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Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs - January 2018
Andhra CM declares 2018 as Telugu promotion year

On 1st December 2018, year 2018 was declared as Telugu promotion year by Andhra Pradesh
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
i. This was announced at the 29th edition of Annual Book Exhibition of Vijayawada. Vice
President M Venkaiah Naidu and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu
inaugurated the exhibition.
ii. The Annual Book Exhibition of Vijayawada is organized by Vijayawada Book Festival
Society. This edition was supported by Andhra Pradesh government and NTR trust.
Andhra Pradesh GrameenaVikas Bank introduces Desktop ATMs in rural India

On January 2, 2018, Andhra Pradesh GrameenaVikas Bank (APGVB) operationalised its first
desktop ATM at Kasibugga in Mandi Bazar in Warangal, Telangana.
i. The mini-ATM has been installed within the branch premises and will facilitate customers to
withdraw small amounts. The regular bank account holders too can withdraw money from this
desktop ATM and conduct other banking activities.
ii. APGVB has laid out plans to install 100 such desktop ATMs in different busy branches. 60 of
them will be in Telangana State and 40 in AP branches.
AP IT minister Nara Lokesh receives Kalam Innovations in Governance Award (KIGA)

On 20th January 2018, Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh was honoured with the
Kalam Innovations in Governance Award (KIGA) at an event organised by the APJ Abdul
Kalam International Foundation, in New Delhi.
i. The Kalam Innovations in Governance Award (KIGA) award was presented to Nara Lokesh by
Desh Deepak Verma, Rajya Sabha Secretary General, for outstanding work in improving
governance.
AP government, NITI Aayog sign MoU to develop an online dashboard

On 18th January 2018, Andhra Pradesh Government signed a MoU with NITI Aayog to create an
online dashboard for the 115 most backward districts of India, in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh.i.
NITIAayog Vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N
Chandrababu Naidu were present when the MoU was signed.
ii. The backward districts were selected based on education, health, nutrition, rural road
connectivity, rural household electrification, access to potable water, individual toilets, etc.
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Andhra Pradesh-Zurich sign sister state agreement

Andhra Pradesh State government has entered into a sister-state agreement with the Canton of
Zurich, Switzerland.
i. A letter of intent (LOI) in this regard was signed by Zurich Councillor and Head of the
Department for Economic Affairs, Carmen Walker Späh and Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister
Yanamala Ramakrishnudu in the presence of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
ii. Under this agreement, Andhra Pradesh and Canton of Zurich will collaborate in various areas
through exchange of experience and information, industry-specific programmes and projects,
establishment of joint work groups and regular expert-level consultations.
Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs - February 2018
First-ever Pelican Bird Festival held at Atapaka Bird Sanctuary

On 4th February 2018, ‘Pelican Bird Festival-2018’ was held at the Atapaka Bird Sanctuary
on Kolleru Lake, in Andhra Pradesh.
i. The Pelican Bird Festival-2018 was jointly organised by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism
Authority (APTA) and Krishna district administration.
ii. Andhra Pradesh Tourism minister Bhuma AkhilaPriya and Krishna District collector B
Lakshmikantham inaugurated the Pelican Bird Festival-2018.
iii. A rally was organized from Kaikaluru town to Atapaka bird sanctuary during the
festival. Thousands of artists, students and officials of the tourism department participated in the
rally.
AP CM Naidu lays foundation for Universal Peace Retreat Center in Amaravati

On February 1, 2018; Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation
stone for the Universal Peac
e Retreat Center of 'Prajapita Brahmakumari Eswariya University' in Amaravati.
i.This Center will be built on 10 acres of land at Nekkollu village within
the Amaravati Capital Region. The land has been allotted by Andhra Pradesh State
Government.
ii. Raja yoga and Dhyana will be taught at the Center. Besides, the center will be involved in
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propagating youth development, women empowerment, child care, and moral values.
iii. Universal Peace Retreat Center will have capacity to provide shelter to 1500 people.
Centre grants Rs.1269 crore for Andhra Pradesh projects

In last few days, Central Government has released a sum of Rs. 1269 crore to Andhra Pradesh for
various projects.
i. Out of Rs. 1269 crore, Rs. 417.44 crore has been given as grant for the Polavaram
multipurpose project across the Godavari River.
ii. Andhra Pradesh State Government has claimed that it has already spent over Rs. 7200 crore
on the Polavaram multipurpose project.
iii. However, Central Government has so far released grant of only Rs. 4329 crore. Amount of Rs.
417.44 crore which has been recently granted is a small portion towards filling up the gap.
EESL Signs MoUs of Rs 3,730 Crore Projects in Andhra Pradesh

On February 24, 2018, government-run Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) signed
memorandum of understanding (MoUs) with Andhra Pradesh State Government to invest Rs 3730
crore in the state.
i. The MoUs envisage supply of 10000 electric cars and 4000 chargers to various
departments of Andhra Pradesh through Non-conventional Energy Development Corporation
of Andhra Pradesh Limited (NREDCAP).
ii. Other MoUs were related to supply of approximately 17 lakh smart energy meters to two power
distribution companies in Andhra Pradesh viz. – Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution
Company Ltd. (APEPDCL), and Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited
(APSPDCL).
CII partnership summit held in Visakhapatnam

The annual three-day partnership summit of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
began in Visakahpatnam on February 24, 2018.
i. This summit is being jointly organised by the Andhra Pradesh State Government, the
CII, and the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion under Union Ministry of
Commerce and Industry.
ii. It was inaugurated by Vice-President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu.
iii. The inaugural session of this summit was attended by Union Commerce and Industry Minister
Suresh Prabhu, noted industrialists Gautam Adani and Adi Godrej along with Andhra Pradesh Chief
Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Facebook, Andhra Pradesh government to work together

On 20th February 2018, Facebook India announced that, it will work together with Andhra
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Pradesh government, to carry out innovative pilot projects in Andhra Pradesh.

i. Facebook (India) Connectivity Policy Head Aswani Rana and Andhra Pradesh
Information and Technology Minister Nara Lokesh decided to work on services like internet
facility to every house by means of fiber grid, internet and WiFi. This also includes TV services at a
nominal cost of Rs 149.
ii. Nara Lokesh asked the Facebook team to carry out innovative pilot projects in Andhra Pradesh
and got a positive response from the Facebook team.
iii. Facebook team said that, they would offer training to women, small scale and cottage
industries to help them sell products online.
Former Union minister Bolla Bulliramaiah dies

On 14th February 2018, Bolla Bulliramaiah, former Union minister, passed away due to age
related ailments at Tanuku, in Andhra Pradesh.
i. Bolla Bulliramaiah was 92 years old. In 1984, Bolla Bulliramaiah became an MP.
ii. He was then elected to the Lok Sabha from the Eluru constituency: in 1991, 1996 and
1999. He was the Union minister of state for commerce in the 1996-98 period.
iii. Earlier, he was chairman and managing director of Andhra Sugars. He belonged to the TDP
(Telugu Desam Party).
Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs - March 2018
Andhra Government launches NAIPUNYA RATHAM or World on Wheels:

On March 22, 2018, Andhra Pradesh (AP) State Government launched, NAIPUNYA RATHAM or
World on Wheels, a multi-utility vehicle aimed at taking technology to the remote corners
of the state.
i. NAIPUNYA RATHAM or World on Wheels, which is a part of AP State Government’s ‘Smart
village Smart Ward Programme’ will not only facilitate in furthering digital literacy but will also
create an awareness about various government schemes.
Andhra CM inaugurates International Yachting Festival

On 29th March 2018, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated the
International Yachting Festival in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.It is conducted by
the Andhra Pradesh government.
Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) is providing required support for the festival. Krishnababu,
Chairman of VPT, said that, this festival is conducted with an aim to boost sea tourism in
Vishakapatnam.
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Andhra Pradesh stands at 51st position in Global Multidimensional Poverty Index

As per a recent household survey conducted in Andhra Pradesh, the state attained a rank
equivalent to 51st rank globally on Multidimensional Poverty Index.
i.On the global Multidimensional Poverty Index, India ranked at 66th position with an index
value of 0.1911.
ii. Andhra Pradesh can be placed at 51st position. Among districts of Andhra Pradesh, East
Godavari has topped with index value of 0.0468 and Vizianagaram is at the bottom with
a value of 0.1271. It is the most widely accepted global measure of multidimensional
poverty.
Avaada Power inks pact to develop 500 MW solar capacities in Andhra Pradesh
On 28th February 2018, Avaada Power Pvt Ltd, stated that, it will invest Rs 3,500 crore to
establish 500 MW solar projects in Andhra Pradesh. An agreement regarding this was signed
at the 'CII Partnership Summit 2018' in Vishakhapatnam.
i. Avaada Power said that, the utility-scale solar projects will produce clean energy sufficient to
sustainably power more than 2.4 million houses in Andhra Pradesh.
ii. This investment by Avaada Power would create over 1,200 job opportunities. Andhra Pradesh
has a planned to achieve a goal of 18 GW of renewable energy capacities by 2021-22.
About Avaada Group:
♦ Chairman - Vineet Mittal
♦ Vice Chairperson - Sindoor Mittal
Andhra Pradesh appoints shuttler Kidambi Srikanth as Deputy Collector

On 29th March 2018, Andhra Pradesh government appointed shuttler Kidambi Srikanth as a
Deputy Collector.
i. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu gave the appointment letter to
Kidambi Srikanth in the presence of former All-England champion and badminton coach Pullela
Gopichand, in Amravati.
ii. Kidambi Srikanth has received the Padma Shri award. He became the second youngest
sportsperson in India after PV Sindhu to bag the Padma Shri award
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Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs - April 2018
Chandrababu Naidu inaugurates AP Cyber Security Operations Center

On 23rd April 2018, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated
the Andhra Pradesh Cyber Security Operations Center (APCSOC) in Amaravati.
i. APCSOC is an initiative taken by Andhra Pradesh Information Technology, Electronics
and Communications (IT and E&C) ministry.
ii. N Chandrababu Naidu said that, the Center will fight cyber security threats and offer real time
intelligence sharing and threat analysis to all state government departments and entities.
iii. Andhra Pradesh has involved Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) as cyber security
consultants to the Government to help framing and adopting best practices and frameworks in
this domain.
iv. Tech Mahindra has been chosen to operate the APSCOC. He also launched a cyber
threat portal and the Andhra Pradesh’s draft Cyber Security Framework (CSF).
Walmiki and Malhar: 2 unknown languages discovered

Prof Panchanan Mohanty, former dean of the School of Humanities at University of Hyderabad
(UoH) has discovered two new languages: Walmiki and Malhar.
i. These languages were discovered by Prof Mohanty as a part of the research activity of the
Centre for Endangered Languages and Mother Tongue Studies, UoH.
ii. These languages were unknown to linguists so far. Walmiki is spoken in Koraput of Odisha
and in the bordering districts of Andhra Pradesh.
iii. Walmiki is an isolate language (it does not belong to a family of languages). The community
speaking Walmiki claims descent from Indian saint-poet Valmiki.
iv. Malhar is spoken in an isolated region 165 km away from Bhubaneswar in Odisha. Around 75
people form the community that speaks Malhar language.
Andhra transforming its capital into world class city

State of Andhra Pradesh is constructing a world-class city in its de facto capital Amaravati.
i. Nearly 3840 apartments in 61 towers are under construction in the Amaravati capital
region.
ii. Out of 61 towers, 21 towers having 1440 apartments are being built by Shapurji Palonji.
These apartments will be for Type 1, Type 2 government officers and Group D employees.
iii. 22 towers with 1968 apartments for NGOs, are being built by L&T while 18 towers having 432
apartments (for Members of Legislative Assembly, Members of Legislative Council and
All India Services Officers are being built by Nagarjuna Construction Company.
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Lands get unique number in Andhra's new project 'Bhu Seva'

On 28th April 2018, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister (Revenue) K E
Krishnamurthy initiated Andhra Pradesh government's 'Bhu Seva' (land hub) project aimed at
offering integrated services related with land.
i. As per the Bhu Seva project, each land parcel will be given a Bhudhar Number. The Bhudhar
Number is an 11 digit unique number.
ii. It will help in easy identification of the details of land parcel. A pilot project of this scheme was
launched on 11th April 2018 in Jaggaiah Peta Mandal and Vuyyur Nagar Panchayat of Krishna
district.
Andhra Government holds Cyber Security Summit in Visakhapatnam

On 27th April 2018, Andhra Pradesh government and MasterCard, along with Fintech
valley conducted the Andhra Pradesh Cyber Security Summit in Visakhapatnam. Andhra
Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh took part in the summit. The summit acted as a platform for
top cyber security experts to exchange strategies and solutions to fight the cyber threat issues in
India and worldwide.
Four kingfisher bird species thriving in Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh
At least four kingfisher species are thriving in the Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh.
i. The four kingfisher species were documented and photographed by a team of Wildlife
Management Division, Eluru, under the control of wetland expert Allaparthi Appa Rao.
ii. The species have been identified as White-throated kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis),
Pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis), Black-capped kingfisher (Halcyon pileate) and the
Common kingfisher. The birds are thriving there as the sanctuary is an ideal habitation for prey.
Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs - May 2018
Andhra CM launches NCBN app to implement effective governance

On 8th May 2018, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu launched the official
'NCBN' (Nara Chandrababu Naidu) App in the Collector's conference held at Amaravati.
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'NCBN' (Nara Chandrababu Naidu) App:

i. The 'NCBN' (Nara Chandrababu Naidu) App has been launched to implement effective
governance in Andhra Pradesh.
ii. The app will notify people in real-time with news updates. It will be a direct platform for the
common people to interact with the government.
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu lays foundation stone for NIDM’s Southern Campus in
Andhra Pradesh
On 22nd May 2018, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu laid the foundation stone of the Southern
Campus of National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) at Kondapavuluru Village,
Gannavaram Mandal, Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh.
i. NIDM is a Government institute under Ministry of Home Affairs. In line with the Andhra Pradesh
Reorganization Act 2014, it has set up a Southern Campus in Andhra Pradesh.
ii. At present, an interim setup of NIDM Southern Campus is functioning in Andhra Pradesh
Human Resource Development Institute (APHRDI) Campus at Bapatla, Guntur.
iii. The Central Government has approved setting up of the South Campus at a cost of Rs. 36.76
crores.
Andhra Pradesh gets its state symbols after 4 years of bifurcation

On May 30,2018, after 4 years of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and Telengana, the state of
Andhra Pradesh gets its own symbol. This was announced by the Principle Secretary of
Environment Forests G . Anantha Ramu.
i. Neem and Black Buck have been declared as the state tree and the state animal respectively.
ii. Rose-ringedParakeet will be the State Bird.
iii. Jasmine will be the state flower .
Dalmia group adopts Gandikota fort in Andhra

Dalmia Bharat group has adopted the Gandikota Fort (located in in Kadapa district, Andhra
Pradesh) under Central Government’s ‘Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan’ scheme.
i. Under ‘Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan’ scheme, Union Ministry of Tourism had
invited private and public sector companies to adopt as many as 116 ASI-protected
monuments/sites to take up the responsibility for its maintenance, conservation and
development.
ii. Gandikota Fort is a 14th century fort, overlooking a stunning gorge carved by the Pennar river
in Andhra Pradesh.
iii. It is located close to Dalmia Bharat’s cement factory in Kadapa district and will thus make it
easier to monitor development and maintenance work being undertaken at the fort.
iv. Gandikota Fort has been adopted by Dalmia Group for a period of five years.
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Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs - June 2018
The Andhra Pradesh government on Saturday launched a Zero Based Natural Farming
(ZBNF) scale-out scheme
On June 2,2018, The government of Andhra Pradesh has launched a Zero Based Natural Farming
(ZBNF) scheme for benefitting the farmers by 2024.
i.MOU was signed between the state’s agriculture department and Sustainable India Finance
Facility (SIFF).
ii.The investment for the ZBNF scheme is Rs. 16,134 crores over the next 6 years.
About SIFF:
It is an initiative with the partnership of United Nations Environment Program, The World
Agroforestry Center and the BNP Paribas. It will be financing the farmers for the scheme .
Ten new Swachh Iconic Places of 2018 launched under Phase III of Swachh Iconic
places under Swachh Bharat Mission in Uttarakhand: Ministry of Drinking Water and
Sanitation
On June 12, 2018, 10 new places have been inducted in the Phase III of Swachh Iconic
Places under Swachh Bharat Mission and the SIP mission was launched atMana village which is
situated close to the Badrinath temple in Uttarakhand.
i.The 10 new places are : RaghavendraSwamy Temple (Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh); Hazardwari
Palace (Murshidabad, West Bengal); Brahma Sarovar Temple (Kurukshetra, Haryana); VidurKuti
(Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh); Mana village (Chamoli, Uttarakhand); Pangong Lake (Leh-Ladakh, J&K);
Nagvasuki Temple (Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh); ImaKeithal/market (Imphal, Manipur); Sabarimala
Temple (Kerala); and Kanvashram (Uttarakhand).
ii.He also launched four major SLWM activities in Mana village, including community soak pits,
compost pits, separation centre for organic and inorganic waste, and naalis for liquid waste with a
sanctioned amount of Rs. 26.87 lakhs.
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Unemployed graduated youth of Andhra Pradesh to get monthly allowance of Rs.1000

On June 1, 2018, the government of Andhra Pradesh announced that it will give allowance to the
state’s unemployed youth.Each person will be given Rs. 1000 on a monthly basis.
There are nearly 10 lakh youth in the state.
Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu lays foundation for iCon tower in Amaravati

On June 22,2018 Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation for icon
tower in Amaravati.It is to be constructed by Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugus (AP
NRT) society at Rayapudi village, will become a center for many NRT owned IT industries.
i. It is 33 floor/158-meter high. The construction of building will be in the form of letter ‘A’ and it
represents Amaravati. The iconic structure will give a stunning 360° degree view of Amaravati for
the occupants.
ii. This tower will enable the establishment of about a hundred software companies resulting in
more than 5000 direct and several thousand indirect jobs.
MoU for upgrade of Construction of Amravati between Andhra Pradesh and Singapore
has been signed
On June 26,2018, Andhra Pradesh entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with Singapore to accelerate the construction work of its new capital, Amratvati.
i.The MOU has been signed between AP Real Estate Regulatory Authority and Building (APRERA)
and Construction Authority of Singapore in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu
Naidu and Singapore's Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee.
ii.The MOU will promote and create a safe, high quality, environment-friendly built environment
in Andhra Pradesh.
Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs - July 2018
First phase of Anna Canteens launched in Andhra Pradesh by CM N Chandrababu Naidu

On July 12, 2018, Andhra Pradesh Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated a canteen in
Vijayawada to mark the launch of much-awaited‘Anna Canteens’ in various parts of the state .
i.Total 60 ‘Anna Canteens’ were opened in the first phase across the state.
ii. These canteens are run by The Akshaya Patra Foundation in collaboration with the Municipal
Administration and Civil Supplies Departments.
iii.As per contribution, Rs.6 lakhs has already been offered by officials and bureaucrats.
iv.The second phase of the project will have additional 143 canteens which will be opened
by August 15.
v.It is named after TDP founder-president NT Rama Rao.The first canteen was opened on a pilot
basis close to the Government Transitional Headquarters in Amravati on March 2016.
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vi. In the Anna Canteen the breakfast, lunch and dinner would be offered at Rs 5 each.The
canteens will also have CCTV cameras. Thus, any person entering will have his finger print or iris
captured for facial recognition preventing frauds.
vii. Each canteen is expected to serve at least 350 plates for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The
capacity can be extended to 500 plates.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu launches e-Pragati core platform
On 19th July 2018, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu launched ‘e-Pragati core
platform’ at Undavalli, Andhra Pradesh.
i. e-Pragati is a forward-looking digital initiative. It aims to connect citizens to 34 departments,
336 autonomous organisations and 745-plus services.
ii. Andhra Pradesh aims to realise the vision of ‘Sunrise AP 2022’ through this project.
iii. The e-Pragati authority will achieve the goals of the project by supporting the 7 development
missions launched in the areas of e-Governance, Social Empowerment, Skill Development, Urban
Development, Infrastructure, Industrial Development and the Services sector.
iv. N. Chandrababu Naidu said that, e-Pragati will act as a platform to connect all departments
and stand alone to resolve the issues.
v. He said that, there should be coordination between citizens and the government to solve
various issues.
vi. IT Minister Nara Lokesh said that, certificate-less admissions have been introduced in Andhra
Pradesh. Issue of driving licences have also been made online.
vii .CEO of e-Pragati is N. Balasubrahmanyam. EY (erstwhile Ernst & Young) had played a major
role in enabling the project.
viii. project was initially estimated to cost RS 1,500 crore. Later it was reduced to Rs 800 crore.
ix. Nearly 180-plus certificates, licences & permits will be available online. 100 plus mobile apps
will be listed on App Store.
Design University for Gaming to come up in Vishakhapatnam: UNESCO

On July 6, 2018, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO) entered into an agreement with Andhra Pradesh Economic Development
Board (APEDB) for setting up a ‘Design University for Gaming’ in Visakhapatnam.
i.This MoU will help in developing the city as ‘International Gaming and Digital Learning Hub’.
ii. The hub would be established on a land of 100 acres in Vishakhapatnam.
iii. Gaming Technology will be the best source of income in future and IT giants like UBSoft,
Samsung, Microsoft etc are ready to establish their centres in Visakhapatnam.
iv. This will help develop edutech gaming in the state, with the target of providing 50,000 jobs in
10 years.
v. Andhra Pradesh would be developed as a knowledge economy – innovation valley.
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vi. CM Naidu inaugurated and flagged off a mobile cancer screening vehicle launched by
the Manipal Hospital in Andhra secretariat.
vii. The vehicle will be used to provide free services. Facilities for testing oral, breast and general
cancers are available in this vehicle. It will move around all 13 districts of the state and provide
free service.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu unveils State Credit Plan
(banking) 2018-19
On 13th July 2018, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu released the State Credit
Plan (banking) 2018-19, with an aim to improve banking services in Andhra Pradesh.
i. This plan was announced at the 203rd meeting of State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC). As
per this scheme, Andhra Pradesh has been allocated Rs.1,94,220 crores for development and
modernisation.
ii. The Priority Sector that includes agriculture and allied activities, micro and small enterprises,
poor people for housing, students for education has been allocated Rs 1,44,220 crores.
iii. The non-priority sector, under which financial institutions lend credit to bank customers, has
been allocated Rs 50,000 crores.
iv. Heavy industries has been allotted Rs 10,457 crores. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
(MSMEs) has been allotted Rs 28,261 crores.
v. Issues related to financial support, review of increasing rural banking, details of ATMs available
to the public, review of PM Jan Shannon Yojana accounts, study on the performance of Bank
Mitra’s, loans to agriculture and allied sectors were discussed during the meeting.
vi. SLBC also reviewed 39 issues in 20 major sectors. SLBC is an inter-institutional forum for
coordination and joint implementation of development programmes and policies by the financial
institutions in Andhra Pradesh. This Committee meets once in a quarter.
DIPP and Min. of Commerce and Industry released the ranking of states on Ease of
Doing Business
On July 11, 2018, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce
and Industry, released the final rankings of States in Ease of Doing Business in New Delhi. Top 5
states according to the BRAP 2017 report: Andhra
Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana, Jharkhand, Gujarat
i.DIPP, Ministry of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the World Bank conducted an
annual reform exercise for all States and UTs under the Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP).
ii. The aim of this exercise is to improve delivery of various Central Government regulatory
functions and services in an efficient, effective and transparent manner.
iii. Under the BRAP 2017 is based on a combined score consisting of Reform evidence score that
is based on evidences uploaded by the States and UTs and Feedback score that is based on the
feedback from the users.
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iv. The feedback was collected through 50000 face-to-face interviews. 78 reforms out of 372 were
identified for the survey. More than 5,000 private sector users in 23 States and UTs, including
4,300 businesses and 800 architects, lawyers and electrical contractors from across the country
shared their experience.
v. Under this, DIPP organised numerous outreach programmes including 30 workshops and
periodic video conferences with States and UTs.
vi. DIPP identified partner States to mentor another State and UT to facilitate implementation of
reforms in States and UTs needing support. Telangana and West Bengal held extensive workshops
to support Tripura and Nagaland respectively.
vii. This is all under the Ease of Doing Business in India for improving the business and
regulatory environment.
viii. The next year’s assessment will be entirely based on user feedback.
Two 50MW Solar Projects in Ananthapuramu Solar Park commissioned by Tata Power
On July 4, 2018, Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd. (TPREL), a subsidiary of Tata Power, has
announced the successful commissioning of two solar projects of 50 MW each
in Ananthapuramu Solar Park, located in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
i. These projects are under a 25 year power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with Solar Energy
Corporation of India (SECI).
ii. These two grid connected solar power projects have been developed under the Jawaharlal
Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) Phase II, Batch-III and have been implemented
through Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Mode.
iii. The total renewable power operating capacity is around 2.2 GW, out of which, 1.3 GW
consists of solar projects and 931 MW comprises wind projects.
iv. Earnings from this project is Rs.26.79 billion (~$0.39 billion) for FY 2017-18 mainly due to a
46 percent increase in its renewable business.
Sagarmala initiative: Hi-tech Labs in Centre of Excellence in Maritime & Ship building
(CEMS), Visakhapatnam
The Centre of Excellence in Maritime & Shipbuilding (CEMS) has said that, its hi tech labs at
Visakhapatnam are in ready state to commence orientation programmes for trainees.
i. On 13th July 2018, a seminar was conducted in Vishakhapatnam to inform stakeholders about
the facilities in the labs and the start of training process.
ii. Recently, CEMS had announced the readiness of its Mumbai labs also. CEMS is promoted
by Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass) along with Siemens and Ministry of Shipping.
iii. The Visakhapatnam campus is located in the Indian Maritime University (IMU) campus.
iv. Mr. Kailash Agrawal, Joint Secretary, Sagarmala, Ministry of Shipping said that, the CEMS is a
major initiative of Sagarmala programme to enhance skill development in ship building and ship
repair.
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v. It will offer industry related employable skills to students in the port and maritime sector. It will
also encourage Make in India and Skill India initiatives in the maritime sector.
About Sagarmala Project:
♦ Launched – 2015
♦ Main Objective – to promote port-led direct and indirect development and to provide
infrastructure to transport goods to and from ports quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively.
ISRO’s first PAT (pad abort test) successful

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that, the first ‘pad abort’ test was
performed successfully on 5th July 2018 at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
i. The Pad Abort Test showed safe recovery of the crew module in case of any exigency at the
launch pad.
ii. The PAT (pad abort test) is the first in a series of tests to qualify a crew escape system
technology of a manned mission in the future.
iii. The Crew Escape System is an emergency escape method to quickly pull the crew module, the
astronaut cabin, along with astronauts to a safe distance from the launch vehicle in case of a
launch abort.
iv. The teams also tried out at least 5 new secondary technologies associated with satellite
communication, navigation and telemetry during the test.
v. The Crew Escape System with a simulated 12.6-tonne crew module lifted off from its pad. It
was propelled on its own 7 specially made complex in-built rockets.
vi. In the next 4 odd minutes, it reached an altitude of 2.7 km. It turned into the Bay of Bengal
on parachutes.
vii. It landed in sea at a distance of 2.9 km from the launch centre. 3 recovery boats were
retrieved the module.
viii. The rockets are powered by solid-fuel. They are specially designed for fast ejection of the
crew module and astronauts to a safe distance without exceeding the safe G-levels.
ix. Over 300 sensors recorded several functional aspects of the mission during the test flight.
Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs - August 2018
Mukhyamantri Yuva Nestam: Andhra Pradesh Government launches unemployment

allowance scheme.
On August 3, 2018, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu launched ‘Mukhya Mantri-Yuva
Nestham’ scheme to allowance to unemployed youth in the state.
i. The allowance will be of Rs 1000 per month.
ii. 12 lakh youths in the age group of 22-35 years will get the benefit.
iii. The scheme is eligible even if there are more than one beneficiary in a family.
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iv. The money will be credited directly into the bank accounts through biometric
authentication after 15 days of registration which will start from either third or fourth week of
August.
v. Apart from the allowance, the government will also provide skill training.The state cabinet has
also decided to fill 20,000 job vacancies, 9000 teacher posts, and vacancies in other departments.
The world’s first-ever high energy storage device has been built in Amaravati, Andhra
Pradesh
On August 6, 2018, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu unveiled the world’s first-ever thermal
battery in Amravati, Andhra Pradesh state.
i. It has been manufactured by the Bharat Energy Storage Technology Private Limited (BEST).
ii. It had an estimated cost of Rs 660 crore.
iii. It has a capacity of 1,000 MW and would be enhanced to 10 GW in the next six to seven years.
iv. The plant in Andhra Pradesh is expected to start commercial operations by May 2019.
About the Project:
i. It is the first of its kind cell aimed at boosting up renewable sources of energy production.
ii. It will be used to store energy for telecommunication, commercial establishments, electric
vehicles and highway charging stations.
iii. It can be accessed in remote locations, such as hilly terrains and islands.
iv. Also batteries for telecommunications, mini or microgrids and electric buses would be
manufactured in the first phase.
v. Under this project, electric buses, produced by Bilva Motors will deliver an 800-kilometre range
with a single charge of BEST’s thermal cells.
vi. These cells can have output ranging between 5Kwh and 1 Mwh.
vii. The potential capacity of the new innovation in India has been estimated to be $60 billion by
2020 which will increase to $100 billion by 2030.
Other Announcements:
i. The renewable purchasing obligation compliance monitoring and reporting web tool of AP was
launched.
ii. IIT Roorkee has entered into a MoA with BEST on renewable and sustainable energy
technologies for research and industrial collaboration.
iii. Griffiti University in Australia has also entered into a MoU with BEST in energy storage sector.
iv. The smallest unit of BEST will be unveiled shortly with 300 kwh unit, will supply power to 80
houses.
Andhra govt and Holytech sign MoU on setting up electronics manufacturing plant
On August 7, 2018, Andhra Pradesh Government signed an MoU with electronics
company Holytech.
i. Under this MoU, Holytech will set up its plant in 75 acres land in Tirupati and Chittoor districts.
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ii. It will have cost of Rs. 1400 crores.

iii. This would be the first-of-its-kind facility in India.
iv. It will create 6000 direct and indirect job opportunities.
v. The production of the facility is estimated to begin in the first quarter of 2019.
About Holytech:
The electronics company manufactures thin film transistors, touch screen modules, flexible printed
circuits and fingerprint sensors.
Aditya – L1: First Indian mission to study the Sun to be launched in 2019
ISRO’s Aditya-L1 mission, India’s first mission to study the solar corona, is planned to be
launched in 2019-2020, by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-XL) from Sriharikota, Andhra
Pradesh.
i. Aditya – L1 will be inserted in a halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) that is 1.5 million
km from the Earth. Solar corona is the outer layers of the Sun.
ii. Lagrangian point is a point where the attraction by the Sun and the Earth becomes equal. This
point does not experience gravitational force.
iii. This satellite will observe the Sun’s Photosphere and the Chromosphere and will also conduct
additional experiments.
iv. Aditya – L1 will have 6 additional payloads. Aditya in Sanskrit means the ‘sun’.
v. Payloads of Aditya – L1:
 Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC)– to study the diagnostic parameters of solar
corona and dynamics and origin of Coronal Mass Ejections
 Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT)– to image the Solar Photosphere and
Chromosphere in near Ultraviolet (200-400 nm) and measure solar irradiance variations
 Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) – to study the variation of solar wind
properties and its distribution and spectral characteristics
 Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya (PAPA)– to understand the composition of solar wind
and its energy distribution
 Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS)– to monitor the X-ray flares to study the
heating mechanism of solar corona
 High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS)– to observe the dynamic events in
the solar corona and estimate the energy used to accelerate the particles during eruptive
events
 Magnetometer– to measure the magnitude and nature of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field
Former member of Lok Sabha Chennupati Vidya dies of heart attack

On 18th August 2018, former member of Lok Sabha, Chennupati Vidya passed away following
a heart attack, in Andhra Pradesh.
i. Chennupati Vidya was 84 years. She was elected to the Parliament as a Congress contestant
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from Vijayawada constituency in 1980 and 1989.

ii. She had won the Jamnalal Bajaj Award in honour of her services to women.
iii. She was involved in social service through the Atheist Centre in Vijayawada, established by
her father Goparaju Ramachandra Rao (GoRa), who was an atheist movement leader.
Senior Congress leader Gurudas Kamat passed away in New Delhi

On August 22,Senior Congress leader and five-time parliamentarian Gurudas Kamat
passed away due to Heart Attack.He was 63 year old.
i. Kamat was a commerce graduate and had a law degree from the Government Law College,
Mumbai.
ii. Kamat served as a Union minister in the UPA-II government.
iii. He was a Member of Parliament from the Mumbai North West Constituency in
2009 and Mumbai North East Constituency in 1984,1991,1998 and 2004.
iv. From 2009 to 2011,he served as the Minister of State for Home Affairs with Additional
Charge of Communications and Information Technology.
v. He was a member of the Congress Working Committee and also served as the general
Secretary of the AICC(All India Congress Committee )
Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs - September 2018
e-Rythu : digital platform for Andhra farmers launched by Andhra Pradesh & Mastercard
On September 14, 2018, the government of Andhra Pradesh entered into a MOU
with Mastercard and launched a mobile platform, e-Rythu (e-farmer in Telugu) enabling small-
scale farmers to market their produce at reasonable prices.
Objective:
Aims to digitize agriculture marketplaces, payments, workflows, and secure way to buy, sell and
receive payments for agri products.
Key Points:
i. The platform has been developed by Mastercard Labs for financial inclusion.
ii. The platform also creates a digital transaction history, which allows farmers to receive formal
credit from banks and other financial institutions.
iii.Telugu will be the medium of communication.
iv. The government aims to integrate the e-Rythu with existing platforms such as-e-NAM
(National Agricultural Market).
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AP, Odisha & Madhya Pradesh Best Performing States in “Ease of Living Index” Under
Amrut
On September 24, 2018, the “Ease of Living Index” rankings were launched by the Ministry
of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban
Transformation (AMRUT) at the National Dissemination Workshop on Ease of Living Index, 2018
in New Delhi.
Highlights:
i. Andhra Pradesh has topped the charts followed by Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.
ii. The first round of Ease of Living covered 111 cities.
iii. Gurugram was subsequently included in the assessment.
iv. Four cities of West Bengal – Howrah, New Town Kolkata, Kolkata and Durgapur did not
participate in the competition.
v. Naya Raipur of Chhattisgarh and Amravati of Andhra Pradesh did not fulfill the parameters as
they are green-field cities.
About Ease of Doing Business:
i. It is a measurement of the cities in the country to enable them to implement and promote
evidence-based planning and action towards sustainable urbanization.
ii. In June 2017 decision to rank 116 cities (all smart cities and million plus cities) based on the
liveability parameters was taken and the implementation of the assessment commenced formally
on 19 January 2018.
iii. The MoHUA released the first ever ‘Ease of Living Index’ covering 111 Indian cities on 13
August, 2018 and all cities were evaluated out of 100.
iv. The Ease of Living framework comprised four pillars namely Institutional, Social, Economic and
Physical which are further broken down into 78 indicators across 15 categories.
v. Of the 17 SDG goals, 8 goals are directly linked to India’s ease of living assessment framework.
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA):
♦ Minister of State (I/C): Shri Hardeep Singh Puri.
♦ Secretary: Shri durga Shanker Mishra.
ISRO setting up third launch pad at Sriharikota for Gaganyaan mission

On Sept 21.The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is setting up a third launch pad at
Sriharikota,Andhra Pradesh to undertake the Gaganyaan manned space flight programme.
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i. The two launch pads were already full. The third launch pad is set up for human space
flight.ISRO is inspecting for a location on the western sea coast near Gujarat to set up another
launch pad for Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLV).
ii. Aim of Mission : To send a three person crew to space for a period of seven days.The
spacecraft will be placed in a low earth orbit of 300-400 Km.
Gaganyaan manned space flight programme or Gaganyaan Mission:-
Indian Human Spaceflight Programme was created by the Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) to develop the technology needed to launch crewed orbital spacecraft into low Earth
orbit.[2] The first crewed flight is planned with a spacecraft called Gaganyaan for December 2021
on a home-grown GSLV-III rocket.
Revolutionary leader Kondapalli Koteswaramma passes away

On 19th September 2018, revolutionary leader, writer and feminist Kondapalli
Koteswaramma passed away, following a brain hemorrhage, in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
i. She was 100 years old. She was born in Pamarru area of Krishna district in Andhra Pradesh.
ii. She had joined the Congress party when she was 10 years old. She was an active member of
the United Communist Party in the 1940s and 50s.
iii. She had played an active role in the Telangana Rebellion (1946-1951). She had written her
autobiography named ‘Nirjana Varadhi’ and three other books.
Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs - October 2018
Yuva Nestam launched in Andhra capital of Amaravati on Gandhi Jayanti

On October 2, 2018, on the eve of Gandhi Jayanti, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu
Naidu launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Nestham’ scheme in Amaravati.
i. According to the scheme, an amount of Rs. 1000 will be given as monthly unemployment
allowance to eligible jobless youth of the state.
ii. It would also provide skill training to 10 lakh youth and 260 training partners have been
appointed for this purpose.
iii. The training partners are from the countries of: Singapore, UK and Germany.
Cyclonic storm TITLI moves towards Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coast

On October 10, 2018, India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Odisha and
Andhra Pradesh as a cyclonic storm called ‘Titli’ is advancing in the eastern coasts of the these
states.
i. The Cyclone has formed due to depression in the Bay of Bengal region which is intensifying and
may have strong winds reaching 100 kmph along the Odisha coast.
ii. It has an epicenter at about 530 km southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha and 480 km east-
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southeast of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

iii. It is being monitored by the coastal Doppler Weather Radars at Visakhapatnam, Gopalpur, and
Paradip.
iv. Various evacuation measures are being taken by the government of Odisha.
UNESCO MGIEP, Government of Andhra Pradesh to organize TECH 2018

UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP)
in association with Government of Andhra Pradesh has announced TECH 2018, an international
conference, to be held from 15-17 November 2018, at Novotel, Vizag City, Andhra Pradesh.
i. This conference aims to showcase the role of games and digital learning in enabling a shift from
transmissive pedagogies to transformative pedagogies to develop peaceful and sustainable
societies.
ii. It aims to act as a holistic platform for the ministers of education, senior policy makers,
education technology specialists, educators and teachers, curriculum designers, researchers,
learners, students, game designers, and ed-tech exhibitors.
iii. Following the success of TECH 2017, UNESCO MGIEP will organize TECH annually for the next
4 years.
India’s coastal communities to get USD 43.4 million from Green Climate Fund
On October 22 2018 UN-backed fund has approved USD 43.4 million for supporting climate
resilience of millions of people living in the coastal states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and
Odisha of India to combat extreme impacts of climate change during the 21st meeting of the
Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board at Manama,Bahrain.
i. The new project will be supported through the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP), and is an essential step for India in reaching its goals outlined in the Paris Agreement
and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
ii. Government of India will finance an additional US$86.8 million toward the new project to
mainstream and accelerate the impacts of the Green Climate Fund grant.
Reason behind the fund for India
India’s coastal areas are quite vulnerable to climate change and this project focuses on selected
vulnerable areas of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha states. The new project, with GCF
assistance, will not only help enhance resilience and adaptability, but also lead to emissions
reduction while providing support to local communities for their livelihoods.
About Green Climate Fund
This fund approval is a part of more than USD 1 billion approved by the Green Climate Fund for
19 new projects to help developing countries tackle climate change. The 19 new projects amount
to a total investment from GCF of USD 1,038 million, and including co-financing the projects will
channel over USD 4,244 million of climate finance for low-emission, climate-resilient development.
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Narayan Prasad takes over as Director General Naval Projects at Visakhapatnam

On 15th October 2018, Vice Admiral Narayan Prasad took charge as Director General Naval
Projects (DGNP) atVisakhapatnam.
i. Earlier, he worked as the Assistant Chief of Material (Nuclear Systems Maintenance) at
Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy) at New Delhi; Admiral Superintendent of
Naval Dockyard Visakhapatnam and Chief Staff Officer (Technical), ENC.
ii. He has received Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Nausena Medal.
Navy inducted first Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel to rescue sunk , disaster-hit
submarines
On October 14, 2018, Indian Navy joins select League of Nations after acquiring 1st Deep
Submergence Rescue Vessel & associated kit.With an Objective to search, locate & provide rescue
to distressed submarines
i. The second rescue kit is planned to be inducted in 2019 in Vishakhapatnam.
ii. The kit can be mobilised from Naval base at Mumbai to nearest mounting port by air or land or
sea.
iii. At present, the US, China, Russia and a few other countries have the capabilities to deploy
DSRVs.
Background:
i. Though DSRVs are used to rescue personnel from downed submarines, they are also deployed
for various other missions, including laying cables on the sea bed.
ii. It is a part of Indian Navy’s new concept of deployment of warships in the Indian Ocean
region to effectively counter China’s growing presence in the strategically key waters.
‘JIMEX 18’: 3rd edition of India-Japan bilateral maritime exercise began at

Visakhapatnam
On October 7, 2018, the 3rd edition of Japan-India Maritime Exercise (JIMEX) commenced at
Visakhapatnam. It will be a week long exercise concluding on October 15, 2018.
 In the exercise:
Indian side is represented by : INS Satpura, INS Kadmatt, INS Shakti, one submarine, P8I
Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft, under the command of Rear Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi,
Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Fleet.
 Japanese Side is represented by: Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) Ships
Kaga, an Izumo Class Helicopter Destroyer and Inazuma , under the command of Rear
Admiral Tatsuya Fukada, Commander, Escort Flotilla-4 (CCF-4).
ii. JIMEX-18 is aimed to enhance interoperability, improve understanding and imbibe the best
practices of each other.
iii. It would consist of:
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 A Harbour Phase: professional and social interactions between ship’s crews, sports
fixtures and
 A Sea Phase: Anti-Submarine Warfare Exercises, VBSS (Visit, Board, Search and Seizure)
Drills, Gun Firings, Cross Deck Helo Operations and coordinated operations in Anti-
Submarine/ Anti-Air threat scenarios.
iv. The last edition of JIMEX was conducted in Dec 2013 off Chennai.
Background:
JMSDF Ships also participated in the recently concluded MALABAR 18 off Guam (along with Indian
and US Navy units) in the Pacific Ocean in Jun and biennial multilateral exercise RIMPAC-18 off
Hawaii, USA.
Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council member M V V S Murthy passed away

On 3rd October 2018, Telugu Desam Party leader, educationist and member of Andhra Pradesh
Legislative Council M V V S Murthy died in a road accident in the USA.
i. M V V S Murthy was 76 yaers old. He served as member of Lok Sabha from Visakhapatnam for
two terms from 1991 to 1996 and 1999 to 2004.
ii. He was elected to Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council in 2014. He was also Chairman of
Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority from 1987 to 1989.
iii. He founded the Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management (GITAM) at Rushikonda, Andhra
Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs - November 2018

Cabinet approves Amendment to the Central Universities Act, 2009 for setting up of
Central Tribal University in Andhra Pradesh:
On 8th November 2018, Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved setting
up of a Central Tribal University in Andhra Pradesh.
 Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh will be set up in Relli village of Vizianagaram
District as mentioned in the 13th Schedule to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014
(No. 6 of 2014).
 Cabinet has also approved provision of Rs. 420 crore for first phase expenditure in setting
up the Central Tribal University.
Andhra Pradesh launches Bhuseva programme and Bhudaar web portal to make land
records accessible to people
On 20th November 2018, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu launched Bhuseva
programme and Bhudaar web portal to make land records available to people, in Amaravati.
i. Under the Bhuseva programme, each agriculture land holding and rural and urban properties in
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Andhra Pradesh will be allotted a unique 11-digit identity number called “Bhudaar’’.
ii. All revenue land-related transactions like mutation, registration etc. will be performed using
Bhudaar card.
iii. Temporary Bhudhaar number starts with 99. Permanent Bhudaar will start with 28. If it is a
government land, 28 is followed by 00.
iv. Two types of Bhudaar cards are available: e-Bhudaar and M-Bhudaar. Chief Minister also
launched Bhudaar security policy to provide security to the land records.
v. The Bhudaar card can be availed from Bhudaar portal as well as from Mee seva centres. The
portal is available at:wwwbhuseva.ap.gov.in.
Rs 229.05 Crore release of central share from State Disaster Response fund (SDRF) to
Andhra Pradesh approved by Centre
On October 31, 2018, the Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh approved release
of 2nd installment of Central Share of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) in advance for
the year 2018-19, to help the State in providing relief measures to the affected people.
i. The amount approved was Rs. 229.05 crore.
ii. The first installment for the same amount was released to Andhra Pradesh in June 2018.
iii. This is a part of the release for the effect of cyclone TITLI that landed in Andhra Pradesh on
October 11, 2018.
iv. As per report by IMCT(Inter-Ministerial Central Team), further assistance will be provided from
the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
Background:
Government of India constituted an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) immediately based on
appeal from Government of Andhra Pradesh on 22nd October 2018. IMCT has visited cyclonic
storm.‘Titli’ affected areas in the State from 24th to 26th October 2018.
Separate High Court for Andhra Pradesh gets Supreme Court approval, to function from
January 1, 2019
Supreme Court has approved a separate High Court for Andhra Pradesh and it will start
functioning from 1st January 2019.
i. This will be the 25th High Court in India. It will temporarily function from a makeshift building. A
permanent structure is built in the Justice City complex in Andhra Pradesh’s de-facto capital
Amaravati.
ii. At present, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have a common High Court at Hyderabad. This
court will be known as the Telangana High Court from 2019.
iii. The temporary building for Andhra Pradesh High Court would be ready by December 15, 2018.
iv. The government would be hiring villas for residences of judges at Amaravati as a temporary
arrangement till the Justice City gets completely constructed.
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Andhra govt revealed its State Emblem inspired by Amaravati art

On November 15, 2018, after 5 years of bifurcation in 2014, Andhra Pradesh government unveiled
its new emblem for official use.
About the state emblem:
i. It consists of “Dhamma Chakka” – “the Wheel of Law” embellished with a ring
of Triratnas alternating with pinnate leaves and precious stones.
ii. The three circles of decorative beads are in ascending order of numbers:
48 in the inner, 118 in the middle and 148 in the outer circle.
iii. It has a “Puna Ghataka” or “The vase of Plenty” is at the hub of the Dhamma Chakka which is
decorated with a four-banded garland on the main body with medallions and tassels.
iv. Also, there is a braid around the thin neck and a flaring mouth.
v. Further, the National Emblem is placed at the bottom of the emblem.
vi. It has been inspired by the Amaravati School of Art.
vii. The colours used in the symbol are: green, red and yellow.
Background:
i. The bifurcation in 2014 was done as per provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act,
2014, popularly known as the Telangana Act.
ii. Also, the National Emblem should never be reduced to a size of less than 24 mm in height.
World Bank, Centre and Andhra govt signed an MOU to $172 million loan to make
farming viable in Andhra Pradesh
On November 7, 2018, the Central and Andhra Pradesh governments and the World Bank have
signed the loan agreement for $172.20 million.
Objective:
To enhance agricultural productivity, profitability, and climate resilience of poor and marginalised
farmers in Andhra Pradesh.
Key Points:
i. The agreement for the project was signed by:
 Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of
Finance,
 P S Raghavaiah, State Project Director, APIIATP on behalf of the Government of Andhra
Pradeshand
 Junaid Ahmad, Country Director, World Bank India.
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ii. The $172.20 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IBRD), has a 6-year grace period, and a maturity of24 years.
iii.This will benefit the Andhra Pradesh Integrated Irrigation and Agriculture Transformation
Project (APIIATP) and over 200,000 families of poor and marginalised farmers.
iv. Features of the project are:To work with 1000 Small-Scale Community-Based Irrigation
(SSCBI) systems spread over an area of 90,000 hectares (ha), covering over 1000 villages across
12 most climate vulnerable districts of Andhra Pradesh.
v. The project will improve the capacity of Farmer Producers Organizations to operate as
sustainable, market-oriented, agri-enterprises.
4-member committee to examine waste dumping near Polavaram project: NGT

On November 3, 2018, the National Green Tribunal ordered a four-member committee to conduct
an inspection and submit report about the waste dumping issue at the Polavaram dam in Andhra
Pradesh.
i. The decision of the committee was taken by a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh
Kumar Goel.
ii. The committee would comprise of representatives of the Central Pollution Control Board,
additional principal chief conservator of forests, theState Pollution Control Board and the district
magistrate.
iii. The nodal agency for execution of this order would be Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board.
iv. The report for this would be submitted to the NGT tribunal by 2 months.
Background:
The NGT’s order came on a plea filed by an Andhra Pradesh native, Pentapati Pulla Rao, alleging
that illegal dumping of muck was taking place during construction of Indira Sagar Polavaram
Multipurpose Project which was damaging the environment.
India, Singapore reaffirmed defence ties at 3rd India-Singapore Defence Ministers’

Dialogue held in Visakhapatnam
On November 21, 2018, on concluding day of 3rd India-Singapore Defence Minister
dialogue(DMD) in Visakhapatnam, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitaraman reaffirmed deepening
defence ties between India and Singapore.
i. The meeting was co-chaired by the Defence ministers of the 2 countries.
ii. Earlier to attending the DMD, the Singaporean minister attended the final phase of 25th
Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise SIMBEX on board INS Shakti.
Key Points:
i. The significance of the meeting was the renewal of Bilateral Agreement for Conduct of Joint
Army Training as well as exercises for Singapore Armed Forces in India.
ii. Further cooperation among the countries is anticipated and the disputes would be solved via
international laws to promote stability in ASEAN region and tackle terrorism.
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iii. As part of the mutual cooperation, Singapore Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen and Indian
Defence Minister Ms Sitaraman have agreed to step up intelligence and information sharing
particularly in areas of maritime.
iv. The 4th Defence Minister’s dialogue was announced to be held in Singapore in 2019.
Background:
The DMD commenced after both countries signed the revised Defence Cooperation Agreement
(DCA) in 2015 to further strengthen the long-standing defence relationship between the
Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Indian Armed Forces.
Indian Navy completes refit of Maldivian Coast Guard Ship (MCGS) Huravee
On 15th November 2018, Indian Navy successfully completed refit of Maldivian Coast Guard Ship
(MCGS) Huravee at Naval Dockyard Visakhapatnam and formally handed over the ship to Major
Mohamed Jamshad, Commanding Officer MCGS Huravee.
i. The refit to MCGS Huravee is an initiative by the Indian Navy to further Indian Navy’s diplomatic
outreach to friendly foreign navies in the Indian Ocean Region.
ii. MCGS Huravee arrived at Visakhapatnam on 12th July 2018. The refit was completed on
14th November 2018.
iii. During the refit, major repairs were done on the ship’s hull, main propulsion and auxiliaries.
iv. Various systems and equipment were upgraded. Equipment were put through extensive
harbour and sea trials to achieve full combat capability.
About Maldivian Coast Guard Ship (MCGS) Huravee:
♦ It was originally commissioned as INS Tillanchang
♦ It is a Trinkat class patrol vessel
♦ It was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata, in March 2001
♦ It was gifted to Maldives by the Government of India in April 2006
Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs - December 2018
Andhra, Himachal and Madhya Pradesh best performing states under maternity benefit
programme PMMVY: MoSWCD
On December 21, 2018, Minister of State for the Women and Child Development Virendra
Kumar released the performance of states and UTs under the maternity benefit programme
named Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.
i. Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh topped the charts as the best
performing states.
ii. According to the finding, 51.70 lakh beneficiaries are covered annually under the PMMVY.
iii. Grants-in-aid amounting to Rs 2,048.59 crores and Rs 369.31 crores have been sanctioned to
the states and the Union Territories during the year 2017-18 and 2018-19 respectively.
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INDRA NAVY: the bilateral maritime exercise between indian Navy and Russian
Federation Navy exercises held in Visakhapatnam
On December 09 2018, The 10th Edition of the bilateral exercise INDRA NAVY between Indian
Navy and Russian Federation Navy (RuFN) started at Vishakhapatnam. The Maritime exercise
will conclude on December 16.
Key Points
i. The Primary aim of the exercise is to increase interoperability amongst the two navies, develop
common understanding and procedures for maritime security operations.
ii. This Year’s edition of exercise would be held in two phases, The Harbour phase would be held
at Visakhapatnam from 9-12 December and the Sea phase would be held from 13-16 December
in bay of Bengal.
iii. Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Air Defence Drills, Surface firings, Visit Board search and
Seizure (VBSS) operations and tactical procedures will be the thrust of exercises at sea.
iv. Rear Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Fleet will command the
Indian ships at the exercise.
AIIB Clears $400 million loan for water supply project in Andhra Pradesh
The Beijing Headquartered Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) had approved a
$400 million loan for a Water Sanitation Project in Andhra Pradesh.
Key Points
i. The Project will be very helpful for women and girls of affected community in Andhra Pradesh
and it will reduce the health risks and health expenditure for the people of Andhra Pradesh.
ii. India is the second largest shareholder of Asian Infrastructure Development Bank after China.
iii. After this Loan the overall loan amount of India from AIIB reached to $2 Billion spread over
nine projects. This loan will strengthen the AIIB’s capacity and loan demand from other states is
also expected to increase.
Three day 4th WHO Global Forum on Medical Devices held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra
Pradesh
On December 15, 2018, the three day 4th WHO Global Forum on Medical
Devices “Increasing access to medical devices” concluded Andhra Pradesh Medtech
Zone in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
27 | P a g e
i. It was the first time the WHO Global Forum on Medical devices was being held in India.
ii. This Forum was meant to face the challenges present in the selection, regulation and use of
medical devices.
iii. Objectives of the Forum
• To define methods of increasing and measuring access to essential and priority medical
devices under Universal Health Coverage in compliance with the Sustainable Development
Goals
• To share country evidence of best practices in regulating, assessment and management of
medical devices
• To demonstrate development and use of innovative appropriate affordable technologies to
respond to global health priorities
• To share WHO tools and guidelines on medical devices for better implementation
iv. Earlier, the 1st Global Forum was held in Bangkok in 2010, the 2nd in Geneva in 2013,
and the 3rd also in Geneva in 2017.
CM of Andhra Pradesh addressed the Forum:
i. At the inaugural session of the fourth WHO Global Forum on Medical Devices, Chief Minister of
Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandrababu Naidu,dedicated the AP Medtech Zone to the nation.
ii. This further enabled Visakhapatnam to emerge as the major hub for manufacture of medical
devices in the country, for domestic as well as international demands.
iii. It would have 18 high-end industrial labs in the park and the product roll out of the park would
be operational from 2019.
Commerce Minister’s announcement:
Speaking at the 4th WHO Forum, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry and Civil Aviation,
Suresh Prabhu, announced setting up of a National Medical Devices Promotion Council under
the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in the Ministry of Commerce &
Industry.
i. The Council will be headed by Secretary, DIPP, Shri. Ramesh Abhishek. It will also have
representatives of healthcare industry and quality control institutions.
ii. Furthermore, Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone, Visakhapatnam, will provide technical
support to the Council.
iii. The establishment of the council will boost the domestic manufacturing sector and would aid in
exports as well.
iv. The objectives of the council are as follows:
• To conduct periodic seminars, workshops and all related networking activities,
• To provide technical assistance to the agencies and departments concerned to simplify the
approval processes involved in medical device industry promotion & development.
• To encourage emerging interventions and support certifications for manufacturers,
• To provide documentation of international norms and standards for medical devices,
28 | P a g e
• To work on a robust and dynamic Preferential Market Access (PMA) policy, to identify
strengths of the Indian manufacturers,
• Undertake validation of Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs),
• Make recommendations to government based on industry feedback and global practices.
Justice Praveen Kumar appointed Acting Chief Justice of Andhra High Court
On December 28th, 2018, Honorable President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Justice Chagari
Praveen Kumar as the fresh acting Chief Justice of Andhra High Court,that will come into
existence on January 1, 2019.He would assume the charge on January 01, 2019.
Key Points:
i. Upon the requirement of creation of a new High Court for Andhra Pradesh in the state capital of
Amravati, Mr. Praveen Kumar was hired for the new position.
ii. Under the provisions of Article 223 of the Constitution of India, President Ram Nath
Kovind has appointed Justice Chagari Praveen Kumar, in order to discharge the designated duties
of the office of Chief Justice of Andhra High Court.
CROSS BOW-18: IAF conducts combined guided firing of surface-to-air missiles

On December 8, 2018, the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully concluded combined guided
weapons firing of Surface-to-Air Missiles from the Air Force Station at Suryalanka in Andhra
Pradesh, as part of a first-of-its-kind two-day exercise codenamed- CROSS BOW 18.
i. The exercise was carried out on December 5, 7 and 8 during day and night in an integrated
networked environment.
ii. In the exercise, successful firing of four different classes of missiles, like Akash, Spyder,
OSA-AK-M and IGLA, took place.
♦ Chief of Air Staff: Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa.
ISRO launches the GSAT – 7A satellite from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh

On 19th December 2018, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)’s Geosynchronous
Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F11) launched 2250 kg military communication
satellite GSAT-7A from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC),Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
GSAT-7A is the 39th Indian Communication satellite.
i. GSAT-7A is the first satellite built primarily for Indian Air Force to qualitatively unify its assets
and improve combined, common intelligence during operation.
ii. The Satellite will improve the way Indian Air Force (IAF) interlinks, operates and communicates
with its aircrafts during flight with the help of command centres on ground.
iii. The satellite will use “Ku band” for superior real time aircraft to aircraft communications.
iv. Space Vehicle, GSLV-F11 is used to launch the satellite to an eventful geostationary orbit
about 36000 km from the Earth.GSLV-F11 was the seventh flight carrying indigenously developed
cryogenic upper stage.This was the 13th flight of GSLV-MkII.
29 | P a g e
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Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs - January 2018

Andhra CM declares 2018 as Telugu promotion year

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