JK Bank Clerk, Syllabus Exam Pattern & Chapter Wise Weight age

 J&K Bank Banking Associate 2020 Syllabus  

As we know, there is only a single online exam in the selection process of JK Bank Bank Banking Associate. This online exam is conducted for 100 marks and is divided into three sections. You have to score the sectional cut off in each section to be in the merit list. So, you should begin your preparations by going through its syllabus. We have provided the section-wise syllabus for this online exam below.

J&K Bank Banking Associate 2020 English Language Syllabus

Topic	Weighatge
Reading Comprehen-sion	5-10 Qs
Grammar	4-5 Qs
One Word Substitution	0-5 Qs
Vocabulary	10-15 Qs
Synonyms Antonyms	0-3 Qs
Spellings	0-5 Qs
Verbal Ability	5-10 Qs

 

Ø  Reading Comprehension

·        Weightage: 5-10 Qs

·        Question Types: The passage will be focused on topics like Banking & Economy, Business, And Social issues etc. Fact and Inference based questions.

Ø  Grammar

·        Weightage: 4-5 Qs

·        Question Types: Phrase Replacement, Error Spotting, Fill in the Blanks

Ø  One word Substitution

·        Weighatge: 0-5 Qs

Ø  Vocabulary

·        Weighatge: 10-15 Qs

·        Question Types: Fill in the Blanks, Phrase replacement, Error Spotting, Phrases Idioms meanings, Cloze Test

Ø  Synonyms & Antonyms

·        Weighatge: 0-3 Qs

Ø  Spellings

·        Weightage: 0-5 Qs

Ø  Verbal Ability

·        Weightage: 5-10 Qs

·        Question Types: Para Jumbles, Phrase Connector, Odd man out, Sentence completion, Sentence Jum-bles

J&K Bank Banking Associate 2020 Quantitative Ability Syllabus

Topic	Weightage
Simplification	10 Qs
Average	1 Q
Percentage	1 Q
Ratio and Proportion	1 Q
Mixture Problems	0-1 Q
Algebra	1-5 Qs
Profit and Loss	1-3 Qs
Interest	1-2 Qs
Speed, Time and Distance	2-3 Qs
Time and Work	1-2 Qs
Mensuration	0-1 Qs
Probability	1 Q
Data Interpretation	5-10 Qs

 

Ø  Simplification

·        Weightage: 10 Qs

·        Question Types: BODMAS Rule, Approximation, Decimals, Fractions, Surds & Indices, Percentages etc.

Ø  Average

·        Weightage: 1 Qs

·        Question Types: Average Weight/Height/Age/Marks, Average Money Expenditure, And Average Temperature etc. But the concept remains simple. We have to use a single formula i.e. Average = Sum of Quantities /Number of Quantities

Ø  Percentages

·        Weightage: 1 Qs

·        Question Types: Calculation-oriented basic percentage.

·        Tips & Quiz: Percentage Quiz 1

Ø  (Ratio and Proportion

·        Weightage: 1 Qs

·        Question Types: Simple Ratios, Compound Ratios, Componendo and Dividendo, Direct & Indirect Pro-portions.

Ø  Mixture Problems

·        Weightage: 0-1 Qs

·        Question Types: Mixture of two or more entities/mixtures, dishonest dealings.

Ø  Algebra

·        Weightage: 1-5 Qs

·        Question Types: Linear Equations with 1 or 2 variables, Quadratic Equations

Ø  Profit and Loss

·        Weightage: 1-3 Qs

·        Question Types: Successive Selling type questions, Partnerships, Discount & MP, Dishonest Dealings.

Ø  Interest

·        Weightage: 1-2 Qs

·        Question Types: Simple Interest, Compound Interest, Installments.

Ø  Speed, Time and Distance

·        Weightage: 2-3 Qs

·        Question Types: Partial Speed, Relative Speed, Average Speed, Problems on Train, Boat & Stream.

Ø  Time & Work

·        Weightage: 1-2 Qs

·        Question Types: Work Efficiency, Work & Wages, Pipes & Cisterns etc.

Ø  Mensuration

·        Weightage: 0-1 Qs

·        Question Types: Questions on Circle, Square & Rectangle, etc., can be asked.

Ø  Probability

·        Weightage: 1 Qs

Ø  Data Interpretation

·        Weightage: 5-10 Qs

·        Question Types: Line Graphs, Bar Graphs, Pie Charts, Tables, Miscellaneous Info-graphics, Missing Data Type Case lets.

 

J and K Bank Clerk Syllabus - Reasoning Aptitude

Topic	Weightage
Arrangement & Pattern	5-8 Qs
Series	0-1 Q
Coding Decoding	2-5 Qs
Direction & Distances	1-3 Qs
Blood Relations	2-3 Qs
Analytical Decision Making	0-3 Qs
Mathematical Inequalities	3-5 Qs
Coded Inequalities	0-3 Qs
Syllogism	2-3 Qs
Input Output	0-4 Qs
Order & Ranking	1-3 Qs
Seating Arrangement	5-10 Qs
Floor Puzzle	5 Qs
Double Lineup	5 Qs
Scheduling	3-5 Qs
Data Sufficiency	0-2 Qs
Verbal Reasoning	0-1 Q

 

Ø  Arrangement & Pattern

·        Weightage: 5-8 Qs

·        Question Types: General Series of alphabets, Random Sequence of alphabets, Number arrangement, mixed series, Dictionary or alphabet based.

Ø  Series

·        Weightage: 0-1 Qs

·        Question Types: Number series, Alphabet series, Mixed series, Complete the series, Missing term, Wrong term

Ø  Coding Decoding

·        Weightage: 2-5 Qs

·        Question Types: Coding by Letter Shifting, Coding in Fictitious Language.

Ø  Direction & Distances

·        Weightage: 1-3 Qs

Question Types: Arranging by age, height, weight, rank, the order in row etc.

Ø  Blood Relation

·        Weightage: 2-3 Qs Question Types: Questions on 3 generations or Puzzle with one or two variables can be expected.

Ø  Analytical Decision Making

·        Weightage: 0-3 Qs

·        Question Types: Analytical decision making, statement, and conclusion, statement and assumption, statement and inference, cause and effect, the course of action, critical reasoning.

Ø  Mathematical Inequalities

·        Weightage: 3-5 Qs

·        Question Types: Direct questions with 2-3 statements & 2-3 conclusions & Equation Insert-type questions will be asked.

Ø  Coded Inequalities

·        Weightage: 0-3 Qs

·        Question Types: Coded relations between letters to be decoded and solved.

Ø  Syllogism

·        Weightage: 2-3 Qs

·        Question Types: Direct questions with 2-3 statements & 2-3 conclusions, possibility based questions, negative information based questions.

Ø  Input Output

·        Weightage: 0-4 Qs

·        Question Types: Number-based, Alphabet based or Mixed. Some operation based question can be expected.

Ø  Order and Ranking

·        Weightage: 1-3 Qs

·        Question Types: Floor Based Puzzles, Arranging by age, height, weight, rank, order in row etc.

Ø  Seating Arrangement

·        Weightage: 5-10 Qs

·        Question Types: Uni & Bi-directional problems on circular, square, rectangular, hexagonal tables, Single or Double rows facing each other/ away from each other/ in the same direction. May be combined with other information to make it a Blood Relations or Double Lineup type problem as well.

Ø  Floor Puzzle

·        Weightage: 5 Qs

·        Question Types: Persons living on different floors of a building. Some other variable can also be given to make it more complicated.

Ø  Double Lineup

·        Weightage: 5 Qs

·        Question Types: Questions will be generally asked in the following format (person + 2/3 variables)

Ø  Scheduling

·        Weightage: 3-5 Qs

·        Question Types: Age based, Day based, Year based, Month based questions on Scheduling to be expected. Maximum one or two variables possible.

Ø  Data Sufficiency

·        Weightage: 0-2 Qs

·        Question Types: Ordering & Ranking, Blood Relations, Coding in Fictitious Language, Circular Arrangements, Directions & Distances, Ages & Birth dates.

Ø  Verbal Reasoning

·        Weightage: 0-1 Qs

·        Question Types: Statements & Conclusions, Statements & Inferences, Statements & Assumptions, Assertion & Reason, Cause 7 effect, Critical Reasoning.

J&K Bank Banking Associate 2020 Exam Pattern

We have covered the entire syllabus of the JK Bank Banking Associate exam. Now, let’s move on to the exam pattern. Knowing the exam pattern will help you in estimating your score after the exams and will also assist you in your preparations. So, here is the J&K Bank Banking Associate exam pattern 2020.

• This online exam will be objective-based and will be conducted for 100 marks.

• Each correct answer carries exactly 1 mark along with the negative marking of 0.25 marks for every wrong one.

• You have to clear the cut off for each of the following sections to qualify in this exam.

Sections	Questions	Marks	Duration
English Language	30	30	20 minutes
Quantitative Ability	35	35	20 minutes
Reasoning Ability	35	35	20 minutes
Total	100	100	1 hour

 

Comprehensive Current affairs 13 November 2020

Hunar Haat programme resumed.

Hunar Haat have been started after a gap of about seven months due to the Corona pandemic.

• Indian Minority Affairs Minister will inaugurate the Hunar Haat at Delhi Haat at Pitampura.

About:

‘Hunar Haat’, the flagship initiative by the Minority Affairs Ministry to generate employment for master craftspeople.

The theme of this event is Vocal for Local where indigenous exquisite products made from Mati (clay), Metal and Machiya (wooden and jute products) will be the major attraction.

The Minister has said that, it will showcase the rare exquisite products made from clay, different metals and wooden products, products made from cane-bamboo and mesmerising pottery work will be available for display.

The Hunar Haat will continue till 22nd of November.

The Minister said that every corner of the country has a traditional and ancestral legacy of indigenous products.

New Nursing Act proposed.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has finalised NMC to replace the Indian Nursing Council Act 1947.

• The draft bill replaces the Indian Nursing Council with a new representative body called National Nursing and Midwifery Commission.

• It would have representatives of Centre and states, would frame policies and regulate standards for the governance of nursing and midwifery education.

Key features:

A common entrance test held.

Mandatory registration and a temporary licence for foreign nationals who are qualified nurses and midwives to practice in India.

National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.

Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has written to all States to examine and register First Information Reports (FIRs) based on the complaints received on National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.

• Only 2.5% of total complaints registered on the portal are converted into FIRs, as per Ministry of Home Affairs.

• The Government seeks to promote Cyber Crime Volunteers for identifying, reporting and removal of illegal/unlawful online content.

 • According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the number of registered cybercrimes increased by 63.5% in the year 2019 compared to 2018.

• It helps in curbing rising cyber frauds, cyber bullying, child pornography etc. In consonance with the Digital India drive of the government as with rising digital footprint cybercrimes are bound to rise.

• It is massive digitalisation in the post-covid world in the sectors of education, health etc highlights the importance of cyber governance initiatives such as this.

About National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal:

• It is launched in 2019, it is a citizen-centric initiative enabling citizens to report cybercrimes online.

• It is specifically focuses on crimes against women, children, particularly child pornography, child sex abuse material, online content pertaining to rapes/gang rapes, etc.

• It also focuses on crimes like financial crime and social media related crimes like stalking, cyberbullying, etc.

• It will improve the capacity of law enforcement agencies to investigate the cases after successful completion by improving coordination amongst the law enforcement agencies of different States, districts and police stations.

About Budapest Convention:

• The Council of Europe’s (CoE) Cybercrime Convention, also known as the Budapest Convention is the sole legally binding international multilateral treaty on cybercrime.

• It coordinates cybercrime investigations between nation-states and criminalizes certain cybercrime conduct.

• The Budapest Convention is supplemented by a Protocol on Xenophobia and Racism committed through computer systems.

 • It was open for signature in 2001 and came into force in 2004. . India is not a party to it.

Armenia and Azerbaijan new peace deal.

Russia conducted a new peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The two countries that have been in a military conflict for over six weeks over the disputed region of Nagorno -Karabakh in the South Caucasus.

During the course of the conflict, considered one of the most serious in recent years, over 1200 have lost their lives as per the Nagorno-Karabakh authorities, while thousands have been displaced.

The deal, which is meant to end the conflict between the two nations, was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev and Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Since the conflict started in September, multiple ceasefire agreements have been signed between the two sides, but none so far have been successful.

What is the new peace deal?

As per the new peace deal, both sides will now maintain positions in the areas that they currently hold, which will mean a significant gain for Azerbaijan as it has reclaimed over 15-20 per cent of its lost territory during the recent conflict.

Under this agreement, all military operations are suspended, Russian peacekeepers will be deployed along the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh and along the Lachin corridor that connects the region to Armenia. These Russian peacekeepers with a force of roughly 2,000 will be deployed in the area for a period of five years.

Refugees and internally displaced persons will return to the region and the adjacent territories and the two sides will also exchange prisoners of wars and bodies.

 Significantly, a new corridor will be opened from Nakhchivan to Azerbaijan, which will be under Russian control.

First BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting held.

Indian Finance Minister participated in the meeting to discuss the BRICS Economic and Financial Cooperation agenda for 2020.

Key issues discussed:

Outcomes of G20 Saudi Presidency in 2020 including the G20 Action Plan in response to COVID-19. Expansion of the membership of the New Development Bank (NDB).

NDB is an initiative of BRICS (Brazil, Russia,India, China, South Africa) countries for mobilizing resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging economies anddeveloping countries.

Virgin Hyperloop completes first human trial.

Virgin Hyperloop said it made history as the first people successfully travelled in a hyperloop pod at the DevLoop test facility in the United States.

• The testing will continue with Tanay Manjrekar, Virgin Hyperloop’s Power Electronics specialist and native of Pune, riding next.

•Josh Giegel, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, and Sara Luchian, Director of Passenger Experience, were the first people in the world to ride on this new form of transportation.

Key findings:

The human testing was overseen by the industry-recognized Independent Safety Assessor (ISA) Certifer. Having undergone a rigorous and exhaustive safety process, the newly-unveiled XP-2 vehicle demonstrates many of the safety-critical systems that will be found on a commercial hyperloop system and is equipped with a state-of-the-art control system that can detect abnormal conditions and rapidly trigger appropriate emergency responses.

 Asteroid 16 Psyche found by NASA.

A Study at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has recently found out asteroid 16 Psyche.

Highlights:

• Asteroid 16 Psyche is located 370 million kilometers away from earth between Mars and Jupiter and has a diameter of 140 miles.

• It orbits between Mars and Jupiter, could be made entirely of metal and is worth an estimated 10,000 quadrillion US dollars.

• It is discovered in the year 1853 by the Italian astronomer Annibale de Gaspard and was named after the ancient Greek goddess of the soul, Psyche.

• Unlike most asteroids that are made up of rocks or ice, scientists believe that Psyche is a dense and largely metallic object thought to be the core of an earlier planet that failed formation.

• Its shape is like a potato which takes about five earth years to complete one orbit of the sun but only a bit over 4 hours to rotate once on its axis.

• The latest study through the Hubble Space Telescope and ultraviolet observation gives a clearer picture of Psyche’s composition.

• It was found that Psyche could be a unique asteroid composed of iron and nickel almost completely which is similar to earth's core. The iron alone would be worth more than 10,000 quadrillion US dollars.

• Scientists noted that the manner in which Psyche reflected ultraviolet light was very similar to the way Iron Reflects Sunlight.

About Psyche Mission:

• The primary target of the Psyche mission to be launched in 2022 by NASA is to study this asteroid completely and confirm the assumptions being made by the scientists.

 • It will be the first mission to investigate this metallic asteroid. Psyche spacecraft will land on the asteroid in early 2026.

• As the composition of Psyche is very similar to earth’s own core, its study will also give an insight to earth’s violent history of collisions and accretion that created it.

Typhoon Goni .

Typhoon Goni has recently made landfall in the eastern Philippines. The Philippines is used to powerful storms - it is hit by an average of 20 storms and Typhoons a year.

Highlights:

• Goni is known as Rolly in the Philippines - is the most powerful storm to hit the country since Typhoon Haiyan killed more than 6,000 people in 2013.

• Typhoon Goni is the world’s strongest Typhoon in 2020. The Philippines was hit by Typhoon Molave.

• Another storm, Atsani, is gaining strength in the Pacific Ocean as it approaches the Philippines. Typhoon is a regionally specific name for a strong "tropical cyclone". Tropical cyclones are known as ‘typhoons’ in the northwest pacific ocean, hurricanes in the North Atlantic Ocean, Willy-willies in north-western Australia and Tropical Cyclones in the Indian Ocean Region.

• It is a generic term used by meteorologists to describe a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters and has closed, low-level circulation.

• It rotate counter clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere. These are measured by the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

• The Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) Tokyo - Typhoon Centre assigns a Tropical Cyclone a name from the five lists. The name ‘Goni’ is contributed by South Korea.

 Focus on mains;

Hike in GST Revinue .

According to the recent data released by the Finance Ministry, the gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue collected in October 2020 was Rs. 1.05 lakh crore which is 10.25% higher than in 2019 and 10.1% more than the revenue garnered in September 2020.

About the News:

• The total revenue earned in October by the Central and State governments stood at Rs. 44,285 crore and Rs. 44,839 crore, respectively.

• GST cess collections, used to compensate the States for switching to the GST regime, rose to Rs. 8,011 crore, which is over 5% more than in 2019 and 12.5% higher than September 2020.

• October’s Revenues from import of goods were 9% higher, while domestic transactions (including import of services) yielded 11% higher revenues, on a year-on-year basis.

Status of the States:

• Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh recorded the highest 26% growth in GST collections in October year-on-year, followed by Jharkhand (23%) and Rajasthan (22%).

• The trend in the more industrially developed States was mixed, with 15% growth in Gujarat, 13% in Tamil Nadu and just 5% in Maharashtra.

Reasons for the Surge:

• The surge in October's GST inflows could be attributed to the festive demand and input tax credits as well as other reconciliations that were due for businesses in September.

• Many companies raised sale invoices in September by pushing out their finished products which they had planned in March itself. Input Tax Credit: The GST that a merchant pays to procure goods

or services (i.e. on inputs) can be set off later against the tax applicable on supply of final goods and services.

The set-off tax is called an input tax credit.

• India’s manufacturing sector activities started to show signs of growth in August and September, driven mainly by a pick-up in production along with improvement in customer demand.

Implications:

• GST inflows crossing the Rs. 1 lakh crore mark for the first time in the financial year (FY) 2020-21 is a clear sign of a recovery in the economy after its 23.9% contraction in the first quarter of 2020.

• The expected shortfall in GST compensation for the States could be lower than the current estimate of Rs. 2.35 lakh crore if this revenue momentum is maintained through the rest of 2020-21.

• According to the Consortium of Indian Associations, October’s GST inflows must not be considered a return to normalcy for businesses as these revenues normally relate to sales that occurred in September, when a majority of the economy, including public transport, was unlocked.

• The consortium of Indian Associations is an umbrella body of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).

• November and December data has to be awaited before confidently saying that the economy has rebounded to pre-COVID-19 times.

About Goods and Services Tax:

• It is a comprehensive, multi-stage, destination-based indirect tax that is levied on every value addition.

• The Goods and Service Tax Act was passed in the Parliament on 29th March 2017 and came into effect on 1st July 2017.

• Under the GST Council and 101st constitutional amendment 2017, the tax is levied at every point of sale.

• GST is categorised into Central GST (CGST), State GST (SGST) and Integrated GST (IGST) depending on whether the transaction is intra-State or inter-State.

• Central GST: CGST is a tax levied on intra-State supplies of both goods and services by the Central Government and is governed by the CGST Act.

• State GST: SGST is also levied on the same intra-State supply but will be governed by the State Governments.

• This implies that both the Central and the State governments agree on combining their levies with an appropriate proportion for revenue sharing between them.

• However, it is clearly mentioned in Section 8 of the GST Act that the taxes be levied on all intra-State supplies of goods and/or services but the rate of tax shall not be exceeding 14%, each.

• Integrated GST: IGST is a tax levied on all inter-State supplies of goods and/or services and is governed by the IGST Act. It is applicable to any supply of goods and/or services in both cases of import into and export from India.

Comprehensive Current affairs 12 November 2020

Fifteenth Finance Commission.

The 15th Finance Commission has summitted its report to President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday. Its main recommendationsisthe devolution of funds between the Centre and the States for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Apart from the main report uniquely titled ‘Finance Commission in Covid Times’ which depicts a set of scales on its cover to denote balance between the Union and the States, the Commission has presented two more volumes as part of its submissions.

The first one focuses on the State of the Union government’s finances, with an in-depth scrutiny of key departments, the medium-term challenges facing the Centre and a roadmap for the future. The other volume is entirely dedicated to States, with the finances of each analysed in great depth. The panel has come up with State-specific considerations to address the key challenges that individual States face, as per a statement issued by the Commission after its meeting with the President.

The Commission’s chairman N.K. Singh was accompanied by members Ajay Narayan Jha, Anoop Singh, Ashok Lahiriand Ramesh Chand for the report’s submission to the President.

Purchasing Mannager Index (PMI).

Recently, India's manufacturing output showed the strongest growth in 13 years in October 2020 amid robust sales growth, as per the IHS Markit India Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI).

Highlights:

• The headline seasonally adjusted IHS Markit India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose from 56.8 in September to 58.9 in October, and pointed to the strongest improvement in the health of the sector in more than a decade (13 years).

• This is a third straight monthly improvement in PMI. In April, the index had slipped into contraction mode (27.4), after remaining in growth territory for 32 consecutive months.

• In PMI parlance, a print above 50 means expansion, while a score below that denotes contraction.

About Purchasing Managers’ Index:

• It is an indicator of business activity - both in the manufacturing and services sectors.

• It is calculated separately for the manufacturing and services sectors and then a composite index is also constructed.

• It summarizes whether market conditions as viewed by purchasing managers are expanding, neutral, or contracting.

• It is to provide information about current and future business conditions to company decision makers, analysts, and investors.

• The headline PMI is a number from 0 to 100.

 ✓ PMI above 50 represents an expansion when compared to the previous month;

✓ PMI under 50 represents a contraction, and

✓ A reading at 50 indicates no change.

• It is usually released at the start of every month. It is, therefore, considered a good leading indicator of Economic Activity.

It is compiled by IHS Markit for more than 40 Economies Worldwide. IHS Markit is a global leader in information, analytics and solutions for the major industries and markets that drive Economies Worldwide.

Criminalization of Politics.

As per an analysis by Association for Democratic Reforms, 89% Assembly constituencies in Bihar have three or more candidates who have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits for the Ongoing Elections.

• This Highlights the problem of Criminalisation of Politics.

Factors:

• Individuals and political parties do massive expenditure for buying the votes and for other illegitimate purposes. The politician’s link with the constituency gives rise to political crime.

• Corruption is also an important factor in the criminalisation of politics. The corrupted political member uses his powers for winning the elections in an unfair manner.

• Low compliance of Election Commission (EC) guidelines.

• Interference in the investigation of crime and poor prosecution of cases.

• Massive delays of cases of criminal candidates over the years and high cost involved in the judicial proceedings.

 • Unwarranted granting of parole and abundance withdrawal of the court cases.

Suggestions:

• Intra-party democracy and accountability should be promoted by the Constitution.

• The Political parties should themselves refuse tickets to the candidates with criminal records.

• Amend the Representation of People`s Act, 1951 to debar the persons from contesting elections against whom crimes of heinous nature are pending.

• Persons who have been punished with a jail term of more than 7 years should not be given a right to contest elections before the High Court grants permission.

• Implementation of Fast-track courts to deal with the cases of politicians with criminal records.

• Awareness should be created about NOTA (none of the above) and criminal background of the candidate to prevent the criminals from winning elections.

• The appointment of Election Commissioners should be Fair and Transparent.

• Greater transparency should be brought in campaign financing that will make it less desirable for the political parties to comprise the candidates pertaining to criminal Background.

Order of Sichuan-Tibet Railway project.

Chinese President ordered the construction of the new USD 47.8 billion railway project connecting the country’s southwest Sichuan province to Linzhi in Tibet close to the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh.

The Sichuan-Tibet Railway will be the second railway line into Tibet after the Qinghai-Tibet Railway project.

It will go through the southeast of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the world’s most geologically active areas, according to the Chinese official media. The Sichuan-Tibet Railway starts from Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province and travels through Ya’an and enters Tibet via Qamdo, shortening the journey from Chengdu to Lhasa from 48 hours to 13 hours.Linzhi, also known as Nyingchi, is located close to the Arunachal Pradesh border.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control, the de-facto border between the two countries. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of south Tibet which is firmly rejected by India.

Linzhi also has an airport which is one of the five airports built by China in the Himalayan region.

Energy Conservation (EC) Act .

The Ministry of Power, Government of India issued notification to cover all the Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) under the preview of the EC Act.

As per the notification, which was formulated in consultation with Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) ‘All entities having issued distribution license by State/Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission under the Electricity Act, 2003 (36 of 2003)’ are notified as Designated Consumers (DCs).

Key highlights:

The amendment is expected to help DISCOMs to monitor their performance parameters and bring in transparency in the Distribution sector through professional inputs.

It will also assist in developing projects for reducing the electricity losses by DISCOMs and implementing effective solutions.

The amendment is expected to improve the financial state of the DISCOMs.

The quarterly data of these DISCOMs will be collected and monitored by the government to suggest measures for increasing the efficiency and reduce the energy loss.

This move is expected to gradually become more effective if extended upto the level of end consumers.

About Bureau of Energy Efficiency

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Power,Government of India.

It assists in developing policies and strategies with the primary objective of reducing the energy intensity of the Indian economy.

BEE coordinates with designated consumers, designated agencies, and other organization to identify and utilize the existing resources and infrastructure, in performing the functions assigned to it under the EC Act.

Earth observation satellite EOS-01.

ISRO has successfully launched its Earth Imaging Satellite EOS-01 and 9 other foreign satellites onboard the PolarSatellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C49 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

Last year EOS-01 is another Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT) that will work together with RISAT-2B and RISAT-2BR1launched.

It aims at to providing all-weather round-the-clock service for high-resolution images for applications inagriculture, forestry and disaster management support.

Earth observation satellites are used for several areas like rural development, mineral prospecting, covering agriculture, water resources, urban planning etc.

Declared four more biodiversity heritage sites for Karnataka.

The Karnataka Biodiversity Board has decided to declare four more areas in the State as biodiversity heritage sites.

Biodiversity heritage sites are well defined areas that are unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems - terrestrial, coastal and inland waters and, marine.

Under Biological Diversity Act, 2002, the State Government in consultation with local bodies can notify about biodiversity heritage sites.

 The following to declare as biodiversity heritage sites are:

Antaragange Betta in Kolar;

Aadi Narayana Swamy Betta in Chickballapur;

Mahima Ranga Betta in Nelamangala, Bengaluru;

Urumbi area on the Kumaradhara river basin in Dakshina Kannada.

Extension of fortified rice scheme.

Children in Anganwadis and Govt. Schools could soon be Eating Rice infused with iron, folic acid and vitamin B-12.

• In a bid to combat chronic anaemia and under nutrition, the government is making plans to distribute fortified rice through the Integrated Child Development Services and Mid-Day Meal schemes across the country from next year, with a special focus on 112 Aspirational Districts.

Background of Fortification:

• In February, 2019, the government approved a centre-sponsored “Rice Fortification and Public Distribution System” pilot scheme.

• The three-year pilot scheme from the start of 2019-20 has been accepted. The budget allocated is a total amount of Rs 42.65 crore.

• During the initial implementation phase, the scheme focuses on 15 districts preferably one District per State.

What is Food Fortification?

• Fortification is the addition of key vitamins and minerals such as Iron, Iodine, Zinc, and Vitamins A & D to staple foods such as rice, wheat, oil, milk and salt to improve their nutritional content.

• These nutrients may or may not have been originally present in the food before processing or may have been lost during processing.

 • It does not alter the characteristics of the food like the taste, aroma or the texture of the food.

What is Rice Fortification?

• Rice fortification is the practice of increasing the content of essential micronutrients in rice and to improve the nutritional quality of the rice.

• Fortifying rice involves grinding broken rice into powder, mixing it with nutrients, and then shaping it into rice-like kernels using an extrusion process.

• These fortified kernels are then mixed with normal rice in a 1:100 ratio, and distributed for Consumption.

Why Rice Fortification?

• Rice is the world’s most important staple food. An estimated 2 billion people eat rice every day, forming the mainstay of diets across large of Asia and Africa.

• Regular milled rice is low in micronutrients and serves primarily as a source of carbohydrate only. The fortification of rice is a major opportunity to improve nutrition.

• Fortified rice are contains Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Iron and Zinc.

Significance:

• Micronutrient malnutrition, also known as hidden hunger, is a serious health risk.

Sometimes due to lack of consumption of a balanced diet, lack of variety in the diet or unavailability of food one does not get adequate micronutrients.

• According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4)

✓ 4 percent of children (6-59 months) are anaemic.

✓ 1 percent of women in the reproductive age group are anaemic.

✓ 7 percent of children under 5 are underweight.

 • Hence fortification of food is a Safe method of improving nutrition among people as the addition of micronutrients to food does not pose a health risk to people.

Food Fortification in India:

• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has formulated a comprehensive regulation on fortification of foods namely ‘Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2016’.

• These regulations set the standards for food fortification and encourage the production, manufacture, distribution, sale and consumption of fortified foods.

• The regulations also provide for specific role of FSSAI in promotion for food fortification and to make fortification mandatory. This sets the premise for the national summit on fortification of food.

• Packaging and labelling has to state the food fortificant added, +F logo and the tagline “SampoornaPoshanSwasth Jeevan”.

• It should be in compliance with the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labeling) Regulations, 2011.

Way Forward:

• Currently, there are only 15,000 tonnes of these kernels available per year in the country.

To cover PDS, Anganwadis and mid-day meals in the 112 aspirational districts, annual supply capacity would need to be increased to about 1.3 lakh tonnes.

• To cover PDS across the country, 3.5 lakh tonnes of fortified kernels would be needed. FCI has also been asked to invest in equipping rice mills with the blending machines needed to mix the kernels into normal rice, added the statement.