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- Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas progressed towards manufacture in an enhanced, battle standard format on December 31. The LCA is being designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in Bengaluru. A new limited clearance from military airworthiness certifier CEMILAC for the Indian fighter green-lights its production in a superior lethal version. HAL aims to get the first aircraft out in late 2019. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has asked Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to make 40 LCA aircraft. Of this, 20 will be in the advanced Final Operational Clearance (FOC) format. Another 20 are in the earlier Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) version. The IAF has modified and upgraded its trainer requirement in its old package order of 40 LCA aircraft.
- The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) aims for a 7-star under the Swachh Bharat Mission 2019. Under this mission, the garbage-free cities will be awarded star ratings as per the revised protocols of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). The new survey is launched across the country from 4th January 2019. MoHUA has set various parameters such as door-to-door garbage collection, waste disposal, scientific handling of landfills, disposal of construction and demolition debris, and segregation of waste at the source for the rankings. As per the vision enunciated under the Swachh Bharat Mission, 100% of waste generated in a city should be scientifically managed, and measures are taken for visible beautification of the city.
- IIT Roorkee professor Jayanta Kumar Ghosh was felicitated with the National Geospatial Award for Excellence -2017 (Life Time Achievement Award) by the Indian Society for Remote Sensing for his contribution towards the development of geospatial science and applications. The award which carries a citation, a medal and Rs.1,00,000 was conferred to J. K. Ghosh, a professor at the civil engineering department of the IIT Roorkee on 5th December 2018 at SAC (Space Application Centre) Ahmedabad.
- Karnataka's Kaiga Atomic power station created a world record for the longest uninterrupted operation for 962 days on December 10. It had earlier set a record of 941 days. The earlier record of 940 days by Heysham-2 unit 2 was set by the United Kingdom. Generating Station-1 (KGS-1) at Kaiga in Uttara Kannada, Karnataka has now been shut down for maintenance after 962 days of operation. It will be commissioned again after the maintenance activities. Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) said that during its continuous operation of 962 days KGS-1 had produced 5 billion units of electricity at a plant load factor of 99.3%. Kaiga has four indigenously developed Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors of 220 MW each fuelled by domestic fuel. Of them, KGS-2 has been operating since the last 661 days.
- Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, launched a Rs 10,180-crore scheme,for overall development of small, marginal and landless farmers, dubbed as 'The Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA)' scheme. This scheme consists of a life insurance of Rs.2 lakh for 57 lakh farmers and would grant them crop loans at zero percent interest. Also,financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per farmer family per annum to around 30 lakh small and marginal farmers' families. Furthermore,Rs. 5000 would be given to farmers for Rabi cultivation and equal amount will be given for Kharif Cultivation.
- The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, is mulling to impose anti-dumping duty for 18 months on a Chinese synthetic rubber 'fluoroelastomers' used in automobile and other industries in order to minimize the impact of dumped imports. The proposal in this regard was considered after the investigative arm of Commerce ministry, Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) initiated the probe in January 2018 following a complaint from Gujarat Fluor chemicals which alleged dumping of the product. The DGTR said that the product has been exported to India from China at below its normal value, which has resulted in dumping and recommended a duty which ranges between $0.078 -$7.31 per kilogram. The final decision to impose the duty would be taken by Ministry of Finance. The duty which is imposed under the under the multilateral regime of World Trade Organization (WTO) is aimed at ensuring fair trading practises and creating a level-playing field for domestic producers with regard to foreign producers and exporters.
- The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved an MoU between India and Morocco on Cooperation in the area of Cyber Security. It also approved an Apprised of Progress under NHM and Decisions of Empowered Programme Committee and Mission Steering Group of NHM. Proposal to allot land to Chandigarh Housing Board for construction of apartments for 3930 allottees under Self-Financing Housing Scheme for UT Employees.
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