Current Affairs - December 2020 - 1st - Chapter

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Course : Competitive Exam
Subject : Current Affairs
Topic : Current Affairs - December 2020
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INDEX
1 HISTORY
 Important Days  Defence National Security and
01
Terrorism  World Organisations – Pacts and Summits
 Eminent Persons  Sports and Games  Books & Authors
 Awards & Honours  Cultural Panaroma  India & its
Neighbours  Appointments – Who is who?
2 POLITICAL SCIENCE 32
India’s Foreign Policy Latest Court Verdicts Govt –
Welfare oriented Govt schemes, their utility
3 GEOGRAPHY
33
 Policy on Environment and Ecology Natural Disasters –
Safeguard Measures
4 ECONOMICS
36
New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector Current Socio -
Economic Problems
39
5 SCIENCE
Latest Inventions in Science & Technology
Latest Discoveries on Health Science

Mass Media & Communication

50
6 NATIONAL – DIARY OF
EVENTS
71
7 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
8 TAMIL NADU AFFAIRS 75

Current Affairs, December - 2020 Important Days
History
1.1 Important Days
Date Day Theme / Remark

The theme for the World Aids Day 2020
1-12-2020 World AIDS Day is ‘Ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic:
Resilience and Impact.’.
In India, the National Pollution
Control Day is observed every year on
December 2 to commemorate the life of
people lost in the unfortunate incident
National Pollution Control of Bhopal Gas Tragedy that occurred
2-12-2020
Day in the year 1984 on the night of 2–3
December.
The year 2020 marks the 36th
anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy.
The Theme of 2020 Navy Day is

4-12-2020 Indian Navy Day “Indian Navy Combat Ready, Credible
& Cohesive”.
4-12-2020 International Day of Banks
International Volunteer IVD 2020 Theme: “Together We Can

5-12-2020
Day Through Volunteering”.
The 2020 theme – ‘Keep soil alive,
5-12-2020 World Soil Day
Protect soil biodiversity’!
The ICAO Council has selected the
International Civil Aviation special collective 5 year theme for
7-12-2020
Day 2019-2023: “Advancing Innovation for
Global Aviation Development”.
1
Important Days Current Affairs, December - 2020
In India, the Armed Forces Flag Day

(also known as the Flag Day of India)
is observed annually on December 7
since 1949 as an honour to the soldiers,
sailors and airmen of India who fought
on the borders to keep the country safe.
The three branches of the Armed Forces
of India , namely, the Indian Army, the
7-12-2020 Armed Forces Flag Day
Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy
are remembered on this day.
The ‘Armed forces Flag Day Fund’
(AFFDF) has been constituted by the
Government of India for the welfare
and rehabilitation of the Ex-Servicemen
(ESM) community.
International Anti- Theme 2020 – ‘RECOVER with

9-12-2020
Corruption Day INTEGRITY.’
Theme: “Recover Better – Stand Up For
10-12-2020 World Human Rights Day
Human Rights”.
Every year the UNICEF Day is

observed on December 11.
The United Nations General Assembly
created UNICEF on December 11, 1946,
as the United Nations International
Children’s Emergency Fund to improve
the health, nutrition, education, and
general welfare of children devastated
11-12-2020 UNICEF Day
due to World War II.
UNICEF’s name was subsequently
changed from United Nations
International Children’s Emergency
Fund to United Nations Children’s
Fund though, it continued to be known
by the popular acronym based on the
previous title.
International Mountain
12-12-2020 2020 Theme: Mountain biodiversity.
Day
2
National Energy
14-12-2020
Conservation Day
In India, Vijay Diwas (also called
Victory Day) is celebrated every year
on December 16.
The country is celebrating the 49th
Vijay Diwas in 2020.
Vijay Diwas is observed to
commemorate the service, valour,
Nation Observes 49th Vijay
16-12-2020 and sacrifices of the gallant men of
Diwas
the Indian Armed Forces’ victory over
Pakistan in 1971 war.
On 16 December 1971, the Indian
Armed Forces won the 13-day long
decisive war against the Pakistan
Army and state for the liberation of
Bangladesh from Pakistan.
Theme 2020 : ‘Reimagining Human
18-12-2020 International Migrants Day
Mobility’.
When: The Minorities Rights Day
is observed in India every year on
December 18 since 1992.
Why: Protect the existence of the
National or Ethnic, Cultural, Religious
and Linguistic identity of minorities
18-12-2020 Minorities Rights Day
within their respective territories
and encourage conditions for the
promotion of that identity.
The Day was promulgated by United
Nations on December 18, 1992 to
strengthen the cause of the minorities.
3
Important Days Current Affairs, December - 2020
The Goa Liberation Day is observed on

December 19 in India. 2020 marks the
60th Goa Liberation Day.
The Day is celebrated to commemorate
the great valour of the Indian armed
forces in freeing Goa from around 450
years of Portuguese rule.
19-12-2020 Goa Liberation Day Goa was liberated on December 19,
1961.
The 36-hour military operation,
conducted from December 18, 1961,
was code-named ‘Operation Vijay’
meaning ‘Operation Victory,’ and
involved attacks by the Indian Navy,
Indian Air Force and Indian Army.
India observes the National
Mathematics Day every year on 22
December since 2012 to commemorate
the birth anniversary of Mathematician
Srinivasa Ramanujan.
2020 marks the 133rd birth anniversary
of Ramanujan.
22-12-2020 National Mathematics Day The day was announced on 26
February 2012 by the then Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh to mark
the 125th anniversary of the birth of the
Indian mathematical genius Srinivasa
Ramanujan (22 Dec 1887- 26 Apr 1920).
2012 was also observed as National
Mathematics Year.
4
National Farmer’s Day (Kisan Diwas)

is observed every year on December 23
in India to remember the role of Indian
farmers in the economy.
The day was first celebrated in 2001.
The day is observed to mark the birth
anniversary of former Prime Minster
India Observes National
23-12-2020 Chaudhary Charan Singh.
Farmer’s Day
He brought farmer-friendly policies
and worked towards the welfare of the
farmers.
Chaudhary Charan Singh was the fifth
Prime Minister of India and served the
country as Prime Minister from 28 July
1979 to 14 January 1980.
National Consumer Day: December 24
2020 Theme: “Sustainable Consumer”.
It was on this day that the Consumer
Protection Act, 1986 was enacted.
The Act aims to provide consumers
24-12-2020 National Consumer Day
with effective safeguards against
different types of exploitation, such as
defective goods, deficiency in services
and unfair trade practices.
In India, Good Governance Day

(Sushasan Divas) is observed annually
on December 25 to commemorate the
birth anniversary of former Prime
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee (25
December 1924 – 16 August 2018).
25-12-2020 Good Governance Day
Good Governance Day was
established in 2014 by the newly
elected administration of Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, to foster
awareness among the Indian people of
accountability in government.
5
Defence, National Security and Terrorism Current Affairs, December - 2020
1.2 Defence, National Security This is in line with a plan that was first
envisaged during the India-China’s
and Terrorism Doklam crisis in 2017 when a need for
closer and direct coordination was felt in
Indian Navy successfully test-fires the headquarters. The present Director-
General of Military Operations Lt General
BrahMos Cruise Missile
Paramajit Singh is expected to assume the
Indian Navy on December 1, 2020,
new appointment.
successfully test-fired the naval-version
The creation of a third deputy chief post
of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile in
in the Army will help reduce the burden
the Bay of Bengal. As per the officials, the
on the vice chief of the Army, as he would
test-fire was part of a series of trials that
have key officers such as in-charges
are being carried out by the three defence
of military intelligence and military
services of India.
operations under him.
Similar test-firing of BrahMos missile
The centre also approved the creation of
was conducted by the Indian Navy in the
the Director General Information Warfare
Arabian Sea in October 2020. The test-fire
post in the Army headquarters.
of BrahMos conducted on December 1
was successful as per the Naval official. Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with
BrahMos Aerospace is an India-Russian Russian Federation Navy in Eastern
collaboration. It produces a supersonic Indian Ocean Region
cruise missile that can be launched
The Indian Navy (IN) and the Russian
successfully from aircraft, ships,
Federation Navy (RuFN) are undertaking
submarines, or land platforms.
Passage Exercise (PASSEX) in the Eastern
The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile
Indian Ocean Region (IOR) from 4 to 5
is also the fastest operating system in
December 2020.
the world in its class. DRDO has recently
The exercise will help in enhancing
extended the missile system’s range from
interoperability, improving
the existing 298 km to 450 km.
understanding and imbibing best
Centre approves reorganisation of practices between both the friendly
Army Headquarters, third deputy navies.
It involves advanced surface and anti-
chief post created
submarine warfare exercises, weapon
The centre has approved reorganisation
firings, seamanship exercises and
of Army headquarters. As a part of the
helicopter operations.
same, the government approved the
IN is being represented by indigenously
creation of a third deputy Chief’s post-
constructed guided missile frigate
New Deputy Chief of Strategy.
Shivalik and anti-submarine corvette
Kadmatt along with integral helicopters.
6
Current Affairs, December - 2020 Defence, National Security and Terrorism
RuFN includes guided missile cruiser The vessel has been designed and built
Varyag, large anti-submarine ship indigenously by GSL.
Admiral Panteleyev and medium ocean The 1st ship in series – ICGS Sachet was
tanker Pechenga. commissioned by Union Defence Minister
The PASSEXs are conducted regularly by Rajnath Singh in May, 2020.
IN with units of friendly foreign navies. The ship is 105 metres long and weights
2400 tonnes.
Launch of INS Himgiri Equipped with features like Integrated
‘Himgiri’, the first of the three Project 17A Bridge System, Integrated platform
ships being built at M/s Garden Reach management system, power management
Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited system and high power external
(GRSE), Kolkata was launched Under fire-fighting.
the Project 17A program, a total of seven The ship will be based at Goa and will be
ships, four at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders deployed extensively for EEZ (Exclusive
Limited (MDL) and three ships at GRSE Economic Zone) surveillance and other
are being built with enhanced stealth duties.
features, advanced indigenous weapon The 1st ship in series – ICGS Sachet was
and sensor fit along with several other commissioned by Union Defence Minister
improvements. Rajnath Singh in May, 2020.
The launch of ‘Himgiri’ has showcased
GRSE’s commitment towards the Indigenously-built Coast Guard
building of three state-of-the-art warships interceptor boat C-454 commissioned
of P17A for Indian Navy. Over the years, The interceptor boat C-454, built by
GRSE has emerged as a leading shipyard Larsen and Toubro at its Hazira plant,
having built over 100 ships. The yard has will operate from Gujarat under the
scaled up its infrastructure and skill sets control of the Commander Coast Guard
to meet new challenges in building of Region North-West of the Indian Coast
P17A ships. P17A ships are the first gas Guard. It was commissioned by Surat
turbine propulsion and largest combat Police Commissioner Ajay Tomar.
platforms ever built at GRSE. This interceptor boat is built indigenously
by L&T Jetty, Hazira. It is capable of a high
Indian Coast Guard’s OPV ‘Sujeet’ speed of 45 knots having the capability to
commissioned in Goa; operate in shallow waters.
Indian Coast Guard’s (ICG) Offshore
Patrol Vessel (OPV) ‘Sujeet’, which India’s First Maritime Theatre
is second in the series of 5 OPVs was Command
commissioned at the Goa Shipyard The first Maritime Theatre Command
Limited (GSL) in Vasco Town, Goa by Raj (MTC) of India is to be launched in 2021.
Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production). The MTC will look after the 7,516-km long
7
Defence, National Security and Terrorism Current Affairs, December - 2020
coastline, the entire Indian Ocean Region and Development Organisation (DRDO).
and the 1,382 islands. This is important Border Surveillance System (BOSS)
to counter Chinese ever-expanding naval BOSS is an all-weather electronic
foot-print in the Indian Ocean Region. surveillance system. It was handed over
China has the largest Navy with 350 to Army Chief General M M Naravane.
warships and submarines. BOSS has already been deployed in
About Maritime Theatre Command Ladakh against the Chinese troops for
The MTC will subsume the Western day and night surveillance.
Naval Command (Mumbai), tri-service Indian maritime situational awareness
Andaman and Nicobar Command system (IMSAS)
(Port Blair), Eastern Naval Command It was handed to Navy Chief Admiral
(Vizag) and the southern Air Command Karambir Singh.
(Thiruvananthapuram). The IMSAS is state-of-the-art high
performance intelligent software system
Background
that provide Global Maritime Situational
India currently has seventeen single-
Picture, Marine planning tools and
service commands. It includes seven
Analytical capabilities to Indian Navy.
Army commands, three Navy commands
and seven Indian Air Force commands. Astra Mk-1 missile system
Only two existing tri service command It was handed over to Air Chief Marshal
came up after 1999 Kargil war. The R K S Bhadauria.
Andaman and Nicobar command was set This missile is the first indigenously
up as a geographical command in October developed beyond visual range (BVR)
2001. The nuclear arsenal command came missile that can be launched from
up in January 2003. Sukhoi-30, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA),
Mig-29 and Mig-29K.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh ASTRA weapon system has been
hands over 3 DRDO high-tech systems developed by Defence Research &
to chiefs of 3 armed forces Development Laboratory (DRDL) and
The Defence Minister Rajnath Singh production by Bharat Dynamics Limited
recently handed over three indigenously (BDL) Hyderabad.
developed high technology systems
India Successfully Test-Fires Medium
to chiefs of the three armed forces: the
Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the
Range Surface-To-Air Missile For
Indian Air Force. Army
The three systems namely, Border India today successfully test-fired a
Surveillance System (BOSS), Indian medium range surface-to-air missile
Maritime Situational Awareness System (MRSAM) from Odisha coast.
(IMSAS) and ASTRA Mk-I Missile, have The missile was fired from a ground
been developed by the Defence Research mobile launcher at launch pad number-1
8
Current Affairs, December - 2020 Defence, National Security and Terrorism
of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) near INS Sindhuvir has been renamed as UMS
Balasore in Odisha, and it hit the target Minye Theinkhathu by the Myanmar
with accuracy, the sources confirmed to Navy.
news agency Press Trust of India. This is the first submarine in the Myanmar
An unmanned air vehicle (UAV), Navy’s arsenal.
‘Banshee’, was first flown into the air, It is a diesel-electric Kilo-class submarine,
which was hit by the medium range which was in operation in the Indian
surface-to-air missile. Navy since 1988.
The submarine has been refurbished for
AFSCB Adjudged as the “Best the Myanmar Navy by state-run defense
Company Promoting Sports (Public shipbuilder, Hindustan Shipyard Limited
Sector) 2020” at FICCI India Sports (HSL) in Visakhapatnam.
Awards 2020
In the official notification received from Indian Naval Ship Conducts ‘Passage
FICCI, Air Force Sports Control Board Exercise’ with Vietnamese Navy in
(AFSCB) has been annotated as the South China Sea
winner in the category of “Best Company An Indian Navy warship undertook a
Promoting Sports (Public Sector) 2020”. “passage exercise” with the Vietnamese
AFSB has been conferred with this Navy in the South China Sea as part of
prestigious award on 08 Dec 20 by the efforts to boost maritime cooperation
eminent jury of FICCI India Sports between the two countries.
Awards 2020 that was chaired by Justice Indian naval ship INS Kiltan was sent
Mudgal. The award function took place to deliver relief material for flood-
virtually through video conferencing affected people in central Vietnam and it
on 08 Dec 2020 and Air Commodore participated in the exercise on its return
Ashutosh Chaturvedi, Chairman, AFSCB journey.
received the prestigious award from the The exercise has been conducted at a
President FICCI. time when China has been expanding its
military assertiveness in the South China
Myanmar Navy formally commissions Sea notwithstanding mounting global
INS Sindhuvir submarine, handed concerns and criticism.
over by Indian Navy
The Myanmar Navy has officially
inducted the submarine INS Sindhuvir,
which was handed over by the Indian
Navy to the country in October 2020.
INS Sindhuvir was commissioned on 25th
December 2020, which marked the 73rd
anniversary of the Myanmar Navy.
9
World Organisations – Pacts and Summits Current Affairs, December - 2020
1.3 World Organisations – WHO praises India for Fitness Ka

Dose Aadha Ghanta Roz campaign
Pacts and Summits The World Health Organisation (WHO)
has praised Prime Minister Narendra
Modi’’s ‘’Fitness Ka Dose Aadha Ghanta
Covid-19 pandemic could push over 1
Roz’’ programme, which calls upon all
billion in extreme poverty by 2030
Indians to devote at least half-an-hour on
An additional 207 million people could
their fitness for a better living.
be pushed into extreme poverty by 2030
due to the severe long-term impact of the Fit India Movement
coronavirus pandemic, bringing the total Fit India Movement is a nation-wide
number of the world’s extremely poor to movement in India to encourage people
more than a billion, a new study from the to remain healthy and fit by including
UN Development Programme (UNDP) physical activities and sports in their daily
has found. lives. It was launched by Prime Minister
The study is part of a long-standing of India Narendra Modi at Indira Gandhi
partnership between the UNDP and the Stadium in New Delhi on 29 August 2019.
Pardee Center for International Futures
Kerala women startup inks pact with
at the University of Denver.
UN agency
PwC India partners with UNICEF and For the first time, a Kerala-based women
YuWaah to upskill 300 million youths startup, which helps in identifying
in India over 10 years energy-efficient drivers and adopting
Consulting firm PwC India has viable action plans, has signed an
collaborated with the United Nations agreement with United Nations Women’s
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and YuWaah Empowerment Principles.
(Generation Unlimited in India) to upskill Thiruvananthapuram-based Vydyuthi
300 million young Indians over the next Energy Services (VES) has signed the
10 years. pact.
This collaboration is part of PwC’s global Out of the 170 companies from India
multi-sector partnership with UNICEF which had signed for United Nations
and Generation Unlimited to upskill Women’s Empowerment Principles, 64
and provide about 1.8 billion youngsters are from the private sectors.
with socio-economic opportunities from
school to work by 2030.
This partnership will focus on three
facets to India’s digital empowerment for
youngsters, which are education, skilling
and entrepreneurship.
10
Current Affairs, December - 2020 Eminent Persons
1.4 Eminent Persons second and third rank respectively in the

Kotak Wealth Hurun wealthy women list
2020.
AR Rahman roped in as ‘BAFTA
Shaw is also the wealthiest self-made
Breakthrough’ India ambassador woman on the list.
Oscar and Grammy-winning Indian 19 women from this list also feature in the
composer AR Rahman has been Hurun India Rich List 2020, and 6 women
roped in as ambassador of the BAFTA have made it to the Hurun Global Rich
Breakthrough initiative in India. List 2020.
In 2020, BAFTA will identify and support
up to five exceptional talents working in Gitanjali Rao 15 year old Indian-
film, games or television in India. American Scientist & Inventor named
The BAFTA Breakthrough initiative, First Ever Times :Kid of the Year”
is part of the Academy’s year-long Gitanjali Rao, 15-year-old Indian-
programme to support new talent, American Scientist and Inventor has been
coming up in the film, games and named as the first ever “Kid of the Year”
television industries in the UK, China, by TIME Magazine. She was selected
India and the US and gives them access from a field of more than 5000 nominees
to unique career development and for her work “to tackle issues ranging
mentoring opportunities. from contaminated drinking water to
It is a unique opportunity for promising opioid addiction and cyberbullying using
artists to be supported by a world- technology”.
renowned organisation, including
connections with other talented creatives Kolkata’s Majerhat Bridge Named
across the world and being mentored by “Jai Hind” to mark Subhas Chandra
BAFTA-winners and nominees. Bose’s 125th Birth Anniversary
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata
HCL Tech Chairperson Roshni Nadar
Banerjee named the newly-built Majerhat
tops Kotak Wealth-Hurun wealthy
bridge in Kolkata as “Jai Hind” bridge to
women list 2020
commemorate the 125th birth anniversary
Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of Subhas Chandra Bose.
of HCL Technologies topped the list of The 650-metre-long bridge, which has
wealthiest women in India, according been built in the place of an old one that
to the second edition of ‘Kotak Wealth collapsed in September 2018.
Hurun–Leading Wealthy Women’ report. The bridge, on the arterial Diamond
The report is compiled by Kotak Wealth Harbour Road, connects the central part
Management, a division of Kotak of the city to the soutwestern suburbs of
Mahindra Bank, and Hurun India. Behala and beyond.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw of Biocon and
Leena Gandhi Tewari of USV are at the
11
Eminent Persons Current Affairs, December - 2020
“King of Spice” Dharampala Gulati features in the list, in 2019 ranked 41st in
passed away 2020.
Dharampala Chunni Lal Gulati, the India’s leading Business women, kiran
founder and CEO of MDH Masala India;s mazumdar-shaw, Chairman of Biocon

famous spices company, dies at the age Limited also featured in the list at 68th
of 97 due to cardiac arrest. The pioneer of position.
the ready to use ground spices, also called The list also saw the biggest jump in
as “King of Spice” was awarded India’s ranking to 3rd position by Kamala Harris,
third highest civilian award “Padma Vice President Elect of USA, and Prime
Bhushan” in 2019. Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina
Wajed is ranked at 39.
Ex-PM Gujral remembered on 101st Rank Personality Profession
birth anniversary 41 N i r m a l a Finance Minister of
The 101st birthday of country’s 12th Sitharaman India
Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral was 68 K i r a n Founder, Chair and
celebrated at IK Gujral Punjab Technical Mazumdar Managing Director,
University (IKGPTU) by holding an Shaw Biocon Ltd.
e-interaction. 1 A n g e l a Chancellor,
Merkel Germany
Father of Fibre Optics Narinder Singh 2 C h r i s t i n e President, European
Kapany passes away Lagarde Central Bank
Narinder Singh Kapany, also known as 3 K a m a l a Vice President-elect,
the father of fibre optics, passed away. Harris United States
The India-born American physicist was
4 Ursula von President, European
named as one of the seven “Unsung der Leyen Commission,
Heroes” by Fortune in their ‘Businessmen European Union
of the Century’ issue of November 1999.
5 M e l i n d a Co-Chair, Bill &
Kapany was the first to transmit images
Gates Melinda Gates
through fibre optics back in 1954 and laid
Foundation
the foundation for high-speed internet
technology. PM Modi was the 7th most Tweeted
about person in the world in 2020
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
features in the 100 Most Powerful Twitter in its 2020 annual year-end
Women by Forbes review, revealed that Prime Minister

Narendra Modi was the 7th most tweeted-
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
about person in the world this year. US
made it to the 100 most powerful women
President Donald Trump, US President-
list announced in the 17th annual Forbers
elect Joe Biden and George Floyd were
power list. This is the second time she
12
the top three names on Twitter’s 2020 list U A Khader, among finest Malayalam
of most tweeted people. writers
Indian American Vice President-elect Celebrated Malayalam writer U A
Kamala Harris was the only woman on Khader, who published more than 70
the list and stood at the 10th position novels, short stories and travelogues that
globally. are considered among the finest works in
The findings were a part of Twitter’s the language, died in Kozhikode. He was
annual review report, recapping the 85.
trends, moments, and memes that Khader was known for a progressive
dominated Twitter through the year. and secular outlook to his life and his
literature.
Sonu Sood Tops UK’s ’50 Asian His most acclaimed work of fiction,
Celebrities In The World’ list 2020 Thrikkottoor Peruma (Thrikkottoor Lore),
Indian actor Sonu Sood has topped the won him the Kerala Sahitya Akademi
first-of-its-kind ’50 Asian Celebrities in Award in 1984.
The World’ 2020 list, published by UK
based Eastern Eye newspaper. US Pilot Chuck Yeager, first man to
The 47-year-old talented Bollywood fly faster than speed of sound, passes
star has been honored for his inspiring away at 97
philanthropic work throughout the US Air Force officer and test pilot Chuck
Covid-19 pandemic, especially helping Yeager, who in 1947 became the first pilot
migrant workers reach their hometowns. in history to have exceeded the speed of
Sonu Sood beat global stars, including sound in level flight, has passed away.
from Hollywood, the music industry, He was 97.
television, literature and social media, to (Level flight means flying at a constant
be named the number one Asian celebrity altitude, not going up and down.)
on the planet for 2020. As a test pilot, on October 14, 1947, Yeager
became the first human to officially break
Joe Biden, Kamala Harris named Time the sound barrier, when he flew the
Person of the Year 2020 experimental Bell X-1 aircraft at Mach 1
(speed of sound) at an altitude of 45,000
US President Joe Biden and Vice
ft (13,700 m).
President Kamala Harris have been
Throughout his life, he flew more than
named as “Person of the Year” 2020 by 360 different types of aircraft and went on
Time magazine. Biden and Harris got to break several other speed and altitude
featured in Top 10 most-tweeted-about records in the following years.
people globally, wherein, Biden fetched Yeager had been associated with World
the second spot and Harris was on the War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War
tenth position, the only woman on the and his three-war active-duty flying
list. career spanned more than 30 years.
13
Eminent Persons Current Affairs, December - 2020
Aerospace Scientist Shri Roddam Centre to dedicate a Museum on

Narasimha passes away at 87 Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in
Eminent aerospace scientist and Kolkata on 125th birth anniversary
Padma Vibhushan awardee Roddam The Government of India has proposed
Narasimha has passed away due to brain to set up a museum dedicated to Netaji
haemorrhage. He was 87. Subhash Chandra Bose, in Kolkata, as a
Roddam Narasimha had served at the tribute on his 125th birth anniversary
prestigious Indian Institute of Science celebrations on 23rd January 2021.
(IISc), where he taught Aerospace The government has also decided to
Engineering from 1962 to 1999. He also expand the current museum of Netaji at
served as the director of the National Red Fort in New Delhi.
Aerospace Laboratories from 1984 to Apart from this, Centre is also considering
1993. to reprint some of the books written by
The central government bestowed the Subhash Chandra Bose, and even start
second-highest civilian award of India, fellowships for students.
Padma Vibhushan on him in 2013 for
his contribution in the field of aerospace Veteran Journalist and first official
engineering. RSS Spokesperson MG Vaidya passes
Together with the Missile Man of India away at 97
and former president Dr A P J Abdul Senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
Kalam, Prof Narasimha had authored a (RSS) ideologue MG Vaidya has passed
book –“Developments In Fluid Mechanics away after a brief illness. He was 97.
and Space Technology”. Vaidya was a veteran journalist, a Sanskrit
scholar and the first official spokesperson
Indian Navy’s Senior most of the RSS.
Submariner, Vice Admiral Srikant The RSS is the ideological mentor of the
passed away Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Indian Navy’s Senior Most Submariner Vaidya became a member of the RSS in
and the current director general of project 1943.
Seabird, Vice Admiral Srikant passed
away after suffering from COVID-19 Arya Rajendran, 21, chosen
infection. country’s youngest Mayor from
Vice Admiral Srikant is the current Thiruvananthapuram
Director general of Indian government’s Twenty-one-year-old Arya Rajendran of
largest infrastructure project “Project the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Seabird”. is likely to create history as the country’s
youngest mayor, having been elected
as mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram
Corporation.
14
The state committee is likely to accept the Accountant before turning to the study of
district committee’s recommendation and Indian dance forms.
make a formal announcement. In Kerala, Kothari received numerous titles and
50% of local body seats are reserved for awards for his contribution to Indian
women. Civic bodies are headed by dance forms including the Sangeet Natak
women on alternative terms. Akademi Award (1995); the Gaurav
Puraskar conferred by the Gujarat Sangeet
Dance historian Sunil Kothari passes Natak Akademi (2000); the Padma Shri
away bestowed by the Government of India
Padma Shri dance historian and critic (2001); and the Life Time Achievement
Sunil Kothari passed away Sunday Award of the Dance Critics Association,
morning at a Delhi hospital after he New York, USA (2011). He was also an
suffered a cardiac arrest a month after elected Fellow of Sangeet Natak Akademi
testing positive for coronavirus. He was for his contribution to Indian dance as a
87. scholar.
Born on December 20, 1933, in Mumbai,
Kothari qualified as a Chartered
15
Sports and Games Current Affairs, December - 2020
1.5 Sports and Games Madagascar replaces Maldives to host

2023 Indian Ocean Island Games
Japan to host 7-team FIFA Club World The 2023 Indian Ocean Island Games
Cup in 2021 (IOIG), will take place in Madagascar,
instead of Maldives.
FIFA (Federation Internationale de
The Indian Ocean Island Games
Football Association) announced that
Federation has changed the host nation
Japan will host the existing Seven-
due to concerns over the COVID-19
Team format of FIFA Club World Cup
pandemic.
in December, 2021. It will be the 18th
2023 Indian Ocean Island Games will be
Edition of FIFA Club World Cup.
the 11th edition of this multi-sport event
The year 2021 will witness 2 FIFA Club
for athletes representing the National
World Cup Tournaments – The 2020
Olympic Committees of Indian Ocean
Edition FIFA Club World Cup (17th
island nations.
Edition) will be held in Qatar from
Maldives had received the hosting right
February 1-11, 2021 and the 2021 Edition
of the event in 2019.
of FIFA Club World Cup will take place
in Japan in December, 2021.
IOC gives Olympic status to
Originally a redeveloped 24-Team Club
Breakdancing; to debut at Paris in
World Cup was scheduled to take place
2024
in China in 2021, it is now scheduled to
take place at a later date. The International Olympic Committee
(IOC) has registered ‘Breakdancing’ as
Jehan Daruvala Becomes first Indian the newest entry into Olympics and an
to Win Formula 2 Race official Olympic sport, on December 7,
2020, with the aim to attract a new and
Jehan Daruvala created history on 6th
younger audience.
December 2020, as he became the first
Breakdancing will be known as ‘Breaking’
Indian to win a Formula 2 race at the 2020
in Olympics event.
Sakhir Grand Prix.
This was the final race of the F2 season.
Bajrang Punia, Elavenil Valarivan bag
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju Launches Sportsperson of the Year awards
2nd edition of Fit India Cyclothon Indian athletes, Bajrang Punia (Freestyle-
Wrestling) and Elavenil Valarivan
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju launched
(Shooting), bagged the top honours at the
the second edition of Fit India Cyclothon
virtually held FICCI India Sports Awards
through virtual platform on 7th December
2020 on the back of the 10th Global Sports
2020.
Summit.
The mega cycling event will run for 25
The two athletes, who have had an
days, beginning from 7th December till
impressive 2019-20 season, won the
31st December 2020.
16
Current Affairs, December - 2020 Sports and Games
Sportsperson of the Year awards in their assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia
respective categories. (OCA) in Muscat.
Here is the list of Winner in different Saudi Arabia’s capital city Riyadh would
Categories: host the 2034 edition of the Asian Games.
Previously Doha organized the Asian
Award Personality
Games in 2006.
Sportsperson of 2030 Asian Games will be the 21st edition
Elavenil Valarivan
the Year (Female) of the multi-sports event, held after every
Sportsperson of four years. It is also known as Asiad.
Bajrang Punia
the Year (Male)
Best State Sports Ministry Formally Recognises
Promoting Sports Madhya Pradesh Yogasana as Competitive Sport
Award The Sports Ministry formally recognised
Best Company yogasana as a competitive sport, which
Promoting Sports Anil Kumble will enable the ancient practice to avail
(Private Sector) government funding.
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and Minister
Odisha to host 2023 FIH Men’s of AYUSH (Ayurveda Yoga and
Hockey World Cup Naturopathy Unani Sidda Homoeopathy)
The International Hockey Federation Shripad Yesso Naik formally promoted
(FIH) had announced that the 2023 FIH yogasana as a competitive sport.
Men’s Hockey World Cup will be hosted The move was made to encourage yoga,
in Odisha, for a second consecutive time. spread awareness about its benefits and
The tournament will be held at two to help improve peoples physical and
venues, Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. The mental wellbeing.
Men’s Hockey World Cup 2018 was also For competitions, 51 medals have been
hosted by Odisha. proposed in four events and seven
The 2023 tournament will be 15th edition categories in the sport. Events proposed
of the Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup. include traditional yogasana, artistic
It will be held at the Kalinga Stadium yogasana (single and pair), rhythmic
in Bhubaneswar and at the Biju Patnaik yogasana (pair, free flow/group yogasan),
Hockey Stadium in Rourkela. FIH Hockey individual all round-championship and
World Cup is held after every four years. team championship.
Doha to host Asian Games 2030 Lucy Bronze and Robert Lewandowski
The capital of Qatar, Doha has won the Bags Best FIFA Players for 2020
hosting rights for the 2030 Asian Games. The Best FIFA Football Awards 2020
Doha beat Riyadh during the election, was announced on 17th December 2020,
held on 16 December at the general during a virtual event held at Zurich.
17
Sports and Games Current Affairs, December - 2020
The Poland national team captain and Sakshi Choudhary (57kg) and Satish
FC Bayern München striker Robert Kumar (91kg).
Lewandowski has been named “The Best Bronze: Sonia Lather (57kg), Pooja
FIFA Men’s Player” for 2020. Rani (75kg) Gaurav Solanki (57kg) and
Lewandowski has won the title for the Mohamed Hussamudin (57kg) claimed
first time in his career. the bronze medal in their respective
He is also the first men’s winner from a categories.
club outside Spain since Ronaldo won Overall five women and eight men boxers
the 2008 award as a Manchester United were registered for the Cologne Boxing
player. World Cup 2020.
Lucy Bronze, who plays as a right-back
for the English club Manchester City and Indian men to finish 2020 in 4th
the England national team, bagged “The position, women in 9th in FIH
Best FIFA Women’s Player” for 2020. rankings
The Indian men and women hockey
Govt approves inclusion of four teams will finish 2020 in fourth and ninth
indigenous sports in Khelo India positions, respectively, after a major
Youth Games 2021 part of the year was disrupted by the
The Sports Ministry has approved the COVID-19 pandemic.
inclusion of four indigenous Games to be The International Hockey Federation
a part of Khelo India Youth Games 2021, (FIH) confirmed that the Belgium men’s
scheduled to take place in Haryana. team and the Netherlands’ women will
The games include, Gatka, Kalaripayattu, finish the year at the top of the world
Thang-Ta and Mallakhamba. rankings.
In the men’s FIH world rankings,
Indian Boxers Bag 9 Medals, Including reigning world and European champions
3 Gold at Cologne Boxing World Cup Belgium (2496.88 points) sit at the top
Indian pugilists have bagged nine medals ahead of 2019 FIH Hockey Pro League
including three gold, two silver and four winners Australia (2nd place – 2385.70),
bronze at the Cologne Boxing World Cup Netherlands (3rd place 2257.96) and India
2020, held in Cologne, Germany between (4th place 2063.78).
17 to 19 December 2020. Among women, the Netherlands
(2631.99 points) are at the top followed by
List of Medal Winners
Argentina (2174.61). Germany (2054.28)
Gold: The three gold medals for India
occupy the third position, climbing
were bagged by Amit Panghal (52kg),
one place following their FIH Hockey
Manisha Moun (57kg) and Simranjit Kaur
Pro League results against Belgium in
(60kg) in their respective categories.
September.
Silver: Silver medals were claimed by
18
Current Affairs, December - 2020 Sports and Games
Novak Djokovic clinches 2020 ATP Anshu Malik secures silver at
Player of the Year 2020 Award for Individual World Cup to win India’s
record equalling 6th time first medal at the event
The Association of Tennis Professionals Indian wrestler Anshu Malik has become
(ATP) 2020 Awards were announced on the first wrestler of the country to finish
21 December to felicitate the players and on the podium position at the Individual
others for their performance during 2019- Wrestling World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia.
20 season. The 19-year-old won a silver medal in
Novak Djokovic (Serbia) has been the women’s 57kg category to claim first
awarded with the ATP Player of the Year international medal of the tournament for
2020 award, as he finished the year as No. the country.
1 in the ATP Singles Rankings. She lost to Moldova’s Anastasia Nichita
This is the record sixth time for Djokovic 5-1 in the final.
to win the title. This record was till now
achieved only by Pete Sampras, who won FIFA postpones 2021 Under-17 and
the title continuously from 1993-98. Under-20 World Cups till 2023 due to
coronavirus pandemic
ICC Men’s ODI and T20I Teams of the The World football governing body FIFA
Decade, Kohli leads Test Team has cancelled Under-17 and Under-20
The International Cricket Council (ICC) football World Cups for the year 2021,
announced the ICC Teams of the Decade due to a coronavirus pandemic.
on 27 December 2020, based on the These World Cups will now be played in
performances, consistency of players 2023.
over the period of last 10 years. Indonesia will host the Under-20s World
Former Indian captain and wicket-keeper Cup and Peru will host the Under-17s
batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni has World Cup as scheduled earlier.
been named as the captain of the ICC ODI
Team of the Decade. He has also been
named the skipper of the ICC T20I Team
of the Decade.
19
Books & Authors Current Affairs, December - 2020
1.6 Books & Authors Education Minister presents first copy

of his inspirational book on Maharishi
Arvind to President
‘PM Modi and his Government’s Union Education Minister Ramesh
Special Relationship with Sikhs’ book Pokhriyal Nishank presented the first
Housing and Urban Affairs Minister copy of his inspirational book “Pioneer
Hardeep Singh Puri released a Book titled of Humanity: Maharishi Arvind” to
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his President Ram Nath Kovind at the
Government’s Special Relationship with Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Sikhs”. The book was released on the The book is in Hindi with the title
occasion of Gurupurab. ‘Manavta ke Praneta Maharishi Arvind’.

Shri Arvind was a person fully devoted
A book titled ‘Future of Regional to Indian culture, Indian values, Indian
Cooperation in Asia and the Pacific’ nationalism and Indian philosophy.
by ADB Through this book, I have wanted to
convey his philosophy and thinking in
The Asian Development Bank (ADB)
very simple language to the younger
has released a new book titled ‘Future
generation of the country and the world.
of Regional Cooperation in Asia and the
Pacific’.
India’s first woman author writes on
The book provides insight on how
sales, ‘Romancing Targets’ by Nidhi
stronger regional cooperation strategies,
Vadhera launched worldwide
including in health, trade, finance, and
disaster risk, can help governments in The book titled ‘Romancing Targets’ by
Asia and the Pacific accelerate economic author Nidhi Vadhera has been released
growth and robust recovery from the recently.
COVID-19 pandemic. In this book, Author Nidhi Vadhera
shares with you a systematic approach to
40 Years with Abdul Kalam Untold understand the sales process which will
Stories‘ by Dr. A. Sivathanu Pillai empower you to embrace sales targets
and achieve results without getting burnt
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu recently
in the process.
released a book on from former president
Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
A book titled ‘Dharma’ authored by
The book titled “40 Years with Abdul
Amish Tripathi
Kalam – Untold Stories” has been written
by scientist Dr. A. Sivathanu Pillai, a The 2nd non-fiction book by author Amish
former chief of BrahMos Aerospace. Tripathi is titled “Dharma: Decoding the

Epics for a Meaningful Life”.
The book offers practical, philosophical
lessons drawn from ancient Hindu epics.
20
Current Affairs, December - 2020 Books & Authors
It is co-authored by his sister Bhavana The book, published by the Lok Sabha
Roy. It is to be published by Westland. Secretariat, highlights the life and works
His last non-fiction book ‘Immortals of the former Prime Minister and contains
India’ was launched in 2017. his notable speeches delivered in the
Parliament. The book also contains some
Om Birla releases book on 19th rare photographs from his public and
anniversary of Parliament attack professional life.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has released
a book on the occasion of the 19th A new book titled ‘Covid-19: Sabhyata
anniversary of the Parliament attack on ka Sankat aur Samadhan’ released
13 December. Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi’s new
He released the book ‘The Shaurya book titled ‘Covid-19: Sabhyata ka Sankat
Unbound’ (English Version) and Aur Samadhan’ (Covid-19: Crisis of
‘Samundar Samawe Boond Mein’ (Hindi Civilisation and Solutions) was launched
Version) was released on the 2001 by former Chief Justice of India Dipak
incident. Misra and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman
As many as 14 people including the five Harivansh Narayan Singh. The Hindi
terrorists died during the incident. book, published by Prabhat Prakashan.
VP Venkaiah Naidu virtually released New book on Gandhi to be unveiled

the book ‘Oh Mizoram’ by RSS chief on January 1
VP Venkaiah Naidu virtually released the Mahatma Gandhi’s 1909 work “Hind
book ‘Oh Mizoram’, written by Governor Swaraj” is grounded in ‘dharma’ which
of Mizoram, Shri P S Sreedharan Pillai. is often but inadequately translated as
Pillai is a lawyer, an orator, a prolific religion, says a new book on the father of
writer, a philanthropist, and a thinker. the nation scheduled to be launched on
He has written 125 books in Malayalam January 1 by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
& English. Oh, Mizoram is his first poetry Authors J K Bajaj and M D Srinivas say
collection in English. their book “Making of a Hindu Patriot:
Background of Gandhiji’s Hind Swaraj”
PM Narendra Modi releases book on has evolved out of their earlier effort to
Atal Bihari Vajpayee prepare an authentic edition of “Hind
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Swaraj” based on Gandhi’s handwritten
had released a book called ‘Atal manuscript of 1909 in Gujarati and his
Bihari Vajpayee in Parliament: A English translation of the text published
Commemorative Volume’, to mark the from Phoenix in 1910.
96th birth anniversary of the former prime
minister.
21
Awards & Honours Current Affairs, December - 2020
Justice Rajindar Sachar He is the first Indian to win this award,

Autobiography ‘In Pursuit of Justice’ which carries a prize money of $1 million
released posthumously (Rs 7.4 crore).
The autobiography of late Justice Rajindar The 32-year-old has won the annual
Sachar, titled, “In Pursuit of Justice: Global Teacher Prize 2020 in recognition
An Autobiography”, was launched of his efforts to promote girls’ education
posthumously by Sachar’s family on the in his village and trigger a quick-response
occasion of his birth anniversary on 29 (QR) coded textbook revolution in India.
December 2020. Disale made efforts and added QR codes
The book was launched through virtual to textbooks of primary classes to provide
platform, in association with The Indian links to audio poems, video lectures,
Society of International Law and The stories and assignments.
Indian Law Institute. He also worked towards education for
girls and teaching people about the ill-
effects of teenage marriage and even
1.7 Awards & Honours helped to achieve 100% attendance of
girls.
Chennai Metro Rail gets World Safety Ranjitsinh has also created history by
Organisation award announcing to share half the prize money
with the nine finalists from across the
Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has
world for the award, where each one
been given the International Award 2020
will receive about $55,000 each. He also
by the World Safety Organisation (WSO),
becomes the first winner to share the
US, for its efforts to maintain safety
prize money with the finalists.
standards and periodic conduct of safety
The Global Teacher Prize is an annual
programmes for the engineers and staff
prize founded by the Varkey Foundation
and ensuring safety of people, property
in 2014 to recognise an exceptional teacher
and the environment.
who has made outstanding contribution
CMRL won the award under the WSO
to the profession. The award is given in
Concerned Company/Corporation
partnership with UNESCO.
category.
Anita Anand’s ‘The Patient Assassin’,
Maharashtra’s Ranjitsinh Disale
win PEN Hessell-Tiltman history prize
becomes first Indian to win 2020
Global Teacher Prize British Indian Journalist and author
Anita Anand’s book that tells the story
Ranjitsinh Disale, a government teacher
of a young man caught up in the 1919
from Zilla Parishad Primary School, in
Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar
Paritewadi village, Solapur district of
has won a prestigious history literary
Maharashtra, has won the 2020 Global
prize in the UK.
Teacher Prize.
22
Current Affairs, December - 2020 Awards & Honours
True Tale of Masacre, Revenge and the undertaken by 180 national investment
Raj’ beat six other titles for the PEN promotion agencies across the world.
Hessell-Tiltman Prize for History 2020,
awarded annually for a non-fiction book Raj Kamal Jha wins Rabindranath
of specifically historical content. Tagore Literary Prize 2020
Raj Kamal Jha, the writer and chief editor
Indian Council of Agricultural of ‘The Indian Express’, has won the
Research (ICAR) Wins 2020 King Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2020
Bhumibol World Soil Day Award of for his book, “The City and the Sea”.
FAO This was the 3rd edition of the
The Indian Council of Agricultural Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize,
Research (ICAR), has won the prestigious which carries a cash prize of $5,000.
International King Bhumibol World Soil The Rabindranath Tagore Literary
Day Award for 2020, presented annually Prize was founded in 2018 by US-based
by the Food and Agriculture Organization publisher Bundalo to recognise works
(FAO) [Headquarter – Rome, Italy]. towards world peace, literature, art,
The award was conferred to the ICAR education and human rights.
on the occasion of World Soil Day, on The Rabindranath Tagore Literary
December 5, through video conferencing. Prize for Social Achievement 2020 was
ICAR has been conferred the award for conferred to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos
its commitment to raising awareness bin Said Al Said, the late Sultan of Oman
of the importance of healthy soils at the and The People of Oman, and renowned
World Soil Day celebration in 2019, which Indian choreographer Sandip Soparrkar
addressed soil erosion under the motto for his contribution to the betterment of
“Stop soil erosion, save our future”. society through his initiative “Dance for
a Cause”.
UN declares ‘Invest India’ winner of
investment promotion award 2020 Punjab scientist refuses award from
The United Nations Conference on Union minister
Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Punjab agriculturalist Dr Varinder Pal
has declared ‘Invest India’ as winner Singh refused to accept an award from the
of the 2020 United Nations Investment Centre as a gesture of support to farmers
Promotion Award in a ceremony at its protesting against the government’s
headquarters in Geneva. agricultural laws.
The Award recognises and celebrates the Singh, the principal soil chemist at
outstanding achievements of the world’s the Punjab Agricultural University in
best-practice investment promotion Ludhiana, was recognised by the Fertiliser
agencies. The evaluation was based Association of India for his work in the
on UNCTAD’s assessment of work field of plant nutrition.
23
Carolina Araujo awarded 2020 It is the 11th edition of the annual award,
Ramanujan Prize for Young instituted by the Schwab Foundation and
Mathematicians Jubilant Bhartia Foundation in 2010.
The award was presented by the Union
The year 2020 Ramanujan Prize for
Minister of Women & Child Development
Young Mathematicians was awarded
& Textiles, SmritiZubinIrani.
to Dr Carolina Araujo, Mathematician
from the Institute for Pure and Applied
UNESCO launches Bangabandhu
Mathematics (IMPA), Rio de Janeiro,
award on the creative economy
Brazil.
Her work area focuses on birational UNESCO has launched an international
geometry, which aims to classify and award named after Bangabandhu Sheikh
describe the structure of algebraic Mujibur Rahman following Bangladesh’s
varieties. proposal.
The prize is awarded annually to a The UN agency’s executive board
researcher from a developing country unanimously adopted the proposal on

funded by the Department of Science and UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu
Technology of the Government of India Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International
in association with ICTP (International Prize for the “Creative Economy” in its
Centre for Theoretical Physics), and the 210th session. This is the first time a UN
International Mathematical Union (IMU) agency launched an award named after
was given for her outstanding work in Bangabandhu.
algebraic geometry.
UNEP announces 2020 Champions of
Dr. Araujo, who is Vice President of the
the Earth Award
Committee for Women in Mathematics
at the International Mathematical The UN Environment Program (UNEP)
Union, is the first non-Indian women is presenting the Champions of the Earth
mathematician to receive this prize and Award since 2005, to inspire and motivate
will be a role model for all women around more people to act for nature.
the world. The award recognizes outstanding
environmental leaders from the public
Ashraf Patel Wins Social Entrepreneur and private sectors, and from civil society
of the Year (SEOY) Award – India for their pioneering initiatives aimed at
2020 healing the planet amid natural and man-
Ashraf Patel, the founder member and
made threats and whose action have had
Board member of Pravah and ComMutiny a positive impact on the environment.
The Champions of the Earth Award
– The Youth Collective (CYC) has been
declared as the winner of the Social is presented in 5 categories, including
Entrepreneur of the Year (SEOY) Award Lifetime Achievement, Inspiration and
– India 2020.
24
Action, Policy Leadership, Entrepreneur Meghdoot awards
Vision, Science and Innovation. Department of Posts conducted Meghdoot
The 2020 Champions of the Earth Award Award Function 2020 on December 15,
has been bestowed upon 6 individuals. 2020 in the Conference Hall of MeitY,
The list of winners is given below. Electronics Niketan, CGO Complex, New
1. Policy Leadership – Frank Delhi.
Bainimarama, the Prime Minister of The Meghdoot award is given every
Fiji year for excellence in postal service. The
2. Inspiration and Action – Yacouba meghdoot award 2019-20 was given.
Sawadogo, a farmer from Burkina
Faso Category Name & Designation of
3. Inspiration and Action – Nemonte official (Sh./Smt./Ms.)
Nenquimo, an Ecuadorian female I M D Srinivasan, PA, Chennai
green campaigner City Division & Marketing
4. Science and Innovation – Fabian coordinator, Regional Office,
Leendertz, a German scientist Chennai City Region, Tamil
5. Entrepreneur Vision – Mindy Lubber, Nadu Circle.
an American social entrepreneur
6. Lifetime Achievement Award –
Award to director Parthiban for ‘otha
Robert D. Bullard, an American
seruppu ‘ on behalf of the Puducherry
scholar.
Government
Paul Sein Twa of Myanmar wins 2020 Popular actor and director Parthiban’s
Goldman Environmental Prize for ‘Ottha Seruppu’ has been selected as the
Asia region best film for Puducherry state awards
and will receive the Sankardas Swamy
The 31st edition of the prestigious
Award on December 15.
Goldman Environmental Prize was
announced , which honors one grassroot
Golden Peacock Environment
environmental activist from each of the
Management Award 2020
world’s six geographic regions: Africa,
Steel Authority of India Limited
Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations,
(SAIL) has been awarded with the
North America, and South and Central
prestigious Golden Peacock Environment
America.
Management Award for the year 2020
The Goldman Environmental Prize is given
in the Steel Sector by the Institute of
annually by the Goldman Environmental
Directors.
Foundation headquartered in San
Shri Anil Kumar Chaudhary, Chairman,
Francisco, California.
SAIL lauded the efforts of SAIL collective
The award is dubbed as the “Green Nobel
and said, “SAIL has been the winner
Prize.
of this award for successive two years
25
and this bears testimony to the efforts Foundation Week was organised from 15
made by the Company for sustainable to 19 December 2020.
and environmentally responsible steel The theme of the programme was
making. ‘India’s resilience: Atmanirbhar roadmap
towards $5 trillion economy.’
UNEP’s 2020 Young Champions of As a part of the celebration, PM Modi also
the Earth Award presented the ‘ASSOCHAM Enterprise
The United Nations Environment of the Century Award’ to Shri Ratan
Programme recently named seven Tata, on behalf of the TATA Group, for
dynamic Environmentalists as its Young his distinguished contributions to the
Champions of the Earth. country.
Nzambi Matee of Kenya. He is a material In the last 100 years, ASSOCHAM and
engineer and is receiving the award the entire Tata group has worked very
for producing low-cost construction hard to strengthen India’s economy and
materials from recycled plastic waste and help the common Indian.
sand. It must be noted that Mr. Tata will also
Xiaoyuan Ren of China. He leads MyH20 be honored with the ‘Global Visionary of
organization that tests and records Sustainable Business and Peace’ award by
quality of groundwater in rural China. He the Indo-Israel Chambers of Commerce
is awarded with the prize for developing on December 21.
an application that will educate the
communities in rural areas about the Amar Singh College Srinagar bags
sources of clean water. 2020-UNESCO Asia-Pacific award
Vidyut Mohan of India. He is the co-
Amar Singh College Srinagar has bagged
founder of Takachar. He has built
affordable and portable biomass a prestigious award of merit in the 2020
upgrading equipment. It allows farmers United Nations Educational, Scientific
to prevent open burning by converting and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
crop to fuels, activated carbon and Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage
fertilizers. conservation.
The Indian National Trust for Art and
PM Modi Confers ‘ASSOCHAM Cultural Heritage (INTACH) chapter in
Enterprise of the Century Award’ to the union territory has been administering
Shri Ratan Tata the conservation work at the 80-year-old
Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi
building.
Seven conservation projects have been
addressed the ‘ASSOCHAM Foundation
Week 2020’ via video conferencing on 19th awarded by an international panel of jury
December 2020. members, which reviewed 48 nominees
The week long Associated Chambers
from nine countries in the Asia-Pacific
of Commerce of India (ASSOCHAM) region.
26
Lewis Hamilton wins BBC Sports PSU to receive the award in the Corporate
Personality of the Year 2020 award Excellence category.
Formula 1 world champion Lewis NTPC wins the prestigious CII-ITC
Hamilton has won the BBC Sports Sustainability Awards in Corporate

Personality of the Year 2020. category second time in a row i.e. in the
This is the second time that the 35-year- year 2019 and 2020.
old Hamilton has been crowned Sports
Veeramani Raju selected for
Personality of the Year. Prior to this he
Harivarasanam award
won the award in 2014.
Well known singerM R Veeramani
Donald Trump Honours PM Modi With Raju has been selected for the
Top US Honour ‘Legion Of Merit’ Kerala government’’s prestigious
Harivarasanam award for 2021.
US President Donald Trump has Raju, who has sung thousands of
presented America’s highest military devotional songs in Tamil, Malayalam
decoration, ‘The Legion of Merit’, to and Telugu, has been selected for his
Prime Minister Narendra Modi. contributions towards propagation of
The prestigious Legion of Merit was secularism, equanimity and universal
given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi brotherhood through music.
for his leadership in elevating strategic The award, consisting of a cash prize
partnership of the two countries. of Rs one lakh, citation and plaque,
The award was accepted by India’s will be presented at a function on the
Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Makaravilakkuday at Sabarimala.
Sandhu on behalf of the prime minister
from the US National Security Advisor
Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay-NIF book
Robert O’Brien at the White House on 21 prize announced
December 2020. The winners of the Kamaladevi
Chattopadhyay New India Foundation
NTPC wins the prestigious CII-ITC Book Prize 2020 for the best non-fiction
Sustainability Awards book on contemporary/ modern India
Country’s largest power producer NTPC were announced.
ltd has been conferred “Excellence” in The Prize was given jointly to Amit Ahuja
the prestigious CII-ITC Sustainability for his Mobilizing the Marginalized:
Awards 2020 in Corporate Social Ethnic Parties without Ethnic Movements
Responsibility (CSR) Domain. (Oxford University Press) and to former
Also, it has been honoured in the Corporate Union minister Jairam Ramesh for his A
Excellence Category, Commendation for Chequered Brilliance: The Many Lives
Significant Achievement. of VK Krishna Menon (Penguin Random
This is the highest award conferred by House), a biography of politician and
CII-ITC in CSR domain. NTPC is the only diplomat VK Krishna Menon.
27
The award carries a citation and a cash K. Veeramani honoured with Dr.
prize of Rs 15 lakh, that will be shared by Narendra Dabholkar Memorial Award
the two authors. The Dr Narendra Dabholkar Memorial
Award for this year has been conferred
”Lukoskin” developer Hemant Kumar
upon Dravidar Kazhagam president K.
Pandey gets DRDO”s ”Scientist of the
Veeramani. The award was instituted in
Year” award the memory of the Maharashtra-based
Senior scientist Hemant Kumar Pandey rationalist Dabholkar.
has been honoured with DRDO’s ‘Scientist The U.S.-based Maharashtra Foundation
of the Year Award’ for his contribution
had instituted the award in his memory, a
in developing several herbal medicines,
release issued by the Dravidar Kazhagam.
including the popular drug Lukoskin
The award includes `1 lakh and a citation.
meant for treatment of leucoderma.
The prestigious award that comprises a
Mr Veeramani has dedicated his whole
certificate and cash prize of Rs 2 lakh. life to propagate rationalism and served
A recipient of several prestigious awards for the cause of social justice in society.
for his contribution in the field of herbal
medicine, Pandey has been undertaking Eminent Engineer Award for the Year
research at the Defence Research and 2020
Development Organisation”s (DRDO) lab Shri V.K. Yadav, Chairman & CEO,
Defence Institute of Bio-Energy Research Railway Board, Ministry of Railways
(DIBER) at Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand has been conferred with the prestigious
for the past 25 years. “Eminent Engineer Award for the Year
2020’ by the Institution of Engineering
Digital India Award 2020
and Technology (IET) for his outstanding
President Ram Nath Kovind virtually
contribution towards modernization and
conferred the Digital India Award 2020 to
reforms over Indian Railways.
digital warriors who helped in reducing
Every year Institution of Engineering
digital divide, and improvised services
with technological advancement. and Technology, Delhi Local Network
The NIC, under the Ministry of celebrates Engineers’ Day on the 15th
Electronics and IT, has been conducting September to commemorate the birth
the biennial Digital India Awards to anniversary of Bharat Ratna Sir M
promote innovation in eGovernance and Visvesvaraya. On this occasion, besides
digital transformation of government technical activities the Institution also
service delivery mechanism. presents Eminent Engineer’s Award to
The Digital India Awards (DIA) was distinguished Engineering personalities
instituted under the aegis of the National for their outstanding services in the field
Portal of India to serve the purpose of of Engineering and technology.
bringing to the fore innovative digital
solutions and thereby inspiring emulation
by all government entities.
28
Current Affairs, December - 2020 India and its Neighbours
1.8 Cultural Panorama 1.9 India and its Neighbours

Ninth edition of International Sand New DRDO lab-created for focused
Art Festival & Konark Festival 2020 research along India’s border with
begins in Odisha Pakistan, China
The 9th edition of the International Sand The government has created a new DRDO
Art Festival and the 31st edition of the lab for conducting focused research on
Konark Festival, has kicked-off in Odisha. terrain and avalanches along India’s
The five days event has been organised borders with China and Pakistan. The
from 01 December 2020 till 05 December lab has been created by merging together
2020. two existing DRDO laboratories.
International Sand Art Festival is being The new laboratory has been named
held at the Chandrabhaga Beach of Defence Geo Informatics Research
Konark in Puri district of Odisha. Establishment. The two labs merged
About 70 artists from across the country by the government include the Manali-
are taking part in the festival. based Snow and Avalanche Studies
The world-renowned sand artist and Establishment and Delhi-based Defence
Padmashree Awardee, Sudarsan Terrain Research Establishment.
Pattnaik, has been appointed as Chief The merger is the first step in the large-
Curator of the festival. scale reforms to be taken up in the DRDO
by its Chief Dr G Satheesh Reddy in order
Gwalior, Orchha in UNESCO world to make the organisation leaner and more
heritage cities list result-oriented.
The historical fort cities of Gwalior and
Orchha in Madhya Pradesh have been Pak Kashmir Inks Pact with China for
included in the list of UNESCO’s world 700 MW Power Project
heritage cities under its urban landscape The Government in Pakistan-controlled
city programme, according to the state Kashmir (PaK) has singed agreements
government. with a Chinese company and a local
The United Nations Educational, Scientific renewable energy firm for the construction
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), of 700 MW hydropower project at an
an agency of the United Nations, aims estimated cost of USD 1.35 billion in the
at promoting world peace and security region as part of the ambitions China-
through international cooperation in Pakistan Economic Corridor.
education, the sciences, and culture. China Gezhouba Group and its local
Gwalior was established in 9th century partner Laraib Group Pakistan are
and ruled by Gurjar Pratihar Rajvansh, the shareholders of the ‘Azad Pattan
Tomar, Baghel Kachvaho and Scindias. Hydropower Project’, which is located on
Jhelum river in Sadhanoti district of PaK.
29
India and its Neighbours Current Affairs, December - 2020
35th edition
CORPATs
of India-Indonesia
1.11 Appointments – Who is
The 35th edition of India-Indonesia who?
Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO
CORPAT) between the Indian Navy and Kuldeep Handoo appointed as “Fit
the Indonesian Navy is being conducted
India” movement ambassador
from 17 to 18 December 2020.
Srinagar born Wushu coach and the
The 35th IND – INDO CORPAT will
first Dronacharya Awardee from the
contribute towards the Indian Navy’s
Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,
efforts to consolidate inter-operability
Kuldeep Handoo is appointed as the
and forge strong bonds of friendship
Ambassador of Fit India movement.
across the Indo Pacific.
He won 11 gold medals in National and 6
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kulish, an
in International stage, is the Wushu coach
indigenously built missile corvette along
of Team India.
with P8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA)
Under his guidance Athletes have
will undertake coordinated patrol with
won two gold medals at the world
Indonesian Naval Ship KRI Cut Nyak
championship and one at the World Cup.
Dien, a Kapitan Pattimura (Parchim
He also serves as Inspector of police in
I) class corvette and an MPA of the
Jammu and Kashmir.
Indonesian Navy.
Indian-origin Anil Soni appointed as
first CEO of WHO Foundation
1.10 Latest Terminology Indian-origin Anil Soni has been
appointed as the first Chief Executive
‘Pandemic’ chosen as the top word of Officer (CEO) of the WHO Foundation.
2020 by Merriam-Webster dictionary He will take his position from 1 January
‘Pandemic’ has been chosen as the top 2021. He was head of Global Infectious
word of 2020 by Merriam-Webster Diseases at Viatris. Viatris is a global
dictionary. Pandemic is a combination healthcare company.
of pan, for all, and demos, for people or He has served as Senior Advisor, HIV
population with roots in Latin and Greek. at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and
CEO at Clinton Health Access Initiative.
He has also worked in different roles
for Global Fund to fight AIDS, Malaria
and Tuberculosis and for Friends of the
Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis
and Malaria.
30
Current Affairs, December - 2020 Appointments – Who is who?
WHO Foundation: Union health minister Harsh Vardhan
It is independent grant-making nominated to board of vaccine
organization with headquarters in alliance GAVI
Geneva. Union minister for health and family
It was started in May 2020. Professor welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan was
Thomas Zeltner is its founder, He is also nominated by the Global Alliance for
chairman of its Board. Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) as a
board member.
Biden names Bharat Ramamurti as
Dr Harsh Vardhan will be representing
National Economic Council member
the South East Area Regional Office
US President-elect Joe Biden named (SEARO)/Western Pacific Regional
Indian American Bharat Ramamurti Office (WPRO) constituency on the GAVI
as the deputy director of the National Board. The seat is currently held by Mr
Economic Council, which is the White MyintHtwe of Myanmar. Dr Harsh
House advisory agency to the President Vardhan will be representing India from
on domestic and global economic 1st January 2021 until 31st December 2023.
policymaking. GAVI is an international organisation that
Joelle Gamble, who is in the Biden-Harris was created in the year 2000 to improve
Transition’s domestic economic policy access to new and underused vaccines for
team, and David Kamin, Professor of numerous vaccine-preventable diseases
Law at New York University School of for children who live in the world’s
Law, are the two other members of the poorest countries.
Economic Council.
31
Govt – Welfare oriented... Current Affairs, December - 2020
POLITICAL
2. SCIENCE
2.1 Govt – Welfare oriented UP govt to launch ‘Kisan Kalyan Mission’
to double the income of farmers
Govt schemes, their Uttar Pradesh government will launch
utility a special program to double the income

of farmers. The program named as Kisan
Five-star village postal scheme Kalyan Mission will cover all assembly
constituencies of the state.
launched in Uttarakhand
Under the Kisan Kalyan mission various
The Union Minister of State for programs will be organised across the
Communication Sanjay Dhotre launched state. Exhibitions of agriculture and
five star village postal scheme to ensure Associate sectors will be organised which
the universal coverage of flagship postal will include the products of MSME sector
schemes in Dehradun for rural areas of units and livelihood missions.
Farmers will be given benefit under
Uttarakhand.
the various schemes of agriculture
department during these events.
Union Cabinet approves Atmanirbhar
Bharat Rojgar Yojana
PM Modi to launch ‘SEHAT’, Health
The Union Cabinet on December 9, Insurance Scheme for J&K
2020 gave its nod to the Atmanirbhar Prime Minister Narendra Modi will
Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) to boost launch ‘SEHAT’ – Health Insurance
employment and incentivise creation of Scheme for the entire Union Territory of
new employment opportunities during Jammu and Kashmir on 26th December.
the COVID-19 recovery phase under This scheme will cover the remaining One
Atmanirbhar Bharat Package 3.0. crore population which was not covered
The Cabinet has given its nod to under Ayushman Bharat Scheme. Under
Ayushman Bharat PM Jan Arogya Yojana
expenditure worth Rs 1,584 crore for the
(PMJAY), eligible beneficiaries were
current fiscal year and Rs 22,810 crores
covered under Health Cover of Rs 5 Lakh.
for the scheme’s entire duration from Under PMJAY scheme, 30 lakh people are
2020 to 2023. being covered in J&K. With the launch of
Under the Yojana, the subsidy will be ‘SEHAT’ Scheme by the Prime Minister
provided for two years in respect of new on December 26, J&K will be among the
employees engaged on or after October 1, first in the country to achieve Universal
2020 and up to June 30, 2021. Health Coverage.
32
Current Affairs, December - 2020 Policy on Environment and Ecology
3. GEOGRAPHY
3.1 Policy on Environment and Ecology
Cyclone Burevi Green Charcoal Hackathon
A depression formed over southeast Shri R.K.Singh, the Union Minister of
Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a State (I/C) for Power and New & RE,
cyclonic storm in the next 36 hours, the was speaking with a vision to create a
India Meteorological Department has conducive environment by reducing
announced. When the cyclone forms, it carbon emissions and nurture technology
would be called cyclone Burevi, a name solutions in India. NVVN (NTPC
given by the Maldives. VidyutVyapar Nigam), a wholly-owned
subsidiary company of NTPC Ltd, today
Indonesian Volcano Erupts launched the Green Charcoal Hackathon.
A volcano in Indonesia’s East Nusa
Tenggara province erupted, spewing Assam Proposed to set up its 6th
ash and smoke as high as four kilometers National Park
into the sky and forcing more than 2,700 The Assam government has proposed
residents to seek refuge. to establish its 6th National park, the
The eruption from the Mt. Ile Lewotolok “Raimona National Park’ in the Ripu
volcano, about 2,600 kilometers east of Reserved Forest of the state which was
Indonesia’s capital of Jakarta. severely damaged due to militancy.
The proposal to upgrade an area of 422
Suryadhar Lake in Dehradun square kilometre notified Ripu Reserve
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Forest under Manas National Park and
Singh Rawat inaugurated the Suryadhar Tiger Reserve into Raimona National
lake at Doiwala in Dehradun on 29 Park has been submitted to Jagadish
November 2020. Mukhi, the governor of Assam.
The Suryadhar lake is located at the
trijunction of Haridwar, Rishikesh and Bihar migratory bird festival
Dehradun, and has been built at a cost of Bihar is planning its first ever migratory
Rs 50.25 crore. bird festival this year. This is a three-day
It is 550 metres long, 28 metres wide and festival to be organised in Bhagalpur
10 metres deep with a capacity of 77,000 District.
cubic metres. It is to be jointly organised by Bhagalpur
forest division, Bombay Natural History
33
Policy on Environment and Ecology Current Affairs, December - 2020
Society and the local Mandar Nature Like CCPI 2020, the first three places in
Club. The region houses a large number 2021 ranking also remains unoccupied,
of migratory birds between November since none of the countries are on the
and March every year. The festival is path compatible with the Paris climate
intended to check cases of poaching in targets, to implement strategies to limit
the region. global warming below 2 or even 1.5°C.
Sweden (4th) United Kingdom (5th),
Mt Everest declared 86 cm taller by Denmark (6th), Morocco (7th), Norway
Nepal and China (8th), Chile (9th) were among the top 10
The world’s highest mountain peak rankers in the index.
‘Mount Everest’ has become taller by
0.86m, as per a survey conducted jointly New species of Pygmy Grasshopper
by Nepal and China. named “Tettilobus trishula” after
The Government of Nepal and China Shiva’s Trishul
jointly conducted an exercise to measure A new species of wide-nosed Pygmy
the world’s highest peak. Grasshopper documented by researchers
The new height of Mt Everest, has
in Eravikulam National Park (Idukki,
been calculated at 8,848.86 metres,
Kerala) in January, 2018 has been named
which is 0.86m more than the previous
“Tettilobus Trishula’ (common name
measurement done by India in 1954.
Shiva’s pygmy trishula) as its protrusion
In 1955, the height of Mount Everest was
in pronotum resembles the three-pronged
measured at 8848 m (29,028 feet) by the
spear ‘Trishul’ used by Lord Shiva.
Survey of India.
It was discovered by a team of Researchers
In Tibetan language, Mount Everest is
known as Mount Qomolangma while led by Dhaneesh Bhaskar, regional Vice-
in Nepalese language it is famous as Chair for Asia, IUCN SSC (International
Sagar-Matha. Union for Conservation of Nature –
Species Survival Commission). The other
Climate Change Performance Index members are P S Easa, Sara Stermsek,
(CCPI) 2021 Damjan Franjevic and Josip Skejo.
The discovery has been published in the
India is ranked at 10th place in the
Journal Zootaxa.
‘Climate Change Performance Index
(CCPI) 2021’, released on 7th December
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar
2020. The overall score of India is 63.98.
releases ‘Status of Leopards in India
It is for the second time in a row that India
2018’ report
emerged among the top 10 countries with
higher climate performance from among The Union environment minister Shri
58 economies. Prakash Javadekar released a report titled
India was at 9th spot last year in the the ‘Status of Leopard in India 2018’.
index. As per the report, the population of
34
Current Affairs, December - 2020 Policy on Environment and Ecology
leopard in India has increased by 60 Ecology preservation
percent in four years since 2014. The Ramsar Convention, signed in 1971
India now has 12,852 leopards as per in the Iranian city of Ramsar, is one of the
2018 estimate, compared to the previous oldest accords for preserving wetlands.
estimate of 7910 conducted in 2014. Wetlands provide a range of important
The States of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, resources and ecosystem services such as
and Maharashtra recorded the highest food, water and fibre.
leopard estimates at 3,421, 1,783, and The Lonar lake in Maharashtra and Sur
1,690 respectively. Sarovar, also known as Keetham lake, in
Agra were added to the list of Ramsar
Ladakh’s Tso Kar wetland complex sites. The Tso Kar Basin is a high-altitude
42nd Ramsar site wetland complex, consisting of two
One more wetland in India has been principal waterbodies, Startsapuk Tso,
added to the list of recognised sites of a freshwater lake of about 438 hectares
international importance under the to the south, and Tso Kar itself, a hyper-
treaty of Ramsar Convention, taking the saline lake of 1,800 hectares to the north,
number of such wetlands in the country situated in the Changthang region of
to 42, the highest in South Asia. Ladakh.
35
New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector Current Affairs, December - 2020
4. ECONOMICS
4.1 New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector
Ethereum 2.0 The government of Chhattisgarh has
Ethereum is a decentralised and open communicated its acceptance of option-1
source blockchain platform, which is a to meet the revenue shortfall arising out
growing list of cryptographic blocks. of GST implementation. All states except
Ether (ETH) is the cryptocurrency token Jharkhand and all the 3 union territories
of the Ethereum platform. with legislative Assembly have decided
It is the world’s second-largest crypto in favour of option-1, announced by a
currency by market capitalization, only finance ministry.
after bitcoin. It is also the world’s most
actively used blockchain. Fitch Ratings lowers India’s GDP
Ethereum was first proposed in 2013 by
contraction at 9.4% for FY21; 11%
a Russian- Canadian cryptocurrency
for FY22
researcher and programmer VitalikButerin.
The largest cryptocurrency ‘Bitcoin’ Fitch Ratings has revised the GDP growth
works on the principle of Mining, rate for India in its Global Economic
which in turn requires solving complex Outlook, and now expects the economy
problems leading to large consumption to contract 9.4 percent in the current
of electricity. financial year 2020-21, as compared to
(-)10.5 percent forecast earlier.
Chhattisgarh accepts Centre’s Fitch has also projected the FY22 GDP
borrowing proposal for GST shortfall growth at 11 percent and 6.3 percent
Chattisgarh has accepted the Centre’s growth in FY23.
borrowing proposal and will get Rs 3,109
crore through the special window to meet Nomura Expects India to be fastest
the goods and services (GST) revenue growing Asian economy in 2021 at
shortfall. 9.9%
With this, 27 states and 3 union territories The Japanese research and brokerage
have accepted the Centre’s borrowing house Nomura has projected India to be
plan, leaving only Jharkhand which is yet the fastest growing Asian economy in
to decide. 2021.
36
Current Affairs, December - 2020 New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector
Nomura has estimated the gross domestic Under this project World Bank will
product (GDP) growth of India for the support India in its efforts at providing
calendar year 2021 (CY21) at 9.9%. social assistance to the poor and
For calendar year 2020 (CY20), Nomura vulnerable households, severely
expects GDP growth at-7.1 percent. impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Apart from this, the Nomura expects This is the second such assistance in
GDP at -8.2 percent in FY21, and 11.9 the series of two ‘Accelerating India’s
percent in FY22. COVID-19 Social Protection Response
Programme’
RBI to set up centre in Jaipur for Under the first operation, $750 million
receipt, storage and dispatch of notes was approved by World Bank in May
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has 2020.
decided to set up an Automated Banknote
Processing Centre (ABPC) in Jaipur for Kylie Jenner tops Forbes’ list of
receipt, storage and dispatch of currency world’s highest-paid celebrities 2020
notes. American media personality and reality
The functions of the ABPC will also TV star Kylie Jenner has been crowned
include processing of banknotes received the highest-paid celebrity of 2020 by
from currency chests (CCs) and bank Forbes. The top-earning stars in the world
branches, and destruction of soiled earned a combined of $6.1 billion in 2020
banknotes in an automated manner, with Kylie Jenner and Kanye West at the
said the RBI’s Request for Proposal top of the list.
(RFP) for engagement of consultant for
comprehensive consultancy services for World Bank approves several projects
establishment of ABPC at Jaipur. to support development initiatives in
The volume of banknotes in circulation India
has increased three-fold from March 2001 The World Bank has approved several
to March 2019, and is expected to rise projects for India, to support development
further in the years to come. initiatives that will strengthen India’s
social protection architecture. These
India and World Bank sign $400 include:
million project to protect India’s poor Chhattisgarh Inclusive Rural and
and vulnerable from the impact of Accelerated Agriculture Growth Project
COVID-19 (CHIRAAG);
The Government of India and the World Nagaland: Enhancing Classroom
Bank have signed a $400 million project Teaching and Resources Project; and
to protect vulnerable groups in urban Second Dam Improvement and
and peri-urban areas across the country Rehabilitation Project (DRIP-2).
impacted by COVID-19.
37
New Economic Policy & Govt. Sector Current Affairs, December - 2020
CHIRAAG project ICICI Bank launches online portal

Amount sanctioned: USD 100 million ‘Infinite India’ for foreign firms
CHIRAAG aims at promoting nutrition- expanding in India
supportive agriculture for tribal The ICICI Bank has launched an online
households in Chhattisgarh platform ‘Infinite India’ to support
It will develop sustainable production foreign companies to establish or expand
systems that allow tribal households in business in India.
remote areas of Chhattisgarh to practice The one-stop portal will offer banking
round-the-year production of diversified solutions as well as value-added services
and nutritious food. such as incorporation of a business
It will be implemented in the southern entity, corporate filings, licences and
tribal-majority region of the state where a registrations, HR services, compliances
large population is undernourished and and taxation among others.
Through this initiative, ICICI bank
poor.
aims to strengthen its position in the
The project will benefit over 180,000
multinational corporations (MNC)
households from about 1,000 villages in
segment.
eight districts of Chhattisgarh.
DRIP-2 India to become fifth largest Economy
Financial aid approved: USD 250 million in 2025
DRIP-2 will improve the safety and India, which appears to have been pushed
performance of existing dams across back to being the world’s sixth biggest
various states of India, and strengthen economy in 2020, will again overtake
dam safety by building dam safety the UK to become the fifth largest in
guidelines; bring in global experience; 2025 and race to the third spot by 2030,
and introduce newer technologies. a think tank said on Saturday. India had
overtaken the UK in 2019 to become the
Multiple bad banks needed to solve
fifth largest economy in the world but has
NPA problem: CII
been relegated to 6th spot in 2020.
The Confederation of Indian Industry India has been knocked off course
(CII) has urged the government to somewhat through the impact of the
consider setting up “multiple bad banks” pandemic. As a result, after overtaking
to address the problem of mounting non- the UK in 2019, the UK overtakes India
performing assets (NPAs) of state-owned again in this year’s forecasts and stays
lenders, which has worsened due to ahead till 2024 before India takes over
covid-led disruptions. again,” the Centre for Economics and
A ‘bad bank’ buys the bad loans of other Business Research (CEBR)
lenders and financial institutions to help The CEBR forecasts that the Indian
clear their balance sheets. economy will expand by 9 per cent in
2021 and by 7 per cent in 2022.
38
Current Affairs, December - 2020 Latest Inventions on Science & Technology
5. SCIENCE
5.1 Latest Inventions on Science & Technology
Hayabusa2 Spacecraft of Japan Key points:
The Hayabusa2 spacecraft of Japan is The 4-metre diameter tank is of 8-metres
nearing the earth after a yearlong journey length to load around 5,755 Kg propellant
from asteroid Ryugu. The asteroid is in the 89 Cubic Metre Volume.
located at a distance of about 300 million The welds have been done to meet 100%
kilometres from the Earth. The spacecraft quality requirements of radiography, dye
is to reach the earth in Southern Australia penetrant check and leak-proof.
on December 6, 2020 carrying precious
samples from the asteroid . Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 in UK
The entire operation is being held by The United Kingdom became the first
JAXA, Japanese Aerospace exploration country on December 2, 2020, to approve
agency. According to the agency the the widespread use of the Pfizer-
capsule that is protected by a heat shield BioNTech vaccine against the pandemic.
will turn into a fire ball at its 200 kilometre The Medicines and Healthcare Products
from the earth surface. The parachute Regulatory Agency- MHRA, a British
of the capsule will open at about 10 regulator, approved the vaccine against
kilometres. the virus and informed that it offers up to
95% of protection against it. The Pfizer-
HAL delivers Biggest Ever Cryogenic BioNTech vaccine is safe for the rollout
Propellant Tank ‘C32-LH2’ to ISRO next week and immunisation can be
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited started soon for people who are in the
(HAL) delivered ‘C32-LH2’ Cryogenic high priority groups.
Propellant Tank to the India Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) in Chang’e-5 lands on lunar surface
Bengaluru, Karnataka. It is Biggest ever China’s Chang’e 5 lander has returned
cryogenic propellant tank fabricated by its first panorama from its landing site on
HAL. the moon.
C32-LH2 is made of aluminium alloy and The sample-return mission made a
has been designed to improve the payload successful soft landing in the Oceanus
capability of GSLV (Geosynchronous Procellarum (“Ocean of Storms”) region
Satellite Launche Vehicle) MK-III (Dec. 1) and almost immediately began
launching vehicle. its science and imaging tasks.
39
Latest Inventions on Science & Technology Current Affairs, December - 2020
Chang’e 5 is a historic 23-day quest to India join a select leage of nations having
collect lunar samples and return them to such super grade fuel.
Earth — the first such moon mission since The high octane premium grade petrol
1976, when the Soviet Union’s Luna 24 will be marketed under the brand XP-100
probe hauled about 6 ounces (170 grams) and it will be made available in 10 cities
of lunar material home. across the country including the national
capital in the first phase. The second
Karnataka’s first 11.5 megawatt phase will see addition of 5 more cities
power plant run on municipal waste including Chennaia and Kolkata.
being set up at Bidadi The Octane ratings are measures of fuel
In Karnataka, Chief Minister B S stability, which help increase engine
Yediyurappa laid the foundation stone efficiency.
for a 11.5 megawatt power plant based
on municipal waste in Bidadi, a town in Britain becomes first country in world
Bengaluru. to approve coronavirus vaccine
It is first of its kind power plant in the In a historic move, Britain has become the
state being set up by the Karnataka first country in the world to approve the
Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine.
and will help in converting 600 tonnes The vaccine will be rolled out from next
of municipal waste into 11.5 megawatt week onwards. Priority for vaccination
energy. will be given to healthcare workers and
This power plant will add 80.59 million care home residents.
units of power to the existing power grid.
The power plant project is being Sputnik V vaccine rushed out to wary
constructed at a cost of Rs. 260 crore and Russians
is likely to be operational by 2022. Russia began distributing its COVID-19
vaccine, with Moscow as the focal point
Union Petroleum Minister launches for people to participate in the first mass
India’s first indigenously developed vaccination against the virus.
100 Octane premium petrol The Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural will be distributed at 70 clinics around
Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan Moscow, but it has been made available
launched India’s first indigenously first to doctors and other medical
developed environment-friendly fuel, workers, teachers and social workers, as
100 Octane premium petrol through the government has deemed these groups
video conferencing on December 1, 2020. to be at the highest risk of exposure to the
He described the launch of the fuel as one disease.
step towards facilitating ease of living for
the citizens. The development has helped
40
Modern mobile phone for summoned regulatory body under the Department
court employees of Space (DoS) to enable private players
Are the employees involved in the undertaking space activities in India.
process of issuing summons to the courts Pixxel aims to put a constellation of 30
at the state level delivered to the correct earth observation micro-satellites into a
address? Isn’t it Court officials announced sun-synchronous orbit by mid-2023.
a new plan is being implemented to
NASA Astronaut Harvests 20 Radishes
provide them with state-of-the-art GPS-
Aboard International Space Station
enabled mobile phones.
The Supreme Court has issued guidelines NASA astronaut grew red lettuce aboard
for the procedure of issuing summons the International Space Station, another
with the help of e-mail. As per the above astronaut has now harvested radish
guidelines, modern mobile phones are in microgravity. As a part of a plant
being provided to those involved in the experiment called Plant Habitat-02 (PH-
summons process in the district courts. 02), astronaut Kate Rubins created history
This will enable the court office to by harvesting 20 radish plants in the ISS
monitor whether the summons has gone Advanced Plant Habitat. All the plants
to the right person. have now been placed in cold storage to
be returned to earth along with the space
‘Pixxel’ to launch remote-sensing mission in 2021.
satellite on ISRO rocket in early 2021 The harvest marks the first time that
The Bengaluru-based space-technology NASA has grown radishes on the orbiting

start-up Pixxel, has signed a pact with laboratory. Stating reasons behind
the Indian Space Research Organisation selecting radishes for the experiment,
(ISRO) to launch its first remote-sensing the American space agency stressed that
satellite on Isro’s workhorse Polar the vegetable is “well understood by
Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket in scientists” and reach maturity in mere 27
early 2021. days.
Earlier, the startup had planned to launch
Pairing CRISPR with a smartphone
this satellite towards the end of 2020 and
camera helps for COVID-19 test finds
on a Russian Soyuz rocket.
The agreement was signed between
results in 30 minutes
Pixxel with NewSpace India Limited Researchers in California aim to develop
(NSIL), a Government of India company a new CRISPR-based test for COVID -19
under the Department of Space. that can be read anytime, anywhere by
This agreement with NSIL is first-of-a- turning a basic smartphone camera into
kind private earth-observation mission a microscope capable of detecting the
and one of the first since the setting up coronavirus’ genetic material.
of IN-SPACe, the authorisation and
41
The team consists of scientists from the and a privately owned and operated
University of California, San Francisco, chamber to move experiments as big as
UC Berkeley, and the Gladstone Institutes refrigerators outside the orbiting lab.
including a collaboration with Jennifer This is SpaceX’s 21st station supply
Doudna, president of the Innovative run for Nasa since 2012. The flight was
Genomics Institute, and winner of the delayed a day by rough weather in the
2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for co- booster-recovery area offshore. This was
discovering CRISPR-Cas genome editing, the 68th successful booster landing by
the technology that underpins the test. SpaceX.
The new test uses a Cas13 protein tagged
with a molecule that glows once it’s cut, China becomes second nation to plant
as part of the genetic-snipping that occurs flag on the Moon
when it matches up with a specific piece China has become the second country in
of RNA. When more of the virus’ genome the world to unfurl its national flag on the
is present, more cuts occur—creating moon surface.
a brighter glow that can be picked up Earlier this feat was achieved only by the
by a smartphone camera used with a USA when it planted its flag on the Moon
darkened box. during the Apollo mission in 1969.
China achieved the historic feat when
SpaceX launches 2nd Dragon capsule ‘Chang’e 5‘ probe of China, which was
to space station launched to collect soil and rock samples
SpaceX launched a newer and bigger of the lunar surface, took off from the
version of its Dragon supply ship to the moon to return to earth after planting the
International Space Station (ISS). SpaceX national flag on 3rd December 2020.
now, for the first time, has two capsules
in orbit at the same time. LiDAR Technique
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket blasted off with The Indian Railways is to use LiDAR
the latest Dragon from Nasa’s Kennedy technique to conduct ground survey
Space Center. The first-stage booster - for the Delhi Varanasi High Speed Rail
making its fourth flight - landed on an corridor. LiDAR is Light Detection and
ocean platform several minutes after the Ranging technique.
liftoff. It was first used in May this year The Indian Railways is to use the LiDAR
for the first astronaut launch by Elon technique mounted on a helicopter. This
Musk’s company. is being done after its success in the
The shipment, weighing 2,900 kg, Mumbai Ahmedabad bullet train project
includes billions of microbes and crushed for the first time.
asteroid samples for a biomining study, The technique uses a combination of GPS
a new medical device to provide rapid data, laser data, flight parameters to give
blood test results for astronauts in space, an accurate survey.
42
LiDAR blossoms every monsoon. Globally, 85

It is a remote sensing method that species are known from Ischaemum, of
uses light in the form of pulsed laser to which 61 species are exclusively found in
measure available distances in the earth. India.
The light pulses in the system generate The team discovered a novel species
three-dimensional information about named Ischaemumjanarthanamii from
the shape of the earth and its surface plateaus of Western Ghats of Goa, and
characteristics. A LiDAR instrument a research paper describing this species
consists of a scanner, laser and a GPS was published recently in Annales
receiver. Helicopters and aeroplanes are BotaniciFennici, a Finland based journal.
the most commonly used platforms to
acquire LiDAR data. Skylotech partners with BSNL to
bring satellite-based IoT network
IIT-Guwahati Researchers Develop
Global machine connectivity solutions
Technology To Harvest Water From
company Skylotech India has partnered
Air
with BSNL to launch a satellite-based
Researchers at Indian Institute of narrowband IoT network in India.
Technology, Guwahati claimed to have This solution, developed by Skylo, will
developed a new technology to harvest connect with BSNL’s satellite ground
water from the air by using the concept of infrastructure and provide pan-India
hydrophobicity. coverage, including Indian seas.
Such water-harvesting techniques use
This new ‘Made in India’ Solution, which
the concept of hydrophobicity or water-
is indigenously developed by Skylo, will
repelling nature of some materials.
connect with BSNLs satellite- ground
The concept of hydrophobicity can be
infrastructure and provide PAN-India
understood by looking at the lotus leaf
coverage, including Indian seas. The
The research team from IIT-Guwahati has
coverage will be so vast that it will not
used the concept of chemically patterned
SLIPS for the first time, to effectively leave any dark patch within the boundary
harvest water from moist air. of India, from Kashmir & Ladakh to
Kanyakumari, and from Gujarat to the
Novel species of Muraingrasses North East, including the Indian seas.
spotted in Western Ghats of Goa
ISRO to launch communication
A new species of Indian Muraingrasses,
satellite CMS-01 on Dec 1
known for their ecological and economic
The Indian Space Research Organisation
importance, has been spotted by scientists
in the Western Ghats of Goa, one of the (ISRO) will launch communication
four global biodiversity hotspots of India. satellite CMS-01 aboard Polar Satellite
The species has adapted to survive harsh
Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C50) on December
conditions, low nutrient availability, and 17, 2020.
43
This will be the 52nd mission of PSLV caccine candidate and the preliminary
and it will be launched from the second results are likely by March. It assumes
launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space significance as Covid-19 vaccines based
Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. on this platform, such as those by Pfizer-
The launch is tentatively scheduled to BioNtech and Moderna, are expected to
take place at 3:41 pm on December 17, have better effsicacy but currently appear
2020 subject to weather conditions.
out of bounds for India.
The communication satellite aims to
The Subject Expert Committee (SEC)
provide services in the Extended-C
Band of the frequency spectrum, which under the Central Drugs Standard
includes the Indian mainland, Andaman Control Organisation (CDSCO) that
& Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. The met recommended grant of conditional
satellite will be the 42nd Communication approval for phases ½ human clinical
Satellite of India. trial of the vaccine candidate. The
recommendations of the panel were
Indian-American among 18 later approved by the Drugs Controller
astronauts selected for NASA’s General of India (DCGI).
Artemis Moon programme
Land to start a business: New facility
Indian-American, Raja Jon Vurputoor
Chari is among the 18 astronauts who to search the internet
have been selected by NASA for its A separate internet facility has been set
Artemis moon-landing programme. up at Chipkot Shop to easily find land for
NASA announced the names of the 18 starting a business in Tamil Nadu.
astronauts, half of whom are women, on The facility, which has been set up for the
December 9, 2020. first time in India, was inaugurated by
The 43-year-old is the only Indian- Chief Minister Edappadi K.Palanisamy.
American in the list. He is a graduate of
the US Air Force Academy, MIT, and US ISRO sets up dedicated control
Naval Test Pilot School. He was selected
centre ‘NETRA’ for Space Situational
by NASA to join the 2017 Astronaut
Awareness
Candidate Class
The astronauts on the Artemis Team The Indian Space Research Organization
have been chosen from a diverse range of (ISRO) has set up a dedicated Space
backgrounds, expertise and experience. Situational Awareness (SSA) Control
While the oldest is 55 years old, the Centre, at its ISTRAC campus at Peenya,
youngest is 32 years old. Bangalore.
The ISRO SSA Control Centre ‘NETRA’
Local mRNA vaccine gets nod for was formally inaugurated by ISRO
human trials Chairman K Sivan on December 14.
The drug regulator has allowed human
trials of the first local mRNA Covid
44
What is Space Situational Awareness CMS-01 is the 42nd communication
(SSA)? satellite of the space agency and it is
SSA is the science of tracking objects envisaged for providing services in
(man-made and natural) that are in orbit Extended-C Band of the frequency
and also predicting what they would be spectrum covering India, Andaman and
at a given point in time. Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands.
Only the US, Russia and Europe have
similar facility in place to track space NASA selects Raja Chari as commander
objects and share collision warnings. of SpaceX Crew-3 mission
What is NETRA? NASA and the European Space Agency
The “NEtwork for space object Tracking (ESA) have selected Indian-American Raja
and Analysis (NETRA)” will monitor, Chari to be the Commander of the SpaceX
track and protect India’s space assets. It Crew-3 mission to the International Space
will function as a hub of all SSA activities Station. Presently Raja Chari is a colonel
within India. in the US Air Force.
It has been set up as a ‘Directorate of Space He will be the commander of SpaceX
Situational Awareness and Management Crew-3 mission, while Nasa’s Tom
(DSSAM)’ aiming to protect high valued Marshburn will be pilot and ESA’s
space assets from space debris close Matthias Maurer will serve as a mission
approaches and collisions. specialist. This mission is expected to be
The state-of-the-art facility, dedicated to launched next year.
SSA activities, will also help to coordinate When Chari, Marshburn, and Maurer
between Indian agencies, their foreign arrive at the orbiting laboratory, they will
counterparts and international bodies. become expedition crew members for
The main elements of NETRA would be a the duration of their six-month stay. The
radar, an optical telescope facility, and a crew will have a slight overlap with the
control centre. Crew-2 astronauts, who are expected to
launch in the spring of 2021.
ISRO To Launch Communication
Satellite CMS-01 Russia successfully test-launches
Angara-5 space rocket
The Indian Space Research Organisation
will launch communication satellite Russia successfully test-launched its
CMS-01 on board the launch vehicle heavy lift Angara A5 space rocket for
the second time, from the Plesetsk
PSLV-C50. A 25-hour countdown for the
cosmodrome in northwest Russia.
launch began.
First test-launched in 2014, it is being
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle or
developed to replace the Proton M as
PSLV’s 52nd mission is scheduled for Russia’s heavy lift rocket, capable of
lift-off at from the second launch pad at carrying payloads bigger than 20 tonnes
the spaceport of Sriharikota ‘subject to into orbit. A launch pad for the new
weather conditions. rocket is due to open in 2021.
45
Jupiter and Saturn “Merge” In Rare can help propel the culture of research
Celestial Event After Nearly 400 Years and development among students.
Space enthusiasts had the opportunity Short-term projects for B-Tech and
to watch a rare celestial event evening- M-Tech students from the institute and
as the Jupiter and the Saturn appeared associate institutes will also be included
to merge and looked-like a single bright in this sequence. “Long term R&D
star, in what is called a conjunction. projects leading to the PhD programme
The ‘Christmas Star’, or the ‘Star will also be offered.
of Bethlehem’, is believed to be the
Sat designed by Thanjai student
conjunction of the two gas giants and it
awaits NASA launch
was first viewed in 1623. Astronomers
have long debated the existence of such a S Riyasdeen from Karanthai in
star but it is theorized that in the year 7 BC, Thanjavur, who is pursuing second-year
Jupiter and Saturn had three conjunctions Mechatronics at Sastra University, had
in the same constellation, which could participated a global competition Cubes
explain what the star actually was. in Space, organised by idoodle Eduinc for
Apart from being the first time in nearly the students in the age group between 11
400 years the planetary giants have been and 18 to design and propose experiments
this close to one another, this is also the to launch into space on a NASA sounding
first time in 800 years that the alignment rocket and zero-pressure scientific
will occur at night. balloon.
The rare spectacle coincided with winter The satellites are fabricated with
solstice, the shortest day of the year. For polyetherimide thermoplastic resins
those able to observe the alignment in using the additive manufacturing
clear skies, the two frozen-gas spheres technology of 3D printing. V1 is made of
appeared closer and more vibrant - polyetherimide Ultem 9085 and is infused
almost as a single point of light - than at with 11 sensors that would record as
any time in 800 years. many as 11 parameters and this satellite
is expected to be launched in NASA
ISRO to open Regional Academic Sounding Rocket under SR 7 mission
Centre for Space at IIT BHU from Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, the
The Indian Space Research Organisation USA in June 2021.
(ISRO) will establish a Regional While the V2 satellite that is made of
Academic Centre for Space at IIT (BHU) polyetherimide Ultemltem 1010 and
to facilitate short and long term projects is infused with 11 sensors that would
at the institute. record as many as 17 parameters. And
ISRO and the Indian Institute of this satellite is expected to be launched
Technology (BHU) signed a memorandum in NASA Zero pressure Research Balloon
of understanding (MoU) and the move under RB 6 mission during August 2021,
46
said Riyasdeen who has been involved in rocket engines with a thrust ranging from
this research work since his school final 5kN to 1000kN (approx 100Tons).
year. The remaining four motors are in various
stages of manufacturing and will be
China Launches Remote Sensing tested in 2021.
Satellite ‘Yoagan-33’
China has successfully launched a new Harsh Vardhan launches India’s
remote sensing satellite into space from first indigenously developed
the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in pneumococcal vaccine ‘Pneumosil’
northwest China. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan
The satellite, Yaogan-33, was launched launched the country’s first pneumococcal
aboard a Long March-4C rocket and conjugate vaccine ‘Pneumosil’ developed
entered the planned orbit successfully. It by Serum Institute of India in collaboration
was the 357th flight mission of the Long with partners like the Bill and Melinda
March carrier rocket series, the report Gates Foundation.
The Serum Institute of India Private
said.
Limited (SIIPL) as the world’s largest
The mission also sent a micro and nano
manufacturer of vaccines by number
technology experiment satellite into
of doses and its contribution to India’s
orbit. The two satellites will be used for economy, Vardhan remarked that
scientific experiments, land resources its vaccines are used in 170 countries
survey, crop yield estimation and disaster and every third child in the world is
prevention and reduction. immunised with the manufacturer’s
shots.
Skyroot Aerospace becomes first
Indian company to successfully test US plans to set up a Nuclear Reactor
fire solid-fueled rocket engine on Moon
Indian Space startup, Skyroot Aerospace USA’s plan to set up the first nuclear
has successfully test fired a solid reactor on the moon by the end of 2026. In
propulsion rocket engine, named Kalam-5 early 2021, the US Department of Energy
With this, it has become the first private in collaboration with NASA intends to
company of India to successfully design, solicit industry design proposals. It also
develop and test a full solid-fueled rocket got an impetus with a recent White House
stage. directive.
This crucial propulsion technology will The outgoing President Donald Trump,
be used for their maiden rocket Vikram-1, issued the “National Strategy for Space
which is under active manufacturing and Nuclear Power and Propulsion” on 16
is targeted to be launched in December December.
2021 with the help of ISRO. Under it, he asked Nasa to “initiate fission
Kalam is a series of five solid-fueled surface power project for lunar surface
47
Mass Media & Communication Current Affairs, December - 2020
demonstration by 2027 with scalability

to a power range of 40 kilowatt-electric
5.2 Mass Media &
and higher to support a sustained lunar Communication
presence and exploration of Mars”.
The objective of NASA behind this was
to establish a flight hardware system that India Post Payments Bank unveils
is ready for integrating with the lunar new digital payment app ‘DakPay’
lander by 2026 end. The nuclear reactor The India Post Payments Bank (IPPB)
is known as the fission power system that along with Department of Posts (DoP)
will benefit future robotic and human launched a digital payment application
expedition missions to the moon as well called ‘DakPay’ on 15 December 2020,
as Mars. in an effort to provide Digital Financial
inclusion at the last mile across India.
DRDO facility develops Quantum The app ‘DakPay’ will facilitate the
Random Number Generator customers of the DoP and IPPB in easy
The Defence Research and Development digital transactions and other banking
Organisation (DRDO) has achieved and postal services.
another milestone in quantum technology The app was launched by Union Minister
by successfully developing a Quantum for Communications, Electronics &
Random Number Generator (QRNG). Information Technology and Law &
The DRDO Young Scientist Laboratory Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad.
for Quantum Technologies (DYSL-QT),
a DRDO facility based in Mumbai, has Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launched
developed a QRNG which has the ability ‘Pareshram’ Portal
to detect random quantum events and Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik
convert those into a stream of binary through a video conference, launched
digits. ‘Pareshram’ Portal along with 22 online
The facility has developed a fiber-optic services of Labour and Employees State
branch path based QRNG. Insurance Department.
The Portal and the Online Services shall be
helpful in “Ease of Doing Business” and
contribute significantly to the industrial
development of the State.
The Portal will provide 52 types of services
in the coming days. This technology
is the foundation of 5-T initiative and
this will help in transformation, hoped
that information regarding different
Labour Laws will be available and
48
Current Affairs, December - 2020 Mass Media & Communication
industries, commercial organisations, ‘Digital Ocean’ developed by INCOIS
small entrepreneurs and public will be The Union Minister of Earth Sciences,
benefited through this Portal. Science & Technology, Dr.Harsh
Vardhan virtually inaugurated the web-
Karnataka unveils “FRUITS” portal
based application “Digital Ocean” on 29
for farmers December 2020.
Karnataka government has unveiled Digital Ocean is a first of its kind digital
the Farmer Registration and Unified platform for Ocean Data Management. It
beneficiary Information System (FRUITS), can be accessed at www.do.incois.gov.in.
an e-governance portal, to create a It has been developed by Hyderabad-
repository of farmland information and based Indian National Centre for Ocean
farm loan details on a single platform. Information Services (INCOIS) an
All farmers will be registered and given autonomous organization under M/o
an identification number on the portal. Earth sciences.
The FRUITS Portal is integrated into Digital Ocean is a step towards Prime
the BHOOMI Package of the Karnataka Minister’s vision of Digital India,
State for fetching and validating the land to transform India into a digitally
details. empowered society and knowledge
One other important facility of this Portal economy.
is online creation of charge by which
visit of farmers to Sub-Registrar Office is
avoided. Canara Bank has agreed to run
FRUITS on a pilot basis.
Punjab Govt launches mobile app and

web portal ‘PR Insight’
Punjab Chief Minister Captain,
Amarinder Singh has launched Mobile
Application and web portal called ‘PR
Insight’, to improve the delivery of
citizen-centric services, based upon the
feedback of its citizens on government
policies.
The basic objective of PR Insight is
to re-orient the existing schemes and
programmes of the state government
to the people’s satisfaction after
meticulously monitoring their feedback.
49
National – Diary of Event Current Affairs, December - 2020
6. NATIONAL –
DIARY OF EVENT
Piyush Goyal inaugurates newly
from class 5 to class 8 to go to schools).
electrified Dhigawara-Bandikui
Other government schemes like
section of North Western Railway ‘Rupashree (one-time financial grant
The Union Minister of Railways Shri of Rs 25,000 for economically stressed
Piyush Goyal inaugurated newly families at the time of their daughter’s
electrified Dhigawara-Bandikui section marriage), ‘Jai Johar’ (for the betterment
of North Western Railway (NWR) in the of ST people), ‘Taposili Bondhu’ (pension
state of Rajasthan on 29 November 2020. scheme for SC people), ‘Akhyashree’
The Minister also flagged off first train on (a scheme that provides scholarships
this newly electrified route. to students of minority communities in
The Dhigawara-Bandikui section is on the state) and MGNREGS will also be
Delhi-Ajmer route via Jaipur. included.
The Railways has set the target to electrify
the entire percentage of railway lines India to build multipurpose reservoir
across the country in phased manner. in Arunachal against China’s
hydropower project on Brahmaputra
‘Duare Sarkar’: Outreach Programme
Amid concerns over China building
of West Bengal begins
a major hydropower project on the
Benefits of at least 11 state government- Brahmaputra river in Tibet, India too
run schemes will be made available to plans to construct a multipurpose
eligible people at camps to be set up for reservoir in Arunachal Pradesh to offset
‘Duare Sarkar’ (government at doorsteps) its impact.
programme starting. The flagship T S Mehra, Commissioner (Brahmaputra
schemes include the globally acclaimed and Barak), in the Jal Shakti ministry said
‘Kanyashree’ (a cash transfer scheme the multi-purpose 10,000 MW hydropower
aimed at retaining girls in schools and project is under consideration. “This
preventing their early marriage), besides project will help offset the impact of the
‘Khadya Sathi’( for ensuring that almost hydropower project by China.
90 per cent of the population comes According to a study, published in the
under food security), ‘Sikshashree’ (one journal Nature Communications, the
time grant given to SC and ST students long-term baseline conditions of the river,
50
Current Affairs, December - 2020 National – Diary of Event
which flows under a variety of names Centre constitutes AIPA committee
through Tibet, India and Bangladesh. headed by Environment Secretary
The Central Government has set up an
Rajasthan CM inaugurates India’s Apex Committee for the Implementation
first “Organ donor Memorial” of the Paris Agreement (AIPA) for
On the occasion of 11th National Organ achieving its goals under the global deal.
Donation Day celebration in Jaipur, The 17-member committee comprised of
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot inaugurated members from 13 key ministries of the
virtually the first of its kind “Organ Union Government.
The Union Ministry of Environment,
Donor Memorial” in the country.
Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
Key points: secretary R P Gupta will be the head
The organ donor memorial has been of this committee and the additional
built near SMS Hospital by the Mohan secretary, MoEFCC, Ravi Shankar Prasad
Foundation Jaipur Citizens Forum and will be the vice-chairperson.
the Jaipur Municipal Corporation. The Environment ministry has enlisted as
The memorial is inspired by the famous many as 16 functions for the APIA.
Jantar Mantar of Jaipur and it was
designed by Sameer Wheaton. World’s Oldest Nanostructures Found
in 6th century BC Pottery rom Keeladi,
First-ever Virtual Aadi Mahotsav with Tamil Nadu
focus on Madhya Pradesh Scientists have discovered the oldest
The Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, known human-made nano-materials in
Shri Arjun Munda, launched the first- the ‘Unique black coatings” of ancient
ever virtual edition of Aadi Mahotsav – pottery shards dated to 600 BC that were
Madhya Pradesh on 01 December 2020. unearthed from an archeological site in
The 10-day long festival, will begin from Keeladi, Tamil Nadu. The research was
published in the Journal Scientific Reports
December 1, 2020.
and the findings have been documented
It is being hosted on the Tribes India
in a paper published in “Nature”.
website – www.tribesindia.com. In accordance with the research these
The main focus of the first virtual Aadi coatings are made of carbon manotubes
Mahotsav is on the tribal craft and culture (CNTs) which have enabled the layer to
of Madhya Pradesh. last more than2600 years.
The next focus state of the programme It should be noted that this discovery
would be Gujarat (from 11th December has succeeded the old known carbon
2020), followed by West Bengal from the manostructure that was found in the
21st December, 2020. Damascus blades from the 16th – 18th
century. Notably the technique used in
the Damacusblades was also made in
India.
51
Nongpok Sekmai in Manipur Adjudged Nagar, Jyotinagar, Shahunagar and

as India’s Top Police Station for 2020 Kranti Nagar.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Aslam
Government of India releases the list of Sheikh said that these caste-based
best performing Police Stations across the colonies were established during the
country every year, to incentivize more British rule to divide people and it has
effective functioning of police stations been now decided to rename them after
and bring healthy competition among people who undertook social service for
them. the country.
Top 5 Police Stations for 2020 Parkash Singh Badal

State District Police Station
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and
Manipur Thoubal N o n g p o k five-time former chief minister Parkash
Sekmai Singh Badal returned the Padma
Tamil Nadu Salem City A W P S - Vibhushan award in protest against
Suramangalam the “betrayal of the farmers by the
A r u n a c h a l Changlang Kharsang government of India and the shocking
Pradesh indifference and contempt with which
Chhattisgarh Surajpur J h i l m i l i it is treating the ongoing peaceful and
(Bhaiya Thana) democratic agitation” of the farmers
against the three farm Acts.
Goa South Goa Sanguem
Ministry of AYUSH to develop Nisarg

The top 10 Police Stations were selected
Gram campus at Pune as the 21st
from among the 16,671 Police Stations in
Century abode of Naturopathy
the country through data analysis, direct
Invoking recollections of Mahatma
observation and public feedback.
Gandhi’s famous Nature Cure campaign
Maharashtra Government approves of 1946 at the “Nisarg Upchar” Ashram
proposal to rename all residential in Uruli Kanchan village near Pune,
colonies with caste-based names the upcoming new campus of National
Institute of Naturopathy (NIN), Pune
Maharashtra cabinet on December 2, 2020
will be called “Nisarg Gram”. Located
approved a proposal seeking to rename
at a distance of 15 Km from NIN’s
all residential colonies having names
present premises at Bapu Bhavan, the
based on caste.
new Institution will be future-ready,
With this, all residential colonies with
with many novelties and innovations
names such as Brahman-wada, Mahar-
incorporated in the project per se and the
wada, Dhor-vasti, Bouddh-wada, Mali-
curriculum of the Naturopathy courses.
galli and Mang-wada will be given new
names such as Samata Nagar, Bhim
52
Upgrading the Indian Languages delayed if the government focused on a

Institute in Mysore as a University 4G auction next year.
Central Government Globally, more than 1 billion people will
The Central Institute of Indian Languages

have access to 5G coverage by the end of
(CIIL) was established in 1969 in Mysore 2020. The report projects that four out of
to study Indian languages. every ten mobile subscriptions in 2026
The Hindi and English language
will be 5G.
development institutes of the Central
7th WASH Conclave
Government were upgraded to Central
Universities. Attempts are also being The 7th WASH (Water, Sanitation and
made to transform CIIL into a Central Hygiene) Conclave was organised in
University. It will be renamed as virtual mode from 2 to 4 December 2020
Bharathiya Pasha Vishwa Vidyalaya by organised by the UNICEF and the
(BPV) after its conversion to Central National Institute of Rural Development
University. It is planned to combine and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR).
languages with classical status into The theme of the conclave was “Hygiene
its departments. Although Telugu, Matters”.
Malayalam, Kannada and Oriya have Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan
the status of classical languages , they do Harichandan was the Chief Guest at the
not have a separate research institute like event.
Tamil. The event had participants from Andhra
For Tamil, the Central Institute of Classical Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana to
Tamil Studies is set up in Chennai. After discuss key issues with particular focus
13 years, the permanent director was on hygiene and create an opportunity
hired just a few months ago. In this case, for strengthening collaborations and
if Tamil is merged with other languages, partnerships among institutions
the Central Institute of Classical Tamil including government dealing with
Studies is also likely to merge with BPV. WASH and related programs across three
states and districts
India to surpass 350 mn 5G The Government of India has set the
connections by 2026 target to provide access to and use of
In India, 5G subscriptions will surpass
safe and adequate drinking water to all
350 million, accounting for 27 per cent of households within premises by 2024.
all mobile subscriptions in 2026, Swedish
Renamed Kerala’s Rajiv Gandhi
gear maker Ericsson said in a report titled
Centre for Biotechnology after late
“Ericsson Mobility Report.”
RSS ideologue Golwalkar
The projections come on the heels of
another Fitch Ratings report that said The Modi government has decided to
that 5G spectrum auction India could be rename the second campus of Rajiv
53
Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) from 62 to 73 zones with over 10,000 sq
in Kerala after late RSS ideologue M S km of the state now secured.
Golwalkar.
Tharu Tribals
Government will set up an AYUSH The Uttar Pradesh government has
Export Promotion Council recently launched a scheme to take the
The Ministry of AYSUSH and the unique culture of the Tharu tribes all over
Ministry of Commerce & Industry will the world. The intention of the scheme
set up an Export Promotion Council for is to put these tribal villages on tourism
increasing AYUSH export. map. This will create jobs and bring
Both Ministry will work together for economic Independence to the tribal
standardization, pricing and quality population in the region.
of AYUSH products in order to boost The State Government of Uttar Pradesh
AYUSH exports. is planning to connect the villages of the
This decision was taken in a joint review Tharu tribals located in the International
meeting of AYUSH trade and Industry. border of Nepal. It is a Homestay
scheme under which the Uttar Pradesh
Two new Zoos in Bihar and Uttar Forest Department will offer tourists an
Pradesh granted recognition by experience of living in the natural habitat
Central government of Tharu tribals. These huts are made of
At the 37th General Body meeting of grass collected from the forest.
Central Zoo Authority chaired by Union
Minister for Environment, Forest and PM Modi inaugurates virtual India
Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar Mobile Congress 2020
two new zoos the Rajgir Zoo Safari in Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi
Nalanda, Bihar and Shaheed Ashfaque inaugurated and addressed the virtual
Ullah Khan Prani Udyaan in Gorakhpur, edition of the India Mobile Congress
Uttar Pradesh were granted recognition. (IMC) 2020 on 8th December 2020 through
video conference.
Kanhargaon becomes 50th wildlife The theme for IMC 2020 is “Inclusive
sanctuary of Maharashtra Innovation – Smart, Secure, Sustainable”.
Kanhalgaon, spread over 270sqkm in The three day event will be held from 8th
Chandrapur district, is the latest to be to 10th December 2020.
declared a wildlife sanctuary. It will be the IMC 2020 has been organised by the
50th wildlife sanctuary of Maharashtra. Department of Telecommunications,
With the addition of the state’s Government of India, and the Cellular
50th wildlife sanctuary and 10 new Operators Association of India (COAI).
conservation reserves (CR), Maharashtra The objective of IMC 2020 is to align
has expanded its protected area network
54
with the Prime Minister’s vision to and Mumbai, Bhopal and Lucknow
promote ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, would have ceded their spots.
‘Digital Inclusivity’, and ‘Sustainable Only Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai
development, entrepreneurship & surpass the average score for gender
innovation’ and drive foreign and local index, while Indore, Jaipur and Patna are
investments, encourage R&D in the way below average.
telecom and emerging technology sectors.
Wi-Fi PM-Wani Connectivity
West Bengal cabinet approves The central government announced
construction of ‘state’s first deep sea three major plans to boost the economy.
port in Tajpur’ Two of them are connected to the digital
West Bengal Chief Miniter Mamata economy. Among these is a public Wi-Fi
Banerjee announced that the state cabinet network access scheme ‘PM Vani’. The
objective is to extend Wi-Fi network to
has approved the construction of a deep
every village.
sea port in Tajpur.
Tajpur Deep Sea Port will be built at a
Cabinet approves undersea fibre link
cost of Rs 15,000 crore and will generate
between Lakshadweep islands and
employment for 25,000 people. It will be
Kochi
the state’s first deep seaport.
The concentration of iron and steel The Union Cabinet approved an undersea
optical fibre cable link to connect 11
industries around Kharagpur will get a
islands of Lakshadweep with Kochi
boost by having a port at their doorstep
in mainland India at an estimated cost
for exports.
of `1,072 crore, including operational
expenses for five years.
Mumbai offers highest quality of life,
The Lakshadweep-Kochi project was
Chennai treats its women best: Study announced by Prime Minister Narendra
IIT-Bombay researchers have come up Modi on Independence Day this year. In
with an urban quality of life index tailored August, Modi inaugurated India’s first
to the reality of life in India. And, for the undersea cable line between Chennai and
first time, they have factored in gender Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and
parity. Chennai, it turns out, is the most Nicobar Islands.
women-friendly and Patna the least.
Overall, Mumbai tops the list of 14,
Lakshadweep becomes 100% organic
followed closely by Delhi, Kolkata and Lakshadweep has been declared the first
Chennai. But so important is the gender Union Territory to become 100% organic.
role index that quality of life rankings The region opted for farming that is 100%
of six cities would have changed had it organic and is without the use of synthetic
not been considered — Delhi, Jaipur and fertilizers and pesticides. In 2016, Sikkim
Indore would have been ranked higher, was declared to be the first organic
farming state in India. The certification
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to Lakshadweep for being 100% organic India drops to 9th spot in global spam
was given on the basis of the evidence call tally, Gujarat gets max calls:
submitted by the administration. Truecaller
Indian mobile users saw a 34% decline in
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari
spam calls received in 2020, helping the
Inaugurates 1.5 km Koilwar bridge
country move lower to the ninth position
over Sone river in Bihar
in the tally of most spammed countries,
The Union Minister for Road Transport according to a report by Truecaller. Brazil
and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari continues to stay on top position.
inaugurated the 1.5 km long Koilwar Within India, Gujarat received the most
Bridge over Sone River in Bihar through spam calls in 2020.While India was at the
Video Conferencing on 10 December fifth position in terms of number of spam
2020. calls received by users in 2019.
The total cost of setting up this three- Other countries in the top 10 tally are
lane bridge is estimated at Rs 266 crore. the US, Hungary, Polen (Poland), Spain,
The bridge is major road for transport Indonesia, the UK, Ukraine and Chile.
between Bihar and UP.
This newly inaugurated bridge is a part Prime Minister Narendra Modi
of the six-lane bridge being made in place addresses International Bharati
of existing two-lane bridge, for both rail Festival 2020 Virtually
and road traffic, which is 138 years old. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi
Once this six-lane bridge is fully
addressed the International Bharathi
operational, the traffic on NH-922 and Festival 2020 through video conferencing
NH-30 will ease substantially. on 11th December 2020.
The festival was organised by Vanavil
The Second Cancer Genome Atlas
Cultural Centre in Chennai to celebrate
Conference held in Delhi
the 138th birth anniversary of Mahakavi
The Minister of Science and Technology Subramanya Bharathi, an eminent writer,
has actually held the second TCGA- poet and journalist from Tamil Nadu.
Cancer Genome Atlas 2020 conference Prime Minister Narendra Modi also
in New Delhi. The conference brought conferred the 2020 Bharathi Award to the
together scientists and clinicians from noted writer Seeni Viswanathan, who is
all over the world to jointly establish the credited with compiling the voluminous
Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA). works of Bharathi in chronological order..
Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) The Bharathi Award is conferred every
aims to create an indigenous, open- year since 1994, to eminent persons who
source and comprehensive database to have done laudable service in any field of
collect molecular profiles of all prevalent social relevance.
cancers in the Indian population.
56
PM Narendra Modi to address FICCI’s Kataria, Minister of State for Jal Shakti
93rd AGM on Dec 12 IWIS 2020 has been organised by the
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will National Mission for Clean Ganga
be delivering the inaugural address at (NMCG) and the Centre for Ganga River
FICCI’s 93rd Annual General Meeting and Basin Management and Studies (cGanga)
annual convention at 11 am on December to discuss water-related issues and steps
12, 2020. This year’s theme of the Annual taken to save the planet’s most precious
Convention is “Inspired India”. resource.
The event will witness participation Objective of IWIS 2020 is Comprehensive
from several ministers, bureaucrats, Analysis and Holistic Management of

diplomats, international experts and Rivers and Water Bodies.
other leading luminaries. It will witness
AP CM virtually launches ‘Jagananna
discussions between various stakeholders
JeevaKranthi’ scheme
on the implications of COVID-19 on the
economy and the way forward. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S.
Jagan Mohan Reddy virtually launched
CO2 emissions drop globally by 7 ‘JaganannaJeevaKranthi’ scheme, under
percent in 2020: Report which 2.49 lakh units of sheep and goats
The global carbon dioxide emissions will be distributed to women in a phased
reportedly dropped by 7 percent in the manner at a cost of `1,869 crore.
year 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, The scheme aims at improving the living
as per a study published in the journal standards of women with less investment.
Earth System Science Data on December Under the scheme, women belonging
10, 2020. to the Backward Classes, the Scheduled

The study revealed that the Global Carbon Castes (SCs), and the Scheduled Tribes
Project, which is a group of international (STs) in the age group of 45-60 years
scientists who track emissions, had would get 2.49 lakh sheep and goat
calculated that the world will have put units. Each unit consists of 15 sheep or
37 billion US tons of carbon dioxide in goats (with one ram or billy) in each unit.
the air in 2020, which is down from 40.1 The State would facilitate and provide
billion US tons of CO2 emitted in 2019. suggestions, in case the women want to
buy the sheep and goats on their own.
5th India Water Impact Summit
Begins 9th Sustainable Mountain
Development Summit held in
The 5th India Water Impact Summit
Dehradun
(IWIS) kicked off on 10th December 2020
virtually. The five day programme will The 9th edition of Sustainable Mountain
conclude on 15 December 2020. Development Summit (SMDS) was
The event was inaugurated by Ratan Lal organized in virtual mode, on the
57
occasion of International Mountain Day, Bengal, Mizoram, Kerala, Lakshadweep,

from December 11 to December 14, 2020. Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.
The four-day-long summit was organised
by Indian Mountain Initiative (IMI) and Maharashtra govt all set to launch
hosted by Sustainable Development ‘MahaSharad’ platform
Forum Uttaranchal (SDFU), Dehradun. Maharashtra’s Department of Social
The theme for 2020 SMDS was Justice is all set to launch an ambitious
‘Emerging Pathways for Building a scheme for distribution of assistive
Resilient Post COVID-19 Mountain devices to lakhs of persons with
Economy, Adaptation, Innovation and disabilities through MahaSharad Digital
Acceleration’. Platform to coincide with NCP chief
Sharad Pawar’s 80th birthday. It will be
Health Minister releases 5th National available on Play Store by March 2021.
Family Health Survey for 17 states, 5 Maharashtra System for Health
UTs and Rehabilitation Assistance” or
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan MahaSharad platform has been created
released the 5th National Family Health to provide various devices to persons
Survey (NFHS) on December 12, 2020. The with disabilities free of cost through
survey comprises detailed information the Commissionerate for persons with
on population, health and nutrition for Disability.
India and its states and union territories.
The Health Ministry stated that it is a Malana Cream
globally important data source and is Malana Cream is a type of hash, which
comparable to Demographic Health comes from the Malana Valley in Kullu
Surveys (DHS) Programme of 90 other district of Himachal Pradesh. The Charas
countries on several key indicators. It can is the resin obtained from a species of the
be used for cross country comparisons cannabis plant, which grows in the valley.
and development indices. The Narcotics Control Bureau has recently
The present National Family Health claimed that it has seized the smuggled
Survey NFHS is being conducted on 6.1 ‘Malana Cream’. Charas was banned in
lakh sample households. The first phase India in 1986 under the Narcotic Drugs
of the survey comprises results of 17 and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
states and five union territories.
The states and UTs include Assam, Bihar, NITI Aayog releases ‘Vision 2035:
Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tripura, Public Health Surveillance in India’
Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar NITI Aayog has released a white paper
Islands, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, titled ‘Vision 2035: Public Health
Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Karnataka, Surveillance in India’ on 14 December
Goa, Maharashtra, Telangana, West 2020.
58
The ‘Vision 2035: Public Health and Per Capita Income, in the 2020 report
Surveillance in India’ is a continuation ‘Planetary pressures’ a new experimental
of the work on Health Systems Index has been introduced.
Strengthening. ‘Planetary pressures’ – Takes into account
Public health surveillance (PHS) is an Countries carbon dioxide emissions and
important function, requiring primary, material footprints.
secondary, and tertiary levels of care. 2020 marks the 30th Anniversary of the
The white paper lays out India’s vision 1st Human Development report.
2035 for public health surveillance
Rankings:
through the integration of the three-tiered
public health system into Ayushman Rank Country Score
Bharat.
131 India 0.645
Guwahati as gateway to Southeast 1 Norway 0.957
Asia 2 Ireland 0.955
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda 3 Switzerland 0.955
Sonowal announced that his government 189 Niger 0.394
was working to transform Guwahati as a 188 Central African Republic 0.397
gateway to Southeast Asia PM Modi inaugurates world’s largest,
30,000 MW renewable energy park in
India Slips to 131 in Human Kutch
Development Report 2020
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi
According to the “Human Development laid the foundation stone of the 30,000
Report 2020 – The next frontier: Human megawatt (MW) capacity hybrid
Development and the Anthropocene” renewable energy park in Kutch district
released by the United Nations of Gujarat on 15 December 2020.
Development Programme (UNDP), India It will be the largest renewable energy
(score of 0.645) was ranked 131 in the park of its kind in the world.
list of 189 countries based on Human It is expected to play a major role in
Development Index (HDI). Norway fulfilling India’s vision of generating 450
topped the list with a score of 0.957, the GW (4,50,000 mw) of power by 2030.
second place was grabbed by 2 countries
– Ireland (0.955) and Switzerland (0.955). Gujarat enforces land grabbing
The report provides HDI ranks for the prohibition act 2020
year 2019. A stringent law to curb land-grabbing
India slipped two spots to 131, it ranked with a provision of up to 14 years in jail
129 in 2019 HDI. and timely resolution of such cases has
HDI is measured based on 3 criterias come into force in Gujarat , Chief Minister
which are – Life Expectancy, Education Vijay Rupani announced.
59
The Gujarat Land Grabbing (Prohibition) launched soon through the Khadi and
Act, 2020, to which state governor gave Village Industries Commission.
assent on October 8, lays down stringent The union minister elaborated by saying
punishment for land grabbers with an that the paint will come in distemper and
aim to protect the interests of small emulsion forms and will dry in just four
farmers and citizens. hours.
The eco-friendly paint will be washable,
PM Modi & Sheikh Hasina jointly anti-bacterial, non-toxic and anti-fungal.
inaugurates Chilahati-Haldibari rail The paint is expected to lead to an
link additional income of Rs 55,000 a year for
The Government of India and livestock farmers.
Bangladesh held a virtual summit on 17
December 2020, to hold comprehensive India ranked 111 on Human Freedom
discussions on the entire spectrum of the Index, 2020
bilateral relationship, including further The Human Freedom Index 2020, a
strengthening cooperation in the post worldwide ranking of civil, economic
COVID-19 era. and personal freedom, placed India at
The meeting was led by Prime Minister the 111th spot out of 162 countries. India
Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh ranked 94 on the index in 2019.
counterpart Sheikh Hasina. India is ahead of China and Bangladesh,
During the summit, the two leaders jointly which ranked 129 and 139 on the 2020
inaugurated the Chilahati-Haldibari rail index respectively. New Zealand,
link, which would connect the borders of Switzerland and Hong Kong bagged the
the two neighbouring countries. first three spots.
The rail route lies between Haldibari in India’s scored 6.30 out of 10 in personal
West Bengal and Chilahati in Bangladesh. freedom and 6.56 in economic freedom.
It is re-opened after a gap of 55 years. The country’s overall human freedom
The railway line has been defunct after score was 6.43.
rail links between India and then East The index was published by American
Pakistan snapped in 1965. think tank Cato Institute and Fraser
Institute in Canada. It takes into account
Union MSME Minister unveils eco- 76 indicators of personal, civil, and
friendly ‘Vedic Paint’ economic freedoms to rank 162 countries
The Union Minister of Micro, Small and from 2008 to 2018. The institutes noted
Medium Enterprises Nitin Gadkari on that the world has seen a notable decline
December 17, 2020 unveiled an ‘Vedic in personal freedom since 2008.
Paint’ to boost the rural economy and
generate additional income for farmers.
The paint made of cow dung will be
60
World’s tallest rail bridge on Chenab India, France collaborate for skill
in J&K likely to be completed by 2021 development in power sector
Touted as the next man-made wonder, The first Centre for Excellence (CoE) for
the world’s tallest rail bridge on the skill development in the power sector
Chenab in Reasi district of Jammu and at the campus of National Institute of
Kashmir Union Territory is expected to Solar Energy in India was inaugurated
be completed by 2021. by the Ministry of Skill Development and
The 1,315-metre-long bridge between Entrepreneurship, Ministry of National
Bakkal and Kauri villages of Reasi is Education and Youth, Government of the
coming up at a height of 359 metres. French Republic, and Schneider Electric.
The arched structure will connect
Baramulla to Jammu via Udhampur, Mega leather park with Rs 5,850 cr
Katra and Qazigund with a travel time of investment to come up in Kanpur
six and a half hours. Mega leather park to come up in Ramaipur
village of Kanpur with an investment of
Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad Rs 5,850 crores.
Becomes first zoo in India to get ISO The park, part of the mega leather cluster
certification from UK project will create 50,000 direct jobs &
The Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad indirect employment for 1.5 lakh people.
has received the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Recently, the project has received
Management Standards Certificate from approval from the Union Commerce
Accreditation Service for Certifying Ministry. The mega leather cluster project
Bodies (ASCB) United Kingdom. will attract an investment of about Rs
With this achievement, the Nehru 13,000 crores.
Zoological Park, Hyderabad has also
become the first zoo in the country to get Haritha Keralam: Govt offices in
this certificate. Kerala to go ‘green’
The assessment of the zoo was conducted All government institutions and public
in a phased manner by the HYM sector undertakings in Kerala Capital
International Certifications Pvt Ltd, an will go ‘green’ as part of the State’s efforts
agency accredited by the ASCB. to implement ‘Green Protocol’, under
The certificate mentioned that it was being Haritha Keralam Mission which is an
accorded to the zoo for, “Conservation ambitious programme envisaged by the
of wildlife, particularly endangered state government to make the state clean,
species of Deccan through better upkeep, protect its water sources and soil.
planned breeding, collaborative research The ‘green office’ would strictly follow
and capacity building”. the ban on plastic and disposable articles,
removal of unused furniture and e-waste
and installation of waste treatment
61
facilities for the disposal of organic and Defence minister Rajnath Singh
inorganic waste and introduction of eco- inaugurates advanced Hypersonic
friendly utensils. Such offices would also Wind Tunnel test facility in Hyderabad
have features such as organic vegetable The Union Minister of Defence Shri
gardens and facilities to conserve water Rajnath Singh inaugurated the advanced
and electricity. Hypersonic Wind Tunnel (HWT) test
facility of the DRDO in Hyderabad on 19
‘Varasat’ campaign launched in Uttar
December 2020.
Pradesh to curb property & land-
The state-of-the-art HWT Test facility
related disputes in rural areas
has made India as the only third country
The Uttar Pradesh government has in the world, after the US and Russia,
launched a special campaign ‘Varasat’ to have such a huge facility in size and
(natural succession) to curb property & capability.
land-related disputes in rural areas. The indigenously developed HWT
This is a first of its kind campaign in Test facility is pressure vacuum driven
the state which aims to put an end the enclosed free jet facility having nozzle exit
land-related issues in the rural areas and diameter of 1 metre. This will simulate
eradicate the exploitation of the villagers Mach No 5 to 12 (Mach represents the
over succession rights by land mafias, multiplication factor to the speed of
who generally target disputed properties. sound)”.
The two-month-long special drive will
continue till 15th February 2020. Tirupati, Machilipatnam Municipal
Corporations win awards
Dr. S. Jaishankar addresses 5th
The government has committed to take
Annual Global Technology Summit
energy efficiency movement to every
The 5th edition of the annual Global doorstep in the State, Minister for Energy
Technology Summit (GTS) was organised Balineni Srinivasa Reddy announced that
virtually from December 14 to 18, 2020, by the State government was promoting
the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), energy efficiency in a mission mode with
Government of India in collaboration an objective to benefit every family in the
with Carnegie India (CI). State in the form of reducing electricity
The theme of the 2020 GTS was “The bills and other costs and promote
Geopolitics of Technology”. industrial and economic development.
The speakers from included the External
Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, and PM Modi’s e-participation at AMU’s
Dr. K. VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific centenary celebrations likely to face
Advisor to the Government of India. some opposition
The university is gearing up for December
22 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi
62
will participate as chief guest in the These rules shall empower the consumers
celebrations via video link. of electricity and added that these
This is the first time since 1964 that a Rules emanate from the conviction that
prime minister of India is going to address the power systems exist to serve the
AMU. Fifty-six years is a long time, and consumers and the consumers have
except for Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal rights to get the reliable services and
Bahadur Shastri, no other prime minister quality electricity.
thought of visiting the university. These rules are also an important step
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the founder towards furthering the ease of doing
of Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental business across the country.
(MAO) College, the institution which
became AMU in 1920, is alleged to have 12th GRIHA Summit of TERI
propounded the two-nation theory. Concludes
The 12th GRIHA (Green Rating for
ONGC starts oil and gas production Integrated Habitat Assessment) Summit
from West Bengal after 60 years was held virtually from December 15-16,
endeavour 2020. It was inaugurated by Vice President
West Bengal gets included in ONGC’s of India Venkaiah Naidu virtually.
oil and gas map with its eighth field at The theme of the Summit was
Ashoknagar in West Bengal starting “Rejuvenating Resilient Habitats”.
commercial production. ONGC first It is the annual flagship event organized
extracted 20 kilolitres of crude oil from by GRIHA Council in association with
the Ashoknagar oilfields early November ‘key stakeholders in the construction
this year and had sent it to Indian Oil’s industry’ to discuss and deliberate
Haldia refinery for processing. on furtherance of Sustainable Habitat
ONGC so far has invested rS 3,361 crore Development in India.
for exploration of hydrocarbon in the The Summit provides a platform to
Bengal basin to find oil and gas reserves. deliberate on innovative technologies
Another Rs 425 crore would be spent on and solutions to help in creating robust
exploration in the Bengal basin spread mechanisms for developing sustainable
over 1.22 lakh km, two-third of which and resilient solutions for the benefit of
falls under the Bay of Bengal waters. the entire community.
GRIHA Council
Union Government for the first time
It is an independent, not-for-profit
lays down Rights to the Electricity
society jointly setup by The Energy
Consumers
and Resources Institute (TERI) and the
Union Ministry of Power has promulgated Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
rules laying down the rights of power (MNRE), Government of India to promote
consumers in the country. and administer green buildings in India.
63
Green Rating for Integrated Habitat develop university district, school district
Assessment (GRIHA) is the national and innovation district.
rating system of India for any completed It added that this will include residential
building construction. and sports complexes for students.
It has been is recognised as India’s Investment in the G-SER project will
own green building rating system in accelerate the state’s economic growth
India’s Intended Nationally Determined and create employment opportunities.
Contributions (INDC) submitted to the
United Nations Framework Convention MPEDA launches India’s first
on Climate Change (UNFCCC). aquaframers call centre at Vijayawada
In a first of its kind initiative, the Marine
UN Women and Kerala govt tie-up for Products Export Development Authority
India’s 1st Gender Data Hub (MPEDA), headquartered in Kochi, has
The UN Women and Kerala government launched a multilingual call centre for
have collaborated to establish India’s first aquafarmers at Vijayawada in Andhra
Gender Data Hub. A Memorandum of Pradesh, which will address their
technical issues and impart knowledge
Understanding (MoU) was signed in this
about efficient farming methods round
regard in the presence of Kerala Chief
the clock.
Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The call centre primarily caters to aqua
Three key areas of co-operation, as farmers of Andhra Pradesh, the state that
specified in the MoU, will be setting up contributes more than 60 per cent of the
the Gender Data Centre at The Gender country’s marine products export basket.
Park, launching the second edition of The call centre can also handle calls in
the International Conference on Gender English and Hindi.
Equality, and increasing engagement
on the global normative frameworks on Centre allows Andhra Pradesh,
gender equality and empowerment of Madhya Pradesh to borrow Rs 4,898
women. crore extra post ULB reforms
The Centre has permitted two states -
Gujarat Govt to set up Special Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh
Education Region at Dholera to borrow additional financial resources
The Gujarat government signed a pact to the tune of Rs 4,898 crore following
with Cerestra Managers Pvt Ltd to set reforms in urban local bodies (ULBs).
up the Gujarat-Special Education Region The two states have successfully
(G-SER) at the Dholera Special Investment completed the set of reforms required in
Region. the functioning of ULBs, as specified by
The G-SER will be developed as an the Department of Expenditure.
education hub spread over 1,000 acres The four citizen centric areas identified for
that can be expanded up to 5,000 acres to reforms were -- implementation of One
64
Nation One Ration Card system, ease of Jammu and Kashmir. The scheme will
doing business reform, urban local body/ benefit as many as 21 lakh eligible people
utility reforms and power sector reforms. on the basis of Socio-Economic and Caste
Census (SECC) 2011.
Vigyanika-IISF 2020
CSIR-National Institute of Science India to host Global Media and Film
Communication and Information Summit in 2021
Resources (CSIR-NISCAIR), Ministry The Union Information and Broadcasting
of Earth Sciences (MOES) and Vijnana Minister, Prakash Javadekar announced
Bharati (VIBHA) jointly organised that India will hold a Global Media and
the inaugural session of Vigyanika- Film Summit in 2021.
International Science Literature Festival Javadekar said that the year 2022 will
on the opening day of IISF 2020 on mark 75 years of independence and 75
the virtual platform to mark the birth years of Cannes Film Festival, and the
anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan. occasion will be celebrated in a different
scale with a special pavilion at the
PM Modi to virtually inaugurate International Film Festival.
Kochi-Mangaluru GAIL pipeline
Mr. Vijayan told reporters in India becomes sixth country to
Thiruvananthapuram that it was a matter manufacture high power electric
of happiness that the Prime Minister had locos indigenously
agreed to launch the natural gas pipeline The Indian Railways has operationalised
project. Prime Minister consented its first 12,000 hp electric locomotive
to virtually inaugurate the Kochi-
manufactured locally by French rolling
Mangaluru GAIL pipeline on January 5.
stock manufacturer Alstom.
The 444km-long pipeline was launched in
The locomotive made its maiden
2009 at an estimated cost of `2,915 crore
and was to be commissioned in 2014. commercial run between Deen Dayal
But opposition on safety and commercial Upadhyaya Station to Shivpur
grounds wherein the land price was the India has become the 6th country in
main hurdle, both from political parties the world to join the club of countries
and the public had left the project hanging producing high horsepower locomotives
fire. This had led to the project cost nearly indigenously with these powerful e-locos
doubling to over `5,750 crore. being manufactured within the nation.
PM Modi to launch AB-PMJAY SEHAT India’s largest hockey stadium to be

scheme for Jammu and Kashmir set up at Rourkela in Odisha
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will A new world-class hockey stadium is
launch the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan being set up in Rourkela city of Odisha, as
Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) announced by the Odisha Chief Minister
SEHAT scheme for the residents of Naveen Patnaik.
65
The stadium will be constructed in the to the needy at Rs 1 in his parliamentary

Biju Patnaik University of Technology constituency of East Delhi.
campus, Rourkela. The cricketer-turned-politician will
Once operational, the Rourkela city inaugurate the first such canteen in
stadium would be the biggest hockey Gandhi Nagar, followed by another in
stadium in India. Ashok Nagar on the Republic Day.
It will have a sitting capacity of 20,000
people, spread over 15 acres of land. PM Modi to flag off India’s first-ever
The stadium will be developed as a
driverless train service on 28 Dec
benchmark for other hockey stadiums
around the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag
It must be noted that Odisha will be off country’s first-ever fully automated
hosting FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup driverless train service on the 37-km
for a second consecutive time, in 2034, at long Magenta Line (Janakpuri West to
two venues, Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. Botanical Garden) of Delhi Metro, the
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.
NITI Aayog Launches Made-in-India Along with that, PM Modi will also
Cloud Storage Service ‘DigiBoxx’ launch fully operational National
NITI Aayog has launched indigenously Common Mobility Card for travel on
developed India’s first Digital Asset Airport Express Line on the same day.
Management and Storage platform,
called ‘DigiBoxx’. Nine stations identified for Chennai-
The home-grown DigiBoxx was launched Bengaluru- Mysuru high – speed
by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant on 22 corridor
December.
Mysore High-Speed Rail (CBM Bullet
The initiative will give a boost to Prime
Train) project is a 435 km proposed High
Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of
‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, as India now has Speed Rail line that will connect Chennai,
its own cloud storage platform. Bangalore (Bengaluru) and Mysore
This cloud storage and file sharing service (Mysuru) through 9 stations in Tamil
will be available for desktop, iOS, and Nadu and Karnataka at a project cost that
Android users, including both regular is yet to be finalized.
users as well as businesses.
Digiboxx offers free 20GB cloud storage Himachal CM unveils 18-feet statue
space, and 100GB space per month at just of Vajpayee in Shimla
Rs 30. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram
Thakur has unveiled an 18-feet tall statue
Gautam Gambhir’s ‘Jan Rasoi’ to
of late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari
serve lunch at Rs 1 in East Delhi
Vajpayee on the occasion of his 96th birth
BJP MP Gautam Gambhir will launch anniversary at the historic Ridge in the
‘Jan Rasoi’ canteens that will serve lunch state capital.
66
The statue has been built at a cost of Rs India’s first tiger reserve hot air balloon
1.08 crore. The Ridge Maidan also houses safari launched in Bandhavgarh Tiger
statues of Mahatma Gandhi and former Reserve of Madhya Pradesh
prime minister Indira Gandhi. India’s first ‘Hot Air Balloon Wildlife
Safari’ in a tiger reserve has been launched
India’s first Lithium refinery to be set in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in
up in Gujarat Madhya Pradesh.
India’s first Lithium refinery is soon It is the first of its type service in any
going to be set up in Gujarat. Manikaran tiger reserve of India. The service is being
Power Limited, one of the country’s operated by Jaipur-based Sky Waltz.
largest power trading and renewable Tourists can watch tigers, leopards,
energy company will invest around Rs Indian sloth bear and other wild animals
from a height, and this activity will be
1,000 crore to set up this refinery.
restricted to the buffer area.
The refinery will process Lithium ore to
produce battery-grade material. Lithium
Housing & Urban Affairs Ministry
is a rare element and is usually not found
launches ‘E-Sampada’ mobile app
in India.
and portal for management of all GoI
Last year, Manikaran Power had
Estate services
collaborated with Australian firm
Neometals to tap the Mount Marion The Minister of State(I/C) for Housing
Lithium mine in Western Australia. & Urban Affairs Hardeep S Puri has
launched a new web portal and mobile
‘Swachhata Abhiyan’ app launched to app, ‘e-Sampada’ on 25 December 2020.
The website and mobile app has been
help rehabilitate manual scavengers
introduced by the Directorate of Estates,
A mobile application named ”Swachhata under the MoHUA, to boost transparency
Abhiyan” to identify and geotag and accountability in providing various
insanitary latrines and manual scavengers Estate Services, while ensuring ease of
was launched by Union Minister for living for the citizens.
Social Justice and Empowerment The ‘e-Sampada’ has been launched
Thaawarchand Gehlot. by integrating four websites (gpra.
This app would help in rehabilitating all nic.in, eawas.nic.in, estates.gov.in,
manual scavengers and replace insanitary holidayhomes.nic.in), and two Mobile
latrines with sanitary ones. Apps (m-Awas & m-Ashoka5) of the
Directorate of Estates, to bring all the
In the absence of any authentic data
services on the same platform throughout
base regarding the location of insanitary
the country.
latrines, it has been decided to seek the
The new application will provide a
help of NGOs, Social Organisations single-window for all the services like
and general public for collection and allotment, retention, regularisation, no
compilation of the data. dues certificate etc.
67
7TH WORLD TAMIL ECONOMIC Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags

CONFERENCE AND VIRTUAL GLOBAL off 100th ‘Kisan Rail’
ECONOMIC SUMMIT 2020 Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi
Virtual Global Economic Summit 2020 flagged off the 100th ‘Kisan Rail’ on
& Seventh World Tamils Economic 28th December 2020, from Sangola in
Conference scheduled to be held between Maharashtra to Shalimar in West Bengal
28th, 29th & 30th December via Zoom via video-conferencing.
online platform, organized by the World The first Kisan Rail was introduced from
Tamils Economic Foundation and Madras Devlali in Maharashtra to Danapur in
Development Society. Bihar on August 7, 2020, which was
The Conference presents a unique, further extended up to Muzaffarpur.
dynamic forum to promote dialogue Kisan Rail is a mobile cold storage to move
among Tamils, Indian brothers and perishable things like fruits, vegetables,
sisters with the International community, milk, fish, etc., with complete security.
business leaders and professionals
worldwide to create close co-operation and Assam Government Tables Bill to
partnership for economic development. Abolish State-Run Madrassas
Eminent speakers around the globe
The Assam government, on Monday,
will be sharing their valuable insights
on various topics including emerging tabled a bill to abolish all state-run
business opportunities, investment, madrassas and convert those into general
global business and legal scenario, world schools with effect from April 1, 2021.
peace and conflict resolution, etc., The bill proposes to abolish two
existing acts – The Assam Madrassa
Andhra CM Jagan launches housing Education (Provincialisation) Act, 1995,
programme ‘Pedalandariki Illu’ and The Assam Madrassa Education
(Provincialisation of Services of
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS
Employees and Re-Organisation of
Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the
Madrassa Educational Institutions) Act,
flagship programme of Navaratnalu
2018.
‘Pedalandariki Illu,’ (housing for poor)
at Komaragiri layout of Pithapuram
PM Modi inaugurates New Bhaupur-
Assembly constituency in East Godavari
New Khurja section of Eastern
district.
Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC)
The scheme is expected to provide low-
cost housing for an estimated 30.6 lakh Prime Minister Narendra Modi
people in Andhra Pradesh. inaugurated the ‘New Bhaupur- New
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy Khurja section’ of Eastern Dedicated
hoped the housing project will help Freight Corridor (EDFC) via video
generate jobs in the construction sector conferencing on 29 December 2020 in
and will be a boost for the state economy. Uttar Pradesh.
68
The New Bhaupur – New Khurja section system in Ladakh. At 3,500 metres,
of EDFC is 351 km long and has been Meteorological Centre, Leh, will be the
built by TATA Projects Limited. highest meteorological centre in India.
The section will also reduce the
congestion level at the existing Kanpur- Cabinet Approves Export of
Delhi mainline and will enable Indian indigenously-developed Akash
Railways to run faster trains. Missile System
Apart from this, Modiji also inaugurated The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime
state-of-the-art Operation Control Centre Minister Narendra Modi has approved
(OCC) of EDFC at Prayagraj. the proposal to export indigenously-
developed Akash Missile System.
Ramesh Pokhriyal lays foundation The Cabinet has also approved to set up
stone of ‘TiHAN-IIT Hyderabad’ of a committee for faster approvals of
Union Minister of Education Ramesh exports..
Pokhriyal virtually laid the foundation The export version of Akash will be
stone of ‘TiHAN-IIT Hyderabad’, India’s different from System currently deployed
first Testbed for Autonomous Navigation with Indian Armed Forces.
Systems (Terrestrial and Aerial). Akash is a short range Surface to Air
The Department of Science and Missile with a range of 25 Kms to protect
Technology (DST), Government of vulnerable areas and vulnerable points
India, has sanctioned Rs. 135 crores from air attacks.
to IIT Hyderabad under the National It was inducted in IAF in 2014 and in the
Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber- Indian Army in 2015.
Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) to set
up a Technology Innovation Hub on Indian Railways’ new Vistadome
Autonomous Navigation and Data coach successfully completes 180
Acquisition Systems (UAVs, RoVs, etc.). kmph speed trial
Recently, the Indian Railways successfully
Union Territory of Ladakh gets its completed the 180 km per hour speed
own meteorological centre trial of its new design Vistadome tourist
A meteorological centre was inaugurated coaches.
in the Union Territory of Ladakh which The luxurious tourists coaches have been
would provide localised weather forecasts manufactured by the Integral Coach
thus strengthening weather-related early Factory in Chennai.
warning system for the region. These Vistadome coaches will make train
At 3,500 metres, this meteorological journeys memorable for the passengers,
centre is the highest such facility in India. as well as give a further boost to tourism
Meteorological Centre at Leh to The European-style coaches are made
strengthen weather-related early warning with see-through glass rooftops and wide
69
windows for the indulgent sightseeing Cabinet approves Industrial Corridor

experience. nodes at Krishnapatnam and
Currently 13 Vistadome coaches are Tumakuru
being operated on select routes including The Cabinet Committee on Economic
the Nilgiri Mountain Railway line, Affairs (CCEA) has approved to
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Kalka- construct Industrial Corridor nodes
Shimla Railway, Kangra Valley Railway, in Krishnapatnam and Tumakuru at
Matheran Hill Railway, between Dadar in estimated cost of `7,725 cr.
Mumbai and Madgoan in Araku Valley The committee, chaired by Prime
as well as in the Kashmir Valley. Minister Narendra Modi, has approved
three proposals from the Department of
Nitin Gadkari announces Multi-Model
Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade
Logistics Park in Assam’s Silchar
(DPIIT). These include the Krishnapatnam
Union Minister for Road Transport and Industrial Area in Andhra Pradesh with
Highways, Nitin Gadkari has announced an estimated cost of Rs. 2,139.44 crore for
that a multi-modal logistics park in the project.
Assam.
It will be constructed in Silchar and the Northeast’s first ‘Ginger’ Plant to be
Balacherra-Harengajao section of the revived
Silchar-Saurashtra Highway will be
North East’s first-ever specialised
completed in March 2022.
“Ginger” Processing Plant at district Ri-
Mr Gadkari made this announcement
Bhoui in Meghalaya is being revived
at a public meeting at Zero Point on the
East-West Corridor at Madhurmukh at and is likely to become functional in the
Rangpur. beginning of 2021.
Dr. Jitendra Singh announced that the
Kerala’s Gender Park to host only Ginger Processing Plant of North
international meet in Feb 2021 East India was established around the
year 2004.
Kerala government said the Gender
Park in partnership with UN Women
will organise the second edition of the
International Conference on Gender
Equality (ICGE-II) at Kozhikode in
February 2021.
The focal theme is ‘Gender in Sustainable
Entrepreneurship and Social Business:
The Mediating Role of Empowerment’,
seeking to throw light on the critical
linkages between entrepreneurship,
economic growth, and poverty reduction.
70
Current Affairs, December - 2020 International Affairs
7. INTERNATIONAL
AFFAIRS
World’s loneliest elephant moved The United States Environmental
from Pakistan to Cambodia Protection Agency regards air quality
An elephant described as the “world’s satisfactory if the AQI is under 50.
loneliest” has landed in Cambodia Lahore’s AQI fell in the range of 301
after a seven-hour flight from Pakistan, and higher, which has been classified as
receiving a warm welcome from Cher, “hazardous”.
who will accompany him to a sanctuary
housing potential mates. Singapore: first country to approve
The case of Kaavan an overweight, sale of lab created meet
36-year-old bull elephant prompted A maker of meat and egg substitutes,
global uproar from animal rights groups, has been approved to sell its laboratory-
who petitioned for him to be moved from created chicken in Singapore, which
an Islamabad zoo accused of substandard becomes the first government to allow
care and conditions. the sale of cultured meat.
US Air Quality Index: Lahore is India Ranks 8th and Afghanistan Tops
world’s most polluted city Global Terrorism Index 2020
Pakistan’s cultural capital Lahore has In the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2020,
once again topped the list of world’s most India has been ranked at 8th spot globally
polluted cities. in the list of countries most affected by
“Lahore ranks the most polluted city in terrorism in 2019.
the world,” according to air pollution The GTI score of India is 7.353 out of 10.
data released by the US Air Quality Index With a score of 9.592, Afghanistan has
According to the index, Lahore reported topped the index as the worst terror
a particulate matter (PM) rating of 423. impacted nation among the 163 countries.
Pakistan’s financial capital Karachi It is followed by Iraq (8.682) and
ranked at 7 on the AQI. New Delhi came Nigeria (8.314) at second and third place
in second with a PM of 229, while Nepal’s respectively.
capital Kathmandu ranked the third- Regionally, South Asia was the most
worst city with a PM of 178. impacted region by terrorism in 2019,
recording more deaths than any other
region.
71
International Affairs Current Affairs, December - 2020
Also, globally the deaths caused due to was first shifted to Lucerne-Burgenstock,
terrorism fell by 15 percent to 13,286 in Switzerland in October 2020. Now again
2019 over 2018. the venue has been shifted to Singapore.
The Global Terrorism Index is published It would return to Davos, Switzerland, in
annually by the Institute for Economics 2022.
and Peace (IEP), headquartered in
Sydney, Australia, to measure the impact UNESCO Recognition
of terrorism on the countries.
The Hawker Culture of street food in
India invites UK’s Johnson as 2021 Singapore, has been inducted by UNESCO
in its prestigious ‘Representative List
Republic Day chief guest
of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of
United Kingdom Prime Minister, Boris
Humanity’.
Johnson is expected to be the chief guest
The Hawker Culture is a popular
at 2021 Republic day with Prime Minister
Singaporean style of street dining and
Narendra Modi formally inviting him.
Johnson, on his part, has invited PM Modi
culinary practices in a multicultural
to the G-7 summit in the United Kingdom urban environment.
next year. The last British prime minister Hawker centers are naturally-ventilated
at the Republic Day parade was John premises with stalls selling food from
Major in 1993. various cultures like Chinese, Malay,
Indian, among others.
World Economic Forum 2021 to The Hawkers of Singapore are known to
be held in Singapore instead of master a variety of cuisines which they
Switzerland serve at the ‘community dining rooms’
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has where people from across all walks
decided to host its 2021 annual meeting in of life gather and share their unique
Singapore, which earlier was scheduled experiences.
to take place in Lucerne-Burgenstock,
Switzerland from 13-16 May 2021.
20th IORA Council of Ministers
The decision to shift the annual forum
Meeting Held in UAE
from Switzerland has been taken in view The 20th edition of the IORA Council
of the Covid-19 situation in Europe. of Ministers (COM) Meeting was on
This would be the second time since its December 17 via video conferencing
inception in 1971 that the forum will be under the Chairmanship of United Arab
held outside Switzerland. In 2002, the Emirates (UAE).
forum was held in New York to show The theme of the meeting was “Promoting
solidarity with the American people in a Shared Destiny and Path to Prosperity
the aftermath of 9/11. in the Indian Ocean”.
The meeting is generally held in Davos, The COM-20 was inaugurated by Sheikh
Switzerland, but amid covid, the meeting Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister
72
Current Affairs, December - 2020 International Affairs
of Foreign Affairs and International During the conference, PM proposed to
Cooperation of the UAE. create a library of traditional Buddhist
The UAE assumed the position of the literature and scriptures in India.
IORA Chair in November 2019 during This library will collect digital copies of
the 19th COM, for the period 2019-2021. Buddhist literature from across different
The Indian delegation was led by Shri parts of the world. The library will then
V. Muraleedharan, MoS, Ministry of translate these works and make them
External Affairs. available for all scholars and monks of
All 22 Member States and 10 Dialogue Buddhism.
Partners participated in the virtual The first India-Japan conference,
meeting to discuss ways in coordinating Samvad-I, was held in New Delhi in 2015,
efforts to achieve IORA’s vision for a at Bodh Gaya.
peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indian
Ocean region as outlined in the Jakarta ‘Taste of India’ Campaign organized
Concord and IORA Action Plan. in Bangkok
During the 2020 COM, France was
In a bid to boost exports potential of India’s
inducted as the 23rd member state of
IORA. agricultural and processed food products
Sri Lanka has assumed the charge of Vice exports, APEDA organized a Virtual
Chair of IORA for the period 2021-23. Buyer Seller Meet (BSM), in association
with Indian Embassy in Thailand, on
About Indian Ocean Rim Association
21st December 2020. The meet brought
(IORA)
The IORA is an inter-governmental
together key stakeholders from the
organisation which was established on respective Governments and trade on
March 7, 1997. Headquarter : Ebene, a common platform for strengthening
Mauritius strategic cooperation between India and
IORA’s apex body is the Council of Thailand in Agri Food Sector.
Foreign Ministers (COM) which meets This Virtual-BSM with Thailand is the
annually, with the aim of promoting 13th in the series of such events organized
regional cooperation, prosperity, and by APEDA with various countries. Earlier
growth in the Indian Ocean region. such Virtual-BSM were organized with
It comprise of 22 Member states and 10 the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait,
Dialogue partners. Indonesia, Switzerland, Belgium, Iran,
South Africa, Germany, the United States,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Canada and Australia.
addresses 6th Indo-Japan SAMVAD
Conference World’s oldest panda in captivity dies
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed in China
the sixth edition of the India-Japan Xinxing, the world’s oldest giant panda
SAMVAD conference held on December in captivity, has died of multiple organ
21, 2020, via virtual conferencing. failure at the age of 38 years and four
73
International Affairs Current Affairs, December - 2020
months, a Chinese zoo announced. Addressing a function to mark the

She died at a zoo in southwest China’s centenary celebrations of Visva-
Chongqing Municipality. Bharati University through video
Xinxing, also called “granny panda”, conferencing, the Prime Minister said,
began to show symptoms of drowsiness “Guided by Gurudev [Tagore], Visva-
and loss of appetite on October 21, Bharati presented a strong image of
according to a report by state-run Xinhua. Indian nationalist sentiment during
Independence. Gurudev wanted
India International Science Festival humanity to benefit from India’s spiritual
2020 awakening. Atmanirbhar Bharat vision is
The largest-ever virtual science festival also a derivative of this sentiment.”
is set to begin on December 22, with 41
different events, and run till December Indian, French Rafales to carry out
25. The India International Science wargames in Jodhpur
Festival will have events around the Indian and French Rafale fighter jets will
themes regarding the general public be carrying out wargames codenamed
and the society. With key stakeholders ‘SKYROS’ in Jodhpur in the third week of
being young scientists and researchers, January 2021.
the IISF-2020 has several events like the The French Air Force Rafale fighter
Young Scientists’ Conference that aim to jets will be coming to Jodhpur for the
target the youth. wargames, which will see them flying
The event is being organised jointly by with Indian Rafales and the Su-30MKI
the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, the fighters.
Union Ministry of Science and Technology This will be the first major exercise of
and the Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA). the Indian Air Force involving the Rafale
fighter jets, which were inducted into
Rabindranath Tagore’s vision is service in August 2020. This is a significant
the essence of Atmanirbhar Bharat development, as it comes amid India’s
mission ongoing border conflict with China.
NOBEL LAUREATE Rabindranath The IAF had last carried out a major
Tagore’s vision is the essence of exercise with the French Air Force in July
Aatmanirbhar Bharat, or self-reliant 2019 where the Indian Sukhois had flown
India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. with the French Rafales.
74
Current Affairs, December - 2020 Tamilnadu Affairs
8. TAMILNADU
AFFAIRS
Sidbi, TN Govt sign MoU for MSME methodologies to collect caste-wise
training programs quantifiable data, in an attempt to
MSME financier Sidbi signs a nullify Pattali Makkal Katchi’s demand
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and protest for 20 per cent reservation
with the Government of Tamil Nadu to for Vanniyars, who belong to the Most
set up a Project Management Unit (PMU) Backward Class.
that will design training and capacity
Women judges up to 13 in Madras HC
building programs.
The programs will be designed in areas The Madras High Court retained its
such as technology transfer, promotion of position as the High Court with the
innovation, intellectual property rights, highest number of women judges.
research & development, leveraging of The newly appointed judges sworn
technology and technology solutions in by Chief Justice AP Sahi this
for enhancing business capabilities morning are Justices Govindarajulu
and collaborations between MSMEs & Chandrasekharan, AA Nakkiran,
technology driven businesses, startups, Veerasamy Sivagnanam, Ganesan
etc. Ilangovan, Ananthi Subramanian,
Kannammal Shanmuga Sundaram, Sathi
Fruit processing plant set up at Kumar Sukumara Kurup, Murali Shankar
Karumanthurai farm near Salem Kuppuraju. Manjula Ramaraju Nalliah
A fruit processing center has been set up
and Thamilselvi T Valayapalayam.
at the Government Horticulture and Hill
Recommendation to the Central
Tracts Department in Karumanthurai,
Government to unite 7 castes in the
Salem District. Through this, value added
name of Devendra Kulavelallar
products like jam, juice and pickles are
produced and sold directly. Chief Minister Palanisamy announced
that they are going to recommend to
T.N. to constitute Commission for the Central Government to unite the 7
collecting caste-wise data castes and call them by the same name as
Tamil Nadu government announced Devendra Kulavelalaar .
setting up of a commission to examine The 7 castes including Pallar, Kudumban,
75
Tamilnadu Affairs Current Affairs, December - 2020
Pannadi, Kaladi, Kadayar , Devendra and fever, and in the first phase, 630 mini-
Kulathan continued to insist on calling clinics would operate across the State.
him by the same name as Devendra
Kulavelar . Health ministry’s telemedicine
service eSanjeevani logs 1 million
Ola to set up world’s largest scooter consultations
factory in Tamil Nadu at Rs 2,400 cr The Union Health Ministry’s national
The SoftBank-backed mobility platform telemedicine initiative eSanjeevani
Ola has signed a Memorandum of completed a million consultations.
Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil The top ten States with highest
Nadu government, to set up its first consultations through eSanjeevani are
factory in the state, at an investment of Rs Tamil Nadu (319507), Uttar Pradesh
2,400 crore. (2,68,889), Madhya Pradesh (70,838),
Upon completion, the Ola factory in Gujarat (63,601), Kerala (62,797),
Tamil Nadu will be the largest scooter Himachal Pradesh (49,224), Andhra
manufacturing facility in the world. Pradesh (39,853), Karnataka (32,693),
Initially, the factory will have an annual Uttarakhand (31,910) and Maharashtra
manufacturing capacity of 2 million units. (12,635).
The factory is in line with Prime
Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of an Free tablet computers in TN
AtmaNirbhar Bharat, and will make India The minister announced the government
a manufacturing hub for two-wheeler had formulated a plan to replace 80,000
electric vehicles. blackboards with smartboards in
government schools. An announcement
50 mini-clinics in Chennai to begin on establishing 7,200 smart classrooms is
operations from December 14 expected after January 15.
Close to 50 mini-clinics in Chennai across
the 15 zones of the Corporation. Award to be named after ryots’ leader
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami
will inaugurate the scheme tomorrow announced that the award being given
from the clinic in Sheik Mestri Street in to farmers for obtaining highest yield
Royapuram. of paddy through the System of Rice
A total of 47 clinics would begin Intensification method during the
operations in Chennai from tomorrow Republic Day celebrations every year
and subsequent, they will be expanded will be named after farmers’ leader late C
based on the need. Narayanasamy Naidu, who strove for the
CM announced that Tamil Nadu would rights of the farmers for many decades.
be having 2000 mini-clinics for attending Narayanasamy launched the Tamil Nadu
to minor ailments such as cold, cough Farmers Association in 1973 and toured
76
Current Affairs, December - 2020 Tamilnadu Affairs
the State and organised conferences The Chennai ICF. During the month of
for ensuring the rights of farmers. He December, the MEMU train set a record
passed away on December 21, 1984 after for the successful test run of tourist
addressing a public meeting for farmers carriages and assists in nesting.
at Kovilpatti.
TN Chief Minister Palaniswami
Tamil Nadu govt warns legal action Inaugurates Mayiladuthurai District
against political parties holding gram Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K
sabhas Palaniswami inaugurated the newly-
The Tamil Nadu government directed the formed Mayiladuthurai district through
district collectors to initiate legal action video conferencing from the Secretariat
against the political parties that misuse in Chennai. The 38th district in the state
the name of gram sabhas to hold political has been carved out of Nagapattinam
rallies. district.
The gram sabha is an administrative set The new district comprises four taluks –
up constituted under the Constitution. Mayiladuthurai, Sirkazhi, Tarangambadi,
The powers to convene a meeting are and Kuthalam. It has a total population of
vested with the panchayat president 9.01 lakh.
under section 3 (2-A) of the Tamil Nadu R Lalitha, who served as the special officer
Panchayats Act, 1994. for district formation has taken charge as
On his failure, the inspector of panchayats the district collector. IPS officer Srinatha
or the district collector can convene the has been appointed as the superintendent
meeting. Some political parties hold of police.
political rallies in the name of gram
sabhas to confuse people for political ‘Namma Chennai’: Selfie spot on
gains. Not only is this contrary to the Marina
provisions of the Panchayats Act but such The selfie spot that is being built near
acts also slander the set up. the Marina beach will be open to the
public within a week, ahead of Pongal
Manufacture of electric and passenger celebrations in the city, according to
train sets at ICF senior corporation officials.
The world-renowned box factory (ICF) is The words ‘Namma Chennai’ will stand
located in Perambur, Chennai. The train on a three-foot pedestal, towering about
sets manufactured here are exported not 10 feet in height. The typography has
only to Indian Railways but also abroad. been made at a cost of Rs 22 lakh.
Made in over 600 designs in 50 variants,
including sophisticated train box and
tour train box, to suit the needs and time
of the passengers.
77

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Government of Tamil Nadu

Department of Employment and Training

Course : Competitive Exam

Subject : Current Affairs

Topic : Current Affairs - December 2020

The Department of Employment and Training has prepared the Competitive

8 TAMIL NADU AFFAIRS 75

Date Day Theme / Remark

The Theme of 2020 Navy Day is

4-12-2020 International Day of Banks

International Volunteer IVD 2020 Theme: “Together We Can

In India, the Armed Forces Flag Day

International Anti- Theme 2020 – ‘RECOVER with

Every year the UNICEF Day is

The Goa Liberation Day is observed on

National Farmer’s Day (Kisan Diwas)

In India, Good Governance Day

1.3 World Organisations – WHO praises India for Fitness Ka

1.4 Eminent Persons second and third rank respectively in the

founder and CEO of MDH Masala India;s mazumdar-shaw, Chairman of Biocon

Women by Forbes review, revealed that Prime Minister

Aerospace Scientist Shri Roddam Centre to dedicate a Museum on

1.5 Sports and Games Madagascar replaces Maldives to host

1.6 Books & Authors Education Minister presents first copy

occasion of Gurupurab. ‘Manavta ke Praneta Maharishi Arvind’.

former chief of BrahMos Aerospace. Tripathi is titled “Dharma: Decoding the

VP Venkaiah Naidu virtually released New book on Gandhi to be unveiled

Justice Rajindar Sachar He is the first Indian to win this award,

researcher from a developing country unanimously adopted the proposal on

Hamilton has won the BBC Sports Sustainability Awards in Corporate

1.8 Cultural Panorama 1.9 India and its Neighbours

utility a special program to double the income

CHIRAAG project ICICI Bank launches online portal

The Bengaluru-based space-technology NASA has grown radishes on the orbiting

LiDAR blossoms every monsoon. Globally, 85

demonstration by 2027 with scalability

Punjab Govt launches mobile app and

Nongpok Sekmai in Manipur Adjudged Nagar, Jyotinagar, Shahunagar and

Top 5 Police Stations for 2020 Parkash Singh Badal

Ministry of AYUSH to develop Nisarg

Upgrading the Indian Languages delayed if the government focused on a

The Central Institute of Indian Languages

from several ministers, bureaucrats, Analysis and Holistic Management of

10, 2020. to the Backward Classes, the Scheduled

occasion of International Mountain Day, Bengal, Mizoram, Kerala, Lakshadweep,

PM Modi to launch AB-PMJAY SEHAT India’s largest hockey stadium to be

The stadium will be constructed in the to the needy at Rs 1 in his parliamentary

7TH WORLD TAMIL ECONOMIC Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags

windows for the indulgent sightseeing Cabinet approves Industrial Corridor

months, a Chinese zoo announced. Addressing a function to mark the

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