Notes:
The Central government has recently banned Meghalaya-based insurgent group Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) for its increased activities of violence and other subversive acts. The government also declared HNLC and its factions, wings and front organisations as “unlawful associations” by exercising powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967.

Notes:
The Assam government has decided to start Arundhati gold scheme by January 2020 for the registered newly married couples. Under the scheme, an amount of 30 thousand rupees will be given to the bride to purchase gold. The purpose of the scheme is to promote marriage registrations and prevent under-age marriages in the state.  To get the benefit, the annual income of the bride and her father should not be more than 5 lakh rupees per year. As per the scheme, the minimum age of the bride and groom to be 18 and 21 years to avail the benefit.

Notes:
Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has been named People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India’s ‘Person of the Year for 2019’ for his animal advocacy efforts.  also reportedly visited an animal shelter in Bengaluru to check on injured and formerly neglected dogs there, sending a message to his fans to adopt animals rather than buying them. The PETA is an American animal rights organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. 

Notes:
The Union Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals has appointed senior Andhra Pradesh bureaucrat Rajat Bhargava as head of a high-level committee to suggest necessary policy initiatives for attracting more investments into the Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemical Investment Regions (PCPIR) in the country. This is the first time the Union government  is seeking to amend the PCPIR Policy after it was introduced. As per the PCPIR Policy, the Centre approved four PCPIRs at Dahej (Gujarat) on the west coast and Visakhapatnam- Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), Paradeep (Odisha) and Cuddalore- Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu) on the east coast. The VK-PCPIR is the largest in the country spread over an area of 640 sq km along the Bay of Bengal coast.

Notes:
President Ram Nath Kovind presented the prestigious President’s Colour, to the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala, Kerala.  It is recognition of the yeoman service rendered by the institution in training and shaping Indian Naval officers over the last 50 years at three different locations – Kochi, Goa and Ezhimala. The President’s Colour is the highest honour that is bestowed upon a military unit.