Daily current Affairs: 12th December

1. Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has started the scheme of National award for
outstanding service in the field of Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug abuse.

The scheme is applicable to institutions and individuals working in the field of prevention of
alcoholism and drug abuse.

The national award will be presented to the awardees on the occasion of International Day
against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26th of June 2020.

2. In Jammu and Kashmir, a first of its kind workshop on Bamboo cultivation will be held on 19th
and 20 of this month in Jammu.Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh will inaugurate the exhibition.

The workshop will focus on the promotion of Bamboo cultivation in the potential Kandi areas of
Jammu and its value addition as an economic activity and generate entrepreneurship and
employment opportunities.

3. Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has started the scheme of National award for
outstanding service in the field of Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug abuse.

The scheme is applicable to institutions and individuals working in the field of prevention of
alcoholism and drug abuse.The national award will be presented to the awardees on the
occasion of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26th of June 2020.

Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment: Thaawar Chand Gehlot.

4. Workshop on Bamboo cultivation to be held in Jammu

In Jammu and Kashmir, a first of its kind workshop on Bamboo cultivation will be held on 19th
and 20 of this month in Jammu.Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh will inaugurate the exhibition.

The workshop will focus on the promotion of Bamboo cultivation in the potential Kandi areas of
Jammu and its value addition as an economic activity and generate entrepreneurship and
employment opportunities.Lieutenant (Lt) Governors of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K): Girish
Chandra Murmu.

5. World’s First commercial electric plane takes flight in CanadaThe world’s first fully-electric
commercial aircraft took its inaugural test flight, taking off from the Canadian city of Vancouver
and flying for 15 minutesA 62-year-old six-passenger DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver seaplane re-
fitted with a fully electric 750 horsepower motor was piloted by Greg McDougall, founder and
chief executive of Harbour Air, a British Columbia-based charter airline that transport
passengers between Vancouver.MagniX designed the motor and worked in partnership with
Harbour Air which ferries thousands of people a year between Vancouver, Whistler ski resort
and nearby islands
6. Indian actress Priyanka Chopra was honoured at the Marrakech Film Festival held at the
famous Jemaa el Fna square.Priyanka Chopra was honoured for her 20 years of work and
contribution in cinema.

Hollywood actor Robert Redford, Moroccan actress Mouna Fettou and filmmaker Bertrand
Tavernier were among other people who were honoured at the festival.

7. Odisha won the bronze in ‘World Habitat Award’ for Jaga Mission also called Odisha Liveable
Habitat Mission (OLHM), a slum land titling project executed for the benefit of millions of
urban-poor people living in slums.

8. Dell Technologies announced a new partnership with UNESCO MGIEP (Mahatma Gandhi
Institute of Education for Peace) to enable school teachers to adopt technology in classrooms
by using ICT tools.

9. The 4th edition of International Seminar cum Exhibition on Naval Weapon Systems
‘NAVARMS-19’ begins in Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis, Development Enclave,
New Delhi.

The theme of the Exhibition is “Make in India – Fight Category: Opportunities and Imperatives”.
NAVARMS is the only international seminar and exhibition on Naval Weapon Systems
conducted in the country.

10. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has lowered its forecast for India’s economic growth in
fiscal year 2019-20 to 5.1%.

11. Switzerland will be the country partner at the 17th edition of BioAsia2020 scheduled to be held
from February 17-19, 2020 with the theme “Today For Tomorrow” in Hyderabad, Telangana.

12. Indian match referee GS Lakshmi is set to become the first woman match referee to officiate a
men’s ODI match.

13. The former US Federal Reserve chief Paul Volcker passed away. He was appointed as the
chief of the US Federal Reserve in 1979.

14. International Day of Neutrality is a United Nations observance held on December 12 each year.

15. International Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day) is celebrated globally on 12
December.

The theme for the 2019 UHC Day is “Keep the promise”
16. Union Cabinet approved the proposal of Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
(MoRTH), which authorizes National Highways Authority of India(NHAI) to set up Infrastructure
Investment Trust(s) (InvIT) as per InvIT Guidelines issued by Securities and Exchange Board
of India (SEBI).

17. The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi gave its approval for signing Agreement on Social
Security between India and Brazil.

18. Union Cabinet has approved certain amendments in Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016
(code), through Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019. The
amendments aim to remove certain difficulties being faced during insolvency resolution
process to realise objects of code, protect corporate debtors, prevent ill-thought-out triggering
of bankruptcy proceedings and to further ease doing of business (ADB).

19. The Union Cabinet approved Aircraft (Amendment) bill, 2019 to amend the Aircrafts act, 1934.
The main objective of the bill is to fulfill the safety requirements of International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO).The Bill intends to regulate the areas of air navigation. It enhances the
punishment from 10 lakh rupees to 1 crore rupees for those failing to comply norms of
Government of India. Also, the bill will enable three regulatory bodies namely Bureau of Civil
Aviation Security (BCAS), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Aircraft Accident
Investigation Bureau (AAIB) It will increase safety and security of air transport in the country.

20. Three day “International Seminar on Climate Smart Farming systems” is being held in New
Delhi. The seminar is being organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

21. Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for signing
Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between Government of India and Government of Japan
to constitute ‘India-Japan Steel Dialogue’ to strengthen cooperation in steel sector.

22. The South Pacific Archipelago of Bougainville voted to become independent of Papua New
Guinea. Around 98% of 1,81,067 voters voted to get independent from Papua New Guinea.
Bougainville; It is the largest island of the Solomon Islands Archipelago.