Current Affairs - 2019-20

Notes:
The 1504 kilometers of Western DFC cover Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra and UP. The Eastern DFC cover UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Punjab and Haryana.

Notes:
Supercritical and ultra-supercritical technologies are associated with coal-fired power plants. These technologies are designed to improve the efficiency and reduce the emissions of coal-fired power plants.
Supercritical boilers operate at temperatures around 538–565°C and pressures above 3,200 psi. Ultra-supercritical boilers operate at temperatures around 615–630°C and pressures around 300 bar.
The term “advanced ultra-supercritical” (AUSC) is sometimes used to describe generators where the water is above 700°C (1,292°F). The coal industry uses the term “High-Efficiency, Low-Emissions” (HELE) to describe supercritical and ultra-supercritical coal generation.

Notes:
Recently, Indian scientists announced the discovery of an almost fully preserved fossil of a Jurassic age sea-dwelling reptile known as the ‘fish lizard’ from a village in Gujarat’s Kutch district. The discovery was reported in PLOS ONE, a scientific journal, by a group of researchers who found the fossil in early 2016. The discovery adds to the knowledge of ichthyosaur from the southern continents. Ichthyosaur is a combination of two Greek words meaning fish and lizard, a name the reptile gets because of its fish-like appearance. The discovered fossil is believed to be from the Jurassic period, which lasted from about 250 million to 200 million years ago. Ichthyosaur fossils from the Jurassic period have been found in the Americas, Australia and Europe but never in India.

Notes:
Bharatmala Pariyojana is an umbrella programme which includes construction of roads nationwide including in border and coastal areas. It aims to achieve optimal resource allocation for a holistic highway development. It will look to improve connectivity particularly on economic corridors, border areas and national highways in the country.

Notes:
The highest tree cover is shown by Maharashtra (9831 sq km) followed by Rajasthan (8266 sq km), Madhya Pradesh (8073 sq km) and Gujarat (8024 sq km).

Notes:
Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation project is an ambitious project of Telangana state government to provide water to farmers by December 2017.

Notes:
The First International Agro biodiversity Congress– IAC 2016 was held at New Delhi. It consisted of 900 delegates from 60 countries, who encouraged a dialogue to better understand everyone’s role in agro biodiversity management and the conservation of genetic resources.

Notes:
World’s first zero-emission, hydrogen passenger train has been started in Germany. It will start its commercial run December 2017.

Notes:
On occasion of the National Girl Child Day, Nurturing Excellence in Sports Trust (NEST) along with National Yuva Cooperative Society launched the pan India programme 'Khelegi toh Khilegi', which is a pan-India football based programme for girls between the age to 10-15 years.

Notes:
President Vladimir Putin has recently signed a decree to withdraw Russia’s signature from the International Criminal Court treaty. Russia in 2000 signed the Rome treaty that established the Hague-based court but never ratified it. International Criminal Court is based in Hague, Netherlands, and is an intergovernmental organization and international tribunal. Currently, there are 124 states which are party to Rome Statute and therefore members of the ICC. Both India and China are not its members.