Current Affairs Question - February 2020

Explanation :

• PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana(PMKSY) is a Central Sector Scheme aiming to create modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet.
• It is an umbrella scheme with its period coterminous with the cycle of 14^th Finance Commission.

Objectives

• Creation of modern infrastructure for food processing mega food parks/ clusters and individual units
• To create effective backward and forward linkages - linking farmers, processors and markets
• To create robust supply chain infrastructure for perishables

Seven Components of PMKSY

• Mega Food Parks
• Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure
• Creation/ Expansion of Food Processing/ Preservation Capacities (Unit Scheme)
• Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters
• Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages
• Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure
• Human Resources and Institutions

Explanation :

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) and Royal Air Force (RAF) of United Kingdom, jointly commenced the fifth edition of Ex Indradhanush at Air Force Station Hindan on 24^thFebruary,2020.
• The focus of this edition of the exercise is 'Base Defence and Force Protection'.
• This theme is of significance considering the recent threats to military establishments from terror elements.
• The exercise started in 2006 and has held four editions so far.
• Ex Indradhanush provides a platform for the IAF and RAF to share and jointly validate strategies and tactics to counter terror threats to their installations.

Explanation :

• The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction-2015-2030 is a global agreement to reduce and prevent disaster risks across the globe.
• The Framework was adopted at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan, on March 18, 2015.
• It aims to achieve the substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries over the next 15 years.
• It sets four specific priorities for action:
  • -Understanding disaster risk;
  • -Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk;
  • -Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience;
  • -Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to "Build Back Better" in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Explanation :

• Also called as pig influenza, swine flu, hog flu and pig flu, H1N1 is a subtype of influenza A virus (a communicable viral disease), which causes upper, and potentially, lower respiratory tract infections in the host it infects.
• Symptoms of H1N1 includes fever, chills and sore throat; and is similar to seasonal influenza but has been characterised by higher fatality rates among healthy young adults and higher incidence of viral pneumonia.
• It spreads from person to person, either by touching the affected person or inhaling.
• The first outbreak of H1N1 was witnessed by the world in 2009 and soon declared as ‘Pandemic’ by the World Health Organisation.

Explanation :

• The International Judicial Conference-2020, organized by the Supreme Court of India, was held from 21st-23rd February, 2020 in New Delhi, under the theme- Judiciary and the Changing World.
• The Conference discussed the changes being introduced by the Government of India to bring Gender Equality in recruiting women in military services, selection process of fighter pilots, freedom of women to work in mines at night.
• The Conference also focused on the need for technology to deliver rapid justice.

Explanation :

• The Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), also known commonly as the Pacific Ridley Sea Turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae.
• The turtle is named for the generally greenish color of its skin and shell, or carapace. It is closely related to the Kemp’s Ridley, with the primary distinction being that Olive Ridleys are found only in warmer waters, including the Southern Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.
• Olive and Kemp’s Ridleys are the smallest of the sea turtles, weighing up to 100 pounds and reaching only about 2 feet in shell length.
• These turtles are best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada.
• The Olive Ridley is classified as ‘Vulnerable’ according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), and is listed in Appendix I of CITES.

Explanation :

• Mahadayi River rises in the Western Ghats, from the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Khanapur taluk of Karnataka’s Belagavi district. Flowing westward, it enters Goa from Sattari taluk of North Goa district.
• A number of streams join the flow of the river to form the Mandovi which is one of two major rivers that flow through Goa.
• It joins the Arabian Sea at Panaji.
• The Mahadayi River, also spelt Mhadei or Mahadeyi, stretches 111-km. Over two-thirds of the river’s stretch lies in Goa (76km).
• Mapusa River is an important tributary of Mandovi.
• Dudhsagar Falls and Varapoha Falls are important falls located on Mandovi River.

Explanation :

• Launched in 2016, SPMRM follows the vision of - Development of a cluster of villages that preserve and nurture the essence of rural community life with focus on equity and inclusiveness without compromising with the facilities perceived to be essentially urban in nature, thus creating a cluster of "Rurban Villages".
• The objective is to stimulate local economic development, enhance basic services, and create well planned Rurban clusters.
• Substantial part of the works identified for development in the clusters is focused on provision of basic and economic amenities.
• Provision of basic amenities in a cluster typically comprise; provision of 24/7 Water Supply to all households, Solid and Liquid Waste Management facilities at the household and cluster level, provision of Inter and Intra village roads within the cluster, adequate Street Lights and Public Transport facilities using green technologies.
• Provision of Economic Amenities in a cluster comprise various thematic areas in the sectors of Agri Services and Processing, Tourism, and Skill Development to promote Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.

Explanation :

• Three Indian species –the mainland Asian elephant, Great Indian Bustard and the Bengal Florican were selected for priority bio-diversity conservation at the United Nations summit for conservation of migratory species of wild animals.
• All the three animals were included in the ‘Appendix I’ of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of wild animals (CMS). The announcement was made at the 13th Conference of Parties (COP) of the CMS being hosted by India, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from February 17-22, 2020.

Significance

• Inclusion in the 'Appendix I’ is for ‘migratory species threatened with extinction’ would lead to push for greater habitat protection, prohibition against poaching and facilitation of their movement in the regions and countries that are part of these species ranges.

Explanation :

• On 20^th February, 2020, the two hill states of northeast, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram, celebrated their 32nd Statehood Day.

Mizoram

• Mizoram being a mountainous region was a district off Assam till 1972. It became a state with the implementation of North-Eastern Reorganization Act, 1972. It became the 23rd Indian state on February 20, 1987.

Arunachal Pradesh

• The state was called the North-East Frontier Agency. Later in 1975, an elected Legislative Assembly was constituted. After the Reorganization Act, 1972, Arunachal Pradesh remained as a Union Territory. It became a state in 1987.

Explanation :

• The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) was established in July 1989 by the Group of Seven (G-7) Summit in Paris, initially to examine and develop measures to combat money laundering.
• The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terror financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.
• The FATF has developed a series of Recommendations that are recognised as the international standard for combating of money laundering and the financing of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.They form the basis for a coordinated response to these threats to the integrity of the financial system and help ensure a level playing field.
• First issued in 1990, the FATF Recommendations were revised in 1996, 2001, 2003 and most recently in 2012 to ensure that they remain up to date and relevant, and they are intended to be of universal application.
• The FATF's decision making body, the FATF Plenary, meets three times per year.

Explanation :

• Asur people are a very small Austroasiatic ethnic group (PVTG) living primarily in the Indian state of Jharkhand, mostly in the Gumla, Lohardaga, Palamu and Latehar districts.
• They are traditionally iron-smelters. They were once hunter gatherers, having also involved in shifting agriculture.
• The Asur society is divided into 12 clans. These Asur clans are named after different animals, birds and food grains. Family is second prominent institution after the clan.
• The Asurs speak a distinct language called Asuri but no portion of the Scripture is available.

Explanation :

• Kambala is an annual festival celebrated in the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka.
• Traditionally, it is sponsored by local Tuluva landlords and households in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi of Karnataka and Kasaragod of Kerala, a region collectively known as Tulu Nadu.
• The festival involves the traditional buffalo race, a popular and unique sport among the farming community of the state.
• During the early days of the festival it was known as Karaga celebrations. Later it came to be known as Kambala celebrations.

Types

• There are four types of Kambala: Bare Kambala, Pokare Kambala, Arasu Kambala and Modern Kambala.
• In the first type, the man holding the rope of bulls also runs the race from behind. But the plough is not tied in this type.
• In the second type, the man though holds the rope doesn’t run from behind, rather he ties a plank to the plough and stands on the plough.
• In the third type, a plough is tied to both the bulls and the man holding the rope runs from behind.
• The fourth type is called Kane halage race: In this format, reaching the goal is not important. A cloth is tied at two meters height on the both sides of the running track. While running, the sludge should touch and stain the cloth....Prize is given based on the proportion of stains on the cloth.

Explanation :

• AGR is the usage and licensing fee that telecom operators are charged by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• Telecom operators are required to pay license fee and spectrum charges in the form of ‘revenue share’ to the Centre. The revenue amount used to calculate this revenue share is termed as the AGR.
• According to the DoT, the calculations should incorporate all revenues earned by a telecom company – including from non-telecom sources such as deposit interests and sale of assets. The companies, however, have been of the view that AGR should comprise the revenues generated from telecom services only and non-telecom revenues should be kept out of it.
• Currently, telecom operators pay 8% of the AGR as license fee, while spectrum usage charges (SUC) vary between 3-5% of AGR.

Explanation :

• Part XIV-A of the Constitution provides for the Tribunals. The provision was added through 42nd Amendment Act, 1976.
• Article 323A and 323B provide for Administrative Tribunals and Tribunals related to other matters respectively.
• Under Article 323A, Parliament is empowered to establish Administrative Tribunals for the adjudication of disputes and complaints with respect to recruitment and conditions of service of persons appointed to public services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union or of any State.
• The Administrative Tribunals Act in 1985 enacted by the Parliament authorises the Central Government to establish Central Administrative Tribunal and the State Administrative Tribunals.

Explanation :

• The Korku are an Adivasi ethnic group predominantly found in the Khandwa, Burhanpur, Betul and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh and adjoining areas near the Melghat Tiger Reserve of Maharashtra.
• Korku people are initially believed to be a hunter-gatherer community who dwelt in the forests of the Satpura Range on both sides of the Tapti River.
• The Korku language, which is often called the Kolarian language, belongs to the Munda Family of languages.

Explanation :

• The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is a statutory body formed in April 1957 by the Government of India, under the Act of Parliament - 'Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956'.
• It is an apex organisation under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, with regard to khadi and village industries within India, which seeks to - "plan, promote, facilitate, organise and assist in the establishment and development of khadi and village industries in the rural areas.
• In April 1957, it took over the work of former All India Khadi and Village Industries Board.
• The KVIC is authorized to establish and maintain separate organisations for the purpose of carrying out any or all of the above matters besides carrying out any other matters incidental to its activities.
• It may also undertake directly or through other agencies studies concerning the problems of Khadi and/or village industries besides research or establishing pilot projects for the development of Khadi and village industries.

Broad Objectives

• The social objective of providing employment.
• The economic objective of producing saleable articles.
• The wider objective of creating self-reliance amongst the poor and building up of a strong rural community spirit.

Explanation :

• The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organization comprising seven Member States lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity.
• This sub-regional organization came into being on 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.
• It constitutes seven Member States: five deriving from South Asia, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and two from Southeast Asia, including Myanmar and Thailand.
• Initially, the economic bloc was formed with four Member States with the acronym ‘BIST-EC’ (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation). Following the inclusion of Myanmar on 22 December 1997 during a special Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, the Group was renamed ‘BIMST-EC’ (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation).
• With the admission of Nepal and Bhutan at the 6th Ministerial Meeting (February 2004, Thailand), the name of the grouping was changed to ‘Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation’ (BIMSTEC).

Objective

• The objective of building such an alliance was to harness shared and accelerated growth through mutual cooperation in different areas of common interests by mitigating the onslaught of globalization and by utilizing regional resources and geographical advantages . Unlike many other regional groupings, BIMSTEC is a sector-driven cooperative organization.

Explanation :

• Launched in August, 2019, Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), a central government initiative under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, aims to ensure access of piped water for every household in India.
• It subsumed the ongoing National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) into Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to provide Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every rural household i.e., Har Ghar Nal Se Jal (HGNSJ) by 2024.
• The goal of JJM is to provide functional household tap connection to every household with service level at the rate of 55 litres per capita per day (lpcd).
• The fund sharing pattern between Centre and State is 90:10 for Himalayan (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh) and North-Eastern States, 100:0 for UTs and 50:50 for rest of the States.
• JJM will focus on integrated demand and supply side management of water at the local level, including creation of local infrastructure for source sustainability like rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and management of household wastewater for reuse would be undertaken in convergence with other Government programmes/ schemes.

Impact

• It will significantly improve quality of life, particularly of women and children and assist in ODF-sustainability as water is important to sustain Swachh Bharat Mission’s gains.
• Further there will be procurement of various materials for water supply systems. This will generate employment and boost the economy.

Explanation :

• Located in Puri, Odisha, the thirteenth-century Sun Temple, was built by King Narasimhadeva I (AD 1236-1264) of the Ganga dynasty.
• Three kinds of stones were used in its construction, namely Chlorite, Laterite, and Khondalite rocks. The original temple consisted of the main sanctuary, called Bada Deul or Rekha Deul, which was surrounded by other smaller structures. In front of the main sanctuary stood another smaller sanctum called the Bhadra Deul or the assembly hall of the people.
• It exhibits the traditional Odisha style of architecture, also known as Kalinga architecture, on a grand scale.
• The temple is constructed as a gigantic chariot with 24 wheels about three meters high and pulled by 7 horses, housing the Sun God within.
• The entrance is guarded by two huge lions, each killing a war elephant and beneath the elephant is a man. The lions represent pride, elephants represent wealth and both of them consume man.
• This temple is also known as 'Black Pagoda' due to its dark color and used as a navigational landmark by ancient sailors to Odisha coast.

Explanation :

• Exercise Ajeya Warrior is a joint military exercise between India and the UK. It was held for the first time in 2013.
• The aim of this exercise is to conduct army level joint training with emphasis on counter terrorism operations.
• The fifth edition of India-UK joint military exercise will be conducted at Salisbury Plains, United Kingdom from 13th-26th February, 2020.

Other exercises between India and UK

• Exercise Konkan: It is an annual maritime bilateral exercise between Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Britain.
• Exercise Indradhanush: It is a joint bilateral air exercise between India and the UK.

Explanation :

• Pangolins or scaly anteaters are mammals of the order Pholidota (from the Greek word- horny scale). Thesehave large, protective keratin scales covering their skin; they are the only known mammals with this feature
• Pangolins eat ants, termites and larvae and are often known as "the scaly anteater." Because they have no teeth, pangolins pick up food with their sticky tongues, which can sometimes reach lengths greater than the animal’s body.
• There are eight species of pangolins. Four are found is Asia—Chinese, Sunda, Indian, and Philippine pangolins—and they're listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.
• The four African species—the ground pangolin, giant pangolin, white-bellied, and black-bellied—are listed as vulnerable.

Ecological Significance

• Pangolins are known as the guardians of the forest because they protect forests from termite destruction, maintaining a balanced ecosystem.

Explanation :

• The Chindu Yakshaganam is an age-old art form popular in Armur, Bodhan, Nizamabad, Makloor, Balkonda and Morthad areas in the district of Telangana state.
• The art form dates back to second century BC, is derived from the artiste’s caste Chindu Madiga, a sub-caste of Madiga in Telangana.
• The word ‘Chindu’ in Telugu means ‘jump’. As their presentation is interspersed with leaps and jumps, gaining its name.
• Also called Chindu Bhagavatam, it is similar to Yakshaganam, a traditional theatre form particular to Karnataka State.
• The ancient art form combines dance, music, dialogues between the characters, costume, make-up, and stage techniques with a unique style and form and such was the aura of these artists.

Explanation :

• Repo Rate, or repurchase rate, is the key monetary policy rate of interest at which the central bank or the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) lends short term money to banks, essentially to control credit availability, inflation, and the economic growth.
• Repo Rate in India is the primary tool in the RBI’s Monetary and Credit Policy.
• Other policy rates, such as Reverse Repo Rate and Marginal Standing Facility Rate, are often directly linked with the Repo Rate of RBI.
• A Repo transaction for a day is known as an Overnight Repo. In such an agreement, banks sell securities to the RBI for money, and repurchase those the following day, thus, returning the money to the central bank.
• Repo Rate is the most significant rate for the common man too. Everything from interest rates on loans to returns on deposits is influenced by this crucial rate set by the RBI, which is why interest rates on home loans, car loans and other kinds of borrowings go up and down based on the direction of Repo Rate change.

Explanation :

• Mt. Aconcagua is the highest mountain in South America (6,961 meters); the highest mountain in the Western and Southern Hemispheres; and the highest mountain outside Asia.
• Aconcagua lies within Aconcagua Provincial Park in the province of Mendoza in the Republic of Argentina. The mountain lies completely within Argentina and, unlike many other Andean peaks, does not sit on the international border with Chile.
• The mountain was formed by the collision of the Nazca Plate and the South American Plate during the relatively recent Andean orogeny or period of mountain building.
• It is of volcanic origin, but it is not itself an active volcano.

Explanation :

• Recently, Kerala government made announced to impose a ban on the sale of compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) and incandescent (filament) bulbs starting November, 2020.
• The announcement is in line with the government project of ‘Filament-free Kerala’ envisaged in 2018 as part of the state’s Urja Kerala mission.
• The project is also part of the long-term sustainable energy policy of the government to reduce the dependence on conventional energy sources and instead maximise potential on renewable sources like solar and hydel power.

Reason

• LED bulbs are energy-efficient than filament or CFL bulbs and will, therefore, generate less waste. Also, filament bulbs contain the mercury element which, when broken, is polluting in nature.

Explanation :

• On 3^rd February, 2020, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced thatit had discovered a new natural gas field with 80 trillion standard cubic feet (tscf) of shallow gas resources.
• The reservoir, named ‘Jebel Ali’, is located between the emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which along with five other emirates form the UAE.
• The gas find is the largest since the discovery of the Galkynysh field in Turkmenistan in 2005. At 80 tscf, the new reservoir would now be ranked the fourth largest by size in the Middle East, behind the North Field in Qatar, South Pars in Iran, and the Bab field in Abu Dhabi. The Qatari and Iranian fields are part of the same deposit.

Impact

• The Jebel Ali reserve contains shallow gas, which refers to organic gas found just beneath the earth’s surface. The nature of the gas means the cost of the production is much lower than that for reaching deeper resources.
• Further, the discovery is expected to reduce the UAE’s dependence on gas supplies for electricity from Qatar, a nation with which the former has had a bitter standoff since 2017.

Explanation :

• Reverse osmosis (RO) is a process that removes foreign contaminants, solid substances, large molecules and minerals from water by using pressure to push it through specialized membranes.
• As its name implies, RO takes osmosis, a natural process that occurs in every cell-based organism—plants, animals and even people—and reverses it.
• Unlike osmosis, which is a passive process, reverse osmosis requires external force (pressure) to work.
• Pressure is applied to a highly concentrated solute solution (e.g., salt water) to pass through a membrane to a lower concentrate solution.

Application

• RO is used to produce highly purified water for drinking water systems, industrial boilers, food and beverage processing, cosmetics, pharmaceutical production, seawater desalination, and many other applications.

Explanation :

• The submarine project called “Project-75 India (P-75I)” was first approved by the defence ministry in 2007 but has been delayed due to politico-bureaucratic apathy.
• The Project 75I-class submarine is a follow-on of the Project 75 Kalvari-class submarines for the Indian Navy.
• Under this project, the Indian Navy intends to acquire six diesel-electric submarines, which will also feature advanced air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems to enable them to stay submerged for longer duration and substantially increase their operational range.
• The French Naval Group is among the five Original Equipment Manufactures (OEM) who have been shortlisted for the Indian Navy’s project for advanced submarines under Project-75I.
• All six submarines are expected to be constructed in Indian shipyards.
• The first Scorpene submarine, Kalvari, was commissioned in 2017 and it would go for a normal refit after six years in 2023, during which time the AIP would be installed.
• Second Scorpene Khanderi was inducted in September 2019.

Explanation :

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Act, 1934 was amended by Finance Act (India), 2016 to constitute MPC, to bring more transparency and accountability in fixing India's Monetary Policy.
• The committee comprises six members - three officials of the RBI and three external members nominated by the Government of India.
• The Governor of Reserve Bank of India is the chairperson ex officio of the committee.
• The MPC is responsible for fixing the benchmark interest rate in India.
• The meetings of the Monetary Policy Committee are held at least 4 times a year.

Explanation :

• On 5^th Februart, 2020, the Union Cabinet approved the setting up of the country’s 13^th major port at Vadhavannear Dahanuin Maharashtra at a total cost of Rs 65,544.54 crore.
• The Vadhavan port will be developed on “landlord model” (where infrastructure is leased to private firms or industries and chemical plants).
• A special purpose vehicle (SPV) will be formed, with the government planning to hold 51 percent stake in the project.
• The SPV will develop the port infrastructure including reclamation, construction of breakwater, besides establishing connectivity to the hinterland. All the business activities would be undertaken under the private-public partnership mode.

Impact

• With the development of Vadhavan port, India will break into the countries with top 10 container ports in the world.

Explanation :

• Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) launched a special programme for School Children called "Young Scientist Programme" "YUva VIgyani KAryakram" in 2019, in tune with the Government's vision "Jai Vigyan, Jai Anusandhan".
• The Program is primarily aimed at imparting basic knowledge on Space Technology, Space Science and Space Applications to the younger ones with the intent of arousing their interest in the emerging areas of Space activities. The program is thus aimed at creating awareness amongst the youngsters who are the future building blocks of our Nation. ISRO has chalked out this programme to “Catch them young”.

Explanation :

• Dihing or Burhi Dihing is a large tributary of the Brahmaputra River in Upper Assam in northeastern India.
• The river originates in the Eastern Himalayas (the Patkai Hills) in Arunachal Pradesh and flows through Tinsukia and Dibrugarh Districts in Assam to its confluence with the Brahmaputra at Dihingmukh.

Explanation :

• Brihadishvara Temple, also called Rajarajesvaram or Peruvudaiyar Kovil, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in South bank of Kaveri River in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.
• It is one of the largest South Indian temples and an exemplary example of a fully realized Dravidian architecture. It is called as Dhakshina Meru (Meru of South).
• Built by Tamil king Raja Raja Chola I between 1003 and 1010 AD, the temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Great Living Chola Temples", along with the Chola dynasty era Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and Airavatesvara temple.
• The temple has a massive colonnaded prakara (corridor) and one of the largest Shiva lingas in India.
• It is also famed for the quality of its sculpture, as well as being the location that commissioned the brass Nataraja – Shiva as the lord of dance, in 11th century.

Explanation :

• The Blue Dot Network (BDN) was formally announced on 4^th November, 2019 at the Indo-Pacific Business Forum in Bangkok, Thailand.
• It is formed by USA, Japan and Australia to prevent small countries from debt trap of China. It's actually a Michelin Guide organisation.
• The aim of this initiative is to evaluate and certify nominated infrastructure projects based upon adherence to commonly accepted principles and standards to promote market-driven, transparent, and financially sustainable infrastructure development in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world.
• It is a multi-stakeholder initiative to bring together governments, the private sector and civil society to promote high-quality, trusted standards for global infrastructure development.
• The network is “ratings mechanism” that would grade infrastructure projects in the Indo-Pacific region on different parameters to ensure transparency and is planned as direct counter to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• However, unlike the BRI, the BDN would not offer public funds or loans for the project.

Explanation :

• On 1^st February, 2020, Maldives was officially readmitted to the Commonwealth, taking the count of the bloc's membership countries back to 54.
• Maldives joined the Commonwealth in 1982, and withdrew its membership in 2016, after being threatened with suspension over its human rights record and lack of progress on democratic reform.
• After due diligence, which included country assessment and consultations in accordance with the rules and procedures agreed by the Commonwealth Heads of Government in Kampala in 2007, Maldives has been re-admitted.
• The country will now be part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kigali, Rwanda in June, 2020.

Explanation :

• Rakhigarhi, a Harappan site, is a village located in Hisar District of Haryana. The site is located in the Ghaggar-Hakra river plain, some 27 km from the seasonal Ghaggar River.
• It is the site of a pre-Indus Valley Civilisation settlement going back to about 6500 BCE.
• Later,the archaeological excavations revealed the mature Harappan phase represented by planned township having mud-brick as well as burnt-brick houses with a proper drainage system.
• It is the largest Indus Valley Civilization site in the Indian subcontinent, twice the size of Mohenjo-daro.
• In May 2012, the Global Heritage Fund, declared Rakhigarhi one of the 10 most endangered heritage sites in Asia. It found out that the villagers sell the artefacts they dig out of the site and parts of site are now being encroached by private houses.

Explanation :

• The North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, is a trade pact signed by the U.S.A, Canada and Mexico, which made it easier for companies in those three countries to move goods and supplies across North America’s borders.
• The agreement took effect on January 1, 1994, and essentially eliminated tariffs on most goods traded among the three nations.
• The United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) is an updated version of the nearly 25-year-old, trillion-dollar North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). It includes major changes on cars and new policies on labor and environmental standards, intellectual property protections, and some digital trade provisions.
• The USMCA was proposed by United States President Donald Trump and was signed by President Trump, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on November 30, 2018 as a side event of the 2018 G20 Summit in Buenos Aires.

Explanation :

• The Dividend Distribution Tax(DDT) is a tax levied ondividends that a company pays to its shareholders out of its profits.
• DDT is taxable at source and is deducted at the time of the company distributing dividends. The dividend is the part of profits that the company shares with its shareholders.
• Under Section 115-O, the Income Tax Act, any domestic firm which is declaring or distributing dividend has to pay DDT at the rate of 15 percent on the gross amount of dividend.
• The tax has to be paid to the government within 14 days of the dividend declaration, distribution or payment whichever is earliest.
• If DDT is not paid within the given time period, interest at a rate of 1 percent per month or part thereof starts getting accumulated till the amount is paid. The tax is paid separately, over and above the company’s income tax liability.

Explanation :

• The Law Commission of India, in its 41st Report dated September 24, 1969 pointed out the necessity of introducing a provision in the Code of Criminal Procedure enabling the High Court and the Court of Sessions to grant “anticipatory bail.”
• Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, lays down the law on anticipatory bail, which reads: “When any person has reason to believe that he may be arrested on an accusation of having committed a non-bailable offence, he may apply to the High Court or the Court of Session for a direction under this section; and that Court may, if it thinks fit, direct that in the event of such arrest, he shall be released on bail.
• The provision empowers only the Sessions Court and High Court to grant anticipatory bail.
• As opposed to ordinary bail, which is granted to a person who is under arrest, in anticipatory bail, a person is directed to be released on bail even before arrest made.

Explanation :

• Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO (INCCU) was formed by the Government of India in 1949.
• It was made a permanent commission in 1951.
• The objective of the
• The objective of the Commission is to advise the Government in matters falling in the domain of UNESCO and to play a role in UNESCO’s work particularly in the formulation and execution of its programmes.
• The Commission consists of five Sub-Commissions namely:
  • Education
  • Natural Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Communication
  • Culture

Explanation :

• India and Bangladesh, which is hosted alternately by both countries.
• It was held for the first time in 2011.
• The ninth edition of SAMPRITI will be conducted at UMROI, Meghalaya, India from 3^rd February to 16^th February, 2020.
• During SAMPRITI-IX, a Command Post Exercise (CPX) and a Field Training Exercise (FTX) will be conducted.