Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services (DCA-CS) - 01-01-2020 - PT's IAS ACADEMY
SECTION 1 – TEN NEWS HEADLINES
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- Finance Minister unveils plans for Rs. 102 lakh cr. infra projects - Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman outlined plans to invest more than Rs. 102 lakh crore in infrastructure projects by 2024-25, with the Centre, the States and the private sector sharing the capital expenditure in a 39:39:22 formula. This will be a significant increase over the last six years, when the Centre and the States together spent Rs. 51 lakh crore on infrastructure. On Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced plans to invest Rs. 100 lakh crore in modern infrastructure. This is the expenditure needed to achieve a $5 trillion economy by 2024-25.
- Indore, Jamshedpur lead Swachh 2020 table - Indore and Jamshedpur have topped the cleanliness charts for two consecutive quarters among cities with over 10 lakh population and with 1 lakh to 10 lakh population respectively. Kolkata remained at the bottom of the ranking of 49 major cities across both quarters as West Bengal did not participate in the nationwide exercise. The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) announced the results of the first and second quarters of the Swachh Survekshan 2020.
- Film-maker, professor allege attack in Kolkata - Kolkata-based photographer and film-maker Ronny Sen was allegedly manhandled for participating in protests against Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Kolkata. Mr. Sen filed a police complaint, where he accused one Avijit Dasgupta of harassing him for his anti-CAA, NRC stance. The incident took place in the upmarket Salt Lake area.
- Assam stir to spawn new party - The protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in Assam may yield a new political party catering to sub-national aspirations. The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), which is leading the protests, said it was working on channelling the public anger against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “obsession” with the CAA to form a regional political entity. Other organisations and artistes passionate about protecting the indigenous people from cultural and linguistic threats would be on board.
- One-fifth of country’s forests prone to fires: study - About 21.40% of forest cover in India is prone to fires, with forests in the north-eastern region and central India being the most vulnerable, the 2019 report by the Forest Survey of India (FSI). The finding has emerged from a study carried out by the FSI along forest fire points identified across the country from 2004 to 2017. The forest fire points (FFP) identified during the 13 years add up to 2,77,758. They were analysed using a moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) by overlaying the points coverage over the grid coverage of 5 km x 5 km.
- ED attaches assets worth Rs. 128 cr. of Pixion Media - The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth Rs. 127.74 crore of Pixion Media Private Limited and its group companies in connection with an alleged Rs. 2,600-crore bank fraud scam. The properties attached by the agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act include two commercial plots and nine commercial floors of the group companies in Noida, Chennai, Mumbai and Kolkata. The ED probe is based on seven FIRs and chargesheets filed by the CBI.
- Protesters attack U.S. Embassy in Iraq - Iraqi supporters of pro-Iran factions attacked the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, breaching its outer wall and chanting “Death to America!” in anger over weekend air strikes that killed two dozen fighters. It was the first time in years protesters have been able to reach the U.S. Embassy, which is sheltered behind a series of checkpoints in the high-security Green Zone. A stream of men in military fatigues, as well as some women, marched through those checkpoints to the Embassy walls with no apparent reaction from Iraqi security forces. The demonstrators waved flags in support of the Hashed al-Shaabi, a mostly Shia network of Iraqi armed groups that has received training and weapons from Iran.
- Taiwan passes law to combat China influence - Taiwan passed a controversial bill aimed at countering China’s influence on the self-ruled island, less than two weeks before it goes to the polls to elect a new President. The “anti-infiltration Bill” pushed by President Tsai Ing-wen’s Beijing-sceptic ruling party became law despite strong objection from the Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party. It bans “hostile” foreign forces from activities such as campaigning, lobbying, making political donations, disrupting social order or spreading disinformation related to elections. Violators face a maximum five-year prison term and a fine of up to around $3,32,000.
- Al-Shabab claims deadly bombing in Somalia - Somali Islamist group Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for a truck bomb in the capital, Mogadishu, that killed at least 79 people last week, including many students. The claim of responsibility was made by the group’s spokesman Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage in an audio post on pro-Al-Shabab websites. Al-Shabab, which is allied to Al-Qaeda, carries out frequent bombings in the capital. The explosion came at rush hour as Somalia returned to work after its weekend. Most of those killed were university and other students returning to class.
- Current account deficit narrows to 0.9% of GDP - India’s current account deficit (CAD) narrowed to 0.9% of GDP, or $6.3 billion, in the September 2019 quarter, on account of lower trade deficit. It had stood at 2.9% of the gross domestic product (GDP), or $19 billion, in the corresponding quarter of 2018-19. On a sequential basis, CAD had printed 2% of GDP, or $14.2 billion, in the June 2019 quarter. The contraction in the CAD was primarily on account of a lower trade deficit at $38.1 billion as compared with $50 billion a year ago.
SECTION 2 – DAILY CURRENT
AFFAIRS
1.
CONSTITUTION AND LAW
1.1 No
news in this section today.
- ECONOMY
2.1
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced
the launch of Rs. 102 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) to help
make India a $5 trillion economy by 2025.
- Finance Minister Nirmala launched the National Infrastructure Pipeline Report in New Delhi.
- 102 lakh crore National Infrastructure Projects will help make India a US $ 5 trillion economy by 2025. The report contains National Infrastructure Projects (NIP) that will be implemented in the next five years. This is the first time in the country that we have infrastructure development pipeline.
- Government had constituted a task force for Infrastructure investments four months ago. Several working groups suggested many reform related steps that aim to look at various aspects of the financial sector.
- A task force identified Rs. 102 lakh crore worth of projects after conducting 70 stakeholder consultations in a short period of four months.
- In the next few weeks, another 3 lakh crore worth of projects will be added.
- Government intended to launch the NIP coordination mechanism comprising centre and states.
- Both centre and state together have spent Rs. 51 lakh crore in the last 6 years.
- As part of the NIP mechanism, the centre's share will be 39%, states share 39% and private sector will be 22-25%. Expect private share to increase to 30% by 2025.
- The projects identified are in sectors such as power, railways, urban irrigation, mobility, education and health.
- Nearly Rs. 25 lakh crore energy projects lined up under NIP. Roads to get nearly Rs. 20 lakh crore, nearly Rs. 14 lakh crore for railway projects.
- Rs 2.5 lakh crore port and airport projects, Rs 3.2 lakh crore digital infra projects identified, Rs. 16 lakh crore irrigation, rural, agriculture and food processing projects identified.
- Over Rs 16 lakh crore infra projects including mobility projects.
- There will also be an annual supplementary report issued every year.
- In 2020, the Annual Global Investor meet will be organised, the first edition of which will be held in the second half of the coming year.
- 42 lakh crore NIP projects which are in the implementation stage now include expressways, national gas grid and PMAY-G.
- 18 states have so far come up on board. States like Gujarat, Bihar, West Bengal and Rajasthan are yet to provide detailed plan of their investment under NIP.
2.2 According to Centre for Economics and Business
Research (CEBR), United Kingdom, India is likely to surpass Germany to become
the fourth-largest economy after United States, China and Japan in 2026.
2.3 Government kept interest rates on small
savings schemes unchanged for the fourth quarter of 2019-20.
2.4 Output of eight core infrastructure industries
(Electricity, Steel, Refinery Products, Crude Oil, Coal, Cement, Natural Gas
and Fertilizers) contracted for the 4th consecutive month in November by 1.5%.
- ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
3.1 Prince and Princess of Britain, William and
Kate, launched Earthshot Prize to solve top environmental challenges of Earth.
- William and Kate – the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced The Earthshot Prize - the 'most prestigious environmental prize in history'.
- The Earthshot Prize aims to encourage and inspire people across the world to find innovative new solutions to one of the gravest problems facing the Earth.
- A multi-million pound prize will be awarded to five winners a year over 10 years, comprising at least 50 solutions to the world’s greatest problems by 2030.
- The prize, which has been likened to the Nobel Prize, aims to herald a new era of fresh optimism and action on the environment, replacing current pessimism.
- A set of five unique challenges, rooted in science, will be announced in the coming months. An annual awards ceremony will take place in different cities across the world each year between 2021 and 2030.
- Its name is inspired by the concept of moonshots, which since the moon landing in 1969 has become shorthand for ambitious and ground-breaking goals.
- In addition to a significant financial award, winners will receive large-scale public recognition for their work that will aim to inspire business and government collaboration and scaling.
- The prize was around a year in the making as the Duke consulted with around 60 organisations and experts.
- The prize was designed and will be initially run by The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge but the long term plan is for it to become an independent organisation.
- The prize is set to launch officially later in 2020 - a year that will also see the Convention on Biodiversity in China in February and the COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November.
- FOREIGN AFFAIRS
4.1 The legislature of Taiwan passes an Anti-Infiltration
Law aimed at blocking political interference from China.
- Taiwan’s legislature on Tuesday passed a law aimed at blocking political interference from China, less than two weeks before presidential and legislative elections.
- The approval of the the Anti-Infiltration Law follows accusations that China is strongly backing candidates from the main opposition Nationalist Party, including providing campaign funds and mobilizing support on social media.
- President Tsai Ing-wen is favored to win a second term in the January 2011 election, an outcome that would likely intensify China’s economic, diplomatic and military pressure over her refusal to accept its insistence that Taiwan is a part of China.
- China cut ties with Tsai’s government shortly after her 2016 election and has sought to isolate it diplomatically while ramping up its threat to use force to annex the self-governing island republic.
- During debate, legislators from Tsai’s majority Democratic Progressive Party cited allegations of China seeking to manipulate politics in democracies such as Australia and the countermeasures those governments took.
- In Beijing, a spokeswoman for the Cabinet’s Taiwan Affairs Office condemned the law’s passage as an act that seeks to undermine relations between the two sides.
- The law seeks to plug legal loopholes by blocking any foreign force from making illegal political donations, spreading misinformation, staging campaign events, or otherwise interfering in elections and the business of government.
- Those found guilty could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and fined the equivalent of more than $333,000.
- Prosecutors in December also detained 10 people, including a former Nationalist Party staffer, on suspicion of falsifying documents to bring thousands of mainland Chinese to Taiwan, possibly including some who were collecting intelligence.
- Some opposition politicians protested briefly, sitting on the floor of the chamber and chanting slogans denouncing the legislation.
- Concern has also been raised about Beijing's influence over Taiwanese media groups, many of which are owned by corporations with business and political connections in China.
4.2 Obituary: Sonny Mehta, visionary
head of publishing company Alfred A. Knopf, died at 77 in United States. The
publication provided blockbusters such as "Fifty Shades of Grey" and
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo".
- GOVERNMENT SCHEMES
5.1
Swachh Survekshan League (SS League) 2020
- SS League is conducted in three quarters (April-June, July-September and October-December) with the objective of sustaining the on-ground performance of cities along with monitoring of when it comes to cleanliness.
- Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri announced the results of Swachh Survekshan League 2020 for first and second Quarters.
- In the 10 lakhs plus population category, Indore (MP) secured first place in both the quarters.
- The second and third spot was taken by Bhopal and Surat in quarter 1 while Rajkot and Navi Mumbai came at number two and three respectively in quarter 2 in the same population category.
- Indore has retained the title of the cleanest city in the last three years. This time a total of 4,372 cities participated in the league.
- In one lakh to 10 lakh population category, Jamshedpur in Jharkhand got the first spot in both quarters.
- New Delhi Municipal Corporation and Madhya Pradesh's Khargone were ranked 2 and 3 respectively in quarter 1. In the quarter 2, Chandrapur (Maharashtra) and Khargone stood at second and third spot.
- Among the Cantonment Boards, Tamil Nadu's St.Thomas Mount Cantt was ranked 1 in quarter 1 followed by Jhansi Cantt and Delhi Cantt.
- On the other hand, in quarter 2, Delhi Cantt spotted the first spot while Jhansi cantt and Jalandhar Cantt stood at second and third spot.
6.
MISCELLANEOUS
6.1
Flight Information system (FIS) Dornier
aircraft formally inducted into No 41 Otters Squadron at Air Force Station
Palam.
- Air Chief RKS Bhadauria formally inducted the Flight Information system (FIS) Dornier aircraft into No. 41 Squadron at a ceremony at Air Force Station Palam.
- The IAF in 2015 had signed a contract to purchase 14 Dornier aircraft, which are flight inspection system planes, for Rs 1,090 crore from state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
- The Dornier-228 aircraft is a multi-purpose, fuel-efficient, rugged, lightweight twin-turboprop aircraft with a retractable tricycle landing gear.
- The Dornier-228 aircraft's cockpit is designed to accommodate two crew members and is fitted with duplicate controls. The cabin can accommodate 19 passengers in the commuter configuration.
- This aircraft has been exported to Seychelles and Mauritius.
- Meaning of Otters: The Squadron crest is the aquatic Otter. The Otter on the Squadron Crest is indicative of all the qualities this unit possesses as a transport squadron. It signifies the single minded devotion to task in hand irrespective of the prevailling conditions ensuring that help reaches to those in need on time. The squadron motto is "Samay par Sahayta" meaning the ability to reach assistance in time.
6.2 Kateryna Lagno of Russia
and Magnus Carlsen of Norway won women and men titles of World Rapid and Blitz
Chess Championship in Moscow. In Rapid Chess Competitions the players get 15
minutes and + 10 seconds (extra time) for each move. In Blitz Chess
Competitions the players get 3 minutes and + 2 seconds (extra time) for each
move
6.3 Veteran
actor-comedian Eddie Murphy won Lifetime Achievement honour at the 25th
Critics' Choice Awards (CCA).
7.
POLITY
7.1 Kerala Assembly passed resolution demanding
scrapping of the Citizenship Amendment Act.
- The Kerala Assembly passed a resolution demanding scrapping of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
- Kerala became the first state in the country to do so.
- While Chief Ministers of non-BJP ruled states like Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal have announced that they would not implement CAA, CPI(M)-ruled Kerala was the first to take the legislature route to register its opposition to the law.
- All the members of two fronts unanimously supported the resolution at the special session and vehemently criticised the central government, the lone BJP MLA in the 140-member house opposed the resolution, terming it as “illegal and unconstitutional.”
- Chief Minister of Kerala – Pinyari Vijayan.
7.2 Jammu and Kashmir administration announces
abolition of toll posts from January 1, 2020.
7.3 RPF
(Railway Protection Force) renamed as Indian Railway Protection Force Service.
8.
SOCIAL ISSUES
8.1 Noted social activist and former Rajya Sabha
member from Odisha, Alajangi Viswanath Swamy, died at 91.
- Alajangi Viswanath Swamy (July 18, 1928 to December 31, 2019) was an Indian politician.
- He was elected to the Rajya Sabha the Upper house of Indian Parliament from Odisha as an Independent candidate.
- From 2012 through 2018 he was in the upper house of the parliament.
- Swamy had played an active role in social reformer Vinoba Bhave's Bhoodan Movement.
- Being a follower of Bhave, Swamy had taken a plunge into social service after obtaining a BTech degree in Chemical Engineering.
- Swamy was born in Nabarangpur, Odisha.
- Swamy died at his home of cardiac arrest on 31 December 2019 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha at the age of 91.
9.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
9.1 No news in this section today.
SECTION 3 – MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)
1.
Finance Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman recently launched National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) worth Rs.
102 lakh crore. What is its aim?
1. To make
India $ 5 tn economy by 2025
2. To make
India $ 5 tn economy by 2030
3. To make
India $ 10 tn economy by 2025
4. To make
India $ 10 tn economy by 2030
2. What will be the ratio of
centre, state and private players in NIP?
1. 50 : 25 : 25
2. 33.33 : 33.33 : 33.33
2. 33.33 : 33.33 : 33.33
3. 39 : 36: 25
4. 39 : 39 : 22
4. 39 : 39 : 22
3.
How much money will be
allotted to road projects under NIP?
1. 100 lakh crore
2. 20 lakh
crore
3. 14 lakh
crore
4. 25 lakh
crore
4. Output of eight core
infrastructure contracted for the 4th consecutive month in November 2019 by
1. 1.5%
2. 0.9%
3. 1%
4. 1.2%
5.
Who among the following has
recently announced Earthshot Prize which is being considered as Nobel of Environment?
1. US President
Donald Trump
2. UK’s Prince
William
3. Russian
President Vladimir Putin
4. Japan’s Emperor
Naruhito
6. Which of the following
countries has recently passed an Anti-infiltration Law to block political interference
from China in their elections?
1. United
States of America
2. Taiwan
3. Russia
4. Japan
7. Who is the president of
Taiwan?
1. Tsai Ing-wen
2. Han Kuo-yu
3. Ko Wen-je
4. William Lai
8. Which of the following
cities secured first place in SS League 2020 in 10 lakh plus population
category?
1. Bhopal
2. Indore
3. New Delhi
4. Surat
9. Which of the following
cities secured first place in SS League 2020 in 1 to 10 lakh population
category?
1. Chandrapur
2. Jamshedpur
3. Khargone
4. New Delhi
Municipal Corporation
10. Approximately how many
cities participated in SS League 2020?
1. 4400
2. 50
3. 10,000
4. 2000
11. Which of the following
states of India became the first to pass a resolution in its Legislative
Assembly to scrap the Citizenship Amendment Act?
1. West Bengal
2. Kerala
3. Jharkhand
4. Chhattisgarh
12. Who is the Chief Minister
of Kerala?
1. P B Sawant
2. B S
Yeddyurappa
3. YS Jagan
Reddy
4. Pinyari
Vijayan
13. Recently inducted Dornier
228 aircraft primarily are
1. Supersonic
Jet planes
2. Light
Fighter Jet planes
3. Transport
aircrafts
4. Navy sea
planes
14. Recently announced
Earthshot environment prize will be awarded
1. every 4
years
2. every 3 years
3. every 2
years
4. every year
15. Who among the following
is the winner of World Blitz Chess Championship 2019 (Female)?
1. Koneru Humpy
2. Katrena
Lagno
3. Magnus
Carlsen
4. None of
these
Answer Key of MCQs
1 (1), 2 (4), 3 (2), 4 (1), 5 (2), 6 (2), 7 (1), 8 (2), 9 (2), 10 (1), 11 (2), 12 (4), 13 (3), 14 (4), 15 (2)
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