Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – August 13-15, 2022
( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the August 13-15, 2022)
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Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – July 2022
Assam Current Affairs and GK Quiz – Set 316: July 2022, Week 4
August 13-15, 2022
Meghalaya will host 2nd edition of the North East Olympics
Meghalaya will host the upcoming 2nd edition of the North East Olympics from October 30th to November 6th in Shillong.
This edition of the Games will be special as Meghalaya is celebrating the 50th year of its Statehood.
In this edition, about 4,000 participants from eight North Eastern States will be competing in 18 disciplines at 13 venues spread across Shillong.
Participants will be competing in disciplines, such as archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, football, judo, karate, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, wushu, cycling (Mountain Bike), golf, weightlifting and wrestling.
The first edition of the Games was held in Manipur in 2018, with 12 disciplines.
India adds 11 more wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites
India has added 11 more wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites, taking the total Ramsar sites in India to 75 covering an area of 13,26,677 hectares in the country.
Key Points
- The 11 new sites include: Four sites in Tamil Nadu, Three in Odisha, Two in Jammu & Kashmir and One each in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
- Designation of these sites would help in the conservation and management of wetlands and wise use of their resources.
- During 1982 to 2013, a total of 26 sites were added to the list of Ramsar sites, however, during 2014 to 2022, the country has added 49 new wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites.
- In the year 2022, a total of 28 sites have been declared as Ramsar sites.
- Tamil Nadu leads the charge with a total of 14 Ramsar Sites followed by Uttar Pradesh which has 10.
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launches SMILE-75 initiative
Recently, the Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment launched SMILE-75 (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise).initiative to address the persisting problem of destitution and beggary.
This initiative has been started as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
About the SMILE 75-Initiative
- The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has also allocated a total budget of Rs.100 crore for the SMILE project for the coming years till 2025-26.
- The objective of SMILE- 75 is to make our cities/towns and municipal areas begging-free and make a strategy for comprehensive rehabilitation of the persons engaged in the act of begging through the coordinated action of various stakeholders.
- Under this initiative, 75 Municipal Corporations in collaboration with NGOs and other stakeholders will cover several comprehensive welfare measures for persons who are engaged in the act of begging with a focus extensively on rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities, counselling, awareness, education, skill development, economic linkages and convergence with other Government welfare programmes etc.
- It seeks to develop a support mechanism for holistic rehabilitation of those engaged in the act of begging.
Agasthiyamalai Elephant Reserve became the fifth elephant reserve in Tamil Nadu
Recently, The Tamil Nadu State government notified Agasthiyamalai Elephant Reserve as the fifth elephant reserve at Agathiyamalai in Tirunelveli district.
The Agasthiyamalai Elephant Reserve will be spread across 1,197.48 sq.km of land and will cover Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli areas.
According to the notification, the forest areas of Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve and Kanniyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary in Agasthyamalai landscape constitute the most important habitats of Asian elephants in the southernmost part of the western ghats.
The declaration of Agasthyamalai region as the 5th Elephant Reserve in the state to put more emphasis on protection and conservation of Elephants within a healthy ecosystem.
Designation of the area as a dedicated reserve forest will also provide connectivity of the elephant migratory paths in the landscape through proper research and effective management.
Shashi Tharoor has been selected for France’s highest civilian Legion of Honour
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has been selected for France’s highest civilian award Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur.
The French government is honouring him for his writings and speeches and the French Ambassador here Emmanuel Lenain has written to Tharoor informing him about the award.
In 2010, Tharoor had received a similar honour from the Spanish government, when the King of Spain had bestowed upon him the Encomienda de la Real Order Espanola de Carlos III.
Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur was established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte.
It is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil.