Source: Cick Here

• On 14th December 2018, National Energy Conservation Day 2018 was celebrated throughout the country under the aegis of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under Ministry of Power.


• The objective to celebrate the National Energy Conservation Day is to drive mass awareness about the importance of energy efficiency and conservation.


• National Energy Conservation Day’ was celebrated for the first time on December 14, 1991 when the National Energy Conservation Awards were given away to industries for reducing energy consumption.


• The annual awards recognize innovation and achievements in energy conservation by the industries, buildings, zonal railways, state designated agencies; manufacturers of BEE star labeled appliances, electricity distribution companies and municipalities.


• A Painting competition for students at the School, State and at National level has also been included as one of the activities of the campaign, in which students of 4th, 5th and 6th standards under Group ‘A’ and of 7th, 8th& 9th standards under Group ‘B’ are eligible to participate.


• Cash prizes worth Rs 95,000 per State/UT per Group (Rs. 34.20 lakhs for 36 States/UTs) will be distributed to State level winners and prizes worth Rs. 10.35 lakhs will be awarded to the Groups at National level by the Ministry of Power.

Source: Cick Here

• US President Donald Trump calls India a "true friend", Alice Wells, US' Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, said.


• State Secretary Mike Pompeo considers US-India bilateral relationship "as one deeply bound by shared values", she added. Wells' remarks came at a farewell reception hosted in honour of outgoing Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna.

Source: Cick Here

• Customs officials at New York's John F Kennedy International Airport have seized 70 live finches hidden inside hair rollers.


• A passenger arriving from Guyana had the songbirds in a duffel bag, authorities said, adding they believe the birds were brought to the US to participate in singing contests. Officials further said people bet on how many times the finches chirp.

Source: Cick Here

• Japan on 12 December selected the Chinese character for ‘disaster’ as its defining symbol for 2018, a year that saw the country hit by deadly floods, earthquakes and storms.


• Floods across Japan in July 2018 caused more than 200 deaths and nearly evacuation of 9 million people. In the same month, 150 people died due to heat wave and 80000 people were hospitalised.

Source: Cick Here

• Russia has sent two Tu-160, strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons, to Venezuela in an apparent show of support to President Nicolas Maduro’s regime.


• Russia is a major political ally of Venezuela, which has become increasingly isolated in the world under growing sanctions led by the United States and the European Union, which accuse Maduro of undermining democratic institutions to hold onto power while overseeing an economic and political crisis that is worse than the Great Depression.

Source: Cick Here

• The 18th India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) was held in New Delhi.


• The meeting was co-chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Russian counterpart General Sergei Shoigu.


• It was a part of the bilateral Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between Russia and India.


• Discussions took place on various topics like defence equipment, industry and technological engagement as well as after-sales support and upgradation of military equipment of Russian origin.


• inter-governmental arrangements for facilitating joint manufacturing of spares for Russian origin equipment in India, under the ‘Make in India’ initiative would be undertaken.


• A revised Inter-Governmental Agreementon restructuring the existing IRIGC-MTC to the IRIGC on Military and Military Technical Cooperation was also signed by the two Ministers.


• An additional institutional Working Group would also be set up under the expanded commission. It would be headed by Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of General Staff of Armed Forces of Russian Federation.

Source: Cick Here

• On December 13, 2018, Indian Railways announced commission of 41 projects worth Rs. 700 crore for Kumbh Mela which will be starting on January 15 till March 4, 2019 in Allahabad.


• Out of this, 29 projects have already been completed.


• The railways would run about 800 special trains during the Kumbh Mela from various stations of Allahabad district to the Kumbh Mela.


• It would also operate 4-5 special trains for transporting five thousand Pravasi Bhartiyas from Allahabad to New Delhi, who will visit Varanasi to participate in the – Pravasi Bhartiya Divas.


• Additionally, 4 big enclosures have been constructed at the Allahabad Junction Railway Station to house 10 thousand pilgrims.

Source: Cick Here

• The government has constituted a seven-member panel to select managing directors of public sector insurance companies. The panel would be headed by Banks Board Bureau (BBB) chairman B P Sharma.


• The other members of the panel are Financial Services Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises Secretary and Chairman of Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India.


• Three insurance sector experts G N Bajpai, Mathew Varghese and T Bhargava have also been appointed on the selection panel.


• In 2014 the Modi government had constituted BBB to select managing directors and chairman for public sectors banks after the post of CMDs was bifurcated into two separate positions as non-executive chairman and managing director.

Source: Cick Here

• Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Dam Safety Bill 2018 in Lok Sabha.


• The surveillance, inspection, operation, and maintenance of specified dams for prevention of dam failure related disasters.


• Constitution of a ‘National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS)’, chaired by Chairman of CWC, to evolve dam safety policies and recommend necessary regulations, Establishment of ‘National Dam Safety Authority’(NDSA) as a regulatory body to implement the policy, guidelines and standards for dam safety in the country, Constitution of ‘State Committee on Dam Safety’ by the State Governments for proper surveillance.

Source: Cick Here

• Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad announced the government’s plan to formulate a Crisis Management Plan to counter cyber attacks and Cyber terrorism.


• For this, the Government impaneled 76 security audit organizations to ensure information security.

Source: Cick Here

• OBOPAY, the global financial technology company, announced the launch of a new generation pre-payment instrument called- OBOPAY Card-in partnership with Federal Bank and Mastercard.


• It is built as a one-stop solution that facilitates easy disbursements and payments by enterprises.


• The multi-wallet facility that allows dedicated payments and allocation of money for various purposes, The ‘Split transaction’ feature which provides payment flexibility to users and multiple payment scenarios among many others.


• Card to card money transfer, making online payments, withdrawing cash at ATMs.


• This card can be used for multiple payments such as, bank accounts for using salary, digital wallets for payments, food coupons for food coupons, insurance cards for insurance claim, etc.


• The account can be operated with zero minimum balance and the users will not be levied any service charge on usage.


• It can be used at over three million Mastercard outlets in India.

• On December 14, 2018, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced that global debt has reached an all-time high of USD 184 trillion compared to the earlier estimate of USD 182 trillion.


• According to the statement, more than half of the global debt is being borne by 3 countries- the United States, China and Japan.


• The updated amount is the equivalent of 225 per cent of the world GDP in 2017.


• On average, the world’s debt now exceeds USD 86,000 per person — more than 2½ times the average income per-capita.

Source: Cick Here

• India‘s first private sector unit for manufacturing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) was inaugurated by Telangana’s Home Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali at Adani Aerospace Park in Hyderabad, Telangana.


• The 50,000 square feet facility has been built by the Adani Group and Israel-based Elbit Systems.


• It will develop Hermes 900 medium altitude long-endurance UAVs and Hermes 480 for the Indian and global markets.


• The Adani Aerospace Park is the first defence and aerospace complex of Adani Group, situated at Hardware Park on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

Source: Cick Here

• On 13th December 2018, the 21st Usha National Athletics Sports Championship for the Blind held in New Delhi in the presence of champion boxer Vijender Singh.


• The championship witnessed six new national records in javelin, long jump, discuss, 100m race and shotput and three new meet records in 100 meet race, javelin and shotput.


• Radhika Bharat Ram is chairperson of India Blind Sports Association.

• Ajit Agarkar, who is the quickest fast bowler to reach 50 ODI wickets, slammed the fastest ODI fifty for India off 21 deliveries against Zimbabwe on December 14, 2000.


• Agarkar surpassed Kapil Dev, who had scored fifty off 22 balls on March 29, 1983, against Windies. He scored 67*(25) and took three wickets to help India win the match.

Source: Cick Here

• On 13th December 2018, the Union Ministry of Agriculture had selected Jharkhand for “Krishi Karman” award in the rice category.


• The award which carries a cash prize worth Rs 2 crore and a citation will be given away in February 2019 by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.


• As a gesture of appreciation to the farmers of the state for achieving the milestone, two progressive farmers, i.e. one male and one female, would also be given ‘Agriculture Minister’s Krishi Karman Award,”
  
• Each of the farmers would receive a cash award of Rs 2 lakh along with citation.

Source: Cick Here

• On 13th December 2018, Tata Steel Limited had been declared as the winner of the Prime Minister’s Trophy for the ‘Best Performing Integrated Steel Plant’ in the country for the performance year 2016-17 making it the fourth consecutive year for Tata Steel being honoured with this coveted award.


• Along with the trophy a cash award of Rs. 2 crore was also given to the company.


• Having won the PM’s Trophy 11 times and receiving the Certificate for Excellence twice, Tata Steel has been recognized as the best integrated steel plant 13 times, since the inception of this award in 1992-93.


• The performance of the plants is judged by a Panel of Judges headed by Secretary (Steel) and with members from eminent technologists, management experts, trade union leaders, economists, consumers of iron & steel according to a scheme drawn up by an expert committee.


• The intention of the award is to spur steel plants to achieve international standards of efficiency, quality and economy in their operations.


• The Prime Minister’s Trophy for excellence in performance of integrated steel plants entered its 26th year of evaluation during the performance year 2016-17.

Source: Cick Here

• Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrasekhar Rao has appointed son K Tarakarama Rao as working president of the party.


• KCR will focus on national politics, pushing his idea of a non-BJP non-Congress front.


• In his new role KTR will look after restructuring and strengthening the party at the grass-roots level.


• KCR's daughter K Kavitha is an MP while nephew T Harish Rao is an MLA from Siddipet.

Source: Cick Here

• Ashok Gehlot is the new Chief Minister of Rajasthan and Sachin Pilot has agreed to be his deputy, the Congress today announced.


• Sachin Pilot will also get to keep the post of state Congress chief.


• The announcement came shortly after Rahul Gandhi tweeted a photo with Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, all three grinning, with the caption: "The United Colours of Rajasthan".

Source: Cick Here

• On December 14, 2018, T.C. Barupal was appointed the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Guinea.


• He is presently Consul General of India, Zanzibar.

Source: Cick Here

• NASA’s (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft has found evidence of water on asteroid Bennu. Data obtained from the spacecraft’s two spectrometers OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer (OTES) and OSIRIS-REx Visible and Infrared Spectrometer (OVIRS) reveal the presence of molecules that contain oxygen and hydrogen atoms bonded together, known as “hydroxyls.”


• Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft launched in September 2016. It had reached Bennu asteroid in December 2018. Samples will returned to Earth in 2023.


• Bennu is near-Earth carbonaceous asteroid about the size of a small mountain in the Apollo group. It was discovered in September 1999 by the LINEAR Project.

Source: Cick Here

• On 14th December 2018, Nancy Wilson (81), three times Grammy award winner jazz singer who called herself a “song-stylist” has died after a long illness at her home in Pioneer town, a California.


• Nancy Wilson was best known for songs “Guess Who I Saw Today” and the 1964 hit “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am”.


• She made her debut with her 1961’s single, “Guess Who I Saw Today.”


• She would win two more Grammy Awards, in 2005 and 2007. She retired from live performances in 2011.

Source: Cick Here

• On December 13, 2018, Sondra Locke, the Oscar-nominated Hollywood actress Sondra Locke died at 74.


• She received the Oscar award on her first appearance in the industry in the 1968 film ‘The Heart is a Lonely Hunter’.

Source: Cick Here

• On December 13, 2018, National award winning Malayalam film director Thoppil Ajayan, passed away at 66.


• His film “Perumthachan” (The Master Carpenter), fetched Ajayan the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director and Kerala State Film Award for Best Debut Director in 1990.


• He had also won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Popular Film in 1990 and was nominated for the Golden Leopard award at the Locarno International Film Festival in 1992.


• He was the eldest son of legendary playwright and writer Thoppil Bhasi.