Current Affairs Assam – October 2018
( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the month of October 2018 )
October 2018 – Monthly PDF | Monthly Quiz eBook
Go To Assam Current Affairs Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz
October 17
Manipur CM Biren Singh adjudged 3rd best Chief Minister in India
- Manipur Governor Dr Najma Heptulla felicitated Chief Minister N Biren Singh on being conferred the 3rd Best Chief Minister, as per a nationwide survey conducted by India Today magazine.
- After taking charge as Chief Minister, Biren Singh initiated the schemes ‘Go to Hill’ and ‘Go to Village’ to bridge the gap between the valley and the hill people.
BIOGRAPHY – Nongthombam Biren Singh
- N Biren Singh is the current Chief Minister of Manipur, is a former footballer and journalist.
- Turning to politics in 2002, Singh joined the Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party and won the assembly elections from Heingang and reelected in 2007.
- He had served as the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports till he quit the party in 2016 before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party.
India among top 15 in artificial intelligence research
- India is among the most advanced countries in terms of development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), according to a survey by Finnish AI-based solutions specialists Zyfra.
- The survey ranks the US first, followed by China, while India ranks 13th, just after Canada.
- The ranking is based on a study that examined the number and quality of scientific publications on the subject.
- It takes into account studies about AI in more than 200 countries and in the 50 most cited scientific magazines.
- The study has also highlighted the long gestation period required in India in bringing the research from paper to implementation stage.
- In India it takes a lot of time from the achievement of new frontiers in the academic field to the beginning of the successful practical application of corresponding methods.
- Last month, Zyfra unveiled its manufacturing data collection (MDC) plus system in India.
Delhi signs MoU with British Council for English skilling
- The Delhi government signed a MoU with the British Council to strengthen spoken-English skills among students of government schools as well as teach teachers to impart quality education.
- The programme will also involve classes on “cultural diversity and skill development”.
- Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with British Council (India) Director Alan Gemmell.
- The British Council is also working on a project ‘Changing Minds Changing Moves’ which incorporates elements of dance and cricket in physical education lessons to support gender equality in the classroom.
- The project is running on a pilot basis in three Delhi government schools and may soon be extended to other schools as well.
NGT imposes Rs 50 crore fine on Delhi government for inaction
- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on 16th October imposed a fine of Rs 50 crore on the Delhi government for not taking action against illegal, polluting steel-pickling units in the national capital’s residential areas.
- The tribunal also directed the state to shut these units with immediate effect, as they fell under the prohibited list of industrial activities.
- The tribunal also directed the Chief Secretary, Delhi, to constitute a three-member team to identify persons responsible who may be liable to be prosecuted and punished for violation of law.
- The NGT had directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to take action against stainless steel pickling industries in residential areas as they fell under the prohibited list of industrial activities as per the Delhi Master Plan (DMP), 2021.
FACTFILE – The National Green Tribunal (NGT)
- NGT has been established on 18.10.2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
- It also enforces of any legal right relating to environment and giving relief and compensation for damages to persons and property and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
- It is a specialized body equipped with the necessary expertise to handle environmental disputes involving multi-disciplinary issues.
- The Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice.
Indian Investment cycle rising since 2016-17, shows RBI data
- Investment activity, which plays a major role in boosting the country’s current and medium-term growth prospects, has seen an upturn since 2016-17 and is likely to last till 2022-23, a working paper by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) shows.
- The upturn in the current investment cycle, which began in 2016-17, is estimated to last up to 2022-23 when the investment rate is estimated to increase up to 33 per cent from the current level of 31.4 per cent.
- For a domestic demand driven Indian economy, consumption and investment play key roles in growth dynamics, the paper titled ‘India’s Investment Cycle: An Empirical Investigation’
- Investment activity, in particular, is significant as it not only plays an important role in shaping the current growth rate of the economy, but also in boosting the country’s medium-term growth prospects.
October 18
First ever Indo-Japan joint military exercise “Dharma Guardian” in Mizoram
The first India-Japan joint military exercise named “Dharma Guardian” between will be held at the Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS) at Vairengte in Mizoram from November 1 to 14, 2018.
The exercise is aimed at developing mutual understanding and respect between militaries of both countries, and also facilitate tracking terrorism.
FACTFILE – Dharma Guardian
- Indian Army will be represented by 6/1 Gorkha Rifles, while Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force will field its 32 Infantry Regiment.
- Armies of both countries will jointly train, plan and execute series of well-developed tactical drills for neutralization of likely threats that may be encountered in an urban warfare scenario.
FACTFILE – The Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS)
- The Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS) in Vairengte of Mizoram is a training and research establishment of the Indian Army specialising in unconventional warfare, especially counter-insurgency and guerrilla warfare.
- It is one of the premier counter-insurgency training institutions in the world.
- Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, then the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-IN-C) of the Indian Army’s Eastern Command, was the first proponent for the institute, as a response to the Mizo militancy in the 1960s.
- CIJWS was established in 1967 as the Jungle Training School in Mynkre in Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya.
- In 1968, the designation was changed to Eastern Command Counter Insurgency Training School and in 1970, it was upgraded to a Category A Training Establishment of the Indian Army and relocated to Vairengte.
- Operation Jackpot undertaken by the Mukti Bahini rebels was an instance of the school’s training success.
- Since the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, CIJWS has focused to its primary role of counter-insurgency training.
- The success of this school prompted the establishment of another counter-insurgency training centre, the Kaziranga Special Jungle Warfare Training School in Assam.
October 17 is observed as International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
- The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP) is observed every year on October 17 to raise people’s awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution worldwide.
- This year’s observance marks the 25th anniversary of institution of this day, through declaration by UN General Assembly (UNGA) in its resolution 47/196 in December 1992.
- This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
FACTFILE – The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP)
- It was instituted by UNGA by a resolution on 22 December 1992 to promote awareness among people to eradicate poverty and destitution across the world.
- It was for the first time observed in 1993.
NITI Aayog signed PPP agreement to treat non-communicable diseases
- The NITI Aayog launched the model guidelines and agreement for public-private partnership (PPP) for prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases in the tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
- The Guidelines and Model Concessionaire Agreement or MCA have been designed to supplement prevention and treatment of diseases related to cardiac sciences, oncology, and pulmonary sciences at district hospitals in these cities.
- The guidelines come in the backdrop of the fact that the contribution of non-communicable diseases (NCD) to the overall disease burden in the country has increased over the years.
- The documents have been developed by NITI Aayog in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, state governments and representatives from the health care industry.
- The scope of services will include chemotherapy, growth inhibitors and hormone therapy for cancers; emergency treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchial asthma and bronchoscopy and other acute syndromes in pulmonology; and angiography/angioplasty in the field of cardiology.
- According to the agreement, the private partners are to invest in “upgrading/building and equipping the facility” and will be “responsible for operational management and service delivery”, while the government is to provide physical space and other infrastructure and support facilities and hospital amenities.
FACTFILE – NITI Aayog
- The NITI Aayog or National Institution for Transforming India, is a policy think tank of the Government of India, established with the aim to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and to enhance cooperative federalism by fostering the involvement of State Governments of India in the economic policy-making process using a bottom-up approach.
- Its initiatives include “15 year road map”, “7-year vision, strategy and action plan”, AMRUT, Digital India, Atal Innovation Mission etc.
- It was established in 2015, by replacing the erstwhile Planning Commission.
- The Prime Minister is the Ex-officio chairman. The permanent members of the governing council are all the state Chief Ministers, along with the Chief Ministers of Delhi and Puducherry, the Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar, and a vice chairman nominated by the Prime Minister.
October 2018 – Monthly PDF | Monthly Quiz eBook
Go To Assam Current Affairs Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz
