Achieve your IAS dreams with The Core IAS – Your Gateway to Success in Civil Services

PIB DECEMBER 2019

 

MITRA SHAKTI 2019

  • The seventh edition of Exercise MITRA SHAKTI, aimed at enhancing interoperability and operational efficiency between the armies of India and Sri Lanka, began on December 1, 2019, at Aundh Military Station, Pune.
  • The exercise focused on deployment strategies as part of United Nations peacekeeping forces.

Independent Director’s Databank

  • The Ministry of Corporate Affairs introduced the Independent Director’s Databank to strengthen the institution of Independent Directors under the Companies Act.
  • The databank offers various e-learning capsules and videos to help users gain knowledge on company operations, regulations, and compliance.

National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT)

  • Why in News: The government has decided to set up a bench of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in Chennai.
  • About NCLT:
    • Constituted under Section 410 of the Companies Act, 2013.
    • Hears appeals against orders of NCLT, DRT, IBBI, and CCI.
    • Established in 2016.

Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army)

  • Founded on: October 21, 1943.
  • Key Leaders: Rash Behari Bose, who set up the Indian Independence League in Japan.
  • Formed with the aim of liberating India from British rule by utilizing Indian prisoners of war captured by Japan during WWII.

Tiger Corridors in India

  • The National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Wildlife Institute of India identified 32 major tiger corridors for long-term conservation:

1. Shivalik Hills & Gangetic Plains:

  • Rajaji–Corbett (Uttarakhand)
  • Corbett–Dudhwa (Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Nepal)
  • Dudhwa–Kishanpur–Katerniaghat (Uttar Pradesh, Nepal)

2. Central India & Eastern Ghats:

  • Ranthambhore–Kuno–Madhav (Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan)
  • Bandhavgarh–Achanakmar (Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh)
  • Guru Ghasidas–Palamau–Lawalong (Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand)

3. Western Ghats:

  • Sahyadri–Radhanagari–Goa (Maharashtra, Goa)
  • Nagarahole–Mudumalai–Wayanad (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu)

4. North-East:

  • Kaziranga–Itanagar WLS (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh)
  • Kaziranga–Karbi Anglong (Assam)

Blue Flag Certification for Beaches

  • Issued by: Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).
  • Established: 1985 in France, implemented worldwide since 2001.
  • Certification evaluates 33 parameters of sustainability.

Pilot Beaches Identified in India:

  • Shivrajpur (Gujarat), Kovalam (Tamil Nadu), Miramar (Goa), Golden Beach (Odisha), and more.

Political Parties Registration Tracking Management System (PPRTMS)

  • Launched to allow applicants to track their party registration applications via SMS and email.
  • Governed by Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

Ratna Status for CPSEs

  • Maharatna Criteria:
    • Navratna status and listed on stock exchanges with required public shareholding.
    • Average turnover above ₹25,000 crore and profit above ₹5,000 crore over three years.
    • Significant global operations.
  • Miniratna Criteria:
    • Profit for three consecutive years with positive net worth.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu Merger Bill, 2019

  • The bill merged the two Union Territories into a single entity.

Equalisation Levy

  • Introduced in 2016 as a 6% flat tax on revenue from digital advertising services provided by non-resident entities.

India-Based Neutrino Observatory (INO)

  • Proposed in Theni district, Tamil Nadu.
  • Neutrinos:
    • Tiny, neutral particles with minimal mass.
    • Generated by cosmic rays, stars, and laboratory experiments.

Bharat Bond ETF

  • India’s first corporate bond ETF.
  • Key Features:
    • Invests in AAA-rated bonds of government entities.
    • Fixed maturity periods of 3 and 10 years.
    • Low cost and transparent NAV.

Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA)

  • Fund established by the Central Government for:
    • Refund of unclaimed dividends and matured deposits.
    • Promoting investor education and awareness.
    • Legal reimbursement for class-action suits.

National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC)

  • The only public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME).
  • Engages in CSR projects for small industries.

Green Expressways in India

  • Six or eight-lane controlled-access highways designed for efficient, high-speed travel.