Jan 2020

    INTERNATIONAL India Forex reserves touch all time high of 457.468 billion   India’s foreign exchange reserves got by 2.520 billion USD to touch a record high of 457.468 billion USD in the week on 27th December 2019. The foreign currency assets, a significant part of the overall reserves, rose by 2.203 billion USD to 424.936 billion USD. The … Read more

INTERNATIONAL China reported the first case from new Coronavirus   Chinese health authorities reported that a new virus implicated in a pneumonia outbreak was identified in the city of Wuhan, China. The researchers discovered that the new strain of the virus is that of the coronavirus.   Coronaviruses infects the respiratory tract.   In 2002-03, Coronavirus killed more … Read more

    INTERNATIONAL Year 2020 Designated as Year of Nurse and Midwife   World Health Organization (WHO) designated 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife to honor the 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale. The World Health Organization (WHO) is the collaborating partner in the three-year Nursing Now Campaign (2018–2020).   The main objective is to improve health … Read more

INTERNATIONAL IEA released a first in-depth review of Indias energy policies   The International Energy Agency (IEA) along with the country’s policy think tank NITI Aayog released the first in-depth review of India’s energy policies. The review aims to set out a range of recommendations in each energy policy area. The IEA regularly releases energy policy reviews for its member … Read more

Budget Highlights   Expenditure: The government proposes to spend Rs 30,42,230 crore in 2020-21, which is 12.7% higher than the revised estimate of 2019-20.   Receipts: The receipts (other than net borrowings) are expected to increase by 16.3% to Rs 22,45,893 crore, owing to higher estimated revenue from disinvestments.   GDP growth: The government has … Read more

    INTERNATIONAL   World Future Energy Summit begins in Abu Dhabi   The World Future Energy Summit begins in Abu Dhabi. 33,500 participants from 170 countries and 800 specialist exhibitors are expected to attend the four-day annual event. The theme for this year’s summit is “Rethinking Global Consumption, Production, and Investment.” The World Future … Read more

Govt signs accord with NDFB, ABSU to resolve Bodo issue to redraw and rename the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD) in Assam, currently spread over four districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri. villages dominated by Bodos that were presently outside the BTAD would be included and those with non-Bodo population would be excluded The … Read more

    INTERNATIONAL Brazil to open new Antarctic research base   Brazil has announced that it is to open a new research base in Antarctica. Brazil’s original scientific outpost was destroyed by fire 8 years ago. It is expected that Vice President Hamilton Mourao and Science and Technology Minister Marcos Pontes will attend the official opening ceremony.   The Brazilian government … Read more

WEST Bengal Padam Bushan Ajoy Chakravorty              Art Padam shri Awardee Kazi Masum Akhtar Literature and Education Sushovan Banerjee Medicine Arunoday Mondal Medicine Manilal Nag Art Anti-Satellite (ASAT) missile capability displayed to the world as the ASAT weapon, Mission Shakthi developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) On March 27, 2019 the DRDO shot … Read more

INTERNATIONAL India ranked fifth-biggest geopolitical risk of 2020 by Eurasia Group   Eurasia Group reported that India is one of the world’s top geopolitical risks for 2020. The political risk consultancy India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi was listed as the fifth biggest geopolitical risk of 2020.   Eurasia Group is one of the United States’ most influential risk assessment companies. … Read more