Notes:
The Jalasathi program was recently launched by the Odisha state government for providing access to safe drinking water supply to all households. A dedicated app was also launched along with it. Point of Sale machines and kits for testing water quality were distributed to women volunteers called ‘Jalasathis’.

Notes:
OCTOPUS is a counter-terrorism force of Andhra Pradesh. OCTOPUS or Organisation for Counter-Terrorist Operations is an elite unit and was recently assigned as a security cover for the state’s Chief Minister. It was formed for the first time in 2007.

Notes:
The state government of Andhra Pradesh is in talks to develop 3 decentralised capitals instead of one. The state is in talks to develop Amaravati as the legislative capital, Visakhapatnam as the executive capital and Kurnool as the judicial capital.

Notes:
The Raisinia Dialogue is a flagship platform of India in geoeconomics and geopolitics. The ministry of external affairs organises this event annually in collaboration with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). The 2020 edition is to be conducted from January 14^th to 16^th in New Delhi.

Notes:
The Suposhan Abhiyan is a scheme of the Chhattisgarh state government. The state recently conducted information dissemination drives in local languages under this scheme to create awareness about the various government initiatives to the forest dwellers and tribal people of the region.

Notes:
The Ludhiana Tiger Safari is in Punjab. It is the one such facility in the state. The safari is to welcome 2 new tigers from Chhattisgarh. Three of its tigresses had passed in 2013 and its remaining two tigers are of failing health.

Notes:
The INDRA 2019 is a tri-service defence exercise between India and Russia. The exercise involves the army, navy and the air force of both the countries. The second edition of the exercise concluded recently in Pune, Goa and Babina. The exercise focuses on counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency.

Notes:
The host star and exoplanet, HD 20868 and HD 20868b, were named as Baiduri and Intan by the International Astronomical Union recently. The names are derived from terms for gemstones in Malay language. It was suggested by Malaysia. They are in the constellation Fornax (the Furnace).

Notes:
The star Nakambe is in the constellation Eridanus (the River). The star was named by the International Astronomical Union based on the suggestions of Burkina Faso. The star is named after a major river in the African nation. The name was arrived at through the ‘NameexoWorlds’ contest.

Notes:
The exercise ‘Apharan’ was conducted at Port of Kochi. It saw the participation of Indian navy and coast guard. It is an anti- hijacking exercise of the Southern Naval Command. The Cochin Port Trust was also involved in the exercise.