# Gupkar Alliance

• Gupkar alliance is a political alliance of five political parties mainly based in kashmir valley. It includes People’s democratic party(PDP) of Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference(NC) of Farooq Abdullah, Communist party of India(CPI-M), Jammu and Kashmir people’s conference, Awami National Conference.

• There is an ambiguity about the fact if congress party is a part of this controversial alliance or not. But it is seen that congress is in a seat sharing agreement with the political parties of Gupkar alliance in fighting local elections.

• Main controversies around ” Gupkar alliance ” is that the declared agenda of this alliance is to restore article 370 and 35A which was abrogated on 5 AUG 2019.

• Some other controversies are the seditious and anti-national remarks of NC leader Farooq Abdullah regarding taking help of china in restoration of Article 370. Also, the statement of PDP leader and ex j&k CM Mehbooba Mufti where she said, she will not hold tricolour untill the flag of Kashmir is reinstated.

# Law against love jihad

• Madhya Pradesh government is planning a law that will have provisions for five years imprisonment if someone is found guilty of use of inducements, seduction, fraud, duress for marriage and religious conversions.

• This madhya pradesh Freedom of religion bill 2020 would propose the offense of love jihad to be cognisable and non- bailable.

# Chhath puja in Delhi

• Delhi government announced that chhath puja will be a public holiday in Delhi.

• Also, the guidelines of Delhi government has prevented any ritual and celebration of Chhath puja at public places like river banks and ponds.

# Colombo port city

• Colombo port city is a mega chinese real estate development in Sri lanka which will open early next year, offering tax concessions to attract investors and revive the struggling economy. It is a $ 1.4 billion land reclaimation special economic zone project.

# Goldman sachs

• “Goldman sachs” a financial services firm has revised upwards its estimate for India’s GDP this year to a 10.3% contraction from a 14.8% contraction projected earlier. It also expects the Indian economy to grow by as much as 13% in 2021-22, higher than other forecasts made so far.

• These projections are driven by expectation of broad based availability of an effective vaccine in India that could allow containment policies and mobility to normalise by mid 2022.

# Indian sugar mills association(ISMA)

• Sugar mills in UP, Maharashtra, and Karnataka have started production for the current sugar season- from october 2020 to September 2021.

• With an estimated production of 310 lakh tonnes this year, India is expected to have another surplus season and will have to export 60 to 70 lakh tonnes of sugar- said ISMA.

• We know ethanol is also made from sugarcane. The total requirement of ethanol for 2020-21 as per the tender floated by oil firms is about 457.64 crore litres. This indicated that about 20 lakh tonnes of sugar would be diverted for ethanol production from B heavy- mollases and sugarcane juices.

# Kit sponsor of team India

• MPL sports, an arm of an online gaming platform, has been announced as the official kit sponsor and merchandise partner of the Board of control of cricket in India(BCCI).

# Word of the day

• Cognisable offense – cognisable offence means an offence in which an investigating officer has the authority to make an arrest without a warrant and to start an investigation with or without the permission of a court. eg:- This provision is available under SC/ST (prevention of attrocities) act and many other acts.

• Non- bailable offence:- A non-bailable offence is one in which the grant of bail is not a matter of right. It is rather the discretion of the court to grant bail or not. Bail is granted rarely under extra ordinary circumstances. eg:- This provision is available under SC/ST (prevention of attrocities) act and many other acts.

# Today in India’s history

• 18 november 1727 – Maharaja Jai Singh-II of Amber laid the stone of Jaipur city. Vidyadhar Chakravarty of Bengal was the architect of the first planned city in India.

• 18 november 1772 – Madhav Rao Peshwa( the 4th peshwa ruler) died at the age of 28. Narayanrao succeeded him.

• Tiger was adopted as India’s national animal.