It gives us immense pleasure in presenting the Gujarat Current Affairs Yearbook 2020, Useful for GPSC and other competitive exams. This book deals with the relevant features and topics of Current affairs of State in a systematic and comprehensive manner by the use of simple and concise language for easy and quick understanding. We hope that the readers will find this book user friendly and helpful in preparation of their examinations. I look forwarded to have the views, comment, suggestions and criticism from readers which would definitely help in further improvement of the Book. I would like to heartfelt thanks to all my team members for their efforts to prepare this book. GPSC Gujarat Yearbook 2020
UPSC IAS Prelims 2020 Online 60 Days Programme
Gujarat Current Affairs Yearbook 2020
1. Introduction of Gujarat
2. Current Affairs (Whole Year)
3. Practice MCQ
Gujarat Current Affairs/General Knowledge Yearbook 2020 has become an integral part of a lot of entrance exams being conducted at the graduate and under-graduate levels. It is very important for students to remain updated on the current happenings in their surroundings especially those that are important from the perspective of state. Current Affairs Yearbook 2020, a thoroughly revised, reorganised, updated and ENLARGED edition, presents a comprehensive study of all the sections that are covered under the subject of General Knowledge. GPSC Yearbook 2020 provides the latest information & most authentic data reference material on Current Affairs and General Knowledge. It has specially been designed to cater to aspirants of various competitive exams across the state. The material has been written in a lucid language and prepared as per the requirements of the various competitive exams.
GPSC Gujarat Yearbook 2020: Current Affairs consists of latest news/ information about Gujarat based on The Hindu, Indian Express, PIB, Yojana, People, Events, Ideas and Issues across the Social, Economic & Political climate of the State.
Why should you buy this Book?
Latest and Authentic information must for All Competitive Exams – The Mega Current Affairs Yearbook 2020 provides the latest information & most authentic data reference material on current Affairs and General Knowledge. It has specially been designed to cater to aspirants of various competitive exams like Civil services, and Other exams across the Gujarat State.
Student-Friendly Presentation – The material has been given in bulleted points wherever necessary to make the content easy to grasp. The book has ample tabular charts, mind Maps, Graphic Illustrations which further makes the learning process flexible and interesting.
Must Have for Multiple Reasons: The Current Affairs Mega Yearbook 2020 is a Must-Have book for all kinds of Objective & Descriptive Tests, Essay Writing and Group Discussions & Personal Interviews, The Gujarat General Knowledge section provides crisp and to-the-point information in Geography, History, Polity, Economy, General Science, etc. which otherwise could be very exhaustive.
Demo
Introduction of Gujarat
Gujarat is a state on the western coast of India with a coastline of 1,600 km– most of which lays on the Kathiawar peninsula – and a population in excess of 60 million. It is the fifth largest Indian state by area and the ninth largest state by population. Gujarat is bordered by Rajasthan to the northeast, Daman and Diu to the south, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Maharashtra to the southeast, Madhya Pradesh to the east, and the Arabian Sea and the Pakistani province of Sindh to the west. Its capital city is Gandhinagar, while its largest city is Ahmedabad. The Gujarati-speaking people of India are indigenous to the state. GPSC Gujarat Yearbook 2020
The state encompasses some sites of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation, such as Lothal, Dholavira and Gola Dhoro. Lothal is believed to be one of the world’s first seaports. Gujarat’s coastal cities, chiefly Bharuch and Khambhat, served as ports and trading centres in the Maurya and Gupta empires, and during the succession of royal Saka dynasties from the Western Satraps era. Along with Bihar and Nagaland, Gujarat is one of the three Indian states to prohibit the sale of alcohol. Gir Forest National Park in Gujarat is home of the only wild population of the Asiatic lion in the world.
The population of Gujarat was 60,383,628 (31,491,260 males and 28,948,432 females) according to the 2011 census data. The population density is 308 sq km, lower than other Indian states. As per the census of 2011, the state has a sex ratio of 918 girls for every 1000 boys, one of the lowest (23 Ranked) amongst the 28 (earlier 29 States but Jammu and Kashmir became Union Territory from Oct 31, 2019) states in India.
| Important Facts | |
|
Capital & Major Cities |
Gandhinagar – Ahmedabad – Surat – Rajkot – Bhuj – Dwarka – Vadodara |
| Districts | 33 |
|
Formed on |
Mahagujarat
Andolan demanded creation of state of Gujarat for Gujarati-speaking people from the bilingual Bombay state. Resulted in the formation of Gujarat and Maharashtra on 1 May 1960. |
|
Official Language | Gujarati |
| Known as/for |
– Jewel of
Western India – Manchester of the East – Has longest coastline of 1,600 Km. – Largest producer of cotton in India – Highest producer of salt in India – Largest producer of groundnut in India – Gulf of Khambat-older than the ancient Harappan civilization dates back around 4,000 years. |
|
Physical Characteristics |
4 geographical
regions: – Kathiawar or Saurashtra – Kachchh – Rann of Kachchh – Gujarat Plain Drier in the north |
|
Natural Vegetation | Tropical thorny vegetation |
|
Major Rivers |
– Sabarmati towards Gulf of Cambay from Dhebar Lake. – Narmada (Rewa) flows from Narmada Kund to the Gulf of Khambat. –Tapti (Tapi) flows from Multai to the Gulf of Khambhat. |
|
Major Regional Festivals |
– Navratri – Uttarayan – Bhadra Purnima |
|
Major Art Forms |
– Garba – Dandia Raas |
| Industry |
– Chemical
fertilizers – Petrochemicals – Pharmaceuticals – Polyester textiles – Handicrafts – Cotton textiles – Cement – Vegetable oil |
| Minerals | Agate, Bauxite, Dolomite, fire clay, China clay, fluorite, Fuller’s earth, kaolin, Lignite, limestone, Chalk, Calcareous sea sand, Petroleum and natural gas, Silica sand, Pelite |
| Agriculture | Bajra, Jowar, Rice,Wheat,Tobacco, Cotton, Groundnut, Linseed, Sugarcane, Cumin, Isabgul (Psyllium husk), Mangoes and Bananas |
|
Geographical Indications | Sankheda Furniture, Agates of Cambay, Kutch Embroidery, Tangaliya Shawl, Surat Zari Craft, Gir Kesar Mango, Bhalia Wheat, Kachchh ShaWS, Patan Patola |
| State Animal | Asiatic lion |
| State Bird | Greater flamingo |
| State Flower | Marigold |
| State Tree | Mango |
|
World Heritage Sites |
Champaner -Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Rani ki vav at Patan (The Queen’s Stepwell) |
|
Biodiversity Hotspots | Western Ghats |
|
Bird Sanctuaries | Nalsarovar BS, Gaga WS, Khijadiya BS, Kutch Sanctuary, Porbandar BS, Thol Lake. |
|
National Parks | Blackbuck NP Gir Forest NP Marine NP Gulf of Kutch Vansda NP |
|
Biosphere Reserve | Kachchh |
|
Wildlife Sanctuaries |
– Balaram Ambaji
WS – Barda WS – Gaga Great Indian Bustard WS – Gir WS – Girnar WS – Hingolgadh WS – Jambugodha WS – Jessore WS – Lala Great Indian Bustard WS – Kachchh Desert WS – Khijadiya WS – Mitiyala WS – Nalsarovar BS – Narayan Sarovar (Chinkara) WS – Paniya WS – Porbandar Lake WS – Purna WS – Rampara Vidi WS – Ratanmahal WS – Shoolpaneswar (Dhumkhal) WS – Thol Lake WS – Wild Ass WS |
| Marine Protected Area |
Marine (Gulf of Kachchh), Khijadiya |
The early history of Gujarat reflects the imperial grandeur of Chandragupta Maurya who conquered a number of earlier states in what is now Gujarat. Pushyagupta, a Vaishya, was appointed the governor of Saurashtra by the Mauryan regime. He ruled Giri nagar (modern-day Junagadh) (322 BC to 294 BC) and built a dam on the Sudarshan lake. Emperor Ashoka, the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, not only ordered engraving of his edicts on the rock at Junagadh but asked Governor Tusherpha to cut canals from the lake where an earlier Mauryan governor had built a dam. Between the decline of Mauryan power and Saurashtra coming under the sway of the Samprati Mauryas of Ujjain, there was an Indo-Greek defeat in Gujarat of Demetrius. In 16th century manuscripts, there is an apocryphal story of a merchant of King Gondophernes landing in Gujarat with Apostle Thomas.
In the early 8th century, the Arabs of the Umayyad Caliphate established an empire in the name of the rising religion of Islam, which stretched from Spain in the west to Afghanistan and modern-day Pakistan in the east. Al-Junaid, the successor of Qasim, finally subdued the Hindu resistance within Sindh and established a secure base. The Arab rulers tried to expand their empire southeast, which culminated in the Caliphate campaigns in India fought in 730; they were defeated and expelled west of the Indus river, probably by a coalition of the Hindu rulers Nagabhata I of the Pratihara Dynasty, Vikramaditya II of the Chalukya dynasty and Bappa Rawal of Guhila dynasty. After this victory, the Arab invaders were driven out of Gujarat. General Pulakeshin, a Chalukya prince of Lata, received the title Avanijanashraya (refuge of the people of the earth) and honorific of “Repeller of the unrepellable” by the Chalukya emperor Vikramaditya II for his victory at the battle at Navsari, where the Arab troops suffered a crushing defeat. GPSC Gujarat Yearbook 2020
In the late 8th century, the Kannauj Triangle period started. The three major Indian dynasties – the northwest Indian Gurjara-Pratihara Dynasty, the south Indian Rashtrakuta Dynasty and the East Indian Pala Empire – dominated India from the 8th to 10th centuries. During this period the northern part of Gujarat was ruled by the north Indian Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty and the southern part of Gujarat was ruled by the south Indian Rashtrakuta dynasty. However, the earliest epigraphically records of the Gurjars of Broach attest that the royal bloodline of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty of Dadda I-II-III (650–750) ruled south Gujarat, Southern Gujarat was ruled by the south Indian Rashtrakuta dynasty until it was captured by the south Indian ruler Tailapa II of the Western Chalukya Empire.
The Chalukya dynasty ruled Gujarat from c. 960 to 1243. Gujarat was a major center of Indian Ocean trade, and their capital at Anhilwara (Patan) was one of the largest cities in India, with population estimated at 100,000 in the year 1000. After 1243, the Solankis lost control of Gujarat to their feudatories, of whom the Vaghela chiefs of Dholka came to dominate Gujarat. In 1292 the Vaghela became tributaries of the Yadavas dynasty of Devagiri in the Deccan. Karandev of the Vaghela dynasty was the last Hindu ruler of Gujarat. He was defeated and overthrown by the superior forces of Alauddin Khalji from Delhi in 1297. With his defeat, Gujarat became part of the Muslim empire, and the Rajput hold over Gujarat would never be restored. GPSC Gujarat Yearbook 2020
After Indian independence and the partition of India in 1947, the new Indian government grouped the former princely states of Gujarat into three larger units; Saurashtra, which included the former princely states on the Kathiawad peninsula, Kutch, and Bombay state, which included the former British districts of Bombay Presidency together with most of Baroda state and the other former princely states of eastern Gujarat. Bombay state was enlarged to include Kutch, Saurashtra (Kathiawar) and parts of Hyderabad state and Madhya Pradesh in central India. The new state had a mostly Gujarati-speaking north and a Marathi-speaking south. Agitation by Gujarati nationalists, the Mahagujarat Movement, and Marathi nationalists, the Samyukta Maharashtra, for their own states led to the split of Bombay state on linguistic lines; on 1 May 1960, it became the new states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. In 1969 riots, at least 660 died and properties worth millions were destroyed.
The first capital of Gujarat was Ahmedabad; the capital was moved to Gandhinagar in 1970. Nav Nirman Andolan was a socio-political movement of 1974. It was a students’ and middle-class people’s movement against economic crisis and corruption in public life. This was the first and last successful agitation after the Independence of India that ousted an elected government. GPSC Gujarat Yearbook 2020
The Morvi dam failure, in 1979, resulted in the death of thousands of people and large economic loss. In the 1980s, a reservation policy was introduced in the country, which led to anti-reservation protests in 1981 and 1985. The protests witnessed violent clashes between people belonging to various castes.
The 2001 Gujarat earthquake was located about 9 km south-southwest of the village of Chobari in Bhachau Taluka of Kutch District. This magnitude 7.7 shock killed around 20,000 people (including at least 18 in South-eastern Pakistan), injured another 167,000 and destroyed nearly 400,000 homes. GPSC Gujarat Yearbook 2020
In February 2002, the Godhra train burning lead to statewide riots, resulting in the deaths of 1044 people – 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus, and hundreds missing still unaccounted for. Akshardham Temple was attacked by two terrorists in September 2002, killing 32 people and injuring more than 80 others. National Security Guards intervened to end the siege killing both terrorists. On 26 July 2008 a series of seventeen bomb blasts rocked the city, killing and injuring several people.
Gujarat borders the Tharparkar, Badin and Thatta districts of Pakistan’s Sindh province to the northwest, is bounded by the Arabian Sea to the southwest, the state of Rajasthan to the northeast, Madhya Pradesh to the east, and by Maharashtra, Union territories of Diu, Daman, Dadra and Nagar Haveli to the south. Historically, the north was known as Anarta, the Kathiawar peninsula, “Saurashtra”, and the south as “Lata”. Gujarat was also known as Pratichya and Varuna. The Arabian Sea makes up the state’s western coast. The capital, Gandhinagar is a planned city. Gujarat has an area of 75,686 sq mi (196,030 km2) with the longest coastline (24% of Indian sea coast) 1,600 kilometres, dotted with 41 ports: one major, 11 intermediate and 29 minor.
The Sabarmati is the largest river in Gujarat followed by the Tapi, although the Narmada covers the longest distance in its passage through the state. The Sardar Sarovar Project is built on the Narmada River, one of the major rivers of peninsular India with a length of around 1,312 kilometres. It is one of only three rivers in peninsular India that run from east to west – the others being the Tapi River and the Mahi River. A riverfront project has been built on the Sabarmati River. GPSC Gujarat Yearbook 2020
Gujarat has some of the major mountain ranges of India, including Aravalli, Sahyadri (Western Ghats), Vindhya and Saputara. Apart from this Gir hills, Barda, Jessore, Chotila, etc. are situated in different parts of Gujarat. Girnar is the tallest peak and Saputara is the only hill-station in the state.
The Rann of Kutch is a seasonally marshy saline clay desert located in the Thar Desert biogeographic region in between the province of Sindh and the state of Gujarat. It is situated 8 kilometres from the village of Kharaghoda in the Surendra nagar District and Pakistan’s Sindh province. The name “Rann” comes from the Gujarati word Rann meaning “desert”.
Gujarat invests in development of solar energy in the state and has had India’s largest solar power plant as of January 2012. It has allotted 716 MW of solar power capacity to 34 national and international solar project developers in 2009, against the planned 500 MW capacity under its solar power policy. This is expected to bring in investments of INR 120 billion and generate employment for 5,000 people. By 2014, Gujarat plans on producing 1000MW of energy by solar power on large scale.
Gujarat is a state in Western India, here and there alluded to as the Jewel of Western India. It has a territory of 196,024 km2 with a coastline of 1,600 km the vast majority of which lies on the Kathiawar landmass, and a populace in overabundance of 60 million. The state is circumscribed by Rajasthan toward the north, Maharashtra toward the south, Madhya Pradesh toward the east, and the Arabian Sea and the Pakistani region of Sindh toward the west. Its capital city is Gandhinagar, while its biggest city is Ahmedabad. Gujarat is home to the Gujarati-talking individuals of India. The state incorporates some destinations of the old Indus Valley Civilization, for example, Lothal and Dholavira. Lothal is accepted to be one of the world’s first seaports. Gujarat’s seaside urban communities, essentially Bharuch and Khambhat, served as ports and exchanging focuses in the Maurya and Gupta domains, and amid the progression of illustrious Saka administrations from the Western Satraps period, whose geographic regions included Saurashtra and Malwa: current Gujarat, South Sindh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh states. Gujarat was known not Ancient Greeks, and was recognizable in other Western focuses of development through the end of the European Middle Ages. Verifiably, the condition of Gujarat has been one of the fundamental focuses of the Indus Valley Civilization. It contains some antiquated metropolitan urban areas from the Indus Valley, for example, Lothal, Dholavira, and Gola Dhoro. The old city of Lothal was the place India’s first port was set up. The antiquated city of Dholavira is one of the biggest and most unmistakable archeological locales in India, having a place with the Indus Valley Civilization. The latest revelation was Gola Dhoro. Inside and out, around 50 Indus Valley settlement ruins have been found in Gujarat. GPSC Gujarat Yearbook 2020
Demo – Current Affairs
Cabinet approves creation of the post of Vice Chancellor for National Rail & Transport Institute (Deemed to be University) set up in Vadodara, Gujarat
Gujarat becomes 1st state to implement 10% quota to EWS (Economically Weaker sections)
PM inaugurated Ninth Edition of Vibrant Gujarat Summit in Gandhinagar
Netherlands takes long-term view on prospects for investment in Gujarat
National Foundation for Communal Harmony organized a special workshop under Know My India Programme
10th Biennial National Grassroots Innovation awards were also distributed by the President on the occasion
India’s first Dinosaur Museum inaugurated in Gujarat
India & Portugal to set up National Maritime Heritage Museum in Lothal
Gujarat CM launches a cash incentive scheme called ‘Valhi Dimri Yojna’ for the welfare of the girl child
Demo -Practice MCQ
Qus: Which of the following Prime Minister is from Gujarat?
(a) Lal Bahadur Shastri
(b) Inder Kumar Gujral
(c) Charan Singh
(d) Morarji Desai
Ans: Morarji Desai
Qus: Which of the following was the name of the first Sultan of Gujarat?
(A) Ahmed Shah
(b) Farid Khan
(c) Dilwara Khan
(D) Nadir Shah
Ans: Ahmed Shah
Qus: Which of the following states is in the north of Gujarat?
(a) Karnataka
(b) Odisha
(c) Tamil Nadu
(d) Rajasthan
Ans: Rajasthan
Qus: Which of the following sea is in the west of Gujarat?
(a) Laptev
(b) Yellow
(c) Timor
(d) Arabian
Ans: Arabian
Qus: Rajkot city of Gujarat is located on the banks of which of the following rivers?
(a) Aji and Nyeri
(b) Mahi
(c) Narmada
(d) Tapi
Ans: Aji and Nyeri
Qus: When Gir Forest National Park and Gujarat’s Wildlife Sanctuary was established?
(a) 1966
(b) 1967
(c) 1968
(d) 1965
Ans: 1965
Qus: Which of the following rivers flows in Surat?
(a) Mahi
(b) Tapi
(c) Narmada
(d) Godavari
Ans: Tapi
Qus: In which year the capital of Gujrat shifted from Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar?
(a) 1970
(b) 1976
(c) 1975
(d) 1982
Ans: 1970
Qus: Name the first Chief Minister of Gujrat/
(a) Jivraj Narayan Mehta
(b) Babubhai J. Patel
(c) chimanbhai Patel
(d) Balwantrai Mehta
Ans: Jivraj Narayan Mehta
Qus: In which city (Haryana) the British East India company established its first factory?
(a) Gandhinagar
(b) Ahmedabad
(c) Rajkot
(d) Surat
Ans: Surat
Qus: When was the establishment of the Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat?
(a) 1917
(b) 1919
(c) 1920
(d) 1922
Ans: 1917
Qus: Name the district which have the largest forest area in Gujarat?
(a) Gir Somnath
(b) Tapi
(c) Amreli
(d)Dang
Ans: Dang
Qus: In which year the Gir Forest National Park was established?
(a) 1965
(b) 1962
(c) 1967
(d)1978
Ans: 1965
Qus: Which of the cities of Gujarat is known as City of Diamonds?
(a) Rajkot
(b) Gandhinagar
(c) Surat
(d)Ahmedabad
Ans: Surat
Qus: In which year the AMUL was founded in Gujarat?
(a) 1947
(b) 1942
(c) 1946
(d) 1951
Ans: 1946
Qus: Name the first full length Gujarati film?
(a) Ranakdevi
(b) Shethani
(c) Gunasundari
(d) Narsinh Mehta
Ans: Narsinh Mehta
Qus: The Gujarati Sahitya Parishad was established in which year?
(a) 1905
(b) 1916
(c) 1908
(d)1902
Ans: 1905
Qus: Name the first President of Gujarati Sahitya Parishad?
(a) Narsinhrao Divetia
(b) Ambala S.Desai
(c) Govardhanram Tripathi
(d) Keshavlal Dhruv
Ans: Govardhanram Tripathi
Qus: Who had built the sun Temple of Modhera?
(a) Kumarapala
(b) Bhimdev 1st
(c) Siddharaj Jaisinh
(d) Karandev 1st
Ans: Bhimdev 1st
UPSC Prelims 2020 Test 1-40 : IAS Test Series – Study Portal
General Awareness/Current Affairs Yearbook 2020 – Study Portal
Important Topics: UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam 2020 Study Material:Part-1 – Study Portal
General Awareness/Current Affairs Yearbook 2020 – Study Portal
UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam 2020 Complete Study Material GS Paper-1
Important Topics for UPSC IAS Prelims and Mains Exam 2020 Part-2