VETRII IAS STUDY CIRCLE

TNPSC
Current Affairs
NOVEMBER - 2019

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 My Dear Aspirants,
Greetings to all of you! “What we think we become” Gautama Buddha.
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determination, dedication, self discipline and continuous effort.
We at VETRII IAS Study Circle are committed to provide the right guidance,
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cherished goal of becoming a civil servant.
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Wishing You All The Very Best !!

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(M.Shunmugam)
Vetrii IAS Study Circle.

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 INDEX
1 - 39 HISTORY
01
 Important Days  Defence National Security and
Terrorism  World Organisations – Pacts and Summits
 Eminent Persons  Sports and Games  Books & Authors
 Awards & Honours  Cultural Panaroma  India & its
Neighbours  Appointments – Who is who?

40
40 - 45 POLITICAL SCIENCE
India’s Foreign Policy Latest Court Verdicts Govt
– Welfare oriented Govt schemes, their utility

46 - 49 GEOGRAPHY 46
 Policy on Environment and Ecology Natural Disasters
– Safeguard Measures

50 - 53 ECONOMICS
50
New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector Current Socio
- Economic Problems
54 - 66 SCIENCE 54
Latest Inventions in Science & Technology
Latest Discoveries on Health Science

Mass Media & Communication

67
67 NATIONAL – DIARY OF
EVENTS

93

93 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

97
97 TAMIL NADU AFFAIRS

103
103 PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Important Days

History
1.1 Important Days
Date Day Theme / Remark
Health Ministry to observe
“Integrity- a way of life”
Vigilance Awareness Week

20-10-2019 International Chefs Day “How Healthy Food Works”

The International Internet Day is observed annually

on October 29 to commemorate the day in the history
of telecommunication and technology celebrating the
29-10-2019 International Internet Day 2019
event of sending the first electronic message through
the internet from one computer to another in 1969 in
California, United States (US)
The World Stroke Day is observed annually on
October 29 to create awareness on prevention of the
29-10-2019 World Stroke Day
seriousness of strokes and to ensure better care and
support for stroke survivors.
29-10-2019 Odisha Disaster Preparedness Day ‘Empowering Community for Disaster Resilience’.

30-10-2019 World Savings Day Theme- Savings give life a gift

31-10-2019 National Unity Day It is observed on Sardar Vallabahbhai Patel birthday.

General theme of WCD - Better City, Better Life

31-10-2019 World Cities Day Theme: changing the world: Innovations and better
life for future generations
01-11-2019 20th Chhattisgarh Foundation Day
For the first time in six decades since the Linguistic
01-11-2019 Tamil Nadu Day Reorganization of States in 1956, Tamil Nadu state
formation day will be celebrated on November 1.
Week ( 24 to 7th edition of Global Media and Theme for the year 2019 is “Media and Information
31) Information Literacy Literate Citizens: Informed, Engaged, Empowered”

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Important Days Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

01-11-2019 World Vegan Day Donald Watson coined the term Vegan
International Day to End
02-11-2019 Impunity for Crimes against
Journalists

The day will promote Targets of the Sendai Seven

05-11-2019 World Tsunami Awareness Day
Campaign that focuses in reducing disaster
Infant Protection Day
05-11-2019
National Cancer Awareness Day
International Day of Radiology
08-11-2019 Theme of 2019 is ‘sports imaging’.
(ISOE)

09-11-2019 National Legal Service day

World Science Day for Peace and

10-11-2019 2019 Theme: ‘Open science, leaving no one behind’.
Development
The National Education Day is celebrated on 11
November on the birth anniversary of Independent
India’s first Education Minister, freedom fighter,
scholar and eminent educationist Maulana Abul
Kalam Azad.
11-11-2019 National Education Day
The Ministry of Human Resource Development
(HRD) announced, “The Ministry has decided to
commemorate the birthday of this great son of India
by recalling his contribution to the cause of education
in India.”

12-11-2019 World Pneumonia Day Theme for 2019: “Healthy Lungs for all”.

12-11-2019 Public Service Broadcasting Day

The Theme of 2019 is empathy, encouraging people

13-11-2019 World Kindness Day across the globe to better understand “the pains of
others” and touch their lives “positively”.
14-11-2019 World Diabetes Day Theme 2019- ‘The Family and Diabetes’
To mark the birth anniversary of our first  Prime
Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.

14-11-2019 Children’s Day The children also loved and respected him and called
him CHACHA NEHRU. Children’s Day is celebrated
across India to increase awareness of the rights, care
and education of children.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Important Days

15-11-2019 National Press Day

The health of a country is measured by the Infant

Mortality Rate (IMR) of children under the age of one. 
15-11-2019
to 21-11- Newborn Care Week 40% of babies die within a week and 60% of babies die
2019
within a month. The death rate of children under the
age of one in India is 33 per thousand children. 
16-11-2019 International Day for Tolerance

The theme (motto) of this year’s World Day of

World Day of Remembrance for
17-11-2019 Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims was “Life is
Road Traffic Victims
not a car part”.
18-11-2019 Naturopathy day

18-11-2019
World Antibiotic Awareness
to 24-11-
Week
2019

19-11-2019 World Toilet Day Theme: Leaving No One Behind.

The 2019 theme of the day is “Making a Difference for
19-11-2019 International Men’s Day
Men and Boys.”
Women’s Entrepreneurship Day
19-11-2019
(WED)
The Transgender Day of Remembrance, also known as
the International Transgender Day of Remembrance,
Transgender Day of
20-11-2019 has been observed annually on November 20 as a day
Remembrance
to memorialize those who have been murdered as a
result of transphobia.
21-11-2019 World Television Day

By celebrating World Philosophy Day each year,

on the third Thursday of November, UNESCO
21-11-2019 World Philosophy Day underlines the enduring value of philosophy for the
development of human thought, for each culture and
for each individual.
22-11-2019 71st Student Squadron Day

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Defence, National Security and Terrorism Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

1.2 Defence, National Security and Terrorism

Indo-French Joint Exercise Shakti Rudrashila-The White-Water Rafting
2019 Expedition
   The joint military exercise of India and    At the Jodhpur Military station, the
French troops is to be held between 31st white-water rafting expedition called
October 2019 and 13th November 2019. the “Rudrashila” was flagged in by Lt
   It is a biennial exercise conducted General VS Sreenivas. It was undertaken
alternately in India and France. The by the Kalidhar Battalion.
exercise is to be conducted at the Foreign    The team will also spread awareness
Training Node at Mahajan Field Firing on social issues of “Swachh Bharat”
Range, Rajasthan. campaign and “Preservation of river eco-
Highlights system”. The expedition will start from
   The exercise will focus on Counter Rudhraprayag and end in Rishikesh.
Terrorism operations in a semi-desert    It is considered to be the most difficult
terrain under United Nations Mandate and dangerous rapids in the mighty
Ganges river.
India and Saudi Arabia to Hold First Rudrashila
Joint Naval Drills    The name Rudrashila is framed from
   India and Saudi Arabia will conduct the Rudraprayag tributary of the
their first-ever joint naval exercises in the Ganges river.
first week of March next year, as the two    It originates in the mountains of
sides agreed to enhance their cooperation Uttarkhand.
in defence and security areas.
   The Gulf Kingdom wants to deepen its
Operation ‘Maa’
maritime cooperation with India in the    It was a quiet humane operation of
western Indian Ocean, which constitutes approaching “Maa” (mother) launched
busy and sensitive shipping routes such by Kashmir-based XV Army Corps that
as the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the saw around 50 Kashmiri youths return to
Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, and the normal life this year, after abandoning the
Persian Gulf. terror groups they had joined.

First BIMSTEC Ports Conclave at Visakhapatnam

   The Ministry of shipping is hosting the first ever BIMSTEC Ports’ Conclave.
   The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multispectral Technical and Economic Cooperation is
an international organization that involves South East Asian and South Asian countries.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Defence, National Security and Terrorism
GRSE delivers Fast Patrol Vessel India-Uzbekistan 1st-ever joint
(FPV) ICGS Annie Besant to Indian military exercise Dustlik-2019 begins
Coast Guard    The first-ever  India-Uzbekistan joint
   Garden Reach Shipbuilders and military exercise  Dustlik-2019 begin at
Engineers Ltd (GRSE) delivered Fast Chirchiq Training Area near Tashkent,
Patrol Vessel (FPV) ICGS Annie Besant Uzbekistan.
to Indian Coast Guard (ICGS) in Kolkata,    The exercise, which will be focused on
West Bengal. counter-terrorism.
   This is second in the series of five such    During the exercise, an Indian Army
FPVs being built by GRSE for Indian contingent will train along with
Coast Guard and the 101st warship to be Uzbekistan Army.
delivered by shipyard.
About ICGS Annie Besant SCOJtEx-2019: Shanghai Cooperation
   It is a medium-range vessel with 50 Organization Joint Exercise
metres in length, 7.5 metres in width and    Union Home Minister Amit Shah will
displacement of nearly 308 tonnes. inaugurate the Shanghai Cooperation
   It is designed for a maximum speed of Organization Joint Exercise on Urban
34 knots with an endurance of over 1,500 Earthquake Search and Rescue-
nautical miles. ‘SCOJtEx-2019’ in New Delhi.
DRDO’s Igniter Complex Inaugurated    The four day exercise will be held from
4-7 November 2019. The joint exercise
   A Defense Research Development
is being hosted by National Disaster
Organization (DRDO) Igniter Complex
Response Force (NDRF).
was inaugurated at High Energy
   The SCOJtEx will be followed by a
Materials Research Laboratory
meeting between SCO experts and
(HEMRL), Pune.
officials of ministries responsible for
   The main purpose of the laboratory is to
prevention as well as elimination of
design, process, evaluate ignition systems
emergency situations.
for any kind of DRDO projects.
HEMRL Def Connect: Ministry of Defence
   HEMRL develops rocket, pyrotechnic showcases the innovations of iDEX
devices, gun propellants, high- initiative
explosive systems. Ignition is the crucial
   Ministry of Defence (MoD) is organizing
phenomenon in all these systems.
the “Def Connect” event on November
   HEMRL had developed ignition system
11, 2019.
for Prithvi, Agni, Nag, Akash, Pinaka,
   The main objective of the event is to
etc. It has also transferred the technology
showcase the accomplishments of iDEX-
to Ordnance factory, Pune.
Innovations for Defence Exellence.

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Defence, National Security and Terrorism Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

ReSAREX-2019: ICG conducts Indian Navy and Indonesian Navy

Regional level Search and Rescue Bilateral Maritime Exercise Samudra
Workshop and Exercise-2019 Shakti Progresses in the Bay of
   The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) conducted Bengal
the ‘Regional Level Search and Rescue    INS Kamorta, an Anti-Submarine Warfare
Workshop and Exercise 2019’: ReSAREX- Corvette, is exercising with Indonesian
19 off Goa coast. Warship KRI Usman Harun, a multi-role
   The two-day event was organized by Corvette in the Bay of Bengal as part of
Coast Guard District Headquarters-11 the ongoing Indian Navy Indonesian
(Goa) to test efficiency and preparedness Navy Bilateral Exercise Samudra Shakti
of ICG. from 06 Nov to 07 Nov 19.
About ReSAREX- 19
   The exercise comprised of a search and Rajnath Sigh to attent Maitree Diwas
rescue workshop and table top exercise, celebrations in Arunachal Pradesh
followed by a search and rescue exercise    Defence minister Rajnath Singh will visit
at sea. Arunachal Pradesh today to attend the
Maitree Diwas celebrations at Tawang.
Tiger TRIUMP: First Tri-services    Maitree Diwas (Civil-Military Friendship)
amphibious exercise between India will be celebrated for two days at Gyalwa
and US Tsangyang Gyatso High Altitude
   India and US are to jointly conduct Stadium Tawang.
Tiger TRIUMP, the first ever tri-services    This will be the 11th edition of Maitree
amphibious exercise. It is to be conducted Diwas which celebrates civil-military
in Visakhapatnam and Kakinada, bonhomie in the area.
Andhra Pradesh. It includes field training    Rajnath Singh will also inaugurate sisseri
and events that simulate humanitarian River Bridge and National Highway-52
assistance in disaster times. The event in East Siang District tomorrow.
will also hold simulations in moving
disaster relief forces from ship to shore. Exercise Indra 2019 to be held in
December
Roar of the sea: Naval Exercise
   Exercise Indra 2019, a joint tri-service
between Qatar and India
exercise between India and Russia, has
   A three-day naval exercise, Za’ir-Al-Bahr
been scheduled to be held in December
(Roar of the Sea) is being conducted
2019.
between November 17 and November
   In the exercise, the mechanized
21, 2019 between the Indian and Qatar
contingents, fighter and transport aircraft
Naval Forces.
and ships of the armed forces of India
   The aim of the exercise is to enhance
and Russia will be participating.
interoperability between the naval forces.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Defence, National Security and Terrorism
India completes Agni II test fire successfully DRDO to double ASTRA’s
   India conducted its first night trial of AGNI II missile range
successfully.    The DRDO recently
   It is the first night trial being tested by the country. announced that
The nuclear capable missile was tested at the Abdul DRDO (Defence
Kalam Island of Odisha Coast. Research Development
Highlights Organization) is to increase
   The missile was developed by DRDO (Defence the range of ASTRA air-
Research and Development Organization) to-air missiles. India is
   The surface-to-surface medium range nuclear capable one of the few countries
missile was tested by the Strategic Forces of the to own a successful BMD-
Indian Army. Ballistic Missile Defence
   The missile is capable of striking range of 2,000 km. programme.
   It can carry payload of 1,000 kg and launch a weight ASTRA
of 17 tonnes. It is 20 meters long and is a two-stage    Astra (Sanskrit word
missile. for weapon) is an all-
   It is an IRBM (Integrated Range Ballistic Missile) weather air-to-air missile
and has already been inducted into the armed forces developed completely
AGNI Missile by DRDO. Currently,
   Agni II missile is a part of series of Agni missile with a ASTRA is capable of
range of 2,000 km. The range of Agni I is 700 km, Agni engaging targets upto
III is 3,000 km. a distance of 110 km.
   The first test firing of Agni II missile was done in The ASTRA missiles are
1999. In 2010, the first test fire of nuclear capable Agni integrated with Sukhoi Su-
II ballistic missile was conducted successfully. 30 MKI aircrafts of India.

7th 2019 Global Terrorism index: India 7th – most affected by terror attacks,
Afghan 1st Place
   The Sydney (Australia) based Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) released the 7th
edition of its annual report titled “2019 Global Terrorism Index: Measuring the impact
of terrorism”. As per the Index India was ranked at the 7th place in the list of countries
most affected by terrorism in 2018.
   The country which topped the list was Afghanistan with 7,379 killed due to terror attacks
in 2018. Afghanistan’s Taliban terrorist group has been ranked first as the deadliest terror
groups.
   The other countries in the list include Iraq (2nd), Nigeria (3rd), Syria (4th), Pakistan (5th) and
Somalia (6th).

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Defence, National Security and Terrorism Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

Prithvi-2 missile successfully test fired By 2025, ` 35,000 crore Indian Army
   India successfully test-fired two rounds logistics target
of its indigenously developed nuclear-    India has set a target of exporting 5
capable Prithvi-II missile at night as part billion dollar (` 35,000 crore) of military
of a user trial by Indian Army. These test equipment by the year 2025.
were conducted from a mobile launcher    Defense Minister Sanjay Rajnath Singh
from Launch Complex-3 of Chandipur announced that all countries can invest in
Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Balasore India’s defense sector.
district of Odisha. These were second    Rajnath Singh has traveled to Thailand
night trials of Prithvi-II missile. to participate in the Security Forces
About Prithvi-2 missile Secretariat of eight countries, including
   It is surface-to-surface tactical missile the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
with a strike range of 350 km. It is India’s and India, which is a member of its
first missile indigenously developed by alliance. He announced in a seminar ‘Rise
DRDO under prestigious Integrated of India’ in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok.
Guided Missile Development Program
(IGMDP). It is capable of carrying 500 to L&T Valves secures Green Channel
1,000 kg of warheads, both conventional Status
as well as nuclear.    L&T Valves has become the first private
Poonch Link up Day celebrated by enterprise in India to secure the ‘Green
Indian Army Channel Status’ from the Directorate
   Indian Army on November 23, 2019
General Quality Assurance (DGQA),
commemorated the Poonch Link-up Day. Ministry of Defence, Government of
   The event was organized to pay tribute
India.
   Additional Director General, Quality
to the soldiers who sacrificed their lived
defending Poonch during the conflict in Assurance (Warship Projects) formally
awarded the ‘Green Channel Status’ to
1948
L&T Valves during the QA Industry
Highlights Conclave (South Zone) in Chennai.
   The army laid its wreath at the War
Memorial in the Poonch District. The NIA hosts the first counter terrorism
event was conducted to mark Operation exercise for Quad Countries
Easy that was aimed to defend the Poonch
   The National Investigation Agency
district from the invading Pakistan.
will host the first “Counter Terrorism
Poonch District Exercise” between November 21, 2019
   The Poonch district is bounded by Line of and November 22, 2019.
Control on all three sides. In 1947-48 war,
   The CT-TTX,Counter Terrorism Table
the district was divided between India
Top Exercise will exercise the Quad
and Pakistan. A part of the district went
countries namely India, Japan, US and
to Pakistan and the other part became a
part of the then Indian state Jammu and Australia.
Kashmir.
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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 World Organisations – Pacts and Summits

1.3 World Organisations – Pacts and Summits

Basic ministerial meet on climate Kerala Governor inaugurates
change Ayurveda summit
   The 29th ministerial meet of BASIC    Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed
countries was held at Beijing between Khan inaugurated the 3rd edition of
October 25-26, 2019. Global Ayurveda Summit 2019.
   The BASIC countries include Brazil,    As many as 400 industry leaders and
South Africa, India and China. delegates from SAARC, GCC and African
BASIC countries countries have gathered in Kochi for the
   The BASIC countries are the block of Global Ayurveda Summit 2019.
Brazil, India, China and South Africa    The two-day summit organized by
formed based on an agreement in 2009. Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) will
   They committed to act jointly at the deliberate on the theme “Mainstreaming
Copenhagen Climate Summit. The Ayurveda through Startups, Innovation
countries announced plans and targets and Branding”.
accordingly. The grouping also agreed
35th ASEAN Summit begins in Bangkok
to provide technical aid to G77 countries.

UNESCO designates Mumbai and

Hyderabad as member of UCCN
   UNESCO has designated Mumbai as
a member of UNESCO Creative
Cities Network (UCCN)  in the field
of  FILM  and  Hyderabad  in the field
of GASTRONOMY.
   The 7 categories for recognition under
   The  35th ASEAN Summit began in
UCCN are Crafts and Folk Arts, Design, Bangkok, Thailand from October 31 to 4
Film, Gastronomy, Music, Media Arts November.
and Literature.    The Association of Southeast Asian
   Previously, 3 Indian cities were recognized
Nations (ASEAN) is a group of ten
as members of UCCN, namely- Jaipur- member countries that encourages
Crafts and Folk Arts (2015), Varanasi- political, economic and social co-
Creative city of Music (2015), Chennai- operation in the region.
Creative city of Music (2017).    The theme of the summit for this
year is “Advancing Partnership for
Sustainability”.

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World Organisations – Pacts and Summits Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

COP25 cancelled WHO study on physical activity-India

   The Chile Government cancelled the ranks 8th
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation    The World Health Organization
(APEC) summit and the COP25 published its study about physical
conference due to the ongoing protests in activity of adolescents aged between 11
the country. and 17 years.
   The country’s president in a press meet    The study was conducted across 146
said that the ongoing violent protests countries with the help of data from 298
have plagued the country for weeks and school-based surveys. The assessment
it is currently not in a situation to hold included physical education, active play,
international conferences. recreation and sports, walking, planned
   This is the second time a country is exercises and cycling.
cancelling to host COP25. In November, Highlights: India
2018, Brazil withdrew from hosting the    India was ranked eighth reporting lowest
COP25 citing economic reasons level of physical activity. Though, India
COP25 was one of the top performers around
   The Conference of Parties is the 74% of adolescents showed insufficient
supreme body of the UNFCCC-United physical activity.
Nations Framework Convention on    In India the overall insufficient physical
Climate Change. activity in 2001 was 76.6% and has now
   The first COP was held in Berlin, decreased to 73.9% in 2016.
Germany in 1995.

Kanpur is world’s most polluted city: Guinness 50th World Economic

World Records 2020 Forum to be held
   The city of Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh held the title for the in Switzerland in
world’s most polluted city in the latest edition of Guinness January 2020
World Records.    The 50th edition
   The book, ‘Guinness World Records 2020’, lists thousands of the World
of new record titles and holders that will educate curious Economic Forum
readers of all age groups. (WEF) is to be held
   It is released annually by publisher Penguin Random in Davos-Klosters,
House. Switzerland, from
Kanpur: The Most Polluted City in the World 21-24 January 2020.
   A report by World Health Organization (WHO) analyzed    The theme of the
that the most polluted city in the world is Kanpur in forum is fixed as
northern India, with an average PM2.5 level of 173 ‘Stakeholders for
micrograms/m3 for the year 2016. a Cohesive and
Sustainable World’.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 World Organisations – Pacts and Summits

World Customs Organization recognised BRICS summit

HS Code for India’s Signature Fabrics-A    Prime Minister Narendra
Boost for Khadi Exports Modi  will embark on a two-day
visit to Brazil from November 13 to
   The Ministry of Commerce and Industry
attend the 11th BRICS  summit, the
has allocated separate HS code for signature
Ministry of External Affairs.
fabric of India. HS stands for Harmonized
   BRICS  bring together five major
System and was developed by the World
world economies, namely Brazil,
Customs Organization (WCO). The code is
Russia, India, China, and South
used by customs officers to clear commodities
Africa, which comprise 42 per cent of
entering or crossing international border.
the world population, contribute to
HS Code
23 per cent of global Gross Domestic
   It is a multipurpose International Product and around 17 per cent of
Nomenclature that describes type of goods the share in world trade.
being shipped. The code follows Kyoto    The theme of this year’s summit is
Convention of 1974. It is being used by more economic growth for an innovative
than 200 countries. future.

Extra News
Roar of the sea: Naval Indian Army conducts Sindhu Sudarshan
Exercise between Qatar and exercise in Barmer, Rajasthan
India    The Strike Corps (also known as Sudarshan
   A three-day naval exercise, Chakra Corps) of Indian Army is conducting
Za’ir-Al-Bahr (Roar of the Sea) the annually held exercise, dubbed Sindu
is being conducted between Sudarshan-VII, in Barmer, Rajasthan. The
November 17 and November annual exercise will test the operational
21, 2019 between the Indian and readiness and maneuver warfare capability of
Qatar Naval Forces. Indian Army’s 21 Corps, one of the service’s
   The aim of the exercise is three so-called Strike Corps. The Corps
to enhance interoperability currently consists of 2 infantry divisions, 1
between the naval forces. armored division, and 3 support brigades.

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World Organisations – Pacts and Summits Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

India ranks 59th in 2019 IMD India ASEAN InnoTech Summit 2019
World Talent Ranking    India ASEAN InnoTech Summit 2019, a three-day
   India was ranked 59th among Technology & Innovation Summit, exhibition,
63 countries in the 2019 IMD B2B and B2G meetings to be held on 20 – 22
World Talent Ranking released November 2019, SMX Convention Center, Davao,
by International Institute for Philippines.
Management Development.    India ASEAN InnoTech Summit: Accelerating
   This year, India slipped by 6 towards innovative development
places as compared to 53rd rank    Participating ASEAN Member Countries: Brunei,
in 2018 edition of this global Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia,
annual list. Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand,
   India’s poor performance was Vietnam
on account of low quality of life    Exhibition to showcase best Indian Innovative
and expenditure on education. Technologies, with potential implementation in
the ASEAN region.
Led by India, South Asia
moving towards becoming PM attends BRICS summit
center of global growth: IMF    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Brazil
   Led by India, South Asia is on November 13 and 14 to attend the 11th BRICS
moving towards becoming summit, the theme of which is “economic growth
center of global growth and for an innovative future”.
could contribute about one-third    This will be the sixth time Modi will be
of the world’s growth by 2040, participating in the BRICS summit, his first being
according to a latest research at Fortaleza, also in Brazil in 2014.
by the International Monetary BRICS
Fund.    BRIC is an acronym for the economic bloc of
   Under the IMF’s geographical countries consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, and
division of the world, South Asia China.
does not include Afghanistan    In 2010, South Africa joined the BRIC group.
and Pakistan.    Economists believe these four nations will
   For IMF, South Asia includes become dominant suppliers of manufactured
India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri goods, services, and raw material by 2050 due to
Lanka, Bhutan, and Maldives. low labor and production costs.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Places in News

1.4 Places in News

Suranga Bawadi enters World Monument Watch list
   Suranga Bawadi, an integral
part of the ancient Karez
system of supplying water
through subterranean
tunnels built during Adil
shan dynasty set to get
funding for restoration. A
New York-based non-
governmental organisation
has included it Shahi era in
Vijayapura, is now in the
World Monument Watch list
for 2020 along with 24 other
monuments from across the
world. The monument has been selected under the ‘Ancient Water System of the Deccan
Plateau’ by World Monuments Fund [the NGO], which monitors restoration of ancient
monuments across the globe.
World Monument Fund:
   Founded in 1965, WMF is headquartered in New York. World Monuments Fund (WMF) is
a Private, International, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic
architecture and cultural heritage sites around the world through fieldwork, advocacy,
grant making, education and training. World monument watch list: WMF publishes the
World Monuments Watch list every two years.

Govt plans to merge Daman and Diu, Dadra and Amaravati finds a place in
Nagar Haveli Union Territories political map
   Two Union Territories - Daman and Diu, and Dadra    The Survey if India released
and Nagar Haveli will be merged into one and a bill in a new political map of
this effect will be tabled in Parliament next week, Union India with Amaravati as the
Minister Arjun Meghwala anounced in the Lok Sabha. capital of Andhra Pradesh,
   The central government had announced the abrogation which became the residuary
of the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir State after bifurcation of the
under Article 370 and its bifurcation into two UTs. combined Andhra Pradesh
   The country currently has nine UTs after the creation in 2014.
of the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir, an d Ladakh. With    Amaravati was missing
the merger of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar from the map, released
Haveli, the number of UTs will come down to eight. by the Survey of India on
November 2.

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Eminent Persons Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

1.5 Eminent Persons Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja

creates new speed record by climbing
Jasprit Bumrah, Smriti Mandhana the world’s 14 highest peaks in 7
win Wisden India Almanack Cricketer months
of the Year award    The mountaineer from Nepal, Nirmal
   Indian Fast bowler Jasprit Purja, aged 36, created a new speed
Bumrah and batswoman record by climbing the world’s 14 highest
Smriti Mandhana won the peaks over 8,000 metres (26,250 feet) in
Wisden India Almanack just 7 months. The 14th peak which he
Cricketer of the Year award. climbed was Shishapangma, located the
   The other 3 winners
Nyalam Country, Tibet Autonomous
are Pakistan’s Fakhar
Region, China.
Zaman, Sri Lanka’s
Dimuth Karunaratne and
Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan. Finance Minister releases
   Smriti Mandhana became Commemorative Coin on
the third woman to win Paramahansa Yogananda
‘Cricketer of the Year’,
after Mithali Raj and Deepti Sharma.
Former Indian cricketers Gundappa
Viswanath and Lala Amarnath were
inducted into the  Wisden India Hall of
Fame.
   The book titled “Cricket Country:
The Untold History of the First All
India Team” by Prashant Kidambi was
   The Union Minister for Finance &
adjudged the Wisden India Book of the
Year 2019 (Published by Penguin India). Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman
has released a special commemorative
Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurates coin on Paramahansa Yogananda.
Guru Nanak Chair at University of The coin has been released to mark
Birmingham Paramahansa Yogananda’s 125th birth
   Union Minister for Housing and anniversary.
Urban Affairs has inaugurated a    Paramahansa Yogananda is known as
new  Guru Nanak Chair by the the  Father of Yoga in the West. He was
support of Indian government, at the founder of two organisations: Yogoda
the  University of Birmingham to Satsanga Society of India and Self-
enable research around the teachings of Realisation Fellowship, belongs to the
the founder of the Sikh religion. line of gurus whose message is universal
   He announced the new Chair to mark the transcending nations and religions.
550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak.
14 Vetrii IAS Study Circle
Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Eminent Persons
Padma Shri awardee & India’s oldest Three Indian-origin CEOs featured in
Yoga teacher Nanammal passed HBR’s top 10 best-performing CEOs
away at 99
   On October 26, 2019 India’s
oldest yoga teacher
V.Nanammal passed away
at her residence near
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
due to old age ailments at
the age of 99. She had    The list is compiled by the Harvard
trained one million students over 45 years. Business Review (HBR) and features 100
CEOs.
KVS to celebrate ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Key Highlights of List
Bharat’ Parv at India Gate    The list has been topped by American
   Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan is technology company NVIDIA’s CEO
organizing 4-day ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Jensen Huang. Indian CEO’s: Among
Bharat Parv’, on the occasion of birth the world’s top 10 best-performing chief
anniversary of freedom fighter Sardar executives on list, three spots have been
Vallabhbhai Patel. It will start from occupied by Indian-origin CEOs. The 6th
31st October 2019 and aims to promote spot is held by Adobe CEO Shantanu
National Integration, appreciation for Narayen, followed by MasterCard CEO
Indian Art & Culture and bringing out Ajay Banga, ranked 7th and Microsoft
the talent of students and teachers. chief Satya Nadella on 9th spot. The list
also features India-born CEO of DBS
Brazilian Prez Bolsonaro to be chief Bank Piyush Gupta on 89th spot.
guest at India’s 2020 Republic Day
21-year-old from Jaipur set to
   Brazilian President Jair
Bolsonaro  accepted
become India’s youngest judge
Prime Minister    Jaipur boy Mayank
Narendra Modi’s Pratap Singh, has made
history by cracking the
invitation to be the chief
Rajasthan judicial
guest at India’s Republic
services 2018 exam at just
Day  celebrations next
21 years of age, which has
year. Prime Minister set him on the path of
Modi invited Bolsonaro to the Republic becoming the youngest
Day, 2020. The Brazilian President has judge in the country.
accepted the invitation.    He took admission in 2014 in the five-
year LLB course from the Rajasthan
University

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Eminent Persons Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

Former Chief Election Commissioner TN Seshanpasses away

   Former  Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and former Cabinet
secretary Tirunellai Narayana IyerSeshan, who ushered in reforms in
the country’s electoral process during his tenure as CEC in the 1990s,
died of a cardiac arrest in Chennai. He was 86.
   In 1955, he topped the IAS entrance exam and began his long journey as
a bureaucrat. T N Seshan was the 10th Chief Election Commissioner and
had served from December 12, 1990, till December 11, 1996.

Mathematician Vashishtha Narayan Singh

   Renowned mathematician Vashishtha Narayan Singh, who came to
be known as India’s Einstein, passed away in Patna.
   Born in Bihar, the 74 year old Vashishtha was suffering from a
prolonged mental illness schizophrenia from the last 35 years. He
earned worldwide recognition when he challenged Einstein’s
theory.

Nita Ambani elected to the board of Metropolitan Museum of Art

   Educationist, Philanthropist and Business woman Nita Ambani has
been named the Honorary Trustee of New York City’s the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, the largest U.S. art museum.
   In the museum’s 150-year of history, she is the first Indian Trustee.
Her election took place at the meeting of the Museum’s board and
the announcement in this regard was made by Daniel Brodsky, the
Chairman of Museum.

Extra
Jal Shakti Minister releases short documentary film on Water
Conservation named ‘SHIKHAR SE PUKAR’
   Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat released a short documentary
film on Water Conservation named ‘SHIKHAR SE PUKAR’ in New Delhi.
   The film has been made to promote ‘Jalshakti Abhiyan’ and is based on the Journey of
an IAS Officer Ravindra Kumar, who climbed Everest this year to attract the attention of
people from top of the Everest on the serious issue of Water Conservation and stopping
Water Pollution.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Sports and Games

1.6 Sports and Games Ravinder settles for silver at U-23

World Wrestling Championship
Overview of 7th CISM Military World    Indian grappler Ravinder
Games for 2019 settled for a silver medal
   The 7th CISM Military World Games for after going down to
the year 2019 were held at Wuhan Sports Kyrgyzstan’s Ulukbek
Zholdoshbekov in the
Center in Wuhan, Hunei Province, China
61kg final at the Under-23
from October 18-27, 2019 under the motto
World Wrestling
Military Glory, World Peace. Championship at
   It was the first international military Budapest. The 22-year-old Indian
multi-sport event to be held in China. The suffered a 3-5 loss to Ulukbek, the current
event occurs once in 4 years. Asian U23 champion in 61kg.
Mary Kom named in IOC’s 2020    This was India’s first medal at the 2019
edition and overall fifth silver at the
Olympics athlete ambassadors group
Championships. Bajrang Punia (65kg),
   The 6-time world champion Mangte Vinod Kumar (70kg) and women
Chungneijang Mary Kom has been wrestler Ritu Phogat (48kg) had won a
inducted into the 10-member sports silver each in the first edition in Poland.
ambassador group by the International
Olympic Committee (IOC)  on Boxing Pooja Gehlot wins silver at Under-23
workforce to represent boxers ahead of World Wrestling Championship
the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.    Wrestler  Pooja Gehlot 

Emblem of FIFA U-17 Women’s World (53kg) claimed India’s

Cup 2020 second silver medal after
going down to Japan’s
   The official emblem of FIFA
2017 world
U-17 Women’s World Cup
champion  Haruna
India 2020 was unveiled in
Okuno in the finals of the
the presence of
UWW Under-23 World
Union Sports Minister Kiren
Championships.
Rijiju and All India Football
   Gehlot lost 0-2 to Okuno in the summit
Federation (AIFF) president
clash to emulate Ravinder (61kg), who
Praful Patel at the Gateway of
also won a silver.
India.
India’s ace sprinter Dutee chand included in ‘Time 100 Next’ list
   TIME, an American weekly news magazine has named Indian professional
sprinter Dutee Chand (23) to its first-ever TIME 100 Next, a new expansion
of the TIME 100 list of the most influential people in the world.

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Sports and Games Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

Deepak Kumar bags bronze medal Military World Games: Boxer Deepak
at Asian Shooting Championships, wins silver
secure Olympic quota    Indian pugilist Deepak
   Indian shooter Deepak won a silver while
Kumar booked his tennis player N. Sriram
berth in the Tokyo Balaji claimed a bronze
Olympics 2020 in medal in their
men’s 10m rifle after he
respective events at
bagged a bronze medal
the ongoing Seventh
in the Asian Shooting
Military World Games.
Championships.
   Deepak had to settle for silver in the men’s
Manu Bhaker
light flyweight (46-49kg) category after
   Deepak Kumar secured India’s 10th
losing 0-5 to gold medallist Zhussupov
Olympic quota in shooting while Manu
Temirtas of Kazakhstan in the final.
Bhaker claimed the women’s 10m air
pistol gold medal in the 14th Asian
Championship
The 15-year-old Rohtak girl who beat
Karnataka wins Vijay Hazare Trophy
Sachin Tendulkar
2019-20
   Fifteen-year-old Shafali
   Karnataka  has won the 2019-20 Vijay
Verma became the
Hazare Trophy. Karnataka defeated
youngest Indian cricketer
Tamil Nadu by 9 wickets in the finals of
Vijay Hazare Trophy at Bengaluru. to score a half-century in
   Karnataka won their 4th Vijay Hazare international cricket, her
Trophy title with a dominant display 49-ball 73 in the first T20
against Tamil Nadu. Abhimanyu Mithun International against West
took a hat-trick in the summit clash. Indies surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s
30-year-old record.
Javelin thrower Sundar Singh
   Tendulkar was 16 years and 214 days
wins gold in World Para Athletics
when he scored his maiden half century
Championships
(59, vs Pakistan at Faisalabad in 1989).
   Javelin thrower Sundar Singh
At 15 years and 267 days, UAE’ Kavisha
Gurjar has won India’s second gold
and defending his World Para Athletics Egodage is the youngest woman to score
Championships title in the men’s F46 an international 50, against Malayasia in
javelin throw event in Dubai. With this, Jan 2019).
India has secured three Tokyo Paralympic
Games quota, along with the bronze
winner Ajeet Singh and Rinku.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Sports and Games
India to host 2023 FIH Men’s World Cup, Spain, Netherlands to co-host 2022
Hockey Women’s World Cup
   The Executive Board of the International Hockey Federation on Friday announced that
India would be hosting the Men’s Hockey World Cup in 2023. Spain and Netherlands
have been confirmed as the co-hosts for the 2022 FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup.
   The Men’s Hockey World Cup would be played from January 13-29, 2023 while
the Women’s World Cup would be played from July 1-17, 2022. The venues for the
tournaments will be announced by the host nations.
HIGHLIGHTS
   India would be hosting the Men’s Hockey World Cup in 2023
   Spain and Netherlands confirmed as co-hosts for the 2022 FIH Hockey Women’s World
Cup
   The Men’s Hockey World Cup would be played from January 13-29, 2023

Rohit Sharma becomes first Indian Saurabh Chaudhary wins silver

male cricketer to play 100 T20I medal in Men’s 10m air pistol event
   Rohit Sharma became at Asian Championship
the first Indian man    Saurabh Chaudhary 
and second in world claimed the silver
cricket to complete medal in men’s 10m
100 T-20 air pistol event to
Internationals. He
continue India’s
reached the milestone
surge at the 14th
when he led the team
Asian Champion ship in Doha,
in the second match
Qatar.
against Bangladesh at the Saurashtra
   World Cup and Asian Games gold-
Cricket Association Stadium.
   Shoaib Malik, with 111 games from medalist shot 244.5 to finish second
Pakistan, is the only player to have played on the podium behind North Korea’s
more than 100 T20 Internationals. Rohit Kim Song Guk, who won the top
is currently the top-scorer in this format, prize with a world record 246.5. Iran’s
with 2452 runs with regular skipper Virat Foroughi Javed bagged the bronze.
Kohli second in the list with an aggregate
of 2450 series.
   Rohit scored the runs at a strike-rate
of 136.67 with four hundred and 17
half-centuries.

Vetrii IAS Study Circle 19

Books & Authors Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

1.7 Books & Authors Man Booker Prize shortlisted Sri

Lankan author Romesh Gunesekera’s
new novel “Suncatcher” set to release
New book titled “The Uniquiet River:
A biography of the Brahmaputra”    Man Booker Prize

by historian Arupjyoti Saikai to be shortlisted Sri

Lankan author
released
R o m e s h
   New book titled “The
Gunasekera’s new
Uniquiet River: A
novel “Suncatcher”
biography of the
is set to release in
Brahmaputra” by
November 2019. It is
historian Arupjyoti
published by
Saikia is to be released.
Bloomsbury
The book which will
Publishers. It is a coming-of-age story
be published by
about difficult friendships and sudden
Oxford University
awakenings.
Press (OUP), portrays
   His previous book was “Noontide Toll”
the landscape of Assam valley and the
which described the key moments in
livelihoods around, that shaped the river.
post-war Sri Lanka.
Key points :
   The book also focuses on Assam’s history Post Colonial Assam (1947-2019)
where Brahmaputra plays a vital part    ‘Post Colonial Assam (1947-2019)’book
in the history of Assamese and their was launched in New Delhi and authored
settlements. The book is expected to be by veteran journalist Mrinal Talukdar.
released in November 2019. Monograph on Mridangam released
   Vice-President M.Venkaiah Naidu
Sahitya Akademi publishes new released a monograph, ‘Musical
anthology called Modern English Excellence of Mridangam’, a rare fusion
Poetry to mark 200 years of Indian of art and science of an ancient south
English poetry Indian instrument on the CSIR-Central
   Sahitya Akademi, an organization Leather Research Institute (CLRI) campus
dedicated to the promotion of literature in Chennai.
in the languages of India, has published    The book, an outcome on search and
a new anthology called ‘Modern English development don standardization of
Poetry’ by Younger Indians, which fabrication and new innovations in
documents the contemporary poetry design of the percussion instrument,
scene in India and the broader Indian was authored by mridangam maestro
diasporas to mark the 200 years of Indian and Padma Vibhushan awardee
English poetry. Umayalpduram K.Sivaraman.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Books & Authors
Sikhism founder Gurud Nanak dev Book titled “Kashmir’ by Historian
biography will be planned to release Chitralekha Zutshi released
on his 550th birth anneiversary    A new book by
   Sikhism Founder Guru Nanak biography renowned historian
has been released on his 550th birth Chitralakha Zutshi
anniversary. The book was written titled “Kashmir”
by the professor and author Nikky- was released. The
Guninder Kaur Singh, the book titled book is part of
“The First Sikh: The Life and Legacy Oxford India’s
of Guru Nanak” which describes about short introduction
the majestic and magisterial portrait” of series. The book
the life and legacy of Guru Nanak. Guru portrays the history
Nanak Dev – Sikhism Founder Guru of the region that
Nanak Dev, born on April 15, 1469 and was made up of interconnected political
his birthplace was Nanakana Sahib in and religious ideologies, literary
traditions, and social classes etc.
Pakistan.
Chaturvedi Badrinath’s book launched
Three books launched on Guru Nanak in city
Dev    Chaturvedi Badrinath’s Dharma:
Hinduism and Religions in India is an
   The books were launched in the run-up
important book where the author tries to
to 550th Birth Anniversary celebration
get to the core idea of dharma, and is a
of Guru Nanak Dev. The National Book
relevant book with a density of ideas on
Trust has published these titles – ‘Guru
the topic.
Nanak Bani’, ‘Nanak Bani’, and ‘Sakhian
Guru Nanak Dev’ to spread the message
of Guru Nanak Dev’s writings among
CJI Ranjan Gogoi releases Assamese
readers of Indian sub-continent. version of book ‘Courts of India: Past
to Present’
   Chief Justice of India
A new novel called “Accidental Magic”
Justice  Ranjan
penned by Keshava Guha released
Gogoi released the
   Author Keshava Guha’s Assamese version of the
new novel entitled book  ‘Courts of India:
“Accidental Magic”, Past to Present’ in
Published by Guwahati, Assam. The
Harpercollins India, was book has been published by the
launched at the Bangalore Publication division. The various chapters
Literature Festival in of the book narrate the historical events of
Bengaluru, Karnataka. the court.

Vetrii IAS Study Circle 21

India and its Neighbours Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

“From Shanties to School”, a book UNICEF has published a book on

penned by Manimala Roy was child-friendly foods
launched    The United Nations states that the
   Book by Educationist Manimala Roy, type of food suitable for the welfare of
titled “From Shanties to School” which children. A book has been published on
exdplores 1991 economic reforms on behalf of the Children›s Fund (UNICEF).
literacy especially among the migrant    The 28-page book contains food items,
labourers of Delhi and their Children. including potatoes, barotas, vegetable
salt, sprouts, sapatti and javarisi cutlets.
1.8 India and its Neighbours    The method of preparing food and the
nutrients in it are discussed in detail
Bangladesh to hold world’s second in this book. Moreover, the food items
largest Muslim congregation ‘Bishwa mentioned in this book will cost less than
Ijtema’ `20.
   Bangladesh will hold the first phase
of Bishwa Ijtema, the second largest Pak releases coin to commemorate
congregation of Muslim community after
550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru
Hajj, from January 10 to 12 next year in
Nanak
Dhaka. The second phase of the Ijtema
   The government of Pakistan released
will be held from January 17 to 19.
a new coin to commemorate the 550th
   Bishwa Ijtema is an annual event which
anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.
is held in a 160 acre field on the bank of
   The coin worth Pakistan Rupees 50 will
the Turag river at Tongi on the outskirts
be available at the Kartarpur Sahib along
of Dhaka since 1967.
with a postal stamp worth Pakistan
Dhaka International Folk Festival Rupees 8 to the travelling pilgrims.
inaugurated
   The 5th edition of the Dhaka International India-Bangladesh first pink ball test
Folk Festival was inaugurated by the at Eden Garden
Information Minister of Bangladesh Dr    The first-ever pink-ball Test match
Hasan Mahmud at a grand ceremony between India and Bangladesh begin at
at Bangladesh Army Stadium. More the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
than 200 artistes from 6 countries are be    The second test of the two-match series
performing in the largest folk festival of against Bangladesh will also be a historic
Asia. During the three-day festival a large Day-night Test.
number of popular and renowned artistes    The play will begin at 1 PM.
from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan,    Pink balls will be used in place of red
Russia and other countries will perform balls for better visibility under lights.
in Dhaka.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 India and its Neighbours
Kalapani Territorial Dispute: Nepal India attends IUCN’s 7th Regional
objects inclusion of unresolved Conservation Forum held at
territory as part on India in new maps Islamabad
   A few days after India redrew the    International Union for Conservation
political map of Jammu and Kashmir of Nature organized the 7th Regional
after scrapping Article 370, the Nepal Conservation Forum in Islamabad,
government strongly objected to the Pakistan.
inclusion of ‘Kalapani’ under the Indian    Secretary of Ministry of Environment,
Territory, as it considers the unresolved Forest and Climate Change represented
territory a part of the Darchula district in India at the forum.
Nepal.    More than 500 representatives from
   While India said it had not made any different countries, corporate sector and
changes to its border with Nepal in a NGOs participated in the forum
newly-released map and that it depicts its Significance
sovereign territory accurately.    The Hindu Kush Himalayan region is the
   Kalapani lies in Uttarkhand’s Pithoragarh
origin of 10 major river basins.
district.    IT provides livelihoods to over 240
Sri Lanka becomes first South Asian million people directly and around 1.9
nation to criminalise match-fixing billion people indirectly.
related offences    Around 3 billion people are dependent
   Sri Lanka has become first South Asian on the food produced in the basin.
nation to criminalise several offences    The Himalayan Glaciers are considered
related to match-fixing. the third pole of the world mainly because
   The move comes after Sri Lankan of the sheer volume of the ice they hold.
parliament passed of a bill related to Dhaka Global Dialogue held in
it labelled as “Prevention of Offences
Bangladesh
Related to Sports”.
   The first edition of Dhaka Global
   Sri Lanka’s Sports Ministry worked
Dialogue was held on 2019 in Bangladesh.
closely with International Cricket
   The three day long programme was
Council’s (ICC) Anti-Corruption Unit
inaugurated by Prime Minister of
(ACU) during the process of drafting bill.
Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina.
Sri Lanka hosts biennial Commonwealth About Dhaka Global Dialogue
Law Ministers’ Conference    Organised by: The programme was
   The Biennial Commonwealth Law jointly organised by New Delhi based
Ministers’ Conference is being held in Observer Research Foundation (ORF)
Colombo, Sri Lanka. Theme for 2019 and Bangladesh Institute of International
CLM Conference is- ‘Equal Access to and Strategic Studies (BIISS).
Justice and the Rule of Law’.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 23
India and its Neighbours Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

Experts discover 3000-year-old city India, China finalise 70 activities to

in Pakistan celebrate 70 years of diplomatic ties
   The archaeological experts from Pakistan    India and China will commemorate the
and Italy have discovered a 3000-year- 70th anniversary of the establishment
old city, believed to be the remains of of diplomatic relations next year with 70
Alexander the Great, in a joint excavation celebratory activities, including cultural,
in northwest Pakistan. religious and trade promotion events
   The discovery of the city named Bazeera besides military exchanges.
was made in Barikot Tehsil of Swat    The ancient trade links between Tamil
District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Nadu and China’s Fujian province, the
famous for 5,000 years old civilisation two sides will engage in cooperative
and its artefacts. projects in studying ancient maritime
   The experts believe that Alexander came links through establishment of sister-
to Swat along with his army in 326 BC state relations between Tamil Nadu and
and defeated the opponents in a battle at Fujian province.
Odigram area and constructed the walled
city named Bazeera and a fort. 9th edition of Bangladesh-India
New Infrastructure constructed at Friendship Dialogue
Nepali school with Indian Govt aid    The  9th edition of Bangladesh-India
Friendship Dialogue will be held at Cox
   Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev
Bazar in Bangladesh
Singh Puri inaugurated newly
   The event will be organized jointly by
constructed infrastructure at the Shree
the India Foundation and Bangladesh
Mahendra Model Higher Secondary
Foundation for Regional Studies.
School in Khalanga town of the country’s
Darchula District.

Pakistan successfully test fires Shaheen-1 surface-to-surface ballistic missile

   Pakistan conducted successful test launch of Shaheen-1 surface-to-surface ballistic missile.
   The test was conducted part of a training exercise aimed at testing the operational
readiness of Army Strategic Forces Command for ensuring Pakistan’s credible minimum
deterrence.
   The test come days after India conducted the first night trial of Agni-II surface-to-surface
medium range nuclear-capable missile having strike range of 2,000 km.
About Shaheen-1 missile
   It is a land based supersonic short-range ballistic missile (SRBM). It has been jointly
designed and developed by joint venture of Pakistan’s National Engineering and
Scientific Commission (NESCOM) and National Defence Complex (NDC).
   Its design is reportedly based on Chinese M-9 missile. It was first tested in April 1999.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Awards & Honours

1.9 Awards & Honours Sakharov Prize

   An academic
BharatPe has won the DigiDhan Mission jailed for
Fin-tech Award separatism in
   BharatPe has won the DigiDhan Mission Fin- China has been
tech Award 2018-2019 for ‹Innovation in Digital awarded the
Payments through Emerging Technology› at European
the  MeitY Start-up Summit 2019 held in Delhi. Parliament’s
The award aims to promote digital payment in top human
India. rights prize.
   The award was presented by the Union Minister    Ilham Tohti, who is from the
of Communication, Electronics & IT and Law & Uighur minority, has been a
Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad.  fierce critic of China’s treatment
BharatPe: of the Uighur people. He was
   BharatPe is the largest merchant fin-tech jailed for life in 2014.
company across India. In its first year after    The  Sakharov Prize for
launch, the company established a network of
Freedom of Thought,
over 20 lakh merchants.
commonly known as
   It provided its support to the merchant
the  Sakharov Prize, honours
community with free UPI payments through
individuals and groups of
one QR code, lending, and deposits. 
people who have dedicated
their lives to the defense
of human rights and freedom
of thought.

Presrident Pam Nath Kovind confers 1st National Corporate Social Responsibility
Awards for 2019
   The President of India, Mr Ram Nath Kovind conferred the 1st Edition of National
Corporate Social Responsibility Awards (NCSRA) for 2019 in New Delhi.
   The jury recommended 19 winners and 19 honorable mentions across the 3 award
categories, out of the 528 entries received for NCSRA.
About the Award :
   The NCSRA has been instituted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to recognize
outstanding contribution in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to achieve
inclusive growth and inclusive and sustainable development.

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Awards & Honours Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

India’s First International award, the Gandhi Mandela Award 2019 constituted
   New Delhi based Non-Profit Organisation (NPO), the Gandhi Mandela
Foundation has constituted the first ever Gandhi Mandela Award
in 2019.
   It is India’s first International award announced on 150th birth
anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2, 2019 and will be
organized in India in December 2019.
Second Edition:
   The second edition of the award is planned to take place in London on
October 2, 2020.
   These awards will be given to people with contributions in the fields of Peace, Social
Welfare, Culture, Environment, Education, Healthcare, Sports and Innovation.

16th National Awards for Excellence in Nawazuddin Siddiqui wins Golden

Cost Management Dragon Award at 2019 CIFF
   Indian actor Nawazuddin
Siddiqui has been
awarded the
prestigious  Golden
Dragon Award for his
works in Hindi cinema at
   Haryana Power Generation Corporation
the Cardiff International
Ltd has been conferred first position in
Film Festival (CIFF) 2019
the 16th National Award for Excellence
held in Wales, United
in Cost Management-2018, organised
Kingdom.
by the Institute of Cost Accountants of
   Veteran Hollywood star-actress Dame
India under Category Power Generation,
Judith Olivia Dench was also honoured
Distribution and Transmission. The
with the Lifetime Achievement award at
award ceremony was held in New Delhi.
the ceremony.
   Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
Limited (GRSE), a ship building PSU Pepsico India wins US award for
under the Ministry of Defence, has saving water
received the second positive award at    US Secretary of State Mike
16th National Award for “Excellence in Pompeo presented the prestigious Award
Cost Management.”  The award was for Corporate Excellence to Pepsico
given in the ‘medium public sector India.
manufacturing companies’ category.

26 Vetrii IAS Study Circle

Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Awards & Honours
Sardar Patel National Unity Award
   Centre government has instituted
‘Sardar Patel National Unity
Award’, the highest civilian award
in field of contribution to unity
and integrity of India, in the name
of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, most
popularly known as Iron Man of
India or the founding father of the
Republic of India.
   It will be announced on occasion
of National Unity Day on the
Birth Anniversary of Sardar Patel
on 31 October.
   The institution of award was
notified by Union Ministry of Home Affairs on 20 September 2019.

Indira Gandhi award Vyas Samman 2018 conferred on

   Chandi Prasad Bhatt, noted Leeladhar Jagoori
environmentalist and social activist, has    The 28th Vyas Samman for the year 2018
been awarded the Indira Gandhi award was conferred on noted Hindi poet and
for national integration for the years 2017 writer Leeladhar Jagoori for his poetry
and 2018. The award, instituted by the collection ‘Jitne Log Utne Prem’, at a
Congress in the memory of the former function held in New Delhi.
Prime Minister, was presented to Bhatt    The poetry collection ‘Jitne Log Utne
by Congress President Sonia Gandhi at a Prem’ is Jagoori’s 12th anthology of
function at Jawahar Bhawan. poetry.
Rajinikanth to be honoured special About Vyas Samman
Icon award at IFFI    The prestigious award was started in
1991 and is conferred especially for
   The  50th International Film Festival
contributions to Hindi literature.
of India (IFFI) will honour superstar
   It is given by K K Birla Foundation for
Rajinikanth with a special Icon of
an outstanding literary work in Hindi
Golden Jubilee Award and the Life
authored by an Indian citizen published
Time Achievement Award for a Foreign
during last 10 years.
Artiste will be conferred to French
   It carries a prize money of Rs. 4 lakh
Actress Isabelle Huppert.
along with a citation and plaque.
   The festival will be held in Goa from
November 20 to 28. Russia will be the
partner country at the festival this year.
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Awards & Honours Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

Punjab Cabinet passes resolution to Singer S.P.Balasubrahmanyam,

institute Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Award Felicitated for Chetana Award 2019
   Punjab State Cabinet passed a    Legendary Singer
unanimous resolution to institute Sri S.P.Balasubrah
Guru Nanak Dev Ji Award for Promotion manyam from Nellore,
of Peace and Interfaith Understanding, Andra Pradesh, has
in commemoration of the 550th Prakash been selected for the
Purb of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The award Chetana Silver Jubilee
would carry a citation and a cash prize National Award. Oscar
of 11 lakh rupees. This coveted award winning sound
would be given each year and would be engineer Resul Pookutty won the
adjudicated by a jury to be notified by the national audio excellence award.
State Government.    Chetana Award also honour Seven
Young Talents in the Arts-Culture
Writer Anand bags Ezhuthachan
and Media Sectors with Yuva Chetana
Puraskaram
Awards.
   Eminent Writer Anand
The lists of winners are:
has been selected for the
   Sreejith Vellattanjur (ghatam), Ratmasree
27th Ezhuthachan
Aiyer (tabala), B.K.Shafeequddin
Puraskaram 2019, Minister
(bharatanatyam), Robin Thomas (piano),
of Culture A.K.Balan has
Sarat Mohan (sound mixing), R.J.Neena
announced this highest
(media) and Sebi Jose Challissery
literary honour Award
(Cinema).
which is given by Kerala Sahitya Akademi
Award and the Government of Kerala.
Anand was chosen for his overall Neeraj sharma wins ‘Early career
contributions to Malayalam language researcher of the year 2019’ award
and Literature. His real name is P.    Indian-origin
Satchidanandan uses the pseudonym Anand. researcher  Neeraj
Sharma has been given
R.V.Ramani receives Bala Kailasam the  ‘Early Career
Memorial Award Researcher of the Year
   Documentary film-maker R.V.Ramani award’ by the
received the Bala Kailasam Memorial Australian government.
Award 2019 for his film Oh that’s Bhanu,    This award is given
on 95-year-old dancer Bhanumathi Rao, for developing next-
at the Tagore Film Centre in Chennai. generation battery systems such as a
   The film explores themes of memory and sodium-ion battery that will leave a
time via Bhanumathi, who is suffering minimal environmental impact.
from memory loss herself.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Awards & Honours
Madhuri Vijay’s debut novel ‘The Sudarsan Paatnaik picked for Italian
Far Field’ wins 2019 JCB prize for Golden Sand Art Award 2019
Literature    International
   U.S. based-Indian author Madhuri acclaimed Sand
Vijay’s debut novel, The Far Field bagged Artist Sudarsan
this year’s JCB prize for Literature, the Pattnaik who
most expensive Indian award for writing. belongs to Odisha
   “The Far Field  is an impressively has been selected for
ambitious novel of stunning emotional the presitigious
and psychological acuity. This deeply Italian Golden Sand
introspective story, located in troubled Art Award 2019. He will be felicitated
Kashmir, is also a panoramic exploration during the International Scorrana Sand
of our ideas and assumptions about Nativity festival in Italy which is to be
nationhood. held from November 13 to 18, 2019.

Serbia’s Sara Dawnjanovic wins ‘Miss Tata Literature Live! to honour Shanta
Asia Global Title 2019’ title held in Gokhale with Lifetime Achievement
Kochi award
   The 5th Edition of ‘Miss Asia Global    The  Tata Literature Live! Lifetime
Title 2019’ was organized at Gokulam Achievement Award for 2019 was
Convention Centre in Kochi, Kerala. conferred on writer, translator and film
Sara Damnjanovic from Serbia has
critic Shanta Gokhale.
been crowned ‘Miss Asia Global 2019’,
   She, born in 1939 in the town of Dahanu
felicitated by Assam Yessengeldiyeva,
who won Miss Asia Global in 2018. in Maharashtra, recently published her
memoir One Foot on the Ground: A Life
Told Through the Body.
Wildlife biologist K. UllasKaranth
   She received the Sangeet Natak Academy
awarded George Schaller Lifetime Award
Award in 2015.
   Wildlife biologist K.
   Poet K Satchidanandan was named the
UllasKaranth was Tata Literature Live! Poet Laureate for
awarded the 2019.
W i l d l i f e
Conservation
Society’s George
Schaller Lifetime
Award in Wildlife
Conservation
Science for his
contribution to the field of conservation.
He is the first recipient of WCS’s award.
Vetrii IAS Study Circle 29
Awards & Honours Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

TVS Motor Chairman Venu Srinivasan Rajasthan Patrika group chairman

bags Deming award in Tokyo Gulab Kothari wins Raja Ram Mohan
   Venu Srinivasan, Roy Award by PCI
Chairman of  TVS    The Press Council of India (PCI) has
Motor  Company and awarded this year’s Raja Ram Mohan
Sundaram Clayton, Roy National Award for Excellence in
was conferred with the Journalism to Rajasthan Patrika group
D e m i n g chairman Gulab Kothari. The awards will
‘Distinguished be presented on the occasion of National
Service Award for Press Day on 16 November 2019.
Dissemination and Promotion    The selection of awardees was carried out
Overseas’, at a ceremony held in Tokyo. by a jury comprising of eminent members
   Srinivasan becomes the first Indian of PCI like Jai Shankar Gupta, Balwinder
industrialist from India to be bestowed Singh and Ashok Upadhyaya among
with this prestigious award for his others.
contributions in the field of Total Quality
Management (TQM). New invention in the game of ‘chess’
Deming award    In the game of chess, two, six, 12 and 60
   The Deming Prize is the highest people playing simultaneously, the new
award for TQM in the world. Deming talented boy who invented new boards,
‘Distinguished Service Award for has been selected for the national award.
Dissemination and Promotion    Hridayeshwar Singh Patti, son of Sarovar
Overseas’ is given to individuals who Singh of Jaipur belongs to the first state
have made outstanding contributions capital of Rajasthan. For HridhaYeshwara,
in the dissemination and promotion his legs suffered from muscle weakness
of Total Quality Management (TQM) at birth. The Union Ministry of Social
and is sponsored by Japanese Union of Justice and Empowerment has selected
Scientists and Engineers (JUSE). Hrithyeshwar for the National Award for
Achieving Transforming Children.

Tamil Nadu wins ‘global agriculture award’

   Indian chamber of food and agriculture has conferred ‘global agriculture award’ on
Tamil Nadu for its excellence in agriculture sector.
   Food grain production in the state surpassed 100 lakh metric tons sixth time in a row for
the past eight years and the state bagged the Union government’s Krishi Karman award
five times for promoting crop specific technologies. Through collective farming scheme.
   4,000 farmer producer groups have purchased 16,649 farm machineries with a corpus
fund of Rs.200 crore.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Awards & Honours
Kumar Mangalam Birla conferred Asia Society’s Game Changer Award
ABLF Global Asian award    The Kung Fu Nuns of the Drukpa Order,
   Kumar Mangalam some of the Himalayas’ most prominent
Birla, chairman of human rights advocates, received Asia
the  Aditya Birla Society’s prestigious Game Changer
Group, was conferred Award in New York for their path-
the ABLF Global Asian breaking work to empower women
Award, for “powerful and dismantle gender stereotypes in
individual whose Himalayas.
business footprint and    They received the award for their heroic
commitment to excellence have engaged activism and being a true symbol of
international interest and attention”. women empowerment.
   The Asia Business Leadership Forum About Asia Society Game Changer
(ABLF) is backed by the UAE government Awards
and currently runs in three forms- talks,    The Asia Society founded in 1956 is
awards, and publications. a nonpartisan, non-profit educational
   The previous awardees include Dhirubhai institution.
Ambani, Lakshmi Mittal, Mohamed Ali
Alaber, chairman of Emaar group, and Greta Thunberg awarded
Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, international children’s peace prize
chairman of Emirates.    Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg was
President’s Colour awarded to Indian awarded an international children’s peace
Naval Academy prize, for her work in the struggle against
climate change which has resonated with
   President Ram Nath Kovind and
schoolchildren across the world.
Supreme Commander of Indian Armed
   Cameroonian peace activist Divina
Forces, awarded President’s Colour to
Maloum, aged 15, also received the
Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala
International Children’s Peace Prize, for
at Kochi, Kerala.
her fighting spirit and ‘Peaceful struggle’
   The President’s Colour is the highest
against Boko Haram jihadist group.
honour bestowed upon a military unit.
   The prizes were distributed by
   It was awarded to INA in recognition
Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian
of the yeoman service rendered by the
children’s rights activist and 2014 Nobel
institution in training and shaping Indian
Peace Prize winner.
Naval officers over the last 50 years at
   The award ceremony was organized by
three different locations Goa, Kochi and
the Dutch Kids Right Organization.
Ezhimala.
   To commemorate this occasion, a special
postal cover was also released by the
President.
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Awards & Honours Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

Three awards to Tamil Nadu Veteran actors Sridevi and Rekha

government for best performance conferred with ANR National Award
   Three awards were given to the    The veteran actors Sridevi and Rekha were
Government of Tamilnadu for the best conferred with the Akkineni Nageswara
practices in the Saab magazine. Rao National Award for 2018 and 2019
   The ‘Best of States’ Awards 2019 respectively. The award was presented
ceremony was held in Delhi at the by renowned Telugu actor Chiranjeevi.
Magazine of ‘India Today’ The award is instituted by the Akkineni
   Last year, the Tamil Nadu government International Foundation and honours
received major awards, including the those who have made a lasting impact on
award for “Best State in All Sectors in Indian cinema.
the Big States,” in an award presented by
India Today.
Movie “Bhonsle” Wins awards at
Bihar boy wins ‘BRICS-Young Asian Film Festival Barcelona
Innovator Prize’    The Critically
acclaimed movie
   Ravi Prakash, an
“Bhonsle” has
Indian PhD scholar
won prestigious
has won the USD awards at
25,000 BRICS-Young the  Asian Film
Innovator Prize for Festival Barcelona.
discoting an affordable    The film
indigenous milk has bagged two awards in the ‘Best
chilling unit for smaller Screenplay’ and ‘Best Director’ categories
and marginal rural at the festival. The film is directed by
dairy farmers. Devashish Makhija.
   Prakash, PhD scholar of ICAR-    Bhonsle revolves around a police
National Dairy Research Institute constable played by Manoj Bajpayee, who
tries to help in the struggles of migrants
(NDRI),Bangalore, was a part of
and their battles with the local politicians.
21-member delegation sent to Brazil by the
Department of Science and Technology
for the 4th BRICS-Young Scientist Forum Business leadership award conferred
(YSF), 2019. on Azim Premji
   India won the first prize, carrying USD
   The 19th Madras Management Association
25,000, in the forum, the Department of (MMA) - Amalgamations Business
Science and Technology. Leadership Award was conferred on
Azim Premji, Chairman, Wipro Limited.
The Amalgamations Group, presented
the award and the citation.
32 Vetrii IAS Study Circle
Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Awards & Honours
Pakistan: First Country to introduce David Attenborough conferred with
WHO approved Typhoid Vaccine Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace
   Pakistan becomes the first country to    The Indira Gandhi Prize
introduce WHO approved typhoid for Peace, Disarmament
vaccine. and Development 2019
   The Vaccine is to be used in southern has been awarded to
Sindh province as more than 10,000 cases renowned naturalist Sir
of Typhoid were documented since 2017. David Attenborough.
Highlights    David Attenborough has
   The Gavi Vaccine Alliance is backed by been honoured with the award for his
several global organization such as World tireless efforts to highlight the need to
Bank, WHO, UNICEF, Bill & Melinda protect and preserve the nature.
Gates Foundation to lower vaccine costs
Arunachal bags green tourism award
for poor countries.
   Arunachal Pradesh State tourism
   Pakistan is suffering from drug-resistant
department awarded the ‘Best Emerging
typhoid fever since November 2016. The
Green Tourist Destination’ of the country. 
Salmonella Typhi bacteria that causes
   The winner was decided through an
Typhoid is called a super-bug in the
online poll conducted by the Travel &
country as it has developed resistance
Leisure magazine. 
towards old drugs.
   Arunachal Pradesh is one of the last ‘Truly
Gotabaya wins in presidential poll Unexplored’  destinations in the world
which offers an awe-inspiring experience
   Gotabaya Rajapaksa, opposition
to the discerning tourist.
candidate in Sri Lanka’s presidential
contest, emerged winner securing 52.25 %
of the mandate, and marking the  return Metro Rail Award
of the Rajapaksa family to power.    Chennai Metro Rail has been awarded
   Mr. Rajapaksa will be sworn in as Sri the Best Metropolitan Transport Award
Lanka’s seventh executive president in for facilitating better connectivity for
the historic city of Anuradhapura. passengers.
   The seminar was in Uttar Pradesh as
a part of the Indian Urban Transport
International Press Freedom Award
Development Initiative. 
   Indian journalist Neha Dixit among    The Chennai Metro Rail Project has
recipients of International Press Freedom been implemented to connect all major
Award. He is an investigative journalist transport hubs in Chennai. Metro Rail
investigating crimes against human provides a wide range of amenities,
rights in India The award was provided including transit, walkways and more. 
to protect the journalists

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Awards & Honours Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

Bajrang Punia conferred the Indian Personality of the Year Award

   Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia has been conferred the Indian Personality of
the Year Award (Sports) at the Indo-Arab Leaders Summit & Awards 2019
in Dubai. Also, World power lifting champion Mahant Gaurav Sharma was
honoured with the Visionary Leaders of the Year (Sports) award. 
Indo Arab Leaders Summit & Awards 2019:
   Indo Arab Leaders Summit and Awards ceremony was held on 15th
November 2019 at Marriott Hotel Al Jaddaf, Dubai. The award aims to provide
recognition for companies and individuals implementing outstanding initiatives across
Asia. The award recognizes the achievements made by selected high profile personalities
and leaders. It honors their great contributions to the country’s economic development.

Extra News
Indian boxer Sarita Devi elected to AIBA first
Athletes Commission
IAAF changes name to    Veteran Indian boxer L Sarita Devi
World Athletics was elected unopposed to
   The International International Boxing Association’s
Association of Athletics (AIBA) first-ever Athletes
Federations (IAAF) has Commission. The election for members
changed its name and will of this commission was conducted
now be officially known as during AIBA men’s and women’s
World Athletics. Meanwhile, Boxing Championships 2019 held in Russia. Sarita
the apex athletics body Devi was sole candidate contesting for this position
promised to add more from Asian region.
content to its website and to
improve the organisation of India set to host World Kabaddi cup 2019 in
the content. International Punjab
Association of Athletics    The 2019 World Kabaddi Cup will take place from
Federations was a changed December 1 to 9 and will be organised by the Punjab
name of International
government in Punjab. This year’s tournament will
Amateur Athletic
be dedicated to the 550th birth anniversary of Sikh
Federation, which was
founded in 1912 as a world guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Nine teams: India, USA,
governing body for the sport Australia, England, Sri Lanka, Kenya, New Zealand,
of track and field athletics. Pakistan and Canada are expected to take part in the
The name was changed in tournament.
2001.
34 Vetrii IAS Study Circle
Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Appointments – Who is who?

1.10 Appointments – Who is who? Sharad Arvind Bobde Appointed

Next Chief Justice of India (CJI from
November 18, 2019)
Sanjay Gupta appoints country
   On October 29, 2019,
manager at Google India
President Ram Nath
   Google India has Kovind has signed the
appointed  Sanjay warrant appointing
Gupta as its new country Justice Sharad Arvind
manager and vice- Bobde (63) as the 47th
president of sales and Chief Justice of India
operations for India. (CJI) & he will
Gupta, the former Star continue in this post
and Disney India managing director, will for 17 months till 23
contribute to Google’s efforts to expand April 2021.
the internet ecosystem in the country.    The current Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi
   He will take on the role early next year,
(46th) is retiring on November 17, 2019 &
working closely with the teams based in Bobde will take over as Chief Justice on
Gurugram, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. 18November, 2019.
   He replaces Rajan Anandan, who left
Key points :
Google to join Sequoia Capital India.
   As per convention, the outgoing CJI
Ranjan has recommended the name of
Bobde.
Datta Padsalgikar appointed deputy
NSA Justice AP Sahi appointed as chief
   Former  Mumbai justice of Madras HC
Police  Commissioner and    Justice A P Sahi,
Maharashtra DGP Datta currently the Chief
Padsalgikar has been Justice of Patna high
appointed as court is likely to be sworn
Deputy  National  Security in as the chief justice of
Advisor (NSA). Madras high court by the
   The 1982-batch IPS officer had earlier President’s office has
served in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) cleared his transfer
for 26 years before he was picked as recommended by the Supreme Court
the Mumbai Police Commissioner in 2016. collegium.
   He retired as the Director General of    Justice Sahi’s transfer and directed him to
Police (DGP) in 2018. assume charge of chief justice of Madras
high court on or before November 13.

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Appointments – Who is who? Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

Aditya Mishra appointed chairman of Chennai City airport gets first woman
Land Ports Authority of India firefighter
   The Appointments    Remya Sreekantan aged
Committee of 28 will become the first
Cabinet (ACC) female firefighter of
chaired by PM Airport Authority of
Narendra Modi India from South India
has approved the    AAI had inducted the
appointment of first woman fire fighter
Senior Indian in its ranks in 2018, heralding a change.
Police Service (IPS) officer Aditya Mishra Taniya Sanyal from Kolkata was the first
as the chairman of the Land Ports women firefighter to join AAI.
Authority of India (LPAI). He was
appointed on the recommendations of a Dr.Vinaya Shetty appointed as
search-cum-selection panel. IODA’s 1st Indian and Asian General
Vice President
About Land Ports Authority of India
(LPAI)    Dr.Vinaya Shetty from
   LPAI is a statutory body set up by Land Mumbai, Maharashtra was
Ports Authority of India Act, 2010 on appointed as the first Indian
1 March 2012. It works under Union and Asian to be elected as
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). It the General Vice President
develops, sanitises, upgrades, maintains (GVP) of the International
and manages facilities for cross-border Organisation Development
movement of passengers as well as Association (IODA).
goods at designated points along India’s Key Points:
international borders.    In 2016, Vinaya became the first Indian
woman entrepreneur finalist for the
Manmohan on House panel on
prestigious Empretech Women in
Finance
Business Award by United National
   Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Conference Trade and Development
has been nominated to the Parliamentary (UNCTAD).
Standing Committee on Finance in place
of his party colleague Digvijaya Singh, State chief information commisioner
who resigned from the committee to    Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal
make way for him. Purohit administered the oath of office
   Mr.Digvijaya Singh has been nominated to R.Rajagopal. The IAS Officer takes
to the Standing Committee on Urban over as the new State Chief Information
Development by the Chairman of the Commisisioner (SCIC).
Upper House, according to a Rajya Sabha    He previously held the post of Additional
bulletin. Chief Secretary to the Governor.
36 Vetrii IAS Study Circle
Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Appointments – Who is who?
NGT Bench to function from December 2 Lt Col Sharma appointed as Army’s
   The Southern bench of the National 1st female JAG officer deployed on
Green Tribunal is all set to function foreign mission
from December 2, from Kalas Mahal    Lieutenant Colonel Jyoti Sharma has
here, nearly two years after the bench been appointed as Indian Army’s first
fell vacant with all judicial members and female Judge Advocate General officer
expert members retiring. to be deployed on a foreign mission. She
   The National Green Tribunal’s Principal will be appointed as the military legal
Bench issued a notification that expert with the Govt of Seychelles. Jyoti’s
“consequent upon the postings of justice main role would be to update the Govt
K.Ramakrishnan, Judicial Member and of Seychelles officials on the defence and
Saibal Dasgupta, Expert Member, the military act. The Army is also preparing
Southern Zone Bench, Chennai will start to induct women in Military Police Corps.
functioning for regular sittings from
December 2, 2019”. Lieutenant Shivangi: 1st woman
   The Southern Bench was moved to the pilot of Indian Navy to join Naval
heritage building Kalas Mahal which was operations
spruced up at a cost `14.5 crore by the    Lieutenant Shivangi become first woman
Public Works department. pilot of Indian Navy will join Naval
operations. She will join after naval
C.Maniwannan appointed as The operations on completion of operational
President of indian Agricultural training at the Southern Naval Command
Research Scientists Association in Kochi, Kerala on December 2, 2019 two
   Dr. Mani Wannan has been appointed days ahead of Navy Day (observed on
as the President of the Association of December 4).
Agricultural Research Scientists of
Karabi gogoi becomes the 1st woman
India level.
Navy officer designated as defence
   The launch of the Indian Agricultural
attache to Russia
Research Scientists’ Association for the
Year 2019-2022 was held last October.     L t - C o m m a n d e r

   This is the first time a South Indian (equivalent to an Army

scientist has been identified as a leader Major), Karabi Gogoi
in the 1980s that he is the Chief Scientist from Guwahati, Assam
at the Indian Institute of Soil and Water has become the first
Resources, located in Uganda. woman officer from the
Navy to be posted as
Assistant Naval Attache
at the Indian embassy in Moscow,
Russia.

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Cultural Panorama Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

1.11 Cultural Panorama 11th edition of Bal Sangam festival

begins
   The Eleventh edition of Bal Sangam
Chhath festival began in Bihar
festival is being organised by National
   The four days long Chhath festival,
School of Drama (NSD) in its premises in
worship of the Sun God, began in Bihar. 
New Delhi.
   The festival is celebrated in Bihar,
   The four-day festival will be held from 9
Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh.
to 12 November 2019.
   Nahay Khay is celebrated on 31
October,  Kharna  is celebrated on 1 About Bal Sangam festival
November, Sandhya Arghya is celebrated    It is a confluence of folk and traditional
on 2 November and Usha Arghya is art forms performed by children.
celebrated on 3 November.    It will showcase enthralling folk and
traditional performing arts and folk
theatre dedicated to children.
“Bali Yatra” festival begins in Cuttack,
Odisha
Aadi Mahotsav 2019
   Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah
will inaugurate the National Tribal
Festival “Aadi Mahotsav” at DilliHaat.
   The theme of the 15 days’ Mahotsav
(16th to 30th November, 2019) is: “A
Celebration of the Spirit of Tribal
   The festival ‘Bali Yatra’ which is Culture, Craft, Cuisine and Commerce”. 
organised every year in memory of the    The festival will feature exhibition-cum-
rich maritime history of the state, was sale of tribal handicrafts, art, paintings,
inaugurated in Cuttack, Odisha. fabric, jewellery and much more through
   The festival is organised at the bank about 210 stalls. Over 1000 tribal artisans
of  Mahanadi River every year to mark and artists from different States creating a
the day when ancient mariners from the Mini-India will participate in the festival.
state would set sail to the distant land of
Bali, Sumatra, Java (Jawa) in Indonesia,
Borneo and Sri Lanka, for the expansion
of trade and Culture.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Latest Terminology / Latest Historical Events
Destination North East Festival
   The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Development of North
Eastern Region (DoNER) Dr Jitendra Singh will inaugurate the ‘Destination North East’
Festival in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on 23rd November, 2019.
   Destination North East’ to be held from November 23-26 at Varanasi. The festival is
being organised by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER),
Government of India. The Secretary (DoNER) Dr InderJit Singh and Secretary (NEC) Shri
Ram Muivah will also attend the event.

1.12 Latest Terminology 1.13 Latest Historical Events

Oxford Dictionary’s word of the Revisiting Jallianwala Bagh through
year 2019 – “Climate emergency” Victoria Memorial
   Oxford Dictionaries has declared    Victoria
‘climate emergency’ as the word of Memorial Hall, a
the year for 2019 because the word symbol of the
was widely used across the globe, grandeur of the
it is chosen from all-environmental colonial era, will
shortlist which also include “climate for the first time
action,” “climate denial,” “eco-anxiety,” host an exhibition
“extinction” and “flight shame”. on what is
   The word is selected because it considered the
shows the increase in usage since worst blot on the
2018. Climate emergency defines British Empire,
as “a situation in which urgent the Jallianwala
action is required to reduce or halt Bagh massacre of
climate change and also to avoid the 1919.
possible irreversible environmental    The installation exhibition titled, ‘Ways
loss resulting from it. of Remembering Jallianwala Bagh &
Rabindranath Tagore’s Response to the
Massacre’ is unique not only because it links
Punjab and Bengal almost 100 years after the
Killings bur because of the venue hosting it.
   It was only a couple of years after the
massacre that Victoria Memorial was opened
to the public in 1921 and this is the first time
that the hall is holding some event around
the killings.

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Latest Court Verdicts Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

POLITICAL
2. SCIENCE
2.1 Latest Court Verdicts Article 142, invoked by SC to give land
for a mosque
Ayodya Verdict    The Supreme Court, implicitly referring
The verdict: to the demolition of the Babri Masjid
   The Hindus would get the entire at the disputed site, said that it was
disputed 2.77 acres in Ayodhya where invoking Article 142 “to ensure that a
the demolished Babri Masjid once stood. wrong committed must be remedied”.
Possession of disputed 2.77 acre land Article 142(1) states that 
will remain with Central government    “The Supreme Court in the exercise of
receiver. The Muslims will get alternate its jurisdiction may pass such decree
five acres of land either in the surplus 67 or make such order as is necessary for
acres acquired in and around the disputed doing complete justice in any cause
structure by the central government or or matter pending before it, and any
any other “prominent” place. A trust will decree so passed or order so made shall
be formed in 3 months to build a temple be enforceable throughout the territory
on the disputed land. The court held that of India in such manner as may be
the Nirmohi Akhara is not the shebait or prescribed by or under any law made by
devotee of the deity Ram Lalla but will Parliament and, until provision in that
get to be a member of the Trust.  behalf is so made, in such manner as the
President may by order prescribe”.
Five Judge Constitution Bench
   The Supreme Court’s five-judge 40-day hearing
constitution bench includes:    The hearing in the politically and
1. Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi religiously sensitive decades-old temple-
2. Justice SA Bobde mosque land dispute in Ayodhya was the
3. Justice DY Chandrachud second longest proceedings in the history
4. Justice Ashok Bhushan of the Supreme Court which had lasted
5. Justice S Abdul Nazeer for 40 days.
6. The bench has reserved its judgement Result on Saturday
on October 16, 2019 after conducting a    In a historic verdict, the Supreme Court
marathon hearing of 40 days. on Saturday backed the construction of
   1885:  The Ayodhya land dispute dates a Ram temple by a government trust at
back to 1885 when the first-ever suit the disputed site in Ayodhya, and ruled
was filed during the British Rule by that an alternative five-acre plot must be
MahanthRaghubar Das to construct a found for a mosque in the Hindu holy
Ram Temple at Ayodhya. town.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Latest Court Verdicts
‘Office of Chief Justice of India comes under RTI Act’
   The Office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) is a ‘public authority’ under the  Right to
Information (RTI) Act, a five-judge Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India
Ranjan Gogoi declared. The main judgment of the Constitution Bench authored by Justice
Sanjiv Khanna said the Supreme Court is a ‘public authority’ and the office of the CJI is
part and parcel of the institution. Hence, if the Supreme Court is a public authority, so is
the office of the CJI.
Background About RTI
   In 2010, the CIC (Central Information Commission) ordered the SC CPIOs (Central Public
Information Officer) to provide information on personal assets possessed by the judges
of SC. The order was challenged at the Delhi HC to which it ruled that SC and CJI have
statutory duty to furnish information regarding administration and functioning of the SC.
   Right to Information (RTI) is act of the Parliament of India to provide for setting out the
practical regime of the right to information for citizens and replaces the erstwhile Freedom
of information Act, 2002. Under the provisions of the Act, any citizen of India may
request information from a “public authority” (a body of Government or “instrumentality
of State”) which is required to reply expeditiously or within thirty days.
   The Act also requires every public authority to computerise their records for wide
dissemination and to proactively certain categories of information so that the citizens
need minimum recourse to request for information formally. This law was passed by
Parliament on 15 June 2005 and came fully into force on 12 October 2005. 

SC dismisses pleas to review Rafale ruling

   A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi,
dismissed petitions seeking a review of the December 14, 2018 judgment upholding the
purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft.
   The Supreme Court’s judgment upholding the Rafale deal will not bar the CBI from
acting on a corruption complaint in the defence purchase, provided the agency gets prior
sanction from the competent authority to launch an investigation, Justice K.M. Joseph
held in his separate opinion in the Rafale review case.
   The judgment sought to be reviewed would not stand in the way of the first respondent
[CBI] from taking action on the complaint in accordance with the law and after obtaining
previous approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act,”.
Rafale deal controversy
   The Rafale deal controversy is a political controversy in India related to the purchase of
36 multirole fighter aircraft for a price estimated at €7.8 billion by the Defence Ministry
of India from France’s Dassault Aviation. The origin of the deal lies in the Indian MRCA
competition, a multi-billion dollar contract to supply 126 multi-role combat aircraft to
the Indian Air Force (IAF).

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Political parties and Political system in India Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

2.2 Political parties and Political system in India

Forests In Alagar Hills Does Not Maharashtra under President’s rule
Belong To The Deity, Holds SC for 3rd time in 59-year history
   The Supreme Court, set aside the Madras    Imposition of President’s rule in
High Court judgment which held that the Maharashtra is the first instance in the
entire forest area in Alagar Hills belongs 59-year-old history of the state when
to the deity of Arulmigu Kallalagar Article 356 has been invoked due to
Thirukoil Alagar Koil. inability of political parties to form a
   The bench comprising Justice L. government.
Nageswara Rao and Justice Hemant    This is third time that Maharashtra has
Gupta held that the presumption of lost come under the central rule. The present-
grant cannot be applied when there is no day Maharashtra came into existence on
evidence of continuous possession under May 1, 1960.
an assertion of title.    The first of it was in February 1980 when
   Sundara Ramanuja Periya Jeer Swamigal the Indira Gandhi government dismissed
of Periya Jeer Swamigal Mutt, Tirupati the Progressive Democratic Front (PDF)
and others had filed a suit for a declaration government headed by Sharad Pawar.
that the entire forest areain Alagar Hills    Article 356 of the Constitution, under
to Sri ArulmighuKallalagar also called which President’s rule is imposed in a
Sri Sundarajasami or Sundara Bahu or state, deals with ‘failure of constitutional
Paramasamy, the Presiding Deity of the machinery in the state’.
temple.

2.3 Govt – Welfare oriented Govt schemes, their utility

Govt announced Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh for better nutritional outcomes
in New Delhi
   The union Minister of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) Smt Smriti Zubin
Irani has announced the Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh (BPKK), a repository of a variety
of crops across 128 agro-climatic zones for better nutritional outcomes in New Delhi,
MoWCD has collaborated with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for this project.
   Aim: The aim of the kosh is to reduce malnutrition through multi-sectoral results-based
framework, which includes agriculture, among women and children across the country.
It also aims to promote healthy dietary practices.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Govt – Welfare oriented Govt schemes, their utility

OCI can now apply for National Centre notifies RTI rules for CIC, ICs;
Pension System tenure cut to 3 years
   The Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) will    The tenure of central and state information
now be eligible to apply for National commissioners has now been reduced
Pension System (NPS) at par with Non from five to three years.
Resident Indians (NRIs). The permission    The notified rules are ‘The Right to
to permit OCI to enroll in NPS was
Information (Term of Office, Salaries,
given by Pension Fund Regulatory
Allowances and Other Terms and
and Development Authority (PFRDA).
Conditions of Service of Chief
The decision is one of the endeavours
of PFRDA towards promoting and Information Commissioner, Information
developing NPS and increasing pension Commissioners in the Central
coverage in country. Information Commission, State Chief
Key Highlights Information Commissioner and State
   As per a notification issued by Finance Information Commissioners in the State
Ministry, now, any Indian citizen, Information Commission) Rules, 2019’.
resident or non-resident and OCIs are    The tenure of chief and information
eligible to join NPS till age of 65 years. commissioners in the Central Information
Commission (CIC) and State Central
About National Pension System (NPS)
   It was initially notified for Central
Information Commissions (SCICs) have
government employees joining service been reduced to three years, instead of
on or after 1 January 2004. The NPS the five years. 
was subsequently adopted by almost    The rules prescribe a fixed quantum of
all State Governments for its employees salary for commissioners- Chief of CIC at
and was later extended to all citizens of `2.50 lakh per month, Chief of SICs and
India (on a voluntary basis) from May information commissioners of CIC and
2009, to corporate in December 2011 SICs at `2.25 lakh per month.
and to Non-Resident Indians (NRI) in
October 2015.

T.N. a major beneficiary of PM’s crop insurance scheme

   Though Tamil Nadu was late in joining the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY-
Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance Scheme), the State has emerged as one of the major
beneficiaries of the programme, with its farmers having been sanctioned around `7,000
crore cumulatively in the last two-and-a-half years. The scheme was launched in early
2016. The insurance scheme came in handy for those farmers during the rabi season (or
sambal). The payouts began in July 2017. Till now, nearly `3,500 crore has been credited
to the farmers’ bank accounts. Tamil Nadu came first in terms of compensation received
for the season that year.

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Govt – Welfare oriented Govt schemes, their utility Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

Disabled People over 80 can vote Committee to draft new National

through Postal Ballot Water Policy
   The people over 80 years of    The Union Water Resources Ministry
age and Persons with Disability can now has finalised a committee to draft a new
cast their votes through postal ballot. National Water Policy (NWP). It will be
   However, such voters will have both the chaired by Mihir Shah, who is a former
choices available either voting through Planning Commission member and a
postal ballot by following due procedure water expert.
or going to the polling station on polling    The committee has 10 principal members,
day for voting. including Shashi Shekhar, a former
   On the recommendations of the Election secretary of Water Resources, and
Commission, the Ministry of Law and A.B. Pandya, former chairman of the
Justice has amended the Conduct of Central Ground Water Board. The NWP
Election Rules, 1961, allowing senior currently in force was drafted in 2012 and
citizens and person with disabilities in is the third such policy since1987.
the absentee voter list.    Among the major policy innovations
   The person will make an application in in the 2012 policy was the concept
a new Form 12 D, which will reach the of an Integrated Water Resources
Returning Officer within 5 days following Management approach that took the
the date of notification of election. “river basin/ sub-basin” as a unit for
planning, development and management
Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojna Scheme: of water resources.
Haryana includes more crops
   The state government Haryana has India mulls ‘One Nation, One Pay Day’:
decided to bring more crops under its Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar
‘Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojna (BBY)’    To safeguard the
scheme. The decision was taken at a BBY’s interest of workers in
review meeting which was presided by formal sector,
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal particularly working
Khattar. class, the Centre is
About Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojna (BBY) planning to introduce
scheme ‘One Nation, One Pay
   BBY is a scheme for vegetable growers. Day’ system, announced
Under it farmers get compensated for by the Labour Minister
selling their crop at a price lower than Santosh Gangwar.
that fixed by government. The scheme    There should be a pan-India single wage
launched in January 2018 then included day every month across various sectors to
potato, onion, tomato and cauliflower. It ensure that workers get timely payment
has been very successful in past two years it. of salaries.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Govt – Welfare oriented Govt schemes, their utility
Health Ministry launches ‘SAANS’ ‘Maternity scheme reaches only one-
campaign third of beneficiaries’
   Union Ministry for Health and Family    A vital programme to support lactating
Welfare (MoHFW) launched SAANS: mothers and pregnant women by
‘Social Awareness and Action to compensating them for loss of wages
Neutralise Pneumonia Successfully’ during their pregnancy has been
campaign to reduce child mortality due able to reach less than a third of the
eligible beneficiaries, researchers who
to pneumonia.
extrapolated from data obtained under
   Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan
the Right to Information (RTI).
launched the campaign while    Almost 61% of beneficiaries registered
inaugurating the 6th National Summit under the Pradhan Mantri Matru
on Good, Replicable Practices and Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) between
Innovations. April 2018 and July 2019 (38.3 lakh out
About SAANS campaign of the total 62.8 lakh out of the total 62.8
lakh enrolled) received the full amount
Objective:
of `6,000 promised under the scheme,
   To reduce child mortality due to according to an RTI reply.
pneumonia. To mobilise people to protect    The PMMVY is targeted only at women
children from pneumonia.To train health delivering their first child. A cash amount
personnel and other stakeholders to of `6,000 is transferred to the bank account
provide prioritized treatment to control of the beneficiary in three instalments
the disease. upon meeting certain conditions
including early registration of pregnancy,
SARAS inaugurated at IITF 2019 in having at least one ante-natal c heck-up
New Delhi and registration of child birth.
   Union Rural Development Ministry Niti Aayog’s report to reveal India’s
inaugurated the SARAS India health system
International Trade Fair at Pragati    Niti Aayog will soon come up with a report
Maidan in Delhi. on health system for India, highlighting
   SARAS Mela aims to bring the rural the challenges impacting the sector. The
women SHG members formed under report titled New India: Building Blocks
DAY-NRLM, in one platform to - Potential Pathways to Reforms is a
showcase their skills, sell and build synthesis of all the discussions and efforts
linkages with potential market players.  initiated at the national-level workshop
   More than seven crore women have held last year. NITI Aayog vice chairman
joined Self-Help Groups so far and the Rajiv Kumar will release the report in
the presence of Bill Gates, co-chairman
Ministry is making all efforts to take this
of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,
number to 10 crore.
and representatives from national and
international academia.

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Policy on Environment and Ecology Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

3. GEOGRAPHY
3.1 Policy on Environment and Ecology
CYCLONE MAHA 11,000 scientists in 153 countries
   Lakshadweep will receive extremely declare climate emergency
heavy rainfall. A warning has been    In a paper published in the journal Bio-
sounded in Kerala too, which is expected Science, 11,258 signatories (69 from India)
to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall. declared Global Climate Emergency.
   A deep depression in the Arabian Sea They presented climate change trends
intensified into a ‘very severe cyclonic and methods to mitigate the threat. The
storm Called ‘Maha’ report was titled “World Scientists”
   It is based on the scientific analysis of
Swachh- Nirmal Tat Abhiyaan more than 40 years of publicly available
data.
   Union Ministry of Environment, Forest
   It illustrates several key climate change
and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is
indicators since the scientists from 50
undertaking a mass cleanliness-cum-
nations met at the First World Climate
awareness drive in 50 identified beaches
Conference in Geneva in 1979.
under the programme called ‘Swachh-
Nirmal Tat Abhiyaan’, from 11 -17
Bengal’s cities yield new species of
November 2019.
tree frog
About Swachh- Nirmal Tat Abhiyaan
   It took six
   Objective: To strive to make coastal
herpetologists
areas across country clean, and to create
working across
awareness amongst citizens about the
States and countries
importance of coastal ecosystems so as to
to determine that a
save marine creatures from plastic waste,
tree frog found
industrial effluents and other harmful
commonly in urban habitats of West
substances.
Bengal was a brand new species.
   The new species has been named Brown
Blotched Bengal Tree Frog (Polypedates
bengalensis).

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Policy on Environment and Ecology
India’s first elephant memorial in India’s first Signal Fish “Pteropsaron
Mathura unveiled indicum” found in Kerala
   Wildlife SOS, India-
based conservation
charity, unveiled
India’s first
elephant memorial
in Mathura, Uttar
Pradesh. The    The new signal fish was found in
memorial is a Lakshadweep Sea off Kerala coast which
unique way to honour elephants that lost is the home for unusual species like fish
their lives to illegal trafficking, abuse, and with a unique color. The name of the
cruelty. The memorial will be a constant species is “Pterdopsaron indicum”,
reminder that elephants belong in the was collected by trawlers at a depth of
wild, and they must be protected and
70 meters during a marine biodiversity
conserved there. No wild animal deserves
survey. Scientists from the University of
a life of brutality, such as that suffered by
Kerala and the Ocean Science Foundation,
captive elephants in India.
United State of America (USA) have
Wildlife SOS: described the discovery of the new
   Established in: 1995
species of signal fish, was the first one of
   Founder: Kartick Satyanarayan and Geeta
the genus recorded in Indian waters.
Seshamani The main objective of Wildlife
SOS is to protect and preserve India’s West Bengal celebrates ‘Rosogolla
wildlife. The non-profit organization
Dibas’ to mark GI Tag granting
runs rehabilitation and rescue centres
for wildlife, conserve habitats for the    West Bengal celebrated the ‘Rosogolla
animals. Dibas’ or Rasgulla Day on 14 November
2019 to mark the granting of Geographical
Climate change is harming health of
Indication (GI) tag of ‘BanglarRosogolla’
children, says Lancet report
or Bengal’s Rasgulla to the state on this
   Climate change is already damaging the
day two years ago (14 November 2017).
health of the world’s children and is set
to endanger the well-being of an entire Rosogolla Dibas celebrations
generation, unless the world meets the    The statue of Nobin Chandra Das,
target to limit warming to well below inventor of the Bengal variant of the
2oC, according to a major new report sweetmeat, was garlanded across the
published in The Lancet. The project is state.
collaboration between 120 experts from    For the first time in the history of West
35 institutions, including the World Bengal’s sweetmeat industry, almost all
Health Organisation, the World Bank, sweet shops in state are dedicated this
University College London, and the day to Rosogolla.
Tsinghua University in Beijing.

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Policy on Environment and Ecology Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

Dal Lake, J&K to be declared Eco- Darjeeling Green Tea & White Tea
Sensitive Zone receive GI Tag
   The Jammu and Kashmir Government
will set up a 10-member committee that
will declare Dal Lake, an Eco-sensitive
Zone. The decision is being taken
based on the study conducted by the
DCI-Dredging Corporation of IndiaThe
capacity of the lake has shrunk to 40%
   Two tea varieties of Darjeeling were
Eco-Sensitive Zones registered under “Geographical
   The ESZs are called Ecologically Fragile Indication of Goods (Registration and
Areas. A region or territory is notified as Protection) Act, 1999”. It includes Green
ESZ by the Ministry of Environment, Tea and White Tea of Darjeeling.
Forest and Climate change. In General,
Darjeeling Tea
the regions are around wild life
   Darjeeling produces 85 lakh kilograms of
sanctuaries, protected areas and National
tea. Of this Green Tea constitutes 10 lakh
Parks.
kilo grams and White Tea constitutes 1
CSIR’s-NGRI, Hyderabad releases 1st lakh kilo grams.
ever Geochemical Baseline Atlas of GI Tag
India’    The Geographical Indication is used on
   In a bid to understand and asses the products that correspond to a specific
environmental damage and held policy geographical location.
makers to devise a strategy, CSIR-NGRI
The Sumatran rhino is now extinct in
(Council of Scientific & Industrial
Malaysia
Research Institute), based in Hyderabad,
Telangana, has released the 1st ever,    The last known Sumatran rhinoceros in
’Geochemical Baseline Atlas of India’. Malaysia died after a battle with cancer,
leaving the species officially extinct in the
Key Points:
country.
   The Atlas, consists of 44 maps of metals,
   There are now only an estimated 80
oxides, and elements present in top
Sumatran rhinos left in the world,
and bottom soils across India, will help
with the species labeled as “critically
to document the concentration and
endangered,” according to the World
distribution of the chemical elements in
Wildlife Fund (WWF).
the soils of India.
   The rhino named Iman died of natural
causes due to shock in her system, the
Wildlife Department in eastern Sabah
state on Borneo Island.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Natural Disasters – Safeguard Measures
Avian Botulism-Reason behind birds’ Around 1000 migratory birds dead at
death in Sambhar Lake Sambhar lake
   The Indian Veterinary Research Institute    Thousands of migratory birds of about
(IVRI) confirmed that a neuro muscular ten species were found dead around
illness called Avian Botulism is the reason Sambhar Lake, the country’s largest
for mass mortality of migratory birds in inland saltwater lake near Jaipur,
Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan. sending shock waves among locals and
   The doctors say that the birds were authorities.
suffering from Avian Botulism that    This is the second such incident in
was caused due to a toxin produced by the state within a week. Recently, 37
bacterial strain. demoiselle cranes were found dead in
   Thousands of migratory birds died in Jodhpur’s Khinchan area.
Sambhar lake that sent shock waves    Decomposition of plants, algae, and
throughout the country. animals creates anaerobic environments
that facilitate growth of C. botulinum,
3.2 Natural Disasters – which may then enter into food webs
leading to intoxication of animals.
Safeguard Measures
Mumbai, Kolkata may get flooded by 2050, says Cyclone Kyarr to
new research become 1st Super
   A new research done by a US-based agency claims that Cyclone in Arabian Sea
more than three and a half crore people in India as against in 12 years
the 50 lakh estimated earlier could actually be affected by    Cyclone ‘Kyarr’
annual coastal flooding by 2050 and that large parts of intensifies to become
Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Kolkata could be inundated the first Super Cyclonic
if global CO2 emissions are not cut drastically. storm in Arabian Sea
   According to the Climate Central study published in last 12 years after
in journal, Nature Communications, coastal flood Cyclone Gonu ravaged
risks assessments based on NASA’s Shuttle Radar the Oman coast in 2007.
Topography Mission (SRTM) have under-estimated the    According to the IMD
elevation risks. forecast, Cyclone Kyarr
    The new research method CoastalDEM reduced these is likely to continue
errors by using artificial intelligence tools and came up its movement west-
with the new estimates. northwestwards
   The study states that coastal flooding could impact 300 towards Oman coast.
million people globally by 2050 and the high tide lines    Heavy Rainfall to very
could permanently rise above land occupied by some 150 heavy rainfall very
million people, mostly in Asia. likely in Kerala & Mahe.

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New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

4. ECONOMICS
4.1 New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector
India among top nations with most
Power Ministry recommends conducive environment for financial
Maharatna status to Power inclusion
   The power ministry has recommended    According to The Economist Intelligence
‘maharatna’ status for Power Grid Corp Unit’s 2019 Global Microscope on
of India Ltd (PGCIL), the country’s Financial Inclusion report, the overall
largest power transmission company. environment for financial inclusion has
   ‘Maharatna’ status allows state-run improved globally with India, Colombia,
firms greater financial autonomy, they Peru, Uruguay and Mexico having the
can decide on investments of up to 15% most favorable conditions for inclusive
of their net worth in a project without finance.
government approval. India to contribute $13.5 mn for UN
   PowerGrid is the third largest Central development activities for 2020
Public Sector Enterprise in India as
   India will contribute USD 13.5 million for
well as one of the largest transmission
various operational activities of
company globally.
development across the UN agencies for
   It has been recognised as ‘Fastest
the year 2020. The contribution was
Growing Electric Utility in Asia Pacific’
announced at the UN General Assembly
successively for the last six years, since
Pledging Conference for Development
2014
Activities.
What is ‘Project Zero’ introduced by Amazon in India?
   To block selling of counterfeit goods on its platform, e-commerce giant Amazon has
introduced ‘Project Zero’ in India, in a bid to ensure that customers receive authentic
goods when shopping on Amazon.
What is ‘Project Zero’?
   It introduces additional proactive mechanisms and powerful tools to identify, block and
remove counterfeits. More7,000 brands have already enrolled in Project Zero across
United States, Europe and Japan. A number of Indian brands participated in a pilot to
help Amazon test the experience in India.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector

PM Modi to visit Saudi for Future Arcelor Mittal’s takeover of Essar

Investment Initiative cleared by SC
   The Prime Minister Modi is to attend    The Supreme Court accepted Arcelor
the third session of Future Investment Mittal’s offer to pay an aggregate `42,000
Initiative Forum in Saudi Arabia. The crore as an upfront amount to the secured
PM will deliver a keynote address at the financial creditors of bankrupt Essar
forum. Steel.
   He will also meet the Saudi king Salman    This paves the way for Arcelor Mittal
bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. He will hold to take over Essar and enter the world’s
delegation level talks with Crown Prince second biggest steel market.
Mohammad bin Salman    SC uses extraordinary powers under
Article 142 to give Arcelor Mittal a chance
Future Investment Initiative (FII)
to pay off the NPAs of corporate debtors
   FII is an annual investment forum
as a pre-condition to buy Essar Steel.
organized by the Public Investment Fund
of Saudi Arabia. After 2 years’ battle, Arcelor Mittal
enters India
   It was begun in 2017. The first event
   Steel baron Lakshmi Niwas Mittal led
announced the launch of NEOM, a 500
Arcelor Mittal is set to enter India this
billion USD economic zone in north west
month or early next month, after a
of Saudi Arabia.
prolonged legal tussle in various courts
Karnataka Gramin Bank initiates for over two years in the Essar Steel case
under the IBC.
‘mobile ATMs’ in rural areas
   Essar Steel will bring the largest recovery
   The  Karnataka Gramin Bank
among the dozen firms, flagged by RBI
(KGB)  has launched ‘mobile
for the resolution process, as banks will
ATMs’ in Kalaburagi, among several
recover `42,000 crore against admitted
other districts in the Karnataka.  The
debts of `49,473 crore – a recovery of
special vehicle includes an ATM and a
about 85% compared to the average
screen to show videos of different banking
recovery of 53% in other resolution cases.
schemes.
   The mobile ATMs will go to the doorsteps
of the farmers and make them aware of
the banking schemes and digital operating
systems.
   A bank official would be present in
the van, who will provide information
regarding the digital operating systems
and schemes.

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New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

Government to open up national Moody’s revises India’s economic

procurement portal to private companies outlook to “negative” from
for bulk buying “Stable”
   The government plans to open up the national    The American financial
online procurement portal Government service company Moody’s has
e-Marketplace (GeM) to government downgraded  India’s economic
contractors and private entities but only for outlook  to “Negative” from
bulk buying. “Stable”. This downgrade was due to
   The National Public Procurement Portal slow growth in the economy. It also
is Section 8 Company registered under predicted that slow growth would be
the Companies Act, 2013, for providing prolonged and would also have debt
procurement of goods & services required by rises. Moody’s has also predicted a
Central & State Government organizations. budget deficit of 3.7% of the Gross
GeM Domestic Product (GDP) in the year
   The commerce and industry ministry through March 2020, which is a breach
launched the GeM on August 9, 2016 in in the govt’s target of 3.3%.
place of Directorate General of Supplies    This was due to corporate tax rate
and Disposal (DGS&D) with the objective cuts, slow growth etc. The long term
of creating an open and transparent foreign currency bond and bank
procurement platform of commonly used deposit ceilings were unchanged at
goods and services for all government Baa1 and Baa2 (both being 2nd lowest
departments, ministries and agencies. investment-grade score), respectively.

World economy weakens next

Gold is thrid-most popular investment
year due to trade war and political
   “Gold is the third-most consistently bought changes: Moody’s Report
investment — 46% of global retail investors
   The global economic situation is
have chosen gold products, behind savings
likely to weaken by 2020 as a result of
accounts (78%) and life insurance (54%),”
international trade war and political
stated the Retail Gold Insights 2019 report
changes, according to the economic
by the World Gold Council.
research firm Moody’s.  The world
World Gold Council economy suffered its worst crisis
   The World Gold Council is the market in 2008-2009. The current economic
development organisation for the gold recession was predicted to lead to
industry. such a major crisis.
   It works across all parts of the industry, from    In spite of the huge economic
gold mining to investment, and their aim is downturn in 2009, 2020 is unlikely to
to stimulate and sustain demand for gold. be the case. Moody›s has announced
the situation will continue next year.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Current Socio-Economic Problems

4.2 Current Socio-Economic Problems

WPI inflation eases to 0.16% $5-trillion GDP needs 12.4% nominal
   Wholesale prices based inflation eased growth a year, says NITI Aayog
further to 0.16 per cent in October, as    Gross domestic product (GDP) in India at
against 0.33 per cent in September due to current prices needs to grow by 12.4 per
subdued prices of non-food articles and cent annually over the next five years for
fall in prices of manufactured items. the country to be a $5-trillion economy
   The annual inflation, based on monthly by 2024-25, an internal assessment by the
wholesale price index (WPI), was at 5.54 NITI Aayog has showed.
per cent in October 2018.    This is 0.4 percentage points higher than
   For manufactured products, the what was estimated by the Economic
wholesale inflation was at (-)0.84 per cent Survey for 2018-19, owing to a slowing
in October 2019. economy and an expected increase in
   However, the retail inflation for the the depreciation of the rupee against the
month hit a 16-month high of 4.62 per dollar. 
cent due to soaring prices of food articles,
including fruits and vegetables. State of the States 2019
   The India Today Group is back with its
Moody’s cuts India’s GDP growth annual State of the States survey, which
forecast to 5.6 per cent for 2019 ranks the India’s states on a range of
parameters adjudicating for the ‘best
   Moody’s Investors Service slashed
performing’ and ‘most improved’ states
India’s economic growth forecast to 5.6
across the country.
per cent for 2019, saying government
   Gujarat aced all states in the economy
measures do not address the widespread
category while Punjab led in agriculture
weakness in consumption demand.
and infrastructure.
   Moody’s had slashed India’s economic
   Himachal Pradesh with the honours
growth forecast for 2019-20 fiscal to 5.8
for education and healthcare, Rajasthan
per cent from an earlier estimate of 6.2
for governance, Andhra Pradesh for
per cent.
inclusive development, Haryana for
entrepreneurship.

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Latest Inventions on Science & Technology Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

5. SCIENCE
5.1 Latest Inventions on Science & Technology
NASA to Send VIPER Robot to Moon in Search of ‘Hundreds of Millions of Tons
of Water Ice’
   NASA will send a golf cart-sized robot to the moon in
2022 to search for deposits of water below the surface, an
effort to evaluate the vital resource ahead of a planned
human return to the moon in 2024 to possibly use it for
astronauts to drink and to make rocket fuel.
   The VIPER robot will drive for miles (km) on the dusty
lunar surface to get a closer look like underground
pockets of “hundreds of millions of tons of water ice” that could help turn the moon into
a jumping-off point to Mars.

‘Indian brain is smaller’: IIIT- NASA unveils its first electric plane
Hyderabad researchers create Indian    The United States space agency National
Brain Atlas Aeronautics and Space Administration
   The average Indian brain is smaller in (NASA) unveiled an early version of its
height, width, and volume as compared first all-electric experimental aircraft,
to the western and eastern population like named as X-57 “Maxwell” at its
the Chinese and Korean according to the aeronautics lab in the California desert,
first-ever ‘Indian Brain Atlas’ created by US.
researchers of the International Institute About X-57 “Maxwell”
of Information Technology-Hyderabad    It was under development since 2015 and
(IIITH). remains at least a year away from its first
   These differences are found even at test flight in skies. NASA targets to fly
the structure level like the volume of this airplane in late 2020.
hippocampus and so on. But overall,    It will be the NASA’s first crewed
the ‘IBA 100 is more’ comparable to the X-plane to be developed in two decades.
Chinese and Korean atlases than the It is adapted from Italian-made Tecnam
distant Caucasian one. P2006T twin-engine propeller plane.

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Anaemia among men in India: 23.2% MIT researchers develop new
of men has Anaemia technology to remove CO2 from air
   A report titled ‘Anaemia among men
in India: A nationally representative
cross sectional study’ was published in
the journal Lancet Global Health. The
report was on anaemia in India men.
The report mainly aimed to determining
the prevalence of anaemia among men
in India has found that 23.2 per cent of
men had anaemia, ranging from mild to
moderate to severe degrees.    Researchers from Massachusetts
   Anaemia prevalence: The State level Institute of Technology (MIT), United
prevalence of anaemia ranges from 9.2% States (US) have developed a new
(average of 7.7%-10.9%) in Manipur to technology to capture carbon dioxide
32.9% (average of 31%-34.7%) in Bihar. (CO2) from a stream of air, virtually at
any concentration level.
China Successfully Tests Mars Lander    This is a new advance that may pave
in Giant Drop Test the way for new strategies to reduce
   China’s Mars lander atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG)
just successfully levels.
completed its first    The study by researchers was published
public test: a in the journal Energy and Environmental
spectacular drop Science.
from 230 feet onto a
About the New Technology
mountainous
landscape north of Beijing.    While in most of the prevalent methods,
   NASA has been working hard on removing carbon dioxide (CO2)
completing its Mars 2020 rover, which from a stream of gas required higher
will hopefully collect rock samples and concentrations like those found in flue
bring them back to Earth in 2021. emissions from fossil fuel-based power
   The test is yet another sign that China is a plants, but the new method could take
force to be reckoned with when it comes out gas even when it was present in very
to space exploration. low concentrations.

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Latest Inventions on Science & Technology Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

Chandrayaan-2 orbiter detects Argon-40 on lunar exosphere: ISRO

   Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that a specialized payload
aboard the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter has detected Argon-40 in the gaseous envelope around
the Moon.
   The payload named Chandra’s Atmospheric Composition Explorer-2 (CHACE-2) has
made the discovery from an altitude of around 100 km from the lunar surface.
   CHACE-2 is a spectrometer capable of scanning the thin gaseous envelope around the
Moon called the lunar exosphere with a very high mass resolution.
   The primary objective of this instrument is to analyze the composition and distribution
of Moon’s exosphere.
Argon- 40
   Argon-40 is one of the forms of the noble gas Argon and is an important constituent of
lunar exosphere.
   The presence of Argon is well established, and even the rock samples from NASA’s
Apollo missions also contained traces of Argon.
   The radioactive decay of rocks deep below the lunar surface release Argon-40 which
escapes to the lunar exosphere through seepages and faults.

5G networks on introduced November 1

   Chinese carriers launched 5G services in the world’s largest market on November 1, but
the coverage remains limited only to major Chinese cities and key areas in lower-tier
cities for the initial rollout. 
   The launch of 5G by Chinese carriers is a step slow in comparison to local smartphone
brands such as Huawei and Xiaomi, as they have already introduced several phone
models over the past few months that can support 5G networks.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Latest Inventions on Science & Technology
First Government Hospital Robotic Surgery facility in Safdarjung Hospital
   The Robotic Surgery Facility was opened
in the Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi.
   It is one of the biggest tertiary care referral
centre of India under the Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare.
   It caters to all poor patients of uro-oncological
cancers like bladder cancer, kidney failure,
kidney cancers from different parts of the
country.
   With the new Robotic surgery facility, it becomes the first Government hospital in India
to begin the minimally invasive surgery facility.
Safdarjung Government Hospital
   The LIVE 3-D Laproscopic Surgeries Web cast that shows complex uro-oncology and
reconstructive surgeries is first in its kind.

Air India paints ‘Ek IIT Delhi to set up space technology cell in
Onkar’ symbol on its collaboration with ISRO
Boeing 787 Dreamliner    The Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) will
aircraft’s set up a space technology cell (STC) in collaboration
   National Carrier Air with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
India has painted    This collaboration is to contribute to the space
‘Ek Onkar’ symbol technology research areas such as AI (Artificial
on its Boeing 787 Intelligence), nanotechnology, functional textiles, smart
Dreamliner aircraft’s tail manufacturing at its campus.
to mark the 550th birth    It is also proposed that IIT, Delhi as an Institute becomes
anniversary of Guru an academic partner of ISRO.
Nanak Dev.
   The aircraft will fly on IFFCO introduced India’s 1st nanotechnology-
October 31 from Amritsar based products for on-field trials in Gujarat
to London. The    The world’s largest fertilizer cooperative-Indian Farmers
international flight will Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) introduced
facilitate Sikh pilgrims India’s 1st nanotechnology-based environment-friendly
visiting Punjab on the plant nutrition products by introducing nano-nitrogen,
occasion of the Birth nano-zinc and nano-Copper for on-field trials at an
Anniversary of Guru event at Fujarat’s Kalol unit of IFFCO.
Nanak Dev.

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Latest Inventions on Science & Technology Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

China launches Sudan’s first ever IIT Madras developed India’s first
satellite “SRSS-1” indigenously made standing wheelchair
   Sudan’s  first-    Researchers from the Indian institute of
ever satellite for Technology-Madras (IITM) has developed
conducting India’s first indigenously developed
research in standing wheelchair named “Arise”.
m i l i t a r y , Key Points:
economic and    Cost and collaboration: The wheelchair
space technology is priced at Rs.15,000 and was developed
has been in collaboration with Phoneix Medical
l a u n c h e d Systems, with the support of the UK-
by  China. Sudan’s remote-sensing based Wellcome Trust.
satellite (SRSS-1), was developed by the
IIT Guwahati: Paper based sensors for
Shenzhen Aerospace Oriental Red Sea
faster assessment of milk freshness
Satellite Co.
   The satellite was launched aboard    The IIT-G has developed paper-based
China’s Long March-4B rocket along sensor to make assessment of freshness
of milk by simple and instantaneous
with other Chinese satellites including
method. The method can be used to
Gaofen 7, Xiaoxiang-1 08, Whampoa 1
check the quality of milk at the point of
from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center milk collection ans also in home kitchens.
in northern China.
China approves world’s 1st carbohydrate
   The Sudanese satellite has been mainly
- based drug GV-971 to cure Alzheimer’s
designed for civil and military remote
sensing over Sudan.
disease
   China’s National Medical Products
Cosmic Yeti Administration has officially approved
   Scientists have accidentally discovered an indigenously developed Alzheimer’s
‘the footprints a monstrous galaxy’ drug called GV-971 (sodium oligo-
being called as ‘Cosmic Yeti’ in early mannurarate). The Shanghai Institute
universe that has never been seen before. of Materia Medica (SIMM) under the
   The discovery provides new insights into Chinese Academy of Sciences has
the first growing steps of some of biggest developed the drug after 22 years of
galaxies in universe. research jointly with Ocean University of
   The astronomical findings were China and Green Valley Pharmaceutical
published in Astrophysical Journal. Co Ltd.
Alzheimer’s disease:
   It is an irreversible, progressive brain
disorder that slowly destroys, thinking
ability, and the capability to carry out
simple tasks.
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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Latest Inventions on Science & Technology
Voyager 2: NASA’s Solar System Explorer reaches interstellar space
   NASA’s Voyager 2 has exited heliosphere and has
entered interstellar space.
   It is now at 11 billion miles from the earth. Information
from the spacecraft takes 16.5 hours to reach earth at
the speed of light. (Light from the sun takes 8 minutes
to reach earth)
   The spacecraft joined its twin voyager 1 on December
10, 2018. The Voyagers were launched to study the outer
solar system up close. Voyager 2 will target Saturn,
Jupiter, Neptune and Uranus.
Voyager 2
   Voyager 2 is the first spacecraft to study all four planets together. It includes Jupiter,
Neptune, Saturn and Uranus
   It is the first spacecraft that discovered 14th moon of Jupiter.
   It is the first human-made object to fly by Neptune
   Voyager 2 also discovered 5 moons of Neptune. It identified a “Great Dark Spot” at
Neptune. Also the spacecraft discovered that there are four rings around Neptune.

Marengo Sachintendulkar: Newly discovered NASA renames Ultima

spider species named after cricketer thule to Arrokoth after
   Dhruv Prajapati, a junior Nazi controversy
researcher pursuing a PhD in    National Aeronautics and
spider taxonomy with Gujarat Space Administration
Ecological Education & Research (NASA) has renamed a
(GEER) Foundation, recently distant space rock Ultima
discovered two new species of Thule, to Arrokoth.
spiders. He has named one of the species as    It is the farthest cosmic
Marengo Sachin Tendulkar after Indian body ever visited by a
crickterSachin Tendulkar and other as spacecraft,  Arrokoth or
IndomarengoChavarapatera which is inspired by “sky” is a name of the
Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara who was a Native American Powhatan
campaigned towards creating awareness about language following a
education in Kerala. significant backlash over
   The findings of his study have been published the old name’s Nazi
in September issue of ‘Arthropoda Selecta’, a connotations.
Russian journal. His discovery of two flat-bodied    The name portrait the co-
spiders has been included in World Spider operation with Powhatan
Catalogue. Tribal elders.

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Latest Inventions on Science & Technology Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

Japan’s Hayabusa 2 is returning to Earth with asteroid samples

   Over the past year-and-a-half, JAXA’s Hayabusa 2 spacecraft served as asteroid Ryugu’s
companion in the vast emptiness of space. It got close enough to fire bullets into its surface
and even detonated bombs to disturb the ground and scoop up samples it can take back
home. Ryugu is a carbonaceous near-Earth asteroid, and scientists are hoping that the
samples it provided can give them more information on the origin and evolution of the
inner planets.
   More importantly, they’re hoping the samples can help shed light on the origin of water
and organic compounds. When Hayabusa 2 gets near enough our planet in December
2020, it will drop the samples in sealed containers. They’re expected to re-enter the
atmosphere and land in Australia, while the spacecraft heads to new asteroid targets.
Hayabusa2
   Hayabusa 2 is an asteroid  sample-return mission operated by the Japanese space
agency, JAXA. It follows on from the Hayabusa mission which returned asteroid samples
in 2010. Hayabusa2 was launched on 3 December 2014 and rendezvoused with near-
Earth asteroid 162173 Ryugu on 27 June 2018. Hayabusa 2 carries multiple science payloads
for remote sensing, sampling, and four small rovers that are investigating the asteroid
surface to inform the environmental and geological context of the samples collected.

An ambient air purifier for the The world’s first all-electric racing aircraft
outdoors    An Airbus-backed air racing tournament
   Called the ‘Cyclofine’, it has been unveiled an electric-powered sports aircraft,
developed by IIT M’s Department billed as the world’s first, as the European
of Civil Engineering and EnviTran, plane maker seeks to boost its green aerospace
a student start-up at the IIT-M technology. The aircraft will use an electric
Research Park, and removes 60& of motor that will carry it at flight speeds of
PM10 (particulate matter). around 482 kilometers (300 miles) per hour on
   ‘The machine sucks in ambient air a tight 5 kilometer (about 3 miles) circuit, just
at a rate of 750 cubic metre per hour, 10 meters above the ground. Air Race Electric
filters it and sends out cleaner air. announced the aircraft, called White Lightning
   With additional filtration, it and unveiled at the Dubai Air Show will be
removes 80% of PM2.5 (particulate manufactured by UK-based Condor Aviation.
matter of 2.5 microns and less)
and 100% of PM10 from the air we
breathe.
   It has a four-stage filtering
system and also has an air quality
monitoring sensor, which provides
real-time air quality index.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Latest Inventions on Science & Technology
Chandrayaan 3: India’s 2nd attempt to New diagnostic tool for detecting
land on Moon by November 2020 tuberculosis
   The Indian Space Research Organisation    The World
(ISRO) announced their intention to send H e a l t h
a second mission to soft-land on the Moon Organisation
planned for November 2020 dubbed as has aimed at
Chandrayaan 3 mission. eliminating TB
   The Indian Space Agency’s first and by 2035, and the Indian government
recent attempt went awry and resulted has vouched to do this by 2025.
in a partial failure of Chandrayaan 2 Battery-operated device
mission after communication was lost    Named SeeTB, the device is
with mission’s lander (Vikram) and rover battery operated and allows quick
(Pragyan) which crash-landed on Moon identification of the bacteria. The team
while attempting a soft-landing. has also developed a clearing ragent
   However, the Chandrayaan 2 mission is called CLR which helps in thinning
still survived by the Orbiter which has the collected sputum thus enhancing
captured highest resolution visuals ever the bacteria detection.
taken of Moon by its High-Resolution
Camera (OHRC) from an altitude of ~100 Sishu Suraksha APP
km.    The  Assam State Commission
About Chandrayaan 3 Mission for Protection of Child Rights is
   Chandrayaan 3 will not feature an orbiter going to launch a mobile app Sishu
of its own: For the new mission, engineers Suraksha  on the occasion of
and scientists at Indian space agency will Children’s Day.
only design and build an entirely new    The purpose of the app is to empower
lander and rover. citizens to take moral responsibility
   Since Chandrayaan 2 mission already has for protecting future generations.
a functional orbiter that is currently in    The app can be used by anyone in the
orbit around Moon, Chandrayaan 3 will state to lodge a complaint which will
not feature an orbiter of its own. However, be directly registered at Commission.
no final decision has been taken by ISRO
on the number of payloads on the lander.
Additional ‘Detachable Module’:
   The lander and rover will be accompanied
by an additional ‘detachable module’ that
packs engine and fuel needed for journey
and this module will tentatively be called
‘Propulsion Module’.

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Latest Discoveries in Health Science Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019

ISRO to Launch 13 satellites and Robot CYBIRA launched to aid cops

Cartosat-3 in Visakhapatnam to take complaints
   The Indian Space Research Organization    Visakhapatnam Police
will launch 13 commercial nano satellites have launched first of
of the United States along with the its kind cybersecurity
imaging and mapping satellite Cartostat-3. interactive robotic
The launch is scheduled on November 25, 2019. agent robot, CYBIRA
Highlights stationed at
   The satellites will be launched by Maharanipeta Police
PSLV-C47, a Polar Satellite Launch Station, which can
Vehicle into Sun Synchronous Orbit automatically take
from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at complaints in an
Sriharikota. effective manner. A
start-up company
CartoSAT-3
Robo Coupler Private
   Cartosat-3 is the third generation Earth
observation satellite built by ISRO. It Limited has designed a robot ‘CYBIRA’
is one of the most advanced imaging (cyber security interactive robotic agent)
satellites built by the organization so for registering and disposing of
far. It has the capability to produce high complaints at the police station in an
resolution aerial images in the world. effective manner.

5.2 Latest Discoveries in Health Science

As Delhi pollution levels soar, Telangana gets its first ‘child-
customers throng an ‘oxygen bar’ for friendly’ police station at
a breath of fresh air Hyderabad’s Medipally
   26-year-old entrepreneur Aryavir Kumar    Telangana’s first ‘child-friendly’
launched a new venture in South Delhi’s police station was inaugurated at the
upscale Select City Walk mall in May. The Rachakonda Medipally station by D
way he saw it, his Oxy Pure “oxygen bar” Ishan, a 7-year-old boy who had wished
would offer bursts of fragrant, purified to become the Police Commissioner for
oxygen to clients seeking relief from jet
a day. The initiative was conducted
lag, sleep disorders, hangovers and even
by Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA),
depression.
in collaboration with the Rachakonda
Police Commissionerate with the aim
to ensure a child-friendly environment
where all children are freed from
mistreatment, abuse and exploitation.

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5.3 Mass Media & Communication Health Minister launched Intensified

Mission Indradhanush 2.0 portal
   Union Minister of Health and Family
‘Whistle Reporter’ Mobile App for Welfare launched Intensified Mission
Deepwater Well Complaints Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 portal in New
   The government has ordered the Delhi.
conversion of deep-water wells into    This portal start from December
rainwater harvesting facilities within 24 2019-March 2020. The IMI2.0 is a
hours. Meanwhile, the A1 division has rechristened version of mission
developed a processor called Whistle Indhradanush  Universal Immunization
Reporter to detect such wells. Programme (UIP) that aims to achieve
   The ruling party AIADMK has privately 100% immunization.
developed the Telephone Whistle    The portal was launched during the
Reporter Exchange, a privately owned celebration of the silver jubilee of the
company to find unsealed wells. Pulse Polio Programme.
   We have to go near the deep wells that    The health minister also launched
are not in use and press a button on this Operational guidelines for ‘Strengthening
processor. immunization systems to reach every
   At that time, information about the deep child’ and ‘Operational guidelines for
well would go directly to the technical Strengthening Td10 and Td16 vaccine
side of the AIADMK. implementation.

eNAM for farmers’ benefit

   Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced states are being cajoled to reject the
Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) and adopt electronic National
Agriculture Market (e-NAM) so that farmers get better price for their produce.
   e-NAM is a pan-India electronic trading portal which networks the existing APMC
mandis to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities.
   So far, 21 e-NAM mandis of eight states namely Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra
Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh had joined
hands to start inter-state trade on e-NAM.
   Initially started with 25 commodities, e-trade facilities have been provided on 124
commodities with tradable parameters on e-NAM portal.
   The union finance minister also said that she had in the Budget announced formation
of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) so that farmers have easy access to
institutional finance.

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Govt unveils IT initiatives for faster Govt. launches ATITHI app for
customs clearance improved customs clearance
   The government unveiled two new IT    Union Minister of Finance and Corporate
initiatives, ICEDASH and ATITHI, Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman launched
for improved monitoring and pace of ‘ATITHI’ app, an IT initiative to facilitate
customs clearance of imported goods. electronic filing of customs baggage
   These initiatives will also facilitate and currency declarations by arriving
arriving international passengers international passengers.
with e-filing of baggage and currency About ATITHI app
declarations.    ATITHI app is an easy to use mobile
   Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
application for international travelers to
lauded the measures taken by the Central file Customs declaration in advance.
Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs    Passengers can use this app to file
(CBIC) to leverage technology for declaration of dutiable items as well as
providing better taxpayer services currency with Indian Customs even
ICEDASH before boarding the flight to India.
   It is an Ease of Doing Business (EoDB)    The ATITHI app has been introduced by
monitoring dashboard of the Indian CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes
Customs that will help public see the and Customs). It is available on both, iOS
daily customs clearance times of import and Android.
cargo at various ports and airports.
New facility for insect attack
   It will help the businesses in comparing
detection in plants by agro processor
clearance times across ports and thus
   Edapadi Palanisamy has launched a new
plan their logistics accordingly.
   It has been developed in collaboration
facility to detect insect attacks on plants
with the National Informatics Centre by agro processor.
(NIC).    Information technology projects
developed by Tamil Nadu Electricity
Agency have been launched. 
SWAYAM 2.0
   Accordingly, an e-attendance record has
   Human Resources Development Minister been created that will handle the arrival
Ramesh PokhriyalNishank will launch records in a simple manner, using facial
SWAYAM 2.0, Study Webs of Active recognition.
Learning for Young Aspiring Minds in    The Tamil Nadu Electricity Agency has
New Delhi. created a facility to analyze the photos
   The SWAYAM programme is initiated uploaded by the tillage processor and
by the government to achieve the three identify the diseases and pests of crops.
cardinal principles of Education Policy –      Farmers can get the fire by sending
access, equity and quality. pictures to the tiller operator through a
cell phone equipped with a camera.
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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Shaala Darpan portal for
launched e-Ganna app Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti
   Uttar Pradesh government has launched a launched
dedicated web portal and e-Ganna app for    The Union Minister of
sugarcane farmers in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. State for Human Resources
Through Online cane supply slip are obtained, Development Sanjay
and it will be issued by the sugar mills to the Dhotre launched the Shala
farmers. Darpan Portal for Navodaya
   e-Ganna app provides the information regarding Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS).
the cane survey, basic quota, bonding, cane    It is an end to end e-Governance
calendaring, issuance of parchi is available in the school automation and
single platform. The move is in line with Prime management system for NVS.
Minister Narendra modi’s vision to double the What is Shala Darpan portal?
farmers’ income.    It provides an integrated
   Aim – The web portal and e-Ganna App help to platform to meet
eliminating cane mafia and middleman and also the educational and
to strengthen the cane development societies. administrative needs of
all stakeholders (students,
Tamil Nadu ministers launch app, portal to parents and teachers) and
help farmers control pests is capable of sending and
   The app and a portal providing geo-based receiving effective dialogue
agriculture information were launched between every stakeholder.
by ministers of Tamil Nadu Thiru R B    It will integrate all Jawahar
Udhayakumar, and Thiru R Doraikannu at Navodaya Vidyalayas with
the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation a common standard which
(MSSRF). includes around 636 schools
   The app called PANNAI, (Pest- disease advance and 2.67 million students.
Notification and Need-based agriculture What are Navodaya Vidya-
information) has been developed by MSSRF with layas?
support of Oracle CSR and technical inputs from    They are co-educational
Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU). residential schools
   It provides advance information on pest- established by Navodaya
diseases so farmers can protect their crops with Vidyalaya Samiti which is
Advisories, market information and farm-specific an autonomous organization
weather advisories are also available, something under Union Ministry
that is usually available only at district level. of Human Resources
   It also uses integrated information from the Development (MHRD) to
Uzhavan app of the Govt of Tamil Nadu. provide quality modern
education.

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CBI set up special unit to tackle Child Porn

   Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (OCSAE) Prevention and Investigation
Unit started by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in New Delhi under the special
crime zone to control the exploitation of child porn on Internet.
Key Points:
   Aim – The aim of this “specialized unit” is to collect, collate and disseminate information
regarding publication, transmission, creation, browsing, downloading, advertising,
exchanging, distribution of information relating to online child sexual abuse and
exploitation and investigation of such offences.

Indian scientists identify a protein that helps regulate blood sugar levels
   Scientists at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad
have demonstrated the role of a protein secretagogin (SCGN) in increasing insulin action
in obesity-induced diabetes.
ff SCGN works as a functional insulin-binding protein with therapeutic potential against
diabetes. SCGN binds to insulin and protects it from various stresses, increases its stability
and adds to its action. Diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia and
Alzheimer’s disease are often linked with each other. SCGN is found in lower quantities
in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

Swachh Survekshan Grameen Awards 2019

   The Union Minister of the Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizers, conferred the Swachh
Survekshan Grameen 2019 awards to top-ranked states, union territories, and districts in
the various categories on the occasion of World Toilet Day at Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra,
New Delhi.
   The top-ranked state: Tamil Nadu, and the top-ranked district: Peddapalli
(Telangana), along with the state with the maximum citizen participation: Uttar Pradesh.
Swachh Survekshan Grameen
   Swachh Survekshan  is a ranking exercise taken up by the Government of India to
assess rural and urban areas for their levels of cleanliness and active implementation of
Swachhata mission initiatives in a timely and innovative manner.

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6. NATIONAL –
DIARY OF EVENT
Gandhinagar becomes Gujarat’s first Odisha launches ‘Odisha Mo Parivar’
kerosene free district initiative
   Union Minister Amit Shah allocated    Chief Minister of Odisha and Biju Janata
1000 LPG connections to women in Dal (BJD) supremo Naveen Patnaik
Gandhinagar district of Gujarat. launched a social service initiative of the
   This makes Gandhinagar first district in
party dubbed as ‘Odisha-Mo Parivar’
(Odisha, my family). The initiative is
Gujarat to become kerosene-free.
aimed at encouraging environment
Kerosene free states protection, blood donation and the
   Chandigarh became the first city to welfare of Odias in distress.
become kerosene free. Odisha’s Ganjam district schools to
   Government has been making plans since
introduce ‘water bells’ 
2016 to reduce the usage of kerosene all
   Odisha will introduce ‘water bells’ in
over the country.
schools to ensure that children drink an
   The subsidies to kerosene will be
adequate quantity of water.
completely removed by 2020.    All the schools in Ganjam district have
been instructed to ring three ‘water bells’
Chenani-Nashri Tunnel renamed as to remind children to drink water.
Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Tunnel    The initiative aims at making drinking
   J&K’s Chenani-Nashri Tunnel, a 9 km- water a habit among children to ensure
long tunnel that reduces the distance that they stay hydrated.
between Jammu and Srinagar by 31 km    The initiative was first started in Kerala
has been renamed  as  Shyama Prasad and replicated in Karnataka and
Telangana while Andhra Pradesh is
Mukherjee Tunnel.
mooting to implement it across the state.
   The ‘Chenani-Nashri Highway Tunnel’ is
not only India’s longest highway tunnel Gandhi Sankalp Yatra
but also Asia’s longest bi-directional    The Gandhi Sankalpa Yatra has been
highway tunnel. organized to promote peace, brotherhood
   The renaming of the tunnel aims to and social harmony in the country.
preserve Mukherjee’s heritage and    Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
memory as well as a tribute for his announced “Tolerance is a part of the
sacrifice for the nation. Indian genome and India is a global
example of unity in diversity “.
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Kanya Sumangala Yojana Indian Railway launches One Touch

   The Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath ATVM
launched flagship scheme “Mukhya    Indian Railways has launched ‘one
Mantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana”. touch ATVM’ at 42 suburban stations
   It was launched in Lucknow for the state of Central Railway over Mumbai
of Uttar Pradesh. Suburban Network. The machine has
Key Features of the scheme been launched to render fast ticketing
   The scheme will provide Rs 15,000 to
to millions of commuters. This new
every family where a girl child is born. It machine will reduce the waiting time of
will be released in a phased manner. the passengers and allow passenger to
   The design of the scheme is in such a way
avoid standing in long queues.
that the parents will have to take care
Prime Minister Modi’s particular
of the girl child with proper care with
Bharatiyar song
respect to her health and education in
order to get the benefit    Prime Minister Modi addressed to Mann
Ki Baat and mentioned the Bharathiar
Odisha government signs LoU with song. No rise is possible without the
UNICEF for ‘drink from tap mission’ knowledge of the tongue. From today,
   On October 25, 2019, A Letter of start using your mother tongue or case
Understanding (LoU) was signed language.
between Odisha government and    ‘’Thirty crore masked lives
the United Nations Children’s Fund    Moimbura united - This is her
(UNICEF) for “drink from tap mission”.    Eighteen-eighth man
   The main objective of the mission is to    Unite’’
provide piped quality drinking water    Bharat Mother has over 30 crore faces.
supply to each household on a 24-hour But the body is the same. She has 18
basis. languages.
   But he writes that the idea is the same.

Madhya Pradesh: Sportspersons will get 5% reservation in government jobs

   The state government of Madhya Pradesh has announced 5% reservation to national and
international medalists sportspersons in state government jobs.
   The announcement in this regard was made by Madhya Pradesh Minister of Sports and
Youth Welfare Jitu Patwari while inaugurating the Regional Olympic Games at Kampoo
sports complex in Gwalior.
   Other Benefits to sportsperson: Every year, the Madhya Pradesh government provides
government jobs to Vikram awardees. Vikram Award is the highest sports awards for
players in state. Besides this national and international medallists have quota in state
police department.

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Andhra Pradesh becomes the first state 7th edition of Tawang Festival
to launch online platform SMARTPORT as 2019 commenced in Tawang,
part of the EDB Reforms Arunachal Pradesh
   Andhra Pradesh became the first state in India    A 3-day 7th
to launch an online platform SMARTPORT edition of
as part of implementing the Ease of Doing Tawang
Business (EDB) Reforms related to trade and Festival
export promotion in all ports in the state. 2019 has
Key points : commenced
   The platform will be covered under the in Tawang, Arunchal Pradesh.
Public Service Delivery Gurantee Act and Organized by Arunachal Pradesh
tracked through a single-desk portal. Tourism Department, it is being
   Andhra Pradesh is ranked number 1 in Ease held from 28 to 31, October 2019.
of Doing Business in India. US (United States) Ambassador to
India, Juster Kenneth was
5th International Conference on RoadTech
inaugurated the festival in
held in New Delhi presence of Chief Minister Pema
   The 5th International Conference on Road Khandu.
Tech (Sustainable Roads and Highways) was
held in New Delhi. The Conference Agenda J&K achieves highest road
was- ‘Smart Use of Available Resources for length under PMGSY in 2019
Green and Sustainable Roads’.    Jammu and Kashmir have
achieved the highest road
Odisha govt signs MOU with nobel
length in the country under a
laureate Abhijit Banerjee’s organisation
Centre’s rural roads’ programme
for anti-poverty programmes
with the completion of around
   The MoU was signed by Odisha 11,400 kilometres covering 1,838
Development Commissioner habitations.
Suresh Mohapatra and J-PAL    The work is being carried under
Executive Director Shobhini the centrally-sponsored Pradhan
Mukerji, in a ceremony Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
officiated by Odisha Chief (PMGSY), which is a mega
Minister Naveen Patnaik. flagship programme with the main
   J-PAL will provide technical objective of providing connectivity
assistance for the scale-up to rural areas.
of evidence-backed program to improve
development outcomes across the state.
   Under the 5T initiative, Odisha Govt to
partner with J-PAL, co-founded by Nobel
laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo.

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IIMC ranked 17th & IIMA 21st Government forms a Committee of

Finanncial Times-Masters in Secretaries headed by Rajiv Guaba
Management Rankings 2019, to study telecom sector’s financial
University of St.Gallen tops the list stress
   The Financial Times (FT), Masters    Union government formed a Committee
in Management Rankings 2019 was of Secretaries (CoS), headed by Cabinet
released. Among the Indian B (business) Secretary Mr Rajiv Gauba to examine
schools, the Indian overall. Other Indian the financial stress of the telecom sector
institutes in the top 50 rankings were IIM-
faced by service providers such as
Ahmedabad ranked at 21st place and IIM
Bharti Airtel and Vodafone-Idea Ltd
Bangalore at 44th rank.
and suggest measures to overcome it.
   The list was topped by University of
The panel includes the secretaries to the
St.Gallen in Switzerland.
ministries of finance, law, and telecom.
Key points :
   Indian institutes of top 100 rankings: Ban on Bodo insurgents extended for
IIM-Udaipur at 76th rank and IIM- 5 years
Indore at 81st rank.    The central government issued orders
   University of St.Gallen was followed to extend the ban on Assam-based Bodo
by HEC (Hautes Etudes Commerciales) insurgent group National Democratic
Paris, France and London Business Front of Bodo land (NDFB) by another
School, United kingdom (UK) in the five years, citing that the terrorist outfit
second and third place respectively. had continued to indulge in illegal and
Nagaland govt launches Ex-gratia violent activities intended to disrupt the
Scheme for Students sovereignty and territorial integrity of
   The state government of Nagaland India.
has launched an ex-gratia scheme for    NDFB has been engaging in unlawful and
students studying outside Nagaland, violent activities thereby undermining
called ‘Nagaland Government Ex-gratia the authority of the Government of
Scheme for Students Studying outside India and the Government of Assam and
Nagaland’ (NGESSO). The scheme is spreading terror and panic among the
the initiative of Nagaland Chief Minister people, indulging in extortion of money
Neiphiu Rio. from various sections of the society with a
Key Features of NGESSO Scheme view to financing and executing its plans
   It is a scheme initiated and sponsored for the creation of a separate Bodo land
by Government of Nagaland under and embarking on a systematic drive for
which state government will provide a recruitment of fresh cadres with a view
financial assistance of Rs.5 lakhs as one- to continuing its terrorist and insurgency
time payment to parents/families of activities.
students in case of unfortunate death of
any student while studying outside state.

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India gets two new Union Territories in J&K, Ladakh
   Jammu and Kashmir, which has been part
of the Union of India since 1947, ceased to
be a state and was officially bifurcated into
Union Territories.
   RK Mathur, the new and first Lieutenant
Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh
was sworn in by chief justice of Jammu and
Kashmir high court Geeta Mittal in a simple
ceremony.
   IAS officer Girish Chandra Murmu will
take over as L-G of the UT of Jammu and
Kashmir.
   Jammu and Kashmir was served a jolt in the
form of the abrogation of Article 370, the
strife-torn state ceased to exist.
   India now has two new Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh - while it
has one less state.
   According to the Jammu and Kashmir Re-organization Act, 2019, the appointed day for
the two UTs was on October 31

Himachal Pradesh: 2,000 Panchayats under Natural Farming

   Around 2,209 panchayats were brought under natural farming under Prakritik Kheti
Khushshal Kissan Yojana.
   The State is promoting Organic and Zero Budget Natural Farming under the scheme.
Features
   Under the scheme, a target of 50,000 farmers have been set for the year 2019.
   So far 20,579 farmers have been trained. Out of this, 15,391 are already practicing natural
farming in their fields.
   The State Government plans to hold a minimum of 5 training sessions per month till
March 2020.
Prakritik Kheti Khushal Kisan Scheme
   The scheme was launched by the Himachal Pradesh Government to promote natural
farming and to increase farmer’s income.
   The main objective of the scheme is to reduce costs required for farmers, increase farmers
income and to reduce use of chemicals and fertilizers in the farm.

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India to host second assembly of Ekta Diwas: PM Modi inaugurated

International Solar Alliance Technology Demonstration site
   The second assembly of International Solar    PM Modi inaugurated the Technology
Alliance (ISA) is to be hosted by India. Demonstration Site at Kevadia, Gujarat.
   The Ministry of New and Renewable    The inauguration was a part of the
Energy is hosting the event. It is held in National Unity Day celebrations that
New Delhi between October 30 and 31, commemorates the birth anniversary of
2019. The ISA brings together 81 nations. Sardar Vallabhai Patel.
It offers concrete solutions to reduce the    The security personnel showcased
cost of solar installations in developing different technologies being used by
countries. them in the event.
Union Territory of Ladakh gets Institute of Himalayan Environment and
Development
   Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Prakash Javadekar
approved the proposal of New Regional Centre of the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan
Environment and Development at Ladakh.
Objectives
   To promote alternative and innovative livelihoods for climate change vulnerable cold-
desert communities To strengthen and establish the solutions and approaches towards
addressing water scarcity.
Bamboo Tech Parks
   The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Council (NEC) will set up new Bamboo
Technology parks in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh Union Territories. The nodal
agency CBTC (Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre) under the Ministry of NEC will
implement the project.

National Symposium on United to IIT Delhi launches Global Alumni

Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis Endowment Fund
   The Ministry of Health and Family    Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
Welfare organized National Symposium Delhi has formally launched its Global
on the following Theme: United to Alumni Endowment Fund with an
Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis. initial commitment of Rs 250.crore from
Highlights nearly 20 corporate leaders and alumni of
   The minister also signed the “Call to institution.
Action to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis    The Endowment Fund was launched
by 2021” by President Ram Nath Kovind at
Rashtrapati Bhavan on 31 October 2019.

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Delhi’s average AQI in October less than last year
   Delhi’s air quality is back to square one - polluted. According to the Air Quality Index
(AQI) bulletin released by the Central Pollution Control Board, Thursday was the
most polluted day in October this year for Delhi-NCR. Delhi’s air was less hazardous
in October this year than it was last year. The average AQI for October 2018 was 285
which dipped to 239 this year. Though there is a drop of 46 points, however, the AQI
still remains in the 201-300 zone -- maintaining its ‘poor’ status. An AQI between 0-50
is considered “good”, 51-100 “satisfactory”, 101-200 “moderate”, 201-300 “poor”, 301-
400 “very poor”, and 401-500 “severe”. Above 500 is “severe-plus emergency” category.
A “severe plus emergency” AQI essentially means that even healthy people may suffer
from respiratory illnesses on prolonged exposure. This air will seriously affect those with
ailments, according to a SAFAR advisory.

Tourism Ministry organising 8th President’s rule revoked in

International Tourism Mart 2019 Maharashtra
   The 8th edition of ‘International Tourism    The BJP-NCP government in Maharashtra
Mart’ is being organized at Imphal, the took charge after the President’s rule,
capital city of Manipur from 23 to 25 imposed in the state a fortnight ago, was
November 2019. This annual event is revoked.
organised in North Eastern region by    In exercise of the powers conferred by
Union Ministry of Tourism in association clause (2) of article 356 of the Constitution,
with North Eastern States. The theme
I, Ram Nath Kovind, President of India,
for 8th International Tourism Mart is:
hereby revoke the proclamation issued by
‘Sustainable Tourism an engine for
me under the said article on the 12th day
Economic Growth and Employment’.
of November 2019, in relation to the state
   Manipur is hosting this mart for the
of Maharashtra with effect from the 23rd
second time. Earlier editions of this
mart were held in Guwahati, Tawang, day of November 2019,the proclamation
Shillong, Gangtok, Agartala. signed by Ram Nath Kovind.

World’s first CNG port terminal to be built in Gujarat

   Gujarat government has given its approval to a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) terminal
facility at Bhavnagar port. This would be the world’s first CNG port terminal. The
approval for this was given by Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board headed by
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
World’s first CNG port terminal
   Background: The Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) had signed Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with UK-based Foresight Group to set up this port terminal at
Bhavnagar in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit held in January 2019. The existing port at
Bhavnagar is administered by Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB).

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Telangana to rope in economist Compulsory retirement formula for

Abhijit Banerjee to improve school teachers
education    Directorate of Education sought report
   The Telangana government is roping in from Garhwal and Kumaon Division 
Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee’s Abdul    Stirred in 65 thousand teachers and
Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) employees department
   The Education Department, teachers
to formulate a strategy to improve the
who have given bad results and are on
quality of school education in the state.
leave without information are going to
   According to sources in the state education
be discharged. Compulsory retirement
department, Randomised Control Trials will be given to these teachers aged 50
(RCT) technique, which helped Abhijit years or more. There has been a stir in
Banerjee and his two colleagues win the the department of 65 thousand teachers
Nobel, is going to play a role in assessing and employees by the Directorate of
the situation in Telangana schools too. Education demanding a report of such
   The objective is to come up with a teachers from every district.
strategy to improve the learning skills in
Kalaburagi Airport inaugurated UDAN
the government schools. The details of
RCS
the project are still being worked out.
   Kalaburagi Airport to Kempegowda
Govt to set up anti-human trafficking International Airport, Bengaluru,
inaugurated Kalaburagi airport by the
units in all districts with Nirbhaya
Chief Minister of Karnataka. The airport
Fund built under the UDAN-RCS Scheme of
   Union Ministry of Women and Child Govt. of India. It spread across 742 acres
Development will be setting up anti- and developed at an estimated cost of Rs.
human trafficking units in all districts of 176 crores. 
the country with the help of Nirbhaya
Fund. Water bodies in Karaikal
   The announcement in this regard was
   Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran
made by Minister of Women and Child BediKaraikal district and inspected
Development Smriti Irani. the water bodies in the enclave of the
About Nirbhaya Fund Union territory that were rejuvenated
   The fund was announced by the Centre and desilted under the ‘Nam Neer’ (Our
in 2013 to support the initiatives of Water) project in the last three months.
government and Non-Governmental Of the total 300 water bodies, 178 have
Organisation (NGOs) working towards so far been revived with the participation
the safety of women. of public, corporates and government
   The fund is a corpus of Rs. 10 billion and servants. In addition to rejuvenating the
is administered by Finance Ministry’s ponds, about 800 km of canals in the
Department of Economic Affairs (DEA). district has been desilted
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Centre releases new political map after

formation of J & K, Ladakh UT
   A day after the bifurcation of the State Jammu
and Kashmir (J&K) into two Union territories
(UT) – Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh,
Union Home Ministry Amit Shah has released
a new political map of India & it also separately
released a map showing the administrative
boundaries of the Union territories of J&K and
Ladakh.
Vigyanika-International Science India’s first 4-level transit
Literature Festival held at Kolkata intersection to be constructed in
   Vigyanika is the International Science Nagpur, Maharashtra
Literature Festival that is organised as a    National Highways Authority of India
part of fifth India International Science (NHAI), an autonomous agency of the
Festival (IISF) at Kolkata. Government of India (GoI) has approved
   It also features a Science Book Fair where the Rs.573-crore proposal to construct da
more than 30 publishers are to display flyover between the railway track and the
their scientific publications Angpur metro. With this, the city Nagpur
Highlights of the event in Maharashtra is set to be the 1st in India
   Vigyanika is an annual event organised to get a 4-level transit intersection.
by Ministry of Science and Technology About Rising Himachal Global Investors’
and Earth Sciences Meet 2019
   It is coordinated by the CSIR-    The proposal was given sometime back
NISCAIR(National Institute of Science near a railway overbridge on Kamptee
Communication and Information road along which Reach II of Nagpur
Resources), Vigyan Bharati and Vigyan Metro will run.
Prasar.

National Research Institute of Unani Medicine inaugurated in Sikkim

   The Union Minister of State (independent charge) for AYUSH inaugurated the National
Research Institute of Unani Medicine for Skin Disorders.
   The institute was upgraded from Central Research Institute of Unani Medicine.
Significance
   The concept of AYUSH was brought by the National Rural Health Mission, 2005 to
revitalize local health traditions.
   AYUSH includes 6 Indian systems of medicine that includes Ayurveda, Yoga,
Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy.

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Punjab govt launches first of its kind eCAPA 2019: First-ever Arts Exposition
‘job helpline’ for unemployed youth for talents with Intellectual Challenges
   The Punjab Chief Minister (CM)    India’s first-ever Arts Exposition for
Amarinder Singh has launched a first of talents with intellectual challenges called
its kind job helpline number 76260-76260 ‘eCAPA 2019 – Art from the Heart’ was
for the unemployed youth of the state inaugurated in New Delhi.
under ‘Ghar Ghar Rozgar’ programme.    This exposition will continue till
Key Points: 14 November 2019 at STIR Gallery,
   It will provide large scale employment Chattarpur Farms.
opportunities to lakhs of yough across About ‘eCAPA 2019 – Art from the
the state every year. Heart’
   The objective of this helpline is to    It is a unique nationwide platform cum
reach every house Punjab and it can social venture for artists blessed with
be contacted on 75 thousand mobile Down Syndrome, Autism, Mental
numbers daily. In this process, a 110-seat Retardation, Seizure Disorder and
call center of Punjab Job Helpline has also Dyslexia. It will showcase their visual
been created for the data to be prepared. and performing arts.
   Objective: The exposition seeks to create
E-toilet for women at Rs 8 crore an exclusive platform for showcasing
   Nirbhaya funded the project in 15 zones the visual and performing art talents of
of the Metropolitan Madras Corporation. young adults with intellectual challenges.
   150 crore size e-toilets are to be set up at a
Kolkata International Film Festival to
value of Rs 8 crore.
   e-toilets were set up in the city of Chennai
start on Nov 8
in 2016 to improve water efficiency and    The  25th Kolkata International Film
health.  Festival (KIFF) will start on November 8.
   Nirbhaya Fund: The Central    Germany is the Focus Country of this
Government’s Nirbhaya Finance Scheme year’s festival. In all, 214 Feature Films
in the Madras Corporation has been and 152 Short and Documentary Films
allocated Rs. 425 crores worth of projects from 76 countries will be screened at 17
were approved by the Government of venues.
Tamil Nadu in 2018.
    Accordingly, 60 per cent of the fund will 50th Governors Conference
receive Rs. 255 crores is provided by the inaugurated in Rashtrapathi Bhavan
central government and 40% by the state    A two-day conference of governors is
government.  being held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New
Delhi. It was attended by President Ram
Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi and
other ministers.

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Harsh vardhan inaugurated India’s 1st-ever global mega-science exhibition,
‘Vigyan samagam 2019’, in kolkata, West Bengal
   Dr.Harsh Vardhan, union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Minister of Science &
Technology and minister of Earth Science has inaugurated the India’s 1st-ever multi-
venue Mega science exhibition, ‘Vigyan Samagam 2019’, at the iconic Science City in
Kolkata, West Bengal.
   The 1st two units of Vigyan Samagam was successfully held in Mumbai and Bengaluru&
After Kolkata, it will commence its final leg in New Delhi from 21st January, 2020-20th
March, 2020 at the National Science Centre. Thereafter it will remain as a permanent
exhibition at New Delhi and will be taken care-off by NCSM.

Wastelands in India at around 17% Kolkata students create Guinness

in 2015-16: NRSC’s 5th Wastelands World Records for largest astrophysics
atlas 2019 assemble
   Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, the    The Guinness
Union Minister for Rural Development, World Records
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare & for the largest
Panchayati Raj has released the 5th astrophysics
edition Wastelands Atlas 2019. As per lesson (45
the atlas, which presents the changes in minutes) and
wastelands between 2008-09 and 2015- assembly of spectroscopes was
16, wastelands in India has estimated successfully achieved by Kolkata
to the tune of 55.76 million hectares students at Science City, Kolkata.
(Mha) / 16.96% of geographical area of    The record was attempted on the first
the country i.e. 328.72 million hectares day of 5th India International Science
for the year 2015-16 as compared to 56.60 Festival (IISF) 2019 in which over 1,598
Mha (17.21%) in the year 2008.09. students participated.
Key Points:    The session was dedicated to Meghnad
   The new wastelands mapping exercise Saha and Chandrasekhara Venkata
has been carried out in district and state Raman.
wise of wastelands area by National    The session was organized by Inter-
Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) using University Centre for Astronomy and
the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite Astrophysics, who were conferred a
data. The previous editions for 2000, memento at the end of the programme,
2005, 2010 & 2011 has published jointly on behalf of the Guinness Book of World
by the Department of Land Resources, Records.
National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC)
& Department of Space.

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Rising Himachal Global Investors’ Meet 2019

   The State Government of Himachal Pradesh is organizing Rising
Himachal Global Investors’ Meet 2019, a flagship business event,
at Dharamshala.
   The event will be attended by diplomats, leaders from senior
policy makers, corporate sector development agencies and
investors from across the globe.
   The event will also be attended by Union Commerce and Industry
and Railway Minister, Piyush Goyal, who will highlight about
government investment and policies for promoting investment in
Himachal Pradesh and hill states of India.

India ranks 133 in the 2nd women, Uttam rake: Indian Railways
Peace and Security Index 2019: introduce first non-AC local train with
Norway tops the list CCTV cameras
   The Georgetown institute for Women,    Indian Railway’s Western Railway Zone
Peace and Security (GIWPS), America in has introduced state of the art ‘Uttam
collaboration with The Peace Research Rake’ for the local trains in Mumbai.
Institute of Oslo (PRIO), Norway, released    Only two Uttam rakes have built at the
its 2nd edition of the report titled Women, Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, out of
Peace, and Security Index for the year which the other has been given to South
2019. India was ranked 133rd out of 167 Central Railway.
countries. The list was topped by Norway    The Uttam rake is equipped with better
which was followed by Switzerland and seats, CCTV cameras, red emergency
Finland in the second and third places buttons, anti-dent partitions, modular
respectively. In the assessment, it was luggage racks.
reported that only Iceland performed    Uttam rake will run on its normal services
well in all aspects. Yemen was ranked last from 6 November 2019 with ten services
at 167th place in the index a day.

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu inaugurates 10th Asian Conference of Emergency

Medicine
   10th Asian Conference of Emergency Medicine (ACEM) was inaugurated by Vice President
M Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi. The conference will be held from 7-10 November 2019.
This is the first time that the biennial conference is being held in India..
   Participants: Over 2000 emergency medicine experts from over 32 distinct nations are
participating in the conference.
   Governments Effort: The Government of India has made it mandatory for all medical
college hospitals to have full-fledged Emergency Departments by 2022 with an aim to
improve trauma care.
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Lucknow railway station gets ‘Health ATM’
   The Indian Railways has installed two ‘Health ATMs’ at the Charbagh railway station
in  Lucknow. The kiosks, promoted by YOLO Health ATM, provide 16 health check-
ups for Rs 50-100. There are two types of check-ups a 9-minute one that costs Rs 100,
and a 6-minute one that costs Rs 50. The report is delivered instantly to the email or
smartphone of the user. The check-ups include body mass index, blood pressure, body
fat, haemoglobin, metabolic age, muscle mass, weight, height, temperature, muscle mass,
basal metabolic rating, visceral fat, oxygen saturation, pulse rate, blood glucose, and bone
mass. Health ATMs can be defined as private, walk-in medical kiosks with integrated
medical devices for basic vitals, cardiology, neurology, pulmonary testing, gynaecology,
basic laboratory testing and emergency facilities and staffed by a medical attendant.
NMCG organized ‘Ganga Utsav’ in New Delhi Maharashtra tops list
   The National Mission fo r Clean Ganga (NMCG) organized in delivering justice to
the ‘Ganga Utsav’ in Major Dhyanchand stadium in citizens
New Delhi to mark the 11th anniversary of Ganga being    Maharashtra is the State
declared as national river. It was organized in coordination in delivering justice to
with Union Jal Shakti Ministry. its citizens, according to
National Mission for clean Ganga the India Justice Report
by Tata Trusts. Kerala,
   The  National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) is the
Tamil Nadu, Punjab
implementation wing of National Ganga Council which
was set up in October 2016 under the River Ganga and Haryana are some
(Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities of the top states that
order 2016. The order dissolved National Ganga River fared well in delivering
Basin Authority. The aim is to clean the Ganges and its justice to its citizens. The
tributaries in a comprehensive manner. Nitin Gadkari is India Justice Report is
the present Minister for Ministry for Water Resources, a quantitative analysis
River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of the four pillars of
of India. justice 0–judiciary,
Haryana to create a new department of foreign Police, Prisons and legal
cooperation aid. They are being
quantitatively studied
   The newly-formed Haryana govt has decided to create a
on the basis of budgetary
new department namely Department of ‘Foreign
allocation, human
Cooperation’ in order to provide focus to various
resources, workload,
initiatives taken by the state govt for the promotion of
diversity, infrastructure
investment, employment for youth and welfare of Non-
and trends using only
Resident Indians. The cabinet also decided to bring an
government data.
amendment, allowing devolution of powers to the Gram
Sabha to ban the sale of liquor within the local area.

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NASSCOM Report: India-third largest startups hub in the world

   The Nasscom report
on Indian Tech Start-
Up Ecosystem said
that India continues
to the third largest
start-up ecosystem
after China and US.
   India has added more
than 1300 tech start-
ups in 2019 according
to the report. Between
January to September
in 2019, there were 8900 to 9300 startups as compared to 7700-8200 a year ago.

CSIR’s NEERI launches India’s 1st air pollution Sanskrit Bharati Vishwa
web repositury called “IndAIR” Sammelan begins in New
   Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)’s Delhi
National Environmental Engineering Research    Thousands of Sanskrit
Institute (NEERI), a research Institute created and lovers from 17 countries
funded by the Government of India (GoI), has launched are attending Sanskrit
India’s 1st online repository called IndAIR (Indian Bharati Vishwa Sammelan,
Air quality Studies Interactive Repository), Which the three-day mega event
documents air quality studies undertaken in the past beginning in New Delhi.
Addressing the gathering,
60 years.
Minister of State for External
   IndAIR will provide information about innovative
Affairs V.Muraleedharan
research & analysis in the field of air pollution in India
said Sanskrit continues to
and its disadvantages and effect and with its help, be prevalent in the society
researchers, media and academics can access studies as it is used by the people
being conducted on air pollution. across the country. The
   The objective of the establishment of ‘IndAIR’ is to minister said, Sanskrit
make the information of air quality research available words are found in most of
to all. the Indian languages.

International Conference on Yoga for Heart care to be organised at Karnataka

   Ministry of AYUSH is organizing the International Conference on Yoga on 15-16
November 2019 at Mysuru, Karnataka.
   The theme of the conference is ‘Yoga for Heart Care’. This conference is 5th in the series
to commemorate the unanimous adoption of Resolution by the United Nations General
Assembly during its 69th Session for observing 21st June as International Day of Yoga.

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Indian Oil to set up new 2G Ethanol Shilpotsav– 2019
Plant in Panipat    Shilpostav- 2019 is being held from 1st -
   The Indian Oil Corporation recently 15th November 2019 in New Delhi.
received environment clearance from    It is the annual fair of artisans from
Ministry of EFoCC (Environment, Forest across the country, belonging to the
and Climate Change), to set up a new 2G weaker sections of the society.
Ethanol plant at Panipat.    The artisans are assisted by the apex
   Indian Oil will invest Rs 766 crore in corporations of the Ministry of Social
setting up the plant. Justice and Empowerment.
Ethanol as Fuel    The range of products in this fair include -

   Ethanol is most often used as motor fuel. silk sarees, durries, readymade garments,
It is predominantly used as a biofuel terracotta products, jute products, marble
additive for gasoline. artefacts and handloom etc.
   Brazil was the first country to produce India-ASEAN Business Summit
Ethanol run car (the first ethanol run    Dr Jitendra Singh addresses the inaugural
vehicle in the world) in 1978. session of India-ASEAN Business
Four southern states to get medical Summit First Bamboo Industrial Park
device parks is being set up in Dima Hasao district of
Assam. The Minister added that similar
   The government has given approval for
parks can be set up in J&K. He announced
setting up four medical device parks with a possibility of opening Apple food park,
a view to support Make in India initiative Strawberry food park can be explored. He
and provide world-class products at added that first ever citrus fruit park has
affordable price for treatment. The four been developed in Mizoram with Israeli
parks will be set up in Andhra Pradesh, collaboration. We need to have a vision
Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and futuristic approach, the Minister
sources said, adding that Uttarakhand emphasized.
and Gujarat have also approached the
Centre for a go-ahead for such parks. Kerala on track to eliminate TB by 2025
   The project of Andhra Pradesh Medtech    The sixth Joint Monitoring Mission (JMM
Zone for creation of Common Facility 2019) of the Union government and
Centre (CFC) for Superconducting the World Health Organization on the
Revised National Tuberculosis Control
Magnetic Coil Testing and Research was
Programme (RNTCP) has lauded Kerala
given in-principle approval recently.
for being right on track to achieve TB
According to estimates, the medical elimination by 2025.
devices retail market in the country is of
around Rs 70,000 crore.

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International Lavi fair being organised “National Capital Region -2041”

in Himachal Pradesh conclave held in Delhi
   The four-day-long International Lavi fair    Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs,
is being organised in Rampur district of Government of India, chaired the
Shimla, Himanchal Pradesh from 11 to inaugural conclave on “National Capital
14 November 2019. Region -2041” in Delhi.
   It was inaugurated by Himachal Pradesh    This conclave is organized by
Governor Bandaru Dattatreya. The the National Capital Region Planning
governor also inaugurated ‘Kinnauri Board (NCRPB).
market’ and an exhibition organised by    The theme of the conclave was “Planning
various government departments. for Tomorrow’s Greatest Capital
About International Lavi fair Region”.
   The Lavi Fair, is almost 400 years old    The Regional Plan-2041 should be a
and dates back to time when Raja Kehari citizen-centric plan, with liveability as
Singh of Rampur Bushahr state signed the hallmark, to ensure ease of living.
a treaty to promote trade with Tibet.
For centuries this fair has remained an Air Chief to inaugurate ISAM
important trade fair between India and Conference in Bengaluru
Tibet. It has been a unique example
   Air Chief Marshal 
of glorious, social, cultural, economic
RKS Bhadauria will
history and legacy of Himalayan state of
inaugurate the 58th
Himachal Pradesh.
Indian Society of
5th edition of GES 2019 to be held in Aerospace Medicine
Bengaluru (ISAM) Annual
Conference.
   The  5th edition of Global Exhibition
   The aims of the
on Services, GES 2019 is being
conference to address
held from November 26 to 28
contemporary
at Bengaluru, Karnataka.
issues and applications in the subject of
   The Global Exhibition on Services is
aerospace medicine.
an annual event which aims to engage
   The theme for this year’s conference
industry and governments across the
is  ‘Changing Paradigms in Aerospace
world and to promote greater exchange
Healthcare’.
of trade in services between India and the
   The event will take place at the Institute
rest of the world.
of Aerospace Medicine, Indian Air Force,
   India is looking to attract investments
Bengaluru from November 14-16.
and partnerships in strategic areas
like aviation and space programme,
infrastructure, and telecom projects.

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27th Conference of Central and State Statistical Organizations (COCSSO) held
in Kolkata, West Bengal
   27th Conference of Central and State Statistical Organizations (COCSSO) was held in
Kolkata, West Bengal. The theme of this conference was “Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs)” which highlights the actions taken by the Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation (MoSPI) for a strong observing mechanism for Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs). COCSSO – This annual event was first organized in 1971
by MoSPI. COCSSO is a major national forum that produces coordination between the
Central and State Statistical Agencies.
NCRB Report: Accidental
India International Cherry Blossom Festival
and Suicidal Deaths in India
celebrated in Shillong
– Farm suicides decline
   The 4th edition of India International Cherry
   The National Crime
Blossom Festival, 2019 was celebrated in Shillong,
Meghalaya from 13 to 16 November 2019. It was Records Bureau released the
inaugurated by Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad “Accidental and Suicidal
K Sangma. The festival is a great example of how Deaths in India report” on
natural resources and sustainable tourismcan be November 8, 2019.
utilized in an effective manner and create value of    According to the report, the
something which already exists. suicides in the cities were 10.6
About India International Cherry Blossom Festi- in 2015 and it reduced to 10.3 in
val, 2019 2016. The data was released for
   It was organized to celebrate the mass flowering of 36 states and Union Territories
autumn Himalayan Cherry Blossoms with several and 53 metropolitan cities.
cultural events in Shillong. This year the festival
Highlights of the report: Farm
was held amid concern as blooming/flowering of Report
Cherry Blossom trees has not been consistent due
   Number of farmers who
to climate change. In 2018 the tress bloomed by
committed suicide in the year
late October, but this year in November.
2015 were 8,007 and in 2016 the
   Dinabandhu Sahoo, the brain behind Cherry
Blossom Festival however highlighted that with number came down to 6,270
every edition of the festival, the footfall of tourists    The suicides of farm workers
visiting it has increased. This year the Republic of increased from 4595 in 2015 to
Korea was the partner country in the festival. 5109 in 2016
   Maharashtra had the highest
Naga peace process number of farmer suicide
   The Naga peace process, which was started in followed by Karnataka,
1997, turned 22 this year. It could happen only Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh,
after a ceasefire agreement was signed between the Andhra Pradesh and
National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah Chattisgarh.
(NSCN-IM) and the Government of India.

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6th World Congress on Rural and 39th India International Trade Fair
Agricultural finance 2019
   The World Congress on Rural and    39th India International Trade Fair
Agricultural Finance (WCRAF) began in 2019 begins in New Delhi.
New Delhi.    The theme for the 39th edition of the fair
   It aims at bringing together stakeholders is  ‘Ease of Doing Business’ inspired by
of rural and agricultural finance all over India’s unique achievement of rising to
the world. The Congress is an opportunity 63rd rank on the World Bank’s Ease of
Doing Business Index from 142nd rank in
to strengthen business relations and to
the year 2014.
promote products and services.
   This year the status of ‘Partner Country’
6th Congress has been accorded to ‘The Islamic
   The 6th WCRAF is being held in New Republic of Afghanistan’ and ‘The
Delhi. The Congress is co-hosted by Republic of Korea’ will be the ‘Focus
NABARD-National Bank for Agriculture Country’.  Bihar and Jharkhand will be
and Rural Development, Asia Pacific the focus states in this edition of the fair.
Rural and Agricultural Credit Association
and Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Minority Affairs Ministry to establish
Welfare. ‘Hunar Hubs’ in every state: Mukhtar
   Theme: “Rural and Agricultural Finance: Abbas Naqvi
Critical Input to achieve Inclusive and    The Minority Affairs Ministry is working
Sustainable Development” on a war footing to establish ‘Hunar
Hubs’ in every state in the next five
CCI approves merger of the BNP
years to train and encourage indigenous
Paribas (BNPP) and the Baroda (BOB)
artisans and craftsmen announced by
Mutual Fund Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
   The Competition Commission of India    The ministry has sanctioned 100 ‘Hunar
(CCI) approves the merger of the BNP Hubs” or skill centres in different parts
Paribas (BNPP) Mutual Fund and of the country in the first 100 days of the
the Baroda (BOB) Mutual Fund, under second Modi government, he proclaimed
Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, in New Delhi on the completion of
2002. The Proposed Combination relates ‘HunarHaat’organised at North Central
to the merger of the BNP Paribas Mutual Zone Cultural Centre in Allahabad,
Fund and the BOB Mutual Fund. Uttar Pradesh.
   The Parties propose to amalgamate
(i) BOB Asset Management Company
(AMC) into BNPP AMC; (ii) BNPP
Trustee Company (TC) into BOB TC; (iii)
After the merger, BNPP AMC and BOB
TC will be the surviving entities.

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India is home to 77 million diabetics
   One in six people with  diabetes  in the
world is from India. The numbers place the
country among the top 10 countries for
people with diabetes, coming in at number
two with an estimated 77 million diabetics.
   China leads the list with over 116 million
diabetics.
   On International Diabetes Day, the
International Diabetes Foundation (IDF)
Diabetes Atlas makes it clear India needs
to pause and re-evaluate its strategy to
combat diabetes.
   The ninth edition of the IDF Diabetes
Atlas offers projections that continue to put India at the second slot right up to 2045. The
numbers are staggering just over 134 million Indians will be diabetics in the next 25 years.
   India is on the top of the table of a clutch of countries in from southeast Asia — Bangladesh,
Sri Lanka, Nepal and Mauritius. Bangladesh, which is second on the list of top five
countries with diabetes (20-79 years), however, has only 8.4 million diabetics.

Govt sets up 3-member panel for division of assets, liabilities between J&K
and Ladakh
   The Centre has constituted a three-member
committee for division of assets and liabilities of
Jammu and Kashmir between two successor
Union territories, which came into existence on
October 31.
   This was conveyed to members of the
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home
Affairs by senior officials led by Union Home
Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
   An advisory committee has been constituted under Section 84 of the J-K Reorganisation
Act for apportionments of assets, rights and liabilities between UT of J-K and Ladakh,
Bhall and his team of officers told the committee headed by Congress leader Anand
Sharma.
   The 14th Finance Commission award has been apportioned between the UTs of J-K and
Ladakh in the ratio of 70 per cent and 30 per cent for the remaining five months of the
2019-20 fiscal.

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Andhra Pradesh government launches India seeking Israel help for ‘tap-
‘Nadu-Nedu’ scheme water to every Indian by 2024’
   Andhra Pradesh government has    India is seeking Israel’s help to ensure
launched the ‘Nadu-Nedu’ programme. functional tap-water to every Indian
   The programme aims to introduce English household by 2024 with a senior minister
medium from classes 1 to 6 in state-run visiting the country next week to fulfill
schools. The scheme will be implemented
the government’s mission. Prime
in 15,715 schools in the first phase. It will
Minister  Narendra Modi announced
cover all schools in three years’ time with
that more than Rs 3.5 lakh crore will be
a budget of ` 12,000 crores.
spent in the coming years under the ‘Jal
Property Owner - Tenant Agreement: Jeevan Mission’ to bring piped water to
Deadline extended by one year households by 2024.
Emergency Act    The  Jal Shakti minister will also be the
   The Government of Tamil Nadu has keynote speaker for the prestigious
issued an Emergency Act, extending biennial WATEC event. The Union
the deadline for contracting between Cabinet Minister is being accompanied
property owner and tenants. The by a large delegation from the states
Emergency Act was passed on October of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra,
21, extending the contract deadline by a
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and
further 12 months. It has been announced
Delhi.
that it will be approved at the next session
of the legislative session. 50th International Film Festival of India (IFFI)
   The Information and Broadcasting
IBM to launch a new weather
ministry launched the official anthem
forecasting system
and radio jingle for the golden jubilee
   IBM is to launch IBM GRAF, Global
edition of International Film Festival of
High-Resolution Atmospheric
India (IFFI), scheduled to take place in
Forecasting System, which will be able
Goa. Rajinikanth, legendary actor will
to predict conditions up to 12 hours in
be honoured with a special award, ‘Icon
advance. Such kind of precise forecasting
system has been available in the United of Golden Jubilee of IFFI’ while French
States, Japan, and some west European actress Isabelle Hupert will be conferred
countries. the lifetime achievement award.

J&K: Administration to launch second phase of ‘Back to Village programme’

   The Jammu and Kashmir administration is all set to launch the second phase of ‘Back to
Village programme’ to upgrade government websites with latest information from 25th
to 30th November. The flagship programme is aimed at empowerment and development
of Panchayats. It ensures the functionality of Panchayats in terms of manpower, 100%
coverage of beneficiary oriented schemes and doubling of income of rural people by
giving the impetus to the rural economy.

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Delhi govt launched ‘Mukhyamantri Septic Tank Safai Yojana’ to eradicate
manual scavenging
   The Chief Minister of Delhi Shri Arvind Kejriwal has launched ‘Mukhyamantri Septic
Tank Safai Yojana’, a scheme focused to eradicate manual scavenging in the state. As
per this scheme, csitizens will be enabled to get their septic tanks cleaned for free using
assistive technologies.
Key Points:
   The service can be availed by the citizens using a helpline number provided.
   Scheme coverage: The scheme will cover septic tanks without sewer lines, mostly build
in unauthorized colonies.
   The government will hire an agency to clean the tanks and a tender will be floated within
a month.

UNICEF Report: India Second largest Special Winter Grade Fuel launched
in Pneumonia deaths for Ladakh Region
   United Nations’ new report on    Indian Oil Corporation launched special
Pneumonia stated that India has the winter grade diesel that will remain
second largest deaths of children under unfrozen even at -33 degree Celsius.
the age of five due to Pneumonia in 2018.    This will help to provide continuous and
   Globally more than 800,000 children died year-round access to the snow-covered
due to Pneumonia under the age of 5. regions.
   The report stated that though the disease Highlights
is preventable through vaccines, more    The fuel meets BIS specification of BS-VI
than 10 million die annually due to the grade
disease    It was produced and certified at Panipat
Highlights Refinery
   The five countries that were responsible    The winter grade diesel is to be supplied
for more than half of child deaths due to the region from Jalandar in Punjab.
to Pneumonia were Nigeria, India,
About winter Grade Fuel
Pakistan, Democratic Republic of
   Diesel Fuel is prone to waxing in cold
Congo and Ethiopia
weather. Below its Cloud Point, diesel
   Pneumonia is responsible for 15% of
begins to form wax particles.
deaths in children under 5.
   Cloud Point refers to the temperature
   The report named the disease as
below which the fuel particles begin to
“Forgotten Epidemic”
cloud together and form solidified waxes.
   Around half of pneumonia deaths are
associated with air pollution

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Delhi is the world’s worst polluted National Mission ‘NISHTHA’ launched

city in J&K
   Air pollution in Delhi has risen to its    National Initiative for School Heads’
worst ever polluted city in the world and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement
   Air pollution levels touched 527. It (NISHTHA) has been launched in the
tops the list of the world›s highest air Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
   NISHTHA is aimed at improving
pollutants.  The list includes Hong Shu
learning outcomes at Elementary level
with 167 points, Vietnam’s Hanoi with
through integrated Teacher Trainings.
182 points and Pakistan with Lahore at
   NISHTHA is a pioneer scheme being
193. But Delhi has 527 air pollution levels. launched across the country, with a
   According to Skymet the overall Air total of 86000 Elementary teachers of
Quality Index (AQI) reading in Delhi Government Schools being trained in
this morning was 505 - down marginally J&K under the programme.
from 527.
About NISHTHA
   An AQI between 0-50 is considered good,
   Objective: Mission aims to build
51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 moderate,
capacities of 42 lakh participants covering
201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor and 401-
all teachers and Heads of Schools at
500 is marked as severe/hazardous.
elementary level in all Government
Home Ministry, UN Women Launches Schools across India as well as faculty
Campaign to End Violence Against members of State Institute of Education
Women (SIE)/ State Council of Educational
   Union Ministry of Home Affairs in Research and Training (SCERTs), District
collaboration with UN Women launched Institute of Education and Training
an awareness campaign to end violence (DIET) etc.
against women.
   As part of campaign a ‘UNiTE to End
Violence Against Women’ Metro was
flagged of at the Sultanpur Metro station
in New Delhi.
   The flag-off took place as part of 16 Days
of Activism ‘Orange The World’ global
campaign, which is being observed ahead
of ‘International Day for the Elimination
of Violence Against Women’, marked
annually on 25 November and will
continue till International Day of Human
Rights on December 10.

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Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa
Extra News inaugurates Bengaluru Tech Summit
2019
GoI conducts first ever National Agro    The three-day “Bengaluru Tech Summit”
Chemicals Congress in New Delhi 2019’ was inaugurated by Karnataka Chief
Minister BS Yeddyurappa and Deputy
   The National Agro Chemical Congress
was conducted for four days in New Chief minister Dr CN Ashwathnarayan
Delhi. The Ministry of Agriculture among other dignitaries in Bangalore
and Farmers Welfare hosted the event. Palace, Bengaluru. The theme of the
It was the first of its kind. It is to be 22nd edition of Bengaluru Tech Summit
conducted once in three years. Theme: this year is ‘innovation and Impact 2.0’,
Country’s Status on various fronts of with the main focus on innovation and
Agro chemicals entrepreneurship to become the driving
Significance forces of the development of the state in
   The aim of the congress is to highlight future.
the role played by chemical pesticides
in pest management. It emphasized 12th Urban Mobility India Conference
on target specific and environment and Expo 2019 held in Lucknow
friendly products. The Congress also
   The 12th edition of Urban Mobility India
focused on new concepts in human
Conference and Expo 2019 was held in
health, nanotechnology, crops, resource
management, smart formulations Uttar Pradesh’s capital city Lucknow
related sciences to help to boost from 15th to 17th November 2019.
agricultural productivity.    It was organised by Institute of Urban
Transport (IUT), professional body under
India ASEAN InnoTech Summit 2019
Union Ministry of Urban Development.
   India ASEAN InnoTech Summit, 2019. A The theme of this year’s conference was
3-day Technology & Innovation Summit, “Accessible and liveable Cities”.
exhibition, B2B and B2G meetings is
About Urban Mobility India (UMI) Con-
being held from 20-22 November in
ference and Expo
Davao, Philippines. It aims to capture
   It is an annual flagship event organised
global trends in technology management
under the aegis of Union Ministry of
and strategy, connect local and global
Urban Development.
research & development community
   Its genesis is from the National Urban
for collaborative engagement. ASEAN
Transport Policy of the Government of
participating Member Countries are
India, 2006 (NUTP).
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao
PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

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UP government to rename Agra to Cabinet approves establishment of

Agravan National Institute of Sowa Rigpa at
   The Yogi Adiyanath-led Uttar Pradesh Leh
State government is planning to    The Union Cabinet has approved
rename Agra to Agravan. establishment of National Institute
   The state government has asked the for Sowa-Rigpa (NISR) in Leh, Union
history department of Dr. Bhimrao Territory of Ladakh.
Ambedkar University in Agra to look for    It will be an autonomous National Institute
historical evidence if the city was known under Union Ministry of AYUSH.
by any other name. The researchers have    It is mandated to undertake
begun the research regarding the name interdisciplinary education and research
change. Earlier, it has changed the names programmes in Sowa-Rigpa system of
of  Allahabad to Prayagraj,  Faizabad traditional medicine in collaboration
to Ayodhya, and Mughalsarai to with premier national and international
DeenDayal Upadhyaya Nagar. Institutes and facilitate integration of
different systems of medicine.
NuGen Mobility Summit 2019 to be About National Institute of Sowa-Rig-
held in Manesar, Haryana pa (NISR)
   The three-day NuGen Mobility Summit    It will be apex Institute for Sowa-
2019 will be held in Manesar, Haryana Rigpa in the country. It is aimed at
from November 27 to 29, 2019. bringing a valid and useful synergy
   It will be organized by International between traditional wisdom of Sowa-
Centre for Automotive Technology Rigpa system of medicine and modern
(ICAT), Manesar based on the theme science, tools and technology.
“Smart & Green Mobility” to find About Sowa-Rigpa
alternative mobility solutions to problems    It commonly known as Tibetan system
like pollution emanating from vehicular of medicine. It is also dubbed as Science
emissions. of healing. It is one of the oldest, Living
   It will be inaugurated by Union Minister and well documented medical tradition
of Road Transport & Highways of the world.
(MoRTH) Nitin Gadkari.

Haryana decides Panchayats can ban liquor in villages

   The Haryana government decided to empower village panchayats to ban sale of liquor
within its jurisdiction. In this regard, an in-principle decision was taken to bring  an
amendment in Section 31 of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, allowing devolution
of powers to the gram sabha (a group of voters in the village) to ban liquor within the local
area of a gram panchayat.  The decision was taken at a meeting of the cabinet presided
over by chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
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FASTag Mandatory From December 1 Worlds first Muslim yoga camp is
   The Ministry of Road, Transport and
being held on Kotdwar
Highways has made FASTag (electronic    The world’s first Muslim yoga camp
toll collection) mandatory for all vehicles began at Kanva Ashram in Kotdwar
from Dec 1, 2019. town of Uttarakhand  on 20 November
   Under the National Electronic Toll 2019.
Collection (NETC) programme, toll    The camp will be held from 20-24
payments will be only via FASTag. November 2019.
   It works on the principle of Radio Yoga Camp:
Frequency Identification.     The yoga camp shows the health benefits
   The programme’s main objective is to associated with practising Yoga.
ensure non-stop movement of vehicles    Yoga elevates one’s heart, mind,
at the toll plazas, cashless payment, and and thoughts to such a level that the
reduction of traffic congestion. individual begins to care for all. It leads
people towards universal welfare.
2nd edition of South Asia Safety    Yoga elevates the effect on the way one
Summit held in New Delhi looks upon things.
   The South Asia Safety Summit is being
Participants:
organized to highlight the issue of safety    Around 500 Muslim men and women
while individuals and communities are from different countries participated in
connected on the digital platform the event.
   The Women and Child Development
Minister Smriti Irani was addressing the Arun Bhoomi: 1st Hindi daily launched
2nd edition of South Asia Safety Summit in in Arunachal Pradesh
New Delhi    Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu
   South Asia Safety Summit organized by
launched the state’s first Hindi newspaper
the Ministry of WCD and Facebook. ‘Arun Bhoomi’, which will be published
   During the Summit, Union Minister of
and edited by Takam Sonia.
WCD launched “We Think Digital”    The CM hoped that the major population
website. This website is an online of the county, who speak and read
education portal with interactive tutorials Hindi, would get easy access to news,
aimed at helping people think critically information and knowledge about the
and share thoughtfully online. state.
   He called Hindi as the bond that unites
the diverse ethnic tribes of the state who
speak different dialects.

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Bangalore is India’s top-ranked city in Three-day Global Buddhist

new global prosperity index Congregation to begin in
   Bangalore emerged as India’s highest Aurangabad
ranked city at No. 83 in a new index of the    In Maharashtra, a three-day Global
world’s 113 cities in terms of economic Buddhist Congregation will begin
and social inclusivity, topped by Zurich in at Nagsenvan in Aurangabad.
Switzerland. Delhi at 101 and Mumbai at The inaugural ceremony will take
107 are the other Indian cities to make at the place in the presence of Tibetan
index, with the top 20 awarded a PICSA Seal spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama and
as the world’s highest-ranked cities building Mahanayaka Thero from Sri Lanka.
inclusive prosperity. The chief organiser of the event
   Bilbao, the host city of the new index, is and development commissioner of
ranked at 20. the state Industries Department,
Prosperity Index Dr HarshdeepKamble, announced
   The Legatum Prosperity Index offers a unique that, talks on relevance of Buddhism
insight into how prosperity is forming and in the modern world, Buddhist
changing across the world. culture and way of life, revival
   The Index is an annual ranking of 149 countries and strengthening of Buddhism,
that covers 96% of the world’s population Buddhism for youth held during the
and 99% of global GDP. congregation.

New Delhi 9th fastest-growing prime residential market in the world

   New Delhi is now the 9th fastest growing
prime residential market in the world
with average luxury home prices in areas
such as Greater Kailash, Vasant Vihar,
Anand Niketan, Defence Colony and
Green Park rising by 4.4 percent year-on-
year in the third quarter of 2019,
according to a new report by Knight
Frank.
   While Delhi’s ranking has moved up by one place to 9th spot, Mumbai is at 28th
position,  up two places from 30th rank. The country’s financial capital clocked a 0.8
percent year-on-year rise in prices. However, Bengaluru has slipped five places to 20th
spot, registering a 2.1 percent year-on-year rise in prices.
   Globally, Moscow leads the index this quarter with prime home prices rising by 11.1
percent over the 12 months to September 2019, followed by Frankfurt (10.3 percent)
and Taipei (8.9 percent). Seoul was the weakest-performing global city in the year to
September, with luxury home prices falling by 12.9 percent.

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7. INTERNATIONAL
AFFAIRS
Sheikh Sultan inaugurates Sharjah World’s first blockchain-based carbon
International Book Fair 2019 trading exchange in Singapore
   The 38th edition of the  Sharjah    Singapore-based AirCarbon
International Book Fair (SIBF) 2019 was Pte launched the worlds’ first blockchain-
inaugurated by Sheikh Sultan bin based carbon trading exchange.
Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council    This will allow airlines and other
Member and Ruler of Sharjah, UAE. corporate buyers to buy as well sell
   The Republic of Mexico has been tokens backed by carbon offset credits
declared as the Guest of Honour at the approved by the International Civil
38th edition of SIBF. Aviation Organisation.
   The theme of the Sharjah International    The company is applying to the Monetary
Book Fair (SIBF) 2019 is ‘Open Books Authority of Singapore for a recognized
Open Minds’, to promote books market operator license and targets for
and reading across age groups and the exchange to be fully operational in
communities. 2020.

‘Indonesia ministries ban pregnant, Kishan Reddy to attend “No Money

LGBT job seekers’ for Terror” conference
   Several Indonesian ministries are    Union Minister G Kishan Reddy will be
banning pregnant, disabled, or LGBT representing India in the forthcoming
job hunters in favour of what one called “No Money for terror” conference to be
“normal” applicants, the Ombudsman
held in Australia next week.
announced that slammed as “arbitrary
   There will be discussions on measures to
and hateful restrictions” by a rights
control terrorism.
group. The world’s biggest Muslim
   As many as 70 countries have agreed to
majority country takes applications from
participate in the conference so far.
millions of candidates who are applying
   Paris hosted the conference in April last
for some 200,000 civil-service jobs
nationwide. Indonesia, a Southeast Asian year, he said adding India was ready to
archipelago of some 260 million, has seen host the event in 2020.
a jump in discrimination against gay and
transgender people in recent years.

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Freedom on Net 2019 report-China Spanish capital Madrid to host COP 25

the worst abuser of internet freedom    The Spanish capital city of Madrid will
   The Freedom of Net report 2019 titled “The host the UN Climate Change Conference
Crisis of Social Media” was released by (COP 25) from 2 to 13 December.
the The Freedom House, an international    The decision was taken following Chile’s
watchdog. The report recorded an overall stepping down as host for the event due
decline in global internet freedom status to the ongoing street protests in the South
between July 2018 and May 2019. India American country.
obtained an overall score of 55 and was    The annual Conference of the Parties
reported to be “partly free”. (COP) summit is a key event which
Highlights allows representatives from around 200
   Pakistan, with a score of 26, for the ninth nations to monitor and discuss the current
consecutive year was declared as “not situation of the world’s warming climate.
free” in terms of freedom status China
obtained a score of 10 and was adjudged Northeast India gateway to Southeast
“not free”. Ethiopia recorded the highest Asia under Act East Policy
improvement in terms of internet freedom
   Northeast India is being developed as a
gateway to Southeast Asia under Central
Fire destroys 500-year-old world
government’s Act East Policy (AEP),
heritage site in Japan
and added that the plans are on cards to
   A fire has destroyed all the main establish seamless connectivity between
structures of Shuri Castle, a Unesco Thailand, Myanmar and northeast India
World Heritage site on Japan’s southern in the years to come. This initiative will
island of Okinawa. immensely strengthen India’s act east
   Shuri Castle, which was was once the
policy and Thailand’s Act West Policy.
seat of the Ryukyu dynasty, sits on top Integrated, strong and economically
of a hill overlooking the city of Naha - prospering ASEAN is in the interest of
Okinawa’s capital - and is surrounded by India,” he announced during his address
curved stone walls. at the 16th India-ASEAN summit.

India To Host No Money For Terror Conference Next Year

   India will host the No Money For Terror conference to be held in 2020. The announcement
made at the No Money For Terror conference in Melbourne, Australia. 
No Money for Terror
   The country decided to establish an informal network of FIUs for the stimulation of
international cooperation. The countries which participated in the meeting should also
effectively enforce the standards mandated by the Financial Action Terror Force (FATF)
and UN listings. The members should initiate discussion on Countering Financing of
Radicalisation (CFR), which would prevent radicalization - an essential prerequisite of
terrorism.
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19th IORA ministerial meet held at Abu
Dhabi, UAE
   The 19th Indian Ocean Rim Association COM
(Council of Ministers) meeting was held
in Abu Dhabi, UAE on November 7, 2019.
IT firm restores govt. Schools in Minsters from 22 countries attended the
T.N meeting.
   The meeting was chaired by UAE. The
   Cognizant Outreach, an employee-
Chairmanship passes from Republic of South
led volunteering programme of
Africa that held the chair between the period
the IT major, has successfully
2017-19.
completed ‘Project 100 Schools’,
   For the period of 2019-2021, UAE will hold the
a programme to rehabilitate
chairmanship assisted by Bangladesh.
government schools impacted by
the 2015 floods in the Chennai, Highlights
Kancheepuran and Tiruvallur    The meeting was preceded by 21st Committee
districts. of Senior Officials (CSO). The CSO is being
   According K.A.Sengottaiyan, held twice a year.
Minister for School Education,    Theme: Promoting a shared destiny and path
inaugurated the refurbished to prosperity in Indian ocean
infrastructure at panchayat union
primary school and government The 2nd Summit of World Religious Leaders
high school in Mannivakkam. began in Baku
   The 2nd Summit of World Religious Leaders
Drinking water from began in Baku, Azerbaijan. The summit will
Marakkanam to Chennai be held from 14-15 November 2019.
Aim:
   The Summit aims to contribute to the
development of inter-religious dialogue,
promotion, and evolution of such human
values as mutual understanding and human
solidarity.
   A team of Tamil Nadu river water Summit:
conservation officials examined    The event includes discussions on topics
the new project for the conversion as Azerbaijan’s exemplary role to promote
of water into the Kazhuveli lake multiculturalism, tolerance and interreligious
in Villupuram district and the solidarity, Sheikhulislam Allahshukur
drinking water of the people of Pashazade’s contributions to the development
Chennai. of interfaith and inter-civilizational.

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New Zealand: Allow for mercy killing India attends International Treaty
   A bill authorizing the death of a merciless of Plant Genetic Resources for Food
killer of Tirasa sufferers was passed in New and Agriculture
Zealand’s parliament.    India attended the eighth session of the
   It is a world-wide affair that compassionately International Treaty of Plant Genetic
helps patients who are suffering from an Resources for Food and Agriculture
incurable illness to take their lives. (ITPGRFA) at Rome, Italy.
   Opposition for mercy killing on religious    Agriculture Minister Shri Narendra
grounds and for other reasons. However, Tomar attended the session
the progressives claim that they will not representing India.
allow them to die peacefully in advance,    The Treaty is in harmony with the
rather than die from pain and agony before Convention on Biological Diversity.
they die. The treaty was negotiated through
   The bill was widely discussed throughout FAO.
the country. So far, 39,000 people have About the Treaty
registered their comments. Most of them    It is also known as the “Seed Treaty”. It
commented on opposing mercy killing. is an international agreement to ensure
   In accordance with this bill, there are food security by exchange of world’s
stipulations that the patient who is allowed plant genetic resources of food and
to commit suicide with the help of a doctor agriculture. It also aims at conservation
or nurse must remain undiagnosed and die and sustainable use of seed varieties.
within six months.

India to host 19th Council of Heads of Governments of SCO in 2020

   India will be hosting the 19th Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation in 2020. This was informed by SCO Secretary General Vladimir Norov.
   This will be for the first time that India will host the high level meeting of the China-led
eight-member economic and security bloc.
About SCO
   Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) aka Shanghai Pact was created in 2001
in Shanghai by China. Apart from China, its founding members were Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan were admitted as full
members in 2017.
SCO summits
   SCO holds two types of summits every year viz. Summit of Heads of States and Summits
Heads of Governments.
   These summits are organized in member states. The latest Summit of heads of government
was held in Tashkent in November 2019.

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8. TAMILNADU
AFFAIRS
TN became the first state to enact a Information & Communication
law on contract farming Technology Conference in Chennai
   President Ram Nath Kovind approved    Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Produce Tamil Nadu is organising the 18th Edition
and Livestock Contract Farming and of CONNECT 2019 on 7-8 November
Services (Promotion and the first state to 2019 at Chennai Trade Centre, Chennai.
enact the law on contract farming.    The idea behind this initiative is to make
   The Bill was adopted by the Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu State, one of the potential
State government in February 2019. The States in India for investment in the ICT
Bill is first of-its-kind legislation that Sector, at that time, when India was
assures farm income. emerging as a global hub for generating
Contract farming: IT manpower to cater the requirement of
   Besides poultry, there was contract various advanced countries in the world.
farming of sugarcane and herbs. But, Amma youth sports scheme to be
until now, there was no law to ensure the launched in Tamil Nadu
welfare of the farmers involved in it.    The State government has sanctioned
   To benefit the marginal farmers, the
funds to the tune of `76.24 crore for
Tamil Nadu state government came up implementing Amma Youth Sports
with such legislation. Scheme.
   The scheme will be implemented in a
1,000 Atal Tinkering Labs to be
total of 12,524 village panchayats, 528
established in Tamil Nadu
town panchayats to focus on kabaddi,
   Minister for School Education, Youth
volleyball and cricket, among other
Welfare and Sports Development sports.
K.A. Sengottaiyan has announced that
1,000 Atal Tinkering Laboratories will
Drug Production Park in Chennai
be established in the State to create an
environment of scientific temperament    The state-of-the-art pharmaceutical park

among school students. will soon be set up in Chennai announced

by the Tamilnadu Health Ministry.

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Keeladi: Unearthing the ‘Vaigai Valley’ Civilisation of Sangam era Tamil Nadu
   A state-of-the art world class museum to exhibit the
hundreds of artifacts unearthed during excavations
at Keeladi in Sivagangai district, where remnants of
an ancient Tamil civilization along the Vaigai river
bank have been found, will be established at a cost of
Rs. 12.21 crore. 
   ‘Tamil Nadu Naal Vizha’ will be celebrated every
year on November 1, it was to sensitize the younger
generation to the historical circumstances, background and leaders involved in carving
out the state of Tamil Nadu, in the wake of the reorganization of states in 1956 on linguistic
basis. 
   `12.21 crore world class museum for Keeladi artifacts: Edappadi K Palaniswami

No minimum qualification needed to Set up digital platforms to boost crop

get driving licence  yield
   The Government has scrapped    The Agriculture Department which
the requirement of an educational recently succeeded in unveiling the
qualification to get a driving licence. Vivasaai App and e-thottam online
   The Ministry of Road Transport and portal, where farmers can directly sell
Highways announced the move would their produce, has now bagged the
benefit skilled people from economically prestigious Schoch award for IT-enabled
underprivileged sections of the society. services.
   The Union government had amended the    The Chennai city police had bagged
Central Motor Vehicle Act in 2007. the Schoch award for its third eye
   According to Rule 8 of the Act, the CCTV camera project and now the state
minimum educational qualification departments are working on improving
to obtain a licence to drive a transport the digital interface.
vehicle should be Class 8.    The recently launched Uzhavan mobile
   According to the Motor Vehicles Act, App helps the farmers know about the
1988, the driver must be able to read signs agro-climatic conditions, stock position
and perform logistical duty to report of critical inputs such as seeds, fertilisers
safety hazard. and crop maintenance.
   According to State Planning Commission
sources with land use cell, the state is now
profiling the agricultural data related to
TN districts and then the micro-level data
on-farm practices and output yield will
soon be tabulated.

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‘Red Atlas Map’ unveiled for flood TN inks pact with German bank for
mitigation in Chennai 2,713 buses
   Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu    The Tamil Nadu government signed
unveiled the ‘Red Atlas Action Plan Map,’ an agreement with KfW, German
a first of its kind ready reckoner, prepared Development Bank, for purchasing 2,713
by the Ministry of Earth Sciences to aid buses for State transport corporations.
Tamil Nadu government in effective flood Under the project of “Climate friendly
mitigation in Chennai which witnessed Modernization of Buses in Major
the worst deluge in 2015. Cities of Tamil Nadu”  an agreement
   The atlas, with probable scenarios for has been signed for 203 Million Euro
different rainfall periods, aims at flood (Approximately ` 1606.47 crore) between
mitigation, preparedness, operations and State transport department and KfW.
management aspects    As per the agreement 2,213 BS-VI buses
   The atlas and the ‘Coastal Flood Warning and over 500 e-buses would be purchased,
System App (CFLOWS-Chennai)’, which in order to upgrade and modernize all
was launched by the Vice-President are Tamil Nadu State Transport undertakings.
intended as decision support systems
covering aspects, including preparedness CONNECT- 2019
and prevention.    The ‘Connect 2019’ conference of the
Indian Federation of Labor (CII) and
Tamilnadu CM launches extended Tamil Nadu Government started in
ambulance services for cattle Chennai. The two-day conference was
   Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami inaugurated by K. Palanisamy.
launched the extended Animal Medical    Tamilnadu is in the forefront of
Mobile Ambulance (AMMA) services at information technology. The various
the Secretariat. initiatives of the Tamil Nadu
   The AMMA service was launched by Government in every sector have been
former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in well received. According to a report
2016. released by Justice Aayok, Tamil Nadu is
   In2016, Tiruchi, Thanjavur, the second largest producer in India.
Kanchipuram, Namakkal and Madurai    The Government of Tamil Nadu is
districts were given two ambulances planning to implement ‘BharatNet’
each. project at Rs 1,815 crore to provide
   In a move to further extend these services, internet service to all villages. 
22 new ambulances at a cost of Rs 2.40    Thereby, 12 thousand 524 village
crore were launched . panchayats in Tamil Nadu will be
   The already existing toll free number 1962 connected by glass fiber structure.  This
can be contacted to avail the ambulance project will be implemented in the next
services. one and a half years.

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ADB to give $451Mn for Chennai- Chief Minister lays foundation

Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor for international yoga centre at
power links Chengalpattu Medical College
   The Asian Development Bank will provide    For the first time in India a state-of-art
a $451 million (appx. `3,200 crore) loan to International Yoga and Naturopathy
strengthen power connectivity between Medical Science Centre will be set up at 50
southern and northern parts of Chennai- acres inside the campus of Chengalpattu
Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC) Government Medical College.
in Tamil Nadu.    Similar new hospital buildings were also
   As per ADB, the Manila-headquartered inaugurated at the government hospitals
multilateral agency the total cost of the in Karaikudi, Dharmapuri, Namakkal,
project is $653.5 million, of which the Tirunelveli, Theni and Villupuram,
government will provide $202.5 million. involving a total capital outlay of Rs.
About Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial 30.49 crore
Corridor (CKIC)    Mr. Edappadi K Palaniswami unveiled
   On January 2019 Tamil Nadu Government a plaque to lay the foundation stone for
passed a bill to amend Tamil Nadu the proposed International centre at a
Industrial Township Area Development function in the secretariat.
Authority Act, 1997 (TNITADA) to turn    The global centre is being built at a cost of
CKIC project worth Rs.64.48 billion into `96.31 crore on a 50-acre land situated in
reality. the government medical college campus
   The first phase of CKIC project will in Chenglepet, 60-km south of Chennai.
have Madurai-Virudhnagar-Dindigul-
Theni and Thoothukudi-Tirunelveli KONE inaugurates new Rs 450 crore
nodes. The focus of CKIC will be on manufacturing facility in TN
manufacturing.    Elevator and escalator manufacturer
KONE inaugurated its new manufacturing
Artificial coral reefs at a cost of Rs 18 facility at Sriperumbudur.
crore in the district waters affected    The facility built at an outlay of around
by the Gaza Storm ` 450 crore would employ 600 people and
   The Fisheries Department has decided to serve Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and
set up artificial coral reefs at a cost of ` 18 Sri Lanka besides domestic market.
crore in the sea areas of the Gaja Storm.    The elevator manufacturing unit at
   Artificial coral is a habitat and Pillaippakkam, SIPCOT Industrial Park
breeding ground for fish and other in Sriperumbudur is spread across 50,000
marine life.  square metres.
   Therefore, artificial coral reefs are being    The plant is the largest in India, South
set up in the seas around Tamil Nadu to and South East Asia.
feed the fisheries at sea.

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Chennai police launch ‘Thozhi’ India’s tallest Shivalingam unveiled
scheme at Thiruvananthapuram
   The Chennai City police have launched    The 111 feet
a special wing called ‘Thozhi’ (friend) Shivalingam at the
comprising women police personnel Maheswaram Sri Shiva
to support and provide counselling Paravathi Temple at
to victims and their parents in sexual Chenkal in
assault cases (Pocso Act) and guide them Thiruvananthapuram
through legal procedures. was opened for public .
   The City police commissioner A.K    The dedication
Viswanathan on Friday launched ceremony was held by
the scheme at the city police Matadhipathi (head),
Commissioneratedisc and assigned 70 Maheswarananda
policewomen to work in the wing. They Swamy in which
will be provided pink saris embedded various Hindu nobles and great
with Nirbhaya logo as a mark of safety. personalities participated in the function.
Two policewomen will be assigned to    It is India’s tallest structure of such kind
each of the 35 all-women police stations and has become the tallest Shiva lingam
in the city. in the country, with recognition from the
India Book of Records. Soil and water
National Children’s Science from the holy places of Kashi, Badrinath,
Conference at Kamaraj University Gangotri, Gomukh, Gaimukh,
   The 27th National Children’s Science Rameswaram, Dhanushkodi and
Conference, jointly organized by Kailasam was used for the construction
Madurai Kamaraj University and Tamil of the idol.
Nadu Science Movement, was held.    The Shiva lingam, which has a height
   National Children’s Science Congress equivalent to that of a 10-storey building,
(NCSC) is a nationwide Science is constructed in such a way that pilgrims
Communication programme started in can reach a model ‘Kailasam’ on the top
the year 1993. of the structure.
Tenkasi is the 33rd district of Tamil    The first floor has 108 Shiva Lingams,
Nadu where the pilgrims can offer
‘abhishekham’.
   Tamilnadu Chief Minister Palanisamy
   There are eight floors inside the cylindrical
inaugurated the Tenkasi district as the
structure, of which six represent six
33rd district of Tamil Nadu.
chakras or energy in the human body.
   Chief Minister Palanisamy is inaugurating
the new district of Tirunelveli. 
   He is providing welfare assistance to 5
thousand people at a cost of Rs 89 crore.

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`720 crore for Tamil Nadu Tiruvallur, Tiruttani AND Uthukottai

Infrastructure Fund stations will get the facility in the
   A Memorandum of Understanding first phase
(MoU) has been signed with the Tamil    Three child-friendly all women police
Nadu Infrastructure Fund and the stations (AWPS) will be inaugurated in
Residential Fund to attract ` 720 crore. Tiruvallur district.
   With the help of the Chicago Global    There are five AWPS in the district and
Strategic Alliance, a Memorandum of in the first phase three police stations
Understanding (MoU) was signed with Tiruvallur, Tiruttani and Uthukottai, will
the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund to have child-friendly spaces. It is being
attract ` 720 crore. done jointly by the district police and the
   The Chicago Housing Authority has international Justice Mission (IJM)
been implementing a low-cost housing    ‘The Protection of Children from Sexual
program for the urban poor for the past Offences (POCSO) Act. 2012, and
80 years. Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of
Children) Act, 2015, says that every child,
Government to allocate space for including child offenders, must not only
Guru Nanak memorial be given due protection and care but also
   The Tamil Nadu government will allocate be approached in a friendly manner.
space to construct a memorial for Guru e-court launched at Income-Tax
Nanak at Rameswaram, said Chief Appellate Tribunal in Chennai
Minister Edappadi K.Palaniswami.    Justice P. P. Bhatt, President of the Income-
   Mr. Palaniswami participated in the 550th Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) launched
Birth Anniversary celebrations of Guru an e-court at the Chennai bench.
Nanak Dev at the Gurudwara Sahib in T.    ITAT is a quasi-judicial institution
Nagar on Tuesday evening. that was set up in January, 1941 and
specializes in dealing with appeals under
Tamilnadu Day Celebrations at the
the Direct Taxes Acts.
International Trade Fair of Delhi
   The orders passed by the ITAT are final,
   India International Trade Fair 2019 is an appeal lies to the High Court only if
being a multi-item show has in plain a substantial question of law arises for
view an extensive variety of items and determination.
administrations.    A fully-equipped separate court room
   IITF-India International Trade Fair will be with seamless conferencing facilities has
held on 14 – 27 November 2019 at Pragati been set up at the Chennai bench of ITAT.
Maidan, New Delhi, India.    Delhi, Mumbai, Nagpur and Ahmedabad
benches of ITAT already have the e-court
facility.

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Practice Questions

10. PRACTICE QUESTIONS

1. When is the Corruption Awareness Week observed?
(A) October 26 to November 1 (B) October 28 to November 2
(C) October 29 to November 5 (D) October 31 to November 7
2. When is International Austerity Day observed?
(A) October 25 (B) October 26 (C) October 28 (D) October 30
3. When is National Unity Day observed first time?
(A) 2012 (B) 2014 (C) 2016 (D) 2019
4. When is the World Stroke Day observed?
(A) October 28 (B) October 26 (C) October 27 (D) October 29
5. When is the World Cities Day observed?
(A) October 28 (B) October 29 (C) October 30 (D) October 31
6. When is World Internet Day observed?
(A) October 29 (B) October 26 (C) October 28 (D) October 27
7. When was Women’s Entrepreneurship Day observed?
(A) November 29 (B) November 9 (C) November 21 (D) November 19
8. When is the International Day for Tolerance observed?
(A) November 15 (B) November 7 (C) November 16 (D) November 18
9. When was Shanghai CoOperation Organisation formed?
(A) 2002 (B) 2001 (C) 2006 (D) 2005
10. When was the Asia Society found?
(A) 1956 (B) 1950 (C) 1947 (D) 1962
11. When will be Women soldiers inducted into the Indian Army?
(A) 2019 (B) 2020 (C) 2021 (D) 2022
12. Joint Naval Exercise ‘Samudra Shakti’ was held between India and which of the following country at
Visakhapatnam?
(A) Myanmar (B) Maldives (C) Indonesia (D) Sri Lanka
13. Which of the following is the venue of the first ever BIMSTEC ports conclave??
(A) Ennore (B) Paradip (C) Chennai (D) Visakhapatnam
14. Where was the Mid planning conference for MILAN Exercise held?
(A) Cochin (B) Chennai (C) Kolkata (D) Visakhapatnam
15. What is the objective of Green Channel Policy associated with the Department of Defense?
(A) Weapon purchases (B) Domestic production
(C) Quality production certificate (D) Environment friendly weapon
16. Shaheen - 1 a nuclear capable missile test fired by which country?
(A) North Korea (B) Isreal (C) South Sudan (D) Pakistan
17. According to Guinness World Records 2020, which city is World’s most
polluted city?
(A) Raipur (B) Kanpur (C) Delhi (D) Ranchi
18. Who is the oldest yoga teacher in India recently passed away?
(A) Godawari Dutta (B) Thimmakka (C) Chinna Pillai (D) Gnanammal
19. Who holds the World’s record for mounting World’s tallest mountain peaks in seven months?
(A) Nirmal Purja (B) Mohan Singh Kohli
(C) Narendra Dhar Jeyal (D) Mandeep Singh Soyeen
20. V. Nanammal, recently passed away belongs to which of the following field?
(A) Teacher (B) Music (C) Yoga (D) Dance
21. Who won silver at the World Wrestling Championship 2019?
(A) Ravinder (B) Ravidassia (C) Gaurav Baliyan (D) Arsen

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Practice Questions Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019
22. Which of the following team won the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019-20?
(A) Mumbai (B) Delhi (C) Karnataka (D) Tamil Nadu
23. Which country topped the World Athleties championships-2019?
(A) China (B) India (C) Russia (D) France
24. Who won India’s first Gold at 2019 ISSF World Cup?
(A) Yashaswini Deswal (B) Manu Bhaker (C) Rahi Sarnobat (D) Heena Sidhu
25. Who is the Author of the Book “The Far Field”?
(A) Ashwin Sanghi (B) Madhuri Vijay (C) Preeti Shenoy (D) Anita Desai
26. Which book written by renowned Historian Chitralakha Zutshi?
(A) The Great Gatsby (B) Kashmir (C) Pride and Prejudice (D) Little Women
27. Who won Sakharov prize-2019?
(A) Ilham Tohti (B) Nitish Kumar (C) Vikram Sharma (D) Ramesh Kumar
28. When was the Corporate Social Responsibility scheme launched?
(A) 2000 (B) 2002 (C) 2004 (D) 2006
29. Which port was recently awarded National Award for Cost Management?
(A) Jawaharlal Nehru (B) Visakhapatnam (C) VOC (D) Chennai
30. Who was awarded Indira Gandhi Award 2019?
(A) Chandi Prasad (B) Manmohan Singh (C) Shaik Haseena (D) Angela Merkel
31. Who won the Raja Ram Mohan Roy award – 2019?
(A) Ghulab Kothari (B) Raj Chengappa (C) Sanjay Saini (D) Anu Abrahim
32. Who was conferred the ABLF Global Asian Award recently?
(A) K.M. Birla (B) Ratan Tata (C) Mukesh Ambani (D) Indra Nooyi
33. Who received Bala Kailasam Memorial Award?
(A) R.V. Ramani (B) C.V. Krishna (C) Narasimmah (D) S.P. Balakrishna
34. Who won International Chidren’s Peace Prize -2019?
(A) Greta Thunberg (B) Muhammed Al Jaun
(C) Heik Muhammad (D) Malala Yousafzai
35. Where was Shaala Darpan portal recently launched?
(A) New Delhi (B) Mumbai (C) Kolkata (D) Bangalore
36. Where was SWAYAM 2.0 portal launched?
(A) Punjab (B) Haryana (C) New Delhi (D) Bhuvaneswar
37. Which of the following state was introduced the Sisu Suraksha app to report child rights violation?
(A) Sikkim (B) Assam (C) Odisha (D) Tripura
38. Who was appointed as new Chairman of Staff Selection Commission?
(A) Braj Raj Sharma (B) Pankaj Kumar (C) Pooja Kadian (D) Sandhyarani Devi
39. Who was the first women fire fighter of South India?
(A) Karthiga (B) Abhinaya (C) Preeta (D) Ramya
40. Who is the first female officer to be posted in abroad as “Naval Attache’ by Indian Navy?
(A) Karabi Gogoi (B) Lalita Mathur (C) Anjali Mohan (D) Nandhini Awasthi
41. Who was recently elected to the board of the Metropolitan Museum of Art?
(A) Roshni Nadas (B) Smita V.Krishna (C) Kiran Mazumdar (D) Nita Ambani
42. Recently Government of India launched Nirvik Scheme to promote which of the following?
(A) Education Sector Services (B) Health Sector Services
(C) Financial Services (D) Export Sector
43. What is the purpose of Gandhi Sankalp Yatra?
(A) Preventing Separatism (B) Uniting across the country
(C) Peace fracternity social harmony (D) Clean India
44. Which city’s police was launched “Thozhi” scheme?
(A) Madurai (B) Trichy (C) Karur (D) Chennai

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Practice Questions
45. R.V.S. Raghavan Committee is related to
(A) Public Sector Under (B) Competition Act
(C) Public Distribution System (D) Disinvestment Policy
46. Which state was affected by cyclone Bulbul?
(A) Tamil Nadu (B) Odisha and West Bengal
(C) Kerala (D) Himachal Pradesh
47. Which state was celebrated “Rasogalla Diwas’ to mark the obtaining of GI Tag?
(A) Odisha (B) Gujarat (C) Punjab (D) West Bengal
48. When was the Kalinga Institute of Social Science (KISS) founded?
(A) 1985 (B) 1989 (C) 1993 (D) 1997
49. When was the first sitting of Rajya Sabha held?
(A) 1949 (B) 1950 (C) 1951 (D) 1952
50. Where was the India International Cherry Blossom festival 2019 celebrated?
(A) Shillong (B) Itanagar (C) Dispur (D) Shimla
51. Which gas presence is detected by Chadrayaan-2 orbiter on lunar exospher?
(A) Argon - 40 (B) Argon - 20 (C) Argon - 60 (D) Argon - 80
52. What is the deadline fixed by the World Countries to eradicate Tubuerculosis?
(A) 2025 (B) 2027 (C) 2030 (D) 2032
53. Which of the following Railway station introduced recently Health ATM?
(A) Delhi (B) Mumbai (C) Lucknow (D) Jaipur
54. Which country created the smallest aircraft powered by Electricity?
(A) NASA–America (B) ISRO–India (C) JAXA–China (D) None of the above
55. Which country recently completed lander test for its first unmanned mars mission - 2020?
(A) China (B) India (C) Australia (D) Japan
56. What is the theme short film “SHIKHAR SE PUKAR”?
(A) Air pollution (B) Water Conservation
(C) The loot of sant (D) Minerals
57. Which space agency recently completed the first global geologic mapping of Saturn’s moon?
(A) ISRO (B) NASA (C) JAXA (D) Roscosmos
58. Ayodhya located at which river bank?
(A) Sarayu (B) Yamuna (C) Ghagra (D) Ganga
59. Who was the Prime Minister of India when the Right to Information Act was passed?
(A) Manmohan Singh (B) Atal Bihari Vajpay
(C) Devagowda (D) Navasimha
60. When was DEFCOM 2019?
(A) New Delhi (B) Chennai (C) Kolkata (D) Bangalore
61. Which Railway zone was launched application “Rail Dhandora”?
(A) Eastern Railway (B) Western Railway (C) Southern Railway (D) North Central
62. When was the International Solar Alliance launched?
(A) 2012 (B) 2013 (C) 2015 (D) 2016
63. When was the National Security Guard formed?
(A) 1978 (B) 1984 (C) 1992 (D) 1998
64. In which state the traditional emergency service number dial 100 is replaced by 112?
(A) Uttar Pradesh (B) Assam (C) Telangana (D) Andhra Pradesh
65. Where is 5th International Conference on Road Tech held?
(A) Mumbai (B) Pune (C) New Delhi (D) Patna
66. Which IIT was launched Arasi – A standing Wheel chair’ for disabled?
(A) IIT Madras (B) IIT Bombay (C) IIT Indore (D) IIT Kanpur

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Practice Questions Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019
67. Where is Pasighat located?
(A) Assam (B) Manipur (C) Mizoram (D) Arunachal Pradesh
68. In which district the Ponds dredged under Nam Neer project?
(A) Karun (B) Karaikal (C) Chennai (D) Tuticorin
69. Where is National Tribal Festival–2019 will be organised?
(A) Pune (B) Patna (C) New Delhi (D) Gangtok
70. Which state was recently announced a ban on government vehicles older than 15 years?
(A) Jharkhand (B) Bihar (C) Assam (D) West Bengal
71. A three – storey museum with a live excavation site will be inaugurated at which place in India?
(A) Chinthamani (B) Konthagai (C) Mangalam (D) Sedapatti
72. Where was the 6th World Congress on Rural and Agriculture Finance held?
(A) Mumbai (B) Pune (C) New Delhi (D) Surat
73. Which country was recently legalised clemency killing?
(A) Ethiopia (B) Iran (C) France (D) New Zealand
74. Which of the following State celebrates ‘Bali Yatra’ festival?
(A) West Bengal (B) Odisha (C) Maharashtra (D) Chattisgarh
75. Where was the International Conference on Yoga-2019 held?
(A) New Delhi (B) Mysore (C) Chennai (D) Leh
76. Where was the first ever National Agro Chemicals Congress conducted?
(A) New Delhi (B) Chennai (C) Mysore (D) Leh
77. Which city of India was banned plastic and PET bottle since January 2020?
(A) Jaipur (B) Mumbai (C) Goa (D) Lucknow
78. Which country will host the Global Bio-India Summit-2019?
(A) China (B) Sweden (C) Australia (D) India
79. Which country planned to purchase BrahMos missile?
(A) Taiwan (B) Malaysia (C) Philippines (D) Indonesia
80. Which country recently planned to host the COP 25 climate summit?
(A) Spain (B) Chile (C) India (D) China
81. Where is the headquarters of the Federation of South Asian Nations located?
(A) Delhi (B) Jakarta (C) Manila (D) Dhaka
82. Which city is hosting the UN climate change conference after chile withdraws?
(A) New York, USA (B) Paris, France (C) Madrid, Spain (D) New Delhi, India
83. Which country will celebrate Victory Day-2020
(A) India (B) Russia (C) Brazil (D) South Africa
84. Where was the 2nd Summit of World Religions Leaders held?
(A) Azerbaijan (B) India (C) Uzbekistan (D) UK
85. Where is Finland’s company KONE inaugurated a manufacturing facility?
(A) Chennai (B) Vellore (C) Vilupuram (D) Kancheepuram
86. When was the Veterinary Emergency Services program introduced?
(A) 2012 (B) 2014 (C) 2016 (D) 2018
87. Where was the 27th National Children’s Science Conference held?
(A) Delhi (B) Bengalore (C) Chennai (D) Bhuvaneshwar
88. Where is National Initiative of NISHTHA launched recently?
(A) Goa (B) Delhi (C) Jammu & Kashmir (D) Ladakh
89. Where is Gujarat planned to set up CNG Port terminal?
(A) Porbandar (B) Bhavnagar (C) Madhav Nagar (D) Mudra
90. Which state moots a law to protect the journalists from harassment?
(A) Andhra Pradesh (B) Telangana (C) Jharkhand (D) Chhattisgarh

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Vetrii's Current Affairs, November - 2019 Practice Questions
91. Where is common wealth youth parliamentary event held?
(A) Odisha (B) Delhi
(C) AndhraPradesh (D) Jammu & Kashmir
92. Which country to host Shanghai Co-operation Organisation Forum Of Young Scientists and Innovators
2020?
(A) Tajikistan (B) India (C) Pakistan (D) Uzbekistan
93. Where is the Institute of Aerospace Medicine of Indian Air Force located?
(A) Hyderabad (B) Sulur (C) Bhubaneshwar (D) Bengaluru
94. Where was the first Bamboo industrial park set up?
(A) Assam (B) Sikkim (C) Bihar (D) Himachal Pradesh
95. Where was “Ganga Utsav” – 2019 held?
(A) Mumbai (B) Pune (C) New Delhi (D) Bangalore
96. Where is the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory located?
(A) Hyderabad (B) Chennai (C) Bengaluru (D) Pune
97. Which country top in most conducive environment for financial inclusion?
(A) Colombia (B) Jamaica (C) Uruguay (D) India
98. Where is the Financial Prevention Conference held in 2020?
(A) Australia (B) France (C) India (D) Singapore
99. Which country was became the first south Asian Nation to criminalise match fixing related offences?
(A) China (B) Bangladesh (C) Bhutan (D) Srilanka
100. Which country was banned by Islamic group “Azhar”?
(A) Pakistan (B) Nepal (C) China (D) Bangladesh

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
B D B D D A D C B A
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C C D D A D B D A C
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A C A B B B A C C A
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
A A A A A C B A D A
41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
D D D D B B D C D A
51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60
A C C A A B B A A A
61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
C C B A C A D B C B
71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80
B C D B B A C D C A
81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90
B C B A D C C D B D
91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100
B B D A C D D C D D

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