Gktoday December 2 PDF

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GKTODAY
Current Affairs [PDF] -December 16-31, 2018
PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
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Contents
......................... . _ ........ _ .. ...................................................................
News Headlines: December 16-31, 2018 .................................................................................................................................................................... 3
December 16, 2018 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 13
December 17, 2018 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19
December 18, 2018 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 24
December 19, 2018 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28
December 20, 2018 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 31
December 21, 2018 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 36
December 22, 2018 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 39
December 23, 2018 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 43
December 24, 2018 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 43
December 25, 2018 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 50
December 26, 2018 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 57
December 27, 2018 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 61
December 28, 2018 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 65
December 29, 2018 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 72
December 30, 2018 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 77
December 31, 2018 .......................................................................................................................................................................................................
78
Multiple Choice Questions ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 81
© 2019 GKToday | All Rights Reserved | https://www.gktoday.in 2

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News Headlines: December 16-31, 2018

Current Affairs – News Headlines – December 16, 2018
INDIA
PM Modi meets French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian in New Delhi
Mizoram: Mizo National Front (MNF) leader Zoramthanga sworn in as new CM in Aizawl
J&K: Foundation stone of the Institute of High-Altitude Medicinal Plants at Bhadarwah in Doda
district laid by Union Ministers Shripad Yesso Naik and Jitendra Singh
Gujarat: Foundation stone of the Kevadia Railway Station in Narmada district laid by President Ram
Nath Kovind
Gujarat: Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal dedicates India’s first Railway University to the
nation in Vadodara
AP: Deep depression in the Bay of Bengal intensifies into a cyclonic storm named ‘Phethai’
Punjab Legislative Assembly unanimously passes resolution urging the Centre to enact Women’s
Reservation Bill
‘God of Sin: The Cult, The Clout and Downfall of Asaram Bapu’, book written by Ushinor Majumdar,
released
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
India’s C-DAC and Atos of France sign contract for designing, building and installing the
BullSequana supercomputer in India

NGT sets aside Tamil Nadu government’s order for closing copper smelter plant of Sterlite at
Tuticorin
National Energy Conservation Day celebrated on December 14
WORLD
Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan sing MoU on counter-terrorism cooperation during 2nd trilateral
ministerial dialogue in Kabul
UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan declares 2019 as the “Year of Tolerance”
Australia recognises west Jerusalem as capital of Israel but shift of embassy from Tel Aviv to occur
only after peace settlement with Palestinians
Sri Lanka: Mahinda Rajapaksa resigns as PM
Shree Saini crowned Miss India Worldwide 2018 in New Jersey
SPORTS
Men’s Hockey World Cup semifinals in Bhubaneswar: Belgium beat England 6-0; Netherlands beat
Australia 4-3
Current Affairs – News Headlines: December 17, 2018
INDIA
Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel named new CM of Chhattisgarh
UP: PM inaugurates new Airport Complex at Bamrauli Airport and Command & Control Centre for
2019 Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj
UP: PM visits the Modern Coach Factory in Rae Bareli, flags off 900th coach and a Humsafar Rake
Vijay Diwas celebrated to mark India’s victory over Pakistan in 1971 Bangladesh liberation war
Maldives’ newly-elected President, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, arrives in India for a three-day official
visit
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
15 women entrepreneurs awarded at the 3rd Edition of the Women Transforming India Awards
organised by NITI Aayog in New Delhi
WORLD
UN Climate Change Conference (COP24) in Katowice, Poland: Nearly 200 nations agree to enforce
rules on implementing the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement
Sri Lanka: Ranil Wickremesinghe, sacked from PM’s post by President M. Sirisena in October, sworn
in again as PM

Indonesia: Volcano Mount Soputan erupts on Sulawesi Island

Aishath Mohamed Didi appointed as the new Ambassador of Maldives to India
2018 BWF WORLD TOUR FINALS
Held in Guangzhou (China) from December 12 to 16
China’s Shi Yuqi beats Japan’s Kento Momota 21-12, 21-11 in final to win Men’s Singles title
India’s P. V. Sindhu beats Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in final 21-19, 21-17 to win Women’s Singles title
Li Junhui & Liu Yuchen (China) beat Hiroyuki Endo & Yuta Watanabe (21-15, 21-11) in final to win
Men’s Doubles title
Misaki Matsutomo & Ayaka Takahashi (Japan) beat Lee So-hee & Shin Seung-chan (South Korea)
21-12, 22-20 in final to win Women’s Doubles title
Wang Yilü & Huang Dongping (China) beat Zheng Siwei & Huang Yaqiong (China) 23-21, 16-21, 21-18
in final to win Mixed Doubles title
SPORTS
Belgium beat Netherlands in sudden death 3-2 to win Men’s Hockey World Cup title in
Bhubaneswar; Australia beat England 8-1 to win bronze
National Squash Championships in Noida: Joshna Chinappa beats Urwashi Joshi in final 9-11, 11-1,
11-6, 11-5 to win Women’s Singles title; Mahesh Mangaonkar beats Vikram Malhotra 11-4, 13-15, 11-2,
5-11, 15-13 in final to win Men’s Singles title
Ethiopians Birhanu Legese (Men’s) and Dibaba Kuma (Women’s) win elite sections at the Tata Steel
Kolkata 25 kilometre run; Avinash Sable (Men’s) and Suriya Loganathan (Women’s) best among
Indian runners
INDIA
PM Modi meets Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in New Delhi; India announces USD 1.4
billion financial assistance to the island nation
Russia and India conclude Indra Navy 18 joint exercise in the Bay of Bengal
Andhra Pradesh: Cyclone Phethai hits Katrenikona town in East Godavari district
Tamil Nadu fishermen get NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) powered ISRO gadgets for
timely weather alerts
Renowned classical singer Pandit Arun Bhaduri dies in Kolkata at 75
WCD Ministry directs all Chief Secretaries to install CCTVs in Swadhar Grehs across the country
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016 passed in Lok Sabha
Kamal Nath sworn in as CM of MP in Bhopal, Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan in Jaipur and Bhupesh
Baghel as CM Chhattisgarh at Raipur
MP CM Kamal Nath clears a proposal for waiving farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh as on March 31, 2018
Delhi HC convicts Sajjan Kumar in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, sentences him to life imprisonment
IAF flies an An-32 military transport aircraft using blended bio-jet fuel for the first time
IIT-Madras ties up with Thales Group of France to design a processor compatible with highest safety
critical standards
Union cabinet approves establishment of two new AIIMS – one each in Tamil Nadu (Madurai) and
Telangana (Bibinagar)
Foreign Affairs Minister of Denmark Anders Samuelsen meets EAM Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi
Centre appoints advocate Madhavi Divan the Additional Solicitor General (ASG)
Conference on Soft Power being held in New Delhi from Dec 17 to 19 by Center for Soft Power in
collaboration with ICCR
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
Govt’s intense pressure on RBI could undermine India’s long-term financial stability: S&P Global
Ratings
Sanitary ware firm HSIL’s CMD Sandip Somany elected new President of FICCI
A 220-MW unit of NPCIL’s Kaiga Atomic Power Station creates world record for continuous

operation for 941 days

extends Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) of providing free cooking gas (LPG) connections to
all poor households
Cyrus Poonawalla, Founder of Serum Institute of India (SII), given 1st Vaccine Hero award by Gavi,
the Vaccine Alliance
WORLD
Catriona Elisa Gray of the Philippines crowned Miss Universe 2018 in Bangkok
Merriam-Webster selects ‘justice’ as its 2018 word of the year
Pakistan releases Indian prisoner Hamid Nihal Ansari after 6 years
Colin Kroll, the co-founder of Vine and HQ Trivia, des at 34 in New York
WhatsApp rolls out ‘Picture in Picture (PiP) mode’ for Android users
SPORTS
BCCI includes Hardik Pandya and Mayank Agarwal in Indian team for remaining two tests; Prithvi
Shaw ruled out due to injury
INDIA
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Jhajjar, Haryana, opens for public service
Odisha: Cyclone Phethai causes widespread damage to cotton, paddy crops
Tamil Nadu launches door-step Aadhaar enrolment scheme for children under the age of 5
India welcomes Zambia as a member of the International Solar Alliance
CCEA approves setting up of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) in every block with more
than 50% Scheduled Tribes population and at least 20,000 tribal persons
Postal stamp issued on Rajkumar Shukla who is associated with the 1917 Champaran Satyagraha in
Bihar
Haryana: ‘Shiksha Setu’ app launched to provide students information on govt. colleges in the state
Pune: PM Modi lays the foundation stone of Metro Phase 3
Minorities Rights Day observed in India on December 18
‘Timeless Laxman’, a book based on legendary cartoonist late R.K. Laxman, released; penned by his
daughter-in-law Usha Srinivas Laxman
Sonam Kapoor named PETA India’s Person of The Year for 2018 for her animal advocacy efforts
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
LIC makes open offer to acquire 26% stake in IDBI Bank
Capital First merges with IDFC Bank to create IDFC First Bank
Centre asks states to accept vehicle documents, licences in electronic format by enforcement
agencies
Micromax Informatics launches Notch series of smartphones, the Infinity N11 and Infinity N12, for
Rs 8,999 and Rs 9,999 respectively
More than 6% of calls received by Indian users in 2018 were spam calls: Truecaller
WORLD
India ranks 108 in World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2018 Gender Gap Index, Iceland holds top spot
International Migrants Day observed on December 18 with its theme as ‘Migration with Dignity’
World Arabic Language Day observed on December 18 with its theme as ‘Arabic Language and
Youth’
Brazil surpasses India to become the most spammed country in the world in 2018: Truecaller
UNGA passes Ukraine-sponsored resolution (with 2/3rd majority) asking Russia to cease restriction
of international vessels in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov
Actor Jeff Bridges to be honoured with Cecil B DeMille Award at Golden Globe Awards in January
2019
Former Nepal PM Tulsi Giri dies in Kathmandu at 93
SPORTS

Australia (326, 243) beat India (283, 140) by 146 runs in 2nd Test at Perth to level four-match series
1-1
INDIA
ISRO’s GSLV-F11 successfully launches 2250 kg communication satellite GSAT-7A from the Satish
Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota (AP)
Lok Sabha passes Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 that prohibits commercial surrogacy
Goa celebrates 57th Liberation Day to mark freedom from Portuguese rule on December 19, 1961
President’s rule comes into force in J&K
Rajasthan government announces farm loan waiver up to Rs 2 lakh
Indian Navy inducts the fifth ship of Landing Craft Utility (LCU) at Port Blair
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
RBI releases minutes of Dec 3-5 monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting; all MPC members voted
unanimously for holding policy rate repo rate unchanged
NITI Aayog unveils strategy document to achieve a GDP growth rate of 8% on average during
2018-23 and make India a USD 4 trillion economy by 2022-23
Efficiency gap in India’s power sector costs 4% of GDP: World Bank says in its report titled ‘In the
Dark: How Much Do Power Sector Distortions Cost South Asia’
WORLD
USA to pull out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty signed with Russia in 1987
Belgium: PM Charles Michel announces his resignation
GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer announcer merger of their consumer-health divisions in a joint venture
SPORTS
ICC asks Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to pay the BCCI 60% of the legal costs after losing their bid to
claim compensation for cancelled bilateral series
India’s former World Cup winning captain Anup Kumar announces his retirement from Kabaddi
INDIA
Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change launches the ‘Asiatic Lion Conservation Project’
CM Manohar Lal Khattar inaugurates World Herbal Forest Project (a collaboration of Patanjali and
Haryana Govt.) in Morni Hill, 45 km from Chandigarh
Haryana Herbal Corporation to be set up to promote Ayurveda and herbal medicines in the state
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee conferred the Skoch Chief Minister of the Year Award
Harsh Vardhan Shringla appointed India’s next Ambassador to US
Riva Ganguly Das appointed India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh
Senior press photographer and Malayalam novelist S. Harisankar dies in Kottayam at 48
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Consumer Protection Bill, 2018 that seeks to replace the
Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
States’ Startup Ranking 2018 announced by DIPP: Gujarat Ranked Best Performer
40 workers selected for Prime Minister Shram Awards for the Year 2017
Johnson & Johnson ordered to stop manufacturing its Baby Powder using raw material until test
results prove they are free of asbestos
WORLD
Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration adopted by UN General Assembly
3 Indian-origin students – Indian-Americans Kavya Kopparapu & Rishab Jain and British-Indian
Amika George – among Time’s 25 most influential teens of 2018
US Federal Reserve raises key interest rate to 2.25-2.5 per cent
Three astronauts returned to Earth after more than six months aboard the International Space
Station

US-based tobacco giant Altria, maker of brands such as Marlboro and Chesterfield, to buy 35% stake
in e-cigarette maker Juul for $12.8 billion
World underestimates India’s achievements in reducing extreme poverty: Brookings Institution
International Human Solidarity Day observed on December 20
SPORTS
WV Raman appointed the new coach of the Indian women’s cricket team
SDG INDIA INDEX
SDG is Sustainable Development Goal
SDG India Index: Baseline Report 2018 released by NITI Aayog
SDG India Index is a single measurable index to map progress of States & UTs towards 2030 SDGs
The Index evaluates progress in social, economic and environmental terms
Himachal Pradesh, Kerala & Tamil Nadu are top performing states; Assam, Bihar & UP are worst
performing states
INDIA
authorises 10 central agencies to intercept, monitor and decrypt all the data contained in “any”
computer system
The 10 central agencies are: IB, NCB, ED, CBDT, DRI, CBI, R&AW, Directorate of Signal Intelligence
(in service areas of J-K, North East and Assam) and Delhi Police commissioner
EAM Sushma Swaraj and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi hold talks under the ‘High Level
Mechanism on Cultural and People-to-People Exchanges’ in New Delhi
Delhi HC orders National Herald’s publisher AJL (Associated Journals Limited) to vacate Herald
House in New Delhi in 2 weeks
Prabanjan, renowned Tamil writer and winner of Sahitya Akademi award, dies in Puducherry at 73
Singer Dipali Borthakur, popularly known as “Nightingale of Assam”, dies in Guwahati at 78
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
Country’s foreign exchange reserves declined by USD 613.9 million to USD 393.12 billion in the week
to December 14
fixes price at Rs 3,119 per gram for the new series of sovereign gold bonds (SGBs) opening on
December 24
Logistics Development Committee constituted under the Chairmanship of Dr. Bibek Debroy,
Chairman EAC-PM to assess key challenges, and suggest reforms in logistics development and
associated commerce
Lenovo bags contract from Tamil Nadu govt. for supply of 15 lakh laptops to students
EY (formerly known as Ernst & Young) to acquire Pune-based digital design firm FCUX (Fortune
Cookie UX Design)
WORLD
US Defence Secretary James Mattis resigns
Veteran actor Jane Fonda wins Producers Guild of America’s (PGA) 2019 Stanley Kramer Award
NASA’s InSight lander deploys its first instrument onto the surface of Mars
UAE to give USD 3 billion to cash-strapped Pakistan to bolster its foreign exchange reserves
SPORTS
Football: Belgium to end the year as No. 1 ahead of world champions France in the global rankings
released by FIFA
INDIA
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launches the Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean
Region (IFC-IOR) at IMAC (Information Management and Analysis Centre) in Gurugram
IFC-IOR to collaborate with partner countries and multinational agencies to develop maritime
awareness and share information on vessels

Atal Complex for the International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography (ITCOocean)
inaugurated at the INCOIS campus in Hyderabad by Union Earth Sciences, Environment and Forests
Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan
INCOIS-Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services
Telangana: President inaugurates Centre of Excellence for Genetic Blood Disorders at Prathima
Institute in Karimnagar
Birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan celebrated as National Mathematics Day on December 22
GST
GST Council cuts rates on 23 goods and services
GST rate cut from 28% to 18% for items including power banks of lithium ion batteries, digital
cameras and video game consoles
GST rate of 28% now only on luxury and sin goods (tobacco, alcohol), auto-parts, cement, ACs and
dishwashers
GST rate on movie tickets costing up to Rs 100 cut to 12% from 18%, tickets over Rs 100 to attract
18% (28% earlier)
GST rate cut from 28% to 18% for monitors and TV screens up to 32 inches and power banks
GST rate on parts and accessories forPRAVEEN
theGAUTAM
carriages for disabled persons slashed from 28% to 5%
| praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
GST rate on third party insurance premium of goods carrying vehicles cut from 18% to 12%
5% GST rate will be levied on renewable energy devices and parts for their manufacture
Frozen and preserved vegetables exempted from GST
Services supplied by banks to Basic Savings Bank Deposit account holders under the Jan Dhan
Yojana will not attract GST
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) agrees to fund Rs 201.96 billion to expand Chennai
Metro Rail Project
WORLD
India and China conclude ‘Hand-in-Hand’ counter-terrorism military exercises in China’s Chengdu
city
Gitega to replace Bujumbura as political capital of Burundi
UK: 2 people were arrested over criminal use of drones that brought London’s Gatwick Airport to a
standstill for 3 days
China launches its first communication satellite to provide broadband internet services worldwide
SPORTS
4th season of Premier Badminton League (PBL) begins in Mumbai
V. P. Rao elected president of the Archery Association of India
INDIA
India successfully test-fires Agni-IV ballistic missile at APJ Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast
Gujarat: BJP wins bypoll from Jasdan Assembly seat; takes its tally in 182-member assembly to 100
Jharkhand: Congress wins bypoll from Kolebira assembly seat; BJP has 43, Congress 6 seats in 81-
member Assembly
Tamil Nadu: India’s first music museum to be set up in Thiruvaiyaru
PM releases commemorative postal stamp on the National Police Memorial at the annual conference
of DGPs/IGPs held at Kevadia in Narmada district of Gujarat
PM announces Sardar Patel Award for National Integration
Former Mumbai sheriff and noted jurist Nana Chudasama dies at 86
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
Himachal Pradesh to set up controlled atmosphere stores and packing houses in the state
WORLD
Indonesia: More than 200 killed after a tsunami hit the coast of Sunda Strait; tsunami triggered by

volcanic activity on the island of Anak Krakatau

Florida (USA): Falcon 9 rocket of SpaceX puts Global Positioning System III space vehicle (SV)
satellite of US Air Force into space
Brett McGurk, the US special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat IS, resigns
UK: Paddy Ashdown, the former leader of Britain’s Liberal Democrats, dies at 77
Google’s video chat app Duo crosses 1 billion downloads on Google Play
Erie International Film Festival (EIFF) in Pennsylvania (USA): Assamese film “Xhoixobote Dhemalite”
(Rainbow Fields) wins award for best narrative feature
SPORTS
Abu Dhabi: Spain’s Real Madrid beats Al Ain of UAE 4-1 in final to win Club World Cup football
tournament
Hainan Danzhou International Marathon in China: Ethiopia’s Mazengiya Ayalew Meseret (Men’s)
and Tsehynesh Tsale Tsenga (Women’s) win races
India’s Vedangi Kulkarni becomes the fastest Asian to cycle the globe.
PM IN ODISHA
Dedicates IIT Bhubaneswar campus to the nation
Releases a commemorative stamp and coin in Bhubaneswar on the 1817 Paika Rebellion against
British rule in Odisha
Announces setting up of a Chair on the Paika Rebellion in Utkal University, Bhubaneswar
Inaugurates the Lalitgiri Museum in Lalitgiri – a Buddhist centre of archaeological importance
INDIA
PM releases Rs. 100 commemorative coin in honour of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee
55th Anniversary Parade of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) held in New Delhi on December 24
Indian Navy commissions INHS Sandhani, its tenth Naval hospital at the Naval station Karanja in
Uran near Mumbai
Veteran CPI(M) leader and former West Bengal Minister Nirupam Sen passes away in Kolkata at the
age of 72
Former Union minister Captain Jai Narain Prasad Nishad died in New Delhi at the age of 88
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
V. Bharathi appointed as MD and CEO of Corporation Bank
Sangeeta Verma, a former Indian Economic Services (IES) officer, joins Competition Commission of
India (CCI) as Member
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution celebrates National Consumer Day on
December 24 with the theme “Timely Disposal of Consumer Complaints”
WORLD
Indian firm India Ports Global Ltd. takes over operations of Shaheed Behesti Port at Chabahar in
Iran; being jointly developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan
United States: Patrick Shanahan appointed Acting Defence Secretary
Pakistan: Former PM Nawaz Sharif sentenced to 7 years in prison in Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption
case
SPORTS
Former Czechoslovakia footballer Jozef Adamec, who played in final of 1962 World Cup in Chile, dies
at 76
INDIA
Assam: PM inaugurates the Bogibeel Bridge on River Brahmaputra connecting Dibrugarh and
Dhemaji districts; is India’s longest rail-cum-road bridge
Assam: PM flags off the first passenger train passing through the Bogibeel Bridge at Dibrugarh
Good Governance Day celebrated on the occasion of birth anniversary of ex-PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Haryana: Child Care Institutes being run in the state renamed as ‘Jagannath Ashrams’
Maharashtra: CM Devendra Fadnavis launches ‘Bharat Ratna Atal Bihar Vajpayee International
Schools’ for students in rural areas
Famous Bengali poet Nirendranath Chakraborty dies in Kolkata at 94
Gujarat: Indian Coast Guard inaugurates new hoverport at Jakahu base which provides security in
Sir Creek area
Maharashtra: Mohammed Rafi Award of NGO Spandan Arts bestowed upon late music composer
Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar and playback singer Usha Timothy
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
GST anti-profiteering authority finds HUL (Hindustan Unilever Limited) guilty of not passing on
rate cut benefits of Rs. 383 crore to consumers
All meters smart will be made prepaid in three years from April 1: Union Power Ministry
WORLD
Italy: Volcano, Mount Etna erupts in Sicily
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Ali Jehangir Siddiqui resigns
Powerful Iranian cleric Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi dies at 70 in Tehran
Britain bans puppy and kitten sales by pet shops
SPORTS
16th Mumbai Marathon to be held on January 20, 2019
INDIA
Champions of Change Awards 2018, instituted by medial platforms Power Corridors and Panchayati
Times, presented to 47 winners in New Delhi by Vice-President
Centre starts ‘Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskaar’ to recognise work done in the
field of disaster management
Railways to build country’s first vertical-lift bridge connecting Rameswaram in Arabian Sea to
mainland India; will replace the existing 104-year-old Pamban bridge
Election Commission bans tobacco use at polling booths during 2019 Lok Sabha elections
Air Marshal Rajeev Sachdeva takes over as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff
Schools cannot make Aadhar a pre-condition for student admission: UIDAI
2nd Siddha Day celebrated in Chennai on December 26 with ‘Siddha For Public Health’ as theme
Tamil Nadu: Tribal community Baduga celebrates annual Heddaiyamman festival
Maharashtra: ‘Chetak Festival’, a celebration of the finest equestrian breeds, organised at
Sarangkheda in Nandurbar district
Sitar player Manju Mehta presented 2018 ‘Tansen Samman’ by MP Govt.
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
Employees of nine public sector banks went on a nationwide strike against the merger of Dena Bank
and Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda
RBI launches a ‘Survey on Retail Payment Habits of Individuals (SRPHi)’ in six cities, including four
metropolitan towns
RBI constitutes 6-member committee headed by former Governor Bimal Jalan to decide on
appropriate size of central bank’s reserves (Economic Capital Framework)
WORLD
Japan exits the International Whaling Commission, to resume commercial whaling next year
Russia announces successful test of hypersonic missile ‘Avangard’
SPORTS
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in Melbourne
INDIA
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2018 passed by Lok Sabha; criminalises

the practice of instant triple talaq

Second Delta ranking for Aspirational Districts announced by NITI Aayog: Virudhunagar (TN),
Naupada (Odisha), Siddharthnagar (UP), Aurangabad (Bihar) and Koraput (Odisha) are the most
improved districts
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari lays foundation stone of 11 projects for Yamuna Rejuvenation under
Namami Gange Programme in New Delhi
Govt bans Khalistan Liberation Force for its involvement in several killings, bombings and other
terror activities during its violent campaign for “secession of Punjab”
Odisha: 26th National Children’s Science Congress being organised in Bhubaneswar on Dec 27-31
Assam: 12-days long Dwijing Festival begins on bank of Aye river at Chirang district
Prime Minister of Bhutan Lotay Tshering arrives in New Delhi on a three-day official visit to India
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
Fiscal deficit in the first 8 months of FY2018-19 at 115% of the budgeted target for the current
financial year
Indian Oil Corporation, ONGC and NTPC are top 3 most profitable PSUs; BSNL, Air India and MTNL
are 3 worst performing PSUs: Public Enterprises Survey 2017-18
bars online marketplaces (Amazon,PRAVEEN
Flipkart) from selling products of companies where they hold
GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
stakes
bars online marketplaces from entering into exclusive marketing arrangements that could influence
product prices
WORLD
Israeli parliament (Knesset) votes 102-2 to dissolve; hold fresh election on April 9
Martial Law lifted in Ukraine a month after Russia seized 3 of its naval ships in the Kerch Strait
US Citizen Colin O’Brady has become the first person to traverse Antarctica alone, “unsupported and
unaided”
China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), touted as a rival to the widely-used American
GPS, starts providing global services
Madagascar: Andry Rajoelina elected new President
SPORTS
Virat Kohli (1138) breaks Rahul Dravid’s record (1132) for most overseas test runs in a calendar year
INDIA
Cabinet approves submitting 2nd biennial report on greenhouse gas inventory to UNFCCC (United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change)
India announces to contribute Rs 4,500 crore to Bhutan’s 12th Five-Year Plan following talks
between PM Modi and his Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering in New Delhi
Kolkata: Postal stamp on Rosogolla inventor Nabin Chandra Das issued to mark 150th year of its
invention
Congress observes its 134th Foundation Day on December 28
Union Cabinet approves death penalty in aggravated sexual offences under the Protection of
Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act
Union Cabinet approves Gaganyaan project, India’s maiden human spaceflight programme under
which a 3-member team will be sent into space for at least 7 days
President inaugurates 12th Global Healthcare Summit organized by the American Association of
Physicians of Indian Origin in Mumbai
‘Yoga for All’, book written by Hansaji Yogendra, released at the centenary year celebrations of the
Yoga Institute, in Mumbai
launches booklet on cyber safety for school children
RBI ANNUAL REPORT
All 11 PSBs under PCA (prompt corrective action) framework have shown lower growth in gross

NPAs as against non-PCA banks

11 banks under PCA: Allahabad Bank, United Bank, Corporation Bank, IDBI Bank, UCO Bank, Bank of
India, Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Dena Bank and Bank
of Maharashtra
Gross non-performing assets ratio (GNPA) of banks rose to 11.2% in FY18; 14.6% for PSBs
The number of ATMs has declined marginally to 200,700 in FY18 from 200,800 in FY17
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
CCEA approves listing of six CPSEs on stock exchange through IPO and 1 to issue follow-on public
offer (FPO)
Govt doubles export incentive on onion under MEIS (Merchandise Exports from India Scheme) from
5% to 10%
Foreign exchange reserves increased by USD 167.2 million to USD 393.287 billion in the week to
December 21
WORLD
Veteran character actor Frank Adonis, best known for his roles in ‘Goodfellas’ and ‘Raging Bull’, dies
at 83
SPORTS PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
South Africa beat Pakistan by 6 wickets in 1st test at SuperSport Park in Centurion
INDIA
PM inaugurates the International Rice Research Institute’s South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC) in
Varanasi
PM lays foundation stone of Medical College, in Ghazipur, UP
PM releases commemorative postal stamp on Maharaja Suheldev in Ghazipur, UP
MP Govt. to create an Adhyatmik Vibhag (spiritual department) by merging several existing
departments
Rajasthan Govt. abolishes minimum education requirement to contest panchayat and municipal
elections
World War-II vintage bomb retrieved during dredging operations at the Kolkata Port
India submits its 6th national report (NR6) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
NR6 highlights the progress made by India in achieving the 12 National Biodiversity Targets (NBT)
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
Infibeam Avenues announces termination of its proposed deal to acquire Unicommerce, a subsidiary
of e-commerce company Snapdeal
WORLD
Yemen: Houthi rebels begin to pull out their forces from the port city of Al Hodeida under the recent
ceasefire agreement reached between the warring parties
Egypt: 2 Vietnamese tourists killed when their bus was hit by a bomb near Giza pyramids near Cairo
Israeli author Amos Oz dies at 79
Former Nigerian President Shehu Shagari dies at 93
SPORTS
UK: Former England captain Alastair Cook selected for knighthood in Queen’s New Year’s Honours
list
INDIA
3 islands in Andaman & Nicobar renamed: Ross Island as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island, Neil
Island as Shaheed Dweep and Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep
Andaman & Nicobar: PM visits Cellular Jail in Port Blair, attends function to mark 75th anniversary
of Hoisting of Tricolour on Indian soil by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
4 new Information Commissioners appointed in Central Information Commission: Yashwardhan

Kumar Sinha, Vanaja N. Sarna, Neeraj Kumar Gupta and Suresh Chandra
Padma Bhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke award-winning film director Mrinal Sen dies in Kolkata at 95
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launches 100 Ujjwala Sanitary Napkin units in Odisha
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
IndiGo becomes 1st domestic airline to have longer range Airbus A321neo plane in its fleet
WORLD
French Resistance hero Georges Loinger, who saved hundreds of Jewish children during World War
II, dies at 108
Indonesia: Volcano Mount Agung erupts on Bali Island
Bangladesh: Electronic voting machines used for the 1st time in general election
SPORTS
India (443/7 decl. and 106/8 decl.) beat Australia (151, 261) by 137 runs in 3rd Test at Melbourne, take
2-1 lead and retain Border-Gavaskar trophy
New Zealand (178, 585/4 decl.) beat Sri Lanka (104, 236) by 423 runs in 2nd test at Christchurch to
win series 1-0
December 16, 2018
NRTI: India’s first Railway University in Vadodara dedicated to Nation
On 15 December 2018, Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal has dedicated India’s first railway university
to the Nation in Vadodara. The Railway University will be first of its kind institution in the nation and the
third in the world after Russia and China.
It is named as the National Rail and Transportation Institution (NRTI).
It will be a deemed university which will offer professional courses in technology and management of
transportation networks.
The chairman of Railways Board Sh. Ashok Lohani has been named the Vice Chancellor of the
University
It will host visiting faculty from renowned institutions like XLRI School of Management and Indian
Business School, Hyderabad and others.
The National Rail and Transportation Institution (NRTI) started its operation on September 5 earlier this
year. The first batch of the university has already been shortlisted and consists of 103 students – 62 for
BSc in Transportation Technology and 41 in BBA in Transportation Management. Both the courses are the
flagship three-year programmes offered by the university.
The first batch of students has been awarded 50 per cent scholarship in the yearly course fee of Rs 75,000.
The actual annual fee of NRTI for one year is Rs 91,000, including all other charges.
There are plans to start Master Degree programmes from the academic session 2019-20 in Transportation
and Systems Design, Transport Systems Engineering, Transport Policy and Economics, and others.
The Railways Ministry has sanctioned Rs 421 crore for the NRTI and its curriculum development for the
next five years. A greenfield campus is also under development for the university. Indian Railways has
identified a 110-acre plot of land for the NRTI campus at Pipaliya village in Waghodiya Taluka, District
Vadodara
Shree Saini wins Miss India Worldwide, 2018
Indian-American Shree Saini has won Miss India Worldwide 2018 title at a pageant held in the Fords City
of New Jersey. Sakshi Sinha from Australia and Anusha Sareen from the United Kingdom were
respectively declared first and second runner-ups in the competition.
About Miss India Worldwide 2018
The won Miss India Worldwide pageant is organised by the New York-based India Festival Committee (IFC) which is
headed by Dharmatma Saran in New York City, USA. It is said to be the oldest and largest event for the Indian
Diaspora community. It draws contestants from India and from among members of the Indian Diaspora residing in
different countries.
It was the 27th edition of this annual global pageant for people of Indian origin. Girls of Indian-origin from

as many as 17 countries participated in this annual beauty pageant. India’s Mandeep Kaur Sandhu, who
hails from Haryana, was crowned as Mrs India Worldwide 2018. Jeya Priya Pandian from Malaysia and
Kavita Malhotra Pattani from the USA were declared as the first and second runner-ups of the Mrs India
Worldwide 2018 respectively. The next edition of the Miss India Worldwide competition will be held in
Mumbai in 2019
Foundation Stone of Institute of High-Altitude Medicinal Plants (IHAMP) laid in J&K
On December 15, 2018, the foundation stone of Institute of High-Altitude Medicinal Plants (IHAMP) was
laid by Union Ministers Jitendra Singh and Shripad Yesso Naik (Ayush Ministry).
Location & Functions
The Institute of High-Altitude Medicinal Plants will be located in Bhaderwah in Doda district of Jammu &
Kashmir. It will provide research in medicinal plants and promote cultivation of medicinal plants. The
institute will also provide employment and promote medicinal plant in foreign market.
Cost
The estimated cost of the construction of Institute of High-Altitude Medicinal Plants is Rs 100 crore.
Focus on Research
Institute of High-Altitude Medicinal Plants will be a pioneer in research on medicinal plants. It will help
the farmers in cultivation of medicinal plants in a scientific manner. Training and capacity-building in the
field of medicinal plants will also generate employment opportunity for youth in the region.
18th meeting of IRIGC-MTC held in New Delhi
The Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently met Russian Defence Minister General Sergei
Shoigu at the 18th meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical
Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) that was held in New Delhi.
Important Highlights of the 18th Meeting of IRIGC-MTC:
In the meeting, a wide range of issues were discussed regarding defence equipment, industry and
technological cooperation between India and Russia.
Issues related to after sales support and upgradation of military equipment of Russian origin were
also discussed.
Both the Ministers has expressed heir satisfaction at the progress in bilateral defence cooperation
between India and Russia.
Discussions took place on joint manufacturing projects in the meeting, including the Kamov-226T
helicopters, naval frigates and other projects related to land systems.
There was also an agreement from both the sides to take forward inter-governmental arrangements
to facilitate joint .manufacturing of spares for equipments of Russian origin in India, under the
‘Make in India’ scheme.
The existing IRIGC-MTC will be restructured to the IRIGC on Military and Military Technical
Cooperation. An agreement regarding this was signed by the two Defence Ministers.
About IRIGC-MTC:
Russia has been the most important arms supplier for India’s Defence forces. Both the countries have an
institutionalized structure to oversee all the issues of military-technical cooperation. The IRIGC is at the
top of this institutionalized structure. The India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military
Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) was set up in 2000. The First meeting of the IRIGC-MTC was held in
Moscow in 2001. The 19th IRIGC meeting is proposed to be held in Russia next year.
Factbox: Thoothukudi Sterlite Plant
Thoothukudi Sterlite Plant is the largest copper smelter plant in India, in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu which
is operated by Vedanta group. It started its operation in 1998 till 2018 when the plant was shut on the
orders of Tamil Nadu government in May 2018. The Tamil Nadu government gave closure order after
various violent protests from locals demanding the entire shutdown of the smelting plants which were
operational.
Thoothukudi Sterlite Plant Controversy:
The Thoothukudi Sterlite plant has been long-opposed by the local residents for polluting their

environment as well as causing a range of health problems and has been subject to several closures,
on grounds of violating environmental norms.
The people of Thoothukudi has been opposing for long for the closure of the plant. They blame the
plant for the pollution of their environment and for various health problems in the area.
The National Environmental Research Institute (NEERI) and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board
also found the evidence that the plant contaminated the groundwater, air and soil of the areas with
its effluents and also for the violation of the standards of operation.
In 2010, the Madras High Court ordered a shutdown of the Sterlite plant for the violation of
environmental regulations.
In April 2013, The Supreme Court struck down the Madras high court’s order. It put a fine on Sterlite
of Rs 100 crore for polluting the environment and for operation without the consent of TNPCB. The
plant soon reopened after this favourable order.
But in March 2013, The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board re-ordered a closure of the plant on
grounds of gas leakage, causing nausea and skin irritation among residents of the area.
There were renewed mass-protests in March and April 2018 against the company’s plans of
establishing a second smelting complex. The locals demanded the entire shutdown of the smelting
plants on the grounds of violating environmental regulations. The protests took a violent turn and
many people got killed.

On 28th May 2018, the Tamil Nadu government ordered for the permanent closure of Sterlite plant
in Thoothukudi.
The National Green Tribunal on 15th December 2018 had dismissed the state government’s order of May
2018 to shut down the plant permanently. Recently, the Tamil Nadu government has announced to
approach the Supreme Court challenging the National Green Tribunal (NGT)’s order allowing the
reopening of Vedanta’s Sterlite Copper plant in Thoothukudi.
Bhupesh Baghel to become the new CM of Chhattisgarh
Bhupesh Baghel, who is also the president of Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee, will be the new
chief minister of Chhattisgarh state. Bhupesh Baghel has been named as the leader of the Congress
Legislature Party (CLP) by the newly elected legislators in Raipur on 16th December 2018.
About Bhupesh Baghel:
Bhupesh Baghel is a politician from Chhattisgarh and belongs to Indian National Congress.
He is set to become the third chief minister of Chhattisgarh after the INC won the majority of seats
in Assembly elections held in November 2018.
The assembly constituency of Bhupesh Baghel is Patan in District Durg
2018 Assembly Elections in Chhattisgarh:
The Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly elections in 2018 took place to elect members of the Vidhan
Sabha (Legislative Assembly) of Chhattisgarh. The elections in Chhattisgarh were held in two
phases: the first phase of elections for 18 seats in South Chhattisgarh was held on 12 November 2018
and the second phase of elections for the remaining 72 took place on 20 November 2018
The elections were held for a total of 90 Assembly seats.
The Indian National Congress won 68 seats out of 90 seats winning the majority to form the
government.
The Bharatiya Janata Party could win only 15 seats.
The Incumbent Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Sh. Raman Singh resigned from his post on 11th
December 2018
Baghel will be sworn in as the chief minister of Chhattisgarh by Governor Anandiben Patel in a ceremony
in the state capital Raipur on 17th December 2018.
Factbox: Mekedatu Project
The tussle between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu on the issue of River Cauvery has got a new addition. The
proposal of Karnataka to build dam at Mekedatu is opposed fiercely by Tamil Nadu.

About the Project

The Government of Karnataka is planning to build a dam across river Cauvery near Mekedatu in
Ramanagara district.
The proposed capacity of dam is 48 TMC (thousand million cubic feet).
The objective of the dam is to supply drinking water to Bengaluru and recharge the groundwater
table in the region.
Why Tamil Nadu is opposing the project?
Tamil Nadu’s main argument is that the project violates the final award of the Cauvery River Water
Tribunal.
Tamil Nadu argues that the construction of the reservoir would result in impounding of the flows in
the intermediate catchment below the Krishnaraja Sagar and Kabini reservoirs, and Billigundulu in
the common border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu also suspects that with the proposed project Karnataka intends to extend the area under
irrigation.
Karnataka’s Arguments
Karnataka argues that Mekedatu project will not come in the way of releasing the stipulated
quantum of water to Tamil Nadu, nor will it be used for irrigation purposes.
Karnataka is willing to hold talks with Tamil
PRAVEEN GAUTAMNadu on this issue.
Karnataka has again made it clear that the reservoir is only for storing water meant to generate
electricity and provide drinking water to Bengaluru as well as its neighbouring areas.
The feasibility study of the dam is cleared by the Central Water Commission (CWC). The CWC has
conditioned that water supply to Tamil Nadu from Cauvery must not be hampered. Now Karnataka can go
ahead and prepare Detailed Project Report. The Government of Tamil Nadu had moved to Supreme Court
seeking to prohibit Karnataka from proceeding with its Detailed Project Report. Supreme Court has
refused to give the stay as of now.
SC Order on Appointment of DGPs
The Supreme Court has passed an interim order allowing the Punjab and Haryana DGPs to continue in
office till January 31. The Supreme Court was hearing the petition filed by the two states seeking
modification of the SC order which had made it mandatory for states and UTs to take the Union Public
Service Commission (UPSC) assistance in short listing the names of senior IPS officers for selection of
DGP.
SC Order on appointing DGP’s
In July 2018, Supreme Court had ordered all states and Union territories to stop appointing any
police officer as an acting Director General of Police (DGP) and gave a slew of directions to states and
UTs on police reforms.
As per the order of the Supreme Court, the states are now required to send names of senior police
officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for being considered as probable candidates
for the post of DGPs or police commissioners (as per applicability)
The UPSC would then prepare a list of three most suitable candidates out of the list of names sent by
states and UTs.
The states are free to appoint any one of them as the police chief.
It is mandatory for the states to send the list of senior police officers to the UPSC at least three
months prior to the retirement of the incumbent.
The UPSC would then form a committee and intimate the state concerned, which in turn will
immediately appoint one of the persons from among that list.
The Supreme Court granting liberty to states which already had laws on police appointments had
asked them to move before it, seeking modification of the order.
The Supreme Court had even directed the states to ensure that a reasonable period of service is left
before appointing DGPs.
Since the states of Punjab and Haryana their own laws for appointment of DGPs, they had approached the
Supreme Court for the modification of the order. The Supreme Court would take up this matter in January

2019.
Why the Supreme Court had interfered?
It was pointed before the Supreme Court that many states were appointing acting DGPs and then making
them permanent just before their superannuation to extend them the benefit of additional two-year
tenure. To curb this practice Supreme Court had directed all states and UTs not to appoint any police
officer as acting DGP and issued certain other directions on police reforms to check favoritism and
nepotism in appointments.
Fact Sheet: Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH)
The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH) is an alliance of more than 1000
organizations across 192 countries from the communities working in the arena of sexual, reproductive,
maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, as well as health influencing sectors. This Partnership
provides a platform for organizations to align their objectives, strategies and resources, and agree on
interventions to improve maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health.
The Partnership complements the work and accountability processes of its individual members, enabling
them to deliver more collectively than they would alone. This Partner-centric approach aids in mobilising,
engaging and empowering different implementing partners. The partnership also allows them to
coordinate their actions and activities, and encourages and promotes mutual accountability.
Mission of PMNCH PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
The mission of the PMNCH is to support the global health community to work successfully towards
achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly the health related SDGs as articulated
in the Strategy for Women’s Children’s and Adolescents’ Health in support of ‘Every Woman Every Child’
(EWEC) movement.
Working of the Mission
The programme of the PMNCH is framed around the objectives of the Global Strategy of Survive –
Thrive – Transform.
The programme includes four high-level plenaries that will focus on political leadership, multi-
sectoral action, accountability and power of partnership. Each high-level plenary will be followed by
six concurrent sessions which provide the opportunity for more detailed discussions to on Forum’s
key themes.
The programme presents and explores the findings of the success factor case studies that showcase
how countries are collaborating across sectors to improve women’s, children’s and adolescents’
health. These case studies will be published in a special Partners’ Forum edition of
the BMJ (originally called British Medical Journal) and disseminated widely.
The Partners’ Forum will showcase learning from across six regions of Africa, Eastern
Mediterranean, Europe, Americas, South East Asia and Western Pacific on six thematic areas:
Early Childhood Development (Germany & Chile);
Adolescent Health and Well-Being (USA & Indonesia);
Quality, Equity and Dignity (QED) in Services (India & Cambodia);
Sexual and Reproductive Health (Malawi & Malaysia) and;
Empowerment of Women, Girls and Communities (South Africa & Guatemala);
Humanitarian and Fragile Settings (Sierra Leone & Afghanistan)
Intensified Mission Indradhanush has been selected as one of the case studies under QED theme from
India.
PM Modi inaugurates Partners’ Forum 2018
The PM Modi inaugurated the fourth Partners’ Forum on 12th December at New Delhi. The Government
of India, in association with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) hosted a
two-day international conference. It was fourth in a series of global high-level multi-country, multi-
stakeholder events aimed at sustaining global momentum for issues related to health of women, children
and adolescents.
Government notifies Flight and Maritime Connectivity Rules, 2018
The Union Government has notified Flight and Maritime Connectivity Rules, 2018, thereby allowing phone

calls and internet on flights and ship voyage within India’s territory. The Indian and foreign airlines and
shipping companies that are operating in India can provide in-flight and maritime voice and data services
by partnering with an Indian telecom company having a valid licence. The rules regarding this will be
called as the Flight and Maritime Connectivity Rules, 2018.
About Flight and Maritime Connectivity Rules, 2018:
The IFMC i.e in-flight and maritime connectivity can be provided by the airlines and ships using
telecom networks on the ground as well as using satellites.
Both domestic and foreign satellites can be used for providing the IFMC services by a telecom
licence holder after taking permission of the Department of Space.
The rules make it clear that when the satellite system is used for providing IFMC, the telegraph
message need to pass through the satellite gateway earth station located within India. Such satellite
gateway earth stations shall be interconnected with the National Long Distance (NLD) or access
service or ISP licensee’s network for further delivery of the message.
The in-flight and maritime connectivity services will only be activated once the aircraft reaches a
minimum height of 3,000m in the Indian airspace. The objective of this is to avoid any interference
with terrestrial mobile networks.
The licences for IFMC will be grantedPRAVEEN
for GAUTAM
an annual fee of Rs. 1 for a period of 10 years.
The permit holder will have to pay licence fees and spectrum charges depending upon the revenue
earned from providing services.
It is to be noted that even with all the rules notified, it would take time for the airlines to upgrade their
systems to provide IFMC services.
47th Anniversary of Vijay Diwas celebrated
India celebrated Vijay Diwas on 16th December 2018 marking the 47th anniversary of its victory over
Pakistan in the 1971 war. On this occasion, the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman along with the heads
of the three armed forces paid tributes to the martyrs at Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate in New Delhi.
About Vijay Diwas:
Vijay Diwas, also called as Victory Day, is celebrated on every 16th December in India.
It marks the victory of Indian armed forces over Pakistan in the war of Independence of Bangladesh
from Pakistan in 1971.
At the end of the 1971 war, the Pakistani Army unilaterally and unconditionally surrendered
resulting in the independence of East Pakistan, which was called as Bangladesh.
On this day in 1971, the chief of the Pakistani forces along with 93,000 troops, surrendered to the
allied forces consists of Indian Army and Mukti Bahini in Dhaka after they got defeated in the war.
On the anniversary of Vijay Divas, respect and tributes are paid to the martyrs who laid down their
lives for their country.
Every year on Vijay Diwas, the Indian Defence Minister along with heads of armed forces of
India pay their tributes to the martyrs at Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate in New Delhi and also
at the National Military Memorial, Bangalore.
On Vijay Diwas, every year, Citizens, senior officials, students & war veterans pay their homage and
remember the sacrifices of the soldiers.
Ranil Wickremesinghe sworn-in as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
On 16th December 2018, Ranil Wickremesinghe has once again become the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
after the end of the weeks-long political crisis in the island nation.
On 26th October 2018, Mr. Ranil Wickremsing was ousted as Prime minister of Sri Lanka. He was
replaced by Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister. Mr. Rajapaksa resigned on 15th October 2018 after
he failed to prove majority in the Sri Lankan Parliament. Ranil Wickremesinghe has been sworn in as the
Prime minister for the fifth time which is a record in Sri Lanka.
About Ranil Wickremesinghe:
Ranil Wickremesinghe is a Sri Lankan politician and the incumbent Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.
He belongs to United National Party and has served as its leader since 1994.

He got elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for the first time in 1977 from Colombo District.
Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in the J. R.
Jayewardene government.
He also became the youngest cabinet minister of Sri Lanka after he was promoted to the post of
Minister of Youth Affairs and Employment.
Ranil Wickremesinghe has also been the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 1993 to 1994 and 2001 to
2004.
After the assassination of Gamini Dissanayake, during the 1994 presidential election
campaign, Wickremesinghe was appointed the party leader of the United National Party in
November 1994.
Maithripala Sirisena defeated Mahinda Rajapaksa in the 2015 presidential elections of Sri Lanka.
Following which, on 8th January 2015, Wickremesinghe was appointed as prime minister by
Sirisena.
In the 2015 parliamentary elections of Sri Lanka, Wickremesinghe’s coalition alliance, called as the United
National Front for Good Governance, won 106 seats. Although it did not attain an outright majority,
Wickremesinghe got re-elected as Sri Lankan Prime Minister as over 35 MPs from the Sri Lanka Freedom
Party joined his cabinet. PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
December 17, 2018

Belgium wins Hockey World Cup 2018 Title
Belgium Hockey team won their first ever Word cup title on 16th December 2018 after they defeated The
Netherlands in sudden death. Belgium, which also won a silver medal in Rio Olympics 2016, made history
by beating the opponents by 3-2 in the penalty shoot-out after finals ended without any goal.
Belgium hockey team registered its second biggest international title after winning a silver medal in Rio
Olympics silver in 2016 and ending up second in the 2017 Euro Hockey Championships.
About Hockey World Cup 2018:
The Hockey World Cup 2018 was held at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha from 28
November to 16 December 2018.
It was the 14th edition of the cup.
Belgium finished first, while the Netherlands and Australia finished second and third respectively.
Australia defeated England by 8-1 to secure third place.
Belgium came fifth in the last edition of the Hockey World Cup which was played at The Hague in
the Netherlands.
India came at sixth place in the Hockey World Cup 2018.
Arthur Van Doren, the Belgian Hockey player, was awarded as the Best Player of the Hockey World
Cup 2018 tournament.
Australia’s Blake Govers and Belgium’s Alexander Hendrickx scored most number of goals (7) in the
tournament.
Primin Blaak was the goalkeeper of the tournament and team of Spain was given Fair Play award.
The mascot for Hockey World Cup 2018: Turtle ‘Olly’ was the official mascot for the Hockey World Cup
2018 cup. ‘Olly’ mascot of the Hockey World Cup 2018 represents the Olive Ridley turtles which are an
endangered species. Olive Ridley turtles swim thousands of miles in the ocean to arrive for their annual
nesting on Odisha’s Rushikulya and Gahirmatha beaches every year. Olly was also the mascot for Asian
Athletics Championships that took place in India in 2017.
PV Sindhu wins maiden BWF World Tour Title
PV Sindhu, the 2016 Rio Olympic silver medallist, created history on 16th December 2018 as she became
the first Indian to win the BWF World Tour Finals. She defeated Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara, the 2017 world
champion, by 21-19 21-17 in the final match that lasted for an hour and two minutes. Earlier, Sindhu
defeated Ratchanok by 21-16, 25-23 in the semi-finals to enter the finals of the season-ending BWF World
Tour tournament.

About 2018 BWF World Tour:

The BWF World Tour Finals is an annual badminton competition that takes place at the end of every
year. The badminton players having most points from all the events of the BWF World Tour in that
calendar year compete with each other in this tournament.
It was held from 12th to 16th December 2018 in Tianhe, Guangzhou, China. The total prize of the
tournament was $1,500,000.
Shi Yuqi of China won the Men’s Singles title defeating Kento Momota of Japan by 21-12, 21-11.
Li Junhui & Liu Yuchen (China) beat Hiroyuki Endo & Yuta Watanabe by 21-15, 21-11 to win the Men’s
Doubles title final match.
In the Women’s Doubles final match, Misaki Matsutomo & Ayaka Takahashi (Japan) defeated Lee So-
hee & Shin Seung-chan (South Korea) by 21-12, 22-20.
Wang Yilü & Huang Dongping (China) defeated Zheng Siwei & Huang Yaqiong (China)by 23-21,
16-21, 21-18 to win Mixed Doubles final match.
This win was Sindhu’s 14th title in her career but it was the first title for her in 2018. P V Sindhu won the
silver medal at the World Championships 2018, Thailand Open 2018, Asian Games 2018, Commonwealth
Games 2018 and India Open held this year.
Catriona Gray from Philippines wins Miss Universe 2018 Title
Catriona Elisa Gray from the Philippines was crowned as the Miss Universe 2018, beating 93 contestants
from other countries. She was crowned by Demi Leigh Nel-Peters from South Africa, the Miss Universe
2017 title winner.
India was represented by Nehal Chudasama in the beauty pageant. Nehal Chudasama failed to enter the
final 20 of the Miss Universe 2018 competition. After Lara Dutta had won the crown in 2000, no Indian
contestant has been able to win the Miss Universe title in all these 18 years.
About Miss Universe 2018:
Tamaryn Green from South Africa and Sthefany Guterrez from Venezuela were the first runner-up
and second runner-up at Miss Universe 2018 competition.
Spain’s Angela Ponce created history as the first transgender woman to participate in the Miss
Universe beauty pageant.
The event was hosted by Emmy Award-winning comedian Steve Harvey.
Miss universe 2018 Catriona Elisa Gray has a Master Certificate in Music Theory. She also works as
an HIV/AIDS advocate and volunteers at an NGO as a teacher’s assistant.
The countries of Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia participated for the first time in the Miss
Universe competition.
This was the 67th edition of the Miss Universe pageant. Miss Universe 2018 was held at in Nonthaburi
Province, Thailand on 17th December 2018. For the first time, the competition was judged by an all-
women jury. Total 94 countries participated in the competition.
Joshna Chinappa wins National Squash Women’s Singles Title
Joshna Chinappa won the National Squash Women’s Singles title after she defeated Urwashi Joshi in the
final match of the competition by 9-11, 11-1, 11-6, 11-5. It was her 16th National title and with this win, she
has equalled the record of Bhuvaneshwari Kumari of winning 16 titles.
About Joshna Chinappa
Joshna Chinappa is the first Indian squash player to win the British Squash Championship in 2003.
She won this title in the under 19 category
She is also the youngest Indian women’s national Squash champion.
Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal Karthik won the squash women’s doubles gold medal in 2014 at
the Commonwealth Games. It was India’s first ever medal in squash at the Commonwealth Games.
Mahesh Mangaonkar defeated Vikram Malhotra in the final match by 11-4, 13-15, 11-2, 5-11, 15-13to win
Men’s Singles title. It was the 75th edition of the championship. This is the maiden title for Mahesh
Mangaonkar. The entire tournament was held in Noida.
Squash in India

Squash is a ball sport played by two or four players in a four-walled court with hollow rubber ball. In India,
the game is not very popular but picking up gradually. The Squash Rackets Federation of India is India’s
squash governing body. Currently, most popular squash players in India are Joshna Chinappa and Dipika
Pallikal. Dipika was the first Indian woman to break into the top 10 in the Women’s Squash Association
rankings.
NITI Aayog organised Women Transforming India Awards 2018
15 women entrepreneurs were given awards at the recently concluded Women Transforming India
Awards 2018 in New Delhi. The Women Transforming India Awards are organised by NITI Aayog. It was
the 3rd edition of these awards.
Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, the vice-president of India, was the chief guest on this occasion. He also launched
the upgraded version of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform web portal at the event. Shri M. Venkaiah
Naidu lauded the effort of the NITI Aayog for creating Women Entrepreneurship Platform 2.0 and placing
gender equality at the centre of its policy decisions.
About Women Entrepreneurship Platform:
The primary objective of Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) is to promote and support both
established and aspiring Indian women entrepreneurs. This platform has been set up by NITI Aayog.
Women Entrepreneurship Platform is the first of its kind unified access platform that allows the
partner organizations to provide various support services to Indian women entrepreneurs.
It aims to transform the entrepreneurial ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in the country.
It seeks to become a one-stop resource centre for Indian women entrepreneurs.
It also provides for meeting and working in collaboration of several stakeholders in the
entrepreneurial space on a single platform
Many organisations such as Google, UN India Business Forum, CRISIL, SIDBI, NIC, NASSCOM, WEE
Foundation, SEWA bank, MannDeshi Foundation etc. are the partners in the Women
Entrepreneurship Platform.
About Women Transforming India Awards:
These awards are given to recognise and celebrate stories of exemplary women from all over India.
The theme for WTI Awards 2018: “Women and Entrepreneurship”.
WTI Awards 2018 received over 2300 nominations this year. 15 winners were chosen from various sectors
such as Renewable Energy, Education, Art and Culture, Social Innovation and Impact, Sanitation and
others for these awards.
Mount Soputan Volcano erupts on Sulawesi Island of Indonesia
Central Indonesia’s Mount Soputan volcano erupted on 16th December 2018, sending ash about 7.5 km
high in the sky. Mount Soputan erupted twice on the same day, forcing local residents to move to safer
places. Mount Soputan volcano is one of the most active volcanoes of Indonesia. it is located on the
Sulawesi island in Indonesia.
Indonesia has around 129 active volcanoes and Mount Soputan is one of 1them. The country of Indonesia
is an archipelago which is highly prone to earthquakes and volcanoes as it is located on the “the Pacific
Ring of Fire”. The most active volcanoes of Indonesia are Kelud and Merapi. Both these volcanoes are
located on the Java island of Indonesia and have claimed the lives of many people in the region.

About the Pacific Ring of Fire

The Ring of Fire is a major area in the Pacific Ocean, approx 25000 miles, where about 75% of the world’s
volcanoes are located. The Ring-of-Fire is also called as the Circum-Pacific Belt. Many major and minor tectonic
plates such as the Eurasian, North American, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, Caribbean, Nazca, Antarctic, Indian, Australian,
Philippine, and other smaller plates meet at the Ring of Fire. The movement of these tectonic plates leads to volcanic
eruptions, earthquakes and formation of deep trenches in the ocean. The Mariana trench which is the deepest ocean
trench is also located in the Ring-of-Fire.
Fact Sheet: Indian Navy’s IFC-IOR

The Indian government will soon inaugurate the information fusion centre (IFC) to boost the maritime
security and Information exchange in the for the Indian Ocean Region(IOR).
The Information Fusion Centre (IFC) for the Indian Ocean Region will be set up by the Indian Navy at the
Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) in Gurugram, Haryana.
About Indian Navy’s IFC-IOR:
Indian Navy’s IFC-IOR will share information on “white shipping”, or commercial shipping with the
countries in the region to improve maritime security and tackling piracy and terrorism in the Indian
Ocean. It aims to become a maritime information hub for the entire region.
Only those countries will be served by this centre that have signed White Shipping Information
Exchange agreements with India. Around 21 countries have such agreement with India till now.
The IFC will generate a seamless real-time picture of the nearly 7,500-km coastline of India by
linking all the coastal radar chains.
The entire Indian Ocean region will be benefited by mutual collaboration and exchange of
information through the setting up of IFC-IOR.
it will help in understanding the major concerns and threats prevalent in the Indian Ocean region.
India has also signed the ascension agreement to the Trans Regional Maritime Network (T-RMN). T-RMN
will allow information exchange on the movement of commercial ships on the high seas. The T-RMN
agreement is being steered by Italy.
The information about the commercial ships is available primarily through the Automatic Identification
System (AIS) fitted on merchant ships. It Automatic Identification System (AIS) chips have been made
mandatory by the International Maritime Organisation for ships with more than 300 gross registered
tonnage. These AIS chips contain information like name, MMSI number, position, course, speed, last port
visited, destination and other vital data. The various AIS sensors read the information from these AIS
chips and obtain the information.
Fact Sheet: India-Vietnam Defence Cooperation
Both India and Vietnam attach great importance to defence cooperation. India is one of only three
countries with whom Vietnam has a comprehensive strategic partnership. Defence ties between India and

Vietnam are guided by the “Common Vision on Defense Ties 2015-20”.

Common Vision on Defense Ties
In 2005, India and Vietnam have signed a Joint Vision Statement on defence cooperation for
2015-2020. The five year Joint Vision statement builds on the earlier mechanisms of cooperation and
processes between the two nations for elevating the defence and security relationship. The Joint Vision
statement has given further impetus to the India-Vietnam’s expanding defence and strategic ties. Even
though progress has been made toward the vision’s objectives related to joint training and cybersecurity
cooperation, substantive weapon sales from India to Vietnam remain unrealized. India has been trying to
hasten the matter of weapons transfers to Vietnam via high-level exchanges that seek to address
Vietnamese concerns.
Strengthening Defence Cooperation
India is eager to contribute to the deterrent potential of a Vietnam with whom it has significant
geopolitical congruence. India also aims at building up its own position as a supplier in the Asian arms
market simultaneously. Following steps have been initiated by India in this regard:
India has offered a $500 million line of credit (LoC) for defence purchases.
India has also offered Akash surface-to-air missile (SAM), which has a range of 27 kilometers and can
achieve speeds in excess of Mach 2. Since Akash has more than 90% indigenous content India can
transfer this weapon system to VietnamPRAVEEN without taking into
GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com | consideration the views of a third party
like Russia, which co-developed the BrahMos.
India’s Bharat Electronics (BEL), opened its first-ever representative office in Hanoi with the
objective of marketing the company’s weapons systems, radar systems, naval systems, military
communication systems, electronic warfare (EW) systems, combat management systems and coastal
surveillance systems.
Cooperation in the sphere of cyber security is epitomized by the Army Software Park in Nha Trang,
which is being built with Indian financial support to the tune of $5 million.
Both India and Vietnam are also looking at the proposal under which India would train Vietnam
People’s Air Force (VPAF) pilots on their Su-30 MK2Vs which are similar to the Su-30 MKIs operated
by the IAF. The cooperation aims at increasing Vietnam’s ability to fight, if deterrence were to break
down.
The Indian Navy has been training Vietnamese sailors to operate the Vietnamese People’s Navy’s
(VPN’s) Kilo-class submarines at Visakhapatnam since 2013.
An order for building 10 high-speed patrol vessels for the Vietnamese Border Guards is being
executed by India’s Larsen & Toubro under the aegis of a $100 million LoC extended by India.
India is also a front runner for upgrading two Vietnamese Petya-class frigates for which it had
supplied spares in the past.
India hopes that persistent efforts will bear fruit in the near future. Hopes are particularly high because
the coming into effect of the U.S. Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) has
made the Vietnamese both wary of depending too much on the Russians or switching over to the
Americans as a supplier.
It is said that Indian capacity building assistance to Vietnam as a symmetric response to China’s close
military relationship with Pakistan. China is making intermittent noises about the India-Vietnam defense
relationship. But the India- Vietnam defence cooperation is not centered on China even though it provides
an added advantage of containing China.
COP24 IN KATOWICE: Main Outcomes
The 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference that took place between 2 and 15 December 2018 in
Katowice, Poland, is the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (COP24). It is also referred to as the Katowice Climate Change Conference or Katowice
Climate Talks. The most important outcome of COP24 was that the countries have agreed on rules for the
implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Main Outcomes of COP 24 in Katowice:
The participating nations agreed on the rules to implement the Paris Agreement that will come into

effect in 2020. The rules are regarding how the member nations will measure the carbon-emissions
and report on their emissions-cutting efforts. This ‘rulebook’ can be called as the detailed “operating
manual” of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
The members of the conference did not agree to “welcome” the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) report on 1.5°C. The US, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait refused to “welcome” the
IPCC report.
The parties to the conference agreed to record the pledges in a public registry, as per the existing
interim portal. The public registry will continue to include a search function, although many
attempts have been made to get it deleted.
It was also agreed among the members that future pledges should cover a “common timeframe”
from 2031. The number of years for the timeframe will be decided later.
Many difficult matters could not reach an agreement and have been postponed to next year for resolution.
This includes questions such as ways to scale up existing commitments on emission reduction, different
ways of providing financial aid to the poor nations, wording that prevents double counting and whether
member nations are doing enough to cut their respective emissions.
Lok Sabha passes Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016
The Lok Sabha has passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016, which seeks to
empower the transgender community in the country by providing them a separate identity. The bill which
was introduced in the parliament two years ago has been passed with 27 amendments.
The primary objective of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016, is to define
transgenders and prohibit discrimination against the transgender community.
Main Highlights of the Bill
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016 Bill defines a transgender person as one
who is partly female or male; or a combination of female and male; or neither female nor male.
Additionally, the bill states that the person’s gender must not match the assigned gender at birth.
Every transgender person in the country must obtain an identity certificate which will be used as
the proof of recognition of identity as a transgender person and to avail all the rights under the Bill.
The identity certificate would be granted by the District Magistrate on the recommendation of a
Screening Committee.
The screening committee for recommending the certificate would comprise a medical officer, a
psychologist or psychiatrist, a district welfare officer, a government official, and a transgender
person.
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016 prohibits discriminating with transgender
people in education, employment, healthcare and other areas
The Bill directs the central and state governments for providing welfare schemes to the
Transgender community in these areas.
The Bill also provides for the punishment of up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine for offences
like compelling a transgender person to beg, denial of access to a public place, physical and sexual
abuse, etc.
The Supreme Court in its recent judgement has held that the right to self-identification of gender is part
of the right to dignity and autonomy and comes under Article 21 of the Constitution. However, it is
important to adopt an objective criteria to determine one’s gender in order to become eligible for
entitlements.
December 18, 2018
Merriam-Webster selects ‘Justice’ as its 2018 Word of the Year
Merriam-Webster has declared ‘Justice’ as the 2018 Word Of The Year. As per Merriam-Webster says, the
word ‘Justice’ is used in many phrases like racial justice, social justice and obstruction of justice.
About Merriam-Webster:
Merriam-Webster is a US company famous for its dictionaries and also known for reference books
that it publishes.
It was founded by George and Charles Merriam in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1828.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. acquired Merriam-Webster in 1964 as its subsidiary company.

Every year Merriam-Webster, the American dictionary-publishing company, publishes the list of Words
of the Year. The ‘List of Words of the Year’ contains the ten English language words of the year. The
company started publishing the list in 2003 and have been publishing at the end of every year since then.
Initially, the company chose the words based on popular searches on its website. Since 2006, the words in
the list are selected by an online poll and by suggestions from readers.
The words selected by Merriam Webster are usually a reflection of the events that take place during that
year. For example, the Word of the Year for 2005 was ‘Integrity’, which showed the immense interest that
general public had in defining this word amid all the ethics scandals and controversies in the US
government, corporations, and sports. The Word of the Year for 2016 was ‘Surreal’ and for 2017 was
‘Feminism’.
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) extended to all poor households
The central Government has decided to extend the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) to all poor
households in the country.
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) is the government’s flagship programme to provide free cooking
gas (LPG) connections. The PMUY scheme targets to reach out to provide free LPG connections to 80
million families by 2020.
With the expansion of the PMUY scheme, all the poor households can avail the benefit from PMUY and it
will not be mandatory to be part of the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) list or the seven identified
categories under the programme to be eligible for the scheme.
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched in May 2016. The initial target set for the scheme
was to provide 50 million LPG connections to below poverty line (BPL) families by 2019, by giving financial
assistance of Rs 1600 per family. Till now, Under PMUY schemes 58.5 million connections have been given
across 715 districts. As per the government data, About 80 per cent of the beneficiaries come back for a
second refill and about 45 per cent take three or more refills annually. The government has also recently
launched LPG Panchayats to promote the PMUY scheme.
The vision behind the scheme: The successful implementation of the scheme will ensure universal
coverage of cooking gas in India, which will help in women empowerment and also will protect their
health. The time spent on cooking and drudgery will reduce. Additionally, it will also generate
employment for youth in the rural areas in the supply chain of LPG.
India to give USD 1.4 billion financial assistance to Madives
The Union government has decided to give USD 1.4 billion to the island nation of Maldives. This decision
came after Maldivian president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 3-
days visit to India.
This is Solih’s first foreign trip after he was sworn in as the President of Maldives in a ceremony on 17th
November 2018, which PM Modi had also attended.
Important Highlights of the Meeting:
The two countries have agreed to work for the stability of the Indian Ocean region.
Both the countries have reiterated their stands to not allow their respective territories to be used for
any activity inimical to their interests.
India and Maldives have agreed to coordinate patrolling and aerial surveillance, exchange of
information and capacity building for enhancement of the maritime security in the Indian Ocean
region.
The four agreements signed between India and Maldives will enhance cooperation in areas of
cultural, agri-business and information technology and will provide easy facilitation of visas.
Solih has committed to work closely with India and reaffirmed his government’s ‘India-First Policy’.
The Maldivian president supported India’s demand for a reformed UN Security Council and India’s
candidature for permanent membership of an expanded council.
Maldives has supported for India’s candidature for the non-permanent seat in the UN for 2020-21.
India and Maldives have agreed to work together for creating institutional linkages and also to

cooperate in the areas of health, mutual legal assistance on criminal matters, investment promotion
and tourism.
Both India and Maldives have agreed to increased cooperation in fight terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations in the Indian Ocean region and in the world.
India and Maldives have agreed to increase bilateral cooperation in the common areas of concern
such as piracy, terrorism, organised crime, drugs and human trafficking.
Both the leaders also stressed on promoting the exchange of goods and services, information, ideas,
culture and people between India and Maldives. The connectivity will be improved by the
establishment of enabling infrastructure.
India has complimented Maldives’ decision to re-join the Commonwealth. Also, PM Modi welcomed
Maldive’s decision to join the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) family.
Madhavi Divan appointed as the new Additional Solicitor General
The Union government has appointed advocate Madhavi Goradia Divan as the Additional Solicitor General
(ASG) in the government of India. She will hold office of ASG till 30 June, 2020 and will appear in the
Supreme Court on behalf of the government of India.
She is the third woman to hold the post of ASG. Senior advocate Indira Jaising was the first woman in
India to become ASG. Pinky Anand was the second woman and she still holds the post.
About Madhavi Divan: PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
Madhavi Divan began her legal career from the Bombay High Court.
She has represented the states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat in judicial proceedings.
She is married to Senior Advocate Shyam Divan, who recently appeared in the right to privacy
case as a lawyer for the petitioners.
She played a great role in getting Triple Talaq getting criminalised by the Supreme Court of India.
Also, she advocated against giving the death penalty by the courts for the rape of minor victims.
The Additional Solicitor General of India, also known as the ASG, is the third-ranked law-officer in the
Indian government. The post of ASG is not constitutional as the constitution does not have any provisions
regarding this. The seat of the Additional Solicitor-General of India may be at New Delhi or Mumbai or
Chennai or Allahabad as the Government of India specifies.
International Migrants Day 2018 observed on 18th December
The International Migrants Day 2018 observed on 18th December 2018 across the world. In accordance
with the Resolution 55/93 of the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA), the International Migrants Day
is observed every year on 18 December. The Resolution 55/93 was adopted by UN on 4th December 2000.
Also, Resolution 45/158 which is a resolution on the ‘International Convention on the Protection of the
Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families’ was adopted by the UNGA on 18th
December 1990.
On this day many intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in different countries
disseminate information on human rights and fundamental political freedoms of migrants among the
people. The design of actions for the protection of migrants and experiences of migrants are also shared
with the public. Making the voice of migrants heard is the main motive of celebrating this day.
The theme of International Migrants Day 2018 is “Migration with Dignity”. The reason for choosing this
theme is that around 3,400 migrants and refugees died worldwide in 2018. The United Nations have given
a call for migration that is safe, regular and dignified for everyone.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on this day stated that Migration is a powerful driver of economic
growth, that allows people to seek new opportunities. Migration benefits both the communities at the
origin and destination.
Indra Navy-18 Joint Exercise concluded between India and Russia
Indra Navy-18, a bilateral naval exercise, between India and Russia concluded on 16th December 2018. It
was a 4-day maritime exercise that took place in the Bay of Bengal.
INDRA NAVY or India – Russia Navy Exercise is being conducted since 2003. The first edition of
this exercise was conducted in May 2003 in India.

About Indra Navy 2018:

Ten warships from both sides participated in the Indra Navy 2018 exercise, which also included an
Indian Navy submarine.
The exercise included search, and seize drills, underway replenishment at sea drills, and anti-
submarine warfare drills along with other components.
The navies of India and Russia also conducted live-firings against aerial targets in the exercise.
The Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet flagship Varyag participated in Indra Navy 2018. Admiral
Panteleyev, which is an anti-submarine warfare ship, and Boris Butoma. which is a sea tanker, also
were included by Russia in the exercise.
INS Ranvir, INS Satpura, INS Kadmatt, IN Ships Kuthar and Khanjar and INS Jyoti participated from
Indian side.
The primary objective of Indra Navy exercise is to increase inter-operability amongst the navies of
India and Russia and exchange best practices.
India and Russia are major defence partners and India is also a major importer of Russian defence
equipments. Both the sides conduct regular exercises with each other. The last edition of Indra Navy took
place in 2016 in the Bay of Bengal. The main goal behind conducting of such bilateral military exercises
is the strengthening of friendly relations between the armed forces of India and Russia.
Tamil Nadu fishermen get NavIC-powered ISRO Gadgets
The Tamil Nadu government has distributed 200 NavIC- powered satellite-enabled communication
devices developed by ISRO to 80 fishing boat groups in Tamil Nadu. These gadgets will help the Tamil
Nadu fishermen to get cyclone and weather updates on a real-time basis.
These Tamil Nadu government rolled out these devices after Chief Minister K Palaniswami distributed the
gadgets to seven fishermen engaged in deep sea fishing in Chennai.
These gadgets, which are of the size of a soapbox, are basically ‘receivers’ which will produce a beep when
alerts are received by the device. These are Bluetooth enabled and the alerts received can be read on the
NavIC App which can be downloaded on an android phone. The alerts will be in the Tamil language so that
the fisherman find it easy to understand. These gadgets have been given free of cost and there is no
recurring cost associated with these devices.
What is NavIC?
NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) can be understood as the Indian version of the
American GPS (Global Positioning System).
The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System constellation consists of eight satellites.
NavIC provides accurate real-time position, navigation and timing services over India and region
extending 1,500 km around Indian borders.
Last year several fishermen went missing in the cyclone Ockhi and Tamil Nadu government had to face
severe criticism for not providing timely weather alerts to fishermen. For this reason, the Tamil Nadu
government had declared giving these gadgets free of cost to fishermen in this year’s state budget.
Kaiga Atomic Power Station creates world record for continuous operation for 941 days
The Kaiga Atomic Power Station of Karnataka has created a new world record, with one of its units
functioning continuously without any interruption for more than 940 days. The previous world record
was held by Unit 2 of Heysham of the United Kingdom. It operated without any interruption for 940 days.
About Kaiga Atomic Power Station:
Kaiga Atomic Power Station is a nuclear power generating station located at Kaiga in Karnataka,
India.
It is operated by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India.
The power plant has been functioning since March 2000.
The Kaiga power plant has four units of 220 MW each.
The total power generating capacity of Kaiga power plant is 880 MW
It is the third largest nuclear power plant in India. Tarapur (1400 MW) of Maharashtra is the largest
and Rawatbhata (1180 MW) of Rajatshan is the second largest power plant in India.
It supplies electricity to Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

The same unit of Kiaga Power plant had set a world record in October 2018 when it functioned non-stop
for 894 days. The record set by Kaiga power plant is a record for all kinds of units in the world which
generate nuclear power, including advanced gas-based reactors.
Famous classical singer Pandit Arun Bhaduri passed away
Famous classical singer Pandit Arun Bhaduri passed away on 17th December 2018 at the age of 75, after a
prolonged illness. He is survived by his wife and son.
Pandit Bhaduri had been suffering for quite some time from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and
other ailments.
About Pandit Arun Bhaduri:
Pandit Arun Bhaduri was born on 7th October 1943 in Murshidabad, West Bengal.
He was a Hindustani Classical Music and Semi-Classical Music Vocalist, initially tutored by
Mohammed A. Daud Khan.
Pandit Arun Bhaduri was an exponent on Kirana and Rampur Gharana.
He was famous for fusing all these styles beautifully to create his own inimitable style.
He also used to sing Bengali songs and Bhajans.
In 2014, he was awarded Banga Bibhushan Samman. He also won many other awards.
He had served as a guru teacher at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy.
Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee expressed grief over the sudden death of Pandit Bhaduri.
She conveyed her condolences to the family members, friends and followers of Pandit Arun Bhaduri.
December 19, 2018
India ranked 108th in WEF’s Gender Gap Index
India has come at 108th position in the recently released Gender Gap Index 2018 by World Economic
Forum. India was ranked at the same position in 2017 rankings as well.
The Global Gender Gap Report is published annually by the World Economic Forum since 2006. The
Global Gender Gap Index is an index that measures gender equality across four key pillars which are
economic opportunity, political empowerment, educational attainment, and health and survival.
Iceland has been ranked as number 1 in the WEF’s Gender Gap Index for the 10th consecutive year. It has
been able to close about 85.8 percent of its overall gender gap. Norway (83.5 percent) came at the second
spot, Sweden (82.2 percent) at the third, and Finland (82.1 percent) claimed the 4th spot in the rankings.
Other countries in Top 10: Nicaragua at 5th, Rwanda at 6th, New Zealand at 7th, the Philippines at 8th,
Ireland at 9th and Namibia at 10th.
About India in the Gender Gap Index 2018:
India has improved in wage equality for similar work subindex of the Gender Gap Index 2018.
It has been able to fully close the tertiary education gender gap for the very first time.
India has been ranked 142nd in the economic opportunity and participation subindex out of total 149
countries.
As per WEF report, India needs to get more women into senior and professional roles to make more
improvement in the rankings.
India widened the gap in health and survival subindex. It continues to rank third-lowest in this
subindex in the world. It has made the least improvement in this parameter in the last 10 years.
India has closed 66 percent of its Gender Gap and is slightly ahead of the South-Asian region. South
Asian region was ranked second-lowest in the index having closed only 65 per cent of its gender gap.
The world has closed 68 percent of its gender gap as per the Gender Gap Index report. At the current
speed, it will take about 108 years to close the overall gender gap in the world. And after 202 years there
will be parity in the workplace in the world at the current rate of change.
National Cancer Institute (NCI) opened in Jhajjar, Haryana
India’s largest Cancer Institute, National Cancer Institute (NCI), has opened on 18th December 2018 in
Jhajjar, Haryana for public services. The National Cancer Institute will be formally inaugurated in January
2019.
The National Cancer Institute has been established under a project of Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical
Sciences (AIIMS). Dr G.K. Rath, head of Institute Rotary Cancer hospital at All India Institute of Medical

Sciences in Delhi, will head the NCI.

About the National Cancer Institute:
The NCI is built at a cost of Rs 2,035 crore. Presently, NCI has a total of 710 beds out of which 200
beds have been dedicated for the treatment of cancer patients based on research protocols.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) will act as the nodal institution for all cancer-related activities
in India.
It will be linked to regional cancer centres and other cancer institutes of India.
The NCI will be the premier institute for cancer treatment and research. It is tasked to conduct basic
and applied research in areas like molecular biology, genomics, proteomics, cancer epidemiology,
radiation biology, cancer vaccines and more.
It will work towards evolving new cancer control strategies, which include new models of
prevention, early diagnosis and therapy, for the developing nations.
Development of human resource in various branches of cancer management is another area where
NCI will work.
NCI will also have the facilities for training and capacity building in cancer treatment.
The NCI will have equipment with advanced and latest technology to learn more about cancer.
NCI will assist other regional cancer centres in research activities.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) will help to take off some patient load from AIIMS which presently
receives about 1000 patients every day. Although the doctors have started OPDs in the NCI, the full
functioning of all the departments of the National Cancer Institute will commence in January 2019.
‘Shiksha Setu’ Mobile App launched by Haryana Government
Haryana Government has launched a mobile app named as ‘Shiksha Setu’ with an aim to help the students
of the state. The ‘Shikhsa Setu’ App will help in bringing transparency in the Education Department and in
the administration of colleges in the state. Also, the connectivity between students, parents, teachers and
administration will be improved through this mobile application.
About Shikha Setu Mobile App:
This mobile app will contain all the information related to attendance, fee, online admission and
scholarships in all the Haryana government colleges.
The details of lecturers of government colleges and officers of the Directorate can be accessed
through the mobile app.
The app will provide the students with instant information about assignments and updates of
important notices, circulars and other programmes.
There will be a facility of online fee-payment through the mobile app. The college administration will
be able to check details about total fee collected and pending fee payments.
The students can check the status of seats or course in every college in the state.
The details of scholarship, eligibility conditions and details of applying can be checked
As per the 2011 Census, Haryana has 76.64% literacy rate, having Male literacy rate of 85.4% and the
literacy rate of females stands at 66.8%.
Capital First merges with IDFC Bank to create IDFC First Bank
The IDFC Bank has merged completely with the non-banking financial company Capital First on 18th
December 2018 into a new entity to be called as IDFC First Bank. The merger between IDFC Bank and
Capital First was announced on 13th January 2018. The new bank i.e. IDFC First bank will have a loan asset
book of Rs 1.03 lakh crore.
V Vaidyanathan, who is the founder and chairman of Capital First Ltd, has been appointed as the
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the newly formed IDFC First bank.
About Non-Banking Financial Company(NBFC):
An NBFC is a financial institution that does not have a banking license but provides banking
services.
Operations of NBFCs are regulated under a country’s banking regulations but it is established under
the Companies Act, 1956.
The Reserve Bank of India regulates the NBFCs under Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.

NBFCs can provide loans and credit facilities, offer savings and investments products and can offer
money transfer services to the customers.
However NBFCs, unlike Banks, cannot accept demand deposits from customers.
NBFCs also are not a part of the country’s payment and settlement system. Therefore, they cannot
offer cheque facility to their customers.
IDFC Bank had made a deal with Shriram Group for a merger but the deal was called off as both the
entities could not agree on the share swap ratio.
CCEA approves setting up of Eklavya Model Residential Schools
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given its approval for the revamped Eklavya
Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) scheme. Under this, Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) will be
set up in every block where Scheduled Tribes population is more than 50% and has at least 20,000 tribal
persons.
A budget of Rs. 2,242 crore during 2018-19 and 2019-20 has been approved by the Cabinet Committee on
Economic Affairs (CCEA) for rolling out this scheme.
The EMRSs will be run by an Autonomous Society, on the lines of Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti. This society
will be under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
462 new Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) will be set up as 102 EMRSs are already running in
the country.The new scheme aims to improve the construction quality and provide better facilities for the
students. For this, the support of construction cost of EMRS has been enhanced from the current Rs. 12
crore to Rs. 20 crore.
About Eklavya Model Residential Schools:
Ekalavya Model Residential School (EMRS) is a central government scheme for setting up of model
residential schools for Scheduled Tribes all over India.
The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs runs the EMRS scheme in the country.
The EMRS scheme has an objective to increase the literacy level among the Tribals of India by imparting
quality education to children of Scheduled Tribes.
Postage Stamp on Rajkumar Shukla, associated with the Champaran Satyagraha, released
The Department of Post has issued a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Rajkumar Shukla in New Delhi
on 18th December 2018. The stamp was released as a tribute to the contribution made by Rajkumar Shukla
in the launch of Champaran Satyagraha in the year 1917.
About Rajkumar Shukla:
Raj Kumar Shukla was born on 23rd August 1875 in Satwaria village of Champaran in Bihar.
He a famous Indigo cultivator of Champaran and as he was a money lender as well.
He rose to fame for his close association with Gandhiji during the Champaran Satyagraha.
Raj Kumar Shukla convinced Mahatma Gandhi to visit Champaran, which was was a turning point in
India’s struggle for independence.
Earlier also, the Department of Posts had released a postage stamp in the year 2000 to
commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Pandit Raj Kumar Shukla.
The Department of Posts has been issuing postage stamps to honour and to pay a tribute to the important
personalities who made a great contribution to public life especially the freedom fighters of India. The
total number of such stamps released this year has reached 43 with the issuance of this postage stamp.
Minorities Rights Day observed on 18th December in India
India observed Minorities Rights Day on 18th December 2018. Every year on 18 December, this day is
observed to promote the rights of Minority communities in India. Also, the awareness creation about the
Minority Rights is the objective of celebrating this day as Minorities Rights Day.
Every state in India on this day focuses on the issues concerning minorities as well as their safety in the
state. Various seminars, campaigns and events are conducted on Minorities Rights Day.
Minorities in India:
The minorities in India include Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Zoroastrians (Parsis) and
Jains.
Minorities in India constitute about 19% of the total population.

J & K, Punjab, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Lakshadweep are the only states where any
notified minority is in majority.
The Ministry of Minority Affairs, which was established in 2006, is the apex body in the Union
government to carry out various welfare, regulatory and developmental programmes for the
minority communities.
A National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has also been set up under the National Commission
for Minorities Act, 1992.
The United Nations, on 18th December 1992, promulgated the “Declaration on the Rights of Persons
belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities” to discourage the countries to
discriminate amongst people worldwide on the basis of religion, language, nationality or ethnicity.
Fact Sheet: India-Zambia Relationship
Recently Vice President Venkaiah Naidu met Zambian Parliamentary delegation in New Delhi. He
welcomed Zambia as a member of the International Solar Alliance and hoped for early ratification of the
ISA Framework Agreement.
He also told the delegation that India would be happy to associate with the Zambian Parliament in the
training of its officials or any other specific areas.
India – Zambia Relationship
India and Zambia share friendly and PRAVEEN
warm relations with each other.
India was one of the first countries in the world which formally recognised Zambia after it became
independent in 1964.
India has supported Zambia’s economic and technological development through various
programmes.
In 2010, India had announced to extend lines of credit worth USD 75 million to Zambia for its
developmental needs.
Also, a grant of USD 5 million to Zambia for projects in health, education and social sectors were also
declared in 2010 by India.
India has included Zambia in its Duty Free, Quota Free (DFQF) regime for Zambian exports to India
as a Least Developed Country.
India also trains Zambian defence and civilian personnel under the Indian Technical and Economic
Cooperation Programme.
Zambia has supported India on various International Forums on various matters such as Jammu
and Kashmir, terrorism etc. Zambia also supported India when India conducted nuclear tests in
1998.
Zambia supports permanent membership for India in expanded and reformed UN Security Council.
The Indian Independence Movement has inspired Zambia’s independence movement.
In 2010, the Bilateral trade between India and Zambia was $200 million in 2010 which both the countries
aim to increase to $1 billion. Indian mainly exports pharmaceuticals, transport equipment, plastics and
chemical products to Zambia. India imports semi-precious stones, non-ferrous metals, ores (copper and
cobalt), semi-precious stones and raw cotton from Zambia.
December 20, 2018
Military Communication Satellite GSAT-7A successfully launched by ISRO
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the communication satellite GSAT-7A
on 19th December 2018 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
GSAT-7A weighing 2250 kg was launched using Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F11).
About GSAT-7A Satellite:
ISRO’s GSAT-7A satellite is the heaviest satellite (2250 kgs) with an indigenously developed
cryogenic stage that has been launched by GSLV.
GSAT-7A is a high-tech communication satellite having new technologies including a Gregorian
Antenna.
It is the 39th communication satellite of ISRO and will mainly be used for military applications.
Indian Air Force’s existing communication capabilities of satellites will be augmented with GSAT-7A

GSAT-7A will offer services to the users in Ku-band over the Indian region.
The launch of GSAT-7A was the 13th flight of GSLV-MkII and the seventh flight with an indigenously
developed cryogenic engine. GSAT-7A was lifted off by GSLV which is ISRO’s fourth generation launch
vehicle with three stages. The first stage consists of four liquid strap-ons and a solid rocket motor. The
second stage of GSLV has a high thrust engine using liquid fuel. The third and final stage of the GSLV is
the cryogenic upper stage.
USA pulls out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty
Russia has confirmed that the United States of America has decided to cancel the Intermediate-Range
Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty signed between Russian and the USA in 1987. The USA had already announced
the withdrawal decision from the INF treaty in October 2018.
About INF Treaty:
The INF Treaty was signed in 1987 between US President Ronald Reagan and USSR President
Mikhail Gorbachev.
The treaty aimed to end arms race between USA and USSR during cold war and to ensure some
strategic stability in Europe.
The INF treaty banned the development, testing and possession of short and medium-range ground-
launched nuclear missiles having ranger between 500-5,000 km.
Also, all the nuclear and conventional missiles, as well as their launchers, with ranges of 500–1,000
km or (short-range) and 1,000–5,500 km (intermediate-range) were banned under this treaty.

The Treaty proved to be a potent deterrent against any full-scale nuclear war in Europe.
Almost 3,000 existing weapons were dismantled and destroyed after the signing of this treaty.
Russia has warned to take retaliatory measures and to counter any aggression if its security gets
threatened after the US pulling out of the INF treaty.
Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 passed by Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha has passed Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2016 on 19th December 2018 to protect surrogacy in the
country. The bill has banned commercial surrogacy and allows only altruistic surrogacy. The bill protects
the rights of the surrogate mother and the child born from surrogacy and promotes ethical
surrogacy. Surrogacy is defined as an agreement between a couple who cannot conceive and a surrogate
mother to carry their child.
Provisions of Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2016:
The bill is applicable to all the states of India except Jammu and Kashmir.
The bill provides the constitution of National Surrogacy board and State Surrogacy board for
regulation of surrogacy process.
The bill is providing surrogacy to only Indian citizens. Thus, Foreigners, NRI and PIOs are not
allowed.
Homosexuals and Single parents are also not allowed for surrogacy and bars the couple who already
have children
The couple seeking surrogacy should possess a certificate of essentiality issued by appropriate
authority.
The bill provides that women can only surrogate once in her lifetime and her age should be in
between 25 to 35 years.
The couple who intend for surrogacy should be aged between 23 to 50 years and married for at least
5 years.
The bill also provides provision for the custody of the child to be born which will be passed by a
court of the Magistrate of the first class or above.
The bill contains the provision of penalty and imprisonment if the person violated the law.
National Surrogacy Board
The board consists of:
Chairperson – Minister in-charge of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Vice Chairperson – Secretary to the Government of India in-charge of Department dealing with
surrogacy matters.

Members – Three women members of Parliament, Three members of Ministries of Central

government from Women and Child Development, Legislative Department in Ministry of Law and
Justice and Ministry of Home Affairs not below the rank of Joint Secretary, Director-General of
Health Services of Central Government and ten experts members.
Background
The bill was first introduced in Lok Sabha as The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2016 on 21 November 2018. In
2017, it was then referred to Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare.
102nd report of the bill was placed in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha last year.
Commercial Surrogacy
The surrogacy which includes sale or purchase of human embryo or gametes or surrogate mother. If the
surrogate mother will be rewarded remunerations or financial benefits other than medical expenses.
Altruistic Surrogacy
The surrogacy which includes no financial benefits to the surrogate mother other than medical expenses.
It includes insurance coverage for the mother and protects the ethics of society.
State of Goa celebrates 57th Liberation Day
Goa celebrated the 57th Liberation Day on December 19, 1961 to mark getting independence from the 450-
years of Portuguese rule. Every year 19th December is celebrated by India as on this day Operation Vijay
was completed by the Indian Forces liberating Territories of Goa, Daman and Diu and the Anjadiv Island
and from the Portuguese rule.
About Operation Vijay:
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru ordered a military intervention for the liberation of Goa after all
the diplomatic talks failed with the Portuguese, thereby launching the Operation Vijay on 17th
December 1961.
Portuguese army was not well prepared to handle the attack of Indian armed forces.
The operation lasted for two days and was done minimal bloodshed.
The Portuguese Governor General Vassalo da Silva was coerced wto give up control of Goa with
which Goa finally became independent and a part of India.
Major-General K. P. Candeth was appointed as the military governor of Goa and kept directly under
the administration of the President of India.
Statehood of Goa:
The territory of Goa was formally integrated into the Indian Union after the parliament passed 12th
Amendment Act to the Constitution of India in 1963, giving the status of a Union Territory to Goa, Daman
and Diu.
There was a referendum held in 1967 in Goa to let people of Goa choose between continuing as a UT or
to merge with Maharashtra. This referendum, which is the only referendum to have been conducted in
independent India, is famously known as Goa Opinion Poll. People of Goa chose to continue as a UT.
On 30th May 1987, Goa was separated from Daman and Diu and became Indian Union’s 25th state. Daman
and Diu was kept as a union territory only in the Indian Union.
Strategy for New India@75: NITI Aayog Strategy Document to Make India $ 4 trillion Economy
The government think tank Niti Aayog has unveiled the Strategy for New India @ 75. This comprehensive
national strategy defines clear objectives for 2022-23. The strategy provides for a detailed exposition
across forty-one crucial areas. Together with the progress already made, the strategy identifies binding
constraints, and suggests the way forward for achieving the clearly stated objectives. The strategy was
prepared through wide consultations with all three groups of stakeholders, viz., business persons,
academics including scientists, and government officials.
Recommendations for New India @ 75
The strategy document with 41 chapters has been disaggregated under four sections, which are: Drivers,
Infrastructure, Inclusion and Governance. The major recommendations are outlined below:
Recommendations under Drivers:
The section of drivers focuses on the engines of economic performance with chapters on growth and
employment, doubling of farmers’ incomes; upgrading the science, technology and innovation eco-system;
and promoting sunrise sectors like fintech and tourism. The recommendations in this section include:

Accelerating the economy to achieve a GDP growth rate of about 8% on average during 2018-23. This
will increase the economy’s size in real terms from USD 2.7trillion in 2017-18 to nearly USD 4 trillion
byv2022-23.
Increasing the investment rate as measured by gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) from the
present 29% to 36% of GDP by 2022.
In agriculture, shift the focus for converting farmers to ‘agripreneurs’ by further expanding National
Agriculture Markets and replacing the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Act with the
Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing Act.
Encouraging ‘Zero Budget Natural Farming’ techniques that reduce costs, improve land quality and
increase farmers’ incomes. This has emerged as a tested method for putting environment carbon
back into the land.
Ensuring of maximum employment creation, codification of labour laws and undertaking massive
effort to upscale and expand apprenticeships.
Revamping minerals exploration and licensing policy by launching a new mission “Explore in India”.
Recommendations under Infrastructure:
The section on infrastructure deals with the physical foundations of growth which are crucial to
enhancing the competitiveness of Indian business as also ensuring the citizens’ ease of living. The
recommendations in this section include:
Expediting the establishment of the Rail Development Authority (RDA) which has been approved
already. RDA would aid railways to make informed decisions on an integrated, transparent and
dynamic pricing mechanism.
Doubling the share of freight transported by coastal shipping and inland waterways and providing
for viability gap funding until the infrastructure is fully developed.
Developing an IT-enabled platform for integrating different modes of transport and promoting
multi-modal and digitized mobility.
Completion of the Bharat Net programme in 2019. All 2.5 lakh gram panchayats to be digitally
connected. This would aid in delivering all government services at the state, district, and gram
panchayat level digitally by 2022-23.
Recommendations on Inclusion:
The section on Inclusion focuses on the urgent task of investing in the capabilities of all of India’s citizens.
This section has three themes which revolve around the dimensions of health, education and
mainstreaming of traditionally marginalized sections of the population. The recommendations in this
section include:
Successful implementation of the Ayushman Bharat programme by establishing 150,000 health and
wellness centres across the country, and rolling out the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan (PM-
JAY).
To create a focal point for public health at the central level with state counterparts and promoting
integrative medicine curriculum.
Upgradation of the quality of the school education system and skills, including the creation of a new
innovation ecosystem at the ground level by establishing at least 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs by
2020.
Conceptualizing an electronic national educational registry for tracking each child’s learning
outcomes.
Giving a huge push to affordable housing in urban areas to improve workers’ living conditions and
ensure equity while providing a strong impetus to economic growth as already done in rural areas.
Recommendations on Governance:
The section on governance focuses on how the governance structures can be streamlined and processes
optimized to achieve better developmental outcomes. The recommendations in this section include:
Implementing the recommendations of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission as a
prelude to appointing a successor for designing reforms in the changing context of emerging

technologies and growing complexity of the economy.

Setting up of a new autonomous body, viz., the Arbitration Council of India to grade arbitral
institutions and accredit arbitrators to make the arbitration process cost effective and speedy, and
to pre-empt the need for court intervention.
Addressing the backlog of pending cases by shifting part of workload out of regular court system.
Expand the scope of Swachh Bharat Mission to cover initiatives for landfills, plastic waste and
municipal waste and also generating wealth from waste.
The strategy India @ 75 is an attempt to bring innovation, technology, enterprise and efficient
management at the core of policy formulation and implementation. Successful Implementation would be a
tribute to the great warriors who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of India.
President’s rule comes into effect in Jammu & Kashmir
The state of Jammu and Kashmir has come under President’s rule from 20th December 2018 as
Governor’s rule in the state completed its six months. It implies that now all the policy decisions related to
Jammu and Kashmir will be taken by the Union Cabinet.
The state faced a political crisis when 25-member BJP withdrew its support from Mehbooba Mufti-led
coalition government, reducing it to a minority government in the state. Thereafter, the Governor’s rule
was imposed in the state.
In the case of Jammu and Kashmir, which has a separate Constitution, six months of Governor’s rule is
mandatory before President’s rule under Article 92 of its Constitution. All the legislative powers are
exercised by the Governor in case of Governor’s rule.
Now, after the proclamation for the President’s rule has been made, the legislative powers of the state
shall be exercised under the authority of Parliament. The Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers will
aid and advise the president regarding the decisions related to the state.
About President’s Rule:
Under Article 356 of the Indian Constitution,the Union government can take over the affairs of the
state government when state government is unable to function according to the constitutional
provisions. This is called as President’s rule in the state.
President’s Rule in a state can continue for 6 months.
It can be extended, with the approval of both the houses done every 6 months, for a maximum of 3
years
For President’s rule to continue over a year every 6 months following conditions should be met: 1. There
should already be a National emergency across the country, or in the whole or any part of the state. 2. The
Election Commission of India should certify that the conduct of elections is not possible in the concerned
state.
Charles Michel resigns as the Prime Minister of Belgium
Charles Michel has resigned from the post of the Prime Minister of Belgium on 19th December 2018. The
resignation came as his government was under immense pressure from the opposition over his
government’s support for the UN global compact on migration.
Charles Michel’s, who became the Prime Minister of Belgium in 2014, was the country’s youngest prime
minister since 1841. He belongs to the francophone liberal party Mouvement Réformateur (MR). His party
had earlier lost the support of their coalition partner nationalist New Flemish Alliance over his support for
a UN-backed migration deal. There were many angry protests and demonstrations that took place in
Brussels against this migration pact.
About UN Global Compact on Migration:
The negotiations for Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration started in 2016 after
the influx of over one million migrants into Europe.
In July 2018, all of the 193 members agreed to the UN pact on migration except the United States.
But, only 164 countries formally signed the UN migration deal in Marrakech on 10th December 2018.
The agreement commits the signatories to improve co-operation on international migration.
The agreement is not legally binding on the countries signing the pact and allows them to be in
charge of their own immigration policies.

The agreement stresses that all migrants should be given universal human rights. It seeks to do away with
all forms of discrimination against migrants and their families.
Efficiency gap in India’s power sector costs 4% of GDP: World Bank Report
The World Bank recently released a report titled ‘In the Dark: How Much Do Power Sector Distortions
Cost South Asia’. As per the report, Efficiency gap in India’s power sector costs the Indian economy 4%
every year, which equivalents to $86 billion in 2016FY.
Key Points of the Report:
The rural household’s income in India can be increased by $9.4 billion and business losses worth
USD 22.7 billion can be eliminated with 24 hours access to power supply.
There was a shortage of 14% in India in meeting coal demand in 2016FY.
The average output per labour shift at Coal India’s underground mines was less than one ton in
2016FY, which is very less in contrast to 25 tonnes in the United States. Also, out of total 1o
underground mines only one underground coal mine in India is mechanised.
As per the World Bank Report, Electricity subsidies provided by the government and inefficient
power generation, transmission, and distribution of the power play a major role in power shortages.
In 2016, around 20% of electricity generated was lost during transmission and distribution. This rate
is the highest loss rate in the world.
Industrial electricity tariffs become PRAVEEN
less GAUTAM
affordable and competitive due to power subsidies from to
households and farmers.

India provides subsidies on electricity for agriculture which has made India the world’s largest user
of groundwater. The consumption of groundwater has increased by 700% from 1950 to 2014.
Recommendations in the report:
The report recommends reforms in the electricity sector to restore market pricing and improve
efficiency. This will complement traditional investments to increase power supply and expand
access to reliable electricity.
Reliable access to electricity will have a positive impact on Gender Equality by increasing women’s
employment and girls’ study time. It will lead to lower use of kerosene lamps which would improve
health and the environment.
Coal allocation and delivery need to be more efficient and competition in coal and electricity supply
needs to be encouraged. Energy prices should be rationalised to reflect the actual cost of supply.
Incentives should be given for the promotion of more efficient power generation and delivery.
Social assistance should be provided to help people deal with higher energy prices.
India has made great progress in expanding access to power in recent years. However, many people still
lack access to electricity and power shortages harm the economy and consumer well-being. India was at
the 80th spot among 137 economies in the reliability of electricity supply as per the 2018 Global
Competitiveness Report.
December 21, 2018
‘Asiatic Lion Conservation Project’ launched by Government
The “Asiatic Lion Conservation Project” has been launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change(MoEFCC). The main objective of this project is to work for the conservation of the world’s
last ranging free Asiatic Lion population and the ecosystem associated with it.
The total budget of the “Asiatic Lion Conservation Project” for 3 years stands at about Rs. 9784 lakh. The
project will be funded under the ‘Development of Wildlife Habitat (CSS-DWH)’ scheme which is a Centrally
Sponsored Scheme. The cost will be borne in the 60:40 ratio by the Central and State government.
About Asiatic Lion
Asiatic Lions are listed as ‘Endangered’ under the IUCN Red List.
Its population is restricted to the state of Gujarat in India.
With serious conservation efforts of the State and the Union Government, the population of Asiatic
lions have increased to over 500 which used to be around 50 by late 1890s.
As per the 2015 census, there were a total of 523 Asiatic Lions in Gir Protected Area Network
The Gir Protected Area Network of Gujarat includes Gir National Park, Gir Sanctuary, Pania

Sanctuary, Mitiyala Sanctuary and adjoining forests. It has an area of 1648.79 sq. km.
The main activities under the ‘Asiatic Lion Conservation Project’ include habitat improvement of the
Lions, controlling of diseases among the population, scientific interventions and adequate veterinary care.
It will be supplemented with sufficient eco-development works ensuring a stable and viable Lion
population in India.
Harsh Vardhan Shringla appointed as India’s Ambassador to US
Shri Harsh Vardhan Shringla has been appointed as the Ambassador of India to the USA on 20th
December 2018. Presently, Mr. Shringla is serving as the High Commissioner to the People’s Republic of
Bangladesh and will take up the assignment soon. He will be succeeding Navtej Sarna as the ambassador
to the United States of America.
About Harsh Vardhan Shringla
Harsh Vardhan Shringla is a 1984-batch Indian Foreign Service diplomat.
His diplomatic career spans over 30 years in which he has held various positions in New Delhi and in
Indian missions in Paris, Hanoi and Tel Aviv.
Before being appointed as the ambassador to the US, he has served as the high commissioner in
Bangladesh, ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Thailand and Permanent Representative of India
to UNESCAP.
In the Ministry of External Affairs, hePRAVEEN
hasGAUTAM
headed the United Nations Political and SAARC Divisions.
Riva Ganguly Das, who is presently the Director General of Indian Council for Cultural Relations will take
the position of High Commissioner to Bangladesh.
DIPP announces States’ Startup Ranking 2018
The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
released the first ever States’ Startup Ranking 2018 on 20th December 2018 in New Delhi. As per Startup
Ranking 2018, the state of Gujarat is the best-performing state in the country for the Startups. Total 27
States and 3 UTs took part in this exercise.
The states have been ranked across various categories in the ranking which includes categories like Start-
up policy leaders, incubation hubs, seeding innovation, scaling innovation, regulatory change champions,
procurement leaders, communication champions, North-Eastern leader, and hill state leader. Gujarat’s
score was better than all other states in all the identified categories.
Results of States’ Startup Ranking 2018
Gujarat was ranked as the Best Performer
Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, and Rajasthan were judged as Top Performers.
Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana were ranked as Leaders.
Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal were ranked as Aspiring
Leaders.
Assam, Delhi, Goa, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand were
judged as Emerging States.
Chandigarh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim, and Tripura were ranked as
Beginners.
The primary objective of this ranking is to encourage States and UTS to work towards strengthening of
Startup ecosystems in their region. Also, it seeks to create a healthy competition among States and will
result in the promotion of Startup culture.
Lok Sabha passed the Consumer Protection Bill, 2018
The Lok Sabha has passed the Consumer Protection Bill, 2018 on 20th December 2018, which will replace
the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The Bill seeks to enforce consumer rights and to offer a mechanism
for complaint redressal related to the deficiencies in goods and services.
Key points about the Consumer Protection Bill, 2018
The Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions will be set up at District, State and National levels
as per the bill passed.
The District Commissions will have the mandate to hear complaints having claim worth one crore
rupees. In the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 this limit was 20 lakh rupees.

The limit of the Commissions’ at the State level enhanced from 1 crore rupees to 15 crore rupees.
Complaints above 15 crore rupees worth of claim will be settled by the National Commission.
The Consumer Protection Bill, 2018 has provisions for stringent punishments in the matters of food
adulterations.
The Bill has the provisions to protect those consumers who use new digital technologies likes e-
commerce and online shopping.
The Bill seeks to establish a central consumer protection authority (CCPA) which will be tasked with
promoting, protecting and enforcing consumer rights.
The main objective of the said bill is to protect of the interests of consumers and to provide effective
administration and timely settle consumer disputes. Now, the bill will move to Rajya Sabha for passage.
WV Raman appointed as the new coach of Women’s Cricket Team of India
BCCI has appointed W V Raman as Indian women’s cricket team coach on 20th December 2017. He was
preferred over South African cricketer Gary Kirsten for this position. Gary Kirsten, who is associated
with IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore, did not agree to give up his job with RCB which made the
selectors choose WV Raman as the coach of the Indian women cricket team.
About W V Raman
W V Raman Raman has played 11 Tests and 27 ODIs for India and is one of the most qualified coaches
in the nation. PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
He has coached Ranji Trophy sides like Tamil Nadu and Bengal and the Indian Under -19 cricket
team as well.
He was the first Indian to hit a century in South Africa during the 1992-93 tour.
Presently, Raman is serving as a batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shantha Rangaswamy were the members of the selection committee
of the coach for Indian women cricket team. Total 28 candidates had applied for the position. Former
coach Ramesh Powar, whose tenure ended last month amid many controversies, also had appeared for the
interview for this position.
US Federal Reserve raised lending rates to 2.5 per cent
The US Federal Reserve has raised the key interest rates to a range of 2.25 per cent to 2.5 per cent. This is
the 4th raise in the Federal Reserve’s rates this year and has reached the highest point since 2008. The
main implication of the raising of the interest rates would be an increase in the borrowing costs for
individuals and businesses.
The Fed has been raising the interest rates gradually as the US economy continues to strengthen. The Fed
began tightening of the credit about three years ago and the current hike is the Fed’s ninth hike since
then. But recently the US Federal Reserve has been considering slowing down or halting it’s hiking of the
rates due to factors like global economic slowdown, the trade war between USA and China, still-mild
inflation, fall in stock prices to avoid weakening the US economy too much.
Current Position of the US Economy:
Presently, the US economy is showing strength. The unemployment rate has gone down to 3.7 per cent
which is a 49-year low. Consumers are spending freely which is the main engine of the economy. The
economy has grown by about 3 per cent this year, which is the best growth rate of the US economy in
more than a decade.
But there are a set of challenges that the US economy is facing which includes Donald Trump’s
protectionism and Trade war, slowing down of China’s economy, and Brexit. It is feared that the US
economy might slow down in 2019 as the benefits of the stimulus fade away. The rise in US interest rates
has started weakening the loan-sensitive sectors of the economy such as housing, autos. Additionally, the
Fed has been gradually decreasing Treasury and mortgage bonds which is going to put more upward
pressure on the borrowing rates for consumers and businesses.
40 workers conferred Prime Minister Shram Awards 2017
The Union Government has announced to confer the Prime Minister’s Shram Awards 2017 to 40 workers
across country. These awardees have been selected among the workers of Departmental Undertakings &
Central and State Government PSUs and Private Sector companies having 500 or more workers.

About Prime Minister Shram Awards 2017:

This year, no one was awarded the prestigious Shram Ratna Award.
Three nominations were chosen for the Shram Bhushan Award which carries a cash prize of Rs.
1,00,000/- and a ‘Sanad’. Smt. Myneni Sharada from BEL, Shri B.B.V. Prasada Rao from Naval
Dockyard and Sh. Sudip Pachhal from Tata Steels have been selected under this category.
Twelve nominations were selected for the Shram Vir/Shram Veerangana which carries a cash prize
of Rs. 60,000/- and a ‘Sanad’.
Sixteen nominations have conferred the Shram Shree/Shram Devi Awards which carries a cash prize
of Rs. 40,000/- and a ‘Sanad’.
23 awardees are from the public sector and 17 awardees from the private sector.
The Prime Minister Shram Awards seeks to recognise the distinguished performances and innovative
abilities shown by the workers. Also, these awards honour their outstanding contribution in the field of
productivity and exhibition of exceptional courage and presence of mind.
Mamata Banerjee awarded the Skoch CM of the Year Award
The Chief Minister of West Bengal has been awarded the Skoch Chief Minister of the Year Award for the
year 2017. The award was given to Mamta Banerjee recognising her contribution in the overall
development of West Bengal as West Bengal emerged as the best-performing state in the field of
Governance. PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
West Bengal has won 31 Skoch Awards this year for its performance in different fields and for executing
unique projects. According to Skoch Group, Mamata Banerjee was chosen for the prestigious award
keeping in mind the West Bengal’s performance in governance, culture, finance, urban and rural
development
West Bengal’s Kanyashree has already earned much critical acclaim. The scheme also won the highest
public service award from the United Nations. Kanyashree scheme is a unique initiative of the West
Bengal government to improve the status and well being of girls belonging to socially and economically
backward families. It helps such families by conditional cash transfers to prevent the families from
arranging the marriage of girl child before 18 years of age because of some economic reasons.
West Bengal has also won the top Skoch Award for creating the maximum number of man-days and for
the maximum amount spent in paying people for their labour under the 100 days’ work scheme. The state
of West Bengal has also won the IPPAI Award for rural electrification in the state. The state has also been
conferred with five consecutive Krishi Karman awards in the field of Agriculture.
The Skoch Group is a think tank since 1997 that deals with socio-economic issues in the country while
focusing on inclusive growth. Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu was also awarded by the Skoch
Group with ‘SKOCH Sprinter of the Year’ Award. Commerce and Industry and civil aviation minister
Suresh Prabhu won the ‘Steady Reformer’ Award.
December 22, 2018
InSight lander places its first instrument (SEIS) on Mars
InSight, NASA’s new Mars lander, has set up its first instrument on planet Mars. The instrument placed by
InSight, which landed on Mars on 26th November, is a quake monitor (seismometer) that will listen for
quakes and wobbles.
It is the first time that a scientific instrument has ever been placed on another planet’s surface. InSight
will also put a wind cover over the seismometer next month and initiate a new experiment.
Insight Mission
InSight or the Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport mission of
NASA is a robotic lander that seeks to gather information about the deep interior of Mars. InSight mission
was launched by NASA on 5 May 2018 and landed on Mars on 26 November 2018 making a journey of
about 483 million km.
The successful execution of Insight mission will enable humans to have a better understanding of the
evolution of the Solar System’s terrestrial planets – Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars – and Earth’s Moon.
InSight’s primary tasks include placing a seismometer, known as SEIS, planet Mar’s dusky red surface to
measure the seismic activity. SEIS will also provide accurate 3D models of the interior of Mars. To study

Mars’ early geological evolution, InSight also plans to set up a heat probe called HP3 on Mars that will
measure internal heat flow.
NITI Aayog releases Sustainable Development Goals Index
The NITI Aayog has released a first-of-its-kind Sustainable Development Goals index released on 21st
December 2018. According to the SDG Index, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu have been
ranked on top 3 positions and are on track to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
The recently released Sustainable Development Goals Index aims to promote healthy competition among
States by evaluating their progress in social, economic and environmental terms that will help India in
achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030. Based on the performance of the States
and UTs across 13 of the 17 identified SDGs, a score ranging between 0 and 100 has been assigned to each
of them in the index. The index considered only 13 out of 17 goals because of non-availability of data at the
state level. The average Indian score in the SDG index is 57 and varies between 42 and 69 for the States
and between 57 and 68 for UTs.
Key Points of the SDG Index:
Kerala and Himachal Pradesh have been called as the front-runners in the Index with a score of 69.
Chandigarh has been declared as the front runner in the Index with a score of 68 among the UTS. The
state of Tamil Nadu (score 66) is at the top to meet the goals of eradicating poverty and providing clean
and affordable energy. Assam, Bihar andPRAVEEN
Uttar Pradesh are at the bottom of the rankings in the NITI
Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals Index .

Goa, Kerala, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland were the front runners on the ‘Zero’ hunger sub-index. The
states performed badly in the SDG Index in regards to the goals of gender equality (36), in enabling
industry, innovation, and infrastructure (44), and in eradicating hunger (48) and in creating sustainable
cities and communities (39).
10 Central Agencies authorised by Government to snoop on “any” Computer System
The Union government has notified 10 Central Agencies giving them the power to intercept, monitor and
decrypt all the data contained in “any” computer system in India. The Cyber and Information Security
Division under the Home ministry issued this notification.
The 10 agencies authorised by the central government are the Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control
Bureau, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, CBI, National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate,
Central Board of Direct Taxes, Research and Analysis Wing, Directorate of Signal Intelligence (in Jammu &
Kashmir, the North-East and Assam) and the Delhi Police.
As per the government, the notification fulfils the requirement under Rule 4 of the IT (Procedure and
Safeguards for Interception, Monitoring and Description of Information) Rules, 2009, under which the
government has to list the number of agencies permitted for the interception, monitoring and decryption
of any data.
The Information Technology Act, 2000 is the primary law in India to handle cybercrime and to deal with
electronic commerce. Section 69 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 includes provides for the
interception and monitoring along with decryption for cyber-crime investigations. The Information
Technology (Procedures and Safeguards for Interception, Monitoring and Decryption of Information)
Rules, 2009, has been notified by the government under Section 69.
This notification by the government has caused quite an uproar in the Indian Parliament. The opposition
has termed the recent order as ‘unconstitutional’ and an attack on the Fundamental Rights of the citizens.
India’s Forex Reserves declined by USD 613.9 million to USD 393.12 billion
India’s foreign exchange reserves declined in this week by USD 613.9 million reaching USD 393.12 billion.
This decline has been attributed to the fall in foreign currency assets as per the Reserve Bank of India. The
Forex reserves had increased by USD 16.6 million to reach USD 393.734 billion in the previous week.
Foreign currency assets, which form a major part of the overall foreign reserves India, declined by USD
631.6 million to reach USD 367.865 billion. Apart from US dollars, foreign currency assets also include non-
US currencies such as the euro, pound and yen and the appreciation and depreciation of these currencies
also have an effect on the reserves. As per the data, Gold reserves increased by USD 37.2 million to USD

21.187 billion this week.

There was also a decline in the special drawing rights with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which
reduced by USD 7 million to reach USD 1.45 billion. India’s reserves position with the IMF also suffered a
reduction by USD 12.5 million to USD 2.617 billion in the reporting week.
It is to be noted that the reserves have been decreasing since April 2018 when it touched a record high of
USD 426.028 billion.
About Foreign Reserves
The foreign reserves are the reserve assets held by a central bank in foreign currencies. It acts as a buffer
which can help the economy in challenging times and can be used to back liabilities on their own issued
currency as well as to influence monetary policy. Almost all countries in the world, regardless of the size of
their economy, hold significant foreign exchange reserves.
The components of India’s FOREX Reserves include Foreign currency assets (FCAs), Gold Reserves, Special
Drawing Rights (SDRs) and RBI’s Reserve position with International Monetary Fund (IMF). FCAs constitute
the largest component of Indian Forex Reserves and are expressed in US dollar terms.
Winter Solstice – 2018
The winter solstice 2018 took place on December 21. It is the time of the year when one of the Earth’s poles
has its maximum tilt away from the Sun. Winter Solstice happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere.
Winter Solstice PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
The term ‘solstice’ is derived from two Latin words “sol” which means sun, and “sistere” meaning
standstill.
Winter Solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.
On Winter Solstice the sun appears at its most southern position, directly overhead along the Tropic
of Capricorn.
On the other hand Winter Solstice marks the longest day of the year in the Southern hemisphere.
Even though the solstice gets an entire day of recognition, it happens in an instant when the North
Pole is at its farthest tilt of 23.5 degrees away from the sun. As a result the North Pole would be
beyond the sun’s reach, and plunges it into total darkness.
At Winter Solstice the sun had reached its southernmost point in the sky in the Northern
Hemisphere and afterwards will begin its trek northward in the sky.
After Winter Solstice the days will be longer in the Northern Hemisphere.
The 2018 Winter Solstice is special because it will be followed the next day by a full moon, called the Cold
Moon, which will be visible in the night with the Ursid meteor shower.
Draft Child Protection Policy
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has placed the draft Child Protection Policy on its website
and invited comments from stakeholders. Child protection was a grey area in policy making and it was
only a part of the broader National Child Policy, 2013. This would be a first ever policy attempt in the arena
of child protection.
Components of the draft Policy
The policy will be applicable to all institutions, and organisations (including corporate and media
houses), government or private sector.
The policy recommends that all organisations must have a code of conduct based on “zero tolerance
of child abuse and exploitation”. This requires organisations to lay down that employees don’t use
language or behaviour that is “inappropriate, harassing, abusive, sexually provocative, demeaning or
culturally inappropriate”.
The policy suggests designating a staff member to ensure that procedures are in place to ensure the
protection of children as well as to report any abuse.
The document contains guidelines for institutions and organisations to enforce the child protection
policy.
The guidelines include organising orientation programmes on child protection, designating
responsibility to staff members to enforce child protection and report any abuse, exploitation or
neglect, and respecting children “regardless of race, color, gender, sexuality, language, religion,

political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status”.
The policy lists of behaviours towards children that are punishable by law, including the POCSO and
JJ Acts.
Comment: Shortfalls of the draft policy
The draft policy doesn’t talk about children who may need additional special protection measures:
including those affected by migration, communal or sectarian violence, children forced into begging or in
conflict with the law, and those infected with HIV/AIDS. It also doesn’t talk about the role of the state for
ensuring the protection of child rights or addressing local grievances. The draft policy falls short in
defining what child protection is as well as what it means by institutions or organisations. Even though
the draft policy talks organisations laying down a code of conduct, it doesn’t explain what is acceptable
behaviour. Through the child protection policy the government must go beyond the role of institutions
and look at the role of individuals to provide for a safe and conducive environment for all children.
National Mathematics Day celebrated on 22nd December
India celebrated 22nd December 2018 as the National Mathematics Day honouring the 131st birth
anniversary of famous Indian Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. Since 2011, 22nd December is
celebrated as National Mathematics Day every year. The Indian government had also declared 2012 as the
National Mathematics year. The National Mathematics Day is celebrated to honour his contribution to the
field of Mathematics and also to keep his legacy alive to inspire the future mathematicians.
About Srinivasa Ramanujan:

Ramanujan was born in the year 1887 and lived during the British rule in India. His life was totally devoted
to Mathematics. At a young age of 11, Ramanujan started showing signs of a genius. He had attained
expertise in trigonometry and developed many theorems by himself. He got his papers published in the
Journal of the Indian Mathematical Society in the year 1911.
Ramanujan compiled nearly 3,900 results, mostly identities and equations, on his own without any
assistance. Many of the results were completely original and novel such as the Ramanujan prime, the
Ramanujan theta function, partition formulae and mock theta functions. These results and identities have
opened entirely new fields of work and inspired further research. He came out with his own theory of
divergent series. Also, he worked out the Riemann series, the elliptic integrals, hypergeometric series and
the functional equations of the zeta function. The number 1729 is famously known as the Hardy-
Ramanujan number.
Belgium ends the year as No. 1 in FIFA global rankings
Belgium Football team came at number one position in the end-of-the-year FIFA global rankings. Belgium
managed to stay at the top with one point more than the current World Champions France. Belgium has
1727 points in the rankings whereas France which came at second rank has 1726 points. France had beaten
Belgium in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2018 to reach the finals.
Brazil came at third rank with 1676 points. Croatia has been ranked at the fourth spot and England
claimed the fifth rank. Portugal came at 6th and Uruguay at 7th rank in the rankings. Switzerland, Spain
and Denmark complete the Top 10 teams by claiming 8th, 9th and 10th spot respectively.
The teams of Argentina, Germany and Italy bagged the 11th, 16th and 18th rank and finishes the year
outside the top 10. France has been adjudged as the 2018’s Best Mover team by FIFA. The football team of
Kosovo, which is ranked 131st in the list, are the year’s biggest climbers as Kosovo moved up 46 places in
the rankings in 2018.
FIFA or International Federation of Association Football conducts football’s major international
tournaments including FIFA the World Cup. FIFA was founded in 1904 and has its Headquarters in Zurich.
It is to be noted that the rules of football are set by the International Football Association Board and not
FIFA.
US Defence Secretary James Mattis resigns from his post
The United States Defence Secretary James Mattis has resigned from his post on 21st December 2018. His
resignation came after his disagreement with the US President Donald Trump over the withdrawal of US
troops from Syria. James Mattis, however, will be occupying the position till February 28 so as to allow
sufficient time for his successor to be nominated.

James Mattis’ experience and stability were widely seen as a balance to Donald Trumps’
unpredictable policies. As per the political pundits, his resignation would add to the instability and chaos
in the administration of Donald Trump.
The US President Donald Trump had a few days ago announced that he will be withdrawing all 2,000 U.S.
troops out of Syria, after making a declaration that the Islamic State group has been destroyed. This
decision is being by opposed by the Pentagon and other people in the US administration. The U.S.
announcement for withdrawal has come at a critical moment in northern Syria, where Turkey has been
threatening to launch a new offensive against the Kurds. As per the Kurdish forces, ISIS militants have
not been fully defeated and a premature US pullout would cause a resurgence of the Islamic State group
destabilizing the entire region.
December 23, 2018
GST Council slashes rates on 23 Goods and Services
The tax rates on 23 goods and services has been reduced by the GST Council on 22nd December 2018.
These goods include movie tickets, TV and monitor screens, power banks and others. After this reduction,
only 28 goods are left in the highest tax bracket of 28 percent and includes cement, sin goods (tobacco,
alcohol), auto parts and luxury goods such as Air Conditioner and dishwasher. The new GST rates will be
applicable from 1st of January 2019.
The renewable energy devices and their parts will be taxed at 5%. The GST on the accessories for carriages
for specially-abled persons has been reduced to 5 per cent. No tax will be applied to the services provided
by the banks to Jan-Dhan account holders. Also, Frozen and preserved vegetables will not be taxed at all.
The tax has been reduced to 12% from the previous rate of 18% for the cinema tickets costing up to 100
rupees and to 18% from 28% for tickets priced above Rs 100. The rate of tax for Digital cameras, Power
banks, 32 inches monitors and TV up to 32 and video game consoles has also been reduced to 18%.
Constitution of a seven Member Group of Ministers has been proposed by the GST Council to study the
revenue trend and to analyse the reasons for structural patterns influencing the revenue collection in
some states.
The GST council is the primary decision-making body regarding the Goods and Services Tax (GST) that
takes all the important decisions like setting the tax rate, tax exemption, tax laws, and tax deadlines etc.
‘Hand-in-Hand’ counter-terrorism military exercises concluded
India and China concluded the ‘Hand-in-Hand’ military exercise on 22nd December 2018 in China’s
Chengdu city. This was the 7th edition of the ‘Hand-in-Hand’ military exercise. The ‘Hand-in-Hand’
military exercise did not take place last year due to prevailing tensions between both sides after 73-day
military standoff at Doklam
This year’s exercise, which began on 11th December, focused on urban terrorism in which Indian and
Chinese armies conducted the drills while living and dining together to build up a sense of
camaraderie. The exercise included live firing and demonstration of driving skills to rescue hostages held
by terrorists in an urban environment. The previous edition of ‘Hand-in-Hand’ that was held in 2016 in
Pune had focussed on counter-terrorism drills in non-urban areas.
The exercises and the concluding ceremony were live-streamed by China’s state-run TV channel CGTN
highlighting their importance. The exercise seeks to improve the relations between the two
countries drills keeping in spirit of this year’s Wuhan summit.
Wuhan Summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of China Xi Jinping had held their first Informal Summit in
Wuhan on April 27-28, 2018. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange views on overarching issues of
bilateral and global importance and to elaborate their respective visions and priorities for national
development in the context of current and future international situation.
December 24, 2018
China launched its First Satellite for Space-based Broadband Services
China has launched its first communication satellite on 22nd December 2018 to offer broadband internet
services to users worldwide. The communication satellite was launched using a Long March 11 carrier
rocket which took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in north-western China. It is CASIC’s

(China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation) first satellite launch under China’s Hongyun project.
The satellite aims to rival Google and other companies which have similar plans for providing Internet
services worldwide.
Hongyun Project
China started the Hongyun project in September 2016. Under this project, China plans to give broadband
internet connectivity to users all over the world by building a space-based communications network. The
project also seeks to take the Internet connectivity to the underserved regions of the world. CASIC will be
placing than 150 Hongyun satellites on orbits about 1,000 km above the ground around 2023 and can be
expanded as per the demand. It is to be noted that CASIC is the main contractor for Chinese space
programs and a state-owned company.
A number of tech companies have already launched space-based broadband plans to provide free internet
access that includes Google, SpaceX, OneWeb and Telesat.
The U.S.’ SpaceX launched Starlink project aims to put around 12,000 satellites in the space by the
mid-2020s. A U.S. firm, OneWeb, will be launching a constellation of 648 low-Earth orbit microsatellites
by the end of 2019 to provide broadband services. A Chinese plans to launch a constellation of 272
satellites to provide free WiFi service worldwide.
Gitega named as the new capital of Burundi
The government of Burundi has declared PRAVEEN
Gitega as the country’s new political capital on 22nd December
2018. Bujumbura, the previous capital of Burundi, will serve as the economic capital of the country.
President Nkurunziza had made this promise of shifting the capital in 2007 which has been implemented
now.
The government has decided to hold future Cabinet meetings in Gitega and to establish five ministries in
Gitega from the start of 2019. Gitega’s population is around 30 000 as compared to Bujumbura’s 1.2
million.
About Burundi
Burundi is a resource-poor, underdeveloped landlocked African country which shares its borders with
Rwanda in the north, Tanzania in the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the
west. Burundi gained freedom from colonial rule in 1962. The political system of Burundi is that of a
presidential representative democratic republic. About 85% of the population of Burundi is of Hutu
ethnicity, 15% are of Tutsi origin and less than 1% are Twa. Burundi has extreme levels of poverty and
rampant corruption. Burundi was ranked as the world’s least happy nation in the World Happiness Report
2018.
Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) inaugrated in Gurugram
The Defence Minister of India formally inaugurated the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region
(IFC-IOR) Indian at the Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) in Gurugram on 22nd
December 2018. The IFC for Indian Ocean Region has the primary objective of jointly monitoring the vast
Indian Ocean Region.
The Indian Ocean which is increasingly becoming the bone of contention between different countries, also
suffers threats from natural disasters, piracy, terrorism and trafficking. IFC-IOR will provide a way to
tackle these challenges through collaborative and cooperative efforts.
The Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) in Gurugram was sanctioned in March 2012
and became operational in November 2014. Nationally, the IFC-IOR at the IMAC obtains primary inputs
from India’s coastal radar network. Internationally, India has White Shipping Agreements with 36
countries, and three multinational agencies which provides details of all commercial ships passing
through the ports in their region. IMAC also gathers information inputs from long range identification
and tracking mechanism under the International Maritime Organisation. Such diverse and complex data
is fused together by a software to produce into a “common operating picture”. Currently, the software
used for IMAC is procured internationally, but soon it will be replaced by a BEL-developed indigenous
software called “Sangraha”.
Initially, virtual means like telephone calls, faxes, emails and video conferencing over internet will be used
to exchange information at the IFC-IOR. Soon, the IFC-IOR would host Liaison Officers from partner

countries for better coordination and interaction.

The fact that more than 75% of the world’s maritime trade and 50% of global oil consumption passes
through the Indian Ocean Region proves the significance of guarding the IOR. Keeping in mind the scale
of the challenges in the Indian Ocean Region, collaborative efforts between different countries is essential.
Indonesia hit by Volcanic Tsunami
nd
On 22 December 2018, Indonesia was hit by a Tsunami. As the giant tsunami waves crashed into coastal
towns on the islands of Sumatra and Java, at least 281 people were killed and 1,016 were injured.
About Tsunami
Tsunami refers to a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water,
generally in an ocean or a large lake.
Tsunamis are different from the normal sea waves. Normal waves are generated due to the wind and
Tides are generated due to the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun, whereas Tsunami is generated
by an abrupt movement on the ocean floor due to the triggering points like Earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, underwater explosions, landslides, glacier calving or meteorite impacts.
Tsunami waves have a large wavelength in the open ocean. As the Tsunami waves reach shallow water
near shores they grow rapidly in size and make a landfall causing large-scale destruction.
Volcanic Tsunami of Indonesia
The Tsunami which Indonesia witnessedPRAVEEN on GAUTAM
22nd| praveen.dda.20@gmail.com
December is | attributed to the collapse in the west-
southwest flank of the Anak Krakatau volcano. The collapse resulted in millions of tonnes of rocky debris
plunging into the sea. This resulted in the displacement of large volumes of water resulting in Tsunami
waves.
Anak Krakatau
Indonesia lies on the Pacific ring of fire. This makes Indonesia vulnerable to earthquakes. Indonesia also
houses 127 active volcanoes and one of these volcanoes is the Anak Krakatau.
Anak Krakatau is a volcanic island formed in 1927 after the Krakatoa volcano eruption. The Anak Krakatau
was erupting from June 2018. The authorities have warned that there can be an eruption again and have
advised people to stay away from the coast for a while.
Ring of Fire
Ring of Fire is an area in the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are frequent. The
Ring of Fire is a direct result of the movement and collisions of lithospheric plates of the earth.
10 Indian news firms selected for Google News Initiative Funding
Google has selected 87 news organisations from 23 countries for funding under its Global News Initiative
(GNI). Of these 87 organisations selected, 10 are from India. The funding aims at helping the organisations
in building video capabilities and experiment with new formats for video journalism.
Selected firms from India
The news firms selected from India are Factly, Asianet News Media and Entertainment, NDTV, India
Today, Bharatiya Digital Party, Nyooz and Video Volunteers. Google will aid these organisations in
expanding newsroom video operations and trying out new ways of reporting news through video from
reaching younger audiences online to exploring live and fact-checking formats.
About the Google News Initiative
Google has become a go-to site for getting information about a wide range of topics and Google aims to
build a more informed world. This is closely interlinked with reporting of journalists and news
organizations. Google search and YouTube are dependent on a healthy ecosystem of publishers producing
great digital content. But the growing fake news and rapidly changing business models for journalism has
become a challenge to the news industry.
Through the Google News Initiative, Google is partnering with the news industry to address key
challenges and to ensure journalism thrives in the digital age. Through this initiative, Google is
collaborating with the news industry across products, partnerships, and programs to help build a stronger
future for news. The objectives of the Google News Initiative are:
Elevate and strengthen quality journalism.
Evolve business models to drive sustainable growth.
Empower news organizations through technological innovation.

The Google News Initiative will aid the news industry in addressing the shifts in how journalism is
created, consumed, and paid for.
Fact Box: Initiatives of Niti Ayog in 2018
The think tank through slew of initiatives is aiding the government in building an inclusive and
sustainable India. The major initiatives of Niti Aayog in 2018 are detailed below.
Initiatives of Niti Aayog
Competitive federalism
To boost the competitive federalism Niti Aayog has taken following steps:
NITI Aayog has finalized indices to measure incremental annual outcomes in critical social sectors
like health, education, water and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Niti Aayog has developed the District Hospital Index to measure and monitor the performance of
hospitals with a focus on outputs and outcomes.
Niti Aayog has developed the ‘Healthy States, Progressive India’ Report also known as the ‘Health
Index’.
Niti Aayog has announced the Composite Water Management Index to assess and improve the
performance of States/ Union Territories in efficient management of water resources.
Niti Aayog is in the process of formulating ‘School Education Quality Index (SEQI)’, ‘SDG India Index’
and the ‘Digital Transformation Index’ (DTI) to measure states’ progress in respective sectors.
Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital (SATH)

Niti Aayog aimed at initiating transformation in two key social sectors of education and health has
initiated SATH. Under SATH, Niti Aayog aims to bring transformative change by hand-holding States
towards improving their social sector indicators and providing technical support over three years.
Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Karnataka were selected to improve their healthcare delivery and in education,
Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Jharkhand were selected by Niti Aayog through a unique challenge method.
Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat
The Initiative of Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat aims to make our country united, strong and promote
excellence in all walks of life by means of long-term inter-state engagements through cultural exchanges
and education. Niti Aayog is actively collaborating with various ministries in the implementation.
Development Support Services to States (DSSS) for Development of Infrastructure
Niti Aayog has launched DSSS to de-risk projects and address key structural issues in project development
and build institutional and organizational capacities. The initiative aims at establishing a Centre-State
partnership model and reignite and establish Private Public Partnership across infrastructure sectors.
Public-Private Partnership in Health
To aid States in achieving the health goals in the area of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of select
Non-Communicable processes, viz. Cardiac Sciences, Oncology and Pulmonary Sciences, Niti Aayog has
developed a guiding framework for States, for implementation at the district hospital level, focusing on
tier II/ tier III cities and by engaging services of private/voluntary sector providers. Niti Aayog has also
developed a model concessionaire agreement along with the guidelines for promoting PPP in Healthcare.
Cooperative federalism
Niti Aayog is working tirelessly in resolving pending issues with the Central Ministries from all States and
UTs. Niti Aayog is also providing a platform to share best practices among states and for collaboration to
achieve common good.
State Human Development Report
Niti Aayog assisted states of Maharashtra, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Karnataka, Nagaland,
Bundelkhand region and Delhi in the preparation of State Human Development Reports.
Transforming of 115 identified Aspirational Districts
Niti Aayog is the driving force behind the Aspirational District Programme (ADP) which aims at rapidly
transforming 115 identified districts that have shown relatively lesser progress in key social areas and
have emerged as pockets of under-development, thereby posing a challenge to ensure balanced regional
development.

Vedangi Kulkarni: Indian woman becomes fastest Asian to cycle the Globe
A 20-year-old Pune woman Vedangi Kulkarni has become the fastest Asian to cycle the globe. She has
completed the 29,000 km distance required to qualify as bicycling across the globe. She has spent 159 days
peddling up to 300 km a day in 14 countries.
The world record is in the name of British adventurer Jenny Graham (38) who had cycled the globe in 124
days in 2018.
Her Journey
She started off from Perth. She cycled across Australia to reach Brisbane. From Brisbane, she flew to
Wellington, New Zealand, for cycling the entire country north to south. Then she took a flight across the
International Date Line to Western Canada’s Vancouver. From Vancouver, she travelled eastward till
Halifax. Then she flew to Europe and started from Iceland and later cycled through Portugal, Spain France,
Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Finland to enter Russia. From Russia, she flew to India for doing
the last 4,000 km. From India, she will now fly to Australia and cycle 15 Km to reach the place from where
she had started, to complete her journey.
Vedangi lugged the cycle with the heavy luggage that includes cycle tools, camping equipment and
clothing in desolate stretches all alone and did not have anyone accompanying her for over 80 per cent of
the route.
About Vedangi Kulkarni: PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
Vedangi Kulkarni hails from Pune. Her father’s name is Vivek Kulkarni. She is currently pursuing a degree
in sports management from the University of Bournemouth in the UK.
Six IT Firms in race to for setting up Public Credit Registry
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has shortlisted six major IT firms to set up a wide-based digital Public
Credit Registry (PCR) for capturing details of all borrowers and wilful defaulters. The RBI will now seek
request for proposal from the six vendors.
Shortlisted IT Firms
The firms shortlisted by the RBI are TCS, Wipro, IBM India, Capgemini Technology Services India, Dun &
Bradstreet Information Services India, and Mindtree Ltd.
Public Credit Registry
Public Credit Registry is a digital registry of authenticated granular credit information and will work as a
financial information infrastructure providing access to various stakeholders and enrich the existing
credit information ecosystem. It would be mandatory for reporting for all material events for each loan,
notwithstanding any threshold in the loan amount or type of borrower to the Public Credit Registry.
The public credit Registry will also allow borrowers to access their own credit information and seek
corrections to the credit information reported on them.
Why there was a need of Public credit registry?
At present, there are multiple granular credit information repositories in India, with each having
somewhat distinct objectives and coverage. Lack of integrated comprehensive information had become a
bottleneck in tackling bad loans. Public credit registry will fill this gap.
Credit Management in India
Within RBI, CRILC (Central Repository of Information on Large Credits) is a borrower-level supervisory
dataset that keeps the record of loans of Rs 5 crore and above. In India, there are four privately owned
credit information companies (CICs). They are CIBIL, Equifax, Experian and High Mark Credit Information
Services. The RBI has also mandated all its regulated entities to submit credit information individually to
all four CICs.
Nuclear Capable Agni-IV successfully test-fired
India has successfully test-fired nuclear-capable long-range ballistic missile Agni-IV from the Dr Abdul
Kalam Island in Odhisa. It was the 7th trial of Agni-IV missile. DRDO had positioned Radars and electro-
optical systems along the coast of Odisha for tracking and monitoring all parameters of the missile and
two naval ships were anchored near the target area to witness the final event.
Agni IV
The strategic surface-to-surface missile has a strike range of 4,000 km. The indigenously developed Agni
IV is a two-stage missile and is 20 meters long with a weight of 17 tonnes.

Agni IV is equipped with advanced Avionics, 5th generation On Board Computer and distributed
architecture to provide a high level of reliability and precision.
Agni IV is also equipped with accurate Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System (RINS) which is
supported by highly reliable redundant Micro Navigation System (MINGS) to ensure the vehicle reaches
the target with accuracy.
The re-entry heat shield of Agni IV can withstand temperatures in the range of 4000 degrees centigrade
and also makes sure avionics function normally with the inside temperature remaining less than 50
degrees centigrade.
About Dr Abdul Kalam Island
Dr Abdul Kalam Island, formerly known as Wheeler Island, is an island off the coast of Odisha. The Island
was originally named after English commandant Lieutenant Wheeler and it was renamed after the late
Indian president, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam who is also referred as Missile Man of India on 4 September 2015.
The Indian Integrated Test Range missile testing facility is located on the Dr Abdul Kalam Island.
Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is also located close to Dr Abdul Kalam Island Island.
New Big Bank likely to emerge next year
It is expected the contours for the amalgamation of Bank of Baroda (BoB), Vijaya Bank and Dena
Bank would be finalised soon and it would be placed before the parliament for approval in the ongoing
winter session. The decision of amalgamation was taken by the Alternative Mechanism’ (AM) headed by
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, which included Railways Minister Piyush Goyal and Defence Minister
Nirmala Sitharaman. The government has already set aside the funds to facilitate the amalgamation.
New Big Bank
The new entity from the amalgamation will have a combined business of Rs 14.82 lakh crore, making it the
third largest bank after SBI and ICICI Bank.
The net NPA ratio of the new entity will be at 5.71 per cent. This is significantly better than the public
sector bank (PSB) average of 12.13 per cent.
The Provision Coverage Ratio (PCR) would be better at 67.5 per cent against the average of 63.7 per cent
and cost to income ratio would come down to 48.94 per cent as compared to average 53.92 per cent.
Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) at 12.25 per cent will be significantly above the regulatory requirement of
10.87 per cent.
Net NPA Ratio
Net NPA Ratio is an indicator of the overall quality of the bank’s loan book. Net NPA ratio is the ratio of Net NPA to
loans given.
Provision Coverage Ratio (PCR)
Provision Coverage Ratio refers to the prescribed percentage of funds to be set aside by banks for covering
prospective losses due to bad loans.
Cost to Income Ratio
Cost to Income Ratio is an important parameter to determine the profitability of the banks. It is calculated by the
dividing the operating expenses of the bank by the net income of the bank (Interest Income + other Income).
Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR)
Capital Adequacy ratio is the measure of the bank’s available capital. It is expressed as a ratio of a percentage of a
bank’s risk-weighted credit exposures.
Strategy for New India @ 75: Health Sector

The government think tank Niti Ayog has unveiled the Strategy for New India @ 75 which define clear
objectives for 2022-23. The strategy document with 41 chapters has been disaggregated under four
sections, which are: Drivers, Infrastructure, Inclusion and Governance. The document makes the
recommendations related to the health sector under the Drivers section.
Strategy for New India @ 75: Health Sector Recommendations
The document makes important recommendations to improve the health sector scenario in the country.
The major recommendations are:
Enactment of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2017 since the regulatory bodies, the
Medical Council of India and the Nursing Council of India have failed to ensure adequate availability

and quality of health

Revamping of the regulatory system of nursing education to ensure quality training in nursing
schools, developing centres of excellence in nursing and enhancing the stature of government
nurses.
Creating conditions to facilitate import of doctors, especially those of Indian origin working abroad,
deploying teachers from universities abroad as visiting professors at AIIMS or NIEs and linking at
least 40 per cent of district hospitals with medical colleges to address the shortage of doctors in the
country.
Developing framework for the deployment of doctors and specialists from the private sector to
government hospitals on a visiting or honorary basis and expanding the system of Diplomate
of National Board (DNB) and Diplomas from College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS) to address the
shortage of doctors.
Establishment of a Council to ensure standardization of education and putting in place quality
control mechanisms for educational institutions, teaching methods and workforce management of
allied health professionals.
The Niti Ayog also suggests putting in place an updated curriculum for medical and allied
professions that keep pace with the changing dynamics of public health, policy and demographics.
Creating a cadre of primary healthcare practitioners by introducing a three-year competency-based
dynamic course for primary, community and family medicine and partner with private hospitals or
private medical practitioners to skill technicians, nursing and para-nursing as well as para-medical
staff to deal with the paucity of health professionals.
Acute Shortage of Doctors in India
As per the reports, about 10.23 lakh allopathic doctors registered with the MCI or state medical councils.
Niti Ayog estimates that around 8.18 lakh doctors may actually be available for active service assuming
80% availability. This puts the doctor-population ratio of India at 1:1613 against the WHO norm of 1:1000.
The other big concern is the disparity between states and those between urban and rural areas.
Sardar Patel Award for National Integration
PM Narendra Modi has announced the setting up of Sardar Patel Award for National Integration while
addressing the conference of DGPs/IGPs in Gujarat’s Kevadia.
Sardar Patel Award for National Integration
The award would be given for outstanding efforts to further national integration. The countries first
Home Minister Sardar Patel had devoted his life to unifying India. The award for national integration in
his name would be a tribute to him and will inspire more people to work towards furthering the cause of
India’s unity and national integration.
DGPs/IGPs Conference at Kevadia
A three day All India DGPs/IGPs Conference was held at Kevadia. On the occasion, PM Modi also released a
commemorative stamp on the National Police Memorial and Presented Police medals for distinguished services to IB
officers.
National Police Memorial
National Police Memorial located in New Delhi’s Chanakyapuri area commemorates the police personnel from all of
the central and state police forces in India who have died in the line of duty since the nation’s Independence in 1947.
India’s first music museum to be set up in Thiruvaiyaru

Tamil Nadu has announced the setting up of country’s first music museum with assistance from the
Central government in Thiruvaiyaru which is the birthplace of Saint Tyagaraja, one of the Trinities of
Carnatic music. The other two of the Trinity are Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri.
Saint Tyagaraja
Saint Tyagaraja was a renowned composer of Carnatic music. He has composed thousands of devotional
compositions, mostly in Telugu in the praise of Lord Rama, many of which remain popular today. He saw
the reigns of four kings of Maratha dynasty — Tulaja II (1763-1787), Amarasimha (1787-1798), Serfoji II
(1798-1832) and Sivaji II (1832-1855), but he served none of them.


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Saint Muthuswami Dikshitar

Saint Muthuswami Dikshitar was a South Indian poet and composer. His compositions are noted for their
elaborate and poetic descriptions of Hindu gods and temples and for capturing the essence of the raga
forms through the vainika (veena) style that emphasises gamakas. His compositions are predominantly
in Sanskrit and he has also composed some of his Kritis in Manipravalam (a mixture
of Sanskrit and Tamil).
Saint Syama Sastri
Saint Syama Sastri was a musician and composer of Carnatic music and was the oldest among the Trinity
of Carnatic music. Even though he did not compose so many Kritis, his compositions are still well known
due to the literary, melodic and rhythmic proficiency observed in them. He composed in a more formal
form of Telugu which borrows heavily from Sanskrit and there are also a number of Kritis
in Tamil attributed to him. Most of his works propitiate the goddess Kamakshi.
India Celebrates National Farmers Day
India celebrates National Farmers Day on 23rd December to commemorate the birth anniversary of the
5th Prime Minister of India, Choudhary Charan Singh. He was a farmer’s leader and he had introduced
many policies to improve the lives of the Indian farmers.
Choudhary Charan Singh
Choudhary Charan Singh served as the Prime Minister of India between 28 July 1979 and 14 January 1980.
He is often referred to as the ‘champion of India’s peasants.

Choudhary Charan Singh was born on 23 December 1902 in a rural peasant Jat family. He entered into
politics during the Independence Movement motivated by Gandhiji and he served as a member of
Legislative Assembly of the United Provinces elected in 1937.
In the post-independence period, he was one of three principal leaders of Congress from Uttar Pradesh. He
defected from the Congress in 1967 and became the first non-Congress chief minister of UP. He became
Prime Minister in the year 1979. He died in 1987. His memorial in New Delhi is named as Kisan Ghat.
December 25, 2018
Prime Minister Inaugurates developmental works in Odhisa
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated projects worth around Rs 15,000 crore in Odisha on 24th
Dec 2018 as part of his Mission Purbodaya – a prosperous East for building a new India. The projects are
related to health, road and highways, higher education and culture.
Projects Inaugurated
The Projects inaugurated by the Prime Minister are listed below:
New campus of IIT-Bhubaneswar at Aragul built at a cost of Rs 1660 crore to the Nation.
ESIC hospital in Bhubaneshwar costing 73.5 crore rupees.
Lalitgiri Archaeological Museum which houses huge sculptures of the Buddha and various Buddhist
deities.
A commemorative coin and a postage stamp in memory of Paika Rebellion as this year marks the
200th anniversary of the Paika rebellion.
Foundation stone for two projects Indian Oil’s pipeline from Paradip to Hyderabad at a projected
cost of 3,800 crore rupees and GAIL’s gas pipeline from Angul to Bokaro in Jharkhand at a projected
cost of 3,437 crore rupees under the Urja Ganga Yojana.
PM Modi announced that the centre is taking steps for establishing five medical colleges in the state.
Urja Ganga Yojana
Urja Ganga Yojana aims at providing piped cooking (PNG) gas and CNG gas for the vehicles to residents of
the eastern region of the country. The programme involves laying of 2,050-km pipeline connecting
Jagdishpur (UP) to Haldia (West Bengal) by 2018 covering the states of UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal
and Odisha. The project is being implemented by GAIL.
Ayushman Bharat
Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme will cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable
families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) providing coverage up to 5 lakh rupees per family per year
for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. Ayushman Bharat – National Health Protection Mission
also subsumes the on-going centrally sponsored schemes like Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) and

the Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme (SCHIS).

PM Modi launches Paika Rebellion Chair in Utkal University
PM Modi announced setting up of a Chair on the Paika Rebellion, in Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. He
also released a commemorative stamp and coin on the Paika Rebellion.
Paika Rebellion
The Paika Rebellion of 1817 in Odisha briefly shook the foundations of British rule in the eastern part of
India. Paikas were the peasant militias of the Gajapati rulers of Odisha and rendered military service to the
king during times of war while taking up cultivation during times of peace.
The British had established their sway over Bengal Province and Madras Province to the north and south
of Odisha and occupied Odhisa in 1803. The Gajapati Ruler of Odisha Mukunda Deva-ll was a minor then
and the resistance by Jai Rajguru, the custodian of Mukunda Deva-II, was put down brutally.
As British began consolidating their rule and started tinkering with the revenue system, they faced the
anger of the people of Odhisa. A few years later Paikas under Baxi Jagabandhu, the hereditary chief of the
militia army of the Gajapati King rose in rebellion by taking the support of tribals and other sections of
society in March 1817. Paikas attacked British symbols of power, setting ablaze police stations,
administrative offices and the treasury during their march towards Khurda, from where the British fled.
The Paikas were supported by the rajas of Kanika, Kujang, Nayagarh and Ghumusar and zamindars, village
heads and ordinary peasants. The Rebellion spread quickly.
British were initially taken aback and then tried to regain lost ground but faced stiff resistance from the
Paikas. There was a widespread suppression. Rebels fought a guerilla war till 1819 but were captured and
killed. Baxi Jagabandhu was finally arrested in 1825 and died in captivity in 1829.
The Paika Rebellion enjoys a cult status in Odisha. Children in Odhisa grow up with hearing stories of the
brave fight against the British.
PM releases commemorative coin in honour of Atal Bihari Vajpayee
PM Modi on 24 t h December 2018, a day before Vajpayee’s 94th birth anniversary released a
commemorative coin worth Rs 100 in honour of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The front side of the coin features the Emblem of India and words Satyamev Jayate are inscribed
below the Lion Capital of Ashoka Pillar in Devanagari script. The coin’s value Rs 100 is inscribed
below the national emblem. The words ‘Bharat’ in Devanagari and ‘India’ in Roman script are also
inscribed on the front side.
The reverse side of the coin features a portrait of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his name is inscribed in
both Devanagari and Roman scripts. The years 1924 and 2018 are inscribed below Vajpayee’s
portrait to mark the year of his birth and death respectively.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Atal Bihari Vajpayee served as the Prime Minister of India for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of
13 months from 1998 to 1999, and finally, for a full term from 1999 to 2004.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born to Krishna Devi and Krishna Bihari Vajpayee on 25 December 1924
in Gwalior. He passed away on 16 August 2018 due to age-related illness. His birth anniversary is
celebrated as Good Governance Day.
55th anniversary of Sashastra Seema Bal held in New Delhi
The 55th anniversary of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) was held in New Delhi on 24th December 2018. Union
Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, was the chief guest and he witnessed the raising day
parade along with delegates from Nepal and Bhutan on the occasion.
In his address Kiren Rijiju said, in addition to border guarding duty, SSB is also playing important role in
activities such as civic action, perception management and skill development programmes and he also
spoke on the contribution of the SSB in disaster management operations with 2 battalions serving in
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
The Minister highlighted the challenges being faced by the force and commended valour and commitment
of officers and jawans serving in border areas as well as left-wing extremism infested states of
Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. He presented president police medal and Indian police medal to the officers
and the staff. PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)

After the Chinese incursion of 1962, it was felt that the borders of the country could not be protected with
the force of rifles alone. The government felt the backing and resolute will of a committed border
population together with an in-depth understanding and familiarity of the terrain as well as the culture
and ethos of the border population was required to defend the borders effectively.
As a result, a unique, unconventional yet specialized organization, which would function in the far, flung,
vulnerable, strategic, remote, climatically and topographically difficult border areas and motivate the
border population across several states towards the cause of protecting India’s national sovereignty was
conceived as Special Service Bureau in 1962 and eventually created in March 1963. The SSB was renamed
as the Sashastra Seema Bal in January 2001. SSB is part of the para-military force of India.
Indian Navy commissions Naval hospital INHS Sandhani
The Indian Navy has been commissioned a naval hospital ship, the INHS Sandhani at Naval station
Karanja in the Raigad district of Maharashtra. INHS Sandhani was flagged by Flag Officer Commanding-
in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Western Naval Command Vice Admiral Girish Luthra and the commissioning
plaque of the hospital was unveiled by the Preeti Luthra, President of NWWA (Navy Wives Welfare
Association), Western Region.
Genesis of the Hospital
The hospital has its origins as a small primary health care unit established in 1955. As Naval station
Karanja expanded rapidly over the last couple of decades, there was a need to develop the station’s
healthcare services. Hence the upgrade was sanctioned by the Ministry of Defence in September 2016.
The hospital has been expanded from a 16-bed facility to a 30-bed hospital. The hospital is capable of
providing treatment in the fields of General Medicine, Surgery, Gynaecology, Anaesthesia, Paediatrics and
dental services to naval personnel at the station.
INHS Sandhani is the tenth one commissioned by the Indian Navy. The Navy had earlier commissioned its
ninth hospital ‘INHS Navjivani’ at the Indian Naval Academy in Kerala’s Ezhimala.
P. V. Bharathi appointed as MD and CEO of Corporation Bank
According to an order issued by the Personnel Ministry on 24th December 2018, P.V Bharathi has been
appointed as managing director and chief executive officer of the Corporation Bank. P.V. Bharathi is
currently working as the Executive Director in the Canara Bank. She will take charge on or after 1st
February 2019, and remain in the post till March 31, 2020.
The ministry has also released another order as per which, Birupaksha Mishra and Balakrishna Alse S have
been appointed as executive director in the Corporation Bank and the Oriental Bank of Commerce,
respectively. Also, K Ramachandran has been appointed as executive director of the Allahabad Bank.

Currently, Mishra is General Manager in the Central Bank of India. Balakrishna is General Manager in the
Corporation Bank and K Ramachandran is General Manager at the Corporation Bank.
Sangeeta Verma joins Competition Commission of India (CCI)
Sangeeta Verma, a former Indian Economic Services (IES) officer has joined the Competition
Commission of India (CCI) as a member. The order of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs states that the
central government has appointed Sangeeta Verma as the member of CCI for a period of 5 years from the
date of assumption of charge of the post, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The CCI is now at its full strength with Ashok Kumar Gupta as chairperson, Sangeeta Verma, Augustine
Peter and UC Nahta as members. In April the union cabinet had reduced the number of members of the
competition commission of India from six to three.
Competition Commission of India (CCI)
Competition Commission of India (CCI) aims to create and sustain fair competition in the economy that
will provide a ‘level playing field’ to the producers and make the markets work for the welfare of the
consumers.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) was established by the central government in 2003 under the
provisions of the competition act 2002. CCI aims to establish a robust competitive environment through:
Proactive engagement with all stakeholders, including consumers, industry, government and
international jurisdictions. PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
Being a knowledge-intensive organization with high competence level.

Professionalism, transparency, resolve and wisdom in enforcement.
The vision of the CCI is “To promote and sustain an enabling competition culture through engagement
and enforcement that would inspire businesses to be fair, competitive and innovative; enhance consumer
welfare, and support economic growth”.
24th December: National Consumers Day
The Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution
celebrated the National Consumer Day 2018 on 24th December at the Kothari Auditorium, DRDO Bhawan,
New Delhi. The theme of the 2018 National Consumers Day was “Timely Disposal of Consumer
Complaints”.
The National Consumers Day is celebrated on the 24th December because it was on the 24th December
1986 the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 had received the assent of the president.
Initiatives for timely redressal of consumer grievances
On the occasion, Shri Avinash K Srivastava, Secretary of Department of Consumer Affairs mentioned
about the following four key initiatives taken by the department to reduce costs and ensure timely
redressal of consumer grievances:
Strengthening of the National Consumer Helpline with new software, additional counsellors and
Zonal Helplines in 6 zones for regional language services. 480 major Companies including several e-
commerce platforms have been roped in as convergence partners for speedy resolution of cases.
Strengthening of Consumer Fora with infrastructure and CONFONET (It is the computer
networking of consumer fora)
On directions of Supreme Court, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has issued
new Regulations making admission or rejection of cases in 21 days and pronouncing judgment in 45
days after the final hearing. Model Rules have also been framed to assist States in recruiting
qualified persons for District fora and State Commissions.
The new Consumer Protection Bill, 2018 through Central Consumer Protection
Authority (CCPA) and alternate dispute resolution mechanism through mediation and simplification
of adjudication procedures will result in quick disposal of consumer cases.
The National Consumers Day 2018 is significant for the fact that the government is preparing to repeal
the Consumer Protection Act 1986 and bring in a new Act with substantial changes to holistically cover all
aspects of consumer grievance redressal and to streamline the functioning of Consumer forums to meet
future challenges for more effective consumer protection. The new bill has been passed in the Loksabha
and is pending before Rajyasabha.

President Trump names Patrick Shanahan as Acting Defence Secretary

President Donald Trump has announced that Defence Secretary James Mattis will depart the Pentagon by
January 1. James Mattis’s Deputy, Patrick Shanahan is appointed as the Acting Defence Secretary.
James Mattis had resigned from the post of Defence Secretary citing policy differences with President
Trump. The major reason for the fallout between President Trump and Mattis was, President Trump’s
sudden announcement about the troop drawdowns in both Syria and Afghanistan. Mattis was said to be
against the move.
The resignation letter of Mattis delivered a harsh assessment of President Trump’s policy objectives. This
triggered series of negative headlines in the US media and it was said to be the reason to remove Mattis
earlier than expected.
Shanahan is a former Boeing executive. He became the Deputy Secretary of Defence in 2017. Shanahan is a
native of Washington State like Mattis and he will be responsible for managing the Pentagon’s colossal
$700 billion defence budget. As Deputy Secretary of Defence, Shanahan focused on reforming the internal
processes of the Pentagon.
Indian Firm Takes Over Operations of Strategic Iranian Port Chabahar
India Ports Global Limited Company has opened its office and took over operations at the Shaheed Behesti
port at Chabahar. It happened during the occasion of the first meeting of the follow-up committee for
implementation of the trilateral Chabahar PRAVEEN
agreement between India, Afghanistan and Iran.
Outcomes of the Trilateral Meet:

The note of the Ministry of external affairs on the meet says that Positive and constructive discussions
were held between the three sides on full operationalisation of the Trilateral Transit Agreement for
international transit and transport through the Chabahar Port. Important outcomes of the meet are:
There was consensus on the routes for the trade and transit corridors between the three countries.
It was agreed to finalise the protocol to harmonise transit, roads, customs, and consular matters at
the earliest.
It was agreed to allow cargo movement at Chabahar using Transports Internationaux Routiers
Convention provisions.
Internationaux Routiers Convention
It is a multilateral treaty which aims to simplify and harmonise the administrative formalities of international road
transport. It was concluded in Geneva on 14 November 1975. India is a party to the treaty.
Holding an event to promote and popularise the potential of Chabahar on February 26, 2019.
Constituting a study to determine measures to make the route attractive, decrease logistic costs and
pave the way for smooth operationalisation of the Chabahar Agreement.
Chabahar port in the Sistan-Balochistan province of Iran’s southern coast is easily accessible from India’s
western coast and is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan’s Gwadar Port, which is being developed
with Chinese investment and is located at distance of around 80 km from Chabahar. Chabahar Port has
the potential to be a gateway for golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with
central Asian countries besides ramping up trade among the three countries since Pakistan denies transit
access to India.
India Ports Global Limited
India Ports Global Private Limited is a private registered company and classified as Union Government
Company. It is involved in Sea and coastal water transport.
PM Modi inaugurates Bogibeel Bridge
PM Modi inaugurated the Bogibeel Bridge on the birth anniversary of the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee i.e.
December 25 which is observed as “Good Governance Day”. This 4.9 km-long bridge is the nation’s only
fully welded bridge and for the first time European codes and welding standards were adhered to and it
has a life of about 120 years.
The Bogibeel Bridge connects the southern bank of the Brahmaputra River in Assam’s Dibrugarh district
with Silapathar in Dhemaji district, bordering Arunachal Pradesh. This Double-Track and three-lane Road
Bridge will be the lifeline of the north-eastern part of India

The railroad bridge is constructed at a cost of Rs 5,900 crore and it is Asia’s second-longest railroad
bridge. The bridge is part of infrastructure projects planned to improve logistics along the border in
Arunachal Pradesh which includes the construction of a trans-Arunachal highway on the Brahmaputra’s
north bank, and new road and rail links over the river and its major tributaries.
Benefits of the Bridge
The bridge is referred to as “Lifeline of Assam”, It is an asset for the entire north-eastern region. The
benefits of the bridge include:
It reduces travel time from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh to four hours and will eliminate a detour of
over 170 km via Tinsukia.
It also reduces the train travel time between Delhi and Dibrugarh by about three hours.
The bridge will also play an important role in defence of the country by facilitating ease of mobility
to the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh and also the three road lanes of the bridge can act as
three landing strips for the Air Force.
The foundation stone for the Bogibeel Bridge was laid by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on
January 22, 1997. The work had begun on 21st April 2002, under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee led government.
It is now inaugurated on the birth anniversary of the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Govt extends ban on import of milk products from China for 4 months
India which is the largest producer and consumer of milk has extended the ban on import of milk products
from China for 4 months. The ban would continue till 23rd April 2019 as per the notification issued by the
Ministry of Commerce.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), an arm of the commerce ministry which deals with the
norms related to exports and imports of the country in a statement has said that “Prohibition on import of
milk, milk products (including chocolates, chocolate products, candies, confectionary food preparations
with milk or milk solids as an ingredient) from China is extended for a further period of four months, i.e.
till April 23, 2019, or until further orders”.
Why the Ban?
The ban was primarily imposed due to the concerns about the presence of melamine in some of the milk
consignments from China. Melamine is a toxic non-edible chemical used for making plastics and
fertilisers. Even though India does not import milk products from China, the ban is imposed as a
preventive measure.
Achievements of Indian Scientists beyond rocket launches and nuclear capable missiles
The year 2018 was a spectacular one for Indian scientists working in the arena of space and defence. The
high impact missions in these sectors have brought laurels for the country. But seldom was limelight on
the works of scientists working on other sectors ranging from nanotechnology to weather. Some of these
breakthrough innovative stories are listed below.
Breakthrough Innovations of 2018 from India
Here is a list of 15 breakthrough innovations from India in the year 2018:
Poly-Oxime Gel
Scientists from the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Bangalore have developed a
protective gel called Poly-Oxime, which can be applied on the skin and can break down toxic chemicals
into safe substances, preventing them from going deep into the skin and organs like the brain and the
lungs. This would be a boon for Indian farmers since most Indian farmers do not wear any protective gear
while spraying chemicals in fields, which often leads to pesticide exposure and toxicity.
World thinnest material
Scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar have developed a material that is 100,000
times thinner than a sheet of paper. Scientists have developed a two-dimensional material of just one-
nanometer thickness using Magnesium diboride. It is said to be the world’s thinnest material and it can
find applications in a number of applications from next-generation batteries to ultraviolet absorbing films.
Gene Editing of Banana Genome
Researchers from the National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali have edited the banana genome
using the gene editing technique of CRISPR/Cas9. This was first such attempt on any fruit in India. Gene

editing can now be deployed for improving nutritional quality, agronomically important traits as well as
pathogen resistance in banana.
Tackling Zika, dengue, JE and chikungunya
Scientists from the National Brain Research Centre (NBRC) at Manesar have figured out cellular and
molecular mechanisms which show how the Zika virus causes microcephaly or small head size in babies.
Another study from the scientists of the Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad have identified a
key protein which helps dengue as well as Japanese Encephalitis viruses replication inside the human
body by inhibiting anti-viral cytokines. This research could pave way for the development of targeted
drugs for dengue and JE.
A group of researchers from Amity University, Noida, Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi and Maharishi
Dayanand University, Rohtak, have developed a biosensor using molybdenum disulphide nanosheets for
detecting Chikungunya.
Faster diagnostic tests for tuberculosis
Scientists from the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad and All India
Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi have jointly developed a highly sensitive and rapid test for
detection of tuberculosis infection in lungs and surrounding membranes. These new tests use Aptamer
Linked Immobilized Sorbent Assay (ALISA) and Electrochemical Sensor (ECS) for detection of a bacterial
protein in the sputum, unlike current tests that use antibodies for detection of bacterial proteins in
sputum samples.
Detection of Arsenic in floodplains of Punjab
A study by the New Delhi-based TERI School of Advanced Studies has found that that Punjab’s floodplains
are severely affected by arsenic contamination. This discovery was significant because till now arsenic
was a major problem in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Chhattisgarh.
Even though Arsenic was detected in ground waters, the detection of Arsenic in floodplains of Punjab is
something new.
Space weather warning model rules out ‘mini ice age’
Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata have dismissed the
speculation that the upcoming sunspot cycle is going to be stronger using a model. The model developed
by the scientists makes it possible to make predictions almost a decade before the next sunspot cycle
activity peaks in strength.
New tool for autism screening
Scientists from the Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, have developed an Indian tool
for screening children for autism. The tool is designed to help community health workers to carry out
initial screening for autism.
Hope for Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s
Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, have figured out how the way memory
deficit develops in early stages and results in Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists have found that early
breaking down of a protein, fibrillar actin or F-actin, in the brain leads to disruption in communication
among nerve cells and consequently memory deficits. This discovery can be used to develop early
diagnosis test in future.
Another study by the Researchers from the Department of Genetics at Delhi University South Campus has
found that it is possible to restrict the progression of Huntington’s disease by increasing insulin signalling
in the brain neuronal cells.
Green technique to address Plaster of Paris pollution
Scientists from the Pune-based National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) have developed a technique
which helps recycle Plaster of Paris waste from hospitals in an eco-friendly and economical way. This new
technique disinfects waste and converts it into useful products like ammonium sulphate and calcium
bicarbonate. This technique can also be used to disintegrate PoP waste from idols immersed in water
bodies.

Stone Age tools, genetic studies throw new light on peopling of India
The discovery of the Stone Age tools from a village near Chennai suggest that a Middle Palaeolithic
culture was present in India around 385,000 years ago which is roughly the same time the Middle
Palaeolithic culture is known to have developed in Africa and in Europe. This discovery pushes back the
period when populations with a Middle Palaeolithic culture may have inhabited India. It challenges the
popular theory that the Middle Palaeolithic was brought to India by modern humans dispersing from
Africa only around 125,000 years ago or later.
Similarly a population genetic study from the North has revealed that the Rors who inhabit modern
Haryana came to the Indus Valley when it was flourishing during the Bronze Age and inducted West
Eurasian genetic ancestry.
Sikkim gets a real-time landslide warning system
A real-time landslide warning system consisting of over 200 sensors that can measure geophysical and
hydrological parameters like rainfall, pore pressure and seismic activities has been set up in the Sikkim-
Darjeeling belt of the north-eastern Himalayas which is highly vulnerable to landslides. It was deployed by
deployed by the researchers of Kerala-based Amrita University and Sikkim State Disaster Management
Authority.
Computing capacity for weather forecasting gets a boost
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) has upgraded its computing capacity for weather
forecasting and climate monitoring. This takes its total high-performance computing (HPC) power to as
high as 6.8 Petaflop. India is now at the fourth position, next only to the United Kingdom, Japan and USA
in terms of dedicated capacity for HPC resources for weather and climate proposes.
Artificial vertebral disc using silk polymer
Scientists at Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati have developed a silk-based bioartificial disc that
may find use in disc replacement therapy in future.
Transgenic rice with reduced arsenic accumulation
Researchers at Lucknow- based CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute have developed transgenic
rice by inserting a novel fungal gene which results in reduced arsenic accumulation in rice grain.
Early flowering mustard
TERI School of Advanced Studies has developed an early flowering transgenic variety of mustard.
December 26, 2018
Sadaiv Atal dedicated to the Nation
Sadaiv Atal, the Samadhi of Atal Bihari Vajpayee was dedicated to the Nation on the birth Anniversary of
the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
To emphasise on the unity in diversity, stones from various parts of the country have been used in the
construction of Samadhi near Rajghat in New Delhi. The Samadhi has a central platform comprising of
nine square blocks, capped with a Diya in the centre. The number nine represents the navarasas,
navaratras and navagrahas. The placement of the nine square blocks is in a circular lotus shaped pattern.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee served as the Prime Minister of India for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of
13 months from 1998 to 1999, and finally, for a full term from 1999 to 2004.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born to Krishna Devi and Krishna Bihari Vajpayee on 25 December 1924
in Gwalior. He passed away on 16 August 2018 due to age-related illness. His birth anniversary is
celebrated as Good Governance Day.
Experts call to revisit ban on Plastic in Tami Nadu
The government of Tamil Nadu on World Environment day 2018 on 5th June had announced that it would
ban the use of plastic items, including non-biodegradable bags, from January 1, 2019, with some
exceptions. Plastic was allowed only for only milk, oil, medicine packets and other items of basic needs.
The ban was announced by the Chief Minister under Rule 110 of the state Assembly which allows the chief
minister to make announcements without a debate in the House.
Why calls to revisit the decision of ban on Plastics?

Those demanding a revisit argue that

Elimination of single-use plastic by 2020 is perfectly fine, but a total ban on plastic will cause harm
for both industry and the common man.
The proposed ban in Tamil Nadu would hit over 5,000 plastic industries across the State and
investment close to Rs 3,000 crore turning idle.
Tamil Nadu would incur an annual loss of around Rs 18000 crore.
Experts say that it is not the plastics which have become a problem. It is the way in which human beings
deal with disposable plastics is the real cause for concern. It is only the disposable kind that harms the
environment.
Way Ahead
Experts suggest way ahead through the change in attitude which is possible through knowledge and
information dissipation. They suggest productive use of budget allocation towards advertisements to stop
plastic by setting up centres for the collection of plastic bags.
Cyclone Gaja Impacts salt production
The cyclone Gaja had hit the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh with a speed of about 184 kmph. The
cyclone had also deposited a huge amount of sludges in the coastal areas.
Salt Production at Vedaranyam takes a hit
The town of Vedaranyam, in southern Tamil Nadu,
PRAVEEN GAUTAM is famous
| praveen.dda.20@gmail.com | for two things salt pans and the bird
sanctuary. Due to its location with Palk Strait in the South and Bay of Bengal in the East, Vedaranyam
received double blow because of back to back cyclones.
As a result of back to back cyclones, seawater from both sides with slush entered the salt pans up to eight
Kms from the shoreline. As the water receded it left behind the slush in salt pans including bunds, brine
pits, bore wells and roads. Nearly 3,500 acres of salt pans are buried under the slush of one-foot height.
The salt production at Vedaranyam cannot be revived unless the sludge is removed. It is estimated that
the cost of clearing sludge comes to around one lakh per acre. The responsibility of the clearing of salt
pans is vested with the Centre as salt is placed in the central list. A central team had recently visited the
Vedaranyam to access the damage.
Prepaid and smart metering for electricity
Minister of Power and New & Renewable energy R.K Singh has said that in the next three years electricity
metering will go smart and prepaid. He has also asked the manufacturers to scale up manufacturing of
smart prepaid meters and to work towards bringing down their prices.
Why the Pitch for Smart meters?
The Power Ministry is pushing for smart prepaid meters for the following reasons:
Smart and pre-paid metering will aid in making state utilities more efficient and bringing down
their losses in the past.
It will incentivise energy conservation.
Maintaining the better financial health of DISCOMs.
Enhancing the ease of bill payments.
Reducing AT&C losses.
The minister has assured the smart meter manufacturers of steady demand as the government is
planning to make smart metering mandatory after a particular date. On a pilot basis, the prepaid meters
are being deployed in Uttar Pradesh as part of the Saubhagya scheme which aims to electrify over four
crore households till December this year.
Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines [Amendment] Rules), 2018
The ministry of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has released draft Information
Technology (Intermediary Guidelines [Amendment] Rules), 2018.
Provisions under the new rules
The new rules are largely in conformity with developments on this front in various cases before the
Supreme Court in recent months. The important provisions of these draft rules are:
Social media platforms are required to end the complete encryption system and remove any
“unlawful content” for the sake of the country’s security.

The draft rules define intermediary as any platform that has more than 50 lakh users in India or is in
the list of intermediary as notified by the government. Social media platforms such as Whatsapp,
Facebook, Instagram and others fall under the definition of intermediary.
Whenever the government issues an order, within “72 hours of communication”, information or
assistance concerning “security or cybersecurity” must be provided.
The social media platforms are also required to trace out the originator of information on its
platform as may be required by the government agencies if the authorised functionaries demand so.
The government can seek the information about “unlawful acts” from the intermediaries by “court
order” or by being notified by the government itself and the parameter to judge unlawful acts would
be Article 19(2) of the Constitution, which place restrictions on freedom of speech and expression.
The intermediaries are also required to deploy technology based automated tools or appropriate
mechanisms, with appropriate controls, for proactively identifying or removing or disabling access
to unlawful information or content.
The intermediaries must publish their privacy policy for the user of the computer resource to check
and mandates that no such platform would host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit,
information, that is grossly harmful, harassing, blasphemous, definitely obscene, pornographic,
disparaging,” etc. PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
The rules also mandate the intermediaries to keep a record of unlawful activity for a period of 180
days, double the 90 days in the older version.
There are concerns that these draft rules are an attempt by the government to curb expression of free
speech over the internet.
Haryana: Child Care Institutes being run in the state renamed as ‘Jagannath Ashrams’
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on 25th December 2018 has announced the renaming of Child
Care Institutes being run in the state as Jagannath Ashrams. The announcement was made by the chief
minister at the during a dance competition organised by women wing of All India Vaish Federation.
Why the renaming?
Announcing his decision the Chief Minister said that since all the Child Care Institutions have a similar
goal of all-round development of the children, it would be appropriate to give a single name to all. The
announcement was made with the consent of representatives of the institutions and children present
there.
Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee International Schools for students in Rural Areas
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has launched the ‘Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee
International Schools’ for students in rural areas on the occasion of 94th birth anniversary of the late
prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Initially, 13 Zilla Parishad (ZP) schools would be part of the
international board and it would be expanded in the coming years.
Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee International Schools
The schools are affiliated to the Maharashtra International Education Board (MIEB), set up by the state
government with an aim to achieve higher education standards. The curriculum of these schools will be in
the mother tongue. The curriculum is not a copy-paste curriculum but drafted by a team of experts.
Coast Guard deploys hovercrafts for enhanced security in Sir Creek
Indian Coast Guards has deployed two new hovercrafts to enhance its surveillance capabilities and to
protect against any filtration bids from the Pakistan Side. The two hovercrafts would operate from the
Jakhau facility in Gujrat.
The two new hovercrafts together with three interceptor vessels will be responsible for the round the
clock surveillance in the contentious area around Sir Creek.
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is an amphibious vehicle capable of travelling over land, water, mud, ice, and other surfaces. Hovercrafts
operate at high speeds between 30-40 knots (around 50-60 kilometres) per hour. They can be highly useful in hot
pursuit of any suspicious boat or individuals in the waters. Hovercrafts would also be useful in catch any rogue
elements since they can operate on both sea and shores.

Sir Creek area in the Kutch district of Gujarat is a disputed area between India and Pakistan. Sir Creek also
witnessed some action during the 1965 war. Sir Creek is used by the infiltrators from Pakistan to enter the
Indian Territory. Hovercrafts can be an asset in dealing with these infiltrations.
Mohammed Rafi Awards conferred
Mohammed Rafi Award instituted by the NGO Spandan Arts was bestowed upon late music composer
Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar and playback singer Usha Timothy.
The Mohammed Rafi Lifetime Achievement Award consisting of Rs 1 lakh and a trophy was conferred to
Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar. The Mohammed Rafi consisting of Rs 51,000 and a trophy was conferred
to Usha Timothy.
Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar
Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar had a successful and long partnership with Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma.
As music composers duo they gave hit tracks like Bindiya Chamkegi’, ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’ and
‘Hansta Hua Noorani Chehra’ among others. The duo composed music for about 635 Hindi movies from
1963 to 1998. He passed away on 25 May 1998 at the of age 60.
Usha Timothy
Usha Timothy is a Bollywood playback singer. Usha Timothy has sung more than a thousand songs in
multiple Indian languages such as Hindi, Malayalam, Punjabi, Bhojpuri and Marathi. She was often
referred to as “Singer with a difference”. PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
Italy’s Mount Etna Volcano erupts
Italy’s Mount Etna volcano erupted on 24th December 2018 resulting in more than 130 earthquakes of up
to 4.3 in magnitude. The volcanic lava and ash spewed from a new fracture near its south-eastern crater
for the first time in a decade and was visible for miles.
Etna’s eruptions are relatively frequent and there has been a gradual increase in activity on the volcano
over the last month as reported by the according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and
Volcanology,
The volcanic eruption and the subsequent earthquakes have resulted in the closure of Sicily’s Catania
Airport and the Hikers were told to come down to lower elevations to avoid the noxious fumes.
Mount Etna Volcano
Mount Etna is Europe’s highest and most active volcano outside the Caucasus. Mount Etna is an
active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy. The last major eruption was in 1992.
The volcano lies above the convergent plate margin between the African Plate and the Eurasian
Plate. Mount Etna is in an almost constant state of activity. United Nations has designated Mount Etna
has a Decade Volcano by the United Nations and it was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
A study by the UK lead team reveals that the whole structure of Europe’s premier volcano was edging
towards the sea at a rate of 14mm per year.
HUL found guilty of Profiteering Rs 383 crore
National Anti-profiteering Authority (NAA) assessment has revealed consumer goods maker Hindustan
Unilever Ltd (HUL) allegedly profiteering to the extent of Rs 383 crore after the large-scale goods and
services tax (GST) rate cut last November.
The National Anti-profiteering Authority (NAA) has asked HUL to deposit Rs 223 crore in central and state
consumer welfare funds since the company itself had proactively deposited Rs 160 crore with the central
consumer welfare fund.
National Anti-profiteering Authority
National Anti-profiteering Authority was constituted by the central government to provide an institutional mechanism
under the GST law for checking the unfair profit-making activities by the trading community.
National Anti-profiteering Authority is headed by a senior officer of the level of Secretary to the Government of India.
There will be four Technical Members from the Centre and/or the States.
GST consumer welfare funds
The GST law also provides for the creation of a Consumer Welfare Fund wherein undue benefits made by businesses
under the GST law have to be deposited, in case it cannot be passed on to the identified recipient. The proceeds from
the GST consumer welfare fund can be given as grant to the Centre and state governments as well as regulatory
authorities.

Why the profiteering is rampant in India?

According to the anti-profiteering laws in India, businesses have to pass on the benefit of tax cuts as well
as tax rebates to consumers. But the businesses often increase prices to commensurate with the reduced
taxes due to the free nature of the market.
Also, there are no explicit guidelines for companies which they are required to follow so that the benefit of
tax rebates and rate reductions on raw materials are passed on to consumers at the right measure across
all final products. As a result, the NAA is witnessing a large number of complaints related to overcharging.
PIL in Supreme Court against govt’s order to snoop on computers
A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court by advocate Manohar Lal Sharma challenging the government’s
notification authorising 10 central agencies to intercept, monitor and decrypt any computer system.
What was the Order of the Home Ministry?
As per the notification of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, 10 central probe and snoop agencies are
empowered under the Information Technology (IT) Act to carry out interception and analysis of data
stored in any computer.
The 10 agencies empowered were Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Bureau, Enforcement
Directorate, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (for Income Tax Department), Directorate of Revenue
Intelligence, Central Bureau of Investigation, National Investigation Agency, the Research and Analysis
Wing, Directorate of Signal Intelligence (in service
PRAVEEN areas of J-K,| North East and Assam) and Delhi Police
GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com
commissioner.
The order binds the service providers or any person in charge of the computer resource to extend all
facilities and technical assistance to the agencies and a failure to do so is penalised with seven-year
imprisonment and fine.
Why the order has been challenged?
The reasons cited by the Advocate Manohar Lal Sharma in his PIL are:
The notification was illegal, unconstitutional and ultra vires to the law.
The notification was being issued to restrict the political opponent, thinker and speaker to control
the entire country under dictatorship to win coming general election under an undisclosed
emergency as well as slavery which cannot be permitted within the Constitution of India.
The notification provides for blanket surveillance which must be tested against the fundamental
right to privacy.
The notification enables the state to access every communication, computer and mobile and to use it
to protect the political interest and object of the present executive political party.
The notification tries to create a surveillance state.
The government has defended the decision citing national security and claiming that the order was a
mere repetition of the rules passed during the UPA regime in 2009.
December 27, 2018
Review petition in SC against the Aadhaar verdict
Imtiyaz Ali Palsaniya has filed a review petition in Supreme Court against the Aadhaar verdict in which
the Supreme Court had upheld the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar.
SC Verdict on Aadhaar
A five-judge constitution bench while upholding the constitutional validity of Aadhaar had struck down
various provisions of the in the Aadhaar Act. Important features of the Aadhaar verdict are:
Supreme Court had said that sufficient security measures are taken to protect data and it is difficult
to launch surveillance on citizens on the basis of Aadhaar.
Then CJI Deepak Mishra had asked the government to provide more security measures as well as
reduce the period of storage of data.
Centre was asked to bring a robust law for data protection as soon as possible.
The Supreme Court had said that Aadhaar cannot be made mandatory for openings of a bank
account and to get mobile connections.
The Supreme Court had upheld the mandatory linking of PAN with Aadhaar and Aadhaar was made
mandatory for filing income tax returns.

The government was asked to ensure that illegal migrants are not issued Aadhaar to get benefits of
social welfare schemes.
Private companies can’t ask for Aadhaar.
The Supreme Court had struck down the provision in Aadhaar law allowing sharing of data on the
ground of national security.
The Supreme Court had also upheld the passage of the Aadhaar Bill as a Money Bill by the
Parliament.
The petitioner claims that he had filed two impleadment applications on the issue and the Court had failed
to consider the grounds raised while delivering the Aadhaar Verdict.
Aadhaar not mandatory for admission in schools
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has made it clear that schools cannot make Aadhaar a
pre-condition to admit the students. UIDAI has categorically made it clear that asking for Aadhaar card
for admissions is not as per the provisions of law and doing so will be against the recent order of the
Supreme Court.
UIDAI has asked schools to ensure that children are not left out from schools due to unavailability of
Aadhaar. Instead, the UIDAI has asked the schools to admit children without Aadhaar and ensure that
children are enrolled for Aadhaar once they are in schools by arranging special camps for them.
The UIDAI’s clarification has come at a right time as admissions to nursery and entry-level classes have
begun in over 1,500 private schools in Delhi.
SC Verdict
In the verdict which upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar, SC had emphasised that Aadhaar would
not be mandatory for school admissions, for examinations conducted by the Central Board of Secondary
Examination, National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for medical entrance and the University Grants
Commission.
India’s largest Cancer Institute to come up in Haryana’s Jhajjar
Union Health Minister JP Nadda has announced that India’s largest cancer hospital, the National Cancer
Institute will be inaugurated in Haryana’s Jhajjar district in January.
The Institute aims to bridge the deficit of tertiary cancer care in the northern region. The Institute would
play a pivotal role in cancer research in the country.
National Cancer Institute
The salient features of the National Cancer Institute are:
The National Cancer Institute will be set up with 710 beds, out of which 200 beds will be dedicated
for translational research on India-specific cancers.
The Out-patient Department has been started already.
Different facilities like surgical oncology, radiation oncology, medical oncology, anesthesia and
palliative care and nuclear medicine would be available at the institute.
The Institute will also house first-of-its-kind tissue repository in India.
The National Cancer Institute would operate under AIIMS.
The Institute will also house 372 units of flats and 1,080 hostel rooms for staff members.
A night shelter with a capacity of 800 units meant for patient attendants is also been planned.
The Institute will operate on the lines of National Cancer Institute in the US and German Cancer
Research Centre (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum) DKFZ as a nodal centre for indigenous
research, promotive, preventive and curative aspects of care and human resource development.
The Institute would concentrate on conducting and coordinating research on cancers which are
more specific to India like tobacco-related cancers, cancer of the uterine cervix, gallbladder cancer
and liver cancers and would focus on understanding and analyzing the cause and genesis of these
type of cancers.
Out of 80 lakh cancer patients in the world, nearly 29 lakh of them are in India and about 11 lakh cancer
cases are detected every year. The National Cancer Institute would be a landmark in the field of cancer
research in the country.

Islands of Andaman to be renamed after Netaji Bose

The Union Government has decided to rename Ross, Neil and Havelock islands of Andaman. The Ross, Neil
and Havelock Islands are to be named as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island, Shaheed Dweep, and Swaraj
Dweep, respectively.
The announcement about renaming is expected to be made by PM Narendra Modi on 30 December during
his visit to the Islands. 30th December marks the 75th anniversary of the Netaji’s visit to the Andaman
Islands.
Netaji’s connect with the Andaman Islands

Netaji, accompanied by Sarvashri Anand Mohan Sahay, Captain Rawat-ADC and Colonel DS Raju, the
personal physician of Netaji, landed at the Port Blair aerodrome in Andaman on 29th December 1943. Netaji
was accorded a warm welcome. Netaji had appointed Indian National Army General AD Loganathan as the
governor of the islands.
After the Japanese captured the Andaman Island during the time of the Second World War, Netaji had
hoisted the flag at Port Blair on December 30, 1943. This was because he believed that Port Blair was the
first territory to be freed from British rule. Netaji had even suggested way back that the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands be renamed as Shahid and Swaraj Dweep.
Bahuda Rookery: Another Olive Ridley Nesting Site in Odisha
Gahirmatha marine sanctuary and Rushikulya rookery coast in Ganjam district are main Olive Ridley
Nesting sites in Odisha. Of these sites, Gahirmatha marine sanctuary is largest rookery (mass nesting site)
of Olive Ridley turtles. Odisha is home to 50% of the total world’s population of Olive Ridleys and about
90% of Indian population of sea turtles. Recently, Odisha forest department added another olive ridley
mass nesting site Bahuda Rookery at beach on Bahuda river mouth in Ganjam district. It is located around
20 km to south of Rushikulya rookery coast.
Olive Ridley
Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) is smallest and most abundant of all sea turtle found in world. It
gets its name from its olive coloured carapace, which is heart-shaped and rounded. It is best known for
their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach
each year to lay eggs.
It is found in warm waters of Pacific and Indian oceans. They are found along both-eastern and western
coasts of India. It spends entire lives in ocean and migrates thousands of kilometers between feeding and
mating grounds in course of a year.
Breeding season
Olive Ridley turtles commence their journey from Indian Ocean towards Bay of Bengal during their
mating season in October and November every year. A single female can lay upto 100 to 150 eggs in a pit
dug on beaches. Six weeks later these eggs hatches and newly hatched turtles start journey to their Indian
Ocean habitat.
Threats
Accidental killing of adult turtles through entanglement in trawl nets and gill nets due to uncontrolled
fishing during their mating season around nesting beaches. Poaching for meat, shell and leather, and their
eggs. Development and exploitation of nesting beaches for ports and tourist centres.
Protection Status
Though found in abundance, their numbers have been declining over the past few years. It is included in
Vulnerable category by the IUCN Red list. In India, it is protected under Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection)
Act, 1972. Moreover, trading in its products are banned under CITES.
Eminent Sitar Player Manju Mehta conferred Tansen Samman, 2018
The Madhya Pradesh Government has conferred the annual Tansen Samman upon eminent Sitar Player
Manju Mehta for her contribution in the field of Hindustani Classical Music. The award was presented by
Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on inaugural function of Tansen Music Festival in Gwalior.
Tansen
Tansen (earlier names Ramtanu Pande/Mohammad Ata Ali Khan) was the legendary court musician of

Akbar. His early music training was held in music school of Gwalior’s Raja Mansingh Tomar. He was a
disciple of Swami Haridas.
Tansen Samaroh (Tansen Music Festival)
The department of culture, Madhya Pradesh government organizes annual four day Tansen Samaroh near
the tomb of Tansen in Gwalior every year in December. The vocal and instrumental artists from all over
India come and deliver their performances.
Tansen Award
Tansen Award was instituted by Madhya Pradesh government to honour the individual artists with
significant contribution to Hindustani Classical Music. This award carries a cash prize of Rs. 2 Lakh along
with a memento. The first Tansen Samman was conferred upon Sitar maestro Ustad Abdul Haleem Jafar
Khan in 2000.
Manju Mehta
Veteran Sitar maestro Manju Mehta belongs to Bhatt family of Jaipur, which other eminent musicians
Shashimohan Bhatt and Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt come from. She has been a top artist at All Indian
Radio and has co-founded the Saptak School of Music in Gujarat.
Security-service SMEs to grow at 18-20%: CRISIL Research
A research from CRISL states that security services, where small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have
60-65 per cent market share, have loggedPRAVEEN
a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18-20 per cent over
the past three fiscal years and it expects them to grow at a similar pace over the next two fiscal years.
Reasons for this Robust Growth
The growth of security services is driven by infrastructure development, urbanisation, the growing
incidence of crime and terrorism, and the low police to population ratio. Major factors which contributed
to this growth are
Urban housing stock and commercial stock have grown at a CAGR of five per cent in the last three
years (calendar years 2015 to 2018) and is expected to continue the same momentum over the next
three years. Moreover, the development of residential townships has been gaining momentum in the
outskirts of metro cities on account of the availability of large land parcels. This has created a huge
demand.
United Nations data shows that 34 per cent of India’s population lived in urban areas in 2018. The
number is expected to increase further to 37.4 per cent by 2025. This trend of rapid urbanisation is
driving the growth of the security service industry.
India has a large gap between actual and sanctioned police personnel. Data from the Bureau of Police
Research and Development shows that India had 150.75 police personnel per 100,000 people,
compared with a sanctioned strength of 192.87 in 2017. This yawning gap is also driving the growth
of the security services industry.
Value-added services like site-specific training, supervisor patrols at all sites, high-tech surveillance
systems, biometric technologies, remote-sensors and cybersecurity are being offered by the security
services
But the Industry is facing its own set of challenges. Challenges like tough licensing norms, unavailability
of trained personnel, high attrition and heavy working capital requirements are acting as a bottleneck in
achieving their potential.
‘Made in India’ e-dumper put into trial by Coal India
Coal India for the first time, has started using an indigenously-made, 205-tonne electric dumper, a critical
piece of equipment in mining. This indigenously-made dumper has been developed by state-owned BEML.
Coal India has put this electric dumper on a trial in Northern Coalfields’ Amlohri coal mine. This
indigenously-made dumper is the biggest one deployed by Northern Coalfields limited.
This indigenously-made dumper is expected to increase competition among suppliers, bring down costs
and improve the availability of spares.
How the successful trail can give a boost to Make in India?
The successful trial will open a plethora of opportunities because
The successful trial will enable BEML to participate in tenders for higher capacity dumpers floated

by Coal India.
Northern Coalfields limited has already floated one such tender and the Eastern Coalfield limited is
in the process of floating tender for 10 dumpers.
The dumper market in India is captured by Russia’s Belaz, Tata Hitachi and Caterpillar. But these
dumpers come at prices upwards of Rs 15 crore.
If the BEML gains an opportunity to enter the e-dumper market, it will act as a disruptor in the market
and give fierce competition to the big market players. It can open a plethora of opportunities for BEML
and give a fillip to Make in India together with cutting the costs for Coal India.
Make in India
‘Make in India’ campaign aims to facilitate investment, foster innovation, enhance skill development,
protect intellectual property & build best in class manufacturing infrastructure in India. The initiative
aims to transform India into a global manufacturing hub. The initiative focuses on creating jobs in 25
sectors.
Isro Completes Fourth Orbit-Raising Manoeuvre Of GSAT-7A
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has completed the fourth manoeuvre to position the GSAT-7A
military communication satellite closer to its final position. The satellite is currently between 35,800 and
36,092 kilometres from earth and is very close to its final position in the geostationary orbit, which is
located at an altitude of around 35,786 km PRAVEEN
fromGAUTAM
Earth.
Now the satellite will be moved in a final orbital manoeuver to its final position. ISRO uses propulsion
system, or thrusters to perform manoeuvres. ISRO has already done four such manoeuvres on GSAT-7A so
far.
GSAT 7A:
The features of the GSAT-7A are:
ISRO has built GSAT-7A for the Indian Air Force and was launched on a GSLV-Mk2.1 rocket (GSAT-
F11) on 19 December from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikota.
The satellite will be placed in the sun-synchronous orbit, which is roughly 2000 kilometres higher
than the geosynchronous transfer orbit, in which most satellites are released by launch vehicles to
be moved and positioned in low-Earth orbit.
GSAT 7A is ISROs 35th communication satellite and it weighs 2.25 ton.
The satellite is designed to work in the Ku-band frequency and houses a powerful ‘I-2K’ bus, which
functions as the satellite’s communication hub or service module.
Benefits to Air Force:
GSAT-7A will allow cross-connectivity between different ground radar stations, airbases and Airborne
early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft like the Beriev A-50 Phalcon. It will also boost the air force’s
network-dependent warfare capabilities, enhancing its abilities to operate globally.
In future, it is also expected that it would give a big push to drone operations in the Indian military by
helping the Navy reduce its reliance on ground-based control stations and switch to satellite-controlled
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), that offer better range and endurance.
December 28, 2018
Lok Sabha Passes Triple Talaq Bill
The Lok Sabha has passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, famously referred to
as Triple Talaq Bill. The bill would replace the ordinance passed in the month of September.
The opposition members from Congress and AIADMK staged the walkout demanding that the
government must refer the bill to the joint select committee.
Features of the Bill
The Important features of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill are:
The bill makes the all declaration of triple talaq, including in written or electronic form, to be void
(i.e. not enforceable in law) and illegal. Talaq-e-biddat.
Talaq-e-biddat (Triple Talaq)
It refers to the practice under Muslim personal laws where pronouncement of the word ‘talaq’ thrice in one sitting by
a Muslim man to his wife results in an instant and irrevocable divorce.

Declaration of Triple Talaq would be a cognizable offence, attracting up to three years’

imprisonment with a fine. The bill states that the offence will be cognizable only if information
relating to the offence is given by the married woman (against whom talaq has been declared), or
any person related to her by blood or marriage.
Cognizable offence
A cognizable offence is one for which a police officer may arrest an accused person without a warrant.
Under the provisions of the bill, the Magistrate may grant bail to the accused only after hearing the
woman (against whom talaq has been pronounced), and if the Magistrate is satisfied that there are
reasonable grounds for granting bail.
The bill also states that the offence may be compounded by the Magistrate upon the request of the
woman (against whom talaq has been declared). The bill empowers the Magistrate to determine
terms and conditions of the compounding.
Compounding of offence
Compounding of offence refers to a procedure where the two sides agree to stop legal proceedings, and settle the
dispute.
A Muslim Women against whom the triple talaq is pronounced is entitled to seek subsistence
allowance from her husband for herself and for her dependent children and the amount of the
allowance will be determined by the Magistrate.
A Muslim Women against whom the triple talaq is pronounced is entitled to seek custody of her
minor children and the manner of custody will be determined by the Magistrate.
The Opposition members were demanding the joint select committee for a detailed study of the bill since
it is a constitutional matter related to a specific religion.
Niti Aayog releases second Delta Ranking of Aspirational districts
The government think tank, Niti Ayog has released the second Delta Ranking of the Aspirational Districts
Programme. The second delta ranking measures the incremental progress made by 111 Aspirational
Districts between June 1, 2018, and October 31, 2018, across six developmental areas of health and
nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion, skill development, and basic
infrastructure.
Only 111 of the 115 Aspirational Districts participated in the survey. Three Aspirational Districts from West
Bengal did not participate, and one district of Kerala could not take part because of floods.
Findings of the Ranking
The important findings of the second Delta Ranking of the Aspirational Districts Programme are:
Aspirational districts which have shown most improvements in education are Virudhunagar (Tamil
Nadu), Nuapada (Odisha) and Gumla (Jharkhand) while least improved three districts are Pakur
(Jharkhand), Yadgir(Karnataka) and Malkangiri (Odisha).
Aspirational districts which have shown most improvements in health and nutrition are Chitrakoot
(Uttar Pradesh), Barwani (Madhya Pradesh) and Vidisha (Madhya Pradesh), while the least improved
three districts are Chatra (Jharkhand), Pakur (Jharkhand) and Hazaribagh (Jharkhand).
Aspirational districts which have shown most improvements in agriculture and water resources are
Sitamarhi (Bihar), Gajapati (Odisha) and Dhalal (Tripura) while the least improved three districts are
Giridih (Jharkhand), Hailakandi (Assam) and Begusarai (Bihar).
The five districts which have shown most improvements are Virudhunagar (Tamil Nadu), Nuapada
(Odisha), Siddharthnagar (Uttar Pradesh), Aurangabad (Bihar) and Koraput, Odisha
Under the category of Fast movers which includes districts that have significantly increased the
pace of their improvement since the previous delta ranking, Kupwara (Jammu & Kashmir), which
ranked at 108 in June moved to 7 in October. Ranchi (Jharkhand) moved from 106 in June to 10 in
October, Siddharthnagar (Uttar Pradesh) went from 101 to 3, Jamui (Bihar) from 99 to 9. Fatehpur
(Uttar Pradesh) moved up to 25 from its previous ranking of 82 have shown great progress.

Delta rankings
The Delta rankings aim to spur a sense of competition among dynamic teams in Aspirational Districts.
The rankings provide for a quantitative tool to identify sectors and indicate specific challenges so that
Team India, which is driving Transformation of Aspirational Districts programme can take immediate
corrective measures.
The Delta Ranking also goes a step further and looks into specific aspects of Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) and analyses how these districts have performed across important sectors. The findings
from this ranking will aid District Magistrates or Collectors to focus more on these sectors and improve
their ranking in future.
Transformation of Aspirational Districts programme
The Transformation of Aspirational Districts programme launched in January 2018 aims to quickly and
effectively transform the most underdeveloped districts of the country. The programme envisages rapid
development of selected districts on basis of a composite index based on six parameters of health and
nutrition, education, financial inclusion, skill development, agriculture and water resources and basic the
infrastructure. The programme promotes Convergence of Central and State Schemes, Collaboration of
Central, State level ‘Prabhari’ Officers and District Collectors and Competition among districts driven by
Mass Movement or Jan Andolan.
Nitin Gadkari lays foundation stone
PRAVEEN GAUTAM | of 11 projects
praveen.dda.20@gmail.com | for Yamuna rejuvenation
Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Road Transport &
Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari lays foundation stone for eleven projects for Yamuna Rejuvenation
under Namami Gange Programme in New Delhi.
The projects mostly for the sewerage infrastructure at various stages of implementation are taken up
under the Namami Gange programme with an aim to conserve the River Yamuna in Delhi. The projects
are undertaken under the Yamuna Action Plan.
Yamuna Action Plan
Yamuna Action Plan is one of the largest river restoration projects in India. Yamuna Action Plan is a
bilateral project between the Government of India and Japan. The Japanese Bank for International
Cooperation (JBIC) is providing the financial aid to carry out the project and is being implemented by the
National River Conservation Directorate, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, and the Government
of India.
Namami Gange
Namami Gange Programme integrates the efforts to clean and protect the River Ganga in a
comprehensive manner. The programme was initiated in 2015 with a budget outlay of Rs. 20,000 over 5
years.
The programme focuses on pollution abatement interventions namely Interception, diversion & treatment
of wastewater flowing through the open drains through bio-remediation, appropriate in-situ treatment,
use of innovative technologies, treatment plants (STPs), effluent treatment plant (ETPs), rehabilitation
and augmentation of existing STPs and immediate short-term measures for arresting pollution at exit
points on riverfront to prevent inflow of sewage etc.
The programme also focuses on improved coordination mechanisms between various Ministries/Agencies
of Central and State governments.
Government bans Khalistan Liberation Force
The government has banned Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention)
Act (UAPA) for its involvement in several killings, bombings and other terror activities during its violent
campaign for the secession of Punjab. KLF will be the 40th organisation to be proscribed under the UAPA
law.
The ban comes in the backdrop of various agencies unearthing several KLF modules in recent months
which has led to apprehensions that it is attempting to revive militancy in the state.
Khalistan Liberation Force
The Khalistan Liberation Force came into existence in 1986 with the objective of establishing an
independent Khalistan by the secession of Punjab from India through violent means. The following

instances led to apprehensions that KLF is attempting to revive militancy in the state:
A five-member KLF module was busted by the Punjab Police, which resulted in working out the two
cases relating to planting of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Nabha, Punjab.
A module was busted in Gurudaspur district and four terrorists were arrested with illegal arms and
ammunition. It was alleged that they were planning to target Pathankot based leaders of a particular
political party.
Amritsar police had busted another module and three KLF terrorists were arrested, who were
planning to target prominent members of a particular community to disrupt communal harmony in
Punjab.
Jalandhar police had also busted a Khalistan Zindabad Force module of four members and arrested
the chief of KLF along with illegal arms and ammunition
The Home Ministry justifying the ban states that the members of KLF in India are getting financial and
logistic support from their handlers based abroad and it believes that the KLF is involved in terrorism as it
has committed and participated in various acts of terrorism in India.
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) aims at effective prevention of unlawful activities
associations in India, provides unrestricted powers to law enforcement agencies for dealing with activities
directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India. The law imposes reasonable restrictions on
exercise of freedom of speech and expression, to assemble peaceably without arms and to form
associations in interests of sovereignty and integrity of India.
National Children’s Science Congress Inaugurated at Odisha
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the National Children’s Science Congress to be held
between 27-31 December at SOA (Deemed to be university) in Bhubaneswar, Odhisa. This is the 26th
edition of the National Science Congress.
The focal theme of the 26th National Children’s Science Congress is “Science, Technology and Innovation
for a Clean, Green and Healthy Nation.” The National Children’s Science Congress is being held at Odhisa
for the second time. Children from across the country together with those from five Gulf and ASEAN
countries are attending the event.
National Children’s Science Congress
National Children’s Science Congress is a nationwide Science Communication programme started in the
year 1993. It is the programme of the National Council for Science and Technology Communication
(NCSTC), Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
National Children’s Science Congress aims at providing a forum for children from both formal school
systems as well as from out of school of the age-group of 10-17 years to exhibit their creativity and
innovativeness and more particularly their ability to solve a societal problem experienced locally, by using
the method of science.
National Council for Science and Technology Communication
National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) is mandated to communicate
science & technology to masses. Through its various programmes, the council aim to build capacity for
informed decision making in the community. NCSTC encourages research in areas of Science &
Technology communication, training of communicators, development of books, manuals, posters,
exhibitions, films, radio programmes, and television programmes on different facets of science &
technology and recognizing outstanding efforts through awards and incentives all over the country.
Dwijing Festival begins at Chirang district of Assam
An annual river festival, Dwijing Festival has begun on 27th December on the bank of River Aie at Chirang
district. It is the third edition of the festival. The festival was inaugurated by the Public Health
Engineering Minister of Assam, Rihon Daimary. About 15 lakh tourists are expected to participate in the
festival.
Dwijing Festival
Dwijing Festival is an annual river festival celebrated in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD)
region of Assam with various colorful events viz. ethnic trade and food festival, exhibition, games & sports,

river campaign & adventure and various culture programs to make it a centre of attraction for the visitors
as a New Year Festival.
The festival provides a platform of earning for the people in the region by putting in to focus the business
activities for the better economy generation through rural tourism. The festival also aims to provide help
to the flood victim families through charity generation and distribution.
River Aie (Mother)
River “Mother” originates from the Himalayan Mountains of Bhutan and flows through the Chirang and
Bongaigaon districts of Assam before joining the river Brahmaputra. The River Aie is the lifeline of the
region as about 30000 families in the region are dependent on the river for their daily livelihoods through
Crops, Fishing, Stone & Sand Collection and many other activities.
The River creates a massive attraction for many tourists (locals/visiting) for picnic and weekend activities
during the winter season and in summer the river creates massive damages to both the sideways due to
heavy rainfall resulting in loss of properties and lives of many families. Hagrama Bridge which is located
on this river is a centre of attraction.
India’s Fiscal Deficit Hits Around 115% of FY19 Target
India’s fiscal deficit in the first eight months of FY2018-19 rose to Rs 7.17 lakh crore, hitting around 115% of
the budgeted target for the current financial year, breaching the target of Rs 6.24 lakh crore set by the
government for the financial year 2018-19.PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
Fiscal Deficit
Fiscal Deficit is the difference between total revenue and total expenditure of the government. The borrowings are
not included while calculating the total revenue. Fiscal Deficit gives an indication about the total borrowings required.
Revenue of the Government

The Government of India had received Rs.8,96,583 crore (49.32% of corresponding BE 18-19 of Total
Receipts) up to November 2018. It comprised of Rs. 7,31,669 crore Tax Revenue (Net to Centre), Rs. 1,38,637
crore of Non-Tax Revenue and Rs. 26,277 crore of Non-Debt Capital Receipts. The Non-Debt Capital
Receipts consists of Recovery of Loans (Rs.10,467 crore) and Disinvestment of PSUs (Rs. 15,810 crore).
Expenditure of the Government
The expenditure of the government of India was Rs.16,13,208 crore (66.06% of corresponding BE 18-19), out
of which Rs.14,21,778 crore is on Revenue Account and Rs.1,91,430 crore is on Capital Account. Rs.3,48,233
crore accounted for Interest Payments and Rs.2,19,046 crore accounted for major Subsidies under revenue
account.
Public Enterprises Survey 2017-18
The Public Enterprises Survey 2017-18 was tabled in the Parliament. The Survey mapped the performance
of the various central public sector units. The survey was undertaken by the Department of Public
Enterprises, Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises.
Findings of the Survey
The major highlights of the performance of CPSEs are:
Indian Oil Corporation, ONGC and NTPC were the top three most profitable PSUs in 2017-18. They
contributed 13.37 per cent, 12.49 per cent and 6.48 per cent, respectively to the total profit earned by
CPSEs (Central Public Sector Enterprises) during 2017-18.
The fourth and fifth positions were occupied by Coal India and Power Grid Corporation in the list of
top 10 profit making CPSEs in the 2017-18 fiscal.
The Power Finance Corporation entered into the list of the top ten profit making CPSEs and the
Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd did not feature in the latest list.
The top ten profit making CPSEs accounted for 61.83 per cent of the total profit earned by all the 184
profit making state-owned firms during the year 2017-18.
BSNL, Air India and MTNL incurred the highest losses for the second consecutive year. They
contributed 52.15 per cent of the total loss incurred by CPSEs in 2017-18.
The top ten loss-making PSUs claimed 84.71 per cent of the total losses made by all the 71 CPSEs.
Bharat Coking Coal Limited which incurred huge losses in 2017-18 entered into the list of top ten

loss making CPSEs.

India Infrastructure Finance Co and Eastern Coalfields, which were profit-making PSUs till 2016-17,
have started incurring losses and have featured in the list of top ten loss-making state-owned firms
during 2017-18.
The survey notes that there were 339 Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE) in 2017-18, out of which 257
was in operation. Remaining 82 of the CPSEs were under construction.
Bhutanese PM on a 3 day visit to India
Prime Minister of Bhutan Lotay Tshering arrived in India on 27th December for a three-day visit. The Visit
is significant because it is taking place during the Golden Jubilee year of the establishment of formal
diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The Bhutanese PM was accorded ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. He would
pay homage to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
India-Bhutan Diplomatic Relations
The diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan were established in 1968. India established a special
office of India in Thimphu in 1968. Prior to this, Indian diplomatic relations with Bhutan were looked after
by Indian Political Officer in Sikkim.
The India-Bhutan bilateral relations are governed by the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed in
1949 between the two countries. The treaty was revised in February 2007. The India-Bhutan Friendship
Treaty together with reflecting the contemporary nature of our relationship lays the foundation for their
future development in the 21st century.
The Golden Jubilee of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan is being
celebrated in the year 2018.
Lotay Tshering
Doctor by profession Lotay Tshering is a Bhutanese politician who is the current Prime
Minister of Bhutan. He is also the president of the political party, Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa since 14 May
2018. Lotay Tshering is the 3rd democratically elected Prime Minister of Bhutan.
New norms for FDI in e-commerce
The new norms for the foreign direct investment (FDI) in e-commerce, bars e-commerce firms from
selling products of entities in which they have an equity stake.
Why the new norms?
The new norms are brought in by the government to plug-in some loopholes like:
To bypass the rules which restricted large sellers on platforms such as Flipkart and Amazon from
contributing more than a quarter of sales, online retailers had set up structures to get around those
loopholes by mandating other sellers to buy from those large sellers and then, in turn, sell those
products on e-marketplaces.
Large sellers formed multiple entities, which sold their products separately on online marketplaces.
The small traders were complaining that deep discounts offered by the likes of Amazon and Flipkart
are driving them out of business.
The new norms aim to tackle the anti-competitive behaviour by e-commerce entities and to ensure
that there is no wrong subsidization and the marketplace remains neutral to all vendors.
How will it affect e-commerce companies?
The impacts of the new norms are:
The e-commerce companies like Amazon and Flipkart would be adversely affected because Amazon
has several such joint ventures, including Cloudtail and Appario. Even Flipkart has exclusive
partnerships with top smartphone brands such as Xiaomi and Oppo. The new norms will adversely
impact their business models.
The critics blame that the new norms are not in sync with the spirit of competition and free market
economy because Only those exclusive arrangements that have an appreciable adverse effect on
competition are prohibited under the Competition Act.
The new norms are welcomed by stating that the new norms will enable a level- playing field for all sellers
especially MSMEs and help them leverage the reach of e-commerce.

China’s navigation satellite system BeiDou starts providing global service

China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) has started offering global service. It is touted as a rival
to America’s Global Positioning System (GPS). Pakistan has become the first foreign nation to use the
BeiDou system ending its reliance on GPS.
China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System was the fourth global navigation system after US’s GPS,
Russia’s GLONASS and the European Union’s Galileo.
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
China has named its navigation satellite system after the Chinese term which means ‘Big Dipper’.
BeiDou-1 consisted of three satellites and was offering navigation services mainly in China and
neighbouring regions. It was decommissioned in 2012.
The second generation of the navigation system, BeiDou-2 became operational in China in December 2011
with a partial constellation of 10 satellites in orbit and started providing services in the Asia-Pacific region
from December 2012. The third generation of the navigation system, BeiDou-3 began to provide global
services from 27th December 2018.
China plans to have a total of 33 satellites operating in orbit for BeiDou by the end of 2018 which includes
15 BeiDou-2 satellites and 18 BeiDou-3 satellites. China further plans to launch another 11 BeiDou-3
satellites and one BeiDou-2 satellite in the coming two years to form a complete global network for
enhancing the global service performance.PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
India’s Navigation System
The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) named NAVIC is a regional satellite
navigation system that provides accurate real-time positioning and timing services covering India and a
region extending 1,500 km around it. NAVIC provides two levels of service, the standard positioning
service, which will be open for civilian use, and restricted service for authorized users (including military).
There are plans to expand the NavIC system by increasing the number of satellites from 7 to 11.
Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskaar
The central government has launched Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskaar annual
awards to recognise the excellent work done by individuals and institutions in the country in the field of
disaster management.
The award has been instituted with an aim to recognise the efforts of individuals and organisations who
have been working assiduously to alleviate the human suffering caused by disasters.
About the Award
As per the statement issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) three eligible
institutions and individuals will be given the ‘Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskaar’ every
year with cash rewards ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 51 lakh. Only Indian nationals and Indian institutions
are eligible for this award.
If the awardee is an individual, the person shall receive a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh and in
case the awardee is an institution, it will be given a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 51 lakh and the prize
money will be utilised for disaster management-related activities only.
For the year 2019, the award would be announced on January 23, 2019, the birth anniversary of Netaji
Subhash Chandra Bose.
India to build new vertical bridge to replace Pamban Bridge
Indian Railways is building the country’s first vertical-lift bridge to connect Rameswaram to mainland
India. The bridge will allow ships and steamers to pass through without any hindrance.
The new bridge would replace the existing 104-year-old Pamban bridge. It would be ready in the next four
years.
About the New Vertical Bridge
The New Bridge will have a 63-metre stretch which will lift up while remaining parallel to the deck to
allow access to the ships. The lifting would be done using sensors at each end. The new bridge will have
electro-mechanical controlled systems which will be interlocked with train control systems in place of
existing manual operation and control.
Pamban Bridge
Pamban Bridge connects the town of Rameswaram on Pamban Island to mainland India. Pamban Bridge

was the first sea bridge of India and was the longest sea bridge in India until the Bandra-Worli Sea Link
was opened in 2010.
Pamban Bridge is located in a very challenging location. It is located the world’s second most corrosive
environment after Florida and is prone to high-velocity cyclones. This makes maintenance very
challenging.
December 29, 2018
India rebuts CDC Zika alert for Indian travel
The Indian Government has strongly rebutted the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC)
travel advisory for Indian travel. The Zika alert will adversely affect tourism.
What is the travel advisory?
The CDC’s travel advisory forbids pregnant women to travel to India as Zika is “endemic” in the country.
The advisory also asks travellers to take precaution to prevent mosquito bites and use condoms or not
have sex to protect against Zika during travel.
Pregnant women are advised not to travel to areas with risk of Zika because Zika infection during
pregnancy can cause serious birth defects.
India was put under Level 2 alert which requires enhanced protection. Level 1 precaution calls for “usual
precautions”, and Level 3 advises against non-essential travel.
India’s rebuttal PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
India has sent a rebuttal to CDC along with all research done on the Zika strain in India, the cases
reported, measures taken etc. India has taken strong objection to the use of the word “endemic” because
the Zika outbreaks in India are localised and contained within small areas, be it in Gujarat where three
cases were reported last year, in Tamil Nadu or the more recent one in Rajasthan.
Research by scientists at the Indian Council of Medical Research has shown that the Zika strains in India
are less virulent than in Brazil and are not associated with microcephaly.
Zika
Zika is a mosquito-borne infection spread by a virus. Zika was first identified in Uganda in 1947 among
monkeys and was detected in humans five years later. Sporadic cases have since been reported across the
world since the 1960s. In 2015, Brazil reported a major Zika outbreak. The research’s also linked Zika to
microcephaly (i.e. babies born with small and underdeveloped brains).
Union Cabinet Approves amendments to POCSO Act
The Union Cabinet has approved amendments to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences
(POCSO) Act, 2012. The amendments are proposed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
Amendments Proposed
POSCO is a gender-neutral law protects both boys and girls under the age of 18. The amendments
proposed are:
The amendments provide for stringent punishment, including the death penalty, for committing
aggravated penetrative sexual assault crime on a child, both boys and girls, below the age of 18.
The amendments extend the punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault from a
minimum of 10 years to a minimum of 20 years, up to a maximum of life imprisonment and even the
death penalty.
The amendments are proposed to protect children from sexual offences in times of natural
calamities and disasters.
The amendment also proposes to alter the definition of sexual assault to include administering
hormones to children expedite their sexual maturity for the purpose of commercial sexual
exploitation.
Why the amendments were proposed?
The Ministry of Women and Child Development cites the reports of rapes of young girls in the aftermath
of Kedarnath floods. Data shows that children constitute 50-60% of victims of calamities. Hence there was
a need to add rapes in course of natural calamities as the 21st category under aggravated penetrative
sexual assault.
The cabinet has approved the death penalty for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 under

IPC. But IPC is not gender neutral. Since POSCO is a gender-neutral law the amendments widen the range
of cases of sexual assault against boys and girls under 18 that are now punishable by death.
Is law a deterrent?
Government proposes that amendments will further enhance the deterrence against sexual assault on
children. But the data shows that less than 3% of all POCSO cases end in convictions and experts further
warn against the chilling effect the death penalty may have on reporting the crime. Hence it can be said
that law by itself will not be a deterrent but systemic changes in law enforcement and prosecution hold
the key to tackling child sexual abuse.
India to submit 2nd biennial report on greenhouse gas inventory to UNFCCC
India is mandated to submit a biennial update report containing updates of national greenhouse
gas inventories and information on mitigation actions, needs and support received as a party to UNFCC.
The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi has approved the submission of second Biennial Update Report
(BUR) to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), giving India’s
national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory of 2014.
India’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2014
The Biennial Update Report contains five major components National Circumstances,
National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Mitigation Actions; Finance, Technology and Capacity Building
Needs and Support Received and Domestic Monitoring,
PRAVEEN Reporting
GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com | and Verification (MRV) arrangements.
The BUR reports following figures about India’s greenhouse gas emissions:
In India, a total of 26,07,488 gigagram (Gg) CC-2 equivalent or around 2.607 billion tonnes of CC-2
equivalent of GHGs were emitted from all activities, excluding ‘land use, land use change and
forestry’ (LULUCF) in 2014.
Net national GHG emissions after including LULUCF were 23,06,295 Gg CO2 equivalent or around
2.306 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
Energy sector accounted for 73 per cent, industrial processes and product use (IPPU) 8 per cent,
agriculture 16 per cent and waste sector 3 per cent of emissions.
India is on course for achieving the target for emission intensity of the economy and share of non-
fossil fuel-based power capacity.
India’s commitments under the Paris Agreement
India advocating the principle of common burden differential responsibility according to the respective
capability has made three important commitments under the INDC. They are:
Reducing greenhouse gas emission intensity of India’s GDP by 33-35 per cent below 2005 levels by
2030.
40 per cent of India’s power capacity would be based on non-fossil fuel sources.
Creating an additional ‘carbon sink’ of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of Co2 equivalent through additional
forest and tree cover by 2030.
India’s commitments under the INDC’s are seen as most ambitious ones under the current circumstances.
Union Cabinet approves budget for Gaganyaan project
The Union Cabinet has approved a budget of Rs 10,000 crore for India’s Gaganyaan project. The allocation
of the budget comes after the announcement of Prime Minister that, an Indian would travel to space in an
Indian spacecraft by 2022 in his 2018 Independence Day speech.
About the Mission
The salient features of the Gaganyaan Mission are:
The Mission aims to carry three human beings for a maximum period of seven days in space with
the support of academia, the scientific community, industry, IAF and Isro (Indian Space Research
Organisation).
India will launch two unmanned missions before the final mission. The first unmanned test-flight
will be launched in December 2020. The second unmanned test will be conducted in July 2021 and
the human space flight will be launched in December 2021.
The module carrying three Indians will be attached to a service module. These two modules will
comprise the orbital module that will be integrated with an advanced GSLV Mk III rocket.

The rocket will take the modules to the low-earth orbit (300-400 km) where they will perform
micro-gravity and other scientific experiments for a week.
The orbital module will reorient itself. The crew and service module will get separated at 120km
altitude.
The crew module will reduce the speed by applying aerobrake and parachutes will open just before
the splashdown in the Arabian Sea.
The return journey will take approximately 36 minutes. The module can also land in the Bay of
Bengal as a backup
The crew members will be jointly selected by the IAF and Isro. The crew members would be trained
for two-three years.
Isro had started preparations for the project way back in 2004. Gaganyaan will also provide employment
to around 15,000 people.
Postal Stamp dedicated to Nabin Chandra Das, inventor of Rosogolla launched in West Bengal
A postal stamp dedicated to Nabin Chandra Das, inventor of Rosogolla was launched on the inaugural day
of the three-day festival, Bagbazar-O-Rosogolla Utsob marking the 150th year of its invention.
Bagbazar-O-Rasogolla Utsob
Bagbazar O Rosogolla Utsob, a three-day Rosogolla Utsav is being held at Bagbazar, Kolkata as a tribute to
Nabin Chandra Das, inventor of Rosogolla. The statue of Nabin Chandra Das was also unveiled during the
inaugural programme.
Tussle between Bengal and Odisha over Rosogolla
The battle over the ownership of Rosogolla started in 2015 when the government of West Bengal applied
for the GI tag for the sweet. Odisha contested the West Bengal claim by narrating Rosogolla has a 600-
year-old history in Odhisa.

Odhisa even cited mythological stories to claim that Lord Jagannath had offered kheer mohana to an
angry Goddess Lakshmi in order to appease her and this kheer mohana later became Pahala Rosogolla.
The GI authorities ruled in the favour of West Bengal. The Odisha has now applied to get GI tag for a
variant of Rosogolla, the Odishara Rosogolla.
National Commission for Homeopathy Bill, 2018 gets cabinet approval
The Union Cabinet has approved the National Commission for Homeopathy bill, 2018. The National
Commission for Homeopathy seeks to replace the existing regulator Central Council of Homoeopathy.
The salient features of the draft National Commission for Homeopathy bill are:
Constitution of a national commission with three autonomous boards.
The Homoeopathy Education Board to be vested with the responsibility of overseeing the
Homeopathy education in the country.
The board of assessment and rating to assess and grant recognition to educational institutions of
Homoeopathy.
Board of ethics and registration of practitioners of Homoeopathy to maintain National Register and
deal with ethical issues relating to practice.
The bill also proposes a common entrance exam and an exit exam which all graduates will have to
clear to get practicing licenses. PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
The bill proposes a teacher’s eligibility test to assess the standard of teachers before appointment
and promotions.
The bill aims at bringing reforms in the medical education of homoeopathy in line with the National
Medical Commission proposed for setting up for allopathy system of medicine. The National Commission
for Homeopathy aims to promote transparency and accountability.
Union Cabinet approves the National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine (NCIM) Bill, 2018
The Union Cabinet has approved the National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine (NCIM) Bill,
2018. The bill seeks to replace the existing regulator, the Central Council for Indian Medicine (CCIM).
The salient features of the National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine (NCIM) Bill, 2018 are:
The bill provides for the constitution of a National Commission with four autonomous boards.
The Board of Ayurveda would be responsible for overseeing the overall education of Ayurveda.
The Board of Unani, Siddha and Sowarigpa will be responsible for overseeing the overall education of
Unani, Siddha and Sowarigpa.
The bill provides for two common boards, Board of Assessment and Rating and Board of Ethics and
Registration.
The Board of Assessment and Rating would be responsible to assess and grant permission to
educational institutions of Indian systems of Medicine.
The Board of Ethics and Registration of practitioners of Indian systems of medicine would maintain
National Register and deal with ethical issues relating to practice under the National Commission
for Indian Medicine,
The bill also proposes a common entrance exam and an exit exam which all graduates will have to
clear to get practicing licenses.
The bill proposes a teacher’s eligibility test to assess the standard of teachers before appointment
and promotions.
The bill aims at bringing reforms in the medical education of Indian systems in line with the National
Medical Commission proposed for setting up for allopathy system of medicine. The National Commission
for Indian Systems of Medicine aims to promote transparency and accountability.
Bimal Jalan Panel on Economic Capital Framework
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has set up an expert committee, headed by its former governor Bimal
Jalan, to suggest how the central bank should handle its reserves and whether it can transfer its surplus to
the government. The committee will submit its report within 90 days of its first meeting.
The expert committee headed by Bimal Jalan will have former RBI deputy governor Rakesh Mohan as its

vice chairman. The members of the committee are RBI central board directors Bharat Doshi and Sudhir
Mankad, deputy governor N.S. Vishwanathan, and economic affairs secretary Subhash Chandra Garg.
RBI Reserves
RBIs contingency fund core reserve is only around 7% of its total assets and the rest of it is largely in
revaluation reserves. Revaluation reserves fluctuate with corresponding changes in currency and gold
valuations.
In 2017-18, the central bank’s contingency funds and revaluation reserves stood at ₹2.32 trillion and ₹6.92
trillion respectively.
The data shows that the growth in revaluation reserves has far exceeded the growth in the contingency
fund. While revaluation reserves have more than tripled from ₹1.99 trillion in 2008-09 to ₹6.92 trillion in
2017-18, the contingency fund has grown 50% during the same period from ₹1.53 trillion to ₹2.32 trillion.
Core Reserve and Revaluation Reserve
Core Reserves are considered to be of highest quality and consists mainly of share capital and disclosed reserve. They
are fully available to cover losses
Revaluation reserves arise from revaluation of assets that are undervalued in the bank’s books, Ex: Marketable
Securities. The Revaluation Reserves can be used as a cushion for unexpected losses and depends mainly upon the
level of certainty that can be placed on estimates.
Why the committee was formed?

The RBI and the government were at loggerhead over the transfer of surplus. The committee has been
formed to look into this issue. The committee will:
Decide whether RBI is holding provisions, reserves and buffers in the surplus of the required levels.
Propose a suitable profits distribution policy taking into account all the likely situations of the RBI,
including the situations of holding more provisions than required and the RBI holding lesser
provisions than required.
Suggest an adequate level of risk provisioning that the RBI needs to maintain.
The committee is expected to provide for an objective criterion to address the friction between the
government and the RBI.
Factsheet: Initiatives to deal with cyber crimes against women
Data suggests that Every second, one woman in India gets tricked to be a victim of cyber crimes. The
online platform has now become an avenue where a woman’s dignity, privacy and security is increasingly
being challenged every moment. Hence to address the cybercrimes against women, the government has
initiated the following initiatives:
Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children (CCPWC) portal
The portal launched by Ministry of Home Affairs, allows citizens to lodge complaints on objectionable
online content related to child pornography, child sexual abuse material and sexually explicit material
such as rape and gang rape without disclosing their identity.
The portal allows the complainants to upload objectionable content and URL to assist in the investigation
by State Police. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) will proactively identify such objectionable
content on receiving complainants and take it up with intermediaries for its removal from the online
platforms.
Cyber Crime Reporting Portal
The Cyber Crime Reporting Portal is an initiative of the Ministry of Home Affairs under the National
Mission for the safety of women to facilitate victims/complainants to report cybercrime complaints
online.
Proposals for implementation of Mahila Police Volunteer Scheme approved
The proposal from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Madhya
Pradesh for the implementation of Mahila Police Volunteer Scheme has been approved by the union
government.
Haryana was the first state to adopt the initiative of Mahila Police Volunteer at Karnal and Mahindergarh
District on a pilot basis under the Nirbhaya Fund during the financial year 2016-2017.

Mahila Police Volunteer Scheme

The Mahila Police Volunteer was initiated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in
collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs. The salient features of the scheme are:
A Mahila Police Volunteer could be any woman who is socially and voluntarily committed towards
empowerment of women and girls, willing to raise her voice against gender-based violence and
support the police in creating a gender just society free from violence.
A Mahila Police Volunteer should be minimum 21 years of age and possess at least 12th pass
certificate.
A Mahila Police Volunteer must be from the same geographical area and conversant with the local
dialects.
No criminal proceedings must have been instituted against her and she must not have been
convicted or imprisoned for the violation of any criminal law.
A Mahila Police Volunteer should not be a member of any political party.
The Mahila Police Volunteers in the States/UTs will act as a link between police and community and
help women in distress.
There will be one Mahila Police Volunteer per Gram Panchayat.
Mahila Police volunteers will directly report to the Circle Inspector in the Police Thana.
The Mahila Police volunteers are required to mobilize the community to form Mahila and Shishu
Rakshak Dals (MASRD) to act as community watch groups.
The broad mandate of the Mahila Police Volunteer is to report incidences of violence against women
such as domestic violence, child marriage, dowry harassment and violence faced by women in public
spaces.
A Mahila Police Volunteer is an honorary position and they are paid an honorarium of Rs 1,000 per
month.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has requested Chief Secretaries of all States and UTs to
adopt this initiative in their respective States.
December 30, 2018
PM Inaugurates International Rice Research Institute’s South Asia Regional Centre
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the International Rice Research Institute South Asia Regional
Centre (IRRI SARC) in Varanasi. It is the sixth campus of IRRI SARC. The institute will complement the
government’s effort to double farmer’s income by 2022.
IRRI South Asia Regional Centre (IRRI SARC)
The components of the IRRI SARC are:
The education and training arm of IRRI SARC will educate scientists and agriculture leaders about
the latest technologies and innovations for sustainable farming.
The IRRI SARC will house laboratories for digital crop monitoring and assessment.
IRRI SARC will house demonstration fields for testing various varieties of rice.
IRRI SARC will also house Centre of Excellence in Rice Value Addition (CERVA), which would be a
suite of modern laboratories where rice grains are assessed for quality and nutritional value and
sensory evaluations for grain taste, texture and aroma are conducted on-site facilities.
International Rice Research Institute
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is a dynamic and rapidly evolving organization which focuses on
solving complex global problems through vibrant, rice-based agri-food systems. It is headquartered in Los Baños,
Laguna in the Philippines.
Benefits of the IRRI SARC

The IRRI SARC centre will aid in the following ways:
It will serve as a hub for rice research and training in South Asia and SAARC region.
The IRRI SARC will aid in improving crop production, seed quality and the nutritional value of rice.
The centre will work with national partners to enhance farmers’ knowledge and income and deliver
advanced research, teaching and services in the connection.

IRRI SARC aims to improve livelihood and nutrition, abolishing poverty, hunger, and malnutrition
among those countries which depend on rice-based agri-food systems.
The Centre will help in utilizing the rich biodiversity of India to develop special rice varieties which
will help India to achieve higher per hectare yields and improved nutritional contents.
The Centre will support in adopting a value chain based production system in the country by
reducing wastage, adding value and generating higher income for the farmers.
Together with giving impetus to Indian agriculture the centre will catalyze South-South collaboration,
strengthen the research expertise and capacity of rice-growing countries in the region, and contribute to
the Sustainable Development Goals.
December 31, 2018

One District, One Product scheme of Uttar Pradesh
The government of Uttar Pradesh has initiated One District, One Product scheme to encourage
indigenous and specialized products and crafts of the state. The scheme aims to capitalize the rich
heritage of the Uttar Pradesh by reviving them through modernization and publicisation to enhance the
reach of these products.
Objective of the Scheme
Uttar Pradesh is a vast state with vast diversity in |all
PRAVEEN GAUTAM facets of life.
praveen.dda.20@gmail.com | The diversity of products and crafts in
UP is breathtaking. The vast diversity encompasses the ancient and nutritious Kala namak rice, the rare
and intriguing wheat-stalk craft, world-famous chikankari and zari-zardozi work on clothes, the intricate
and stunning horn and bone work that uses the remains of dead animals rather than live ones, a nature-
friendly replacement for ivory. Many of these rich traditions are facing the existential threat. The One
District, One Product aims to revive these traditional heritages by reviving them through modernization
and publicisation.
PM releases commemorative stamp on Maharaja Suheldev
PM Narendra Modi released a commemorative stamp on Maharaja Suheldev. He described Maharaja
Suheldev as a brave warrior and a hero who inspires the people and said that the Union Government is
determined to preserve the legacy of all those who contributed to the cause of India’s defence and security,
and to its social life.
Legacy of Maharaja Suheldev
Maharaja Suheldev is a semi-legendary king whose references are found somewhere between the
boundary of fiction and history. There is no consensus about his name and is alternating between
Sakardev, Suhirdadhwaj, Suhridil, Suhridal-dhaj, Rai Suhrid Dev, Susaj, Suhardal etc. There is also no much
clarity on his caste and religious identity. Of late various Hindu nationalist groups have characterized him
as a Hindu king who defeated a Muslim invader.
The only surviving historical account of him can be traced to Mirat-i-Masudi, a 17th-century Persian-
language historical romance. Maharaja Suheldev is said to have defeated and killed
the Ghaznavid general Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud at Bahraich, in the early 11th century.
Madhya Pradesh Government to create an Adhyatmik Vibhag (Spiritual department)
The Government of Madhya Pradesh has announced setting up of a new Adhyatmik Vibhag (spiritual
department). The proposed new department will be set up by merging several existing departments.
As per the tweet from the chief minister’s office of Madhya Pradesh Dharmik Nyas Evam Dharmasv
Department (Religious Trust and Endowment Department), Anand Vibhag (Happiness Department) in
addition to the Directorate of Religious Trust and Endowment, Madhya Pradesh Teerth Evam Mela
Pradhikaran and Rajya Anand Sansthan would be merged to form the proposed Adhyatmik Vibhag
(spiritual department).
Anand Vibhag (Happiness Department)
Madhya Pradesh had become the first state in the country to create Happiness Department. The
government had also announced the setting up of the Happiness Institute.
Before announcing the creation of Happiness Department the state government had undertaken an in-
depth study of the measures taken to assess the status of happiness among the citizens by the United

Nations as well as the Government of Bhutan and America’s International Management Institute.
Rajasthan cabinet scraps education criteria for civic poll candidates
The new government of Rajasthan has abolished the condition of a minimum educational qualification to
contest local body elections. The cabinet also decided on holding the election of mayors and chairman’s in
corporations through the direct system instead of the indirect method introduced by the previous
government.
Criteria’s for contesting in local polls
As per the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Amendment Bill 2015, Candidates were:
Required to have passed Class X for contesting municipal elections, Class VIII for contesting
panchayat polls for the post of a sarpanch, and Class X for contesting zila parishad or panchayat
samiti elections.
Construction of toilets in their homes as mandatory for contesting polls to the panchayati raj
institutions in the state.
Supreme Court on Educational Qualification for contesting Polls
Even Haryana had passed a similar law mandating minimum education qualification for those contesting
in Panchayat Raj Institutions. The constitutional validity of this law of Haryana was questioned in the
Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court had upheld the constitutional
PRAVEEN GAUTAM |validity of the
praveen.dda.20@gmail.com | law enacted by Haryana government to
bar the illiterate from contesting panchayat polls in the state. The Supreme Court had ruled that “it is only
education which gives a human being the power to discriminate between right and wrong, good and bad”.
The Supreme Court had even made it clear that it would be valid for the legislature to disqualify a
candidate from seeking election to a civic body if he or she lacks “basic norms of hygiene” by not having a
functional toilet at home.
India submits sixth national report to Convention of Biological Diversity
India has submitted its sixth national report (NR6) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
highlighting the progress it has made in achieving the 12 National Biodiversity Targets (NBT) set under
the convention process.
The report was submitted to the CBD Secretariat by Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan during the
inaugural session of the 13th National Meeting of the State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs). The Minister also
released the document “Progress on India’s National Biodiversity Targets: A Preview” on the occasion.
Highlights of the Report
India was among the first five countries in the world, the first in Asia and the first among the biodiversity-
rich megadiverse countries to have submitted NR6 to the CBD Secretariat. The major findings of the
report are:
India has already achieved two targets and was on track to achieve another eight soon. The
remaining two would be met by the stipulated time of 2020.
While the biodiversity is facing increasing pressure on account of habitat fragmentation and
destruction, invasive alien species, pollution, climate change and over-use of resources globally,
India is one of the few countries where forest cover is on the rise, with its forests teeming with
wildlife.
India has done well in raising awareness about biodiversity.
India is a megadiverse country harbouring nearly 7 to 8 per cent of globally recorded species while
supporting 18 per cent of the global human population on a mere 2.4 per cent of the worlds land
area. India’s is pursuing its economic development by maintaining the integrity of its natural capital
through various programmes and strategies.
India has adopted measures for sustainable management of agriculture, fisheries and forests, with a
view to ensure food and nutritional security to all without destroying the natural resource base
while ensuring intergenerational environmental equity.
India has put programmes in place to maintain genetic diversity of cultivated plants, farms livestock
and their wild relatives, towards minimising genetic erosion and safeguarding their genetic
diversity

Mechanisms and enabling environment are being created for recognising and protecting the vast
heritage of coded and oral traditional knowledge relating to biodiversity for larger human welfare
while safeguarding the interests and rights of the local communities as creators and holders of this
knowledge.
India is investing a huge amount on biodiversity directly or indirectly through several development
schemes of the Central and state governments which is to the tune of Rs 70,000 crore per annum as
against the estimated annual requirement of nearly Rs 1,09,000 crore.
National Biodiversity Targets of India
The 12 National Biodiversity targets of India are:
By 2020, a significant proportion of the country’s population, especially the youth, is aware of the
values of biodiversity and the steps they can take to conserve and use it sustainably.
By 2020, values of biodiversity are integrated into national and state planning processes,
development programmes and poverty alleviation strategies.
Strategies for reducing the rate of degradation, fragmentation and loss of all natural habitats are
finalized and actions put in place by 2020 for environmental amelioration and human well-being.
By 2020, invasive alien species and pathways are identified and strategies to manage them
developed so that populations of prioritized invasive alien species are managed.
By 2020, measures are adopted for sustainable management of agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
Ecologically representative areas under terrestrial and inland water, and also coastal and marine
zones, especially those of particular importance for species, biodiversity and ecosystem services, are
conserved effectively and equitably, based on protected area designation and management and other
area-based conservation measures and are integrated into the wider landscapes and seascapes,
covering over 20% of the geographic area of the country, by 2020.
By 2020, genetic diversity of cultivated plants, farm livestock, and their wild relatives, including
other socio-economically as well as culturally valuable species, is maintained, and strategies have
been developed and implemented for minimizing genetic erosion and safeguarding their genetic
diversity.
By 2020, ecosystem services, especially those relating to water, human health, livelihoods and well-
being, are enumerated and measures to safeguard them are identified, taking into account the needs
of women and local communities, particularly the poor and vulnerable sections.
By 2015, Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from
their Utilization as per the Nagoya Protocol are operational, consistent with national legislation.
By 2020, an effective, participatory and updated national biodiversity action plan is made
operational at different levels of governance.
By 2020, national initiatives using communities’ traditional knowledge relating to biodiversity are
strengthened, with the view to protecting this knowledge in accordance with national legislation
and international obligations.
By 2020, opportunities to increase the availability of financial, human and technical resources to
facilitate effective implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the national
targets are identified and the Strategy for Resource Mobilization is adopted.
India is the hub of biodiversity. India has nearly two-thirds of the population of wild tigers in the world.
The population of the lion has increased from 177 in 1968 to over 520 in 2015, and elephants from 12,000 in
the 1970s to 30,000 in 2015. One-horned Indian Rhino which was on the brink of extinction during the
early 20th century, now number 2,400. India is leading the global efforts in conserving biodiversity.
Government to appoint Committee to monitor DFI implementation
The government will soon be appointing a committee to oversee the implementation of the
recommendations of the Doubling Farmers’ Income (DFI) committee. This committee will oversee the
implementations of various recommendations and have specific terms of reference.
Together with supervising and monitoring, it will even handhold those involved in implementing the
recommendations. The immediate and greater attention will be given to tapping of the low-hanging fruits

in production and post-production stages of agriculture.

Committee on Doubling Farmers Income (DFI)
The government had appointed an expert committee headed by Ashok Dalwai in 2016 to look into the
entire agriculture ecosystem in the country to suggest ways and means to reform it so that farmers’
income can be doubled by 2022.
The committee headed by Ashok Dalwai has come out with 14 voluminous reports that deal with all
aspects of agriculture including agri inputs, risk management, post-harvesting and agri-logistics.
Ujjwala Sanitary Napkin initiative
The oil marketing companies have launched Ujjwala Sanitary Napkin Initiative, as part of their corporate
social responsibility (CSR) in Odisha.
According to the data from the National Family Health Survey-4, overall use of sanitary napkins in Odisha
is 33.5 per cent and only 42.8 per cent of rural women between the age of 15 and 24 years use proper
hygienic methods of protection during menstruation. The oil companies came up with this
initiative keeping this scenario in mind.
About the Initiative
Under the Initiative:
Around 100 local manufacturing units will be set up by oil marketing companies at Common Service
Centres (CSCs) across 93 blocks in allPRAVEEN
30 districts of Odisha.|
GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com
Common Service Centres

Common Service Centres are physical facilities for delivering Government of India e-Services to rural and remote
locations where availability of computers and Internet was negligible or mostly absent.
Each facility will have the capacity to produce 1200-2000 pads each day.
Each facility will also have a sterilization room to ensure that the napkins are sterilized before they
are packed for use of rural women.
The companies will provide machineries and raw material for one time. Then the women will
manage it and earn by selling the pads.
The women will also be provided with proper training in the manufacturing and sale of sanitary
napkins and the Ujjwala beneficiaries will also be provided with the job.
The oil companies have started this initiative on a pilot basis and would be expanded across the state if the
module gets success.
Khushi Scheme of Odisha
Khushi scheme of Odisha aims to provide good menstrual hygiene care to women of the state. The
initiative aims to promote health and hygiene among school going adolescent girls leading to higher
retention in school and greater empowerment of women.
About the Initiative
Under the scheme, the government will provide free sanitary napkins to 17 lakh girls studying in Classes 6
to 12 in government and government-aided schools. The scheme is being implemented by the health and
family welfare department of the state at a cost of Rs 70 crore per year.
Why the scheme has been initiated?
As per the data of the National Family Health Survey, in Odisha 53 per cent women use unhygienic
methods and around 69 per cent women use cloth during menstruation. To address this dire scenario, the
Odisha government has initiated Khushi Scheme.
The government of Odisha is also providing sanitary napkins to rural women at subsidised rates of Rs. 6
for six napkins through ASHA workers.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Who has been honoured with Jnanpith Award for 2018?
[A] Krishna Sobti
[B] G. Sankara Kurup
[C] Raghuveer Chaudhari
[D] Amitav Ghosh

Correct Answer: D [Amitav Ghosh]

Notes:
Noted English author Amitav Ghosh has been honoured with 54th Jnanpith Award for 2018 for his
outstanding contribution towards literature. The decision was taken in a meeting of Jnanpith Selection
Board chaired by eminent novelist, scholar and Jnanpith laureate Pratibha Ray. Mr. Ghosh’s novels
include Shadow Lines, The Glass Palace, The Hungry Tide, and the Ibis trilogy — Sea of Poppies, River of
Smoke, and Flood of Fire — discussing the opium trade between India and China run by the East India
Company. He is also recipient of the Padma Shri and Sahitya Akademi Award.
2. Who is the head of the newly constituted Group of Ministers (GoM) on stressed power assets?
[A] Sushma Swaraj
[B] Ananth Kumar
[C] Arun Jaitley
[D] Nitin Gadkari
Correct Answer: C [Arun Jaitley]
Notes:
The Union government has constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Finance Minister Arun
Jaitley to examine the specific recommendations of High Level Empowered Committee (HLEC)
constituted to address the issue of stressed
PRAVEEN GAUTAM |power projects
praveen.dda.20@gmail.com | and forward their comments for
consideration by the Union Cabinet. The panel, headed by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha, had submitted its
report in November 2018. The other members of the GOM are Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari,
Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal
and Power Minister R K Singh.
3. The world’s first Floating Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) has become operational in which
country?
[A] Russia
[B] France
[C] Japan
[D] United States
Correct Answer: A [Russia]
Notes:
On December 11, the world’s first Floating Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) – Akademik Lomonosov – has
become operational at the Baltiysky Zavod shipyard in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is constructed by the
state nuclear power firm Rosatom. The FNPP has a capacity of 70MW and is equipped with two reactors
of 35MW each. According to Rosatom, an FNPP’s operational life span is 40 years, with the possibility of
being extended up to 50 years. An FNPP is basically a mobile, low-capacity reactor unit operable in
remote areas isolated from the main power distribution system, or in places hard to access by land. They
are designed to maintain both uninterruptible power and plentiful desalinated water supply in remote
areas.
4. Which city is the venue of the 39th Gulf Cooperation Council Summit (GCCS-2018)?
[A] Baghdad
[B] Riyadh
[C] Muscat
[D] Tehran
Correct Answer: B [Riyadh]
Notes:
The 39th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit 2018 was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In it, the
Secretary-General Abdellatif al-Zayani read the closure declaration in which member countries
underscored their loyalty to the organization. The declaration called on to form a route map to complete
the integration between member states and ensure financial unity until 2025. GCC declaration also
emphasized that it would continue to support fellow states, the Palestinian cause, and Yemen. Although
the 39th summit was held in Riyadh upon a request from Oman, Oman will be the president for the next
12 months. The next summit is going to be held under the United Arab Emirates (UAE) presidency. The

GCC, established in 1981 in Abu Dhabi, comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the
UAE.
5. On which date, the 2018 National Energy Conservation Day (NECD) was recently observed in
India?
[A] December 14
[B] December 13
[C] December 15
[D] December 16
Correct Answer: A [December 14]
Notes:
The National Energy Conservation Day (NECD) is observed every year on 14th December by Bureau of
Energy Efficiency (BEE), under Ministry of Power, with an aim to demonstrate India’s achievements in
energy efficiency and conservation, while working for its ambition of holistic development as part of the
nation’s overall effort towards climate change mitigation. The day is also meant to raise awareness
about the importance of energy & its conservation.
6. Which of the following union ministries has launched ECO Niwas Samhita 2018?
[A] Ministry of AYUSH PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
[B] Ministry of Rural Development

[C] Ministry of Labour and Employment
[D] Ministry of Power
Correct Answer: D [Ministry of Power ]
Notes:
On the occasion of 2018 National Energy Conservation Day (NECD), the Ministry of Power has launched
the ECO Niwas Samhita 2018 – an Energy Conservation Building Code for Residential Buildings (ECBC-
R) – to promote energy efficiency in home construction. It’s purpose is to benefit the occupants and the
environment by promoting energy efficiency in design and construction of homes, apartments and
townships. The parameters listed in the Code have been developed based on large number of parameters
using climate and energy related data. The Code is expected to assist large number of architects and
builders who are involved in design and construction of new residential complexes in different parts of
the country. Implementation of this Code will have potential for energy savings to the tune of 125 billion
units of electricity per year by 2030, which is equivalent to about 100 million tonnes of carbondioxide
emission.
7. Who has been sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Mizoram?
[A] Ch. Chhunga
[B] Lal Thanhawla
[C] Pu Zoramthanga
[D] Ṭhenphunga Sailo
Correct Answer: C [Pu Zoramthanga]
Notes:
Pu Zoramthanga, the President of Mizo National Front (MNF), has been sworn-in as the new Chief
Minister of Mizoram. He was administered the oath of office and secrecy in Mizo Language by Mizoram
Governor K Rajasekharan during a ceremony at Raj Bhavan in Aizawl. This is his third stint as chief
minister of the northeastern state, having led the MNF government in Mizoram in 1998 and 2003. Mr
Tawnluia will be the deputy chief minister. The MNF came to power in Mizoram capturing 26 of the 40
seats in the state assembly in the recently-held polls.
8. The Nigerian military has recently lifted ban on which UN agency operations in ravaged
northeast?
[A] UNESCO
[B] UNIDO
[C] WHO

[D] UNICEF
Correct Answer: D [UNICEF ]
Notes:
The Nigerian military has lifted a ban on UNICEF operations in the ravaged northeast of the country.
Earlier, the army had suspended the aid agency & accused it of training spies supporting Boko Haram
jihadists. Boko Haram’s Islamist insurgency has killed more than 27,000 people since it began in 2009
and has triggered a humanitarian crisis in the wider Lake Chad region, where the jihadists have stepped
up attacks in recent months.
9. Which Indian Armed Force (IAF) has launched Operation Oliva to safeguard turtles in Odisha?
[A] Indian Coast Guard
[B] Indian Army
[C] Indian Air force
[D] Indian Navy
Correct Answer: A [Indian Coast Guard ]
Notes:
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) recently launched an exercise ‘Operation Oliva’ along the serene sea
waters of Gahirmatha marine sanctuary in Odisha to protect the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles
during their mating season. The exercise PRAVEEN
is part of its annual mission to ensure the safe mid-sea sojourn
of breeding Olive Ridley sea turtles.

10. Which state government has recently passed resolution to seek 33% reservation for women in
Parliament?
[A] Punjab
[B] Haryana
[C] Karnataka
[D] Andhra Pradesh
Correct Answer: A [Punjab ]
Notes:
The Punjab Legislative assembly has unanimously passed a resolution to seek 33% reservation for
women in both Parliament and state assemblies. The resolution, which was moved by Chief Minister
Captain Amarinder Singh, has urged the Union Government to enact the Women’s Reservation Bill as
fast as possible. The Bill would ensure greater equity and balanced representation for both men and
women in the national electoral process and decision making. Once the bill got enacted, 181 seats in Lok
Sabha will be reserved for women along with 1,370 assembly seats (out of a total of 4,109) in 28 state
assemblies in the country.
11. Who has become the first Indian to lift Badminton World Federation World Tour Finals title?
[A] Sania Nehwal
[B] PV Sindhu
[C] Ashwini Ponnappa
[D] N. Sikki Reddy
Correct Answer: B [PV Sindhu]
Notes:
Rio Olympics Silver medallist PV Sindhu became the first Indian to lift the Badminton World Federation
(BWF) World Tour Finals title at Guangzhou, China. In the summit clash, Sindhu defeated Japanese
Nozomi Okuhara, in straight games, 21-19, 21-17 to claim the top honours of the season-ending event and
her first title of the year. With the win, Sindhu also equalled her head-to-head record with Okuhara to
6-6.
12. Which of the following Pakistani military officer had signed the instrument of surrender on 16
December 1971 after defeat in 1971 Indo-Pak war?
[A] Yahya Khan
[B] Khaled Musharraf

[C] Mohammad Hamidullah Khan

[D] Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi
Correct Answer: D [Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi]
Notes:
The Vijay Diwas is commemorated every year on 16th of December to mark India’s victory over Pakistan
in 1971 during the war for the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan. The end of war resulted in
unilateral & unconditional surrender of Pakistani Army. On this day in 1971, the chief of the Pakistani
forces, General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, along with 93,000 troops, surrendered to the allied forces
consists of Indian Army and Mukti Bahini, led by Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora in Dhaka after
their defeat in the Liberation War. The end of the war also resulted in subsequent secession of East
Pakistan into Bangladesh. The anniversary of Vijay Divas is observed across India by paying tributes to
the martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation.
13. “One City-One Operator scheme” which was recently in news, is related to which of the
following?
[A] Traffic
[B] Sewage
[C] Roads
[D] Electricity PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
Correct Answer: B [Sewage]

Notes:
In Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently inaugurated a 175 km long of sewerage
network at Prayagraj, which will carry 7.8 Cr litres sewage water per day to existing STPs (Sewage
Treatment Plants) at Salori, Kodra & Ponghat for treatment which earlier ended up in Ganga. He also
laid the foundation stone for two projects in the trans-Ganga/Yamuna area under One City-One
Operator scheme with a sanctioned budget of Rs 767.59 crore.The project is based on Hybrid Annuity
based Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode that includes operations and maintenance of all the
sewerage infrastructure for 15 years. These projects include intersection and diversion (I&D) of sewage
network, seven sewage pumping stations and three STPs having a total capacity of 72 million litre per
day (MLD). With these projects, there will be comprehensive sewerage coverage of Prayagraj, including
areas on the other side of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers.
14. India’s first private Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) factory has opened in which of the
following cities?
[A] Gwalior
[B] Dehradun
[C] Hyderabad
[D] Kochi
Correct Answer: C [Hyderabad]
Notes:
India’s first private sector unit for manufacturing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) has recently opened
at Adani Aerospace Park near Shamshabad in Hyderabad. The 50,000-sq ft state-of-the-art facility
facility is built by the Adani Group and Israel-based Elbit Systems. It will start operations with the
manufacturing of complete carbon composite aero-structures for the Hermes 900 UAV, followed by the
Hermes 450 UAV, catering to the global markets, and will further be ramped-up for the assembly and
integration of complete UAVs here. As of now, after manufacturing, the integration of the UAV units will
be done in Israel.
15. Which state has been selected for 2018 Krishi Karman award under rice category?
[A] Rajasthan
[B] Jharkhand
[C] Madhya Pradesh
[D] Punjab
Correct Answer: B [Jharkhand ]

Notes:
The state of Jharkhand has been selected for 2018 Krishi Karman award for producing best quality rice
in the year 2016-17 by the Union Ministry of Agriculture. The award to be given away in February 2019
will carry a cash prize of Rs 2 crore, a trophy and a commendation letter, which will be handed over to
the State representative in the Agriculture Fair scheduled to be organised in Delhi in the month of
February-March, 2019. As a gesture of appreciation to the farmers of the state for achieving the
milestone, two progressive farmers, i.e. one male and one female, would also be given ‘Agriculture
Minister’s Krishi Karman Award’.
16. Which film has won the Golden Crow Pheasant award at the 23rd International Film Festival of
Kerala (IFFK-2018)?
[A] Sudani from Nigeria
[B] Taking the Horse to Eat Jelabis
[C] Ee.Ma.Yau
[D] The Dark Room
Correct Answer: D [The Dark Room]
Notes:
Iranian film ‘The Dark Room’, directed by Rouhollah Hejazi, won the Suvarna Chakoram (Golden Crow
Pheasant) award at the 23rd International Film
PRAVEEN Festival
GAUTAM of Kerala
| praveen.dda.20@gmail.com | (IFFK-2018). The film won the award,
comprising a purse of Rs 15 lakh, a sculpture and citation, for an intimate exploration of relationships
within a family at a time of change, creating a complete cinematic experience, and for its sensitive
treatment of delicate issues. Beside this, Malayalam Director Lijo Jose Pellissery has been awarded the
‘Rajatha Chakoram’ (The Silver Crow Pheasant), for the best director for his movie ‘Ee.Ma.Yau’. The
Rajatha Chakoram award for debut director was won by Anamika Haksar for her film ‘Taking the Horse
to Eat Jelabis’.
17. Which Indian American film producer has recently been honoured with the French Knight of
the National Order of Merit?
[A] Ashok Amritraj
[B] Mira Nair
[C] Kal Penn
[D] Jay Chandrasekhar
Correct Answer: A [Ashok Amritraj]
Notes:
On December 2018, an Indian American film producer Ashok Amritraj has been honoured with the
French Knight of the National Order of Merit for his contribution to the world of cinema and Indo-
French film industry. He has been the producer of Hollywood films such as Ghost Rider: Spirit of
Vengeance with Nicholas Cage and 99 Homes starring Andrew Garfield. The Order of Merit is part of
France’s premier award – the Legion of Honor – and is awarded “to recognize eminent artists as well as
people who have contributed significantly to furthering the arts in France and throughout the world”.
18. Which neighboring country of India has banned all Indian currency notes above Rs 100?
[A] Nepal
[B] Bhutan
[C] Bangladesh
[D] Sri Lanka
Correct Answer: A [Nepal ]
Notes:
The Nepal government has banned the use of Indian currency notes of Rs 2,000, Rs 500 and Rs 200
denominations in the country. The decision will adversely affect Nepalese labourers working in India as
well as Indian tourists visiting the Himalayan nation. Currently, India is Nepal’s largest trade partner
and supplies the majority of its consumer goods. Indian currency is extensively used by Nepalese people
and businesses for their savings and transactions. Hence, the Nepalese government has asked the people
to refrain from keeping or carrying Indian bank notes higher than Rs. 100 denomination as it has not
legalised them.

19. Who has been crowned the 67th Miss Universe 2018?
[A] Tamaryn Green
[B] Catriona Elisa Gray
[C] Sthefany Gutierrez
[D] Demi Leigh Nel-Peters
Correct Answer: B [Catriona Elisa Gray]
Notes:
Catriona Elisa Gray from Philippines has been crowned at the 67th Miss Universe 2018 at a gala
ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand on December 17. She was crowned by Miss Universe 2017 Demi Leigh
Nel-Peters, who comes from South Africa. She is the fourth Filipina Miss Universe, after Gloria Diaz in
1969, Margie Moran in 1973 and Pia Wurtzbach in 2015. She beated contestants from 93 other countries
to claim the prize. In it, Tamaryn Green from South Africa was named the first runner-up while Miss
Venezuela Sthefany Gutierrez stood third.
20. Which country’s team has won the 2018 men’s Hockey World Cup?
[A] Netherlands
[B] Belgium
[C] Australia PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
[D] England
Correct Answer: B [Belgium ]
Notes:
In Hockey, Belgium has claimed their first ever World Cup title. They defeated Netherlands 3-2 in a
dramatic shoot-out in the final of the 14th edition of Men’s World Cup 2018 at the Kalinga Stadium in
Bhubaneswar, Odisha on December 16. Both the teams, goalless at full time, were at level 2-2 after five
penalties. Belgium has won the trophy after 16 years. Earlier, the defending champions Australia secured
a consolation bronze medal after mauling England 8-1.
21. Which city is venue of the 37th Senior National Rowing Championship 2018?
[A] Pune
[B] Kolkata
[C] Hyderabad
[D] Dehradun
Correct Answer: A [Pune]
Notes:
The 37th Senior National Rowing Championship has started in the Army Rowing Node in Pune,
Maharashtra on December 17. Around 500 rowers and coaches from various rowing associations
acrossthe country will take part in the Championship which will run up to 22nd ofthis month. The
Rowers for the World Championships-2019 will be selected from this event. The World Championship
-2019 is the first qualifying Championship for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
22. Who was Tulsi Giri, who recently passed away?
[A] Former Union Minister of India
[B] A well known Diplomat
[C] An well known author
[D] Former PM of Nepal
Correct Answer: D [Former PM of Nepal]
Notes:
Tulsi Giri (93), Nepal’s two-time prime minister and senior politician, has passed away in Kathmandu,
Nepal on December 18, 2018. Born in 1926 in Siraha district, Giri started his political career from Nepali
Congress party. He later turned a die-hard supporter of Panchyat system after then King Mahendra
Shah imposed the system. He served as the country’s Prime Minister twice during the tenure of slain
King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah in 1975 and 1977. Birendra, the eldest son of King Mahendra Shah, was
the King of Nepal from 1972 until his death in the 2001 Nepalese royal massacre. After the country
eliminated the Panchyat system and absolute monarchy through the 1990 People’s Movement during

the rule of King Birendra, Giri left the country and was living in Sri Lanka. He returned to Nepal in 2005
when then King Gyanendra Shah, who took over the reigns following the royal massacre, appointed him
the vice-chairman of the Cabinet (equivalent to the Prime Minister’s post).
23. Who has been crowned Miss India Worldwide 2018?
[A] Anusha Sareen
[B] Sakshi Sinha
[C] Shree Saini
[D] Pragya Jaiswal
Correct Answer: C [Shree Saini]
Notes:
Indian-American Shree Saini has been crowned Miss India Worldwide 2018 at a pageant held in the
Fords City of New Jersey. The event was organised by the New York-based India Festival Committee
(IFC). Sakshi Sinha from Australia and Anusha Sareen from the United Kingdom were respectively
declared first and second runner-ups in the 27th annual global pageant for people of Indian origin.
24. NITI Aayog has organised the 3rd edition of the Women Transforming India Awards 2018 in
collaboration with which international organisation?
[A] WHO PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
[B] UNICEF
[C] ILO
[D] United Nations
Correct Answer: D [United Nations]
Notes:
Government think-tank NITI Aayog organised the 3rd edition of the Women Transforming India Awards
2018 in collaboration with United Nations, and launched the upgraded portal of the Women
Entrepreneurship Platform on December 16. The awards were instituted to recognise and celebrate
stories of exemplary women from across India. This year’s theme is ‘Women and Entrepreneurship’ and
15 winners have been chosen through an extensive six-month long process to identify fascinating and
inspiring stories of women entrepreneurs. The event will include panel discussions. The panellists
include entrepreneurs, investors and experts such as Debjani Ghosh, Shivani Wazir Pasrich, Geeta
Chandran, Radhika Ghai and Sania Mirza.
25. National Crime Record Bureau, which recently got its new director, comes under which
ministry?
[A] Ministry of Home Affairs
[B] Ministry of Law
[C] Ministry of Social Justice
[D] None of them
Correct Answer: A [Ministry of Home Affairs]
Notes:
Ramphal Pawar, an IPS officer from the West Bengal cadre, has been appointed the new Director of
National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB). The NCRB is responsible for collecting and analysing crime data
as defined by the Indian Penal Code (IPC). It is headquartered in New Delhi and is part of the Ministry of
Home Affairs (MHA). Apart from this, Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Rajiv Jain and Research &
Analysis Wing (RAW) Secretary Anil K Dhasmana, both of whose two-year terms were scheduled to end
later this month, have been given six-month extensions. As per officials, the Central Government does
not want to disturb the continuity in the IB and the R&AW and wanted a new government to take a
decision on appointments on these key posts after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
26. India’s first military flight using blended bio-jet fuel has been successfully flown on which of
the following aircrafts?
[A] AN-30
[B] AN-32

[C] AN-33
[D] AN-34
Correct Answer: B [AN-32]
Notes:
India’s first military flight using blended bio-jet fuel has been successfully flown by Indian Air Force
(IAF) through an AN-32 transport aircraft in Chandigarh. Bio-jet fuel is made from Jatropha oil sourced
from the Chattisgarh Biodiesel Development Authority and processed at the CSIR-Indian Institute of
Petroleum, Dehradun. The project is a combined effort of IAF, DRDO, Directorate General Aeronautical
Quality Assurance (DGAQA) and CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum. Now, IAF intends to fly the An-32
transport aircraft using biojet fuel on 26th January 2019 in the Republic Day flypast.
27. Pandit Arun Bhaduri, who recently passed away, was a maestro in which of the following
Indian performing arts?
[A] Classical Dance
[B] Rabindra Sangit
[C] Carnatic Music
[D] Hindustani Classical Music
Correct Answer: D [Hindustani Classical PRAVEEN
Music] GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
Notes:
Pandit Arun Bhaduri (75), the renowned Hindustani classical singer, has passed away in Kolkata, West
Bengal on December 17, 2018. He is considered to be one of the masters of Bengali songs and Bhajans.
Bhaduri was an exponent on Kirana and Rampur Gharana. He has fused all these styles beautifully to
create an inimitable style of his own. Some notable disciples of Him are Koushik Bhattacharjee, Kasturi
Bandopadhyay, Tushar Dutta, Indrani Mukherjee and many more.
28. What is the theme of the 2018 International Migrants Day (IMD)?
[A] Migration with Dignity
[B] I Am A Migrant
[C] Safe Migration in a World on the Move
[D] Migration with Self Respect
Correct Answer: A [Migration with Dignity]
Notes:
The International Migrants Day (IMD) is observed every year on 18th of December to protect the rights
of migrant workers and members of their families. On this day, in 1990, The United Nations General
Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution on the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights
of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. The 2018 theme “Migration with Dignity”
recognizes that treating every migrant with dignity is one of the fundamental requirements we face
before anything else we attempt on migration.
29. Which woman law officer has been appointed as new Additional Solicitor General of India
(ASGI) in Supreme Court?
[A] Mira Aggarwal
[B] Konamaneni Amareswari
[C] Madhavi Divan
[D] Pinky Anand
Correct Answer: C [Madhavi Divan]
Notes:
Madhavi Goradia Divan has been appointed as new Additional Solicitor General of India (ASGI) in
Supreme Court (SC). With this, she became only the third woman to become an ASG in the Apex Court.
Her appointment has been approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet(ACC) and she will
hold office till June 30, 2020. Prior to her, Senior advocate Indira Jaising was the first woman to be
appointed as the ASG, while the second one was Pinky Anand, who still holds the post.
30. Which of the following countries has recently declared 2019 as ‘Year of Tolerance’?

[A] Saudi Arabia

[B] Israel
[C] Australia
[D] UAE
Correct Answer: D [UAE ]
Notes:
The United Arab Emriates (UAE) government has officially declared 2019 as Year of Tolerance to
strengthen the nation’s role of encouraging stability and prosperity in the region. As per officials, the
‘Year of Tolerance’ would be an extension of the current ‘Year of Zayed’, which celebrates the values of
the country’s founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan. This year, the UAE announced it will be a global
co-ordinator for co-operation within a new Global Tolerance Alliance to promote acceptance around the
world. The Special Olympic World Games, to be held in Abu Dhabi from March 14-21 in 2019, are also
expected to feature heavily in a year-long series of events promoting tolerance.
31. Which Indian film has been shortlisted for the 91st Oscar in the Documentary Short Subject
category?
[A] How Far can you go for your art?
[B] In Defence of Freedom
[C] The School Bag
[D] Period. End of Sentence
Correct Answer: D [Period. End of Sentence]
Notes:
‘Period. End of Sentence’, the short documentary film on the stigma surrounding women during
menstruation in rural India, has been shortlisted at the 91st Oscar in the Documentary Short Subject
category. The short film is directed by award-winning Iranian-American filmmaker Rayka Zehtabchi. It
is executive produced by Guneet Monga and is co-produced by Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment, which
has backed films like ‘The Lunchbox’ & ‘Masaan’. The 26-minute film follows the exploits of two girls
from Hapur village in Uttar Pradesh as they struggle to fight the stigma against menstruation and
install a pad vending machine in their village.
32. Who has been elected as Vice President Of FICCI for 2018-19?
[A] Ayaz Memon
[B] Vikram Chandra
[C] Rahul Kanwal
[D] Uday Shankar
Correct Answer: D [Uday Shankar]
Notes:
Uday Shankar, currently chairman of Star India and president of 21st Century Fox Asia-Pacific (only
Asia), has been elected as vice president of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Industry (FICCI) for the year 2018-19 at the 91st AGM of the apex industry body. Shankar is the first
Indian media and entertainment executive to assume the leadership position in a national industry
chamber like FICCI. He has recently been appointed Chairman of Star and Disney India and President of
Asia Pacific unit of The Walt Disney Company. The appointment is part of Disney’s integration planning
for its acquisition of 21st Century Fox and strategic alignment of its consolidated international business
units.
33. Which state has become the India’s first state to bring a law against ‘sextortion’?
[A] Himachal Pradesh
[B] Jammu and Kashmir
[C] Manipur
[D] Arunachal Pradesh
Correct Answer: B [Jammu and Kashmir]
Notes:
Jammu and Kashmir has become the first State in India to bring in a law banning “sextortion”, i.e. sexual

exploitation of women by those in positions of authority or those in a fiduciary relationship or by a

public servant. The State Administrative Council (SAC) led by Governor Satya Pal Malik has recently
approved two bills – the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and the Jammu and Kashmir
Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018. The latter bill seeks to amend the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC),
whereby specific offence under section 354 E is being inserted to provide for the offence of ‘Sextortion’.
The RPC is the criminal code applicable in the state of J&K. Sextortion is a corruption in a form where
the government officials, judges, educators, law enforcement personnel force people for sexual favours
in return of something which is under their authority to grant.
34. Nasscom has partnered with which IIT for training workforce in digital skills?
[A] IIT-Kanpur
[B] IIT-Bombay
[C] IIT-Madras
[D] IIT-Indore
Correct Answer: C [IIT-Madras]
Notes:
Industry body Nasscom has collaborated with the IIT-Madras for its FutureSkills Platform that is
targeted at re-skilling/upskilling 4 million people from the IT-ITeS industry, students entering the
workforce and employees of other industries/government on digital skills. The partnership will be
directly with the Sector Skills Council (SSC), which is the education and skill development initiative of
Nasscom. The SSC and IIT Madras will work towards building a skills academy and establish a program
with extensive courses and training programmes to facilitate skill building in the institution.
35. Which of the following objects is the most-distant object ever spotted in our solar system?
[A] Goblin
[B] Farout
[C] Biden
[D] Eris
Correct Answer: B [Farout]
Notes:
An international team of astronomers has discovered the most-distant object ever spotted in our solar
system. It’s provisional designation is ‘2018 VG18’ & nicknamed as “Farout” for its extremely distant
location. The pinkish dwarf planet is more than 100 times farther from the sun than Earth is — and
almost four times more distant than Pluto. Farout is about 120 astronomical units (AU), where 1 AU is
defined as the distance between the Earth and the Sun. It is discovered by Scott S Sheppard from
Carnegie Institution for Science, David Tholen from University of Hawaii, and Chad Trujillo from
Northern Arizona University in the US. On 17th Deember 2018, Farour’s discovery was announced by the
International Astronomical Union (IAU)’s Minor Planet Center. The second-most-distant observed solar
system object is Eris at about 96 AU & Pluto is currently at about 34 AU.
36. Who has been named PETA India’s Person of the Year 2018?
[A] Shahid Kapoor
[B] Medha Patkar
[C] Sonam Kapoor
[D] Kiran Bedi
Correct Answer: C [Sonam Kapoor]
Notes:
Actress Sonam Kapoor has been named People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India’s
Person of the Year for 2018 for her animal advocacy efforts. Sonam has been feted as she sings in praise
of vegan eating and because she keeps animal skins out of her handbag line for her fashion brand
Rheson, apart from taking other action for the welfare of animals. Past recipients of PETA India’s Person
of the Year Award include Anushka Sharma, Sunny Leone, Shashi Tharoor, Kapil Sharma, Hema Malini,
R. Madhavan and Jacqueline Fernandez. The motto of PETA India is “Animals are not ours to experiment
on, eat, wear, use for entertainment or abuse in any other way”.
37. The Postage Stamp on Rajkumar Shukla, which has been released by India Post, was associated

with which of the following historical events?

[A] Kheda Satyagraha
[B] Dandi Satyagraha
[C] Champaran Satyagraha
[D] Vaikom Satyagraha
Correct Answer: C [Champaran Satyagraha]
Notes:
The Department of Posts (DoP) has recently released the commemorative Postage Stamp on Rajkumar
Shukla, who was associated with Champaran Satyagraha of 1917. In drawing the attention of Mahatma
Gandhi to the plight of peasants suffering under an oppressive system established by European indigo
planters in Champaran (Bihar), Rajkumar Shukla made a seminal contribution culminating in the launch
of the Champaran Satyagraha in 1917 by Mahatma Gandhi ji. This struggle was a turning point in India’s
fight for independence. The DoP has been paying a tribute to eminent personalities who have made a
significant contribution to public life especially freedom fighters. With this stamp, the Department has
released 43 issues in the current calendar year.
38. The European Union (EU) has decided to reduce new car emissions by 37.5% by which year?
[A] 2050
[B] 2040 PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
[C] 2025
[D] 2030
Correct Answer: D [2030 ]
Notes:
The European Union (EU) has decided to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from new cars and vans by
2030 despite industry concerns the targets are for now “totally unrealistic”. The targets will require new
cars sold in 2030 to emit 37.5% less Co2 on average compared to 2021 levels. Emissions from new vans
will have to be 31% lower. Ambassadors from EU countries are expected to endorse the deal in Brussels
on 19th December 2018 after the COP24 summit in Poland aimed at breathing new life into the 2015
Paris climate deal. The new law means by 2030 around a third of new cars will be electric or hydrogen-
powered. Under the COP21 agreement in Paris, the EU pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions (like
those of carbon dioxide and methane) by 40% of 1990 levels by 2030.
39. Which state government has launched ‘Shiksha Setu’ app to ensure better connectivity with
college students?
[A] Punjab
[B] Assam
[C] Haryana
[D] Uttar Pradesh
Correct Answer: C [Haryana ]
Notes:
The Haryana Government has launched ‘Shiksha Setu’ app to ensure better connectivity with college
students. It will provide students information on attendance, fee, online admission and scholarships of
all government colleges of the state. The app will provide instant updates of important notices, circulars
and other programmes to students and teachers, while allowing the former to pay their fee online.
During admissions, the students would be able to check the status of seats or course in every college in
the state and will also get access to information such as details of scholarships and eligibility conditions
among others. Apart from this, the students will also get instant information on assignments and
notifications.
40. What is the India’s rank at the WEF’s Gender Gap Index 2018?
[A] 111th
[B] 108th
[C] 96th
[D] 87th

Correct Answer: B [108th ]

Notes:
India has been ranked 108th among 149 countries at the World Economic Forum (WEF) gender gap index
for year 2018. As per report titled ‘Measuring the Global Gender Gap’, India ranked lower on all segments
– economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival ranking, and
political empowerment.“It needs to make improvements across the board, from women’s participation
to getting more women into senior and professional roles. The global list was topped by Iceland having
closed more than 85.8% of its overall gender gap. Iceland holds the top spot in the index for the 10th
consecutive year. Nordic countries Norway (2nd, 83.5%), Sweden (3rd, 82.2%), and Finland (4th, 82.1%)
dominated the top slots. The Gender gap was measured across four key pillars — economic opportunity,
political empowerment, educational attainment, and health and survival.
41. Who has been appointed the additional director of Central Bureau Investigation (CBI)?
[A] Vikram Bahal
[B] Prateek Asthana
[C] Nageswara Rao
[D] Dinesh Verma
Correct Answer: C [Nageswara Rao]
Notes: PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
Nageswara Rao, a 1986 batch officer of the Odisha cadre, has been appointed the additional Director of
Central Bureau Investigation (CBI). Prior to this post, Rao was holding post of interim CBI Director after
the government stepped in between Director CBI Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana fight
on 24th October 2018. The Centre had sent both top two officers of the CBI – Verma and Asthana – on
“compulsory leave” as the spat between them reached the Delhi High Court.
42. Which city is the venue of the 9th meeting of India-ROK Joint Commission?
[A] Hyderabad
[B] Pune
[C] Shimla
[D] New Delhi
Correct Answer: D [New Delhi]
Notes:
The 9th meeting of India-ROK Joint Commission (ROK/ South Korea) was held in New Delhi on
December 18-19, 2018. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha co-chaired the meeting with her
Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj and reviewed the progress in multifaceted cooperation under the
Special Strategic Partnership between the two countries. Both sides agreed to raise the quantum of the
bilateral trade to US $50 billion by the year 2030.
43. ISRO has successfully launched its military satellite ‘GSAT 7A’ through which launch vehicle?
[A] GSLV–F13
[B] GSLV–F14
[C] GSLV–F11
[D] GSLV–F16
Correct Answer: C [GSLV–F11]
Notes:
On December 19, ISRO has successfully launched its military communication satellite GSAT 7A through
launch vehicle ‘GSLV-F11’into the orbit from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR) at Sriharikota in
Andhra Pradesh. Dubbed ‘Angry Bird’, GSAT 7A is designed to expand network capabilities to the Indian
Air Force (IAF) in Ku-band over the Indian region. It will do this by connecting many of the ground radar
stations, airbases and aircrafts operated by the IAF, and is also expected to boost some of their network-
dependant warfare and drone capabilities. GSLV–F11 is ISRO’s fourth generation launch vehicle with
three stages. The four liquid strap-ons and a solid rocket motor at the core form the first stage. The
second stage is equipped with a high thrust engine using liquid fuel. The Cryogenic Upper Stage forms
the third and final stage of the vehicle. The 2,250 kg GSAT-7A is a geostationary satellite & has a mission
life of 8 years.

44. Which state has emerged as the best performing state in the Startup Ecosystem Ranking
2018?
[A] Gujarat
[B] Karnataka
[C] Chhattisgarh
[D] Telangana
Correct Answer: A [Gujarat ]
Notes:
Gujarat has emerged as the top performer among States and Union Territories (UT) in the first-ever
ranking of the Start-up Ecosystem across the country. The ranking was released by the Department of
Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP). Gujarat, with 100 percentile, has performed better than all other
states in all the 7 areas including start up policy, incubation support, seeding innovation and scaling
innovation. Meanwhile, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha and Rajasthan, with a score of more than 85
percentile, have been adjudged the top performers. Other States, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar,
Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana were identified as “leaders”.
45. The 2018 All India annual conference of State DGPs & IGs has started in which of the following
states?
[A] Maharashtra
[B] Gujarat
[C] Uttar Pradesh
[D] Assam
Correct Answer: B [Gujarat]
Notes:
On December 20, Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the 2018 All-India annual conference of the
State Directors General and Inspectors General of Police, which is started near the Statue of Unity
located in Narmada district of Gujarat. Heads of all the three forces, Home Ministers of all the states and
heads of all government security agencies including IB, CID, CBI and ATS are attending the three day
conference. The top agenda of the conference will be militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, cross-border
terrorism and attempts to radicalise youth.
46. Which International organization has officially adopted the global framework on International
migration?
[A] UNHCR
[B] UNGA
[C] WHO
[D] FAO
Correct Answer: B [UNGA]
Notes:
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has officially adopted the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and
Regular Migration. The document is the first-ever negotiated global framework on a common approach
to international migration in all its dimensions. It is meant to address issues that concern the world’s
258 million people on the move and countries of origin, transit and destination. The non-binding
agreement was adopted by the General Assembly with 152 votes in favour in Marrakesh, Morocco on
10th December 2018. India voted in favour of the resolution while, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Israel,
Poland, and US voted against it. The document reaffirms the foundational principles of global
community, including national sovereignty and universal human rights. Though non-legally binding, the
Compact is the outcome of a long negotiation process and provides a strong platform for cooperation on
migration, drawing on best practices and international law.
47. Which Indian politician is the author of the book “A Rural Manifesto – Realising India’s Future
through her Villages”?
[A] Shashi Tharoor
[B] Jairam Ramesh

[C] Varun Gandhi

[D] Manmohan Singh
Correct Answer: C [Varun Gandhi]
Notes:
The book “A Rural Manifesto – Realising India’s Future through her Villages” has been authored by BJP
MP Varun Gandhi. In it, he suggested solutions to address the concerns of rural India. The book seeks to
open a national conversation on rural distress & highlighted the potential solutions in development
policy with a focus on making the rural economy resilient. In this heartfelt and timely book, covering
facets of the Indian rural economy, Feroze Varun Gandhi shines a bright light on the travails of the
marginal farmer and asks searching questions on why the rural economy remains in doldrums, six
decades after Independence.
48. On which date, the International Human Solidarity Day (IHSD) was observed recently?
[A] December 19
[B] December 20
[C] December 22
[D] December 21
Correct Answer: B [December 20]
Notes:
The International Human Solidarity Day (IHSD) is observed every year on December 20 to raise public
awareness of the importance of solidarity. This day aims to celebrate unity in diversity and remind
people of the importance of solidarity in working towards eradicating poverty. It is a day to encourage
debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) including poverty eradication.
49. Which of the following cities is the venue of the National Balrang-2018?
[A] Bhopal
[B] New Delhi
[C] Jaipur
[D] Lucknow
Correct Answer: A [Bhopal ]
Notes:
To promote the artistic talent of the students, the National Balrang-2018 has started at the Indira
Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalya (IGRMS) in Bhopal on 19th of December. The 3-day cultural
festival is being organised by the School Education Department of Madhya Pradesh in collaboration with
the IGRMS. Its purpose is to introduce children with various cultural diversities and traditional lifestyles
so as to instill the spirit of social harmony, human values, and brotherhood. ‘Balrang’ is a unique
programme that has been held in Bhopal since the past 23 years. As many as 520 students from various
schools in 18 states and two union territories will present folk dances, songs and other cultural
programmes.
50. Silao Khaja, which recently got GI tag, is the traditional delicacy of which state?
[A] Nagaland
[B] Kerala
[C] Bihar
[D] Jharkhand
Correct Answer: C [Bihar]
Notes:
Silao Khaja, the traditional delicacy of Nalanda district of Bihar, has recently got GI tag from the
Geographical Indications Registry at Chennai. The Silao Khaja is known for its taste, crispness and
multi-layered appearance which is attributed to local water and climate of Silao. The sweet consists of 12
to 16 very thin dough-sheets placed over one another. The light yellow colour sweet has wheat-flour,
sugar, maida, ghee, cardamom and aniseeds as ingredients. The application for GI tag was filed by Silao
Khaja Audyogik Swavalambi Sahakari Samiti Limited. According to the documents submitted to GI
Registry by the applicant, the famous British archaeologist J D Beglar who visited Silao in 1872-73

describes the ‘sweetmeat’ and writes about the legend that the sweet dates back to King Vikramaditya.
Another myth is that Lord Buddha was offered Silao Khaja when he passed through Silao in the course of
his journey from Rajgir to Nalanda. Silao is located close to Buddhist sites.
51. The Assam government has recently launched credit subsidy, interest relief scheme for
farmers to mark the 125th anniversary of which battle?
[A] Battle of Itakhuli
[B] Battle of Saraighat
[C] Battle of Patharughat
[D] Battle of Alaboi
Correct Answer: C [Battle of Patharughat]
Notes:
In order to mark the 125th anniversary of the Battle of Patharughat, the Assam government has
announced three schemes – Assam Farmers’ Credit Subsidy Scheme (AFCSS), Assam Farmers’ Interest
Relief Scheme (AFIRS) and Assam Farmers’ Incentive Scheme (AFIS) – for the welfare of farmers. On
28th January 1894, approx 140 peasants were killed in an unprovoked police firing while protesting
against enhanced revenue. Hence, Patharighat is also known as Assam’s Jallianwala Bagh. Under
‘AFCSS’, whatever amount of loan the farmers took from banks and whatever amount they repaid, 25% of
the money will be reimbursed by the state government. Under ‘AFIRS’, currently 3% of the 7% interest
against farm loan is paid by the Central government and the remaining 4% is required to be paid by
farmers. The state government has decided to pay the remaining 4% loan to give relief to the farmers.
Under ‘AFIS’, the state government will pay a one-time cash incentive up to Rs 10,000 for activating the
inactive KCC accounts provided the farmers deposits the outstanding loan amounts.
52. Who has been appointed the new coach of the Indian women’s cricket team?
[A] Shantha Rangaswamy
[B] Kapil Dev
[C] Anshuman Gaekwad
[D] W V Raman
Correct Answer: D [W V Raman]
Notes:
Former India opener, W. V. Raman has been appointed the new coach of the Indian women’s cricket
team. The selection of Raman was based on recommendations of the ad-hoc committee comprising Kapil
Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shantha Rangaswamy. His first assignment is the tour of New Zealand
beginning on January 2019. Raman is a vastly-experienced coach having been in charge of Tamil Nadu
and India Under-19 teams in the past. Raman has represented India in 11 Tests and 27 ODIs.
53. Which Indian politician is the author of the book “Changing India”?
[A] Manmohan Singh
[B] Shashi Tharoor
[C] Varun Gandhi
[D] Pranab Mukherjee
Correct Answer: A [Manmohan Singh]
Notes:
The book titled “Changing India” has been author by former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh & is
recently released at an event in New Delhi. In the book, the Congress leader narrated his journey from an
economist to a politician and shared anecdotes from his life.
54. Which Indian organisation has released SDG India Index – Baseline Report 2018?
[A] Election Commission
[B] RBI
[C] SEBI
[D] NITI Aayog
Correct Answer: D [NITI Aayog]

Notes:
The SDG India Index: Baseline Report 2018 has been released by the NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Dr Rajiv
Kumar, CEO Amitabh Kant and UN Resident Coordinator Mr. Yuri Afanasiev at NITI Aayog in New Delhi
on December 21. The Index is intended to provide a holistic view on the social, economic and
environmental status of the country and its States and UTs. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
which came into being in September 2015, are in the Third year of global implementation. The SDGs are
ambitious global aspirations on development that address key aspects of universal wellbeing, across
different socio-economic, cultural, geographical divisions as well as the interconnectedness among the
economic, social and environmental dimensions of development. NITI Aayog has the twin mandate to
oversee the implementation of SDGs in the country and promote Competitive and Cooperative
Federalism among States and Union Territories. In exercise of these roles, NITI Aayog has developed the
SDG India Index and the First Baseline Report for 2018 with the support of Global Green Growth
Institute and UN in India.
55. Which country is the most deadliest place for journalists in 2018, as per latest report of
Reporters without Borders (RSF)?
[A] Syria
[B] Yemen
[C] Afghanistan
[D] Iraq PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
Correct Answer: C [Afghanistan ]

Notes:
As per latest report of Reporters without Borders (RSF), Afghanistan is the most deadliest country for
journalists in 2018, with 13 deaths, followed by Syria (11) and Yemen (8). India has emerged among the
world’s fifth-most deadliest place for journalists alongside a first-time entrant in the list – the United
States. The report titled ‘Worldwide Round-up of Journalists Killed, Detained, Held Hostage’, highlighted
that the risk journalists face even in countries like India which are not even at war. It observed that the
killing of journalists were carried out using barbaric methods. In India, six journalists have been
murdered in 2018 and many others were the targets of murder attempts, physical attacks, and threats.
In addition, the journalists witnessed hate campaigns against them, including incitement to murder,
which is a common thing on social networks. However, the RSF highlighted some positive news from
Iraq, where no journalist was killed for the first time since the US-led invasion of 2003.
56. India’s largest cancer hospital-cum-research facility has been launched in which of the
following states?
[A] Himachal Pradesh
[B] Haryana
[C] Maharashtra
[D] Punjab
Correct Answer: B [Haryana ]
Notes:
India’s largest cancer hospital-cum-research facility- the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has recently
opened its OPD services after soft launch at Badhsa village in Jhajjar district of Haryana on December 18,
2018. The hospital’s foundation stone was laid by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2014. It is
expected to be fully operational by December 2020. The NCI, which is a project under Delhi AIIMS, will
be headed by Dr GK Rath who is also the chief of Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital at AIIMS. The institute
is spread over 50 acres. The facilities of X-ray, ultrasound, blood tests and biopsy have been made
available at the Outpatient Department (OPD). The NCI is being developed at a cost Rs 2,035 crore. It will
have 710 beds for different facilities like surgical oncology, radiation oncology, medical oncology,
anaesthesia, palliative care and nuclear medicine, besides 1,080 hostel rooms for doctors and 800 rooms
for attendants of cancer patients.
57. The recently released ‘Strategy for New India @ 75′ document by NITI Aayog has covered
how many crucial areas to make India a $4Trillion Economy by 2022?
[A] 44
[B] 42

[C] 41
[D] 45
Correct Answer: C [41]
Notes:
NITI Aayog has released its comprehensive national ‘Strategy for New India @ 75′ document with an
aim to accelerate growth to 9-10% and make the country a $4-trillion economy by 2022-23. It is a detailed
exposition across 41 crucial areas, that recognizes the progress already made, identifies binding
constraints, and suggests the way forward for achieving the clearly stated objectives. The 41 chapters in
the document have been disaggregated under four sections: Drivers, Infrastructure, Inclusionand
Governance. The overarching focus of the Strategy document is to further improve the policy
environment in which private investors and other stakeholders can contribute their fullest towards
achieving the goals set out for New India 2022.
58. Under ‘Asiatic Lion Conservation Project’, what is the contributing ratio b/w Central and
State?
[A] 60:40
[B] 90:10
[C] 50:50
[D] 70:30 PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
Correct Answer: A [60:40]

Notes:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has launched the “Asiatic Lion
Conservation Project” with an aim to protect and conserve the world’s last ranging free population of
Asiatic Lion and its associated ecosystem. The total budget of the project for 3 years that amounts to
nearly Rs. 9784 lakh will be funded from the Centrally Sponsored Scheme- Development of Wildlife
Habitat (CSS-DWH) with the contributing ratio being 60:40 of Central and State share. The conservation
of Asiatic Lions has always been a priority of Government of India (GoI). The project activities is
envisaged in a manner to cause habitat improvement, scientific interventions, disease control and
veterinary care supplemented with adequate eco development works for the fringe population in order
to ensure a stable and viable Lion population in the Country. The 2015 census showed a population of
523 Asiatic Lions in the Gir Protected Area Network of 1648.79 sq. km.
59. Who has been appointed the new Indian Ambassador to US?
[A] Riva Ganguly Das
[B] Harsh Vardhan Shringla
[C] Kapil Mishra
[D] Navtej Sarna
Correct Answer: B [Harsh Vardhan Shringla]
Notes:
Harsh Vardhan Shringla, a 1984-batch Indian Foreign Service diplomat, has been appointed as the new
Ambassador of India to the United States (US). He will succeed Navtej Sarna. Presently, Shringla is the
High Commissioner to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Beside him, Riva Ganguly Das, 1986 batch
IFS, who is presently Director General of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) will take over as
the High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh.
60. According to the Consumer Protection Bill, 2018, who among the following will appoint the
chief commissioner of Central Consumer Protection Authority?
[A] President
[B] Minister of Consumer Affairs
[C] Central Government
[D] Minister of Finance
Correct Answer: C [Central Government ]
Notes:
The Consumer Protection Bill 2018 has recently passed in Lok Sabha to strengthen the rights of

consumers and to provide a mechanism for redressal of their complaints regarding defects in goods and
deficiency in services. It seeks to establish Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions at District, State
and National levels. It will replace the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 & will now go to the Rajya Sabha
for passage. As per provision in 2018 bill, the Central Consumer Protection Authority shall consist of a
Chief Commissioner and such number of other Commissioners as may be prescribed, to be appointed by
the Central Government to exercise the powers and discharge the functions under this Act. The
headquarters of the Central Authority shall be at such place in the National Capital Region of Delhi. By
notification, the Central Government may make rules to provide for the qualifications for appointment,
method of recruitment, procedure for appointment, term of office, salaries and allowances, resignation,
removal and other terms and conditions of the service of the Chief Commissioner and Commissioners of
the Central Authority.
61. The first-ever meeting of the newly constituted India-China High-Level Mechanism on
Cultural and People-to-People Exchanges was held in which of the following cities?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Beijing
[C] Shanghai
[D] Ahmedabad
Correct Answer: A [New Delhi]
Notes:
The first-ever meeting of the newly constituted India-China High-Level Mechanism on Cultural and
People-to-People Exchanges was held in New Delhi on December 21, 2018. The new mechanism aims to
build synergies in people-to-people ties. The meeting was co-chaired by the External Affairs Minister
Sushma Swaraj and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. In it, India and China identified 10 areas for
boosting people-to-people cooperation in keeping with the ‘Wuhan spirit’ put in place by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping after their informal summit at Wuhan in April 2018. These are
as follows: cultural exchanges, films and television co-production, media, sports, youth affairs, tourism,
exchanges between states and cities, traditional medicine, yoga, and academics.
62. How many monuments have been adopted under the ‘Adopt A Heritage’ project?
[A] 13
[B] 10
[C] 12
[D] 15
Correct Answer: B [10]
Notes:
Ten monuments have been adopted under the ‘Adopt A Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan’
scheme, which is a collaborative effort by Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture and Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI), and State/UTs Governments . The project primarily focuses on providing basic
amenities that include cleanliness, public conveniences, safe drinking water, ease of access for tourists,
signages, illumination, Wi-fi etc. No fund is given by Ministry of Tourism. The 10 sites include Red Fort
(Delhi) and Gandikota Fort (Andhra Pradesh) adopted by Dalmia Bharat Limited; area surrounding
Gangotri Temple, Trail to Gaumukh in Uttarakhand and Mt Stok Kangri Trek (Ladakh) adopted by
Adventure Tour Operators Association of India; Jantar Mantar (Delhi) by Apeejay Park Hotels; Surajkund
in Haryana by Bliss Resorts; and Qutub Minar (Delhi), Ajanta Caves (Maharashtra), Leh Palace of Leh
(Jammu & Kashmir) and Hampi (Hazara Rama Temple) of Karnataka adopted by Yatra Online.
63. The Union Government has launched iGOT programme for which purpose?
[A] Hybrid Course on Administrative Law
[B] Judgments/Orders of Supreme Court, High Courts and CIC
[C] Training program for Govt. employees
[D] All of the above
Correct Answer: C [Training program for Govt. employees]
Notes:
On 20th December, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh launched the iGOT (Integrated Government
Online Training Programme) for government employees. The iGOT will augment the existing training

mechanism with online module-based training coupled with certification. The programme, developed by
the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Ministry of Personnel, will make training inputs
available to a government servant on-site and on flexitime basis. The initiative aims at “competent civil
services for good governance”. Dr. Singh also launched Right to Information (RTI) Portal on
Judgments/Orders of Supreme Court, High Courts and CIC that will provide a learning environment for
all stakeholders under which a repository on the landmark cases on the RTI will be available at one place.
He also launched a hybrid course on administrative laws developed by the DoPT in collaboration with
premier law institute National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru.
64. On which date, the 2018 National Mathematics Day (NMD) was observed in India recently?
[A] December 21
[B] December 23
[C] December 22
[D] December 24
Correct Answer: C [December 22]
Notes:
The National Mathematics Day (NMD) is celebrated every year in India on December 22 to
commemorate the birth anniversary of great mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan. The day also
recognizes his contribution to the world of mathematics, which includes mathematical analysis, number
theory, infinite series, and continued fractions. The NMD was declared by the then Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh in 2012 to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Ramanujan. Born in 1887 in Erode,
Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu), Ramanujan’s affinity for Mathematics was such that he failed in
college exams because of his negligence for non-mathematical subjects. However, his talents were
recognized by a mathematician at Madras Port Trust were Ramanujan had started working as a clerk in
1912. In 1917, Ramanujan was elected to be a member of the London Mathematical Society. In 1918 he also
became a Fellow of the Royal Society, becoming the youngest person to achieve the feat. But due to ill
health, he died in 1920 at the age of 32.
65. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which has retained the highest aviation safety
ranking for India in 2018, is the national authority of which country?
[A] Canada
[B] United States
[C] United Kingdom
[D] France
Correct Answer: B [United States]
Notes:
As per global auditors – International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and US Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Indian aviation sector has maintained the highest safety audit rating in 2018.
Provisionally, India has been given 74% marks by ICAO and has maintained Category 1 (highest category)
under International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) by FAA in 2018. FAA had conducted an audit of
the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in July 2018 — the third since 2013 — to confirm
India’s adherence to standards laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and oversight
of Indian airlines. The Category 1 means the carriers from the assessed state may initiate or continue
service to the US in a normal manner and take part in reciprocal code-share arrangements with
American carriers.
66. Which app has been launched by the Ministry of Aviation for Global Aviation Summit 2019?
[A] GVS-2019
[B] GPS-2019
[C] GIS-2019
[D] GAS-2019
Correct Answer: D [GAS-2019]
Notes:
The Ministry of Aviation along with the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has launched an official mobile
app “GAS-2019” for the Global Aviation Summit (GAS) for 2019, which is scheduled to be held in Mumbai
in January 2019. The app enables users to interact with the co-delegates and speakers besides providing

a platform for networking through personal and group chats. The summit is being hosted by the civil
aviation ministry along with the AAI and industry lobby FICCI.
67. Anup Kumar, who recently announced his retirement, is associated with which sports?
[A] Wrestling
[B] Boxing
[C] Judo
[D] Kabaddi
Correct Answer: D [Kabaddi ]
Notes:
Arjuna awardee Anup Kumar, the legendary kabaddi player and India’s World Cup-winning captain, has
announced his retirement with immediate effect on 19th December 2018. He began his international
career in 2006 at the South Asian Games in Sri Lanka. He captained the National team in 2014 and it was
during his tenure that the team won 2 gold medals at the Incheon Asian Games in 2014 and the Kabaddi
World Cup in 2016. In a career spanning over 15 years, Kumar has led several teams to victory and grown
the sport in the country. In season 2 of the Pro Kabaddi League, Anup captained U Mumba and led the
team to victory.
68. How many central agencies have been authorized by Government of India (GoI) to monitor any
computer? PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
[A] 11
[B] 10
[C] 12
[D] 14
Correct Answer: B [10]
Notes:
Ten central agencies have been authorized by the Government of India (GoI) to intercept information
from any computer. This notification was issued by the ‘Cyber and Information Security’ division of the
Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) under the authority of Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba. The 10 agencies
notified under the new order are the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB),
Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Board of Direct Taxes (for Income Tax Department),
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), National Investigation
Agency (NIA), the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Directorate of Signal Intelligence (in service areas
of J-K, North East and Assam) and Delhi Police commissioner. According to the new order, the agencies
have been authorised “for the purpose of interception, monitoring and decryption of any information
generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource under section 69 of the Information
Technology (IT) Act of 2000”.
69. Which of the following Indian politicians has been conferred the Skoch Chief Minister of the
Year Award for 2018?
[A] Sarbananda Sonowal
[B] Pinarayi Vijayan
[C] N Chandrababu Naidu
[D] Mamata Banerjee
Correct Answer: D [Mamata Banerjee]
Notes:
Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal , has been conferred the Skoch Chief Minister of the
Year Award for 2018 for her contribution in the overall development of the state and emerging as the
best chief minister in the country. Banerjee has been conferred with the prestigious award on the basis
of the state’s performance in the field of governance, culture, finance, urban and rural development. In
2018, The state has bagged 31 Skoch Awards for its performance across different fields besides
implementing unique projects. As per Skoch, West Bengal has also won the top position in terms of the
number of man-days created and the amount spent in paying people for their work in the 100 days’ work
scheme. Besides Banerjee, the Skoch Group has also awarded Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N
Chandrababu Naidu with the ‘SKOCH Sprinter of the Year’, and Commerce and Industry and civil
aviation minister Suresh Prabhu as the ‘Steady Reformer’.

70. Which city is the venue of the 6th edition of Yuva Natya Samaroh 2018?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Jaipur
[C] Bhopal
[D] Lucknow
Correct Answer: A [New Delhi]
Notes:
On 22nd December 2018, the 6th edition of Yuva Natya Samaroh has started at Kamani Auditorium in
New Delhi with some of the best modern, mythological as well as Parsi style drama. It is a theatre
festival of five young directors. The 5-day fest is being organised by Sahitya Kala Parishad, Department
of Art, Culture and Languages, Government of Delhi. The festival lineup includes Mahasweta Devi’s
iconic ‘Rudali’ directed by Arvind Singh, Ashok Lal’s ‘Shatru’ directed by Sunil Rawat, Chandrashekhara
Kambar’s mythological drama ‘Shivarathri’ translated by Veena Sharma and directed by Susheel Sharma.
The event will come to a close on December 26 with Parsi play ‘Safed Khoon’ directed by Samiruddin
(Javed Sameer).
71. Which Indian woman has become the fastest Asian to cycle the globe?
[A] Deborah Herold
[B] Vedangi Kulkarni PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
[C] Harsha Mishra

[D] Savitri Murmu
Correct Answer: B [Vedangi Kulkarni]
Notes:
Indian woman Vedangi Kulkarni has become the fastest Asian to cycle the globe. Hailing from a suburb
of Pune, Vedangi cycled into Kolkata in the wee hours on 23rd December 2018, completing the 29,000
kilometers’ distance required to qualify as bicycling across the globe. She spent 159 days peddling up to
300km a day in 14 countries. Starting off from Perth in July 2018, she will now be flying back to the
Australian city to complete the record by cycling a 15km distance to reach the same place from where
she started. Vedangi is a student of the University of Bournemouth in the United Kingdom pursuing a
degree in sports management. Earlier, British adventurer Jenny Graham (38) is the fastest woman to
have cycled the globe in 124 days in 2018.
72. Which city of Tamil Nadu is to be venue of India’s first Music Museum?
[A] Madurai
[B] Vellore
[C] Thiruvaiyaru
[D] Tiruchirappalli
Correct Answer: C [Thiruvaiyaru]
Notes:
India’s first music museum will be set up with assistance from the Central government in Thiruvaiyaru,
Tamil Nadu, the birth place of Saint Tyagaraja, one of the Trinities of Carnatic music. The Tyagaraja
Aaradhana Music Festival which is held annually in January in Thiruvaiyaru attracts musical talents
from all over the world.
73. The National Farmers’ Day (NFD) is celebrated on which date?
[A] December 24
[B] December 25
[C] December 22
[D] December 23
Correct Answer: D [December 23]
Notes:
The National Farmer’s Day (NFD) is celebrated every year in India on December 23 to acknowledge the
role of farmers in India’s socio-economic development and to mark the birth anniversary of 5th Prime
Minister Late Chaudhary Charan Singh. He used to be referred to as the ‘champions of India’s peasants’

for his strive for the betterment of farmer’s lives in the country. The day is popularly known as Kisan
Diwas.
74. Krakatoa island, which is in news recently, is situated in which of the following countries?
[A] Malaysia
[B] Singapore
[C] Indonesia
[D] New Zealand
Correct Answer: C [Indonesia]
Notes:
In Indonesia, a volcano-triggered tsunami has killed at least 281 people and injured more than thousand
in Sunda Strait. Hundreds of buildings were destroyed by the wave, which hit the coast of southern
Sumatra and the western tip of Java after a volcano known as Anak Krakatoa (the “Child of Krakatoa”)
erupted. Anak Krakatoa has been active since June 2018 & occasionally sending massive plumes of ash
high into the sky and in October a tour boat was nearly hit by lava bombs from the erupting volcano.
Experts say Anak Krakatoa emerged around 1928 in the caldera of Krakatoa, a volcanic island that
violently erupted in 1883. With subsequent lava flows it grew from a submarine setting to become a
small volcanic island, with the cone now standing at an altitude of around 300 metres (1,000 feet) above
sea level. Since its birth, Anak Krakatoa has been in a “state of semi-continuous eruptive activity”,
growing bigger as it experiences eruptions every two to three years. The vast archipelago nation is one
of the most disaster-prone nations on Earth due to its position straddling the so-called Pacific Ring of
Fire, where tectonic plates collide.
75. What is the theme of the 2018 National Consumer Day (NCD)?
[A] Alternate consumer disputes redressal
[B] Healthy environment & healthy food
[C] Timely Disposal of Consumer Complaints
[D] Combat food adulteration
Correct Answer: C [Timely Disposal of Consumer Complaints]
Notes:
The National Consumer Day (NCD) is observed every year in India on 24th December to highlight the
importance of the consumer movement and the need to make every consumer more aware of their
rights and responsibilities. The 2018 theme is “Timely Disposal of Consumer Complaints”. On this day
the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 was enacted. The Act aims to provide consumers with effective
safeguards against different types of exploitation, such as defective goods, deficiency in services and
unfair trade practices. Recently, the Lok Sabha passed the Consumer Protection Bill of 2018, which seeks
to replace the Consumer Protection Act of 1986. It also seeks to establish Consumer Disputes Redressal
Commissions at District, State and National level.
76. Which police station has acquired the top slot in the list of “Top 10 Police Stations in India for
Year 2018”?
[A] Munsyari, Uttarakhand
[B] Periyakulam, Tamil Nadu
[C] Farakka, West Bengal
[D] Kalu, Rajasthan
Correct Answer: D [Kalu, Rajasthan]
Notes:
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recently released the list of top 10 police stations in India for
Year 2018. The Kalu Police Station (Rajasthan) grabbed the top spot on the list and was followed by
Campbell Bay (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), Farakka (West Bengal), Nettapakkam (Puducherry), Guderi
(Karnataka), Chopal (Himachal Pradesh), Lakheri (Rajasthan), Periyakulam (Tamil Nadu), Munsyari
(Uttarakhand) and Churchorem (Goa). The list was prepared by Intelligence Bureau (IB) along with state
agencies to ascertain the best police stations in the country. The police stations were assessed on
parameters like crime control, community policing and public image etc.
77. Which of the following states have emerged as top performing states in NITI Aayog’s SDG

India index 2018?

[A] Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Himachal Pradesh
[B] Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu
[C] Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Assam
[D] Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh
Correct Answer: B [Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu ]
Notes:
The NITI Aayog has recently released the report titled “SDG India Index: Baseline Report 2018”, which
evaluates progress in social, economic and environmental terms. In it, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and
Tamil Nadu have emerged as top performing states. While, Assam, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are the
worst performing states in the government think tank’s first of its kind India Index for Sustainable
Development Goals (SDG). The Aayog has developed the SDG India Index which is a comprehensive
index to measure progress of states/UTs, through a single measurable index and the First Baseline
Report for 2018 was prepared with the support of United Nations in India.
78. The Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) has recently launched in
which of the following cities?
[A] Gurugram
[B] Kochi
[C] Kolkata
[D] Mumbai
Correct Answer: A [Gurugram ]
Notes:
Nirmala Sitharaman, the Defense Minister of India, has launched the Information Fusion Centre – Indian
Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) to boost maritime security at Information Management and Analysis Centre
(IMAC) Gurugram on 22 Dec 18. IFC will function as a platform where multiple friendly nations can
freely exchange non-sensitive information. The intention of this collaborative endeavour shall be to
secure the global commons for a peaceful, stable and prosperous region towards the well-being of all.
The IOR is vital to world trade and economic prosperity of many countries as more than 75% of the
world’s maritime trade and 50% of global oil consumption passes through it.
79. Which of the following African countries has declared the new political capital ‘Gitega’?
[A] Tanzania
[B] Burundi
[C] Algeria
[D] Senegal
Correct Answer: B [Burundi ]
Notes:
The federal government of Burundi has declared Gitega as the country’s new political capital on 22nd
December 2018. As per officials, Bujumbura will remain the economic capital as many of country’s
business activities’ are based there. Burundi is a landlocked country in the African Great Lakes region of
East Africa, bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic
Republic of the Congo to the west.
80. Nirupam Sen, who passed away recently, was the veteran politician of which political party?
[A] INC
[B] BJP
[C] CPI (M)
[D] AITC
Correct Answer: C [CPI (M)]
Notes:
Nirupam Sen (72), Veteran CPI (M) leader & three-time MLA from Bardhaman Dakshin constituency , has
passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal on December 24, 2018. One of the most prominent faces of the

Buddhadeb Bhattacharya cabinet after the CPI(M)-led Left Front was voted to power in 2001, Sen was
handed the charge of Commerce and Industry. It was under the leadership of Bhattacharya and Sen that
the Left Front started selling the dream of industrialisation in the state and shifted focus to private
investments. This shift in the policy reaped them heavy dividends, resulting in the Left Front’s
resounding victory in the 2006 Assembly election.
81. Who has been elected as the president of the Archery Association of India (AAI)?
[A] Rupak Debroy
[B] BVP Rao
[C] Vijay Kumar Malhotra
[D] D K Vidyarthi
Correct Answer: B [BVP Rao]
Notes:
BVP Rao, who represented Archery Association of Assam, has been elected as the president of the
Archery Association of India (AAI) in the controversial polls held under a High Court-appointed
administrator. Rao beat Rupak Debroy of Tripura at the elections held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
in New Delhi.
82. Which of the following organizations has won the highest number of awards at the National
Energy Conservation Awards (NECA) 2018?
[A] ISRO
[B] India Post
[C] Indian Railways
[D] NABARD
Correct Answer: C [Indian Railways]
Notes:
The Indian Railways has won 17 awards at the National Energy Conservation Awards (NECA) 2018. This
is the highest number of awards bagged by a single organisation. These awards are given by the Bureau
of Energy Efficiency (BEE) of the Ministry of Power to various institutions for adopting measures for
reducing energy consumption and cost. Under ‘transport’ category, Indian Railways obtained 10 awards
for the subsector railway station. In it, Vidisha railway station in Madhya Pradesh won the first prize.
Under ‘building’ category, Indian Railways got three awards for subsector Railway hospitals. Here,
Railway hospitals of Izzatnagar division won the first prize. Under ‘institution’ category, Indian Railways
bagged four awards for subsector state PWD, CPWD and PHED. Passenger reservation system complex
building of Secunderabad division won the first prize.
83. The Government of India (GoI) has announced the institution of a new award named after
which noted personality for National Integration?
[A] Subhas Chandra Bose
[B] Abul Kalam Azad
[C] Atal Bihari Vajpayee
[D] Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Correct Answer: D [Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel]
Notes:
The Government of India (GoI) has announced the institution of a new award named after freedom
fighter Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, which would be given every year for “outstanding efforts” in the field of
furthering national integration. The award was announced by Narendra Modi at the DGPs/IGPs
Conference at Kevadia , Gujarat on December 22, 2018. The annual award would be given to any Indian
who has contributed to national unity in any manner. Sardar Patel, who served as the first Deputy Prime
Minister of India, is called the “Unifier of India”. He is also remembered as the “patron saint of India’s
civil servants” for having established the modern all-India services system. He was appointed as the 49th
President of Indian National Congress (INC) in Karachi session of 1931. This session became memorable
for its resolution on Fundamental Rights and Economic Policy.
84. Who was popularly known as the “Nightingale of Assam”?

[A] Dipali Borthakur

[B] Anima Choudhury
[C] Beauty Sharma Barua
[D] Malabika Bora
Correct Answer: A [Dipali Borthakur]
Notes:
Dipali Borthakur (77), the legendary Assamese singer, has passed away in Guwahati on December 21,
2018. She was popularly referred to as the “Nightingale of Assam”. For her outstanding contributions to
the field of arts, Borthakur was honored with the Padma Shri award in 1998.
85. Which state assembly has recently passed anti-mob violence bill recommending Life
Imprisonment?
[A] Manipur
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Uttar Pradesh
[D] Maharashtra
Correct Answer: A [Manipur ] PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
Notes:
The Manipur Assembly has unanimously passed the ‘Manipur Protection from Mob Violence Bill of 2018’.
The bill recommends a rigorous life imprisonment for those involved in mob violence, if it results in the
death of a person. The bill was introduced in the Assembly in the wake of incidents of mob lynchings in
the state.
86. India’s longest rail-cum-road bridge “Bogibeel” is located in which of the following states?
[A] Arunachal Pradesh
[B] Assam
[C] Tripura
[D] Nagaland
Correct Answer: B [Assam]
Notes:
On the occasion of Good Governance Day (GGD-2018 ), Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated
India’s longest rail-cum-road bridge “Bogibeel” over the Brahmaputra in the Dibrugarh district of
Assam. The 4.94km long double-decker bridge, which begins at Dibrugarh and ends at Dhemaji districts
of Assam, will connect parts of Arunachal Pradesh by road as well as railway. The Bogibeel Bridge will
play a crucial role in defence movement along the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh. The bridge,
constructed at an estimated cost of around Rs.5,900 crore, has a serviceable period of around 120 years.
The rail link connects two existing railway networks running at south bank and north bank of the river.
87. Which state is the venue of the 106th Indian Science Congress (ISC-2019)?
[A] West Bengal
[B] Odisha
[C] Punjab
[D] Kerala
Correct Answer: C [Punjab]
Notes:
The 106th Indian Science Congress (ISC-2019) will be held at Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar,
Punjab on January 3-7 with theme ‘’Future India: Science and Technology’ . It will be inaugurated by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) has been organising the
event annually to bring together science fraternity from across the world to discuss innovations and
researches. This year, six Nobel laureates from countries like Germany, Hungary, England and others
will be participating in the science congress to make it the largest such gathering of its kind in the
country. Eminent scientists from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Department of Science
and Technology (DST), University Grants Commission (UGC) and All India Council for Technical
Education (AICTE) are also slated to take part. The science congress will attract over 20,000 delegates

including 3000 acclaimed scientists and researchers.

88. Where is the headquarters of the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies
(NABCB)?
[A] Lucknow
[B] Kochi
[C] Kolkata
[D] New Delhi
Correct Answer: D [New Delhi]
Notes:
India’s national accreditation body, the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB)
has secured equivalence for its accreditation for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems
(OHSMS) Certification Bodies in Asia- Pacific region. It has signed the Multilateral Recognition
Arrangement (MLA) of the Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC) on 19 December 2018. Now, NABCB
can facilitate export of Indian goods into the world market by attesting that these are certified as per
international standards by competent certifying bodies. With this, any industry carrying ISO 45001
certificate with NABCB logo will be recognized in the Asia Pacific region. The immediate beneficiary of
this equivalence is the Indian Industry which is exporting products to various countries especially in the
Asia Pacific region. NABCB is the third accreditation body in the Asia Pacific Region to become
internationally equivalent in the region, the other two being the accreditation bodies of Hong Kong and
Mexico. The headquarters of NABCB is located in New Delhi.
89. Who clinched the Indian-style prestigious wrestling championship ‘Maharashtra Kesari 2018’?
[A] Saurav Gurjar
[B] Bala Rafique Shaikh
[C] Abhijeet Katke
[D] Jinder Mahal
Correct Answer: B [Bala Rafique Shaikh]
Notes:
On December 23, Bala Rafique Shaikh clinched the 62nd Maharashtra Kesari 2018 title by defeating
Abhijeet Katke of Pune in the wrestling duel held at Azad ground, Jalna, Maharashtra. He defeated his
opponent 11-3 in the one-sided match. Shaikh was honoured with a silver mace and cash prize of Rs 1
lakh. Maharashtra Kesari is an Indian-style prestigious wrestling championship, established in 1961.
‘Kesari’ is a Sanskrit word for ‘Lion’.
90. Which football team has won the 2018 FIFA Club World Cup?
[A] Al-Ain
[B] Real Madrid
[C] River Plate
[D] Kashima Antlers
Correct Answer: B [Real Madrid]
Notes:
Real Madrid, a professional football club based in Madrid, has won the 15th edition of FIFA Club World
Cup 2018 in United Arab Emirates (UAE) on December 22. They successfully defended their title (their
third consecutive) after defeating Al-Ain 4–1 in the final. With the win, they broke the tie with Barcelona
to become the outright record winners of the competition.
91. Who has been bestowed with the Mohammed Rafi Lifetime Achievement Award?
[A] Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma
[B] M. S. Subbulakshmi
[C] Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar
[D] Bismillah Khan
Correct Answer: C [Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar]
Notes:

Late music composer Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar has been bestowed with the Mohammed Rafi
Lifetime Achievement Award, which consists of Rs. 1 lakh and a trophy. Kudalkar formed a successful
and long partnership with Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma and as music composers they belted out hit
tracks like ‘Bindiya Chamkegi’, ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’ and ‘Hansta Hua Noorani Chehra’ among
others. The award was instituted by an NGO headed by Mumbai BJP Chief Ashish Shelar. While playback
singer Usha Timothy was honoured with the Mohammed Rafi award and Rs. 51,000 at a programme
held in suburban Bandra She has sung 1,000 songs in multiple Indian languages such as Hindi,
Malayalam, Punjabi, Bhojpuri and Marathi, among others.
92. Mount Etna, which is in news, is located in which country?
[A] UK
[B] Italy
[C] France
[D] Germany
Correct Answer: B [Italy]
Notes:
Mount Etna, the active volcano in quake-stricken Italian island of Sicily, has recently erupted on 24th
December 2018. A chain of around 130 earthquakes have rocked the volcano with the strongest posting a
magnitude of 4.0. The quake was the strongest in the region after Mount Etna erupted, spewing ash and
forcing the temporary closure of SicilianPRAVEEN
airspace. Despite the closure of a part of the highway running
along the coast, the airport at the eastern city of Catania, the capital of the province, was open. Mount
Etna, which is Europe’s highest and most active volcano, is 3,300m high with frequent eruptions
recorded in the past 2,700 years. Its most recent eruptions occurred in the spring of 2017 and its last
major eruption in the 2008/2009 winter.
93. Which country has recently decided to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission
(IWC)?
[A] Japan
[B] Indonesia
[C] France
[D] Brazil
Correct Answer: A [Japan ]
Notes:
Japan has decided to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and will resume
commercial whaling in July 2019. As per officials, leaving the IWC means Japanese whalers will be able
to resume hunting in Japanese coastal waters of minke and other whales currently protected by the
IWC. However, Japan will not be able to continue the so-called scientific research hunts in the Antarctic
that it has been exceptionally allowed as an IWC member under the Antarctic Treaty. The withdrawal
also means Japan joins Iceland and Norway in openly defying the IWC’s ban on commercial whale
hunting. Tokyo argues that whaling is an important part of Japan’s traditions, and the withdrawal would
allow fishermen to pass country’s rich whaling culture onto the next generation. The IWC, established in
1946 to conserve and manage the world’s whale and cetacean population, introduced a moratorium on
commercial whaling in 1986.
94. Which state government has launched the ‘Bharat Ratna Atal Bihar Vajpayee International
Schools’ for students in rural areas?
[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Maharashtra
[C] Haryana
[D] Assam
Correct Answer: B [Maharashtra ]
Notes:
The Maharashtra government has launched Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee International Schools in
Mumbai on the occasion of 94th birth anniversary of the late Prime Minister. The school is affiliated to
the Maharashtra International Education Board (MIEB) with an aim to achieve higher education
standards in rural areas.

95. Which state government has recently decided to renamed Child Care Institutes as Jagannath
Ashrams?
[A] Odisha
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Himachal Pradesh
[D] Haryana
Correct Answer: D [Haryana ]
Notes:
The Haryana government has recently decided to renamed Child Care Institutes as Jagannath Ashrams.
This was announced by the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar while addressing the people during a
dance competition organised by women wing of All India Vaish Federation (AIVF) in Karnal on
December 25, 2018.
96. Divya Patidar Joshi, who has been crowned Mrs India 2018, is from which state?
[A] Gujarat
[B] Rajasthan
[C] Madhya Pardesh
[D] Uttar Pradesh PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
Correct Answer: C [Madhya Pardesh]

Notes:
Divya Patidar Joshi has been crowned the prestigious Mrs India 2018 at the Mrs. India My Identity
Beauty Pageant 2018 finale in Delhi on December 25, 2018. Hailing from Madhya Pardesh’s Ratlam, Divya
won the crown of Mrs India from among 24 promising contestants. She won all the rounds of Beauty
with Brain contest along with Best Cat Walk title. Now, she will represent India at the Mrs Universe 2019
event.
97. Sulagitti Narasamma, who passed away recently, was the renowned social worker of which
state?
[A] Kerala
[B] Karnataka
[C] Telangana
[D] Tamil Nadu
Correct Answer: B [Karnataka]
Notes:
Sulagitti Narasamma (97), the renowned social worker and Padma Shri awardee, has passed away in
Bengaluru on December 26, 2018. Born in 1920, she hailed from a community that was at the time
referred to as ‘untouchable’. She is best known for extending free of cost midwife services to women at a
time when medical help was hard to come by in rural areas. It is believed that she learned the art from
her grandmother, Marigemma, at a very young age. She had helped deliver more than 15,000 babies in
Krishnapura, a remote village in Pavagada taluk in Karnataka. Her work received special recognition in
Krishnapura & was conferred an honorary doctorate by the Tumkur University in 2014. She was also
conferred with the Padma Shri by President Ram Nath Kovind on March 20, 2018.
98. Which union ministry is organizing the 7th National Photography Awards 2019?
[A] Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
[B] Ministry of Women and Child Development
[C] Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
[D] Ministry of Human Resource Development
Correct Answer: C [Ministry of Information & Broadcasting]
Notes:
The photo division of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) is organizing the 7th National
Photography Awards in February 2019. Entries for all the awards have been invited from across the
country. The photographers will be awarded in mainly three categories – life time achievement award,

awards for professional photographers and the awards for the amateur photographers. The award for
professional photographer has two categories- professional photographer of the year award with cash
prize of Rs. 1 lakh and special mention awards with cash prize of Rs. 50 thousand. The Life Time
Achievement award carries a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh. The entries can be sent to the photo division by 31st
of December 2018. Those interested can visit the division’s website for further details.
99. Which tribal community of Tamil Nadu is celebrating their 2018 Heddaiyamman festival?
[A] Toda
[B] Irula
[C] Baduga
[D] Paniya
Correct Answer: C [Baduga ]
Notes:
On 26th December, the tribal Baduga community in the Nilgiris district of Tamil nadu is celebrating
their annual Heddaiyamman festival. In this connection, thousands of devotees clad in the traditional
white dress of the community flocked to places like Kannerimukku and Kerbetta near Kotagiri and Hallu
Kerai near Coonoor to pay obeisance to their presiding deity. People observe 48 days fast and walk in
religious processions, holding up a holy shaft which symbolizes the miracle of the traditional Badaga
goddess. The celebrations will continue throughout the coming week in different villages including
Petthala, Beragani, and Ketti. The Badagas are an indigenous tribal group in the Nilgiris and occupy
more than 400 remote hill villages in the district.

100. Who has been conferred with the ‘Tansen Samman’ for 2018 by the Madhya Pradesh
government?
[A] Dalchan Sharma
[B] Natrang Pratishthan
[C] Manju Mehta
[D] Ulhaas kashalkar
Correct Answer: C [Manju Mehta]
Notes:
Noted sitar player Manju Mehta has been conferred with the ‘Tansen Samman’ for 2018 by the Madhya
Pradesh government for her contribution in the field of music. Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar
presented the award to Mehta at the inaugural ceremony of the 2018 Tansen Music Festival on
December 25. She was given a cash award of Rs 2 lakh and a memento. Mehta is a recipient of several
honours & learnt music from legendary sitar maestro late Pandit Ravi Shankar. Meanwhile, the ‘Raja
Mansingh Tomar Honour’ was given to the Sankat Mochan Pratishthan in Varanasi for 2017 and the
Natrang Pratishthan of New Delhi for 2018. The award is given to institutions for nurturing good music.
The Tansen Music Festival is organised every year by the MP culture department in the memory of
Tansen, one of the greatest artists in Indian history. It is being held in Gwalior since the past 94 years.
101. Which of the following districts has been ranked at the NITI Aayog’s Second Delta Ranking of
the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP)?
[A] Virudhunagar district in Tamil Nadu
[B] Siddarthnagar in Uttar Pradesh
[C] Nuapada district in Odisha
[D] Singrauli district in Madhya Pradesh
Correct Answer: A [Virudhunagar district in Tamil Nadu ]
Notes:
On December 27, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant released the Second Delta Ranking of the Aspirational
Districts Programme (ADP). The ranking details the incremental progress achieved by the districts
during June to October in 2018 across six key development sectors. Virudhunagar district in Tamil Nadu
has shown the most improvement overall, followed by Nuapada district in Odisha, Siddarthnagar in
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar’s Aurangabad and Koraput in Odisha. The districts have been ranked in a
transparent basis on parameters across various performance indicators like Health and Nutrition,
Education, Skill Development and Basic Infrastructure among others. The rankings are based on the
data that is publicly available through the Champions of Change Dashboard, which includes data entered

on a real-time basis at the district level. The rankings, for the first time, also factored in inputs from
household survey conducted by NITI Aayog’s knowledge partners, namely, TATA Trusts and the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
102. Which of the following is correct status of Palestine in United Nations as of December 2018?
[A] Member
[B] Former Member
[C] Non-sovereign Member
[D] Non-member Observer
Correct Answer: D [Non-member Observer ]
Notes:
Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki has officially declared that Palestine would apply for full
state membership at the United Nations in January 2019. To secure full state membership, the
Palestinians need support from at least nine out of the UNSC’s 15 member states. Beside this, Mr Al-
Malki would also demand the UNSC implementation of Resolution 2334 and ask the International
Criminal Court (ICC) to open an official inquiry into Israeli settlement construction. According to UNSC
Resolution 2334, the UN Secretary General should present the Security Council with a progress report
every three months on Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories. Palestine has
been recognized by the UN as a non-member observer state since 2012.
103. Which of the following is the erstwhile name of Swaraj Dweep in Andaman & Nicobar
Islands?
[A] Ross Island
[B] Neil Island
[C] Havelock Island
[D] Viper Island
Correct Answer: C [Havelock Island]
Notes:
The Central government has decided to rename three popular islands of Andaman and Nicobar to mark
the 75th anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s historic visit to the islands. The names of Ross
Island, Neil Island and Havelock Island will be changed to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island, Shaheed
Dweep and Swaraj Dweep, respectively. On 30th December 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is
scheduled to visit Port Blair to make the announcement of name change. He will also release a
commemorative stamp and a coin on the occasion. On 30th December 1943, Bose had hoisted the
national flag at the Gymkhana Ground (now Netaji Stadium) in Port Blair and announced that the islands
were the first Indian Territory to be freed from British rule. This was done after the Japanese captured
the islands during the time of World War II. At that time, Bose reportedly suggested renaming Andaman
and Nicobar islands as Shaheed and Swaraj Dweep.
104. Which of the following countries has become the first nation in Southeast Asia to legalize
medical use of marijuana?
[A] Indonesia
[B] Thailand
[C] Malaysia
[D] Vietnam
Correct Answer: B [Thailand ]
Notes:
Thailand has become the first nation in Southeast Asia to legalize medical use of marijuana, as well as
the kratom, a locally grown plant traditionally used as a stimulant and painkiller. The changes, which
become law when published in the Royal Gazette, legalize the production, import, export, possession and
use of marijuana and kratom products for medical purposes. But, recreational use of the drugs remains
illegal and subject to prison terms and fines commensurate with the quantities involved. Marijuana is a
psychoactive drug from the Cannabis plant intended for medical or recreational use. Earlier, in October
2018, Canada officially becomes the 2nd Country in the world to legalize the recreational use of
marijuana nationwide after Uruguay.

105. Which country has recently legalized exports of medical marijuana?

[A] France
[B] Israel
[C] Australia
[D] Japan
Correct Answer: B [Israel ]
Notes:
The Knesset, Israel’s parliament, has unanimously approved long-awaited, controversial law to allow
exports of medical marijuana, allowing Israel to tap the lucrative global market. Though, the bill still
needs approval from the cabinet and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But, this step is seen as a
formality. With this approval, Israel will become the third country, after the Netherlands and Canada, to
do so. Marijuana (scientific name: Cannabis sativa) is the most commonly used illegal substance
worldwide. The main psychoactive part of cannabis is THC (Tetra Hydro Cannabinol). Of the 483 known
compounds in the cannabis plant, THC affects the brain the most. Cannabis can be used by smoking,
vaporizing, within food, or as an extract. The short-term side effects of marijuana include a decrease in
short-term memory, dry mouth, impaired motor skills, red eyes, and feelings of paranoia or anxiety.
Long-term side effects may include addiction, decreased mental ability in those who started as
teenagers, and behavioral problems in children whose mothers used cannabis during pregnancy.
106. Which of the following is the first state in India to offer universal health coverage?
[A] Jharkhand
[B] Assam
[C] Uttarakhand
[D] Uttar Pradesh
Correct Answer: C [Uttarakhand ]
Notes:
On 27th December, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat launched a universal health
coverage scheme, which is known as the ‘Atal Ayushman Uttarakhand Yojana’. Under the scheme, each
household in the state will be able to avail medical treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh annually. The scheme will
benefit 23 lakh households and will cover 1,350 critical diseases. A total of 99 government and 66 private
hospitals have been selected under the scheme. With this, the hill state has become the first in the
country to offer universal health coverage.
107. Which city is the venue of the 26th National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC)?
[A] Bhubaneswar
[B] New Delhi
[C] Kanpur
[D] Chennai
Correct Answer: A [Bhubaneswar]
Notes:
The 26th National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC) has been inaugurated by the Chief Minister
Naveen Patnaik at the Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on December 27, 2018. Over
800 school students across the country including differently-abled children, students from 10 ASEAN &
5 Gulf countries are expected to attend the five-day Congress. NCSC is a nationwide Science
Communication programme started in the year 1993. The primary objective of the NCSC is to make a
forum available to children of the age-group of 10-17 years, both from formal school system as well as
from out of school, to exhibit their creativity and innovativeness and more particularly their ability to
solve a societal problem experienced locally using the method of science. The 2018 theme is “Science,
Technology & Innovation for A Clean, Green and Healthy Nation”.
108. Prof Hamidi Kashmiri, who passed away recently, was the noted literary figure in the world of
which language?
[A] English
[B] Tamil
[C] Urdu

[D] Odia
Correct Answer: C [Urdu]
Notes:
Dr. Hamidi Kashmiri, the tallest literary figure in the world of Urdu language, literature and literary
criticism, has passed away in Srinagar, J&K on December 27, 2018. He was a prolific creative writer, an
acclaimed critic and propounder of “Iktishaafi Tanqueed”. He has also been the Vice Chancellor of
University of Kashmir for years during the most difficult times of militant unrest. His some notable
works include Iqtishafi Tanqeed Ki Sheryat, Ainame Ibraaq, Mahasir Tanqeed, Riyasati Jammu Aur
Kashmir Urdu Adab, Jadeed Kashir Shayeri , etc. Kashmiri is a recipient of the Ghalib Award and Sahitya
Akademi Award (2005). The Government of India honored him in 2010, with the third highest civilian
award of Padma Shri.
109. Which state organized the 3rd Dwijing Festival 2018?
[A] Assam
[B] Odisha
[C] Nagaland
[D] Manipur
Correct Answer: A [Assam]
Notes: PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
In Assam, the third Dwijing Festival 2018 has started on the bank of Aye river at Chirang district on
December 27. Around 15 lakh tourists are expected to participate in the 12 day long festival. Adventure
sports, food mart, cultural events, traditional games are being organized in the fest. Participants from
Thailand, Bhutan and Bangladesh are also taken part in the festival. The festival provides livelihood
opportunities for the local people and focuses on business activities for better economic generation
through rural tourism.
110. Who has become the India’s new chief boxing coach for men?
[A] O M Nambiar
[B] C A Kuttappa
[C] Sagar Mal Dhayal
[D] Ganapathy Manoharan
Correct Answer: B [C A Kuttappa]
Notes:
Dronacharya awardee C A Kuttappa has taken over as India’s chief boxing coach at the ongoing national
camp. Kuttappa is credited with shaping some of the country’s most successful boxers such as Vijender
Singh, M Suranjoy Singh and Shiva Thapa, among others. He took over from veteran coach SR Singh at
the beginning of the camp which started December 10. Singh has since retired. The current set of boxers
in the camp, barring the national champions, will be giving trials in the second week of January 2019,
which will lead to a pruning and form the basis of selection for the India Open and the prestigious
Strandja Memorial in Bulgaria.
111. Which wildlife sanctuary has been declared as National Park by the Madhya Pradesh
government?
[A] Bori Wildlife Sanctuary
[B] Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary
[C] Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary
[D] Kheoni Sanctuary
Correct Answer: B [Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary]
Notes:
The Madhya Pradesh government has declared the Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) as National Park in
compliance with the last condition imposed by a Supreme Court-appointed committee for the much
awaited ‘translocation of Asiatic lions from Gir in Gujarat’. The move is expected to pave way for
translocation of lions from Gir National Park (GNP) in Gujarat to Kuno. The Palpur-Kuno Wildlife
Sanctuary is located in Sheopur district of Gwalior division & has been chosen as a second home for over
500 Asiatic lions. It is spread over 750 sq km area.

112. Which state ‘s chief minister has been conferred the 2018 ‘Champions of Change’ award by the
Union Government?
[A] Assam
[B] Jharkhand
[C] Manipur
[D] Bihar
Correct Answer: C [Manipur ]
Notes:
On December 26, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has been conferred the “Champions of Change”
award by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu for exemplary leadership in bringing about transformation
in governance in the Northeastern state at an event organized at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The other
awardees included Union Minister of State for Food Processing Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Union Minister
for Tribal Affairs Sudarshan and Member of Parliament Nishikant Dubey. The award was instituted by
the Centre to identify remarkable progress made in 115 “aspirational” districts whose development is
being monitored by NITI Aayog. The event was attended by eminent jurists, politicians, social leaders
etc. The award is an initiative of the Interactive Forum of Indian Economy, a Government of India (GoI)
recognized NGO.
113. Who has become the 1st Indian youngster to won the| Junior Debate Championship at the
PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com
World Scholar’s Cup 2018?

[A] Anand Rai
[B] Jayashree Vijiyan
[C] Akash Banerjee
[D] Aadi Sai Vijaykaran
Correct Answer: D [Aadi Sai Vijaykaran]
Notes:
Aadi Sai Vijaykaran, a 13-year-old from Chennai, has created history by winning the Junior Debate
Championship at the World Scholar’s Cup held at Yale University, the USA from November 16-21. He has
been adjudged the world’s best School debater at a global contest. This is the first time an individual
from India has won the coveted title. The theme for the cup was ‘An Entangled World: diplomacy, human
relationships, the science of memory, and literature, art’. Vijaykaran is a trained Carnatic musician, has a
black belt in Karate, plays chess and football.
114. Who is head of the RBI committee to review the existing Economic Capital Framework (ECF)?
[A] Subhash Chandra Garg
[B] Bimal Jalan
[C] NS Vishwanathan
[D] Rakesh Mohan
Correct Answer: B [Bimal Jalan]
Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted an expert committee, headed by its former governor Dr.
Bimal Jalan, to review the existing Economic Capital Framework (ECF). The purpose of the committee is
to suggest how the central bank should handle its reserves and whether it can transfer its surplus to the
Government of India (GoI). The six-member panel has former deputy RBI governor Rakesh Mohan as its
vice chairman and comprises economic affairs secretary Subhash Chandra Garg, RBI central board
members Bharat Doshi and Sudhir Mankad and deputy governor NS Vishwanathan. It will review the
need and justification of various provisions, reserves and buffers that RBI has maintained for
contingency purposes and suggest an adequate level of risk provisioning. It will submit its report within
90 days of its first meeting.
115. Which country has successfully tested a new hypersonic nuclear weapon delivery system
‘Avangard’?
[A] Russia
[B] China

[C] Germany
[D] United States
Correct Answer: A [Russia ]
Notes:
Russia has successfully tested a new hypersonic nuclear weapon delivery system , named “Avangard”,
from the Dombarovskiy missile base in the southern Ural Mountains. It successfully hit a practice target
on the Kura shooting range on Kamchatka, 6,000 kilometers (3,700 miles) away. The Avangard
hypersonic glide vehicle flies 27 times faster than the speed of sound, which makes it impossible to
intercept. It has been claimed the Avangard system is designed using new composite materials to
withstand temperatures of up to 2000 degrees Celsius that come from a flight through the atmosphere
at hypersonic speeds. As per officials, the Avangard could be fitted to the Soviet-made UR-100UTTKh
intercontinental ballistic missile, which is code-named SS-19 Stiletto by NATO. Russia claims its new
weapons will be more nimble and can change direction making them far harder to track and intercept.
116. Which Arab country has recently resumed its diplomatic service in Syria after six years of
suspension?
[A] UAE
[B] Jordan
[C] Kuwait PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
[D] Qatar
Correct Answer: A [UAE]
Notes:
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has recently resumed its diplomatic service in Syria after six years of
suspension, signaling a thaw in the relations between the two countries, as also with the Arab world. The
diplomatic thaw comes after the U.S. announced plans to pull its troops from Syria. This move will also
prevent the dangers of regional interference in Syrian affairs. Hence, this marks the first official
acknowledgment by regional adversaries of Syrian President Bashar Assad that he has won the almost
8-year civil war to dislodge him. Earlier, the UAE broke ties with Syria in February 2012 when “Arab
Spring”-inspired protests began against Assad’s rule and metastasized into a sectarian conflict that
killed hundreds of thousands, made millions of others refugees and laid waste to vast areas of the
country. Syria was also expelled from the 22-member Arab League in 2011. Arab countries sanctioned
Damascus and condemned its use of military force against civilians.
117. Bahuda Rookery, which is in news recently, is the proposed Olive Ridley Nesting Site of which
state?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Odisha
[C] Andhra Pradesh
[D] Tamil Nadu
Correct Answer: B [Odisha ]
Notes:
The Odisha forest department is all set to add another Olive Ridley mass nesting site to its wildlife map
at the Bahuda river mouth in Ganjam district to lure the endangered sea turtles to come over for mass
nesting in 2019. Around 3-km stretch of the beach from Sunapur to Anantpur at Bahuda rookery is being
developed as a possible olive ridley mass nesting site. The Bahuda rookery is located around 20 km to the
south of Rushikulya rookery coast, a major mass nesting site of olive ridleys on the Indian coastline. In
Odisha, Gahirmatha marine sanctuary and Rushikulya rookery coast in Ganjam district are the two main
Olive Ridley nesting sites. Of these sites, Gahirmatha marine sanctuary is the world’s largest rookery of
endangered Olive Ridley Sea Turtles. Odisha is home to 50% of the total world’s population of Olive
Ridleys and about 90% of Indian population of sea turtles.
118. The researchers of which country have recently built Virtual Reality (VR) 3D model of cancer?
[A] Brazil
[B] France
[C] UK

[D] Japan
Correct Answer: C [UK]
Notes:
The scientists at Cambridge University have built a Virtual Reality (VR) 3D model of cancer that will help
increase the understanding of cancer as well as in the search for new treatment. Researchers from the
Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Researchers started with a one millimetre cubed piece of breast cancer
tissue biopsy, containing around 100,000 cells. They cut wafer thin slices, scanned and then stained
them with markers to show their molecular make-up and DNA characteristics. The tumour was then
rebuilt using virtual reality (VR), which allows multiple users from anywhere, in the world to examine
the tumour. Although the human tissue sample was about the size of a pinhead, using the VR headsets, it
could be magnified to appear several metres across. To explore the tumour in more detail, the VR system
allows one to ‘fly through’ the cells.
119. Nirendranath Chakraborty, who passed away recently, was the famous poet of which
language?
[A] Odia
[B] Urdu
[C] Bengali
[D] Telugu PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
Correct Answer: C [Bengali ]

Notes:
Nirendranath Chakraborty (94), the famous Bengali poet , has passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal on
December 25, 2018. Born in 1924 at Faridpur in undivided Bengal, Chakraborty was a dominant figure in
the modern Bengali literary field. His first book of poems ‘Nil Nirjone’ was published in 1954 when he
was 30 years old. He won the Sahitya Akademi award in 1974 for his poem ‘Ulanga Raja’ (naked king)
which mocked the social set up. His ‘Amalkanti Roddur Hote Cheyechhilo’ (Ammalkanto wanted to be
the sunshine), ‘Kolkatar Jishu’ (Christ of Kolkata) and ‘Pahari Bichhe’ (Mountain scorpion) are considered
his two other cult poems. Chakraborty had been associated with leading Bengali magazine ‘Desh’ and
‘Anandamela’ for children, whose editor he had been for years, and some well known other magazines.
He had penned more than 47 books, many of them for children, apart from 12 novels and numerous
essays on different issues.
120. The 26th International Camel Festival (ICF-2019) will be held in which city of Rajasthan?
[A] Bikaner
[B] Jaipur
[C] Barmer
[D] Jaisalmer
Correct Answer: A [Bikaner ]
Notes:
The 26th edition of International Camel Festival (ICF-2019) will be organized by the Department of
Tourism, Government of Rajasthan in Bikaner on January 12 and 13. The fest is a lively and colourful
event & activities such as fur cutting, camel decoration, designing among others would be organized in
the event. Competitions like Mr Bikana and Miss Marwan, cultural performances by folk artistes from
different regions would also be held during the festival.
121. Which sportsperson has won the 2018 Balkan Athlete of the year?
[A] Luka Modric
[B] Novak Djokovic
[C] Simona Halep
[D] Cristiano Ronaldo
Correct Answer: A [Luka Modric]
Notes:
Luka Modric, who led Croatia to their first-ever FIFA World Cup final, has been named the 2018 Balkan
Athlete of the year. Modric won the Champions League for the third time in a row with his club “Real
Madrid” in May 2018 before leading Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final, where they lost 4-2 to France.

He also won the prestigious Ballon d’Or for the first time earlier in December 2018. While Tennis player
Novak Djokovic of Serbia got 2nd position in the Balkan poll, and Romania’s Simona Halep third. The poll
was organized by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) and included the national news agencies of Albania,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Turkey.
122. Which city was awarded Best Capital City in the Solid Waste Management in the Swachh
Survekshan 2018 rankings?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Hyderabad
[C] Pune
[D] Dehradun
Correct Answer: B [Hyderabad ]
Notes:
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) was awarded Best Capital City in the Solid
Waste Management in the Swachh Survekshan 2018 rankings. The Swachh Survekshan was launched by
the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) under Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban). According
to a press release, the Swachh Survekashan survey ranks cities on various parameters including
sanitation, provision of basic amenities etc.
123. Indian Railways has developed which AI-powered robot to check for faults in trains?
[A] Madad
[B] Milap
[C] Cris
[D] Ustaad
Correct Answer: D [Ustaad]
Notes:
The Central Zone of Indian Railways has developed an AI-powered robot, named as ‘USTAAD’, which will
scrutinize parts of train coaches in real time and transmit them over a WiFi connection. The acronym
‘USTAAD’ stands for Undergear Surveillance Through Artificial Intelligence Assisted Droid. The robot is
developed by the mechanical branch of Central Railway’s Nagpur division. It would click pictures and
record videos of the under-gears of trains and send them to engineers for repairs and maintenance. The
robot is also capable of zooming into a spot in case of any doubt. It is equipped with LED flood light and
able to capture the videos in low light as well as in dark mode. By use of this robot the chances of
mistake and any deficiency overlooked by human eye can be eliminated thus reducing chances of human
error. With the help of USTAAD, engineers can easily see and examine areas which are hard to see and
hard to approach such as cramped or narrow spaces between under-gear parts.
124. Which Indian organisation has launched a ‘Survey on Retail Payment Habits of Individuals
(SRPHi)’?
[A] SEBI
[B] SBI
[C] RBI
[D] IRDAI
Correct Answer: C [RBI]
Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched a ‘Survey on Retail Payment Habits of Individuals (SRPHi)’
to capture payment habits of individuals in six cities, including four metropolitan towns. According to
RBI release, the survey will cover a sample of 6,000 individuals from various socio-economic
backgrounds across six cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Guwahati. The
survey seeks qualitative responses from individuals on their payment habits. The findings may provide
some idea about awareness and usage habits of digital payment products.
125. The unique Chapparam (Chariot) festival 2018 has started in which of the following states?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Kerala

[C] Karnataka
[D] Andhra Pradesh
Correct Answer: A [Tamil Nadu]
Notes:
On December 28, the unique Chapparam (Chariot) festival was celebrated with traditional rituals and
festivities in the famous Madurai Meenakshi temple, in Tamil Nadu. The fest symbolizes the importance
of preserving all kinds of food and fodder. The festival is also an auspicious occasion when the God and
Goddess measure out food for all living beings. In it, both Goddess Meenakshi and her spouse Lord
Sundareswarar circumambulate the four main streets around the temple. Cooked rice, which is
distributed among devotees, are taken home and preserved because it signifies prosperity for the whole
year. Another specialty of the festival is that the chariot of Goddess Meenakshi is pulled by lady devotees
alone.
126. Who is the author of the book “Early Indians: The Story of Our Ancestors and Where We
Came From”?
[A] Ashok Rajagopalan
[B] Tony Joseph
[C] Roopa Pai
[D] Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni PRAVEEN GAUTAM | praveen.dda.20@gmail.com |
Correct Answer: B [Tony Joseph]

Notes:
The book titled “Early Indians: The Story of Our Ancestors and Where We Came From” has been
authored by journalist Tony Joseph, which unravels our history using the results of genetics and other
research. According to book, the Indian population is a result of four major migrations, including that of
the Aryans, into the country in prehistoric times. Apart from the formation of the Indian population and
the development of the Harappan Civilisation, the book also looks into when and how the caste system
began.
127. Which city is the venue of the 12th Global Healthcare Summit 2018?
[A] Ujjain
[B] Hyderabad
[C] Mumbai
[D] Jaipur
Correct Answer: C [Mumbai]
Notes:
On December 29, the 12th Global Healthcare Summit (GHS) was inaugurated by President Ram Nath
Kovind in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The summit is being organized by the American Association of
Physicians of Indian Origin, more commonly known as AAPI. Mr. Kovind acknowledged the
professionalism and excellent reputation of doctors of Indian origin in the US.
128. India is mandated to submit 2nd Biennial Update Report (BUR) on greenhouse gas inventory
to which international organisation?
[A] UNICEF
[B] WHO
[C] UNODC
[D] UNFCCC
Correct Answer: D [UNFCCC ]
Notes:
The Union Cabinet has recently approved Submission of India’s 2nd Biennial Update Report (BUR) to the
UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), which contains 2014 updates of
national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories. As per an official statement, in 2014, approx 2.607 billion
tonnes of of CC-2 equivalent) of GHGs were emitted from all activities, excluding ‘land use, land use
change and forestry’ (LULUCF) in India. The net national GHG emissions after including LULUCF were
around 2.306 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent. The BUR contains five major components – National


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Circumstances; National Greenhouse Gas Inventory; Mitigation Actions; Finance, Technology and
Capacity Building Needs and Support Received and Domestic Monitoring, Reporting and Verification
(MRV) arrangements. As per the report, India is on course of achieving the target for emission intensity
of the economy and share of non-fossil fuel-based power capacity.
129. Which union ministry has recently brought a booklet on cyber safety for school children?
[A] Ministry of Human Resource Development
[B] Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
[C] Ministry of Home Affairs
[D] Ministry of Science and Technology
Correct Answer: C [Ministry of Home Affairs ]
Notes:
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has brought out a booklet on cyber safety for school children
to inform them about different aspects of cyber safety. The booklet, titled ‘A Handbook for Students on
cyber Safety’, also deals with the problems of cyber bullying, cyber grooming and email fraud. It advises
teenagers against accepting friend requests from unknown people on social media. The booklet explains
various kinds of cyber crimes like identity theft, job fraud, email spoofing and how children can
overcome them. The information provided in the handbook is intended to create awareness among
citizens especially students about various cyber threats that can impact them and ways to safeguard
themselves against cyber crimes. The booklet also provides details about various safeguards that can be
adopted by children to protect themselves from cyber grooming.

130. The Union Cabinet has recently approved Amendment in the POCSO Act of 2012. The act is
related to which of the following causes?
[A] SC/ST Atrocity law
[B] Women Safety
[C] Public Safety
[D] Child sexual abuse
Correct Answer: D [Child sexual abuse]
Notes:
The Union Cabinet has recently approved amendments to the Protection of Children from Sexual
Offences (POCSO) Act of 2012 to make punishment more stringent for committing sexual crimes against
children. To discourage the trend of child sexual abuse by acting as a deterrent, Section-4, Section-5 and
Section-6 are proposed to be amended to provide the option of stringent punishment, including the
death penalty, for committing aggravated penetrative sexual assault crime on a child. The amendments
are also proposed in section-9 to protect children from sexual offences in times of natural calamities and
disasters. The amendment is expected to discourage the trend of child sexual abuse by acting as a
deterrent due to strong penal provisions incorporated in the Act. It may protect the interest of
vulnerable children in times of distress and ensure their safety and dignity. The amendment aims to
establish clarity regarding the aspects of child abuse and punishment.
131. Which Asian country has recently submitted its 6th National Report (NR6) to the Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD)?
[A] China
[B] India
[C] Nepal
[D] Bhutan
Correct Answer: B [India ]
Notes:
On December 30, India submitted its Sixth National Report (NR6) to the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD). The report was submitted online to the CBD Secretariat by the Environment Minister,
Dr. Harsh Vardhan, during the inaugural session of the 13th National Meeting of the State Biodiversity
Boards (SBBs) in New Delhi. With this, India is among the first five countries in the world, the first in
Asia and the first among the biodiversity-rich mega diverse countries to have submitted the report. The
submission of national reports is a mandatory obligation on parties to international treaties, including
the CBD. The NR6 provides an update of progress in achievement of 12 National Biodiversity Targets

(NBT) developed under the convention process in line with the 20 global Aichi biodiversity targets. As
per report, the population of the lion has risen from 177 in 1968 to over 520 in 2015 and elephants from 12
thousand in the 1970s to 30 thousand in 2015. One-horned Indian Rhino which was on the brink of
extinction during the early 20th century, now number 2400.
132. Mrinal Sen, who passed away recently, was the noted personality of which field?
[A] Film Industry
[B] Sports
[C] Journalism
[D] Politics
Correct Answer: A [Film Industry]
Notes:
Mrinal Sen (95), the legendary filmmaker, has passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal on December 30,
2018. Along with his contemporaries Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak, he was often considered to be one
of the greatest ambassadors of Bengali parallel cinema on the global stage with films like Ek Din
Achanak, Padatik, Mrigaya, Akaler Sandhane, Chorus, Kharij, Khandahar, Bhuwan Shome, Akash Kusum
and Calcutta 71. He made his directorial debut with Raat Bhore in 1955 and is known for making films
that focussed on socio-politial issues. A recipient of 12 international film awards, Mrinal Sen was also a
member of the Indian People’s Theatre Association. Sen was an ardent follower of Marxist philosophy.
133. Which state government has decided to form a new Spiritual Department?
[A] Rajasthan
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] Madhya Pradesh
[D] Odisha
Correct Answer: C [Madhya Pradesh]
Notes:
In Madhya Pradesh, the state government has decided to form a new Spiritual Department to
strengthen inter-communal harmony and Sarvadharma Sambhav in the state covering all religions,
sects and faiths. In the new department, the Religious Trust and Endowments and Happiness
Department will be merged. The Directorate of Religious Trusts and Endowments, Pilgrimage and Fair
Authority, Directorate of Mukhya Mantri Teerth-Darshan Yojana and Rajya Anand Sansthan working till
now will also be included in the new department. Meanwhile, the proceedings of the formation of trust
for Rivers Tapti, Mandakini and Kshipra will also be carried out. Law will be made to make holy rivers of
the state a living unit. In many countries like America, England, Bangladesh, Myanmar etc, the
Department of Spiritual Affairs is working under different names.
134. The 6th IRRI South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC) has recently inaugurated in which of the
following cities?
[A] Patna
[B] Guwahati
[C] Shillong
[D] Varanasi
Correct Answer: D [Varanasi]
Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently dedicated to the nation – the 6th IRRI South Asia Regional
Centre (IRRI SARC) at the campus of National Seed Research and Training Center (NSRTC) in Varanasi,
Uttar Pradesh. The first international Center in the eastern India is expected to play a major role in
harnessing and sustaining rice production in the region. It will help farmers of the region to develop
varieties of paddy which grow in minimum water and have low sugar content and high nutritional
value.It will also serve as a hub for rice research and training in South Asia and SAARC region. Here, IRRI
stands for ‘International Rice Research Institute’. Beside this, PM Modi also attended the ‘One District,
One Product’ Regional Summit at Deendayal Hastakala Sankul in Varanasi. This scheme is aimed at
enhancing the skills of local people and increasing the reach of the indigenous trades, crafts and
products from small towns and small districts in the state. These include handicrafts, food processing,
engineering goods, carpets, readymade clothes, leather goods etc which not only earn foreign exchange

but also provide employment to the people.

135. Which of the following Indian documentaries has bagged the Best Short documentary film
award in Asia South East International Short Film Festival?
[A] Legends of the wild: Kahani Beehad Ki
[B] Finding Beauty in Garbage
[C] India’s Daughter
[D] 7 Notes to Infinity
Correct Answer: B [Finding Beauty in Garbage]
Notes:
“Finding Beauty in Garbage”, a documentary film based on the garbage of Dibrugarh town in Assam has
bagged the Best Short documentary film award in Asia South East International Short Film Festival at
Phnom Penh in Cambodia. The film gives a satirical take to the problem of garbage disposal. The 7
minute film was produced, directed and scripted by Satyamam Dutta who is an Indian Revenue Service
(IRS) officer presently posted in Dibrugarh. The burning problem of garbage disposal has been projected
by Dutta with a satirical approach prompting viewers to think and realize how the disposal of garbage
affects their life. The film has shown how the inhabitants of the city have become so accustomed and
immune to the garbage and dirt around that they no longer want to fight with it but want to cohabit
with them. The film is slated to be released on 1st January 2019 through video sharing website YouTube
and other social media platforms.
136. Which Asian country has recently launched its first messaging app ‘BizBarde’?
[A] Turkmenistan
[B] Afghanistan
[C] Palestine
[D] Uzbekistan
Correct Answer: A [Turkmenistan ]
Notes:
The repressive central Asian nation of Turkmenistan has recently launched its first messaging app
‘BizBarde’, which will allow the exchange of messages, files, photos and videos. Here, the likes of
Facebook and Whatsapp are banned. It is one of the world’s most isolated regimes where Western
services including Twitter and Viber, along with popular Russian networks Odnoklassniki and
VKontakte blocked. The country sits on the world’s 4th largest reserves of natural gas and regularly
finds itself at the bottom of global rights and press freedom rankings. Only officially sanctioned media
are allowed to operate and internet access is provided solely by the state-owned TurkmenTelecom.
137. The Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) has been banned under which section of Unlawful
Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) of 1967?
[A] Section 38
[B] Section 35
[C] Section 36
[D] Section 34
Correct Answer: B [Section 35]
Notes:
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has banned Sikh militant group under the Section 35 of Unlawful
Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) of 1967. It has been banned for its involvement in several killings,
bombings and other terror activities during its violent campaign for “secession of Punjab”. As per
officials, KLF has also been banned for committing and promoting various acts of terrorism in India as
well as recruitment of youth for terrorist activities in the country. Hence, MHA added KLF as the 40th
organisation to the banned list which also includes four other Sikh extremist groups – Babbar Khalsa
International (BKI), Khalistan Commando Force (KCF), International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) and
Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF). The KLF came into existence in 1986 by Aroor Singh and Sukhvinder
Singh Babbar with the objective of establishing an independent Khalistan by secession of Punjab from
India “through violent means”.
138. Which neighboring country of India has recently approved the issuance of ‘Panda bond’?

[A] Myanmar
[B] Bangladesh
[C] Nepal
[D] Pakistan
Correct Answer: D [Pakistan ]
Notes:
The Pakistan Cabinet has recently approved the issuance of first-ever Chinese renminbi-denominated
bonds to raise loans from China’s capital markets. The Panda bonds will be denominated in Chinese
yuan. It is expected that the possible transaction size of bonds will be equivalent to $500 million in two
different tranches. They will help the government diversify the investor base of capital market issuance
and provide a source of raising renminbi (RMB). The size, tenure and pricing would be determined on the
basis of market response at the time of issuance. Earlier, in March 2018, the Philippines became the first
Association of Southeast Asian Nations member to issue Panda bond.
139. The 3rd edition of women’s national boxing championships has started in which of the
following cities?
[A] Hyderabad
[B] Bhubaneswar
[C] Vijayanagara
[D] Imphal
Correct Answer: C [Vijayanagara]
Notes:
The 3rd edition of women’s national boxing championships has started at the JSW Sports-owned Inspire
Institute of Sport in Vijayanagara, Karnataka on December 31, 2018 and will be held till 6th of the next
month. With close to 250 entries received from 31 states and institutions, pugilists will compete in all 10
weight categories viz. 48kg, 51kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 64kg, 69kg, 75kg, 81kg and +81kg class. The Inspire
Institute of Sport, which will be hosting the women’s national championship is heralded for its
multispecialty facilities and is India’s first privately-funded High-Performance Olympic Training Centre.
140. Which of the following state police has become the first police force in India to digitize all
malkhanas?
[A] Tamil Nadu Police
[B] Mumbai Police
[C] Delhi Police
[D] Bihar Police
Correct Answer: C [Delhi Police]
Notes:
The Delhi Police has become the first police force in the country to digitize all malkhanas, when Delhi
Police commissioner Amulya Patnaik inaugurated the e-malkhana project in the remaining 10 districts
at Chinamaya Mission. A booklet on e-malkhana functioning was also released on the occasion and a
short film on how the project was executed was shown. Malkhanas are rooms for keeping seized arms
and ammunition, across every police station in the state. Under the new innovative system, details of the
case property are first entered into the software and a photograph is uploaded. The case property is
packed in a cardboard box to prevent damage, and a unique barcode is generated for the same. The box
is then placed on to a specific almirah or rack whose details are entered in the software. This makes
location of the case property easier by simply entering details of the case property in the software
module. The software also allows the details of any case property being visible at the simple click of a
button. According to the official release, around 3, 11,600 case properties have been encrypted in digital
form across all the police stations in the state.

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