Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs 2018 by AffairsCloud PDF

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Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - January 2018
Tamil Nadu Government launches e-governance policy

On 2nd January 2018, Tamil Nadu Government launched an e-governance policy to help public,
government and commercial establishments avail all services through digital medium.
i. The e-Governance policy 2017 booklet was released by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K
Palaniswamy. It was received by Tamil Nadu IT Minister M Manikandan.
ii. The e-Governance policy contains guidelines for developing IT infrastructure for the digital
initiatives of the government.
iii. This policy lets the government allocate 0.5 % of the total funds in a financial year for digital
initiatives and further increase it to 3 % in the next five years.
Govt releases AISHE 2016-17, Tamil Nadu leads in Gross Enrolment Ratio
On January 5, 2018, Union Minister of Human Resource Development,
PrakashJavadekar released All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) report 2016-
2017.
Highlights of All India Survey on Higher Education (2016-2017):
As per the findings of the survey, overall enrolment in higher education institutions across India
has increased from 27.5 million in 2010-11 to 35.7 million in 2016-17.
• Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) has increased from 24.5% in 2015-16 to 25.2
in 2016-17.
• Gender Parity Index (GPI) too has improved from 0.86 to 0.94 .
• , Tamil Nadu topped in terms of Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education.
Tamil Nadu recorded 46.9% GER.
• Among Union territories, Chandigarh topped with 56.1% GER.
• Bihar posted lowest GER of 14.4%.
Trend of Gross Enrolment Ratio
(GER
Survey Period GER
2014-15 24.30%
2015-16 24.50%
2016-17 25.20%
171st Araadhanai Music Festival begins in Tamil Nadu

On 2nd January 2017, the 171st Araadhanai Music Festival started in Thiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu.
i. The Araadhanai Music Festival of musician Thyagaraja was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu
Governor BanwarilalPurohit. Thyagaraja is one of the Trinities of Carnatic music.
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ii. The highlight of the festival is choral singing of Thyagaraja’s 5 kritis in Ghana ragas. Around
1000 musicians from various countries are participating in this festival to pay homage to the
music saint Thyagaraja.
RS Puram police station in Tamil Nadu ranks India’s best police station
R.S. Puram Police station in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu has been adjudged as the best police
station in India in SMART Police Stations initiative of Union Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA).
i. R.S. Puram Police Station House Officer T. Jothi, received the award from Union Home Minister
Rajnath Singh on January 6, 2018 at the all India conference of Director General/Inspector
General of Police held at BSF Academy Tekanpur in Madhya Pradesh.
ii. Abbreviation SMART in SMART Police stands for S-Sensitive and Strict; M-Modern with mobility;
A- Alert and Accountable; R- Reliable and Responsive; T- Trained and Techno-savvy.
RS Puram police station in Tamil Nadu ranks India’s best police station
R.S. Puram Police station in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu has been adjudged as the best police
station in India in SMART Police Stations initiative of Union Ministry of
Home Affairs(MHA).
i. R.S. Puram Police Station House Officer T. Jothi, received the award from Union Home
Minister Rajnath Singh on January 6, 2018 at the all India conference of Director
General/Inspector General of Police held at BSF Academy Tekanpur in Madhya Pradesh.
ii. Abbreviation SMART in SMART Police stands for S-Sensitive and Strict; M-Modern with
mobility; A- Alert and Accountable; R- Reliable and Responsive; T- Trained and Techno-
savvy.
Coast Guards of India, Japan organised joint naval exercise

8th edition of biennial ‘National Maritime Search and Rescue Workshop and
Exercise’between ships and aircraft from the Indian and Japanese Coast Guards commenced on
January 16, 2018 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
i. During the course of this event, a workshop was held on January 16, 2018 and search and
rescue operations was conducted on January 17, 2018 in Bay of Bengal.
ii. Ships and aircraft of Coast Guards from India and Japan, the Indian Navy and Air Force
and National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) participated in this event.
iii. Search and rescue operations were jointly reviewed by Indian Coast Guard Director General,
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Rajendra Singh and Japanese Commandant Admiral Satoshi Nakajima.
Veteran journalist and writer GnaniSankaran passes away

On 15th January 2018, Gnani Sankaran,64, Tamil writer and journalist passed away at his
residence in Chennai.
i.He was also a dramatist and political analyst. He was the editor of Dheemtharikida, a Tamil
magazine. He also worked with the drama troupe Pariksha.
Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - February

2018
Tamil Nadu Govt, Microsoft tie-up to accelerate cloud technology adoption
On February 23, 2018, Tamil Nadu State Government announced an agreement with Microsoft to
improve the integration of technology in teaching and learning across the state.
i. The agreement aims at reforming education, build tech capacity and enhance digital literacy
across all levels.
ii. As per the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will adopt seven schools identified by Tamil
Nadu State Government and will train their teachers and students in inculcating skills such as
critical thinking, app development, creative coding & gaming, robotics and entrepreneurship.
iii. All educators in primary, secondary, vocational and tertiary education across Tamil Nadu will
be offered Microsoft Innovative Educator Program.
Google, Tata Trusts to promote IT adoption among TN rural women

On 7th February 2018, Google India and Tata Trusts extended their Internet
Saathiprogramme to 4,000 villages in six districts of Tamil Nadu.
i. Google India and Tamil Nadu government also announced that, they have planned to provide
Google Cloud credits and access through its affiliate for eligible startups coming under the Tamil
Nadu government’s startup initiative.
ii. Google India will also provide technical mentorship and support to various startups. The
announcement was made by Tamil Nadu Information Technology Minister M Manikandan.
Government starts process to build India's first defence 'Quad'

Union Defence Ministry has started the process to set up India's first defence industrial
‘Quad’ (quadrilateral corridor) linking Chennai with four other cities of Tamil Nadu to promote
industries manufacturing weapons and military equipments.
i. 'Quad' project in Tamil Nadu will connect Chennai with Hosur, Coimbatore, Salem and
Tiruchirappalli.
ii. Officials from Defence Ministry along with representatives from defence PSUs - Hindustan
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Aeronautics Ltd, Bharat Electronics Ltd. and Bharat Earth Movers - will soon start interactions with
defence manufacturers in Coimbatore, Salem, Chennai and Tiruchirappalli to take their views on
the proposed Quad in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu wins maiden senior national football championship in 23rd Senior Women's
National Football Championship
On 14th February 2018, Tamil Nadu won the 23rd Senior Women's National Football
Championship title, at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha.
i. Tamil Nadu defeated Manipur 2-1 in the finals of the 23rd edition of the Senior Women's
National Football Championship. Tamil Nadu women’s team won its first senior national football
championship title.
ii. Tamil Nadu team’s Indumathi was named the Player of the Final and also the
Tournament. AIFF vice-president, SubrataDutta was the chief guest at the finals.
Former SC Judge RatnavelPandian passes away

On 28th February 2018, S RatnavelPandian, former Supreme Court judge, died following a
short term illness in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
i. SRatnavelPandian was 89 years old. He was Supreme Court judge in the 1988 to 1994 period.
ii. After his retirement from Supreme Court, he served as chairperson of the National Commission
for Backward Classes.
iii. He hailed from Thirupadaimarudur village in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu. He was born on
13 February 1929.
iv. He served as the acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court twice.
PM Modi Launches Amma 2 Wheeler Scheme in Tamil Nadu

On February 24, 2018, Prime Minister NarendraModi Launched ‘Amma’, subsidised 2 Wheeler
Scheme for working women in Tamil Nadu.
i. This scheme was launched to mark 70th birth anniversary of Jayalalithaa , the former
Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
ii. Under ‘Amma’ 2 Wheeler Scheme, every year, one lakh working women in Tamil Nadu will be
given 50% of the cost of a two- wheeler or a grant of Rs. 25000.
iii. PM Modi launched this scheme in presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami.
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Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - March 2018

Chennai tops in fixed broadband speed in India: Ookla report
According to a study titled ‘India’s digital divide: how broadband speed splits the nation’
by Ookla, Chennai has the highest fixed broadband download speed among 20 largest cities of
India.
Broadband Speed in India:
In context of this news, it is important to note that for February 2018, with fixed broadband
average download speed at 20.72 Mbps, India ranked 67th in the world on Speedtest Global
Index.
With fixed broadband average download speed at 32.67 Megabits per second (Mbps)
Chennai has topped the list and has clocked 57.7% faster download speed than the average for
the rest of the country.
Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - April 2018
TN Government rolls out Amma Free Wi-Fi zones

On 5th April 2018, the Tamil Nadu government launched Amma Free Wi-Fi zones in 5
cities of Tamil Nadu.
i. This scheme was announced by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in September
2016. It was said that Wi-Fi zones will be set up in 50 spots, mainly in larger bus terminals, parks
and commercial complexes.
ii. Amma Free Wi-Fi zones have been introduced at the following five locations:
1. Labour Statue at Marina, Chennai
2. Central Bus stand at Salem
3. Central Bus stand at Tiruchirappalli
4. Gandhipuram Bus Stand in Coimbatore
5. Mattu Thavani Bus Stand in Madurai
iii. Users of Amma Free Wi-Fi zones will be offered 20 minutes of free internet service per
day. After that the users will be charged Rs 10 per hour.
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iv. This scheme will be implemented in 50 spots by Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV
Corporation (TACTV). Cost of this project is Rs 8.50 crore.
TN govt launches mobile app for farmers

Tamil Nadu (TN) Chief Minister K Palaniswami recently launched ‘Uzhavan’ (meaning - farmer),
a mobile application for farmers.
i. This app allows farmers to have access to nine types of services, including details about
their crop insurance, information on farm subsidies, book farm equipment and related
infrastructure and receiving weather forecast for the next four days.
ii. ‘Uzhavan’ app is available in Tamil as well as in English. The app also provides
information on the available stocks of seeds and fertilisers in local government and private stores.
iii. This app is an attempt by Tamil Nadu State Government to use technology for benefit of
farmers in the state.
Madras HC becomes first court in south India to introduce e-court fee payment facility
On April 20, 2018, Madras High Court became the first court in south India and eighth in India to
introduce e-court fee payment facility.
i. e-court fee payment facility at Madras HC was jointly launched by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Chief Justice of Madras High Court, Indira Banerjee.
ii. It is an advocate/litigant-centric initiative which enables advocates and litigants to pay
court fee online.
iii.The e-stamps would not just do away with the hassle of procuring physical court fee
stamps but will also help to tackle counterfeiting.
iv. So far, only Supreme Court and the High Courts in Delhi, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have the e-court fee payment facility.
Roll-out of e-Way Bill system for Intra-State movement of goods in Arunachal Pradesh,
Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Puducherry
The e-Way Bill system for Intra-State movement of goods is implemented from 25th April 2018 in
Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Puducherry.
i. e-Way Bill system for Inter-State movement of goods was launched on 1st April 2018.
ii. As on 20th April, 2018, e-Way Bill system for Intra-State movement of goods has been rolled-
out in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala,
Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
iii. Trade and industry and transporters present in the above locations can register on e-Way Bill
portal at https://www.ewaybillgst.gov.in
The four-day DefExpo begins

Tenth edition of India's mega defence exhibition, DefExpo 2018 began at Thiruvidanthai (on
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the outskirts of Chennai) on April 11, 2018.

i. DefExpo 2018 was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 12, 2018.
ii. This exhibition of weapons and military hardware showcases India's defence
manufacturing capabilities to the world.
iii. Live demonstrations, flying display and seminars on weapons and military hardware will be
held during the course of this four-day event.
iv. Theme of DefExpo 2018 is “India: The Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub”.
Film director C.V. Rajendran passes away

On 1st April 2018, film director CV Rajendran died after a long term illness at a private
hospital in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
He was 81 years old. He has directed several movies in Tamil. He has also directed movies in
Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam and Telugu.His popular movies are: Sumathi En Sundari, Vani Rani,
Garjanai, Ullasa Paravaigal and Vaazhkai.
Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - May 2018

Roll out of e-Way Bill system for intra-State movement of goods in Chhattisgarh, Goa,
Jammu & Kashmir, Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal
Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jammu & Kashmir, Mizoram, Odisha and Punjab are implementing e-way bill
system for intra-state movement of goods from 1st June 2018.
i. Tamil Nadu will implement e-Way Bill system for intra-State movement of goods on 2nd June
2018 and West Bengal on 3rd June 2018.
ii. The e-Way Bill system for inter-State movement of goods was launched from 1st April 2018.
iii. It is said that, the e-Way Bill system for intra-State movement of goods will be implemented
all over India latest by 3rd June 2018.
NMDC, NLC and an Australian firm to develop R&D facility in Tamil Nadu
On May 30,2018, National Mineral Development Corporation and NLC ltd. (formerly
knows as Neyveli Lignite Corporation) signed a pact with Environment Clean Technologies
Ltd. Of Australia in Canberra .To set up a research and Development facility in Tamil Nadu.
i. This pact would help Australia and India work together in developing low emission iron and steel
process through integrated Coldry – Mamtorplant that will be built in India.
ii. Developing innovations in iron and steel making and making a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for
steel manufacturing unit.
iii. The project has two phases : Commencing a R&D phase that has a fund of AUD 35
million by Indian partners and commercial expansion of the for the steel making facility with
capacity of 5 lakh tonne per annum . The amount for this fund is : AUD 300 million.
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India’s Next Generation Defence Aircraft To Be Build In Tamil Nadu

On 20th May, The proposal for India’s Next –Gen Defence aircraft has been announced by
The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) . They announced that India’s fifth
generation aircraft could even replace the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.Used To propel
the Government of India’s mission of ‘Make in India’ campaign forward.
i. The next gen aircraft is called Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)is for the first
time being built by inviting private players .
ii. The is also the firsttime that any defence project is being built outside Bangaluru. It will be
built in Sulur, Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu.
Chennai Super Kings lift their 3rd IPL title

On 27th May 2018, Chennai Super Kings won their third Indian Premier League (IPL)
title at Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai.
i. Chennai Super Kings defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets and won the IPL title for
the third time.
ii. Shane Watson scored 117 runs and not out. This is the highest ever score in an IPL final.
iii. Now Chennai Super Kings has become the second team apart from Mumbai Indians to have
won the IPL title three times.
About Indian Premier League (IPL):
♦ Administrator - BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India)
♦ Format - Twenty20
Eminent Tamil writer Balakumaran passes away

On 18th May, eminent Tamil writer Balakumaran passed away at the age of 71.
i. He was well known for creating strong women characters in his works.
ii. Some of his works include Vazhimayakkam, Mercury Pookkal, Irumbu Kuthiraigal .
iii. He wrote the dialogues for Mani Rathnam’s award-winning
film Nayakan, Shankar’s Gentleman, Kaadhalan and Jeans.
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Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs – June 2018

Defence minister inaugurates solar power plant at Heavy Vehicle
On 8th June 2018, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated a 16 MW solar 'PV power
plant' established by Bharat Electronics LTD at the Heavy Vehicle Factory in Avadi, Chennai.
i.This power plant has been constructed on a 80 acre land. It costs Rs 105 crore. It will meet the
captive consumption of the HVF and Engine Factory Avadi (EFA).The plant will inject power at
110kV to the Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Ltd's 110 kV Sub-Station.
ii.It will contribute to an annual savings of Rs 45.41 million for HVF. It will provide green energy
to the factory and promote GreenIndia initiative.Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), under the 'Viability
Gap Funding Scheme', is setting up energy security for the Ordnance Factory Estates.
Tamil Nadu Government announces sops for MSME sector

On 13th June 2018, Tamil Nadu government announced sops for several sectors like Micro Small
and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.
i. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami said that, the proposed MSME agency will work on
attracting investment, and obtaining foreign cooperation for such units.
ii. Also, an Innovation Policy will also be launched through which the government will promote
innovative ideas and develop entrepreneurs.
iii. Several other announcements were made in the Assembly regarding departments of Courts
and Prisons, Social Welfare and Differently-Abled.
Piyush Goyal dedicates NLCIL's Three 100 MW Solar Power Projects to the Nation
On 14th June 2018, Union Minister for Railways, Coal, Finance & Company Affairs, Piyush Goyal
inaugurated Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Limited (NLCIL)’s three 100 MW Solar Power
Projects for commercial operation and dedicated these projects to the Nation.
i. The Solar Power projects located at Thoppalaakkarai and Sethupuram in Virudhunagar District
and Sellaiya Sezhiyanallur in Tirunelveli District, with an installed capacity of 100 MW each, were
set up at a cost of Rs.1300 Crores.
ii. This is inclusive of Operation & Maintenance cost for 15 Years. The power generated from these
units will be provided to Tamilnadu Power Generation and Distribution Company (TANGEDCO) at a
cost of Rs.4.41/- per unit.
About NLCIL:
♦ Status - 'Navratna' profit making, Government Enterprise
♦ Purpose - mining of lignite and generation of power through lignite based thermal power plants
♦ Established – 1956.
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Ecotourism policy 2017: a community based tourism policy released by Tamil Nadu
Govt
On June 28, 2018, The Tamil Nadu government today released its Ecotourism Policy 2017 which is
a community based ecotourism policy.
i. The Forest Department will be the nodal department for implementing the policy.
ii. The SEB will finalise the strategies regarding pricing and appropriate packaging and branding of
ecotourism destinations.
Tamil Nadu students bag top spot at Smart India Hackathon 2018
Students from KCJ College of Engineering, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, have won first prize at the Smart
India Hackathon 2018 Hardware Edition under the ‘Smart Communication' category conducted at
the CSIR-CEERI in Pilani, Rajasthan.
i. Second prize was won by a team from Bengaluru and third spot was secured by a team from
Delhi for finding a solution to the problem of lost baggage at airports.
ii. The grand finale of the event was conducted in 10 centres like: CSIR-CEERI, Pilani, IIT-
Kharagpur, IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Roorkee and IISC Bengaluru. Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar
participated in the award ceremony.
Jai Hind 1-S: World’s lightest satellite

Four students from department of aerospace engineering in Hindustan Institute of Technology and
Science near Chennai have designed the world’s lightest satellite named Jai Hind 1-S that weighs
only 33.39 grams.
i. Jai Hind 1-S will be put into space in August 2018 from at the Colorado Space Grant
Consortium, NASA, United States.
ii. Jaihind-1S is an experimental satellite. It might also be the cheapest satellite. It has been built
with a very low budget of Rs 15,000.
iii. The students were selected through “Cubes in Space” competition organised by Colorado
Space Grant Consortium, NASA and idoodle-learning in January 2018.
iv. The satellite has been made by 3D printed PLA Nylon. It has been designed to conduct three
experiment.
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Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs – July 2018

Tamil Nadu government unveils draft state forest policy
Tamil Nadu government has released the draft state Forest Policy that aims to conserve forests
and wildlife, ecosystems, and climate change mitigation etc. It was released by Tamil Nadu
Chief Minister K Palaniswami as per the Vision Tamil Nadu 2023 document released by former
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in 2014,preserving the ecology was among the
themes of the document.
i. It aims to increase forest cover, protect wetlands and other waterbodies in Tamil
Nadu.Theobjectives are conservation of biodiversity, wildlife, rehabiliation and restoration of
degraded forests, coastal ecosystem conservation etc.
ii. The policy includes engagement of local tribal communities in protection, conservation and
wildlife management.
iii. Tamil Nadu has nearly 30.92 % of the forest declared as ‘protected areas’. It has 15 wildlife
sanctuaries, 5 National parks, 15 bird sanctuaries, 3 biosphere reserves and 4 project tiger areas.
iv. The Nation Forest Policy, 1988, states that the area under forest and tree cover should be
improved to 33 % of the geographical area of India.
v.As per this policy, Tamil Nadu will develop innovative strategies to enhance forest and tree
cover from current 21.76 % to 33 % by 2030.
vi. The Forest department will also develop mangroves in Tamil Nadu as ‘bio-shield’ along the
coast as per the policy.
vii. The policy will also offer a major role for women in forest management and also the National
Forestry Commission has recommended allocation of 2.5 % of the budget for forest and wildlife
improvement.
IIT-Madras unveils word’s first remotely operable LEAP microscope

On 16th July 2018, the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) launched a remotely
operable microscope worth Rs. 40 crore, claimed to be the world’s first remotely operable LEAP
microscope, which will allow precise view of atoms of a material.
i. The Local Electrode Atom Probe (LEAP) has been developed by the collaboration 8 major
research institutions in India. It was headed by IIT-M.
ii. IIT-Bombay, IIT-Delhi, IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Kharagpur, IIT-Ropar, International Advanced Research
Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI) contributed Rs. 2 crore each for the
project.
iii. Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS) contributed Rs. 3 crore. Remaining funds were
from the Department of Science and Technology’s ‘Nano-mission’.
iv. Similar devices were already available in many parts of the world. But the LEAP launched at
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IIT-Madras is the first one that can be operated through a special terminal by researchers divided
geographically.
v. Special terminals to operate the device have been established in all the 8 partner institutions.
vi. DST Secretary Prof Ashutosh Sharma was present during the launch.
Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - August 2018

Tamil Nadu CM K.Palanisamy launches app, website on plastic pollution free Tamilnadu
On 23rd August 2018, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K.Palanisamy launched an app and a website on
plastic pollution free Tamilnadu.
i. He inaugurated a campaign to highlight the impact of plastic pollution. He appointed
actor Vivek as the brand ambassador of the project.
ii. Tamil Nadu Government has announced plastic ban with effect from 1st January 2019.
International Conference on Recent Advances in Food Processing Technology (iCRAFPT)

gets held at IIFPT, Thanjavur
On August 17, 2018, commemorating its golden jubilee ‘iCRAFPT ’18’ , the Indian Institute of
Food Processing Technology (IIFPT), started an international conference on recent advances
in food processing technology till August 19, 2018 at its campus in Thanjavur.
i. It would be inaugurated by union minister of food processing industries, Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
ii. The theme of the conference is: ‘Doubling Farmers Income through Food Processing’
iii. In the event:
 Internationally renowned speakers will share their research experienceson food technology,
 Student Quiz, hackathon and Documentary on the various topics were held with total prize
money of Rs.45000.
 Transfer of new technologies to farmers and FPOs would take place
 Various MoUs with leading food industries have also been planned/
iv. A total of 1800 registered participants have taken part in this event.
About Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology:
♦ The Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (Formerly Indian Institute of Crop Processing
Technology) is Research and Educational Institution under the Ministry of Food Processing
Industries, Government of India.
♦ Headquarters: Thanjavur .
3 HC judges appointed as Supreme Court justices

On August 4, 2018, 3 High court judges were appointed to the Supreme Court,.
i. The appointed judges are:
Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice KM Joseph,
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Madras High Court Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Orissa HC Chief Justice Vineet Saran.
ii. The number of judges in the top court after the fresh appointments has gone up to 25. There
would still be six vacancies.
Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani appointed as the Chief Justice of Madras High Court
On August 11, 2018, Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani was appointed as the Chief Justice
of the Madras High Court.
i. Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Prohit will administer the oath of office.
ii. She replaced Justice Indira Banerjee who has been appointed as Supreme Court judge.
iii. She obtained her law degree and became an advocate with the Bar Council of Maharashtra and
Goa in July 1982.
iv. She was appointed on the panel of defence lawyers in the Sessions Court.
v. She taught the “Law of Crimes” subject as a part-time professor in K C Law College from 1987
to 1993.
vi. She was appointed as Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor in
February 1990.
vii. She was appointed as Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor on the Appellate side of the
High Court of Bombay from November 1997.
viii. She became a judge of the High Court on June 26, 2001 and made Acting Chief Justice of
Bombay High Court in 2015
World Junior Squash Championships 2018 held in Chennai, India

From 18th to 29th July 2018, World Junior Squash Championships 2018 was held in Chennai, India.
i. A total of 171 players including 116 men and 55 women from 28 countries took part in the
World Junior Squash Championship. Cyrus Poncha was the tournament director.
ii. The individual event for men and women was held from 18th July to 23rd July 2018. The biennial
team championship for men was held from 24th July to 29th July 2018.
iii. The individuals event for men and women are held every year since 2009. The team event is
biennial.
Event Winner Runner-up
Men’s Individual Mostafa Asal (Egypt) Marwan Tarek (Egypt)
Women’s Rowan Elaraby Hania El
Individual (Egypt) Hammamy(Egypt)
Men’s Team Egypt England
iv. Egypt national junior squash team defeated England 2-0 in the final and emerged as
the 2018 World Junior Squash Champions. India finished in 11th position.
About World Squash Federation (WSF):
♦ President – Jacques Fontaine
♦ Founded – 1967.
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TNPL 2018 Final: Madurai Panthers win first title with dominant win over Dindigul
Dragons
On 12th August 2018, Madurai Panthers won their first Tamil Nadu Premier League 2018
title, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
i. Madurai Panthers beat Dindigul Dragons by seven wickets in the final and won the 2018 Tamil
Nadu Premier League title.
ii. Madurai Panthers’ Arun Karthik scored his sixth fifty of this season and remained the highest
run scorer in the tournament.
iii Dindigul Dragons scored 117 runs and all out in 19.5 overs. They lost to Madurai Panthers
119/3 in 17.1 overs by seven wickets.
About TNPL 2018:
♦ Edition – 3rd
♦ Sponsor – Sankar Cement
♦ Teams – 8
♦ Matches – 32
♦ Dates – July 11 – August 12, 2018
♦ Venues – Tirunelveli, Dindigul and Chennai
Former Tamilnadu CM and leader of DMK Mr.M Karunanidhi Passed away

On August 8, 2018, DMK chief and five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M Karunanidhi died
at the age of 94 in Chennai.
i. Mr Karunanidhi became a Chief Minister in 1969,1971,1989,1996 & 2006.
ii. He was popularly referred to as Kalaignaror the artist.
iii.Maanavanesan was his first manuscript magazine.
iv. In 1971 he created history by winning 184 Assembly constituencies.
Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - September

2018
Tamil Nadu govt announced scheme for the protection of the exotic Neela Kurinji plants
On September 21, 2018, Tamil Nadu government announced scheme for the protection of the
exotic Neela kurinji (Strobilanthus kunthianus) plants in Nilagiri district of Tamilnadu.
i. This came after the complaints of packaging and selling them on commercial basis.
ii. These plants flower only once in 12 years.
iii. The Neela Kurinju is a native to the Western Ghats.
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ADB approved $500 mn for Tamil Nadu water supply, sewerage, drainage infrastructure
project
On September 25, 2018, Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved financing of up to $500
million for a multitranche financing facility (MFF) infrastructure project in at least 10
cities of Tamil Nadu.
Objective:
To develop climate-resilient water supply, sewerage, and drainage infrastructure.
Key Points:
i. ADB’s financing will be provided in 3 tranches between September 2018 and March 2022.
ii. The first tranche of the program amounting to $169 million will target the cities
of Chennai, Coimbatore, Rajapalayam, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, and Vellore.
iii.The Second one would be a $2 million grant from the Asian Clean Energy Fund, established by
the Government of Japan, to fund the solar energy pilot project.
iv. ADB technical assistance grant of $1 million to support capacity building. This is a part of a
project worth $766.4 million by The Government of India, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai
Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board.
v. The MFF availability period is up to 30 June 2026.
vi. This assistance is a part of its support to the state’s Vision Tamil Nadu 2023 to provide
universal access to water and sanitation and develop world-class cities in high-performing
industrial corridors.
vii. The projects would include:
 Development of climate-resilient sewerage collection and treatment and drainage systems
in 10 cities,
 Installation of country’s first solar-powered sewage treatment plant on a pilot basis,
 Introduction of smart water management systems.
viii. Around 4 million people will benefit from piped water and sewerage connections and
improved drainage.
Tamil Nadu & Centre sign MoU on implementing Ayushman-Bharat with state run
CMCHIS
On September 14, 2018, the Tamil Nadu government signed an MOU with the centre to
implement Ayushman Bharat along with state’s Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance
15 | P a g e
Scheme (CMCHIS).Tamil Nadu is the 30th State to sign up for ABS

i. This association would benefit about 77 lakh poor and vulnerable families in Tamil Nadu.
ii. Additionally, the insurance benefit for all those covered under the state scheme will be
increased to Rs 5 lakh as per the National Health Protection Scheme.
iii. It would also include all 8 high-end procedures upto Rs 25 lakh covered under state-run
insurance scheme.
About Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS):
The Tamil Nadu’s health insurance scheme covers 1.57 crore families and provides coverage of Rs
1 lakh per year for 1,027 procedures, and Rs 2 lakh per year for 154 specified medical
procedures.
i. It also has a corpus for treatment of eight high-end procedures.
About Ayushman Bharat – National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM):
Ayushman Bharat – National Health Protection Mission is a scheme that was announced by the
Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Shri Arun Jaitely while presenting the General
Budget 2018-19 that will cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 50
crore beneficiaries) providing coverage upto 5 lakh rupees per family per year for secondary and
tertiary care hospitalization. Under this scheme , Rs 1200 crore has been allotted for establishing
1.5 lakh Health and Wellness Centres . 24 new Government Medical Colleges and Hospitals and at
least 1 Medical College for every 3 Parliamentary Constituencies and at least 1 Government
Medical Collegie in each State of the country.
Former India & Tamil Nadu batsman Subramaniam Badrinath retires from all formats of
cricket
On 31st August 2018, Former India and Tamil Nadu batsman Subramaniam Badrinath announced
his retirement from all forms of cricket at the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA)
headquarters, in Chennai.
i. Subramaniam Badrinath is 38 years old. He had represented India in all 3 formats of cricket.
ii. He has played 2 Tests, 7 ODIs and a T20I. He represented the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in
the Indian Premier League (IPL).
iii. He has played cricket for more than 17 years. He has scored 10,245 runs in 145 first-class
games at an average of 54.49.
iv. He was the coach for Karaikudi Kaalai team in the recent Tamil Nadu Premier League-3.
India Blue defeated India Red and won 57th Duleep Trophy
On September 9, 2018,India Blue defeated India Red team in the final to win the Duleep
Trophy at NPR College ground in Dindigul.
i. They won by an innings and 187 runs.
ii. Himachal Pradesh batsman Nikhil Gangta was named the Man of the Match.
16 | P a g e
Duleep Trophy 2018-19:

i. It was the 57th season of the Duleep Trophy, a first-class cricket tournament in India.
ii. It took place in NPR College ground in Dindigul from August to September 2018.
iii. There were 3 participants : India Red, India Blue and India Green.
iv. India Red were the defending champions.
v. 4 matches were played : 3 round robins and 1 finals.
vi. Administrator of the Duleep Trophy was : BCCI.
Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - October 2018

Cabinet approves establishment and operationalisation of permanent campuses of the
Indian Institutes of Science Education & Research (IISERs) at Tirupati and Berhampur
On October 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra
Modi approved establishment and operationalistion of permanent campuses of the 2 new Indian
Institutes of Science Education & Research (IISERs).
 These will be set up at: Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) and Berhampur (Odisha).
 The total cost likely to be incurred is Rs. 3074.12 crore.
 Out of this, IISER Tirupati will require: Rs. 1491.34 crore and IISER Berhampur will
require: Rs. 1582.78 crore.
 Also, creation of two posts of Registrar, one in each IISER in Level 14 of 7lh CPC has also
been approved by the Cabinet.
 They will be constructed in an area of 1,17,000 sq. m for 1855 students.
 The construction will be completed by December, 2021.
Special Central Government Package for Footwear and Leather Sector

Central Government has approved a special package for generation of employment in leather and
footwear sector.
i. The package consist of implementation of Central Sector Scheme – Indian Footwear, Leather &
Accessories Development Programme (IFLADP) with approved expenditure of Rs. 2600 Crore for
2017-20.
ii. This scheme aims to develop infrastructure and address environmental issues related to leather
sector, help with additional investments, generate employment and increase production.
iii. Under IFLADP 4 projects worth 107.33 crore have been approved in Tamil Nadu by the
Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). They are:
 upgradation of Tala Trichy Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) at Trichy
 Pallavaram CETP at Nagalkeni Chrompet
 SIDCO Phase-I CEPT at Ranipet
 Perundurai leather industries Eco Security Pvt. Ltd. at Erode.
17 | P a g e
iv. DIPP has also approved mega leather cluster at Bantala in West Bengal. This will attract an
investment of Rs. 400 to 500 crore.
v. Leather Technology, Innovation and Environmental Issues sub-scheme under IFLADP offers
financial support at 70% of the project cost to leather clusters to manage pollution control
discharge norms.
3% sub-quota for sportspersons in recruitments: Tamil Nadu CM

On October 17, 2018, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy announced 3 percent
sub-quota in recruitments for sportspersons in a function organized jointly by sports associations
in Chennai.
i. It will be extended for recruitments in Government Departments and public sector undertakings.
ii. A panel led by the state Chief Secretary has been formed to help implement the proposal.
iii. Earlier in the Independence Day, he had announced to provide 2% reservation for the
sportspersons which has been increased to 3% due to requests from various organizations.
Other News:
He announced the set-up of a badminton academy in the state costing the state Rs. 10 crore.
IIT Madras signed MoU with TN e-Governance agency for data driven governance
On October 9, 2018, IIT-Madras signed an MOU with Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency
(TNeGA) to enhance data-driven governance at CII Connect2018.
i. Under the agreement, the Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBC
DSAI ) at IIT-Madras would support the State government on various data science and ICT-
related challenges.
ii. It will help in various aspects as governance, including (but not limited to) education,
healthcare, and agriculture.
iii. It will work on 5 channels of engagement:
 Research relating data science for government and e-governance,
 Capacity building in the areas of data science and ICT,
 To conduct periodic Hackathons and workshops,
 Work towards creation of registered entities.
 Develop products, decision-support systems
Tamil Nadu creates record by opening over 16 lakh postal savings accounts under
Sukanya Samridhi Yojana
Tamil Nadu has created a national record by opening over 16 lakh postal savings accounts under
the Sukanya Samridhi Yojana.
i. Tamil Nadu’s Chief Postmaster General (CPMG) M Sampath made this announcement in Trichy,
Tamil Nadu, on 26th October 2018.
ii. The Chief Postmaster General (CPMG) also inspected the Vaalavanthankottai rural branch post
18 | P a g e
office in Trichy to assess the progress of the Digital Advancement of Rural Post Offices in New
India – Darpan scheme.
iii. He stated that over 1500 post offices, out of the total 6717 post offices in Tamil Nadu have
already migrated to the Darpan system.
About DARPAN (Digital Advancement of Rural Post Office for A New India) scheme:
♦ Launched – December 2017
♦ Aim – to improve the quality of service, add value to services and achieve financial inclusion of
un-banked rural population
Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit appoints Balasubramanian as Tamil University

Vice-Chancellor
On 29th September 2018, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit appointed G
Balasubramanian as Vice-Chancellor ofTamil University, Thanjavur.
i. G Balasubramanian has been appointed as Vice-Chancellor of Tamil University for a period of 3
years. Banwarilal Purohit is also the Chancellor of Tamil University.
ii. G Balasubramanian is Pro Vice Chancellor of Dravidian University. He has published 22
research papers at national and international level. He has also written 4 books.
iii. He has served as an external examiner for Singapore University and a visiting professor of the
University of Warsaw, Poland.
iv. He has done research projects on survey, documentation and revitalisation of endangered
languages and a linguistic description and assessment of language endangerment.
Sahyog-Hop Tac 2018: joint exercise of India, Vietnam commenced in Chennai

On October 3, 2018, a joint exercise of ‘Sahyog-Hop Tac 2018’ commenced off Chennai coast
between Vietnam and India.
i. In this bilateral exercise, Vietnam Coast Guard ship CSB 8001 took part in it or the first time.
ii. A vessel ‘Sagar Manjusha’, owned by National Institute of Ocean Technology and vessels from
Indian coast guard took part in it as well.
iii. This exercise enhance cooperation between the two Coast Guards in areas of maritime safety
and security.
Background:
It is part of an MoU for cooperation was signed between the countries in 2015.
Yuvraj Wadhwani lifts 25th Asian junior individual squash championship title in Chennai
On 29th September 2018, Yuvraj Wadhwani won the 25th Asian junior individual squash
championship title in Chennai.
i. Yuvraj Wadhwani defeated Pakistan’s Anas Ali Shah 13-11, 11-5, 6-11, 12-10 in the final and
won gold medal.
ii. Yuvraj Wadhwani has become the second Indian to win the Under-13 title after Veer Chotrani,
19 | P a g e
who had won the title in Iran in 2014.

iii. In the Under-15 category, Arnav Sareen won silver medal. He lost to Pakistan’s Mohammad
Hamza Khan in the final.
iv. India won 1 gold, 1 silver and 4 bronze medals in total. The bronze medals were won by:
Kavya Bansal, Tiana Parasrampuria, Sanya Vats and Tushar Shahani.
Theatre veteran Na. Muthuswamy dies aged 82

On 24th October 2018, popular theatre personality Na. Muthuswamy, passed away in Chennai,
Tamil Nadu.
i. He was 82 years old. He founded the avant-garde theatre group ‘Koothu-p-pattarai’ in 1977.
ii. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1999 and the Padma Shri in 2012.
Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - November 2018
TN got approval from SEBI to launch State Shelter Fund to fund affordable housing
On November 10, 2018, market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) gave
nod to Tamil Nadu for launching its State Shelter Fundfor attracting investments in the affordable
housing segment.
i. The fund’s name is: Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund. And this is the category-I Alternative
Investment Fund.
ii. This was announced at an event called ‘Innovative and Alternative Finance for Business and
Infrastructure Development in India’.It was organized by the United Economic Forum
(UEF) Chamber of Commerce and World Islamic Economic Forum Foundation (WIEF).
iii. A total of USD 350 million was raised for 1st phase funding from both local and international
investors.
iv. UEF and WIEF aims of attracting 1 per cent of sovereign wealth fund investments, amounting
to USD 33 billion under the fund.
v. Under the fund, the state already identified over 200 infrastructure projects requiring
investments of approximately USD 250 billion.
Offshore patrol vessel ICGS Varaha launched from a corporate shipyard near Chennai
Indian Coast Guard has launched a new offshore patrol vessel named ICGS Varaha from a
corporate shipyard near Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
i. ICGS Varaha has been designed and built indigenously. This is the 3rd vessel in a series of 7
similar ships to be handed over to the Coast Guard.
ii. All the vessels would be delivered by March 2021. ICGS Varaha will be soon equipped with
advanced navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machineries.
iii. The weapons will include a 30 mm gun with Fire Control Systems. It will be able to carry a
20 | P a g e
twin-engine helicopter and 4 high-speed boats for Search and Rescue and Maritime Patrol.
iv. It also has pollution response equipment to hold the oil spill at sea.
Cyclonic storm ‘GAJA’ over coastal Tamil Nadu

On 16th November 2018, cyclonic storm ‘Gaja’ crossed near Tamil Nadu causing severe damage to
certain coastal regions.Six districts of Tamilnadu including Nagapattinam, Pudukottai,
Ramanathapuram and Tiruvarur met big disaster due to this cyclone.Vedaranyam (Nagapattinam
district), Mannargudi (Tiruvarur) are disaster struck regions and expects for government
rehabilitation schemes.
i. The cyclonic storm ‘Gaja’ crossed the Tamil Nadu coast between Nagapattinam, nearly 300 km
from Chennai, and Vedaranniyam.
ii. Nagapattinam district was the worst affected with the maximum rainfall of 48.4 mm recorded
as on 16th November 2018. The storm also made landfall in Nagapattinam with winds upto a
speed of 120 kmph.
iii. Coastal towns including Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thondi and Pamban in Tamil Nadu and
Karaikkal in Puducherry received moderate rainfall.
iv. 20 people were killed due to the storm as on 16th November 2018. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
Edappadi K. Palaniswami has announced a relief fund of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of the
deceased from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund (CMPRF).
v. Victims with severe injuries will be offered Rs 1 lakh each, and people who had simple injuries
will receive Rs 25,000 as relief.
Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - December

2018
Cabinet approves establishment of two new AIIMS at Tamil Nadu & Telangana under
Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana
The Union Cabinet approved establishment of two new All India Institute of Medical Sciences
(AIIMS) in Tamil Nadu and Telangana under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana.
• The first AIIMS will be established at Madurai in Tamil Nadu at a cost of Rs 1264
crore whereas the second AIIMS will be established at Bibinagar, Telangana at a cost
of Rs. 1028 crore.
• The Cabinet also approved the creation of one post of Director at each of the above two
new AIIMS in the basic pay of Rs. 2,25,000 plus NPA.
• Each AIIMS will be developed broadly on the pattern of AIIMS New Delhi and will have a
capacity of 750 beds.
21 | P a g e
TN Government launches 24-hour helpline 181 for women

On 10th December 2018, Tamil Nadu Government launched a 24-hour toll free helpline number
181 for women facing domestic violence and sexual harassment to get assistance ranging from
police help, legal aid or medical services including ambulance.
The Service developed at a cost of 62.70 lakh will be available round-the-clock on all days of the
week and women can also get information about the welfare schemes aimed at their benefit.
Tribal community Baduga celebrates annual Heddaiyamman festival: Tamil Nadu

On December 26, 2018, the tribal Baduga community in the Nilgiris district of Tamil
Nadu celebrated their annual Heddaiyamman festival.
i. In connection to this festival,
• People will observe 48 days fast and walks in religious processions and holding up a holy
shaft which symbolizes the miracle of the traditional Badaga goddess.
• Week long celebrations will continue in different villages including Petthala, Beragani, and
Ketti.
Background:
♦ The Badagas are an indigenous tribal group in the Nilgiris and occupy more than 400 remote hill
villages in the district.
Chariot festival celebrated in Madurai Meenakshi temple in Tamil Nadu

On December 29, 2018, Chariot festival was celebrated in Madurai Meenakshi
temple in Tamil Nadu.
i. The Chapparam (Chariot) festival symbolizes the importance of preserving all kinds of food and
fodder.
ii. A specialty of the festival is that the chariot of Goddess Meenakshi is pulled by lady devotees
alone.
Tamil Nadu increased health insurance cover to Rs 5 lakh from Rs. 2 lakh under CMCHIS
On November 30, 2018, the Tamil Nadu government hiked the health insurance cover under
the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS) from Rs two lakh
to Rs five lakh.
i. This would come into effect from December 1, 2018 and would benefit 1.58 crore families as a
cashless scheme.
ii. Through this the state would cover 1027 medical procedures for most of those who earn less
than Rs. 72,000 per annum.
India’s first underwater museum to open off Puducherry coast in INS Cuddalore
On December 8, 2018, Indian Navy agreed to gift INS Cuddalore, a decommissioned
Pondicherry-class vessel, to the Union territory of Puducherry for the creation of country’s first
underwater museum.
22 | P a g e
i. The 60 m long and 12 m wide vessel was decommissioned in March 2018 after sailing 13000
nautical miles.
ii. It would be sent to the sea bed at a depth of 26 m and 7 km off the Pondicherry coast to act as
an underwater marine museum for scuba diving and snorkelling activities. This would enhance
tourism in the UT.
iii. It would also help in enhanced marine biodiversity and boosting fishing industry.
India’s first music museum to be set up in Thiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu

On December 23, 2018, the State Minister for Culture and Tamil Development Shri K Pandiarajan
announced setting up of the country’s first music museum in Thiruvaiyaru, Tamilnadu.
i. The venue chosen for the project is the birth place of Saint Tyagaraja, one of the Trinities of
Carnatic music.
ii. The museum will be set up with assistance from the Central government.
Tranche 4 loan agreement worth $31 mn to develop Tourism infrastructure in Tamil

Nadu under IDIPT signed between India and ADB
On December 11, 2018, Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed
a loan agreement of 31 million dollars in New Delhi to develop Tourism and boost Jobs in
Tamil Nadu.
i. It was signed by:
Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Sameer Kumar Khare and
Mr. Kenichi Yokoyama, Country Director for ADB in India.
ii. This was a tranche 4 loan for Infrastructure Development Investment Program for
Tourism (IDIPT) for Tamil Nadu.
iii. The total cost of the project is $44.04 million, of which the Government will provide $13.04
million. The estimated completion date of the project is June 2020.
iv. The agreement focuses on:
• Improvement of Tourism infrastructure in Tamil Nadu and
• Preserving Cultural and Natural heritage of the state.
v. It will also support the conservation and restoration of eight heritage monuments, one
museum, three temples, and a pond
About IDIPT:
Approved in September 2010, the $250 million IDIPT aims to build opportunities for local
communities and boost local economy by enhancing tourism.
Besides Tamil Nadu, 3 other states Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand– fall under
this programme
23 | P a g e
NITI Aayog Released Second Delta Ranking Under Aspirational District Programme;
Virudhunagar District From TamilNadu Ranked As Most Improved District among 111
Aspirational Districts
On December 26, 2018, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant released the Second Delta
Ranking of the Aspirational Districts Programme.
i.The ranking shows the incremental progress achieved by 111 aspirational districts (out of
115) during June 1, 2018 to October 31, 2018, across six key development sectors.
ii.Three aspirational districts from West Bengal did not participate, while one
district of Kerala could not take part because of floods.
iii.The Ranking is based on 6 developmental sectors,they are: Health and Nutrition, Education,
Agriculture and Water Resources, Financial Inclusion, Skill Development, and Basic
Infrastructure.
iv.The data has been received from household surveys conducted by NITI Aayog’s knowledge
partners, namely, TATA Trusts and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (IDInsight).
v.The Surveys were carried out in all Aspirational Districts during the month of June
2018 covering more than 1,00,000 households.
vi.The ranking is based on following categorises:
• The Most Improved Districts,
• The Least Improved Districts,
• Fast Movers: The districts which have shown great initiative and displayed a qualitative
jump in their scores between June and October 2018.
About the rankings:
The Most Improved Districts:
Rank District State
1 Virudhunagar Tamil Nadu
2 Nuapada Odisha
3 Siddharthnagar Uttar Pradesh
4 Aurangabad Bihar
5 Koraput Odisha
The Least Improved Districts:
Rank District State
107 Kiphire Nagaland
108 Giridih Jharkhand
109 Chatra Jharkhand
110 Hailakandi Assam
111 Pakur Jharkhand
24 | P a g e
Fast Movers:
District State June 2018 rank October 2018 rank
Kupwara Jammu and 108 7
Kashmir
Ranchi Jharkhand 106 10
Siddharthnagar Uttar Pradesh 103 3
Jamui Bihar 99 9
Fatehpur Uttar Pradesh 82 25
About Transformation of Aspirational Districts’ programme:
• Launched: January 2018.
• The ‘Transformation of Aspirational Districts’ programme aims to quickly and effectively
transform these districts.
• Health & Nutrition, Education, Agriculture & Water Resources, Financial Inclusion & Skill
Development, and Basic Infrastructure are this programme’s core areas of focus.
• 49 key performance indicators have been chosen to measure progress of the districts.
• NITI Aayog in partnership with the Government of Andhra Pradesh has created a
dashboard for monitoring the real-time progress of the districts.
Background:
The First delta rankings were released in June 30, 2018. It was based on the data of the districts
from March 31, 2018 to May 1, 2018. Out of 112 districts, 108 districts participated in the
rankings.
For more info on First Delta Rankings: Click Here
Sundaram Finance MD T T Srinivasaraghavan awarded lifetime achievement award by

PTI chairman
On December 8, 2018, Sundaram Finance Managing Director T T Srinivasaraghavan was
presented the lifetime achievement award at the Trinity Arts Festival in Chennai.
i. The award was presented by publisher and former Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu, and
the Press Trust of India, Chairman, N Ravi.
ii. He was awarded for his leadership qualities that made Sundaram Finance as one of India’s
most trusted non-banking finance companies.
iii. Over the last 13 years, he has been organising mikeless kutcheries for children aged
below 15 years which got him an entry into the Limca Book of Records for the longest open air
kutcheri in the country.
DMK MP Kanimozhi gets the best woman Parliamentarian Award

On 13th December 2018, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Member of Parliament (MP),
Kanimozhi will be awarded as “Best Woman Parliamentarian – Rajya Sabha” by the Vice-
President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu at Dr. Ambedkar International Center in New Delhi.
25 | P a g e
Key Points
i. A 10-member board of Jury of eminent personalities headed by Murali Manohar Joshi selected
Kanimozhi for the award presented by Lokmat Group of Newspaper.
ii. She has been awarded for her outstanding Contribution in Parliament and Strengthening
Democratic Values and Principles for Several Decades.
Aadi Sai Vijaykaran,first Indian to win the “Top Debater in the World” title
On 26th December 2018, 13 years old class 8 student from KC High School in Chennai, Aadi Sai
Vijaykaran became the first Indian to win the Junior Debate Championship at the World
Scholar’s Cup held at Yale University, USA from November 16-21.
i. The theme for the cup was ‘An Entangled World: diplomacy, human relationships, the
science of memory, and literature, art and music’.
ii. The Tournament of Champions of World Scholar’s Cup is a competition for young debaters from
around the world in which only 2000 participants out of 40,000 qualified for the final of “The
tournament of Champions”.
Tamil Nadu fishermen get NavIC-powered ISRO gadgets

On December 17, 2018, the Tamil Nadu government provided 80 fishing boat groups
with 200 ISRO developed satellite, NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), enabled
communication devices free of cost.
i. These will provide them real-time alerts on cyclone and weather updates.
ii. The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System constellation of eight satellites, named
“NavIC”, provides position, navigation and timing services over India and its neighbourhood.
Noted agriculturalist Jayaraman passes away

On 06th December 2018, noted agriculturalist Jayaraman, who pioneered the protection and
propagation of indigenous paddy varieties in Tamilnadu, passed away in Chennai.
i. Hailing from Thiruthuraipoondi, in the heart of Tamil Nadu’s delta rice bowl, Jayaraman has
been credited with documenting and protecting more than 170 paddy varieties.
ii. His diligent work in the field of protecting the gene prototypes of indigenous paddy varieties
won him the National Award for best genome saviour in 2015 and a Best organic farmer
award of Tamil Nadu government in 2011.
iii.He also has written several books including Nellathikaram and Mamarunthagum
Parampariya Nel.
iv.He also launched “Save Our Rice” campaign and organised paddy festival at his native
village Adirangam in Tiruvarur district in 2005.
Noted Tamil writer Prabhanjan dies in Puducherry

On 21st December 2018, Noted Tamil writer and Sahitya Akademi award
winner Prabhanjan died due to Cancer at the age of 83 in Puducherry.
26 | P a g e
Prabhanjan started his career as a Tamil Teacher and got Sahitya Akademi Award for his historic
novel “Vaanam Vasapadum” in 1995.
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Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - January 2018

Tamil Nadu Government launches e-governance policy

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Tamil Nadu Government announces sops for MSME sector

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Jai Hind 1-S: World’s lightest satellite

Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs – July 2018

IIT-Madras unveils word’s first remotely operable LEAP microscope

Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - August 2018

International Conference on Recent Advances in Food Processing Technology (iCRAFPT)

3 HC judges appointed as Supreme Court justices

World Junior Squash Championships 2018 held in Chennai, India

Former Tamilnadu CM and leader of DMK Mr.M Karunanidhi Passed away

Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - September

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Scheme (CMCHIS).Tamil Nadu is the 30th State to sign up for ABS

Duleep Trophy 2018-19:

Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - October 2018

Special Central Government Package for Footwear and Leather Sector

3% sub-quota for sportspersons in recruitments: Tamil Nadu CM

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit appoints Balasubramanian as Tamil University

Sahyog-Hop Tac 2018: joint exercise of India, Vietnam commenced in Chennai

who had won the title in Iran in 2014.

Theatre veteran Na. Muthuswamy dies aged 82

Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - November 2018

Cyclonic storm ‘GAJA’ over coastal Tamil Nadu

Tamilnadu & Puducherry Current Affairs - December

TN Government launches 24-hour helpline 181 for women

Tribal community Baduga celebrates annual Heddaiyamman festival: Tamil Nadu

Chariot festival celebrated in Madurai Meenakshi temple in Tamil Nadu

India’s first music museum to be set up in Thiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu

Tranche 4 loan agreement worth $31 mn to develop Tourism infrastructure in Tamil

Sundaram Finance MD T T Srinivasaraghavan awarded lifetime achievement award by

DMK MP Kanimozhi gets the best woman Parliamentarian Award

Tamil Nadu fishermen get NavIC-powered ISRO gadgets

Noted agriculturalist Jayaraman passes away

Noted Tamil writer Prabhanjan dies in Puducherry

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