APRIL ’19

CA SUPPLEMENT 2019

CONTENT

National 1
State 4
International 6
Economy 11
Science and Technology 15
Environment 18
Bills & Acts 19
Defence 20
Persons in News 23
Places in News 24
Awards 24
Sports 25
Art & Culture 26

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Current Affairs
National
SAECKs – Special Kits to Probe Sexual Assault Cases
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has distributed over
3,100 special kits SAECKs for collecting blood and semen
samples, besides other evidence, to carry out immediate
investigations into sexual assault cases among states and
Union Territories. The SAECKs are being procured with
financial support under the Central government's
Nirbhaya Fund and the Ministry of Home Affairs has
procured 3,120 SAECKs and distributed these to the
states and UTs.
Medicine Labels in Regional Language
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has said that
in order to curb fake, sub-standard and expired drugs
drug names and expiry date during tendering will be in
Hindi/regional language along with English.
In the beginning, the proposal will be implemented for
Iron tablets and polio drops as they are the drugs most
commonly administered to children at government
centres. The Health Ministry has stated that if the rollout
is successful and the feedback encouraging, then the
proposal could be extended to other medicines.
The government has taken the step to ensure that those
seeking drugs under government schemes have access
to all the requisite information about them. The decision
to incorporate regional languages was taken as per the
advisory of the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB).
Shortage of Doctors in India
The report by the Center for Disease Dynamics,
Economics & Policy (CDDEP) in the US has made the
following observations about the healthcare system in
India:
India has a shortage of an estimated 600,000 doctors
and 2 million nurses.
Lack of properly trained staff to administer antibiotics is
preventing patients from accessing life-saving drugs.
Even when antibiotics are available, patients are often
unable to afford them.
Further unqualified doctors prescribing antibiotics in
improper amounts to the patients can be harmful or
expensive for them.
About 65% of health expenditure is out-of-pocket in
India.
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These outrageous health-related expenditures push
some 57 million people into poverty every year. Even
though the government has launched various initiatives
to provide treatment to citizens for free or at nominal
charges, India is yet to achieve its highest potential in
terms of healthcare.
There is one government doctor for every 10,189 people
in India against the World Health Organisation's (WHO)
recommendation of having a ratio of 1:1,000 doctors to
patients.
The nurse to patient ratio is 1:483 which implies a
shortage of two million nurses.
Health Ministry Urged to Frame Law to Ban
Manufacture, Sale of e-cigarettes
The Ministry of Commerce and Industries has urged the
Health Ministry to frame law banning manufacture and
sale of e-cigarettes in the country as in the absence of the
domestic legislation, it would not be possible to put a
blanket ban on its imports.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industries has stated that
without banning domestic sale and manufacturing of
Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) through law,
it will be an infringement of global trade norms to put an
import ban.
State of World Population 2019
The United Nations Population Fund has released the
State of World Population 2019 report.
Findings of the Report
# India's population grew at an average annual rate of
1.2 per cent between 2010 and 2019 to 1.36 billion. It
was more than double the annual growth rate of
China.
# India's population in 2019 stood at 1.36 billion. The
population has grown from 942.2 million in 1994 and
541.5 million in 1969.
# China's population stood at 1.42 billion in 2019.
China's population increased from 1.23 billion in 1994
and 803.6 million in 1969.
# China's population grew at an average annual rate of
0.5 per cent between 2010 and 2019.
# The total fertility rate per woman was 5.6 in 1969. It
dropped to 3.7 in 1994 and 2.3 in 2019.
# India has recorded an improvement in life expectancy
at birth. The life expectancy at birth in 1969 was 47
years, growing to 60 years in 1994 and 69 years in
2019.
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# 27 per cent of India's population was in the age
bracket of 0-14 years and 10-24 years each, while 67
per cent of India's population was in the 15-64 age
bracket. Six per cent of India's population was of the
age 65 and above.
# Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in the country
dropped from 488 deaths per 100,000 live births in
1994 to 174 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015.
# The absence of reproductive and sexual rights has
major and negative repercussions on women's
education, income and safety in India, leaving them
unable to shape their own futures.
# Early marriage continues to present a major cultural
obstacle to female empowerment and better
reproductive rights.
PCI guidelines on Election Reporting and Paid News
The Press Council of India (PCI) has issued the guidelines
for the media to give objective reports about the
election and cautioned it against the phenomenon of
paid news. The guidelines call for:
Newspapers are not expected to indulge in unhealthy
election campaigns, exaggerated reports about any
candidate or party during the elections.
PCI cautioned the press to eschew reports which tend to
promote feelings of enmity or hatred between people
on the grounds of region, religion, race, caste,
community or language.
The press should refrain from publishing false or critical
statements in regard to the personal character and
conduct of any candidate or in relation to the
candidature or withdrawal of any candidate or
candidature, to prejudice the prospects of that
candidate in the elections.
PCI cautioned against publishing unverified allegations
against any candidate or party.
Whenever the newspapers publish pre-poll surveys,
they should take care to preface them conspicuously by
indicating the institutions which have carried on such
surveys, the individuals and organisations which have
commissioned them, the size and nature of sample
selected and the method of selection of the sample for
the findings.
PCI has also asked the media to guard against paid news
which is defined as “any news or analysis appearing in
any media (print & electronic) for a price in cash or kind
as consideration.”
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PM May Repeats 'deep regret' Jallianwala Bagh
British Prime Minister Theresa May reiterated the UK
government's long-standing expression of 'deep regret'
over the April 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre and called
the massacre a 'shameful scar' on British Indian history.
But the words of PM May fell short in issuing a formal
apology.
Since 2019 was the centenary of the horrendous act
there was a growing demand from many quarters for the
formal apology including Indian diaspora and Labour
leader Jeremy Corbyn.
The UK government has announced that on the
centenary of the massacre British high commission in
New Delhi would visit the memorial site on April 13 and
lay a wreath. There would be a public acknowledgement
of the centenary and the sense of 'deep regret' in events
organised in the UK.
SC directs EC to raise random matching of VVPAT slips
The Supreme Court has directed the Election
Commission of India (ECI) to increase the random
matching of paper trail machine slips with EVM results
from one to five polling booths in each assembly segment
for the multiphase Lok Sabha polls. The Supreme Court
has said that the move will bring more “credibility” and
“integrity” to the electoral process.
VVPAT machines are being used for the first time in any
Lok Sabha elections. They were deployed in some
parliamentary and assembly bypolls.
The polling station where VVPAT slips are matched with
EVM results is decided by a draw of lots or lottery system
in the presence of candidates.
ITBP Soldiers Cast First Vote for 2019 Polls
The first vote for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections was
cast in Arunachal Pradesh by service voters from a
remote Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) unit located in
the eastern tip of the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
Votes through postal ballots have been cast from
Lohitpur for many constituencies in India and the ballot
papers have been dispatched.
Who are Service Voters?
Service voters are those who have service qualification
and include members of Armed Forces of the Union of
India, members of Armed Police forces of the States
serving outside that state and persons employed under
Government of India on posts outside India.
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EC bans publication of Uncertified ads on Polling Day &
Day Before
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has barred
parties, candidates and others from publishing political
advertisements on polling day and a day prior to it in
each of the seven phases of Lok Sabha polls unless their
contents are pre-certified by screening committees.
The Election commission has stated that the Media
Certification and Monitoring Committee at the state and
district levels be immediately activated to examine and
pre-certify all such advertisements received from the
political parties.
ADB cuts India growth forecast to 7.2% for 2019-20
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the recent Asian
Development Outlook report has made the following
observations in the forecast for the financial year 2019-
20:
India's growth forecast was lowered for 2019-20 to 7.2%
from 7.6% estimated earlier due to moderation in global
demand and likely shortfall in revenue on the domestic
front.
Despite the downgrade in growth rate, India will remain
the fastest growing economy, as China is projected to
grow at 6.3% in 2019.
ADB has cut the growth estimate to 7% from 7.3%
projected in December last year for the just-concluded
fiscal (2018-19).
Growth is expected to rebound to 7.2% in 2019-20 and
7.3% in 2020-21 as policy rates are cut and farmers
receive income support, bolstering domestic demand.
This growth turn around will reverse two years of the
declining trend as reforms to improve the business and
investment climate take effect.
The growth forecast for India has some downside risks
such as moderation in global demand as financial
conditions tighten, uncertainty arising out of global
trade tensions, and the weak economic outlook in
industrial countries.
The growth could suffer if tax revenue falls short or any
disruption affects the ongoing resolution of the twin
balance sheet problem of bank and corporate balance
sheets.
WhatsApp Launches Tip Line to curb Fake News
Social Media Platform WhatsApp has launched an India-
focused fact-checking feature to combat fake news and
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rumours starting with the run-up to the Lok Sabha
elections.
Curbing Fake News.
Users can check the authenticity of the information or
rumours received on the platform by reporting the
forward to the WhatsApp number +91-9643-000-888.
The response will indicate if the information is classified
as 'true', 'false', 'misleading', 'disputed' or 'out of scope',
and include any other related information.
Pictures, video links or texts in Hindi, Telugu, Bengali,
Malayalam and English will be reviewed by WhatsApp.
This tip line feature has been developed by WhatsApp in
collaboration with India-based media skilling startup
PROTO.
The tip line feature will help to create a database of
rumours to study misinformation during elections as part
of a research project commissioned and assisted by
WhatsApp.
Government Proposes Committees to decide on
complaints against CIC and ICs
The government has proposed setting up bureaucrat-led
committees that would sit and decide on complaints
against the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and
Information Commissioners (ICs).
The government has proposed setting up of two
committees:
One to receive and decide on complaints against the CIC.
The committee would include the Cabinet Secretary;
Secretary, DoPT; and a retired CIC.
Second one for complaints against Information
Commissioners. The committee would comprise of
Secretary (Coordination) in the Cabinet Secretariat;
Secretary, DoPT; and a retired IC.
EC ropes in Community Radio Stations to Educate Voters
The Election Commission of India (ECI) in a first of its kind
initiative has reached out to over 150 community radio
stations across the country to educate and inform the
voters ahead of the general elections.
To facilitate the collaboration a workshop was organised
by India International Institute for Democracy and
Electoral Management (IIIDEM), in partnership with
Seeking Modern Applications for Real Transformation
(SMART), at IIIDEM, Dwarka.
The Workshop was organised for training and capacity
building of the community radiosfor voter education and
awareness.
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Current Affairs
States
Himachal Pradesh Celebrates 72nd State Day
Himachal Pradesh celebrated 72nd Himachal Day on
15th April with gaiety and fervour. Himachal Day is
celebrated to commemorate its creation.
Genesis of the Himachal Day
Before independence, most of the areas of Himachal
Pradesh was part of Punjab state and during that time
this region was divided into four different regions such as
Chamba, Mandi, Shimla etc.
After the independence, in 1948 the state was declared
as a union territory.
On the 15th April Chief Commission inaugurated this
territory and after that this day was celebrated as
'Himachal Day' every year.
Project Kannamma
Project Kannamma is the initiative of the Rotary Club of
Madras North to provide sanitary napkins to the
students. It was started in August of 2018 by providing
free, biodegradable sanitary napkins to 82 students at
the Government High School in Uthandi of Tamil Nadu.
Today under the Project Kannamma, sanitary napkins
are provided to over 300 students from across
Government Schools in and around Chennai.
The sanitary napkins are provided by the Irula Tribal
Women's Welfare Society (ITWWS).
Women from the ITWWS make 1000 pads per day, using
Arunachalam Muruganantham machines.
The sanitary napkin, under the brand Aavaram, is
prepared with natural raw materials such as cotton and
wood pulp, and a pack of six costs just Rs 22.
The teachers are given the requisite number of packs per
month and they distribute the pads to the students.
Utkarsh Bangla and Sabooj Sathi Schemes of West
Bengal gets Global Recognition
The schemes of the West Bengal government 'Utkarsh
Bangla' (skill training of youth) and 'Sabooj Sathi' (cycles
for students) won the World Summit on the Information
Society (WSIS) awards of UN.
Utkarsh Bangla got the topmost award and emerged as a
winner in the Capacity Building category and the Sabooj
Sathi was ranked in the first five as a champion project
under ICT application: E-Government category.
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Utkarsh Bangla
Utkarsh Bangla Scheme is aimed at providing vocational
training to school dropouts. The beneficiaries of the
scheme will be trained in driving, tailoring, repairing
television and other electronic equipment's, beautician
courses etc.
Sabooj Sathi
Sabooj Sathi is a scheme of West Bengal government for
distribution of bicycles to the students of class IX to XII
studying in Govt. run and Govt. aided Schools and
Madrashas.The scheme was launched in September
2015.
Nagaland observes 75th anniversary of Battle of Kohima
Nagaland observed the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of
Kohima. The event was attended by the representatives
from the UK and Japan who spoke on the theme of
'Remembrance, Reconciliation and Rebirth'.
The dignitaries from the UK and Japan sought
reconciliation and forgiveness for the sufferings and pain
caused against each other at the Battle of Kohima, that
was fought in three stages during the Second World War
in 1944.
Curbs on civilian traffic on Jammu-Srinagar Highway
A government notification has stated that the national
highway from Baramulla to Udhampur in Jammu and
Kashmir has been put out of bounds for civilian traffic
twice a week till May 31. During this time no civilian
vehicles will be permitted on the national highway on
Sundays and Wednesdays.
Why the Ban is being implemented?
The ban is being implemented to facilitate the
unhindered movement of security forces' convoys and
eliminate the possibility of fidayeen or suicide terror
attacks during the ongoing Lok Sabha election process.
The ban on civilian traffic would be effective from
Baramulla to Udhampur through Srinagar, Qazigund,
Jawahar-Tunnel, Banihal and Ramban and would be in
force on the two days from 4 am to 5 pm.
In case of any emergency requiring passage of a civilian
vehicle, the police and administrative officials would take
appropriate decisions in line with the provisions of
movement of civilian traffic during curfews.
AFSPA withdrawn partially from Arunachal Pradesh
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) was
partially removed from three of nine districts of
Arunachal Pradesh but would remain in force in the areas
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bordering Myanmar.
The State of Arunachal Pradesh had inherited AFSPA
since the day of its formation. AFSPA enacted by
Parliament in 1958 and was applied to the entire State of
Assam and the Union Territory of Manipur. After
Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland
came into being, the Act was appropriately adapted to
apply to these states as well.
Café Scientifique in Kerala
A group of science experts of the Hume Centre for
Ecology and Wildlife Biology in Kerala are gearing up to
launch 'Café Scientifique' to promote science among the
public in an interesting way.
What is Café Scientifique?
Café Scientifique envisages bringing science back into
popular culture by demystifying scientific research for
the public and empowering non-scientists to
comfortably assess science and technology issues,
particularly those that impact social policymaking.
Café Scientifique is a grassroots public science initiative
based on the French Café Philosophique model.
EPCA comes out with parking management plan for
Delhi
As per the directions issued by the Supreme Court to
prepare a parking plan for the capital the Environment
Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA).
Assessment of the Problem
Some Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) have
demarcated parking lots and are levying extra charges
for keeping a second or third car. Hence free parking on
public land continues to be a city-wide menace.
A serious crisis of night-time parking exists which in turn
is leading to obstruction on roads and problems with the
movement of emergency vehicles, including
ambulances, fire engines, etc.”
Lack of regulation or charges over parking on public land
adds to the menace, as most car owners, in order to
avoid parking charges, shift to parking on the streets
adding to congestion on the road.
Multi-Level Car Parks (MLCPs) remain under-utilised
because there is no parking charge on public land and
parking in residential areas is not regulated or priced. As
a result, there is no incentive to use the multi-level
parking lots or to pay for these.
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Odisha Divas 2019
The state of Odisha celebrates Odisha Divas or Utkala
Divas every year on April 1st to commemorate the state
formation day. On this day 82 years ago, Orissa (now
Odisha) was established as a province of British India.
Odisha Timeline
In 1912, Bihar and Orissa had been separated from
Bengal to form the Bihar and Orissa Province.
In 1936, Bihar and Orissa Province was itself split to form
Bihar Province and Orissa Province.
On 1 April 1936, the new province Orissa came into being
with Sir John Austin Hubback, Indian Civil Servant (ICS), as
the Governor.
Orissa was the first linguistic province in the country.
Terror Monitoring Group for Jammu and Kashmir
The Union Home Ministry has announced setting up of a
Terror Monitoring Group (TMG) to ensure synergised and
concerted action against terror financing and terror-
related activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mandate of the Terror Monitoring Group
Taking action against hardcore sympathisers among
government employees including teacher's etc providing
overt or covert support to such activities.
TMG will act against all registered cases related to terror,
terror financing and terror-related activities and bring
them to a logical conclusion.
TMG shall identify all key persons including leaders of the
organisations who are involved in supporting terrorism in
any form and take concerted action against them.
Investigate the networks of various channels being used
to fund terror and terror-related activities and take action
to stop the flow of such funds.
TMG will also investigate the network of various channels
being used to fund terror and terror-related activities and
take coordinated action to stop the flow of such funds.
Punjab and Haryana High Court bars stating of caste in
Proceedings
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has instructed states
of Punjab, Haryana and Union Territory Chandigarh to
not mention the caste of the accused, victims or
witnesses in proceedings before the court.
What did the High Court say?
The High Court while passing a ruling in a murder case
where the Haryana police had mentioned the caste of the
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accused witnesses and the victim during the
proceedings stated this is not permissible and the caste
system was profoundly illogical and was also against the
basic tenets of the Constitution.
The High Court stated that mentioning the caste
separately in the criminal proceedings is a colonial
legacy and requires to be stopped henceforth. The
Constitution guarantees a casteless and classless
society. All are born equal.
The High court directed the governments to issue
instructions to all investigating officers not to mention
the caste of the accused, victims or witnesses in recovery
memos, FIRs, seizure memos, inquest papers and other
forms prescribed under CrPC and Punjab Police Rules.
T B N Radhakrishnan to be new Chief Justice of Calcutta
Justice Thottathil Bhaskaran Nair Radhakrishnan sworn-
in as the new Chief Justice of Calcutta
High Court. He was transferred from Telangana high
court to Calcutta High court. He succeeded
Biswanath Somadde.
Current Affairs
International
First Global Conference on Synergies between the 2030
Agenda and Paris Agreement in Copenhagen, Denmark
The first global multi-stakeholder conference on
synergies is summoned by (UN DESA) the UN
Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the (UN
FCCC) United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change between the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on
climate change, was held in Copenhagen, Denmark. It
was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the
Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate.
Ramayana Themed Stamp Released by Indonesia
Indonesia has released a special commemorative stamp
on the theme of Ramayana to mark the 70th anniversary
of the establishment of its diplomatic ties with India.
About the Stamp
The stamp is designed by renowned Indonesian sculptor
Padmashri Bapak Nyoman Nuarta.
The stamp features a scene from Ramayana in which
Jatayu valiantly fought to save Sita. It is a specially signed
version of the stamp will be on display at the Philately
Museum in Jakarta.
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US to End Sanctions Waivers to India
Reports suggest that the US could terminate the
sanctions waivers it granted to some importers of Iranian
oil after it re-imposed sanctions on Iran last year.
Ending of Sanction Waiver
Reports indicate that the US has already communicated
to seven countries viz. Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Italy,
Greece, China and India- that they will no longer be
exempt from US sanctions if they continue to import oil
from Iran after their waivers end on May 2.
The ending of sanction waiver is part of the US strategy
to exert maximum pressure and isolate Iran.
The US has stated it wants to deprive the outlaw regime
of the funds that it has used to destabilise the Middle East
for decades and incentivise Iran to behave like a normal
country.
Iran and Pakistan to set up a Joint Border Reaction Force
Iran and Pakistan have agreed to set up a joint border
reaction force following to counter the increasing
number of deadly attacks by militant groups on their
frontier.
Border Reaction Force
Border rapid reaction force would be set up for
combatting terrorism since increased tensions over
attacks on both sides of the frontier is causing heavy
casualties.
The Iran-Pakistan border skirts the volatile southeastern
Iranian province of Sistan-Balochistan which has been
the scene of frequent attacks on Iran's security forces.
Indian Navy Ships to take part in Chinese International
Fleet Review
Indian Navy warships INS Kolkata and tanker INS Shakti
will take part in the Chinese international fleet review
to be held at Qingdao on April 23.
The International Fleet Review is being held by China to
commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the People's
Liberation Army's Navy. More than 60 countries are
expected to join the commemorative event on 23 April.
Amartya Sen Chair in Inequality Studies
The London School of Economics (LSE) has announced
the establishment of the Amartya Sen Chair in Inequality
Studies to honour the Nobel laureate who has also
served as the Professor of Economics at LSE.
Amartya Sen Chair in Inequality Studies
Amartya Sen Chair in Inequality Studies is a living
embodiment of the LSE's enduring commitment to
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working for the betterment of society through research,
education and public engagement.
Amartya Sen's theories of justice, equity and well-being
transcend disciplines, build bridges to real-world policy
and practice, and inspire generations to improve the
human condition. Hence by naming a chair after him, LSE
is recognising one of the world's great thinkers on social
equity.
Mueller Report Released
The United States Department of Justice has released
the special counsel Robert Mueller's report. The report
looks into alleged Russian collusion in the 2016
Presidential elections which saw incumbent US
President Donald Trump rise to power.
What did the Mueller Report Say?
The report titled “Report on the Investigation into
Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election”
makes the following observations:
The Report says that it was unable to clear US President
Donald Trump in the matter, stating that the President's
action and intent “present difficult issues that prevent us
from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct
occurred.
President Trump's campaign team knew they would
benefit from Russia's illegal actions to influence the
action, but did not take criminal steps to help.
The report states that the Russian government-
sponsored efforts to illegally interfere with the 2016
presidential election, but did not find that the Trump
campaign or other Americans colluded in those
schemes.
Nepal's First Ever Satellite Launched into Space
Nepal's first satellite NepaliSat-1 was launched into
space from the Virginia-based station of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the US.
NepaliSat-1
NepaliSat-1 will start rotating around the Earths orbit to
collect information about the country's topography and
Earths magnetic field.
The satellite also bears the Nepal flag and logo of Nepal
Academy of Science and Technology (NAST).
The satellite is equipped with a 5MP camera to capture
Nepal's topography and a magnetometer to collect data
related to the Earth's magnetic field.
The images and data will be sent by satellite to the
ground station at NAST.
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The satellite was developed by two Nepalis Abhas
Maskey and Hariram Shrestha at Japan's Kyushu Institute
of Technology.
Benjamin Netanyahu Appointed as Prime Minister of
Israel
President of Israel Reuven Rivlin has formally handed
Benjamin Netanyahu his letter of appointment to start
building a coalition government following last week's
general election.
President has stated that during his consultation with the
political parties elected to the incoming 120-seat
parliament 65 MPs have recommended you Benjamin
Netanyahu as PM whereas 45 members supported his
main rivals from the Blue and White alliance led by ex-
military chief Benny Gantz and the 10 members of the
Arab parties recommending nobody.
President Trump vetoes Bill to end U.S. support for
Yemen War
President Donald Trump has vetoed the resolution from
the US Congress which directed him to end U.S. support
for the civil war in Yemen.
Why the President has vetoed the Congress Resolution?
President trump has stated the following reasons for
vetoing the US Congress resolution:
Yemen is at a breaking point as 10 million people on the
brink of famine. There are more than 100 civilian
casualties per week, and Yemenis are more likely to be
killed at home than in any other structure.
U.S. support for the war between the Saudi-backed
Yemeni government and Iran-aligned Houthi rebels was
necessary to protect the safety of the more than 80,000
Americans who reside in certain coalition countries.
Indian peacekeeping Force in South Sudan Awarded UN
Medal of Honour
150 Indian peacekeepers serving with the UN Mission in
South Sudan (UNMISS) were honoured with medals of
honour by the United Nations for their dedicated service
and sacrifice.
United Nations Mission in South Sudan
UNMISS is working to deter violence against civilians by
providing a safe and secure environment for South
Sudanese people who have fled violence and sought
sanctuary at Protection of Civilian sites across the
country.
UNMISS peacekeepers are also working to facilitate the
safe delivery of humanitarian assistance, such as food,
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clean water, shelter and healthcare, to the millions of
displaced people.
UNMISS aims to provide a safe and supported
environment so that these people can return to their
former homes and communities to live safely and with
dignity.
UNMISS also protects, monitors, investigates, and
reports on human rights violations and abuses with a
strong focus on the most vulnerable, such as women and
children and those who are subjected to sexual and
gender-based violence.
Raavana-1 launched into Space
Sri Lanka's first satellite Raavana-1 was launched into
space from NASA's Flight Facility on Virginia's east shore.
Raavana-1
Raavana 1 weights around 1.05 kg and is 1000 cubic
centimetres in size.
The minimum lifespan of the satellite is around one and
a half years and it is expected to be active for five years.
Raavana 1 satellite was designed and built at the Kyushu
Institute of Technology in Japan by two Sri Lankan
research engineers.
Raavana 1 satellite's camera mission is to capture images
of Sri Lanka and its neighbouring countries.
The Raavana-1 is expected to orbit 400 kilometres away
from the earth.
The satellite will achieve an active attitude stabilization
which ensures that the satellite's attitude is stable under
the influence of external talks.
Iran Parliament Labels US troops to Mideast as
Terrorists
Iran's Parliament has overwhelmingly approved a bill
labelling U.S. forces in the Middle East as terrorist
groups. This comes days after U.S. designation of Iran's
Revolutionary Guard as terrorist organisation formally
took effect.
The bill introduced by the Iranian Defence Minister has
authorised the government to act firmly in response to
“terrorist actions” by US forces and demands authorities
use of legal, political and diplomatic measures to
neutralise the American move, without elaborating.
Ministry of External Affairs sets up Indo-Pacific Wing
The Ministry of External Affairs has set up an Indo-Pacific
division in the foreign office. The Indo-pacific division is
intended to give a coherent architecture to the Indo-
Pacific policy articulated by PM Narendra Modi at the
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Shangri-La Dialogue in 2018.
Indo-Pacific Wing
The Indo-Pacific Wing is currently headed by joint
secretary Vikram Doraiswami.
The Indo-Pacific Wing is a big step by the government and
it is expected to give thrust to the Indo-Pacific centred
policymaking.
The Indo-Pacific Wing integrates the Indian Ocean Rim
Association (IORA), ASEAN region and the Quad.
Mohammed Ishtaye sworn in as New Palestinian PM
Mohammed Ishtaye was sworn in as the new Palestinian
Prime Minister. He along with 24 ministers took the oath
of office before President Mahmoud Abbas.
New Government of Palestine
It is the 18th Palestinian government since the
establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1995.
Ishtaye and the ministers separately took the oath
vowing to respect the law and the Palestinian
constitutional system.
The new government consisting of 24 ministers has
representation from Palestine Liberation Organization
(PLO), Abbas' Fatah Party, the Palestinian People's Party,
the FIDA party, the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front, in
addition to independent figures.
Islamic Hamas movement and Islamic Jihad are excluded
from the new government since Hamas has been ruling
the Gaza Strip since it violently seized control of the
coastal enclave from Abbas' security forces in 2007.
India seeks to push reforms at WTO
The Ministry of Commerce and Industries is arranging a
mini-ministerial meeting of developing countries on May
13-14 to discuss the future of the multilateral body,
World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the development
agenda.
India is expected to invite close to two dozen countries
for discussions on May 13-14. It is second such initiative
undertaken by India since talks collapsed in Buenos Aires
in December 2017. Unlike the earlier initiative, the US
and the European Union will not be part of the
discussions this time.
Agenda for the Discussion
A global framework for e-commerce, an issue that is
being pushed hard by the US. China is not averse to
negotiations and maybe India would be willing for the
discussions.
US proposal to do away with special and differential
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(S&D) treatment for developing countries such as India,
China, Brazil and South Africa. The special and
differential treatment allows developing countries to
maintain higher duties and implement agreements at a
slower pace than the developed world.
The US is arguing that the better-off developing
countries are eating up the gains that should accrue to
the poorer nations in the category.
Ensure that WTO remains the key fulcrum of global trade
and attempts by the US to do away with the principle of a
consensus-based approach.
Discussions around reform of the dispute settlement
mechanism which the US is pushing for aggressively.
Online Harms White Paper
The UK Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
in association with Home Office have released the
Online Harms White Paper.
The White paper sets out a programme of action to
tackle content or activity that harms individual users,
particularly children, or threatens our way of life in the
UK, either by undermining national security or by
undermining our shared rights, responsibilities and
opportunities to foster integration. Public consultation
has been called on for the white paper.
US to Designate Iran's Revolutionary Guards a Foreign
Terrorist Group
President Trump Administration of US has announced its
intent to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps (IRGC) and its Quds Force, as a foreign terrorist
organisation (FTO) in accordance with Section 219 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act. The designation is
expected to take effect from April 15.
The designation as FTO will impose sweeping economic
and travel sanctions on the IRGC and on organisations,
companies, and individuals that have links to it.
International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwanda
Genocide
International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwanda
Genocide was observed on 7th April on 7th April in
memory of the victims of the genocide in Rwanda.
1994 Rwanda Genocide
1994 Rwanda Genocide was the genocide against the
Tutsi community directed by members of the Hutu
majority government during the 100-day period from 7
April to 15 July 1994.
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About 85% of Rwandans were Hutus and the Tutsi
minority has long dominated the country. In 1959, the
Hutus overthrew the Tutsi monarchy and tens of
thousands of Tutsis fled to neighbouring countries,
including Uganda.
David Malpass appointed as President of World Bank
David Malpass who held a senior role at the US Treasury
and was the undersecretary for international affairs has
been appointed as the President of World Bank. He was
nominated by the US president Donald Trump. David
Malpass had also held senior roles in the US Treasury
during the Reagan and George HW Bush administrations.
David Malpass has also served as chief economist at Bear
Stearns bank. Later he founded research group Encima
Global and held a number of directorships at finance
firms.
US House votes to end American involvement in
Yemen's Civil War
The US House of Representatives has voted to end US
involvement in Yemen's civil war. The resolution to end
the American Involvement in the civil war was approved
by 247 to 175 votes. The resolution directs the US
President to remove US Armed Forces from hostilities in
or affecting the Republic of Yemen within 30 days. The
resolution rejects the US Presidents support for the
Saudi-led campaign in Yemen.
India to set up agriculture institute in Malawi
The Ministry of External Affairs has signed an MoU with
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
Consultancy Service (NABCONS) for setting up India-
Africa Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development
(IAIARD) in Malawi.
India-Africa Institute of Agriculture and Rural
Development
IAIARD would be a Pan-African Institute wherein trainees
not only from Malawi but also from other African
countries, will receive training to develop their human
resources and build their capacity.
IAIARD will impart training in the areas of micro-financing
and agro-financing, among others.
The expenditure on faculty from India, the travel,
logistics and training course expenses for students from
other African countries will be borne by the Government
of India for an initial period of three years.
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India gains access to Bolivian Lithium Reserves
India and Bolivia have signed an agreement for the
development and industrial use of lithium, a prime
component used to power electric vehicles and cell
phones during the state visit of the President Ram Nath
Kovind to Bolivia.
Forging Partnerships
India and Bolivia agreed to forge a mutually beneficial
partnership to facilitate Bolivian supplies of lithium
Carbonate to India and foster joint ventures for lithium
battery/cell production plants in India. This agreement
will make Bolivia, which is known to have one-fourth of
the world's lithium reserves, one of the major provider
of metal for India's e-mobility and e-storage needs.
The agreement facilitates mechanisms for the
commercialization of Lithium Carbonate and Potassium
Chloride produced in Bolivia by Yacimientos de Litio
Bolivianos Corporación (YLB – Corporación).
India-Bolivia Sign 9 MoUs
During the state visit of the President Ram Nath Kovind
to Bolivia the following 9 MoUs were signed:
Agreement on Exemption of Visa for Diplomatic and
Official Passport holders to facilitate entry into either
country of Diplomatic and Official Passport Holders
without a visa for a maximum of 90 days in any period of
180 days.
Agreement to promote the development of academic
cooperation in the training of diplomats, including
structure and content and to update on international
relations in the framework of the programmes and
activities of the Parties.
Agreement to provide technical advice to deepen
necessary studies; contribute to establish continuous
cooperation between public and private companies on
issues related to planning, construction and operation of
the Corridor.
MoU on Cooperation in the field of Geology and Mineral
Resources to promote and expand bilateral relations in
the field of geology and mineral resources between the
two countries based on principles of equality and mutual
benefit on a long and enduring basis.
Programme of Cultural Exchange for the period 2019-21
to expand relationship in the field of culture through
various activities and exchange of groups, artists,
exhibitions and film festivals etc.
Agreement to establish the Centre of Excellence for
Information & Communication Technologies for capacity
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building of Bolivian professionals and to encourage
research and development.
MoU in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and
Homeopathy to strengthen, promote and develop co-
operation in the fields of traditional systems of medicine
and homeopathy between the two countries on the basis
of equality and mutual benefit.
MoU between Indian Space Research Organisation and
Agencia Boliviana Espacial on Cooperation in the
exploration and the uses of outer space for peaceful
purposes to develop organizational basis and effective
forms of bilateral interaction and to promote the
development of partnerships in the field of exploration of
the outer space and application of space technologies for
the benefit of the people of both countries.
Framework Agreement on International Solar Alliance
(ISA). Bolivia joins the International Solar Alliance to
collectively address key common challenges to the
scaling up of solar energy.
UAE scraps 'profession' criteria for expats to sponsor
family
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has approved a new rule
for expats under which foreign workers will now be able
to sponsor their family members if they fulfil certain
income criteria and has scrapped the previously listed
'professions' criterion.
Indians in UAE
According to the data from the Indian Embassy, Indians in
the UAE constitute the largest part of population of the
country. Approximately 3.3 million non-resident Indians
constitute about 30 per cent of the total population of
the UAE.
Zuzana Caputova elected first female President of
Slovakia
Zuzana Caputova has won Slovakia's presidential
election, making her the country's first female head of
state. Ms Caputova defeated high-profile diplomat
Maros Sefcovic, nominated by the governing party. She
won 58% of the vote, with Mr Sefcovic trailing on 42%. Mr
Sefcovic is the vice president of the European
Commission.
UNSC Resolution on Terror Financing
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has
unanimously adopted a French-drafted resolution which
ordered countries worldwide to step up the fight against
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terrorism financing by ensuring they have laws that
make it a serious crime to fund terrorist acts.
UNSC Resolution
This resolution is the first stand-alone measure
dedicated specifically to counter the financing of
terrorism.
The resolution asks the states to ensure that their
domestic laws and regulations establish serious criminal
offences to prosecute those who collect funds or provide
economic resources to terrorist organizations.
The resolution urges countries to establish financial
intelligence units to strengthen efforts to counter
terrorism financing and to share information on their
investigations.
The resolution will help the FATF to mount pressure on
more than 50 countries to pass new legislation on
countering terror financing.
Current Affairs
Economy
Reliance Mutual Fund partnering with Google,
becomes the first Indian company to launch voice-
based financial transactions
Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management (RNAM) has
joined hands with Google to enable the
customers of Reliance Mutual Fund to carry out voice-
based financial transactions. With this,
RNAM becomes the first company in India, to provide
conversational interface.
IEPF Authority recovers Rs. 1514 Cr of Depositors
Money
The Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF)
Authority in a major success has recovered deposits
worth Rs 1,514 crore from Kolkata-based Peerless
General Finance and Investment Company. This money
of depositors was pending with the company for the last
15 years.
India to stop Importing Crude Oil from Iran
In the backdrop of the US refusal to extend the sanctions
waiver for India to import crude from Iran, the Ministry
of Petroleum and Natural Gas has taken steps necessary
steps to end the imports from Iran.
Even though India has urged the US to restore the
sanction waivers it has decided to not to proceed with
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the purchase as the oil trade cannot happen in
anticipation.
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has stated that a
robust plan for an adequate supply of crude oil to Indian
refineries is in place. It has been stated that shortfall will
be met through alternate supply sources available in
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and Mexico.
RBI to Divest its Entire Stake in NABARD and NHB
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has sold its entire stakes
in theNational Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development
(NABARD) andNational Housing Bank (NHB) for Rs 20
crore and Rs 1,450 crore respectively.
Disinvestment by RBI
The decision to divest its entire stake was taken based on
the recommendations of the second Narasimham
Committee. The committee had stated that RBI could not
own those entities which are regulated by it.
The government now holds a 100 per cent stake in both
NHB and NABARD.
Departments to Conduct Review of Govt Guarantees
The Ministry of Finance has asked all the departments to
undertake a review of government guarantees given by
respective ministries to their Central Public Sector
Enterprises (CPSEs) or entities.
Review of Government Guarantees
The review will look into aspects like whether the
discharge of repayment obligations or interest
obligations as per terms of the loan agreement and
covenants and conditions met.
Further, the details of CPSEs or entities on due guarantee
fee paid on time to the government should also be
submitted.
Govt suspends LoC trade with PoK
The government has issued orders to suspend the Line of
Control (LoC) trade between Jammu & Kashmir and Pak
Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Why did the government suspend LoC trade?
The LoC trade was initiated to facilitate the exchange of
goods of common use between local populations across
the LoC in Jammu & Kashmir.
On the contrary, the reports indicated that Cross LoC
trade routes were being misused by the Pakistan based
elements for funnelling illegal weapons, narcotics and
fake currency etc.
NIA probes also indicated that a significant number of
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trading agencies engaged in LoC trade are operated by
persons closely associated with banned terror
organisations involved in fueling terrorism/separatism.
Guidelines for Monetisation of Non-Core Assets of
CPSEs
The Department of Investment and Public Asset
Management (DIPAM) has issued the guidelines for
monetisation of non-core assets of Central Public Sector
Enterprises (CPSEs) and immovable enemy properties.
Guidelines for Monetisation of Non-Core Assets
An inter-ministerial group chaired by the secretary of
DIPAM will identify the non-core assets of the CPSEs on
its own and also on the basis of recommendations of the
Niti Aayog.
The final call will be taken by the Finance minister-
headed panel.
Once the panel approves the assets for monetisation, it
should be completed within 12 months from the date of
approval, failing which the finance ministry may restrict
budgetary allocations to the CPSEs.
CPSEs can also seek relaxation from the inter-ministerial
group of the 12-month deadline for sale of non-core
assets.
In case of immovable enemy properties, the guidelines
said that the assets would be identified for disposal in
consultation with the stakeholders including the
respective state governments.
India turns out to be Net Steel Importer in 2018-19
Fiscal
For the first time in three years, India was the net
importer of steel during the financial year 2018-19. This
was attributed to India losing market share among its
traditional steel buyers and an increase in imports of
higher-quality steel domestically.
Indian Steel Exports
Indian steel exports fell by 34 percent to 6.36 million
tonnes in the fiscal year that ended in March 2019.
India's exports during the fiscal year 2018-19 declined
after rival steelmakers in China, Japan, South Korea and
Indonesia who were blocked from markets in the United
States and Europe by tariffs and other protectionist
measures, ate away at the India's markets in the Middle
East and Africa.
Financial Sector Assessment Programme for India
The Report of the Financial Sector Assessment
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Programme for India by the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) makes the following recommendations:
The level of non-performing loans in India remains high
and the IMF has favoured bolstering the level of
capitalisation of some banks, particularly government-
owned banks.
Together with capitalisation, the report asks for
resolution and the recognition of Non-performing loans
as part of the process of cleaning up the banking system
of non-performing loans,
World Economic Outlook April 2019
India's economy will grow 7.1% in 2019-20 and is
expected to accelerate to 7.3% growth this fiscal and to
7.5% in 2021-22. All the estimates are 0.2 percentage
points less than its previous assessment in January.
IMF estimates are higher than those of the Reserve Bank
of India. RBI had last week cut its growth forecast to 7.2%
for this fiscal and 7.4% for FY21.
The reduction in India's estimate is on account of the “the
recent revision to the national account statistics that
indicated somewhat softer underlying momentum”.
IMF suggests reforms to hiring and dismissal regulations
to help incentivise job creation and absorb the country's
large demographic dividend.
India's growth is expected to stabilise at 7.75% over the
medium term, driven by structural reforms and the
easing of infrastructure bottlenecks.
RBI issues norms to set up Currency Chests
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued guidelines for
banks to set up new currency chests. The guidelines
include:
Area of the strong room/ vault of at least 1,500 sq ft. For
those situated in hilly/ inaccessible places, the strong
room/ vault area of at least 600 sq ft.
The new chests should have a processing capacity of 6.6
lakh pieces of banknotes per day. Those situated in the
hilly/ inaccessible places, a capacity of 2.1 lakh pieces of
banknotes per day.
The currency chests should have Chest Balance Limit
(CBL) of Rs 1,000 crore, subject to ground realities and
reasonable restrictions, at the discretion of the Reserve
Bank.
India's Electric Mobility Transformation: Progress to
Date and Future Opportunities
NITI Aayog together with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)
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has released a report titled “India's Electric Mobility
Transformation: Progress to Date and Future
Opportunities”. The report analyses the opportunities
for the automobile sector and government under
theFaster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric
Vehicles II (FAME II) scheme.
RBI Cuts Key Interest Rate
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has slashed the key
interest rate,repo rate by 25 basis points or 0.25 per cent
to 6 per cent and has decided to maintain the neutral
policy stance.
Financial Statement of the RBI
RBI projected GDP growth at 7.2 per cent for the
financial year 2019-20.
Reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted to
5.75% and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and
the Bank Rate to 6.25%.
RBI expects economic growth to be in the range of 6.8-
7.1 per cent in the first half of the current financial year,
and in the range of 7.3-7.4 per cent in the second half
with “risks evenly balanced”.
Inflation is likely to remain benign in the short term.
Assuming a normal monsoon in 2019, the RBI lowered its
CPI inflation projection to 2.4 per cent in the fourth
quarter of 2018-19.
For the first half of the current financial year 2019-20,
RBI expects inflation at 2.9-3.0 per cent, and 3.5-3.8 per
cent in the second half.
RBI to issue a fresh circular for Banks on how to tackle
NPAs since the Supreme Court has struck down the
February 2018 circular which gave lender banks six
months to resolve their stressed assets or move under
the Insolvency Code against private entities who have
defaulted in loans worth over Rs 2000 crore.
PMI Reports Manufacturing Growth at Six Month Low
The Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers'
Index (PMI) make the following observations:
Amid slender increases in new orders and production,
manufacturing activities slowed down to a six-month
low in March, reflecting a loss of growth momentum.
The PMI slipped from 54.3 in February to 52.6 in March.
The PMI score at 52.6 was a six-month low and it
highlights a loss of growth momentum.
Even though the operating conditions in the Indian
manufacturing industry are improving, there was has
been a widespread slowdown in growth.
Factory orders and production expanded at the slowest
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pace since September last while job creation eased in
March.
Softer increases were registered in new orders,
production, input buying and employment. The
deceleration was accompanied by subdued inflationary
pressures, with rates of increase in input costs and
output charges below their respective long-run averages.
Manufacturing sector expansion in India retreated in
March, with metrics for factory orders, production,
exports, input buying and employment all decreasing.
Supreme Court quashes RBI's circular Mandating
Insolvency Proceedings
The Supreme Court has struck down a February 2018
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) circular which gave lender
banks six months to resolve their stressed assets or move
under the Insolvency Code against private entities who
have defaulted in loans worth over Rs 2000 crore.
The RBI had defended the circular by citing public interest
and “in the interest of the national economy to see that
evergreening of debts does not carry on indefinitely”. RBI
had argued that huge amounts that are due should come
back into the economy for further productive use”.
RBI sets the limits for Ways and Means Advances
(WMA)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in consultation with the
government of India has set the limits for Ways and
Means Advances (WMA) for the first half of the financial
year 2019-20 (April 2019 to September 2019) at Rs 75000
crore.
GST Revenue Touches Record High in March
The statement from the Finance Ministry states that GST
collections scaled to a record high of Rs 1.06 trillion in
March. The revenue collection was Rs 97,247 crore in the
month of February.
Record Revenue Mobilisation
The record revenue collection was attributed to
increased compliance and increase in the number of
returns filed.
Total gross GST revenue collected in March 2019 stood at
Rs 1,06,577 crore of which Central GST is Rs 20,353 crore,
State GST is Rs 27,520 crore, Integrated GST is Rs 50,418
crore and cess is Rs 8,286 crore.
The number of summary sales returns GSTR-3B filed for
the month of February up to March 31 stood at 7.59
million.
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The GST revenue collection in March 2019 records an
impressive 15.6 per cent growth over March 2018
collection of Rs 92,167 crore.
The monthly average of GST revenue during 2018-19
stood at Rs 98,114 crore which is 9.2 per cent higher
than the previous fiscal.
Brexit has cost Britain nearly 2.5% of GDP: Goldman
Sachs
A study by the global investment banking, securities and
investment management firm, Goldman Sachs has
stated that Brexit has cost Britain nearly 2.5% of GDP.
Findings of the Study
Britain's economy has lost nearly 2.5 per cent of GDP
relative to its growth path prior to the mid-2016
referendum on exiting the European Union (EU) and has
lagged other advanced economies as uncertainty dents
investment.
Policy makers in the UK are still struggling to chalk out
the Brexit modalities. The resulting uncertainty over the
future political and economic relations with the EU has
resulted in real costs for the UK economy and has a
spillover effect on other economies.
Brexit uncertainty has been a major driver of economic
output losses as they are concentrated in investment.
Goldman Sachs predicts that the Brexit cost stood at
around 600 million pounds ($785 million) per week
since the referendum.
Further, in a no-deal Brexit scenario it predicts a 15 per
cent chance of, Britain witnessing output losses with a
”substantial” global confidence shock marked by sharp
sterling depreciation.
India's External Debt Eases
India's external debt has witnessed a decline of 1.6% to
US$ 521.2 billion at end-December 2018 over its level at
end-March 2018, on account of the decrease in
commercial borrowings and trade credit. Further:
There had been a valuation gain in external debt as at
end December 2018 due to the depreciation of the US
dollar vis-a-vis the Indian rupee and other major
currencies (viz., SDR, yen, euro, and pound sterling),
were placed at US$ 20.6 billion.
If the valuation effect was excluded the external debt as
at end December 2018 would have been US$ 541.8
billion.
Commercial borrowings were the largest component of
external debt with a share of 37.4%, followed by NRI
deposits (24.1%) and short term trade credit (19.9%).
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The long-term debt (with an original maturity of above
one year) was placed at US$ 417.3 billion at end-
December 2018.
The share of long-term debt in total external debt at the
end of December was 80.1%. It was lower than its level of
80.7% at the end of March 2018.
The share of short-term debt (with an original maturity of
up to one year) in total external debt increased to 19.9%
at end-December 2018 from 19.3% at end-March 2018.
US dollar denominated debt continued to be the largest
component of India's external debt with a share of 45.9%
at end December 2018, followed by the Indian rupee
(24.8%), SDR (5.1%), yen (4.9%) and euro (3.1%).
Branches of Vijaya, Dena Bank to operate as outlets of
Bank of Baroda
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has stated that all
branches of public sector lenders Vijaya Bank and Dena
Bank will function as branches of Bank of Baroda (BoB)
from April 1, 2019, and the proposed merger Bank of
Baroda with Dena and Vijaya Bank will be affected from
April 1.
Why India needs watch-dog for Fiscal Discipline?
The Chairman of the Fifteenth Finance Commission N K
Singh has pitched for a fiscal council to enforce fiscal rules
and better manage public debt.
Why Fiscal Council?
For state government liabilities, Article 293 (3) provides a
constitutional check over borrowings. But there are no
such restrictions on the Centre Hence there is a need for
an alternative institutional mechanism like Fiscal Council
to enforce fiscal rules and keep a check on Centre's fiscal
consolidation.
An institutional mechanism for sound fiscal practices will
bring in transparency, instil confidence among domestic
and foreign investors and improve policy outcomes.
An institutional mechanism will also prevent practices
such as accounting jugglery to show the Centre's finances
in better shape, undermining the sanctity of the budget
numbers.
Even the CAG has underscored the need for proper
disclosures, saying that budgets often understate fiscal
deficits by misusing accounting loopholes.
The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management
(FRBM) Review Committee had also recommended
setting up an autonomous council. Even the 13th and
14th finance commissions had favoured the setting up of
a Council to keep tabs on budget forecasts and their
veracity.
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Mind the Gap – State of Employment in India
Oxfam India's latest report Mind the Gap – State of
Employment in India makes the following observations:
Lack of quality jobs and increasing wage disparity are key
markers of inequality in the Indian labour market.
The report states that the regressive social norms
continue to hamper women's participation in the
workforce, pointing at the decline in rural jobs.
The report states that women are paid 34 per cent less
than similarly qualified male workers for performing the
same tasks. In 2015, 92 per cent of women and 82 per
cent of men earned a monthly wage less than Rs 10,000
in India.
The report highlights the questions about India's growth
data and emphasises that they do not reflect in the
growth of jobs and the largest number of jobs were
generated in the unorganised sector.
Job generation was adversely impacted after
demonetisation and hit the women workforce most.
Women were forced to move out of the labour force to
make way for men to get the few jobs that were
available.
Post demonetisation period witnessed a drop in
households with two or more persons employed.
Between January and October 2016, the percentage of
households where two or more persons were employed
was 34.8% and this dropped to 31.8% post-
demonetisation, with women workers becoming the
first casualties of job losses.
Highlighting grim picture of ground realities the report
states that caste and class continue to play crucial roles
in determining the employment for men and women,
especially in stigmatised vocations like sanitation, rag-
picking, and jobs in the leather industry.
Current Affairs
Science & Technology
Genome Sequencing to Map Population Diversity
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
has undertaken an indigenous genetic mapping effort to
educate a generation of students on the “usefulness” of
genomics.
About the Project
Under the Project, nearly 1,000 rural youth from the
length and breadth of India will have their genomes
sequenced by the CSIR.
The project is an adjunct to a much larger government-
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led programme which is still in the works to sequence at
least 10,000 Indian genomes.
Those recruited as part of genome-sample collections are
representative of the country's population diversity and
the bulk of them will be college students, both men and
women, and pursuing degrees in the life sciences or
biology.
Genomes will be sequenced based on a blood sample.
Every participant would be given a report and would be
informed whether they carry gene variants that make
them less responsive to certain classes of medicine
Malawi to Test Groundbreaking Malaria Vaccine
African Nation, Malawi will be undertaking large scale
pilot tests for the world's most advanced experimental
malaria vaccine in a bid to prevent the disease that kills
hundreds of thousands across Africa and Asia every year.
Vaccine for Malaria
Vaccine for Malaria under the trade name Mosquirix has
been developed by British pharmaceutical giant
GlaxoSmithKline in partnership with the PATH Malaria
Vaccine Initiative.
Four successive doses of the vaccines must be
administered on a strict timetable for it to work.
Even though the potential vaccine does not give full
protection against the mosquito-borne disease, it is the
furthest along in development and so far the most
effective.
The pilot tests aim to immunize around 120,000 children
aged 2 and below to assess the effectiveness of the pilot
vaccine and whether the delivery process is feasible.
NASA Spots 1st Molecule of the Universe
The scientists have detected the first molecule to ever
form from stray atoms in the universe. The first such
molecule was helium hydride, a combination of helium
and hydrogen. The discovery is a first step in unlocking
the mystery of the universe's chemistry.
About the Discovery
The research was published in the journal Nature.
The researchers used the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration's (NASA's) SOFIA, the world's largest
airborne observatory, to detect helium hydride in NGC
7027, a planetary nebula about 3,000 light-years away
from Earth.
SOFIA
Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
(SOFIA) is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 106-
inch diameter telescope.
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Liquid methane spotted on Titan moon of Saturn
Using data obtained by NASA's Cassini spacecraft,
scientists have found that Saturn's largest moon Titan
has small liquid lakes that run more than 100 metres
deep, perched atop hills and filled with methane.
What are the Findings?
The findings published in the journal titled Nature
Astronomy make the following observations:
Titan has landforms akin to Mesas towering above the
nearby landscape, topped with liquid lakes more than
300 feet deep comprised mainly of methane.
Scientists suspect the lakes were formed when
surrounding bedrock chemically dissolved and collapsed
a process which occurs with a certain type of lake on
Earth.
The scientists also observed “phantom lakes” on Titan
that during wintertime appeared to be wide but shallow
ponds but perhaps were only a few inches deep and
evaporated or drained into the surface by springtime, a
process taking seven years on Titan.
The findings also presented evidence about Titan's
hydrological cycle, with liquid hydrocarbons raining
down from clouds, flowing across its surface and
evaporating back into the sky which is comparable to
Earth's water cycle.
Scientists suspect Titan could potentially could harbour
life possibly in the surface bodies of liquid hydrocarbons
because of Titan's complex chemistry and distinctive
environments.
Scientists Print First 3D Heart Using Patient's Biological
Materials
Researchers from the Tel Aviv University, Israel have
printed the world's first 3D vascularised engineered
heart using a patient's own cells and biological materials.
Why this is significant?
The 3D Heart was made from human cells and patient-
specific biological materials. During the process, the
patient-specific biological materials served as the bio-
inks (substances made of sugars and proteins that can be
used for 3D printing of complex tissue models).
Even though people had managed to 3D-print the
structure of a heart in the past, but those attempts were
not with cells or with blood vessels. The heart produced
by researchers is about the size of a rabbit's.
Scientists Discover Oil-Eating Bacteria at the Bottom of
the Ocean
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Scientists from Ocean University in Qingdao, China and
the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England have
discovered a bacteria that eats oil.
Oil-Eating Bacteria
The oil eating bacteria was discovered in the western
Pacific Ocean's 10,994-meter-deep Mariana Trench.
The team from collected samples from the trench. In the
samples, they found microorganisms that eat
compounds similar to those in oil.
NASA's Exoplanet Mission Finds 1st Earth-Size Alien
World
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) Mission
of NASA has discovered its first Earth-size alien world.
About the Discovery
The planet, HD 21749c, is about 89 per cent of Earth's
diameter.
The planet orbits HD 21749, a K-type star with about 70
per cent of the Sun's mass located 53 light years away in
the southern constellation Reticulum.
HD 21749c is the second planet TESS has identified in the
system.
HD 21749c is the 10th confirmed planet discovered by
TESS, and hundreds of additional candidates are now
being studied.
HD 21749c doesn't seem to have good life-hosting
potential as it circles its host star very tightly, completing
one orbit every 7.8 Earth days, and is therefore probably
quite hot.
Three-person Baby Boy Born in Greece
A team of doctors from Greece and Spain have reported
the birth of a baby using DNA from three people. The
baby boy has inherited the genetic material from two
women and a man.
How did the new IVF method work?
Doctors used an egg from the infertile mother, the
father's sperm and another woman's egg to conceive the
baby boy. The doctors transferred genetic material with
chromosomes from the mother to the egg of a donor
whose own genetic material had been removed in a
process.
A similar DNA switching technique was adopted in
Mexico in 2016 to avoid transmission of a mother's
hereditary illness to her child. But this case from Greece is
unique owing to the fact that for the first time an IVF (in
vitro fertilization) technique using DNA from three
people has been deployed to allow a mother otherwise
unable to conceive to have a child.
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World's Largest Airplane Completes First Test Flight
The world's largest aircraft ROC, developed by
aerospace venture Stratolaunch has successfully
completed its first flight test.
World's Largest Aircraft
The Aircraft has a dual fuselage design and a wingspan
greater than the length of an American football field.
The Aircraft achieved a maximum speed of 189 miles
(302.4 km) per hour, the plane flew for 2.5 hours over the
Mojave Desert at altitudes up to 17,000 feet.
The aircraft has a world-record wingspan of 385 feet and
is 238 feet long. It is wider than any airplane on the
planet.
Israel's Beresheet Mission Crashes on the Moon
World's first privately funded lunar Mission Beresheet
crashed on the Moon. Beresheet crashed during a
landing attempt. It is said that the spacecraft had
problems with its main engine during its descent that left
it unable to slow down in time before it smashed into the
lunar surface.
About the Mission
Beresheet (Hebrew for the first phrase from the Book of
Genesis, “in the beginning”) was an Israeli mission
launched by a partnership between nonprofit SpaceIL
and government-owned aerospace company Israel
Aerospace Industries.
Beresheet lander had carried a science instrument
provided by NASA, a retroreflector instrument scientists
would have used to make precise measurements of the
distance between Earth and the moon.
Beresheet mission's design included risks. To make sure
the spacecraft small enough to piggyback with another
spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket, the engineering team
had to design the craft without any backup systems.
My Circle Safety App
My Circle App was launched by Bharti Airtel in
collaboration with FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO). My
Circle app aims to help women in case they face any
problem or a panic situation.
My Circle App
My Circle app enables women to send SOS alerts to any
five of their family or friends in 13 languages including
English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada,
Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Urdu, Assamese, Oriya, and
Gujarati.
A woman in distress can send an SOS alert by pressing
the SOS prompt on the app.
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The SOS alert can also be activated by voice command
through Siri on iOS and the statement by Airtel has stated
that he voice activation through Google Assistant will
soon be available on Android devices also.
the SOS alert will send the user's location over SMS to the
five contacts selected by the user and advise them to
immediately reach out or respond to the emergency
situation.
The app also enables the family or friends to track the
location on real time through the link that is sent as part
of the alert SM
The free-to-download app is available on Google Play
store (Android) and will be available on the App Store
(iOS) soon.
South Korea Launched the world's First Nationwide 5G
mobile Network
South Korea launched the world's first nationwide 5G
mobile networks on 11 pm April 3, 2019. Three top
telecom providers SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus launched
the 5G services.
South Korea launched the 5G services two days ahead of
the schedule as there were speculations that US mobile
carrier Verizon might start its 5G services early. Verizon
began rolling out its 5G services in Chicago and
Minneapolis on April 3, a week ahead of schedule.
Reports suggest the 5G network in South Korea was
launched in South Korea two hours ahead of the US.
ISRO Successfully launched Emisat Satellite into Orbit
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has
successfully launched an electronic intelligence satellite
'Emisat' for the Defence Research Development
Organisation (DRDO) along with 28 third party satellites.
Then the rocket was brought down further to 485 km
where the fourth stage/engine transformed into a
payload platform carrying three experimental payloads:
Automatic Identification System (AIS) from ISRO – for
maritime satellite applications capturing messages
transmitted from ships.
Automatic Packet Repeating System (APRS) from AMSAT
(Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation), India – to assist
amateur radio operators in tracking and monitoring
position data.
Advanced Retarding Potential Analyser for Ionospheric
Studies (ARIS) from Indian Institute of Space Science and
Technology (IIST) – for the structural and compositional
studies of the ionosphere.
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Current Affairs
Environment
Central Monitoring Committee to Prepare National
Plan for Polluted Rivers
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formed a Central
Monitoring Committee to prepare and enforce a
national plan to make over 350 river stretches pollution
free across the country. River pollution has caused a
serious threat to the safety of water and environment.
Order of NGT
The committee would comprise representatives of NITI
Aayog; secretaries of Ministry of Water Resources,
Ministry of Urban Development and Ministry of
Environment; the director general of National Mission
for Clean Ganga and the Central Pollution Control Board
chairman.
The Committee will also coordinate with the River
Rejuvenation Committees of the states and oversee the
execution of the action plans, taking into account the
timelines, budgetary mechanism and other factors.
Chief Secretaries of states would be the nodal agency at
the state level.
NGT directed the Ministry of Environment to consider a
policy for giving environmental awards to outstanding
persons (natural and juristic) and institutions or states
and introducing “dis-incentives” for non-compliant
states.
The Central Monitoring Committee may consider
identifying experts, best practices and models for use of
treated water, including plan to supply untreated
sewage for a price or otherwise so that the concerned
needy party can treat and utilise such water as is
reportedly being done at Surat in Gujarat, Nagpur in
Maharashtra and Bhilwada in Rajasthan or any other
place.
Use of polluted water in irrigation is a threat to the
health of human beings apart from the aquatic flora and
fauna. Hence it is necessary to have a regular hygienic
survey of the rivers particularly with reference to
pathogenic organisms having an impact on human
health directly or indirectly and It is necessary to note
that biological health of the rivers is an important
aspect.
There has to be a regular study of the Indian rivers with
regard to biological health and its diversity.
Resilient Cities Asia-Pacific (RCAP) Congress 2019
The 4th Resilient Cities Asia-Pacific 2019 Congress is
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being organised by International Council for Local
Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and hosted by South
Delhi Municipal Corporation in New Delhi. The congress
will offer cities & regions from Asia-Pacific a variety of
innovative solutions that build resilience to climate
change at the sub-national level.
The congress will host combination of high-level
plenaries and technical sessions on the implementation
and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals,
the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and the
New Urban Agenda of 2016, while at the same time
bringing together experts and practitioners who will
share their experiences and encourage cities to take
actions on resilience.
Indian Cities and Air Pollution
The Air Pollution levels at the Indian cities are at an
alarming level. Various Reports have time and again tried
to shed light on the quantum of the problem.
Air Pollution and Indian Cities
A Delhi based Environment Body claims that the
Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha
constituency, is ranked third on the WHO's list of 15 most
polluted cities and the situation is “deteriorating” as its
MP has focused on beautification and infrastructure.
In the 'Political Leaders Position and Action on Air Quality
in India 2014-2019' report, released by Climate Trends
Delhi is ranked sixth on the list. The report states that
there has been “laziness” on part of its elected caretakers
in tackling air pollution in the city.
As per the World Health Organisation, (WHO) list of most
polluted cities, 14 of the 15 most polluted cities in the
world are in India of which four are in Uttar Pradesh.
WHO report states that the Prime Minister's
parliamentary constituency Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh is
witnessing a rise in the number of people suffering from
allergies and respiratory problems due to a “lot” of
construction in the city.
Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh is the most polluted city in the
world. Kanpur is ranked one on the list. Faridabad in
Haryana has been ranked second and Varanasi has been
ranked third.
Gaya and Patna in Bihar are fourth and fifth on the list.
Delhi has been ranked sixth and Uttar Pradesh capital
Lucknow is ranked seventh.
The report by climate trends claimed MPs of Lucknow
and Kanpur — Home Minister Rajnath Singh and senior
BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi respectively — have
mostly been silent on the issue of air pollution in their
respective constituencies.
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Other cities in the WHO list of polluted cities are Agra,
Muzaffarpur, Srinagar, Gurugram, Jaipur, Patiala and
Jodhpur.
12 NCR districts, Agra switch to BS-VI Fuel
The Indian Oil Corporation has stated that Supply of
ultra-clean BS-VI grade petrol and diesel has begun in
cities adjoining the national capital. The rest of the
country will follow suit from April 2020. New Delhi is the
first city in the country to leapfrog from BS-IV grade
petrol and diesel to BS-VI fuels.
IMD confirms weak El Nino Conditions
India Meteorological Department (IMD) has finally
declared that weak El Nino conditions are prevalent in
the equatorial Pacific Ocean. IMD predicts that these
conditions are likely to persist in the early part of the
summer season and likely to weaken thereafter.
The initial impact of a weak El Nino can already be seen
with the rising temperatures and heat waves across the
country.
Till Mid March IMD was maintaining that “warm ENSO
neutral conditions are prevailing over equatorial Pacific
Ocean” and that they are likely to remain near to the El
Nino threshold value during the next two months. The
current declaration marks the departure from its earlier
predictions.
It is said that the prediction for El Nino has come after a
delay since weather agencies in other countries had
declared weak El Nino conditions at the beginning of
2019 viz.
Japan's Meteorological Agency (JMA) in January had said
that El Nino conditions were prevailing and that there
was 80 per cent chance of an El Nino phenomenon
staying till spring season of 2019.
Climate Prediction Centre (CPC) of the National Weather
Service in the United States of America also concluded
that weak El Nino conditions had formed in the
equatorial Pacific Ocean around the same time as Japan.
IUCN lists Hump-backed Mahseer as Critically
Endangered
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
has listed Hump-backed Mahseer as Critically
Endangered in the Red List of Threatened Species.
Hump-backed Mahseer
The Hump-backed Mahseer is a species of freshwater
ray-finned fish and is referred to as tiger of the water. The
Hump-backed Mahseer is found only in the Cauvery river
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basin including Pambar, Kabini and Bhavani rivers. There
are about 16 species of mahseer in India.
There is a need for strong willingness and cooperation
from a range of stakeholders in three states of Kerala,
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka across the River Cauvery which
is one of India's most contested rivers.
Shoal, an international organisation working to conserve
freshwater species has initiated 'Project Mahseer' in
collaboration with other stakeholders to enable
conservation action for the hump-backed mahseer.
Hornbill
Great hornbill which was earlier categorised as “Near
Threatened”. It is now “Vulnerable” due to high hunting
pressure coupled with habitat loss and deforestation. The
wreathed hornbill has moved from “Least Concern” to
“Vulnerable” by IUCN.
Earth's CO2 levels reached 410 ppm, highest in 3 million
years
Germany scientists have warned that there is more
Carbon dioxide (CO2) in our atmosphere than
in the past three million years. The amount of CO2 in the
atmosphere has gone “unnatural”.
Research was made by using a new computer simulation
at the Potsdam Institute for Climate
Impact Research in Germany.
Current Affairs
Bills & Acts
PMLA prevails over Bankruptcy Act and Insolvency
Code: Delhi HC
The Delhi High Court has ruled that Prevention of Money
Laundering Act (PMLA) prevails over the Bankruptcy Act
and insolvency code when it comes to attachment of
properties obtained as 'proceeds of crime'.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had challenged the
orders of PMLA appellate tribunal on the pleas of various
banks. PMLA Tribunal had held that third parties, banks in
this case, which have legitimately created rights such as a
charge, lien or other encumbrances, have a superior
claim over such properties.
RTI Act supersedes Official Secrets Law
Delivering a separate judgment in the Rafale case, Justice
K.M. Joseph has made the following observations:
The Right to Information Act confers on ordinary citizens
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the 'priceless right' to demand information even in
matters affecting national security and relations with a
foreign state.
Justice Joseph's judgment countered the claim made by
the government for privilege over Rafale purchase
documents under the Official Secrets Act (OSA), saying it
affected national security and relations with France.
Justice Joseph said the Right to Information (RTI) Act
overawes the OSA.
Under Section 8(2) of the RTI Act, the government
cannot refuse information if disclosure in public interest
overshadows certain 'protected interests.'
Current Affairs
Defence
US has consented the sale of 24 "MH-60R Seahawk"
helicopters to India for $2.6 bn
US has consented the sale of 24 "MH-60R Seahawk"
helicopters to India for $2.6 bnAt an
estimated cost of $2.6 billion, the United States has
approved the sale of 24 multi-mission
Lockheed Martin-built MH-60 "Romeo'"Seahawk
helicopters to India. These choppers designed
for targeting ships, hunting submarines and conducting
search-and-rescue operations at sea,
would replenish the age-old fleet of British-made Sea
King helicopters, used by India.
Govt has constituted a panel to review a ban imposed
on Jamaat-e-Islami & JKLF
The Ministry of Home Affairs has constituted Unlawful
Activities (Prevention) Tribunal, to
determine the sufficient cause to ban Jamaat-e-Islami,
and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front
(JKLF) faction. It will be headed by Justice Chander
Shekhar of the Delhi High Court. The tribunal
has been formed by Government after exercising its
powers conferred by the sub-section (1) of
section 5 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,
1967.
AUSINDEX 19: Largest Australian defence joint task
force to visit India for military exercise
The Third iteration of India-Australia bilateral exercise,
AUSINDEX 19 will be held from 2nd April
to 16th April 2019 at Vishakhapatnam. The bilateral
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exercise will deepen defence and strategic
relationship between the two countries. The Focus of the
exercise will be on anti-Submarine
warfare.
Indian Navy inked a pact with CSIR
Indian Navy and Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR) have signed Memorandum of
understanding to tackle joint research and development
of advanced technologies for the Indian
Navy. The agreement will facilitate a formal framework
for interaction between Indian Navy and
CSIR.
Government gives GRSE contract to build 8 Anti-
Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts
Ministry of Defence awarded Defence PSU Garden Reach
Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) a Rs.6311 crore worth
contract to build 8 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow
Water Crafts (ASWSWCs) for Indian Navy.
Key Facts
The Indian Navy issued the RFP (Request for Proposal) to
DPSU (Defence Public Sector Undertaking) Shipyards and
Indian Private Shipyards in April 2014, with GRSE
eventually winning the bid for design, construction and
supply of eight ASWSWCs.
The design and construction of these ships at GRSE is yet
another milestone in 'Make in India' Initiative.
Project Timeline: The first ship is to be delivered within 42
months (3.5 years) from signing date of contract and
remaining ships delivery is scheduled as two ships per
year. The completion time awarded to project is 84
months (7 years) from 29 April 2019.
Air Marshal Rakesh K S Bhadauria appointed as new
Vice Chief of Air Staff
On May 1, Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria will
take over as Vice Chief of Indian Air Force, after
superannuation of incumbent Air Marshal Anil Khosla.
Post induction he will be looking after all air operations
being carried out by force.
Army for first time invites applications for Women
Military Police recruitment
The Indian Army for first time since independence has
initiated women induction drive for Soldier General Duty
(Women Military Police). It invited applications for
recruitment of 1,700 women soldiers initially.
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Key Facts
Recruitment rallies will be held in Ambala, Lucknow,
Jabalpur, Bengaluru and Shillong to test candidates, and
venue will be allotted based on their home districts. It
will be mandatorily done through online registration.
Enrolled Women Military Police personnel released on
or before expiry of 17 years of service, may carry reserve
liability for 2 years after release.
Guided Missile Destroyer INS Imphal Launched
The Indian Navy has launched its third guided missile
destroyer, INS Imphal at Mazgaon Docks as part of its
Project 15B.
INS Imphal
INS Imphal has been designed indigenously by the Indian
Navy's Directorate of Naval Design, New Delhi.
INS Imphal spans 163 metres in length, 17.4 metres at
beam, and launch weight of 3037 tonnes can displace
7300 tonnes.
INS Imphal is propelled by our gas turbines to achieve
speeds in excess of 30 knots.
INS Imphal destroyers incorporate new design concepts
for improved survivability, sea keeping, stealth and ship
manoeuvrability.
Enhanced stealth features have been achieved through
shaping of hull and use of radar transparent deck fitting,
which make these ships difficult to detect. INS Imphal
ships will be equipped to carry and operate two multiple
role helicopters.
Varuna Naval Exercise 2019
India and France will conduct their largest ever naval
exercise 'Varuna' off Goa coast early May.
Varuna 2019
India will deploy its aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya
with its MiG-29K fighters and French side would be
represented by its aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle
with its Rafale-M naval jets.
The exercise will also see participation of FNS Forbin, the
FNS Provence and the FNS Latouche Treville, a nuclear
attack submarines, the FNS Amethyste, and the tanker
FNS Marne from France and diesel-electric submarine
INS Shankul, guided-missile destroyer INS Chennai,
stealth frigate INS Tarkash and tanker INS Deepak, along
with P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft and
Dornier-228 planes from India.
Varuna is a top-level naval exercise, with intensive dual
carrier task group operations and anti-submarine
warfare manoeuvres.
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Navy Reviews Outcome of Sea Vigil Exercise
Indian Navy and several other agencies involved in
coastal defence and maritime security brainstormed over
the outcome of the 'Sea Vigil' exercise.
Sea Vigil Exercise
Sea Vigil was a first of its kind multi-agency drill, covering
the entire 7,516 km-long Indian coastline and exclusive
economic zone and involving 13 coastal states and Union
Territories. The objectives of the Sea-Vigil Exercise were:
Simultaneously activate the coastal security mechanism
across all states and Union Territories.
Evaluate critical areas and processes, including inter-
agency coordination, information sharing and technical
surveillance.
Comprehensively and holistically validate the efficacy of
the measures taken since '26/11' Mumbai attacks.
India Vietnam Hold Naval Exercise
Navies of India and Vietnam held a four-day maritime
exercise off Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam with an aim to
boost operational cooperation.
India-Vietnam Naval Exercise
From the Indian side warships, INS Kolkata and INS Shakti
participated in the annual exercise, comprising a harbour
and a sea phase.
The exercise was undertaken as a part of the ongoing
overseas deployment of eastern fleet ships to South East
Asian countries.
Delhi HC seeks Centres Response on Plea over Assam
Rifles
The Delhi High Court has sought the response from the
Cabinet Committee on Security on a plea seeking
directions to remove the dual control of Assam Rifles and
bring it under the Ministry of Defence.
Issue of Dual Control
Assam Rifles which is also referred to as the Sentinels of
North East is the oldest paramilitary force of India.
The administrative control of Assam Rifles lies with the
Home Ministry, while the operational control is with the
Defence Ministry.
The plea filed by the All India Assam Rifles Ex-Servicemen
Welfare Association alleges the dual control as the
violation of the rights of the troopers ofAssam Rifles.
The plea challenges the Government of India (Allocation
of Business) Rules, 1961 saying that it places Assam Rifles
under the head 'Police', which is arbitrary, unreasonable
and violates the rights of Assam Rifles ex-servicemen
guaranteed under Article 14 of the Constitution of
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The petition argues since the objective and functions of
Assam Rifles were that of military and paramilitary force
and its categorisation as a police force was arbitrary,
unreasonable and in violation of the rights of its
personnel.
The petition seeks a grant of pay, allowances, pension
(including arrears) and ex-servicemen facilities to Assam
Rifles personnel at par with the Indian Army.
Navy gets Virtual Reality Centre for Designing Warships
Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba inaugurated state-of-
the-art Virtual Reality Centre (VRC) in New Delhi. The
Virtual Reality Centre is expected to provide a major
boost to indigenous warship design capabilities of the
Navy.
Virtual Reality Centre
The VRC is housed at the Directorate of Naval Design
(Surface Ship Group).
It seeks to provide impetus to self-reliance and greater
fillip to warship construction under the Make in India
initiative of the Indian government.
The VRC centre will facilitate collaborative design
reviews for continuous interaction between designers
and end-users to improve design and ergonomics
onboard warships.
Veer Parivar App Launched
On the occasion of the 54th Valour Day (Shaurya Diwas)
of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), President
Ram Nath Kovind launched 'Veer Parivar App', a mobile
application for families of CRPF personnel killed in the
line of duty.
About the Veer Parivar App
The Veer Parivar App will act as an interface between the
CRPF authorities and the next of kin of the slain
personnel.
The Veer Parivar App will be installed securely on the
phones of the slain personnel families and will not be
available in the app stores.
The app will provide assistance to the families of the
martyred CRPF personnel with regard to issuance of ex
gratia, pension benefits etc.
The app will also provide all the necessary information
regarding the welfare schemes introduced for them by
the government.
Government clears procurement of 464 T-90 tanks
The Cabinet Committee of Security has cleared the
proposal for the procurement of the 464 T-90 tanks from
Russia.
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About the Procurement Deal
The cost of the acquisition is expected to be worth over
Rs 13,000 crores.
The deal also includes a Make-in-India element for
integration at the Heavy Vehicles Factory in Avadi near
Chennai.
The acquisition will increase the new T-90 regiments by
10 more units.
The new T-90 tanks would be equipped with thermal
imaging night sights to allow the tank commander to
strike enemy locations during night battles.
T-90 battle tanks are expected to be deployed on the
borders with Pakistan.
T-90 has emerged as the main battle tank of the Indian
Army. It would be replacing the older variants of T-72 and
T-55 tanks in the force.
Maitri Bridge: Longest Suspension Bridge
Indian Army built the longest suspension bridge over
Indus river in Leh in just 40 days and the bridge is named
as Maitri Bridge.
Maitri Bridge
The bridge was constructed by the combat engineers of
'Sahas aur Yogyata' regiment of 'Fire and Fury Corps' of
the Indian Army.
The bridge is 260-feet long.
This cable suspension bridge is expected to give a major
boost to connectivity in remote areas in Ladakh.
The bridge is constructed using around 500 tonnes of
bridge equipment and construction material.
Maitri Bridge has been dedicated to the people of India to
commemorate the 20thyear of Kargil Vijay Divas.
US approves sale of 24 MH 60 Romeo Seahawk
helicopters to India
The United States Department of State on Tuesday
approved the sale of 24 multi-role MH-60 Romeo
Seahawk helicopters to India at a price of $2.4 billion (Rs
16,516 crore).
Sale of MH 60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters
The Lockheed Martin-built helicopters will replace India's
ageing fleet of British-made Sea King helicopters.
MH-60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters will provide the
Indian defence forces with the capability to perform anti-
surface and anti-submarine warfare missions.
MH-60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters are designed to
operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft
carriers along with the ability to perform secondary
missions including vertical replenishment, search and
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rescue, and communications relay.
MH-60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters will add would add
lethal capabilities of the Indian Navy, which experts say is
also the need of the hour given the aggressive behaviour
of China in the Indian Ocean region.
EMISAT adds to India's Defence Capability
After the successful test of A-SAT through Mission Shakti,
India's defence capability has got a further boost with
the successful launch of the ElectroMagnetic
Intelligence Satellite (EMISAT).
About EMISAT
EMISAT was jointly developed by ISRO and DRDO, two
frontline research agencies of the country.
EMISAT will allow India to intercept the radars by
detecting the electromagnetic rays from “enemy radar”.
EMISAT will cater to India's strategic defence needs by
strengthening the armed forces ability to intercept radar
signals and gauge a variety of parameters and
understand various details.
EMISAT will allow India to know what kind of radar is at
work on the other side, based on the spectrum and we
will be able to read the distance between the radar and
Indian assets too.
The satellite has been placed in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
at an orbit about 700 km from Earth as the objective is to
detect low power radar signals. Such radars are typically
used to track by low-altitude air-borne vehicles,
including aircraft and drones.
GRSE becomes first Indian shipyard to deliver 100
warships
State-owned Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers
Ltd (GRSE) has become the “first Indian shipyard” to
build and deliver 100 warships. The 100th warship 'IN
LCU L-56' has been handed over to the Indian Navy.
GRSE had handed over its 99th warship, 'ICGS
Priyadarshini', an advanced 'Fast Patrol Vessel' to the
Indian Coast Guard.
Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers Ltd
Based in Kolkata, Garden Reach Ship Builders and
Engineers Ltd (GRSE) is a shipbuilding company in India
under the administrative control of the Ministry of
Defence. GRSE primarily caters to the shipbuilding
requirements of the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast
Guard. In addition to its ship and warship building
capabilities, GRSE is also engaged in engine production
and other engineering activities.
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APRIL ’19
2019
Current Affairs
Persons in News
Vikram Patel to be honoured with the prestigious John
Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award
Vikram patel, a psychiatrist and professor of global health
at Harvard Medical school, has been honoured with
prestigious John drinks Canada Gairdner Global Health
award with prize money of $100,000 by The Gairdner
Foundation.
Three Indians included in Time's 100 Most Influential
People List 2019
Three Indians Menaka Guruswamy, Arundhati Katju and
Mukesh Ambani have featured into TIME 100 Most
Influential People list of 2019. Global prominent names
that have featured in this list included US President
Donald Trump, China President Xi Jinping, Pakistan Prime
Minister Imran Khan, Pope Francis, golfer Tiger Woods
and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Mukesh Ambani: He is Chairman and largest shareholder
of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), a Fortune Global 500
company. It is most valuable Indian company in terms of
its market value.
Menaka Guruswamy and Arundhati Katju: They are
Indian women lawyers who lead the legal battle to strike
down colonial era's Section 377 of Indian Penal Code
(IPC), which criminalized gay sex. In September 2018,
Supreme Court in unanimous decision partly struck
down IPC Section 377, thus removing ban imposed on
consensual gay sex and affirming human rights of LGBTQ
(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) community.
Former Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag appointed High
Commissioner to Seychelles
Army General (Retd.) Dalbir Singh Suhag was appointed
as High Commissioner of India to Republic of Seychelles.
His appointment comes at the time when military ties
between India and island nation have deepened in recent
times. Dalbir Singh Suhag was Chief of Army Staff (CoAS)
i.e. Army General from August 2014 to December 2016.
Jamia Millia Islamia gets its First Woman Vice-
Chancellor
The Ministry of Human Resources and Development has
issued a statement about appointing Professor Najma
Akhtar as vice–chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia
University (JMI) by the President of India. She has been
appointed for a period of five years. Professor Najma
Akhtar will be the first woman to hold the post.
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Current Affairs
Places in News
Madras High Court Upholds Decision to cancel Vellore
Poll
Madras High Court has dismissed two writ petitions filed
against the Presidential decision to rescind the Lok
Sabha poll notification for the Vellore parliamentary
constituency in the wake of complaints of large-scale
distribution of cash to voters.
M3 EVMs to be used in Nizamabad
The Election Commission has decided against the using
of Ballot papers in the Nizamabad parliamentary
constituency of the Telangana. To accommodate a
whopping 185 candidates in contention the Election
Commission has decided to use the M3 EVMs in the Lok
Sabha Polls.
Current Affairs
Awards
Gagandeep Kang awarded Fellowship of the Royal
Society (FRS), UK
Gagandeep Kang becomes first Indian woman scientist
to be awarded Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS),
United Kingdom.
Gagandeep Kang
She is a clinician scientist, who is well known for her key
role in development of Rotavac. She currently appointed
as executive director of Translational Health Science and
Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, which is an
autonomous institute of Department of Biotechnology,
Ministry of Science and Technology.
In 2016, she was conferred prestigious Infosys Prize in
Life Sciences for her contributions in understanding
natural history of rotavirus and other infectious
diseases.
She is also first Indian and first woman to edit Manson's
Textbook of Tropical Medicine.
2019 Pulitzer Prizes
The winners of the 2019 Pulitzer Prizes have been
announced. The winners in the category of Letters,
Drama and Music are listed below:
Fiction: The Overstory, by Richard Powers (W.W. Norton).
Drama: Fairview, by Jackie Sibblies Drury.
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History: Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, by
David W. Blight (Simon & Schuster).
Biography: The New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke, by
Jeffrey C. Stewart (Oxford University Press).
Poetry: Be With, by Forrest Gander (New Directions).
General Nonfiction: Amity and Prosperity: One Family
and the Fracturing of America, by Eliza Griswold (Farrar,
Straus and Giroux).
Music: Prism, by Ellen Reid.
UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize 2019
The 2019 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize
has been awarded to Reuters reporters Wa Lone and
Kyaw Soe Oo. The jury has recognised their exceptional
courage in reporting on alleged human rights violations in
the Myanmar's state of Rakhine.
PM Narendra Modi Honoured with Order of St Andrew
the Apostle
Russia has awarded PM Narendra Modi with 'Order of St
Andrew the Apostle' to PM Narendra Modi for promoting
the bilateral special and privileged strategic partnership.
The statement by the Russian Government has stated
that Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi was
decorated with the Order of St Andrew the Apostle – the
highest state decoration of Russia – for exceptional
services in promoting special and privileged strategic
partnership between the Russian Federation and the
Republic of India and friendly relations between the
Russian and Indian peoples.
Alice G. Vaidyan awarded the Freedom of the City of
London
Alice G. Vaidyan, Chairman and Managing Director of the
General Insurance Corporation (GIC) of India, India's
reinsurance major, has been awarded the Freedom of the
City of London in recognition of her work to promote
insurance ties between India and the UK.
India's Education Technology Start-Up Bags Global Tech
Prize
India's education technology startup 'Dost Education' has
bagged a $25,000 Next Billion Edtech Prize 2019 along
with two other winners from Tanzania and Egypt. Ubongo
(Tanzania) and PraxiLabs (Egypt) were the other two
winners.
UAE awards PM Narendra Modi with Highest Civilian
Honour
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United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been conferred with the
prestigious Zayed medal by President of the UAE Sheikh
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. PM Modi has been awarded
in recognition of efforts in giving “a big boost” to
bilateral relations between both the countries.
"Global Slag Company of the Year" award was won by
Tata Steel
Tata Steel bagged the "Global Slag Company of the Year"
award at the 14th Global Slag Conference
and Exhibition 2019, for its innovative practices in the
development of new applications for Steel
by-products (Slag).
Current Affairs
Sports
Barcelona wins La Liga title 2019 in Spain
Barcelona FC has won Spanish La Liga title 2019 by
defeating Levante FC by 1-0 goals. In the final match held
at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain. the lone winning goal
for Barcelona was scored by club's Argentine superstar
and team captain Lionel Messi at 61st minute. This was
Barcelona's overall 26th La Liga league title in club
history and eight in last 11 years.
India tops Medals Tally at ISSF World Cup Rifle/ Pistol
2019 held in China
India finished top of medal tally at ISSF World Cup Rifle/
Pistol 2019 edition held in Beijing, China. Even after
drawing a blank on final day India still topped the chart
for second consecutive ISSF World Cup, third time in last
two years. In last edition of Shooting World Cup held in
New Delhi, India jointly topped standings with Hungary.
Bajrang Punia becomes First Indian Wrestler to fight at
New York's Iconic Madison Square Garden
India's Bajrang Punia is first Indian wrestler to be invited
by American wrestling body for a special fight at iconic
Madison Square Garden in New York, US. He will be
among other top wrestlers selected by American
governing body for 6 May 2019 tournament.
He will take on two-time US national champion Yianni
Diakomahlis in “Grapple at the Garden” Beat the Streets
fight night event, which has become a major showcase
for international wrestling since 2010.
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Mithali Raj named Goodwill Ambassador for Street
Child Cricket World Cup
Cricketer Mithali Raj has been named as the goodwill
ambassador of the Indian team for the Street Child
Cricket World Cup. She will join former captain Saurav
Ganguly and IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals in supporting
the team India for the Street Child Cricket World Cup.
Singapore Open 2019
The winners of the Singapore Open 2019 are listed below:
Men's Singles: Kento Momota (Japan)
Women's Singles: Tai Tzu-ying (Taiwan)
Men's Doubles: Takeshi Kamura and Keigo Sonoda
(Japan)
Women's Doubles: Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana
Nagahara (Japan)
Mixed Doubles: Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree
Taerattanachai (Thailand)
Cologne Boxing World Cup 2019
India finished its campaign at the Cologne Boxing World
Cup 2019 with a haul of five medals. The Cologne Boxing
World Cup 2019 was held at Cologne, Germany.
Indian Medal Tally
Meena Kumari Maisnam (54kg) won the only gold medal
for India in the tournament.
It was the only bout of the tournament for the Manipur
pugilist Meena Kumari as she had been directly placed in
the final due to a smaller draw.
Youth world champion Sakshi (57kg) and India Open gold
medallist Pwilao Basumatary (64kg) lost their final bouts
and finished with silver medals.
Pinki Rani (51kg) and Parveen (60kg) won bronze medals
after losing their semi-final bouts.
Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year for 2018
The Wisden has named Virat Kohli as the Leading
Cricketer of the Year for 2018.
Wisden Cricketer of the Year
Indian Skipper Virat Kohli is joined by Tammy Beaumont,
Jos Buttler, Sam Curran and Rory Burns.
Indian player Smriti Mandhana bagged the Women's
Leading Cricketer of the Year.
Rashid Khan of Afghanistan bagged the Leading T20
Cricketer of the Year
Indian Open Badminton 2019
The Indian Badminton Tournament 2019 was held at K. D.
Jadhav Indoor Hall in New Delhi from 26 to 31 March
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2019 and had a total purse of $350,000.
Champions of Indian Open Badminton 2019
Men's Singles: Viktor Axelsen (Denmark)
Women's Singles: Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand)
Men's Doubles: Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin (Chinese
Taipei)
Women's Doubles: Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu
(Indonesia)
Mixed Doubles: Wang Yilü and Huang Dongping (China)
Current Affairs
Art & Culture
IIT Madras researcher develops easy OCR system for
Bharati Script
A team of researcher at IIT-Madras headed by Professor
V. Srinivasa Chakravarthy, developed a method for
reading documents in Bharati Script by using a multi-
lingual optical character recognition (OCR) scheme.
Good Friday Observed on 19th April
The Christian community is observing Good Friday on
April 19 to commemorate the crucifixion and death of
Jesus Christ on Calvary. Good Friday is also referred to as
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2019
Black Friday, Great Friday, Easter Friday or Holy Friday.
Good Friday coincides with the beginning of the Jewish
festival of Passover.
Government Schemes
Localisation under FAME-II Scheme
The Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee of the National
Mission for Transformative Mobility led by Niti Aayog
chief executive officer Amitabh Kant has decided to
incorporate localisation conditions to avail benefits
under the FAME-II Scheme.
SC directs political parties to furnish receipts of electoral
bonds in to EC
The Supreme Court has directed all political parties to
furnish details about the receipts of electoral bonds in a
sealed cover to the Election Commission.
RailTel turns 1600 railway stations into RailWire Wi-Fi
zone
RailWire Wi-Fi by RailTel is now live at 1600 railway
stations across the country. The Santacruz railway station
in Mumbai became the 1600th station to become a
RailWire Wi-Fi zone.
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