Assam Current Affairs – February 15 – 21, 2020

Posted on by admin 
Current Affairs Assam – February 15 - 21, 2020

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of February 15 – 21, 2020 )

Feb 2020 Current Affairs Monthly PDF  |  Assam 2020 Yearbook  | Jan 2020 Quiz Monthly PDF

Go To Assam Current Affairs                      Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz

FEBRUARY 15, 2020

Rail projects in Northeast to be completed by 2023
  • Railway projects of “national importance” in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast that have been pending for over a decade will be completed by 2023, Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav.
  • Yadav said the priority of the railways in the next five years is to complete its 50 remaining super critical projects, augmenting capacity in order to introduce 1,500 new trains and wrap up its projects of national importance.
  • A project of national importance, the 51.38-km Bhairabi-Sairang project in Mizoram, was sanctioned in 2008-2009, but is yet to be completed. The new deadline for the project is 2023 and a cost of Rs 5,021 crore has been proposed for it.
  • The Railway Budget 2020-21 has proposed an outlay of Rs 400 crore for the new broad gauge railway line for the year.
  • The railways has also set a deadline of March 2023 for the BG line connectivity from Dimapur (Dhansiri) to Zubza (Kohima) (82.50 km) in Nagaland, which was sanctioned in 2006-07. The Railway Budget 2020-21 has earmarked Rs 300 crore for this project. The total cost of the project is Rs 4,600 crore.
  • In Sikkim, the Sivok-Rangpo new BG line (44.39 km) which was sanctioned in 2008-2009 but suffered due to delay in handing over of encumbrance free forest land by the West Bengal government is now scheduled to be completed by 2023. This project has been allocated Rs 607 crore in the 2020-21 Union Budget.
  • Another long-pending project in Manipur connects Jiribam to Imphal (110.62 km), which was sanctioned in 2003-2004. It now has a deadline of 2022. The project has been given a layout of Rs 800 crore in the 2020-21 Railway Budget while its total cost is estimated to be around Rs 12,524 crore.
  • Seven of the 58 super critical projects that are under way in congested routes have been completed in 2019, while one has been wrapped up in 2018. He said that the remaining 50 will be completed by March 2022.
  • The completion of these projects would bring in opportunities for greater economic growth for the regions and increase their geopolitical importance.
ICRISAT launches new facility to accelerate plant life-cycle
  • The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) launched new facility, which is projected to significantly lower time and cost of crop varietal development.
  • Called RapidGen, this facility has in it the technology that can make plants zoom through their lifecycle to quickly reproduce and bear seeds.
  • Where it normally takes about a decade to develop new varieties, RapidGen can help cut that down by about 40 per cent.
  • The state-of-the-art facility, a first for any public sector agricultural research institution, will accelerate plant lifecycle in light, temperature and humidity-controlled conditions.
  • Presently, breeding a new crop variety takes about a decade or more, with six or seven years spent in seasonal generational advancements to arrive at the elite lines that go for testing and release as varieties.
  • RapidGen will shorten the six-seven year window significantly.
  • ICRISAT is collaborating with several agricultural research institutes under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), State Agriculture Universities and industry partners to mainstream rapid cycling of the crops for which protocols have already been standardised.

FACTFILE – International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)

  • The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is an international organization which conducts agricultural research for rural development, headquartered in Patancheru (Hyderabad, Telangana, India) with several regional centers (Bamako (Mali), Nairobi (Kenya)) and research stations (Niamey (Niger), Kano (Nigeria), Lilongwe (Malawi), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Bulawayo (Zimbabwe)).
  • It was founded in 1972 by a consortium of organisations convened by the Ford and the Rockefeller foundations. Its charter was signed by the FAO and the UNDP.
  • Since its inception, host country India has granted a special status to ICRISAT as a UN Organization operating in the Indian territory making it eligible for special immunities and tax privileges.
  • ICRISAT is managed by a full-time Director General functioning under the overall guidance of an international Governing Board.
  • The current Director General is Dr. Peter Carberry who took the post in 2018.
  • The current chair of the Board is Dr Paco Sereme.
Tamil Nadu to install CCTV in buses with funds from Nirbhaya Fund
  • The Tamil Nadu government has decided to install closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in all the buses to enhance women safety.
  • Presenting the 2020-21 budget for the state in the Assembly Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said in order to enhance the safety of women in buses, CCTV cameras are to be fitted in all buses at an estimated cost of Rs 75.02 crore allotted under the Nirbhaya Fund.
  • Action will be taken to introduce electronic ticketing in all transport buses to enable cashless transactions.
  • In the Budget Estimates for 2020-21, Rs 2,716.26 crore has been allotted for the Transport Department.

FACTFILE – Nirbhaya Fund

  • Nirbhaya Fund is an Indian rupee 10 billion corpus announced by Government of India in its 2013 Union Budget.
  • According to the then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, this fund is expected to support initiatives by the government and NGOs working towards protecting the dignity and ensuring safety of women in India. Nirbhaya (fearless) was the pseudonym given to the 2012 Delhi gang rape victim to hide her actual identity.
  • The Ministry of Women and Child Development, along with several other concerned ministries, will work out details of the structure, scope and the application of this fund.
OIL organises month-long fuel-conservation awareness drive
  • As per the directive of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), the Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) in association with Oil India Ltd and other petroleum companies is observing SAKSHAM-2020.
  • This is a month-long mass awareness drive with an objective of involving the citizens to actively participate in fuel conservation for health and environmental protection and simultaneously help in reducing India’s dependency on import of crude oil.
  • This year the theme for SAKSHAM-2020 is ‘Indhan Adhik Na Khapayein, Aao Paryavaran Bachayein’.
  • During the observance of SAKSHAM-2020, various programmes such as cycle rally, walkathon, and emission checking of vehicles and equipment, etc., were organised in and around Duliajan.
  • A ‘Free Emission Testing of Vehicles’ was organised at Bihutoli, Duliajan. Around 250 commercial and private vehicles were checked during the campaign.
FEBRUARY 16, 2020
India set to host UN’s first Biodiversity Summit
  • India is set to host the UN biodiversity summit that will bring together more than 1,200 delegates from over 110 countries to deliberate on the alarming decline of migratory species in Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
  • The agenda of the talks include new proposals to mitigate effects of infrastructure on migratory mammals and joining the Gobi bear, the only bear living in the desert, the Persian leopard and the urial, a wild sheep, in the Central Asian mammal species for their protection.
  • Besides, Indian species like the Asian elephant, the great Indian bustard and the Ganges river dolphin are likely to get more priority in biodiversity conservation.
  • Delegates at the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS COP13) will consider the need for guidance and implementation tools to mitigate the impacts of linear infrastructure on migratory species.
  • CMS is the only United Nations treaty that addresses migratory species and their habitats.
  • CMS Guidelines have advised countries on how to avert linear infrastructure threats to large mammals in Central Asia through the Convention’s Central Asian Mammals Initiative.
  • In the future, guidance and implementation tools will be developed for other regions and CMS-listed species not included in the initiative.
  • Parties will also discuss the adoption of dedicated concerted actions for 12 different species, including the giraffe, the Ganges river dolphin, the common guitarfish and the antipodean Albatross.
Assam NGO launches library initiative for deprived kids
  • Gyan Vardhini, a social organisation of Assam, launched a library initiative with the title “Project Educate All – Leave None Behind” .
  • Under the initiative, the organisation has set up its first library at an orphanage, Ananda Ashram, here which aims to make reading books and story books accessible to deprived children and those residing in slums, orphanages and communities in remote locations.
  • Volunteers of the organisation will conduct reading classes for children under the initiative. It also aims to set up 10 libraries across Guwahati within this year.
Portuguese President arrives in India for two-day visit
  • A visiting Portuguese delegation led by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa signed a series of MoUs with state and central government agencies at a formal ceremony in the fields of defence, industry, water and sewage management, education, knowledge sharing, science and technology, heritage, shipping and technology.
  • The signing of agreements followed a series of negotiations between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa which began during a visit by the latter to India in 2017.
  • Among the agreements signed are an MoU between Goa-based Defence Ministry shipyard Goa Shipyard Limited and Portugal”s Estaleiros Navais De Peniche in the field of design, construction and supply of ships in Africa and Latin American countries.
  • Five MoUs and letters of intent between the Portuguese Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science (INESC-TEC) and India”s IIT-Goa, National Institute of Oceanography, National Centre for Polar and Oceanic Research.
  • The Energy and Resources Institute and the Goa Shipyard Ltd were also signed under the cooperation for excellence in marine exploration and navigation technologies initiative.
  • The initiative is aimed at generating innovative projects in the field of technological co-operation for marine engineering, shipbuilding technology, blue economy, ocean resources and technology.
  • An MoU for co-operation between IIT-Madras and INESC-TEC in the area of ports and waterways management was also signed.
  • Other MoUs which were signed include a co-operation agreement between the Goa-based VM Salgaoncar Institute of International Hospitality Education and Turismo de Portugal and between the Govind Ramnath Kare College and Portugal”s University of Coimbra to establish academic, scientific and cultural cooperation in the field of law.
  • A strategic tripartite agreement for research and exchange between three institutions, Portugal”s INESC-TEC, Faculty of Engineering of the University Porto and IIT-Madras focussing on marine exploration and energy technologies .

Feb 2020 Current Affairs Monthly PDF |  Assam 2020 Yearbook  | Jan 2020 Quiz Monthly PDF

Go To Assam Current Affairs                      Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz

FEBRUARY 17, 2020
NRL research centre at IIT Guwahati to develop bioplastics
  • NRL has provided an initial research grant of Rs 4 crore to its Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Materials set up at IIT Guwahati.
  • The centre was inaugurated by Union HRD Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal in the presence of Prof TG Sitharam, Director of IIT Guwahati and SK Barua, Managing Director, NRL.
  • The centre is a first of its kind academic-industrial collaborative venture with the broad objective of developing sustainable materials from various waste and by-products sourced from multiple sectors like petroleum industries, bio-refineries and agro-industries.
  • It will serve as an umbrella for many such upcoming collaborative research projects on the development of sustainable materials like bioplastics and other value-added chemicals under one platform to serve the industries like NRL in combating environmental pollution.
  • The first project of the centre is ‘Development of biodegradable plastics from refinery and bio-refinery streams’ and officials associated with it say it is in an advanced stage with prototypes which could be commercially viable having been already developed.
Lui-Ngai-Ni festival celebrated at Ukhrul
  • Lui-Ngai-Ni, a seed-sowing festival of the Nagas of Manipur, was celebrated under the theme, ‘oneness through culture’, at Ukhrul.
  • The two-day festival was organised by the State-level organising committee under the aegis of the United Naga Council and hosted by Tangkhul Naga Long, the apex body of the Tangkhul community.
  • Lui-Ngai-Ni is one of the biggest festivals of the Naga community. It is a cultural festival marked by a plethora of cultural events.
  • The main highlights of the Lui-Ngai-Ni celebrations were lighting of the sacred fire, consecration of the seeds to be sown for the season, beating of the traditional log drum, traditional dances and songs.
  • The festival heralds the season of seed sowing and marks the start of the year for the Nagas and the festival was declared a state holiday since 1988
India-Bangladesh’s 14-day joint exercise ‘Sampriti-IX’ concludes
  • The two-week India-Bangladesh military training exercise Sampriti-IX that focused on counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism and disaster management concluded at Umroi, Meghalaya.
  • The joint military exercise was aimed at strengthening the military relations between the two countries and it allowed the two armies to understand each other’s tactical drills and operating techniques.
  • In all 150 troops from each side took part in the ninth edition of Sampriti.
  • The head of observer delegations from both sides conveyed their appreciation for the participating contingents for achieving the objectives of exercise.
  • The Sampriti series is an important military and diplomatic initiative between the two nations and strengthening the edifice of trust and friendship, which has been nurtured with the sweat and toil of officers and soldiers of contingents participating in each edition.
  • Besides training, both contingents also participated in a number of activities, including sports events and played volleyball and basketball games.
  • A magnificent parade and the customary exchange of mementos marked the completion of the joint exercise.
Norway sees India as important player against climate change
  • Norway said that it saw India as an important player against climate change and that both countries could play leading role in tackling the global issues of environment and climate change.
  • Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar and Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment Sveinung Rotevatn met at the Mahatma Mandir to discuss bilateral and global issues on climate and environment.
  • A Conference Of Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species will be held at the venue.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the event via videoconferencing. It is for the first time that the triennial event would be held in the country.
  • Both countries stressed the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation on environment and climate change, particularly marine pollution.
  • The Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that India had initiated an ocean dialogue with Norway to address marine plastic litter.
  • Both the countries have formed joint working groups on blue economy with sustainable development.
  • Both the countries agreed on the importance of delivering concrete, scalable solutions for ocean health and wealth at the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon in June 2020.

FEBRUARY 18, 2020

46th Karbi Youth Festival started in Karbi Anglong district
  • The 46th Karbi Youth Festival (KYF) organised by the Karbi Cultural Society (KCS) got off at Taralangso village, just seven kilometres from Diphu with Rong Ketong, a traditional procession at Karbi People’s Hall.
  • Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council’s Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang officially inaugurated the festival. Addressing a gathering of participants and artistes at the festival ground, Ronghang called for unity among Karbi groups.
  • The inaugural programme was attended by Hill Areas Development minister Sum Ronghang, Karbi traditional king Ramsing Ronghang and Dumra Karbi traditional king Holi Sing Ronghang, former Asam Sahitya Sabha president Rongbong Terang and other dignitaries.
  • Around 5,000 delegates from 29 KCZ zones from Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Biswanath Chariali, Kamrup have joined the festival. Cultural troupes in their traditional dresses took part in the procession ‘Rong Ketong’ led by drums under the standard of Karbi totem pole Jambili.
  • Thousands of Karbi youths from several parts of the North East are taking part in a series of traditional games and sports, including sling, stilt race, hambi kapathu- ghela khel, folk dances and songs like romance ballads, cradle songs and mourning songs. The festival will conclude on February 19. That day has been kept aside for concerts and prize distribution ceremonies.
Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the 13th CMS COP13
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP13) with the presence of over 2,500 delegates from 111 countries in Gandhinagar.
  • Modi opened it through video conference, the first time the head of government hosting the CMS conference has opened a CMS COP, marking the importance of migratory species in India.
  • The conference kicks off ”the super year” for nature, which will include a UN Summit in September and culminate in the UN Biodiversity Conference at the end of 2020.
  • The concept of ”ecological connectivity” is the top CMS priority for the Post-2020 Framework, which calls for the protection and restoration of important geographical areas that together support migratory species during the different phases of their natural lifecycles, such as breeding and feeding.
  • CMS COP13 will add new species for protection under CMS and also address emerging issues and threats.
PM Modi unveils tallest Deendayal Upadhyaya statue in Varanasi
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the 63-ft tall statue of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya while inaugurating the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Memorial Centre in Padao on the Varanasi-Chandauli border.
  • The ”pancha loha” statue is the tallest statue of the BJP ideologue in the country. Over 200 artisans have worked for almost a year in order to complete the structure.
  • The Memorial Centre, spread over nine acres, will also have the engravings of the life and times of Deendayal Upadhyaya.
  • About 30 Odisha craftsmen and artists have worked on the project during the last year.
  • The Prime Minister also launched projects worth Rs 1,200 crore for his constituency.
  • The projects include a 430-bed superspecialty government hospital, and a 74-bed psychiatry hospital at Banaras Hindu University.
Indian Navy chief in Myanmar to bolster maritime relationship
  • To strengthen relation between India and Myanmar, Indian Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh is on four-day trip to Naypyitaw and other parts of the neighbouring country to bolster the bilateral maritime relationship.
  • The visit is intended to consolidate and enhance the bilateral maritime relations between India and Myanmar.
  • During his visit, Admiral Karambir Singh will hold bilateral discussions with Admiral Tin Aung San, Commander-in-Chief Myanmar Navy and also call on Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief Defence Services, and other senior government officials.
  • He will also interact with the trainees of the National Defence College in Naypyitaw, and will visit the Naval Dockyard and Training Command of the Myanmar Navy in Yangon.
  • Myanmar Navy is a member of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium and participates in the activities conducted under the symposium.
  • Both the Navies also interact during maritime activities such as Admiral”s Cup, Goa Maritime Conclave and Exercise Milan.

Feb 2020 Current Affairs Monthly PDF |  Assam 2020 Yearbook  | Jan 2020 Quiz Monthly PDF

Go To Assam Current Affairs                      Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

Titabor becomes Assam’s first zero waste town
  • Setting high standards in effective integrated waste management, Titabor has become Assam’s first ‘zero waste town’. No other town in Assam has been able to revolutionise municipal solid waste management the way Titabor has done.
  • As per the general standard, if any town succeeds in processing up to 80 per cent of waste, it can claim to be a zero waste town. Titabor, as part its consistent campaign, has set up a material recovery facility where all organic waste is managed through aerobic composting.
  • This move of door-to-door collection, some primary and some tertiary segregation, has resulted in reduction in foul odour and greenhouse gas emission from the dumpsite.
  • Not just that, Titabor is also credited to have started Assam’s first bio-mining project to completely recover the dumpsite and move toward 100 per cent processing of waste, which is an exceptional case in Assam.
First India- Bangladesh tourism festival in Agartala
  • The first ever two-day India-Bangladesh tourism festival would be held in Agartala, ministers, members of Parliament, top officials, experts, artists, singers, performers, tour operators of Bangladesh and Indian states of West Bengal and various northeastern states would participate in the festival, planned to boost tourism in the region.
  • Seminars, discussions, cultural functions, visit to the important tourism spots, historical and archaeological sites are part of the two day India-Bangladesh tourism festivals.
  • Freedom fighters, leading politicians, writers and poets would also participate in the mega event
EESL, BSNL to erect EV charging stations across India
  • The state-run Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) for installation of public charging stations to boost e-mobility adoption across India.
  • Under the partnership, the EESL will set up public charging stations in 1,000 BSNL sites in a phased manner on a pan India basis.
  • EESL will make the entire upfront investment on the services pertaining to the MoU, along with the operation and maintenance of the charging infrastructure by using qualified personnel.
  • BSNL would be responsible for providing the requisite space and power connections for installing the charging infrastructure.
  • At present, EESL has commissioned 300 AC and 170 DC chargers across India.
NTPC, RSDCL to develop solar park in Jaisalmer
  • Public sector major NTPC and Rajasthan Solarpark Development Company Ltd (RSDCL), a subsidiary of Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Ltd (RRECL), signed an ‘Implementation Support’ agreement to develop a 925 megawatt (MW) capacity Nokh Solar Park at Nokh in Jaisalmer.
  • As per the agreement, the RSDCL will develop infrastructure in the solar park and NTPC will develop the solar projects. The agreement is likely to bring investment of more than Rs 4,000 crore in the state.
  • The RSDCL will invest about Rs 450 crore in infrastructural development in the project and NTPC is expected to invest more than Rs 3,500 crores in solar projects development. 

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

65th Filmfare Awards organised at Guwahati, Winners List

Winners of the 65th Amazon Filmfare Awards were announced at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati, Assam on 15th February 2020.

Award Winners

BEST FILM – GULLY BOY

CRITICS BEST FILM – ARTICLE 15 (ANUBHAV SINHA)

CRITICS BEST FILM – SONCHIRIYA (ABHISHEK CHAUBEY)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE (MALE) – RANVEER SINGH

CRITICS BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE (MALE) – AYUSHMANN KHURRANA

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE (FEMALE) – ALIA BHATT

CRITICS BEST ACTOR IN LEADING ROLE (FEMALE) – BHUMI PEDNEKAR

CRITICS BEST ACTOR IN LEADING ROLE (FEMALE) – TAAPSEE PANNU

BEST DIRECTOR – ZOYA AKHTAR

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (MALE) – SIDDHANT CHATURVEDI

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (FEMALE) – AMRUTA SUBHASH

India, Myanmar sign MoU for bus service
  • A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between two agencies in the presence of authorities of both India and Myanmar for commencement of a bus service between the two countries.
  • The MoU was signed between Shwe Mandalar Express Company Limited, Yangoon and Seven Sisters Holiday, Imphal on February 14 for commencement of the bus service from April this year.
  • The process of selection of the operator for the sector through bidding is likely to be finalised by March.
  • Under the Act East Policy, an integrated check post was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 4, 2019 in Moreh town, which is now fully operational.
  • Both India and Myanmar have agreed to open nine border haats to facilitate free exchange of locally available commodities and services.
  • Two border haats in Manipur will be set up at Khin Man Behiang (Churachandpur district) and Khampat New Saomtal (Chandel district).
  • In addition, two border haats are also proposed to be opened at New Tusom, Ukhrul district, and Hume Thana/Konkanthana at Kamjong district.
Union Cabinet approved setting up of the 22nd Law Commission
  • Union Cabinet approved the setting up of the 22nd Law Commission for a period of three years.
  • The Law Commission will consist of a full-time Chairperson, four full-time Members (including the Member-Secretary) and the Secretaries, Legal Affairs and the Legislative Departments as ex-officio Members, and not more than five part-time Members.
  • The Law Commission is a non-statutory body constituted by the government from time to time. Originally constituted in 1955, it is re-constituted every three years. The tenure of the 21st Law Commission was up to August 31, 2018.
  • The various Law Commissions have been able to make an important contribution towards the progressive development and codification of law of the country and have so far submitted 277 reports.

FACTFILE – Law Commission of India

  • Law Commission of India is an executive body established by an order of the Government of India.
  • Its major function is to work for legal reform. Its membership primarily comprises legal experts, who are entrusted a mandate by the Government.
  • The Commission is established for a fixed tenure and works as an advisory body to the Ministry of Law and Justice
  • The first Law Commission was established during the British Raj era in 1834 by the Charter Act of 1833. It was presided by Lord Macaulay. After that, three more Commissions were established in pre-independent India.
  • The first Law Commission of independent India was established in 1955 for a three-year term. Since then, twenty one more Commissions have been established.
  • The 21st Law Commission under Justice B.S. Chauhan(retd.) was established in 2015, and had tenure to August 31st 2018.
  • The terms of reference of the Law Commission include the review and repeal of obsolete laws, the examination of existing laws & the revision of central Acts of general importance.
  • Membership: Chairman, 1 Permanent Member, 1 Member Secretary, 2 Part-time Members, 2 ex-officio members.
Indian Navy to get purchase of 24 American Seahawk helicopters
  • The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) cleared the purchase of 24 American helicopters for the Indian Navy. The deal to procure MH-60R Seahawk helicopters is worth Rs $2.6 billion.
  • The 24 helicopters would be a big boost to the Navy. The multi-role helicopters will be equipped with Hellfire missiles and torpedoes, and are meant to help the Indian Navy track submarines in the Indian Ocean, where China is expanding its presence.
  • Currently, P8i aircraft are being used to keep vigil on enemy submarines.
  • The US State Department had approved the sale of the choppers to India last year along with radars, torpedoes and 10 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles.

FACTFILE – Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk

  • The Sikorsky SH-60/MH-60 Seahawk is a twin turboshaft engine, multi-mission United States Navy helicopter based on the United States Army UH-60 Black Hawk and a member of the Sikorsky S-70 family.
  • The most significant modifications are the folding main rotor and a hinged tail to reduce its footprint aboard ships.
  • Able to deploy aboard any air-capable frigate, destroyer, cruiser, fast combat support ship, amphibious assault ship, or aircraft carrier, the Seahawk can handle anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW), naval special warfare (NSW) insertion, search and rescue (SAR), combat search and rescue (CSAR), vertical replenishment (VERTREP), and medical evacuation (MEDEVAC).

Feb 2020 Current Affairs Monthly PDF  |  Assam 2020 Yearbook  | Jan 2020 Quiz Monthly PDF

Go To Assam Current Affairs                      Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz

FEBRUARY 21, 2020

IIT Guwahati organises National Seminar on Sub-Regional Cooperation
  • The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-G) in association with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Kolkata Chapter, organised a national seminar titled ‘Sub-Regional Cooperation: BIMSTEC and North East India in Perspective’, at IIT-G.
  • The speakers discussed the possible bottlenecks that need to be identified to mitigate the challenges of development through sub-regional cooperation in the NE region.
  • The session on food, technology and livelihoods also discussed techniques of plant tissue culture to improve food production.
  • A book titled India Myanmar borderlands: Ethnicity, Security and Connectivity authored and edited by Dr Pahi Saikia and Dr Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury, was released at the seminar.
COW nod to India plea on GIB, Asian elephant, Bengal Florican
  • The central government’s proposal for inclusion of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), Asian elephant and Bengal Florican in the appendix I of the 13th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention for Migratory Species of Animals (CMS) was unanimously accepted by the Committee of the Whole (COW).
  • Wildlife species facing extinction threat are included in the appendix I. It leads to push for greater habitat protection, prohibition against poaching and facilitation of their movement in the regions and countries that are part of these species ranges.
  • The GIB, found only in the Indian subcontinent, is considered close to extinction as its population has dropped drastically, are largely concentrated in the Desert National Park in Rajasthan.
  • India had submitted that there was seasonal movement of the GIB between India and Pakistan.
  • Urging the COW to include the Asian elephant in the appendix I, the government said it would help in their greater protection. Found in India, this sub-specie migrates into Bangladesh and Nepal. According to India’s proposal, 93 elephants also move across Indo-Bangla border.
  • India, the home of 60 per cent of the Asian elephant’s global population, has a primary duty and responsibility for ensuring their survival. The number of wild elephants is estimated to be 29,964 in India.
  • In case of Bengal Florican, the government said it was on the verge of extinction and its population is declining mainly due to habitat loss and degradation, and hunting.
Railways partners with University of Birmingham for joint PG plan
  • The Indian Railways announced its partnership with the University of Birmingham for the Joint Master’s programme in Railway Systems Engineering and Integration in academic year 2020-2021 by the National Rail Transportation Institute (NRTI).
  • The programme that has been launched leads to dual M.Sc. that would see NRTI students obtaining two postgraduate degrees from both institutions, after spending a year studying at each institution.
  • It will also provide flexibility for some modules of the programme to be delivered online in the form of a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) and support for undergraduate teaching by University of Birmingham faculty at NRTI.
  • The initiative has been taken under the Centre of Excellence for Next Generation Transportation Systems that had been set up through a Memorandum of Understanding between the NRTI with the University of Birmingham.
Tamil Nadu to set up Protected Special Agriculture Zone
  • Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a Bill declaring the Cauvery delta region, comprising Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, some portions of Cuddalore and Pudukottai districts, as the Protected Special Agriculture Zone (PSAZ).
  • The Bill, introduced by Chief Minister K. Palaniswami, excluded the Trichy, Ariyyalur and Karur districts — also the part of the Cauvery delta region, and existing industrial projects.
  • As per the new law, zinc/copper/aluminium smelter, iron ore processing plants, tannery, hydrocarbon exploration and other industries would not be permitted in the PSAZ.
  • The law excludes infrastructure projects, like building of harbour, laying of roads, pipelines, telecommunications, and water and power supply lines.
  • It also provides for setting up of Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Authority, headed by the Chief Minister. The Authority will have 30 members.

Feb 2020 Current Affairs Monthly PDF  |  Assam 2020 Yearbook  | Jan 2020 Quiz Monthly PDF


Go To Assam Current Affairs                      Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz

Study Materials & Notes | Assam Current Affairs | Assam Current Affairs Quiz