Sheikh Hasina led Awami League registered a victory in elections
- Ruling coalition led by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Awami League has registered a landslide victory in Parliamentary election
- Sheikh Hasina’sAwami League party won 288 out of 300 seats
- Bangladesh has a unicameral legislature
Telangana to have separate High Court from 1st January 2019
- The High Court for Telangana is the 25th High Court in the country. Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 and the two states continued to have a common high court in Hyderabad
- The High Court for Telangana will function from the current High Court building in Hyderabad
- The High Court for Andhra Pradesh will start functioning from a temporary building at Amravati
Japan to Withdraw from the International Whaling Commission
- Japan has announced its decision to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC)
- The withdrawal would enable Japan to resume commercial whaling activities
- Japan said that since most whale species are not endangered and eating whale is a part of its culture
Justice AK Sikri nominated as Executive Chairman of NALSA
- President Ram NathKovind has nominated Justice AK Sikri as Executive Chairman of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)
- He will be replacing Justice Madan B Lokur
- The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has been constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to provide free Legal Services to the weaker section of the society
Aadhaar amendment Bill introduced in Lok Sabha
- The bill aims to provide legal backing for voluntary seeding of biometric Aadhaar ID for mobile SIM card and bank account authentication purposes
- The amendment permits children, who would turn 18 years old, to opt out of the system.
- The amendments make sharing of Aadhaar details voluntary for opening bank accounts, school admissions and procuring mobile SIM card
Indian Railways proposed Go Green Initiative
- Ministry of Railways has planned to set up 1000 Mega Watt (MW) solar power by 2020-21 which will be 10% of its electrical energy from renewable source
- Almost all electrified Railway stations and 99% of service buildings have been fitted with 100% LED luminaries by Indian Railways to reduce power consumption
- Railways have started blending of 5% bio-diesel in High-Speed Diesel (HSD) for diesel locomotives
- Increasing the pace of electrification to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels
106th Session of Indian Science Congress inaugurated
- The 106th Indian Science Congress is being held at Jalandhar
- The theme of the 106th science congress is ‘Future India: Science and Technology’
- PM gave the nation a new slogan Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan and Jai Anusandhan
- The Indian Science Congress Association was started in the year 1914 in Kolkata and has a membership of more than 30,000 scientists
China’s Chang’e 4 probe makes historic touchdown
- China’s Chang’e 4 probe spacecraft has become the first spacecraft to land on the far side of the moon
- For the first time, there would be soft-landing on the far side of the Moon
UN observes First-Ever World Braille Day
- United Nations observed the first official World Braille Day on 4th January to create awareness about the importance of Braille.
- World Braille Day is celebrated to honour Louis Braille, who is credited for inventing the Braille script...
- Louis Braille was born in France on 4 January 1809
National Health Agency to be restructured as National Health Authority
- Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Modi has approved the restructuring of existing National Health Agency as National Health Authority
- National Health Authority would be empowered with full autonomy, accountability and the mandate to implement PM-JAY
- Pradhan Mantri – Jan ArogyaYojana (PM-JAY) is a scheme of the government under Ayushman Bharat
- The health benefit cover includes more than 1,350 medical packages covering surgery, medical and daycare treatments, cost of medicines and diagnostic
Mandal Dam Project foundation Stone laid by PM Modi
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone for the Mandal Dam Project on the Koel River
- The Mandal Dam Project would be boon for the states of Jharkhand and Bihar
Centre sets up Bezbaruah committee to review the implementation of clause 6 of Assam Accord
- The government has set up a committee headed by former Union tourism secretary M.P. Bezbaruah
- Clause 6 of the Assam Accord provides for Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to protect preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identitiy and heritage of the assamese people
- The committee will assess the required quantum of reservation of seats in Assam assembly and local bodies for Assamese people
Reservation for Economically Weaker Sections
- The government has announced a decision to provide ten per cent reservation in jobs and higher education for those belonging to the economically backward section
- Those with annual family income below Rs 8 lakhs and owning less than five acres of land will be provided reservations
- This 10% reservation would be over and above the existing 50 per cent reservation
- In the Mandal case, the Supreme Court had held that the proposal to provide 10% Reservation for Other economically backward sections of the people who are not covered by any of the existing schemes of Reservation as constitutionally invalid, mere economic backwardness which is not the result of social backwardness cannot be the criterion of backwardness in Article 16(4)
Second edition of Khelo India Youth Games 2019 held in Pune, Maharastra
- Khelo India Youth games 2019 are being held at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune
- Khelo India Youth games are held annually as the national level multidisciplinary grassroot games
- The games are held in two categories- under-17 years school students and under-21 college students...
- Talented players identified in priority sports disciplines at various levels by the High-Powered Committee will be provided annual financial assistance of INR 5 lpa for 8 years
Pranav R Mehta becomes President of the Global Solar Council
- Pranav R Mehta, President of the National Solar Energy Federation of India has become the president of the Global Solar Council
- He has become the first Indian to head the Global Solar Council
World Hindi Day is celebrated on 10 January
- Every year 10th January is celebrated as World Hindi Day to create awareness about the language of Hindi across the World
- The first world World Hindi Conference was organized in Nagpur on January 10, 1975
- To commemorate the occasion, the government of India since 2006 is celebrating 10th January as World Hindi Day
India’s longest single-lane steel cable suspension bridge inaugurated in Arunachal Pradesh
- Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, PemaKhandu inaugurated India’s longest single-lane steel cable suspension bridge over Siang River in AP
- The bridge is also known as Byorung bridge
- The bridge will reduce the distance between Yingkiong and Tuting in Arunachal Pradesh by almost 40 km
Japan retained its top spot according to Henley Passport Index
- Henley Passport Index measures the access each country’s travel document affords
- The Index is based on the data provided by the International Air Transport Authority (IATA)
- Japan retained its top spot due to the document’s access to 190 jurisdictions
- India jumped two positions from 81st in 2018 to 79th this year
First India-Central Asia Dialogue to be held in Uzbekistan
- The first India-Central Asia Dialogue will be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan
- The Dialogue will be co-chaired by External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj and the Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan, AbdulazizKamilov
- The objectives of the first India-Central Asia Dialogue are: To enhance their cooperation in wide-ranging spheres including exploring ways to substantially enhance India’s economic involvement in business and development
- Strengthen India’s engagement, including political, economic, development partnership and cultural, with all the Central Asian countries
WEF Report- ‘Future of Consumption in Fast-Growth Consumer Market – India’
- India would become the world’s third largest consumer market behind only USA and China by 2030
- The consumer spending in India is expected to grow from USD 1.5 trillion at present to nearly USD 6 trillion by 2030
- Growth in income will transform India from a bottom of the pyramid economy to a middle class-led one
Union Cabinet approves setting up of 3 New AIIMS
- Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the setting up of three new AIIMS institutions
- The three new institutions would come up at Vijaynagar at Samba of Jammu Region, Awantipora in Pulwama of Kashmir Region and Rajkot in Gujarat
Important decisions of the GST council meet
- The exemption limit for Goods and Services Tax (GST) registration has been increased to Rs 40 lakh from the current Rs 20 lakh
- This exemption limit has been doubled to Rs 20 lakh for North-Eastern and hilly states
- Kerala has been allowed to levy a 1 per cent calamity cess on the intra-state sale of goods and services for a period of up to two year...
- Goods and Services Tax Council is a constitutional body for making recommendations to the Union and State Government on issues related to GST
Agreement for Renukaji dam multipurpose project Signed
- Agreement for the construction of Renukaji Dam Multi-Purpose Project was signed by six states Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Rajasthan, UP
- Renukaji Dam Multi-Purpose Project is a storage project on the Giri river which is tributary of the Yamuna at Sirmour district of Himachal
- The project also involves the generation of 40 MW of power during peak flow to be executed by Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (HPPCL)
Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 2019 to be celebrated on 21
- Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) will be held at Varanasi on January 21 and would be formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22
- The theme of the PBD 2019 is “Role of Indian Diaspora in building a New India.”
- India celebrates Pravasi Bhartiya Divas on 9 January to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community towards the development of India
- 9th January also commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to Mumbai in 1915
National Wildlife Board Approves Trishna Gas Project of ONGC
- National Wildlife Board has given its approval for the Trishna Gas project of ONGC which falls in the Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary in the Gomati district of Tripura
- The gas extracted from these wells would be supplied to the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd (NEEPCO) in Tripura
- Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1988
One family One Job scheme of Sikkim
- Chief Minister of Sikkim Pawan Kumar Chamling has announced the One family one job scheme to provide employment to the youth of Sikkim
- One family one job scheme entitles one government job for every family in the state
- The Chief Minister handed over appointment letters to over 12,000 unemployed youths at an employment fair organised at the Paljor Stadium in Gangtok
- Sikkim is the first state in the country to launch an exclusive programme which entitles every family in the state with a government job
National Youth Day celebrated on January 12
- India celebrates National Youth Day on January 12 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda
- The government aims to imbibe the students and youth with the philosophy and ideals of Swami Vivekananda
- Swami Vivekananda was born in 1863. He was a renowned philosopher, poet, writer, social reformer and orator. His works include Jnanayoga’, ‘Bhaktiyoga’ ‘, ‘Rajayoga’, ‘To the youth of India’. He also founded the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission
- Swami Vivekananda’s speech at the Parliament of the World’s Religion at Chicago is cherished even today
- He is credited with raising interfaith awareness and bringing Hinduism to the status of major world religion in the late 19th century. He passed away at the age of 39
Women of India Organic Festival
- Women of India Organic Festival has been organised by the Ministry of Women and Child Development at Chandigarh
- This is to celebrate and promote women farmers and entrepreneurs in the organic sector from the remotest parts of India
- The festival would provide an opportunity to showcase over 1,000 varied organic products, including fabric, wellness, grains, seeds, jewellery, bakery items
Sakhi Centres to be set up by Central government
- Sakhi centre or One Stop Centre (OSC) is a fully sponsored scheme of Central Government
- These centres are set up through the Nirbhaya Fund under the National Mission for Empowerment of women by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
- Sakhi centres offer integrated services like medical, legal, psycho-social support and temporary shelter under one roof
- These are 24×7 centres and any woman in an adverse situation or someone on her behalf can seek help from the Sakhi Centre by dialling Women’s toll-free number 181
Puducherry to Ban Single-Use Plastic
- The government of Puducherry has decided to ban the production, sale and use of single-use plastic products from March 1
- The government has said that the decision to ban single-use plastic was taken to gift a plastic-free Puducherry to the future generation and curb the plastic in the larger interest of the environment
January 15 celebrated as Army Day
- India celebrates Army India on January 15. Army Day is celebrated to salute the valiant soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the country
- It is in recognition of Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Butcher
- With the motto of ‘service before self’, Indian Army is on the mission to ensure national security, national unity, defend the nation from external and internal threat
PM Narendra Modi receives first ever Philip Kotler Presidential Award
- Philip Kotler Presidential Award aims to spread examples of individuals and companies who create an innovative culture for the economic, social and technological advancement
- PM Modi was selected for his outstanding leadership for the nation
- Modi’s visionary leadership has also resulted in the digital revolution (Digital India), including the Unique Identification Number, Aadhaar
- Initiatives such as Make in India, Startup India, Digital India and Swachh Bharat have positioned India as one of the most lucrative manufacturing and business area
103rd Constitutional Amendment Act
- President Ramnath Kovind has given the assent to the 124th constitutional Amendment Bill (which is now Constitution 103rd amendment Act)
- The bill providing 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker sections
- The amendment changed two fundamental rights, Article 15 and 16
- The amendments provide for the advancement of the “economically weaker sections” of the society
- Gujarat has become the first state to implement the 10% quota reserved for people from economically weaker sections proposed under the 103rd constitutional amendment act.
- People who have an annual income of less than Rs.8 lakhs, or People who own less than five acres of farmland, or People who have a house lesser than 1,000 sq ft.
Sudhir Bhargava Appointed New Chief Information Commissioner
- President Ram NathKovind has approved the appointment of SudhirBhargava Appointed New Chief Information Commissioner
Rishabh Pant became 1st ever Indian wicket-keeper to take 20 catches in a Test series
- Indian wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant became the 1st ever player to take 20 catches in a Test series by surpassing former cricketers NarenTamhane and Syed Kirmani.
- Pant achieved the feat to take 20 catches in just 3 matches whereas NarenTamhane and Syed Kimani took 19 catches in 6 and 7 matches
Ishant, Shami, Bumrah breaks 34 year old record with 131 wickets in 2018
- Indian pace trio of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and JaspritBumrah broke the 34 year record of highest test wickets in a calendar year to become the most successful pace trio with 131 wickets in 2018
- The record was previously held by West Indies seamers Joel Garner, Michael Holding and Malcolm Marshall who had taken 130 wickets in 1984
U.S., Israel will quit UNESCO citing bias
- United states of America (USA) and Israel officially quit the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) amid concerns that the organization fosters anti-Israel bias.
France introduced GAFA tax on global internet, technology firms
- France introduced a new “GAFA tax” named after the large internet and technology companies Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon to ensure the global giants pay a fair share of taxes on their massive businesses in Europe.
VK Yadav appointed new chairman of Railway Board after AshwaniLohani
- VK Yadav took charge of the chairmanship of Railway Board.
- He succeeded AshwaniLohani. Prior to this appointment,he was the General Manager of South-Central Railway (SCR).
Axis Bank MD & CEO Shikha Sharma retires, Amitabh Chaudhry takes charge
- Axis Bank Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shikha Sharma retired from the services of the bank and Amitabh Chaudhry will be the new MD and CEO of the Axis bank
Veteran actor-writer Kader Khan passed away at 81
- In 2013,he won SahityaShiromani Award for his work and contributions to Hindi Film industry and Cinema
Govt Releases 6-Crore LPG Connections under PMUY
- Government gave out the 6-crore free cooking gas (LPG) connection as the scheme to make available cleaner fuel in every household kitchens under the PradhanMantriUjjwalaYojana (PMUY).
- PMUY was launched in May 2016 with tagline of SwachhIndhan, BehtarJeevan and a target to give 5 crore connections by March 2019.The target was later raised to 8 crore connections by 2021.
Virat Kohli fastest to 19000 international runs, breaks Sachin’s record
- Virat Kohli crossed 19000 runs mark in 399 innings whereas Sachin Tendulkar took 432 innings to score 19000 runs.
India’s ArunimaSinha becomes first female amputee to climb the highest peak of Antarctica – Mt Vinson
- ArunimaSinha became the world’s first female amputee to climb Mount Vinson, the highest peak of Antarctica.
- Padma Shree Awardee, ArunimaSinha became the first woman amputee to climb Mount Everest in 2013
