CURRENT DIGEST - race2ias.com · 7 An ambassador is a diplomatic representative that attends...
Transcript of CURRENT DIGEST - race2ias.com · 7 An ambassador is a diplomatic representative that attends...
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1. Scientists create AI-based
system that translates thoughts
into speech
The first time, Scientists have created
an artificial intelligence (AI) based system
that directly translates thoughts into
intelligible, recognizable speech.
The research will help people who cannot
speak regain their ability
to communicate with the outside world.
The technology developed by
researchers from Columbia University in
the United States can reconstruct the
words a person hears with unprecedented
clarity.
2. Civil Aviation Ministry
launches first GI Store in Goa
The Union Civil Aviation minister Suresh
Prabhu has inaugurated country‘s first
Geographical Indication (GI) Store
at International Airport at Dabolim, Goa.
The store jointly set up by Airport
Authority of India (AAI) and The Cashew
Export Promotional Council of
India (CEPCI).
The GI stores will promote local products
made by the artisans and handicrafts at
the airport.
3. Telangana govt declares 2nd
February to be appointing day
The Telangana government has declared
2nd February as 'appointing day' for the
newly elected Sarpanches of the Gram
Panchayats in the state.
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The Telangana State Election
Commission has held elections to
over 12000 Gram Panchayats and over 1
lakh 13 thousand ward members in three
phases during the month following the
High Court order.
Over 34 thousand candidates contested
for Sarpanch posts while over 2 lakh
candidates competed forward members
during these apolitical elections.
4. Alphons inaugurates First
Swadesh Darshan project in
Sikkim
The Union Minister for Tourism K J
Alphons inaugurated the project
―Development of North East Circuit‖ in
Gangtok.
The NE circuit consists of Rangpo–
Rorathang- Aritar- Phadamchen- Nathang-
Sherathang- Tsongmo - Gangtok-Phodong-
Mangan-Lachung-Yumthang-Lachen-
Thangu-Gurudongmer-Mangan-Gangtok-
Tuminlingee-Singtam.
The project implemented under Swadesh
Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism,
Government of India was sanctioned by
the Ministry in June 2015 for Rs 98.05
crores.
Scientists develop an artificial
pancreas smartphone app for
diabetics
Scientists have developed an artificial
pancreas smartphone (iAPS) app that will
help in regulating blood sugar levels in
diabetes patients.
This app is capable of interfacing
wirelessly with glucose monitors, insulin
pump devices, and decision-making
algorithms.
The app is effective in regulating glucose
levels under challenging conditions and is
suitable for use in unconstrained
environments..
5. Mithali raj becomes the first
woman to play 200 ODI matches
India‘s women's cricket team
Captain Mithali Raj (36-year) has become
the first woman to play 200 matches in the
ODI (One-day Internationals) format when
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she played against New Zealand in
Hamilton.
She already holds the record for being the most capped woman in one-day
internationals. Mithali's international career is fourth-
highest behind only Sachin
Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya, and Javed
Miandad.
6. Polar vortex Meteorologists have blamed a
phenomenon called the polar vortex for
the bitter cold that has descended on
much of the central and eastern United
States this week, forcing residents to
huddle indoors, closing schools and
businesses and cancelling flights
It is described as a whirling cone of low
pressure over the poles that is strongest
in the winter months due to the increased
temperature contrast between the polar
regions and the mid-latitudes, such as the
US and Europe.
The polar vortex spins in the stratosphere
The split higher up in the atmosphere can
give rise to both, sudden and delayed
effects, much of which involves declining
temperatures and extreme winter weather
in the eastern US along with northern and
western Europe.
Nuclear Suppliers Group1. Suman
Kumari becomes Pakistan’s first Hindu
woman judge
Justice Suman Kumari has become the
first Hindu woman in Pakistan to be
appointed as a civil judge. The first judge from the Hindu
community was Justice Rana
Bhagwandas (the acting chief justice
between 2005 and 2007) Hinduism remains the second (only
2%) largest religion in Pakistan after
Islam.
7. Sultan Abdullah sworn in as
new Malaysian King
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Sultan Abdullah Ibni Sultan Ahmad
Shah was sworn as the 16th King of
Malaysia.
He was elected after Sultan Muhammad
V abdicated the throne earlier this
month.
Malaysia practices the system of a
constitutional monarchy.
According to its Constitution, the King is
elected every five years from among the
nine Sultans on a rotational basis.
8. 8th Annual Pulicat Day was observed
The day is celebrated as the world
wetlands day, with activities like
catamaran race, rangoli competition,
quiz and drawing competition for
children, heritage walk and folklore
programs.
This year‘s World Wetlands Day under
the theme of ―Wetlands and Climate
Change‖.
The wetland was one of the northeast
monsoon clouds attracting regions in the
country.
9. Govt. renames DIPP as
Department for Promotion of
Industry and Internal Trade
In an official order, The Department of
Industrial Policy and
Promotion (DIPP) has been renamed as
the Department for Promotion of
Industry and Internal Trade with a
mandate to deal with matters related to
start-ups, facilitating ease of doing
business among others.
The order has been approved by
President Ram Nath Kovind.
The newly-named department under the
Ministry of Commerce and Industry will
look into matters related to promotion of
internal trade, including retail trade,
welfare of traders and their employees,
facilitating ease of doing business and
start-ups.
10. Qatar wins Asian Football
Champions 2019
Qatar national football team beat Japan 3-1 to
win the AFC Asian Cup 2019 crown in Abu
Dhabi. Takumi Minamino scored for Japan.
For the first time, the Asian Cup final
tournament was contested by 24 teams.
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The 2019 AFC Asian Cup (17th edition) was
the quadrennial international men's football
championship of Asia organised by the Asian
Football Confederation (AFC).
11. NSG China has refused to dilute its stand on
India‘s entry into the elite Nuclear Suppliers
Group (NSG), asserting that New Delhi must
sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty to gain
entry as there is no precedent for the
inclusion of non-NPT countries.
India has been seeking entry into NSG,
but China has repeatedly stonewalled its
bid.
India is not a signatory to the NPT. China has
stuck to its stand that new members should
sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
(NPT), making India‘s entry difficult as the
group is guided by the consensus principle.
Membership will increase India‘s access to
state-of-the-art technology from the other
members of the Group.
Access to technology and being allowed to
produce nuclear equipment will give a boost
to the Make in India program. That will, in
turn, boost the economic growth of our
country.
12. Rishi Kumar Shukla takes
charge as CBI Director
Senior IPS officer 58-year- old Rishi
Kumar Shukla (1983 batch- Madhya
Pradesh Cadre) has been appointed as
the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation)
Director for a period of two years.
Rishi Kumar Shukla has served as the DGP of Madhya Pradesh.
Earlier, M Nageswara Rao was
appointed as interim chief of the
CBI (No. 3) after the government stepped
in between the fight of CBI Director Alok
Verma and Special Director Rakesh
Asthana.
13. Nilambar Acharya appointed
Country’s ambassador to India
Former Nepal‘s law minister Nilambar
Acharya has been appointed as
the Country’s Ambassador to India.
Mr. Acharya was Law Minister in the
interim government (in 1990).
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An ambassador is a diplomatic
representative that attends international
meetings, banquets and parties and acts
as a figurehead for their country of origin.
An ambassador is the ranking
government representative stationed in a
foreign capital.
14. World Cancer day
The world cancer day is being observed
on 4th February every year to raise
awareness about cancer, its treatment
and to encourage methods of its
prevention.
The primary goal of the day is to reduce
the illness and related deaths by 2020. This year, Union for International
Cancer Control (UICC) is launching a
new three years (2019-2021) campaign
with the theme: ―I Am and I Will.‖
The Union Government has started AMRIT
scheme in order to provide relief to poor
people from the rising cost of Cancer
drugs.
15. 4th Feb: Sri Lanka celebrates
71st Independence Day
Sri Lanka celebrated the 71st
Independence Day in a grand ceremony
at the Galle Face Green in Colombo. Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed
Solih attended the function as the guest of
honour.
Ending 133 years of colonial rule, Sri
Lanka, then Ceylon, gained independence from Great Britain on 4th
February 1948.
16. National Road Safety Week
launched today
The Union Ministry of Road
Transport and Highways has
launched the National Road Safety
Week with a host of initiatives planned
for generating awareness and
sensitizing people about safe road
usage. The Union Ministers Nitin
Gadkari flag off a motor car rally to
commemorate the 150th Birth
Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi at
Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti,
Rajghat, New Delhi.
The rally will travel through places
historically associated with Gandhiji,
both in India, as well as in Bangladesh and Myanmar.
It will conclude at Yangon in Myanmar
on the 24th of this month, covering a
total distance of 7250 km.
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17. National Grid:
PM Modi recently dedicated the 220 kV
Srinagar- Alusteng – Drass- Kargil – Leh
Transmission Line to the Nation. With this, Ladakh is now connected to the National
Grid.
Benefits of this project: It will result in
minimizing the massive use of diesel
generating sets during winters, and thus
will help in protection of beautiful
environment, of pristine Ladakh region.
This would also give huge boost to the
tourism sector and enhance socio-
economic development of Ladakh.
NAT grid is the high-voltage electric
power transmission network in mainland
India, connecting power stations and
major substations and ensuring that
electricity generated anywhere in
mainland India can be used to satisfy
demand elsewhere.
18. Know My India Programme: The National Foundation for Communal
Harmony (NFCH) is organizing a special
workshop for 42 Youth in the age group of
15 to 22 years, who have been victims of
communal violence in the past, under the Know My India Programme.
To help the children deal with the post-
traumatic stress, provide them life tools to
manage their emotions and eliminate
disturbing impressions of the past events.
To have them experience deep relaxation
and peace, give them a broader and more
inclusive view of the world and how each
individual is connected with the others
beyond social identities.
19. Kerala sets up drug price
monitor:
Kerala has become the first State to set
up a price monitoring and research unit
(PMRU) to track violation of prices of
essential drugs and medical devices
under the Drugs Price Control Order
(DPCO).
The move comes more than five years after the National Pharmaceutical
Pricing Authority (NPPA) proposed such
a system for the States and the Union
Territories.
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The State Health Secretary would be the
Chairman of the society and the Drugs
Controller would be its member
secretary. Its members include a State
government representative,
representatives of private pharmaceutical
companies, and those from consumer
rights protection fora. The society would
also have an executive committee headed
by the Drugs Controller.
20. NGOs and regulation of their foreign
funding
Greenpeace has been forced to close two
of its regional offices and ―considerably‖
reduce its staff in India because of a
government crackdown on allegedly
unlawful foreign funding of NGOs
Greenpeace India had its foreign funding
blocked in 2015 as part of a nationwide
crackdown on charities.
NGOs play an important role in the
upliftment of the weaker sections of the
society and their overall development.
This is especially true in the case of India,
where a vast majority of its population
continues to remain under the poverty line
and
have
little
or no
access to even basic facilities provided by
the government.
21. Millet Village scheme
With ‗superfood‘ and ‗eat smart‘ strategies
forming the main ingredients of the latest
dietary mantras, Kerala State Agriculture
Department is earmarking farm space in
more districts for growing nutrient-rich
millets.
The state is also planning to expand its Millet Village scheme to various other
districts.
It is a special scheme to promote the
cultivation of cereals such as millet, ragi,
bajra and maize by setting up a millet
village at Attappady. The project aimed at
protecting seeds of traditional varieties of
millets and ensures food security and
livelihood for tribals.
22. The ‘Operation Smile-V’
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The ‗Operation Smile-V‘ initiative
launched by Hyderabad Police has
helped in rescuing 325 children, who
were either working as labourers or
begging on the streets, since January
1 this year.
To trace the missing children and
rescue child labourers, Operation
Smile-V was launched on January 1
across Telangana.
Operation Smile also called as
Operation Muskaan is an initiative of
the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to
rescue/rehabilitate missing children.
23. Target Olympic Podium Scheme
(TOPS)
The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports is
implementing Target Olympic Podium
Scheme (TOPS) within overall ambit of
National Sports Development Fund
(NSDF) for providing financial assistance
to elite athletes included in TOPS for their
customized training in world class training
institutes/academies within the country
and abroad.
The NSDF supports sportspersons to excel
in the field by providing opportunities to
train under coaches of international
repute with technical, scientific and
psychological support and also in getting
exposure to international competitions.
Financial assistance is also provided to
specific projects for promotion of sports
and games sponsored by reputed
Organizations/Institutes, provided the
facilities so created are made available to
a sizeable population of the area/region.
24. Rules To Allow Employment of
Women in Mines
In exercise of the power conferred under
Mines Act, 1952, the Central Government
has exempted the women employed in any
mine above ground and in any mine below
ground from the provisions of section 46 of
the Mines Act, 1952.
The owner of a mine may deploy women
between the hours of 7 pm and 6 am in the
mine above ground including opencast
workings;
The deployment of women shall be after
obtaining the written consent of the
concerned woman employee;
women so deployed shall be provided
with adequate facilities and safeguards
regarding occupational safety, security
and health;
25. Indian Ocean Rim Association
(IORA).
The Ministry of Home Affairs in
collaboration with the Ministry of External
Affairs and National Disaster Management
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Authority (NDMA) is organising a meeting
of Indian Ocean Rim Association
(IORA) Cluster Group on Disaster Risk
Management (DRM) in New Delhi.
The Indian Ocean Rim Association was set
up with the objective of strengthening
regional cooperation and sustainable
development within the Indian Ocean
Region
India, Australia, Iran, Indonesia, Thailand,
Malaysia, South Africa, Mozambique,
Kenya, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Bangladesh,
Singapore, Mauritius, Madagascar, UAE,
Yemen, Seychelles, Somalia, Comoros
and Oman are among the members of
IORA.
26. Elephant corridors
Asian Elephant Alliance, an umbrella
initiative by five NGOs, has come
together to secure 96 out of the 101
existing corridors used by elephants
across 12 States in India.
The joint venture aims to secure the 96
remaining elephant corridors, old and
new, in the next ten years
The alliance joined hands to raise the
mammoth sum as money was the main
constraint in securing the land.
Elephant corridors are narrow strips of
land that connect two large habitats of
elephants.
27. Hoveizeh long-range cruise
missile:
o Iran has announced the successful test
flight of Hoveizeh long-range cruise
missile.
The Hoveizeh Cruise Missile is part of the
Soumar family of cruise missile and has a
range of over 1,350 km (840 miles).
It is designed to use against ground
targets.
The Hoveizeh missile needs a very short
time for its preparedness and can fly at a
low altitude and is manufactured by the
Aerospace Industries Organization of
Israel.
28. Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)
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The Scheme aims at providing Senior
Citizens, belonging to BPL category and
suffering from any of the age related
disability/infirmity Low vision, Hearing
impairment, Loss of teeth and Locomotor disability, with such assisted-living
devices which can restore near normalcy
in their bodily functions, overcoming the
disability/infirmity manifested.
This is a Central Sector Scheme, fully
funded by the Central Government. The
expenditure for implementation of the scheme will be met from the “Senior
Citizens‟ Welfare Fund“.
Under the scheme, free of cost
distribution of the devices,
commensurate with the extent
29. Asia LPG Summit
2nd edition of the Asia LPG Summit is
being held in New Delhi.
The summit is being organized by the
World LPG Association (WLPGA) in
association with major Indian public-
sector oil companies (OMCs) Indian Oil,
Hindustan Petroleum, and Bharat
Petroleum.
The summit will offer a unique opportunity
to the global LPG industry to interact with
development agencies, NGOs and non-
profit organizations who have facilitated
last-mile access to LPG for the
beneficiaries.
The World LPG Association (WLPGA) is the authoritative global voice for the
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry
and the worldwide industry
association which represents the
interests of the LPG industry globally.
30. Safe City project
Empowered Committee of Officers for
Nirbhaya funds scheme has approved pilot Safe City projects in eight
selected metropolitan cities, namely,
Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai,
Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and
Lucknow with a view to provide safety to
women in public places.
The project would be implemented as a
Centrally Sponsored Scheme with Centre
and State sharing the funding in 60:40
ratio.
The major components of the Safe City
project include, Setting up an Integrated
Smart Control Room;Pink Patrols of
Women police;Improving Street Lighting
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in identified Hot Spot areas;Setting up
Pink Toilets etc
31. Sentinelese Tribe:
The entire North Sentinel Island along with
5 km coastal sea from high water mark is notified as tribal reserve.
The Government respects their way of life style, therefore, has adopted an „eyes-on
and hands-off‟ practice to protect and
safeguard the Sentinelese tribe.
A protocol of circumnavigation of the
North Sentinel Island has been notified.
The ships and aircrafts of Coast Guard and
boats of Marine Police make sorties
around North Sentinel to keep
surveillance.
32. Magnetic north pole drifting
fast towards Russia
News publications across the world have been reporting that the magnetic north
pole is drifting fast from the Canadian
Arctic and towards Russia.
Currently, the magnetic north pole is
located somewhere over northern
Canada, a fact discovered in 1831 by Sir
James Clark Ross. Since then the magnetic
north pole has been moving across the
Canadian Arctic towards Russia, and has
moved hundreds of miles over the last
several decades. This phenomenon is
known as the Polar Shift Theory.
The entire transportation sector,
especially aviation and shipping, depends
on correctly knowing the position of
magnetic north to chart out their
navigation paths. Similarly, it is crucial for
militaries, who need to know this for firing
their missiles or for other purposes. Knowing the magnetic north is
vital for a number of civilian
applications as well.
33. India‟s communication satellite
GSAT-31 launched from French
Guiana
Indian Space Research Organisation‘s latest communication satellite, GSAT-
31 was successfully launched by
Arianespace aboard its launch
vehicle Ariane 5 from the spaceport in
French Guiana recently.
A telecommunications satellite
designed and manufactured by the
Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO).
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It will also provide DTH Television
Services, connectivity to VSATs for
ATM, Stock-exchange, Digital Satellite
News Gathering (DSNG) and e-
governance applications. The satellite
will also be used for bulk data transfer
for a host of emerging
telecommunication applications.
Help bridge the digital divide in the
Indian subcontinent as part of an
ambitious Indian space program,
whose objectives are to develop India
while pursuing scientific research and
planetary exploration.
34. Flamingo sanctuary:
A committee, chaired by Union
Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan, has
accorded wildlife clearance to the
Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed train
corridor that encroaches upon a flamingo
sanctuary and the Sanjay Gandhi National
Park, the home to leopards, in Mumbai.
Sanjay Gandhi National Park is spread
over three districts – Palgar, Thane and
Mumbai Suburb. The National Park is
home to a number of endangered species
of flora and fauna and harbours
approximately 800 species of flowering
plants, 45 species of mammals, 43 species
of reptiles among others.
35. Chennai Police launches
mobile app ‘Digicop’
Tamil films actor Vijay Serthupathi has
launched a mobile app ―DigiCop‖ at the
Commissioner‘s office, Vepery in Chennai.
Using the App, people can track the status
of stolen two-wheelers and cell phones
(details of 18,000 mobile phones stored),
know the nearest police station and traffic
alerts.
Serthupathi also released a DVD on CCTV
awareness and several other police
campaigns to make the police department
people friendly.
Now, if someone is buying a phone from a
second-hand shop, they can verify the
phone (stolen or genuine).
36. Smriti Mandhana scores
India’s fastest-ever T20 fifty
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Indian left-handed batswoman Smriti
Mandhana (22-year) scored 50 off 24
deliveries (India vs NZ - T20I in
Wellington) to register the fastest T20I
fifty by an Indian woman.
She bettered her own record of a fifty in
25 balls, which she created in 2018
against England.
Earlier, Smriti Mandhana (second Indian
woman) was crowned women's cricketer
of the year by the sport's world governing
body ICC.
37. RBI cuts repo rate by 25 basis
points to 6.25%
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of
the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to
reduce the key policy rate or the repo
rate by 25 bps to 6.25% in bimonthly
policy review of 2018-19.
The three-day policy review meeting by
the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)
began headed by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das in Mumbai.
Reduce the policy repo rate under the
liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25
basis points from 6.5% to 6.25% with
immediate effect.
The reverse repo rate under the LAF
stands adjusted to 6.0 per cent. The marginal standing facility (MSF)
rate and the Bank Rate to 6.5 per cent.
38. Macedonia signs accord to join
NATO
Macedonia formally signed an
agreement to join NATO (the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization) to become
the 30th member of the US-led alliance.
The admittance of a new member
highlighted that all European nations who
meet the entrance criteria could join the
regional alliance. The Macedonia-NATO accord follows a
deal with Greece ending a 27-year-old
dispute over Macedonia's name.
39. Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Qutub
Minar among top 10 Revenue-
Generating Monuments
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The Culture Minister Mahesh
Sharma has revealed the top revenue-
generating monuments in the country
between 2015 to 2018.
The top revenue-generating monuments
during 2015-18 is Taj Mahal.
Others in the top 10 list for the period of
2015-2018 include Agra Fort, Red Fort,
Qutub Minar, Sun Temple in Konark,
Humayun's Tomb, Mamallapuram, Ellora
caves, the group of monuments in
Khajuraho, and the Ajanta caves in
Aurangabad.
Tourism contributes nearly 9.4% of the
country's GDP and supports 8% of its total
employment.
40. Small Grants Programme(SGP) A workshop on Small Grants Programme
(SGP) was recently held in New Delhi.
It was launched in 1992 with 33
participating countries..
Environment degradation such as the
destruction of ecosystems and the species
that depends upon them, increasing level
of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere, pollution of
international waters, land degradation
and the spread of persistent organic pollutants are life – threatening
challenges that endanger us all.
However, it is the poor and vulnerable
communities that are most at risk as
they are directly dependent on natural
resources for their livelihoods and
subsistence.
SGP aims to support these vulnerable
communities through community led
approaches towards environmental
conservation and livelihoods
enhancement.
41. Ujjwala Utsav Ujjwala Utsav observed recently to
celebrate the stellar role played by
various stakeholders in making PMUY a
success.
The event was organised under the aegis
of Ministry of Petroleum &Natural
Gas to encourage, motivate as well as
felicitate all frontline field force for their
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outstanding contribution to PMUY.
The occasion also saw the launch of the PMUY anthem – Ujjwala Bharat
Ujjwala – composed and developed by
eminent singer and film industry
personality Padma Shri Kailash Kher.
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana aims to
provide LPG (liquefied petroleum gas)
connections to poor households.
42. River Information System
To boost cargo movement on Ganga, the second phase of river information system
(RIS) was recently inaugurated between
Farakka and Patna
It is a combination of modern tracking
equipment related hardware and
software designed to optimize traffic and
transport processes in inland navigation.
RIS is being implemented under the overall responsibility of Inland Waterway
Authority of India, a statutory body
administered by the Ministry of Shipping.
43. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria (or simply
the Global Fund) is an international
financing organization that aims to
“attract, leverage and invest
additional resources to end the
epidemics of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis
and malaria to support attainment of
the Sustainable Development Goals
established by the United Nations.”
Founded in 2002, the Global Fund is a
partnership between governments,
civil society, the private sector and
people affected by the diseases.
The organization maintains its secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland.
44. Unlawful Activities (Prevention)
Act (UAPA)
The Union Home Ministry has banned the Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM)
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under the Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act for promoting
terrorism and radicalising and
recruiting youth for terrorist activities
in India.
Set up in the 1990s, TuM claims to be
fighting for the “liberation of
Kashmir.”
This law is aimed at effective prevention
of unlawful activities associations in
India.
Its main objective is to make powers
available for dealing with activities
directed against the integrity and
sovereignty of India.
45. Women‟s Global Development
and Prosperity Initiative:
Launched by the US, it is an effort aimed
at helping 50 million women in the
developing world get ahead
economically over the next six years.
It is a government wide project led by the
senior adviser and daughter to President
Donald Trump- Ivanka Trump. The
initiative will involve the State
Department, the National Security Council
and other agencies.
It aims to coordinate current programs
and develop new ones to assist women in
areas such as job training, financial
support, and legal or regulatory reforms.
It seeks to reach 50 million women in the
developing world by 2025 through U.S.
government activities, private-public
partnerships, and a new, innovative fund
at USAID.
46. Kerala to get country’s 2nd
longest rail tunnel: A 10.7-km railway line, including a 9.02-
km tunnel, has been proposed to connect the upcoming Vizhinjam International
Multipurpose Deepwater Seaport to the
railway network.
The 9.02-km tunnel, mooted by Konkan
Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL), will
be the second longest railway tunnel in
the country. The 11.26-km Pir Panjal rail
tunnel, connecting Banihal and Hillar
Shahabad, is the longest.
47. LAIRCM Self-Protection Suites:
US has approved a foreign military sale to India — two 777 Large Aircraft Infrared
Countermeasures (LAIRCM) Self-
Protection Suites (SPS), for an estimated
$190 million.
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LAIRCM is a programme meant to
protect large aircraft from man-portable
missiles. It increases crew-warning time,
decreases false alarm rates and
automatically counters advanced infrared
missile systems
These systems will protect two Boeing-
777 Head-of-State aircraft. This would
bring the security of Air India One at par
with that of Air Force One, the aircraft
used by the American President.
48. Exercise Cutlass Express: Multinational training exercise „CUTLASS
EXPRESS – 19‟ was held recently.
It is an exercise designed to assess and
improve combined maritime law
enforcement capacity, promote national
and regional security in East Africa as well
as information sharing, planning and
operating.
Sponsored by U.S. Africa Command
(AFRICOM) and is conducted by U.S.
Naval Forces Africa.
The aim of the exercise: To improve law
enforcement capacity, promote regional
security and progress inter-operability
between the armed forces of the
participating nations.
49. GeM and CCI Sign MoU Government e Marketplace (GeM) and
Competition Commission of India
(CCI) entered into a Memorandum of
Understanding to enable a fair and
competitive environment in the e-
Marketplace.
GeM is a state-of-the-art national public
procurement platform of Ministry of
Commerce and Industries, that has used
technology to remove entry barriers for
bonafide sellers and has created a vibrant
e-marketplace with a wide range of goods
and services.
GeM aims to enhance transparency,
efficiency and speed in public
procurement.
It facilitates online procurement of
common use Goods & Services required
by various Government Departments /
Organisations / PSUs. It provides the tools
of e-bidding, reverse e-auction and
demand aggregation to facilitate the
government users, achieve the best value
for their money.
20
50. Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)
Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) successfully
flight tested the second indigenously
developed „Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet
(SFDR)‟ propulsion based missile
system.
Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR): It
is a missile propulsion technology
jointly developed by India and
Russia.
Ramjet is a form of air-breathing jet
engine that uses the vehicle‘s forward
motion to compress incoming air for
combustion without a rotating
compressor. Fuel is injected in the
combustion chamber where it mixes
with the hot compressed air and
ignites. A ramjet-powered vehicle
requires an assisted take-off like a
rocket assist to accelerate it to a speed
21
KNOW THE SERVICE
Introducing all the 26
services one gets
on qualifying UPSC Civil
Service Examination
22
INDIAN INFORMATION SERVICE
Brief History of IIS
Originally named the Central Information Service, this service was established on 1st March, 1960. In 1987, CIS
was split into IIS Group A and IIS Group B.Functions of IIS Group ‘A’ officers
Administering and coordinating the work of
the Press Information Bureau (PIB) .
Conducting the publicity work of the
government.
Controlling, supervising and guiding the news
service units including DD News and All India
Radio (AIR).
Organising press advertising and visual
publicity campaigns for spreading information
to the people about the various policies and
activities of the government through diverse
media.
Monitoring legal issues involved in the
verification of titles, registration and
circulation for newspapers in the country.
Planning and executing media strategies for the government.
Officers can also be posted abroad especially in association with Prasar Bharati.
IIS officers can be posted to other departments/ministries on deputation. They can also act as Personal
Secretaries in the Central Government on a co-terminus basis.
Training for IIS Officers
The IIS officers‘ training is in three stages.
Stage 1: Three months Foundation Course at the LBSNAA.
Stage 2: Nine months professional training at Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi.
Stage 3: Twelve months on-the-job training during which the officers are attached to various media units under
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting including:
DD News
All India Radio
Press Information Bureau
Registrar of Newspapers for India
Directorate of Field Publicity
Publications Division
Electronic Media Monitoring Centre
New Media Wing of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity