1. Sarbananda Sonowal launches torch relay of Khelo India Youth Games.

• Assam Chief Minister has launched the torch relay of the Khelo India Youth Games in Guwahati, Assam. The 3rd edition of the tournament will be held in January 2020.
• Athletes from all over the country will be coming to Guwahati for the Khelo India Youth Games. The officials of the competition are preparing a total of eight venues for the tournament to make the Games one of the largest sporting spectacles of the country.

Foot Notes:
About Assam
Capital: Dispur
Chief Minister: Sarbananda Sonowal.
Governor: Jagdish Mukhi.

2. IOA ends boycott call for 2022 Commonwealth Games.

• The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has withdrawn its boycott call for the 2022 Commonwealth Games to be held in Birmingham.
• The decision was taken during its Annual General Meeting held in New Delhi.
• The cause of the boycott call was exclusion of shooting.  IOA also announced that the country will bid to host either the 2026 or the 2030 edition.

Foot Notes:
About Commonwealth Games Federation
President of: Dame Louise Martin.
Chief of Indian Olympic Association: Narinder Batra.

3. List of Nuclear Installations exchanged between India and Pakistan.

• On January 1, 2020, India and Pakistan exchanged their nuclear installations under an agreement that prevents them from attacking each other’s atomic facilities. The practice is being followed for 29 years for now.
• India and Pakistan exchanged the list of nuclear installations under the Agreement on Prohibition of attack against nuclear installations. The exchange was done based on diplomatic channels simultaneously in Islamabad and New Delhi. The first of the exchange took place on January 1, 1992.
• The agreement was signed between Pakistan President Benazir Bhutto and Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi on December 31, 1988.

4. India commences the world’s largest ever vaccination program to control FMD.

• The union Government launched a new scheme National Animal Disease Control Programme for FMD and Brucellosis with a financial outlay of Rs. 13,343.00 crore for five years (2019-20 to 2023-24) by vaccinating 100% cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, and pig population for FMD and 100% bovine female calves of 4-8 months of age for brucellosis to prevent loss of Rs. 50,000 crores. This programme combined with providing unique PashuAadhar to 535 million animals.
• Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme district for 600 districts in the country was recently launched by the Government in September is one of the most extensive such programs with 100% central assistance for undertaking breed improvement. T600 districts so that India achieves 70% AI coverage. Under NAIP, more than 11 lakhs AI done on 31.12.2019.

5. PM Modi is to release the fourth installment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Yojana in Tumakuru, Karnataka.

• PM Modi is to release the fourth installment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Yojana in Tumakuru, Karnataka. The Prime Minister will also confer “Krishi Karmanya” award to three fishermen and 28 progressive farmers from various states.
• The scheme was first introduced in Telangana as “Rythu Bandhu” scheme. Under the scheme, a certain amount is given to eligible farmers. Eventually, the scheme was accoladed for its huge success all over the world including World Bank.
• Upon the success of Rythu Bandhu scheme, central government launched Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Yojana all over the country in 2018. Under the scheme, Rs 6,000 will be provided to farmers annually. The amount is directly credited to bank accounts of eligible farmers in four instalments.

Foot Notes:
About Karnataka
Chief Minister: B. S. Yediyurappa
Capital: Bengaluru
Governor of Karnataka: Vajubhai Vala

6. Kerala: the first state to pass anti-CAA resolution.

• The Kerala Government passed a resolution to rollback the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that was passed during this winter session of Parliament. According to the Kerala Government, the CAA act contradicts the basic principles of Constitution.
• According to the Government of Kerala, the act was against secularism and has triggered widespread protests in the country. The act also dented India’s image among the International community.
• The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 was passed in December 2019. The act amended Citizenship act passed in 1955. It allows Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Christians and Parsi religious minorities to gain Indian citizenship. It also includes the minorities who have fled from countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The issue around the act is that it does not include Muslims.

Foot Notes:
About Kerala
Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan
Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
Chief Minister: Pinarayi Vijayan

7. Results of Swachh Survekshan League, 2020 released, Indore tops the list.

• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs released Swachh Survekshan League in New Delhi. Around 4,372 cities participated in the league. It is a cleanliness survey that helps in competitive federalism.
• In the category of 10 lakh plus population, Indore secured first place. Indore has remained in first place for the last three years. Following Indore, Bhopal and Surat are in second and third places respectively. In the category of population between one lakh and 10 lakhs, Jamshedpur was in 1st spot following New Delhi and Khargone.
• The focus of the survey was on wastewater treatment, faecal sludge management. The survey also focused on implementation of ODF+, water plus and ODF++ protocols of the ministry of housing and urban affairs.

Foot Notes:
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister: Hardeep Singh Puri

8. J&K abolishes toll tax from New Year, to incur annual loss of Rs 1,500 crore.

• Jammu and Kashmir administration announced abolition of toll posts, including at Lakhanpur along Jammu-Pathankot highway, a move that will lead to a loss of Rs 1,500 crore to the exchequer annually.
• The decision of the abolishment of the toll tax from the New Year was welcomed by traders while industrialists termed the withdrawal of toll tax as a "Black Death Warrant for J&K Industrial Sector".
• The administration has decided to abolish toll tax at Lakhanpur and all other posts including at Railway Stations and Airports with effect from January 1, 2020.

Foot Notes:
Lt. Governor: Girish Chandra Murmu

9. Pragati Maidan metro station renamed as Supreme Court metro station.

• The Pragati Maidan metro station will now be known as Supreme Court metro station, while Mukarba Chowk in Jahangirpuri will be known as Shaheed Captain Vikram Batra Chowk.
• The Delhi government’s naming committee approved the name changes in its meeting. The demands for renaming Mukarba Chowk and Pragati Maidan were long pending. Mukarba Chowk is one of the most important junctions in the country.
• Naming the Chowk as well as the flyover after Shaheed Captain Vikram Batra who was martyred in the Kargil War in 1999 can inspire the people of Delhi and those who come to Delhi, adding that the decision is a deserving tribute to Batra whose parents had requested to honor the martyr.

10. GoM constituted to expedite revival plan of BSNL & MTNL.

• A Group of Ministers (GoM) has been constituted to expedite revival plan of BSNL & MTNL. The GoM will fast-track and oversee the implementation of the Rs 69,000 crore revival plan for state-owned telecom corporations BSNL and MTNL.
• The GoM includes Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, IT and Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
• The government had approved a Rs 69,000 crore revival package for BSNL and MTNL which includes merger of the two loss-making firms, monetising their assets and giving VRS to employees. The GoM will expedite the smooth implementation of decisions taken on revival of BSNL and MTNL.

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Current Affairs 31 December, 2019

Current Affairs 30 December, 2019

Current Affairs 28-29 December, 2019

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