Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2019

Notes:
The 42nd Indian Social Science Congress (ISSC-2018) was inaugurated by Manipur governor Dr Najma Heptulla at KIIT University campus in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on December 27. The theme of the Congress was ‘Human Future in Digital Era’. The ISSC is the annual meet of social scientists organised by Indian Social Science Academy (ISSA). It is a multidisciplinary national forum, which promotes integration of Science of Nature-Humans-Society through intra, inter and multi disciplinary appraisal of current research and theory.

Notes:
Justice (retd) H L Dattu, the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has recently launched a toll-free number — 14433 — and also a facility to file complaints through Common Service Centre (CSC) at the Manav Adhikar Bhawan, New Delhi. The toll-free number would be available only during the office hours of the NHRC. The commission has shortlisted 750 CSC with at least one each in a district. The service will be expanded to all the CSCs in a phased manner. The NHRC is an autonomous public body constituted on 12th October 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights Ordinance of 28 September 1993. It is responsible for the protection and promotion of human rights, defined by the Act as “rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the International Covenants”.

Notes:
On January 2, US-based Kathak exponent Anindita Neogy Anaam has been honoured with the National Nritya Shiromani award for promoting the dance form across the world. The award was conferred on her in Cuttack at the 10th Cuttack Mahotsav : International Dance and Music festival in Odisha. The fest is organised by Utkal Yuva Sanskrutik Sangh (UYSS) in association with Cuttack district administration. Anindita Anaam is also recipient of prestigious national awards like Jayadev Rashtriya Puraskar and Bidagdha Nartaki Samman for her outstanding achievement in the preservation and promotion of Indian art in India and abroad.

Notes:
On 2 January 2019, President Arif Alvi appointed Justice Asif Saeed Khosa as the new Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP). Khosa will succeed Mian Saqib Nisar on 18th January and will remain at seat till December 20, 2019. The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) is the head of the court system of Pakistan (the judicature branch of government) and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He is responsible for supervising federal judicial policies, and conducting judicial business in the Supreme Court.

Notes:
Dibyendu Palit (79), the renowned Bengali writer and Sahitya Akademi awardee, has passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal on 3rd January 2019. Born in Bhagalpur in Bihar in 1939, Palit had studied comparative literature in Jadavpur University and his first short story ‘Chhandopatan’ was published in 1955 in the Sunday edition of Anandabazar Patrika. It was followed by his first novel ‘Sindhu Baroan’ published in 1959. He was awarded the ‘Bankim Purashkar’ for ‘Dheu’ in 1990 and ‘Ananda Purashkar’ in 1984 for ‘Sahojoddha’. He was conferred the Sahitya Akademi for his novel ‘Anubhab’ in 1998.

Notes:
The 27th New Delhi World Book Fair has started at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi on January 5 with theme “Readers with Special Needs”. The All India Radio (AIR) is the radio partner for book fair. Over 20 countries including Canada, China, Sri Lanka, and the US are participating in the book fair. More than 600 publishers from across the country are participating in the event. The book fair focuses on Readers with Special Needs, to promote the idea of inclusive learning through a series of exhibitions. The timing of the fair is from 11 am to 8 pm and tickets are available at 50 metro stations. The cost of the entry tickets is 30 rupees for adults and 20 rupees for children. There will be free entry for students in school uniform and senior citizens.

Notes:
In Maharashtra, the 2nd edition of Khelo India Youth Games 2019 will be held in Pune, known as the city of students on January 9. It has already been announced that Youth Olympic Gold Medallist in shooting Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhari, as well as weight lifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga will be among the cream of India’s youth sporting talent competing at these games.Three 10-year-old athletes including footballer Pratima Kumar from Jharkhand, hockey player Laltlanchhungi from Mizoram and West Bengal’s 10m air rifle shooter Abhinav Shaw, will pick up their first experience of competing in a large-scale multi-discipline event.

Notes:
The Government of India (GoI) has amalgamated three Regional Rural Banks (RRB) — Punjab Gramin Bank, Malwa Gramin Bank and Sutlej Gramin Bank — into a single RRB with effect from January 1. The sponsor banks of the RRBs are National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), the Government of Punjab and Punjab National Bank (PNB), State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab and Sind Bank.

Notes:
The first-ever Global Aviation Summit (GAS-2019) with the theme “Flying for all” is scheduled to be held in Mumbai from January 15-16, 2019. Organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation along with FICCI, the GAS-2019 will discuss how to ride this strong tailwind of growth and pave the way forward for the aviation sector. It will provide a platform to the aviation fraternity to showcase the challenges in newly developing growth spots and understand how technology-driver innovations will change air travel in future.The summit is supported by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Federal Aviation Administration of US (FAA), International Air Transport Association (IATA), CiviI Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO), Airports Council International (ACl) and Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA).

Notes:
The World Bank has recently released 2019 Global Economic Prospects report titled “Darkening Skies”, which forecasted that India’s GDP is expected to grow at 7.3% in the fiscal year 2018-19, and 7.5% in the following two years. While, China’s economic growth is projected to slow down to 6.2% each in 2019 and 2020 and 6% in 2021. It said India will continue to be the fastest growing major economy in the world. The World Bank said in its latest report that in India, the growth has accelerated, driven by an upswing in consumption, and investment growth has firmed as the effects of temporary factors wane. Domestic demand has strengthened as the benefits of structural reforms such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST) harmonisation and bank recapitalisation take effect.