Assam Current Affairs – May 01 - 07, 2019

Current Affairs Assam – May 1 - 7, 2019

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of May 1 – 7, 2019 )

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May 01, 2019

International Workers’ Day celebrated on May 1

International Workers’ Day, also known as Workers’ Day, Labour Day and often referred to as May Day, is a celebration of labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement which occurs every year on May Day (1 May), an ancient European spring festival.
The date was chosen by a pan-national organization of socialist and communist political parties to commemorate the Haymarket affair, which occurred in Chicago on 4 May 1886.
The 1904 Sixth Conference of the Second International, called on “all Social Democratic Party organisations and trade unions of all countries to demonstrate energetically on the First of May for the legal establishment of the 8-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat, and for universal peace.
The first May Day celebration in India was organized in Chennai by the LabourKisan Party of Hindustan on 1 May 1923.

India ranks 4^thin biggest military spender

India was the world’s fourth biggest military spender last year behind the United States, China, and Saudi Arabia, according to new data think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
France also figures on the list of top five spenders that together accounted for 60% of the global military spending in 2018.
China was the second-largest military spender last year. Beijing increased its military expenditure by 5% to $250 billion in 2018. It accounted for 14% of global military spending.
India’s military spending went up by 3.1% to $66.5 billion. India accounts for 3.7% of the global defence spending.
With military spending of $11.4 billion, Pakistan was at the 20th place on the list of the leading military spenders.

FACTFILE – Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)

SIPRI is an international institute based in Sweden, dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. Established in 1966, SIPRI provides data, analysis and recommendations, based on open sources, to policymakers, researchers, media and the interested public.
SIPRI is based in Stockholm, Sweden
SIPRI was ranked among the top three non-US world-wide think tanks in 2014 by the University of Pennsylvania Lauder Institute’s Global Go To Think Tanks Report.
In 2016 it ranked SIPRI in the top twenty eight among think tanks globally.

Indian Navy to have 8 anti-submarine warfare shallow watercraft

The Defence Ministry has awarded a contract of worth Rs 6,311 crore to Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) to build eight anti-submarine warfare shallow watercraft (ASWSWC) for the Indian Navy.
The contract worth Rs 6,311.32 crore was signed today by Joint Secretary and Acquisition Manager (Maritime Systems) Ravi Kant on behalf of Ministry of Defenceand S SDogra, Director (Finance), on behalf of GRSE, in New Delhi.
As per the agreement, the first ship is to be delivered within 42 months from the date of signing of the contract and subsequently, two ships are required to be delivered per year. The project completion time is 84 months.
The vessels are equipped with highly advanced state-of-the-art integrated platform management systems including propulsion machinery, auxiliary machinery, power generation, and distribution machinery and damage control machinery.
The GRSE is currently handling major projects to make three Stealth Frigates for Indian Navy under P17A Project, ASW Corvettes for Indian Navy, LCUs for Indian Navy, four Survey Vessels (Large) for Indian Navy, FPVs for Indian Coast Guard.

Indo-French joint naval exercise Varuna 19.1

The first part of the Indo-French joint naval exercise, Varuna 19.1 is being held off the Goa coast from 1 to 10 May 2019.
The exercise will see the participation of the French Navy’s aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle, two destroyers, FNS Forbin and FNS Provence, the frigate FNS Latouche-Treville, the tanker FNS Marne and a nuclear submarine.
From the Indian side, the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, destroyer INS Mumbai, the Teg-class frigate, INS Tarkash, the Shishumar- class submarine, INS Shankul, and the Deepak- class fleet tanker, INS Deepak, are taking part in the exercise.
The exercise is being conducted in two phases. The harbour phase at Goa would include cross-visits, professional interactions and discussions and sports events.
The sea phase would comprise various exercises across the spectrum of maritime operations.

FACTFILE – Varuna

The bilateral naval exercise which was started in 1983 and christened as ‘Varuna’ in 2001, form a vital part of the Indo-French strategic partnership.
The exercise is in line with the Joint Strategic Vision of India-French Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region signed by President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister NarendraModi during the former’s visit to India in March 2018.

May 02, 2019

Germany to grant €6.5 million for Nagaland forestry project

Germany will provide a grant of up to 6.5 million euros (approximately Rs 50 crore) from 2019 to 2026 to safeguard biodiversity conservation in select community conserved areas (CCAs) and also improve the living conditions and income of the local population in the peripheral areas of protective forests in Nagaland.
The project covers 12 CCAs, around 70 villages and six districts of Nagaland – Wokha, Mokokchung, Zunheboto, Kohima, Peren and Phek.
The project was launched by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, during the visit of a German delegation headed by the Charge d’Affairs Dr Jasper Wieck to the State, the release added.
The KfW Development Bank is responsible for implementation of the project. The Indian project partners are the Nagaland State Biodiversity Board and the Nagaland Forest Department as well as the Nagaland Environment Protection and Economic Development Agency.
Germany is a global partner of the Indian Government, particularly with regard to implementation of the agreed climate targets of Paris and the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As part of the Indo-German environmental programme, German experts advised those responsible in the North East region to maintain and improve the living conditions of the population despite climate change, prevent rural exodus and create prospects for indigenous population groups.

India Chandrayaan-2 mission to be launched in July

India’s second moon mission Chandrayaan-2 is expected to launch off in July, with an expected landing on the Moon in September.
All the modules are getting ready for Chandrayaan-2 launch during the window of July 9 to July 16, 2019, with an expected Moon landing on September 7, 2019
Chandrayaan-2, has three modules namely Orbiter, Lander (Vikram) and Rover (Pragyan).
The Orbiter and Lander modules will be interfaced mechanically and stacked together as an integrated module and accommodated inside the rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV MK-III).
The Rover is housed inside the Lander.

FACTFILE – Mission Chandrayaan-2

It is the second lunar exploration mission developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), after Chandrayaan-1.
The main scientific objective is to map and study the variations in lunar surface composition, as well as the location and abundance of lunar water.

‘Green Nobel’ Goldman Environmental Prize Awarded to Alfred Brownell

Alfred Brownell, an environmental lawyer and activist was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize.
He was awarded the prize for exposing alleged abuse by the palm oil company Golden Veroleum Liberia and helping to prevent it from converting about 50 square kms of forest that is home to elephants, pygmy hippopotamuses and chimpanzees.

FACTFILE – Goldman Environmental Prize

The prize was created in 1989 by philanthropists Richard and Rhoda Goldman.
Winners are selected from nominations made by environmental organisations and others.
The prize carries a $200,000 award.

DCIL inks MOU with WAPCOS

The Dredging Corporation of India Limited has inked anMoU with WAPCOS Limited to jointly identify suitable future projects and carry out geotechnical investigation and engineering consultancy in fields like Water Resources, Power and Infrastructure Port and Harbour
The other areas include shallow water dredging, beach nourishment, lake rehabilitation, flood management, erosion control, river morphology and other related sectors.
The MoU was signed byManagingDirectorof DCIL Rajesh TripathiandChairman and Managing Director of WAPCOSR K Guptaat New Delhi.
The MoU assumes special significance and is expected to be a win-win alliance for DCI and WAPCOS.
WAPCOS Limited is a Miniratna PSU under the Ministry of water resources, river developmentand Ganga rejuvenation.

FACTFILE – Dredging Corporation of India Limited

DCI is unit engaged in the business of dredging. DCI does dredging for Indian seaports exclusively.
It occasionally dredges at foreign seaports in countries such as Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Dubai.
Almost all the maintenance dredging in Indian seaports is carried out by DCI due to government regulations.
DCI is also involved in capital dredging, beach nourishment, and land reclamation.
The main seaports in which DCI does business are Visakhapatnam Port, Haldia, Kandla, Cochin Port and Ennore Port.
DCI is headquartered at Visakhapatnam and has project offices at many seaports in India.

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May 03, 2019

2^nd Ginger Festival starts at Pherzawl in Manipur

The second edition of the State-level Ginger Festival began at the Pherzawl district headquarters, 240 km south of Imphal.
The festival is aimed at encouraging and promoting ginger cultivation by farmers in the district, it also aims to bring in people from all over the world to explore the wild natural beauty of the place and experience the local way of life and culture.
A business session and a farmers’ consultative meeting will be held on the second day.

World press freedom day observer on May 3

World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO’s General Conference. Since then, 3 May, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day.
The 26^thcelebration of World Press Freedom Day is jointly organized by UNESCO, the African Union Commission and the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
This year’s theme “Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation” discusses current challenges faced by media in elections, along with the media’s potential in supporting peace and reconciliation processes.
UNESCO marks World Press Freedom Day by conferring the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize on a deserving individual, organisation or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger.

BHEL signs MOU with ARAI for e-mobility projects

Bharat Heavy Electricals and Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), an autonomous body affiliated to the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises have signed anMoU for cooperation on various projects related to e-mobility.
The MoU was signed by RashmiUrdhwareshe, Director, ARAI and Renuka Gera, BHEL.
Electro mobility (e-mobility) is a general term for the development of electric-powered drivetrains designed to shift vehicle design away from the use of fossil fuels and carbon gas emissions.
The term electro mobility includes full electric vehicles, as well as hybrid electric vehicles and those using hydrogen fuel cell technology.

Reducing dirty fuels can help curb air pollution

An India-US joint study has stressed Mitigating the use of household fuels could reduce air pollution-related deaths in India by approximately 13 per cent, which is equivalent to saving about 270,000 lives a year.
Nearly half of the country’s population relies on dirty fuels such as wood, dung, coal and kerosene for cooking and heating, said researchers from the University of California, Berkeley and the India Institute of Technology-Delhi.
Eliminating emissions from these sources — without any changes to industrial or vehicle emissions — would bring the average outdoor air pollution levels below the country’s air quality standard.
A study in the Lancet Planetary Health journal last year found that air quality in India is so poor that 1.2 million deaths in the country in 2018 can be attributed to air pollution.
There are 3,000 chemicals that have been identified in wood smoke, and taken at a macro level, it is very similar to tobacco smoke.
In 2016, India instituted a national programme to distribute clean burning stoves and propane to 80 million impoverished households, or about 500 million people.

May 04, 2019

First brain surgery of south Assam performed successfully

A team of doctors successfully conducted a brain tumour surgery recently in a local hospital in Silchar.
Veteran neurosurgeon Dr Diba Nath Chakraborty along with his team of doctors including Dr PR Bishnu (Surgery) and Dr Abhijit Das (anaesthetist) and support staff operated upon 40-year old Bijuli Nath, a resident of Narsingpur in Cachar district.
The surgery was done at Green Heals Hospital Private Limited at Silchar.

International firefighters’ day observed on May 4

International Firefighters’ Day (IFFD) is observed on May 4. It was instituted after a proposal was emailed out across the world on January 4, 1999 due to the deaths of five firefighters in tragic circumstances in a bushfire in Australia.
International Firefighters’ Day (IFFD) is a time where the world’s community can recognise and honour the sacrifices that firefighters make to ensure that their communities and environment are as safe as possible. It is also a day in which current and past firefighters can be thanked for their contributions.

Defence Ministry clears acquisition of 10 Kamov-31 choppers

The Defence Ministry cleared the acquisition of 10 Kamov-31 choppers from Russia, a proposal by the Indian Navy. The choppers cost around Rs 3,600 crore.
This will strengthen India’s capability against aerial threats to its aircraft carriers and large warships.
The decision was taken by the Defence Ministry at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council led by Defence Minister NirmalaSitharaman.
The Navy already has a fleet of 12 of these Kamov-31 choppers which sanitise the air space around the aircraft carriers and destroyers operating in open seas

FACTFILE – The Kamov Ka-31

Kamov Ka-31 is a military helicopter developed for the Soviet Navy and currently in service in Russia, China and India in the naval airborne early warning and control role.
As with all Kamov helicopters except the Ka-60/-62 family, the Ka-31 has co-axially mounted contra-rotating main rotors. The airframe of the Ka-31 is based on the Kamov Ka-27.
One visually distinctive feature of the Ka-31 is the large antenna of the early-warning radar, which is either rotating or folded and stowed under the fuselage.

INS Ranjit to be decommissioned

After 36 years of glorious service, Indian Navy’s front-line missile destroyer INS Ranjittobe decommissioned. Commissioned September 15, 1983, INS Ranjitwas the third of the five Kashin-class destroyers built by erstwhile USSR.
The ship will now be decommissioned at a solemn ceremony at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam.
The ceremony will be attended by personnel who have served onboard INS Ranjitin the past and will also include officers and sailors from the commissioning crew.
INS Ranjit was constructed in the 61 Communards shipyard in the town of Nikolev, which now falls in
The ship participated in a number of operations include IPKF operations, Operation Talwar during Kargil conflict.
On May 6, the Naval Ensign and the Commissioning pennant will be lowered for the last time onboard INS Ranjit, symbolising the end of the Ranjit era in the Indian Navy.

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May 05, 2019

Manipur is third highest tobacco consumer state in India

Manipur is ranked third in the consumption of tobacco and allied products in India, according to the State Nodal Officer of the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), Dr Somorjit Ningombam.
About 55 per cent adults in the State use tobacco and each adult spends an average of Rs 350 a month on tobacco products.
Tobacco is one of the common risk factors of major non-communicable diseases like cancer, killing six million people every year. About 0.6 million people face premature death due to passive smoking.
In India, tobacco kills 8-9 lakh people every year. About 2,500 Indians die every day due to tobacco-related diseases. Nearly 89 per cent of smokers become addicted to tobacco by the age of 18 years, he pointed out.
Smokers have 20-25 times greater risk of developing lung cancer; 2-3 times greater risk of getting heart attacks; three times greater risk of sudden death and 30-60 times greater risk of getting sick.
The Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, was enacted by the Parliament on the 54th year of the Republic of India to regulate trade and commerce in, and production, supply and distribution of cigarettes and other tobacco products.

E-Governance Services India ties up with IIT-Kanpur

Common Service Centre’s (CSC) e-Governance Services India Limited, a special purpose vehicle under the Ministry of Electronics & IT, has tied up with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Kanpur to upscale ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’.
Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is an initiative of the Ministry of HRD. It aims to find solutions to accelerate sustainable growth in rural India.
Under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, IIT-Kanpur has brought together 15 leading higher education institutions from Uttar Pradesh.
These institutions have agreed to work with CSC for the development of villages under the scheme.
All the participating institutions have been informed about various services being delivered through CSC to citizens and further potential which CSCs offer in empowering communities and overall village development.
As many as 15 affiliated educational institutions under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan will adopt gram panchayats and equip them with all citizen centric services through CSCs.
These institutions will train village level entrepreneurs (VLEs) who run CSCs as part of the village development plan.
The VLEs will also be skilled about the use of solar energy, cleanliness and use of modern technologies through interventions of IIT-Kanpur

Former ISRO chief AS Kiran Kumar conferred France’s highest civilian award

AS Kiran Kumar, the former chairperson of the Indian Space Research Organisation, was conferred France’s highest civilian award – Chevalier of Order of the Legion of Honour – for his contribution to India-France space cooperation.
France’s highest civilian honour comes in recognition of AS Kiran Kumar’s invaluable contribution to the development of India-France space cooperation
Alexandre Ziegler, the ambassador of France to India, conferred Kumar with the Legion of Honour.
Jean-Yves Le Gall, chairperson of French space agency National Centre for Space Studies, was present at the special investiture ceremony held at the Residence of France in Delhi.
He served as the ISRO chief from 2015 to 2018 and was awarded the Padma Shri in 2014.

FACTFILE – The National Order of the Legion of Honour

The award is the highest French order of merit for military and civil merits, established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte and retained by all later French governments and régimes.
The order’s motto is Honneur et Patrie (“Honour and Fatherland”), and its seat is the Palais de la Légiond’Honneur next to the Musée d’Orsay, on the left bank of the Seine in Paris.
The order is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), Grand officier (Grand Officer), and Grand-croix (Grand Cross).

May 06, 2019

ONGC gets green nod for Rs 240 crore oil project in Assam

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) has received the green nod to drill six development wells in Assam at an estimated cost of Rs 240 crore.
The Union Environment Ministry has given the environment clearance for six development wells in five mining lease blocks in Jorhat and Golghat districts, according to an official document.
The company had sought permission for drilling 12 development wells but it received clearance for six wells at present.
The clearance, which is subject to compliance of certain conditions, has been given after taking into consideration the recommendation of a green panel.
The total mining lease area of Jorhat and Golaghat districts is 32.116 sq km and 120.5 sq km, respectively. The total project cost is pegged at Rs 240 crore.
The proposed project aims to enhance reliable hydrocarbon supplies, which will bring economic benefits and provide indirect employment opportunities to the local people and also benefit the area by way of improvement in existing infrastructure.

FACTFILE – Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC)

Founded on 14 August 1956, it involved in exploring for and exploiting hydrocarbons in 26 sedimentary basins of India, and owns and operates over 11,000 kilometers of pipelines in the country.
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is an Indian Multinational Crude Oil and Gas Corporation. Its registered office is now at New Delhi, India.
It is India’s largest oil and gas exploration and production company. It produces around 70% of India’s crude oil (equivalent to around 30% of the country’s total demand) and around 62% of its natural gas.
It was ranked as the largest profit making PSU in India for fiscal year 2018-19.
It is ranked 11^th among the Top 250 Global Energy Companies by Platts.
Its international subsidiary ONGC Videsh currently has projects in 17 countries.
ONGC has discovered 6 of the 7 commercially producing Indian Basins, in the last 50 years, adding over 7.1 billion tonnes of In-place Oil & Gas volume of hydrocarbons in Indian basins.
On Jan 30th 2018, Oil & Natural Gas Corporation acquired the 51.11% stake of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation.

Asian Development Bank launches Healthy Oceans action plan

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) launched the Action Plan for Healthy Oceans and Sustainable Blue Economies for the Asia and Pacific region at the 52nd Annual Meeting of ADB’s Board of Governors.
The action plan will support the efforts of ADB’s developing member countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 14 Life Below Water.
The Action Plan for Healthy Oceans and Sustainable Blue Economies will expand financing and technical assistance for ocean health and marine economy projects to $5 billion from 2019 to 2024, including co-financing from partners.
It will focus on four areas: creating inclusive livelihoods and business opportunities in sustainable tourism and fisheries; protecting and restoring coastal and marine ecosystems and key rivers; reducing land-based sources of marine pollution, including plastics, wastewater, and agricultural runoff; and improving sustainability in port and coastal infrastructure development.
Asia and the Pacific are at the epicenter of a major crisis in marine plastic pollution, threatening the productivity of the region’s marine economies, which are crucial to poverty reduction.
As a part of the action plan, ADB will launch the Oceans Financing Initiative to create opportunities for the private sector to invest in bankable projects that will help improve ocean health.
The initiative will provide technical assistance grants and funding from ADB and other donors to reduce the technical and financial risks of projects. This will be done through instruments such as credit risk guarantees and capital market “blue bonds”.
The Oceans Financing Initiative will be piloted in Southeast Asia in collaboration with the ASEAN Infrastructure Fund and the Republic of Korea. The World Wide Fund for Nature, a longtime partner of ADB, will support the design and implementation of the financing initiative.

India, UK in talks to replicate HMS Queen Elizabeth super-carrier

The United Kingdom is in talks with India for building a new state-of-the-art aircraft carrier along the lines of Britain’s HMS Queen Elizabeth as part of the ongoing ‘Make in India’ negotiations.
The Indian Navy is in talks with the British government to buy detailed plans for the 65,000-ton British warship to build a so-called “copycat supercarrier” named INS Vishal in 2022.
If both the countries finalise the deal, the new warship would be built in India and UK companies could supply many of the parts.
This new Naval carrier would serve alongside India’s 45,000-ton carrier INS Vikramaditya bought from Russia in 2004 and the future 40,000-ton INS Vikrant giving India a larger carrier fleet than Britain.

FACTFILE – Aircraft Carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft.Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a naval force to project air power worldwide without depending on local bases for staging aircraft operations.

India’s Aircraft Carriers

INS Vikramaditya– Currently, India has 1 STOBAR carrier – INS Vikramaditya, 45,400 tonnes, modified Kiev class. The carrier was purchased by India on 20 January 2004 after years of negotiations at a final price of $2.35 billion. The ship successfully completed her sea trials in July 2013 and aviation trials in September 2013 and was formally commissioned on 16 November 2013.
INS Vikrant –India started the construction of INS Vikrant, a 40,000-tonne, 260-metre-long (850 ft) aircraft carrier in 2009. The new carrier will operate MiG-29K and naval HAL Tejas aircraft along with the Indian-made helicopter HAL Dhruv. The ship will be powered by four gas-turbine engines and will have a range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 kilometres), carrying 160 officers, 1,400 sailors, and 40 aircraft. The carrier is being constructed by Cochin Shipyard. The ship was launched in August 2013 and is scheduled for commissioning in 2021.
INS Vishal– A second carrier, INS Vishal, with a displacement of over 65,000 tons is planned and likely to be nuclear-powered with CATOBAR system to launch and recover heavier aircraft and unmanned combat aircraft.

FACTFILE – HMS Queen Elizabeth

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the lead ship of the Queen Elizabeth class of aircraft carriers, the largest warships ever built for the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom and capable of carrying up to 70 aircraft.
The ship began sea trials in June 2017, was commissioned on 7 December 2017 and is scheduled to enter service in 2020.
Queen Elizabeth has no catapults or arrestor wires, and is instead designed to operate V/STOL aircraft. The air wing will typically consist of F-35B Lightning II multirole fighters and Merlin helicopters for airborne early warning and anti-submarine warfare. The design emphasises flexibility, with accommodation for 250 Royal Marines and the ability to support them with attack helicopters and large troop transports such as Chinooks.

Assam to establish organic agricultural university

Assam Chief Minister SarbanandaSonowal announced establishing of an organic agricultural university in the State soon.
Addressing the 21^stconvocation of the AAU at its Jorhat campus on the Borbheta outskirts said that the Government has initiated the process of setting up an exclusive organic agricultural university in the State.
The detailed project report for the proposed university was prepared by the AAU and submitted to the Government.

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May 07, 2019

International Baul Utsav on May 7-8 at Silchar, Karimganj

International Baul singers from Japan, Bangladesh and also from West Bengal and Assam will attend a two day International Baul Utsav in Silchar and Karimganj towns of Barak Valley in Assam.
Jointly organised by Byatikrom Masdo and Samanway in collaboration with the Asam Sahitya Sabha, the festival will be attended by the president of sabha, Dr Paramananda Rajbongshi, eminent poet Sankhasubhra Deb Barman and chief of Northeast Bharatsevashram Sangha, Swami Sadhananandaji Maharaj as guests.
The programmes will be held at Banga Bhawan in Silchar and district library auditorium at Karimganj. Kanako Shimizu alias Saraswati Maa of Japan, Sadhan Bairagi Guruji, Mahamaya Baul, Tarpan Baul, Madhuryamoyee Baul of Bengal, disciple of Purna Das Baul and famous baul of Barak Valley, Sarbani Baul and eminent baul of Bangladesh will perform in both the places.
Bauls are a group of religious and cultural group of India, best known for their songs and poems to the God who dwells within. Bauls describe themselves as crazy for God. The term Baul means madman or religious ecstatic.
The origin of baul is not known exactly, but the word appeared in Bengal as far back as the 15th century. The word is found in the Chaitanya Bhagavata of Vrindabana Dasa Thakura as well as in the Chaitanya Charitamrita of Krishnadasa Kaviraja.

India, US discuss trade issues discussed

In an India-US bilateral trade meeting held in Delhi, India and the United States discussed various outstanding trade issues.
Both sides agreed to engage regularly at various levels to resolve outstanding trade issues by exploring suitable solutions, which are mutually beneficial and promote economic development and prosperity in both countries.
Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Civil Aviation, and Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Commerce, USA, expressed satisfaction over the progress during the year 2018.
The bilateral trade in Goods and Services registered a growth of 12.6 per cent from $ 126 billion in 2017 to $142 billion in 2018.

India Launches 4^thKalvari-Class Attack Submarine

The fourth of the Indian Navy’s Stealth Scorpene class submarines under Project 75 was launched at the KanhojiAngre Wet Basin of the Mazagaon Docks Ltd (MDL).
Like the previous Scorpene class submarines – Kalvary, Khanderi and Karanj – the new submarine ‘Vela’ has been built by the MDL in collaboration with the Naval Group of France.
The submarine was towed to the Mumbai Port Trust for separation from the pontoon and will now undergo rigorous trials and tests, both in harbour and in high seas before being inducted into the Indian Navy.
The deal for construction and transfer of technology for six Scorpene class submarines in this series has Naval Group as the collaborator, with MDL constructing them under the ‘Make In India’ initiative in the defence sector.

FACTFILE – Scorpene class submarines

The Scorpene class submarines can undertake multifarious tasks typically undertaken by any modern submarine, including anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare.
Each of these lethal underwater attackers are 67.50 metres long, 12.30 metres in height, have a 6.20-metre beam, and able to attain submerged speeds of around 37 kmph (20 knots) and 20 kmph on surface (11 knots).
They can carry a crew complement of 35 sailors plus eight officers and remain at sea for up to 50 days.

FACTFILE – Project 75I-class submarine

The Project 75I-class submarine is a follow-on of the Project 75 Kalvari-class submarines for the Indian Navy.
Under this project, the Indian Navy intends to acquire six diesel-electric submarines, which will also feature advanced air-independent propulsion systems to enable them to stay submerged for longer duration and substantially increase their operational range.
All six submarines are expected to be constructed in Indian shipyards.

Indian students comes 2^nd at Microsoft Imagine Cup World final

A team of Indian students was declared second runners-up at the Microsoft Imagine Cup world finals. The world championship was organised on the first day of the annual Microsoft Build conference.
The three-member team from Faridabad-based ManavRachna Institute of Research and Studies developed “Caeli” (which means air in Latin) – a smart automated anti-pollution and drug delivery mask specifically designed for asthmatic and chronic respiratory patients.
Caeli implements breakthrough features to improve the quality of life for respiratory patients living in polluted areas.
Bhadana with VasuKaushik and Bharat Sundal developed the product under the guidance of UmeshDutta and team at ManavRachna Research Innovation and Incubation Centre (MRIIC).
The “Olympics of Technology”, Imagine Cup is a global annual competition sponsored and hosted by Microsoft.Over the past 10 years, more than 1.65 million students from over 190 countries have participated in the “Imagine Cup”.

Ministry of Ayush and CSIR ink MoU for promotion of traditional medicine

The Union Ministry of Ayush along with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have joined hands to explore modern scientific methods for integration with traditional medicine.
The MoU was signed recently by Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Ayush Secretary and DrShekhar C Mande, Director General of CSIR in the presence of senior officials from both the organisations.
According to the MoU between the two organisations, emphasis will be on pursuing research and development covering fundamental research; Ayush-specific diagnostic tools; linking micro-biome, gene expression and prakriti; multi-ingredient herbal formulations, including their standardisation and linking disease signatures, among others.
The collaboration in preserving and protecting traditional knowledge related to the Indian system of healthcare will also be strengthened through the existing platforms and development of international standardised terminologies (disease-morbidity codes) in Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani (ASU), database on medicinal plants, foods, etc.

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