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Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – December 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the month of December 2022)

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Assam govt announces yearly stipend for female PG students

• The Govt of Assam will introduce a scheme under which all female students pursuing post-graduate courses in the state will be provided a yearly stipend of Rs 10,000 each which would be helpful in covering their commutation and other related expenses.
• This was announced by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
• The Chief Minister appealed to the female students pursuing PG courses to apply for getting the stipend in the portal to be launched by the Department of Education for the purpose in a few weeks from now.
• Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also distributed scooters to meritorious candidates who cleared the last higher secondary examination conducted by the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) with a percentage above a certain threshold at a ceremony held in Guwahati. 
• To be eligible for the award, the male candidates had to score a minimum of 75 per cent in higher secondary examination, while for female candidates the cut-off was fixed at 60 per cent.

23^rdHornbill Festival 2022 in Nagaland

• The 23rd edition of the Hornbill International Festival 2022 begins at the Heritage Village Kisama in Nagaland. The festival commenced on December 1 and will continue till December 10.
• The aim of the festival is to revive and protect the rich culture of Nagaland and display its extravaganza and traditions.

About Hornbill Festival

• The festival is named after the Indian hornbill, the large and colourful forest bird which is displayed in the folklore of most of the state’s ethnic groups.
• To encourage inter-ethnic interaction and to promote cultural heritage of Nagaland, the Govt of Nagaland organizes the Hornbill Festival every year.
• The 10-day Hornbill Festival represents all ethnic groups of Nagaland for which it is also called the Festival of Festivals.
• The festival host guests from across states and nations, representing the rich culture of various tribes of Nagaland,
• The festival provides a colourful mixture of dances, performances, crafts, parades, games, sports, food fairs and religious ceremonies.
• Traditional arts which include paintings, wood carvings, and sculptures are also on display.
• The Hornbill Festival has contributed significantly to enhancing the state’s tourism brand.

India-US joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’ 

The 18th edition of India-US joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’is scheduled to be conducted in Uttarakhand.

Exercise Yudh Abhyas is conducted annually between India and USA with the aim of exchanging best practices, Tactics, Techniques and Procedures between the Armies of the two nations. 

Key Points

• US Army soldiers of 2nd Brigade of the 11th Airborne Division and Indian Army soldiers from the ASSAM Regiment will be participating in the exercise. 
• The training schedule focuses on employment of an integrated battle group under Chapter VII of the UN Mandate. 
• The schedule will include all operations related to peace keeping & peace enforcement. 
•  The joint exercise will also focus on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
• The troops from both nations will work together to achieve common objectives and will practice launching of swift & coordinated relief efforts in the wake of any natural calamity. 
• In order to derive full benefit from the professional skills & experiences of  both the armies, a Command Post Exercise and Expert Academic Discussions (EAD) on carefully selected topics will be carried out. 
• The scope of the Field Training Exercise includes validation of integrated battle groups, force multipliers, establishment and functioning of surveillance grids, validation of operational logistics, mountain warfare skills, casualty evacuation  and combat medical aid in adverse terrain and climatic conditions. 
• The exercise will involve exchanges and practices on a wide spectrum of combat skills including combat engineering, employment of UAS/Counter UAS techniques and information operations. 
• The exercise will facilitate both Armies to share their wide experiences, skills and enhance their techniques through information exchange.
• The previous edition of the exercise was conducted at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska (USA) in October 2021.

India assumes United Nations Security Council Presidency for December 2022

India assumed the monthly presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the second time in its two-year tenure as an elected member of the Council in 2021-22. India had earlier assumed the Presidency in August 2021.

India has been a non-permanent member of the United Nations security council for 8 terms, with the most recent being the 2021-22 term. 

 

Key Points

• India will hold a “high-level open debate” on “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism (NORMS)” at the Security Council. 
• New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism (NORMS) envisages reforms in the current multilateral architecture, with the UN at its centre, to make it more representative and fit for purpose. 
• The other signature event planned is the high-level briefing on the theme “Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts: Global Approach to Counter Terrorism — Challenges and Way Forward”. 
• This briefing intends to underscore the necessity of collective and coordinated efforts to combat the menace of terrorism.

About United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

• The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) was established by the UN Charter in 1945.
• It is one of the UN’s six main organs and is aimed at maintaining international peace and security. 
• The Headquarters of the UNSC is located in New York City.
• The Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Security Council.
• It is composed of 15 members: 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent. 
• Five permanent members: China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
• The 10 non-permanent seats are distributed on a regional basis as follows: 

1. Five for African and Asian States. 
2. One for the Eastern European States. 
3. Two for the Latin American and Caribbean States; 
4. Two for Western European and other States

India MMR dips to 97 per lakh live births in 2018-20, Assam worst at 195

According to the report released by the office of the Registrar General of India, The maternal Mortality Ratio in India has dropped from 130 per lakh live births in 2014-16 to 97 per lakh live births in 2018-20.

About Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) 

• Maternal mortality in a region is a measure of the reproductive health of women in the area. 
• According to the World Health Organization, “Maternal death is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes”.
• The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is the number of maternal deaths during a specific time period per 100,000 live births during the same period.

Key Points

• As per the statistics derived from Sample Registration System (SRS), the country has witnessed a progressive reduction in MMR from 130 in 2014-2016, 122 in 2015-17, 113 in 2016-18, 103 in 2017-19 and to 97 in 2018-20.
• Upon achieving this, India has accomplished the National Health Policy (NHP) target for MMR of less than 100/lakh live births. 
• Target 3.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations aims at reducing the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 1,00,000 live births during the same period.
• According to the data, Assam has the highest MMR of 195, followed by Madhya Pradesh with an MMR of 173 and Uttar Pradesh with MMR of 167 per 1 lakh live births.
• Kerala has the lowest MMR, followed by Maharashtra at 33 and Telangana at 43.

Silchar-Sylhet Festival organised at Silchar

The first ever Silchar-Sylhet Festival, organized to celebrate the cultural ties between the Barak Valley region of Assam and the Sylhet segment of Bangladesh.

Key Points

• Assam’s Silchar town is hosting the two-day Silchar-Sylhet Festival, to celebrate the linguistic and cultural ties between the Barak Valley region of Assam and the Sylhet segment of Bangladesh. 
• Silchar-Sylhet Festival is organised by the India Foundation.
• The Festival coincides with the 75th year of India’s independence and the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan.
• The festival underlines the commonalities between India and Bangladesh, specifically the Sylheti variant of the Bengali language and the Sylheti culture. 
• The festival will showcase tribal culture, cuisine, arts, crafts and local produce, entertainment and bring together eminent people from both sides to discuss and deliberate on issues of mutual growth and opportunity.

 

Indo-French Partnership on Kaziranga Project

India and France are collaborating under the Kaziranga Project in the Kaziranga National Park in Assam.

The Kaziranga project is a part of a larger Assam Project on Forest and Biodiversity Conservation (APFBC) for which the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has committed funding of €80.2 million for a 10-year period, between 2014-2024.

The project conceptualised the reforestation of 33,500 hectares of land and the training of 10,000 community members in alternate livelihoods by 2024. 

The Assam Govt, with the support of AFD, launched the APFBC in 2012, to restore forest ecosystems, protect wildlife and enhance the livelihood of the forest-dependent communities.

About Kaziranga National Park

• Kaziranga National Park is a national park in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam.
• It is the single largest undisturbed and representative area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplain. 
• It was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1950, and notified as Kaziranga National Park in 1974.
• It is the home of the world’s most one-horned rhinos. 
• In 1985, Kaziranga was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its unique natural environment.
• It is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for conservation of avifaunal species.

India ranked 48^thin Global Aviation Safety ranking

India ranked 48th position in the global aviation safety ranking by the International Civil Aviation Organization. 

India was in the 102nd position four years ago in the ranking.The position is the highest-ever spot attained by the country. 

Key Points

• In the ranking, Singapore is at the top, followed by the UAE and South Korea at the second and third positions.
• As per Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the audit was conducted in the areas of legislation, organisation, personal licensing, operations, airworthiness and aerodromes.
• India’s score in terms of effective implementation of key safety elements has improved to 85.49%.
• India’s score for civil aviation organizations increased from 63.64% to 72.73 %, aircraft operations from 80.34% to 97.44%, personnel licensing and training from 25.58% to 84.71%, and aerodrome and ground aid from 72.36% to 92.68%.

‘Millets-Smart Nutritive Food’ Conclave 

‘Millets-Smart Nutritive Food’ Conclave is being organized by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry through its apex agricultural export promotion body, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

The Conclave is to be a pre-launch event of the ‘International Year of Millets – 2023’ (IYoM-2023). It is organised with the objective of promoting the export of millets.

Key Points

• At the Millets Smart Nutritive Conclave, stakeholders of the supply chain such as Farmer Producer Organisations, Start-ups, exporters, producers of millet-based value-added products are key participants. 
• At the Conclave, exhibition and B2B meetings will also be organized to showcase Indian millets and millet-based products.
• At the first-of-its-kind Millets Conclave, the Govt will release e-catalogue on 30 potential importing countries and 21 millet producing states of India. 
• India is one of the leading producers of millets in the world with an estimated share of around 41 percent in the global production. 
• India recorded 27 percent growth in millet production in 2021-22 as compared to millet production in the previous year was 15.92 MMT. 
• India’s top five millet producing states are Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Share of export of millets is nearly 1% of the total millet production. 
• Exports of millets from India include mainly whole grain and the export of value-added products of millets from India is negligible.

Assam’s Nayanmoni Saikia receives Arjuna Award

Assam’s Nayanmoni Saikia was conferred with the Arjuna Award at Rashtrapati Bhawan by President Draupadi Murmu.

Nayanmoni Saikia was nominated for the award for her achievements in Lawn Bowl.

Apart from Nayanmoni Saikia, Shushila Devi from Manipur was also presented with the prestigious award for her remarkable contributions and achievements in the field of boxing. 

Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sharma congratulated Commonwealth Games gold medalist Nayanmoni Saikia for receiving Arjuna Award, 2022 from Hon’ble President Droupadi Murmu.

Mirabai Chanu won silver medal in World Championship 2022 

Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has won a silver medal at the weightlifting World Championships in Bogota, Colombia. 

Mirabai won a silver medal at the World Championships with a total lift of 200kg. China’s Jiang Huihua, who won the gold with a total effort of 206kg (93kg+113kg) while Tokyo Olympics champion Hou Zhihua who won the bronze with a total effort of198kg (89kg+109kg).

Mirabai had previously won gold in the 2017 world weightlifting championship. This was Mirabai’s second medal at the World Championships. 

Tripura gets its first Film and Television Institute 

Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha inaugurated Tripura’s first film and television institute at Nazrul Kalakshetra in Agartala.

The institute has been set up in collaboration with Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI). 

This film Institute will promote Tripura’s rich cultural heritage in the global sphere. It will help the youths of the state to nurture their cultural talents and will also help to improve the socio-economic condition of the youths.

The state Govt has allocated Rs 5.76 crore for the institute. Four short-term courses, including screen acting, film appreciation, production, and management along with news reporting, anchoring and newsroom automation would be started initially.

India ranked 87^thin Passport Index 2022

India has been ranked 87 in the world’s strongest passport list for 2022, published by Arton Capital. 

Passport Index 2022 published by Arton Capital ranked the world’s strongest and weakest passports.

Key Points

• The Passport Index is based on the 139 members of the United Nations and 6 different aspects have been considered to make this list.
• UAE ranked first in the rating of passports for 2022 followed by Germany, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain and France.
• Travellers with UAE passports can travel visa-free or “visa on arrival” to 180 countries.
• Countries with the weakest passports are Afghanistan (38) Syria (39), Iraq (40), Pakistan (44).
• The data for this list has been given by the Govts of different countries. 

 

Oxford dictionary announces ‘goblin mode’ as word of the year 2022

The Oxford English Dictionary recently announces ‘goblin mode’ as word of the year 2022 that was selected by public votes – Goblin mode.

It’s the first time Oxford Languages opened up its annual word of the year listing to a public vote. 

Goblin mode is a slang term that describes a type of behavior that is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, generally rejecting social norms and expectations.

The word goblin mode is used to acknowledge that individuals are not always idealized, curated selves that they force themselves to present in social media platforms.

The term speaks to the current times when people are embracing their inner goblin and choosing to reject the accepted social customs.

American dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster has chosen “gaslighting” as its word of the year for 2022.

Meghalaya health dept awarded for Best Practice in Tuberculosis ACSM

Meghalaya was awarded for Best Practice in Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilization in Tuberculosis control at the National Workshop on ACSM to end TB in India,

The award was given to recognize the efforts by the Meghalaya Govt for initiating ‘jan andolan’ (people’s movement) against Tuberculosis

The award was presented to representatives of the health department at a national workshop, aimed at ending TB infections, in New Delhi.

Key Points

• TB affects 2.6 million people in India every year.
• The TB Mukt Bharat campaign, or ‘Jan Andolan’ aims to enhance awareness, eradicate stigma and generate demand for services throughout the state.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set a national target to eliminate the disease, which affects more than 26 lakh Indians each year, by 2025, five years ahead of the WHO’s Sustainable Development Goals.
• A National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination (2017-25) has also been launched which ensures greater community engagement.

 

Assam’s Gamusa gets Geographical Indication (GI) tag by Govt of India

‘Gamocha’ of Assam, has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the central Govt. Gamusa is considered as one of the prominent cultural identifiers of the Assamese community. 

About Assamese Gamocha 

The ‘gamocha’, a handwoven rectangular cotton piece of cloth with red borders and different designs and motifs. It is an integral part of all socio-religious ceremonies in the state and is considered as an Assamese identity and pride. 

It is traditionally offered to elders and guests as a mark of respect and honour by Assamese people. A ‘gamocha’ meant for exchange during ‘Bihu’ festival is known as ‘Bihuwan’. 

 

About Geographical Indication (GI) tag

A geographical indication (GI) is a tag or sign used on products which correspond to a specific geographical location or origin.

A GI is tagged to primarily agricultural, natural or manufactured products, handicrafts and industrial goods originating from a definite geographical territory. 

The GI tag has been registered in favour of the Directorate of Handloom & Textiles of the Assam Govt under the Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. 

Ladakh’s Hanle becomes India’s first dark sky reserve

Ladakh is all set to have India’s first Dark Night Sky Reserve at Hanle village in Changthang region.The Hanle Dark Sky Reserve (HDSR) will come up within the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, situated 4,500 metres above sea level, which makes it a perfect host for telescopes. 

Ladakh is also ideal for long-term observatories and dark-sky sites because of its large arid area, high elevation, and sparse population. The Milky Way Galaxy is visible through the night in the Hanle region due to its cloudless skies and lower atmospheric disturbance. 

Hanley is home for the second-highest optical telescope in the world, established in 2001 by Indian Institute of Astrophysics.

About Dark sky Reserve

The International Dark Sky Association (IDSA) defines an international dark sky reserve (IDSR) as “a public or private land of substantial size possessing an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and nocturnal environment, and that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural, educational, cultural heritage, and/or public enjoyment”. 

A dark sky reserve requires a “core” area that has a clear sky without any light pollution, which can enable telescopes to see the sky in its natural darkness. To support the core, it should be surrounded by a “peripheral” or “buffer” area that supports dark sky values in the core while receiving the same benefits.

Assam govt launches ‘Orunodoi 2.0’, scheme

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the ‘Orunodoi 2.0’, the flagship scheme of the state Govt aimed at providing financial security to financially disadvantaged families.

Key Points

• Around 10.50 lakhs new beneficiaries will be newly added under the ambit of Orunodoi 2.0 making the scheme as the Largest DBT scheme in the history of Assam.
• With total financial outlay for Orunodoi at Rs.4,142 crore per annum, this scheme is billed as one of the largest direct beneficiary transfer (DBT) schemes in the country.
• The scheme will also cover disabled and transgender. The people living in old age homes will also be benefitted from the scheme with DC quota.
• Orunodoi, the poverty alleviation scheme, launched to entail a monthly grant of Rs. 1,250 to each beneficiary. 
• It is one of the flagship schemes of the Govt of Assam currently in operation. 
• The Orunodoi benefit is usually transferred to the bank account of each beneficiary by the 10th of every month. 

Indo-Kazakhstan Joint Military Exercise “Kazind – 2022” is scheduled to be conducted at Umroi, Meghalaya

• The 6th Edition of Indo – Kazakhstan joint training exercise “KAZIND-22” is scheduled to be conducted at Umroi (Meghalaya) from 15 to 28 December 2022. 
• This joint exercise will enable the two armies to train, plan and execute a series of combined tactical drills for neutralising of likely threats that may be encountered in UN peace keeping operations. 
• Aim of the exercise is to build positive military relations, imbibe each other’s best practices and promote the ability to operate together while undertaking counter terrorist operations in semi urban / jungle scenario, under a UN peace enforcement mandate.

About “Kazind – 2022” 

• Joint annual training exercise with the Kazakhstan Army was instituted in 2016 as Exercise Prabal Dostyk, which was later upgraded to a company level exercise and renamed as Ex Kazind in 2018.
• The scope of this exercise involves a Command Post Exercise (CPX) at the Battalion level and Company level Field Training Exercise (FTX) on sub-conventional operations. 
• It will enhance the level of defence cooperation between Indian Army and Kazakhstan Army which will further foster the bilateral relations between the two nations.
• During the exercise, participants will engage in a variety of missions ranging from joint planning, joint tactical drills, basics of special arms skills, HADR and raiding a hostile target. 
• Kazakhstan Army soldiers composed of troops from the Regional Command, South and Indian Army soldiers from the 11 Gorkha Rifles will be participating in the exercise. 

8th edition of Falcon festival begins at Umrangso

The 8th edition of the popular Falcon Festival got underway with great fanfare at the Golf Course near Umrangso in Dima Hasao. 

The Falcon Festival is organized on two main ideas. The first aims to increase awareness of the Amur Falcon, and the second is to promote the state’s Dimasa customs and culture. 

The Amur Falcon is a tiny yet effective bird predator in the Falcon family. It is a migratory bird that nests in Siberia and Northern China and then travels large distances to Africa. 

However, throughout time, a large number of these birds selected Assam and Nagaland as their roosting grounds. 

One of the key issues of conservation in this region is the arrival of this bird and the necessity to maintain it. At the occasion, seminars on the conservation of this species will be held.

 

Indo-Nepal joint training Exercise Surya Kiran XVI

The 16th Edition of Indo-Nepal joint training Exercise “SURYA KIRAN-XVI” between India and Nepal is being held from December 16 to 29 this year in Nepal Army Battle School in Nepal’s Saljhandi.

About Exercise Surya Kiran

• Exercise Surya Kiran is a joint military exercise between the armies of India and Nepal. 
• Its objectives include improving interoperability and sharing experiences and best practices on counter-insurgency operations. 
• It aims to establish military relations in inaccessible mountainous areas by the soldiers of both countries, Provide humanitarian assistance under disaster management, Get training in anti-terrorist operations.
• The inaugural edition of this bilateral exercise was held in Mizoram in 2011. Since then, it has been held each year between the two armies.
• The 15th edition was held in Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand. 
• It is also improving the mutual cooperation between both the armies and further strengthening diplomatic relations of the two countries. 
• The joint military training is set to conclude on December 29, 2022, after a grueling 48-hour validation exercise to confirm the performance of both armies in the counter-insurgency environment.
• The Gorkha battalion from the elite Gorkha regiment is representing the Indian Army in this exercise. The Nepal Army is represented by the Shree Bhawani Baksh Battalion. 
• During this exercise, the two militaries will share experiences that were gained during the various counter-insurgency operations over the years in their respective countries. 
• The scope of the Surya Kiran series has been expanded to include Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), High Altitude Warfare, and Jungle Warfare operations. 
• It will also focus on the evolution of joint drills for planning and conducting tactical operations at the unit level in the counter-terrorism operations and disaster response mechanisms and armed forces’ role in managing disasters. 

 

Assam Grant Industry Status to its Tourism Sector

The state Govt of Assam has approved the proposal for grant of industry status to the tourism sector in the state. 

Significance of this transition

• To boost investments and generate employment. 
• The industry status, fresh investments in tourism infrastructure, permanent in nature, will contribute towards rapid employment generation, public-private partnership and development. 
• With the grant, restaurants, cafeterias, health clubs, spas and wellness centers, among others, are eligible for incentives under the industrial policy. 
• The newly-implemented policy aims for sustainable and environmentally friendly investment besides capital formation and the creation of gainful employment. The ministry also said the infrastructure can be developed through Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, which will contribute to the overall development of the region. 
• Assam has now become an all-season tourist destination for its unique wildlife, bio-diversity and experience of an unexploited wonderland. Tourism is to be one of the main sources of income generation for the people over the years.

 

Tamil Nadu Govt launched Climate Change Mission

The state Govt of Tamil Nadu has launched the Climate Change Mission to protect the natural resources in the state besides restore them on a long-term basis.

The state is first to launch its own Climate Change Mission to make Tamil Nadu a climate smart state.

Key Points

• The mission aims to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions in the state, increase the use of public transport, develop strategies to cut emissions by using green and renewable energy, increase forest cover, and manage waste effectively. 
• To develop ways to mitigate the impact of climate change, access financial resources for adaptation, initiate climate education in educational institutions, focus on climate action for women and children. 
• Adopt a ‘One Health’ approach that includes human, animal, and ecological health to understand health disruptions caused by climate change.
• The state has also aimed to achieve carbon neutrality much ahead of 2070 target set by PM Modi.

 

 

Japanese space startup, ispace has launched the world’s first commercial moon lander, HAKUTO-R

Japan has successfully launched a spacecraft to the moon recently. This mission was took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, after two postponements caused by inspections of its SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. 

About HAKUTO

HAKUTO refers to the white rabbit that lives on the moon in Japanese folklore. The national space agencies of the United States, Russia and China have already achieved the soft landings on moon.

The ispace craft intends to deploy a tiny NASA satellite into the orbit of the moon to look for water deposits prior to its touch in the Atlas Crater. Additionally, the M1 lander will station two robotic rovers, a baseball-sized device from the JAXA space agency, and the four-wheeled Rashid explorer. The Rashid explorer is crafted by the United Arab Emirates.

Assam Cabinet approved a bill to create Safai Karamchari Commission

The Assam Cabinet approved a bill to create a Safai Karamchari Commission and decisions related to providing financial benefits to pregnant women, monitoring drug prices, protecting Safai Karmacharis’ rights and filling up vacancies in the Forest Department were also taken in the meeting.

Key Decisions made during the Cabinet Meeting

• The cabinet has also renamed the Dergaon Police Academy as Lachit Barphukan Police Academy.
• The Assam cabinet has resolved to transfer Rs 700 to all pregnant women to their bank accounts and around 5 lakh pregnant women of the state will get the benefit.
• Approved Rs 361 crore for BTC as the first installment under the annual budget. The state cabinet has approved to set up Safai Karmachari Aayog for Safai workers for their development
• The state cabinet has approved Rs 525 crore for the construction of 162 new police stations in the state under the Moitry scheme. 

 

Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain Win Gold Medals at the Women’s National Boxing Championships 2022

Lovlina Borgohain and Nikhat Zareen won gold medals in their respective weight categories at the Women’s National Boxing Championships 2022 in Bhopal

Key Points

• Assam’s Lovlina Borgohain beat Arundhati Choudhary of Services 5-0 in the 75kg final, while Nikhat endured a hard test from Anamika of the RSPB in the 50kg final before the 26-year-old Telangana pugilist won 4-1 to defend her championship.
• The Railways team topped the medals tally with 10 medals – five golds, three silvers and two bronze. 
• Madhya Pradesh, with one gold, two silver and five bronze, and Haryana (two gold and two bronze) claimed second and third position, respectively.
• Manipur’s young boxer Sanamacha Thokchom Chanu, who won gold medal at the 2021 Youth World Championships, also put up an impressive show to secure the title in the 70kg by beating Madhya Pradesh’s Shruti Yadav 3-2 in the final. 
• Haryana’s Manisha (57kg) and Saweety Boora (81kg), SSCB’s Sakshi (52kg), Madhya Pradesh’s Manju Bamboria (66kg) also clinched gold medals in their respective categories at the tournament, which witnessed participation of 302 boxers fighting in 12 categories.

 

RRR bagged three awards at Philadelphia Film Critics Circle Annual Awards

The Indian film, ‘RRR’ has bagged three awards at the 2022 Philadelphia Film Critics Circle Annual Awards. The film has won three awards at the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle Annual Awards. 

Categories – Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography, and Best Score/Soundtrack.  

Earlier, the film has also received nominations in two categories for 2023 Golden Globes. The film has been nominated in the Best Picture – Non-English Language category and “Naatu Naatu” in the Best Original Song – Motion Picture category. 

This film also bagged four nominations at the inaugural HCA Creative Arts Awards 2023 which included Sreekar Prasad for Best Editing, Srinivas Mohan for Best VFX, M. M. Keeravaani for Best Original Song – ‘Naatu Naatu’, and King Solomon for Best Stunts. 

Hansraj Gangaram Ahir appointed as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC)

Hansraj Gangaram Ahir assumed charge as Chairperson, National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC). He had been elected four times Member of Parliament from Parliamentary Constituency Chandrapur, Maharashtra and also he was Member of Maharashtra Legislative Council. 

He had been Member of various Standing Committees of Parliament and also served as the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal and Steel. He had been Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Govt of India the 16th Lok Sabha.

About National Commission for Backward Classes

• National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) was initially constituted by the Central Govt by the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993.
• The National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993 (27 of 1993) has been repealed through the National Commission for Backward Classes (Repeal) Act, 2018 dated 14.08.2018. 
• The present Commission has been accorded Constitutional Status and constituted through “The Constitution (One Hundred and Second Amendment) Act, 2018” Act dated 11.8.2018, whereby Article 338B has been inserted, forming a Commission for the socially and educationally backward classes to be known as National Commission for Backward Classes.
• The Commission consists of a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and three other Members in the rank & pay of Secretary to the Govt of India and their condition of service and tenure of office has been notified vide Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Notification dated 23.08.2018.

India’s first Gold ATM has been launched in Hyderabad

India’s first Gold ATM and world’s first real-time Gold ATM has been launched at Begumpet, Hyderabad. The ATM was set up by the Goldsikka in collaboration with Opencube Technologies (Technology support).

Key Points

• The firm’s first ATM has been installed at its head office in Ashoka Raghupathi Chambers, Begumpet, and it aims to install such ATMs throughout the city, especially in rural areas.
• This ATM can dispense gold coins in different denominations ranging from 0.5 gm to 100 grams
• The ATM, the firm says, aims to give access to a “varied audience”. Anybody can withdraw gold anywhere – 24*7 – with the machine is said to be the goal. 
• Apart from debit and credit cards, buyers can also use prepaid and postpaid smart cards to withdraw the yellow metal. 
• The update in the price of gold is based on the live prices. 
• Each ATM has a capacity of holding up to 5 kg of gold, worth around Rs. 2-3 crores. 
• There are eight available options, including 0.5 grams, 1 gram, 2 grams, 5 grams, 10 grams, 20 grams, 50 grams and 100 grams,” On security features, Security measures like inbuilt camera in the machine, alarm system, external CCTV cameras are there.

Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of Nepal 

Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of Nepal for the third time. He replaced Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali Congress party. 

A coalition of 6 parties have decided to project Pushpa Kamal Dahal as the Prime Minister. An agreement has been reached. Dahal will lead the Govt for two and a half years and the CPN-UML will be in power in the remaining two-and-a-half years,” Barshaman Pun, leader of the Communist Party of Nepal. 

The Indian govt is considering to shift from “Minimum” to “Living” Wages

The Union Labour Ministry is currently mulling to shift from the “minimum wages” to “living wages” in a bid to bring more people from poverty in the country.

The Indian Govt is considering to shift from the minimum wage to the living wage to eliminate poverty in the country. If such a shift happens, it would have significant financial implications for India and the Govt. It will make Sustainable Development Goal commitments easily achievable.

India is planning to receive assistance from the International Labour Organization (ILO) to understand what constitutes a living wage since it is highly subjective. 

Difference between living wage and minimum wage

• The term ‘living wage’ is defined as the minimum income necessary for workers to meet their basic necessities. It is different from the minimum wage, which is based on labor productivity and skill sets. 
• Minimum wage is the lowest amount of money a laborer can earn as mandated by the law. It does not change based on inflation. It can increase only with Govt intervention. This is not true for the living wage. 
• The living wage is determined by the average cost to live comfortably, while the minimum wage is the fixed amount set by the Govt. 
• The difference between the minimum wage and the living wage can range between 10 and 25 percent based on the cost of living in a specific place.

First Bekal International Beach Festival in Kerala

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has inaugurated the 10-day first international beach festival, that captures the wholeness and the essence of the district’s cultural and artistic uniqueness and displays the rich cultural diversity and grandeur of the country, at the majestic Bekal Beach Park.

About Bekal International Beach festival

• It is put on by the Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC) in collaboration with the district’s local self-Govt entities, Kudumbashree, Asmi Holidays, and the District Tourism Promotion Council.
• This festival showcases the country’s rich cultural diversity and magnificence in the majestic Bekal Beach Park. 
• The festival reflects a cross-section of culture and the unique identity of the land. 
• More than 1,000 international, national and local artists performed at the Beach Festival.

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