PREFACE
It gives us great pleasure to release the monthly edition of the PRAVAHINI - Monthly e-Compendium & Weekly e-Periodicals of Current Affairs. The magazine’s members have shown considerable cooperation as well as devotion. We at successmantra.in work tirelessly to create this magazine and bring it to you with a great sense of gratitude.
The PRAVAHINI October-2021 eBook covers the current events that happened in the month of October. Current Affairs is a crucial component of any competitive exams including CLAT, AILET, DU-LLB, HM, CAT, IAS, PCS, SSC, Banking, MBA and various other competitive examinations.
Current Affairs play the bigger role in many competitive and government exams. It holds the power of making or breaking your chance of success. Therefore, the candidates should cover the Current Affairs thoroughly and smartly.
The PRAVAHINI October-2021 eBook is divided into different sections keeping in mind the need of various exams. The sections covered namely International, National, Economy, Ecology and Environment, Science & Technology, Legal Affairs, Sports, States News Makers and few others.
We would also be pleased to receive any suggestion that could assist us with the upcoming editions.
Success Mantra (GTB Nagar, Delhi)
Website: www.successmantra.in
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. National Affairs
2. International Affairs
3. Economic Affairs
4. Appointments
5. Awards And Honors
6. Important Dates & Sports
7. Reports And Indexes
8. Science & Technology
9. Miscellaneous
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
CABINET APPROVED CONTINUATION OF O-SMART SCHEME
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has authorised the continuance of the "Ocean Services, Modelling, Application, Resources, and Technology (O-SMART)" umbrella programme for the period 2021-26.
The continuance was approved at a cost of Rs 2177 crore. The autonomous institutions of the Ministry of Earth Sciences are in charge of implementing all of the sub-schemes.
The O-SMART programme is a government initiative that was started on August 29, 2018, with the goal of encouraging ocean research and establishing early warning weather systems.
It also intends to handle activities related to ocean development such as technology, services, science, resources, and observations.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences is in charge of implementing this plan. O-SMART is an interdisciplinary ongoing programme.
It will strengthen the nation's capabilities in the oceanographic sector at the world level through intensive research and technology development initiatives.
In the next five years, this scheme will provide even more comprehensive coverage by bolstering ongoing activities aimed at delivering cutting-edge technology applicable to the marine domain, understanding biodiversity in order to develop conservation strategies, forecasting and warning services, and so on.
Objectives: The O-SMART system has the following goals,
• To deliver forecasts and services based on continuous ocean observation,
• To create technology and conduct exploratory studies in order to exploit ocean resources in a sustainable manner.
• To encourage cutting-edge research in ocean sciences.
PARLIAMENT POWERS TO REPEAL A LAW
Recently, the Prime Minister of India announced that the three contentious farm laws that were passed in 2020 would be repealed in the upcoming winter session of Parliament.
Article 245 of the Constitution gives Parliament the power to make laws for the whole or any part of India, and state legislatures the power to make laws for the state.
Parliament draws its power to repeal a law from the same provision. For repeal, the power of Parliament is the same as enacting a law under the Constitution.
A law can be repealed either in its entirety, in part, or even just to the extent that it is in contravention of other laws.
Sunset Clause: Legislation can also have a “sunset” clause, a particular date after which they cease to exist.
For example, the anti-terror legislation Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act 1987, commonly known as TADA, had a sunset clause, and was allowed to lapse in 1995.
Repealing: For laws that do not have a sunset clause, Parliament has to pass another legislation to repeal the law.
Laws can be repealed in two ways - either through an ordinance, or through legislation.
Ordinance: In case an ordinance is used, it would need to be replaced by a law passed by Parliament within six months. If the ordinance lapses because it is not approved by Parliament, the repealed law can be revived.
Repealing through Legislations: The government will have to pass the legislation to repeal the farm laws in both Houses of Parliament, and receive the President’s assent before it comes into effect. All three farm laws can be repealed through a single legislation.
Usually, Bills titled Repealing and Amendment are introduced for this purpose. It is passed through the same procedure as any other Bills.
The last time the Repealing and Amending provision was invoked was in 2019 when the Union government sought to repeal 58 obsolete laws and make minor amendments to the Income Tax Act, 1961 and The Indian Institutes of Management Act, 2017.
ANDHRA PRADESH TO HAVE ONLY ONE CAPITAL: AMRAVATI
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy announced that Andhra Pradesh will have only one capital- Amravati.
Andhra Pradesh Govt withdraws Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation & Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill 2020 at the State Assembly.
Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP government had earlier proposed three different capitals for the state-
• Amravati-Legislative capital
• Visakhapatnam- Executive capital
• Kurnool- Judicial capital.
The Andhra Pradesh state assembly had passed two acts- Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020 and Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development (Repeal) Act in June 2020 amid resistance from the TDP. Both the acts were later signed by the then governor, Biswa Bhusan Harichandan.
The Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development (Repeal) Act was aimed at abolishing the authority created by the previous TDP government in 2015 to develop Amaravati as the state capital.
The Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020 was aimed at establishing three capitals for Andhra Pradesh.
PM MODI TO LAY FOUNDATION STONE OF NOIDA INT. AIRPORT
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the Noida International Airport at Jewar, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh on November 25, 2021. With this, Uttar Pradesh will become the only state in India to have five international airports.
The development of the Noida International Airport is in line with the Prime Minister's vision towards boosting connectivity and creating a future-ready aviation sector.
The Noida International Airport will be the second international airport to come up in Delhi NCR and will help decongest the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
Five International Airports of Uttar Pradesh
• Lucknow International Airport
• Varanasi International Airport
• Kushinagar International Airport (Inaugurated on October 20, 2021)
• Ayodhya International airport
• Noida International Airport
The first phase of the airport will be developed at a cost of over Rs 10,050 crore. The first phase of the airport will have a capacity to serve around 1.2 crore passengers a year.
The work is scheduled to be completed by 2024. The groundwork for the first phase including rehabilitation of the affected families has been completed.
The Noida International Airport will be India's first net-zero emissions airport. The airport will have dedicated land that will be developed as a forest park using trees from the project site. The airport will also preserve all native species and be nature positive throughout its development.
GOVERNMENT TO BAN CRYPTOCURRENCY IN INDIA
The Government of India will introduce a ‘Cryptocurrency Bill, 2021’ in India to ban all the private cryptocurrencies in the country. However, it will provide certain exceptions to facilitate the underlying technology of Cryptocurrency.
‘The Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021’ will be among the 26 new bills that will be introduced by the Government of India for the Winter Session of Parliament starting from November 29, 2021.
The Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021’ aims to create a facilitative framework to create the official digital currency which will be issued by the Reserve Bank of India.
The bill will also seek to prohibit all the private cryptocurrencies in India. However, the Crypto bill or Cryptocurrency Bill, 2021 will allow certain exceptions for facilitating the underlying technology of cryptocurrency and its uses.
Parliament Winter Session
The winter session of Parliament will commence from November 29, 2021, and the Central Government is planning of introducing new bills before being taken up for passage.
Apart from the 26 new bills, including a bill to ban Cryptocurrency in India, three bills that are referred to the Standing Committees, are also on the agenda of the Indian Government for consideration and passage.
Crypto bill or ‘The Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021’, was not listed earlier among the 23 bills in the tentative list of the Indian Government’s legislative and financial business that was tabled in Lok Sabha during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
PM LAID FOUNDATION OF INT. AIRPORT AT JEWAR IN UP
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the Foundation Stone of Noida International Airport at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh. The Jewar airport is the second international aerodrome in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). It is the fifth international airport in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh has now become the state with the highest number of international airports in India.
About the airport: The airport has been developed by Zurich Airport International AG over 1,330 acres of land area.
The airport is expected to be operational by September 2024. Once operational, this airport will be the largest airport of India and the first net-zero emissions airport of the country.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
JOE BIDEN INVITED INDIA AT DEMOCRACY SUMMIT
The President of the United States Joe Biden has invited more than 100 countries to a virtual summit on democracy to be held on December 9-10, 2021.
The invite list of the democracy summit includes India and Taiwan but excludes China, a move which is bound to anger the country.
The virtual democracy summit was a campaign pledge by the US President, who placed the struggle between the democracies and the autocratic governments at the heart of his foreign policy. The Summit for Democracy will be taking place ahead of an in-person meeting at its second edition in 2022.
The main rivals of the United States- Russia and China- have been excluded from the list, however, the inclusion of Taiwan is guaranteed to further escalate the tensions between US and China.
It is widely known that China resists any use of the word ‘Taiwan’ as it lends a sense of international legitimacy to the democratic self-ruled island, which China claims as part of its territory and has also vowed to seize one day.
To a virtual summit on democracy, including the major western alliances, the US has invited India and Pakistan from the South Asia region. From East Asia, Japan is invited to the summit.
Taiwan is invited to the virtual summit on democracy. A major diplomatic move that will further escalate the tensions between US and China.
Among the Middle East countries, only Iraq and Israel have been invited to the summit on Democracy.
Brazil is invited even though Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s far-right President has been criticized as having an authoritarian bent. He was also a firm supporter of Donald Trump.
Poland has been invited to the summit despite the continuous tension with the EU over its human rights record. In Africa, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, and Nigeria are invited to the Biden Democracy Summit.
China and Russia, the principal rivals of the United States are not invited to the Democracy Summit.
Turkey is missing from the participant’s list. The country is also US’s NATO ally. Traditional Arab allies of the United States- Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, are not on the democracy summit invite list.
Three principal themes at democracy summit While announcing the Democracy Summit back in August 2021, the US had said that the meeting on democracy will stimulate the initiatives and commitments across three principal themes:
• Defending against authoritarianism
• Fighting Corruption
• Promoting Respect for Human Rights
BARBADOS BECOME THE WORLD'S NEWEST REPUBLIC
Barbados has become the World’s newest republic, around 400 years after it became a British colony.
Barbados, the Caribbean Island nation, removed Queen Elizabeth II as the head of the state. Dame Sandra Prunella Mason, took over as the President of Barbados.
Mason was selected to become the first president of Barbados in October 2021. Mason was selected as President of Barbados, at a joint meeting of both the Houses of Parliament of Barbados.
His name was announced by Speaker of the House of Assembly, Arthur Holder.
Since 2018, Mason has been the governor-general of Barbados. Mason completed her judicial education in London, after studying at Queen’s College.
She also completed a judicial fellowship in Canada. She started her career as a teacher and worked in the banking sector until 1978.
She became the first female sworn in as Court of Appeal Judge of the Barbados Supreme Court in 2018. In 2014, she became the first Barbadian to be a member of Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal (CSAT). She also became the first female president of the SCAT in 2017.
Barbados is said to have been made a ‘slave society’ by the British. It first became an English colony in 1625. It gained its independence in 1966.
NUCLEAR POWERED SUBMARINE DEFENCE ALLIANCE
Australia officially became a part of the new Nuclear Powered Submarine defence alliance with the United Kingdom and the United States after signing a deal with the countries in Canberra, Australia.
Under the AUKUS deal, Australia will be provided with 8 nuclear-powered submarines capable of stealthy and long-range missions. It is the first agreement on technology signed by the three countries after the formation of the defence alliance AUKUS (Australia-UK-US).
About AUKUS: It is a trilateral Security Alliance of the USA, UK and Australia which will focus on advancing strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
The USA denied the allegation that it is forming this security alliance in order to contain and counter China's growing influence and aggression in the Indo-Pacific Region, especially in the South China Sea.
Official Mandate: Grouping said that the ‘AUKUS’ partnership will work to protect our people and support a peaceful and rules-based international order.
AUKUS will foster deeper integration of security and defense-related science, technology, industrial bases, and supply chains.
Nuclear-powered submarines to Australia: The AUKUS grouping has decided to share Nuclear Submarine Technology with Australia in the coming future with an aim to enhance the nuclear capability of Australia in the Indo-Pacific region.
The only prior instance when the USA shared its nuclear submarine defense submarine technology with a country is Great Britain in 1958.
This makes it a very significant step in terms of upping the ante in the Indo-Pacific region. With this, now Australia is all set to join an elite group of only six countries – India, the US, the UK, France, Russia and China – that operate nuclear-powered submarines.
18TH RIC FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING
Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar chaired the 18th meeting of Foreign Ministers of Russia, India, and China virtually on November 26, 2021.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had taken part in the meeting through video conference. India had taken over the chairmanship of the RIC after the last RIC Foreign Ministers meeting in Moscow in September 2020.
The RIC Chairmanship will now pass on to China's Foreign Minister for the next year.
India has not recognized the Taliban government in Afghanistan and has been initiating talks on restoring peace in the nation and providing all necessary aid to its citizens.
India had recently hosted an NSA-level meeting on Afghanistan last month and had also taken part in the Moscow dialogue on Afghanistan before that.
What is RIC?
Russia-India-China (RIC) is a strategic grouping that was established in the late 1990s under the leadership of Yevgeny Primakov, the then Russian foreign minister and Prime Minister (1998-99).
The grouping was created to form a platform to counterbalance the western hegemony.
The group's three-member countries- Russia, India and China-constitute 19 percent of the global geographical space and contribute to almost 33 percent of the global GDP.
The RIC grouping provides an opportunity for the three countries to identify and work on common interests and tensions. It enables the formation of a more egalitarian global economic order that can counterbalance US dominance.
The three RIC nations also form the core of BRICS and SCO grouping and hence, they can work together on how they would want to influence the global order in the coming times, through these larger platforms.
G7 FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING TO BE HOSTED BY UK
The United Kingdom is all set to host a summit of Foreign and Development Ministers from the G7 in December 2021 in the city of Liverpool, UK.
The Foreign Secretary of the UK Liz Truss will welcome the counterparts from France, the US, Italy, Canada, Germany, European Union, and Japan over three days i.e. from December 10 to 12, 2021.
The United Kingdom is holding the G7 Presidency in 2021 and this will also be the second in-person gathering of the G7 Foreign Ministers in 2021. The leaders met in May this year.
Notably, the countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will also attend the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meetings for the first time, indicating UK’s growing Indo-Pacific tilt.
The UK Foreign and Development Ministers will be discussing the range of global issues, global health, economic resilience post-COVID, and human rights.
G7 Ministers Meet comes after a series of global summits around the UK in 2021. The other meetings include the COP Climate summit in Glasgow and the G7 Leaders Summit hosted by the Prime Minister of the UK in June 2021.
Among the ASEAN Foreign Ministers who will attend the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting are those from Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Liverpool has been chosen for hosting the meeting because of its history as an iconic city with a global outlook, strong ties around the world, and a thriving musical, cultural and sporting heritage.
The meeting of G7 Foreign and Development Ministers in Liverpool will be a fantastic opportunity of showcasing Liverpool to the world, further highlighting the best of British culture, commerce, and creativity.
KAMALA HARRIS: 1ST FEMALE ACTING PRESIDENT OF US
US Vice-President Kamala Harris on November 19, 2021, became the first female acting President of the United States for one hour and 25 minutes when US President Joe Biden temporarily transferred power to Harris while he went under anesthesia for a routine colonoscopy.
With this development, 57-years-old Kamala Harris is now the first woman ever who held presidential powers in the 250-years-old history of the US.
Kamala Harris is the first woman, first African-American and first Asian-American, first Indian-American who holds the second-most powerful position in the US.
Harris was elected US Vice-President on November 7, 2020, after Joe Biden was declared the President of the United States in the US Presidential Elections 2020.
Section 3 of the 25th Amendment to the US Constitution says the President can send a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate declaring they are "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President."
The 25th Amendment of the US Constitution comprises the procedure through which a President or Vice-President of the US can be replaced in the event of death, resignation, removal or incapacitation. The 25th Amendment was enacted following the death of former US President John F Kennedy who was assassinated.
DOSTI TRILATERAL EXERCISE: INDIA, MALDIVES & SRI LANKA
The 15th session of the biennial trilateral coast guard exercise 'Dosti' is being held in the Maldives by India, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka.
The Dosti Trilateral Coast Guard Exercise will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2021. The drill began on November 20 and will be completed on November 25.
ICGS Apoorva and ICGS Vajra of the Indian Coast Guard joined the SLCGS Suraksha of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard during the five-day drill.
The trilateral exercise 'Dosti' was organised with the goal of strengthening friendships, increasing cooperation between the three nations' coast guards, and improving mutual operational capacity and exercising interoperability.
The Maldives and Sri Lanka are strategically important to India and its maritime security interests, hence this exercise is essential for India.
The inaugural Dosti Coast Guard Exercise took place in 1991. Previously, these drills were bilateral, including the Indian and Maldives coast guards.
For the first time, Sri Lanka took part in these drills in 2012. It has since evolved into a trilateral exercise. These exercises cover a wide range of topics. Such cooperation is beneficial in the event of a marine catastrophe or an environmental disaster such as an oil leak.
These drills aid in the development of a better understanding of other country's coast guards. It will also aid in improving coordination between missions.
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN TO VISIT INDIA
Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to pay an official visit to New Delhi on December 6, 2021.
President Putin is coming to attend the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This summit will be the first face-to-face meeting between both the leaders, following their meeting of the BRICS Summit in November 2019 in Brasilia.
Background: India-Russia Annual Summit was last held in September 2019. In 2019, PM Modi visited Vladivostok (Russia). The Annual Summit of 2020 was postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Agenda of 2021 summit: During the 2021 Summit, both the leaders will review the state and prospects of bilateral relations.
They will discuss ways to further strengthen the strategic relationship between both the countries. Summit will also provide an opportunity to exchange views on international, multilateral and regional issues of mutual interest.
They will exchange views on topical issues on the international agenda, such as joint work within the BRICS, G20, and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
2+2 Ministerial dialogue: The 2+2 Ministerial dialogue will be held between both the countries on December 6, 2021.
It will be held by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov & Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu with their Indian counterparts, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
India-Russia Relations: Presently, Russia is the largest Defence Supplier of India. India has bought defence systems like the S-400 from Russia. India and Russia are members of BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
Russia also supported India’s permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Astronauts who have been shortlisted for the Human Space Flight Programme of India were trained by Russia. Russia is also helping India in building the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu.
UAE'S AHMED AL RAISI AS PRESIDENT OF INTERPOL
The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) has elected Inspector General Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi (United Arab Emirates) as its President for a 4-year term at the 89th Interpol general assembly meeting held in Istanbul, Turkey.
He replaces Kim Jong Yan from South Korea.
In the final round, the UAE candidate received 68.9 percent of votes cast by member countries.
As president, Al Raisi’s role during his four-year term will be to chair meetings of the executive committee which supervises the implementation of decisions taken at the General Assembly.
• INTERPOL Formed: 1923.
• INTERPOL Headquarters: Lyon, France.
• INTERPOL President: Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi.
• INTERPOL Member states: 195.
• INTERPOL Secretary-General: Jürgen Stock.
PETR FIALA NAMED AS NEW PM OF CZECH REPUBLIC
Petr Fiala has been named as the new Prime Minister of Czech Republic. President Milos Zeman named him as the PM on November 28, after his electoral win in October.
Petr Fiala leads a center-right coalition. He ousted the outgoing populist Prime Minister Andrej Babis with the help of several left-wing parties.
Fiala heads the three-party coalition namely, Civic Democratic Party, TOP 09 party and Christian Democrats, together.
This coalition garnered him 27.8 per cent of the vote in October. This alliance narrowly defeated ANO movement, which was led by billionaire Babis.
The centrist group of Mayors & Independents besides the left-wing Pirate Party joined the coalition of Fiala to remove Babis. Babis had served as prime minister since 2017.
The Czech Republic: Czech Republic is also known as Czechia and was formerly known as Bohemia. It is a landlocked country, located in Central Europe.
The country is bordered by Austria, Germany, Poland, and Slovakia. It is a unitary parliamentary republic and developed country having an advanced, high-income social market economy. It is a welfare state comprises a European social model, tuition-free university education and universal health care.
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
SITHARAMAN LAUNCHED 'TEJASVINI & HAUSALA SCHEME'
Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman has launched two schemes named ‘Tejasvini & Hausala schemes’ of J&K Bank for girls.
Under 18-35 years of age to start their businesses and ‘Shikhar & Shikara’ schemes of Punjab National Bank (PNB) for development of tourism in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
About the Tejasvini Scheme:
Tejaswini Scheme in the course of the credit score outreach programme in Jammu. The scheme goals to offer monetary help as much as Rs 5 lakh to younger ladies for establishing gainful self-employment ventures, suited to their expertise, aptitude & native situations.
Tejasvini scheme focuses on offering monetary help of Rs. 5 lakh to ladies between 18-35 years for beginning their enterprise.
About the Hausla Scheme 2021 for Women Entrepreneurs:
Hausla Scheme beneath the J&K Trade Promotion Organisation for empowering present ladies entrepreneurs to be role models of their respective sectors.
It not solely supplies ability improvement, but additionally, credit score assist, advertising assist & mentorship.
About the ‘Shikhar & Shikara’: Shikhar scheme focuses on meeting credit requirements up to INR 2 crore for the hotel, tour & tourism industry.
‘Shikara’ which goals to supply finance for the acquisition of the latest shikara and restore & upkeep of shikara and houseboats by means of collateral-free time period loans with handy reimbursement beneath EMI mode in seven years. Shikara scheme will prove credit up to INR 15 lakh for purchase/repair of Shikaras is provided in Kashmir valley.
INDIA BECAME WORLD'S LARGEST RECIPIENT OF REMITTANCES
India, the world’s largest recipient of remittances, received $87 billion in 2021 with the United States being the biggest source, accounting for over 20 percent of these funds, according to the World Bank.
India is followed by China, Mexico, the Philippines, and Egypt, the Washington-based global lender said in its report released on Wednesday.
In India, remittances are projected to grow three per cent in 2022 to $ 89.6 billion, reflecting a drop in overall migrant stock, as a large proportion of returnees from the Arab countries await return, it said.
Factors for Remittance Growth:
Migrants’ determination to support their families in times of need, aided by economic recovery in Europe and the United States which in turn was supported by the Fiscal Stimulus and employment support programs.
In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Russia, the recovery of outward remittances was also facilitated by stronger oil prices and the resulting pickup in economic activity.
The severity of Covid-19 caseloads and deaths during the second quarter (well above the global average) played a prominent role in drawing substantial flows (including for the purchase of oxygen tanks) to the country.
CENTRAL BANK DIGITAL CURRENCY (CBDC)
Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed amendments to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, which would enable it to launch a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), thus enhancing the scope of the definition of ‘bank note’ to include currency in digital form.
The move has come amid the government’s plans to introduce a Bill on cryptocurrencies in the current Parliament session that seeks to prohibit all private cryptocurrencies in India with certain exceptions.
CBDC is a digital form of Fiat Currency which can be transacted using wallets backed by blockchain and is regulated by the central bank.
It is a legal tender issued by a central bank in a digital form. Fiat money is a government-issued currency that is not backed by a commodity such as gold. Fiat money gives central banks greater control over the economy because they can control how much money is printed.
Though the concept of CBDCs was directly inspired by bitcoin, it is different from decentralised virtual currencies and crypto assets, which are not issued by the state and lack the ‘legal tender’ status.
APPOINTMENTS
PARAG AGARWAL APPOINTED AS CEO OF TWITTER
Indian-origin technology executive, Parag Agrawal has been appointed as the new CEO of Twitter after the social media giant’s co-founder Jack Dorsey stepped down.
He is now the youngest CEO in the S&P 500 elbowing Meta Platform Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg. However, Agrawal is 37 and the same age as Mark Zuckerberg.
Parag joined Twitter 10 years ago when there were fewer than 1,000 employees. He has been behind every critical decision that helped turn this company around. He’s curious, probing, rational, creative, demanding, self-aware and humble.
About Parag Agrawal: Parag did his undergrad at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.
Following this, he went on to do his masters from Stanford University. He completed his PhD in Computer Science from the same place in 2012.
ICC APPOINTED G. ALLARDICE AS PERMANENT CEO OF ICC
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has appointed Geoff Allardice as the permanent CEO of the International Cricket governing body. He was serving as interim CEO for more than eight months.
He replaces Manu Sawhney who officially resigned from his position in July 2021.
Allardice, a former Australian first-class cricketer and administrator, was the ICC General Manager, Cricket for eight years. He had previously held a similar role at Cricket Australia.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the world governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from Australia, England and South Africa.
It was renamed as the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1987. The ICC has its headquarters in Dubai, UAE.
• ICC Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• ICC Founded: 15 June 1909
• ICC Deputy Chairman: Imran Khwaja
• ICC Chairman: Greg Barclay
INDIA'S CANDIDATE IN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF INTERPOL
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special director Praveen Sinha was elected the delegate for Asia in the executive committee of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) following a tough contest involving China.
In the election, four contestants were China, Singapore, South Korea and Jordan.
India’s National Central Bureau (NCB-India) reached out to its counterparts around the world to campaign for this election. The elections were held in Istanbul, Turkey during the ongoing 89 INTERPOL General Assembly.
About the INTERPOL: Interpol is the world’s largest international police organization with a National Central Bureau in all 195 member states. It has seven regional bureaus all over the world.
It was formed in 1923. Its motto is connecting police for a safer world. It is headquartered in Lyon, France. Kim Jong Yang is its President.
VIVEK JOHRI APPOINTED AS CHAIRMAN OF CBIC
Senior bureaucrats, Vivek Johri has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
He will succeed M Ajit Kumar who is completing his tenure. He is a 1985-batch Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Indirect Taxes) officer.
He is currently working as a member in CBIC. His appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC):
CBIC is the nodal national agency to administer GST, Customs, Central Excise, Service Tax & Narcotics in India.
The Customs & Central Excise department was established by the British Governor-General of India in 1855, for administering customs laws and for collecting import duties or land revenue. CBIC is one of the oldest government departments in India.
AWARDS & HONOURS
PRESIDENT OF INDIA PRESENTED GALLANTRY AWARDS
President of India, Ram Nath Kovind presented Gallantry Awards and Distinguished Service Decorations in Defence Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Gallantry Awards have been instituted by the Government of India to honour the acts of bravery and sacrifice of the officers/personnel of the Armed Forces as well as other lawfully constituted forces and civilians.
The order of precedence of these awards is Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra.
Vir Chakra: Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman was accorded the Vir Chakra by President Ram Nath Kovind for his role in pushing back Pakistan’s fighter jets in February 2019.
Abhinandan Varthaman was Wing Commander then. In the ensuing aerial dogfight, he shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter aircraft on February 27, 2019.
Kirti Chakra: President Kovind accorded the second-highest peacetime gallantry award Kirti Chakra (posthumously) to Sapper Prakash Jadhav for neutralising terrorists in an operation in Jammu and Kashmir. His wife and mother received the award.
Shaurya Chakra: Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal was accorded the Shaurya Chakra (posthumously) for his role in an operation where five terrorists were eliminated and 200 kg explosive material was recovered.
His wife Lt Nitika Kaul and mother received the award. Naib Subedar Sombir was accorded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously for killing an A++ category terrorist during an operation in Jammu and Kashmir. His wife Suman Devi and mother Rajendra Devi received the honour.
The President also conferred the Shaurya Chakra to Major Maheshkumar Bhure who is an alumnus of Sainik School Satara. According to the citation, Major Bhure led an operation in which six top terrorist commanders were killed.
About the Gallantry Awards:
The prestigious awards are usually conferred to the awardees/Next-of-Kins (NoKs) by the President at the Defence Investiture Ceremony held every year at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi.
The gallantry awards are announced twice a year first on the occasion of Republic Day and then on Independence Day. The order of precedence of these awards is Param Vir Chakra, Ashoka Chakra, Mahavir Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Vir Chakra and Shaurya Chakra.
PRATHAM NGO WINS INDIRA GANDHI PEACE PRIZE 2021
The Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 has been given to Pratham NGO for its efforts to broaden the scope of education in India.
Pratham NGO was given the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development for 2021 for its pioneering efforts in ensuring that every child has access to quality education for more than a quarter-century.
Its frequent examination of educational quality
Its quick reaction in encouraging youngsters to learn despite the limits imposed by Covid-19.
The Indira Gandhi Peace Prize is a prominent honour given out every year. Indira Gandhi, the previous Prime Minister of India, was the inspiration for the name.
Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust has given it out every year since 1968. It includes a monetary prize of Rs. 25 lakh as well as a citation.
It honours people or organisations for their innovative achievements in the following areas: establishing a new global economic order Promoting international development and peaceAssuring that scientific discoveries be used to broaden the scope of freedom and benefit mankind as a whole.
Pratham NGO: Pratham NGO is a learning organisation that was founded to improve the quality of education in India. Farida Lambay and Madhav Chavan co-founded the NGO. It is one of the country's major non-governmental organisations.
It focuses on high-quality, low-cost, and reproducible initiatives for closing educational disparities.It was founded in Mumbai in 1994 to provide pre-school education to children living in slums.
POCHAMPALLY SELECTED AS BEST TOURISM VILLAGE (UNWTO)
Recently, Pochampally village in Telangana was selected as one of the Best Tourism Villages by United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
The award will be given on the occasion of the 24th session of the UNWTO General Assembly in December 2021 in Madrid, Spain.
The Union Ministry of Tourism has also drafted a Rural Tourism Policy which will not only promote tourism within our villages but also revitalise local arts and crafts and promote rural economy.
Earlier, Rudreswara Temple, (also known as the Ramappa Temple) at Mulugu district, Telangana was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list.
Pochampally Village: Pochampally in Nalgonda district is often referred to as the silk city of India for the exquisite sarees that are woven through a unique style called Ikat.
This style, Pochampally Ikat, received a Geographical Indicator (GI Status) in 2004.
Pochampally’s unique weaving styles and patterns received special focus through the Prime Minister’s mantra of Vocal 4 Local as a part of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
In 2015, to recognise the diversity of weaving techniques and our rich handloom tradition, the Prime Minister inaugurated the first National Handloom Day on 7th August as a tribute to the formal proclamation of the Swadeshi Movement that was made in a meeting at the Calcutta Town hall on the same day in 1905.
Pochampally is also known as Bhoodan Pochampally to commemorate the Bhoodan Movement that was launched by Acharya Vinobha Bhave from this village on 18th April, 1951.
Vinoba Bhabe was the first international figure to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1958. He was awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1983.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD TO PRAKASH PADUKONE
Indian badminton great Prakash Padukone will receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award this year from the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The BWF Council shortlisted the Indian legend based on the award commission's recommendation. The Badminton Association of India (BAI) had submitted his name for this award.
The former world no. 1 and the first-ever Indian world championships medallist, Prakash Padukone has contributed immensely to the game. In 2018, he was also honoured with the BAI's Lifetime Achievement Award.
Padukone is the first-ever Indian to win a medal at World Championships in the 1983 Copenhagen tournament.
• Badminton World Federation President: Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen.
• Badminton World Federation Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• Badminton World Federation Founded: 5 July 1934.
INDIAN FILM PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR AWARD 2021
Actor and BJP leader Hema Malini, and lyricist and former CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi will be facilitated with the Indian Film Personality of the Year award at the International Film Festival of India 2021.
Their contributions to the field of Indian cinema spread over decades and their body of work has enthralled audiences across generations.
Malini is a two-time Member of Parliament from Mathura, and Joshi was appointed by the government as the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in 2017.
Joshi has previously written a campaign song for Prime Minister Narendra Modi when the BJP leader was announced the party’s PM candidate ahead of the 2014 general elections.
SPORTS
AB DE VILLIERS ANNOUNCED RETIREMENT FROM ALL FORMS
Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. He had already retired from international cricket in 2018.
However, AB de Villiers was still playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), ever since joining the franchise in 2011.
The 37-year-old made the announcement, ending a 17-year career, which saw him play in 114 Tests, 228 ODIs and 78 T20Is for the Proteas.
AB de Villiers has played 156 matches for RCB and scored 4,491 runs. He is the second all-time leading run-scorer behind Virat Kohli and holds the second and third-highest individual run total in RCB history with 133* against Mumbai Indians (in 2015) and 129* against Gujarat Lions (in 2016).
IMPORTANT DAYS AND DATES
CONSTITUTION DAY OR SAMVIDHAN DIWAS: 26TH NOVEMBER
India celebrates November 26 every year as ‘Constitution Day’ or ‘Samvidhan Divas’ to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India.
On November 26, 1949, India had adopted the Constitution which later came into effect on January 26, 1950. Today, the country marks the 72nd anniversary of the historic event that also marked the dawn of a new era back in 1949.
Constitution Day of India, also known as ‘Samvidhan Divas’ or ‘National Constitution day’ or ‘National Law Day’ aims at raising awareness about the Indian Constitution.
In 2015, the BJP-led government had announced that November 26 will be observed as the ‘Constitution Day’ to promote the Constitutional values among the Indian Citizens.
India celebrates Constitution Day on November 26 every year. The Union Ministry of Social Justice had notified back in 2015 that the Central Government had decided to celebrate November 26 as Constitution Day.
Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, who also became the first Law Minister of India, was appointed as the Chairman of the Constitution drafting committee in 1947.
He was given the responsibility of writing the new Constitution after India gained Independence from the British on August 15, 1947.
History behind the birth of Constitution of India
India celebrates its Independence on August 15, 1947, and celebrates Republic Day on January 26, 1950, to mark the enforcement of the Constitution of India.
In 1934, the demand of the Constituent Assembly was made by M.N. Roy, a Communist Party leader. It was later taken up by the Congress Party and the demand was accepted by the Britishers in 1940.
Before India gained Independence, the Constituent Assembly of India had met for the first time on December 9, 1946. Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha became the first President of the Constituent Assembly and the meeting continued till January 24, 1950.
The Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution finished their work on November 26, 1949, and on January 26, 1950, the Constitution of India came into force.
Importance of Indian Constitution: The Indian Constitution is the supreme law of India. The document lays down the framework that outlines the fundamental political structure, code, powers, procedures, and duties of the Indian Government institutions.
The Indian Constitution is significant as it also outlines the fundamental rights, duties of citizens of India, and directive principles.
NATIONAL MILK DAY OBSERVED ON 26TH NOVEMBER
Every year November 26 is celebrated as National Milk Day in India.
The day is being observed since 2014 to commemorate the birth anniversary of the Father of India’s White Revolution, Dr Verghese Kurien.
He is also nicknamed as “Milkman of India”. To celebrate National Milk Day, the College of Dairy Science & Technology (CODST) and Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) is organizing “Milk Adulteration Testing Camp” on 25 and 26 November 2021.
Significance of the day: The National Milk Day is observed with the objective of providing information regarding the need and importance of milk in human’s life. Milk is the first food that a child consumes after birth. It is perhaps the food consumed throughout life.
Who was Dr Verghese Kurien?
Dr Verghese Kurien is known as the ‘Father of the White Revolution in India. He was a social entrepreneur. He led Operation Flood, which is the largest agricultural dairy development programme worldwide.
This operation made India the largest milk producer of the world, from a milk-deficient country. This movement doubled the milk available per person as well as increased milk output four-time, in some 30 years. World Milk Day is observed on 1 June every year by the United Nations.
WORLD TELEVISION DAY OBSERVED ON 21ST NOVEMBER
World Television Day is commemorated on 21 November every year. The day is a reminder of the power of visual media and how it helps in shaping public opinion and influencing world politics.
Television has played a significant role in the lives of people for years. It is a medium that provides entertainment, education, news, politics, gossip, etc. and helps in transmitting moving images in two or three dimensions and sound.
History of World Television Day: On 21 November and 22 November 1996, the U.N. held the first World Television Forum.
This day provides a platform and allowed the media to discuss the importance of TV in delivering information and also how it participates in the changing world. It is the single largest source of video consumption.
WORLD. FISHERIES DAY OBSERVED ON 21ST NOVEMBER
World Fisheries Day (WFD) is observed on the 21st November every year.
The award ceremony was organised by the ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying, in Bhubaneswar on the occasion of WFD. Balasore district (Odisha) has been awarded India’s “Best Marine District”.
WFD is celebrated to demonstrate solidarity with all fisherfolk, fish farmers and concerned stakeholders throughout the world.
It was started in the year 1997 when “World Forum of Fish Harvesters & Fish Workers” met at New Delhi leading to formation of “World Fisheries Forum” with representatives from 18 countries and signed a declaration advocating for a global mandate of sustainable fishing practices and policies.
It is aimed at drawing attention to overfishing, habitat destruction and other serious threats to the sustainability of marine and inland resources.
Fishing is the capture of aquatic organisms in marine, coastal and inland areas. Marine and inland fisheries, together with aquaculture, provide food, nutrition and a source of income to around 820 million people around the world, from harvesting, processing, marketing and distribution.
For many it also forms part of their traditional cultural identity. One of the greatest threats to the sustainability of global fishery resources is illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
In 2019-20, with an overall production of 142 lakh tons, India produced 8% of the global share.
During the same time period, India's fisheries exports stood at Rs 46,662 crore, constituting about 18% of India's agricultural exports.
India aims to achieve a target of producing 22 million metric tonnes of fish by 2024-25.
UNITED NATIONS OBSERVED 'INT. DAY OF SOLIDARITY'
United Nations observes the “International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People” on November 29, every year. The day is observed to mark the adoption of the UN’s resolution to divide Palestine into two states.
The UN traditionally celebrates the day by undertaking its annual debate on the question of Palestine.
The observance of this day is held at United Nations Headquarters in New York as well as United Nations Offices at Geneva and Vienna.
International Day of Solidarity solemnly commemorates the adoption of resolution 181 (II), by the assembly on November 29, 1947.
This resolution provided for the partition of Palestine into two States, one Arab and one Jewish. The day is usually observed on November 29. But in 2003, it was observed on December 1.
The annual observance of this day was established by UN General Assembly Resolution 32/40 B, on December 2, 1977. Its observance finally started in 1978.
REPORTS AND INDEXES
NITI AAYOG RELEASED MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY INDEX
Recently, NITI Aayog has released the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).
Earlier, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2021 was released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI).
The MPI seeks to measure poverty across its multiple dimensions and in effect complements existing poverty statistics based on per capita consumption expenditure.
According to Global MPI 2021, India’s rank is 66 out of 109 countries. The National MPI is aimed at deconstructing the Global MPI and creating a globally aligned and yet customised India MPI for drawing up comprehensive Reform Action Plans with the larger goal of improving India’s position in the Global MPI rankings.
It has three equally weighted dimensions – health, education, and standard of living.
These three dimensions are represented by 12 indicators such as nutrition, school attendance, years of schooling, drinking water, sanitation, housing, bank accounts among others.
Findings of the Index:
Poverty Levels: Bihar has the highest proportion of people of the state’s population followed by Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh who are multidimensionally poor.
Kerala registered the lowest population poverty levels, followed by Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Goa and Sikkim.
Malnourished People: Bihar also has the highest number of malnourished people followed by Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
INDORE AS CLEANEST INDIAN CITY FOR 5TH YEAR IN ROW
The President of India Ram Nath Kovind conferred awards to 342 cleanest cities of India at the ‘Swachh Amrit Mahotsav’ as part of Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban 2.0 by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.
More than 300 awards under various categories were given for recognizing the cleanliness and sanitation efforts of the towns, cities, States, and Union Territories under various initiatives of Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban such as the Swachh Survekshan 2021, Safaimitra Surakasha Challenge, and certifications for Garbage Free Star rating for cities.
Under the Swachh Survekshan 2021, Indore has been awarded the ‘Cleanest City’ of India award for the 5th consecutive year in the ‘more than 1 lakh’ population category followed by Surat and Vijayawada on the 2nd and 3rd rank respectively.
Vita, Lonavala, and Sasvad cities from Maharashtra have ranked first, second, and third Cleanest Cities respectively in the ‘less than 1 lakh’ population category.
Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh emerged as the ‘Fastest Mover City’ in the ‘more than 1 lakh’ population category thus securing a place among the top 100 cities at 87th position.
In other categories, Varanasi won the ‘Best Ganga Town’, Ahmedabad Cantonment won ‘India’s Cleanest Cantonment’ followed by Meerut Cantonment and Delhi Cantonment.
Under the Swachh Survekshan 2021, Chhattisgarh has been awarded as the ‘Cleanest State’ of India for the 3rd consecutive year in the ‘more than 100 Urban Local Bodies’. Jharkhand won the ‘Cleanest State’ of India for the second time in the ‘less than 100 Urban Local Bodies’ category.
Karnataka emerged as the ‘Fastest Mover State’ in the ‘more than 100 Urban Local Bodies’ and Mizoram emerged as the ‘Fastest Mover State’ in the ‘less than 100 Urban Local Bodies’.
ANDHRA PRADESH TOPPED IPF SMART POLICING INDEX
Andhra Pradesh Police has topped the ‘IPF Smart Policing’ Index 2021, among 29 states and Union Territories, released by the Indian Police Foundation (IPF).
Andhra Pradesh has secured the first rank with an overall score of 8.11 out of 10. Telangana Police is in the second position with 8.10 points while Assam Police has secured the third position with an overall rating of 7.89. With a score of 5.81, Uttar Pradesh is ranked at 28th position and Bihar has occupied the last position with 5.74 points.
What is IPF SMART POLICING SURVEY 2021?
The SMART Policing idea was envisioned, articulated and introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Conference of DGPs of State and Central Police Organizations, held at Guwahati, in 2014 and it envisaged systemic changes to transform the Indian police to be strict and sensitive, modern and mobile, alert and accountable, reliable and responsive, techno-savvy and trained.
The purpose of the IPF survey was to gather information on citizens’ perceptions of the impact of the SMART policing initiative and to gauge public perceptions of the quality of policing in India and the level of public trust in the police.
The experts from various Institutions of repute, including IIT-Kanpur and Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai were involved in this survey.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
RUSSIA SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRED ZIRCON MISSILE
Russia had carried out another successful test of its Zircon hypersonic cruise missile, one the latest additions to the country's arsenal of weapons called "invincible" by President Vladimir Putin.
Moscow has in recent years touted the development of weapons that it hopes will give it the edge in any arms race with the United States at a time of growing tensions with the West.
Hypersonics can travel more than five times the speed of sound and manoeuvre in mid-flight, making them much harder to track and intercept than traditional projectiles.
The military had fired the Zircon missile from the Admiral Gorshkov warship and hit a test target in Russia's Arctic waters.
The Zircon had already undergone several tests in recent years, including another launch from the Admiral Gorshkov and from a submerged submarine.
Putin used his state of the nation address in 2018 to reveal new hypersonic weapons, including the Zircon, saying it could hit targets at sea and on land with a range of 1,000 kilometres (620 miles).
The Zircon looks set to join Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles that were put into service in 2019 and the air-launched Kinzhal (Dagger) missiles in Russia's arsenal.
PM MODI HANDED OVER LIGHT COMBAT HELICOPTERS TO IAF
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has handed over the indigenously built light combat helicopters (LCH), developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, to the Indian Air Force chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari.
The Light Combat Helicopters which incorporate advanced technologies and stealth features for effective combat roles are expected to boost India’s ability to remain self-reliant.
The LCH is the only attack helicopter that can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 m with a considerable load of weapons and fuel.
The Prime Minister will also hand over ‘Made in India’ drones to the Indian Army which would be using them for different requirements all across the country.
For the Navy, PM Modi would hand over the DRDO designed Advanced Electronic Warfare suite for naval ships including that for Indian Aircraft Carrier Vikrant.
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Headquarters: Bengaluru.
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Founder: Walchand Hirachand.
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Founded: 23 December 1940, Bengaluru.
MISCELLANEOUS
SOUTH KOREA TO GET WORLD'S 1ST FLOATING CITY
South Korea is soon going to get the world’s first floating city, to deal with the problem of floods due to rising sea levels.
The floating city project is a joint effort by the UN Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habit) and OCEANIX. The city will be built off the coast of Busan in South Korea and is likely to be completed by 2025.
About the city: The floating city will have ‘flood-proof infrastructure’ and comprise several man-made islands to eliminate the risk of flooding.
The self-sufficient city will be specifically designed to withstand natural disasters like tsunamis, floods, and Category 5 hurricanes.
SM Current Affairs NOVEMBER 2021 Set 01, 02, 03 - CLICK HERE
