National News
1. Uttarakhand CM launches virtual classroom project connecting 500 secondary schools
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat launched a project that will connect 500 secondary schools to virtual classrooms and said that schools in the state facing a shortage of teachers will benefit from the new technology. Virtual classes are attended through video conferences where students can meet the teacher on a real-time basis and ask questions. Around 1.90 Lakh students to get benefited with the programme
Initially, 150 schools have been connected with the project, which works on two-way seamless interactivity, and the remaining 350 will be linked with it over the next 15 days.
2. Health ministry launches SAANS campaign
The 'Social Awareness and Action to Neutralise Pneumonia Successfully' (SAANS) campaign was launched by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. It aimed to reduce child mortality due to pneumonia. In India, pneumonia contributes to around 15 percent of deaths annually of children under the age of five.
Under SAANS, the government is targeting a reduction in pneumonia-caused deaths by 2025 to less than 3 deaths out of 1000 live births. The health campaign will mobilise people to protect children from pneumonia and train health personnel and other stakeholders to provide prioritised treatment to control the disease. A child suffering from pneumonia can be treated with a pre-referral dose of anti-biotic amoxicillin by Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers.
Under SAANS, health and wellness centres can use pulse oximeter (device to monitor oxygen saturation) to identify low oxygen levels in the blood of a child, and if required, treat him by use of oxygen cylinders. A mass awareness campaign will also be launched about effective solutions for pneumonia prevention such as breastfeeding, and age-appropriate complementary feeding, immunization, good quality air, etc.
As per data from the Health Management Information System (HMIS), a digital initiative by National Health Mission, out of 1000 live births in India, 37 children under five die. Of these, 5.3 deaths are caused due to pneumonia. As per HMIS data, Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of pneumonia-caused child deaths, followed by Gujarat.
3. Jal Shakti Minister releases short documentary film on Water Conservation named SHIKHAR SE PUKAR
Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat released a short documentary film on Water Conservation named 'SHIKHAR SE PUKAR' in New Delhi.
The film 'Jalshakti Abhiyan' and is based on the Journey of an IAS Officer Ravindra Kumar, who climbed Everest this year to attract the attention of people from the top of the Everest on the serious issue of Water Conservation and stopping Water Pollution.
The significance of Himalaya as the primary source of water needs of India by means of the river. It picturizes the difficulties and challenges of climbing the highest peak in the world.
4. UNICEF suggests recipes for healthy children
UNICEF released a booklet on how to tackle problems of underweight, obesity and anaemia among children. From uttapam to sprouted dal parantha - a book by UNICEF tells how to tackle problems of underweight, obesity and anaemia among children by consuming nutritious food that costs less than ₹20. The book has been based on the findings of the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey 2016-18 which found that 35 per cent of children under five are stunted, 17 per cent are wasted and 33 per cent are underweight.
The 28-page book lists out recipes of freshly prepared foods, also giving the cost of preparation of each of them. For tackling underweight - the books lists recipes like potato stuffed paratha, paneer kathi roll and sago cutlets while for tackling obesity - there are suggestions of sprouted dal parantha, poha and vegetable upma.
Apart from calorie count, the book gives detailed break up of protein, carbohydrate, fat, total fibre, iron, vitamin C and calcium content of the recipe
5. GoI to extend Visa-on-Arrival facility to UAE nationals
Government of India has decided to extend the Visa-on-Arrival facility to nationals of the United Arab Emirates. This facility is aimed at further strengthening people to people and trade links as well as strategic ties between the two countries. Visa-on-Arrival is available to UAE nationals for a period of up to 60 days with double entry for business, tourism, conference and medical purposes. This facility is available at six designated International Airports namely, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai.
Visa-on-Arrival is available only to those UAE nationals who have earlier obtained an e-Visa or a normal paper Visa for India, irrespective of whether the person actually visited India or not. Those UAE nationals going to India for first time, may be advised to apply for e-Visa or a normal paper Visa.
However, Pakistan Origin UAE nationals will not be eligible for Visa-on-Arrival Scheme. Ambassador Pavan Kapoor in a tweet said that this was a 'special gesture’ for the UAE with whom India has a comprehensive strategic partnership.
6. UP CM Yogi Adityanath inaugurates sugar mill in Pipraich
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the Pipraich Sugar Mill in Gorakhpur, which is a unit of Uttar Pradesh Sugar and Sugarcane Development Corporation Limited. The mills, which previously produced around 8,000 quintals of sugar, will now produce more than 50,000 quintals of sugar every day.
7. Indian sent over 202,000 students to US in 2018-19, second largest after China: Report
The '2019 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange' said the number of foreign students in the US set an all-time high in the 2018/19 academic year, the fourth consecutive year with more than one million international students. The data from the US Department of Commerce stated that international students contributed USD 44.7 billion to the US economy in 2018, an increase of 5.5 per cent from the previous year.
For the tenth consecutive year, China has remained the largest source of international students in the US in 2018-19 with 369,548 students and India with 202,014 students sends second largest number of foreign students to the United States.
The total number of international students was 1,095,299, a 0.05 per cent increase over last year, adding that international students make up 5.5 per cent of the total US higher education population. Students from India and China account for more than 50 per cent of international students, said the report that was released by Institute of International Education (IIE) and US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
According to the report, China remained the largest source of international students in the United States in 2018/19 with 369,548 students in undergraduate, graduate, non-degree, and optional practical training (OPT) programs, a 1.7 per cent increase from 2017/18.
India (202,014, +2.9 per cent), South Korea (52,250), Saudi Arabia (37,080), and Canada (26,122, +0.8 per cent) round out the top five. Engineering remained the largest academic field for international students in 2018/19, with 21.1 per cent of all international students. The number of students enrolling for the first time at a US institution in 2018/19 declined by 0.9 per cent, recovering from sharper declines the year before.
European countries remain the most popular destinations for US study abroad students with 54.9 per cent of study abroad students going to Europe in 2017/18. The United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, and Germany hosted the most US study abroad students.
8. Central government launched Nutrition Agricultural Fund of India to combat malnutrition
Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani launched the Indian Nutrition Agriculture Fund in New Delhi in collaboration with Bill Gates, co-chairman of the Bill and Milinda Gates Foundation. The Central Government has started the Indian Nutrition Agricultural Fund with an aim to reduce malnutrition in India.
Indian Nutrition Agricultural Fund will have a wide variety of crops in 128 agro-climatic zones in India for better nutritional outcomes. The fund aims to reduce malnutrition among women and children across the country, including a multi-sectoral outcome based framework including agriculture. The Indian Nutrition Agricultural Fund aims to promote and strengthen healthy dietary practices at both the individual and community levels and to combat malnutrition in a sustainable manner. The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has partnered with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the Indian Nutrition Agricultural Fund project. Bill Gates announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is ready to partner with the central government in every way to create a sustainable nutrition program to tackle the challenge of malnutrition.
9. Haryana to set up new Foreign Cooperation department
The Haryana state government has decided to create a new department called the Department of 'Foreign Cooperation' to focus on initiatives taken by the state for the promotion of investment, youth employment and welfare of Non-Resident Indians.
The new Foreign Cooperation Department will primarily work to formulate country-wise strategies to promote investment and employment in the state besides promoting skill development, promotion of the state’s culture and the welfare of its people. The department is also expected to work in tandem with the Ministry of External Affairs to enhance international cooperation with provinces of foreign nations and increase engagement with cities under the sister provinces and twin cities programmes of MEA. The key objective of the department will be to pursue issues of interest to the state that involve cooperation between public and private sector organisations. It will also work with bilateral working groups to promote the state's interest in foreign countries in areas such as trade and investment, both in-bound and out-bound. It will also be expected to maintain relations with the Indian missions abroad on matters relating to Haryana.
The state cabinet meeting was the first meeting of the newly-formed cabinet under Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar. Ten members were sworn into the state cabinet on November 14. Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar and deputy CM Dushyant Chautala had taken their oath of office on October 27.
10. West Bengal forms core committee on child labour
The West Bengal Government has constituted a core committee to chalk out a policy to eradicate child labour from the state. The Committee on Rights of the Child along with representatives of the State Government and other NGOs have set up the core committee.
11. Roadmap for transformation of healthcare system unveiled by NITI Aayog
NITI Aayog advocated for a healthcare system for the middle class which is still not covered under any public health care system. The healthcare system would exclude those covered under the newly-launched Ayushman Bharat scheme that mainly caters to the bottom 40 per cent population of the country.NITI Aayog released the report on ‘Health Systems for a New India: Building Blocks-Potential Pathways to Reforms. The report was released by NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar in the presence of Bill Gates, the co-chairman of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
12. ISRO postpones launch of Cartosat-3 to Nov 27
The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has postponed the launch of PSLV-C47 that will be carrying Cartosat-3. The launch was scheduled on November 25 at 9.28 am but has now been rescheduled to 9.28 am on November 27. Cartosat-3 will be launched from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.
Cartosat-3 is an earth imaging and mapping satellite developed by Isro. The Cartosat-3 is a "third generation agile advanced satellite" having high resolution imaging capability. The satellite would be placed in an orbit of 509 km at an inclination of 97.5 degree. PSLV-C47 is the 21st flight of PSLV in 'XL' configuration (with 6 solid strap-on motors). PSLV-C47 would also carry 13 commercial nano satellites from the US as part of commercial arrangement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), Department of Space. This would be ISRO’s 74th launch vehicle mission from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota.
13. DSEJ launches special enrollment drive under ‘Aao School Chalein’
In Jammu, the Directorate of School Education (DSEJ) has launched a special enrollment drive under the banner ‘Aao School Chalein’ for increasing the enrollment in government schools.
As per the Directorate of School Education, the special enrollment drive would be conducted across all the villages and catchment areas of the government schools, under the supervision of chief education officers of all the districts of Jammu Division. Apart from increasing the enrollment in the Government schools, the prime focus of the drive is on the strengthening of pre-schooling of children in the age group of 3 to 5 years.
14. Kolkata becomes first City to Install ‘Third Umpire’ RT-PCR Machines in India
In a bid towards upholding state’s public health the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has installed first of its kind high-end Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) Machines in India for quick detection of diseases such as dengue, tuberculosis (TB) and swine flu.
As the Kolkata city continues to record a sharp rise in cases of mosquito-borne diseases, the KMC aims to identify the root causes of diseases such as dengue through RT-PCR Machines. The objective is to give accurate DNA report on blood tests in order to ascertain the exact cause of illness.
These machines will serve as a ‘third umpire’ in situations when medical reports and blood tests reveal contradictory results. The machine will provide the exact cause of illness without any room for doubts. The tests conducted through these machines will be free of cost. In the initial stages of project, four machines have been installed in Hatbagan in North Kolkata, Jadavpur, Behala and at Haji Mohammad Mohsin Square in central part of city.
15. Assam brides to get aid worth 'one tola' of gold from January
From January 2020, marriageable girls in Assam would get financial help worth 'one tola' (10 gram) of gold from the Assam government, said Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The scheme will be launched in January 2020. One will have to register the marriage under the Special Marriage Act 1954 to avail the scheme. The state cabinet approved the 'Arundhati' scheme, which was announced in the state budget 2019-20. The scheme is expected to cost the state ₹800 crore a year.
However, the girl will have to be at least matriculate and above 18 years of age. It will be applicable to girls belonging to families with annual income less than ₹5 lakh. At the time of marriage, the groom would have to be above 21 years.
16. Visa exemption for foreigners seeking medical treatment in India
India has announced a slew of exemptions for foreigners seeking medical treatment in India following the implementation of a liberalised medical visa policy.
The exemption has been given to foreigners from getting their primary visa converted into medical visa for obtaining indoor treatment up to 180 days for seeking admission in a hospital owing to illness. A foreigner suffering from a minor medical condition which needs only OPD consultation/ treatment may take treatment at any hospital/ treatment center on his/her primary visa.
In case of illness which requires indoor medical treatment of less than 180 days or the stay stipulation period, if any, stipulated on his/her primary visa or the duration of his/ her primary visa, whichever is earlier, a foreigner (other than a Pakistani national) is permitted to take such indoor medical treatment subject to the following conditions. The hospital/ treatment center authorities concerned shall furnish the details of the foreigner in a prescribed format along with the details of the indoor medical treatment to be taken by the foreigner, duly certified by the treating doctor to the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) concerned within 24 hours after the admission of the foreigner in the hospital/ treatment center for such indoor medical treatment. The indoor medical treatment may also cover treatment for diseases, if any, which the foreigner may have been suffering even before his/ her entry into India but which has come to the notice of the treating doctor during the medical diagnosis necessitating indoor medical treatment in the hospital/ treatment center.
Treatment of diseases which require organ transplant shall however be permitted only on a Medical Visa.
17. Gujarat govt to ban sale of junk food in and around schools
The Gujarat government is in the process of banning the sale of junk food in schools as well as in the 50-meter area around them to encourage the consumption of healthy food among children. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recommended a ban on sale of food high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) in schools and the state government is in the process of framing draft rules for the same. To promote healthy food eating habits among children, a ban has to be imposed on sale of food with high fat, sugar and salt in school canteens as well as in the 50-meter area around schools.
Advertisements of junk food will also not be allowed in and around schools, he said, adding that FSSAI, India's regulator for the food industry, has recommended a ban on sale of junk food in schools. The step has been taken to promote eating healthy food from childhood so that problems like obesity and diseases caused by the consumption of junk food can be controlled, Koshia said.
The draft rules will be circulated among stakeholders like schools, food business operators and others and their opinion will be sought before implementing the ban. The FSSAI has formed draft regulations titled 'Food Safety and Standards (Safe Food and healthy diets for School Children) Regulations, 2019.
18. Administrative Council set up in J-K
The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has constituted an administrative council with Lt Governor Girish Chandra Murmu as its chairman to discharge the functions of a government.
The chief secretary shall function as secretary to the Administrative Council. As per the second schedule (amended entries) Rule 8, the cases which shall be brought before the council include those involving legislation, including the issue of ordinances, proposals to summon or prorogue or dissolve the legislature of the state, address of governor to the legislature, cases involving the question as to whether a member of the House of the legislature of the state is subject to any disqualification.
19. Assam government released the 2019 new Land Policy
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal released the new Land Policy 2019. It was prepared by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department. It was prepared by the department after 30 years. It was last prepared in the year 1989. The state government has put a lot of effort into preparing the Land Policy to safeguard the interest of the indigenous people. The Land Policy would remove complications regarding land allotments and settlements. The Revenue and Disaster Management Department has been recommended to make the Hand Book available to all levels of officials of the department.
20. First Hindi daily launched in Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu launched state’s first Hindi daily ‘Arun Bhoomi’. The daily will be published and edited by Takam Sonia, who also heads Arunachal Hindi Sanstha, an organization working for promotion and propagation of Hindi language in the state.
21. Chandrayaan 2's Vikram Hard-Landed Within 500 Meters Of Target
During the second phase of descent, the reduction in velocity was more than the designed value. Due to this deviation, the initial conditions at the start of the fine braking phase were beyond the designed parameters. As a result, Vikram hard-landed within 500 metres of the designated landing site. However, most components of technology demonstration, including the launch, orbital critical maneuvers, lander separation, de-boost and rough braking phase were successfully accomplished.
The indigenously developed Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft comprising of orbiter, lander and rover was successfully launched onboard the indigenous GSLV MK III-M1 Mission on July 22.
After accomplishing four earth-bound maneuvers and trans-lunar injection, the spacecraft was successfully inserted in the lunar orbit on August 20. A series of moon-bound maneuvers were then carried out to achieve a Lunar orbit of 119 x 127 km. The Lander ''Vikram'' was separated, as planned, from the Orbiter on September 2 2019.
After two successful de-orbiting maneuvers, powered descent of the lander was initiated on September 7 to achieve soft landing on the moon surface.
22. Great Indian Bustard habitats to be declared as conservation reserves
Seeking to protect the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB), the Ministry of Environment has decided to declare their habitats as conservation reserves and asked power companies to consider placing high voltage lines under the ground as the birds have died after coming in contact with them.
During a meeting held by a committee under the ministry, constituted in pursuance to the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), it was also decided to have time bound action plan for the implementation of mitigation measures such as installation of bird diverters and their regular maintenance and monitoring by power agencies.
As per a report by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, only 150 GIBs are left in India, out of which around 90% are found in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
The committee, after its meeting held recently, also directed the WII to furnish details about power lines identified for mitigation in the GIB habitat area along with details of power line owners to the ministries of power and non-renewable energy so that necessary action may be initiated. The GIBs are dying at the rate of 15% annually due to collision with high voltage power lines, the WII report had said, adding that their population has been reduced by 75% in the last 30 years. The report had compiled various studies conducted by researchers across the country on GIBs.
The GIB is one of the heaviest flying birds endemic to the Indian subcontinent. They are primarily terrestrial birds with adult males as tall as 122 cm and weigh 11-15 kg and adult females reach up to 92 cm and weigh 4-7 kg, the WII said. According to the report, the GIB lays one egg every 1-2 years and the success rate of these eggs is 60-70%. However, this rate has been reduced to 40-50% due to predators like fox and dogs. As per researchers, apart from the GIB, many other birds also die because of collision or electrocution with these transmission lines at the rate of 10 birds per km per month totalling nearly one lakh bird deaths annually in 4,200 sq km. The government has already released ₹33 crore for the conservation of the GIB through a project, titled ‘Habitat Improvement and Conservation Breeding of Great Indian Bustard-An Integrated Approach’, for five years from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) for conservation, breeding of the GIB with technical support from the WII.
23. Centre is working to scrap school examinations from 2021: MHRD
As per recommendations of the draft National Education Policy (NEP) committee, the Human Resource Development (MHRD) ministry has decided to modernise the evaluation process by doing away with school examinations from 2021. The new evaluation module will stress on class-based assessments and follow the ‘5-3-3-4’ structure.
The government is examining all possibilities to finalise the National Education Policy by October 2020, and the policies will be implemented from 2021.
The draft National Education Policy (NEP) committee in June recommended the 5-3-3-4 design comprising five years of foundation stage (three years of pre-primary school and classes one and two), three years of preparatory stage (classes three to five), three years of middle stage (classes six to eight), and four years of secondary stage (classes 9 to 12).
The committee proposed the new structure on the lines of an international school-based evaluation process, which assesses a student on the basis of their class-based performance. The committee noted that the current board examinations forced a student to concentrate only on a few subjects without providing scope to learn in a formative manner, which ultimately causes stress among students.
24. Census 2021 to be conducted in 16 languages: Home Ministry
Census 2021 will be conducted in 16 languages. During Census 2021, a mix mode approach is being adopted for data collection. Census will be conducted in two phases, viz., House-listing & Housing Census from April to September 2020 and Population Enumeration during February 09-28, 2021. The Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) has recommended an amount of Rs. 8754.23 crore for conducting Census 2021 in 16 languages. Enumerators can collect and submit data directly through mobile App using his /her smartphone or they can use the paper schedule to collect data and submit the same through Mobile App.
Economy News
1. Anil Ambani resigns as Reliance Communications director
Anil Ambani has resigned as the director of Reliance Communications. The move comes even as lenders to the telecom company are looking to sell RCom assets. The company is now being managed by a resolution professional. Ambani's resignation marks the end of his telecom ambitions. Anil had got the telecom venture as part of an agreement with his elder brother Mukesh Ambani to settle a family dispute between the two. Mukesh later started his own telecom venture, Reliance Jio, which is now one the largest telecom players in the country. RCom had shut down its mobile operations after being unable to pay dues of over Rs 33,000 crore. Reliance Jio is one of the players interested in acquiring RCom assets through the IBC-led insolvency process.
Other directors of the company who have tendered their resignations are Chhaya Virani, Ryna Karani, Manjari Kacker and Suresh Rangachar.
2. ADB, India Sign $169 Million Loan to Provide Water and Sanitation Services in Tamil Nadu
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $169 million loan as the first tranche of up to $500 million in multitranche financing to develop climate-resilient water supply, sewerage, and drainage infrastructure in at least 10 cities in the state of Tamil Nadu. The state has faced recurring droughts and erratic monsoons in the recent past resulting in severe water scarcity and urban flooding. ADB’s support will help address these complex urban challenges through innovative and climate-resilient investment and deeper institutional support. The ADB program forms part of its support to the state’s Vision Tamil Nadu 2023 to provide universal access to water and sanitation and to develop world-class cities in high-performing industrial corridors.
Though Tamil Nadu is the most urbanized of India’s large states, urban service levels remain low, with less than half of households served by piped water, only 42% of households are covered by a sewerage network, with 43% of sewage disposed directly into waterways untreated.
The program will develop climate-resilient sewerage collection and treatment and drainage systems in 10 cities, and install the country’s first solar-powered sewage treatment plant. Introduction of smart water management systems will help reduce non-revenue water and strengthen operational efficiency. Around 4 million people will benefit from piped water and sewerage connections and improved drainage. The program will boost institutional capacity, public awareness, and urban governance as part of a comprehensive approach for developing livable cities. The first tranche loan will target the cities of Chennai, Coimbatore, Rajapalayam, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, and Vellore. A $2 million grant from the Asian Clean Energy Fund, established by the Government of Japan, will fund the solar energy pilot project. An ADB technical assistance grant of $1 million will accompany the program to support capacity building. ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members—48 from the region. In 2017, ADB operations totaled $32.2 billion, including $11.9 billion in cofinancing.
3. Navies of India, Qatar begin 5-day joint exercise- Za'ir-Al-Bahr at Doha
Navies of India and Qatar have started a five-day bilateral maritime exercise at Doha that includes surface action, air defence, maritime surveillance as well as social and sports events.
The inaugural edition of the bilateral maritime exercise would further strengthen the robust defence co-operation between the two countries, especially in the fight against terrorism, maritime piracy and security.
INS Trikand, counted as one of the frontline frigates of the Indian Navy, comes under the Western Naval Command based at Mumbai. The exercise will include a three-day harbour phase and two days sea phase. The activities during the harbour phase will include a seminar, professional interaction, official visits, sports fixtures along with social and cultural events. The sea phase will include a tactical maritime exercise involving the domains of surface action, air defence, maritime surveillance and interdiction operation and anti-terrorism. The Qatari Emiri Naval Forces participating in this exercise include the "anti-ship missile equipped Barzan Class Fast Attack Craft" along with Rafale multi-task fighter aircraft.
4. Google acquires CloudSimple
Google is acquiring CloudSimple to make it easier for customers to use VMware on its cloud. CloudSimple, which allows companies to run computing workloads that are based on VMware’s server virtualisation technology, is headquartered in Santa Clara, US. Founded in 2016, it has offices in Ukraine and India (Bengaluru, Gurugram and Pune), and its investors include Mayfield, Redpoint and M12 (Microsoft’s venture fund).
5. FASTag compulsory from December 1st
Starting December 1st, all four-wheelers in India must have FASTag RFID stickers affixed on their windscreen for making payments at NHAI toll plazas across India. The use of this technology promises to ensure a smooth passage through toll plazas across India's national highways by negating cash transactions. FASTag is the Electronic Toll Collection program on toll plazas by National Highway Authority of India. It works on the principle of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). The tag needs to be affixed to the windscreen of the vehicle in such a way that the sensor at the toll plaza can read it. When a vehicle passes through a dedicated FASTag lane, the funds are automatically deducted from the linked prepaid account. With the help of FASTag, vehicles do not need to stop at a toll plaza for cash transactions. Hence, it allows for a near-continuous flow of traffic and prevents long queues. A FASTag is valid for five years since the day of activation. One simply needs to keep recharging the linked account to use the same during this period.
In order to use the FASTag, one has to remove the plastic covering and affix the tag on the windscreen. First-time users have to sync their tag to the online wallet. For this, they have to visit the website of the bank from which the tag was purchased and follow the given steps to complete the process. After this, your FAStag is ready for use.
6. Cabinet approves strategic sale of BPCL, 4 other PSUs
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the strategic disinvestment of the Centre’s entire stake in Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), Shipping Corp, THDC India, and NEEPCO, and most of its stake in Container Corp, while giving up management control in these companies. It also gave an in-principle approval for the government to reduce stake in certain state-owned companies to below 51 per cent in some while retaining majority stake management control. These major divestment decisions were taken even as the government races against time to meet its highest ever divestment target of Rs 1.05 trillion for 2019-20. The Centre hopes that disinvestment proceeds will make up for some of the revenue shortfall that is expected this year.
Numaligarh Refinery is the largest producer of paraffin wax in the country. The GRM of NRL during FY19 was seen at $11.8 a barrel. The remaining 38.35 per cent stake is held by the Assam government (12.35 per cent) and Oil India (26 per cent). Of the total 249.4 million tonne per annum (MTPA) refining capacity in India, BPCL has around 15 per cent or 38.3 MTPA. BPCL also has 15,177 retail outlets in India.
7. IRCTC to operate Golden Chariot luxury train from March 2020
The Indian Railway Catering And Tourism Corporation, IRCTC, will operate and manage luxury train, Golden Chariot from March 2020. An agreement in this regard was signed between Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation, KSTDC, and IRCTC in New Delhi. Earlier, the train was operated under a joint venture between KSTDC and the Ministry of Railways. The Golden Chariot Train, which commenced operations in 2008, travels through one of the famous tourist and picturesque destinations of Karnataka, including the UNESCO world heritage site, Hampi. It has 18 coaches with 44 guest rooms having a capacity for 84 guests. The train promises to offer world-class comfort, state-of-the-art amenities and enhanced and unforgettable experience to passengers.
8. Cabinet approves MoU between India and Finland for strengthening cooperation in the field of Tourism.
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for strengthening cooperation in the field of Tourism. The main objectives of the Memorandum of understanding, inter alia, are to establish the basis for a cooperative relationship to encourage and promote successful bilateral cooperation in the field of tourism, Sharing data; knowledge, expertise etc. related to tourism
Sharing experiences in making polices, regulation and standards in planning, implementation and development of tourism policy
Facilitating the identification and expansion of joint projects, pilots and partnerships between companies and organizations through visits, meetings, workshops, co-creation sessions and site evaluations
Exchanging best practices through workshops and study visits for experts of Finland and India on the field of cooperation
Encouraging development of partnerships in the context of multilateral development programs and projects of international Financial Institutions, in which both Participants have common interests.
9. Railways decides to fit CCTV cameras in trains, coaches
Railways have decided to fit Closed Circuit Television, CCTV cameras in trains and coaches. Till date CCTV cameras have been provided in more than two thousand coaches in around 114 mainline trains, 88 Electric Multiple Units rakes and four Mainline Electric Multiple Unit rakes.
10. RBI moves swiftly on DHFL, institutes 3-member panel
The Reserve Bank of India, bolstering its role as a financial services regulator, set up a three-member advisory committee to assist the administrator it has appointed for Dewan Housing Finance Corp. Ltd (DHFL) to ensure that the debt-laden company’s asset quality does not worsen any further.
The RBI said the advisory committee—comprising Rajiv Lall, non-executive chairman, IDFC First Bank Ltd, N.S. Kannan, managing director and CEO at ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co. Ltd, and N.S. Venkatesh, chief executive of the Association of Mutual Funds in India—will work closely with DHFL administrator R. Subramaniakumar.
The revised guidelines were part of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Insolvency and Liquidation Proceedings of Financial Service Providers and Application to Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2019. The RBI is now set to move the NCLT for appointing the administrator as the insolvency resolution professional. Subsequently, the resolution professional will chair the meetings of the advisory committee once the insolvency process starts. The compensation for the members of the committee will be part of the costs of the insolvency process. DHFL is the first non-bank lender to be referred to the NCLT, after the RBI superseded its board following concerns over poor governance practices and payment defaults. The RBI sprang a surprise on DHFL’s lenders when it superseded its board. A majority of DHFL’s lenders were in a meeting at SBI Capital Markets’ office in Cuffe Parade in South Mumbai, when they came to know about the RBI’s move. Under its new powers, the RBI can take over administration of privately-held financial services companies. It can also remove auditors, call for an audit of any group company and have a say on the compensation of the top management of an NBFC.
11. L&T Valves conferred 'Green Channel Status'
Larsen and Toubro Valves secured the 'Green Channel Status' from the Defence Ministry. The company claimed that it was the first private enterprise in the country to bag the coveted status.
The Green Channel Policy, introduced by the defence ministry in 2017, is part of the Centre's 'Make in India' initiative that allows manufacturers to self-certify their supplies to the defence services. The company has manufacturing facilities in the United States, Saudi Arabia and India besides a marketing network across the world.
12. US approves sale of naval guns worth $1 billion to India
The Trump Administration has notified to the US Congress its determination to sell USD 1 billion worth of naval guns to India for use against warships, anti-aircraft and shore bombardment, in a move that would enhance the lethal capabilities of the Indian Navy.
The proposed foreign military sale of up to 13 MK-45 5inch/62 caliber (MOD 4) naval guns and related equipment is at an estimated cost of USD 1.0210 billion. To be manufactured by the BAE Systems Land and Armaments, the proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats from enemy weapon systems. The MK-45 Gun System will provide the capability to conduct anti-surface warfare and anti-air defence missions while enhancing interoperability with US and other allied forces.
India will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defence. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
With this, India has become one of the few countries that the US decided to sell its latest version (Mod 4) of its naval guns. The other countries to have been sold with MOD 4 naval guns so far are Australia, Japan and South Korea. The one given to Thailand is an upgraded MOD 4 version. The US has also determined to sell these to a few other allies and friends including Britain and Canada.
13. Microsoft launches 'K-12 Education Transformation Framework' to facilitate digital transformation of schools
Microsoft has launched its "K-12 Education Transformation Framework" to facilitate comprehensive digital transformation of schools in India, a model which has been adopted in over 50 countries so far. The framework comprises four pillars -- leadership and policy, modern teaching and learning, intelligent environments and technology blueprint. To help school principals initiate their journey of digital transformation, the programme will offer a series of workshops based on each of these pillars. Education leaders in more than 50 countries have already adopted the framework to help plan their learning strategies. The future of learning will be profoundly social, personalised, and supported by teachers and technology. This change starts with schools creating flexible environments that empower students to learn skills important in life and work such as communication, creation, using technologies, working in teams, problem solving and resilience.
The framework is aimed at providing education leadership, government decision makers, teachers and most importantly learners, tools to achieve the ambitious change many schools seek, and to thoughtfully integrate technology in powerful and productive ways. Over 700 schools had participated in the "Education Days" conducted by the tech giant where the framework was launched.
14. Cabinet approves Industrial Relations Code Bill
The Centre approved the Industrial Relation Code Bill, which is the third code under labour reforms. The government wants to codify 44 central labour laws into four broad codes. While the Code on Wages has already been approved by Parliament, the Labour ministry will push the Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Bill in the Budget session. The Code on Social Security is in pre-legislative stage.
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for introduction of the Industrial Relations Code, 2019, in Parliament. The bill provides for setting up of a two-member tribunal (in place of one-member), thus introducing a concept that some of the important cases will be adjudicated jointly and the rest by a single-member resulting speedier disposal of cases. It also provides for imparting flexibility to the exit provisions relating to retrenchment and others, for which the threshold for prior approval of appropriate government has been kept unchanged at 100 employees, but added a provision for changing 'such number of employees' through notification (executive order). That means there would be no need for Parliament approval. The threshold can be changed by executive order. It also said the re-skilling fund is to be utilised for crediting to workers in the manner to be prescribed. The bill also provides for definition of Fixed Term Employment and that it would not lead to any notice period and payment of compensation on retrenchment excluded.
It also provides for vesting of powers with the government officers for adjudication of disputes involving penalty as fines thereby lessening the burden on tribunal.
The draft code on Industrial Relations has been prepared after amalgamating, simplifying and rationalizing the relevant provisions of three Central Labour Acts -- the Trade Unions Act, 1926, the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946, and the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
15. India, Singapore Ink Letter of Intent on Use of Integrated Test Missile Range at Odisha's Chandipur
India and Singapore exchanged a Letter of Intent that could pave the way for the city-state to conduct live firing of missiles like the Spyder air defence system at the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha. This was agreed during the 4th India-Singapore Defence Ministers' Dialogue (DMD) which was co-chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Singapore counterpart Dr Ng Eng Hen. It is perhaps for the first time that India will open Chandipur Integrated Test Range for any foreign country.
Singapore Defence Minister Dr Ng said that it would be impossible to fire missiles like the Spyder ground-based air defence systems in Singapore as it is a small country.
The Integrated Test Range (ITR), a well equipped Test and Evaluation (T&E) center of DRDO, is set up to provide safe and reliable launch facilities for performance evaluation of rockets, missiles and air-borne weapon system.
16. Indian Army to soon get longest range 'Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System'
India’s first indigenously built Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) with automated ammunition handling facility will be inducted in the Army soon. The 155 mm and 52 calibre howitzer is the world’s longest range gun system in its class.
The gun has cleared all developmental tests successfully and will be inducted in the Armed Forces after a couple of more trials.
Developed by Armament Research and Development Establishment of DRDO in a consortium model, the ATAGS comes with six round automated magazine capable of firing in 30 seconds. The existing 155 mm and 52-calibre guns have standard three-round magazine. Since the magazines need to be loaded manually, it leads to casualties during the exercise. The project was taken up in 2013 to replace older guns in service with modern 155 mm artillery gun. Configured with an all electric drive the hydro lateral gun has a maximum firing range of 48 km and can be deployed in less than three minutes. It was first showcased publicly during the Republic Day parade in 2017.
The advanced gun system that weighs around 18 tonne with an elevation up to 70 degrees has undergone developmental trials at Balasore, Pokhran and Sikkim. While the ballistic internal trial and proofing were done at PXE and strength and design were validated during summer trials at Pokhran, winter trails were conducted in Sikkim.
Reddy, who is also the Chairman of DRDO, urged the scientists working with the PXE and Integrated Test Range (ITR) to come up with modern technologies, equipment and infrastructure to ensure that the test range is one the most modern ranges in the world.
He also warned to remain alert for future warfare. It is just not land, water or sky, threats related to space and cyber world have entered into the warfare spectre in a big way, he said.
17. Karnataka’s Kalaburagi airport becomes operational
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yedyurappa inaugurated Kalaburagi airport. Star Air operated the first flight between Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) in Bengaluru and Kalaburagi Airport (GBR). With the beginning of Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) airport services, North-east Karnataka will get air connectivity to Bengaluru and rest of India under the government’s affordable UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme.
18. Of 25,000 Tonnes of Plastic Waste Generated everyday in India, Only 40 Percent Collected
India generates more than 25,000 tonnes of plastic waste everyday, 40 per cent of which remains uncollected and littered in the environment.
The demand of plastic has increased significantly due its increased use in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, which has indirectly resulted into the challenge of plastic waste management. Approximately 15,384 tonnes/day, which is 60 per cent of the total plastic waste, is collected and recycled. This recycled plastic is used is manufacturing of several products. The remaining 10,556 tonnes/day of the plastic waste, which is estimated to be approximately 40 per cent of plastic waste generation, remains uncollected and littered in the environment.
The minister informed that an expert group has been constituted by Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET) with respect to research and development for compostable or biodegradable technology on plastic. The government aims to rid the country of single use plastic by 2022 as part of the Clean India (Swachh Bharat) part two campaign. The government has notified Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, as per which the generators of waste have been mandated to take steps to minimize generation of plastic waste, not to litter plastic waste, ensure segregated storage of waste at source and handover segregated waste to local bodies or agencies authorised by the local bodies. The Rules prohibit the use of plastic bags with thickness less than 50 microns.
19. Digital Gurukul becomes India's first institute to offer blockchain powered certificates
Digital Gurukul awarded Asia's best digital marketing institute from Indore partnered with Germany based company - Certif-ID to issue blockchain powered Certificates to its students - a feat that has yet to be achieved by any other digital institutes in India, and among the very few to have taken this disruptive step globally.
The rollout of the diplomas on the blockchain will allow the students of Digital Gurukul and their prospective employers to access the diploma from any geographical location, without any need to send or present physical certificates.
All students graduating from Digital Gurukul will now be able to share the credential of their diplomas with future employers and higher education institutions around the world without any hassle.
International News
1. Gotabaya Rajapaksa takes oath as Sri Lankan President
Sri Lanka’s controversial wartime defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa was sworn-in as the country’s President. His elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was the country’s president from 2005 to 2015, former Minister Basil Rajapaska and a large number of dignitaries, including parliamentarians, took part in the oath-taking ceremony. Rajapaksa, 70, defeated Sajith Premadasa, 52, by more than 13 lakh votes, the election commission announced on Sunday.
He will succeed President Maithripala Sirisena for a five-year term. Rajapaksa secured 52.25 per cent votes (6,924,255), while Premadasa bagged 41.99 per cent (5,564,239) of the total votes polled. Other candidates got 5.76 per cent votes. The overall voter turnout at the election was around 83.73 per cent.
2. Pakistan Becomes First Country to Launch New WHO-approved Typhoid Vaccine
Pakistan has become the first country in the world to introduce a new typhoid vaccine as the country grapples with an ongoing outbreak of a drug-resistant strain of the potentially fatal disease. The vaccine, approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), will be used during a two-week immunisation campaign in southern Sindh province.
Sindh is where most of Pakistan's 10,000 cases of typhoid have been documented since 2017. The new vaccines have been provided by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to the Pakistani government free of cost. After the two-week campaign, it will be introduced into routine immunisations in Sindh, and in other areas of Pakistan in the coming years. Pakistan spends a meagre amount of its national resources on public health and a majority of its population remains vulnerable to contagious diseases such as typhoid. In 2017, 63 percent of the typhoid cases documented and 70 percent of the fatalities were children, according to a joint press release from the Pakistani government, WHO and Gavi.
3. Pak successfully test fires Shaheen-1 surface-to-surface ballistic missile
Pakistan conducted a successful test launch of a surface-to-surface ballistic missile capable of delivering all types of warheads up to 650 kilometres. The launch of Shaheen-I missile was held as part of a training exercise "aimed at testing the operational readiness of Army Strategic Forces Command".
The Pakistani missile test came days after India conducted the first night trial of 'Agni-II', its versatile surface-to-surface medium range nuclear-capable missile. The 'Agni-II' missile has a strike range of 2,000 km and is an intermediate range ballistic missile. It has already been inducted into the armed forces. The Pakistani missile test took place amid bilateral tensions between India and Pakistan after New Delhi abrogated the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke Jammu and Kashmir's special status and bifurcated it into two union territories. Pakistan reacted strongly to India's decision and downgraded bilateral ties and expelled the Indian envoy. India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was an internal matter. It has also advised Pakistan to accept the reality and stop all anti-India propaganda.
4. UN Security Council Reaffirms Ban on Chemical Weapons Amid High-profile Instances of Their Use
The United Nations Security Council reaffirmed its opposition to chemical weapons in the face of high-profile instances of their use worldwide. The 15-member body unanimously passed a declaration proposed by Britain expressing support for the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons.
The Security Council expresses its strong conviction that those responsible for the use of chemical weapons should be held accountable.
The UN was also divided over its response to the nerve agent poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with a Soviet-era nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury in March last year.
The Security Council urged countries to ratify the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction. The 1993 convention came into force in 1997. North Korea, Egypt and South Sudan have not signed it, while Israel has signed but not ratified the pact.
People in News
1. Justice SA Bobde sworn in as 47th Chief Justice of India
Supreme Court Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde was sworn in as the 47th Chief Justice of India, replacing former CJI Ranjan Gogoi. CJI Bobde will now serve as the leader of the judiciary till April 23, 2021. CJI Bobde has earlier been part of benches that pronounced crucial verdicts on the Ayodhya land dispute, privacy as a fundamental right and on use of Aadhaar. In his new role, CJI Bobde will be facing several unprecedented issues that affect India's legal system, politics and society.
2. Virat Kohli named PETA India's 2019 Person of the Year
Indian skipper Virat Kohli was named as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India's Person of the Year 2019. Kohli has regularly vouched for improvement of conditions of animals and he also sent a letter on Peta India's behalf to officials for the release of Malti, an elephant used for rides at Amer Fort. The elephant was reportedly violently beaten by eight men. The Indian skipper also helped PETA India to call for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 to be updated in order to reduce acts of violence towards animals by imposing stronger penalties for animal abusers.
3. Fortune’s Businessperson of the Year 2019 list: Satya Nadella grabs top spot
Fortune’s Businessperson of the Year 2019 list comprises names of three Indian-origin people. These include Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Master Card CEO Ajay Banga and Arista head Jayashree Ullal. Satya Nadella ranks first in this list. Ajay Banga is on 8th and Jayashree Ullal is 18th. Fortune's annual Business Person of the Year list includes 20 business leaders who have achieved bold goals, find solutions to impossible situations and find creative solutions. Fortune has taken 10 points into consideration while preparing this list, ranging from the total return received by the shareholders to the return on capital.
Fortune said about Nadella that when he was given the command of Microsoft in 2014, he was neither a founder like Bill Gates nor a sales leader like his predecessor Steve Balmer. Fortune has stated that Nadella has never worked in the field of finance, which is another basis for CEO training. However, he is on the top of the list because of his strategies and creative solutions.
4. Lieutenant Shivangi Swaroop First Woman Pilot of Indian Navy, to be Join Naval Operations
The Indian Navy is going to get the first female pilot. Lieutenant Shivangi will join as the first female pilot on December 2, 2019. Shivangi will fly fixed-wing Dornier surveillance aircraft. She will be involved in Operation Duty in Kochi. Shivangi was included as a SAC (Pilot) under the 27 NOC course at the Indian Naval Academy. She was formally made part of the Navy by Vice Admiral AK Chawla in June last year. Now Shivangi will fly surveillance aircraft. These surveillance aircraft are sent on short-range maritime missions. There are many devices like advanced surveillance radars, electronic sensors and networking are equipped on these aircraft. The Navy's aviation wing has several women officers posted as air traffic controllers and observers. Shivangi is undergoing training in Southern Command and will be allowed to fly Dornier aircraft on December 2.
Bhawna Kanth became the first woman pilot of the Indian Air Force this year after qualifying all the required tests. Apart from Bhawna, Mohana Singh and Avni Chaturvedi also became fighter pilots. Also, the first batch of 100 women soldiers in the Indian Army will join in 2021. These women soldiers will be commissioned in the Indian Army Corps of Military Police.
Dornier (DO-228) aircraft are manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). HAL DO-228 aircraft is India’s lightweight maritime surveillance aircraft. It is also known as multipurpose aircraft because of its specifications and qualities. It plays a significant role with various abilities like Commuter Transport, Cargo & Logistics Support, Remote Sensing Applications, Pollution Prevention, Calibration of airport NAV-COM Aids, Search and Rescue and Aerial Survey.
5. Anita Anand becomes Canada’s first Hindu minister; Trudeau retains Harjit Sajjan, Navdeep Bains
In a first, a Hindu woman lawmaker has been inducted into Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Cabinet of 37 ministers.
Anita Anand, a former law professor at the University of Toronto, joins three Sikh MPs Navdepp Bains, Bardish Chagger and Harjit Sajjan in the Cabinet. Anand has been handed over the Public Services and Procurement portfolio which oversees public spending including the purchase of military hardware. Anand is a legal academic, lawyer, researcher, and mother of four children. She was born and raised in rural Nova Scotia before moving to Ontario in 1985.
In the last two decades, she held the J R Kimber Chair in Investor Protection and Corporate Governance at the University of Toronto, served as associate dead and was a member of the Governing Board of Massey College and the Director of Policy and Research at the Capital Markets Research Institute, Rotman School of Management. She has also taught law at Yale Law School, Queen’s University, and Western University.
Awards
1. Sand Artist Sudarsan Pattnaik-The first Indian to win Italian Golden Sand Art Award
Sudarsan Pattnaik becomes the first Indian to win the Italian Golden Sand Art Award, 2019. He was felicitated at the International Scorrna Sand Nativity Fete in Italy.
Mr Pattnaik created a 10-foot-high sand sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi along with Russian artist Pavel Minilkov. Around 8 sculptors from different countries participated in the event.
Sudarsan Pattnaik was born in 1977 in Puri District of Odisha. He was born in a poor family. The Coastal sea paved way for him to become a sand artist though he wanted to contribute in shaping the field of education. Sudarsan has participated in more than 60 international sand art festivals. He has so far won 27 championship prizes. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Indian Government in 2014.
He won the People’s Choice Prize in Bulgaria in 2016. In 2013, he won the International Sand Sculpture Competition in Russia. He also won the International Sand Competition Competition, Denmark. In 2008, he won the World Champion Title at USF World Sand Sculpture Championship. Berlin. He has created records of winning the People’s Choice Award, Germany 5 times.
2. Climate activist Greta Thunberg awarded prestigious international peace prize
Greta Thunberg, a young activist who has gone from staging school strikes to scolding world leaders about their climate change inaction, was awarded the prestigious International Children’s Peace Prize, along with Cameroon peace campaigner Divina Maloum. Maloum campaigns for the rights and education of Cameroon children preyed upon by extremist groups, while Thunberg has made global headlines for her calls for action to tackle climate change.
Previous winners of the annual prize include Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl who campaigned for girls' right to education even after surviving being shot by Taliban militants, and the students behind the March For Our Lives in the aftermath of last year’s deadly mass shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
3. Rezwana Choudhury Bannya gets ICCR Alumni award in Dhaka
Renowned Rabindra Sangeet exponent from Bangladesh Rezwana Choudhury Bannya was conferred the ICCR distinguished alumni award in Dhaka. Rezwana Choudhury Bannya is widely recognised as a great exponent of Rabindra Sangeet. She is known for her distinctive style of singing. She has established a musical school 'Shurer Dhara' in Bangladesh to carry forward the Guru-Shishya tradition as practised in Shantiniketan. She is also a recipient of 'Independence Award' which is the highest civilian award of Bangladesh. Distinguished Alumni Award was instituted in 2015 to recognise foreign students who have studied in various Indian Universities under the ICCR sponsored scholarship schemes and made an exemplary contribution in varied fields.
It recognises their contribution towards the promotion of understanding and enhancing goodwill and friendship between India and their respective countries.
4. David Attenborough to get Indira Gandhi Peace Prize for 2019
The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2019 will be conferred on renowned naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.
His name was selected for the prize by an international jury chaired by former president Pranab Mukherjee, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust announced. It is awarded to Attenborough for a lifetime of doing more to reveal the wonders of the natural world to us than perhaps any other individual.
5. Susan Choi wins National Book Award for fiction
The American novelist Susan Choi and László Krasznahorkai of Hungary won prizes at the 2019 National Book Awards. Choi, whose mother is Jewish and whose father is of Korean descent, won in the fiction category for “Trust Exercise,” a novel set in an American suburb in the 1980s about an arts high school and its students.
6. Arunachal Pradesh Bags Best Emerging Green Tourist Destination Award
Arunachal Pradesh has been awarded the Best Emerging Green Tourist Destination Award at function in ITC Maurya in New Delhi. The award, conferred by Travel & Leisure magazine in recognition of their tirelessly efforts towards promoting green tourism, was received by Dia Mirza. Mirza recounted her fond memories when she visited the Himalayan state and expressed her strong desire to visit the state once again making a mention of the sustainable tourism being promoted in that state.
The winners were decided through an online poll by the magazine in which the readers expressed their opinion. It may be recalled here that the state was declared winner of Best Emerging Indian Destination at Lonely Planet Travel Awards 2019′ in Mumbai. The popular Lonely Planet magazine had an online poll for travellers through which Arunachal Pradesh was voted the best Indian emerging destination for 2019 by the magazine’s readers in India. The award was received by Kezleen Kholie on behalf of the state’s tourism department. Kholie is an image consultant and corporate trainer and is also the proprietor of ‘Brand Your Image’, a consultant firm.
However, Arunachal Pradesh was put on global tourism radar in 2013 after Lonely Planet magazine India Travel Awards adjudged it as one of the winners. Moreover, in 2018, Arunachal Tourism had bagged ‘best decorated stand (national)’ and ‘exotic destination of the year’ awards in India International Travel Mart (IITM) at the Rajiv Gandhi indoor stadium at New Delhi.
Sports News
1. IAAF Changes Name To World Athletics
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has changed its name and will now be officially known as World Athletics. Meanwhile, the apex athletics body promised to add more content to its website and to improve the organisation of the content. The body has also changed the name of its Twitter handle and URL of its official website.
2. Indian boxer Sarita Devi elected unopposed to AIBA athletes commission
India’s Sarita Devi was elected unopposed as a member of the AIBA Athletes Commission. The veteran boxer was among the six boxers who were selected as members of the commission from 5 continents. The election of the AIBA Athletes Commission members was conducted during the AIBA men’s and women’s Boxing Championships 2019 in Russia. The new members were elected through a voting process that saw participation by boxers from across the globe. One member was elected per continent, except in the case of Europe, which has two elected representatives.
L Sarita Devi will be representing the Asian bloc in the AIBA’s first-ever athletes commission. Sarita Devi was the sole candidate contesting for the position from the Asian region. The AIBA’s athletes commission features one male and a female boxer from each of the five regional confederations - Asia, Oceania, Africa, Americas and Europe.
The AIBA athletes' commission was set up as a part of the reforms recommended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for AIBA. The AIBA athletes’ commission members would be required to act as a bridge between AIBA and boxers to ensure greater transparency and coordination in the formulation of rules and projects for the sport. The Athletes Commission members will also be expected to work in tandem with the IOC to ensure that boxers are represented in its athletes' commission. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on May 22, 2019 stripped the International Boxing Association (AIBA) of its right to conduct boxing in the 2020 Olympic Games due to alleged financial, ethics and administrative mismanagement and irregularities.
L Sarita Devi had become a professional boxer in 2000. She is a DSP with Manipur Police. Sarita Devi is an eight-time Asian Championship medalist, which includes five gold medals.
She is currently an athlete representative in the Boxing Federation of India’s executive committee. The federation had nominated her for the position in the world boxing body.
Rankings
1. Mumbai tops ranking for tap water quality; Delhi finishes at bottom
Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said that tap water in Delhi and several other cities did not comply with the requirements according to a study conducted by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Mumbai tops ranking released by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for quality of tap water. Delhi is at the bottom, with 11 out of 11 samples failing on 19 parameters.
The study was conducted as per directions of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs Food & PD to check the quality of piped drinking water being supplied in the country in keeping with the objectives of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
In the first phase, samples of drinking water were drawn from various locations across Delhi and in the second phase samples were drawn from 20 other state capitals, and sent for testing as per Indian Standards.
None of the samples drawn from Chandigarh, Thiruvananthapuram, Patna, Bhopal, Guwahati, Bengaluru, Gandhinagar, Lucknow, Jammu, Jaipur, Dehradun, Chennai, Kolkata complied with the requirements.
2. Road Accidents in India: UP recorded highest number of deaths, Tamil Nadu tops in number of accidents
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways released a report based on road accidents happened in 2018. According to the report, the number of road accidents has increased by 0.46% in the year 2018 as compared to 2017. The death rate during the road accident has also increased by 2.37 per cent during this period. The report titled - 'Road Accidents in India-2018', informed that a total of 467044 road accidents were reported in the year 2018 as compared to a total of 464910 accidents in the year 2017. The death rate was increased by about 2.37 per cent in the period. Total 151471 people were killed in road accidents in 2018 as against 147913 in 2017.
The number of injuries in road accidents has decreased by 0.33 per cent in 2018 as compared to 2017. In 2018, Tamil Nadu recorded the most number of road accidents while Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of persons died in road accidents.
The union cabinet has approved Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill 2019 this year. The Act suggests the Central Government establish a Motor Vehicle Accident Fund. All road users will get a compulsory insurance cover through this fund. As per the bill, minimum compensation will be given to road accident victims. In case of Hit and Run government will provide a compensation of Rs. 2 Lakh instead 25,000 and Rs. 50,000 will be given in case of serious injury.
The Act allows the Central Government to issue the order to recall (withdrawal) of such motor vehicles which can harm the environment or the driver or the users of the road. In such a situation, the manufacturer will have to return the full amount of vehicle to the customer or manufacturer will have to replace the motor vehicle with a better quality vehicle.
3. India ranked 59th in the 2019 IMD World Talent Ranking
Switzerland topped the 2019 IMD World Talent Ranking. India ranked 59 on the global annual list of 63 countries. The list was released by the Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development (IMD).
The ranking was based on the performance in three main categories, namely investment and development, appeal, and readiness.
India has witnessed one of the sharpest declines among Asian economies that were owing to a low quality of life, the negative impact of brain drain, and the low priority of its economy on attracting and retaining talents. The drop includes various factors like expenditure on education, pollution issues, and the quality of education that can be linked to the gross domestic product (GDP) growth.
The top countries on the list share strong levels of investment in education and a high quality of life.
Top 10 Countries in the 2019 IMD World Talent Ranking list are:
Rank 1-Switzerland
Rank 2-Denmark
Rank 3-Sweden
Rank 4-Austria
Rank 5-Luxembourg
Rank 6-Norway
Rank 7-Iceland
Rank 8-Finland
Rank 9-The Netherlands
Rank 10-Singapore
4. Swachh Survekshan Grameen Awards 2019
Recently, the Swachh Survekshan Grameen Awards 2019 were conferred upon top-ranked states, Union Territories (UTs), and districts in the various categories by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in New Delhi. It marked the occasion of World Toilet Day, which is observed every year on November 19.
The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti had commissioned Swachh Survekshan Grameen-2019 (SSG 2019) through an independent survey agency.
It aimed to develop rankings of all districts of India on the basis of quantitative and qualitative sanitation (Swachhta) parameters.
Rankings
Top 3 States– 1) Tamil Nadu, 2) Haryana, 3) Gujarat
Top 3 Districts– 1) Peddapalli (Telangana), 2) Faridabad (Haryana), 3) Rewari (Haryana)
Corporates Felicitated: Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA), Hindustan Unilever Limited and AMUL for their contribution under the Swachhta Hi Seva campaign-2019 towards effective plastic waste management.
State with maximum citizen participation – Uttar Pradesh
The rankings were done based on a comprehensive set of parameters including surveys of public places like schools, Anganwadis, Haat/Bazaars, Panchayat, and citizen’s perception of Swachhta.
5. India Ranks 7th in Global Terrorism Index
As per the report published by Forbes, India ranks seventh the among top 10 countries most affected by terrorism. The most affected area in India was Jammu and Kashmir where 123 people were killed in 321 terror attacks. The report suggests that India has some insurgency groups like Hizbul Mujahidin, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Assamese insurgency groups etc.
The latest edition of the Global Terrorism Index, produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), finds the number of deaths caused by terrorism in Iraq fell by 75% between 2017 and 2018, with 3,217 fewer people being killed.
The Global Terrorism Index ranks 163 countries according to the impact of terrorism, based on factors such as the number of attacks, fatalities, injuries and the extent of property damage.
Afghanistan topped the list followed by Iraq and Nigeria. After a couple of years in which things seemed to be stabilizing, the situation in Afghanistan sharply deteriorated in 2018. Last year there were 1,443 terrorist incidents and a 59% increase in deaths to 7,379, alongside 6,514 injuries, making it the country worst affected by terrorism. The situation has worsened to such an extent that Afghanistan accounted for almost half (46%) of all terrorist-related deaths around the world in 2018.
6. Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai among 113 cities in world on new global prosperity index
Bangalore emerged as India's highest-ranked city at No. 83 in a new index of the world's 113 cities in terms of economic and social inclusivity, topped by Zurich in Switzerland. The first-ever Prosperity & Inclusion City Seal and Awards (PICSA) Index, released in the Basque Country capital of Bilbao in northern Spain, is designed to showcase not only the quantity of economic growth of a city but also its quality and distribution across populations.
Delhi at 101 and Mumbai at 107 are the other Indian cities to make at the index, with the top 20 awarded a PICSA Seal as the world's highest-ranked cities building inclusive prosperity. Bilbao, the host city of the new index, is ranked at 20. As the first-ever non-commercial ranking index, PICSA provides a new measure of economic productivity that goes beyond GDP to provide a holistic account of how well people are doing in the economy and which have the populations that are most empowered to contribute to its economy and share in its benefits.
Commissioned by Basque institutions and compiled by D&L Partners, the PICSA Index measures factors such as the affordability of housing and access to education and healthcare, besides GDP per capita. It marks the first time that the world's major cities have been ranked not just by the size and health of their economy, but for their efforts to build inclusive and prosperous environments for all its citizens. Zurich, as the number one, scores strongly across all measures, particularly on quality of life, work, housing, leisure, safety, and education - with the Swiss higher education system attaining an especially high score. Vienna, the Austrian capital in second place, scores close to top marks on healthcare. Copenhagen, Luxembourg and Helsinki complete the top five. The higher end of the list is dominated by European cities, with 15 of the top 20, joined by four North American cities (Ottawa in 8th place; Washington DC ranked 11th; Seattle in 14th and Boston in 16th) and Taipei, which is the only Asian city to make it into the top 20 at 6th place.
For the index, the cities were assessed on comparable data from the main focus areas by a jury of experts and business leaders. These assessments then produced an overall score for each city's inclusive prosperity, allowing them to be ranked based on a wide range of measures.
Days and Events
1. Four-day Aalmi Tablighi Ijtima, world's biggest Islamic Congregation begins in Bhopal
In Madhya Pradesh, the four-day Aalmi Tablighi Ijtima, world's biggest Islamic Congregation began in Bhopal. More than one million people from 54 countries are expected to attend the congregation which will continue till 25th November.
One of the most prominent features of Alami Tablighi Ijtima is that it has no political affiliation. It is a forum for delivering some important religious-spiritual messages to Muslims around the world. Ijtima started in the era of Nawabs in Bhopal and now it has become the identity of Bhopal worldwide. The first Alami Tablighi Ijtima took place in Bhopal in 1944 and only 14 people attended it then. Now the number has increased to millions. Thousands of people from various countries across the world including Russia, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, Iraq and Saudi Arabia have reached Bhopal to participate in this event.
2. Indian Army Celebrates "Poonch Link Up Day"
Poonch Link Up Day, marking the Operation Easy conducted by Indian Army in 1948 to defend the border district from the invading Pakistani raiders was celebrated with traditional gaiety.
Poonch withstood a siege by the Pakistanis from November 1947 till relieved by the Indian Army.
The day marks the historic link up carried out by Brigadier Pritam Singh's forces with Brigadier Yadunath's forces from Rajouri at Danna Ka Pir on 21 November 1948. The White Knight Corps and the Awaam (people) of Poonch thus celebrates the historic Poonch Link Up Day with gaiety and fervour every year. A slew of events were conducted in run up to the historic day.
