2017: Point-Wise Current-Affairs/GS Articles

Eminent scientist and father of DNA fingerprinting in India Dr. Lalji Singh passed away. He was instrumental in making DNA fingerprinting mainstream in India for research and for forensic applications.

Contributions of D

The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched first NIC-CERT, a setup of National Informatics Centre (NIC) to prevent and predict cyber-attacks on government utilities.

NIC-CERT

• NIC-

Rocks and dust particles from space close to Earth’s atmosphere are called meteoroids. Those entering and blazing through the atmosphere are called meteors. Geminid Meteor Shower in 2017 was observed on December 13.

What Causes a Me

Physicists from University of Illinois discovered a new form of matter called excitonium. This condensate, made up of excitons, was theorized almost 50 years ago. Term ‘excitonium’ was coined in the 1960s by Harvard theoretical physicist Bert Halperin.

NEXT ISSUE – Banking Sector Reforms, Key Issues: Consumer awareness on services is complex – hospital bills, threatens of legal action, evidence of consent, Consumer rights and consumer protection (2500 yrs ago – Kautilya), Consumer Protection Act, 1986 – protect for both goods a

Next Week! ! Bharatmala Pariyojana: 👌 What is Insolvency, Bankruptcy & Liquidation? , Types of Loans? , 👌 What is NPA? , Need for a Code & Board? Single law for insolvency & bankruptcy.

NASA satellites have been observing new volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean. The emerging rock offers scientists a laboratory to map rarely seen rapid geological processes, which could model the mysterious terrain of Mars.

New volcan

The Energy Conservation Day is organized on 14^th December each year by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under Ministry of Power to demonstrate India’s achievements in energy efficiency and conservation.

Objectives of

Indian government approved the enabling regulatory architecture for setting up and upgrading of 10 public and 10 private Institutions of Eminence to enable them to reach amongst top 100 of world institutions ranking.

Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched ‘LaQshya’ Initiative and mHealth: Safe Delivery Application on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day. In addition, Operational Guidelines for Obstetric High Dependency Units and Intensive Care Units were released.

Rajasthan was first state in India to launch free email addresses in Hindi for its residents. The facility will be available at name@rajasthan. bharat (in Devanagari script). Aims to increase participation of people towards e-governance and ensuring maximum government facilities

Scorpene-class submarine INS Kalvari was commissioned into the Indian Navy. It is first of the six Scorpene-class submarines built under the strategic Project 75 by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) with assistance and technology transfer from France’s DCNS.

The Ken-Betwa ILR project transfers surplus water from the Ken River to the Betwa basin through concrete canal to irrigate India’s worst drought-prone Bundelkhand region. Union Government is clubbing phase I and phase II of Ken-Betwa inter linking river (ILR) project resulting i

Cabinet approved the establishment of International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography (ITCOO), as a Category-2 Centre (C2C) of UNESCO, in Hyderabad, Telangana. Agreement establishes training centre for countries on Indian Ocean Rim (IOR), African countries bordering In

The Cottage Industries play important role in the Indian Economy by providing employment opportunities reducing the regional imbalance, assuring more equitable distribution of national income and wealth.

Schemes for Promotion of C

India’s UIP is one of the largest public health programmes in the world targeting 3 crore pregnant women and 2.7 crore new born annually and conducting more than 90 lakh immunization sessions.

Most cost effective pub

Centre approved Central Sector North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme to fill gaps in creation of infrastructure in two sectors of physical infrastructure and social infrastructure.

The cabinet to give a shot in the arm to Digital India approved several steps like taking brunt of Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on all debit card/BHIM UPI/AePS transactions up to a value of Rs. 2, 000 (small transactions). Move encourages digital transactions for the ease and low

Legatum Prosperity Index is annual ranking developed by the London-based Legatum Institute. According to the 2017 ranking, gap between prosperity of China and India narrowed by four ranks since 2016.

The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) set up three-member committee to study minority status of Hindus in 8 states where their population is less than 50%. Committee led by NCM’s Vice Chairman George Kurien has been given three months to submit its report.

Uttar Pradesh became first state to endorse Union Government’s draft law- Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act making the practice of instant “triple Talaq” or Talaq-e-biddat a cognizable and non-bailable criminal offence.

Union Government constituted high-level committee headed by NITI Aayog Chief Executive Amitabh Kant for addressing problem of Non-performing assets (NPAs) or stressed assets in power sector.

Details of the Committee

Following are the main reforms to decrease the losses of the DISCOMs and make them viable ultimately achieve the 24x7 power for all. Power Utilities must devise strategy to reduce their losses without burdening the consumer with high power tariffs irrationally.

Infective Trachoma was a leading cause of infectious blindness among children. India is now declared free of Infective Trachoma. Trachoma caused by poor environmental and personal hygiene and inadequate access to water and sanitation.

Germany’s Steinbeis University announced an MS degree in Global Technology Management Asia. The program is specially designed by the Berlin-based University to build technology framework for ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Details of

Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed Kapu Reservation Bill, 2017 providing 5 % quota in education and employment by including them in Backward Classes list. The Telugu word Kapu or protector. They are also referred to by their caste title Naidu, which means leader.

Next Week! ! Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code: Ghogha-Dahej Ro-Ro ferry service allows traveling from Ghogha to Dahej through the sea which in future can also link Hazira, Pipavavo, Jafrabad, Daman and Diu, and even to Bombay.

The first phase of Iran’s Chabahar port (Shahid Beheshti Port) with significant strategic and economic importance for India was inaugurated by Iran. Iran’s only oceanic port located on the Gulf of Oman, southeast of Iran near Pakistani border jointly developed by India, Iran and

Venezuela launched cryptocurrency called Petro to circumvent US-led financial sanctions backed by the country’s vast natural resource reserves. Venezuelan President approved the creation of BlockchainBase observatory to oversee development and rollout of new cryptocurrency.

India’s indigenous surface-to-air missile Akash successfully test fired with “made in India” radio frequency seeker from Chandipur in Odisha. Akash system is primarily designed as an air defence SAM; it also provides missile defense capabilities, providing air defence for an area

The High Level Inter-Governmental Mid-Point review meeting of Asia and Pacific Decade for Persons with Disabilities, 2013 - 2022 was held in Beijing with Indian delegation led by Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment.

The Mines and Mineral Development and Regulation Act, 1957 was amended in 2015 by Ministry of Mines to include Mineral Auction Rules, 2015 which prescribed the procedure of the auction process. On 30/11/2017, further amendments have been proposed.

India and Singapore signed Bilateral Agreement for Navy Cooperation, which will allow Indian Navy ships logistical support, including refueling at Singapore’s Changi Naval Base located near disputed South China Sea (SCS).

North Korea successfully launched Hwasong-15, a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). India has a series of ballistic missiles called Agni. Following figure depicts the range of Agni.

An Indian Air Force Embraer transport aircraft specialised in conducting Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) function carried out Air to Air Refuelling (AAR). The AAR refueling allows an aircraft to fly a long duration flight beyond its endurance.

Project Swarna aims to make major leap in improving passenger experience on Rajdhani trains. 14 Rajdhani Trains & 15 Shatabdi Trains are planned to be upgraded under Project Swarna. Earlier New Delhi- Kathgodam Shatabdi Express was launched under Project Swarna.

Higher Education Funding Agency provides additional funds for research and related infrastructure. HEFA Board in its 2^nd meeting approved projects for Rs. 2, 066.73 Cr for six institutions – IITs Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kharagpur, Kanpur, and NIT Suratkal.

48^th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) was held in Panaji in Goa. The closing ceremony was held at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Bambolim. Following are key points:

• Around 200 films from 82 cou

For building Urban Local Bodies capacity under the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban, Minister of state for Housing and Urban Affairs conducted a National Workshop titled “Accelerating Implementation of Urban Missions” under Pradhan Mantri Avaas Yojana (Urban), and Swachh Bharat Missio