting held
• The 6th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) was held in Bangkok, Thailand on 18 Nov 2019.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with 17 other Defence Ministers of ADMM-Plus countries attended the meeting.
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• On the sidelines of ADMM-Plus, Rajnath Singh held bilateral meetings on 17 Nov 2019 with his counterparts including US
Secretary of Defence Mark Esper.
Rejoice National Ayush Awards presented
• Ayush Minister Shripad Yesso Naik gave away Rejoice National Ayush Awards to health sector entities.
• They were awarded for their significant contribution in providing health services through various programmes.
• The awards were initiated by Rejoice Health Foundation, a promoter of mankind health services in the country.
Night trial of Agni-II conducted successfully
• India has successfully conducted the first night trial of Agni-II, its versatile surface-to-surface medium-range nuclear-capable
missile from Dr Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast on 16 Nov 2019.
• Agni-II, an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), has already been inducted into the armed forces.
• This was the first time that the sophisticated missile was test-fired at night.
Mumbai topped tap water quality ranking
• Mumbai has topped the quality of tap water ranking released by Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on 16 Nov 2019.
• Delhi is at the bottom, with all 11 samples failing on 19 parameters.
• The Minister released the investigation report of samples of drinking water taken from capitals of 20 states across the country in
New Delhi.
Rezwana Choudhury Bannya got award
• Renowned Rabindra Sangeet exponent from Bangladesh Rezwana Choudhury Bannya was conferred the ICCR distinguished
alumni award in Dhaka recently.
• She has established a musical school 'Shurer Dhara' in Bangladesh to carry forward the Guru-Shishya tradition as practised in
Shantiniketan.
• She is also a recipient of 'Independence Award' which is the highest civilian award of Bangladesh.
Mumbai: Worlds worst city to drive
• The Driving Cities Index released by Mister Auto reported that Mumbai and Kolkata had been rated as the world's worst cities to
drive in 2019.
• Among the other cities in the top 10 were Dubai, Ottawa, El Paso, Gothenburg and Dusseldorf.
• Some of the worst-ranked included Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Karachi and Ulaanbaatar.
JK Grameen Bank ranked first
• J&K Grameen Bank secured the top position in terms of achievement of Rupay Card transaction targets (POS and eCOM).
• It has been ranked first among the 56 RRBs across the country.
• National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) survey reported that Bank had achieved a 94.95% target for POS/ eCOM
transactions for the last financial year 2018-19.
• J&K Grameen Bank was established on 30 June 2009.
Delhi CM launched a new scheme
• Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal launched ‘Mukhyamantri Septic Tank Safai Yojana’ on 15 November 2019.
• The scheme is aimed at helping people in waste management and ensuring the safety of sanitation workers.
• According to the government, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) will deploy 80 trucks along with trained staff to ensure cleaning and
maintenance of septic tanks across Delhi.
Sharad Kumar won a silver
• Para high-jumpers Sharad Kumar and Mariyappan Thangavelu qualified for 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
• They claimed the silver and the bronze medal respectively in the World Para-Athletics Championships in Dubai.
• Two-time Asian Para Games champion Sharad Kumar cleared the bar with season’s best effort of 1.83 metres,
while Mariyappan with a season’s best performance of 1.80 metres.
National Epilepsy Day: 17 November
• National Epilepsy Day is observed on 17 November every year.
• The day aims to create awareness about epilepsy, its causes, and treatment.
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• Epilepsy is a chronic disorder of the brain.

• It is characterized by recurrent seizures or fits.
• The seizures are caused as a result of sudden, excessive electrical discharges in the neurons, the brain cells.
UK observed the 101st Armistice Day
• The UK observed the 101st Armistice Day on 11 Nov.
• The day is observed to commemorate those who died in World War I.
• It is held on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
• A remembrance service was held at the National War Memorial Cenotaph in Cardiff's Cathays Park.
• The tradition of a 2-minute silence to remember the dead began exactly a year after the end of World War One.
Vietnamese mouse deer sighted after 30 years
• A very rare species of small, deer-like animal thought to be on the verge of extinction has been spotted in the northwestern
jungle of Vietnam for the first time in nearly 30 years.
• It is known as the silver-backed chevrotain or mouse deer.
• A specimen was last recorded in 1990, according to a study published Monday in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.
DRDO to grant free access to patents
• DRDO has decided to grant the Indian industry free access to patents held for technologies developed by it.
• The aim is to boost indigenous production and give a fillip to the ‘Make in India’ policy.
• A new policy formulated by the DRDO recently states that no licence fee or royalty will be applicable on the use of Indian patents
held by the research agency.
New National Water Policy to be drafted
• The government of India formed a high-powered committee led by Mihir Shah to analyze and draft new water reforms.
• The announcement about the team was made by the Union Ministry of Water Resources on 11 November 2019.
• The ten-member committee has been tasked to bring both the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Central Ground Water
Board (CGWB) in its ambit.
SWIFT alternatives to be explored
• India, Russia and China are exploring an alternative to the US-dominated SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial
Telecommunication) payment mechanism.
• This is being done in a bid to smoothen trade with countries facing American sanctions.
• The new system is expected to work as a “gateway” model when messages on payments are transcoded in accordance with a
certain financial system.
Movie “Bhonsle” won awards
• The critically acclaimed movie “Bhonsle” has won prestigious awards at the Asian Film Festival Barcelona.
• The film has bagged two awards in the ‘Best Screenplay’ and ‘Best Director’ categories at the festival.
• The film is directed by Devashish Makhija.
• The film revolves around a police constable who tries to help in the struggles of migrants and their battles with the local
politicians.
2nd round of 2+2 dialogue to be held in Dec
• The 2nd round of the 2+2 Ministerial dialogue between India and the United States has been scheduled to be held on 18 Dec, 19.
• In the dialogue, the foreign and the defence ministers of the US and India are expected to meet and discuss the strategic and
security interests of both nations.
• The first round of the meeting on the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue was held in New Delhi in September 2018.
Nita Ambani on MET board
• Nita Ambani was named as an honorary trustee of The Metropolitan Museum of Art on 12 November 2019.
• The announcement was made by Daniel Brodsky, the chairman of the museum.
• She is the first Indian to be honoured so.
• She was elected at a meeting of the Board.
• She was selected for her commitment to The Met, and to preserving and promoting India’s art and culture is truly exceptional.
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Goa to ban plastics and pet bottles from 2020

• In 2020, Goa has decided to impose a complete ban on the use of all plastics below 50 microns.
• The state government will also ban all items that are sold in small quantities in plastic packaging.
• The ban will include sachets, soft drinks, water, and other drinks sold in pet bottles of volumes below 500ml.
• The move aims to eliminate the practice of smaller packaging.
RailTel introduced Railwire WiFi
• RailTel has provided Railwire Wi-Fi at the historic Dera Baba Nanak railway station in Punjab to enable the pilgrims to use fast Wi-
Fi services as an amenity.
• The "Kartarpur Corridor" Project was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 9, 2019.
• RailTel has provided free Wi-Fi at 5300+ Railway stations across the country till now.
Medipally: First child friendly police station
• Medipally police station in Rachakonda, Hyderabad, has become the first child-friendly police station in Telangana.
• The inauguration programme was held on Children's Day 14 November 2019.
• The state's first child-friendly police station was launched by Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) and Telangana police department.
• It aims to ensure that every child has proper and timely access to justice.
India, Russia to hold Bilateral Regional Forum
• India and Russia will hold their maiden Bilateral Regional Forum at the level of Russian Provinces and Indian States in 2020 to
dismantle the barriers of trade at regional level.
• This was decided at a meeting between PM Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin in Brasilia on the sidelines of BRICS
Summit.
• Modi also formally announced his visit to Moscow for Victory Day parade in May 2020.
Tobacco Board of India won Award
• The Tobacco Board of India was awarded the Golden Leaf award 2019 in the ‘Public Service Initiative’ category.
• It was awarded for its efforts in undertaking various ecological initiatives towards Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco cultivation in
India.
• In 2014 too the board won the coveted award for its implementation of an electronic auction system.
Indian Railways entered into deal with MELPL
• Indian Railways on Thursday entered into Procurement cum Maintenance Agreement with Madhepura Electric Locomotive Pvt.
Ltd. (MELPL) as part of largest Foreign Direct Investment project of Indian Railways.
• MELPL is a joint venture of Indian Railways and M/s Alstom.
• Ministry of Railways and Alstom came together in 2015 to transform the heavy freight transportation landscape of the country.
Government to lower penalties
• The government is set to lower penalties under the Companies Act while offering concessions to startups, smaller entities and
farmer producer companies.
• There will be respite for loss-making companies, including relaxation in compensation and other steps to enable these entities to
hire non-executive or independent directors.
Assam government announced new schemes
• The Assam State Government has allocated Rs.30 crore for the development of Assam's Pathsala town.
• The allocated funds will be spent on construction of a flyover, roads and other schemes.
• Under the scheme, the state plans to develop roads in order to improve infrastructure in the State.
• Under the new initiative, a slew of developmental activities will be carried out in Pathsala.
IBM to launch a new weather forecasting system
• IBM will launch a new weather forecasting system.
• It will be able to predict conditions up to 12 hours in advance and cover parts of the world which have not had access to such
detailed data.
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• The system, known as IBM GRAF - the Global High-Resolution Atmospheric Forecasting System - will run on a supercomputer and
provide more detailed and higher quality forecasts.
1st ever International Buyer Seller meet held
• The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) held the first ever international buyer
seller meet on agriculture and horticulture produce in Arunachal Pradesh on 14 Nov 2019.
• Ten International buyers from seven countries of Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, UAE, Sultanate of Oman and Greece
participated in the meet.
NITI Aayog to release Health Reform report
• NITI Aayog will release a report which integrates viewpoints on the efforts required for strengthening the existing fractured
health system to meet the challenges that lie ahead.
• The report is titled 'Health System for a New India: Building Blocks - Potential Pathways to Reform'.
• It will be released by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar in the presence of Bill Gates.
India to host the 8th ICAS in New Delhi
• The 8th International Conference on Agricultural Statistics (ICAS-VIII) will be organized by the Ministry of Agriculture in New Delhi
from 18th to 21st November 2019.
• The Chief Guest for the conference will be Bill Gates.
• The theme for 2019 is ‘Statistics for Transformation of Agriculture to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’.
India set to host World Kabaddi cup 2019
• The 2019 World Kabaddi Cup will take place from December 1-9, 2019 and will be organised by the Punjab government in Punjab.
• This year’s tournament will be dedicated to the 550th birth anniversary of Sikh guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
• Nine teams: India, USA, Australia, England, Sri Lanka, Kenya, New Zealand, Pakistan and Canada are expected to take part in the
tournament.
Jair Bolsonaro: Chief guest at Republic Day
• Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to be the Chief Guest at India’s
Republic Day celebrations in 2020.
• Prime Minister Modi met Bolsonaro on the sidelines of the 11th BRICS Summit, which is being held in Brasilia.
• In 2019, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was in attendance as the chief guest.
New signal fish discovered off Kerala coast
• The new signal fish was found in Lakshadweep sea off Kerala coast, which is the home for unusual species like fish with a unique
color.
• The name of the species is “Pteropsaron Indicum” and was collected by trawlers at a depth of 70 meters during a marine
biodiversity survey.
• Scientists have described the discovery as the first one of the genus recorded in Indian waters.
Moody lowers India’s GDP growth forecast
• Moody’s Investors Service has slashed India’s economic growth forecast to 5.6% for the fiscal year 2019.
• It stated that the government measures do not address the widespread weakness in consumption demand, as a reason for
lowering the growth forecast.
• It also stated that the economic activity in India will pick up in 2020 and 2021 to 6.6 % and 6.7 % respectively.
Appointments
• Senior IAS officer Nilam Sawhney has been appointed as the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh. She has become the first woman
Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh.
• Lt. Cdr. Karabi Gogoi has been posted as the Assistant Naval Attache at the Indian embassy in Moscow. She will become the first
woman officer from the Indian Navy to be posted as a Defence Attache at an Indian mission abroad.
Andhra Pradesh govt launched Nadu-Nedu scheme
• Andhra Pradesh government has launched the ‘Nadu-Nedu’ programme.
• The programme aims to introduce English medium from classes 1 to 6 in state-run schools.
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• The scheme will be implemented in 15,715 schools in the first phase.

• It will cover all schools in three years’ time with a budget of Rs 12,000 crores.
• The decision has been taken to uplift the marginalised section of society.
International Day for Tolerance: 16 November
• The United Nations observes “International Day for Tolerance” on 16th November every year.
• The United Nations is committed to strengthening tolerance by fostering mutual understanding among cultures and peoples.
• In 1995, to mark the UN Year for Tolerance and the 125th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, UNESCO created a
UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize.
IFFI Kaleidoscope section has best films
• The Kaleidoscope section of 50th International Film Festival of India has 20 films handpicked and curated from various parts of
the world.
• Movies like Parasite, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Synonyms will be screened at the 50th IFFI.
• Cannes Best Film winner ” Parasite” directed by Korean Bong Joon-ho, will have its India Premiere at IFFI 2019.
• IFFI begins in Goa from November 20, 2019.
National Press Day: 16 November
• National Press Day is observed on 16th November every year and is symbolic of a free and responsible press.
• It was on this day the Press Council of India started functioning as a moral watchdog to ensure that the press maintains high
standards and is not fettered by any influence or threats.
• On the occasion, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu will confer excellence in journalism awards.
PCI's journalism award presented
• Press Council of India announced the names of the winners of National Awards for Excellence in Journalism for the year 2019.
• Eminent journalist and Chairman of Rajasthan Patrika Gulab Kothari was awarded Raja Ram Mohan Roy Award for his
outstanding contribution in the field of journalism.
• Shiva Swaroop Awasthi and Anu Abrahim were jointly awarded in the category of Developmental Reporting.
CBI set up a Unit
• The Central Bureau of Investigation has set up an Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (OCSAE) Prevention and
Investigation Unit.
• It has been set up at its headquarter in New Delhi to counter the growing menace of child porn on the internet.
• The new specialized unit will collect intelligence on those who are allegedly creating and transmitting such material on the
internet.
National Tribal Festival Aadi Mahotsav began
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the National Tribal Festival "Aadi Mahotsav" in New Delhi on 16 Nov 2019.
• The theme of the 15-day Mahotsav being held at Dilli Haat in INA, is celebration of the Spirit of Tribal Culture, Craft, Cuisine and
Commerce.
• The tribal textiles manufactured by master tribal craftsmen from Jammu & Kashmir in the North will be the main attractions.
Dhaka International Folk Festival inaugurated
• The 5th edition of the Dhaka International Folk Festival was inaugurated on 14 Nov 2019 by the Information Minister of
Bangladesh Dr Hasan Mahmud.
• More than 200 artistes from 6 countries are be performing in the largest folk festival of Asia.
• During the 3-day festival a large number of popular artists from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Russia and other countries will
perform in Dhaka.
Regional Conference in UT of J&K began
• A 2-day Regional Conference on the theme: “Replication of Good Governance Practices in UTs of J&K and Ladakh” began in
Jammu on 15 Nov 2019.
• The main objective of the Conference is to bring national and state-level organizations on a common platform.
• Delegates from 19 states and 4 Union Territories are participating in the Conference.
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National Mission 'NISHTHA' launched in J&K

• National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA) was launched in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir
recently.
• The event was attended by around 300 teachers, Key Resource Persons, and Chief Education Officers, DIET Principals and
Educational Administrators.
• The mission is aimed at improving learning outcomes at Elementary level through integrated Teacher Trainings.
Robert De Niro to be conferred with award
• Hollywood veteran and double Oscar winner Robert De Niro will receive the SAG Life Achievement Award for career achievement
and humanitarian accomplishment.
• The SAG Life Achievement Award is given annually to an actor who fosters the “finest ideals of the acting profession”.
• He will be awarded at the upcoming Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Appointments
• British-Dutch consumer goods company Unilever named Nils Andersen as its new chairman to utilise his deep experience across
consumer goods and logistics industries. Andersen will replace Marijn Dekkers.
• India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) has appointed G Kamala Vardhana Rao as the new Chairman and Managing
Director. Prior to this, he was the Principal Secretary, Kerala government.
Match fixing a crime: Sri Lanka
• Sri Lanka has become the first South Asian nation to bring match-fixing cases to the category of crime as its parliament passed a
bill related to ‘Prevention of Offences Related to Sports’.
• This new legislation related to match-fixing and corruption will apply to all sports.
• If a person is found guilty of corruption, he will be punished for up to 10 years and also be required to pay fines.
FIFA banned three football officials for life
• FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) has banned 3 South American football officials for a lifetime for
connection with a 2015 corruption scandal in football.
• The three officials who were banned were Former Peru Football Federation Manuel Burga and Argentinian officials Eduardo
Deluca and Jose Luis Meiszner.
• President of FIFA: Gianni Infantino
• HQs: Zürich, Switzerland.
Bali Yatra festival began in Cuttack, Odisha
• The festival ‘Bali Yatra’ was inaugurated in Cuttack, Odisha recently.
• The festival is organised at the bank of Mahanadi River every year.
• It marks the day when ancient mariners from the state would set sail to the distant land of Bali, Sumatra, Java (Jawa) in
Indonesia, Borneo and Sri Lanka, for the expansion of trade and Culture.
Nitin Gadkari inaugurated Khadi Pavilion
• Union Minister of MSME and Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the Khadi Pavilion at the India International
Trade Fair (IITF) in New Delhi.
• The Pavilion entrance has been themed upon Sabarmati Ashram, with melodious Shehnai celebrating the ‘spirit of Indianness’.
• A wide range of products is being displayed in the Khadi Pavilion at IITF 2019.
BNP Paribas and BOB Mutual Fund to merge
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the merger of the BNP Paribas (BNPP) Mutual Fund and the Baroda
(BOB) Mutual Fund, under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002.
• The Parties propose to amalgamate (i) BOB Asset Management Company (AMC) into BNPP AMC; (ii) BNPP Trustee Company (TC)
into BOB TC; (iii) After the merger, BNPP AMC and BOB TC will be the surviving entities.
CSIR-IMTECH signed MoU with IIT Bombay
• Council of Scientific & Industrial Research(CSIR)-Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh signed a MoU with
IIT Bombay to promote collaborative research.
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• The MoU will facilitate the exchange of ideas, development of new knowledge and enhance high-quality research acumen
between the researchers and faculty of both the institutes.
Dr. Cyrus conferred with the ABLF Award
• Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla, founder and chairman of Serum Institute of India, was conferred with the ABLF Lifetime Achievement
Award in Dubai, UAE.
• The award was presented by the 12th edition of the Asian Business Leadership Forum (ABLF).
• The award recognizes visionary leaders from across Asia, who inspire and set high standards in leadership excellence.
Amit Panghal conferred Haryana Gaurav award
• India boxer Amit Panghal was conferred the Haryana Gaurav award for winning the silver medal in the World Boxing
Championship.
• The award was conferred by the Haryana in UK Association.
• The association also honored the International Sports Curator Sunil Yash Kalra.
• The Haryana Gaurav award is presented every year to those who have been successful in leaving a mark in the field of sports.
Avneet Sidhu honoured with award
• Former international shooter Avneet Sidhu was honoured with Guru Nanak Dev Ji Achievers Award at Sultanpur Lodhi.
• Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh conferred the award on Avneet during the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru
Nanak Dev for her contribution to the field of sports.
• The state govt honoured 550 Punjabis who achieved success in their fields.
CSIR CEERI partnered with Fleeca India
• Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CEERI), Pilani has
collaborated with Fleeca India.
• The aim is to develop TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System).
• It will help driver to monitor tyres possibly creating unsafe driving conditions like air leakage, tyre bust and others.
2nd Summit of World Religious Leaders begun
• The 2nd Summit of World Religious Leaders began in Baku, Azerbaijan.
• The summit is being held from 14-15 November 2019.
• The Summit aims to contribute to the development of inter-religious dialogue, promotion, and evolution of such human values as
mutual understanding and human solidarity.
• It has brought together religious leaders of 25 traditional religions and movements from 70 countries.
Wushu C'ship winners felicitated
• India's Wushu World Championships medal winners Praveen, Yumnam Sanathoi Devi, Poonam Khatri and Vikrant Baliyan were
felicitated by Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju in New Delhi.
• India had won four medals - a gold, two silvers and a bronze - in the World Championships held in Shanghai, China, in October
2019.
• Praveen, who had won a gold, was handed a cheque of 20 lakh rupees
Person in News
• Veteran coach Arsene Wenger has been named FIFA's Chief of global football development. He would be responsible for the
growth of the game for both men and women around the world.
• Famous mathematician Vashishth Narayan Singh passed away in November 2019. He earned world recognition as he challenged
Einstein's theory of relativity.
Bangladesh topped business bribery risk
• Bangladesh has the highest business bribery risk among South Asian courtiers, according to the Trace Bribery Matrix which
releases annual ranking for 200 countries.
• Bangladesh has been placed at 178th position among 200 countries in terms of business bribery risk.
• Bhutan has the lowest risk of bribery on the index in South Asia as it is placed at 52 in the ranking.
National plan for States and UTs
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• Ministry for Women and Child Development announced that it along with NITI Aayog will prepare a framework for a national plan
for States and Union Territories.
• It will be prepared by early 2020 for better implementation of all the Central and States policies and programmes for women and
children.
• This was announced by Smriti Irani at a national conference held in New Delhi on 14 Nov 2019.
India: Favoured place for energy investments
• In the last 5-6 years, India has become the most favoured destination for energy investments.
• India received 286 US dollars billion FDI in the last 5 years.
• This is almost half of the total FDI in India in the last 20 years.
• India presently being the 3rd largest energy consumer in the world is poised to drive the global energy demand in the coming
decades.
The 2nd edition of the Paris Peace Forum held
• The 2nd edition of the Paris Peace Forum was held at La Grande Halle de La Villette in Paris, France.
• The event was held from 11-13 November 2019.
• The event aimed to encourage international cooperation and collective action for a peaceful world.
• It works as an incubator to drive projects and launch new initiatives.
• The forum is held to mobilize and bring together all stakeholders.
Days and Events
• November 13 is celebrated as the World Kindness Day. The Theme of 2019 for this World Kindness Day 2019 is empathy,
encouraging people across the globe to better understand “the pains of others” and touch their lives “positively”.
• World Pneumonia Day is observed every year on November 12. 2019 marked the 10th anniversary of the day. The theme for the
year 2019 is “Healthy lungs for all”.
• The World Diabetes Day (WDD) is observed globally on 14 November. The theme for diabetes awareness month and World
Diabetes Day 2019 “Family and Diabetes”. The day was created in the year 1991.
• On 14th November, Children’s Day is celebrated every year to mark the birth anniversary of our first Prime Minister Pt.
Jawaharlal Nehru. Pandit Nehru had a great love for children.
Conference on Yoga to be organised
• Ministry of AYUSH is organizing the International Conference on Yoga on 15-16 November 2019 at Mysuru, Karnataka.
• The theme of the conference is ‘Yoga for Heart Care’.
• This conference is 5th in the series to commemorate the unanimous adoption of Resolution by the United Nations General
Assembly during its 69th Session for observing 21st June as International Day of Yoga.
Dutee Chand on TIME 100 Next list
• India sprinter Dutee Chand has been named in the TIME 100 Next, an expansion of the TIME 100 list of the most influential
persons in the world.
• The list, an initiative of TIME magazine, highlights 100 rising stars who are shaping the future of business, entertainment, sports,
politics, health, science, activism etc.
• Dutee had won two silver medals -- 100m, 200m -- at Jakarta Asian Games.
Indian scholar won BRICS-Young Innovator Prize
• Ravi Prakash, an Indian scholar has won the 25,000 US Dollar BRICS-Young Innovator Prize for inventing an affordable indigenous
milk chilling unit for smaller and marginal rural dairy farmers.
• This technology can be used for chilling milk from the point of production by bringing down the temperature of raw milk from
37°C to 7°C within 30 mins.
• It uses nano-fluid based phase change materials.
Second Ebola vaccine to be offered in Congo
• A second Ebola vaccine is to be offered to around 50,000 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as part of a major clinical
trial.
• The Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be used alongside a one-dose vaccine made by Merck, which has already been given to
around 250,000 people.
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• Merck's jab has now been approved by the World Health Organization.
UP govt launched e-Ganna app, web portal
• Uttar Pradesh government has launched a dedicated web portal and a mobile application, e-Ganna App, for sugarcane farmers of
the state.
• Cane supply slip will now be issued to the farmers by sugar mills online.
• The web portal and e-Ganna App will help in eradicating cane mafia and middleman and strengthen cane development societies.
Sishu Suraksha app launched in Assam
• The Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights launched a mobile app Sishu Suraksha on 14 Nov 2019 on the
occasion of Children’s Day.
• The purpose of the app is to empower citizens to take moral responsibility of protecting future generations.
• The app can be used by anyone in the state to lodge a complaint which will be directly registered at Commission.
IOA met CGF officials
• The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) met top officials of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) in New Delhi on 14 Nov
2019 to bring Shooting back on the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games roster.
• For the first time since 1974, Shooting has been excluded from the Games roster.
• Shooting has always been one of India's top medal contributors in the CWG.
Appointments
• Union Minister Prakash Javadekar took charge as the Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. He also holds
Information and Broadcasting and Environment, Forest and Climate Change portfolios.
• Justice Muhammad Raffiq took oath as Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court. He succeeds Ajay Kumar Mittal who is now the
Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court.
Japanese spacecraft started journey to home
• After departing from a distant asteroid, Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft started its year-long journey home.
• It successfully completed its mission to bring back soil samples and data that could provide clues to the origins of the solar
system.
• The spacecraft is expected to return to Earth in late 2020 and drop a capsule containing the precious samples in the Australian
desert.
Families of organ donors felicitated at AIIMS
• Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on 13 Nov 2019 felicitated the families of organ donors at a function organised at AIIMS in
New Delhi.
• These organ donors have served humanity and will further strengthen the awareness campaign of the government towards
organ donation.
• Boxer and Parliamentarian M C Mary Kom also appealed to the people to support the movement towards organ donation.
Rajnath Singh visited Arunachal Pradesh
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Arunachal Pradesh on 14 Nov 2019 to attend the Maitree Diwas celebrations at Tawang.
• Maitree Diwas (Civil-Military Friendship) will be celebrated for two days at Gyalwa Tsangyang Gyatso High Altitude Stadium
Tawang.
• This will be the 11th edition of Maitree Diwas which celebrates civil-military bonhomie in the area.
Chief Justice office is public authority
• The Supreme Court held that the office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) is a public authority under the Right to Information (RTI)
Act.
• However, judicial independence has to be kept in mind while disclosing information in public interest.
• In some cases, judicial independence may demand openness and transparency by furnishing the information and in some cases,
disclosure may not be needed.
Union Minister inaugurated exhibition
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• Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated an exhibition on 13 Nov 2019 of Technologies in Food
Processing developed by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
• The exhibition organized in New Delhi showcases CSIR technologies in food sector to the industries and MSMEs.
• It highlights the latest R&D being done in the food processing sector in the country.
Facebook removed 5.4 billion fake accounts
• Facebook has stopped 5.4 billion fake accounts so far in 2019, in a sign of a persistent battle on social media against manipulation
and disinformation.
• A detailed report showed that government demands for user information hit a new high led by the US.
• Overall, requests by governments for Facebook user data rose 16 per cent to 128,617 in the first half of 2019.
India, Switzerland held bilateral meeting
• India and Switzerland held Secretary-level bilateral meeting on 13 Nov 2019 in New Delhi and discussed enhanced cooperation in
the fight against tax evasion.
• The Secretaries expressed satisfaction over the progress made over the past few years in the area of administrative assistance in
tax matters.
• The Secretaries reiterated their countries’ commitment to global tax transparency.
IFFI audio-visual anthem released
• Information and Broadcasting Secretary Amit Khare released Golden Jubilee audio-visual anthem for International Film Festival of
India (IFFI) to be held in Goa from 20-28 Nov 2019.
• The motivational anthem features clips from festival films which have had a positive social impact.
• Over 50 films feature in the clip, which is arranged along with the scheme of 9 Rasas.
Exercise TIGER TRIUMPH
• The maiden India US joint Tri services Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise named ‘TIGER TRIUMPH’ is
scheduled from 13 to 21 Nov 19 at Visakhapatnam.
• Indian Naval ships Jalashwa, Airavat and Sandhayak would be participating in the exercise.
• The Exercise is aimed to developing interoperability for conducting HADR operations.
6th World Congress in Delhi
• 6th World Congress on Rural and Agriculture Finance organised by NABARD and Asia - Pacific Rural Agricultural and Credit
Association (APRACA) in Delhi.
• Farmers’ concerns and rural development is the top priority of the Government.
• Finance Minister directed NABARD to take up necessary steps to extend support to the farmers in the states of J&K and Ladakh.
Workshop with Academia in Defence R&D by DRDO
• The workshop titled ‘DRDO-Academia Interaction for Achieving Leadership in Future Technologies'was held in Delhi.
• The workshop was aimed to leverage the academic expertise available in the country and increase the synergy with Academia.
• DRDO has established eight Centers of Technology in various universities.
Suranga Bawadi on World Monuments Watch List
• Suranga Bawadi has entered the World Monuments Watch List under the Ancient Water System of the Deccan Plateau of the
World Monument Funds.
• It is situated in Bijapur, Karnataka.
• It is an integral part of the ancient Karez System by which water was supplied through subterranean tunnels.
• Suranga Bawadi was built in the 16th century by Adil Shah-I of the Adilshahi dynasty of Bijapur.
Indias first elephant memorial in Mathura
• India-based conservation charity Wildlife SOS unveiled the country’s first elephant memorial in Mathura.
• The memorial symbolises the sacrifice of these gentle giants who lost their lives while suffering brutality at the hands of humans.
• The memorial, 20 miles from Taj Mahal, was inaugurated by additional principal chief conservator of forests, UP K Praveen Rao.
India, China began joint training
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• India and China began jointly training the second batch of Afghan diplomats as part of their efforts to work together for the
development of war-torn Afghanistan.
• The two countries had decided to work together during the first informal summit between PM Narendra Modi and President Xi
Jinping at Wuhan in April 2018.
• Ten diplomats from Afghanistan are participating in the course.
Munin Barkotoki Literary Award announced
• The Munin Barkotoki Memorial Trust has chosen young poet Ankur Ranjan Phukan and short story writer Monoranjan Bori for
the Munin Barkotoki Literary Award 2019.
• They will be awarded for their manuscripts Khando-ta and Moh-jokh respectively.
• This annual award carries a cash prize of 50,000 rupees along with a citation and a plaque.
The 58th ISAM Annual Conference to be held
• Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria will inaugurate the 58th Indian Society of Aerospace Medicine (ISAM) Annual Conference on 14
Nov 2019 in Bengaluru.
• It aims to address contemporary issues and applications in the subject of aerospace medicine.
• The theme for the conference for 2019 is 'Changing Paradigms in Aerospace Healthcare'.
SBI revised India’s FY20 GDP forecast to 5%
• The economic research team from the SBI has revised India’s Gross Domestic Product(GDP) to 5% from its earlier estimate of
6.1% for the Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20).
• This downgrade was due to global slowdown in the index of industrial production (IIP).
• The SBI economic research team group has projected the second quarter (July-September) GDP growth at 4.2% in their report
titled “EcoWrap”.
Dal Lake to be declared Eco-Sensitive Zone
• J&K has set up a 10-member committee to declare Srinagar’s Dal Lake and its surrounding areas as an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ).
• Pollution and encroachments have resulted in the Dal Lake shrinking from its original area of 22 square kilometres to about 10
square kilometres, according to an assessment by the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) in 2017.
• The capacity of the lake has shrunk to 40%.
NASA detects huge X-ray burst from outer space
• NASA has detected a massive thermonuclear explosion coming from outer space, caused by a massive thermonuclear flash on
the surface of a pulsar.
• The explosion released as much energy in 20 seconds as the Sun does in nearly 10 days.
• The X-ray burst, the brightest seen by NICER so far, came from an object named “J1808”.
National Capital Region -2041 conclave held
• Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, chaired the inaugural conclave on National Capital Region -2041 in
Delhi on 11 November 2019.
• This conclave was organized by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB).
• The theme of the conclave was Planning for Tomorrow’s Greatest Capital Region.
India Pavilion at the ADIPEC inaugurated
• Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the India Pavilion at the Abu Dhabi
International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC).
• The India Pavilion has been set up by 9 Indian Oil & Gas companies along with Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI),
Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
Appointments
• Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi was sworn-in as Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit
administered the oath of office to him.
• All India Football Federation announced the appointment of Thomas Dennerby as the Indian head coach of the Women’s U-17
football team. He led the Sweden Women’s national team to finish third in the FIFA World Cup in 2011.
39th India International Trade Fair 2019
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• 39th India International Trade Fair 2019 has begun in New Delhi.
• The theme for the 39th edition of the fair is ‘Ease of Doing Business’ inspired by India’s unique achievement of rising to 63rd rank
on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index from 142nd rank in the year 2014.
• The Republic of Korea’ will be the ‘Focus Country’.
• Bihar and Jharkhand will be the focus states.
India to host SCO meeting in 2020
• India will host the 19th council of heads of government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in 2020 in New Delhi.
• The SCO is a China-led eight-member economic and security bloc in which India and Pakistan were admitted as full members in
2017.
• Its founding members included China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Swachh-Nirmal Tat Abhiyaan
• Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is undertaking a mass cleanliness-cum-awareness drive in 50
identified beaches under the programme called ‘Swachh- Nirmal Tat Abhiyaan’, from 11 -17 November 2019.
• The objective is to strive to make coastal areas across the country clean.
• It aims to create awareness amongst citizens about the importance of coastal ecosystems.
Iran discovered new oil field
• Iran has discovered a new oilfield with 53 billion barrels of crude oil in Khuzestan province, home to Iran’s Khuzestan’s crucial oil
industry.
• The announcement, however, did not reveal how much oil could be produced from the reservoir.
• The new oil field discovered is 2,400 square kilometres (925 square miles), with the deposit some 80 metres (260 feet) deep.
Gujarat CM launched online registration portal
• Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has launched an online registration portal to facilitate setting up of new MSME units.
• He approved the first online application through the portal and issued a certificate through an e-mail to a woman entrepreneur.
• Earlier, the State government had announced a waiver from approval procedure to MSME units for first three years.
UP govt to felicitate GST payers
• Uttar Pradesh government will felicitate the top ten GST payers in each district and at the state level.
• Government has also decided to provide insurance of 10 lakh rupees to the registered GST payers in state and very soon there
will be provision of pension for them.
• State's Target of GST collection this financial year is around 77640 crore rupees.
11.35 lakh Golden Cards issued under AB-PMJAY
• In the UT of Jammu & Kashmir, 11.35 lakh Golden Cards have been issued under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya
Yojana (AB-PMJAY) till date, against the target of 31 lakh, which is the highest number in the country.
• The scheme aims at making interventions in primary, secondary and tertiary care systems, covering both preventive and
promotive health, to address healthcare holistically.
Virat maintained top position in ODI ranking
• In Cricket, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah have maintained their top spots in the latest ICC ODI Player Rankings.
• Kohli is at the top of the rankings for batsmen, followed by Rohit Sharma.
• In the bowlers' rankings, Bumrah maintained his top spot followed by New Zealand's pacer Trent Boult.
• Hardik Pandya is the only Indian to feature in the top 10 among all-rounders.
President's rule imposed in Maharashtra
• President's rule has been imposed in Maharashtra.
• The state legislative assembly has been kept under suspended animation.
• The development came as the political impasse lingered on for 19 days after the assembly election results were declared.
• In the assembly polls held in Oct 2019, the BJP won 105 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena, 56, the NCP-54 and the Congress, 44 in
the 288-member House.
IAF to sign contract to procure 83 LCAs
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• The Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to procure the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas (LCA) Mark-1A and Mark-2 and 114 new fighter jets in
the next decade.
• IAF also announced that it is expecting to receive 5-6 LCAs in the Final Operational Configuration (FOC) by March 2020.
• The contract for 83 LCA Mark-1A by IAF is expected to be signed in the financial year 2019-2020.
Exercise Indra 2019 to be held in December
• The first-ever joint tri-service exercise between India and Russia code named INDRA 2019 will be conducted from December 10-
19.
• Company-sized mechanised contingents, fighter and transport aircraft as well as ships of respective Armies, Air Forces and Navies
will participate in this 10-days exercise.
• It is aimed at enhancing interoperability between both the national armed forces.
The 27th Conference of COCSSO held
• Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) organized 27th Conference of Central and State Statistical
Organizations (COCSSO) on 11-12 November 2019 in Kolkata.
• It provided a platform for discussion and improved coordination between the Central and State Statistical agencies.
• The theme for 2019 was 'Sustainable Development Goals' (SDGs).
Four medical device parks to be set up
• The govt has given approval for setting up four medical device parks with a view to support Make in India initiative and provide
world-class products at affordable price for treatment.
• The parks will be set up in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
• This will not only cut import bill but will also help in easy access to standard testing facilities and reduce cost of production.
Spider species named after Sachin Tendulkar
• Dhruv Prajapati, a research scholar from the Gujarat Ecological Education & Research (GEER) Foundation, has discovered two
new spider species found in Kerala, TamilNadu and Gujarat.
• One spider species was named after Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar as “Marengo Sachin Tendulkar” while the other was
named as “Indomarengo chavarapater” after Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara.
Obituaries
• Padma Shri-awardee Dhrupad vocalist Ramakant Gundecha passed away. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2012 in the field of
Art – Indian Classical Music – Vocal.
• Bernard J. Tyson, the chairman and CEO of the health plan provider Kaiser Permanente, passed away.
• Former Union Secretary PS Krishnan passed away. He was regarded as a champion of the oppressed and exploited sections of
society.
Karnataka Gramin Bank initiated ‘mobile ATMs’
• The Karnataka Gramin Bank (KGB) has launched ‘mobile ATMs’ in Kalaburagi, among several other districts in the Karnataka.
• The special vehicle includes an ATM and a screen to show videos of different banking schemes.
• The mobile ATMs will go to the doorsteps of the farmers and make them aware of the banking schemes and digital operating
systems.
• A bank official would be present in the van.
Shanta Gokhale awarded
• The Tata Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award for 2019 was conferred on writer, translator and film critic Shanta Gokhale.
• She recently published her memoir One Foot on the Ground: A Life Told Through the Body.
• She received the Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 2015.
• Poet K Satchidanandan was named the Tata Literature Live! Poet Laureate for 2019.
Wildlife biologist K. Ullas Karanth won award
• Wildlife biologist K. Ullas Karanth, Director, Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bengaluru, was awarded the George Schaller Lifetime
Award in Wildlife Conservation Science for his contribution to the field of conservation.
• He is the first recipient of the award instituted by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), New York.
• He is also a recipient of Padma Shri award (2012).
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8 movies from Russia to be screened at IFFI

• The 50th edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will kick off from 20th November 2019 in Goa.
• It will showcase eight movies from Russia which is Country of focus for the year 2019.
• 'Andrei Tarkovsky: A Cinema Prayer', is one of the movies to be featured among these Russian movies.
• The documentary by Tarkovsky is considered one of his masterpieces.
Appointments
• Justice Sanjay Karol was sworn in as the Chief Justice of Patna High Court on 11 Nov 2019. Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan
administered the oath of office to him. Justice Karol was earlier the Chief Justice of Tripura.
• The Ministry of external affairs (MEA) announced Anjani Kumar was the next ambassador of India to the Republic of Mali. He will
replace Pradeep Kumar Gupta.
Sundar Singh won gold
• Javelin thrower Sundar Singh Gurjar has won India's second gold defending his World Para Athletics Championships title in the
men's F46 javelin throw event in Dubai.
• With this, India has secured three Tokyo Paralympic Games quota, along with the bronze winner Ajeet Singh and Rinku.
• Yogesh Kathuniya won a silver for India in men's discus throw F56 event with a best throw of 42.05 m.
Saurabh Chaudhary won silver medal
• Saurabh Chaudhary claimed the silver medal in men's 10m air pistol event to continue India's surge at the 14th Asian
Championship in Doha on 12 Nov 2019.
• He shot 244.5 to finish second behind North Korea's Kim Song Guk, who won the top prize with a world record 246.5.
• Shreya Agrawal and Dhanush Srikanth won the gold medal in the 10m air rifle mixed team junior competition.
Sports News
• India fast bowler Deepak Chahar has moved up 88 slots to 42nd in the latest ICC T20 rankings for bowlers. Rohit Sharma
continued to remain India's top-ranked batsman at the seventh position.
• Sumit Nagpal moved two places up in men's singles rankings and achieved his career-best 127th spot in the latest Association of
Tennis Professional (ATP) rankings. Nagpal currently has 433 points.
Dhaka Global Dialogue begun
• PM of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the first edition of the three day long Dhaka Global Dialogue on 11 Nov 2019.
• The three-day-long programme is being jointly organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and the Bangladesh
Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS).
• Over 150 delegates from 50 countries are participating in the conference.
Person in News
• The President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, has resigned amid turmoil following his disputed re-election in Oct 2019. He has been in
power for nearly 14 years. He left the post after losing the support of the army and the police.
• Mohammad Imran has been appointed as the new High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India. He is currently Bangladesh's
Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.
Public Service Broadcasting Day
• Public Service Broadcasting Day was celebrated on 12 Nov 2019.
• The day is celebrated every year to commemorate the first and last visit of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi to the
studio of All India Radio, Delhi in 1947.
• The Father of the Nation addressed the displaced people, who had temporarily settled at Kurukshetra in Haryana after partition.
550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji
• The 550th birth anniversary of first Sikh guru and founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev is being celebrated on 12 Nov 2019 as
Prakash Parv.
• President Ramnath Kovind will take part in the festivities at Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala, Punjab.
• Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent more than 15 years at Sultanpur Lodhi, where he attained enlightenment.
• He was born on the full moon day of Kartik month in 1526.
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Golden Jubilee of IFFI starts on November 20

• The Golden Jubilee of International Film Festival of India will start on 20 Nov 2019 in Goa.
• It is the first International Film Festival held anywhere in Asia.
• IFFI began its journey in 1952 by the Films Division with 23 countries entering over 200 films.
• The Competition Category was introduced in 1965.
• Sri Lankan film Gamperaliya was the 1st recipient of the Golden Peacock Award.
World’s first CNG port terminal at Bhavnagar
• Gujarat Government has given its nod to the world’s first CNG port terminal at Bhavnagar.
• The U.K. based Foresight group and Mumbai based Padmanabh Mafatlal group joint venture will invest Rs.1900 crore to set up a
CNG port terminal at Bhavnagar port.
• The port terminal will have an annual capacity of 6 million metric tone.
Mauritius PM claimed victory
• Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth claimed victory in the Mauritius election.
• Roughly three-quarters of the island's almost one million eligible voters turned out to cast their ballots, a bit above the last poll in
2014.
• It is the first time in decades that three distinct political blocs vied for power in the legislative elections.
National Entrepreneurship Awards conferred
• Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey conferred the National Entrepreneurship Awards
2019 to Enterprises and Ecosystem builders on 9 Nov 2019.
• The fourth edition of the award ceremony was organized to mark the completion of 5 years of setting up of the Ministry of Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship in 2014.
National workshop on ODF Plus held
• Ministry of Jal Shakti organised a one-day national workshop on ODF Plus – ODF Sustainability and Solid and Liquid Waste
Management on 9 Nov 2019 in New Delhi.
• 5.99 lakh villages, 699 districts and 35 states and UTs have declared themselves open defecation free (ODF) as of October 2019.
• Participating states presented their current status in rural sanitation and their plans going forward.
IYM launched BS-VI compliant variants of bikes
• India Yamaha Motor (IYM) launched BS-VI compliant variants of FZ-FI and FZS-FI bikes, priced between ₹99,200 and ₹1.02 lakh.
• The new FZ-FI and FZS-FI BS-VI versions come with various features like single-channel ABS in the front wheel, front and rear disc
brakes along with a single piece two-level seat.
• These FZ motorcycles will be available across Yamaha showrooms from November 2019.
30th year of the Fall of the Berlin Wall
• Google celebrated the 30th year of the fall of the Berlin Wall with a doodle on 9 November 2019.
• The doodle created by Berlin-based guest artist Max Guther, shows a man and woman walk over the wall brought down.
• It was the moment that signalled the simultaneous end of the Cold War and the beginning of reunification of East and West
Germany.
World Science Day for Peace and Development
• World Science Day for Peace and Development is celebrated every year on 10 November.
• The theme for 2019 is “Open science, leaving no one behind”.
• The day highlights the significant role of science in society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging
scientific issues.
• The day was proclaimed by UNESCO in 2001.
Banks cannot charge on NEFT from Jan 2020
• From January 2020, banks can no longer charge savings bank account holders for online transactions in the NEFT system.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has now mandated banks to do this through a press release.
• NEFT is a payment system facilitating funds transfers from one bank account to another.
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• One can access this service either by using Internet banking or by visiting the bank branch.
50th WEF Annual Meeting to be held in Davos
• The 50th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting will be held in Davos in January 2020.
• Over 100 Indian CEOs, several political leaders and Bollywood stars will be attending it.
• The 2020 meeting aims to give a concrete meaning to stakeholder capitalism, assist governments and international institutions in
tracking progress towards the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.
IOCL gets environmental clearance
• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has given environment clearance to Indian Oil Corporation Limited to set up
new 2G Ethanol plant at Panipat.
• This project will not only promote the use of environmentally friendly fuel but also aid in the fulfilment of the government's goal
of doubling farmers’ income.
Flyover between Sion & Dharavi commissioned
• Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis commissioned a new flyover expected to reduce travel by 30 minutes between Sion and
Dharavi in the Mumbai.
• The 1.6-km long, 17-metre wide and 4-lane BKC- Chunabhatti Connector provides a faster route to the arterial Eastern Express
Highway.
• Mumbaikars will now save 30 minutes travel time and avoid traffic congestion at Dharavi and Sion junctions.
Punjab CM conferred achievers award
• On the occasion of 550th Prakash Purab celebrations of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh conferred
achievers award to over 400 eminent Punjabi personalities for their outstanding contribution in various fields.
• The awards were presented in the fields of religious and social activities, defence, literature, art, music and culture, and sports.
India secured 15 quota places for Olympics
• Angad Vir Singh Bajwa secured gold and Mairaj Ahmad Khan won silver at the 14th Asian Shooting Championship at Doha on 10
Nov 2019.
• Their medals ensured India secured an unprecedented 15 quota places for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
• India won three quotas on 10 Nov 2019 including teenager Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar's bronze in men's 50m rifle 3 positions.
Kento Momota beat Tien Chen to win China Open
• Kento Momota won his 10th title as he defeated Tien-chen to retain his Fuzhou China Open Badminton crown on 10 Nov 2019.
• Momota defeated Chou by 21-15, 17-21, 21-18 at Fuzhou.
• Home hope Chen Yufei similarly successfully defended the women's title with a victory over Japan's Nozomi Okuhara.
• Chen lifted the Fuzhou title for the second year in a row.
2nd BRICS summit to be held on 13-14 November
• Brazil is hosting 2019 BRICS summit, this time in capital Brasilia from 13-14 November 2019.
• BRICS brings together five major economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa having 23% of the global GDP and
around 17% of the share in world trade.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reach Brasilia on 13th Nov. This is Prime Minister's second visit to Brazil
National Education Day: 11 November
• National Education Day is observed on 11th November every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam
Azad.
• He was a freedom fighter, scholar and the first Education Minister of independent India.
• Human Resources Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launched SWAYAM 2.0, Study Webs of Active Learning for
Young Aspiring Minds in New Delhi on the occasion.
Obituaries
• Former chief election commissioner TN Seshan passed away in November 2019. A 1955 batch IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre,
Seshan had led the Election Commission from 1990 to 1996.
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• Rashtrapati Award recipient and noted educationalist Namut Dai passed away in November 2019. He had been conferred the
State Teacher Award in 1998 for his outstanding contributions in the field of education.
Assamese version of 'Courts of India' released
• Chief Justice of India Justice Ranjan Gogoi released the Assamese version of the book 'Courts of India: Past to Present' in
Guwahati on 10 Nov 2019.
• The book has been published by the Publication Division and explains the Indian justice system.
• The book has captured the historical developments which took place in the history of the nation's courts.
5th edition of GES to be held from Nov 26-28
• The fifth edition of Global Exhibition on Services, GES 2019 is being held from November 26-28, 2019 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• It is an annual event which aims to engage industry and governments across the world.
• GES 2019 is an attempt towards escalating the Indian services bar in the global arena, encompassing participation from 100
countries and hosting sector-specific knowledge sessions.
Defence innovations conference held
• Defence ministry organised Def-Connect in New Delhi on 11 November 2019 to showcase the accomplishments of the
Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative.
• Launch of iDEX Portal and launch of Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC)-III were some of the major activities planned during
this day-long event.
• Defence minister Rajnath Singh was the Chief Guest of the event.
Dharmendra Pradhan to visit UAE
• Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is on a visit to UAE from November 10-12, 2019.
• He will attend the inaugural Ministerial session of Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference.
• He will participate in the Ministerial panel discussion.
• Both the countries will discuss issues of bilateral hydrocarbon as well as steel sector engagements.
Railways conducted largest recruitment
• Railway Ministry successfully conducted one of the world’s largest recruitment exercises for filling up critical safety and
operational posts and has reached its completion stage.
• Two recruitment notifications - one for Assistant Loco Pilots and Technicians and the other for Level-I posts were released in
2018 for filling up about 1.27 lakh vacancies.
Four Indian-Americans won elections in US
• Four Indian-Americans, including a former White House Technology Policy Adviser, have won state and local elections held in the
United States.
• Indian-American Ghazala Hashmi, a former community college professor, created history by becoming the first Muslim woman to
be elected to the Virginia State Senate.
• Suhas Subramanyam has been elected to the Virginia State House of Representative.
Ministry of Tourism participated in WTM
• The Ministry of Tourism participated in the three-day-long World Travel Market (WTM) from November 04-06, 2019 in London,
UK.
• The theme for India Pavilion at WTM 2019 was ‘Incredible India – Find the Incredible India’.
• A total of 32 stakeholders, including State Governments, Union Territory Administrations, Air India, IRCTC participated as co-
exhibitors in the India Pavilion.
Andhra government to introduce English medium
• The Andhra Pradesh Government is set to introduce English medium in government schools for first to eighth standard starting
from the next academic year.
• Under the programme the basic amenities in schools will be improved and in the first phase it would be taken up in 15,000
schools.
• This phase would be completed by March 2020.
Sun Pharma signed pact with AstraZeneca
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• Sun Pharma has inked a licensing pact with AstraZeneca UK to introduce certain novel ready-to-use infusion oncology products in
China.
• The agreement will help to bring cost-effective and quality drugs to patients in China.
• As per the agreement, Sun Pharma will be responsible for development, regulatory filings and manufacturing the products
covered in the agreement.
2nd Int Conf. on Sustainable Water Management
• The 2nd International Conference on Sustainable Water Management was held in Pune on 6 November 2019.
• It was inaugurated by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Union Minister of Jalshakti.
• He announced that India would achieve the target of providing safe drinking water to everyone by 2024.
• The conference highlighted the need for the states to work towards seamless data transfer on water.
IFFI to screen 3 films for differently-abled
• This year, the Golden Jubilee of International Film Festival of India (IFFI), will have the screening of Accessible India Films.
• This is collaboration between IFFI, Saksham Bharat and UNESCO with the aim to promote the creation of inclusive spaces for the
differently-abled to access the joy of cinema through Audio deion.
• This unique film section will witness the screening of three films.
EAM S Jaishankar on 3-day visit to Netherlands
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is on a 3-day visit to Netherlands during which he will hold comprehensive discussion on
bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual interest.
• He will also interact with members of the foreign affairs committee of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament.
• India and the Netherlands have a long history of friendly bilateral relations.
Bihar to ban auto rickshaws running on diesel
• Bihar state government has announced a ban on auto-rickshaws running on diesel on 6 November 2019.
• It will be effective from 31 January 2021.
• The move comes after Patna recorded the worst air quality of the season in India on 5 November 2019.
• The owners of the auto-rickshaws will be encouraged to switch over to Compressed natural gas (CNG) or battery-operated
systems.
10th Meeting of SCO held
• The Union Minister for Home Affairs, Amit Shah addressed the 10th Meeting of the Heads of Departments of SCO Member
States.
• The meeting dealt with the prevention and elimination of emergency situations.
• India attaches special importance to SCO as an excellent platform for synergizing the efforts of all member States in the field of
multilateral, political, security, etc.
Legal Services Day: 9th November
• Legal Services Day is celebrated every year on the 9th of November in all the state Authorities.
• Legal Services Day was first started by the Supreme Court in the year 1995 all across India to offer help and support to the
weaker and poor group of sections of people.
• The aim is to offer free of charge, proficient, and legal services to the people of weaker sections of society.
Piyush Goyal to participate in 9th BRICS Meet
• Commerce and Industry and Railway Minister, Piyush Goyal, will be on tour to Brazil and the United States from 9-14 November
2019.
• On the first leg of his visit he will attend 9th BRICS Trade Ministers Meet in Brasilia, Brazil, on the 11th of November 2019.
• Discussions at the meet will be focussed on opportunities for enhanced intra-BRICS trade and investment cooperation.
MPC for MILAN 2020 concluded at Visakhapatnam
• The Mid Planning Conference (MPC) for MILAN exercise concluded at HQENC Visakhapatnam 08 Nov 19.
• The three-day conference was attended by 29 delegates from 17 friendly Foreign Navies.
• The scope of exercise planned during the harbour and sea phase of MILAN 2020 was discussed in detail.
• MILAN, series of biennial multilateral naval exercise commenced in 1995.
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Closing film of 50th IFFI chosen

• The India Premiere of “Marghe and Her Mother” directed by Iranian filmmaker, Mohsen Makhmalbaf will be the Closing Film of
the 50th International Film festival of India.
• The film revolves around Marghe, a six year old girl who lives with her single mother Claudia.
• This is Makhmalbaf’s first film set in Italy and in Italian language, away from his regular backdrop of Iran.
International Day of Radiology: 8 November
• International Day of Radiology event is organized by the International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists
(ISRRT).
• It is observed on 8th November every year.
• The theme of International Radiology Day 2019 is Sports Imaging.
• The day marks the discovery of X-Radiation done by Roentgen on 8 November 1895.
NASA unveiled its first electric airplane
• NASA showcased an early version of its first all-electric experimental aircraft, the X-57 "Maxwell," on 8 Nov 2019.
• It has been adapted from an Italian-made Tecnam P2006T twin-engine propeller plane.
• The Maxwell will be the agency's first crewed X-plane to be developed in two decades.
• NASA also showed off a newly built simulator with it.
MSTC ties up with Allahabad Bank
• MSTC Ltd has signed an agreement with Allahabad Bank for the development of a dedicated e-Auction platform.
• The e-Auction platform will be a one-of-a-kind solution, where a bidder once registered, will be able to participate in auctions for
all banks.
• This move will help the banks monetise NPAs through a streamlined process, thereby, increasing revenue generation.
Om Birla addressed 6th G 20 Speakers’ Summit
• Lok sabha speaker Om Birla composed the Indian Parliament delegation for 6th parliamentary summit of G20 countries, held in
Tokyo.
• G20 presiding officer of parliament attended the summit.
• The summit had 3 sessions on separate themes related to trade, technology and sustainable development.
• The gathering of this summit was about the terrorism which destroying the system of economy.
Odisha govt signed pact with Tech Mahindra
• The Odisha state government signed agreements with Tata Strive and Tech Mahindra to add new dimensions in skilling and
employability of the youth.
• The agreement between Directorate of Technical Education and Training and Tata Strive is aimed at imparting life skills to the
students of all 49 government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the state.
Sanskrit Bharati Vishwa Sammelan began
• Thousands of Sanskrit lovers from 17 countries are attending Sanskrit Bharati Vishwa Sammelan, the three-day mega event.
• It began on 9 November 2019.
• Sanskrit continues to be prevalent in society as it is used by the people across the country.
• Sanskrit words are found in most of the Indian languages.
• Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr.Harsh Vardhan was also present on the occasion.
Ayodhya Verdict
• The Supreme Court has given the entire disputed 2.77-acre land to the Hindu parties with a trust to be formed by the Centre
within three months to monitor the construction of a Ram Temple.
• The Sunni Waqf Board will be given 5 acres of alternate land, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court ruled in the unanimous
verdict.
• Elaborate security arrangements have been made across the country.
Devendra Fadnavis resigned as Maharashtra CM
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• Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has finally resigned and met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to submit his resignation
papers.
• This comes just hours before the deadline for government formation in Maharashtra ends with the current assembly session
coming to an end on November 9, 2019.
Every new officer to ‘adopt’ and mentor a teen
• The Narendra Modi government has launched a unique mentorship programme called ‘Nurture the Future’.
• Under this, civil service probationers will have to adopt adolescents as mentees and guide them throughout their educational and
professional lives.
• The initiative aims to provide mentorship to underprivileged and socially or economically-backward children studying in class 10
and above.
Sanjay Gupta: Country Manager for Google India
• Former Star and Disney head Sanjay Gupta has been appointed as Country Manager for Google India.
• This comes after Rajan Anandan quit in April this year to join Sequoia.
• Gupta will also serve as Vice President of Sales and Operations for India.
• Vikas Agnihotri, currently Google's country director for sales in India, was serving as the Internet giant's interim managing
director.
GeM partnered with Central Bank of India
• Government e-Marketplace (GeM) signed MoU with Central Bank of India.
• Through this partnership, Central Bank of India will be able to offer an array of services including transfer of funds through GeM
Pool Accounts (GPA), etc. to the registered users on the portal.
• GeM has already signed MoU with 18 Public Sector and Private Banks to enable this.
Person in News
• Arvind Singh took charge as the chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Prior to this appointment, Singh was the
additional chief secretary (Energy) of Maharashtra government.
• Two-time Olympic boxing champion Nicola Adams announced her retirement from the sport. She became the first-ever women’s
Olympic boxing champion at London 2012 in the United Kingdom(UK).
Exercise ReSAREX-2019 conducted
• The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) conducted the Regional Level Search and Rescue Workshop and Exercise 2019 (ReSAREX- 19) off the
Goa coast recently.
• It was conducted to check the preparedness and response measures for search and rescue at sea in a coordinated manner.
• 5 ships of ICG, 2 Chetak helicopters were used for the workshop.
India Justice Report 2019 released
• According to ‘India Justice Report 2019’, Maharashtra is the top state in delivering justice to its citizens followed by Kerala, Tamil
Nadu, Punjab and Haryana.
• It is the first-ever ranking of states on their capacity to deliver justice to citizens.
• The list of 7 small states was topped by Goa, followed by Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh.
• Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are at the bottom.
Moody’s revised India’s economic outlook
• The American financial service company Moody’s has downgraded India’s economic outlook to “Negative” from “Stable”.
• This downgrade was due to slow growth in the economy.
• It also predicted that slow growth would be prolonged and would also have debt rises.
• Moody’s has also predicted a budget deficit of 3.7% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the year through March 2020.
RBI increased household income limits
• The RBI has increased the household income limits for borrowers of Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and microfinance
institutions (MFIs) from 1 lakh to 1.25 lakh rupees.
• The move is aimed at strengthening credit to those at the bottom of the economic pyramid in rural areas.
• Similarly, the limit has been increased from 1.6 lakh for urban or semi-urban areas to 2 lakh rupees.
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PM inaugurated Check Post of Kartarpur

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Integrated Check Post (ICP) of the Kartarpur Corridor at Dera Baba Nanak in
Gurdaspur, Punjab on 9 Nov 2019.
• He attended a public meeting at Dera Baba Nanak.
• The inauguration of the ICP will facilitate, Indian pilgrims to visit Gurudwara Kartapur Sahib in Pakistan.
• India signed the agreement with Pakistan on the 24th October 2019.
Exim Bank granted line of credit to Ghana
• The Export-Import (Exim) Bank has provided a USD 30 million line of credit to Ghana for a potable water project in the country.
• Under the arrangement, financing of export of eligible goods, works and services from India would be allowed subject to their
being eligible for export under the Foreign Trade Policy of India.
• The agreement under the LoC is effective from October 11, 2019.
Indian Bank, Muthoot Microfin signed MoU
• Indian Bank has signed a MoU with Muthoot Microfinance to serve Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME).
• Under this, the bank and the non-banking finance company will jointly lend to the MSME borrowers.
• The agreement was signed by Sudhakar Rao, Indian Bank general manager-MSME &Praveen T, Muthoot Microfin deputy CFO
(Chief Financial Officer).
Kumar Mangalam Birla conferred with an award
• Kumar Mangalam Birla was conferred the ABLF Global Asian Award, for “powerful individual whose business footprint and
commitment to excellence have engaged international interest and attention”.
• The previous awardees include Dhirubhai Ambani, Lakshmi Mittal, Mohamed Ali Alaber, chairman of Emaar group, and Sheikh
Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Emirates.
RBI imposes Rs 5 lakh fine on Oxigen Services
• The RBI has imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on prepaid payment instrument Oxigen Services.
• The move was taken in exercise of powers vested under Section 30 of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, for non-
compliance of regulatory guidelines.
• The fine comes through a speaking order dated September 17, 2019.
• Oxigen Services facilitates payment processing and money transfer services.
25th Kolkata International Film Festival began
• The 25th Kolkata International Film Festival began with the screening of Satyajit Ray-directed 'Gupi Gayen, Bagha Bayen' film on 8
Nov 2019.
• Shahrukh Khan inaugurated the eight-day festival at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.
• 213 feature films and 152 short and documentary films from 76 countries will be screened in 17 venues during the film
extravaganza.
India to host 2023 Men's Hockey World Cup
• India will host the 2023 Men's Hockey World Cup from 13th to 29th of January 2023.
• Spain and the Netherlands have been named as the co-hosts of the 2022 Women's World Cup scheduled to be held from 1st to
22nd of July 2022.
• The decisions were made during FIH's Executive Board Meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland on 9 Nov 2019.
MMR of India declined by 8 points in one year
• Maternal Mortality Ratio, MMR, of India has declined by eight points in one year as per the latest special bulletin on MMR
released by the Registrar General of India.
• This was informed by Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan today in New Delhi.
• The MMR has declined from 130 per lakh live births in 2014-16 to 122 per lakh live births in 2015-17.
Government to set up one lakh digital villages
• The Government will set up one lakh digital villages in the country in the coming years.
• Around 800 such villages are already operational on pilot basis.
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• This was announced by Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad.
• The idea behind setting them up is to provide health care and education digitally and promote Skill development.
Indian Railways launched 3 online applications
• Indian Railways has launched three applications for all-India roll out to strengthen its IT-enabled services which will help ensure
proper monitoring of projects being undertaken by Railways.
• The applications, namely CRS Sanction Management System, Rail-road crossing GAD approval system and TMS for construction.
• These aim at beefing up IT-enabled services.
Obituaries
• Renowned Bengali author Nabaneeta Dev Sen passed away at 81. In 1999, she was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award and in
2000 she was given the Padma Shri award.
• Iconic football club Mohun Bagan's former secretary Anjan Mitra, who served in the position for more than two decades, died. He
was one of the longest serving administrators of Mohun Bagan.
Guinness World Record created
• A Guinness World Record of most students assembling radio kits simultaneously was created on the third day of India
International Science Festival at Kolkata.
• 490 students participated in the event, a record 268 succeeded in completing the assembling process in the stipulated hours.
• A certificate and memento was presented to Union Minister of Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan.
PM Modi to visit Brazil for BRICS summit
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a two-day visit to Brazil from the 13th of November to attend the 11th BRICS Summit in
Brasilia.
• The theme of the Summit this year is "Economic Growth for an Innovative Future”.
• BRICS is the acronym coined for an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South
Africa.
DIN System of CBIC comes into existence
• The Documentation Identification Number (DIN) system of Central Board of Indirect Taxes (CBIC) came into existence from 8th
November 2019.
• This path breaking system in indirect tax administration has been created as per the direction of Finance Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman.
• Now, any CBIC communication will have to have a Documentation Identification Number.
Rohit Sharma makes record
• Stand-in captain Rohit Sharma became the first Indian male cricketer and second in world cricket to complete 100 T20
Internationals.
• This feat was achieved during the second match against Bangladesh at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.
• Shoaib Malik (111 games) from Pakistan is the only player to have played more than 100 T20 Internationals.
Infosys Prize 2019 for science and research
• The Infosys Prize for 2019 was announced at the Infosys campus in Bengaluru.
• The award is given annually to honour outstanding achievements IN six categories: Humanities: Manu V. Devadevan, Life
Sciences: Manjula Reddy, Mathematical Sciences: Sidhartha Mishra, Physical Sciences: G. Mugesh, Social Sciences: Anand
Pandian, Engineering and Computer Science: Sunita Sarawagi.
Bilateral maritime exercise ‘Samudra Shakti'
• India is jointly exercising its anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kamorta along with Indonesian warship KRI Usman Harun, a
multi-role corvette, in the Bay of Bengal as part of an ongoing bilateral exercise ”Samudra Shakti”.
• The aim of the exercise is to strengthen bilateral relations, expand maritime co-operation, enhance interoperability and exchange
best practices.
Abhisek Sarkar wins award at Dhaka Lit-fest
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• At the 9th edition of the Dhaka Literature festival, West Bengal-based writer Abhishek Sarkar and Bangladeshi poet Rofiquzzaman
Rony were given the Gemcon Young Literature Award and Gemcon Young Poetry Award.
• Abhishek and Rofiquzzaman won the awards for their manuscripts, “Nishiddho” and “Dhoashar Tamate Rong,” respectively.
• The special focus of this year’s est is on Indigenous Languages.
Days and events
• 7th November is observed as National Cancer Awareness Day. The day is aimed to create awareness about the prevention and
early detection of cancer.
• Infant Protection Day is celebrated on 7 November. The day aims to celebrate the day to spread awareness about the safety of
infants and protect their lives by taking proper care of infants.
Scientists declared a climate emergency
• Scientists have declared a climate emergency across the world.
• 11,258 signatories from more than 153 countries, including 69 from India, presented the trends in climate change.
• They also provided a set of effective mitigating actions.
• The researchers said that climate change has arrived and is accelerating faster than many scientists expected.
Freedom on the Net report for the year 2019
• The Freedom House released its Freedom on the Net (FoTN) report for the year 2019.
• The title of the report is The Crisis of Social Media.
• The international internet rights group said that China was ranked as the world’s worst abuser of internet freedom for the fourth
consecutive year.
• India secured an overall score of 55 in the Freedom on the Net 2019 report.
10th Asian Conference of Emergency Medicine
• Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated 10th Asian Conference of Emergency Medicine in New Delhi.
• The aim of the conference is to develop programs and manuals to train citizens in emergency first aid procedures.
• The Government of India has made it mandatory for all medical college hospitals to have full-fledged Emergency Departments by
2022 with an aim to improve trauma care.
Dr. Vinaya Shetty appointed as IODA’s GVP
• Dr Vinaya Shetty was elected as the General Vice President of International Organisation Development Association.
• She is the first Indian to be elected to the position.
• She has helped in change and transformation of numerous organisations across industries in India.
• In 2016, she became the first Indian woman entrepreneur finalist of the Empretech Women in Business Award.
100 ‘Novels That Shaped Our World’ list
• The British Broadcasting Corporation announced a list of ‘100 Novels That Shaped Our World’.
• The list contains ten categories including identity, love, sex and romance, politics, power and protest, and class and society.
• The BBC’s novel list is to mark the 300th anniversary of the publication of Daniel Defoe’s novel ‘Robinson Crusoe’.
2nd ‘No money for terror conference 2019'
• The 2nd ‘No Money for Terror’ 2019 conference was held in Melbourne, Australia.
• The conference was organised by Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) of over 100 countries.
• It provides FIUs a forum to exchange information to combat money-laundering.
• The first “No Money for Terror” conference was held in France in 2018.
• India would host the next ‘No Money For Terror’ Conference in 2020.
Bajaj Allianz launches ‘Farmitra’ mobile app
• Bajaj Allianz General Insurance has launched a new mobile app called ‘Farmitra’ for the ease of farmers.
• This app intends to help the farmers needs and address their worries.
• The app ‘Farmitra’ provides services to even those who are not customers of Bajaj Allianz.
• The app is currently implemented in 6 states - Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Haryana.
Kothari to get Raja Ram Mohan Roy Award
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• Rajasthan Patrika group chairman, Gulab Kothari has been chosen for the prestigious Raja Ram Mohan Roy Award 2019.
• The award is presented by the Press Council of India.
• Sanjay Saini, Correspondent, Dainik Bhaskar, Mandi, and Raj Chengappa, Group Editorial Director, India Today, have been jointly
named as winners of the award in the category of ‘Rural Journalism’.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan re-elected
• The UAE’s Supreme Council of the Union has re-elected His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan as its President.
• He has been selected for a 4th five-year term, in accordance with the provisions of the UAE Constitution.
• He was first elected President on November 3, 2004, following the death of his father Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
• Capital of UAE: Abu Dhabi.
• Currency: Dirham.
Miscellaneous News
• Cyclone Bulbul came in the areas of Odisha and West Bengal. 35 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been
assigned to these states to combat the cyclone.
• Russian troops wearing World War II uniforms marched across Moscow's Red Square, in memory of the historic 1941 parade,
when Soviet soldiers went directly to the battlefield to fight the Nazis.
Obituaries
• Former Maharashtra minister and senior Congress party leader Babasaheb Dhabekar passed away. He served as water resource
minister in the 1990s during the Shiv Sena-BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) alliance government.
• Christopher Dennis, who entertained audiences as Hollywood Boulevard’s Superman, passed away at the age of 52. He appeared
several times on the popular Jimmy Kimmel Live! show.
Sara Damnjanovic won Miss Asia Global title
• The 5th Edition of ‘Miss Asia Global Title 2019’ was organized at Gokulam Convention centre in Kochi, Kerala.
• Sara Damnjanovic from Serbia has been crowned ‘Miss Asia Global 2019’.
• Nguyen Thi Yen Trang from Vietnam was awarded the Miss Asia title given to the winner from the rest of the world.
• Samiksha Singh from India won the sub-title of ‘Miss Beautiful Face’ Title.
Mathadhis building inaugurated in Kathmandu
• India's Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri inaugurated Mathadhis building for Budhanilkantha Narayan Temple in
Kathmandu on 6 Nov 2019.
• Budhanilkantha Temple is situated at the foothills of Shivpuri in Kathmandu valley.
• The shrine has probably the largest stone idol of Lord Vishnu in Nepal reclining on a bed of Nagas or serpents in the middle of a
small pond.
Official emblem unveiled for FIFA U-17 2020
• The official emblem of FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup for the year 2020 which is to be conducted in India was unveiled.
• The emblem was unveiled by Fédération Internationale de Football Association(FIFA) and Local Organising Committee(LOC) at
the launch event in the gateway of India, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• The colour and style of the emblem are inspired by Bandhani textiles.
Govt allocated unique HS code for Khadi
• In a move to give impetus to the export of Khadi, the government has allocated a separate Harmonized System (HS) code for this
fabric.
• Allocation of HS code to the khadi will help the government to plan the export strategies effectively.
• Earlier, Khadi did not have exclusive HS code and all the export data regarding this fabric used to come under the normal fabric
head.
India won 3-match series against West Indies
• In Women's Cricket, India won the 3-match series 2-1 beating the West Indies by 6 wickets in the 3rd and final ODI match in
North Sound, Antigua on 6 Nov 19.
• Indian women achieved the victory target of 195 runs comfortably with 47 balls to spare.
• For India, Smriti Mandhana was the highest scorer with 74 off 63 balls.
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• Earlier, the hosts were all out at 194 in 50 overs after electing to bat.
ADB to give $451 mn to India
• The Asian Development Bank will provide a $451 million (about Rs 3,200 crore) loan to strengthen power connectivity between
the southern and northern parts of the Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC) in Tamil Nadu.
• The total cost of the project is $653.5 million, of which the government will provide $202.5 million.
• The estimated completion date is the end of 2024.
China launched Sudan’s first ever satellite
• Sudan’s first-ever satellite for conducting research in military, economic and space technology has been launched by China.
• Sudan’s remote-sensing satellite (SRSS-1), was developed by the Shenzhen Aerospace Oriental Red Sea Satellite Co.
• The satellite was launched aboard China’s Long March-4B rocket along with other Chinese satellites including Gaofen 7,
Xiaoxiang-1 08, Whampoa 1.
International Day celebrated on 6 November
• The International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict is an international day
observed annually on November 6.
• It was established on November 5, 2001, by the United Nations General Assembly.
• At the time of war, it affects the ecosystem such as water supply is poisoned, the forest is burnt, animals killed, etc.
Lucknow railway station got ‘Health ATM’
• The Indian Railways has installed two ‘Health ATMs’ at the Charbagh railway station in Lucknow.
• The kiosks, promoted by YOLO Health ATM, provide 16 health check-ups for Rs 50-100.
• There are two types of check-ups- a 9-minute one that costs Rs 100, and a 6-minute one that costs Rs 50.
• The report is delivered instantly to the email or smartphone of the user.
Ujjivan SFB launched Instant SA Account
• Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (SFB) has launched an instant digital savings account (SA) along with Fixed Deposit (FD) and Privilege
Savings Account to offer distinctive banking and digital services to its customers.
• Instant Digital SA account: This account has the restriction of Rs 1 lakh deposit & has the unlimited free transactions on the
bank’s own ATM.
Tech Mahindra acquired NY-based BORN Group
• Tech Mahindra Ltd has acquired BORN Group, a New York-based digital content and production agency, for $95 million.
• The acquisition will help to boost the electronic and mobile commerce segment globally, and equipped to deliver enhanced user
experience to customers of Tech Mahindra globally.
• BORN’s services include consulting, content creation, maintenance and hosting services, etc.
GRSE delivered ‘Annie Besant’ to ICG
• Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) delivered Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) ICGS Annie Besant, the second in the
series of five such ships, to the Indian Coast Guard.
• The FPV is capable of operations in the maritime zones of the country.
• ICGS Annie Besant is designed for a maximum speed of 34 knots with an endurance of more than 1,500 nautical miles.
US university to collaborate with AIIMS
• A top American university will expand genetic testing in India in partnership with the AIIMS in Delhi and the Kasturba Medical
College in Manipal.
• A 2.3 million US dollar grant from the National Institute of Health over five years will help the University of Michigan and Indian
geneticists identify and confirm genetic changes that are the basis of developmental disorders.
Amitabh's six films to be screened at IFFI
• Amitabh Bachchan's six films will be screened at the Film Festival 2019.
• The megastar has selected his 6 best movies for the gala event.
• These include Sholay, Piku, Black, Deewar, Paa and Badla.
• The other big name who will be felicitated at the IFFI is, Rajinikanth.
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• The actor has ruled the roost for four decades and commands a loyal fan following across the country.
BIMSTEC Conclave to be held in Visakhapatnam
• The 2-day BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal initiative multi-sector technical and economic cooperation) Conclave will be held on 7-8th
November 2019 at Visakhapatnam.
• Vizag port trust is hosting the conclave first time ever since the formation of BIMSTECH in 1997.
• Seven-member countries that includes Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Srilanka, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan are participating in the
conference.
Rajnath Singh co-chaired IRIGC-M&MTC meeting
• The 19th India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC) meeting
was co-chaired by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh and Russian Defence Minister General Sergey Shoigu.
• It was held in Moscow on 6 Nov 2019.
• Both sides agree to constitute specific working groups for after-sales support of key defence platforms.
V Muraleedharan reached Abu Dhabi
• Minister of State in the External Affairs Ministry V Muraleedharan reached Abu Dhabi on 6 Nov 2019 to attend the Indian Ocean
Rim Association (IORA) meeting beginning 7 Nov 2019.
• The Minister of State for External Affairs is leading the Indian delegation to attend the 19th IORA Council of Ministers meeting.
• The theme is "Promoting a Shared Destiny and Path to Prosperity in the Indian Ocean."
Three books on Guru Nanak Dev Ji launched
• On the occasion of 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, three books on Guru Nanak Dev Ji were launched at Sri Guru
Teg Bahadur Khalsa College in Delhi on 7 Nov 2019.
• The National Book Trust has published three titles - Guru Nanak Bani, Nanak Bani, and Sakhian Guru Nanak Dev-to spread the
message of Guru Nanak Dev’s writings among readers of Indian sub-continent.
Shala Darpan portal launched
• Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development Sanjay Dhotre launched the Shala Darpan Portal of Navodaya
Vidyalaya Samiti.
• This will integrate all Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas with a common standard which includes around 636 schools and 2.67 million
students.
• It provides a platform to meet the educational and administrative needs of all stakeholders-students, teachers and parents.
‘Despite the Fog’ to open the 50th IFFI
• Italian movie ‘Despite the Fog’ will be opening the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2019.
• The film is directed by Europe’s noted filmmaker Goran Paskaljevic.
• The 50th edition of IFFI, beginning 20th November 2019 in Goa, will witness the screening of over 200 best films from 76
countries.
MI Face to Face meeting of IC inaugurated
• The govt launched the Mission Innovation (MI) Face to Face meeting of Innovation Challenges (IC) on 4 November 2019.
• It was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan.
• MI aims to take stock of the deliverables by MI and its plans until 2020.
• The objective is to identify major gap areas in Clean Energy Innovation.
Indian Army to get 18 Dhanush artillery guns
• The Indian Army will receive its first batch of indigenously built Dhanush artillery guns, often referred to as the ‘Desi Bofors’.
• Five guns from the total order for 114 are likely to be handed over by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to the army’s Central
Ordnance Depot in Jabalpur on March 26, 2019.
• By the end of 2019, the army will induct a Dhanush regiment, consisting of 18 guns.
AFD, Assam govt signed Rs 400-cr pact
• Assam State government signed an agreement worth 50 million euros (Rs.400 crore) with the French Development Agency (AFD).
• The agreement aims to help restore the state's forests and preserve its biodiversity.
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• The project reaffirmed the commitment of the two countries towards the restoration and preservation of rich and diverse natural
ecosystems.
The 3rd Women Scientists Conclave to be held
• The third edition of women scientists’ and Entrepreneurs’ conclave will be organized at the India International Science Festival
(IISF).
• IISF will be held in Kolkata on 7-8 November 2019.
• It is an effort to inspire young women to take up careers in Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship and help them get exposed
to opportunities in the field.
Coimbatore Stn visually challenged friendly
• Coimbatore Railway Station has now become visually-challenged friendly.
• It became the fourth station to have such a facility after Mysuru, Bengaluru, and Borivali station in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• The railway station has installed Braille information boards and Braille-embossed handrails on 1 November 2019.
• This initiative in the Coimbatore Railway Station is made by Anuprayas, an NGO.
2019 Global Investors Meet to be held in HP
• Himachal Pradesh will organize Global Investors’ Meet 2019 at Dharamshala on 7-8 November 2019.
• This event aims to showcase the policy and regulatory environment, investment opportunities in eight focus sectors.
• The event will boost manufacturing and employment generation in the State.
• The event will have many sessions on Ease of Doing Business, tourism, and wellness.
30 GW of renewable energy in Gujarat by 2022
• The state government of Gujarat has set a target of achieving 30 GW (30,000 MW) of renewable energy generation by 2022 from
the current generational capacity of 9670 MW.
• The State has also prepared the roadmap for the generation of renewable energy.
• In industrial production, Gujarat has overtaken Maharashtra as its contribution increased to 16.81% as compared to 14.21% of
Maharashtra.
First-ever cargo movement on Brahmaputra
• The first-ever containerised cargo movement via Indo-Bangladesh protocol route and Brahmaputra river will start from West
Bengal’s Haldia.
• The vessel MV Maheshwari, carrying 53 containers of petrochemicals, edible oil and beverage will take 12-15 days to reach the
IWAI terminal at Pandu in Assam’s Guwahati.
• National Waterway 2 (NW-2) is a section of the Brahmaputra River.
Appointments
• Senior IPS officer Aditya Mishra was appointed as the chairman of the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI). He is a 1989 batch IPS
officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre. He has been appointed for a period of 5 years from the date of assumption of the charge.
• P.S Sreedharan Pillai assumed the office of Governor of Mizoram. The Chief Justice of Gauhati HC Ajay Lamba administered the
oath of office.
Obituaries
• Justice N.V. Balasubramanian, retired Judge of Madras High Court passed away. He served as the Madras High Court judge from
1996 – 2007.
• French Resistance legend & Nazi camps survivor Yvette Lundy who helped Jewish prisoners of war to escape prison during the
Nazi occupation of France passed away at the age of 103 in Nov 2019.
Vice President released a monograph
• Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu released a monograph, ‘Musical Excellence of Mridangam’, a rare fusion of art and science of
an ancient South Indian instrument on the CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) campus in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
• The book was authored by mridangam maestro and Padma Vibhushan awardee Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman and former scientists
T. Ramasami and M.D. Naresh.
5th edition of Wastelands Atlas 2019 released
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• Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar released the 5th edition of Wastelands Atlas 2019.
• It is published jointly by Department of Land Resources and National Remote Sensing Centre.
• It provides robust geospatial information on wasteland.
• It is helpful in rolling back the wastelands for productive use through various land development programmes and schemes.
MSDE, IBM launch SkillsBuild platform
• The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) launched the SkillsBuild platform in collaboration with IBM.
• As part of the programme, a two-year advanced diploma in IT, networking and cloud computing, co-created and designed by
IBM, will be offered at the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) & National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs).
• It will also train ITI & NSTI faculty.
Vigyan Samagam inaugurated
• Union Minister of Science & Technology and Minister of Earth Science has inaugurated India’s 1-ever multi-venue Mega science
exhibition, ‘Vigyan Samagam 2019’, in Kolkata, West Bengal.
• The exhibition is organized by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the National Council of Science Museums(NCSM).
• It will be open till December 31, 2019, for public display.
Kolkata students created Guinness World Record
• The Guinness World Records for the largest astrophysics lesson (45 minutes) and assembly of spectroscopes was successfully
achieved at the Science City, Kolkata.
• This was done at the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2019 on 5 Nov 2019 with the participation of over 1,598 students.
• The theme for 2019 is RISEN India –Research, Innovation and Science Empowering the Nation.
Online shopping to become addictive disorder
• By 2024, WHO will identify online shopping as an addictive disorder, as millions abuse digital commerce and encounter financial
stress, predicts research firm Gartner.
• Consumer spending via digital commerce platforms will continue to grow over 10 per cent year over year through 2022.
• By 2024, AI identification of emotions will influence more than half of the online advertisements you see.
Deepak Kumar secured 10th Olympic quota
• Deepak Kumar secured India's 10th Olympic quota in shooting while Manu Bhaker claimed the women's 10 metres air pistol gold
medal in the 14th Asian Championship in Doha on 5 Nov 2019.
• Deepak won a bronze medal in men's 10 metres air rifle.
• Deepak is the second Indian shooter to earn an Olympic quota in the men's 10 metres air rifle event after Divyansh Singh Panwar.
Meeting of Governing Council of SACEP held
• Information & Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar attended the 15th meeting of the Governing Council of South Asia Co-
operative Environment Programme, SACEP in Dhaka on 6 November 2019.
• The SACEP is an inter-governmental organization which was established in 1982.
• Its member countries are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
DRDO’s Igniter Complex at HEMRL inaugurated
• Raksha Rajya Mantri Shripad Naik inaugurated the DRDO Igniter Complex at High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL)
in Pune on 5 November 2019.
• Ignition is a crucial and highly critical phenomenon in the ignitionchain of Rocket motor.
• HEMRL has developed various fuel /oxidizer based igniter compositions using organic binders.
Sports training centres for differently-abled
• Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot has said, the government is establishing sports
training centres at five locations in the country, exclusively for the differently-abled people.
• He unveiled the Standing Wheelchair, developed by IIT Madras, for commercial production at a function held in Chennai.
• Works of one of such sport centre have already started.
World Tsunami Awareness Day: 5 November
• World Tsunami Awareness Day is observed globally on 5 November.
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• The day was observed to raise tsunami awareness and share innovative approaches to risk reduction.
• The 2019 World Tsunami Awareness Day focuses on promoting targets on the Sendai Seven Campaign.
• It focuses on reducing disaster damage to critical infrastructure and the disruption of basic services
India opted out of RCEP agreement
• India has decided not to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) deal as negotiations failed to address
New Delhi's outstanding issues and concerns.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement during his speech at the RCEP Summit in Bangkok.
• RCEP is a proposed free trade agreement between 10 member states of ASEAN and 5 FTA partners.
Ind-Pak Davis Cup tie shifted to neutral venue
• The world governing body ITF decided to shift Davis Cup tie against Pakistan from Islamabad to a neutral venue.
• The tie was scheduled to be held in September 2019.
• It was delayed when India expressed concerns about the safety of their players due to the prevailing diplomatic tensions between
the two nations after the revocation of Article 370.
SC banned stubble burning in Delhi, Punjab
• The Supreme Court banned stubble burning in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh in view of severe air pollution.
• It also banned all construction and demolition activities along with burning of garbage and waste in Delhi-NCR.
• The apex court took to task State governments on toxic air pollution.
• A penalty of Rs 5000 would be imposed if anyone is found burning it.
RBI issued compensation norms
• The RBI has issued compensation guidelines for whole-time directors and chief executives of foreign, private, small finance,
payments banks and local area banks.
• If the variable pay is up to 200 per cent of the fixed pay, at least 50 percent of it should be in non-cash.
• If the variable pay is above 200 per cent, 67 per cent of it should be paid via non-cash instruments.
Neeraj sharma won award
• Indian-origin researcher Neeraj Sharma has been given the ‘Early Career Researcher of the Year award’ by the Australian
government.
• This award is given for developing next-generation battery systems such as a sodium-ion battery that will leave a minimal
environmental impact.
• He is a professor at the University of South Wales (UNSW)’s School of Chemistry.
Siemens signed MoUs with NTPC, TERI
• Siemens Limited has signed a MoU with NTPC Limited to identify, evaluate and set up reference use cases of hydrogen sector-
coupling for various upstream and downstream applications.
• Siemens Limited has also inked a separate MoU with TERI for collaboration on technologies to support the energy transition in
India including sector-coupling.
Sudarsan Pattnaik selected for an Award
• International acclaimed Sand Artist Sudarsan Pattnaik who belongs to Odisha has been selected for the prestigious Italian Golden
Sand Art Award 2019.
• He will be felicitated during the International Scorrana Sand Nativity festival in Italy which is to be held from November 13 to 18,
2019.
• He was honoured by the union government with the fourth highest civilian ‘Padma Shri’ award in 2014.
India’s first nanotechnology-based products
• Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) introduced India’s 1st nanotechnology-based product range by introducing
Nano Nitrogen, Nano Zinc, Nano Copper for on-field trials in Gujarat.
• The products were produced at IFFCO’s Nano Biotechnology Research Centre (NBRC) in Kalol unit.
• These nano structured formulations effectively deliver nutrients to the plants.
Guyana to be fastest growing country
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• According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Guyana’s GDP is expected to be more at 86% in 2020 after expanding 4.4%
in 2019.
• Guyana’s economy will grow more than three times within five years.
• Guyana’ GDP is to get fourteen times as fast as China’s GDP in 2020.
• Guyana is projecting $300 million in petroleum revenue in 2020.
• It is a country of South America with 7,80,000 population.
Madhuri Vijay’s debut novel won prize
• U.S. based-Indian author Madhuri Vijay’s debut novel, “The Far Field” bagged this year’s JCB prize for Literature, the most
expensive Indian award for writing.
• She also received the Rs 25 lakh as the prize money and a sculpture.
• JCB prize is an annual Indian literary award instituted in 2018.
Person in News
• Former President of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Chairman of Modi Enterprises
Krishnan Kumar Modi(K.K.Modi) passed away in Nov 2019.
• IndusInd Bank appointed its consumer banking head Suman Kathpalia, as its new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive
Officer (CEO). He will replace Romesh Sobti, who will be retired in March 2020.
China approved drug to cure Alzheimer's
• China approved a home-grown drug to cure Alzheimer's, the first in two decades.
• National Medical Products Administration has approved the market launch of the drug, GV-971.
• According to Shanghai Green Valley Pharmaceutical, patients will be able to buy the drug around China from 29 Dec 2019.
• The drug is the only Alzheimer's medicine out of more than 320 developed around the globe.
Documentary on Real Kashmir FC bagged awards
• A documentary on Real Kashmir Football Club has bagged the prestigious British Academy of Film and Television Awards (BAFTA)
and Scotland Awards in Glasgow, Scotland.
• The documentary narrates the journey of David Robertson as the coach of Real Kashmir FC, which in its first season finished third
in the I-League.
• The film won in the 'Single Documentary' category.
Rafael Nadal secured No 1 spot for eighth time
• Rafael Nadal is back to the world No. 1 for the eighth time in his career in the ATP rankings released on 4 Nov 2019.
• He overtook Novak Djokovic.
• Djokovic slipped down the rankings because he lost the points that he won a year ago in London when Nadal was absent.
Shahbaz helped India B lift Deodhar Trophy
• Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem claimed four wickets as India B lifted the Deodhar Trophy with a comprehensive 51-run win
over India C in the final in Ranchi.
• India elected to bat and made 283 runs for 7 wickets.
• Jadhav scored 50 runs, Yashasvi Jaiswal 54 and Vijay Shankar 45 runs.
Indian Hockey teams qualify for 2020 Olympics
• In Men's Hockey, eight-time champions India qualified for next year's Tokyo Olympic after mauling Russia 7-1 in the second game
of the two-legged FIH Qualifiers for men in Bhubaneswar.
• The Indian men, ranked fifth in the world defeated world number 22 Russia 4-2 in the first-leg.
• The Indian women's also sealed their place after beating the US on aggregate despite losing the second match 1-4.
Rajnath to co-chair India-Russia Inter-Gov Com
• Defence minister Rajnath Singh will co-chair the 19th India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military
Technical Cooperation starting Nov 5, 2019 in Moscow.
• He is expected to hold discussions with Defence Minister of Russian Federation General Sergei Shoigu.
• He is also scheduled to inaugurate, India-Russia Defence Industry Cooperation Conference.
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Finance Minister launched IT initiatives

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled two new IT Initiatives - ICEDASH and ATITHI for improved monitoring and pace of
customs clearance of imported goods and facilitating arriving international passengers.
• ICEDASH is an Ease of Doing Business monitoring dashboard of the Indian Customs.
• The ATITHI app will facilitate hassle-free and faster clearance by Customs at the airports.
National Tribal festival to be held
• The 15-day Aadi Mahotsav, National Tribal festival will be held in New Delhi from 16 November 2019.
• The theme of the festival is a celebration of the spirit of tribal culture, craft, cuisine and commerce.
• More than one thousand tribal artisans from 27 states will participate in the event.
• The festival will feature exhibition-cum-sale of tribal handicrafts, art, paintings, fabric, and more.
China launched new Earth observation satellite
• China launched a new high-resolution remote sensing satellite capable of providing stereoscopic imagery on 3 Nov 2019.
• Gaofen-7, a sub-metre resolution optical satellite, boasts the highest mapping accuracy among domestic peers, and can map
China and even the world’s lands stereoscopically with a margin of error of less than a metre.
India bagged bronze in Dragon Boat World Cup
• The Indian dragon boat team has created history by winning a bronze medal in the ongoing International Canoe Federation
Dragon Boat World Cup being held in Ningbo, China.
• India got the bronze in the mixed team event in the 500m race.
• The gold medal was won by Chinese Taipei, while the hosts China had to settle for a silver.
• A total of 37 teams from 29 countries had participated.
Lewis Hamilton won sixth F1 world championship
• Lewis Hamilton sealed his sixth world drivers' title with second place in the United States Grand Prix.
• The result means Hamilton becomes the second most successful F1 driver of all time - moving him to within one championship of
all-time record-holder Michael Schumacher, whose tally of seven is now within his reach.
• He has secured the championship with 10 victories out of the 19 races.
Wesley So won Fischer Random World C'ship
• Wesley So has won the first FIDE-sanctioned Fischer Random World Chess Championship, sweeping aside Magnus Carlsen in the
final.
• So needed just two fast-rapid games to dispatch Carlsen and become the first official Fischer Random chess world champion.
• In the bronze final, Ian Nepomniachtchi demonstrated a continued return to form with a convincing performance against Fabiano
Caruana.
India has 10th largest gold reserves
• As per the World Gold Council's (WGC) data, India has 618.2 tonnes of the yellow metal as holdings (10th largest in the world),
which is 6.9 per cent of the share held in gold in total foreign reserves.
• United States (US) has the largest holding with 8133.5 tonnes, followed by Germany with 3366 tonnes and the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) with 2814 tonnes.
4 records to be attempted at Science Festival
• As many as four Guinness World Records will be attempted during the course of the 5th India International Science Festival (IISF)
beginning in Kolkata on November 5, 2019.
• On the opening day of the four-day mega event, the largest astrophysics lesson and assembly of spectroscopes will be attempted
with the participation of over 1,750 students.
Germany to invest €1 bn in India
• German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to invest 1 billion euros over the next five years on environmentally-friendly urban
mobility in India.
• Merkel, whose visit to the country coincided with one of the worst spells of air pollution in Delhi/NCR, also emphasised on the
need to replace diesel-run public transport with electric vehicles.
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Novak Djokovic won Paris Masters 2019 title

• Novak Djokovic won the Paris Masters 2019 title.
• He won the title for the fifth time.
• He sealed his 34th Master's title and fifth overall ATP victory of the year 2019.
• He defeated Canada's Denis Shapovalov and secured 6-3 6-4 to win the title.
• His success adds to his previous Paris Masters titles from 2009 and 2013-2015.
Ashleigh Barty claimed the 2019 WTA Finals
• Australian tennis player and world number one Ashleigh Barty claimed the 2019 WTA Finals in China.
• She defeated Elina Svitolina of Ukraine and smashed the title.
• She has claimed the record-breaking prize money of $4.42 million.
• The prize money is considered as the biggest ever amount in men's or women's tennis.
• She secured 6-4, 6-3, to claim the prestigious 2019 WTA Finals title.
Hardeep Singh inaugurated Guru Nanak Chair
• Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurated a new Guru Nanak Chair at the University of Birmingham to enable research
around the teachings of the founder of the Sikh religion.
• The minister announced the new Chair to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, during a visit to Birmingham where he
delivered an Annual Lecture on the Contemporary Relevance of Guru Nanak's Teachings.
Writer Anand selected for Ezhuthachan award
• Noted writer Anand has been selected for the 27th Ezhuthachan Puraskaram 2019.
• This award is given by Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and the Government of Kerala.
• He was chosen for his overall contributions to Malayalam language and Literature.
• His first novel was Alkkoottam.
• He is also a recipient of Vayalar Award and Yashpal Award.
AYUSH Minister Inaugurated NRIUMSD
• Union Minister of State for AYUSH inaugurated National Research Institute of Unani Medicine for Skin Disorders (NRIUMSD)
upgraded from Central Research Institute of Unani Medicine (CRIUM) in Hyderabad.
• CRIUM has successfully treated vitiligo and other chronic diseases and it’s perhaps the only medical institution in the world which
has treated more than 1.5 lakh patients of Vitiligo alone.
eCAPA 2019 - Art from the Heart began
• India’s first-ever Arts Exposition for Artists blessed with Down Syndrome, Autism, Mental Retardation, Seizure Disorder and
Dyslexia started in New Delhi on 2 Nov 2019.
• "eCAPA 2019 - Art from the Heart" is a unique nationwide platform cum social venture for such artists to showcase their visual
and performing arts.
• It will continue till 14th November at STIR Gallery, Chattarpur Farms.
Free bus services started for Sultanpur Lodhi
• Punjab Government has started free bus service for devotees coming to visit Sultanpur Lodhi during the 550th Prakash Purab
celebrations of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
• The decision was taken in a meeting of the officers of Tourism and Transport Departments.
• In accordance with the decision, 1500 buses would ply daily to take the devotees to Sultanpur Lodhi from 5-12 November 2019.
12-day Odd-Even Scheme came into effect
• The Odd-Even Scheme to combat air pollution was implemented in the National Capital from 4 Nov 2019.
• The 12-day scheme will continue till 15th Nov 2019.
• Under the scheme, the vehicles with odd last digit registration number will be allowed on roads on odd dates and those with
even last digit will ply on even dates.
• Violating the rule will incur a fine of four thousand rupees.
Lakshya Sen won SaarLorLux Badminton tourna.
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• India's Lakshya Sen has won the SaarLorLux Open badminton tournament at Saarbrücken in Germany.
• He defeated Sen Weng Hong Yang of China in an exciting final on 3 Nov 2019.
• World number 51 Lakshya took 59 minutes to overcome Weng in the summit clash.
• The 18-year-old from Uttarakhand had entered the final beating Kiran George in an all-Indian semifinal.
Biennial Commonwealth Law Ministers Conf began
• In Sri Lanka, the biennial Commonwealth Law Ministers’ Conference began in Colombo on 4 Nov 2019 under the theme Equal
Access to Justice and the Rule of Law.
• Union Minister for Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad will be representing India at the conference.
• The four-day conference seeks to address challenges faced by millions of people seeking to resolve legal problems or disputes.
5th India International Science Fes to be held
• PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Fifth India International Science Festival by addressing the audience at Biswa Bangla
Convention Centre, Kolkata through video conference on 5 November 2019.
• The festival will continue till 8th November 2019.
• The prime objective of the festival is to instil scientific temper among the masses.
India-Uzbekistan joint military exercise began
• The first-ever India-Uzbekistan joint military exercise - Dustlik-2019 began at Chirchiq Training Area near Tashkent on 4 Nov
2019.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Uzbekistan counterpart Major General Bakhodir Nizamovich Kurbanov presided over the
Curtain Raiser of the military drill on 3 Nov 2019.
• The exercise, which will focus on counter-terrorism, will continue till November 13.
KVS-Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat Parv concluded
• The four-day long mega cultural and literary event of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan - Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat Parv culminated
in New Delhi on 3 Nov 2019.
• Kolkata Region bagged the 1st position as the overall winner under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat category.
• Bengaluru stood 1st in the category of Language of LitFest and Bhopal Region came first in the Display of Artefacts or Exhibition.
Maisnam won boys' singles U-19 title
• Maisnam Meiraba Luwang clinched the boys' singles U-19 title at the Woncheon Yonex Korea Junior Open Badminton
International Challenge 2019 in Miryang, Korea.
• Meanwhile Sathish Kumar Karunakaran, who had bowed out to Luwang 16-21, 22-24 in the semi-final claimed bronze in the same
category.
• It is Luwang's third international title in 2019.
South Africa won Rugby World Cup
• South Africa galloped by England to win the Rugby World Cup in Japan.
• The Springboks claimed the Cup for the first time since 2007.
• It was a rematch of the final game of 2007.
• Both teams scored only penalty kicks in the first half.
• The final score was 32-12.
• The Springboks became the second team after New Zealand to win three World Cup titles.
India, Uzbekistan sign 3 MoUs
• India and Uzbekistan have signed three MoUs in the fields of Military Medicine and Military Education.
• The MoUs were signed following a meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Uzbekistan counterpart Major
General Nizamovich in Tashkent.
• Rajnath Singh is on a three-day visit to Uzbekistan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
Modi co-chaired 16th India-ASEAN summit
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi co-chaired the 16th India-ASEAN summit in Bangkok on 3 Nov 2019 and took stock of the progress
made in the relationship between ASEAN and India.
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• Prime Minister also held bilateral meetings with Thailand Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-O Cha, President of Indonesia Joko
Widodo and State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi.
Robotic surgery facility at Safdarjung Hosp.
• Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan dedicated the robotic surgery facility in the Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi.
• Robotic surgery has the advantage of providing minimally invasive surgery, reducing significantly the morbidity and mortality of
critically ill, cancer and kidney failure patients.
• The operating time also decreases resulting in improvement in turnover of patients.
Anti-human trafficking units to be set up
• The Government has announced setting up anti-human trafficking units in all districts with the help of Nirbhaya Fund.
• Women help desks will also be set up at a cost of Rs.100 cr in all police stations.
• This initiative will strengthen women safety and instil a greater sense of security among them.
• The step will go a long way in addressing women and children safety in the country.
Amit Shah to inaugurate SCO joint exercise
• Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Joint Exercise on Urban Earthquake Search and
Rescue -SCOJtEx-2019 in New Delhi on 4 Nov 2019.
• National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is hosting the event which will continue till Nov 7.
• The aim of the exercise is to rehearse the disaster response mechanism, share knowledge and technology for mutual
coordination.
Govt released maps of newly-created UTs
• The government released the maps of newly created union territories of Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh and the map of India
depicting these union territories.
• The new map shows 28 states and nine union territories after the bifurcation of J&K.
• According to Home Ministry, the new union territories of Ladakh consists of two districts of Kargil and Leh and the rest of them
are in the UT of J&K.
President Kovind visited Lingdum monastery
• President Ram Nath Kovind visited Lingdum monastery in Ranka as part of his two-day visit to Sikkim which began on 2 Nov 2019.
• He was accompanied by Sikkim Governor Ganga Prasad.
• Mr Kovind was given a traditional welcome by monks of the Lingdum monastery through the display of Singhi and Mask dances.
• The President offered prayers at the monastery and interacted with monks.
India dropped to 106th in FIFA Men’s rankings
• The Indian football team dropped two places to 106th position in the latest FIFA rankings.
• The downward slid came following the Blue Tigers’ 1-1 draw against lower-ranked Bangladesh in the FIFA World Cup qualifier
earlier this month.
• Bangladesh jumped three rungs to 184th spot.
• Belgium has managed to hold on to the top spot, followed by France and Brazil.
AIIA sign MoU with Biotechnology Institute
• A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), under the Ministry of AYUSH, and
Germany's Innovationszentrum Biotechnologie GmbH (FiZ) in New Delhi.
• This MoU was signed with an objective of enhancing collaboration in the field of Genomics research.
• As per the agreement, several scientists will work together as a team from both countries.
National Health Profile 2019
• Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan released the 14th edition of the National Health Profile 2019 on October 30, 2019.
• The National Health Profile is prepared by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence.
• It provides a comprehensive framework on the socio-economic health status and the status of demographic, health finance,
health infrastructure and health of human resources in the country.
‘The True Meaning of Yoga’ book unveiled
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• AiR's new book ‘The True Meaning of Yoga’ was launched.

• The book is authored by Atman in Ravi.
• Atman in Ravi is a spiritual philosopher, mentor and author.
• The book talks about Yoga and its connection to life as most know it.
Rahul Dravid asked to depose again
• The BCCI Ethics Officer D K Jain has asked Rahul Dravid to appear in person for the second time, on November 12.
• A conflict of interest issue arising as him being the head of National Cricket Academy (NCA) and his role with India Cements which
also owns IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings.
• Rahul Dravid is the head of the National Cricket Academy.
Prithvi Sekhar won gold in Deaf Championship
• India’s unseeded Prithvi Sekhar beat 3rd seeded Jaroslav Smedek of the Czech Republic by 6-4, 6-3 points and clinched the men’s
singles title in World Deaf Tennis Championships 2019.
• The 2nd Edition of World Deaf Tennis Championships 2019 was held in Antalya, Turkey.
• He had also won the men’s doubles bronze medal with Prashanth Dasharath Harsambhavi.
‘Aarambh’, common foundation course for IAS
• The Centre’s first-ever common foundation course “Aarambh” (Beginning) for 2019 batch probationer civil servants has begun at
the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat.
• There are around 500 newly recruited bureaucrats are undergoing six-day training.
• The theme this year is ‘How to achieve the goal of making India a 5 trillion dollar economy’.
Obituaries
• Film producer Champak Jain passed away. He was one of the owners of Venus Records and Tapes which produced hit films like
the 1994 blockbuster Main Khiladi Tu Anari starring Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar.
• Hyderabad's Nawab Muhammad Bashirudin Khan Bahadur passed away. Nawab Bashir Yar Jung was the son of Nawab Waliud-
Dowla and grandson of Viqar-ul-Umra, who built the famous Falaknuma Palace.
First blockchain-based carbon trading exchange
• Singapore-based AirCarbon Pte launched the worlds’ first blockchain-based carbon trading exchange.
• This will allow airlines and other corporate buyers to buy as well sell tokens backed by carbon offset credits approved by the
International Civil Aviation Organisation.
• The company targets for the exchange to be fully operational in 2020.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui wins Golden Dragon Award
• Indian actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has been awarded the prestigious Golden Dragon Award for his works in Hindi cinema at the
Cardiff International Film Festival 2019.
• The festival was held in Wales, United Kingdom.
• Veteran Hollywood star-actress Dame Judith Olivia Dench was also honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award at the
ceremony.
Mission Indradhanush 2.0 portal launched
• Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare launched Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 portal in New Delhi.
• This portal will work from December 2019-March 2020.
• The IMI2.0 is a rechristened version of mission Indhradanush Universal Immunization Programme that aims to achieve 100%
immunization.
• It was launched during the celebration of silver jubilee of the Pulse Polio Programme.
End Impunity for Crimes against Journalist Day
• The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists is a UN-recognized day observed annually on 2 November.
• The day draws attention to the low global conviction rate for violent crimes against journalists and media workers, estimated at
only one in every ten cases.
• This year’s International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, is focused on local journalists.
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India, Germany sign 17 MoUs

• India and Germany signed 17 MoUs during German Chancellor Angela Merkel's two-day visit to India from October 31- November
2, 2019.
• The MoUs were signed in areas including migration, Ayurveda and yoga, occupational diseases, maritime technology and start-
ups.
• The two nations also exchanged five joint declarations of intent.
GeM signed MoU with Indian Bank & Canara Bank
• Government e-Marketplace (GeM) signed MoU with Indian Bank and Canara Bank for payment-related services.
• The MoU will provide a paperless, cashless, and transparent payment system on the GeM portal.
• Ministry of Commerce launched the GeM initiative to offer a one-stop platform that provides an online procurement of common
use goods and services.
IIT Delhi and ISRO to set up space cell
• The IIT Delhi will set up a space technology cell in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
• This collaboration is to contribute to the space technology research areas such as AI (Artificial Intelligence), nanotechnology,
functional textiles, smart manufacturing at its campus.
• It is also proposed that IIT, Delhi as an Institute becomes an academic partner of ISRO.
Dhanlaxmi Bank MD, CEO T. Latha resigns
• Private sector lender Dhanlaxmi Bank managing director (MD) and Chief Executive officer (CEO) T. Latha has resigned.
• She was appointed as MD and CEO of Dhanlaxmi Bank for three years due to the retirement of former MD and CEO G Sreeram.
• Chairman of Dhanlaxmi Bank: Sanjeev Krishnan.
• Founded:1927.
• Headquarters: Thrissur, Kerala.
Pepsico India wins US award for saving water
• US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo presented the prestigious Award for Corporate Excellence to Pepsico India.
• This award is given for its efforts to save more than 17 billion of litres of water by conducting various community programs and
replenished over 5 billion litres of water.
• This award is given by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs.
Digital Museum on Lord Ram in Ayodhya
• The Uttar Pradesh cabinet gave approval to a proposal to build a digital museum on Lord Ram in Ayodhya to boost tourism.
• A digital museum based on Lord Ram, a food plaza, landscaping and a statue of Lord Ram will come up in the town.
• The cabinet approved Rs. 446.46 crore to acquire 61.3807 hectare land in Meerpur village of Sadar tehsil of Ayodhya.
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Award instituted
• Punjab State Cabinet passed a unanimous resolution to institute Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Award.
• It will be given for Promotion of Peace and Interfaith Understanding, in commemoration of the 550th Prakash Purb of Sri Guru
Nanak Dev Ji.
• The award would carry a citation and a cash prize of 11 lakh rupees.
• This coveted award would be given each year.
UNESCO designates Mumbai as member of UCCN
• UNESCO has designated Mumbai as a member of UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the field of film and Hyderabad in
the field of Gastronomy.
• UCCN, created in 2004, is a network of cities which are thriving, active centres of cultural activities in their respective countries.
• The UNESCO Creative Cities Network now counts a total of 246 cities.
New Colombo Plan Mobility Program
• As part of the 2020 New Colombo Plan Mobility Program, over 1,600 Australian university students will take part in study and
projects in India.
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• The New Colombo Plan is a signature initiative of the Australian government, providing students opportunities to gain cross-
cultural awareness and experiences that are vital to today's globally connected workforce.
Pooja Gehlot Bags Silver
• Pooja Gehlot (53kg) won India's second silver medal from the UWW Under-23 World Championships 2019 in Budapest, Hungary.
• She was defeated by Japan's 2017 world champion Haruna Okuno.
• Gehlot emulated freestyle expert Ravinder (61kg)'s feat, who also won a silver medal earlier.
• Pooja became the junior national champion in 2015.
Kareena Kapoor unveils World T20 trophies
• Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan unveiled the trophies of the T20 World Cups in Melbourne.
• The Women’s T20 World Cup will kick-off on February 21, 2020, followed by the Men’s edition, which is slated to begin from
October 18 in the same year in Australia.
• Windies had won the competition in 2016, held in India, after beating England in the final in dramatic fashion.
PM Modi to visit Thailand for ASEAN summit
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Thailand to participate in the 16th ASEAN-India summit on 3rd November.
• He will also attend the 14th East Asia summit and 3rd Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
• Modi will release the commemorative coin marking the 550th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev and Thai translation of
Tirukkural.
Public health emergency in Delhi-NCR region
• A Supreme Court mandated panel declared a public health emergency in the Delhi-NCR region and banned all the construction
activity till 5th November.
• In a letter written to Chief Secretaries of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi, EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal said air quality in Delhi-
NCR in a severe category.
• He said, this situation must be taken as public health emergency.
Cyclone Maha crosses Lakshadweep
• Severe cyclonic storm Maha is all set to intensify into a 'very severe cyclonic storm'.
• The cyclone has already moved across the Lakshadweep Islands.
• This is the fourth cyclone this year in the Arabian Sea.
• It will affect Maharashtra, Konkan, Goa and South Gujarat.
'Dharma Guardian' military exercise concludes
• The second edition of the annual joint military exercise, named as Dharma Guardian between Indian and Japanese Army ended.
• It was held at Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School Vairengte in Mizoram.
• The primary focus of this fortnight-long joint military exercise was to train and equip the contingents in counter-insurgency and
counter-terrorism operations in mountainous terrain.
Places in News
• Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the 21st North East Book Fair in Guwahati on 1st November 2019 in presence of
Assam Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, CM Sarbananda Sonowal.
• The Kolkata International Film Festival will start on November 8. Satyajit Ray directed Gupi Gayen, Bhagha Bayen will be the
inaugural film of this festival.
Miscellaneous News
• The 7 India - US Economic and Financial partnership meeting was held in New Delhi on 1st November 2019. It was co-chaired by
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and US Secretary of Treasury Steven T Mnuchin.
• The Spanish capital city of Madrid will host the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 25) from 2 to 13 December. The decision
was taken following Chile's stepping down as host for the event.
Rajnikanth to receive Special Icon award
• Actor Rajnikanth will receive the Special Icon award at the Golden Jubilee of International Film Festival of India, IFFI in Goa.
• The award will be presented in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema, during the past several decades.
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• Life Time Achievement Award for a Foreign Artiste will be conferred on French Actress Isabelle Hupert.
Appointments
• Pavan Kapoor, a 1990 batch Indian Foreign Service officer took charge as the new Ambassador to UAE. Ambassador Kapoor
replaced Navdeep Singh Suri. He has also served in the Ministry of External Affairs and the Prime Minister's Office in New Delhi.
• Sanjeev Nandan Sahai became Secretary, Ministry of Power. Prior to this, he was serving as the Special Secretary in the Ministry
of Power.
MNRE hosted 2nd Assembly of ISA in New Delhi
• Minister of Power, New & Renewable Energy and Skill Development Entrepreneurship hosted the 2nd Assembly of International
Solar Alliance (ISA) on 31 Oct 2019.
• Delegations from 78 countries participated in this Assembly, this included 29 Ministerial delegations of which 25 are from ISA
member countries, 2 from signatory countries and further 2 from prospective member countries.
First micro composting centre inaugurated
• The first micro composting centre (MCC) was inaugurated by Minister of Cooperation Sellur K. Raju next to the crematorium at
Thathaneri, Tamil Nadu.
• The facility will ensure that Madurai becomes a clean city and also binless.
• The centre, built at a cost of ₹80 lakh under the Swachh Bharat Mission, has 12 pits which will compost organic waste using the
aerobic method.
Odisha to partner Nobel laureates’ J-PAL
• Odisha Government is all set to partner Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), co-founded by Nobel laureates Abhijit
Banerjee and Esther Duflo.
• J-PAL is going to work in at least eight districts of the State including the KBK region on improvement of poorest of the poor,
women as well as nutrition.
• A MoU was signed between the State Government and J-PAL on October 31, 2019.
Santosh Kumar inaugurated ESIC hospital
• Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State for Labour and Employment inaugurated the 100 bedded ESIC hospital at
Rudrapur recently.
• The hospital has been constructed in a plot area of 5 acres along with 32 staff quarters with an approx. cost of Rs.97.72 crore.
• This Hospital would be exclusively run for the benefit of insured persons and their family members covered under ESI Scheme.
India to open 100 additional airports in 5 yrs
• India is planning to open 100 additional airports by 2024, as part of a plan to revive economic growth in Asia’s third-largest
economy.
• The proposal, which includes starting 1,000 new routes connecting smaller towns and villages, was discussed at a meeting to
review infrastructure needed by 2025.
• Steps to start a plane-lease financing business in the country was also discussed.
Russia’s Submarine test fired Missile
• Russia’s Knyaz Vladimir submarine of Borei-class vessel, test-fired its most advanced nuclear-powered missile named, Bulava
intercontinental ballistic missile.
• It precisely hit the target range of 1000 km away in the Russian region of Kamchatka.
• The launch was conducted in the white sea of the northwest coast of Russia with a dummy payload.
Person in News
• PM of Lebanon, Saad Hariri has resigned amid anti-government protests. He resigned bowing to one of the central demands of
anti-government demonstrators.
• Former Karnataka Lokayukta and former Supreme Court Judge N Venkatachala passed away. Justice Venkatachala was appointed
as a judge of the Supreme Court in July 1992.
Kerala Governor inaugurated Ayurveda summit
• Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan inaugurated the 3rd edition of Global Ayurveda Summit 2019.
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• As many as 400 industry leaders and delegates from SAARC, GCC and African countries have gathered in Kochi for the Global
Ayurveda Summit 2019.
• The 2-day summit organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) will have the theme Mainstreaming Ayurveda through
Startups, Innovation and Branding.
Obituaries
• Popular Telugu actress Geetanjali passed away in October 2019. The actress starred in about 500 films and some of her other
memorable films include Doctor Chakravarti, Letha Manasulu and Sambarala Rambabu.
• Former Parliamentarian and veteran CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta passed away. He was elected General Secretary of All India
Trade Union Congress – AITUC, in 2001.
Mary Kom to represent Asian bloc
• M C Mary Kom has been included in a 10-strong athlete ambassadors group to represent boxers in the build-up to 2020 Tokyo
Olympic Games by the IOC's Task Force for the sport.
• Mary Kom will represent the Asian bloc in the group, which also comprises two-time Olympic gold-medallist Vasyl Lamachenko
and five-time world champion and 2016 Olympic gold-winner Julio Cesar La Cruz among others.
A 2000-year-old brick structure unearthed
• The 1st phase of excavation by Archaeological Survey of India’s Excavation Branch has discovered the remains of a huge
settlement surrounded by a massive brick enclosure.
• Among many other antiquities unearthed are one life size Vishnu sculpture and a wide variety of pottery of the early centuries.
• The site of Gottiprolu lies on the right bank of a distributary of river Swarnamukhi.
New website for Ladakh launched
• Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh RK Mathur launched new Ladakh website on 31 Oct 2019.
• After swearing in as Lt. Gov, he launched the all new www.ladakh.nic.in website.
• The new dynamic website is prepared in just three days with all new features.
• Till now, Leh and Kargil have separate websites with district orientation.
• In a few days, reporting of public grievance option will also be added.
1st Multilingual Writers’ Meet to be held
• For the first time, Arunachal Pradesh will host the Multilingual Writers’ Meet at its oldest town Pasighat in East Siang District
from 2 Nov 2019.
• The two-day event will be held at the auditorium of College of Horticulture and Forestry.
• 25 prominent multilingual writers and poets from all parts of India and many literary dignitaries of the host state will attend the
event.
Chhath Puja festival: 'Kharna' observed today
• In Bihar, on the second day of Chhath Puja festival, 'Kharna' was observed on 1 Nov 2019.
• After paying obeisance to the God devotees took prasad of 'Kheer'.
• With this 36 hours long fast of devotees without water began.
• Devotees would offer Sandhya Arghya to the setting Sun on the ghats of river, ponds and water bodies on 2 Nov 2019.
National Affairs
• As a new Union Territory, the Ladakh region participated in Run for Unity to celebrate Rashtriya Ekta Diwas on 31 Oct 2019. At
various places in Leh and Kargil different sections of people have participated in Ek Daud Desh Ke Naam.
• The Run for Unity was jointly organised in many districts of Meghalaya. The Rashtriya Ekta Diwas pledge was also administered to
government employees.
Spain offered to host COP Climate Summit
• The Spanish government confirmed that it has offered to host the COP 25 climate summit after Chile abandoned plans to hold it
due to deadly anti-government protests.
• Spain is also gearing up for a general election on November 10, 2019, its fourth in as many years.
• The Spanish government had made the offer and stated the importance of guaranteeing that COP25 takes place normally.
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Shiva Thapa, Pooja Rani clinched gold

• Shiva Thapa and Pooja Rani clinched gold medals, while Ashish settled for a silver, as India ended with a decent haul of seven
medals at the Olympic Test Event for Boxing in Tokyo, Japan on 31 October 2019.
• The other four medals, all bronze were bagged by Nikhat Zareen, Simranjeet Kaur, Sumit Sangwan and Vahlimpuia in their
respective weight categories.
5th Inter Governmental Consultations held
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel co-chaired the 5th Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC)
in New Delhi on 1 Nov 2019.
• The two leaders also held talks and discussed a host of bilateral issues including economic partnership, trade, investment and
agriculture.
• German Chancellor arrived in New Delhi on 31 Oct 2019 on a three-day visit to India.
Eritrea, Saint Kittis & Nevis signed Agreement
• Two new countries Eritrea and Saint Kittis and Nevis have signed the International Solar Alliance's (ISA) Framework Agreement at
its second Assembly held in New Delhi.
• With this 83 countries have so far signed the ISA framework agreement.
• At the United Nations Climate Action Summit 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to increase renewable energy
capacity to 175 Giga Watt by 2022.
President launched endowment fund of IIT Delhi
• President Ram Nath Kovind has launched endowment fund of IIT Delhi.
• Endowments have become integral part of the financial health of educational institutions and through this alumni are playing
critical role in supporting and nurturing future generations of learners.
• Throughout history, educational institutes have been the beacons of our culture.
December 2019
Person in News
• Shipping Corporation of India appointed H.K. Joshi as Chairperson & Managing Director (CMD).
• It is a Govt of India Public Sector Enterprise with its HQs in Mumbai.
• She will also hold the additional charge of the post of Director (Finance) of the company for a period of 3 months with effect from
19 December 2019.
N Thirumala Naik: New labour commissioner
• Odisha government made a reshuffle in IAS cadres by appointing Dr Noonsavath Thirumala Naik as the new Labour Commissioner
of the state recently.
• Dr Naik, the Director of Fisheries, replaced Niranjan Sahu, who is appointed as the Revenue Divisional Commissioner in Northern
Division, Sambalpur.
• Prasanta Kumar Senapati has been appointed as Director of OBC, ST & SC Development and M&BCW Dept.
Indian Navy plans to build 24 submarines
• The Indian Navy is planning to build 24 submarines, including six nuclear attack submarines.
• There are presently 15 conventional submarines and two nuclear submarines in its fleet.
• The Indian Navy has two nuclear submarines INS Arihant and INS Chakra, with the latter being leased from Russia.
• Majority of the conventional submarines are over 25 years old.
AAI to Set Up 3 Water Aerodromes
• Airports Authority of India (AAI) will be setting up three, first-of-its-kind in the country, water aerodromes in Andaman & Nicobar
Islands.
• It intends to develop water aerodromes in Long Island, Swaraj Island and Shaheed Island with a total investment of Rs 50 crore.
• It is in the process of seeking environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for it.
Adani Electricity to raise up to $1.5 bn
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• Adani Electricity Mumbai Ltd is set to raise up to $1.5 billion in what could be one of the largest overseas borrowing exercises by
an Indian company in the New Year.
• The company, a subsidiary of Adani Transmission Ltd, is expected to raise about $1 billion via bonds and $400-500 million
through syndicated loans.
Arun Jaitley Memorial Lecture in March 2020
• The Finance Ministry will organise a conference 'Arun Jaitley Memorial Lecture' on 20 March 2020 to pay tribute to the former
finance minister.
• Jaitley, who as the Finance Minister ushered in India's biggest tax reforms.
• He passed away in August 2019.
• He served as the Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs of the Government of India from 2014 to 2019.
Indian Science Congress to be held
• The University of Agricultural Sciences in Bengaluru is gearing up to host the 107th Indian Science Congress from 3-7 Jan 2020.
• PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate the conference to be attended by over 15,000 delegates.
• The Pride of India exhibition will see over 130 participants exhibiting technologies, machineries, equipments and science models.
Person in News
• Australian pace bowler Peter Siddle announced his retirement from International Cricket.
• In his career of 11 years, he represented Australia in 67 Tests, 20 ODIs and 2 Twenty20 matches.
• He took 221 wickets in 67 Test matches.
CACS & e-BCAS launched
• Centralised Access Control System (CACS) and ‘e-BCAS Project Training Module’ was launched on 30 Dec 2019.
• The two projects aim to enhance security and ease of doing business at airports.
• The CACS project is aimed to digitize the employee movement process at the airports.
• e-BCAS Project: Training Module aims at making all the activities in the BCAS transparent, user-friendly, & efficient.
Indian Railways introduced a new System
• Indian Railways introduced a new “Passenger Information System” at Anakapalle Railway Station of Vijayawada Division in South
Central Railway.
• It comprises “At a Glance Display Board” which gives a glance of the status of various train timings at the Station.
• It also comprises “Coach Guidance Display Board” which provides the Coach Composition position of a train.
Mastercard to acquire RiskReckon
• Mastercard announced an agreement to acquire RiskRecon.
• RiskRecon is one of the leading providers of data analytics solutions and artificial intelligence focused on cyber-risk and security
and offering solutions to mitigate cyber risks faced by the companies.
• The acquisition would enhance the cyber-security systems for MasterCard which offers payment processing services on a global
scale.
6500 athletes taking part in Khelo India games
• 6500 athletes from 37 teams will take part in the 3rd Khelo India youth games in Guwahati beginning from 10th of January.
• Lawn ball and cycling will be included in the Khelo India for the first time.
• A total of 20 competitions will be held at 11 venues in and around Guwahati.
• The Assam govt will give Rs 1 lakh for Gold, Rs 75,000 for silver and Rs 50,000 for bronze medalist Assam players.
Torch relay of Khelo India Games launched
• Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has launched the torch relay of the Third Khelo India Youth Games.
• The games will be held in Guwahati from 10-22 Jan 2020.
• The officials of the competition are preparing a total of eight venues for the tournament and they are on track to make the
Games one of the largest sporting spectacles of the country.
1,12,000 cr paid as IGST refunds to exporters
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• Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, CBIC said that over 1,12,000 crore rupees have been paid as Integrated Goods and
Services Tax-IGST refunds to exporters.
• Over 83,000 exporters have been benefited by these refunds.
• As of now, refunds of only 3,604 crores are pending with Customs.
• CBIC is using data analytics to identify risky exporter entities.
Govt took initiatives for safety of workers
• Labour and Employment Ministry has taken several initiatives for strengthening the safety and social security for every worker.
• More than 39 lakh beneficiaries were enrolled in Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana.
• 2 pension schemes were also launched which are Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana and National Pension Scheme
for Traders, Shopkeepers and Self-Employed Persons.
India improved score in SDG Index 2019-20
• India improved its composite score from 57 to 60 in the Sustainable Development Goals Index 2019-20.
• Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana have topped on the SDGs Index-2019-20.
• Kerala achieved the first rank in the composite SDG Index with a score of 70.
• This was revealed in the second edition of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index.
Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane: New Army Chief
• Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane took over as the new Army Chief on 31 Dec 2019.
• He will succeed Gen Bipin Rawat, who retired after a three-year stint as Army chief.
• Before taking charge as Vice-Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen Naravane was heading the Eastern Command of the Army which
takes care of India's nearly 4,000-km border with China.
Gen Bipin Rawat: India's first CDS
• General Bipin Rawat has been named the country's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
• He is the first officer to hold the post of the Chief of Defence Staff, which was set up recently.
• CDS will function as a single-point advisor to the government on matters related to the military and will focus on the better
synergy between the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.
Forest cover increased by 5,188 sq km in 2 yrs
• The total tree and forest cover in the country has increased by 5,188 sq km in the last 2 years and has covered 24.56% of the
geographical area.
• Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar released the India State of Forest Report 2019 in New Delhi on 30 Dec 2019.
• As per the report, Karnataka tops the list followed by Andhra Pradesh and Kerala in terms of increase in forest cover.
‘Dhanu Jatra’ began at Bargarh, Odisha
• The famous 11-day long ‘Dhanu Jatra’, considered as the largest open-air theatre of the world began at Bargarh in western
Odisha 31 Dec 2019.
• The Jatra is based on the mythological story of Lord Krishna and his demon uncle King Kansa.
• It is about the episode of Krishna and Balaram's visit to Mathura to witness the Dhanu ceremony organized by their (maternal)
uncle King Kansa.
Person in News
• Nationalist Congress Party's Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy Chief Minister on 30 Dec 2019. He was appointed during the first
cabinet expansion of Uddhav Thackeray-led Mahavikas Aghadi Government in Maharashtra.
• Nagaland Legislative Assembly Speaker Vikho-o Yhoshü passed away in Dec 2019. He was elected as the Speaker of the 13th
Nagaland Legislative Assembly in March 2018.
HDFC Life partnered with Paytm
• HDFC Life Insurance has partnered with Paytm to expand its distribution.
• The partnership is aimed to enable customers of Paytm to purchase insurance products from HDFC Life.
• With the partnership, HDFC Life Insurance aims to increase insurance penetration in India and to simplify the customers
experience right from the purchase to the claim process.
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Krish Srikkanth, Anjum Chopra to be awarded

• Former India captain and member of the 1983 World Cup - winning team Krishnamachari Srikkanth will be the recipient of
prestigious CK Nayudu Lifetime Award 2019 given by the BCCI.
• Former India women’s captain Anjum Chopra is the co-recipient of the lifetime achievement award for the year 2019.
• The BCCI Annual Award function will be held in Mumbai on January 12, 2020.
1st transit oriented project to come up
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone for the country's first transit-oriented development (TOD) project in
New Delhi recently.
• Under the project, a state-of-the-art infrastructure zone, including the national capital's tallest tower, will be built in east Delhi.
• The project 'East Delhi Hub' at Karkardooma, spread over 30 hectares, will come up in next 3-and-a-half years.
1st Trial Run of Double Stack Train conducted
• An inaugural Trial-Run of Indian Railways freight train on the newly built Rewari-Madar section of Western Dedicated Freight
Corridor, was conducted on 27 Dec 2019.
• It covered a distance of about 306 km.
• The trial run was flagged off from New Kishangarh Station by Station Sr. Executive Ravindra Sharma.
Earliest Sanskrit inscription found
• The Epigraphy Branch of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has recently discovered earliest epigraphic evidence of the
Saptamatrika cult.
• It is the earliest Sanskrit inscription discovered in South India as on date and was discovered in Chebrolu village in Guntur district
of Andhra Pradesh (AP).
• This discovery predates the evolution of the language by almost 200 years.
Rabung bridge in Siang district inaugurated
• The Rabung bridge in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Siang district was inaugurated by state Health and Family Welfare Minister Alo
Libang.
• The bridge has been constructed by Border Road Task Force of Project Brahmank under Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
• The bridge is strategically important for the Indian Army and ITBP-Indo-Tibetan Border Police.
Foundation stone laid of CRPF Headquarters
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of CRPF Headquarters on 29 Dec 2019.
• Central Reserve Police Force, CRPF had played an important role in wiping out terrorism from Punjab and Tripura in the decades
of 1980 and 1990.
• He also launched a new logo “Garud” for those engaged in providing security to the common man and VIPs and said that it would
give them a new identity.
49th border co-ordination conference held
• Border guarding forces of India and Bangladesh held Directors General level talks from 25-30 Dec 19 in New Delhi.
• The Indian delegation was headed by DG BSF Vivek Johri and BD delegation was headed by DG of BGB Maj Gen Md Shafeenul
Islam.
• DG level talks between India and Bangladesh has been continuing since long.
• The talks are held twice every year – once in India and once in Bangladesh.
Hemant Soren: 11th CM of Jharkhand
• Hemant Soren took oath as the 11th Chief Minister of Jharkhand.
• Governor Draupadi Murmu administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Soren at Morhabadi grounds in Ranchi on 29 Dec
2019.
• Dr Rameshwar Oraon and former Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Alamgir Alam from Congress party and RJD legislator Satyanand
Bhokta also took oath as Cabinet Ministers during the swearing-in ceremony.
Astronaut Christina Koch created a record
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• NASA Astronaut Christina Koch created a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, surpassing the earlier record of
288 days in space.
• When she arrives back on Earth in February 2020, she will have spent more than 300 days in space.
• She is onboard the International Space Station since 14th March 2019.
India to become 4th largest economy in 2026
• India will overtake Germany to become fourth-largest economy in the world by the year 2026.
• According to a report by the UK-based Centre for Economics and Business Research, India is all set to overtake Japan to become
the third-largest economy by 2034.
• The report is titled 'World Economic League Table 2020'.
• India has overtaken France and the UK to become the 5th largest economy in 2019.
76th Anniversary of First Flag Hoisting
• A function was organized to commemorate the 76th Anniversary of First Flag Hoisting by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at Port Blair
on 30 Dec 2019.
• Lt. Governor Admiral D.K. Joshi, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey hoisted the National Flag
at Flag Point, Port Blair.
• Subhash Mela Committee Swarajdweep organised bike rally on 30 Dec 2019.
Obituaries
• Vishwesha Theertha Swami of Pejawar Math passed away in Dec 2019. Known for philanthropic work, Swamiji had opened
several hostels, hospitals and schools benefitting the poor.
• Dr S Mohan, former Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court passed away. He served as the Judge of Supreme Court between the
year 1991 and 1995 and as the acting Governor of Karnataka between February 5-May 8, 1990.
Miscellaneous News
• Bihar CM Nitish Kumar unveiled a statue of former Union Minister Arun Jaitley in Patna on his birth anniversary on 28 Dec 2019.
His birth anniversary will be celebrated as a state function every year.
• The second premium Tejas train is ready to run between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. The inaugural run of this second Tejas Train
will be flagged off from Ahmedabad on 17 Jan 2020.
5 boxers booked place for Olympic Qualifiers
• Five Indian women boxers booked their place for the Olympic Qualifiers at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi.
• Mary Kom defeated Nikhat Zareen 9-1 in 51kg category while in 57kg Sakshi Chaudhary outclassed her opponent.
• In the 60kg event, Simranjit Kaur won her bout.
• In the 69kg and 75kg category, Lovlina Borgohain and Pooja Rani won their respective matches.
Udayan Mane set new PGTI record
• In Golf, Udayan Mane claimed a one-shot win at the season-ending TATA Steel Tour Championship in Jamshedpur on 29 Dec
2019.
• His 67-66-64-65 determined final round effort saw him establish a new PGTI record for the lowest tournament total as he closed
the week with a 26-under-262 at the Golmuri Golf Course.
• It was his 8th professional title and his 2nd win on the PGTI this season.
Koneru became Women's World Rapid Chess Champ
• Indian grandmaster Koneru Humpy has become the 2019 Women's World Rapid Champion.
• She defeated China's Lei Tingjie in a dramatic final in Moscow, Russia.
• Tingjie finished with a silver, while Turkey's Ekaterina Atalik won bronze.
• This is a significant triumph for Humpy who is India’s best-ever women’s chess player.
Vice President arrived in Kerala
• Vice President Venkaiah Naidu arrived in Kerala on 30 Dec 2019 on a day-long visit.
• He inaugurated the 87th Sivagiri pilgrimage meeting in Sivagiri Theerthadana Mutt in Varkala.
• Later, he inaugurated the silver jubilee celebration of Sree Satyasai Orphanage Trust, Saigramam in Thiruvananthapuram.
• He attended the valedictory function of National Children's Science Congress in Nalanchira.
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ISRO planning to launch satellite to study Sun

• ISRO is planning to launch a satellite called Aditya to study the sun.
• This was said by PM Narendra Modi in his 'Mann ki Baat' programme of AIR.
• He said that India has many powerful telescopes around the country including a giant meter-wave telescope near Pune and other
powerful telescopes located in Kodaikkaanal, Udagamandala, Guru Shikhar and Hanle Ladakh.
MDR charges will not be applicable from 1 Jan
• No Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) will be applicable on transactions through homegrown RuPay and UPI platforms beginning 1
January 2020.
• Nirmala Sitharaman announced this in New Delhi recently.
• MDR is the cost paid by a merchant to a bank for accepting payment from their customers via digital means.
• The merchant discount rate is expressed in percentage of the transaction amount.
SBI to deactivate magstripe debit cards
• SBI has announced that magstripe debit card will be deactivated by 31 December 2019.
• With effect from 1 January 2020, SBI customers will not be able to use their old magnetic stripe debit cards even if the validity of
the card has not expired.
• Chip-based cards, also called chip and PIN cards, use higher standards of data encryption and storage technology compared to
magnetic stripe cards.
Amitabh Bachchan honoured with an award
• Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan received the Dadasaheb Phalke award for his outstanding contribution to the film industry.
• President Ram Nath Kovind gave away the award in New Delhi on 29 Dec 2019.
• The award is conferred by the government for outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian Cinema.
• It consists of a Swarn Kamal and a cash prize of ten lakh rupees.
CSIR Institute created new technology
• Scientists from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research- Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP),
Lucknow have developed a new low-cost technology to prepare Geranium saplings and make this available for the farmers too.
• Geranium plant has huge medicinal value and its essential oil works as an anti-inflammatory and anti-septic agent.
BSNL got 770 cr from Bharat Broadband Nigam
• Bharat Broadband Nigam Limited has paid around ₹770 crore in advance to BSNL to help the telecom firm clear dues of vendors
involved in the project.
• Bharat Broadband Nigam Limited (BBNL) had allocated around 70 per cent of rural broadband network roll-out work to BSNL.
• BBNL is a state-run infrastructure firm that is setting up optical fibre network under BharatNet Project.
Ratan Tata: Top Googled business tycoon
• Ratan Tata has emerged as India's most searched business tycoon on Google in 2019.
• Google has released a 'Year in Search 2019' report which shows who or what was trending on the world's largest search engine
during the year in India.
• The most searched personality was Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter pilot Abhinanadan Varthaman, who was held captive by Pakistan
for 60 hours.
MyGov reached 1 crore registered users
• Central government's citizen engagement platform, MyGov has reached one crore registered users.
• Five years ago, @mygovindia began its journey with a vision to offer a platform for the voice and views of the people of India.
• It promotes the active participation of Indian citizens in their country's governance and development.
GeM Samvaad took off in 4 States
• A national outreach Programme, GeM Samvaad, was launched on 17 Dec 2019 to reach out to stakeholders across the country.
• The outreach programme began from 19th December 2019 and during the launch week the States of Karnataka, Uttarakhand,
Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh were covered.
• The outreach programme will be on till 17th February 2020 and will cover all the States and UTs.
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India's first Transgender University in UP

• India’s first university for the transgender community will be opened in Fazilnagar block of Kushinagar district in Uttar Pradesh.
• It is the first of its kind University in the country, where transgender community members will be able to get the education.
• The university is being built by Akhil Bhartiya Kinnar Siksha Seva Trust (All-India transgender education service trust).
BMTC launched a new app
• The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has launched its new official mobile app titled ‘My BMTC’.
• The app, which is currently in its beta stage, has been developed by Bengaluru school student Nihar Thakkar.
• The new app provides the estimated time of arrival of buses at a specific bus stop and shows the nearby bus stops along with
route-based search options.
China, Russia, Iran began joint naval drills
• China, Russia and Iran began a four-day joint military exercise in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Oman.
• The exercise is being held from 27-30 December 2019.
• Among the objectives of this exercise are improving the security of international maritime trade, countering maritime piracy and
terrorism, exchanging information regarding rescue operations and operational and tactical experience.
ONGC got green nod for Rs 3,500 cr project
• ONGC has received environment clearance for carrying out onshore exploration, development and production of oil and gas in
100 locations in the non-forest area of Assam.
• It would entail an investment of Rs 3,500 crore.
• The company proposes to carry out drilling in 100 locations to evaluate the hydrocarbon potential of 21 different onshore
Petroleum Mining Lease (PML) blocks in Assam.
Dr Jitendra Singh chaired a review meeting
• The Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region Dr.Jitendra Singh chaired a review meeting for the Ministry of
Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), on 27 Dec 2019.
• The North Eastern Council (NEC), in collaboration with Govt of J&K will organise a workshop on 'Bamboo - A wonder grass:
Opportunity for Sustainable Development in Jobs' in Jammu in January 2020.
Welfare scheme for students launched in Assam
• Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal launched Abhinandan scheme during a programme held in Guwahati on 26 Dec 2019.
• Under this scheme, the Assam CM distributed one-time subsidy sanction letters against education loans availed by the students
for an amount of Rs 50,000 each to 1,546 students.
• The scheme would extend cooperation to students in pursuing higher education and to fulfil the dreams.
Finance Minister Sitharaman launched 'eBkray'
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched eBkray on 28 Dec 2019.
• It is an e-auction platform to enable online auction of attached assets by banks.
• The eBkray platform provides navigational links to all PSB e-auction sites, property search feature and presents single-window
access to information on properties up for e-auction, comparison of similar properties, etc.
HRD Minister inaugurated the National Workshop
• HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ inaugurated the the 'Social Media Outreach & Communication: National Workshop on
Management and Best Practices'.
• It was organised by Ministry of HRD for various educational institutions and organisations in New Delhi on 27 Dec 2019.
• Nearly 200 Social Media Champions from various Centrally funded educational institutions participated in the workshop.
UN approved a resolution
• The UN General Assembly approved a resolution that will start the process of drafting an international treaty to combat
cybercrime over objections from the European Union, the US and other countries.
• The Russian-drafted resolution was approved by the 193-member world body by a vote of 79-60 with 33 abstentions.
• It establishes an expert committee representing all regions of the world.
India ranked 47th in house price appreciation
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• Knight Frank released its latest report -- Global House Price Index Q3 2019.
• India ranked 47th in the world in terms of appreciation in housing prices
• India stood at 11th position in the April-June quarter of 2019 with a 7.7 per cent year-on-year rise in home prices.
• As per the data, Hungary leads the index this quarter with 15.4% annual price growth, followed by Luxembourg and Croatia.
Acquisition of shares in My Home Industries
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of shares in My Home Industries Private Ltd by My
Home Constructions Private Ltd (MHCPL) and its affiliates.
• My Home Industries is a 50:50 joint venture between CRH India Investments B.V. and the Acquirers.
• It is engaged in the manufacturing and supply of grey cement under the brand name “Maha Cement” in India.
Ashok Leyland inked 2-year deal with YES Bank
• Ashok Leyland inked a pact with Yes Bank for vehicle finance for a period of two years.
• The companies have inked a MoU regarding the partnership.
• This partnership with Yes Bank will help the company design customised financial solution and the combined pan-India reach will
help customers to choose the financial solution they desire.
Shiv Sharma passed away
• Former Director-General of Doordarshan Shiv Sharma passed away in December 2019.
• Mr. Sharma was associated with coverage of Asian games in 1982.
• He has also supervised coverage of various national and international events.
Ashok Leyland, Citicorp Finance inked MoU
• Ashok Leyland has partnered with Citicorp Finance India Ltd for financing commercial vehicles.
• The company has signed a MoU with Citicorp Finance to enter into a strategic financing partnership for two years, to offer
customised financial solutions to customers.
• Under the MoU, Citicorp Finance will be a preferred financier for providing finance to the customers buying Ashok Leyland
vehicles.
Rajeev Kumar: Principal Secretary in WB
• The West Bengal govt named former Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar as Principal Secretary of the Information
Technology and Electronics Department.
He is currently posted as the Additional DG of state CID.
• He replaced Debasish Sen, who was holding additional charges of the department as the additional chief secretary.
Airtel Payments Bank enabled NEFT facility
• The customers of Airtel Payments Bank will now be able to use the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) facility at any time
of the day, in-line with the RBI guidelines.
• The facility will be available to customers on 24x7 basis even on holidays, enabling them to receive or send funds to any bank
from anywhere, anytime.
• Ganesh Ananthanarayanan is the COO of Airtel Payments Bank.
Karnataka Bank launched TAB banking service
• Karnataka Bank, as part of its digital initiative, launched KBL Xpress SB Accounts.
• It is a digitized version for opening Savings Bank account through TAB Banking on the spot.
• Using this process, the Bank can on-board the prospective customer and open the Savings Bank Account.
• The Bank official will visit the customer's place and open the account using the TAB within 10 mins.
India's 1st lignite based 500 MW thermal unit
• Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has commissioned the first lignite-based 500 MW thermal unit of the 2x500 MW Neyveli New
Thermal Power Project in Tamil Nadu.
• This is not only the country’s first lignite-fired 500 MW power plant but also its highest-rated pulverised lignite-fired thermal unit
commissioned so far.
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• Located in Cuddalore district, the project is owned by NLC India Ltd.

Obituaries
• China’s brilliant storyteller, Da Chen, who created the critically acclaimed memoir “Colours of the Mountain” passed away in Dec
2019. His last book which was published recently was “Girl Under a Red Moon”.
• Television actor Kushal Punjabi was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Mumbai in Dec 2019. He was last seen in
serial Ishq Mein Marjawan.
5th India-Japan Maritime Affairs Dialogue
• The 5th Round of India-Japan Maritime Affairs Dialogue was held in Tokyo, Japan on 24 Dec 2019.
• The two sides exchanged views on various topics of mutual interest in the maritime domain and identified the means for further
strengthening their maritime cooperation.
• The first round of India-Japan Maritime dialogue was held in New Delhi in 2013.
GoI to infuse Rs 8,655 crore into 3 Banks
• The Govt has approved the release of Rs 8,655 cr as fresh capital to 3 public sector banks.
• The list includes Allahabad Bank, Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) and UCO Bank.
• The infusion will be done for preferential allotment of shares.
• Fresh capital amounting to Rs 2,153 crore will be allocated to Allahabad Bank, Rs 2,142 crore to UCO Bank and Rs 4,630 crore to
Indian Overseas Bank (IOB).
Life Achievement honour to Dr Santosh Honavar
• Dr Santosh G Honavar, India's ophthalmologist was conferred with American Academy of Ophthalmology's (AAO) highest award
Life Achievement honour.
• He is the first Indian chosen for the honour.
• The award was formally presented to Dr Honavar recently at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology
held in San Francisco.
• AAO is the world's largest association of eye specialists.
Russia operationalised a new weapon
• A new intercontinental weapon that can fly 27 times the speed of sound became operational in Russia on 27 Dec 2019.
• The Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle is a technological breakthrough comparable to the 1957 Soviet launch of the first satellite.
• Avangard is designed using new composite materials to withstand temperatures of up to 2,000 Celsius.
Co-op banks to report exposures above Rs 5 cr
• The RBI has directed large cooperative banks to report all exposures of 5 crore rupees and more to the Central Repository of
Information on Large Credits (CRILC).
• The move is aimed at early detection of financial distress.
• Aggregate exposure will include all fund-based and non-fund based exposure (like partial credit enhancement) including
investment exposure on the borrower.
Rs. 74 crore spent in J&K under a scheme
• Under centrally sponsored Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, an amount of Rs. 74 crore has been spent in Jammu and Kashmir for
strengthening and building up the educational edifice.
• This was revealed by Commissioner Secretary School Education Department, Sarita Chauhan in Jammu.
• The amount was spent on construction of 10 girls hostels, 245 additional classrooms, etc.
Madhya Pradesh: Mandu Festival began on 28 Dec
• The first edition of Mandu Festival began on 28 Dec 2019 at Mandu, picturesque fort city of Madhya Pradesh.
• The 5-day event organized by Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board will witness a celebration of the historic heritage blended with the
modern vibrancy of the city culture.
• Based on the idea of Khojne Me Kho Jao, the Mandu festival will offer an eclectic mix of performing arts, workshops, etc.
China launched largest carrier rocket
• China successfully launched the largest carrier rocket of the country, Long March-5, Hainan Province on 27 Dec 2019.
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• The rocket, also known as CZ-5, blasted off with more than 1,000 tonnes of thrust.
• It is the country's third attempt to launch the rocket.
• During the first attempt in 2016, the rocket failed to reach the speed required for the early phase of the flight.
Alliance Air started flights from Kalaburagi
• Alliance Air started daily direct flight operations from Kalaburagi to Bengaluru and Mysuru under the Regional Connectivity
Scheme - UDAN.
• The development of Kalaburagi airport has paved a way for direct connectivity to Bengaluru.
• With the commencement of the Kalaburagi-Bangalore-Mysuru route, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has operationalized a total of
238 routes under UDAN scheme.
AIR organized National Symposium of Poets-2020
• National Symposium of Poets - 2020 was organized by All India Radio on 27 Dec 2019.
• This poet symposium was attended by select poets of all 22 languages recognized in the constitution.
• It is being held continuously every year since 1956.
• National Symposium is organized every year and broadcast on the eve of Republic Day.
Rajnath Singh launched a mobile app
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the mobile app on 27 Dec 2019 of the forthcoming DefExpo 2020 to be held in
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
• The app provides detailed information about the day-to-day events, participating exhibitors, guest speakers of seminars, maps
and directions of the venues.
• A record number of over 880 exhibitors, including foreign companies, have registered so far.
Obituaries
• Veteran Political cartoonist Vikas Sabnis passed away in Dec 2019. Inspired by Bal Thackeray and RK Laxman, he had started his
career in 1968. He made caricatures and political cartoons on various subjects and issues.
• American songwriter Allee Willis passed away. She penned the iconic “I’ll Be There For You” track for the long-running television
show “Friends”. She won a Grammy in 1985.
1 cr houses sanctioned under PM Awas Yojana
• More than one crore houses have been sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban).
• A total of 57 lakh houses are in various stages of construction of which, nearly 30 Lakh houses have been completed.
• PMAY (U) is one of the largest affordable housing programmes in the world.
• The houses sanctioned so far under the Mission involve an investment of about 5.70 lakh crore rupees.
Book titled Politics of Opportunism released
• Noted Economist S Gurumurthy released a book titled Politics of Opportunism in New Delhi on 27 Dec 2019.
• The book has been written by R P N Singh.
• It throws light on the subject related to the rise of regional parties and Centre -States relation.
• Political opportunism refers to the attempt to maintain political support, in a way which disregards relevant ethical
or political principles.
Convergence of activities for 'Fit India'
• To give a thrust to the national ‘Fit India’ movement, it has been decided that there will be a convergence of activities of Ministry
of Health and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• Fit India Movement was launched by PM Narendra Modi earlier in 2019 to encourage people to remain healthy and fit by
including physical activities and sports in their daily lives.
Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express flagged off
• The Bhubaneswar-New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express which has been transformed with the display of Odisha’s art,
culture and heritage was flagged off by the Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
• East Coast Railway (ECoR) and National Aluminium Limited Company (NALCO) had signed an agreement in this regard.
• Unreserved train tickets in Odia language were also launched on this occasion.
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Nirmala Sitharaman released a postage stamp

• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman released a postage stamp to commemorate the service and contribution of the
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), on 26 Dec 2019.
• DRI was constituted on December 4, 1957, to function as an apex intelligence agency of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and
Customs to counter smuggling.
• It has established itself as a premier intelligence agency.
Federal Bank tied up with Magicbricks
• Federal Bank has tied up with Magicbricks for listing and e-auctioning of immovable properties repossessed by it in recovery
proceedings.
• The move is aimed at speedy recovery of the bank's impaired assets.
• Under the deal, Federal Bank will leverage on Magicbrick's reach across demographic profiles and consumer categories, removing
any geographical restrictions for buyers.
Defence Estates award presented
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed a gathering after giving away Raksha Mantri’s Awards for Excellence 2019 in Delhi
Cantonment on 26 Dec 2019.
• The Defence Estates awards were introduced in 2013 to recognise the achievements in the field of health, education, cleanliness
as well as new innovative and digitisation in Public Services and Land Management.
MoH &UA to Organise consultative workshop
• Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Urban Livelihoods Mission under Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will be organising
a consultative meeting at New Delhi on 30 Dec 2019 with all States and UTs.
• This would be done to set out the framework for Shehri Samrddhi Utsav (SSU) 2020.
• The workshop will also take up the issue of skill development of urban beneficiaries in plumbing sector.
125 crore residents of India have Aadhaar
• The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) announced a new milestone achieved by the Aadhaar project – crossing the
125 crore mark.
• This means that over 1.25 billion residents of India have the 12-digit unique identity.
• At present UIDAI receives about 3 crore authentication requests every day.
• UIDAI recorded close to 331 crore successful Aadhaar updates till date.
Kotak Mahindra Bank partnered with Pine Labs
• Kotak Mahindra Bank has tied up with Pine Labs to enable debit card facility for their debit cardholders across point-of-sale
terminals by Pine Labs.
• Banks customers can avail EMI facility with a minimum purchase of Rs 8,000 and repay over 3 months to 12 months.
• Its aim is to provide affordable, flexible and easy EMI options on a range of products.
Book to chronicle India’s Olympic journey
• A book titled “Dreams of a Billion: India and the Olympic Games” authored by Boria Majumdar with Nalin Mehta will be released
soon.
• The book will be published by HarperCollins India in January 2020.
• The book comprises of all the wins, the misses, the star sportspersons, their stories, and the challenges and possibilities that lie
ahead of India to make its mark in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Tech Mahindra: New policy for LGBTQ employees
• Tech Mahindra has announced that the same-sex couples will be able to avail 12 weeks of paid adoption leave as per the new
policies.
• The three-day bereavement leave would also be allowed to the same-sex partners.
• The new policies are aimed at expanding the company's diversity; inclusion policy, especially those from the LGBTQ community,
new parents, cancer patients and survivors.
Navi Technologies acquired MavenHive
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• Navi Technologies, co-founded by Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal, has completed the acquisition of Bengaluru-based
technology consultancy MavenHive.
• The acquisition will boost Navi’s product development initiatives.
• MavenHive has helped companies such as Flipkart, Gojek, Grasshopper and Scripbox to achieve major milestones in their product
journeys.
New way of ATM cash withdrawal by SBI
• State Bank of India (SBI) will be introducing one time password (OTP) based cash withdrawal system to help protect its customers
from unauthorised transactions at ATMs.
• The OTP-based cash withdrawal system shall be active across all SBI ATMs effective 1 January 2020 between 8 pm to 8 am.
• SBI's OTP-based cash withdrawal facility will be applicable for transactions above ₹10,000.
Govt proposed BS VI emission norms
• The government has proposed to make BS VI emission norms mandatory for quadricycles from April 1, 2020.
• The Road Transport and Highways Ministry in a draft notification has proposed amendment of Rule 115 to mandate the next
level emission norms for quadricycles.
• Currently, quadricycles are covered under Bharat Stage IV emission norms.
Vernon Philander announced retirement
• Vernon Philander announced international retirement from all forms of cricket after the conclusion of the upcoming Test series
against England.
• He has played 97 matches across all three formats, taking a combined 261 wickets with 1784 runs in his international career.
• He also took 51 wickets in his first seven Test matches which earned him the 2012 SA Cricketer of the Year award.
Kamareddy won Unicef-2019 Award
• Kamareddy district of Telangana has secured the United Nations International Children’s and Education Fund (Unicef)-2019
Award.
• The district has won the award for effective implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission in water sanitation and hygiene sectors.
• It topped in construction of individual sanitary lavatories, swachh darpan wall paintings, swachh survekshan, swachh sundar
shouchalay, etc.
RBI launched new PPI for small transactions
• The RBI has introduced a new semi-closed prepaid payment instrument (PPI) which can be used for the transaction of goods and
services up to a limit of Rs 10,000.
• PPIs are instruments that facilitate the purchase of goods and services against the value stored on such instruments.
• There are currently three kinds of PPIs allowed by RBI: closed system, semi-closed and open PPIs.
Ladakhi New Year being celebrated on 27 Dec
• Union Territory Ladakh celebrated Losar Festival, to mark the Ladakhi New Year on 27 Dec 2019.
• People of various parts of Ladakh region, celebrate Losar on the 1st Day of Eleventh Month of Tibetan Calendar correlating to a
date in the Gregorian calendar.
• The celebrations continue for three to nine days in different parts of Ladakh.
War Room to be set up in Maharashtra
• A 'war room' will be set up to ensure effective implementation of tribal welfare schemes in remote areas of Maharashtra.
• Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray made the announcement in Mumbai on 26 Dec 2019 at a review meeting of the tribal
development department.
• A task force will be set up for tackling malnutrition in these areas.
District Hospitals to have Dialysis Centres
• All District Hospitals of J&K would have functional Dialysis Centres by July 2020.
• Dialysis Centres have been established in 13 districts, including Rajouri, Kathua, Poonch, Kishtwar, Baramulla, Pulwama and
Kupwara.
• 70 dialysis machines have been provided free of cost by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• In 2019, 11,689 dialysis sessions were held and 273 patients availed services.
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LPG bottling plant of BPCL to be inuagurated

• Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will visit Balangir district of Odisha on 27 Dec 2019 to inaugurate an LPG bottling plant of Bharat
Petroleum Corporation Limited.
• He will also and to attend the platinum jubilee function of Rajendra College in Balangir.
• The bottling plant has been established at an expenditure of 103 crore rupees and has a capacity of manufacturing 42 lakh
cylinders annually.
HRD Minister launched five documents
• HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launched the five documents developed by University Grants Commission, UGC covering
the 5 verticals of Quality Mandate in New Delhi on 26 Dec 2019.
• These five documents cover evaluation reforms, eco-friendly and sustainable university campuses, human values and
professional ethics, faculty induction and academic research integrity.
Second edition of Eat Right Mela inaugurated
• Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the second edition of Eat Right Mela in New Delhi on 26 Dec 2019.
• Eat Right Melas are a part of Eat Right India Movement.
• The movement was launched by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to usher in a ‘new food culture’ by
nudging businesses and consumers to adopt safe, healthy and sustainable food practices and habits.
Niranjan Hiranandani: Assocham President
• Niranjan Hiranandani has taken over as the new President of The Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India
(Assocham), the country’s apex organisation of industry and trade.
• He will succeed Balkrishan Goenka, the Welspun Group Chairman.
• Niranjan Hiranandani is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of the Hiranandani Group of Companies.
NTPC to add 10GW solar capacity
• NTPC is planning to add 10GW of solar energy generation capacity by 2022, which entails an investment of around Rs 50,000
crore.
• At present, NTPC has installed renewable energy capacity of 920 MW, which includes mainly solar energy.
• It has formulated a long term plan to become a 130 GW company by 2032 with 30 per cent non-fossil fuel or renewable energy
capacity.
Andhra Pradesh government proposed seaport
• The Andhra Pradesh govt is proposing to set up a Greenfield seaport at Ramayapatnam in Prakasam district at an outlay of Rs
10,000 crore.
• It is proposed to be developed as a non-major state port at Ramayapatnam along Andhra Coast.
• It will be developed over an area of 802 acres during the first phase and 3,437 acres for the ultimate projected traffic, for the
creation of marine facilities.
New laser-based system to spot space junk
• Researchers in China have improved the accuracy of detecting space junk in the Earth's orbit, providing a more effective way to
plot safe routes for spacecraft.
• They have developed space junk identification systems.
• A unique set of algorithms for laser ranging telescopes, described in the Journal of Laser Applications, has significantly improved
the success rate of space debris detection.
Railways started special Vistadome train
• Indian Railways unveiled Him Darshan Express comprising all-new Vistadome coaches from Kalka railway station to Shimla, on 25
Dec 2019.
• This special train will commute between the Kalka and Shimla station for the next one year till December 24, 2020.
• It is the first-ever train with Vistadome coaches by the Indian Railways that will run on a regular basis.
Pakistan to import polio markers from India
• Pakistan has decided to import polio markers from India, months after it suspended trade ties with New Delhi following the
abrogation of the article 370.
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• The federal Cabinet decided to give a one-time permission for import of polio markers from India.
• Pakistan is one of the three countries, along with Afghanistan and Nigeria, where polio is still endemic.
IAF to decommission last MiG-27 squadron
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to finally decommission its MiG-27s.
• The squadron of the seven MiG-27 fighters will have its last sortie from Jodhpur Air Base on December 27, 2019 and all the planes
will thereafter be decommissioned.
• It will be history as no other country operates MiG-27 now.
• The MiG-27 ground strike aircraft was procured in the 1980s from the then Soviet Union.
Indian Railways: Zero passenger deaths in FY20
• The Indian Railways has claimed that zero passenger death was witnessed in the current financial year, that is, 2019-20.
• This is for the first time in the 166-year-long history of railways.
• In Nov 2019, the Railway Ministry claimed that in order to improve safety, modern track structure consisting of Pre-stressed
Concrete Sleeper (PSC) was used while carrying out primary track renewals.
Shaheed Udham Singh's 120th birth anniversary
• Nation paid homage to the great revolutionary, Shaheed Udham Singh on his 120th birth anniversary on 26 Dec 2019.
• He was born on this day in 1899 in Sangrur district of Punjab.
• Udham Singh was present in the Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar on the fateful Baisakhi Day of 13 April 1919.
• He avenged the massacre by killing General O'Dwyer in March 1940 and was hanged by the British in London.
Good Governance Day: 25 December
• Good Governance Day is observed in India annually on the 25 December.
• On this day nation celebrates the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna and former-PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• Good Governance Day was established in 2014 to honour Prime Minister Vajpayee by fostering awareness among the Indian
people of accountability in government.
• He served as the Prime Minister of India for three times.
MS Dhoni named captain of CA’s ODI team
• MS Dhoni has been named captain of Cricket Australia’s (CA) ODI team of the decade and the line-up features three Indian
players.
• Apart from Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have made the cut in CA’s team.
• CA’s ODI team of the decade: Rohit Sharma, Hashim Amla, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Shakib Al Hasan, Jos Buttler, MS Dhoni,
Mitchell Starc, Trent Boult, Lasith Malinga, Rashid Khan.
Person in News
• Former West Ham and Tottenham midfielder Martin Peters, who scored England’s second goal in the 1966 World Cup final
against West Germany, passed away in Dec 2019. He made his debut in 1962.
• Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg has stepped down as the company is facing tough period following two fatal crashes. He will be
replaced by Chairman David Calhoun effective January 13, 2020.
Rohtang tunnel in Himachal Pradesh renamed
• PM Narendra Modi named Rohtang passageway in Himachal Pradesh as Atal Tunnel to mark the 95th birth anniversary of former
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• The tunnel has been named as a tribute to the former Prime Minister who took the historic decision of constructing this strategic
tunnel.
• It will provide all weather connectivity to remote areas of Lahaul and Spiti Valley.
Retirement age of RTC staff raised
• Telangana government has decided to raise the retirement age of employees of the Road Transport Corporation, RTC to 60 from
the current 58 years.
• The decision will be applicable to all cadres of employees of the state-owned RTC.
• Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao also asked RTC management to launch cargo and parcel services to all destinations wherever
an RTC bus could reach in the state.
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Kohli among 5 Wisden cricketers of the decade

• Indian skipper Virat Kohli is one of the five players named in the Wisden Cricketers of the Decade.
• Kohli joins Australian batsman Steve Smith, and South Africans, Dale Steyn, and AB de Villiers.
• He also finds a spot in the Wisden ODI team of the decade alongside MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and others.
• Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry is the only female cricketer in the list.
Good Governance Index launched
• Minister of State for Public Grievances and Pensions Dr Jitendra Singh launched Good Governance Index in New Delhi on the
occasion of Good Governance Day on 25 Dec 2019.
• The Good Governance Day is observed on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• The Index will seek to determine the status of governance and provide reference threshold for future also.
All villages to have free WiFi by March 2020
• Free WiFi services will be provided to all villages across the country through Bharatnet till March 2020
• This was announced by Communication and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad while inaugurating Digital Village Gurawara in Rewari
in Haryana.
• The Ministry has already connected one lakh 30 thousand gram panchayats through Bharatnet.
• The target is to take this to 2,50,000 gram panchayats.
75 hospitals to be converted into colleges
• The Centre is planning to convert 75 hospitals in aspirational districts across the country into medical colleges in a phased
manner.
• A target has been set to convert 49 hospitals, including six in Odisha, into medical colleges within the next five years.
• Centre has planned to set up 1 lakh 50 thousand health and wellness centres across the country under the Ayushman Bharat
scheme.
Person in News
• Indian tennis ace Leander Paes has announced that 2020 will be his last year as a professional tennis player. Paes has won eight
doubles and ten mixed doubles Grand Slam titles.
• Renowned Hindi author Ganga Prasad Vimal was killed in a road accident in Sri Lanka in Dec 2019. Born in 1939 in Uttarkashi,
Vimal wrote more than a dozen poetry collections, short story collections and novels.
15 cr households to get clean drinking water
• Government has aimed to provide the remaining 15 crore rural households with piped water in the next five years.
• This was announced by PM Narendra Modi while launching Atal Bhujal Yojana in New Delhi.
• The water crisis not only affects citizens and families but also the nation and its development.
• Only three crore out of 18 crore rural households today have clean piped water.
Mukesh Ambani adds $17 billion to his fortune
• Mukesh Ambani added almost $17 billion to his wealth as of 23 Dec 2019, the most in Asia.
• This has taken his net worth to about $61 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
• In comparison, Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma’s net worth grew $11.3 billion, while Jeff Bezos lost $13.2 billion.
DNA Analysis Centre inaugurated
• Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, inaugurated a State-of-the-Art DNA Analysis Centre at CFSL, Chandigarh on 23
Dec 2019.
• This new Advanced Forensic DNA Analysis Lab has been set up under the Nirbhaya Fund scheme, with an allocation of Rs.99.76
crores.
• This Advanced Forensic DNA Analysis facility has a capacity of examining 2000 cases per year.
1st Annual Meet for Ecoclub
• First Annual Meet of the State Nodal Agencies implementing the National Green Corps ‘Ecoclub’ programme was held from 20-21
Dec 2019 in Kevadia, Gujarat.
• It was organized by the Ministry’s Environment Education Division, in collaboration with the GEER Foundation, Gujarat.
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• Senior officers from 22 States and UTs implementing the programme and 200 Ecoclub students from Gujarat participated.
Centre approved Rs 453 cr loan to Tamil Nadu
• The Centre approved a Rs 453-crore loan at a subsidised interest rate of 5% to the Tamil Nadu government for setting up three
fishing harbours.
• The funds will be released from the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) that has a corpus of Rs
7,522 crore.
• An agreement was signed between the Union fisheries Ministry, Tamil Nadu government and NABARD.
Major Anoop Mishra awarded
• Major Anoop Mishra has been awarded Army Design Bureau Excellence Award by the Army Chief, for indigenously developing
Sarvatra bulletproof jacket.
• The jacket made by Anoop Mishra can provide protection from sniper rifle bullets.
• The project was launched after there was an increase in the number of sniper incidents in the lines on Line of Control (LoC) and
Kashmir valley.
Andhra CM launched YSR Nethanna Nestham
• Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jaganmohan Reddy launched the ‘YSR Nethanna Nestham’ scheme at Dharmavaram in Anantapur district.
• Under the scheme, the state government of Andhra Pradesh will provide financial assistance of Rs 24,000 annually to handloom
weavers across the state.
• The scheme will benefit 85,000 handloom weaver families in the State.
National Consumer Day: 24 December
• National Consumer Day is observed on 24 December every year.
• The objective is to highlight the importance of the consumer movement and the need to make every consumer more aware of
their rights and responsibilities.
• The theme of the year 2019 is “ alternate consumer grievance/dispute redressal”.
• On this day the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 was enacted.
Person in News
• In Jharkhand, Hemant Soren will take oath as Chief Minister on the 29 Dec 2019. Mr Soren was formally elected the JMM
legislature party leader on 24 Dec 2019.
• Renowned Hindustani classical vocalist Vidushi Savita Devi has passed away in Dec 2019. She was known for her thumris. She was
the author of the book ‘Maa…Siddheshwari’ which was the biography of her mother Siddeshwari Devi.
Mumbai: CSMT got 'Eat Right' certificate
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) railway station in Mumbai has been conferred with 'Eat Right Station' certification.
• It has been given a five-star rating by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for food safety and hygiene.
• CSMT is the first station on the Central Railway to get this certification.
• The initiative is a part of the 'Eat Right India' movement.
Manu Bhaker clinched gold at National C’ships
• Manu Bhaker and Anish Bhanwala clinched gold medals at the 63rd National Shooting Championships in Bhopal on 24 Dec 2019.
• Bhaker, representing Haryana, clinched four gold medals (individual and team events in senior and junior) in the women's 10
meter air pistol.
• Devanshi Dhama won silver in the senior women's 10 m air pistol event while Yashaswini Singh Deshwal won the bronze medal.
Virat Kohli ranked top batsman
• Virat Kohli is the top ranked batsman in the latest ICC Test rankings issued on 24 Dec 2019.
• With 928 points, Kohli is 17 points ahead of Australia's Steve Smith who occupies the second spot.
• New Zealand skipper Kane Willamson is at number three with 864 points.
• Cheteshwar Pujara retained his fourth place but Rahane slipped to seventh.
• Among the bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah retained 6th spot.
Russia: Only country with hypersonic weapons
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• Russia is the only country in the world that has hypersonic weapons.
• The first unit equipped with the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle is set to go on duty in Dec 2019, while that the air-launched
Kinzhal hypersonic missiles already have entered service.
• The missile flies 10 times faster than the speed of sound, has a range of more than 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles).
Sign boards in Chinese put up at 5 ASI sites
• Sign boards in Chinese language have been put up at five ASI protected archaeological sites located in Uttar Pradesh.
• They include Sarnath, the Buddhist relics at Chaukhandi Stupa, Kushinagar and the Mahaparinirvana Temple, Piparahwa and
Sravasti.
• The sign boards of foreign languages will be installed where more than one lakh tourists from a particular country visit those
places every year.
Digital Radio to be launched in 2024
• NDA government is bringing Digital Radio in 2024.
• This was announced by Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar while addressing the annual Akashvani awards
function in New Delhi on 24 Dec 2019.
• The audio of digital radio will be more clear and its reach will be higher.
• Akashvani has one of the largest news gathering and dissemination apparatus in the world.
Statue of Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Lucknow
• PM Narendra Modi unveiled a statue of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Lucknow on 25 Dec 2019.
• He unveiled the 25-feet bronze statue at Lok Bhawan, the secretariat of Uttar Pradesh government.
• He also laid the foundation stone of Atal Bihari Medical University.
• Apart from this, many other functions have also been organised to mark the birth anniversary of Vajpayee.
Govt approved conduct of Census 2021
• Union Cabinet approved the conduct of Census of India 2021 and updation of National Population Register.
• Cabinet approved expenditure of over 8 thousand 754 crore rupees for the exercise of Census of India 2021.
• The House listing and Housing Census will be carried out from April to September, 2020 and Population Enumeration from 9th
February to 28th February, 2021.
Cabinet Approvals
• The Cabinet approved the creation of post of Chief of the Defence Staff, CDS which was announced by PM Narendra Modi during
his Independence Day address.
• It also approved Atal Bhujal Yojana, a Central Sector Scheme with total outlay of six thousand crore rupees.
• Cabinet also approved Promulgation of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019.
MoU between India & Brazil approved
• The Cabinet has given its approval for signing of MoU between India and Brazil on Bioenergy Cooperation.
• India and Brazil are major consumers of energy in the world and Brazil is one of the most important trading partners of India in
the entire Latin America and Caribbean region.
• Brazil is currently the world's second largest producer and consumer of biofuels.
2nd edition of SDG India Index to be launched
• NITI Aayog will launch the second edition of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDG India Index on 30 Dec 2019 in New Delhi.
• The SDG India Index documents the progress made by India’s States and Union Territories towards implementing the 2030 SDG
targets.
• The SDG India Index was the first tool developed by any large country to monitor the progress towards achieving SDGs.
India's first long distance CNG bus unveiled
• Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan unveiled India's first long-distance CNG bus fitted with CNG cylinders
at a function in New Delhi on 24 Dec 2019.
• It can travel around one thousand kilometre in a single fill.
• This is a revolutionary step which help reduce vehicular pollution.
• The first long-range interstate CNG bus will ply from Delhi to Dehradun.
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Sangita Reddy appointed President of FICCI
• Sangita Reddy, Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group, has taken over as the President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of
Commerce & Industry (FICCI) for 2019-20.
• President of The Walt Disney Company APAC, Uday Shankar has been elevated as Senior Vice President of FICCI.
• CMD of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), Sanjiv Mehta was appointed as the Vice President of FICCI.
National ICT Awards 2017 conferred
• Minister of State for HRD, Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre conferred National ICT Awards to 43 School Teachers for the year 2017 in New
Delhi on 23 Dec 2019.
• The teachers were awarded for effective and innovative integration of ICT in promoting student’s learning.
• Each awardee teacher was awarded a laptop, silver medal, ICT kit and a commendation certificate.
Bank Of Baroda partnered with Gujarat Govt
• In order to facilitate the flow of credit in the MSMEs, Bank of Baroda has signed an MoU with the Gujarat government.
• As per the MoU, the credit will be provided to the MSME sector for greenfield projects, startups, women entrepreneurs and
entrepreneurs from backward areas under the Gujarat Single Window Clearance Act 2017 & Ordinance Number 1 of 2019 dated
October 24, 2019.
Virat Kohli topped Forbes India List
• Virat Kohli topped the Forbes India Celebrity 100 List in 2019, becoming the first sportsperson to do so since its inception eight
years ago.
• Akshay Kumar also rose in the rankings to the second spot with Rs 293.25 crore earnings and Salman Khan at 3rd place.
• MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar also make the top 10 in the list at the fifth and ninth positions respectively.
Ecuador declared emergency
• Ecuador activated emergency protocols on 22 Dec 2019 to contain the environmental impact of a fuel spill in the Galapagos
Islands, after a barge carrying 600 gallons of diesel fuel sank.
• The Galapagos archipelago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to one of the most fragile ecosystems on the planet.
• The accident occurred in a port on San Cristobal Island.
Malayali boy Aditya bagged top bravery award
• Aditya of Kozhikode, Kerala has become the first child from the State to bag the Bharat Award for bravery.
• It is the most prestigious of the National Bravery Awards, given away by the Indian Council for Child Welfare.
• He has been awarded for rescuing 20 people from a bus carrying members of the Calicut University Pensioners’ Forum when it
caught fire coming down a steep mountain road.
‘Swachchh Samundra NW-2019’ conducted
• The Indian Coast Guard conducted a two-day regional level pollution response exercise named ‘Swachchh Samundra NW-2019’ at
sea off Vadinar in Gulf of Kutch from 17-18 Dec 2019.
• The exercise was conducted to validate and reinforce the response mechanism for oil pollution incidents and enable ICG to fine-
tune the actions required in such eventualities.
• The exercise was conducted in two phases.
‘Oxygen Parlour’ at Nashik Railway Station
• In a unique initiative to battle rising air pollution in cities, an ‘Oxygen Parlour’ has been opened at Nashik railway station to
provide an experience of breathing clean air to the commuters.
• The initiative comes with the efforts of Airo Guard in collaboration with the Indian Railways.
• The concept of Oxygen Parlour is based on the recommendation of NASA.
J&K police organized 'Run for Unity' in Jammu
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• J&K police organised a 'Run for Unity' in Jammu to spread the message of peace and unity, on 22 Dec 2019.
• DGP Dilbag Singh flagged off the run for various categories.
• The event was divided into five categories; half Marathon for both men and women, 10 km race for women, eight kms for boys
under 14, six kms for girls under 14, and four kms 'run for fun' open for all categories.
Indian weightlifter Rakhi created 2 records
• Indian weightlifter Rakhi Halder created two new national records and clinched a bronze medal in the women's 64kg weight
category at the Qatar International Cup in Doha.
• She superseded the senior national record in both snatch and total lift with her personal best effort of 218kg, 95kg in the snatch
with 123 kg in clean and jerk on 23 Dec 2019.
QRSAM successfully flight-tested
• Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile, QRSAM system developed by DRDO was successfully flight-tested from Odisha coast on 23
Dec 2019.
• The QRSAM weapon system comprises of fully automated Command and Control System and Active Array Battery Surveillance
Radar.
• The entire event was monitored by Ground Telemetry Systems, Range Radar Systems, Electro-Optical Tracking System etc.
35 lakh passengers have flown under UDAN: Govt
• About 35 Lakh passengers have flown under the regional air connectivity scheme - Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) till date.
• The scheme was launched in October 2016, to provide connectivity to un-served and under-served regions through the revival of
existing airstrips and airports.
• The travelling time has reduced drastically and the public at large is benefited for different purposes.
Appointments
• Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India's Ambassador to the US, has been appointed as the new Foreign Secretary. He will take over the
charge of the foreign secretary on January 29, 2020, from incumbent Vijay Gokhale.
• Mr Shiv Das Meena has assumed the charge of Chairman of Patna Metro Rail Corporation Limited (PMRC). Prior to this, he had
served as Chairman of NBCC (India) Limited.
Annual Akashvani awards presented
• The annual Akashvani awards were given in New Delhi on 24 Dec 2019.
• Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar will confer the awards.
• The Akashvani awards were instituted in 1974 to promote professional excellence and bring out the best from the staff working
at various radio stations and installations.
Indian Railways to modernize Signalling system
• Indian Railways has decided to modernize its Signalling system on its entire network by implementing Modern Train Control
system.
• This is one of the most ambitious modernization projects which envisages up-gradation of a signalling system for improving
safety, Line Capacity and to run trains at a higher speed.
• It includes revision of Automatic Train Protection System, etc.
Rules for fixation of microdots identifiers
• The govt has notified rules for fixation of microdots identifiers on motor vehicles and their parts.
• The invisible microdots will now come affixed on vehicles and their parts to prevent theft as well as to check fake spare parts.
• Microdot technology involves spraying the body and parts of the vehicle or any other machine with microscopic dots, which give
a unique identification.
10th pre-Budget consultation meeting held
• Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur held 10th and final Pre-Budget Consultation meeting in New
• The main areas of discussion in the meeting were related to improving efficiency in the delivery of health services and devising
innovative ways to reach primary health care facilities for marginalised sections.
Air Chief Marshal left for Egypt
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• Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria embarked on a five-day visit to Egypt beginning 24 Dec 2019.
• The aim is to strengthen the long-standing bilateral relations between New Delhi and Cairo.
• During the visit, the Chief of Air Staff is scheduled to visit various operational and training establishments of the Egyptian Air
Force and also interact with senior officials of the Egyptian Armed Forces.
1 lakh senior division NCC seats approved
• Defence Ministry has approved additional one lakh senior division NCC seats on a self-financing basis.
• The NCC strength is set to increase to over 15 lakh with this decision.
• Approximately 100 to 150 schools and colleges will be benefited under it.
• The scheme will commence in 2020-21 as a pilot project.
Urban India declared Open defecation free
• Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban has achieved its target of creating Urban India Open Defecation Free.
• Urban areas of 35 states and Union Territories have become ODF.
• In all, 4,320 cities out of 4,372 have declared themselves ODF.
• This has been achieved by the construction of nearly 65.81 lakh individual household toilets against Mission target of 59 lakhs.
Nadal and Barty named 2019 ITF World Champions
• Ash Barty and Rafael Nadal were named International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) World Champions for 2019.
• Barty became the first Australian to win the French Open since Margaret Court in 1973 when she beat Czech Marketa
Vondrousova in June 2019.
• Nadal claimed the ITF world title for the fourth time after sealing a historic 12th French Open and a fourth U.S. Open.
Wipro partnered with Nasscom
• Wipro has partnered with Nasscom to train students on emerging technologies.
• The programme will train on technologies such as artificial intelligence, data science, internet of things, cybersecurity.
• Wipro will train 10,000 students from engineering colleges in India as a part of Wipro’s corporate social responsibility programme
“TalentNext“.
Kerala govt set 2024 deadline for rail project
• The Thiruvananthapuram–Kasargode Semi High-Speed Rail Corridor (SHSR), a proposed high-speed rail corridor in India is
expected to be completed by 2024.
• The project would connect Thiruvananthapuram with Kasaragod in Kerala
• This 532km double-line project is a joint venture of Government of Kerala and Union Ministry of Railways.
Sundar Pichai awarded $242 million pay package
• Sundar Pichai, Alphabet Inc. CEO will receive $240 million in stock awards over the next three years if he hits all of his
performance targets, as well as a $2 million annual salary beginning in 2020.
• If Alphabet shares outperform the S&P 100 Index, Pichai could receive an additional $90 million in stock grants.
• It’s the first time the company has bestowed performance-based stock awards.
Govt approved projects under Nirbhaya fund
• Under the NIRBHAYA Fund, projects of Rs 7,000 crore, including setting up of 1,023 fast-track courts, have been approved by the
govt.
• The Nirbhaya Fund Framework provides for a non-lapsable corpus fund for safety and security of women to be administered by
the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) in the Ministry of Finance (MoF).
• The fund was set up in February 2013.
Person in News
• Justice Gulzar Ahmed took oath as the 27th Chief Justice of Pakistan on 21 Dec 2019. He took over from Chief Justice Asif Saeed
Khosa, who served as the country's top judge from January 2019.
• Abid Ali became the first Pakistan cricketer to score centuries in his first two Test matches. He achieved the feat against Sri Lanka
in the ongoing second Test of the two-match Test series in Karachi.
Chennai ICF set to remake Vande Bharat rakes
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• The Indian Railways is set to procure 44 rakes of Vande Bharat trains from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.
• The procurement process promotes transparency, accountability and speed of delivery.
• It ensures compliance with RDSO specifications and vendor neutrality to allow maximum potential bidders to ensure competitive
rates.
National Farmers Day: December 23
• Every year India celebrates National Farmers Day on December 23 to mark former PM of India Chaudhary Charan Singh’s birth
anniversary.
• It was decided by the government of India to celebrate Farmers Day in 2001.
• It is believed that ‘Zamindari Abolition Bill-1952’ was passed due to Chaudhary Charan Singh’s hard work.
• He was the Prime Minister of India from 28 July 1979 to 14 January 1980.
National Mathematics Day: 22 December
• National Mathematics Day is celebrated on 22nd December every year.
• The day marks the birth anniversary of legendary mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan and his contributions in the development
of modern mathematics.
• The main objective behind the celebration of National Mathematics Day is to make people aware of the development of
mathematics and its importance in the growth of humanity.
President Kovind released mobile app
• President Ram Nath Kovind released the mobile app of the Red Cross Society of India in Hyderabad on 22 Dec 2019.
• He is in Hyderabad on his Southern Sojourn.
• Developed by the Telangana Centre for Good Governance in less than three months, the mobile app is accessible in all languages.
• The access to blood bank and Red Cross membership will become easy with the launching of the mobile app.
Foundation stone laid for two IPUs
• The foundation stone of 2 Integrated Processing Units of Sikkim Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Organics Limited, SIFFCO
was laid down by CM Prem Singh Tamang.
• Sikkim IFFCO is a joint venture between the world's biggest fertilizer Cooperative, IFFCO and Government of Sikkim.
• Its aim is to promote and market the organic produce of the country especially from Sikkim.
Harinder Pal Singh won in squash tournament
• Indian squash player Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu clinched the men's title while Hana Ramadan of Egypt won the women's crown in
the third leg of the HCL-SRFI India Tour Squash Tournament in Mumbai on 21 Dec 2019.
• Harinder defeated Tomotaka Endo of Japan 3-0 in a match that lasted for 30 minutes, while Hana beat England's Lucy Turmel 3-1
in the women's final.
Maisnam won International Badminton Series
• India's shuttler Maisnam Meiraba Luwang has won the Men's singles Bangladesh Junior International Badminton Series 2019 in
Dhaka.
• Meiraba beat Ken Yong Ong 21, 14, 21-18 in the final lasting 38 minutes on 22 Dec 2019.
• Meiraba had also clinched the boys' singles U-19 title at the Woncheon Yonex Korea Junior Open International Challenge in
November 2019.
India beat West Indies by 4 wickets in 3rd ODI
• In Cricket, India defeated West Indies by 4 wickets in the 3rd and final ODI of the three-match series at Barabati Stadium in
Cuttack on 22 Dec 2019.
• With this win, India won the series 2-1.
• This is India's tenth consecutive series win over the West Indies.
• Skipper Virat Kohli who scored 85, was declared Man of the Match.
• Rohit Sharma was declared Man of the Series.
Dr Monisha Ghosh named 1st woman CTO at FCC
• Indian-American Dr Monisha Ghosh has been appointed as the first woman Chief Technology Officer at the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC).
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• She will advise Indian-American Chairman of the FCC Ajit Pai and the agency on technology and engineering issues.
• Dr Ghosh will replace Dr Eric Burger.
• The FCC as an independent US government agency overseen by Congress is the federal agency.
Eight West African nations renamed currency
• Eight West African countries agreed to change the name of their common currency to Eco and severed their earlier currency CFA
Franc's links to former colonial ruler France.
• The CFA Franc was initially pegged to the French franc and has been linked to the euro for about two decades.
• Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo currently use the currency.
Manuel Marrero Cruz: Cuba's first PM
• In Cuba, President Miguel Díaz-Canel has appointed Manuel Marrero Cruz as the country's first PM in more than 40 years.
• The post of PM was scrapped in 1976 by the then-revolutionary leader Fidel Castro.
• Marrero, who has served as tourism minister for 16 years and is an architect by trade, helped boost Cuba's economy by making
tourism one of the engines of growth.
Girls' Hostel for Nepal Armed Police Force
• The Govt. of India has constructed Girls' Hostel for Nepal Armed Police Force School, Kirtipur.
• Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Dr Ajay Kumar inaugurated hostel building at Kirtipur in Kathmandu district on 22 Dec
2019.
• Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) School is an academic institution created under the APF Welfare Service Centre of Nepal Armed
Police Force.
Nitin Gadkari addressed regional conference
• Union Minister Nitin Gadkari addressed a valedictory session of the regional conference organized in Nagpur on 22 Dec 2019 on
’Improving Public Services Delivery - Role of Government'.
• The 2-day conference was organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
• The conference was attended by delegates from 19 states and 7 UTs.
66th National Film Awards presented
• 66th National Film Awards were presented at a function in New Delhi on 23 Dec 2019.
• Best Director award was given to Aditya Dhar for his debut film Uri: The Surgical Strike.
• Akshay Kumar-starrer Padman has been named the best film on social issues.
• Sanjay Leela Bhansali received best music director award.
• Arijit Singh was selected as the best male playback singer.
19th Joint Commission meeting with Iran
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar co-chaired the 19th Joint Commission meeting with Foreign Minister of Iran in Tehran on 22
Dec 2019.
• The meeting was very productive and reviewed the entire gamut of the cooperation.
• Both the nations agreed on accelerating the Chabahar project.
• India and Iran will work together closely on their shared interests.
Minorities Rights Day: 18 December
• Minorities Rights Day is observed on 18 December in India.
• The day aims to remind about the rights of minorities and to educate people about it.
• It focuses on the religious harmony, respect, and better understanding of all minorities' communities in India.
• The minorities in India include Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Zoroastrians (Parsis) and Jains.
Deepak Punia named Jr Wrestler of the Year
• Deepak Punia has been named ‘Junior Wrestler of the Year’ by United World Wrestling (UWW).
• Deepak had bagged the 86kg freestyle crown in Tallinn, Estonia, in August 2018 to become India’s first World junior champion in
18 years.
• He became the first Indian wrestler and second from the country to get the international federation honour.
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BP Raju won India Cyber Cop of the Year

• CBI officer BP Raju has won the 'India Cyber Cop of the Year 2019' award by NASSCOM-DSCI.
• He won it for cracking a fraud case in an online entrance exam conducted by an engineering college in Rajasthan.
• The award was given to Raju by Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Ajay Prakash Sawhney, during the
annual Information Security Summit held at Gurgaon.
Star to be named after Indian Woman Scientist
• The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has accepted to name a white-yellow star in Sextans constellation and its Jupiter-like
exoplanets.
• Until now, the stars were called HD 86081 and 86081b.
• The star will be named Bibha and the orbiting exoplanet will be named Santamasa, a Sanskrit term for clouded.
• Bibha Chowdhuri is a 20th-century Indian woman physicist.
NITI Aayog to include eggs, fish, in PDS
• Niti Aayog plans to include eggs, fish, chicken, and meat, possibly through its public distribution system.
• The aim of the proposal is to improve India's low nutrition ranking at the global level.
• This is expected to be part of Niti Aayog's 15-year Vision Document.
• The document will be in place by early 2020 with effect from 1 April 2020.
Centre to extend 2 years for AMRUT scheme
• The Centre has decided to extend the mission period of the flagship initiative Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban
Transformation (AMRUT) by 2 more years.
• The government was unable to meet the set targets for urban renewal in 500 cities.
• AMRUT was launched on 25 June 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The initiative aimed to provide 139 lakh water connections by March 2020.
CM Gehlot inaugurated first Janta clinic
• CM Gehlot inaugurated the first Janta clinic at Valmiki Basti to provide free primary health care to people living in slums.
• In its first phase, 12 Janta Clinics will be opened in Jaipur where people would get free medicines, and free medical examination
in some cases.
• Later, in the second and third phases of this scheme, Janta Clinics will be opened in other areas.
WHO approved a biosimilar medicine
• WHO has given its quality seal of approval to a biologically similar formulation of the breast cancer drug – trastuzumab.
• The move could help make the costly, life-saving treatment more affordable and available to women globally.
• Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women.
• Some 2.1 million women contracted breast cancer in 2018.
• 630,000 of them died from the disease.
2nd PRMC meeting between India and Bangladesh
• The 2nd Project Review Monitoring Committee (PRMC) meeting for the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline project was
successfully held between both the countries on 19 Dec 2019.
• The Rs. 346 crores, 130-kilometre India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline Project is a landmark project being undertaken under the
grant assistance from India to Bangladesh.
R. Nagaswamy honoured
• Renowned archaeologist R. Nagaswamy was honoured at the Silver Jubilee International Conference of Art held in Dhaka by
Bangladesh Culture Minister K.M. Khalid.
• He was honoured for the contribution of Nagaswamy to art, archaeology, history, and culture.
• The Silver Jubilee volume of the Journal of Bengal Art was dedicated to Mr. Nagaswamy.
EChO Network launched
• EChO Network was launched on 19 Dec 2019 in New Delhi by Prof. K VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Govt of
India.
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• It is a national program to provide a template for cross-disciplinary leadership in India with the specific focus of increasing
research, knowledge, and awareness of Indian ecology and the environment
Google searches for ‘Operation Twist’ surged
• Google searches for Operation Twist surged in India after the central bank announced its version of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s
unconventional monetary policy.
• Most searches for the term came from Delhi followed by Maharashtra.
• The central bank will buy long-term bonds, while simultaneously selling short-term govt securities in an effort to cheapen long-
term borrowing and boost bank lending.
5th Edition of ARTECH to be held in New Delhi
• The 5th edition of ARTECH will be organised by Indian Army on ‘Technologies for Non-Contact Warfare’ on 23 December 2019 in
New Delhi.
• The seminar is the flagship event of the Indian Army which sets the agenda for focus areas of harvesting indigenous capabilities in
the Defence sector.
• ARTECH Seminar was launched in 2016 as part of the overall vision of ‘Make in India’ of Prime Minister.
Uddhav Thackeray announced loan waiver
• Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray announced waiver of farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh sanctioned till 30 Sept 2019.
• He announced the Mahatma Phule Farmer Loan Waiver Scheme at the concluding day of the winter session of state legislature in
Nagpur on 21 Dec 2019.
• He also announced starting of Shiv Bhojan scheme which offers meal worth 10 Rupees on experimental basis in 50 centers across
the state.
ICC T20I rankings: Radha retains 2nd position
• Left-arm Indian spinner Radha Yadav remained at the second spot in the latest ICC Women's T20I players rankings.
• Deepti Sharma and Poonam Yadav slipped a place each to the fifth and sixth positions.
• Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur remained static at the seventh and ninth positions.
• India continued to hold on to the fourth position in the ICC Women's T20 Team Ranking.
US military 'Space Force' launched
• US President Donald Trump officially launched US military 'Space Force' at an army base near Washington on 21 Dec 2019.
• The Space Force will help to deter aggression and control the ultimate high ground.
• The launch of the Space Force, the first in more than 70 years, falls under the US Air Force.
• It will be funded by an initial 40million Dollar for its first year.
National film awards to be conferred on 23 Dec
• The 66th National Film Awards will be presented on 23 Dec 2019 at a function in New Delhi.
• Gujarati movie Hellaro will be awarded the best feature film.
• Bollywood actors Ayushmann Khurrana and Vicky Kaushal have been selected for best actor award for their roles in Andhadhun
and Uri.
• Keerthy Suresh will get the best actress award for her portrayal of Savitri in Telugu film Mahanati.
Central govt to organize 100 'Hunar Haats'
• Government has decided to organize 100 Hunar Haat across the country in the next five years.
• These Haat aim to provide market exposure and employment opportunities to artisans, craftsmen and traditional culinary
experts.
• More than two lakh 65 thousand artisans and craftsmen have been provided employment through Hunar Haat in the last two
years.
ICF produced 3000 Coaches in record 215 days
• Integral Coach Factory (ICF) of Indian Railways has produced its 3000th coach of the year in less than 9 months.
• The number of working days to achieve the above figure has been reduced from 289 days in the last year to 215 days in the
current year.
• Till the year 2014, the same amount of time was being taken for the production of only 1000 coaches.
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S Jaishankar to visit Oman on December 24

• External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar will visit Oman on December 24, 2019.
• During his visit, the Minister will meet Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs.
• He will also hold meetings with other ministers to discuss matters of mutual interest.
• An agreement for cooperation in the field of Maritime Transport will be signed during the visit.
RBI to buy and sell govt bonds
• The RBI will simultaneously purchase and sell government securities worth Rs 10,000 crore under a special Open Market
Operation (OMO).
• It has decided to conduct simultaneous purchase and sale of government securities on December 23, 2019.
• The purchase will be for government securities worth Rs 10,000 crore for the instrument ‘6.45 per cent GS 2029’.
ICC continues partnership with UNICEF
• ICC has extended its partnership with UNICEF through to the Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 with the focus on empowering
women and girls through cricket.
• The ICC and UNICEF partnership commenced in 2015, as part of the ICC's global community outreach program ”Cricket 4 Good”.
• During the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, UNICEF raised USD 180,000 as part of 'One Day 4 Children'.
Writer LS Sheshagiri Rao passed away
• Kannada writer and critic L.S. Sheshagiri Rao passed away In Dec 2019.
• His first work Idu Jeevana was released in 1948.
• He is best known for his book “Hosagannada Sahitya Charitre”.
• He was the first chairman of Kannada Book Authority.
• He had served as the honorary secretary of Kannada Sahitya Parishat (1947-50) and the president of B M Sri Smaraka
Prathisthana.
India’s 1st vaccination clinic launched
• IIT Hyderabad’s Center for Healthcare Entrepreneurship (CfHE) Fellow Mr. Jignesh Patel has launched in Pune a Vaccination on
Wheels Clinic, a first-of-its-kind service in India.
• This is being done in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Called ‘VaccineOnWheels.com’ this clinic will go to schools, colleges and corporates to conduct vaccination camps at their
doorsteps.
3 combinations got automatic approval
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has received 3 Green Channel combinations for automatic approval under the
competition law.
• One of the combinations is related to 100 per cent acquisition of both IDBI Asset Management Ltd (IAML) and IDBI MF Trustee
Company Ltd (IMTL) by Muthoot Finance Ltd (MFL).
• A green channel combination has also been filed in respect of Green Rock.
ECI organized National Workshop
• The Election Commission of India organized a National Workshop on Accessible Elections on19 Dec 2019.
• It was organized with the purpose of reviewing steps taken as yet by ECI for making Elections PwD and Senior Citizens friendly.
• The Commission also released a booklet titled, ‘Crossing the Barriers – I Got Inked’.
Afghanistan:1st country to recognize IP
• The Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) has been recognised formally by the National Department of Regulation of Medicines and Health
Products of the Ministry of Public Health of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
• With this Afghanistan has become the 1st country to recognize IP.
• IP is an officially recognized book of standards as per the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules 1945 thereunder.
Appointments
• Devesh Srivastava was appointed to the position of Chairman and MD at the General Insurance Corporation India (GIC Re). He
began his career with Oriental Insurance Company Ltd.
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• The Union Government appointed Atul Karwal, as Director of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad. He
is currently posted as Additional Director General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Belgium crowned FIFA Team of the Year
• Belgium was crowned FIFA ‘Team of the Year’ for the second successive time after a record-breaking year.
• World champions France remains in the second place ahead of Brazil in third.
• Besides accumulating the biggest points haul, Qatar has also jumped a year-high 38 places, followed closely by fellow climbers
Algeria (up 32 ranks) and Japan (up 22 places).
Indian-American scientist to lead NSF in USA
• US President Donald Trump has picked Indian-American computer scientist Sethuraman Panchanathan to lead the prestigious
National Science Foundation (NSF) in USA.
• Panchanathan would succeed France Cordova when her six-year term as the NSF Director ends in 2020.
• Panchanathan is currently the Executive Vice President and the Chief Research and Innovation Officer at Arizona State
University.
PM Modi addressed ASSOCHAM Annual Conference
• PM Narendra Modi addressed the annual general meeting of Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India in New
• The theme of the event was 'New India Aspiring for a USD 5 trillion economy'.
• The event was organised on the completion of 100 years of ASSOCHAM.
• The President of ASSOCHAM is B K Goenka and it is headquartered in New Delhi.
ADB and Government of India signed a loan
• Asian Development Bank and Government of India signed a 490 million dollars loan for public-private partnership project on 20
Dec 2019.
• It will upgrade about 1600 kms of state highways and major district roads from single-lane to two-lane widths in Madhya
Pradesh.
• An additional 286 million dollars investment will be mobilised through private sector participation under the PPP modality.
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Obituaries
• Former president of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Avtar Singh Makkar passed away in Dec 2019. He was
one of the longest-serving presidents of the SGPC, an apex religious body of the Sikhs.
• Nationalist Congress Party's Kerala State President and former Minister Thomas Chandy passed away. Belonging to the
Nationalist Congress Party, he was the state president of the party.
Mirabai Chanu bagged Gold
• Saikhom Mirabai Chanu won the women's 49kg category gold medal to open India's account at the 6th Qatar International Cup in
Doha on 20 Dec 2019.
• She bagged gold with an effort of 194kg in the Olympic qualifying event.
• She lifted 83kg in snatch and 111kg in clean and jerk to finish on top of the podium.
• However, it was a performance way below her personal best of 201 kg.
Abhinav won Bengaluru Open Golf Championship
• Abhinav Lohan lifted PGTI title securing a narrow one-shot triumph at the Bengaluru Open golf championship on 20 Dec 2019.
• It was Lohan's first title on the TATA Steel PGTI and second win of the year 2019.
• Lohan thus became the fourth Indian golfer to register his maiden title on the TATA Steel PGTI this season following Kshitij
Naveed Kaul, Priyanshu Singh and Veer Ahlawat.
Ethiopia launched its first satellite
• Ethiopia launched its first satellite on 20 Dce 2019, a landmark achievement for the country's space program.
• The launch of the Ethiopian Remote Sensing Satellite (ETRSS) took place at a space station in China.
• The launch makes Ethiopia the eleventh African country to put a satellite into space.
• Egypt was the first in 1998.
• This was the eighth launch of an African satellite in 2019.
India top performer in Paris agreement
• India is a top performer in Paris agreement and will achieve the carbon emission target soon.
• The emission intensity reduction target for India was 35 per cent and it has already achieved 21 per cent of it.
• India's efforts to mitigate climate change was appreciated at the recently held 25th session of the Conference of Parties to the
UN Framework Convention on Climate change.
Special Representatives of India, China met
• The Special Representatives for India-China Boundary Question met in New Delhi on 21 Dec 2019.
• This was 22nd meeting between the two countries on the issue.
• The Indian delegation was lead by National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval and the Chinese side by Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
• This was the first meeting of the Special Representatives between the two countries since the 2nd Informal Summit.
Rs 50 lakh cr for modernisation of Railways
• Railways is looking at Rs 50 lakh cr investment over the next 12 years.
• It is coming out of joint ventures to modernize the railways, bring down the logistics cost and improve the share of freight in
railway network and make the journey world-class.
• Government is making huge efforts to give support to bankers to lend boldly and freely to the NBFC sector and the real estate
sector.
Miscellaneous News
• Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Ministry finalized a plan for setting up 500 skill hubs and labs in government schools. It
has taken several initiatives to impart skill training to the youth of the country.
• America's legendary Civil Rights leader Congressman John Lewis introduced a bill in the House of Representatives to promote the
legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.
India, Afghanistan & Iran met for second time
• The second meeting between officials of India, Afghanistan and Iran took place in New Delhi on 20 Dec 2019.
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• It was held to monitor implementation of the 2016 agreement regarding development and management of the Chabahar port in
Iran.
• It was agreed to finalise the protocol to harmonise transit, roads, customs and consular matters.
The 11th RQC held at Rudrapur
• Quality Council of India (QCI) and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) organized 11th Regional Quality Conclave
(RQC) on 20th December 2019 at, Rudrapur, Uttarakhand.
• The theme of the Rudrapur RQC is “Advance Manufacturing with Quality, Innovation & Technology Interventions.”
• The objective of the Conclave is to create awareness about significance of quality culture in businesses.
Conference of Presiding Officers held
• Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla in Dehradun inaugurated the 79th Conference of Presiding Officers of Legislative Bodies on 18 Dec
2019.
• He was also conferred the guard of honour during the conference.
• The presiding officers of all state legislatures participated in the two-day conference.
• Among the items on the agenda is the 'Tenth Schedule to the Constitution and the role of the Speaker'.
Peugeot SA and Fiat Chrysler signed agreement
• Peugeot SA and Fiat Chrysler signed an agreement to create the world’s fourth-largest automaker.
• The binding combination agreement provides a 50/50 merger of their businesses to create the 4th largest global automotive
original equipment manufacturer by volume and third-largest by revenue.
• Fiat Chrysler’s chief John Elkann will be the chairman and PSA’s Carlos Tavares CEO of the new entity.
Infosys launched 3 applications
• Infosys has announced the launch of three blockchain-powered distributed applications.
• The applications will be dedicated for government services, insurance, and supply chain management domains.
• The applications are equipped with predictive return on investment (ROI) analytics for business investments that can be tailored
to meet numerous industry-specific needs.
Apple, Amazon & Google partnered
• Apple Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Amazon.com Inc., are joining forces to make internet-connected homes easier to set up
and safer to use.
• They’re working with the Zigbee Alliance, and its members including Samsung Electronics Co., Somfy SA and IKEA.
• The partnership aims to make it easier for device manufacturers to build products that are compatible with smart home and
voice services.
HDFC Bank crossed $100 bn capitalisation
• HDFC Bank has become the 3rd Indian firm to cross $100 billion mark in market capitalisation on 19 Dec 2019.
• It has joined the league of Reliance Industries Ltd, which has a market cap of $140.74 billion, and TCS with a market cap of
$114.60 billion.
• Among the world’s most valued banks and financial companies which have a market cap of over $100 billion, HDFC Bank is
ranked at 26th position.
Anti-hijacking exercise held off Cochin Port
• The Indian Navy, in collaboration with Indian Coast Guard, Cochin Port Trust, conducted a large-scale anti-hijacking exercise off
the Port of Kochi on 17 Dec 2019.
• The Exercise code-named “Apharan” saw the participation of multiple agencies, including more than 12 ships and helicopters of
the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and Cochin Port Trust.
India’s first waste exchange platform launched
• Chennai Corporation launched India’s first waste exchange platform named “Madras Waste Exchange” to buy and sell municipal
solid waste online.
• It will run on a pilot basis for the first three months.
• The Madras Waste Exchange, which is both a web portal and an application, has been conceptualised by the Smart City Mission,
with support from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
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International Human Solidarity Day: 20 Dec

• International Human Solidarity Day is organized across the world on 20th December every year.
• The General Assembly, on 22 December 2005, by resolution 60/209 identified solidarity as one of the fundamental and universal
values.
• The day celebrates unity in diversity.
• The Day aims to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity.
Meghalaya Assembly passed a resolution
• Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, on 19 Dec 2019, passed a resolution to bring the state under the Inner Line Permit, ILP.
• Inner Line Permit (ILP) is an official travel document issued by the Govt to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected
area for a limited period.
• The document regulates the movement to certain areas located near the international border of India.
IAU named new star 'Sharjah'
• The International Astronomical Union (IAU) announced the names of the newly discovered stars and planets, where the name
"Sharjah" was chosen for a star with "Barjeel" being the name of one of its planets.
• The announcement was made on 18 Dec 2019 in Paris.
• The organisers lauded the efforts and contributions of the Emirate of Sharjah to the global scientific community.
Appointments
• In Telangana, former High Court Judge Justice CV Ramulu has been appointed as the Lokayukta.
• Former Law Secretary V Niranjan Rao has been appointed as Upa Lokayukta.
• The governor also appointed another former judge Justice G Chandraiah as Chairman of the State Human Rights Commission.
• N. Anand Rao and Mohammed Irfan Moinuddin have also been appointed as members of the Rights Panel.
Sports News
• Indian paddler Mudit Dani secured his maiden International Table Tennis Federation senior medal after progressing to the men's
doubles semifinals in the US Open Championships in Fort Worth, the USA on 19 Dec 2019.
• In Women's Football, Sweden won tri-nation series beating India 4-0 in the final of Under-17 tournament in Mumbai on 19 Dec
2019. Sweden scored three goals before half time.
FIFA rankings: India static at 108
• The Indian men’s football team remained static at 108th spot in the year-ending FIFA rankings issued on 19 Dec 2019.
• With 1187 total points, India is placed at 19th spot among Asian countries headed by Japan (28th).
• India was placed at 97th in the December FIFA rankings of 2018.
• In the Asian rankings, Japan is followed by Iran (33), Korea (40), Australia (42) and Qatar (55).
Sports News
• Zeena Khitta emerged as the new national champion in the Women's 10 metres Air Rifle event at the ongoing 63rd National
Shooting Championship Competitions Rifle/Pistol in Bhopal on 19 Dec 2019.
• Pat Cummins, with a base price of Rs 2 crore, became the most expensive overseas buy of IPL as he was sold to Kolkata Knight
Riders (KKR) for a whopping 15.50 crore rupees.
Trump: 3rd US President to be impeached
• Donald Trump has become the third US President in history to be impeached by the House of Representatives, setting up a trial in
the Senate that will decide whether he remains in office.
• The House voted on two charges - that the President abused his power and that he had obstructed Congress.
• Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were other two former Presidents who had been impeached.
President Kovind on annual southern sojourn
• President Ram Nath Kovind arrived at the Rastrapathi Nilayam, at Bollaram in Secunderabad on 20 Dec 2019 on his annual
southern sojourn.
• The president’s office will be functioning from the Rastrapathi Nilayam during his visit.
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• He will be taking part in various programmes during the sojourn including launching a mobile app of the Indian Red Cross Society,
Telangana state Branch in Hyderabad.
India had successfully test-fired two missiles
• India had successfully test-fired two missiles from Chandipur in Odisha on 19 Dec 2019.
• The missiles were the upgraded version of Pinaka guided rocket system and the all-weather tracked-chassis Quick Reaction
Surface-to-Air Missile (QR-SAM).
• Pinaka system has a maximum range of 75 km for Mark-II variant and can fire a salvo of 12 rockets in less than 45 seconds.
Gandhi Citizenship Education Prize announced
• Portuguese PM, Antonio Costa announced that Portugal will be launching a Gandhi Citizenship Education Prize each year.
• It will help perpetuate Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals by his different thoughts and quotes.
• The first edition of this prize will be dedicated to animal welfare as Mahatma Gandhi said that the greatness of a nation can be
judged by the way its animals are treated.
CGHS services to be extended to 100 cities
• The Central Government Health Scheme, CGHS services will be extended to 100 cities.
• Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan announced this while inaugurating the new CGHS Wellness Centre at Vikaspuri in New
• At present, the scheme is operational across 72 cities through 329 Allopathic Wellness Centres and 86 AYUSH Centres.
• It serves over 35 lakh beneficiaries.
5th Pre-Budget Consultation held
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held her 5th Pre-Budget Consultation on 19 Dec 2019 with the representatives of various
Trade Unions and Labour Organisations in New Delhi.
• It is in connection with the forthcoming General Budget 2020-21.
• Discussions were held on skilling, re-skilling and up-skilling of the existing labour force.
• Ensuring minimum wages of workers was also discussed.
3rd Khelo India games to be held in Jan 2020
• The 3rd edition of the Khelo India Games will be held in Guwahati as per schedule from 10 Jan 2020.
• All preparations are being taken to make the event successful.
• Over 10 thousand players and officials are expected to take part in the event that will be held at different venues in Guwahati.
• There would be a total of 20 events in this edition of the Khelo India.
CSIR and National CNRS signed MoU
• On Dec 17, 2019, the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), India and the National Centre for Scientific Research
(CNRS), France signed an MoU.
• It has been signed to establish a framework for promoting and supporting scientific and technological research by cooperation.
• CSIR and CNRS have had long standing relations since 1975.
World Arabic Language Day: 18 December
• World Arabic Language Day is observed on 18 December every year.
• The day aims to celebrate the multilingualism and cultural diversity of the United Nations.
• The theme of the 2019 World Arabic Language Day is Arabic Language and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• The theme focuses on the development of instantaneous translation tools, through AI.
Ellyse Perry named 2019 Best cricketer
• Ellyse Perry has been crowned the international women’s cricketer of the year.
• Perry scored three hundred and an average of 73.50 from 12 ODIs.
• Perry claimed the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award for the second time in three years and was also named the ODI player of the year.
• Alyssa Healy claimed the Twenty20 award, while Meg Lanning was named the captain of both sides.
India: 3rd largest science articles publisher
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• India has become the world's third-largest publisher of science and engineering articles, according to a US government agency
data.
• The data has been topped by China.
• As per the statistics compiled by the US National Science Foundation (NSF), the number of scientific papers published worldwide
increased from 1,755,850 in 2008 to 2,555,959 in 2018.
GeM partnered with UCO Bank, BoM
• The government e-marketplace has signed two agreements with Bank of Maharashtra and UCO Bank to offer services like
transfer of funds through GeM pool accounts and earnest money deposit (EMD) to the registered users on the portal.
• The pact also includes advising of performance bank guarantees (e-PBG).
• The MoUs were signed on December 16, 2019.
Turkey: Historic mosque moved
• In Turkey, the last remaining historical artifact has been removed from the ancient southeastern town of Hasankeyf ahead of its
submergence as part of a dam project.
• The main body of the 610-year-old Er-Rızk mosque was removed from the 12,000-year-old town.
• The Ilisu Dam will generate 1,200 megawatts of electricity, making it Turkey's fourth-largest dam in terms of energy production.
Ben Stokes awarded
• England cricketer Ben Stokes has been voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2019.
• He has become the first cricketer since Andrew Flintoff in 2005 to win the prize.
• Ben Stokes was Man of the Match as England won the 2019 World Cup for the first time with a dramatic super over victory
against New Zealand at Lord’s.
• He was presented with the award by Denis Law.
RBI waived NEFT, RTGS transfer charges
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has waived NEFT, RTGS transfer charges for savings account holders.
• In an order, RBI instructed banks to make all online payments done through RTGS and NEFT free of cost for savings account
holders.
• The new rule will be effective from January 1, 2020.
• RBI has also recently made National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) system 24x7.
National Broadband Mission launched
• The Union government has launched National Broadband Mission to provide Broadband access to all villages by 2022.
• The mission aims to connect 600,000 villages across India with an investment of Rs 7 lakh crore in the next 4 years from both
government and private sector.
• The mission is a part of the National Digital Communications Policy, 2018.
28% uniform tax rate for lottery
• The Goods and Services Tax or GST Council has fixed a uniform tax rate of 28% on both state-run and private lottery.
• It also decided to rationalise the GST rate on woven and non-woven bags to 18%.
• It also decided to exempt upfront amount payable for long term lease of industrial and financial infrastructure plots by an entity
having 20% or more ownership of Central or State Government.
50% concession for youth
• Indian Railways has decided to grant 50% concession for the youth participating in the “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat” programme.
• The concession will be given in basic fares of Second and Sleeper Class to youths with emoluments of not more than 5000 rupees
per month for travelling from one State to another State to take part in the programme.
Summit on Environmental Sustainability held
• Summit on Environmental Sustainability and Economic Development was held in Delhi on 18 Dec 2019.
• Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar addressed the summit with the concerns about the
depleting ozone layer and the emission of CFCs and HFCs.
• He said it is the need of the hour to call upon a meeting to control the minimum temperatures and to keep a check.
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Sahitya Akademi announced its annual Award

• Sahitya Akademi announced its annual Award- 2019 in 23 languages on 18 Dec 2019.
• In Hindi, Nand Kishore has been awarded for his Poetry ‘ Chheelate Hue Apne Ko’ and in English Dr Shashi Tharoor has been
awarded for his Non-Fiction ‘An Era of Darkness’.
• In Tamil, Cho Dharman has been awarded for his Novel ‘Sool’ and in Gujarati, Ratilal Borisagar has awarded for his Essays
‘Mojama Revu Re’.
A 2-day national conference held in MP
• In Madhya Pradesh, a two-day National Conference on ‘Uniformed Women in Prisons Administration’ begins a Central Academy
for Police Training in Bhopal began on 19 Dec 2019.
• For the first time, the conference is being held in Madhya Pradesh, outside Delhi.
• At present, there are more than 900 uniformed women government servants working in the state jail department.
Odisha CM launched 'Jalsathi' programme
• Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik on 18 Dec 2019 launched the 'Jalsathi' programme which will ensure supply of safe drinking water to
all households in the state.
• Under the programme, about 5,000 women will be engaged in supplying safe drinking water.
• The Jalasathis will be responsible for water quality testing, facilitating new water connections, meter reading, bill generation, bill
delivery, etc.
Person in News
• Laura Alexandra Marsh, England cricketer announced her retirement. She has represented England in 103 ODI’s, and 67
T20’s. She is also England’s 3rd highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket.
• All India Congress Committee has appointed Pijush Kanti Biswas as acting president of Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee
(TPCC). He will continue in the post till a regular president is appointed by the PCC.
Rs 436 crore outlay for 4 lakh persons
• The Govt has announced 436 crore rupees outlay for skilling four lakh professionals in artificial intelligence, blockchain, and
cybersecurity areas over the next three years.
• The 'Future Skills PRIME' programme will seek to position the initiative as India stack for digital talent.
• The programme will increase employability and will add digital value to the talent pool.
Navy Chief on four-day visit to Sri Lanka
• Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh embarked on a four-day visit to Sri Lanka on 19 Dec 2019.
• The visit is intended to consolidate and enhance bilateral maritime relations between the two countries.
• During the visit, Admiral Singh will hold bilateral discussions with Commander of Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral KKVPH De Silva, the
Services Chiefs and other senior Government officials.
Phase-III of PM Gram Sadak Yojana launched
• Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched Phase-III of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in New Delhi on 18
Dec 2019.
• It will further enhance the connectivity of villages with hospitals, schools and agricultural markets.
• The Phase-III of PMGSY aims at consolidation of 1 lakh 25 thousand Kilometers through Routes and Major Rural Links.
Braille version of 'Exam Warriors' launched
• Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawarchand Gehlot launched Braille version of the book Exam Warriors written by
PM Narendra Modi.
• The braille version in English and Hindi has been printed by Rajasthan Netraheen Kalyan Sangh in Jaipur.
• The book contains animated pictures and various yoga asanas which will let students imagine the pictorial graphics with ease.
Initiatives taken for women's safety
• The government has taken several initiatives for the safety of women.
• Completion of investigation and trial in cases of sexual offence within two months has now been made mandatory.
• An online analytics tool for police called Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences was launched.
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• A pan-India single number 112 has been launched for all emergencies.
Over 1,000 fast track courts to be set up
• The Govt is setting up over 1000 fast track special courts for expeditious trial and disposal of rape cases, including that of minors.
• The scheme will cost 767.25 crore rupees to the Centre and States.
• A fast-track court in Telangana’s Warangal district in August 2019 sentenced a 28-year-old man to death for committing the
heinous act.
India, US signed industrial security agreement
• India and the US have agreed to deepen the bilateral cooperation and increase defence trade.
• The two sides inked an industrial security agreement that will allow the transfer of defence technology.
• A number of other agreements were also signed during the second 2 plus 2 India US ministerial dialogue held in Washington.
India expanded Indo-Pacific Policy
• India is increasing the area covered by its Indo-Pacific policy to include the western Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea.
• This move by the country will include the Gulf states and Africa along with ASEAN.
• The decision was made at the end of the joint Indian Ocean Dialogue held in New Delhi.
• The announcement was made by the External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
Lahore-Wagah shuttle train service resumed
• The train service between Lahore and Wagah resumed operations after 22 years on December 15, 2019.
• The shuttle train services between the two stations will complete three round trips daily.
• The train service will enable over 1000 passengers to commute between the stations in three trips.
• The fare for the travel has been fixed at PKR 30.
• The train would take about an hour to reach Wagah.
Deepika Padukone won WEFs Crystal Award
• Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone has been honoured with the World Economic Forum’s 26th Annual Crystal Award for
raising mental health awareness.
• She is the only Indian actress to feature in Davos 2020 winners list which includes a total four winners.
• The winners will be honoured at the opening session of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 on 20 January 2020.
SBI, KfW signed $277 mn agreement
• State Bank of India (SBI) has signed a loan agreement with KfW, the German development bank, for $277 million dollars.
• It has been signed for establishing an energy-efficient housing programme in India.
• The programme will be a part of Indo-German Development Cooperation which is guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development.
• Vistara Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Sanjiv Kapoor has resigned from his position, effective 31 December 2019. The airline’s
Chief Strategy Officer, Vinod Kannan, will subsequently take over as the CCO.
• AirAsia India announced the appointment of Ankur Garg as its chief commercial officer (CCO). Garg had quit as the Vice-President
of revenue management at IndiGo a few weeks back.
ATP to host the 5th annual conference in Delhi
• The Association of Test Publishers (ATP) will host the fifth annual India-ATP conference in Delhi on 20 December 2019.
• It is titled 'Global Standards for Assessment in a Digital First World: A Future Perspective'.
• The ATP is an association of test publishers representing providers of tests, assessment tools, and related services.
Appointments
• Richard Ventre has been appointed as the Chief Information Officer of the Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone (APSEZ). Earlier
to this, Ventre worked with Maersk APM Terminals as a Senior Global IT Director.
• Anita Praveen has been appointed as the additional secretary in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). She is currently
serving as an additional secretary, Department of Posts (DOP).
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Amitabha Bagchi won DSC Prize

• Amitabha Bagchi’s new novel titled, Half The Night Is Gone was declared the winner of the $25,000 DSC Prize for South Asian
Literature 2019.
• Pradeep Gyawali, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal presented the award to Bagchi at the IME Nepal Literature Festival
in Nepal.
• The novel topped among the chosen six works of fiction.
Appointments
• Air Marshal D Choudhury took charge as Commandant of National Defence College from Vice Admiral Srikant on 16 Dec 2019.
Prior to this, he was Senior Air Staff Officer at the Headquarters of Western Air Command, New Delhi.
• Sridhar Patra was appointed as the chairman-cum-MD of NALCO. Patra is at present Director (Finance) in the National Aluminium
Company Limited (NALCO).
Kerala launched 2 welfare schemes
• Kerala govt unveiled two social welfare schemes - ‘Vijayamritham’ and ‘Sahachari’.
• The schemes are for honouring differently-abled people as well as NSS, NCC and Student Police Cadet (SPC) units working for
their care and welfare.
• The ‘Vijayamritham’ scheme has been introduced to provide financial assistance for differently-abled people who scored high
marks in degree courses.
Haryana Police: 1st to introduce ‘Trakea’
• Haryana police has introduced a unique barcoding software “Trakea” to enable foolproof security of the samples collected in
Forensic reports.
• Haryana became the first state in the country to introduce this unique barcoding system.
• Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Minister of Haryana inaugurated the TRAKEA barcoding system of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) at
Madhuban, Haryana.
UNESCO removed Belgian carnival from its list
• UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), has removed the ‘Carnival of Aalst’ of Belgium from
its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List.
• The 2019 carnival featured a parade float that included racist and anti-Semitic representations which mocked the Orthodox Jews.
• The carnival was added to the Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2010.
International Migrants Day: 18 December
• The International Migrants Day is organized across the world on 18th December.
• The day is observed to protect the rights of migrant workers and members of their families.
• In Dec 2000, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 18 Dec as International Migrants Day after considering the large and
increasing number of migrants in the world.
Congress released 'Vision Document 2020-25'
• In MP, former PM Dr Manmohan Singh released 'Vision Document 2020-25' to mark the completion of one year of the Congress
government in the state, on 17 Dec 2019.
• The document aims to make the state a prosperous one.
• Industrial growth, agriculture and allied sectors, education, public health and nutrition, inclusive growth, culture, heritage and
tourism, etc. are focus areas.
Three capitals for Andhra Pradesh
• Andhra Pradesh CM Y S Jaganmohan Reddy indicated that the State could have three capitals following the decentralisation
concept.
• The existing Capital Amaravati could become the Legislative Capital, Visakhapatnam the Executive Capital and Kurnool the
Judiciary Capital.
• A final call would be taken only after the Expert Committee constituted to look into the issue submitted its report.
Smriti Mandhana in T20 team of the year
• Smriti Mandhana was named in both the ICC's ODI and T20 teams of the year, capping off a memorable season.
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• Mandhana has Jhulan Goswami, Poonam Yadav and Shikha Pandey for company in the ODI team of the year and all-rounder
Deepti Sharma in the T20 side.
• Australia's Alyssa Healy was chosen as the T20 cricketer of the year following her record-breaking 148 against Sri Lanka earlier
this year.
21 Nepal officers began training in India
• The first batch of 21 officers of Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) of Nepal started their 6-day training
on ‘Prevention of Fraud, Bribery and Corruption’ at Gujarat Forensic Sciences University in Gandhinagar from 16 Dec 2019.
• The course will strengthen the institutional capacity of CIAA to curb corrupt practices and enhance good governance in Nepal.
India successfully conducted trial of BrahMos
• India successfully conducted a developmental trial of the land-attack version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile off Odisha
coast on 17 Dec 2019.
• The nine-meter-long missile can travel at thrice the speed of sound and carry a conventional warhead weighing up to 300 kg.
• The missile flew in the designated complex trajectory meeting all mission parameters.
India, US held 2 plus 2 ministerial dialogue
• India and US held 22 ministerial dialogue in Washington on 18 Dec 2019.
• The two countries exchanged views on regional and global issues.
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will lead the Indian side, while Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo and Secretary of Defence, Mark Esper will represent the US at the meeting.
GEM launched national outreach programme
• Government e-commerce portal GeM has launched a national outreach programme, GeM Samvaad, to bring on-board more local
sellers.
• The programme was launched by Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan in New Delhi on 17 Dec 2019.
• The programme will take place from 19 Dec 2019 to17 Feb 2020 and will cover all the States and Union Territories of the country.
GST Council met in New Delhi
• The GST Council met in New Delhi on 18 Dec 2019.
• The meeting reviewed the taxation structure for enhancing the revenue collections.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the meeting.
• GST revenue collection witnessed an impressive recovery with a positive growth of 6% in November 2019.
• The gross GST revenue collected in Nov 2019 is one lakh three thousand 492 crore rupees.
Obituaries
• Veteran actor Shriram Lagoo passed away in December 2019. His roles in Marathi plays such as “Natsamrat” and “Himalayachi
Saoli”, and films such as “Pinjra” made him popular.
• The former Union minister and veteran BJP leader Ishwar Dayal Swami passed away in December 2019. He served as the Union
Minister of state for home affairs in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1999.
India ranked 112 in Gender Gap Report
• India has slipped four places to rank 112th globally in the Global Gender Gap Report 2020.
• The report was released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) headquartered at Geneva.
• Iceland has topped the report and remains the world’s most gender-neutral country while Yemen was ranked the worst (153rd)
in the report.
• The most improved countries were Albania, Ethiopia, Mali, Mexico and Spain.
ITBP launched matrimonial site
• In a unique approach, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has started a dedicated matrimonial site for its staff.
• This is the first-ever dedicated and well-managed matrimony portal among the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).
• The ITBP was raised on October 24, 1962, for reorganizing the frontier intelligence and security set up along the Indo-Tibetan
border.
CII organized the 2019 Steeling India
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• On Dec 16, 2019, the Confederation of Indian Industry organized “Steeling India 2019” conference, a drive to increase metal
intensity in key sectors.
• Union Minister for Steel, Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan participated in the conference.
• The session focused on key industries namely automobile, infrastructure, railway, water, irrigation and housing.
Viswanathan Anand launched his autobiography ‘Mind Master’
• Viswanathan Anand has launched his autobiography ‘Mind Master’.
• Anand’s autobiography is co-authored by sports journalist Susan Ninann.
• It has been published by THG Publishing Private Limited.
• The book covers wonderful memories of Viswanathan Anand’s journey.
• The book offers an insight into Anand’s greatest clashes and worst losses.
Sri Lanka released its new Framework
• Sri Lankan govt formally released its new National policy Framework titled ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendor’.
• The framework is meant to guide the government ministries and departments in implementing their policies.
• Among the main objectives are maintaining a 6.5% GDP growth rate under the macroeconomic programme, achieving a per
capita income exceeding 6,500 US dollar during 2020-2025.
Exercise Surya Kiran-XIV concluded in Nepal
• Joint military exercise ‘SURYA KIRAN – XIV' between India and Nepal was conducted at Salijhandi of Rupendehi district of Nepal
from December 3-16, 2019.
• During the training programme, Nepalese and Indian Army personnel exchanged theoretical, practical and special experiences
with each other.
• Exercise SURYA KIRAN - XIV is an annual event which is conducted alternatively in Nepal and India.
Danny Aiello passed away
• Veteran film actor Danny Aiello, known for his roles in the movies Do The Right Thing and The Godfather Part II passed away in
Dec 2019.
• He was best known for playing the pizza parlour owner Sal in Spike Lee’s 1989 Do the Right Thing.
• The role earned him a best supporting actor Oscar nomination.
• He also played the hesitant fiancé of Cher's character, Loretta, in Moonstruck in 1987.
J&K admin nominated 6 liaison officers
• In J&K, the govt has nominated 6 liaison officers in various states for students studying outside the UT to redress their grievances
or to ease out their difficulties.
• The step has been taken to ensure safety and welfare of the J&K students pursuing higher education outside the UT.
• They are in constant touch with the local and college administrations to reach out to the students.
Five-day ‘Tansen Samaroh’ began in Gwalior
• In MP, popular classical music festival ‘Tansen Samaroh’ began in Gwalior from 17 Dec 2019.
• The five-day festival is celebrated every year in the memory of one of the most eminent singers of Indian history, ‘Mian Tansen’.
• Pandit Vidyadhar Vyas will be honoured with 2019 Tansen Samman.
• The event will conclude on 21 December 2019 and will be graced by many prominent artists.
MP CM inaugurated International Film Festival
• In MP, CM Kamal Nath inaugurated the 7-Day International Film Festival in Shilpkala village of Khajuraho on 17 Dec 2019.
• Films from the country and abroad including Bundelkhandi will be screened at the Tapra Talkies made for the festival.
• The eminent personalities of Hindi Cinema like Kailash Kher, Poonam Dhillo, Padmini Kolhapure and Alka Yagnik are expected to
attend the festival.
3-day Orange festival began in Manipur
• In Manipur, a three-day State-level Orange Festival began on 16 Dec 2019.
• CM N. Biren Singh inaugurated the festival at district headquarters Tamenglong.
• Tamenglong district is the largest producer of orange fruit in Manipur.
• There are more than 300 orange stalls at the festival.
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• On day one, orange growers' competition was held and prizes were distributed to top position holders.
UT of J&K selected for national award
• UT of Jammu and Kashmir has been selected for national award by Union Rural Development Ministry for best performance in
the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
• The award distribution ceremony will be held at Pusa, New Delhi on 19 Dec 2019.
• 147 Road and Bridge projects under PMGSY-II covering a length of 783.88 km were sanctioned for J&K and Ladakh.
Virat Kohli retained top spot in ICC rankings
• Virat Kohli retained his top spot among batsmen with 928 points in the latest ICC Test rankings issued on 16 Dec 2019.
• Cheteshwar Pujara with 791 and Ajinkya Rahane 759 held on to their 4th and 6th spots respectively.
• Among the bowlers, Bumrah slipped to the 6th spot.
• Ravindra Jadeja remained at number two, behind Jason Holder, among Test all-rounders.
Portuguese PM to visit India from Dec 19-20
• PM of Portugal, Antonio Costa will be on a 2-day visit to India from 19 Dec 2019.
• He will attend the second meeting of the Organising Committee on the celebrations for the 150th Birth anniversary of Mahatma
Gandhi, presided over by President Ram Nath Kovind.
• This visit will be Mr Costa's first bilateral visit outside Europe after being re-elected as Prime Minister on 6 October 2019.
India donated lamps to Palestinian children
• India has donated solar-powered study lamps to Palestinian elementary school children from a marginalised Bedouin community.
• The lamps were donated as part of the 150th Gandhi Jayanti Students Solar Ambassador Workshop.
• The solar-powered study lamps supplied by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay aims at making the student
beneficiaries the future propagators of renewable energy.
850 Indian peacekeepers awarded in Sudan
• About 850 Indian peacekeepers serving in South Sudan have been awarded the prestigious UN medal.
• They were awarded for their service and contribution to building peace in the conflict-affected nation and going above their
duties to support local communities.
• Currently, 2,342 Indian troops and 25 police personnel are deployed with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
5th EAC meeting of 15th Finance Comm. held
• The 5th meeting of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) of the 15th Finance Commission was held in New Delhi on 16 December
2019.
• In the meeting, possible macro assumptions related to real growth, inflation, ongoing structural reforms, tax revenue including
GST, were discussed.
• Recently, the fifteenth Finance Commission submitted its report for the period 2020-21 to President Ram Nath Kovind.
Changes in Interest Subvention Scheme approved
• MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari has approved the changes in the Interest Subvention Scheme guidelines for MSMEs.
• The Interest Subvention Scheme for MSMEs was launched by PM Narendra Modi in November 2018.
• The modifications to the scheme include settlement of claims based on internal or concurrent auditor certificate and submission
of statutory auditor's certificate once by June 2020.
Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane: Next Army Chief
• Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane will be the next Chief of Army Staff.
• He is currently serving as Vice Chief of the Army.
• He will succeed Gen Bipin Rawat, who will retire on the 31 December 2019.
• He has been awarded the Sena Medal (Distinguished) for effectively commanding his battalion in Jammu and Kashmir.
• He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy.
Set up two designated courts in districts: SC
• The Supreme Court has said that states would have to set up two designated courts in districts where the number of pending
cases of child abuse under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act is more than 300.
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• In case there is less number of cases under the POCSO Act in a particular district, the special court might also deal with other
cases such as rape.
Centre released 35,298 cr as GST compensation
• The Centre released the GST compensation of Rs 35,298 crore to States and Union Territories on 16 December 2019.
• GST revenue collection witnessed an impressive recovery with a positive growth of 6% in November 2019 as compared to the
collections of the same month in 2018.
• The gross GST revenue collected in November 2019 is one lakh three thousand 492 crore rupees.
A High Level Delegation visited Australia
• A high-level delegation of the Government of India led by Raoshaheb Patil Danve, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food
and Public distribution left for Australia on 14 Dec 2019.
• They are taking part in phase two of the Australia-India Collaborative Consumer Protection Project under Sydney University.
CPSEs got two Coking Coal Mines
• The Ministry of Coal has allotted two Coking Coal mines, Rohne and Rabodih, to the Steel Central Public Sector Enterprises.
• These mines located in Jharkhand will add about more than 10 MT per annum and boost the coking coal production in the
country.
• This allotment is in addition to 5 coal mines which have been allocated to successful bidders and 6 coal mines allotted to PSU’s.
Nagaland governor got additional charge
• Nagaland governor and Centre’s interlocutor for Naga talks, RN Ravi, has been assigned the additional responsibility as the
Governor of Meghalaya.
• Ravi is a former intelligence official who has specialised in the Northeast.
• He was responsible for the framework agreement signed between the government of India and the National Socialist Council of
Nagaland (Isaak-Muivah) in 2014.
Obituaries
• Actress Gita Siddharth Kak passed away in December 2019. She is best known for her role in M.S. Sathyu's 1973 classic Garam
Hava. She made her debut in Gulzar's 1972 film, Parichay, starring Jeetendra and Jaya Bhaduri.
• New Zealand’s 3-times Olympic middle-distance champion Peter Snell passed away. He won 2 gold medals at the Commonwealth
Games in 1962 in the 880 yards and 1 mile run in Perth.
Abdelmadjid Tebboune: President of Algeria
• Abdelmadjid Tebboune, former Prime Minister; of Algeria was elected as the President of Algeria succeeding Abdelkader
Bensalah.
• He served as the PM from May 2017 to August 2017, under the governance of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
• Capital of Algeria: AlgiersPrime Minister of Algeria: Noureddine Bedouia.
• The currency of Algeria: Dinar
India’s 1st corporate bond launched
• Edelweiss Asset Management Company (AMC), has launched India’s 1st Corporate Bond ETF (exchange trade fund) called the
Bharat Bond ETF.
• The ETF is a government initiative and Edelweiss AMC was given the mandate to design and manage the product.
• The scheme will have two variants - one maturing in three-years (2023) and the other in 10 years (2030).
Nuad Thai massage in UNESCO heritage list
• Thailand’s famous 2000-year-old massage, Nuad Thai was added to UNESCO’s prestigious heritage list.
• Nuad Thai is an intense form of massage in which the body is pulled and rotated well with the help of the thumb, elbow, knees
and feet.
• Thai massage originated in India and was brought to Thailand about 2,500 years ago by doctors and monks who carried its secrets
for generations.
Exercise Mitra Shakti VII culminated
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• The seventh edition of the joint training exercise between the Indian Army and the Sri Lankan Army, Exercise Mitra Shakti
concluded on 14 Dec 2019 at Aundh Military Station, Pune.
• A Contingent comprising of 120 personnel each from Sri Lankan and Indian Army participated in the exercise.
• The two-week-long exercise had commenced on 1 Dec 2019.
Gujarat police honoured on 15 December
• Gujarat police was honoured with the President's Colours award on 15 Dec 2019.
• It was presented by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu.
• It became the Seventh state police force in India to be bestowed with the honour of the President’s Colours.
• President's Colours is a decoration in recognition of the Gujarat police's glorious track record, gallant deeds and achievements in
the past 59 years.
National Ganga Council held in Kanpur
• PM Narendra Modi chaired the first meeting of the National Ganga Council in Kanpur, UP on 14 Dec 2019.
• It was aimed at reinforcing the importance of a ‘Ganga-centric’ approach in all departments of the concerned states as well as
relevant Central Ministries.
• The Council has been given overall responsibility for superintendence of pollution prevention and rejuvenation of River Ganga
Basin.
Govt invoked DPCO, 2013 for the 1st time
• The government has for the first time invoked the Drug Price Control Order, 2013, (DPCO, 2013) to raise the prices of 21
medicines that are under price regulation to ensure their availability.
• This would be a one-time increase of 50% above the present ceiling prices.
• The prices of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) have gone up in the range of 5-88%, depending on the products.
Toni-Ann Singh crowned Miss World 2019
• Toni-Ann Singh of Jamaica was announced as the winner of the Miss World 2019 beauty pageant held at the ExCeL London.
• She was crowned by her predecessor, Miss World 2018 Vanessa Ponce from Mexico.
• Ophelia Mezino of France and Suman Rao of India were the first and second runners up of the beauty pageant respectively.
• Miss World 2019 was the 69th edition of the contest.
Google Earth covers 98% of entire population
• Google has revealed that it's powerful mapping service, Google Earth now covers more than 98% of the world.
• It has captured 10 million miles of Street View imagery, a distance that could circle the globe more than 400 times.
• Google Earth offers 6 million square miles of high definition satellite images, covering more than 98 percent of the entire
population.
WDO to launch World Design Protopolis
• The World Design Organization is all set to launch its new global programme World Design Protopolis in Bengaluru.
• It is aimed at implementing holistic progress in megacities across the world and thus making them sustainable.
• The project also aims to measure the progress of the city, attract investments and solve problems so that the city becomes a
better place for citizens.
Over 7700 cases settled by National Lok Adalat
• Over 7,700 cases were settled on 15 Dec 2019 at the day-long National Lok Adalat across the twin union territories of Jammu and
Kashmir and Ladakh.
• A total of 11,461 cases were taken up by 128 benches at various courts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
• 7,728 cases were disposed of and an amount of over 15.87 crore rupees was awarded as compensation and settlement in various
cases.
Initiatives for Ease of Doing Business
• The Corporate Affairs Ministry has taken several initiatives for providing Ease of Doing Business to law-abiding corporates.
• They include the creation of an institution of a robust Insolvency and Bankruptcy framework.
• India has improved its ranking on the World Bank’s Doing Business 2020 report moving up 14 positions to 63rd position as
compared to 77th position in 2018.
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President Kovind to present Visitor’s awards

• President Ram Nath Kovind will present the Visitor’s awards, 2019 at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 17 Dec 2019.
• The awards will be conferred during the conference of Vice-Chancellors of Central Universities, Directors of IISERs and IISc,
Bangalore.
• Subsequent to the presentation of the awards, the conference will witness presentations by several subgroups of the heads of
institutions.
Nation celebrated Vijay Diwas: 16 December
• The nation celebrated Vijay Diwas on 16 December 2019 to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in 1971 war.
• It was on this day in 1971, the chief of the Pakistani forces, along with 93,000 troops, had surrendered unconditionally to the
allied forces consisting of Indian Army and Mukti Bahini.
• The end of the war also resulted in subsequent secession of East Pakistan into Bangladesh.
Coal Ministry to establish a Cell
• Coal Ministry has decided to establish a Sustainable Development Cell, SDC, to promote environmentally sustainable coal mining
in the country.
• It will address environmental concerns during the decommissioning or closure of mines.
• The Cell will advise, mentor, plan and monitor the mitigation measures taken by the coal companies for maximizing the utilization
of available resources.
Automatic weather stations to be installed
• The government has proposed to set up more Automated Weather Stations across the country.
• They include 200 each for North East India and District Agriculture Meteorological Units and 100 each for tourism places and
Kerala.
• 80 Automated Weather Stations will be set for measurement of snowfall and snow depth along the Himalayas and North East.
Employability increased by nearly 50 percent
• The India Skills Report said that nearly half of the professional degree holders are employable now.
• The report was released by Wheebox, People Strong, CII.
• Earlier, nearly 70% of the professional degree holders were found to be unemployable.
• Nearly 47% of the students who were surveyed are found to be employable or ready to take-up jobs in 2019.
Ministry of HRD implementing a scheme
• Ministry of HRD is implementing the Scheme of Vocationalisation of School Education under ‘Samagra Shiksha – an integrated
scheme for school education’.
• Under the scheme, a vocational subject is offered for Classes IX to XII along with the general education.
• Till 2018-19, the scheme has been implemented in 8654 schools, with a reported enrolment of more than 10 lakhs students.
National Level ‘Business Meet’ by CPWD held
• The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) organized a Business Meet with the Clients and stakeholders on 11 December
2019.
• It aimed to share and familiarize the important activities and achievements of the Department.
• CPWD caters to the infrastructure requirement of most of the Government Ministries, Departments, Public Sector Undertakings
(PSUs) and Autonomous Bodies.
IREDA plans to set up Green Window
• Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) is planning to set up a dedicated Green Window with an aim to serve the
unserved segments of renewable energy.
• This was announced by Anand Kumar, Secretary for the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
• IREDA is India’s leading financial institution dedicated to clean energy expansion.
AYUSH organized a Symposium
• The Ministry of External Affairs, in association with the Ministry of AYUSH organized a Symposium on "Scope of Science of
Ayurveda in Global Health”, on 11 December 2019, in New Delhi.
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• The objective of the symposium was to create awareness on the potentials & efficacy of Ayurveda and other systems of AYUSH
and to promote AYUSH at a global level.
Suez to rehabilitate Mangaluru's water
• French-based company Suez won a contract to extend, rehabilitate and operate the drinking water distribution system in
Mangaluru.
• The total cost of the project is Rs.792.42 crore.
• The state aims to give pure drinking water to the citizens of Mangaluru in all the wards of the city corporation.
• The state has implemented a 24/7 water supplying scheme.
Poland left out of EU's agreement
• The European Union (EU) left Poland out of a 2050 climate neutrality agreement.
• The agreement is part of a plan to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent.
• Poland was left out as it demanded more funds for economic transition and support for nuclear power.
• The country resisted the plan during hours of intense debate and was left out of the new commitment.
The Winter session of the Parliament concluded
• The winter session of the Parliament in the year 2019 began on 18 November and concluded on 13 December 2019.
• It was the 250th session of the Rajya Sabha.
• The year 2019 was also the 70th Constitution Day.
• A total of 18 bills were introduced in the session.
• 15 bills were passed by both the houses.
• Lok Sabha marked the productivity of 116%, Rajya Sabha was 100% productive.
Sunshine may be melting ice on Mount Everest
• The newly installed weather stations atop Mount Everest data were presented at the American Geophysical Union annual
meeting in San Francisco on 13 December 2019.
• The data reported that the mountain experiences some of the most intense sunlight on the planet.
• It is suspected that it might hasten ice melt atop the world's highest mountains and impact glaciers.
Odisha won ‘World Habitat Award’
• Odisha won the 'World Habitat Award', global recognition for its ambitious initiative -- Jaga Mission.
• This award is given by World Habitat, in partnership with UN-Habitat, every year, in recognition of innovative, outstanding, and
revolutionary ideas, and projects from across the world.
• Jaga Mission is a slum land titling project, benefiting a million urban-poor living in the slums.
ADB lowered India’s GDP growth forecast
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has slashed India's GDP growth to 5.1% for FY19, down from 6.5%.
• The bank has also cut its FY20 forecast to 6.5%, down from 7.2%, according to a supplement in its Asian Development Outlook
2019 Update.
• The bank has also revised its estimates for China’s GDP growth to 6.1% in 2019 and 5.8% in 2020 down from its September
forecast of 6.2% and 6% respectively.
Dell Technologies partnered with UNESCO
• Dell Technologies announced a new partnership with UNESCO MGIEP (Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace).
• It will enable school teachers to adopt technology in classrooms by using ICT tools.
• The ICT tools have been developed by Dell Aarambh and FramerSpace platform.
• The training would focus on teaching the teachers the use of ICT and frontier technologies.
Priyanka Chopra awarded
• Priyanka Chopra Jonas was awarded at Festival International Du Film De Marrakech in Morocco.
• Priyanka Chopra was honoured for her 20 years of work and contribution in cinema.
• Hollywood actor Robert Redford, Moroccan actress Mouna Fettou and filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier were among other people
who were honoured at the festival.
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West Bengal topped in a 100-day work programme

• West Bengal has been selected for the 1st prize in 100-Day Work Programme for Promoting Livelihoods.
• The Rural Development Ministry has selected Bankura and Cooch Behar Districts of the state for 1st and 2nd positions in
implementation of rural job scheme.
• Baburmahal Gram Panchayat of Kulpi in South 24 Parganas District has also bagged best performance award from the Centre.
15 Indian-origin politicians elected in UK
• In the United Kingdom, 15 Indian-origin politicians have entered the House of Commons in the historic general election held on
12 Dec 2019.
• Gagan Mohindra and Claire Coutinho won for the Conservative Party, Navendru Mishra for Labour and Munira Wilson for the
Liberal Democrats is among the first-timers.
• Among other winners are Alok Sharma, Shailesh Vara, among others.
Assam Govt launched anti depredation squads
• Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched 15 Anti-Depredation Squads of the State Forest department recently to deal
with human-wildlife conflicts in the state.
• The squads will operate in 15 major human-wildlife conflict districts to ensure the safety of both humans and wildlife.
• The state forest department has engaged specially trained 50 frontline staff for it.
Xiaomi launched service “Mi Credit” in India
• Xiaomi has formally launched its lending platform “Mi Credit” in India for Android phones.
• Individuals can avail up to Rs 1 lakh loan through it.
• Xiaomi has roped in Aditya Birla Finance Ltd, Money View, EarlySalary, Zestmoney and CreditVidya as the current lending
partners for the service.
• Mi Credit app will come pre-loaded on all MIUI phones, and can be downloaded from Google Play Store.
Mongla and Chattogram declared Ports of Call
• Mongla and Chattogram (Both in Bangladesh) have been declared as Ports of Call under Coastal Shipping Agreement between
India and Bangladesh.
• A MoU, agreement and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on the use of Chattogram Port and Mongla Ports has been signed
between both the nations.
• The Ports of Call in India are Kolkata, Haldia, Pandu, Karimganj, Silghat, Dhubri.
37th National Symposium held
• The 37th National Symposium of Heads of Police Training Institutions was held in New Delhi on 12-13 Dec 2019.
• It was organized by Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D).
• The theme of the Symposium was ‘Optimal Utilization of Resources-Through Sharing and Networking’.
• A Directory of Indian Police Training Institutions (DIPTI) was also released during the event.
University heads' conference held
• Rashtrapati Bhavan hosted a conference of 46 Heads of Central Universities and Institutes of Higher Learning in several fields
including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, etc. on 14 Dec 2019.
• During the conference, different sub-groups comprising of heads of various institutes made presentations on issues such as the
promotion of research, promotion of innovation, etc.
1 crore 65 lakh farmers registered on e-NAM
• Over 1 crore 65 lakh farmers across the country have been registered on National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) platform.
• 585 wholesale regulated markets have already been integrated with e-NAM platform and additional 415 markets have been
approved for integration with it.
• Till November 2019, 2 crore 99 lakh metric tonnes of agri-commodities have been recorded on e-NAM platform.
2nd phase of farm loan waiver announced in MP
• Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath announced the second phase of farm loan waiver which will benefit more than 12 lakh farmers
by writing off debts of Rs 11,675 crore.
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• The government claims that in the first phase, more than 20 lakh farmers were benefitted with a loan waiver of Rs 7,154 crore.
• The first phase was over in March 2019.
National Energy Conservation Day: 14 December
• The National Energy Conservation Day is observed every year on 14 December by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
• The aim is to showcase India’s achievements in energy efficiency and conservation, while working for its ambition of holistic
development as part of the nation’s overall effort towards climate change mitigation.
• BEE observed National Energy Conservation Week from 9-14 Dec 2019.
International workshop organised by BEE
• Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) conducted an International Workshop on 12-13 December 2019 on “Energy Efficient Cooling” in
New Delhi.
• It was conducted as a part of Energy Conservation Week, being celebrated from 9-14 Dec 2019.
• The objective of the workshop was to chart out steps towards accelerating the development and deployment of efficient cooling
appliances, equipment and systems.
Amazon’s Audible launched an app in India
• Amazon’s audiobook company Audible has launched a new app “Audible Suno” in India.
• This app features original audio series which aims to expand Audible’s reach in India’s highly competitive digital entertainment
and streaming space.
• The platform features hundreds of hours of Audible’s original audio series across a plethora of genres, steered by entertainers
such as Amitabh Bachchan, etc.
Minority Affairs implementing various schemes
• Under Skill India Mission, the Ministry of Minority Affairs is implementing various schemes namely Seekho aur Kamao,
USTTAD, and Nai Manzil.
• Seekho aur Kamao is a placement linked Skill Development scheme for minorities.
• Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/ Crafts for Development (USTTAD) is for the preservation of traditional
crafts/arts.
India to Host 36th Geological Congress
• India will host the 36th International Geological Congress (IGC) in the Delhi in March 2020.
• The theme of the forthcoming conference is ‘Geosciences: The Basic Science for a Sustainable Development’.
• The IGCs are a prestigious global geoscientific event held once in four years and participated by around 5000-6000 geoscientists
from all over the world.
Appointments
• The top tier of Spanish club football “La Liga” has announced cricketer Rohit Sharma as its brand ambassador in India. He is the
first non-footballer in the 90 year-old history of the league to have become a brand ambassador.
• Former captain Graeme Smith accepted the role of Cricket South Africa's (CSA) acting director of cricket. He will remain on the
post until the IPL in 2020.
ICAR and NABARD signed MoU
• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) signed a MoU with the National Board of Agriculture and Rural Development
(NABARD).
• It will facilitate the action research and up-scaling of the various technologies and innovative farmer models developed by the
ICAR.
• The MoU is for taking up site-specific transfer of technologies under sustainable agriculture, integrated farming system, etc.
Moody's cuts India's GDP growth forecast
• Moody's Investors Service has lowered its 2019 GDP growth forecast for India to 5.6% as slow employment growth weighs on
consumption.
• It expects economic growth to pick up in 2020 and 2021 to 6.6% and 6.7% respectively.
• India's economic growth has decelerated since mid-2018, with real GDP growth slipping from nearly 8% to 5 in the second
quarter (April-June) of 2019.
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FASTag compulsory from 15 December

• From 15 December 2019, traffic across various toll plazas will get reduced as the government will implement FASTag.
• The government has made it mandatory for all vehicle owners to adopt electronic toll payment using FASTags and not cash
payment.
• FASTags can be bought through Amazon.in or certain banks like State Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, to name a few.
Odisha included a department under Mo Sarkar
• The Odisha government has brought Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment Department under its flagship initiative 'Mo Sarkar'.
• 'Mo Sarkar', which means 'My Government' in Odia, is a transformative initiative of 5-T programme, which was introduced by
CM Naveen Patnaik.
• Odisha is the third-largest contributor to the country's Public Distribution System (PDS).
Dr. Harsh Vardhan presented the UHC awards
• Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare conferred the UHC Awards to best performing Primary
Healthcare teams of States and UTs on 12 Dec 2019.
• The awards were presented at the Universal Health Coverage Day event.
• The Ministry organised three policy labs on three themes: providing CHPC in urban areas; strengthening delivery systems; and
communitisation for wellness.
Nirmala Sitharaman in Forbes List
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, HCL Corporation CEO and Executive Director Roshni Nadar Malhotra and Biocon Founder
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw have been named among the world's 100 most powerful women by Forbes.
• The Forbes 2019 list of ‘The World's 100 Most Powerful Women’ has been topped by German Chancellor Angela Merkel,
followed by President of the European Central Bank Christine Lagarde.
Maldives signed contract with Indian companies
• Maldives government signed a contract with a joint venture of Indian companies for preparation of project report and
development of Addu, second biggest city in the island nation.
• The scope of the project includes land reclamation, construction of roads and storm water drainage system in Addu.
• This will upgrade the existing infrastructure and mitigate the flood situation in Addu.
Venkaiah Naidu on 2-day visit to Gujarat
• Vice President Venkaiah Naidu is on a two-day visit to Gujarat from 14 Dec 2019.
• He visited the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) campus at Anand.
• He will confer President’s Police Colours to Gujarat police at Gujarat Police Academy at Karai in Gandhinagar on 15 Dec 2019.
• Later, Mr Naidu will proceed for Dhordo in Kutch where he will participate in the ongoing Rann Utsav.
FIH unveiled new world ranking system
• The International Hockey Federation (FIH) unveiled a new world ranking system for 2020 in Switzerland on 13 Dec 2019.
• It will come into effect from 1 Jan 2020.
• For a better reflection of current performances, the new ranking will be match-based instead of tournament-based calculation.
• The outgoing world ranking system was in existence since 2003.
Indonesia Foreign Minister arrived in India
• Foreign Minister of Indonesia Retno L. P. Marsudi arrived in New Delhi on 13 Dec 2019 on a two-day visit to India.
• She met External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and co-chaired the 6th India-Indonesia Joint Commission Meeting.
• Later Ms Marsudi will give her Ministerial Keynote Address at the combined session of 11th Delhi Dialogue and 6th Indian Ocean
Dialogue.
Defence Minister chaired a meeting
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting of the Consultative Committee of Parliament for the Ministry of Defence in
New Delhi on 13 Dec 2019.
• The subject of the meeting was Border Roads Organisation, BRO.
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• General BRO Lt Gen Harpal Singh gave a detailed presentation on the working of the organisation, especially on maintaining
operational road infrastructure for the armed forces.
India, Indonesia to strengthen cooperation
• India and Indonesia resolved to strengthen cooperation in areas of defence and security, connectivity and trade.
• Talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi were held in New Delhi on 13
Dec 2019.
• The two sides reviewed the entire gamut of ties at the 6th India-Indonesia Joint Commission Meeting (JCM).
Economic census launched in Delhi
• The Seventh Economic Census was launched in the National Capital Territory of Delhi on 13 Dec 2019.
• For the first time the entire census is being conducted on a digital platform by the use of an application which will ensure high
accuracy and data security.
• Delhi is the 26th State where the survey has been launched.
• The process is already on in 20 States and five Union Territories.
Appointments
• Ravi Mittal will be the new Information and Broadcasting Secretary. He will replace Mr Amit Khare.
• Mr Sushil Kumar will be the Mines Secretary while Mr Praveen Kumar will be Secretary in Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship.
• Mr Rajesh Bhushan will be the Secretary, Department of Rural Development and Mr Sunil Kumar will be the new Secretary in
Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
Puducherry government unveiled start-up policy
• The Puducherry government on 11 Dec 2019 unveiled a start-up policy.
• The policy aims to create a corpus fund of ₹10 crore to support the setting up of start-up incubators and to develop co-working
spaces.
• The corpus fund will be utilised to provide infrastructure support such as a work station, cloud services, laboratory and marketing
facilities.
Greta named Time Person of the Year for 2019
• Sweden’s Greta Thunberg has been named as Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 2019.
• Greta Thunberg is the Swedish schoolgirl who inspired a global movement to fight climate change and became popular with the
“#FridaysForFuture“.
• She is the youngest person to be chosen by the magazine in a tradition that started in 1927.
Peter Handke received the Nobel Prize
• Author Peter Handke received his Nobel Literature Prize on 10 Dec 2019 amid criticism of him in Sweden and abroad as an
apologist for Serb war crimes in the 1990s.
• He received the 9 million-kronor ($948,000) award from King Carl XVI Gustaf at a ceremony in Stockholm.
• Representatives of seven countries including Albania and Turkey boycotted the awards ceremony in protest.
Virtual police station in Andhra Pradesh
• The ‘Virtual Police Stations’ was inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at Andhra University on
13 Dec 2019.
• Now, students of the Andhra University will be able to report violence or any other crime online at the virtual police station.
• The concept of a virtual police station was initially proposed by AU vice-chancellor Prasad Reddy in August 2019.
US became India's sixth oil supplier
• The United States has surpassed Kuwait to become India's sixth-largest oil supplier.
• It supplied 70% more crude to India, the world's third-largest energy consumer during April-September 2019.
• According to data furnished by the oil ministry to the parliamentary committee, the US supplied 5.4 million tonnes of crude oil
during the first six months of 2019-20.
Person in News
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• Vikas Swarup was appointed as Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs. Mr. Swarup, a 1986 cadre IFS officer, served
till November 2019 as the High Commissioner to Canada.
• Tara Sinha, best known as the founder of ad agencies Clarion and Tara Sinha Associates, passed away in December 2019. She was
the first woman to set up a national advertising agency.
India Design Council launched two initiatives
• The India Design Council (IDC) launched the Chartered Designs of India (CDI) and the Design Education Quality Mark (DEQM) in
New Delhi on 12 Dec 2019.
• The two initiatives will aid and support the profession of design and help in growing the profession and to establish professional
standards.
• India Design Council is involved in the promotion of design to make India a design enabled country.
Obituaries
• Telugu actor, writer and theatre icon Gollapudi Maruti Rao passed away in December 2019. Gollapudi Maruti Rao had been an
actor in over 250 films.
• The former US Federal Reserve chief Paul Volcker passed away. He was appointed as the chief of the US Federal Reserve in 1979.
He was popularly known for fighting inflation by raising interest rates.
National Tribal Dance Festival to be held
• A National Tribal Dance Festival will be held in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur from December 27-29, 2019.
• In the event, international folk artists from 23 states and six other countries are expected to take part.
• Nearly 1,400 artists belonging to 151 art troupes from 23 states and guest artists from six countries including Sri Lanka, Belarus,
Uganda and Bangladesh will participate.
FICCI India Sports Award 2019
• The FICCI India Sports Awards 2019 has been awarded to Railway Sports Promotion Board under the category of Best Company
Promoting Sports.
• The awards were conferred by a jury headed by Justice Mukul Mudgal, Retired Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court.
• The award is an attempt to recognize the contribution of sports persons who deliver excellent results during a year.
An international seminar began in New Delhi
• The 3-day International Seminar on Climate Smart Farming Systems for BIMSTEC countries began in New Delhi on 11 Dec 2019.
• Participants from all the 7 BIMSTEC Countries- Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand are attending the
Seminar.
• It is being organized by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare and Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
Gurgaon-based startup won ‘Space Oscar’ award
• The Gurgaon-based startup Blue Sky Analytics has created an application called ‘Zuri’ that won the Copernicus Masters Award
also called Space Oscars.
• It won it under the Social Entrepreneurship category.
• The application uses satellite data to provide improved monitoring, supply chain and pricing analysis as well as the allocation of
crop waste to be used as raw materials in other industries.
Rani, Saurabh won FICCI Award 2019
• Rani Rampal and pistol shooter Saurabh Chaudhary won the Sports Person of the Year awards at the FICCI India Sports Awards
2019.
• Rani played a crucial role in India's qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, scoring the winning goal against the US.
• Saurabh won gold at the 2018 Asian Games and has since won a number of individual and team honours at shooting World Cups.
ISRO to set up third rocket launchpad
• ISRO has begun preparatory works for setting up a 3rd rocket launchpad in Kulashekhrapattinam in the Thuthukudi district of
Tamil Nadu.
• At present, ISRO has two launch pads at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh
• The demand for additional launch pads arose as a result of the increase in the number of satellite launches from India, both for
domestic and international customers.
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INTACH deployed by Indian government

• The govt of India has deployed Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).
• It will provide consultancy services for Post-Earthquake reconstruction of 11 Cultural Heritage sites in Nepal.
• It will provide Design and Project Management Consultancy services for the reconstruction of 11 Cultural Heritage sites in
Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and Solukhumbhu districts of Nepal.
Trial run on Dhaka-Gangtok bus route began
• The trial run on Dhaka-Gangtok and Dhaka-Darjeeling bus routes started on 12 Dec 2019.
• The trial run was inaugurated by Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation Chairman Ehsan Elahi.
• The bus will return back to Dhaka on December 16, 2019.
• Bangladesh sends the largest number of foreign tourists to India.
• Almost 20% of all foreign travellers to India are from Bangladesh.
Inner Line Permit regime extended to Manipur
• The Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime has been extended to Manipur.
• President Ram Nath Kovind signed an order in this regard.
• Manipur is the fourth state after Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram where the ILP regime has been made applicable.
• To visit the ILP-regime states, outsiders, including people from other states of the country, need to take permission.
6th Indian Ocean Dialogue began
• The 6th Indian Ocean Dialogue and Delhi Dialogue XI was held in New Delhi on 13 Dec 2019.
• For the first time, these two dialogues are being held consecutively and on similar Indo-Pacific themes.
• The theme for Indian Ocean Dialogue is Indo-Pacific: Re-imagining the Indian Ocean through an Expanded Geography.
• The theme for Delhi Dialogue is Advancing Partnership in Indo-Pacific.
2 plus 2 India-US dialogue to be held
• The Second India-US 2 Plus 2 Ministerial Dialogue will be held in Washington DC on 18 Dec 2019.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation.
• The India-US 2 plus 2 Ministerial Dialogue was initiated in September 2018 in order to provide a positive, forward-looking vision
for the India-US strategic partnership.
Bills passed
• The Central Sanskrit Universities Bill, 2019 was passed in the Lok Sabha on 12 Dec 2019. It is aimed at giving the three deemed
Sanskrit Universities the full-fledged Central Universities status.
• Rajya Sabha passed the International Financial Services Centers Authority Bill, 2019 on 12 Dec 2019. It aims at establishing a
unified authority to develop and regulate the financial services market.
Parliament passed a bill
• Parliament has passed the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Amendment) Bill 2019 with Rajya Sabha approving it on
12 Dec 2019.
• The Bill seeks to extend the reservation for SCs and STs in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies by another ten years till January 25,
2030.
• The govt is trying to set up all India Judicial Service and it is of the view to provide reservation to SCs and STs in it.
Appointments
• PepsiCo has appointed Salman Khan as the new brand ambassador of its Pepsi brand of carbonated beverage in India. Brand
Pepsi will base its summer 2020 campaign on Salman Khan’s upcoming movie “Dabangg-3”.
• Indian men’s football team captain Sunil Chhetri has signed a 3-year deal with PUMA. He is currently the second-highest goal-
scorer in international football after Cristiano Ronaldo.
NAVARMS 2019 organised
• The 4th edition of the International Seminar-cum-Exhibition on Naval Weapon Systems ‘NAVARMS 2019’ is being held from 12-13
Dec 2019 in New Delhi.
• Its theme is ‘Make in India – Fight Category: Opportunities and Imperatives’.
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• Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the gathering during the Exhibition’s inaugural session on 12 December 2019.
India reduced emission intensity of GDP by 21%
• India has reduced emission intensity of its GDP by 21% and is on track to achieve the goal of 35% emission reduction as promised
in Paris.
• This was informed by Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar while addressing 25th session of
Conference of Parties (COP) in Madrid, Spain.
• The 25th Conference of Parties (COP 25) is being held from 2-13 December 2019.
Indian Culture web portal launched
• The Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel launched the Indian Culture web portal on 11 Dec 19 in
New Delhi.
• The Indian Culture portal was developed by a team from IIT Bombay.
• It is the first government-authorized portal where knowledge and cultural resources of various organizations of Ministry of
Culture are now available in public domain on a single platform.
Asom Natya Sanmilan awards announced
• The Asom Natya Sanmilan announced its annual Asom Natya Sanmilan Award-2019.
• The awards will be presented at the 58th conference of Asom Natya Sanmilan to be held at Nalbari on January 2020.
• The Asom Natya Sanmilan Award-2019 will be conferred on noted actor Sayad Nazim Ahmed of Lakhimpur.
• Similarly, the Mahendra Borthakur Award will be presented to senior actor Parag Sarma.
Human Development Index 2019 released
• India has been ranked 129th among 189 countries in the Human Development Index 2019 released by the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP).
• Norway, Switzerland, Ireland occupied the top three positions in the index.
• South Asia was the fastest growing region in human development progress showing a 46% growth over 1990-2018, followed by
East Asia and the Pacific at 43%.
Praggnanandhaa won London Chess Classic
• India's R. Praggnanandhaa won the FIDE Open category of the London Chess Classic with a tally of 7.5 points out of nine rounds.
• In the ninth and final round that stretched to the next day, Praggnanandhaa drew with his compatriot Sahaj Grover.
• Earlier, in the eighth round, the Indian Grandmaster drew with his country-mate Arvindh Chithambaram (7 points), who ended
up in third place.
Person in News
• C. Sugandh Rajaram has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Ghana. He will replace
Birender Singh Yadav as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Ghana.
• Braj Bihari Kumar, the Chairman of Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) passed away in December 2019. He was
appointed as the chairman of the ICSSR in May 2017.
Switzerland: Country partner in BioAsia 2020
• Switzerland will be the country partner at the 17th edition of BioAsia 2020 scheduled to be held from February 17-19, 2020 in
Hyderabad, Telangana.
• The theme for it is “Today For Tomorrow”.
• The city of Hyderabad has become a hub in the field of health tech and will be introduced to the Switzerland Health Tech
Ecosystem through the Bio Asia Summit.
ASI identified 138 monuments as “Must See”
• Archaeological Survey of India has identified 138 monuments as Must-See Monuments.
• There are 38 World Heritage Sites in India, out of which 22 Cultural Sites including monuments/ buildings and caves are under the
protection of ASI.
• The ‘Must See’ list of ASI features first-class Indian monuments and archaeological sites including those that feature on UNESCO’s
World Heritage List.
International Day of Neutrality: 12 December
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• International Day of Neutrality is observed on December 12 every year.

• It was officially declared by a UN General Assembly resolution adopted in February 2017 and first observed on December 12,
2017.
• In International law, a neutral country is a sovereign state that abstains from all participation in a war between other states and
maintains an attitude of impartiality toward the belligerents.
International UHC Day: 12 Dec
• International Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day) is celebrated globally on 12 December.
• It aims to raise awareness of the need for strong and resilient health systems and universal health coverage with multi-
stakeholder partners.
• The theme for the year 2019 is “Keep the promise”.
• In 2017 the United Nations proclaimed 12 December as International UHC Day by resolution 72/138.
Glaciers may disappear by next decade
• A latest study says, last remaining glaciers in the Earth's tropical zone will disappear within the next ten years due to the ongoing
climate crisis.
• The range covers Himalayas in the North and the Andes in the South.
• The melting of mountain top glaciers on the western half of New Guinea have increased rapidly due to a strong 2015-2016 El
Nino.
KVIC sponsored 2,320 PMEGP units
• In Jammu and Kashmir, Ministry of MSME, has disbursed subsidy of 50.85 crore rupees through Khadi and Village Industries
Commission (KVIC) to 2,320 units set up under Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) Scheme during the
current financial year.
• The units set up under PMEGP have provided employment to 16,240 persons in J&K.
Andhra Pradesh Govt took historic decision
• The Cabinet headed by CM Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy approved enacting Andhra Pradesh Disha Act, 2019, Andhra Pradesh Criminal
Law (Amendment) Act, 2019 and Andhra Pradesh Special Court for Specified Offences against Women and Children Act, 2019.
• The draft Disha Act provides for harsher punishment, including death sentence, to those guilty of heinous crimes against women.
Cash awards to SAG medallists
• Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju announced a cash reward of 1.5 lakh rupees each for the 174 gold medallists of the South Asian
Games.
• The South Asian Games concluded on 10 Dec 2019 with India topping the table for 13th time in a row, winning 312 medals
including 174 gold, 93 silver and 45 bronze medals.
• The silver winners will receive 1 lakh rupees and bronze winners 50,000 rupees each.
India beat West Indies by 67 runs
• India beat West Indies by 67 runs to win the third and final T20 International at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on 11 Dec 2019.
• With this victory, India won the three-match series by 2-1.
• Batting first, India made 240 for 3 in the stipulated 20 overs.
• K L Rahul scored 91 off 56 balls.
• Rohit Sharma played a power-packed innings of 71 runs, including five sixes and six boundaries.
The Citizenship Amendment Bill passed
• The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 has been passed by the Parliament, with the Rajya Sabha approving it on 11 December
2019.
• The bill amends the Citizenship Act, 1955 to make illegal migrants of six communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan
eligible for Indian citizenship.
• The communities are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians.
Bill passed by Lok Sabha
• The Lok Sabha passed the International Financial Services Centres Authority Bill, 2019 on 11 Dec 2019.
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• It seeks to establish a unified Authority to develop and regulate the financial services market in the International Financial
Services Centres or IFSC’s in India.
• 14 Central Acts would be amended including seven relating to the RBI, 3 relating to the SEBI and the IRDA and 1 on the PFRDA.
Maldives Foreign Minister arrived in India
• Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid arrived in New Delhi on 11 Dec 2019 on an official visit to attend the 6th India-Maldives
Joint Commission Meeting, JCM.
• The JCM was established under the agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation signed between the two countries in
1986.
• It aims at improving bilateral relations in all spheres.
Bridge inaugurated in Rajouri
• J&K Lt Governor Girish Chandra Murmu inaugurated the 72-metre long Multi-Cell Box Type Load Class 70 bridge in Rajouri.
• The bridge spans over Draj nallah and connects Draj Area to Tehsil Kotranka area under District Rajouri.
• It has been built by Border Roads Organisation.
• It is an important bridge for the military as well as for socio-economic development of the Rajouri District as a whole.
Rafale fighter jets to have tail sign ‘BS’
• The Indian Rafale fighter jets will fly with the tail sign ‘BS’ to honour recently retired Air Force Chief Birender Singh Dhanoa.
• The Indian Air Force has decided to put tail numbers in 30 Rafale jets with ”BS” initials.
• Six Rafale trainer aircraft will carry RB series tail numbers which stand for Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, the current Chief of
Air Staff.
Obituaries
• The inventor of Universal Product Code(UPC) or Barcode, George Joseph Laurer, passed away. Barcode is a ubiquitous
marking that allows retailers to identify products by means of scanning the code.
• Marie Fredriksson, who as the singer of Roxette was one of the most recognisable voices in 1980s and 90s pop, passed away in
December 2019.
4 eminent diplomats honoured with an award
• 4 prominent diplomats have been honoured with ‘The Diwali – Power of One’ award 2019 in recognition and celebration of their
work, especially at the United Nations, for a secure and peaceful world.
• The awards have now come to be known as ‘Oscars of Diplomacy’.
• The diplomats who were honoured are Kairat Abdrakhmanov, Nicholas Emiliou, Frantisek Ruzicka, Volodymyr Yelchenko.
International Mountain Day: 11 December
• International Mountain Day is held every year on 11 December globally.
• This day was established by the UN General Assembly in 2003 to encourage sustainable development in mountains.
• The theme for 2019 IMD is “Mountains Matter for Youth”.
• A report says that 15% of the world's population lives in the mountains.
• Mountain conservation is a crucial factor for sustainable development Goal 15.
Appointments
• Actor Suniel Shetty has been selected as the brand ambassador of National Anti-Doping Agency NADA. More than 150 athletes
have failed dope tests in 2019 though bodybuilders make up more than one-third of these offenders.
• The News Broadcasters Federation (NBF), has elected editor-in-chief of Republic TV Arnab Goswami as the President of its
governing board.
Gulu Mirchandani bagged award
• Gulu Mirchandani has been conferred with “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the Consumer Electronics and Appliances
Manufacturers Association (CEAMA).
• He is the founder chairman of Mirc Electronics Ltd. (Onida).
• He has been awarded for his extensive contribution to the consumer electronics industry.
• CEAMA is an all-India organisation in the consumer electronics and durables sector.
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Wasim Jaffer: 1st to play 150 Ranji matches

• Wasim Jaffer became the first player in Indian cricket to feature in 150 Ranji matches.
• He is now just 853 runs away from completing 20,000 runs in first-class cricket.
• He is followed by Madhya Pradesh batsman Devendra Bundela (145 matches) and Amol Muzumdar (136 matches), who have
played for Mumbai and Assam.
• He has played 253 first-class games, scoring 19,147 runs at an average of 51.19.
Dept of Social Justice started a scheme
• Dept of Social Justice and Empowerment has started the scheme of National award for outstanding services in the field of
Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug abuse.
• The scheme is applicable to institutions and individuals working in the field of prevention of alcoholism and drug abuse.
• The award will be presented on the Int. Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26 June 2020.
1st fully electric aircraft took flight
• The world's first fully-electric commercial aircraft took its inaugural test flight on 10 Dec 2019, in Vancouver, Canada.
• The technology would mean significant cost savings for airlines and would lead to zero emissions.
• The e-plane, a six-passenger DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver seaplane retrofitted with an electric motor, was piloted by Greg
McDougall, founder and Chief Executive of Harbour Air.
India with higher climate performance
• India, for the first time, was ranked among the top 10 in 2019 Climate Change Performance Index released on 11 Dec 2019 at the
COP25 climate summit in Madrid.
• The current levels of per capita emissions and energy use in India ranked 9th in the high category showing that emissions are still
comparatively low.
• China, the largest global emitter, was at 30th place.
West Bengal govt organizing Business Conclave
• The West Bengal govt is organizing 2-day Business Conclave at Digha in East Midnapore District to attract more industrial
investments in the State.
• CM Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the Conclave on 11 Dec 2019.
• Leading industrialists from the country and 35 foreign nations will be present at the meet.
• A number of MOUs are likely to be signed for spreading industrial growth in the State.
Odisha to set up 45 new fast track courts
• To expedite the trial of cases relating to women and children, 45 new fast track courts will be set up in Odisha.
• 21 courts would be dedicated for cases of rape and sexual harassment of women.
• The remaining 24 fast track courts will specifically deal with Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) cases.
Workshop on Bamboo cultivation to be held
• In Jammu and Kashmir, a first of its kind workshop on Bamboo cultivation will be held on 19-20 December 2019 in Jammu.
• Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh will inaugurate the exhibition.
• The workshop will focus on promotion of Bamboo cultivation in the potential Kandi areas of Jammu and its value addition as an
economic activity and to generate entrepreneurship and employment opportunities.
Judicial Officers of Bangladesh visited India
• A batch of 40 Judicial officers of Bangladesh visited the Indian High Commission in Dhaka on 10 Dec 2019.
• They will leave for training in India from 13-27 December.
• They will be training at the Judicial Academy of MP in Bhopal and other judicial academies of the states.
• On an average, about 160 judicial officers from Bangladesh are trained in India every year.
Ethiopia's PM received Nobel Peace Prize
• Ethiopia's PM Abiy Ahmed received the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to achieve international peace and cooperation.
• Nobel Peace Prize for 2019 was the 100th to be awarded.
• It consists of a diploma, a gold medal and a cheque for nine million Swedish kronor (850,000 euros).
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• Abiy Ahmed was awarded for his efforts to resolve the long-running conflict with neighbouring foe Eritrea.
ISRO launched RISAT-2BR1
• ISRO launched its earth observation satellite, RISAT-2BR1 on PSLV-C48 from the First Launch Pad (FLP) of Satish Dhawan Space
Centre, Sriharikota on 11 Dec 2019.
• RISAT-2BR1, a Radar imaging earth observation satellite weighing about 628 kg, will be placed into an orbit of 576 km at an
inclination of 37 degrees.
• PSLV-C48 is the 50th mission of PSLV.
Parliament passed Arms (Amendment) Bill
• The Parliament passed the Arms (Amendment) Bill 2019 with the Rajya Sabha approving it on 10 Dec 2019.
• The Bill seeks to amend the Arms Act, 1959.
• It intends to decrease the number of licensed arms allowed per person and increase the quantum of penalties for violations of
the law.
• The Bill also increases the duration of the validity of arms license from three years to five years.
6th Indian Ocean Dialogue to be held
• External Affairs Ministry will host the 6th Indian Ocean Dialogue and Delhi Dialogue XI at the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in New
Delhi on 13-14 Dec 2019.
• For the first time, these two tracks 1.5 dialogues will be held consecutively and on similar Indo-Pacific themes.
• The theme for 2019 Delhi Dialogue is "Advancing Partnership in Indo-Pacific”.
65 lakh people treated under PMJAY
• More than 65 lakh persons have been treated under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana since the launch of
the scheme.
• 9,549 crore rupees were spent on the treatment of the patients till 5th November 2019.
• Delhi, Telangana, Odisha and West Bengal have not adopted this scheme.
• This scheme provides health cover of five lakh rupee per family per year.
KVIC distributed 500 Bee Boxes
• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) organized an event on 8 Dec 2019, in which Om Birla, the Speaker of Lok Sabha
distributed 500 Bee Boxes, 500 Electric Pottery Wheels and 200 Leather Tool Kits.
• The event was organized to commemorate 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and to support the weaker section of the
society in Boondi District, Rajasthan.
Person in News
• Anuranjita Kumar, MD & Head of HR – International Hubs, at The Royal Bank Of Scotland announced her exit from the UK bank.
She joined the bank in September 2017.
• Rapper Juice WRLD passed away in December 2019. He was named top new artist at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards in May
2019. His hit Lucid Dreams,was a six-times platinum success and reached No. 2 on the all-genre Hot 100 chart.
Malaysia reported 1st polio case in 27 years
• A three-month-old Malaysian infant has been diagnosed with polio, the first case reported in the Asia-Pacific country in 27 years.
• The baby boy from Tuaran in Malaysia's Sabah state on Borneo island tested positive for polio after being admitted to a hospital
with fever and muscle weakness.
• Malaysia was declared polio-free in 2000, after reporting its last known case of the disease in 1992.
FIA invited Anand Kumar for R'Day celebrations
• The Federation of Indian Association (FIA) has invited Super 30 founder Anand Kumar to a function on the eve of India’s Republic
Day celebrations in New York.
• It is the oldest organisation of the non-resident Indians.
• Year “2020” also marks the 50th anniversary of FIA.
• Anand Kumar has been invited for his contribution in the field of education through his programme ‘Super 30’.
Worldwide arms sales rose by nearly 5% in 2018
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• Worldwide arms sales rose by nearly 5 per cent in 2018.

• According to a new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the market was dominated by the
United States.
• The turnover of the 100 biggest arms manufacturers came to 420 billion dollars.
• Russia was second in the rankings, with 8.6% of the market, just ahead of the UK on 8.4% and France on 5.5%.
Walmart to train 50,000 MSME entrepreneurs
• Walmart will train 50,000 entrepreneurs from the micro, small & medium enterprises (MSME) sector.
• 25 institute hubs will be opened in India in next five years which would train the MSME entrepreneurs.
• The institutes will be opened under the ‘Walmart Vriddhi Supplier Development Programe‘ across the nation.
• The first Walmart Vriddhi training hub is scheduled to be opened in March 2020.
NMR conducted special service for foreigners
• The UNESCO-recognized Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) conducted a special service on 9 Dec 2019 for foreign tourists.
• 71 tourists from several countries, including the USA, UK and France travelled by a special steam engine service from Coonoor to
Ooty.
• They were presented with special mementoes and gift hampers as well as served with the replica of the original Edmonton type
cardboard ticket.
Human Rights Day: 10 December
• Human Rights Day is celebrated on the 10th December every year to commemorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR).
• UDHR was adopted and proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948.
• The United Nations’ theme for the year 2019 is - Youth Standing up for Human Rights.
• It is aimed at encouraging youth all over the world to stand up for human rights.
• National Stock Exchange launched interest rate options on 10-year Government bonds. These are based on the 10-year govt
bonds, which are 7.26% 2029 bond and 6.45% 2029 bond.
• State Bank of India announced the reduction in its marginal cost of fund based lending rate (MCLR) by 10 basis points across all
one-year products. It will be effective from 10 December 2019.
UP Police to deploy women police in PRV
• In UP, State Police have decided to deploy women police personnel in Police Response Vehicle of Dial 112 Emergency Services
and women can also take the help of the service to reach their homes safely.
• Police Response Vehicles will drop women travelling alone late at night to their destination to ensure their safety.
• The PRV will also escort women driving scooters if the need arises.
UP govt to set up 218 fast-track courts
• The UP govt has decided to set up 218 fast track courts to hear rape cases and crimes against children.
• 144 fast track courts will be set up to hear rape cases and 74 POCSO courts for matters related to crimes against children.
• For these fast-track courts, 218 posts of additional sessions judges have been created.
• Around 63 lakh rupees will be incurred on each of the new fast-track courts.
Person in News
• The National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (NSE) has appointed Girish Chandra Chaturvedi as its new chairman. Girish Chandra
Chaturvedi is the former Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
• Congress leader and former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah announced his resignation as the Legislature Party Leader in the State
Assembly.
WADA banned Russia for four years
• The World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, banned Russia for four years, from participation in global sporting events.
• The decision came after it accused Moscow of falsifying data from an anti-doping laboratory.
• Russia's anti-doping agency can appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 21 days.
• The Russian flag and national anthem have also been banned in global events.
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13th South Asian Games concluded

• 13th South Asian Games came a close in Nepal on 10 Dec 2019.
• Indian athletes dominated the medals tally on 9 Dec 2019.
• India consolidated its top position with 294 medals comprising 159 gold, 91 silver and 44 bronze medals.
• Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal Ishwar Pokharel graced the occasion as Chief Guest at the closing ceremony of the event.
Driverless vehicles being tested on 5G tech
• In UAE, driverless vehicles are being tested on 5G technology ahead of a planned deployment of such vehicles on roads.
• They will expand 5G network to important sectors such as transport, health and education.
• 5G-enabled driverless vehicles will be able to have more efficient and quick communication with each other and traffic
infrastructure.
Abu Dhabi: Top sports tourism destination
• Abu Dhabi has been selected as the world’s leading Sports tourism Destination at the 26th edition of the World Travel Awards
(WTA) being held in Muscat.
• This is the seventh time in a row that Abu Dhabi has been selected for this coveted award.
• Earlier in 2019, Abu Dhabi was also selected as the West Asia’s Leading Business Tourism Destination.
India-Australia Secretary-level 2+2 Dialogue
• The third India-Australia Secretary-level 2+2 Dialogue was held in New Delhi on 9 Dec 2019.
• The Indian delegation was led by Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar and Foreign Secretary Shri Vijay Gokhale.
• India and Australia emphasized the need for enhanced collaboration to counter the threat of terrorism and violent extremism
through increased information sharing.
Recycling of Ships Bill passed
• Parliament has passed the Recycling of Ships Bill, 2019.
• The bill restricts the use of hazardous materials on ships and regulates recycling of ships.
• It defines ship recycling as dismantling it at a facility to recover the components and materials for reuse and taking care of the
hazardous material so produced.
• The Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was also passed by the Lok Sabha on 9 Dec 2019.
Rural areas are Open Defecation Free
• Rural areas in all the States and Union Territories have become Open Defecation Free in the country.
• This was informed by Minister of State for Jal Shakti Rattan Lal Kataria.
• Urban areas of all the States and Union Territories except West Bengal have been declared Open Defecation Free.
• Over 10 crore individual household latrines were constructed under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin).
Loans worth Rs10 lakh cr sanctioned under PMMY
• Loans worth over 10 lakh crore rupees have been sanctioned till 1st November 2019 under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana,
PMMY.
• As per the findings of the PMMY survey, around 5 crore persons were working in the establishments for which MUDRA loans
were availed between April 2015 to March 2018.
• These loans enabled beneficiaries to sustain the economic activities they were engaged in.
Bats may be well-adapted to forest fires
• According to a study, bats may be well adapted to wildfire.
• The study surveyed the effects of burn severity of 17 species of the flying mammal in forests that experienced fires.
• To understand how wildfire was affecting bat habitat, the researchers used an acoustic surveying technology with microphones
that emitted very high-frequency sound and tracked patterns in the way bats communicated.
Duchifat-3 satellite to be launched
• The “Duchifat-3”, a satellite made by Israeli students will be launched on 11 Dec 2019 from ISRO's Sriharikota launch site.
• “Duchifat-3” is a satellite jointly built by Herzliya Science Center and Sha’ar Hanegev High School students of Israel.
• It is the 3rd in the series of Israeli student-made satellites.
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• It is a photo satellite to be used for ecological research of Earth from space.

India-Japan annual summit to be held
• India and Japan will hold their annual summit in India between 15-17 December 2019.
• The summit is usually held alternatively in India and in Japan.
• The announcement of the summit comes just days after the two countries held their first “2+2" meet i.e., between the Foreign
and Defence ministers of India and Japan in New Delhi on 30 November 2019.
NTPC signs pact with SBI
• NTPC has signed a term loan agreement for ₹5,000 cr with SBI.
• The loan facility has been extended at an interest rate linked to 3-month MCLR of the bank and has a door-to-door tenure of 15
years.
• The loan will be utilised to part finance the capital expenditure of NTPC.
• In March 2019, the company had raised over ₹3,000 cr through a 5-year bond offering in the international markets.
Person in News
• Former England captain Bob Willis passed away in December 2019. He captained England in 18 Tests and 29 one-day
internationals before his retirement from all forms of cricket in 1984.
• South Africa's Zozibini Tunzi is the Miss Universe 2019. Miss Universe Mexico is the second-runner up. Miss Universe 2018
Catriona Gray crowned Zozibini Tunzi at an event held in Atlanta on 8 December 2019.
International Day to remember Genocide victims
• The United Nations General Assembly established 9 December as the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the
Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime.
• On this day in 1948, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted.
• The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of the Genocide Convention.
International Anti-Corruption Day: 9 Dec
• The United Nations’ (UN) International Anti-Corruption Day is observed annually on 9 December.
• The day aims to raise public awareness of corruption and what people can do to fight it.
• The theme for 2019 is “United Against Corruption”.
• The day was first observed in the year 2003.
• The day also highlights the role of the UN Convention against Corruption in combating and preventing it.
Embassy’s annual film festival inaugurated
• The 8th edition of the Embassy’s annual film festival titled “Ambassador’s Choice: Screening of Films” was inaugurated at the
auditorium of Embassy of India, Riyadh.
• It saw the popular Hindi film ‘Dangal’ screened at Riyadh, which drew a large number of audience.
• The 12-day festival, which is being held from 5-18 December 2019, kicked off with the screening of three Arabic short movies.
Human Library event in Mysuru held
• In Karnataka, Human Library, a concept which seeks to replace books with humans, was held in the City of Palaces, Mysuru on 8
Dec 2019.
• The notion of Human Library was initially launched in the year 2000 and currently exists in more than 85 countries.
• In India, Human Library is spread across various metropolitan cities including Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru.
Misellaneous News
• Manipur CM N. Biren Singh inaugurated Imphal to Dimapur direct flight service on 7 Dec 2019 at Imphal Airport. The flight service
which is being operated by Alliance Air would be operational thrice a week.
• Telangana CM K.Chandrasekhar Rao released a book in Telugu on ‘Kaleswaram Project — Telangana’s chariot of Progress’
authored by Officer on Special Duty Sridhar Rao Deshpande, recently.
Haryana CM inaugurated ICCC
• Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar inaugurated Gurgaon's Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC).
• It has been developed as the nerve centre to provide multifaceted online smart services to people.
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• It will serve as the nodal point for all online data related to the Smart City applications, including CCTV-based public safety and
adaptive traffic management system, smart parking system, etc.
Indian won 252 medals so far in S. Asian Games
• Indian athletes are continuing their outstanding performance at 13th South Asian Games in Nepal.
• Consolidating its top position India has clinched 252 medals comprising 132 gold, 79 silver and 41 bronze so far.
• Sushila Devi brought first gold in women's 48 kg.
• Later Vijay Kumar Yadav won gold in men's 60kg and Jasleen Singh Saini clinched gold in 66 kg.
All India Sports competition of ERMS began
• Eklavya Model Residential School All India Sports Competition started at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh on 9 Dec 2019.
• Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) scheme is one of the flagship interventions of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs introduced
in 1997-98.
• It ensures that tribal students get access to quality education in remote tribal areas.
• The event is being held from 9-13 December 2019.
Maldives Parliament speaker to visit India
• Maldives Parliament speaker Mohamed Nasheed is leading a 14-member parliamentary delegation on a 5-day visit to India in the
2nd week of Dec 2019.
• The objective of this visit is to encourage both parliaments to improve their democratic systems and boost the long-standing
relationship between the two countries.
• A MoU will also be signed between the 19th parliament of Maldives and Lok Sabha.
Sanna Marin: The youngest-ever PM of Finland
• Finland's Social Democrats elected 34-year-old Sanna Marin to the post of the PM, making her the youngest head of government
in the country's history.
• Former PM Antti Rinne stepped down after several weeks of political crisis over a plan to cut wages for 700 postal workers.
• Parliament is expected to formally swear in the new Prime Minister on 10 Dec 2019.
Incredible India Road Show held
• The Incredible India Road Show was held in Singapore on 9 Dec 2019 positioning the country as a preferred destination for
tourists.
• The roadshow by Indian delegation provided a platform to the stakeholders of India's tourism industry to interact with their
Singaporean counterparts.
• Indian delegation comprises 25 tour operators along with representations from Punjab and Madhya Pradesh.
Bangladesh National Film Awards presented
• The National Film Awards of Bangladesh for the years 2017 and 2018 were given away by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 8 Dec
2019 in Dhaka.
• Badrul Anam Saud was given the award for best director for the year 2017 for the film Gohin Baluchor.
• The best director award for 2018 was conferred on Mustafizur Rahman Manik for his film Jannat.
799 Van Dhan Vikas Kendra opened in 24 states
• A total of 799 Van Dhan Vikas Kendra in the 24 states have been opened since the launch of Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana.
• These Kendra are benefiting 12 lakh tribals across India.
• Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) has collaborated with the renowned fashion
designer Ritu Beri to promote tribal crafts and culture across the country and the world.
Paika Rebellion memorial to be made
• In Odisha, President Ram Nath Kovind laid the foundation stone for a memorial to mark the completion of 200 years of Paika
Rebellion, on 8 Dec 2019.
• It was a valiant uprising of Paikas in 1817 against the British Rule which is often termed as the First War of Independence.
• The proposed project will come up at the foothills of Barunei hills in Khurda district.
18th Foreign Office Consultations held
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• The 18th round of Foreign Office Consultations between India and Myanmar was held in New Delhi recently.
• The Indian delegation was led by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and the Myanmar delegation was led by Permanent Secretary,
U Soe Han.
• The two sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, the status of India’s ongoing projects in Myanmar, capacity
building initiatives, etc.
TCS introduced new insurance benefits
• TCS has become one of the first Tata Group companies to announce changes in its health insurance policy in order to provide
benefits to LGBT employees.
• The change in health insurance policy would now benefit all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender or LGBT employees in the
company.
• The new insurance policy will cover up to 50% cost of sex or gender reassignment surgery.
Global Venture Capital Summit concluded
• Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), and Government of Goa, organized the 2nd edition of the
Startup India Global Venture Capital Summit, on 6-7 Dec 2019 for fund managers and limited partners of top global venture
capital firms.
• The theme for ‘Startup India Global Venture Capital Summit 2019’ was ‘India Opportunity – Investing in tomorrow together.’
Ravneet Singh: Chief of Personnel of the IN
• Vice Admiral Ravneet Singh, AVSM, NM, took over as Chief of Personnel from Vice Admiral R Hair Kumar AVSM, VSM recently.
• As Chief of Personnel he will head the Personnel Branch of the Indian Navy.
• Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar has been appointed as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee at
HQIDS.
CSIR signed MoU with BHEL
• CSIR and BHEL have signed a MoU to cooperate, collaborate and pursue industrial application-oriented research programmes and
its commercialization in large scale.
• Thus, indigenously developed technologies by CSIR shall be commercialised & implemented jointly by BHEL & CSIR in the country.
• This is aimed at making the Government of India initiative “Make in India” successful.
Punjab government partnered with WEF
• The Punjab Government has partnered with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to design a Public-Private pilot on shared, clean
and electric mobility.
• Punjab is also set to get India’s first Auto Shredding Plant, with capacity to handle two lakh cars per annum in an 8- hour shift.
• The plant has been set up in technical collaboration with German technology.'
NDMA Heat Wave 2020 Workshop held
• The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) conducted a 2-day national workshop on preparedness, mitigation and
management of heat wave in Bengaluru on 5-6 Dec 2019.
• Heat wave has emerged as a major severe-weather event around the globe in recent years.
• India too is experiencing increased instances of heat waves every year – 23 States were affected by heat waves in 2019.
India ranked 73rd in the 2019 E-commerce Index
• India was ranked 73rd out of 152 countries in a business-to-consumer E-commerce index that measures an economy's
preparedness to support online shopping
• The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's Business-to-Consumer (B2C) E-commerce Index 2019 has been
topped by the Netherlands for the second consecutive year.
• European nations hold eight of the top 10 spots on the index.
Kalia scheme to be merged with PM Kisan scheme
• The Odisha government has decided to merge its flagship Kalia scheme with PM Kisan scheme.
• It will provide assistance to farmers with the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) yojana.
• According to the provisions of the 'Kalia' scheme, farmers, mostly small and marginal cultivators, are entitled to get Rs 10,000 in
two instalments for two crops in a year.
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Civil Defence Day: 6 December

• Civil Defence Day is celebrated on 6 December 2019 in India every year.
• The day aims to make aware of the citizens and highlight the importance of Civil Defence.
• Civil Defence being a voluntary organisation acts as a protector to the civilian population during the crisis.
• The Civil Defence and Home Guards are the twin Voluntary organizations for the cause of defence to the nation.
GS Lakshmi first woman to oversee a mens ODI
• India’s GS Lakshmi created history as the first female match referee to oversee a men’s ODI in the opening match of the third
series of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 in the UAE.
• She oversaw the match on December 8, 2019 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
• She was earlier appointed as the first woman onto the ICC International Panel of Match Referees in May 2019.
YSR Law Nestham scheme launched
• CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy launched YSR Law Nestham scheme recently at Tadepalli, Andhra Pradesh.
• Under the YSR Law Nestham scheme, a stipend of Rs.5,000 has been credited in the accounts of beneficiary junior lawyers.
• Earlier, the State government allocated Rs.100 crore to Lawyers' Welfare Fund.
Kerala Bank launched by CM Vijayan
• The Kerala Bank, an amalgamation of district co-operative banks in the state, was formally launched by Chief Minister Pinarayi
Vijayan on 6 Dec 2019.
• It will provide "unlimited opportunities" for the state and also facilitate transactions in other countries with considerable
population of Keralites.
• 13 district co-operative banks (DCBs) were merged for forming the Kerala Bank.
ISRO to set up space technology cells
• ISRO announced the setting up of five space technology cells (STCs) at India’s premier engineering and science colleges.
• This would be done to conduct space research, build new applications and high-end technology.
• STCs have been installed at IIT- Bombay, Kanpur, Madras and Kharagpur, Bengaluru’s IISc and at the Joint Research Programme
with Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU).
Fourth India Water Impact Summit concluded
• The Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGanga) led by IIT Kanpur organised the
fourth India Water Impact Summit from 5-7 Dec 2019.
• It discussed water-related issues and steps taken to save the planet's most precious resource.
• 'Valuing Water - Transforming Ganga' was the theme of this year's summit.
Bharat Bond ETF got cabinet nod
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the creation of Indi’s first exchange traded Bharat Bond Exchange Traded
Fund (ETF).
• It is a move aimed at deepening the corporate bond market and reducing the cost of borrowing in India.
• Bharat Bond ETF is expected to create an additional source of funding for Central Public Sector Undertakings, Central Public
Sector Enterprises, etc.
Bengaluru Airport: 1st o get parallel runways
• The Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru commenced operations on the new South Runway with the landing of the
first flight on the 4,000-metres long and 45-metres wide airstrip on 6 Dec 2019.
• This makes the BLR Airport the first in the country to operate independent parallel runways, enabling aircraft to land or take-off
simultaneously on both runways.
Dr. Padmeswar Gogoi awarded
• The Siu-Ka-Pha Award was presented to noted educationist Dr Padmeswar Gogoi at a programme held at Siu-Ka-Pha Samannay
Kshetra in Golaghat recently.
• The inaugural edition of the award carries a citation, a memento, a cheleng chador and Rs 10,000.
• It was presented by Golaghat Deputy Commissioner Dhiren Hazarika.
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Delhi govt launched a booklet

• The Delhi government on 6 Dec 2019 launched a booklet on the life and teachings of Dr B R Ambedkar for students of class 6-8 in
government schools.
• The book was launched on his 63rd death anniversary by CM Arvind Kejriwal.
• The 3-part booklet will explore the life and education of Ambedkar, his social reforms initiatives, contribution to women
empowerment and writing the Indian Constitution.
New flight started under UDAN scheme
• Alliance Air formally commenced its maiden flight operation, connecting Guwahati, Dimapur and Imphal on 7 Dec19.
• The initiative is being done under the regional connectivity scheme, Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN).
• It will operate between Guwahati, Dimapur and Imphal, three times a week on both routes.
• UDAN scheme was launched in Oct 2016 with the objective of making air travel affordable.
Rs 36,000 cr disbursed to farmers under PM-KSN
• Around 36 thousand crore rupees have been disbursed under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi as on 30th November
2019.
• Around seven crores 60 lakh farmers have been benefited under the scheme.
• The Agriculture Export Policy, 2018 strives to increase India's Agriculture and allied exports which in turn would help in achieving
the goal of doubling the farmer's income.
Armed Forces Flag Day: 7 December
• Armed Forces Flag Day is observed on 7th December since the year 1949.
• This day is observed to honour the martyrs and the men in uniform who valiantly fought on India’s borders.
• The day brings to the forefront the obligation of looking after disabled comrades-in-arms, widows and dependents of those who
have sacrificed their lives for the country.
HDFC ERGO launched insurance scheme
• HDFC ERGO general insurance company launched “my: health Woman Suraksha policy”, a comprehensive medical insurance
scheme specially designed for women.
• It is specially designed to cover women against numerous illnesses and contingencies they may face during their lifetime.
• This policy is offered to women between 18-65 years of age and offers a sum insured ranging from Rs. 1 lakh to 1 crore.
Roger Federer’s face to go on Swiss coin
• Tennis legend Roger Federer will become the first living person in Switzerland to have a coin minted in his honour.
• The Federal Mint, Swissmint, has created a 20-franc silver coin bearing Federer’s image.
• It’s the first time in its history that Swissmint has created a commemorative coin to honour a living person.
• In May 2020, Swissmint plans to issue a Federer 50-franc gold coin.
IEPFA signed MoU with Bank of Baroda
• Investor Education & Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) signed a MoU with Bank of Baroda to spread customer awareness and
investor education and reaching out to investors and stakeholders.
• As per the agreement, 9,456 BoB branches will exhibit IEPFA posters on investor protection & 3,115 ATMs and Cash Recyclers
supported by self-service channels will feature digital banners on IEPFA.
International Civil Aviation Day: 7 December
• International Civil Aviation Day is observed every year on 7 December globally.
• The theme for 2019 is “75 Years of Connecting the World”.
• The day was first celebrated on 7 December 1994 at the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Convention on International Civil
Aviation by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
National Florence Nightingale awards 2019
• President of India conferred 36 awardees with the National Florence Nightingale Awards 2019 in New Delhi on 5 Dec 2019.
• The award was given to Late Lini Sajeesh from Kozhikode, Kerala, who died while on duty caring for a Nipah (NiV) virus-infected
patient in Kerala.
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• The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the year 2020 as the Year of Nurse and Midwife.
Nationwide Feedback Diwas: 7 December
• Nationwide GST Stakeholder Feedback Diwas for new GST returns was observed on 7 Dec 2019.
• The aim of organizing this event was to get an on-the-spot response to the new GST Returns to be introduced from the 1st of
April 2020.
• The focus will be on assessing the ease of compliance and uploading of these new returns.
First 101 Pashu Kisan Credit Cards distributed
• The First Pashu Kisan credit cards in India were distributed to 101 animal farmers in Bhiwani in Haryana on 6 Dec 2019.
• Haryana Govt has set a target to issue 10 lakh Pashu Kisan Credit cards by March 2021.
• Under the Scheme, banks give Rs 40783 for a cow and Rs 60249 for a buffalo.
• The credit amount for goat and sheep each is Rs 4063.
• For Hens, it is Rs 161 per broiler hen.
J&K govt approved Leave Travel Concession
• J&K Govt approved the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) in favour of its employees.
• The move is going to benefit more than 3.5 lakh regular government employees.
• A notification prescribing the mandatory rules has already been issued by General Administrative department.
• The rules as per the notification had been entitled as Jammu & Kashmir Civil Services (Leave Travel Concession) Rules, 2019.
Rs 156-crore development plan for Omkareshwar
• MP government sanctioned a sum of 156 crore rupees for the development of Omkareshwar, a famous pilgrimage centre which
houses one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva.
• The government had earlier sanctioned 300 crore rupees for development of Mahakaleshwar, also a Jyotirlinga shrine located in
Ujjain.
• MP has the distinction of housing two of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines in the country.
India won 23 gold on 6th day of S. Asian Games
• Indian athletes clinched 49 medals comprising 23 golds, 20 silvers and 6 bronzes on 7 Dec 2019 in 13th South Asian Games in
Kathmandu, Nepal.
• On 6th day of games, India is on top with a total of 173 medals including 85 gold, 61 silver and 27 bronze medals.
• In Men's shot-put, Tajinderpal Singh won the gold medal and set a new South Asian Games record by throwing the ball 20.03
metres far.
Saudi Aramco announces biggest ever IPO
• Saudi Arabia, state oil company Aramco has set a share price for its much-anticipated initial public offering.
• Aramco has set a share price that will value the company's initial public offering (IPO) at 25.6 billion Dollar, making it the largest
ever seen.
• The IPO will consist of 3 billion shares, or 1.5% of the company, offered for 8.00 to 8.53 Dollar per share.
Diabetic population in India to hit 69.9 mn
• The diabetic population in the country is close to hitting the alarming mark of 69.9 million by 2025, which is expected to witness
an increase of 266%.
• This was stated by Minister of State for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy Shripad Naik.
• The Centre of Research in Ayurveda Sciences has been engaged in extending research-oriented Ayurveda based health care
services for its management.
Appointments
• K Vijay Kumar has been appointed as a senior security advisor in the Union Home Ministry headed by Amit Shah. He is the former
advisor to the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Ripu Daman Bevli was appointed as Plogging Ambassador of India by Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports
(MYAS) on the 50th Fit India Plogging Run held in Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Govt approved setting up of 7 FM transmitters
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• The government has approved setting up of 7 FM transmitters at premises of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) to strengthen FM
coverage along Indo-Nepal border.
• FM transmitters are for Bathnaha (Araria), Narkatiaganj (West Champaran) and Sitamarhi in Bihar, Gadaniya (Lakhimpur Kheri),
Nanpara (Bahraich) and Maharajganj in Uttar Pradesh and Champawat in Uttarakhand.
Ganga: One of 10 cleanest rivers in the world
• River Ganga has become one of the 10 cleanest rivers in the world among the major rivers category.
• This was stated by Jalshakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat while addressing 4th India Water Impact Summit, 2019 in New
• India has only 4 per cent of the world's potable water while 18 per cent of the world's human and equivalent livestock
population.
Aberdeen police station best in country
• Aberdeen Police station in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands ranks first in the list of the best-performing police stations in the
country.
• Home Ministry released the list of ten best-performing Police stations in the country.
• Balasinor police station in Gujarat secured the second rank while and Ajk Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh got the 3rd position.
Plogging programme at 400 locations organised
• Defence Ministry organised a massive plogging programme at more than 400 locations throughout the country on 7 Dec 2019 as
part of the activities of Swachhta Pakhwada.
• The aim of this exercise is to raise awareness amongst the community, collect plastic waste and make the surroundings clean.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off the main event from Delhi Cantt.
Free WiFi at 5500 railway stations
• The Railways has provided free WiFi at 5500 stations across the country.
• Jharkhand's Mahuamilan railway station has become the 5500th station to get the facility.
• The Railways began the service of providing free WiFi at its stations from January 2016 from Mumbai Central station.
• In October 2019, there were a total of 1.5 crores user logins in RailWire Wi-Fi services across all stations.
NEFT Facility to be available round the clock
• Round-the-clock transactions will be allowed under the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) system from 16 Dec 2019, as
said by RBI.
• The 24x7 NEFT system will be available on all days of the year, including holidays.
• NEFT transactions are settled in hourly batches.
• For weekdays, the batches are from 8 am to 7 pm.
• On first and third Saturdays, the settlement happens from 8 am to 1 pm.
India 5th worst country in biometric use
• India is the fifth worst country after China, Malaysia, Pakistan and the US in terms of extensive and invasive use of biometric
data, according to a new report from Comparitech.
• India shares the fifth position with Taiwan, Indonesia and the Philippines.
• Ireland, Portugal, Cyprus, the UK and Romania emerged as the five best countries.
Highest cervical cancer deaths in 2018
• India recorded the highest estimated number of cervical cancer deaths in 2018, a research paper published in the Lancet Global
Health revealed.
• The report, Estimates of incidence and mortality of cervical cancer in 2018, said that India and China together made up more
than one-third of the global cervical cancer burden in 2018.
• India contributed with 97,000 cases and 60,000 deaths.
Fit India School Rating System launched
• Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports Kiren Rijiju jointly launched the
Fit India School Rating System.
• It has been launched as part of the Fit India Campaign.
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• Fit India program is an innovative initiative launched by the Prime Minister to increase the awareness among the masses and to
encourage people to adopt healthy lifestyle.
ET Lifetime Award to Late Arun Jaitley
• Arun Jaitley, former Finance Minister of India was bestowed with the Economic Times (ET) Lifetime Achievement Award for
Public Service 2019 posthumously.
• The award was received by Arun Jaitley’s spouse Sangeeta Jaitley.
• He also served as the Minister of Corporate Affairs from May 2014 to May 2019.
• He passed away in August 2019.
Joaquin Phoenix named 2019 Person of the Year
• ‘Joker’ fame Joaquin Rafael Phoenix has been bestowed with the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) ‘Person of
the Year’ Award 2019.
• He has been a vegan since the age of three and has been a supporter of PETA for a long time.
• Previous PETA Person of the Year winners include Pope Francis, Oprah Winfrey, Anjelica Huston, Olivia Munn, Eva Mendes and
Alicia Silverstone.
Exercise INDRA 2019 to be held
• Exercise INDRA 2019 a joint tri-services exercise between India and Russia will be conducted in India from 10-19 December 2019
simultaneously at Babina, Pune, and Goa.
• The INDRA series of exercise began in 2003 and the First joint Tri Services Exercise was conducted in 2017.
• The exercise will consist of a five-day training phase consisting of a comprehensive training curriculum.
Odisha launched ‘Madhu’ app
• Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has launched ‘Madhu’ app.
• It is an e-learning mobile phone application which will help school students to understand their subjects in a better and most
efficient way.
• The app is named after ‘Utkal Gourab’ Madhusudan Das.
• Through this app, the students will be able to access the video explanation of the topics they were taught in their classroom.
Awards and Honours
• Shilpa Shetty App was awarded Google Play’s Best Apps of 2019 in the ‘Personal Growth’ category. The app was awarded in the
category of ‘Personal Growth’.
• The New Zealand cricket team has been awarded the Christopher Martin-Jenkins Spirit of Cricket award. It has been awarded for
its sportsmanship during the final match of the ICC World Cup at Lord’s in July 2019.
Climate change could devastate fisheries
• A study commissioned by 14 seafaring nations predicts that unchecked climate change could devastate fishery industries and
coral reef tourism, causing loss of hundreds of billions of dollars by 2050.
• Fish will migrate to cooler waters as oceans heat up and become more acidic, jeopardizing some fishing communities.
• While regions near the equator will suffer fish stock declines.
Birds shrinking in size as the climate warms
• A study has found out that many birds are shrinking in size while their wingspans are increasing as the climate warms.
• Researchers from the University of Michigan in the US analysed a dataset of 70,000 North American migratory birds from 52
species that died when they collided with buildings in Chicago, US.
• From 1978 through 2016, body size decreased in all 52 species.
Nagaland celebrated 2nd Honey Bee Day
• Nagaland celebrated 2nd Honey Bee Day under the theme 'Save Bees, Save Life' at Kohima on 5 Dec 2019.
• The day has been declared in order to create community awareness on the role of honeybees as a contributing factor in
conservation of biodiversity as an agent of food chain.
• So far Nagaland Beekeeping and Honey Mission has trained 15,450 beekeepers from the state.
Avantee mega Food Park inaugurated in Dewas
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• In MP, Union Minister for food processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated Avantee mega Food Park in Dewas.
• This first food park of central India is spread over 51 acres and has been constructed at a cost of about 150 crore rupees.
• Processing of soyabean, gram, wheat, and vegetables will be done in the park.
• Warehouses will also be opened in Indore, Ujjain, Dhar and Agar in the next phases.
India won 28 gold in South Asian Games
• Indian athletes continued their winning streak at 13th South Asian Games in Nepal, grabbing 54 medals comprising 28 gold, 19
silver and 7 bronze on 5 Dec 2019.
• India dominated in Wushu, Weightlifting, Swimming, Shooting and Taekwondo.
• On the 5th day of games, India further consolidated its top position in the medal tally with a total of 124 medals comprising 62
gold, 41 silver and 21 bronze.
DGP, IGP conference began in Pune
• A three-day national conference of Director General and Inspector General of Police began in Pune from 6 Dec 2019.
• Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the inaugural session of the conference.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the valedictory session of the conference.
• The theme of the conference is scientific and forensics-based investigation apart from technology-enabled policing.
ESIC approved creation of speciality posts
• The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has approved the creation of additional new super speciality posts at its
medical colleges at Sanathnagar in Telangana, KK Nagar in Chennai and Faridabad in Haryana.
• The proposal to start 3 Year DNB courses in Super-Speciality disciplines at ESIC Super Speciality Hospital, Sanathnagar has also
been approved.
Miscellaneous News
• President Ram Nath Kovind is on a two-day visit to Rajasthan from 6 Dec 2019. He inaugurated the National Convention on
Empowerment of Women for Social Transformation at Brahma Kumaris's HQ in Sirohi district.
• President Ram Nath Kovind led the nation in paying tributes to Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar on his 64th Mahaparinirvan Diwas
on 6 December 2019.
Sewage treatment plant in Haridwar inaugurated
• Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat inaugurated a Sewage
Treatment Plant in Haridwar, Uttarakhand.
• Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia were also present at the occasion.
• 34 STP stations are to be set up in the state out of which the 23 plants are almost complete.
• STPs are the target under Namami Gange Yojna.
HRD Ministry launched a competition
• HRD Ministry has launched a short essay competition for students of Class 9 to 12 for the third edition of Prime Minister’s
Interaction Programme with school students 'Pariksha Pe Charcha- 2020'.
• The programme will be held at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi in January 2020.
• Selected winners will get a chance to attend 'Pariksha Pe Charcha-2020' and interact with PM Narendra Modi.
Rs 100 cr sanctioned for women help desks
• Union Home Ministry has sanctioned 100 crore rupees from Nirbhaya Fund for setting up and strengthening of Women Help
Desks in Police Stations.
• This scheme would be implemented by the States and Union Territories.
• These help desks would have enlisted panel of experts like lawyers, psychologists and NGOs to facilitate legal aid, counselling,
shelter, rehabilitation and training.
National Public Procurement Conclave held
• Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal inaugurated the third edition of National Public Procurement Conclave in New
• The two-day conclave has been organized by Government e-Marketplace, GeM in association with Confederation of Indian
Industry.
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• GeM has become a symbol of true market player in the country's commerce sector since its inception in 2016.
Person in news
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) board has unanimously elected Masatsugu Asakawa as its new President. He is currently a
special advisor to Japan’s Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.
• Bhaskar Menon, Veteran Journalist in the Press Trust of India (PTI) passed away in Dec 2019. He has handled many crucial news
like the assassination of former PM Rajiv Gandhi in the year 1991.
Pacific Air Chiefs’ Symposium 2019 held
• Chief of the Air Staff Rakesh Bhadauria is participating in the Pacific Air Chiefs’ Symposium 2019 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-
Hickam, Hawaii.
• The theme for 2019 is ‘A Collaborative Approach to Regional Security’.
• The conference will bring together Air Chiefs from across the Indo-Pacific region who will provide perspectives on common
challenges faced and on shared mutual interests.
VP Naidu launched new Rotavirus vaccine
• Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu launched the new Rotavirus vaccine: ROTAVAC-5D designed and developed by Bharat Biotech
in New Delhi on 3 Dec 2019.
• India is firmly committed to ending morbidity and mortality in children caused due to diarrhoea by 2022.
• The first generation, Rotavirus vaccine, ROTAVAC has been developed under a Public-Private Partnership with the Department of
Biotechnology.
International Volunteer Day: 5 December
• The International Volunteer Day (IVD) is observed across the world on 5 December every year.
• The theme for 2019 is ” Volunteer for an inclusive future”.
• The theme highlights Sustainable Development Goal 10 (SDG 10) and the pursuit of equality including inclusion through
volunteerism.
• In December 1985, The United Nations General Assembly first approved and started the celebration of the day.
World Soil Day: 5 December
• World Soil Day is celebrated annually on the 5th of December at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy.
• The theme for 2019 is “Stop soil erosion, Save our future”.
• The day aims to raise awareness of the importance of sustaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being.
‘Eat Right Station’ certification for Mumbai
• The Mumbai Central station of Railways was conferred with the ‘Eat Right Station’ certification.
• It has got four stars rating by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), as a part of ‘Eat Right India’ movement
launched in 2018.
• The Mumbai Central Railway Station is the country’s 1st Eat Right Station.
• It was judged on the basis of compliance of food safety and hygiene, etc.
1st maritime museum to come up in Gujarat
• A National Maritime Heritage Museum at Lothal, a Harappan site on the Saurashtra coast in Gujarat will be set up soon.
• The museum will also be an independent research centre of underwater archaeology for the reconstruction of maritime history,
archaeology of boat building and materials traded.
• The museum is being set up with technical help from the Portuguese Maritime Heritage Museum.
KVGB signed MoU for bancassurance
• Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) and Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company Ltd. signed an
MoU for bancassurance.
• It has been signed for selling life insurance products through the branches of KVGB.
• As per the pact, KVGB will market wide range insurance products of the Canara HSBC through its 636 branches in 9 districts of
Karnataka.
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MoU signed between Film Div. and BookMyShow

• National Museum of Indian Cinema, NMIC tickets will now be available on BookMyShow.
• A MoU for online ticketing of NMIC was signed between Films Division and BookMyShow in New Delhi on 4 Dec 2019.
• NMIC, the only museum in India dedicated to the cinema is an institution of national importance and was inaugurated by the PM
Narendra Modi in January 2019 at Films Division complex, Mumbai.
Meghalaya: 3-day North East Food Show began
• In Meghalaya, the 3-day-long North East Food Show which is the biggest ever food show of the region, began on 4 Dec 2019 at
Polo Grounds, Shillong.
• The Show is a platform for entrepreneurs of the North-East to meet and interact with National and global majors of the Food &
Beverage Industry.
• It is being jointly organized by the Meghalaya Government in association with SIAL India.
Virat regained no.1 spot in ICC Test rankings
• India captain Virat Kohli regained the top spot in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Test rankings in batting.
• Cheteshwar Pujara has held on to his fourth spot, while Ajinkya Rahane has come down a spot to sixth in the latest batting.
• Among the bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah is the highest-placed Indian at the 5th position.
• Jason Holder is at the top of the all-rounders' list.
Shashini won gold in Chess Championship
• Shashini Puvi from Karnataka won a gold medal in the recently held National Schools Chess Championship in Aurangabad.
• Mumbai girl Myrah Sachdev has bagged the silver medal in the championship.
• While Myrah finished on 7.5 points out of possible nine, Shashini's score was eight in the end.
• Myrah will officially represent India in the Asian and World Schools Chess Championships.
India won 34 Gold in South Asian Games
• At the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal, India topped the medals tally on the fourth day with 70 medals comprising 34 gold, 23
silver and 13 bronze.
• On the fourth day of games, India clinched 28 medals including 17 gold.
• Athletics grabbed maximum 10 medals including 5 Gold.
• In Tennis, Table Tennis, Kho-Kho, Indian men's and women's teams won gold each.
2-day meeting between India & Bangladesh held
• A 2-day-long meeting between Shipping Secretaries of India and Bangladesh began in Dhaka on 4 Dec 2019.
• The two countries will discuss issues like land port facility, transhipment fees, dredging of navigational rivers among others.
• Bangladesh and India will also discuss ways to improve immigration and customs arrangement and management of passenger
and cruise ships.
SC/STs reservation in Lok Sabha approved
• The Union Cabinet approved a proposal to extend reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the Lok
Sabha and State Assemblies for another 10 years.
• There are 84 members from the Scheduled Caste and 47 from the Scheduled Tribe communities in Parliament.
• In state assemblies across India, there are 614 SC members and 554 ST members.
Parliament passed a bill
• Parliament has passed the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorized
Colonies) Bill, 2019.
• The bill provides for a legal framework to grant ownership rights to more than 40 lakh people living in unauthorised colonies in
Delhi.
• The title of the land after regularization will be made either in the name of the women or jointly with women.
Union Cabinet cleared Citizenship Bill
• The Union Cabinet has cleared the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
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• The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to make illegal migrants of six communities from
Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan eligible for Indian citizenship.
• The communities are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians.
PM Modi, Maldivian Presi inaugurated projects
• PM Narendra Modi and Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih jointly inaugurated four key development projects through
video conferencing on 4 Dec 2019.
• One of the projects includes the lighting up of Male using LED lights.
• Another project is the launch of the RuPay card in Maldives.
• Three fish processing plants were inaugurated and a Fast Interceptor Craft was gifted to the Maldives.
MoU between ECI & EC of Maldives approved
• Cabinet has approved an MoU between Election Commission of India and Election Commission of Maldives on cooperation in the
field of Electoral Management and Administration.
• This includes exchange of knowledge and experience in the field of organizational and technical development of electoral
process, etc.
• The proposed MoU will promote bilateral cooperation.
Cabinet approved Bills
• The Union Cabinet has approved Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019.
• Cabinet has also approved the withdrawal of Jammu And Kashmir Reservation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019.
• It has also given its nod to The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
• The bill seeks to amend the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizen Act, 2007.
New Delhi to host 2020 National Sikh Games
• National Sikh Games 2020 will be hosted in January 2020 across various venues in New Delhi.
• Modelled replica of Australian Sikh Games, National Sikh Games will feature around 2500 athletes from 10 states of the country
for over 3 days, January 9-11, 2020
• The event will be organized by Delhi based philanthropic Jap Jaap Sewa Trust in collaboration with DSGMC.
Govt launched independent directors' databank
• The government launched a databank of independent directors under the companies law.
• It is a move aimed at providing a platform for registration of existing as well as those aspiring to be independent directors.
• The databank portal would be maintained by the Indian Institute for Corporate Affairs (IICA), which comes under the Corporate
Affairs Ministry.
Lionel Messi was conferred an award
• Lionel Messi was named the best player and was awarded the 2019 Ballon d'Or award in Paris.
• He created a world record by receiving the award for the sixth time.
• He broke the record set by Cristiano Ronaldo by winning the trophy five times.
• Lionel Messi won the award earlier in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015.
• Virgil van Dijk was second.
Ex HAND-IN-HAND 2019 to start from 7 December
• India and China will conduct a joint training exercise ‘Hand-in-Hand 2019’ (HiH).
• This will be the 8th edition of the joint exercise.
• The joint drill will take place in Umroi, Meghalaya from December 7-20 2019 and around 100-200 troops from both countries will
be participating.
• The whole drill will focus on joint planning and conducting counter terrorist operations in semi-urban terrain.
25% subsidy for defence industry
• Uttar Pradesh government has decided to provide 25% subsidy and 100% stamp duty waiver for setting up the defence industry
in the state.
• It will also provide all facilities including power, road and fencing of land to the companies that will set up defence industries.
• The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on 3 December 2019.
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Railways Operating ratio worst in 10 years

• The Comptroller and Auditor General’s report stated that the railways recorded an operating ratio of 98.44% in 2017-18.
• The above operating ratio was the worst in the last 10 years.
• Operating ratio is a measure of expenditure against the revenue.
• It shows the operating efficiency of the railway and the health of its finances.
Sweden's King and Queen visited Mumbai
• King of Sweden, Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus and Queen Silvia Renate Sommerlath were on a day-long visit to Mumbai on 4
December 2019.
• The royal couple had a luncheon meeting with Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
• They also participated in a beach cleaning programme at Versova beach along with UN Earth Champion Afroz Shah.
• They visited Doorstep School for under-privileged children.
ADB, India signed 206 million loan agreement
• The Central government and Asian Development Bank have signed a 206 million dollar loan agreement to develop water supply
and sewerage infrastructure in 5 cities of Tamil Nadu.
• It will also strengthen capacities of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) for improved service delivery.
• The project will improve the lives of urban people by providing universal access to water supply and sanitation.
India bagged 10 Gold at South Asian Games
• India dominated the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal by clinching 10 Gold in Athletics, Volleyball, Shooting and Table Tennis.
• In track and field events Archana Suseendran in women's 100m, M. Jashna in high jump, Sarvesh Anil Kushare in men's high jump
and Ajay Kumar Saroj in 1500m won a gold each.
• Overall, in Athletics India won four gold, four silver and two bronze on the opening day.
Sundar Pichai promoted as Alphabet CEO
• Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin announced that they are stepping down from the leadership role of the parent
company Alphabet.
• Google CEO Indian-American Sundar Pichai will be assuming the role of Alphabet CEO, making him one of the most powerful
corporate leaders of the world.
• Sundar Pichai will be the CEO of both Google and Alphabet.
EC to implement a system
• The Election Commission will implement Political Parties Registration Tracking Management System.
• It will be implemented through an online portal to facilitate tracking of status of application by applicants.
• The applicant who is applying for party registration from 1 January 2020 onwards will be able to track the progress of his or her
application and will get status through SMS and email.
48 Universities and HEIs awarded
• 48 Universities and Higher Educational Institutions were given the 3rd Swachhata Ranking Awards at a function in New Delhi.
• The awards were given in various categories like Residential Universities, Non-residential Universities, Technical Universities, and
Government Universities.
• The ranking system is based on various parameters of hygiene like student-toilet ratio, hostel hygiene, etc.
19 lakh DIN deactivated
• Individuals are required to have a DIN issued by the Ministry in order to servto file KYC details under the companies law.
• The Corporate Affairs Ministry has deactivated more than 19 lakh Director Identification Numbers (DIN) as the individuals
concerned failee as a board member of a company.
• In the last 2 financial years, over 4 lakh 24,000 directors were disqualified by the Ministry.
Navy Day celebrated on 4 December
• Navy Day was celebrated on 4 December 2019.
• The day is celebrated in honour of the maritime force's role during the war with Pakistan in 1971 when Indian warships attacked
Karachi port and successfully thwarted Pakistani operations in the western coast.
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• The Day is also celebrated to highlight the achievements and role the Navy plays in securing the country's marine borders.
4th round of Regional Connectivity Scheme-UDAN
• Government has launched the 4th round of Regional Connectivity Scheme - UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) to further enhance
the connectivity to remote and regional areas of the country.
• The focus in this round will be North East Region, Hilly States, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Islands.
• The scheme was launched in Oct 2016, which seeks to provide connectivity to under-served regions.
TRAI revamped mobile number portability rules
• Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has revamped mobile number portability rules, making the entire process faster and
simpler.
• The TRAI has prescribed 3 working days timeline for port out requests within a service area.
• Similarly, 5 working days have been prescribed for requests for port out from one circle to another.
• The new rules will come into effect from Dec 16, 2019.
India, Sweden signed MoU
• India and Sweden signed a MoU for India-Sweden Healthcare Innovation Centre in New Delhi on 3 December 2019.
• The objective of the innovation Centre is to develop an ecosystem of open innovation to which start-ups and the healthcare
delivery stakeholders can use to collaborate and address current and future challenges in the healthcare sector.
SPG (Amendment) Bill passed by the Parliament
• The Parliament has passed the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
• The proposed amendments in the SPG bill will provide security to Prime Minister and members of his immediate family.
• It also passed the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Bill, 2019 which provides for the
merger of Union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
Prithvi-II missile successfully test fired
• India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed surface-to-surface nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile off Odisha coast on 3
Dec 2019.
• The Strategic Forces Command of the Indian Army conducted the user trial of the 350 km range missile.
• The missile weighs about 4,600 kg, is capable of carrying 500 to one thousand kilograms of warheads and is thrust by liquid
propulsion twin engines.
Bharatiya POSHAN Anthem launched
• The Bharatiya POSHAN Anthem was launched by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi on 3 December 2019.
• More than 12 crore women, over six crore men and 13 crore children were reached through various activities undertaken during
POSHAN Maah in September 2018.
• POSHAN Abhiyaan is a government scheme which aims at making India malnutrition free by the year 2022.
Lt Gen P S Rajeshwar took over as C-n-C
• Lt Gen Podali Shankar Rajeshwar took over as the 14th Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman & Nicobar Command (CINCAN).
• He has actively taken part in Operation Meghdoot and Operation Rakshak.
• Before assuming the present appointment, he was Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee
(CISC).
Tony Joseph won a Prize
• English author Tony Joseph won the 12th ‘Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize’.
• He was awarded for his 2018 book, “Early Indians: The Story of Our Ancestors and Where We Came From“.
• The award was instituted in 2008 and it carries a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh along with a trophy.
• The book tells the tale of the people of South Asia through research in six disciplines.
Indigenous Faith Day was celebrated in Tezu
• The Indigenous Faith Day (IFD) 2019 was celebrated on 1 December 2019 in Tezu, Arunachal Pradesh.
• The Day aims to preserve the rich culture and identity of the State.
• The function was presided by Tezu legislator Karikho Kri.
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• The programme was organized by the Indigenous Faith and Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFCSAP) of Tezu.
Ajit Doval awarded the honorary doctorate
• Ajit Doval, the National Security Advisor (NSA), was awarded the honorary doctorate at the Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Central
University (HNBCIJ) convocation ceremony held at Srinagar on 1 Dec 2019.
• Ajit Doval is the 5th National Security Advisor (NSA) to the Prime Minister of India.
• He assumed office on 30 May 2014.
• In 2004-05, he served as the Director of the Intelligence Bureau.
National Pollution Control Day: 2 December
• The National Pollution Control Day is observed on 2 December every year.
• The day is observed to honour the lives that were lost because of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy.
• The day aims to spread awareness among the people about pollution and its control measures.
• The day also creates awareness about the problem caused by increasing pollution.
Person in News
• Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi has submitted his resignation to Parliament amid ongoing anti-government protests
across the country.
• Former deputy governor of RBI, HR Khan has been appointed as the first chairman of the steering committee of the Code for
Responsible Lending (CRL) in micro-credit. The CRL is a self-regulatory step for the micro-credit industry.
Government launched a drive
• The government has launched a drive to enroll 1 crore beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM)
and the National Pension Scheme for Traders and Self Employed Persons (NPS-Traders) by March 2020.
• Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar launched the drive at a function to mark the celebrations of Pension
week.
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
• The UN observes International Day for the Abolition of Slavery on 2 Dec every year.
• The day focuses on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms
of child labour, forced marriage, etc.
• According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) more than 40 million people worldwide are victims of modern slavery.
Lewis Hamilton won Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
• Mercedes racer Lewis Hamilton has won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix held in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
• He has claimed his 84th career victory.
• Hamilton's victory was his 11th of the 21 races that have been held this season.
• Max Verstappen of Red Bull finished 2nd in the race while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished 3rd in the race.
Defence Minister addressed a conclave
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the Armed Forces Flag Day-CSR Conclave in New Delhi on 2 Dec 19.
• The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Conclave was a unique initiative of the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry
of Defence.
• It created awareness about the challenges faced by the Ex-Servicemen and how the corporate sector can play an important part
in their resettlement.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
• International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed every year on 3 December.
• This day promotes the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development and to increase
awareness.
• The theme for 2019 is - Promoting the Participation of Persons with Disabilities and their leadership: Taking Action on the 2030
Development Agenda.
35th anniversary of Bhopal Gas Tragedy
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• In MP, several programmes were organized on 3 Dec 2019 in Bhopal to mark the 35th anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy,
one of the worst industrial disasters of the world.
• A large number of people were killed due to the leak of Methyl Isocyanate gas from Union Carbide Plant in Bhopal on the
intervening night of 2nd and 3rd December in 1984.
• Millions of people are still affected due to it.
Multi Media Exhibition organised in Nagaland
• For the first time in the history of Hornbill festival, Bureau of Outreach & Communication, organised a Multi Media Exhibition
commemorating the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Nagaland CM, Neiphiu Rio officially inaugurated the Multi Media Exhibition on 1 Dec 2019 at World War II museum, Kisama in
Nagaland.
• The focus is to present Gandhian values and principles to the people.
Gurpreet Singh, Sunil Kumar clinch gold medals
• In wrestling, Asian Championships silver medallists Gurpreet Singh and Sunil Kumar clinched gold medals on the final day of the
senior national championships in Jalandhar on 1 Dec 2019.
• Gurpreet defeated Sajan Bhanwal, who was representing the Railways, by a 3-1 margin, in the 77 kilogram category.
• Sunil also managed an easy win over Punjab's Prabhal.
UN Climate Change Conference being held
• UN Climate Change Conference is being held from 2 to 13 Dec 2019 in Madrid, Spain.
• The summit brought together over 25,000 delegates from around 200 countries and seeks to reach agreements to tackle the
effects of global warming and keep it within manageable limits.
• The conference will include various important events, such as the 25th Session of the Conference of the Parties.
Global Migration Film Festival held in Dhaka
• The Global Migration Film Festival was organised in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 2 Dec 2019.
• The day-long festival screened 15 films on the theme of migration and its various aspects.
• The GMFF started in 2016 and this year it is being organised across many cities in the world between 28 November to 18
December 2019.
• The festival was organised by the International Organisation of Migrants (IOM).
NATO leaders met to mark 70th anniversary
• The leaders of North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, met on 3 Dec 2019 to mark the 70th birthday of the organization in
London.
• NATO was founded in 1949 for the collective defence of its members, linking the security of the United States with its European
allies against the Soviet Union.
• The twenty-nine member alliance is the world's biggest military alliance.
Person in News
• Ursula von der Leyen is the first woman to hold the EU's top job as President of the European Commission, which has officially
begun its new five-year term. She succeeded Jean-Claude Juncker.
• Former Hollywood actress Shelley Morrison passed away in Dec 2019. She was best known for playing a memorable maid in the
original run of “Will and Grace” from 1999 to 2006.
Sub Lt Shivangi: 1st woman pilot of Navy
• Sub Lieutenant Shivangi has created history to become the first woman pilot of the Navy.
• A native of Muzaffarpur, Bihar, Shivangi was inducted into the Indian Navy under the Short Service Commission Pilot entry
scheme.
• She was commissioned into the Navy in June 2018.
• A batch of three trainee officers of the 7th Dornier Conversion Course including a lady officer qualified as Dornier pilots.
Nationwide vaccination drive launched
• Nationwide vaccination drive to prevent 8 diseases under Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0 was launched on 2 Dec 2019.
• It is aimed at immunizing children under the age of 2 years and pregnant women against eight vaccine preventable diseases.
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• The IMI covers vaccines for diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles, meningitis and Hepatitis B.
Senior Wrestling National C'ships in Jalandhar
• Star wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik registered convincing wins in the finals to claim gold medals at the Senior
Wrestling National Championships in Jalandhar.
• Phogat beat 20-year-old Haryana’s Anju 7-3 in the 55kg category
• Olympic bronze medallist Malik defeated Radhika of Haryana 4-2 in the 62kg category
S Verma loses to Wang Tzu Wei in men's singles
• Indian shuttler Sourabh Verma's at the Syed Modi International tournament came to an end after he lost in straight games to
Chinese Taipei's Wang Tzu Wei in the men's singles final
• Syed Modi International tournament held in Lucknow.
• Wang Tzu Wei world rank is 22 ,Whereas Sourabh Verma's is 36
Residential Coaching Prgms for Sportspersons
• Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports provides for training identified talented sportspersons in the age group of 8-25 yrs.
• At present 14669 sportspersons are getting training under various schemes, Out of these 8701 sportspersons are getting full-time
residential training.
• The athletes undergo regular sports training in the morning and evening sessions under the expert guidance of coaches.
Sports Events for Women
• All sports promotional schemes and facilities of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports are equally available and accessible to
women athletes.
• Under the “Sports for Women” vertical of Khelo India Scheme, this Ministry has decided to launch “Khelo India Football Girls
League” in Under-17 age group.
• Khelo India is National programme for development of sports.
Govt preps up for cybersecurity policy upgrade
• India is ready to update its cybersecurity policy and as a first step towards formulating the new document National Cybersecurity
Strategy 2020
• National Security Council Secretariat through a well-represented Task Force is in the process of formulating the policy
• The proposed vision is "to ensure a safe, secure, trusted, resilient and vibrant cyberspace for our nation’s prosperity".
Tech, service firms gear up for FASTag
• While the transport ministry has given a two-week extension to the roll-out of electronic toll collection FASTags across the NH
• Several tech companies said sales of FASTags have almost tripled in the last few days.
• Fintech giant Paytm claimed it is selling more FASTags than all the banks put together on a daily basis. As a part of the National
Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) programme.
New potential breast cancer drug identified
• Indo-American researcher have identified a molecule that can help treat breast cancer.
• It works by a unique mechanism - in this case, a molecule that targets a protein on the oestrogen receptor of tumour cells.
• It offers hope for patients whose breast cancer has become resistant to traditional therapies.
SA takes over G20 presidency from Japan
• Saudi Arabia became the first Arab nation to take over the G20 presidency as it seeks to bounce back onto the world stage
following global uproar over its human rights record.
• G20, which SA takes over from Japan, will see it host world leaders for a global summit in its capital next Nov 21-22.
• The G20 is an intl forum for the govt and central bank governors from 19 countries and the EU
India to make entire Haj process digital
• India has become the first country to make the entire process for pilgrims going on Haj completely digital.
• An online application, e-visa, Haj mobile app, 'e-MASIHA' health facility, "e-luggage pre-tagging" providing all information in India
regarding accommodation and transportation in Mecca and Madina will be given to 2 lakh Indian Muslims going for Haj in 2020.
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GST council to bring Petrol products under GST

• FM Nirmala Sitharaman said her predecessor Arun Jaitley had piloted the move to bring Petroleum products and diesel under
GST.
• She also said that the final decision can be taken only by the GST council.
• There is already a provision to bring petroleum products and diesel under GST regime but it was up to the GST council to take a
final call on the rates.
13th South Asian Games in Kathmandu
• President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari declared games open in a glittering ceremony at Dasaratha Rangshala in Kathmandu.
• Over 2700 athletes from seven South Asian Countries participated in the march past.
• 2715 athletes will compete for 1119 medals including 319 Gold in 26 game categories.
• India is represented by 487 athletes. The closing ceremony will be held on 10th December.
NSE, BSE suspend Karvy's trading license
• The NSE suspended Karvy Stock Broking Ltd’s trading licence for all segments due to non-compliance with exchange and
Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) norms.
• The BSE,MCX and MSEI have also suspended the licence of the brokerage firm.
• The markets regulator estimates the misuse of client securities by the broker at ₹2,800 crore, 40% more than the ₹2,000 crore it
determined
VP to Confer Awards towards empowerment of PwD
• The VP M. Venkiah Naidu will be the Chief Guest at a function to celebrate “International Day of Persons with Disabilities” on 3rd
December 2019 in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
• He will confer the National Awards on Individuals, Institutions, Organizations and State/District etc. for their outstanding
achievements and work done towards empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
New res adopted on ‘Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat’
• The ‘Sahyog Sankalp’ resolution was adopted in the Valedictory Session of the two-day Regional Conference on ‘Ek Bharat
Shreshta Bharat’ with focus on ‘Jal Shakti and Disaster Management’
• It was organized by the DARPG in collaboration with Governments of Tamil Nadu and Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.
• DARPG stands for Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances
Hari Mohan takes over as Chairman, OFD
• Hari Mohan has taken over the charge as Chairman, Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) from Saurabh Kumar.
• He is 1982-batch Indian Ordnance Factories’ Service (I.O.F.S.) officer with PG in Mech Engg.
• He was also awarded the ‘Ayudh Ratna’ award in 2018 for his services at the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF)
• IOFS officers are Gazetted (Group A) defence-civilian officers under the Ministry of Defence.
Harsh Vardhan inaugurates World AIDS Day Event
• Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the World AIDS Day event, organised by the NACO
• He commended the immense contribution of the partner communities who have played a yeoman role in spreading information
about the disease, to dispel misinformation and helped people to access testing and treating services.
• NACO stands for National AIDS Control Organization
• Theme : Communities make the difference
Exercise Mitra Shakti -VII:2019
• The 7th edition of Ex MITRA SHAKTI- 2019 aimed at enhancing interoperability and operational efficiency amongst the armies of
both India and SL
• It is deployed as part of UN peacekeeping forces commenced on 01 Dec at Aundh Military Station,Pune.
• The objective of the Ex is to build and promote positive relations and sub-unit-level training on counter-insurgency and counter-
terrorism operations
S Dhotre inaugurates the India Pavilion at IBF
• Sanjay Dhotre, MoS for HRD inaugurated the India Pavilion at the International Book Fair at Guadaljara, Mexico.
851 | P a g e
• India is the ‘Guest of Honour Country’ in this book fair, and it is the first Asian country to have received this honour.
• This fair, which is called Feria Internacional del Libro de Guadaljara in Spanish, is the biggest book fair in the Spanish-speaking
world.
D Fadnavis elected MAH Leader of Opposition
• Former BJP CM Devendra Fadnavis was elected unopposed as the Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
• Speaker Nana F. Patole announced the name of Fadnavis to the prestigious post.
• He was elected as the 1st-ever BJP CM of Maharashtra in Oct 2014 and later sworn-in again in Nov'19, which collapsed in barely
80 hrs
AAI recommends Centre to privatise 6 airports
• AAI has recommended the Centre to privatise airports at Amritsar, Varanasi, Bhubaneswar, Indore, Raipur and Trichy.
• In Feb, the first round of airport privatisation, the Adani Group bagged the contract for all six airports.
• The Cabinet had approved the leasing out of Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Mangalore airports to Adani Group and yet to approve
the leasing out of the other three.
New Sebi framework to boost depository receipt
• Sebi has issued a new framework for the issue of depository receipts for greater exposure to world markets for raising capital and
enhancing their shareholder base.
• DRs are foreign currency-denominated instruments, issued by a foreign depository backed by securities of an issuer.
• Ajay Tyagi is the chairman of SEBI
GST collection in Nov crosses Rs 1 lakh crore
• The Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection in November crossed Rs 1 lakh crore
• After dropping below the Rs 1 lakh crore level for three consecutive months amid a deceleration of economic growth.
• November's GST collection stood at Rs 1,03,492 crore, of which CGST was Rs 19,592 crore, SGST Rs 27,144 crore, IGST collections
stood at Rs 49,028 crore, according to a Finance Ministry statement.
Naval Tejas gets ready to operate by March
• The naval version of Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) set a landmark by taking off with the added weight of weapons on board
two long-range and two close combat air-to-air missiles.
• The Tejas prototype took off from the Navy's Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF)
• Restraining gear locked the fighter's wheels as the engine revved up to maximum power.
China introduces mandatory face scans for Mob
• China will require telecom operators to collect face scans when registering new phone users at offline outlets.
• Though the Chinese government has pushed for real-name registration for phone users since at least 2013 ,meaning ID cards are
linked to new phone numbers
• Researchers have warned of the privacy risks associated with gathering facial recognition data.
3rd Edition of KIY Games Logo Launched
• The third edition of Khelo India Youth Games-2020 Logo was launched by Sonowal, CM of Assam in presence of Kiren Rijiju,
Union Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports.
• The Mascot, Jersey and Theme song of the event was also launched at Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium,
Sarusajai.
• The Khelo India programme has been introduced to revive the sports culture in India.
Fish Species Discovered In Meghalaya
• A fish species, that has a scientific name Schistura syngkai was discovered in Meghalaya's West Khasi Hills district.
• Prof. Mukhim said both sexes of the fish have golden-brown bodies with blackish lateral stripes and slightly emarginate tail fins.
• The specimens of the fish have been sent to Zoological Survey of India in Kolkata and Gauhati University Museum of Fishes in
Guwahati.
Scientists Promise New Cow Breed By 2020
• Scientists announced that farmers can breed more environment-friendly cattle by 2020, as per international reports.
852 | P a g e
• Scientists have reportedly stated the carbon emissions of the livestock industry can be brought down by breeding cows which
grow faster but consume less.
• This new breed of cows will reportedly cut methane emissions up to one-third of its current emissions.
Nana Patole Elected As Speaker Of MAH Assembly
• Maha Vikas Aghadi Speaker nominee Nana Patole has been elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly.
• This development occurred after BJP withdrew its nominee Kisan Kathore out of the race citing it did not want any controversy in
the Speaker election.
• The Uddhav Thackeray-led government had nominated the Congress leader unanimously on Saturday ahead of the floor test.
PM wishes people of Nagaland on Statehood Day
• Nagaland people celebrates its 57th Statehood Day.
• On this day in 1963, the State of Nagaland came into existence as the 16th State of the Union of India.
• In 1957, Naga leaders and the central government reached an agreement to create a separate region of the Naga Hills. The State
of Nagaland Act, 1962, was enacted by the Parliament to give Nagaland statehood.
PM greets BSF personnel on BSF’s Raising Day.
• The BSF celebrates 55th Raising Day. To mark the day, a parade was organised, which was attended by MoS Home Affairs
Nityanand Rai.
• BSF established on 1st Dec 1965. It is a paramilitary force charged with guarding India's land border during peacetime and
preventing transnational crime.
• It currently stands as the world's largest border guarding force.
Soma Roy Burman takes charge as new CGA
• Soma Roy Burman, a 1986-batch Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) Officer, took charge as the new Controller General of
Accounts
• She is the 24th Controller General of Accounts (CGA) and is the seventh woman to hold this coveted position.
• Prior to assuming the charge of CGA, Smt. Burman served as Additional Controller General of Accounts in the office of CGA
India conducted the 1st night trial of nuclear
• India conducted the first night trial of nuclear-capable long-range ballistic missile Agni-III from the Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha
coast.
• Agni-III is the mainstay of India's nuclear arsenal.
• The missile has a strike range of 3,000 km to 5,000 km and is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads
weighing up to 1.5 tonnes.
MIN Rajnath reviews Passing Out Parade at NDA
• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh reviewed the Passing Out Parade of the 137th course at the NDA in Pune.
• He stressed on the need to remain prepared to deal with terrorism as well as the new threats of the 21st century, including
cyber-threats and hate-filled ideologies.
• The President’s Gold medal was awarded to Academy Cadet Capt. Majji Giridhar for being first in overall order of merit.
Vice Admiral SR Sarma takes over as CWP & A
• Vice Adm SR Sarma takes over as Controller Warship Production and Acquisition from Vice Adm AK Saxena
• He is the controller of acquisition of all ships and submarines under production at shipyards both Indian and foreign.
• He heads the design directorates of the Navy responsible for designing ships, submarines and also the steering directorates
project ships and submarines under construction.
President of India Inaugurates ICRACCIT 2019
• President inaugurates the International Conference on Recent Advancement in Computer Science, Communication and
Information Technology organized at PSIT, Kanpur.
• He said Technology is very much woven in the genes of this great city and always has had a unique relationship with the
advancement of tech.
• He also mentioned that the Kanpur is now called the “Leather City of the World”.
853 | P a g e
Jitendra inaugurates Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat

• Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurates conference on ‘Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat’ with focus on Jal Shakti and Disaster Management in
Jammu
• He said the Central Government committed to reaching the last man in the queue in J&K
• He also launched the integration of CPGRAMS Public Grievance Portal of Government of India and Awaaz-e-Awam Portal of
Jammu & Kashmir.
Faggan Presides as CG for "Aadi Mahotsav"
• Faggan Singh Kulaste, Hon’ble Minister of State for Steel, was the Chief Guest on 15th day of National Tribal Festival – AADI
MAHOTSAV at a function at Dilli Haat.
• He appreciated the efforts of TRIBES India in providing such marketing platforms to the tribal community across the country to
showcase and sale of Handloom, Handicraft and Natural organic food products developed/grown by them.
Awards announced for MoEFCC-2019
• The Awards for the first-ever MoEF&CC and Centre for Media Studies (CMS) VATAVARAN - 2019 Short Film Competition and
Festival on Environment were presented at New Delhi.
• Prakash Javadekar had announced the festival on 6th June'19 during the celebrations of World Environment Day.
• MoEF&CC -Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
FM:Pipeline of infra projects at ₹100 tn invt.
• FM Nirmala Sitharaman said that the govt will soon announce a set of projects as part of the government’s plan to invest ₹100
trillion in infrastructure over the next five years.
• The minister said officers have almost completed the task of identifying big projects.
• ₹2.5 lakh crore worth of loans has been disbursed in loan outreach programmes held during the weeks of Navratras and Diwali.
Japan Defence Minister visits Hindan air Base
• Japanese Defence Minister Taro Kono visited Indian Air Force(IAF) Base at Hindan UP
• Kono, who is on a two-day bilateral visit to India was received by Air Marshal D Choudhury, Senior Air Staff Officer of Western Air
Command and Air Commodore R Talwar, Air Officer Commanding of Hindan Air Force Station.
• During his visit to IAF station, the Minister was given an overview of IAF station.
854 | P a g e

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Current Affairs Yearly Capsule I

January 2019 .................................................................................................................................................... 3

SEBI: Relaxed Norms for REITs, InvITs

Ministry of Defence Launches ‘RDP INDIA 2019’

• Rajendra Singh is the Director General of ICG.

• The award carries a prize of $25,000.

• He was a militant but later joined the Indian Army in 2004.

ECI will host an International conference

Cosmas & Worknesh clinch men’s, women’s titles

• He was the President of Madagascar from 2009 to 2014.

ISRO launches 'Young Scientist programme'

Biraj Kumar Sarma passes away

Finance Secy gets one-month extension

Namita wins Sushila Devi Literature Award

• The project includes the development of Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur.

29th Indian Paint Conference held in Agra

• She also won a silver at the prestigious 'Strandja Memorial' in Bulgaria.

'Web- Wonder Women' Campaign launched

A stretch of NH 211 inaugurated in Maharashtra

RBI constitutes a committee on digital payment

Golden Globe Awards announced-I

• Justice (Retd) M K Hanjura was appointed as its Chairperson.

Quota for economically backward upper castes

• The Sangh is an association of journalists covering Maharashtra legislature and secretariat.

HDFC MF becomes the largest AMC in India

• Cricket coach Ramakant Achrekar passed away in Mumbai on 2 January 2019.

• The committee will be headed by former SEBI chairman U.K. Sinha.

Defence items not covered under Arms Act

• Rohit Sharma is 3rd in the list with 299 matches.

• The award will be given on 12 March 2019.

• Best Directing - Alfonso Cuarón for Roma.

• The CIC is the highest adjudicating authority in RTI matters.

India and Saudi Arabia signed 5 agreements

BEL unveiled its new product

• He will now report to Laurent Le Moal, CEO, PayU Global.

4th India-Asean Expo Summit begins in Delhi

4 projects launched by Textile Minister

RBI released a warning

PM visited Dhule in Maharashtra

Japan to recognise indigenous Ainu people

Agreement signed between India and World Bank

• Currency: Macedonian Denar.

• It is aimed at enhancing interoperability, strengthening relationships among participating nations.

Registration of marriage of NRI Bill approved

1st LAWASIA Human Rights Conference 2019 held

IRDAI imposes fine on United India Insurance

RBI lowered repo rate to 6.25%

Swine flu claimed 226 lives across the country

Shehri Samridhi Utsav launched

India, EU submit proposal on reform of WTO

ASEAN-India Youth Summit organised

UNSC extends sanctions against CAR

Mithali is first woman to play 200 ODIs

16th Canada-India JWG held in Ottawa

NTPC to set up floating solar power plant

President Kovind reached Bolivia

Manu and Saurabh bagged gold medal

Bharat Consumption scheme launched

Peter Tabichi won Global Teacher Prize 2019

Appointments & Resignations

• He will replace Sanjiv Sarin, who retires on 31 March 2019.

UN warns about crop-guzzling insect

• Special Olympics World Games concluded on 21 March 2019.