Assam Current Affairs – June 22 – 28, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – June 22 - 28, 2019

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of June 22 – 28, 2019 )

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June 22, 2019

Assam CM launches police’s highway helpline app
  • Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched the highway helpline mobile application of Assam Police – JaatriMitra developed in association with Royal Global University (RGU) and Arsaviva Technologies in PPP mode.
  • The app, to be available in Android and iOS, will provide real time assistance to the citizens who travel on the State’s highways.
  • People will be able to access information on all nearby facilities during travel including medical, vehicle repair, fuel stations, police stations and public utilities with this app.
  • It is packed with advanced features like live location tracking and integrates excellently with third party apps like Google Maps and Uber for navigation and bookings.
  • The app would cover 250 police stations, 525 medical points, 628 vehicle repair points, 294 petrol pumps and 756 public utility centres.
Microsoft partners with NASA to get kids interested in space
  • Microsoft’s education arm and NASA have come together to create online lessons to get school students interested about space.
  • The eight online lesson plans range from titles such as Designing Astro Socks to protect astronauts’ feet in microgravity to designing one’s own space station.
  • The curriculum includes 3D design challenges, Virtual Reality (VR) experiences and data analysis lessons.
  • The partnership between the companies was a result of a meeting at the International Society for Technology Educators Conference in 2018.
  • The course is also intended to create exposure to Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) modules by asking students to detect seasons from biome images.
  • Students would require Windows 10 and a Microsoft Office subscription to finish the class.
Saudi Arabia becomes 1st Arab country to get FATF membership
  • Saudi Arabia has become the first Arab country to be granted full membership of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) following the group’s annual general meeting in the US.
  • Saudi Arabia which had received an invitation from the FATF at the beginning of 2015 to join as an “observer member”, was admitted into the organization after the group’s meeting in Orlando, Florida.
  • Saudi Arabia had been a founding member of the MENA arm of the group since November 2004, and its full membership came after it was reported the kingdom had made “tangible progress” and for its efforts in implementing the FATF’s guidelines.
  • The group is responsible for issuing international standards, policies and best practices to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation.
  • With the kingdom becoming a FATF member, the number of permanent members in the group is now 39.

June 23, 2019

7 more airports to be developed in North East India
  • In a move to promote better air connectivity in the North East, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) is planning to develop seven more airports including three green field airports and two water aerodromes in the region which currently has 12 operational airports.
  • The water aerodromes will be developed at Brahmaputra and green field airports at Rupsi in Assam and Hollongi in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • The Rupsi Airport, located about 15 km from Dhubri in Assam was said to be constructed by the British during World War II to supply arms, manpower and ammunition to the Allied Forces.
  • Hollongi Airport located about 25 km from Itanagar, will boast of some state-of-art infrastructure.
  • The remaining two airports will be developed in Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram.
  • The Guwahati-Dhaka-Guwahati daily flight under the Central Government scheme Udan (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) International, will be launched from July 1 this year with a roundtrip airfare of just Rs 7,000.
  • The Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport at Guwahati wherein 120 flights operate daily, will be expanded with more facilities.
  • Similarly, Agartala, the third International airport in NE after Guwahati and Imphal, will also be upgraded with new buildings within three years. Imphal airport will also be developed with state of the art infrastructure.
  • The airport at Imphal will have its own system to harvest water for its daily use besides having its own waste management system.
  • The AAI currently operates 120 airports in India.
India’s first solar-powered cruise boat to be rolled out
  • Kerala is gearing up for the launch of the country’s premier solar-powered cruise boat by December. The initiative comes from the State Water Transport Department (SWTD), whose solar ferry Aditya in the Vaikom-Thavanakadavu route has proved to be a success.
  • The ₹3-crore cruise boat that can carry 100 passengers is under construction at a boatyard in Aroor and comes from the stable of the builders of Aditya. The hybrid vessel will be powered by a motor that can source energy from solar panels, battery, and generator. Its battery will have 80 KWh (kilowatt hour) power backup, as compared to 50 KWh backup in Aditya.
  • Each such vessel can carry 15 passengers, has a 400-horse power outboard engine, and can touch a speed of 26 km per hour. They will be available for tourists at an hourly rent.
  • The SWTD has also drawn up plans to introduce three sister vessels of Aditya by the end of the year. The department has also planned a water taxi service each in Ernakulam and Alappuzha.
JGU, CHRI sign MOU for close collaboration on human rights issues
  • P. Jindal Global University (JGU) and Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) have signed a MoU for close collaboration on human rights issues.
  • Through internships, fellowships, researcher mobility programmes, joint research, joint workshops, collaborative summer/winter courses for emerging scholars, students and staff and collaborative executive education courses.
  • The signing of MoU is a logical culmination of existing collaboration in the areas of prisons, access to justice, right to information and other areas.
  • The signing preceded the launch of the ‘Easier Said than Done’ (ESTD) report bought out by CHRI, highlighting the performance of Commonwealth member states at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), and to contrast their pledges and voting patterns on human rights issues with conditions in the country.
  • The report was launched for the first time in India, although CHRI has tracked the performance of Commonwealth countries at the UNHRC since the first ESTD report in 2007.

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June 24, 2019

NTPC, PGCIL sign MOU to enter Power Distribution Business
  • NTPC and Power Grid Corporation of India have formed a joint venture to set up National Electricity Distribution Company.
  • An agreement has been entered between Power Grid and NTPC on June 21 for formation of a JV company on 50:50 equity basis for setting up National Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (NEDCL).
  • This includes the separation of content and carriage businesses in power distribution — i.e the infrastructure builder for power supply and the supplier to consumers would be two separate companies.
  • The main objective of the venture is to undertake the business for distribution of electricity in distribution circles in various states and Union Territories and other related activities.
  • But, it will not become a distribution utility (DISCOM), instead this joint venture will have a character similar to other such ventures such as Energy Efficiency Services Ltd and Petronet LNG that operate as profit-focussed entities.
Govt nod for Rs 100 crore fund for development of Diphu town
  • Centre and State Government have given their nod for granting Rs 100 crore for the overall development of Diphu town, the headquarter town of Karbi Anglong district.
  • The fund would be released under City Infrastructure Development Fund (CIDF) and will be spent for development of 14 wards of the town.
  • Works like construction of new roads, repair of existing roads, sewerage system, causeway, street lights, waiting sheds etc., as part of the of transforming Diphu into a city will be taken up.
  • With an aim to permanently get rid of traffic congestion, accidents and other problems in Rongkhelan market area, close Don Bosco High School, decided to construct an open market complex inside the veterinary department complex.
  • All the roads connecting various wards with PWD roads will be converted into coloured pavers and enduring drainage system along with solar street lights, CCTV camera will be installed in key locations and commercial places of the residential localities.

June 25, 2019

World Bank approves $147 million loan to Jharkhand
  • The Government of India, the Government of Jharkhand and the World Bank, signed a $147 Million Loan Agreement to provide basic urban services to the people of Jharkhand and help improve the management capacity of the urban local bodies (ULBs) in the State.
  • The Jharkhand Municipal Development Project will focus on improving the municipal sector’s capacity to provide basic urban services. It will invest in urban services such as water supply, sewerage, drainage, and urban roads; and strengthen the capacity of the Jharkhand Urban Infrastructure Development Company (JUIDCO) as well as that of the ULBs to carry out reforms in the areas of urban finance and governance. 
  • This is in keeping with the needs of a rapidly urbanizing state where about 31 million people reside in urban areas and urban population growth in nine of 24 districts in Jharkhand is above India’s overall urbanization pace of 2.7 percent. 
  • The Loan Agreement was signed by Mr. Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. Shanker Lal, Acting Country Director (India), the World Bank, on behalf of the World Bank.
  • The Loan, from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a 7-year grace period, and a final maturity of 22.5 years.
Centre brings bill on J&K reservation in Lok Sabha
  • A bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004 was introduced in Lok Sabha paving the way for people living near the International Border to get benefits of reservation in jobs, promotion and educational institutions.
  • The legislation will replace the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019.
  • The bill will bring same benefits to the people living near the IB as those near the Line of Control (LoC), after they were kept out of the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act 2004 and Rules 2005.
UNHCR to launch first Global Refugee Forum
  • The UN Refugee Agency UNHCR said that the first ever Global Refugee Forum, a ministerial-level event, will take place on December 17 and 18 in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • The event will be co-hosted with Switzerland and co-convened by Turkey, Germany, Ethiopia, and Costa Rica and the secretary-general of the United Nations is expected to attend.
  • Dealing with displacement challenges cannot be done alone and requires unity of vision and ambition among all countries, coupled with real, concrete action.
  • Such action, is the goal of the Global Compact on Refugees and it is what the United Nations will be working towards through the Global Refugee Forum.
  • With tens of millions of people affected by war, conflict, and persecution, the Global Refugee Forum will be an opportunity for countries to take stock of today’s situation and to strengthen the international response.
NSIC signs MOU with CSC e-governance services India
  • National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) has signed an MoU with Common Service Centres (CSC) e-Governance Services India for enhancing new offerings for the MSME sector by synergizing each other’s competence.
  • This MoU will also enable CSCs to utilize plethora of NSIC offerings through the NSIC
  • CSC will facilitate VLEs and MSMEs through digital empowerment in accessing NSIC integrated support services encompassing Marketing, Finance, Technology, and other offerings.

FACTFILE – National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC)

  • NSIC is a Mini Ratna PSU established by the Government of India in 1955 It falls under Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises of India.
  • NSIC is the nodal office for several schemes of Ministry of MSME such as Performance & Credit Rating, Single Point Registration, MSME Databank, National SC ST Hub, etc.

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June 26, 2019

Manipur Govt to frame Anti-Drug policy
  • The Manipur Government is framing an anti-drug policy to create a drug-free State. The first draft of the Manipur drug policy is under consultation with various stakeholders.
  • The Department of Social Welfare has opened 20 integrated rehabilitation centres for treatment of needy drug-affected people.
  • Drug abuse is rampant among youngsters in the state, with the issue being critical in Churachandpur district.
Government to come up with an integrated RERA website
  • With an aim to provide single window information on best practices and rulings in the housing sector, the government plans come up with a platform that will integrate Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) of all the states.
  • The common platform would provide suggestions about the real estate properties and projects to invest in, real estate developers, registered property agents and much more.
  • At present, the information pertaining to RERA of different states is available locally and not for the consumption at a national level.
  • The platform would provide all the rulings related to the properties in different states categorised according to the subject and with a summary.
  • This would help people in applying the earlier rulings in any part of the country to their particular case, if applicable.
  • It would bring all the best practices in the home buying sector under one umbrella.
  • The recommendation to develop a common platform was made by a committee headed by Vijay S Madan, RERA chief for Delhi and Chandigarh.
55 nations back India for non-permanent UNSC seat
  • India’s candidature for a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has been unanimously endorsed by the Asia Pacific group of 55 countries including China and Pakistan.
  • The countries which have supported India’s candidature also include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey, the UAE and Vietnam.
  • Asia-Pacific Group at UN unanimously endorses India’s candidature for a non-permanent seat of the Security Council for a 2-year term in 2021-22.
Government considering to hike pension age limit under APY
  • The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has submitted a proposal to increase the limit of pension and age under Atal Pension Yojana (APY).
  • APY is administered by PFRDA through NPS architecture. The minimum age of joining APY is 18 years and maximum age is 40 years. Therefore, minimum period of contribution by the subscriber under APY would be 20 years or more.
  • APY is open to all bank account holders who are not members of any statutory social security scheme.
  • Accordingly, Mudra beneficiaries, Self Help Group (SHG) members and Anganwadi workers who are citizen of India and fall between 18-40 years of age are eligible to join APY.
  • APY is focused on the unorganised sector workers which constitute more than 85 percent of the workforce. Under this scheme, the guaranteed minimum pension of Rs 1,000 per month or Rs 2,000-5,000 per month will be given at the age of 60 years depending on the contributions by subscribers.
  • The spouse of a subscriber is also eligible for pension and the nominee receives the accumulated pension wealth.
Delhi to develop 11 city forests
  • Delhi’s Forest Department plans to develop 11 forests across the city during the current financial year.
  • Environment Minister Imran Hussain has directed the department to ensure at least six of these are developed in the monsoon season.
  • Hussain reviewed the action plan for developing the city’s forest and programme and for carrying out “mega tree plantation” during the monsoon season.
  • The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest informed the Minister that his department has proposed to develop 11 city forests during in 2019-20.

June 27, 2019

Amalendu Chakraborty appointment as VC of Rabindranath Tagore University
  • Amalendu Chakraborty took charge as is appointed as the first Vice-Chancellor of Rabindranath Tagore University and he took charge on 7 June 2019.
  • Greater Guwahati Rabindra Jayanti Udjapan Samiti has welcomed the decision to appoint Dr Amalendu Chakraborty as the Vice Chancellor (VC) of newly established Rabindranath Tagore University.

FACTFILE – Rabindranath Tagore University

  • Rabindranath Tagore University is a public state university located in Hojai, Hojai district, Assam.
  • The university is established by Rabindranath Tagore University Bill, 2017 which was passed by the Government of Assam on 7 September 2017.
  • It was created by upgradation of Hojai College of Hojai, Hojai district.
  • It was named after Rabindranath Tagore, a polymath, poet, musician, and artist from the Indian subcontinent.
Bill to amend SEZ law passed in Lpk Sabha
  • A bill which seeks to allow trusts to set up units in special economic zones by amending the SEZ law was passed in Lok Sabha.
  • The Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Bill, 2019 became the first legislation to be passed by the newly-constituted 17th Lok Sabha.
  • It will now be moved for passage in Rajya Sabha.
  • The Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Bill, 2019 will replace the Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019, which was promulgated in March.
  • After the ordinance was issued, the government has so far received six applications to set up SEZs.
Korean ambassador signs agreement for providing assistance in prosthetic limbs sector
  • Korean Ambassador to India Bong-kil Shin launched ‘Jaipur Foot Korea’, a collaborative initiative between Korea and BhagwanMahaveerViklangSahayataSamiti (BMVSS), a prosthetic limb organisation.
  • Under this agreement, Korea will provide financial and technical assistance to further research and development collaboration in the med-tech sector specifically in the area of prosthetic limbs, bionic arms, 3-D printing-based Flat foot solution and mobility solutions.
  • The agreement will open up access to Korean med-tech students to join the various prosthetic fitment camps in various countries and participate in certificate programmes offered by Jaipur Foot.
  • The agreement will also open up opportunities for overseas development assistance and grants from the Government of Korea and donations from private institutions and corporations from Korea to India.
GSK pharmaceuticals ltd. & RCB joint initiative to develop PHD programs
  • The Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) and GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (GSK Pharmaceutical Ltd.) launched the Trust in Science Programme to develop doctoral programs (PhDs) in the fields of biostatistics and bioinformatics.
  • Under this initiative, the RCB will develop program content, manage logistics and oversee the running of the full-time programs.
  • GSK Pharmaceutical Ltd. will provide funding and ensure all course content is shaped to address current industry needs and opportunities.
  • Students with a master’s degree in biostatistics, maths, and bioinformatics are eligible for the PhD courses.
  • The goal is to provide students with a specialized course that addresses current industry needs and opportunities.
World Bank signs loan to improve Uttarakhand’s Financial Management ability
  • The Government of India, the Government of Uttarakhand and the World Bank signed a Loan Agreement of $31.58 million for the Uttarakhand Public Financial Management Strengthening Project that will help improve the State’s ability to manage its Financial Systems and lead to Better Utilization of Development Resources.
  • The Uttarakhand Public Financial Management Strengthening Project will support the State Government’s initiative to build and modernize the Technical and Financial Management Capabilities of its Local Bodies and the State-owned Enterprises.
  • The Loan Agreement was signed by Mr Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, on behalf of the Government of India; and Mr. Savin Bansal, I.A.S. Additional Secretary, Finance, Govt. of Uttarakhand on behalf of the Govt of Uttarakhand; and Mr. Shanker Lal, Acting Country Director, World Bank India, on behalf of the World Bank.
  • The Project will benefit the citizens of Uttarakhand by creating a more transparent and efficient system of management of public finances, including the administration of tax and non-tax revenues.
  • The Project components will improve capacity in the areas of cash and debt management, planning and budgeting, appraisal and monitoring of high-value projects and public audit.
  • It will support measures to improve the transparency of Budget and Procurement Information. Using GIS mapping technologies, the Project will also strengthen the state’s revenue management systems, including that of urban local bodies.
  • The $31.58 Million Loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a 5year grace period, and a final maturity of 11 years.

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June 28, 2019

Assam ranks among top performing states NITI Aayog Health report
  • The second edition of ‘Healthy States, Progressive India’ report released by NITI Aayog has ranked Assam as one of the top achievers.
  • Assam has been placed among top performing States like Haryana followed by Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh and the Union Territories based on their year-on-year incremental change in health outcomes, as well as their overall performance.
  • Assam has made significant incremental progress with four or more percentage points increase in their Index scores from Base Year (2015-16) to Reference Year (2017-2018).
  • The Round II report is based on measuring and highlighting the overall performance and incremental improvement of Health Sector over a two year period (2016-17 and 2017-18) in the States and UTs.
  • The report has been developed by NITI Aayog with technical assistance from the World Bank, and in consultation with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
  • The report is an annual systematic performance tool to measure the performance of the States and UTs. It ranks States and UTs on their year-on-year incremental change in health outcomes, as well as their overall performance with respect to each other. The ranking is categorized as Larger States, Smaller States and Union Territories (UTs), to ensure comparison among similar entities.
  • The health index is a weighted composite Index based on 23 indicators grouped into the domains of Health Outcomes, Governance and Information, and Key Inputs/Processes. Each domain has been assigned weights based on its importance and has been equally distributed among indicators.
  • Some of the Health Indicators mentioned are such as Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR), Under-five Mortality Rate (U5MR), Proportion of Low Birth Weight among New-born, Proportion of districts with functional Cardiac Care Units (CCUs), Proportion of ANCs registered within first trimester of pregnancy, Proportion of CHCs/PHCs with Quality Accreditation Certificates, full immunization coverage, institutional deliveries, Proportion of Specialist positions vacant at District Hospitals and Proportion of total staff (regular and contractual) with e-pay slip generated in the IT enabled Human Resources Management Information System (HRMIS).
Jindal Global University partners with UNESCO to organise the first World Youth Conference
  • P. Jindal Global University (JGU) and Delhi-based UNESCO MGIEP will jointly organise the first World Youth Conference on kindness from August 20-23 to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
  • JGU will host 100 youth leaders from across the world for the three-day conference on its campus in Sonipat while a part of the conference will also be held in Delhi.
  • The university will also organise lectures by experts on the sidelines of the conference during that period.
  • The World Youth Congress 2019 is being organised on the theme ”VasudhaivaKutumbakam: Gandhi for the Contemporary World: Celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.”
  • The conference aims to inspire societal change by providing the youth with a global platform where they can actively engage with decision-makers towards finding innovative ways of propagating non-violence as a way to resolve conflicts and violence.
  • This Conference has been designed in a manner that attempts to bridge the gap between India”s youth and their ideas and aspirations.
  • An MoU on the World Youth Congress was earlier signed between Kumar, Registrar Y.S.R. Murthy and UNESCO-MGIEP Director Anantha K. Duraiappah. UNESCO MGIEP focuses on achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 towards education for building peaceful and sustainable societies across the world.
Delhi to provide loans & skill training to manual scavengers
  • To rehabilitate the identified manual scavengers in the national capital, the Delhi government approved a programme to provide them one-time cash assistance and skill development training with stipends.
  • The Delhi Cabinet gave its nod to the Social Welfare Department’s proposal for rehabilitation of these manual scavengers under the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.
  • Under the proposal, the manual scavengers will be given one time cash assistance of Rs 40,000.
  • Loans for projects of Rs 15 lakh on concessional rates of interest will also be given to the identified manual scavengers. They will also get credit linked back-end capital subsidy up to Rs 3,25,000 and skill development training up to two years with stipend of Rs 3,000 per month.
Commerce Ministry forms working group for WPI revision
  • The Commerce Ministry formed an 18-member working group under the chairmanship of Ramesh Chand, member, NitiAayog, for revision of the current series of the Wholesale Price Index (WPI).
  • The base year for the current series is 2011-12 and since then significant structural changes have taken place in the economy, which has necessitated the move.
  • Therefore, it has become necessary to examine the coverage of commodities, weighting diagram and related issues pertaining to the existing series of index numbers of WPI.
  • The working group will be tasked to select the most appropriate base year for the preparation of a new official series of index numbers of Wholesale Price (WPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) in India.
  • Besides, they will review commodity basket of the current series of WPI and suggest changes of commodities in the light of structural changes in the economy witnessed since 2011-12.
  • The group will also review the existing system of price collection, examine the existing methodology of compilation of PPI and method of computing linking factor adopted so far.
  • The members of the working group have been drawn from various government and non-government agencies including RBI, Finance Ministry, National Statistical Office, Ministry of Petroleum and Department of Consumer Affairs.
  • It also has SBI chief economist Soumya Kanti Ghosh Das, economist Surjit Bhalla, APMEAC member Shamika Ravi as members. It will also have representation from CRISIL, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Kotak Mahindra Asset Management.

 

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