US & Israel have officially quit UNESCO.

• US filed its notice to withdraw in Oct 2017 followed by Israel.
• blamed UNESCO for having an anti-Israel bias like criticizing Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem, naming ancient Jewish sites as Palestinian heritage sites and granting full membership to Palestine in 2011.
• US had pulled out of UNESCO in 1984.. Reentered in 2003

More UNESCO facts

GUJARAT launches Parivesh under DIGITAL INDIA

Gujarat government and other states have decided to operationalise ‘Parivesh’ (Pro-Active and Responsive Facilitation by Interactive, Virtuous and Environmental Single-window Hub) portal by January 15.

• PARIVESH is a web-based, application which has been developed for online submission and monitoring of the proposals submitted by the proponents for seeking Environment, Forest, Wildlife and Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ) Clearances from Central, State and district level authorities.

Cinerous vulture spotted in Hazaribag..
•Migrated from mountainous region of Europe and Asia.
•Hooded vulture= Monk vulture
• IUCN redlist = near threatened

Exotic trees harming the Nilgiri  Vegetation

The argument that exotics lead to soil stability is also fallacious, as the roots of these trees are very shallow, and the trees can get uprooted by high velocity winds and heavy rain, which characterise the monsoons in the Nilgiris
by international journal Biological Conservation. + IIS ropar

Shola tress are exotic.. Tropical mountain forests grown over nilgiri grasslands

60%  shola-grassland landscape has changed;
40%  of native high elevation grasslands have disappeared

27% increase in invasion by existing exotic trees  (acacia, pine, and eucalyptus) in Palani
17% in the Nilgiris.

In Western Ghats – from the Baba Budan Hills in Karnataka to Tamil Nadu’s Ashambu Hills – changed in extent between 1972 and 2017. Broadly, shola-grassland ecosystems in Tamil Nadu showed the highest rates of invasion.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was adopted in 1992 and came into force in 1993. (Legally Binding)
•It aims to prevent the introduction of, control or eradicate those alien species which threaten ecosystems, habitats or species.
•International Convention on Invasive Species

Shola Forests

•The Sholas are a mosaic of montane evergreen forests and grasslands. They are found only in high altitude (>1500 meters) regions within the tropics and are limited to the southern part of the western ghats.
•They are characterized by undulating grassland patches, interspersed with thickets of stunted evergreen tree species, and are home to a host of endemic and endangered plants and animals. They are also vitally important in keeping water cycles alive.

Cabinet has approved the continuation of umbrella scheme for “Family Welfare and Other Health Interventions” during 2017-18 to 2019-20.
•100%  funded by Central Government.
•Rs. 2300  allocated by government

Swastha Nagrik Abhiyan(SNA):

It aims to create a social movement for health + awareness + encourage healthy lifestyles + empower the citizens.
•SNA was proposed in National Health Policy, 2017.
•According to NHP, 2017 ‘Swastha Nagrik Abhiyan’ is based on coordinated action in 7 core areas:
1.The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
2. A balanced, healthy diet and regular exercise
3. Addressing tobacco, alcohol and substance abuse
4. Yatri Suraksha – preventing deaths due to rail and road traffic accidents
5. Nirbhaya Nari – action against gender violence
6. Reduced stress and improved safety in the workplace
7. Reducing indoor and outdoor air pollution

Cabinet has approved the continuation of Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram Scheme for the Period 2017-18 to 2019-2020.
• 8 umbrella scheme

1. Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS);
2. National Youth Corps (NYC); •
3. National Programme for Youth & Adolescent Development (NPYAD);
4. International Cooperation;
5. Youth Hostels (YH);
6. Assistance to Scouting & Guiding Organizations;
7. National Discipline Scheme (NDS);
8. National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP).

The Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram Scheme is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and has been continuing since the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17).
•It aims to develop the personality and leadership qualities of the youth and to engage them in nation building activities.

Government Removes Price Cap on Innovative Drugs

On new and innovative drugs developed by foreign pharmaceutical companies under the Indian Patent Act, 1970
The Union government issued this Order under section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, to provide essential and life-saving medicines at a reasonable price to the general public.
Drug Price Control Orders (DPCO) (Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers) lays down the rules for regulating the prices of medicines

Andhra Pradesh’s Second Largest Petroglyph Site

Andhra Pradesh’s second largest petroglyph site, containing about 80 petroglyphs, has been discovered at Mekala Benchi in Kurnool district. (Neolithic to the Megalithic period
//Mega comes mostly under Iron Age-1500 BC to 500 BC)

1st = Kandanathi, with 200 petroglyphs, in Kurnool district too. (prehistoric to the historic period).

At Kandanathi reveal the presence of the Boya community divided into many exogamous groups such as Mandla (herdsmen) and Yenubothula (buffalomen

Indian Science Congress (ISC)

106th edition in 2019 -‘Future India – Science and Technology‘ in LPU Punjab.. used time capsule with 100 technologies

107th edition in 2020- “Science & Technology: Rural Development” in University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Renewable Energy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) has released the Renewables 2018 Global Status Report.

•As of 2016, renewable energy accounted for an estimated 18.2% of global total final energy consumption, with modern renewables representing 10.4%.

•India ranked 5th in renewable power (including hydropower) and 4th (not including hydropower) as of end 2017.

Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail

VVPAT is an independent verification printer machine and is attached to electronic voting machines.
To verify voting to intended candidate.

Cyclone Pabuk

The India meteorological department (IMD) has issued an orange warning for the Andaman and Nicobar islands as cyclonic storm Pabuk is approaching the archipelago.
•It originated over the Gulf of Thailand.

The only typhoon ever known to have hit Thailand was Gay (in November 1989)

Section 66A of IT Act

The Supreme Court sought the Centre’s response to a plea alleging that despite the striking down of draconian Section 66A of the IT Act in 2015 by the apex court, police in various states were still invoking it in FIRs to clamp down on free speech on social media platforms.

Internet Freedom Foundation demonstrated that pending prosecutions under Section 66A had not been terminated.

•Section 66A dealt with information related crimes
•In Shreya Singhal v. Union of India judgement, Justices Rohinton F. Nariman and J. Chelameswar had observed that the weakness of Section 66A lay in the fact that it had created an offence on the basis of undefined actions: such as causing “inconvenience, danger, obstruction and insult”, which do not fall among the exceptions granted under Article 19 of the Constitution, which guarantees the freedom of speech.

Section 66A did not have procedural safeguards like other sections of the law with similar aims, such as :
• The need to obtain the concurrence of the Centre before action can be taken.
• Local authorities could proceed autonomously, literally on the whim of their political masters.

Section 66A was contrary to both Articles 19 (free speech) and 21 (right to life) of the Constitution. The entire provision was struck down by the court.
•After that government had appointed an expert committee (T.K. Viswanathan committee) which proposed a legislation to meet the challenge of hate speech online.

Section 66(A) is not completely removed.. Only the I/O/A PART is removed in such a way that Rest of the law Retains its meaning <– is called Doctrine of SEVERABILITY

Defense Manufacturing Rules Eased

Defense items are covered by two different Acts — the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951, (IDRA act)and the Arms Act, 1959.

brought the equipment under the licensing authority of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

• help foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) looking for partnerships with the private sector.
• The new guidelines would give a boost to the small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Defense Procurement Procedure

• The government has appointed Dhirendra Singh Committee in May 2015 to review the Defense Procurement Procedure (DPP), 2013.
• Based on the recommendations of the committee Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP-2016) was brought which replaced the DPP-2013.
• DPP, 2016 focuses to boost the Make-in-India initiative by promoting indigenous design, development, and manufacturing of defense equipment, platforms, and systems.
• The government has introduced a newly incorporated procurement class called “Buy Indian (IDDM)”, where IDDM stands for Indigenous Designed Developed and Manufactured. This would have the first preference in all acquisitions once the DPP comes into effect.
• Besides this, preference has been accorded to ‘Buy (Indian)’ and ‘Buy and Make (Indian)’ categories of capital acquisition over ‘Buy (Global)’ & ‘Buy & Make (Global)’ categories.

Special Partnership Model under the Defense Procurement Procedure

Supreme Court Upholds Monsanto’s Patent Claim on Bt Cotton Seed

The Supreme Court has allowed Monsanto Technology to claim patent on its genetically-modified cotton seeds, giving a boost to firms developing new seed technologies.

•Bollgard II cotton contains two genes(Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab) derived from the common soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt).
•India ratified the Cartagena Protocol which protects biodiversity from potential risks of genetically modified organisms and the products of modern biotechnology. The protocol requires setting up of a regulatory body.

Full related story.. GEAC.. Monasanto.. DMH.. CBD

Government to Open Bid for Oil/Gas Licensing

HELP= Hydrocarbon Exploration Licensing Policy

•Increased exploration will lead to more domestic oil and gas production

CAT orders are being challenged

The Supreme Court’s decision in L. Chandra Kumar vs the Union of India & Ors (1997), the orders of Central Administrative Tribunal are now being challenged by way of Writ Petition under Article 226/227 of the Constitution before respective High Court in whose territorial jurisdiction the Bench of the Tribunal is situate.

Lok Sabha Passes the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill 2019

The Bill aims to provide reservation in public employment and higher education for economically weaker sections.

• Economic reservation in jobs and education is proposed to be provided by inserting clause (6) in Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution.

Provisions of Amendment Bill

• Amendment to Article 15: This clause enables State to make special provisions for advancement of any economically weaker section of citizens, including reservations in educational institutions.
  • It states that such reservation can be made in any educational institution, including private institutions, whether aided or unaided, except minority educational institutions covered under Article 30 (1).
  • It further states that the upper limit of the reservation will be 10%, which will be in addition to the existing reservations.
• Amendment to Article 16: The proposed Article 16 (6) enables State to make provision for reservation in appointments, in addition to the existing reservations, subject to a maximum of 10%.
• Definition of “Economically weaker sections”: For the purposes of Articles 15 and 16 means such sections as notified by the State from time to time on the basis of family income and other indicators of economic disadvantage. This will be a class distinct from the already specified classes of SCs, STs, and socially and educationally backward classes.

Norway Prime Minister Erna Solberg visited India

Delivered the inaugural address at the Raisina Dialogue.
• A MoU on India-Norway Ocean Dialogue was signed and a joint task force for the blue economy (SDG 14) was established.
•Both countries emphasized the need for the reform of the United Nations including the UN Security Council. Norway agreed that India is a strong candidate for a permanent seat in a reformed Security Council.
•Norway supported India’s application for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG)
• Agreed to urge countries for the early finalization of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).

Norway supported India’s membership to export control regimes the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) and the Australia Group (AG).
• Signed a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) in 1986 + 2011.
• 100 Norwegian companies are engaged in India.
• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Reliance Industries have tie-ups with Norwegian companies in the petroleum and energy sector.
• 3 Arctic Missions from India have so far visited Norway, in 2007, 2008 and 2009. • India’s Polar Research Station “Himadri” is located at Ny Alesund, Spitsbergen Island, Norway.

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
Seasonal migration began.
It is part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

1. Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
2. Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary,
3. Bandipur National Park,
4. Nagarhole National Park,
5. Mukurthi National Park
6. Silent Valley.
7. Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary
8. Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary

Ecological and geographic continuity with other protected areas such as Bandipur Tiger Reserve and Nagarhole N.P., of Karnataka in north-eastern portion and Mudumalai Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu in south-east.
•It has the world’s largest recorded population of Asiatic elephant.
•Almost the entire Wayanad district is drained by Kabini and its 3 tributaries, the Panamaram, Mananthavady, and Kalindy rivers.

Aug 2019- WWS, home to the largest number of tigers in the State (Kerala), is losing out on tiger reserve status following resistance by the local people.

(RBI) has allowed all card payment networks to offer tokenization service

Tokenization involves a process in which a unique token masks sensitive card details. The token is then used to perform card transactions in contact-less mode at Point Of Sale (POS) terminals, Quick Response (QR) code payments, etc

All parties involved in the “payment transaction chain” will have to be registered with the central bank.

Universal Basic Income –
Economic Survey for the year 2016-17 has an entire chapter dedicated to the discussion on Universal Basic Income (UBI).

Universal + Periodic+ Unconditional cash transfer to every citizen in the country.
NO social + economic position bias

How UBI works?

• Under UBI, only those with zero income will receive the full benefits in net terms.
• For those, who earn additional income over the basic income, the net benefits will taper off through taxation.
• So even though the basic income is universal, only the poor will receive the full benefits.

click link for mind map

5 broad features of such schemes are
1. payments at periodic regular intervals (not one-off grants),
2. payments in cash (not food vouchers or service coupons),
3. payments to individuals,
4. universality (all citizens included), and
5. unconditionality (no prior condition).

India-Central Asia Dialogue

India’s Late External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj has participated in 1st India-Central Asia Dialogue in Samarkand, Republic of Uzbekistan.

•Apart from 5 central Asian states of (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan) Afghanistan also participated in the conference.

Ways to improve connectivity and stabilize war-ravaged Afghanistan.

India will host the next India-Central Asia Dialogue in 2020.
India has proposed setting up of ‘India-Central Asia Development Group’ to take forward development partnership between India & Central Asian countries.
India also called on the Central Asia Republics to participate in the Chabahar Port project

#WebWonderWomen

World Bank –> Global Economic Prospects report titled “Darkening Skies”, the global growth is expected to slow down to 2.9% in 2019 and 2.8% in 2020.

Other reports released by World Bank:
• Ease of Doing Business Report
• Human Capital Index
• World Development Report

Know India Programmes (KIP)- 2004

51st edition of (KIP) has been scheduled from January 5th to 29th January 2019 in partnership with Gujarat.
• The KIP is a 25-day orientation.
• Organized by the Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with the states of India.

Motivate and inspire young minds and to give them an exposure to various aspects of India’s art, heritage and culture

Sarfaraz Khan was the maternal grandson of Murshid Quli Khan. •

Murshid Quli Khan was the founder of the city Murshidabad and the Nasiri dynasty

Industrial Security Annex (ISA)

ISA signed between USA & India. ISA agreement allows sharing of classified information from the US government and US companies with the Indian private sector.

Comes under COMCASA

Republic of North Macedonia

Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia has voted to change their country’s name to the “Republic of North Macedonia

Macedonia agreed to change its name after signing the Prespa Agreement with Greece in June 2018.

The dispute was that the region of Greece bordering the Republic of Macedonia is also called Macedonia.

Prespa is a fresh-water lake in southeast Europe shared by Albania, Greece, and Macedonia.

The change of name will now allow the Republic of Macedonia to enter the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) as its accession to both organizations was vetoed by Greece.

Gold Monetisation Scheme

Depositors of gold to earn interest on their metal account.

Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme to purchase gold bonds instead of real gold.

Indian Gold Coin are the first ever national gold offerings by GOI. Ashok Chakra engraved on one side and the face of Mahatma Gandhi on the other. Such an Indian Gold Coin would help reduce the demand for coins minted outside India.

• Decrease gold imports
• Get the gold out of family safe into the market.
• Get indigenous gold in the market.
• Recycle gold minted in India.

Electronic National Agricultural Market (e-NAM)- 2016

1st ever inter-State transaction on e-NAM has taken place between Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

•The electronic National Agricultural Market (e-NAM) is a pan-India electronic trading portal which networks the existing APMC (Agricultural produce market committee) mandis to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities.
•e-NAM allows trading of commodities at mandis through mobile and web applications.

Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) is the lead agency for implementing e-NAM under the aegis of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

India joined the Ashgabat Agreement in 2018

Agreement is to establish an international multimodal transport and transit corridor between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf.

25 April 2011– Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Oman, and Qatar formed this.
2013– Qatar withdrew.
2016– Pakistan + Kazakhstan joined
2016– Agreement came into force.

AIM– enhance connectivity within the Eurasian region and synchronize it with other regional transport corridors, including the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

INSTC + Chabahar port

• We aim to re-connect, with our Connect Central Asia policy, pronounced in 2012.
• Central Asia as a podium has received renewed interests after the swearing-in of the new Government. India attaining full membership in the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO), PM Modi’s historic visit to the five Central Asian countries etc. stand testimony to this.
• All types of land routes- earth+rail+ shipways
  
  India+ Russia+ Iran+ Europe+ Central Asia
  
  Indian Ocean — Iran– Caspian Sea

CSAT

Justice AK Sikri has turned down government offer to nominate him to Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal (CSAT)

The Commonwealth Secretariat is the main intergovernmental agency and central institution of the Commonwealth of Nations.
•The Secretariat is located in London, the United Kingdom.
•It was established in 1965, plays the role of an arbiter in case of disputes among its 53 member-countries….. Tenure of 4 yrs.

•Queen Elizabeth II is the head of the Commonwealth.
• last country to join the Commonwealth was Rwanda in 2009
•The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is a biennial summit meeting of the heads of government from all Commonwealth nations.

Devdasi

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai have studied the exploitative system of Devadasis.

Issues facred

1. Lack of Police Action:
2. Non-cooperative victims
3. Inadequate preventive measures

Involvement of Department of Women and Child Development

Rehabilitation
Gainful employment options
Scholarships until 18 years of age

KDPD Act 1982,
Indian Penal Code 1860,
Juvenile Justice Act 2015,
Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection, and Rehabilitation) Bill 2018
must be adequately amended to address the issue of Devadasi.
Karnataka Devadasi (Prohibitionof Dedication) Act= KDPD

must prioritize legal awareness programmes on Devadasi dedication Act.

Community Vigilante should be encouraged under proper guidance.

Spiritual Circuit

Spiritual circuit linking 133 religious places spread over 14 districts in Kerala has been given the nod

PM Narendra Modi has been awarded first-ever Philip Kotler Presidential Award by World Marketing Summit India.

Agasthyarkoodam

Defence Spokesperson K Dhanya Sanal has become the 1st woman to begin scaling 1,868-metre-tall Agasthyarkoodam – the second highest peak of Kerala – traditionally open only to men.

Anai Mudi = tallest peak (1868m) = located in the Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, in Agasthymala Biosphere Reserve, Kerala.

Womaniya on GeM

The initiative seeks to develop women entrepreneurship on the margins of society to achieve gender-inclusive economic growth.

https://myrantbox.school.blog

•15th January is celebrated as ‘Army Day’ by Indian Army.
•The January 15th is the day when General (later Field Marshal) K.M Carriappa took over the command of Army from General Sir F.R.R Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief in 1949 and became the first Commander-in-Chief of Indian Army post independence.

IMD Damini- IIIT Pune – Damini

•The India Meteorological Department (IMD) will be implementing an end-to-end prediction system for predicting thunderstorms.

Will be developed by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune and IMD, New Delhi.
•IITM Pune also developed a Mobile App called “DAMINI” to give alerts on impending lightning activity over the area.htning

Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC) Project

•AURIC= India’s 1st Greenfield Industrial Smart City along the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) is being developed by the Aurangabad Industrial Township (AIT)
— a special purpose vehicle formed by DMIC Development Corporation and Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation.

AURIC in DMIC buy AIT

•Domestic and foreign investors are expected to invest in projects from agriculture and food processing, automobile and engineering, textile, defence and aviation and electronics system design, manufacturing of electric vehicles, drones and aircraft for civil and defence aviation.

Shift in Earth’s Magnetic North Pole

British Geological Survey has reported that the earth’s magnetic north pole is moving from its current position in Canada to Siberia.

• The Magnetic model which is updated at every five years and was supposed to be updated in 2020, but due to the unexpected shift, it has been preponed to January 30, 2019.
• Scientists think that reason for such shift is geomagnetic pulses beneath South America and the high-speed jet of liquid iron beneath Canada.

Maha Agritech launched in Maharashtra

•Maha Agritech, has been launched by Maharashtra govt. under which area under cultivation from sowing to harvesting, climate, and diseases on crops will be monitored digitally using satellite and drone technology. •This will be the first project in the country under which farming will be digitally tracked. •Remote sensing techniques have been used in India to provide basic information on crops, soils, water resources and the impact of drought and flood on agriculture. •The main users of crop maps and yield forecasts are governments and agribusiness who use them to assess demand, anticipate prices and plan the use of resources..

OTHER Programmes / Projects by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

1. FASAL= Forecasting Agricultural output using Space, Agro-meteorology and Land based observations ()
2. NADAMS= National Agricultural Drought Assessment and Monitoring System ()
3. KISAN = Crop Insurance using Space technology And geoinformatics
4. CHAMAN =(Coordinated programme on Horticulture Assessment and Management using geo informatics)
5. Crop Intensification: Mapping and monitoring of post-kharif rice fallow lands using Satellite Remote Sensing and GIS technologies for Rabi Crop Area Expansion.

Gandhi Peace Prize

•Shri Yohei Sasakawa for the year 2018 for his contribution in Leprosy Eradication in India and across the world.

The Jury of Award
•The jury includes the Prime Minister as Chairman and comprises of the Chief Justice of India, Leader of the single largest Opposition Party in LokSabha and two other eminent personalities.

ASER 2018

86th Constitution Amendment Act, 2002 inserted Article 21-A in the Constitution of India to provide free and compulsory education of all children in the age group of 6 to 14 years as a Fundamental Right.
•Subsequently, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 was enacted as envisaged under Article 21-A It came into effect on 1 April 2010.

There is no separate budget for RTE, rather it is subsumed in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) through which it is effected. •Section 3(1) of the RTE Act provides that every child of the age group of 6-14 years shall have a right to free and compulsory education in a neighborhood school till completion of Elementary Education

International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)

IHO = an intergovernmental consultative and technical organization that was established in 1921 to support the safety of navigation and the protection of the marine environment.

•The coordination of the activities of national hydrographic offices •The greatest possible uniformity in nautical charts and documents
•The adoption of reliable and efficient methods of carrying out and exploiting hydrographic surveys
•The development of the sciences in the field of hydrography and the techniques employed in descriptive oceanography

WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS 2019 + 2020 by TIMES Higher Education 
https://wordpress.com/block-editor/page/myrantbox.school.blog/1993

Director General of Police (DGP)

The Supreme Court (SC) has rejected the pleas made by 5 States to implement their own local laws for selection and appointment of their Director General of Police (DGP).

The petition was filed by Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal, Haryana and Bihar for modification in the apex court orders.
•In Prakash Singh Case of 2006, the Supreme Court gave 7 directives with a view to bring in police reforms.
•In passing these directives the Court put on record the deep rooted problems of politicization, lack of accountability mechanisms and systemic weaknesses that have resulted in poor all round performance and fomented present public dissatisfaction with policing.

•The SC also asked the Union Public Service Commission whether it was preparing panels of senior IPS officers for each state to pick its DGP in the last 10 years, i.e. in sync with its 2006 guidelines given in Prakash Singh case

Earlier In July 2018, the Supreme Court had refrained State governments from appointing DGPs without first consulting the UPSC. It came up with the following guidelines: •The State governments concerned have to send UPSC the names of the probables 3 months before the incumbent DGPs are to retire.
•The UPSC will prepare a panel of three officers fit to be DGP and send it back.

Hottest years

IMD –>
2018 = 6th warmest year on record.
2019 = 7th hottest yr on record.
2010-19 decade to have been India’s hottest since records began in 1901, with the average temperature 0.36 degrees Celsius higher than the 30-year 1981-2010 average.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) •IMD was established in 1875. •It is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO) –> 2019 = 2nd hottest year since records began in 1880.

UNNATI- ISRO

(ISRO) has launched a training programme UNNATI (UNispace Nanosatellite Assembly & Training by ISRO).

UNNATI is a capacity building programme on nanosatellite development.

•The Programme provides opportunities to the participants from developing countries to strengthen their capabilities in assembling, integrating and testing of nanosatellites.
•It is an ISRO initiative to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1st United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE+50).

UNNATI programme is being conducted by U.R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) of ISRO for 3 years in 3 batches and has a target to benefit 90 officials from 45 countries.

•The first batch of this programme has started on January 17, 2019, with 30 participants from 17 countries.
•UNISPACE I, held from 14 to 27 August 1968, was the first in a series of three global UN conferences on outer space, which focused on raising awareness of the vast potential of space benefits for all humankind.
•UNISPACE II conference was held from 9 to 21 August 1982. UNISPACE II addressed the concerns of how to maintain the outer space for peaceful purposes and prevent an arms race in outer space.
•UNISPACE III conference held from 19 to 30 July 1999.
•UNISPACE III created a blueprint for the peaceful uses of outer space in the 21st century.

RBI has drawn up a new external commercial borrowing (ECB) framework in order to further improve the ease of doing business in India.
•External Commercial Borrowings is a loan availed by an Indian entity from a nonresident lender with a minimum average maturity.

1. RBI kept the borrowing limit under the automatic route unchanged at $750 million per financial year but replaced the sector-wise limits.
2. RBI has expanded the definition of beneficiaries eligible for external commercial borrowings to include all entities that can receive foreign direct investment. Among those now eligible are: port trusts, units in special economic zones, microlenders, not-for-profit companies, registered societies/trusts/cooperatives and non-government organisations.
3. The Export-Import Bank (EXIM) and the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has been allowed to borrow overseas from recognised lenders.
4. The previous 4-tier structure has been replaced by 2 specific channels: dollar- and rupee-denominated ECBs.
   1. Earlier– distinction bw foreign currency ECBs based on maturity. One was maturity period of 3-5 yrs and the other10 yrs. Both have been subsumed into foreign currency-denominated ECBs.
   2. Indian rupee-denominated overseas borrowings with similar sets of maturities have also been combined into a single rupee- denominated ECBs.
5. To curb volatility in the forex market–> special dispensation to public sector oil marketing companies.
6. RBI has decided to keep the minimum average maturity period at 3 years for all ECBs, irrespective of the amount of borrowing, except for borrowers specifically permitted to borrow for a shorter period, like manufacturing companies. Earlier, the minimum average maturity period was 5 years.
7. Further, if the ECB is raised from a foreign equity holder and utilised for working capital, general corporate purposes or repayment of rupee loans, the maturity period will be 5 years.
8. Any entity who is a resident of a country which is financial action task force compliant, will be treated as a recognised lender. This change increases lending options and allows various new lenders in ECB space while strengthening the anti money laundering/combating the financing of terrorism framework.
9. Earlier in November, 2018 RBI also eased Hedging Norms for External Commercial Borrowings to make the ECB route attractive to firms.

Further liberisation of ECB –> RBI relaxed the end-use restrictions relating to external commercial borrowings for Working Capital requirements, General Corporate purposes and Repayment of rupee loans.

1. Access to cheaper and longer term funds for the corporate sector, especially liquidity-starved Non Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs).
2. RBI has allowed eligible borrowers to raise ECBs with a maturity period of 10 years from recognised lenders, except foreign branches and overseas subsidiaries of Indian banks.
3. ECBs with a minimum average maturity period of 10 years will be allowed for working capital purposes and general corporate purposes.
4. Borrowing for on-lending (When an organization lends money that they have borrowed from another organization or person) by non-banking financial companies for the 10 year maturity and end-use of funds is also permitted.
5. For repayment of rupee loans availed domestically for purposes other than capital expenditure and for on-lending by NBFCs for the same, the minimum average maturity period of the ECB would have to be 10 years.
6. RBI also allowed ECBs with a minimum average maturity period of 7 years for repayment of rupee loans availed domestically for capital expenditure.
7. The borrowings for on-lending by NBFCs for the repayment of rupee loans would also be permitted.

NMIC

•India’s 1st National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) will be inaugurated in Mumbai.
•The new museum building has 4 exhibition halls, whose themes are:

1. Gandhi and Cinema;
2. Technology, Creativity and Indian cinema;
3. Cinema across India;
4. Children’s Film Studio.

Housed in 2 buildings – the New Museum Building and the 19th-century historic palace Gulshan Mahal (ASI Grade-II Heritage Structure) – in the Films Division campus in Mumbai. It is divided into 9 sections
•Raja Harishchandra made by Dadasaheb Phalke in 1913 was the first silent feature film in India and Ardeshir Irani’s Alam Ara in 1931 was the first feature film with sound.

Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY),

The flagship scheme of the Central Government for employment generation has crossed the milestone of one crore beneficiaries as on January 14, 2019.

Government incentivizes employers for generation of new employment.

GOvt pays the full employer’s contribution of 12% (towards Employees’ Provident Fund and Employees’ Pension Scheme), for the new employment generated with salary up to Rs. 15,000 per month.

PMRPY was announced on August 07, 2016 and is being implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Employment through the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO).

Angel Tax

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry has issued a clarification on “Angel Tax” levied on startups.

The government has eased the norms under which start-ups can apply for exemption from the angel tax which would otherwise be applicable on them. 
What is angel tax??-the income tax payable on capital raised by unlisted companies via issue of shares where the share price is seen in excess of the fair market value of the shares sold. It has come to be called angel tax since it largely impacts angel investments in startups

Lokpal

Lokal = PC Ghosh

Though passed in 2014, the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act of 2013 was not implemented all these years because there was no Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the 16th Lok Sabha.
•The Act intends the LoP to be the part of the selection committee of the PM, the CJI and the Speaker, which has to first appoint an eminent jurist among their ranks.

ISRO Launches Military Satellite and KalamSat

Recently, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has launched satellites Microsat-R and KalamSat onboard Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C-44.

• This was also a technology demonstrator of PSLV, as this launch was the first launch done with just 2 strap-on motors and is named as the PSLV-DL, D standing for demonstration.
• Microsat-R
  • Microsat-R is a military imaging satellite, weighing 130 kilograms, was made by Defence Research and Development Organization(DRDO).
  • This was launched in low orbit. It is the first time an Indian satellite was being placed by ISRO in a low orbit at an altitude of 274 km. 
• Kalamsat
  • ISRO also launched a student satellite, Kalamsat, made by Space Kidz India, weighing just 1.26kg.
  • Kalamsat is the world’s smallest and lightest communication satellite.
  • Space Kidz India is an organization dedicated to designing innovative concepts for students in the field of education.
• Fourth Stage (PS4) Usability
  • ISRO also used this launch as an opportunity to demonstrate the usability of the fourth stage of the rocket after the satellites are ejected into orbit. 
  • The fourth and final stage of the rocket normally turns into debris after ejecting a satell
• Kalamsat will be the first to use the fourth stage as an orbital platform.

BIO-FUEL STANDARD FOR AVIATION

To use bio-jet fuel on all military and civilian aircraft, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), in collaboration with IAF and the oil industry, has brought out a new standard for Aviation Turbine Fuels (ATF).
• This standard would enable the oil companies to manufacture bio-jet fuel for the Indian aviation industry and align Indian standards with current international standards.
increase in collection of tree-borne non-edible oil seeds, which, in turn, will help generate ancillary income, increase remuneration for tribal and marginal farmers, and enthuse cultivation/ collection of oilseeds.
• This will also help in achieving global emission target under Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

•CORSIA addresses the increase in total CO2 emissions from international aviation above 2020 levels.
•The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is a UN specialized agency, established in 1944 to manage the administration and governance of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention).

Dard Aryan

•Dard Aryan tribe of Ladakh has requested the central government to intervene to protect their culture and legacy.
•Dard Aryan — believed to be the original descendants of ‘pure Aryan race’ — tribe is known for its liberal customs and ornate costumes. Many researchers believe that the ‘Aryans of Ladakh’ or the ‘Brokpas’ were a part of Alexander’s army and had come to the region over 2,000 years ago.
•They live in the villages of Dha and Hanu (commonly called as Dhahanu), Darchik, and Gahanu – situated 163km southwest of Leh, the administrative capital of Ladakh.
•The rich heritage of the Dard Aryans is under threat due to rapid modernization, migration and religious conversion.
•The ‘Dard’ is derived from a Sanskrit word, ‘Daradas’, which refers to people who live on hillsides.

•Article 46 of the constitution of India the State shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, and, in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.

Netaji Bose

Andaman & Nicobar Isalands
Ros –> Bose
Neil –> Sahid
havelock –> Swaraj

The Sentinelese are a negrito tribe who live on the North Sentinel Island of the Andamans. The inhabitants are connected to the Jarawa on the basis of physical, as well as linguistic similarities. Their numbers are believed to be less than 150 and as low as 40.
They have been protected under A &N Islands (PAT) Regulation 1956, Visa Manual Conditions/Passport Act 1920, Indian Forest Act, 1927 and Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
The entire North Sentinel Island along with 5 km coastal sea from high water mark is notified as tribal reserve.