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Insights into Editorials – January 2020 PDF

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VisionIAS 06:41

Insights into Editorials – January 2020 PDF

Insights into Editorials – January 2020 (InsightsonIndia Monthly Compilation)

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Shankar IAS Target 2020 Environment & Geography Part 1 PDF

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VisionIAS 18:37

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The HINDU Notes – 19th February 2020

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VisionIAS 18:17

📰 SC voices concern over deforestation

The court was hearing a plea challenging cutting of old trees for an overbridge in West Bengal

•Deforestation is so rapid that before anyone knows everything will be lost, Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde said on Tuesday, voicing concern over the loss of green cover.

•A three-judge Bench, led by the the Chief Justice Bobde, was hearing a petition challenging the cutting of heritage trees in West Bengal to create space for an over-bridge in an accident-prone area of a highway.

•Advocate Prashant Bhushan, for the petitioner, agreed that in another 50 years, the effects of climate change might take a turn for the worse.

‘Greed and profit’

•Chief Justice Bobde did not hold back while condemning humanity’s tendency to abuse natural resources for greed and profit.

•“I understand you don’t have the brains to build new ones [water conservation systems], but you are also destroying what is there,” said Justice Bobde.

•The court said the green cover must be preserved.

•“People are not willing to explore alternatives. There could be a way to create a path without cutting trees, though it might be a little more expensive,” Chief Justice Bobde said with the reference to the over-bridge project.

A tree’s value

•The Bench even considered taking on board economists and environmentalists to estimate the value of a tree, factoring in the value of the quantum of oxygen it emits in its lifetime.

•“When you cut a heritage tree, imagine the value of the oxygen the tree produced all these years. Compare it with how much you would have to pay for the equivalent amount of oxygen if you have to buy it from somewhere else,” Chief Justice Bobde had observed at an earlier hearing.

•Mr. Bhushan had suggested a change in the alignment of the project or even an underbridge.

•Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, for West Bengal, had said the State had discussed the issue for 18 months before deciding on cutting as few trees as possible.

📰 China thanks India for support during health crisis

Daily Current Affairs, 19th February 2020

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VisionIAS 13:07

1) Soil Health Card Day being observed on 19th February

•The Soil Health Card Day is being observed on 19th February every year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme on 19th February 2015 at Suratgarh in Rajasthan. The scheme aims at issuing soil health cards to farmers every two years so as to provide a basis to address nutritional deficiencies in the soil. The scheme ensures additional income to farmers by an increase in yields and it also promotes sustainable farming.

•The scheme has been introduced to assist State Governments to issue Soil Health Cards to all farmers in the country. It provides information to farmers on nutrient status of their soil along with recommendations on the appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility.

•During Cycle-I (2015 to 17), 10.74 crores Soil Health Cards and during Cycle-II (2017 to 19), 11.74 crores Soil Health Cards have been distributed to farmers. The Government has spent more than 700 crore rupees on the SHC scheme.

2) Bangladesh will sign Free Trade Agreement with Nepal

•Bangladesh and Nepal have agreed to sign a Free Trade Agreement to enhance trade between the two countries. Bangladesh has also agreed to allow Nepal to use it Saidpur airport located in its northernmost district of Nilphamari close to Nepal. Bangladesh exports commodities worth $38 million to Nepal and imports goods worth around 18 million dollars. Nepal will be able to provide 500 MW of hydroelectric power to Bangladesh once the Indian Company GMR completes its project in Nepal.

3) EAM will inaugurate Indian Pavilion at 70th Berlin International Film Festival

•External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will inaugurate Indian Pavilion at 70th Berlin International Film Festival in Germany. It aims to establish multiple international collaborations in the space of distribution, production, filming in India and development technology through its participation at Berlinale-2020. India Pavilion will provide a platform to popularize Indian cinema in the overseas market and facilitate new business opportunities.

•This year for the festival, three Indian feature films, as well as one short documentary film, have been selected. These are Pushpendra Singh’s Laipla Aur Satt Geet, Prateek Vats’ Eeb Allay Ooo!, Akshay Indikar’s – Sthalpuran and Ekta Mittal’s short documentary – Gumnaam Din. Information and Broadcasting Ministry in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry, CII is participating in the event.

4) Moody’s cuts India’s 2020 GDP growth forecast to 5.4%

•Moody’s Investors Service has cut India’s 2020 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast to 5.4% from 6.6% and the next financial year (2020-21) growth rate estimate to 5.8% from 6.7%. According to Moody’s, due to the spread of novel coronavirus outbreak in China, worldwide growth will be affected and hence India’s economic growth recovery will be slow.

•Moody’s also estimates that G20 economies will grow at a rate of 2.4 % in 2020, a sluggish move from 2019. China’s GDP growth estimated at 5.2 % in 2020 & expected to achieve GDP growth at a rate of 5.7 % in 2021.

5) Difficult Dialogues 2020 began in Goa

•The 5th edition of Difficult Dialogues began in Panji, Goa. Difficult Dialogues (DD) is an annual forum examining issues of contemporary relevance in South Asia. Difficult Dialogues 2020 will focus on the “State of Law”.

•The conference will bring together lawyers, some eminent Chief Justices, civil society, media, academic experts, activists, and people working at the community level [in law, education, health, labour,] with government and non-governmental organisations DD 2019 Summit focused on “Education: Illuminating the myriad facets”. The same was held in partnership with Oxford University, Goa University, ICG, Brookings India, PLAN India, CBPS, NIPFP.

6) India overtakes UK and France to become 5th largest economy

•According to the report of US-based think tank “World Population Review”, India has emerged as the 5th-largest world economy in 2019, overtaking the United Kingdom and France. India’s economy is the fifth-largest in the world with a gross domestic product (GDP) of $2.94 trillion. The size of the UK economy is $2.83 trillion and that of France is $2.71 trillion. These measures have helped India accelerate economic growth

•In purchasing power parity (PPP), India’s GDP is $10.51 trillion, exceeding that of Japan and Germany. Due to India’s high population, India’s GDP per capita is $2,170 (for comparison, the US is $62,794). India’s real GDP growth is expected to weaken for the third straight year from 7.5% to 5%.

•According to the report, India’s service sector is the fast-growing sector in the world accounting for 60% of the economy and 28% of employment. The manufacturing and agriculture are two other significant sectors of the economy.

•The report observed that India’s economic liberalisation began in the early 1990s and included industrial deregulation, reduced control on foreign trade and investment, and privatisation of state-owned enterprises.

7) NCLAT’s allows JSW Steel to acquire Bhushan Power

•The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal has approved the Rs 19,700 crore resolution plan of JSW Steel to take over the bankrupt Bhushan Power and Steel. The approval comes with the immunity sought by the new owner against investigations being carried out against the erstwhile promoters of Bhushan Power and Steel.

•This comes after the government recently amended Section 32A of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, providing immunity to the bidders and the insolvent company’s assets from the investigation.

8) Delhi host Asian Wrestling Championship 2020

•Asian Wrestling Championship 2020 starts in New Delhi. It will be held at the KD Jadhav Hall of Indira Gandhi Stadium. The event will have a total of 30 weight classes, 10 each in Freestyle Men, Women, and Greco Roman.

•Team India will be represented by a 30 member squad with Deepak Punia, Dahiya, Bajrang, and Vinesh leading the pack. India last hosted the championships in 2017. The 2018 edition was held at Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and in 2019, Xi’an province of China.

•Asian Wrestling Championship organized by Asian Associated Wrestling Committee (AAWC). In 1979 men’s tournament began and in 1996 women’s tournament was first staged, after that, it is held every year.

9) ‘United by Emotion’ chosen as Tokyo 2020 Olympics motto

•The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee has revealed the official Games motto: “United by Emotion”. The motto emphasises the power of sport to bring together people from diverse backgrounds of every kind and allow them to connect and celebrate in a way that reaches beyond their differences.

•The official Olympic motto is “Citius, Altius, Fortius” or “Faster, Higher, Stronger”, but each host city chooses its own motto to accompany that edition of the Games. The Games will bring together athletes from more than 200 National Olympic Committees and the Refugee Olympic Team, as well as millions of spectators & media representatives.

10) India will host junior men’s Hockey World Cup 2021

•India will host 2021 Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced this at Lausanne in Switzerland. The competition will be played towards the end of 2021. This is the second time that India will be hosting the prestigious tournament, having staged it in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in 2016.

•The junior men’s World Cup will see 16 teams compete for the title, out of which six will be from Europe, four from Asia, including hosts India, two from Africa, two from Oceania and two from Pan America. Out of the 16 teams, the six European teams, who have already qualified for the event in India, are Germany, England, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium and France, as they secured their berths through the European Continental Championships which were held in 2019.

•Reigning champions India had defeated Belgium 2-1 in the final match of the 2016 edition at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in Lucknow, which saw them lift their second-ever FIH Junior Men’s World Cup. India had also hosted the FIH senior men’s Hockey World Cup in 2018 at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium, Bhubaneswar.

Daily Current Affairs, 18th February 2020

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VisionIAS 12:23

1) PM Modi launch 50 development projects worth over Rs 1200 crore in Varanasi

•Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched 50 development projects worth over 1,200 crore rupees at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. These projects include a 430-bed super speciality Government hospital, a 74-bed psychiatry hospital and Centre for Vedic Research at Kashi Hindu Vishwavidyalaya (BHU), at BHU. PM Modi also inaugurate the Chaukaghat Lehartara Overbridge in the city which will ease the traffic near the railway station.

•PM Modi also flagged off the Kashi Mahakaal Express to link Varanasi, Ujjain and Omkareshwar and dedicated to the nation the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Memorial Centre. At Pandav area of Chandauli district, Prime Minister also unveiled the 63 feet Statue of Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya. This is the largest statue of the leader in the country.

2) PM Modi inaugurates ‘Kashi Ek Roop Anek’ exhibition in Varanasi

•Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated cultural arts and handicrafts exhibition named ‘Kashi Ek Roop Anek’ organized at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. ‘Kashi Ek Roop Anek’ showcased products from over 10,000 artisans from all over Uttar Pradesh.

•In this event, the Uttar Pradesh government had launched the ambitious scheme ‘One District, One Product’ (ODOP) in which one craft per district was identified. The state government has established raw material banks, testing labs, common facility centres, and facilitated direct market access to artisans and weavers and helping them improve their income.

3) Pinarayi Vijayan launches ”Yodhavu” mobile app to combat drug menace

•Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched “Yodhav” (Warrior) mobile app (application) at Kochi, Kerala. Through this app, the public can inform police about drug abuse and its distribution. The application was introduced by the Kochi city police and the informer’s identity could be kept secret.

•The chief minister also inaugurated a most modern cyber doom cyber crime police station, the new building of the Infopark police station and regional forensic science laboratory’s upper and lower subordinate quarters at the TCS auditorium at Infopark. The chief minister also unveiled the model of Kochi city police’s new police complex being constructed at Marine Drive.

4) ‘Pyaar ka Paudha’ campaign launched by Bihar govt

•‘Pyaar ka Paudha’ (a plant of love) campaign has been launched by the Bihar government’s Department of Environment and Forest in Patna. This campaign is to encourage the practice of planting trees in the state. Department of Environment, request to gift one plant of love to your closed ones and provide good care. This campaign is a small effort will be a big step towards making the Bihar land green.

5) GoI renames IDSA as ‘Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses’

•The Union government has decided to rename ‘The Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses’ (IDSA) as ‘Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses’. The decision has been taken to honour late Manohar Parrikar, former defence minister and Padma Bhushan awardee.

•Manohar Parrikar “biggest” contribution was towards the implementation of long-standing One Rank One Pension (OROP) demand for the armed forces. The defence minister chairs the Executive committee of the lnstitute’s society. Mr Parrikar was defence minister from November 9, 2014, to March 14, 2017.

•The IDSA was established as a registered society in New Delhi in 1965, dedicated to objective research and policy-relevant studies on all aspects of defence and security. The Institute aims to promote national and international security through the generation and dissemination of knowledge on defence and security-related issues. To achieve its goals, the institute undertakes scholarly research, policy-oriented research, dissemination of research findings, training and capacity building and public education.

6) ISRO to launch 10 Earth Observation Satellites in 2020-21

•The Indian Space Research Organisation has revealed in its annual report for 2019-20 that it will launch 10 Earth Observation Satellites in 2020-21. The 10 earth observation (EO) satellites will include categories such as the first Geo Imaging Satellite, GISAT-1 along with three communication satellites and two navigation satellites.

•The Indian Space Research Organisation’s annual report for 2019-20 plan also mentions 36 missions including satellites and their launchers.

7) India to have 1st “Integrated Tri-services Command” by year 2020

•The Chief of the Defence staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat has announced the plan of establishing the first Integrated Tri-Services Command. The Integrated Tri-Services Command will be responsible for handing the air defence of the entire country. The command is expected to be established by June 2020. The planned Integrated Tri-Services command will be headed by an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer.

Objective of Integrated Tri-Services Command:

•The Integrated Tri-Services Command aims is to unite the resources of the three defence services of India under one command to protect the air space of the country. The air defence set-up of the the Army, Air Force and Navy would integrate to provide air defence cover to the country.

•The Department of Military Affairs headed by General Bipin Rawat has been mandated to create joint military commands along with theatre commands, joint peninsula command and a logistics command.

8) Radhakishan Damani becomes India’s 2nd richest person

•Avenue Supermarts, which is doing business as D-Mart, founder Radhakishan Damani has now become the 2nd richest Indian after Reliance Industries Ltd chairman Mukesh Ambani, with a net worth of $17.8 billion. He has left behind many heavyweights to acquire the coveted spot including the likes of philanthropist Shiv Nadar, banker Uday Kotak, and industrialists Gautam Adani and Lakshmi Mittal.

9) Vinay Dube becomes GoAir new CEO

•GoAir has appointed Vinay Dube, the former chief executive officer (CEO) of Jet Airways, as its new CEO. He will be responsible for the management of the airline and also for meeting the goals and long-term growth objectives of the company. The budget airline did not have a CEO since the departure of Cornelis Vrieswijk in March last year.

•Earlier, Dube has served as Senior Vice President-Asia Pacific at Delta Air Lines, CEO at Delta Technology LLC, Vice President-Consulting & Marketing Solutions at Sabre Airline Solutions, among other positions.

10) 3rd Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety 2020

•The 3rd edition of the Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety will be held in Stockholm, Sweden on February 19-20, 2020. The Third Global Ministerial Conference (Ministerial Conference) aims to reach high-level consensus for continued global road safety targets and collaboration up to 2030. The theme of the two-day conference is Achieving Global Goals 2030.

•The event is being co-sponsored by the Government of Sweden with support from the World Health Organization. The Indian delegation will be led by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Mr Nitin Gadkari.

11) All India Conference of CAT 2020 held in New Delhi

•The annual All India Conference of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) was held in New Delhi. The conference was attended by Judicial and Administrative Members from all 17 Benches of CAT from across the country, members of the CAT Bar Association and eminent Jurists, who deliberated on key issues related to the functioning of the Tribunal and priorities for 2020.

•The Conference was presided over by Union Minister for Law and Justice, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad. It is a platform to discuss issues related to the work of CAT, including structural and institutional issues, the functioning of administrative tribunals in other legal systems and methodology for the functioning of the tribunal among others.

12) India signs USD 450 million loan agreement with World Bank

•The Goverment of India has signed USD 450 million loan agreement with the World Bank. The loan agreement of USD 450 million aims to support the national programme “Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY): National Groundwater Management Improvement Programme“. It will help the Union Government to curb the country’s depleting groundwater levels along with strengthening of the groundwater institutions.

More Details about loan:

•The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) will provide the loan amount on behalf of the World Bank. According to the loan agreement signed between Indian Government and the World Bank, the loan amount will be having a grace period of 6 years, along with the maturity period of 18 years.

Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY): National Groundwater Management Improvement Programme

•The Atal Bhujal Yojana aims to provide strength to the institutional framework for participatory groundwater management and to encourage behavioural changes at the community level for sustainable groundwater resource management. With this, it will curb the country’s depleting groundwater levels along with strengthening of the groundwater institutions.

Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY) Implementation:

•ABHY will be implemented in 7 states and cover 78 districts. The 7 states are: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra. The ABHY programme will increase the recharge of aquifers and introduce water conservation practices. It will also promote water harvesting, crop alignment, and water management activities.

•The above targets are expected to be achieved with the use of cutting-edge technology along with Artificial Intelligence and space technology which will further help in better implementation of the programme.

Vajiram and Rav Recitals January 2020 Current Affairs PDF

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SSC CGL 2019 Application Status Released

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VisionIAS 07:47

SSC CGL 2019 Application Status Released

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