TELANGANA
- Sex ratio in Telangana improved since 2016
- There has been a huge decline in SRB between 2013 and 2016, the sex ratio stands at 925 for the year 2018.
- Sex selective abortions could still be taking place in certain pockets but with the stringent implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, it has been largely controlled. Incentives like KCR Kits, Kalyana Lakshmi, etc, the importance of sex selection has come down.
- Sex ratio saw a marked decline from 954 in 2013 to 881 in 2016.
- Karimnagar district saw the biggest fall in numbers. From 1,080 girls born per 1,000 boys in the year 2014, it had dropped to 929 in 2015 and nosedived to 713 in 2016.
INTERNATIONAL
- Sugarcane juice declared ‘national drink’ of Pakistan
- The Pakistan government on Friday declared sugarcane juice as the “national drink” of the country.
- The announcement came after the government conducted a Twitter poll where people were asked to decide on the country’s national drink with two other options — orange and carrot — besides sugarcane
- Over 7,600 people participated in the poll and declared sugarcane as national drink ok Pakistan with 81 percent votes. 15 percent of the participants voted in favor of orange juice while 4 percent choose carrot juice.
NATIONAL
- Padma Awards 2019 announced
- President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the Padma Awards, one of the highest civilian awards of the category.
- The awards were conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
- The list, which was approved by the President, comprises of four Padma Vibhushan, 14 Padma Bhushan and 94 Padma Shri awardees.
- Recipients of Padma Vibhushan awards are as follows:
Ms. Teejan Bai
Shri Ismail Omar Guelleh
Shri Anilkumar Manibhai Naik
Shri Balwant Moreshwar Purandare
Gk bit – Padma Awards
- one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
- The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.
- Pranab Mukherjee, Nanaji Deshmukh, Bhupen Hazarika to be conferred with Bharat Ratna
- Social activist Nanaji Deshmukh, singer Bhupen Hazarika and former President Pranab Mukherjee will be conferred with country’s highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna.
- Nanaji Deshmukh and Bhupen Hazarika will be awarded with the honour posthumously.
- Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of India.
- The Bharat Ratna awardee receives a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President of India and a medallion in the form of a Peepal leaf.
· South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa to be Chief Guest at R-Day Parade
- South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosawill be the Chief Guest at the Republic Day Parade. He is the second President of South Africa after Nelson Mandela to be the Chief Guest at the parade.
- Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi is revered in the African nation as he had an important role in the non-violent movement in South Africa.
- India was at the forefront of the international community in its support to the anti-apartheid movement there. India is among the top five trading partners of South Africa.
- Both countries have close cooperation in the areas of vocational training and capacity building.
- ICAR’s ‘Kisan Gandhi’ tableau wins first prize at R-Day parade
- The ICAR tableau in the Republic Day Parade has won the first prize for its Kisan Gandhi theme.
- The Indian Council of Agricultural Research tableau with the theme “Mishrit Kheti, Khushiyon Ki Kheti” portrayed Gandhi with goats and a cow and Kasturba engaged with charkha and caring animals. The tableau showcased a view from Bapu Kuti at Wardha Ashram.
- Tripura bagged the first prize for the state tableau while tableau from Jammu and Kashmir was adjudged the second and Punjab won the third prize.
- Southern Railway won number one for cleanliness
- The Southern Railway has bagged the number one position for cleanliness in all the 17 railway zones in the country.
- This achievement was under the category of other than Premium Category trains in the recent Trains Cleanliness Survey conducted by IRCTC on all India level.
- The survey is conducted once a year to periodically monitor the progress of ‘Swachh Rail Swachh Bharat’ mission.