Assam Current Affairs – November 15-21, 2018

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Current Affairs Assam – November  2018

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the month of November 2018 )

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November 17

Ashish Kundra appointed as new Mizoram CEO
  • The Election Commission of India in consultation with Mizoram government has appointed Ashish Kundra, IAS officer of AGMUT cadre as the new Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Mizoram.
  • Ashish Kundra, replaced SB Shashank following demand for his ouster by a conglomerate of civil society and students’ organizations.
  • Former CEO SB Shashank had reportedly sought deployment of additional Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the state and complained to the EC that the state’s former Principal Secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo was “interfering with the poll process”.
  • The NGO Coordination Committee, a conglomerate of civil societies and student organizations, along with other political leaders, had been demanding Shashank’s exit from the state since then.
Northeast India has mineral reserves of Rs 10 lakh crore, according to Geological Survey of India
  • The Northeast India has mineral reserves worth more than Rs 10 lakh crore which are yet to be exploited according to Geological Survey of India estimation.
  • If these mineral reserves are used properly, the region will flourish, not only does it contribute to the GDP, it also acts as a catalyst for the growth of other core industries such as power, steel, cement, which in turn are crucial for economy.
  • A total resource of 1642.64 million tonnes of coal has been estimated from the three states of Meghalaya, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
  • He said the region has a limestone reserve of 10108.6 million tonnes which has been estimated from Meghalaya to the southern part of Assam.
  • Dolomite low grade deposit is found in Arunachal Pradesh with a 58 million tonnes estimated reserve in Dedza and 185 million tonnes probable reserve in Rupa area.
  • Graphite with an estimated reserve of 703.015 million tonnes is found in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Clay with a probable resource of one million to three million tonnes have been discovered in Mizoram and Tripura.
  • Iron ore is found in Assam with an estimated reserve of 14.84 million tonnes. Meghalaya has a total resource of 5.88 million tonne of bauxite.
Government approves three new projects under Nirbhaya Fund
  • The government on 16th November approved three new proposals – fast-track special courts, procurement of forensic kits in sexual assault cases and setting up video surveillance system at 50 railway stations under the Nirbhaya Fund.
  • The decision was taken by the Empowered Committee of Officers headed by Women and Child Development Ministry (WCD) Secretary Rakesh Srivastava.
  • The new proposals have come from three ministries – Law, Home and Railways.
  • Under the fund, the Ministry of Law and Justice has proposed to set up 1,023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) to dispose of pending cases of rape and those under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act across the country.
  • With a total financial implication of Rs 767.25 crore, the project in the first phase may be set up in nine states with 777 FTSCs while in second phase 246 FTSCs will come up.
  • The Ministry of Home Affairs has proposed procurement of forensic kits for sexual assault cases to kickstart usage of such kits in states/UTs through TOTs (Training of Trainers), capacity building/training for forensics in sexual assault cases and strengthening of State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSLs) under Nirbhaya Fund with a total financial implication of Rs 107.19 crore.
  • Under the Railway Ministry, the proposal has come from Konkan Railway Corporation Limited for setting up video surveillance system at 50 railway stations with a total project cost of Rs 17.64 crore that will be utilised for surveillance hardware and accessories.

FACTFILE – Nirbhaya Fund

  • Nirbhaya Fund is an INR 1000 Crores corpus announced by Government of India in its 2013 Union Budget. This fund is expected to support initiatives by the government and NGOs working towards protecting the dignity and ensuring safety of women in India.
  • The Fund is administered by Department of Economic Affairs of the finance ministry.
  • 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.
  • Various ministries have proposed projects to use this fund with a view to enhance the safety and security of women in the country.
India’s first elephant hospital opens in Mathura
  • India’s first specialized hospital for elephants was formally opened by Agra Divisional Commissioner Anil Kumar at Farah block’s Churmura village.
  • The unique medical centre offers wireless digital X-ray, laser treatment, dental X-ray, thermal imaging, ultrasonography, hydrotherapy and quarantine facilities.
  • Located close to the elephant conservation and care centre, the hospital is designed to treat injured, sick or geriatric elephants and is equipped with a medical hoist for lifting elephants, as also an elephant restraining device with a dedicated indoor treatment enclosure for long duration medical procedures.
  • The Wildlife SOS established the first elephant conservation and care centre in 2010 and is currently looking after 20 elephants requiring specialised treatment.

India, Britain share assessment of global terror threats

  • India and Britain shared their assessment of terror threats across the world, including cross-border terrorism in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region during the 12th Meeting of India-UK Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism.
  • Both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, They shared assessment on the prevailing terrorist threats globally and in their region including cross-border terrorism in the Af-Pak region.
  • The meeting came ahead of the 10th anniversary of the four-day cross-border terror attack in Mumbai that started on November 26, 2008, and left over 160 people dead and over 300 injured.The attack was carried out by the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.
  • Both sides exchanged views on current counter-terrorism challenges, including countering radicalisation and violent extremism, combating financing of terrorism and preventing use of internet for terrorist purposes and agreed to strengthen cooperation in dealing with these challenges.
  • The two sides also deliberated upon measures to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation through regular exchange of information, mutual capacity building efforts, sharing of best practices and mutual legal assistance.

Chandramukhi Devi, Soso Shaiza and Kamlesh Gautam nominated as members of NCW

  • The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) nominated three persons as members of the National Commission for Women (NCW).
  • Ministry of Women and Child Development, in pursuance of Section 3 of the National Commission for Women Act, 1990, has nominated the following as Members of the National Commission for Women: Chandramukhi Devi, Soso Shaiza and Kamlesh Gautam.
  • While Chandramukhi Devi, who hails from Bihar, has been with the state women comission from 2011 to 2014, Soso Shaiza who hails from Manipur is currently associated as a BJP national council member.
  • All the three nominated members will hold office for three years or till the age of 65 years or until further orders from the date of assumption of charge of office, whichever is earlier.

FACTFILE – National Commission for Women

  • The National Commission for Women (NCW) is a statutory body of the Government of India, generally concerned with advising the government on all policy matters affecting women.
  • It was established in January 1992 under the 1990 National Commission for Women Act.
  • The objective of the commissions to represent the rights of women in India and to provide a voice for their issues and concerns.

Point2Remember – Rekha Sharma is the chairperson

November 18

Assam’s Ashmita Chaliha bags Dubai International Challenge title
  • Assam’s 19-year-old shuttler Ashmita Chaliha won the Dubai International Challenge. She beat sixth seeded Jeon Jui of Korea 21-19, 21-15 in the final.
  • This was the first international tournament Asmita participated in on the senior circuit, apart from the Asian Games 2018’s mixed-team event.
  • The tournament was organized by the Dubai Sports Council and UAE Badminton Association with support from Badminton World Federation and Shuttle Time.
  • Ashmita will next play in the Tata Open India International Challenge in Mumbai.
  • She had won one of the two selection tournaments organized by the Badminton Association of India for the Asian Games.

BIOGRAPHY – Ashmita Chaliha

  • Ashmita Chaliha, born and brought up in Guwahati, she began playing badminton at the age of seven, and trained at the Assam Badminton Academy under Indonesian coach Edwin Iriawan, India’s Suranjan Bhobora and Pullela Gopichand.
  • Chaliha was part of the national junior team that competed at the 2017 World and Asian Junior Championships.
  • She has been selected to be part of the Indian team for the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.
  • Chaliha won her first senior international title at the 2018 Dubai International Challenge in the women’s singles event.
Six North East states to implement Real Estate Regulation Act (RERA)
  • Six Northeastern states Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, and Sikkim have decided to implement Real Estate Regulation Act, RERA, which will pave the way for protecting the interest of home-buyers in these states.
  • A team of the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry visited the northeastern states and discussed the issues coming in the way of notifying the Act. Due to land and other issues, these six states were not able to notify RERA.
  • The states can notify their respective rules and appoint regulatory authorities.
  • Now, RERA will be effect in all states and Union Territories, except in West Bengal. The Act is not applicable in Jammu and Kashmir.

FACTFILE – The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016

  • RERA is an Act of the Parliament of India which seeks to protect home-buyers as well as help boost investments in the real estate industry.
  • The Act establishes Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) in each state for regulation of the real estate sector and also acts as an adjudicating body for speedy dispute redressal.
  • The Act came into force on 1 May 2016 with 59 of 92 sections notified.
  • The Central and state governments are liable to notify the Rules under the Act within a statutory period of six months.
US, Japan, Australia to invest more to develop Indo-Pacific
  • The US, Japan and Australia will boost infrastructure investment in the developing nations of the Indo-Pacific to counter China’s growing influence in the region.
  • The Trilateral Partnership intends to consult with governments of Indo-Pacific countries, including Papua New Guinea, to identify infrastructure projects for potential development and financing.
  • US Vice-President Mike Pence, Japanese and Australian Prime Ministers Shinzo Abe and Scott Morrison met at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Port Moresby.
  • The announcements, together with the underlying MoU, represent a substantial new commitment from Australia, Japan and the US to the economic development of the Indo-Pacific through principles-based, sustainable investment in infrastructure.
  • The Trilateral Partnership intends to work with governments of the Indo-Pacific to support and encourage infrastructure projects that adhere to international standards and principles for development including openness, transparency and fiscal sustainability.
India, Maldives agree on Indian Ocean stability
  • India and the Maldives, the two countries agreed to work on peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and new Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on 17th
  • The two leaders, while noting the resilience of the relations between India and the Maldives, expressed confidence in the renewal of the close bonds of cooperation and friendship with the election of Solih as the President of the Maldives.
  • During their meeting, both leaders agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean and being mindful of each other’s concerns and aspirations for the stability of the region.

FACTFILE – India–Maldives bilateral relations

  • Relations have been friendly and close in strategic, economic and military cooperation. India contributed to maintaining security on the island nation.
  • Maldives is located south of India’s Lakshadweep Islands in the Indian Ocean. Both nations established diplomatic relations after the independence of Maldives from British rule in 1966.
  • India was one of the first nations to recognise Maldives’ independence.
  • India and Maldives have developed close strategic, military, economic and cultural relations.
  • India has supported Maldives’ policy of keeping regional issues and struggles away from itself, and the latter has seen friendship with India as a source of aid as well as a counterbalance to Sri Lanka, which is in proximity to the island nation and its largest trading partner.
  • India and Maldives officially and amicably decided their maritime boundary in 1976.
  • India and Maldives signed a comprehensive trade agreement in 1981. Both nations are founding members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the South Asian Economic Union and signatories to the South Asia Free Trade Agreement. Indian and Maldivian leaders have maintained high-level contacts and consultations on regional issues.

Operation Cactus (1988 Maldives Coup)

  • In November 1988 speedboats carrying 80 armed militants of the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam landed in Maldives and along with allies who had infiltrated the country, began taking over the government.
  • The President of Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had fled and asked for military aid from India on 3 November. The then-Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi ordered 1,600 troops to aid the Maldivian government. In a military operation codenamed “Operation Cactus,” Indian forces arrived within 12 hours of the request for aid being made, squashed the coup attempt and achieved full control of the country within hours.
  • India’s intervention was endorsed by other nations such as the United States, Soviet Union, Great Britain and its neighbours Nepal and Bangladesh.

Commercial relations

  • India has provided extensive economic aid and has participated in bilateral programmes for the development of infrastructure, health, civil aviation, telecommunications and labour resources.
  • It established the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Malé, the capital of Maldives, expanded telecommunications and air links and increased scholarships for Maldivian students.

Military relations

  • On April 2006 Indian Navy gifted a Trinkat Class Fast Attack Craft of 46 m length to Maldives National Defence Force’s Coast Guard.
  • India started the process to bring the island country into India’s security grid.
  • India will permanently base two helicopters in the country to enhance its surveillance capabilities and ability to respond swiftly to threats.
  • Maldives has coastal radars on only two of its 26 atolls. India will help set up radars on all 26 for seamless coverage of approaching vessels and aircraft.
  • Ekuverin, an annual joint military exercise is held every year since 2009 between India and Maldives.
Kerala inks MoU with Airbus group to boost start-ups
  • Kerala’s state government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Airbus BizLab, a global aerospace accelerator which is part of the Airbus group.
  • The MoU was inked between Siddharth Balachandran, Airbus Bizlab India and Saji Gopinath, CEO, Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
  • Under the MoU, an Innovation Centre will be set up here which will be the nodal body for planning and executing all the activities to help start-ups.
  • Airbus BizLab will also provide support and mentoring for start-ups in Kerala and conduct regular workshops and discussions with experts from the aerospace and defence sectors.
  • Further, the France-headquartered company, which has set up facilities in Bengaluru, Toulouse (France), Hamburg (Germany) and Madrid (Spain) to create a global network of business accelerators, is to run training programmes to acquaint participants with aerospace technologies.

 

November 2018 – Monthly PDF | Monthly Quiz eBook

Go To Assam Current Affairs                                                                                                Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz

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