August 05 - 11, 2019

Weekly GK Capsule 5th August to 11th August
Economy…………............................................................05
Finance & Banking...........................................................08
Governance & Polity........................................................11
Social Issues…………......................................................14
International News...........................................................16
National News……...........................................................17
Environment & Ecology…...............................................20
Defence & Security….………………………………………22
Science & Technology…..................................................23
Art & Culture..………..…...................................................24
Facts of the Week ............................................................31
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Economy
Car sales down, what does this mean for the economy?
Leading automobile manufacturers announced a sharp decline of up to 50 % in their
domestic sales in July with the market leader Maruti Suzuki reporting a 36.2 % drop in
sales during the month.
July became the twelfth out of the last 13 months in which the auto sector has seen a decline
in domestic sales.
The drop in sales is happening across all segments. Passenger vehicles sales
witnessed a fall of 18.4 % in the quarter ended June 2019, the commercial vehicle segment
witnessed a 16.6 % decline and the two-wheeler segment too, saw a drop in sales by 11.7 %
during the quarter.
A third of the retail sales of Maruti Suzuki — the country’s largest carmaker — were
funded by NBFCs, and a liquidity crisis for the NBFC sector has led to a drop in sales for
lack of funding for customers.
Customers are also postponing their purchase decisions due to various considerations,
including an expected fall in GST rates, and the hope that the transition from BS-IV to BS-
VI may lead to big discounts between January and March 2020. Customers are also
expecting discounts in the coming festive season.
However, company officials say that they do not expect the trend to be reversed in the near
future.
Ladakh Farmers and Producers Cooperative Limited start experimenting with

saffron farming in Leh
In Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Farmers and Producers Cooperative Limited have started
experimenting with saffron farming in Leh.
Ladakh is part of saffron farming experiment along with hill States of Himachal Pradesh
and Uttarakhand.
At present, saffron is farmed in Pulwama and Pampore areas of Jammu and Kashmir. In
Kashmir valley, 90 % of saffron production comes from Pampore uplands, locally called
‘wudar’ on the southern outskirts of Srinagar city.
Ladakh has similarities of climatic conditions with Iran and Afghanistan where saffron
is grown.
Saffron, one of the world’s costliest spice is in great demand for its medicinal, cosmetic and
aromatic properties.
It grows from a very small plant botanically known as Crocus Sativus.
Its purple coloured flower is the only part mostly seen above the ground. The blossoms appear
during late autumn (mid-October to early November).
The aromatic reddish stigmas of these flowers are harvested which form the most expensive
part of the colourful spice called ‘Mogra’. The remaining stalks are also processed to get
inferior grade of saffron called ‘Lacha’.

Government of India is implementing the National Saffron Mission under the Rashtriya
Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).
One Nation-one Ration Card scheme implemented on pilot basis in four States
In a major boost to National Food Security, Government of India launched the One Nation-
One Ration Card scheme on a pilot basis in four States namely Telangana, Andhra
Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Families who have food security cards can buy subsidized rice and wheat from any Fair
Price Shop in these states. Their ration cards should be linked with Aadhar Number to avail
this service.
The Centre is intended to extend the programme to all states by August next year so that
the portability of the food security card implemented. There will also be creation of a Central
Repository of all Ration Cards to help national level de-duplication.
The national portability of Ration cards will ensure all beneficiaries especially the migrants in
getting access to Public Distribution System (PDS) across the nation from any PDS shop
of their own choice.
This will provide freedom to the beneficiaries as they will not be tied to any one PDS shop
and reduce their dependence on shop owners and curtail instances of corruption.
Transparency on details of sellers among key features of draft guidelines

The Department of Consumer Affairs has published the draft e-Commerce Guidelines for
consumer protection 2019. It has invited parties to provide feedback by 16 September.
The draft guidelines proposes a series of consumer safeguards in India that forbid e-
commerce companies from influencing pricing, adopting unfair promotion methods or
misrepresenting the quality of goods and services.
The guidelines will be applicable on all business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce
platforms.
Salient features of the draft guidelines:
It seeks to protect personally-identifiable information of customers and set a 14-day limit
for payments toward refund requests.
E-commerce firms must self-declare compliance and also provide a way for customers to
contact them directly.
Platforms like Amazon and Flipkart are required to declare all details about their sellers
including address, website and email address.
The platforms are also required to display terms of contract with the seller relating to
return, refund, exchange, warranty, delivery and mode of payments.
Counterfeit products cannot be listed on e-commerce websites or companies could be
held liable.
It proposes to make it mandatory for e-commerce entities to accept returns in the event the
products delivered are “defective, wrong or spurious” or if they do not have the characteristics
or features advertised.

Every e-commerce entity has to publish the contact details of its grievance officer, who would
have to address complaints within one month from the date of receipt.
India to conduct 1st National Time Release Study to enable faster movement of
cargo
India’s first national Time Release Study (TRS) is being conducted by the Ministry of
Finance as part of its strategic commitment to improve global trade.
Time Release Study exercise will be conducted every year across 15 ports including sea,
air, land and dry ports.
The national TRS will establish baseline performance measurement and have
standardized operations and procedures across all ports.
TRS initiative for accountable governance, will measure rule-based and procedural
bottlenecks (including physical touchpoints) in the clearance of goods, from the time of
arrival until the physical release of cargo.
The TRS is an internationally recognized tool advocated by the World Customs
Organization to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of international trade flows.
Most regular jobs in India don’t pay well: PLFS

The recently released unit-level data of the PLFS, (PLFS was launched by the National
Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) in 2017), suggests that job market conditions in the
country are more worrisome than what the headline numbers reveal.
According to Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2017-18, 6.1% of India’s labour force,
and 17.8% of young people (15-29 years) in the labour force are unemployed.
The data shows that the proportion of the workforce engaged in regular wage/salaried jobs
increased by 5 percentage points between 2011-12 (when the last NSSO employment
unemployment survey was conducted) and 2017-18.
But this increase was partly because of the denominator effect (the overall workforce declined
by 4 percentage points between 2011-12 and 2017-18).
As a share of the population, regular workers increased only by one percentage point to 8%
over the same period.
Moreover, it is worth noting that India still lags far behind its South Asian neighbours and
developing economies such as China (53.1%), Brazil (67.7%) and South Africa (84.8%) in
the share of salaried or regular jobs.
The median daily earnings were higher for men and women in regular jobs, as compared to
self-employment and casual work.
The median earnings in elementary occupations is followed by service workers and those
engaged in skilled agricultural work and fisheries (median earnings of ₹8000 per month for
both sets of workers).
Regular jobs are important and in high demand globally because they tend to offer better pay
and job security.
About 71% of the regular workers in the non-agricultural sector did not have a written job
contract in 2017-18.

Shri Arjun Munda inaugurates ‘National Workshop on Tribal Enterprise with
focus on Honey, Bamboo & Lac’
Union Minister for Tribal Affairs inaugurated a National Workshop on Tribal Enterprise with
focus on Honey, Bamboo and Lac. On the occasion, he released the Reports on (1)
Bamboo and Bamboonomics ; (2) Lac; and (3) Honey.
About Bamboo:
India is the world’s second largest cultivator of bamboo after China.
However, poor yield of Bamboo is one of the perennial problems in India. In contrast to
China’s average yield of 50 MT/Ha, the maximal yield range in India is 10-15 MT/ha.
This shows that there is lot of scope for bamboo enterprise based on the good stock. The
Bamboo Enterprises can give immediate results leading to substantial increase income
of tribal artisans.
About Honey:
The country's total honey production reported in 2017-18 was 1.05 lakh metric tonnes,
compared to the 35,000 metric tonnes in 2005-06. The major part of it comes from
Apisdorsata.
With international demand for honey growing, India exports 50 % of the commodity.
Large scale employment in the beekeeping sector is estimated to generate around 3 lakh
man-working days by maintaining 10,000 bee colonies.
TRIFED is committed towards Prime Minister’s vision of a “Sweet Revolution” by way of
making people prosper though production and trade in honey.

Finance & Banking
SEBI approves SGX and NSE to operate jointly in GIFT City
Securities and Exchange Board of India has approved Singapore Stock Exchange and
National Stock Exchange of India Ltd to operate jointly in Gujarat International Finance
Tec-City, Gandhinagar. The two entities will create a new platform for trading called NSE
International Financial Service Centre (IFSC)-SGX Connect.
The new platform will allow trading in Nifty index derivatives, as well as single-stock
derivatives of Nifty’s 50 constituent.
NEFT payment route to be available 24x7 from December

In its third bi-monthly policy statement of the current financial year (FY- 2019-20), the
Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has cut the repo rate for the
fourth time in a row.
The MPC slashed repo rate by 35 basis points to 5.40%, the lowest in over nine years.
The MPC also revised downwards the GDP growth for FY20 from 7% in the June policy to
6.9% in August in the range of 5.8-6.6% for the first half of FY20 and 7.3-7.5% for the
second half–with risks somewhat tilted to the downside.
All this has been done to support the sluggish economic growth and to stimulate
aggregate demand.
Other Decisions taken by the RBI
The RBI has decided to allow round-the-clock fund transfers through NEFT from
December 2019 in order to promote digital transactions.
It has allowed the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) operated Bharat Bill
Payment Service (BBPS) hub to enable payments for all recurrent billers (except prepaid
recharges). At present, it is available only for DTH services, electricity, gas, telecom and water
bills.
The RBI also proposed creation of a central payment fraud registry that will track banking
fraud. At present, there is a Central Fraud Monitoring Cell of the central bank.
MasterCard launches identity check express to secure online transactions

MasterCard announced the launch of Identity Check Express, a next-generation, mobile-
first authentication solution that aims to redefine the e-commerce journey for Indian
consumers.
MasterCard Identity Check Express combines the latest technology, including device
intelligence and behavioural biometrics, with the latest EMV 3-D Secure and FIDO
authentication standards to deliver an uninterrupted mobile payment experience.
CBDT lays down procedure for pending angel tax cases

In a move to ease scrutiny of startups over the capital they have received from angel
investors, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has recently laid out a procedure to
address pending angel tax assessments.

The procedure has followed the announcement made by the Finance Minister in Budget
2019-20. The Finance Minister proposed a host of incentives, including a special
arrangement for resolution of pending assessments of income tax cases, with a view to
encouraging startups.
New Procedure
No verification will be done by an assessing officer if a startup has been recognised by the
Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the case is selected
under limited scrutiny.
In case the startup has not received DPIIT approval, officers are only allowed to carry out
any inquiry or verification only after obtaining approval of his/her supervisory officer.
In the event that a startup is recognised by DPIIT, but the assessing officers are scrutinising it
for multiple issues, the officials cannot pursue scrutiny under an anti-evasion provision of the
Income Tax Act, 1961, in its assessment proceedings.
RBI task force against Indian banks dealing in offshore NDF rupee market
The Task Force on Offshore Rupee Markets, set up by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
in February 2019 and chaired by Smt. Usha Thorat, former Deputy Governor, RBI,
submitted its report to the Governor recently.
The Task Force was set up to examine the issues relating to the offshore Rupee markets
and recommend appropriate policy measures while factoring in the requirement of ensuring
stability of the external value of the Rupee including measures for incentivising non-
residents to access the onshore foreign exchange market.
Key Recommendations
Indian banks should not be allowed to deal in the offshore rupee derivative market — or Non-
Deliverable Forward (NDF) markets — for the present.
The onshore rupee derivatives market is currently more deep and liquid as compared to
the offshore rupee market and participation of the Indian banks in the offshore market might,
over time, take away this advantage.
NDF is a foreign exchange derivatives contract whereby two parties agree to exchange
cash at a given spot rate on a future date. The contract is settled in a widely traded
currency, such as the US dollar, rather than the original currency.
Extension of onshore market hours to improve access of overseas users and permit
Indian banks to freely offer prices to global clients around the clock.
Banks should be allowed to freely offer prices to non-residents at all times either by a
domestic sales team or by using staff located at overseas branches.
Also, wide access to the forex-retail trading platform to non-residents would be a major
incentive to use the onshore market.
Enabling rupee derivatives (settled in foreign currency) to be traded in the International
Financial Services Centers (IFSC) in India.
To allow users to undertake forex transactions up to USD 100 million in over the counter
(OTC) currency derivative market without the need to establish underlying exposure
(security that must be delivered when a derivative contract is exercised).
To facilitate non-residents to hedge their foreign exchange exposure onshore by:
Establishing a central clearing and settlement mechanism for non-resident transactions in
the onshore market;
Implementing margin requirements for non-centrally cleared OTC derivatives and allowing
Indian banks to post margins abroad;
Aligning the tax treatment of foreign exchange derivatives with that in major international
centres; and
Centralising the KYC requirements across financial markets with uniform documentation
requirement.
‘Onshore’ currencies simply mean buying the currencies locally, whereas ‘offshore’
currencies mean buying the currencies outside the national boundaries.
Home buyers can start bankruptcy cases against errant builders

The Supreme Court has confirmed the constitutional validity of the Insolvency and
Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Act of August 2018, which gave home buyers the
status of “financial creditors” with power to vote in the Committee of Creditors.
The Amendment Act allowed home buyers, as financial creditors, to trigger bankruptcy
proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) of 2016 and have their
“rightful place” on the Committee of Creditors (CoC).
The CoC, by voting, makes important decisions on the future of a bankrupt builder. These
calls include what to do with his assets and who should finish the pending housing projects.
As per the amendment, home buyers can initiate bankruptcy proceedings against errant
real estate builders under section 7 of the IBC.
Before the Amendment Act of 2018 came into existence, the assets of the bankrupt builder
were divided among his employees, creditor banks and other operational creditors. Home
buyers had hardly figured, despite they finance from 50% to even 100% of a housing project.
Homebuyers now have the option to avail legal remedies before a consumer court, Real
Estate Regulatory Authorities (RERA), as well as bankruptcy courts.

Polity and Governance
Indian universities get free access to Urkund software
According to a University Grants Commission (UGC) notice, all universities in India will get
final subscription to access the Swedish anti-plagiarism software ‘Urkund’ from
September 1, 2019.
Plagiarism is the practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as
one’s own.
The Urkund software was chosen through a global tender process.
While Turnitin (US anti-plagiarism software) is more commonly used by global
academics, it was found to be 10 times more expensive without a proportionate increase in
features or reliability.
The central government is following a two-pronged approach to prevent plagiarism.
As a part of this process, in the coming years the software will be available free of cost to
all 900 universities, including teachers, students and researchers.
Government brings Resolution to Repeal Article 370 of the Constitution

Government of India has brought resolution to Repeal Article 370 of the Constitution.
Union Minister for Home Affairs, Shri Amit Shah, introduced two bills and two resolutions
regarding Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). Both the bills were passed by Rajya Sabha unanimously.
These are as follows:
Constitution (Application to Jammu & Kashmir) Order, 2019 {Ref. Article 370(1) of
Constitution of India} – issued by President of India to supersede the 1954 order related to
Article 370:
Resolution for Repeal of Article 370 of the Constitution of India {Ref. Article 370 (3)}:
Jammu & Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill, 2019 {Ref. Article 3 of Constitution of India}: It
makes Jammu & Kashmir a Union territory with a Legislative Assembly, along with Union
Territory status to Ladakh without a Legislative Assembly.
Jammu & Kashmir Reservation (2nd Amendment) Bill, 2019: It amends the Jammu &
Kashmir Reservation Act 2004. This bill seeks to extend the 10% quota to economically
weaker sections of society in J&K in jobs and educational institutions.
Repeal of Article 370:
Government is moving a resolution which would repeal the provisions under Article 370
of the Constitution of India, which granted a special status to the state of J&K.
The provisions of Article 370 would cease to exist from the date President of India issues a
notification in this regard, after the recommendation of the Parliament.
Consequently, the Constitution of India would get applicable to J&K, on par with other
states/UTs of the country, the Minister added.

Under article 370(3), there is a provision that President, on recommendation of the
Parliament, has the power to amend or cease the implementation of article 370, through
a public notification.
Lok Sabha passes bill to ban commercial surrogacy

Lok Sabha has passed the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019 that prohibits commercial
surrogacy, but allows altruistic surrogacy.
Salient Features:
Regulation of surrogacy: The Bill prohibits commercial surrogacy, but allows altruistic
surrogacy.
Eligibility criteria for intending couple: Surrogacy is permitted for intending couples who
 Suffer from proven infertility;

 Should be Indian citizens and married for at least five years;
 Should be between 23 to 50 years old (wife) and 26 to 55 years old (husband); and
 Do not have any surviving child.
Eligibility criteria for surrogate mother: The surrogate mother has to be:
 A close relative of the intending couple;

 A married woman having a child of her own;
 25 to 35 years old; and
 A surrogate only once in her lifetime.
Abortion of surrogate child: An abortion of the surrogate child requires the written consent
of the surrogate mother and the authorisation of the appropriate authority. This
authorisation must be compliant with the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971.
Offences and penalties: The penalty for contraventions of the provisions of the Bill is
imprisonment up to 10 years and a fine up to 10 lakh rupees.
Idea of dividing Kashmir has a chequered history

With Parliament adopting a Bill to make Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories with
carving out Ladakh from the rest, the proposal of dividing the State has fructified.
The idea of dividing Jammu and Kashmir into two or more parts traces its origin to the Dixon
Plan of 1950.
Owen Dixon, an Australian jurist chosen by the United Nations to mediate between India
and Pakistan on the J&K issue, in his report of September 1950, suggested a package,
which did not find acceptance from India.
The Plan had assigned Ladakh to India and northern areas and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir
to Pakistan, besides splitting Jammu between the two. It had proposed a plebiscite in the
Kashmir valley.
View of B.R. Ambedkar:
A year later, B.R. Ambedkar, after quitting as Law Minister from the Jawaharlal Nehru Ministry,
had suggested the formation of three zones: the area held by Pakistan, the Valley and
Jammu-Ladakh.

He had also favoured a plebiscite only in the Valley.
Goa to amend Portuguese-era law to allow marriage registration of outsiders

The Goa government has announced that it would amend the Portuguese-era Uniform Civil
Code (UCC) so that non-Goans can register their marriages in the state.
Background:
Goa, a former Portuguese colony, was incorporated into the Union of India in 1961. In 1987,
Goa was made a separate state.
The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) was introduced in goa in the year 1870 by the erstwhile
Portuguese rulers. It was retained even after the territory was merged with India in the year
1961.
Registration of marriage:
Registration of marriage of non-Goans is currently banned in Goa.
Several Goans holding the Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card, who are on a short
vacation in Goa, find it difficult to register their marriages due to the mandatory provision of
maintaining the 15-day gap between two signatures before sub-registrar–one for declaration
of intent and the other for confirmation.
Goa Government has now proposed to amend the UCC to do away with the mandatory gap
period.
22nd National Conference on e-Governance 2019 successfully concludes at

Shillong
22nd National Conference on e-Governance 2019 successfully concluded at Shillong with
the adoption of ‘Shillong Declaration’ on e-Governance.
The Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DAPRG), Ministry of
Personnel and Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with
the Government of Meghalaya organized the 22nd National Conference on eGovernance
at Shillong during 8-9 August 2019.
The theme of this Conference was “Digital India: Success to Excellence”.
The Conference has unanimously adopted the ‘Shillong Declaration’ on e-Governance.
Key highlights of Shillong declaration:
Improve the citizen’s experience with Government services by promoting timely
implementation of India Enterprise Architecture (IndEA).
Consolidate the plethora of successful State level e-Governance projects with a focus to
replicate them as a common application software.
Take steps to further improve connectivity in North Eastern States by addressing the
issues of telecommunications connectivity at grass-root level.
Take steps to enhance the activities of Electronics Sector Skill Council in North Eastern
States and explore the possibility for opening an electronics skill centre in Shillong.
Promote use of e-Office and move towards less paper State Secretariats in the North-Eastern
States and in the District level offices.
Social Issues
Global opium production
According to the World Drug Report 2019 released by The United Nations Office on Drugs
and Crime (UNODC), Global opium production fell in 2018 by 25 % to 7,790 tons
compared with the previous year.
Global opium production has followed a long-term upward trend over the past two decades,
although it fell in 2018 by 25 % to 7,790 tons compared with the previous year.
The three central opium-producing countries (Afghanistan, Mexico and Myanmar) are
estimated to have been responsible for roughly 96 % of the estimated global total opium
production in 2018, with Afghanistan alone accounting for 82 % of that total.
The global decline in opium production in 2018 was mainly the result of a poor opium
harvest in Afghanistan, following a 20 % decrease in the size of the area under cultivation
due to drought.
Opium production in Myanmar also declined slightly, from 550 tons in 2017 to 520 tons in
2018.
Myanmar is still the world's second-biggest producer, after Afghanistan, and it remains
the primary supplier of opium and heroin in East and Southeast Asia, as well as Australia.
Rajasthan launches new higher education model

Rajasthan government has launched a new higher education model titled Resource
Assistance for Colleges with Excellence.
This new higher education model has been launched for distribution of faculties and
movable assets among the government colleges at the district level to rationalise the
availability of resources.
The model will create a pool for sharing of facilities. The colleges in need will submit their
requirement to the nodal college in the district, which will send the teachers on deputation,
if needed, and provide the facilities such as projectors, digital libraries, equipment and
technicians.
The model will help the colleges situated in small towns facing shortage of faculties
and infrastructure. RACE will give autonomy to small colleges and help them find solutions to
their problems at the local level.
Despite efforts huge gap remains between the requirements and availability of
facilities in the mental healthcare sector
NHRC Chairperson, Mr. Justice H.L.Dattu, said that huge gap still remains in the
implementation of Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.
Salient features of the act:
It defines “mental illness” as a substantial disorder of thinking, mood, perception,
orientation or memory that grossly impairs judgment, behaviour, and capacity to
recognise reality or ability to meet the ordinary demands of life.
It does not include mental retardation which is a condition of arrested or incomplete
development of mind of a person, specially characterised by sub normality of intelligence.
Rights of persons with mental illness:
IT also assures free treatment for such persons if they are homeless or belong to Below
Poverty Line, even if they do not possess a BPL card.
A person with mental illness shall have the right to confidentiality in respect of his mental
health, mental healthcare, treatment and physical healthcare.
Advance Directive: A person with mental illness shall have the right to make an advance
directive that states how he/she wants to be treated for the illness and who his/her nominated
representative shall be. The advance directive should be certified by a medical practitioner or
registered with the Mental Health Board.
Mental Health Authority: it empowers the government to set-up Central Mental Health
Authority at national-level and State Mental Health Authority in every State. Every mental
health institute and mental health practitioners will have to be registered with this Authority.
Mental Health Review Board: A Mental Health Review Board will be constituted to protect
the rights of persons with mental illness and manage advance directives.
Mental Health treatment:
A person with mental illness shall not be subjected to electro-convulsive therapy without
the use of muscle relaxants and anaesthesia. Also, electro-convulsive therapy will not be
performed for minors.
They shall not be chained in any manner or form whatsoever under any circumstances.
Suicide is decriminalised: A person who attempts suicide shall be presumed to be suffering
from mental illness at that time and will not be punished under the Indian Penal Code.
Government of India has decided to expand Rotavirus vaccine to the entire

country
It will provide Rotavirus vaccine to every child across all 36 states and UTs by September,
2019.
Rotavac is India’s first indigenously developed vaccine for rotavirus infections.
Out of all the causes of diarrhoea, rotavirus is a leading cause of diarrhoea in children less
than 5 years of age. It is estimated that rotavirus cause 8,72,000 hospitalizations; 32,70,000
outpatient visits and estimated 78,000 deaths annually in India.
The Rotavac has been developed by the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech Limited. The
Pune-based Serum International also has developed a rotavirus vaccine called Rabishield.
Both of them have been included in India’s immunisation programme.
Rotavirus vaccine was introduced in 2016 in a phased manner, beginning with 4 states initially.
At present, Rotavirus vaccine is now available in 28 States/UTs.
In January 2018, Rotavac vaccine was “pre-qualified” by the World Health Organisation
(WHO). To be “pre-qualified” means that the vaccine can be sold internationally to several
countries in Africa and South America.
In April 2019, Gagandeep Kang became the first Indian woman to be awarded Fellowship of
the Royal Society (FRS), United Kingdom for her key role in the development of Rotavac.
‘Samagra Shiksha-Jal Suraksha’ drive

Union HRD Minister and Union Minister for Jal Shakti launched ‘Samagra Shiksha-Jal
Suraksha’ drive for School Students.
Launched by: The Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of HRD.
Five Major Objectives of this drive:
o To educate Students learn about conservation of water.
o To sensitize Students about the impact of scarcity of water.
o To empower Students to learn to protect the natural sources of water.
o To help every Student to save at least one litre of water per day.
o To encourage Students towards judicious use and minimum wastage of water at home
and school level.
This mega drive targets to connect more than 10 crore students with this programme.
o One Student - One Day - To Save One Litre of Water.
o One Student - One Year - To Save 365 Litres of Water.
o One Student - 10 Years - To Save 3650 Litres of Water.
Manipur tops in Breastfeeding, Infant & Young Child Feeding Practices

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan released a report on
Breastfeeding in New Delhi.
The Breastfeeding report card has been developed by devising a composite score based
on three indicators namely –
 early initiation of breastfeeding,

 exclusive breastfeeding for six months and
 complimentary feeding at 6-8 months of child's age.
Key Findings:
Manipur has topped the rankings in Breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding
Practices in the country.
Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar are at the bottom positions in the report card.
National capital Delhi is also among the worst-performing States.

International News
President Kovind returns to New Delhi after three-nation visit
President Ramnath Kovind returned to New Delhi after completion of his three-nation visit
to Benin, Gambia and Guinea.
State Visit of the President of India to Benin, The Gambia and Guinea (July 28 -3 August
2019):
That was the first ever visit by any President of India to the three West African countries.
During the week, a number of MoUs were signed in the field of traditional medicine, pan
Africa e-Network Project, solar and renewable energy, E-education and Ayurveda.
In Guinea, he received National Order of Merit which is the highest civilian award of the
country.
What is Area 51?

Hundreds of thousands of people have signed up to a Facebook event, promising to storm
the alleged secret US military base, Area 51, located in the Nevada desert.
On a Facebook event titled “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of us”, two million people
on September 20, plan to storm a US Air Force facility called Area 51.
Officially known as the Nevada Test and Training Range, Area 51 is part of the Nellis Air
Force Base and is used as a training centre for the US Air Force. The name originates
from its location of the Nevada map.
With the facility shrouded in secrecy, several conspiracy theories have emerged over the
years.
Several Americans believed it was where the government hid the bodies of aliens and
Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs), some believed it was where the government held
“meetings” with extra-terrestrials, and others speculated it was where the government
developed “time travel” technology.
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), according to official documents, has been using the
facility since 1955 to develop and test supersonic aircraft and stealth fighter jets.
U.S. labels China a ‘currency manipulator’

The United States has officially labeled China a “currency manipulator”. The US has
accused China of using yuan to gain “unfair competitive advantage” in trade.
The US took the action as Beijing has allowed its yuan to fall below the politically sensitive
level of “seven” to the U.S. dollar for the first time in 11 years.
Bangladesh signs uranium supply deal with Russia

Bangladesh signed a deal with Russia for the supply of uranium for its 2,400 MW Rooppur
Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). Under the deal, Russia will supply the nuclear fuel needed
for the plant during its entire life cycle.
It is an under-construction 2.4 GW nuclear power plant in Bangladesh.

Location: It is being constructed at Rooppur (Rupppur), in the Pabna District of
Bangladesh, on the bank of the river Padma.
Work on the two units of the plants, each producing 1200 MW of electricity is scheduled to be
completed in 2022 and 2024 respectively.
It will be the country's first nuclear power plant.
It is to be built by the Russian Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation.
In June 2018, Infrastructure major, Hindustan Construction Company Ltd. (HCC) was
awarded contract for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
India, Bangladesh to set up committee for optimum utilisation of water

resources
During the Secretary-level meeting in Dhaka, India and Bangladesh took decisions for
optimum utilisation of water resources.
India and Bangladesh have agreed to set up a Joint Technical committee for optimum
utilisation of Ganges water as being received by Bangladesh under the Ganga Water
Sharing Treaty 1996.
Both the countries also agreed to prepare a framework for interim water-sharing agreement
for eight rivers including Feni, Gumti and Teesta.
The Secretary-level meeting was held after a gap of more than 8 years. It is an important step
in enhancing bilateral cooperation in the water resources sector between India and
Bangladesh.
The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna mega-basin is the second largest hydraulic region in
the world.
Within this basin, 54 rivers cross the border between upstream India and downstream
Bangladesh.

National News
Andhra Pradesh govt will launch Navodayam scheme
The Andhra Pradesh government will launch the Navodayam scheme. The scheme is a
complete outreach programme for thousands of ailing Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (MSMEs) in the state.
Navodayam will provide a lifeline to stressed MSMEs by ensuring that all eligible units are
permitted for the one-time restructuring of accounts up to March 31, 2020. About 86,000
MSMEs in the state have been identified for restructuring under Navodayam with an outlay
of Rs 3,900 crore.

Environment & Ecology
Elephant population in country estimated at 29,964 as per 2017 census
Union Ministry of Environment informed about the elephant population in India.
Elephant population in India is estimated at 29,964 as per the census conducted in 2017.
The South Region accounted for 14,612 followed by North East with 10,139 elephants.
While the census of tigers is undertaken at the national level once every four years, the
census of elephants is undertaken at every five years.
African elephants are listed as “vulnerable” and Asian elephants as “endangered” in the
IUCN Red List of threatened species.
As per the available population estimates, there are about 400,000 African elephants and
40,000 Asian elephants.
Centre has approved the project to link Kosi & Mechi rivers
The Centre has approved a Kosi-Mechi river interlining project in Bihar. Estimated cost of
the project is Rs 4,900 crore.
The project will provide irrigation for over 2.14 lakh hectares of command areas spread
across the districts of Araria, Kishanganj, Purnia and Katihar in north Bihar. This is
India’s 2nd major river linking project after Ken-Betwa of Madhya Pradesh.
Aquaman Cometh
Aquaponics is an ecologically sustainable model that combines Hydroponics with
Aquaculture.
Hydroponics is the soilless growing of plants, where soil is replaced with water.
Aquaculture is the raising of fish.
With Aquaponics both fish and plants can grow in one integrated ecosystem.
The fish waste provides an organic food source for the plants, which in turn naturally filter
the water for the fish, creating a balanced ecosystem.
The third participant i.e. microbes or nitrifying bacteria converts the ammonia from the fish
waste into nitrates which plants need to grow.
Benefits of Aquaponics
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) put out a technical
paper in 2014, detailing the positives and negatives of the practice:
Benefits:
 Higher yields (20-25% more) and qualitative production.

 Can be used on non-arable land such as deserts, degraded soil or salty, sandy
islands.
 Creates little waste.
 Daily tasks, harvesting and planting are cut down to a great extent, thereby saving
labour and time.
 Both fish and plants can be used for consumption and income generation.
Weaknesses:
 Expensive initial startup costs compared with soil production or hydroponics.

 Knowledge of fish, bacteria and plant production is needed.
 Optimal temperature ranges needed (17-34°C).
 Mistakes or accidents can cause catastrophic collapse of system.
 Daily management is mandatory.
1/4 of world’s population faces huge water stress, bulk in India

According to new data from the World Resources Institute (WRI), 1/4 of the world’s
population faces huge water stress, with bulk of them living in India.
Global scenario:
One-quarter of the world’s population faces “extremely high” levels of baseline water
stress.
Irrigated agriculture, industries, and municipalities withdraw more than 80% of their
available supply on average every year.
Globally, water withdrawals have more than doubled since the 1960s due to growing
demand.
17 countries are facing withdrawals of 80% or more from available supply. 12 out of the 17
most water-stressed countries are in the Middle East and North Africa.
Indian scenario:
India is 13th among these 17 countries. India has more than three times the population of
the other 16 extremely highly stressed countries combined. This implies that more than three-
quarters of these populations facing extremely high water stress live in India.
Groundwater tables in some northern aquifers declined at a rate of more than 8 cm per year
between 1990 and 2014.
Mexico’s cactus offers alternative to plastics

A Mexican researcher has discovered a way to turn cactus leaves into a material with
similar properties to plastic. It's not toxic and is biodegradable.
Mexico’s prickly pear cactus, which is emblazoned on the country’s flag, could soon play
a new and innovative role in the production of biodegradable plastics.
A packaging material made from this plant has been developed by a Mexican researcher and
is offering a promising alterative to plastics.
The pulp of the prickly pear is mixed with non-toxic additives to produce sheets that can
be used for packaging.
The cactus used for her experiments come from San Esteban, a small town located in Jalisco
state of Mexico, where single-use non-recyclable plastic bags, straws and other disposable
items will be banned from next year.
Pascoe is still conducting tests, but hopes to patent her product later this year and look for
partners in early 2020, with an eye towards large scale production.
Meet the giant parrots that lived 19 million years ago

The fossils of the largest ever parrot named Heracles Inexpectatus have been discovered
in New Zealand.
The 19 million years old fossils were unearthed near St. Bathans (known for its rich source
of fossils from the Miocene period) in southern New Zealand.
Heracles Inexpectatus was among the flightless birds and were at least one metre tall
with a weight of up to seven kilograms.
The fossil is approximately the size of the giant dodo pigeon and twice the size of the critically
endangered flightless New Zealand kakapo (which until now was the largest known parrot).
New Zealand is known for its rich diversity of extinct giant birds like flightless bird Moa (3.6
metres tall).
What the new IPCC report says on land and climate change
A new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) presents the
evidence on how the different uses of land — forests, agriculture, urbanisation — are
affecting and getting affected by climate change.
The report’s full name is Climate Change and Land, an IPCC special report on climate
change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security,
and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems.
It is one of three special reports that the IPCC is preparing during the current Sixth
Assessment Report cycle.
This is the first time that the IPCC has focused its attention solely on the land sector.
Key Findings:
Land is a critical resource: Agriculture, forestry and other types of land use account for
23% of human greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time natural land processes absorb
carbon dioxide equivalent to almost a third of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and
industry.
Desertification and land degradation: When land is degraded, it becomes less productive,
restricting what can be grown and reducing the soil’s ability to absorb carbon. This
exacerbates climate change, while climate change in turn exacerbates land degradation in
many ways.
Food Security: Climate change is affecting all four pillars of food security: availability (yield
and production), access (prices and ability to obtain food), utilization (nutrition and cooking),
and stability (disruptions to availability).
Land and climate change responses: Focus should be more sustainable land use, reducing
over-consumption and waste of food, eliminating the clearing and burning of forests,
preventing over-harvesting of fuelwood, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, thus helping
to address land related climate change issues.

Defence & Security
DRDO successfully flight-tests state-of-the-art Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air
Missiles
DRDO successfully flight-tested its state-of-the-art QRSAM against live aerial targets from
Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.
The missile, which has a strike range of about 30 km, is capable of killing multiple aerial
targets, tanks and bunkers.
The systems are equipped with indigenously-developed Phased array radar, Inertial
Navigation System, Data Link & RF seeker. The system is being developed for Indian Army
with search and track on move capability with very short reaction time.
The missile has been indigenously developed by Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO).
IIT Guwahati develops hand-held device to detect bacteria without going to lab
A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IIT-G) has
developed a portable device to detect bacteria without cell culture or microbiological
assays.
At present, the detection of bacteria in body fluids is done in laboratories. The cells that are
derived from the patient are initially cultured or grown so that enough of the bacterial cells
are available for microbiological analysis.
However, this technique is extremely time- consuming.
Recent development:
The new portable device uses an Organic Field Effect Transistor (OFET) to instantly detect
the charges on the cell walls of bacteria. The rapid detection kits are like those used for
blood sugar monitoring.
The OFET is an electronic device that works on the principle that charges in the vicinity of
the channels of certain semiconductors can induce a current in them. Thus, the charges on
the surface of the bacterium, induces a current in the OFET, which is registered and read.
The team work has been recently patented as well as published in the July 2019 issue of
'Journal of Materials Chemistry of the Royal Society of Chemistry'.
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh chairs first Defence Acquisition Council
meeting
To give a boost to indigenisation, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) accorded approval
for procurement of indigenous Software Defined Radio (SDRTactical) and Next Generation
Maritime Mobile Coastal Batteries (Long Range) for the Indian Navy. This was the first DAC
meeting chaired by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh since assuming office.
Software Defined Radio (SDRTactical):
It is communication system, which would enable information sharing through high-speed
data and secure voice communication with anti-jamming capability.

It has been indigenously designed and developed by DRDO, BEL and Weapons Electronics
System Engineering Establishment (WESEE).
Next Generation Maritime Mobile Coastal Batteries (NGMMCB, LongRange):
It would be fitted with supersonic BrahMos surface-to-surface cruise missiles and would
be deployed along the coast.
It has been developed and manufactured in India by Indo-Russia Joint Venture
Company, M/s BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.
Defence Procurement Procedure 2016: The DAC has also approved amendments to the
Defence Procurement Procedure 2016 to simplify processes under the ‘Make’ category as
well as ‘Offsets’. This will ensure ‘Ease of business’ in the defence acquisition.
Tripura’s banned insurgency group NLFT (SD)

Tripura’s banned insurgency group NLFT (SD) has signed agreement with centre to abjure
violence and join the mainstream.
National Liberation Front of Twipra led by Sabir Kumar Debbarma (NLFT-SD) has agreed
to the surrender its 88 cadres with their weapons. A MoU was signed in this regard between,
Centre, Tripura Government and NLFT-SD.
The surrendered cadres will be given surrender benefits as per the Surrender-cum-
Rehabilitation Scheme, 2018 of the Union Home Ministry. The State Government of Tripura
will help the surrendered cadres in housing, recruitment and education.
Government of India will consider the proposals of Tripura State Government regarding
economic development of tribal areas of Tripura.
The NLFT has been banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act since 1997.
The group, operating from their camps across the international border, has been responsible
for violent activities including 317 insurgency incidents in which 28 security forces and 62
civilians lost their lives during the period 2005-2015.
Peace talks with NLFT were initiated in 2015 and there has been no violence by NLFT since
2016.

Science & Technology
Biotechnology Department will scan 20,000 Indian genomes
Under Genome India Initiative, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) plans to scan
nearly 20,000 Indian genomes over the next 5 years, in a two-phase exercise, and develop
diagnostic tests that can be used to test for cancer.
The programme is expected to formally launch in October, with an estimated budget of
₹250-350 crore for the Phase-1.
Phase 1: The first phase involves sequencing the complete genomes of nearly 10,000
Indians from all corners of the country and capture the biological diversity of India.
Phase 2: In the next phase, about 10,000 “diseased individuals” would have their genomes
sequenced. This vast data would be compared using machine learning techniques to
identify genes that can predict cancer and other diseases that could be influenced by genetic
anomalies.
NASA satellite uncovers ‘first nearby super-Earth’

The Super-Earth planet named GJ 357 d was discovered in early 2019 owing to NASA’s
Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), a mission designed to comb the heavens
for exoplanets.
Scientists have characterised the first potentially habitable world outside our own solar
system located about 31 light-years away.

Art & Culture
77th Anniversary of Quit India Movement
The 77th anniversary of the August Kranti Din or Quit India Movement, which is
considered as one of the important milestones in the history of freedom struggle of our country,
is being observed.
The Quit India Movement also known as India August Movement or Bharat Chodo
Andolan was launched at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee
(AICC) by Mahatma Gandhi on August 8, 1942.
On August 9, 1942 the movement started, since then the day is celebrated as August Kranti
Day/Diwas every year.
Mahatma Gandhi delivered his speech marking the beginning of the Quit India Movement
in Mumbai’s Gowalia Tank Maidan also known as August Kranti Maidan. The maidan also
houses a monument as a tribute to the historical event.
At Mumbai’s Gowalia Tank, Gandhiji gave his famous slogan ‘Do or Die’ to the nation.

Facts of the Week
Important Days
Lalit Kala Akademi celebrates 65th Foundation Day
National Academy of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, celebrated its 65th Foundation Day in New
Delhi. The event was inaugurated by Culture and Tourism Minister. The Minister also
inaugurated art camp and artwork and painting exhibition and released a book – Mithila Ki
Lok Chitrakala.
Lalit Kala Akademi or National Academy of Art was established in New Delhi in 1954 by
the government to promote and propagate understanding of Indian art, in and outside the
country.
Hiroshima Day: 6th August

August 6 marks the anniversary of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima during World War II.
The horrific incident took place on August 6, 1945, when the United States dropped an atomic
bomb named Little Boy, on the town of Hiroshima in Japan.
This was the first time in the history of warfare when an atomic bomb was used against
a nation. The incident wiped out around 90% of the city and killed around 80,000 people and
had left scars on the city even after all these years.
5th National Handloom Day celebrations on August 7

The 5th National handloom day is being celebrated across the country on 7th August 2019.
The National handloom day is observed annually on 7th August to honour the handloom
weaving community and highlight the importance of India’s handloom industry.
Bhubaneswar, Odisha has been chosen as the venue for the celebration of handloom
day, due to its rich tradition of handlooms and to empower women and girls of the region.
More than 50% of total weavers’ population of India resides in Eastern and North Eastern
region of the country.
August 7 was chosen as the National handloom day to commemorate the Swadeshi
movement which was based on the Gandhian ideology of Swadeshi.
Swadeshi movement was launched on 7th August, 1905 in Calcutta town hall to protest
against the partition of Bengal (by the British Government) by reviving domestic products
and production processes.
The first National handloom day was inaugurated on 7th August 2015.
National handloom day seeks to focus on the contribution of handloom to the socio-
economic development of the country.
World Biofuel Day to be observed on 10th August 2019

World Biofuel Day will be observed on 10th August to create awareness about the
importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels.
It is being observed by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas since 2015.

The objective of the day is to create awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels
as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels and highlight the various efforts made by
Government of India in the biofuel sector.
This year the theme of the World Biofuel Day is “Production of Biodiesel from Used
Cooking Oil (UCO)”.
Key highlights of this year: To facilitate the production of Biodiesel from UCO, the Oil
Marketing Companies shall float an Expression of Interest (EOI) on the occasion for
procurement of Biodiesel from Used Cooking Oil across 100 cities.
Nagasaki Day: 9th August

Japan commemorates the 9th August every year as the Nagasaki day. On August 9, 1945,
the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. It was code named “Fat
Man” due to the design of the bomb as it had a wide, round shape. This happened 3 days
after dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
An area of about 5 square miles was completely obliterated and around 65,000 people
were killed in the bombing. Nagasaki and Hiroshima continue to feel the impact of the
destructive bombing even today.
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples: 9 August

United Nations observes 9th August every year as International Day of the World’s
Indigenous Peoples. The day is celebrated to raise awareness of the needs of these
population groups. This year’s observance is dedicated to Indigenous Peoples’
Languages in view of 2019 being marked as the International Year of Indigenous Languages.
Theme for year 2019: Indigenous Languages.
Appointments
Noel Quinn becomes interim CEO of HSBC
HSBC has announced the departure of its Chief Executive Officer John Flint. Noel Quinn, the
head of HSBC’s Global Commercial Banking unit will replace John Flint as the interim CEO.
Events
Udaipur to host India’s Largest Education Brainstorm
The 3rd edition of India’s largest education brainstorming event, the ScooNews Global
Educators Fest (SGEF) will held in the city of lakes, Udaipur. It will bring together over 500
educators to discuss the way towards establishing India as the next global education
powerhouse.
The theme for fest is Education for Sustainability: Moving on from Conformity to
Creativity’.
2nd All India Annual Conference of IIS Officers
The 2nd All India Annual Conference of Indian Information Service Officers was held in
New Delhi.

The Conference was organized with a view to attain greater integration of all Media Units
under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in order to further amplify government
communication.
A Performance Review of Media Units under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting was
also conducted during the Conference.
5th edition of ‘IASMC’ kicks off in Jaisalmer

The 5th edition of International Army Scout Masters Competition with teams from 8
countries including India, China and Russia as participants was inaugurated at the
Jaisalmer Military Station under the aegis of the Southern Command.
Lt Gen DS Ahuja, Chief of Staff of the Indian Army’s Southern Command, and Deputy
Defence Minister of Russia Yunus Bek Evkurov unveiled the trophy of the competition and
unfolded the event’s flag at the inaugural ceremony.
Army Scout Master Teams from Armenia, Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Sudan,
Uzbekistan and India are participating in the 9-day event from August 6 to 14.
MNRE organises Curtain Raiser ceremony for the 3rd RE-INVEST

Ministry of New & Renewable Energy organised Curtain Raiser ceremony for the 3rd
Edition of Renewable Energy Investors' Meet and Expo (RE-INVEST 2019).
RE-INVEST 2019 will be organized by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy from
30th October to 2nd November 2019 in India, coinciding with the Second Assembly of
International Solar Alliance (ISA).
Objective of the event is to attract the right investments in renewable energy (RE) and
present India’s RE story to the world.
It aims at building upon the success of RE-INVEST 2015 to accelerate the worldwide effort
to scale up renewable energy and connect the global investment community with Indian
energy stakeholders. The 2nd Global RE-INVEST, was held from 2-5 October, 2018.
In 2015, India had set a target of 175 GW renewable energy capacity by 2022. Thus, India
offers one of the largest investment opportunities in the renewable space.
The Government of India allows a 100 per cent FDI under the automatic route for
projects of renewable power generation and distribution.
Awards
ISRO announces Vikram Sarabhai Journalism Award in Space Science,
Technology and Research
ISRO has recently announced the ‘Vikram Sarabhai Journalism Award in Space Science,
Technology and Research’, as part of the centenary year celebrations of Dr. Vikram
Sarabhai, the father of Indian space programme.
The award has been announced to recognize and reward journalists who have actively
contributed towards the field of space science, applications, and research.
The articles published from 2019 to 2020 will be considered for the award.
The names of the selected candidates will be announced on August 1st, 2020.

India’s Naaz Joshi won Miss World Diversity Title
India’s transsexual woman Naaz Joshi was crowned Miss World Diversity 2019. This
event was held in Port Louis, Mauritius. This was her 3rd successive victory in the beauty
pageant Miss World Diversity.
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship announces fourth edition

of National Entrepreneurship Awards
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship announced the fourth edition of
National Entrepreneurship Awards, 2019.
The annual awards have been instituted to honour outstanding young first generation
entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders for their exceptional contribution in entrepreneurship
development.
Instituted by: Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
There are a total of 45 specially designed awards to be bestowed – 39 Enterprise Awards
and 6 Awards for Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Builders.
Eligibility: To be eligible for these awards, the nominee (entrepreneur) –
 must be under the age of 40 years;

 must be first-generation entrepreneurs;
 must hold 51% or more equity and ownership of the business; and women entrants
must individually or collectively own 75% or more of the enterprise.
Winners will be presented with a Cash Prize of ₹5 lakh (enterprises/ individuals) and
₹10 lakh (organizations/ institutes).
NITI Aayog to launch the Fourth Edition of Women Transforming India Awards
The NITI Aayog launched the Fourth Edition of Women Transforming India (WTI) Awards.
Nominations for the awards will be opened immediately after the launch.
The Women Transforming India (WTI) Awards is being organized in collaboration with the
United Nations to recognize women entrepreneurs from across India.
This year’s theme is ‘Women and Entrepreneurship’, in continuation of the theme for WTI
Awards 2018.
WhatsApp has collaborated with NITI Aayog for WTI Awards 2019 and will be providing
support amounting to US$100,000 to the award winners.
About Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP)
The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) is a Government of India initiative by NITI
Aayog to promote and support aspiring as well as established women entrepreneurs in
India, assist and handhold them in their journey from starting to scaling up and expanding
their ventures.
It has more than 5,000 women entrepreneurs registered on the platform, more than 30
partners and, has committed funding of more than US$10mn for these startups.
President of India Presents Bharat Ratna Awards

The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, presented Bharat Ratna Awards to Nanaji
Deshmukh (posthumously), Bhupendra Kumar Hazarika (posthumously) and Pranab
Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India. Bharat Ratna
recipients rank seventh in the Indian order of precedence.
Instituted in: 1954.
The award is conferred in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest
order in "any field of human endeavour". The award was originally limited to achievements
in the arts, literature, science, and public services, but this was changed in 2011.
Eligibility:
The award is conferred without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex.
Though usually conferred on India-born citizens, the Bharat Ratna has been awarded to
one naturalised citizen, Mother Teresa, and to two non-Indians, Pakistan national Khan
Abdul Ghaffar Khan and former South African President Nelson Mandela.
The original statutes did not provide for posthumous awards but were amended in 1955 to
permit them.
The first recipients of the Bharat Ratna were C. Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli
Radhakrishnan, and C. V. Raman, who were honoured in 1954.
66th National Film Awards for 2018 announced

66th National Film Awards for 2018 have been announced.
National Film Awards: Key Facts
Established in: 1954
Awarded for: Excellence in cinematic achievements for Indian cinema.
Bodies involved:
Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF), a body under the Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting, administers the award.
The selections of awards are made by an independent and impartial jury consisting of
eminent filmmakers and film personalities, which is appointed by the DFF.
Every year, the award ceremony is held in New Delhi, where the President of India presents
the awards.
Winners:
Best Feature Film Award: Gujarati film Hellaro.
Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Badhaai Ho.
Best Film on Social Issues: Hindi movie Padman.
Best Director Award: Aditya Dhar for Uri: The Surgical Strike
Best Actor Award: Jointly awarded to Ayushman Khurana and Vicky Kaushal for their
performances in Andhadhun and Uri: The Surgical Strike respectively.
Best Actress award: Keerthy Suresh for her performance in Telugu movie Mahanati.
Best Film on Environment Conservation/ Preservation: Marathi movie Paani.
Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration: Kannada film Ondalla
Eradalla.
Most Film Friendly State: Uttarakhand.
Persons
Tribute: Sushma Swaraj showed remarkable dedication in serving people of the
country
Former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, 67, passed away after suffering a cardiac
arrest.
Born in Haryana in 1952, Sushma Swaraj went on to become a practicing lawyer in the
Supreme Court. After being an active member of Jayaprakash Narayan's anti-Emergency
movement, she became a member of the Bhartiya Janata Party.
Sushma Swaraj was a seven-time Member of Parliament and a three-time MLA.
She had many firsts to her credit such as being the youngest cabinet minister in the
Haryana government in 1977, first woman Chief Minister of Delhi in 1998 and the first
woman spokesperson for any national political party in the country.
She was External Affairs Minister from 2014 to 2019, leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha
from 2009 to 2014, Minister for Information and Broadcasting in Vajpayee Government from
2000-2003.
Sports
Satwiksairaj & Chirag 1st Indian doubles pair to win Super 500 title
India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty scripted a piece of history by
breaching the ‘Chinese Wall’ of reigning World champions Li Jun Hui and Liu Yu Chen,
with a victory in the men’s doubles final of the Thailand Open badminton championship in
Bangkok.
This is the first-ever Indian men’s combination to win a BWF Super 500 title.
French inventor crosses English Channel on ‘Flyboard’
French inventor Franky Zapata is 1st person in history to cross the English Channel on
the jet-powered hoverboard.
Zapata completed the crossing in 22 minutes, reaching speeds of up to 110mph (177km/h)
flying 15-20 metres (50-65ft) above the water. Zapata made the 35-kilometre (21.5 miles)
crossing from the French seaside town of Sangatte to St. Margaret’s Bay in Dover, England.
Vinesh wins gold in 53kg at Poland Open Wrestling Tournament

Vinesh Phogat won gold in women’s 53kg category at Poland Open wrestling tournament
in Warsaw.

Vinesh prevailed 3-2 over local wrestler Roksana in the final of the competition. This is her
3rd consecutive gold in women’s 53kg category after Grand Prix of Spain and Yasar Dogu
International at Istanbul in Turkey.
Serena Williams tops Forbes list of best-paid female athletes

Serena Williams topped the List of Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2019 published by
Forbes. She has topped the annual list for a 4th consecutive year with estimated total
earnings of $29.2 million.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka was 2nd on the list with earnings of ($24.3 million). Indian
badminton player P.V. Sindhu came in tied for 13th ($5.5 million), with Thai golfer Ariya
Jutanugarn ($5.3 million) rounding out the top 15 of Forbes list of best-paid female athletes.
BCCI agrees to come under the ambit of NADA

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) agreed to come under the ambit of the
National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).
The BCCI has given in writing that it would adhere to the anti-doping policy of NADA.
Implication of this decision:
All cricketers will now be tested by NADA.
BCCI now becomes a designated National Sports Federation as per government norms
despite being financially autonomous.
It will also face more pressure to come under the government's Right to Information Act.
About Board 0f Control For Cricket In India (BCCI)
The BCCI is registered as a society under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act,
1975.
It was established in 1928 as the central governing body regulating cricket in India.
It is a consortium of state cricket associations and the state associations select their
representatives who in turn elect the BCCI Chief.
Headquarters: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
In 2017, the Supreme Court nominated a four-member panel Committee of Administrators
to look after the administration of the BCCI in order to implement Lodha committee reforms.


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August 05 - 11, 2019

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Weekly GK Capsule 5th August to 11th August

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Ladakh Farmers and Producers Cooperative Limited start experimenting with

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Transparency on details of sellers among key features of draft guidelines

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Most regular jobs in India don’t pay well: PLFS

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NEFT payment route to be available 24x7 from December

MasterCard launches identity check express to secure online transactions

CBDT lays down procedure for pending angel tax cases

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Home buyers can start bankruptcy cases against errant builders

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Government brings Resolution to Repeal Article 370 of the Constitution

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Lok Sabha passes bill to ban commercial surrogacy

 Suffer from proven infertility;

 A close relative of the intending couple;

Idea of dividing Kashmir has a chequered history

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Goa to amend Portuguese-era law to allow marriage registration of outsiders

22nd National Conference on e-Governance 2019 successfully concludes at

Rajasthan launches new higher education model

Government of India has decided to expand Rotavirus vaccine to the entire

‘Samagra Shiksha-Jal Suraksha’ drive

Manipur tops in Breastfeeding, Infant & Young Child Feeding Practices

 early initiation of breastfeeding,

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What is Area 51?

U.S. labels China a ‘currency manipulator’

Bangladesh signs uranium supply deal with Russia

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India, Bangladesh to set up committee for optimum utilisation of water

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 Higher yields (20-25% more) and qualitative production.

 Expensive initial startup costs compared with soil production or hydroponics.

1/4 of world’s population faces huge water stress, bulk in India

Mexico’s cactus offers alternative to plastics

Meet the giant parrots that lived 19 million years ago

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Tripura’s banned insurgency group NLFT (SD)

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NASA satellite uncovers ‘first nearby super-Earth’

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Hiroshima Day: 6th August

5th National Handloom Day celebrations on August 7

World Biofuel Day to be observed on 10th August 2019

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Nagasaki Day: 9th August

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples: 9 August

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5th edition of ‘IASMC’ kicks off in Jaisalmer

MNRE organises Curtain Raiser ceremony for the 3rd RE-INVEST

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Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship announces fourth edition

 must be under the age of 40 years;

President of India Presents Bharat Ratna Awards

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66th National Film Awards for 2018 announced