CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2018

GOVERNMENT

1. DigiYatra is the name of a new facial recognition biometric based digital

program aimed at making the experience of air travel easy right from
booking a ticket; going through security and boarding the aircraft. (The
biometric facial recognition system has already been tried in some of the
major airports in the world such as Heathrow and Los Angles). It would
also enable a passenger to share his experience and give feedback to the
airlines. The system is based on four pillars: Connected passengers,
connected airports, connected flying and connected systems. The
program has been developed under the aegis of the Ministry of Civil
Aviation and initially would be implemented in a few airports in the
country namely, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Varanasi and
Vijayawada. It would require a passenger to enrol into the program
through the AirSewa app which would grant access through an electronic
gate and facilitate the walk through security scanners. The primary
objective is to reduce queues at the airport particularly when the civil
aviation sector is growing every year. From 14 million passengers in 2001
to 140 million passengers in 2017. India is now the third largest aviation
market in the world.
2. India imports almost 80 per cent of its petroleum and natural gas leading
to an outflow of foreign exchange which adversely impacts on its Current
Account Deficit. Dependence on fossil fuels is also responsible for large
scale emissions and under the climate change conventions India has
committed to switch to greener fuels such as solar and wind energy. To
this end the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has launched SATAT
or the Sustainable Alternative towards Affordable Transportation. The
initiative is targeted at private enterprise setting up Compressed Bio-Gas
production plants across the country and making alternative fuel
available. The basic objective is to make more affordable alternative fuel
available. A side impact would be the utilization of agricultural residue
(which would also reduce burning of agricultural residue which causes air
pollution in North India in winter) and cattle dung, adding to the income
of farmers and disposal of municipal solid waste. Compressed bio-gas is
similar in composition to natural gas and has the same energy potential.
It is estimated that given the extent of availability of bio-mass in the
 country compressed bio-gas has the potential of providing alternative fuel
for various uses – automotive, industrial and commercial in the future.
The CBG produced by private entrepreneurs would be transported
through cylinders and would be dispensed through the existing network
of CNG stations in the country. The entrepreneurs would also benefit from
the use of and marketing of by-products such as bio-manure. The pricing
of this compressed bio-gas is still being worked out. The government has
also announced the GOBAR DHAN (Galvanising Organic Bio-Agro
Resources) scheme with the aim of converting cattle dung and solid waste
in farms to CBG and compost and would be providing financial aid for the
same. In the ultimate the CBG could be integrated with the city gas
distribution networks to boost supplies to domestic users.

3. Given the fact that India is one of the fastest growing economies in the
world, the government is working to strengthen the Competition Act 2002
and make sure that it is in line with the best practices worldwide and will
encourage investment into the country as also accelerate the economic
development in the country. A Competition Law Review Committee to
review the Competition Act has been constituted under the chairmanship
of the Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs with eight members. The
Committee will study the Act and recommend the changes required
keeping in mind the changing business environment and the need to
make sure that there is no overlap of other institutional mechanisms and
regulatory regimes with the Act. The Committee will also study
international best practices including anti-trust laws, merger guidelines
and cross border competition issues.

4. Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary will be celebrated in 2019. In

this regard the Ministry of External Affairs has launched the “India for
Humanity Initiative’ to honour the Father of the Nation his compassion
and caring and service to humanity. For this initiative the Ministry is
collaborating with the Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti to
provide artificial limb fitment camps over the globe for a period of one
year enabling people to regain their mobility and dignity and become
productive members of society. Initially the initiative will be launched in
12 identified countries and would be extended in partnership with other
interested countries.
5. The National Security Council (NSC) (which advises the Prime Minister
on matters of national security and economic strategies) is assisted by
the Strategic Policy Group (SPG) to strategize on matters dealing with
 both internal security and economic security. The SPG was
constituted in 1999 and was chaired by the Cabinet Secretary. Now,
by a notification the National Security Advisor, Shri Ajit Doval, has
been made the chairperson of the SPG which would now also
undertake review of defence strategy for the country. The SPG would
be the principal body for inter-ministerial coordination on defense
and security measures, specially in times of emergencies.
6. In its endeavour to make its young population skilled, thereby reaping the
benefit of India’s demographic dividend, the central government has been
taking several initiatives. One such is the proposed merger of two
institutions in the skills space, namely National Council for Vocational
Training (NCVT) {in existence for around forty years} and the National Skill
Development Agency (NSDA) {established in 2013} into the National
Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET). It was felt
necessary to have a single entity which would provide regulatory
oversight to training as there were various institutions offering training
programmes with varying standards. NCVET would be the single
institution to regulate the functioning of all institutes in the vocational
training and vocational education space and set minimum standards for
the functioning of such institutions. It would provide recognition, approve
qualifications, set syllabuses, conduct research and disseminate
information and redress grievances. The merger is expected to improve
quality and market relevance of the vocational education and training
programmes (a large number of which are run by the private sector) and
increase the availability of skilled manpower in the country. NCVET would
utilise the manpower of the existing institutions and would set up a
structure which would also have domain experts, industry representatives
and members from the academia.
7. The central government is proposing to introduce amendments to the
Electricity Act, 2003 in order to increase capacity in renewable energy
as also to provide quality power. It may be recalled that the Electricity
Act 2003 had restructured the sector: Regulatory Commissions
commenced to regulate tariff and issue licenses and State Electricity
Boards were distributed into separate entities to manage generation,
transmission and distribution. The draft amendments proposed now in
the Act of 2003 are: It would be obligatory for the power distribution
company to supply power 24 x 7. Failure to do would attract penalty,
 monetary or revocation of license, which would be imposed by the State
Regulatory Commission; any violation of Power Purchase Agreements
(PPAs) would be viewed seriously and would attract penalty of up to Rs.
One crore per day or suspension and cancellation of license. This has been
incorporated as it has been found that state governments were cancelling
PPAs citing high cost or lack of funds. Distribution companies which
renege on their purchase agreements would also be acted against. In the
case of reneging on renewable-power purchase obligations, the penalty
would be Rs. 1-5 per unit; Cross subsidies (higher tariffs are charged from
industrial and commercial consumers to subsidise domestic and
agricultural consumers) within a distribution area shall not exceed 20 per
cent and shall be reduced every year to be eliminated within three years;
Three levels of committees will be constituted to ensure efficient,
economical and integrated transmission and supply of electricity. The
constitution of the committees would also undergo a change.
8. India had notified the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) in 2016.
Given that the Indian economy is one of the fastest growing in the world
and Indian businesses and creditors frequently transact business not only
in India but in other jurisdictions, as also foreign companies are
increasingly seeking to invest in India, it was felt that there was a need to
include “cross-border insolvency” in the IBC. An Insolvency Law
Committee set up to go into this question has recommended the adoption
of the UNCITRAL (United Nations Commission on International Trade Law)
Model Law of Cross Border Insolvency 1997 (currently adopted in 44
countries) which addresses cross border insolvency issues. This model law
deals with the following:

Direct access to foreign insolvency professionals and foreign creditors to

participate in or commence domestic insolvency proceedings against a
defaulting debtor.

Recognition of foreign proceedings & provision of remedies.

Cooperation between domestic and foreign courts & domestic and

foreign insolvency practioners.
 Coordination between two or more concurrent insolvency proceedings in
different countries. The main proceeding is determined by the concept of
centre of main interest (COMI).

9. The Indian Railways has announced plans to (i) connect Ladakh to the rest
of the country. The nearest railway station to Ladakh currently is the
Jammu Tawi station at a distance of approximately 700 km from Ladakh.
The all-weather rail line will run from Bilaspur via Mandi, Kullu to Leh for
a distance of almost 500 kilometres and will cost approximately Rs. 50,000
crores. The railway line will run along the India China border and is of
strategic importance. It will also boost tourism in the area. (ii) To connect
Leh with Srinagar with a railway line which will pass though the Zoji La
pass (11,500 feet approximately) and Kargil.

10.The turmoil in the Central Bureau of Investigation has drawn attention to

the functioning of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). The
Commission was formed in 1964, on the recommendations of the
Committee on Prevention of Corruption, headed by Shri K. Santhanam. It
is an autonomous body responsible for monitoring all vigilance activities
under the central government and inquiring into offences committed,
under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, by public servants of the
central government, corporations established under any Central Act,
Government Companies, societies and local authorities owned or
controlled by the Central government. It can take up investigations into
corruption cases against government officials after obtaining approval of
the central government. The appointment of the Central Vigilance
Commissioner and the Vigilance Commissioners is done by the President
of India on the recommendation of a committee comprising the Prime
Minister, Home Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok
Sabha. The CVC supervises the functioning of the Delhi Special Police
Establishment which is the Central Bureau of Investigation and is
mandated to give directions as also to review the progress of
investigations conducted under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The
CVC also chairs a committee, which includes the Home Secretary and the
Secretary Department of Personnel as members, to recommend the name
of the Director of the CBI to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
 This committee, in consultation with the Director CBI, recommends
appointment of officers of the level of SP and above to the CBI.

INTERNATIONAL

11.The Indian Ocean Rim Association includes India, Australia, Iran IR,
Indonesia Thailand, Malaysia, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Sri
Lanka, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Singapore, Mauritius, Madagascar, UAE,
Yemen, Seychelles, Somalia, Comoros and Oman. Some of the countries
such as Seychelles, Bangladesh and Mauritius are most vulnerable to
climate change. With every increase in sea levels these island nations and
others with extensive coastlines are threatened by disasters. The
Association (IORA) which was set up to strength regional cooperation and
sustainable development within the Indian Ocean Region recently held its
second Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting in Delhi. IORA adopted the
Delhi Declaration on Renewable Energy in the Indian Ocean Region, which
calls for collaboration among IORA member states in meeting the growing
demand for renewable energy in the Indian Ocean littorals, development
of a common renewable energy agenda for the Indian Ocean region and
promote regional capacity building. It also calls for promotion,
development and transfer of technologies among the member nations
and greater collaboration with the members of the International Solar
Alliance in areas such as research and development and exchange of best
practices. Member countries would also collaborate with the
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to expand the Global
Renewable Energy Atlas and create a comprehensive database for the
Indian Ocean region to enable an understanding and reach to the
considerable renewable energy potential of the region.
12.India and Russia have signed an agreement whereby which Russia would
supply five S-400 long range surface to air missiles (Triumf) to India,
deliveries of which would begin in 2020. At Rs. 40,300 crores
approximately this is one of the biggest defence deals signed by India. The
deal is of advantage to India as it will only have to pay 15% of the
contracted amount immediately as an advance possibly through the
rupee rouble mechanism which is used for trade between the two
countries. A major worry is the fact that USA has, under CAATSA, imposed
sanctions against Russia which means that no country can do business
with Russia without a retaliation from the US. US has recently sanctioned
China which has also bought the S-400 missiles from Russia. India, in this
 case, had to take a calculated risk for strategic reasons. The power of
granting waivers from the sanctions is with the President of the USA.
13.President Trump has announced withdrawal from the 1987 Intermediate-
range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with Russia. The Treaty had banned the
ground launch of certain nuclear missiles with short and medium ranges,
between 500 to 5,500 kilometres except sea-launched weapons. US
representatives have indicated that Russia had violated the Treaty with
the development and deployment of a new cruise missile known as
Novator 9M729. The treaty also threatens US’s strategic plans on the
expansion of China’s presence in the Indian Ocean and the South China
Sea (with China developing new missiles). The withdrawal from the INF
and the expiration of the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty)
with Russia in 2021 would effectively mean that he world would be left
without any control on the nuclear weapon arsenal of states since the INF
banned both US and Russia from deploying these missiles anywhere in the
world including Europe, if US stations its missiles now anywhere, specially
Europe it would bring forth retaliation by Russia, perhaps signalling a re-
start to the “Arms Race” of the “Cold War” era.

ENVIRONMENT

14.The endangered Gangetic river dolphin (the Indian national aquatic

animal), found only in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, will finally have a
Research Centre, the National Dolphin Research Centre in Patna, Bihar.
(Bihar has almost half the total population of the Gangetic Dolphin, the
only dolphin sanctuary in the country the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin
Sanctuary is also located in the state, at Bhagalpur). This institute is
expected to play a stellar role in research on and conservation of the
Gangetic Dolphin, one of the four freshwater dolphin species in the world.
The health of the rivers eco-system is determined by the population of
dolphins whose numbers are reducing at an alarming rate. The Dolphin is
now an endangered species, identified as such by the International Union
for Conservation of Nature, as its natural habitat the River Ganga has seen
reduced flows due to the construction of dams and diversion of water for
irrigation, excessive siltation, killed due to accidents with mechanical
boats and heavy pollution. The Gangetic Dolphin is also poached for its
flesh and fat. The food chain in the river has consequently been disturbed
 and there is a reduction in the earlier abundant supply of fish in the river
to sustain them.
15. Gir forests in Gujarat are home to the Asiatic Lions. Gir was in the news
due to the death of around 24 lions. It is not the first time that lions have
died in Gir. It is estimated that every year around 70-80 lions die due to
various reasons such as old age, falling and drowning in wells, in fighting,
infection, etc. It has been determined by the Indian Council for Medical
Research that the lions had died after they had contracted the Canine
Distemper Virus (CDV). CDV is a viral disease that impacts a large number
of wild animals including cats and dogs. The death of the lions has once
again fuelled the debate on the need to relocate some of the lions to
adjoining Madhya Pradesh as with increasing numbers in Gujarat, the
lions are losing their natural habitats and straying into populated areas.
16.Eurasian Otters, which are near threatened species in the IUCN red list,
have been recently discovered in Satpura Tiger Reserve and in the Kanha
Pench wildlife corridor. These otters are mostly found in Europe, northern
Africa and several South Asian countries and have been identified after
more than 70 years. These Eurasian Otters have added to the existing two
species in India, the smooth coated otter and the Asian small-clawed
otter. The natural habitat of the otters is flowing streams.
17.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has recently, in
Incheon, South Korea, released a new report (Global Warming of 1.5
degrees C) indicating that immediate and far reaching changes would
have to be undertaken, in the short term, to limit global warming to 1.5
degrees Celsius as limiting it to 2 degrees as envisaged in the Paris
Agreement may not be sufficient to provide a sustainable and equitable
society. The report has highlighted the difference in impacts if the rise in
temperatures are kept below 2 degrees Celsius and not 1.5 degrees
Celsius. Rise in sea levels would be higher, coral reefs would be
completely obliterated and the number of people affected by food
scarcity would be higher. The report also highlights the need for rapid
changes in the use of land, energy, buildings, transport and cities to
reduce global emissions if global warming was to be kept below 1.5
degrees Celsius. With the world being 1 degree Celsius warmer than pre-
industrial levels, has already led to unprecedented floods, droughts,
hurricanes, and rise in sea levels, forest fires and climate refugees. The
report emphasises that changes in the energy mix for industry and
transport, carbon sequestration and sucking CO2 from the atmosphere
 with technology and also large scale plantation of forests would help
reach the goal of an increase of only 1.5 degrees Celsius. Under the
funding mechanism of the UNFCC a Global Climate Fund has been
established which will help countries fund emission reducing initiatives to
achieve their Nationally Determined Contributions. The commitment
from the developed countries is a goal of US$ 100 billion annually by 2020.
18.With the air quality in the National Capital Region being determined as
‘severe’ attention has focussed on the role of the Environment Pollution
Control Authority (EPCA) which had been re-constituted by the
Government in October 2018. The EPCA had earlier been notified, under
the Environment (Protection Act), 1986, in 1998, by the Ministry of
Environment, Forests and Climate Change specifically to tackle the issue
of air pollution in Delhi. The objective of the EPCA was for ‘protecting and
improving’ the quality of the environment and ‘controlling environmental
pollution’ in the NCR. The Authority is comprised of a chairman and
twenty members. The introduction of CNG in the NCR, the ban imposed
on diesel vehicles in December 2015, no sales and registration of BS-III
vehicles after 1st April 2017 and now the insistence that the automobile
industry implements BS-IV norms immediately are all recommendations
of the Authority.
19.“Titli” is the name of the cyclone which caused immense damage in
Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and led to the evacuation of tens of
thousands of people particularly from the low lying villages. Naming a
cyclone makes it easier for communicating with the people, and
concerned agencies who have to understand the risks caused to life and
property by the cyclone so that they can work towards preparedness,
management and reduction in the impact. The name of a cyclone is
approved as is its category by the Director General of Meteorology who
has a criteria laid down: names should be short so that they can be easily
understood and broadcast, they should be neutral and culturally sensitive
and names are retired after use in India. The category of a cyclone is
determined by the speed of its winds and the extent of damage that is
expected.
20.The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change will, in 2019,
carry out the first National Environment Survey (NES) in the country, and
the primary data thus obtained will be available in 2020. The survey will
initially map environment data in 55 districts across 24 states and 3 Union
Territories and this will be scaled up to cover all the districts later. This will
form the basis for policy makers to take appropriate measures for the
protection and conservation of the environment and also action on
 mitigation of carbon emissions. The survey will be carried out through the
Ministry’s Environmental Information System, its hubs and its resource
partners across the country in a grid based approach each grid measuring
9x9 km. The survey will rank all the districts. It will collect all information
on environment parameters such as air, water, solid, hazardous and e-
waste, forest and wildlife, water bodies, flora and fauna etc. and consider
best green practices. The survey will also assess the carbon sequestration
potential of all the districts.

One of the reasons advanced for the poor quality of water in the River
Ganga is the fact that the river does not have an ecological or
environmental flow required to sustain the river, its associated flora and
fauna and the livelihoods of the local communities living along the
banks. Environmental flows are often defined in terms of the quantity,
quality and timing of water running through rivers and wetlands
ensuring that sediments are moved which maintain the form and the
function of the river; ground water is recharged; and flow of fresh water
prevents the ingress of saline water. Water of the river is often diverted
for irrigation, industrial and civic use, and the flow constricted by the
construction of dams in the upper reaches. For the first time a minimum
quantity of water has been mandated for various stretches of the river
by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (the upper stretches of the
Ganga — from its origins in the glaciers and until Haridwar — would
have to maintain: 20% of the monthly average flow of the preceding 10-
days between November and March, which is the dry season; 25% of the
average during the ‘lean season’ of October, April and May; and 30% of
monthly average during the monsoon months of June-September.
For the main stem of the Ganga — from Haridwar in Uttarakhand to
Unnao, Uttar Pradesh — the notification specifies minimum flow at
various barrages: Bhimgoda (Haridwar) must ensure a minimum of 36
cubic metres per second (cumecs) between October-May, and 57
cumecs in the monsoon; and the barrages at Bijnor, Narora and Kanpur
must maintain a minimum of 24 cumecs in the non-monsoon months of
October-May, and 48 cumecs during the monsoon months of June-
September).
 21.. The Central Water Commission is the authority which would collect the
data and submit it to the National Mission. It is now to be seen how the
National Mission will ensure the minimum flow. The Mission would need
to ensure proper governance in the extraction and use of water; discipline
the hydroelectric projects on the river and its tributaries to ensure that
the necessary modifications are made to ensure that water is not ponded
and is released into the river. The existing projects would be given a
moratorium of three years to comply with the norms, Mini and Micro
irrigation projects would be exempt. New norms for irrigation need to be
worked out and industry mandated to use recycled water from their
industrial units.

SPORTS

22.Weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga, 15 years old won a gold medal in the 62

kg weightlifting category in the Youth Olympics becoming the first Indian
to do so. Jeremy comes from a modest background but from a sporting
family. His father had been a known boxer who had won silver and gold
in the nationals. But due to his economic situation he had to take up a job
as a muster roll supervisor with the Public Works Department in the state.
23.A number of young Indian athletes have won laurels (ranked 17th in the
medals tally amongst 206 participating nations) in the recently concluded
Youth Olympic Games (introduced first in 2010) held in Buenos Aires,
Argentina. The next summer youth Olympics will be held in Senegal, Africa
in 2022. This is a multi-sporting event organized by the International
Olympic Committee. Along with the games cultural exchange programs
are also organized, the Culture and Education Program being an
important component of the Games. Not all sports contested in the main
Olympics find place in the Youth Olympics, these games are essentially on
a smaller scale. he cost of hosting the youth Olympics is shared between
the International Olympic Committee and the host city.

SNIPPETS

24.The renowned ‘Alphonso’ mango from five districts of Maharashtra,

Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Palghar, Thane and Raigadha, has been granted the
“GI” or Geographical Indication tag by the Geographical Indication
 Registry based in Chennai. The Registry was designated as such following
the recognition of GI in the TRIPS Agreement (Trade Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property) as part of the WTO arrangements. In 2004 it first
gave the GI tag to Darjeeling tea. The advantage of the GI tag is that it
defines the product as originating from a specific geographical region
which adds to the commercial value, and prevents other products from
claiming the same quantity – Baramati rice, for example was claimed even
by Pakistani exporters for their rice, till the GI protection kicked in. It is
also an assurance of quality associated with the area identified with it.
The GI tag is also useful for promotion and protection of the product, and
as a determinant for its price. Bestowing the GI tag on a product also
enhances its export potential.
25.The government of India provided relief to Indonesia under an operation,
code named Samudra Maitri when an earthquake and tsunami hit that
country in September 2018 killing around 1400 people and causing
extensive damage to property. Relief material including medicines and
medical personnel were air despatched to support the relief efforts in
Indonesia and three Indian navy ships were mobilized to join the relief
operations.
26.ASTRA is the name of the indigenously developed beyond visual range air-
to-air missile developed by Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO). The missile can be fitted on to the multi role combat
fighters of the Indian Air Force such as the Mirage 2000, MiGs 29 and 21,
and Tejas. The missile, claims DRDO, can operate in all kinds of weather
conditions, locate and track targets at different altitudes, is highly its
manoeuvrable and has the ability to undertake counter measures against
any attack by the enemy. The ASTRA missile system is somewhat similar
to the Meteor missile system on the Rafale fighter aircraft though the
latter has higher performance qualities. Incidentally, Tejas is an
indigenously manufactured fighter jet, classified as a Light Combat
Aircraft (LCA).
27.Almost 50 per cent of the total population of the country is under the age
of 30 and every year 10 million Indians are added to the job market.
Unfortunately, it has been found that a large number are unemployable.
The central government has laid great emphasis on skilling so that job
seekers can get the right jobs. To this end the country’s biggest Global Skill
Park, in collaboration with the Institute of Technical Education Services
Singapore (ITEES) will be set up in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh at a cost of Rs.
650 crores approximately. The Park, once ready, will provide training, to
 an annual intake of 1000 students, based on international training
methods and tools, have world class equipment and state of the art
classrooms and workshops.
28.The world’s largest dome (earlier it was St Peter’s Church dome at Vatican
City) is now found in India at the Maharashtra Institute of Technology,
Pune. It is a prayer hall which can accommodate 3500 people at one time.
It also includes a World Peace Library and statues of 54 leading
personalities including Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein and others. The
dome is 160 feet in diameter and 448 feet high.
29.Karnataka has become the first state in the country to have a law to
protect those good Samaritans who come to the aid of victims of road
accidents. The Supreme Court had asked all states to frame guidelines to
protect all those who came forward to help accident victims and take
them to hospitals. The government, after receiving the assent of the
President of India, has notified the Karnataka Good Samaritan and
Medical Professional (Protection and Regulation during Emergency
Situation) Act. It is hoped that with the promulgation of the new law
people will come forward to provide immediate assistance to an accident
victim without fear of criminal or civil proceedings against them. Currently
people are wary of helping accident victims as it may mean that they
would have to make frequent trips to a court or a police station and
people do not want to be harassed. No one can now compel a ‘good
Samaritan’ to act as a witness.
30.“Parakram Parv” is the name given to the Surgical Strike carried out by the
Indian Army to send a message to the countries adversaries that any
violence against the country would be retaliated against. The Second
anniversary of the surgical strike was celebrated in September 2018. This
is in line of the army tradition of celebrating victory in war such as Vijay
Diwas after the Kargil War, etc.
31.Sir Chhotu Ram was a Jat peasant leader from Haryana and co-founder of
the National Unionist Party which ruled Punjab in pre-independent India.
He had fought for the rights of farmers during British Rule in India and as
a member of the pre-partition Punjab Legislative Council was successful
in getting pro-farmers laws enacted. He was responsible for the Punjab
Regulation of Accounts Act 1930; the Punjab Debtors Protection Act of
1936 the Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act in 1939 and the Punjab
Relief of Indebtedness Act, 1934. The writ of money lenders was
controlled and relief provided to farmers. He was given the title of Rai
Bahadur and was knighted in 1937. He was educated in the English
medium at the Christian Mission School at Delhi (due to the philanthropy
 of Sir Chhaju Ram, a businessman) and went on to study at St. Stephens
in Delhi and obtained a degree in law from Agra College. He founded the
Jat Sabha and launched the Jat gazette in 1915. He was a member of the
Congress which he joined in 1916. He was instrumental in getting the jats
to join the British army in both the Ist World War as also the IInd World
War. He fought the elections in alliance with Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan and
won the general elections of 1936 becoming the Revenue Minister in a
coalition government. The farmers whose cause he espoused gave him
the titles of Deen Bandhu and Rahbar-e-Azam.
32.By elections for filling up three vacant Lok Sabha seats were held in
Karnataka whereas the same was not done for the vacancies in Andhra
Pradesh. This has been opposed by several parties. However, Section
151A of the Representation of People Act authorises the Election
Commission to fill casual vacancies in the Parliament and in the State
Legislatures by conducting by elections within a period of six months from
the time the vacancy occurred provided that there is a residuary period of
one year or more left. In the case of Karnataka the vacancies occurred in
May, whereas this is not the case in Andhra Pradesh where the vacancies
occurred on 20th June 2018. The next Lok Sabha elections will be held in
May 2019 as the term of the Lok Sabha will expire on 3rd June 2019. So
the residuary period for Andhra Pradesh was clearly less than a year.
33.9th October is observed as World Post Day to mark the anniversary of the
establishment of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1874 in Bern,
Switzerland. UPU is a United Nations agency with 192 member countries
and is the forum for cooperation amongst postal sector players in the
member countries. It is also the second oldest international organisation
after the International Telecommunication Union which was established
in 1965. UPU functions as a network of up-to-date postal products and
provides for growth in mail, financial and parcel services and
improvement in customer services.
34.“Dharma Guardian” is the name of a two week long joint military exercise
held for the first time in Mizoram, between the armies of India and Japan.
The objective of the exercise is to promote skills, particularly in the fight
against global terrorism between both the armies, as also to share
experiences and increase the interoperability between the two forces.
35.A Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) is used to locate and provide
assistance to submarines who have faced disaster at sea. The Indian Navy
has now added one DSRV to its fleet becoming a member of a select list
of international navies who have the DSRV.
36.A “Museum on Prime Ministers of India” will be established in part of the
25.50 acres of land in the Teen Murti Estate in Delhi. The museum will
depict the work and lives and contributions made by all past Prime
Ministers towards nation building. The objective is to “give visitors a
holistic understanding of the continued thread of leadership, initiatives
and sacrifice that have helped shape our nation since independence.”
Congress has criticised the move, as it would like the property to be
exclusively devoted to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, as the memorial and
Library were established in his memory.
37. The city of Allahabad will now be called ‘Prayagraj’. The name
Prayag had originally derived from a point in the city which is the
confluence of three rivers flowing across the state namely Ganga, Jumna
and the mythical Saraswati. It was Akbar who had named Prayag as
Illahabad in 1575 which in its anglicised version came to be known as
Allahabad. Renaming of cities and states is not a new phenomenon.
Earlier notable changes post British rule, have been the state of
Travancore-Cochin to Kerala, Orissa to Odisha, Madhya Bharat to
Madhya Pradesh, Pondicherry to Puducherry, Madras to Chennai and
Bombay to Mumbai.
38.Cannabis or Marijuana has been recently legalised for recreational
purposes in Canada. Medical marijuana has been legal in Canada since
2001. There are arguments for and against the use of marijuana. The
arguments for marijuana are that it will bring one of the largest cash crops
under the rule of law, provide economic opportunities in the formal sector
and free up resources, currently used for law enforcement, to be put to
better use besides providing new sources of tax revenue. Arguments
against marijuana is that it is addictive, expensive and detrimental to
health. A number of countries allow the use of marijuana for medical
purposes.
39.“Cord Blood Banks” are those which store the stem cell rich umbilical
cord blood to be used by the family later to treat life threatening diseases
such as certain types of cancers, metabolic disorders, diseases related to
the immune system and even perhaps be used in transplants. Medical
procedures using cord blood are constantly evolving and it is believed that
in future it could be used to treat cerebral palsy or even autism. If stored
 in a private bank, which charge high fees, the cord blood is reserved and
is not given to another family or donated for research. However if given
to a public bank, where the storage is free, then it can be given to a patient
who has compatible blood. India has both public and private umbilical
cord blood banks which are expected to maintain certain prescribed
quality standards. In India these banks have only been started in the last
few years and the use of cord blood to treat patients is in its infancy.
40. Dhola Sadiya Bridge, (known as Bhupen Hazarika Setu and connecting
Assam with Arunachal Pradesh), at 9.15 km in length, is currently the
longest bridge in the country. However, a new bridge, 19.3 kms long, has
been announced which will connect the states of Assam and Meghalaya
and will reduce the distance from 200km to only 20km. The bridge is
expected to be completed by 2026-27.
41.China has constructed the world’s longest sea bridge (55 kms) within a
span of nine years at a cost of US $ 20 billion. The bridge connects Hong
Kong to Macau and mainland China. In order to allow ships passage the
bridge merges into an undersea tunnel for a distance of 6.7 kms. The
bridge has been designed to withstand earthquakes and typhoons.
42.The dismissal by the President of India of a petition seeking to disqualify
27 MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party for holding an ‘office of profit’ as
chairpersons of patient welfare committees has drawn attention to the
legal provisions pertaining to the disqualification of MLAs under the Delhi
MLAs (Removal of Disqualification) Act, 1997 and also the general
provisions contained in the Constitution only if an MLA or an MP holds a
government office for which he receives a remuneration or other benefits
will it be acknowledged as an “office of profit” and then the said legislator
will be disqualified. (An MP or MLA can also be disqualified if he is of
unsound mind; is an undischarged insolvent; is not an Indian citizen, or in
cases of defection).
43.The Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly disqualified 18 MLAs of the
AIADMK under the anti-defection law. This action was upheld by the
Madras High Court. The anti-defection law has been provided for in the
10th Schedule to the Constitution and was added by the 52nd Amendment
in 1985. As per Articles 102(2) and 191(2) a MP or a MLA would be
disqualified if: (i) he/she voluntarily gives up membership of a political
 party; (ii) if he/she abstains from voting despite directions issued by the
chief whip of the party without obtaining the necessary permission; (iii)
independent members would be disqualified if they joined a political
party.
/@BJP4India

AWARDS

44.The 2018 Nobel Prize for Chemistry has been awarded to three scientists,
Frances Arnold, George Smith and Gregory Winter for their work in
harnessing evolution to produce new enzymes and antibodies. Half of the
prize money of US $ 1 million has been given to Frances Arnold “for the
directed evolution of enzymes” and the other half jointly to George Smith
and Gregory Winter "for the phage display of peptides and antibodies"
which uses directed evolution to produce pharmaceutically useful
enzymes which can be used for purposes that of greatest benefit to
mankind such as medicines for autoimmune diseases and metastatic
cancer. Frances Arnold became only the fifth woman to win the Nobel
Chemistry prize.
45.The Nobel Prize for Physics for 2018 has been won by Arthur Ashkin,
Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland for their path breaking inventions
in the field of laser physics. Arthur Ashkin has been awarded the prize for
his work on “the optical tweezers and their application to biological
systems” and Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland, “for their method
of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses.” Ashkin’s
discovery has led to the application of optical tweezers being used
widely to investigate the machinery of life. The other discovery, the
method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses has led
to corrective eye surgeries using sharpest of laser beams providing
relief to millions of people.
46.The Nobel Prize for Medicine for 2018 has been awarded jointly to James
Allison of the USA and Tasuku Honjo of Japan for their pioneering work in
the field of cancer. Both the Nobel Prize winners have identified two
different brakes (proteins) on the immune system (CTLA-4 by Allison and
PD-1 by Honjo) which when applied allow the body’s own immune system
(immunotherapy) to attack the cancer cells. This would allow patients
 fight the disease without taking recourse to chemotherapy which can be
debilitating and has several side effects. The treatment, using the body’s
own cells to fight the disease, is relatively new and can currently not be
used for all cancers. The pharmaceutical industry is also investing heavily
in research and some immunotherapy treatments have been approved
and are in use. Immunotherapy is now the most exciting field in oncology
and one that it is believed will eventually transform the way cancers are
treated.
47. The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded jointly to a Congolese
gynaecologist Denis Mukwege for his treatment of sexual assault victims
in the Congo and to Nadia Murad an Iraqi belonging to the Yazidi
community who was sold into sex slavery by ISIS. The award committee
said: “They have both put their own personal security at risk by
courageously combatting war crimes and securing justice for victims.” Dr.
Mukwege has dedicated his entire life in providing assistance to
thousands of women who have been the victims of sexual violence in the
Democratic Republic of Congo at the risk of his own life. Naida Murad was
enslaved by ISIS and was a sex slave till her escape. She is now a United
Nations Goodwill Ambassador and is also leading a global campaign to
end sexual violence as a weapon of war.
48.The 2018 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences (introduce in 1968, it was not
part of the original group of five awards determined by Alfred Nobel’s
Will) been jointly awarded to William Nordhaus, a Yale economist, and
Paul Romer, an economist at the University of New York. Nordhaus has
been trying for the past forty years to persuade governments to address
the issue of climate change by imposing a tax on carbon emissions (in
effect, polluters should pay for the damage they cause to the
environment and to public health). Romer has emphasised that
government policy is critical for technological innovation in the effort to
spur economic growth and information must be shared so that the
knowledge benefits millions of people. The Academy has stated - “This
year's Laureates do not deliver conclusive answers, but their findings have
brought us considerably closer to answering the question of how we can
achieve sustained and sustainable global economic growth,”
49.A national award has been announced by the central government in the
name of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on the occasion of the 75th
anniversary of the announcement on the formation of the Azad Hind
Government, India’s first independent government. The award will be
 given annually to “police personnel who do exemplary work while
rescuing and providing relief to people during the time of any disaster."
50.The Seoul Peace Prize Committee has announced that the Seoul Peace
Prize for 2018 (the 14th) will be conferred on the Prime Minister for his
efforts to improve international cooperation, global economic growth,
improving human development indices in India, economic growth in the
world’s fastest growing large economy and development of democracy
through anti-corruption and social integration efforts. The award
established in 1990 is given bi-annually to individuals who have
contributed to harmony of mankind and to world peace.
51.The Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony was instituted to commemorate
the 150 birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore in 2012, and is
conferred annually. It carries an award of Rs. 1 crore, a citation and a
plaque. The awardees are selected by a jury chaired by the Prime
Minister. The first recipient was Pt. Ravi Shankar. The awards for 2014,
2015 and 2016 are being conferred together. Sh. Rajkumar Singhajit
Singh (Manipur Dance, 2014); Chhayanaut (a cultural organization of
Bangladesh, 2015) and, Sh. Ram Vanji Sutar, (sculptor, who designed the
statue of Unity, 2016).
52.The United Nations prize for Human Rights in 2018 has been awarded to
late Asma Jahangir (Pakistan), Rebeca Gyumi (Tanzania) and Joenia
Wapichana (Brazil) and Front Line Defenders an Irish human rights group.
The award is given for outstanding achievements in the field of human
rights once every five years.

APPOINTMENTS

53.Justice Madan Lokur fas recently been appointed as Executive Chairman

of the National Legal Services Authority of India (NALSA) The Executive
Chairman is the second senior-most judge of the Supreme Court. An
alumnus of St. Stephens College and the Faculty of Law, Delhi University,
he was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2012. NALSA provides free
legal services to the disadvantaged sections of society and organises Lok
Adalats for early resolution of cases. The other objective is to reduce the
burden on the judiciary.
54.Gita Gopinath has been appointed as Chief Economist of the Research
Department of the International Monetary Fund (she is the second Indian
to hold the post after former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan). The
Research Department is responsible for publishing the World Economic
Outlook. Gita Gopinath was the John Zwaanstra Professor of International
Studies and of Economics at Harvard University and has held several
important positions on various banks and advisory groups. Her
specialisation is in international macroeconomics and trade.
55.Tushar Mehta is the new Solicitor General of India till 30th June 2020. The
post was vacant from October 2017 when the then Solicitor General,
Ranjit Kumar resigned. The post of Solicitor General (SG) is that of the
second highest ranking law officer of the government after the Attorney
General (AG) though, unlike the AG, SG is not a Constitutional post. .
56.Pravin Srivastava has been appointed as the Chief Statistician of India in
the Central Statistical Organisation which is responsible for coordinating
statistical activities in the country and keeping in touch with international
statistical bodies, preparing and publishing national accounts statistics.
The Chief Statistician also provides key macro-economic data like gross
domestic product (GDP) and retail inflation. The Chief Statistician also
supervises the economic census, the annual survey of industries, and
surveys on health, agricultural households, and consumption spending of
Indians.
57.The post of Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of
Child Rights has recently been filled with the appointment of Priyank
Kanoongo who was earlier a member of the Commission.