Current Affairs

18 January 2020 Current Affairs for UPSC IAS Exam

Read Daily Current Affairs of 18th January 2020 for UPSC Civil Services (IAS) Prelims and Mains Exam 2020.

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Current Affairs Notes of 18th January 2020

Read Current Affairs Notes of 18th January 2020 for UPSC Civil Services Prelims and Mains Examination 2020. Highlighting all National and International contemporary issues important from the exam point of view.

GS-1, Prelims

Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Noted Kathak dancer stopped from performing to qawwali

Context:

Officials of Uttar Pradesh government stopped performance with qawwali of Manjari Chaturvedi mid-way during an official cultural programme at Lucknow.

Kathak

It is one of the major eight classical dance forms of India- others include:

  • Bharatanatyam (Tamil Nadu)
  • Kathak (North, West and Central India)
  • Kathakali (Kerala)
  • Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh)
  • Oddisi (Odisha)
  • Manipuri (Manipur)
  • Mohiniyattam (Kerala)
  • Sattriya (Assam)

It comes under the performing arts of Indian Culture.

The roots of most of the classical dances can be traced to the ‘natya-shahstra’.

Natya-shastra mentions 8 Rasas/Rasanubhuti:

  • Shringar: Love
  • Hasya: Humorous
  • Karuna: Sorrow
  • Raudra: Anger
  • Veer: Heroism
  • Bhayanak: Fear
  • Bibhats: Disgust
  • Adbhhot: Wonder

GS-3, Prelims

Topic: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

GSAT-30 gives India a communication boost

Context:

  • GSAT-30 is the latest Indian communication satellite.
  • It was launched into the space from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou on 17 January, 2020. ISRO’s first mission of the year.
  • Weight: 3,357 kg
  • Replacing: INSAT-4A (launched in 2005).
  • Services to be provided by the new satellite are related to:
    • DTH
    • Connectivity to VSATs (that support working of banks)
    • ATMs
    • Stock exchange
    • Television uplinking and teleport services
    • Digital satellite news gathering
    • E-governance applications
    • Bulk data transfer

GS-2, Prelims

Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

2020 will be an important year for Indo-US relations

Context:

The venue and dates of the Donald Trump’s visit to India have been fixed and it is said that the focus of Indo-US engagements will mainly be on the decisions taken during the 2+2 meet between both the countries in December 2019.

Main Focus Points:

  • Furthering co-operation on free and open Indo-Pacific.
  • Promote practical cooperation in infrastructure development (US has launched “Blue Dot Network” [BDN] with Japan and Australia onboard to encourage investment in infrastructure projects)
  • Countering terrorism
  • Cyber-security
  • Regional connectivity

GS-2, Prelims

Topic: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

Peaceful polling for phase-I of Rajasthan panchayat elections

Context:

First phase of panchayat elections has kick-started in Rajasthan state, covering 26,800 wards of 2,726 village panchayats.

73rd Constitutional Amendment Act

  • The 73rdconstitutional amendment act came into force on 24th April 1993.
  • Provided constitutional status to Panchayati Raj institutions.
  • The Panchayati Raj institutions receive funds from local body grants, funds from the centre for centrally sponsored schemes, and funds released by State governments.
  • The Panchayati Raj system helps in the problem-solving of rural people by themselves.
  • Provides reservation of seats for marginalized sections so that they also get a say in local administration.
  • Some articles of the Indian Constitution related to Panchayati Raj Institutions are:
    • Article 243 A: Gram Sabha
    • Article 243 B: Constitution of Panchayats
    • Article 243 C: Composition of Panchayats
    • Article 243 D: Reservation of seats
    • Article 243 J: Audit of accounts of Panchayats
    • Article 243 K: Elections to the Panchayats
    • Article 243 L: Application to Union Territories

Siddharth Singh

Siddharth worked in Educational Field for the last 5 years. He appeared two times in the civil services mains and once in the personality test.

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