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Highlights:

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) Phase II & Phase III with the financial assistance from the World Bank (WB), and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
• The Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project aims to improve the safety and operational performance of selected dams all over the country, along with institutional strengthening with a system-wide management approach.
• The project cost is Rs 10,211 crore. 
• The project will be implemented over a period of 10 years duration in two phases, each of six years duration with two years overlapping from April 2021 to March 2031. 
• The share of external funding is Rs.7000 crore.
• The Project aims to improve the safety and performance of selected existing dams and associated appurtenances in a sustainable manner.
• DRIP focuses on strengthening the dam safety institutional setup in participating states as well as at the central level.
• DRIP will explore the alternative incidental means at a few selected dams to generate incidental revenue for sustainable operation and maintenance of dams.
• The scheme envisages the comprehensive rehabilitation of 736 existing dams located across the country.

Highlights:

• The National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) is celebrated on 31st October annually to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. 
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first home minister, at the 182-metre tall Statue of Unity here on his 145th birth anniversary
• PM Narendra Modi launched the seaplane service from Ahmedabad to the Statue of Unity, Kevadia.
• Sardar Patel's birth anniversary is being celebrated as "Rashtriya Ekta Diwas" (National Unity Day) since 2014.
• On this day, several events like Run For Unity, a nationwide marathon to increase awareness about Patel's contributions, the National Unity pledge, Ekta Parade, etc. are organized.
• The Government unveiled the Statue of Unity in Gujarat in 2018. 
• It is the tallest statue (182-meter) in the world.
• In January 2020, it was added to the 'Eight Wonders' of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

• Vallabai Patel was born on October 31, 1875, in Nadiad, Gujarat. 
• He was the 1st Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India. Patel Headed various Committees of the Constituent Assembly of India, namely: Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Committee on Minorities and Tribal and Excluded Areas, Provincial Constitution Committee. 
• He integrated the farmer’s cause in Kheda Satyagraha (1918) and Bardoli Satyagraha (1928) with the national freedom movement. 
• Women of Bardoli bestowed the title ‘Sardar’ on Vallabhbhai Patel, which means ‘a Chief or a Leader.'
• He was said to be the "Iron Man of India" for playing an essential role in the unification and integration of Indian princely states into the Indian federation and for convincing princely states to align with the Indian Union. 
• He requested India's people to live together by uniting (Ek Bharat) to create a foremost India (Shresth Bharat). 
• This ideology still reflects in the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, which seeks to make India self-reliant. He was Remembered as the ‘Patron Saint of India’s Civil Servants’ as he established the modern all-India services system. 
• He passed away in Bombay on December 15, 1950.
•  

Highlights:

• According to the Public Affairs Index-2020, Kerala the best governed state in the country, while Uttar Pradesh ended at the bottom in the large states category.
• It was released by the Public Affairs Centre in Bengaluru, recently.
• In its annual report released, the city-based not-for-profit organisation , the states were ranked on governance performance based on a composite index in the context of sustainable development. 
• The organisation is headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman K. Kasturirangan.
• Four southern states, Kerala (1.388 PAI Index point), Tamil Nadu (0.912), Andhra Pradesh (0.531) and Karnataka (0.468) stood in the first four ranks in the large state category in terms of governance.
• Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Bihar were at the bottom of the ranking, scoring negative points in the category. 
• They got – 1.461, -1.201 and -1.158 points respectively.
• In the small state category, Goa ranked first with 1.745 points, followed by Meghalaya (0.797) and Himachal Pradesh (0.725). 
• Worst performers who scored negative points are Manipur (-0.363), Delhi (-0.289) and Uttarakhand (-0.277), according to the PAC report.

Highlights:

• In the view of increasing tourism, Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of Development of North Eastern Region, inaugurated the Mansar Lake Development Plan in J & K (Jammu and Kashmir). 
• The project is to attract almost 20 lakh tourists every year & create employment for 1.15 crore person-days with an income output of 800 crore/year.
• The day is a historic day for the people of Mansar Region, as the Mansar Lake Development Plan is getting completed after a long wait of 70 years.
• The recent developments in Jammu and Kashmir region had received the highest priority in development, particularly the Udhampur-Doda-Kathua parliamentary constituency.
• The numbers of national projects initiated in the region during the last 6 years are greater than the number of projects initiated in the earlier 7 decades.
• ShahpurKandi Irrigation Projects which were revived after four decades and the Ujh multipurpose project, which has also been revived after over 5 decades, the region has seen many such projects in the last six years.
• The world's highest railway bridge coming up in Reasi.
• Mansar is of importance from pilgrimage as well heritage point of view beyond being the most scenic attraction due to vast Mansar Lake and its flora and fauna.
• 7% of the region's GDP is contributed by tourism, but the novel coronavirus has impacted the sector.
• Centre has given 706 crores for the tourism sector, and the multi-pronged approach is being adopted to bring Jammu and Kashmir as one of the most preferred tourist destinations in the World Map.

Highlights:

• India dropped to 142 out of 180 countries in World Press Freedom Index, 2020. 
• Norway ranked first. South Asia in all was poorly featured. 
• Pakistan dropped three places to 145 and China was at 177.
• In India, there have been frequent press violations lately. 
• This is the main reason for India to drop down in ranking.
•  This includes ambushes by political activists, violence against journalists, attacks by criminal groups and corrupt officials. 
• The assassination of Journalist Gauri Lankesh in 2017 was condemned in India widely and protests took place in several parts of the country alleging that GoI failed to protect the journalist.

• The World Press Freedom Day is celebrated on May 3 by the United Nations. 
• The day is celebrated to remind the governments about the importance of press and press freedom

• The Conference is conducted by UNESCO every year. 
• This year it is to be held in December, 2020 under the theme, “Strengthening Investigation and Prosecutions to end Impunity for Crimes against Journalists”. 
• This year, in 2020, the conference is to be conducted jointly by Netherlands and UNESCO. 
• It was originally planned in April 2020. But was postponed to December 2020 due to COVID-19.

Highlights:

• Every year, the United Nations marks the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on November 2.
• This year, the day is celebrated under the theme
• Theme: Protect Journalists, Protect the Truth
• Between 2006 and 2019, more than 1,200 journalists have been killed.
• The recent assassination of Journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018 kindled worldwide criticism and scrutiny of the Saudi Government.
• The date of November 2nd was chosen to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against journalists to commemorate the assassination of French journalists in Mali in 2013.

Highlights:

• National Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is organizing a virtual conference with ministers in-charge of the rural water supply of all States/UTs on  3rd November, 2020 through video conference.
• The planning & implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission in States/ Union Territories (UTs) will be discussed with special focus on a 100-day campaign launched to provide piped water supply in Anganwadi centres, ashrams and schools in rural areas.

• The National Mission is constantly reviewing the progress of implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission in States and UTs to realize the goals of the mission. 
• The goals of Jal Jeevan Mission are to ensure that each and every household have assured drinking water supply inadequate quantity of good quality on long-term basis at affordable service.
• The prime focus is to ensure water supply to every home, functionality of taps on long-term basis, water testing facilities for general public, decentralized operation & management.
• The mission gives priority to water quality and main aims are to bring reforms in drinking water.
• The focus of the video conference is to discuss all these issues to give the desired pace & sustain the momentum for implementation of the life-changing mission to ensure every rural home gets safe water in their homes regularly.
• Jal Jeevan Mission focuses to bring reforms in the drinking water sector. 
• The flagship programme of the Central Government being implemented in partnership with States, which not only aims to provide FHTC - functional household tap connection to all homes of rural areas by 2024 but at the same time aims at service delivery, so that rural household will get continuous water supply in their houses. 
• The Mission also focuses on the sustainability of drinking water sources through water conservation measures, greywater treatment & reuse as well as operation & maintenance.
• The launch of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – ‘HarGhar Jal' is to provide assured potable piped water supply to each and every rural home is in full swing.
• The objective of the mission is universal coverage i.e. each and every family in every village is to get tap water connection.
• The provision of household tap facility in rural areas will support in removing 'drudgery' of women. 
• It will improve the 'ease of living' for people living in rural areas of our country.
• The goal of the mission, have finalized the saturation plan as below: Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTCs)
• - 100% FHTCs - 2020: Goa (Target achieved)
• - 100% FHTCs - 2021: A&N Islands, Bihar, Puducherry, Telangana
• - 100% FHTCs - 2022:  Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Punjab, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh
• - 100% FHTCs - 2023:  Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Tripura
• - 100% FHTCs - 2024:  Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, West Bengal.

Highlights:

• The Shipping Ministry has formed a Coastal Shipping Bill in lieu of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.
• The bill is in accordance with the PM's vision for augmenting people's participation and transparency in governance.
• The coastal shipping and coastal waters definition has been expanded, and it is planned to do away with the need of trading licence for Indian flag vessels for trading in coastal areas.
• The drafted Bill seeks to create a competitive environment and reduce transportation costs, at the same time encouraging Indian vessels to increase their share in coastal shipping.
• The Bill even proposes the integration of coastal maritime transport with inland waterways.
• There is also a provision for a National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan.
• The shipping sector grows & evolves in the country, a need was felt to have separate legislation on coastal shipping, that considers it an integral part of the transport chain & recognizes the policy priorities of the sector so that to meet the demands of the industries of shipping in India.

Highlights:

• Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone of Indo-Israeli Centre of Excellence for Vegetables Protected Cultivation at Khetri on the outskirts of Guwahati in presence of Israeli Ambassador to India Dr. Ron Malka.
• The facility is expected to provide exposure to latest Israeli technologies to state’s farmers and helping them maximize their production and income.
• Centre of Excellence would provide a major boost to agricultural and horticultural production in Assam, that it would be an extra value added to the government's efforts to double farmers' income.
• The close bond of friendship between India and Israel in recent years and said that India and Israel is a perfect match where both countries complement each other.
• The region has been taken from periphery to the middle of the country’s growth narrative through substantial improvement in air, road and river connectivity setting the stage for the state to become the gateway to SE Asia and ASEAN.
• The region is now seen as a promising destination for cultural exchange, trade and commerce, travel and tourism,
• Rs. 10.33-crore project is to bolster the agricultural activities in the state by giving exposure to the latest Israeli technologies.

Highlights:

• Union government notified new land laws for Jammu and Kashmir, ending the abrogated Article 370 and presently, common people and investors outside Jammu & Kashmir can purchase land in the region of J and K.
• This notification ended the exclusive rights of locals of Jammu and Kashmir over the land granted under Article 370.
• The new Jammu and Kashmir Development Act rejected the ‘being a permanent resident of the State’ as criteria to purchase land.
• The Centre soon going to notify land laws separately for the Ladakh Union Territory.
• The Jammu and Kashmir Land Revenue Act, Samvat, 1996 -only agriculturists of the region can buy agriculture land, and no exchange, sale, gift and mortgage shall be valid by a non-agriculturist.
• The MHA - Ministry of Home Affairs introduced the UT of J&K Reorganization, Adaption of Central Laws, Third Order, 2020 resulted in the repeal of 26 state laws.
• This included the J&K Big Landed Estates Abolition Act which resulted in the ‘Land of tiller rights’.
• The newly notified law ended the right of permanent residents over land.

Highlights:

• Novak Djokovic edged Swiss veteran Roger Federer in full sets in a spotlight semifinal duel to set up his encounter against unseeded Russian Karen Khachanov at the ATP Paris Masters .
• In their 47th career head-to-head, the Serbian moved to one win away from his fifth title at the tournament after triumphing 7-6 (6), 5-7, 7-6 (3) in over three hours to improve the record to 25-22, Xinhua reported.
• Following current world number 1 Rafael Nadal's withdrawal, it has undoubtedly become the most highly-anticipated clash at the tournament. 
• In the decider, Djokovic surrendered a glorious chance of breaking in the ninth game, only to see his 40-15 advantage slip away. 
• The to-be world number 1 threw his racket onto the court in frustration.
• After the duel recorded another tie-break, Djokovic took the initiative at 6-1.
•  Federer displayed his persistence by saving two match points, but still lost 7-3.

Highlights:

• The proposal - high-resolution satellite imagery may be used for detecting cultivation of hemp (a variety of cannabis).
• Apart from developing mobile-based applications (mobile app) for field-level officials, OSAC has also proposed to make a mechanism for citizen reporting through a mobile app
• The state of Odisha is one of the leading cannabis-producing states in the country of India.
• Cannabis is grown in forest regions of  Boudh, Rayagada, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Kandhamal, Nayagarh and Angul and districts.
• Although law enforcement agencies have intensified their raids, it is difficult to trace the cultivation on a real-time basis.

Highlights:

• On November 1, 2020, the world strongest Typhoon Goni hit the eastern part of Philippines. 
• This typhoon is considered as the strongest typhoon in the world. 
• It is bringing in catastrophic violent winds and is thus being considered as the hardest landfall on record.
• The Typhoon Goni has attained its maximum speed of 310 km per hour. More than 347,000 people have been evacuated.
• The typhoon is expected to damage more than 928,000 hectares of land and 58,431 hectares of corn.

• Goni formed as a tropical depression and later became a tropical storm Goni. I
• t has now intensified into Category 5 equivalent super typhoon. 
• It is called Typhoon Rollyin in Philippines. This is the second super typhoon in the Pacific Ocean in 2020. 
• Haishen was the first super typhoon to strike the Pacific in 2020.
• Philippines is prone to tropical cyclones due to its geographical location. 
• It has following favourable conditions for the cyclones to form
• Cyclones can form only on oceans with sea surface temperature greater than or equal to 26 to 27 degree Celsius.
• The region should have considerably large ocean for enough water to evaporate
• The warm air lifted should remain warmer than the surrounding undisturbed atmosphere at least to a height of 40,000 feet.
• Cyclones are formed beyond 5° This is because for the cyclone to form the Coriolis parameter should be larger than a specific threshold which is obtained only after 5° of latitude. 
• The Coriolis force is zero at the equator and maximum at the poles. 
• Coriolis force is the force acted upon the earth elements due to its rotation. 
• As the earth rotates in its axis, the circulating air gets deflected towards the left in the Southern Hemisphere and to the right in Northern Hemisphere. 
• This defection is called Coriolis effect.

Highlights:

• The UNESCO has recently included Panna National Park of Madhya Pradesh under its list of Biosphere reserves.
• Along with Panna, Fuvahmulahand Addu Atoll of Maldives was also included under the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
• The UNESCO, under its Man and Biosphere programme has included Panna Biosphere region as one of its Biosphere Reserve.
• Panna National park was included as biosphere reserve by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest.
• The UNESCO has described the National Park as a critical tiger habitat and has also pointed out that it is home to World Heritage site of Khajuraho temples.
• The Ken-Betwa river linking project will inundate around 400 hectares of the Panna National Park.
• It is also a Tiger Reserve.
• It is spread over 4,300 hectares. The river linking project involves the construction of Daudhan Dam across river Ken as well.
• On the other hand, the project will benefit 14 lakh people providing them with drinking water and generating 78 MW of hydropower.
• Biosphere Programme was launched by UNESCO in 1971. 
• It is an intergovernmental scientific programme that aims to establish scientific basis to improve the relationship between the people and their environment.

Highlights:

• Union Cabinet Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers Shri D.V. Sadananda Gowda holds a review meeting of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP). 
• PMBJP (Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana) was launched in 2008 by the Department of Pharmaceuticals under the Janaushadi Campaign, which was renamed as PMBJP in 2015-16.
• PMBJP scheme has achieved sales of Rs.358 crores worth of pharma products through 6600 Janaushadhi Kendras during the first seven months of the fiscal year 2020-21 (till October 31) and is likely to surpass Rs' sales. 600 crore for the entire year.
• The sales figure has seen a drastic increase from Rs 7.29 crore in 2014-15 to Rs. 433 crore in 2019-20.
• The BPPI (Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India) was appraised for ensuring the supply of medicines, drugs, and other pharma products like masks to people at affordable rates during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• The implementing agency of the PMBJP is BPPI. BPPI was established in December 2008 under the Department of Pharmaceuticals and registered as an independent society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• The scheme plans to extend the coverage of quality generic medicines, thus reducing the out-of-pocket expenditure on drugs and redefining the unit cost of treatment per person. 
• PMBJP also aims to create awareness about generic medicines through education and publicity so that quality is not synonymous with only a high price.

• It is also known as Janaushadhi Kendras, were set up across the country under PMBJP to provide generic drugs. 
• Generic drugs are marketed under an approved name rather than a brand name. 
• Under this scheme, all drugs procured are tested for quality assurance at the NABL (National Accreditation Board Laboratories) accredited laboratories and are compliant with the World Health Organisation Good Manufacturing Practices (WHO GMP) benchmarks.

• This week was celebrated across the country from March 1 to March 7, 2020, to educate the general public about the benefits of price and quality of the medicines sold at Jan Aushadhi Kendras.

• This application was launched in August 2019 to help people in- Locating nearby Janaushadhi Kendra through Google Maps and searching for Janaushadhi generic medicines. 
• It helps in Analysing product comparison of generic versus branded medicine in the form of Maximum Retail Price (MRP) and overall savings, etc.

Highlights:

• Academic Freedom Index (AFI) report provides a score to individual countries to specify the level of academic liberation its universities and educational centres.
• India has scored considerably low in the international index of academic freedom.
• The index helps to define each country’s academic freedom level and the researchers asserted that the primary goal behind this idea is to comprehend a university’s attractiveness in addition to its infrastructure, research output, etc.
• The maximum value of the index is 1.
• India has an AFI of 0.352, comparable to the scores of Saudi Arabia and Libya.
• Countries that scored higher than India are Pakistan (0.554), Brazil (0.466), Ukraine (0.422), Somalia (0.436) and Malaysia (0.582).
• Uruguay and Portugal top the list with scores of 0.971 each, followed closely by Latvia and Germany.
• At the bottom are North Korea (0.011), Eritrea (0.015), Bahrain (0.039) and Iran (0.116).
• The AFI has eight components. 

•  Freedom to research and teaching
•  Freedom of academic exchange and dissemination
•  Institutional autonomy
•  Campus integrity
•  Freedom of academic and cultural expression
•  Constitutional protection of academic freedom
•  An international legal commitment to academic freedom under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
•  Existence of universities

Highlights:

• Fifteen states have been identified for implementing Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme on Fortification oftf Rice & its distribution through PDS (Public Distribution System). 
• The Pilot Scheme has been approved for three years, beginning 2019-2020, with a total budget outlay of Rs.174.6 Crore. 
• 15 State Governments have identified their respective districts for implementing the Pilot Scheme.
• In this review meeting of an existing pilot scheme which aims to distribute fortified rice in 15 districts, it was decided that to fight chronic anaemia and undernutrition, the government is making policies to distribute fortified rice through the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Mid Day Meal Schemes across India from the year 2021, with particular focus on Aspirational districts.
• Fortification of rice is deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients, i.e., vitamins and minerals (including trace elements) in a portion of food, which will increase the nutritional quality of the food supply & provide a public health benefit with minimal health risk.
• Regular milled rice is low in micronutrients & serves primarily as a source of carbohydrate only.
• The fortification of rice is a significant possibility to increase nutrition. Fortified rice will contain Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Iron, and Zinc.
• Procedure for fortification: The concentration of just one micronutrient might be increased in a single food (e.g., the iodization of salt), or, there might be a whole range of food–micronutrient combinations.
• In October 2016, FSSAI - Food Safety and Standards Authority Of India operationalized the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2016 for fortifying staples, namely Wheat Flour and Rice, Milk and Edible Oil and Double Fortified Salt to reduce the high burden of micronutrient malnutrition in India.
• India’s National Nutritional strategy, 2017, had listed food fortification as one of the interventions to address deficiencies like anaemia, vitamin A and iodine deficiencies apart from supplementation and dietary diversification.
• Fortifying rice is done by grinding broken rice into powder and mixing that powder with nutrients, and then shaping into rice-like kernels using an extrusion process. 
• Then these fortified kernels are mixed with regular rice in a ratio ranging from 1:50 to 1:200.

• ICDS was launched on October 2, 1975. The Integrated Child Development Services Scheme offers a package of six services (Supplementary Nutrition, Immunization, Health check-up, Pre-school non-formal education, nutrition & health education, and Referral services) to children in the age of 0-6 years, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.

• The scheme was launched in 1995. 
• It ensures that every child within the age group of six to fourteen years studying in classes I to VIII who enrols and attends the school shall be provided with a hot cooked meal, free of charge every working day. 
• The Mid Day Meal Scheme is under the Department of School Education and Literacy.
• Aspirational Districts programme was launched in January 2018 to expeditiously improve the socio-economic status of 117 districts through cooperative and competitive federalism. 
• This programme aims to rapidly transform districts showing relatively less progress in key social areas.

Highlights:

• PM to chair Virtual Global Investor RoundtableThe Virtual Global Investor Roundtable(VGIR) is being organized by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, and National Investment & Infrastructure Fund.

• The roundtable is an exclusive dialogue between leading global institutional investors, Indian business leaders & the highest decision-makers from the Government of India (GoI) and Financial Market Regulators.
• The Roundtable will see participation from 20 of the world's largest pension & sovereign wealth funds with total assets of about US 6 trillion dollars.
• The global institutional investors represent key regions including the US, Europe, Korea, Japan, Middle East, Canada, Australia, and Singapore.
• The roundtable will witness the participation of key decision-makers of these funds, i.e., the CEOs and CIOs.
• The Roundtable will also see participation of a number of top Indian Business Leaders.
• VGIR 2020 will focus on India's economic and investment outlook, structural reforms & the government's vision for the path to a US 5 trillion dollars economy. 
• The event provides an opportunity for leading global investors & Indian business leaders to engage and deliberate with senior policymakers on how to further accelerate the growth of international investments in India.
• VGIR 2020 will also provide an occasion for all stakeholders to further cement the strong partnerships that have been built and to foster engagement with international institutional investors who are looking to increase their Indian investments.

Highlights:

• PM to chair Virtual Global Investor RoundtableThe Virtual Global Investor Roundtable(VGIR) is being organized by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, and National Investment & Infrastructure Fund.

• The roundtable is an exclusive dialogue between leading global institutional investors, Indian business leaders & the highest decision-makers from the Government of India (GoI) and Financial Market Regulators.
• The Roundtable will see participation from 20 of the world's largest pension & sovereign wealth funds with total assets of about US 6 trillion dollars.
• The global institutional investors represent key regions including the US, Europe, Korea, Japan, Middle East, Canada, Australia, and Singapore.
• The roundtable will witness the participation of key decision-makers of these funds, i.e., the CEOs and CIOs.
• The Roundtable will also see participation of a number of top Indian Business Leaders.
• VGIR 2020 will focus on India's economic and investment outlook, structural reforms & the government's vision for the path to a US 5 trillion dollars economy. 
• The event provides an opportunity for leading global investors & Indian business leaders to engage and deliberate with senior policymakers on how to further accelerate the growth of international investments in India.
• VGIR 2020 will also provide an occasion for all stakeholders to further cement the strong partnerships that have been built and to foster engagement with international institutional investors who are looking to increase their Indian investments.

Highlights:

• The 13th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference is being organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. 
• The first Urban Mobility India UMI Conference was held in 2008 in New Delhi.
• The annual UMI (Urban Mobility India) Conference is an event held under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India (GoI).
• The genesis of UMI (Urban Mobility India) is from the NUTP (National Urban Transport Policy) of the Government of India, 2006, which lays an extreme emphasis on building capabilities at the State and also at the city level to address the problems associated with urban transport and undertake the task of developing sustainable urban transport systems.
• The theme of the UMI (Urban Mobility India) Conference 2020 is "Emerging Trends in Urban Mobility."
• The conference's primary objective is to disseminate information to the cities, whose officials attend the conference, and keep up-to-date with the best urban transport practices.
• The conference provides an opportunity for key decision-makers and delegates to interact with other professionals, experts, academia, industry, civil society, technology, services providers, and other stakeholders in Urban Transport, both domestic and international, so that the delegates can carry home ideas to develop their urban transport along a sustainable path.
• It is also a forum to discuss key issues relevant to the sector and suggest measures to address them. 

Highlights:

• Some 189 countries remain committed to the 2015 Paris accord.
• Paris Agreement is a historic international accord that brings almost 200 countries together in setting a common target to reduce global greenhouse emissions to fight climate change.
• The pact seeks to keep global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels, and to try and limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
• To this end, each country has pledged to implement targeted action plans that will limit their greenhouse gas emissions.
• The Agreement asks rich and developed countries to provide financial and technological support to the developing world in its quest to fight and adapt to climate change.

Highlights:

• Hurricane Eta has hit northeastern Nicaragua with life-threatening storm surges, catastrophic winds, and flash flooding over portions of Central America. 
• It comes under the Category 4 hurricane. Category 4 storm will have wind speeds between 130-156 mph, and the storm will uproot trees and bring down power lines.
• Tropical cyclones or hurricanes use warm, moist air as their fuel and form over warm Equatorial water. When the warm, moist air rises upward from the ocean's surface, it creates an area of low air pressure below.
• When this happens, the air from the surrounding areas rushes to fill this place, eventually rising when it becomes warm and moist. An eye forms in the centre. 
• It is the calmest part of the cyclone. Before the wind reaches the centre, it gets warmed up and rises upwards.
• When the warm air rises and cools off, the moisture forms clouds. 
• This system of clouds and winds continues to grow and spin. This disturbance is fuelled by the ocean’s heat and the water that evaporates from its surface.
• Such storm systems rotate faster and faster. Storms that form towards the north of the equator rotate counterclockwise, while those that form to the south spin clockwise because of the earth's rotation.

• Hurricanes are categorized on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which rates them on a scale of 1 to 5 based on wind speed. 
• Hurricanes that are under category three or higher are classified as major hurricanes.

Highlights:

• Enhanced PINAKA rocket, developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has been successfully flight tested from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off Odisha's coast on November 04, 2020. 
• The development of the Enhanced PINAKA system was taken up to achieve more extended range performance compared to the earlier design.
• The design and development have been carried out by Pune based DRDO laboratories, namely  Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL).
• A total of six rockets were launched in quick succession, and the tests met complete mission objectives.
• Rockets tested have been manufactured by M/s Economic Explosives Limited, Nagpur, to whom the technology has been transferred.
• All the flight articles were tracked by Range instruments such as telemetry, radar, and Electro-Optical Tracking Systems, which confirmed the flight performance.
• An enhanced version of the PINAKA rocket would replace the existing PINAKA MK-I rockets currently under production.

Highlights:

• According to the latest Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data, India's manufacturing sector activity improved for the third straight month in October. Companies raised their output to the greatest extent in 13 years amid robust sales growth.
• The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose from 56.8 in September to 58.9 in October, and pointed to the most vital improvement in the sector's health in more than a decade.
• Purchasing Managers Index is an economic indicator that indicates the business activity and economic health of both the manufacturing & service sectors.
• Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) of India is published by Japanese firm Nikkei. It is compiled and constructed by IHS Markit which is a London–based global information provider.
• Index of Industrial Production (IIP) indicates the changes in production volume or output, but the Purchasing Managers' Index is an investor sentiment tracking index and is more dynamic.
• Variables used for calculating are Output, New Orders, Employment, Input Costs, Output Prices, Backlogs of Work, Export Orders, Quantity of Purchases, Suppliers' Delivery Times, Stocks of Purchases and Stocks of Finished Goods.

Highlights:

• The Government of India is planning to approve national standard specifications and rules for Metro Neo targeted at tier 2 & tier 3 cities. 
• Metro Neo is a no-frills, low-cost urban rail transit system.
• This Metro Neo is a mass rapid transit system that provides low-cost, energy-efficient, & eco-friendly transport solutions of urban for tier 2 and tier 3 cities.
• Metro Neo will draw traction power from overhead wires. 
• So, Metro Neo will not run on track but road.
• This Metro opts for traffic demand places where there are 8,000 passengers or above one way in peak time.
• These Metro systems are smaller and lighter than conventional Metro trains.
• Metro Neo costs about 25% of conventional systems but will have similar facilities, and are cheaper than the other budget option Metrolite, which costs about 40% of the normal Metro.
• The Maharashtra government has already given a green signal for this state-of-the-art Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) for Nashik.

Highlights:

• Union Health Minister Dr Harsha Vardhan gave away the Gandhian Young Technological Awards to the awardees on November 06, 2020.
• The awards were given in two categories:
• SITARE-GYTI: Students Innovations for Advancement of Research Explorations – Gandhian Young Technological Innovation [Under Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Department of Biotechnology (DBT)]
• SRISTI-GYTI: Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technological Innovations – Gandhian Young Technological Innovation [by SRISTI]
• The awards and appreciations are given under these two categories to encourage technology students to set up biotech and other start-ups.
• Fourteen awards and eleven appreciations under SITARE-GYTI; seven awards and sixteen appreciations under SRISTI-GYTI were presented.
• Gandhian Young Technological Innovation (GYTI) Awards celebrate the spirit of student innovation in all the fields of engineering, science, technology, and design through extremely affordable/economical solution or the ones pushing the technological edge. 

Highlights:

• To recognize the significant contributions towards defining the survival tactics of Leishmania donovani, CSIR-CDRI Scientist, Dr.SusantaKar, honoured with "Prof.A N Bhaduri Memorial Lecture Award-2020" by the Society of Biological Chemists (India)

• Leishmania Donovani is a protozoan parasite that infects macrophages and is a causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis (Kala-Azar), a lethal infectious disease affecting millions worldwide.
• Dr SusantaKar’s research group studied Leishmania's interaction with immune cells like macrophages, dendritic cells, and T cells and the fate of these interactions on the modulation of various intracellular signalling cascades that ultimately affect immune response/infection progression.
• Society of Biological Chemists (India) has instituted many awards, to recognize the meritorious and significant contributions made by the researchers/scientists on the development of biological sciences in the country.
• The Society of Biological Chemists (India) or SBC(I) was founded in 1930, with its Head Quarters at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.
• The award is conferred every two years.
• The recipient of the award should be below 50 years of age.
• The Award is given for Biological Chemistry and Allied sciences, preferably related to parasitic infection.

Highlights:

• The Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, will set up a Centre of Excellence for the Indian knowledge system.
• The Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank inaugurating the international webinar called ‘Bharata Tirtha’ organised by the institute.
• Education through the mother tongue, along with the rejuvenation of Sanskrit, will ease the educational process for India's diverse people and draw from the rich scholarly heritage of India. 
• Initiatives such as Study in India, GIAN, GIAN+, and other funded research programs could be the right resources to spread education and knowledge to the global students and researchers community.
• Our responsibility is to equip the Indian Knowledge System with Indian ethos and values and pursue excellence in every chosen field.
• The necessity to acknowledge and incentivize research work was expressed on Indian Scientific Heritage by awarding the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize. "Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize is a dream goal for science and technology researchers in India.
• The three-day webinar will witness talks by international stalwarts pioneering in Indic studies, including Arthashastra (Economics), Sanskrit for Natural Language Processing, Vedic and Ancient Indian Mathematics - Numeral System, Bijaganita and Jyamiti, Rasayana (Chemical Sciences), Ayurveda (Biological Sciences), Jyotir-tatha Mahajagatika Vidya (Positional and Astronomical Sciences), Prakriti Vidya (Terrestrial/ Material Sciences/ Ecology and Atmospheric Sciences) and Nandana Tathya tatha Vastu Vidya (Archaeology, Iconography, and Architecture). 

Highlights:

• According to the study in The Lancet, India took the position of third and fifth from the bottom respectively among countries where 19-year-old girls and boys have a low Body Mass Index (BMI)
• The investigation of Lancet gives new analysis to height and Body Mass Index (BMI) patterns in 2019 across 200 nations subsequent to breaking down information from 2,181 studies.
• India at the 196th place with respect to BMI ((body mass index) out of 200 countries. 
• The normal BMI ranges between BMI ranges between 20 and 25.
• China that ranks 88th with its boys having a BMI of 23 and 119th for its girls at 22.2.
• The mean BMI of 19-year-old young men is 20.1 in India, contrasted with a high of 29.6 in the Cook Islands and a low of 19.2 in Ethiopia.
• For Indian young ladies, the mean BMI is again 20.1, contrasted with a high of 29.0 in Tonga and a low of 19.6 in Timor-Leste.
• The mean height of Indian 19-year-olds is 166.5 cm for young men and 155.2 cm for young ladies, well underneath the high of Netherlands young men (183.8 cm) and young ladies (170 cm).
• BMI is estimated as the weight in kg isolated by the square of the tallness in meters. 
• WHO rules characterize a typical BMI range as 18.5 to 24.9, overweight as 25 or higher, and Obesity as 30 or higher.

Highlights:

• Ministry of MSME, Government of India, has alerted the general public and potential entrepreneurs against cheating in the name of Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP).
• The PMEGP is a central sector scheme launched in 2008. 
• It is administered by Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)

• The PMEGP programme is being implemented by the KVIC (Khadi and Village Industries Commission) at the national level. It is the only one nodal agency for the implementation of the programme.
• The Scheme is implemented through banks, District Industries Centres (DICs), State KVIC Directorates and State Khadi and Village Industries Boards (KVIBs) at the state level.
• Individuals over the age of 18 years, Self Help Groups (SHGs), Cooperative Societies engaged with the creation, and establishments that are enlisted under the Societies Registration Act of 1860 are qualified for benefits under this program. 
• There is no pay roof while setting up the undertaking.
• Help is given distinctly to the new units, units that have profited government appropriations under either the state or the central government plans; existing units are not qualified for subsidy under PMEGP.
• To accomplish comprehensive development the nation over, at least 75 activities will be granted to each area.
• Physically challenged, OBC, SC/STs, ladies, northeastern local candidates in rural regions are qualified for a higher pace of appropriation.

Highlights:

• The National Cancer Awareness day is connected with the birth anniversary of scientist Madame Curie.

• Scientist Marie Curie is known for her discovery of radium and polonium (radioactive materials), and also for her contribution to the fight against cancer.
• The work by Marie Curie led to the development of radiotherapy and nuclear energy for the treatment of cancer. 
• The 1st National Cancer Awareness Day was observed on November 07, 2014, in India.
• According to the WHO (World Health Organisation), cancer is the 2nd leading cause of death worldwide in 2018, there were approximately 18 million cases worldwide, of which 1.5 million were from only India.
• There were about 0.8 million cancer deaths in India in 2018 against 9.5 million worldwide. 
• The numbers of rising new cases are estimated to double by 2040 in India. 
• In India, around 1.1 million new cases are being reported every year.
• Nearly two-thirds of cases are diagnosed only at an advanced stage, that reduces patient's chances of survival. 
• It is analysed that one woman dies of cervical cancer every 8 minutes in India.
• Tobacco use accounted for 3,17,928 deaths (approx) in men and women in 2018.
• Oral cavity cancers and lungs cancers account for over 25% of deaths in males and breast cancer and oral cavity cancer account for 25% cancers in females.
• The National Cancer Control Programme was formed in 1975 to provide cancer treatment facilities in the country.  
• It was modified in 1984-85 to provide thrust to prevention and early detection of cancer.

Highlights:

• Second National Water Awards to be presented in November. 
• The Ground Water Augmentation Awards and National Water Award were first launched in the year 2007 with a target to support all stakeholders for adopting innovative practices of groundwater augmentation by rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge, promoting water use efficiency, recycling & re-use of water.
• The National water grants are planned to make mindfulness through individuals' support in the focused on zones coming about into the manageability of groundwater assets advancement, sufficient limit working among the partners, and so on
• Considering the way that surface water and groundwater are vital pieces of the water cycle, it was felt important to initiate a bound together National Water Awards with the objectives of encouraging the stakeholders to adopt a holistic approach towards water resources management in the country.
• In this manner, the National Water Awards 2018 were coordinated unexpectedly. The honours were given in 2019.
• The honours are given by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, GOI.
• The honours are given in a few classes, for example, 'Best State', 'Best District', 'Best School', 'Best Newspaper', 'Best NGO', 'Best Industry', and so on with sub-classifications moreover.

Highlights:

• The National Legal Services Day is observed on 9th November annually to spread awareness for ensuring reasonable fair and justice procedure for all citizens.
• National Legal Services Day (NLSD) was first begun by the Supreme Court of India in 1995 to give assistance and backing to poor and more vulnerable segments of the general public.
• Free legitimate administrations are given in issues before Civil, Criminal and Revenue Courts, Tribunals or some other power practising legal or semi-legal capacities.
• Article 39A of the Constitution gives that State will make sure about that the activity of the overall set of laws advances equity on a premise of equivalent chance
• And will specifically, give a free lawful guide, by appropriate enactment or plans or in some other manner, to guarantee that open doors for making sure about equity are not denied to any resident by reason of financial or another inability.
• Articles 14 and 22(1) likewise make it mandatory for the State to guarantee uniformity under the watchful eye of law and an overall set of laws which advances equity on a premise of equivalent occasion to all.
• Destinations of Legal Services Authorities are:
• -    Give free legitimate guide and counsel.
• -    Spread legitimate mindfulness.
• -    Coordinate lok adalats.
• -    Advance settlements of debates through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Mechanisms. Different sorts of ADR components are Arbitration, Conciliation, Judicial settlement including settlement through Lok Adalat, or Mediation.
• -    Give remuneration to survivors of wrongdoing.
• Lawful Services Institutions that offering Free Legal Types of assistance:

• The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) was established under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. 
• The Chief Justice of the nation is the Patron-in-Chief. 
• State Level:  It is going by the Chief Justice of the High Court of the state who is its Patron-in-Chief.

• The District Judge is its ex-officio Chairman. 
• Sub-Division/Taluka Level: Sub-Divisional/Taluka Legal Services Committee. 
• It is by a senior Civil Judge.
• High Court: High Court Legal Services Committee 
• High Court: Supreme Court Legal Services Committee

Highlights:

• The Fifteenth Finance Commission headed by N K Singh is to submit its report the President of India.
• The recommendations made by the commission are as follows:
• The Commission has recommended that the states shall get 41% of central tax revenues. 
• Earlier, the fourteenth Finance Commission had recommended 42%.
• 4.3 lakh crores for the local governments.
• Rs 1 lakh grant to health care.
• Rs 2.9 lakh crores of revenue deficit grants to 17 states.
• The commission have recommended the states to keep aside at least 8% of their budget for building health care capacities.
• Moderninsation of Defence and Internal Security Fund
• The Finance Commission had recommended to set up Modernisation of Defence and Internal Security Fund. 
• The fund is to be called Rashtriya Suraksha Naivedya Kosh. 
• The fund is to add up to Rs 2.4 lakh crores by 2021-26. 
• Of this, Rs 1.5 lakh crore is to be directly transferred to Consolidated Fund of India.
• The fund is to be used for capital investment for defence, state police forces and paramilitary forces. 
• The Defence Ministry will have exclusive rights over the funds.

Highlights:

• The President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind appointed Shri Yashvardhan K Sinha as the new Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of India.
• The post of Chief Information Commissioner was lying vacant over two months after Bimal Julka completed his term in August, 2020. 
• Sinha was short-listed for the post by a three-member committee headed by PM Modi. 
• Besides the Prime Minister, the opposition party leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Home Minister Amit Shah were the members of the panel.

• He was born in 1958. He joined the Indian Foreign Service. 
• He was the former High commissioner of India to the UK. 
• He was appointed as the Information commissioner in 2019 and now has been appointed as the Chief Information Commissioner.

• The roles and responsibilities of the Chief Information Commissioner are defined by the right to Information Act, 2005. 
• The act also defines the tenure, terms of service and salaries of the commissioner.
• The Right to Information rules, 2019 were notified in October 2019. 
• The Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) will hold office for three years. 
• Earlier it was five years
• The CIC and the Information commissioners will receive salary of Rs 2,50,000 per month and Rs 2,25,000 per month respectively.

• The CIC and the Information Commissioners shall not be a Member of Parliament. 
• Section 12(5) of the act states that he should a person of eminence in public life, experience in law, science and technology.
• Central Information Commission was constituted in 2005. 
• It acts upon complaints from individuals those who are not able to submit information to a Central Public Information Officer or a State Public Information Officer.

Highlights:

• Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has notified a warning that FASTags compulsory for every four-wheel vehicle from first January 2021. 
• This will apply to old vehicles just as M and N class of engine vehicles sold before first December, 2017.
• According to Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, the FASTag had been made required for all enlistment of new four-wheeled Vehicles since first December 2017. 
• It is being provided by the Vehicle Manufacturer or their sellers.
• For National Permit Vehicles the instalment of FASTag has been commanded since first of 2019 October
• Ministry - a valid FASTag is also compulsory while getting a new third Party Insurance through an amendment in the certificate of Insurance, wherein the details of FASTag ID will be captured. 
• This warning would be a significant advance for guaranteeing that the instalment of expenses is 100% at Toll Plazas through the Electronic Means just and that the vehicles go flawlessly through the Fee Plazas. 

• FASTag is an electronic toll collection system in India, operated by the National Highway Authority of India. 
• It employs Radio Frequency Identification technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it or directly toll owner.
• It also utilizes Radio Frequency Identification innovation for making cost instalments straightforwardly from the paid ahead of time or bank account connected to it or legitimately cost the proprietor.

Highlights:

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had spotted fast Radio Burst for the first time in the Milky Way.

• Fast Radio Burst (FRB) are splendid explosions of radio waves (radio waves can be created by cosmic articles with changing attractive fields) whose terms lie in the millisecond-scale, as a result of which it is hard to identify them and decide their situation in the sky. 
• It was first found in 2007.
• NASA noticed a blend of X-beam and radio signals never saw in the Milky Way.
• The X-beam bit of the synchronous blasts was identified by a few satellites, including NASA's Wind mission.
• NASA's Wind is a turn balanced out shuttle dispatched on first November, 1994. 
• After a few circles through the magnetosphere, Wind was put in a radiance circle around the L1 Lagrange point in mid-2004 to notice the unperturbed sun based breeze that is going to affect the magnetosphere of Earth.
• The radio segment was found by the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME), a radio telescope situated at Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory in British Columbia, which is driven by McGill University in Montreal, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Toronto.
• Ring is a novel radio telescope that has no moving parts. 
• Initially imagined to plan the most bountiful component known to man - hydrogen - over a decent part of the detectable universe, this irregular telescope is streamlined to have a high "mapping speed".

Highlights:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to new initiatives such as Mission Karmayogi in his speech at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie. 

• It is a nationwide initiative to lay the foundation for capacity building of civil servants.
• Mission Karmayogi will assist the officials in finding out about the accepted procedures over the world. 
• Authoritatively called the "National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB)", the mission intends to change human asset the executives in the nation.
• The basic focal point of the change is the formation of a ‘citizen-centric civil service’ equipped for making and conveying administrations helpful for financial development and public government assistance.
• Mission Karmayogi shifts the concentration from "Rule-based preparing to Role based preparing". More noteworthy push has been laid on conduct change.
• Mission Karmayogi program will be conveyed by setting up a computerized stage called iGOTKarmayogi.
• NPCSCB will be represented by the Prime Minister's Human Resource Council, which will likewise incorporate state Chief Ministers, Union Cabinet priests and specialists. 
• This board will endorse and audit common help limit building programs.
• Other than this, there will be a Cabinet Secretary Coordination Unit including select secretaries and framework controlling specialists.
• Additionally, there will be a Capacity Building Commission, which will remember specialists for related fields and worldwide experts. 
• This commission will get ready and screen yearly limit building plans and review HR accessible in the legislature.
• Likewise, there will be a completely possessed Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), which will oversee the iGOT-Karmayogi stage. 
• The SPV will make and operationalise the substance, commercial centre and oversee key business administrations of the iGOT-Karmayogi stage.

Highlights:

• Joe Biden has beaten incumbent Donald Trump to be picked as the following President-Elect of the United States after the majority of the main US media houses pronounced the principle landmark state of Pennsylvania for Biden.
• Joe Biden has been chosen as the 46th President of the United States. 
• The Democrat Presidential competitor was reported as the new President-elect after the majority of US media including CNN and the Associated Press called the US political race brings about the kindness of Joe Biden.
• Joe Biden, who will turn 78 toward the finish of November, will turn into the most seasoned leader of the United States when he makes the vow in January 2021.
• Kamala Harris will turn into the primary lady, first Indian American and first lady of shading to become Vice President of the United States.
• Joe Biden's complete name is Joseph Robinette Biden Junior. 
• He was brought up in Scranton in Pennsylvania and New Castle County in Delaware.
• Biden had acquired his law degree from Syracuse University in 1968 and was chosen a New Castle County Councilor in 1970.
• He had become the 6th most youthful representative in American history when he was chosen for the US Senate from Delaware in 1972 and proceeded to serve till 2009.
• Generally, he was reappointed to the Senate multiple times and was the fourth-most senior congressperson when he surrendered to join Barack Obama's Presidential Campaign as his Vice Presidential running mate in 2008.
• Joe Biden filled in as the 47th VP of the United States from 2009 to 2017. 
• Obama and Biden were first chosen in 2008 and afterwards reappointed in 2012.  
• He had ineffectively run for the Democrat Presidential assignment in 1988 and in 2008.

Highlights:

• National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has cleared an action plan to be specific 'Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2020-2025'. 
• Under this arrangement, there is an idea to set up Vulture Conservation Breeding Centers in Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. 
• These will be utilized by Red Headed vulture and Egyptian vulture.
• These Action plan likewise suggests setting up "Vulture Safe Zone" in each State for the preservation of the remaining population. 
• It likewise sets up 4 vulture rescue centres across India. 
• They are: Pinjore in north India, Bhopal in central India, Guwahati in upper east India Hyderabad in south India
• Vultures, by tidying up cadavers and other natural waste in the climate, give basically significant biological system benefits that likewise straightforwardly advantage people.
• India has 9 vulture species in the nation. The majority of their population are declining.
• Three of India's vulture types of the family 'Gyps' beneath are under serious danger.
• The long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus) (Critically Endangered)
• The slender-billed Vulture (G. tenuirostris) (Critically Endangered)
• The white-rumped vulture (G. bengalensis) (Critically Endangered)
• The initial two had declined by 97%, while the last one had declined almost 99% somewhere in the range of 1992 and 2007.
• Their decrease is related to the utilization of medications for cattle treatment which at that point end up in their stomach related framework making them powerless against kidney disappointment and harming

• This body is comprised of the Wildlife Protection Act (WLPA), 1972, which is led by the Prime Minister and surveys all wildlife-related issues. 
• The NBWL has 47 members including the administrator. 
• Among these, 19 individuals are ex-officio individuals. 
• Each new government establishes another board, in light of the arrangements of the WLPA, with the new PM as the seat. 
• It should meet two times every year. 
• The board is warning in its temperament with respect to the protection of natural life.

• Diclofenac is a typical calming drug managed to animals (cattle and other homegrown creatures) and is utilized to treat the manifestations of irritation, fevers or potentially torment related to infection or wounds. 
• It was generally utilized in India starting during the 1990s. 
• However, for vultures which eat dead cattle, are powerless against Diclofenac. 
• This medication causes kidney disappointment in the vultures. 
• Despite the fact that the medication was prohibited in 2006, it is purportedly still accessible for use.

Highlights:

• India directed an anti-satellite rocket test on March 27, 2019, which was named as Mission Shakti. 
• The test effectively decimated a live satellite in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
• Mission Shakti turned into a critical accomplishment for India for it acquired the country the line (fourth situation) with the US, Russia, and China to effectively forbid and capture a satellite in space dependent on complete indigenous innovation.
• On March 27, 2019, an anti-satellite framework that was created by India's R&D association, DRDO (Defense Research and Development Organization) was tried to crush a live satellite in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO). 
• The test was called Mission Shakti.
• India, like different countries, has her space resources that should be secured and protected. 
• Additionally, India has space programs that are quickly developing.
• The Mission Shakti was led to show India's ability to forbid and block a satellite in space dependent on complete indigenous innovation.

Highlights:

• World Science Day for Peace and Development or World Science Day, is observed on 10 November.
• The day is observed to raise awareness of the role of science in the development of sustainable societies.

• The theme for 2020 World Science Day for Peace and Development is "Science for and with Society." 

• I) Promote national as well as international solidarity for shared science between countries
• II) Strengthen and raise public awareness of the role of science for peaceful and sustainable societies
• III) Renew commitment between the countries for the use of science for the benefit of societies
• IV) Bring attention of the countries to the challenges faced by science in raising support for the scientific endeavour.

• World Science Day for Peace and Development day was established by UNESCO in 2001. 
• The day was initiated with an aim to raise awareness of the benefits of science worldwide. 
• World Science Day is an annual event celebrated all over the world to recall the commitment made at the UNESCO-International Council for Science (ICSU) World Conference on Science at Budapest in 1999. 
• The day also aims to renew the national, and the international commitment to science for peace and development. 
• The main objective of the day is to stress the responsible use of science for the benefit of society.

Highlights:

• National Education Day is acknowledged on November 11 every year in the view of honouring first educational minister Mr Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
• The day is observed as appreciation for India's first education minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, whose birth commemoration falls on 11 November.
• In his reign as education minister from 1947 to 1958, Azad made several significant commitments in the field of education. 
• The Union HRD Ministry (at present the Education Ministry) organized the recognition of the National Education Day in 2008.

• Maulana Abul Kalam Azad has his native in Mecca of Saudi Arabia to a Muslim researcher from Bengal with an Afghan family, Maulana Muhammad Khairuddin and his Arab spouse. 
• The family of Abul Kalam Azad had moved to Saudi Arabia after the Revolt of 1857. 
• In 1890 they got back to Calcutta. 
• Azad mastered a few dialects like Urdu, Persian, Hindi, English, Bengali and Arabic. 
• He indicated learnedness at a youthful age and was contributing articles to magazines and educating while in his youngsters itself. 
• He was distributing a famous month to month magazine Lissan-us-Sidq when he was only 12 years of age.

Highlights:

• The 20th Summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization(SCO) Council of Heads of State was held on November 10, 2020.

• The summit was chaired by the President of the Russian Federation Mr Vladimir Putin.
• Other Member States were represented by their Presidents, while India and Pakistan were represented at the level of Prime Minister.
• Other participants were-Secretary General of the SCO Secretariat, Executive Director of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, the Presidents of the four Observers (Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Mongolia) of the SCO.
• It is the 1st meeting in Virtual Format and third meeting that India participated after becoming a full-time member in 2017.
• India (a non-permanent member of the UNSC) beginning from 1 January 2021, will focus on the theme of 'reformed multilateralism' to bring about desirable changes in global governance.
• India’s firm belief in regional peace, security & prosperity, raising voice against terrorism, smuggling of illegal weapons, drugs and money-laundering.
• India's strong cultural and historical connection with the SCO region and reiterated India's strong responsibility towards fortifying network in the district with activities like International North-South Transport Corridor, Chabahar Port and Ashgabat Agreement.
• India likewise stretched out full help to noticing the twentieth commemoration of SCO in 2021 as the "SCO Year of Culture".
• Prime Minister congratulated President EmomaliRahmon of the Republic of Tajikistan for assuming the chairmanship of SCO next year and assured full cooperation from India.

Highlights:

• World's longest serving Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, passed Away on 11th November 2020 at the age of 84.
• After his demise, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa named crown prince Salman al-Khalifa as the new Prime Minister of the Kingdom.

• Sheikh Khalifa was one of the world’s longest-serving Prime Ministers.
• The al-Khalifa family has ruled the Kingdom since 1783.
• He held the post since Bahrain’s independence in 1971.
• He lead the nation’s government for decades and survived the 2011 Arab Spring protests that demanded his removal over corruption allegations.

Highlights:

• The summit focuses on measures to recover from the economic turmoil triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and ways to further broad base the strategic ties.
• The participating leaders will review the Asean-India strategic partnership and taking stock of the progress on connectivity.
• The summit will highlight the maritime cooperation, trade, and commerce, education and capacity building between the countries.
• They will also discuss ways to strengthen ASEAN-India engagement and will note the adoption of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action for the year 2021-2025.

• The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten countries in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic to its regions.
• It is is one of the most significant groups in the region. 
• Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, are its members. 
• The dialogue partners of ASEAN are India, the US, China, Japan, and Australia.
• Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
• Founded: 8 August 1967, Indonesia
• Founders: Narciso Ramos, Abdul Razak Hussein, Adam Malik, S. Rajaratnam, Thanat Khoman

Highlights:

• Recently, Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman announced the fourth economic stimulus package. 
• During the announcement, the Finance Minister introduced the “Atma Nirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana”.
• The beneficiaries of the scheme include employees in EPFO registered establishments who were on monthly wages less than Rs 15,000.
• Atma Nirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana will benefit new employees of EPFO registered organizations and the new employees who had lost jobs between March 1, 2020 and September 30, 2020.

• The centre under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana will provide subsidy for two years.
• For the establishments employing up to 1000 employees, the GoI will provide employees’ contribution (12% of wages) and employer’s contribution (12% of the wages).

• The Employment Provident Scheme is run by the Employees Provident Fund Organization. 
• It covers all the establishments that employs more than 20 people. Under the scheme, the employee has to pay a certain contribution towards the scheme. 
• The equal contribution will be paid by the employer as well. During retirement of the employee, a lumpsum amount with interest on both is given to the employee.
• Under the scheme, a person drawing salary less than Rs 15,000 is not eligible. 
• Thus, the GoI has brought in the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana to include them as well and also help boost employment generation in the country.
• The finance minister also announced that the PLI scheme is being extended to 10 other sectors. 
• An additional outlay of Rs 18,000 crores to PM Awas Yojana. 
• Rs 900 crores to research and development of Indian COVID-19 vaccine development.

Highlights:

• Every year, World Pneumonia Day is celebrated on November 12 by World Health Organization, UNICEF and several other international organizations.
• The first World Pneumonia Day was marked in 2019 by Global Coalition against Child Pneumonia.
• GAPP
• The Global Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Pneumonia called GAPP was released by WHO and UNICEF in 2009. 
• According to GAPP, around 1 million children can be saved every year if treatment and prevention of pneumonia is widely introduced in poorest countries of the world.
• About Pneumonia
• A course of antibiotics that is less than 1 USD in cost of capable of curing the disease, provided the treatment is started in early stages.
• Pneumonia sickens 155 million children under 5 and kills 1.6 million each year. 
• This make the disease number one killer of children under 5 than that of malaria, AIDS, measles.

• The GAPPD was launched by UNICEF and WHO in 2009. 
• The main objective of the programme is to reduce the number of children under five who are stunted and end preventable childhood deaths from diarrhoea and pneumonia.
• According to the World Health Organization, one in five children in India are affected by Pneumonia. 
• In 2018, Pneumonia killed more than 1,27,000 children. 
• 53% of Pneumonia in India is caused due to chold wasting, 27% due to outdoor air pollution and 22% caused by indoor air pollution.
• In July 2020, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) approved the first indigenously developed pneumonia vaccine. 
• It was developed by Serum Institute of India Limited.
• By reducing the deaths of children due to Pneumonia and Diarrhoea, one can achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of reducing under five mortality to at least to 25 per 1,000 live births by 2030.

Highlights:

• Public Service Broadcasting Day is celebrated every year on November 12 as the remembrance of the first and only visit of Mahatma Gandhi to the studio of All India Radio, Delhi in 1947. 
• During his visit to the All-India Radio station, Gandhi addressed people who were displaced after partition of Haryana and were temporarily settled in Kurukshetra. 
• Every year, a special event is organized to observe the Public Service Broadcasting Day in the premises of All India Radio, New Delhi.
• In January 2020, India and Bangladesh signed agreements in the field of Information and Broadcasting. Under the agreement, content from All India Radio has started airing on Bangladesh Radio Betar and similarly from the Bangladesh is being aired on All India Radio in Kolkata.
• In April 2020 in an attempt to solve problems of students during COVID-19, All India Radio started broadcasting the online classes and other academic content through its regional channels across the country on Radio, TV, and YouTube.
• Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar inaugurated a new Broadcast Auditorium of All India Radio in New Delhi in November 2019.

• All India Radio is a public sector broadcaster of the country established in the year 1936. 
• It is a division of broadcasting agency Prasar Bharati. 
• All India Radio is the one of the largest broadcasting organisations in the world in terms of the number of languages of broadcast and the socio-economic spectrum and cultural diversity served by the broadcaster. 
• AIR originates programming in 179 dialects and 23 languages. 
• AIR has 470 Broadcasting centres across the country. Doordarshan is also a division of Prasar Bharati.

Highlights:

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a Rs 65,000-crore fertilizer subsidy for farmers as part of her stimulus package to boost the economy.
• The sum amount is provided with an aim to ensure adequate availability of fertilizers to farmers.
• Also, an additional amount of Rs.10,000 crore will be provided for PM Garib Kalyan Rozgar Yojana in the current financial year. 
• This will accelerate the growth of the rural economy.
• Centre will release Rs 3,000 crore to EXIM Bank for the promotion of 'Project Exports' through lines of credits (LOC).
• EXIM Bank extends LOC on behalf of GoI as assistance to developing countries under the Indian Development and Economic Assistance Scheme (IDEAS) Scheme.

Highlights:

• On November 12, 2020, the Indian Navy launched the fifth Scorpene submarine “Vagir” at Mazagon Dock of south Mumbai. 
• The submarine is capable of taking missions such as anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, mine laying, intelligence gathering and area surveillance.
• Vagir is a part of six Kalvari class submarine that is being built in India. 
• These submarines were designed by French Navy and an energy company DCNS. 
• The six submarines were built under Project-75 of Indian Navy.

• Vagir has been named after Sand Fish. 
• It is a deep-sea predator in the Indian Ocean. 
• The first Vagir was commissioned in 1973. 
• The first Vagir submarine was from Russia.

• The Project 75 aims to build six Scorprene Class attack submarines. 
• The submarines were built through transfer of technology from a French Company DCNS at Mazagon Dock Limited. 
• Under the project, the first Scorpene submarine Kalvari was commissioned in 2017.
• The second Scorpene Class Submarine that was commissioned under the project was Scorpene Khanderi. The third Scorprene class submarine was INS Karanj. 
• INS Vela was the fourth Scorpene submarine. 
• The fifth Scorpene submarine being inducted is INS Vagir. 
• The INS Vagsheer is yet to be commissioned and is still under construction.
• Scoprene Class Submarine is a diesel-electric attack submarine that was jointly developed by French Direction des Constructions Navales (DCNS) and Spanish Navantia.
• The beneficial feature of these submarines is that they have an additional air-independent propulsion.
• Air-Independent Propulsion is a marine propulsion technology that allows non-nuclear submarine to operate without accessing surface oxygen (or atmospheric oxygen).

• Chakra Class
• Arihant Class
• The Diesel Electric submarines that are currently in service are as follows
• Shishumar class
• Kalvari class
• Sindhughosh class.

Highlights:

• Ministry of Jal Shakti organized the 2nd National Water Awards on 11th & 12th November 2020 to honour the excellence  in Water Management and Conservation across the Nation.
• Objective:
• The aim of the National Water Awards is to acknowledge individuals/organizations doing commendable work in the field of water conservation and management.
• Also, it strives to create awareness among the people about the importance of water and motivate them to adopt the best water usage practices.
• The National Water Awards not only focused on the good work and efforts made by individual and organisations across the country, it was a right step in the direction of government’s vision of a ‘Jal Samridh Bharat’.
• The event provided a good opportunity to start-ups as well as leading organisations to engage and deliberate. The ceremony also provided an occasion for all people and organisations to further cement a strong partnership and engender stakeholders’ engagement in water resources conservation and management.

• The National Water Awards 2019 was launched in September 2019 on MyGov portal and entries were also invited by Central Groundwater Board.
• The Jury Committee was headed by Shri Shashi Shekhar, Former Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
• Two Screening Committees with members from CGWB and CWC assisted the Jury Committee in studying the applications and selecting the winners.
• National Water Awardees, delegates and audience joined LIVE through virtual platform.
• The winners of the National Water Awards for the year 2019 have been declared.
• The awards are given in several categories such as ‘Best State’, ‘Best District’, ‘Best School’, ‘Best Newspaper’, ‘Best NGO’, ‘Best Industry’, etc. with sub-categories also.
• The Best State Awards for first 3 positions were backed Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
• Special Category States  - 1st place is given  to Mizoram
• Best District Awards in Revival of Rivers and Water Conservation were given to:
• Ayodhya and Almora - North
• Vellore and YSR Kadapa - South
• Sangli and Kachchh - West
• Bilaspur and Surajpur - East
• West Tripura (WC) - Northeast
• Khandana and Vizianagaram - Aspirational district category

Highlights:

• Every year, World Diabetes Day is celebrated on November 14. 
• The celebrations of the World Diabetes Day is led by International Diabetes Federation. 
• This year the World Diabetes Day is celebrated under the theme

• The World Diabetes Day was launched in 1991 by the World Health Organization and the International Diabetes Federation.
• Type I diabetes is not preventable but can be managed with insulin injections. 
• Type II diabetes is preventable and treatable.
• India is home to second largest diabetes patients in the world after China. 
• Around 77 million in India suffer from diabetes. 
• China leads the list with 116 million diabetic patients.
• India contributes to 15% of global diabetes burden and only 1% to global diabetic research according to National Health Mission. 
• Lately Diabetic retinopathy has increased in India.
• Diabetic Retinopathy is the damage of blood vessels in eye due to high blood sugar levels. 
• Eventually, the retina gets damaged. 
• In 2019, India released National Diabetes and Diabetic Survey. 
• According to the survey, on in 46 diabetic patients in India become visually impaired due to diabetes.
• The World Diabetes Day is celebrated on November 14 because, it marks the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting who discovered Insulin.
• In 2010, India launched National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancers, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke. 
• The programme provides cost effective treatment at various levels of healthcare.

• The WHO Global Diabetes Compact was launched in April 2021. 
• The main goal of the initiative is to support the countries in implementing programmes that help prevent diabetes and manage diabetes. 
• Around 6% of world population is suffering from diabetes. 
• This is four times the number as compared to that of 1980. 
• The number is expected to increase to 570 million in 2030.

Highlights:

• Union Cabinet approves Continuation and Revamping of the Scheme for Financial Support to Public-Private Partnerships(PPP) in Infrastructure Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme.
• The approval has been given to continue the scheme till 2024-25 with a total outlay of Rs.8100 crore.
• The Revamped Scheme is principally identified with the presentation of the accompanying two sub-plans for mainstreaming private cooperation in social framework:

• caters to social sectors like wastewater treatment, water supply, solid waste management, health and education, etc.
• These undertakings face bankability issues and helpless income streams to provide food completely to capital expenses.
• The tasks qualified under this class ought to have in any event 100% operational cost recuperation.

• It will support demonstration/pilot social sector projects. 
• The undertakings might be from the wellbeing and instruction areas where there is at any rate 50% operational cost recovery.
• The scheme aims to advance PPPs in social and financial framework prompting the productive making of resources and guaranteeing their legitimate activity and upkeep and make the monetarily/socially fundamental ventures economically reasonable.
• The plan would be valuable to people in general everywhere as it would help in the production of foundation for the nation.

Highlights:

• On November 13, 2020, the World Health Organization announced that it is to set up a traditional medicine centre in India.
• The announcement of establishing the centre was made during the inaugural ceremony of two future ready Ayurveda institutions. 
• These institutions were inaugurated in Jamnagar and Jaipur. 
• The Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda was established in Jamnagar and has been conferred with the status of Institution of National Importance. 
• The National Institute of Ayurveda that has been inaugurated at Jaipur has been designated as the Institution Deemed to be University. 
• The status for these institutions were provided by the University Grants Commission.
• The institutes were inaugurated as part of Dhanteras celebrations.

• The new centre of traditional medicines will support efforts of WHO to implement WHO Strategy of Traditional Medicines 2014-23. 
• The strategy aims to develop policies and action plans to strengthen role of traditional medicines in universal health coverage.
• Every year, Dhanteras is celebrated on Dhanvantari Jayanti. 
• Also, the National Ayurveda Day is marked during Dhanteras Celebrations.
• According to the National Medicinal Plant Board, the global trade of traditional medicines stands at 120 billion USD. 
• It is predicted that it might grow to 7 trillion USD by 2050.
• Several countries have fixed their export and import policies based on USFDA regulations. 
• Some of the European countries have even made it mandatory for a drug to be certified by USFDA for its sale or distribution.
• USFDA does not approve compounded drugs. On the other hand, most of the Ayurvedic drugs are compounded.

Highlights:

• The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) approved draft Banking Regulations Act-2020 for banking operations at IFSCs.

• Banking constitutes one of the major focus areas of IFSCs (International Financial Services Centres) and is expected to drive and facilitate the other constituent operations in IFSCs in due course, IFSCA said in a statement.
• A self-contained regulation laying down the major principles of banking operations at IFSCs is thus an important step in the IFSC reaching its desired potential.
• The authority approved the draft banking regulations at its meeting held on Wednesday, as per the statement.
• The salient aspects of the banking regulations include laying down the requirements for setting up IFSC Banking Units (IBUs) and permitting persons resident outside India - having net worth of not less than $1 million - to open foreign currency accounts in any freely convertible currency at IBUs.
• The draft regulations provide for permitting persons resident in India -having net worth of at least $1 million - to open foreign currency accounts in any freely convertible currency at IBUs to undertake any permissible current account or capital account transaction or any combination thereof under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) of the Reserve Bank of India.
• It also lays down the permissible activities of IBUs such as credit enhancement, credit insurance and sale, purchase of portfolios, engaging in factoring and undertaking equipment leasing, including aircraft leasing.
• As per the draft regulations, the authority can determine businesses that a banking unit may be permitted to conduct in INR with persons resident in India and persons resident outside India, subject to settlement of the financial transaction in relation to such business in freely convertible foreign currency.
• The draft regulations will be notified by the government in due course, the statement said.
• Gujarat-headquartered IFSCA has been authorised to regulate all financial services at IFSCs.
• The IFSCA was established on April 27 this year with its head office in Gandhinagar.
• Earlier, in December 2019, Parliament passed a bill to set up a unified authority for regulating all financial activities at IFSCs in the country.

Highlights:

• The Defense Research and Development Organization - DRDO successfully tested the Quick Response Surface-to-Air Missile System (QRSAM) on November 13, 2020.
• The test was conducted at the comprehensive test field in Chandipur on the Odi Saha coast. 
• The test is a continuation of a series of missile tests conducted by DRDO in the past two months.

• QRSAM is a tank-based system, which means it is stored and operated from specially designed compartments.
• In the tank, the internal environment is controlled, so not only is it easy to transport and store, but the shelf life of the weapon is also greatly improved. 
• The system can detect and track moving targets and engage them after a short pause.
• It is a short-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, mainly designed and developed by DRDO, to provide a defensive barrier for the army's mobile armored forces to protect them from enemy air attacks.
• The entire weapon system has been configured on a mobile mobile platform that can provide air defense capabilities while on the move. 
• It was designed to introduce it to the Army, with a range of 25 to 30 kilometers.
• The QRSAM weapon group that functions on the move consists of a fully automated command and control system.
• It also consists of two radars-active array battery surveillance radar and active array battery multifunctional radar-with a transmitter.
• Both radars have 360-degree coverage with "mobile search" and "mobile tracking" functions.
• The system has a compact structure, uses a single-stage solid-propelled missile, and has a midway inertial navigation system with a two-way data link and a terminal active seeker developed by DRDO.

Highlights:

• The Prime Minister Narendra Modi  co-chaired India-ASEAN summit along with the Vietnamese Prime Minister Ngyuyen Xuan Phuc.
• During the summit, PM annoucned that India is to contribute 1 million USD to COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund.
• The summit reviewed the status of India-ASEAN strategic partnership.
• It focused  on key areas such as maritime cooperation, connectivity, trade and commerce, capacity building and education.
• ASEAN is considered as an influential grouping as the ASEAN region has high potential for upcoming markets. 
• The region is expected to grow at an average of 5.2% by 2022.
• It is to become the world largest single market by 2030.
•  Therefore, India, China, Japan and Australia are competing with each other to grab their place in the market.
• The ASEAN summit is being held amid China’s aggressive behaviour in the South China sea.

• ASEAN is Association of South East Asian Nations. 
• It is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten countries in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic.
• Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
• Founded: 8 August 1967, Indonesia
• Members: Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Brunei, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, Laos
• Founders: Narciso Ramos, Abdul Razak Hussein, Adam Malik, S. Rajaratnam, Thanat Khoman

India-ASEAN Relationship:

• During the summit, India and ASEAN adopted “ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2021-2025)”. 
• The ten members of ASEAN include Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar.
• Benefits from ASEAN to India:
• India is to develop the North East Region by building its trade and connectivity with the ASEAN countries through air, land and water. 
• This is the prime focus of Act East Policy of India. 
• In order to improve its trade with ASEAN, India has increased its linkages with countries such as Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. 
• India has signed an agreement to build 1,400 km trilateral highway that will connect India, Myanmar and Thailand. 
• The Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project is under implementation. 
• The project will link Sittwe port with the state of Mizoram. 
• There are plans to connect New Delhi and Hanoi in Vietnam.
• ASEAN is the fourth largest trading partner of India. 
• India’s overall trade with ASEAN stands at 10.6% of overall trade of the country.

Highlights:

• On November 15, 2020, China and fourteen other countries signed a deal to set up the world largest trading bloc. 
• The negotiations to sign the deal began in 2011. 
• These 15 countries account to 30% of world population and 30% of global GDP. 
• Thus, the deal is the world largest Free Trade Agreement.
• The deal was signed on the side lines of online ASEAN summit. 
• The agreement will lower the tariffs further. Also, it is less comprehensive than the Trans-Pacific trade deal. 
• This is the first time China and Japan reached a bilateral tariff reduction arrangement. 
• Also, it is for the first time China, South Korea and Japan have come together in a single free trade agreement.
• Unlike the CPTPP and the European Union Trade deal, it does not set standards on labour and environment.

• The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is a free trade agreement initiated by Indonesia, between the Asia-Pacific nations of Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. Wikipedia
• Signed: 15 November 2020
• Condition: Ratification by at least 6 ASEAN and 3 non-ASEAN countries
• Location: Hanoi, Vietnam (Virtual host)
• The agreement has left the doors open for India.
• However, India, in 2019 opted out of the agreement mainly due to concerns of dumping manufactured goods from China.
• And also dumping of diary products from New Zealand and agricultural products from Australia. India also raised several concerns regarding the deal. 
• And the deal failed to address India’s concerns.
• The deal is also a coup for China. Being the biggest market in the region with 1.3 billion people, the deal will allow China to cast itself as a champion of multilateral cooperation and globalization. 
• This will provide China a greater influence governing the regional trade.
• Other biggest trade deals

• It is a retooled version of the North American Free Trade Agreement
• It covers one-tenth of the world population
• Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership(CPTPP)
• It is the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership
• It was signed in 2018 in Chile.
• It was signed between Canada, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Vietnam, Singapore, Peru, New Zealand, Malaysia, Chile, Brunei.

Highlights:

• Every year, UNESCO and several other international organizations celebrate the International Day for Tolerance on November 16. 
• This day is celebrated to raise awareness of the importance of tolerance in society. 
• It also aims to raise awareness of the negative effects of intolerance.
• According to UNESCO, tolerance is an attribute that helps people live in peace. 
• According to UNESCO’s 1995 Declaration of Principles of Tolerance, tolerance is the acceptance, respect and appreciation of world cultures and human lifestyles. 
• This is also the basic theme of the 2020 International Day for Tolerance.
• The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution commemorating the International Day of Tolerance in 1996.
• UNESCO awards the Madan Jeet Singh Prize every year to promote tolerance and non-violence. 
• The award was awarded on the International Day of Tolerance. 
• The winner will receive a prize amount of 100,000 U.S. dollars.

• Madan Jeet Singh is an Indian diplomat. 
• He was born in Lahore, British India in 1924. In 1942, he actively participated in the Mahatma Gandhi movement to disperse India against Indian colonial rule.
• Madan Jeet is in jail for his actions against the British government. 
• He joined the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1953 and has served in Greece, Yugoslavia, the Lost, Sweden, Spain, the Soviet Union, Sweden, and Denmark.  
• He joined India in 1982 as UNESCO Ambassador. 
• In 2000, Madan Jit became a goodwill ambassador to the United Nations.
• The UNESCO Executive Board established the UNESCO Madan Jet Singh Prize to recognize his life-long dedication to the cause of peace and community harmony, in recognition of his tolerance and non-violence.
• UNESCO will celebrate 1995 as the United Nations Year of Tolerance. 
• This is related to the 125th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. 
• The 1995 celebration was funded by Madan Jeet Singh.

Highlights:

• Every year the National Press Day is celebrated on November 16.
• This is because the Press Council of India was established on November 16, 1966.
• The Press Council of India acts as a moral Watchdog for media.
• Also, the Press Council of India makes sure that the freedom of press is not controlled by the threats or influence of other extraneous factors.
• In India, the celebration of National Press Day is considered as the symbol of free and responsible press in India.

• The Article 19 of the Constitution of India provides the right to freedom of speech and expression. However, the freedom of press is not specifically included in the article.
• Violence against journalists in India
• Between 1992 and 2018, 48 journalists have been killed in India.
• According to the Global Press Freedom Index, 2020, India ranked 140th out of 180 countries.
• There have been constant press freedom violations in India.
• This included ambushes by political activist, police violence against journalist and attacks instigated by corrupt local officials or criminal groups.
• The World Press Freedom Index (or the Global Press Freedom Index) is being published since 2000 annually.
• It is published by the Reporters Sans Frontiers or Reporters without borders.
• It is an independent Non-Governmental Organization.
• It has a consultative status with the UNESCO, United Nations and the International Organization of Francophone.
• The NGO ranks the countries based on the parameters such as media independent, pluralism, media environment, legislative Framework, quality of infrastructure and transparency.

Highlights:

• The isolated UK overseas territory of Tristan da Cunha was declared the largest fully protected Marine reserve of Atlantic Ocean. 
• This will prohibit sand extraction, bottom trawling fishing and deep-sea mining in more than 90% of waters of the territory. 
• It includes 687,000 square kilo metres of water in the Atlantic ocean.
• UK is on the track of bringing 30% of world ocean under protected zone by 2030. 
• The marine waters of Tristan da Cunha has been declared a protected zone in order to achieve this goal.

• It is a small chain of islands inhabited by less than 300 humans. 
• It is located at 6,000 miles from London in the South Atlantic Ocean. 
• The waters around the island are the richest in the world. 
• It is home to tens of millions of seabirds, unique land birds. 
• There are two endangered species and five endangered species in the island. 
• The island is also home to World Heritage sites such as Gough and Inaccessible Islands. 
• These islands are the most important seabird islands of the world. 
• The island will become largest no-take zone in the Atlantic Ocean after joining Blue Belt programme of UK.

• The programme protects the overseas territories of the country. 
• It aims to achieve sustainable management of their marine environment. 
• It was launched in 2017. 
• It includes British Antarctic Territories and British Indian Ocean Territories as well. 
• However, in accordance to Antarctic treaty, the claims over the region has been suspended.
• The British Indian Ocean Territories lies 500 miles south of Maldives. It consists of five low-lying coral atolls.
• The human activities in Antarctic are regulated by Antarctic Treaty that was signed in 1960. 
• Around 54 countries signed the treaty. 
• The treaty sets Antarctica as a scientific preserve and bans military activity in the continent.

Highlights:

• According to the Registrar of India "Indian vital statistics based on the civil registration system'', Arunachal Pradesh is the highest in the country. 
• Sex ratio is a demographic concept used to measure the ratio of women to men in a given population. 
• The sex ratio at birth is the no. of women born per 1,000 men.
• According to the report, the sex ratio in Arunachal Pradesh is the highest in the country, while the sex ratio in Manipur is the worst.
• Arunachal Pradesh recorded 1084 women per 1,000 men, followed by Nagaland (965) Mizoram (964), Kerala (963) and Karnataka (957).
• Manipur (757), Lakshadweep (839) and Dammam and Diu (877), Punjab (896) and Gujarat (897) reported the most serious reports.
• The number of registered births in 2018 increased from 2.21 million in the previous year to 2.33 million. 
• The number of birth registrations increased from 81.3% in 2009 to 89.3% in 2018.
• The prescribed time limit for registration of a birth or death is 21 days. 
• However, some countries still record births and deaths even after one year.
• The life or death reported one year later should be registered by the first-class magistrate only after the correctness has been verified and the prescribed fees have been paid.

Highlights:

• China has begun to build a strategic railway line (this is the second major railway line to Tibet) that will connect Sichuan Province in southwest China with Linzhi, Tibet, near the border of Arunachal Pradesh in India. Linzhi (also known as Nyingchi) is located near the border of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The India-China border dispute involves a 3,488-kilometer line of actual control, which is the actual border between the two countries. 
• China claims that Arunachal Pradesh is a part of southern Tibet, but India firmly rejected it.
• Just like the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Line (which connected Lhasa (the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR)) to the mainland in 2006), this will be the second route to connect the Tibet Autonomous Region with the mainland.
• The Sichuan-Tibet Railway departs from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, and enters Tibet via Qamdo, shortening the journey from Chengdu to Lhasa from 48 hours to 13 hours.
• When there is a crisis on the border, the railway can act as a "fast track" for the transportation of strategic materials.
• Since this railway runs near the southwest border of China, it will greatly improve the efficiency and convenience of military personnel and material transportation and logical materials.

Highlights:

• On November 17, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to attend the 12th BRICS to be hosted by Russia. The summit is to be held under the theme “Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth”.
• The BRICS members to participate in the meeting are China, India, Brazil, Russia and South Africa.
• The meeting was to be held at St Peterburg in July 2020. 
• However, it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• Lastly Russia chaired the 7th BRICS summit.

• India is currently in the middle of Global Geopolitics. 
• It is highly challenging for India to carve a middle path to balance its interests between Russia, US and China. 
• The BRICS platform is the best opportunity for India to balance China-Russia axis.
• The BRICS community plays significant role in G20. 
• All the BRICS members are members of G20 as well. The BRICS countries hold a common objective to reform the international monetary system to build a balanced international order. 
• For instance, all the BRICS countries including China and India agreed on a debt pact to help poor countries hit by COVID-19.
• The BRICS has recently emerged as the voice of developing countries. 
• The western countries have been raising challenges on issues from climate change to World Trade Organization. 
• This is crippling the developing countries.
• BRICS acts as a common platform to work against terrorism.

Highlights:

• On November 16, 2020, DIPAM (Department of Investment and Public Asset Management) signed an agreement with World Bank.
• Under the agreement, the World Bank will provide advisory services on asset monetization.
• Asset Monetization is creating new sources of revenue by unlocking underutilized or untilized public assets.

• DIPAM is to facilitate monetization of non-core assets and enemy property of Rs 100 crores. There are plans to sell minority stakes in LIC.
• The World Bank consulting project approved by the Minister of Finance aims to analyze India’s public asset monetization, benchmark India’s institutions and business models against international best practices, and support the development of business guidelines and the ability to implement these guidelines.
• The project is expected to promote and accelerate the monetization process of non-core assets and help release the value of these unused/used assets, which may greatly increase financial resources for further investment and growth.
• DIPAM has a framework to monetize the assets. 
• The World Bank advisory project will analyze public asset monetization in India, benchmark its business and institutional models against international best practices.
• The project will accelerate the monetization process of non-core assets.
• It will help to unlock the values of marginally used assets.

Highlights:

• On November 16, 2020, Aryna Sabalenka won the Linz Open Title. 
• The 22-year old Belarusian traded places with Serena Williams who has dropped to 11th in ranking. 
• Serena has not played since French Open due to her Achilles injury.

• She is a Belarusian Tennis player. 
• She has been ranked at number 9 in singles and number 2 in doubles by the Women Tennis Association. 
• Sabalenka won her first Grand Slam at the 2019 US Open. 
• In all she has won twelve Women Tennis Association (WTA) titles.
• Linz Open is played in hardcourts. 
• It is sponsored by Generali Gruppe. It is usually held in Linz, Austria. Since 2009, it is designated as WTA International Tournament.
• Hard Courts are made of Acrylic to provide greater consistency of bounce. 
• They are faster than clay but not as faster than grass courts. 
• The US Open and Australian Open are played in Hard courts. 
• The US Open is played in Deco turf and the Australian Open is played in GreenSet.

Highlights:

• According to the recently published Lancet medical report, the life expectancy of India has increased since 1990.
• The life expectancy of India has increased from 59.6 years in 1992 to 70.8 years in 2019.
• Kerala has the highest life expectancy. 
• In Kerala life expectancy has increased to 77.3 years.
• The life expectancy of Uttar Pradesh was 66.9 years.
• The report says that the maternal mortality in India is coming down.
• However, maternal malnutrition and child malnutrition are still the major factors of illness and death in India.
• They still contribute to one-fifth of total disease burden in States touches Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
• The cardiovascular diseases that were the fifth major cause of death in India has now become number 1.
• The cancer rates are increasing in the country.
• In the last 30 years chronic illness including high blood sugar, obesity and air pollution. related health issues have increased in India.
• The largest contributors to health loss in India in the last 30 years were diabetes, heart diseases, stroke and musculoskeletal disorders.
• The top five risk factors of death in India are air pollution, high blood pressure, tobacco use, poor diet and high blood sugar. 
• The air pollution contributed to 1.7 million death, high blood pressure contributes to 1.47 million death, tobacco use to 1.23 million death, poor diet to 1.18 million deaths and high blood sugar to 1.12 million deaths.

• According to World Health Organization, Maternal mortality is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of pregnancy termination.
• According to the national health policy 2017, India has set a target of achieving MMR of100 per 100000 live births by 2020. 
• As of 2018, maternal mortality ratio in India is 113.
• India has also committed to achieve the United Nations target of sustainable development goals for maternal mortality rate of 70 per 100000 live births by 2030.

Highlights:

• Every year, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is marked on October 17 by the United Nations. 
• This year, the day is observed under the theme

• The day was declared as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty in 1992. 
• In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human rights was signed in Paris. 
• It was signed to honour the victims of poverty, hunger and violence. 
• It was the first signed where people came together to agree that poverty is a violation of human rights. 
• The United Nations defines poverty as earning less than 1.9 USD a day.
• The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal aims to end poverty by 2030. 
• Poverty is one among the Millennium Development Goal.

• The eight contributors of Millennium Development Goal are inequality in education, poverty and hunger, gender inequality, child mortality, poor maternal health, infectious diseases, changing environment and unsustainable development.
• Poverty in India: 
• According to National Poverty Line in 2011, around 21.9% of population are below poverty. 
• The current national poverty line of India is Rs 1,059 per month in rural areas and Rs 1,286 per month in urban areas.
• The poverty estimation in India is based on consumption expenditure and not on income levels. 
• Several committees have determined poverty line of the country. 

• Alagh Committee was established in 1979. 
• It determined the minimum daily requirement for an adult as 2400 to 2100 calories
• The other committees that estimated poverty in India were Lakdawala Committee in 1993, Rangarajan Committee in 2012, Tendulkar Committee in 20019.
• The Rangarajan committee that submitted its report in 2014 estimated poverty line as Rs 1,407 per month in urban areas and Rs 972 per month in rural areas. 
• According to Rangarajan Committee, there are 454 million people under pverty in India.
• According to the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, 2018 of the United Nations, poverty rate of India halved from 55% to 28% in 10-year period, that is, between 2006-16.

Highlights:

• The 15th East Asia Summit was held in Hanoi, Vietnam on November 14, 2020.
• The East Asia Summit is a major forum in the Asia-Pacific region, covering issues related to security and defense.
• Since its establishment in 2005, it has been playing an important role in East Asia's strategy, geopolitics and economic development.
• The East Asia Summit is regarded as a forum led by leaders to exchange views on strategic issues and compliance with international law, respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, and promote a rule-based global order.
• The summit was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic and hosted by Vietnam, where the summit was initially scheduled to take place.
• The East Asia Summit is an annual meeting of national leaders from the East Asian region and adjoining countries.
• Host country-Vietnam
• Participants-EAS members.
• It includes 10 ASEAN member states, as well as India, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Russia.

Highlights:

• The Kochi – Mangaluru natural gas pipeline project is ready for commissioning. 
• The pipeline will supply natural gas to all seven areas (Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod) that Kerala passes through and the hilly Wayanad area.
• The 444-kilometre-long natural gas pipeline was launched in 2009 with an estimated cost of Rs 29.15 billion.
• The project will be put into use in 2014.
• However, due to opposition in terms of security and commercial reasons, land prices are the main obstacle, so the cost of the project has almost doubled to 57.5 billion rupees.
• The 1st phase of the project was put into use in the Kochi Metropolitan Area in August 2013.
• GAIL India has completed the last 540 meters of the sinister extension of the Chandragiri River in northern Kerala.
• The pipeline will supply natural gas to all seven areas (Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod) that Kerala passes through and the hilly Wayanad area.
• Kuttanad is the main connection point of the pipeline, from which the pipeline branches to Mangaluru and Bengaluru.

• With the commissioning of the pipeline, the demand for natural gas in Kerala is expected to increase from the current 60 million cubic meters to 800-90 million cubic meters per year. 
• Through tax alone, the country can make a profit of 100 billion rupees, which can profit from it. 
• In addition, huge environmental benefits are also expected. 
• The pipeline will supply natural gas to all seven areas (Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod) that Kerala passes through and the hilly Wayanad area.

Highlights:

• Kerala’s goal is to provide free internet to poor families and public institutions by December.
• The project aims to achieve the government's goal of making Internet access as a "civil right."
• Aims to provide free high-speed Internet to more than 2 million families below the poverty line(BPL).
• This is a cooperation plan between the State Electricity Company Kerala Electricity Authority and Kerala IT Infrastructure Co., Ltd.
• Internet service providers and cable TV operators can also join fibre optic network projects to provide services.
• The state government stated that it will link up to 30,000 government offices and schools through high-speed networks.
• Once the project is launched, it will be another milestone for the state.
• The state has achieved a number of Human Development Indicators (HDI) that match the first world countries, especially in health.

Highlights:

• Kris Gopalakrishnan, the former co-chairman and co-founder of Infosys was appointed as the first Chairperson of Reserve Bank Innovation Hub on November 17, 2020. 
• He was appointed by the Reserve Bank of India. 
• The Reserve Bank Innovation Hub aims to promote innovation across financial sector.
• Reserve Bank Innovation Hub
• The RBI set up the hub to promote, support and hand-hold cross thinking. 
• The hub will aim to increase the use of innovative technologies across the finance sectors. 
• The hub acts as a centre for incubation and ideation of new capabilities that can be leveraged to create innovative financial services and products. 

• Efficient Banking services.
• Deepen Financial Inclusion.
• Strengthen consumer protection.
• Business Continuity in times of emergency.
• Kris Gopalakrishnan  is to lead a Governing Council that will have nine other members. 
• The members are from IITs, IISc, National Payment Corporation of India, etc. 
• The Governing Council is to operate the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub.
• The GoI had earlier constituted a committee under Kris Gopalakrishnan to make recommendations about non-personal data governance in the country.

• The Committee was formed by the Ministry of Information Technology in September 2019. It submitted a report on Non-Personal Data Governance Framework in July 2020.
• Key findings and suggestions of the committee
• The committee suggested a separate authority and a separate legislation to oversee non-personal data in the country.
• It also recommended compulsory sharing of non-personal data.
• The committee classified the non-personal data into three main categories namely community non-personal data, public non-personal data and private non-personal data.
• The non-personal data are highly important to unlock innovation in the country.

• It is a set of data that does not contain personally identifiable information. 
• In other words, an individual cannot be identified looking at such data. 
• However, the data is important to map consumer biases.

Highlights: