(FREE) UPSC Current Affairs 2024 PDF

Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 18 October 2019

::NATIONAL::

Legislative council of Jammu & Kashmir abolished

Once dominating the news for setting debates and settling sticky discourses for 70years, the Jammu & Kashmir legislative Council, the upper house of the Assembly, was abolished on Thursday as per Section 57 of the J&K Reorganisation Bill, 2019,which reduced the State to the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.
A spokesman of the General Administration Department(GAD) said all the staff members of the Council shall report to the GAD by October 22. There are 116 employees working with the Council since the first constituent assembly came into being in 1957.
The Council, which had a strength of 36 members, also used to be a part of the electoral college for the Rajya Sabha elections.
The Secretary of the Council has been directed to transfer all records pertaining to the Council Secretariat, including related legislative business, to the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
The tenure of all 22 current Members of Legislative Council (MLCs) has also come to an end. An official said the vehicles purchased for the council from time to time are being transferred to the state motor garages.
“The building along with furniture and electronic gadgets will go to the Director, Estates,” the official said.

NITI Aayog releases first ever India Innovation Index

The first-ever India Innovation Index was launched by NITI Aayog in New Delhi today in order to promote competitiveness among the states.
Karnataka has emerged the topper among major states. Tamil Nadu is second and Maharashtra is on the third position followed by Telangana, Haryana, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.
Jharkhand finished last in the list of 17 major states. Among the North-Eastern states, Sikkim and among Union Territories Delhi has occupied the top spot.
Addressing a gathering, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, Dr Rajiv Kumar said that the aim of innovation index is to move states from competitive populism to competitive good governance.
Speaking at the event, Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant said that innovation index will continue to pursue such interventions that play an important role in developing cooperative and competitive federalism.

::ECONOMY::

Finance ministry claims there is no better place to invest than India

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that investors can find no better place in the world than India. Ms Sitharaman said that India has a democratic environment that respects capitalists.
She was speaking at an event hosted by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), in association with the US India Strategic and Partnership Forum, at the IMF headquarters in Washington.
The Finance Minister said that India is one of the fastest growing economies and has the best skilled manpower. She assured international investors that the government is continuously working to bring reforms.
Ms Sitharaman asserted that the government is engaging with everyone on a weekly basis and there is no trust deficit with the corporate sector and investors. She said the government is taking steps to address problems in the stressed sectors.
She added that in order to boost overall consumption, the Finance Ministry has requested all the building sector banks, together with their partners, non-banking financial companies to reach out to small towns and villages and extend every kind of credit that they would want.

Indian livestock population increases to 535million

India's livestock population has increased to over 535 million showing an increase of 4.6 per cent over Livestock Census-2012. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying released the 20th Livestock Census -2019 yesterday.
As per the livestock census, the share of cattle is around 36 per cent, goat is over 27 per cent, buffaloes is over 20 per cent, sheep around 14 per cent and pigs around two per cent. The cow population is over 145 million, increasing by 18 per cent over the previous census.
Among the states, West Bengal reported the highest increase of over 23 per cent in livestock population, followed by Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
The livestock census is conducted across the country periodically since 1919. The census usually covers all domesticated animals and headcounts of these animals are taken. The 20th Livestock Census was carried out in about 6.6 lakh villages and 89 thousand urban wards across the country.

Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

::INTERNATIONAL::

UK and EU finalise agreement on Brexit deal

Negotiators from the European Union and the UK have reached an agreement on a Brexit deal before a meeting of European leaders in Brussels.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker called it a fair outcome. He urged MPs to come together to get Brexit done and get this excellent deal over the line. He added, now is the moment for us to get Brexit done and then together to work on building our future partnership.
The EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said, there was no need to extend the Brexit deadline.
On other hand, British lawmakers today voted narrowly in favour of holding the first Parliamentary Session on a Saturday in 37 years, to debate the government's new Brexit deal. Members of the lower chamber House of Commons voted 287 to 275 in favour. It would only be Parliament's fifth Saturday session since the eve of World War II.
The two sides have been working on the legal text of a deal, but it will still need the approval of both the UK and European Parliaments. Britain is due to leave the European Union by 31st of October, with Johnson racing against time to strike a deal to meet that deadline.

U.S and Turkey to allow Kurdish withdrawal in Syria

US Vice-President Mike Pence today announced that Turkey and United States have agreed to a ceasefire in northern Syria. All military operations will be paused for five days, and the US will help facilitate an "orderlywithdrawal" of Kurdish-led troops.
The announcement came after talks between MrPence and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.
Turkey launched its assault on last week. Ankara aimed to repel a Kurdishmilitia that it views as a terrorist group, and resettle Syrian refugees in thearea. The cross-border offensive came after US President Donald Trump pulled USforces out of the border region.
Mr Trump tweeted about the ceasefire before Mr Pence announced it. Mr Trump hadtweeted that millions of lives will be saved!
Chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in a Kurdish TV interview said they would observe the agreement in the area between the border towns of Ras al-Ayin and Tal Abyad, where fighting has been fierce.
However he said they have not discussed the fate of other areas referring to parts of the northeast where Turkey wants to create what it calls a safe zone.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

India begins bilateral joint exercise with Oman

Indian Air Force is participating in a Bilateral Joint Exercise with Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), named EX-EASTERN BRIDGE-V, from today, at Air Force Base Masirah in Oman.
The last exercise, EX-EASTERN BRIDGE-IV was held in 2017 at Jamnagar. For the first time, MiG-29 fighter aircraft will be participating in an International Exercise outside India.
The IAF contingent comprises of MiG-29 and C-17 aircraft. MiG-29 will be exercising with Royal Air Force Oman’s Eurofighter Typhoon, F-16 and Hawk. This exercise will enhance inter-operability during mutual operations between the two Air Forces and will provide an opportunity to learn from each other’s best practices.

AIR correspondent reports, the participation of the Indian Air Force in the exercise will also promote professional interaction, exchange of experience and operational knowledge. The Joint Exercise will be concluded on the 26th of this month.

::SPORTS::

India-Bangladesh FIFA qualifier match ends in draw

In Football, the Group-E match between India and Bangladesh in FIFA World Cup Qualifier match at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium has ended in a draw.
Both the teams scored one goal each. Adil Khan scored the goal for India and Saad Uddin for Bangladesh.