Daily Current Affairs

Capsule 15th January

2019

1. World's largest religious and cultural human congregation - Kumbh Mela begins in UP

The world's largest religious and cultural human congregation -Kumbh 2019 has begun with the holy dip at

Sangam, the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati at Prayagraj.

The first bathing was taken by saints and seers of different Akharas. According to Kumbh Mela

administration around one crore 25 lakh devotees area expected on this Royal bathing Makar Sankranti.

Twenty-one Snan Ghats have been set up for bathing. Special arrangements have been made for women

devotees and for the first time three women police units have been pressed into service. More than one

lakh twenty thousand toilets have been erected for making Clean Kumbh.

Points to Remember

Kumbh Mela or Kumbha Mela is a mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a

sacred or holy river. Traditionally, four fairs are widely recognized as the Kumbh Melas: the Prayagraj

Kumbh Mela, Haridwar Kumbh Mela, the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha, and Ujjain Simhastha.

2. Prime Minister to inaugurate the project “Development of Spiritual Circuit: Sree Padmanabha Swamy

Temple-Aranmula-Sabarimala” in Kerala

Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the project “Development of Spiritual Circuit: Sree

Padmanabha Swamy Temple-Aranmula-Sabarimala” being implemented under the Swadesh Drashan Scheme of

Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

The project ‘Development of Spiritual Circuit: Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple-Aranmula-Sabarimala’

was sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism in 2016-17 for Rs. 92.22 Crores. Majority of work under this

project has been carried out at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple.

Points to Remember

The Sree Padmanabaswamy Temple is one of the 108 divyadesams of Lord Vishnu.

Swadesh Darshan scheme is one of the flagship schemes of Ministry of tourism for development of

thematic circuits in the country in a planned and prioritised manner.

3. 2-day Global Aviation Summit 2019 to take off in Mumbai

This will be the first-of-its-kind event in the world with participation from more than 86 countries.

India is among the fastest growing aviation sector and Vision 2040 for aviation sector and the Air Cargo

Policy will also be unveiled during the summit.

Points to Remember

The Global Aviation Summit with a theme “Flying for all - especially the next 6 Billion”, being organised

by Ministry of Civil Aviation in association with FICCI.

4. January 15: Army Day

India celebrates Army India on January 15. Army Day is celebrated to salute the valiant soldiers who sacrificed

their lives to protect the country and its Citizens.

It is in recognition of Field Marshal K M. Cariappa taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the

Indian Army from General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-Chief of India, on 15

January 1949.

Points to Remember

For the first time in the history of Indian Army, Lieutenant Bhavana Kasturi will lead the Indian Army’s

Service Corps (ASC) contingent and Captain Shikha Surabhi, a female officer, will be leading the Army’s

Daredevils Motorcycle Display team comprising 33 men riding nine bikes in a pyramid formation.

5. Wholesale inflation falls to 3.80% in December

Inflation based on wholesale prices fell to a 8-month low of 3.80 per cent in December 2018, on softening prices

of fuel and some food items.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation stood at 4.64 per cent in November 2018, and 3.58 per

cent in December 2017.

Points to Remember

The Reserve Bank of India mainly takes into account retail inflation data while formulating monetary

policy.

6. Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2018-19 (Series-V) opens

The Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2018-19 (Series-V) opened on 14 January for subscription. It will continue till

18 January. The issue price of the Bond during this subscription period will be three thousand two hundred and

fourteen rupees per gram with the settlement date of January 22nd 2019.

The Centre in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India has decided to allow discount of 50 rupees per

gram from the issue price to those investors who apply on-line and make the payment through digital

mode.

Points to Remember

Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme (SGBS) is one of the three gold related schemes launched by the PM in

November 2015. It gives the people to invest their gold into sovereign bonds. Bonds are one of the three

assets, the other being stocks and cash.

7. Namita Gokhale awarded Sushila Devi Literature Award

Renowned writer Namita Gokhale was awarded Sushila Devi Literature Award for her work “Things to Leave

Behind”. She was honoured in the ‘Best Book of Fiction Written by a Woman Author’ category at the inaugural

edition of Bhopal Literature and Art Festival.

Sushila Devi Literature Award is constituted by Ratanlal Foundation. The award recognises the Best Book

of Fiction Written by a woman author. It is a newly constituted award and comes with a cash prize of Rs

2 lakh.

Points to Remember

Namita Gokhale is an Indian writer, publisher and festival director who has authored sixteen books including nine

works of fiction.

Namita Gokhale is a founder-director of the ‘Jaipur Literature Festival’ along with William Dalrymple.

She has also served as member-secretary of Indian Literature Abroad (ILA), an initiative by the Ministry

of Culture.