May 2020 Sample

SUNYA NOTES (May)
 COVERAGE
 The Hindu( Page 2 till Page 29)
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‘THE HINDU’ Newspaper – Most Imporatant Part as per recent trends
 World Press freedom index = India has dropped to rank 142, two points below its 2019
rank, in the 2020 World Press Freedom Index + It is released by a non-profit Paris-based
organization named Reporters Without Borders (RSF) + The Index ranks 180 countries
and regions according to the level of freedom available to journalists + The criteria used
in the rankings are pluralism, media independence, media environment and self-
censorship, legislative framework, transparency, and the quality of the infrastructure that
supports the production of news and information
 Ease of doing business rankings = given by World Bank + India climbs 14 notches in
ease of doing business ranking ->Moves to 63rd slot from 77 last year, among 190 nations
+ The indicator measures the performance of countries across 10 different dimensions
which are: starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity,
registering property, getting credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading
across borders, enforcing contracts, and resolving insolvency (The Hindu, 18th May)
 Global Nutrition Report 2020 = an independently produced annual stock-take of the
state of the world’s nutrition. It is a multi-stakeholder initiative, consisting of a
Stakeholder Group, Independent Expert Group and Report Secretariat + It was conceived
following the first Nutrition for Growth Initiative Summit (N4G) in 2013 and was first
published in 2014 + is among 88 countries that are likely to miss global nutrition targets
by 2025, according to the Global Nutrition Report 2020 + India has highest rates of
inequalities in malnutrition + According to the Global Nutrition Report 2020, India will
miss targets for all four nutritional indicators for which there is data available — stunting
among under-five children, anaemia among women of reproductive age, childhood
overweight and exclusive breastfeeding
 Global nutrition targets? = In 2012, the World Health Assembly identified six nutrition
targets for maternal, infant and young child nutrition to be met by 2025. They are:
 Reducing stunting by 40% in children under 5 years age
 Reducing anaemia by 50% among women in the age group of 19-49 years
 Ensuring a 30% reduction in low-birth-weight
 Ensuring no increase in childhood overweight
 Increasing the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months up to at
least 50%
 Reducing and maintaining childhood wasting to less than 5%
 Energy Transition Index 2020 = by World Economic Forum (WEF) + The index
benchmarks 115 economies on the current performance of their energy systems across:
Economic development and growth, Environmental sustainability and energy security +
Sweden has topped the Index for the 3rd consecutive year + Only 11 out of 115 countries
have made steady improvements in ETI scores since 2015 + Argentina, China, India and
Italy are among the major countries with consistent annual improvements + India has
moved up two positions to rank 74th with improvements in all three dimensions + ETI is
a part of the World Economic Forum’s Fostering Effective Energy Transition Initiative +
It is a continuation of the annual energy system benchmarking series, previously
published as the Energy Architecture Performance Index (EAPI) series from 2013 to
2017
 Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 = report released by the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) + According to recent report estimates Africa
had the largest annual rate of net forest loss in 2010–2020 followed by South America +
Asia had the highest net gain of forest area in 2010–2020, followed by Oceania and
Europe + The largest proportion of the world’s forests were tropical (45 per cent),
followed by boreal, temperate and subtropical + More than 54 per cent of the world’s
forests were in only five countries the Russian Federation, Brazil, Canada, the United
States of America and China + The highest per cent of plantation forests were in South
America while the lowest were in Europe + Forest area has declined all across the world
in the past three decades
 Open Skies Treaty = signed in 1992 and came into effect in 2002 + It is an agreement
that allows its 34 signatories countries to monitor arm development by conducting
surveillance flights (unarmed) over each other’s territories + Therefore, the treaty
established an aerial surveillance system for its participants + India is NOT a member of
this treaty + Recently, the United States of America (USA) has announced that it will exit
the Open Skies Treaty (OST) due to continuous violation of the treaty by Russia and
changes in the security environment
 “One country, two systems” formula = In news, for China and Hong Kong Problem +
"One country, two systems" is a constitutional principle of the People’s Republic of
China describing the governance of Hong Kong and Macau, since they have become the
Special Administrative Regions of China in 1997 and 1999 respectively + (Hong kong
and Macau were earlier colonies of Britain and Portugal respectively)
 "One-China policy" is a policy asserting that there is only one sovereign state under the
name China, as opposed to the idea that there are two states, the People's Republic of
China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC) + The One China concept is different
from the "One China principle", which is the principle that insists both Taiwan and
mainland China are inalienable parts of a single "China"
 New southbound policy (NSP) = Taiwan + Taiwan launched NSP in 2016 to mark third
phase of the 1994 Go South Policy + It aims to reinvigorate and expand Taiwan’s ties
with South and Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand and move away from China
+ While India was not central to the first two phases of Taiwan’s Go South Policy, it has
now become an integral part of NSP
 Oslo peace process = series of agreements between Israel and the Palestinians signed in
the 1990s + Oslo I (1993) is formally known as the Declaration of Principles (DOP). The
pact established a timetable for the Middle East peace process. It planned for an interim
Palestinian government in Gaza and Jericho in the West Bank + Oslo II is officially
called the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and Gaza (1995),
expanded on Oslo I + The question of Jerusalem was left undecided under the Oslo
Accords + Recently, Palestine Liberation Organization(PLO) and the State of Palestine
withdraw from key provisions of the Oslo Accords
 ‘Phase one’ trade deal = between USA and China + China has agreed to purchase $200
billion worth of U.S. goods and services in 2020 and 2021, on top of the amounts
imported in 2017
 Pangong Tso lake = Eastern Ladakh + in the Himalayas at the height of approximately
4,350 m, stretches out from India to China + One-third of water body is in Indian control
while the rest is under Chinese control + It is formed from Tethys geosyncline + world’s
highest saltwater lake + one-third of the Pangong Lake lies in India and the other two-
thirds in China + Recently India and Chinese soldiers face-off took place here and
helicopters of Chinese PLA came closer to the border + (According to the ‘Agreement on
Maintenance of Peace and Tranquillity along the LAC in India-China Border Area’ of
1996, “combat aircraft (to include fighter, bomber, reconnaissance, military trainer,
armed helicopter and other armed aircraft) shall not fly within 10 km of the LAC.”)
 Naku La = Naku La sector is a pass in Sikkim + It is located ahead of Muguthang or Cho
Lhamu (source of River Teesta) + (The other passes located in the state of Sikkim are
Nathu La Pass and Jelep La Pass) + Recently Indian and Chinese troops engaged in a
temporary and short duration face-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at Naku La
(Sikkim) and near Pangong Tso Lake (Eastern Ladakh)
 Rohtang Pass = It is a high mountain pass in Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas + It
connects the Kullu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys of Himachal Pradesh
 Galwan Valley = Recently, Chinese media has accused India of building defence
facilities in the Galwan Valley region of the contested Aksai Chin area + China controls
Aksai Chin area, while India claims that it is part of Indian territory (Union territory of
Ladakh) + During the time of British rule in India, two borders between India and China
were proposed- Johnson’s Line and McDonald Line + The Johnson’s line (proposed in
1865) shows Aksai Chin in erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir (now Ladakh) i.e. under
India’s control whereas McDonald Line (proposed in 1893) places it under China’s
control + India considers Johnson Line as a correct, rightful national border with China,
while on the other hand, China considers the McDonald Line as the correct border with
India + At present, Line of Actual Control (LAC) is the line separating Indian areas of
Ladakh from Aksai Chin. It is concurrent with the Chinese Aksai Chin claim line +
(Demchok also spelled Demjok, is a village and military encampment in the disputed
Demchok sector between China and India. It is located in Ladakh) + (In recent times,
India has increased infrastructure near the valley as it completes the construction and
refurbishment of the 255 km Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi road)
 Line of Actual Control = Demarcation line that separates Indian-controlled territory
from Chinese-controlled territory in the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir,
formed after 1962 + also called McMohan Line + runs through J&K, Ladakh, Himachal
Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh
 Barahoti plains = Uttarakhand + witnessed the first Chinese intrusions on Indian soil in
1954
 Border Dispute Settlement Mechanism = A series of five agreements signed between
India and China to address disputes arising over the LAC+ 1993 Agreement on the
Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the LAC + 1996 Agreement on Confidence-
Building Measures in the Military Field Along the LAC + 2005 Protocol on Modalities
for the Implementation of Confidence-Building Measures in the Military Field Along the
LAC + 2012 Agreement on the Establishment of a Working Mechanism for Consultation
and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs + 2013 Border Defense Cooperation
Agreement
 Diamer Bhasha Dam = located on Indus River in northern Pakistan + With the height of
272 meters, it will be the tallest Roller Compact Concrete (RCC) dam in the world,
would be completed in 2028 + Tangir hydropower project is proposed to be built on
downstream of this Dam
 Gilgit Baltistan = Gilgit-Baltistan formerly known as the Northern Areas, is a region
administered by Pakistan as an administrative territory + It constitutes the northern
portion of the larger Kashmir region of India + Biafo Glacier(Karakoram Mountains) and
Attabad Lake are some important bodies to be remembered which are located in Giglit
Baltistan + region was a part of erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir + It has
been under Pakistan’s control since November 4, 1947, following invasion of Kashmir by
tribal militias and Pakistan army + It was renamed as ‘Northern Areas of Pakistan’ and
put under direct control of Pakistan federal government through Karachi Agreement,
1949 + After GB Empowerment and Self-Governance Order in 2009, ‘Northern Areas’
came to be known as Gilgit-Baltistan. It provided for a legislative assembly and a council
+ 2018 order of Pakistan was aimed at incorporating GB as its fifth province and to
integrate GB with rest of federal structure of Pakistan by legislative, judicial and
administrative measures
 Lipulekh pass = Lipulekh Pass also known as Lipu-Lekh Pass/Qiangla or Tri-Corner is a
high altitude mountain pass situated in the western Himalayas with a height of 5,334
metre or 17,500 feet + International mountain pass between India, China and Nepal + +
India inaugurated the Darchula-Lipulekh pass link road, cutting across the disputed
Kalapani area which is used by Indian pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar + Recently Nepal
objected to Inauguration of the new link road from India to China to shorten the travel
time for pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar + Ministry of External Affairs of India has
clarified that the link road passing through Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district lies
completely within the territory of India + Lipulekh pass is a far western point near
Kalapani, a disputed border area between Nepal and India + The origin of territorial
dispute of Kalapani territory lies in treaty of Sugauli signed between Nepal and the
British East India Company in 1816, the Kali River was located as Nepal’s western
boundary with India. However, subsequent maps of the areas drawn by British surveyors
showed the source of the Kali river at different places and hence the dispute + Recently,
Nepal unveiled a map showing Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh of Uttarakhand
as part of its sovereign territory. This was opposed by India + After the 1996 Treaty of
Mahakali (Kali river is also called Mahakali/Sarada further downstream) that envisaged
the Pancheshwar multipurpose hydel project, the issue of the origin of Kali river was first
raised in 1997. The matter was referred to the Joint Technical Level Boundary
Committee that had been set up in 1981 to re-identify and replace the old and damaged
boundary pillars along the India-Nepal border. The Committee clarified 98% of the
boundary, leaving behind the unresolved issues of Kalapani and Susta (in the Terai) when
it was dissolved in 2008. It was subsequently agreed that the matter would be discussed at
the Foreign Secretary level
 Susta Area = disputed territories between India (Uttar Pradesh) and Nepal + located on
the bank of the Gandak river (called Narayani river in Nepal)
 Kali River = also known as Sharda river or Kali Ganga in Uttarakhand + joins Ghagra
river in Uttar Pradesh, which is a tributary of Ganga + River Projects: Tanakpur hydro-
electric project, Chameliya hydro-electric project, Sharda Barrage
 India Nepal border = open border running along West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and
Sikkim + It was after the Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1950 that the two countries
encouraged a well-identified and formally accepted “open border” between them + An
“open border” means that there is free and unrestricted movement of people from either
side
 BRICS = formed in 2006 + acronym for the grouping of the world’s leading emerging
economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa + BRICS Leaders’
Summit is convened annually + first BRIC Summit took place in 2009 in the
Russia(South Africa joined BRIC later)
 New Development Bank (NDB) = 2014-2015 formed + formerly referred to as the
BRICS Development Bank + is a multilateral development bank established by the
BRICS states (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) + headquartered in
Shanghai, China + bank’s primary focus of lending will be infrastructure projects +
Unlike the World Bank, which assigns votes based on capital shares, here each
participant country will be assigned one vote, and no country will have veto power +
Bank shall support public or private projects through loans, guarantees, equity
participation and other financial instrument + first regional office of the NDB will be
opened in Johannesburg, South Africa 
 Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank(AIIB) = 2016 established + Hq at beijing +
China largest and India is 2nd largest shareholder + India as founding member + 86
members + India is the largest borrower from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank +
AIIB is the first major multilateral development bank where principal contributors are the
borrowing members themselves + projected as ‘asian’ tool for development + India is
largest recipient of AIIB + India is also the only country apart from China to enjoy a
permanent seat on the Bank’s board of directors
 Regional comprehensive economic partnership (RCEP) = Proposed FTA between the
10-member ASEAN bloc and its six FTA partners— India, China, Japan, South Korea,
Australia and New Zealand(India stepped out of it recently) + India stayed out of RCEP
because of negative effects on “farmers, MSMEs and the dairy sector” (The Hindu, 17 th
May)
 South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) = to promote welfare of
the peoples of South Asia & to improve their quality of life; to accelerate
economicgrowth, social progress and cultural development in the region + 8
members(Nepal + Bhutan + India + Maldives + Afghanistan + Bangladesh + Pakistan +
Sri lanka) + China has a status of an observer state  + Headquarter at Kathmandu, Nepal
 African Union = is a continental union consisting of 55 countries of Africa(with
exception of various territories of European possessions located in Africa) + The post
of AU’s chair rotates annually between the five regions of the continent + Hq at
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia  
 International Court of Justice (ICJ) = principle judicial organ of the UN + 1945 +
court may entertain two types of cases (Contentious cases - Legal disputes between States
submitted to it + Advisory proceedings - Requests for advisory opinions on
legal questions referred to it by United Nations organs and specialized agencies) + NO
jurisdiction to deal with applications from individuals, NGOs or private groups and it
rules only on the rights and obligations of States + comprises 15 Judges, elected by
United Nations General Assembly and Security Council for 9 year term,elected every 3
years to ensure continuity + headquartered in Peace Palace, Hague, Netherlands + India is
a founding member of the ICJ 
 Organisation of Islamic Cooperation(OIC) =  1969 founded + 57 member states
including Iran and Pakistan + Hq at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia + Objective is to Raise the
collective voice of the Muslim world + OIC has permanent delegations to United Nations
and the European Union + In this organisation, India is a blocked country, though it has
about 12% of the world’s Muslim population. India has been blocked by Pakistan from
joining the OIC over Kashmir issue + OIC regard parts of Kashmir as “occupied India”
+ It is second largest inter-governmental organization after UN 
 OPEC+/ OPEC Plus arrangement = three-year pact between OPEC and Russia(Saudi
Arabia and Russia came together to cut output and steady prices) + Ended/Collapsed
recently after Russia rejected a Saudi request to effect more cuts in output given the fall
in demand owing to the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak + refers to the
alliance of crude producers, who have been undertaking corrections in supply in the oil
markets since 2017 + OPEC plus countries include Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei,
Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, South Sudan and Sudan + Russia is not a
member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC But this alliance
kept production lower and pumped up the prices of
 QUAD = (India + Japan + USA + Australia) + India is not a military alliance partner
while the other three are + initiated in 2007 + Inter-governmental security forum
 G-7 = Intergovernmental organisation that was formed in 1975 + Initially it was formed
as an effort by the US and its allies to discuss economic issues, which included battling a
global oil crisis + G7 or 'Group of Seven' are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the
United Kingdom, and the United States which discuss issues such as global economic
governance, international security, and energy policy + G7 was known as the ‘G8’ for
several years after the original seven were joined by Russia in 1997 Russia was expelled
as a member in 2014 following the latter’s annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine +
G7 nations meet at annual Summits that are presided over by leaders of member countries
on a rotational basis + G7 does not have a formal constitution or a fixed headquarters +
India is not a member of the G7 group
 Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC) = political and economic alliance of countries in the
Arabian Peninsula + established in 1981 to foster socioeconomic, security, and cultural
cooperation + Members of GCC: United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia,
Oman, Qatar, Kuwait + Hq at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
 The Commonwealth = voluntary association of 54 independent and equal countries,
mostly former territories of the British Empire (Rwanda and Mozambique - have no
historical ties to the British Empire) + All member countries subscribe to Commonwealth
charter + India is a member + Commonwealth member countries choose who becomes
Head of the Commonwealth + (Maldives has recently rejoined Maldives)
 Coastal city of Sirte = Libya + Libya’s conflict agreed to a ceasefire and calls for a truce
by power-brokers Russia and Turkey + The oil-rich North African country + Since April
last year, the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli has been
under attack from different forces
 Libya summit = to stop the conflict-wracked nation from turning into a second Syria +
Heads of state and lawmakers from Russia, Algeria, Turkey, Egypt, the United Arab
Emirates, France, Italy, Britain, China and the US gathered in Berlin under the auspices
of the UN to discuss the future of Libya
 Al-Shabab = militant group in East Africa(Somalia)
 CHAMPIONS Portal = Recently, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
(MSME) has launched Creation and Harmonious Application of Modern Processes for
Increasing the Output and National Strength (CHAMPIONS) portal + To assist Indian
MSMEs march into the big league as National and Global CHAMPIONS by solving their
grievances and encouraging, supporting, helping and hand holding them + It is fully
integrated on a real time basis with the Government of India’s main grievances portal
Centralized Public Grievances Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) and the
Ministry’s other web based mechanisms
 Mission Surya Nagari = Centre scheme for 100% solarisation of Konark sun temple and
Konark town + Odisha + Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency will be the
Implementation Agency + 100% Central Financial assistance (CFA)
 Project CARD = NITI Aayog and the Department of Biotechnology + Consortium for
Affordable & Rapid Diagnostics (CARD) to scale up India’s capacity to make
coronavirus testing kits
 Vande Bharat Mission = Vande Bharat Mission is the biggest evacuation exercise to
bring back Indian citizens stranded abroad amidst the coronavirus-induced travel
restrictions + Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express will operate 64 flights to
bring back stranded Indians from 12 countries + The entire cost of travel will be borne by
the passengers under the mission
 Operation “Samudra Setu” = The Navy dispatched two ships, INS Jalashwa and INS
Magar, to Male under Operation “Samudra Setu” to repatriate stranded Indian citizens
from Maldives, UAE
 Mission Sagar = India has sent Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kesari, carrying food items and
medical assistance teams, to countries in the southern Indian Ocean to deal with Covid-19
pandemic as part of a "Mission Sagar" initiative + The countries including Maldives,
Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles had requested India for assistance in
dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic + Under the Mission, India will Deploy Medical
Assistance Teams in Mauritius and Comoros, helping their Governments deal with Covid
emergency and in case of Comoros, with dengue fever also + In addition, in case of
Mauritius, a special consignment of Ayurvedic medicines is also being sent + The
consignments also include Hydroxychloroquine tablets
 One Nation One Ration Card scheme = will ensure all beneficiaries especially
migrants can access PDS across the nation from any PDS shop of their own choice +
Ration card – Aadhar linkage is must to access the benefits of the scheme + Ministry of
Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution + A person will only be eligible for the
subsidies supported by the centre such as those under Nation Food security act, 2013 + A
migrant will be allowed to buy maximum of 50% of the family quota + U.P. and Bihar
recently joined One Nation One Ration Card scheme, which integrates a total of 17 States
& U.T.s + It includes Inter-state portability at IMPDS portal & Intra state portability at
Annavitran Portal (Annavitran Portal displays distribution of subsidized foodgrains to
beneficiaries and shows all India picture of Aadhaar authentication of beneficiaries
besides allocated and distributed quantity of foodgrains up to district level)
 Ration Card = document issued under State Government + for purchase of essential
commodities from FPS at subsidized rates + State Governments issue distinctive Ration
Cards to APL, BPL and Antyodaya families + also used as important tool of
identification
 Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IMPDS) Scheme = central
sector scheme + implemented under Ministry of Consumer Affairs + for Implementation
of nation-wide portability in food grains distribution under National Food Security Act
2013, Creation of national level data repository (Aadhaar based) and Use of advanced
data analytics techniques to bring about continuous improvements.
 National Food Security Act 2013 (NFSA) = This marks a shift in approach to food
security from welfare approach to rights-based approach + entitles up to 75% of the rural
population and 50% of the urban population under Targeted Public Distribution System
(TPDS) + subsidized food grain, rice at Rs 3/kg, wheat at Rs 2/kg, and coarse grains at
Re 1/kg + It is operated under joint responsibility of Central and State Governments +
Central Government- responsible for allocation of foodgrains to States/UTs,
transportation of foodgrains and providing central assistance to States/UTs for delivery of
foodgrains from FCI godowns to doorstep of FPSs + State Governments- handle
operational responsibility including identification of eligible families and issue of Ration
Cards
 Targeted Public distribution system(TDPS) = 1997 + Under TPDS, beneficiaries are
divided into 2 categories: Below Poverty Line-BPL Households and Above Poverty line-
APL Households
 Antyodaya Anna Yojana = 2000 + to make TPDS more focused and targeted + It
focuses poorest of the poor families among BPL beneficiaries
 Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme(ECLGS) = Recently approved for
MSMEs and MUDRA borrowers + Under the Scheme, 100% guarantee coverage to be
provided by National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) for
additional funding of up to Rs. 3 lakh crore to eligible MSMEs and interested MUDRA
borrowers + The credit will be provided in the form of a Guaranteed Emergency Credit
Line (GECL) facility + The Scheme would be applicable to all loans sanctioned under
GECL Facility during the period from the date of announcement of the Scheme +
NCGTC was incorporated under the Indian Companies Act, 1956 in 2014 was set up by
the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance + will be implemented over
period of 5 years + Tenor of the loan under Scheme shall be 4 years with a moratorium
period of one year on the principal amount + No Guarantee Fee shall be charged by
NCGTC from the Member Lending Institutions (MLIs) under the Scheme + loans under
this scheme would attract a risk weight of a minimum 20% since these don’t come with
direct government guarantee. This facility is similar to the loans that are guaranteed by
the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE)
 Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)/MUDRA Yojana/Mudra loans = 2015 + to
provide formal access of financial facilities to Non –Corporate Small Business Sector
(NCSBS) + To promote & ensure bank finance to unfunded segments of the economy + 3
categories of loan(SHISHU(till 50000),KISHORE(50000- 5 lac) and TARUN(5 lac- 10
lac)) + Collateral security is not mandatorily required + Activities allied to Agriculture
and services supporting this has been included under the scheme from 2016
 Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) scheme
= CGTMSE is a fund which provides guarantee for loans given to MSEs i.e. in case
borrowers fails to give back loans, bank will get their money from this fund + Now loans
given by NBFCs can also be covered under this fund + Mudra loans are guaranteed by
Credit Guarantee Trust for Micro And Small Enterprises (CGTMSE)
 Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana(PMMSY) = was announced in Budget 2020
+ aims to bring about the Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible
development of the fisheries sector in India + With the scheme, highest ever investment
of Rs. 20050 crores are being made in the fisheries sector + It will be implemented over a
period of 5 years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25 in all States/Union Territories
 Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA),
2005 = Run by Ministry of Rural Development + Provides at least one hundred days of
guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household whose adult
members volunteer to do unskilled manual work
 One stop centres or Sakhi centers = MoW&CD + funded from Nirbhaya Fund + aims
to facilitate access to integrated range of services including medical aid, police assistance,
legal aid and case management, psychosocial counselling and temporary support services
to women affected by violence
 Sovereign Gold Bond scheme = introduced in 2015 + to help reduce India’s over
dependence on gold imports + Minimum and Maximum limit: The minimum permissible
investment limit will be 1 gram of gold, while the maximum limit will be 4 kg for
individual + Sovereign gold bond is a substitute for holding physical gold. The bonds are
issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on behalf of the government and is a bond
denominated in gold + These bonds are backed by a sovereign guarantee and can also be
held in demat form + they are priced as per the underlying spot gold prices + these bonds
offer an interest at the rate of 2.5% per annum on the principal investment amount +
While the interest on the bonds are taxable, the capital gains at the time of redemption are
exempt from tax + These bonds can also be used as collateral for availing loans from
banks and NBFCs + SGB has a fixed tenure of eight years, though early redemption is
allowed after the fifth year from issuance + Since the bonds are listed on the exchange,
these can be transferred to other investors as well
 PM-KISAN scheme = direct income support of Rs 6000 per year to vulnerable
farmers(upto2 hectares)(around 12 crore beneficiaries) + this income support will be
transferred directly into bank accounts of beneficiary farmers in 3 equal installments of
Rs 2000 each + 100% funded by central govt + 75000 crore outlay in next year + scheme
is implemented from current year itself  + Aadhar will be must for 2nd installment(not
required for 1st installment) + Multiple land parcels (even if each is less than 2 hectares)
held by a single family will be pooled together to determine eligibility + Even
landholdings, bigger than 10 hectares, will be eligible for benefits under the scheme, if
owned by multiple families (e.g. If five brothers jointly own a single 10 hectare
holding, each of them will be eligible for the scheme) + Responsibility of identifying the
landholder farmer family eligible for benefit under the scheme shall be of the State/UT
Government + lists of eligible beneficiaries would be published at the village level to
ensure transparency + dedicated PM Kisan Portal will be launched for implementation of
the scheme + Central Sector Scheme and will be funded fully by the Government of India
+ Under this scheme, family is being defined as a unit (Not household) + All eligible
beneficiaries of PM-KISAN will be covered under the KCC scheme
 National Agricultural Market (e-NAM) = 2016 + pan-India electronic trading portal
which networks the almost 7,000 existing mandis run by Agricultural Produce Market
Committees (APMC) to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities,
with a promise to promote real-time price discovery based on actual supply and demand
+ The Centre recognised the potential of e-NAM in overcoming some of the hurdles of
the lockdown, and introduced some important new features in April: a trading module
allowing Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to trade produce directly from their
collection centres without bringing it to mandis, a warehouse-based trading module and a
logistics module offering users trackable transport facilities through aggregators + Small
Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) is the lead agency for implementing eNAM
under the aegis of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India
 Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship Scheme(PMRF) = By Ministry of Human
Resource and Development(MHRD) + The scheme offers financial support of ₹70,000
per month to PhD scholars at all IITs and Indian Institutes of Science Education and
Research (IISER), as well as the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, the NIT at
Tiruchirapalli and six top Central universities + Recently modified, which will other
NITs to join the scheme if they are among the top 25 institutions under the National
Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF)
 Smart Meters = part of the advanced metering infrastructure solution that measures and
records electricity use at different times of the day and send this information to the
energy supplier + allow two-way communication, between energy providers and
consumers of electricity + Draft Electricity Amendment Bill has defined smart grid and
suggested that smart meters should be installed at each stage, for proper measurement of
consumption + Under Ujjwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY), the government has
targeted to install 35 million smart meters by 2019 + Energy Efficiency Services Limited
(EESL), a PSU under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, is the designated
agency to implement the smart metering programme in India
 Rebate of State Levies (ROSL) Scheme = The ROSL Scheme, which reimburses the
State levies that garment and made-up exports incurred, was discontinued recently and
was replaced with the Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies scheme
 TLTRO 2.0 = RBI has announced a host of measures to provide liquidity support to
NBFCs + RBI would conduct Targeted Long-term Repo Operations (TLTRO 2.0) for an
aggregate amount of Rs 50,000 crore, in installments of appropriate sizes + banks have to
invest the funds availed under TLTRO 2.0, in investment grade bonds, commercial paper,
and non-convertible debentures of NBFCs + RBI stipulated that small and mid-sized
NBFCs and Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) should receive at least 50% of these funds
+ This will comprise Rs. 25,000 crore to NABARD for refinancing regional rural banks
(RRBs), cooperative banks and micro finance institutions (MFIs); Rs. 15,000 crore to
SIDBI for on-lending/refinancing; and Rs. 10,000 crore to NHB for supporting housing
finance companies (HFCs) (The Hindu, 19th May)
 Consol Bonds = Consol bond (also known as perpetual bond) is a fixed income security
with no maturity date + It is often considered a type of equity, rather than debt + The
major benefit of these bonds is that they pay a steady stream of interest payments forever.
However, these bonds can be redeemed at issuer's discretion + The console bonds were
majorly used by the British government during World War-I + According to some
experts, The introduction of the Consol bonds would have been a better solution for the
Indian government if people would have invested in consol bonds instead of making
donations to PM-CARES. It could have made citizens as active participants in handling
the economic scenario of the country
 Examples of States own revenue sources = from liquor sales, stamp duty, from property
transactions, sales tax on petroleum products etc
 Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre – IPFC, is a joint project of NRDC and
MoMSME, which aims to promote awareness and adoption of Intellectual Property
Rights amongst entrepreneurs and MSMEs in India while making accessible to high-
quality IP services and Resources + (National Research Development Corporation
(NRDC) is an enterprise under the Ministry of Science and Technology)
 Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) = recently released a survey on the
current unemployment situation in India. According to the survey, more than 20% of
Indian Economy has lost their job + The CMIE was established in 1974. It produces
business and economic databases. It is an independent think tank.
 Insider trading = the illegal practice of trading on the stock exchange to one's own
advantage through having access to confidential information
 Special Liquidity Facility for Mutual Funds (SLF-MF) = Recently announced by RBI
+ Will SLF-MF is on-tap and open-ended and will be available to all LAF (liquidity
adjustment facility) eligible banks + On-tap implies that is available whenever needed +
Open-ended implies that there is no restriction on the amounts that banks are allowed to
borrow + LAF eligible banks: All the Scheduled Commercial Banks are eligible to
participate in LAF auctions except the Regional Rural Banks + Under it, the RBI shall
conduct repo operations of 90 days tenor at the fixed repo rate
 Periodic Labour force survey(PLFS) = launched in 2017 by the NSSO of the Ministry
of Statistics and Programme Implementation + regular survey for generating estimates of
various labour force indicators on quarterly basis for urban areas and annual basis for
both rural and urban areas, at State/UT and all-India level + would supply data not only
about the formal sector, but also about the informal sector + PLFS is designed to generate
the indicators of labour market operations using two approaches( Usual Status (US)
approach and Current Weekly Status (CWS) approach) + In this survey, Computer
Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) Method has been adopted with field operators
using tablets to enter the data. This would generate more accurate and timely information
 National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) = Established in
1982 on the recommendations of Shivaraman Committee to implement the National Bank
for Agriculture and Rural Development Act, 1981 + Reserve Bank holds one per cent
of shareholding in NABARD and the Government of India 99 per cent + chief focus of
the organisation was the advancement of rural India by enhancing the flow of credit for
the upliftment of agriculture as well as the rural non-agricultural sector
 Special Long Term Transition Loan to Discoms for COVID-19 = financial assistance
is meant to help the discoms clear their dues to power producers, both belonging to the
Central public sector undertakings (PSUs) and the private sector, and transmission
companies + To be paid in two tranches, the loan will have a tenure of up to 10 years,
including moratorium of not more than 3 years
 Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary = Andhra Pradesh
 Bandipur national park = Karnataka
 Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve = It is a part of the elephant reserve in Assam
adjoining Arunachal Pradesh’s Deomali Elephant Reserve + Recently National Board for
Wild Life (NBWL) has recommended coal mining in a part of Dehing Patkai elephant
reserve in Assam + (Dibang Valley = Arunachal Pradesh) (The Hindu, 25th May)
 Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary = Goa
 Gir National Park = Gujarat
 Mount Harriet National Park = Andaman and Nicobar Island + Mount Harriet is the
third-highest peak in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago next to Saddle Peak in North
Andaman and Mount Thuillier in Great Nicobar
 Pinanga andamanensis = critically endangered palm species + endemic to the South
Andaman Island + Recently, this species started flowering at Thiruvananthapuram-based
Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Kerala +
its entire population of some 600 specimens naturally occurs only in a tiny, evergreen
forest pocket in South Andaman’s Mount Harriet National Park
 New plant species found in Western Ghats = scientists of the Botanical Survey of India
(BSI) have reported the discovery of three new plant species in the evergreen forest
patches of the southern end of the Western Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu + The three
species — Eugenia sphaerocarpa, Goniothalamus sericeus and Memecylon
nervosum were discovered
 Olive Ridley Turtles = Vulnerable + Performs Arribada(synchornised, largescale neting)
+ India’s odisha and Andhra pradesh coast are famous for their nesting (Gahirmatha beach
+ rushikulya river mouth etc are some famous sites) + Bahuda river mouth(Odisha) is
another site
 Sal forest tortoise = widely distributed over eastern and northern India and Southeast
Asia + Also known as the elongated tortoise + recently assessed as critically endangered
+ Threats: Hunted for food, wildlife trade, decorative masks etc + Uttarakhand State
which is the “westernmost” distribution of the species
 Brackish Water Turtle (Batagur baska) = one of the largest turtles to be found in
Southeast Asia + Critically Endangered(CE)
 Asian Palm Civet = native to regions within and around Asia, ranging as far east as the
Philippines and as far west as Kashmir + The Asian palm civet inhabits the tropical
jungles and rainforeststhroughout much of Asia + Least Concern (The Hindu, 15 th May)
 Puntius sanctus = silver fish found in Velankanni, Tamil Nadu + The new freshwater
species, Puntius sanctus, grows to only 7 cm + The Puntius species are known locally as
‘Paral’ in Kerala and ‘Kende’ in Tamil Nadu. They are purely freshwater fishes
 Charru mussel (Mytella strigata) = Invasive mussel is spreading rapidly in Kerala’s
backwaters + invasive mussel native to the South and Central American coasts is
spreading quickly in the backwaters of Kerala, elbowing out other mussel and clam
species and threatening the livelihoods of fishermen engaged in molluscan fisheries +
Charru mussel has, in many places, replaced the Asian green mussel(Perna viridis) and
the edible oyster Magallana bilineata (known locally as muringa) + Ashtamudi Lake, a
Ramsar site in Kerala, remains the worst-hit(The short-necked clam fisheries in the lake
had obtained an eco label from the Marine Stewardship Council)
 Cordyceps militaris = Bodoland University, one of Assam’s youngest universities, says
it has developed a fungal powder to help people boost immunity during the time of a
global pandemic + The powder is from a parasitic but rare “super mushroom” called
Cordyceps militaris
 National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) = statutory body + established in
2006 under MoEFCC performing functions as provided in the Wildlife (Protection) Act,
1972 + Presently It implements major tiger conservation initiatives like project tiger,
Tiger conservation plan etc
 Locusts attack = FAO has identified three hotspots of threatening locust activity- the
Horn of Africa, the Red Sea area, and Southwest Asia + Horn of Africa has been called
the worst-affected area + In the Red Sea area, locusts have struck in Saudi Arabia, Oman,
and Yemen + In Southwest Asia, locusts swarms have caused damage in Iran, India, and
Pakistan + Four species of locusts are found in India: Desert locust, Migratory locust,
Bombay Locust and Tree locust + Desert locust is regarded as the most destructive pest
in India as well as internationally + In all there are three breeding seasons for locusts -
Winter breeding [November to December], Spring breeding [January to June] and
Summer breeding [July to October]. India has only one locust breeding season and that is
Summer breeding + Locust Warning Organisation (LWO), Directorate of Plant
Protection Quarantine and Storage, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, is
responsible for monitoring and control of Desert Locust in Scheduled Desert Areas
mainly in the States of Rajasthan and Gujarat
 Locusts Cycles in India = India has not witnessed any full-blown locust cycles after
1962. However, during 1978 and 1993, large-scale upsurges were observed + Localised
locust breeding was controlled in 1998, 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2010 + Since 2010, the
situation remained calm and no major breeding and swarm formation has been reported +
Food and Agriculture Organisation(FAO) of the United Nations is mandated to control
locusts internationally
 Grasshoppers attack crops in Wayanad = Though the insect mainly feeds on teak
plants at Pulpally, especially in the Veliyambam area, it also attacks coffee, banana and
mango plants + The insect, found in abundance in the area, belong to Pyrgomorphidae
locust family. It was not the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria
 Schistocerca gregaria = desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is a species of locust, a
periodically swarming short-horned grasshopper in the family Acrididae
 Bellandur Lake, Varthur lakes and Vrushabhavati river = Karnataka
 Sunderbans delta = spread over India and Bangladesh, is the only mangrove forest in
the world inhabited by tigers + Sunderbans is a world heritage as well as a Ramsar site +
Recent tiget estimation seen a rise in number of tigers in Sunderbans
 Cyclone Amphan = storm system in the Bay of Bengal + super cyclone + make landfall
between Digha in West Bengal and Hatiya Islands in Bangladesh + impacted majorly
Odisha and West bengal in India + more powerful than Bulbul (2019) and Aila (2009) +
only the second super cyclone to form in the Bay of Bengal since 1999 + According to
Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), tropical cyclone with wind speed more than
222 km/hr is a super cyclone (highest in Classification)
 Sagar Island, Ghoramara Island and Mousuni Island = West bengal
 NEERI = which is a Council of Scientific and Industrial Research organization + CSIR-
National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) is a research
institute created and funded by Government of India + established in Nagpur in 1958
with focus on water supply, sewage disposal, communicable diseases etc + NEERI is a
pioneer laboratory in the field of environmental science and engineering and part of
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) + NEERI has five zonal laboratories
at Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai + NEERI falls under the Ministry of
Science and Technology (India)
 UV Blaster /UV Disinfection tower = Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) has developed an ultraviolet (UV) disinfection tower for rapid and chemical-
free disinfection of high infection-prone areas + The equipment named UV Blaster is
useful for high-tech surfaces like electronic equipment, computers etc
 Ultraviolet Light = UV light from the sun has shorter wavelengths than visible light so it
is not visible to the naked eye + UV radiation’s full spectrum is sourced from the sun and
can be classified into UV-A, UV-B and UV-C rays according to their wavelength + They
differ in their biological activity and the extent to which they can penetrate the skin +
UV-A(Relatively long-wavelength + Accounts for approximately 95% of the UV
radiation reaching Earth + Penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin and is responsible
for the immediate tanning + UV-B(Medium-wavelength + Biologically active but cannot
penetrate beyond the superficial skin layers + Responsible for delayed tanning and
burning) + UV-C(Short-wavelength + Most harmful but are completely absorbed by the
Earth’s atmosphere and does not reach the Earth’s surface)
 Inter-State Migrant Act, 1979 = The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of
Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979, seeks to regulate the employment of
inter-State migrants and their conditions of service + It is applicable to every
establishment that employs five or more migrant workmen from other State + also
applicable to contractors who employed a similar number of inter-State workmen + The
Act would apply regardless of whether the five or more workmen were in addition to
others employed in the establishment or by the contractors + The principal employer is
prohibited from employing inter-State workmen without a certificate of registration from
the relevant authority + It helps the government keep track of the number of workers
employed and provides a legal basis for regulating their conditions of service
 Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955 = enacted to control the production, supply
and distribution of, and trade and commerce in, certain goods considered as essential
commodities + Act itself does not lay out Rules and Regulations but allows the States to
issue Control Orders related to dealer licensing, regulate stock limits, restrict movement
of goods and requirements of compulsory purchases under the system of levy + Act also
provides for action to confiscate the stock seized; to suspend/ cancel licences, if any and
impose punishments like imprisonment + Act also gives the power to fix price limits, and
selling the particular commodities above the limit will attract penalties + Most of the
powers under the Act have been delegated by the Central Government to the State
Governments with the direction that they shall exercise these powers. Food and civil
supply authorities in States execute the provisions of the Act. Consequently, all
wholesalers, distributors, and retailers dealing in the product must reduce their
inventories to comply with the Provisions + According to recent Eco survey, frequent and
unpredictable imposition of blanket stock limits on commodities under Essential
Commodities Act (ECA) neither brings down prices nor reduces price volatility.
However, such intervention does enable opportunities for rent-seeking and harassment +
The major commodity groups included in the Act are
o Petroleum and its products, including petrol, diesel, kerosene, Naphtha, solvents
etc
o Food stuff, including edible oil and seeds, vanaspati, pulses, sugarcane and its
products like, khandsari and sugar, rice paddy
o Raw Jute and jute textiles
o Drugs- prices of essential drugs are still controlled by the DPCO
o Fertilisers- the Fertiliser Control Order prescribes restrictions on transfer and
stock of fertilizers apart from prices
o Onion and Potato
o Seeds of food crops, fruits and vegetables, cattle fodder, Jute seeds and Cotton
seeds
 Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation)
Act, 2017(Model APLM Act) = Ministry of Agriculture + purpose is to create a single
agri-market where with single licence one can trade agri-produce as well as livestock +
aim is to set up a wholesale market at every 80 km + new law will end the monopoly of
APMC and allow more players to set up markets and create competition so that farmers
can discover prices and sell their produce accordingly + law promotes multiple market
channels like private market yards, direct marketing and even godowns and silos can be
notified as markets + It caps market fee (including developmental and other charges) and
commission agents’ fee
 National Food Security Act, 2013(NFSA) = the PDS ensures 5 kg of foodgrain per
person per month to those who hold BPL cards +Antyodaya families, or the poorest of
the poor, are entitled to 35 kg of foodgrain per family per month under the Act + covers
upto 75 per cent of the rural population and 50 per cent of the urban population to receive
subsidized foodgrains + It includes the Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child
Development Services scheme and the Public Distribution System
 Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) = 1993 +
Central Sector Scheme + MoSPI + It aims to provide a mechanism for MPs to
recommend works of developmental nature based on locally felt needs + The annual
MPLADS fund entitlement per MP constituency is ₹5 crore + Elected MPs(LS) : can
recommend works in their respective constituencies + Elected MPs(RS) : can recommend
works anywhere in state from which they are elected + Nominated MPs(LS & RS) : may
select works for implementation anywhere in the country + Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation has made amendments to the Members of Parliament Local
Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) guidelines + The amendments allow Members of
Parliament (MPs) to recommend funds for purchase of medical testing and screening
equipment for government hospitals and setting up of other related facilities in their
respective constituencies, to contain COVID-19
 Federal Powers = Under the federal scheme, Parliament can legislate on matters under
the Union List (List I), Stage legislatures can legislate on matters under the State List
(List II), and both Parliament and State legislatures can legislate on matters under the
Concurrent List (List III) + The residuary power to legislate on matters that are not
mentioned in either List II or List III vests with Parliament under Article 248 of the
Constitution read with Entry 97 of List I + the Supreme Court in a number of judgments,
including in Godfrey Phillips v. State of U.P. & Ors (2005), dictates that the entries in the
legislative lists must be interpreted harmoniously, and in the event of any overlap
between two or more entries, the specific subject matter contained in a particular entry
must be deemed to have been excluded from another entry which may deal with a more
general subject matter + as per Articles 73 and 162, the executive power of the Centre
and the States is co-extensive with their respective legislative powers, which means that
the Central and State governments can only take executive actions in matters where
Parliament and State legislatures, respectively, have powers to legislate + (Disaster
management as a field of legislation does not find mention in either List II or List III, nor
does any particular entry in List I specifically deal with this. Thus, the Disaster
Management Act could only have been enacted by Parliament in exercise of its residuary
powers of legislation under Article 248)
 TMA Pai vs State of Karnataka 2002 case = In this case, the Supreme Court held that
the fundamental right under Article 30 (1) was neither absolute nor above the law +
(Article 30 of the Constitution = deals with the Right of minorities to establish and
administer educational institutions + Under Article 30 (1), all minorities, whether based
on religion or language, have the right to establish and administer educational institutions
of their choice + Article 30 (2) prohibits the state in discriminating against such
institutions in granting aid on the ground that it is under the management of minority)
 Jammu and Kashmir’s Domicile Rules = Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA) has issued the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of State Laws)
Order, 2020 + It amended 109 laws and repealed 29 laws of the erstwhile State and
inserted the ‘domicile’ clause in the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralisation
and Recruitment) Act, 2010 + The clause for ‘permanent resident of the State’ under the
2010 Act, has been substituted by ‘Domicile’ of the UT + Only permanent residents of
J&K were eligible to apply for the gazetted and non-gazetted posts but now non-
domiciles can also apply for these posts + Criteria for Domiciles(Someone who has
resided for a period of 15 years in the UT of J&K OR Someone who has studied for a
period of seven years and appeared in Class 10th/12th examination in an educational
institution located in the UT of J&K etc) (The Hindu, 20 th May)
 ‘Darbar Move’ = is the name given to the bi-annual shift of the secretariat and all other
government offices of Jammu and Kashmir from one capital city to another
 Constitutional Crisis in Maharashtra = Current CM of Maharashtra had 6 months term
as he was not member of state assembly and need to get elected to either of the houses of
the state legislature before last week of May, as per Article 164(4) of the Constitution +
However, ECI postponed indefinitely legislative council elections due to the pandemic,
using powers under Article 324 of the Constitution, along with Section 153 of the
Representation of the People Act, 1951 + A double application of Article 164 (4) to
extend this period for another six months was out of the question as the Supreme Court,
in S.R. Chaudhuri v. State of Punjab and Ors (August 17, 2001), had declared that it
would be tantamount to a subversion of the principle of representative government +
(Please note: According to the Article 164 of the Constitution, a non-legislator is allowed
to occupy a post in the council of ministers, including the office of the chief minister for
six months from the date of oath)
 Principle of ‘strict liability’ = Under the “strict liability principle”, a party is not liable
and need not pay compensation if a hazardous substance escapes his premises by accident
or by an “act of God’” among other circumstances + 19th century English law principle
of “strict liability” was made redundant in India by the Supreme Court in 1986 +
Supreme Court, while deciding the Oleum gas leak case of Delhi, found strict liability
woefully inadequate to protect citizens’ rights in an industrialised economy like India and
replaced it with the ‘absolute liability principle’ + Under the absolute liability principle,
the apex court held that a company in a hazardous industry cannot claim any exemption.
It has to mandatorily pay compensation, whether or not the disaster was caused by its
negligence. The court said a hazardous enterprise has an “absolute non-delegable duty to
the community” + (Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 = Imposes a no-fault liability on the
owner of hazardous substance and requires the owner to compensate victims of accident) +
(National Green Tribunal (NGT) = NGT was set up by an Act of Parliament in 2010 + The Act
provides for the “principle of no fault liability”, which means that the company can be held
liable even if it had done everything in its power to prevent the accident)
 Indentured Labour Laws in British India = Bengal Regulations VII, 1819 for the
British planters in Assam tea estates. Workers had to work under a five-year contract and
desertion was made punishable + Transport of Native Labourers’ Act, 1863 was passed
in Bengal which strengthened control of the employers and even enabled them to detain
labourers in the district of employment and imprison them for six months + Bengal Act
VI of 1865 was later passed to deploy Special Emigration Police to prevent labourers
from leaving, and return them to the plantation after detention + Factory workers too
faced severe exploitation and were made to work 16-hour days for a pittance. Their
protests led to the Factories Act of 1911 which introduced 12-hour work shifts + With
Pressure of Political leaders, Royal Commission on Labour was established which gave a
report in 1935 + (The indentured plantation labour finally saw relief in the form of the
Plantations Labour Act, 1951) (The Hindu, 15 th May)
 Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India 2020 = Verdict on Internet curbs in J&K in defence
of free speech
 “RESTART” Conference = ‘Rebooting the Economy through Science, Technology, and
Research Translations (RESTART)’ is a digital conference organized National
Technology Day + The conference was organized by the Technology Development
Board (TDB), an autonomous organization of the Department of Science and Technology
(DST) along with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) - a non-government, not-for-
profit, industry-led and industry-managed organization
 Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) = Polymerase Chain Reaction is a technique used in
molecular biology to create several copies of a certain DNA segment + A PCR or
polymerase chain reaction test is DNA-based and can quickly confirm presence of the
virus + The principle of PCR is based on the enzymatic replication of nucleic acids + this
technique was developed in 1983 by Kary Mullis, an American biochemist
 Beta-D-N4-hydroxycytidine or NHC = Researchers have found that a ribonucleoside
analogue (beta-D-N4-hydroxycytidine or NHC) that has previously shown to be effective
against influenza and Ebola is also potent against coronaviruses, including the novel
coronavirus that is currently causing the pandemic
 ATULYA= Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), Pune has developed a
microwave sterilizer to kill the coronavirus + named ATULYA a cost-effective solution
to disintegrate corona virus.
 Bacteriophages = Phages, as they are also called, are viruses that specifically target
bacteria and are also extremely strain-specific + While there is research to suggest that
these phages may have anti-microbial properties and could potentially destroy bacteria
such as Mycobacterium streptococcus and Pseudomonas Yersinia, it is unclear how
phages — being viruses themselves — could have anti-viral properties + Phage therapy
has its uses in experimental medicine and has been used to treat infections from
antibiotic-resistant bacteria
 Darknet = refers to the deep hidden internet platform that is used for narcotics sale,
exchange of pornographic content and other illegal activities by using the secret alleys of
the ToR Network to stay away from the surveillance of law enforcement agencies +
Owing to its end-to-end encryption, darknet is considered very tough to crack when it
comes to investigating criminal activities being rendered over it + Dark Net itself is only
a part of the Deep Web that is a broader concept, which includes sites that are protected
by passwords (Only difference is that while the Deep Web is accessible, the Dark Net is
deliberately hidden) + The part of internet that is readily available to general public and
searchable on standard search engines is called as Surface Web
 PBKDF2 = PBKDF1 and PBKDF2 are key derivation functions with a sliding
computational cost, used to reduce vulnerabilities to brute force attacks (Was in news
during Unacademy data breach)
 Y2K Riddle = Year 2000 problem, also known as the Y2K problem, the Millennium
bug, was a computer flaw, or bug, that may have caused problems when dealing with
dates beyond December 31, 1999
 Luhman 16A = one of a pair of binary brown dwarfs in the Vela constellation + Luhman
16 is a binary star system, the third closest system to the Sun after Alpha Centauri and
Barnard’s star + Recently, Band-like clouds seen over Sun’s neighbor + Understanding
the cloud system over a brown dwarf can shed light on the pressure, temperature and
climate on the surface of the Sun + (Brown dwarfs are also called failed stars, because
their masses are intermediate to the largest planets and the smallest main sequence stars.
Their masses being too small, they are unable to sustain fusion of their hydrogen to
produce energy. It is believed that some of the more massive brown dwarfs fuse
deuterium or lithium and glow faintly)
 DSR Technique = ‘Direct Seeding of Rice’ (DSR) technique + In transplanting, farmers
prepare nurseries where the paddy seeds are first sown and raised into young plants. In
DSR, there is no nursery preparation or transplantation. The seeds are instead directly
drilled into the field by a tractor-powered machine + The DSR technique is less time
consuming and labour intensive than the conventional practice. The DSR technique
called ‘tar-wattar DSR’ has been developed and successfully tested on a good scale at
farmers’ fields. It helps in saving irrigation water, there’s lesser weed problem, besides
there is reduced incidence of nutrient deficiency, especially iron, owing to lesser leaching
of nutrients and deeper root development
 PLACID Trial = Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has initiated a multi-
centre clinical trial called PLACID trial — “Phase-II Open-Label, Randomised
Controlled Trial — to assess the safety and efficacy of Convalescent Plasma to Limit
COVID-19 associated complications in moderate disease
 LISA procedure = LISA has been developed as a lung-protective strategy for respiratory
management and ventilation in view of the mechanical ventilation causing damage to the
preterm lungs of newborns + A recent medical technique, known as less invasive
surfactant administration (LISA), has been started at the hospital in Jaipur
 GV-971 or “Oligomannate” = China proposes to treat Alzheimer’s with new drug +
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that typically affects people older than
65. When it affects younger individuals, it is considered early onset + The disease
destroys brain cells and nerves, and disrupts the message-carrying neurotransmitters +
There is no cure for Alzheimer’s because its exact causes are not known + [Alzheimer’s
involves two proteins, called beta amyloids and tau]
 New Space India Limited = 2019 Budget speech had mentioned the creation of a public
sector company by ISRO called New Space India Limited. This was similar to its existing
company, Antrix, and allows small satellite technology to be transferred to private
industry and outsource the development of ISRO’s workhorse Polar Satellite Launch
Vehicle to the private sector (The Hindu,17th May)
 Operation Warp Speed is a public–private partnership, initiated by the Federal
Government of the United States, to facilitate and accelerate the development,
manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics
 Spirulina = Spirulina is a biomass of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) that can be
consumed by humans and animals +The three species are Arthrospira platensis, A
fusiformis, and A maxima + It is cultivated worldwide, Arthrospira is used as a dietary
supplement or whole food. It is also used as a feed supplement in the aquaculture,
aquarium, and poultry industries+ Recently Central Food Technological Research
Institute (CFTRI) has developed Spirulina groundnut candy + It can provide micro-
nutrients and boost immunity of people during this time of pandemic
 Styrene = also known as vinyl benzene, ethylbenzene, cinnamene or phenylethylene, it is
derivative of benzene + flammable liquid + used in the manufacturing of polystyrene
plastics, fibreglass, rubber, and latex + also found in vehicle exhaust, cigarette smoke,
and in natural foods like fruits and vegetables + Short-term exposure to the substance can
result in respiratory problems while Long-term exposure could drastically affect the
central nervous system + Styrene is included in the schedule of the Manufacture, Storage
and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989. The rules lay down strict norms on how
it should be handled and stored + (In news, Because of Vizag Gas Leak) + (The Bhopal
gas tragedy was a gas leak incident that took place in December 1984 at the Union
Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal where people were exposed to
methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas in this gas leak incident)
 Quinine = is a bitter compound that comes from the bark of the cinchona tree. The tree is
most commonly found in South America, Central America, the islands of the Caribbean,
and parts of the western coast of Africa + Quinine was originally developed as a
medicine to fight malaria + (The herb Quinine Nongladew is the alkaloid quinine
extracted from the bark of cinchona, a plant belonging to the Rubiaceae family and
classified as either a large shrub or a small tree + Meghalaya has a village named Quinine
Nongladew)
 Alternative Dwarfing Genes in Wheat = Recently, scientists at Pune based Agharkar
Research Institute (ARI), have mapped two alternative dwarfing genes Rht14 and Rht18
in wheat that can help in reducing rice crop residue burning i.e. stubble burning + ARI is
an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology
 African Swine Fever(ASF) = contagious and fatal animal disease that infects domestic
and wild pigs + first detected in Africa in the 1920s + mortality is close to 100 per cent +
ASF is not a threat to human beings since it only spreads from animals to other a African
Swine Fever animals + ASF has been seen in Asian countries like China, Philippines
recently + In India, disease was first reported in November-December 2019 from areas of
China bordering Arunachal Pradesh and has since then migrated till Assam
 Swine flu =  Influenza A H1N1 +H1N1 influenza (or swine flu) is a highly contagious
acute respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes
outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans.
However, sporadic human infections with swine flu have occurred + Children younger
than five years old and adults who are 65 years and above, patients with chronic
pulmonary condition (including asthma), , neurological, neuromuscular or metabolic
disorders (including diabetes), obese adults and pregnant women are in the high risk
group 
 Nipah Virus = zoonotic disease (disease transmitted to humans from animals) that
causes severe disease in both animals and humans +  first identified in 1999 during
outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore + Fruit bats of the
genusPteropus/Pteropodidae are the natural reservoirs of NiV + may lead to coma +
Encephalitis may present as acute or late onset + currently no Vaccine available to treat +
the virus was found in countries which never saw an outbreak, such as Thailand, and the
only known outbreaks so far have been in Malaysia, Bangladesh and India + Nipah is
situated in malaysia + (Alappuzha coast = Kerala) + (Kovalam beach = Kerala)
 Hog Cholera = Classical swine fever (CSF) or hog cholera (also sometimes called pig
plague based on the German word Schweinepest) is a highly contagious disease of swine
(Old World and New World pigs). It is mentioned as a potential bioweapon + Species:
Pestivirus C
 Japanese Encephalitis (JE) = disease caused by a flavi virus that affects the membranes
around the brain + Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is also a major cause of Acute
Encephalitis Syndrome (AES)(also known Chamki Bukhar) in India + he disease is
transmitted to humans through bites from infected mosquitoes of the Culex species + here
is no antiviral treatment for patients with JE
 Down syndrome = is a genetic disorder caused when abnormal cell division results in an
extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21 + This extra genetic material causes the
developmental changes and physical features of Down syndrome
 “Synthetic Drugs in East and Southeast Asia” Report = By United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime (UNODC) + It said that COVID-19 unlikely to affect illicit drug supply
 Indo-U.S. Vaccine Action Program (VAP) = is a 33-year collaboration between the
U.S. National Institutes of Health, the Indian Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and
the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) along with other partners + n the context
of the current pandemic, partners under the Vaccine Action Programme (VAP) are
planning to collaborate on the development and testing of vaccine candidates and
diagnostics for Covid-19 + The programme is under implementation since July, 1987
under the Gandhi-Reagan Science & Technology Agreement + Major projects were
initiated under VAP in the areas of rotaviral diarrhoea, dengue, viral hepatitis, acute
respiratory infections, tuberculosis, malaria, typhoid, E. coli, leishmaniasis,
pneumococcal, HIV/AIDS, etc
 Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative (GAVI) = GAVI is a global health partnership of
public and private sector organizations dedicated to “immunisation for all” + It is backed
by several global organisation, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the
WHO, the World Bank and the UNICEF, which arranges bulk buys to lower vaccine
costs for poor countries
 Truenat = WHO had mentioned that the India-made Truenat MTB, a molecular
diagnostic test to diagnose pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB and rifampicin-resistant
TB, has high diagnostic accuracy + (xpert and smear microscopy are other tests/devices
to check TB) (In news 9 th May, The Hindu)
 Solidarity Trial Initiative = It is an international clinical trial to help find an effective
treatment for COVID-19, launched by the World Health Organization and partners + It
will compare four treatment options against standard of care, to assess their relative
effectiveness against COVID-19
 Favipiravir antiviral tablets = A generic version of Avigan from Japanese firm Fujifilm
Toyama Chemical Co, Favipiravir has demonstrated activity against influenza viruses +
Recently, DCGI nod to Glenmark for trials of Favipiravir on COVID-19 patients
 Herd immunity = refers to preventing an infectious disease from spreading by
immunising a certain percentage of the population. While the concept is most commonly
used in the context of vaccination, herd community can also be achieved after enough
people have become immune after being infected
 Preventive Methods for Alzheimers = Researchers at the Indian Institute of
Technology-Guwahati (IIT-G) have found methods for preventing the accumulation of
neurotoxic molecules in the brain, which leads to Alzheimer’s disease + The cause of
Alzheimer’s is the accumulation of amyloid-beta peptides (neurotoxic molecules) in the
brain + IIT Guwahati researchers used ‘Trojan’ Peptides (deceitful peptide) which has the
same structure as the peptide in the body but its function is contrary to aggregation + In
this approach, the purpose is to design a deceitful peptide with “negative syncretical
points” for checking the plaque formation + India has 3rd highest number of Alzheimer
patients after China and USA
 Z-Scan Method = Recently, scientists from IIT (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad and
CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (Kolkata) have developed the Z-scan method
to monitor the origin as well as the progression of Parkinson's disease in human beings +
The discovered Z-scan method is expected to help in monitoring both the early as well as
late stages of the aggregation of ASyn and death of neuronal cells
 Classification of Diseases based on spread and occurrence = Pandemic - is declared
when a new disease for which people do not have immunity spreads around the world
beyond expectations+ Epidemic - a large outbreak, one that spreads among a population
or region It is less severe than pandemic due to a limited area of spread+ Endemic -
when the presence or usual prevalence of its infectious agent is constant within a given
geographical area or population group + Syndemic - A situation when two or more
epidemics interact synergistically to produce an increased burden of disease in a
population
 Defence sector tweaks = government would make a separate budgetary provision for
domestic defence procurements and bring out a negative import list for weapons and
military platforms + The limit for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in defence through the
automatic route had also been raised from 49% to 74%. Earlier, 100% FDI was allowed
on a case by case basis
 Ordinance factory board = 41 factories + Ministry of defence + recruitment by UPSC +
HQ at kolkata
 Border Roads Organisation(BRO) = 1960 + works under the administrative control of
the Ministry of Defence + coordinates the speedy development of a network of roads in
the North and the North Eastern border regions of the country
 Military Gender Advocate of the year Award = Given by United Nations(UN) + given
for peacekeeping operations + Women peacekeepers from India and Brazil – Major
Suman Gawani of the Indian Army, a Military Observer formerly deployed with the
United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and Commander Carla Monteiro de
Castro Araujo, a Brazilian Naval officer – have jointly won the United Nations Military
Gender Advocate of the Year 2019 Award
 Patriot missile systems = USA + Patriot (MIM-104) is a long-range, all-altitude, all-
weather air defence system to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and
advanced aircraft
 Kudankulam power plant = Tirunelveli,TN + It is the single largest nuclear power
station in India + KKNPP is scheduled to have six VVER-1000 reactors built in
collaboration with Atomstroyexport, the Russian state company and Nuclear Power
Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) (The Hindu, 21 st May)
 Akash Missiles = Indigenously developed + SRSAM(Short range surface to air missile)
+ include the seeker technology and posses a 360 degree coverage + Defence Research
and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed Akash as part of the Integrated
Guided Missile Development Programme initiated in 1984 + It is made by Bharat
Dynamics Limited (BDL) + Akash has a range of 25 km and can engage multiple targets
at a time in all-weather conditions
 Nag- Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) = NAG missile is a third-generation anti-tank
guided missile, which has top attack capabilities that can effectively engage and destroy
all known enemy tanks during day and night + Range: Minimum-500 metres and
Maximum- 4 kilometres + Developed by DRDO
 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas = received the final operational clearance for
induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a weaponised fighter jet + indigenously built
fighter aircraft + designed by aeronautical development agency (ADA) + produced by
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) + single-seat + multi-role jet fighter + powered by
single engine + can also carry out mid-air refuelling + pegged as world’s smallest and
lightest supersonic fighter aircraft in its class + limited reach of little over 400-km and
will be mainly used for close air-to-ground operations (unlike Russian-origin Sukhoi-
30MKIs or Rafale which have deep strike capability into enemy territory due to their long
range) + equipped with state-of-the-art Satellite aided Inertial Navigation System + It is
not the first indigenous fighter to be inducted into the IAF. In April 1967, IAF had
formed the first operational squadron with the indigenous HF-24 Marut fighter
 Thrissur Pooram festival = Kerala + It is also known as mother of all festivals and is a
seven day annual Hindu festival conducted in Kerala + It was started in the 18th Century
by Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of erstwhile Kochi + During the festival,
Paramekkavu Devi temple and Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna temple pay their obeisance to
Lord Shiva,the presiding deity of the Vadakkunnathan temple at Thrissur + Thrissur
Pooram festival has been cancelled for the first time due to Coronavirus pandemic
 Char Dham project = to improve road network connecting pilgrimage spots in
Uttarakhand + The project proposes the widening of single lane roads into double lanes
by up to 10 metres, developing highways in Uttarakhand and thereby improving access to
the Char Dham (four shrines) — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedar Nath + The
Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has achieved a milestone in the construction of a 440-
m tunnel on the Rishikesh-Dharasuroad National Highway in Uttarakhand. The tunnel is
part of the efforts to boost the annual Chardham yatra
 GI tag = GI Tag is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and
possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin + regulated under Geographical
Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act,1999 + given by Controller
General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks who is Registrar of Geographical
Indications + GI is covered under Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
(TRIPS) Agreement
 Kashmir Saffron = It is cultivated in Karewas (highlands) of Jammu & Kashmir + It is
only saffron in world grown at an altitude of 1,600 m to 1,800 m + In ancient Sanskrit
literature, saffron is referred to as ‘bahukam’ + Three types include: Guchhi, Lachha and
Mongra Saffron + Iran is the largest producer of saffron and India comes second
 Gorakhpur terracotta = have bagged the Geogrphical Indication (GI) tag + Uttar
Pradesh + The terracotta work of Gorakhpur is a centuries-old traditional art form, where
the potters make various animal figures like, horses, elephants, camel, goat and ox with
hand-applied ornamentation + Some of the major products of craftsmanship include the
Hauda elephants, Mahawatdar horse, deer, camel, five-faced Ganesha, singled-faced
Ganesha, elephant table, chandeliers and hanging bells
 Sohrai Khovar painting = ritualistic mural art + Jharkhand + given the Geographical
Indication (GI) tag by the Geographical Indications Registry headquartered in Chennai +
The Sohrai Khovar painting is a traditional and ritualistic mural art being practised by
local tribal women during local harvest and marriage seasons using local, naturally
available soils of different colours
 Telia Rumal = an intricately designed handloom cloth + Telangana + Telia Rumal cloth
involves intricate handmade work with cotton loom displaying a variety of designs and
motifs in three particular colours — red, black and white
 Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai = Its geographical Indication (GI) tag has been granted to
Kovilpatti, Tamil Nadu+ candy made of made up of jaggery and peanuts
 Shahi Lichi = Unique fruit from Bihar, due to attractive appearance and delicious pearly
white aril + Recently department of Posts, Department of Horticulture, Government of
Bihar have joined hands to supply ''Shahi Lichi'' to the people at doorstep + Shahi litchi,
has been awarded GI tag + (Zardalu Mango = Famously grown in Bihar)
 Tangkhul, Khoibu, Vaiphei, Paite = Tangkhul and Khoibu are Naga dialects of
Manipur + Manipuri is the tongue of the non-tribal Meiteis of Imphal Valley and Vaiphei
and Paite are languages of the tribal group classified as Kuki-Zomi
 Chak-Hao = which is a black rice variety of Manipur + Got GI Tag + Chak-Hao, a
scented glutinous rice which has been in cultivation in Manipur over centuries, is
characterised by its special aroma. It is normally eaten during community feasts and is
served as Chak-Hao kheer + Chak-Hao has also been used by traditional medical
practitioners as part of traditional medicine. According to the GI application filed, this
rice takes the longest cooking time of 40-45 minutes due to the presence of a fibrous bran
layer and higher crude fibre content
 Sherdukpen community = Arunachal Pradesh + the last honey hunting group of
Arunachal Pradesh + Buddhist
 Saharia tribe = ethnic group in the state of Madhya Pradesh and some parts of Rajasthan
+ Particularly vulnerable tribal group(PVTG)
 Bru tribe/Riang tribe = spread across North eastern states of Tripura, Assam,
Manipur and Mizoram + it is a primitive tribal group + 2nd largest tribe
of tripura after tripuri tribe + ‘Mai-Nouhma’ Dance(Harvesting of shifting cultivation)
+ Brus are Hindu + Hojagiri is a folk dance, performed in the state of Tripura, India by
the Bru people + (Lai,Poi,Fanai,ralte, Lushai and Mara are tribes in Mizoram) +
(Mizoram exemplify the interdependence and intermingling of Mizos and non-
Mizos as Bawngva(Mizoram))
 Quadripartite Pact = to end Bru Repatriation Impasse + MHA signed with the State
governments of Tripura, Mizoram and leaders of Bru community to permanently settle
around 34,000 internally displaced Bru people in Tripura + Reangs or Brus are the
second largest ethnic group in Mizoram + Their exodus in 1997 was spurred when they
demanded creation of an autonomous council that was vehemently opposed by Mizo
groups
 Katkari Tribes = One of the 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) +
Mostly from Maharashtra
 Toda Tribe and Toda Embroidery = Toda is a pastoral tribe of the Nilgiri Hills of
southern India + Toda embroidery(pohor) has distinctive red and black (and occasionally
blue) thread work in geometric designs on unbleached white cotton fabric + It has got GI
Tag
 Awa Guaja Tribe = is a hunter-gatherer tribe of around 400 people in the Amazon
rainforest, Brazil (The Hindu, 20th may(This type of news are asked by UPSC but are
generally missed in other standard materials))
 Banashankari temple, Kukke Subrahmanya, Kateel Durga Parameshwari,
Nanjangud Srikanteshwara and Saundatti Yellamma temple = Karnataka + Recently,
Online pooja started in these temples
 Lord Venkateswara temple = Andhra Pradesh + Vaishnavite temple
 National School of Drama = is premier theatre institute established by the Sangeet
Natak Akademi in 1959. It became an independent school in 1975. It imparts training and
propagates dramatics in the country + Presently the National School of Drama is an
autonomous organization under the ministry of Culture + Its headquarters is at New Delhi
 Purandara Dasa = Purandara Dasa (1484 –1565) was a Haridasa, a renowned composer
of Carnatic music, a great devotee of the Supreme Lord Krishna, a Vaishnava poet, a
saint and a social reformer + disciple of the Dvaita philosopher-saint Vyasatirtha, and a
contemporary of yet another Haridasa, Kanakadasa + He was a composer, singer and one
of the chief founding-proponents of South Indian classical music (Carnatic music) + The
Department of Archaeology, Karnataka has commenced field research work regarding
the birthplace of Purandara Dasa who is held as the father figure of Carnatic
music(widely referred to as the Pitamaha (lit. “father” or “grandfather”) of Carnatic
music)
 Strait of Hormuz[Locate on MAP]
 Gulf of Oman = Gulf lies between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula + Besides Iran and
Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq also share the Gulf
coastline + Strait of Hormuz is a choke-point between the Gulf and the open ocean +
With Iran on its northern coast and the UAE and an Omanian enclave on the south
 Shahid Rajaee port = Iran
 Bandar-e-Jask port = Iran
 Sinai Peninsula = Egypt
 Hamas = Gaza (Look Israel-Palestine MAP(ALSO MAP GOLAN HEIGHTS and
WEST BANK(Ramallah is in west bank)(ALSO THE COUNTRIES TOUCHING))) +
Hamas, the Islamist militant group that has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007
 VOC Port /V. O. Chidambaranar Port Trust = is one of the 13 major ports in India +
Tamil Nadu (The Hindu, 22nd May)
 Shanghumugham beach = Kerala
 Lake Constance = Location: Germany, Switzerland, Austria
 Baghjan oilfield = Assam + oilfield near the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park
 Koyambedu market = Near Chennai, Tamil Nadu (was very much in news)
 Velanai Island/Kayts Island = also known as Leiden in Dutch, is a small island off the
coast of Jaffna Peninsula in the North of Sri Lanka
 Belagavi city/district = aka Belgaum + border dispute between Maharashtra and
Karnataka + Mahajan Commission report is related to this dispute (The Hindu, 24th May)
 Mekong River dam = Laos + Two dams — the Xayaburi and Don Sahong — have been
built in Laos, which wants to construct seven more as it strives to live up to its billing as
the “Battery of Asia
 Puthimari River = rises in Assam+ tributary of the Brahmaputra River+ known for its
floods and high sediment load+ It flooded after Amphan cyclone.
 Jia-Bhoreli River = Called Kameng in Arunachal Pradesh and Jia Bhoreli in Assam +
originates from the glacial lake Gori Chen mountain in Tawang district in South Tibet
 River Nila = also known as Bharathapuzha and Ponnani + Amaravathipuzha originating
from Thrimoorthy Hills of Anamalais in Tamil Nadu joins with Kalpathipuzha at Parali
in Kerala and forms Nila + It drains in Kerala and Tamil Nadu + Malampuzha dam is the
largest among the reservoirs built across Bharathapuzha + It flows westward through
Palakkad Gap (most prominent discontinuity in the Western Ghats) and drains into the
Arabian Sea
 Etalin Hydroelectric Project = proposed in Arunachal Pradesh + envisaged as a run of
the river scheme on rivers Dri and Tangon + 2.7 lakh trees in forests under
threat(Opposed by Environment activists)
 Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project = Telangana + Godavari river  (The Hindu,18th
May)
 19th Electric Power Survey (EPS) Report = released by Central Electricity Authority
(CEA), a central agency
 Gold Demand Trends report = by the World Gold Council
 Amnesty International = NGO for human rights violations + Hq at London,UK
 ‘Toman’ = Amid high inflation, Iran to get a new currency + Each toman will be worth
10,000 rials under the new system
 International Gandhi Peace Prize = named after Mahatma Gandhi, is awarded annually
by the Government of India + Government of India launched the International Gandhi
Peace Prize in 1995 on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Mohandas
Karamchand Gandhi + Ministry of Culture invites nominations for awarding Gandhi
Peace Prize
 ‘Khudol’ Initiative = is a crowdfunded initiative of Ya_All, an Imphal-based NGO. The
initiative entails ensuring food supplies and health services for the LGBTQI+
community, people living with HIV, daily-wage earners, children and adolescents + The
Initiative is recently praised by UN
 WWW.AI.GOV.IN = national artificial intelligence portal + It will work as one stop
digital platform for AI related developments in India + National e-Governance Division
of Ministry of Electronics and IT and NASSCOM will jointly run this portal
Vision-May (No Repetition)
Topics already covered in The Hindu section are NOT repeated
 Bureau of Outreach and Communication (BOC) = 2017 + by integration of erstwhile
Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), Directorate of Field Publicity
(DFP) and Song & Drama Division (S&DD) + Mandate- Branding of the Government as
prime facilitator of people’s empowerment and positioning of messages through Print,
Audio-Visual, Outdoor and Digital Media to realize the same
 Non-Aligned Movement = Indian Prime Minister participated in online Summit of Non-
Aligned Movement (NAM) Contact Group 2020 to declare solidarity during COVID-19
Pandemic + Themed ‘United against COVID-19 + Host - President of the Republic of
Azerbaijan, current Chairman of NAM grouping + NAM has origin in Asia-Africa
Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955 + NAM’s first conference was held at
Belgrade Conference held in 1961 under the leadership of India, Yugoslavia, Egypt, Ghana,
and Indonesia + It has 120 members + Indian PM has not attended previous two NAM
summits, at Venezuela in 2016 and Azerbaijan in 2019
 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) = first ever virtual health assembly + WHA is the
decision-making body of World Health Organisation (WHO) + Main functions of WHA:
determine the policies of WHO, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies
and review and approve proposed programme budget + WHA is held annually in Geneva,
Switzerland
 One health approach = term ‘One Health’ was first used in 2003–2004, in association with
the emergence of severe acute respiratory disease (SARS) in early 2003 and subsequently by
the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1, and by the series of strategic goals
known as the ‘Manhattan Principles’ + goal of achieving optimal health outcomes
recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared
environment
 Doha declaration on the TRIPS agreement and public health = adopted in 2001 + by
World Trade Organization (WTO) Members to clarify ambiguities between the need for
governments to apply the principles of public health and terms of TRIPS + This Declaration
affirms that TRIPS Agreement does not and should not prevent Members from taking
measures to protect public health
 Atmanirbhar Bharat v/s Import Substitution = Import substitution relied extensively on
imposing high import tariffs and discouraging foreign trade, while Atmanirbhar Bharat
focuses on reforms and improving ease of doing business, including for foreign firms in the
country + Import Substitution model advocated a centralised, top-down model whereas
Atmanirbhar Bharat emphasizes on freeing Indian entrepreneurship and innovation from
bureaucratic hurdles + idea of self-reliance is not about a return to the era of import
substitution or isolationism + The idea of Atmanirbhar Bharat if based on 5 pillars: First
Pillar is Economy, Second Pillar is Infrastructure, Third Pillar is Our System, policies, Fourth
Pillar is Our Demography and Fifth pillar is Our Demand
 9th Edition of the Status Paper on the Government Debt = Debt to GDP ratio for the
Central Government declined from 47.5 per cent in 2011- 12 to 45.7 per cent in 2018-19 +
Gross Fiscal Deficit (GFD) as a percentage of GDP has been on a declining trend since 2012-
13 + The share of short-term debt is within safe limits and has stabilised after some rise
during 2005 to 2012 + most of the government debt is at fixed interest rates + The ratio of
interest payments to revenue receipts (IP-RR) of the Central Government was 37.5 per cent
in 2018-19 as compared to 35.6 per cent in 2012-13
 Public Debt Management Agency (PDMA) = Government has decided to setup a statutory
Public Debt Management Agency (PDMA) to bring both, India's external (managed by
Ministry of Finance) and domestic debt (managed by RBI) under one roof. The first step
towards this direction was the establishment of a Public Debt Management Cell (PDMC)
within Budget Division, Ministry of Finance in 2016
 Debt to GDP ratio = ratio of a country's public debt to its gross domestic product (GDP) + It
indicates a particular country’s ability to pay back its debts.
 Roll over risk = It is a risk associated with the refinancing of debt + Generally, the shorter-
term the maturing debt, the greater the borrower's rollover risk
 Currency or foreign exchange risk = relates to vulnerability of the debt portfolio to
depreciation in the value of the domestic currency
Parameters 2017-18 (as percentage 2018-19 (as percentage of Remarks

of GDP) GDP)
Public Debt 41% 40.0% Decreased
Internal debt 37.4% 37.3% Decreased
Marketable debt 32.8% 31.5% Decreased
Non-marketable debt 5.3% 5.8% Increased
External debt 2.8% 2.7% Decreased
Other Liabilities 5.3% 5.2% Decreased
Central Govt. (GoI) Liabilities 45.8% 45.7% Decreased
General Government Debt 68.7% 68.6% Decreased. It comprises of
(GGD) consolidated debt of the
Central Government and
State Governments.
 Cooperative banks = customer owned financial entities established on a co-operative basis
which provide a wide range of regular banking and financial services + They are registered
under the States Cooperative Societies Act or MSCS Act, 2002 + They also come under the
regulatory ambit of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under two laws, namely, the Banking
Regulations Act, 1949, and the Banking Laws (Co-operative Societies) Act, 1955
 SARFAESI Act, 2002 = The act was framed to address problem of Non-Performing Assets
(NPAs) + It allows only secured creditors (lenders whose loans are backed by a security such
as mortgage) to take possession over a collateral security if the debtor defaults in repayment
+ act provides procedure for registration and regulation of Asset reconstruction company
(ARC) and allows them to carry out the business of Asset reconstruction and securitization +
After giving a notice period of 60 days to the defaulting borrower, banks/financial
institutions can take actions without intervention of courts + Creation of a Central Registry:
by the Central Government for the purposes of registration of transaction of securitization
and reconstruction of financial assets and creation of security interest + Application against
measures to recover secured debts: can be filed by borrowers/lenders with Debt Recovery
Tribunal (with appeal to Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal) established under Recovery of
Debts due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 + Provisions of this Act not
applicable to: any security interest created in agricultural land, any case in which the amount
due is less than 20% of the principal amount and interest and any security interest for
securing repayment of any financial asset less than one lakh rupees
 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016 = formulated to consolidate various laws
concerning insolvency, bankruptcy and liquidation of non-financial entities + Insolvency is
the inability of an entity to pay its bills as and when they become due and payable +
Bankruptcy is a situation when an entity is declared incapable of paying their due and
payable bills + It did away with overlapping provisions contained in various laws like Sick
Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act, 1985, Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and
Financial Institutions Act, 1993, SARFAESI Act, 2002 and Companies Act, 2013 + IBC
created a new institutional framework, consisting of a regulator, insolvency professionals,
information utilities and adjudicatory mechanisms to facilitate a formal and time bound
insolvency resolution process + SARFAESI Act, 2002 covers only secured financial
creditors while IBC protects the rights and interests of both secured and unsecured creditors
 TRIPS Flexibilities = TRIPS flexibilities are ‘policy spaces’ for countries to mitigate the
impact of patents (i.e, the excessively high price of patented medicines due to lack of
competition) + TRIPs agreement and subsequent Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public
Health of 2001 provide some flexibilities in this regard + Flexibilities aim to permit
developing and least-developed countries to use TRIPS-compatible norms in their own
public policies + Some major flexibilities under TRIPs are compulsory licensing, parallel
importation, exemption from patentability and extension of transition period for LDCs +
Compulsory licensing enables a competent government authority to license the use of a
patented invention to a third party or government agency without the consent of the patent-
holder + Parallel importation: It is importation without the consent of the patent-holder of a
patented product marketed in another country either by the patent holder or with the patent-
holder’s consent + Exemptions from patentability: The agreement does not require the
patenting of new uses of known products including pharmaceuticals and permits countries to
deny protection for such uses
 TRIPS Agreement = came into effect in 1995 + the most comprehensive multilateral
agreement on intellectual property + negotiated between 1986 and 1994 during the Uruguay
Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which led to the
establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO) + It sets out the minimum standards
of protection to be provided by each Member + Agreement is in line with the main
conventions of the WIPO, the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property
(Paris Convention) and the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic
Works (Berne Convention) + The Agreement makes disputes between WTO Members about
the respect of the TRIPS obligations subject to the WTO's dispute settlement procedures +
The areas of intellectual property that it covers are: copyright and related rights, trademarks,
geographical indications, industrial designs, new varieties of plants, layout-designs of
integrated circuit, trade secrets and test data + Membership in the WTO includes an
obligation to comply with the TRIPS Agreement
 Labour Laws framework in India = Labour is subject in the Concurrent List of the seventh
schedule, thus allowing both the Centre and states to legislate on labour related issues +
Currently, there are 44 labour laws under the purview of Central Government and more than
100 under State Governments + Indian Laws generally follows some ILO Conventions like
Right to Freedom of Association [ILO Convention 87] and Rights to Collective Bargaining
[ILO Convention 98]
 “Impact of energy efficiency measures for the year 2018-19” Report = Released by
Bureau of Energy Efficiency(BEE) + overall objective of the study is to assess the impact of
all the energy efficiency schemes/ programmes in India in terms of total energy saved and
reduction in the amount of CO2 emissions in 2018-19
 Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) = statutory body + under Ministry of Power + setup under
the provisions of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 + Its mission is to assist in developing policies
with a thrust on self-regulation and market principles, within the overall framework of the Energy
Conservation Act, 2001 with the primary objective of reducing energy intensity of the Indian
economy + Energy Intensity is measured by the quantity of energy required per unit output or activity
(or GDP)
 UNNATEE (Unlocking NATional Energy Efficiency Potential) = Bureau of Energy

Efficiency (BEE) has developed + national strategy document + towards developing an
energy efficient nation (2017-2031)
 Sugarcane and India = India is World’s 2nd largest producer of Sugar after Brazil + Sugar
sector in India was liberated when in 1998, licensing requirements for new Sugar mills were
abolished + As of now, Every designated mill is obligated to purchase from cane farmers
within cane reservation area and farmers are bound to sell to the mill + Minimum distance
criteria has prescribed a minimum radial distance of 15 km between any two sugar mills +
The pricing of sugarcane is governed by the statutory provisions of the Sugarcane (Control)
Order, 1966 issued under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955 + Fair and
Remunerative Price (FRP) is the cane price announced by the Central Government on the
basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)
after consulting the State Governments and associations of sugar industry. FRP is minimum
price paid by mills to farmers + State Advised Price (SAP)- Citing differences in cost of
production, productivity levels and also as a result of pressure from farmers' groups, some
states declare state specific sugarcane prices called State Advised Prices (SAP), usually
higher than the FRP
 Draft National Fisheries Policy (NFP) 2020 = Department of Fisheries released + Key
Features of the draft Policy are Fisheries Management Plan (FMPs), Integrated Fisheries
Development Plan (IFDP), Fisheries Spatial Plans (FSP) and a idea to enact a comprehensive
legislation (“National Marine Fisheries (Regulation and Management) Bill, 2019”)
 Rice export promotion forum (REFC) = setup under the aegis of the Agricultural and
Processed Foods Export Promotion Development Authority (APEDA) + Its objective is to
identify, document particulars and reach out to stakeholders across the entire production/
supply chain of export of rice for increasing these exports significantly to the global market +
It will comprise representatives from the rice industry, exporters, officials from APEDA,
Commerce Ministry etc
 APEDA = APEDA was established under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products
Export Development Authority Act, 1985 + It is under Ministry of Commerce and Industry +
It is mandated with the responsibility of export promotion and development of products such
as Fruits, Vegetables, Meat, Poultry etc + Under ‘Agriculture Export Promotion Scheme’ of
APEDA, APEDA provides financial assistance to the registered exporters under sub-
components of the Scheme - Market Development, Infrastructure Development, Quality
Development and Transport Assistance + APEDA has also been entrusted with the
responsibility to monitor the import of sugar as well
 Rice production in India = India is the 2nd largest producer of rice in the world + largest
exporter of rice + major share of rice is cultivated during kharif season
 Shekatakar Committee = constituted to recommend measures to enhance combat capability
and rebalance defence expenditure of armed forces. It submitted its report in 2016 + Defence
budget should be in range of 2.5 to 3% of the GDP, keeping in mind possible future threats.
(Less than 2% in 2019) + Restructuring of repair echelons in Army to include base
workshops + Closure of military farms and army postal establishments in peace locations
 Border Area Development Programme (BADP) = launched in the year 1986-87 for
balanced development of border areas of States bordering Pakistan, namely, Jammu &
Kashmir, Punjab, Gujarat and Rajasthan and subsequently it was extended to all the land
borders + centrally sponsored scheme + Funds are provided to the states as a non-lapsable
special central assistance for the execution of projects + Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA)
 ‘Tour of Duty’ (ToD) = is short, voluntary internship programme of three-year for youths +
Indian Army has proposed to allow common citizens to join its ranks as officers and soldiers
for a three-year short service billed as 'Tour of Duty’ + there will be no severance packages
(retirement benefits)
 Integrated battle group = The new concept of Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) which the
Army plans to create as part of overall force transformation + IBGs are brigade-sized, agile,
self-sufficient combat formations + Each IBG would be tailor-made based on Threat, Terrain
and Task and resources will be allotted based on the three Ts + they will be low on logistics,
the source stated and added, “They will be able to mobilise within 12-48 hrs based on the
location
 Super year for biodiversity = The year 2020 is the “Super Year For Biodiversity”, as the
Strategic Plan for Biodiversity with 20 global Aichi targets adopted in 2010 ends in 2020 +
Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 (SPB 2011-2020) was adopted by the parties to the
CBD, during the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 10) in 2010 in Nagoya,
Japan + Strategic plan comprised of 20 targets organized under 5 strategic goals, collectively
known as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets (ABTs) + India prepared its first National
Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) entitled “National Policy and Macro Level Action Strategy
on Biodiversity” in 1999 which was revised and updated into NBAP, 2008 to bring the
biodiversity agenda in alignment with the National Environment Policy (NEP), 2006 + The
NBAP, 2008 was updated with Addendum 2014 to NBAP, 2008 in order to integrate it with
the SPB 2011-20 + Accordingly, India developed 12 National Biodiversity Targets (NBTs)
which cover all the 20 ABTs + According to India’s 6th National Report, India is on track to
achieve 9 out of its 12 NBTs + The number of Protected Areas under Wildlife Protection
Act in the country has increased from a total of 771 in 2018 to 870 in 2019
 Convention on biological diversity (CBD) = international multilateral treaty which was
opened for signature in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development (the Rio "Earth Summit") + CBD has 196 parties and India is one of them +
CBD has following supplementary agreements(India has signed & ratified all 3 protocols)
 Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing = It aims at sharing the benefits
arising from the utilization of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way
 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety = It aims to ensure the safe handling, transport and
use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology
 Nagoya – Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety + It aims to contribute to the conservation and
sustainable use of biodiversity by providing international rules and procedures in the
field of liability and redress relating to LMOs
 Access and Benefit-sharing Clearing-House (ABS Clearing-House) = It is a platform for
exchanging information on ABS established by Article 14 of the Nagoya Protocol + key tool
for facilitating the implementation of the Protocol, by enhancing legal certainty and
transparency on procedures for access and benefit-sharing, and for monitoring the utilization
of genetic resources along the value chain, including through the internationally recognized
certificate of compliance
 UN decade on ecosystem restoration = United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)
proclaimed 2021–2030 as the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration + UN Decade on Ecosystem
Restoration aims to massively scale up the restoration of degraded and destroyed ecosystems
+ This endeavour builds on regional efforts such as: Initiative 20×20 in Latin America that
aims to restore 20 million hectares of degraded land by 2020, AFR100 African Forest
Landscape Restoration Initiative that aims to bring 100 million hectares of degraded land
under restoration by 2030 + UN Environment and the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) will lead the implementation
 International Decades = United Nations (UN) designates specific days, weeks, years and
decades as occasions to mark particular events or topics in order to promote, through
awareness and action, the objectives of the Organization + Some decades ending in 2020 are-
United Nations Decade on Biodiversity, Decade of Action for Road Safety, United Nations
Decade for Deserts and the Fight against Desertification
 Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) = specialized agency of the UN that leads
international efforts to defeat hunger + goal is to achieve food security for all + established in
1945 and has around 194 Member countries + It is headquartered in Rome, Italy
 UN Environment (UNEP) = leading global environmental authority + sets the global
environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental
dimension of sustainable development within the UN system + Headquarter: Nairobi, Kenya
 Biodiversity Samrakshan Internship Programme = proposes to engage 20 students with
postgraduate degrees for a period of one year through an open, transparent, online
competitive process. The programme wishes to engage dynamic and creative students, who
are willing to learn about natural resource management and biodiversity conservation and to
support the projects of NBA in various State and Union Territories and to technically assist
the State Biodiversity Boards + Joint programme of National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
and the United Nations. Development Programme (UNDP) + MoEFCC
 India’s first dolphin observatory = Bihar government is setting up India’s 1st observatory
for the Gangetic dolphins + observatory is constructed at Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin
Sanctuary (VGDS) + There would be no adverse impact on the river’s ecology as the
observatory is being constructed on a Sultanganj-AguwaniGhat bridge over the Ganga
 Gangetic dolphin = Endangered + prefer deep waters, in and around the confluence of rivers
+ only live in freshwater and are essentially blind + They are reliable indicator of the health
of the entire river ecosystem + It is also National Aquatic Animal of India + It can be found
in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of Nepal, India,
and Bangladesh + In India, it covers seven states namely, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal + Major threats to dolphins in India
include overfishing in the habitat, pollution, infrastructure etc + Gangetic dolphins are one
among the 21 species identified under the centrally sponsored scheme, “Development of
Wildlife Habitat”
 Indus River Dolphin = Endangered + can only be found in the lower parts of the Indus
River in Pakistan and in River Beas, a tributary of the Indus River in Punjab + They have
adapted to life in the muddy river and are functionally blind + state aquatic animal of Punjab
 Irrawaddy Dolphin (Snubfin dolphin) = Endangered + Besides the Irrawaddy River, it is
also found in India’s Ganges, Chilka Lake and Southeast Asia’s Mekong River + They
prefers to live in estuaries and brackish water near coasts.
 Indian Ocean humpback dolphin = Endangered + prefer the shallow, near shore waters of
countries in the Indian Ocean, ideally with a freshwater input + They can be found not far
from shore in the coastal waters of South Africa in the south, northwards around the coast of
East Africa, throughout the Middle East, and the west coast of India
 CARE Project = to bolster climate action in South Asia + Climate Adaptation and
Resilience for South Asia (CARE) Project + The project will help develop a public platform
to inform climate planning and investments, and fund technology to support resilience in
South Asia + It will fund a public domain platform known as Regional Resilience Data and
Analytics Service + It will also assess climate impacts in districts across Bangladesh, Nepal,
and Pakistan to support agriculture, livestock, water, and transport + CARE project includes
grant from the International Development Association (IDA) and from the Program for Asia
Resilience to Climate Change + CARE will work with two regional organizations, the
Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES) and
the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC)
 International Development Association (IDA) = part of the World Bank + It aims to
reduce poverty by providing loans (called “credits”) and grants for programs that boost
economic growth, reduce inequalities, and improve people’s living conditions + IDA
provides significant levels of debt relief through the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
Initiative and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI)
 Program for Asia Resilience to Climate Change (PARCC) = It is a trust fund supported
by the United Kingdom's Department for International Development and administered by the
World Bank + launched in 2018 to strengthen disaster and climate resilience in Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka
 Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) = intergovernmental organization that works
to build the resilience against disasters in Asia and the Pacific + Established: 1986 + HQ at
Bangkok, Thailand + ADPC is governed by its nine founding member countries: Bangladesh,
Cambodia, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand
 Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES)
= intergovernmental institution for the generation and application of early warning
information + RIMES evolved from the efforts of countries in Africa and Asia, in the
aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in order to build capacity of its Member States
in early warning of tsunami and hydro-meteorological hazards + It operates from its regional
early warning center located at the campus of the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand
+ India is a founding member and currently chairs RIMES Council
 Manodarpan = an initiative by Ministry of Human Resource Development as part of
AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan + to provide psychological support and counselling to
students, teachers and families for mental health and emotional well-being
 Pradhan mantri e-VIDYA Initiative = to be launched which will unify all efforts related to
digital/online/on-air education + Under the PM e-Vidya programme, there will be 12 DTH
channels introduced, with one each dedicated to classes 1 to 12 + Under this, for digital
education under which top 100 universities of the country will be allowed to start online
courses by 30 May without UGC license
 DIKSHA (one nation-one digital platform) = which will now become the nation’s digital
infrastructure for providing quality e-content in school education for all the states/UTs +
DIKSHA is a customizable platform which is currently being used by teachers (from both
government and private institutions) across the nation for all the standards to help the
students learn several concepts + The portal is accessible in many languages for easy
interface of the user
 IITPAL = an online learning platform created to help students preparing for JEE Mains and
JEE Advanced + IITPAL creates super engaging courses for K-12 science students + IIT
PAL ensures a total success approach
 SHIKSHA VANI = Central Board of Secondary Education(CBSE) launched a podcast app
‘Shiksha Vani’ to broadcast vital information to students and parents promptly + The Shiksha
Vani is initiated to keep the students, parents and teachers updated about the latest news and
events of the CBSE
 National Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Mission = A National Foundational
Literacy and Numeracy Mission will be launched, for ensuring that every child in the country
necessarily attains foundational literacy and numeracy in Grade 3 by 2020
 Blockchain Bill of Rights = World Economic Forum Global Blockchain Council launched
Presidio Principles: the foundational values for a decentralized future which is also called as
Blockchain Bill of Rights + Blockchain is a series of data linked together. Every single
transaction is linked to the chain using cryptographic principles in batches, making blocks +
Blockchain Bill of Rights aims to establish a global baseline for developers, corporates and
governments building blockchain applications + It contains sixteen principles which aim to
protect users and preserve the values of the technology so that all can benefit
 Provisioning norms = RBI has recently provided clarification on ‘special provisioning’ of
loans which are under moratorium + Under loan provisioning, banks have to set aside
earning or provide funds to a prescribed percentage of their bad assets + Provisioning norms
are prescribed by the RBI as per asset classification. For example- The normal provisioning
of NPA is 15% for secured loans and 25% of unsecured loans + RBI has now clarified that
provisioning should be considered only for loans categorised as Special Mention Accounts-2
(SMA-2) at the start of moratorium period + SMA is an account which is exhibiting signs of
incipient stress + Asset Classification as per RBI
•SMA-0: Principal or interest payment not overdue for more than 30 days but account showing signs of
incipient stress
• SMA-1: Principal or interest payment overdue between 31-60 days
• SMA-2: Principal or interest payment overdue between 61-90 days
• NPA: Principal or interest payment overdue for a period of more than 90 days (or two crop seasons for
short duration crops and one crop season for long duration crops).
• Substandard Assets: Asset that has remained NPA for a period less than or equal to 12 months.
• Doubtful Assets: Asset that has remained in the sub-standard category for a period of 12 months.
• Loss Assets: An asset where loss has been identified by the bank or internal or external auditors or the RBI
inspection but the amount has not been written off wholly
 United nations relief and works agency (UNRWA) = created in 1949 by the UN +
UNRWA provides shelter, basic food supplies, medical aid, education, and work
opportunities for Palestine refugees in its five fields of operations: Jordan, Lebanon, Syria,
Gaza Strip and West Bank including East of Jerusalem + Headquartered at Amman, Jordan
 ‘Digital in India’ report = by Internet & Mobile Association of India (a not-for-profit
industry body) + For the first time, India has more rural net users than urban + Active
internet users are those who use internet at least once a month + India has the second-largest
internet user market behind China + Internet penetration in India is 40% + Increase in female
internet users (26 million) was more than that of male internet users
 UMANG App = launched in 2017 + to bring major government services on a single mobile
app + unified mobile application for new-age governance (UMANG) + Developed by Meity
and National e-governance division
 Industry status to sports = Mizoram became the 1st state to grant industry status to sports +
It is expected to increase investments in sports, generating employment and increasing value
 Amery Ice Shelf (AIS) = As per National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR),
there would be a 24 % increase in expansion of AIS boundaries in Antarctica by 2021 + AIS
is one of the largest glacier drainage basins in world, located on east coast of Antarctica
 National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) = under the Ministry of Earth
Sciences + located in Goa and is India's premier R&D institution responsible for research
activities in polar and Southern Ocean realms
 Sample registration system (SRS) bulletin = SRS is a demographic survey for providing
reliable annual estimates of IMR, birth rate, death rate and other fertility and mortality
indicators at the national and sub-national levels + initiated on a pilot basis in 1964-65, and
became fully operational during 1969-70 + SRS is conducted by Office of the Registrar
General and Census Commissioner under Ministry of Home Affairs
 India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative (ISDBI) = 1st comprehensive estimates of
district-level trends of child mortality in India from 2000 recently conducted + ISDBI is
collaboration between Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Public Health
Foundation of India (PHFI), Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), and
expertsand stakeholders from about 100 institutions across India
 ‘Lost at home’ Report = published by UN children’s fund (UNICEF) + Report looks at the
risks and challenges internally displaced children face, and the urgent actions needed to
protect them
 Accreditation survey = conducted by National Assessment and Accreditation Council
(NAAC) + NAAC is autonomous body established under Ministry of Human Resource
Development + It conducts assessment and accreditation of HEI such as colleges, universities
or other recognised institutions to derive an understanding of the ‘Quality Status’ of the
institution + In 2017, Revised Assessment and Accreditation Framework was introduced to
make accreditation ICT enabled, objective, transparent, scalable and robust.
 National Migrant Information System (NMIS) = central online repository on Migrant
Workers + to facilitate their seamless movement across States + It would help in speedy
inter-State communication/co-ordination + It has additional advantages like contact tracing,
which may be useful in overall COVID-19 response + Developed by: National Disaster
Management Authority
 Suraksha Store Initiative = launched by Department of Consumer Affairs (under Ministry
of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution) + It is a public private initiative to create
a safe and secure environment for consumers and shop owners at Kirana Stores + Protocols
were decided by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and Ministry of Home Affairs
 GOAL (going online as leaders) programme = joint initiative of Facebook India with
Ministry of Tribal affairs to provide mentorship to tribal youth through digital mode +
Programme intends to upskill and empower 5,000 tribal youths
 Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS) = for creating testing infrastructure for
defence and aerospace manufacturing + objective is to promote indigenous Defence
Production, with special focus on participation of MSMEs and Start Ups + SPVs will be
constituted by private entities only and registered under the Companies Act, 2013
 South Atlantic Anomaly = the area of the South Atlantic Anomaly is characterized by a
significant reduction in the strength of Earth’s magnetic field compared with areas at similar
geographic latitudes + Recently, European Space Agency (ESA) scientists have warned that
the earth's geomagnetic field is weakening in some areas area between Africa and South
America + phenomenon of this change of geomagnetic field or the surface magnetic field +
reasons for this are still not clear, a possible explanation could be a shift in Earth’s magnetic
field, whereby North Pole and South Pole field reverses (reversal last happened 7.8 lakh
years ago) with scientists believing that a shift is long overdue. These reversals usually
happen at an interval of 250,000 years + If a reversal takes place, certain mobile phones and
satellites may stop working + Earth's magnetic field, which exists due to metal and liquid
outer core about 3,000 km below the surface, creates electric currents that generate and
change our electromagnetic fields
 Study on electric field structure in Earth Magnetosphere = Indian Institute of
Geomagnetism(Mumbai), an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and
Technology has developed a simulation code capable of studying electric field structures in
earth’s magnetosphere + It will help advance the knowledge of plasma waves that are useful
in planning future space missions + (Earth’s magnetosphere = region surrounding Earth
where the dominant magnetic field is of Earth rather than of interplanetary space + formed by
interaction of solar winds with Earth’s magnetic field + Earth’s magnetosphere contains
plasma and plasma processes have the ability to hamper the working of a number of satellites
that have been placed in orbit in the magnetospheric region + Plasma is a hot ionized gas
consisting of approximately equal numbers of positively charged ions and negatively charged
electrons. Plasma is the 4th state of matter + Almost 99% of matter in the universe is in the
form of plasma)
 Venus’s atmosphere rotates westward 60 times faster than its planetary rotation = This
phenomenon, called superrotation, was first discovered in the 1960s + Venus atmosphere is
thick and full of clouds of sulfuric acid. Its atmosphere heats so much making it hottest
planet in solar system
 Artemis Accord = series of bilateral agreements between NASA and its international
partners that want to cooperate on Artemis program + Artemis is NASA’s moon mission
under which it will land the first woman and the next man on Moon by 2024 + Accord is
based on the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 + France, Japan, Australia and Canada have already
shown their support + India has not clarified its stand yet
 National Biomedical Resource Indigenization consortium (NBRIC) = NBRIC was
constituted by the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, as a
Public Private Partnership to drive indigenous innovation focused on developing reagents,
diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics for COVID19 + It is hosted and led by the Centre for
Cellular and Molecular Platforms + NBRIC is a ‘Make in India’ initiative for Biomedical
research and innovative products
 Government Response Stringency Index = created by Oxford University to show how
strict a country’s measures were in imposing lockdown + According to it, India had one of
the strongest lockdown measures in the world
 Cobas 6800 testing machine = fully automated, high end machine for performing real time
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing for COVID-19 + Machine minimizes chance of
contamination as it can be operated remotely with limited human intervention + COBAS
6800 can also detect other pathogens like Viral Hepatitis B & C, HIV, MTb (both rifampicin
and isoniazide resistance), Papilloma, Chlamydia, Neiserreia etc
 PAI = artificial intelligence (AI) based chatbot + to create awareness around NPCI’s
products like FASTag, RuPay, UPI, AePS on a real time basis + It was developed by
Bengaluru based startupCoRover Private Limited + National Payment Corporation of India
(NPCI is umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India
(It is an initiative of RBI and Indian Banks’ Association under Payment and Settlement
Systems Act, 2007) + National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) launch PAI)
 GARUD (government authorisation for relief using drones) = launched by Directorate
General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for providing fast track conditional exemptions to
government agencies for COVID-19 related drone operations + DGCA, under Ministry of
Civil Aviation is regulatory body in the field of Civil Aviation, primarily dealing with safety
issues
PIB and Other Monthly-May (No Repetition)
Topics already covered in The Hindu and Vision are NOT repeated
 Global Energy Review 2020 = Released by International Energy Agency (IEA) + India,
which is one of the IEA association countries, has experienced a reduction in its energy
demands by 30% as a result of the nation-wide lockdown
 Open Budget Initiative and Open Budget Survey = conducted by the International
Budget Partnership (IBP) + It is a global research and advocacy program to promote
public access to budget information and the adoption of accountable budget systems +
The open budget survey has been covering 117 countries. It rates the level of
transparency in budget across nations on a scale of 0-100 + India is placed at 53rd
position among 117 nations in terms of budget accountability and transparency
 R&D Statistics and Indicators 2019-20 report = It is based on the national S&T survey
2018 brought out by the National Science and Technology Management Information
(NSTMIS), Department of Science and Technology (DST) + The report captures the
R&D landscape of the country through various Input-Output S&T Indicators in the form
of Tables and graphs + India’s gross expenditure in R&D has tripled between 2008 &
2018.India spent 0.7% of its GDP on R&D in 2017-18
 ICUBE 2019 Report = on digital adoption and usage trends in India + It is released
by Kantar, the world’s leading data, insights and consulting company
 Global Report on Internal Displacement 2020 = Report is published by Norwegian
Refugee Council’s Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) + Top Five
countries with highest displacement by conflict and violence are: Syria, Democratic
Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso and Afghanistan + Nearly five million people
were displaced in India in 2019 (It is the highest in the world)
 U.S. Priority Watch List for Intellectual Property (IP) rights = India continues to be
on the ‘Priority Watch List’ of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) for lack of
adequate Intellectual Property (IP) rights protection and enforcement, according to
the USTRs Annual Special 301 Report + India was ranked among the top five source
countries for fake goods by the Organization of Economic Development and Cooperation
(OECD) in 2019 + India had made “meaningful progress” to enhance IP protection and
enforcement in some areas in 2019 and had acceded to the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO) Internet Treaties and the Nice Agreement(
The Nice Agreement establishes a classification of goods and services for the purposes of
registering trademarks and service marks)
 Janaushadhi Sugam Mobile App = It has been developed by the Bureau of Pharma
PSUs of India (BPPI) under Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and
Fertilizers + Due to nationwide lockdown because of Covid-19 crisis, people are using
App to locate their nearest Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendra (PMBJK) and
availability of affordable generic medicine with its price
 AYUSH Sanjivani App = It is developed by the Ministry of AYUSH and the Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) + The app intends to generate data on
usage of AYUSH Bay of Bengal Boundary Layer Experiment (BoBBLE) = It is a
joint India-UK project, seeks to examine the impact of ocean processes in the Bay of
Bengal (BoB) on the monsoon system + It is is a project funded by Union Ministry of
Earth Sciences and the Natural Environment Research Council of UK
 ‘PAHAL’ scheme = Pratyaksh Hanstantrit Labh (PaHaL) scheme (or Direct Benefit
Transfer) + It aims to reduce diversion and eliminate duplicate or bogus LPG connections
+ Under PaHaL, LPG cylinders are sold at market rates and entitled consumers get the
subsidy directly into their bank accounts + Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
 Atal Pension Yojana(APY) = monthly, quarterly and half yearly payment options +
existing swavalamban scheme subscribers 18-40 yrs of age can switch to APY + All
eligible family members may subscribe to APY in their names for higher pension benefits
to family + For: The unorganised sector workers who do not have sufficient and reliable
old age security + regulated by PFRDA
 SAMARTH Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) = It is an open source, open
standard enabled robust, secure, scalable, and evolutionary process automation engine for
Universities and Higher Educational Institutions + Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
refers to a type of software used to manage day-to-day business activities such as
accounting, procurement etc + Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has
developed an e-governance platform ‘SAMARTH Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)’
under the National Mission of Education in Information and Communication Technology
Scheme (NMEICT) + This platform would automate the processes of the enhancement of
productivity through better information management in the institute by seamless access to
information and proper utilization of information
 Scheme for formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (FME) = Centrally
Sponsored Scheme + Under the scheme micro-enterprises are to be assisted with credit
linked subsidy at 35 per cent of the eligible project cost with ceiling of Rs. 10 lakh +
Scheme will be implemented over a 5-year period from 2020-21 to 2024-25 + The
Scheme would be monitored at Centre by an Inter-Ministerial Empowered Committee
(IMEC) under the Chairmanship of Minister, FPI
 Eventbot = a new malware + Eventbot is a Trojan + It cheats victims secretly attacking
computer or phone operating system + It targets money-transfer services, financial
applications
 Malicious software : Cerberus = It is a Banking Trojan + It is primarily used to steal
financial data, such as credit card numbers + Recently, CBI has sent alerts to all the
States, Union Territories and the central agencies on a malicious software (cerberus)
threat that is taking advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic
 European Court of Justice (ECJ) = It is a part Court of Justice of the European Union
(CJEU), and is the European Union’s supreme court in matters of EU law + Founded in
1952 after the Treaty of Paris + It is based in Luxembourg
 Helicopter Money = American economist Milton Friedman coined this term + This is an
unconventional monetary policy tool aimed at bringing a flagging economy back on track
+ It involves prianting large sums of money and distributing it to the public(It basically
denotes a helicopter dropping money from the sky
 Beekeeping Development Committee = had set up a under the Chairmanship of
Professor Bibek Debroy + (A webinar was conducted by the National Cooperative
Development Corporation (NCDC) on the theme “Sweet Revolution and Atma Nirbhar
Bharat” + The objective was to popularize scientific beekeeping as source of livelihood +
The Government has allocated 500 crores towards Beekeeping under the Atma Nirbhar
Abhiyan)
 IDEAthon on ‘The Future of River Management’ = Recently, the National Mission
for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) organized
an IDEAthon on “The Future of River Management’ + The event aimed to explore how
the Covid-19 crisis can shape river management strategies for the future.
 National e-commerce marketplace : ‘bharatmarket’ = It will integrate capabilities of
various technology companies to provide end-to-end services in the logistics and supply
chains from manufacturers to end consumers, including deliveries at home + This e-
commerce portal will include a nationwide participation by retailers.
 Gopal Krishna Gokhale = Between 1899 and 1902, he was a member of the Bombay
Legislative Council followed by work at the Imperial Legislative Council from 1902 till
his death (1915) + At the Imperial legislature, Gokhale played a key role in framing the
Morley-Minto reforms of 1909 + He was associated with the Moderate Group of Indian
National Congress (joined in 1889) + He became president of INC in 1905 in Banaras
session + He established the Servants of India Society in 1905 for the expansion of Indian
education + He was also associated with the Sarvajanik sabha journal started by Govind
Ranade + As a liberal nationalist, he is regarded by Mahatma Gandhi as his political guru
+ Gandhi wrote a book in Gujarati dedicated to the leader titled ‘Dharmatma Gokhale
 Maharana Pratap = born: 1540 Rajasthan + He was the 13th King of Mewar and was
the eldest son of Udai Singh II + Battle of Haldighati:(1576)(The Battle of Haldighati
was fought in 1576 between Rana Pratap Singh of Mewar and Raja Man Singh of Amber
who was the general of the Mughal emperor Akbar)
 Veer Savarkar/ Vinayak Damodar Savarkar = He was the president of Hindu
Mahasabha from 1937 to 1943 + Went to the United Kingdom and was involved with
organizations such as India House and the Free India Society + Savarkar wrote a book
titled ‘The History of the War of Indian Independence’ in which he wrote about the
guerilla warfare tricks used in 1857 Sepoy Mutiny + He also wrote the book ‘Hindutva:
who is hindu? + He was Arrested in 1909 on charges of plotting an armed revolt against
the Morley-Minto reform (Indian Councils Act 1909) + Abhinav Bharat Society (Young
India Society) was a secret society founded by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and his
brother Ganesh Damodar Savarkar in 1904
 Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore = Tagore released his first collection of poems under
the pen name ‘Bhanusimha’+ He had spoken at the World Parliament for Religions in the
years 1929 and 1937 + He wrote the National Anthems of India and Bangladesh +
Between 1928 and 1940, Rabindranath painted more than 2000 images. He never gave
any title to his paintings + In 1913, he became the first Indian to receive a Nobel Prize in
Literature for his novel ‘Geetanjali’
 Buddha Day or Vesak = The day commemorates birth, enlightenment and Death (or
Parinirvana) of Lord Buddha, all of which is said to take have taken place on the same
day + Vesak’, the Day of the Full Moon in the month of May, is being observed by
United Nations on May 7, 2020 + It is also known as Buddha Purnima and Buddha Day +
United Nations (UN) General Assembly, by its resolution in 1999, recognized
internationally the Day of Vesak.
 Feluda Test for Covid-19 = The Feluda is a paper strip test that detects the coronavirus
in an hour + Feluda is an acronym for FNCAS9 Editor Linked Uniform Detection + It is
the first such indigenous test kit to be developed in India based on Clustered Regularly
Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) technology + CRISPR is a gene editing
technology, which replicates natural defence mechanisms in bacteria to fight virus
attacks, using a special protein called Cas9 + CRISPR-Cas9 technology behaves like a
cut-and-paste mechanism on DNA strands that contain genetic information
 Agappe Chitra Magna Kit for Covid-19 = It is a magnetic nanoparticle-based
RiboNucleic Acid (RNA) extraction kit + Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical
Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) in collaboration with Agappe Diagnostics Ltd. has
commercially launched the Agappe Chitra Magna Kit for detection of Covid-19
 SwasthVayu: a BiPAP ventilator = BiPAP stands for Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure
+ It is a type of positive pressure ventilator + Recently, the National Aerospace
Laboratories (NAL), Bangalore has developed BiPAP ventilator named SwasthVayu, a
non-invasive (involves use of masks or similar device) breathing support device, for the
use of non-critical non-ICU cases of Covid-19
 Injectable silk fibroin-based hydrogel (iSFH) = Recently, Scientists at Jawaharlal
Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), have developed an injectable
silk fibroin-based hydrogel (or iSFH) for sustained insulin delivery in diabetic patient +
The injectable Silk Fibroin Hydrogel (iSFH) can ease insulin delivery in diabetic patients
 Lightweight Carbon Foam = Recently, scientists from the CSIR-Advanced Materials
and Processes Research Institute (Bhopal) have developed the ‘lightweight carbon foam’,
which has the potential to replace lead grid in lead-acid batteries + These carbon foams
are non-toxic, easy to fabricate, affordable, and insoluble in water + It will also be cost-
effective for the removal of arsenic, oil, and other metals from contaminated water
 Copenhagen & Beijing+25 = Copenhagen & Beijing+25 signifies the World
Conferences on Women (WCW) organised by the United Nations + 2020 marks the 25th
anniversary of the 4th World Conference on Women (WCW) and adoption of the Beijing
Declaration (turning point for the global agenda for gender equality) and Platform for
Action (1995). Hence, it is referred to as Beijing + 25
 Challenge Covid-19 Competition (C3) = It was launched by National Innovation
Foundation – India (NIF) and intented for engaging innovative citizens to come up with
ideas and innovations to manage pandemic and its consequences + (National Innovation
Foundation (NIF) – India = It was set up in 2000 with the assistance of the Department of
Science and Technology + It is India’s national initiative to strengthen the grassroots
technological innovations and outstanding traditional knowledge)
 New Super-Earth Planet Discovered = Super-Earth Planet is expected to have a mass
between the Earth’s mass and that of Neptune + With reference to the Solar system, the
Super-Earth planet would orbit at a radius anywhere between that of Venus and Earth in
our solar system + The Super-Earth planet has been discovered using the gravitational
microlensing technique + Gravitational microlensing is an astronomical phenomenon due
to the gravitational lens effect. [It can be used to detect objects that range from the mass
of a planet to the mass of a star, regardless of the light they emit]
 Baltic countries started Travel Bubble = Recently, the Baltic countries of Estonia,
Latvia and Lithuania started a travel bubble to help put their economies back on track
after Covid-19 lockdowns + In the Estonia-Latvia-Lithuania travel bubble, residents
would be able to travel freely by rail, air and sea without quarantine measures
 Star Rating of Garbage Free Cities = Recently, the Ministry of Housing & Urban
Affairs (MOHUA) has announced the results of the Star Rating of Garbage Free Cities
for the assessment year 2019-2020 + The Star Rating Protocol was launched by the
Ministry in 2018 to institutionalize a mechanism for cities to achieve Garbage Free status
+ The Star Rating is supported by self-assessment and self-verification for achieving a
certain star rating(It also ensures the involvement of citizen groups for a transparent
system of self-declaration)
 Sonic Boom = It is the sound associated with the shock waves created whenever an
object travels through the air faster than the speed of sound + When an airplane travels
through the air, it produces sound waves. If the plane is traveling slower than the speed of
sound (the speed of sound varies, but 700 mph is typical through air), then sound waves
can propagate ahead of the plane
 1st International Tea Day: 21st May = Recently, the first International Tea Day was
observed on 21st May after it was designated by the United Nations General Assembly in
December 2019 + May 21 was chosen because the season of tea production begins in
May in most of the tea producing countries
 Quantum Entanglement = It is the physical phenomenon that occurs when a pair or
group of particles is generated and they interact in such a way that the quantum state of
each particle of the pair or group cannot be described independently of the state of the
others + Albert Einstein dismissed this idea as a ‘spooky action’ + Recently, the scientists
from S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS), Kolkata have
developed a novel protocol to find out whether a pair of electrons is in an entangled state
+ This novel protocol to measure the status of entanglement is known as Device
Independent Self Testing (DIST) method
 Coir geotextile = Coir is a 100% natural fiber, obtained from a renewable source – the
coconut husk + National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA) has
announced that coir geo textiles will be used for construction of rural roads under the
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-III)
 WHO Executive Board = It is one of the WHO’s two decision making bodies(The other
one is the World Health Assembly) + Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan is set to
take charge as chairman of the WHO Executive Board at its 147th session + The Board
chairman’s post is held by rotation for one year by each of the WHO’s six regional
groups: African Region, Region of the Americas, South-East Asia Region, European
Region, Eastern Mediterranean Region, and Western Pacific Region
 Demo-2 Mission = by NASA and SpaceX + T Demo-2 mission is the first launch with
astronauts of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International
 Lower Mekong Initiative = a US partnership with all the downstream countries of
Mekong besides Myanmar + Recently, a US-funded study has highlighted the possible
impact of China’s dams on the Mekong river (known as Lancang river in China) and
countries downstream + The study was published by the Sustainable Infrastructure
Partnership in Bangkok and the Lower Mekong Initiative + The Mekong flows from
China to Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam
 13th edition of Aero India = Recently, the Ministry of Defence has announced that the
13th edition of Aero India will be held in 2021 at Air Force Station Yelahanka
(Karnataka) + Aero India is a biennial international military and civil airshow + The 2021
Aero India will be organised by the Defence Exhibition Organisation, Ministry of
Defence(In 2019 it was organised by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL))
 Criteria for Heat Waves by IMD = Heat Wave need not be considered till the
maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C for Plains and at least 30°C for
Hilly regions + When the actual maximum temperature remains 45°C or more
irrespective of normal maximum temperature, heat waves should be declared
 Collaboration/Covid Action Support Group (CoAST India) = India Observatory has
come up with a Geographic Information System (GIS)-enabled dashboard called ‘CoAST
India’ to monitor the movements of migrants + The dashboard aims to make such data
available to governments and small local civil society groups to be used for planning and
providing assistance to migrants + The dashboard has been made in collaboration with
Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) + The Foundation for Ecological Security
(FES) is a registered non-profit organisation based in Anand, Gujarat
 ANtarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) = It is a radio telescope which is
used to to detect ultra-high energy cosmic-ray neutrinos from a scientific balloon flying
over Antarctica+ ANITA is the first NASA observatory for neutrinos of any kind + It
involves an array of radio antennas attached to a helium balloon which flies over the
Antarctic ice sheet + In a significant breakthrough, a team of researchers have succeeded
in finding `a fountain of high-energy particles erupting from the ice` in Antarctica which
according to the researchers could be proof of a parallel universe
 Dugong = also called ‘Sea Cow’ is one of the four surviving species in the Order Sirenia
and it is the only existing species of herbivorous mammal that lives exclusively in the sea
including in India + Vulnerable + protected under Schedule I of the Wild (Life)
Protection Act, 1972 + Dugongs are an important part of the marine ecosystem and their
depletion will have effects all the way up the food chain + According to a 2013 survey
report of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), there were only about 200 dugongs in the
Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Gulf of Kutch
in Gujarat + Dugongs graze on seagrass and the loss of seagrass beds due to ocean floor
trawling is one of the most important factors behind decreasing dugong populations in
many parts of the world
 Tianwen-1 = China’s Mars Mission + China’s previous ‘Yinghuo-1’ Mars mission,
which was supported by a Russian spacecraft, had failed after it did not leave the earth’s
orbit and disintegrated over the Pacific Ocean in 2012
 International Day of UN Peacekeepers 2020 : May 29 = UN peacekeeping brings
together the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Secretariat, troop and police
contributors and the host governments in a combined effort to maintain international
peace and security + UN peacekeepers (often referred to as Blue Berets or Blue Helmets
because of their light blue berets or helmets) can include soldiers, police officers, and
civilian personnel + The financial resources of UN Peacekeeping operations are the
collective responsibility of UN Member States + According to UN Charter every Member
State is legally obligated to pay their respective share for peacekeeping + The first UN
peacekeeping mission was established on 29th May 1948, when the Security Council
authorized the deployment of a small number of UN military observers to the Middle
East
 Reverse Transcriptase-Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) test =
CSIR-IIIM & Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) to develop RT-LAMP based test for
Coronavirus + It is a nucleic acid based test carried out from nasal/throat swab sample
from patients + It is rapid (45-60 min), cost effective and accurate test + While the
current COVID-19 testing is done by real-time PCR their components are mostly
imported + On the other hand, the RT-LAMP test can be done in a single tube with
minimal expertise in a very basic lab setup like mobile units / kiosks for testing at
Airports, Railway Stations, Bus Stands and other public places
 Bug bounty programme = It has a goal to partner with security researchers and Indian
developer community to test the security effectiveness of Aarogya Setu and also to
enhance its security and build user’s trust
 Rise in Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) = According to data released by the
Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), total Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) in India increased in the 2019-20 financial year + The sectors that
attracted the most foreign inflows during 2019-20 included services, computer software
and hardware, telecommunications, trading and automobiles + Singapore emerged as the
largest equity FDI source
 Uighurs = Turkish ethnic people + living primarily in china
 ‘Banana Covid’ = A Novel Fungal Strain ‘Fusarium wilt TR4’ + Recently, a novel
fungus strain Fusarium wilt TR4 has started infecting the Banana plantations in India + It
has been described as the equivalent of Covid-19 in Bananas + The strain, Tropical
Race 4 (TR4) was first identified in Taiwan, and has moved from Asia to the Middle
East and Africa, reaching as far as Latin America.It cripples plantations by first attacking
the leaves, which turn yellow from their trailing edges before wilting away. According to
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, TR4 is one of the “the most
destructive of all plant diseases”
 Interahamwe militia = It is a far-right Hutu paramilitary organization active in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda
 Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) = also known as “The Lady with the Lamp” + was a
British nurse, social reformer and statistician best known as the founder of modern
nursing + International Nurses Day is observed annually on May 12 commemorating her
birth + World Health Organization (WHO) has designated 2020 as the “International
Year of the Nurse and the Midwife
 Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana = By Chhattisgarh government + to produce more
crops and help them get the right price + launched on May 21, the death anniversary of
former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi + based area under cultivation during Kharif season
Rs. 10,000 per acre will be deposited in the bank accounts of farmers as agriculture
assistance grant in four instalments
 Rozgar Setu scheme = Madhya Pradesh Government + to help secure employment for
skilled workers who have returned back to their homes and were employed at industries
elsewhere + first state to devise such a work plan for the workers
 Sariska Tiger Reserve = Rajasthan + famous for Royal Bengal Tiger + 13th session of
the Ministry of Tourism’s Dekho Apna Desh webinar titled, ‘Destination- Sariska Tiger
reserve’ was held recently + Dekho Apna Desh is one of the three components of the
Paryatan Parv.The other two are Tourism for All and Tourism & Governance
 Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve = Maharashtra’s oldest and largest national park
 Atanu Chakraborty Panel/Task Force = on National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) +
Recently submitted its Report
 Digital Yuan = China to be the first major economy to launch a digital currency
 ‘Vallamkali’/‘Chundam vallam’ = snake boat races in Kerala

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SUNYA NOTES (May)

 Find Topicwise sample at http://bit.ly/May2o20

 ‘The Hindu’ Coverage is unique feature of our notes which is generally

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Parameters 2017-18 (as percentage 2018-19 (as percentage of Remarks

 UNNATEE (Unlocking NATional Energy Efficiency Potential) = Bureau of Energy

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