JOIN THE DOTS! - Coaching for CAT, CLAT, IPM, UPSC, BANK ... · A CURRENT AFFAIRS SERIES FOR UPSC EXAMINATION Compendium – April 2019 Dear Students, With the present examination

JOIN THE DOTS!A CURRENT AFFAIRS SERIES FOR UPSC EXAMINATION

Compendium – April 2019

Dear Students,

With the present examination pattern of UPSC Civil Services Examination, General Studies papers require a lot of specialization with ‘Current Affairs’. Moreover, following the recent trend of UPSC, almost all the questions are based on news as well as issues. CL IAS has now come up with ‘Join the dots! A current affairs series for UPSC Examination’ series which will help you pick up relevant news items of the day from various national dailies such as The Hindu, Indian Express, Business Standard, LiveMint, PIB and other important sources.

‘Join the dots! A current affairs series for UPSC Examination’ series will be helpful for prelims as well as Mains Examination. We are covering every issue in a holistic manner and covered every dimension with detailed facts. This edition covers all important issues that were in news in the month of April 2019. Also, we have introduced Prelim base question for Test Your Knowledge which shall guide you for better revision. In addition, it would benefit all those who are preparing for other competitive examinations.

We have prepared this series of documents after some rigorous deliberations with Toppers and also with aspirants who have wide experience of preparations in the Civil Services Examination.

For more information and more knowledge, you can go to our website https://www.careerlauncher.com/upsc/

“Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there”

All the best!!

Team CL

Contents1. Induction of in LCU L-56 in the Navy........................................................................... 12. Know! about LCU I -56 .................................................................................................. 13. IIT-Delhi develops AI-based system to detect malaria, other diseases ....................... 14. RBI Allows Non-Residents to Participate In Rupee Interest

Rate Derivatives Market ................................................................................................ 25. Multi Disciplinary Terror Monitoring Group constituted for J&K.............................. 36. India and United States renew Triangular Development

Cooperation in Asia and Africa ...................................................................................... 37. Tripura second in country in child marriage ................................................................ 48. ISRO’s PSLV-C45 places EMISAT, 28 foreign satellites in orbits .............................. 49. Vijaya Bank, Dena Bank to become Bank of Baroda from Apr 1, 2019. ..................... 610. India imposes anti-dumping duty on import of solar cell component ......................... 711. Earth Hour Day 2019: Switch Off the Lights and Join Millions to

“Connect To Earth” ......................................................................................................... 812. Odisha receives GI tag for ‘Kandhamal Haldi’ ............................................................. 813. Supreme Court upholds HC Judgment for higher pension .......................................... 914. World Autism Awareness Day 2019 ............................................................................ 1015. Estonia tops in E-voting with 44% of online votes; .................................................... 1016. Japan names new imperial era as ‘Reiwa’ .................................................................. 1117. Third Edition of Bilateral Maritime Exercise between

Royal Australian and Indian Navies – AUSINDEX-19 ............................................. 1218. NuGen Mobility Summit 2019 ..................................................................................... 1319. State of Global Air-2019 Report released .................................................................... 1320. Acute hunger affecting over 100 million people worldwide: UN, EU Report ............ 1421. United Nations appoints investigation head for Myanmar ....................................... 1522. Supreme Court strikes down RBI circular on debt resolution ................................... 1523. Zayed Medal: PM Modi Conferred with UAE’s Highest Award for Role in

Strengthening Bilateral Relations .............................................................................. 1624. Know! the other major International Awards conferred upon

Prime Minister Modi .................................................................................................... 1725. RBI cuts repo rate by 25 bps ........................................................................................ 1826. Starting May, ISRO to launch a string of ‘defence’ satellites .................................... 1927. World Health Day 2019 ................................................................................................ 2028. National Maritime Day 2019 ....................................................................................... 2029. India’s Electric Mobility Transformation: Progress to Date and

Future Opportunities ................................................................................................... 2130. New Year in different Parts of the Country ................................................................ 2131. Maitri Bridge- Indian Army Sets Record by Building Longest

Bridge on Indus River in Leh within 40 Days ............................................................ 2232. David Malpass named new World Bank president .................................................... 2333. Platinum Jubilee Commemoration of Battle of Kangla Tongbi ................................. 23

34. Indian Army gets first batch of Dhanush artillery guns ............................................ 2535. Indian Army to test AK-203 in carbine role ................................................................ 2536. Lakshmi Vilas Bank announces merger with Indiabulls Housing Finance ............. 2637. Army Commanders’ Conference 2019 ......................................................................... 2638. NIRF Rankings-2019: President Kovind releases NIRF and ARIIA-2019................ 2739. UK govt released ‘Online Harms White Paper’ to regulate online content............... 2840. About 85% of Ujjwala beneficiaries in four States still use earthen stoves .............. 2941. US has announced its intent to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard

Corps (IRGC) and its Quds Force, as a foreign terrorist organisation (FTO) ........... 2942. RBI issues norms for banks to set up Currency Chests ............................................. 3043. India highest recipient of remittances in 2018 with USD 79 billion: World Bank ... 3044. Veer Parivar App: President launches mobile app for

families of martyred CRPF troops ............................................................................... 3145. Climate change threatens lives and futures of over 19 million children in

Bangladesh ................................................................................................................... 3246. IMO’s new rule on electronic information exchange between ships and ports ......... 3347. Meteorite sheds light on the Sun’s infant years ......................................................... 3348. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu set to get fifth term ............................................... 3449. New Zealand votes to ban semi-automatic weapons .................................................. 3550. Bold Kurukshetra, 2019-India, Singapore joint military exercise

kicks off in Babina (Jhansi) ......................................................................................... 3651. PM Modi to Be Honoured with Russia’s Highest Civilian Award ............................. 3652. SC directs political parties to submit electoral bonds receipts to EC ........................ 3753. International Day of Human Space Flight 2019 observed globally ........................... 3754. SpaceX launches its first commercial flight with Falcon Heavy .............................. 3855. Namami Gange gets global recognition at world summit .......................................... 3856. 100 years of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre .................................................................... 3957. UN award for 2 Bengal projects Utkarsh Bangla’ and ‘SaboojSathi’ ........................ 4058. Bamboo rice: The rare variety, which was last harvested in Chandaka-

Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary in 1979, grows twice or thrice in a century ................ 4159. The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and the Indian Space

Research Organisation (ISRO) agreement on wetland protection ............................ 4160. NGT forms Central Monitoring Committee to check river pollution ........................ 4261. State of World Population Report-2019: UNFPA ....................................................... 4362. World’s biggest aircraft successfully takes flight ....................................................... 4363. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF):India to be Guest of

Honour at ADIBF 2019 ................................................................................................ 4464. Bhutan to place bill for ratification of BBIN initiative at its upper senate .............. 4465. Indian Navy launches ‘Virtual Reality Centre’ to boost

warship design capabilities .......................................................................................... 4566. India Successfully Test Fires 1,000-km Range Sub-Sonic

Cruise Missile Nirbhay off Odisha Coast .................................................................... 4667. Cabinet Nod to GSLV Phase-4 Continuation Programme Consisting 5 Rockets ..... 4768. External affairs ministry sets up Indo-Pacific wing ................................................... 4769. Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) planetary-defence mission ..................... 49

70. NASA’s annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge ............................................... 5071. 4th Resilient Cities Asia-Pacific 2019 Congress ......................................................... 5072. WHO raises alarm over 300% increase in case of measles globally .......................... 5173. CubeSat Satellite .......................................................................................................... 5274. Cassini Reveals Surprises with Titan’s Lakes ............................................................ 5275. World Haemophilia Day ............................................................................................... 5376. Out of 180 countries, India’s rank on 2019

World Press Freedom index slips to 140: Reporters Without Borders ...................... 5477. 150 Indian peacekeepers in S Sudan awarded medal of

honour for dedicated service ....................................................................................... 5578. India’s contributions towards UN peacekeeping missions ......................................... 5579. India and France to hold largest ever ‘Varuna’ naval exercise off Goa coast ........... 5580. NASA Telescope Spots Universe’s First Molecule – Helium Hydride ....................... 5681. World Heritage Day 2019 ............................................................................................ 5682. India-Vietnam Naval Exercise .................................................................................... 5783. INS Kolkata, INS Shakti to participate in IFR in China ........................................... 5784. Sri Lanka’s first satellite Raavana-1 was launched into space from

NASA’s Flight Facility on Virginia’s east shore ......................................................... 5885. SC constitutes a special bench to adjudicate sexual

harassment complaint against CJI ............................................................................ 5886. CBSE to allow visual aids for disabled kids from 2020 .............................................. 5887. Indian Navy launches Guided missile destroyer ‘Imphal’ ......................................... 5988. Malaysia to revive 2nd major China-linked project ................................................... 6089. April 22: Global Earth Day observed with theme ‘Protect Our Species’ ................... 6090. Cancer Preparedness Index 2019 released by EIU .................................................... 6191. Asian Tea Alliance ........................................................................................................ 6192. US to end sanctions waivers for all importers of Iranian oil ..................................... 6293. ICMR releases guidelines for Candida Auris infection and treatment ..................... 6394. Mercury has a massive solid inner core: NASA .......................................................... 6395. World Book and Copyright Day 2019 observed globally ............................................ 6496. AYUSH Ministry & CSIR sign MoU for research in areas of

traditional systems of medicine ................................................................................... 6597. SC constitutes three-judge panel to probe case against CJI ...................................... 6598. Government extends ban on import of milk products from China ............................ 6799. Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits (SAECK): MHA distributes

special kits to states, UTs to help probe sexual assault cases .................................. 67100. Despite being 3rd largest, Indian startup ecosystem ranked

even below Estonia, Ireland, Germany ....................................................................... 67101. Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2019 ................................................... 68102. Wakatobi white-eye and the Wangi-wangi white-eye:

Zoologists discovered two new bird species in Indonesia ........................................... 69103. World Intellectual Property Day 2019 ....................................................................... 70104. India pushes African right to permanent membership in UNSC ............................. 70105. NASA Insight Mars lander detects likely ‘mars-quake’ on Red Planet..................... 71

106. UK, India experts explore smart tech solution for Indian farmers ........................... 71107. International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace 2019....................... 72108. Indian Coast Guard Vessel C-441 commissioned ....................................................... 73109. UAE’s Mars probe ‘Hope’ 85 percent completed ......................................................... 73110. China to build moon station in ‘about 10 years’ ......................................................... 74111. Waivers for Iran oil imports end on May 2, won’t impact Chabahar Port Project .. 74112. 29th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair begins; India attends as

Guest of Honour............................................................................................................ 75113. RBI sells entire stake in NHB, NABARD to Government ........................................ 75114. World Day for Safety and Health at Work .................................................................. 76115. US places India on ‘Priority Watch List’ ..................................................................... 77116. RBI to soon issue Rs 20 banknote of Greenish Yellow colour .................................... 78117. RBI extends coverage of NBFC Ombudsman Scheme to

Non-Deposit Taking NBFCs ........................................................................................ 79118. ICMR launches ‘MERA India’ alliance to eliminate malaria from India by 2030 .... 79119. China’s Belt and Road Initiative ................................................................................. 80120. Global Food Policy Report-2019 .................................................................................. 81121. Cyclone naming ........................................................................................................... 82122. World’s first floating nuclear power plant to begin operations .................................. 83

Page: 1 Join the dots! – April 2019

Join the dots! A current affairs series for UPSC Examination

Induction of in LCU L-56 in the Navy

Relevance IN – Prelims (about Landing craft utility)

What’s the NEWS• Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) became the “first Indian shipyard to build and deliver

100 warships

• The 100th warship, a Landing Craft Utility (LCU), is the sixth of an order of eight such vessels from the Navy, the company said in a release.

• Yard 2097 (LCU L 56), the sixth of the class of LCU MK IV ships, have been built and delivered by M/s GRSE Ltd

Know! about LCU I -56• This is the 100th ship delivered by the DPSU in Kolkata. The construction of the ship was overseen by Warship

Overseeing Team, Kolkata.

• Indian Navy’s amphibious operations capability including transport of troops, tanks and equipment will get enhanced with the addition of this Landing Craft Utility which will be based at Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

IIT-Delhi develops AI-based system to detect malaria, other diseases

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the AI based electronic hardware system)

What’s the NEWS• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) based electronic hardware

system to detect malaria, tuberculosis, intestinal parasite, and cervical cancer in milliseconds.

• IIT Delhi declares that their system can be used for healthcare access in resource-constrained areas with limited access to human specialists.

Know! about AI-based system to detect malaria like diseases• The team used nanotechnology to develop a diagnostic support system which can read raw data from blood

samples, patterns of a patient etc and can extract information.

Join the dots! – April 2019 Page: 2

• The system can detect patterns and give accurate answers within milliseconds hence automating the entire system.

• They used nanotechnology to curtail the size of the device. There is no need to connect data to the cloud or public storage instead of local and secure services are required in healthcare

Know! about the Benefits• Several AI softwares exist for healthcare and diagnostic related applications, need of the hour are to efficiently

map these models on portable dedicated low-power, low-cost hardware to enable edge AI systems accessible to all in low resource environment.

• Microscopy is particularly well adapted to low-resource, high disease burden areas.

• In contrast to alternatives such as rapid diagnostic tests, however, microscopy-based diagnosis does depend on the availability of skilled technicians, of which there is a critical shortage.

• As a result, diagnoses are often made on the basis of clinical signs and symptoms alone, which is error-prone and leads to higher mortality, drug resistance, and the economic burden of buying unnecessary drugs.

Know! about Artificial intelligence (AI)• Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ability of a computer program or a machine to think and learn. It is also a field

of study which tries to make computers “smart”.

• They work on their own without being encoded with commands. Artificial intelligence involves many different fields like computer science, mathematics, linguistics, psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy.

RBI Allows Non-Residents to Participate In Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives Market

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the derivative market) + Mains (GS III economic developments)

What’s the NEWS• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allowed non-residents to participate in the rupee interest rate

derivatives market. This decision was taken with a view to deepening the rupee interest rate swap (IRS) market.

• With this decision, non-residents of India can undertake rupee interest rate derivative transactions on recognised stock exchanges, electronic trading platforms and over the counter markets (OTCs).

Know! about RBI’s decision• A non-resident will be allowed to undertake transactions in the rupee interest rate derivatives markets to hedge

an exposure to rupee interest rate risk and other specified purposes.

• Foreign portfolio investors, collectively, can transact in interest rate futures up to a limit of net long position of Rs 5,000 crore.

• RBI, in its first bi-monthly policy for 2018-19 in April, announced to provide access to non-residents into the interest rate swap market with a view to increase participation in the domestic market.

Know! why this step taken by RBI• As observed by RBI when rupee interest rate swap market was most liquid among the interest rate derivatives

market, it lacked depth to enable large banks to manage risks. Also, Indian market has witnessed increasing participation from non-resident players like FPIs in debt.

Know! what is Interest-Rate Derivative• An interest-rate derivative is a financial instrument with a value that increases and decreases based on

movements in interest rates.

• Interest-rate derivatives are often used as hedges by institutional investors, banks, companies and individuals to protect themselves against changes in market interest rates, but they can also be used to increase or refine the holder’s risk profile.

Know! What is interest rate swap• An Interest Rate Swap (IRS) is a financial contract between two parties exchanging or swapping a stream

of interest payments for a ‘notional principal’ amount on multiple occasions during a specified period.


• Such contracts generally involve exchange of a ‘fixed to floating’ or ‘floating to floating’ rates of interest. Accordingly, on each payment date – that occurs during the swap period – cash payments based on fixed/ floating and floating rates, are made by the parties to one another.

Multi Disciplinary Terror Monitoring Group constituted for J&K

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the a Multi Disciplinary Terror Monitoring Group (MDTMG) + GS II (challenges to internal security)

What’s the NEWS• The Government constituted a Multi Disciplinary Terror Monitoring Group (MDTMG) to ensure concerted

action against terror financing and other terror related activities in the State of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

• The group will meet on a weekly basis and submit its action report regularly.

Members of the group• The Additional Director General of Police (CID) of J&K Police will head the MDTMG.

• The MDTMG will have representatives from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Intelligence Bureau (IB), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),National Investigation Agency (NIA), and Income Tax Department.

• The Group has been tasked to take action against hardcore supporters among government employees including teachers who are providing support to terror activities.

• It will identify all key persons including leaders of the organisations who are involved in supporting terrorism in any form.

• It will take coordinated action in all registered cases that relate to terror, terror financing and terror-related activities and bring them to logical conclusion.

• It will investigate networks of various channels being used to fund terror and terror-related activities and will undertake action to stop flow of such funds.

India and United States renew Triangular Development Cooperation in Asia and Africa

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the triangular development cooperation) + Mains (GS II bilateral relations)

What’s the NEWS• India and the United States on March 29, 2019 signed the first amendment to the Statement of Guiding

Principles (SGP) on triangular cooperation for global development.

Know! the Highlights• The SGP agreement, which was signed in November 2014, underscores the contribution of India-US

partnership to global stability and prosperity.

• The agreement provides a framework for promoting cooperation between the two countries to meet the developmental aspirations of partner countries, particularly in Asia and Africa.

• The first amendment to the SGP agreement extends the validity of the pact up to 2021.

• It expands the scope of capacity building activities undertaken jointly by India and the United States under this framework and also provides a consultative mechanism for joint biannual monitoring and review of activities undertaken under the SGP.

Know! the impact of this agreement • Under the agreement, India and US will continue to offer capacity building assistance to partner countries in

multiple sectors, focusing primarily on agriculture, regional connectivity, trade and investments, nutrition, health, clean and renewable energy, women empowerment, disaster preparedness, water, sanitation, education and institution building.

• The agreement will help fulfil the joint commitment of both nations to work together and leverage their combined capacities to provide demand-driven development partnership.


Tripura second in country in child marriage

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the study done on childhood poverty)

What’s the NEWS• According to a new international study on childhood poverty, the north eastern state of Tripura occupies

the second position in India in terms of child marriages among girls between the age of 15 and 19 years.

• The study titled ‘Young lives’, quoting data from the National Family Health Survey (2015-16), reveals that over 80 percent of total child marriages in the state take place in rural areas of three districts.

• The study is a collaborative research project coordinated by a team based at the University of Oxford.

Know! about the Highlights• According to the study, Tripura occupies the second position with respect to highest prevalence of child marriage

among girls aged between 15 and 19 years at 21.6 per cent, which is significantly higher than the national average of 11.9 per cent.

• The study found four districts of Tripura in the list of top 100 districts of the country, which have the highest prevalence of child marriages.

• The report revealed that Tripura’s Dhalai district had 24.7 per cent prevalence of child marriages, which was the highest in the state. The other districts with a high prevalence of child marriage include South Tripura, North Tripura and West Tripura.

• Upon analysis of the number of children born to teenage mothers, the report found that 52 per cent of the married teenage girls have given birth to at least one child, 5.5 per cent had 2 children and one per cent had more than 2 children by the tender age of 19.

Child Marriage in India• Child marriage is a violation of child rights, and has a negative impact on physical growth, health, mental and

emotional development and education opportunities.

• It also affects society as a whole since child marriage reinforces a cycle of poverty and perpetuates gender discrimination, illiteracy and malnutrition as well as high infant and maternal mortality rates.

• Although child marriage has significantly decreased from 47 per cent (2006) to 27 per cent (2016), the rate of decline is slow.

• Limited education opportunities, low quality of education, inadequate infrastructure, lack of transport and therefore concerns about girls’ safety while travelling to school significantly contribute to keeping girls out of school, which is often a major factor that leads up to child marriage.

• In general, rates of child marriage are highest in the central and western parts of India and lower in the eastern and southern parts of the country.

• Other states that have an incidence of child marriage higher than national average include Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Tripura. However, even in states with overall lower prevalence of child marriage, there are often pockets of high prevalence.

ISRO’s PSLV-C45 places EMISAT, 28 foreign satellites in orbits

Relevance IN – Prelims (about PSLV -C45 and EMISAT) + Mains (GS III awareness in the field of space)

What’s the NEWS• The Indian Space Research Organisation on Monday placed Defence Research Development Organisation-

developed electronic intelligence satellite EMISAT and 28 foreign satellites in orbits.

• EMISAT, weighing 436kg, is meant for helping the military locate hostile radars.

• PSLV-C45 — carrying EMISAT, 28 foreign satellites and three scientific instruments — lifted off from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. PSLV placed Emisat in an orbit in a 748 km altitude


• PSLV-C45 successfully injected EMISAT in a 748-km orbit and 28 other satellites in a 504-km orbit as sought by the customers

• The launch vehicle’s fourth and final stage — PS4 — restarted and shut down twice, as the rocket manoeuvred to a 504km orbit.

• A new fourth variant of the launcher, called the QL, was used in this mission. Its first stage was fitted (or ‘strapped on’) with two additional rockets.

• PS4 heads to the third and final orbit plunging from a 508km elliptical orbit to a 485 km circular orbit after the thrusters of the stage were restarted and shut down twice.

• Around two hours after the mission started, the PS4 placed 28 foreign satellites — belonging to the US, Lithuania, Spain and Switzerland – in their orbits.

Know! more about the launch • It was the Polar Satellite Launch

Vehicle’s 47th flight and was one of the longest missions of the launch vehicle around the Earth, lasting nearly three hours.

• The previous longest mission was that of PSLV-C40 in January 2018 which lasted two hours and 21 minutes.

• The launch has many ‘firsts’ to its credit — PSLV used a new variant with four strap-on boosters with each carrying 12.2 tonne of propellent for lift-off, and the rocket moved to three different orbits with the PS4 being restarted four times.

• The four-stage rocket’s final and fourth stage will stay alive for the next six months along with three scientific instruments that will collect data and relay them to the ground station.

• ISRO used a multiple-burn technology where the engine shut down and restarted multiple times within a short period of time allowing the rocket to course to the next orbit with the payloads.

• ISRO has already demonstrated multiple burn technology in at least four previous PSLV launches – PSLV C-35 in September 2016, PSLV-C34 in June 2016 and PSLV-C29 in December 2015 and PSLV-C40 in January 2018.

Know! more about the fourth stage • The fourth stage has three scientific instruments made by three laboratories for three different applications

-- an automatic identification system (AIS) developed by ISRO for maritime applications, an automatic packet repeating system (APRS) developed by AMSAT or Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, India, to assist amateur radio operators and an Advanced Retarding Potential Analyser for Ionospheric Studies (ARIS) made by the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) for atmospheric studies.

• The PS4 stage will remain as an orbital platform, circling the Earth, for the instruments to collect data and relay them to the ground station for the next six months.

• This is the second time that ISRO is converting PS4 as a satellite-like orbital platform. On January 24, PSLV-C44 carried a student satellite in its PS4 which was alive for several hours — powered by batteries — helping the payload conduct microgravity tests.


Vijaya Bank, Dena Bank to become Bank of Baroda from Apr 1, 2019.

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the merger) + Mains (GS III economic developments)

What’s the NEWS• In a first three-way amalgamation, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank will merge with Bank of Baroda (BoB) from

April 1 to create the third-largest lender of the country.


• As a result, branches of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank will function as BoB outlets from Monday onwards.

• Customers including depositors of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank will be treated as customers of Bank of Baroda with effect from April 1, 2019.

• To make merger a smooth affair, the government last week decided to infuse Rs 5,042 crore in BoB to enhance its capital base to meet additional expense.

• According to the Scheme of Amalgamation, shareholders of Vijaya Bank will get 402 equity shares of BoB for every 1,000 shares held. In the case of Dena Bank, its shareholders will get 110 shares of BoB for every 1,000 shares.

Know! more about the consolidation of banks• The government in September last year announced the first-ever three-way consolidation of banks in India,

with a combined business of Rs 14.82 lakh crore, making it the third-largest bank after State Bank of India (SBI) and ICICI Bank.

• The announcement of the three-way merger was among several reforms initiatives undertaken by Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar to make public sector banks (PSBs) healthy, robust and globally competitive.

• As part of the reform process, the government had also announced transfer of majority 51 per cent stake to Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) in IDBI Bank in August last year to transform the Mumbai-based lender.

• Besides, the Department of Financial Services made a record capital infusion of Rs 1.06 lakh crore in the PSBs in the current fiscal.

• As a result five public sector banks including Bank of India, Corporation Bank and Allahabad Bank were out of the prompt corrective action framework of the RBI earlier this year.

• Non-performing assets (NPAs) have shown negative trend in 2018-19 and have reduced by Rs 23,860 crore between April-September 2018.

India imposes anti-dumping duty on import of solar cell component

Relevance IN – Prelims (about anti dumping duty) + Mains (GS III economic developments)

What’s the NEWS• India has levied anti-dumping duty worth up to USD 1,559 per tonne on imports of a certain type of sheet used

in solar cell making from China, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Thailand for five years to safeguard domestic players against cheap shipments.

• The information was shared by the Department of Revenue through a notification. The anti-dumping duty has been imposed after considering the recommendations of the commerce ministry’s investigation arm Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR).

Know! about anti-dumping duty• Nations across the world carry out anti-dumping probes to determine whether their domestic industries have

been hurt because of a surge in cheap imports.


• Following which, anti-dumping duties are imposed as a counter measure to safeguard their domestic market under the multilateral regime of WTO.

• Hence, the anti-dumping duty is aimed at ensuring fair trading practices and creating a level-playing field for domestic producers with regard to foreign producers and exporters.

• The duty, which is in the range of USD 537 to USD 1,559 per tonne, will be imposed on the imports of “Ethylene Vinyl Acetate sheet for solar module” from the select four nations.

• It shall be effective for a period of five years unless revoked, superseded or amended earlier.

• The Directorate General of Trade Remedies had initiated the probe in April 2018 following a complaint by a domestic company.

• In its probe, the directorate had concluded that imposition of the duty is required to offset dumping and injury caused by dumped imports from China, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

• The product is a polymer based component used in the manufacturing of solar PV (Photo Voltaic) modules.

Know! about India’s Solar mission• The imports of components used in solar industry have increased as India launched an ambitious national solar

policy named Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission in January 2010.

• Under this, the country has a target of generating 20,000 megawatts (MW) of solar power by 2022.

• Several countries are interested in supplying solar equipment to tap into the growing sector in India.

Earth Hour Day 2019: Switch Off the Lights and Join Millions to “Connect To Earth”

Relevance IN – Prelims (about Earth Hour Day)

What’s the NEWS• Earth Hour 2019 India: Earth Hour is an opportunity to focus on long-term changes that everyone can make to

do their part for the planet.

• Earth Hour 2019 was witnessed on March 30 by turning off lights at 8:30 pm local time for an hour as a call for global action on climate change.

• The theme of Earth Hour 2019 is #Connect2Earth.

Know! more about Earth Hour• Earth Hour is a global movement that encourages people to conserve power.

• People are encouraged to switch off the lights for half an hour from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM on Saturday, their local time.

• Famous monuments across the world will also observe Earth Hour by switching off the lights.

• Keeping in mind environment and climate change, people are encouraged to switch off unnecessary lights and appliances like fridges, freezers, hot water cylinders, lights, and dryers to conserve energy. Earth Hour is also an opportunity to focus on long-term changes that everyone can make to do their part for the planet.

Origin of Earth Hour• Earth Hour was started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia, in 2007. Since then, it has grown to engage

more than 7,000 cities and towns across 187 countries and territories to raise awareness for energy consumption and effects on the environment.

• World Wide Fund for Nature has partnered with the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to create connect2earth movement.

Odisha receives GI tag for ‘Kandhamal Haldi’What’s the NEWS• Kandhamal Haldi earned the GI tag . The GI tag was primarily developed with the purpose of recognising the

unique identity connecting different products and places


Know! more about Kandhamal Haldi

• ‘Kandhamal Haldi’, a variety of turmeric indigenous to southern Odisha, has earned the Geographical indication (GI) tag from Intellectual Property India, an organisation functioning under the auspices of the Union ministry of commerce & industry.

• Kandhamal Haldi has more oleoresin and volatile oil contents compared to other turmeric varieties.

• Kandhamal Haldi gives strong aroma and has a high medicinal value.

• The recognition coincided with the state’s Foundation Day (Utkal Divas). Odisha, on April 1 1936, was carved out as a separate state in the then British India on a linguistic identity.

• Kandhamal in Odisha’s southern hinterland is famed for its turmeric, a spice that enjoys its pride of place in an array of cuisines. The agricultural product also stands out for its healing properties and arresting aroma.

• Last year, Kandhamal Apex Spices Association for Marketing (KASAM) had moved an application for GI tag for the locally sourced product. KASAM is a registered society involved in processing, value addition and marketing of spices and other products.

• The GI tag was primarily developed with the purpose of recognising the unique identity connecting different products and places. For a product to get GI tag it has to have a unique quality, reputation or characteristic which is attributable to its geographic origin.

Supreme Court upholds HC Judgment for higher pensionWhat’s the NEWS• The Special Leave Petition (SLP) has been dismissed by Supreme Court filed against a Kerala High Court

Judgment setting aside Employee’s Pension (Amendment) Scheme, 2014.

• Earlier Kerala High Court had asked Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to give pension to all employees on the basis of their full salary rather than capping the figure on which contribution is calculated at a maximum of Rs 15,000 per month.

Know! about the case• EPFO amended the act on September 1, 2014 to increase the contribution to 8.33% of a maximum of Rs 15,000.

The amendment reduced the pension of many employees.

• Kerala high court set aside the September 1, 2014 amendment and reinstated the old system of calculating the pensionable salary as the average of the last one year’s monthly salary.

• In October 2016, the Supreme Court directed the EPFO to accept the requests of employees to contribute to the pension scheme on the basis of full salary, with back date, and give pension on full salary.

• Despite Supreme Court’s judgement EPFO refused to accept contributions, stated EPFs are managed by trusts, while they were ready to contribute the due amount.

Employees Pension Scheme (EPS) 1995• The government had introduced the Employees Pension Scheme (EPS) in 1995, under which an employer was

supposed to contribute 8.33% of the employee’s salary in a pension scheme.

• But the contribution was capped at 8.33% of Rs 6,500 (or Rs 541 per month).

• In March 1996, the government amended the act and allowed the contribution to be a percentage of the actual salary, provided the employee and employer had no objection.


• Members of EPFO gets pension benefits when retires at age of 58.

• Minimum service period for availing benefits of EPS is ten years.

• Form 10D gives facility to apply for a monthly pension after retirement.

• Form 10C is used to withdraw EPS amount.

Know! the calculation method• In present system Rs. 1250 (8.33%) is contributed of Rs. 15,000. At present system EPFO has fixed Rs. 15,000

as maximum salary for pension. However, 8.33% of actual salary was proposed.

• Since the employer contributes 8.33% of this salary in the employee’s EPS account, the amount deposited in the EPS account of the employee every month is Rs. 15000 × 8.33/100 = Rs. 1250.

World Autism Awareness Day 2019What’s the NEWS• The World Autism Awareness Day was observed across the world on April 2, 2019 with an aim to encourage the

Member States of the United Nations to take measures to raise awareness about autism throughout the world.

• The theme of World Autism Awareness Day 2018 was “Assistive Technologies, Active Participation”.

• For people suffering from autism, the access to affordable assistive technologies is a must to enable them to exercise their basic human rights and thereby contribute to the understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Assistive technology can help them participate on an equal basis with others.

What is Autism?• Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder is a lifelong developmental disability that manifests itself during the first

three years of life.

• It results from a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain, mostly affecting children and adults in many countries irrespective of gender, race or socio-economic status.

• Autism is characterized by impairments in social interaction, problems with verbal and non-verbal communication and restricted, repetitive behaviour, interests and activities.

• Though there is no cure for it, therapeutic and behavioural guidance can considerably improve quality of life.

When was the day proclaimed?• The day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly through the resolution 62/139.

• The resolution to proclaim World Autism Awareness Day was passed in the UN Council on November 1, 2007.

• It was in 2008 when the UN General Assembly unanimously declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day.

• World Autism Day is also one of the only four official health-specific UN Days.

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Persons with Disabilities• In September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the ambitious new 2030 Agenda for

Sustainable Development, which includes 17 SDGs and 169 targets that promise to leave no one behind.

• While all SDGs are universally applicable, disability and persons with disabilities are explicitly referenced in the following goals:

• SDG 4: Quality Education

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Estonia tops in E-voting with 44% of online votes;What’s the NEWS• Estonia has emerged as a global leader in online voting with 44% of votes in the recently concluded parliamentary

elections in the country. Centre-Right Reform Party emerged victorious with 40% of the e-votes and nearly 30% of the total votes.


• A large number (25%) of e-votes were cast by people over the age of 55, while 20% were cast by people aged between 45 to 54 years. With total 1.3 million of population, 5,61,131 were the total voters while 2,47,232 people preferred for online voting.

Know! about the working • Votes can cast their vote online any time in the seven days before election Day. Online voting is not allowed on

Election Day.

• It requires internet connection on computer or mobile.

• Before going for a final move voters need to download voting application form.

• Then voters need to verify their voter IDs so the voter’s eligibility and registration can be verified.

• Voters must then fill out a digital ballot, sign and submit.

• Before sending it to election servers each vote gets encrypted.

• This server gives facility for changing of choices before Election Day.

E-Voting in Estonia• Electronic voting pioneer Estonia was the first country in the world to use online voting for a national election

in 2005.

• In year 2007 30,243 people voted online for the first time.

• In the same year, in 2007, Estonia introduced a special ID card system that allows people to use their phones to vote.

• In year 2015, online voting system was updated to allow voters to check if their vote was received by server or not.

• Estonia reached at a new high in 2017 with 32% of online voting during municipal elections.

• This year, Estonia becomes first in the world with highest numbers of online voting (44%).

Japan names new imperial era as ‘Reiwa’What’s the NEWS• Japan declared ‘Reiwa’ as the name of its new imperial era that will begin on May 1, 2019 once the new Crown

Prince Naruhito ascends the Chrysanthemum Throne.

• Crown Prince Naruhito will succeed his father Emperor Akihito, who will abdicate the empire on April 30, 2019, putting an end to three decades long ‘Heisei’ era.

• The new era will be the 248th in the history of Japan. The announcement regarding the same was made by Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

• Japan’s emperor has no political power, but remains a highly symbolic figure.

Know! all about the new era - Reiwa• The era name ‘Reiwa’ is drawn from the 7th century poetry collection “Manyoshu”. The name is made up of the

two characters ‘Rei’ and ‘Wa’ that stands for ‘order’ and ‘peace’, respectively.

End of ‘Heisei’ era• The current Japanese era is known as ‘Heisei’ which means achieving peace. The era began on January 8, 1989,

a day after the death of the Emperor Hirohito, when Emperor Hirohito’s son Emperor Akihito acceded to the throne as the 125th Emperor of Japan.

Origin of the concept of Imperial Era Name• Japan imported the imperial calendar system from China about 1,300 years ago in 645 CE. The first era was

named as ‘Taika’ to celebrate the great Taika reform of 645.

• Japan adopted the practice of “one emperor, one era name” with the beginning of ‘Meiji’ era that spanned from 1868 to 1912.

Names of four modern erasThere have been four era names in Japan’s modern period:

• Meiji (1868-1912)


• Taisho (1912-1926)

• Showa (1926-1989)

• Heisei (1989-till now)

Third Edition of Bilateral Maritime Exercise between Royal Australian and Indian Navies – AUSINDEX-19

What’s the NEWS

• The third edition of AUSINDEX, an acronym for Australia India Exercise is scheduled to commence at Visakhapatnam on 02 April 19.

• The aim of the exercise is, “To strengthen and enhance mutual cooperation and interoperability between the IN

and RAN, providing opportunities for interaction and exchange of professional views between the personnel”.

Know! more about the exercise

• A sign of strengthening of bilateral and defence cooperation between the two countries as envisaged in the Framework for Security Cooperation (FSC) announced by the Australian and Indian Prime Ministers in 2014.

• The maiden edition of the exercise was held in September 2015 at Visakhapatnam. Australia hosted the second edition of the exercise off Freemantle in June 2017

• Australia and India have a positive defence relationship, underpinned by the 2006 Memorandum of Defence Cooperation and 2009 Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation.

• However, post the 2014 bilateral FSC the cooperation on defence and security matters between the two countries has gained significant momentum thus, witnessing conscious and focussed enhancements.

• The complexity of the biennial maritime exercise over the past four years has steadily increased.

• The third edition would involve exercises in all three dimensions with focus on anti- submarine warfare (ASW).

• The number of units being fielded by both navies in the bilateral exercise is the highest till date.

• The increased scale of participation signifies the importance attached to the exercise by both countries while the enhanced complexity is indicative of the interoperability between the two navies.

• Overall, the exercise underscores India’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and shared objectives of the two countries towards ensuring good order in the maritime domain and solidarity with friendly and harmonious countries.


NuGen Mobility Summit 2019What’s the NEWS• The International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) is organizing a NuGen Mobility Summit, 2019,

Know! about the summit• The objective of the Summit is to share new ideas, learnings, global experiences, innovations and future

technology trends for faster adoption, assimilation and development of advanced automotive technologies for a smarter and greener future.

• This event will help in building a platform for bringing together all stakeholders in the automotive industry to understand global advancements in technologies.

• The Summit is being organized in association with SAENIS, SAE INDIA, SAE International, NATRiP, DIMTS, Department of Heavy Industry, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, SIAM and ACMA. More than 2500 participants and over 250 exhibitors are expected to take part in the Summit.

• The event aims to bring together the automotive OEMs, professionals, researchers, academic experts, vehicle system suppliers, test equipment supplier, quality managers, product planners, component developers, SAE members and students from all over the world.

Know! about ICAT centre• ICAT Centre-II is under brisk renovation to create a world-class state-of-the-art facility for organizing such

significant and sizeable events for the automotive fraternity.

• Several kinds of tracks such as coast down track, oval track, abs track, hill track and flood track will be available for demonstrations and events.

• ICAT Manesar is a division of NATRIP Implementation Society (NATIS) under the Department of Heavy Industries, Government of India.

• It provides services for testing, validation, design and homologation of all categories of vehicles and has a mission to assist the automotive industry in adopting cutting edge technologies in vehicle evaluation and component development to ensure reliability, durability and compliance to the current and future regulations in new generation mobility solutions.

State of Global Air-2019 Report releasedWhat’s the NEWS• Two US based institutes Health Effects Institute (HEI) and Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)

recently released a detailed report on quality of the global air with title, “State of Global Air-2019”.

• Report indicates that India and China are collectively accounted for more than fifty percent of global 5 million deaths due to air pollution.

• State of Global Air 2019 report also said that in 2017, exposure to PM 2.5 pollution was found to be the third leading risk factor globally for Type 2 diabetes.

Know! about India specific findings• A recent analysis by HEI found that major PM2.5 sources in India include household burning of solid fuels;

dust from construction, roads, and other activities; industrial and power plant burning of coal; brick production; transportation; and diesel-powered equipment.

• An estimated 846 million people in India (60% of the population) and 452 million people in China (32% of the population) were exposed to household air pollution in 2017.

• Pollution Sources (GBD MAPS) project found that in India, household burning of biomass was responsible for about 24% of the total population-weighted PM2.5 concentrations in 2015.

Diabetes and Air Pollution• According to the report by Health Effects Institute (HEI) and Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation

Globally, such exposure contributed to about 2.76 lakh deaths and 15.2 million life years lost to disability in 2017.

• This burden was highest in India, where it accounted for 55,000 deaths and 2.7 million life years lost.


• The economic costs of diabetes are substantial — estimated as 1.8% of worldwide gross domestic product in 2015 and pose a growing challenge to health care systems in countries at all levels of development.

• Type 2 Diabetes represents a substantial, growing, and costly health burden. In 2017, the disease accounted for more than 1 million deaths globally and burdens have increased by 175% and 141%, respectively, since 1990.

Other findings• In 2017, annual PM2.5 exposures were highest in South Asia, where Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan

had the highest exposures.

• Bhutan’s exposure level was the lowest in the region but was still above WHO’s first interim target.

• The 10 countries with the lowest national PM2.5 exposure levels were the Maldives, United States, Norway, Estonia, Iceland, Canada, Sweden, New Zealand, Brunei, and Finland.

• Ozone pollution is a continuing challenge in more developed countries and is increasing in less developed areas, posing new air quality concerns.

• Air pollution collectively reduced life expectancy by 1 year and 8 months on average worldwide, a global impact rivaling that of smoking. This means a child born today will die 20 months sooner, on average, than would be expected in the absence of air pollution.

Global measures to reduce household emission• In China, the government banned the use of coal for household cooking and heating in municipalities around

Beijing in favour of a switch to natural gas.

• The effort stemmed from the emissions benchmarks established in China’s Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan, issued in 2013.

• Although households represent a relatively small proportion of China’s overall coal use, in-home coal stoves lack the filtering systems used by coal-fired power plants, making homes an important contributor to coal-related emissions.

• In India, a sweeping government effort seeks to shift more households to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) instead of biomass fuels.

• While many families can afford subsidized LPG fuel, the fee for installing a household LPG hookup can be prohibitive. The government initiative, known as Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), provided LPG connections to 35 million poor families free of charge between 2016 and early 2018 and aims to provide 80 million connections by 2020.

Acute hunger affecting over 100 million people worldwide: UN, EU ReportWhat’s the report say-• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP) and EU “Global Report on Food

Crises 2019”, shows that more than 100 million people worldwide are facing acute hunger and number is rising.

• Report finds that around 113 million people in 53 countries experienced acute food insecurity in 2018, compared to 124 million in 2017.

• According to the report, from 2014 to 2020, the EU will have provided nearly 9 billion Euros for initiatives on food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture in over 60 countries.

Know! the findings of the report• The figure of 113 million people facing food crises is down slightly from the 124 million figures for 2017.

• However, the number of people in the world facing food crises has remained well over 100 million in the last three years, and the number of countries affected has risen.

• Moreover, an additional 143 million people in another 42 countries are just one step away from facing acute hunger.

• Nearly two-thirds of those facing acute hunger are in just 8 countries: Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. In 17 countries, acute hunger either remained the same or increased.

• Climate and natural disasters pushed another 29 million people into acute food insecurity in 2018. And 13 countries – including North Korea and Venezuela – are not in the analysis because of data gaps.


Know! about the report• The Global Report is produced each year by the Global Network Against Food Crises, which is made up of

international humanitarian and development partners.

• This year’s report is being presented at a two-day high-level event, ‘Food and agriculture in times of crisis’ that held at Brussels.

What is acute food insecurity?• Acute food insecurity is when a person’s inability to consume adequate food puts their lives or livelihoods in

immediate danger. It draws on internationally accepted measures of extreme hunger, such as the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) and the Cadre Harmonise.

What is chronic hunger?• Chronic hunger is when a person is unable to consume enough food to maintain a normal, active lifestyle over an

extended period. The FAO’s most recent State of Food Security and Nutrition report, in September 2018, found that 821 million people on the planet are going hungry.

United Nations appoints investigation head for MyanmarWhat’s the NEWS• The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres on April 2, 2019 announced the appointment of Nicholas Koumjian

of the United States as the head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar.

• International criminal justice lawyer Nicholas Koumjian will serve as the first head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism (IIM) for Myanmar, which was established by the Human Rights Council on September 27, 2018 and welcomed by the UN General Assembly in December 2018.

Know! the Objective of the Independent Investigative Mechanism (IIM)• The United Nations has appointed the American prosecutor to lead the effort to collect and analyse evidence

that Myanmar perpetrated crimes against humanity against Rohingyas- the ethnic minority community, over the last eight years.

• The IIM was established in September by the UN Human Rights Council to collect, consolidate, preserve and analyse evidence of the most serious international crimes and violations of international law committed in Myanmar since 2011.

• The creation of the IIM followed earlier calls by UN investigators for Myanmar’s military leaders to be prosecuted for genocide against the Rohingya Muslims of Rakhine state.

• The alleged atrocities committed against the members of this minority community by the Myanmar military has been in the talks ever since over 700,000 Rohingyas including many women and children fled the state to seek refuge in neighbouring nations such as Bangladesh in August 2017.

• The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is currently conducting a preliminary examination of Myanmar’s alleged mass deportation of Rohingyas.

• While the IIM operates independently of any court, it will make its findings available in any case brought against Myanmar military leaders, whether it be by a national court or the ICC.

• Amnesty International on November 12, 2018 stripped Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi of its highest honour, the ‘Ambassador of Conscience’ award, over her indifference to atrocities committed by the Myanmar military against and increasing intolerance of freedom of expression.

Supreme Court strikes down RBI circular on debt resolutionWhat’s the NEWS• The Supreme Court of India on April 2, 2019 struck down the Reserve Bank of India’s February 2018 order

on non-performing assets, as a result of which all cases referred to or admitted under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) due to the RBI order would now be cancelled.

Know! more about the stuck down circular• The apex court struck down the controversial RBI circular mandating resolution of loans of Rs 2,000

crore and above even for a single day as ultra vires.


• The judgement was pronounced on a batch of petitions filed by various industries including power, fertiliser and sugar, challenging the February order.

• Following the Supreme Court order, all the companies either referred or admitted for the resolution process, whichever stage of the proceedings they are, would be treated as they were never referred for insolvency.

• The decision would benefit various sectors that are facing stress including power, sugar and shipping and those companies, which were facing difficulties in honouring their loan commitments.

• However, power companies, including 34 stressed projects with a capacity of about 40,000 MW would be the biggest beneficiaries as it now provides both banks and power generators with more time to resolve their debt.

• The decision comes after several power companies including Essar Power, GMR Energy, KSK Energy, and Rattan India Power as well as the Association of Power Producers (APP) and Independent Power Producers Association of India (IPPAI) had moved the top court in August, challenging the constitutional validity of the February 12 RBI circular.

• The power sector had contended that they were not wilful defaulters and were facing sectoral and market issues, including non-availability of fuel and power purchase agreement (PPAs) and non payment by state utilities issues. They had stated that this hampered their ability to generate revenue and maintain their loan repayment schedule with banks.

Know! about RBI Circular• The February 12, 2018 RBI circular had asked banks and other lenders to either execute a resolution plan for

big stressed accounts or file insolvency petitions against them in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).

• As per the circular, 34 power companies were declared stressed by the standing committee on energy and some of them were referred for insolvency under the new bankruptcy code.

• The RBI had allowed 180 days for debt resolution, failing which the asset would have to be taken to NCLT for initiation of insolvency against them. The deadline for the same had been fixed for August 31, 2018.

Zayed Medal: PM Modi Conferred with UAE’s Highest Award for Role in Strengthening Bilateral Relations

What’s the NEWS• The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said that the award is a marker of the

country’s appreciation for the role Modi has played in furthering bilateral relations between India and UAE.

Know! more about the awards• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with United Arab Emirate’s highest award, the Zayed

Medal, which is given to heads of states, presidents and kings.

• The award was conferred by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Know! about Zayed Medal• The Zayed Medal is the highest decoration of the UAE awarded to kings, presidents and heads of states.


• The honour has previously been conferred on the leaders of several countries including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Queen of the United Kingdom Elizabeth II.

Know! all about India-UAE bilateral relations• India-UAE bilateral relations grew warm and strong after Prime Minister Modi paid a visit to the nation in

2015. Later, the Crown Prince visited India in 2017 as the Chief Guest for Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi.

• Lately, the visit of the PM Modi to UAE in February 2018 helped in providing impetus to the relations. During the visit, both sides set an ambitious target of USD 100 billion in bilateral trade by the year 2020.

• India and UAE are one of the largest trade partners for each other and have made robust investments bilaterally with bilateral trade amounting to almost USD 50 billion in 2017.

• The UAE accounts for 8 percent of India’s oil imports and is the fifth largest supplier of crude oil to India.

• The country is also a part of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which is headquartered in Gurugram, India and hosts a 3.3 million-strong Indian community, which amounts to the largest number of Indians outside India.

• Indians also make up the largest ethnic group in the UAE making up roughly 27 percent of the total UAE`s residents.

Know! the other major International Awards conferred upon Prime Minister Modi

P.M Narendra Modi conferred with first-ever Philip Kotler Presidential Award

• The Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on January 14, 2019 conferred with the first-ever Philip Kotler Presidential Award.

• The Citation mentions initiatives such as Make in India, Startup India, Digital India, and Swachh Bharat, “which have positioned India as one of the most lucrative manufacturing and business destinations in the world.”

About Philip Kotler Presidential Award • The Philip Kotler Presidential Award has been named after Proffessor Philip Kotler, a world renowned Professor

of Marketing at Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management.

PM Narendra Modi awarded with prestigious Seoul Peace Prize 2018 for ‘Modinomics’

• The Seoul Peace Prize Committee on October 24, 2018 conferred the 2018 Seoul Peace Prize on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

• The Committee recognised Modi’s contributions to the growth of the Indian and global economies, crediting ‘Modinomics’ for reducing social and economic disparity between the rich and the poor.

About Seoul Peace Prize• The Seoul Peace Prize was established in 1990 to commemorate the success of the 24th Olympic Games held in

Seoul, Korea which saw participation of 160 nations, creating harmony and friendship.

• The award was established to crystallise the Korean people’s yearning for peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the rest of the world.

• The award has been conferred biennially to individuals who have made their mark through contributions to the harmony of mankind, reconciliation between nations and to world peace.

PM Modi honoured with UN Champions of the Earth Award 2018

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on September 26, 2018 awarded with the prestigious UN Champions of the Earth Award 2018, the highest environmental honour of the United Nations. Modi received the award on October 3, 2018 by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

• Prime Minister Modi was selected in the leadership category for his pioneering work in championing the International Solar Alliance, a global partnership to scale up solar energy

Champions of the Earth Award • The Champions of the Earth award, the UN’s highest environmental recognition, was founded in 2005.


• The award celebrates exceptional figures from the public and private sectors and from civil society, whose actions have had a transformative positive impact on the environment.

• The award also recognises the efforts for promoting new areas of levels of cooperation on environmental action.

PM Modi conferred with ‘Grand Collar of the State of Palestine

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on February 10, 2018 conferred with the ‘Grand Collar of the State of Palestine’ by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, recognising his contributions in promoting relations between India and Palestine.

Grand Collar of the State of Palestine• The Grand Collar is highest order of Palestine given to foreign dignitaries such as Kings, Heads of State or

Government and persons of similar rank.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi awarded with Amir Abdulla Khan Award of Afghanistan

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his brief visit to Afghanistan, was on June 4, 2016 conferred with the Amir Amanullah Khan Award, the highest civilian honour of Afghanistan.

• He was awarded the honour by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani following the inauguration of the landmark Afghan-India Friendship Dam.

Amir Amanullah Khan Award• Amir Amanullah Khan Award is the Highest Civilian honour bestowed by Afghan government to Afghan

national as well as foreigners in appreciation of their services.

• The award is named after the Afghan national hero, Amanullah Khan (Ghazi), who championed the cause of Afghanistan’s freedom.

• The citation on the reverse of the medal reads: “nishan-e dawlati Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan”, or “State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan.”

PM Modi conferred with King Abdullaziz Sash Award of Saudi Arabia

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on April 3, 2016 conferred with the Saudi Arabia’s highest civilian honour ‘King Abdulaziz Sash’ by King Salman bin Abdulaziz at the Royal Court of Saudi Arabia.

King Abdulaziz Sash Award• The King Abdulaziz Sash Award is named after Abdulaziz Al Saud, the founder of the modern Saudi state.

RBI cuts repo rate by 25 bpsWhat’s the NEWS• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on April 4, 2019 released its First Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement 2019-20.

After assessing the current and evolving macroeconomic situation in the economy, the six member- Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to:

• Reduce the policy Repo Rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 basis points to 6 percent from 6.25 percent with immediate effect.

• Consequently, the Reverse Repo Rate under the LAF stands adjusted to 5.75 percent

• The Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate stand at 6.25 percent.

• The MPC also decided to maintain the neutral monetary policy stance. The MPC voted 4:2 in favour of the 25 basis point cut.

• The decision of the MPC was in consonance with the objective of achieving the medium-term target for Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation of 4 percent within a band of ±2 percent.

Know! the highlights of the Monetary Policy• Inflation remained below the RBI’s 4 percent target for 7 months but core inflation, excluding food and fuel.

• The CPI inflation was revised downwards to 2.4 percent in Q4 of 2018-19, around 2.9-3 percent in the first half of 2019-20 and 3.5-3.8 percent in the second half of 2019-20.

• The committee projected GDP growth of 7.2 percent in the financial year 2019-20


Starting May, ISRO to launch a string of ‘defence’ satellites• ISRO is gearing up to launch a slew of advanced military satellites this year that will enhance surveillance

capabilities of security forces

• ISRO is scheduled to launch four new series RISA satellites and an advanced Cartosat-3 satellite

Know! more about the launches

• Starting May, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to send up at least eight earth observation (EO) satellites of varied hues and at the rate of almost one a month.

• Starting 2019 with the lift off of two surveillance satellites for Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), one of which was used as a target for the A-Sat missile test

• Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is gearing up to launch a slew of advanced military satellites this year that will enhance surveillance capabilities of security forces and boost the country’s “strategic assets in space”.

• ISRO is scheduled to launch four new series RISAT satellites and an advanced Cartosat-3 satellite.

• The images from old RISAT-series satellites were used to plan the surgical strike in 2016 and the air strike on a Jaish camp in the past

• In the middle of May, PSLV-C46 rocket will launch Risat-2B and thereafter in the fourth week of June, PSLV-C47 will launch Cartosat-3.

• Cartosat-3 is the advanced version with the capability to zoom up to a resolution of 0.2 metre (20 cm), which is considered the best in the world.

• The resolution of Cartosat-3 will be so refined that it will be able to capture clear images of very small objects like a gun or an enemy bunker.

• Cartosat-3 will have 30 cm resolution, which is at a par with the world’s best, according to public information already put out by ISRO. It means the satellite can clearly ‘see’ and capture images of guns, devices, objects or human movement at that scale from space.

• There are already half-a-dozen Cartosat-2 series satellites in orbit, though these possess a lower resolution capability than the upcoming Cartosat-3.

• RISAT-2BR1 will be launched in July, RISAT-2BR2 in October and Risat-1A in November. Risat-2B series is a lighter version of the spy satellite.

• Radar imaging satellites like India’s RISAT series can provide almost an uninterrupted view of earth, day or night, rain or shine, a handy feature for the forces to detect border infiltration.

• ISRO is going to launch a new series of remote-sensing satellite Geo-Imaging Satellite-1 (GISAT-1) and GISAT-2 in November.

• GISAT will carry a geo-imager with multi-spectral (visible, near infra-red and thermal), multi-resolution (50m to 1.5 km) imaging instruments that will enhance the country’s land mapping capabilities.

• GISAT has both military and civilian use. Till now, old imaging satellites could map a particular area only once in 22 days.

• With GISAT, military can scan or map an area every other day. The satellite will provide near real-time pictures of large areas of the country under cloud-free conditions.

• Besides military satellites, ISRO is also planning to launch high-profile Chandrayaan-2 mission and first demonstration test of the mini-PSLV or SSLV this year.


• Advanced communication satellites like GSAT-20, GSAT-30 and GSAT-32 will also be launched by early next year. GSAT-32 will replace GSAT-6A, which was lost in space after the successful launch due to a communication failure and was meant to mainly serve ground forces.

World Health Day 2019

Relevance IN – Prelims(about World health day) + Mains (GS II – issues relating to development and management of social sectors relating to health

Universal health coverage• It is WHO’s number one goal. Key to achieving it is ensuring that everyone can obtain the care they need, when

they need it, right in the heart of the community.

• Progress is being made in countries in all regions of the world. But millions of people still have no access at all to health care. Millions more are forced to choose between health care and other daily expenses such as food, clothing and even a home.

• This is why WHO is focusing on universal health coverage for this year’s World Health Day, on 7 April.

Know! more about World Health day • Observed worldwide on the 7th of April with the theme “Universal health coverage”. The theme Universal

health coverage seeks to ensure that everyone can obtain the care they need, when they need it, right in the heart of the community.

• World Health Organisation (WHO) notes that even though progress is being made in countries in all regions of the world millions of people still have no access at all to health care and are forced to choose between health care and other daily expenses such as food, clothing and even a home.

• The theme Universal health coverage reminds world leaders that everyone should be able to access the health care they need, when and where they need it.

• The World Health Day is celebrated on April 7, 1948 to commemorate the establishment of WHO which came into being to address vital health care issues. WHO is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

National Maritime Day 2019What’s the NEWS• The National Maritime Day 2019 was observed on April 5, 2019. The theme of the National Maritime Day 2019

was “Indian Ocean – An Ocean of opportunity”.

Know! more about National Maritime Day• National Maritime Day (NMD) first observed on April 5, 1964, aims to spread awareness in supporting safe and

environmentally sound commerce between the continents across the world.

• The World Maritime Day is celebrated on September 26 every year to highlight the importance of shipping, maritime security and environment.


India’s Electric Mobility Transformation: Progress to Date and Future OpportunitiesWhat’s the NEWS• NITI Aayog together with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) has released a report titled “India’s Electric Mobility

Transformation: Progress to Date and Future Opportunities”.

Know! the highlights of the report• India could achieve high penetration of electric vehicles (EV) by 2030 on the back of the success of FAME II and

other measures

• The penetration of EV vehicles could reach around 80 per cent in case of two-wheelers and 30 per cent for private cars, the report -- India’s Electric Mobility Transformation: Progress to Date and Future Opportunities -- by the Niti Aayog and the Rocky Mountain Institute.

• The report quantifies direct oil and carbon savings that vehicles incentivised under the FAME II would deliver.

• If FAME II and other measures in public and private space - are successful, India could realise EV sales penetration of 30 per cent of private cars, 70 per cent of commercial cars, 40 per cent of buses and 80 per cent of two and three-wheelers by 2030

• The report suggested that the government should focus on a phased manufacturing plan to promote EVs, provide fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for phased manufacturing of EVs and batteries

• The report also suggested different government departments consider a bouquet of potential policies, such as

congestion pricing, ZEV credits, low emission/exclusion zones, parking policies, etc. to drive adoption of EVs.

Know! about FAME II scheme• The FAME II scheme, which was notified by the union cabinet in February 2019, aims to further accelerate

India’s commitment to a clean mobility future, sees the electrification of transportation as a primary focus area, an official statement said

• FAME II intends to catalyze the market for faster adoption of EVs to ensure durable economic growth and global competitiveness for India’s automotive industry, it added.

• RMI is an Indian and global non profit organisation focused on driving the efficient and restorative use of resources.

• The report analyses the opportunities for the automobile sector and government under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles II (FAME II) scheme.

New Year in different Parts of the CountryUgadi/Yugadi• Ugadi in Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh falls in the Chaitra month and is celebrated by

distributing jaggery and neem flowers which is symbolic to sharing both sweet and bitter experiences of life.

GudiPadwa• GudiPadwa which falls in the Chaitra month of Hindu calendar is celebrated in the state of Maharashtra by

hanging Gudi on the right side of the entrance of their house.

• Gudi is a bright yellow cloth tied to the tip of a long bamboo and copper pot placed in inverted on it along with a sugar garland.

Baisakhi• Baisakhi is the Punjabi New Year celebrated in the month of April by performing their folk dance, Bhangra and

Gidda and feasting.

Puthandu• Puthandu is the Tamil New Year celebrated in the month of April by preparing Manga Pachadi a traditional

food to ring in their new year.

Bohag Bihu• Bohag Bihu is the Assamese New year celebrated by performing the folk dance Bihu and a grand buffet.


PohelaBoishakh• PohelaBoishakh is the Bengali New Year celebrated with making many sweetmeats.

BestuVaras• BestuVaras is celebrated in Gujarat on the day after Deepavali. Marwaris in Rajasthan also celebrate their

new year during Deepavali.

Vishu• Vishu is the Malayali New Year celebrated in the state of Kerala in the month of April.

Losoong• Losoong is the Sikkimese New Year and falls in December at the end of harvesting. It is celebrated by

performing Chham dance.

Navreh• Navreh is the Kashmiri New Year celebrated in the Hindu month of Chaitra.

Cheti Chand• Cheti Chand is the Sindhi new year celebrated on the second day of Chaitra month is to honour of the birth

of Jhulelal

SajibuNongmaPanbaCheiraoba• This special festival of Manipur enhances the spirit of happiness and harmony in the society.

Maitri Bridge- Indian Army Sets Record by Building Longest Bridge on Indus River in Leh within 40 Days

What’s the NEWS• Indian Army built the longest suspension bridge over Indus river in Leh in just 40 days and the bridge is named

as Maitri Bridge.

Know! all about Maitri Bridge• The bridge was constructed by the combat engineers of ‘SahasaurYogyata’ regiment of ‘Fire and Fury Corps’ of

the Indian Army.


• The Indian Army has made a personal record after it completed construction of the longest suspension bridge

over Indus river in Leh within a span of just 40 days.

• The 260-feet long cable-suspension bridge, named ‘Maitri Bridge’ was built by combat engineers of the

‘Sahasaur Yogyata’ regiment of the Indian Army’s ‘Fire and Fury Corps’. 500 tonnes of construction

material were required for building it

• This cable suspension bridge is expected to give a major boost to connectivity in remote areas in Ladakh.

• The bridge is constructed using around 500 tonnes of bridge equipment and construction material.

• Maitri Bridge has been dedicated to the people of India to commemorate the 20th year of Kargil Vijay Divas.

• The bridge is part of the central government plans to all-weather road connectivity in the region.

David Malpass named new World Bank president

What’s the NEWS

• Senior US Treasury official unanimously chosen as the new President of the World Bank.

• The announcement came as expected just prior to next week’s joint spring meetings of the World Bank and the

IMF.

• The selection was made by the World Bank’s board of directors after an open and transparent nomination

process in which citizens of all membership countries were potentially eligible.

The domination of US

• Though citizens from all member countries are considered eligible for the bank’s top job, since its inception

following the second World War, all of the bank’s presidents have invariably been from the United

States.

• Similarly, the top position at the bank’s sister institution, the International Monetary Fund, has been held by

European leaders.

Know! about David Malpass

• David Malpass is an American government official and economic analyst who currently serves as Under

Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs.

• During the 2016 US presidential election, Malpass served as an economic advisor to Donald Trump, and in

2017, he was nominated and confirmed as the undersecretary for international affairs in the United States

Department of the Treasury.

• Malpass was recognised for his forecasts before the financial crisis of 2007–2008 and in the time period following

the Great Recession.

• In February 2019, President Trump announced Malpass as the nominee for President of the World Bank.

What’s the Controversy

• In recent years, the emerging market countries have challenged the unwritten arrangement on World Bank and

IMF leadership, demanding a more open, merit-based selection process.

• Though the bank stressed that it now allows a more open process, very few non-American candidates in recent

years have received little support from major bank shareholders.


Platinum Jubilee Commemoration of Battle of Kangla Tongbi

What’s the NEWS

• 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.

Know! all about the battle

• Japanese forces had planned a three pronged offensive to capture Imphal and the surrounding areas.

• In their attempt to extend their line of communication to Imphal, the 33rd Japanese Division cut in behind the

17th Indian Division at Tiddim (Mynmar) and establishing themselves firmly on the main Kohima – Manipur

highway, started advancing towards Kangla Tongbi.

• Here at Kangla Tongbi, a small but determined detachment of 221 AOD put up stiff resistance against the

advancing Japanese forces.

• The position of 221 AOD was not at all sound from a tactical point of view. It was exposed to the enemy from all

sides and had to rely on its own combatant manpower for its defence.

• On 06 Apr 1944, orders were received to evacuate 4,000 tons of ammunition, armaments and other warlike

stores. On the night of 6/7 Apr 1944, the Japanese mounted a heavy attack on the Depot, rushing downhill into

a deep nallah which was used as a covered approach to the Depot. A very well camouflaged bunker had been

sited by the Depot on this approach.

• The Bren Gun Section in this bunker having spotted an enemy section within range, opened fire. This shook

the enemy and forced the Japanese to withdraw leaving many dead. The Bren Gun was manned by none other

than Hav/Clerk Store Basant Singh.

• For this act of gallantry, Major Boyd was awarded the Military Cross (MC), Conductor Panken, the Military

Medal (MM) and Hav/ Clerk Store Basant Singh, the Indian Distinguished Service Medal (IDSM).

• The KanglaTongbi War Memorial is a mute testimony to this battle and the unflinching devotion to duty of the

Ordnance personnel of 221 AOD, 19 of whom made the supreme sacrifice.

• The Platinum Jubilee of the Battle of KanglaTongbi War was commemorated on 07 Apr 2019 by Army Ordnance

Corps at KanglaTongbi War Memorial near Imphal honouring the valiant brave hearts of Ordnance Personnel

of 221 Advance Ordnance Depot who made their supreme sacrifice in the line of duty during the battle of World

War-II on the night of 6/7 April 1944


Indian Army gets first batch of Dhanush artillery guns

Relevance IN – Prelims(about the artillery gun – Dhanush)

What’s the NEWS• The Indian Army on April 8, 2019 received its first batch of Dhanush artillery guns a formal function organised

at GCF, Jabalpur. The gun, which has a calibre of 155 × 45 mm, is the first ever indigenous artillery gun of this calibre.

Know! more about the guns• The Dhanush gun system is based on Bofors acquired in the 1980s and whose purchase was mired in controversy

because of alleged corruption. The gun system is expected to significantly enhance the Army’s firepower.

• The Dhanush with a calibre of 155 × 45 mm is classified as ‘medium artillery’. The medium regiments of the Indian army’s artillery arm consist of guns of this calibre and of 130 mm calibre.

• The Bofors, which had played a crucial role in targeting Pakistani military positions during the 1999 Kargil War and has similar a 155 mm caliber, is part of such regiments.

• Dhanush is a new generation towed artillery gun with major upgraded features over the existing 155/39 cal. FH 77 B02 gun.

• The gun system will be deployed along India’s borders with Pakistan and China. It can be employed in all types of terrains.

• Dhanush has been designed and developed by the Ordnance Factory Board at the Gun Carriage Factory at Jabalpur based on the Bofors drawings.

• The OFB had received the bulk production clearance of manufacturing of 114 guns on February 18, among which six have been handed over for issuance to the Indian Army.

Indian Army to test AK-203 in carbine roleWhat’s the NEWS• The Indian Army is planning to use a modified version of the AK-203 assault rifle in carbine role for its troops

deployed during counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Know! about the AK- 293• The AK-203 assault rifle would be manufactured at Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi facility in a joint venture between

the Ordnance Factory Board and Russia.

• The assault rifle would be provided to troops for carrying out anti-terrorist operations. A separate tender is being floated to buy 93,000 carbines under fast track procedure.


• The Indian army is looking to try out the AK-203 in the carbine role. According to the army, more modifications can be done in the AK-203 to suit the carbine role requirement.

• The carbines are useful in close quarter combat and can be highly effective during operations like room interventions.

Lakshmi Vilas Bank announces merger with Indiabulls Housing FinanceWhat’s the NEWS• The Board of private sector lender, Lakshmi Vilas Bank Ltd (LVB) on April 5, 2019 approved its merger with the

mortgage financier, Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd in an all stock deal.

Know! more about the developments• As per the ‘Scheme of Amalgamation’ approved by the LVB board, for every 100 shares of Laxmi Vilas Bank

held, shareholders will receive 14 shares of Indiabulls Housing Finance.

• The merger now awaits the approval of the Reserve Bank of India.

• This is not the first time that the Lakshmi Vilas Bank has announced its merger. Earlier in 2014, the bank proposed its merger with the Indiabulls Housing Finance; however it was rejected by the RBI.

• The merged entity will be named as ‘Indiabulls Lakshmi Vilas Bank’ and will be among the top eight private banks in India by size.

• The shareholders of Indiabulls will own 90.5 percent of the amalgamated entity while those of Lakshmi Vilas Bank will hold the balance 9.5 percent.

• The stake of Indiabulls Founder and Chairman Sameer Gehlaut will come down from 21.5 percent to 19.5 percent and to below 15 percent before the merger is effective. Gehlaut is likely to take over as the Vice-Chairman of the amalgamated entity.

• Indiabulls’s Vice-Chairman and Managing Director GaganBanga and LVB’s Managing Director Parthasarathi Mukherjee will be Joint Managing Directors.

• Indiabulls’s board constituted a reorganisation committee headed by Independent Director and former RBI Deputy Governor SS Mundra as a step towards the proposed merger.

Benefits from this merger• The merger will give a pan-India presence to the LVB and Indiabulls get access to low-cost stable funds and an

entry into banking. Indiabulls Housing Finance, India’s second largest housing finance firm, had applied for a banking licence in 2013 but it turned out to be futile.

• The merger is expected to create a high capital base for strong growth, and a huge opportunity for both the entities to venture into newer businesses.

Other mergers in similar segment• It is not the first time that a Bank has announced its merger with a financier. There have been a few mergers

on the similar lines lately including the merger of GRUH Finance with Bandhan Bank, Capital First with IDFC Bank and Bharat Financial Inclusion with IndusInd Bank.

Army Commanders’ Conference 2019What’s the NEWS• The biannual Army Commanders’ Conference 2019 began on April 8, 2019 in New Delhi. The opening address

was delivered by the Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman.

• The conference will go on till April 14, 2019 and will be chaired by General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff.

Highlights of the Army Commanders’ Conference 2019• The senior commanders will deliberate upon specific issues pertaining to Army formations and Army as a whole.

• The conference will witness discussions over a few important issues including management of the extant security dynamics, mitigation of future security threats and enhancement of combat over potential opponents.

• It will also deliberate on issues like infrastructure development for capacity enhancement along the Northern borders, review of strategic railway lines, issues related to Border Road Organization projects, and operations, administration and welfare of troops.


Know! about Army Commanders’ Conference • ‘The Army Commanders’ Conference is held biannually for formulating important policy decisions through

collegiate deliberations.

• It is an important event for planning and execution process of the Indian Army.

• The conference is chaired by the Chief of the Army Staff.

NIRF Rankings-2019: President Kovind releases NIRF and ARIIA-2019

What’s the NEWS• The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, released National Institutional Ranking Framework -2019 (NIRF)

and presented the India Rankings awards to the top eight institutions in different categories

• The President also released the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) and presented the ARIIA awards to the top two institutions.

• IIT Madras ranked on top in overall category in NIRF-2019 while Miranda House College of Delhi University ranked number one in ARIIA.


Top 3 Engineering Institutions in India-2019

• Indian Institute of Technology, Madras

• Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi

• Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

Top 3 Universities in India-2019

• Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru

• Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

• Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

Top 3 Colleges in India

• Miranda House, Delhi

• Hindu College, Delhi

• Presidency College, Chennai

Know! all about NIRF

• The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) was approved by the MHRD and launched by Honourable

Minister of Human Resource Development on 29th September 2015.

• First, NIRF Ranking was issued on 4th April 2016. This framework outlines a methodology to rank institutions

across the country.

• The methodology draws from the overall recommendations broad understanding arrived at by a Core Committee

set up by MHRD, to identify the broad parameters for ranking various universities and institutions.

• The parameters broadly cover “Teaching, Learning and Resources,” “Research and Professional

Practices,” “Graduation Outcomes,” “Outreach and Inclusivity,” and “Perception”.

UK govt released ‘Online Harms White Paper’ to regulate online contentWhat’s the NEWS

• UK government has released a white paper on ‘online harms’ and claimed that these new rules would be world’s

most aggressive actions to limit harmful online content.

Know! more about the regulations

• In this white paper, the UK government called for an internet regulator with the power to issue fine, to block

access to websites if necessary, and to make individual executives legally liable for harmful content spread on

their platforms.

• UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have proposed an independent authority that

will write a “code of practice” for tech companies.

• The government will establish a new statutory duty of care to make companies take more responsibility for the

safety of their users and tackle harm caused by content or activity on their services. Compliance with this duty

of care will be overseen and enforced by an independent regulator.

• As per Online Harms White Paper, Tackling illegal and harmful content and activity online is one part of the

UK’s wider mission to develop rules and norms for the internet, including protecting personal data, supporting

competition in digital markets and promoting responsible digital design.


About 85% of Ujjwala beneficiaries in four States still use earthen stoves

What’s the NEWS• A study from the Research Institute for Compassionate Economics study on the Pradhan Mantri UjjwalaYojna

(PMUY) makes the following observations:

Know! about the observations• Most rural households with LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) connections still use chulhas with firewood or dung

cakes which are the detriment of rural health.

• 85% of Ujjwala beneficiaries in rural Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan still use solid fuels for cooking, due to financial reasons as well as gender inequalities.

• In the four States surveyed, there was a substantial increase in LPG ownership due to the scheme, with 76% of households now owning an LPG connection.

• Overall only 27% of households exclusively used the gas stove and another 37% reported using both the chulha and the gas stove, while 36% used chulha exclusively.

• Whereas among those who received LPG connection through PMUY, almost 53% exclusively used the chulha, while 32% used both.

• The beneficiaries of PMUY are poorer, on average than households who got LPG on their own. Refilling the cylinder is a greater fraction of their monthly consumption, and they may be less likely to get a refill immediately after a cylinder becomes empty.

US has announced its intent to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its Quds Force, as a foreign terrorist organisation (FTO)What’s the NEWS• President Trump Administration of US has announced its intent to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard

Corps (IRGC) and its Quds Force, as a foreign terrorist organisation (FTO) in accordance with Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The designation is expected to take effect from April 15.

• The designation as FTO will impose sweeping economic and travel sanctions on the IRGC and on organisations, companies, and individuals that have links to it.


IRGC and Quds Force• IRGC is an ideologically-driven branch of the armed forces of Iran set up in 1979 after Ayatollah Khomeini’s

Islamic Revolution to protect the newly established Islamic system from hostile foreign powers and internal dissensions. Quds Force or Qods Corps is an elite wing of the IRGC.

Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO)• Under Section 219 of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act, the Secretary of State is authorised

to designate an organization as a foreign terrorist organization. If the Secretary finds that

- The organization is a foreign organization.

- The organization engages in terrorist activity or terrorism.

- Threatens the security of United States nationals or the national security of the United States.

The designation of IRGC as an FTO highlights that IRGC is an outlaw regime that uses terrorism as a key tool of statecraft

RBI issues norms for banks to set up Currency ChestsWhat’s the NEWS• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued “Minimum Standards for a Currency Chest”, the guidelines for banks

to set up new currency chests.

Know! about Currency Chests• The Currency Chests are part of banks wherein currency notes and coins are stored. The currency chests can

be a strong room or a vault. When the cash is taken out of the vault, it becomes bank’s cash and is used for the payments.

• The RBI has authorised few branches of selected banks to stock rupee notes and coins on its behalf. The vault of the Currency Chest which stores cash belongs to RBI.

• The responsibility for managing the currency in circulation is vested in the RBI.

Know! the guidelines• The area of the strong room or vault of the new currency chest shall be of at least 1500 square feet.

• For the banks situated in hilly or inaccessible locations as defined by Government, the minimum area of the strong room shall be 600 square feet.

• The currency chests should have a processing capacity of 6,60,000 pieces of banknotes per day.

• For banks situated in the hilly and inaccessible places, the processing capacity shall be 2,10,000 pieces of banknotes per day.

• The currency chests shall be open to accept automation and adaptability to implement IT solutions

• The new chests shall maintain Chest Balance Limit (CBL) of Rs 10 billion, subject to ground realities and reasonable restrictions at the discretion of the Reserve Bank.

Committee on Currency Movement• The RBI had in 2016 constituted a ‘Committee on Currency Movement’ (CCM) chaired by DK Mohanty.

• The Committee recommended that the Reserve Bank should encourage banks to open large Currency Chests (CCs) with modern facilities and minimum Chest Balance Limit (CBL) of Rs 10 billion (Rs 1,000 crore).

• Accordingly, the RBI came out with these minimum standards for setting up currency chests.

• As per the RBI’s Annual Report 2017-18, the currency management infrastructure consists of a network of 19 issue offices of the Reserve Bank, 3975 currency chests and 3654 small coin depots of commercial, co-operative and regional rural banks spread across the country.

India highest recipient of remittances in 2018 with USD 79 billion: World Bank

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the statics of remittance) + Mains (GS III Economic developments)

What’s the NEWS• India was positioned as the world’s top recipient of remittances with its diaspora sending USD 79

billion back home in 2018, according to the World Bank’s latest Migration and Development Brief.


Know! more about the report• India managed to retain its top spot in remittances by registering a significant flow of remittances from USD

62.7 billion in 2016 to USD 65.3 billion 2017 and to USD 79 billion in 2018, a significant growth over the last three years.

• The remittances in 2018 grew by over 14 percent in India, where natural disasters like Kerala floods likely boosted the financial help that migrants sent to their families.

• The remittances to low-and middle-income countries reached a record high of USD 529 billion in 2018, an increase of 9.6 percent from USD 483 billion in 2017.

• Global remittances, including flows to high-income countries, reached USD 689 billion in 2018, up from USD 633 billion in 2017.

• The top remittance recipients were India with USD 79 billion, followed by China (USD 67 billion), Mexico (USD 36 billion), the Philippines (USD 34 billion), and Egypt (USD 29 billion).

• In Pakistan, remittance growth was moderate at 7 percent due to significant declines in inflows from Saudi Arabia, its largest remittance source.

• In Bangladesh, remittances showed a rapid increase in 2018 with growth of 15 percent.

• Remittances to South Asia region grew 12 percent to USD 131 billion in 2018.

• Remittances to the East Asia and Pacific region grew around 7 percent to USD 143 billion in 2018.

• Remittances to Sub-Saharan Africa grew around 10 percent to USD 46 billion in 2018.

• Banks were the most expensive remittance channels, charging an average fee of 11 percent in the first quarter of 2019.

• The overall increase in remittances regionally was driven by a stronger economy and employment situation in the United States and outward flows from few Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the Russian Federation.

Veer Parivar App: President launches mobile app for families of martyred CRPF troops

Relevance IN – Prelims (about CRPF and Veer Parivar app)

What’s the NEWS• President Ram Nath Kovind launched ‘Veer Parivar App’, a mobile application for families of CRPF personnel

killed in the line of duty.

• The app was launched after the President paid his tributes to the fallen troops at the National Police Memorial in Delhi on the occasion of the CRPF’s ‘Valour Day’.

Know! all about the app• The application will act as an interface between the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) authorities and the

next of kin of the slain personnel.

• It will render all assistance to the families of the martyred CRPF personnel with regard to issuance of ex gratia, pensionary benefits and all information regarding the welfare schemes introduced for them by the government.

• The assistance will be provided to the families on a real-time basis. The CRPF headquarters in Delhi and various group centres across the country will respond to these issues.

• The Android-based app will be installed by the force’s officials securely on the phone of the families and will not be available over the app stores.

Know! about CRPF Valour Day• The Central Reserve Police Force observed its 54th Valour Day on April 9, 2019. The day is observed by the force

every year as a remembrance of the gallant fight back by a small contingent of the 2nd Battalion of CRPF against an attack by a Pakistani Brigade at the Sardar post in Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch on April 9, 1965.

• On the occasion this year, the President presented gallantry medals to six Jawans posthumously. The President also appreciated the role of CRPF in combating terrorism and separatism in Jammu and Kashmir.

• Over 34000 police personnel have laid down their lives in the line of duty for the nation after Independence.


Climate change threatens lives and futures of over 19 million children in Bangladesh

Relevance IN – Prelims (about UNICEF report findings) + Mains (GS III environment conservation)

What’s the NEWS• UNICEF has recently released a report on situation of Children of Bangladesh that they are facing due to

climate change.

• The report titled, “A Gathering Storm: Climate Change Clouds the Future of Children in Bangladesh” informs that in total, an estimated 19.4 million children, spread across 20 of Bangladesh’s 64 districts, are exposed to the most detrimental and hazardous consequences of short- or longer-term climate change.

• Devastating floods, cyclones and other environmental disasters linked to climate change are threatening the lives and futures of more than 19 million children in Bangladesh

Know! the findings of the report• The report, A Gathering Storm: Climate change clouds the future of children in Bangladesh, points out that

Bangladesh’s flat topography, dense population and weak infrastructure make it uniquely vulnerable to the powerful and unpredictable forces that climate change is compounding.

• The threat is felt from the flood and drought-prone lowlands in the country’s north to its storm-ravaged coastline along the Bay of Bengal.

• Around 12 million of the children most affected live in and around the powerful river systems which flow through Bangladesh and regularly burst their banks.

• The most recent major flooding of the Brahmaputra River in 2017 inundated at least 480 community health clinics and damaged some 50,000 tube wells, essential for meeting communities’ safe water needs.

• Another 4.5 million children live in coastal areas regularly struck by powerful cyclones, including almost half a million Rohingya refugee children living in fragile bamboo and plastic shelters.

• A further 3 million children live further inland, where farming communities suffer increasing periods of drought.

• The report says that climate change is a key factor pushing poorer Bangladeshis to abandon their homes and communities and to try and rebuild lives elsewhere. Many head to Dhaka and other major cities, where children risk being pushed into dangerous forms of labour and into early marriages.

• It cites research showing that Bangladesh has 6 million climate migrants already, a number that could more than double by 2050.

Government’s initiative (steps taken by Bangladesh)• Shielding children from the effects of climate change The Government of Bangladesh produced its first Climate

Change Strategy and Action Plan in 2009, declaring that the needs of the poor and vulnerable - “including women and children” - would be a priority in all planned activities.

• Since then, under the government’s leadership and with the full involvement of civil society, the country has done much to make vulnerable communities more resilient to climatic shocks.

• One measure of its success (and of other efforts that predate the 2009 action plan) has been a dramatic reduction in mortality rates during cyclones in recent decades.

• As Bangladesh embarks on the plan’s second phase in 2019, it is imperative to devote greater attention and resources to keeping children safe and ensuring that child health, education and other services are shielded from the effects of climate change.

• To that end, UNICEF calls for concerted and sustained efforts - led by the government with the active participation of the international community and other partners.

Way forward • The report calls on the international community and other partners to support the government in implementing

a range of initiatives to shield children from the effects of climate change.

• One example is a technology being promoted by UNICEF and other partners which helps coastal communities protect their vital supplies of drinking water against the intrusion of salt water from the sea.


• The system – known as Managed Aquifer Recharge – is working in around 75 communities and is ready to be taken to scale.

IMO’s new rule on electronic information exchange between ships and ports

Relevance IN – Prelims (about IMO and its new rules) + Mains (GS II international relations and important international institutions)

What’s the NEWS• International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has launched new rules to introduce electronic information exchange

between ships and ports for national governments.

• New rules took effect from April 8, 2019. Its objective is to make cross border trade easy and hassle free.

• The requirement, mandatory under IMO’s Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention), is part of amendments under the revised Annex to the FAL Convention, adopted in 2016. It was important measure because 10 billion tonnes of goods which are traded by sea annually across the globe.

• The Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention) was adopted in 1965.

• The main objective of the convention is to achieve the most efficient maritime transport as possible, looking for smooth transit in ports of ships, cargo, and passengers.

• The Facilitation Convention encourages the use of a “single window” for data, to enable all the information required by public authorities in connection with the arrival, stay and departure of ships, persons and cargo, to be submitted via a single portal, without duplication.

• Under the requirement for electronic data exchange, all national authorities should now have provision for electronic exchange of this information.

Steps taken by India regarding this• India launched a Port Community System — ‘PCS1x’— at ports in December 2018.

• Port Community System (PCS1x) is a cloud-based new generation technology, with a user-friendly interface.

• This system will enable maritime trade to have improved communication with the customs.

Know! about International Maritime Organization (IMO)• IMO – the International Maritime Organization – is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility

for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships.

• IMO measures cover all aspects of international shipping – including ship design, construction, equipment, manning, operation and disposal – to ensure that this vital sector for remains safe, environmentally sound, energy efficient and secure.

• It is also involved in legal matters, including liability and compensation issues and the facilitation of international maritime traffic.

• It was established by means of a Convention adopted under the auspices of the United Nations in Geneva on 17 March 1948 and met for the first time in January 1959. It currently has 174 Member States.

Meteorite sheds light on the Sun’s infant years

Relevance IN -Prelims (about the findings + superflares) + Mains (GS III awareness in the field of space)

What’s the NEWS• In 1962, a meteorite weighing 21 kg was found at Efremovka, now in Kazakhstan. By analysing a piece of this

meteorite and studying the relative abundances of isotopes of lithium, beryllium and boron, two researchers have envisaged how the Sun behaved in its infancy.

Know! more about the findings• Then, they deduce, the Sun could let off superflares which were a million times stronger than the strongest

recorded solar flare – the 1859 Carrington event.


• Such superflares must have taken place 4.5 billion years ago, when the Sun was barely forming.

• Further, they infer that irradiation by such superflares from the Sun is one of the sources of short-lived nuclides, for example, beryllium-7, which has a half-life of approximately 53.12 days.

• After analysing a meteorite by researchers, it has been found that Sun was able to generate super-flares during initial years.

• These were a million times strongest solar flares than the recorded at the 1859 Carrington event. Carrington Event was a solar storm happened during solar cycle 1855–1867.

Know! more about the major findings

• Researchers found that a solar flare is a sudden flash of increased brightness on the Sun, sometimes they are also accompanied by a coronal mass ejection

• It was estimated that these super-flares must have taken place 4.5 billion years ago when the Sun was barely forming.

• Researchers also inferred that irradiation by such superflares from the Sun is the sources of elements like beryllium-7.

• Among the first-formed solids of the solar system were the calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAI). The CAIs are nearly 4.5 billion years old.

Know! about Meteorite

• A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid that originates in outer space and survives its passage through the atmosphere to reach the surface of a planet or moon.

• When the object enters the atmosphere, various factors such as friction, pressure, and chemical interactions with the atmospheric gases cause it to heat up and radiate that energy.

• It then becomes a meteor and forms a fireball, also known as a shooting star or falling star.

Know! about Coronal Mass Ejection

• A coronal mass ejection (CME) is a significant release of plasma and accompanying magnetic field from the solar corona. They are often followed by solar flares.

• Solar Flares on reaching earth causes spectacular light shows by interacting with the earth’s magnetic field called Aurora’s.

• Solar Flares can also disrupt radio transmission and harm satellites in orbit.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu set to get fifth term

Relevance IN – Prelims (factoids) +Mains (GS II bilateral relations)

What’s the NEWS

• AP Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to win re-election after his main rival former Army chief Benny Gantz conceded defeat.

• This comes after a dramatic finish to a tightly-fought race Parliamentary elections in which Gantz accepted that Netanyahu had won.

Know! more about the election outcomes

• With more than 99 percent of votes counted, Netanyahu’s Likud tied with Gantz’s Blue and White, gaining 35 seats each.

• No party has crossed the half way mark in the 120 seat Parliament (Knesset). However, since a number of right-wing parties have expressed their support for Netanyahu, a coalition between Likud and smaller right-wing parties could form a 65 seat majority.

• With the election results, Netanyahu is now set to embark on a record fifth term in office thus, becoming Israel’s longest-serving prime minister.


Know! about Israel election

• In Israel, voters cast votes for a party and not individual candidates. The seats are divided proportionally based

on the percentage of the vote each party receives.

• Any party that wins 3.25 percent or more of the vote gets at least one seat. If parties don’t pass that threshold,

which many smaller parties do not, their votes will not be counted. This raises the share of seats given to other

parties.

The more votes a party gets, the more seats it will obtain in the Knesset as the government is based on a

nationwide proportional representation system.

• No party has ever won a majority in Israel’s 120-seat parliament. Hence, as soon as the results start coming in,

negotiations will begin on the formation of a governing coalition.

• Benjamin Netanyahu is one of Israel’s longest-serving leaders, having served 10 uninterrupted years as Prime

Minister. He had previously held the position from 1996 to 1999 when he had become Israel’s youngest-ever

Prime Minister.

New Zealand votes to ban semi-automatic weapons

Relevance IN – Mains (GS II international relations)

What’s the NEWS

• The Parliament of New Zealand voted to ban all types of semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles

following the Christchurch attacks.

• The bill was passed in the House of Representatives with the approval of 119 members, with just one member

opposing it.

• The bill will now be sent to the Governor General for his royal assent and is expected to become a law by April

12.

Know! more about it

• An amnesty has been imposed so the owners of the weapons can hand them back, followed by a buy-back scheme

which could cost up to 200 million New Zealand dollar.

• Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced changes to the law after 50 people were killed last month by a

suspected lone gunman at two mosques in Christchurch.

• New Zealand had imposed an immediate ban on assault weapons on March 21, 2019 following the Christchurch

massacre that claimed the lives of at least 50 mosque-goers.

Christchurch Massacre

• On March 15, 2019, two consecutive terrorist attacks began at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand during

the Friday prayer.

• The attacks began at the Al Noor Mosque in the suburb of Riccarton at 1:40 pm, and continued at the Linwood

Islamic Centre at about 1:55 pm. The gunman live-streamed the first attack on Facebook Live.

• The attacks killed at least 50 people and injured 50 more. They were launched by a 28-year-old Australian male,

described as a white supremacist. He was arrested and charged with murder.

• The attacks have been linked to an increase in white supremacism and alt-right extremism globally, observed

since the mid-2010s.


Bold Kurukshetra, 2019-India, Singapore joint military exercise kicks off in Babina (Jhansi)

Relevance IN – Prelims(about the exercise)

What’s the NEWS• Armed forces of India and

Singapore kicked off a joint military exercise, ‘Bold Kurukshetra–2019’, in Jhansi’s Babina Cantonment

Know! more about the exercise• The three-day exercise is aimed

at bolstering cooperation against terrorism, developing defence technology and improving maritime security.

• India and Singapore had entered into an official agreement in November 2017 to strengthen defence ties between their respective armed forces.

• As per the understanding, personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces will receive training and undertake firing exercises along with the Indian Armed Forces.

• Both India and Singapore have also agreed to step up intelligence and information sharing in maritime security, especially in the field of counter-terrorism, and agreed to expand collaboration on submarine safety and rescue.

PM Modi to Be Honoured with Russia’s Highest Civilian Award

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the award)

What’s the NEWS• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will get Russia’s highest civilian award, ‘Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle’,

for promoting a special and privileged strategic partnership between Russian and India

• This is the second international award the PM received this month. He was awarded Zayed Medal, the United Arab Emirates’ highest civilian award, as a mark of appreciation for his efforts to boost bilateral ties between the two nations.


Know! about Order of St Andrew the Apostle• The Order of St Andrew the Apostle is both the highest and the oldest state decoration of Russia.

• It was established as the first and highest order of chivalry of the Russian Empire in 1698 but was abolished under the USSR in 1918 before being reinstated as the top Russian order in 1998.

• The honour is awarded to prominent statesmen and public figures, eminent representatives of science, culture, the arts and various industries for exceptional services, for promoting the prosperity, grandeur and glory of Russia.

• It may also be awarded to foreign heads of states for outstanding service to the Russian Federation.

• In 2017, Chinese president Xi Jinping was awarded the Order of St Andrew the Apostle.

• With the Russian award, PM Narendra Modi has now been honoured with around seven top global awards. The Indian Prime Minister has previously been awarded the top honour of the United Arab

SC directs political parties to submit electoral bonds receipts to EC

Relevance IN – Prelims(about electoral bonds)

What’s the NEWS• The Supreme Court on April 12, 2019 directed all political parties to furnish receipts of electoral bonds and

details of the identity of donors in a sealed cover to the Election Commission.

• In an interim order, the apex court also directed all political parties to provide details of the amount and bank account of donors by May 30 to the poll panel.

Know! about electoral bonds and the contentious issues related to electoral bonds• The order was passed on a plea of an NGO, which challenged the validity of the scheme and sought that either the

issuance of electoral bonds be stayed or names of donors are made public to ensure transparency in the poll process.

• The government had notified the Electoral Bond Scheme 2018 on January 2, 2018. As per provisions of the scheme, electoral bonds may be purchased by a person, who is a citizen of India or incorporated or established in India. A person being an individual can buy electoral bonds, either singly or jointly with other individuals.

• Only political parties registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and which secured not less than one per cent of votes polled in the last general election to the House of the People or the Legislative Assembly of the state shall be eligible to receive electoral bonds.

• The electoral bonds shall be encashed by an eligible political party only through a bank account with an authorized bank.

• Electoral Bonds was introduced through Finance Act, 2017 by way of amendments to three statutes – Income Tax Act, RBI Act, and Representation of People Act.

• The petition has assailed five major amendments which were brought through Finance Act, 2017 and Finance Act, 2016. The petitioners also challenged the amendments to Section 182 of the Companies Act which earlier provided for a cap on donations made by companies to political parties.

International Day of Human Space Flight 2019 observed globally

Relevance IN – Prelims(about human space flight day + Falcon rocket)

What’s the NEWS• The International Day of Human Space Flight was observed across the world on April 12, 2019. The day

celebrates the anniversary of the first ever human space flight undertaken by Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet Union citizen then.

• Gagarin carried out Vostok 1 space flight on April 12, 1961, making one orbit around the Earth in over 108 minutes in the Vostok 3KA spacecraft. The spacecraft was launched by Vostok-K launch vehicle. This space flight opened the way for space exploration for the benefit of all humanity.

Know! more about the proclamation of the Day • The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) through its resolution on April 7, 2011 proclaimed that

International Day of Human Space Flight will be observed annually on 12 April.


• In its proclamation, the general assembly said, “The day will be celebrated at the international level to reaffirm the important contribution of space science and technology in achieving sustainable development goals and increasing the well-being of States and peoples.

• It said that the day will help in ensuring the realisation of their aspiration to maintain outer space for peaceful purposes.”

Facts w.r.t India• 1984: Rakesh Sharma, the former Indian Air Force pilot, became the first person of Indian origin to travel in

space. He slew in the space aboard Soyuz t-11, which was launched on April 2, 1984. He flew as part of the Intercosmos programme.

• 1997: Kalpana Chawla, an Indian American astronaut, became the first woman of Indian origin to be in space.

SpaceX launches its first commercial flight with Falcon Heavy What’s the NEWS• US space flight company SpaceX carried out its first commercial launch with its Falcon Heavy rocket by

placing a Saudi satellite in orbit on April 11, 2019.

• The 13,000-pound Saudi Arabian telecommunication satellite is operated by Arabsat and is expected to provide television, internet and mobile phone service to the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

• This was also the first time that all three of the rocket’s reusable boosters returned safely to Earth.

Know! more about the Maiden launch of Falcon Heavy rocket• This launch on the Falcon Heavy rocket came a year after it launched SpaceX founder Elon Musk’s red Tesla

roadster car into orbit as a test on February 6, 2018.

• Falcon Heavy carried a red Tesla Roadster car belonging to Tesla founder Musk into space. The car was outfitted with a mannequin dressed in a spacesuit, a high-data storage unit containing Isaac Asimov’s science fiction book series, the Foundation Trilogy, and a plaque bearing the names of 6000 SpaceX employees.

Know! about Falcon Heavy• With a total of 27 Merlin engines, Falcon Heavy rocket is capable of generating more than 5 million pounds (2.3

million kg) of thrust at liftoff, which is equal to about eighteen 747 aircraft or more than a dozen jetliners.

• The rocket can lift a total weight of 64 tons into the orbit, which is just the double of the lift capacity of the operational vehicle ‘Delta IV Heavy’, that too at a far lower cost of about USD 90 million per launch, in comparison to USD 350 million for Delta IV Heavy.

• The 230-foot-tall rocket weighs more than 3.1 million pounds and is made up of three reusable boosters based on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

• Three boosters make up the first stage of Falcon Heavy. The side boosters are connected to the centre of the core at its base and at the vehicle’s interstage.

• It was initially designed with an aim to restore the possibility of sending humans to the Moon or Mars, but now Falcon Heavy is being considered mainly as a potential equipment carrier for deep space destinations.

Namami Gange gets global recognition at world summit

Relevance IN – Prelims (about NMCG) + Mains (GS III environment conservation)

What’s the NEWS• The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was awarded the distinction of “Public Water Agency of the

Year” by Global Water Intelligence at the Global Water Summit in London

• The Global Water Awards are presented at the Global Water Summit, the major business conference for the water industry worldwide.

Know! more about the award• The awards recognise excellence across the international water industry and reward those initiatives in the

water, waste water, and desalination sectors, which bring remarkable improvements in the lives of people, according to NMCG, which is under the Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.


• An integrated mission for Ganga rejuvenation, the NamamiGange programme has a comprehensive multi-sector intervention with multi-stakeholder involvement and adopts a basin-based approach.

Know! all about Namami Gange programme and its achievements• The Namami Gange programme is an integrated mission for Ganga rejuvenation. It has a comprehensive multi-

sectoral intervention with multi-stakeholder involvement and adopts a basin based approach which includes Ganga and its tributaries.

• The Namami Gange Mission aims at providing comprehensive and sustainable solutions for major pollution hot spots along the stretch of 97 towns and 4,465 villages on the Ganga stem.

• This mission is not only constructing new infrastructures but also rehabilitating the old and dilapidated Sewage Treatment Plant (STPs) as well as ensuring Operation and Maintenance (O & M) of all assets hence created.

• In Namami Gange programme, a total of 289 projects have so far been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 28,377 crore out of which 87 projects have been completed.

• The 10 cities including Haridwar, Kanpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Kolkata which contribute more than 64 per cent of the pollution in Ganga have been comprehensively covered in all aspects under the Mission. Kanpur has been the hotspot of major pollution on the Ganga stem.

100 years of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

What’s the NEWS• The Year 2019 marks 100 years of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, also known as the Amritsar Massacre that

occurred on April 13, 1919.

• On the fateful afternoon of April 13, 1919, the troops of the British Indian Army under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer fired ruthlessly into a crowd of Indian civilians gathered at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab. The massacre is remembered as one of the deadliest attacks in Indian history.

Know! all about the massacre• The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre was the result of the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919,

famously known as the Rowlatt Act.


• The Act came into force a month before the massacre. It shocked most Indians who had expected to be rewarded, not punished, for willingly fighting alongside the British in the First World War.

• The Act allowed political cases to be tried without jury, and imprisonment of suspects without trial. The Act resulted in furious protests throughout the country.

• Gandhi started a campaign against Rowlatt Act. There were violent protests that resulted in the burning of the Town Hall and Railway station, disruption of telegraphs and communication system.

• As part of these protests, thousands of people gathered at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, Punjab on April 13, 1919. The civilians assembled for a peaceful protest to condemn the arrest and deportation of two national leaders, Satya Pal and Saifuddin Kitchlew.

• That was also the day of Sikh festival Baisakhi and many villagers had also gathered in the Bagh.

• Under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer, over 50 troops of the British Indian Army began firing rifles into the crowd.

• The narrow exits from the bagh were blocked; no one could escape the ill-fated incidence. Over 1200 got injured and more than 350 people died. Some of them jumped into the well in the bagh to escape dying by the bullets.

• As per the records of the British Government, the massacre killed 379 and caused 1200 injuries. However, as per the Indian Nation Congress, around 1000 died and 1500 got injured.

• Following the massacre, the Hunter Commission was appointed to investigate into the matter. The Commission in 1920 held Dyer guilty for his actions. He was relieved of his command and prematurely retired from the army.

• Udham Singh, a Punjabi revolutionary, killed Michael O’ Dwyer, former Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, on March 13, 1940 in London in revenge for the Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre. He was subsequently convicted and hanged in July 1940.

• Bengali poet and Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore renounced the knighthood he had received in 1915.

• The massacre marked the start of a new rebellion and liberation struggle under Mahatma Gandhi to free India from the British rule.

UN award for 2 Bengal projects Utkarsh Bangla’ and ‘SaboojSathi’What’s the NEWS• The Bengal government has won the UN’s World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) award for Utkarsh

Bangla and SaboojSathi projects.

Know! more about the schemes• The Utkarsh Bangla and SaboojSathi projects are for youngsters — skill development training for increasing

employment opportunities for 6 lakh youth every year under Utkarsh Bangla and environment-friendly bicycles to school students of Classes IX to XII under SaboojSathi.

• The Bengal government has distributed nearly 1 crore bicycles since the inception of this project.

• Utkarsh Bangla got the topmost award and emerged as a winner in the Capacity Building category and the SaboojSathi was ranked in the first five as a champion project under ICT application: E-Government category.

Utkarsh Bangla• Utkarsh Bangla Scheme is aimed at providing vocational training to school dropouts. The beneficiaries of the

scheme will be trained in driving, tailoring, repairing television and other electronic equipment’s, beautician courses etc.

SaboojSathi• SaboojSathi is a scheme of West Bengal government for distribution of bicycles to the students of class IX to XII

studying in Govt. run and Govt. aided Schools and Madrashas.The scheme was launched in September 2015.

World Summit on the Information Society Awards• World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Awards were instituted as per requests from the WSIS stakeholders

to create an effective mechanism to evaluate and recognize individuals, governments, civil society, local, regional and international agencies, research institutions and private-sector companies for outstanding success in implementing development oriented strategies that leverage the power of ICTs as an enabler of the development.

• WSIS is a global multi-stakeholder platform facilitating the implementation of the WSIS Action Lines for advancing sustainable development.


• The summit is co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD, in close collaboration with other UN organizations.

Bamboo rice: The rare variety, which was last harvested in Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary in 1979, grows twice or thrice in a century

Relevance In – Prelims(about the bamboo rice)

Know! more about bamboo rice• The bamboo rice, which

grows only twice or thrice in a century is being harvested now.

• The gates of Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary in Cuttack district have been opened for forest dwellers to come and collect the rice, because otherwise it will be attacked by rats.

• The rare rice grows out of a dying bamboo shoot. “Whenever bamboo blossoms, the rat population increases.

• To prevent rats from running the rice, we allow local villagers and forest dwellers to collect bamboo rice. Also, the rice then becomes a major source of income and food for villagers living near the forest

• The variety looks like paddy rice and tastes more like wheat. It is believed to have low glycaemic index compared to other varieties and it is good for

The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) agreement on wetland protection

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the agreement) + Mains (GS III environment conservation)

What’s the NEWS• The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

have signed an MoU to map, validate and protect smaller wetlands in the coastal region and restore them through coastal livelihood programmes.


• Smaller wetlands (which were smaller than 2.25 hectares) cover an area of more than 5 lakh hectares across the country, with Kerala alone having as many as 2,592 such wetlands.

Know! more about the MoU

• As per the MoU, a mobile app and a centralised web portal with a complete database of wetlands in the country which were smaller than 2.25 hectares will be developed.

• The two institutes will identify and demarcate the wetlands and restore the degraded ones through suitable livelihood options such as coastal aquaculture.

• A mobile app will be used for real-time monitoring of the wetlands and giving advisories to the stakeholders and the coastal people.

• The collaboration is part of the national framework for fisheries and wetlands recently developed under the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA).

• As per the agreement, National Wetland Atlas which has been already developed by the Space Applications Centre of ISRO will be updated with real-time data of physical, chemical and biological parameters of the wetlands to be provided by the CMFRI.

• The collaboration will aid in developing a comprehensive wetland information system which could facilitate the village-level wetland advisories to the local people by scientific communities.

• The National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) is aimed at finding ways and means to mitigate the impact of climate change on marine fisheries and coastal region

NGT forms Central Monitoring Committee to check river pollution

Relevance IN – Prelims (about NGT directions) + Mains (GS III environment conservation)

What’s the NEWS

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formed a Central Monitoring Committee to prepare and enforce a national plan to make over 350 river stretches across the country pollution free.

Know! about the committee

• The committee would comprise a representative of NITI Aayog, secretaries of Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Urban Development and Ministry of Environment, the director general of National Mission for Clean Ganga and the Chairman of the Central Pollution Control Board.

• The Chairman of CPCB will be the nodal authority for coordination.

What’s the Objective

• The committee has been composed to monitor pollution of rivers, as it has caused serious threat to the safety of water and environment.

Know! the key Highlights

• Besides checking river pollution, the central monitoring committee will coordinate with the River Rejuvenation Committees of the states and oversee the execution of the action plans, taking into account the timelines, budgetary mechanism and other factors.

• The chief secretaries of the states will act as the nodal agency at the state level.

• The green tribunal also directed the Ministry of Environment to consider a policy for giving environmental awards to outstanding persons (natural and juristic) and institutions or states and introducing “dis-incentives” for non-compliant states. The tribunal has given the Ministry time till June 30 to frame such a scheme.

• As per the tribunal, the Central Monitoring Committee may consider identifying experts, best practices and models for use of treated water, including plan to supply untreated sewage for a price or otherwise so that the concerned needy party can treat and utilise such water.

• The first meeting of the Central Monitoring Committee may be held by June 30. The NGT has directed the panel to submit its report by July 31.


State of World Population Report-2019: UNFPA

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the findings)

What’s the NEWS• The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has recently launched its annual flagship report State of World

Population-2019. Report titled “Unfinished business the pursuit of rights and choices” describe issues and information about population worldwide.

Know! more about the report findings• UNFPA report says despite global gains in securing sexual and reproductive rights over the past 50 years, many

population groups are still left behind.

• Activists, advocates, public health specialists and many others have pushed relentlessly for the transformations we see around us today, but much remains to be done.

Know! about Indian specific findings• According to a report by the United Nations Population Fund, India’s population grew at an average annual rate

of 1.2 per cent between 2010 and 2019 to 1.36 billion, more than double the annual growth rate of China.

• In comparison, China’s population stood at 1.42 billion in 2019, growing from 1.23 billion in 1994 and 803.6 million in 1969. China’s population grew at an average annual rate of 0.5 per cent between 2010 and 2019.

• In India, total fertility rate per woman was 5.6 in 1969, dropping to 3.7 in 1994 and 2.3 in 2019.

• The life expectancy at birth in 1969 was 47 years, growing to 60 years in 1994 and 69 years in 2019.

• The report said 27 per cent of the country’s population was in the age bracket of 0-14 years and 10-24 years each, while 67 per cent of the country’s population was in the 15-64 age bracket. However, six per cent of the country’s population is of the age 65 and above.

Know! about the Global Findings• Report says that the world’s population in 1969 was growing at about 2 per cent a year. At that rate, it would

almost double within the next 25 years.

• About 35 million women, girls and young people will need life-saving sexual and reproductive health services this year, as well as services to address gender-based violence, in humanitarian settings.

• Every day, more than 500 women and girls including in countries with emergency settings, die during pregnancy and childbirth, due to the absence of skilled birth attendants or emergency obstetric procedures.

• Education enhances women’s understanding of their place in society, provides them with the skills and information to exercise their voice in relationships, and enables them to negotiate for their own interests.

• Every day, more than 500 women and girls including in countries with emergency settings, die during pregnancy.

• Highlighting positive changes in the last half-century, the report shows that in 1969, the average number of births per woman was 4.8, compared with 2.9 in 1994, and 2.5 today.

World’s biggest aircraft successfully takes flight

Relevance IN – Prelims(about the flight)

What’s the NEWS• World’s largest airplane took off for the very first time.

• Strato launch has built this aircraft in eight years. After its successful test flight, company hopes to use the twin-fuselage, six-engine, catamaran-style aircraft to launch satellite-bearing rockets into space by 2022.

• This test flight was done at Mojave Desert, California. Strato launch was founded in 2011 by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.

• Its first flight duration was 2.5 hours at up to 17,000 ft or 5,200 meter above the sea level. As part of the initial flight, the pilots evaluated aircraft performance and handling qualities before landing successfully back at the Mojave Air and Space Port.


Know! more about the Strato launch aircraft• The Strato launch aircraft is a mobile launch platform that will enable airline-style access to space that is

convenient, affordable and routine.

• The reinforced centre wing can support multiple launch vehicles, weighing up to a total of 500,000 pounds.

• The plane weighs about 227,000 kg and has the biggest wingspan ever built, measuring 118 meter from one end to the other.

Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF):India to be Guest of Honour at ADIBF 2019

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the book fair)

What’s the NEWS• India will be the Guest of Honour country at the 2019 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) to be held

during April 24-30, 2019.

Know! more about the fair• The fair aims to highlight the UAE’s rich heritage, and showcase its authenticity, cultural and literary output.

This will be the 29th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair

• Through India’s participation in the fair, the UAE expects to witness significant increase in the number of visitors in various events and activities that will be held throughout the entire duration of ADIBF. A number of activities in the fields of literature, culture, and art are expected to engage the audience.

Bhutan to place bill for ratification of BBIN initiative at its upper senate

Relevance IN – Prelims (about BBIN) + Mains (GS II India and its neighbourhood relations)

What’s the NEWS• The Bhutan government has decided to send the bill for ratification of the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal

(BBIN) initiative for road and rail connectivity to its upper senate.


Know! more about Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal initiative• The BBIN is a big initiative in the region, which is aimed at improving rail and road connectivity in the region.

• The agreement for the initiative – the BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement -was signed by the four member nations in June 2015.

• However, only Bangladesh, India and Nepal have implemented the agreement, Bhutan is yet to accord its ratification of the agreement.

Know! about the Motor Vehicle Agreement• The landmark MVA was signed by the transport ministers of the BBIN countries in Thimphu, Bhutan on June

15, 2015.

• The trial runs for cargo vehicles under the MVA were conducted along the Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala and Delhi-Kolkata-Dhaka routes in the past. The trials were successful in establishing the Agreement’s economic benefits.

• Bangladesh, India, and Nepal ratified the pact and agreed to start its implementation among the three signatory countries, with Bhutan joining after it ratifies the agreement.

• Under the BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement, Bangladesh, India and Nepal agreed on the text of the passenger protocol, the document detailing procedures for cross-border movement of buses and private vehicles in the sub-region.

• The nations completed the internal approval processes for the signing of the passenger protocol.

• The participating countries also agreed to conduct more trial runs for cargo vehicles along scheduled routes from April 2018 onwards, before finalizing the protocol for cargo vehicular movement.

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been providing technical, advisory, and financial support to the BBIN MVA initiative as part of its assistance to the South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program, which is a project-based economic cooperation initiative that brings together the BBIN countries as well as Maldives, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

Indian Navy launches ‘Virtual Reality Centre’ to boost warship design capabilities

Relevance IN – Prelims (about Virtual reality centre)

What’s the NEWS• The Indian Navy has inaugurated the state-of-the-art Virtual Reality Centre (VRC) at the Directorate of Naval

Design (Surface Ship Group).


• From conceptualisation of design to execution of the project, everything was managed by the Directorate of Naval Design.

Know! all about the virtual reality centre• This centre is expected to provide major boost to the indigenous warship design capabilities of Indian Navy. It

will provide impetus to self-reliance.

• This project will facilitate joint design reviews for continuous interaction between the designers and the end users to improve design and ergonomics onboard warships.

• It will boost the warship construction under the “Make in India” initiative of the Union Government.

Directorate of Naval Design (Surface Ship Group)• The Directorate of Naval Design (Surface Ship Group) was instituted in 1960s and since then has made major

contributions towards indigenous warship design capabilities of the Indian Navy, thus, improving self-reliance for warship design and construction.

• The organisation has successfully developed 19 warship designs on which more than 90 platforms have been constructed till date.

India Successfully Test Fires 1,000-km Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile Nirbhay off Odisha Coast

Relevance IN – Prelims (aboutNirbhay missile)

What’s the NEWS• India successfully test-fired its first indigenously designed and developed long-range sub-sonic cruise missile

‘Nirbhay’ from a test range in Odisha.

Know! more about Nirbhay and the trail• The state-of-the-art missile, which can be deployed from multiple platforms, was test-fired from launch complex-3

of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur near here, sources in the Defence Research and Development Organisation said.

• Describing the trial “successful”, they said the missile, which is capable of loitering and cruising at 0.7 Mach at altitude as low as 100 metres, covered the designated target range in 42 minutes and 23 seconds.

• The last successful trial of the missile was conducted on November 7, 2017.

• Indigenously developed by the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), the Nirbhay missile can carry warheads of up to 300 kg

• It can travel with a turbofan or turbojet engine and is guided by a highly advanced inertial navigation system.


Know! about cruise missile• A low-flying missile which is guided to its target by an on-board computer.

• A cruise missile is a guided missile used against terrestrial targets that remains in the atmosphere and flies the major portion of its flight path at approximately constant speed.

• Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high precision.

• Modern cruise missiles are capable of travelling at supersonic or high subsonic speeds, are self-navigating, and are able to fly on a non-ballistic, extremely low-altitude trajectory.

Know! about Ballistic Missile• The ballistic missile is targeted as a projectile from a single launch force with not much-added guidance.

• It is launched directly into the high layers of the earth’s atmosphere.

• It travels well outside the atmosphere and then the warhead detaches and falls back to earth. It follows the path of a ball thrown upwards which falls down.

• Since it depends on gravity to reach its target, it’s called a ballistic missile.

• Ballistic missiles that fly above the atmosphere have a much longer range than would be possible for cruise missiles of the same size.

• Ballistic missiles can travel extremely quickly along their flight path. An ICBM can strike a target within a 10,000 km range in about 30 to 35 minutes.

• With terminal speeds of over 5,000 m/s, ballistic missiles are much harder to intercept than cruise missiles, due to the much shorter time available.

• Ballistic missiles are some of the most feared weapons available, despite the fact that cruise missiles are cheaper, more mobile, and more versatile.

Cabinet Nod to GSLV Phase-4 Continuation Programme Consisting 5 Rockets

Relevance IN – Prelims (about GSLV – Phase 4 and GSLV)

What’s the NEWS• The Union Cabinet has approved five more GSLV satellite launch vehicles for the period 2021-24 under the next

phase 4 of the ongoing GSLV continuation programme.

• One of them could be used for the second Mars mission which is being considered.

Know! more about the third phase of the programme• Sanctioned in 2003, the programme is currently in its third phase. The allocation of ₹2729.13 crore includes

the cost of the launchers, augmentation of the facilities, programme management, and launch campaign, a statement said.

• The Indian Space Research Organisation uses the GSLV, the second of its three launchers, to put 2,000-kg class of communication and other satellites to a GEO (or geosynchronous) orbit about 36,000 km away.

• The GSLV Continuation Programme - Phase 4 will meet the launch requirement of satellites for providing critical satellite navigation services, data relay communication for supporting the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme and the next interplanetary mission to Mars

External affairs ministry sets up Indo-Pacific wing

Relevance IN – Prelims (about Indo – Pacific Wing) + Mains (GS II -bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India or affecting India’s interest)

What’s the NEWS• India has just set up an Indo-Pacific division in the foreign office

• The division will integrate the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), ASEAN region and the Quad to the Indo-Pacific table


• The US recently renamed its Pacific Command to the Indo-Pacific Command as it seeks to give teeth to its Indo-Pacific policy

Know! more about the Indo – Pacific wing• The Ministry of External Affairs has set up an Indo-Pacific division in the foreign office.

• The Indo-pacific division is intended to give a coherent architecture to the Indo-Pacific policy articulated by PM Narendra Modi at the Shangri-La Dialogue in 2018.

• The Indo-Pacific Wing is currently headed by joint secretary Vikram Doraiswami.

• The Indo-Pacific Wing is a big step by the government and it is expected to give thrust to the Indo-Pacific centred policymaking.

• The Indo-Pacific Wing integrates the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), ASEAN region and the Quad.

• The Indo-Pacific diplomacy of India has repeatedly placed ASEAN at the centre of its policy.

• Even the US has recently renamed its Pacific Command to the Indo-Pacific Command as it seeks to give teeth to its Indo-Pacific policy.

• The Indian Ocean Rim Association is an inter-governmental organisation which was established on 7 March 1997.

• The vision for IORA originated during a visit by late President Nelson Mandela of South Africa to India in 1995

• The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is a dynamic inter-governmental organisation aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean region through its 22 Member States and 9 Dialogue Partners.

• IORA’s apex body is the Council of Foreign Ministers (COM) which meets annually. The Republic of South Africa will assume the role for 2017-2019, followed by the United Arab Emirates.

• Promoting sustained growth and balanced development within the Indian Ocean region, IORA strengthens cooperation and dialogue with Member States namely:

• Commonwealth of Australia, People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Union of Comoros, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Madagascar, Malaysia, Republic of Mauritius, Republic of Mozambique, Sultanate of Oman, Republic of Seychelles, Republic of Singapore, Federal Republic of Somalia , Republic of South Africa, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, United Republic of Tanzania, Kingdom of Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Republic of Yemen.


Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) planetary-defence mission

Relevance in – Prelims (about DART mission) + Mains (GS III awareness in the field of space)

What’s the NEWS• NASA has announced that SpaceX will fly its Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) planetary-defence

mission.

Know! all about DART mission• Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) is a planned space probe that will demonstrate the kinetic effects of

crashing an impactor spacecraft into an asteroid moon for planetary defense purposes.

• The mission is intended to test whether a spacecraft impact could successfully deflect an asteroid on a collision course with Earth.

• DART is a planetary defense-driven test of one of the technologies for preventing the Earth impact of a hazardous asteroid: the kinetic impactor.

• DART’s primary objective is to demonstrate a kinetic impact on a small asteroid.

• The binary near-Earth asteroid (65803) Didymos is the target for DART.

DART Planetary-Defense Mission• DART planetary-defence mission will be will launched by the Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base

in California in June 2021.

• The spacecraft will slam into “Didymoon,” the 540-foot-wide (165 meters) satellite of the near-Earth asteroid Didymos which is located at about 4 million miles from Earth in October 2022.

• Scientists will observe the impact with telescopes and measure the change in the Didymoon’s orbit around the asteroid.

• Scientists hope to move it by just a fraction of a per cent off its path, which is enough to deflect any future asteroids off course since Didymos poses no threat to Earth.

• DART won’t be the first spacecraft to wallop an asteroid. Earlier this month, Japan’s Hayabusa2 probe smashed a copper cannonball into the space rock Ryugu, to unearth pristine subsurface material for study.


NASA’s annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the NASA’s Rover challenge)

What’s the NEWS• Three teams from India have won awards at the NASA’s annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge

which invites high school and college students to build and test roving vehicles for future missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Know! more about rover challenge • The team from KIET Group of Institutions in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, won the “AIAA Neil Armstrong

Best Design Award”, which recognises systems best designed to meet the Rover Challenge performance requirements.

• The team from Mukesh Patel School of Technology Management and Engineering from Mumbai, Maharashtra, won the “Frank Joe Sexton Memorial Pit Crew Award” for ingenuity and persistence in overcoming problems during the race as well as the “System Safety Challenge Award”.

• The team from Lovely Professional University in Phagwara, Punjab, won the “STEM Engagement Award”, presented to the team that best-informed others about rocketry and other space-related topics.

Human Exploration Rover Challenge• The annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge of NASA is an engineering design challenge to engage students

worldwide in the next phase of human space exploration.

• The challenge evaluates the teams by mimicking the opportunities, challenges and decision-making that our future planetary explorers will face in interplanetary space.

4th Resilient Cities Asia-Pacific 2019 Congress

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the congress and outcomes of the conference) + Mains (GS III environment conservation)

What’s the NEWS

• The 4th Resilient Cities Asia-Pacific 2019 Congress is being organised by International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and hosted by South Delhi Municipal Corporation in New Delhi.

• The Congress was inaugurated by Vice-President Venkiah Naidu. The outcomes of the RCAP 2019 will be presented in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) Conference to be held in Berlin in June this year.


Know! more about the congress• The congress will offer cities & regions from Asia-Pacific a variety of innovative solutions that build resilience

to climate change at the sub-national level.

• The congress will host combination of high-level plenaries and technical sessions on the implementation and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and the New Urban Agenda of 2016, while at the same time bringing together experts and practitioners who will share their experiences and encourage cities to take actions on resilience.

Know! the objectives of RCAP Congress 2019• To share and learn about good urban resilience practices and showcase innovative ideas, solutions and initiatives

• To provide local governments with exposure and access to tools and processes that help mainstream resilience considerations into policy and practice

• To provide a networking platform to promote concerted and coordinated action in Asia among the main players in the field of urban resilience

• To explore tangible opportunities for creating partnerships between local governments and the private sector

WHO raises alarm over 300% increase in case of measles globally

Relevance IN – Prelims (about measles and findings of the report) + Mains (GS II issues relating to health services)

What’s the NEWS• The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised an alarm over a 300 percent increase in the number of cases

of measles globally in the first quarter of 2019.

• At this time in 2018, 163 countries had reported 28,124 cases. It also added that Africa has witnessed the most dramatic rise - up 700% which has weaker vaccination coverage than other regions.

• Measles, an airborne infection causing fever, cough and rashes that can be deadly in rare cases - had been officially eliminated in many countries with advanced healthcare systems.

• The health experts in various parts of the world blame a growing anti-vaccination movement for the rise in outbreaks of the highly contagious but preventable disease.

Know! more about the findings• So far this year, 170 countries have reported 112,163 measles cases to WHO, as against 28,124 cases by 163

countries in 2018.

• According to WHO, the early trends for 2019 likely underestimated the severity of the outbreaks since only about one in 10 actual measles cases was reported.

• Many countries are in the midst of sizeable measles outbreaks, with all regions of the world experiencing sustained rises in cases. The disease has spread fast among clusters of unvaccinated people

Know! about Measles• Measles is a highly contagious airborne viral disease that causes fever, coughing and rashes, which can be

deadly in rare cases.

• Despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine, the disease remains an important cause of death among young children globally.

• Under the Global Vaccine Action Plan, measles and rubella are targeted for elimination in five WHO Regions by 2020.

• The World Health Organization is the lead technical agency responsible for coordination of immunisation and surveillance activities supporting all countries to achieve this goal.

Know! about the transmission/symptoms of it• The infection is transmitted through droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons.

• The initial symptoms, which usually appear 10–12 days after infection, include high fever, a runny nose, bloodshot eyes and tiny white spots on the inside of the mouth.

• Several days later, a rash develops, starting on the face and upper neck and gradually spreading downwards.


• Severe measles is more likely among poorly nourished young children, especially those with insufficient vitamin A or whose immune systems have been weakened by HIV/AIDS or other diseases.

CubeSat Satellite

Relevance IN – Prelims (about CubeSat satellite) + Mains (GS III space awareness)

What’s the NEWS• A team led by an Indian American student has been chosen by NASA to have their CubeSat – a mini research

satellite to detect cosmic rays – flown into space on future missions of the US space agency.

• The researchers from the Yale Undergraduate Aerospace Association (YUAA), led by 21-year-old Keshav Raghavan, are among the 16 teams across the country whose CubeSats will be flown into space on missions planned to launch in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

• The team’s CubeSat BLAST (Bouchet Low-Earth Alpha/Beta Space Telescope) is named for physicist Edward ABouchet – the first African American to receive a PhD in America.

• Students designed the satellite over the course of four years, and received the launch grant through NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative competition.

Know! about mission BLAST• BLAST (Bouchet Low-Earth Alpha/Beta Space Telescope) will contribute to the ongoing search for the origins

and nature of cosmic rays, which will provide an insight into the origins of the universe.

Know! about CubeSat• CubeSats are miniature satellites intended as a standard, inexpensive design that can easily fit alongside larger

satellites aboard launch vehicles.

• The CubeSat model has given student groups, hobbyist organizations, and research teams operating with limited funding or experience unprecedented access to space.

Know! about Cosmic rays• Cosmic rays are atom fragments that rain down on the Earth from outside of the solar system. They blaze at the

speed of light and have been blamed for electronics problems in satellites and other machinery.

• Most cosmic rays are the nuclei of atoms, ranging from the lightest to the heaviest elements in the periodic table.

• Cosmic rays also include high energy electrons, positrons, and other subatomic particles.

• The term “cosmic rays” usually refers to galactic cosmic rays, which originate in sources outside the solar system, distributed throughout the Milky Way galaxy.

Cassini Reveals Surprises with Titan’s Lakes

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the findings made by Cassini-Huygens mission and about Titan) + Mains (GS III space awareness)

What’s the NEWS• On its final flyby of Saturn’s largest moon in 2017, NASA’s Cassini

spacecraft gathered radar data revealing that the small liquid lakes in Titan’s northern hemisphere are surprisingly deep, perched atop hills and filled with methane.

• The new findings, published April 15 in Nature Astronomy, are the first confirmation of just how deep some of Titan’s lakes are (more than 300 feet, or 100 meters) and of their composition.

• They provide new information about the way liquid methane rains on, evaporates from and seeps into Titan — the only planetary body in our solar system other than Earth known to have stable liquid on its surface.


• Using data obtained by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, scientists have found that Saturn’s largest moon Titan has small liquid lakes that run more than 100 metres deep, perched atop hills and filled with methane.

Know! more about the Findings• Scientists suspect the lakes were formed when surrounding bedrock chemically dissolved and collapsed a process

which occurs with a certain type of lake on Earth.

• The scientists also observed “phantom lakes” on Titan that during wintertime appeared to be wide but shallow ponds but perhaps were only a few inches deep and evaporated or drained into the surface by springtime, a process taking seven years on Titan.

• The findings also presented evidence about Titan’s hydrological cycle, with liquid hydrocarbons raining down from clouds, flowing across its surface and evaporating back into the sky which is comparable to Earth’s water cycle.

• Scientists suspect Titan could potentially could harbour life possibly in the surface bodies of liquid hydrocarbons because of Titan’s complex chemistry and distinctive environments.

• Titan which is the moon of Saturn has a diameter of 5,150 km and is the solar system’s second largest moon, behind only Jupiter’s Ganymede. It is bigger than the planet Mercury.

• Titan is the most Earth-like body in the solar system. It has lakes, canyons, rivers, dune fields of organic sand particles about the same size as silica sand grains on Earth.

Know! about Cassini – Huygens mission• The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Italian

Space Agency.

• NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the mission for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Washington.

• JPL designed, developed and assembled the Cassini orbiter. The radar instrument was built by JPL and the Italian Space Agency, working with team members from the U.S. and several European countries.

World Haemophilia Day

Relevance IN – Prelims (all about Haemophilia) + Mains (GS II issues relating to health)

What’s the NEWS• Every April 17 World Haemophilia

Day is recognised worldwide to increase awareness of haemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders.

• This is a critical effort since with increased awareness comes better diagnosis and access to care for the millions who remain without treatment.

Know! more about it • World Haemophilia Day 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.

• April 17, 2019, will mark the 30th World Hemophilia Day

• On World Haemophilia Day we celebrate the theme of Reaching out - connect to your community.

• The World Haemophilia Day 2019 is aimed at reaching out and identifying new members of the bleeding disorders community.


Know! about Haemophilia and its Occurrence• Haemophilia is a medical condition in which the ability of blood to clot is severely reduced. As a result,

even a minor injury can cause severe bleeding. It is mostly inherited and is attributed to the defect in the X chromosome.

• If a girl is born with one defective X chromosome, her other X chromosome can compensate for it. As a result, she will be a carrier of haemophilia but she herself will not suffer from the condition.

• On the other hand, if both of her X chromosomes are defective she is bound to suffer from haemophilia.

• If a boy is born with a defective X chromosome, he does not have the second X chromosome to compensate for it. Hence he will suffer from haemophilia. That is the reason haemophilia is more common among men.

• Britain’s Queen Victoria is the world’s most widely known carrier of haemophilia. From her, the condition spread to a number of European royal families. Hence haemophilia is often referred to as the Royal Disease.

• Haemophilia A, occurs in about 1 in 5,000 births, while Haemophilia B is even rarer at about 1 in about 20,000 births.

• According to the World Federation of Haemophilia’s Annual Global Survey 2017, there were over 1.96 lakh persons living with haemophilia across the world in 2017 and India emerged with the highest count at nearly 19,000.

Out of 180 countries, India’s rank on 2019 World Press Freedom index slips to 140: Reporters Without Borders

Relevance IN – Prelims (about Press Freedom (India)

What’s the NEWS• As compared to the 2018 World Press Freedom Index, India has slipped down two spots on the annual

report compiled by Reporters Without Borders.

• India slips to 140 on 2019 World Press Freedom index: RSF India made its debut on this index in 2013 at 140 out of 180 countries

• India has slipped down two spots on the 2019 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). An annual report, the index is an indicator of how hatred of journalists has degenerated into violence in countries across the world.

Know! more about the report• The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on April 18, 2019 released the World Press Freedom Index 2019, reflecting

growing animosity towards journalists.

• India’s rank in the World Press Freedom Index 2019 dropped down to 140th from 138th in 2018, two points below the previous year.

• India made its debut on this index in 2013 at 140 out of 180 countries. The rankings gradually improved, reaching 136 in 2017.

• As per the Index, one of the most striking features of the current state of press freedom in India is violence against journalists including police violence, attacks by Maoist fighters, criminal groups and corrupt politicians. At least six Indian journalists were killed on duty in 2018.

• The year 2018 witnessed a surge in attacks against journalists by supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the run-up to Indian General Elections 2019.

Top 4 countries in the 2018 World Press Freedom Index 1. Norway

2. Finland

3. Sweden

4. Netherlands

• At the bottom of the Index, Vietnam (176th) and China (177th) fell one place; Eritrea that moved up 1 place from last year ranked at 178th; North Korea fetched 179th position; and Turkmenistan moved two positions down to 180th rank.


• Only 24 percent of the 180 countries and territories were classified as “good” or “fairly good”, as opposed to 26 percent last year. Americas (North and South) suffered the greatest deterioration, falling by 3.6 percent, in its regional score.

• The Middle East and North Africa region continues to be the most difficult and dangerous for journalists. Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder in October 2018 shed a harsh light on the same. Syria (174th) continues to be extremely dangerous for media personnel and as does Yemen (168th).

• The Asia-Pacific region continues to rank third last. The number of murdered journalists was extremely high in Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. Disinformation is becoming a big problem in the region.

Know! about World Press Freedom Index• Published annually by Reporters Without Borders since 2002, the World Press Freedom Index measures the

level of media freedom in 180 countries.

• It is based on an evaluation of media freedom that measures pluralism, media independence, the quality of the legal framework and the safety of journalists in 180 countries. It also includes indicators of the level of media freedom violations in each region.

150 Indian peacekeepers in S Sudan awarded medal of honour for dedicated service

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the peacekeeping forces + Mains (GS II international organisations)

What’s the NEWS• The medals were given to the 150 Indian peacekeepers serving in UNMISS in Malakal during a ceremony

• A total of 150 Indian peacekeepers serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) have received medals of honour for their dedicated service and sacrifice. “A glimpse of The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on April 15, 2019 honoured 150 Indian peacekeepers, serving the mission, with Medals of Honour for their supreme dedication and sacrifices in Malakal, South Sudan.

India’s contributions towards UN peacekeeping missions• India has been one of the top contributors of troops to the UN peacekeeping missions.

• Presently, India is second largest contributor of troops, with more than 2,400 personnel deployed as peacekeepers under the UNMISS.

• In the past 70 years, over two lakh Indian military and police personnel have served under the UN flag, while 168 valiant soldiers have sacrificed their lives while at the UN service.

India and France to hold largest ever ‘Varuna’ naval exercise off Goa coast

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the exercise)

What’s the NEWS• With the objective of expanding their strategic

partnership in the Indian Ocean region (IOR), India and France will conduct their largest ever naval exercise ‘Varuna’.

Know! more about the exercise• The exercise will be conducted early next month and

will witness the participation of aircraft carriers, destroyers, submarines and fighters. Sources have confirmed that India will deploy its aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya with its MiG-29K fighters. Similarly, the French Navy will send its aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle with its Rafale-M naval jets, and other warships for the “Varuna” exercise.


• It will be a top-level naval exercise, with intensive dual carrier task group operations and anti-submarine warfare manoeuvres.

• India and France are also working to implement their action-oriented joint strategic vision for cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), which was finalised in March 2018.”

• Notably, the reciprocal military logistics support agreement between the two nations is now operationalized with French anti-aircraft destroyer FNS Cassard docking at the Mumbai naval port.

• As per the agreement, Indian Navy can access French bases located in the India ocean region including the Reunion Islands near Madagascar and Djibouti on the Horn of Africa. Furthermore, France also has a naval air station in Abu Dhabi (UAE) and a military base at Mayotte in the Comoros archipelago off the coast of south-east Africa which can be accessed by Indian defence forces.

• India has inked a similar agreement with the United States. The two countries have signed Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) that will enable both countries to use each other’s bases for repair and replenishment of defence supplies.

• India, with the help of this mutual logistical agreement, is planning to contain China who is aggressively expanding its strategic footprint in the IOR with tits debt-trap policy.

NASA Telescope Spots Universe’s First Molecule – Helium Hydride

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the molecule and about Sofia) + Mains (GS III space awareness)

What’s the NEWS

• NASA’s airborne observatory has detected the first type of molecule ever formed in the universe.

• This is the first time helium hydride has been found in the modern universe.

Know! more about the discovery

• Scientists discovered the molecule in our own galaxy using NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), as the aircraft flew high above the Earth’s surface and pointed its sensitive instruments out into the cosmos.

• SOFIA is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 106-inch diameter telescope. It found modern helium hydride in a planetary nebula, a remnant of what was once a Sun-like star.

• Located 3,000 light-years away near the constellation Cygnus, this planetary nebula, called NGC 7027, has conditions that allow this mystery molecule to form

• The discovery serves as proof that helium hydride can, in fact, exist in space

Know! more about the helium hydrate presence

• Scientists believe that around 100,000 years after the big bang, helium and hydrogen combined to make a molecule called helium hydride for the first time.

• Helium hydride should be present in some parts of the modern universe, but it has never been detected in space.

• The lack of evidence of the very existence of helium hydride in interstellar space was a dilemma for astronomy for decades

• Helium hydride is a finicky molecule. Helium itself is a noble gas making it very unlikely to combine with any other kind of atom.

Know! how SOFIA helped in detecting Helium

• In 2016, scientists turned to SOFIA for help. Flying up to 45,000 feet, SOFIA makes observations above the interfering layers of Earth’s atmosphere.

• But it has a benefit space telescopes don’t -- it returns after every flight.

• A recent upgrade to one of SOFIA’s instruments added the specific channel for helium hydride that previous telescopes did not have.Helium hydride’s signal finally came through loud and clear.


World Heritage Day 2019

Relevance IN – Prelims (about world heritage day)

What’s the NEWS• The World Heritage Day 2019 was observed on 18th April with the theme Rural Landscapes.

• The theme Rural Landscapes is related to the theme of the 2019 International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Scientific Symposium on Rural heritage to be held at Marrakesh, Morocco in October.

Know! all about World Heritage Day• UNESCO defines a World Heritage Site as a “natural or man-made area or a structure that is of

international importance, and space which requires special protection.”

• On 18 April 1982 on the occasion of a symposium organised by ICOMOS in Tunisia, it was suggested to observe the “International Day for Monuments and Sites” simultaneously throughout the world.

• UNESCO passed a resolution at its 22nd session on November 1983 approving the idea and recommended the member states to examine the possibility of declaring 18 April each year “International Monuments and Sites Day”. This has been referred to as the World Heritage Day.

• World Heritage Day offers an opportunity to raise the public’s awareness about the diversity of cultural heritage and the efforts that are required to protect and conserve it, as well as draw attention to its vulnerability.

India-Vietnam Naval Exercise

Relevance IN – Prelims (about India – Vietnam relations) + Mains II (bilateral relations)

What’s the NEWS• INS Kolkata and INS Shakti participated in the annual exercise, comprising a harbour and a sea phase.

• The exercise was undertaken as a part of the ongoing overseas deployment of eastern fleet ships to South East Asian countries.

Know! about India- Vietnam relations• India-Vietnam relations were elevated to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the visit of

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016.

• Enhancing military ties was a key element of talks during the visit of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang to India in March 2018.

• Conduction of the bilateral exercise on an annual basis is expected to give a further fillip to the existing strong bilateral relation between India and Vietnam.

INS Kolkata, INS Shakti to participate in IFR in China

Relevance IN – Prelims (about IFR) + Mains (GS II and III international relations + security challenges + India and its neighbourhood)

What’s the NEWS• The Indian Navy will participate in International Fleet Review (IFR) that is scheduled to take place on

April 21, 2019 in Qingdao, China as part of 70th Anniversary celebrations of People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy).

• The Indian Navy would be represented in the IFR by indigenously built stealth guided missile destroyer INS Kolkata and fleet support ship INS Shakti.

The significance of INS Kolkata in IFR• The visit of Indian Navy’s most potent destroyer and versatile fleet support ship showcases India’s proficiency,

reach and sustainability in addition to indigenous ship building capability.

• The harbour stay of these Indian Navy Ships (INS) will be marked by interaction between personnel of participating navies, various dignitaries of PLA and Government officials.


• The PLA personnel and local population will be allowed to visit these ships to witness Indian Navy’s prowess and India’s ship building capability. The Naval Parade will be reviewed by the Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 23, 2019.

Know! all about International Fleet Review (IFR)• The International Fleet Review is a parade of naval ships, aircraft and submarines. The IFR is

organised by nations to promote goodwill, strengthen cooperation and showcase their organisational capabilities.

• The IFR serves as an ideal platform for world’s navies to showcase their expertise and indigenous ship designing and ship building capabilities in the international arena.

• India conducted the IFR in February 2016 that saw overwhelming participation of 50 navies with nearly 100 warships.

INS Kolkata & INS Shakti• INS Kolkata is equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors to address threats in all dimensions

of naval warfare, while INS Shakti is one of the largest tankers that can transport over 27000 tonnes and is capable of carrying 15,000 tonnes of liquid cargo and over 500 tonnes of solid cargo.

Sri Lanka’s first satellite Raavana-1 was launched into space from NASA’s Flight Facility on Virginia’s east shore

Relevance IN – Prelims (aboutRaavana)

Know! all about Raavana-1• Raavana 1 weights around 1.05 kg and is 1000 cubic centimetres in size.

• The minimum lifespan of the satellite is around one and a half years and it is expected to be active for five years.

• Raavana 1 satellite was designed and built at the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan by two Sri Lankan research engineers.

• Raavana 1 satellite’s camera mission is to capture images of Sri Lanka and its neighbouring countries.

• The Raavana-1 is expected to orbit 400 kilometres away from the earth.

• The satellite will achieve an active attitude stabilization which ensures that the satellite’s attitude is stable under the influence of external talks.

• The launch of Raavana-1 marks Sri Lanka’s entry into the global space age

SC constitutes a special bench to adjudicate sexual harassment complaint against CJI What’s the NEWS• The Supreme Court of India on April 20, 2019 constituted a special bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan

Gogoi and Justices Arun Mishra, Sanjiv Khanna to adjudicate a sexual harassment complaint against the CJI.

Know! the key highlights• The bench stated that they are not passing orders on allegations but media should show restrain to protect

independence of judiciary

• The bench was acting on online media reports of sexual harassment complaint made by a former junior assistant of the CJI, against him.

• The CJI had received a communication from four leading websites saying that a letter is being circulated by a dismissed SC employee alleging that CJI has sought sexual favours from her.

CBSE to allow visual aids for disabled kids from 2020What’s the NEWS• The Central Board of Secondary Education has decided to allow students to use magnifying glasses and portable

video magnifiers during the Class X final examination, from 2020.


Know! more about it• Under the new order, CBSE students will be allowed to use magnifying glasses or portable video magnifiers, in

lieu of large-font question papers, with effect from 2020.

• The CBSE affiliated schools have also been directed to ensure that premises are disabled friendly by 2020 with all the educational institutions, including hostels, libraries and laboratories to have barrier-free access.

• The schools have also been directed not to deny admission to children with special needs in mainstream education.

Indian Navy launches Guided missile destroyer ‘Imphal’

Relevance IN – Prelims (about Imphal and Project 15B)

What’s the NEWS• The Indian Navy on April 20, 2019 launched guided missile destroyer ‘Imphal’ at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders

in Mumbai.

• Imphal is the third ship to be launched under Project 15B.

Know! more about the guided missile destroyer ‘Imphal’ • The Indian Navy has achieved enhanced stealth features in the new destroyer through the shaping of the hull

and use of radar transparent deck fittings, which make the ships difficult to detect.

• The ship, comprising state-of-the-art equipments, is expected to contribute to achieving the Indian Navy’s dream of transforming from a “buyers” to a “builders” Navy.

• The Navy had launched , the first Project 15B ship, in April 2015, while the second ship, was launched in September 2016. A contract for four destroyers under the Project 15B has been signed.

• With a launch weight of 3037 tonnes, the INS Imphal, like the other ships under the project, has been designed indigenously by the Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design, New Delhi.

• The P15B destroyers incorporate new design concepts for improved survivability, sea keeping, stealth and ship manoeuvrability. Enhanced stealth features have been achieved through shaping of hull and use of radar transparent deck fitting, which make these ships difficult to detect.

• P 15B ships will be equipped to carry and operate two multiple role helicopters.

• The ships are packed with an array of state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, including multi-functional surveillance radars and vertically launched missile system for long-distance engagement of shore, sea-based and air targets.


Know! about Project 15B• The warships built under the project are propelled by four gas turbines to achieve speed in excess of 30 knots.

• They have a length of 163 metres and 17.4 metres at the beam and a displacement of 7.300 tonnes.

• The ships are built to carry and operate two multiple role helicopters.

• The first ship of Project 15B, a guided missile destroyer christened ‘Visakhapatnam’, was launched on April 20, 2015.

Malaysia to revive 2nd major China-linked project

Relevance IN – Prelims – geographical locations + OBOR initiative of china)

What’s the NEWS• Malaysia has resumed a China-backed rail link project after the Chinese contractor agreed to cut the construction

cost by one third to 10.6 billion US dollars.

Know! more about the project and China’s foray in Malaysia• The Malaysian government said it will also take up a multibillion-dollar property and transportation project in

Kuala Lumpur involving a Chinese state company, calling it a contribution to China’s global “Belt and Road” infrastructure initiative.

• The two projects are expected to boost Malaysia’s ties with China and add economic value.

• The multibillion-dollar Bandar Malaysia project is expected to cost around 140 billion ringgit ($33.8 billion).

• The project, which is 40 percent owned by the government, will be developed with the same consortium partners, Malaysian developer Iskandar Waterfront Holdings and China Railway Engineering Corp.

• The 500-acre (202-hectare) project will boost urban development and serve as a hub to woo global finance, technology and entrepreneurial firms.

• It was initiated by the indebted 1MDB state investment fund in 2011 but it later sold a 60 percent stake to the consortium.

• The government took over 1MDB’s stake due to its debt problems, but the project was terminated by the previous government in May 2017 due to a payment dispute with the consortium.

• The 1MDB scandal led to the election ouster last May of former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is currently on trial for alleged corruption.

• The revived project will now include construction of 10,000 affordable homes and a people’s park and will prioritize the use of local construction material.

China’s Belt and Road Initiative• Chinese President Xi Jinping has made the Belt and Road initiative a signature policy.

• The estimated $1 trillion-plus plan aims to weave a network of ports, bridges and power plants linking China with Africa, Europe and beyond.

• These two major projects will also be a significant contribution to the Belt and Road Initiative, which Malaysia expects to be able to tap on and exploit its multiplier effects along the value chain.

• The rail project was originally designed to house the main hub for a high-speed rail line connecting Singapore to Kuala Lumpur that would cut travel time to 90 minutes, but Mahathir’s government suspended the rail project on the grounds that it was too costly.

April 22: Global Earth Day observed with theme ‘Protect Our Species’

Relevance IN – Prelims (about Global earth day)

What’s the NEWS• Several events and campaigns held worldwide on the occasion of Earth Day 2019 to support and protect

environment of the earth. This year’s theme is – Protect Our Species. This theme emphasis to protect planet and preserve its environment.

Know! more about the EARTH DAY• Earth Day Network’s mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide.


• Growing out of the first Earth Day, Earth Day Network is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 75,000 partners in nearly 192 countries to build environmental democracy.

• More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world..

• The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement.

• The passage of the landmark Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and many other groundbreaking environmental laws soon followed.

• Twenty years later, Earth Day went global, mobilizing 200 million people in more than 190 countries and lifting environmental issues onto the world stage.

• For the past 49 years, EDN has created civically–oriented innovative programs with partners both inside and outside of the environmental movement to tackle new challenges . Earth Day Network is a nonprofit organization.

Protect our Species campaign and its goals: The theme• Educate and raise awareness about the accelerating rate of extinction of millions of species and the causes and

consequences of this phenomenon.

• Achieve major policy victories that protect broad groups of species as well as individual species and their habitats.

• Build and activate a global movement that embraces nature and its values.

• Encourage individual actions such as adopting plant based diet and stopping pesticide and herbicide use.

Cancer Preparedness Index 2019 released by EIU

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the index findings)

What’s the NEWS• The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has released the worldwide Index of Cancer Preparedness (ICP). Study

based on facts collected from 28 countries revealed the wide range of data about cancer preparation of countries.

• According to the EIU, objective of ICP is to allow benchmarking of national efforts and identify best practice in addressing the cancer challenge.

Know! about India Specific Findings• In overall ranking India comes at 19th with a score of 64.9.

• In Cancer policy and planning, India ranks 17th, however, it scored 80.8 numbers for this rank.

• According to the ICP ranking India gets first place for research and third for tobacco control in the country.

• India ranks 23rd for its national cancer control plan.

• India’s healthcare system ranks 25th with a score of 40.3 in the index. It is above only Saudi Arabia, Kenya and Egypt.

• India’s healthcare infrastructure is the second worst among the index countries.

• In its delivery of cancer care, India ranks 20th with a score of 61.3.

• India has a high standard of clinical guidelines, a category in which it is ranked first.

• India falls short on immunization, screening and early detection.

Four essentials of cancer preparedness Index• essential investment (appropriate spending and resources),

• roadmap (effective planning),

• foundation (functioning health systems),

• Intelligence (availability and quality of cancer-related data).

Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)• The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), created in 1946, is the research and analysis division of The Economist

Group and the world leader in global business intelligence.

• EIU service clients across the world from our 24 offices, their staff speak over 25 languages.


Asian Tea AllianceWhat it is?

• It is a union of five tea-growing and consuming countries was launched in Guizhou in China.

Members

• 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.

Know! the objectives

• Objectives of the Alliance To work towards enhancing tea trade, cultural exchanges, technology exchanges as well as globally promoting tea.

• To work towards enhancing global consumption of tea, while creating a sustainability agenda for the future of Asian tea.

• Earlier, Indian Tea Association and China Tea Marketing Association had signed an MoU to promote green and black tea consumption in major tea markets of Europe, the US, Russia and West Asia, besides India and China

US to end sanctions waivers for all importers of Iranian oil

Relevance IN – Prelims (facts regarding the waiver and US sanctions) + GS II (bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India or affecting India’s interest

What’s the NEWS

• The United States is expected to announce that all importers of Iranian oil will have to end their imports shortly or be subject to US sanctions.

• As per reports, the administration will terminate the sanction waivers that it had granted to some importers of Iranian oil late last year.

Know! more about recent developments

• While re-imposing sanctions on exports of Iranian oil, the United States had granted waivers to eight economies that had reduced their purchases of the oil including China, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Italy and Greece.

• Since then, three of the eight nations-Italy, Greece and Taiwan- stopped importing oil from Iran. The other five, however, lobbied for their waivers to be extended.

• The sanctions waivers are going to expire on May 2 and the trump administration is now planning to tell the five nations, including allies Japan, South Korea and Turkey, that they will no longer renew them.

• It is, however, not immediately clear if any of the five would be given additional time to wind down their purchases or if they would be subject to US sanctions on May 3 if they do not immediately halt imports of Iranian oil.

What would be the Impact

• The decision is intended to further ramp up pressure on Iran by strangling the revenue it gets from oil exports.

• The United States has been pressuring Iran to curtail its nuclear program and stop backing militant proxies across the Middle East.

Know! about the inception of this US -Iran turf

• The United States had re-imposed sanctions on exports of Iranian oil in November 2018, after Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the landmark 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and six world powers.

• However, the nation granted waivers to eight economies that had reduced their purchases of Iranian oil, allowing them to continue buying it without incurring sanctions for six more months. The nations included China, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Italy and Greece.

• The waivers were granted in part to give those countries more time to find alternate energy sources but also to prevent a shock to global oil markets from the sudden removal of Iranian crude.


ICMR releases guidelines for Candida Auris infection and treatment

Relevance IN – Prelims (about Candida Auris)

What’s the NEWS• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has recently issued guidelines for Candida Auris, multi-drug

resistant yeast, which was reported to cause invasive infections with high mortality.

• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is aware of the numerous outbreaks of Candida Auris reported globally and from India.

Know! all about Candida Auris infection• Since 2009, the infection has been reported globally from many countries within a short period of time.

• The whole genome sequence analysis of the isolates collected from different geographical locations showed minimal difference among the isolates suggesting simultaneous emergence of Candida Auris infection at multiple geographical locations, rather than spread from one place to another.

• The isolation of the fungus from patients’ environment, hands of healthcare workers and from skin and mucosa of the hospitalized patients indicate the agent is spreading. Candida Auris forms non-dispersible cell aggregates and persists for a longer time in the environment in addition to its thermotolerant and salt tolerant properties.

Know! the Candida Auris synonyms (how it can be developed)• If the patient is from ICU or high-dependency area

• Transferred from another hospital after a long stay

• Multiple interventions & prior antifungal exposure in any patient

Know! the Preventions• Patients should be kept in isolated rooms or with other patients with the same infection. Patients with diarrhoea

may be at a higher risk to transmit the organism to other patients and self-colonization at multiple sites.

• Hand-hygiene using WHO recommended all six steps should be followed strictly by all staff and patient attendants before and after contact.

Mercury has a massive solid inner core: NASA

Relevance IN – Prelims (about NASA’s recent findings + about MESSENGER mission +about Bepi Colombo Mission

What’s the NEWS• NASA has revealed about smallest planet in our solar system that says it has a massive solid inner core.

• In its final trip around Mercury before crash-landing in 2015, NASA’s MESSENGER mission zoomed in close to the planet, enabling scientists to make detailed measurements of its gravity, spin and internal structure.

Know! more about the recent findings• As per the NASA information, it has long been known that Mercury and the Earth have metallic cores. Like

Earth, Mercury’s outer core is composed of liquid metal, but there have only been hints that Mercury’s innermost core is solid.

• Using past spacecraft data, scientists found evidence that Mercury has a solid inner core and that it is very nearly the same size as Earth’s inner core.

• Mercury’s massive inner core — nearly 85 percent of the volume of the planet — has long been a mystery to scientists.

• Understanding what is happening inside Mercury may help us predict how Earth’s magnetic field will change as the core cools.

• The science team used data from NASA’s MESSENGER mission, which orbited Mercury for more from 2011 to 2015. The spacecraft was the second mission to Mercury.

• A new mission is on its way to Mercury. Bepi Colombo is a joint mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to explore the innermost planet from two unique vantage points. The first close pass by Mercury will be in 2021.


Know! about Bepi Colombo Mission

• Bepi Colombo is Europe’s first mission to Mercury. It was set off in 2018 on a journey to the smallest and least explored terrestrial planet in our Solar System.

• When it arrives at Mercury in late 2025, it will endure temperatures in excess of 350°C and gather data during its 1 year nominal mission, with a possible 1-year extension.

• The mission comprises two spacecraft: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO).

• Bepi Colombo is a joint mission between ESA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), executed under ESA leadership.

Know! all about Mercury

• Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and is also the smallest of the eight planets in our solar system.

• For every 2 orbits of the Sun, which takes around 88 Earth days, Mercury completes three rotations of its axis.

• It is gravitationally locked and this rotation is unique to the solar system.

• It is named for the Roman god Mercury, the messenger to the gods – most likely related to the orbiting speed of the planet.

• MESSENGER (March 18, 2011) became the second mission after Mariner 10’s 1975 flyby to reach Mercury.

World Book and Copyright Day 2019 observed globally

Relevance IN – Prelims (about World book and Copyright day 2019)

What’s the NEWS

• The World Book and Copyright Day was observed across the world on April 23, 2019 to highlight the power of books and to promote UNESCO’s vision of knowledge societies that are inclusive, pluralistic, equitable, open and participatory for all citizens.

Know! more about the 24th edition

• The 24th edition of World Book Day will celebrate literature and reading while laying emphasis on the importance of enhancing and protecting Indigenous languages.

• The Day pays tribute to books and authors by encouraging everyone to discover the pleasure of reading.

World Book Capital for 2019: Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

• Every year, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) along with the international organisations representing publishers, booksellers and libraries, select the World Book Capital for the period of one year with effect from 23 April each year.

• This year, UNESCO designated Sharjah as the World Book Capital for 2019. With the slogan “Read - you are in Sharjah”, the programme focuses on six themes: Inclusivity, Reading, Heritage, Outreach, Publishing and Children.

• The objective behind designating Sharjah as Book Capital is to foster a culture of reading in the United Arab Emirates and launch new initiatives to meet the challenge of literary creation in the rest of the Arab world.

Know! about the inception of World book and copyright day

• 23 April is considered as a symbolic date for world literature. In 1616, on this date, Cervantes, William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega died.

• The Day also marks the date of birth or death of other prominent authors such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov and Manuel Mejia Vallejo.

• Considering the importance of this day, the UNESCO proclaimed 23 April as the World Book and Copyright Day in 1995.


AYUSH Ministry & CSIR sign MoU for research in areas of traditional systems of medicineWhat’s the NEWS• The Union Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) and

the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in research and education in areas of traditional systems of medicine and its integration with modern science.

Highlights of the MoU• The MoU enables collaboration in pursuit of Data mining and analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

to facilitate concepts such as “Traditional knowledge inspired drug discovery and development” and “Food as Medicine”.

• Both the organisations will jointly pursue research and development covering fundamental research; AYUSH specific diagnostic tools; linking microbiome, and gene expression and prakriti.

• Both will also work on multi-ingredient herbal formulations including their standardisation; exploring modern scientific methods for integration with traditional Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM); linking disease signatures; etc.

Collaboration between Ayush Ministry & CSIR• The collaboration will significantly help in the growth of the Indian contributions to AYUSH sector, not only

nationally but internationally as well.

• Previously, CSIR jointly with AYUSH Ministry developed the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), a globally recognised proprietary database on Indian systems of medicine for preventing bio-piracy and misappropriation of traditional knowledge.

SC constitutes three-judge panel to probe case against CJI

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the panel (in- house panel of S.C) and about sexual harassment at workplace provisions)

What’s the NEWS• The Supreme Court constituted a three-judge panel headed by Justice SA Bobde, the senior-most judge in

apex court after the Chief Justice of India (CJI), to inquire into the sexual harassment complaint by a former junior court assistant against CJI Ranjan Gogoi.

Know! more about the panel • Besides Justice SA Bobde, the inquiry panel comprises Justice NV Ramana, the next senior most judge, and

Justice Indira Banerjee, who was elevated to the Supreme Court on August 7, 2018.

• The panel would be conducting an in-camera proceeding. It is expected to hear the complainant in person and analyze the evidence put forward by her.

• The panel has asked SC secretary general Kalgaonkar to come with all records relating to the dismissed woman employee and her places of posting during her four-year employment in the apex court.

• It will then seek the version of the CJI against whom the allegation is made and then come to its conclusion. The panel can even appoint a lawyer to assist them.

• on a sexual harassment complaint conducted in the Supreme Court and it is the first-ever time ever such an inquiry is being conducted against the CJI.

Know! more about the S.C inhouse inquiry• The three-judge panel was set up after a full court meeting unanimously agreed that it was necessary to clear

the air after the controversy over the sexual harassment complaint.

• This will be the first time in the 69-year-old history of the Supreme Court that a sexual harassment complaint against the head of the judiciary would be inquired into by a panel of three SC judges.

• The in-house inquiry procedure for judges provides for inquiry against judges of SC and HCs but not against the CJI.


• The CJI had on April 20 entrusted Justice Bobde with the task of taking decisions relating to the sexual harassment complaint.

• Justice Bobde is next in seniority to the CJI and is scheduled to succeed him on November 18, 2019.

• With the first hearing of the case scheduled for April 26, the inquiry committee is expected to complete its task before the court closes for summer vacations on May 10.

Know! all about the Vishaka guidelines and sexual harassment at workplace act• The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act was passed in

2013.

• It defines sexual harassment, lays down the procedures for a complaint and inquiry, and the action to be taken. It broadens the Vishaka guidelines, which were already in place.

What were the Vishaka guidelines?• These were laid down by the Supreme Court in a judgment in 1997. This was on a case filed by women’s

rights groups, one of which was Vishaka. They had filed a public interest litigation over the alleged gang-rape of Bhanwari Devi, a social worker from Rajasthan. In 1992, she had prevented the marriage of a one-year-old girl, leading to the alleged gang-rape in an act of revenge.

• Legally binding, these defined sexual harassment and imposed three key obligations on institutions — prohibition, prevention, redress. The Supreme Court directed that they establish a Complaints Committee, which would look into matters of sexual harassment of women at the workplace.

Know! more about the provisions of the act• It mandates that every employer constitute an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) at each office

or branch with 10 or more employees. It lays down procedures and defines various aspects of sexual harassment, including aggrieved victim — a woman “of any age whether employed or not”, who “alleges to have been subjected to any act of sexual harassment”, which means the rights of all women working or visiting any workplace, in any capacity, are protected under the Act.

For the ICC to act, must the victim write a complaint?• Technically, this is not compulsory. The Act says the aggrieved victim “may” make, in writing, a complaint of

sexual harassment. If she cannot, any member of the ICC “shall” render “all reasonable assistance” to her for making the complaint in writing. And if the woman is unable to make a complaint on account of her “physical or mental incapacity or death or otherwise”, her legal heir may do so.


Government extends ban on import of milk products from China

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the statics of export and import between India – China) + Mains (GS II bilateral relations)

What’s the NEWS• The Union Government extended the ban on import of milk and its products, including chocolates, from China

till laboratories at ports for testing the presence of toxic chemical melamine are upgraded.

Concerned department• The Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a notification that the prohibition on import of milk, milk

products including chocolates, chocolate products, candies, confectionary and food preparations with milk or milk solids as an ingredient from China is extended until the capacity of all laboratories at ports of entry have been suitably upgraded for testing melamine.

Know! more about the ban• The ban was imposed after apprehensions arose on the presence of melamine in some of the milk consignments

from China. Melamine is a toxic chemical used for making plastics and fertilisers.

• Although India does not import milk or milk products from China, it imposed the ban as a preventive measure.

• The extension of the ban was recommended by Food regulator FSSAI until all labs at ports are modernised to test the chemical.

Know! about the milk production statistic in India• India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of milk. It produces around 150 million tonne milk annually.

• Among the Indian states, Uttar Pradesh leads in milk production followed by Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits (SAECK): MHA distributes special kits to states, UTs to help probe sexual assault cases

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the SAECK kit)

What’s the NEWS• The Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits (SAECK) or ‘rape investigation kits’ are designed to carry out

immediate medico-legal investigation and aid in furnishing evidence in sexual assault and rape cases.

• The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has distributed over 3,100 special kits SAECKs for collecting blood and semen samples, besides other evidence, to carry out immediate investigations into sexual assault cases among states and Union Territories.

Know! more about SAECK• SAECK Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits (SAECKs) or ‘rape investigation kits’ are specially

designed kits to carry out the immediate medico-legal investigation.

• SAECKs also aid in furnishing evidence in sexual assault and rape cases.

• The Kit comprises of essential items that will aid in furnishing evidence such as blood and semen samples in sexual assault and rape cases, thus helping the prosecution to gather evidence against the accused.

• These kits are also expected to help law enforcement agencies in ensuring effective investigation in a timely manner for better prosecution and convictions in sexual assault cases.

• The SAECKs are being procured with financial support under the Central government’s Nirbhaya Fund

Despite being 3rd largest, Indian startup ecosystem ranked even below Estonia, Ireland, Germany

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the report findings)

What’s the NEWS• While India climbed 20 spots (rank 37) from the previous ranking, countries such as Estonia (13), Ireland (14),

and Germany (9) were ranked ahead of India for their startup ecosystems. Importantly, China was ranked 27th.


• Startup Blink has ranked 100 countries for startup environment of countries globally.

Know! more about the report findings• The rankings were based on the data from over 61,000 startups, more than 500 accelerators, and over 1,400

coworking spaces registered on its platform along with data gathered from its global partners including Crunchbase, SimilarWeb etc.

• The rankings were based on the impact startups have been able to make in the country, how many startups and support organisations are there such as accelerators, coworking spaces, startup events along with technology infrastructure, red tape, bureaucracy, etc.

• The US, the UK, Canada, Israel, and Australia have been ranked in top5 in the rankings.

Challenges before India• The challenge before India is to improve the overall quality of startups and increase the number of unicorns

than currently exist.

• In the ranking of cities, Bengaluru stood at 11, New Delhi at 18 and Mumbai at 29. San Francisco Bay, New York, London, Los Angeles, and Boston topped the ranking among the cities.

Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2019

Relevance IN – Prelims (about GTCI and India specific findings)

What’s the NEWS• The Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2019 has released by INSEAD, Adecco Group and Tata

Communications recently.

• In the GTCI 2019 India ranks 80 while Singapore takes the lead in this region.

• This year’s report has a special focus on entrepreneurial talent – how it is being encouraged, nurtured and developed throughout the world and how this affects the relative competitiveness of different economies.

Know! more about the GTCI report• The report also reveals that cities rather than countries are developing stronger roles as talent hubs and will be

crucial to reshaping the global talent scene.

• This growing importance of cities is due to their greater flexibility and ability to adapt to new trends and patterns – as nimble economic units where policy can be changed more swiftly, cities are thus more attractive for talent, especially entrepreneurial talent.

• The report measures levels of Global Talent Competitiveness by looking at 68 variables. The 2019 index covers 125 national economies and 114 cities (respectively 119 and 90 in 2018) across all groups of income and levels of development.


• In this sixth edition, Switzerland continues to lead the 2019 Global Talent Competitiveness index, while Singapore and the United States come in second and third respectively.

• The top three is followed by Scandinavian countries, Norway (4th), Denmark (5th), Finland (6th), and Sweden (7th).

• Yemen has finished at the bottom of this year’s index at 125th, just below Congo (124th) and Burundi (123rd).

• India (80th) remains the laggard of this group. It performs better than its lower-income peers when it comes to growing (48th) talent, primarily by virtue of the possibilities for Lifelong Learning (38th) and Access to Growth Opportunities (41st).

Wakatobi white-eye and the Wangi-wangi white-eye: Zoologists discovered two new bird species in Indonesia

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the discoveries of new birds)

What’s the NEWS

• Zoologists from Trinity College with partners from Halu Oleo University (UHO) and Operation Wallacea, have discovered two new bird species in the Wakatobi Archipelago of Sulawesi, Indonesia.

• Details of their discovery of the Wakatobi white-eye and the Wangi-wangi white-eye have been published on April 24, 2019 in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

Know! more about the Newly found birds

• The two new white-eye speciesfound by Trinity and UHO; they are both found on the Wakatobi Islands, just off mainland South-east Sulawesi. However, the two species could not be more different.

• For sometime Wakatobi white-eye is under debate as researchers are looking for the answer how species changed from the early 20th century to the current day.

• Another bird, Wangi-wangi white-eye, remained unnoticed until the beginning of the 21st century when Professor Marples’ research group visited the island from which it takes its name.

• These white eyed birds are adaptable and can have wide variety of fruits, flowers and insects.

• These birds have expertise in making island colonies, which is why so many different white-eye species have evolved so rapidly, as different island populations become isolated and split off from their source populations.

• The Wakatobi white-eye is found throughout the Wakatobi Islands and split from its mainland relatives in the last 800,000 years.

• Wangi-wangi white-eye is a much older species found on only one tiny island, with its closest relatives found more than 3,000 km away.


Know! about Sulawesi• Sulawesi is a particularly peculiar island known for its weird and wonderful plants and animals.

• It lies in the middle of Indonesia, which sits at a geographic boundary between Asian and Australian species.

• Sulawesi has an unusually high number of endemic species (unique species found nowhere else), due to the deep ocean trenches that isolated it from other land masses, even during past ice ages, when ocean levels dropped.

World Intellectual Property Day 2019

Relevance IN – Prelims (about IPR day) + Mains (GS III awareness in the field of IPR and issues related to IPR)

What’s the NEWS• The World Intellectual Property Day was observed across the world on April 26, 2019 to spread awareness

about the role that intellectual property rights like patents, trademarks, industrial designs and copyright play in encouraging innovation and creativity.

• The theme of World Intellectual Property Day 2019 was “Reach for Gold: IP and Sports”.

Know! more about it • On this day, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) works together with various government

agencies, non-government organizations, community groups and individuals to hold different events and activities to promote the day.

• This year’s theme dives into the world of sports. It explores how innovation, creativity and the IP rights support the development of sport and its enjoyment around the world.

• Sports businesses use patents and designs for development of new sports technologies, materials, training, and equipment. Business relationships built on IP rights help to secure the economic value of sports.

Know! more about World Intellectual Property Day• In October 1999, the General Assembly of the WIPO approved the idea of declaring a particular day as a World

Intellectual Property Day.

• In 2000, the WIPO designated 26 April as an annual World Intellectual Property Day to address the perceived gap between Intellectual Property as a business/legal concept and its relevance to people’s lives.

• April 26 was specifically chosen as the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization, first entered into force in 1970 on this date.

India pushes African right to permanent membership in UNSC

Relevance IN – Prelims (regarding UNSC reforms and the concerned supporting and opposing nations)

What’s the NEWS• India recently stressed upon Africa’s right to representation among the ranks of the permanent members of the

UN Security Council.

• The move aims to bring in a sense of urgency to the long-stalled reform process of the UNSC.

• India is stressing on Africa’s right to permanent membership in the UNSC to break the decades-long blockade of the reform process by a small group of countries.

• The group led by Italy and which includes Pakistan will be made to directly confront African nations, who have demanded two permanent seats on a reformed Council and point to the historic injustices done to the continent.

Know! more about the demands of African Nations• The 55 African nations, who are the single largest group at the UN making up more than a quarter of its

membership, do not have a permanent member on the Council.

• Yet of the 13 UN peacekeeping operations mandated by the Council and overseen by it, seven are in Africa.

• When the UN was set up at the end World War II, the permanent seats were allocated to the nations on the winning side, which included the US, Soviet Union (now held by Russia), Britain, France and China.


• Breaking the blockade would allow India’s claim to a permanent seat on a reformed Council to also move forward.

Know! about the demand of reforms in the UN• India has been calling for the reform of the UN Security Council along with Brazil, Germany and Japan for

long, emphasising that it rightly deserves a place at the UN high table as a permanent member.

• France, which assumed the Presidency of the United Nations Security Council for the month of March, reiterated its support for India as the permanent member of the powerful UN body. The nation also reiterated its support for Germany and Japan as permanent members of an expanded UNSC.

• In fact, both France and Germany together stressed on the need to have reforms, adding that the UNSC will lose its legitimacy if reforms are not brought on soon.

• India’s bid for permanent membership of UNSC is now backed by four of the five permanent members, namely France, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States.

NASA Insight Mars lander detects likely ‘mars-quake’ on Red Planet

Relevance IN – Prelims (about NASA’s InSight Lander Mission) + GS III (awareness in the field of space)

What’s the NEWS• There are earthquakes and moonquakes, and now a NASA spacecraft has detected what’s believed to be a

“marsquake” on the Red Planet.

• NASA’s InSight lander, which touched down on Mars in November after a seven-month journey, sensed the seismic signal on April 6, the space agency said Tuesday.

• Mission scientists are still working to confirm the source of the faint trembling, though it appears to have come not from the wind or movement of the lander’s robotic arm but from below the Martian surface. If confirmed, it would be the first seismic activity ever detected on Mars.

• If scientists confirm it would become the first seismic activity ever detected on Mars.

Know! about NASA’s InSight Lander Mission • NASA’s InSight stands for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport

is a Mars lander aimed to undertake the first-ever thorough checkup since it formed 4.5 billion years ago.

• Insight Mission will also measure tectonic activity and meteorite impacts on Mars. NASA’s Insight is the first outer space robotic explorer to study in-depth the “inner space” of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core.

• Studying these internal structures will aid in answering the early formation of rocky planets in our inner solar system – Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars – more than 4 billion years ago, as well as rocky exoplanets.

UK, India experts explore smart tech solution for Indian farmers

Relevance IN - Prelims (steps taken for agriculture reforms + Mains GS III agri reforms)

What’s the NEWS• India and the United Kingdom, harnessing smartphone technology could help Indian farmers make better

business decisions and tackle the sustainable cooling challenges being faced by the country.

Know! more about the agreement • The potential of smart technology was highlighted in a new report, which was launched on April 24, 2019 by the

University of Birmingham, which is working along with the Shakti

• Sustainable Energy Foundation and MP Ecosystems to uncover the cooling needs of farmers in the states of Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Know! more about the report findings• The findings of the report titled ‘Promoting Clean and Energy Efficient Cold-Chains in India’ suggest

that using mobile apps and data analysis to manage harvesting and logistics could help reduce the amount of food wasted between farm gate and supermarket shelf, while boosting farmers’ incomes and reducing the environmental impact of much-needed food cooling.


• The findings are a part of a four-point “roadmap” developed by the experts, which includes promoting new

business models that involve communities taking charge of their own cooling needs and establishing ‘living

labs’ in rural communities where new technology can be tested among many other things.

• The researchers propose a radical new approach to cooling provision with recommendations combined with the

government of India action to address needs from the first to last mile of the cold-chain as well as those

of the broader rural community.

Know! about the Agricultural Problems in India

• One of the key problems in India’s agricultural sector is that about 50 per cent of the food is lost post-

harvest because of lack of cold chain.

• The new report highlights that only 4 per cent of produce that would benefit from a cold-chain actually does

so, compared with around 70 per cent in a country like the UK.

• The report suggested effective refrigeration as a solution to preserve food and medicine. It underpins

industries and economic growth, while air conditioning is key to sustainable urbanisation and human productivity

and makes much of the world bearable or even safe to live in.

• As per experts, cold-chains enhance economic wealth, cash flow and security for farmers and improve food

quality, safety and value to the customer, but they must be achieved with minimum environmental impact.

Know! about Clean Cooling Congress

• The report was launched at the two-day Clean Cooling Congress, which opened in London and hosted by

University of Birmingham with the World Bank Group and the UK Department of Business Energy & Industrial

Strategy (BEIS) and Mission Innovation.

• The report’s findings note that with population and income growing, urbanisation continuing and climate change

causing rising temperatures, the world will need to provide far more cooling.

International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace 2019

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the first ever International Day of Multilateralism and

Diplomacy for Peace)

What’s the NEWS

• The International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace was officially proclaimed to be observed

ever year on 24 April by the UN General Assembly on December 12, 2018 through a resolution.

• The first ever official ‘International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace’ was observed by

the United Nations (UN) on April 24, 2019.

• The UN General Assembly convened a one-day high-level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the

day.

Know! more about the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace

• The Assembly proclaimed the day while considering that preserving the values of multilateralism and

international cooperation is fundamental to promote and support the three pillars of the UN - Peace and

Security, Development and Human Rights.

• The Day is a reaffirmation of the UN Charter and its principles of resolving disputes among countries through

peaceful means.


Indian Coast Guard Vessel C-441 commissioned

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the vessel)

What’s the NEWS• The Indian Coast Guard Vessel C-441 was commissioned at Vizhinjam harbour, Thiruvananthapuram.

Know! more about ICGS C-441• The Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) C-441 is capable to undertake diverse tasks such as close coast

surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue and rendering assistance to boats and crafts in distress at sea.

• It will enhance the search and rescue capacity of Kerala seas.

• The ship is commanded by Assistant Commandant Amit K Choudhary.

• It has 13 crew onboard with specialisation in various fields.

UAE’s Mars probe ‘Hope’ 85 percent completedWhat’s the NEWS• For the first time, a Mars exploration project will be able to take a global picture of the Martian atmosphere.

• The UAE Space Agency has announced 85 percent completion of the gulf nation’s ‘Hope Probe’ project. The probe is an ambitious dream project of the UAE to send a mission to Mars.

• The two space organizations confirmed in a joint statement that most of the main parts of the project have been completed and are currently undergoing intensive testing to ensure every aspect of the Probe is ready for activation a few months before the launch date.

Know! More about the objective of probe• The probe is scheduled to be launched in July 2020. With its successful launch, UAE hopes to become the first

Arabic and Islamic country to make the Mars Mission dream a reality.

• The key objective of UAE’s Mars Mission will be to add to the global efforts to explore space and the surrounding planets.

• For the first time, a Mars exploration project will be able to take a global picture of the Martian atmosphere.

• An integrated picture of the atmosphere will be taken throughout the day and for a long period of time, capturing all relevant data about the planet during different seasons across the year.


Know! more about the Hope Probe• The probe has entered an intensive testing phase to ensure its readiness before the launch date, with less than

500 days are remaining for the launch.

• The probe is planned to reach Mars by 2021 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the founding of the UAE.

• The devices will be key to achieving the objectives of the scientific mission, which is a deeper and wider understanding of the Martian atmosphere.

China to build moon station in ‘about 10 years’What’s the NEWS• China plans to send a manned mission to the moon and to build a research station there within the next decade.

Know! more about China’s project• China aims to achieve space superpower status. The nation took a major step towards that goal when it became

the first nation to land a rover on the far side of the moon in January 2019.

• Tiangong programme also known as ‘Heavenly Palace’ is the space station program of the People’s Republic of China. The key focus is to create a modular space station, comparable to Soviet Union’s Mir.

• China launched its first space laboratory, Tiangong-1, on September 29, 2011. Following Tiangong-1, a more advanced space laboratory complete with cargo ship, Tiangong-2, was launched on September 15, 2016.

• The project will culminate with a large orbital station, which will consist of a 20-ton core module, 2 smaller research modules, and cargo transport craft. It is expected to support three astronauts for long-term habitation.

• The space station is scheduled to go into orbit by 2022. It is set to replace the International Space Station, a collaboration between the United States, Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan, which is due to be retired in 2024.

• China’s Long March-5B rocket will make its maiden flight in the first half of 2020, carrying the core parts of the planned space station.

• China would also be launching an asteroid exploration mission and has invited collaborators to place their experiments on the probe. The current Chang’e-4 moon lander had carried equipment from Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Know! more about the space programme of China• China has confirmed that its fourth lunar probe, the Chang’e-5, will be launched by the end of 2019.

• The launch of Chang’e-5, which was originally scheduled to collect moon samples in the second half of 2017, was delayed after its planned carrier, the powerful Long March 5 Y2 rocket, failed during a separate launch in July 2017.The nation also plans to launch a Mars probe by 2020.

• China spends more on its civil and military space programmes than Russia and Japan and is second only to the United States.

Waivers for Iran oil imports end on May 2, won’t impact Chabahar Port Project What’s the NEWS• The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo on April 23, 2019 announced that the sanction waivers that it had

granted to some countries still buying oil from Iran will terminate on May 2, 2019.

• With this announcement, five countries namely, India, China, Japan, South Korea and Turkey will no longer be exempted from the US sanctions, if they continue to import Iranian oil after their waivers end on May 2. There will be no grace period for these five economies to comply with the decision.

Know! more about the recent developments • The United States had in November 2018 granted waivers to eight economies including China, India, Japan,

South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Italy and Greece while imposing sanctions on exports of Iranian oil.

• Following this, Italy, Greece and Taiwan had stopped importing oil from Iran. However, the other five continued to import.

• The US re-imposed sanctions on exports of Iranian oil in November 2018 after it withdrew from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal. The United States has been pressuring Iran to curtail its nuclear program and stop backing militant outfits across the Middle East.


Know! more about Chabahar Port• Chabahar Port is a seaport in south-eastern Iran. It can be easily accessed from India’s western coast, bypassing

Pakistan and is located close to Afghanistan and other central Asian countries including Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

• Chabahar Port is a seaport in Chahbahar in southeasternIran.Its location lies in the Gulf of Oman.

• It is the only Iranian port with direct access to the Indian Ocean.

• Being close to Afghanistan and the Central Asian countries of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and others, the port has also been called as the Golden Gate to these land-locked countries.

• The port was partially built by India in the 1990s to provide access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan under the Ashgabat Agreement.

• The port will provide an alternative access to trade with Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan.

• Reduced transportation costs will allow India to import crude oil, urea and dry fruits at lower prices.

• Besides, land-locked country Afghanistan’s dependence on Pakistan for sea-access will be significantly reduced. It will ultimately lower Pakistan’s strategic hold on Afghanistan.

• It will provide India access to the Middle East and Gulf countries increasing trade and ties.

• It is the nearest port to India on the Iranian coast. It will provide India access to the resources and markets of Afghanistan and Central Asia.

29th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair begins; India attends as Guest of HonourWhat’s the NEWS• The 29th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) began on April 24, 2019.

• India is attending the fair as the “Guest of Honour” country, reflecting the strong relations between the leadership and the people of the UAE and India.

Know! more about the fair • It will involve over 1000 participants from more than 50 countries, who will showcase 5,00,000 books. The fair

aims to highlight the UAE’s rich heritage, and showcase its authenticity, cultural and literary output.

• 30 publishing houses from India are taking part in the fair. A three-member team from the Publications Division is participating in the Fair.

RBI sells entire stake in NHB, NABARD to Government

Relevance IN – Prelims (about NABARD and NHB + disinvestment) + Mains (GS III economic development)

What’s the NEWS• The Reserve Bank of India has sold its entire stake in the National Housing Bank (NHB) and the National Bank

for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD) to the Union Government for Rs 1,450 crore and Rs 20 crore, respectively. The move would now make these organisations fully government-owned.

• In a statement, the central bank revealed that it had sold its stakes in NABARD and in the National Housing Bank on February 26 and March 19 respectively. With this divestment, the government now holds 100 percent stake in both these financial institutions.

Know! more about the move• The move is a part of ending the cross-holding in regulatory institutions. It follows the recommendation of the

second Narasimham committee report of October 2001 and the RBI’s own discussion paper on the same entitled ‘Harmonizing the role and operations of development financial institutions and banks.

• The second Narasimham committee report had stated that RBI could not own entities that are regulated by it.

• Based on the committee’s recommendations, the central bank had proposed to transfer its ownership in SBI, NHB and Nabard to the government in October 2001.

• Accordingly, on June 29, the government had bought out RBI’s entire 59.7 percent stake in SBI.


• The disinvestment of RBI’s shareholding in NABARD was done in two phases. The central bank held 72.5 percent equity in Nabard worth Rs 1,450 crore, of which 71.5 percent amounting to Rs 1,430 crore were divested way back in October 2010 and the residual shareholding was divested on February 26, 2019.

• In case of NHB, the RBI held 100 percent shareholding in the financial institution, which was divested on March 19, 2019.

• The current change in the capital structure of both these financial institutions was brought in by the government through amendments to the Nabard Act of 1981 and the NHB Act of 1987 which were notified on January 19, 2018 and March 29, 2018, respectively.

Know! more about NABARD and NHB• The National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development was established on July 12, 1982 by transferring the

agricultural credit functions of RBI and refinance functions of the then Agricultural Refinance and Development Corporation.

• Set up with an initial capital of Rs 100 crore, the finance institution’s paid up capital stood at Rs 10,580 crore as of March 2018.

• On the other hand, the decision to establish the National Housing Bank was announced in the 1987-88 budget, following which, the NHB Bill, providing a legislative framework for the NHB, was passed by parliament in the Winter session of 1987 and it became an Act on December 23, 1987.

• The National Housing Policy of 1988 envisaged setting up of NHB as the apex level institution for promoting the housing sector.

World Day for Safety and Health at Work

Relevance IN – Prelims (about The World Day for Safety and Health at Work)

What’s the NEWS• The World Day for Safety and Health at Work was observed across the globe on April 28, 2019. The day is

observed annually to promote safe, healthy and decent work.

• This year, the world day attempts to take stock of a 100 years of work in improving occupational safety and health and looks to the future for continuing these efforts through major changes such as technology, demographics, sustainable development including climate change and changes in work organisation.

Know! more about the day• The day is an awareness-raising campaign, which aims to focus international attention on the magnitude of the

problem and on how promoting and creating a safety and health culture can help reduce the number of work-related deaths and injuries.

• The day has been observed every year on April 28 by the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 2003, in order to stress on the prevention of accidents and diseases at work.

• The observance is an integral part of the Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health of the ILO, as documented in the Conclusions of the International Labour Conference in June 2003.

• One of the main pillars of the Global Strategy is advocacy, the World Day for Safety and Health at Work is a significant tool to raise awareness of how to make work safe and healthy and of the need to raise the political profile of occupational safety and health.


• The date also commemorates the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers, which has been organised worldwide by the trade union movement since 1996.

Know! more about the day• A national occupational safety and health culture is one in which the right to a safe and healthy working

environment is respected at all levels, where governments, employers and workers actively participate in securing a safe and healthy working environment through a system of defined rights, responsibilities and duties and where the highest priority is accorded to the principle of prevention.

US places India on ‘Priority Watch List’

Relevance IN – Prelims (about Priority watch list) + Mains (GS III issues relating to IPR)

What’s the NEWS• The United States yet again placed India on its ‘Priority Watch List’, alleging lack of sufficient measurable

improvements to its Intellectual Property (IP) framework on long-standing and new challenges, which has negatively affected American right holders over the past year.

• The office of the US Trade Representative identified 11 countries, including India, in its ‘Priority Watch List’.

• The list topped by China also includes Indonesia, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Besides this, the US Trade body has placed 25 countries, including Pakistan, Turkey and the UAE, on the watchlist.

Know! more about the report highlights• In its report, the US said that these countries will be the subject of increased bilateral engagement with the

USTR to address Intellectual Property (IP) concerns.

• Over the coming weeks, the USTR would be reviewing the developments against the benchmarks established in the Special 301 action plans for countries that have been on the ‘Priority Watch List’ for multiple years.

• For countries that fail to address US’ concerns, the USTR will take appropriate actions, such as enforcement actions under Section 301 of the Trade Act or pursuant to World Trade Organisation or other trade agreement dispute settlement procedures, necessary to combat unfair trade practices and to ensure that trading partners follow through with their international commitments.

Know! the highlights of the India specific finding • India, in the past year, has taken steps to address intellectual property challenges and promote IP protection

and enforcement.

• However, many of the actions have not yet translated into concrete benefits for innovators and creators and long-standing deficiencies persist.

• India remains one of the world’s most challenging major economies with respect to protection and enforcement of IP.

• The report revealed that the United States will continue to monitor developments and to engage, as appropriate, with trading partners, including India.

• At the same time, the report also notes some of the best practices by India in the IP sector in 2018. For instance, India’s Cell for Intellectual Property Rights Promotion and Management (CIPAM) organises and spearheads the government’s efforts to simplify and streamline IP processes, increase IP awareness, promote commercialization and enhance enforcement.

Know! more about Special 301 Report• The Special 301 Report is prepared annually by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) that

identifies trade barriers to United States companies and products due to the intellectual property laws, such as copyright, patents and trademarks, in other countries.

• By April 30 of each year, the USTR must identify countries which do not provide “adequate and effective” protection of intellectual property rights or “fair and equitable market access to United States persons that rely upon intellectual property rights”.

• The annual Special 301 Report includes a list of “Priority Foreign Countries”, that are judged to have inadequate intellectual property laws; these countries may be subject to sanctions. In addition, the report contains a “Priority Watch List” and a “Watch List”, containing countries whose intellectual property regimes are deemed of concern.


RBI to soon issue Rs 20 banknote of Greenish Yellow colour

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the new series note + about Ellora caves)

What’s the NEWS• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will shortly issue Rs 20 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi

(New) Series, bearing signature of Shaktikanta Das, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India.

• The new Rs 20 banknote has motif of Ellora Caves on the reverse, depicting the country’s cultural heritage. The base colour of the note is Greenish Yellow.

• All the banknotes in the denomination of Rs 20 issued earlier by the Reserve Bank of India will continue to be legal tender.

Know! all about Ellora Caves• Ellora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra

• It is one of the largest rock-cut monastery-temple cave complexes in the world, featuring Buddhist, Hindu and Jain monuments, and artwork, dating from the 600-1000 CE period.

• Cave 16, in particular, features the largest single monolithic rock excavation in the world, the Kailasha temple, a chariot shaped monument dedicated to Shiva.

• The Kailasha temple excavation also features sculptures depicting the gods, goddesses and mythologies found in Vaishnavism, Shaktism as well as relief panels summarizing the two major Hindu Epics.

• There are over 100 caves at the site, all excavated from the basalt cliffs in the Charanandri Hills


• They were built in proximity to one another and illustrate the religious harmony that existed in ancient India.

• All of the Ellora monuments were built during Hindu dynasties such as the Rashtrakuta dynasty, which constructed part of the Hindu & Buddhist caves, and the Yadava dynasty, which constructed a number of the Jain caves.

RBI extends coverage of NBFC Ombudsman Scheme to Non-Deposit Taking NBFCs

Relevance IN – Prelims (about NBFC and non deposit NBFCs + the new ombudsman rule) + Mains (GS III economic developments)

What’s the NEWS• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) extended the coverage of Ombudsman Scheme for Non-Banking Financial

Companies (NBFCs), 2018 to eligible Non Deposit Taking Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFC-NDs).

Know! more about the development• The coverage will be extended to Non Deposit Taking Non Banking Financial Companies having asset size of Rs

100 crore or above with customer interface.

• However, Non Banking Financial Company-Infrastructure Finance Company (NBFC-IFC), Core Investment Company (CIC), Infrastructure Debt Fund-Non-banking Financial Company (IDF-NBFC) and NBFCs under liquidation are excluded from the ambit of the Scheme.

Ombudsman Scheme for Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), 2018• The Ombudsman Scheme for Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), 2018 was launched on February 23,

2018 for redressal of complaints against NBFCs registered with RBI under Section 45-IA of the RBI Act, 1934.

• Initially, the scheme covered all deposit accepting NBFCs.

• It provides a cost-free and expeditious complaint redressal mechanism relating to deficiency in the services by NBFCs covered under the Scheme.

• The offices of the NBFC Ombudsmen function at four metro centres - Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi.

• The NBFC Ombudsmen offices handle complaints of customers in the respective zones.

• The Scheme also provides for an Appellate Mechanism under which the complainant or the NBFC has option to appeal against the decision of the Ombudsman before the Appellate Authority.

ICMR launches ‘MERA India’ alliance to eliminate malaria from India by 2030

Relevance IN – Prelims (about MERA India alliance)

What’s the NEWS• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on April 25, 2019 launched the ‘Malaria Elimination

Research Alliance (MERA) India’, a gathering of partners working together to plan and scale up research to eliminate Malaria from India by 2030.

Know! more about MERA India• MERA India alliance holds utmost importance to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for the

operational research.

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) had earlier appreciated India’s research in malaria and hence, the country now aims to ensure its elimination by 2030.

• The alliance was launched on the occasion of the World Malaria Day 2019.

• The principal motive of the ‘MERA India’ alliance is to prioritise, plan, conduct, and scale up research in a coordinated way to have a solid impact on the population who are at risk of malaria.

• India has made impressive progress in malaria control in the recent years. The malaria burden in India declined by over 80 percent from 2.03 million cases in 2000 to 0.39 million in 2018. Deaths by malaria also declined by over 90 percent from 932 deaths in 2000 to 85 in 2018.


Highlights of ‘MERA India’ alliance• The National Vector Borne Diseases Control Program (NVBDCP) developed a comprehensive framework

to achieve “Malaria free India by 2030”.

• The alliance will facilitate trans-institutional coordination and collaboration around a collaborative research agenda.

Know! all about Malaria• Malaria is caused by a Plasmodium Parasites that is transmitted from one human to another by the bite of

infected Anopheles mosquitoes.

• In humans, the parasites (called sporozoites) migrate to the liver where they mature and release another form, the merozoites.

• The majority of Malaria symptoms are caused by the massive release of merozoites into the bloodstream such as anaemia is caused by the destruction of the red blood cells.

• There are five parasites that can cause Malaria in humans and the deadliest of all is Plasmodium Falciparum.

• Children under the age of 5 and pregnant women are most susceptible to the disease.

• More than 70 per cent or two thirds of total malaria deaths constitute children under the age of 5.

• Early diagnosis followed by speedy treatment is of the utmost importance.

China’s Belt and Road Initiative

Relevance IN – Prelims (china’s IBR and CPEC) + Mains (GS II bilateral relation and factors affecting India)

What’s the NEWS• Chinese President Xi Jinping defended his ambitious ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (BRI), vowing to prevent debt

risks and saying that his global infrastructure project is not an exclusive club.

• The clarification came after various nations accused that Belt and Road is a “debt trap” and a geopolitical tool for Beijing’s ambitions of becoming a global superpower.

What’s the accusation• The BRI aims to bring about much-needed transformation in developing countries; however, critics believe that

the initiative favours Chinese companies while burdening other nations with debt and causing environmental damage.

• President Xi took the stand at the second edition of the three-day Belt and Road Forum. The three-day forum was attended by leaders of 37 countries and officials from scores of other nations. However, India once again managed to skip the event.


Why India skipped the Belt and Road Forum?• It was for the second time that India skipped the Belt and Road Forum in a protest against the China-Pakistan

Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key component of the Belt and Road Initiative.

• The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor passes through the disputed Kashmir held by Pakistan and claimed by it. The corridor connects the Chinese city of Kashgar with Pakistan’s Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea.

• The CPEC project runs through the strategic Gilgit-Baltistan region in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), an integral part of India. It portends that China may emerge as a ‘direct party’ in the Kashmir dispute in future.

Know! all about Belt and Road Initiative• The Belt and Road Initiative is a development strategy, which was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

• The initiative aims to create ‘One Belt, One Road’ by establishing new routes linking three continents - Asia, Europe and Africa by 2049.

• The initiative focuses on connectivity and cooperation among countries primarily between the People’s Republic of China and the rest of Eurasia, which consists of two main components, the land-based “Silk Road Economic Belt” and oceangoing “Maritime Silk Road”.

• The initiative was unveiled in two separate announcements in September 2013 and October 2013, revealing the Silk Road Economic Belt and Maritime Silk Road, respectively.

• The Belt and Road Initiative aims to reinvent the ancient Silk Road to connect Asia to Europe and Africa through massive investments in maritime, road and rail projects.

Global Food Policy Report-2019

Relevance IN – Prelims (about the IFPRI report findings)

What’s the NEWS• International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has recently released Global Food Policy Report-2019.

• IFPRI’s flagship report reviews the major food policy issues, developments, and decisions of 2018, and considers challenges and opportunities for 2019.

• This year’s Global Food Policy Report highlights the urgency of rural revitalization to address a growing crisis in rural areas.

Know! more about the food policy report • Food Policy report says that rural people around the world continue to struggle with food insecurity, persistent

poverty and inequality, and environmental degradation.

• Policies, institutions, and investments that take advantage of new opportunities and technologies, increase access to basic services, create more and better rural jobs, foster gender equality, and restore the environment can make rural areas vibrant and healthy places to live and work.

Know! the findings of the report (critical aspects of rural revitalization.)• Rural population account for 45.3% of the world’s total population and at least 70% of the world’s population

remains extremely poor.

• The rural population suffers from rapid population growth rates, inadequate job and enterprise creation, poor infrastructure, scarce financial services.

• In addition, rural communities bear the brunt of climate change impacts.

• Nearly 50% of rural youth all over the world do not have any formal job they are either unemployed or under-employed.

Know! the South Asia Specific Findings• South Asia remained the fastest growing region in the world in 2018, as economic growth continued to strengthen.

• However, growth rates varied greatly across the region—exceeding 7.0 percent in Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, and Nepal, and reaching 5.8 percent in Pakistan, but only 2.6 percent in Afghanistan.

• Rice and wheat are the region’s major staple crops, accounting for about two-thirds of total dietary energy. But food consumption patterns have changed in the region over the past few decades.


• India, home to 70 percent of the region’s rural population, has unveiled a number of measures to bolster the rural economy: The government will maintain minimum support prices for major crops (25 at present) equal to at least 1.5 times their production costs.

What are the Challenges and way forward• The rural transformation in South Asia is at a crossroads.

• The rural sector has been gradually transforming, but agricultural livelihoods still provide more than 43 percent of employment, meaning that most jobs in South Asia are in the informal sector.

• Implementing a “decent employment agenda” will require improving rural livelihoods. The predominance of smallholder farming communities, their increasing political voice, and national commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals are prompting governments in the region to emphasize inclusive rural development strategies.

Cyclone naming

Relevance IN – Prelims (about various cyclones and its naming) + Mains (GS I - important geophysical phenomena)

Cyclone naming• Traditionally, cyclones were not named! The trend started with frequent hurricanes hitting the Atlantic Ocean.

Know! the trend/criteria• A basic criterion was set that the tropical storms that sustain wind speed of 39 miles per hour would be given

different names.

• It is quite amazing to know that hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons are all the tropical storms, just called out with the different names in different corners of the world. Thus, storms in the Atlantic are known as ‘Hurricanes’, as ‘Typhoon’ in the Pacific, while ‘Cyclone’ in the Indian Ocean.

Classification of storm• On the basis of wind speed, storms are classified as a hurricane/cyclone/typhoon. Only if the speed of wind

reaches 74 mph or above, the storm is classified into the above three categories.

Know! the naming process• Naming of different tropical cyclones is a recent phenomenon, wherein meteorologists from several countries sit

together and the naming process is done under the guidance of World Meteorological Organization.

• Naming of cyclones began in 2000 for the Indian Ocean region and in 2004, finally a formula was adopted. Eight countries in the region such as Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand suggested a set of names that are assigned a sequence whenever a cyclonic storm pops up.

• Since 2004, all the cyclones that have occurred were named as Agni, Akash, Bijli, Jal. The Indian names in the queue are Leher, Megh, Sagar and Vayu.

Importance of naming cyclone• Naming of cyclone avoids confusion as it is difficult to always remember the storm’s number or its longitude and

latitude. Also naming is fruitful when more than one storm needs to be tracked.

Naming of very severe storms• The trend is to retire the names of storms that result into widespread damage and deaths. These names are not

reused for atleast 10 years and are replaced with new ones of same gender beginning with the same alphabet.

Naming of cyclone ‘Fani’• The very recent cyclone ‘Fani’ has been making a breaking news since the last few days, expected to soon hit

Chennai and parts of Tamil Nadu thereby giving heavy rains.

• The name ‘Fani’ has been taken from the list of names created by south Asian countries. This name was picked up by Bangladesh.

Cyclone in recent years• In 2017 Cyclone Ockhi hit parts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.


• Cyclone Gaja, Cyclones Sagar (in Somalia), Cyclone Mekunu (striked Oman), Cyclone Luban (affected the Arabian Peninsula) and Cyclone Titli (made landfall near Palasa, Andhra Pradesh)were part of 2018 North Indian Ocean cyclone season.

• Cyclone Pabuk originated over the Gulf of Thailand, in 2019

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale• It classifies hurricanes or Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed intensities of tropical depressions

and tropical storms into five categories or 1 to 5 rating based on intensities of their sustained winds.

• It estimates potential property damage. Cyclones reaching Category 3 and higher are considered alarming because of their potential for significant loss of life and damage.

Tropical Cyclone• They are also known as Hurricanes (in Atlantic), Typhoons (in Western Pacific and South China Sea), Willy-

willies (in Western Australia).

• It is an intense circular storm that originates over warm tropical oceans and is characterized by low atmospheric pressure, high winds, and heavy rain.

• It draws energy from sea surface, maintains its strength as long as it remains over warm water, and generates winds that can exceed 119 km (74 miles) per hour.

World’s first floating nuclear power plant to begin operations

Relevance IN – Prelims (about Akademik Lomonosov)

What’s the NEWS• Akademik Lomonosov, the world’s only floating nuclear power unit is ready to start commercial

operations in Russia. The plant was launched by Russia on May 19, 2018 at the St Petersburg shipyard.

• The plant is to be the first of a fleet of floating nuclear power stations to be stationed in the Russian Arctic.

• The power plant is ready to start generating power after a series of comprehensive and successful tests on its twin KLT-40 reactor system.

• The power generation at both of the 35-MW KLT-40C reactors achieved 100 percent of capacity on March 31, with subsequent tests confirming that both the main and the auxiliary equipment of the units, as well as the process control systems, were operating normally.

• Russia’s main objective behind the development is to meet its growing electricity needs in its drive to develop oil resources in remote Arctic regions.

Know! more about Akademik Lomonosov• The ‘Akademik Lomonosov’ is to be the first of a fleet of floating nuclear power stations to be stationed in the

Russian Arctic.

• The 144-by-30-metre (472-by-98-foot) power plant holds two reactors with two 35 megawatt nuclear reactors that are similar to those used to power icebreaker ships.

• The power plant has no propulsion of its own. It will be towed up North to avoid the steep cost of shipping it by land piece by piece to remote areas.

• It is expected to operate for 40 years, with the possibility of the operating life being extended to 50 years and the two reactors will be refueled once every three years.


Prelims Practise Questions

1. Consider the following statements

1. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) based electronic hardware system to detect malaria, tuberculosis, intestinal parasite, and cervical cancer in milliseconds.

2. The Government constituted a Multi Disciplinary Terror Monitoring Group (MDTMG) to ensure concerted action against terror financing and other terror related activities in the State of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

3. An interest-rate derivative is a financial instrument with a value that increases and decreases based on movements in interest rates.

4. In India child marriage are lowest in the central and western parts of India and higher in the eastern and southern parts of the country.

Find the correct statements from the option given below

(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1 and 3 (d) All

2. Consider the following statements

1. PSLV-C45 successfully injected EMISAT in a 748-km orbit and 28 other satellites in a 504-km orbit

2. The launch vehicle’s fourth and final stage — PS4 — restarted and shut down twice, as the rocket manoeuvred to a 504km orbit.

3. A new fourth variant of the launcher, called the QL, was used in this mission. Its first stage was fitted (or ‘strapped on’) with two additional rockets.

4. ISRO used for the first time a multiple-burn technology where the engine shut down and restarted multiple times within a short period of time allowing the rocket to course to the next orbit with the payloads.

Find the correct statement from the option given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2 and 4 (c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) All

3. Consider the following statements:

1. Last year the government had also announced transfer of majority 51 per cent stake to Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) in IDBI Bank

2. The Department of Financial Services made a record capital infusion of Rs 1.06 lakh crore in the PSBs in the current fiscal.

3. As of now five public sector banks including Bank of India, Corporation Bank and Allahabad Bank were out of the prompt corrective action framework of the RBI.

4. Non-performing assets (NPAs) have shown negative trend in 2018-19 and have reduced by Rs 23,860 crore between April-September 2018.


(a) 1 and 3 (b) 2 and 4 (c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) All


1. ‘Kandhamal Haldi’, a variety of turmeric indigenous to southern Odisha, has earned the Geographical indication (GI) tag from Intellectual Property India, an organisation functioning under the auspices of the Union ministry of Agriculture and allied activities.

2. The World Autism Awareness Day was observed across the world on April 2, 2019 with the theme of “Assistive Technologies, Active Participation”.

3. Japan declared ‘Reiwa’ as the name of its new imperial era that will begin on May 1, 2019 once the new Crown Prince Naruhito ascends the Chrysanthemum Throne.


(a) 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 3 (c) 3 only (d) 1 only



1. The third edition of AUSINDEX, an acronym for Australia India Exercise between the army of both countries is scheduled to commence at Visakhapatnam

2. The aim of the exercise is, “To strengthen and enhance mutual cooperation and interoperability between the IN and RAN, providing opportunities for interaction and exchange of professional views between the personnel of the two armies”.


(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both (d) None

6. Consider the following statements about The International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT)

1. ICAT Centre-II is under brisk renovation to create a world-class state-of-the-art facility for organizing such significant and sizeable events for the automotive fraternity.

2. ICAT Manesar is a division of NATRIP Implementation Society (NATIS) under the Department of Heavy Industries, Government of India.

3. It provides services for testing, validation, design and homologation of all categories of vehicles and has a mission to assist the automotive industry in adopting cutting edge technologies in vehicle evaluation


(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1 2 and 3 (d) None

7. Which of the following awards have been conferred to Prime Minister Modi

1. Philip Kotler Presidential Award

2. Seoul Peace Prize 2018

3. UN Champions of the Earth Award 2018

4. Grand Collar of the State of Palestine

5. Amir Abdulla Khan Award of Afghanistan

6. King Abdullaziz Sash Award of Saudi Arabia

Find the correct statements from the option given below:

(a) 1, 3, 4 and 6 (b) 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 (c) 3, 4 and 5 (d) All

8. Consider the following statement regarding ISRO’s upcoming launches:

1. Cartosat-3 is the advanced version with the capability to zoom up to a resolution of 0.2 metre (20 cm), which is considered the best in the world.

2. The resolution of Cartosat-3 will be so refined that it will be able to capture clear images of very small objects like a gun or an enemy bunker.

3. RISAT-2BR1 will be launched in July, RISAT-2BR2 in October and Risat-1A in November. Risat-2B series is a lighter version of the spy satellite

4. Radar imaging satellites like India’s RISAT series can provide almost an uninterrupted view of earth, day or night, rain or shine, a handy feature for the forces to detect border infiltration.


(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) All

9. Consider the following statements regarding Maitri Bridge

1. Indian Army built the longest suspension bridge over Chenab river in Leh in just 40 days and the bridge is named as Maitri Bridge.

2. The bridge was constructed by the combat engineers of ‘SahasaurYogyata’ regiment of ‘Fire and Fury Corps’ of the Indian Army.


(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) None (d) All


10. Consider the following statements about the various festivals of Indian 1. PohelaBoishakh is the Kannada New Year celebrated with making many sweetmeats. 2. BestuVaras is celebrated in Manipur on the day after Deepavali. Marwaris in Rajasthan also celebrate their

new year during Deepavali. 3. Vishu is the Malayali New Year celebrated in the state of Kerala in the month of April. 4. Losoong is the Sikkimese New Year and falls in December at the end of harvesting. It is celebrated by

performing Chham dance.

Find the correct statement from the option given below: (a) 3 and 4 (b) 1 and 4 (c) 2 and 4 (d) All

11. Consider the following statements: 1. According to a recent study most rural households with LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) connections still use

chulhas with firewood or dung cakes which are the detriment of rural health. 2. 85% of Ujjwala beneficiaries in rural Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha still use solid fuels

for cooking 3. The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) was approved by the MHRD and launched on 29th

September 2015. 4. United Kingdom has announced to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its Quds

Force, as a foreign terrorist organisation (FTO) in accordance with Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Find the correct statements from the options given below: (a) 1 and 3 (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1 and 4 (d) 3 and 4

12. Consider the following statement: 1. President Ram Nath Kovind launched ‘Veer Parivar App’, a mobile application for families of Defence

personnel killed in the line of duty. 2. The application will act as an interface between the Defence authorities and the next of kin of the slain

personnel.

Find the correct statement from the options given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both (d) None

13. Consider the following statements: 1. India launched a Port Community System — ‘PCS1x’— at ports in December 2018 which is a cloud-based

new generation technology, with a user-friendly interface. 2. The International Maritime Organization has given the observer status by the United Nations 3. IMO has responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric

pollution by ships. 4. IMO measures cover all aspects of international shipping – including ship design, construction, equipment,

manning, operation and disposal – to ensure that this vital sector for remains safe, environmentally sound, energy efficient and secure.

Find the correct statement from the option given below: (a) 1, 3 and 4 (b) 1 and 3 (c) 1 and 2 (d) All

14. Consider the following statements: 1. A meteoroid is a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteorite that originates

in outer space and survives its passage through the atmosphere to reach the surface of a planet or moon. 2. When the object enters the atmosphere, various factors such as friction, pressure, and chemical interactions

with the atmospheric gases cause it to heat up and then it becomes a meteor and forms a fireball, also known as a shooting star or falling star.

Find the correct statement from the option given below: (a) Only 1 (b) Only 2 (c) Both (d) None


15. Consider the following statements 1. The Airforce and the Armed forces of India and Singapore jointly participated in a joint military exercise i.e

‘Bold Kurukshetra–2019’, in Jhansi’s Babina Cantonment 2. The three-day exercise is aimed at bolstering cooperation against terrorism, developing defence technology

and improving maritime security. 3. India and Singapore had entered into an official agreement in November 2017 to strengthen defence ties

between their respective armed forces only.

Find the correct statement from the options given below: (a) 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 2 (c) 1 2 and 3 (d) None

16. Consider the following statements: 1. The International Day of Human Space Flight was observed across the world to celebrates the anniversary

of the first ever human space flight undertaken by Yuri Gagarin, a citizen of United Nation 2. Gagarin carried out Vostok 1 space flight on April 12, 1961, making one orbit around the Earth in over 108

minutes in the Vostok 3KA spacecraft. 3. Rakesh Sharma, the former Indian Air Force pilot, became the first person of Indian origin to travel in space.

Find the correct statement from the option given below: (a) 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 3 (c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) None

17. Consider the following statement about Order of St Andrew the Apostle: 1. The Order of St Andrew the Apostle is both the highest and the oldest state decoration of Russia. 2. It was established as the first and highest order of chivalry of the Russian Empire in 1698 but was abolished

under the USSR in 1918 before being reinstated as the top Russian order in 1998. 3. It may also be awarded to foreign heads of states for outstanding service to the Russian Federation. 4. In 2017, Chinese president Xi Jinping was awarded the Order of St Andrew the Apostle.

Find the correct statements from the option given below: (a) 1, 3 and 4 (b) 3 and 4 (c) All (d) 1 and 2

18. Consider the following statements regarding Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: 1. The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre was the result of the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919,

famously known as the Rowlatt Act. 2. The Act allowed political cases to be tried without jury, and imprisonment of suspects without trial. 3. Following the massacre, the Hunter Commission was appointed to investigate into the matter. The

Commission in 1920 acquitted Dyer. 4. Bengali poet and Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore renounced the knighthood he had received in 1915.

Find the correct statement from the option given below: (a) 1, 2 and 4 (b) 3 and 4 (c) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (d) None

19. Consider the following statements regarding Bamboo rice: 1. The rare variety of Bamboo rice which was last harvested in Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary in

1979, grows twice or thrice in a century 2. This Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary is located in West Bengal

Find the correct statement from the option given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) None (d) Both

20. Consider the following statements: 1. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has recently launched its annual flagship report State of

World Population-2018 titled “Unfinished business the pursuit of rights and choices” describe issues and information about population worldwide.

2. According to a report by the United Nations Population Fund, India’s population grew at an average annual rate of 1.2 per cent between 2010 and 2019 to 1.36 billion, more than double the annual growth rate of China.

3. In India, total fertility rate per woman was 5.6 in 1969, dropping to 3.7 in 1994 and 2.3 in 2019.


4. The life expectancy at birth in 1969 was 47 years, growing to 60 years in 1994 and 69 years in 2019. 5. The report said 27 per cent of the country’s population was in the age bracket of 0-14 years and 10-24 years

each, while 67 per cent of the country’s population was in the 15-64 age bracket.

Find the correct statement from the option given below: (a) 2, 3, 4 and 5 (b) 3, 4 and 5 (c) 1, 4 and 5 (d) All

21. Consider the following statements: 1. NITI Aayog has formed a Central Monitoring Committee to prepare and enforce a national plan to make

over 350 river stretches across the country pollution free. 2. The committee would comprise a representative of NITI Aayog, secretaries of Ministry of Water Resources,

Ministry of Urban Development and Ministry of Environment, the director general of National Mission for Clean Ganga and the Chairman of the Central Pollution Control Board.

Find the correct statement from the option given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both (d) None

22. Consider the following statements: 1. The world bank has been providing technical, advisory, and financial support to the BBIN MVA initiative as

part of its assistance to the South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program 2. The BBIN is a big initiative in the region, which is aimed at improving rail and road connectivity in the

region. 3. The agreement for the initiative – the BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement -was signed and ratified by all the

four member nations in June 2015.

Find the correct statement from the options given below: (a) 2 only (b) 1 and 3 (c) 1 and 2 (d) All

23. Consider the following statements: 1. A cruise missile is a guided missile used against terrestrial targets that remains in the atmosphere and flies

the major portion of its flight path at approximately constant speed. 2. The ballistic missile is targeted as a projectile from a single launch force with not much-added guidance.It is

launched directly into the high layers of the earth’s atmosphere.


24. Consider the following statements: 1. Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) is a planned space probe that will demonstrate the kinetic effects

of crashing an impactor spacecraft into an meteoroids for planetary defense purposes. 2. DART planetary-defence mission will be will launched by the Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force

Base in California in June 2021. 3. The spacecraft will slam into “Didymoon,” the 540-foot-wide (165 meters) satellite of the near-Earth asteroid

Didymos which is located at about 4 million miles from Earth in October 2022. 4. In an earlier mission of this month, NASA’s Hayabusa2 probe smashed a copper cannonball into the space

rock Ryugu, to unearth pristine subsurface material for study.

Find the correct statements from the options given below: (a) 2 and 3 (b) 1, 2 and 4 (c) All (d) 1, 3 and 4

25. Consider the following statements about IORA: 1. The vision for IORA originated during a visit by late President Nelson Mandela of South Africa to India in

1995 2. The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is a dynamic non-governmental organisation aimed at

strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean region through its 22 Member States and 9 Dialogue Partners.


3. IORA’s apex body is the Council of Foreign Ministers (COM) which meets annually.The Republic of South Africa will assume the role for 2017-2019, followed by the United Arab Emirates.

Find the correct statement from the option given below: (a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 3 (c) 2 only (d) 3 only

26. Consider the following statements regarding Measles 1. Measles is a highly contagious airborne fungal disease that causes fever, coughing and rashes, which can be

deadly in rare cases. 2. Despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine, the disease remains an important cause of death

among old age people globally. 3. The infection is transmitted through droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons. 4. The initial symptoms, which usually appear 10–12 days after infection, include high fever, a runny nose,

bloodshot eyes and tiny white spots on the inside of the mouth.

Find the correct statements from the option given below: (a) 3 and 4 (b) 1 and 3 (c) 2 and 4 (d) All

27. Consider the following statements: 1. The scientists have found that Saturn’s largest moon Titan has small liquid lakes that run more than 100

metres deep, perched atop hills and filled with methane. 2. Titan is the most Earth-like body in the solar system. It has lakes, canyons, rivers, dune fields of organic

sand particles about the same size as silica sand grains on Earth. 3. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, ESA (European Space Agency) and the

Italian Space Agency.

Find the correct statements from the option given below: (a) 1 and 3 (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1 and 2 (d) 1, 2 and 3

28. Consider the following statements: 1. Recently Scientists have discovered the molecule in our own galaxy using NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory

for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) 2. SOFIA is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 106-inch diameter telescope. It found modern helium

hydride in a planetary nebula, a remnant of what was once a Sun-like star.

Find the correct statements from the option given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both (d) None

29. Consider the following statements about International Fleet Review (IFR): 1. The International Fleet Review is a parade of naval ships, aircraft and submarines. 2. The IFR is organised by nations to promote goodwill, strengthen cooperation and showcase their organisational

capabilities. 3. The IFR serves as an ideal platform for world’s navies to showcase their expertise and indigenous ship

designing and ship building capabilities in the international arena. 4. India conducted the IFR twice in February 2016 and in March 2018 that saw overwhelming participation of

50 navies with nearly 100 warships.

Find the correct statements from the option given below: (a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1 and 4 (d) All


30. Consider the following statement regarding the recently commissioned Imphal: 1. Imphal is the first ship to be launched under Project 15B. 2. 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. 3. The P15B destroyers incorporate new design concepts for improved survivability, sea keeping, stealth and

ship manoeuvrability. 4. The ships are packed with an array of state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, including multi-functional

surveillance radars and vertically launched missile system for short-distance engagement of shore, sea-based and air targets.

Find the correct statement from the option given below: (a) 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 4 (c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) All

31. Consider the following statement about Asian Tea Alliance: 1. It is a union of five tea-growing and consuming countries was launched in Guizhou in China. 2. The members of the alliance are the Indian Tea Association, China Tea Marketing Association, Malaysia Tea

Marketing Association, Sri Lanka Tea Board and Japan Tea Association.

Find the correct statement from the option given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) None (d) all32. Consider the following questions 1. Bepi Colombo is Europe’s first mission to Mars which was set off in 2018 on a journey to the smallest and

least explored terrestrial planet in our Solar System. 2. When it arrives at Mars in late 2025, it will endure temperatures in excess of 350°C and gather data during

its 1 year nominal mission, with a possible 1-year extension.

Find the correct statement from the option given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) None (d) All

33. Consider the following statements regarding Candida Auris: 1. It is a fungal disease which developed resistance to several anti – fungal drugs 2. It is not reported in the India till now 3. Hospital Hygiene is the primary factors in preventing the spread of Candida Auris

Find the correct statement from the option given below: (a) 1 and 2 (b) 1 and 3 (c) 2 and 3 (d) All

34. Consider the following statements: 1. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has distributed over 3,100 special kits SAECKs for collecting

blood and semen samples, besides other evidence, to carry out immediate investigations into sexual assault cases among states and Union Territories.

2. SAECK Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits (SAECKs) or ‘rape investigation kits’ are specially designed kits to carry out the immediate medico-legal investigation.

Find the correct statement from the option given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) None (d) Both

35. Consider the following statements: 1. The Supreme Court constituted a three-judge panel headed by Justice SA Bobde, alongwith the Chief Justice

of India (CJI) itself , to inquire into the sexual harassment complaint by a former junior court assistant against CJI Ranjan Gogoi.

2. This is third in the number regarding an in-house inquiry on a sexual harassment complaint conducted in the Supreme Court but it is the first-ever time ever such an inquiry is being conducted against the CJI.



36. Consider the following statements about The Global Talent Competitiveness Index:

1. The Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2019 has released by INSEAD, Adecco Group and Tata Communications recently.

2. In the GTCI 2019 India ranks 80 while Singapore takes the lead in this region.

3. This year’s report has a special focus on entrepreneurial talent - how it is being encouraged, nurtured and developed throughout the world and how this affects the relative competitiveness of different economies.


(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) None


1. The two new white-eye species found by Trinity and UHO; they are both found on the Wakatobi Islands, just off mainland South-east Sulawesi..

2. Scientists have discovered two new bird species in the Wakatobi Archipelago of Sulawesi, Malaysia

3. These birds have expertise in making island colonies, which is why so many different white-eye species have evolved so rapidly, as different island populations become isolated and split off from their source populations.


(a) 1 and 3 (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) None

38. Consider the following statement:

1. The United States earlier granted waivers to eight economies including China, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Italy and Greece while imposing sanctions on exports of Iranian oil.

2. Chabahar Port is a seaport in south-eastern Iran. It can be easily accessed from India’s western coast, bypassing Pakistan and is located close to Afghanistan and other central Asian countries including Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

3. Chabahar Port is a seaport in Chahbahar in southeastern Iran.Its location lies in the Gulf of Oman.

4. It is the only Iranian port with direct access to the Indian Ocean.


(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) None (d) All

39. Consider the following statements about Ellora caves:

1. Ellora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra

2. It is one of the largest rock-cut monastery-temple cave complexes in the world, featuring Buddhist, and Jain monuments, and artwork, dating from the 600-1000 CE period.

3. The Kailasha temple excavation also features sculptures depicting the gods, goddesses and mythologies found in Vaishnavism, Shaktism as well as relief panels summarizing the two major Hindu Epics.

4. There are over 100 caves at the site, all excavated from the basalt cliffs in the Charanandri Hills

Find the correct statements from the options given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) All


1. The Ministry of family and health welfare has launched the ‘Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA) India’, a gathering of partners working together to plan and scale up research to eliminate Malaria from India by 2030.

2. The National Vector Borne Diseases Control Program (NVBDCP) developed a comprehensive framework to achieve “Malaria free India by 2030”.

3. The alliance will facilitate trans-institutional coordination and collaboration around a collaborative research agenda.


(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1 and 3 (d) None


41. Consider the following statements: 1. For the first time India skipped the Belt and Road Forum in a protest against the China-Pakistan Economic

Corridor (CPEC), a key component of the Belt and Road Initiative. 2. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor passes through the disputed Kashmir held by Pakistan and claimed

by it. The corridor connects the Chinese city of Kashgar with Pakistan’s Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea. 3. The Belt and Road Initiative aims to create ‘One Belt, One Road’ by establishing new routes linking three

continents - Asia, Europe and Africa by 2049.

Find the correct statement from the option given below: (a) 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 3 (c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) None

42. Consider the following statements about Akademik Lomonosov 1. The ‘Akademik Lomonosov’ is to be the first of a fleet of floating nuclear power stations to be stationed in the

Russian Arctic. 2. Russia’s main objective behind the development is to meet its growing electricity needs in its drive to develop

oil resources in remote Arctic regions.


Answer Keys1 a 2 a 3 d 4 a 5 d 6 c 7 d 8 d 9 b 10 a

11 a 12 d 13 a 14 b 15 a 16 a 17 c 18 a 19 a 20 a

21 b 22 a 23 c 24 a 25 b 26 a 27 d 28 c 29 a 30 a

31 a 32 c 33 b 34 b 35 d 36 c 37 a 38 d 39 d 40 b

41 a 42 c

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JOIN THE DOTS! - Coaching for CAT, CLAT, IPM, UPSC, BANK ... · A CURRENT AFFAIRS SERIES FOR UPSC EXAMINATION Compendium – April 2019 Dear Students, With the present examination