Current Affairs Quiz-December, 2019

Notes:
Minister of State for Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy inaugurated the first-ever International Conference on “Landslides Risk Reduction and Resilience” in New Delhi. This first-of-its-kind conference aims to bring together all the stakeholders including relevant Ministries and experts to discuss, debate and disseminate information, experiences and innovations for landslides risk reduction and resilience at national and international levels.

Notes:
India has become the first country in the world to completely digitize the Haj process. Various services have been added to the online application service like e-visa, haj mobile app, e-messiah health facility, stay and traffic information in Mecca Medina and Haj pilgrimage information. It is for the first time when digital pre-tagging has been arranged by the airlines so that Haj pilgrims will get all kinds of information in India itself. Haj pilgrims will get prior information about which room of which building in Mecca Medina and what number bus will have to be taken after landing at the airport.

Notes:
A total of 19,668 hospitals in the country have been empanelled under Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana on 25th of November this year.They included over nine thousand hospitals in the private sector. This information was given in a written reply in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Ashwini Kumar Choubey. Gujarat topped the list with 2856 empanelled hospitals followed by Karnataka with 2849 and Uttar Pradesh with 2312 hospitals.

Notes:
Centre launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 across the country. The government’s flagship scheme is aimed at immunizing children under the age of 2 years and pregnant women against eight vaccine preventable diseases. The IMI covers vaccines for diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles, meningitis and Hepatitis B. Vaccines for Japanese encephalitis and hemophilus influenzal are also being provided in selected areas. The IMI 2.0 aims to achieve targets of full immunization coverage in 272 districts spread over 27 States. The IMI 2.0 will be carried out between December 2019 and March 2020.

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The Lok Sabha on December 2, 2019 passed a Bill to replace an Ordinance promulgated in September for effecting reduction of corporate tax rates. Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019, will amend the Income Tax Act 1961 and the Finance (No 2) Act 2019.

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International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3) is an international observance promoted by the United Nations since 1992. It has been observed with varying degrees of success around the planet. The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. It was originally called “International Day of Disabled Persons” until 2007.Each year the day focuses on a different issue. The theme for 2019 is “The Future is Accessible”

Notes:
The Awards for first-ever MoEF&CC and CMS VATAVARAN-2019 Short Film Competition and Festival on Environment was presented in New Delhi. The awards were presented by Ravi Agrawal, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) at culmination of four-day festival where all shortlisted films were showcased.
The Jury which selected final awardees for competition comprised of Ramesh Sippy, Manju Borah, Rahul Rawail and Agnimitra Paul. The shortlisted films of MoEF&CC-2019 Short Film Competition and Festival on Environment were screened in festival.
The award was presented in three categories: (1) School students, (2) Amateur and College students, (3) Professionals.

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Joker star Joaquin Phoenix has been named by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals as its 2019 Person of the Year. A vegan since the age of 3, Phoenix, a usually interview-averse Hollywood actor, has been a longtime supporter of the animal rights organization.

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Indian Government has declared Port of Mongla and Chattogram as Ports of Call under Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWT&T) between India and Bangladesh. Mongla and Chattogram are declared as Ports of Call under the Coastal Shipping Agreement between India and Bangladesh. An MoU, Agreement and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was signed between India and Bangladesh on the use of Chattogram Port & Mongla Ports for the movement of goods to and from India.

Notes:
India continues to be the largest country of origin of international migrants with a 17.5 million-strong diaspora across the world. It received the highest remittance of $78.6 billion from Indians living abroad. The International Organisation for Migration said in its ‘Global Migration Report 2020’ that the number of international migrants in 2019 is now estimated at 270 million and the top destination remains the US, at nearly 51 million.