Current Affairs Weekly Capsule I Current Affairs Weekly ... · 25th Prime Minister's Trophy...

Current Affairs Weekly Capsule I 24th February to 2nd March 2019

Current Affairs Weekly Capsule I 9thto 15th September 2018

1 | P a g e


Current Affairs Weekly Capsule I 23rdto 29th September 2018

Current Affairs Weekly Capsule I 16thto 22nd September 2018

Current Affairs Weekly Capsule I 19th to 25th August 2018

2 | P a g e

Table of Contents

Awards & Honours ............................................................................................................................................................................ 3

Days & Events ................................................................................................................................................................................... 4

International Affairs .......................................................................................................................................................................... 4

National Affairs ................................................................................................................................................................................. 5

Personalities in News ........................................................................................................................................................................ 8

Government Policies & Schemes ....................................................................................................................................................... 9

Science & Technology ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10

Books & Authors ............................................................................................................................................................................. 11

Committees & Recommendations ................................................................................................................................................... 11

Business & Economy ....................................................................................................................................................................... 11

Sports ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 12

Defence .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 14





3 | P a g e

Awards &Honours

OSDMA won the SKOCH Award

The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) won the SKOCH Award 2018 for its

achievements in the field of disaster management.

The award covers the areas of finance, governance,

banking, disaster management, technology, economics, and inclusive growth.

The OSDMA also received an Order-of-merit in the Gold category for constructing 879 multipurpose

cyclone and flood shelters.

Thanga gets AB Vajpayee Life Time award

Thanga Darlong was conferred Atal Bihari Vajpayee Life Time Award by the Tripura government on 1

March 2019.

He is a tribal musician, who plays Rosem, a flute like tribal musical instrument made of bamboo.

In January 2019, he was conferred the prestigious Padma Shri award for his contribution to the field of

music.

25th Prime Minister's Trophy presented

Performance of Integrated Steel Plants for 2016-17 was presented in New Delhi on 1st March 2019.

The objective of the award is to give recognition to outstanding performance in integrated steel plant

sector of the national economy.

The award is presented in 4 categories, of which the

best performance gets Rs.2 crore as prize money.

Nuvoco won FICCI CSR Award 2017-18

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. (formerly Lafarge India Limited) bagged the FICCI CSR Award for 2017-18 in

the Women Empowerment category in New Delhi.

They were awarded for their project 'Aakriti'.

The project has been implemented in the Nimbaheda

block of Chittorgarh, where, 400 women from neighbouring villages have been trained in tailoring

and associated skills.

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes conferred

PM Narendra Modi attended the award ceremony for the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and

Technology at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on 28

February 2019.

He conferred the prizes for 2016, 2017 and 2018 to the awardees.

The prize, named after Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, is given each year to recognize outstanding Indian

work in various disciplines of Science and

Technology.

Alastair Cook recieved knighthood

Alastair Cook received the knighthood in the New

He received the honour at a ceremony in the

Buckingham Palace and has become the 11th Englishman to be knighted for services to cricket.

received an MBE, while Alvin Kallicharran and Peter

Wynne-Thomas were both recognised with a British Empire Medal.

Indore and Bhopal won Saubhagya award

The Central Zone Power Distribution Company, Bhopal and West Zone Power Distribution Company,

Indore were awarded the Saubhagya award on 26 February 2019.

It was presented under Pradhanmantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana at the National Conference of Energy

Ministers.

The award carries a cash prize of 100 crore rupees each.

IRCTC Rail Connect won National Award

Railway's ticket booking mobile application, IRCTC Rail Connect, has been chosen for National e-

Governance Awards 2019.

The app was launched in January 2017 to facilitate

the booking of train tickets in a faster and easier way.

Chhattisgarh government's 'Khanij online' and 14 such IT projects will also receive the award.

Karthikeyan received Lifetime Achievement

G.R. Karthikeyan was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award at the FMSCI annual awards function on 25 February 2019.

He is the father of rst Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan.

Raghul Rangasamy received the Upcoming Motorsport Person of the Year award for the

Raymond Gautam Singhania Trophy.

Gandhi Peace Prize presented

President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind presented the Gandhi Peace Prize on 26 February 2019.

It was presented for the years 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018 at Darbar Hall, Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi.

The awardees were:

Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari - 2015

Akshaya Patra Foundation and Sulabh International - 2016 (Jointly)

Ekal Abhiyan Trust - 2017

Sh Yohei Sasakawa - 2018.

Mahesh to be honoured with META lifetime award





4 | P a g e

Eminent Indian playwright, Mahesh Elkunchwar has been chosen for the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre

Awards (META) Lifetime Achievement Award 2019.

The award will be given on 12 March 2019.

He is a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship and has over 30 plays and essays to his credit including works like 'Sultan', 'Holi', 'Garbo',

'Yatanaghar', and 'Atmakatha'.

PM Modi to confer Youth Parliament Awards 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will confer the 'National Youth Parliament Festival 2019' awards to

the winners on 27 February 2019.

The National Youth Parliament Festival 2019 was launched on 12th January 2019.

The aim of the festival was to encourage the youth in the age group of 18-25 years to engage with public

view.

A film on menstruation, set in rural India, titled

Documentary Short Subject category at the 91st

Academy Awards.

Rayka Zehtabchi directed the short film and Guneet

The film students at the Oakwood School in Los Angeles and their teacher, Melissa Berton.

Oscars 2019: Part 1

The 91st Academy Awards were presented at the Dolby Theatre, in Los Angeles, California.

Best Picture - Green Book.

Best Actor in a Leading Role - Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody.

Best Actress in a Leading Role - Olivia Colman for The Favourite.

Best Directing - Alfonso Cuarón for Roma.

Best Supporting Actor - Mahershala Ali for Green Book.

Oscars 2019: Part 2

Best Supporting Actress - Regina King for If Beale Street Could Talk.

Best Original Song - Lady Gaga, Mike Ronson, Anthony Rossomondo and Andrew Wyatt for A Star

Is Born.

Best Animated Feature - Spiderman: Into the Spider Verse.

Best Foreign Language - Roma.

Best Animated Short - Domee Shi and Becky Neiman-Cobb for Bao.

Divya Karnad won the Future For Nature Award

Dr Divya Karnad won the prestigious Global Future For Nature Award 2019 for her work on marine conservation.

She is the first woman and the second Indian to won the award.

The first Indian who won the award is Dr Charudutt Mishra.

The Future For Nature Award is a an international award that celebrates tangible achievements in protecting wild animal and plant species.

Days & Events

1 March: Zero Discrimination Day

Zero Discrimination Day is observed on March 1 and it aims to address the issue of discrimination faced

by people across the world.

The theme for Zero Discrimination Day 2019 is 'Act to change laws that Discriminate'.

It was launched by UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé on February 27, 2014, with a major

event in Beijing.

28 February: National Science Day

National Science Day is celebrated across India on February 28 every year.

Famous Indian scientist Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman or CV Raman discovered the Raman Effect on

this day in 1928.

The theme for this year is Science for people and people for science.

Sir CV Raman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for his discovery.

International Affairs

United States slaps new sanctions on Venezuela

The United States has imposed new sanctions on Venezuela.

The sanctions were imposed a day after Russia and

China vetoed a US and European resolution at the UN Security Council.

The US imposed sanctions on the members of President Nicolas Maduro's security forces.

The US also revoked the visas of 49 Venezuelan officials and their family members.

UNSC designates Hamza under its sanctions list

The United Nations Security Council has designated Hamza bin Laden under its sanctions list.





5 | P a g e

He is the son of Osama bin Laden and is now subject to a travel ban, assets freeze, and an arms embargo.

A reward of a US$ 1 million was announced for information leading to his capture.

Saudi Arabia revoked the citizenship of Hamza bin Laden via a royal decree in November 2018.

7th RCEP ISSM was held in Cambodia

The 7th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Intersessional Ministerial Meeting (7th

RCEP ISSL MM) was held on 2 March 2019 in Cambodia.

The meeting was chaired by Chutima Bunyapraphasara, Acting Minister of Commerce of

Thailand.

RCEP is a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between 10 countries of ASEAN and their six FTA partners.

Cambodia's capital is Phnom Penh.

Alastair Cook recieved knighthood

Alastair Cook received the knighthood in the New

He received the honour at a ceremony in the Buckingham Palace and has become the 11th

Englishman to be knighted for services to cricket.

received an MBE, while Alvin Kallicharran and Peter

Wynne-Thomas were both recognised with a British

Empire Medal.

Zimbabwe started trading new currency

Zimbabwe began formal trading of a new currency

the economy.

currency, known as RTGS dollars, will be 2.5 per US dollar.

The official inflation rate has soared to 57% from less than 4% a year ago.

Princess Reema appointed as Ambassador to U.S

Saudi Arabia appointed Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan as its new Ambassador to the United States on 23 February 2019.

It is the first time that Saudi Arabia named a woman to such a post.

Princess Reema will replace Prince Khalid bin Salman who took the post in 2017.

Israel's first lunar lander launched

Israel's first lunar lander, Beresheet, was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida on 21 February

2019.

If successful, Israel will be the fourth country to achieve a controlled touchdown on the moon's

surface.

Beresheet will reach its destination on the near-side of the moon in mid-April following a two-month

journey through 4 million miles (6.5 million km) of

space.

National Affairs

Guiness Book of World Record created by DEPwD

Gujarat on 1 March 2019.

'7th Guinness Book of World Record' was created by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) on 28 February 2019 at Bharuch,

Gujarat.

The record was created for implanting 'Modern Artificial Limbs (Legs)' on 260 Divyangjans within eight hours.

Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue to be held

The second edition of Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) - 2019 will be held on 5 and 6 March 2019 in

New Delhi.





6 | P a g e

The aim of the IPRD is to focus attention on the Indo-Pacific, as a maritime geographical-entity.

It is organised by the Indian Navy and the National Maritime Foundation.

The IPRD 2019 is based on five themes would be addressed in five sessions spread over two days.

IRCTC launches IRCTC iPay

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) launched its own payment

aggregator system, iPay.

It will provide an improved online digital payment

convenience and ease of doing business to passengers availing online travel services through the

IRCTC website.

This will help reduce the gap between IRCTC and banks which will lead to a substantial reduction in payment failures.

The Government of India will celebrate the first anniversary of 'POSHAN Abhiyaan' by organising

Poshan Pakhwada across the Country.

The Pakhwada will be launched on International

The Ministry of Women & Child Development is the nodal ministry for coordinating activities during the

month.

Blast-proof LPG cylinders to be launched

A new breed of blast-proof composite Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders will soon be available

in India.

Confidence Petroleum India Limited and Time Technoplast Limited announced the launch of their

The lightweight cylinders are manufactured using composite material and are non-corrosive, UV-

protected &100% recyclable.

Foundation stone laid for NIUM

AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik laid the

foundation stone of National Institute of Unani Medicine, NIUM at Ghaziabad on March 1, 2019.

Once established, the 200-bedded hospital will be one of the largest institutes of Unani Medicine in

North India.

The institute is an extension of the existing NIUM at Bengaluru and will be developed on a 10-acre area,

costing about 300 crore rupees.

Aadhaar Amendment Bill cleared

The Cabinet approved the promulgation of an ordinance to allow voluntary use of Aadhaar as

identity proof for opening bank account on 28

February 2019.

It was necessitated as the Aadhaar Amendment bill, passed by the Lok Sabha on January 4, 2019.

It will give effect to changes in the Aadhaar Act such as giving a child an option to exit from the biometric

ID programme after 18 years of age.

PM launched projects in Tamil Nadu

PM Narendra Modi launched 5 National Highways projects worth 3000 crore rupees in Kanyakumari,

Tamil Nadu on March 1, 2019.

He also launched a Road Safety Park and Transport Museum.

He dedicated to the nation the 2 and 4 laning of the Madurai-Ramanathapuram section of NH-87.

In Visakhapatnam, he addressed a public meeting "Praja Chaitanya Sabha" at the Railway grounds.

J&K approved 10% reservation for general sect

The Union Cabinet has approved the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Amendment

Order, 2019.

It will serve the purpose of application of a relevant provision of the constitution as amended through the

constitution (77th Amendment) act, 2019 for J&K.

It will extend the reservation of up to 10% for the economically weaker section.

4-lane bridge approved on Brahmaputra

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved construction of 4-lane bridge on South

Bank on NH-127 B in the State of Assam/Meghalaya.

The total length of the bridge will be 19.282 km.

The bridge will be built under the scheme of North-East Road Network Connectivity Project Phase-03.

Its construction over river Brahmaputra will save huge travel distance from 205.3 km to only 19.282 km.

DDRS organised by DEPwD

A National Conference on Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) was organized on 1

March 2019.

It was organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry

of Social Justice and Empowerment at Dr. Ambedkar

International Centre, New Delhi.

Its objective was to sensitize the stakeholders of the scheme.

42 cancer drugs under price control





7 | P a g e

The government brought 42 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs under price control, capping trade

margin at 30%, on 27 February 2019.

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority

(NPPA) has invoked extraordinary powers under Para 19 of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 to

control prices.

As NPPA, the MRP for 105 brands will be reduced up to 85%, entailing minimum savings of Rs. 105 crore.

Anthem on plastic-free India launched

Union Minister Harsh Vardhan launched an anthem as a part of a campaign to make India plastic-free by

2022 on 28 February 2019.

'Plastic Waste-Free India' is prepared and produced by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Smriti Manch (PDUSM).

It has been launched in seven languages -- Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telegu, Malyalam and

Kannada.

India's 1st indigenous chip unveiled

for 4G/LTE and 5G NR MODEMs in New Delhi.

4 chips were unveiled at the event, which are- SCBM3412, SCBM3404, SCRF3402, and SCRF4502.

The RF sections cover all LTE/5G-NR bands up to 6GHz and these chips also support positioning using

15,000 acres forest under fire in Bandipur

A fire has ravaged Bandipur, Karnataka, which burnt over 15,000 acres of forest.

Bandipur National Park is a 874-sq.-km forested

reserve in the Karnataka.

It is known for its small population of tigers.

The 14th-century Himavad Gopalaswamy Temple offers views from the park's highest peak.

10% quota for weaker sections in Bihar

Bihar government issued a notification to provide 10% quota for weaker sections in general category in

jobs and educational institutions.

The reservation is meant for individuals whose annual earning is below 8 lakh rupees and who

possess less than 5 acres of agriculture land.

Quota allocation for weaker sections in general category would help in providing more employment.

Bhagavad Gita at ISCKON unveiled

PM Narendra Modi unveiled the Bhagavad Gita prepared by ISKCON Temple devotees in New Delhi

on the occasion of Gita Aradhana Mahotsav on 26

February 2019.

It measures over 2.8 meters and weighs more than 800 kg.

It is one of its kind in the world and has the original verses of the Bhagavad Gita along with commentary.

Web Portal launched in Kolkata

West Bengal Education Minister, Partha Chatterjee inaugurated a web portal, 'Banglar Shiksha'.

The portal will provide real-time data on state-run and aided schools.

It will be up and running in two months and is probably the first-of-its-kind online initiative in the

state as well as in the country.

Delhi Declaration on digital health adopted

The Delhi Declaration on digital health was adopted at the concludi

Health Partnership Summit'.

The summit was hosted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and WHO.

The declaration will engage citizens in partnering with the government for planning and management of digital health interventions in health services

delivery and improving governance.

India Smart Utility Week 2019 begins March 12

Upcoming Conference and Exhibition on Smart Energy, Smart Grid and Smart Cities India Smart Utility Week (ISUW 2019) will be held from 12-16

March 2019, New Delhi.

ISUW 2019 will be inaugurated by Shri AK Bhalla, Secretary, Ministry of Power.

More than 40 International Organisations and

experts from more than 55 countries and 300+ utility officials will participate in the event.

Bihar: 1st state to have special dog squad

Bihar has become the first state in India to have a special dog squad for detecting liquor consignment.

The state also imposed a complete ban on liquor 2 years ago.

20 trained dogs are a part of the squad at present and were provided 9 months of intense training in

Hyderabad.

The dog squads are handled by Crime Investigation Department (CID).

6 bronze murals created by Ram Sutar

The 6 bronze murals located in the Veerta Chakra zone at the National War Memorial, have been

created by Ram Sutar, credited with designing the

Statue of Unity.





8 | P a g e

Its design draws inspiration from the ''Chakravyuh'' formation.

The Noida-based sculptor, a Padma Bhushan-recipient also created the busts of 21 awardees of the

Param Veer Chakra (PVC).

Smriti Irani inaugurated Titanwala Museum

Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani inaugurated the

February 2019.

hand-block printing.

It will be open from Monday to Sunday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

NID inaugurated at Bhopal and Jorhat

National Institutes of Design (NID) at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh and Jorhat in Assam was inaugurated.

Both institutes are autonomous under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal

Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

NID Bhopal will begin its academic journey from July 2019 with 60 students in 4-year undergraduate courses.

Rail Drishti Dashboard launched

Minister of Railways and Coal, Piyush Goyal launched 'Rail Drishti Dashboard' on 25 February

2019.

The url of the dashboard is 'raildrishti.cris.org.in'.

The Dashboard has been launched to keep people informed about the work going on in the Railways

across the country.

It can be accessed using a desktop/laptop or mobile devices.

National War Memorial inaugurated

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the National War Memorial in Delhi on 25 February 2019.

It will thereafter become the place for wreath-laying of all designated events such as Republic Day.

The National War Memorial will commemorate the soldiers who died in wars and operations, including

counter-terrorism, since Independence.

MSME Ministry's conclave on Women Entrepreneur

The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises organised a conclave on 'Empowering Women

Entrepreneurs 2019, Financing and Enabling Women from Marginalised Sections' in Mumbai on 25

February 2019.

It was organised under the National SC-ST initiative of the MSME Ministry.

Entrepreneurs and inspirational women achievers were awarded with 'Enterprising Women of the Year

2018 Awards'.

EVMs are 'information' under RTI Act

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has ruled that an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) is

'information' under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

This implies the Election Commission has to respond to an RTI application seeking the EVM either by providing it or refusing it under exemption clauses in

the Act.

The CIC is the highest adjudicating authority in RTI matters.

Government of India to host construction expo

The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry will hold a two-day construction expo and conference -

'Construction Technology India' (CTI) in New Delhi

from 2 March 2019.

The expo will be organised under its Global Housing Technology Challenge (GHTC) initiative.

Stakeholders across the world will showcase their best technologies to build houses under Pradhan

Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U).

Rapid transit system approved

On 19 February 2019, the government of India

approved the construction of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit system (RRTS).

The corridor is expected to connect the cities to the centre with a high-speed dedicated rail connector.

The proposed RRTS will be implemented as a joint venture by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) and the state governments.

KP-BOT launched in Kerala

Kerala police has become first police department in the country to use a humanoid 'robocop' for police

work.

The name of the robot is KP-BOT and it has been given a Sub Inspector or SI ranking.

It was developed by Kerala Police Cyberdome.

It will be stationed to perform front office duties at the police headquarters.

Personalities in News

Abhinandan Varthaman returns home

Indian Air Force Wing Commander, Abhinandan Varthman arrived in India on 1 March 2019.

He was handed over to Indian authorities by Pakistan at Attari-Wagah border.





9 | P a g e

He was captured by Pakistani authorities on 27 February 2019 after an aerial engagement between

the 2 countries.

A suicide bomb attack was carried in Pulwama, J&K

in February 2019 that killed approx 40 paramilitary troops.

Naresh Goyal resigns as Chairman

Jet Airways' founder Naresh Goyal has agreed to step down as chairman of the airline's board.

Mr. Goyal, who founded the full-service carrier 25 years ago, has also agreed to reduce his 51% stake.

He would continue to be a part of the company in some capacity even after stepping down as

chairman.

Sanath Jayasuriya banned for 2 years

Former Sri Lankan Cricket captain, Sanath

Jayasuriya has been banned from cricket for two years.

He admitted breaching two counts of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.

Sri Lankan cricket has been under investigation by ICC for last few years.

Apurvi Chandela won gold in 10m rifle

Apurvi Chandela has won the gold medal in the women's 10-meter air rifle event at the ISSF World

Cup 2019 in New Delhi.

This is India's first medal of the ISSF World Cup 2019.

She set a new world record by registering a score of 252.9 points in the final match.

Zhao Ruozhu and Xu Hong of China won the silver

and bronze medal respectively.

Government Policies & Schemes

Scheme for knitwear sector launched

Textile Minister, Smriti Irani launched a scheme for development of Knitting and Knitwear Sector under PowerTex India in New Delhi on 28 February 2019.

Yarn bank scheme, solar energy scheme, group work shed scheme, and creation of new service centers

are few of its components.

Combined SFC of PowerTex India Scheme and Knitwear Scheme were approved with an outlay of

Rs. 487.07 crores.

Schemes - II

Karnataka is set to launch a major water

focusses on drought-proofing measures, including

protection and rejuvenation of water bodies.

Haryana CM, Manohar Lal Khattar announced the

"Mukhyamantri Parivar Samman Nidhi" scheme for farmers of the state cultivating up to five acres of

land and families having income less than R 15,000

per month.

Schemes - I

Tamil Nadu CM, Edappadi K. Palaniswami launched the 'Athikadavu-Avinashi Groundwater Recharge

Scheme' in Coimbatore, Tirupur, and Erode districts.

Odisha CM, Naveen Patnaik sanctioned an additional amount of Rs 1,000 crore for drinking water supply projects under the Basudha scheme.

Jammu and Kashmir government launched portal

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik launched an official portal, State Infrastructure Monitoring System (SIMS).

It will provide a single platform for all the state departments to upload the information of their

respective languishing projects.

The portal will deal with the management, monitoring, information and payment system of infrastructure projects.

HRD ministry launched new scheme

The Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS) was launched

on 27 February 2019.

It has been launched for providing industry apprenticeship opportunities to fresh graduates.

The scheme is a programme basket comprising the initiatives of 3 central ministries-HRD, Skill

Development & Entrepreneurship, and Labour &

Employment.

MSP for minor forest produces launched

The Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produces and the Value Addition component of Van

Dhan was launched on 28 February 2019 in New Delhi.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is now scaling up the 'Van Dhan Scheme' and is ready to extend it to all

tribal Districts of the country.

https://testbook.com/pass





10 | P a g e

Friends of Tribes Scheme for sourcing of CSR funds from Public Sector Organisations (PSUs) was also

launched.

Assam launched PRANAM Commission

Assam Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal launched the 'Parents Responsibility and Norms for

Accountability and Monitoring' (PRANAM)

Commission in Guwahati on February 26, 2019.

It is a panel set up to look after the issues concerning a Bill, for protection of parents of state government

employees.

It is an effort to protect elderly parents of government employees in their times of need.

Nua Odisha inaugurated

Nua Odisha - Dharmapada Samvaad-Skill Saathi Youth Conclave was inaugurated at Rail Auditorium

in Bhubaneswar on 25 February 2019.

The first-ever Skill Saathi Youth Conclave was aired live across 427 locations in Odisha.

More than 2 lakh candidates were mobilized for career counseling under Skill Saathi initiative.

7-NH projects to come up in Kangra

Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stone for seven National Highway projects in Himachal Pradesh's

Kangra district on 24 February 2019.

The projects are likely to benefit the local people by way of increased tourism, safe journey, reduced travel time etc.

The projects include four-laning of Punjab-Himachal Pradesh Border to Sihuni.

Action plan for viral hepatitis launched

The government of India launched the 'National

Action Plan - Viral Hepatitis' in Mumbai on 24 February 2019.

The aim of the programme is to combat hepatitis and achieve countrywide elimination of Hepatitis C by

2030.

The action plan takes forward the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program launched by the Union

Health Minister in July 2018.

PM-KISAN scheme launched from Gorakhpur

Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh on 24 February 2019.

Under the Scheme, Rs 6,000 will be given per year to small and marginal farmer families having a

combined land holding of up to 2 hectares.

The amount will be transferred directly to the bank account of beneficiaries through Direct Benefits

Transfer.

Sweet Revolution scheme launched in Jharkhand

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das launched the first phase of the Rs 100-

Sweet Revolution Scheme on 21 February 2019.

As per the scheme, 1,207 farmers will be given Rs 1 lakh for bee keeping.

Of the amount, Rs 80,000 grant will be given by the government of Jharkhand, while the payment of Rs

20,000 will be done by the beneficiary.

Science & Technology

New NASA mission selected

NASA has selected a $42 million mission, Atmospheric Waves Experiment, that will help scientists understand and, ultimately, forecast the

vast space weather system around our planet.

It will be launched in August 2022, attached to the exterior of the Earth-orbiting International Space

Station (ISS).

AWE will focus on colourful bands of light in Earth's atmosphere, called airglow.

Khelo India app launched by PM

PM Narendra Modi launched Sports Authority of India's (SAI) first-of-its-kind mobile application, 'Khelo India App' on February 27, 2019.

The app will create awareness about sports and fitness in the country.

The app has 3 unique features that will make it convenient for youngsters to take up a sport.

The app is available both in Hindi and English and can be used in the offline mode.

India's 1st indigenous chip unveiled

for 4G/LTE and 5G NR MODEMs in New Delhi.

4 chips were unveiled at the event, which are- SCBM3412, SCBM3404, SCRF3402, and SCRF4502.

The RF sections cover all LTE/5G-NR bands up to 6GHz and these chips also support positioning using

Andhra coast: New energy source discovered

Methane hydrate, a potential fuel of the future was discovered in the Krishna-Godavari basin off the coast of Andhra Pradesh in Bay of Bengal.





11 | P a g e

The discovery was reported by scientists from the National Institute of Oceanography in Goa and the

National Geophysical Research Institute in Hyderabad.

Methane hydrate is a solid crystal structure of water which traps a large amount of methane gas.

Books & Authors

Book on 'Mann Ki Baat' released

A book titled, 'Mann Ki Baat - A Social Revolution on Radio' was released by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley

in New Delhi on 2 March 2019.

The book is a compendium encompassing 50 editions of the 'Mann Ki Baat' programme by Prime

Minister Narendra Modi on All India Radio.

The book is published by Rupa, in collaboration with BlueKraft Digital Foundation, a not-for-profit

organisation.

Bhagavad Gita at ISCKON unveiled

PM Narendra Modi unveiled the Bhagavad Gita prepared by ISKCON Temple devotees in New Delhi

on the occasion of Gita Aradhana Mahotsav on 26

February 2019.

It measures over 2.8 meters and weighs more than 800 kg.

It is one of its kind in the world and has the original verses of the Bhagavad Gita along with commentary.

Book launched by Venkaiah Naidu

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu launched a book

titled 'Quality, Accreditation and Ranking - A Silent Revolution in the Offing in Indian Higher Education'.

The book is edited by (Education Promotion Society for India) EPSI's Alternate President, Dr. H

Chaturvedi.

It consists of articles & essays authored by some of the prominent educationists and policymakers on

Indian Higher Education.

Book dedicated to Swami Pragyanandji launched

A book dedicated to Late eminent Vedanti Swami Pragyanandji was launched by Governor of West Bengal H.E Keshari Nath Tripathi.

The book is written by Famous Industrialist and Philanthropist Mr. Dinesh Shahra.

It is primarily aimed at offering saintly wisdom and guidance to lead a content and happy life.

Committees & Recommendations

RBI constitutes task force under Usha Thorat

The RBI announced a task force to examine issues related to offshore rupee markets and recommend

policy measures to ensure the stability of the

external value of the domestic currency.

It will be headed by its former deputy Governor Usha Thorat.

The eight-member task force will assess the causes behind the development of the offshore rupee

market.

Business & Economy

Manufacturing PMI at a 14-month high in Feb

According to the Nikkei India Manufacturing

activity expanded to a 14-month high of 54.3 in

February 2019.

The rise is due to an increase in sales, output, and employment, according to a private sector survey.

A reading over 50 denotes an expansion in activity and one below 50 shows a contraction.

SEBI slashes regulatory fee for brokers

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has lowered the regulatory fee that it charges from

market intermediaries.

The move is expected to bring down the overall trading costs for investors.

The fee that brokers have to pay to SEBI has been reduced by 33.33%, while the fees levied on agri-

commodity brokers has been cut by 93.33%.

20,000 crore GST evasion detected

The government detected ₹20,000 crore worth GST evasion so far this fiscal.

Between April-February 2018-19, GST evasion worth ₹20,000 crore had been detected, of which ₹10,000

crore was recovered.

A fake invoice worth ₹1,500 crore was detected which was used to claim illegal GST credit of ₹75

crore.

GDP growth at 6.6% in December

India's GDP or gross domestic product growth stood at 6.6% in the quarter ended December 31, 2018, government data showed on 28 February 2019.

This is the slowest rate of GDP expansion recorded since the quarter ended September 2017, and lower

than economists' estimate.

The growth in GDP during 2018-19 is estimated at 7.0% as compared to the growth rate of 7.2% in 2017-18.

Amalgamation of DBS bank approved





12 | P a g e

RBI approved the amalgamation of 'DBS Bank, India' with 'DBS Bank India' on 28 February 2019.

DBS used to operate in the 'branch model' and is among the first foreign lenders to come forward and

operate as a WOS (wholly owned subsidiary).

The scheme of amalgamation between the two entities has been sanctioned under the provisions of

the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

2nd advance estimate released

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) released the Second Advance Estimates of National Income at

Constant (2011-12) and Current Prices for the

financial year 2018-19.

Quarterly Estimates of GDP for the third quarter October-December (Q3), 2018-19 was also released.

The growth in GDP during 2018-19 is estimated at 7% as compared to the growth rate of 7.2% in 2017-18.

3 banks out of RBIs weak-bank watch

The RBI lifted lending curbs from Allahabad Bank and Corporation Bank and removed them from its weak-

bank watch list after the government infused capital in them.

Private sector Dhanlaxmi Bank too has been taken out of the Prompt Corrective Action Framework.

Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra and Oriental Bank of Commerce were also taken out of the PCA

Framework, earlier on 31 January 2019.

Zimbabwe started trading new currency

Zimbabwe began formal trading of a new currency

the economy.

currency, known as RTGS dollars, will be 2.5 per US dollar.

The official inflation rate has soared to 57% from less than 4% a year ago.

ICICI Lombard ties up with AnyTimeLoan.in

ICICI Lombard entered into a strategic tie-up with AnyTimeLoan.in (ATL), a peer-to-peer lending

platform on 25 February 2019.

The partnership aims to de-risk exposure of its lenders and borrowers arising from uncertainties

such as accidents, critical illness, death, disability, etc.

ATL facilitates loans as small as ₹ 1000 to ₹10 lakh for a minimum period of 1 day to a maximum of 3 years.

GST on under-construction homes slashed to 5%

On 24 February 2019, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council slashed tax rates on under-

construction housing properties to 5% from the

existing 12%.

It also cut GST rates on affordable housing to 1% from 8%.

The new tax rates will come into effect from 1 April 2019.

GST is not levied on real estate properties for which completion certificate has been issued at the time of

sale.

Merger with BoB to be effective from April 1

Bank of Baroda's proposed merger with Dena and Vijaya Bank will be affected from 1 April 2019.

The scheme has been named as 'Amalgamation of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda'.

As per the Scheme, shareholders of Vijaya Bank will get 402 equity shares of BoB for every 1,000 shares held.

Dena Bank will receive 110 equity shares of BoB for every 1,000 equity shares held.

Sports

Khelo India app launched by PM

PM Narendra Modi launched Sports Authority of India's (SAI) first-of-its-kind mobile application, 'Khelo India App' on February 27, 2019.

The app will create awareness about sports and fitness in the country.

The app has 3 unique features that will make it convenient for youngsters to take up a sport.

The app is available both in Hindi and English and can be used in the offline mode.

Saurabh and Manu clinched Gold

Saurabh Chaudhary and Manu Bhaker won the gold medal in the 10-meter air pistol mixed team event of

the ISSF World Cup 2019.

The Chinese duo of Ranxin Jiang and Bowen Zhang

won silver with, while the bronze went to the Korean pair of Minjung Kim and Daehun Park.

Earlier, Saurabh Chaudhary won the gold medal in his first senior World Cup in the same event.

First Indian player to score 8000 runs - Raina






13 | P a g e

Suresh Raina became the first Indian player to score 8000 runs in T20.

He achieved this feat when he scored 12 runs for UP against Puducherry in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

match in Delhi.

He also became the 2nd Indian player to have played 300 T20s after MS Dhoni.

Rohit Sharma is 3rd in the list with 299 matches.

Abhijeet Gupta won Cannes Trophy

Indian Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta lifted the Cannes International Open trophy on 25 February 2019 for

chess.

He won the tournament with 7.5 points over nearest rivals Nikita Maiorov of Belarus, Nasuta Grzegorz of

Poland and Yuri Solodovnichecko of Ukraine.

He took an easy draw with Pier Luigi Basso of Italy in the ninth and final round.

Karthikeyan received Lifetime Achievement

G.R. Karthikeyan was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award at the FMSCI annual awards

function on 25 February 2019.

He is the father of Narain Karthikeyan.

Raghul Rangasamy received the Upcoming

Motorsport Person of the Year award for the Raymond Gautam Singhania Trophy.

Prajnesh Gunneswaran: 94th in Tennis

India's Prajnesh Gunneswaran achieved his career-best ranking, rising three places to 94th in the latest list on 25 February 2019.

Ramkumar Ramanathan dropped 9 spots to 137, while Yuki Bhambri further slipped to 171.

Ankita Raina continued to be the top-placed Indian at 164 in women's ranking, followed by Karman Thandi

at 207 and Pranjala Yadlapalli at 293.

Apurvi Chandela won gold in 10m rifle

Apurvi Chandela has won the gold medal in the women's 10-meter air rifle event at the ISSF World

Cup 2019 in New Delhi.

This is India's first medal of the ISSF World Cup 2019.

She set a new world record by registering a score of 252.9 points in the final match.

Zhao Ruozhu and Xu Hong of China won the silver and bronze medal respectively.

Manpreet Singh: Player of the Year

The Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) has honoured Indian men's hockey team captain, Manpreet Singh

with the '2018 Player of the Year Award'.

Women hockey team's striker, Lalremsiami bagged the '2018 Rising Player of The Year' award.

Manpreet led the Indian hockey team at the Asian Champions Trophy in Muscat where the team was

declared joint winners with Pakistan.






14 | P a g e

Defence

Defence Appointments

Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar was appointed as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Air

Command of the Indian Air Force on 1 March 2019.

Rajiv Dayal Mathur was appointed as the Air Officer

Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Air Command of the Indian Air Force on 1 March 2019.

DAC approved aquisition of defence equipment

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) gave approval for the acquisition of defence equipment for about Rs 2700 Crores on 27 February 2019.

The council was chaired by Defence Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman.

Approval was granted for procurement of 3 Cadet Training ships for the Indian Navy.

The ships would be capable of undertaking Hospital Ship duties, providing Humanitarian Assistance etc.

QRSAM missile successfully test fired

DRDO successfully test fired indigenously developed Quick Reach Surface-to-Air missiles (QRSAMs) from

ITR Chandipur, off the Odisha Coast on 26 February

2019.

The two missiles were tested for different altitudes and conditions.

The missile has a strike range of 25-30 km.

QRSAM will significantly boost the defence capabilities of the armed forces.

India-Bangladesh Joint Exercise to be held

A joint military exercise, Sampriti-2019 will be conducted between India and Bangladesh at Tangail, Bangladesh from 2 March to 15 March 2019.

This will be the eighth edition of the exercise which is hosted alternately by both countries.

The exercise is aimed to strengthen and broaden the aspects of interoperability and cooperation between

both the Armies.

IAF commissions aerial surveillance

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has commissioned the 'Hyper-Spectral Imagery Programme' for the first

time in the country.

The programme is an aerial surveillance system for monitoring suspicious moments under dense foliage cover along the international border and some parts

within the country.

It is expected to be operational in the next two years.

Current Affairs Weekly Capsule I Current Affairs Weekly ... · 25th Prime Minister's Trophy...

Documents

Transcript of Current Affairs Weekly Capsule I Current Affairs Weekly ... · 25th Prime Minister's Trophy...