PM Modi launches Atal Bhujal Yojana

1.Pakistan to import polio markers from India

The Federal Cabinet of Pakistan has decided to import polio markers from India in a bid to reduce the price of medicines.The Federal Cabinet took the decision to give a one-time permission for import of polio markers from India as it would reduce prices of 89 medicines by at least 15%.

Pakistan had suspended trade ties with India following New Delhi’s decision to abrogate Article 370 on August 5, 2019 to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

The markers used to mark the fingers of children after administering them polio vaccine are approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

There are only two WHO prequalified manufacturers in the world, India and China, which manufacture non-toxic markers to prevent children from swallowing the ink.

2.PM Modi launches Atal Bhujal Yojana

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the ‘Atal Bhujal Yojana’ on the occasion of 95th birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari VajpayeeThe scheme with a total outlay of Rs.6000 crore will be implemented over a period of 5 years.

It aims to improve ground water management through community participation in identified priority areas in seven States.

The states identified are Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Out of the total outlay of Rs. 6000 crore for the scheme, 50% shall be in the form of World Bank loan.

3.Government launched Good Governance Index

Minister of State for Public Grievances and Pensions Dr Jitendra Singh launched Good Governance Index in New Delhi on the occasion of Good Governance Day i.e 25 December.The Good Governance Day is observed on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Tamil Nadu topped the Good Governance Index launched by the Centre.

Maharashtra, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh followed among the ‘Big States’.

Among the ‘Big States’, the poor performers are Odisha, Bihar, Goa, and Uttar Pradesh with Jharkhand coming last.

The States and UTs are divided into three groups : Big States, North-East and Hill States, and Union Territories.

Among the North-East and Hill States, Himachal Pradesh was ranked first, followed by Uttarakhand, Tripura, Mizoram and Sikkim.

Puducherry is the best governed Union Territory followed by Chandigarh and Delhi.

Lakshadweep is the worst performing UT.

4.NITI Aayog to launch SDG India Index on Dec 30

NITI Aayog will launch the second edition of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index, which documents the progress made by India’s States and Union Territories towards implementing the 2030 SDG targets, on December 30.The SDG India Index and Dashboard 2019–20 have been developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), the United Nations in India, and the Global Green Growth Institute.

It will be launched by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar.

The SDG India Index, whose first edition was launched in December 2018, was the first tool developed by any large country to monitor the progress towards achieving SDGs at the sub-national level.

The Index covers 16 out of 17 SDGs and a qualitative assessment on Goal 17.

This marks an improvement over the 2018 Index, which covered only 13 goals.

5.Cabinet approves signing of MoU between India & Brazil on Bioenergy Cooperation

The Cabinet has given its approval for signing of Memorandum of Understanding between India and Brazil on Bioenergy Cooperation.India and Brazil are major consumers of energy in the world and Brazil is one of the most important trading partners of India in the entire Latin America and Caribbean region.

Brazil is currently the world’s second largest producer and consumer of biofuels.

Biofuels and bioelectricity accounted for 18 percent of Brazil’s energy mix.

India also has a strong focus in the area of bio-fuels and has set a target to achieve 20 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol and 5 per cent blending of biodiesel in diesel by 2030 with the announcement of new policy on Biofuels in 2018.

6.Rohtang tunnel in Himachal Pradesh named as Atal tunnel

Prime Minister Narendra Modi named Rohtang passageway in Himachal Pradesh as Atal Tunnel to mark the 95th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.The strategic Atal tunnel will change the fortunes of this region and will help in promoting tourism in the region.

The tunnel has been named as a tribute to the former Prime Minister who took the historic decision of constructing this strategic tunnel.

After completion of the tunnel, it will provide all weather connectivity to remote areas of Lahaul and Spiti Valley and also reduce the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 Kilometres.

7.Dharmendra Pradhan unveils India’s first long distance CNG bus

Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan unveiled India’s first long distance CNG bus fitted with CNG cylinders at a function in New Delhi.It can travel around one thousand kilometre in a single fill.

The first long range interstate CNG bus will ply from Delhi to Dehradun.

Such type of buses will soon ply between Delhi to Jaipur, Chandigarh and Agra.

The project has been executed by Indraprastha Gas Limited, the largest CNG distribution company in the country.

8.Kohli among five Wisden cricketers of the decade

Indian skipper Virat Kohli is one of the five players named in the Wisden Cricketers of the Decade.Kohli joins Australian batsman Steve Smith, and South Africans, Dale Steyn, and AB de Villiers.

Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry is the only female cricketer in the list. 

9.Leander Paes to retire from Tennis in 2020

Indian tennis ace Leander Paes has announced that 2020 will be his last year as a professional tennis player.The 46-year old will bid adieu to the sport after next season.

Leander, who made his Olympic debut in 1992, will look for one final flourish at Tokyo Olympics next year.

The Indian has made 7 appearances in a row at the Olympics making him the only tennis player ever to do so. 

Paes has won eight doubles and ten mixed doubles Grand Slam titles.

10.Renowned Hindi author Ganga Prasad Vimal killed in road accident

Renowned Hindi author Ganga Prasad Vimal was killed in a road accident in Sri Lanka.HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ condoled his demise.

Born in 1939 in Uttarkashi, Vimal wrote more than a dozen poetry collections, short story collections and novels.