GK TODAY Current Affairs - April 2019 PDF

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Current Affairs [PDF] - April, 2019
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Current Affairs [PDF] - April 1-15, 2019
Contents
......................... .. ..... ........ ...... ... ......................................................
News Headlines: April 1-15, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 3
April 1, 2019 ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11
April 2, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
April 3, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22
April 4, 2019 .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 24
April 5, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 30
April 7, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 33
April 8, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 35
April 9, 2019 .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 39
April 10, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 42
April 11, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 46
April 12, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 49
April 14, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 52
April 15, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 56
Multiple Choice Questions .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 60
© 2019 GKToday | All Rights Reserved | https://www.gktoday.in 2

News Headlines: April 1-15, 2019

Current Affairs – News Headlines – April 1, 2019
India
President Ram Nath Kovind visits Pablo Neruda Museum in Santiago, Chile
Rajasthan: Air Force’s MiG-27 Fighter Jet crashes in Sirohi; pilot ejects safely
Economy & Corporate
Govt extends deadline for linking PAN with Aadhaar by six months till Sept 30
Satish Magar takes over as new national president of Confederation of Real Estate Developers’
Associations of India (CREDAI)
World
Cities around the world marked Earth Hour on March 30 by turning off lights at 8:30 p.m. local time
in a call for global action on climate change
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood appointed country’s new foreign secretary
Zuzana Caputova elected first female President of Slovakia
Sports
India Open Badminton: Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen beats India’s Kidambi Srikanth in final 21-7, 22-20
to win men’s singles title
India Open Badminton: Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon beats China’s He Bingjiao in final 21-15, 21-14
to win women’s singles title
Asian Airgun Championships in Taipei: Divyansh Singh Panwar and Elavenil Valarivan win 10m Air
Rifle men and women’s individual gold medals
Australia’s Ashleigh Barty beats Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova 7-6 (7/1) 6-3 in final to win
women’s singles title at WTA Miami Open tennis
Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher wins Hero Indian Open golf tournament in Gurugram
Current Affairs – News Headlines: April 2, 2019
India
PSLV-C45 launches EMISAT (electronic intelligence satellite) and 28 other satellite of foreign
countries from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota
Utkal Divas, 84th Foundation Day of Odisha, celebrated on April 1
Eminent theatre organiser and playwright Kartik Chandra Rath dies in Cuttack at the age of 70
Tripura: Ruling BJP MLA Dilip Sarkar dies at the age of 61
Economy & Corporate
Output of eight core industries rose 2.1% in February 2019
India’s external debt down 1.6% to US$ 521.2 billion at end-December 2018 over its level at end-
March 2018
GST revenue collection touches record high level of Rs 106577 crore in March 2019
Bank of Baroda (BoB) becomes 2nd largest PSU bank after SBI after merging Dena Bank and Vijaya
Bank into itself
‘Kandhamal Haldi’, a variety of turmeric indigenous to southern Odisha, earns Geographical
indication (GI) tag
World
UAE scraps ‘profession’ criteria, makes income only requirement for expats to sponsor family
Pakistan: Military courts cease to function after four years
Sports
India finish at the top of the ICC Test team rankings on the cut-off date of April 1, retain ICC Test
Championship Mace and win USD $1 million for a third year running
Saurav Ghosal becomes first Indian to enter top-10 of men’s world squash rankings
India
President Kovind meets Chilean President Sebastian Pinera in Santiago

India-Australia naval exercise AUSINDEX-19 begins at Visakhapatnam

Tamil film Director J. Mahendran dies at the age of 79 in Chennai
Vadodara-based artist Raju Baraiya selected ‘Glenfiddich’s Emerging Artist of the Year 2019’
Economy & Corporate
SC strikes down as ultra vires the Feb 12 RBI circular that mandates banks to initiate
resolution/restructuring of loans of Rs 2,000 crore and above within six months from the date of
default
RBI sets the limits for Ways and Means Advances (WMA) for the first half of the financial year
2019-20 (April 2019 to September 2019) at Rs 75000 crore.
4th Session of India-Ukraine working group on Trade and Economic Cooperation held in New Delhi
New Disclosure Norms For Banks
RBI changes disclosure norms for banks on material divergences on provisioning
Banks will now have to disclose their provisions if the divergence found is more than 10% (earlier
15%) of the bank’s profit before provisioning and contingencies
World
World Autism Awareness Day observed on April 2 with its theme as ‘Assistive Technologies, Active
Participation’
More than 113 million people across 53 countries experienced “acute hunger” in 2018 because of wars
and climate disasters: FAO
Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to resign before his mandate expires on April 28 after 20
years in power
Sports
Kho-Kho Federation of India (KKFI) launches franchise-based league for the sport named Ultimate
Kho-Kho
India
Air pollution caused over 1.2 million deaths in India in 2017: ‘State of Global Air 2019’
No civilian traffic on Jammu-Srinagar highway on Sundays and Wednesdays from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Economy & Corporate
ADB lowers India’s growth forecast for 2019-20 to 7.2% from 7.6% estimated earlier in its Asian
Development Outlook (ADO) 2019
US approves sale of 24 MH 60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters made by Lockheed Martin to India for
USD 2.6 bn
Flipkart India’s most preferred workplace; Amazon, Oyo come next: LinkedIn
Reliance Jio Digital Services acquires artificial intelligence firm Haptik in Rs 700 crore deal
Hyderabad was most affordable residential market in 2018: JLL India Home Purchase Affordability
Index
BIS inks an MoU with IIT, Delhi to collaborate in the field of standardisation and conformity
assessment
World
India signs agreement with NABCONS for setting up India-Africa Institute of Agriculture and Rural
Development (IAIARD) in Malawi
NABCONS: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Consultancy Service
UAE deports Jaish-e Mohammed terrorist Nisar Ahmed Tantray to India
WhatsApp provides users control on who can add them to groups
Sports
Pakistan cricket player Shahid Afridi’s biography ‘Game Changer’ to release on April 30
ICC to join hands with Interpol to fight corruption

India
UP: Nishad Party leader and Gorakhpur Lok Sabha MP Praveen Nishad joins BJP
Arunachal Pradesh: Indian Army patrol team discovers wreckage of WW II vintage US Air Force
aircraft
South-West Monsoon (June-September) is likely to be ‘below normal’, at 93% of the long-period
average (LPA): Skymet
OTT platform Eros Now announces release of a 10 part-original series on PM called ‘Modi: Journey
Of A Common Man’
Rbi Monetary Policy Review
Policy repo rate under LAF (liquidity adjustment facility) cut by 25 basis points to 6.0% from 6.25%
Repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to the commercial banks, in case of any shortfall
of funds.
Monetary policy committee (MPC) voted 4-2 in favour of cut
Reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted to 5.75% and the marginal standing facility (MSF)
rate and the Bank Rate to 6.25%
MPC decides to maintain the neutral monetary policy stance
CPI (Consumer Price Index) inflation revised downwards to 2.4% in Q4 of 2018-19, 2.9-3.0% in 1st half
of 2019-20 and 3.5-3.8% in 2nd half of 2019-20.
GDP growth for 2019-20 projected at 7.2% in the range of 6.8-7.1% in 1st half of 2019-20 and 7.3-7.4%
in 2nd half
World
UAE honours PM Narendra Modi with Zayed Medal – its top civilian honour
International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action observed on April 4, 2019
Theme: ‘United Nations Promotes SDGs – Safe Ground – Safe Home’
South Korea launches world’s first nationwide 5G mobile networks
Malta: Former foreign minister George Vella appointed new President
Japan’s new imperial era beginning May 1, 2019 named ‘Reiwa’, Prince Naruhito to succeed his father
Emperor Akihito
Sports
Football: Belgium tops FIFA rankings, India 101st
India
National Maritime Day observed on April 5 with its theme as ‘Indian Ocean-An Ocean of
opportunity’
Nagaland observes 75th anniversary of Battle of Kohima during WWII
Kanishak Kataria, a B. Tech Graduate from IIT Bombay, tops Civil Services Examination 2018: UPSC
Economy & Corporate
India’s foreign exchange reserves rise by USD 5.237 billion to USD 411.905 billion in the week to
March 29
Lakshmi Vilas Bank to merge with Indiabulls Housing Finance
Bank of India to sell 25.05% stake in its insurance JV Star Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co for Rs
1,106 crore
NASSCOM appoints WNS Global Services Group CEO Keshav Murugesh as its Chairman for 2019-20
World
Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat inducted into the International Hall of Fame at his alma
mater, the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth (USA)
South Korean govt. declares a state of national disaster over the massive blaze that engulfed five
cities
US House of Representatives votes an end to US involvement in Yemen’s civil war

2018 Espn India Multi-Sport Awards

Sportsperson of the Year (Male) – Neeraj Chopra (athletics)
Sportsperson of the Year (Female) – P V Sindhu (badminton)
Comeback of the Year – Saina Nehwal (badminton)
Coach of the Year – Jaspal Rana (shooting)
Emerging Sportsperson of the Year – Saurabh Chaudhary (shooting)
Team of the Year – Women’s team (table tennis)
Moment of the Year – Women’s 4x400m relay
Lifetime Achievement Award – Pradip Kumar Banerjee (football).
Sports
Malaysia Open Badminton: Kidambi Srikanth loses to China’s Chen Long in men’s singles
quarterfinals
Current Affairs – News Headlines: April 6-7, 2019
India
Tamil Nadu renames Chennai Central Railway Station as Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MGR Central
Railway Station after late Chief Minister and AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran.
Shatrughan Sinha, Lok Sabha MP from Patna Sahib in Bihar, quits BJP; to contest as Congress
candidate
Economy & Corporate
Vehicles eligible under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles II (FAME II)
scheme can cumulatively save 5.4 million tonnes of oil equivalent over their lifetime: NITI Aayog
World
Former Under Secretary of United States Treasury Department, David Malpass, appointed President
of the World Bank Group
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe completes its second close approach to the Sun
World Economic Forum (WEF) on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) 2019 organised in
Amman, Jordan
International Day of Sport for Development and Peace observed on April 6
UK issues passports without ‘European Union’ on cover
Sports
All India Football Federation President Praful Patel becomes 1st Indian to be elected as member of
FIFA Executive Council
India
J&K: Weekly ban on civilian vehicles on Jammu-Srinagar highway on Sunday and Wednesday comes
into effect, to continue till May 31
EC bans publication of uncertified ads on polling day and day before
Economy & Corporate
NIIT Technologies Ltd. signs agreement to acquire Hyderabad-based WHISHWORKS IT Consulting
World
Pakistan releases 100 Indian fishermen as a ‘goodwill gesture’; were arrested for trespassing into the
country’s territorial waters and violating international maritime limits
Maldives: President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s party declares a sweeping victory in the country’s
parliamentary elections
Libya: India evacuates its entire peacekeeping contingent of 15 CRPF personnel from Tripoli after
clashes between pro and anti-government forces
World Health Day observed on April 7 with its theme as ‘Universal health coverage: everyone,
everywhere’
International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda observed on April
7

Rwanda begins 100 days of mourning for over 800,000 people slaughtered in genocide from April 7
to July 4, 1994
Malaysia Open Badminton
Tai Tzu-ying (Taiwan) beats Akane Yamaguchi (Japan) in final 21-16, 21-19 to win Women’s Singles
title
Lin Dan (China) beats Chen Long (China) in final 9-21, 21-17, 21-11 to win Men’s Singles title
Li Junhui & Liu Yuchen (China) beat Takeshi Kamura & Keigo Sonoda (Japan) in final 21-12, 21-17 to
win Men’s Doubles title
Chen Qingchen & Jia Yifan (China) beat Du Yue & Li Yinhui (China) in final 21-14, 21-15 to win
Women’s Doubles title
Zheng Siwei & Huang Yaqiong (China) beat Nipitphon Phuangphuapet & Savitree Amitrapai
(Thailand) in final 21-13, 21-19 to win Mixed Doubles title
India
HRD rankings: IIT Madras is best higher education institution, IISc Bangalore is best university,
Miranda House (Delhi) is best college
Vice Admiral Bimal Verma moves Armed Forces Tribunal after being superseded for Navy Chief post
The Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) hands over first batch of 6 Dhanush artillery guns to the Army at
the Gun Carriage Factory in Jabalpur
SC directs EC to raise random matching of VVPAT slips to 5 booths per assembly segment for LS
polls
Economy & Corporate
RBI unveils guidelines for banks to set up new currency chests, which include minimum area of
1,500 square feet for strong room
SUN Group Chairman Vikramjit Singh Sahney elected new President of International Chamber of
Commerce (ICC) – India
World
Maldives: Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih wins
Parliamentary elections
Indo-Sri Lanka joint military training exercise Mitra Shakti VI concludes in Sri Lanka
United States designates Iranian military’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist
organization
Actress Nadja Regin, best known for starring in James Bond films ‘From Russia With Love’ and
‘Goldfinger’, dies at 87
Sports
Seventh season of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) will be held from July 19 to October 9
India
Vice Admiral Bimal Verma withdraws his petition challenging his supersession for the post of Navy
chief
Centre clears the acquisition of 464 T-90 main battle tanks for Indian Army
Kerala Congress veteran and former state Finance Minister K. M. Mani dies in Kochi at 86
Chhattisgarh: BJP MLA Bheema Mandavi and four others killed in Naxal attack in Dantewada
54th Valour Day of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) observed on April 9
On April 9, 1965, a small contingent of CRPF repulsed an attack by a Pakistani Brigade in Rann of
Kutch, Gujarat
Economy & Corporate
BSE Sensex: 38,939.22 (+238.69), NSE Nifty: 11,671.95 (+67.45)
Indian economy to grow 7.3% in 2019 and 7.5% in 2020: IMF’s World Economic Outlook
India highest recipient of remittances at $79 billion in 2018: World Bank’s Migration and

Development Brief
Emami ropes in actor Varun Dhawan to endorse Navratna Cool brand
World
India’s education technology startup ‘Dost Education’ wins USD 25,000 Next Billion Edtech Prize
2019 given by UK-based Varkey Foundation along with two other winners from Tanzania and Egypt.
Algeria: Parliament Speaker Abdelkader Bensalah appointed Interim President
Global economy to grow 3.3% in 2019 and 3.6% in 2020: IMF’s World Economic Outlook
Sports
Football: Indian women’s team bow out of the 2020 Olympic Qualifying tournament in Myanmar
India
Election Commission bans screening of the biopic on Narendra Modi during poll period
SC allows use of leaked documents in Rafale case, dismisses Centre’s objections
Home minister Rajnath Singh’s biography titled ‘Rajneeti’ to release in May; written by Gautam
Chintmani
Vikram Nath appointed as first Chief Justice of new Andhra Pradesh High Court
UP: BJP MLA from Agra East constituency Jagan Prasad Garg dies at 65
Gujarat: Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor resigns from the party
Jharkhand: Ramtahal Chaudhary, BJP MP from Ranchi Lok Sabha seat, resigns from the party
Manipur: Journalist Kishorchandra Wangkhem, who was detained under National Security Act
(NSA) allegedly for criticising the BJP and its leaders, released after spending over four months in
jail
National Mission for Clean Ganga (Namami Gange) wins ‘Public Water Agency of the Year’ award at
Global Water Summit in London
Economy & Corporate
Karnam Sekar, MD and CEO of the erstwhile Dena Bank, will take over as MD and CEO of Indian
Overseas Bank from July 1
RailTel turns 1600 railway stations into RailWire Wi-Fi zone
World
Nepal flags off team to remeasure height of Mount Everest
A 25-bed maternity hospital built with Indian assistance inaugurated in Nepal’s Siraha district
New Zealand: Parliament votes to ban all types of semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles
World Homeopathy Day observed on April 10, birth anniversary of the founder of Homeopathy Dr.
Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann (born 1755, Germany)
Hong Kong’s stock market overtakes Japan to be world’s third largest behind the US and mainland
China
Hong Kong’s market cap was $5.78 trillion as of April 9, compared with $5.76 trillion for Japan:
Bloomberg
Sports
Virat Kohli and England’s Tammy Beaumont, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran and Rory Burns are the 5
Wisden Cricketers of the Year
India
Telangana: 185 candidates contested in Nizamabad Lok Sabha seat; 12 EVMs used in each polling
station
SC imposes fine of Rs 20 lakh on West Bengal govt for banning film ‘Bhobishyoter Bhoot’
West Bengal govt. schemes ‘Utkarsh Bangla’ (skill training of youth) and ‘Sabooj Sathi’ (cycles for
students) win World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) awards of UN
Professor Najma Akhtar appointed 1st woman vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi
Colonel Raj Kapoor, the Director who introduced Shah Rukh Khan with TV show ‘Fauji’ dies at 87

With 57.2 million likes, PM Modi is the most popular world leader on Facebook followed by Donald
Trump (23 million likes)
India’s population grew at an average annual rate of 1.2% between 2010 and 2019 to 1.36 billion: UN
Population Fund
Economy & Corporate
Shares of Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) close at the issue price of Rs 19
IMF’s Financial Sector Assessment Programme (FSAP) for India recommends capitalisation of govt-
owned banks to tackle NPAs
Google Pay launches gold buying, partners MMTC-PAMP
Vikram Kirloskar, CMD of Kirloskar Systems Ltd, appointed new President of CII for 2019-20
GIC CMD Alice G. Vaidyan awarded Freedom of the City of London for promoting insurance ties
between India and the UK
World
Sudan: Anti-government protests force President Omar al-Bashir to resign
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange arrested at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London after Quito
withdrew his political asylum
UK, European Union agree to extend Brexit until 31st October
Sports
Rio Paralympics silver medallist Deepa Malik gets NZ PM’s Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship for 2019
Indian Women’s Hockey Team wins 5-match bilateral series in Malaysia 4-0
India
Virtual Reality Centre (VRC) for designing warships inaugurated at the Directorate of Naval Design
(Surface Ship Group) in New Delhi
CMFRI (Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute), Kochi and ISRO join hands to map, validate
and protect smaller wetlands
Economy & Corporate
Industrial output growth, as measured in terms of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), declines
to 0.1% in February
Consumer price index (CPI)-based retail inflation rises to 2.86% in March
Foreign investment of Indian companies declines 34% to US$ 20.65 billion in 2018-19 from US$ 31.53
billion in 2017-18: RBI
Country’s foreign exchange reserves rose by USD 1.876 billion to USD 413.781 billion in the week to
April 5
Online payment service provider PayU announces acquisition of US-based financial technology firm
Wibmo for $70 million
Tata group signs agreement with NDMC to operate Taj Mansingh hotel for 33 years
World
Russia awards its highest state honour ‘Order of St Andrew the Apostle’ to PM Modi
International Day of Human Space Flight was observed on April 12
Israel elections: PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party wins 36 seats in 120-member Knesset; main
rival Blue and White party wins 35
Israeli spacecraft Beresheet crashes in attempt to reach moon
Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar, awarded 2019 UNESCO/Guillermo
Cano Press Freedom Prize
Sports
Cologne Boxing World Cup: Pinki Rani (women’s 51kg) and Parveen (women’s 60kg) settle for bronze
medals after losing their semifinal bouts
Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan) and Mark Boucher (South Africa) elected as the Honorary Life Members
of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)

Current Affairs – News Headlines: April 13-14, 2019

India
New Years on April 14: Vaisakhi (Punjabi) and Puthandu Pirappu (Tamil)
New Years on April 15: Vishu (Malayali), Rongali Bihu (Assamese), Naba Barsha (Bengali)
Nation pays homage to martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh massacre (1913) on its centenary
J&K: ‘Rajouri Day’ celebrated on April 13 to mark the liberation of Rajouri district from Pak army in
1948
‘Gopalganj to Raisina-My Political Journey’’, book co-authored by RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Nalin
Verma, released
Economy & Corporate
SFIO arrests former IL&FS Fin Services CEO Ramesh Bawa for abusing powers
Anil Ambani firm got 143.7 mn euro tax waiver from French govt. after Rafale deal announcement:
Le Monde
World Press Photo Award
A photograph of an immigrant toddler crying near the US-Mexico border wins World Press Photo of
the Year award
Photograph titled “Crying Girl on the Border” taken by Getty Images photographer John Moore
Shows a Honduran toddler crying as she and her mother taken into custody by US border officials in
Texas on June 12, 2018
World
UNSC votes unanimously to completely end its peacekeeping operations in Haiti on Oct. 15
Google opens an artificial intelligence (AI) research laboratory in Accra, Ghana to address economic,
political and environmental issues
Sports
Telangana’s Shaikh Humeira (women’s) and Niki Poonacha (men’s) of AP win Singles titles in
National Ranking Tennis Tournament in Kolkata
India
Nation pays homage to the architect of the Indian Constitution Dr BR Ambedkar on his 128th birth
anniversary
SC directs political parties to provide complete information to EC on buyers of electoral bonds
English translation of Nanak Singh’s ‘Khuni Vaishakhi’ released to mark Jallianwala Bagh massacre
centenary
Economy & Corporate
Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) prevails over the Bankruptcy Act and insolvency code
when it comes to attachment of properties obtained as ‘proceeds of crime’: Delhi High Court
Bharti Airtel and FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) launch My Circle safety app for women
World
World’s largest aircraft, which has a wingspan of 385 feet and is 238 feet long, completes its first
flight test in US; developed by Stratolaunch
Mohammed Ishtaye sworn in as new Palestinian PM in Ramallah
Sports
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton wins Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai
Paris Marathon: Ethiopians Abrha Milaw (2:07:05) and Gelete Burka (2:22:48) win men’s and
women’s races respectively
India’s women who won medals at Boxing World Cup in Cologne, Germany: Meena Kumari Maisnam
(54 kg): gold, Sakshi (57 kg): silver, Pwilao Basumatari (64kg): silver, Pinki Rani (51kg): bronze and
Parveen (60kg): bronze
FC Goa beat Chennaiyin FC 2-1 in the final to win Hero Super Cup football tournament in Chennai

April 1, 2019
Mind the Gap – State of Employment in India
Oxfam India’s latest report Mind the Gap – State of Employment in India makes the following
observations:
Lack of quality jobs and increasing wage disparity are key markers of inequality in the Indian labour
market.
The report states that the regressive social norms continue to hamper women’s participation in the
workforce, pointing at the decline in rural jobs.
The report states that women are paid 34 per cent less than similarly qualified male workers for
performing the same tasks. In 2015, 92 per cent of women and 82 per cent of men earned a monthly
wage less than Rs 10,000 in India.
The report highlights the questions about India’s growth data and emphasises that they do not
reflect in the growth of jobs and the largest number of jobs were generated in the unorganised
sector.
Job generation was adversely impacted after demonetisation and hit the women workforce most.
Women were forced to move out of the labour force to make way for men to get the few jobs that
were available.
Post demonetisation period witnessed a drop in households with two or more persons
employed. Between January and October 2016, the percentage of households where two or more
persons were employed was 34.8% and this dropped to 31.8% post-demonetisation, with women
workers becoming the first casualties of job losses.
Highlighting grim picture of ground realities the report states that caste and class continue to play
crucial roles in determining the employment for men and women, especially in stigmatised
vocations like sanitation, rag-picking, and jobs in the leather industry.
The report calls for a shift in development focus towards labour-intensive sectors to create more jobs and
pushes for better work conditions to make jobs more inclusive. The report also calls for substantially
higher investments in health and education to improve productivity.
Punjab and Haryana High Court bars stating of caste in Proceedings
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has instructed states of Punjab, Haryana and Union Territory
Chandigarh to not mention the caste of the accused, victims or witnesses in proceedings before the court.
What did the High Court say?
The High Court while passing a ruling in a murder case where the Haryana police had mentioned the
caste of the accused witnesses and the victim during the proceedings stated this is not permissible and
the caste system was profoundly illogical and was also against the basic tenets of the Constitution.
The High Court stated that mentioning the caste separately in the criminal proceedings is a colonial
legacy and requires to be stopped henceforth. The Constitution guarantees a casteless and classless
society. All are born equal.
The High court directed the governments to issue instructions to all investigating officers not to mention
the caste of the accused, victims or witnesses in recovery memos, FIRs, seizure memos, inquest papers and
other forms prescribed under CrPC and Punjab Police Rules.
UNSC Resolution on Terror Financing
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has unanimously adopted a French-drafted resolution which
ordered countries worldwide to step up the fight against terrorism financing by ensuring they have laws
that make it a serious crime to fund terrorist acts.
UNSC Resolution
This resolution is the first stand-alone measure dedicated specifically to counter the financing of
terrorism.
The resolution asks the states to ensure that their domestic laws and regulations establish serious
criminal offences to prosecute those who collect funds or provide economic resources to terrorist
organizations.
The resolution urges countries to establish financial intelligence units to strengthen efforts to

counter terrorism financing and to share information on their investigations.

The resolution will help the FATF to mount pressure on more than 50 countries to pass new
legislation on countering terror financing.
The UNSC has adopted resolution for sanctions to choking off the revenue to the Islamic State jihadist
group and Al-Qaeda-linked fighter. The resolution encompasses in one text various initiatives contained
in a range of resolutions.
How the resolution will aid in curbing terror activities?
Since the binding resolution was drafted under chapter 7 of the UN Charter it can be enforced with
sanctions. This will force the nations to act.
The recent attacks like the Pulwama Terror Attack has shown that terror groups have access to financial
flows through legal and illegal means. The resolution takes a step in curbing the inflows to the terrorist
groups.
FATF notes that less than a fifth of countries were applying laws that prosecute suspected terror
financiers as criminals. The resolution aims to change that.
The resolution would also contribute to halting ransom payments for kidnappings by terror groups, which
have become a major source of funding.
Terror Monitoring Group for Jammu and Kashmir
The Union Home Ministry has announced setting up of a Terror Monitoring Group (TMG) to ensure
synergised and concerted action against terror financing and terror-related activities in Jammu and
Kashmir.
Mandate of the Terror Monitoring Group
Taking action against hardcore sympathisers among government employees including teacher’s etc
providing overt or covert support to such activities.
TMG will act against all registered cases related to terror, terror financing and terror-related
activities and bring them to a logical conclusion.
TMG shall identify all key persons including leaders of the organisations who are involved in
supporting terrorism in any form and take concerted action against them. Investigate the networks
of various channels being used to fund terror and terror-related activities and take action to stop the
flow of such funds.
TMG will also investigate the network of various channels being used to fund terror and terror-
related activities and take coordinated action to stop the flow of such funds.
The seven-member TMG shall be headed by the Jammu and Kashmir additional director general of police
(ADGP) and have representatives from the Intelligence Bureau (IB), CBI, NIA, Central Board of Direct
Taxes (CBDT), and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). The Jammu and Kashmir police
inspector-general shall be the seventh member of the TMG. Strangely the Enforcement Directorate (ED),
which has attached several properties in terror funding cases, did not find mention in the order.
IUCN lists Hump-backed Mahseer as Critically Endangered
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed Hump-backed Mahseer as Critically
Endangered in the Red List of Threatened Species.
Hump-backed Mahseer
The Hump-backed Mahseer is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish and is referred to as tiger of the
water. The Hump-backed Mahseer is found only in the Cauvery river basin including Pambar, Kabini and
Bhavani rivers. There are about 16 species of mahseer in India.
There is a need for strong willingness and cooperation from a range of stakeholders in three states of
Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka across the River Cauvery which is one of India’s most contested rivers.
Shoal, an international organisation working to conserve freshwater species has initiated ‘Project
Mahseer’ in collaboration with other stakeholders to enable conservation action for the hump-backed
mahseer.
Hornbill
Great hornbill which was earlier categorised as “Near Threatened”. It is now “Vulnerable” due to high
hunting pressure coupled with habitat loss and deforestation. The wreathed hornbill has moved from

“Least Concern” to “Vulnerable” by IUCN.

Why India needs watch-dog for Fiscal Discipline?
The Chairman of the Fifteenth Finance Commission N K Singh has pitched for a fiscal council to enforce
fiscal rules and better manage public debt.
Why Fiscal Council?
For state government liabilities, Article 293 (3) provides a constitutional check over borrowings. But
there are no such restrictions on the Centre Hence there is a need for an alternative institutional
mechanism like Fiscal Council to enforce fiscal rules and keep a check on Centre’s fiscal
consolidation.
An institutional mechanism for sound fiscal practices will bring in transparency, instil confidence
among domestic and foreign investors and improve policy outcomes.
An institutional mechanism will also prevent practices such as accounting jugglery to show the
Centre’s finances in better shape, undermining the sanctity of the budget numbers.
Even the CAG has underscored the need for proper disclosures, saying that budgets often understate
fiscal deficits by misusing accounting loopholes.
The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Review Committee had also
recommended setting up an autonomous council. Even the 13th and 14th finance commissions had
favoured the setting up of a Council to keep tabs on budget forecasts and their veracity.
India’s debt-to-GDP ratio of the states and the Centre combined is also way too high at 70%. An
independent Fiscal Council will streamline the fiscal discipline.
Recommendation of Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Review Committee
The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Review Committee had outlined the functions like
Preparing multi-year fiscal forecasts, recommending changes to fiscal strategy, improving the quality of
fiscal data and advising the government if conditions exist to deviate from the fiscal target and advising
the government to take corrective action for non-compliance with the Bill for the fiscal council.
State of the Global Climate in 2018
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) unveiled the State of the Global Climate in 2018 Report.
The highlights of the report are:
Extreme weather events impacted close to 62 million people in 2018 and displaced more than two
million as of September of that year.
The physical signs and socio-economic impacts of climate change are accelerating as record
greenhouse gas concentrations drive global temperatures towards increasingly dangerous levels
2018 witnessed a record sea level rise and high land and ocean temperatures. 2018 was the fourth
warmest year on record, and the four warmest years on record all took place between 2015 and 2018.
The average global temperature is now around one degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
2018 also sets a new record for ocean heat in the top 700 meters (approximately 2,297 feet) and top
2,000 meters (approximately 6,562 feet).
Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere have jumped from 357 parts per million (ppm) in
1994 to 405.5 ppm in 2017.
Flooding which was the climate-related disaster that impacted the largest number of people in 2018
more than 35 million.
The global mean sea level hit a new record and was around 3.7 millimetres higher than in 2017.
Arctic sea ice extent registered record lows for February and January of 2018. The maximum extent
in March of that year was the third lowest in the 1979 to 2018 satellite record.
Climate change could reverse progress made in fighting global malnutrition. In 2017, the number of
people suffering from malnutrition increased to 821 million, and this was partly due to
by droughts related to El Niño.
Around 125 million more people were exposed to heat waves between 2000 and 2016and the average
heat wave grew 0.37 days longer compared to heat waves between 1986 and 2008.
WMO has warned that the world would witness temperatures increase 3-5C by the end of the century.
Unveiling the report the UN Chief called on countries to come with concrete plans at an upcoming climate
summit.
Earth Hour 2019
Earth Hour 2019 was witnessed on March 30 by turning off lights at 8:30 pm local time for an hour as a
call for global action on climate change. The theme of Earth Hour 2019 is #Connect2Earth.
The theme signifies humanities connection to Earth and nature is undeniable: our planet’s gain is
everyone’s gain. Nature not only provides us with all the things we need to live – from the air we breathe
to the water we drink, and from the shelter we need to the economy we rely on – but also makes our lives
better. However, its growing loss puts this all under threat.
World Wide Fund for Nature has partnered with the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD) to create connect2earth movement. The movement partners to engage millions of people worldwide
to speak up on why nature matters and take the lead in action against the harm being done to the planet
we all call home.
Earth Hour
Earth Hour is held annually by encouraging individuals, communities, and businesses to turn off non-
essential electric lights for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on a specific day towards the end of March, as
a symbol of commitment to the planet.
Earth Hour which began as a symbolic lights out event in Sydney in 2007 it is now the world’s largest
grassroots movement for the environment, inspiring millions of people to take action for our planet and
nature. Earth Hour is organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature.
Branches of Vijaya, Dena Bank to operate as outlets of Bank of Baroda
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has stated that all branches of public sector lenders Vijaya Bank and Dena
Bank will function as branches of Bank of Baroda (BoB) from April 1, 2019, and the proposed merger Bank
of Baroda with Dena and Vijaya Bank will be affected from April 1.
Plan of Merger
As per the proposed merger plan, shareholders of Vijaya Bank will get 402 equity shares of BoB for every
1,000 shares held and the shareholders of Dena Bank will receive 110 equity shares of BoB for every 1,000
equity shares held.
The boards of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank will stand dissolved. The entire share capital of Vijaya Bank and
Dena Bank will stand cancelled and the shares of both these banks will also stand delisted from stock
exchanges.
Following the merger of these state-owned banks, BoB will become the third largest bank in India after the
State Bank of India and HDFC Bank.
The consolidated bank will have over 9,500 branches, 13,400 ATMs, 85,000 employees to serve 12 crore
customers. The bank will have a business mix of Rs 15 lakh crore of balance sheet, with deposits and
advances of Rs 8.75 lakh crore and Rs 6.25 lakh crore, respectively.
Indian Open Badminton 2019
The Indian Badminton Tournament 2019 was held at K. D. Jadhav Indoor Hall in New Delhi from 26 to 31
March 2019 and had a total purse of $350,000.
Champions of Indian Open Badminton 2019
Men’s Singles: Viktor Axelsen (Denmark)
Women’s Singles: Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand)
Men’s Doubles: Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin (Chinese Taipei)
Women’s Doubles: Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu (Indonesia)
Mixed Doubles: Wang Yilü and Huang Dongping (China)
India’s Srikanth Kidambi lost to Viktor Axelsen of Denmark 7-21, 20-22 in the men’s singles summit clash.
Zuzana Caputova elected first female President of Slovakia
Zuzana Caputova has won Slovakia’s presidential election, making her the country’s first female head of
state. Ms Caputova defeated high-profile diplomat Maros Sefcovic, nominated by the governing party. She
won 58% of the vote, with Mr Sefcovic trailing on 42%. Mr Sefcovic is the vice president of the European
Commission.
Slovakia

Slovakia is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It borders Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east,
Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia is a member
of the European Union and NATO.
Slovakia was the “other half” of Czechoslovakia, which split into two countries in 1993.
Slovakia’s which spans about 49,000 square kilometres (19,000 sq mi) is mostly mountainous. The capital
and largest city is Bratislava, and the second largest city is Košice. The official language is Slovak and
Euro is its national currency.
GRSE becomes first Indian shipyard to deliver 100 warships
State-owned Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) has become the “first Indian shipyard”
to build and deliver 100 warships. The 100th warship ‘IN LCU L-56’ has been handed over to the Indian
Navy.
GRSE had handed over its 99th warship, ‘ICGS Priyadarshini’, an advanced ‘Fast Patrol Vessel’ to
the Indian Coast Guard.
Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers Ltd
Based in Kolkata, Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) is a shipbuilding company in
India under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence. GRSE primarily caters to the
shipbuilding requirements of the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard. In addition to its ship and
warship building capabilities, GRSE is also engaged in engine production and other engineering activities.
In 1934, GRSE was incorporated under the Indian Companies Act, 1913 and was later acquired by the
Government of India from Macneill & Barry Limited on May 19, 1960. In 2006, GRSE was conferred the
status of Mini Ratna.
Over the years, GRSE has built around 780 platforms, including 100 warships to the Navy, the Coast
Guard, and the Mauritius Coast Guard.
Odisha Divas 2019
The state of Odisha celebrates Odisha Divas or Utkala Divas every year on April 1st to commemorate the
state formation day. On this day 82 years ago, Orissa (now Odisha) was established as a province of British
India.
Odisha Timeline
In 1912, Bihar and Orissa had been separated from Bengal to form the Bihar and Orissa Province.
In 1936, Bihar and Orissa Province was itself split to form Bihar Province and Orissa Province.
On 1 April 1936, the new province Orissa came into being with Sir John Austin Hubback, Indian Civil
Servant (ICS), as the Governor.
Orissa was the first linguistic province in the country.
After Independence, the area of Orissa was almost doubled and the population was increased by a
third with the addition of 24 former princely states.
The name of the state was changed from Orissa to Odisha, and the name of its language from Oriya
to Odia, in 2011.
Known centuries ago as Kalinga, the state of Odisha has displayed exemplary courage in resisting the
might of the Mauryas in the Kalinga War. Home to Lord Jagannath, state of Odisha has a fifth of India’s
coal, a quarter of its iron ore, a third of its bauxite reserves and much of the country’s art and culture.
ISRO Successfully launched Emisat Satellite into Orbit
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched an electronic intelligence
satellite ‘Emisat’ for the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) along with 28 third party
satellites.
About the Launch
The notable aspects of the launch were a new variant of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV);
switching off and on the fourth stage engine couple of times; and the use of the fourth stage as an orbital
platform carrying three experimental payloads.
PSLV first placed the 436 kg Emisat into a 749 km orbit. Then the rocket was brought down to put the 28
satellites into orbit, at an altitude of 504 km.
Then the rocket was brought down further to 485 km where the fourth stage/engine transformed into a

payload platform carrying three experimental payloads:

Automatic Identification System (AIS) from ISRO – for maritime satellite applications capturing
messages transmitted from ships.
Automatic Packet Repeating System (APRS) from AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation),
India – to assist amateur radio operators in tracking and monitoring position data.
Advanced Retarding Potential Analyser for Ionospheric Studies (ARIS) from Indian Institute of Space
Science and Technology (IIST) – for the structural and compositional studies of the ionosphere.
For the first time, the launch also demonstrated new technology of putting payloads into three different
orbits with a new variant of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket.
April 2, 2019
Kandhamal Haldi earns Geographical indication (GI) tag
Kandhamal Haldi a variety of turmeric indigenous to southern Odisha earns Geographical indication (GI)
tag.
Kandamal Haldi
Kandhamal in Odisha’s southern hinterland is famous for its turmeric cultivation, a spice that enjoys
its pride of place in an array of cuisines.
Kandhamal Haldi has more oleoresin and volatile oil contents compared to other turmeric varieties.
Kandhamal Haldi gives strong aroma and has a high medicinal value.
Geographical Indication
Geographical Indication defines the goods as originating in the territory of a country or a region or
locality in that territory, provided a given quality reputation or other characteristics of the product are
attributable to its geographical origin. The product to acquire GI tag has to indicate that a product of a
particular origin has a certain quality or reputation or some other characteristics, which is essentially
attributable to its geographical origin.
The GI tag in India is governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection Act),
1999 and is administered by the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, who is the
Registrar of Geographical Indications and functions under the auspices of the Union ministry of
commerce & industry.
Core Industrial Output increased in February
The output from the eight core sectors which include coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products,
fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity witnessed a growth of 2.1 per cent in February, compared to the
corresponding month last year as per the data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industries.
How Core Industries Performed?
The production of cement (weight: 5.37%) grew at 8%, the most of all core industries.
Coal (weight: 10.33%) production rose by 7.3%.
Crude oil (weight: 8.98%) output increased by 6.1%.
Steel production (weight: 17.92%) increased by 4.9%.
Natural gas (weight: 6.88%) production increased by 3.8%.
Fertilisers (weight: 2.63%) production increased by 2.5%.
Electricity production increased by 0.7%.
The output of refinery products (weight: 28.04%) declined by 0.8% in February.
The combined Index of Eight Core Industries stood at 125.8 in February 2019 and it was 2.1 per cent higher
as compared to the index of February 2018. The cumulative growth of the core industries during April to
February 2018-19 was 4.3 per cent.
UAE scraps ‘profession’ criteria for expats to sponsor family
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has approved a new rule for expats under which foreign workers will
now be able to sponsor their family members if they fulfil certain income criteria and has scrapped the
previously listed ‘professions’ criterion.
Indians in UAE
According to the data from the Indian Embassy, Indians in the UAE constitute the largest part of population of the
country. Approximately 3.3 million non-resident Indians constitute about 30 per cent of the total population of the

UAE.
What did the old criteria say?

Male expats could sponsor their immediate family members such as wife and children if he earned a
monthly salary of Dh 4,000 (approximately Rs 75,000) or Dh 3,000 (Rs 56,000) plus accommodation
provided by his company and had to be employed in certain categories for him to be eligible to
sponsor his family.
Similarly a female resident could sponsor her family only if she was a teacher, engineer or a health
professional and earned Dh 4,000 per month and if she worked in any other sector, she needed to
have a minimum monthly salary of Dh 10,000 (Rs 1.88 lakhs) and a special approval from the General
Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.
The new rules have done away with the profession criterion. The UAE has taken the decision aimed at
enhancing family stability of foreign workers and social cohesion, as well as attracting highly skilled
workers while maintaining a healthy balance between professional and personal lives.
EC ropes in Community Radio Stations to Educate Voters
The Election Commission of India (ECI) in a first of its kind initiative has reached out to over 150
community radio stations across the country to educate and inform the voters ahead of the general
elections.
To facilitate the collaboration a workshop was organised by India International Institute for Democracy
and Electoral Management (IIIDEM), in partnership with Seeking Modern Applications for Real
Transformation (SMART), at IIIDEM, Dwarka.
The Workshop was organised for training and capacity building of the community radios for voter
education and awareness.
How Community Radios can contribute?
They can play a vital role in motivating and mobilising the voters, enlisting them into the electoral
roll, mobilising them to go to the polling booth, educating them about their rights and
responsibilities, and making them an informed and educated voter.
Community radio stations can further strengthen democracy by developing content in local dialects
and deepening the process of voter education and awareness up to the grass root levels.
Community radios are one of the best mediums to reach out to the last voter of the country.
The Election Commission envisions to make community radio stations an integral part of the voter
education programme and the workshops were just the beginning of a long term and sustained
engagement between Election Commission and Community Radio Stations.
Government Proposes Committees to decide on complaints against CIC and ICs
The government has proposed setting up bureaucrat-led committees that would sit and decide on
complaints against the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and Information Commissioners (ICs).
The government has proposed setting up of two committees:
One to receive and decide on complaints against the CIC. The committee would include the Cabinet
Secretary; Secretary, DoPT; and a retired CIC.
Second one for complaints against Information Commissioners. The committee would comprise of
Secretary (Coordination) in the Cabinet Secretariat; Secretary, DoPT; and a retired IC.
Why the move is opposed?
Section 14 (1) of the RTI Act states that Commissioners can be removed only by the President on the
ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity based on the reference made to the Supreme Court by the
President.
Further Section 14 (3) lists the other grounds for removal which includes:
If he/she is adjudged an insolvent,
Has been convicted of an offence which involves moral turpitude.
Engages during his/her term of office in any paid employment outside.
Is unfit to continue in office by reason of infirmity of mind or body; or
Has acquired such financial or other interest as is likely to affect prejudicially his functions as the

CIC or an IC.
The bureaucrat dominated committee proposed by the government is seen as an attempt to skew checks
and balances in favour of the political executive. The committee is also criticised as an attempt by the
political dispensation to influence the working of the ICs and it will take away the independence of an
institution that has served the citizen’s demand for more transparency in the government by making the
Commission more vulnerable to government pressure.
India-Bolivia Sign 9 MoUs
During the state visit of the President Ram Nath Kovind to Bolivia the following 9 MoUs were signed:
Agreement on Exemption of Visa for Diplomatic and Official Passport holders to facilitate entry into
either country of Diplomatic and Official Passport Holders without a visa for a maximum of 90 days
in any period of 180 days.
Agreement to promote the development of academic cooperation in the training of diplomats,
including structure and content and to update on international relations in the framework of the
programmes and activities of the Parties.
Agreement to provide technical advice to deepen necessary studies; contribute to establish
continuous cooperation between public and private companies on issues related to planning,
construction and operation of the Corridor.
Aditya Goswami | adityagoswami2124@gmail.com |
MoU on Cooperation in the field of Geology and Mineral Resources to promote and expand bilateral
relations in the field of geology and mineral resources between the two countries based on
principles of equality and mutual benefit on a long and enduring basis.
Programme of Cultural Exchange for the period 2019-21 to expand relationship in the field of culture
through various activities and exchange of groups, artists, exhibitions and film festivals etc.
Agreement to establish the Centre of Excellence for Information & Communication Technologies for
capacity building of Bolivian professionals and to encourage research and development.
MoU in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy to strengthen, promote and
develop co-operation in the fields of traditional systems of medicine and homeopathy between the
two countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.
MoU between Indian Space Research Organisation and Agencia Boliviana Espacial on Cooperation in
the exploration and the uses of outer space for peaceful purposes to develop organizational basis and
effective forms of bilateral interaction and to promote the development of partnerships in the field
of exploration of the outer space and application of space technologies for the benefit of the people of
both countries.
Framework Agreement on International Solar Alliance (ISA). Bolivia joins the International Solar
Alliance to collectively address key common challenges to the scaling up of solar energy.
India has also offered 100 million US Dollar Line of Credit to Bolivia for financing development projects.
Bolivia Joins International Solar Alliance
During the state visit of the President Ram Nath Kovind to Bolivia, Bolivia has signed the framework
agreement to join the International Solar Alliance.
International Solar Alliance
International Solar Alliance (ISA) aims to provide a common platform to address the specific solar
technology deployment needs of the solar resource-rich countries located between the Tropic of Cancer
and the Tropic of Capricorn.
Availability of abundance of solar energy in these countries can be utilised to generate cost-effective solar
power to address the challenges of the lack of universal energy access, energy equity and affordability.
International Solar Alliance will not duplicate the efforts that other bodies like International Renewable
Energy Agency (IRENA), Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), International
Energy Agency (IEA), Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), United Nations
bodies, bilateral organizations etc. rather it will establish networks and develop synergies with them and
supplement their efforts in a sustainable and focused manner.
ISA has launched three major programmes: Scaling Solar Applications for Agriculture Use, Affordable

Finance at Scale, and Scaling Solar Mini-grids to help in achieving the overall goal of increasing solar
energy deployment in the ISA member countries for achieving universal energy access and speeding up
economic development. Further ISA is planning to launch two more programmes: Scaling Solar Rooftops
and Scaling Solar E-mobility and Storage.
International Solar Alliance is the first body that will have a secretariat in India. India plays a significant
role in the alliance in terms of being a host as well as a major contributor for achieving the target of 1 TW
of solar energy by 2030 which would require $1 trillion to achieve with a target to produce 100 GW of solar
energy by 2022, would account for a tenth of ISA’s goal.
India gains access to Bolivian Lithium Reserves
India and Bolivia have signed an agreement for the development and industrial use of lithium, a prime
component used to power electric vehicles and cell phones during the state visit of the President Ram
Nath Kovind to Bolivia.
Forging Partnerships
India and Bolivia agreed to forge a mutually beneficial partnership to facilitate Bolivian supplies of
lithium Carbonate to India and foster joint ventures for lithium battery/cell production plants in
India. This agreement will make Bolivia, which is known to have one-fourth of the world’s lithium
reserves, one of the major provider of metal for India’s e-mobility and e-storage needs.
The agreement facilitates mechanisms for the commercialization of Lithium Carbonate and
Potassium Chloride produced in Bolivia by Yacimientos de Litio Bolivianos Corporación (YLB –
Corporación).
Why the agreement can be a game changer?
Bolivia is estimated to hold over 60 per cent of the world’s reserves for lithium, which is required for
lithium-ion batteries for portable electronics, and electric vehicles, but has not yet started producing
it commercially.
India is the second largest manufacturer of mobile phones in the world and has the ambitious goal of
30 per cent electric vehicles by 2030. But India imports all its lithium-ion batteries since India has no
known sources of lithium, and zero lithium-ion battery manufacturing capabilities currently.
As a result, India is heavily dependent on China, Taiwan and Japan for import, especially of batteries
required for portable electronics.
With the MoU number of Indian companies setting up production capabilities in Bolivia goes up, as
well as the import of lithium to India. Domestic production is also set to see a boost, from the
automotive perspective. Further, the arrival of hybrids and electric vehicles from as early as 2020
onwards, will force manufacturers to look at local production.
This agreement could turn out to be the backbone for the recently launched FAME India policy (Faster
Adoption and Manufacture of (Hybrid and) Electric Vehicles) and will also give a substantial push to
India’s ambition to have at least 30 per cent of its vehicles run on electric batteries by 2030.
IMD confirms weak El Nino Conditions
India Meteorological Department (IMD) has finally declared that weak El Nino conditions are prevalent in
the equatorial Pacific Ocean. IMD predicts that these conditions are likely to persist in the early part of the
summer season and likely to weaken thereafter.
The initial impact of a weak El Nino can already be seen with the rising temperatures and heat waves
across the country.
Till Mid March IMD was maintaining that “warm ENSO neutral conditions are prevailing over equatorial
Pacific Ocean” and that they are likely to remain near to the El Nino threshold value during the next two
months. The current declaration marks the departure from its earlier predictions.
It is said that the prediction for El Nino has come after a delay since weather agencies in other countries
had declared weak El Nino conditions at the beginning of 2019 viz.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) in January had said that El Nino conditions were prevailing
and that there was 80 per cent chance of an El Nino phenomenon staying till spring season of 2019.
Climate Prediction Centre (CPC) of the National Weather Service in the United States of America
also concluded that weak El Nino conditions had formed in the equatorial Pacific Ocean around the
same time as Japan.

Further an update by the CPC on March 14, 2019 states that “weak El Niño conditions are likely to
continue through the Northern Hemisphere spring 2019 with an 80 per cent probability and summer with
a 60 per cent probability”.
India’s External Debt Eases
India’s external debt has witnessed a decline of 1.6% to US$ 521.2 billion at end-December 2018 over its
level at end-March 2018, on account of the decrease in commercial borrowings and trade credit. Further:
There had been a valuation gain in external debt as at end December 2018 due to the depreciation of
the US dollar vis-a-vis the Indian rupee and other major currencies (viz., SDR, yen, euro, and pound
sterling), were placed at US$ 20.6 billion.
If the valuation effect was excluded the external debt as at end December 2018 would have been US$
541.8 billion.
Commercial borrowings were the largest component of external debt with a share of 37.4%, followed
by NRI deposits (24.1%) and short term trade credit (19.9%).
The long-term debt (with an original maturity of above one year) was placed at US$ 417.3 billion at
end-December 2018.
The share of long-term debt in total external debt at the end of December was 80.1%. It was lower
than its level of 80.7% at the end of March 2018.
The share of short-term debt (with an original maturity of up to one year) in total external debt
increased to 19.9% at end-December 2018 from 19.3% at end-March 2018.
US dollar denominated debt continued to be the largest component of India’s external debt with a
share of 45.9% at end December 2018, followed by the Indian rupee (24.8%), SDR (5.1%), yen (4.9%) and
euro (3.1%).
The outstanding debt of both government and non-government sectors had decreased at end-December
2018, in comparison to end-March 2018, however, increased in comparison to end-September 2018.
EPCA comes out with parking management plan for Delhi
As per the directions issued by the Supreme Court to prepare a parking plan for the capital the
Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA).
Assessment of the Problem
Some Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) have demarcated parking lots and are levying extra
charges for keeping a second or third car. Hence free parking on public land continues to be a city-
wide menace.
A serious crisis of night-time parking exists which in turn is leading to obstruction on roads and
problems with the movement of emergency vehicles, including ambulances, fire engines, etc.”
Lack of regulation or charges over parking on public land adds to the menace, as most car owners, in
order to avoid parking charges, shift to parking on the streets adding to congestion on the road.
Multi-Level Car Parks (MLCPs) remain under-utilised because there is no parking charge on public
land and parking in residential areas is not regulated or priced. As a result, there is no incentive to
use the multi-level parking lots or to pay for these.
Recommendations of the EPCA
Joint management of parking spaces to “ensure that there is coordination between different road
types — service roads and residential lanes and commercial and mixed land use areas.
Parking spill over from residential buildings will require management and multiplicity of
responsibility is at the core of the problems of governance in the city and parking regulations must
not add to this
Pricing for residential parking should be determined jointly by the local agency and RWA/shop-
keepers association and it must be based on the principle of charging differential and higher rates
for additional cars
The local parking plan must ensure that there is provision for movement of emergency vehicles and
green areas, parks and footpaths may not be allowed to be used for parking
The Delhi Police may be directed to greatly improve enforcement against illegal and unauthorised
parking through state-of-the-art equipment, including cameras and automated challans.

The report notes that MLCPs are working at a loss, and these are just operational costs which “do not
account for the price of land, which is exorbitant as these parking lots are located in prime residential
areas.
EMISAT adds to India’s Defence Capability
After the successful test of A-SAT through Mission Shakti, India’s defence capability has got a further
boost with the successful launch of the ElectroMagnetic Intelligence Satellite (EMISAT).
About EMISAT
EMISAT was jointly developed by ISRO and DRDO, two frontline research agencies of the country.
EMISAT will allow India to intercept the radars by detecting the electromagnetic rays from “enemy
radar”.
EMISAT will cater to India’s strategic defence needs by strengthening the armed forces ability to
intercept radar signals and gauge a variety of parameters and understand various details.
EMISAT will allow India to know what kind of radar is at work on the other side, based on the
spectrum and we will be able to read the distance between the radar and Indian assets too.
The satellite has been placed in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at an orbit about 700 km from Earth as
the objective is to detect low power radar signals. Such radars are typically used to track by low-
altitude air-borne vehicles, including aircraft and drones.
The Ministry of Defence had initiated the development of the satellite under the project titled Kautilya,
which was first openly acknowledged in 2013-14. But the DRDO has since maintained secrecy about the
project.
Brexit has cost Britain nearly 2.5% of GDP: Goldman Sachs
A study by the global investment banking, securities and investment management firm, Goldman Sachs
has stated that Brexit has cost Britain nearly 2.5% of GDP.
Findings of the Study
Britain’s economy has lost nearly 2.5 per cent of GDP relative to its growth path prior to the
mid-2016 referendum on exiting the European Union (EU) and has lagged other advanced economies
as uncertainty dents investment.
Policy makers in the UK are still struggling to chalk out the Brexit modalities. The resulting
uncertainty over the future political and economic relations with the EU has resulted in real costs
for the UK economy and has a spillover effect on other economies.
Brexit uncertainty has been a major driver of economic output losses as they are concentrated in
investment.
Goldman Sachs predicts that the Brexit cost stood at around 600 million pounds ($785 million) per
week since the referendum.
Further, in a no-deal Brexit scenario it predicts a 15 per cent chance of, Britain witnessing output
losses with a ”substantial” global confidence shock marked by sharp sterling depreciation.
The study notes that the Brexit will have spillover effects and European countries would be most exposed
to this scenario and estimates an output loss of around 1 per cent of real GDP.
GST Revenue Touches Record High in March
The statement from the Finance Ministry states that GST collections scaled to a record high of Rs 1.06
trillion in March. The revenue collection was Rs 97,247 crore in the month of February.
Record Revenue Mobilisation
The record revenue collection was attributed to increased compliance and increase in the number of
returns filed.
Total gross GST revenue collected in March 2019 stood at Rs 1,06,577 crore of which Central GST is
Rs 20,353 crore, State GST is Rs 27,520 crore, Integrated GST is Rs 50,418 crore and cess is Rs 8,286
crore.
The number of summary sales returns GSTR-3B filed for the month of February up to March 31
stood at 7.59 million.
The GST revenue collection in March 2019 records an impressive 15.6 per cent growth over March

2018 collection of Rs 92,167 crore.

The monthly average of GST revenue during 2018-19 stood at Rs 98,114 crore which is 9.2 per cent
higher than the previous fiscal.
GST Collections for 2018-19
April 2018: Rs 1.03 lakh crore
May 2018: Rs 94,016 crore
June 2018: Rs 95,610 crore
July 2018: Rs 96,483 crore
August 2018: Rs 93,960 crore
September 2018: Rs 94,442 crore
October 2018: Rs 1,00,710 crore
November 2018: Rs 97,637 crore
December 2018: Rs 94,725 crore
January 2019 : Rs 1.02 lakh crore
February 2019: Rs 97,247 crore
March 2019: Rs 1,06,577 crore
The increase in revenue collection in the month of March is an indication that the revenue growth has
been picking up in recent months, despite various rate rationalisation measures.
April 3, 2019
2019 Global Report on Food Crises
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) makes the following observations in the 2019 Global Report
on Food Crises report:
More than 113 million people across 53 countries experienced “acute hunger” last year because of
wars and climate disasters, with Africa the worst-hit region.
Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan and Syria were among the eight nations
accounting for two-thirds of the total number of people worldwide exposed to the risk of famine.
African Nations were “disproportionally” affected as close to 72 million people on the continent
suffered acute hunger.
The key factors which drove the hunger were Conflict and insecurity along with economic
turbulence and climate-related shocks like drought and floods.
In countries on the verge of famine, up to 80 per cent of the populations were dependent on
agriculture. They need both emergency humanitarian aid for food and measures to help boost
agriculture.
The strain put on countries hosting a large number of refugees, including war-torn Syria as well as
Bangladesh, which has received more than a million Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar has been
highlighted in the report.
The overall situation slightly improved in 2018 compared to 2017 when 124 million people suffered
acute hunger. This reduction in numbers was partially owed to the fact that some countries in Latin
America and the Asia Pacific region, for instance, were less affected by weather disasters that had
struck in previous years.
The year-on-year trend of more than 100 million people facing famine was unlikely to change in the
face of continued crises.
High levels of acute and chronic malnutrition in children living in emergency conditions remained
of grave concern.
The Global Food Crises Report is an annual study launched three years ago which takes stock of the
countries facing the greatest difficulties in tackling hunger.
WhatsApp Launches Tip Line to curb Fake News
Social Media Platform WhatsApp has launched an India-focused fact-checking feature to combat fake
news and rumours starting with the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
Curbing Fake News

Users can check the authenticity of the information or rumours received on the platform by
reporting the forward to the WhatsApp number +91-9643-000-888.
The response will indicate if the information is classified as ‘true’, ‘false’, ‘misleading’, ‘disputed’ or
‘out of scope’, and include any other related information.
Pictures, video links or texts in Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam and English will be reviewed by
WhatsApp.
This tip line feature has been developed by WhatsApp in collaboration with India-based media
skilling startup PROTO.
The tip line feature will help to create a database of rumours to study misinformation during
elections as part of a research project commissioned and assisted by WhatsApp.
As more data flows in, WhatsApp will be able to identify the most susceptible or affected issues, locations,
languages, regions, etc. The verification reports Whatsapp sends back will encourage the users to send
more signals for analysis.
RBI sets the limits for Ways and Means Advances (WMA)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in consultation with the government of India has set the limits for Ways
and Means Advances (WMA) for the first half of the financial year 2019-20 (April 2019 to September 2019)
at Rs 75000 crore.
What is Ways and Means Advances (WMA)?
Ways and Means Advances is the temporary loan facility provided by the RBI to the centre and state
governments. The WMA scheme was introduced in 1997 to meet any temporary mismatches in the
receipts and payments of the government.
The WMA needs to be vacated after 90 days. The interest rate for WMA is currently charged at the repo
rate. The limits for WMA are decided by the RBI and in consultation with the Government of India.
Further, the RBI provides an overdraft facility when the WMA limit is breached. The overdraft is not
allowed beyond 10 consecutive working days. The interest rate on overdrafts would be 2 per cent more
than the repo rate.
WMA Scheme for State Governments
For the State Governments, there are two types of WMA – Special and Normal WMA. Special WMA is
provided against the collateral of the government securities held by the State Government. After the
exhaustion of the special WMA limit, the State Government are provided with a normal WMA which is
based on a three-year average of actual revenue and capital expenditure of the state.
Café Scientifique in Kerala
A group of science experts of the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology in Kerala are gearing up to
launch ‘Café Scientifique’ to promote science among the public in an interesting way.
What is Café Scientifique?
Café Scientifique envisages bringing science back into popular culture by demystifying scientific research
for the public and empowering non-scientists to comfortably assess science and technology issues,
particularly those that impact social policymaking.
Café Scientifique is a grassroots public science initiative based on the French Café Philosophique model.
Under Café Scientifique, meetings of science enthusiasts would be organised every month at a café or a
convenient place, where one or more scientists are invited to talk to the public about new developments in
science.
Various topics such as the universe, climate change, evolution, genetics and human-animal relations will
be discussed in every monthly gathering. The project aims to make science relevant, powerful and
important to the public, especially the younger generations.
Supreme Court quashes RBI’s circular Mandating Insolvency Proceedings
The Supreme Court has struck down a February 2018 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) circular which gave
lender banks six months to resolve their stressed assets or move under the Insolvency Code against
private entities who have defaulted in loans worth over Rs 2000 crore.
The RBI had defended the circular by citing public interest and “in the interest of the national economy to
see that evergreening of debts does not carry on indefinitely”. RBI had argued that huge amounts that are
due should come back into the economy for further productive use”.
Observations made by the Supreme Court
The Court accepted the argument made by the petitioners that the applying the 180-day limit to all
sectors, without going into the special problems faced by each sector, would “treat unequals equally”
and is violative of Article 14 of the Constitution.
The RBI circular sourced its power from Section 35AA of the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Act
of 2017. It states that central government may, by order, authorise the Reserve Bank to issue
directions to any banking company or banking companies to initiate insolvency resolution process
in respect of a default, under the provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016”.
But the RBI circular missed two vital factors viz. authorisation of the government and the general
nature of the circular which did not concern a “specific default”.
The Judgment even recorded submission that Rs 34,044 crore of their non-performing assets was
primarily due to government policy changes, failure to fulfil commitments by the government, delayed
regulatory response and non-payment of dues by DISCOMs and were hardly caused by mismanagement.
Hence the power companies had asked the circular to be quashed as it was in the nature of “one-solution-
fits-all”.
RBI tweaks NPA Disclosure Norms
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has brought changes to the bad loan divergence rule. The Bad loan
divergence practice mandated by RBI aims at improving transparency in asset classification. The Changes
brought in by the RBI are:
NPA Disclosure Norms
Banks are required to disclose divergence when the additional provisioning for NPAs assessed by
RBI exceeds 10% of the reported profit before provisions and contingencies for the reference period,
instead of the earlier rule of 15% of the published net profits after tax.
The second condition which prescribed the norms on divergence on gross non-performing assets
(NPAs) continues to be a material divergence of 15 per cent, as found by the RBI auditors and as
reported by the bank has left unchanged.
Why the change in norms?
It was found that some banks, on account of low or negative net profit after tax were forced to disclose
divergences even where the additional provisioning assessed by the RBI was small. This was contrary to
the regulatory intent that only material divergences should be disclosed.
April 4, 2019
World Autism Awareness Day 2019
The World Autism Awareness Day 2019 was celebrated on April 2nd with the theme ‘Assistive
Technologies, Active Participation’.
The theme highlights the integral role technology plays in the development of people with any form of
disability including autism. Technology is not only important for development it also ensures that people
with disabilities enjoy their basic human rights and helps them tackle any issues they face as a member of
the society.
The theme ‘Assistive Technologies, Active Participation’ also highlights the fact that assistive technologies
are expensive and inaccessible to a large population living with autism. There is also a lack of guidance
about the usage of assistive technologies and their efficiency throughout the globe.
Autism
Autism is a neurodevelopment disorder of variable severity which causes disruption in communication
and social interaction. Autism is also characterized by repetitive behaviour and thoughts.
Genesis of the World Autism Awareness Day
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) announced April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day in
2008. The day aims to make sure that no one, including people living with autism, are left behind. The day
aims to make healthcare and technology more accessible to people living with autism.
PMI Reports Manufacturing Growth at Six Month Low
The Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) make the following observations:
Amid slender increases in new orders and production, manufacturing activities slowed down to a
six-month low in March, reflecting a loss of growth momentum.

The PMI slipped from 54.3 in February to 52.6 in March. The PMI score at 52.6 was a six-month low
and it highlights a loss of growth momentum.
Even though the operating conditions in the Indian manufacturing industry are improving, there
was has been a widespread slowdown in growth.
Factory orders and production expanded at the slowest pace since September last while job creation
eased in March.
Softer increases were registered in new orders, production, input buying and employment. The
deceleration was accompanied by subdued inflationary pressures, with rates of increase in input
costs and output charges below their respective long-run averages.
Manufacturing sector expansion in India retreated in March, with metrics for factory orders,
production, exports, input buying and employment all decreasing.
The report ahead of the RBI’s first monetary policy for the ongoing fiscal year to be announced on April 4
makes a strong case for the rate cut. The index is based on data collated from monthly replies to
questionnaires sent to purchasing executives in over 400 industrial companies.
AFSPA withdrawn partially from Arunachal Pradesh
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) was partially removed from three of nine districts of
Arunachal Pradesh but would remain in force in the areas bordering Myanmar.
The State of Arunachal Pradesh had inherited AFSPA since the day of its formation. AFSPA enacted by
Parliament in 1958 and was applied to the entire State of Assam and the Union Territory of Manipur. After
Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland came into being, the Act was appropriately
adapted to apply to these states as well.
Controversial Provisions of AFSPA
Section 4 of the AFSPA empowers an authorised officer in a disturbed area with certain powers. The
authorised officer has the power to open fire at any individual even if it results in death if the
individual violates laws which prohibit (a) the assembly of five or more persons; or (b) carrying of
weapons. However, the officer has to give a warning before opening fire.
The authorised officer is also empowered to (a) arrest without a warrant; and (b) seize and search
without any warrant any premise in order to make an arrest or recovery of hostages, arms and
ammunition.
AFSPA mentions that individuals who have been taken into custody have to be handed over to the
nearest police station as soon as possible. There is no prescribed time limit for detention.
Prosecution of an authorised officer requires prior permission of the Central government.
Observations made by Various Committees
Justice Santosh Hegde Committee found four out of six deaths it was inquiring in Manipur have similar
patterns of cause of death and could be cases of fake encounters.
Justice Santosh Hegde Committee report also concluded that AFSPA has not been able to achieve peace in
the Northeast, and on the contrary, it has widened the distance between the people of these areas and the
mainland.
J.S. Verma Committee (2012) and the Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee (2005) have found the law arbitrary
and have recommended the repeal of AFSPA.
State of Global Air 2019
The US-based organisation Health Effects Institute (HEI) has released the State of Global Air 2019. The
findings of the Study are:
Overall long-term exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution contributed to nearly five million
deaths from stroke, diabetes, heart attack, lung cancer, and chronic lung disease in 2017.
Out of these, three million deaths are directly attributed to PM 2.5, half of which were from India and
China.
South Asia viz. Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan is the most polluted region, with over 1.5
million air-pollution-related deaths.
China and India together were responsible for over half of the total global attributable deaths from
air pollution in 2017.

The life of a South Asian child born today is shortened by two years and six months growing up in
current high levels of air pollution, while the global life expectancy loss is 20 months.
Worldwide, air pollution is responsible for more deaths than many better-known risk factors such as
malnutrition, alcohol use and physical inactivity.
More people globally die from air pollution-related diseases than from road traffic injuries or malaria
every year.
Nearly half of the world’s population, a total of 3.6 billion people — were exposed to household air
pollution in 2017.
Rapid phasing out of fossil fuels could prevent three million premature deaths annually worldwide.
Findings about India
Exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution contributed to over 1.2 million deaths in India in 2017.
Air pollution is the third highest cause of death among all health risks, ranking just above smoking
in India.
In India, 60 per cent of the population still uses solid fuels. This underscores the importance of
achieving success in government initiatives to address the problem.
Household air pollution can be a major source of impact in outdoor air, with indoor pollution
emitted to the outdoor air being the largest cause of health impacts from among all sources in India,
contributing to one in four outdoor air pollution-related deaths.
The report notes that India has initiated major steps to address pollution sources like the Pradhan Mantri
Ujjwala Yojana, accelerated Bharat Stage VI clean vehicle standards and the new National Clean Air
Programme. These and other future initiatives have the potential if fully implemented as part of a
sustained commitment to air quality, to result in significant health benefits in coming years.
ADB cuts India growth forecast to 7.2% for 2019-20
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the recent Asian Development Outlook report has made the
following observations in the forecast for the financial year 2019-20:
India’s growth forecast was lowered for 2019-20 to 7.2% from 7.6% estimated earlier due to
moderation in global demand and likely shortfall in revenue on the domestic front.
Despite the downgrade in growth rate, India will remain the fastest growing economy, as China is
projected to grow at 6.3% in 2019.
ADB has cut the growth estimate to 7% from 7.3% projected in December last year for the just-
concluded fiscal (2018-19).
Growth is expected to rebound to 7.2% in 2019-20 and 7.3% in 2020-21 as policy rates are cut and
farmers receive income support, bolstering domestic demand.
This growth turn around will reverse two years of the declining trend as reforms to improve the
business and investment climate take effect.
The growth forecast for India has some downside risks such as moderation in global demand as
financial conditions tighten, uncertainty arising out of global trade tensions, and the weak economic
outlook in industrial countries.
The growth could suffer if tax revenue falls short or any disruption affects the ongoing resolution of
the twin balance sheet problem of bank and corporate balance sheets.
Since India will remain one of the fastest-growing major economy in the world, it has a golden
opportunity to cement recent economic gains by becoming more integrated in global value chains, and the
young workforce, improving business climate, renewed focus on export expansion.
Curbs on civilian traffic on Jammu-Srinagar Highway
A government notification has stated that the national highway from Baramulla to Udhampur in Jammu
and Kashmir has been put out of bounds for civilian traffic twice a week till May 31. During this time no
civilian vehicles will be permitted on the national highway on Sundays and Wednesdays.
Why the Ban is being implemented?
The ban is being implemented to facilitate the unhindered movement of security forces’ convoys and
eliminate the possibility of fidayeen or suicide terror attacks during the ongoing Lok Sabha election
process.
The ban on civilian traffic would be effective from Baramulla to Udhampur through Srinagar,
Qazigund, Jawahar-Tunnel, Banihal and Ramban and would be in force on the two days from 4 am to
5 pm.
In case of any emergency requiring passage of a civilian vehicle, the police and administrative
officials would take appropriate decisions in line with the provisions of movement of civilian traffic
during curfews.
Recent Attacks
After the February 14, Pulwama terror attack targeting a CRPF convoy which had left more than 40
soldiers dead, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had announced that no civilian traffic would be allowed
during the movement of the paramilitary forces.
Further, on March 30 in a suspected terror attack, a car had burst into flames after hitting a paramilitary
forces’ truck, with the driver of the car having gone untraceable.
India to set up agriculture institute in Malawi
The Ministry of External Affairs has signed an MoU with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Development Consultancy Service (NABCONS) for setting up India-Africa Institute of Agriculture and
Rural Development (IAIARD) in Malawi.
India-Africa Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development
IAIARD would be a Pan-African Institute wherein trainees not only from Malawi but also from other
African countries, will receive training to develop their human resources and build their capacity.
IAIARD will impart training in the areas of micro-financing and agro-financing, among others.
The expenditure on faculty from India, the travel, logistics and training course expenses for students
from other African countries will be borne by the Government of India for an initial period of three
years.
IAIARD is the first of its kind initiative undertaken in an African country by India. IAIARD will further
strengthen the bilateral relations with Malawi and India’s relations with the African Union.
NABARD Consultancy Services
NABARD Consultancy Services (Nabcons) is a fully owned subsidiary promoted by National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). Nabcons is engaged in providing consultancy in all
spheres of agriculture, rural development and allied areas.
Nabcons leverages on the core competence of the NABARD in the areas of agricultural and rural
development, especially multidisciplinary projects, banking, institutional development, infrastructure,
training, etc., internalized for more than two decades.
Proposed Nyay Scheme: Key Facts
In its election manifesto for the Lok Sabha Elections 2019, the Congress party has announced a Minimum
Income scheme Nyuntam Aay Yojna (Nyay) as a surgical strike against poverty.
Key Facts about the Proposed Scheme
The Nyay scheme is targeted towards 5 crore families who are the poorest 20 per cent in India.
Nyay scheme guarantees each family a cash transfer of Rs. 72,000 a year and as far as possible the
money will be transferred to a bank account of a woman in the family.
There will a design phase (3 months), followed by pilot and testing phases (6-9 months) before the
rollout of the plan.
The scheme will be implemented in phases and the estimated cost will be less than 1 per cent of the
GDP in the first year, and less than 2 per cent of the GDP in the second year and thereafter.
As the nominal GDP grows and the families move out of poverty, the cost will decline as a proportion
of the GDP.
If brought to power, Congress announces the appointment of an independent panel of economists,
social scientists and statisticians to oversee the design, testing, rollout and implementation of the
programme. The programme will move from one stage to the other only after a go-ahead from the
panel.
The Nyay scheme would be a joint scheme of the central and state governments.

Nyay scheme will be funded through new revenues and rationalisation of expenditure. Current
merit subsidy schemes that are intended to achieve specific objectives will be continued.
Economists say that income-support schemes of this type cannot coexist with subsidies on account of the
resultant fiscal burden. On a standalone basis, the proposed scheme, for 5 crore households, will add 1.9
per cent of GDP to the fiscal deficit and the projected outlay could be higher than India’s health budget
estimated at about 1.4 per cent of GDP.
RBI Cuts Key Interest Rate
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has slashed the key interest rate, repo rate by 25 basis points or 0.25 per
cent to 6 per cent and has decided to maintain the neutral policy stance.
Financial Statement of the RBI
RBI projected GDP growth at 7.2 per cent for the financial year 2019-20.
Reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted to 5.75% and the marginal standing facility (MSF)
rate and the Bank Rate to 6.25%.
RBI expects economic growth to be in the range of 6.8-7.1 per cent in the first half of the current
financial year, and in the range of 7.3-7.4 per cent in the second half with “risks evenly balanced”.
Inflation is likely to remain benign in the short term. Assuming a normal monsoon in 2019, the RBI
lowered its CPI inflation projection to 2.4 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2018-19.
For the first half of the current financial year 2019-20, RBI expects inflation at 2.9-3.0 per cent, and
3.5-3.8 per cent in the second half.
RBI to issue a fresh circular for Banks on how to tackle NPAs since the Supreme Court has struck
down the February 2018 circular which gave lender banks six months to resolve their stressed assets
or move under the Insolvency Code against private entities who have defaulted in loans worth over
Rs 2000 crore.
The rate cut will provide commercial banks more room to pass on the benefit of lower lending rates to
loan borrowers. At the same time, it would also translate into a lower interest rate earned by depositors.
US approves sale of 24 MH 60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters to India
The United States Department of State on Tuesday approved the sale of 24 multi-role MH-60 Romeo
Seahawk helicopters to India at a price of $2.4 billion (Rs 16,516 crore).
Sale of MH 60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters
The Lockheed Martin-built helicopters will replace India’s ageing fleet of British-made Sea King
helicopters.
MH-60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters will provide the Indian defence forces with the capability to
perform anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions.
MH-60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters are designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and
aircraft carriers along with the ability to perform secondary missions including vertical
replenishment, search and rescue, and communications relay.
MH-60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters will add would add lethal capabilities of the Indian Navy, which
experts say is also the need of the hour given the aggressive behaviour of China in the Indian Ocean
region.
MH-60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters are considered as the most capable naval helicopter available today
and are currently deployed with the US Navy as the primary anti-submarine warfare anti-surface weapon
system for open ocean and littoral zones.
BIS and IIT-Delhi to Collaborate on Standardisation and Conformity Assessment
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi have signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in the field of standardisation and conformity
assessment.
Key Features of the MoU
BIS and IIT-Delhi will be setting up a Centre of Excellence in the field of Standardisation, Testing
and Conformity Assessment with the BIS branding at IIT-Delhi campus and have also agreed to
appoint a Chair in the field of standardisation and conformity assessment.
IIT Delhi will provide infrastructure support for research and development projects of relevance to

standardisation and BIS will provide financial support to IIT Delhi for projects.
Both the institutions will jointly organise training and short-term education programmes on
standardisation and conformity assessment, besides exploring the possibility of the hiring of IIT
Delhi faculty as consultants on a secondment basis.
IIT-Delhi will also introduce topics on standardisation in its academic courses for which BIS will
provide inputs.
The MoU will remain in force for a period of five years and can be extended further.
The MoU will also explore the possibility of using laboratory facilities available at IIT Delhi for
catering to the requirements of various conformity assessment schemes of the BIS.
Around 50 faculty members of IIT-Delhi are part of the technical committees of BIS and hoped that the
memorandum would strengthen the collaboration further.
12 NCR districts, Agra switch to BS-VI Fuel
The Indian Oil Corporation has stated that Supply of ultra-clean BS-VI grade petrol and diesel has begun
in cities adjoining the national capital. The rest of the country will follow suit from April 2020. New Delhi
is the first city in the country to leapfrog from BS-IV grade petrol and diesel to BS-VI fuels.
Bharat Stage Norms
Bharat Stage norms are standards set by the government to regulate emission of air pollutants from
motor vehicles. The norms set the limit for the release of air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon
monoxide, hydrocarbons, particulate matter (PM) and sulphur oxides from vehicles using internal
combustion engines. The Bharat stage norms are based on Euro norms.
Difference between BS-IV and BS-VI Norms
The extent of sulphur is the major difference between the Bharat stage IV and Bharat stage VI
norms.
Bharat stage IV fuels contain 50 parts per million (ppm) sulphur whereas Bharat Stage-VI grade fuel
only has 10 ppm sulphur.
Bharat Stage VI will bring PM in diesel cars down by 80 per cent when compared to Bharat stage IV.
Bharat Stage VI will bring down nitrogen oxides from diesel cars by 70 per cent and in petrol cars by
25 per cent.
In 2015 India had decided to leapfrog to BS-VI emission norm compliant petrol and diesel from April 2020,
from the BS-IV grade by skipping BS-V norms. While the deadline for the rest of the country stands, the
same for Delhi, which is choking on thick toxic smog, was brought forward.
Maitri Bridge: Longest Suspension Bridge
Indian Army built the longest suspension bridge over Indus river in Leh in just 40 days and the bridge is
named as Maitri Bridge.
Maitri Bridge
The bridge was constructed by the combat engineers of ‘Sahas aur Yogyata’ regiment of ‘Fire and
Fury Corps’ of the Indian Army.
The bridge is 260-feet long.
This cable suspension bridge is expected to give a major boost to connectivity in remote areas in
Ladakh.
The bridge is constructed using around 500 tonnes of bridge equipment and construction material.
Maitri Bridge has been dedicated to the people of India to commemorate the 20th year of Kargil Vijay
Divas.
The bridge is part of the central government plans to all-weather road connectivity in the region.
Japan names new imperial era as Reiwa
Japan has revealed the name of the era which will define the new emperor’s reign when he ascends the
Chrysanthemum Throne next month following a historic abdication. The era has been named as ‘Reiwa’.
Reiwa
“Reiwa” consists of two characters: “Rei”, which can have meanings related to “order” but also
“auspicious” and “Wa”, usually translated as “peace” or “harmony”.
Japan is still using imperial calendars for private and public documents as well as computer records.

Hence the new era has a huge impact on daily life and people tend to recall major events in public
and private life by when they fell in a certain era
2019 was known as Heisei 31, or the 31st year of current Emperor Akihito’s rule.
The name for the new imperial era, Reiwa was taken for the first time from an ancient Japanese
book instead of from Chinese classics.
The era of “Reiwa” begins on May 1, a day after 85-year-old Emperor Akihito abdicates and hands over the
Chrysanthemum throne to his eldest son. Crown Prince Naruhito.
April 5, 2019
International Mine Awareness Day and Assistance in Mine Action 2019
International Mine Awareness Day and Assistance in Mine Action 2019 was observed on April 4 with the
theme ‘United Nations Promotes SDGs – Safe Ground – Safe Home’.
The Theme ‘United Nations Promotes SDGs – Safe Ground – Safe Home’ highlights the fact that “All
people have the right to live in security, and not fear their next step” and calls for mine action, which
“clears paths and creates safe ground on which homes can be built or rebuilt” and “changes mindsets so
that people know how to protect themselves”. The theme links mine action, sport and the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) by showing how clearing minefields, bring communities together and raises
awareness about mine victims, and survivors of armed conflict.
Further, the United Nations has launched “Safe Ground”, a new strategy and campaign to “ensure that no
one, no State, and no war zone is left behind”.
Genesis
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 8 December 2005 declared that 4 April of each year shall
be observed as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
The day calls for the establishment and development of national mine-action capacities in countries where
mines and explosive remnants of war constitute a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of the
civilian population, or an impediment to social and economic development at the national and local levels.
UAE awards PM Narendra Modi with Highest Civilian Honour
United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been conferred with the prestigious Zayed medal by President of the UAE
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. PM Modi has been awarded in recognition of efforts in giving “a big
boost” to bilateral relations between both the countries.
The statement issued by the UAE states that PM Modi has provided “exceptional leadership” in forging a
new “strategic” relationship between the two nations. It lauds Modi’s foreign policy and the way New
Delhi reached out to the Islamic world.
Zayed Medal
The ‘Order of Zayed’ is the highest civil decoration instituted by the UAE. It consists of a collar cantered by
a medallion bearing the name ‘Zayed’ who is the founding father of the United Arab Emirates. The Order
of Zayed is awarded to Heads of Government/Head of State for their international relations with UAE.
South Korea Launched the world’s First Nationwide 5G mobile Network
South Korea launched the world’s first nationwide 5G mobile networks on 11 pm April 3, 2019. Three top
telecom providers SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus launched the 5G services.
South Korea launched the 5G services two days ahead of the schedule as there were speculations that US
mobile carrier Verizon might start its 5G services early. Verizon began rolling out its 5G services in
Chicago and Minneapolis on April 3, a week ahead of schedule. Reports suggest the 5G network in South
Korea was launched in South Korea two hours ahead of the US.
Benefits of 5G
5G will provide smartphones with near-instantaneous connectivity, 20 times faster than 4G. This allows
users to download entire movies in less than a second.
5G will deliver vastly increased capacity, lower latency, and faster speeds. 5G networks will operate in a
high-frequency band between 28 GHz and 60 GHz. This range is known as the millimeter wave (mmWave)
spectrum and the sub-6 GHz range that LTE calls home will also be used. As a result, a lot of bandwidth
will be available to users.
In addition to greater bandwidth, the new 5G networks will have a dense, distributed network of base

stations in the small cell infrastructure. This will allow more processing to happen on the edge, leading to
lower latencies.
The 5G technology is crucial for the future development of devices such as self-driving vehicles and is
expected to bring about $565 billion in global economic benefits by 2034.
Southwest Monsoon Likely to be Below Normal this Year
Independent weather forecaster Skymet has made the following predictions about the Southwest
Monsoons:
India could face its third consecutive below-normal monsoon this season, and the rainfall is expected
to be 93% of the long-period average.
With all likelihood of El Niño playing a disruptive role, there is only a 30% chance of normal rain
during this year’s southwest monsoon, which delivers about 70% of the country’s annual rainfall and
there is a 55% probability of below normal rainfall this year.
June-to-September southwest monsoon season is expected to begin on a lean note and the deficit is
expected to spill over into July.
Rainfall is expected to get better in the second half of the season as the El Niño phenomenon is
expected to weaken.
August and September are likely to witness normal showers and Odisha, Chhattisgarh and coastal
Andhra Pradesh are most likely to see normal rains throughout the season.
Even the IMD has predicted weak El Nino conditions which would be prevalent in the early part of
the summer season and likely to weaken thereafter.
Normal Rainfall
Rainfall in the range of 96-104% of the long-period average of 89 cm is considered normal, while a range of
90-95% of this average is considered below normal.
NuGen Mobility Summit 2019
The International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) will be organizing a NuGen Mobility Summit,
2019, at Manesar, NCR, from 27th to 29th November 2019.
About the Summit
The objective of the Summit is to provide a platform for sharing new ideas, learnings, global
experiences, innovations and future technology trends for faster adoption, assimilation and
development of advanced automotive technologies for a smarter and greener future.
The summit will help in building a platform for bringing together all stakeholders in the automotive
industry to understand global advancements in technologies.
The summit aims to bring together the automotive OEMs, professionals, researchers, academic
experts, vehicle system suppliers, test equipment supplier, quality managers, product planners,
component developers, SAE members and students from all over the world.
Track demonstrations, drive-touch-feel activity and lab demonstrations on upcoming vehicle
technologies like connected mobility, autonomous vehicles, electric mobility, alternate fuels,
intelligent transportation system, hydrogen fuel cell, hydrogen IC engine, vehicle dynamics,
advanced materials and lightweight, end of life vehicles and recycling are the uniqueness of this
event.

International Centre for Automotive Technology, Manesar

International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT), Manesar is a division of NATRIP Implementation
Society (NATIS) under the Department of Heavy Industries, Government of India.
It provides services for testing, validation, design and homologation of all categories of vehicles and has a
mission to assist the automotive industry in adopting cutting edge technologies in vehicle evaluation and
component development to ensure reliability, durability and compliance to the current and future
regulations in new generation mobility solutions.
Enzyme to Arrest Bacteria Cell Growth Discovered
Scientists from the Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB) have discovered a new enzyme which
helps in breaking cell walls of bacteria. This discovery offers the potential for a new drug delivery system
to arrest the anti-bacterial resistance through existing antibiotic drugs.
Why the discovery is of great significance?
A lot of antibiotics are available in the market to combat various diseases like cholera typhoid, leprosy.
Now there is a growing concern over the bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics, which means that
small infections can also become a threat to a patient.
The researchers have discovered a new enzyme “Murein EndopeptidiaseK” which would cut the bacteria
cell wall. The enzyme Murein EndopeptidiaseK would act on the protein of the cell wall of the bacteria and
it can be a potential drug target. This discovery of a new enzyme will ensure the cell wall synthesis would
not occur.
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) is a biotechnology research establishment in Hyderabad
and operates under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). CCMB is also a
designated “Center of Excellence” by the Global Molecular and Cell Biology Network, UNESCO.
NIIF-Roadis to set up platform to invest in Road Projects
The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and global transport infrastructure operator
Roadis will jointly set up a platform to invest up to $2 billion of equity in road projects in India. The
platform would target toll-operate-transfer models and acquisitions of existing road concessions.
Roadis is a fully owned subsidiary of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board which is one of Canada’s
largest pension funds.
NIIF Funds
Currently, NIIF is managing the capital invested through three funds, namely:
NIIF Master Fund: It focuses mainly on core infrastructure and operating assets.
NIIF Fund of Funds: It invests in funds managed by third-party managers in the infrastructure and
associated sectors.
NIIF Strategic Fund: It is a diversified investment strategy, including greenfield projects and debt
platforms.
NIIF’s role in infrastructure funding has acquired great significance in recent years, in the backdrop of
most public-sector banks are struggling to cope with toxic assets and IL&FS, a key infrastructure
refinancer until last year been ridden by the crisis.
US House votes to end American involvement in Yemen’s Civil War
The US House of Representatives has voted to end US involvement in Yemen’s civil war. The resolution to
end the American Involvement in the civil war was approved by 247 to 175 votes. The resolution directs
the US President to remove US Armed Forces from hostilities in or affecting the Republic of Yemen within
30 days. The resolution rejects the US Presidents support for the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen.
Yemen Civil War
The roots of the civil war can be traced to the failure of a political transition which was supposed to
bring stability to Yemen following an Arab Spring uprising which forced the longtime authoritarian
president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, to hand over power to his deputy, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, in 2011.
President Hadi struggled to deal with a variety of problems, including attacks by jihadists, a
separatist movement in the south, continuing loyalty of security personnel to Saleh, as well as
corruption, unemployment and food insecurity.
The Houthis and security forces loyal to Saleh in a bid to regain power attempted to take control of
the entire country, forcing Mr Hadi to flee abroad in March 2015.

Alarmed by the unfolding events which they believed to be backed militarily by regional Shia power
Iran, Saudi Arabia and eight other mostly Sunni Arab states began an air campaign aimed at
restoring Mr Hadi’s government.
The war has led to a military stalemate. Even though the government and the Houthis agreed to a
ceasefire, they are yet to start withdrawing, raising fears that the deal will collapse.
Even though the resolution has been passed with an overwhelming majority at the House of
Representatives, Mr Trump is expected to veto the legislation. White House has called the resolution as
flawed and warned it would harm bilateral relations in the region.
April 7, 2019
New Year in India
Various Parts of India welcomed the New Year on 6th April. Ugadi, Gudi Padava etc were observed in
different parts of the Country.
New Year in different Parts of the Country
Ugadi/Yugadi
Ugadi in Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh falls in the Chaitra month and is celebrated by
distributing jaggery and neem flowers which is symbolic to sharing both sweet and bitter experiences of
life.
Gudi Padwa
Gudi Padwa which falls in the Chaitra month of Hindu calendar is celebrated in the state of Maharashtra
by hanging Gudi on the right side of the entrance of their house. Gudi is a bright yellow cloth tied to the
tip of a long bamboo and copper pot placed in inverted on it along with a sugar garland.
Baisakhi
Baisakhi is the Punjabi New Year celebrated in the month of April by performing their folk dance, Bhangra
and Gidda and feasting.
Puthandu
Puthandu is the Tamil New Year celebrated in the month of April by preparing Manga Pachadi a
traditional food to ring in their new year.
Bohag Bihu
Bohag Bihu is the Assamese New year celebrated by performing the folk dance Bihu and a grand buffet.
Pohela Boishakh
Pohela Boishakh is the Bengali New Year celebrated with making many sweetmeats.
Bestu Varas
Bestu Varas is celebrated in Gujarat on the day after Deepavali. Marwaris in Rajasthan also celebrate their
new year during Deepavali.
Vishu
Vishu is the Malayali New Year celebrated in the state of Kerala in the month of April.
Losoong
Losoong is the Sikkimese New Year and falls in December at the end of harvesting. It is celebrated by
performing Chham dance.
Navreh
Navreh is the Kashmiri New Year celebrated in the Hindu month of Chaitra.
Cheti Chand
Cheti Chand is the Sindhi new year celebrated on the second day of Chaitra month is to honour of the
birth of Jhulelal.
ESPN India Multi-Sport Awards 2018
The ESPN Multi-Sport Awards recognised achievements across 11 categories, of which winners across 10
categories were selected by an independent 14-member jury.
The Winners are:
Sportsperson of the Year (Male) – Neeraj Chopra (Athletics)
Sportsperson of the Year (Female) – P V Sindhu (Badminton)
Comeback of the Year – Saina Nehwal (Badminton)

Coach of the Year – Jaspal Rana (Shooting)
Emerging Sportsperson of the Year – Saurabh Chaudhary (Shooting)
Team of the Year – Women’s team (Table tennis)
Match of the Year – Amit Panghal vs Hasanboy Dusmatov (Boxing)
Differently-abled athlete of the Year – Ekta Bhyan (Para-athletics)
Moment of the Year – Women’s 4x400m relay
Lifetime Achievement Award – Pradip Kumar Banerjee (Football).
India’s Electric Mobility Transformation: Progress to Date and Future Opportunities
NITI Aayog together with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) has released a report titled “India’s Electric
Mobility Transformation: Progress to Date and Future Opportunities”. The report analyses the
opportunities for the automobile sector and government under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of
Electric Vehicles II (FAME II) scheme.
Highlights of the Report
Benefits of FAME II will go beyond the vehicles that are eligible under the FAME II.
There would be considerable energy and CO2savings associated with two-, three-, and four-wheelers
and buses covered by FAME II over their lifetime, as well as the potential savings associated with
greater adoption levels by 2030.
The electric buses covered under FAME II will account for 3.8 billion vehicle kilometres travelled
over their lifetime.
In order to capture the opportunity potential in 2030, batteries must remain a key focal point since
they will continue to be the key cost driver of EVs.
Vehicles eligible under FAME II scheme can cumulatively save 5.4 million tonnes of oil equivalent
over their lifetime worth Rs 17.2 thousand crores.
Electric Vehicles sold through 2030 could cumulatively save 474 million tonnes of oil equivalent
(Mtoe) worth Rs 15 lakh crore and generate net CO2 savings of 846 million tonnes over their
operational lifetime.
India needs active participation from the auto industry to ease electric mobility transition. The auto
and battery industries could collaborate to enhance customer awareness, promote domestic
manufacturing, promote new business models, conduct R&D for EVs and components, consider new
business models to promote EVs
The government must focus on a phased manufacturing plan to promote EVs, provide fiscal and
non-fiscal incentives for phased manufacturing of EVs and batteries. Different government
departments can consider a bouquet of potential policies, such as congestion pricing, ZEV credits,
low emission/exclusion zones and parking policies among others to drive adoption of EVs.
India’s electric vehicle market is poised for growth with a blend of policies, such as FAME II, and the
automotive industry’s willingness to provide new mobility solutions to the citizens of the country.
Such a transformation will create enormous economic, social and environmental benefits for the
citizens of India.
The report reasserts optimism for India to achieve mass-scale EV adoption that will translate to a massive
reduction in oil imports and CO2 emissions.
National Maritime Day 2019
The National Maritime Day 2019 was observed on April 5, 2019. The theme of the National Maritime Day
2019 was “Indian Ocean – An Ocean of opportunity”.
National Maritime Day
National Maritime Day (NMD) first observed on April 5, 1964, aims to spread awareness in supporting safe
and environmentally sound commerce between the continents across the world.
Awards Conferred during the National Maritime Day
NMD Varuna Award to recognize persons for their sustained and outstanding contribution.
NMD Award of Excellence to recognize and persons for their lifetime exceptional and distinguished

achievements or performance at the senior functional level in the Indian Maritime Sector.
Award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Maritime Education and Training’ shall be given by the
National Maritime Day Celebrations (Central) Committee for the sustained contribution made by an
individual to the Maritime Education and training.
It has to be noted that the World Maritime Day is celebrated on September 26 every year to highlight the
importance of shipping, maritime security and environment.
Global Cooling Coalition
The Global Cooling Coalition was launched at the first Global Conference on Synergies between the 2030
Agenda and Paris Agreement held at Copenhagen, Denmark.
About the Coalition
The Global Cooling Coalition is supported by the UN, Climate and Clean Air Coalition, the Kigali Cooling
Efficiency Program and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL). The coalition includes environment
ministers from Chile and Rwanda and foreign affairs from Denmark as well as heads of Danish
engineering firms ENGIE and Danfoss and leaders from civil society, research and intergovernmental
institutions
The Global Cool Coalition is a unified front that links action across the Kigali Amendment, Paris
Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. The Coalition aims to:
Inspire ambition, identify solutions and mobilise action to accelerate progress towards clean and
efficient cooling.
Complement and build upon ongoing successful programmes to advance clean and efficient cooling,
including, the Cooling for All Secretariat, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, the Kigali Cooling
Efficiency Programme, private sector action like the Global Cooling Prize, and other initiatives.
Provide all with sustainable cooling at a scale that would ensure safe food, safe vaccine and comfort
at work.
Why it is Significant?
As the incidence of heat waves is increasing with the regular and alarming frequency it is affecting the
health and well being of people. Hence there is a growing demand for cooling which keeps individuals
healthy, vaccines stable, food nutritious and economies productive.
Due to rising temperatures and spending power, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that the
number of air conditioners in use is expected to increase from 1.2 billion today to 4.5 billion by 2050 to
meet the cooling needs.
But the world also needs to tackle the challenge of ensuring the emission levels are well within the
prescribed limits. The Global Cooling Coalition offers a three-in-one opportunity to cut global warming,
improve the lives of hundreds of millions of people and make huge financial savings.”
World Health Day 2019
World Health Day 2019 will be observed worldwide on the 7th of April with the theme “Universal health
coverage”. The theme Universal health coverage seeks to ensure that everyone can obtain the care they
need, when they need it, right in the heart of the community.
World Health Organisation (WHO) notes that even though progress is being made in countries in all
regions of the world millions of people still have no access at all to health care and are forced to choose
between health care and other daily expenses such as food, clothing and even a home.
The theme Universal health coverage reminds world leaders that everyone should be able to access the
health care they need, when and where they need it.
Why April 7?
The World Health Day is celebrated on April 7, 1948 to commemorate the establishment of WHO which
came into being to address vital health care issues. WHO is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
April 8, 2019
Nagaland observes 75th anniversary of Battle of Kohima
Nagaland observed the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Kohima. The event was attended by the
representatives from the UK and Japan who spoke on the theme of ‘Remembrance, Reconciliation and
Rebirth’.

The dignitaries from the UK and Japan sought reconciliation and forgiveness for the sufferings and pain
caused against each other at the Battle of Kohima, that was fought in three stages during the Second
World War in 1944.
Battle of Kohima
Battle of Kohima is considered as the turning point of the Japanese U Go offensive, or Operation C mission
launched in India in 1944 during the Second World War. The Battle of Kohima was fought in three stages
from 3 April to 22 June 1944 around the town of Kohima in Nagaland in northeast India:
From 3 to 16 April, the Japanese attempted to capture Kohima ridge, a feature which dominated the
road by which the besieged British and Indian troops of IV Corps at Imphal were supplied. By mid-
April, the small British and Indian force at Kohima was relieved.
From 18 April to 13 May, British and Indian reinforcements counter-attacked to drive the Japanese
from the positions they had captured. The Japanese abandoned the ridge at this point but continued
to block the Kohima–Imphal road.
From 16 May to 22 June, the British and Indian troops pursued the retreating Japanese and
reopened the road. The battle ended on 22 June when British and Indian troops from Kohima and
Imphal met at Milestone 109, ending the Siege of Imphal.
The battle is often referred to as the “Stalingrad of the East”. Kohima was the theatre of the War in 1944
and the Nagas were drawn into it on both sides some with the British and some with the Japanese.
President’s Certificate of Honour and Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman Awards Conferred
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu conferred President’s Certificate of Honour and Maharshi Badrayan Vyas
Samman Awards at New Delhi.
Presidential Award of Certificate
The award of the Certificate of Honour was introduced in the year 1958 to honour the scholars of
Sanskrit, Arabic and Persian Languages.
It was extended to cover Pali/Prakrit in the year 1996.
Further, the award was extended to cover languages of Classical Odiya, Classical Kannada, Classical
Telugu, Classical Tamil and Classical Malayalam
The award is conferred in recognition of the outstanding contribution of various scholars of
eminence over 60 years of age.
Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman Awards
Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Sammandistinction is conferred on persons in recognition of their
substantial contribution in the field of Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, Pali, Prakrit, Classical Odiya,
Classical Kannada, Classical Telugu and Classical Malayalam.
The award was introduced in the year 2002.
The award is given to selected young scholars in the age group of 30 to 45 years.
The Presidential award carries a certificate of honour, a memento and a one-time cash prize of
Rs.1 lakh.
Both the awards are conferred by the Ministry of Human Resources and Development, Government of
India.
India evacuates peacekeeping CRPF contingent from Libya
India has evacuated its entire contingent of peacekeeping forces comprising of 15 Central Reserve Police
Force (CRPF) personnel from Tripoli after the situation in the war-hit nation suddenly worsened.
Libyan Crisis
Ever since the 2011 uprising which overthrew and killed long-ruling dictator Muammar Gaddafi, Libya is
engulfed in a crisis.
Even though there is an UN-backed internationally recognised government headed by Fayez al-Sarraj,
Libya is governed by rival authorities in the east and in Tripoli, in the west, each backed by various armed
groups.
Libyan National Army (LNA) is backing the Tobruk-based parliament which governs the East of Libya and
the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) controls Libya’s western parts from Tripoli.
An agreement signed in 2015 created the GNA as the legitimate interim Libyan government. It was not

wholly implemented due to disagreements with the Tobruk-based parliament.

The recent tipping point of the crisis was the attempts by the Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter led LNA to
capture Tripoli which is the seat of GNA. The GNA determined to defend Tripoli struck back against LNA.
This escalation led to the killing of 23 civilians and several others were injured.
David Malpass appointed as President of World Bank
David Malpass who held a senior role at the US Treasury and was the undersecretary for international
affairs has been appointed as the President of World Bank. He was nominated by the US president Donald
Trump. David Malpass had also held senior roles in the US Treasury during the Reagan and George HW
Bush administrations.
David Malpass has also served as chief economist at Bear Stearns bank. Later he founded research group
Encima Global and held a number of directorships at finance firms.
Appointment of the President of World Bank
As per the guidelines of the World Bank, the World Bank president must have:
A proven track record of leadership.
Experience managing large organizations with international exposure, and a familiarity with the
public sector.
Ability to articulate a clear vision of the Bank’s development mission.
A firm commitment to and appreciation for multilateral cooperation.
Effective and diplomatic communication skills, impartiality, and objectivity.
Executive directors of the World Bank can nominate candidates for the post and the candidate must be
citizens of one of the bank’s member countries and cannot be a bank governor, executive director or
alternate.
If there are more than three candidates, there would be a shortlisting process to narrow the field through
an informal straw poll. Then the shortlisted candidates will be interviewed by the board. The board will
then make a final selection through a majority vote.
To win the presidency of the World Bank, a candidate must win approval from the institution’s executive
board, which has 25 members. The US holds a 16% share of board voting power hence more often it is the
US-backed candidate gets elected for the post of the president.
National Seminar on Greenery and Landscaping
A National Seminar on “Greenery and Landscaping” was organized by the Central Public Works
Department (CPWD). The seminar focused on Green Urban Areas. The recommendations made at the
conference are:
Green Urban Areas play an important role in the social and natural sustainability and improve
quality of life.
Greenery and Dense plantation have a major impact on the conservation of energy and reduce the
energy requirement of the building.
In order to maintain a sustainable environment, pollution free clean air, it is essential to take up the
plantation work.
Cost of land has increased manifold and high rise buildings are coming up, people are getting hardly
any area for the greenery. Keeping in view the same, plantation, greenery and other environment-
friendly applications should be planned around the building by way of dwarf trees, small shrubs,
ground covers, hanging baskets, creepers, etc.
There is a need to adopt wood alternative in building construction. Use of alternate materials like
Bamboo needs to be encouraged.
Orientation and proper training should be imparted to the persons engaged in landscaping and
Horticulture, for implementation of the new technologies in this field to save the labour and cost of
the project in the long run.
Emphasis should be given for conserving and transplanting indigenous and grown-up trees.
Herbal and medicinal plants need to be encouraged. Herbal plants are useful for keeping life healthy.
Application of Organic Manure needs to be adopted for healthy and nutritious food.

Water conserving irrigation method like drip irrigation, Sprinkler irrigation and pop up system
needs to be adopted.
Plants and greenery help in reducing the adverse effects of climate change. Therefore every
individual should adopt minimum one tree.
Green initiative needs to be taken up on a mission mode by every nation, every city, every society
and every individual so that future generations may lead a happy and healthy life.
Urban Green Areas
Urban Green Areas refer to green spaces such as parks and sports fields as well as woods and natural
meadows, wetlands or other ecosystems, represent a fundamental component of any urban ecosystem.
Report of Amicus Curiae on Kerala Floods
The amicus curiae Jacob P. Alex appointed by the Kerala High Court to assist it in flood-related cases has
submitted the report to the Kerala High Court. The report makes the following observations:
The sudden release of water simultaneously from different reservoirs during the heavy rain in
August 2018 had aggravated the damage during the floods.
High reservoir storage and sudden release of water had resulted in worsening the floods.
It appeared that dams in the State did not have an effective flood control zone and flood cushions.
The flood cushion or flood control zone is a temporary storage space for absorbing high flow for
alleviating downstream flood damage.
None of the 79 dams in the State were operated or used for the purpose of flood control and
moderation, despite the obligation to utilise them for flood control as per the stipulations under the
National Water Policy, National Disaster Management Authority guidelines on the flood.
Various alerts (blue/orange/red) were issued not in accordance with the EAP (Emergency Action
Plan) guidelines.
No proper follow-up action and effective precautionary steps, especially for evacuating people and
accommodating them in safe locations, were taken after the issue of red alert.
None of the dams had EAP (Emergency Action Plan) despite the mandate of the National Disaster
Management Authority to have it by 2009.
Most of the major reservoirs were almost full before the extreme rainfall and they did not have the
capacity to accommodate the additional flow, compelling the authorities to release a substantial
amount of water from reservoirs in a short span of time at the peak of the rainfall.
Almost all dams released water only after the water level crossed the FRL (Full Reservoir Level) or
reached the MWL (maximum water level).
Dam managers should not have solely relied on the IMD prediction for dam management and
variation in India Meteorological Department forecast could not be a justification for delayed release
of water from dams.
Emergency Action Plan
Emergency Action Plan is a written document prepared by the dam operator and it contained plans to
prevent or lessen the impact of a failure of the dam or appurtenant structure.
2019 Malaysian Open Badminton

The 2019 Malaysia Open Badminton tournament was held at Axiata Arena in Malaysia from 2 to 7 April
2019 and has a total purse of $700,000.
Winners of the Tournament
Men’s Singles: Lin Dan (China)
Women’s Singles: Tai Tzu-ying (Taiwan)
Men’s Doubles: Li Junhui & Liu Yuchen (China)
Women’s Doubles: Chen Qingchen & Jia Yifan (China)
Mixed Doubles: Zheng Siwei & Huang Yaqiong (China)
The Malaysia Open is an annual badminton tournament that has been held since 1937 and it is also known
as Malaysia Super Series.

April 9, 2019
Ujjwala Beneficiaries in Four States still use Earthen Stoves
A study from the Research Institute for Compassionate Economics (r.i.c.e) study on the Pradhan Mantri
Ujjwala Yojna (PMUY) makes the following observations:
Most rural households with LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) connections still use chulhas with
firewood or dung cakes which are the detriment of rural health.
85% of Ujjwala beneficiaries in rural Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan still use
solid fuels for cooking, due to financial reasons as well as gender inequalities.
In the four States surveyed, there was a substantial increase in LPG ownership due to the scheme,
with 76% of households now owning an LPG connection.
Overall only 27% of households exclusively used the gas stove and another 37% reported using both
the chulha and the gas stove, while 36% used chulha exclusively.
Whereas among those who received LPG connection through PMUY, almost 53% exclusively used
the chulha, while 32% used both.
The beneficiaries of PMUY are poorer, on average than households who got LPG on their own.
Refilling the cylinder is a greater fraction of their monthly consumption, and they may be less likely
to get a refill immediately after a cylinder becomes empty.
Almost 70% of households do not spend anything on solid fuels, meaning that the relative cost of an
LPG cylinder refill, even if subsidised, is far higher.
Women are not typically economic decision-makers in the household, hindering a shift to LPG usage.
70% of respondents thought the gas stove was better for the health of the cook (typically a woman),
more than 86% felt that cooking on the chulha was better for the health of those eating, reflecting
ignorance of the fact that ambient air pollution is harmful even to those who are not cooking the
food.
The survey covered a random sample of 1,550 households in 11 districts of the four States, which
collectively have two-fifths of the country’s rural population.
EC bans publication of Uncertified ads on Polling Day & Day Before
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has barred parties, candidates and others from publishing political
advertisements on polling day and a day prior to it in each of the seven phases of Lok Sabha polls unless
their contents are pre-certified by screening committees.
The Election commission has stated that the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee at the state
and district levels be immediately activated to examine and pre-certify all such advertisements received
from the political parties.
Why Ban?
Instances of advertisements of offending and misleading nature published in print media have been
brought to its notice in the past.
Such misleading advertisements in the last stage of the election vitiate the entire election process.
The affected candidates and parties will not have any opportunity of providing clarification/rebuttal
in such a scenario.
To ensure that no untoward incident takes place because of any inflammatory or hate
advertisements.
At present, electronic media is barred from showing election publicity material during the last 48 hours
before the conclusion of polling. Using its constitutional powers, the Election Commission has directed no
political party, candidates or others will publish any advertisement in the print media on the day and one
day prior to polling day in all the phases unless they are pre-certified by the screening committees. The EC
had taken such a decision for the first time in 2015 Bihar polls.
International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwanda Genocide
International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwanda Genocide was observed on 7th April on 7th April in
memory of the victims of the genocide in Rwanda.
1994 Rwanda Genocide
1994 Rwanda Genocide was the genocide against the Tutsi community directed by members of the Hutu

majority government during the 100-day period from 7 April to 15 July 1994.
About 85% of Rwandans were Hutus and the Tutsi minority has long dominated the country. In 1959, the
Hutus overthrew the Tutsi monarchy and tens of thousands of Tutsis fled to neighbouring countries,
including Uganda.
A group of these Tutsi exiles formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). The RPF invaded
Rwanda in 1990 and fighting continued until a 1993 peace deal was agreed.
On 6th April, a plane carrying then-President Juvenal Habyarimana, and his counterpart Cyprien
Ntaryamira of Burundi both Hutus was shot down which killed everyone on board.
Hutu extremists blamed the RPF and immediately started a well-organised campaign of slaughter
whereas the RPF said the plane had been shot down by Hutus to provide an excuse for the genocide.
ITBP Soldiers Cast First Vote for 2019 Polls
The first vote for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections was cast in Arunachal Pradesh by service voters from
a remote Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) unit located in the eastern tip of the state of Arunachal
Pradesh.
Votes through postal ballots have been cast from Lohitpur for many constituencies in India and the ballot
papers have been dispatched.
Who are Service Voters?
Service voters are those who have service qualification and include members of Armed Forces of the
Union of India, members of Armed Police forces of the States serving outside that state and persons
employed under Government of India on posts outside India.
They are provided with an option to cast the votes through postal ballots and send them to the
returning officer of the constituency.
A service voter can also cast his vote through a proxy. The proxy can cast the vote on behalf of the
service personnel at the polling station.
The proxy should be a registered voter of that constituency.
In cases of close contests, service voters play a crucial and decisive role.
RBI issues norms to set up Currency Chests
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued guidelines for banks to set up new currency chests. The
guidelines include:
Area of the strong room/ vault of at least 1,500 sq ft. For those situated in hilly/ inaccessible places,
the strong room/ vault area of at least 600 sq ft.
The new chests should have a processing capacity of 6.6 lakh pieces of banknotes per day. Those
situated in the hilly/ inaccessible places, a capacity of 2.1 lakh pieces of banknotes per day.
The currency chests should have Chest Balance Limit (CBL) of Rs 1,000 crore, subject to ground
realities and reasonable restrictions, at the discretion of the Reserve Bank.
Currency Chest
Currency chest is the place where the currency is stored. These chests act as the distributives of RBI cash
and enable RBI to take back soiled notes and mutilated notes from the public.
As per the RBI’s annual report of 2017-18, the currency management infrastructure consists of a network
of 19 issue offices of the Reserve Bank, 3,975 currency chest and 3,654 small coin depots of commercial, co-
operative and regional rural banks spread across the country.
US to Designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guards a Foreign Terrorist Group
President Trump Administration of US has announced its intent to designate the Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps (IRGC) and its Quds Force, as a foreign terrorist organisation (FTO) in accordance with
Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The designation is expected to take effect from April
15.
The designation as FTO will impose sweeping economic and travel sanctions on the IRGC and on
organisations, companies, and individuals that have links to it.
IRGC and Quds Force
IRGC is an ideologically-driven branch of the armed forces of Iran set up in 1979 after Ayatollah
Khomeini’s Islamic Revolution to protect the newly established Islamic system from hostile foreign

powers and internal dissensions. Quds Force or Qods Corps is an elite wing of the IRGC.
Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO)
Under Section 219 of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act, the Secretary of State is
authorised to designate an organization as a foreign terrorist organization. If the Secretary finds that
The organization is a foreign organization.
The organization engages in terrorist activity or terrorism.
Threatens the security of United States nationals or the national security of the United States.
The designation of IRGC as an FTO highlights that IRGC is an outlaw regime that uses terrorism as a key
tool of statecraft.
SC directs EC to raise random matching of VVPAT slips
The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to increase the random matching
of paper trail machine slips with EVM results from one to five polling booths in each assembly segment for
the multiphase Lok Sabha polls. The Supreme Court has said that the move will bring more “credibility”
and “integrity” to the electoral process.
VVPAT machines are being used for the first time in any Lok Sabha elections. They were deployed in some
parliamentary and assembly bypolls.
The polling station where VVPAT slips are matched with EVM results is decided by a draw of lots or
lottery system in the presence of candidates.
Currently, the Election Commission was following one EVM per assembly segment guidelines wherein
there was a random counting of VVPAT machines in one booth of each assembly segment.
VVPAT
Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) is a device which dispenses a slip with the symbol of the party for
which a person has voted for. The slip appears on a small window for seven seconds and then drops in a
box. The voter cannot take it home. VVPAT displays candidate’s serial number, Name of the candidate and
Corresponding symbol for whom the vote has been cast.
National Institutional Ranking Framework 2019
The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) rankings have been released by the Ministry of
Human Resource Development. The rankings list the best institutions and universities of India.
The NIRF ranking framework instituted in 2016 evaluates institutions on five broad generic groups of
parameters, including Teaching, Learning and Resources, Research and Professional Practice, Graduation
Outcomes, Outreach and Inclusivity and Perception.
Ranking of the Institutions
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras has topped the overall rankings of higher education
institutions and is followed by IISc Bangalore and IIT-Delhi ranked second and third in the overall
rankings.
In the 2018 rankings, IISc Bangalore had topped the overall rankings.
Of top 10 institutes in the overall ranking, seven are IITs.
In the University Category, IISc Bangalore has been ranked one followed by Jawaharlal Nehru
University (JNU) and the Banaras Hindu University (BHU).
Miranda House of the Delhi University has topped the college’s rankings followed by Hindu College
in Delhi and the Presidency College in Chennai.
In the Engineering institutions category IIT-Madras topped the ranking followed by Delhi and Eight
of the top 10 engineering institutions are IITs.
In the category of Management Institutions, top six ranks have been retained by Indian Institutes of
Management (IIMs). IIM Bangalore (IIM-B) has bagged the top spot. IIM Ahmedabad (IIM-A) bagged
the second spot and IIM Calcutta is on the third spot.
Jamia Hamdard has been announced as the top varsity for Pharmacy.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has been adjudged as the best medical college.
National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, have been adjudged as the best medical
college law school.
A total of 3,127 institutions participated in the ranking process under overall rankings, category-specific

and domain-specific ranking and 4,867 applications for rankings were made by the total applicant
institutions under various categories and domains.
Online Harms White Paper
The UK Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in association with Home Office have released
the Online Harms White Paper.
The White paper sets out a programme of action to tackle content or activity that harms individual users,
particularly children, or threatens our way of life in the UK, either by undermining national security or by
undermining our shared rights, responsibilities and opportunities to foster integration. Public
consultation has been called on for the white paper.
Suggestions Made in the White Paper
Establishing an independent regulator that can write a “code of practice” for social networks and
internet companies.
Giving the regulator enforcement powers including the ability to fine companies that break the
rules.
Considering additional enforcement powers such as the ability to fine company executives and force
internet service providers to block sites that break the rules.
The white paper covers a range of issues that are clearly defined in law such as spreading terrorist
content, child sex abuse, so-called revenge pornography, hate crimes, harassment and the sale of illegal
goods together with harmful behaviour that has a less clear legal definition such as cyber-bullying,
trolling and the spread of fake news and disinformation.
Decolourisation of River Periyar
The River Periyar in Kerala is again witnessing the decolourisation. The decolourisation of River Periyar
which provides drinking water to Kochi city and adjoining areas has become the cause of worry for the
people and government of Kerala. The water turned pitch black in one stream, it was milky near the
Pathalam regulator-cum-bridge.
Eutrophication
The pollution control Board (PCB) has attributed the change in colour to the poor quality of water as a
result of eutrophication. PCB has stated that huge quantities of organic load in the form of sewage from
nearby townships are regularly reaching the river system. This is contributing to the eutrophication
resulting in the change of colour.
River Periyar
River Periyar flows in the state of Kerala. It originates in the Western Ghats and flows north for a short
distance to Periyar Lake. Periyar Lake. is an artificial reservoir created by Mullaperiyar Dam across the
river. From the Periyar Lake, tunnel carries water through mountains to the Vaigai River in Tamil Nadu,
where it is used for irrigation.
Further downstream Idukki dam is constructed across the river. The river descending out of the
mountains into the coastal plain and empties into the Arabian Sea.
April 10, 2019
Vice admiral Bimal Verma Withdraws Plea Challenging Appointment as Navy Chief
Vice Admiral Bimal Verma has withdrawn his petition from the Armed Forces Tribunal which challenged
the appointment of Vice Admiral Karambir Singh as the next navy chief replacing Admiral Sunil Lanba. He
was superseded in the appointment.
Why did he withdraw the Petition?
According to the rules, Vice Admiral Bimal Verma had the option of filing a statutory complaint with
the Defence Minister before taking the legal recourse.
Vice Admiral Bimal Verma approached the tribunal if he is not satisfied with the way his complaint
is addressed by the Defence Ministry.
The tribunal has asked the petitioner why the option of approaching the Defence Ministry was not
availed.
The Tribunal asked them to explore the option of approaching the Defence Ministry and allowed them to
withdraw their plea.

CRPF celebrates 54th Valour Day

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) celebrated its 54th Valour Day (Shaurya Diwas) on April 9. On the
occasion, President Ram Nath Kovind paid homage to the martyrs of police at National Police Memorial in
New Delhi.
Why April 9 is observed as Shaurya Divas?
In the intervening night of 8 and 9 April 1965, nearly 3500 men from the 51st Infantry of Pakistani Army
invaded India at Sardar Post. The mission of the Pakistani Army was to capture the Indian Territory
defended by Sardar Post.
The Sardar post was being guarded by two battalions of CRPF which comprised of roughly 150 soldiers.
The CRPF soldiers were no match in terms of arsenal compared to the Pakistani Army. The 51st Infantry
of Pakistani Army invaded India comprised 18 Punjab battalion, 8 Frontier Rifles, and 6 Baluch battalion.
In addition, the terrain was disadvantageous for the Indian forces.
In the fight ensued the Pakistani Army made three attempts to overrun the post. The CRPF soldiers
thwarted every attempt with a brilliant display of courage and strategic intelligence.
The battle lasted for 12 hours and in the end, the Pakistani Army fled the battleground leaving behind 34 of
their men dead, which included two officers. Another four soldiers were captured alive. On that night, the
CRPF lost six of its brave soldiers. Ever since April 9 is observed by the CRPF as the Valour Day or Shaurya
Diwas.
World Bank’s Migration and Development Brief
As per the report of the World Bank’s Migration and Development Brief, India has retained its position as
the world’s top recipient of remittances (money sent back home by its nationals working abroad) in 2018.
World Bank Report on Remittances
Indian diaspora has sent $79 billion (approximately Rs 5.5 lakh crore) home.
The Remittances grew by more than 14% in India.
A flooding disaster in Kerala has likely boosted the financial help that migrants sent to families.
India received $ 62.7 billion remittances in 2016 and it was $65.3 billion in 2017.
India was followed by China ($67 billion), Mexico ($36 billion), the Philippines ($34 billion) and Egypt
($29 billion),
Remittances to low-and-middle-income countries rose 9.6% from 2017 and touched a record high of
$529 billion in 2018.
Global remittances reached $689 billion in 2018, up from $633 billion in 2017.
Remittances to South Asia grew 12% to $131 billion in 2018.
The upsurge in remittances was driven by stronger economic conditions in the United States.
The pick-up in oil prices had a positive impact on outward remittances from some GCC [Gulf
Cooperation Council] countries.
Excluding China, remittances to low and middle-income countries ($462 billion) were significantly
larger than foreign direct investment flows in 2018 ($344 billion).
Gulf Cooperation Council
Gulf Cooperation Council is s a regional intergovernmental political and economic union consisting of
all Arab states of the Persian Gulf except Iraq. Its member states are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
World Economic Outlook April 2019
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the World Economic Outlook 2019 April report has made the
following forecasts:
The global growth will be 3.3% in 2019, down from 3.6% in 2018 and 4% in 2017.
The reduced growth rates are attributed to lower global expansion in the second half of 2018 caused
by U.S.-China trade tensions, macroeconomic stress in Turkey and Argentina, tighter credit policies
in China and financial tightening plus normalisation of monetary policy in advanced economies.
Global growth is expected to level out at 3.6% over the medium term beyond 2020. The growth
would be driven by a moderation in expansion in advanced countries (caused by weak productivity
growth and slow labour force growth) and the stabilisation of emerging market expansion at 2020

levels.
Advanced economies are expected to slow down to 1.6% growth by 2022 and remain at that rate
thereafter.
Growth is expected to steady at 4.8% over the medium term For emerging markets and developing
countries.
The emerging markets and developing countries are growing faster than advanced economies. Their
contribution to global growth is expected to increase from 76% to 85% over the next five years.
China is expected to slow down to 5.5% by 2024 as it moves towards increasing private consumption
and services and regulatory tightening.
Estimates for India
India’s economy will grow 7.1% in 2019-20 and is expected to accelerate to 7.3% growth this fiscal
and to 7.5% in 2021-22. All the estimates are 0.2 percentage points less than its previous assessment
in January.
IMF estimates are higher than those of the Reserve Bank of India. RBI had last week cut its growth
forecast to 7.2% for this fiscal and 7.4% for FY21.
The reduction in India’s estimate is on account of the “the recent revision to the national account
statistics that indicated somewhat softer underlying momentum”.
IMF suggests reforms to hiring and dismissal regulations to help incentivise job creation and absorb
the country’s large demographic dividend.
India’s growth is expected to stabilise at 7.75% over the medium term, driven by structural reforms
and the easing of infrastructure bottlenecks.
IMF calls for continued implementation of structural and financial sector reforms in order to lower public
debt and aid growth.
Government clears procurement of 464 T-90 tanks
The Cabinet Committee of Security has cleared the proposal for the procurement of the 464 T-90 tanks
from Russia.
About the Procurement Deal
The cost of the acquisition is expected to be worth over Rs 13,000 crores.
The deal also includes a Make-in-India element for integration at the Heavy Vehicles Factory in
Avadi near Chennai.
The acquisition will increase the new T-90 regiments by 10 more units.
The new T-90 tanks would be equipped with thermal imaging night sights to allow the tank
commander to strike enemy locations during night battles.
T-90 battle tanks are expected to be deployed on the borders with Pakistan.
T-90 has emerged as the main battle tank of the Indian Army. It would be replacing the older
variants of T-72 and T-55 tanks in the force
The acquisition is expected to tackle the problem of Indian Army’s 4000- strong tank fleet has been
battling with night blindness in the past and these new tanks would help in doing away with that.
India’s Education Technology Start-Up Bags Global Tech Prize
India’s education technology startup ‘Dost Education’ has bagged a $25,000 Next Billion Edtech Prize 2019
along with two other winners from Tanzania and Egypt. Ubongo (Tanzania) and PraxiLabs (Egypt) were
the other two winners.
Dost Education
Dost Education was awarded for its ability to empower parents to take charge of their child’s early
education by creating short, friendly audio content that is sent to them via their mobile phones.
The software, audio content, and tool kits of Dost Education makes it easy fun and addictive for parents to
boost their child’s early development, so low-income families need no longer send their children to
primary school behind and without a chance to catch up.
Next Billion Edtech Prize 2019
Next Billion Edtech Prize 2019 is awarded by the UK-based Varkey Foundation. The award recognises the
most innovative technology destined to have a radical impact on education in low income and emerging

world countries.
The award also highlights technology’s potential to tackle the problems that have proven too difficult for
successive generations of politicians to solve.
M3 EVMs to be used in Nizamabad
The Election Commission has decided against the using of Ballot papers in the Nizamabad parliamentary
constituency of the Telangana. To accommodate a whopping 185 candidates in contention the Election
Commission has decided to use the M3 EVMs in the Lok Sabha Polls.
The Election Commission has ordered Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) to supply 26,820
EVMs, 2,240 control units and 2,600 Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trails (VVPAT) of M3 make.
In each of the polling station, there will be 12 M3 version EVMs. All the EVMs would be connected to a
single control unit and a VVPAT. These EVMS will be arranged in ‘L’ shape with each machine carrying a
maximum of 16 names.
The Election Commission also had to tackle with the grappling problem of allocating symbols for the 178
farmers who are contesting as independents, complained that they were yet to be allotted the symbols.
M3 EVMs
M3 EVMs are the third generation EVMs. The M3 EVMs can keep data of 384 candidates. M3 EVMS also
has added features like Tamper Detection and Self Diagnostics. The tamper detection feature makes an
EVM inoperative the moment anyone tries to open the machine. The Self diagnostic feature checks the
EVM fully every time it is switched on. Any change in its hardware or software will be detected.
World Homeopathy Day 2019
April 10 is observed as the World Homeopathy Day. Every year World Homeopathy Day is observed on
April 10, the birthday of Dr Samuel Hahnemann who discovered Homeopathy in 1796.
World Homeopathy Day aims to create better awareness about homoeopathy, improve its accessibility
and to modernise the system of healing.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is an alternative system of medicine based on the principle of ‘Like cures like’. Homeopathy
believes that a disease can be cured by a substance that can induce symptoms similar to the ailment itself
by using highly-diluted doses of natural ingredients. These diluted doses of natural ingredients are
expected to trigger the body’s healing system. Homeopathy is among the Indian government’s AYUSH for
alternative medicine
Western medicine dismisses Homeopathy as a mere placebo whose two most important principles are at
loggerheads with the laws of physics. But plenty of documented cases exist where people have been
seemingly cured of their health conditions with Homeopathy.
India seeks to push reforms at WTO
The Ministry of Commerce and Industries is arranging a mini-ministerial meeting of developing countries
on May 13-14 to discuss the future of the multilateral body, World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the
development agenda.
India is expected to invite close to two dozen countries for discussions on May 13-14. It is second such
initiative undertaken by India since talks collapsed in Buenos Aires in December 2017. Unlike the earlier
initiative, the US and the European Union will not be part of the discussions this time.
Agenda for the Discussion
A global framework for e-commerce, an issue that is being pushed hard by the US. China is not
averse to negotiations and maybe India would be willing for the discussions.
US proposal to do away with special and differential (S&D) treatment for developing countries such
as India, China, Brazil and South Africa. The special and differential treatment allows developing
countries to maintain higher duties and implement agreements at a slower pace than the developed
world.
The US is arguing that the better-off developing countries are eating up the gains that should accrue
to the poorer nations in the category.
Ensure that WTO remains the key fulcrum of global trade and attempts by the US to do away with
the principle of a consensus-based approach.

Discussions around reform of the dispute settlement mechanism which the US is pushing for
aggressively.
India and other countries are demanding that there was a need to ensure that S&D treatment remains as
they are still home to a large number of poor and vulnerable sections.
PM May Repeats ‘deep regret’ Jallianwala Bagh
British Prime Minister Theresa May reiterated the UK government’s long-standing expression of ‘deep
regret’ over the April 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre and called the massacre a ‘shameful scar’ on British
Indian history. But the words of PM May fell short in issuing a formal apology.
Since 2019 was the centenary of the horrendous act there was a growing demand from many quarters for
the formal apology including Indian diaspora and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
The UK government has announced that on the centenary of the massacre British high commission in
New Delhi would visit the memorial site on April 13 and lay a wreath. There would be a public
acknowledgement of the centenary and the sense of ‘deep regret’ in events organised in the UK.
Earlier the Punjab Assembly had passed a resolution seeking a formal apology from Britain for the
Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The statement by the Prime Minister Theresa May did not go beyond the long-
standing expression of ‘deep regret’ over the April 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Even though the Minister for Asia and the Pacific, said that he recognised the “strong and compelling
case,” for Britain to go beyond the deep regret already expressed by the U.K. The Foreign Minister of UK
referred to the potential “financial implications” as one of the issues to be considered before any formal
apology.
Veer Parivar App Launched
On the occasion of the 54th Valour Day (Shaurya Diwas) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF),
President Ram Nath Kovind launched ‘Veer Parivar App’, a mobile application for families of CRPF
personnel killed in the line of duty.
About the Veer Parivar App
The Veer Parivar App will act as an interface between the CRPF authorities and the next of kin of the
slain personnel.
The Veer Parivar App will be installed securely on the phones of the slain personnel families and will
not be available in the app stores.
The app will provide assistance to the families of the martyred CRPF personnel with regard to
issuance of ex gratia, pension benefits etc.
The app will also provide all the necessary information regarding the welfare schemes introduced
for them by the government.
The Android-based Veer Parivar App will provide assistance to the families on a real-time basis and the
CRPF authorities will respond to the issues raised by the members of the families of the slain personnel.
April 11, 2019
Bold Kurukshetra–2019
Bold Kurukshetra–2019, Joint Military Exercise of India and Singapore was inaugurated at Babina
Cantonment of Jhansi. The joint exercise is aimed at developing military technology, enhance the
maritime security and bolster the nations’ fight against terrorism.
India-Singapore Defence Cooperation
In November 2017, India and Singapore had entered into an official agreement to strengthen defence ties
between their respective armed forces. As per the agreement, personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces
will receive training and undertake firing exercises along with the Indian Armed Forces.
Both India and Singapore have also agreed to step up intelligence and information sharing in maritime
security, especially in the field of counter-terrorism, and agreed to expand collaboration on submarine
safety and rescue.
Namami Gange Bags Global Recognition
National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) or Namami Gange has received the distinction of “Public Water
Agency of the Year” by Global Water Intelligence at the Global Water Summit in London.
The awards aim to recognise excellence across the international water industry and reward those

initiatives in the water, wastewater, and desalination sectors, which can bring remarkable improvements
in the lives of people.
An integrated mission for Ganga rejuvenation, the Namami Gange programme provides for a
comprehensive multi-sector intervention with multi-stakeholder involvement and adopts a basin-based
approach.
Global Water Summit
Global Water Summit is the annual business conference for the water industry worldwide. The summit
attracts high-level executives from industry, municipalities and international water companies and
provides the opportunity to connect with hard-to-reach industry insiders that will not attend any other
water event.
The summit provides a platform for connecting the public and private sector and for accelerating change
and innovation within the sector, it attracts the most influential industry representatives and also
becomes a forum for business development and expanding your network.
New State of Matter Discovered
Scientists from the University of Edinburgh of Scotland using powerful computer simulations have
discovered the existence of the state known as the chain-melted state.
Chain-Melted State
At the chain-melted state, atoms are both solid and liquid at the same time.
Scientists have discovered that when extreme pressure and temperature are applied to potassium, it
can form a state in which most of the atoms form a lattice structure but a second set is in a fluid
arrangement.
Scientists say that It would be like holding a sponge filled with water that starts dripping out, except
the sponge is also made of water.
Over half a dozen elements including sodium and bismuth are thought to be capable of existing in
the newly discovered state.
Researchers hope it can be further examined to find more uses for the unexpected discovery.
PCI guidelines on Election Reporting and Paid News
The Press Council of India (PCI) has issued the guidelines for the media to give objective reports about the
election and cautioned it against the phenomenon of paid news. The guidelines call for:
Newspapers are not expected to indulge in unhealthy election campaigns, exaggerated reports
about any candidate or party during the elections.
PCI cautioned the press to eschew reports which tend to promote feelings of enmity or hatred
between people on the grounds of region, religion, race, caste, community or language.
The press should refrain from publishing false or critical statements in regard to the personal
character and conduct of any candidate or in relation to the candidature or withdrawal of any
candidate or candidature, to prejudice the prospects of that candidate in the elections.
PCI cautioned against publishing unverified allegations against any candidate or party.
Whenever the newspapers publish pre-poll surveys, they should take care to preface them
conspicuously by indicating the institutions which have carried on such surveys, the individuals and
organisations which have commissioned them, the size and nature of sample selected and the
method of selection of the sample for the findings.
PCI has also asked the media to guard against paid news which is defined as “any news or analysis
appearing in any media (print & electronic) for a price in cash or kind as consideration.”
The PCI has also urged the authorities that rules and orders regulating the entry of the media persons to
places of election should be notified and the cut-off date for applying for passes should be given due and
advance publicity.
RailTel turns 1600 railway stations into RailWire Wi-Fi zone
RailWire Wi-Fi by RailTel is now live at 1600 railway stations across the country. The Santacruz railway
station in Mumbai became the 1600th station to become a RailWire Wi-Fi zone.
RailWire
RailWire is a retail Broadband initiative of the RailTel. It envisages extending broadband and application

services to the public. RailTel is working to establish bringing fast and free Wi-Fi at all stations (except the
halt stations) within a year.
RailTel has provided high-speed Wi-Fi at 985 stations with its funding. The Wi-Fi at 415 A, A1 and C
category stations has been provided in association with Google as the technology partner. Wi-Fi
connections at 200 stations were provided with support from the Universal Service Obligatory Fund of
the Government of India.
Universal Service Obligation Fund
Universal Service Obligation Fund was instituted by the government of India to help fund projects to boost
connectivity in rural areas. The money for this fund comes through a ‘Universal Access Levy,’ charged from the
telecom operators as a percentage of various licenses fees being paid by them.
RailTel
RailTel Corporation of India Ltd. is a Miniratna public sector enterprise of Government of India. It is one of
the largest neutral telecom infrastructure providers in the country owning a Pan-India optic fibre
network on exclusive Right of Way (ROW) along Railway track.
Hong Kong’s stock market overtakes Japan to be world’s third largest
Hong Kong’s equity market has overtaken Japan to be the world’s third largest in value, behind only the
U.S. and mainland China. This is due to the rebound witnessed in Hong Kong stocks after their worst year
since 2011.
Hong Kong Equity Market
Hong Kong’s market cap was $5.78 trillion as of Tuesday and Japan’s market cap was $5.76 trillion. Hong
Kong’s Hang Seng Index climbed 17 per cent this year through Tuesday. The main driver behind the climb
was Internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. which has witnessed a 22 per cent gain. Japan’s Topix Index
advanced 8.3 per cent this year.
As the IMG released the World Economic Outlook April 2019 report, both markets witnessed a slowdown.
The Hang Seng Index slipped 0.1 per cent and the Topix fell 0.7 per cent.
Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year for 2018
The Wisden has named Virat Kohli as the Leading Cricketer of the Year for 2018.
Wisden Cricketer of the Year
Indian Skipper Virat Kohli is joined by Tammy Beaumont, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran and Rory Burns.
Indian player Smriti Mandhana bagged the Women’s Leading Cricketer of the Year.
Rashid Khan of Afghanistan bagged the Leading T20 Cricketer of the Year.
Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year
Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year represent a tradition that dates back in Wisden to 1889. This makes
Wisden’s oldest individual award in cricket. The selection is at the will of the editor. The editor chooses
cricketers based n their “influence on the previous English season”.
Indian Cities and Air Pollution
The Air Pollution levels at the Indian cities are at an alarming level. Various Reports have time and again
tried to shed light on the quantum of the problem.
Air Pollution and Indian Cities
A Delhi based Environment Body claims that the Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok
Sabha constituency, is ranked third on the WHO’s list of 15 most polluted cities and the situation is
“deteriorating” as its MP has focused on beautification and infrastructure.
In the ‘Political Leaders Position and Action on Air Quality in India 2014-2019’ report, released by
Climate Trends Delhi is ranked sixth on the list. The report states that there has been “laziness” on
part of its elected caretakers in tackling air pollution in the city.
As per the World Health Organisation, (WHO) list of most polluted cities, 14 of the 15 most polluted
cities in the world are in India of which four are in Uttar Pradesh.
WHO report states that the Prime Minister’s parliamentary constituency Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh
is witnessing a rise in the number of people suffering from allergies and respiratory problems due to
a “lot” of construction in the city.
Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh is the most polluted city in the world. Kanpur is ranked one on the list.

Faridabad in Haryana has been ranked second and Varanasi has been ranked third.
Gaya and Patna in Bihar are fourth and fifth on the list.
Delhi has been ranked sixth and Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow is ranked seventh.
The report by climate trends claimed MPs of Lucknow and Kanpur — Home Minister Rajnath Singh
and senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi respectively — have mostly been silent on the issue of
air pollution in their respective constituencies.
Other cities in the WHO list of polluted cities are Agra, Muzaffarpur, Srinagar, Gurugram, Jaipur,
Patiala and Jodhpur.
Air Quality Index
The Air Quality Index between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200
“moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”, as per pollution
control authorities.
April 12, 2019
Deepa Malik wins New Zealand PM’s Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship
Rio Paralympics silver medallist Deepa Malik was named as the recipient of the New Zealand Prime
Minister’s Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship for 2019 in recognition of her inspiring achievements. Deepa
Malik had won the silver medal in shot put event in Rio in 2016.
The citation states that the Deepa Malik exemplifies two values that make a great sportsperson: courage
and a can-do attitude. Deepa is an inspiring achiever who can confidently and proudly carry forward our
message of inclusivity and the pursuit of excellence.
Deepa Malik will be undertaking a series of visits to Paralympic sporting organisations, and engage with
Kiwi athletes, students and the media as well as New Zealand’s significant Indian Diaspora community.
Deepa Malik will promote cultural as well the people-to-people relationship between India and New
Zealand.
New Zealand Prime Minister’s Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship
The Fellowship Program is running since 2008 aims to strengthen the relationship between India and
New Zealand by showcasing the different aspects of the warm friendship between the two countries. The
fellowship aims to strengthen the ties between India and New Zealand.
Sir Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Percival Hillary was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and Philanthropist. Hillary and
Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers confirmed to have reached the
summit of Mount Everest on 29 May 1953. They were part of the ninth British expedition to Everest, led by
John Hunt.
Sir Edmund Hillary served as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh and
concurrently as Ambassador to Nepal from 1985 to 1988.
Alice G. Vaidyan awarded the Freedom of the City of London
Alice G. Vaidyan, Chairman and Managing Director of the General Insurance Corporation (GIC) of India,
India’s reinsurance major, has been awarded the Freedom of the City of London in recognition of her work
to promote insurance ties between India and the UK.
Alice G. Vaidyan holds post graduate degree in English literature and has been trained at Harvard
Business School, Boston, USA. She is a Fellow of the Insurance Institute of India.
Alice G. Vaidyan was the first lady officer to assume the post of Chairman-cum-Managing Director of
General Insurance Corporation of India. She was also the first lady chairman-cum-managing director in
the public-sector insurance industry (non-life) under the Ministry of Finance in India.
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by a City of London Corporation upon a valued member of the
community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary.
The genesis of the ‘Freedom of the City of London’ is traced to the medieval time of around 1237. The
honour enabled recipients to carry out their trade. Over the years, the award has evolved into an honour
bestowed upon individuals who make an impact in the financial hub of London, referred to as the City or
the Square Mile.

Utkarsh Bangla and Sabooj Sathi Schemes of West Bengal gets Global Recognition
The schemes of the West Bengal government ‘Utkarsh Bangla’ (skill training of youth) and ‘Sabooj Sathi’
(cycles for students) won the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) awards of UN.
Utkarsh Bangla got the topmost award and emerged as a winner in the Capacity Building category and
the Sabooj Sathi was ranked in the first five as a champion project under ICT application: E-Government
category.
Utkarsh Bangla
Utkarsh Bangla Scheme is aimed at providing vocational training to school dropouts. The beneficiaries of
the scheme will be trained in driving, tailoring, repairing television and other electronic equipment’s,
beautician courses etc.
Sabooj Sathi
Sabooj Sathi is a scheme of West Bengal government for distribution of bicycles to the students of class IX
to XII studying in Govt. run and Govt. aided Schools and Madrashas.The scheme was launched in
September 2015.
World Summit on the Information Society Awards
World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Awards were instituted as per requests from the WSIS
stakeholders to create an effective mechanism to evaluate and recognize individuals, governments, civil
society, local, regional and international agencies, research institutions and private-sector companies for
outstanding success in implementing development oriented strategies that leverage the power of ICTs as
an enabler of the development.
WSIS is a global multi-stakeholder platform facilitating the implementation of the WSIS Action Lines for
advancing sustainable development. The summit is co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD,
in close collaboration with other UN organizations.
The Summit provides an opportunity for information exchange, knowledge creation and sharing of best
practices, while identifying emerging trends and fostering partnerships, taking into account the evolving
Information and Knowledge Societies.
Jamia Millia Islamia gets its First Woman Vice-Chancellor
The Ministry of Human Resources and Development has issued a statement about appointing Professor
Najma Akhtar as vice–chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia University (JMI) by the President of India. She
has been appointed for a period of five years. Professor Najma Akhtar will be the first woman to hold the
post.
Professor Najma Akhtar is a gold medallist from Aligarh Muslim University. She has a Ph.D in Education
from Kurukshetra University.
Professor Najma Akhtar also has been a Commonwealth Fellow for University Administration Course at
University of Warwick and Nottingham. She has also trained at the International Institute of Educational
Planning (IIEP), UNESCO, Paris.
Jamia Millia Islamia University
JMI is a public central University in New Delhi. JMI was founded on October 29, 1920, by nationalist
Muslim leaders during British rule in Aligarh in the erstwhile United Provinces. Dr.Zakir Hussain was the
first Vice-Chancellor of JMI. The Ali brothers, Moulana Mohammad Ali Jouhar and Moulana Shoukat Ali,
especially played a major role in the establishment of JMI.
JMI became a central university by an act of the Indian Parliament in 1988. Manipur Governor Najma
Heptulla is the chancellor of the varsity.
State of World Population 2019
The United Nations Population Fund has released the State of World Population 2019 report.
Findings of the Report
India’s population grew at an average annual rate of 1.2 per cent between 2010 and 2019 to 1.36
billion. It was more than double the annual growth rate of China.
India’s population in 2019 stood at 1.36 billion. The population has grown from 942.2 million in 1994
and 541.5 million in 1969.
China’s population stood at 1.42 billion in 2019. China’s population increased from 1.23 billion in 1994
and 803.6 million in 1969.
China’s population grew at an average annual rate of 0.5 per cent between 2010 and 2019.
The total fertility rate per woman was 5.6 in 1969. It dropped to 3.7 in 1994 and 2.3 in 2019.
India has recorded an improvement in life expectancy at birth. The life expectancy at birth in 1969
was 47 years, growing to 60 years in 1994 and 69 years in 2019.
27 per cent of India’s population was in the age bracket of 0-14 years and 10-24 years each, while 67
per cent of India’s population was in the 15-64 age bracket. Six per cent of India’s population was of
the age 65 and above.
Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in the country dropped from 488 deaths per 100,000 live births in
1994 to 174 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015.
The absence of reproductive and sexual rights has major and negative repercussions on women’s
education, income and safety in India, leaving them unable to shape their own futures.
Early marriage continues to present a major cultural obstacle to female empowerment and better
reproductive rights.
The report for the first time has published data on women’s ability to make decisions over three key areas:
sexual intercourse with their partner, contraception use and health care.
The Report Looking ahead to future challenges highlights the threat to women’s and girls’ reproductive
rights posed by emergencies caused by conflict or climate disasters.
Financial Sector Assessment Programme for India
The Report of the Financial Sector Assessment Programme for India by the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) makes the following recommendations:
The level of non-performing loans in India remains high and the IMF has favoured bolstering the
level of capitalisation of some banks, particularly government-owned banks.
Together with capitalisation, the report asks for resolution and the recognition of Non-performing
loans as part of the process of cleaning up the banking system of non-performing loans,
The report notes that there were some steps that were taken by the authorities to boost capital buffers in
banks and also to improve governance in state-owned banks that have had some positive impact.
Financial Sector Assessment Programme
The FSAP includes two major components: a financial stability assessment, which is the responsibility of
the IMF, and a financial development assessment, the responsibility of the World Bank.
Financial Sector Assessment Programme of the IMF aims to:
To gauge the stability and soundness of the financial sector.
To assess its potential contribution to growth and development.
The Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) is a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of a country’s
financial sector.
RTI Act supersedes Official Secrets Law
Delivering a separate judgment in the Rafale case, Justice K.M. Joseph has made the following
observations:
The Right to Information Act confers on ordinary citizens the ‘priceless right’ to demand
information even in matters affecting national security and relations with a foreign state.
Justice Joseph’s judgment countered the claim made by the government for privilege over Rafale
purchase documents under the Official Secrets Act (OSA), saying it affected national security and
relations with France.
Justice Joseph said the Right to Information (RTI) Act overawes the OSA.
Under Section 8(2) of the RTI Act, the government cannot refuse information if disclosure in public
interest overshadows certain ‘protected interests.’
Justice Joseph in his judgment has stated that through Section 8(2) of the RTI Act, Parliament has
appreciated that it may be necessary to pit one interest against another and to compare the relative harm
and then decide either to disclose or to decline information. If higher public interest is established, it is the
will of Parliament that the greater good should prevail though at the cost of lesser harm being still
occasioned.

April 14, 2019

Navy gets Virtual Reality Centre for Designing Warships
Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba inaugurated state-of-the-art Virtual Reality Centre (VRC) in New Delhi.
The Virtual Reality Centre is expected to provide a major boost to indigenous warship design capabilities
of the Navy.
Virtual Reality Centre
The VRC is housed at the Directorate of Naval Design (Surface Ship Group).
It seeks to provide impetus to self-reliance and greater fillip to warship construction under the Make
in India initiative of the Indian government.
The VRC centre will facilitate collaborative design reviews for continuous interaction between
designers and end-users to improve design and ergonomics onboard warships.
Directorate of Naval Design (Submarine Design Group)
Directorate of Naval Design (Submarine Design Group) is a premier organisation for the design of
submarines and submersibles. The Directorate of Naval Design (Submarine Design Group) undertakes:
Platform design of underwater vessels- From Concept design to Detailed design.
Support for indigenous development of submarine systems and equipment.
Comprehensive design support for project execution.
Design support for modernization ofAditya
operational submarines.
Goswami | adityagoswami2124@gmail.com |
The Directorate of Naval Design (Surface Ship Group) which made a humble beginning in the 1960s has
made major contributions towards indigenous warship design capabilities of the Indian Navy improving
self-reliance for warship design and construction.
International Day of Human Space Flight 2019
International Day of Human Space Flight 2019 was observed on April 12 to commemorate the date of the
first human space flight in the history of mankind.
Genesis of the International Day of Human Space Flight
It was on April 12, 1961, Soviet Union (USSR) Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin undertook first successful first
human space flight. This historic event opened the way for space exploration for the benefit of all
humanity.
On April 7, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed a resolution and declared 12 April as
the International Day of Human Space Flight for
Celebrating each year at the international level the beginning of the space era for mankind
Reaffirming the important contribution of space science and technology in achieving sustainable
development goals.
Increasing the well-being of States and peoples, as well as ensuring the realization of their aspiration
to maintain outer space for peaceful purposes.
In Russia and some other former USSR countries, this historic day is celebrated as Cosmonautics Day.
PM Narendra Modi Honoured with Order of St Andrew the Apostle
Russia has awarded PM Narendra Modi with ‘Order of St Andrew the Apostle’ to PM Narendra Modi for
promoting the bilateral special and privileged strategic partnership.
The statement by the Russian Government has stated that Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi was
decorated with the Order of St Andrew the Apostle – the highest state decoration of Russia – for
exceptional services in promoting special and privileged strategic partnership between the Russian
Federation and the Republic of India and friendly relations between the Russian and Indian peoples.
Order of St Andrew the Apostle
Order of St Andrew the Apostle is awarded to prominent statesmen and public figures and
representatives of science, culture, the arts and various industries for their exceptional services in
promoting the prosperity, greatness and glory of Russia. It is both the highest and the oldest state
decoration of Russia established in the 17th century by Peter the Great around 1699.
Russia also bestows Order of St Andrew the Apostle to foreign heads of state for outstanding services to
Russia. The list of the foreign awardees includes President of China Xi Jinping, the former President of the
Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, the former President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Geydar

Aliev.
PM Modi was previously been awarded the United Arab Emirates’s top honour as well as from countries
including South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Palestine and Afghanistan.
Rajouri Day Celebrated
Rajouri Day was celebrated on April 13 to commemorate the bravery and valour of the soldiers who laid
down their lives for the liberation of Rajouri district.
Rajouri Day: Significance and Genesis
The Partition of India and the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India in October 1947 was followed by
the First Kashmir War between India and Pakistan. The Pakistani raiders, along with the rebels and
deserters from the western districts of the state, captured Rajouri on 7 November 1947.
More than 30,000 Hindus and Sikhs living in Rajouri were reportedly killed, wounded or abducted.
Rajouri was recaptured on 12 April 1948 from rebels and Pakistan Army personnel who had infiltrated
from across the border by the 19 Infantry Brigade of the Indian Army under the command of Second
Lieutenant Rama Raghoba Rane.
Having destroyed most of the town and killing large number its inhabitants the captors had fled by the
time Indian Army entered the town. After the arrival of the Army, some 1,500 refugees who had fled to the
hills, including women and children, returned to the town.
‘Rajouri Day’ is celebrated on April 13 every year to commemorate the bravery and valour of the Indian
Army soldiers who laid down their lives for the liberation of Rajouri district from rebels and Pakistan
Army.
Bamboo rice shows up in Odisha
Nearly after four decades, Bamboo rice has shown up in Odisha. The state of Odisha had last witnessed
Bamboo rice in 1979.
Harvesting Bamboo Rice
The Forest Authorities of Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary in Cuttack district have opened up the
gates for the forest dwellers to collect the Bamboo rice. Whenever the bamboo rice shows up, it would be
accompanied by the increase in the rat population which starts running over the bamboo rice. Hence to
avoid the menace the forest authorities have allowed forest dwellers to harvest Bamboo rice.
Further, the authorities are also planning to purchase bamboo rice from the forest dwellers to germinate
bamboo trees in other areas of the state.
Bamboo Rice
Bamboo rice grows out of a dying bamboo shoot. Bamboo rice looks like paddy rice and tastes more like
wheat. Bamboo rice is not commonly available as it takes many years for a bamboo tree to flower.
Bamboo rice is believed to contain a low glycaemic index compared to other varieties and it is good for
diabetics. It’s rich in proteins and does not contain any fat. Bamboo rice is also believed to be containing
medicinal values.
UNSC Votes to end Peacekeeping Operations in Haiti
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) voted unanimously voted for the resolution to completely
end its peacekeeping operations in Haiti on October 15.
The resolution also called for establishing a political mission to support government efforts to promote
order and development in Haiti situated in Latin America.
UN Peace Keeping Mission in Haiti
U.N. Peace Keeping Mission in Haiti was known as MINUSTAH, a French acronym which stood for “The
United Nations is not leaving.”
MINUSTAH began operations in Haiti in 2004, when a violent rebellion swept the country and forced
then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide out of power and into exile. The goals of MINUSTAH included
restoring security and rebuilding the shattered political institutions.
The mission with additional help from the U.S. and other nations is credited with stabilizing the country,
particularly after the January 2010 earthquake, and building up the national police force.
But the Peace Keeping Mission was viewed as an affront to national sovereignty. The Mission was also
blamed for sexual exploitation. a UN report has even documented the sexual exploitation of nine children

on the island from 2004-2007 at the hands of at least 134 peacekeepers. The Mission was also seen as
responsible for inadvertently introducing the deadly cholera bacteria to the country
UNSC Resolution
UN military peacekeepers had already left Haiti on October 2017. But a stabilization group had stayed back
to train national police, help the government strengthen judicial and legal institutions and monitor human
rights.
The UNSC resolution gives a final six-month period for such operations and asks Secretary-
General Antonio Guterres to plan a political mission.
CMFRI, ISRO ink MoU to protect Smaller Wetlands
The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and the Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) have signed an MoU to map, validate and protect smaller wetlands in the coastal region and restore
them through coastal livelihood programmes.
Smaller wetlands (which were smaller than 2.25 hectares) cover an area of more than 5 lakh hectares
across the country, with Kerala alone having as many as 2,592 such wetlands.
About the MoU
As per the MoU, a mobile app and a centralised web portal with a complete database of wetlands in
the country which were smaller than 2.25 hectares will be developed.
The two institutes will identify and Aditya
demarcate the wetlands
Goswami | adityagoswami2124@gmail.com | and restore the degraded ones through
suitable livelihood options such as coastal aquaculture.
A mobile app will be used for real-time monitoring of the wetlands and giving advisories to the
stakeholders and the coastal people.
The collaboration is part of the national framework for fisheries and wetlands recently developed
under the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA).
As per the agreement, National Wetland Atlas which has been already developed by the Space
Applications Centre of ISRO will be updated with real-time data of physical, chemical and biological
parameters of the wetlands to be provided by the CMFRI.
The collaboration will aid in developing a comprehensive wetland information system which could
facilitate the village-level wetland advisories to the local people by scientific communities.
The National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) is aimed at finding ways and means to
mitigate the impact of climate change on marine fisheries and coastal region.
Health Ministry Urged to Frame Law to Ban Manufacture, Sale of e-cigarettes

The Ministry of Commerce and Industries has urged the Health Ministry to frame law banning
manufacture and sale of e-cigarettes in the country as in the absence of the domestic legislation, it would
not be possible to put a blanket ban on its imports.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industries has stated that without banning domestic sale and
manufacturing of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) through law, it will be an infringement of
global trade norms to put an import ban.
Electronic Cigarettes
Electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes are devices that do not burn or use tobacco leaves but instead vaporise a solution,
which a user then inhales. The main constituents of the solution, in addition to nicotine, are propylene glycol.
Earlier, the Health Ministry had asked the commerce ministry to issue a notification banning the import
of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), including e-cigarettes and flavoured hookah. To put the
ban into effect the Commerce Ministry has urged the Health Ministry to frame rules regarding the
domestic sale and manufacturing so that the Ministry of Commerce and Industries can go ahead with
imposing of the blanket ban on the imports.
As per the World Health Organization report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2017, governments of 30
countries which includes Mauritius, Australia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico,
Uruguay, Bahrain, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have already banned the Electronic
cigarettes.

UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize 2019

The 2019 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize has been awarded to Reuters reporters Wa Lone
and Kyaw Soe Oo. The jury has recognised their exceptional courage in reporting on alleged human rights
violations in the Myanmar’s state of Rakhine.
Both Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had worked hard to pursue a career in journalism that was impossible in
the junta era. Their documentary on the taboo topic regarding crimes committed against Rohingyas
landed them behind the bars. The Press Freedom Prize 2019 pays a tribute to their courage, resistance and
commitment to freedom of expression.
UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize
The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize recognises outstanding contributions to the defence
or promotion of press freedom especially in the face of danger. The prize which carries a reward of
$25,000 Prize is funded by the Guillermo Cano Isaza Foundation (Colombia), the Helsingin Sanomat
Foundation (Finland), and The Namibia Media Trust.
The Prize is named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, the Colombian journalist who was assassinated in front of
the offices of his newspaper El Espectador in Bogotá, Colombia, on 17 December 1986.
Homo Luzonensis
Researchers in the Philippines have discovered a species of ancient human Homo Luzonensis which was
previously unknown to science. Aditya Goswami | adityagoswami2124@gmail.com |
Homo Luzonensis
Homo Luzonensis lived on the island of Luzon at least 50,000 to 67,000 years ago.
The hominin was identified from a total of seven teeth and six small bones and teeth from two adults
and one child found in a cave on the island of Luzon in the Philippines.
Homo Luzonensis is boasted as an eclectic mix of features comparable to different species of
hominins.
Homo luzonensis curved finger and toe bones portray a clear difference between the newly
discovered species and most members of the Homo genus.
The discovery could mean primitive human relatives left Africa and made it all the way to South-East Asia,
something not previously thought possible.
CDSCO Directs to Display Information on 7 Common Antibiotics
After the alerts from the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) the Central Drugs Standard
Control Organisation (CDSCO) has asked manufacturers of 7 common antibiotics to ensure that
information related to symptoms/side effects is made available to the general public.
CDSCO Order
CDSCO has asked drug manufacturers, to mention in leaflets inserted into drug packets or on
promotional literature, information about the adverse reactions of these medicines.
Manufacturers of antibiotics Cefotaxime, Ofloxacin and Cefixime; Tranexamic Acid ( used to control
bleeding) antipsychotic drug Quetiapine; anti-rheumatoid drug Sulfasalazine and the anti-epileptic
medicine Sodium Valproate are instructed to warn patients of the “new” side effects.
Pharmacovigilance Programme of India
Pharmacovigilance Program of India (PvPI) was launched in 2010 with a broad objective to safeguard the
health of 1.27 billion people of India. Adverse drug Reactions (ADRs) are reported from all over the country
to the National Coordination centre of PvPI, which also work in collaboration with the global ADR
monitoring centre (WHO-UMC), Sweden to contribute in the global ADRs database.
The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), Ghaziabad, (U.P.) hosts the coordination centre for PvPI.
The mission of PvPI is to safeguard the health of the Indian population by ensuring that the benefit of the
use of medicine outweighs the risks associated with its use.
Project Kannamma
Project Kannamma is the initiative of the Rotary Club of Madras North to provide sanitary napkins to the
students.
Project Kannamma
It was started in August of 2018 by providing free, biodegradable sanitary napkins to 82 students at
the Government High School in Uthandi of Tamil Nadu.
Today under the Project Kannamma, sanitary napkins are provided to over 300 students from across
Government Schools in and around Chennai.
The sanitary napkins are provided by the Irula Tribal Women’s Welfare Society (ITWWS).
Women from the ITWWS make 1000 pads per day, using Arunachalam Muruganantham machines.
The sanitary napkin, under the brand Aavaram, is prepared with natural raw materials such as
cotton and wood pulp, and a pack of six costs just Rs 22.
The teachers are given the requisite number of packs per month and they distribute the pads to the
students.
The project is also supporting the livelihood of the Irula Tribal Women. If the group sells 15,000 pads per
month, it can sustain the families of 12 tribal women.
April 15, 2019
My Circle Safety App
My Circle App was launched by Bharti Airtel in collaboration with FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO). My
Circle app aims to help women in case they face any problem or a panic situation.
My Circle App
My Circle app enables women to send SOS alerts to any five of their family or friends in 13 languages
including English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Urdu,
Assamese, Oriya, and Gujarati. Aditya Goswami | adityagoswami2124@gmail.com |
A woman in distress can send an SOS alert by pressing the SOS prompt on the app.
The SOS alert can also be activated by voice command through Siri on iOS and the statement by
Airtel has stated that he voice activation through Google Assistant will soon be available
on Android devices also.
the SOS alert will send the user’s location over SMS to the five contacts selected by the user and
advise them to immediately reach out or respond to the emergency situation.
The app also enables the family or friends to track the location on real time through the link that is
sent as part of the alert SM
The free-to-download app is available on Google Play store (Android) and will be available on the App
Store (iOS) soon.
My Circle App is carrier agnostic which would work on phones with any telecom service network, both
Airtel and non-Airtel.
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy Rocket Launches on First Commercial Flight
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket successfully lifted off marking the towering booster’s second flight and its
first commercial launch. For the first time, all three of the rocket’s reusable boosters returned safely to
Earth.
The rocket deployed an advanced communications satellite, Arabsat-6A which will provide internet and
communications services to residents of the Middle East, Africa and parts of Europe.
Falcon Heavy Rocket weighs more than 3.1 million pounds and is made up of three reusable boosters based
on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which has been ferrying cargo to the International Space Station since 2012.
SpaceX
SpaceX is a private American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company
headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Muskwith the goal
of reducing space transportation costs. SpaceX has developed Falcon launch vehicle family and
the Dragon spacecraft family to deliver payloads into Earth orbit.
Cologne Boxing World Cup 2019
India finished its campaign at the Cologne Boxing World Cup 2019 with a haul of five medals. The Cologne
Boxing World Cup 2019 was held at Cologne, Germany.
Indian Medal Tally
Meena Kumari Maisnam (54kg) won the only gold medal for India in the tournament.
It was the only bout of the tournament for the Manipur pugilist Meena Kumari as she had been
directly placed in the final due to a smaller draw.
Youth world champion Sakshi (57kg) and India Open gold medallist Pwilao Basumatary (64kg) lost

their final bouts and finished with silver medals.

Pinki Rani (51kg) and Parveen (60kg) won bronze medals after losing their semi-final bouts.
Cologne Boxing World Cup earlier known as Chemistry Cup witnessed participation from more than 20
nations and 160 boxers in seven women and ten men weight classes. It is one of the strongest
international events in Europe with nearly 50 years of traditions. The first edition was held in 1970.
Israel’s Beresheet Mission Crashes on the Moon
World’s first privately funded lunar Mission Beresheet crashed on the Moon. Beresheet crashed during a
landing attempt. It is said that the spacecraft had problems with its main engine during its descent that
left it unable to slow down in time before it smashed into the lunar surface.
About the Mission
Beresheet (Hebrew for the first phrase from the Book of Genesis, “in the beginning”) was an Israeli
mission launched by a partnership between nonprofit SpaceIL and government-owned aerospace
company Israel Aerospace Industries.
Beresheet lander had carried a science instrument provided by NASA, a retroreflector instrument
scientists would have used to make precise measurements of the distance between Earth and the
moon.
Beresheet mission’s design included risks. To make sure the spacecraft small enough to piggyback
with another spacecraft on a FalconAditya
9 rocket, the engineering team had to design the craft without
any backup systems.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and SpaceIL have announced that the team will now start
working on Beresheet 2.0.
SC directs political parties to furnish receipts of electoral bonds in to EC
The Supreme Court has directed all political parties to furnish details about the receipts of electoral bonds
in a sealed cover to the Election Commission.
Electoral Bond Scheme
The government had notified the Electoral Bond Scheme 2018 on January 2, 2018.
As per provisions of the Electoral Bond scheme, electoral bonds may be purchased by a person, who
is a citizen of India or incorporated or established in India.
A person being an individual can buy electoral bonds, either singly or jointly with other individuals.
Political parties registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and
which secured not less than one per cent of votes polled in the last general election to the House of
the People or the Legislative Assembly of the State, shall be eligible to receive electoral bonds.
Electoral bonds shall be encashed by an eligible political party only through a bank account with an
authorized bank.
Interim Order of the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court was hearing a petition filed by an NGO which challenged the validity of the scheme
and sought that either the issuance of electoral bonds be stayed or names of donors be made public to
ensure transparency in the poll process.
In an interim order passed by the Supreme Court, the apex court has directed all political parties to
provide details of the amount and bank account of donors by May 30 to the Election Commission.
Mohammed Ishtaye sworn in as New Palestinian PM
Mohammed Ishtaye was sworn in as the new Palestinian Prime Minister. He along with 24 ministers took
the oath of office before President Mahmoud Abbas.
New Government of Palestine
It is the 18th Palestinian government since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1995.
Ishtaye and the ministers separately took the oath vowing to respect the law and the Palestinian
constitutional system.
The new government consisting of 24 ministers has representation from Palestine Liberation
Organization (PLO), Abbas’ Fatah Party, the Palestinian People’s Party, the FIDA party, the
Palestinian Popular Struggle Front, in addition to independent figures.
Islamic Hamas movement and Islamic Jihad are excluded from the new government since Hamas

has been ruling the Gaza Strip since it violently seized control of the coastal enclave from Abbas’
security forces in 2007.
The Islamic Hamas movement has slammed the formation of a new Palestinian government is deepening
the internal division. Hamas has said that the new government is far from any Palestinian national accord
or any legal measure. Criticising the government as further deepening the internal Palestinian division,
Hamas has stated that it expects to get representation in the government to strengthen the national
unity.
PMLA prevails over Bankruptcy Act and Insolvency Code: Delhi HC
The Delhi High Court has ruled that Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) prevails over the
Bankruptcy Act and insolvency code when it comes to attachment of properties obtained as ‘proceeds of
crime’.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had challenged the orders of PMLA appellate tribunal on the pleas of
various banks. PMLA Tribunal had held that third parties, banks in this case, which have legitimately
created rights such as a charge, lien or other encumbrances, have a superior claim over such properties.
Observations made by Delhi High Court
PMLA, Recovery of Debt and Bankruptcy Act (RDBA), Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial
Assets and Enforcement of Securities Interest (SARFAESI) Act and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code
(IBC) must co-exist and be enforced in harmony.
The Delhi High Court has set aside the verdict of the PMLA tribunal and held that the objective of
PMLA being distinct from the purpose of RDBA, SARFAESI Act and IBC.
RDBA, SARFAESI Act and IBC doesn’t not prevail over PMLA
The attachment order under the PMLA will not be illegal only because a secured creditor has a prior
secured interest [charge] in the property, within the meaning of the expressions used in RDBA and
SARFAESI Act.
Also mere issuance of an order of attachment under the PMLA does not ipso facto render illegal a
prior charge or encumbrance of a secured creditor, the claim of the latter for release [or restoration]
from PMLA attachment being dependent on its bonafides.
Delhi High Court has stated that by the virtue of Section 71, PMLA has the overriding effect over other
existing laws in the matter of dealing with “money-laundering” and “proceeds of crime”.
World’s Largest Airplane Completes First Test Flight
The world’s largest aircraft ROC, developed by aerospace venture Stratolaunch has successfully completed
its first flight test.
World’s Largest Aircraft
The Aircraft has a dual fuselage design and a wingspan greater than the length of an American
football field.
The Aircraft achieved a maximum speed of 189 miles (302.4 km) per hour, the plane flew for 2.5
hours over the Mojave Desert at altitudes up to 17,000 feet.
The aircraft has a world-record wingspan of 385 feet and is 238 feet long. It is wider than any
airplane on the planet.
As part of the initial flight, the pilots evaluated aircraft performance and handling qualities before landing
successfully back at the Mojave Air and Space Port.
Stratolaunch
Stratolaunch is an American space transportation venture developing a new air launch to orbit system.
Stratolaunch aims to develop an air-launch system with three primary components:
A carrier aircraft.
A multi-stage payload “launch vehicle” which would be launched at high altitude into space from
under the carrier aircraft.
A mating and integration system.
Stratolaunch was founded by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 2011.
Delhi HC seeks Centres Response on Plea over Assam Rifles
The Delhi High Court has sought the response from the Cabinet Committee on Security on a plea seeking

directions to remove the dual control of Assam Rifles and bring it under the Ministry of Defence.
Issue of Dual Control
Assam Rifles which is also referred to as the Sentinels of North East is the oldest paramilitary force
of India.
The administrative control of Assam Rifles lies with the Home Ministry, while the operational
control is with the Defence Ministry.
The plea filed by the All India Assam Rifles Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association alleges the dual
control as the violation of the rights of the troopers of Assam Rifles.
The plea challenges the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 saying that it places
Assam Rifles under the head ‘Police’, which is arbitrary, unreasonable and violates the rights of
Assam Rifles ex-servicemen guaranteed under Article 14 of the Constitution of
The petition argues since the objective and functions of Assam Rifles were that of military and
paramilitary force and its categorisation as a police force was arbitrary, unreasonable and in
violation of the rights of its personnel.
The petition seeks a grant of pay, allowances, pension (including arrears) and ex-servicemen
facilities to Assam Rifles personnel at par with the Indian Army.
Acting on the earlier order which had asked the Home and Defence Ministries to hold a meeting to resolve
the matter and place before it the decision taken in an affidavit, the Home Ministry had stated that a note
had been sent to the Cabinet Committee on Security on the issue. Therefore the Delhi High Court has
issued a notice to the Cabinet Committee on Security to explain what decision it has taken on the note
forwarded to it by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Saraswati Samman 2018
Telugu poet K Siva Reddy has been selected for the prestigious Saraswati Samman, 2018. He has been
awarded for his work Pakkaki Ottigilite which is a collection of poetry.
K Siva Reddy was born in 1943 in a farmer’s family in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur. He is considered as the
most renowned modern poets in Telugu. Siva Reddy has also published critical essays on poetry.
Pakkaki Ottigilite was published in 2016. It is an anthology of 104 poems in blank verse. It captures the
responses of the poet over the years to social change, the evolution of his own self and his dynamic
relationship with the world.
Saraswati Samman Awards
Saraswati Samman Award was instituted by the KK Birla Foundation in the year 1991. It is given annually
for an outstanding literary work written in any official Indian language and published during the
preceding 10 years. It carries a cash purse of Rs 15 lakh, apart from a citation and a plaque.
Other popular literary awards constituted by the Birla Foundation are Vyas Samman (for Hindi) and Bihari
Puraskar (for Hindi and Rajasthani writers of Rajasthan).
Three-person Baby Boy Born in Greece
A team of doctors from Greece and Spain have reported the birth of a baby using DNA from three people.
The baby boy has inherited the genetic material from two women and a man.
How did the new IVF method work?
Doctors used an egg from the infertile mother, the father’s sperm and another woman’s egg to conceive
the baby boy. The doctors transferred genetic material with chromosomes from the mother to the egg of a
donor whose own genetic material had been removed in a process.
A similar DNA switching technique was adopted in Mexico in 2016 to avoid transmission of a mother’s
hereditary illness to her child. But this case from Greece is unique owing to the fact that for the first time
an IVF (in vitro fertilization) technique using DNA from three people has been deployed to allow a mother
otherwise unable to conceive to have a child.
In-vitro Fertilisation
In-vitro Fertilization is an artificial reproduction technique wherein the process of fertilization happens by
extracting eggs, retrieving a sperm sample, and then manually combining an egg and sperm in a
laboratory set-up. The embryo(s) is then transferred to the uterus.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who has been conferred with 2019 Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award (PBSA)?
[A] Prathap C. Reddy
[B] Ramesh Mehta
[C] Rajendra Joshi
[D] Kamal Karanth
Correct Answer: C [Rajendra Joshi]
Notes:
Swiss-based NRI scientist Dr Rajendra Joshi, who belongs to Rajasthan, has been conferred with the
2019 Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award (PBSA) by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind. Dr Joshi is
honoured for his outstanding achievement in the field of Science and in recognition of his valuable
contribution in promoting the honour and prestige of India and in fostering the interests of Overseas
Indians. He is mainly credited with developing path-breaking medicine Tecfidera (BG12) for multiple
sclerosis. The theme of 2019 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention was ‘Role of Indian Diaspora in building
New India.’
2. Who has been elected as the first female President of Slovakia?
[A] Adriana Karembeu
[B] Zuzana Caputova
[C] Kristina Farkasova
[D] Apollonia Vanova
Correct Answer: B [Zuzana Caputova]
Notes:
Zuzana Caputova, a liberal environmental activist and a political newcomer, has been elected as the first
female President of Slovakia. She framed the election as a struggle between good and evil. With 58% of
the vote, Caputova edged out European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic, a diplomat backed
by the county’s governing Smer-Social Democracy party. She is set to take office on June 15, after the
tenure of incumbent Slovak President Andrej Kiska finishes.
3. Who has won the men’s singles title at the 2019 Miami Open tennis tournament?
[A] Roger Federer
[B] John Isner
[C] Novak Djokovic
[D] Kei Nishikori
Correct Answer: A [Roger Federer]
Notes:
In tennis, Roger Federer lifted his fourth ATP Miami Open title with an emphatic 6-1, 6-4 win over
defending champion John Isner on 31st March 2019 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, States.
It is Swiss player’s 28th Masters title and the 101st overall for a player who has won 20 Grand Slam
singles titles.
4. ISRO has successfully launched EMISAT and 28 customer satellites by which launch vehicle?
[A] PSLV-C44
[B] PSLV-C46
[C] PSLV-C47
[D] PSLV-C45
Correct Answer: D [PSLV-C45]
Notes:
On April 1, ISRO has successfully launched India’s latest EMISAT defence satellite from the Sriharikota
spaceport. In today’s mission, the rocket PSLV-C45 flew in a new configuration called “QL”. In this
configuration, the rocket is fitted with four longer versions of strap-on motors that provide the vehicle
the required additional thrust. Earlier, the rocket used to be in “XL” version with six strap-on motors or
two or with no strap-on motors known as core alone configuration. The PSLV-C45 successfully injected
EMISAT in a 748-km sun-synchronous polar orbit and 28 international customer satellites in a 504-km
orbit. Of these, 24 are from the US, two from Lithuania, and one each from Spain and Switzerland.
EMISAT is a satellite built around ISRO’s Mini Satellite-2 (IMS-2) bus weighing about 436 kg. The
satellite is intended for electromagnetic spectrum measurement.
5. Which country’s team has won the 2019 Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey tournament?
[A] Poland
[B] South Korea
[C] India
[D] Japan
Correct Answer: B [South Korea]
Notes:
South Korea has won the 2019 Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey tournament. In the final, they defeated five
time champion India in a penalty shootout 4-2 at Ipoh in Malaysia on April 1. Till the stipulated time both
the teams had a score of 1 goal each. Even India was leading with one goal till half time. Simaranjit Singh
hit a goal for India. Jang Jong Hyun scored the goal for South Korea. Hosts Malaysia defeated Canada 4-2
and secured the 3rd place. Asian games Gold medalist Japan stood at 5th place, defeating Poland 6-1.
6. Which of the following shipyards has become the first Indian Shipyard to deliver 100 warships?
[A] Cochin Shipyard
[B] GRSE
[C] Mazagon Dock
[D] Goa Shipyard
Correct Answer: B [GRSE]
Notes:
The Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) has become the first Indian shipyard to build
and deliver 100 warships to the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and Mauritius Coast Guard. The 100th
Warship “IN LCU L-56” was formally handed over to the Indian Navy. The GRSE is one of India’s leading
shipyards, located in Kolkata, West Bengal. It builds and repairs commercial and naval vessels. Presently,
GRSE has also started building export ships in a mission to expand its business.
7. What is the theme of the 13th edition of Earth Hour 2019?
[A] #GiveBack
[B] #Save Earth
[C] #NatureCallingYou
[D] #Connect2Earth
Correct Answer: D [#Connect2Earth]
Notes:
The 13th edition of Earth Hour 2019 was observed on March 30 with theme “#Connect2Earth” to
encourage people across the world to turn off non-essential electric lights for one hour from 8:30 to 9:30
p.m. It calls for greater awareness and more sparing use of resources, especially fossil fuels that produce
carbon gases and lead to global warming. On this day, the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature-India
made an appeal to citizens to join the Earth Hour 2019 to inspire millions across the country to shift to
more sustainable practices and minimize negative impacts on the planet.
8. Hump-backed Mahseer, sometimes seen in news, is found in which of the following river
basins?
[A] Cauvery
[B] Narmada
[C] Ganga
[D] Brahmputra
Correct Answer: A [Cauvery]
Notes:
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has recently listed Hump-backed Mahseer as
Critically Endangered in the Red List of Threatened Species. The scientific name of hump-backed
mahseer is ‘Tor remadevii’, which is named after noted ichthyologist K. Remadevi of the Zoological
Survey of India. The giant game fish (also called the tiger of the water) is one of the most iconic and
highly-prized freshwater fish found in the Cauvery river basin (including Kerala’s Pambar, Kabini and
Bhavani rivers). The fish can grow up to a length of 1.5m and weigh up to 55 kg and qualifies as
megafauna. Beside this, five other species have also made it to threatened categories: two wild orchids,
the Arabian scad (a marine fish) and two wild coffee species found only in a few localities in the Western
Ghats. As per latest IUCN update, the great hornbill (found in India and southeast Asia) was earlier
categorised as “Near Threatened”. It is now “Vulnerable” due to high hunting pressure coupled with
habitat loss and deforestation, while the wreathed hornbill has moved from “Least Concern” to
“Vulnerable”.
9. Which IIT has successfully converted petroleum waste toluene into useful product?
[A] IIT Indore
[B] IIT Kanpur
[C] IIT Madras
[D] IIT Bombay
Correct Answer: C [IIT Madras]
Notes:
Using platinum nanocatalyst, a two-member team at the IIT Madras has successfully converted
petroleum waste-product toluene into benzoic acid. Benzoic acid is used as a food preservative (E210)
and medicine for fungal/bacterial infection. Toluene is converted into benzoic acid through selective and
controlled oxidation in the presence of a catalyst — binaphthyl-stabilised platinum nanoparticles (Pt-
BNP). Generally, organic reactions are carried out using organic solvents, which makes it expensive and
also generates toxic waste. So, the team led by G. Sekar used water as solvent to make it environment-
friendly. Also, a green oxidant (70% aqueous tert-butyl hydroperoxide or TBHP) is used for converting
toluene into benzoic acid. When toluene is oxidised, it gives four products. But, the team used catalyst
that they developed and then only benzoic acid is produced. No alcohol, aldehyde or ester is produced.
The yield of benzoic acid varied from 68-96% depending on whether the toluene used is electron-
deficient or electron-rich.
10. Which of the following districts has become the world’s first district with 5G coverage?
[A] Chaoyang
[B] Mangalore
[C] Hongkou
[D] Kolkata
Correct Answer: C [Hongkou ]
Notes:
The Hongkou district of Shanghai has recently claimed to have the world’s first district with 5G
coverage and a broadband gigabit network. It conducted trial runs of the 5G network, backed by telecom
services provider China Mobile. Shanghai also aims to build over 10,000 5G base stations by the end of
this year and the number of 5G base stations could cross 30,000 in 2021. 5G is the next generation of
cellular technology with download speed 10 to 100 times faster than the 4G LTE networks.
11. Who is the head of the tribunal to review ban imposed on Jamaat-e-Islami & JKLF?
[A] Puja Mehra
[B] Chander Shekhar
[C] Rohan Sharma
[D] Mihir Sen
Correct Answer: B [Chander Shekhar ]
Notes:
The Government of India (GoI) has constituted a tribunal to adjudicate if there exists sufficient cause to
ban the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir (JeL) and the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front-Yasin
Malik (JKLF-Y) faction. The tribunal will be headed by Justice Chander Shekhar of the Delhi High Court.
The decision has been taken by the Union Home Ministry exercising the powers conferred under the
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967. The JeI and the JKLF-Y were declared as unlawful
associations on February 28 and March 22 respectively.

12. Which Indian artist has been chosen as the Glenfiddich’s Emerging Artist of the Year 2019?
[A] Raju Baraiya
[B] Subodh Gupta
[C] Bharti Kher
[D] Shilpa Gupta
Correct Answer: A [Raju Baraiya]
Notes:
Vadodra-based artist Raju Baraiya has been chosen as the Glenfiddich’s Emerging Artist of the Year
2019. He will represent India at the Glenfiddich Artists in Residence (AiR) programme where he will
spend three months at the Glenfiddich Distillery in Scotland with artists from around the world. Baraiya
will also be awarded Rs 10 lakh, which includes an international allowance of Rs 1,20,000 per month and
a work allowance of Rs 5,00,000; besides being given a solo show at Art District XIII Gallery in New
Delhi. Baraiya’s work takes inspiration from observing and diagnosing the rural in relation to the urban
and vice-versa. His practice springs out of this shift from a strong rural background to an urban one.
The artist has been deriving imagery from these seemingly ambiguous notions of the urban and the
rural, and the complexities between the two spaces create a common meeting ground for him to explore
through an impression he holds of them. With his art, he aims to translate the ever evolving image of
this convergence.
13. J Mahendra, who passed away recently, was the veteran filmmaker of which regional cinema?
[A] Tamil
[B] Telugu
[C] Malayalam
[D] Kannada
Correct Answer: A [Tamil]
Notes:
J Mahendra (79), the veteran filmmaker, screenwriter and actor, has passed away in Chenai, Tamil Nadu
on 2nd April 2019. He was known for infusing realism in Tamil cinema and for giving superstar
Rajinikanth his career breakthrough with “Mullum Malarum”. He started his journey in the movies as a
screenplay writer and made his directorial debut with 1978 film “Mullum Malarum”. The director’s
popularity peaked with his movies “Uthiri Pookkal” (1979) and “Nenjathai Killathey” (1980). In the past
few years, Mahendran had switched to acting. He played pivotal parts in “Kamaraj” (2004), “Petta”
opposite Rajinikanth and Vijay’s “Theri”. He was last seen in Tamil film “Boomerang”, which released on
March 8. Mahendran was also the founding member of Blue Ocean Film and Television Academy here.
14. Which IIT has tied up with Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy to develop training
module?
[A] IIT Bombay
[B] IIT Kharagpur
[C] IIT Delhi
[D] IIT Madras
Correct Answer: B [IIT Kharagpur]
Notes:
IIT Kharagpur has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Pullela Gopichand
Badminton Academy (PGBA) to develop research and training module for the trainees of the Hyderabad-
based sports facility. The thrust area of the collaboration is to promote health and wellbeing of
sportspersons and coaches for enhancing the quality of performance and resilience. Players and coaches
from PGBA will benefit from these programs. Further, the coaches will also be trained on how to use that
knowledge while training players. Under the collaboration, IIT-KGP will also set up a sports academy in
collaboration with Gopichand. The academy would promote collaborative research related to happiness
in sports in general and badminton in particular, and science and technology in sports training. The
scope would also include joint monitoring and use of materials used in general and badminton in
particular by IIT Kharagpur and PGBA. A sum of Rs10 crore has been allocated to develop modern sports
facilities at IIT-Kgp.
15. Who has won the men’s singles title at the 2019 Yonex-Sunrise India Open badminton
tournament?
[A] Manu Attri
[B] B Sumeeth Reddy
[C] Kidambi Srikanth
[D] Viktor Axelsen
Correct Answer: D [Viktor Axelsen]
Notes:
Former world champion, Viktor Axelsen of Denmark has won the men’s singles title at the 2019 Yonex-
Sunrise India Open badminton tournament on March 31. In the final, he defeated Kidambi Srikanth by
7-21, 20-22 in New Delhi. This was Srikanth’s fourth defeat to Axelsen in five encounters since March
2017. And also, it was Srikanth’s first final in a BWF world tour event in 17 months. He had last won a
title at the 2017 French Open.
16. Which country has successfully launched second generation data relay Tianlian II-01 satellite?
[A] China
[B] Japan
[C] South Korea
[D] India
Correct Answer: A [China]
Notes:
China has successfully launched the first of its new-generation ‘Tianlian II-01’ data relay satellite into
orbit by a Long March-3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest Sichuan
Province. This is the first of China’s second-generation data-tracking and relay satellites. It will provide
services like data relay, measurement and control, and transmission to manned spacecraft, satellites,
carrier rockets and non-spacecraft users. The Tianlian II network will be markedly more advanced in
mission planning, system management and operations than the first-generation network composed of
Tianlian I satellites. The satellite is developed by the China Academy of Space Technology under the
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
17. What is the theme of the 2019 World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD)?
[A] Toward Autonomy and Self-Determination
[B] Assistive Technologies, Active Participation
[C] Employment: The Autism Advantage
[D] Opening Doors to Inclusive Education
Correct Answer: B [Assistive Technologies, Active Participation]
Notes:
The World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) is observed every year to raise public awareness of Autism
Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Autism is a brain disorder that typically affects a person’s ability to
communicate with others. It generally begins in childhood and last through adulthood. The day
highlights the need to help and improve the quality of life of those with autism so that they can lead full
and meaningful lives as an integral part of society. The 2019 theme “Assistive Technologies, Active
Participation” , underscores the importance of affordable assistive technologies to support people with
autism to live independent lives and, indeed, to exercise their basic human rights.
18. Which fictional superhero will be the first entrant into Comic-Con Museum’s Character Hall of
Fame?
[A] Superman
[B] Spider-man
[C] Batman
[D] Iron Man
Correct Answer: C [Batman ]
Notes:
Batman will be first inductee into the Comic-Con Museum’s Character Hall of Fame. The honor was

announced during the “Happy Birthday Batman!” panel at WonderCon on March 30, when Batman
turned 80. The ceremony will take place at the Federal Building in San Diego’s Balboa Park — which is
the future site of the Comic-Con Museum, on 17th July 2019. The ceremony will be accompanied by an
exhibit of Batman-themed memorabilia and related props and will feature appearances by celebrities
and creators whose careers have interacted with the Dark Knight across the years. Batman first
appeared in the ‘Detective Comics No. 27’ published on March 30, 1939, created by Bob Kane and Bill
Finger.
19. Who has won the 2019 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix tournament?
[A] Valtteri Bottas
[B] Sebastian Vettel
[C] Charles Leclerc
[D] Lewis Hamilton
Correct Answer: D [Lewis Hamilton]
Notes:
Lewis Hamilton, a British racing driver, has won the 2019 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix tournament
after an engine problem hit runaway leader Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari late in the race.
20. Kandhamal Haldi, which recently got GI tag, is produce in which of the following states?
[A] Odisha
[B] West Bengal
[C] Jharkhand
[D] Assam
Correct Answer: A [Odisha]
Notes:
Kandhamal Haldi, a variety of turmeric indigenous to southern Odisha, has finally got the Geographical
indication (GI) tag from Intellectual Property India. The recognition coincided with the state’s
Foundation Day (Utkal Divas). Odisha, on April 1 1936, was carved out as a separate state in the then
British India on a linguistic identity. The golden yellow spice is named after the district where it is
produced & has been cultivated since time immemorial and is known for its medicinal value. Turmeric is
the main cash crop of tribal people in Kandhamal. More than 60,000 families (nearly 50% of Kandhamal
population) are engaged in growing the variety. Apart from domestic use, turmeric is also used for
cosmetic and medicinal purposes. A GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical
origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
21. The researchers of which country has showed that dark matter is not made up of tiny black
holes?
[A] India
[B] United States
[C] China
[D] Japan
Correct Answer: D [Japan ]
Notes:
Researchers led by Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe in Japan has put a
theory speculated by the late Stephen Hawking to its most rigorous test to date, and their results have
ruled out the possibility that primordial black holes smaller than a tenth of a millimeter make up most of
dark matter. They used the gravitational lensing effect to look for primordial black holes between Earth
and the Andromeda galaxy. However, gravitational lensing effects are very rare events because it
requires a star in the Andromeda galaxy, a primordial black hole acting as the gravitational lens, and an
observer on Earth to be exactly in line with one another. In order to maximise the chances of capturing
an event, the researchers used the Hyper Suprime-Cam digital camera on the Subaru telescope in
Hawaii, which can capture the whole image of the Andromeda galaxy in one shot. Taking into account
how fast primordial black holes are expected to move in interstellar space, the team took multiple
images to be able to catch the flicker of a star as it brightens for a period of a few minutes to hours due
to gravitational lensing. The team’s results showed primordial black holes can contribute no more than
0.1% of all dark matter mass. Therefore, it is unlikely the theory is true.

22. India-Africa Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development (IAIARD) will be set up in which of
the following countries?
[A] Seychelles
[B] Malawi
[C] South Africa
[D] Djibouti
Correct Answer: B [Malawi]
Notes:
India has recently signed an agreement with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
Consultancy Service (NABCONS) for setting up India-Africa Institute of Agriculture and Rural
Development (IAIARD) in Malawi. The agreement is a part of India’s efforts to enhance capacity in the
areas of agro-financing and entrepreneurship development for African countries. IAIARD will be a Pan-
African Institute wherein trainees not only from Malawi but also from other African countries, will
receive training to develop their human resources and build their capacity. The entire expenditure on
faculty from India, the travel, logistics and training course expenses for students from other African
countries will be borne by the Government of India (GoI) for an initial period of 3 years. This institute
will be the first of its kind developed in an African country by India. This will further strengthen the
bilateral relations with Malawi and India’s relations with African Union.
23. Which country has decided to launch world’s first national 5G networks?
[A] South Korea
[B] Japan
[C] China
[D] France
Correct Answer: A [South Korea]
Notes:
South Korea will launch the world’s first fully-fledged 5G mobile networks on 5th April 2019. Hyper-
wired South Korea has a reputation for technical prowess, and Seoul has made the 5G rollout a priority
as it seeks to stimulate stuttering economic growth. The superfast communications heralded by fifth-
generation wireless technology will bring smartphones near-instantaneous connectivity – 20 times
faster than the existing 4G. It is crucial for the future development of devices ranging from self-driving
vehicles that send data traffic to one another in real time, industrial robots, drones and other elements of
the Internet of Things. 5G’s hyper speed can connect one million devices within a one square kilometre
zone simultaneously. Until now, no mobile networks have offered nationwide 5G access. Japan is
expected to roll out a limited deployment in 2019 before full services start in time for 2020 Tokyo
Olympics.
24. MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, sometimes seen in news, is associated to which of the following
countries?
[A] Russia
[B] France
[C] Germany
[D] United States
Correct Answer: D [United States]
Notes:
The United States has approved the sale of 24 multi-role MH-60 Romeo Seahawk helicopters to India
under its Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program at an estimated cost of $2.4 billion. The multi-mission
helicopters can detect, track and attack submarines and surface ships at sea. They are designed to
operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers. Thus, these are considered the world’s
most advanced maritime helicopters. The choppers will provide the Indian defence forces with the
capability to perform anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions along with the ability to
perform secondary missions including vertical replenishment, search and rescue, and communications
relay. Hence, the Lockheed Martin-built helicopters would replace India’s aging fleet of British-made Sea
King helicopters. The proposed sale will support US foreign policy & national security by helping to
strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defensive

partner.
25. Who is the author of the book “Kundan: Saigal’s Life & Music”?
[A] Kanika Kapoor
[B] Sharad Dutt
[C] Akriti Kakar
[D] Khushi
Correct Answer: B [Sharad Dutt]
Notes:
The book titled “Kundan: Saigal’s Life & Music” has been penned by Sharad Dutt, documentary
filmmaker and former DDG of Doordarshan. The genius of legendary singer K L Saigal, his timeless
compositions and the golden era of Indian cinema have been brought alive in a book. The book has been
trans-created in English by Jyoti Sabharwal of Stellar Publishers and will be released on April 4, the 115th
birth anniversary of Saigal. Some of Saigal’s all time hits are ‘Jab dil hi toot gaya’, ‘Ek bangla bane nyara’,
‘Dukhake din aab bitat nahin’, ‘Duniyamen hun duniyaka talabgaar nahin hun’ and ‘So ja rajkumari so ja’.
26. The UK researchers have used which telescope to determine that Sun’s magnetic field is 10
times stronger than thought?
[A] Snow Solar Telescope
[B] 1m Solar Telescope
[C] Waypoint-1 Space Telescope
[D] Hubble Space Telescope
Correct Answer: B [1m Solar Telescope]
Notes:
According to a new collaborative study by the Queen’s University Belfast and Aberystwyth University in
the UK, the sun’s magnetic field is ten times stronger than previously thought. Using the Swedish one-
metre Solar Telescope at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, in the Canary Islands, David Kuridze
studied a particularly strong solar flare which erupted near the surface of the Sun on September 10,
2017. A combination of favourable conditions and an element of luck enabled the team to determine the
strength of the flare’s magnetic field with unprecedented accuracy. The researchers believe the findings
have the potential to change our understanding of the processes that happen in the Sun’s immediate
atmosphere. The study found that the sun’s corona extends millions of kilometres above the surface,
measuring 1,400,000 kilometres across — 109 times larger than Earth — and 150,000,000 km from
Earth. Solar flares appear as bright flashes and occur when magnetic energy that has built up in the
solar atmosphere is suddenly released. These solar flares can lead to storms which, if they hit Earth,
form the northern lights — the Aurora Borealis. They can also disrupt communications satellites and
GPS systems.
27. Which South American nation has recently joined International Solar Alliance (ISA)?
[A] Ecuador
[B] Colombia
[C] Uruguay
[D] Bolivia
Correct Answer: D [Bolivia]
Notes:
On March 28, President Ram Nath Kovind became the first-ever Indian President to visit Bolivia. Here,
President Evo Morales Ayma conferred the highest State Honour of Bolivia – Condor de los Andes en el
Grado de Gran Collar – on President Kovind. Both the countries have agreed to facilitate Bolivian
supplies of lithium Carbonate to India and foster joint ventures for Lithium battery / cell production
plants in India. This move will make Bolivia, which is known to have one-fourth of the world’s lithium
reserves, one of the major provider of metal for India’s e-mobility and e-storage needs. To mark the
150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, India offered two busts of Gandhiji to Bolivia. The Bolivian
side accepted the offer and is likely to place the busts in its capital La Paz and its largest city Santa Cruz.
This South American nation has also joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) by signing the
framework agreement on ISA. In a total, India and Bolivia have signed 8 MoUs in various fields of
mining, space, traditional medicine during President’s Kovid three day visit to the country.

28. Which Indian psychiatrist has won the 2019 John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health
Award?
[A] Shekhar Saxena
[B] Anirudh Kala
[C] Vikram Patel
[D] P B Buckshey
Correct Answer: C [Vikram Patel]
Notes:
Prof. Vikram Patel, a psychiatrist and professor of global health at Harvard Medical School, has won the
prestigious 2019 John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award. Mr. Patel has led research
generating knowledge on the burden and determinants of mental health problems in low and middle-
income countries and pioneered approaches which utilise community resources for the prevention and
treatment of mental health problems in India with global impact. Laureates receive a $100,000 cash
honorarium and will be formally presented with their awards on October 24, 2019 at the annual Canada
Gairdner Awards Gala in Toronto.
29. Café Scientifique, sometimes seen in news, is a public science initiative of which state?
[A] Kerala
[B] Andhra Pradesh
[C] Tamil Nadu
[D] Karnataka
Correct Answer: A [Kerala]
Notes:
In Kerala, the group of science experts of the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology has decided
to launch ‘Café Scientifique’ to promote science among public in an interesting way. It is the first such
initiative in the state to popularise the subject. It envisages to bring science back into popular culture by
demystifying scientific research for the public and empowering non-scientists to comfortably assess
science and technology issues, particularly those that impact social policy making. The project is also
aimed at making science relevant, powerful and important to the public, especially the younger
generations. Here, various topics such as universe, climate change, evolution, genetics and human-
animal relations will be discussed in every monthly gathering. It is a grassroots public science initiative
based on the French Café Philosophique model.
30. Which state has been ranked first in e-learning training programme of Department of
Personal and Training (DoPT) of the Government India?
[A] Assam
[B] Telangana
[C] Uttar Pradesh
[D] Tamil Nadu
Correct Answer: B [Telangana ]
Notes:
For the second successive year, Telangana has been ranked first in e-learning training programme of
Department of Personal and Training (DoPT) of the Government India. In FY 2018-19, Dr. MCR HRD
Institute had enrolled over 20,000 field staff in different districts of the State to impart training on 12
soft skill modules and three domain-specific modules on the RTI, office procedures, and finance and
accounts, apart from Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The institute is also mentoring Punjab,
Madhya Pradesh, J&K, Odisha, Uttarakhand, and Gujarat to guide trainers for e-learning training
programme and develop modules in regional languages to spread the Comprehensive Online Modified
Modules on Induction Training (COMMIT) programme as a national mission.
31. Which Indian personality has been conferred the UAE’s highest civilian honour ‘Zayed Medal’?
[A] Sania Mirza
[B] Shahrukh Khan
[C] Narendra Modi

[D] Shashi Tharoor

Correct Answer: C [Narendra Modi]
Notes:
UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has conferred the prestigious Zayed Medal to Prime
Minister Narendra Modi for giving a “big boost’ to bilateral strategic ties between the two countries. The
award comes in appreciation of PM Modi’s role in consolidating the long-standing friendship and joint
strategic cooperation between the two countries. The Zayed Medal is the highest decoration awarded to
kings, presidents and heads of states.
32. What is the current repo rate, as per RBI’s first bi-monthly policy of FY20?
[A] 6.50%
[B] 6.00%
[C] 6.25%
[D] 7.2%
Correct Answer: B [6.00%]
Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cut its repo rate under Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) by 25
basis points to 6.0% in its first bi-monthly policy statement of the current financial year FY20, with
immediate effect. The move will cheer markets and investors and is the second consecutive rate cut by
the RBI. It has also maintained the policy stance neutral and lowered the retail inflation and GDP
forecasts. This is the second consecutive rate cut from RBI under new Governor Shaktikanta Das, after a
rate cut in February 2019. Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted to 5.75%,
and the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate to 6.25%. These decisions are in
consonance with the objective of achieving the medium-term target for consumer price index (CPI)
inflation of 4% within a band of plus or minus 2% while supporting growth.
33. What is the India’s GDP growth forecast for FY20, according to the Asian Development
Outlook 2019?
[A] 7.1%
[B] 7.3%
[C] 7.2%
[D] 7.4%
Correct Answer: C [7.2%]
Notes:
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has recently released its flagship publication Asian Development
Outlook 2019. In its report, ADB has lowered India’s growth by 40 basis points to 7.2% in fiscal year
2019-20. Still, it will be fastest growing economy in the world. The report mentioned that recent policy
measures by the Government of India (GoI) to improve the investment climate and boost private
consumption and investment will help India to lift economic growth in the next two fiscal years. The
growth rate in FY 2020-21 is likely to be 7.3%. India’s growth slowed from 7.2% in fiscal 2017 to 7% in
2018, with weaker agricultural output and consumption growth curtailed by higher global oil prices and
lower government expenditure. The report added that sub-region wise, southeast Asia will sustain
growth at close to 5% this year and the next one.
34. Who has become the first African-American female mayor in the history of Chicago?
[A] Lori Lightfoot
[B] Muriel Bowser
[C] Lovely Warren
[D] Toni Harp
Correct Answer: A [Lori Lightfoot]
Notes:
Chicago has created history by electing an African-American woman as its mayor for the first time. Lori
Lightfoot is a former federal prosecutor and practicing lawyer who has never before held elected office.
She won the city’s mayoral race by a huge margin. She will also be Chicago’s first openly gay mayor.
Lightfoot’s primary proposals include increasing access to affordable housing, creating an office of
public safety to reduce crime and reform policing, and pushing through a real estate transfer tax to help
combat homelessness. She also backs abolishing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Lightfoot
will take over office from Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who previously served as chief of staff under former
President Barack Obama.
35. Which Southeast Asian country has recently introduced harsh new sharia laws that make
adultery and homsexuality punishable by stoning to death?
[A] Indonesia
[B] Cambodia
[C] Brunei
[D] Malaysia
Correct Answer: C [Brunei ]
Notes:
Brunei has recently introduced harsh new Islamic laws that make adultery and homsexuality punishable
by stoning to death. The new measures also cover a range of other crimes, including punishment for
theft by amputation. The move makes Brunei the first place in Southeast Asia to have a sharia penal code
at the national level. The new law mostly applies to Muslims, though some aspects will also apply to non-
Muslims. It stipulates the death penalty for a number of offences, including rape, adultery, sodomy,
robbery and insulting or defaming theAdityaProphet Muhammad. It also introduces public flogging as
punishment for abortion and criminalises exposing Muslim children to the beliefs and practices of any
religion other than Islam.
36. Maitri bridge, which is in news recently, is build over which of the following rivers?
[A] Indus
[B] Ravi
[C] Satluj
[D] Jhelum
Correct Answer: A [Indus ]
Notes:
The Indian Army has constructed the 260 feet long cable-suspension bridge ‘Maitri Bridge’ over Indus
river at Choglamsar village in Leh in a record time of 40 days. It is the longest suspension bridge over
the river and is built by combat engineers of the ‘Sahas aur Yogyata’ regiment of the Indian Army’s ‘Fire
and Fury Corps’. The name of the bridge, “Maitri”, is meant to symbolise the amity and solidarity
between soldiers and locals. The bridge is expected to improve connectivity in remote regions of Leh and
Ladakh. It will connect the remote areas of Choglamsar, Stok and Chuchot, which are said to be the
largest villages in the region.
37. On which date, the 2019 International Mine Awareness Day is observed recently?
[A] April 5
[B] April 4
[C] April 3
[D] April 2
Correct Answer: B [April 4]
Notes:
The International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action is observed every year on
April 4 to raise awareness about landmines, explosive remnants of war, and progress toward their
eradication. The 2019 Theme is “United Nations Promotes SDGs – Safe Ground – Safe Home”.
38. State of the Global Air 2019 report, which is in news recently, is released by which country’s
health institute?
[A] United States
[B] United Kingdom
[C] Germany
[D] France

Correct Answer: A [United States]

Notes:
The State of the Global Air 2019 report has recently released by the Boston-based Health Effects
Institute (HEI). The report revealed that 1.2 million Indians lost their lives due to exposure to unsafe air
in 2017. Now, in India, air pollution is the third-highest cause of death among all health risks, ranking
just above smoking. This is a combined effect of outdoor fine particles PM2.5, ozone and household
(indoor) air pollution. In 2017, exposure to PM 2.5 pollution was found to be the third leading risk factor
globally for Type 2 diabetes-related deaths and disability after high blood sugar and excessive body
weight. Due to this combined exposure South Asians including Indians are dying early — their life
expectancy has reduced by over 2.6 years. In India, early deaths are linked to respiratory diseases, heart
disease, stroke, lung cancer, and diabetes that are influenced by air pollution.
39. The NuGen Mobility Summit 2019 will be held in which of the following countries?
[A] India
[B] China
[C] Japan
[D] South Korea
Correct Answer: A [India]
Notes: Aditya Goswami | adityagoswami2124@gmail.com |
In India, the NuGen Mobility Summit 2019 will be organized by the International Centre for Automotive
Technology (ICAT) at Manesar, NCR, from 27th to 29th November 2019. The purpose of the Summit is to
share new ideas, learnings, global experiences, innovations and future technology trends for faster
adoption, assimilation and development of advanced automotive technologies for a smarter and greener
future. This event will help in building a platform for bringing together all stakeholders in the
automotive industry to understand global advancements in technologies. More than 2500 participants
and over 250 exhibitors are expected to take part in the Summit.
40. Phayeng Village, which has been tagged as India’s first carbon-positive settlement, is located
in which of the following states?
[A] Mizoram
[B] Nagaland
[C] Manipur
[D] Odisha
Correct Answer: C [Manipur ]
Notes:
Phayeng Village of Manipur has been tagged as the India’s first carbon-positive settlement. As part of
the carbon-positive village project, Phayeng will receive a grant of Rs10 crore in phases to facilitate
afforestation in the catchment of river Maklang that flows along the village. The fund will also be utilised
for creation of water bodies, introduction of climate change-resilient varieties of crops, installing solar
lights, for setting up a community piggery and poultry farm, an eco-resort, replacing firewood in kitchen
with cooking stoves and an indigenous knowledge centre in the village. A village is given the Carbon-
Positive Tag if it sequesters more carbon than it emits, slowing the accumulation of greenhouse gases
and mitigating the effects of climate change. Phayeng is a scheduled caste village of the Chakpa
community in Imphal West district and its conservation efforts are mainly linked to the belief that the
forest is a sacred grove. It is surrounded by three densely forested hillocks with fruit trees at centre and
a stream flowing through it.
41. Which city is the venue of the National Cardiology Conference 2019?
[A] Lucknow
[B] New Delhi
[C] Mumbai
[D] Chennai
Correct Answer: A [Lucknow]
Notes:
On April 5, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the National Cardiology Conference 2019 at

Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of medical sciences in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The 3-day
conference will be organized by Dept of Cardiology in which leading national and international experts
from Europe, USA, Japan, Singapore South Korea, Indonesia and Australia will deliberate on the latest
topics of Interventional cardiology and cutting edge technology. The conference being held for the first
time in Uttar Pradesh offers an opportunity to showcase newer innovations in Cardiology that can help
deliver cost-effective cardiology care to patients.
42. The Nepal-India Franchise Investment Expo and Conclave will be held in which of the
following cities?
[A] Hyderabad
[B] Kathmandu
[C] New Delhi
[D] Pune
Correct Answer: B [Kathmandu]
Notes:
The Nepal-India Franchise Investment Expo and Conclave will be held in Kathmandu from 15th to 16th
May, 2019. The event primarily focuses on building the relations between India and Nepal through
entrepreneurship development. The conclave is organised by Federation of Nepalese Chambers of
Commerce & Industry (FNCCI) in association with Embassy of India and Franchise India. The event is
expected to introduce new investment opportunities to Nepalese market. According to Indian
Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri the summit will help in bringing the leading Indian iconic brands to
Nepal. Their entry would not only bring investment into Nepal but also technology transfers and
business know how. According to organizers 250 businesspersons and investors will attend the conclave
and more than 1000 prospective franchisees and investors are expected to visit the expo.
43. Which country’s space agency has successfully dropped an explosive on asteroid Ryugu to
make crater?
[A] China
[B] India
[C] South Korea
[D] Japan
Correct Answer: D [Japan]
Notes:
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has said that its Hayabusa2 spacecraft has successfully
blasted the surface of an asteroid Ryugu to make a crater on its surface. The move will pave the way for
the collection of underground samples for possible clues to the origin of the solar system. For this, the
Hayabusa2 dropped a “small carry-on impactor” made of copper onto the asteroid and the spacecraft
safely evacuated and remained intact. Now, JAXA is analyzing data to examine if or how the impactor
made a crater. The copper explosive is the size of a baseball weighing 2 kg. If successful, it would be the
first time for a spacecraft to take such materials. The asteroid, named Ryugu after an undersea palace in
a Japanese folktale, is about 300 million kilometers (180 million miles) from Earth. Earlier, Hayabusa2
successfully touched down on a tiny flat surface on the boulder-rich asteroid in February 2019, when the
spacecraft also collected some surface dust and small debris.
44. The scientists of which country have discovered a possible “death switch” mechanism in
plant’s immune system?
[A] China
[B] India
[C] Japan
[D] South Korea
Correct Answer: A [China]
Notes:
Chinese scientists have discovered a possible “death switch” mechanism in plant’s immune system that
triggers infected cells to self-destruct, thus limiting the spread of the disease and keeping other parts of
the plant healthy. This is as per the findings published in the journal ‘Science’. The discovery provides

clues to cell death control and immunity for plants. The researchers hope further research can lead to a
new generation of disease-resistant crops that use significantly less pesticide and are more
environmentally friendly. The research was done by scientists from Tsinghua University and the
Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Genetics and Development Biology. The ‘death switch’ is
usually harmless to the plant because it only affects diseased cells, which are a tiny portion of the entire
plant.
45. The world’s first 5G phone has recently released in which of the following countries?
[A] South Korea
[B] Malaysia
[C] United States
[D] Denmark
Correct Answer: A [South Korea]
Notes:
On April 5, Telecom giant Samsung Electronics released the Galaxy S10 5G in South Korea. It is the
world’s first available smartphone with built-in fifth-generation communications. Earlier, South Korea
became the first country to roll out a super-fast 5G mobile network nationwide, which allows users to
download entire movies almost instantaneously. Three South Korean carriers – SK Telecom, KT and LG
Uplus – — held launch events across Seoul for the Galaxy S10, whose base version costs 1.39 million won
($1,200). Thus, commercializing 5G givesAditya
South Korea the chance to build around the technology, which
is crucial for the future development of devices such as autonomous vehicles and the Internet of Things
(IoT).
46. Who is the newly appointed Managing Director of LIC?
[A] Nishant Patil
[B] Vipin Anand Monday
[C] Varsha Sharma
[D] Puneet Jain
Correct Answer: B [Vipin Anand Monday]
Notes:
Vipin Anand Monday has recently taken charge as the new Managing Director (MD) of the Life
Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). Prior to this, he was in charge of LIC’s western zone, comprising of
23 divisions, covering the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and Union Territories of Daman and Diu,
and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. During his service of more than 35 years, Anand has handled several
important assignments in various capacities and departments. He was instrumental in setting up LIC’s
operations in Singapore and Bangladesh.
47. What is the theme of the 56th National Maritime Day (NMD-2019)?
[A] Indian Ocean-Safe Ocean
[B] Indian Ocean-An Ocean of opportunity
[C] Indian Ocean-Save Aquatic Animals
[D] Indian Ocean-Clean Water, Clean Life
Correct Answer: B [Indian Ocean-An Ocean of opportunity]
Notes:
The National Maritime Day (NMD) of India is celebrated every year on April 5 to spread awareness in
supporting intercontinental commerce and the global economy. On this day, in 1919, navigation history
was created when SS Loyalty, the first ship of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company, journeyed to the
United Kingdom. It was a crucial step for Indian shipping history when sea routes were controlled by the
British. The theme of the 56th edition of the NMD 2019 is “Indian Ocean-An Ocean of opportunity”.
According to the Directorate General of Shipping, India now has 43 shipping companies owning 1,401
ships with a combined 12.69 million gross tonnage’ as of December 2018.
48. Indian scientists at which organisation have discovered a new enzyme “Murein
Endopeptidase” to break the bacterial cell wall?
[A] IIT Delhi

[B] CCMB
[C] DRDO
[D] BARC
Correct Answer: B [CCMB]
Notes:
Scientists at the Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB) have discovered a new enzyme ‘Murein
Endopeptidase’ which helps in breaking cell walls of bacteria. This discovery offers a potential for a new
drug delivery route to arrest the anti-bacterial resistance through existing antibiotic drugs. Hence, it
opens up fresh ways to target microbes, leading to a new wave of antibiotic drugs. The man behind this
discovery is Pavan Kumar Chodisetti, research student and his mentor Dr Manjula Reddy. Antibiotics
are medicines used to prevent and treat bacterial infections. The findings have been published in the
latest issue of Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, USA
49. Which railway station has become the India’s first-ever railway station to get green ISO
certification?
[A] Delhi
[B] Hyderabad
[C] Guwahati
[D] Bhopal
Correct Answer: C [Guwahati]
Notes:
The Guwahati Railway Station has become the first station in India to obtain the ISO 14001: 2015
certification for implementation of environment management system by carrying out directives issued
by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The station also has amenities such as High-class reserve (VIP)
lounge, waiting rooms, AC and non-AC retiring rooms, food courts and sanitation facilities. The
certification will be reviewed in 2020 by NF Railway, which mandates stricter environmental norms
regarding waste disposal among others to be adhered to Railway Station. ISO (International
Organisation for Standardisation) is responsible for establishing standard in different areas of activities.
There are many types of ISO certification and ISO-14001 is for environment management system as per
international norms and was upgraded last in 2015. Hence the certificate is called ISO 14001:2015.
50. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has tied up with which IIT to collaborate on
standardization and conformity assessment?
[A] IIT Kanpur
[B] IIT Delhi
[C] IIT Bombay
[D] IIT Madras
Correct Answer: B [IIT Delhi ]
Notes:
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has tied up with IIT Delhi to collaborate in the field of
standardisation and conformity assessment. Under the MoU, the two have agreed to set-up a Centre of
Excellence in the field of Standardisation, Testing and Conformity Assessment with the BIS branding at
IIT-Delhi campus. Both have also agreed to appoint a Chair in the field of standardisation and
conformity assessment. According to the MoU, IIT Delhi will provide infrastructure support for research
and development projects of relevance to standardisation and BIS will provide financial support to IIT
Delhi for projects. Initially, the MoU will remain in force for a period of five years and can be extended
further.
51. Which country’s space agency has successfully dropped an explosive on asteroid Ryugu to
make crater?
[A] China
[B] France
[C] Japan
[D] Germany

Correct Answer: C [Japan]

Notes:
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has said that its Hayabusa2 spacecraft has successfully
blasted the surface of an asteroid Ryugu to make a crater on its surface. The move will pave the way for
the collection of underground samples for possible clues to the origin of the solar system. For this, the
Hayabusa2 dropped a “small carry-on impactor” made of copper onto the asteroid and the spacecraft
safely evacuated and remained intact. Now, JAXA is analyzing data to examine if or how the impactor
made a crater. The copper explosive is the size of a baseball weighing 2 kg. If successful, it would be the
first time for a spacecraft to take such materials. The asteroid, named Ryugu after an undersea palace in
a Japanese folktale, is about 300 million kilometers (180 million miles) from Earth. Earlier, Hayabusa2
successfully touched down on a tiny flat surface on the boulder-rich asteroid in February 2019, when the
spacecraft also collected some surface dust and small debris.
52. Who has become the 1st Indian to be elected as member of FIFA Executive Council?
[A] Bhaichung Bhutia
[B] Subrata Pal
[C] Anirudh Thapa
[D] Praful Patel
Correct Answer: D [Praful Patel]
Notes:
Praful Patel, the president of All India Football Federation (AIFF), has become the first Indian to be
elected as a member of the FIFA Executive Council. He got 38 out of 46 votes. Mr Patel was one of the
eight candidates vying for the spot in the election which was held during the 29th Asian Football
Confederations Congress in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. The membership in the council will be for four
years, from 2019 to 2023.
53. Who has been elected as the new President of the World Bank?
[A] David Malpass
[B] Christopher Kilby
[C] Christine Lagarde
[D] Mauricio Macri
Correct Answer: A [David Malpass]
Notes:
David Malpass, a top US Treasury official in Trump administration, was unanimously selected as the
new President of the World Bank for a period of five-years. The World Bank President is Chair of Boards
of Directors of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and International
Development Association (IDA). The President is also ex officio Chair of Boards of Directors of the
International Finance Corporation (IFC), Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the
Administrative Council of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).
Malpass has served on the boards of the Council of the Americas, Economic Club of New York, and the
National Committee on US-China Relations.
54. The festival ‘Jashn-e-Ittihaad’ has recently held in which of the following cities?
[A] Pune
[B] Hyderabad
[C] New Delhi
[D] Lucknow
Correct Answer: C [New Delhi]
Notes:
A music and poetry festival titled ‘Jashn-e-Ittihaad’ was held at the Jamia Milia Islamia central
university in New Delhi on April 6, 2019. The fest is one of a kind event where people will get to enjoy
soulful Hindi and Urdu poetry, music and performances that will not only make them feel good but will
also spread awareness about unity and integrity. The musical evening opened with the national anthem
and a dance performance by young artistes Yuvraaj Katiyal and Mahira Katyal, followed by a
performance by Irshad Kamil and his band — The Ink Band. Mushaira by noted poets like Munawwar
Rana, Waseem Barelvi, Shakeel Jamali, Iqbal Ashhar, and Madan Mohan Danish among others brought
the evening to an end. The day-long was organised by Delhi-based entertainment company Question
Associates Pvt Ltd.
55. C R Anandavally, who passed away recently, was the well-known dubbing artist of which
regional cinema?
[A] Odia
[B] Malayalam
[C] Tamil
[D] Telugu
Correct Answer: B [Malayalam ]
Notes:
C R Anandavally (67), the well-known dubbing artist in the Malayalam film industry, has passed away on
April 5, 2019. She began her film career doing small roles in various Malayalam films beginning with
“Eanippadikkal” in 1973 and lent her voice to actress Rajasri in the film “Devi Kanyakumari” in 1974. The
1980 movie ‘Manjil Virinja Pookkal’ in which she dubbed for actress Poornima Jayaram became a turning
point in her career and she was flooded with offers and had been active since then. Among the leading
heroines she has lent her voice are Geetha, ‘Silk’ Smitha, Sumalatha, Madhavi, Menaka, Ambika, Urvasi,
Jayapradha, Karthika, Parvathy, Gauthami, Suhasini, Sobhana, Revathi, Nanditha Bose and Khushboo.
Anandavally won a Kerala State AwardAdityaforGoswami
the| adityagoswami2124@gmail.com
Malayalam film |
‘Aadharam’ in which she dubbed for
actress Geetha. Hailing from Kollam, Anandavally had also acted in Kerala Peoples Arts Club (KPAC)
dramas.
56. Project-75 India, sometimes seen in news, is associated with which Indian armed force?
[A] Indian Air Force
[B] Indian Army
[C] Indian Navy
[D] Indian Coast Guard
Correct Answer: C [Indian Navy]
Notes:
To counter growing Chinese footprint in Indian ocean region, the Indian Navy has initiated the process
to acquire six lethal submarines under the ambitious Project-75 India (I). The project would cost Rs
50,000 crore. Under Project 75-India, the Navy wants to build six conventional diesel-electric
submarines which would be almost 50% bigger than the under-construction Scorpene class submarines
being built at the Mazagon Dockyards Limited in Mumbai. As per the requirements stated by the
maritime force, it wants the submarines to be equipped with heavy-duty firepower as it wants the boats
to have at least 12 Land Attack Cruise Missiles (LACM) along with Anti-Ship cruise missiles (ASCM).
57. Which Indian personality has been conferred an honorary doctorate in Philanthropy by The
University of Law, London?
[A] Shah Rukh Khan
[B] Narendra Modi
[C] Sushma Swaraj
[D] Ratan Tata
Correct Answer: A [Shah Rukh Khan]
Notes:
The Badshah of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan has been conferred with Honorary Doctorate from
University of Law, London. Earlier, he received two honorary doctorates from The University of
Edinburgh and The University of Bedfordshire. Over the years, he has established himself as a successful
actor, film producer, television host, philanthropist and an entrepreneur. He has lent support to the
Indian government’s campaigns, including Pulse Polio and National Aids Control Organization. He has
worked closely with several charitable foundations, including the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Besides
being an entrepreneur, Shahrukh has forayed into the field of sports with his IPL team Kolkata Knight
Riders, aids acid attack survivors through his non-profit organisation Meer Foundation. At the World
Economic Forum 2018 held in Davos, he was honoured with the Crystal Award.
58. Who is the new President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)?
[A] Pradeep Mathur

[B] Vikram Kirloskar
[C] V. Ramgopal Rao
[D] Monica Katiyar
Correct Answer: B [Vikram Kirloskar]
Notes:
Vikram Kirloskar, the CMD of Kirloskar Systems Ltd, has taken charge as the new President of the
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). He succeeded Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Vice Chairman of Bharti
Enterprises. Uday Kotak, the founder and MD & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank, is the President-
Designate and T.V. Narendran, the CEO & MD of Tata Steel, is the Vice President for 2019-20.
59. Exercise Western Shield, which is in news recently, will be conducted by which of the following
countries?
[A] Malaysia
[B] Australia
[C] Sri Lanka
[D] China
Correct Answer: C [Sri Lanka]
Notes:
The Sri Lankan army has decided to conduct its largest ever military exercise titled ‘Exercise Western
Shield’ in July 2019 to provide an opportunity for army trainees to march through areas that are not
usually accessible to others, except forest conservation authorities. It will see participation of over 5,000
soldiers and will extend from Mannar to Puttalam, including Kalpitiya, Wilpattu National Park, Mavillu
and Thabbowa Forest Reserves and the Western coastal belt. The exercise is coincided with 10 years
since the end of the island’s 30-year civil conflict between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels.
60. Who is the author of the book “Saffron Swords: Centuries of Indic Resistance to Invaders”?
[A] Pankaj Mishra
[B] Ravi Subramanian
[C] Anand Neelakantan
[D] Manoshi Sinha Rawal
Correct Answer: D [Manoshi Sinha Rawal]
Notes:
The book titled “Saffron Swords- Centuries of Indic Resistance to Invaders” has been authored by
Manoshi Sinha Rawal. It has been launched by India’s homegrown startup publishing houses – Garuda
Prakashan Private Limited. It is a book on 52 unsung warriors of India from the last 1300 years. It
celebrates the glory of our ancestors who offered stiff resistance, won battles and fought till their last
breath against Islamic invaders and British.
61. Kartik Chandra Rath, who passed away recently, was the noted theatre personality of which
state?
[A] Odisha
[B] Jharkhand
[C] Assam
[D] West Bengal
Correct Answer: A [Odisha ]
Notes:
Kartik Chandra Rath (70), an eminent theatre organiser and playwright, has passed away in Cuttack ,
Odisha on April 1, 2019. He wrote a play called “Aie Desa, Aie mati” at the young age of 15 and then never
looked back in his artistic journey. His play “Bhagwan Jane Manisha” staged at the National Theatre
festival in Allahabad way back in 1980s gave him an opening as a dramatist from where he scripted a
passionate career as a dramatist. Recipient of Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademi award and Odishi Sangeet
Natak Akademi award, Rath has penned over hundred plays and directed over 500 plays in his career as

a dramatist. He is known for organising the international theatre festival in Cuttack for more than 20
years. He won the prestigious literary award for his One Act Play ‘Nisang Bisarga’. “Mansara Phula” is
his another widely acclaimed play, which was staged at various theatre festivals across the country.
62. Who clinched the 2019 men’s singles Malaysia Open badminton tournament?
[A] Srikanth Kidambi
[B] Lin Dan
[C] Chen Long
[D] Sinisuka Ginting
Correct Answer: B [Lin Dan]
Notes:
Chinese badminton ace Lin Dan clinched the 2019 men’s singles Malaysia Open at Axiata Arena in Kuala
Lumpur on April 7. After an electric performance , he beat countryman Chen Long 9-21, 21-7, 21-11. The
title is Lin’s first win this year, and also his first major success since taking the Malaysia Open in 2017.
63. Who has taken oath as the new Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court?
[A] Pawan Kalyan
[B] Rishi Bagree
[C] Pradeep Nandrajog
[D] Vidyasagar Rao
Correct Answer: C [Pradeep Nandrajog]
Notes:
Justice Pradeep Nandrajog has recently taken oath as the new Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court.
He was administered the oath by Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao at the Raj Bhavan. Justice
Nandrajog was serving as the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court since March 2017, following his
transfer from the Delhi High Court.
64. Kushagra Rawat is associated to which sports?
[A] Cricket
[B] Wrestling
[C] Boxing
[D] Swimming
Correct Answer: D [Swimming]
Notes:
Indian swimmer Kushagra Rawat made the ‘B’ time standard for the 2019 FINA World Championships
and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after clocking 08.07.99 in the 800m freestyle category at the Speedo
Thailand Age Group Championships at Bangkok. The B timing for men’s 800m freestyle for World
Championship 2019 is 08:10.91 and Tokyo Olympics is 08:08.54. Not only in 800m freestyle, Kushagra
has made the B standard for the World Championships in the 400m freestyle with a time of 03:56.10. The
B standard qualifying time for the World Championships in 400m freestyle is 03.56.14. In the Olympics
and World Championships, if the full quota of swimmers to take part in a particular event are not filled
by those who crossed the A standard, those who achieved B standard will be called upon to compete.
65. India has recently evacuated peacekeeping CRPF contingent from which of the following
African countries?
[A] Tunisia
[B] Libya
[C] Kenya
[D] Ethiopia
Correct Answer: B [Libya]
Notes:
India has recently evacuated its entire contingent of peacekeeping forces comprising 15 CRPF personnel
from Tripoli after the situation suddenly worsened in Libya. Indian Ambassador in Tunisia has the
concurrent charge of Libya. The military conflict in Libya escalated after the self-styled Libyan National
Army (LNA), led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, recently launched a surprise air strike in an area in
Tripoli. On the other hand, UN-backed internationally recognized government headed by Fayez al-Sarraj
vowed a major counteroffensive. The move could potentially drag the country back into civil war. The
United Nations has called for a two-hour truce to allow evacuations of civilians and the wounded. Libya
has been torn by violence and political instability since long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi was deposed
and killed in 2011 uprising.
66. What is the theme of the 2019 World Health Day (WHD)?
[A] Depression: Let’s Talk
[B] Universal Coverage: Everyone, Everywhere
[C] Food Safety
[D] Halt the rise: beat diabetes
Correct Answer: B [Universal Coverage: Everyone, Everywhere]
Notes:
The World Health Day (WHD) is observed every year on 7th of April as a global health awareness day
under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO). The day also celebrated the
establishment of WHO in 1948. The 2019 theme is “Universal Coverage: Everyone, Everywhere”. Here,
Universal Health means that all people across the globe have access, without any kind of discrimination,
to comprehensive quality services, wherever they need them, without facing financial difficulties.
67. Global Cooling Coalition, which is in news recently, has recently launched in which of the
following countries?
[A] Denmark
[B] Brazil
[C] Argentina
[D] Chile
Correct Answer: A [Denmark]
Notes:
The first-ever global coalition on clean and efficient cooling was launched at the First Global Conference
on Synergies between the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement, which concluded on April 3, 2019, in
Copenhagen, Denmark. The aim of Cool Coalition is to inspire ambition, identify solutions and mobilise
action to accelerate progress towards clean and efficient cooling. It is a global effort led by UN
Environment, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program, and
Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL). It also includes government officials from Chile, Rwanda,
Denmark as well as leaders from civil society, research and academia. As the world gets warmer, the
demand for air conditioners is projected to grow and the greenhouse gas it emits will endanger the
planet. Thus, the United Nations-backed ‘Cool Coalition’ comprising 23 members stated that clean,
efficient cooling appliances and equipment can save up to $2.9 trillion in energy use by 2050, and help
avoid 0.4° Celsius warming of the planet. The Global Cool Coalition is a unified front that links action
across the Kigali Amendment, Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
68. Which of the following Indian companies has won the ‘Global Slag Company of the Year’
award?
[A] RINL
[B] Essar Steel
[C] Tata Steel
[D] Jindal Steel & Power
Correct Answer: C [Tata Steel]
Notes:
Tata Steel has been named as the ‘Global Slag Company of the Year’ at the 14th Global Slag Conference
and Exhibition 2019 in Aachen, Germany. It is one of the largest global annual slag events, attended by
major steelmakers, steel mill service providers & associated companies. The award was presented to
Tata Steel for its innovative practices in development of new applications for Steel by-products (Slag).
The award demonstrates global recognition of Tata Steels commitment towards sustainability &
circular economy principles.

69. Who has been named as female sportsperson of the year at the ESPN India Multi-Sport Awards
2018?
[A] Mary Kom
[B] Saina Nehwal
[C] Ekta Bhyan
[D] P V Sindhu
Correct Answer: D [P V Sindhu]
Notes:
Olympic silver medallist P.V. Sindhu and star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has been named as female
and male sportsperson of the year in the ESPN India Multi-Sport Awards for their achievements in 2018.
While Saina Nehwal won the award for the ‘Comeback of the Year’ after bagging the bronze at the 2018
Asian Games. Jaspal Rana, coach of the Indian shooting team, claimed the ‘Coach of the Year’ award after
India picked up 16 medals in shooting at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The Indian women’s table
tennis team took home the award for ‘Team of the Year’ after it clinched its first-ever gold medal at the
2018 Commonwealth Games.
70. Which Indian Armed force has tied up with CSIR for joint research?
[A] Indian Army
[B] Indian Air Force
[C] Indian Navy
Notes:
Indian Navy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR) to undertake joint research and development of advanced technologies for the
Indian Navy. This will be a collaborative arrangement between labs of CSIR, the Indian Navy and Indian
industry. The MoU would facilitate joint R&D activities in diverse fields of Mechanical, Electronics,
Communication, Computer Science, Propulsion systems, Metallurgy and Nanotechnology.
71. Who was appointed as Amicus curiae by the Kerala High Court on Kerala floods?
[A] Jacob P. Alex
[B] E P Jayarajan
[C] G Sudhakaran
[D] Kadakampally Surendran
Correct Answer: A [Jacob P. Alex]
Notes:
In a setback to the ruling Pinarayi Vijayan government, a 49-page report submitted by an Amicus curiae
to the Kerala High Court (KHC) on April 3 recommended a judicial probe into the cause of the worst-ever
floods to hit the state in August 2018 after it found that faulty dam management led to the flooding. In a
report, amicus curiae Jacob P. Alex said that none of the 79 dams in the State were operated or used for
the purpose of flood control and moderation, despite the obligation to utilise them for flood control as
per the stipulations under the National Water Policy, National Disaster Management Authority
guidelines on flood and RTIO (real-time integrated operation). It seemed that high reservoir storage and
sudden release of water had resulted in worsening the floods. Various alerts (blue/orange/red) were
issued not in accordance with the EAP (Emergency Action Plan) guidelines. No proper follow-up action
and effective precautionary steps, especially for evacuating people and accommodating them in safe
locations, were taken after the issue of red alert. Hence, this was a matter to be inquired into.
72. On which date, the 2019 World Homeopathy Day (WHD) is observed recently?
[A] April 8
[B] April 9
[C] April 7
[D] April 10
Correct Answer: D [April 10]
Notes:
The World Homeopathy Day (WHD) is observed every year on 10th of April to commemorate the birth
anniversary of the founder of Homeopathy, Dr Christian Fredrich Samuel Hahnemann. On the occasion,
the Central Council for Research in Homeopathy (CCRH) is organizing a two-day convention in New
Delhi. The council will take stock of the challenges faced and formulate future strategies for the
development of Homeopathy in the country. The theme of the convention is linking research with
education and clinical practice. CCRH is an autonomous research organisation of Ministry of AYUSH.
73. Exercise African Lion 2019 has conducted between which of the following countries?
[A] South Africa and UK
[B] Tunisia and Russia
[C] Morocco and United States
[D] South Africa and India
Correct Answer: C [Morocco and United States]
Notes:
The joint military exercise “African Lion 2019” has conducted between Morocco and the US from March
16 to April 7 in the region of Agadir, Tifnit, Tan-Tan, Tata and Ben Guerir, with the participation of
thousands of military personnel. The annual exercise involves various types of training including
command, maneuvering, peace-keeping and aerial refueling. The drills also include training on counter-
terrorism operations, land and air exercises as well as a tactical simulation.
74. Who has been appointed as new chief coach of India men’s hockey team?
[A] Herman Kruis
[B] W V Raman
[C] Graham Reid
[D] Harendra Singh
Correct Answer: C [Graham Reid]
Notes:
Graham Reid from Australia has been appointed as the new chief coach of the India men’s hockey team
till the end of 2020. As per industry standards, every international coach’s contract is supposed to be for
an Olympic cycle. But his tenure can be extended till 2022 FIH World Cup depending upon his
performance. Hence, everything will depend on India’s performances leading upto the Tokyo Olympics.
Reid had a decorated playing career for the Australian national team and was part of the silver medal
winning team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. He also comes with a strong coaching experience, having
worked with the Australian and the Netherlands national teams.
75. Nobel laureate Sydney Brenner, who passed away recently, was from which country?
[A] United Kingdom
[B] France
[C] United States
[D] South Africa
Correct Answer: D [South Africa]
Notes:
Sydney Brenner (92), a South African-born biologist, has passed away in Singapore on April 5, 2019. He
helped decipher the genetic code and his research on a roundworm sparked a new field of human disease
research. Brenner shared the Nobel Prize in medicine in 2002 for his contribution to work unraveling
how genes control cell division. He and two colleagues, John Sulston and Robert Horvitz, traced a
transparent roundworm known as C. elegans to determine how cells divide and create something new.
The findings on programmed cell death were key to understanding how cancers develop and laid the
groundwork for making C. elegans a major model organism in research.
76. Isaak Hayik, who has become the world’s oldest soccer player, is from which country?
[A] Israel
[B] UAE
[C] Saudi Arabia

[D] Iran
Correct Answer: A [Israel]
Notes:
Isaak Hayik has set a new world record as the oldest person to play in a professional soccer match at the
age of 73. He broke the record after playing as a goalkeeper for Israeli team Ironi Or Yehuda against
Maccabi Ramat Gan on April 5, 2019. Hayik was officially recognised in an award ceremony attended by
representatives from the Guinness World Record organisation. The previous record was held by Robert
Carmona of Uruguay, who in 2015 played a professional match with Uruguay’s Pan de Azucar at the age
of 53.
77. Which international organisation has released its latest report on “South Asia Economic Focus,
Exports Wanted”?
[A] IMF
[B] ADB
[C] World Bank
[D] AIIB
Correct Answer: C [World Bank]
Notes:
As per latest report on “South Asia Economic Focus, Exports Wanted” by World Bank (WB), India’s GDP
growth is expected to accelerate moderately to 7.5% in FY 20 (2019-20) and will be driven by continued
investment strengthening, particularly private-improved export performance and resilient
consumption. As per report, Credit growth will benefit from relatively more accommodative monetary
policy amid benign inflationary conditions. Support from delayed fiscal consolidation will partially offset
the effects of political uncertainty on economic activity around elections in May 2019. The real GDP
growth is estimated at 7.2% in financial year FY 19 (2018-19).
78. Which country is the highest recipient of remittances in 2018, as per World Bank (WB)’s latest
report “Migration and Development Brief”?
[A] Philippines
[B] India
[C] China
[D] Mexico
Correct Answer: B [India ]
Notes:
The World Bank (WB) has recently released its latest edition of Migration and Development Brief. In it,
India has retained its position as the world’s top recipient of remittances with its diaspora sending a
whopping $79 billion back home in 2018. India was followed by China ($67 billion), Mexico ($36 billion),
the Philippines ($34 billion), and Egypt ($29 billion). Over the last three years, India has registered a
significant flow of remittances from $62.7 billion in 2016 to $65.3 billion 2017. According to the report,
remittances to low-and middle-income countries reached a record high of $529 billion in 2018, an
increase of 9.6% over the previous record high of $483 billion in 2017. Global remittances, which include
flows to high-income countries, reached $ 689 billion in 2018, up from $633 billion in 2017.
79. On which date, the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwanda Genocide is observed
recently?
[A] April 7
[B] April 9
[C] April 8
[D] April 6
Correct Answer: A [April 7]
Notes:
The International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwandan genocide is observed every year on 7th of April
in memory of the victims of the genocide in Rwanda. The 1994 genocide is considered the hallmark
example of violence that was ignored by the international community. In 994, around 800,000 Tutsis

were slaughtered in Rwanda in a hundred-day campaign. Hence, the United Nations established the day
to remember members of the Tutsi community, an African ethnic group, which were killed or injured in
the atrocities. The Day of Reflection offered an opportunity to consider the factors that had led to such
mass atrocity and to renew the collective pledge of “never again”.
80. The scientists at which US University have found that cold plasma can kill 99.9% of airborne
viruses?
[A] Clemson University
[B] University of Michigan
[C] Stanford University
[D] Yale University
Correct Answer: B [University of Michigan]
Notes:
Scientists from University of Michigan in the United States have found that dangerous airborne viruses
can be rendered harmless on-the-fly when exposed to ‘cold plasma’ – a stream of energetic, charged
fragments of air molecules. The researchers have measured the virus-killing speed and effectiveness of
non thermal plasmas – the ionised, or charged, particles that form around electrical discharges such as
sparks. A non thermal plasma reactor was able to inactivate or remove from the air stream 99.9% of a
test virus. The researchers hope to one day harness this capability to replace the surgical mask.
81. RBI has recently tweaked LCR norms to boost liquidity. What does ‘LCR’ stands for?
[A] Liquidity Coverage Ratio
[B] Liquidity Carbon Ratio
[C] Liquidity Commodity Ratio
[D] Liquidity Calculative Ratio
Correct Answer: A [Liquidity Coverage Ratio]
Notes:
In a bid to further improve the cash position of banks, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recently
tweaked Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) norms to provide an additional 2% window to lenders. The move
will harmonise the liquidity requirements of banks and release additional money for lending. The LCR
indicates the proportion of highly liquid assets held by banks to ensure their ability to meet short-term
obligations. In a statement on ‘Developmental and Regulatory Policies’ the RBI has extended the timeline
for linking floating interest rates on personal, home, auto and MSEs loans to external benchmarks.
82. Which institute has been ranked as the ‘Best Educational Institution’ in the 2019 National
Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)?
[A] IIT-Bombay
[B] IIT-Madras
[C] IIT-Roorkee
[D] IIT-Kharagpur
Correct Answer: B [IIT-Madras]
Notes:
The Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-Madras) has been ranked as the top institute in the
overall category in the latest edition of National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2019 and is
followed by Indian Institute of Science (IISc), IIT Delhi, IIT-Bombay, IIT-Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur, JNU, IIT-
Roorkee, IIT-Guwahati and BHU. The NIRF is a Ministry of HRD initiative and released annually. On the
other hand, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore secured the top spot in the management
college ranking followed by IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta. The National Law School of Indian in
Bengaluru grabbed the top spot under the law category while Indian Institute of Technology was ranked
first in the Architecture category. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, followed by
Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh and Christian Medical College,
Vellore were ranked as the top three medical colleges.
83. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is in news recently, is associated to which of
the following countries?

[A] Iran
[B] Syria
[C] Tunisia
[D] Israel
Correct Answer: A [Iran]
Notes:
The United States has recently designated Iran’s elite military force, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
(IRGC), as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in accordance with section 219 of the Immigration and
Nationality Act of 1965 (INA). The move, which takes effect on April 15, is part of an effort to put
maximum pressure on Iran to end its support for terrorist plots and militant activity that destabilizes
the Middle East. Meanwhile, Iran has also designated U.S. military bases and their military forces as
terrorist bases and terrorist forces in the region. The IRGC is in charge of Iran’s ballistic missile and
nuclear programs. It was formed after the 1979 Islamic revolution with a mission to defend the clerical
regime.
84. Who has won the 2019 women’s singles Monterrey Open tennis tournament?
[A] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
[B] Angelique Kerber
[C] Garbine Muguruza
[D] Victoria Azarenka
Correct Answer: C [Garbine Muguruza]
Notes:
On 7th April 2019, Garbine Muguruza of Spain has successfully defended her Monterrey Open title when
Victoria Azarenka retired injured from her first WTA singles final in three years. Muguruza was leading
the match between the two former world number ones 6-1 3-1 when Azarenka decided she was unable to
continue because of an injury to her right leg. The Monterrey Open is a professional women’s tennis
tournament played on outdoor hard courts. The event is affiliated with the Women’s Tennis Association
(WTA), and is part of the International tournaments on the WTA Tour.
85. Who is the current chairperson of the National Green Tribunal (NGT)?
[A] Piyush Dattatraya Salvi
[B] Swatanter Kumar
[C] Madan B Lokur
[D] Adarsh Kumar Goel
Correct Answer: D [Adarsh Kumar Goel ]
Notes:
A bench headed by National Green Tribunal (NGT) Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel has
constituted a committee to look into the alleged erosion of Yamuna floodplain due to movement of heavy
vehicles in Haryana’s Sonipat district. The directions came when the green panel was hearing a plea
which said that the policy of permitting heavy vehicles in the embankments of the river is “destructing
the ecology”. The committee will comprise Principal Secretary of the Haryana Irrigation and Water
Resources Department, Member Secretary of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board and Director of
the Mines and Geology Department. The tribunal said the committee would submit a joint report within
one month by e-mail so that matter can be taken up before the monsoon.
86. Which of the following cities has become the world’s first city to implement 24×7 pollution
charge zone?
[A] London
[B] Paris
[C] Berlin
[D] New York
Correct Answer: A [London ]
Notes:
London has become the world’s first city to implement a special Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) that
would charge an entry fee for older vehicles if they do not meet the emission standards. The move aims
to reduce toxic air pollution and protect public health. , The ULEZ will be operational for 24 hours and 7
days a week. It will help address London’s toxic air health crisis that currently leads to thousands of
premature deaths annually, and increases the risk of asthma, cancer and dementia. As part of the efforts
to combat air pollution, London’s famous red bus fleet is also being upgraded. By October 2020, all of
9,200 vehicles will meet or exceed ULEZ standards, as per the statement from Khan’s mayoral office.
87. Exercise ‘Bold Kurukshetra-2019’ was held between India and which of the following
countries?
[A] Nepal
[B] Singapore
[C] Indonesia
[D] Sri Lanka
Correct Answer: B [Singapore ]
Notes:
The joint military exercise titled “Bold Kurukshetra-2019” was held between the Indian Army and
Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) at Babina Cantonment in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh from April 8 to 11. The
purpose of the exercise was to develop military technology, enhance the maritime security and bolster
the nations’ fight against terrorism. Aditya Goswami | adityagoswami2124@gmail.com |
88. The 2019 MENA World Economic Forum was held in which of the following countries?
[A] Egypt
[B] South Africa
[C] Jordan
[D] Zimbabwe
Correct Answer: C [Jordan ]
Notes:
The World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) 2019 was held at the
Dead Sea in Jordan on April 6 to 7. The 17th WEF meeting in the region called for united efforts to
address the most pressing challenges of the area. It was themed on three major visions: generating job
opportunities, empowering Arab women and promoting the most intriguing startups that have joined
the region’s industry over the past years. Over 1,000 government, business and civil society leaders from
more than 50 countries participated in the summit.
89. The Bombay Stock Exchange has recently tied up with which bank to give boost to startups
platform?
[A] ICICI Bank
[B] HDFC Bank
[C] SBI
[D] Axis Bank
Correct Answer: B [HDFC Bank]
Notes:
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HDFC Bank
to spread awareness about the benefits of listing on BSE Startups platform. The MoU will also extend
value-added support for eligible startups, along with BSE for the listing. The move will offer banking and
lending solutions to eligible startups already listed or due-to-list on BSE startup platform. Moreover, the
ability to access capital via BSE’s startup platform in turn will enable startups to access growth capital
and enhance tradability of an otherwise illiquid/ high-risk investment asset class. The exchange had
launched the startup platform in December 2018, with an aim to encourage entrepreneurs to get listed
and raise equity capital for their growth and expansion. HDFC Bank has 43 million customers, 5,000
branches and 13,160 ATMs across 2,727 Indian towns and cities.
90. Under which article of the constitution, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has prohibited
display/exhibit any biopic/publicity material during Model Code of Conduct (MCC) period?
[A] Article 323

[B] Article 324

[C] Article 325
[D] Article 326
Correct Answer: B [Article 324]
Notes:
As per Article 324 of the constitution, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has recently issued an
order prohibiting display in electronic media including cinematograph of any biopic or publicity
material in the nature of biography/hagiography sub-serving the purposes of any political entity or any
individual entity connected to it. Hence, ECI banned screening of “PM Narendra Modi”, a biopic on the
Prime Minister, till the national elections are over. Earlier, on 10th March 2019, ECI announced General
Elections to 17th Lok Sabha 2019 and from the date of announcement of the elections, the Model Code of
Conduct (MCC) came into operation. The Lok Sabha elections will begin on April 11 and will be held over
seven phases followed by counting of votes on May 23.
91. Which IIT has tied up with General Electric (GE) to set up India’s first Cold Spray SMART Lab?
[A] IIT-Madras
[B] IIT Delhi
[C] IIT-Guwahati
[D] IIT Kanpur
Correct Answer: A [IIT-Madras]
Notes:
IIT-Madras has recently collaborated with American conglomerate General Electric (GE) to set up India’s
first ‘Cold Spray’ SMART (Surface Modification and Additive Research Technologies) Laboratory, which
will develop advanced services technology for aircraft engine components. This is the first of its kind
High-Pressure Cold Spray (HPCS) facility that is being installed in any academic institute in India. The
laboratory consists of a state-of-the-art HPCS equipment has been imported from the famous company
Plasma Giken of Japan. The project is funded under ‘Uchchatar Avishkar Yojana’ (UAY) of the
Government of India, which is intended to boost collaboration between academia and private sector. The
Union Ministry of Human Resources Development (HRD) was the key investor along with the
Department of Science and Technology (DST), IIT Madras and GE. The Cold Spray is an emerging
technology for advanced manufacturing and services and will be utilised to co-develop processes for
aero-engine applications. This smart technology has application temperatures that are much lower than
other thermal-spray and welding processes, which means the distortion and stresses associated with
those repair techniques are avoided; leading to longer asset life.
92. Which Indian education technology startup has won the $25,000 Next Billion Edtech Prize
2019?
[A] Simplilearn
[B] Dost Education
[C] College Dekho
[D] EduKart
Correct Answer: B [Dost Education]
Notes:
India’s education technology startup ‘Dost Education’ has bagged a $25,000 Next Billion Edtech Prize
2019 for its ability to empower parents to take charge of their child’s early education by creating short,
friendly audio content that is sent to them via their mobile phones. Besides India’s Dost, two other
winners also receive $25,000 each included Ubongo from Tanzania and PraxiLabs from Egypt. The prize,
which is run by UK-based Varkey Foundation, recognises the most innovative technology destined to
have a radical impact on education in low income and emerging world countries.
93. T-90 tanks, sometimes seen in news, is associated to which of the following countries?
[A] France
[B] United States
[C] Russia
[D] Germany
Correct Answer: C [Russia ]

Notes:
In a major boost for the Indian Army, the Government of India (GoI) has recently cleared the
procurement of 464 T-90 tanks from Russia in a deal worth over Rs 13,500 crore. Under the new deal, the
T-90 tanks would be provided to the Armoured Corps of the force which will use them for deployment
along the border with Pakistan. The contract will also include a Make-in-India element for integration at
the Heavy Vehicles Factory in Avadi near Chennai. The T-90 would be equipped with thermal imaging
night sights to allow the tank commander to strike enemy locations during night battles. The new
inductions will also strengthen the Army’s fire-power along the land border stretch with Pakistan —
from Jammu in the north till the western flank in Gujarat. The new deal would increase the number of
T-90s in the Army to close to 2,000 along with the remaining T-72 and T-55s.
94. Which India’s flagship programme has won the 2019 Public Water Agency of the Year at the
Global Water Summit (GWS)?
[A] Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana
[B] Smart Cities Mission
[C] Standup India
[D] Namami Gange
Correct Answer: D [Namami Gange]
Notes:
India’s flagship programme, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) (or Namami Gange) was
awarded the distinction of “Public Water Agency of the Year” by Global Water Intelligence at the Global
Water Summit (GWS) in London on April 9. The GWS was the major business conference for the water
industry worldwide. The coveted awards recognize excellence across the entire international water
industry and reward those initiatives in the water, wastewater, and desalination sectors which bring
remarkable improvements in the lives of people. The Namami Gange programme an integrated
conservation mission with a budget of Rs 20,000 crore to accomplish the objectives of effective
abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of the Ganga. The project covers 8 states and
seeks to fully connect all 1,632 Gram Panchayats along the Ganga to a sanitation system by 2022. Its
mission aims at providing comprehensive and sustainable solutions for major pollution hot spots along
the stretch of 97 towns and 4,465 villages on the Ganga stem.
95. The Supreme Court (SC) has imposed a fine of Rs 20 lakh on which state government for
banning satirical film Bhobishyoter Bhoot?
[A] Assam
[B] West Bengal
[C] Jharkhand
[D] Odisha
Correct Answer: B [West Bengal]
Notes:
On April 11, the Supreme Court (SC) imposed a fine of Rs 20 lakh on the West Bengal government for
imposing a ‘virtual’ ban on the public screening of the satirical film Bhobishyoter Bhoot in the state. A
bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud said the fine amount shall be given to producers and cinema
hall owners as compensation for violation of their right to freedom of speech and expression. The court
was hearing a plea by the film producer which alleged the movie was taken down from a majority of
theatres at the behest of the state authorities. The film, directed by Anik Dutta, was released on February
15. Its story revolves around a group of ghosts, including a politician, who assemble at a refugee camp
and try to be relevant in contemporary times. The film was allegedly withdrawn from single-screen
theatres and multiplexes a day after its release.
96. Who has been selected for the 2018 Saraswati Samman?
[A] K Siva Reddy
[B] Vijay Tendulkar
[C] Shamsur Rahman Faruqi
[D] Indira Parthasarathy Ramanujar

Correct Answer: A [K Siva Reddy]

Notes:
Telugu poet K Siva Reddy has been selected for the prestigious Saraswati Samman, 2018 for his
collection of poetry titled Pakkaki Ottigilite (Turning Aside While Lying Down). It is the highest
recognition in the field of Indian literature and carries a cash purse of Rs 15 lakh, apart from a citation
and a plaque. Pakkaki Ottigilite, published in 2016, is an anthology of 104 poems in blank verse. It
captures the responses of the poet over the years to social change, the evolution of his own self and his
dynamic relationship with the world.The award, instituted by the KK Birla Foundation in 1991, is given
annually for an outstanding literary work written in any Indian language and published during the last
10 years.
97. Which Indian Cricketer has been named as the Wisden’s Leading Cricketer in the World for
2018?
[A] K L Rahul
[B] M S Dhoni
[C] Virat Kohli
[D] Rohit Sharma
Correct Answer: C [Virat Kohli]
Notes:
Indian captain Virat Kohli has been named as the Leading Cricketer of the year for an unprecedented
third year in a row by the 2019 edition of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack. Kohli was picked as one of the
Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year, along with Tammy Beaumont, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran and Rory
Burns. The Indian skipper is only the third cricketer ever to have won the award more than three times
after Don Bradman (10 times) and Jack Hobbs (8 times). India’s Smriti Mandhana has been named as the
women’s Leading Cricketer in the World for 2018 while Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan was named the
Leading Twenty20 Cricketer for the second consecutive year. Wisden has been listing out Cricketers of
the Year since 1889 and it is considered as one of the more prestigious awards in the sport.
98. Which country has recently sent a team of experts to re-measure height of Mount Everest?
[A] India
[B] China
[C] Nepal
[D] Bhutan
Correct Answer: C [Nepal]
Notes:
The Nepal government has recently sent a 4-member team of experts to re-measure the height of Mount
Everest. Chief Survey Officer Khim Lal Gautam and Survey Officer Rabin Karki will ascend Mount
Everest. After reaching the summit, they will use a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) that will
send readings about its height to their two colleagues who will remain at base camp. The Survey
Department in Kathmandu will be conducted four sets of surveys: Precise levelling, Trigonometric
levelling, Gravity survey and GNSS survey. It is for the first time, Nepal has sent its own team to conduct
a survey of the world’s highest mountain. The aim of the government is to measure the exact height of
Mount Everest amid debates that there might have been a change in its height due to various reasons
including the devastating earthquake of 2015. Survey of India had measured the height as 8848 meter in
1954 and it has been adopted as authentic height by the Government of Nepal till date.
99. The scientists at which US university have developed a new pin-sized sensor that can detect
dangerous chemicals?
[A] Duke University
[B] Yale university
[C] Massachusetts Institute of Technology
[D] University of Wisconsin-Madison
Correct Answer: D [University of Wisconsin-Madison]
Notes:
The scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US have developed a novel sensor that can

be used in smartphone-sized devices to detect dangerous chemicals based on a unique fingerprint of

absorbed and emitted light. Devices called spectrometers are light-splitting instruments that have long
been both bulky and expensive, preventing their use outside the lab. However, researchers have now
developed a spectrometer so small and simple that it could integrate with the camera of a typical
cellphone without sacrificing accuracy. The device also has an advanced capability called hyperspectral
imaging, which collects information about each individual pixel in an image to identify materials or
detect specific objects amidst a complicated background. Hyperspectral sensing could be used to detect
seams of valuable minerals within rock faces or to identify specific plants in a highly vegetated area.
100. Who has been appointed as the new Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court?
[A] Vikram Nath
[B] Praveen Kumar
[C] N V Ramana
[D] K S Das
Correct Answer: A [Vikram Nath]
Notes:
Justice Vikram Nath, seniormost judge of the Allahabad High Court, has been appointed Chief Justice of
the Andhra Pradesh High Court. He succeeded acting CJ Justice Chagari Praveen Kumar. A collegium of
Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi and judges S A Bobde and N V
Ramana recommended the name of Justice Nath as the chief justice of the AP High Court. The new high
court for Andhra Pradesh was created on 1st January 2019, following the bifurcation of a combined high
court for AP and Telangana, which had been operating from Hyderabad since June 2, 2014, when the two
Telugu states got separated.
101. What is the theme of the 2019 National Safe Motherhood Day (NSMD)?
[A] End Maternal Mortality
[B] For safe childbirth, let’s visit health centres
[C] Respectful Maternity Care
[D] Midwives for Mothers
Correct Answer: D [Midwives for Mothers]
Notes:
The National Safe Motherhood Day (NSMD) is observed every year on 11th of April to raise awareness
about the proper healthcare of women and maternity facilities to pregnant and lactating women. This
day also raise awareness for the prevention of child marriages that may be an indirect cause of maternal
deaths. The 2019 theme is “Midwives for Mothers”. India is the first country in the world to have
officially declared a National Safe Motherhood Day.
102. Which Indian city has been ranked first on the WHO’s list of 15 most polluted cities?
[A] Varanasi
[B] Faridabad
[C] Kanpur
[D] Delhi
Correct Answer: C [Kanpur ]
Notes:
The report on ‘Political Leaders Position and Action on Air Quality in India 2014-2019’ has recently
released by a Delhi-based environment body – Climate Trends. As per report, Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur
has been ranked 1st on the WHO’s list of 15 most polluted cities. Faridabad (Haryana) stood at 2nd
position, followed by Varanasi (UP), which is the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra
Modi. The report claimed that the situation in Varanasi is deteriorating as its MP has focused on
beautification and infrastructure. The Air Quality index (AQI) in Varanasi reached an alarming 490 in
2017 and 384 — very poor category — in December 2018. The report also noted that MPs of Lucknow
and Kanpur — Home Minister Rajnath Singh and senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi respectively —
have mostly been silent on the issue of air pollution in their respective constituencies. Gaya and Patna in
Bihar are 4th and 5th on the list, while Delhi is 6th and Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow is 7th. Cities of
Agra, Muzaffarpur, Srinagar, Gurugram, Jaipur, Patiala and Jodhpur are also on the WHO list of most
polluted cities.

103. Sabooj Sathi project of which Indian state has got the UN-backed WSIS Prize 2019?
[A] Kharkhand
[B] West Bengal
[C] Kerala
[D] Uttar Pradesh
Correct Answer: B [West Bengal]
Notes:
Two schemes of the West Bengal government for skill development and distribution of bi-cycles to
students have won the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS-2019) awards under
the aegis of the United Nations in Geneva. The schemes are “Utkarsh Bangla” and “Sabooj Sathi”. Out of
1062 nominations in 18 categories, Utkarsh Bangla got the topmost award and emerged a winner in
Capacity Building category. Sabooj Sathi ranked in the first five as a champion project under ICT
application: E-Government category. The “Utkarsh Bangla” project aims at creating a pool of skilled
candidates who are industry ready, while under the “Sabooj Sathi” scheme, bi-cycles are distributed to
students between class IX and XII studying in government run and government aided schools and
madrashas of the state. Earlier, in 2017, the West Bengal government had received another UN award for
its ‘Kanyashree’ project, a targeted conditional cash transfer scheme aimed at promoting education
among girls. The WSIS Prizes is an international contest to create an effective mechanism to evaluate
and recognise individuals, governmentsAdityaand private bodies for outstanding success in implementing
development oriented strategies that leverage the power of ICTs as an enabler of the development.
104. Which Indian personality has been honored with the Freedom of the City of London?
[A] Alice G. Vaidyan
[B] Atul Sahai
[C] M.R. Kumar
[D] Hemant Bhargava
Correct Answer: A [Alice G. Vaidyan]
Notes:
Alice G. Vaidyan, the CMD of the General Insurance Corporation (GIC) of India, has been awarded the
Freedom of the City of London in recognition of her work to promote insurance ties between India and
the UK. The Freedom of the City of London dates back to the 13th century and has since developed into
an honour bestowed upon individuals who make an impact in the financial hub of London, referred to as
the City or the Square Mile. The Freedom of the City of London is a very special and ancient tradition.
105. Which of the following telescopes has captured the first-ever Black hole image?
[A] James Webb Space
[B] Hubble
[C] EHT
[D] Spitzer Space
Correct Answer: C [EHT]
Notes:
Astronomers have captured the first-ever image of a black hole, which is located in a distant galaxy
known as ‘Messier 87’ (M87), through a network of 8 linked radio telescopes known as the Event Horizon
Telescope (EHT) Collaboration. The black hole in the centre of M87 has a mass of more than six billion
solar masses. The picture shows an intensely bright ‘ring of fire’ surrounding a perfectly circular dark
hole. MIT Computer scientist Dr. Katie Bouman has been credited for developing an algorithm that
allowed the world to see what a black hole actually looks like. The EHT is a consortium of more than 200
scientists that has been in the works for about two decades. The EHT telescope achieved the necessary
firepower by combining data from 8 of the world’s leading radio observatories, including the Atacama
Large Millimetre Array (Alma) in Chile and the South Pole Telescope and created an effective telescope
size of the Earth. Black holes were first predicted by Einstein’s theory of relativity and now, the first
black hole photo confirms his theory. A black hole is a region of space whose mass is so large and dense
that not even light can escape its gravitational attraction.
106. Which Indian sportsperson is the recipient of the New Zealand Prime Minister’s Sir Edmund
Hillary Fellowship for 2019?
[A] Abhinav Bindra

[B] Sania Nehwal
[C] Mary Kom
[D] Deepa Malik
Correct Answer: D [Deepa Malik]
Notes:
Rio Paralympics silver medallist Deepa Malik has been named the recipient of the New Zealand Prime
Minister’s Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship for 2019 in recognition of her inspiring achievements. She will
travel to New Zealand as a Sir Edmund Hillary Prime Minister’s Fellow and meet with Prime Minister
Jacinda Ardern as well as visit Paralympic sporting organizations. Here, she will work to promote
sporting, cultural as well people-to-people relationship between India and New Zealand. Till date, she
has won 58 national and 23 international medals and has been honoured with the Padma Shri and Arjuna
Award. Deepa won the silver in shot put F53 event in 2016 Rio Paralympics. Athletes in F53 category can
do only seated throws and they have full muscle power on their shoulder, elbow and wrist in the
throwing arm. She recently joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
107. Who has been appointed as the first-ever woman Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia
University (JMI)?
[A] Najma Akhtar
[B] Zahra Nigah
[C] Sarwat Zahra
[D] Shanaz Nabi
Correct Answer: A [Najma Akhtar]
Notes:
Professor Najma Akhtar has become the first-ever woman Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia
University (JMI) for a period of five years or until she attains the age of 70 years, She is also the first lady
vice chancellor of any central university in Delhi. Ms. Akhtar has four decades of academic scholarship in
educational leadership. She is known for spearheading international educational administrators’ course
for senior officials from 130 countries for more than 15 years at National Institute of Educational
Planning and Administration (NIEPA) in New Delhi.
108. Which tech giant has launched a new open platform “Anthos” to run and manage apps from
anywhere?
[A] Microsoft
[B] Google
[C] Facebook
[D] Wipro
Correct Answer: B [Google ]
Notes:
Google has introduced a new open platform called Anthos to run and manage apps from anywhere. It is
based on the Cloud Services Platform and would let users run applications on existing on-premise
hardware investments or in the Public Cloud. Anthos not only allows customers to deploy Google Cloud
in their own data centres but also gives them the flexibility to build, run and manage their workloads
within their data centre, on Google Cloud, or other cloud providers (Multi-Cloud), without making any
changes. Anthos will also let users manage workloads running on third-party clouds like Amazon AWS
and Microsoft Azure.
109. Which of the following banks has signed the first co-origination loan agreement with Paisalo
Digital?
[A] BoI
[B] SBI
[C] PNB
[D] BoB

Correct Answer: B [SBI]

Notes:
To empower AGRI, MSME segment and small businesses, the State Bank of India (SBI) has signed the
first co-origination loan agreement with PAISALO Digital Limited. It is the first agreement of its kind in
the country that SBI has signed. This will introduce a platform for the last mile customer. Here, the loan
ticket is designed at Rs 10,000 to Rs 2 lakh. The company expects to disburse 200,000 loan applications
in FY20. The move is to enable the customers to reach with ease and use the platform for smooth loan
disbursal and repayment easily. PAISALO Digital Ltd is a systemically important non-deposit taking
NBFC registered with the Reserve Bank of India and has been in operations since 1992.
110. Who has been appointed as the new CMD of National Buildings Construction Corporation
(NBCC)?
[A] Anoop Kumar Mittal
[B] Sudha Das
[C] Shiv Das Meena
[D] P S Mani
Correct Answer: C [Shiv Das Meena]
Notes:
Shiv Das Meena, an IAS officer of Tamil Aditya
Nadu cadre of 1989-Batch, has been appointed as the CMD of
National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC). He will succeed Dr. Anoop Kumar Mittal. The
NBCC is a blue-chip Government of India (GoI) Navratna enterprise and is headquartered in New Delhi.
111. India and which European country havelaunched joint Industrial R&D programme to address
shared challenges?
[A] Italy
[B] Sweden
[C] France
[D] Germany
Correct Answer: B [Sweden ]
Notes:
India and Sweden have recently launched the India-Sweden Collaborative Industrial Research and
Development Programme on the occasion of the Sweden-India Innovation Partnership AI for All Summit
in New Delhi. The programme will address a range of global challenges through technology and
innovation. The Joint programme is co-funded by Indian Department of Science & Technology (DST) and
Sweden’s Innovation Agency – Vinnova. The new programme brings together the world class excellence
of Sweden and India to address challenges in the area of Smart Cities and Clean Technologies and
Digitalization / Internet of Things (IoT). Vinnova will provide funding to Swedish side participants upto
2,500,000 Swedish Krona as grant. On the Indian side, conditional grant of upto 50% with a limit of INR
1.5 crores per project to Indian project partners to be provided. This Programme is technically and
administratively managed by the Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA) on behalf of DST in
India and Vinnova in Sweden.

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Contents
......................... _ ........ . _ ... ..................................................................
News Headlines: April 16-30, 2019 ............................................................................................................................................................................. 3
April 16, 2019 .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 12
April 17, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 17
April 18, 2019 .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
April 19-20, 2019 .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25
April 21-22, 2019 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 29
April 23, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 33
April 24, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 35
April 25, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 37
April 26-27, 2019 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 40
April 28, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 47
April 29, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 51
April 30, 2019 ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 55
Multiple Choice Questions .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 60

News Headlines: April 16-30, 2019

India
EC imposes nationwide ban on UP CM Yogi Adityanath and BSP chief Mayawati from campaigning
for 72 and 48 hours respectively from April 16 for their “provocative” communal remarks
EC imposes nationwide ban on BJP leader and Union Minister Maneka Gandhi for 48 hours and
Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan for 72 hours from poll campaigning from April 16
IMD predicts near normal southwest monsoon (June-September) season rainfall for 2019
India successfully test-fires long-range sub-sonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’ from a test range in
Odisha
Assam: SC bans mining along the Kaziranga National Park and catchment area of rivers originating
in Karbi Anglong Hills
Himachal Pradesh celebrates 72nd state day on April 15
4th Resilient Cities Asia-Pacific (RCAP) Congress 2019 being organized by the International Council
for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) in New Delhi on April 15-17
Economy & Corporate
Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based inflation rose for 2nd consecutive month to 3.18% in March
India’s services trade in April-February 2019: Trade Surplus (+14%): US$ 71.83 billion; Exports
mahesh | amahesh.2019@gmail.com |
(+18.3%): US$ 186.82 billion, Imports (+21.1%): US$ 114.99 billion

India’s merchandise trade in April-March 2019: Exports (+9.1%): US$ 331.02 billion, Imports (+9%):
US$ 507.44 billion, Trade Deficit: US$ 176.42 billion
redBus ropes in M. S. Dhoni as brand ambassador
NASA Awards Won By Indian Institutions
KIET Group of Institutions in Ghaziabad (UP) won the “AIAA Neil Armstrong Best Design Award”
Mukesh Patel School of Technology Management and Engineering from Mumbai, Maharashtra, won
the “Frank Joe Sexton Memorial Pit Crew Award”
Lovely Professional University in Phagwara, Punjab, won the “STEM Engagement Award”
World
Finland elections: Social Democratic Party (SDP) wins highest number of seats (40) in the new 200-
seat Parliament Eduskunta
India will be the guest of honour at the 29th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair from April 24 to 30
Swedish actress Bibi Andersson dies at age 83
Sports
India’s Prajnesh Gunneswaran achieves a career-high ranking of 80 in the latest ATP rankings
Current Affairs – NEWS HEADLINES: APRIL 17, 2019
India
MP: ‘Durjanpur’ village in Katni district to be renamed as ‘Shivdham’
UP: 8th edition of Home Expo India 2019 begins at India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida
Economy & Corporate
Saregama India launches 88gm portable preloaded music device – Carvaan Go
Boost appoints cricketers Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer as brand ambassadors
World
‘Widow of Silence’ bags the Grand Jury Award at the 17th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Los
Angeles
‘The Overstory’ by Richard Powers awarded Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
Paris: 850-year-old cathedral Notre-Dame gutted; main structure ‘saved’
NASA’s new exoplanet hunter Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) finds Earth-size planet
Sports
Women’s cricketer Mithali Raj named goodwill ambassador of the Indian team for the Street Child
Cricket World Cup


India
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman holds talks with her Portuguese counterpart Joao Gomes
Cravinho in New Delhi
Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi observes Mujibnagar Day on April 17; the day the
formation of Bangladesh’s first government in 1971, after leading a nine-month War of Liberation
Economy & Corporate
Jet Airways announces temporary grounding of operations after lenders decline emergency funding
Indians in TIME magazine’s list of 100 Most Influential People: Mukesh Ambani, Arundhati Katju &
Menaka Guruswamy
Google and Apple remove TikTok from their app stores after SC refuses to stay Madras HC order
asking the Centre to prohibit the download of the Chinese social media platform
Hyundai Motor India unveils its new compact SUV Venue
MRF launches ‘MRF Nylogrip Ezeeride’ range of motorcycle tyres
DIPAM issues issued guidelines for monetisation of non-core assets of CPSEs and immovable enemy
properties
DIPAM: Department of Investment and Public Asset Management
World
150 Indian peacekeepers serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) receive medals of
honour for their dedicated service and sacrifice
Navies of India and Vietnam held maritime exercise off Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam on April 13-16
President Donald Trump vetoes a resolution from Congress directing him to end US support for the
Saudi-led war in Yemen
Former Pakistan High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood takes charge as the country’s new
Foreign Secretary
Saturn’s moon Titan has 100-m deep methane lakes: NASA’s Cassini spacecraft
Congo: 150 people reported missing after a boat sank on Lake Kivu
World Haemophilia Day observed on April 17
SPORTS
Bajrang Punia regains World No: 1 spot in men’s 65kg freestyle category in United World Wrestling
rankings
India
J&K: India suspends cross-LoC trade with Pakistan conducted through Salamabad (Uri) and
Chakkan-da-Bagh (Poonch)
Jaideep Sarkar appointed as India’s next High Commissioner to South Africa
Delhi Police launches helpline number 155270 to curb mob violence; 155271 to curb noise pollution
Economy & Corporate
RBI proposes to allow fintech start-ups to test regulatory sandbox
Himachali Kala Zeera and Jeeraphool from Chhattisgarh among 14 products having received
Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2019 so far
World
Israel: President Reuven Rivlin reappoints Benjamin Netanyahu as PM after election results
Senegal: President Macky Sall announces plan to scrap the post of prime minister
France: Cannes Film Festival to honour French movie legend Alain Delon with an Honorary Palme
d’Or in May
US: Special counsel Robert Mueller’s report released; confirms Russian meddling in 2016 US
Presidential elections
US: Antares rocket, built by Northrop Grumman, launched by NASA to carry cargo to ISS
(International Space Station)

Pakistan: Finance Minister Asad Umar resigns

Mali: PM Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga resigns
NepaliSat-1, Nepal’s first satellite, launched from US
Twitter acqui-hires quote sharing app Highly
International Day For Monuments and Sites (World Heritage Day) celebrated on April 18 with its
theme as ‘Rural Landscapes’
Sports
To host international events, guarantee entry of all athletes: Indian Olympic Association tells govt.
India had refused visas to 2 Pak shooters for the World Cup held in New Delhi in February
Former West Indies cricket chief Patrick Rousseau dies at the age of 85
India
20 States/UTs have so far joined a pan-India network of single emergency helpline number ‘112’;
immediate assistance can be sought by anyone in distress on this number
UP: Allahabad HC awards life term to Hamirpur BJP MLA Ashok Singh Chandel in 22-year-old
murder case
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
India remains electricity-deficit nation; peak power deficit at 0.8%, overall energy deficit at 0.6% in
2018-19: Central Electricity Authority (CEA)
India’s foreign exchange reserves rise USD 1.105 billion to USD 414.886 billion in the week to April 12
India’s gold imports dip 3% to $32.8 bn in 2018-19
Banks Board Bureau (BBB) identifies 75 senior management personnel of PSBs to take over
leadership role in the future
World
Libya: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj asks Indians living in capital Tripoli to leave the
war-torn country immediately
Nepal: India rebuilds Chhyoiphel Kundeling monastery in Sindhupalchok district
NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) detects first type of molecule
ever formed in the universe
American Media Inc (AMI) sells its controversial tabloid National Enquirer and its two sister
publications for USD 100 million.
Peru: Former President Alan Garcia (1985-1990, 2006-2011) dies at the age of 69
Microsoft acquires San Diego-based software company Express Logic that makes software for
Internet of Things (IoT) devices
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) sets up Amartya Sen Chair in Inequality
Studies
India-born economist Amartya Sen won Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 1998
Sports
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) asks Goa to pay Rs 10 crore penalty for repeatedly postponing the
hosting of 36th National Games
Boxing: Asian Games gold-medallist Amit Panghal to shift to new weight class of 52 kg after AIBA
drops 49 kg from Olympic programme
Cricket: Scotland’s former national team captain Con De Lange dies at the age of 38
India
EC asks Eros Now to take down web series ‘Modi: Journey of a Common Man’
UP: 12 coaches of the Howrah-New Delhi Poorva Express derail near Kanpur injuring 14 people
Tamil Nadu: S. Muthiah, chronicler of Chennai’s history, dies at the age of 89
West Bengal: Noted Bengali folk singer Amar Pal dies in Kolkata at the age of 96

Economy & Corporate

Indian Navy launches guided missile destroyer Imphal at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in Mumbai
World
UN observes April 20 as Chinese Language Day
Malayalam film ‘Bhayanakam’ wins best cinematography award at Beijing International Film
Festival
Sports
Final of Santosh Trophy Football tournament to be played between Punjab and Services in Ludhiana
on April 21
India
Civil Services Day observed on April 21
Economy & Corporate
Not issued any direction with regard to a five day a week working for commercial banks: RBI
TCS revamps 150,000 post offices under Rs 1,100-cr deal with India Post
World
Sri Lanka: 215 killed as blasts hit 3 churches, 3 luxury hotels on Easter in Colombo, Negombo and
Batticaloa
Indonesia: Mount Agung volcano erupts on Bali Island
China: Indian Navy warships INS Kolkata & INS Shakti to participate in PLA Navy International
Fleet Review (IFR) from April 22 to 25
Sports
Services beat Punjab in final 1-0 to win Santosh Trophy football title in Ludhiana
Asian Athletics Championships in Doha: Dutee Chand smashes her own national record (11.29 sec) in
the women’s 100m dash heat; clocks 11.28 seconds
India
Renowned hairstylist Jawed Habib joins BJP
Economy & Corporate
Finance Ministry asks all departments to undertake a review of govt. guarantees given by respective
ministries to their CPSEs
Assocham Secretary General Uday Kumar Varma resigns
Sri Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala in Tirupati owns 9,259 kg of gold deposited with various
banks and in its treasury: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD)
SBI General Insurance launches product to protect businesses from financial and reputational losses
due to cyberattacks
World
Earth Day celebrated on April 22 with its theme as ‘Protect our Species’
Ukraine: Comedian Volodymyr Zelensky elected President
Iran and Pakistan agree to set up joint border “reaction force” following a number of deadly attacks
by militant groups on their frontier
Arab League pledges to pay USD 100 million a month to Palestinian Authority to plug the gap from
Israel blocking tax transfers
China: Indian Navy warships INS Kolkata & INS Shakti to participate in PLA Navy International
Fleet Review (IFR) from April 22 to 25
Malaria Vaccine
Malawi to spearhead large scale pilot tests for the world’s most advanced experimental malaria
vaccine
Vaccine called Mosquirix developed by GlaxoSmithKline in partnership with the PATH Malaria
Vaccine Initiative

Sports
Indian women’s cricketer Jhulan Goswami wins Sportsperson of the Year award at the Calcutta
Sports Journalists’ Club annual awards
Rabat International Marathon in Morocco: Kenyan athletes win both races; Sammy Kigen wins
men’s in 2:08:12, Sylvia Kibet wins women’s in 2:25:52
Italy’s Fabio Fognini beats Serbian Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 6-4 in final to win Men’s Singles title at Monte
Carlo Masters tennis
India At Asian Athletics Championships In Doha
Annu Rani (60.22m): Silver in women’s javelin throw, gold won by Lyu Huihui of China (65.83 m)
Avinash Sable (8:30.19s): Silver in men’s 3000m steeplechase, gold won by Bahrain’s John Kibet
(8:25.87s)
Parul Chaudhary (15:36.03s): Bronze in women’s 5000m, gold and silver won by Bahrain’s Windred
Mutile Yavi and Bontu Rebitu respectively
R. Poovamma (53.21s): Bronze in women’s 400, gold won by Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser (51.34s), silver
won by Kazakhstan’s Elina Mikhina (53.19 s)
India
Actor Sunny Deol joins BJP, to contest Lok Sabha poll from Gurdaspur seat in Punjab
Former cricketer Gautam Gambhir to contest LS poll as BJP candidate from East Delhi
Olympic bronze medallist boxer Vijender Singh to contest LS poll as Congress candidate from South
Delhi
EC bans Congress leader and Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu from election campaign for 72
hours for violating model code of conduct.
SC directs Gujarat govt to give Rs 50 lakh compensation, job, accommodation to 2002 riot victim
Bilkis Bano
Seniormost naval commander Vice Admiral Bimal Verma again approaches court challenging the
appointment of his junior Vice Admiral Karambir Singh as the next Navy Chief
SC judge Justice S. A. Bobde to conduct an in-house inquiry into allegations of sexual harassment
against CJI
Economy & Corporate
Tata Global Beverages Ltd (TGBL) to acquire branded tea business of Kolkata-based Dhunseri Tea
and Industries Ltd
World
World Book and Copyright Day celebrated by UNESCO on April 23, Sharjah (UAE) is World Book
Capital for 2019
UN observes English Language Day on April 23
US not to extend exemptions to any country buying Iranian oil beyond May 2
India gifts 100 motorised wheelchairs to critically injured Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers
Luxembourg: Grand Duke Jean, who reigned over his country for 36 years before abdicating in 2000,
dies aged 98
Sports
Asian Wrestling Championship in China: Bajrang Punia wins gold in men’s 65 kg, Praveen Rana wins
silver in men’s 79 kg, Satywart Kadian wins bronze in men’s 97 kg
India
Madras HC lifts ban on TikTok with conditions, warns against obscene videos
2nd edition of Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize awarded to author Rana Dasgupta for his 2010
novel ‘Solo’
Economy & Corporate
RBI divests its entire stake in National Housing Bank (NHB) and the National Bank for Agriculture

and Rural Development (NABARD) for Rs 1,450 crore and Rs 20 crore, respectively
World
World Immunization Week from October 24 to 30, theme: ‘Protected Together: Vaccines Work!’
International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace observed on April 24
Spanish Language Day observed on April 23
World’s first malaria vaccine launched in Africa in Malawi
Pakistani journalist Cyril Almeida wins World Press Freedom Hero award of The International Press
Institute (IPI)
Indonesia releases special commemorative stamp on Ramayana featuring Jatayu trying to save Sita
Egypt referendum on proposed constitutional amendments aimed at extending rule of President
Abdel Fattah al-Sisi passed with 88.83% of vote
India At Asian Wrestling Champinship In China
Silver: Amit Dhankar (74kg), Vicky (92kg)
Bronze: Rahul Aware (61kg), Deepak Punia (86kg) and Sumit (125kg)
INDIA AT ASIAN ATHLETICS CHAMPINSHIP IN DOHA
Swapna Barman wins silver in women’s heptathlon
Mohammed Anas, M R Poovamma, V K Vismaya and Arokia Rajiv: Silver in 4x400m mixed relay
Sanjivani Jadhav: Bronze in women’s 10000m
India
Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) stays EC order suspending IAS officer Mohammed Mohsin
for checking PM’s helicopter in Odisha
Army starts process to induct women as jawans in military police
ICMR launches pilot project ‘Mission Delhi’ to offer motorbike-borne medical assistance in case of
heart attack
Former Indian Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag appointed High Commissioner of India to
Seychelles
SC appoints its former judge Justice A K Patnaik to probe allegations of larger conspiracy to frame
CJI Ranjan Gogoi
Economy & Corporate
Indian Army signs MoU with National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC) to
construct tunnels on borders with China and Pakistan for storage of ammunition and other war-
related equipment
India’s crude oi production during 2018-19 declines 4.15% to 34,203 thousand metric tonnes (TMT)
Agriculture Ministry sets its target for foodgrain production during kharif season 2019-20 at 147.9
million tonnes (MT)
Maruti Suzuki India to discontinue sale of diesel cars from April 2020
World
International Girls in ICT (Information & Communications Technology) Day celebrated on April 25
World Malaria Day observed on April 25 with its theme as: ‘Zero malaria starts with me’
2nd Belt and Road Forum (B&RI) for International Corporation being held in Beijing from April 25 to
27
USTR places India on ‘Priority Watch List’ for IP rights violations
Issf Shooting World Cup In Beijing
Manu Bhaker & Saurabh Chaudhary win gold in 10m Air Pistol Mixed team event
Anjum Moudgil & Divyansh Singh Panwar win gold in 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event
Sports
Pankaj Advani defeats Ehsan Heydari Nezhad of Iran 6-4 to win Asian Snooker Tour title in
Bengaluru
Asian Wrestling Championship in China: Divya Kakran (women’s 68 kg) and Manju Kumari

(women’s 59 kg) win bronze medals

Integrated Coach Factory, Chennai win Indian Air Force Arjan Singh Memorial International hockey
tournament title in Chandigarh
India
Indian Coast Guard inducts fast patrol vessel (FPV) CG Priyadarsini into its fleet
AP: Sthree Shakthi cops launched in Visakhapatnam to ensure women safety
TN: SC stays Justice (Retd.) A. Arumughaswamy Inquiry Committee’s probe into the death of former
CM J Jayalalithaa
Karnataka: Naval officer killed in firefighting efforts on board aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya
Punjabi-pop singer Daler Mehndi joins BJP
ICMR launches ‘MERA India’ to eliminate malaria from India by 2030
Economy & Corporate
Country’s foreign exchange reserves declined by $ 739.2 million to $ 414.147 billion in the week to
April 19
SC directs RBI to disclose information related to wilful defaulters under RTI Act
RBI permits Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) to invest in municipal bonds
RBI extends coverage of Ombudsman Scheme for non-deposit taking NBFCs having asset size of Rs
100 crore or above
Finance Ministry approves 8.65% rate of interest on Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) for 2018-19
World
World Intellectual Property Day observed on April 26 with its theme as ‘Reach for Gold: IP and
Sports’
International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day observed on April 26
17th legislative term of the Wolesi Jirga, or the Afghan Parliament, inaugurated
Pakistan: Archaeologists discover remains of metal workshops from the Indo-Greek period dating
back 2nd century BC
Mozambique: 3 dead as Cyclone Kenneth batters the coastal nation
World press Photo award winning photographer Michael Wolf dies in Hong Kong at 64
5th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Media Summit on Climate Action and Disaster
Preparedness held in Kathmandu on April 25-26
Sports
Ajinkya Rahane will join Hampshire for the County Championship season
ISSF World Cup Rifle/ Pistol in Beijing: Divyansh Singh Parmar clinches silver medal in the Men’s
10m Air Rifle
Asian Boxing Championships In Bangkok
Gold winners: Amit Panghal in men’s 52kg, Pooja Rani in women’s 81kg
Silver winners: Deepak Singh (men’s 49kg), Kavinder Singh Bisht (men’s 56kg), Ashish Kumar (men’s
75kg), Simrajit Kaur (women’s 64kg)
Bronze winners: Shiva Thapa (men’s 60kg), Ashish (men’s 69kg) and Satish Kumar (men’s +91kg), L.
Sarita Devi (women’s 60kg), Manisha (women’ 54kg), Nikhat Zareen (women’s 51kg), Sonia Chahal
(women’s 57kg)
Asian Wrestling Championships In China
Bronze winners: Sakshi Malik (women’s 62 kg), Vinesh Phogat (women’s 53 kg), Manju Kumari
(women’s 59kg) Divya Kakran (women’s 68kg)
India
‘Politics of Jugaad: The Coalition Handbook’, book authored by journalist Saba Naqvi, released
Economy & Corporate
Centre raises wheat import duty by a third to 40 per cent to support local farmers

World
Donald Trump announces US exit from Arms Trade Treaty that regulates international trade in
conventional weapons
UK Government sets up Modern Slavery Innovation Fund (MSIF) to find innovative ways of stopping
modern slavery
US court sentences Russian agent Maria Butina to 18 months for conspiracy
US imposes visa sanctions on Pakistan after it refused to take back its citizen deportees and visa
over-stayers
Facebook announces ban on personality quiz apps on its platform
Sports
Asian Wrestling Championships in China: India’s Gurpreet Singh (men’s 77 kg) and Sunil Kumar
(men’s 87 kg) win silver medals in Greco-Roman
ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup: Abhishek Verma wins gold medal in Men’s 10m Air Pistol
Table tennis player A. Sharath Kamal wins Sportsperson of the Year Award of Tamil Nadu Sports
Journalists’ Association (TNSJA)
Gaganjeet Bhullar wins outstanding achievement as a player award at India Golf Industry
Association (GIA) awards mahesh | amahesh.2019@gmail.com |
BCCI recommends names of Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Poonam Yadav and Mohammad
Shami for 2019 Arjuna Award
AIFF recommends names of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Jeje Lalpekhlua for 2019 Arjuna award
India
Cyclone Fani in South East Bay of Bengal likely to turn into a severe cyclonic storm
Economy & Corporate
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) asks 5 states to stop the sale of
Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo as the product tested positive for formaldehyde
World
World Day for Safety and Health at Work observed on April 28
Beijing drops Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM) from the list of projects
covered under its Belt and Road (B&RI) initiative
Sports
India end with 16 medals at Asian Wrestling Championships in China: Greco-Roman wrestlers
Harpreet Singh win silver in men’s 82kg, Gyanender wins bronze in men’s 60kg
India top medals tally at ISSF World Cup Rifle/ Pistol in Beijing with 3 gold and 1 silver medals
London Marathon
Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya wins men’s race in 2 hr, 2 min & 37 sec followed by Ethiopians Mosinet
Geremew (2:02:55) and Mule Wasihun (2:03:16) in second and third places respectively
Brigid Kosgei of Kenya wins women’s race in 2:18:20 followed by Vivian Cheruiyot (2:20:14) of Kenya
and Ethiopia’s Roza Dereje (2:20:51) in second and third places respectively
Badminton Asia Champinshps In Shanghai
Japan’s Kento Momota beats Shi Yuqi of China in final 12-21, 21-18, 21-8 to win Men’s Singles title
Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi beats China’s He Bingjiao in final 21-19 21-9 to win Women’s Singles title
India At Asian Athletics Championship In Doha
India end 4th with 17 medals including 3 gold behind Bahrain (11 gold), China (9) and Japan (6)
Gold winners: Tajinder Pal Singh Toor: men’s shot put, Gomathi Marimuthu: women’s 800 m & P.U.
Chitra: women’s 1500m
India At Asian Athletics Championship In China In April 2019
India finished fourth with 17 medals — three gold and seven silvers behind Bahrain (11 gold), China
(9) and Japan (6)
Gomathi Marimuthu won gold in women’s 800 m in 2:02.70

U. Chitra won gold in women’s 1500 m in 4:14.56

Parul Chaudhary won bronze in women’s 5000 m in 15:36.03
Tejinder Pal Singh Toor won gold in shot put with a throw of 20.22 m
Prachi, M. R. Poovamma, Sarita Gayakwad and V. K. Vismaya won silver in 4×400 metres relay in
3:32.21
Mohammad Anas, M. R. Poovamma, Vismaya Velluvakoroth and Arokia Rajiv won silver in 4×400
metres mixed relay in 3:16.47
Avinash Sable won silver in 3000 metres steeplechase in 8:30.19
Annu Rani won silver in javelin throw with a throw of 60.22 m
Swapna Barman won silver in women’s heptathlon with a score of 5993 points
Shivpal Singh won silver medal in men’s javelin throw with a throw of 86.23
Ajay Kumar Saroj won silver in men’s 1500 m in 3:43:18
Sanjivani Jadhav won bronze in women’s 10000 m in 32:44.96
Sarita Gayakwad won bronze in women’s 400 m hurdles in 57.22
Gavit Murli Kumar won bronze in men’s 10000 m in 28:38.34
Jabir Madari Palliyalil won bronze in men’s 400 metres hurdles in 49.13
Dutee Chand won bronze in women’s 200 m in 23.24
R. Poovamma won bronze in women’s 400 m in 53:21
India At Asian Wrestling Championship In China In April 2019
India had a tally of 16 medals
Bajrang Punia won gold in men’s 65 kg in freestyle
Praveen Rana won silver in men’s 79 kg in freestyle
Satywart Kadian won bronze in men’s 97 kg in freestyle.
Amit Dhankar won silver in men’s 74kg in freestyle
Vicky won silver in men’s 92kg in freestyle
Rahul Aware won bronze in men’s 61kg in freestyle
Deepak Punia won bronze in men’s 86kg in freestyle
Sumit won bronze in men’s 125kg in freestyle.
Divya Kakran won bronze in women’s 68 kg in freestyle
Manju Kumari won bronze in women’s 59 kg in freestyle
Sakshi Malik won bronze in women’s 62 kg in freestyle
Vinesh Phogat won bronze in women’s 53 kg in freestyle.
Gurpreet Singh won silver in men’s 77 kg in Greco-Roman
Sunil Kumar won silver in men’s 87 kg in Greco-Roman
Harpreet Singh won silver in men’s 82kg in Greco-Roman
Gyanender won bronze in men’s 60kg in Greco-Roman
India At Asian Boxing Championship In Thailand In April 2019
India ended with 13 medals — two gold, four silver and seven bronze medals
Gold: Amit Panghal in men’s 52kg, Pooja Rani in women’s 81kg.
Silver: Deepak Singh (men’s 49kg), Kavinder Singh Bisht (men’s 56kg), Ashish Kumar (men’s 75kg),
Simrajit Kaur (women’s 64kg).
Bronze: Shiva Thapa (men’s 60kg), Ashish (men’s 69kg) and Satish Kumar (men’s +91kg), L. Sarita
Devi (women’s 60kg), Manisha (women’ 54kg), Nikhat Zareen (women’s 51kg), Sonia Chahal
(women’s 57kg)
India At Asian Weightlifting Championship In China In April 2019
Three Indians won medals at the Asian Weightlifting Championships held in Ningbo, China from 20
to 28 April 2019.
Pardeep Singh won a bronze medal in clean and jerk in the 102kg category with a lift of 201kg.
Mirabai Chanu (49kg) picked up a bronze in clean and jerk with a lift of 113kg.
Jhili Dalabehera clinched silver medal in women’s 45kg category in Snatch, Clean & Jerk and Total.
Medals are awarded separately for snatch, clean and jerk, and total lift in continental and World
Championships.
India At Issf World Cup Rifle/Pistol In China In April 2019
India topped medals tally at the ISSF World Cup Rifle/ Pistol in Beijing with 3 gold and 1 silver
medals on April 28, 2019.
Abhishek Verma won gold medal in Men’s 10m Air Pistol event.
Divyansh Singh Parmar clinched silver medal in the Men’s 10m Air Rifle event.
Manu Bhaker & Saurabh Chaudhary won gold in 10m Air Pistol Mixed team event.
Anjum Moudgil & Divyansh Singh Panwar won gold in 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event.
India
Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria will take over as the Vice Chief of Indian Air Force on
May 1
Pakistan releases 55 Indian fishermen, 5 civilians as ‘goodwill gesture’
India increased its defence spending by 3.1% to USD 66.5 billion in 2018: SIPRI (Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute)
Economy & Corporate
Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) gets Rs 6311 crore Navy contract to
build 8 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASWSWCs)
Wipro Consumer Care (WCC) to acquire Philippine based personal care company Splash
Corporation.
World
US remains world’s biggest military spender in 2018 with $649 billion (+4.6%), accounting for 36% of
total global military expenditure
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman meets her Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe on the
sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meet in Bishkek,
Kirghizstan
US: Former Judge and civil rights icon Damon J Keith dies at the age of 96
Spain: Socialist Party of PM Pedro Sanchez wins 123 out of 350 seats in general elections
Lebanon’s capital Beirut sets a new Guinness World Record for the ‘most (26.852) national flags
displayed in one city in 24 hours’
International Dance Day celebrated on April 29
Sports
Football: Barcelona win La Liga title in Spain
Finland’s Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) wins Formula One Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku followed by
UK’s Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and Germany’s Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) in 2nd and 3rd places
respectively
Manchester City’s forward Raheem Sterling named as the Football Writers’ Association (FWA)
Footballer of the Year 2019.
Badminton Asia Championships In Shanghai
Japan’s Hiroyuki Endo & Yuta Watanabe beat Indonesia’s Marcus Fernaldi Gideon & Kevin Sanjaya
Sukamuljo in final 21-18, 21-3 to win Men’s Doubles title
China’s Chen Qingchen & Jia Yifan beat Japan’s Mayu Matsumoto & Wakana Nagahara in final 19-21,
21-14, 21-19 to win Women’s Doubles title
China’s Wang Yilü & Huang Dongping beat their compatriots He Jiting & Du Yue in final 21-11, 13-21,
23-21 to win Mixed Doubles title
April 16, 2019
Shortage of Doctors in India
The report by the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy (CDDEP) in the US has made the
following observations about the healthcare system in India:

India has a shortage of an estimated 600,000 doctors and 2 million nurses.

Lack of properly trained staff to administer antibiotics is preventing patients from accessing life-
saving drugs.
Even when antibiotics are available, patients are often unable to afford them.
Further unqualified doctors prescribing antibiotics in improper amounts to the patients can be
harmful or expensive for them.
About 65% of health expenditure is out-of-pocket in India.
These outrageous health-related expenditures push some 57 million people into poverty every year.
Even though the government has launched various initiatives to provide treatment to citizens for
free or at nominal charges, India is yet to achieve its highest potential in terms of healthcare.
There is one government doctor for every 10,189 people in India against the World Health
Organisation’s (WHO) recommendation of having a ratio of 1:1,000 doctors to patients.
The nurse to patient ratio is 1:483 which implies a shortage of two million nurses.
The report attributes the sorry state of health affairs to the low expenditure on healthcare by the
government. Further, the report states that with the government increasing its healthcare budget and
corporates coming forward to improve the healthcare scenario, the situation is slowly but surely
changing. However, due to the lack of awareness among the citizens about various initiatives, there is still
a long way to go for the combined effort to pay off the dividends of it.
Access to Antibiotics
The report by the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy (CDDEP) in the US has made the
following observations about the antibiotics and their access:
Majority of the world’s annual 5.7 million antibiotic-treatable deaths occur in low- and middle-
income countries.
In low- and middle-income countries the mortality burden from treatable bacterial infections far
exceeds the estimated annual 700,000 deaths from antibiotic-resistant infections.
Even after the discovery of a new antibiotic, regulatory hurdles and substandard health facilities
delay or altogether prevent widespread market entry and drug availability.
Of 21 new antibiotics which entered the market between 1999 and 2014, only less than five were
registered in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This indicates that the availability of a certain
drug does not ensure its accessibilities in countries that require them the most.
Health facilities in many low- and middle-income countries are substandard and lack staff who are
properly trained in administering antibiotics.
Lack of access to antibiotics is killing more people currently than does antibiotic resistance.
The irrational use of antibiotics and poor antimicrobial stewardship lead to treatment failures. This
further propagates the spread of drug resistance which, in turn, further narrows the available array of
effective antibiotics.
Research and development for new antimicrobials, vaccines, and diagnostic tests have slowed down since
the 1960s as a profitable investment in this area is limited by low sales volumes, short duration of
treatment, competition with established products and less expensive generics, and the possibility that
resistance will rapidly emerge.
India turns out to be Net Steel Importer in 2018-19 Fiscal
For the first time in three years, India was the net importer of steel during the financial year 2018-19. This
was attributed to India losing market share among its traditional steel buyers and an increase in imports
of higher-quality steel domestically.
Indian Steel Exports
Indian steel exports fell by 34 percent to 6.36 million tonnes in the fiscal year that ended in March
2019.
India’s exports during the fiscal year 2018-19 declined after rival steelmakers in China, Japan, South
Korea and Indonesia who were blocked from markets in the United States and Europe by tariffs and
other protectionist measures, ate away at the India’s markets in the Middle East and Africa.

Indian Steel Imports

During the 2018-19 financial year, India’s finished steel imports rose 4.7 percent to 7.84 million
tonnes.
Imports from the China, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia also increased as they diverted supply
into India after the tarrif and other protectionist measures in the US and EU.
The Ministry of Steel has urged local automakers to cut Japanese and South Korean imports to support
domestic producers but the automakers who are the biggest importers of the high-quality steel say they
cannot get the quality of steel they need locally. On the other hand Indian steel companies have sought
imposition of higher duties on imports.
IMD Predicts near Normal Southwest Monsoon Season Rainfall for 2019
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts near-normal monsoon, at 96% of long period
average. IMD in its first stage operational forecast for the southwest monsoon season (June to September)
rainfall has made the following predictions:
The South-west monsoon seasonal (June to September) rainfall over the country as a whole is likely
to be near normal.
The monsoon seasonal (June to September) rainfall is likely to be 96% of the Long Period Average
(LPA) with a model error of 5%.
The LPA of the season rainfall over the country as a whole for the period 1951-2000 was 89 cm.
Even though weak El Nino conditions are likely to prevail during the monsoon season its intensity is
expected to be reduced in the later part of the season.
IMD will issue the second stage Monsoon-2019 Forecast during the first week of June 2019.
Monsoon Predictions
Monsoon Predictions are made using a set of algorithms and climate models, both analytical and
numerical. Monsoon Mission, an initiative launched by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in 2017 has two
state-of-the-art dynamical prediction systems for short range to medium, extended range and seasonal
forecasts.
Meteorologists keep a track on five important parameters that can dictate the fate of India monsoon:
The gradient in the sea surface temperatures between the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans.
The sea surface temperature over the Equatorial Indian Ocean.
Sea-level pressure in East Asia.
Air temperature of the land surface in Northwest Europe.
The heat content over Equatorial Pacific measured by its warm water volume.
Studies have proposed including various other indicators, such as surface pressure over the Arabian Sea,
in such forecasting models to eliminate biases and to make the predictions accurate.
Sub-sonic Cruise Missile ‘Nirbhay’ Successfully Test-Fired
India’s first indigenously designed and developed long-range sub-sonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’ from a test
range Chandipur, Odisha.
Nirbhay Missile
Nirbhay missile has blended missile and aeronautical technologies which allows it to take off
vertically like missile and cruise horizontally like an aircraft.
The missile has a two-stage missile powered by solid rocket motor booster developed by Advanced
Systems Laboratory (ASL).
Nirbhay Missile has an operational range of 1000 km and can carry warheads of up to 300 kg
including nuclear warheads.
It can be launched from various kind of platforms.
It can travel with a turbofan or turbojet engine and is guided by a highly advanced inertial
navigation system.
It has the capability to loiter and cruise at 0.7 Mach, at altitudes as low as 100m.
It is terrain hugging missile which keeps on encircling the area of its target for several minutes and
then hits bull’s eye’ on an opportune time.
It is difficult to detect by enemy’s radars. It is capable to engage several targets in a single flight.

The guidance, control and navigation system of missile is configured around indigenously designed
Ring Laser Gyroscope (RLG) and MEMS-based Inertial Navigation System (INS) along with GPS
system.
It was the sixth experimental test of Nirbhay missile system and it achieved all mission objectives right
from lift-off till the final splash, boosting the confidence of all scientists associated with the trial.
Resilient Cities Asia-Pacific (RCAP) Congress 2019
The 4th Resilient Cities Asia-Pacific 2019 Congress is being organised by International Council for Local
Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and hosted by South Delhi Municipal Corporation in New Delhi. The
congress will offer cities & regions from Asia-Pacific a variety of innovative solutions that build resilience
to climate change at the sub-national level.
The congress will host combination of high-level plenaries and technical sessions on the implementation
and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs),
and the New Urban Agenda of 2016, while at the same time bringing together experts and practitioners
who will share their experiences and encourage cities to take actions on resilience.
Objectives of RCAP Congress 2019
To share and learn about good urban resilience practices and showcase innovative ideas, solutions
and initiatives
To provide local governments with exposure and access to tools and processes that help mainstream
resilience considerations into policy and practice

To provide a networking platform to promote concerted and coordinated action in Asia among the
main players in the field of urban resilience
To explore tangible opportunities for creating partnerships between local governments and the
private sector
To bring together funders and cities and facilitate the match-making between available financial
resources and current cities’ needs.
The Congress was inaugurated by Vice-President Venkiah Naidu. The outcomes of the RCAP 2019 will be
presented in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) Conference to be held in Berlin in June this
year.
Himachal Pradesh Celebrates 72nd State Day
Himachal Pradesh celebrated 72nd Himachal Day on 15th April with gaiety and fervour. Himachal Day is
celebrated to commemorate its creation.
Genesis of the Himachal Day
Before independence, most of the areas of Himachal Pradesh was part of Punjab state and during
that time this region was divided into four different regions such as Chamba, Mandi, Shimla etc.
After the independence, in 1948 the state was declared as a union territory.
On the 15th April Chief Commission inaugurated this territory and after that this day was
celebrated as ‘Himachal Day’ every year.
Later in the 1970 the union territory was declared as a separate state. On 25th January 1971, it became the
18th state of the country.
The tiny hill-state Himachal Pradesh has developed rapidly after coming into existence on April 15, 1948,
following the merger of 30 princely states. Difficult geographical conditions, inaccessible areas and
other complexities could not affect the courage of the people.
Indian Teams Win Awards at NASA Annual Rover Challenge
Three teams from India have won awards at the NASA’s annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge
which invites high school and college students to build and test roving vehicles for future missions to the
Moon, Mars and beyond.
Indian Teams Awarded
The team from KIET Group of Institutions in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, won the “AIAA Neil
Armstrong Best Design Award”, which recognises systems best designed to meet the Rover
Challenge performance requirements.
The team from Mukesh Patel School of Technology Management and Engineering from Mumbai,

Maharashtra, won the “Frank Joe Sexton Memorial Pit Crew Award” for ingenuity and persistence in
overcoming problems during the race as well as the “System Safety Challenge Award”.
The team from Lovely Professional University in Phagwara, Punjab, won the “STEM Engagement
Award”, presented to the team that best-informed others about rocketry and other space-related
topics.
Human Exploration Rover Challenge
The annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge of NASA is an engineering design challenge to engage
students worldwide in the next phase of human space exploration. The challenge evaluates the teams by
mimicking the opportunities, challenges and decision-making that our future planetary explorers will face
in interplanetary space.
Seychelles President’s Underwater Speech
Seychelles President Danny Faure delivered a speech from deep below the ocean’s surface. Seychelles
President made a global plea for stronger protection of the Oceans which are beating blue heart of our
planet.
The underwater speech comes at a time when many island nations including Seychelles threatened by
global warming. Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, off East Africa. Small island
nations like Seychelles are among the most vulnerable to the rise in sea levels caused by climate change.
The speech was made during a visit to an mahesh
ambitious British-led science expedition, Nekton Mission
| amahesh.2019@gmail.com |
exploring the Indian Ocean depths.

Nekton Mission
Nekton Mission is aimed at enhancing the humanities knowledge and understanding of the world’s oceans
to speed up the protection and governance of our last great wilderness, the deep ocean.
Nekton is an independent, not-for-profit research institute working in collaboration with the University of Oxford.
Nekton’s missions are undertaken with host nations and combine scientific research, capacity
development, ocean governance and public engagement.
Nekton Mission in the Indian Ocean named First Descent is a series of expeditions to explore and conserve
the world’s most unknown and least protected ocean, the Indian Ocean.
The data from the Nekton Mission will be used to help Seychelles expand its policy of protecting 30% of its
national waters by 2020.
Spacex to Launch NASA’s Asteroid-Smashing Mission
NASA has announced that SpaceX will fly its Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) planetary-defence
mission. The total launch cost for NASA is estimated to be about $69 million.
DART
Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) is a planned space probe that will demonstrate the kinetic effects of
crashing an impactor spacecraft into an asteroid moon for planetary defense purposes. The mission is intended to test
whether a spacecraft impact could successfully deflect an asteroid on a collision course with Earth.

DART Planetary-Defense Mission

DART planetary-defence mission will be will launched by the Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air
Force Base in California in June 2021.
The spacecraft will slam into “Didymoon,” the 540-foot-wide (165 meters) satellite of the near-Earth
asteroid Didymos which is located at about 4 million miles from Eart in October 2022.
Scientists will observe the impact with telescopes and measure the change in the Didymoon’s orbit
around the asteroid.
Scientists hope to move it by just a fraction of a per cent off its path, which is enough to deflect any
future asteroids off course since Didymos poses no threat to Earth.
DART won’t be the first spacecraft to wallop an asteroid. Earlier this month, Japan’s Hayabusa2 probe
smashed a copper cannonball into the space rock Ryugu, to unearth pristine subsurface material for study.
Ministry of External Affairs sets up Indo-Pacific Wing
The Ministry of External Affairs has set up an Indo-Pacific division in the foreign office. The Indo-pacific
division is intended to give a coherent architecture to the Indo-Pacific policy articulated by PM Narendra
Modi at the Shangri-La Dialogue in 2018.
Indo-Pacific Wing
The Indo-Pacific Wing is currently headed by joint secretary Vikram Doraiswami.
The Indo-Pacific Wing is a big step by the government and it is expected to give thrust to the Indo-
Pacific centred policymaking.
The Indo-Pacific Wing integrates the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), ASEAN region and the
Quad.
The Indo-Pacific diplomacy of India India has repeatedly placed ASEAN at the centre of its policy. Even the
US has recently renamed its Pacific Command to the Indo-Pacific Command as it seeks to give teeth to its
Indo-Pacific policy.
April 17, 2019
Central Monitoring Committee to Prepare National Plan for Polluted Rivers
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formed a Central Monitoring Committee to prepare and enforce a
national plan to make over 350 river stretches pollution free across the country. River pollution has
caused a serious threat to the safety of water and environment.
Order of NGT
The committee would comprise representatives of NITI Aayog; secretaries of Ministry of Water
Resources, Ministry of Urban Development and Ministry of Environment; the director general of
National Mission for Clean Ganga and the Central Pollution Control Board chairman.
The Committee will also coordinate with the River Rejuvenation Committees of the states and
oversee the execution of the action plans, taking into account the timelines, budgetary mechanism
and other factors.
Chief Secretaries of states would be the nodal agency at the state level.
NGT directed the Ministry of Environment to consider a policy for giving environmental awards to
outstanding persons (natural and juristic) and institutions or states and introducing “dis-incentives”
for non-compliant states.
The Central Monitoring Committee may consider identifying experts, best practices and models for
use of treated water, including plan to supply untreated sewage for a price or otherwise so that the
concerned needy party can treat and utilise such water as is reportedly being done at Surat in
Gujarat, Nagpur in Maharashtra and Bhilwada in Rajasthan or any other place.
Use of polluted water in irrigation is a threat to the health of human beings apart from the aquatic
flora and fauna. Hence it is necessary to have a regular hygienic survey of the rivers particularly
with reference to pathogenic organisms having an impact on human health directly or indirectly
and It is necessary to note that biological health of the rivers is an important aspect.
There has to be a regular study of the Indian rivers with regard to biological health and its diversity.
The NGT has issued the order after taking note of the article “More river stretches are now critically
polluted: CPCB” in the Hindu. mahesh | amahesh.2019@gmail.com |
2019 Pulitzer Prizes
The winners of the 2019 Pulitzer Prizes have been announced. The winners in the category of Letters,
Drama and Music are listed below:
Fiction: The Overstory, by Richard Powers (W.W. Norton).
Drama: Fairview, by Jackie Sibblies Drury.
History: Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, by David W. Blight (Simon & Schuster).
Biography: The New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke, by Jeffrey C. Stewart (Oxford University Press).
Poetry: Be With, by Forrest Gander (New Directions).
General Nonfiction: Amity and Prosperity: One Family and the Fracturing of America, by Eliza
Griswold (Farrar, Straus and Giroux).
Music: Prism, by Ellen Reid.
The Pulitzer Prize is awarded for achievements in newspaper, magazine and online journalism, literature,
and musical composition in the United States. Established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph
Pulitzer who had made his fortune as a newspaper publisher, the awards are administered by Columbia
University in New York City.
Prizes are awarded yearly in twenty-one categories. In twenty of the categories, each winner receives a
certificate and a US$15,000 cash award and the winner in the public service category of the journalism
competition is awarded a gold medal.
Guidelines for Monetisation of Non-Core Assets of CPSEs
The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has issued the guidelines for
monetisation of non-core assets of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and immovable enemy
properties.
Guidelines for Monetisation of Non-Core Assets
An inter-ministerial group chaired by the secretary of DIPAM will identify the non-core assets of the
CPSEs on its own and also on the basis of recommendations of the Niti Aayog.
The final call will be taken by the Finance minister-headed panel.
Once the panel approves the assets for monetisation, it should be completed within 12 months from
the date of approval, failing which the finance ministry may restrict budgetary allocations to the
CPSEs.
CPSEs can also seek relaxation from the inter-ministerial group of the 12-month deadline for sale of
non-core assets.
In case of immovable enemy properties, the guidelines said that the assets would be identified for
disposal in consultation with the stakeholders including the respective state governments.

The amount raised through the sale of non-core assets would form part of the disinvestment proceeds.
The government has set a target of Rs 90,000 crore to be raised through CPSE disinvestment in the
current financial year.
Singapore Open 2019
The winners of the Singapore Open 2019 are listed below:
Men’s Singles: Kento Momota (Japan)
Women’s Singles: Tai Tzu-ying (Taiwan)
Men’s Doubles: Takeshi Kamura and Keigo Sonoda (Japan)
Women’s Doubles: Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara (Japan)
Mixed Doubles: Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Thailand)
The 2019 Singapore Open badminton tournament which took place at Singapore Indoor
Stadium in Singapore had a total purse of $355,000.
NASA’s Exoplanet Mission Finds 1st Earth-Size Alien World
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) Mission of NASA has discovered its first Earth-size alien
world.
About the Discovery
The planet, HD 21749c, is about 89 per cent of Earth’s diameter.
The planet orbits HD 21749, a K-type star
mahesh with about 70
| amahesh.2019@gmail.com | per cent of the Sun’s mass located 53 light
years away in the southern constellation Reticulum.
HD 21749c is the second planet TESS has identified in the system.
HD 21749c is the 10th confirmed planet discovered by TESS, and hundreds of additional candidates
are now being studied.
HD 21749c doesn’t seem to have good life-hosting potential as it circles its host star very tightly,
completing one orbit every 7.8 Earth days, and is therefore probably quite hot.
TESS which was launched just about a year ago is already a game-changer in the planet-hunting business.
TESS total tally is likely to end up topping that of Kepler has found about 70% of the 4,000 exoplanets
discovered to date.
Mithali Raj named Goodwill Ambassador for Street Child Cricket World Cup
Cricketer Mithali Raj has been named as the goodwill ambassador of the Indian team for the Street Child
Cricket World Cup. She will join former captain Saurav Ganguly and IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals in
supporting the team India for the Street Child Cricket World Cup.
Street Child Cricket World Cup
The first ever Cricket World Cup for street children will take place ahead of the 2019 ICC Cricket World
Cup in England and Wales.
The Street Child Cricket World Cup aims to unite street children from around the world to play in their
own international cricket tournament to raise awareness and tackle the widespread stigma and negative
treatment they face. Off the pitch, these young people will also make their voices heard and make
recommendations to help improve the lives of street children worldwide.
Scientists Discover Oil-Eating Bacteria at the Bottom of the Ocean
Scientists from Ocean University in Qingdao, China and the University of East Anglia in Norwich,
England have discovered a bacteria that eats oil.
Oil-Eating Bacteria
The oil eating bacteria was discovered in the western Pacific Ocean’s 10,994-meter-deep Mariana
Trench.
The team from collected samples from the trench. In the samples, they found microorganisms that
eat compounds similar to those in oil.
The expedition was organised by marine explorer and film director James Cameron.
Significance of the Discovery
Hydrocarbons are organic compounds that are made of only hydrogen and carbon atoms. They are found
in many places, including crude oil and natural gas. These types of microorganisms which essentially eat
compounds similar to those in oil and then use it for fuel can play a significant role in degrading oil spills

in natural disasters such as BP’s 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Scientists Print First 3D Heart Using Patient’s Biological Materials
Researchers from the Tel Aviv University, Israel have printed the world’s first 3D vascularised engineered
heart using a patient’s own cells and biological materials.
Why this is significant?
The 3D Heart was made from human cells and patient-specific biological materials. During the process,
the patient-specific biological materials served as the bio-inks (substances made of sugars and proteins
that can be used for 3D printing of complex tissue models).
Even though people had managed to 3D-print the structure of a heart in the past, but those attempts were
not with cells or with blood vessels. The heart produced by researchers is about the size of a rabbit’s.
Even though many challenges remain before fully working 3D printed hearts would be available for
transplant into patients. This successful demonstration underlines the potential for engineering
personalized tissue and organ replacement in the future.
The challenge now before the researchers is to teach the printed hearts “to behave” like real ones. The cells
are currently able to contract but do not yet have the ability to pump. Then they can undertake
transplantation into animal models. When successful, there will be organ printers in the finest hospitals
around the world, and these procedures will be conducted routinely.
Cabinet nod to GSLV
maheshPh-4 Continuation
| amahesh.2019@gmail.com | Programme
The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of the ongoing Geosynchronous Satellite Launch
Vehicle (GSLV) programme phase-4 consisting of five rocket flights during 2021-2024.
GSLV Ph-4
The GSLV phase four will enable the launch of two-tonne class of satellites for geo-imaging,
navigation, data relay communication and space sciences.
The total fund requirement for phase four has been pegged at Rs 2729.13 crores. The cost includes
the cost of five Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicles (GSLVs), essential facility augmentation,
programme management, and launch campaign, along with the additional funds required for
meeting the scope of the ongoing programme.
The GSLV continuation programme is expected to meet the launch requirement of satellites for
providing critical satellite navigation services, data relay communication for supporting the Indian
human spaceflight programme and the next interplanetary mission to Mars.
The continuation programme will meet the demand for the launch of satellites at a frequency up to
two launches per year.
The GSLV continuation programme was initially sanctioned in 2003, and two phases have been completed
and the third phase is in progress and expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2020-21.
World Haemophilia Day 2019
April 17 is observed as World Haemophilia Day. The World Haemophilia Day 2019 is aimed at reaching out
and identifying new members of the bleeding disorders community.
April 17 is observed as World Hemophilia Day to commemorate the birthday of Frank Schnabel who
established the World Federation of Haemophilia in 1963.
Haemophilia and its Occurrence
Haemophilia is a medical condition in which the ability of blood to clot is severely reduced. As a result,
even a minor injury can cause severe bleeding. It is mostly inherited and is attributed to the defect in the X
chromosome.
If a girl is born with one defective X chromosome, her other X chromosome can compensate for it. As a
result, she will be a carrier of haemophilia but she herself will not suffer from the condition. On the other
hand, if both of her X chromosomes are defective she is bound to suffer from haemophilia.
If a boy is born with a defective X chromosome, he does not have the second X chromosome to compensate
for it. Hence he will suffer from haemophilia. That is the reason haemophilia is more common among men.
Britain’s Queen Victoria is the world’s most widely known carrier of haemophilia. From her, the condition
spread to a number of European royal families. Hence haemophilia is often referred to as the Royal
Disease.

Haemophilia A, occurs in about 1 in 5,000 births, while Haemophilia B is even rarer at about 1 in about
20,000 births. According to the World Federation of Haemophilia’s Annual Global Survey 2017, there were
over 1.96 lakh persons living with haemophilia across the world in 2017 and India emerged with the
highest count at nearly 19,000.
Liquid methane spotted on Titan moon of Saturn
Using data obtained by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, scientists have found that Saturn’s largest moon Titan
has small liquid lakes that run more than 100 metres deep, perched atop hills and filled with methane.
What are the Findings?
The findings published in the journal titled Nature Astronomy make the following observations:
Titan has landforms akin to Mesas towering above the nearby landscape, topped with liquid lakes
more than 300 feet deep comprised mainly of methane.
Scientists suspect the lakes were formed when surrounding bedrock chemically dissolved and
collapsed a process which occurs with a certain type of lake on Earth.
The scientists also observed “phantom lakes” on Titan that during wintertime appeared to be wide
but shallow ponds but perhaps were only a few inches deep and evaporated or drained into the
surface by springtime, a process taking seven years on Titan.
The findings also presented evidence about Titan’s hydrological cycle, with liquid hydrocarbons
raining down from clouds, flowing across its surface and evaporating back into the sky which is
comparable to Earth’s water cycle.

Scientists suspect Titan could potentially could harbour life possibly in the surface bodies of liquid
hydrocarbons because of Titan’s complex chemistry and distinctive environments.
Titan which is the moon of Saturn has a diameter of 5,150 km and is the solar system’s second largest
moon, behind only Jupiter’s Ganymede. It is bigger than the planet Mercury.
Titan is the most Earth-like body in the solar system. It has lakes, canyons, rivers, dune fields of organic
sand particles about the same size as silica sand grains on Earth.
April 18, 2019
Plea for Lifting Ban on Muslim Women’s Entry into Mosques in SC
The Supreme Court on Tuesday admitted for consideration a plea by a couple to lift the ban on Muslim
women’s entry into mosques across the country.
Based on the plea by a Pune-based Muslim couple the Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Centre, the
Waqf Board and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).
What are the arguments made by the Petitioner?
Banning the entry of women into Mosques violates Articles 14 (Equality), 15 (Prohibition of
discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth), 21 (Protection of life and
personal liberty), 25 (Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of
religion) and 29 (Protection of interests of minorities) of the Constitution.
Bar on Muslim women entry to mosques was violative of Article 44 of the Constitution of India,
which encourages the State to secure a Uniform Civil Code for all citizens, by eliminating
discrepancies between various personal laws currently in force in the country.
The petition also laid emphasis on the apex court’s Sabarimala verdict where the Supreme Court had
lifted the ban on entry of women into Kerala’s Sabarimala temple stating “Religion cannot be used as
cover to deny rights of worship to women and it is also against human dignity. Prohibition on
women is due to non-religious reasons and it is a grim shadow of discrimination going on for
centuries”.
Accepting the petition the Supreme Court had said that “We are only hearing you, and maybe will hear
you in the future, because of Sabarimala Judgment.”
Current Situation
At present women are allowed to offer prayers at mosques under the Jamaat-e-Islami and Mujahid
denominations and women are barred from mosques under the predominant Sunni faction. Even in
mosques where women are allowed, there are separate entrances and enclosures for worship for men and
women.

India Vietnam Hold Naval Exercise

Navies of India and Vietnam held a four-day maritime exercise off Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam with an aim
to boost operational cooperation.
India-Vietnam Naval Exercise
From the Indian side warships, INS Kolkata and INS Shakti participated in the annual exercise,
comprising a harbour and a sea phase.
The exercise was undertaken as a part of the ongoing overseas deployment of eastern fleet ships to
South East Asian countries.
India-Vietnam relations were elevated to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the
visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016. Enhancing military ties was a key element of talks during
the visit of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang to India in March 2018.
Conduction of the bilateral exercise on an annual basis is expected to give a further fillip to the existing
strong bilateral relation between India and Vietnam.
Iran Parliament Labels US troops to Mideast as Terrorists
Iran’s Parliament has overwhelmingly approved a bill labelling U.S. forces in the Middle East as terrorist
groups. This comes days after U.S. designation of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as terrorist organisation
formally took effect.
The bill introduced by the Iranian Defencemahesh
Minister has authorised
| amahesh.2019@gmail.com | the government to act firmly in
response to “terrorist actions” by US forces and demands authorities use of legal, political and diplomatic
measures to neutralise the American move, without elaborating.
Since the bill did not elaborate on the measures Iran would take, it remains unclear how the bill’s passage
in parliament would affect the Gourd’s activities in the Persian Gulf, where the U.S. Navy has in the past
accused Iranian patrol boats of harassing American warships.
The Revolutionary Guard’s designation as a terrorist group by the US was the first-ever designation for an
entire division of another government. Some hard-liner lawmakers of Iran had demanded listing of the
entire U.S. Army and security forces as terrorist organisations.
Bangladesh Observes Mujibnagar Day
Bangladesh observed Mujibnagar Day on 17th April. On the Occasion Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina paid
tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Bangabandhu Memorial
Museum, in Dhanmondi, Dhaka.
Mujibnagar Day
Mujibnagar Day is observed on 17th April because on this day senior leaders of Awami League assembled
at Baidyanathtala—a mango orchard that was later named as Mujibnagar—in Meherpur district on April
17, to form the provisional government of independent Bangladesh.
The provincial government was formed in the absence of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, since he
was arrested and flown to Pakistan after Pakistan’s military cracked down on the Bangalis on the night of
March 25, 1971.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, famously known as Bangabandhu was declared the first president of the People’s
Republic of Bangladesh, while Vice-president Syed Nazrul Islam became the acting president in the
absence of Bangabandhu.
On the occasion Bangladesh paid tribute to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Syed Nazrul Islam and the first prime
minister, Tajuddin Ahmad, the first Cabinet Ministers Khandoker Moshtaque Ahmed, M Mansur Ali and
AHM Quamaruzzaman.
Face of Disasters 2019 Report
The Face of Disasters 2019 report was released by the Sustainable Environment and Ecological
Development Society (SEEDS). The report is aimed at bringing about a conversation on building a
sustainable future, which is beyond response to disasters.
India is staring at extremes of too little and too much rainfall in 2019. There is a significant drought
condition even before the onset of summers.
Extreme floods in unexpected locations during the Monsoons are fast becoming a new normal in

India.
Other disasters are hidden because of slow-onset or they may be affecting ignored populations or
occurring at the same time as more high profile disasters.
For instance, during the June to September monsoon of 2018, Punjab experienced a “normal”
monsoon with rainfall just 7% higher than the average rainfall in the State. But this figure masked
the fact that Ropar saw 71% excess rainfall while Ferozepur experienced a 74% shortage.
Similarly, eastern Uttar Pradesh saw a minimal shortage of 16% lower than usual. However, Kushi
Nagar received 82% less while Kannauj actually had a surplus of 62%.
The report also outlines the following eight key areas:
Water and the changing nature of disaster risk: A ‘new normal’ of rainfall variability is bringing challenges
of too much and too little water, often in parallel.
No disaster is ‘natural’: Risks lurking under the radar slip through the cracks because they don’t
meet the idea of a ‘natural disaster’.
The silent events: The disasters that go unseen leave those affected at even greater risk.
Land becomes water (and water becomes land): Changes to the coastline are already affecting
livelihood sources and will be hotspots for vulnerability in the future.
The complexity of disaster impact: Beyond official ‘damages’, the long-term and uncaptured disaster
impacts have life-changing consequences for affected communities.
The urban imperative: Risk is rapidly urbanising and will affect everyone.
Transformations in the third pole: Himalayan glaciers are melting, with serious implications for the
whole region.
Planning for what you can’t see: Earthquake risk is looming large under the radar, but are we
prepared?
Additionally, the report also looks into the changing face of disaster risks and the need to look at
‘disasters’ from a broader perspective, with roots in resource management practices.
Raavana-1 launched into Space
Sri Lanka’s first satellite Raavana-1 was launched into space from NASA’s Flight Facility on Virginia’s east
shore.
Raavana-1
Raavana 1 weights around 1.05 kg and is 1000 cubic centimetres in size.
The minimum lifespan of the satellite is around one and a half years and it is expected to be active
for five years.
Raavana 1 satellite was designed and built at the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan by two Sri
Lankan research engineers.
Raavana 1 satellite’s camera mission is to capture images of Sri Lanka and its neighbouring
countries.
The Raavana-1 is expected to orbit 400 kilometres away from the earth.
The satellite will achieve an active attitude stabilization which ensures that the satellite’s attitude is
stable under the influence of external talks.
The launch of Raavana-1 marks Sri Lanka’s entry into the global space age.
Navy Reviews Outcome of Sea Vigil Exercise
Indian Navy and several other agencies involved in coastal defence and maritime security brainstormed
over the outcome of the ‘Sea Vigil’ exercise.
Sea Vigil Exercise
Sea Vigil was a first of its kind multi-agency drill, covering the entire 7,516 km-long Indian coastline and
exclusive economic zone and involving 13 coastal states and Union Territories. The objectives of the Sea-
Vigil Exercise were:
Simultaneously activate the coastal security mechanism across all states and Union Territories.
Evaluate critical areas and processes, including inter-agency coordination, information sharing and
technical surveillance.
Comprehensively and holistically validate the efficacy of the measures taken since ’26/11′ Mumbai
attacks.
The large geographical extent, a number of stakeholders involved, number of units participating and the
objectives to be met make the exercise an unprecedented one.
The debriefing from the Sea Vigil exercise was attended by the officials of the Navy, Indian Coast Guard,
central ministries, state governments, union territory administration and intelligence agencies. The
feedback from the exercise and deliberations would be presented in the next meeting of the National
Committee for Strengthening Maritime and Coastal Security (NCSMCS).
Indian peacekeeping Force in South Sudan Awarded UN Medal of Honour
150 Indian peacekeepers serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) were honoured with
medals of honour by the United Nations for their dedicated service and sacrifice.
United Nations Mission in South Sudan
UNMISS is working to deter violence against civilians by providing a safe and secure environment
for South Sudanese people who have fled violence and sought sanctuary at Protection of Civilian
sites across the country.
UNMISS peacekeepers are also working to facilitate the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance,
such as food, clean water, shelter and healthcare, to the millions of displaced people.
UNMISS aims to provide a safe and supported environment so that these people can return to their
former homes and communities to live safely and with dignity.
UNMISS also protects, monitors, investigates, and reports on human rights violations and abuses
with a strong focus on the most vulnerable, such as women and children and those who are
subjected to sexual and gender-based violence.
UNMISS is committed to helping build durable peace in South Sudan. UNMISS is working as a partner at a
national and sub-national level with political, religious, traditional and community leaders as well as at
grassroots with communities and individuals across the country to advance reconciliation efforts, to
strengthen conflict resolution mechanisms and build national cohesion as well as to engage in regional
and international peace initiatives.
UN Peacekeeping Missions and India
India is one of the top troop-contributing nations to UN Peacekeeping Missions. Till date, more than
200,000 military and police have served under the various peacekeeping missions and 168 Indian military
personnel have lost their lives under the UN flag.
Currently, India is the second largest contributor of peacekeepers to UNMISS with more than 2,400
military and police personnel currently deployed the mission.
President Trump vetoes Bill to end U.S. support for Yemen War
President Donald Trump has vetoed the resolution from the US Congress which directed him to end U.S.
support for the civil war in Yemen.
Why the President has vetoed the Congress Resolution?
President trump has stated the following reasons for vetoing the US Congress resolution:
Yemen is at a breaking point as 10 million people on the brink of famine. There are more than 100
civilian casualties per week, and Yemenis are more likely to be killed at home than in any other
structure.
U.S. support for the war between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and Iran-aligned Houthi
rebels was necessary to protect the safety of the more than 80,000 Americans who reside in certain
coalition countries.
President Trump has called the resolution as an unnecessary and a dangerous attempt to weaken his
constitutional authorities. He further stressed that the resolution endangers the lives of American citizens
and brave service members, both today and in the future.
It was the second veto during his presidency, earlier he had vetoed a congressional resolution which was
aimed to reverse the border emergency President Trump had declared in order to secure more funding for
his wall between the United States and Mexico.
WHO Guidelines on Use of Digital Health Technology
World Health Organisation (WHO) has released new recommendations on 10 ways through which

countries can use digital health technology which is accessible via mobile phones, tablets and computers
to improve people’s health and essential services.
Overview of WHO Recommendations
The guideline demonstrates that health systems need to respond to the increased visibility and
availability of information.
The recommendations advise on everything from how to employ digital tools for birth notifications
to implementing health worker decision support tools and using telemedicine to digital health
education services.
The guidelines are designed to help decision-makers in government health departments; the public
health sector and other stakeholders, better understand how digital tools could address their
population’s health needs.
The guideline emphasises the importance of providing supportive environments for training,
dealing with unstable infrastructure, as well as policies to protect the privacy of individuals, and
governance and coordination to ensure these tools are not fragmented across the health system.
People must be assured that their own data is safe and that they are not being put at risk because
they have accessed information on sensitive health topics, such as sexual and reproductive health
issues.
The guideline underlines the importance of reaching vulnerable populations and ensuring that
digital health does not endanger them in any way.
The recommendations were based on the two-year-long research by the WHO on digital technologies,
including consultations with global experts, so that such tools may be used for maximum impact on health
systems and people’s health.
World Heritage Day 2019
April 18 was observed as the World Heritage Day 2019 with the theme Rural Landscapes. The theme Rural
Landscapes is related to the theme of the 2019 International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)
Scientific Symposium on Rural heritage to be held at Marrakesh, Morocco in October.
World Heritage Site
UNESCO defines a World Heritage Site as a “natural or man-made area or a structure that is of international
importance, and space which requires special protection.”
Genesis of the World Heritage Day

On 18 April 1982 on the occasion of a symposium organised by ICOMOS in Tunisia, it was suggested to
observe the “International Day for Monuments and Sites” simultaneously throughout the world.
UNESCO passed a resolution at its 22nd session on November 1983 approving the idea and recommended
the member states to examine the possibility of declaring 18 April each year “International Monuments
and Sites Day”. This has been referred to as the World Heritage Day.
World Heritage Day offers an opportunity to raise the public’s awareness about the diversity of cultural
heritage and the efforts that are required to protect and conserve it, as well as draw attention to its
vulnerability.
April 19-20, 2019
Factual Report on Great Indian Bustard by Rajasthan Forest Department
In a factual report submitted by the state forest department following the directive of the National Green
Tribunal (NGT), it has been stated that there are about Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) in the Jaisalmer area
of the Desert National Park in Thar.
This claim by the Rajasthan Forest Department is contrary to that by the Wildlife Institute of India which
had estimated a total population of GIB at 150 for whole India.
Fact Box: Great Indian Bustard
Scientific Name: Ardeotis nigriceps
IUCN status: Critically Endangered
Plea before NGT

A petition filed by the Centre for Wildlife and Environment Litigation (CWEL) stating that wind power
projects and transmission lines were proving to be a major hazard for the survival of the endangered
species in the desert area and most of the wind power projects are located in the natural habitat of the GIB
in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Due to their weight, GIBs cannot fly at a high altitude.
As a result, they caught in power lines.
Even the 30th Forest Advisory Committee report had advised ensuring that transmission lines in the
natural habitats of GIBs should pass underground.
The petition claimed that the Rajasthan government is not doing enough to conserve the critically
endangered species. No effort has been made to install ‘bird diverters’ on these power lines. Further, no
measure has been taken to curb the menace of feral dogs and foxes in the park.
Varuna Naval Exercise 2019
India and France will conduct their largest ever naval exercise ‘Varuna’ off Goa coast early May.
Varuna 2019
India will deploy its aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya with its MiG-29K fighters and French side
would be represented by its aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle with its Rafale-M naval jets.
The exercise will also see participation of FNS Forbin, the FNS Provence and the FNS Latouche
Treville, a nuclear attack submarines, the FNS Amethyste, and the tanker FNS Marne from France
and diesel-electric submarine INS Shankul, guided-missile destroyer INS Chennai, stealth frigate
INS Tarkash and tanker INS Deepak, along with P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft and
Dornier-228 planes from India.
Varuna is a top-level naval exercise, with intensive dual carrier task group operations and anti-
submarine warfare manoeuvres.
India-France Defence Cooperation
India and France are working closely to implement their action-oriented joint strategic vision for
cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), which was finalised in March 2018.
The Military Logistics Agreement with France which provides Indian Navy access to French bases located
in the India ocean region including the Reunion Islands near Madagascar and Djibouti on the Horn of
Africa and French navy access to Indian ports in the region is now operationalised with French anti-
aircraft destroyer FNS Cassard docking at the Mumbai naval port.
Govt suspends LoC trade with PoK
The government has issued orders to suspend the Line of Control (LoC) trade between Jammu & Kashmir
and Pak Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Why did the government suspend LoC trade?
The LoC trade was initiated to facilitate the exchange of goods of common use between local
populations across the LoC in Jammu & Kashmir.
On the contrary, the reports indicated that Cross LoC trade routes were being misused by the
Pakistan based elements for funnelling illegal weapons, narcotics and fake currency etc.
NIA probes also indicated that a significant number of trading agencies engaged in LoC trade are
operated by persons closely associated with banned terror organisations involved in fueling
terrorism/separatism.
The notification by the Ministry of Home Affairs has stated that it has decided to suspend LoC trade at
Salamabad & Chakkan-da-Bagh in Jammu & Kashmir. Further, a stricter regulatory and enforcement
mechanism is being worked out & will be put in place in consultation with various agencies and the issue
of reopening of LoC trade will be revisited thereafter.
Madras High Court Upholds Decision to cancel Vellore Poll
Madras High Court has dismissed two writ petitions filed against the Presidential decision to rescind the
Lok Sabha poll notification for the Vellore parliamentary constituency in the wake of complaints of large-
scale distribution of cash to voters.
Why the Lok Sabha Polls in the Vellore Constituency was cancelled?
Lok Sabha election to the Vellore constituency was cancelled following the recovery of a huge amount of
cash allegedly from a DMK candidate’s office.

The Election Commission had decided to cancel the polls after the district police had filed a complaint
against the accused, Kathir Anand (DMK Candidate from Vellore) as well as two party functionaries on the
basis of a report from the Income Tax department on April 10.
Observation made by the Madras High Court
Writ petitions were filed by AIADMK candidate A.C. Shanmugam and independent candidate K. Sugumar,
who sought a direction to the Election Commission (EC) to conduct polls for the Vellore constituency
along with 38 others in the State on 18th April.
The Supreme Court rejected the petitioners claim that the Constitution does not confer upon the
President any power to countermand an election and, therefore, a gazette notification issued by the Union
Ministry of Law and Justice notifying the decision of the President to rescind the poll notification should
be declared ultra vires.
The High Court pointed out that it was the EC that had made the recommendation for countermanding
the polls to the President by exercising powers conferred on it under Article 324 of the Constitution,
Section 21 of the General Clauses Act of 1897 and other enabling powers aimed at ensuring the conduct of
free and fair elections.
It was the President who had notified the polls on March 19 on the basis of a recommendation made by the
EC and by exercising powers conferred on him under Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act of
1951. Hence President was right in rescinding the notification on the basis of EC’s subsequent
recommendation.
Good Friday Observed on 19th April
The Christian community is observing Good Friday on April 19 to commemorate the crucifixion and death
of Jesus Christ on Calvary. Good Friday is also referred to as Black Friday, Great Friday, Easter Friday or
Holy Friday. Good Friday coincides with the beginning of the Jewish festival of Passover.
Significance of the Day
Even though the term Good Friday is not present in the Holy Bible, the Christian religious text portrays
the story of how Jesus was betrayed by Judas which led to his arrest.
Jesus was beaten by the Roman soldiers after being nailed to a cross which he was asked to carry to his
site of the crucifixion. Even though the term ‘Good’ associated with Good Friday is a contradiction to the
events of this day, people believe that the term is associated with the words ‘pious or holy’.
Good Friday is followed by Easter Sunday, the day on which Jesus was resurrected from death.
Benjamin Netanyahu Appointed as Prime Minister of Israel
President of Israel Reuven Rivlin has formally handed Benjamin Netanyahu his letter of appointment to
start building a coalition government following last week’s general election.
President has stated that during his consultation with the political parties elected to the incoming 120-
seat parliament 65 MPs have recommended you Benjamin Netanyahu as PM whereas 45 members
supported his main rivals from the Blue and White alliance led by ex-military chief Benny Gantz and the 10
members of the Arab parties recommending nobody.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to build a coalition of 65 seats comprising Likud (35 seats),
the ultra-Orthodox Shas (8), United Torah Judaism (8), Union of Right-Wing Parties (5), Yisrael Beytenu (5)
and Kulanu (4). The opposition is expected to comprise Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party (35), Labor (6),
Hadash-Ta’al (6), Meretz (4) and Ra’am-Balad (4).
For the fifth time, Benjamin Netanyahu is going ahead with the task of putting together the government
of Israel. Netanyahu will have 28 days to form a government, with the possibility of a two-week extension
at the discretion of the president.
Nepal’s First Ever Satellite Launched into Space
Nepal’s first satellite NepaliSat-1 was launched into space from the Virginia-based station of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the US.
NepaliSat-1
NepaliSat-1 will start rotating around the Earths orbit to collect information about the country’s
topography and Earths magnetic field.
The satellite also bears the Nepal flag and logo of Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST).
The satellite is equipped with a 5MP camera to capture Nepal’s topography and a magnetometer to
collect data related to the Earth’s magnetic field.
The images and data will be sent by satellite to the ground station at NAST.
The satellite was developed by two Nepalis Abhas Maskey and Hariram Shrestha at Japan’s Kyushu
Institute of Technology.
Along with NepaliSat-1, Sri Lanka’s first satellite, Raavana 1was also launched into space. Raavana 1
marked the entry of Sri Lanka into space.
Mueller Report Released
The United States Department of Justice has released the special counsel Robert Mueller’s report. The
report looks into alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 Presidential elections which saw incumbent US
President Donald Trump rise to power.
What did the Mueller Report Say?
The report titled “Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election”
makes the following observations:
The Report says that it was unable to clear US President Donald Trump in the matter, stating that
the President’s action and intent “present difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively
determining that no criminal conduct occurred.
President Trump’s campaign team knew they would benefit from Russia’s illegal actions to influence
the action, but did not take criminal steps to help.
The report states that the Russian government-sponsored efforts to illegally interfere with the 2016
presidential election, but did not find that the Trump campaign or other Americans colluded in
those schemes.
The report has stated that Mueller declined to subpoena the President because it would “delay” the
investigation.
Antares Rocket takes off for International Space Station
Antares rocket built by Northrop Grumman lifted off from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s
Eastern Shore carrying the Cygnus Cargo Spacecraft to the International Space Station.
Cygnus Cargo Spacecraft
The spacecraft has successfully separated from the rocket and was flying on its way to the space station.
Key facts about the Cygnus Cargo Spacecraft:
The Spacecraft carried about 7,600 pounds of supplies and scientific experiments to the station.
Few of the instruments will be used to examine astronaut’s health in microgravity. The instrument
will perform on-orbit detection and quantification of cell surface molecules on a per cell and assess
soluble molecule concentration in a liquid sample such as blood, saliva, or urine, thus sparing sample
freezing and storing.
The experiments will also scrutinise ageing-like changes in many astronauts on the space station,
including changes to their arteries, and examine effects of spaceflight on the function of antibody

production and immune memory.

A NASA study has stated that long-duration spaceflight may change astronauts’ gene expression and pose
other health risks. Hence it is necessary to take actions to prevent any damage to astronauts in a planned
three-year space journey to Mars in 2030s.
April 21-22, 2019
Civil Services Day not being observed due to General Elections
The Civil Services Day 2019 was not observed on 21st April 2019 due to Lok Sabha elections. The
Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances has stated that the Civil Services Day will
be celebrated once the new government takes over or may even consider clubbing this year’s celebrations
with the next year’s programme.
Civil Services Day
Every year April 21st is observed as Civil Services Day since it was on this day Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel,
addressed the first batch of civil servants in Independent India at the Metcalf House where he referred to
civil servants as the ‘steel frame of India’.
On Civil Services Day bureaucrats rededicate themselves to public service. On the occasion of the Civil
Services Day, ‘Prime Minister Award for Excellence in Public Administration’ instituted with a view to
acknowledge, recognise and reward the extraordinary and innovative work done by officers of Central and
State Governments towards the welfare of common citizens will
mahesh | amahesh.2019@gmail.com | be bestowed on the civil servants.
Localisation under FAME-II Scheme
The Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee of the National Mission for Transformative Mobility led by Niti
Aayog chief executive officer Amitabh Kant has decided to incorporate localisation conditions to avail
benefits under the FAME-II Scheme.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee of the National Mission For Transformative Mobility was formed
following a cabinet decision to promote clean and sustainable mobility initiatives in the country. It
consists of secretary of nine stakeholder ministries and director general of the Bureau of Indian Standards
as its members.
Decision of the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee
The steering committee has mandated that only companies that meet the 50% localisation threshold
will be eligible for the incentives that will be available under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing
of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME-II) scheme to boost electric mobility as well as the ‘Make in
India’ initiative.
The decision has been taken to ensure that the tax payer’s money is not used to subsidise imports
and encourage local manufacturing.
In the discussions held with the automotive manufacturers while the two-wheeler makers have expressed
their inability in meeting the criteria for 50% localisation citing their limitations, the makers of electric
buses have agreed to localise.
Mount Agung Volcano Erupts
The active volcano of Indonesia Mount Agung has erupted again, spewing volcanic ash into the sky to a
height of 2km. Two other volcanoes popular with tourists Mount Bromo in East Java and Mount Merapi in
Yogyakarta also continues to erupt.
Mount Agung
Mount Agung is an active volcano in Bali of Indonesia. Mount Agung stratovolcano is the highest point on
Bali; it dominates the surrounding area, influencing the climate, especially rainfall patterns. The most
important temple on Bali, Pura Besakih, is located high on the slopes of Mount Agung.
Mount Bromo
Mount Bromo is an active volcano and part of the Tengger massif, in East Java, Indonesia. The
name Bromo is derived from Javanese pronunciation of Brahma, the Hindu creator god.
Mount Merapi
Mount Merapi is an active volcano located on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces,
Indonesia. The word Merapi can be translated as the Mountain of Fire. Meru means “mountain” and api
means “fire”.

Amartya Sen Chair in Inequality Studies

The London School of Economics (LSE) has announced the establishment of the Amartya Sen Chair in
Inequality Studies to honour the Nobel laureate who has also served as the Professor of Economics at LSE.
Amartya Sen Chair in Inequality Studies
Amartya Sen Chair in Inequality Studies is a living embodiment of the LSE’s enduring commitment
to working for the betterment of society through research, education and public engagement.
Amartya Sen’s theories of justice, equity and well-being transcend disciplines, build bridges to real-
world policy and practice, and inspire generations to improve the human condition. Hence by
naming a chair after him, LSE is recognising one of the world’s great thinkers on social equity.
Amartya Sen was awarded Noble Prize in the year 1998 for his works in Welfare Economics.
Welfare Economics
Welfare economics focuses on the optimal allocation of resources and goods and it evaluates how the
allocation of these resources affects social welfare. This relates directly to the study of income distribution
and how it affects the common good. Welfare economics is a subjective study that may assign units of
welfare or utility to create models that measure the improvements to individuals based on their personal
scales.
Indian Navy Ships to take part in Chinese International Fleet Review
Indian Navy warships INS Kolkata and tanker INS Shakti will take part in the Chinese international fleet
review to be held at Qingdao on April 23.

The International Fleet Review is being held by China to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the
People’s Liberation Army’s Navy. More than 60 countries are expected to join the commemorative event
on 23 April.
International Fleet Review
International Fleet Review is a parade of naval ships, aircraft and submarines, and is organised by nations to promote
goodwill, strengthen cooperation and showcase their naval capabilities.
International Fleet Review provides an ideal platform for the world’s navies to showcase their prowess and indigenous
ship designing and shipbuilding capabilities in the global arena.
India had conducted a similar International Fleet Review off Visakhapatnam in 2016, which witnessed an
overwhelming participation of 50 navies with nearly 100 warships.
INS Kolkata is an indigenously built stealth guided missile destroyer equipped with state-of-the-art
weapons and sensors to address threats in all dimensions of naval warfare whereas INS Shakti is a fleet
support ship. INS Shakti is one of the fleet ship capable displacing over 27,000 tonnes and capable of
carrying 15,000 tonnes of liquid cargo and over 500 tonnes of solid cargo including victuals and
ammunition.
The participation of Indian Ships is aimed at projecting the Indian Navy’s indigenous shipbuilding
capability together with showcasing India’s strength in the waters and its reach and sustainability.
NASA Spots 1st Molecule of the Universe
The scientists have detected the first molecule to ever form from stray atoms in the universe. The first
such molecule was helium hydride, a combination of helium and hydrogen. The discovery is a first step in
unlocking the mystery of the universe’s chemistry.
About the Discovery
The research was published in the journal Nature.
The researchers used the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) SOFIA, the
world’s largest airborne observatory, to detect helium hydride in NGC 7027, a planetary nebula
about 3,000 light-years away from Earth.
SOFIA
Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 106-inch
diameter telescope.
Scientists for long had held that around 100,000 years after the big bang, helium and hydrogen combined
to make a molecule called helium hydride for the first time. But scientists could not find HeH+ in space and

it was unproven. The discovery brought a long search to a happy ending and eliminates doubts about our
understanding of the underlying chemistry of the early universe.
Genome Sequencing to Map Population Diversity
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has undertaken an indigenous genetic mapping
effort to educate a generation of students on the “usefulness” of genomics.
About the Project
Under the Project, nearly 1,000 rural youth from the length and breadth of India will have their
genomes sequenced by the CSIR.
The project is an adjunct to a much larger government-led programme which is still in the works to
sequence at least 10,000 Indian genomes.
Those recruited as part of genome-sample collections are representative of the country’s population
diversity and the bulk of them will be college students, both men and women, and pursuing degrees
in the life sciences or biology.
Genomes will be sequenced based on a blood sample.
Every participant would be given a report and would be informed whether they carry gene variants
that make them less responsive to certain classes of medicines.
Genome Sequencing
Genome refers to an organism’s complete setmahesh
of |DNA, including
amahesh.2019@gmail.com | all of its genes. Each genome contains all
of the information required to build and maintain that organism. Genome sequencing refers to figuring
out the order of the DNA nucleotides, or bases, in a genome.
World Press Freedom Index 2019
International NGO, Reporters without Borders has released the World Press Freedom Index 2019. The
index is based on the assessment of the countries’ press freedom records in the previous year.
The report is partly based on a questionnaire which asks questions about pluralism, media independence,
environment and self-censorship, legislative framework, transparency, and infrastructure.
World Press Freedom Index 2019
The World Press Freedom Index 2019′, topped by Norway which is followed by Finland, Sweden,
Netherlands and Denmark.
The 2019 index finds that hatred against journalists has degenerated into violence, contributing to
an increase in fear around the world.
India has dropped two places on a global press freedom index to be ranked 140th out of 180
countries and the report indicates an increased sense of hostility towards journalists across the
world, with violent attacks in India leading to at least six Indian journalists being killed in the line of
their work last year.
The report notes that at least six Indian journalists were killed in connection with their work in
2018. Violence against journalists including police violence, attacks by Maoist fighters and reprisals
by criminal groups or corrupt politicians is one of the most striking characteristics of the current
state of press freedom in India.
The murder of journalists highlighted the many dangers that Indian journalists face, especially those
working for non-English-language media outlets in rural areas.
South Asia in general features poorly on the index. Pakistan has dropped three places to 142, and
Bangladesh has dropped four places to 150.
In Africa, Ethiopia (up 40 at 110th) and Gambia (up 30 at 92nd) have significantly improved from last
year’s Index.
Both Vietnam (176th) and China (177th) have fallen one place and Turkmenistan (down two at 180th)
is now last, replacing North Korea (up one at 179th).
The report concludes that the number of countries regarded as safe, where journalists can work in
complete security, continues to decline, while authoritarian regimes continue to tighten their grip on the
media.
Earth Day 2019
Earth Day 2019 observed on 22nd April 2019 marks the 49th annual Earth Day. Earth Day 2019 is observed

with the theme Protect Our Species.

The theme Protect Our Species aims to highlight that nature’s gifts to our planet are the millions of
species. But unfortunately, human beings have irrevocably upset the balance of nature. As a result, the
world is facing the greatest rate of extinction and the rapid extinction of species in our world today is the
result of human activity.
The Earth Day 2019 through the theme Protect our Species urges people to:
Educate and raise awareness about the accelerating rate of extinction of millions of species and the
causes and consequences of this phenomenon.
Achieve major policy victories that protect broad groups of species as well as individual species and
their habitats.
Build and activate a global movement that embraces nature and its values.
Encourage individual actions such as adopting a plant-based diet and stopping pesticide and
herbicide use.
Earth Day
Earth Day was formally proposed by John McConnell at UNESCO conference on Environment in 1969.
Later in 1971, a proclamation was signed to observe international Earth Day annually on the Vernal
Equinox by UN Secretary-General U Thant and was first celebrated in 1970.
Since April 22nd it is celebrated every year in more than 193 countries and the celebrations are coordinated
globally by the Earth Day Network.

Earth Day celebrations are a way to remind humans of the environmental deterioration caused by them
and advise them to turn off the electronic devices that are not in use or taking public transport to reduce
the emission levels. It recognises that Earth and its ecosystems provide its inhabitants with life and
sustenance.
Asian Tea Alliance
Asian Tea Alliance, a union of five tea-growing and consuming countries was launched in Guizhou in
China. The members of the alliance are the Indian Tea Association, China Tea Marketing Association,
Indonesian Tea Marketing Association, Sri Lanka Tea Board and Japan Tea Association.
Objectives of the Alliance
To work towards enhancing tea trade, cultural exchanges, technology exchanges as well as globally
promoting tea.
To work towards enhancing global consumption of tea, while creating a sustainability agenda for the
future of Asian tea.
Earlier, Indian Tea Association and China Tea Marketing Association had signed an MoU to promote
green and black tea consumption in major tea markets of Europe, the US, Russia and West Asia, besides
India and China.
Referendum on Constitutional Amendments in Egypt
The Egyptians are voting for the constitutional amendments which were overwhelmingly approved by the
Egyptian Parliament.
Amendments Proposed
The amendments extend presidential terms from four to six years.
The amendments incorporate a transitional article which would give the “current president” the
right to two new terms totalling 12 years.
The president would be allowed to pick the heads of judicial bodies and to oversee a new council
charged with looking after the affairs of judges.
The amendments confer a political role for the army to “protect” the constitution, democracy and
the “civilian” nature of the state — code for preventing rule by Islamists.
The amendments introduce one or more vice presidents, revive the Senate and enshrine a 25 per
cent quota for women in parliament’s lower, legislative chamber.
Criticisms against the Amendments
The sweeping constitutional changes show that Egypt is sinking deeper into dictatorship even
though the supporters insist they are crucial for cementing stability.

The amendments effectively serve to destroy the constitutional separation of powers, concentrating
all authority into the president’s hands and solidifying his authoritarian rule.
The amendment would formalise the military’s already considerable influence over public life.
The referendum comes eight years after a pro-democracy uprising ended Hosni Mubarak’s three-decade
autocratic rule, and nearly six years after el-Sisi led a popular military overthrow Egypt’s first freely
elected but divisive Islamist president, Mohammed Morsi.
Services lift Santosh Trophy Football
The Services have lifted the Santosh Trophy, beating Punjab 1-nil in the final at Ludhiana. On their way to
finals, Punjab had defeated Goa 2-1 and Services had defeated Karnataka 4-3 in the semis via a penalty
shootout.
Santosh Trophy Football
The Santosh Trophy is a football knock-out competition contested by the regional state associations and
government institutions under the All India Football Federation (AIFF) which the Football governing body
in India.
Santosh Trophy tournament is held every year with 31 teams divided into groups t qualified for the
tournament proper through the preliminary round.
The tournament started in 1941 and is named after the president of the Indian Football Association (West
Bengal’s football association) at the time, Sirmahesh
Manmatha Nath Roy Chowdhary of Santosh. The runner-up
trophy was donated by an ex-IFA president, S.K. Gupta. The trophy is known as the Kamla Gupta Trophy.
The third-place trophy, the Sampangi Cup, was donated by the Karnataka State Football Association.
April 23, 2019
Guided Missile Destroyer INS Imphal Launched
The Indian Navy has launched its third guided missile destroyer, INS Imphal at Mazgaon Docks as part of
its Project 15B.
INS Imphal
INS Imphal has been designed indigenously by the Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design, New
Delhi.
INS Imphal spans 163 metres in length, 17.4 metres at beam, and launch weight of 3037 tonnes can
displace 7300 tonnes.
INS Imphal is propelled by our gas turbines to achieve speeds in excess of 30 knots.
INS Imphal destroyers incorporate new design concepts for improved survivability, sea keeping,
stealth and ship manoeuvrability.
Enhanced stealth features have been achieved through shaping of hull and use of radar transparent
deck fitting, which make these ships difficult to detect. INS Imphal ships will be equipped to carry
and operate two multiple role helicopters.
Project 15B
Project 15Bravo (Project 15B) is aimed at adding state-of-the-art warships to the naval fleet. INS
Vishakhapatnam was the first Project 15B ship and was launched in April 2015, while the second ship, INS
Mormugao, was launched in September 2016.
Ships built under project 15B are packed with an array of state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, including
multi-functional surveillance radars and vertically launched missile system for long-distance engagement
of shore, sea-based and air targets.
MOU signed between Ministry of AYUSH and CSIR
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Ministry of AYUSH and Council of
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for cooperation in research and education in areas of traditional
systems of medicine and its integration with modern science.
About the MoU
The MoU was aimed to bring both Ministry of Ayush and CSIR under an umbrella understanding for
pursuing focused R&D efforts in the domain. Under the MoU, Both organizations shall jointly endeavour
to pursue: R&D covering
Fundamental research.

AYUSH specific diagnostic tools; linking microbiome, gene expression and Prakriti; multi-ingredient
herbal formulations, including their standardization.
Exploring modern scientific methods for integration with traditional Indian Systems of Medicine
(ISM).
Linking disease signatures.
Furthering the collaboration in preserving and protecting traditional knowledge related to the
Indian systems of healthcare, through the existing TKDL platform.
Development of international standardized terminologies (disease-morbidity codes) in Ayurveda,
Siddha and Unani (ASU), Database on Medicinal plants, Foods, etc.
Enhancing the collaboration through joint R&D efforts ranging from fundamental science to validation
and thereafter product development, will significantly help in the growth of the Indian contributions to
the traditional medicines sector, not only nationally but internationally as well.
The MoU also includes the pursuit of Data mining & analytics and Artificial Intelligence to enable and
facilitate concepts such as “Traditional knowledge inspired drug discovery and development” and “Food as
Medicine”.
Malawi to Test Groundbreaking Malaria Vaccine
African Nation, Malawi will be undertaking large scale pilot tests for the world’s most advanced
experimental malaria vaccine in a bid to prevent the disease that kills hundreds of thousands across Africa
and Asia every year.
Vaccine for Malaria
Vaccine for Malaria under the trade name Mosquirix has been developed by British pharmaceutical
giant GlaxoSmithKline in partnership with the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative.
Four successive doses of the vaccines must be administered on a strict timetable for it to work.
Even though the potential vaccine does not give full protection against the mosquito-borne disease,
it is the furthest along in development and so far the most effective.
The pilot tests aim to immunize around 120,000 children aged 2 and below to assess the
effectiveness of the pilot vaccine and whether the delivery process is feasible.
Malaria which spreads to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes has killed
435,000 people in 2017 alone and the majority of them were children under 5 in Africa.
Arab League pledges $100m to Palestine
The Arab League has pledged to pay $100 million a month to the Palestinian National Authority to plug
the resulting gaps since Israel has blocked tax transfers earlier in the year. The Arab League has taken the
measure to ensure Palestine can be isolated from the political and financial pressure it faces.
Why did Israel freeze tax transfers to Palestine?
In February 2019, Israel decided to put into effect on Sunday a law passed by the Israeli Parliament in July
2018 calling to freeze funds transferred to the Palestinian Authority.
Israel had accused Palestine of transferring the money provided by Israel to terrorists who were detained
in Israel as well as to their families and to released prisoners.
But Palestine sees the transfer as a kind of welfare system for families who have lost a breadwinner. Israel
which collects taxes on behalf of the Palestine Authority says that the terror salaries are encouraging
further violence.
Arab League
Arab League is a regional organization of Arab states in and around North Africa, the Horn of Africa and
Arabia. The league aims to “draw closer the relations between member States and co-ordinate
collaboration between them, to safeguard their independence and sovereignty, and to consider in a
general way the affairs and interests of the Arab countries”.
At present, the League has 22 members but Syria’s participation has been suspended since November
2011, as a consequence of government repression during the Syrian Civil War.
Iran and Pakistan to set up a Joint Border Reaction Force
Iran and Pakistan have agreed to set up a joint border reaction force following to counter the increasing
number of deadly attacks by militant groups on their frontier.

Border Reaction Force

Border rapid reaction force would be set up for combatting terrorism since increased tensions over
attacks on both sides of the frontier is causing heavy casualties.
The Iran-Pakistan border skirts the volatile southeastern Iranian province of Sistan-Balochistan
which has been the scene of frequent attacks on Iran’s security forces.
Iran- Pakistan relations have been strained in recent months and both sides have been accusing each
other of not doing enough to stamp out militants allegedly sheltering across the border.
Hence together with increasing cooperation between border forces and intelligence agencies, both nations
have decided to form a joint quick reaction force on the border of the two countries for fighting terrorism.
Departments to Conduct Review of Govt Guarantees
The Ministry of Finance has asked all the departments to undertake a review of government guarantees
given by respective ministries to their Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) or entities.
Review of Government Guarantees
The review will look into aspects like whether the discharge of repayment obligations or interest
obligations as per terms of the loan agreement and covenants and conditions met.
Further, the details of CPSEs or entities on due guarantee fee paid on time to the government should
also be submitted.
Why there is a review of Government Guarantees?mahesh | amahesh.2019@gmail.com |
Guarantees are contingent liabilities which have the potential to impact the financial performance of
the government.
Further, the FRBM Rules stipulates that the government cannot guarantee more than 0.5 per cent of
the GDP of the respective financial year to CPSE/entities.
Hence the Ministry of Finance has requested all ministries and departments to prioritised guarantee
requirement for 2019-20 to include only such proposals where the loan agreement can be signed and
guarantee agreement can be executed during the year.
US to End Sanctions Waivers to India
Reports suggest that the US could terminate the sanctions waivers it granted to some importers of
Iranian oil after it re-imposed sanctions on Iran last year.
Ending of Sanction Waiver
Reports indicate that the US has already communicated to seven countries viz. Japan, South Korea,
Turkey, Italy, Greece, China and India- that they will no longer be exempt from US sanctions if they
continue to import oil from Iran after their waivers end on May 2.
The ending of sanction waiver is part of the US strategy to exert maximum pressure and isolate
Iran.
The US has stated it wants to deprive the outlaw regime of the funds that it has used to destabilise
the Middle East for decades and incentivise Iran to behave like a normal country.
The news of the ending of sanctions waiver exerted upward pressure on global prices of crude. Further.
US has stated that the US along with Saudi Arabia and UAE have agreed to take timely action to assure
that global demand is met as all Iranian oil is removed from the market.
April 24, 2019
Medicine Labels in Regional Language
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has said that in order to curb fake, sub-standard and expired
drugs drug names and expiry date during tendering will be in Hindi/regional language along with English.
In the beginning, the proposal will be implemented for Iron tablets and polio drops as they are the drugs
most commonly administered to children at government centres. The Health Ministry has stated that if
the rollout is successful and the feedback encouraging, then the proposal could be extended to other
medicines.
The government has taken the step to ensure that those seeking drugs under government schemes have
access to all the requisite information about them. The decision to incorporate regional languages was
taken as per the advisory of the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB).
Drugs Technical Advisory Board
Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) is the highest statutory decision-making body on technical
matters related to drugs in the country. It is constituted as per the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. It is
part of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) in the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare.
SAECKs – Special Kits to Probe Sexual Assault Cases
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has distributed over 3,100 special kits SAECKs for collecting blood
and semen samples, besides other evidence, to carry out immediate investigations into sexual assault
cases among states and Union Territories.
SAECK
Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits (SAECKs) or ‘rape investigation kits’ are specially designed
kits to carry out the immediate medico-legal investigation.
SAECKs also aid in furnishing evidence in sexual assault and rape cases.
The Kit comprises of essential items that will aid in furnishing evidence such as blood and semen
samples in sexual assault and rape cases, thus helping the prosecution to gather evidence against
the accused.
These kits are also expected to help law enforcement agencies in ensuring effective investigation in
a timely manner for better prosecution and convictions in sexual assault cases.
The kit comprises of a set of test tubes and bottles, which mention contents and specifications
together with instructions on collectionmahesh
of evidence from the crime scene.
The SAECKs are being procured with financial support under the Central government’s Nirbhaya Fund
and the Ministry of Home Affairs has procured 3,120 SAECKs and distributed these to the states and UTs.
English Language Day: 23 April
23 April is observed as English Language Day every year. 23rd April was chosen as the English Language
Day to commemorate both the birthday and date of death of William Shakespeare.
The English Language Day was the result of a 2010 initiative by the Department of Public Information
which had sought to establish language days for each of the Organization’s six official languages.
UN Languages Day
The purpose of the UN’s language days is to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to
promote equal use of all six official languages throughout the Organization.
Under the initiative of UN Language Days, UN celebrates six separate days, each dedicated to one of the
Organization’s six official languages viz.
Arabic: 18 December
Chinese: 20 April
English: 23 April
French: 20 March
Russian: 6 June
Spanish: 23 April
Language Days were instituted by the UN with an aim to entertain as well as inform, with the goal of
increasing awareness and respect for the history, culture and achievements of each of the six working
languages among the UN community.
World Book Day 2019
23rd of April is observed as World Book by UNESCO and other related organisations every year. The city
of Sharjah has been selected as the World Book Capital for the year 2019.
World Book Day 2019 is the 24th edition and the theme is centred around round celebrating literature and
reading with a particular focus on enhancing and protecting indigenous languages. The theme is in line
with the celebration of the International Year of the Indigenous Languages by the UN.
Genesis of the World Book Day
Often also called the World Book and Copyright Day, it aims to promote the joy of books and the art of
reading. World Book Day recognises that books are a link between the past and the future, a bridge
between cultures and generations.
UNESCO chose 23rd April for the World Book Day to pay tribute to great literary figures including
William Shakespeare, Miguel Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega who died on this day and was

finalised in the year 1995 in the UNESCO General Conference, held in Paris.
Further UNESCO and organisations representing publishers, booksellers and libraries select World Book
Capital for a year to maintain the celebrations of books and reading. For the year 2019, Sharjah, UAE has
been declared as the World Book Capital. It will be preceded by Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in the year 2020.
StartupBlink Ranking of Countries for Startup Environment
StartupBlink has ranked 100 countries for startup environment of countries globally. The rankings were
based on the data from over 61,000 startups, more than 500 accelerators, and over 1,400 coworking spaces
registered on its platform along with data gathered from its global partners including Crunchbase,
SimilarWeb etc.
The rankings were based on the impact startups have been able to make in the country, how many
startups and support organisations are there such as accelerators, coworking spaces, startup events along
with technology infrastructure, red tape, bureaucracy, etc.
The US, the UK, Canada, Israel, and Australia have been ranked in top5 in the rankings.
India was ranked 17th in the rankings and has climbed 20 spots (rank 37) from the previous ranking.
China was ranked 27th.
Estonia (13), Ireland (14), and Germany (9) were ranked ahead of India for their startup ecosystems.
The challenge before India is to improve the overall quality of startups and increase the number of
unicorns than currently exist.

In the ranking of cities, Bengaluru stood at 11, New Delhi at 18 and Mumbai at 29. San Francisco Bay, New
York, London, Los Angeles, and Boston topped the ranking among the cities.
Dentists to be allowed to practice as General Physicians
Government’s Think tank Niti Ayog has agreed to the proposal of the Dental Council of India which had
sought to allow dentists to practice as general physicians after a bridge course.
The proposal was in the backdrop of the call by the Prime Minister’s office to explore unconventional
methods to address the shortage of doctors in the country, particularly in rural areas.
Proposal of Dental Council of India
The Dental Council of India had sent a similar proposal to the Medical Council of India last year. The
proposal sought:
A bridge course of 3 years post Bachelor of Dental Science (BDS).
The admission would be either through a common entrance exam or through cumulative marks
secured in the BDS course, or even a combination.
The syllabus curriculum, scheme of examination, method of evaluation, degrees and registration all
these criteria will be the same as recommended for MBBS.
IMA opposes the Proposal
Indian Medical Association has vehemently opposed the proposal. Stating the figures the IMA has said
that 63,250 MBBS graduates come out of 494 medical colleges every year and India has only 23,729 post-
graduate seats. Unemployment among medical graduates is a cause for concern. The IMA has called the
policy has flawed.
April 25, 2019
RBI to Divest its Entire Stake in NABARD and NHB
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has sold its entire stakes in the National Bank for Agriculture & Rural
Development (NABARD) and National Housing Bank (NHB) for Rs 20 crore and Rs 1,450 crore respectively.
Disinvestment by RBI
The decision to divest its entire stake was taken based on the recommendations of the second
Narasimham Committee. The committee had stated that RBI could not own those entities which are
regulated by it.
The government now holds a 100 per cent stake in both NHB and NABARD.
Earlier in June 2018, the government had bought out the entire 59.7 per cent stake in SBI from the Reserve
Bank.
The RBI in 2010 divested 71.5% of 72.5% of its shares in NABARD and the remaining of were divested in

February similarly RBI which held 100% in NHB, which was divested on 19 March 2019.
Ramayana Themed Stamp Released by Indonesia
Indonesia has released a special commemorative stamp on the theme of Ramayana to mark the 70th
anniversary of the establishment of its diplomatic ties with India.
About the Stamp
The stamp is designed by renowned Indonesian sculptor Padmashri Bapak Nyoman Nuarta.
The stamp features a scene from Ramayana in which Jatayu valiantly fought to save Sita.
It is a specially signed version of the stamp will be on display at the Philately Museum in Jakarta.
India-Indonesia Bilateral Relations
India and Indonesia have shared close cultural and commercial contacts spanning back to two millennia.
The Hindu, Buddhist and later Muslim faith travelled to Indonesia from the shores of India. The
Indonesian folk art and dramas portray great influence from the great epics of Ramayana and
Mahabharata.
The shared culture, colonial history and post-independence goals of political sovereignty, economic self-
sufficiency and independent foreign policy had a unifying effect on the bilateral relations.
The foundation of the Non-Aligned Movement at the Asian-African Conference held in Bandung in 1955
and the adoption of India’s ‘Look East Policy’ in 1991, provided avenues for rapid development of bilateral
relations in political, security, defence, commercial and cultural
mahesh | amahesh.2019@gmail.com | fields. The diplomatic relations have
further received uplift with the Act East policy.
India to stop Importing Crude Oil from Iran
In the backdrop of the US refusal to extend the sanctions waiver for India to import crude from Iran, the
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has taken steps necessary steps to end the imports from Iran.
Even though India has urged the US to restore the sanction waivers it has decided to not to proceed with
the purchase as the oil trade cannot happen in anticipation.
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has stated that a robust plan for an adequate supply of crude oil to
Indian refineries is in place. It has been stated that shortfall will be met through alternate supply sources
available in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and Mexico.
Meeting the Shortfall
India which is the world’s third-biggest oil consumer meets more than 80 per cent of its oil needs through
imports. In 2017-18, Iran was India’s third-largest supplier after Iraq and Saudi Arabia and about 10 per
cent of total needs were met through imports from Iran.
India can avail optional volumes (over and above the term contracts) from a number of suppliers which it
can exercise to make up for any shortfall from Iran. India also plans to avail the route of spot market to
source crude.
But the cause of concern is more related to prices in India. When President Trump had first pulled out of
the nuclear deal, oil shot up to over USD 85 a barrel and it fell to near USD 50 after the US administration
unexpectedly granted the waivers.
World Immunization Week 2019
World Immunization Week 2019 is being observed from 24-30 April with the theme Protected Together:
Vaccines Work. World Immunisation Week 2019 celebrates Vaccine Heroes from around the world from
parents and community members to health workers and innovators who help ensure we are all protected,
at all ages, through the power of vaccines.
World Immunisation Week
Every year last week of April is observed as World Immunisation Week to promote the use of vaccines to
protect people of all ages against disease.
Objectives
Demonstrate the value of vaccines for the health of children, communities and the world.
Highlight the need to build on immunization progress while addressing gaps, including through
increased investment.
Show how routine immunization is the foundation for strong, resilient health systems and universal
health coverage.

The motto of the World Immunization Week is to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages
against disease.
Earlier Immunization Week activities were observed on different dates in different regions of the world.
Immunization Week was observed simultaneously for the first time in 2012, with the participation of more
than 180 countries and territories worldwide after the World Health Assembly endorsed World
Immunization Week during its May 2012 meeting.
IEPF Authority recovers Rs 1514 Cr of Depositors Money
The Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) Authority in a major success has recovered deposits
worth Rs 1,514 crore from Kolkata-based Peerless General Finance and Investment Company. This money
of depositors was pending with the company for the last 15 years.
Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority
Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) was established by the central government under
Section 125 of Companies Act 2013.
It is a statutory body established under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
The Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs is the Chairperson of IEPF.
The authority aims to administer the Investor Education and Protection Fund with the objective of
promoting Investor’s Education, Awareness and Protection.
It is empowered to undertake various initiatives to fulfil its objectives through Investor Awareness
Programmes and various other mediums like print, Electronic, Social Media and Community Radio.
Further to enhance its reach, the IEPF Authority is also in the process of commissioning an online facility
to collect primary information directly from retail investors about the deposits which have matured and
are still pending with various entities for repayment or payment of interests.
Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2019
The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2019 was awarded to author Rana Dasgupta for his 2010 novel
“Solo” which is a tale of estrangement and the ultimate failure of material existence. It is the second
edition of the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize.
Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize aims to revive poetry and books that can change lives. An amount of
$10,000, a Tagore statue and a certificate for contribution to literature will be given to the awardee. Indian
Poets, novelists and Playwrights writing in officially recognized languages or dialects of the Indian
subcontinent, including English.
Other Awardees
Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for social achievement was awarded to Yohei Sasakawa, the World
Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination, for “his incredible efforts to uproot
leprosy and great contribution to world peace”.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen was awarded as a beacon of democracy”, the organisers said.
Rabindranath Tagore Awards
TagorePrize is founded and launched with a strong vision to be a platform and a vehicle for improving and
inspiring World Peace, Literature, Art and Education. The prizes promotes the culture and beauty of
literature just as Rabindranath Tagore had taught us to, but also, the culture and society of tolerance,
harmony and non – discrimination.
BepiColombo Ready for Long Cruise to Mercury
The European Space Agency (ESA) – Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)’s BepiColombo mission
has successfully completed a series of tests and has completed its near-Earth commissioning phase.
The BepiColombo mission is now ready for the operations that will take place during the cruise and,
eventually, for its scientific investigations at Mercury.
About the Mission
BepiColombo is a joint mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency (JAXA) to the planet Mercury. The mission comprises of two satellites launched together:
Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO)
Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO)
The mission will undertake a comprehensive study of Mercury, including characterization of its magnetic

field, magnetosphere, and both interior and surface structure.

Launched in October 2018, the mission is expected to arrive at Mercury in 2025. It will endure
temperatures in excess of 350 °C and gather data during its 1-year nominal mission, with a possible 1-year
extension.
Later next year BepiColombo will also perform the first of its two flybys of Venus — the second planned
for August 2021. The flybys of Venus will provide an opportunity to operate some of the instruments on
both orbiters and to collect scientifically valuable data to further study this fascinating planet while en
route to the mission’s destination Mercury.
Insight Mars lander detects likely Marsquake
National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) InSight lander spacecraft has detected what’s
believed to be a “marsquake” on the Red Planet. NASA scientists are still working to confirm the source of
the faint trembling.
Scientists believe the trembling may not be due to wind or movement of the lander’s robotic arm but from
below the Martian surface. If scientists confirm it would become the first seismic activity ever detected on
Mars.
NASA’s InSight Lander Mission
NASA’s InSight stands for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport
is a Mars lander aimed to undertake the first-ever thorough checkup since it formed 4.5 billion years ago.
Insight Mission will also measure tectonic activity and meteorite impacts on Mars.
NASA’s Insight is the first outer space robotic explorer to study in-depth the “inner space” of Mars: its
crust, mantle, and core. Studying these internal structures will aid in answering the early formation of
rocky planets in our inner solar system – Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars – more than 4 billion years
ago, as well as rocky exoplanets.
April 26-27, 2019
ICMR launched ‘MERA India’ to eliminate malaria from India by 2030
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) launched ‘MERA (Malaria Elimination Research Alliance)
India’, with aim of eliminating Malaria from India by 2030. It is a collective group of partners working on
malaria control. It was launched on occasion of World Malaria Day 2019 (Observed on 25 April).
MERA India
It aims to prioritize, plan and scale up a coordinated research to have impact on population facing
malaria risk and to eliminate malaria from India by 2030.
It complements and not duplicates international efforts to eliminate Malaria on a national scale, and
simultaneously contributing to broader global agenda.
It seeks to facilitate trans-institutional coordination and collaboration around shared research
agenda, which responds to programmatic challenges, addresses gaps in available tools, and
proactively contributes to targeted research.
It holds importance for Ministry of Health and Family Welfare because of operational research.
India and Malaria
Declining Trend: Malaria burden has declined in India by over 80% from 2.03 million cases in 2000 to 0.39
million in 2018, and Deaths caused by malaria also declined by over 90% from 932 deaths in 2000 to 85 in
2018. This success of India in malaria control cases, provided foundation for leadership commitment
towards eliminating malaria from India by 2030. The WHO report also appreciated India’s research for
decline in malaria.
India’s ‘The National Vector Borne Diseases Control Program (NVBDCP)’, developed a comprehensive
framework to achieve overarching vision of “Malaria free India by 2030”. NVBDCP’s National Strategic
Plan recognises critical role of research to support and guide malaria elimination efforts.
Way Forward
To achieve the stated objective, we need to have a coordinated approach, cutting edge research, research
inputs, stick to timeline and tools which can guide national programme to develop strategies for regular
changes endemicity in near malaria elimination era.
Qatar to abolish Exit Visa system by 2019

UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO) announced that Qatar will officially abolish its Exit Visa
system for all foreign workers by the end of 2019.
Amnesty International (human rights group) report accused that Qatar, which will be hosting 2022 World
Cup was failing to implement reforms and stop widespread labour abuse. As a result Qatar revived its
pledge to reform labour section, and introduced a minimum monthly minimum of 750 riyals ($206) and
also agreed to work closely with ILO.
Background
In September 2018, Qatar approved legislation to scrap “kafala”, and by October 2018 it went into force for
all but 5% of a company’s workforce (mostly senior positions). By end of 2018 it was eliminated for
majority of workers, and in 2019 it will be extended to all remaining categories of worker.
About Kafala system
It is a Sponsorship system which regulates status of migrant workers. It is used to monitor migrant
labourers, by requiring all unskilled labourers to have an in-country sponsor mostly their employer who is
responsible for their visa and legal status. This tying of migrant workers’ visas with employers leads to
requiring prior consent of their employer before changing jobs or leaving, which further leads to their
exploitation.
UK to fund Anti-Slavery Projects
Britain pledged £4 million to support global anti-slavery projects,
mahesh | amahesh.2019@gmail.com | from sexually exploited girls in Ethiopia
to migrant workers in Malaysia and Mauritius. It also committed about 200 million pounds in aid funding
to combat modern-day slavery overseas, and given millions of pounds to nations from Albania to Vietnam.
Six organisations, including Anti-Slavery International ( a UK based international NGO, registered charity
and a lobby group) and United Nations University ( a research institution) will share the aid money from
The Modern Slavery Innovation Fund.
Modern Slavery Innovation Fund
It was announced in 2016 and earlier gave £6 million to schemes such as awareness-raising
campaigns in Nigeria, Philippines and Vietnam.
It will be used to run modern slavery workshops in South Africa, increasing support for survivors in
India, and developing online data hub to boost anti-slavery policies.
The projects funded will help protect few most vulnerable people on planet and encourage more
innovative approaches for victim identification and pursuing the exploiters.
Recently Funded
The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), a coalition of trade unions, firms and charities promoting worker’s
rights received the latest funding. It will help towards informing migrant workers in Malaysia about their
rights and remediation, help improve conditions of migrant workers those working with global businesses
in their supply chains worldwide and provide remedy for workers who have suffered abuse.
Suresh Mathur Committee to review MicroInsurance Framework
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) set up Suresh Mathur Committee
to review regulatory framework on micro insurance, and to recommend measures to increase demand for
such products. It was formed because of less than desired offtake of micro insurance products despite of
their inherent benefits in the country. India was seen to be an exciting market and a pioneer in micro
insurance sector in world, but its market penetration remains low.
Suresh Mathur Committee
Composition: It is a 13-member panel chaired by IRDAI’s Executive Director Suresh Mathur, and
comprises of representatives from IRDAI, life, general and health insurance companies in public and
private sectors and NGOs.
Its task is to suggest product designs with customer-friendly underwriting, such as easy premium
payment methods and simple claims settlement procedures.
It will suggest about if there is any change in distribution structure, including mobile-based and
technology driven solutions and on creating effective awareness programmes.
Their recommendations are to submitted within three month time frame.
Microinsurance
IRDAI created a special category of insurance policies called micro-insurance policies (a General or
Life Insurance policy with a sum assured of Rs 50,000 or less) to promote insurance coverage among
economically vulnerable sections of society. The micro-insurance is defined and enabled by IRDAI
Micro-insurance Regulations, 2005.
General Micro-Insurance product is a Health insurance contract that covers belongings like Hut,
Livestock, tools or instruments or any personal accident contract and is either on an individual or
group basis.
Life Micro-Insurance product is a term insurance contract with or without return of premium, any
endowment insurance contract or health insurance contract. It with or without an accident benefits
rider and is either on an individual or group basis. There is flexibility in regulations for insurers.
Micro- Insurance Business is done by intermediaries such as Non-Government Organisations (NGOs)
and Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
Micro insurance Benefits- They are specifically intended for protection of low-income people, with
affordable insurance products, and micro insurance promises to support sustainable livelihoods of
poor.
1 million species risk extinction due to humans: Draft UN report
According to draft of UN report set to be released on May 6, 2019, up to One million world species are at
risk of extinction due to human activity. It highlights how humanity has undermined natural resources
upon which its very survival depends.
This 44-page draft report which has summarized 1,800-page assessment of scientific literature on the
state of Nature conducted by the UN will be examined on 29 April, 2019 by 130 nations that will meet in
Paris, France.
Key Findings of Report
Extinction: It warns of forthcoming rapid acceleration in global rate of species extinction. With upto
1 million species at extinction risk, and one fourth of known plant and animal species already
threatened, loss of species is tens to hundreds of times higher than it was, on average, over last 10
million years.
Causes: Direct cause of species loss are continuously shrinking habitat and land-use change,
hunting for food, illegal trade in wildlife body parts, climate change and pollution.
Impact on Ecosystem: Almost three-fourth of land, half of marine environments and half of inland
waterways have been ‘severely’ changed by human activity.
This is mainly due to human activities, like overconsumption, illegal poaching, deforestation and
fossil fuel emissions, which further push ecosystems toward a point of no return.
Impact of Humans: Such depletion will harm humans, especially indigenous vulnerable groups and
those living in poorest communities.
Threat equivalent to climate change: The accelerating loss of clean air, drinkable water, forests,
pollinating insects, protein-rich fish and storm-blocking mangroves are a few of diminishing
services offered by Nature, which poses threat not less than that by climate change.
Dependence on Nature: More than 2 billion people rely on wood fuel for energy, 4 billion rely on
natural medicines, and 75% of global food crops require animal pollination.
It cautions against climate change solutions that may accidentally harm nature. Example-Biofuels
use combined with “carbon capture and storage” (i.e. sequestration of CO2 released when biofuels are
burned) is a key in transition to green energy on a global scale. But land needed for growing biofuel
crops may lead to cutting into food production, expansion of protected areas or reforestation efforts.
Way Forward
We need to recognise that climate change and loss of Nature are equally important, not just for
environment, but also for development and economic issues. Unsustainable methods used for our food and
energy production undermines regulating services we get from Nature, therefore only “transformative
change” can stem the damage.
Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) not to be ratified by US
US President Donald Trump announced that USA will not abide by and will never ratify Arms Trade

Treaty (ATT), a UN treaty aimed at regulating global arms trade.

Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)
With aim of regulating international trade in conventional arms (from small arms to battle tanks, combat
aircraft and warships), it was entered into force in 2014. It establishes common standards for international
trade of conventional weapons so as to reduce illegal arms trade.
The member nations are required to keep records of international trade of weapons and prohibit cross-
border shipments that can be used for human rights violations or attacks on civilians. It was originally
signed by 130 countries but currently only 101 have ratified and joined it. India is not a signatory.
Arguments by US
ATT is misguided and is encroachment on US sovereignty. It does not place any restrictions on types or
quantities of arms bought, sold, or possessed by states. It also does not impact state’s domestic gun
control laws or other firearm ownership policies.
First International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace observed on April 24
First official ‘International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace’ was observed by United
Nations (UN) on April 24, 2019. It was aimed at disseminating advantages of multilateralism and
diplomacy for peace by educational and public awareness-raising activities. On this occasion, UN General
Assembly convened one day high level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote day.
BACKGROUND mahesh | amahesh.2019@gmail.com |
On 12 December, 2018 UN General Assembly (UNGA) officially proclaimed resolution A/RES/73/127 to
observe 24 April ever year as International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace.
Preserving values of multilateralism and international cooperation supports UN Charter and 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development (SDGs) and is fundamental in promoting and supporting 3 pillars of UN –
Peace and Security, Development and Human Rights.
It reaffirms UN Charter and its principles of resolving disputes among countries by peaceful means and
acknowledges use of multilateral decision-making and diplomacy in achieving peaceful resolutions to
conflicts among nations.
World’s first Malaria Vaccine launched in Malawi, Africa
World’s first Malaria Vaccine named RTS,S (trade name Mosquirix) was launched in Malawi, Africa on
occasion of World Malaria Day (observed on 25 April). It was launched as part of pilot programme aimed at
immunizing children aged 2 years and below in three African countries Malawi, Ghana and Kenya. Other
two countries will launch this vaccine in coming weeks.
About Pilot Programme
It is World Health Organization (WHO) coordinated three country pilot programme where risk of
malaria is high. It aims to vaccinate 360,000 children per year with RTS,S vaccine across three
countries and give them partial protection against disease. Children will be vaccinated on time with 4
required doses.
The pilot programme is financed by collaboration of three key global health funding bodies: Gavi ( a
public-private partnership Global Vaccine Alliance), Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and
Malaria, and Unitaid (global health initiative that works with partners to end world’s tuberculosis,
HIV/AIDS, malaria and hepatitis C epidemics). Also, WHO, PATH and GSK will provide in-kind
contributions.
About RTS,S Vaccine
It is recombinant protein-based malaria vaccine. It is world’s first and only malaria vaccine. Its trade
name is Mosquirix.
It has been developed and manufactured by British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in
partnership with the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative.
It provides protection to only a third of children of less than 2 years age from severe malaria.
It will act as complementary malaria control tool besides WHO-recommended core measures for
malaria prevention, like routinely using insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor insecticides spraying
and timely malaria testing and treatment.
About Malaria
It is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites, which are transmitted by bites of infected female
Anopheles mosquitoes. It is one of world’s leading killer disease. It is preventable and curable.
In 2017, about 219 million cases of malaria were reported in 87 countries, and number of malaria
deaths was 435 000.
According to WHO, African Region carries highest share of global malaria burden with home to 92%
of malaria cases and 93% of malaria deaths in 2017.
World Intellectual Property Day observed on 26th April 2019

The World Intellectual Property Day was observed globally on 26 April 2019 to spread awareness about
important role played by intellectual property rights (IPRs) such as Patents, Trademarks, Industrial
Designs and Copyrights in encouraging innovation and creativity. To celebrate this day, World Intellectual
Property Organization (WIPO) had hosted different events and activities in collaboration with
government agencies, NGOs, community groups and individuals.
Theme of WIPD 2019: “Reach for Gold: IP and Sports”. It seeks to explore how innovation, creativity and IP
rights would support development of sport and its enjoyment.
Importance of IPR in Sports: In recent times, sports industries employing millions of people have become
multi-billion dollars business. These sports businesses use patents and designs for development of new
sports technologies, materials, training, and equipment. Therefore, it is important to secure business
relationships built on IP rights help to further boost economic value of sports.
Background
In October 1999, WIPO’s General Assembly had approved idea of declaring a particular day as World
Intellectual Property Day. The date April 26 was chosen as on this date in 1970, Convention Establishing
WIPO, first entered into force. Later, in 2000 WIPO finally designated 26 April as annual World
Intellectual Property Day to address perceived gap between Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) as
business/legal concept and its relevance to people’s lives.
Army for first time invites applications for Women Military Police recruitment
The Indian Army for first time since independence has initiated women induction drive for Soldier
General Duty (Women Military Police). It invited applications for recruitment of 1,700 women soldiers
initially.
Key Facts
Recruitment rallies will be held in Ambala, Lucknow, Jabalpur, Bengaluru and Shillong to test
candidates, and venue will be allotted based on their home districts. It will be mandatorily done
through online registration.
Enrolled Women Military Police personnel released on or before expiry of 17 years of service, may
carry reserve liability for 2 years after release.
Eligibility:
1. Age limit- 17½ to 21 years. Upper age limit relaxation up to 30 years (as on date of joining training)
given to widows of defence personnel who died in service.
2. Minimum educational qualification- Class 10 with aggregate 45% marks and minimum 33% marks in
each subject taken. Upper age limit will be relaxed up to 30 years of age (as on date of joining
training) in respect of widows of defence personnel who have died in harness.
3. Status: Unmarried. Besides, widowed, divorced or legally separated women are also eligible but must
not have children.
Training: 1 year training at Corps of Military Police Regimental Centre, Bengaluru will be given to
enrolled recruits before posting to units.
Posting: They will initially be deployed for allied role or in areas where they will be needed to frisk
women, and will be posted to chosen units in J&K and other parts of country. They will be
responsible for protection of areas where separated family accommodation of soldiers is located i.e.
quarters where jawans families stay when soldiers are posted in field areas.
Background
In 1993, women were inducted as Army officers and were given only Short Service Commission (a period
of 10 years which can be extended up to 14 years) and inducted in combat support branches and support
services. Later Army Aviation Corps was opened and permanent commission offered to women officers in
Army Education Corps and Judge Advocate General’s branch. As there were no women in non-officer role
in Army, demand of inducting women in Military Police was made in 2018. This demand was accepted by
Ministry of Defence and formulated roadmap for women induction in Military Police. The success of this
induction may be lead to more roles for women in Army in future.
China hosts 2nd Belt and Road Forum
Second Belt and Road Forum (BRF) was held in Beijing, China. It will serve as stocktaking exercise for
China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It saw participation of 126 countries and 29 international
organisations, increase from 60 countries and international organisations seen in in first edition of BRF
2017. India did not participate in this edition as well as in first edition of BRF.
BRF 2019
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s chaired leaders’ roundtable, high-level meeting and thematic forum in this
edition of three day BRF event.
New Focus: Unlike earlier, with sole focus on building infrastructure projects, BRI’s broadened framework
includes financial and humanitarian aid projects.
New Entrant: European countries such as Italy (joined BRI in March 2019) and Luxembourg have joined
the project. Italy and China signed an MoU with deals worth 2.5 billion euros including working together
to develop Italy’s port infrastructure, transport and logistics. 13 EU member states are already part of BRI.
Changed Funding model: China is proposing ‘third-party market cooperation’ under which investments
are shared between more than one nation. Initially funds were sought from China-headed Asian
Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and other financial institutions.
About Belt And Road Initiative
The BRI, (or yi dai yi lu) also called “21st Century Silk Road” or China’s Marshall Plan was announced
by China in 2013.
It is made of “belt” of overland routes and maritime “road”, with aim to connect Asia, Europe and
Africa, will impact countries comprising of half of world’s population.
“The Belt” means Silk Road Economic Belt comprising of three overland routes which connects
China, Central Asia, Russia and Europe. It will connect China with Persian Gulf and Mediterranean
Sea via Central Asia and West Asia, and link China with Southeast Asia, South Asia and Indian
Ocean.
“The Road” means 21st Century Maritime Silk Road which would provide impetus to trade from
China to Europe via South China Sea and Indian Ocean, and from China via South China Sea towards
South Pacific.
Problems with BRI
Chinese enterprises faces operational problems in overseas port projects linked to BRI.
China’s debt-trap diplomacy: ‘Premature Mentality’ in evaluating commercial value of investment
projects and inadequacies in debt evaluation leads to suspension, rethinking over project costs and
finally to debt trap. Example: Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port was forced to lease to China for 99 years;
complete suspension and rethinking of a billion dollar Malysian railway project; Projects costs in
Maldives, Ethiopia, Pakistan, are worrtsome.
Lack of transparency in information and lack of evaluation on impact of regional social culture.
BRI also has negative impact over economic and political interests of various countries including US,
Japan, Germany, Russia, and Australia.
India’s Stand on BRI
India was one of first countries to oppose project and still opposes it. The reason is violation of territorial
sovereignty as China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is one of key BRI project, passes through
Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
Tropical forest size of England destroyed in 2018: WRI report
As per recently published US-based World Resources Institute (WRI) report, world lost 12 million hectares
(30 million acres) of tropical tree cover in 2018. It is fourth largest annual decline since global satellite data
become available in 2001. According to report, with such decline world’s forests entered in ‘emergency

room’ implying that planet’s health is at stake and mere band-aid response will not help.
Key Highlights
Study showed new deforestation hotspots in Africa, like Ghana and Ivory Coast, the increase in tree
loss was due to illegal mining, small-scale forest clearing and expansion of cocoa farms.
Most destruction was seen in Brazil (13,500 sq-km), Congo (4,800 sq-km), Indonesia (3,400 sq-km),
Colombia (1,800 sq-km), Bolivia (1,500 sq-km) and Madagascar lost 2% of its entire rainforest in 2018
Only Indonesia showed reduction in loss of its primary forest from past 2 years. It has world’s 3rd
largest total area of tropical forest and is biggest producer of palm oil. Therefore, forest destruction
was mainly due to land clearance for oil-palm plantations, which was reduced once government
imposed a moratorium on forest-clearing.
According to annual assessment by scientists of Global Forest Watch ( which uses satellite imagery
and remote sensing to monitor tree cover losses from Brazil to Ghana) almost 1/3rd of area destroyed
(~36,000 square km) was pristine primary rainforest ( consists of mature trees that absorb more
carbon and are harder to replace).
According to Mighty Earth, (a global environmental campaign organization), deforestation causes
more climate pollution than all world’s cars, trucks, ships and planes combined.
Importance of Forest
Forests act as Carbon sink by absorbingmahesh
about 30% of man-made GHG emissions (over 11 billion tons
of CO2 per year) on other hand ocean soaks another 23%. So, losing vast tracts of tropical forest not
only releases carbon into atmosphere, it also reduces size of carbon sink. Therefore, it is vital to
protect what we still have.
Because of deforestation, indigenous communities are most vulnerable to losing their homes and
livelihoods, aggravates climate change (as absorb 1/3rd of planets greenhouse gas emissions produced
globally), biodiversity loss.
About World Resources Institute
It is a global research non-profit organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States. It was
established in 1982. It works to promote environmental sustainability, economic opportunity, human
health and well-being. Its focuses on 7 key areas: food, forests, water, energy, cities, climate and ocean.
No sedentary screen time for children: WHO Guidelines
As per new World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, children should not engage in more active play
than sedentary screen time. It says babies and toddlers must not be left to watch television or other
screens passively before turning two.
Every year more than 5 million deaths across all age groups are due to lack of physical activity. Therefore,
to prevent childhood obesity and other associated diseases in later life, it is important to improve their
physical, mental health, well-being, to prevent childhood obesity and other diseases associated in later life,
for this physical activity, reduce sedentary time, quality sleep in young children is required.
Key Facts
These WHO guidelines will be presented at ‘European Congress on Obesity’. This is for the first time.
WHO has given guidelines about behavioural patterns, physical activity and sleep for children under
5 years of age.
It focuses on passive viewing, with aim to deal with rising inactivity in children leading to obesity-
related ill health and global mortality.
It recommends that sedentary time should be turned into quality time. Example- reading book with
child, can help them develop language skills.
Sedentary screen time (including computer games) should be allowed before child turns two, and
limit for 2-4 year olds is 1 hour a day and less is better.
Key Features of WHO guidelines
For Infants (less than 1 year old): They should get no screen time and must not be kept in prams or
seats for long. Parents must ensure they engage more in interactive floor-based active play, 30
minutes of tummy time and get better quality of sleep. Babies up to 3 months should sleep for at
least 14-17 hours and those up to 11 months for 12-16 hours.

Children between 1-2 years old: They should spend at least 180 minutes (3 Hours) in different kinds of
physical activities, and should be allowed minimum screen time and must get at least 11-14 hours of
good quality sleep.
Children between 3-4 years old: Maximum 1 hour of screen time should be allowed. Parents must
engage them in storytelling, in physical activities for at least 180 minutes (3 hours) and good quality
sleep for 10-13 hours.
Children below 5 years of age: Their screen time should not be more than 1 hour rather should spend
more time playing.
Former Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag appointed High Commissioner to Seychelles
Army General (Retd.) Dalbir Singh Suhag was appointed as High Commissioner of India to Republic of
Seychelles. His appointment comes at the time when military ties between India and island nation have
deepened in recent times. Dalbir Singh Suhag was Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) i.e. Army General from
August 2014 to December 2016.
Appointment of former defence personnel as envoy to countries is not new. Previously, Indian Navy Chief
Nirmal Kumar Verma had served as high commissioner to Canada, and his successor Suresh Mehta was
high commissioner to New Zealand and former air chief N.A.K. Browne was ambassador to Norway.
Strategic Significance of Seychelles
Seychelles Islands is strategically lactated inmahesh
Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar from where global
shipping and commerce lanes pass. In recent times, it has become important base in fighting seaborne
terrorism and piracy in IOR.
India and Seychelles had signed to build naval base (a coast guard facility) in Seychelles’ Assumption
Island during PM Narendra Modi’s visit to island nation in 2015. This will enable India to increase its
presence in strategically-key region of IOR and to counter increasing military presence China in the
region.
FSS Voice Commerce: Real Time Voice Banking Platform Launched
IT service management company Financial Software Services (FSS) has launched real time voice banking
platform called FSS voice commerce. It uses machine-learning language processing techniques and offers
meaningful, contextual, and personalized banking interactions to customers.
Benefits of FSS Voice Commerce
It provides secure financial transactions to prevent fraud and maintain integrity of transaction
ecosystem it supports out-of-band multi-factor authentication like one-time passcodes (OTP) and
biometrics.
It also delivers conversation-led banking by enabling customers to block cards, check rate of interest
(RoI) for personal loan, real-time information of account and balance and make payment using Alexa
or Google Assistant.
April 28, 2019
5th ABU Media Summit on Climate Action and Disaster Preparedness Held in Nepal
5th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Media Summit on Climate Action and Disaster Preparedness
began from 25- 26 April 2019 in Kathmandu, Nepal. It was attended by more than 200 participants
including political leaders, UN agencies representatives, NGOs, Experts of climate change and disaster
management, scientists and media persons.
About Summit
It objective was to address issue of fully utilizing media’s potential of accelerating climate action and
disaster preparedness and connect stakeholders to media professionals for collaboration and joint
practical projects.
Theme was “Media Solutions for Sustainable Future: Saving Lives, Building Resilient Communities”.
Kathmandu Media Action Plan for Media Integration in Climate Action and Disaster Risk Reduction
(DRR) was adopted at summit.
It also included a comprehensive session on Sendai Framework for DRR,
The Kathmandu Media Action Plan
It will be included in Global Platform for DRR to be held in Geneva, 15 – 17 May 2019. It lists concrete steps

for fully involving media in saving lives and livelihoods. It recommends comprehensive investment in
broadcaster networks to make them resilient to hazards, and capacity building so that journalists will be
able to prepare their audiences for future disasters.
Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU)
It is a non-profit, non-governmental, non- political, professional association of broadcasting organisations,
which assist development of broadcasting in region. It was established in 1964, and has Secretariat in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. With over 272 member in 76 countries on four continents, ABU is biggest
broadcasting union in the world. By its member’s network, ABU can reach 3 billion people across the Asia
Pacific region. ABU is also member of the World Broadcasters’ Union.
‘Politics of Jugaad: The Coalition Handbook’, released
The “Politics of Jugaad: The Coalition Handbook” new book authored by journalist Saba Naqvi examines
possibility of coalition government after 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
About Book
It examines coalition government history in India to project possibility at the end of 2019 Lok Sabha
election. It questions whether ‘coalitions’ are inevitable even when they have been proved unstable, or
whether they hold promise of greater democratization in our diverse nation. It also analyses possibilities
of coalition formation in different states and their chances of success and failure.
It strikes perfect balance between argumentmaheshand prose, and| discusses possible direction in politics and
| amahesh.2019@gmail.com
policy of India’s next coalition government. It also elaborates nature of transformation in Indian political
parties and their role in contemporary times.
About Author
Saba Naqvi is one of India’s renowned journalists, best known author and political analyst. Other books
written by her include In Good Faith (2012), Capital Conquest (2015), and Shades of Saffron (2018).
Global Warming Impacts Marine Ecosystem Most: Study
According to research study conducted by Rutgers University in US and published in Journal of Nature,
marine ecosystem and sea creatures are most affected by global warming. It is first research which compares
cold-blooded marine and land species sensitivity to global warming and their ability of finding refuge
from heat even while staying in their normal habitats.
It studied worldwide research on nearly 400 species from lizards and fish to spiders. Researchers
calculated safe conditions for 88 marine and 294 land species and coolest temperatures available to each
species during hottest parts of year.
Key finding
According to study, global warming can wipe out two times more ocean-dwelling species than land and
dwelling species from their habitats.
Vulnerability faced by sea creatures might impact human communities relying on fish and shellfish for
food and economic activity.
Loss of marine population can deplete species genetic diversity, cascade impacts on their predators and
prey and can alter ecosystems that benefits human society.
Reason: It is because unlike land animals who can hide from heat in forests, shaded areas or underground,
many sea animals are not open to such luxury. On average this makes marine species, more likely to live
on edge of dangerously high temperatures.
Consequences: Loss of population can deplete species’ genetic diversity, have cascading impacts on their
predators and prey and may significantly impact human communities that rely on fish and shellfish for
food and economic activity.
Way Forward
If oceans will continue supporting human well-being, nutrition and economic activity, then new
conservation efforts and more research will be required. Also, with advancement of climate change, it is
important to develop understanding about which species and ecosystems will be most severely affected by
global warming, as it will further guide conservation and management efforts.
Marine Ecosystem
They are Earth’s largest aquatic ecosystems and are most prevalent out of all types of ecosystems on
planet. They have a high salt content in contrast with freshwater ecosystems, which have lower salt
content. They are filled with life, provide nearly half of Earth’s oxygen and are home to wide varieties of
species.
Tracking Progress of ‘Safe City Programme’
According to recent media reports, not much progress has been made in making cities safer for women
even one year after launch of Safe City programme. It highlights poor guidelines and improper utilization
of funds and focus on general elections as main reasons for it.
About Safe City programme
It was launched with objective of strengthening safety and security of women in public places.
It is being implemented by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in consultation with Ministry of Women
and Child Development (MoW&CD), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Information
Technology (MeitY), respective Municipal & Police Commissioners of cities and civil society
organizations.
Initially it was launched in 8 cities, which include Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Chennai,
Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. Lucknow was first city in country to clear the project in In
November 2018.
It was approved with total cost of Rs.194.44 crore under Nirbhaya Fund Scheme (by empowered
Committee of officers for Nirbhaya funds). It is implemented as Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS)
with Centre and State sharing fund in 60:40 ratio.
It includes identifying crime hotspots and placing them under CCTV coverage, drone-based
surveillance, deployment of automated number plate reading (ANPR) equipment through an
integrated smart control room.
Major component of Safe City Project
Setting an Integrated Smart Control Room.
Setting Pink Out-posts (exclusively administered by Women police) for facilitating ease of filing
complaint by women; Pink Patrols of Women police.
Setting Women Help Desks in all Police Stations with Counsellors.
Augmentation of existing Asha Jyoti Kendra.
Implementing Safety measures in buses, including Cameras.
Improving Street Lighting in identified crime Hotspot areas.
Setting up Pink Toilets.
Integratig Women power-help line with single Emergency number ‘112’
Safe City Project, Lucknow:
Helpline 1090 was launched in Uttar Pradesh to prevent atrocities against women.
Gender sensitization awareness campaigns etc.
Nirbhaya Fund
It was set up by UPA government with an initial corpus of Rs. 1,000 crore after horrific gang rape of young
woman in New Delhi in December 2012. Nirbhaya is the name she was referred to by media, and fund
seeks to ensure safety of women across country. In past years, fund amount has increased to Rs. 3,600
crore, but according to reports money isnot being used.
Recent Updates
The government launched Safe City Implementation Monitoring Portal with aim of monitoring safe city
project, as aid in online tracking of deployment of assets and infrastructure.
Facebook announces ban on Personality Quiz Apps on its platform
Facebook announced ban on personality quiz apps on its platform. The decision is taken after last years
Cambridge Analytica Scandal, which helped researcher’s to access personal information of about 87
million facebooks users by using quiz app “thisisyourdigitallife”. Such move is part of broader crackdown
by Facebook on dubious developers.
Key Highlights
Facebook is updating its platform policies to include provisions that apps with minimal utility, such
as personality quizzes, may not be permitted on the platform.
The apps may not ask for data that doesn’t enrich the in-app, user experience on the social media

platform.
It includes removing access to number of application programming interfaces (APIs), updating
platform policies, regularly evaluating app’s access to user permissions. It will also lock down older
(APIs) from accessing user data.
If user has previously approved permissions which app has not used or accessed in past 90 days may
be considered expired and access to such expired permissions will be revoked. It will also
periodically review, audit and remove permissions that older apps have not used.
Cambridge Analytica Scandal
Cambridge University (UK) researcher Aleksandr Kogan and his company Global Science Research created
an app called “thisisyourdigitallife” in 2014. It paid its users to give psychological test and app collected
data. It also collected data on person’s Facebook friends. A. Kogan further passed this data to British
political consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica, thus millions of Facebook profiles were mined for data.
Later, Kogan with Cambridge Analytica created software solution to help influence choices in elections.
US 2016 Election Mendeling: Facebook data was also used to develop “psychographic” (means, qualitative
methodology used to describe consumers on psychological attributes) profiles of people and deliver pro-
Trump material to them online during 2016 US Presidential elections.
India finishes Asian Wrestling Championships 2019 with 16 medals
India finished Asian Wrestling Championships tournament held in Xian, China with a total of 16 medals
which included eight (one gold, three silver and four bronze) won by men’s freestyle wrestlers, four bronze
by women and three silver and one bronze by Greco-Roman wrestlers.
Key Highlights
India bagged two silver medals in Asian Wrestling Championships in Xian, China in men’s Greco-Roman
category.
Wrestler Gurpreet Singh finished with second spot and won India a silver medal in Greco-Roman 77kg
category after facing a 0-8 defeat by Hyeonwoo Kim of Korea in the finale.
Sunil Kumar in men’s 87kg category, registered victory in semi finale bout against Azamat Kustubayev of
Kazakhstan with 6-6 but defeated by Hossein Ahmad Nouri of Iran in final clash.
India’s Greco-Roman wrestlers performed better than last edition where they clinched only a couple of
bronze medals by Rajender Kumar (55kg) and Harpreet Singh (82kg).
Harpreet Singh won silver in 82kg after defeating Iran’s Saeid Morad Abdvali. while Gyanender won
bronze in 60kg after beating Jui Chi Huang of Taipeion final day.
Only Bajrang Punia won gold medal after defeating Kazakhstan’s Sayatbek Okassov by 12-7 in 65kg men’s
free style.
Asian Wrestling Championships
It is Wrestling Asian Championship organized by Asian Associated Wrestling Committee (AAWC). In 1979
men’s tournament began and in 1996 women’s tournament was first staged, after that it is held every year.
AIFF recommends names of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Jeje Lalpekhlua for Arjuna award 2019
All India Football Federation (AIFF) recommended names of National team footballers Gurpreet Singh
Sandhu and Jeje Lalpekhlua for the prestigious Arjuna Award 2019.
AIFF has been pushing Sandhu and Jeje cases since 2017 but Arjuna Award committee didn’t approve their
claims in past two years.
In 2017 AIFF recommended Sandhu and Jeje names along with then Indian women’s team captain
Bembem Devi, but Arjuna Award committee didn’t approve their claims in past two years and only Devi
was conferred with the award. Again in2018 they did not receive the approval.
After Sunil Chhetri, Sandhu and Jeje are Indian national team’s longest serving footballers. Sunil has
received both Arjuna and Padma Shri. Also, Sandhu is only second footballer ( after Sunil Chhetri) in India
to play Asian Cup final rounds twice in 2011 and 2019.
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu
He currently plays for Bengaluru FC and had earlier played for Norwegian side Stabaek. He set a unique
record in 2016, by becoming first Indian footballer to play competitive match in European top division

league.
Jeje Lalpekhlua
He currently plays for Chennaiyin FC in ISL (Indian Super League). The 28-year-old from Mizoram has 23
international goals to his credit and is an exceptionally talented striker. He was inducted in national team
in 2011 by then coach Bob Houghton. He currently plays for Chennaiyin FC in the ISL.
Arjuna Award
Instituted in 1961, it is India’s second highest sporting award after Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. It is
bestowed upon sportsperson for consistently outstanding performance for four years. It is bestowed upon
sportsperson in recognition of their consistently outstanding performance for four years in National
sports. It is confered by Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and award carries bronze statuette of
Arjuna, a scroll and a monetary award of 5 lakh rupees.
Gagandeep Kang awarded Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS), UK
Gagandeep Kang becomes first Indian woman scientist to be awarded Fellowship of the Royal Society
(FRS), United Kingdom.
Gagandeep Kang
She is a clinician scientist, who is well known for her key role in development of Rotavac. She
currently appointed as executive director of Translational Health Science and Technology Institute
(THSTI), Faridabad, which is an autonomous institute |of Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of
mahesh | amahesh.2019@gmail.com
Science and Technology.

In 2016, she was conferred prestigious Infosys Prize in Life Sciences for her contributions in
understanding natural history of rotavirus and other infectious diseases.
She is also first Indian and first woman to edit Manson’s Textbook of Tropical Medicine.
Rotavac
It is India’s first indigenously developed vaccine for rotavirus infections, which is responsible for childhood
diarrhea. The Rotavac was developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech Limited and Pune-based Serum
International also developed a rotavirus vaccine called Rabishield. Both of them are included in India’s
Immunisation Programme.
In January 2018, World Health Organisation (WHO) “pre-qualified” the Rotavac vaccine, which means that
vaccine could be sold internationally to other countries in Africa and South America.
Fellowship of the Royal Society
It is the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence since 1663. It is an award sponsored by Royal
Society of London and also known as FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS. It is granted to individuals who made
substantial contribution to improvement of natural knowledge in fields of natural knowledge, including
mathematics, engineering science, and medical science.
It has been awarded to many eminent scientists approximately 8000 in total with 1675 living right now,
including Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Michael Faraday, Ernest Rutherford, Srinivasa Ramanujan,
Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill etc.
April 29, 2019
Bajrang Punia becomes First Indian Wrestler to fight at New York’s Iconic Madison Square Garden
India’s Bajrang Punia is first Indian wrestler to be invited by American wrestling body for a special fight at
iconic Madison Square Garden in New York, US. He will be among other top wrestlers selected by
American governing body for 6 May 2019 tournament.
He will take on two-time US national champion Yianni Diakomahlis in “Grapple at the Garden” Beat the
Streets fight night event, which has become a major showcase for international wrestling since 2010.
Achievements
The 25-year-old, currently holds World No.1 title in 65-kg weight category freestyle wrestling.
He has won eight gold medals from his earlier nine international tournaments including 2018’s
Commonwealth and Asian Games. He also registered only gold medal won by India in recently
concluded Asian Wrestling Championships, in 65kg men’s freestyle category.
Cyclone Fani likely to intensify into ‘Very Severe Cyclonic Storm’
According to The India Met Department (IMD) Cyclone Fani in South East Bay of Bengal is likely to
intensify from a severe cyclonic storm into a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ as it approaches coastal Tamil
Nadu by 30 April. Later, IMD issued red alert for Kerala and Tamil Nadu and asked fishermen to avoid
going into sea in South East Bay and adjoining equatorial Indian Ocean and those already at sea to return
immediately till further notice.
A very severe cyclonic storm means Fani will get ‘category three’ storm status on five-step Saffir-Simpson
scale (or Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale).
The Cyclone Fani
It was formed at low pressure region in south east of Sumatra (Indonesian island), which further
intensified into a depression.
It is expected to hit Tamil Nadu at speeds of over 100 kmph by 30april and is unlikely to cross Tamil
Nadu coast and south Andhra coast.
It will result in light to moderate rainfall in coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala and rainfall
at isolated places in South Coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Currently moving in north westwards direction at a speed of 21 kilometres per hour, it is expected to
slowly change direction after May 1 to north and north-eastward
In past similar cyclones observed during summer months which recurve leave atmosphere high and
dry and results in soaring temperatures after its passes. It is yet to be seen if cyclone Fani is going to
repeat same. mahesh | amahesh.2019@gmail.com |
Cyclone in recent years:

In 2017 Cyclone Ockhi hit parts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
Cyclone Gaja, Cyclones Sagar (in Somalia), Cyclone Mekunu (striked Oman), Cyclone Luban
(affected the Arabian Peninsula) and Cyclone Titli (made landfall near Palasa, Andhra Pradesh)were
part of 2018 North Indian Ocean cyclone season.
Cyclone Pabuk originated over the Gulf of Thailand, in 2019
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale
It classifies hurricanes or Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed intensities of tropical
depressions and tropical storms into five categories or 1 to 5 rating based on intensities of their
sustained winds.
It estimates potential property damage.
Cyclones reaching Category 3 and higher are considered alarming because of their potential for
significant loss of life and damage.
Tropical Cyclone
They are also known as Hurricanes (in Atlantic), Typhoons (in Western Pacific and South China Sea),
Willy-willies (in Western Australia).
It is an intense circular storm that originates over warm tropical oceans and is characterized by low
atmospheric pressure, high winds, and heavy rain.
It draws energy from sea surface, maintains its strength as long as it remains over warm water, and
generates winds that can exceed 119 km (74 miles) per hour.
India tops Medals Tally at ISSF World Cup Rifle/ Pistol 2019 held in China
India finished top of medal tally at ISSF World Cup Rifle/ Pistol 2019 edition held in Beijing, China. Even
after drawing a blank on final day India still topped the chart for second consecutive ISSF World Cup,
third time in last two years. In last edition of Shooting World Cup held in New Delhi, India jointly topped
standings with Hungary.
ISSF World Cup Rifle 2019
With its four medals (3 gold and 1 silver medals) India topped medals tally ahead of hosts China (2
gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze), who won five medals in total.
With this win India has now secured a total of five 2020 Tokyo Olympic quotas places.
Teenage pair of Saurabh Chaudhary and Manu Bhaker won gold in 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team Pistol
event.
Anjum Moudgil and young Divyansh Singh Panwar won gold in 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team
competition.
Divyansh Singh Panwar won India’s first individual medal by winning silver in men’s 10m Air Rifle.
India’s third gold was won by Abhishek Verma in men’s 10m Air Pistol event.
World Day for Safety and Health at Work observed on 28 April
The World Day for Safety and Health at Work was observed by The International Labour Organization
(ILO) on 28 April 2019. It is observed annually since 2003, as an international awareness-raising campaign to
focus international attention on emerging trends in fields of occupational safety and health and on
magnitude of work-related injuries, diseases and fatalities worldwide.
World Day for Safety and Health at Work
It is an integral part of Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health of ILO, as documented in
Conclusions of International Labour Conference in 2003.
It aims to promote prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally.
The World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2019 edition is Inspired by ILO’s centenary (1919-2019),
and attempts to take stock of its 100 years of work in improving occupational safety and health. It
also looks into future for continuing these efforts by major changes such as technology
(digitalisation and ICT, platform work, automation and robotics), demographics, globalization,
sustainable development including climate change and changes in work organization.
According to ILO, a national occupational safety and health culture is where-
1. Employees right to safe and healthy working environment is respected throughtout levels.
2. A system of defined rights, responsibilities and duties, is used by governments, employers and
workers to actively participate in securing safe and healthy working environment.
3. ‘Principle Of Prevention’ is accorded highest priority
International Labour Organization (ILO)
It is the only tripartite U.N. agency, established in 1919 as an agency of the League of Nations. With 187
member States, it is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
It brings together governments, employers and workers of its members to set labour standards, make
policies and develop programmes which will promote decent work opportunities for all women and men.
Its principal means of action is to set up International standards in form of Conventions,
Recommendations and Protocol. Till date India has ratified 45 Conventions, of which 42 are in force. India
is a founding member of ILO.
Note: Since 1996, 28 April is also observed as ‘International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured
Workers’ organized worldwide by trade union movement.
Centre increases Wheat Import Duty by 40%
With wheat production at record high, government has raised import duty on wheat from existing 30% to
40% to support local farmers interest. The higher duty will help offtake of domestically produced grain by
discouraging milers to import wheat but to buy local produce and help protect farm prices. The
oversupply in domestic market due to back to back bumper production of food grains has put wheat prices
under pressure.
Key Highlights
India’s wheat production for 2018-19 crop year (which runs from July to June) is 2% higher than
2018, at a recored production of 99.12 million tonnes.
Food Corporation of India (FCI) which holds government’s wheat stocks already had 16.99 million
tonnes in April and after next purchase by government its stock could reach 57 million tonnes by
May end.
Reason for bumper production: In a bid to improve farm income government raised minimum
support price (MSP) of wheat (rate at which FCI buys from farmers) by 6% (Rs.1,840 per 100 kg for
2019), which acted as a benchmark for open market in wheat.
For similar bumper crop in 2018, government increased import duty on wheat from 20% to 30%
which resulted in sharp drop in wheat import.
In past India has imported wheat from Australia, Ukraine and Russia, but with global prices in
addition to 40% duty would make import virtually impossible.
Earlier, in concern of its farm duty rates as well as on subsidies it gives to farmers,
In past Australia has taken India to WTO’s arbitration panel on its farm duty rates and subsidies
given to farmers, but it hardly affects because India by right can raise duties on wheat up to 80%
under a bound rate agreement it has signed at WTO.
Wheat
Wheat is India’s staple food, placed second to rice. Uttar Pradesh is the largest wheat producing state in
India followed by Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh. India is second largest producer of wheat in the
world. China is world’s largest producer, followed by India, Russia, and the United states.
Food Corporation of India
It is a statutory non-profit organization founded and run by Government of India and also run by state
Governments. It was created in 1965 under Food Corporations Act 1964, to implement objectives of
National Food Policy. Initially headquartered at Chennai it was later shifted to New Delhi. As it is a state-
owned enterprise, it has presence in every state in India.
FCI Objectives
Safeguarding farmers interests by providing them remunerative prices.
Making food grains available at reasonable prices throughout the country (for public distribution
system), particularly for vulnerable section of society.
Intervening in market for price stabilization.
Maintaining buffer stocks as a measuremahesh
of Food Security.
IIT Madras researcher develops easy OCR system for Bharati Script
A team of researcher at IIT-Madras headed by Professor V. Srinivasa Chakravarthy, developed a method
for reading documents in Bharati Script by using a multi-lingual optical character recognition (OCR)
scheme.
About Bharati
It is a unified script for nine Indian languages which is being proposed as a common script for India. The
integrated script includes Devnagari, Bengali, Gurmukhi, Gujarati, Oriya, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and
Tamil. Urdu and English were not integrated so far because of their very different phonetic organisation.
Why was it needed?
Many European languages (English, French, German, Italian etc.) use Roman script as a common script,
which eases communication across all nations that speak and write those languages. Similarly in a diverse
nation like ours a common script for entire country can be hoped to bring down many communication
barriers existing in India.
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Schemes
First it involves separating/segmenting document into text and non-text. The text is then further divided
into paragraphs, sentences words and letters. Each letter is recognized as character in some recognisable
format like ASCII or Unicode. Each letter has different components like basic consonant, consonant
modifiers, vowels etc.
In Bharati Script characters these different components are separable by design, therefore, OCR works
quite accurately, giving almost 100% accuracy even with mild noise added.
Other Undergoing Projects at IIT Madras
In collaboration with TCS Mumbai, they created a universal finger-spelling language for nine Indian
language and using this finger-spelling technique persons with hearing disability can generate signatures
or a sign language. Other plans include developing new Braille system with Bharati script.
Three Indians included in Time’s 100 Most Influential People List 2019
Three Indians Menaka Guruswamy, Arundhati Katju and Mukesh Ambani have featured into TIME 100
Most Influential People list of 2019. Global prominent names that have featured in this list included US
President Donald Trump, China President Xi Jinping, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pope Francis,
golfer Tiger Woods and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Mukesh Ambani: He is Chairman and largest shareholder of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), a Fortune
Global 500 company. It is most valuable Indian company in terms of its market value.
Menaka Guruswamy and Arundhati Katju: They are Indian women lawyers who lead the legal battle to
strike down colonial era’s Section 377 of Indian Penal Code (IPC), which criminalized gay sex. In September

2018, Supreme Court in unanimous decision partly struck down IPC Section 377, thus removing ban
imposed on consensual gay sex and affirming human rights of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,
queer) community.
Time 100 most influential list
It is list of 100 most influential people in world released annually by US-based ‘Time’ news magazine. It
was first published in 1999. Its entrants are recognized for changing world, regardless of consequences of
their actions. The list has now become highly publicized event, as appearance on list is seen as global
honor.
Sri Lankan President bans On Face-Covering in Public
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena used his emergency powers to issue an order to ban burqa, veil
or covering of face in public places in any manner which prevents anyone from being identified.
Key Highlights
The order which came into immediate effect explicitly defines that any garment or item which obstructs
identification of an individual’s face is barred. It is placed to ensure national security, establish peaceful
and cohesive society and not aimed at inconvenience to any community people.
Reason: The decision was taken in aftermath of Easter Sunday blasts which took place across eight
locations, including three prominent churches and three hotels in island nation, in which more than 250
people were killed. mahesh | amahesh.2019@gmail.com |
In a bid to help stabilize security situation, some Muslim organisations came forward and suggested a ban
on burqa. Even local Muslim clerics urged their women not to cover their faces in escalating fears of
backlash after the attacks. Most Sri Lankan Muslims practice liberal form of religion, with only very small
percentage of women wearing niqab (a full face veil).
Religious Demography in Sri Lanka: With only 21 million population Sri Lanka is a multi-religious nation
with mix ethnicities, and is dominated by Sinhalese Buddhist majority. As per 2012 census 70.1% of
population is Buddhists, 12.6% Hindus, 9.7% Muslims and 7.6% Christians. With most Sinhalese being
Buddhist, most Tamils are Hindu and Moors and Malays are mostly Muslim.
April 30, 2019

Air Marshal Rakesh K S Bhadauria appointed as new Vice Chief of Air Staff
On May 1, Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria will take over as Vice Chief of Indian Air Force,
after superannuation of incumbent Air Marshal Anil Khosla. Post induction he will be looking after all air
operations being carried out by force.
Service and Tenure
RKS Bhadauria was commissioned into India Air Force fighter stream on 15 June 1980 with the Sword of
Honour. He has held important designations like Commandant of National Defence Academy, Senior Air
Staff Officer at Central Air Command and Deputy Chief of Air Staff from January 2016 to February 28,
2017. As Deputy Chief, he was chairman of Indian negotiating team for 36 Rafale combat aircraft deal with
France. From March 2017 till august 2018, he served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C),
Southern Air Command. He currently heads IAF’s Bengaluru-based Training Command.
Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS)
The VCAS is second-highest ranking Officer in Indian Air Force (IAF). It is a three-star appointment and is
held by an Air Officer of the rank of Air Marshal. He serves as Principal Staff Officer (PSO) at Air
Headquarters, New Delhi. His responsibilities include operations and flying related tasks. The VCAS
assumes duties and responsibilities of Chief of Air Staff (CAS) in event of his absence or is unable to
perform his duties.
Beirut, Lebanon sets
mahesh |a New Guinness
amahesh.2019@gmail.com | World Record
Lebanon’s capital Beirut has set a new Guinness World Record for most number of national flags displayed in
one city for 24 hours.
About
By raising a total of 26,852 Lebanese flags for 24 hours Beirut broke the record of New York’s
Waterloo of raising 25,599 flags.
It was achieved by individual and national initiative undertaken by The Beirut Alive Association. The
event was organised under the patronage of lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
Guinness World Records
It was originally known as The Guinness Book of Records from its inception from 1955 until 2000. It is an
annually published reference book which lists record-breaking achievements.
International Dance Day 2019 celebrated on 29 April
Every year 29 April is observed as International Dance Day, as a global day to celebrate dance. It aims to
encourage participation and education in dance through events and festivals held on the day.
International Dance Day
Objective: Its aim is to increase awareness about importance of dance among general public and also
to persuade governments across nation to include dance in education system.
It was created by Dance Committee of International Theatre Institute (ITI), which was formally
recognized by UNESCO as creators and organizers of event. ITI is the main partner for performing
arts of UNESCO.
‘29 April’ was chosen as the day to commemorate birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (born on 29
April 1727), a French dancer, the creator of modern ballet, and great reformer of dance.
Annual celebration: Every year a famous dance personality circulates a message throughout the
world about importance of the day; ITI creates selected host city where different dance
performances, educational workshops and humanitarian projects are held; Speeches made by
ambassadors, dignitaries and dance personalities on the importance of dance are also witnessed.
International Dance Day 2019
It witnessed different events like open-door-courses, exhibitions, dance evenings, street shows,
special performances and festivals worldwide.
As per, the French Embassy in Nigeria, it hosted the International Dance Day (IDD) 2019 celebration
for first time in Nigeria.
International Theatre Institute (ITI)
It was founded in 1948 as world’s largest performing arts organization, by theatre and dance experts
and UNESCO. It is headquartered in Paris, France.
It meets UNESCO’s goals of mutual understanding and peace by protecting and promoting cultural

expressions, regardless of age, gender, creed or ethnicity. Apart from International Dance Day it also
organizes World Theatre Day (on 27 March) every year at the UNESCO, Paris.
United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
It is multi-country UN specialized organization, formed in 1945 with headquarters in Paris, France.
It helps to preserve historical and cultural sites worldwide.
It promotes literacy, sex education and improving gender equality across all countries. It also
recognizes and preserves world cultural and heritage heritage sites like ancient ruins, villages and
temples, and historic sites.
Current State of Cybercrime Report 2019
According to whitepaper ‘Current State of Cybercrime-2019’, released by RSA Security (is an American
computer and network security company of parent organization Dell Technologies), social media fraud
has increased by 43% in 2018. It says the trend will continue in 2019 because of ease of using, absence of
fees and multiple other benefits of these platforms.
Key Findings
With Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter and other legitimate
messaging platforms emerging as new ground for criminal deception, cybercriminals are
increasingly relying on them to communicate with each other, sell stolen identities, credit card
numbers and other ill-gotten gains. mahesh | amahesh.2019@gmail.com |
Artifice (fraud) from mobile apps has increased by 680% between 2015 and 2018, with frauds
originating in mobile channels growing by 70% in 2018.
It cautioned against the increasing rise of use of rogue mobile applications to defraud consumers.
It highlighted that fraudsters are also undergoing their own form of digital transformation to make
cybercrime activity more efficient
Steps taken by Government
Government has undertaken number of legislative, technical and institutional measures for addressing
cyber security issues and strengthening cyber security system in country.
National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC) is an operational cyber security and e-surveillance agency
in India which is intended to screen communication metadata and co-ordinate intelligence
gathering activities of other agencies. It generates situational awareness about potential and
existing cyber security threats and enables timely sharing of information for proactive, preventive
and protective actions by individual entities.
National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC) under National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS)
coordinates with different agencies at the national level for cyber security matters.
Enacted Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, to provide legal recognition for electronic
communication, electronic commerce and cyber-crimes etc. IT Act has acted as deterrent provisions
to deal with cyber threats and cyber-attacks.
Established National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) for protection of
critical information infrastructure in the country.
It formulated National Cyber Security policy (2013) framework to ensure a secure and resilient
cyberspace for citizens, businesses and government.
Set up Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) issues alerts and advisories
regarding latest cyber threats and countermeasures on regular basis.
Launched Cyber Swachhta Kendra (which are Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre) for
detection of malicious programs and provide free tools for their removal.
Set up The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), to issues alerts and advisories
regarding latest cyber threats and countermeasures on regular basis. It conducts regular training
programmes for network and system administrators and governments Chief Information Security
Officers (CISOs) and critical sector organisations regarding securing the IT infrastructure and
mitigating cyber attacks.
(CERT-In) has also entered into Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with its overseas

counterpart agencies/Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) for information exchange and
collaboration for cyber security incident response.
Under Cyber Crime Prevention for Women and Children (CCPWC) Scheme, GoI released grants to
States/UTs to set up a Cyber Forensic cum Training Laboratory and to organize capacity building
programme on cyber awareness and cyber crime investigation.
A Division has been established under Ministry of Home Affairs to deal with Cyber and Information
Security.
Government gives GRSE contract to build 8 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts
Ministry of Defence awarded Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) a Rs.6311
crore worth contract to build 8 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASWSWCs) for Indian Navy.
Key Facts
The Indian Navy issued the RFP (Request for Proposal) to DPSU (Defence Public Sector Undertaking)
Shipyards and Indian Private Shipyards in April 2014, with GRSE eventually winning the bid for
design, construction and supply of eight ASWSWCs.
The design and construction of these ships at GRSE is yet another milestone in ‘Make in India’
Initiative.
Project Timeline: The first ship is to be delivered within 42 months (3.5 years) from signing date of
contract and remaining ships deliverymaheshis | amahesh.2019@gmail.com
scheduled as |
two ships per year. The completion time
awarded to project is 84 months (7 years) from 29 April 2019.
GRSE
It is India’s pioneer warship builder since its inception as a DPSU in 1960. It has delivered highest
number of warships till date.
Major projects being handled by it includes three Stealth Frigates for Indian Navy under P17A Project,
ASW Corvettes for Indian Navy, The Landing Craft Utility (LCUs) for Indian Navy, four Survey Vessels
(Large) for Indian Navy, Fast Petrol Vessels (FPVs) for Indian Coast Guard, etc.
With shipyard having many firsts to its credit in terms of Innovation and Design, it has also built
100 warships which ranges from Advanced Frigates to Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvettes to Fleet
Tankers, Fast Attack Crafts, etc.
This new project will further solidify GRSE’s position as a unique shipyard with all round capability
to design and build ASWSWC warships with state-of-the-art technology.
Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW-SWC)
It is anti-submarine warfare vessel in 700 ton displacement range and will replace Abhay-class
corvette (a corvette is a small warship) currently serving in Indian Navy.
It is designed for deep750 tons displacement, 25 knots speed and 57 complement and capable of full-
scale sub surface surveillance of coastal waters, Search Attack Unit (SAU) and Coordinated ASW
(Anti-submarine warfare) operations with Aircraft.
It can also be deployed for Search and Rescue operations by day and night in coastal areas.
Apart from having capability to interdict/ destroy sub surface targets in coastal waters, their
secondary role would be of being capable of prosecuting intruding aircraft, and lay mines in sea bed.
The vessels are equipped with advanced state-of-the-art integrated platform management systems
(IPMS) including Propulsion Machinery (machineries that provides the power to drive the propeller
of the ship), Auxiliary Machinery, Power Generation (includes pumps, compressors, and blowers for
circulating fuel and fresh water) and Distribution Machinery and Damage Control Machinery, etc.
It will be built according to Classification Society (an NGO that establish and maintain technical
standards for construction as well as operation of ships and offshore structures) Rules and Naval
Ship Regulations and will conform to latest Marine Pollution Standards of International Maritime
Organization (IMO) and Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).
Barcelona wins La Liga title 2019 in Spain
Barcelona FC has won Spanish La Liga title 2019 by defeating Levante FC by 1-0 goals. In the final match
held at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain. the lone winning goal for Barcelona was scored by club’s Argentine
superstar and team captain Lionel Messi at 61st minute. This was Barcelona’s overall 26th La Liga league
title in club history and eight in last 11 years.

About La Liga
It is one of world’s most popular men’s top professional football division of Spanish football league. It was
founded in 1929. It is also known as Liga de Fútbol Profesional (LFP) or The Campeonato Nacional de Liga
de Primera División.
Each season lasts from August to May, with 20 teams contesting. Each club plays every other club twice,
once at home and once away, for 38 matchdays.
Goldman Environmental Prize 2019
Six grassroots environmental activists from around the world received prestigious Goldman
Environmental Prize 2019. They were honored at award ceremony held at San Francisco Opera House in
California, US where Al Gore former US Vice President and environmental activist presented keynote
address.
Goldman Environmental Prize 2019 winners
Linda Garcia of US, rallied local communities to successfully prevent construction of North
America’s largest oil export terminal in Vancouver, Washington.
Ana Colovic Lesoska of North Macedonia, led seven-year campaign to cut off international funding
for two large hydropower plants project from being built in Mavrovo National Park (country’s
largest national park). mahesh | amahesh.2019@gmail.com |
Bayarjargal Agvaantseren of Mongolia, who led the fight to create 1.8 million-acre Tost Tosonbumba
Nature Reserve (in South Gobi Desert) which is a critical habitat for vulnerable snow leopard. She
persuaded Mongolian government to prohibit all mining within reserve.
Alfred Brownell of Liberia, an environmental activist and human rights lawyer who stopped
destruction of Liberia’s tropical forests by palm oil plantation developers.
Jacqueline Evans of the Cook Islands, led five year campaign to protect Islands’ stunning marine
biodiversity and for conservation and sustainable management of all of Cook Islands’ ocean territory
and creation of 15 marine protected areas.
Alberto Curamil of Chile, a jailed indigenous activist who organized his Mapuche community to
protest construction of hydroelectric projects on sacred Cautín River in Chile.
Goldman Environmental Prize
It is an annual award established in 1989 by U.S. philanthropists Richard and Rhoda Goldman. It is
also known as Green Nobel Prize and awards Cash prize of $200,000.
It is awarded by Goldman Environmental Foundation, headquartered in San Francisco, California.
It honors grassroots environmentalists, who risk their lives to protect environment and empower
those people who are most vulnerable to lose from industrial projects.
It honors grassroots environmental heroes from world’s six inhabited continental regions of Europe,
Asia, North America, Africa, Islands & Island Nations and South & Central America. Final winners
are selected from nominations made by environmental organisations and others.
Generally winners are announced every April to coincide with Earth Day (22 April).
Indians Received Awards in Past
Prafulla Samantara: He had led historic 12-year legal battle that affirmed indigenous Dongria
Kondh’s land rights and protected Niyamgiri Hills from a massive, open-pit aluminum ore mine.
Medha Patkar: She is known for Narmada Bachao Andolan.
C. Mehta: He had single-handedly won numerous landmark judgments from supreme court, like
introducing lead-free gasoline to India and reducing industrial pollution fouling the Ganges and
eroding the Taj Mahal.
Rasheeda Bi and Champ Devi Shukla: They are Bhopal activists who ignited international campaign
to seek justice for disaster survivors, demanded cleanup and compensation for affected individuals
1984 Union Carbide gas leak.
Ramesh Agrawal: He had organized villagers to demand RTI about industrial development projects
and succeeded in shutting down one of largest proposed coal mines in Chhattisgarh.

US Judge and Civil Rights Icon Damon J. Keith Dies at 96 age

Former US Judge Damon J Keith, a grandson of slaves and icon in civil rights movement died in Detroit at
the age of 96. He was born in 1922. He even being a grandson of enslaved people, later became sixth
African American in U.S. history to serve on federal court of appeals.
Lifetime Achievements
He never retired and died incumbent in office.
He served for more than 50 years in federal courts, and even at age of 94 he heard cases about four
times in one year at 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals (or circuit courts are intermediate appellate
courts of US federal court system) in Cincinnati, Ohio and issued dissent in voting rights case.
During his time as judge he made series of landmark decisions that changed social and legal
landscape of US. Some of them are-
He rejected government’s claim of having authority to conduct electronic surveillance without a
warrant on anyone it considered as national security threat.
Stopping Illegal Government Wiretaps: As a federal judge he gave judgement in warrantless
wiretapping case against Richard Nixon and Attorney General John Mitchell in 1971. He rejected
government’s claim of having authority to conduct electronic surveillance without a warrant on
anyone it considered as national security threat. Nixon administration which was in middle of social
turmoil over Vietnam War, later sued Keith personally in famous “the Keith case”.
Secret Deportation Hearings: One year after 9/11 attacks, while serving on federal court of appeals, he
gave judgement against Bush administrations conducting deportation hearings of terrorism
suspects in secret using blanket national security justification, in which he coined iconic phrase
“democracies die behind closed doors”.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which Indian personality has been chosen for Russia’s highest civilian award “Order of St
Andrew the Apostle”?
[A] Mary Kom
[B] Narendra Modi
[C] Amitabh Bachchan
[D] Azim Permji
Correct Answer: B [Narendra Modi]
Notes:
On April 12, the Russia government announced its decision to confer the Order of St Andrew the Apostle
– the highest state decoration of the country on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The decoration is being
given to Mr Modi for his exceptional services in promoting special and privileged strategic partnership
between the Russian Federation and India and friendly relations between the Russian and Indian people.
The Order was established in 1698 by Tsar Peter the Great, in honour of Saint Andrew, the first apostle
of Jesus and patron saint of Russia. This is the 7th international award conferred on Mr Modi since he
became the premier in 2014. The others are the Zayed Medal of the UAE (2019), the Seoul Peace Prize, UN
Champions of the Earth Award, Grand Collar of the State of Palestine (all in 2018), Amir Abdullah Khan
Award of Afghanistan and King Abdullaziz Sash of Saudi Arabia (both in 2016). Four of the awards are
from Islamic states.
2. Which international agency has recently published a State of World Population 2019 report?
[A] UNESCO
[B] UNIDA
[C] UNICEF
[D] UNFPA
Correct Answer: D [UNFPA]
Notes:
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has recently released a State of World Population 2019
report. The report stated that India’s population grew at an average annual rate of 1.2% between 2010
and 2019 to 1.36 billion, which is more than double the annual growth rate of China. According to the

report, in India, total fertility rate per woman was 5.6 in 1969, dropping to 3.7 in 1994 and 2.3 in 2019.
India also recorded an improvement in life expectancy at birth. The life expectancy at birth in 1969 was
47 years, growing to 60 years in 1994 and 69 years in 2019. As per India’s population composition in
2019, 27% of the population was in the age bracket of 0-14 years and 10-24 years each, 67% in the 15-64
age bracket and 6% was of the age 65 and above. The report noted that Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)
in the country dropped from 488 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1994 to 174 deaths per 100,000 live
births in 2015.
3. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre was held in which of the following years?
[A] 1916
[B] 1918
[C] 1917
[D] 1919
Correct Answer: D [1919]
Notes:
On 13th April 2019, the nation paid homage to the martyrs of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on the
centenary of the incident. On this day in 1919, hundreds of innocent Indians were killed by troops under
British Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer, during a peaceful meeting on Baisakhi at the park in Amritsar,
Punjab. Here, the civilians had assembled for a peaceful protest to condemn the arrest and deportation
of two national leaders, Satya Pal and Saifuddin Kitchlew. The massacre is one of the darkest chapters of
India’s freedom struggle against the British occupation. The official death toll by the British government
was put at 379, but Indian figures put the toll at closer to 1,000. Even after 100 years, the British
government has only regretted the massacre but stopped short of apologizing for the killing of so many
innocent people.
4. Which mobile wallet provider has tied up with MMTC-PAMP India to launch gold buying
feature?
[A] Google Pay
[B] Paytm
[C] MobiKwik
[D] PhonePe
Correct Answer: A [Google Pay]
Notes:
To make Google Pay more useful for Indian customers, Google has partnered with MMTC-PAMP India to
introduce buying and selling of gold through the app. Through this partnership with India’s only London
Bullion Market Association (LBMA)-accredited gold refinery, Google Pay users will be able to buy 99.99%
24-karat gold. Google Pay users can now purchase gold for any value, which will be stored on behalf of
the user in secure vaults by MMTC-PAMP. Users can buy and sell this gold any time at the latest price,
refreshed every few minutes on the Google Pay app. Other mobile wallet providers such as Paytm,
MobiKwik and PhonePe too provide the facility of buying gold from their wallet apps.
5. The scientists at which university have discovered chain-melted state of matter?
[A] University of Central Florida
[B] University of Edinburgh
[C] University of California
[D] University of Michigan
Correct Answer: B [University of Edinburgh]
Notes:
The scientists at University of Edinburgh have discovered a new state of physical matter – which allows
atoms to exist as both solid and liquid at the same time. Until now, atoms in physical matter were
understood to exist typically in one of three states — solid, liquid or gas. An international team of
physicists have found that some elements can take on the properties of both solid and liquid states,
when subjected to extreme conditions. They used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to simulate what would
happen if potassium was subject to huge pressure — between about 200,000 and 400,000 times
atmospheric pressure — and heat — between 400 to 800 Kelvin (260 to 980 degrees Fahrenheit). The
study found that under these conditions potassium atoms entered what is known as a chain-melted

state, where one of the two lattices — the “guest” part — dissolved into liquid, while the “host” part
remained solid. They found that more than half a dozen other elements, including sodium and bismuth,
were able to reach the state if they were put into the right environments.
6. Who has become the first-ever captain to win 100 matches in IPL history?
[A] Kane Williamson
[B] Keiron Pollard
[C] MS Dhoni
[D] Aaron Finch
Correct Answer: C [MS Dhoni ]
Notes:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has become the first-ever captain to register 100 wins in Indian Premier League
(IPL) history after Chennai Super Kings (CSK) defeated Rajasthan Royals by 4 wickets at the Sawai Man
Singh stadium in Jaipur on 11th April 2019. MS Dhoni is the most experienced captain in the Indian
Premier League. He has led Chennai Super Kings in 152 matches. In 2016, Dhoni led Rising Pune
Supergiant in 14 matches. Overall, MS Dhoni has played 182 matches in the IPL and scored 4172 runs at
an average of 41.30 with 21 fifties (19 for CSK and 2 for RPS) and 121 dismissals as wicketkeeper.
7. Humo luzonensis, which is in news recently, has discovered in which of the following countries?
[A] Maldives mahesh | amahesh.2019@gmail.com |
[B] South Africa

[C] Philippines
[D] Australia
Correct Answer: C [Philippines]
Notes:
Scientists have recently discovered new species of ancient human excavations in Philippines. This newly
identified species named Humo Luzonensis after Luzon Island, where bones and teeth from individuals
of this species were excavated from Callao Cave. The small size of the bones suggests this archaic human
would have been shorter than 4ft tall – possibly even shorter than another ancient species – Homo
floresiensis. The specimens of H. luzonensis were dated to 50,000 and 67,000 years old (Late Pleistocene
period), which suggests that the species was alive at the same time as several other hominins belonging
to the genus Homo, including Homo sapiens, Neanderthals, Denisovans and Homo floresiensis. Thus,
this discovery claims finding to be the earliest direct evidence human presence in Philippines.
8. Which of the following countries will be the Guest of Honour country at the Abu Dhabi
International Book Fair (ADIBF 2019)?
[A] Russia
[B] Bangladesh
[C] China
[D] India
Correct Answer: D [India ]
Notes:
India will be the Guest of Honour country at the 29th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF 2019),
which is scheduled to be held from April 24th to 30th. The fair aims to highlight the UAE’s rich heritage,
showcasing its authenticity and modernity, as well as its cultural and literary output. India’s
participation in the fair is expected to attract significant increase in the number of visitors with various
events and activities which will be held throughout the entire duration of ADIBF. The Indian Pavilion
will host Indian writers, authors and literary scholars who will serve as ambassadors for the literature
and art of their country.
9. Who has been appointed as new Secretary of Defence Finance?
[A] Sumeet Jerath
[B] Gargi Kaul
[C] Raj Kumar Goyal,
[D] Prem Kumar Kataria
Correct Answer: B [Gargi Kaul]

Notes:
Gargi Kaul, a 1984-batch officer of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS), has been appointed as
new Secretary of Defence Finance.
10. Meena Kumari Maisnam has clinched gold in which category at the Cologne Boxing World Cup
2019?
[A] 64kg
[B] 60kg
[C] 51kg
[D] 54kg
Correct Answer: D [54kg]
Notes:
Meena Kumari Maisnam from Manipur clinched gold in the 54 kg category at the 2019 Boxing World
Cup in Cologne, Germany. Reigning youth world champion Sakshi (57 kg) and India Open champion
Pwilao Basumatary (64 kg) lost their final bouts and finished with silver medals. Hence, India completed
a haul of five medals from this prestigious European tournament following Pinki Rani (51kg) and Parveen
(60kg)’s bronze medal wins on 13th April 2019.
11. Which country to host the world’s foremost Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit?
[A] China
[B] India
[C] UAE
[D] Japan
Correct Answer: C [UAE ]
Notes:
The world’s foremost Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre in
UAE from April 30 to 1st May, 2019. The aim of the inaugural ‘AI Everything (AIE)’ is to empower global
dialogue on the future of government, business and society. The two-day event will bring together world
leaders to define the underlying pillars of governance, business and society – augmenting the world’s
happiness. It will be hosted by the UAE National Programme for Artificial Intelligence, with the support
of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Intellectual Property Organisation
(WIPO) and in strategic partnership with Smart Dubai. The AIE will unravel real-world use cases across
industries, and forge collaborations and partnerships, hosting over 130 influential speakers.
12. Gelete Burka, who won the women’s race at the Paris Marathon 2019, is from which country?
[A] Ethiopia
[B] Jamaica
[C] Israel
[D] Norway
Correct Answer: A [Ethiopia]
Notes:
Ethiopian athletes Gelete Burka (women’s race) and Abrha Milaw (men’s race) won the 43rd edition of
the Paris Marathon on 14th April 2019. They led a record 60,000 participants to the finish line through
the French capital. Milaw won the men’s race with a time of 2 hours :07 minutes and :50 seconds. Burka
was the fastest woman with 2 hours :22 minutes and :48 seconds. In the wheelchair race, Julien Casoli
won for a third time. The fastest disabled racer put up a time of 1 hour:36 minutes and :57 seconds. The
Paris marathon is one of the world’s most popular running events.
13. The people of which state has recently celebrated “Vishu” as their new year?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Kerala
[C] Andhra Pradesh
[D] Telangana
Correct Answer: B [Kerala]

Notes:
In Kerala, people are celebrating the Malayalam New Year “Vishu” with traditional gaiety and fervor on
15th April 2019. The word Vishu means ‘equal’ in Sanskrit, and it marks the sun’s transit to the Mesha
rashi (the first astrological sign in the zodiac). The day begins with people taking Kani darshanam (or
Vishu kani) soon after waking up. The elders or women in the family prepare the Vishu Kani a day before
by using edible stuff like rice grains, cucumber, pumpkin, coconut, mangoes, betel leaves, flowers, coins
and fruits and a metal vessel called “urali” in front of a mirror that reflects the image of their deity. A
special yellow flower named Konna is a must in the Kani. Elders gift money ( kaineettam ) to younger
members. They also exchange gifts with their loved ones and wear new clothes. On this day, devotees
visit temples and offer their prayer to Lord Krishna, who is worshipped on this day. People also visit
Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple, Guruvayur Sree Krishna temple or the Kulathupuzha Sree BaalaShastha
Temple to have a ‘Vishukkani Kazhcha’viewing in the early hours of the day. And like all other festivals,
Vishu is incomplete without an elaborate meal. There will a delicious meal -the Sadya which consists of
different varieties of preparations.
14. Who has become the first Indian to be appointed Chair of International Hockey Federation
(FIH) Health and Safety Committee?
[A] S V Sunil
[B] P R Sreejesh
[C] Dilip Tirkey
[D] Bibhu Kalyan Nayak
Correct Answer: D [Bibhu Kalyan Nayak]
Notes:
Bibhu Kalyan Nayak from Bhubaneswar has become the first Indian to be appointed Chair of
International Hockey Federation (FIH) Health and Safety Committee by the world governing body. He
will serve a two-year term lasting till the first executive board meeting after Congress 2020. He has
extensively trained in Sports Traumatology and Sports and Exercise Physiology from National Institute
of Sports Medicine at Havana, Cuba & National Sports Centre at Madrid, Spain. Nayak also served as a
medical officer for the 2018 Men’s World Cup. He was commissioned in the Army Medical Corps of the
Indian Army in 1995 and has worked in the Army Sports Institute, Pune for six years.
15. Who has been conferred with Lifetime Achievement Award-2019 at the 4th APJ Abdul Kalam
Innovation Conclave?
[A] Mamta Kharab
[B] Arjun Halappa
[C] A K Singh
[D] Amit Rohidas
Correct Answer: C [A K Singh]
Notes:
Director General at Life Sciences – DRDO, Dr A K Singh has been conferred with Lifetime Achievement
Award-2019 during 4th APJ Abdul Kalam Innovation Conclave at Chandigarh University, Mohali. He is
recognized for his rich contribution in the field of life sciences, aerospace and aeronautics. The DST
scientist has more than 18 patents and has contributed in more than 57 research publications at an
international and national level. The conclave was organised by the university to mark World Creativity
and Innovation Day (WCID).
16. Who of the following has been chosen for 2019 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize?
[A] Mazen Darwish
[B] Mahmoud Abu Zeid
[C] Kyaw Soe Oo
[D] Dawit Isaak
Correct Answer: C [Kyaw Soe Oo]
Notes:
Journalists Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone (Myanmar) has been chosen for 2019 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano
Press Freedom Prize. Both laureates are serving 7-year prison sentences. At the time of their arrest in
Yangon on 12 December 2017, they were working for the Reuters news agency, reporting on alleged
human rights violations in Myanmar’s state of Rakhine. The prize will be awarded on 2 May as part of
the celebration of 2019 World Press Freedom Day (3 May) which is taking place in Ethiopia. The Prize
recognizes outstanding contributions to the defence or promotion of press freedom especially in the face
of danger. It is named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, the Colombian journalist who was assassinated in
front of the offices of his newspaper El Espectador in Bogotá, Colombia, on 17 December 1986. The
$25,000 Prize is funded by the Guillermo Cano Isaza Foundation (Colombia), the Helsingin Sanomat
Foundation (Finland), and The Namibia Media Trust.
17. Which of the following banks has topped Forbes’ list of Indian banks 2019?
[A] HDFC Bank
[B] ICICI Bank
[C] IDFC Bank
[D] SBI
Correct Answer: A [HDFC Bank]
Notes:
Forbes has recently compiled a first-ever list of the World’s Best Bank 2019 in terms of customer
services and technological advancements. The private lender, HDFC Bank, was ranked at the top of the
Forbes list of Indian banks, followed by ICICImahesh
Bank, DBS, Kotak Mahindra Bank and IDFC Bank. However,
India’s largest public sector bank, the State Bank of India (SBI), did not even make it to top 10 of the list
and was ranked 11th by the customers.Forbes had partnered with Statista, a market research company,
to measure the best banks in 23 countries. Interestingly, this survey ignored any financial performances
like P&L statements and balance sheets in favour of a customer’s opinion. The survey compiled data
from around 40,000 customers around the world for their opinions on their banking relationships. The
banks were rated on the basis of 5 key attributes – trust, digital services, financial advice and fees.
18. Who has been sworn-in as the new prime minister of Palestine?
[A] Salim Zanoun
[B] Mahmoud Abbas
[C] Mohammad Shtayyeh
[D] Ahmed Qurei
Correct Answer: C [Mohammad Shtayyeh]
Notes:
Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh has been sworn-in as the new prime minister of the State of Palestine by
President Mahmoud Abbas at his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The 18th Palestinian
government since the establishment of the Palestinian Authrity in 1995 was sworn in according to a
presidential decree issued by Abbas. The State of Palestine is a de jure sovereign state in Western Asia
claiming the West Bank and Gaza Strip with Jerusalem as the designated capital, although its
administrative center is currently located in Ramallah. It is recognized by 136 UN members and since
2012 has a status of a non-member observer state in the United Nations – which implies recognition of
statehood. It is a member of the Arab League, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, G77, and the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other international bodies.
19. The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has tied up with which scientific
institute to protect coastal wetlands?
[A] ISRO
[B] BARC
[C] DRDO
[D] VSSC
Correct Answer: A [ISRO ]
Notes:
In a major attempt to build resilience against the impact of climate change, the Central Marine Fisheries
Research Institute (CMFRI) and the Space Applications Centre (SAC) of ISRO have joined together to
map, validate and protect smaller wetlands in the coastal region aimed at restoring them through
coastal livelihood programmes. Both the organizations will develop a mobile app and a centralised web

portal with a complete database of wetlands that are smaller than 2.25 hectares in the country. Such
smaller wetlands cover an area of more than five lakh hectares across the country, while Kerala having
as many as 2,592 smaller wetlands. As per the MoU, the two scientific institutes aim to identify and
demarcate wetlands and restore the degraded wetlands through suitable livelihood options like coastal
aquaculture. The app will be used for real-time monitoring of the wetlands and giving advisories to
stakeholders and coastal people. The collaborative move is part of a national framework for fisheries and
wetlands recently developed by the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA)
project of CMFRI.
20. On which date, the 2019 International Day of Human Space Flight is observed on which date?
[A] April 14
[B] April 12
[C] April 15
[D] April 17
Correct Answer: B [April 12]
Notes:
The International Day of Human Space Flight is observed every year on April 12 to mark the beginning
of the space era for mankind, reaffirming the important contribution of space science and technology in
achieving sustainable development goals and increasing the well-being of States and peoples, as well as
ensuring the realization of their aspiration to maintain outer space for peaceful purposes. On 12th April
1961 the first human space flight was carried out by Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet citizen. This historic event
opened the way for space exploration for the benefit of all humanity.
21. India’s first-of-its-kind ‘Voter Park’ has recently inaugurated in which of the following cities?
[A] Kolkata
[B] Pune
[C] Dehradun
[D] Gurugram
Correct Answer: D [Gurugram]
Notes:
India’s first-of-its-kind ‘Voter Park’ has recently inaugurated in Gurugram, Haryana to increase voter
awareness and educating people about the electoral process. At the park, voters will get information
about the polling process and the history of elections in the country. The purpose of establishing Voter
Park was also to motivate eligible people to vote in the Lok Sabha election so that they can contribute to
the progress of the country. A ‘Selfie Point’ has also been set up in the park, where people can click selfies
displaying the indelible ink mark on their finger after casting their vote.
22. What is the theme of the 2019 World Allergy Week (WAW)?
[A] The Agony of Hives
[B] The Global Problem of Food Allergy
[C] Anaphylaxis – When Allergies Can Be Severe and Fatal
[D] Airway Allergies – A Human and Economic Burden
Correct Answer: B [The Global Problem of Food Allergy]
Notes:
The World Allergy Week (WAW) is an annual initiative of the World Allergy Organization (WAO) to raise
awareness of allergic disease and related disorders and advocate for the provision of training and
resources in the diagnosis, management, and prevention of these diseases and asthma, which are rising
in prevalence around the world. The 2019 theme is “The Global Problem of Food Allergy”. In 2019, the
WAW ran from 7th to 13th April and the focus area was food allergy.
23. Pradeep Choubey, who passed away recently, was the renowned personality in which field?
[A] Politics
[B] Sports
[C] Poetry
[D] Journalism

Correct Answer: C [Poetry]

Notes:
Pradeep Choubey (70), the renowned Hindi poet, has passed away in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh on April
12, 2019. He was the younger brother of celebrated humorist, satirist and poet Shail Chaturvedi. Born on
26th August 1949 in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district, Choubey shifted to Gwalior. He quit his job at
Dena Bank to pursue his passion of poetry and travelled across the nation enthralling audiences with his
punches, several of them targeted at the orthodox elements of society. Besides humour, he was famous
for satirical comments on the system.
24. Which country has developed the world’s first armed amphibious drone boat?
[A] China
[B] United States
[C] Russia
[D] Japan
Correct Answer: A [China ]
Notes:
China has successfully tested the world’s first armed amphibious drone boat ‘Marine Lizard’ in Wuhan,
capital of Central China’s Hubei Province. Built by Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group under China
Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), the drone
mahesh ship could
| amahesh.2019@gmail.com | be used in land assault operations and is
capable of forming a combat triad with aerial drones and other drone ships. The Marine Lizard can be
remotely controlled via satellites and have a maximum operation range of 1,200 kms. It possesses the
capability of forming a combat triad with aerial drones and other drone ships. The Marine Lizard’s
payloads include an electro-optical system and a radar system. In the weapon department, it is equipped
with two machine guns and a vertical launching system for anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles. This
amphibious drone boat can autonomously sail, avoid obstacles and plan routes.
25. Which Indian sportsperson has clinched the 2019 Dutch International badminton title?
[A] Parupalli Kashyap
[B] Srikanth Kidambi
[C] Harsheel Dani
[D] B. Sai Praneeth
Correct Answer: C [Harsheel Dani]
Notes:
Harsheel Dani from India has clinched the 2019 Dutch International badminton title at Hague in
Netherlands. In the final, he defeated Mads Christophersen of Denmark by 15-21, 21-12, 21-13.
26. The 4th Resilient Cities Asia-Pacific (RCAP) Congress 2019 has started in which of the
following cities?
[A] Mumbai
[B] Ahmedabad
[C] Shimla
[D] New Delhi
Correct Answer: D [New Delhi ]
Notes:
The 4th Resilient Cities Asia-Pacific (RCAP) Congress 2019 is a platform for discussing the opportunities
and mechanisms of executing the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which is started in New
Delhi on April 15, 2019. The three-day event is being hosted by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation in
association with UN (ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability). This event is being organised in
India for the first time and 31 countries are taking part in this programme that was inaugurated by the
vice president. The RCAP Congress 2019 is offering cities and regions from Asia-Pacific a variety of
innovative solutions that build resilience to climate change at the sub-national level.
27. India’s first foreign interactive and exotic world park has come up in which of the following
cities?
[A] Mumbai
[B] Kochi
[C] Kolkata
[D] Chennai
Correct Answer: A [Mumbai]
Notes:
In Mumbai, EsselWorld launched India’s first foreign interactive and exotic world park at the Essel
World Bird Park in Gorai. The rain forest themed park is spread across 1.5 acres and is home to over 500
birds belonging to 60 different exotic species. Hence, this is the first bird park in India to host three
different varieties of birds – aquatic, terrestrial and free flying birds – across terrains, ranging from
rainforests, deserts, rocky decks and lakes, all located within EsselWorld in Gorai. It is equipped with
small ponds for aquatic birds, dense cover of trees for birds to incubate their eggs and a water stream
that offers drinking water to birds. It also houses a special bird’s kitchen and healthcare centre. Some of
the key attractions in the park are Ostriches, African grey parrots, Blue gold macaws, Toucans, Black
swan and Rainbow lorikeet among others.
28. The women’s safety app “My Circle” has been launched by which of the following telecom
companies?
[A] Reliance
[B] Bharti Airtel
[C] BSNL
[D] Vodafone
Correct Answer: B [Bharti Airtel]
Notes:
Telecom operator Bharti Airtel in collaboration with FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) launched a women
safety app – My Circle – to help women in case they face any problem or a panic situation. The
application is carrier agnostic which would work on phones with any telecom service network, both
Airtel and non-Airtel. The app enables women to send SOS alerts to any five of their family or friends in
13 languages including English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Punjabi, Bangla,
Urdu, Assamese, Oriya, and Gujarati. A woman in distress can send an SOS alert by pressing the SOS
prompt on the app. It can also be activated by voice command through Siri on iOS. It will instantly send
an SOS alert along with the user’s location over SMS to the five contacts selected by the user and advise
them to immediately reach out or respond to the emergency situation. The free-to-download app is now
available on Google Play store (Android) and will be available on App Store (iOS) shortly.
29. What is the operational range of the India’s first indigenously designed Sub-sonic Cruise
Missile ‘Nirbhay’?
[A] 500 Km
[B] 1000 Km
[C] 250 Km
[D] 5000 Km
Correct Answer: B [1000 Km]
Notes:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has recently successfully test fired the
underdevelopment long range subsonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’ from launch complex-3 of the Integrated
Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, Odisha. It has a operational range of 1000 km and can fly very low to the
ground to avoid detection by enemy radar called terrain hugging capability. The state-of-the-art missile
is the India’s first indigenously designed and developed long-range sub-sonic cruise missile. It is capable
of loitering and cruising at 0.7 Mach at altitude as low as 100 metre and covered the designated target
range in 42 minutes and 23 seconds.
30. Notre Dame, sometimes seen in news, is located in which country?
[A] Italy
[B] United Kingdom
[C] France
[D] Germany
Correct Answer: C [France]

Notes:
UN cultural experts have recently offered to help in rebuilding the iconic structure of the famed Notre
Dame cathedral in Paris. The cathedral is a universal symbol and the centre of France and its devastation
has left people across nations shocked. UNESCO World Heritage Centre Director Mechtild Rossler said
that the Cathedral is part of the World Heritage site officially known as “Paris, Banks of the Seine”,
inscribed on the World Heritage List, in 1991’. The Notre Dame represents a historically, architecturally,
and spiritually, outstanding universal heritage. It is also a monument of literary heritage. The cathedral,
where construction began in the 1160s extending for more than a century, is considered to be the finest
example of the French Gothic style of architecture, with its groundbreaking use of rib vaults and
buttresses, stained glass rosettes and sculpted ornaments.
31. The historic Mujibnagar day has recently celebrated in which of the following countries?
[A] Myanmar
[B] Bangladesh
[C] Nepal
[D] Sri Lanka
Correct Answer: B [Bangladesh]
Notes:
In Bangladesh, the historic Mujibnagar has recently celebrated on April 17, 2019. The day marks the oath
taking ceremony of Bangladesh’s first government in 1971 at Baidyanathtala in Meherpur. On this day in
1971, senior leaders of the liberation movement of Bangladesh had assembled at Baidyanathtala to form
the provisional government of independent Bangladesh. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was
declared the President in absentia as he was arrested and flown to Pakistan after the Pakistan military
crackdown on the then ‘East Pakistan’ on the night of March 25, 1971. The day is being observed by
political parties and social and cultural organisations through various programs across Bangladesh.
32. Which IIT has found a new method to detect breast and ovarian cancer?
[A] IIT Kanpur
[B] IIT Bombay
[C] IIT Roorkee
[D] IIT Delhi
Correct Answer: C [IIT Roorkee]
Notes:
Researchers at the IIT Roorkee have identified a new method to detect two of the worst forms of cancer
in women – breast and ovarian cancer. The research published in the journal, ‘FASEB Bioadvances’
details the use of whole saliva as a body fluid for early detection of breast and ovarian cancers, as
opposed to the traditional method of using blood samples. The research team, led by Professor Kiran
Ambatipudi from the institute’s biotechnology department, identified certain proteins present in the
saliva which act as potential biomarkers indicative of breast and ovarian cancer metastasis.
33. ICC has partnered with which UN organisation to organise #OneDayforChildren at the Men’s
Cricket World Cup 2019?
[A] UNIDO
[B] UNICEF
[C] FAO
[D] UNESCO
Correct Answer: B [UNICEF ]
Notes:
International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket for Good CC has partnered with UNICEF to organise
#OneDayforChildren campaign at the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019. Former England batsman and
#OneDay4Children ambassador Nasser Hussain along with all-rounder Chris Woakes launched the
tournament-wide campaign focused on bringing the world of cricket together as one team to help build
a better world for every child. There will be #OneDay4Children activity throughout all 48 matches of the
event, peaking with a day of celebration during the England v India game on 30 June at Edgbaston. The

money raised will support UNICEF’s work in cricket playing nations to help children learn to play and be
healthy. The tournament will run from 30 May to 14 July. The semi-finals will be played at Old Trafford
in Manchester and Edgbaston in Birmingham on 9 and 11 July respectively, while Lord’s will host the
final on 14 July. The 10 teams in the tournament will play against each other in a single-league format,
with the top four sides after 45 matches to qualify for the two semi-finals.
34. The 8th edition of Home Expo India 2019 has started in which of the following cities?
[A] Greater Noida
[B] Pune
[C] Shimla
[D] Kanpur
Correct Answer: A [Greater Noida]
Notes:
The 8th edition of Home Expo India 2019 began at India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida on April
16. It covers sectors with maximum thrust and growth potential in home decor, furnishing, furniture,
flooring and textiles. About 500 companies in permanent marts will be exhibiting their collection under
these categories. The 3-day exhibition has been organized by the Export Promotion Council for
Handicrafts.
35. Indo-Pacific Wing, which is in newsmahesh
recently, has | set up by which of the following union
| amahesh.2019@gmail.com
ministries?
[A] Ministry of External Affairs
[B] Ministry of AYUSH
[C] Ministry of Culture
[D] Ministry of Earth Sciences
Correct Answer: A [Ministry of External Affairs]
Notes:
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has set up an Indo-Pacific division in the foreign office to
integrate the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), ASEAN region and the Quad. The new division is a
brainchild of foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale and is intended to give a coherent architecture to the Indo-
Pacific policy. It is a big step by the Government and it is expected to give thrust to the Indo-Pacific
centred policymaking. The Indo-Pacific Wing is currently headed by joint secretary Vikram Doraiswami.
36. The Human Exploration Rover Challenge 2019 has recently conducted by which of the
following space agencies?
[A] Roscosmos
[B] JAXA
[C] ISRO
[D] NASA
Correct Answer: D [NASA]
Notes:
Three Indian student teams won awards in NASA’s 25th edition of Human Exploration Rover Challenge
2019 at the US Space and Rocket Centre in Huntsville, Alabama on April 12-13. The team from KIET
Group of Institutions in Ghaziabad won the “AIAA Neil Armstrong Best Design Award” in the
college/university division. The Mukesh Patel School of Technology Management and Engineering from
Mumbai won the “Frank Joe Sexton Memorial Pit Crew Award” in the college/university division. Lovely
Professional University from Phagwara, Punjab, won the STEM Engagement Award. Nearly 100 teams
took part in the competition, hailing from 23 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, as well as a
record number of countries, including Bangladesh, Germany, India, Mexico, Morocco and Peru. The
competition challenges high school and college teams to design, build and test human-powered roving
vehicles inspired by the Apollo lunar missions and future exploration missions to the Moon, Mars and
beyond.
37. What is the theme of the 2019 World Haemophilia Day (WHD)?
[A] Outreach and Identification

[B] Treatment for All, The Vision of All

[C] Sharing Knowledge Makes Us Stronger
[D] Hear their voices
Correct Answer: A [Outreach and Identification]
Notes:
The World Haemophilia Day (WHD) is observed every year on April 17 to increase awareness of
haemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders. The 2019 theme ‘Outreach and Identification’,
encourages people to meet and connect with other people who have had similar experiences, and what it
is like.It will be observed with the slogan – ‘Reaching Out: The First Step to Care’. Haemophilia is an
inherited genetic disorder that impairs the body’s ability to form clots. This condition is dangerous as it
can cause excessive loss of blood in case of injuries, easy bruising, and also bleeding between joints and
in the brain. Haemophilia can only be managed but does not have a cure.
38. Which Indian institution has launched a 5G Lab for banking and financial sector?
[A] IRDA
[B] SIDBI
[C] RBI
[D] NHB
Correct Answer: C [RBI]
Notes:
The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), an arm of Reserve Bank of
India (RBI), has launched a 5G Use Cases Lab for banking and financial sector. The use of 5G will change a
range of technologies and applications including point of sale machines in the banking sector which
were now using 2G . The 5G lab will develop and domesticate 5G use cases and set up a research and
development experience platform for banking and financial services. It will also collaborate with various
stakeholders including banks, government and financial institutions for 5G promotion and absorption of
best practices.
39. Dr SK Shivakumar, who passed away recently, was the renowned scientist in which field?
[A] Biology
[B] Space
[C] Chemical
[D] Mathematics
Correct Answer: B [Space ]
Notes:
Dr SK Shivakumar, the renowned space scientist and former Indian Space Research Organisation
Satellite Center (ISAC) director, has passed away in Bengaluru on April 14, 2019. He was part of the team
that developed the telemetry system for Chandrayaan-I – India’s first lunar exploration mission. A
native of Mysuru, he was responsible for designing deep space communications equipment. He was
involved in the development of the 32-metre dish antenna that can communicate with satellites millions
of miles away.
40. Which country has launched its first satellite ‘Raavana-1’ into space?
[A] Maldives
[B] Indonesia
[C] Nepal
[D] Sri Lanka
Correct Answer: D [Sri Lanka]
Notes:
Sri Lanka has launched its first satellite ‘Raavana-1’ into space from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s East Shore. It weights around 1.05 kg and the lifespan of
the satellite is around one and a half years. The launch marks Sri Lanka’s entry into the global space age.
Under BIRDS project, the satellite was designed and built at the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan
by two Sri Lankan research engineers. Its camera mission is to capture images of Sri Lanka and its

neighbouring countries.
41. Nepal has successfully launched its first satellite NepaliSat-1 into space under BIRDS project of
which country?
[A] Japan
[B] India
[C] China
[D] United Kingdom
Correct Answer: A [Japan]
Notes:
Nepal has successfully launched its first satellite NepaliSat-1 into space from Virginia in the United
States. The satellite was developed by the Nepalese scientists. NepaliSat-1 is a low orbit satellite which
will be in the 400-km distance from the Earth’s surface. It will be stationed at the International Space
Station (ISS) for a month and then it will be sent to orbit the earth. The satellite will take photographs on
a regular basis to gather geographical information of the country. It weighs 1.3 kilograms, making it a
small satellite with limited capability. The Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) initiated
the launch of the country’s own satellite under the BIRDS project of the Japanese Kyushu Institute of
Technology. The BIRDS project has been designed in association with the United Nations (UN) and aims
at helping countries launch their first satellite.
42. Rare Kakapo parrots, sometimes seen in news, are found in which of the following countries?
[A] Vietnam
[B] India
[C] New Zealand
[D] Australia
Correct Answer: C [New Zealand]
Notes:
The critically endangered ‘Kakapos’ – the world’s fattest species of parrot – have enjoyed a record
breaking breeding season, according to New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC). This year, 76
chicks have been hatched under the DOC’s conservation scheme, with 60 expected to reach adulthood.
This will significantly boost the population which has grown to 147 adults since a small number of the
plump green, yellow and black birds were discovered in 1970. The kakapo is an “unusual” parrot as the
females control the breeding process and only mate every two to four years when their favourite fruit
grows in New Zealand’s Rimu trees – the period is known as a “mast year”. New Zealand’s kakapo
recovery programme is so tightly monitored that although they remain in the wild, each one has a radio
transmitter attached to its body and there are monitoring systems embedded in their nests. It is claimed
that kakapo is probably one of the most intensively managed species in the world.
43. Liquid methane has recently spotted on which satellite in the solar system?
[A] Triton
[B] Titan
[C] Ganymede
[D] Callisto
Correct Answer: B [Titan]
Notes:
By using data obtained by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, the researchers discovered deep lakes (more than
300 feet, or 100 meters) filled with methane on Saturn’s moon Titan. The team also found “phantom
lakes” that fill and empty periodically. It must be noted that Titan is the only known body in our solar
system other than Earth with a liquid on its surface. But rather than a water cycle, it has a methane and
ethane cycle. The new findings represented further evidence about Titan’s hydrological cycle, with liquid
hydrocarbons raining down from clouds, flowing across its surface and evaporating back into the sky.
This is comparable to Earth’s water cycle. Titan, with a diameter of 5,150 km, is the solar system’s second
largest moon, behind only Jupiter’s Ganymede. It is bigger than the planet Mercury. The research was
published in the journal Nature Astronomy.
44. What is the theme of the 2019 World Heritage Day (WHD)?

[A] Rural Landscapes

[B] The Heritage of Sport
[C] Heritage for Generations
[D] Protect our Green Heritage
Correct Answer: A [Rural Landscapes]
Notes:
The World Heritage Day (WHD) is celebrated every year on April 18 to promote the cultural heritage
across the world. The 2019 theme is ‘Rural Landscapes’. It is also a day of international solidarity in favor
of strengthening and safeguarding heritage world-wide. The day also aims to seek recognition for the
people involved in preserving the sites, especially scientists, archaeologists, geographers and engineers.
As of 2018, India has 36 World Heritage Sites including Western Ghats, Sundarbans National Park, Taj
Mahal, City of Ahmadabad, Nalanda University, Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar and Khajuraho in Madhya
Pradesh.
45. Who has been named as the goodwill ambassador of the Indian team for the Street Child
Cricket World Cup?
[A] Virat Kohli
[B] M S Dhoni
[C] Harmanpreet Kaur
[D] Mithali Raj
Correct Answer: D [Mithali Raj]
Notes:
Ace cricketer Mithali Raj has been named as the goodwill ambassador of the Indian team for the Street
Child Cricket World Cup (SCCWC-2019. She joined former captain Saurav Ganguly and IPL franchise
Rajasthan Royals in supporting the team. The Street Child Cricket World Cup (SCCWC-2019) is the first
cricket world cup for street-connected children. The tournament is being organised by Street Child
United (SCU), a UK based organisation, which has a legacy of holding street child tournaments around
major sporting festivals like FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Olympics in Brazil, FIFA World Cup Russia
and more.
46. The researchers of which country have successfully printed the world’s first 3D heart by using
a patient’s biological material?
[A] China
[B] Israel
[C] France
[D] United States
Correct Answer: B [Israel]
Notes:
The researchers at Tel Aviv University have successfully “printed” the world’s first three dimensional
(3D) vascularised engineered heart using a patient’s own cells and biological materials to completely
match the immunological, cellular, biochemical, and anatomical properties of the patient. Their findings
were published in a study in Advanced Science. Until now, scientists in regenerative medicine have been
successful in printing only simple tissues without blood vessels. But the latest feat is the first time
scientists have created a complex organ with biological materials. The process of creating the 3D printed
heart started with a biopsy of fatty tissue taken from patients. The cellular material from the tissues was
used as the ” bionic ink” for the print job. That allowed researchers to create complex tissue models
including cardiac patches and eventually an entire heart. The proof-of-concept feat could pave the way
for a new type of organ transplant.
47. Learning Coin, which is in news recently, is launched by which of the following international
organisations?
[A] IMF
[B] AIIB
[C] ADB

[D] UN
Correct Answer: A [IMF]
Notes:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) have jointly launched a project called
“Learning Coin”. It is a private blockchain-based coin and only accessible within IMF and the World Bank
to help both multinational agencies learn about the merits of blockchain. The coin project has been
launched in order to conduct research and learn more about the core technologies that have been used
to implement cryptographic assets such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH).
48. TESS Mission of which space agency has discovered its first Earth-size planet – HD 21749c?
[A] Roscosmos
[B] JAXA
[C] NASA
[D] ISRO
Correct Answer: C [NASA]
Notes:
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) Mission of NASA has discovered its first Earth-size
planet – HD 21749c. The newly-discovered planet is about 89% Earth’s diameter. The planet is likely very
hot, with surface temperatures perhaps as high as 800 degrees F (427 degrees C). It orbits HD 21749, a K-
type dwarf star located 53 light-years away in the southern constellation. It is likely a rocky as it circles
its parent star in just 7.8 days. This is the 10th confirmed planet discovered by TESS, and hundreds of
additional candidates are now being studied.
49. Who has been honoured with the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in fiction category?
[A] Rebecca Makkai
[B] Richard Powers
[C] Clare Barron
[D] Tommy Orange
Correct Answer: B [Richard Powers]
Notes:
Richard Powers has been honoured with the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in fiction category for his innovative
novel ‘The Overstory’, which shows us the world through the perspective of nature.
50. A site containing 220-million-year-old fossilized remains of dinosaurs has recently discovered
in which country?
[A] Iran
[B] Argentina
[C] New Zealand
[D] Australia
Correct Answer: B [Argentina]
Notes:
A site containing the 220-million-year-old fossilized remains of nearly a dozen dinosaurs has been
discovered in western Argentina. According to Argentinian paleontologist Ricardo Martinez of the
University of San Juan, there are almost ten different individuals, with practically no sediment. The
discovery is doubly important because there are at least 7 or 8 individuals of dicynodonts, the ancestors
of mammals, the size of an ox. There were also remains of archosaurs, reptiles that could be the
ancestors of great crocodiles. The find was discovered in September 2018 in San Juan province, about
1,100 kilometres west of Buenos Aires. The site is between one and two metres in diameter and about the
same depth, leading scientists to speculate it was a former drinking hole at a time of great drought, and
the creatures died of weakness at the spot. Argentina has been a rich source of fossils from the Triassic,
Jurassic and Cretaceous eras over the years – of most creatures not found in the northern hemisphere.
51. Who has been appointed as India’s new High Commissioner to South Africa?
[A] Akshay Sen

[B] Jaideep Sarkar

[C] Suhel Ajaz Khan
[D] Manjul Bhargava
Correct Answer: B [Jaideep Sarkar]
Notes:
Jaideep Sarkar, a 1987-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, has been appointed as India’s next High
Commissioner to South Africa. He is currently serving as India’s ambassador in Bhutan and is expected
to take up the assignment shortly. He served in Indian Missions in Tokyo, Seoul and Bangladesh as well.
The Union government also appointed Suhel Ajaz Khan as next Ambassador to Lebanon.
52. Who was the author of the Jallianwala Bagh poem ‘Khooni Vaisakhi’?
[A] Karnail Singh
[B] Vir Singh
[C] Nanak Singh
[D] Navdeep Singh
Correct Answer: C [Nanak Singh]
Notes:
A book containing English translation of themahesh
100-year-old classic Punjabi poem about Jallianwala Bagh
massacre, ‘Khooni Vaisakhi’ has been released in Abu Dhabi. India’s Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep
Singh Suri has commended the launch of a book containing English translation of the Punjabi poem. The
poem was translated by Mr Suri whose grandfather, revolutionary poet and novelist Nanak Singh, a
Jallianwala Bagh survivor, wrote it after witnessing first-hand the events of April 13, 1919. On this ill-
fated day, British troops fired upon crowds of protesters peacefully demonstrating against the Rowlatt
Act of the British Raj, leading to the loss of well over a thousand lives. The book was also released in New
Delhi on 13th April 2019, marking 100 years since the Jallianwala Bagh massacre that took place in
Amritsar.
53. Which of the following banks has become the first public sector bank in India to meet RBI’s
EMV mandate?
[A] Canara Bank
[B] SBI
[C] PNB
[D] BoB
Correct Answer: A [Canara Bank]
Notes:
A global provider of real-time electronic payment and banking solutions, ACI Worldwide has recently
announced that Canara Bank has successfully rolled out major new functionality to support EMV
(Europay, MasterCard and Visa) card acquiring across its ATM network and Aadhaar Authentication and
leverage ACI’s UP Retail Payments solution to achieve market firsts. With this, Canara Bank has become
the first public sector bank in India to meet RBI’s EMV mandate. The EMV shift is aimed at reducing lost
and stolen card fraud and making counterfeit card fraud more difficult. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
had set a deadline of December 31, 2018 for the switch, mandating use of an embedded chip to replace
the traditional magnetic stripe card. ACI’s UP Retail Payments solution is based on the Universal
Payments (UP) Framework and built on open service-oriented architecture for robust payments
orchestration. It supports core payment processing with 24×7 secure payment capabilities.
54. On which date, the 2019 World Liver Day (WLD) is observed recently?
[A] April 19
[B] April 18
[C] April 17
[D] April 16
Notes:
The World Liver Day (WLD) is observed every year on 19th of April to build awareness and

understanding how important liver is for our body. The liver is a complex and one of the biggest organs
in the body and plays a very important role. Survival without a liver is impossible. All the food that you
ingest goes through your liver. The liver plays an important role in the digestion of the food you eat. The
organ is located in the upper right part of the abdomen separated from chest cavity by the diaphragm. It
measures about 100grams in weight and 15 cm in length. The organ is responsible for the synthesis of
various proteins, coagulation factors, cholesterol, triglycerides and bile including glycogenesis. It is also
responsible for detoxifications of drugs, alcohol and control of infections.
55. Which country to host the G20 Summit in 2020?
[A] Japan
[B] Saudi Arabia
[C] India
[D] Sri Lanka
Correct Answer: B [Saudi Arabia]
Notes:
Saudi Arabia will host the 15th edition of G20 summit in its capital Riyadh, which is scheduled to be held
on November 21-22, 2020. This would be the first G20 summit to be hosted by an Arab country. The
summit’s agenda will include financial, economic and social issues including energy, the environment,
climate, the digital economy, trade, agriculture, healthcare, education and labour. The G20 consists of
Germany, the US, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Indonesia, France, South Africa, South Korea, India,
the UK, Italy, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the European Union.
56. What is the India’s rank in the 2019 World Press Freedom Index (WPFI)?
[A] 138th
[B] 108th
[C] 140th
[D] 155th
Correct Answer: C [140th ]
Notes:
India has slipped two places to rank 140th among 180 nations in the 2019 World Press Freedom Index
(WPFI), report released by Reporters Without Borders (RWB), an international NGO based in Paris. The
report notes that attacks against journalists by supporters of the ruling BJP increased in the run-up to
the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.The index is topped by Norway, followed by Finland, Sweden and the
Netherlands. In its 2019 index, RSF finds that hatred of journalists has degenerated into violence,
contributing to an increase in fear around the world. In reference to India, it found an alarming rate of
coordinated hate campaigns waged on social networks against journalists who dare to speak or write
about subjects that annoy Hindutva. The critics are branded as ‘anti-national’ in the current discourse
that is shaping up. The Reporters Without Borders is a non-profit organisation that works to document
and combat attacks on journalists around the world.
57. Exercise Varuna 2019 will be conducted between India and which country?
[A] Maldives
[B] Germany
[C] France
[D] United Kingdom
Correct Answer: C [France ]
Notes:
India and France will conduct their largest ever naval exercise ‘Varuna-2019’ off Goa coast and Karwar
with an objective of expanding their strategic partnership in the Indian Ocean region (IOR). The exercise
will be conducted early May 2019 and will witness the participation of aircraft carriers, destroyers,
submarines and fighters. India will deploy its aircraft carrier – INS Vikramaditya with its MiG-29K
fighters and French side would be represented by its aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle with its
Rafale-M naval jets.
58. Which of the following Indian Navy ships is / are participating in the International Fleet
Review (IFR-2019)?

[A] INS Vikrant

[B] INS Kolkata
[C] INS Kamorta
[D] All of the above
Correct Answer: B [INS Kolkata]
Notes:
Two Indian Navy warships – the stealth guided missile destroyer INS Kolkata and tanker INS Shakti –
will participate in the International Fleet Review (IFR) as part of 70TH Anniversary celebrations of PLA
(Navy) at Qingdao, China on 23 April, 2019. IFR is a parade of naval ships, aircraft and submarines, and is
organised by nations to promote goodwill, strengthen cooperation and showcase their organisational
capabilities. IFR also serves as an ideal platform for world’s navies to showcase their prowess and
indigenous ship designing and ship building capabilities in a global/ international arena.
59. Who has become the India’s first female scientist to be elected Royal Society Fellow?
[A] Rohini Godbole
[B] Gagandeep Kang
[C] Anna Mani
[D] Ritu Karidhal
Correct Answer: B [Gagandeep Kang]
Notes:
The Royal Society of London has announced a list of 51 eminent scientists elected to its fellowship in the
year 2019. Among these is Dr. Gagandeep Kang, who is now with the Translational Health Science and
Technology Institute, Faridabad. With this feat, Dr. Kang has become the India’s first female scientist to
be elected to the Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). She is known for her inter-disciplinary research
studying the transmission, development and prevention of enteric infections and their sequelae in
children in India. She has built national rotavirus and typhoid surveillance networks and conducted
phase 1-3 trials of vaccines, which has supported two WHO pre-qualified vaccines.
60. Chhyoiphel Kundeling monastery, which is in news recently, is located in which of the
following countries?
[A] Nepal
[B] India
[C] Bhutan
[D] Sri Lanka
Correct Answer: A [Nepal]
Notes:
The Chhyoiphel Kundeling Monastery has recently inaugurated by a Buddhist scholar Shyalpa Tenzing
Rinpoche at Lisankhu village in Sindhupalchok district in Nepal. The Monastery has been reconstructed
with Government of India (GoI) grant of 18.9 million Nepalese rupees. Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy
of India Dr. Ajay Kumar was also present on the occasion. In addition to reconstructing the monastery,
the project also included building additional infrastructure such as residences, kitchen, sanitation
facilities and compound wall. The Chhyoiphel Kundeling Monastery was established in 1946 with the
active initiation and contribution of Lisankhu villagers. It has been carrying out various socio-cultural
activities like teaching Buddhism,Thangka painting, wood carving and sculpting etc. Apart from being
an important heritage building, the monastery is also an integral part of social and cultural life of people
in the area.
61. Mueller report, sometimes seen in news, is associated to which of the following causes?
[A] Glaciers and climate change
[B] Terrorism and responses to terrorism
[C] IPL spot-fixing and betting case
[D] Russian Interference in the 2016 US Presidential Election
Correct Answer: D [Russian Interference in the 2016 US Presidential Election]
Notes:
Russia has recently dismissed the findings of the long-awaited report by US Special Counsel Robert
Mueller and said that it failed to present any evidence of Russian meddling in the 2016 US elections. The
report titled “Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election”
details extensive contacts between Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russian operatives who, it said,
sought to tilt the election in Trump’s favor. It is the product of a 22-month investigation by Robert
Mueller. He was appointed to probe Russian interference in the 2016 elections and possible collusion
between Russia and the Trump campaign. The 448-page report did not find evidence of a criminal
conspiracy between Trump’s 2016 election campaign and Russia.
62. Who has been appointed as new Prime Minister of Israel?
[A] Reuven Rivlin
[B] Benjamin Netanyahu
[C] Benny Gantz
[D] Yisrael Katz
Correct Answer: B [Benjamin Netanyahu]
Notes:
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin has formally nominated Benjamin Netanyahu for a fourth consecutive
term as prime minister and officially launched a process that is expected to result in a new government
dominated by religious and nationalist parties in the coming weeks. Now, Netanyahu has 28 days to
form a government, with a possible extension of a further two weeks. The results from the April 9
election put Netanyahu on course to become Israel’s longest-serving prime minister later this year,
surpassing the state’s founding father David Ben-Gurion. If Netanyahu fails to form a coalition within 42
days, Benny Gantz (leader of the rival centrist Blue and White party) would be given a shot at assembling
a government.
63. ISO 31000:2018 is a standard related to which of the following tasks?
[A] Information technology
[B] Ships and marine technology
[C] Human resource management
[D] Risk management
Correct Answer: D [Risk management]
Notes:
The Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Limited has been certified with ISO 31000:2018 by
TUV India for applying a risk management system in line with the standard. The Certificate is an
international risk management standard which provides guidelines, principles, framework, and a
process for managing risk. It can be used by any organization regardless of its size, activity or sector.
The application of these guidelines can be customized to any organization and its context. It is valid for a
period of 3 years from April 07, 2019, to April 06, 2022.
64. Which of the following banks has partnered with M1Xchange TReDS platform for MSME bill
discounting?
[A] Bank of India
[B] SBI
[C] Bank of Baroda
[D] Bank of Maharashtra
Correct Answer: D [Bank of Maharashtra]
Notes:
On April 17, Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has partnered with M1Xchange Trade Receivables Discounting
System (TReDS) platform for MSME bill discounting. TReDS is a digital platform to support Micro, Small
and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to get their bills financed at a competitive rate through an auction
where multiple registered financiers can participate. In addition to TReDS platform of Receivables
Exchange of India Ltd (RXIL) & Invoicemart (A.TREDS Ltd), the bank has now on-boarded as financier on
the TReDS platform of M1Xchange of Mynd Solutions. Mynd Solutions is a technology management firm
which runs the TReDS platform of M1Xchange. The main purpose of TReDS platform is to facilitate
smooth flow of liquidity in the system and make finance available at a competitive rate. The cost of funds
will be reduced for MSMEs as banks will be bidding based on the risk rating of a corporate.

65. Which Indian cricketer has been appointed brand ambassador of bus ticketing platform
‘redBus’?
[A] Rohit Sharma
[B] Virat Kohli
[C] M S Dhoni
[D] K L Rahul
Correct Answer: C [M S Dhoni]
Notes:
Cricket icon Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been appointed brand ambassador of bus ticketing platform
‘redBus’. Dhoni will appear in a hockey player avatar in his first cameo for the brand, slated to be
launched soon. According to celebrity managers, Dhoni’s brand endorsement deals can be in the range of
Rs 3-10 crore, depending on the size of the company he is associated with and the size and duration of
the contract. Currently, the cricketer endorses an array of brands across categories, including fantasy
sports firm Dream11, Colgate, MasterCard, Orient Fans, Bharat Matrimony, Indigo Paints, SRMB Steel,
and health supplement brand Revital H among others.
66. Jerrie Cobb, who passed away recently, was the first female astronaut candidate of which
space agency?
[A] Roscosmos
[B] NASA
[C] JAXA
[D] Canadian Space Agency
Correct Answer: B [NASA]
Notes:
Jerrie Cobb (88), NASA’s first female astronaut candidate, has passed away in Florida on March 18, 2019.
In 1961, Cobb became the first woman to pass astronaut testing. Altogether, 13 women passed the
arduous physical testing and became known as the Mercury 13. But NASA already had its Mercury 7
astronauts, all test pilots and men. None of the Mercury 13 ever reached space, despite Cobb’s testimony
in 1962 before a Congressional panel. She wrote in her 1997 autobiography “Jerrie Cobb, Solo Pilot’, “My
country, my culture, was not ready to allow a woman to fly in space”. Cobb also served for decades as a
humanitarian aid pilot in the Amazon jungle.
67. Christina Koch, who will set a new record for longest spaceflight by a woman, is the astronaut
of which space agency?
[A] JAXA
[B] Roscosmos
[C] NASA
[D] CNES
Correct Answer: C [NASA ]
Notes:
NASA astronaut Christina Koch will set record for longest single spaceflight by a woman. Her mission
on the International Space Station (ISS) has extended to 328 days. Koch arrived at the space station on
14th March 2019, and now is scheduled to remain in orbit until February 2020. With this, she will eclipse
the record of 288 days set by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson in 2016-17. As part of the schedule
changes two new astronauts, Andrew Morgan and Jessica Meir, will join Koch on the ISS later this year,
their first space flights ever. Morgan will also stay at the ISS longer than originally planned, getting
there in July and remaining there until mid-2020. By extending the space flights of Koch and Andrew
Morgan, NASA will be able to gather more data on the changes to human cognitive and bodily functions
to support its future missions to the Moon and Mars.
68. On which date, the 2019 National Civil Services Day is celebrated in India recently?
[A] April 21
[B] April 20
[C] April 22
[D] April 23
Notes:
The National Civil Services Day (NCSD) is organized every year on April 21 in India by civil servants to
rededicate themselves to the cause of citizen and renew their commitment to public service and
excellence in work. This date is chosen to commemorate the day when the first Home Minister of
Independent India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, addressed the probationers of Administrative Services
Officers on April 21, 1947 at Metcalf House, Delhi. He referred to civil servants as the ‘steel frame of India.
69. Which of the following banks has launched paperless account opening facility for NRIs?
[A] ICICI Bank
[B] Axis Bank
[C] IDBI Bank
[D] HDFC Bank
Correct Answer: C [IDBI Bank]
Notes:
IDBI Bank has launched the ‘NRI-Insta-Online’ account-opening process for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
residing in Financial Action Task Force (FATF) member countries. The person will not be required to
furnish physical documents and KYC proofs mahesh
for |opening an account with the bank. NRIs will now be able
amahesh.2019@gmail.com |
to open account in IDBI Bank without submitting paper documents. FATF is an inter-governmental
body which devices policy and sets standards to promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory
and operational measures to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system. The body has 38 member countries, including the US,
UK, India, Japan, China and France, among others.
70. Which football team has won the 2019 Santosh Trophy?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Goa
[C] Punjab
[D] Services
Correct Answer: D [Services ]
Notes:
In Football, the Services lifted the 2019 Santosh Trophy by defeating Punjab 1-nil in the final at the Guru
Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana on 21st April. In the first half, both the teams were goal-less. In the second
half, Services scored the lone goal and held on till the final whistle. With this victory, the side has ended
the campaign without losing a single match.
71. Which Indian armed force has launched guided missile destroyer Imphal?
[A] Indian Army
[B] Indian Air Force
[C] Indian Navy
Notes:
The Indian Navy has launched guided missile destroyer INS Imphal at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in
Mumbai on April 20. It’s the third state-of-the-art warship built as part of Project 15B, in which ships are
built to carry and operate two multiple role helicopters. INS Imphal has a length of 163m and 17.4m at
the beam and a displacement of 7.300 tonnes, which are propelled by four gas turbines to achieve speeds
in excess of 30 knots. Under Project 15B, the Navy had launched first ship ‘INS Vishakhapatnam’ in April
2015, while the second ship ‘INS Mormugao’ was launched in September 2016.
72. Who won the 2019 presidency election of Ukraine?
[A] Petro Poroshenko
[B] Volodymyr Zelensky

[C] Leonid Kravchuk

[D] Viktor Yushchenko
Correct Answer: B [Volodymyr Zelensky]
Notes:
In Ukraine, comedian and political newcomer Volodymyr Zelensky has apparently secured a landslide
victory in the 2019 Presidential election. Mr Zelensky is best known for starring in a satirical television
series ‘Servant of the People’ in which his character accidentally becomes Ukrainian president. The
pressure will now be on Mr Zelensky to demonstrate that he knows what he is doing. Throughout the
election campaign, he avoided serious interviews and discussions about policy – preferring instead to
post light-hearted videos to social media.
73. The Naval Commanders’ Conference – 2019 will be held in which of the following cities?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Kochi
[C] Kolkata
[D] Shimla
Correct Answer: A [New Delhi]
Notes:
The first edition of Naval Commanders’ Conference – 2019 is scheduled to begin in New Delhi from April
23. The 3-day conference is the apex forum within the Service for interaction between the Naval
Commanders. The Chief of the Naval Staff, with the Commanders-in-Chief, will review major
operational, logistics, training and administrative activities undertaken during the previous six months
and deliberate upon the course to be steered in the ensuing six months. The Conference assumes greater
significance in the backdrop of Pulwama associated events that have brought country’s defence under
sharper focus and will provide the higher naval leadership a forum to discuss the emerging challenges in
the maritime domain. The conference also serves as a platform for institutionalised interaction of Naval
Commanders with senior Government Officials.
74. Amar Paul, who passed away recently, was the legendary folk singer of which language?
[A] Odia
[B] Tamil
[C] Bengali
[D] Urdu
Correct Answer: C [Bengali ]
Notes:
Amar Paul (97), the legendary Bengali folk singer, has passed away in Kolkata on April 20, 2019. Born on
May 19, 1922, at Brahmanbaria in undivided Bengal in an area now in Bangladesh, Paul had started
taking music lessons from his mother Durgasundari Paul. Afterwards, he learnt classical music from
Ayat Ali Khan and folk music from Mani Chakraborty and Suren Chakraborty. He surfaced as a folk
singer for the All India Radio in the early 1950s. Paul lent his voice in a number of films including Satyajit
Ray’s “Hirak Rajar Deshe”. He has penned several books on folk songs of Bengal and received accolades
from various academies around the world.
75. Which country has recently adopted the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031?
[A] Saudi Arabia
[B] India
[C] UAE
[D] Iran
Correct Answer: C [UAE ]
Notes:
The UAE Cabinet has recently adopted a new National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031 at the
Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi. Its aims at positioning the UAE as a global leader in artificial
intelligence by 2031 and to develop an integrated system that employs artificial intelligence in vital areas
in the country. The strategy includes eight objectives and a number of initiatives, aimed at employing
artificial intelligence in vital areas such as education, government services and the community
wellbeing. The strategy implementation is overseen by the Emirates Council for Artificial Intelligence
and Digital Transactions, in coordination with a number of local and federal entities.
76. Which Indian movie has won the best cinematography at 2019 Beijing International Film
Festival (BIFF)?
[A] Kayamkulam Kochunni
[B] Odiyan
[C] Bhayanakam
[D] Eeda
Correct Answer: C [Bhayanakam ]
Notes:
Malayalam film Bhayanakam (Fear) directed by Jayaraj has won the best cinematography award at the
2019 Beijing International Film Festival (BIFF). The cinematography was done by Nikihil S Praveen. The
film had also won the best cinematography award at the 65th National Film Awards. The film portrays
the visits of First World War veteran to a small village in the backwaters of Kerala’s Kuttanand as a
postman during the World War-II. He shares with the families the good and bad news of the soldiers
who took part in the war. According to Jayaraj, about 600 soldiers from Kerala died during the World
War-II. The festival also screened five Indian films, including Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali, Apur Sansar,
Aparajito, the romantic comedy Love Per Square Foot, the 2018 Indian romantic comedy and the thriller
Ittefaq.
77. Who has been appointed as a new Chairman of Export Promotion Council for Handicraft
(EPCH)?
[A] Ravinder Kumar Passi
[B] B. Ajith Kumar
[C] Nimisha Sajayan
[D] Rajesh Sharma
Correct Answer: A [Ravinder Kumar Passi]
Notes:
Ravinder Kumar Passi has been appointed to the post of chairman of the Export Promotion Council for
Handicrafts (EPCH). He succeeded O P Prahladka. EPCH is a non-profit organisation, with an objective to
promote, support, protect, maintain and increase the export of handicrafts.
78. Which UN agency has listed the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy among world’s major industrial
accidents of 20th century?
[A] ILO
[B] WHO
[C] FAO
[D] ITU
Correct Answer: A [ILO]
Notes:
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has recently released the report titled ‘The Safety and
Health at the Heart of the Future of Work – Building on 100 years of experience’. In it, the 1984 Bhopal
gas tragedy which killed thousands of people is among the world’s “major industrial accidents” of the
20th century (after 1919). In December 1984, at least 30 tons of methyl isocyanate gas was released from
the Union Carbide pesticide plant in the Madhya Pradesh capital and it affected more than 600,000
workers and nearby inhabitants. Apart from the Bhopal gas tragedy, its list included the 1986 Chernobyl
nuclear power plant explosion in the erstwhile Soviet Union, the 2011 Fukushima disaster and the
collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 2013, which killed 1,132 people.
79. What is the theme of the 2019 World Earth Day(WED)?
[A] Protect our species
[B] Nature for Water
[C] Better Water, Better Jobs

[D] Water and Energy

Correct Answer: A [Protect our species]
Notes:
The World Earth Day (WED) is observed every year on 22nd of April to demonstrate support for
environmental protection. This is a day which is meant to emphasise the need to protect the planet and
preserve its environment. The day also marks the anniversary of the Modern Environmental Movement,
started in 1970. The 2019 theme is ‘Protect our species’, which aims to draw attention to the rapid
extinction of species across the world.
80. Hope Probe project, sometimes seen in news, is associated to which of the following countries?
[A] Pakistan
[B] Israel
[C] India
[D] UAE
Correct Answer: D [UAE ]
Notes:
The UAE Space Agency and Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) have recently announced that
85% of the Hope Probe project has been completed. Hope Probe is an ambitious dream project of UAE to
send a mission to Mars. Hope Probe is scheduled to be launched in July 2020. With a successful launch,
UAE hopes to become the first Arabic and Islamic country to make the Mars Mission dream a reality.
The Hope Probe has been developed in accordance with Mars Exploration Programme Analysis Group
(MEPAG), the global scientific community which is working on Mars exploration and coordinated with
international entities to ensure the best results. The objectives of the Emirates Mars Mission will be to
add to the global efforts to explore space and the surrounding planets. For the first time, a Mars
exploration project will be able to take a global picture of the Martian atmosphere. It will do so by taking
an integrated picture of the atmosphere throughout the day and for a long period of time, helping to
create a better understanding of the planet’s atmosphere in different seasons of the year.
81. Which of the following IT services companies has signed a deal with India Post to transform
country’s mail delivery system?
[A] TCS
[B] Wipro
[C] Infosys
[D] HCL
Correct Answer: A [TCS]
Notes:
India’s largest IT services company, Tata Consultancy Services(TCS) has partnered with the Department
of Posts (DoP) to modernise a network of more than 1.5 lakh post offices across the country. The multi-
year digital core programme will transform the DoP into a multi-service digital hub, modernise the
delivery of mail and packages, enhance customer experience and launch innovative services that will
drive new revenues. At the heart of this transformation is the Core System Integration (CSI) program
designed and implemented by TCS. This involved deploying an integrated ERP (Enterprise Resource
Planning) solution that caters to mail operations, finance and accounting, and HR functions. Besides, it
will also connect the network of more than 1.5 lakh post offices to make this largest distributed ePostal
network in the world. The integrated solution is built to cater to the Department’s immense scale, and
future needs. It supports the HR needs of over 500,000 employees, services over 40,000 concurrent
users, and processes over 3 million postal transactions a day.
82. Iran and which country have decided to set up a Joint Border Reaction Force (JBRF)?
[A] India
[B] Pakistan
[C] Russia
[D] Turkmenistan
Correct Answer: B [Pakistan ]
Notes:
Iran and Pakistan have decided to set up a Joint Border Reaction Force (JBRF) following a number of
deadly attacks by militant groups on their frontier. The announcement comes following tensions
between the two countries who have in recent months accused each other of not doing enough to stamp
out militants allegedly sheltering across the border. The The Iran-Pakistan border skirts the volatile
southeastern Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchistan which has been the scene of frequent attacks on
Iran’s security forces.
83. Which union ministry has signed MoU with CSIR for cooperation in research and education?
[A] Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
[B] Ministry of Women and Child Development
[C] Ministry of AYUSH
[D] Ministry of Human Resource Development
Correct Answer: C [Ministry of AYUSH]
Notes:
The Ministry of AYUSH has recently signed a MoU with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
(CSIR –New Delhi) for cooperation in research and education in areas of traditional systems of medicine
and its integration with modern science. Under the MoU, both organizations shall jointly endeavor to
pursue: R&D covering fundamental research; AYUSH specific diagnostic tools; linking microbiome, gene
expression and prakriti; multi-ingredient herbal formulations, including their standardization; exploring
modern scientific methods for integration mahesh
with traditional Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM); linking
disease signatures, etc.

84. Which airborne observatory has detected the Universe’s first molecule in space?
[A] Galileo Airborne Observatory
[B] Kuiper Airborne Observatory
[C] Big Bear Lake Solar Observatory
[D] Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
Correct Answer: D [Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy]
Notes:
The researchers have finally detected the most ancient type of molecule in our universe in space for the
first time ever. They used NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) to detect
helium hydride in a planetary nebula NGC 7027 about 3,000 light-years away from Earth. Helium
hydride ion (HeH+) was the first molecule that formed when, almost 14 billion years ago, falling
temperatures in the young universe allowed recombination of the light elements produced in the Big
Bang. At that time, ionised hydrogen and neutral helium atoms reacted to form HeH+. Despite its
importance in the history of the early Universe, HeH+ has so far escaped detection in astrophysical
nebulae — cloud of gas and dust in outer space. Hence, the detection of this special molecule brings a
long search to a happy ending, and eliminates doubts about understanding of the underlying formation
and destruction of the early universe. SOFIA is the joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace
Center (DLR) to construct and maintain an airborne observatory. Being the world’s largest airborne
astronomical observatory, the telescope has the ability to produce a higher resolution image, three times
higher in quality than those captured by other observatories.
85. The world’s tallest 131ft indoor waterfall has opened in which of the following countries?
[A] Vietnam
[B] Singapore
[C] Indonesia
[D] Malaysia
Correct Answer: B [Singapore]
Notes:
The world’s tallest 131 ft indoor waterfall has opened for the general public at Singapore’s Jewel Changi
Airport.. The waterfall is housed inside a dome-shaped complex which has gardens growing over four
storeys, more than 280 retail and food outlets, a hotel and a movie theatre. The structure also has a
botanical garden with 120 species of plants. The dome-shaped glass structure was designed by Israeli-
Canadian architect Moshe Safdie.
86. On which date, the 2019 World Book and Copyright Day (WBCD) is observed recently?
[A] April 21
[B] April 22
[C] April 24
[D] April 23
Notes:
The World Book and Copyright Day (WBCD) is observed every year on April 23 to recognise the scope of
books which are seen as a link between the past and the future, a bridge between cultures and
generations. It is an occasion to promote the joy of books and the art of reading. Through this day,
UNESCO aims to champion books and celebrate creativity, diversity and equal access to knowledge. 23rd
April was selected by UNESCO to pay tribute to great literary figures including William Shakespeare,
Miguel Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega who died on this day in 1616.
87. Which of the following cities has been declared the 2019 World Book Capital (WBC)?
[A] New York
[B] Sharjah
[C] Kolkata
[D] Berlin
Correct Answer: B [Sharjah]
Notes:
The World Book and Copyright Day (WBCD) is celebrated worldwide on 23rd April to pay tribute to the
veteran literary figures like William Shakespeare, Miguel Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso De La Vega. It is a
symbolic date in world literature. On this day, UNESCO and organisations representing publishers,
booksellers and libraries select World Book Capital (WBC) for a year to maintain the celebrations of
books and reading. For the year 2019, Sharjah, UAE has been declared as the World Book Capital. It will
be preceded by Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in the year 2020.
88. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has established a new academic
position in honor of which Indian-born philosopher and economist?
[A] Debraj Ray
[B] Jiddu Krishnamurti
[C] Shankar Acharya
[D] Amartya Sen
Correct Answer: D [Amartya Sen]
Notes:
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has established the Amartya Sen Chair in
Inequality Studies to honour the Indian-born economist, philosopher and Nobel laureate. The chair will
provide coordination and strategic leadership on the inter-disciplinary analysis of inequalities at LSE.
Besides, it will connect research on inequalities across the School, engage with the public and policy-
makers, and develop and supports new world-class research. Amartya Sen served as a professor in the
economics department at the institute from 1971-82. It was in the year 1998, Amartya Sen won the Nobel
Prize in the field of Economics. He also won National Humanities Medal in the year 2012. Amartya Sen’s
main areas of work include welfare economics, social choice theory, development economics, political
philosophy and economic theory. The holder of the Amartya Sen chair, will also serve as Director of the
LSE International Inequalities Institute (III).
89. The Asian Tea Alliance (ATA) has recently launched in which of the following cities?
[A] Tokyo
[B] Guwahati
[C] Guizhou
[D] Seoul
Correct Answer: C [Guizhou ]
Notes:
The Asian Tea Alliance (ATA), a union of five tea-growing and consuming countries, was launched on
Friday in Guizhou in China. The members of the alliance are the Indian Tea Association (ITA), China Tea
Marketing Association (CTMA), Indonesian Tea Marketing Association, Sri Lanka Tea Board and Japan
Tea Association. ATA plans to work towards enhancing tea trade, cultural exchanges, technology
exchanges as well as globally promoting tea. It will also work towards enhancing global consumption of
tea, while creating a sustainability agenda for the future of Asian tea. The forging of this alliance comes
in the aftermath of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in December 2018 between
the Indian Tea Association and China Tea Marketing Association. The two associations signed the pact
to promote green and black tea consumption in major tea markets of Europe, the U.S., Russia and West
Asia, besides India and China.
90. Which scheme of the West Bengal government has won the 2019 World Summit on the
Information Society (WSIS) award in Capacity Building category?
[A] Sabooj Sathi
[B] Kanyashree
[C] Utkarsh Bangla
Correct Answer: C [Utkarsh Bangla]
Notes:
The ‘Utkarsh Bangla’ scheme of the West mahesh Bengal government has won the prestigious 2019 World
Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) award of the United Nations. The scheme aims to create a
pool of skilled candidates industry ready. Out of 1062 nominations in 18 categories from all over the
world, Utkarsh Bangla emerged No 1 in the Capacity Building category to win this prestigious award of
WSIS. Earlier, in 2017, the West Bengal government had received another UN award for its ‘Kanyashree’
project, a targeted conditional cash transfer scheme aimed at promoting education among girls. WSIS
Prizes is an international contest to create an effective mechanism to evaluate and recognise individuals,
governments and private bodies for outstanding success in implementing development oriented
strategies that leverage the power of ICTs as an enabler of the development.
91. Which country has been nominated as the “Guest of Honour” country at the 29th edition of the
Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF)?
[A] Saudi Arabia
[B] Oman
[C] Israel
[D] India
Correct Answer: D [India ]
Notes:
India has been nominated as the “Guest of Honour” country at the 29th edition of the Abu Dhabi
International Book Fair (ADIBF-2019) which begins on April 24. Here, India’s selection as the guest of
honour reflects the strong relations between the leadership and the people of the UAE and India. Around
30 publishing houses from India will take part in the fair.A three-member team from the Publications
Division is also participating in the Fair. Books on the life and struggle of Mahatma Gandhi will be on
display as part of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations. A special presentation will be made by the
Publications Division on the 100 volume series of the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi in a bid to
reach out to the international audience. An annual fair is a major event in the publishing sector in the
Middle East and North Africa. It will conclude on the 30th of this month.
92. Which Indian sportsperson has clinched India’s first gold at the 2019 Asian Wrestling
Championship?
[A] Parveen Rana
[B] Bajrang Punia
[C] Satywart Kadian
[D] Yogeshwar Dutt
Correct Answer: B [Bajrang Punia]
Notes:
World No.1 Bajrang Punia made India proud once again by clinching the India’s first gold at the Asian

Wrestling Championships 2019 in Xi’an, China. Punia logged 10 points in a row in the gold medal bout to
reclaim his Asian Championship crown. He defeated Kazakhstan’s Sayatbek Okassov 12-7 in a nail-biting
65kg men’s freestyle final. It is Bajrang’s second gold at this championship, having won one in 2017.
Another Indian Parveen Rana, lost to Bahman Mohammad Teymouri of Iran in the final 0-3 in 79kg
category securing a silver medal. In 97 Kg category, Satywart Kadian picked a bronze defeating Haobin
Gao of China by 8-2.
93. On which date, the UN English Language Day is observed recently?
[A] April 22
[B] April 25
[C] April 23
[D] April 24
Correct Answer: C [April 23]
Notes:
The UN English Language Day is observed every year on 23rd of April to celebrate multilingualism and
cultural diversity as well as to promote equal use of all six official languages throughout the
Organization. These are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. For the English language,
23 April was chosen because it is the date traditionally observed as both the birthday and date of death
of William Shakespeare.
94. Which Indian sportsperson has clinched India’s first Gold in the 2019 Asian Athletics
Championships in Doha?
[A] Hima Das
[B] Dutee Chand
[C] Gomathi Marimuthu
[D] Krishna Poonia
Correct Answer: C [Gomathi Marimuthu]
Notes:
Gomathi Marimuthu from Tamil Nadu has clinched India’s first Gold in the women’s 800m race at the
2019 Asian Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. Gomathi clocked a personal best time of 2 minute
02.70 seconds in the half mile event to win a surprise gold for India. Then, Asian Games champion
Tajinder Pal Toor added the 2nd gold medal to India’s tally by clinching the top spot in the podium in
men’s shot put with a season’s best throw of 20.22 metres. While Shivpal Singh added a silver in men’s
javelin throw by sending the spear to a distance of 86.23m, his personal best. In the process, Shivpal also
booked a berth for the World Championships to be held at the same venue in September-October as he
crossed the qualifying mark of 83m.
95. Which space agency has revealed that Mercury has a massive solid inner core?
[A] CNES
[B] NASA
[C] ISRO
[D] JAXA
Correct Answer: B [NASA]
Notes:
Scientists have long been known that Mercury and the Earth have metallic cores. Like Earth, Mercury’s
outer core is composed of liquid metal, but there have only been hints that Mercury’s innermost core is
solid. Now, in a new study, scientists from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland
have found evidence that Mercury’s inner core is indeed solid and that it is very nearly the same size as
Earth’s inner core. To explore what the core of Mercury is made of the science team used several
observations from the NASA’s MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, GEochemistry, and
Ranging) mission looking at the planet’s spin and gravity. The findings of Mercury’s solid inner core not
only help scientists better understand Mercury but also offer clues about how the solar system formed
and how rocky planets change over time. The study is published in Geophysical Research Letters.
96. Which African country has launched the pilot tests for the world’s first malaria vaccine “RTS-
S”?
[A] Ghana
[B] Malawi
[C] Kenya
[D] Zimbabwe
Correct Answer: B [Malawi ]
Notes:
The Government of Malawi has launched the pilot tests for the world’s first malaria vaccine – RTS,S (or
Mosquirix) -to give partial protection to children up to 2 years of age. The other two African countries –
Ghana and Kenya – will introduce the vaccine in the coming weeks. This move is part of World Health
Organization (WHO)-coordinated three country pilot programme where the risk of malaria is high and
there has been previous success with other childhood vaccines. It aims to reach 360,000 children per
year across the three countries. The vaccine has been developed by British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline
(GSK) in partnership with the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative. According to WHO, Malaria kills some
435,000 people around the world each year, the majority of them children. Most of these deaths are in
Africa, where more than 250,000 children die from the disease every year.
97. Who has been conferred with the National Intellectual Property Award for 2019 in the category
of Top Individual for Patents and Commercialization?
[A] Jomy Jose
[B] Benny Antony
[C] P.J Kunjachan
[D] Merina Benny
Correct Answer: B [Benny Antony]
Notes:
Dr. Benny Antony, co-founder of Kochi-based Arjuna Natural Ltd, has been conferred with the National
Intellectual Property Award for 2019 in the category of Top Individual for Patents and
Commercialization. Along with the National IP Award, the Intellectual Property Office India and the
World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) have jointly conferred the ‘WIPO Medal for Inventors’
also to Antony. The Indian Intellectual Property Office bestows National Intellectual Property (IP)
awards to outstanding innovators, organisations and companies in the field of patents, designs,
trademarks and geographical indications on the occasion of World IP Day every year. Antony is the
inventor of the world’s leading patented turmeric extract formulation “BCM-95” and also has over 80
international patents to his credit.
98. On which date, the 2019 National Panchayati Raj Day (NPRD) is celebrated in India?
[A] April 25
[B] April 26
[C] April 24
[D] April 22
Correct Answer: C [April 24]
Notes:
The National Panchayati Raj Day (NPRD) is celebrated every year in India on April 24 by the Ministry of
Panchayati Raj. It is also known as the National Local Self-Government day. On this day, in 1993, the 73rd
Constitution Amendment Act of 1992 came into force that has institutionalized Panchayati Raj through
the village, Intermediate and District level Panchayats.
99. What is the India’s rank in the 2019 Index of Cancer Preparedness (ICP)?
[A] 19th
[B] 20th
[C] 15th
[D] 13th
Correct Answer: A [19th ]
Notes:
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has released the 2019 Index of Cancer Preparedness (ICP) in which
India’s overall rank is 19th out of 28 countries, with a score of 64.9. Australia topped the index, followed
by the Netherlands and Germany. The ICP explores the issue of cancer preparedness through three
broad domains: Policy and planning; Care delivery; and Health systems and governance. It was released
as part of the report titled “Cancer preparedness around the world: National readiness for a global
epidemic” prepared by EIU.
100. What is the theme of the 2019 World Malaria Day (WMD)?
[A] Zero malaria starts with me
[B] Ready to beat malaria
[C] Sustain Gains, Save Lives: Invest in Malaria
[D] Invest in the future: defeat malaria
Correct Answer: A [Zero malaria starts with me]
Notes:
The World Malaria Day (WMD) is observed every year on 25th of April to raise awareness and funds for
the treatment and prevention of the disease. The day also highlights the need for sustained investment
and political commitment for malaria prevention, control and elimination. As part of the WMD 2019, the
World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched grassroots campaign ‘Zero malaria starts with me’ to
keep malaria high on the political agenda, mobilize additional resources, and empower communities to
take ownership of malaria prevention and care.
101. What is the India’s rank in the StartupBlink’s 2019 Startup Ecosystem Ranking?
[A] 20th
[B] 19th
[C] 18th
[D] 17th
Correct Answer: D [17th]
Notes:
The global startup ecosystem map Startupblink has released its latest 2019 Startup Ecosystem Ranking.
In it, India has been ranked 17th out of 100 countries, based on the strength of its startup ecosystem. The
index is topped by United States, followed by UK, Canada, Israel, and Australia. The ranking is carried
out on the basis the impact startups have been able to make in the country. Additionally, it has also
considered how many startups and support organisations are there such as accelerators, coworking
spaces, startup events along with technology infrastructure, red tape, bureaucracy, etc. It used data from
startups, accelerators and co-working spaces registered on its platforms as well as data received from
global partners such as Crunchbase and SimilarWeb. StartupBlink also ranked cities globally in its top
25-city ranking that included Bengaluru at 11 and New Delhi at 18 andMumbai at 29.
102. Which of the following central banks is the first Asia-Pacific (APAC) central bank to begin
interest rate easing cycle?
[A] Central Bank of Sri Lanka
[B] Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan
[C] Reserve Bank of India
[D] People’s Bank of China
Correct Answer: C [Reserve Bank of India]
Notes:
Fitch Ratings has recently said in its APAC sovereign credit overview report that the Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) is the first Asia-Pacific (APAC) central bank to begin interest rate easing cycle by cutting the
policy rate back-to-back in the last two monetary policy reviews in 2019. The Monetary Policy
Committee (MPC), headed by RBI Govenor Shaktikanta Das, cut rates in February and April, citing
prospects of benign inflation. In the four months of 2019, the RBI has cut policy interest rates twice
twice by 0.25% each to one-year low of 6%. Earlier in April 2019, Fitch Ratings kept India’s rating
unchanged for the 13th time in a row at BBB- , which is the lowest investment grade, along with a stable
outlook. The agency cited various challenges faced by the country such as high public debt, weak
financial sector and lagging structural reforms.
103. Which of the following banks has become the first Destination Bank to launch debit card-

based e-mandate on NPCI’s API platform?

[A] ICICI Bank
[B] Kotak Mahindra Bank
[C] HDFC Bank
[D] Axis Bank
Correct Answer: B [Kotak Mahindra Bank]
Notes:
The Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMB) has become the first Destination Bank to go live with Net Banking and
Debit Card-based authentication solution on NPCI’s e-Mandate API platform. The facility will enable its
customers to create electronic mandates (similar to the erstwhile eNACH with Aadhaar + OTP) via both
the Debit Card and Net Banking channels. This allows Kotak to go live as a sponsor or acquirer bank for
corporates and merchants seeking recurring payments. In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the industry,
customers can register both physical and e-mandates on a single platform with validation on the
mandate fields to remove rejections on account of various reasons.
104. As per which committee’s recommendations, the RBI has sold its entire stake in NHB &
Nabard to Union Government?
[A] M P Bezbarauah Committee
[B] Narasimham Committee-II
[C] N K Singh Committee
[D] Usha Thorat Committee
Correct Answer: B [Narasimham Committee-II]
Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has divested its entire stake in National Housing Bank (NHB) and the
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) for Rs 1,450 crore and Rs 20 crore,
respectively. The move is part of ending the cross-holding in regulatory institutions and follows the
recommendation of second Narasimham committee report of October 2001 and the RBI’s own
discussion paper on the same entitled ‘Harmonizing the role and operations of development financial
institutions and banks. The current change in the capital structure of both these financial institutions
was brought in by the government through amendments to the Nabard Act of 1981 and the NHB Act of
1987 which were notified on January 19, 2018 and March 29, 2018, respectively. With this, the
Government of India (GoI) now holds 100% stake in both these financial institutions.
105. Which country has successfully tested the world’s first Floating Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP)?
[A] United States
[B] China
[C] Japan
[D] Russia
Correct Answer: D [Russia]
Notes:
Russian state-run atomic energy corporation Rosatom has successfully tested the world’s first Floating
Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) – Akademik Lomonosov. The FNPP has a capacity of 70MW and is equipped
with two reactors of 35MW each. It has an operational life span is 40 years, with the possibility of being
extended up to 50 years. According to Rosatom, in the second half of 2019, the FNPP will be transported
to its final destination to the port of Pevek in Russia’s extreme north-eastern region of Chukotka, where
it will replace the Bilibino Nuclear Power Plant and the Chaunskaya coal-fired power plant. An FNPP is
basically a mobile, low-capacity reactor unit operable in remote areas isolated from the main power
distribution system, or in places hard to access by land. They are designed to maintain both
uninterruptible power and plentiful desalinated water supply in remote areas.
106. Who has been named as brand ambassador of Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC)?
[A] Vikas Khanna
[B] Akshay Kumar
[C] Anupam Kher

[D] Sushant Singh Rajput

Correct Answer: A [Vikas Khanna]
Notes:
Michelin-star chef and filmmaker Vikas Khanna has been named as brand ambassador of Indo-American
Arts Council (IAAC) at the Consulate General of India in New York City. The IAAC will organise the New
York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF -2019) that will showcase 30 Indian feature-length films, including
three documentaries. It will also bring to the audience of New York 30 shorts and 19 regional films,
including Bengali, Assamese, Marathi, Tamil, Malyalam cinema. The fest is the North America’s longest-
running and most prestigious Indian film festival from May 7 to 12. It will also showcase the celebrity
chef’s film ‘The Last Color’ and Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer ‘Photograph’. Khanna’s ‘The Last has won
rave reviews at various international film festivals for its lead actress Neena Gupta, who plays a widow
living a life of abstinence and isolation in the ancient Indian city of Banaras.
107. Who is the newly appointed Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA)?
[A] Tajinder Pal Singh
[B] Nirmal Jain
[C] Rajendra Kumar Nayak
[D] Vineet Sharma
Correct Answer: C [Rajendra Kumar Nayak]
Notes:
Rajendra Kumar Nayak, the 1983 batch officer of Indian Defence Accounts Service , has been appointed
as the new Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA). With over 35 years of experience, Nayak has
held important assignments in the Defence Accounts Department and on deputation in the Government
of India. He has vast and varied experience in handling Finance, Personnel, Pay & Budget matters of
Ministry of Defence. The CGDA heads the Defence Accounts Department (DAD) and operates under the
Ministry of Defence. It is the cadre controlling authority of the Indian Defence Accounts Service.
108. Cyril Almeida, who won the 2019 IPI World Press Freedom Hero award, is from which
country?
[A] Pakistan
[B] Iran
[C] Myanmar
[D] Bangladesh
Correct Answer: A [Pakistan]
Notes:
Pakistani journalist Cyril Almeida has won the World Press Freedom Hero award of The International
Press Institute (IPI) for his critical and tenacious coverage of the civil-military relations in Pakistan.
Almeida is an assistant editor and columnist at Pakistani daily ‘Dawn’ & is currently facing sedition
charges in the country. The IPI is a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in
over 100 countries. IPI’s World Press Freedom Hero Award honours journalists who have made critical
contributions to the promotion of press freedom, particularly in the face of great personal risk.
109. Who has won the 2019 Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize?
[A] Menka Shivdasani
[B] Neel Mukherjee
[C] Rana Dasgupta
[D] Jayanta Mahapatra
Correct Answer: C [Rana Dasgupta]
Notes:
Rana Dasgupta has won the 2nd edition of Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2019 for his 2010 novel
“Solo”, a tale of estrangement and the ultimate failure of material existence. The award consists of an
amount of $10,000, a Tagore statue and a certificate. Beside this, the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize
for social achievement was awarded to Yohei Sasakawa, the World Health Organization Goodwill
Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination, for “his incredible efforts to uproot leprosy and great contribution
to world peace”. The Prize was also awarded to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen as “a beacon of
democracy”.
110. The 5th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Media Summit on Climate Action and Disaster
Preparedness has started in which of the following cities?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Colombo
[C] Kathmandu
[D] Thimphu
Correct Answer: C [Kathmandu]
Notes:
The 5th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Media Summit on Climate Action and Disaster
Preparedness has started in Kathmandu, Nepal on April 26, 2019. The theme of the two-day summit is
“Media Solutions for Sustainable Future: Saving Lives, Building Resilient Communities”. The basic aim of
the summit is to address the issue of fully utilizing media’s potential of accelerating climate action and
disaster preparedness and connect stakeholders to media professionals for collaboration and joint
practical projects. Over 200 participants including political leaders, representatives of UN agencies and
NGOs, climate change and disaster management experts, scientists and media persons are attending the
event.
111. What is the theme of 2019 World Intellectual Property Day (WIPD)?
[A] Digital Creativity: Culture Reimagined

[B] Powering Change: Women in Innovation and Creativity
[C] Innovation — Improving Lives
[D] Reach for Gold: IP and Sports
Correct Answer: D [Reach for Gold: IP and Sports]
Notes:
The World Intellectual Property Day (WIPD) is observed every year on April 26 across the globe to
spread awareness about the role that intellectual property rights like patents, trademarks, industrial
designs and copyright play in encouraging innovation and creativity. It aims to increase people’s
awareness and understanding of the intellectual property. The main purpose of intellectual property law
is to encourage the creation of a large variety of intellectual goods for consumers. The 2019 theme is
‘Reach for Gold: IP and Sports’. Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind, inventions, literary
and artistic works, and symbols, names and images used in commercial activities.
112. Divyansh Singh Panwar, who secured 2020 Tokyo Olympic quota, is associated to which
sports?
[A] Judo
[B] Shooting
[C] Boxing
[D] Wrestling
Correct Answer: B [Shooting]
Notes:
On 26th April, Divyansh Singh Panwar bagged silver in 10m Air Rifle event with 249.0 points in the 2019
ISSF World Cup for pistol and rifle shooters in Beijing. He also secured a quota for the 2020 Tokyo
Olympics. In the ongoing tournament, Divyansh had bagged a gold in 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event
along with Anjum Moudgil. This is India’s fourth 2020 Tokyo Olympic quota after Anjum Moudgil and
Apurvi Chandela (10m air rifle women) and Saurabh Choudhary (10m Air Pistol men) had secured berths
in the earlier World Cups and last year’s World Championship.
113. Which of the following banks has launched India’s first ‘Green Car Loan’ at lower interest
rates?
[A] SBI
[B] ICICI Bank
[C] PNB

[D] Axis Bank

Correct Answer: A [SBI]
Notes:
The State Bank of India (SBI) has launched India’s first ‘Green Car Loan’ (Electric Vehicle) to encourage
customers to buy electric vehicles. The new scheme will offer loan at 20 basis points lesser than the
interest rate on the existing car loan schemes. Additionally, borrowers will also get a longer repayment
period. The EMI per Rs 1 lakh will be lower at Rs. 1,468 for 96 months against Rs.1,622 for 84 months,
based on the maximum tenor, in line with the existing scheme. The move is in line with the Union
Government’s endeavour to ensure that India has 30% of EVs out of all vehicles by 2030.
114. The scientists of which country have successfully created the first-ever artificial crater on an
asteroid ‘Ryugu’?
[A] United States
[B] Japan
[C] China
[D] Australia
Correct Answer: B [Japan]
Notes:
The Japanese scientists have successfully created the first-ever artificial crater on an asteroid ‘Ryugu’.
It’s a step towards shedding light on how the solar system evolved. The announcement comes after the
Hayabusa2 probe fired an explosive device at the Ryugu asteroid early this month to blast a crater in the
surface and scoop up material. The aim of blasting the crater on Ryugu is to throw up “fresh” material
from under the asteroid’s surface that could shed light on the early stages of the solar system. The
asteroid is thought to contain relatively large amounts of organic matter and water from some 4.6
billion years ago when the solar system was born. The Ryugu asteroid is around 340 million kilometers
from Earth.
115. What is the theme of the 2019 World Immunization Week (WIW)?
[A] Protected Together: Vaccines Work
[B] Beat Diabetes
[C] Immunization saves lives
[D] Protect your world – get vaccinated
Correct Answer: A [Protected Together: Vaccines Work]
Notes:
The 2019 World Immunization Week (WIW) is a global public health campaign i.e. celebrated by the
World Health Organisation (WHO) from April 24 to 30 with theme “Protected Together: Vaccines
Work!”. The week highlights the urgent need for immunisation against vaccine-preventable diseases for
children and adults the world over. The 2019 theme aims to raise awareness about the importance of full
immunization throughout life and urge greater action. This year’s campaign emphasizes the role and
responsibility of everyone—policymakers, health workers, and individuals—in closing the
immunization gap to protect children and broader communities.
116. Indonesia has recently released a special Ramayana themed stamp to mark 70 years of
diplomatic ties with India. It was designed by which of the following sculptors?
[A] Arie Smit
[B] Ramkinkar Baij
[C] Bapak Nyoman Nuarta
[D] Kartika Affandi
Correct Answer: C [Bapak Nyoman Nuarta]
Notes:
Indonesia has recently released a special commemorative stamp on the theme of Ramayana to mark the
70th anniversary of the establishment of its diplomatic ties with India. The stamp is designed by
renowned Indonesian sculptor Padmashri Bapak Nyoman Nuarta. It featured a scene from Ramayana in
which Jatayu valiantly fought to save Sita, which symbolises the resolve of two peoples in the face of

adversity. A specially signed version of the stamp will be on display at the Philately Museum in Jakarta.
117. BepiColombo, sometimes seen in news, is associated to which of the following space agencies?
[A] NASA
[B] JAXA
[C] ISRO
[D] CNES
Correct Answer: B [JAXA]
Notes:
The unmanned BepiColombo spacecraft is the joint mission of the European-Japanese space agencies. It
is named after Italian scientist Giuseppe “Bepi” Colombo. Recently, it has successfully completed its
near-Earth commissioning phase and is now ready for the operations that will take place during the
cruise and for its scientific investigations at Mercury. The mission comprises two science orbiters: ESA’s
Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and JAXA’s Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO). The ESA-built
Mercury Transfer Module (MTM) will carry the orbiters to Mercury using a combination of solar electric
propulsion and gravity assist flybys – one of Earth, two at Venus, and six at Mercury – prior to MPO and
MMO orbit insertions. Earlier, on 20th October 2018, BepiColombo started its 7-year long journey to the
Solar System’s innermost planet from an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French
Guiana. Since launch, BepiColombo has already covered over 450 million km – just about 4% of the total
distance it will have to travel before arrivingmahesh
at |Mercury at the end of 2025. The composite spacecraft is
amahesh.2019@gmail.com |
now some 50 million km from Earth, and tele-commands take about 3 minutes to reach it.
118. Which former army chief has been appointed as India’s new high commissioner to Seychelles?
[A] Dalbir Singh
[B] Bikram Singh
[C] Joginder Jaswant Singh
[D] Deepak Kapoor
Correct Answer: A [Dalbir Singh]
Notes:
General (Retd.) Dalbir Singh Suhag has been appointed as India’s new high commissioner to the Republic
of Seychelles. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly. His appointment comes amid deepening
military ties between India and the island nation. Incidentally, Suhag was the chief of army staff when
India conducted surgical raids across the Line of Control into Pakistan-administered Kashmir in 2016
after the terrorist attack on an Indian army camp in Uri. Seychelles is strategically important to India as
New Delhi is developing Assumption Island as a naval base to expand its footprint in the strategically-
key region where China has been trying to enhance its military presence.
119. Where is the headquarters of Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB)?
[A] Hyderabad
[B] New Delhi
[C] Kolkata
[D] Chennai
Correct Answer: A [Hyderabad]
Notes:
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has decided to fund the Centre for Cellular and Molecular
Biology (CCMB) and the National Research Centre on Meat (NRCM) for research on cell-based meat,
which can also be called clean meat or cultured meat. It is nutritionally equivalent to conventional meat,
and tastes, smells, looks and feels exactly like real meat. The only difference lies in the method of
production. The advantage of cell-based meat is that animals won’t be slaughtered. Rather than raising
livestock and slaughtering them for meat, cell-based meat is produced through ‘cellular agriculture’,
with animal cells being cultivated into meat. This new method of producing meat shows strong promise
of revolutionising the food system in terms of tackling pressing global issues such as food security,
environmental sustainability and animal welfare. the headquarters of CCMB is located at Hyderabad,
Telangana.
120. Which of the following heritage sites is the motif of greenish-yellow Rs 20 denomination

banknotes?
[A] Ellora Caves
[B] Borra Caves
[C] Barabar Caves
[D] Elephanta Caves
Correct Answer: A [Ellora Caves]
Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recently announced that it will shortly issue Rs 20 denomination
banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series. The new denomination has motif of Ellora Caves on the
reverse that depicts the country’s cultural heritage. It also contains a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi at the
centre, with micro letters ‘RBI’, ‘Bharat’, ‘India’ and ’20’, along with a guarantee clause, Governor’s
signature with Promise Clause and RBI emblem towards the right of Gandhi’s portrait. On the right side
of the portrait are — an Ashoka Pillar emblem and electrotype (20) watermarks. The base colour of the
note is Greenish Yellow. It will bear the signature of RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das. The dimension of
the new Rs 20 note will be 63 mm x 129 mm. All the banknotes in the denomination of Rs 20 issued by
the RBI in the earlier series will continue to be legal tender.
121. Which Indian defense organization has signed pact with NHPC for construction of tunnels on
China & Pakistan borders?
[A] BSF
[B] Indian Army
[C] Indian Coast Guard
[D] ITBP
Correct Answer: B [Indian Army]
Notes:
Indian Army signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with National Hydroelectric Power
Corporation (NHPC) to construct four underground tunnels for storage of ammunition along the China
and Pakistan border. This is a pilot project and the tunnels are expected to be completed within two
years. The cost of the pilot project is around Rs 15 crore. At Under the pilot project, three tunnels will be
built on China border while one will be built along the Line of Control with Pakistan. The project is
meant to bolster the Indian Army’s capabilities along the Chinese border where India’s infrastructural
development is far outpaced by that of China. Besides strengthening the defensive capabilities, the
tunnels will protect the ammunition and other stored equipment from the air-strikes and detection by
the enemy satellite. present, ammunition dumps are mostly over-ground and could be targeted by the
enemies and their spies.
122. Who is the head of the CPWD committee to formulate design policy for building
construction?
[A] M K Sharma
[B] S C Khuntia
[C] Mayur Srivastava
[D] Manoj Kapoor
Correct Answer: A [M K Sharma]
Notes:
The Central Works Public Department (CPWD) has constituted an expert committee to formulate a
design policy for building construction and infrastructure development. The committee, under the
chairmanship of CPWD’s Additional Director General M K Sharma, is aimed at reviving building
construction and infrastructure development at all levels in the CPWD which comes under the Housing
and Urban Affairs Ministry. The committee has been asked to submit its report to Director General
Prabhakar Singh within 30 days. The CPWD is the largest construction agency of the central
government. It constructs most of the government’s buildings across the country, erects fences on the
country’s international borders, among others. The agency also carries out projects in foreign countries
under friendship programmes with India.
123. Rama Sengupta Paul, who passed away recently, was the veteran personality in which field?

[A] Arts
[B] Journalism
[C] Mountaineering
[D] Poetry
Correct Answer: C [Mountaineering]
Notes:
Rama Sengupta Paul (66), the Veteran lady mountaineer, has passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal. She
led the first successful all-women expedition to Kedarnath Dome in Garhwal Himalaya which was
organized by city-based Himalayan Association to commemorate the International Year of Women in
1975.
124. Puranik Yogendra, who has become the first ethnic Indian to contest and win an election in
Japan, is from which of the following Indian cities?
[A] Patna
[B] Udaipur
[C] Pune
[D] New Delhi
Correct Answer: C [Pune]
Notes:
Puranik Yogendra (or Yogi) from Pune has become the first ethnic Indian to contest and win an election
in Japan. He has been elected to Edogawa Ward assembly of Tokyo. Hence, this is the first-ever victory of
a naturalized Japanese of Indian origin in elections in Japan. Yogi went to Japan to pursue higher
studies in 1997 and worked with various IT companies there. He lived there for 20 years and has been
the resident of Edogawa for 15 years. Puranik believes that his ties with his adopted home were
strengthened after Japan went through earthquake and tsunami in 2011 and he came to know more
about the country when would visit the affected area on weekends to help the people affected due to two
calamities. Soon after, he obtained Japanese citizenship and came to enter politics; he was fielded by the
Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) of Japan in the recent polls.
125. Who is the head of the IRDA committee to review microinsurance framework?
[A] C K Khanna
[B] Manoj Muntashir
[C] Suresh Mathur
[D] Shekhar Gupta
Correct Answer: C [Suresh Mathur]
Notes:
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has recently constituted a 13-
member Committee to review the regulatory framework on microinsurance and recommend measures
to increase the demand for such products. . The committee, under the chairmanship of IRDAI Executive
Director Suresh Mathur, has been tasked with suggesting product designs with customer-friendly
underwriting, including easy premium payment methods and simple claims settlement procedures. The
committee has representatives from life, general and health insurance companies in the public and
private sectors.
126. Which country has recently pledged £4 million to support Modern Slavery Innovation Fund
(MSIF)?
[A] United States
[B] India
[C] Britain
[D] Japan
Correct Answer: C [Britain ]
Notes:
The Modern Slavery Innovation Fund (MSIF) supports international projects to trial innovative ways of

stopping modern slavery, It is in news recently because Britain has pledged £4 million to support global
anti-slavery projects. Six organizations – Anti-Slavery International and the United Nations University,
Stronger Together, The Freedom Fund , Retrak and Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) – will share the aid
money from MSIF. The funding will also be used to run workshops on modern slavery in South Africa,
improve support for survivors in India, and develop an online data hub to boost anti-slavery policies. The
MSIF was announced in 2016 and previously gave £6 million to schemes such as awareness-raising
campaigns in Nigeria, the Philippines and Vietnam. The Freedom Fund will work in India and Nepal to
enhance victim care of frontline workers.
127. Which International organisation has announced that Qatar will officially abolish its
controversial exit visa system for all foreign workers by the end of 2019?
[A] ILO
[B] UNIDO
[C] UNESCO
[D] WHO
Correct Answer: A [ILO]
Notes:
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has recently announced that Qatar will officially abolish its
controversial exit visa system for all foreignmahesh
workers by the end of 2019. It must be noted that Qatar has
introduced a series of labour reforms since its selection as the 2022 World Cup host, with the event
setting in motion a huge construction programme employing foreign workers. In September 2018, Qatar
approved legislation to scrap the “kafala”, or sponsorship, system which required that foreign workers
obtain permission from their employers to leave the country. In February 2019, Qatar said it was
committed to labour reform following an Amnesty International report that the 2022 World Cup host
was failing to stop widespread labour abuse. As part of its pledge to reform the labour section, Qatar has
also introduced a monthly minimum wage of 750 riyals ($206) and agreed to work closely with the ILO,
which now has an office in the capital.
128. MERA India has been launched to eliminate malaria from India by which year?
[A] 2025
[B] 2030
[C] 2022
[D] 2028
Correct Answer: B [2030]
Notes:
The Indian Council of Medical Research has launched the ‘Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA)
India’ to eliminate malaria from India by 2030. The initiative is a conglomeration of partners working on
malaria control. The principal activity of the alliance is to prioritise, plan, conduct, scale up and translate
relevant research in a coordinated and combinatorial way in order to have a tangible impact of this
research on the population at risk for malaria. The MERA India does not intend to duplicate
international efforts rather complement this on a national scale while contributing to the broader global
agenda. The alliance will facilitate trans-institutional coordination and collaboration around a shared
research agenda which responds not only to programmatic challenges and addresses gaps in available
tools but also pro actively contributes to targeted research. It aims to harness and reinforce research in
coordinated and combinatorial ways in order to achieve tangible impact on malaria elimination.
129. Who of the following has/ have secured 2020 Tokyo Olympic quota?
[A] Divyansh Singh Panwar
[B] Apurvi Chandela
[C] Abhishek Verma
Correct Answer: D [All of the above]
Notes:
In shooting, Abhishek Verma secured India’s fifth Olympic quota place by winning the 10m air pistol
gold medal at the ISSF World Cup at Beijing, China on April 27, 2019. He clinched the top spot with a
total score of 242.7. This is India’s fifth 2020 Tokyo Olympic quota after Anjum Moudgil and Apurvi
97
Chandela (10m air rifle women), Saurabh Choudhary (10m Air Pistol men) and Divyansh Singh Panwar
had secured berths.
130. Who is the author of the “Politics of Jugaad: The Coalition Handbook”?
[A] Saba Naqvi
[B] Madhu Trehan
[C] Shereen Bhan
[D] Patricia Mukhim
Correct Answer: A [Saba Naqvi]
Notes:
The “Politics of Jugaad: The Coalition Handbook” has been authored by journalist Saba Naqvi. In it, the
author examined the possibility of a coalition government after 2019 Lok Sabha polls. It traces the
history of political alliances in the country taking into account their performance on economic and and
social policies, among others. The book also makes a study of the Congress’ “tryst with dynasty” with
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra taking a plunge into active politics for the party helmed by her brother Rahul
Gandhi.
131. The Belt and Road Forum (BRF – 2019) was recently held in which of the following Chinese
cities?
[A] Tianjin
[B] Shanghai
[C] Beijing
[D] Hangzhou
Correct Answer: C [Beijing ]
Notes:
In China, the 2nd edition of Belt and Road Forum (BRF – 2019) was officially held in Beijing with theme
“Belt and Road Cooperation: Shaping a Brighter Shared Future”. In it, 37 heads-of-state and 159 countries
had participated along with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and International
Monetary Chief (IMF) Christine Lagarde. The BRF is part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The aim of
BRI is to reinvent the ancient Silk Road to connect Asia to Europe and Africa through massive
investments in maritime, road and rail projects. The initiative offers to bring much-needed modern
infrastructure to developing countries, but critics say it mainly favours Chinese companies while
saddling nations with debt and causing environmental damage. The idea of BRI was first proposed by
Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013. The BRI (or yi dai yi lu) is made up of a “belt” of overland routes and
a maritime “road” connecting Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe and Africa.
132. Who will become the first Indian wrestler to fight at the iconic Madison Square Garden in
New York?
[A] Ravinder Singh
[B] Bajrang Punia
[C] Pawan Kumar
[D] Sangram Singh
Correct Answer: B [Bajrang Punia]
Notes:
Bajrang Punia is set to become the first Indian wrestler to fight at iconic Madison Square Garden in New
York. Punia, who won the 65kg men’s freestyle gold at the recent 2019 Asian championships, will be
among top wrestlers selected by the American governing body for the May 6 tournament. Bajrang will
take on two-time US champion Yianni Diakomihalis in the 65kg category in the “Grapple at the Garden”
Beat the Streets event, which since 2010 has become a major showcase for international wrestling.
133. Which IIT has developed an easy OCR system for reading Bharti script?
[A] IIT Delhi
[B] IIT Kanpur
[C] IIT Madras

[D] IIT Bombay

Correct Answer: C [IIT Madras]
Notes:
Dr. Srinivasa Chakravathy and his team at IIT Madras has developed a unified script for nine Indian
languages, named the Bharati script. The team has developed a method for reading documents in
Bharati script using a multi-lingual Optical Character Recognition (OCR) scheme. The team has also
created a finger-spelling method that can be used to generate a sign language for hearing-impaired
persons. In collaboration with TCS Mumbai, the researchers have found a way for persons with hearing
disability to generate signatures using this finger-spelling technique. The scripts that have been
integrated include Devnagari, Bengali, Gurmukhi, Gujarati, Oriya, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and
Tamil. Here, it must be noted that Urdu and English alphabet systems have a very different phonetic
organisation. But that does not mean a mapping is not possible. It is quite possible and can be done.
134. On which date, the 2019 World Day For Safety And Health At Work is observed recently?
[A] April 28
[B] April 30
[C] April 29
[D] April 27
Correct Answer: A [April 28] mahesh | amahesh.2019@gmail.com |
Notes:
The World Day For Safety And Health At Work is observed every year on 28th of April by the
International Labour Organization (ILO) to promote safe, healthy and decent work. The day marks the
need and awareness of a safe and healthy environment at the workplace. All of us spend most of our day
at our workplaces and it is a necessity that our workplace is safe and secure, and we feel healthy and
happy while we are there. It is both the duty of the management and the employees to make sure the
best of conditions and environment are provided to the employees to make sure their productivity is
always on the rise, and they are healthy throughout the year.
135. The researchers at which Indian university have developed an ultrasensitive quantum
thermometer?
[A] Osmania University
[B] Aligarh Muslim University
[C] Jamia Millia Islamia
[D] Azim Premji University
Correct Answer: C [Jamia Millia Islamia ]
Notes:
The researchers at Jamia Millia Islamia (New Delhi) have developed an ultrasensitive quantum
thermometer using graphene quantum dots. The thermometer can precisely measure a wide range of
temperature: 27 degree C to –196 degree C. It has high sensitivity when measuring different
temperatures and can measure very minute (micro Kelvin) changes in temperature. It showed extremely
quick response time of just about 300 milliseconds to register a change in temperature from 27 degree C
to –196 degree C. And, the time taken to return to its initial temperature value was as little as about 800
milliseconds. It also showed excellent repeatability with negligible variation in sensing response when
tested for over 50 cycles during a one-year period. The thermometer is developed by a team led by Prof.
Saikh S. Islam, Director of the Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. The results of the study
were published in the journal Nanoscale Advances.
136. The first-ever International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace has recently
observed on which date?
[A] April 30
[B] April 28
[C] April 26
[D] April 24
Notes:
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has officially celebrated the first-ever International Day
of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace on 24th April 2019 for the international observance. The day
is a reaffirmation of the UN Charter and its principles of resolving disputes among countries through
peaceful means. It acknowledges the use of multilateral decision-making and diplomacy in achieving
peaceful resolutions to conflicts among nations.
137. Who is the head of the committee to review the Economic Capital Framework (ECF) for the
RBI?
[A] Subhash Chandra Garg
[B] Hasmukh Adhia
[C] Rajiv Mehrishi
[D] Bimal Jalan
Correct Answer: D [Bimal Jalan]
Notes:
The six-member expert committee led by former RBI governor Bimal Jalan was appointed on December
26, 2018 to review the Economic Capital Framework (ECF) for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). It is in
news recently because the Jalan panel is likely to submit its report by June 2019. The panel is expected
to spell out details regarding how the RBI should handle its reserves and whether it can transfer its
surplus to the government. The report is also expected to detail the amount the central bank should
transfer to the government. The terms of reference of the committee would be to review status, need
and justification of various provisions, reserves and buffers presently provided for by the RBI. The
committee will also review best practices followed by the central banks globally in making assessment
and provisions for risks, to which central bank balance sheets are subjected.
138. Who clinched the 2019 men’s singles title at the Barcelona Open Tennis tournament?
[A] Dominic Thiem
[B] Rafael Nadal
[C] Alexander Zverev
[D] Daniil Medvedev
Correct Answer: A [Dominic Thiem]
Notes:
Dominic Thiem clinched the 2019 men’s singles title at the Barcelona Open Tennis tournament. In the
final, he defeated Daniil Medvedev by 6-4, 6-0 at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain.
With this feat, Thiem has become the first Austrian to take the Barcelona title since Thomas Muster in
1996.
139. Which of the following cricketers has been recommended for 2019 Arjuna Award?
[A] Virat Kohli
[B] Yuzvendra Chahal
[C] Poonam Yadav
[D] Mithali Raj
Correct Answer: C [Poonam Yadav]
Notes:
The BCCI recommended Indian pacers Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, all-rounder Ravindra
Jadeja and women’s team spinner Poonam Yadav for the 2019 Arjuna award. The decision was taken
during a meeting of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) in New Delhi.
Bumrah is currently playing in the IPL for Mumbai Indians (MI). He is a regular across all three formats
of cricket for the country. He will be spearheading India’s campaign in the upcoming World Cup in the
UK. Pacer Shami has been a crucial cog in the Indian bowling set up. All-rounder Jadeja has also made a
comeback in the limited overs team and has been named in the 15-member squad for the World Cup. The
27-year-old leg-spinner, Poonam, is the fourth name to be nominated for the coveted award. She has
picked up 63 wickets from 41 ODIs and 74 wickets from 54 T20 games.
140. Alfred Brownell, who won the 2019 Goldman Environmental Prize, is from which country?
[A] Italy
100
[B] Mongolia
[C] Chile
[D] Liberia
Correct Answer: D [Liberia]
Notes:
Alfred Brownell from Liberia, an environmental lawyer and activist, has been awarded the prestigious
2019 Goldman Environmental Prize for exposing alleged abuse by the palm oil company Golden
Veroleum Liberia and helping to prevent it from converting about 50 km2 of forest that is home to
elephants, pygmy hippopotamuses and chimpanzees into palm oil plantations. The other winners of the
top environment prize are: Linda Garcia of Vancouver, Ana Colovic Lesoska of North Macedonia,
Bayarjargal Agvaantseren of Mongolia, Jacqueline Evans of the Cook Islands and Alberto Curamil of
Chile. The Goldman Environment Prize is awarded annually to six grassroots activists from six different
continents who have taken action and risked their lives to protect the planet.

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News Headlines: April 1-15, 2019

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India-Australia naval exercise AUSINDEX-19 begins at Visakhapatnam

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2018 Espn India Multi-Sport Awards

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Current Affairs – News Headlines: April 13-14, 2019

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counter terrorism financing and to share information on their investigations.

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“Least Concern” to “Vulnerable” by IUCN.

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payload platform carrying three experimental payloads:

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What did the old criteria say?

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same time as Japan.

parking through state-of-the-art equipment, including cameras and automated challans.

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2018 collection of Rs 92,167 crore.

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six-month low in March, reflecting a loss of growth momentum.

air pollution in 2017.

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International Centre for Automotive Technology, Manesar

the entire country, forcing Mr Hadi to flee abroad in March 2015.

Comeback of the Year – Saina Nehwal (Badminton)

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wholly implemented due to disagreements with the Tobruk-based parliament.

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2019 Malaysian Open Badminton

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CRPF celebrates 54th Valour Day

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April 14, 2019

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