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AFFAIRSCLOUD TODAY
Current Affairs 8 January 2021 : Headlines
1. Harsh Vardhan released LASI Wave-1 Report 2020: India’s 1st Survey Providing Longitudinal
Database of Older Population
2. IAF signs MoU with IDSR for Academic Collaboration
3. CCEA Approved Central Sector Scheme for 17 Years for Industrial Development of J&K
4. PM Inaugurates Rewari-Madar Freight Corridor Section of WDFC; flags off World’s 1st Double
Stack Container Train
5. NHAI set to operationalise India’s 1st Government Sponsored InvIT by March, 2021
6. World’s Largest Floating Solar Energy Project at MP set to begin Power Generation by 2022-23
7. KVIC signs MoU with ITBP for supply of 1, 72, 000 Cotton Durries every year
8. CDSCO Gives Approval to Vaccines of M/s SII & M/s Bharat Biotech
9. India provides NR 30.66 Crore for Reconstruction of Earthquake Affected Schools in Nepal
10. GoI, AP Govt and NDB Signs 2 Loan Agreement Worth USD 646 Million for Upgrading Road
Network in AP
11. BoB signs MoU with SIDBI to Enable MSMEs Apply Online for One-Time Restructuring
12. SMCB Becomes India’s 1st Urban Co-operative Bank to Convert into Small Finance Bank under
Voluntary Transition Scheme
13. IRDAI mandates Insurers to offer 3 Standard Products to Cover Risk of Fired & Allied Perils
14. PhonePe in Association with ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Launches Term Life Insurance Plans
on its Platform
15. FDI Equity Inflows into India grew 21% to USD 35.33 billion during April-October 2020
16. RBI’s CoS Fully Operationalized; Dr. Rabi Narayan Mishra Named as its Full-time Director
17. Government Formed committee to protect language, culture & land of Ladakh headed by G
Kishan Reddy
18. Sanjay Kapoor Elected as President of All India Chess Federation
19. RBI Manager R Giridharan Authored his Debut Book “Right Under our Nose”
20. Ravi Shastri, Head Coach of Indian Cricket Team Released a Book , ‘India’s 71-Year Test: The
Journey to Triumph in Australia’
21. Arup Kumar Goswami Sworn in as Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Harsh Vardhan released LASI Wave-1 Report 2020: India’s 1st Survey Providing Longitudinal
Database of Older Population
On January 6, 2021, Union Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW) virtually
released the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave-1 Report 2020 based on full–scale national. It is India’s
first and the world’s largest survey providing base for designing national and state level programmes and policies
for ageing population in India.

• This report is also a step towards Ayushman Bharat Yojana which focuses on expansion of the healthcare
facilities.
• The information obtained from LASI has covered four domains viz. Health, Health care and Health care
financing, Economic, and Social.
• It should be noted that LASI is a Government of India’s (GoI) initiative towards Better Health Care for Elderly
People.
Who conducted LASI?
It was undertaken by the National Programme for Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE) under MoH&FW through
International Institute for Population Sciences, (IIPS), Mumbai (Maharashtra) in collaboration with Harvard School of
Public Health, University of Southern California, USA, Dte.GHS, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and National
Institute on Ageing.
General Info about LASI:
–It covered a baseline sample of 72,250 individuals aged 45 and above and their spouses including 31,464 elderly
persons aged 60 and above and 6,749 oldest-old persons aged 75 and above from all States and Union Territories
(UTs) of India
–The state of Sikkim has not been covered under this survey.
–The main LASI instrument consists of two sections: a Household Survey and an Individual Survey.
–It is a biennial survey.
Requirement of LASI:
• As per 2011 census, the 60+ population accounted for 8.6% of India’s population, accounting for 103 million
elderly people. Growing at around 3% annually, the number of elderly population will be tripled to 319
million in 2050.
• 75% of the elderly people suffer from one or the other chronic disease.
• 40% of the elderly people have one or the other disability and 20% have issues related to mental health.
• On the global front, the share of older people aged 60 years and above increased from 9.2% in 1990 to 11.7%
in 2013 and is expected to reach 21.1% by 2050.
• Elderly persons are at the highest risk of contracting the COVID-19.
Taking all the above mentioned factors in consideration, the evidence from the report will be utilized towards the
further strengthening of (NPHCE) as older people, and people of all ages with pre-existing medical conditions develop
serious illness more often than others.

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Key Evidences from LASI:

About 45 million have cardiovascular disease and hypertension and about 20 million suffer from diabetes, and 24%
of the elderly have difficulty in performing daily functions such as walking, eating, toilet etc.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)
• The prevalence of CVDs increases with age.
• More than a half of elderly age 60 and above in the states/Union Territories (UTs) of Goa (60%), Kerala (57%),
Chandigarh (55%), Andaman & Nicobar (51%), and Jammu & Kashmir (51%) have been diagnosed with CVDs.
Vision, Nutrition & Depression:
• Andhra Pradesh (AP) topped the Measured prevalence (%) of low vision (near and/or distance) among
elderly age 60 and above with 66.4%.
• Uttar Pradesh (UP) topped the Prevalence (%) of blindness among elderly age 60 and above.
• Chhattisgarh topped in the prevalence of undernutrition (underweight) among older adults aged 45 and
above.
• Chandigarh has maximum prevalence of overnutrition (overweight/obesity) among older adults aged 45 and
above.
• Jammu & Kashmir has the highest percentage (54.3%) of elderly age 60 and above with depressive
symptoms.
• Madhya Pradesh has maximum prevalence of major episodic depression with 17% †
Other Disease:
–About a third (32%) of elderly age 60 and above have been diagnosed with hypertension, 5.2% were diagnosed with
chronic heart disease and 2.7% with stroke.
–The self-reported prevalence of diabetes mellitus among older adults age 45-59 is 9% and among the elderly age 60
and above is 14%,
–The prevalence of asthma, bronchitis is higher among elderly age 60 and above than in older adults aged 45-59.
–Around 8% of elderly age 60 and above reported chronic lung diseases. These are more prevalent in the states/UTs
of Rajasthan (15%), Puducherry (13%), Kerala (12%), West Bengal (11%) and Karnataka (10%),
–Around a quarter of the elderly age 60 and above have multi-morbidities (23%) compared with 13% among older
adults aged 45-59.
• The prevalence of multi-morbidity conditions among the elderly age 60 and above is much higher in the
states/UTs of Kerala (52%), Chandigarh (41%), Lakshadweep (40%), Goa (39%) and Andaman & Nicobar
Islands (38%).
How data collected for LASI?
It was commissioned in 2016 by MoH&FW and the LASI field survey was conducted across 34 states from April 2017
to December 2018.
The LASI has used the Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) technology for data collection, quality
control, and Geographic Information System (GIS). The CAPI technology is funded through a pilot grant from
Harvard’s Program on the Global Demography of Aging.
Additional Info:
–The introduction of LASI enables India to have a cross-country comparison of these surveys.
–Longitudinal Ageing Study in other countries include Health and Retirement Study (HRS) in the United States,
Korean Longitudinal Study on Ageing (KLoSA), the Japanese Study of Aging and Retirement (JSTAR), and the China
Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).
–In 2010-2011, the LASI team conducted a pilot study across four Indian states: Karnataka and Kerala in the south,
and Punjab and Rajasthan in the north.
After the release of the LASI report, a first Workshop to address Comprehensive Geriatric Care Assessment &
Delivery through Various National Health Programmes was also held virtually.
Other Participants:
Dr. K.S. James, Director IIPS, Ms.VandanaGurnani, AS & MD-NHM, Prof. (Dr.) Rajiv Garg, Professor of Excellence, Sh.
Vishal ChauhanJoint Secretary-NCD, Dr.Gowri N. Sengupta, ADG- NPHCE were also present at the event.
Click Here for Official Report

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Recent Related News:

i.On November 12, 2020 The Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) launched a 3 month accelerated
SAANS (Social Action and Awareness to Neutralise Pneumonia Successfully) campaign to reduce childhood
pneumonia deaths.
ii.On October 14, 2020 Dr Harsh Vardhan virtually launched the Second Phase of “Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana” from
Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi. It will benefit underprivileged patients.
About Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW):
Harsh Vardhan Constituency– Chandni Chowk, New Delhi
Minister of State (MoS)– Ashwini Kumar Choubey

IAF signs MoU with IDSR for Academic Collaboration

Indian Air Force (IAF) and Institute of Defence Studies and Research (IDSR), Autonomous Institution of Gujarat
University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enable IAF officers to enroll for higher
studies in the IDSR Institute. The MoU has been signed as part of IAF’s Project Akashdeep.

i.The virtual event was chaired by Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel, Air Marshal RJ Duckworth VSM.
ii.The MoU was signed by Air Vice Marshal Rajeev Sharma, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Education) on behalf of IAF
& Anju Sharma, IAS, Principal Secretary (Higher & Technical Education) to Government of Gujarat & Chairperson of
IDSR on behalf of IDSR Institute.
iii.Officers will be able to undertake Doctoral Research, Post-Graduate Programme & Post Graduate Diploma in
the areas of Defence Studies, Defence Management, National Security, Aerospace & Aviation Science and other
areas of Defence Technology.
iv.The Partnership will help the officers to develop strategic knowledge & intellectual skills, which will contribute
towards formulation of strategic plan and policies in the advent of hybrid Military Operations.
Akashdeep Program:
i.It is a program for Airmen in IAF.
ii.It was launched to recognize the Basic & In-service training which are imparted to Airmen & Non-Combatants
Enrolled (NCs (E)) of IAF for award of civil qualifications.
iii.Till date, IAF has signed MoUs institutes like Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Jamia Millia Islamia
University (Delhi).
Recent Related News:
i.On 7th December 2020, the IAF signed a MoU with CSIR-NML, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand for the research and
development in the field of material science and engineering.
About Institute of Defence Studies and Research (IDSR), Gujarat:
Director – Dr Shiva Prasad
Situated at Ahmedabad, Gujarat
About Indian Air Force:
Chief of the Air Staff – Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria
Headquarters – New Delhi

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CCEA Approved Central Sector Scheme for 17 Years for Industrial Development of J&K
On January 6, 2021, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra
Modi has approved the Central Sector Scheme (CSS) namely “New Industrial Development Scheme for Jammu &
Kashmir (J&K IDS, 2021)” for Industrial Development of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). The information for the same was
provided by Lieutenant Governor of J&K during a press conference in Jammu.

• The scheme proposed by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has been approved
with a total outlay of 28,400 crore upto the year 2037.
• The package will remain in force for 17 years i.e. 2020-21 to 2036-37.
• So far, the amount disbursed under various special package schemes is Rs. 1,123.84 crore.
Aim of the Scheme:
To take industrial development to the block level in J&K.
• Notably, this is the first time that such kind of development will take place in any Industrial Incentive Scheme
of the Government of India (GoI).
Main Purpose of Scheme:
–Employment Generation, skill development and sustainable development by attracting new investment and
enhancement of existing ones. It is projected that it will provide direct and indirect employment to about 4.5 lakh
persons.
–Socio economic development of the area.
Incentives Provided under the Scheme:
Capital Investment Incentive: It will be provided at the rate of 30% in Zone A and 50% in Zone B on investment
made in Plant & Machinery (in manufacturing) or construction of building and other durable physical assets(in
service sector).
• Eligibility– Units with an investment upto Rs. 50 crore
• Maximum Limit– Rs 5 crore in Zone A and Rs 7.5 crore in Zone B
Capital Interest subvention: It will be given at the annual rate of 6% for maximum 7 years on loan amount up to Rs.
500 crore for investment in the above mentioned sectors.
GST Linked Incentive: It will be provided at 300% of the eligible value of actual investment made in above
mentioned sectors for 10 years. This incentive is on the lines of ease of doing business.
Working Capital Interest Incentive: It will be provided at an annual rate of 5% for maximum 5 years. With this
interest subvention the scheme is likely to give indirect support to about 35,000 persons.
• Maximum limit– Rs 1 crore.
Additional info:
–The state of J&K was reorganized on October 31, 2019 under the J&K Reorganization Act, 2019 which divided the
state two union territories (UTs) viz. UT of J&K and UT of Ladakh.
–The reorganization followed the revoking of article 370 of the Indian Constitution in August 2019, which provided
special status to Jammu and Kashmir from 1954.
–Since reorganization there are developments projects going on in J&K which involves initiation of metro for the first
time in 2023.

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–In October 2020, President Ram Nath Kovind also gave assent to J&K Official Languages Bill 2020 under which
Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi also added to the existing Urdu and English, as the official languages in U&T.
Recent Related News:
i.On December 26, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri-Jan Arogya
Yojana Social Endeavour for Health & Telemedicine (PM-JAY SEHAT) Health Insurance scheme for covering all the
residents of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).
About Jammu & Kashmir:
National Parks-3: Kazinag National Park, Dachigam National Park, Kishtwar High Altitude National Park
Hydro Projects– Ratle Hydroelectric project (River Chenab), Kiru hydro-electric project (River Chenab), Pakal Dul
(Drangdhuran) Hydroelectric Project (River Marusudar)
State Animal– Hangul
State Tree– Chinar

PM Inaugurates Rewari-Madar Freight Corridor Section of WDFC; flags off World’s 1st Double Stack
Container Train
On January 7, 2021, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the 306-Km long New Rewari in
Haryana-New Madar in Rajasthan section of Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) & flagged off
the World’s 1st Double Stack Long Haul 1.5 Km Container Train hauled by electric traction from Atela in
Haryana – Kishangarh in Rajasthan.

New Rewari-New Madar Section of WDFC:

i.The section is situated in Haryana & Rajasthan and consists of 9 newly built Dedicated Freight Corridors
(DFC) stations. The 9 Stations are
• 6 are crossing stations of New Dabla, New Bhagega, New Madhopur, New Pachar Malikpur, New Sakun &
New Kishangarh
• 3 Junction stations are in Rewari, New Ateli & New Phulera.
ii.The section will benefit industries in Rewari, Manesar, Narnaul, Phulera & Kishangarh areas of Rajasthan &
Haryana.
iii.It will also help in optimal usage of the container depot of CONCOR (Container Corporation of India)
at Kathuwas, Rajasthan.
iv.It will also ensure interruption free connectivity with the western ports of Kandla, Pipavav, Mundhra, and Dahej
in Gujarat.
v.The section will also ensure the successful connectivity between the WDFC & EDFC (Eastern Dedicated Freight
Corridor).
Double Stack Long Haul Container Train Operation:
i.The operation will have an increased axle load of 25 tonnes. Also the trial run for the wagon prototypes have also
been completed.
ii.It has been designed by the Research Design & Standards Organisation (RDSO) wagon department for the
Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL).
iii.The design will maximise capacity utilisation & uniform distributed and point loading.

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iv.In terms of container units, the wagons will carry 4 times more weight compared to the current capacity.
Benefits:
i.Will reduce Transportation cost
ii.Assure time-bound delivery at ports and rapid evacuation of cargo from the ports.
Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC):
The corridor will be used for exclusive operation of freight trains and will connect Multi-Modal Logistic Hubs, Delhi-
Mumbai Industrial Corridor with North India.
i.The Western DFC will be 1, 504 Kms long, 40% of the WDFC falls in Rajasthan.
ii.WDFC will reduce the pressure of goods trains on Delhi-Ahmedabad rail track.
iii.It will accelerate the development of Jaipur, Ajmer, Sikar, Nagaur & Alwar districts of Rajasthan.
iv.It will further boost industries like textiles, stone, cement, handicrafts & handlooms and enable rural
development in the region.
v.Japan International Cooperation Agency is funding WDFC
Dedicated Freight Corridors:
i.During the first phase, around 3, 360 kms of DFC (WDFC – 1, 504 kms & EDFC – 1, 856 kms) will be constructed. It
would cover 133 railway stations in 9 states.
ii.DFC is one of the largest rail infrastructure projects undertaken by the Government of India at a cost of ~ INR
81, 459 crore.
iii.DFCCIL (Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited) has been established to function as a Special
Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to plan, develop, mobilize financial resources, maintain & operate DFCs.
iv.DFCCIL is set to run freight trains at a maximum speed of 100 Kmph compared to the current 75 Kmph.
v.The average speed of freight trains will be increased to 70 kmph from the existing 26 kmph on DFC.
vi.Around 70% of freight trains currently running on Indian Railway network will shift to freight corridors, which will
open paths for more passenger trains.
Funding :
World Bank is funding majority of EDFC & Japan International Cooperation Agency is funding WDFC
Recent Related News:
i.On December 29, 2020, PM Modi virtually inaugurated the 351-Kms long New Bhaupur-New Khurja section in
Uttar Pradesh for the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC).
ii.July 25, 2020, India successfully built one kilometer (km) long World’s first electrified rail tunnel that fits double
stack containers that cuts through Aravali mountain on theWDFC near Sohna, Haryana.
About Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL):
Managing Director – Ravindra Kumar Jain
Headquarters – New Delhi

NHAI set to operationalise India’s 1st Government Sponsored InvIT by March, 2021
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to operationalise India’s 1st Government Sponsored
Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) by March, 2021. Around 5-6 Road Projects worth INR 5, 000 crore have
been given in-principle approval for transfer to the InvIT.

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i.The Union Cabinet approved NHAI’s proposal to float InvIT in December, 2019.
ii.InvIT – It is an Collective Investment Scheme through which individuals & institutional investors can invest in
Infrastructure projects and earn a small portion of the income as return.
Objective:
The main objective behind setting up of InvIT by NHAI is to monetise its completed and operational national
highways projects to mobilise additional resources through capital markets.
Key Points:
i.Since operational infrastructure assets provide stable & long term yields, InvITs are popular among Long term
Global investors.
ii.The Revenue-generating assets include Toll roads & power-transmission projects.
Assets to be transferred to InvIT:
i.The assets which are to be transferred to InvIT are 32.6 Km-long Kotha-Kata Bypass to Kurnool (Telangana), the 75
Km-long Palanpur-Abu Road in Gujarat,
The 31 Km-long Abu Road-Swaroopganj in Gujarat, the 160 Km Chittorgarh Kota & Chittorgarh Bypass in Rajasthan,
and the 77 Km-long Maharashtra-Karnataka border to Belgaum.
ii.The 32.6 Km-Long Chennai Bypass may also be part of the InvIT.
NHAI’s InvIT Offering:
i.NHAI aims to mobilise around INR 15,000-20,000 Crore through its maiden InvIT offering.
ii.Based on the response from investors it would be scaled up as a funding model in future.
iii.At present, NHAI addresses its funding requirement through ToT (Toll-operate-Transfer), partnering
NIIF (National Investment and Infrastructure Fund), issuance of bonds to LIC & central budgetary allocations.
InvIT:
i.InvIT will facilitate steady inflow of private & foreign investment, which will help in steadying the capital base
needed for growth of the Infrastructure sector.
ii.They are regulated by the SEBI (Securities & Exchange Board of India) (Infrastructure Investment
Trusts) Regulations, 2014.
NHAI Appoints B Sriram as Chairman of NHIIMPL:
NHAI appointed Veteran Banker B Sriram as Chairman of its Investment manager company National Highways Infra
Investment Managers Pvt Ltd (NHIIMPL).
i.Sriram has earlier worked as Managing Director of IDBI Bank Ltd & Managing Director at State Bank of India (SBI).
ii.He was selected by a search-cum-selection committee chaired by Deepak Parekh.
Recent Related News:
i.June 12, 2020, NHAI became the first Organisation in the Construction Sector to become fully digitalised utilising the
cloud and artificial intelligence.
ii.July 3, 2020, NHAI is undertaking the establishment of India’s first government promoted InvIT to facilitate
investment in the highway sector.
About National Highways Authority of India (NHAI):
It is an autonomous agency of Government of India & the nodal agency of Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.
Chairman – Sukhbir Singh Sandhu
Headquarters – New Delhi

World’s Largest Floating Solar Energy Project at MP set to begin Power Generation by 2022-23
The World’s Largest Floating 600 Megawatt (MW) Solar Energy Project which is under construction
at Omkareshwar dam on Narmada river in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh is set to begin power
generation by the year 2022-23.
Gist of the Project:
i.The production of electricity will be in about 2000- hectare water areas and the Floating panels will be installed in
the backwaters of Omkareshwar dam.
ii.Estimated Investment of the project stands at INR 3, 000 Crore.

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iii.International Finance Corporation, World Bank & Power Grid have granted consent to provide funds for the
development of the project.

iv.The primary feasibility study for the project has been completed by the State Government in collaboration with
the World Bank.
v.The project is expected to provide cheap and good quality power in about 2 years.
Key Points:
i.The work of transmission line route survey from the project area to Khandwa substation by power grid will
begin by the end of January, 2021.
ii.Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company will purchase 400 MW power from the project.
iii.Based on the water level of the dam, the solar panels will automatically be adjusted upwards & downwards.
Recent Related News:
i.September 2, 2020, Bhupendra Singh, Madhya Pradesh(MP) Urban Development and Housing Minister launched a
15 day campaign(August 16-30, 2020) ‘Gandagi Bharat Chhodo Madhya Pradesh’ (Free India and Madhya Pradesh
from garbage) from Sagar, MP.
About Madhya Pradesh:
RAMSAR Site – Bhoj Wetlands
Dams – Gandhi Sagar Dams (Chambal River), Indira Sagar Dam (Narmada River)

KVIC signs MoU with ITBP for supply of 1, 72, 000 Cotton Durries every year
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indo-Tibet
Border Police (ITBP) for supply of 1.72 Lakh Cotton durries every year, which is valued around INR 8.74 crore.
The agreement has been signed for one year and will be renewed hereafter. The agreement was signed by Deputy
Chief Executive Officer of KVIC & Shri Surjeet Singh Deswal, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), ITBP.

CDSCO Gives Approval to Vaccines of M/s SII & M/s Bharat Biotech
The Committee of Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) gave approval to M/s Serum Institute of
India(SII), Pune, Maharashtra for Covishield, a Recombinant Chimpanzee Adenovirus vector vaccine, it encoded the
SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) glycoprotein with technology transfer from AstraZeneca/Oxford University and to M/s Bharat
Biotech for COVAXIN, Whole Virion Inactivated Coronavirus Vaccine for restricted use in India in emergency
situations. M/s Cadila Healthcare has also been granted approval to conduct Phase III clinical trial of Novel Corona
Virus-2019-nCov-Vaccine. These approvals are given by CDSCO on recommendations of the Subject Expert CDSCO. SII
partners with AstraZeneca to manufacture Covishield, while Covaxin has been indigenously developed by Bharat
Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
India provides NPR 30.66 Crore for Reconstruction of Earthquake Affected Schools in Nepal
On January 6, 2021, India provided a grant assistance of 30.66 Crore Nepalese Rupees (NPR) (~ INR 19.21
Crore) to Nepal for Reconstruction of Educational Institutions damaged during the 2015 earthquake.

i.The cheque was handed over by Namgya Khampa, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy to Sushil
Gyawali, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nepal Reconstruction Authority (NRA).
ii.With the handing over of the money, India has reimbursed an amount of NPR 81.98 Crore (~ INR 51.37
Crore) to Nepal for reconstruction projects of the Education Sector.
iii.In another separate meeting, India also granted NPR 44.13 Million (~ INR 2.76 crore) to Nepal under Nepal-
Bharat Maitri Development Partnership.
Reconstruction Project:
i.India has committed an grant assistance of USD 50 Million towards Reconstruction Projects of Educational
Institutions in Nepal.
ii.Around 71 projects are being undertaken by NRA.
iii.The projects are located in Gorkha, Nuwakot, Ramechhap, Dolakha, Kavre, Dhading & Sindhupalchowk
districts of Nepal. It also includes the Central Library building of the Tribhuvan University.
Discussion of other issues in the meeting:
i.Both sides discussed the progress of India funded Reconstruction Projects in the Housing, Health & Cultural
Heritage sector.
ii.India has committed
• USD 150 Million for reconstruction of 50, 000 houses in Gorkha & Nuwakot districts
• USD 50 Million for reconstruction of 147 hospitals/health posts in 10 districts.
• USD 50 Million for restoration/reconstruction of 28 Cultural heritage sites in 8 districts of Nepal.
iii.Projects in the Housing sector have been completed and handed over to beneficiaries & projects in the Education,
Health & Cultural Heritage sectors are under progress.
India grants NR 4.41 Crores to Nepal:
In a separate meeting, Embassy of India & Ministry of Federal Affairs & General Administration and Rural
Municipality of Chankheli-Darma of Humla District, Nepal signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
for construction of Lab and Library building for Shree Mahadev Higher Secondary School at Chankheli-Darma,
Nepal.
i.India granted NPR 4.41 Crores (~ INR 2.76 crore) to the project under the Nepal-Bharat Maitri Development
Partnership.
ii.The partnership is part of the High Impact Community Development Project Scheme programme of the
Government of India.

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iii.As part of the High Impact Community Development Project Scheme programme, India has successfully
completed 428 projects in areas of health, education, drinking water, connectivity, sanitation & creation of public
utilities in all 7 provinces of Nepal since 2003.
iv.Out of the completed projects, 14 are in province-6, and 4 school construction projects are under progress.
Recent Related News:
i.On November 3, 2020, Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Vinay Mohan Kwatra handed over a cheque of NPR 1 Billion to
Bishnu Prasad Paudel, Finance Minister of Nepal as reimbursement of Nepal Housing Reconstruction Project.
ii.June 9, 2020, The Embassy of India and the CLPIU, Ministry of Education, Nepal signed 7 MoUs for re-building 56
higher secondary schools in Nepal.
About Nepal:
Prime Minister – K. P. Sharma Oli
Capital – Kathmandu
President – Bidya Devi Bhandari

BANKING & FINANCE

GoI, AP Govt and NDB Signs 2 Loan Agreement Worth USD 646 Million for Upgrading Road Network
in AP
On January 6, 2021 Govt of India(GoI), Govt of Andhra Pradesh(AP) and New Development Bank(NDB) signed loan
agreement worth USD 646 million(about Rs 4,736 crore) for 2 projects to upgrade State Highway Network and
District Road Network in AP. The Loan amount of USD 323 million(about Rs 2,368 crore) for each project will be
given by NDB.

i.The 2 projects include Andhra Pradesh Roads and Bridges Reconstruction Project and Andhra Pradesh
Mandal Connectivity and Rural Connectivity Improvement Project.
iii.The Roads and Buildings Department of Government of AP will be the Project Implementation Agency.
Note– The tenor of each loan is 32 years, including a moratorium period of 5 years.
Aim of the Projects
To address the connectivity challenges faced by AP by upgrading state highways and district roads of heavy traffic,
and reconstructing obsolete bridges.
Key People
The agreement was signed by the following dignitaries namely;
• Baldeo Purushartha, Joint Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the
Government of India,
• T. Krishna Babu, Principal Secretary of Transport, Roads and Buildings Department on behalf of the
Government of AP
• Xian Zhu, Vice President, and Chief Operations Officer of NDB on behalf of NDB

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Benefit of Funding:
The funding of NDB will help to bridge the financial gap for road infrastructure development and supports AP govt’s
goal to improve connectivity between socioeconomic centres.
Components of the Projects:
Andhra Pradesh Roads and Bridges Reconstruction Project
i.About 1,600 km of state highways to be broadened from single/intermediate lane to double lane.
ii.269 bridges to be constructed in the state highways network.
iii.Deteriorated bridges to be reconstructed on the State Highway network.
Andhra Pradesh Mandal Connectivity and Rural Connectivity Improvement Project
i.Broadening about 1,400 km of district roads from single/intermediate lane to double lane
ii.Constructing 206 bridges in the district roads network.
iii.Reconstructing deteriorated bridges on the district road network.
Benefits of the Projects:
i.These projects improve road connectivity & road safety and also enhance the transport efficiency, riding quality,
and provide all-weather accessibility for the State’s road users.
ii.The 2 projects will increase the daily traffic capacity of the roads to 15,000 passenger car units, which anticipates to
meet the projected traffic growth over the next 20 years.
iii.The projects will also have a positive impact on job creation and economic well-being.
Recent Related News:
i.On September 7, 2020 The State Government of Himachal Pradesh (HP) and World Bank signed a $82 million
(approximately Rs. 600 Crores) loan deal to strengthen its transport and road safety institutions by improving the
condition, safety, resilience, and engineering standards of the state’s road network.
ii.On May 28,2020 The Asian Development Bank(ADB) and the Government of India signed a USD 177 million loan to
upgrade 11 state highways & 2 major district roads with a combined length of 450 km, to 2-lane standard across
seven districts of Maharashtra.
About New Development Bank(NDB):
i.During the sixth BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Summit in Fortaleza (2014), the leaders
signed an Agreement to establish the NDB.
ii.NDB became fully operational on February 27, 2016.
Headquarters- Shanghai, China
Formerly referred as– BRICS Development Bank
President– Marcos Troyjo

BoB signs MoU with SIDBI to Enable MSMEs Apply Online for One-Time Restructuring
On January 6, 2021, Bank of Baroda (BoB) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Small
Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to enable micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) customers of
the former to apply online for one-time restructuring (OTR).

• With this, the eligible MSME entities can get credit exposure up to Rs 25 crore.
• The restructuring of the borrower account will be implemented by March 31, 2021.

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How will this be helpful for MSMEs?

–The MSME Customer can now access the web-based portal, ‘Asset Restructuring Module for MSMEs (ARM-
MSME)‘.
–This portal enables customers to self-create their restructuring proposal with financial viability projections by
entering only the most essential data of their past and projected financials.
–MSME borrowers can do the process of application submission online for the restructuring of loan accounts from the
comfort of their home/office for free of cost.
–Apart from this, the borrowers can also re-submit a new online application or modify the online application.
Reason behind this Decision:
The MSMEs are affected by financial stress due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In this regard, the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) has allowed banks to consider OTR proposals from MSMEs with credit exposure up to Rs 25 crore.
What is a one-time restructuring (OTR) scheme by RBI?
On August 6, 2020, RBI announced OTR scheme allowing banks to restructure loans of borrowers that were regular in
their repayments and did not have more than 30 days overdue as of March 1, 2020, without downgrading their
asset classification to a non-performing asset. This was announced as a regulatory measure to mitigate the impact of
COVID-19 on the borrowers.
• The recommendations for the OTR framework were provided by the Kamath Committee led by Kundapur
Vaman Kamath.
Recent Related News:
i.On November 4, 2020 Bank of Baroda (BoB) in association with EAP India introduced an ‘Employee Assistance
Program’, a Well-being Programme for its employees and their family members 24×7.
ii.In July 2020 BoB launched ‘Insta Click Savings Account’, a 100% paperless digital self-assisted online savings
account.
About Bank of Baroda (BoB):
Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank were merged with BoB
Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO)– Sanjiv Chadha
Headquarters– Vadodara (earlier known as Baroda), Gujarat
Founded– 20 July 1908, by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda
Tagline– India’s International Bank

SMCB Becomes India’s 1st Urban Co-operative Bank to Convert into Small Finance Bank under
Voluntary Transition Scheme
The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has issued a scheduled commercial banking license to Shivalik Mercantile Co-
operative Bank (SMCB) Ltd to carry on business as a Small Finance Bank(SFB) under its ‘Scheme on voluntary
transition of Urban Co-operative Bank(UCB) into a Small Finance Bank’. It is the 1st UCB in India to transit to
SFB under the scheme.

• SMCB is renamed as Shivalik Small Finance Bank (SSFB).

• The bank expects to commence business as a SFB by April 2021.
Note– Generally, Banking license is given by RBI under Banking Regulation Act, 1949

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Key Info
i.SMCB received an ‘in-principle’ approval from RBI in January 2020 for converting it into a SFB and became the 1st
UCB to get this approval from RBI.
ii.It was also given 18 months time to commence business as a Small Finance Bank.
About SSFB:
i.SSFB will offer banking services across India and also offer a complete range of retail banking solutions to its
customers.
ii.It also further the SMCB’s goal of financial inclusion.
Gist about SMCB:
i.It is the 1st and largest multi-state UCB in Uttar Pradesh(UP) and has played an important role in financial inclusion
through a technology focussed approach.
ii.It currently operates in UP, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and Uttarakhand with 400,000 customers through its 31
branches and over 250 banking agents.
iii.It is live on all the significant payment platforms and also provides a best-in-class digital experience to customers.
The major technology platforms of the bank are powered by Infosys Finacle using a cloud native model
iv.The total business size of the bank was approximately Rs 1,800 Crores as on March 31, 2020
Recent Related News:
In exercise of powers vested in it under sub section (1) of Section 35 A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 read with
Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed restrictions on withdrawals
from Jalna, Maharashtra-based Mantha Urban Cooperative Bank for six months from November 17, 2020.
About Shivalik Mercantile Co-operative Bank (SMCB) Ltd:
i.It was registered as a Co-operative Society under Uttar Pradesh Co-operative Societies Act, 1965.
ii.In 2010, it acquired Dhar Bank(Madhya Pradesh), which helped the bank to get Multi-state Cooperative Bank status
under Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act(MSCS), 2002
Head Office– Saharanpur, UP
Commenced Operations– September 5, 1998(as Primary Urban Coop. Bank)
MD & CEO– Mr. Suveer Kumar Gupta
Chairman– Yashvir Kumar Gupta

IRDAI mandates Insurers to offer 3 Standard Insurance Products to Cover Risk of Fired & Allied
Perils
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has mandated General Insurance
Companies to offer 3 standard Insurance Products namely – Bharat Griha Raksha, Bharat Sookshma Udyam
Suraksha & Bharat Laghu Udyam Suraksha to cover risk of fire & allied perils from April 1, 2021.

i.The 3 policies will replace the Standard Fire and Special Perils (SFSP) Policy.
ii.IRDAI has stated that the process of bringing Fire and Allied Perils Insurance business out of All India Fire Tariff,
2001 will be completed by April 1, 2021 for certain businesses like dwellings, micro level & small level enterprises.

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Gist of 3 Policies:
Bharat Griha Raksha:
i.It covers Home Building and Home Contents.
ii.It will also cover dangers like fire, natural catastrophes, impact damage of any kind, riot, strike, malicious damages,
acts of terrorism & bursting and overflowing of water tanks within 7 days from the occurrence of the event.
iii.For General Home Contents , without any need for declaration of details 20% of the Sum Insured for the
Building (subject to a maximum of INR 10 Lakhs) will be covered.
iv.By declaring the details, the insured can opt for a higher sum for general Home Contents.
v.Provides complete waiver of Underinsurance.
The policy offers two optional covers, namely
1. Insurance for Valuable Contents like jewellery and curios.
2. Personal Accident of the insured and spouse due to an insured peril under the policy.
Bharat Sookshma Udyam Suraksha:
i.This policy provides cover for Building/Structures, Plant & Machinery, Stock and other assets of enterprises
whose total value at risk at one location is upto INR 5 Crore.
ii.It provides cover for Start-up expenses (following a loss), payment of professional fees for Architects, Surveyors
& Consulting Engineers, Cost for removal of debris & costs.
iii.It will be essential for the financial protection of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
iv.It waives underinsurance to the extent of 15%.
Bharat Laghu Udyam Suraksha:
i.It provides cover for Building/Structures, Plant and Machinery, Stock where the total value of risk at one
location exceeds INR 5 crore but does not exceed INR 50 Crore.
ii.The policy covers a range of perils similar to the policy meant for covering micro level enterprises.
iii.It can be taken for all types of risks such as offices, hotels, industries & storage risks.
iv.It will be useful for financial protection of MSMEs.
Recent Related News:
i.On September 24, 2020, IRDAI has identified Life Insurance Corporation of India(LIC), General Insurance
Corporation of India(GIC) and The New India Assurance Co. Ltd.(New India Assurance) as Domestic Systemically
Important Insurers (D-SIIs) for 2020-21.
About Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI):
Chairman – Subhash C. Khuntia
Headquarters – Hyderabad, Telangana

PhonePe in Association with ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Launches Term Life Insurance Plans on
its Platform
On January 6, 2021 PhonePe in partnership with ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co Ltd launched Term Life
Insurance plans on its platform. This policy can be availed by PhonePe users instantly on PhonePe app through an
all digital process without the need of any health check-ups and paperwork

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• This plan enables PhonePe users to protect their families from financial turmoil in case of an untimely demise
of them.
Key Features of Term Life Insurance plans:
Premium & Avail
i.The premium of the policy starts from Rs 149 for a year.
ii.PhonePe users who are of age 18 to 50 and who earn Rs 1 lakh per annum and above can avail this policy.
Insure Sum & Renewal
Depending on the premium amount, this policy insures the user for a sum(ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 20 lakhs)
without the need of health checkups and paperwork.
It can be renewed when it expires on the PhonePe app.
General Info:
i.Insurance penetration in India is 2.73%. This is due to key reasons like lack of awareness, etc.,
ii.The reasons do match with Tier 2 cities citizens and beyond..
Note– PhonePe has over 250 million user base.
About Term insurance plan:
It is a protection plan with zero maturity benefits.
Upon death of the policy holder, during the policy term the sum assured is paid to the nominee in the policy.
Recent Related News:
HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corporation) Life and HDFC Ergo joined hands to launch a combi insurance
product ‘Click 2 Protect Corona Kavach’ which offers a complete financial protection package in the current pandemic
environment. This policy will provide all the benefits and features of HDFC Life’s Click 2 Protect 3D Plus and HDFC
Ergo’s Corona Kavach policies.
About PhonePe:
HeadOffice– Bengaluru, Karnataka
Founder & Chief Executive Officer(CEO)– Sameer Nigam
Head of Insurance -Gunjan Ghai
About ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Ltd:
It is promoted by ICICI Bank Limited and Prudential Corporation Holdings Limited.
Commenced Operations– 2001
HeadOffice– Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD & CEO– N. S. Kannan

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

FDI Equity Inflows into India grew 21% to USD 35.33 billion during April-October 2020
As per the official data of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Foreign direct
investment (FDI) equity inflows into India grew 21% to USD 35.33 billion(Rs 2.5 lakh crore)during April-
October 2020. In 2019, FDI equity inflows were USD 29.31 billion. From January to July 2020-2021, the total FDI
(including reinvested earnings) increased 11% to USD 46.82 billion from USD 42.06 billion in April-October 2019.
India attracted maximum funds from Singapore, the US, Mauritius, the Netherlands, the UK, France and Japan. The
sectors that attracted maximum foreign inflows include computer software and hardware, services, trading,
chemicals and automobile.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

RBI’s CoS Fully Operationalized; Dr. Rabi Narayan Mishra Named as its Full-time Director
On January 6, 2020, the College of Supervisors (CoS), which was set up by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in May 2020,
has now been fully operationalized for effective supervision of the regulated entities. It was functioning in a limited
way in virtual mode since May 2020.

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• CoS will have a full-time Director. RBI has appointed Rabi Narayan Mishra, its former Executive Director as
the Director of CoS.

• The full-time Director supported by an Academic Advisory Council (AAC).

What is College of Supervisors (CoS)?
CoS was set up in May 2020 to further broaden and strengthen the supervisory skills among RBI’s regulatory and
supervisory staff at entry level and on a continuous basis. It was done by providing training and other developmental
inputs to the concerned staff.
Reason behind setting up of CoS:
It was set up in the backdrop of scams involving the IL&FS Group (Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services
Limited), Punjab National Bank (PNB), Dewan Housing Finance Corporation, and Punjab and Maharashtra Co-
operative Bank. These scams affected India’s financial system in the last 2 to 3 years.
What is Academic Advisory Council (AAC)?
The AAC will identify areas where skill building/up-skilling is required, plan and develop curricula of all programmes,
benchmark the programmes with international standards/best practices, develop appropriate teaching methods, etc.
It consists of 1 chairperson and 5 members.
Chairperson: NS Viswanathan, former Deputy Governor, RBI
Members:
• Arijit Basu, former Managing Director, State Bank of India (SBI)
• Paresh Sukthankar, former Deputy Managing Director (MD), HDFC (Housing Development Finance
Corporation Limited) Bank
• S Raghunath, Professor, IIM (Indian Institute of Management) Bangalore
• Tathagata Bandyopadhyay, Professor, IIM Ahmedabad
• Subrata Sarkar, Professor, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR)
Recent Related News:
i.On December 8, 2020, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancelled the licence of The Karad Janata Sahakari Bank Ltd.
Karad, Maharashtra to carry on banking business, which includes acceptance of deposits and repayment of deposits
as defined in Section 5(b) read with Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 with effect from the close of
business on December 7, 2020.
ii.On December 13, 2020, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to set up an Automated Banknote Processing
Centre (ABPC) in Jaipur, Rajasthan for automated receipt, storage of fresh banknotes received from the printing
presses, and then retrieval and dispatch of these banknotes to the identified issue offices (IOs)/currency chests (CCs).
About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Formation– 1 April 1935
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Deputy Governors– 4 (Bibhu Prasad Kanungo, Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, and M Rajeswar Rao)

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Government Formed committee to protect language, culture & land of Ladakh headed by G Kishan
Reddy
On January 6, 2021, the Central Government decided to form a committee to protect the language, culture and land of
the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh.

• The committee will be headed by the Minister of State (MoS) Gangapuram Kishan Reddy and will include
elected representatives from Ladakh, members of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development
Council (LAHDC) and ex-officio members representing the Government of India and the Ladakh
administration.
• The committee will also ensure citizen’s participation in the development of Ladakh.
Reason behind the formation of committee:
A 10 member delegation of Ladakh met the Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressing concerns with respect to
conservation of language, culture and land of Ladakh, participation of the people of Ladakh in its development,
protection of employment and changes in the demography of Ladakh region. After assessing these concerns, the
Central Government has announced the formation of a committee.
Points to be noted:
–The Union Government is committed towards the development of Ladakh since it has become UT.
–Recently Union Minister of Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan inaugurated India’s highest Meteorological
(Met) Centre at Leh, Ladakh.
Recent Related News:
i.Leh, in the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh, gets the largest Solar Power Project at the highest altitude. The project
has been established at the Leh Indian Air Force (IAF) Station. This Solar power project was inaugurated by Air
Marshal V R Chaudhari, Commander-in-chief, Western Air Command.
ii.Ladakh celebrated its First Raising Day on October 31, 2020. It was on 31st October 2019 that Ladakh became a UT.
Ladakh celebrated the UT Foundation Day with a theme of One year of Development, Prosperity and Empowerment.
About Ladakh:
Lieutenant Governor– Radha Krishna Mathur
Capital – Leh , Kargil

Sanjay Kapoor Elected as President of All India Chess Federation

Sanjay Kapoor(45 years old), representing Uttar Pradesh Chess Sports Association, was elected as the president of
the All India Chess Federation (AICF) and became the youngest president of the federation. He succeeds PR
Venketrama Raja of Tamil Nadu.
Along with him a secretary, Treasurer, Vice Presidents, joint secretaries and treasurer also was elected
i.The new office-bearers will hold posts till 2023.
ii.This is the first time after 2005 that there was a contest, as the candidates were chosen unanimously in the last 15
years.
Note– Sanjay Kapoor took 33 votes as against 31 votes of PR Venketrama Raja.

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Points to be Noted:
i.Bharat Singh Chauhan was elected as the secretary for the 3rd time. Naresh Sharma was elected as Treasurer.
ii.In addition to being the head of Uttar Pradesh Chess Sports Association, Sanjay Kapoor is also the Chairman of
Kanpur Cricket Association.
iii.PR Venketrama Raja is the Founder, Mentor & Innovator in Chief (Chairman) of Ramco Systems
About the Election:
i.The election took place on January 4, 2021 in online as per the directives of the Madras High Court(HC).
ii.The Madras HC appointed electoral officer Justice (retd) K Kannan, a retired judge of Punjab and Haryana High
Court to supervise the online process.
iii.This is the first time after 2005 that there was a contest, as the candidates were chosen unanimously in the last 15
years.
Name of the Other New Office Bearers:
Vice Presidents– Anantha D.P, Bhavesh Patel, Vipnesh Bhardwaj,
Ajay Ajmera, PC Lallianthanga & Er. Niapung Konia
Joint Secretaries– Rajesh R, Mahendra Dhakal, Atul Kumar, Mughaho
Awomi, Diljeet Khanna & Atanu Lahiri
About All India Chess Federation (AICF):
It is an affiliation of Fédération Internationale des Échecs(FIDE)- World Chess Federation and is recognised by Govt
of India
HeadQuarters & Administrative Office– Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, CHennai, Tamil Nadu
Founded– 1951

BOOKS & AUTHORS

RBI Manager R Giridharan Authored his Debut Book “Right Under Your Nose”
The book titled ‘Right Under Your Nose’ is authored by Reserve Bank of India(RBI) Manager R Giridharan. This is
his debut Book. The book is published by Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd.

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Essence of the Book

i.The book portrays how Superintendent Vijay along with his trusted aide Dalvi, and Journalist Padmini spots the
murderer who killed a woman and a team of scientists.
ii.Their skills are pitted by a genius who eliminates all possible lead, right under their nose.
iii.The story is set in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
About R Giridharan:
i.Besides working with RBI, he is also an international sports commentator with All India Radio and has covered
many test matches and one-day internationals, including World Cup matches
ii.He is also an expert panellist on Doordarshan.
iii.In addition to this he has anchored many panel discussions and has also compèred shows.

Ravi Shastri Released a Book , ‘India’s 71-Year Test: The Journey to Triumph in Australia’ Penned by
R Kaushik’
Ravi Shastri, Former Indian all-rounder and current head coach of Indian Cricket team released a book
titled, ‘India’s 71-Year Test: The Journey to Triumph in Australia’ at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney,
Australia. The book is a Bradman Museum initiative and is authored by R Kaushik, Senior Cricket Journalist. It is
published by Churchill Press.

Essence of the Book:

i.It describes the 1st 12 tours of India to Australia, i.e, from 1947/48, revealing the development of the rivalry
between the two nations which was majorly dominated by the hosts.
ii.It features over 200 pictures, many of these were purchased by former Australia Test opener Wally Edwards. He
donated them to the Bradman Museum collection.
About R Kaushik
i.He is regarded as one of the respected cricket writers with about 3 decades of experience.
ii.He has worked with Newstime in Hyderabad, Deccan Herald and Wisden India.
Presently he is a freelance writer based in Bengaluru.
iii.He has covered all the ICC Cricket World Cups from 1996 and more than 100 Test matches involving India among
others.
iv.He is also the co-author of Indian batting star VVS Laxman’s award-winning autobiography 281 and Beyond, which
was released in November 2018.
Additional Info
Sunil Gavaskar’s portrait is being taken to Bowral Museum at Bradman Center in New South Wales, Australia, where
it will be displayed alongside the portrait of Sachin Tendulkar which is already on display.

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STATE NEWS
AK Goswami Sworn in as Chief Justice of AP High Court;Succeeds JK Maheshwari
On January 6, 2021 Arup Kumar(A.K.) Goswami was sworn in as the Chief Justice (CJ) of Andhra
Pradesh(AP) High Court(HC) administered by AP Governor Biswab Bushan Harichandan in Tummalapalli
Kalakshetram, Vijayawada, AP. He succeeds Jitendra Kumar(JK) Maheshwari who is now appointed as the CJ of
Sikkim HC.

i.Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and other dignitaries were present during the sworn in function.
Note
Prior to his appointment as CJ of Andhra Pradesh HC, he was the CJ of Sikkim HC.
About Arup Kumar(A.K.) Goswami:
i.He started his career in 1985 as an advocate with the Bar Council of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur,
Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.
ii.In 2004, he was designated as a senior advocate and in the same year became the standing counsel of Gauhati High
Court.
iii.He was elevated as Judge of Guwahati HC in 2011 and was appointed as the CJ of Sikkim High Court in 2019.

*******
Click Here View – AC Excluded News 2021

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GA Questions Asked in Exams

• GA Questions Asked in IBPS Clerk Mains Exam 2020 – 90% Questions Covered by AC
• GA Questions asked in SBI PO 2019 Main Exam
• GA Questions asked in SBI Clerk Main Exam 2019
• GA Questions asked in IBPS PO Main Exam 2019
• GA Questions asked in RBI Grade B Prelims Exam 2019
• GA Questions asked in IBPS RRB Clerk Mains Exam 2019
• GA Questions asked in IBPS RRB PO Mains Exam 2019

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