National News
1. Carpet Made Using Bangalore's Marigold Flowers Enters Guinness Records
"Flowers of Tolerance", a carpet made using Bangalore's marigold flower was laid out at the Dubai Festival City entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest natural flower carpet in the world. Nearly 41,444 kg of marigold flowers were used to make the carpet. The Marigolds were sourced from various parts of Bengaluru and the surrounding districts, including Devanahalli and Chikkaballapur.
The freshly-harvested flower consignment was managed by Air India (Singapore Airport Terminal Services) SATS CoolPort to ensure maximum freshness and longer shelf-life of the marigolds. Over the last few years, the Bengaluru Airport has witnessed a huge growth in flower exports due to the availability of an effective CoolPort, equipped with temperature monitoring and cold rooms, with varying temperatures to handle commodities with different requirements.
The dedicated cold chain facility at Bengaluru Airport- the first of its kind in the country- handles the seamless movement of perishable cargo. The state-of-the-art infrastructure ensures that the temperature is maintained not only in storage but also in the pre-loading area, right up to the time the cargo is loaded onto the aircraft.
2. AP ropes in IIM-Ahmedabad to check graft in govt depts.
In a move to curb graft, the Andhra Pradesh government formally signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad under which the latter will undertake a study to identify corruption in administration at all levels. Under the agreement, the IIM-A will complete the study by February 2020 and submit its report. IIM-A will come up with guidelines to curb corruption from the village level to the top echelons of the government. It will study the functioning of government departments, including the newly-introduced village and (Municipal) ward secretariats, income and expenditure requirements of the administration and the lacunae in the present governance system. A study would also be conducted on proper utilization of the existing resources, increasing the quality of governance to achieve positive results. The IIM-A will suggest remedial measures to end corruption in various departments.
The new village and ward secretariat system was intended to ensure all benefits reach eligible beneficiaries directly, leaving no room for corruption.
3. Etawah Lion Safari opened for public
The Etawah Lion Safari in Lucknow was thrown open for public recently. While visitors will be allowed to track wildlife at the centre but they will have to wait to take a Lion safari as the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) is yet to give its nod. CZA is awaiting the fulfilment of laid norms which says a safari must have at least 10 cubs to open it for the public. Currently, Etawah Lion Safari has 18 lions but only six cubs. It has the distinction of being the only lion breeding centre in the country with research facilities on Asiatic lions.
4. India, China spar over legacy of traditional medicinal system 'Sowa-Rigpa'
India and China are at loggerheads over the legacy of one of the oldest systems of traditional medicine, known as Sowa-Rigpa, which has similarities with Ayurveda. India has sought recognition of the ancient medicinal tradition as its "intangible cultural heritage", a claim contested by China at a global forum. Sowa-Rigpa is a traditional Tibetan system of medicine practised in India's Himalayan belt. It is popular in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal's Darjeeling, Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Ladakh. The Union Cabinet on November 20 approved the setting up of the National Institute for Sowa-Rigpa (NISR) in Leh as an autonomous organization. This is perhaps one of the first decisions taken by the Union Cabinet on Ladakh's development after it became a Union Territory on October 31 following the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir. The theory and practices of Sowa Rigpa are similar to that of Ayurveda and include a few principles of the traditional Chinese system of medicine. The fundamental text book 'Rgyud-Bzi' of Sowa Rigpa is believed to have been taught by the Buddha himself and is closely linked with Buddhist philosophy. The establishment of the NISR as an autonomous body under the Ministry of AYUSH has been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 47.25 crore. Setting up of NISR would provide an impetus to the revival of Sowa-Rigpa in the Indian sub-continent and provide opportunities for students of the traditional medicinal system not only in India but also from other countries. It will be an autonomous national institute under the Ministry of AYUSH with the mandate of undertaking interdisciplinary education and research programmes in Sowa-Rigpa in collaboration with premier national and international institutes and facilitate the integration of different systems of medicine.
5. 3.7 Percent of over 1.06 Lakh Food Samples Analysed in 2018-19 Found Unsafe, Says FSSAI
Food regulator FSSAI said that over 1.06 lakh food samples were analysed last fiscal, of which 3.7 per cent were found to be unsafe and 15.8 percent sub-standard. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) reported 36 per cent rise in civil cases to 2,813 and 86 per cent increase in criminal cases to 18,550, it said in a statement.
There has been a 67 per cent increase in the number of cases where penalties were imposed to 12,727. A total amount of Rs 32.58 crore has been realised during 2018-19, up 23 per cent from previous year. There have been 701 convictions in criminal cases. FSSAI released the data on enforcement efforts by states/UTs in the country. The released data includes samples analysed, non-conforming samples, cases launched, convictions and penalties by states/UTs during the year 2018-19
There has been a 7 per cent increase in the number of samples analysed during 2018-19 as compared to 2017-18 and "25 per cent more samples were found non-conforming compared to the previous year", the regulator said, adding that this indicates there has been better targeting of enforcement efforts by states/UTs. Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh performed well, while states that have performed poorly include Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Jharkhand, Odisha, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Telangana, and Uttarakhand. Many of the poorly performing states have not been able to put in place full-time officers for food safety and do not have proper food testing laboratories despite the food safety law coming into force over a decade ago, FSSAI said.
6. Centre introduces bill to restrict SPG cover to PM, ex-PM and families for 5 years
A bill to restrict who gets security from the elite Special Protection Group was introduced in the Lok Sabha. Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy introduced the bill, which intends to make amendments to the Special Protection Group Act, 1988. The amendments will make two key changes: SPG will provide security only to Prime Minister of the day and immediate family members residing with him or her. The other key change is that former Prime Ministers will be guarded by SPG commandos only for a period of 5 years after demitting office.
Immediate family members of former PMs will get SPG security as well as long as they are residing with the former PM at the allotted residence. The family will lose the security once the former PM loses it as well. This technically means if an ex-PM dies, his immediate family members would not be entitled to SPG cover.
The SPG Act amendment bill comes days after the Centre removed SPG cover for the Gandhi family. Sonia Gandhi, son Rahul and daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were up until now being protected by the SPG. Earlier, SPG cover was also removed for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Since then, Manmohan Singh as well as Gandhi are being protected under the "Z plus" security cover of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The move to revoke SPG cover has been widely criticised with Congress leaders calling the move vindictive.
7. Govt plans to merge 2 UTs -Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli
The government introduced in the Lok Sabha a Bill to merge two Union Territories -- Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli into one. The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy. The move comes three months after Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two UTs -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. With that, Article 370 of the Indian Constitution was also revoked, that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
8. CLAP: Government launches Credit-linked Subsidy Services Awas Portal
The Union Government launched the Credit-linked Subsidy Services Awas Portal (CLAP) of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Housing for All (Urban) on November 25, 2019. The portal was launched along with the signing of agreements between the Union Housing Affairs Ministry and state governments for the construction of LightHouse projects under GHTC-India. Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri said during the launch that the portal will help in addressing the grievance of the beneficiaries in a much more comprehensive and organized manner.
The CLAP portal aims to provide a transparent and robust real-time web-based monitoring system for the beneficiaries of the Credit-linked Subsidy Services (CLSS).
It will help the beneficiaries to track their application status online in real-time. The portal will provide a transparent real-time monitoring system for the credit-linked subsidy services. It would also benefit the other stakeholders to work in unity to release subsidy to the beneficiaries on time.
The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) aims to address the housing needs of the population of the Urban Economy. The Credit-linked Subsidy Services covers the MIG segment for the first time. The mission is expected to benefit young professionals having an income of up to Rs 18 lakh per annum.
Currently, among the four verticals of PMAY(Urban), the government has managed to reach more than 8 lakh beneficiaries under credit-linked subsidy services.
The LightHouse projects can demonstrate and deliver ready to live-in houses expeditiously than the normal conventional construction, which are cost-effective, economical, sustainable and superior with a better quality of construction.
The GHT-India is short for Global Housing Technology Challenge-India. It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2019 as a part of Construction Technology Year. The challenge aims to identify and mainstream alternative and innovative technologies from across the globe through a challenge process for speedier and cost-effective construction of affordable housing projects.
9. Lok Sabha passes The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Bill, 2019
Lok Sabha passed a Bill that seeks prohibition of e-Cigarettes in India with Union Health Minister, Harsh Vardhan, calling the ban as a “pre-emptive strike" on the “hazardous" addiction.
E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that produce aerosol by heating a solution containing nicotine. These include all forms of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), Heat Not Burn Products, e-hookah and the likes. Chemicals in nicotine used for e-cigarette can cause cancer, cardiovascular diseases and effects adolescent brains.
According to the Bill that seeks to replace an ordinance issued on September 18, any person who contravenes these provisions will be punishable with imprisonment of up to one year, or a fine of up to one lakh rupees, or both. For any subsequent offence, imprisonment of up to three years along with a fine of up to five lakh rupees. The proposed legislation prohibits the use of any place for the storage of any stock of e-cigarettes and a person storing stock of e-cigarettes, will be punishable with imprisonment of up to six months, or a fine of up to ₹50,000, or both.
Unlike traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco and therefore are not regulated under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. The COTPA Act, regulates the sale, production, and distribution of cigarettes and other tobacco products in India, and prohibits advertisement of cigarettes.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the apex research body in India, use of ENDS or e-cigarettes has documented adverse effect on humans, which include DNA damage, carcinogenic, cellular, molecular and immunological toxicity, respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological disorders. These also have an adverse effect on fetal development and pregnancy.
10. On the occasion of ‘Constitution Day’ MHRD announces National Essay Competitions every month as part of nationwide Nagrik Kartavya Palan Abhiyan
Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched the kartavya.ugc.ac.in portal on the occasion of ‘Constitution Day’-26 November , as a part of year long Nagrik Kartavya Paalan Abhiyan being observed throughout the country. The portal will be used primarily for holding monthly essay competitions for students as well as other activities like quizzes, debates, poster making etc pertaining to Nagrik Kartavya Paalan Abhiyan.
During the occasion Shri Pokhriyal also launched the portal 'Abhiyanta' of AICTE. The portal hosts e-contents in important emerging areas like Artificial Intelligence, Cloud computing, Big data, Augmented Reality etc. Prof Anil Sahasarbudhe, Chairman AICTE informed that this portal has been developed free of cost by the students of Graphic Era Deemed University, Dehradun, under an internship project of AICTE in a record time, and will be of immense use in making authentic and quality learning resources in emerging areas available to the student community free of cost.
Constitution Day
The current year 2019 marks the 70th year of the adoption of the Indian Constitution. It has been decided by the Government to run a Nagrik Kartavya Palan Abhiyan from 26th November 2019 to 26th November 2020, to create mass awareness about the Fundamental Duties as enshrined in our Constitution. As part of the celebrations of Constitution Day today, students, staff and faculty of universities and colleges across the country got together to watch the live telecast of proceedings from the Parliament.
11. Cabinet approves India’s Approach to UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Spain next week
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the negotiating stand of India at the 25th Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) scheduled to be held in Madrid, Spain (under the Presidency of Chile) from 2-13 December 2019.
The Indian delegation will be led by Shri Prakash Javadekar, Hon’ble Minister, Environment, Forest and Climate Change. COP 25 is an important conference as countries prepare to move from pre-2020 period under the Kyoto Protocol to post-2020 period under the Paris Agreement. India’s approach will be guided by the principles and provisions of UNFCCC and Paris Agreement particularly the principles of Equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capability (CBDR-RC).
India has been leading the world in its pursuit of enhanced solar energy capacity through International Solar Alliance (ISA). In addition to ISA, two new initiatives have been launched by India as part of its efforts to mobilize world on climate action. These include Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, which will serve as a platform to generate and exchange knowledge on different aspects of climate and disaster resilient infrastructure and ‘Leadership Group for Industry Transition’ launched jointly by India and Sweden, which will provide a platform for government and the private sector in different countries to work together on accelerating low carbon growth and cooperation in the area of technology innovation.
12. Uttar Pradesh govt. to set up state’s 1st vulture conservation
The Uttar Pradesh government will set up state’s first vulture conservation and breeding centre in farenda area of Maharajganj district.
The new centre will be set up on the lines of Jatayu Conservation Centre at Pinjore in Haryana (first in the country).
It would be set up in association with Bombay Natural History Society, a wildlife research organization.
It will be the first scientific assessment of vultures in the state to find out which species is most threatened and the locations where these natural scavengers are thriving.
There has been a sharp decline in the population of vultures in the country which has come down from 40 million to 19,000 in a span of over three decades.
13. UMEED Mission aims to reduce poverty in J&K.
Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission were popularly known as UMEED aims to reduce poverty in the union territory. The Mission aims that every poor household comes out of poverty with immense confidence and belief in them and reap the benefits of the central government programme. The Rural Livelihoods Mission works on seven steps to poverty reduction that includes identification of the poor, organizing the poor, creating a favorable environment to harness their potential, showing them the path to capital, showing them the path to right livelihood, social awareness and safety nets around the poor and converging welfare schemes as their entitlements.
UMEED launched in 2011, is continuing in extension mode in Jammu & Kashmir. The Mission was rolled out and implemented in a phased manner that emphasizes sustainable institution-building approach. Such initiatives have been successful wherever the target groups afflicted with poverty organized themselves and created support structures that are sensitive to their needs/demands.
The Rural Livelihoods Mission UMEED puts greater thrust on continuous training of the community in the form of exposure visits, participation in workshops, and conducting training programs round the year for the community care. Diverse training programs on core requirements under the mission are conducted focusing on the mobilization of poor, organizing the poor to focus on financial inclusion, enhancing the livelihood, etc. UMEED encompasses the spirit of universal social mobilization wherein it enables the poor to build their organizations by themselves, take tangible decisions that have an impact on their lives by debating and transparently discussing among themselves. To ensure universal mobilization, at least one member from each rural poor and vulnerable household, preferably a woman, remains part of the Self Help Group (SHG). UMEED has an objective to be a people-led and people-centered initiative for providing space, voice, and resources for the poor openly and transparently.
14. Parliament passes Bill to protect the rights of transgenders
The Rajya Sabha passed a bill on the protection of the rights of transgenders after the Lok Sabha had passed the Bill on August 5 this year.
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019, seeks to provide a mechanism for social, economic and educational empowerment of transgenders and was moved for consideration and passage in the Rajya Sabha by Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot on November 20. The bill is aimed at eliminating discrimination against transgenders and the government will form a national council for its implementation after the legislation is brought into effect. A transgender person will be able to avail the benefits of schemes offered by states as well as the Centre. A clause related to a medical examination by a panel for a district magistrate (DM) or collector to certify a person as a transgender which was earlier part of the bill, has been done away with, after reservations were expressed by members in this regard. However, in the case of a child, his or her parents can file an application for issuance of an identification certificate.
The Supreme Court's direction in April 2014 regarding framing transgenders has also been kept in mind while formulating the bill. The Supreme Court had recognised the transgender community as a third gender along with male and female in April 2014.
15. ISRO successfully launches CARTOSAT-3, 13 nano-satellites from Sriharikota
The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) launched advanced earth imaging and mapping satellite CARTOSAT-3 along with 13 other commercial nano-satellites for the US. CARTOSAT-3, which is the ninth in the series, was launched from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota at the scheduled time of 9.28 am. This was the 74th launch vehicle mission from Sriharikota. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C47 carried the CARTOSAT-3 satellite along with the other commercial nano-satellites for the US.
CARTOSAT-3, India's most complex and advanced earth imaging satellite built so far, was placed into orbit 17 minutes and 46 seconds after lift-off, the immediate mission after Chandrayaan 2, where the lander crashed while making a soft descent on the lunar surface on September 7.
CARTOSAT-3 is a third-generation agile satellite with high-resolution imaging capabilities.
The satellite will replace the IRS series. The CARTOSAT-3 has a panchromatic resolution of 0.25 metres, which helps it conduct satellite imaging with the highest resolution. The CARTOSAT-3, with an overall mass of over 1,600 kilograms, will address the increased user demand for large-scale urban planning, rural resource and infrastructure development, coastal land use and land cover.
The mission life of CARTOSAT-3 would be for five years. The launch of CARTOSAT-3 and 13 other commercial nano-satellites follows Isro's moon mission Chandrayaan-2 on July 22, which failed to manage a soft landing on the moon, and would have been the country's first had it been successful.
16. To tackle pollution, smog tower to come up in Delhi
The Supreme Court directed the Centre and the Delhi government to draw up a comprehensive plan in 10 days to install ‘smog towers’ across the capital to deal with air pollution. A ‘smog tower’ being planned for Delhi as an experiment would create a “clean air zone” around it with an estimated 50% reduction in particulate matter. The project is being headed by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay in collaboration with IIT-Delhi and the University of Minnesota. The latter helped design a similar tower of over 100 metres in China’s Xi’an city. The Central Pollution Control Board is also involved with the project.
Smog towers are structures designed to work as large-scale air purifiers. They are usually fitted with multiple layers of air filters, which clean the air of pollutants as it passes through them. China, which has been battling air pollution for a few years, has two smog towers — in its capital Beijing and in a northern city called Xi’an. The latter is dubbed as the world's largest smog tower and has reportedly brought down PM 2.5 by 19% in an area of around 6 sq km in the tower’s vicinity.
In Delhi, the 20-metre high tower would trap particulate matter of all sizes suspended in the air.
An estimate made by project experts of the tower’s impact on air quality shows it would reduce 50% of the particulate matter load in an area 1 km in the direction of the wind, as well as 200 metres each along the sides of the tower and against the direction of the wind. The filters being installed in it would use carbon nanofibres as a major component and would be fitted along its peripheries, project experts said, adding that the project is only focused on reducing particulate matter load at present. The tower is expected to start running before next winter.
17. Union cabinet gives nod to amend the Arms Act
Union Cabinet approved the amendment of the old Arms Act on 27 November 2019. The amendment prohibits individuals, with few exceptions, from possessing more than one gun, down from three now. The Arms Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019 seeks to introduce four different categories of offences into the 1959 Arms Act prescribing jail term of 10 years besides a fine. As per the amendments, the jail term can go up to life imprisonment for possession of weapons looted from armed forces or police, engagement in organized crime syndicate or illicit trafficking, rash and negligent use of firearms. It also said that if anyone uses firearms for celebratory gunfire or in a rash and negligent manner, the person shall be punished with two-year imprisonment and a fine up to Rs.1 lakh. If any person possesses more than one firearm at the commencement of the Arms (Amendment) Act, 2019 should retain one with him and shall deposit the remaining firearms with the officer in charge of the nearest police station within one year from such commencement. If anyone carries any prohibited arms or prohibited ammunition will be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than seven years. It might extend up to fourteen years.
18. Assam bans gutka, pan masala containing tobacco-nicotine for one year
In a move to make Assam a tobacco free state, the state government imposed a complete ban on the sale, manufacture, storage, distribution, transportation and display of gutka, pan masala and chewing materials containing tobacco and nicotine. The Assam government has banned gutka, pan masala and chewing materials containing tobacco and nicotine for a period of one year in the state under Clause (A) of Sub-Section 2 of Section 30 of the Food Safety & Security Act, 2006.
The prohibition has been made under the regulations of 2, 3 and 4 of the Food Safety & Standards (Prohibitions and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations 2011 of the Food Safety & Standards Act.
The notification was issued on November 22 last week.
The state government has taken the decision following the danger that many people have lost their lives consuming tobacco. Earlier in 2013, the Assam government had banned the manufacture and distribution of gutka and pan masala containing tobacco and nicotine for a period of one year.
19. Madhya Pradesh's Devi Ahilya University gets A-plus grade from NAAC
The Indore-based Devi Ahilya University has added another feather in its cap by becoming Madhya Pradesh's first varsity to be accorded A-plus grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The Centre of higher learning now became entitled to several other facilities. It may introduce courses recognised by the University Grants Commission without the latter's permission, besides commencing open distance-learning courses.
20. Logo, motto introduced for Lokpal
Lokpal Chairman Justice (retired) Pinaki Chandra Ghose launched the new logo for the apex anti-corruption ombudsman. A new motto, “Ma Gridhah Kasyasvidhanam (Do not be greedy for anyone’s wealth)”, was also adopted. Earlier, an open competition was conducted, inviting entries for the logo and the motto. A total of 2,236 entries for the logo and 4,705 entries for the motto were received.
A logo designed by Prashant Mishra, a resident of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, was finally selected. The logo symbolises how Lokpal protects and cares for the people of India by establishing justice as per law. The logo figuratively symbolises the essence of Lokpal, with the inclusion of shapes such as the ombudsman [Judges’ Bench], the people [three human figures], vigilance [an Ashoka Chakra forming an eye], the law [a shape of book] and the judicial [two tri-color hands placed below, forming a unique balance].
The Lokpal became functional after the appointment of its Chairman and members in March.
21. Assam to set up 100 organic markets
The Assam Government announced to set up 100 organic markets for selling products grown in the state. The government also decided to roll out different schemes for promotion of direct selling of the organic products.
22. Govt may set up new rocket launch pad near Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu
Government is planning to set up a new rocket launch pad in Tamil Nadu. Currently, the Indian Space Research organisation (Isro) has two launch pads at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The development comes on the backdrop of increasing launches from India, both for domestic and international customers.
Number of launches every year by the space agency has increased over 30. In 2018, the space agency launched 17 missions. Today, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR spaceport at Sriharikota is responsible for integration of launchers. It houses two operational launch pads from where all GSLV and PSLV flights take place. Isro has launched most of its customer satellites with its workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). From 1994 to 2015, PSLV has launched as many as 84 satellites, of which 51 were for international customers, as per the agency.
ISRO is developing the next variant of GSLV is GSLV Mk III, with indigenous high thrust cryogenic engine and stage, having the capability of launching 4 tonne class of communication satellites. The space agency is also working on small rockets to carry small satellites. The indigenously developed Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is being designed by scientists to carry smaller commercial satellites into low-earth orbit less than 2,000 km above the earth's surface. The SSLV, which can carry 500 kg to low earth orbit, can be assembled within days by a smaller team and at a drastically reduced price as compared to PSLV.
23. Centre extends ban on ULFA for 5 years
The Centre extended the ban on United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and its various factions, wings and fronts for five years. According to a notification, ULFA has indulged in various illegal and violent activities intended to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India in furtherance of its objective of liberating Assam and aligned itself with other unlawful associations of North Eastern Region to secede Assam from India. The government has given details about the incidents as well.
24. Labour Ministry to observe pension week to drive enrolments
The Labour Ministry is celebrating pension week in order to drive enrolments under Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PMSYM) and National Pension Scheme for traders and self-employed persons.
A function was inaugurated by Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar to enrol one crore beneficiaries for PM-SYM and 50 lakh beneficiaries for NPS-traders by March 2020. Both the pension schemes are simple and hassle free as only Aadhar and savings bank/Jan Dhan accounts are required for enrolment. It takes only 2-3 minutes to get oneself enrolled under the schemes.
The monthly contribution has been kept at the lowest level ranging from ₹55-200 per month depending upon the entry ages of the subscriber, adding that if a person is 30 years old, their monthly contribution would be around ₹100 per month. In this way, they will contribute ₹1,200 only per year and ₹36,000 in the entire contribution period. But, after attaining 60 years of age, they will get ₹36,000 per year as a pension. After the person’s death, the spouse will get 50% of the pension, i.e. ₹1,500 per month.
If husband and wife are both eligible, they can join the scheme separately and after 60 years, they will get ₹6,000 as pension which will be sufficient to meet their daily needs, during old age.
25. Linking of Locomotives via ISRO Satellites for Tracking Trains
A Real-time Train Information System (RTIS) is being installed on the locomotives for automatic acquisition of train movement data, including that of arrival, departure and run-through timings at the stations en route.
The control chart of trains hauled by RTIS enabled locomotives gets plotted automatically in the Control Office Application (COA) system already implemented in the control offices. RTIS also gives mid-section location updates, including the current speed of the train, with a periodicity of 30 seconds. The Train Controllers can now track the location and speed of RTIS enabled locomotives/trains more closely, without any manual intervention, facilitating the train control functions. The RTIS project is being executed by Centre for Railway Information System (CRIS), which is an Information Technology arm of Ministry of Railways, in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The installation of RTIS device in 2649 passenger and goods train locomotives has been completed till 20.11.2019.
26. Govt may set up National Coastal Mission to address climate change impact
The Centre informed the Lok Sabha that it is contemplating setting up a National Coastal Mission under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) to address the impact of climate change on coastal and marine ecosystems.
The government aims to protect shorelines and communities in coastal areas against extreme weather conditions. The Mission aims to address the impact of climate change on coastal and marine ecosystems, infrastructure and communities in coastal areas through a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures. Some of these measures include strengthening natural shields against extreme weather conditions to protect shorelines, adaptation, improved employment generation opportunities for coastal communities to reduce pressure on coastal and marine ecosystems and enhancing productivity of coastal and marine ecosystems in a sustainable manner.
NAPCC is a comprehensive action plan which outlines measures on climate change-related adaptation and mitigation while simultaneously advancing development.
The government had launched Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project in 2010 to conserve, protect and manage coastal and marine ecosystems, pollution abatement and livelihood security of coastal communities with the assistance of the World Bank. The total expenditure under this project has been about Rs 1,400 crore so far. This project has been implemented in identified coastal stretches in Gujarat, Odisha and West Bengal. Under this project, activities related to conservation of the coastal ecosystems such as mangrove plantation, shelter-belt plantation, coral transplantation, enhancement of livelihood security of the coastal communities, pollution abatement in coastal areas, capacity building, etc have been undertaken.
27. Jammu-Srinagar metro project to start operations by September 2024
The Jammu and Kashmir government has set a September 2024 deadline to start operations on the ₹9,590 crore metro project for twin cities of Jammu and Srinagar. It was also informed that the Light Metro Elevated Corridor in Jammu will connect Bantalab to Bari Brahmana Railway Station (Corridor-1) with a total length of 23 kilometres in phase-I and Exhibition Ground to Udheywala (Corridor-1) and Exhibition Ground to Satwari Chowk (Corridor-2) in Phase-II. Similarly in Srinagar, Indra Nagar to HMT Junction (Corridor-1) and Hazuri Bagh to Osmanabad (Corridor-2) each having a length of 12.5 km and Indra Nagar to Pampore Bus-stand (Corridor-1) Hazuri Bagh to Airport (Corridor-2) will be taken up in Phase-I and II, respectively. For successful implementation of the mega project, the LG observed that the planning and development of Mass Rapid Transit should be timed with the growth in travel demand. On current scenario of urban transport, it was informed that the average daily trips in Jammu and Srinagar, catered by public and intermediate public transport, is 12 lakh (68 per cent) and 21 lakh (88 per cent), respectively.
Two MRTCs for both the cities were incorporated in February this year. 'Metro Man' E Sreedharan has been appointed as the principal advisor to these corporations. It is proposed to have light rail system, the first in India, which will have low footprint, low noise, greater comfort, aesthetic appeal and will blend with the surrounding landscape. As per the approval, Srinagar Metropolitan Region will cover the areas in the districts of Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Baramulla, Pulwama, Anantnag, Kulgam and Shopian, covering an approximate area of 2494.65 sq km.
Similarly, the Jammu Metropolitan Region will cover the areas in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi, and Udhampur districts, covering an area of 2216.58 sq. km.
The state government in December 2018 had enacted the Jammu and Kashmir Metropolitan Region Development Authorities Act, 2018 and subsequently created two umbrella authorities under it -- Jammu Metropolitan Region Development Authority and Srinagar Metropolitan Region Development Authority.
These metropolitan region development authorities are expected to serve the purposes of coordination, besides supervising the proper, orderly and rapid development of the areas in these regions and executing plans, projects and schemes for such development while also raising resources for the mega projects.
28. Hallmarking of gold jewellery mandatory across nation from January 2020
Hallmarking of gold jewellery will become mandatory at one go across the nation from January 15, 2020, and will not be implemented in phases, as was expected earlier. However, the Centre has given a year's time to comply with the new norm, which means that while the notification will be issued by January 15 next year, jewellers will be given time until January 2021, after which they will only be allowed to sell hallmark ornaments.
The BIS (Bureau of Indian standards) Act 2016 has provisions under Sections 14 and 16 for making hallmarking of mandatory by the Central Government. This will make it compulsory for all jewellers selling gold ornaments and artefacts to register with BIS and sell only hallmarked products. The draft Quality Control Order for mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts was issued on October 10, 2019, and offered for comments from stakeholders for a period of 60 days.
29. Chhattisgarh to get fourth tiger reserve
Chhattisgarh is set to have Guru Ghasidas National Park in Kotiya district as its fourth 'tiger reserve'. The decision was taken in the 11th meeting of Chhattisgarh State Wildlife Board chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel at his residence on Sunday.
Presently there are three tiger reserves in the state which are: Achanakmar Tiger Reserve, Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve and Indravati Tiger Reserve. With this new announcement, four tiger reserves will get functional in the state. Additionally, notification regarding the formation of Lemru Elephant Reserve was also made in this meeting.
The Lemru Elephant Reserve will come into existence soon by merging the forest areas of Korba, Katghora, Dharamjigarh and Surguja forest divisions of Korba, Raigad and Surguja districts. The total area records to be of about one thousand 995 square kilometers.
The meeting laid strong emphasis on increasing the number of tigers in the state and their safety measures such as radio collaring system for tiger safety and resettlement of more cheetahs from the Barnawapara Sanctuary to Guru GhasiDas National Park and Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve.
The Chief Minister has instructed to develop water sources for wild animals in the state's forests and plantation of fruits and vegetables especially Narwali vegetables, plantation of bamboo and banana so that these wild animals won't have to wander here and there for food and fodder and gave strong directions for the construction of large ponds in the forest villages.
Five species of vultures are found in Achanakmar Tiger Reserve, Guru Ghasidas National Park and Mainpat in Surguja district in the state.
International News
1. Singapore Signs MOU with South Korea on Cybersecurity Cooperation
Singapore signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with South Korea to enhance cooperation and information-sharing on cybersecurity, according to a statement from the city-state's government. The city-state, a trade-reliant nation with a rapidly aging population, is trying to restructure its economy to make it a global center of innovation. As a hyperconnected financial hub, it's also been a target for hackers.
2. Saudi Arabia elected to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee
Saudi Arabia was elected to UNESCO’s (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Committee for the first time during the 22nd General Assembly of the State Parties after winning the membership in the UNESCO Executive Board for 2019-2023. The UNESCO Executive board comprises of 58 member states.
Saudi Arabia has five sites that are currently included in the World Heritage Sites List Madain Saleh in Al-Ula, the Turaif district in Diriyah, the historic area in Jeddah, rock paintings in Jubba and Shuwaymiyah and the oasis of Al-Ahsa. The current members of the World Heritage Committee are Australia, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Guatemala, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, Norway, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Spain and Uganda. The World Heritage Committee acts as the final authority to decide the sites and properties to be included in the World Heritage Sites and is also responsible for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention. The members of the Committee are elected by the General Assembly of States Parties for a four-year term. The 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee was held in Baku, Azerbaijan in the year 2019 and the 44th session is to be held in Fuzhou, China in the year 2020.
3. India announces $400 million line of credit for infrastructure in Sri Lanka
India has announced a line of credit of $400 million for development projects in Sri Lanka and a $50 million fund to fight terrorism marking Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s two-day visit to the country.
This is Rajapaksa’s first foreign visit after taking over as President of Sri Lanka on November 18 after winning a keenly fought national election. He is seen as being close to China and it is, therefore, strategically very important for India to have close ties with his government.
4. European Parliament declares 'climate emergency' ahead of UN summit
European Union lawmakers declared a “climate emergency” in a symbolic vote that heightens pressure for action against global warming at an upcoming summit.
With increasingly erratic weather patterns from wildfires in Australia to floods in Europe being linked to climate change, governments are under scrutiny to find urgent solutions at the United Nations’ summit in Spain on Dec. 2-13.
The 28-nation EU is the first multilateral bloc to call a climate emergency, but joins numerous individual countries and cities from Argentina and Canada to New York and Sydney.
5. Saudi Arabia, UAE discussed to develop mega crude refinery in Maharashtra
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates has discussed to develop the planned mega crude refinery in Maharashtra at an initial cost of 70 billion US Dollars. It will have a capacity of 1.2 million barrels per day integrated with a modern petrochemical complex.
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence jointly presided over the 2nd meeting of Saudi Emirati Coordination Council in Abu Dhabi. The two oil rich nations discussed ways and means to secure the supply of at least 600,000 barrels per day of Saudi and Emirati crude oil for Indian market.
The meeting comes as part of efforts by Saudi and UAE to activate all aspects of cooperation that leads to full integration in economy, knowledge and human development, and military. The UAE and Saudi Arabia signed four MoUs during the meeting and reviewed seven strategic ties. Saudi Prince is currently on a State visit to UAE.
6. UAE and Saudi Arabia sign four memorandums of understanding
The UAE and Saudi Arabia signed four memorandums of understanding (MoUs) during the second meeting of the Saudi-Emirati Coordination Council in Abu Dhabi.
The meeting, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, also reviewed seven strategic initiatives.
The meeting comes as part of efforts by the two countries to activate all aspects of cooperation that leads to full integration in economy, knowledge and human development, and military.
Earlier, Shaikh Mohammad welcomed Prince Mohammed Bin Salman upon his arrival at the Presidential Terminal in Abu Dhabi.
Prince Mohammad Bin Salman is on a state visit to the UAE. Shaikh Tahnoun Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser, was present.
Economy, Defence and Business News
1. Cabinet extends tenure of 15th Finance Commission
The Union Cabinet approved the extension of the term of the Fifteenth Finance Commission to submit its report, setting 30 October, 2020 as the new deadline. This is the second extension for the Commission which was due to submit the report by 30 November. The N. K. Singh-headed Finance Commission will now present the final report covering financial years 2021-22 to 2025-26 (April-March). The extension of the term will enable the Commission to examine various comparable estimates for financial projections in view of reforms and the new realities to finalise its recommendations for the period 2020-2026.
The Commission, on account of the restrictions imposed by the Model Code of Conduct due to the October elections in Maharashtra, completed its visit to states only recently. This has had a bearing on the detailed assessments of states requirements.
Making a five-year coverage available for the Commission beyond 1st April 2021, will help both state and central governments design schemes with medium- to long-term financial perspective and provide adequate time for mid-course evaluation and correction. It is anticipated that the impact of the economic reforms initiated in the current financial year would be manifested in the data by the end of first quarter 2020-21.
This extension in tenure of the Finance Commission seems to have been necessitated by the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir and change in its status to a union territory (UT). However, the press statement was silent on it.
As per the structure, finances for a UT go from the centre’s kitty. Since the state was bifurcated with effect from 31 October, mid-way through the financial year, the Commission is now tasked with re-working those numbers as well.
2. Singapore, India air forces hold joint training exercise
Singapore’s air force has deployed six of its advanced F-16 fighter aircraft to train alongside the IAF’s six Sukhoi combat aircraft during their upgraded joint military training in India.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) are conducting the Joint Military Training (JMT) from October 31 to December 12 at the Kalaikunda Air Force Station in West Bengal. To commemorate the 10th edition of the JMT, the scope of the exercise was expanded to include an air-sea training component for the first time, with assets from the Indian Navy supporting, said Singapore’s Defence Ministry in a press release on Thursday.
This 10th edition of the JMT is testament to our strong relationship and the lasting friendship that we have built over the years. The JMT is conducted under the ambit of the Air Force Bilateral Agreement, which was signed in 2007 and was recently renewed in 2017.
3. $5-trillion GDP needs 12.4% nominal growth a year, says NITI Aayog
Gross domestic product (GDP) in India at current prices needs to grow by 12.4 per cent annually over the next five years for the country to be a $5-trillion economy by 2024-25, an internal assessment by the NITI Aayog has showed. This is 0.4 percentage points higher than what was estimated by the Economic Survey for 2018-19, owing to a slowing economy and an expected increase in the depreciation of the rupee against the dollar. The assessment, which was shared with select parliamentarians recently, pegged nominal GDP (at current prices) in the current financial year at around 10 percent.
4. PINAKA : India's highly successful guided weapon system
Thrust into the action during the 1999 Kargil War, the Pinaka rocket system quickly proved its worth for the Indian Army with its precision and devastating strikes, neutralising enemies sitting on mountain tops. Since then, the system has seen major upgrades and is now one of the most reliable and effective weapon systems of the Indian Army's artillery wing.
Pinaka is an indigenous multi-barrel rocket launch (MBRL) system, which has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Army. Its weapon system has a state-of-the-art guidance kit bolstered by an advanced navigation and control system.
Named after the bow of Lord Shiva, the idea of Pinaka was first conceived in 1981, as an answer to the Indian Army's requirement for a long range artillery system. Initially, the Ministry of Defence approved two confidence building projects and the actual development could only begin in 1986 with a sanctioned project-budget of Rs 26.47 crore. After it proved its combat capabilities in 1999, a dedicated Pinaka MBRL regiment was raised in February 2000.
The complete MBRL system of Pinaka is comprised of six launcher vehicles, each having 12 rockets with six loader-replenishment vehicles, two command post vehicles with fire control computer and a DIGICORA MET radar. Each Pinaka launcher can work independently, as it is controlled by its own computer. The launch system of Pinaka is comprised up of two pods, which are mounted side-by-side to each other on a Tatra launcher vehicle. Each launcher has the ability to fire all the rockets in one go or only a few - in a different direction than others with the help of its control computer. The Pinaka launcher can operate in different modes — autonomous, standalone, remote and manual.
The launch system of Pinaka can fire a salvo of 12 rockets within 40 seconds and a single battery of six launchers can take care of an area of 1,000 m × 800 m.
The initial version of weapon system was called Mark I, which had a range of 40 km. The upgraded version or Pinaka Mark II has an extended range of 70 to 80 km. The rockets of Pinaka can use a wide range of warheads comprised of pre-fragmented high explosive, anti-tank bomblet, anti-tank minelet warhead, anti-personnel mines, incendiary practice and pilot shot. The pre-fragmented warhead is used to inflict 25% to 30% more damage than the conventional warhead. The HMX-based composition is primarily used in anti-tank bomblets while mine lets warhead is used to achieve 150mm armour penetration.
5. India’s urban unemployment rate drops to 9.3% in Jan-March 2019
Amid criticism over high joblessness rate, a survey by the National Statistical Office (NSO) showed that urban unemployment rate dropped to the lowest level in four quarters at 9.3 per cent during January-March 2019. The quarterly bulletin of Periodic Labour Force Survey by the NSO does not contain comparable figure for January-March 2018.
The NSO, which is a wing of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, stated in the bulletin that the urban unemployment rate (UR) was 9.9 per cent in April-June 2018, 9.7 per cent in July-September 2018 and 9.9 per cent in October-December 2018.
The first quarterly bulletin for the quarter ending December 2018 was brought out in May 2019. This bulletin for the March 2019 quarter is the second in the series. The data showed that UR in urban areas among males was at 8.7 per cent during January-March 2019.
This joblessness rate among males in urban areas was 9 per cent in April-June 2018, 8.9 per cent in July-September and 9.2 per cent in October-December last year. For women, the UR was at 11.6 per cent during January-March 2019.
While, this rate for women during April-June 2018 was 12.8 percent in July-September was 12.7 per cent and in October-December last year was 12.3 per cent.
The government had been receiving a lot of criticism for high unemployment rates amid slowing economic growth. In May this year, government data showed that joblessness in the country was 6.1 per cent of total labour force during 2017-18, the highest in 45 years. The survey pointed out that the overall labour force participation rate (LFPR) was estimated as 36 per cent in the urban areas during January-March 2019, as compared to 35.6 per cent during April- June 2018. The LFPR was 36.1 per cent in July-September and 36.3 per cent in October-December last year.
The LFPR for men was estimated to be 56.2 per cent, while for women it was at 15 per cent in the urban areas during the January-March 2019 period.
The LFPR for men was 56 per cent in April-June, 56.3 in July September and 56.4 in October-December last year.
Similarly, the LFPR for women was 14.6 per cent in April-June and 15.3 in July-September and 15.4 per cent in October-December last year. This indicates that women participation in employment has improved slightly till October-December last year but deteriorated a little bit in January-March 2019.
Labour force refers to the part of the population which supplies or offers to supply labour for pursuing economic activities for the production of goods and services and, therefore, includes both ‘employed’ and ‘unemployed’ persons.
The LFPR is defined as the percentage of population in the labour-force. Labour-force according to current weekly status (CWS) is the number of persons either employed or unemployed on an average in a week of 7 days preceding the date of survey. In Statement 1, LFPR in CWS are presented.
The survey also showed that of the total workforce 37.7 percent were self-employed, while 50 per cent were salaried or regular workers and 12.4 percent were casual labourers.
6. Intel Partners With MediaTek to Bring 5G Support to Laptops
In a bid to bring its new 5G modem to PCs, MediaTek is partnering with Intel. Dell and HP are expected to be among the first original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to deliver laptops powered by Intel and MediaTek's 5G solution. The first rollout of devices is expected for early 2021. Through this partnership, Intel has been working with MediaTek on the 5G solution for deployment in key consumer and commercial laptop segments. MediaTek is developing the 5G modem and working with partners to manufacture the solution.
MediaTek's new 5G modem for PCs is based in part on its Helio M70 5G modem it introduced earlier this year as part of its integrated 5G system-on-chip for the first wave of 5G flagship smartphones. 5G is poised to unleash a new level of computing and connectivity that will transform the way we interact with the world.
7. Railways sets up Institute for Financial Management in Hyderabad
The Indian Railway Institute of Financial Management (IRIFM) has been set up at Moula-Ali, Secunderabad. The new entity, set up to impart professional training in the management of railway finances, was formally inaugurated by Vinod Kumar Yadav, Chairman, Railway Board. The Chairman of the Railway Board also envisaged a complete integrated package for railway training institutions in the country.
8. India to host naval drill ‘Milan 2020’ at Visakhapatnam
India aims to conduct a unique naval exercise for which an invitation has been extended to 41 countries who are otherwise unlikely partners. The Naval Exercise ‘MILAN 2020’ is scheduled to be held at Visakhapatnam in March 2020 in which 41 countries have been invited.
Among those invited are the US and Russia which otherwise don’t see much in common and are at loggerheads. Since 2018 the US has brought in Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) that requires imposing curbs on nations that have “significant” defence relations with Russia.
India is one of the countries that faces a threat of sanctions since it purchased S-400 missiles from Russia despite US pressure to not do so.
Among the invitees are the navies of Saudi Arabia, Iran and Israel. The Saudis have been accusing Iran of having masterminded the attack on ARAMCO, its crude oil processing units. Israel has edgy relations with Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Also on the invite list are those countries which are locked in dispute over territorial boundaries in the South China Sea. The invitees include Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and the Philippines — all are locked in framing a “code of conduct” on navy and cargo operating in the South China Sea.
9. GST collection slips below Rs 1 lakh crore mark to Rs 98,202 crore in August
In an apparent sign of an economic slowdown, India's GST collections in August dropped to Rs 98,202 crore from over Rs 1.02 lakh crore in the previous month. However, total Goods and Services Tax (GST) mop-up for August this year was 4.5 per cent higher than the Rs 93,960 crore collected in the same month last year. This is the second time this year that the revenue collection from the GST slipped below the Rs 1 lakh crore mark. First, it happened in June when the collection was Rs 99,939 crore. However, it was Rs 1.02 lakh crore in July. Central GST collections stood at Rs 17,733 crore, State GST Rs 24,239 crore, and Integrated GST Rs 48,958 crore (including Rs 24,818 crore collected on imports) during August this year, a statement said.
It further said that cess collection stood at Rs 7,273 crore (including Rs 841 crore collected on imports).
Gross GST collections during April-August stood at Rs 5,14,378 crore, up from Rs 4,83,538 crore in the corresponding period of the last fiscal. This shows a growth of 6.3 per cent during the five months of the current fiscal. The GST, which was introduced two years ago, has subsumed most of the indirect taxes.
However, the government has, on many occasions, said it will meet the indirect tax collection target set in the Budget. For 2019-20, the government proposes to collect Rs 6.10 lakh crore from CGST and Rs 1.01 lakh crore as compensation cess. The IGST balance has been pegged at Rs 50,000 crore.
The CGST collection in 2018-19 was Rs 4.25 lakh crore, while compensation cess was over Rs 97,000 crore.
10. Cabinet approves India-Myanmar agreement to prevent human trafficking
The Union Cabinet approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and Myanmar on enhancing bilateral cooperation between each other for prevention of trafficking in persons. The agreement will also strengthen the friendship between the two Asian countries and to increase bilateral cooperation on the issues of prevention, rescue, recovery and repatriation related to human trafficking.
It will strengthen cooperation to prevent all forms of human trafficking ensure a speedy investigation and prosecution of traffickers and organised crime syndicates in either country.
The agreement will further strengthen immigration and border controls cooperation and implementation of strategies with relevant ministries and organisations to prevent trafficking in persons.
It will also set up working groups and task force to make efforts to prevent human trafficking and organise capacity building programmes for the agencies concerned of both countries.
Human Trafficking has national as well as international ramifications. The complex nature of human trafficking calls for a multidimensional strategy in tackling it at the domestic, regional and international level. Being global in scope, international cooperation and collaboration is essential to check human trafficking.
Strengthening cooperation between border control agencies and the establishment of direct channels of communication between India and Myanmar can be an effective tool in countering trafficking in persons and promoting cross-border and regional cooperation, the statement said.
11. SBI & U GRO ink loan co-origination agreement
NewQuest-backed U GRO Capital inked an SME loan co-origination agreement with State Bank of India to facilitate broader credit outreach and faster disbursal. The alliance to leverage U GRO Capital’s proprietary technology platform ‘GRO-Xstream’ to provide in-principle loan approval within 60 minutes. U GRO Capital, a BSE listed, technology-enabled small business lending platform entered into a loan co-origination.
12. Cabinet approves increase in authorised capital of FCI to Rs 10,000 crore
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the increase in authorised capital of Food Corporation of India (FCI) from existing Rs 3,500 crore to Rs 10,000 crore.
This will reduce borrowings of FCI, save interest cost and reduce food subsidy in consequence.
The operations of FCI require maintaining perpetual stock of foodgrains which needs to be funded by the government through equity or long-term loan. The government provides equity to FCI for maintaining stocks. The present authorised equity capital is Rs 3,500 crore and paid-up equity capital as on March 31 was Rs 3,447.58 crore.
FCI was constituted under the Food Corporations Act 1964 to implement the government's food policy. Its primary objective is to ensure minimum support price to farmers, maintain a buffer stock of foodgrains, and distribution of foodgrains under the National Food Security Act and other government welfare schemes.
13. RBI raises red flags on Mudra bad loans
Reserve Bank deputy governor M.K. Jain warned bankers about the growing stress in Mudra loans, which has crossed more than ₹3.21 lakh crore system-wide, and asked them to monitor such loans closely as unsustainable credit growth in the sector can risk the system. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Mudra scheme in April 2015 with much fanfare to offer speedier credit up to ₹10 lakh to small businesses which are non- corporate, non-farm small/micro enterprises and which normally do not get bank funds due to their poor and mostly no credit rating. These loans are extended by banks, NBFCs, RRBs, cooperative banks and small finance banks.
14. Cabinet approves extension of norms for mandatory packaging in jute materials
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accorded its approval for mandatory packaging of food grains and sugar in jute material for the Jute Year 2019-20. The Government has retained the scope of mandatory packaging norms under the Jute Packaging Material (JPM) Act, 1987 as per last year. The decision of the Cabinet mandates that 100% of the food grains and 20% of the sugar shall be mandatorily packed in diversified jute bags. The decision to pack sugar in diversified jute bags will give an impetus to the diversification of the jute industry. Further, the decision also mandates that initially 10% of the indents of jute bags for packing food grains would be placed through reverse auction on the GeM portal. This will gradually usher in a regime of price discovery.
The approval will benefit farmers and workers located in the Eastern and North Eastern regions of the country particularly in the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya and Tripura.
Nearly 3.7 lakh workers and several lakh farm families are dependent for their livelihood on the jute sectors. The government has been making concerted efforts for the development of jute sector; increasing the quality and productivity of raw jute, diversification of jute sector and also boosting and sustaining demand for jute products. The jute industry is predominantly dependent on Government sector which purchases jute bags of value of more than Rs. 7,500 crore every year for packing foodgrains. This is done in order to sustain the core demand for the jute sector and to support the livelihood of the workers and farmers dependent on the sector.
In order to improve the productivity and quality of raw jute through a carefully designed intervention, called the Jute ICARE, the Government has been supporting approximately two lakh jute farmers by disseminating improved agronomic practices such as line sowing using seed drills, weed management by using wheel-hoeing and nail-weeders, distribution of quality certified seeds and also providing microbial assisted retting. These interventions have resulted in enhancing the quality and productivity of raw jute and increasing income of jute farmers by Rs. 10,000 per hectare.
In this connection, to support jute farmers, a grant of subsidy of Rs. 100 crore for two years starting from 2018-19 has been approved to enable JCI to conduct MSP operations and ensure price stabilization in the jute sector.
With a view to support diversification of jute sector, the National Jute Board has collaborated with National Institute of Design and a Jute Design Cell has been opened at Gandhinagar. Further, promotion of Jute GeoTextiles and Agro-Textiles has been taken up with the State Governments, particularly those in the North Eastern region and also with departments such as Ministry of Road Transport and Ministry of Water Resources.
With a view to boost demand in the jute sector, Government of India has imposed Definitive Anti-Dumping Duty on import of jute goods from Bangladesh and Nepal with effect from 5th January, 2017.
With a view to promoting transparency in jute sector, Jute SMART, an e-govt initiative was launched in December, 2016, providing an integrated platform for procurement of B-Twill sacking by Government agencies. Further, the JCI is transferring 100% funds to jute farmers online for jute procurement under MSP and commercial operations.
15. FM Nirmala Sitharaman presents 1st supplementary demand of grants
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman sought Parliament nod for additional spending of Rs 21,246.16 crore, including over Rs 8,820 crore for the newly formed union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, in the first batch of supplementary demands. Of this, the net cash outgo will be Rs 18,995.51 crore. She provided Rs 8,820.62 crore as grant to Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in lieu of J&K State share of 14th Finance Commission Award.
As much as Rs 2,500 crore was provided for capital infusion in IDBI Bank Ltd through issuance of recapitalisation bonds.
Another Rs 666 crore was provided for meeting expenditure of Department of Space and Rs 3,387.46 crore for meeting expenditure towards salaries and cost of ration of police.
16. Indian Army successfully test-fires Spike LR missile
Indian Army has successfully test fired two Spike long- range Anti-Tank Missiles from an Infantry School at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh. Indian Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat and several commanders witnessed the firing of the newly acquired missiles which are expected to further boost Army’s combat prowess.
Spike anti-tank missiles is a 4th generation missile which can engage any target with precision at ranges up to 4 km. It is developed and designed by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. The missile is man-portable and has its own vehicle-launch and helicopter-launched variants. It will bolster Indian Army’s fire power capability.
For nearly the last three decades (30 years), the Indian Army has been using outdated 2nd generation missiles. In 2011 a Request for Proposal (RFP) was floated for over 8000 missiles to Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Spike missile was the only one to qualify after going through a complex procurement process. Ministry of Defence completed negotiation in 2016 but programme did not see the light of the day as the government was in favour of indigenously developing the missiles through India’s DRDO. Later, to overcome the critical capability void and to meet urgent operational requirements, Indian Army procured a limited quantity of Spike LR missiles from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems of Israel. India thus became 33rd country in the world to have Spike missile as a part of its inventory.
17. RIL becomes first Indian company to cross ₹10 trillion in market cap
Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) became the first Indian company to cross ₹10 trillion in market capitalization, with its shares surging nearly 41% since the start of 2019.
Reliance Industries, which had first closed above ₹1-trillion market cap on 19 August 2005, added every successive trillion rupees in 418 trading days, 109 days, 27 days, 2,398 days, 73 days, 180 days, 22 days, 284 days and 24 days, respectively.
Higher refinery margins, potential for telecom tariff raise, bottoming PE cycle, start of gas production, lower capital expenditure intensity and path to deleveraging have led to investors asking if our bull case could play out despite above-average forward multiples.
Investors continued buying Reliance Industries shares after the company said it will increase tariffs in the next few weeks—a development that analysts expect will boost revenue growth.
Among analysts covering the stock, 29 have a “buy" rating, six have a “hold" rating, while two have a “sell" rating, shows Bloomberg data.
18. ADB, India Sign $451 Million Loan To Strengthen Power Connectivity In Tamil Nadu
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $451 million loan to strengthen power connectivity between the southern and northern parts of the Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC), which is part of the East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC), in Tamil Nadu. ADB is the lead partner of the Government of India for developing ECEC. The project is expected to help Government of Tamil Nadu meet the increasing demand for power supply from industry and commercial enterprises in the State through transfer of power from new generation facilities, including renewable energy, in the southern CKIC to the industrial hubs in the state's northern region. The state government has identified quality infrastructure including a reliable power supply as a key prerequisite for its further economic development. The state is aiming to develop the northern Chennai-Tiruchirappalli area of CKIC as a manufacturing center while targeting the relatively poor southern Madurai-Thoothukudi portion for the development of renewable energy-based power generation because of the availability of wind and solar resources. ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. In 2018, it made commitments of new loans and grants amounting to $21.6 billion. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members49 from the region.
19. UNDP launches Accelerator Lab in India
To achieve the challenging goals within the stipulated time frame, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched the India chapter of its new initiative, Accelerator Labs, for which it is partnering with Germany and Qatar.
The Indian lab will be among the 60 global ones that will find, test and try to scale up innovative solutions that can help combat both climate change and social inequity.
The Indian Accelerator Lab team’s philosophy is to ‘work out loud’, or share the issues that it is tackling so that other labs and experts around the world can collaborate or offer tested solutions. These, if found suitable, can be customised and scaled up.
It cites the example of acute air pollution in Indian cities compounded by stubble burning. The young team found that its Ukraine counterpart had already been working on the problem and that it was part of experiments taking place on conservation agriculture in six villages in Punjab. The India Lab can now join hands.
The team has found two other technology-based solutions for air pollution — one developed by Nottingham University, UK, and another by a start-up in Singapore. Accelerator Labs is partnering with the NITI Aayog for its India chapter. The launch in Delhi saw the coming together of inventors, micro-entrepreneurs and grassroots innovators with policymakers, scientists, experts from civil society and those who invest in new ideas from the private sector. In short, anyone who can take forward an innovative idea that is designed to make a difference in achieving SDGs. Till now, the Accelerator Labs have attracted over $70 million — $33 million from Germany, $20 million from Qatar, $5.5 million from Italy, and $20 million from UNDP core partners.
20. India, Japan to hold their first foreign and defence ministerial dialogue today
India and Japan will hold their first ever Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue (2+2) in New Delhi during which the two sides are expected to discuss boosting defence and security ties besides other issues of mutual interest. The Indian delegation will be led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar. Japan's Foreign Affairs Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defence Minister Taro Kono will lead the Japanese side. The 2+2 ministerial dialogue is seen as an upgrade of the meeting between foriegn and defence secretaries of the two countries, the first round of which took place in 2010. The upgrade to the ministerial level talks follows an agreement reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe during the 13th India-Japan Annual Summit held in Japan in October 2018.
India has a similar ministerial level 2+2’ dialogue with the US as well. The India-Japan ministerial meeting on Saturday comes ahead of the annual summit of the two prime ministers next month, scheduled to be held in Guwahati.
The 2+2 meeting would provide an opportunity for the two sides to review the status of and exchange further views on strengthening defence and security cooperation between India and Japan so as to provide greater depth to the 'India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
The two sides will also exchange views on the situation in the Indo-Pacific region and their respective efforts under India's 'Act East Policy' and Japan's 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific Vision' for achieving their shared objectives of peace, prosperity and progress to realise a better future for the people of the two countries and the region.
21. Curtain raiser Indo-Nepal joint military Exercise SURYA KIRAN – XIV
Joint military exercise ‘SURYA KIRAN – XIV’ between India and Nepal will be conducted at Saljhandi, Rupandehi district of Nepal from 03 to 16 December 2019. The exercise will comprise of 300 soldiers from both Indian and Nepal Army who would be sharing their experience in conduct of various counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations as also various humanitarian assistance missions by both the Armies. Exercise SURYA KIRAN - XIV is an annual event which is conducted alternatively in Nepal and India. Notably, in the series of military training exercises undertaken by India with various countries, exercise SURYA KIRAN with Nepal is an important exercise in terms of the security challenges faced by both the nations in the realm of changing facets of global terrorism. The aim of this exercise is to conduct a Battalion level combined training between Indian Army and Nepal Army to increase interoperability in jungle warfare and counter terrorist operations in mountainous terrain, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, medical and environmental conservation including aviation aspects. The joint military exercise will enhance the level of defence cooperation which will further foster the bilateral relations between the two nations.
22. Former RBI deputy governor H R Khan to head microfinance panel
Former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), H R Khan has been appointed as the first chairman of the steering committee of the Code for Responsible Lending (CRL) in micro-credit. The CRL is a self-regulatory step for the microcredit industry making diverse entities like banks, NBFC-MFIs and NBFCs adhere to standards of customer protection, a statement by Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN) said. CRL was launched in September by MFIN and Sa-Dhan, an RBI-recognised association of MFIs, along with Finance Industry Development Council, an association of NBFCs.
The CRL was envisaged to be guided and supervised by a steering committee representing banks, SFBs, NBFC-MFIs, NBFCs and industry associations under an eminent independent chair.
People in News
1. Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat to take over as chairman of CCS
Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat will take over as the chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (CCS). This is the last time that this handover ceremony is taking place as the Narendra Modi government recently established the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). The process to identify India's first CDS has started. General Bipin Rawat will be taking over the charge of chairman, CCS from Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa who will be retiring by the end of this month. The senior-most among the three services chiefs is appointed as the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.
The post of CCS was established following the recommendation of the Naresh Chandra Task Force in 2012. The task force had suggested that a permanent chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee should be created in India. The CCS comprises chiefs of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force.
2. Suman Billa appointed as director in UNWTO
Suman Billa, the former director and secretary of Kerala Tourism, is appointed as the director, technical cooperation and silk road development at DI level of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). He will join at UNWTO's headquarters in Madrid, Spain. The appointment was approved by the Prime Minister-headed appointments committee of the Cabinet (ACC) at its meeting held in New Delhi. He will hold the post for a tenure of two years, initially. He will assume charge as soon as the director of UNWTO. It aims to promote a responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. He is the pioneered of monsoon tourism and the Spice Route project. He initiated Kerala's Responsible Tourism (RT) initiative in a global model. The RT model won the UNWTO's Ulysses Award for Innovation in Public Policy and Governance. He launched the Incredible India version 2 campaign, Swadesh Darshan scheme, and the India Tourism Mart.
3. Passing Away of Former Navy Chief Admiral Sushil Kumar
Former Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sushil Kumar, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, NM, passed away in the early hours on 27 November 2019 at Army Hospital (Research & Referral), New Delhi, after a prolonged illness. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh has expressed his deepest condolences to the late Admiral’s family. During his tenure as the 16th Chief of Naval Staff from 30 December 1998 until his retirement on 29 December 2001, he was the highest-decorated serving officer in the Indian Navy. He will always be remembered for his strategic leadership and stewardship of Indian naval operations during the 1999 Kargil War.
4. Uddhav, the first Thackeray, sworn in as Maharashtra CM
Putting an end to the political imbroglio in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in as the 18th chief minister of Maharashtra. In a first for the Thackeray family, Uddhav Thackeray will be leading a government of the Maha Vikas Aghadi -- an alliance of Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Congress.
The last Sena man to occupy the chief minister's chair was Narayan Rane in 1999, after Manohar Joshi, who in 1995 became the first CM from the party.
In the Assembly elections held in October, BJP and Shiv Sena contested the polls together and got 105 and 56 seats, respectively. However, the two parties had a fallout over power-sharing of the chief ministerial post. However, in a sudden turn of events, former state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar took oath as chief minister and deputy chief minister respectively on 23 November, effectively axing the Sena’s earlier bid to form government along with the Congress party and NCP.
5. Mukesh Ambani 9th richest person in the world: Forbes
Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani is the ninth richest person in the world, according to 'The Real-Time Billionaires List' of Forbes. The RIL Chairman was ranked 13th globally in the Forbes' 2019 rich list, released earlier this year. His rise can be attributed to RIL surpassing the ₹10 lakh crore market capitalisation mark, becoming the first Indian company to do so.
According to the Forbes 'The Real-Time Billionaires List', RIL Chairman's 'Real Time Net Worth' stood at $60.8 billion. The list was headed by Jeff Bezos, CEO and Founder of Amazon, with 'Real Time Net Worth' of $113 billion. Reliance is followed by TCS as the second most valued firm. HDFC Bank, Hindustan Unilever and HDFC were the others.
Awards
1. Bangladesh School project wins Aga Khan Architecture Award
An innovative project for constructing a floating school for marginalised children in Bangladesh has been awarded the prestigious Aga Khan Architecture Award 2019. The award was given away in Kajan, republic of Tatarstan for the Arcadia Education Project in South Kanarchor of Bangladesh. The project involved construction of a school in an area which is under water during the monsoon months. The architect of the project Saif Ul Haque designed a school which remains on the ground during the dry season and floats when the area is submerged in water during monsoon.
He utilised only the local material-bamboo, used tyres and steel drums for constructing the amphibious structure for school. The workforce and artisans for the project were also drawn locally. The Aga Khan Foundation in its citation lauded the project for its contribution to improve people's lives, social and economic development, access to education in rural communities and global issues like rising water levels.
Five other projects from other countries were also given the award.
2. Royal Aeronautical Society honour for DRDO chief G Satheesh Reddy
Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) London has conferred the Honorary Fellowship of the Society for the year 2019 to G Satheesh Reddy, Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO. Reddy is the first Indian recipient of this prestigious award in over 100 years.
The Society’s highest award is bestowed in recognition of Reddy’s pioneering technological contributions over the past three decades which has enabled the country to realise frontline military systems and world class missile technologies.
Reddy received the Honorary Fellowship during the Medals and Awards presentation ceremony in London. Honorary Fellowship from RAeS is one of the world’s highest distinctions for aerospace achievement awarded for only the most exceptional contributions to the aerospace profession. It is considered as equivalent to the Nobel Prize in the aerospace domain.
The first Honorary Fellowship was awarded in the year 1917 and eminent persons have been conferred with this award which includes doyens of Aerospace such as Orville Wright, aviation pioneer known for inventing the airplane with his brother, Wilbur.
Reddy has made outstanding contributions to Defence Research and Development and is renowned for his pioneering contributions to the Indian defence and aerospace sector.
A visionary and an institution builder, he led the indigenous design, development and deployment of state-of-the-art mission critical aerospace technologies and advanced missile systems. These cutting edge technologies have been the backbone for key strategic programmes and other defence applications in India.
Reddy spearheaded Mission Shakti, the country’s first Anti-Satellite Missile Test mission, bolstered the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) programme and successfully demonstrated missile interception capabilities at high altitudes.
He led the development of advanced avionics and achieved successful missions of long range Agni 5 strategic missile.
Events & Days
1. International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women-25 November
Women's rights activists have observed 25 November as a day against gender-based violence since 1981. This date was selected to honour the Mirabal sisters, three political activists from the Dominican Republic who were brutally murdered in 1960 by order of the country’s ruler, Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).
On 20 December 1993, the General Assembly adopts the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women through resolution 48/104, paving the path towards eradicating violence against women and girls worldwide.
Finally, on 7 February 2000, the General Assembly adopts resolution 54/134, officially designating 25 November as the International day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and in doing so, inviting governments, international organizations as well as NGOs to join together and organize activities designed to raise public awareness of the issue every year on that date.
To further clarify, the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women issued by the UN General Assembly in 1993, defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.”
The 2019 theme for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is ‘Orange the World: Generation Equality Stands Against Rape’. Like in previous years, this year's International Day will mark the launch of the 16 days of activism that will conclude on 10 December 2019, which is International Human Rights Day.
2. Sangai Festival 2019 begins in Manipur
In Manipur, week-long Manipur Sangai Festival 2019 started. The festival is organized by the State Tourism Department and biggest festival held annually to promote tourism. The formal inaugural function of the festival was held at Hapta Kangjeibung at Imphal this evening.
Manipur Chief Minister, N. Biren Singh attended the inaugural function as Chief Guest. State Ministers, dignitaries from foreign countries also attended the function. The festival is held at different parts of Manipur. During the festival, cultural programmes, traditional games, folk dance and classical music will be performed by different communities of the State as well as from other States. The festival will conclude on the 30th of this month.
3. New Delhi to Host First “Global Bio-India 2019” Summit from 21st - 23rd November
The Global Bio-India 2019, one of the largest biotechnology stakeholders conglomerates will be held for the first time in India at New Delhi from 21st to 23rd November, 2019.
India for the first time is hosting a mega event for the biotech community to attract investments, showcase our indigenous strengths and more importantly fuel the hopes and aspirations of the indigenous talent pool”.
The DBT, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India along with its Public Sector Undertaking, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is organizing this event.
The event has been structured to bring together stakeholders from 30 countries, 250 start-ups, 200 exhibitors. Central and State ministries, regulatory bodies, investors, totalling to 3500 participants is anticipated.
The event is expected to strengthen the indigenous research capabilities, bio-entrepreneurship, investments and last-mile-delivery of technology across rural India and tier-2, 3 cities.
It is noteworthy to point that Biotechnology is recognized as the key driver for contributing to India’s USD 5Tn economy target and is identified as one of the thrust areas for driving GDP growth of our country. India is positioned today at about USD51bn and is marching towards USD150bn.
The Summit assumes significance as it is one of the largest biotechnology stakeholders conglomerate to be held in India for the first time.
4. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the National Tribal Craft Mela 2019
Odisha’s Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the National Tribal Craft Mela - 2019 in Bhubaneswar. Around 240 tribal artisans from 18 states, including Sikkim, Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal are participating in the Mela. The Handicraft items, handloom products, iron, bamboo products, exhibition, lacquer craft, along with tribal jewelry, craft, and textiles, will be displayed by artisans during this seven-day-long event.
The main objective of the Mela is to preserve, promote and popularise traditional tribal art and craft and help the artisans to find better opportunities to develop their skills through cross-cultural interactions for commercial viability of their products. As a part of the 5T initiative of the state government, 45 supplementary readers prepared in 21 tribal languages have also been released simultaneously by the Chief Minister on the occasion.
5. 70th Constitution Day-26 November celebrated across the country
Constitution Day was celebrated across the country on 26 November, marking the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution in 1949 by the Constituent Assembly. The Central Hall of Parliament bore witness to the special program to mark the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly. President Ramnath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the MPs on the occasion.
The first amendment of the Constitution in 1951 was to empower the State to undertake affirmative action for the advancement of any socially and economically backward classes or categories of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes by restricting the application of Fundamental Rights. The latest 103rd amendment passed in 2019 enabled 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker sections in educational institutions and in appointments.
Rankings
1. India Ranks 44th In 2019 Nomura's Food Vulnerability Index
India ranked 44 out of 110 countries; a higher rank is worse. At 4.6%, India’s retail inflation for October touched a 16-month high because of the jump in food prices. Food inflation grew by almost 8% – nearly double the rate of overall retail inflation. The essential items that contributed to this rise were pulses (inflation rate 12%) and vegetables (inflation rate 26%) and fish and meat (inflation rate of 10%), the Asia-headquartered financial services group with an integrated global network spanning over 30 countries.
Nomura’s Food Vulnerability Index (NFVI) ranks countries based on their exposure to large swings in food prices.
NFVI has three components: (1) the country’s GDP per person, (2) the share of food in household consumption, and (3) the net food imports. The lower per capita GDP, a higher percentage of food in household consumption, and top net food imports would make a country more vulnerable to spikes in food prices. Around 50 countries most vulnerable to food price surges in the coming months mostly belong to the Emerging Market group. The top 50 together account for almost 60 percent of the global population.
2. India ranks 8th in WHO study on physical activity among adolescents
India is among the top ten ranking countries with the lowest level of insufficient physical activity among adolescents. Bangladesh tops the list while USA’s adolescents figure fourth on the list of 146 countries. India is ranked eighth with overall prevalence of insufficient physical activity in adolescents at 73.9 per cent.
The new WHO study, finds that more than 80 per cent of school-going adolescents globally did not meet current recommendations of at least one hour of physical activity per day – including 85 percent of girls and 78 percent of boys. Yet, among 146 countries, the lowest levels of insufficient physical activity in boys were found in Bangladesh, India and USA. In 2016, the Philippines was the country with the highest prevalence of insufficient activity among boys (93 per cent), whereas South Korea showed highest levels among girls (97 per cent) and both genders combined (94 percent).
Authors of the study to be published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health have noted that the lower levels of insufficient physical activity in Bangladesh and India (where 63 percent and 72 percent of boys were insufficiently active in 2016, respectively) may be explained by the strong focus on national sports like cricket. The US rates (64 per cent) may be driven by good physical education in schools, pervasive media coverage of sports, and good availability of sports clubs (such as ice hockey, American football, basketball, or baseball).
The potential explanation for this somewhat lower prevalence of insufficient physical activity in India as compared to other countries could be the importance of national sports like cricket (particularly for boys), adolescents are still active as they walk to and from school and girls are more actively involved in household chores.
3. India has 96 universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings 2020 Asia
India has 96 universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2020. Out of these, 20 are new entries. The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) leads nationally at the overall 34th place, and it is followed by IIT Delhi (IIT-D) in the 43rd place and by IIT Madras (IITM) in the 50th position. The country has 31 institutes among the top 250.
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) reported 8 Indian universities are placed among the top 100. The Indian higher education system has grown exponentially over the past decade.
Overall for the second consecutive year, the National University of Singapore stands top among Asia's best universities. It is followed by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and the University of Hong Kong, China.
Only Mainland China is more represented than India, with 118 featured universities. Among these, 4 stands in the top 10 list.
4. Kerala is the most morbid State
The findings of the 75th round of the National Sample Survey (NSO), released earlier this week, lay bare the paradox that Kerala which is the most progressive State on the health front is also the sickest in the country. The survey, Household Social Consumption in India: Health, conducted by the NSO, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation during the July 2017-June 2018 period has reported that the morbidity in Kerala is more than three times the national average.
The percentage of persons that responded as ailing (PPRA) in a 15-day period across the country was 7.5 %. In Kerala, this was 24.5 %. In comparison, the PPRA in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Maharashtra was between 6% and 9.9%.
The ailments reported were mainly infections, endocrine or metabolic disorders, cardiovascular and respiratory ailments. The survey also assessed the proportion of persons treated as inpatients anytime during a 365-day period. If the number of cases of hospitalisation per 1,000 persons (excluding childbirth) across India was 29, this was the highest in Kerala at 105. In most States, this figure hovers between 29 and 40. In Kerala, 47.5% of outpatient (OP) care was managed by government hospitals, while 31.4% was managed by private hospitals . When it came to inpatient care (excluding childbirth), private hospitals managed 57.9 % cases, while the public sector managed 38.3 % cases.
This would mean that while the public sector share of OP care has gone up, the public still depended on the private sector for efficient hospitalisation care.
The average outpatient expenditure for treating a spell of ailment in Kerala has been estimated at ₹480, against ₹636 at the national level. The survey also estimated the average medical expenditure incurred for treatment, per case of hospitalisation, in Kerala at ₹4,469 for public sector hospitals, while this was ₹28,775 in private sector. At the national level, this was ₹4,452 for the public sector and ₹31,845 for private hospitals.
5. China now has most diplomatic posts in the world, India ranked 12th
China now has more diplomatic posts across the world than the US, a marker of its growing international clout and ambition. China’s expansion in worldwide diplomatic presence has come partly at the expense of Taiwan, a self-governing democracy, which Beijing says is a breakaway province. The 2019 Global Diplomacy Index released by the Sydney-based Lowy Institute gives the latest statistics, marking how the world’s diplomatic networks are expanding and, in certain cases, shrinking. China overtook the US in 2019 with 276 embassies and consulates worldwide, which is three more than the US. The study said both countries have an equal number of embassies but Beijing has three more consulates. The next three spots are occupied by France, Japan, and Russia.
India is 12th among the 61 countries ranked by the Lowy Institute.
As of 2019, New Delhi has 123 embassies and high commissions and 54 consulates globally. India too has expanded its diplomatic footprint: In 2017, it has 120 embassies and 52 consulates. But the US remains – by a wide margin – the most popular place for countries to maintain embassies and consulates. The US is home to some 342 posts belonging to the 61 countries included in the Index. China, with 256, is a distant second.
China’s gain has mostly been a direct result of Taiwan’s shrinking diplomatic presence as Beijing intensifies its “one China” campaign.
Taiwan saw the biggest drop in diplomatic posts, down from 22 embassies in 2016 to 15 this year.
Sports News
1. Rafael Nadal wins Davis Cup for hosts Spain against Canada
Rafael Nadal sealed victory for Spain in the first edition of the newly-formatted Davis Cup, collapsing to the floor after he beat Denis Shapovalov to secure a win over Canada. It was a sixth title for Spain – and a fifth for their greatest tennis export Nadal – in their 10th final, with Nadal extending a remarkable winning run in this competition to 29 consecutive singles matches. Canada, who boast two of the most exciting prospects on the ATP Tour in Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime, will fancy their chances of winning this week-long, 18-nation competition further down the line but experience triumphed over youth on this occasion.
2. Muhammad, Kipchoge named World Athletes of the Year
Eliud Kipchoge and Dalilah Muhammad have been named the male and female World Athletes of the Year at the World Athletics Awards 2019, held at the Grimaldi Forum.
29-year-old Muhammad broke the world record in the 400m hurdles twice this year, first with a 52.20 performance at the US Championships in July to eclipse a mark which had stood since 2003.
Muhammad broke it again at the World Athletics Championships Doha 2019, clocking 52.16 in one of the championships' most eagerly-awaited finals to claim the world title for the first time. Muhammad also won world gold in the 4x400m relay and won five of her seven races.
Kipchoge, the winner of the award last year, added to his phenomenal marathon CV in 2019. In April, he captured his fourth victory at the London Marathon with a 2:02:37 course record, the third-fastest performance of all time. The 35-year-old Kenyan followed up in October by blasting through the distance's two-hour barrier with a 1:59:40.2 performance at the Ineos159 Challenge in Vienna.
The 19-year-old Barega was the silver medalist in the 5000m at the World Championships and finished fifth in the senior race at the World Cross Country Championships Aarhus 2019. The Ethiopian also produced world U20 leads at both the 5,000m and 10,000m with 12:53.04 and 26:49.46 respectively.
Mahuchikh, the 2017 world U18 champion, continued her ascension into the high jump elite at the World Championships where she twice broke the world U20 record, first with a leap of 2.02 metre and again with a clearance of 2.04 metre to secure the silver medal. The 18-year-old also won the European U20 title.
3. Sports Ministry constitutes new committee to review draft of National Code for Good Governance in Sports
The Union Ministry of Sports has constituted a 13-member expert committee to review the draft of the National Code for Good Governance in Sports, 2017. The committee, chaired by Retired SC Justice Mukundakam Sharma, will be required to suggest measures for making the Draft National Code for Good Governance in Sports, 2017 acceptable to all stakeholders.
Some of the prominent members of the expert committee include Pullela Gopichand, Anju Bobby George, Gagan Narang and Baichung Bhutia.
The committee’s recommendations are expected to help strike a balance between the autonomy of the NSFs through the need for accountability and transparency. It would also help bring the government and all the stakeholders on the same page as far as the code is concerned.
The committee will be required to examine the comments received from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and other national sports federations on the draft of the National Code for Good Governance in Sports, 2017.
The committee will also be required to review the draft of the national code with the present code.
Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports constitutes a 13-member expert committee to review the Draft National Code for Good Governance in Sports, 2017. Former Indian football team captain Baichung Bhutia, Olympic medalist Gagan Narang and others among the members.
4. FIFA Rankings: India drop two spots to 108th position
The Indian football team dropped two spots to 108 in the latest FIFA rankings. India suffered a 1-0 defeat against Oman in the FIFA World Cup Qatar Qualifiers on November 19. The Blue Tigers hold the fourth spot, only above Bangladesh, in the Group E of the qualifiers as they have not won any of their five matches so far. Belgium and France retained their first and second positions respectively in the latest rankings. Brazil are in third place followed by England.
5. India begin its campaign at 13th South Asian Games
India has started its campaign at the 13th South Asian Games on a winning streak. Indian men's and women's volleyball teams won their opening matches. In a Group 'A' match Indian men's team easily defeated Bangladesh in a straight-set by 25-18, 25-14 and 25-15 in Kathmandu, Nepal this evening.
In women's Group 'A' match India beat host Nepal in straight sets. The Nepali girls with huge home supporters gave a tough fight in the first set however India won first set 26-24.
Soon Indian girls bounced back and won the next two sets 25-12 and 25-16. Now in their last group matches, Indian Women's team will take on Bangladesh while Men will clash with Nepal tomorrow.
Though the formal opening ceremony of the Games will be held on Sunday some sports have already started. Over 2700 athletes will compete for 1119 medals including 319 Gold in 26 game categories.
499 athletes from India are participating in the biggest sporting event of South Asia. The closing ceremony will be held on 10th December.
6. Bhubaneswar, Rourkela to host 2023 Men's Hockey World Cup
The 2023 Men's Hockey World Cup will be held in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced. India will host the Men's Hockey World Cup for the second consecutive time after the country was picked to stage the game's showpiece event in 2023 by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) earlier this month.
The tournament will be held from January 13 to 29.
The ceremony was also attended by International Hockey Federation and Indian Olympic Association president Narinder Batra, Hockey India president Mohd. Mushtaque Ahmed, Odisha Sports Minister Tusharkanti Behera, besides other dignitaries. Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Stadium will host the game's showpiece tournament for the second consecutive time after successfully conducting the event in 2018, which was won by Belgium.
Of late, Bhubaneswar has hosted some big international sporting events, including the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships, 2017 FIH Hockey World League Final, FIH Men's Series Finals in 2019 and the recently-concluded FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers.
The state capital is also one of the venues for the 2020 FIFA Women's U-17 World Cup.
7. Ekana Cricket Stadium became the second neutral venue in India to host a Test match
The Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow became the second neutral venue in India to host a Test match. Afghanistan and the West Indies are playing in a one-off Test at the stadium.
Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Dehradun became the first neutral venue to host a Test in the country. Afghanistan and the host Ireland for a one-off Test in March 2019.
Dubai International Cricket Stadium and Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi have played host to the maximum number of 13 neutral Tests so far. It is followed by the Sharjah Cricket Stadium which hosted 9 matches and the Lord's London which hosted two such Tests matches.
