Category: Assam Current Affairs

Assam Current Affairs – September 22 – 28, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – September 22 - 28, 2019

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

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September 22, 2019

  World Rhino Day observed at Kaziranga
  • Kaziranga National Park in association with various environmental NGOs and people of Kaziranga observed World Rhino Day on September 22.
  • The day-long programme inaugurated by Director of Kaziranga National Park P Siva Kumar and SDO (Civil) of Kaliabor, Bitupan Neog started at 7 am at Koliabor from which two processions with tableaus of rhinos moved for two different destinations, one towards Bokakhat and another towards Biswanath Division of Kaziranga National Park, Biswanath.
  • Agriculture Minister Atul Bora said that the cooperation extended by local people of Kaziranga was a great contribution towards conservation of rhinos in Kaziranga National Park, adding that local people should help in the protection of rhinos and other wildlife in Kaziranga National Park as it has helped in increase the population of rhinos in Kaziranga.

FACTFILE – World Rhino Day

  • The World Wildlife Fund-South Africa in 2010, announced to celebrate World Rhino Day on 22 September every year since then. The annual event took off on a global scale both on online and offline platforms when Lisa Jane Campbell of Chishakwe Ranch in Zimbabwe and founder of Annamitici joined hands with creative director Rhishja Cota in 2011 to create a massive awareness to protect all 5 species of rhinos from extinction.
  • The activities on occasion of Rhino Day vary from one participant to another with activities such as peaceful demonstrations, classroom projects, fundraising dinners, auctions and poster displays are observed globally.
  • World’s Five Rhinoceros Species living in Africa and Asia–
    • Javan Rhinos (Rhinoceros sondaicus): Critically Endangered (IUCN)
    • Sumatran rhinos (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis): Critically Endangered (IUCN)
    • Black rhinos (Diceros bicornis): Critically Endangered (IUCN)
    • White rhinos (Ceratotherium simum): Near Threatened (IUCN)
    • Greater One-Horned Rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis): Vulnerable (IUCN)
 Bihar inaugurates its first all-women employee Post Office
  • Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad inaugurated the all-women employee post office on the campus of Bihar Public Services Commission (BPSC). He said these post offices will be a step forward towards strengthening women empowerment.
  • He informed that postal accounts will be linked with Aadhaar for greater transparency. On an average, one thousand Aadhaar cards will be made at this center and other facilities will be also available. Minister Prasad said 114 such Kendra will soon be operational in 53 cities in the country.
 Delhi CM launches ‘champions campaign’ against dengue
  • Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched “champions campaign” in the fight against dengue and urged people to encourage their friends to inspect their homes on Sunday to clean stagnant water.
  • the campaign envisages that citizens should promptly reach out to 10 of their friends or peers and ask them to check their premises for signs of dengue.
  • Lakhs of Delhiites are joining the #10Hafte10Baje10Minute campaign against Dengue.
  • Such a community-driven campaign will ensure the citizens are encouraged to take initiative and responsibility for their fellow citizens.
 DSCI, MeitY and Google India join hands for ‘Digital Payment Abhiyan’
  • Nasscom’s Data Security Council of India (DSCI) collaborated with the electronics and IT ministry (MeitY) and Google India to launch a nationwide awareness campaign ‘Digital Payment Abhiyan’.
  • Communications and Electronics & IT Minister launched the campaign that will educate end-users on the benefits of making digital payments and urge them to adopt security and safety best practices.
  • The campaign was launched at the Google for India event.
  • To drive the campaign objectives and amplify outreach to users across all states, DSCI has onboarded various digital payments, ecosystem partners.
  • These partners include representation from banking, card networks as well as a fin-tech segment.

September 23, 2019

  Assam Tourism eyes 75 lakh domestic tourists
  • Assam, one of the ‘seven sisters’ of North East, is eying over 75 lakh domestic and 50,000 foreign tourists to visit the State following digital promotions and documentaries.
  • Assam received around 41,000 overseas and 60,27,002 domestic visitors in 2018-19.
  • Assam is doing promotional activities through digital medium and a series of documentaries in the National Geographic, thus expect this number to grow to over 50,000 foreign and over 75 lakh Indian travellers in this financial year, said Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) chairman Jayanta Malla Baruah
  • The top source market of the State is the UK followed by Germany, Israel, China and South Asian countries.
  • World Bank has given in-principal allocation of Rs 720 crore for infrastructure development of various destinations.
  • Prime Minister has declared 17 destinations as iconic and Kaziranga National Park is in the list, separate funds will be allocated by the Central government.
  • This year Assam expects to attract over 15 lakh tourists to its annual river festival – Dwijing festival, which is an annual river festival celebrated in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts, he added.
  • Assam has a lot to offer apart from its very own Kaziranga National Park, Bihu and the mighty Brahmaputra. Assam has offerings from religious, spiritual and historical monuments, to tea estate experiences topped with adventure and authentic cuisine.
 Telangana, Andhra CMs agree to Link Rivers
  • Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy decided to interlink Godavari and Krishna rivers with less land acquisition.
  • Both the chief ministers had a lengthy discussion on diverting Godavari waters to Krishna River and other important issues pertaining to both the states at a meeting at PragathiBhavan.
  • Both the CMs discussed about from where Godavari waters can be linked to the Krishna and at what alignment. They agreed that the linkage and utilisation of water should be useful for the both the states.

FACTFILE – Godavari River

  • The Godavari is India’s second longest river after the Ganga. Its source is in Triambakeshwar, Maharashtra.
  • It flows east for 1,465 kilometres, draining the states of Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, ultimately emptying into the Bay of Bengal through its extensive network of tributaries.
  • Measuring up to 312,812 km2, it forms one of the largest river basins in the Indian subcontinent, with only the Ganga and Indus rivers having a larger drainage basin.
  • In terms of length, catchment area and discharge, the Godavari is the largest in peninsular India, and had been dubbed as the Vridha Ganga.

FACTFILE – Krishna River

  • The Krishna River is the third largest river in terms of water inflows and river basin area in India, after the Ganga, Godavari and Brahmaputra.
  • The 1,400 kilometres long river is one of the major sources of irrigation for Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
 PM Modi, Mongolian Prez unveil Buddha statue in Ulaanbaatar
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga jointly unveiled a statue of the Buddha and his two disciples installed at the historic GandanTegchenling Monastery in Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar through video conferencing. The statue symbolises the shared respect of our two countries for the universal message of Lord Buddha.
  • The statue depicts Buddha in a sitting posture along with his two disciples conveying the message of compassion along with peace and coexistence.
  • Prime Minister during his visit to Mongolia in 2015 and had announced to gift a statue of Buddha to the monastery, underlining the common Buddhist heritage and civilisational links between the two countries and peoples.
  • The statue was installed and consecrated at the Gandan Monastery earlier this month during the third edition of “SAMVAAD” dialogue held in Ulaanbaatar from September 6-7.

FACTFILE – Gandan Tegchenling Monastery

  • Gandan Tegchenling Monastery is a prominent centre of Mongolian Buddhists and a treasure house of valuable Buddhist heritage. It hosted the 11th General Assembly of Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace (ABCP) from 21-23 June 2019 marking the 50th anniversary of the Conference.
  • Over 150 guests from 14 countries including India, South Korea, Russia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, North Korea, LPDR, Thailand, Japan etc. had participated in the event.
 Coast Guard undertakes beach clean-up along coastline
  • The Indian Coast Guard conducted a massive beach clean-up drive along the coastline of the country on the occasion of International Coastal Cleanup Day.
  • The International Coastal Cleanup Day is observed on the third Saturday of every September as per the mandate of the United Nations Environment Programme.
  • In the region of South Asia the drive is coordinated by the South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP).
  • India has a coastline of over 7,500 kilometers along nine states and two union territories of the country.
  • Beach cleaning activities were conducted in four states – Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala, that fall under its ambit. The western region also conducted the cleanup drive in two union territories of Daman and Lakshadweep.
  • Around 8,000 volunteers participated in the drive, they cleared approximately 30,000 kgs of trash and non-bio degradable waste apart from a huge quantity of non-degradable marine litter.

           

September 24, 2019

  National Health Mission Assam receives – IT Excellence Award
  • The National Health Mission, Assam recently received the ‘IT Excellence Award’ conferred by the Indian Express Group for the project ‘A Journey from Quantity to Quality’.
  • The quality journey is a multi-pronged strategy approach to create value in public healthcare in Assam as per national standards.
  • Based on the guidelines of Indian Public Health Standard (IPHS), comprehensive gap analysis format was prepared to carry out a gap analysis of each facility.
  • The journey on the quality started with a mobile-based application developed and implemented with support from UNICEF to carry out the gap analysis and get instant and reliable output.
  • Shifting the healthcare system from the quantity of services provided to the quality of services provided yield significant result within one year.
  • Altogether 236 government healthcare bodies have achieved quality benchmarks in 2019-20 after implementation of this strategy.
 NASSCOM signs MoU with Pearson to skill IT workforce
  • NASSCOM FutureSkills has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pearson India, a leading digital learning company, in a bid to provide skill training to current and future working professionals and help improve the quality and quantity of the employable workforce in the IT-BPM industry.
  • With the spread of digitalisation, skilling would become indispensable for professionals across the IT spectrum. The MoU seeks to provide these skill sets to the workforce.
  • The ongoing digitisation of new-age technologies is creating a massive skill gap in the IT, ITES and BPM sectors.
  • Given the current growth trajectory, the demand for digitally skilled professionals will rise to 2.3-2.7 million in fiscal 2023.
  • According to an estimate, out of the 4.5 million professionals employed in the industry today, around 1.5 to 2 million professionals will require reskilling in the coming four to five years.
 CM Kejriwal launches new street light scheme in Delhi
  • In a move to enhance women’s safety in the capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a new scheme for installing street lights at unlit dark spots across the city.
  • To be called ‘Mukhyamantri Street Light Yojana’, the scheme will ensure that 2.1 lakh street lights are installed across the city to light up dark spots from November 1 with a budget of Rs 100 crore.
  • The street lights will be installed at locations on the lines of CCTV installation, unlike the street lights installed by the local bodies.
  • Under the scheme, the people can contact the area MLA to designate the spots where they wish to have street lights installed.
  • These lights will be equipped with sensor technology so that they can sense the ambient light. Any resident of Delhi can give the permission to install street lights by signing a letter. They have to give electricity connections from their houses and a fixed amount will be reduced from their bills.
 China launches two new BeiDou satellites
  • China launched two new satellites of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) into space. The satellites that were launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre, Sichuan province, on a Long March-3B carrier rocket.
  • The new satellites and the carrier rocket were developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
  • The new satellites will work with the BDS satellites already in orbit to improve the positioning accuracy of the system. They are also equipped with new processors to improve navigation signals.

FACTFILE – The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS)

  • The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System is a Chinese satellite navigation system. It consists of two separate satellite constellations.
  • The first BeiDou system, officially called the BeiDou Satellite Navigation Experimental System and also known as BeiDou-1, consists of three satellites which since 2000 has offered limited coverage and navigation services, mainly for users in China and neighboring regions. Beidou-1 was decommissioned at the end of 2012.
  • The second generation of the system, officially called the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) and also known as COMPASS or BeiDou-2, became operational in China in December 2011 with 10 satellites in orbit.
  • In 2015, China started the build-up of the third generation BeiDou system (BeiDou-3) for global coverage constellation. As of October 2018, fifteen BDS-3 satellites have been launched. BeiDou-3 will eventually consist of 35 satellites and is expected to provide global services upon completion in 2020.
  • When fully completed, BeiDou will provide an alternative global navigation satellite system to the United States owned Global Positioning System (GPS), the Russian GLONASS or European Galileo systems and is expected to be more accurate than these.
  • On 27 December 2018, BeiDou Navigation Satellite System started to provide global services.

September 25, 2019

  Assam launches housing, education loan subsidy scheme ‘Aponar Apon Ghar’
  • Assam Govt launched a housing loan subsidy scheme to provide financial relief on purchase or construction of the first house for a family.
  • Assam Finance minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the scheme titled ‘Aponar Apon Ghar’ and said that subsidy up to Rs 2.5 lakh will be provided for loan amounts from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 40 lakh.
  • Up to loan amount from Rs 5 to Rs 10 lakh one lakh interest subsidy will be provided.
  • While between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh the subsidy will be Rs 1.50 lakh, from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh Rs 2 lakh subsidy will be given and from Rs 30 to Rs 40 Lakh Rs 2.50 lakh will be provided.
 PM Modi receives Global Goalkeeper Award
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the Global Goalkeeper Award by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the Swachh Bharat mission.
  • The PM said the honour bestowed on him was for the millions of Indians who participated in the mission. He said though the Swachh Bharat mission was begun by his government, the people took charge of it.
  • When he took over in 2014, less than 40 per cent homes had toilets in the country, and now it is close to 100 percent. He said the Clean India Mission has also helped save thousands of lives, and cited a WHO report that said building toilets in homes helped save 300,000 lives.
  • He cited a UNICEF study that said that every family with a toilet will be able to save Rs 50,000 a year, while a Bill and Melinda Gates report said that increase in sanitation has improved the BMI of women.
 PM Modi announces Coalition for Disaster Management at UN Climate Action Summit
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a global Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York.
  • The Prime Minister made the announcement of the coalition at the Climate Action Summit, which was witnessed by global leaders, government functionaries, international delegates and diplomats from across the world.
  • The partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks, financing mechanisms, private sector and knowledge institutions will promote the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to tackle climate and disaster risks, thereby ensuring sustainable development.
  • Developed through consultations with more than 35 countries, the CDRI envisions to enable measurable reduction in infrastructure losses from disasters, including extreme climate events.
  • Established as a platform for generating and exchanging knowledge, the CDRI will conduct country-specific and global activities.
  • CDRI will provide member countries technical support and capacity development, research and knowledge management, and advocacy and partnerships to facilitate and encourage investment in disaster resilient infrastructure systems.
  • CDRI will focus on developing resilience in ecological infrastructure, social infrastructure with a concerted emphasis on health and education, and economic infrastructure with special attention to transportation, telecommunication, energy and water.
 India’s growing Diplomatic significance at UN
  • The CDRI is the second major coalition launched by India outside of the UN, the first being the International Solar Alliance.
  • Both of them are seen as India’s attempts to obtain a global leadership role in climate change matters, and were termed as part of India’s stronger branding.
  • India and Japan, with their joint experience in disaster management, can use the CDRI to provide a safer alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

FACTFILE – Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)

  • Formed on September 23, 2019
  • Headquarters – New Delhi, India
  • CDRI is an international coalition of countries, United Nations (UN) agencies, multilateral development banks, the private sector, and academic institutions, that aims to promote disaster-resiliant infrastructure.
  • CDRI will provide member countries technical support and capacity development, research and knowledge management, and advocacy and partnerships to facilitate and encourage investment in disaster resilient infrastructure systems.
  • CDRI will focus on developing resilience in ecological infrastructure, social infrastructure with a concerted emphasis on health and education, and economic infrastructure with special attention to transportation, telecommunication, energy and water.
 Delhi to implement Street Vendors Act
  • Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that the city government will legalise the street vendors and hawkers and will provide them protection in the national capital.
  • Delhi will become the first state to implement the The Street Vendors Act, 2014. Under it, 28 town vending committees have been set up and a notification has been issued.
  • The committees, each having 30 members, have 12 vendors or hawkers as their team, while rest of the members are officials, town planners, police and traffic police, and RWAs and market association, and officials from the health department.
  • The MCDs and the civic bodies have been asked to conduct a survey of vendors through their respective town vending committees.
  • After the survey is completed, street vendors will be given certificates and thereafter, licences will be issued.
  • The licences will have the name of the owner, address and the place of vending, and this will ensure that they are not harassed by anyone.
  • The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 was passed in February, 2014 to regulate street vendors in public areas and protect their rights. It was introduced in the Lok Sabha in 2012 by then Union Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Kumari Selja.

September 26, 2019

  India, US, Japan begin trilateral maritime exercise ‘Malabar 2019’
  • India, the US and Japan began the ‘Malabar 2019’ trilateral maritime exercise in the Pacific Ocean. The exercise, in which the Indian Navy has deployed two ships.
  • Two frontline indigenously developed ships – INS Sahyadri, INS Kiltan – have been deployed for the exercise. Sahyadri is a multi-purpose guided missile frigate while the Kiltan is an anti-submarine warfare corvette. A P8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft was also sent to Japan for the exercise.
  • The US Navy is being represented by USS McCampbell, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine and a P8A long range maritime patrol aircraft.
  • The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force has participated with the Izumo class helicopter destroyer JS Kaga, guided missile destroyers JS Samidare and Choukai and a P1 long-range maritime patrol aircraft.
  • The objective of Malabar 2019, which is being conducted for the 33rd time, is to further strengthen naval ties between the three countries.
  • The exercise also aims to enhance cooperation and inter-operability, based on shared values and principles, between the three Navies.
  • Complex maritime operations in the surface, sub-surface and air domains including anti-submarine warfare, anti-air and anti-surface firings, maritime interdiction operations will be conducted during the sea-phase of the exercise.

FACTFILE – Malabar Exercise

  • Exercise Malabar is a trilateral naval exercise involving the United States, Japan and India as permanent partners.
  • Originally begun in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between India and the United States, Japan became a permanent partner in 2015.
  • Past non-permanent participants are Australia and Singapore.
  • The annual Malabar series began in 1992 and includes diverse activities, ranging from fighter combat operations from aircraft carriers through Maritime Interdiction Operations Exercises
 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissions Coast Guard ship Varaha
  • Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Varaha in Chennai. The Varaha is an offshore patrol vehicle developed by the private agency, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), in accordance with a contract signed with the Defence Ministry.
  • It is the fourth among a series of seven ships to be delivered by L&T with features like ultra-advanced navigation and communication sensors.
  • Varaha will operate from the port of New Mangalore on the West Coast covering the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) up to Kanyakumari.
  • The state-of-the-art ship can operate the indigenously developed Advanced Light Helicopter of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
  • It is expected to add to the Coast Guard”s strength in responding to the threats of maritime terrorism, smuggling and challenges of maritime law enforcement.
  • The ship is also well-equipped with high speed boats, medical facilities and modern surveillance systems.
  • It can help provide search and rescue cover to mariners in distress at sea.
 Gandhi solar park, peace garden inaugurated at UN
  • Leaders from around the world joined hands in the spirit of Gandhian universality to inaugurate a solar facility and roof garden at the UN headquarters and a garden with trees from across the US dedicated to the Mahatma on his 150th birth year.
  • Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Prime Ministers Narendra Modi, Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, Andre Holness of Jamaica, Jacinda Arden of New Zealand and Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore placed their hands on a glass globe to inaugurate them.
  • The Gandhi Solar Park costing $1 million and having an output of 50 kilowatts of electricity is located on the roof of the Conference Building at the headquarters and is a gift from India to the UN to provide it clean energy.
  • India also donated the Gandhi Peace Garden made up of 150 trees located at a university campus in Old Westbury as another environmental gift.
  • Marking the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi, the two gifts symboliseIndia”s commitment to the environment by producing clean power and capturing carbon emissions in the trees.
  • Accepting the gifts, Guterres thanked India for supporting the elimination of single-use plastic at the UN by providing reusable bags and kits, and for installing solar panels and a green roof on top of the Conference Building.
 Bangladesh PM Hasina honoured with ‘Vaccine Hero Award’
  • Bangaldesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was conferred with the Vaccine Hero Award at the UN headquarters. Hasina was applauded for the success in immunisation in Bangladesh, especially for her role in eliminating polio and curtailing diphtheria, hepatitis-B and rubella.
  • Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI) Board Chairperson NgoziOkonjo-Iweala delivered a felicitation speech on the occasion.
  • GAVI, a Switzerland-based organisation, works to save the lives of millions of children globally by providing vaccines to them.
  • Dedicated vaccine centres and over 18,000 community clinics and Union Health Centres are providing vaccination services across Bangladesh.
  • The UNICEF will organise an event on honouring Hasina where she will also receive the Champion of skill development for youth” award.

 

September 27, 2019

  Centre to invest Rs 3,500 crore in NE aviation sector
  • The Civil Aviation Ministry will invest Rs 3,500 crore in the aviation sector of the North East region in the next couple of years, said Sanjiv Jindal, Regional Executive Director of the AAI, North East region.
  • An amount of Rs 1,250 crore would be spent on the facelift of the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati, the region’s most busy airport.
  • The new terminal of the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport airport will entail an expenditure of Rs 448 crore and an amount of Rs 650 crore will be spent on infrastructure development of the Imphal airport.
  • The works of the Imphal airport will be completed by the end of this year, while the new terminal of the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport here will be ready for use by March next year.
  • Aviation sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in the country, Jindal said that three water aerodromes would come up in Assam.
  • Boosting air connectivity to some parts of the North East region was on the AAI’s radar. The potential sites include Silchar, Tezpur, Dimapur, Shillong and Tura. Besides, the Union Aviation Ministry has identified 20 locations in Arunachal Pradesh where helicopter services would be launched soon.
  • The External Affairs Ministry has already approached Dhaka for 52 acres of land to extend the existing runway at the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport. “There is a possibility of the airport being used by the two countries, which is operational in Europe. The Asian Development Bank has already carried out a survey and suggested the new concept,” he said.
  • Out of the total 13 operational airports in the North East, only the airport in Guwahati is on the path of making profits.
 NTPC, SECI to set up dispute resolution in clean energy sector
  • The Central government has proposed to set up a dispute resolution mechanism in the renewable energy sector to cater to the growing cases of disputes between stakeholders in the solar and wind sectors.
  • The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued guidelines for establishing a dispute resolution mechanism (DRM) for projects being implemented by government agencies Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and NTPC.
  • As per the guidelines, SECI and NTPC will provide a secretariat for the dispute resolution committee (DRC), with its head being designated as the secretary who will be from either of the two state run entities.
  • All disputes emanating from contracts or from decisions taken by SECI or NTPC will have to be addressed to the DRC secretary.
  • All the applications under the DRM, whether for appeal against the decisions given by SECI or NTPC based on the terms of contract or the requests not covered under the terms of contract, will be addressed to the DRC secretary.

FACTFILE – Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd. (SECI)

  • SECI is a company of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, established to facilitate the implementation of the National Solar Mission (NSM).
  • It is the only Central Public Sector Undertaking dedicated to the solar energy sector. The company’s mandate has been broadened to cover the entire renewable energy domain and the company will be renamed to Renewable Energy Corporation of India (RECI).
  • It is responsible for implementation of government schemes, major ones being the VGF schemes for large-scale grid-connected projects under NSM, solar park scheme and grid-connected solar rooftop scheme, and other specialised schemes such as defence scheme, canal-top scheme, and Indo-Pak border scheme.
  • SECI has also ventured into solar project development on turnkey basis for several PSUs. The company also has a power-trading licence and is active in this domain through trading of solar power from projects set up by it.
 DRDO inks pact to set up research centre in J&K
  • The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) entered an MoU with the Central University of Jammu to establish a new centre for science and technology in Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The MoU was signed here in the presence of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the new centre will be set up at the Central University of Jammu.
  • The centre will be named Kalam Centre for Science and Technology after former President late A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
  • The primary objective behind signing the MoU is to undertake and facilitate basic and applied research and technology development in the identified research verticals, namely Computational System Security and Sensors.
  • The centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment which will help increase the number of research scholars in the region.

September 28, 2019

  The Tea Board of India likely to fix a minimum price for green tea leaves in Assam
  • Assam industry and commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said that the Tea Board of India is likely to fix a minimum price for green tea leaves in Assam soon. He said that to avail the minimum price the growers, however, also have to ensure the good quality of the tea leaves.
  • All the stakeholders of the tea industry met during a meeting in Guwahati to discuss ways and means to improve the quality of the Assam tea and increase the export of tea.
  • “While we have requested the Tea Board of India to fix a minimum support price for green tea leaves, the growers have also agreed to resort to good plucking involving the traditional two leafs and a bud to ensure quality of the Assam tea,” the minister said.
  • Assam government asks Tea board to come up with minimum price for green tea leaves. The board is also asked to give direction to the growers to improve the quality of the tea.
  • Assam was a global leader in tea production in 1961 when the export was 37percent. However, the export came down to only 12 percent in recent years, affecting the industry as a whole.
 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissions INS Khanderi
  • Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned India’s second Scorpene-class attack submarine INS Khanderi into the Indian Navy in a ceremony held at the Mazagon Docks in Mumbai.
  • The commissioning was marked by the hoisting of the Indian National Flag on the flagpost of the submarine.
  • Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh and a host of other dignitaries including senior naval officials were also present on the occasion.
  • The Defence Minister also commissioned the first of India’s P-17 Shivalik-class frigate Nilgiri and the aircraft carrier drydock into the Indian Navy during the ceremony.
  • The INS Khanderi is the second attack submarine that has been commissioned into the Indian Navy under the P-75 project. In 2017, another submarine INS Kalvari had already been inducted into the Navy.
  • Nilgiri, the Alpha Shivalik-class frigate, a stealth warship, has been built under a programme called P-17. The Nilgiri is a follow-up to the first ever frigate which was built by the Mazgaon Dock Limited way back in the 1970s and has now been decommissioned.
  • The aircraft carrier drydock which was commissioned is the largest drydock of the Indian Navy.

FACTFILE – INS Khanderi (2017)

  • INS Khanderi is the second of the Indian Navy’s six Kalvari-class submarines being built in India.
  • It is a diesel-electric attack submarine which was designed by French naval defence and energy company DCNS and manufactured at Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai.
  • The submarine began its sea trials on 1 June 2017.
 Rajasthan-based Payal Jangid receives Changemaker Award
  • Rajasthan-based activist PayalJangid, 17, has been honoured with prestigious ‘Changemaker Award’ by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at the Goalkeepers Global Goals Awards held in New York.
  • In recognition of her work towards the abolition of child marriage in her village, Hinsla and other neighbouring areas.
  • Jangid, who is one of many torchbearers of Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi”s legacy and who lives in a Child-Friendly Village (Bal Mitra Gram) situated in the desert state of Rajasthan.
  • Jangid, as the President of her village’s Children’s Parliament (Bal Panchayat), has undertaken a slew of field activities in the past to empower women and children of her own village and villages nearby.
  • Jangid’s parents decided to marry her off when she was only 11 years old. She raised her voice against child marriage, as a result, her parents relented and the marriage was prevented.
  • As a child rights advocate, she has been encouraging children to unite and raise their voices against injustices done to them.
  • She has made a significant contribution to her village administration leading to the betterment of the lives of the children of her village.
  • Earlier in 2013, on the basis of Jangid’s extensive work towards protection of the rights of children, she was chosen as a member of the jury for the World’s Children’s Prize.
  • In 2017, she also received the ”Young Achiever Award” by the global sports and fitness brand Reebok.
 TN to buy 2,623 buses with financial assistance from KFW
  • As a part of its plan to modernise the bus fleet of its transport corporations, Tamil Nadu government has decided to buy 2,123 BS-VI emission compliant buses and 500 electric buses with the debt assistance provided by German development bank KFW.
  • The government said a Project Agreement was signed with KFW for financial assistance of Rs 1,580 crore.
  • The Tamil Nadu government had earlier announced that it would acquire 12,000 new buses and 2,000 electric buses with KFW’s debt of Rs 5,890 crore.
  • According to the state government, under the Project Agreement, setting up of charging stations for electric vehicles, acquisition of software and hardware for the upgradation of transport department, setting up of passenger information systems, cashless ticketing and others will be implemented.

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Assam Current Affairs – September 15 – 21, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – September 15 - 21, 2019

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of September 15 – 21, 2019 )

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September 15, 2019

  Union IT Minister launches maritime communication services in India
  • Union Minister for Communications, Electronics and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad launched maritime communication services.
  • He also launched a web portal for reporting stolen mobiles to help trace them.
  • Maritime connectivity will enable high-end support to those travelling on sailing vessels, cruise liners and ships in India by use of satellite technology and provide access to voice, data and video services.
  • Nelco India’s leading VSAT solutions provider, will now provide quality broadband services to the maritime sector.
  • Nelco, through global partnerships, infrastructure including transponder capacity on the satellite of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) and a comprehensive service portfolio, will help energy, cargo and cruise vessels by enabling customer services.
  • A project called Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) system has been undertaken by the Department of Telecom for addressing security, theft and other concerns including reprogramming of mobile handsets.
  • The major objectives of the project include blocking of lost/stolen mobile phones across mobile networks, prevention of mobile devices with duplicate and fake IMEIs and curtail the use of counterfeit mobile devices.
 BEL signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence
  • Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) has signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in New Delhi to deliver its surface-to-air Akash missile systems to seven more squadrons of the Indian Air Force at a cost of Rs 5,357 crore over the next three years.
  • The missiles are designed and developed by the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by the Hyderabad-based Bharat Dynamics Ltd for BEL’s radars and control centres across the country.
  • The company supplied the medium-range missile defence system to six Air Force squadrons in 2015-16 against an earlier order by the MoD.
  • An Akash system comprises a 3D passive electronically scanned array radar and four launchers with three missiles each, interlinked.

FACTFILE – Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)

  • BEL is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company with about nine factories, and several regional offices in India. It is owned by the Indian Government and primarily manufactures advanced electronic products for the Indian Armed Forces.
  • BEL is one of nine PSUs under the Ministry of Defence of India.
  • It has been granted Navratna status by the Government of India.
 India signs contract with Russia for enhancing Air Defence capability
  • The Defence Ministry signed contract with Russia for enhancing air defence capability of Delhi class warships of Indian Navy.
  • The contract for modernisation of “Air Defence Complex Kashmir and Radar Fregat MAE” on P-15 (Delhi Class) of ships was signed between the Ministry of Defence and JSC Rosoboronexport, Russian Federation.
  • The modernisation of Radar and Missile systems would enhance the air defence capability of the P-15 Ships.
  • As per the agreement reached between New Delhi and Moscow, modernisation, major overhaul and refurbishment of sub systems would be undertaken in India.
  • The manufacturing of critical hardware would also be undertaken in partnership with the Indian industry.
  • There are 3 Delhi class destroyers in Indian Navy – INS Delhi, INS Mysore, INS Mumbai.
  • The Delhi-class destroyers are guided-missile destroyers and three ships of this class are in active service.

September 16, 2019

 IAF receives Spice-2000 ‘building blaster’ buster bombs
  • The Indian Air Force (IAF) has started receiving the ‘building blaster’ version of the Balakot airstrike-fame Spice-2000 bombs at the Gwalior airbase.
  • The Israeli firm has started the delivery of the Spice-2000 bombs to India and the first batch of these bombs was received.
  • The weapons have been delivered to Gwalior as it is the home base of the Indian Air Force’s Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft fleet and they are the only fleet which can fire the Israeli bombs.
  • The Indian Air Force has signed an over Rs 250 crore contract with Israel for Mark 84 warhead and bombs, which can destroy buildings completely.
  • The IAF had signed a contract with Israel in June this year for acquiring more than 100 Spice-2000 bombs under the emergency procurement powers of the services.
  • The contract was signed as the Indian Air Force wanted to acquire the bombs after their successful usage in the Balakot airstrikes against a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist camp in Pakistan.
 India, Malaysia undertake joint naval exercise
  • India and Malaysia are conducting a joint naval military exercise to test inter-operability of their navies in South East Asia and Western Pacific regions.
  • Two warships, INS Sahyadri and INS Kiltan, have been despatched by the Indian Navy to Malaysia for the bilateral exercise.
  • The sea phase of the exercise, which is named ‘SamudraLaksamana’, is at present underway off the Malaysian port of Kota Kinabalu.
  • In the harbour phase of the exercise there were professional interactions between naval crew of the two countries.
  • INS Sahyadri and INS Kiltan are under command of Rear Admiral Suraj Berry, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, based at Visakhapatnam.
  • The warships are equipped with a versatile array of weapons and sensors and have the capability to carry multi-role helicopters.
 IFC signs MOU with FIDC for training NBFCs
  • The International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC), a representative body of asset and loan Financing NBFCs, to collaborate on training of NBFCs in the country.
  • As per the agreed terms, training programs for NBFCs would be conducted on “Commercial Credit Reporting” aimed at building capacity of NBFCs to enhanced reporting and enquiring on Commercial Credit Information Data from the Credit Bureaus.
  • These training programs would be conducted at various centers across the country under the guidance of leading consultants from the World Bank Group.

FACTFILE – International Finance Corporation (IFC)

  • The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is an international financial institution that offers investment, advisory, and asset-management services to encourage private-sector development in less developed countries.
  • The IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States.
  • It was established in 1956, as the private-sector arm of the World Bank Group, to advance economic development by investing in for-profit and commercial projects for poverty reduction and promoting development.

 

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September 17, 2019

 Rs 52,000 crore investments post ‘Advantage Assam’
  • Assam has been able to draw investments to the tune of Rs 52,000 crore so far as part of the various MoUs signed with investors during the ‘Advantage Assam’ Global Investors Summit held last year, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
  • Addressing a press conference, Sonowal said the Centre’s recent decision to cut corporate tax will turn out to be a game changer resulting in major boost in investments, creation of industries and employment opportunities in the country, including the northeastern region.
  • The Chief Minister said 240 MoUs, worth over Rs 80,000 crore, were signed during the Advantage Assam summit. He said Rs 42,000 crore worth investments in the oil and gas sector and another Rs 10,000 crore worth of investments in the ‘private sector’ have been grounded so far.
  • Sonowal said that 117 new manufacturing units have come up in the State as per agreements entered into during the summit.
  • Sonowal said Assam and the Northeast, being located in close proximity to the ASEAN countries, will also benefit from the Central government’s decision to slash corporate tax rates. He said the northeastern region has gained a lot on the economic front since the Narendra Modi-led NDA regime took office.
  • He said that direct flights between Guwahati and Dhaka, and Guwahati and Singapore have already started and in coming days more destinations in Southeast Asia will be covered.
 R&D centre for clean coal unveiled in IISc Bengalore
  • Union Minister of Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan opened the national centre for clean coal research and development at the Indian Institute of Science’s (IISc) campus.
  • The minister also dedicated to the nation the inter-disciplinary centre for energy research in the sprawling campus to conduct wide spectrum of research in the field by a knowledge network of eminent researchers.
  • Assuring academia of the government’s help in providing knowhow and finances for the research centres, the minister said results in research, development and demonstration of tools products and processes are critical for the country’s energy security.
  • The clean coal research centre will extend its activities in energy-related areas with an emphasis on process and material development in collaboration with the manufacturing industry.
  • To achieve international targets on climate change by minimising anthropogenic emissions and address the country’s energy demand, development of clean coal technologies to reduce carbon emissions from coal-based power plants has become a necessity.
 DRDO hands over new war-gaming software to Indian Navy
  • A war-gaming software, developed by a laboratory of the Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO), was handed over to the Indian Navy.
  • The software has versatile and user-friendly features enabling globally playable war-gaming scenarios between multiple forces.
  • It further enables exercises to be conducted between geographically dispersed locations over a wide area network.
  • The software has been developed by the Institute for Systems Studies and Analysis of the DRDO in collaboration with the Maritime Warfare Centre at Vishakhapatnam.
  • The objective of designing the software is to meet contemporary operational and tactical-level war-gaming requirements of the Indian Navy.
  • DRDO Chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy handed over the software to Navy Vice Chief, Vice Admiral G. Ashok Kumar.
  • The key focus of building the software is to create a war-gaming environment which enables Maritime Warfare Centres to train using the latest technological and computing tools.
  • The architecture is forward compatible and new functional and equipment modules can be developed and easily plugged into it.
 Kerala, Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) inks MoU with Maldives for cancer care
  • Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the state and the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) with Maldives for better cancer care treatment.
  • The RCC, located in the state capital, is the premier cancer care facility in Kerela and already numerous Maldivian nationals have arrived for cancer treatment.
  • Through this new MoU, there will be close coordination between the RCC and the Maldivian health department, which will see new cancer care treatment centres being set up there.
  • Under the agreement, health professionals from the Maldives will be provided training at the RCC, besides top health professionals from centre will also visit the atoll nation regularly.

 Himachal Pradesh government to buy back single-use plastic

  • The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet gave its approval to the draft policy to buy-back non-recyclable plastic wastes and single-use plastics at a minimum support price of Rs 75 per kg.
  • The plastic wastes will be purchased from the ragpickers, individuals collecting waste from households and urban local bodies.
  • The Cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, also approved the draft of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Policy 2019, aimed at holistic development of tourism with special focus on ecotourism, agro-organic, snow and adventure.
  • It approved a capital investment subsidy for tourism projects in underdeveloped areas and grant to tourism units for access to roads and water supply.

September 18, 2019

 India successfully test-fires Astra BVR Air-to-Air missile
  • Indian Air Force (IAF) Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter successfully test-fired the indigenous Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Astra missile with a range of over 70 kilometers off Odisha coast.
  • The Astra missile, which can fly towards its target at a speed of over 5,555 kilometres per housr (4.5 Mach) with a 15 kilogramme high-explosive pre-fragmented warhead.
  • The Missile was test-fired under the guidance of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from the Su-30MKI combat aircraft that took off from an airbase in West Bengal.
  • The mission profile was executed in a text book manner. Various Radars, Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS) and Sensors tracked the missile and confirmed its engagement with target.
  • The indigenously-developed Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) Astra missile has been developed by DRDO and integrated on Su-30MKI and other air platforms.

FACTFILE – Astra missile

  • Astra is an all weather beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
  • It is the first air-to-air missile developed by India.
  • It features mid-course inertial guidance with terminal active radar homing.
  • Astra is designed to be capable of engaging targets at varying range and altitudes allowing for engagement of both short-range targets at a distance of 20 km and long-range targets up to a distance of 80–110 km.
  • Astra has been integrated with Indian Air Force’s Sukhoi Su-30MKI and will be integrated with Dassault Mirage 2000, HAL Tejas and Mikoyan MiG-29 in the future.
 Wipro engineering arm entered into a strategic partnership with BEML
  • Wipro’s Infrastructure Engineering arm entered into a strategic partnership with the state-run Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML) to jointly bid for defence projects in areas, like aerospace, industrial automation, 3D printing, artificial intelligence and hydraulic system.
  • The first of its kind partnership between a state-run enterprise and a leading private firm will help them to contribute towards indigenisation and ”make in India” initiatives in the manufacturing sector.
  • The tie-up will enable the partners to work on projects, products, systems, services in defence, state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Labs, defence public sector undertaking and other state-run entities.
  • The focus area will be aerospace components and parts through the special economic zone (SEZ), metal additive manufacturing and design optimisation for critical aggregates, legacy components and spares and process automation.
 Microsoft to mentor Startups in Tier-2 cities in India
  • Microsoft launched a new initiative called “Highway to a Hundred Unicorns” to mentor and support startups in tier 2 cities in India.
  • Microsoft said it will engage with innovators and entrepreneurs through a series of outreach programs across tier 2 cities and work closely with state governments to strengthen the startup ecosystem.
  • Startups will receive guidance and mentorship through technology workshops on subjects like Azure, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.
  • The Microsoft “ScaleUp” programme supports Seed or Series A funded B2B and select B2C tech-enabled startups to co-sell with Microsoft sales teams, get access to top tech VCs globally and receive mentorship from the startup ecosystem.

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September 19, 2019

 Dadasaheb Phalke Award for Amitabh Bachchan
  • Distinguished actor Amitabh Bachchan will be honoured with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
  • The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India’s highest honour given in the field of cinematic art.

FACTFILE – The Dadasaheb Phalke Award

  • The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India’s highest award in cinema. It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
  • The recipient is honoured for their “outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema” and is selected by a committee consisting of eminent personalities from the Indian film industry.
  • The award comprises a Swarna Kamal medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of ₹1,000,000.
  • Presented first in 1969, the award was introduced by the Government of India to commemorate Dadasaheb Phalke’s contribution to Indian cinema.
  • Phalke (1870–1944), who is popularly known as and often regarded as “the father of Indian cinema”, was an Indian filmmaker who directed India’s first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra.
  • The first recipient of the award was actress Devika Rani, who was honoured at the 17th National Film Awards. As of 2018, there have been 50 awardees. Among those, actor Prithviraj Kapoor (1971) and actor Vinod Khanna (2017) are the only posthumous recipients.
 Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Ministry & IBM join hands for Train-the-Trainer programme
  • To train the trainers in AI, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and IBM have joined hands with the aim to train 10,000 faculty members from ITIs across India.
  • The Directorate General of Training (DGT) division of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has signed an agreement with Global IT major IBM where the latter will carry out a nationwide Train-the-Trainer programme in basic Artificial Intelligence skills.
  • The programme will involve 14 trainers across seven locations with over 200 workshops during a one-year period. ITI trainers will be trained in basic Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills to use the technology in their day-to-day training activities.
  • This programme aims at enabling the trainers with basic approach, workflow and application of Artificial Intelligence that they can apply in their training modules.
  • IBM will provide the necessary training at seven centres including six National Skills Training Institutes (NSTI) and one Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in Pune.
  • On completion of the programme, participants will go through a post assessment, to further gauge their skill set and the level they have achieved. Individuals that complete the course will be awarded certification of participation and will be badged by IBM.
 ISRO, DRDO ink MoUs to provide technologies for Human Space Mission
  • The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) joined hands with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for development of human-centric systems for the Human Space Mission to demonstrate its human space flight capabilities.
  • A delegation of ISRO scientists, led by Human Space Flight Centre’s Director, S Unnikrishnan Nair, signed a set of MoUs with various DRDO labs in this regard
  • The purpose behind the development is to provide technologies for human-centric systems and technologies specific to the Human Space Mission.
  • The technological capabilities existing in DRDO laboratories for defence applications will be customised to meet the requirements of the human space mission of ISRO.
  • Some of the critical technologies to be provided by DRDO to ISRO include space food, space crew health monitoring and emergency survival kit, radiation measurement and protection, parachutes for the safe recovery of the crew module and others.
 IIT Kharagpur researchers generate power from wet Textiles
  • Researchers from IIT Kharagpur have developed a unique approach of generating electricity from clothes drying in natural ambience, which is otherwise a part and parcel of daily life.
  • The researchers have utilised tiny channels, so-called nanochannels, in the cellulose-based fabric network traditionally woven, to generate electrical power through guided movement of saline water amidst continuous evaporation.
  • The process is very much analogous to water transport across the parts of a living plant.
  • The regular cellulose-based wearable textile, in this case, acts as a medium for the motion of salt ions through the interlace fibrous nano-scale network by capillary action, inducing an electric potential in the process.

September 20, 2019

 Assam Govt ties up with Instagram to promote tourism in the State
  • The Assam Tourism Development Corporation has tied up with Instagram to promote tourism in the State with unveiling of the hashtag #AwesomeAssam by Instagram.
  • An exhibition was held showing photographs of Assam already posted in Instagram along with a workshop for stakeholders for making best use of Instagram’s power of visual storytelling.
  • Assam is one of the most beautiful states of India and government is investing significantly to attract tourists to the State. Assam Tourism has in the past few years launched a massive publicity and promotion campaign under the name and tag of ‘Awesome Assam’.
  • Tara Bedi, Public Policy and Community Outreach Manager, Instagram, said, “Instagram is an integral part of tourism in today’s digital age. When people travel, they post their adventures on Instagram and those stories inspire others. Instagram’s power of visual storytelling enables businesses to drive awareness with highly engaged communities and to reach the right audience. We are glad to partner with ATDC and help promote Assam as an incredible Indian travel destination.”
 India gifts Gandhi Solar Park to power UN
  • The UN headquarters will be powered with green electricity when the Gandhi Solar Park gifted by India comes online on September 24 symbolising New Delhi’s commitment to fighting climate change.
  • The installation costing about $1 million will generate 50 kilowatts of electricity from the 193 solar panels, each representing a UN member nation.
  • India is also donating a Gandhi Peace Garden made up of 150 trees, which will be located at a university campus in Old Westbury as another environmental gift.
  • The two gifts that come in the year of the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth showcase two elements in the fight against climate change.
  • The UN will release a special stamp to commemorate Gandhi’s birth anniversary.
 IIT-Madras hosts Space Technology Cells meet
  • The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M) had hosted the first meeting of Space Technology Cells (STCs) established by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Space in these premier institutions.
  • The objective was to share information about the research underway in various institutions, the salient findings, and to understand the utilisation of output by ISRO.
  • The ISRO and the Central government’s Department of Space have established and operated the Space Technology Cells for over three decades in IIT’s to carry out focused research in space-related technologies.
  • IIT-M Director Bhaskar Ramamurthi highlighted the importance of collaborative research and suggested mechanisms for the faculty to spend 3-4 weeks in ISRO centres to interact with the scientists and understand ways to make joint proposals.
 India, Mongolia sign MoUs in areas including space, disaster management & culture
  • India and Mongolia have exchanged documents in areas including space, disaster management and culture.
  • Two MoUs were signed in the fields of disaster management and space cooperation in the presence of President Ram NathKovind and visiting Mongolian President BattulgaKhaltma in New Delhi.
  • Other documents which were exchanged include Cultural Exchange Protocol and a Comprehensive Work Plan between Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, India and Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry of Mongolia.
  • Reciprocating India’s gesture of exploring the e-visa scheme for Mongolian short-term travellers, Mongolia announced a visa-on-arrival scheme for short-term travellers from India.
  • On Mongolian request, India announced an additional 236 million dollars Line of Credit for the ongoing Petrochemical Refinery Project in Mongolia.

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September 21, 2019

 IIT Guwahati and Cotton university inks MoU for academic, administrative collaboration
  • The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cotton University for academic and administrative collaboration, in addition to the joint organisation of symposiums and workshops.
  • The MoU was signed between Prof TG Sitharam, Director of IIT Guwahati, and Prof BC Goswami, Vice Chancellor of Cotton University, recently. The announcement regarding the MoU was made today.
  • Besides academic and administrative collaboration and joint symposiums and workshops, the MoU will also facilitate the provision of joint guidance and academic counselling for undergraduate and postgraduate students of the University.
  • As per the MoU signed, IIT Guwahati will support Cotton University in achieving its objective of academic promotion by extending guidance to different departments and centres at Cotton University on various academic matters and identified courses of studies.
  • IIT Guwahati and Cotton University will jointly submit collaborative projects to different funding agencies for funding.
  • IIT Guwahati will also offer career counselling and opportunities for higher studies in India and abroad to students of Cotton University.
  • IIT Guwahati is the only academic institute in India that has occupied a place among the top 100 world universities of less than 50 years of age, in world ranking. It is one of the most dynamic institutions in India, with one of the most beautiful educational campuses in the country that provides an ideal setting for learning and research.
  • Cotton University is one of the oldest in the region “that was elevated to the status of a full-fledged university recently and their immediate focus is to enhance their research capabilities by interacting closely with faculty members of IIT Guwahati.”
 Union Home Ministry announces Sardar Patel Award for national integration
  • The Union Home Ministry announced the Sardar Patel National Unity Award, a new honour on the pattern of Padma awards for individuals or institutions for notable contributions towards the cause of national unity and integrity.
  • The ministry said the decoration shall be conferred by the President by a ”Sanad” (certificate) “under his hand and seal”.
  • The decoration shall be in the form of a lotus leaf — six centimetres in length, six and two centimetres at its breadth and four millimetres in thickness. It will be made of fine silver and gold.
  • On its obverse shall be embossed replica of the lotus and with petals of lotus spreading out from sixteen petals.
  • A portrait of Sardar Patel shall be embossed upon a circular shaped gold medal with diameter of two centimetres and on the reverse shall be embossed the state emblem and motto.
  • The decoration shall be awarded for notable and inspiring contributions to promote the cause of nationality and integrity and to reinforce the value of a strong and united India.
  • The names of the persons, upon whom the decoration is conferred, shall be published in the Gazette of India and a register of all such recipients shall be maintained under the direction of the President.
 Sony India partners with NSDC to provide employment
  • Sony India joined hands with National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC) and Kedman Skilling Private Ltd to provide job opportunities to candidates from their future talent pool.
  • The tech major will provide product training to the candidates and impart behavioural skills which will include specialised customer handling.
  • Sony also aims to hire resources from NSDC as associates across 150+ tier I, II and III cities across the country.

FACTFILE – National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)

  • NSDC is a not-for-profit public limited company incorporated on July 31, 2008 under section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956. NSDC was set up by Ministry of Finance as Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
  • NSDC aims to promote skill development by catalyzing creation of large, quality and for-profit vocational institutions.
  • It provides funding to build scalable and profitable vocational training initiatives. Its mandate is also to enable support system which focuses on quality assurance, information systems and train the trainer academies either directly or through partnerships.
  • NSDC acts as a catalyst in skill development by providing funding to enterprises, companies and organizations that provide skill training. It also develops appropriate models to enhance, support and coordinate private sector initiatives.
 IAF received the first multi-role combat aircraft Rafale
  • The Indian Air Force (IAF) received the first multi-role combat aircraft Rafale from its manufacturer Dassault Aviation in France.
  • The jet will be formally handed over to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for induction into the IAF when he visits France on the occasion of Dussehra on October 8.
  • The Rafale jet was accepted by a team of IAF officials at the aircraft’s manufacturing facility in Bordeaux after completion of certain testing formalities.
  • The first jet was test-flown by IAF’s Deputy Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal V.R. Chaudhary who is also leading the team that is in France.

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Assam Current Affairs – September 08 – 14, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – September 08 - 14, 2019

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of September 08 – 14, 2019 )

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September 08, 2019

 Assam’s first IoT solution in mini piped water scheme launched at Amingaon
  • The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Assam and Piramal Water Pvt Ltd (PiramalSarvajal), launched a project on deployment of the first Internet of Things (IoT) solution in single village mini piped water supply scheme at Colony Pahar, Amingaon.
  • The Internet of Things, or IoT, is a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital machines, objects, animals or people that are provided with unique identifiers and the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.
  • The solution is a maiden pilot project not only in Assam but all over India.
  • This is derived using state-of-the art sensors for accurate measurement, micro-controller based control unit and remote monitoring dashboard.
  • The control unit converts signal from sensors to digital data and sends it to a centralised server.
  • A remotely managed dashboard helps Government and local administration in tracking the scheme’s geo-location with its functional status for monitoring various parameters graphically, such as volume of water extracted from the ground, volume of water distributed to the village, water quality and ground water level.
  • This integrated solution will help the PHED in taking necessary corrective or preventive action and thereby help in good governance.
 India’s first water-grid to come up in Maharashtra
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that The country’s first-ever ‘water-grid’ costing Rs 3,50,000 crore will come in the parched Marathwada region of Maharashtra in the next five years as part of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JMM)
  • The Marathwada region will benefit in a big way from this as it will increase water availability for the people. It will free women from the hassles of having to toil hard to fetch water.
  • To be implemented over the next five years the JJM involves saving water and delivering it to the people”s doorsteps to resolve their water problems.
  • The state government cleared a Rs 4,802 crore water-grid project for Beed district and is working on a Rs 15,000 crore water-grid project for the region, along with the ongoing Jal YuktShivarAbhiyan.
  • Modi also dedicated the nation the state-of-the-art Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC) Shendra Project, India’s first ‘Walk-to-Work’ Smart City, which targets an investment of Rs 600-Rs 700 billion from global investors.
 India Business Summit in Singapore
  • The High Commission of India in Singapore is organising a two-day business summit in Singapore.
  • The objective of the business summit “India-Singapore: The Next Phase”, being organised at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore is aimed at setting the agenda and momentum for the next five years.
  • The summit also aimed at expanding modernisation, access and inclusion.
  • It will be a platform to project the government”s strategic outlook and economic agenda; provide opportunities for investors, companies and startups in and operating out of Singapore to interact with policy makers as well as corporate and tech leaders from India.
  • Singapore is a key economic partner for India, the leading source of foreign investment, a major financial market for Indian companies, and a partner in areas of India”s development priorities like urban development, skills and infrastructure.
  • Singapore is also emerging as a major startup and innovation hub with growing links to India.
  • The summit will focus on core sectors, including financial, infrastructure, urban development, real estate, logistics, regional trade, water, agro-tech and food processing, and skills development.
 President Kovind inaugurates the First World Youth Conference on Kindness
  • President Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the first World Youth Conference on Kindness in New Delhi.
  • The President said that Mahatma Gandhi was not just a great leader and visionary, he was one who personified certain timeless ideals and values.
  • He said we could place Gandhiji in a time machine and transport him to any period of human existence and we would find him to be relevant and his is also true of the times we live in.
  • President said Gandhiji remains extremely relevant to our present day concerns such as need for peace and tolerance, terrorism and climate change.
  • The first World Youth Conference on Kindness is being organised by the UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development, Ministry of Human Resource Development with the aim to impart critical competencies (i.e. empathy, compassion, mindfulness and critical inquiry) in global youth to inspire, empower and enable them to transform themselves and build long-lasting peace in their communities.
  • Youth leaders, representing over 27 countries, are participating in this Conference.

September 09, 2019

 ISRO spots Chandrayaan 2 Lander on Lunar Surface
  • The Chandrayaan-2’s Vikram module has been located on the lunar surface and it must have been a hard-landing, ISRO Chairman K Sivan said, in an admission that the planned soft-landing wasn’t successful.
  • The image of the lander rover ‘Pragyan’ is housed inside it was captured by on-board camera of Chandrayaan-2 orbiter, which is healthy, safe and functioning normally in the intended orbit around the Moon.
  PM Modi launches first greenfield smart industrial city ‘AURIC’
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the country’s first greenfield industrial smart city, Auric City, at Shendra in Aurangabad, which is projected to attract around Rs 70,000 crore in investments on completion.
  • The mega project in the parched region of Marathawada region of Maharashtra is part of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) and is expected to boost the overall development of this region.
  • Auric City is India’s first ‘walk-to-work’ smart industrial city which will encourage housing options, workplaces, and shopping centres, to be developed in the vicinity of each other.
  • Inaugurating the administrative headquarters of the smart city – Auric Hall -from where the entire industrial city and its facilities will be operated.
  • Auric City is expected to attract Rs 60,000-70,000 crore investments from global players, which will generate lakhs of jobs.
  • The city is expected to earn $11.6 billion in exports on an output of over USD 46 billion. Maharashtra has already approved a Rs 7,947- crore infrastructure package to help Auric offer high-value, sustainable infrastructure.
 ADB to provide $200 million to upgrade rural roads of Maharashtra
  • The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide $ 200 million (about Rs 1,400 crore) to upgrade rural roads to all-weather standards in 34 districts of Maharashtra with an aim to improve road safety and better connectivity with markets.
  • An agreement in this regard was signed between the government and the ADB.
  • The project will improve the condition of about 2,100 kilometer of rural roads to all-weather standards, with climate resilience and safety features, connecting rural communities with productive agricultural areas and socio-economic centers.
  • Provision of contractual maintenance for five years following construction has also been provided under the project.
 Tamilisai Soundararajan sworn-in as Governor of Telangana
  • Tamilisai Soundararajan sworn-in as the second Governor of Telangana. Chief Justice of Telangana High Court Raghavendra Singh Chouhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Tamilisai during a ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad.
  • With this, she has become the first lady Governor appointed from Tamil Nadu.
  • A physician-turned-politician, Soundararajan entered politics in the year 1999.
  • She started her political career as South Chennai District Medical Wing Secretary in the same year and held various positions in the BJP.

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September 10, 2019

 India Post Payments Bank unveils Aadhaar-linked service
  • India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has announced launch of the Aadhaar-enabled payment services (AePS) for unbanked and under-banked people.
  • Said it has made 1 crore customers within one year of operations.
  • Around 34 crore bank accounts have been opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan DhanYojana. Of this, 22 crore belong to the rural people.
  • With the IPPB”s AePS, now they have the ability to provide inter-operable doorstep banking services to account holders of ”any bank”.

FACTFILE – India Post Payments Bank (IPPB)

  • India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) is a 100% government owned payments bank operating under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, which aims to utilize all of India’s 155,015 post offices as access points and 3 lakh postal postmen and Grameen Dak Sewaks to provide house to house banking services.
  • MD & CEO – Suresh Sethi
 India to host first SCO conference on military medicine
  • India will host the first conference on military medicine for member nations of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) in New Delhi.
  • It will be the first military co-operation event to be organised in India under the SCO after it joined the organisation in 2017.
  • The two-day conference on military medicine will be held on September 12 and 13 in accordance with the SCO Defence Co-operation Plan 2019-20.
  • The meeting will be conducted by the Indian armed forces under the aegis of the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff.
  • The primary objectives of the conference are to share best practices in the field of military medicine, build capacities and overcome common challenges.
  • The delegations will also discuss issues including rendering of combat medical support, humanitarian assistance during disasters and measures to improve patient safety.
  • India”sneighbours Nepal and Sri Lanka will also participate in the conference as dialogue partners. The two nations will be sending their delegations of experts to the conference.

FACTFILE – The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

  • The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasianpolitical, economic, and security alliance, the creation of which was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Charter, formally establishing the organisation, was signed in June 2002 and entered into force on 19 September 2003.
  • The original five nations, with the exclusion of Uzbekistan, were previously members of the Shanghai Five group, founded on 26 April 1996.
  • Since then, the organization has expanded its membership to eight countries when India and Pakistan joined SCO as full members on 9 June 2017 at a summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.
 UP Govt offers 3,000-acre land bank for defence firms
  • Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath offered a land bank of 3,000 acres for defence industries to set up manufacturing units in Uttar Pradesh, during a review meeting for the Defence Expo preparations.
  • Defence minister Rajnath Singh chaired the review meeting that was held in New Delhi with apex committee members for DefExpo 2020.
  • An MoU was signed between the Defence Ministry and the state government, outlining roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders responsible for organising the event next year.
  • The review meeting was attended by the three service chiefs. Senior Defence Ministry officials, including Secretary (Defence) Dr Ajay Kumar, also attended the meeting along with senior officials including those from Defence Research Development Organisation and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

September 11, 2019

 Assam’s Sanjib Pol Deka among the 23 young Indian writers conferred the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar
  • The Sahitya Akademi conferred the Yuva Puraskar on 23 youths for their outstanding literary works in one of the 24 major Indian languages.
  • The Yuva Puraskar containing an engraved copper plaque and a cheque of Rs 50,000 was given away to each of the recipients during a small but glittering function at LalchandKanoi Memorial Auditorium of DHSK College.
  • The awards were presented to the recipients by Chandrashekar Kambar, president of Sahitya Akademi.
  • As prelude all the awardees were garlanded and felicitated with Assamese traditional gamosas by Madhav Kaushik, vice president, Sahitya Akademi. Eminent English writer and author Professor Emeritus Amaresh Datta attended the function as the chief guest.
  • Sanjib Pol Deka is awarder the honour for his work ‘Ei Pine Ki Ase?’ in Assamese language and Moumita is conferred the award for ‘Kuntal Fire Ase’ in Bengali language.

FACTFILE – Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar

  • Yuva Puraskar is a literary honor in India which Sahitya Akademi, India’s National Academy of Letters, annually confers on young writers of outstanding works in one of the twenty-four major Indian languages.
  • Instituted in 2011, the Yuva Puraskar recognises young writers under the age of 35 years, with the aim to encourage and promote young writers.
  • The award comprises a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 and an engraved copper plaque.
 India, Sri Lanka begin joint naval military drill
  • India and Sri Lanka began joint naval military exercises in the Bay of Bengal off the Vizag port in Andhra Pradesh.
  • Four naval ships from both countries which are participating in the exercise began co-ordinated maritime operations in the ‘sea phase’ of the exercise.
  • Prior to the sea phase, the Navies had engaged in professional interactions, training activities, cultural events and sporting exchanges, in a ‘harbour phase’, for three days at the Vizag port.
  • The six-day joint exercise SLINEX 2019 had formally commenced on September 7 at the Vizag port.
  • The four ships and their crew will participate in drills including aircraft tracking, cross-deck flying, gun firing, visit board search and seizure procedures, underway replenishment and navigational manoeuvres in the sea.
  • Sri Lanka has sent SLNS Sindhurala, an advanced offshore patrol vessel which had been constructed by India’s state-run defence firm Goa Shipyards, and SLNS Suranimala.
  • The Indian Navy is being represented by the missile corvette INS Khukri and the Naval offshore patrol vessel INS Sumedha.
  • India has also deputed integral helicopters in addition to shore-based maritime patrol aircraft in the event.

FACTFILE – SLINEX (Sri Lanka India Naval Exercise)

  • The SLINEX Exercise enhance co-operation and to further strengthen mutual trust and interoperability between two navies.
  • The bilateral maritime exercise enables Indian Navy and Sri Lankan navies to rehearse and improve own capabilities and enhance operational effectiveness required to maintain maritime security in Indian Ocean region (IOR).
  • First edition of the SLINEX exercise took place in 2005.
 PM Modi inaugurates Indo-Nepal petro pipeline
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Motihari-Amlekhganj (Nepal) petroleum pipe line through video conferencing. It is the first ever cross border petroleum pipeline in South Asia.
  • PM Modi reiterated that it will help to enhance security of the region and “substantially cut down on transit costs”.
  • He also reaffirmed India’s commitment to help Nepal for developmental works according to its own priorities.

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September 12, 2019

  PM Modi launches National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP)
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ambitious National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) in Uttar Pradesh”s Mathura, among a slew of government schemes for farmers.
  • With 100 per cent funding from the Centre of Rs 12,652 crore for a period of five years till 2024, NADCP aims at vaccinating over 500 Million livestock including cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and pigs against foot and mouth disease.
  • The programme also aims at vaccinating 36 million female bovine calves annually in its fight against Brucellosis disease.
  • The programme has two components – to control the diseases by 2025 and eradication by 2030.
  • This is part of the government’s effort to double farmers” income.
  • The Prime Minister also launched nationwide workshops in KrishiVigyanKendras in all 687 districts of the country with artificial insemination of livestock as one of the goals.

 FACTFILE – National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP)

  • The project will be fully funded by the Central Government.
  • The livestock that will be covered under the programme includes cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and pigs against the FMD.

NADCP program’s main aims are

  • To vaccinate over 600 million cattle in the country in an effort to mitigate the two diseases namely, the Foot & Mouth Disease, & brucellosis.
  • To vaccinate 36 million female bovine calves annually in its fight against the brucellosis disease.
  • To control the livestock diseases by 2025, and eradicate them by 2030.
 DRDO successfully test-fires indigenous Anti-Tank Missile for Army
  • In a major boost to the indigenous missile development programme, India successfully test-fired the Man Portable Anti Tank Guided Missile (MP-ATGM) from a firing range in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool.
  • This was the third successful test-firing of the 100 percent indigenous ATGM, which is being developed for the infantry battalions of the Indian Army, who would use them for taking out the enemy tank and other armoured vehicles during war times.
  • Currently, the Indian Army uses the imported Milan 2T and Konkurs Russian anti-tank missile in the infantry but they are vintage missiles and the force is looking for a third-generation ATGM.

FACTFILE – The MPATGM (Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile)

  • MPATGM is an Indian third-generation fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile.
  • It is currently under development by the DRDO in partnership with Indian defence contractor VEM Technologies Private Limited. The missile is derived from India’s Nag ATGM.
  • The MPATGM will be manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited at a facility located in Bhanoor, Telengana.
 DRDO hands over second ‘Netra’ to IAF
  • The Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) handed over the second airborne warning plane, Netra, to the Indian Air Force.
  • The indigenously-built aircraft was handed over to Western Air Command chief, Air Marshal RaghunathNambiar, at the Bathinda Air Base in Punjab.
  • The Netra, an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEWC) aircraft, had played a stellar role during the Balakot air strikes that had been carried out by the IAF in February this year.
  • It provided surveillance and radar coverage to the five Mirage jets that bombed terror launch pads in Balakot in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan.
  • Designed and developed by scientists of the DRDO, with assistance from the Bengaluru-based Centre for Airborne Systems, the Netra is fitted with indigenously developed electronics and hardware.
  • It is useful for surveillance, tracking, identification and classification of airborne and sea surface targets and is useful in detecting incoming ballistic missile threats.
 2 Indians in UAE develop app to help visually impaired
  • Two UAE-based Indian nationals developed a smartphone app that can help visually impaired people.
  • The app developed by Nandujit Prathap and Visakh G.S is called Ioptyc.
  • It uses distance sensors and visual recognition technology to assist people with visual impairments.
  • The project which has two parts, the smartphone app and a special glove, was one of the winning projects in the Ma’an Social Incubator programme of Abu Dhabi, that aims to support people of determination.
  • Ioptyc utilises the power of Google Tensorflow Lite for visual recognition of objects in front of the user, who may be visually impaired.
  • Once the object in front of the person is detected, the app sends an alert and announces the name of the object over the user’s headphone, with the help of Google natural languages package.
  • The glove’s sensors are capable of detecting objects as far as two metres away, and the intensity of vibrations varies depending on how far the object is from the user.

September 13, 2019

 Mary Kom becomes the first female athlete to be recommended for Padma Vibhushan
  • Six-time World Champion and 2012 Olympic medalist MC Mary Kom has been recommended by the sports ministry for country’s second-highest civilian award – the Padma Vibushan.
  • The 36-year-old pugilist becomes the first woman athlete to have been recommended for the award. She has been already honoured with Padma Bhushan and Padma Shree in 2013 and 2006 respectively.
  • Only three sportspersons – Vishwanathan Anand (2007), Sachin Tendulkar (2008) and Sir Edmund Hillary (2008) have received the Padma Vibhushan, so far.
  • Badminton world champion PV Sindhu has been nominated for Padma Bhushan, which is the country’s third highest civilian award. Sindhu recently clinched the World badminton championships title, beating Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara 21-7, 21-7, becoming the only Indian to win the title. Vinesh Phogat (boxing), Harmanpreet Kaur (cricket), Rani Rampal (hockey), Suma Shirur (shooting), Manika Batra (table tennis), Tashi and Nungshi Malik (mountaineering) have been recommended for Padma Shri awards.
  • Archer Tarundeep Rai and hockey Olympian MP Ganesh were recommended for the Padma Shri alongside seven women sportspersons by the Sports Ministry.
  • The final list of the awardees will be released on 25 January 2020 by the Padma awards committee.
 PM launches ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana’ pension scheme for farmers & small traders
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana from Jharkhand. The Prime Minister also launched the National Pension Scheme for traders and self-employed people.
  • He inaugurated the new building of the state Assembly and also inaugurated the Multi-Modal Transport Terminal at Sahibganj and referred to plans to construct 462 Eklavya model residential schools in tribal areas.
  • He also laid the foundation stone of the new building of the state secretariat.
  • The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana shall secure the lives of 5 crore small and marginal farmers by providing a minimum pension of Rs 3000 per month to those who attain 60 years of age.
  • The National Pension Scheme for the traders and the self-employed aims at providing a minimum assured pension of Rs 3000 to small traders and self – employed after attaining age of 60 years.
 India joins global antimicrobial resistance research hub
  • India has joined the Global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Research and Development (R & D) hub as a new member.
  • Department of Biotechnology said that this would expand the global partnership working to address challenges and improve coordination and collaboration in global AMR research and development to 16 countries, the European Commission, two philanthropic foundations and four international organisations as observers.
  • AMR is the ability of a microbe to resist the effects of medication that once could successfully treat the microbe.
  • India will be a member of the board of members of the hub from this year.
  • By partnering with the hub, India looks forward to working with all partners to leverage their existing capabilities, resources and collectively focus on new research to address drug-resistant infections.
  • The hub supports global priority setting and evidence-based decision-making on the allocation of resources for AMR research and development through identification of gaps, overlaps and potential for cross-sectoral collaboration and leveraging.

FACTFILE – Global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Research and Development (R & D) hub

  • a collaboration of 16 countries, the European Commission, two philanthropic foundations and four international organizations (as observers).
  • It was launched in 2018 during the 71st session of the World Health Assembly, following a call from G20 Leaders in 2017.
  • It is supported through a Secretariat, established in Berlin, Germany.
  • It aims to further improve the coordination of international efforts and initiatives to tackle Antimicrobial Resistance while further increasing investments into R&D for AMR.
  • It’s works will be aligned to the priorities set by
    • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
    • World Health Organization (WHO)
    • World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
 UAE confers honour on outgoing Indian Ambassador Navdeep Singh Suri
  • Navdeep Singh Suri, the outgoing Indian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was conferred with the First Class Order of Zayed II honour in recognition of his efforts and contribution to the development and strengthening of bilateral ties between the two countries.
  • UAE President Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan presented the highest civilian honour in the country to Suri. Sheikh Abdullah lauded the envoy’s role in bolstering the UAE-Indian ties.
  • Navdeep Singh Suri has been heading the Indian mission in the UAE since October 2016.

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September 14, 2019

 ONGC to invest Rs 13,000 crore in Assam in next five years
  • State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) will invest over Rs 13,000 crore in Assam over the next five years.
  • The oil and gas company has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Assam government for boosting its exploration and production activities in the state.
  • The company will make investment for drilling more than 220 oil and gas wells across the state.
  • ONGC is giving impetus to its activities in alignment with the reducing import by 10 per cent by 2022 and Northeast Hydrocarbon Vision 2030.
  • ONGC, in a new vision document for 2040, has set a target to double oil and gas output from its domestic and overseas fields and expand its refining capacity threefold apart from diversification into renewables. India’s top oil and gas producer plans to invest $15-16 billion to achieve this target.
  • The ONGC Board recently approved the business roadmap for the company and its other group entities. Titled ‘ONGC Energy Strategy 2040’, the blueprint envisioned ONGC as “a diversified energy company with a strong contribution from non E&P business; 3x revenues and about 5-6x market capitalisation”.
  • The firm produced 24.23 million tonnes of crude oil in the 2018-19 fiscal year and 25.81 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas from its domestic fields. Another 10.1 million tonnes of oil and 4.736 bcm of gas were produced from its overseas assets.
 India, Thailand joint military exercise – MAITREE
  • MAITREE, the joint military exercise between India and Thailand, will be conducted at Foreign Training Node, Umroi, in Meghalaya.
  • Indian and Royal Thailand Army (RTA) contingents comprising 50 soldiers each will participate in the exercise with an aim to share experience gained during various counter-terrorism operations.
  • Joint military exercise will enhance the level of defence cooperation between Indian Army (IA) and Royal Thailand Army (RTA) which will further foster defence cooperation and bilateral relations between the two nations.
  • The scope of this exercise covers company-level joint training on counter-terrorism operations in jungle and urban scenario.

FACTFILE – MAITREE Exercise

  • MAITREE is an annual training event which is being conducted alternatively in Thailand and India since 2006.
  • Exercise MAITREE with Thailand is significant in terms of the security challenges faced by both the nations in the backdrop of changing facets of global terrorism.
  • It will improve the level of defence co-operation between the Indian Army (IA) and Royal Thailand Army (RTA) which in turn will further foster defence cooperation and bilateral relations between the two nations.
 BHEL commissions 1,320 MW Thermal Plant in Odisha
  • State-run engineering firm BHEL announced commissioning of 1,320 MW IB thermal power station in Jharsuguda district of Odisha.
  • The power project is owned by Odisha Power Generation Corporation Limited (OPGC), a joint venture company of the Odisha Government and US-based energy company AES.
  • A substantial portion of power generated from the project will be supplied to the Grid Corporation of Odisha (GRIDCO).

FACTFILE – Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)

  • BHEL is owned and founded by the Government of India, is an engineering and manufacturing company based in New Delhi, India.
  • Established in 1964, BHEL is India’s largest power generation equipment manufacturer.
 CISF’s Delhi airport unit wins best aviation security award
  • The CISF’s Delhi airport unit has won the top award in an inter-unit competition of the Aviation Security Group (ASG) organised between the months of April and July.
  • For the competition, the CISF had divided 61 Indian airports into two categories.
  • The first category included seven joint venture airports – Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Nagpur and Chandigarh, while the second category had 52 airports run by the Airports Authority of Indias and Shirdi Airport.
  • Among the airports run as joint ventures, Delhi airport”s CISF unit won the first prize, and Hyderabad airport unit was named runner-up. In the second category, the Kolkata airport unit won the first prize.

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Assam Current Affairs – September 01 – 07, 2019

Posted on by admin 
Current Affairs Assam – September 1 - 7, 2019

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

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September 01, 2019

  Final NRC published, 19 lakh excluded
  • The final National Register of Citizens (NRC) was published on Saturday excluding names of 19,06,657 persons who had applied for inclusion of names in the citizenship document.
  • Any person not satisfied with the outcome of the verdicts on claims and objections would be able to approach the foreigners tribunals.
  • The process of NRC update in Assam differs from the rest of the country and is governed by Rule 4A and the corresponding Schedule of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. These rules have been framed as per the cut-off date of March 24 (midnight), 1971 decided as per the Assam Accord.
  • A total of 3,30,27,661 members applied through 68,37,660 applications. The particulars submitted by the applicants were taken up for scrutiny to determine.
  • The NRC update is a mammoth exercise involving around 52,000 State government officials working for a prolonged period. The entire process of NRC update has been meticulously carried out in an objective and transparent manner, the release said, adding, adequate opportunity of being heard has been given to all persons at every stage of the process.
 Ministry of Electronics and IT partners with Google to roll out “Build for Digital India”
  • The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) entered into a partnership with Google with the aim of rolling out “Build for Digital India”
  • A programme that will give engineering students a platform to develop market-ready, technology-based solutions that address key social problems.
  • The programme will invite ideas from students to focus on areas of healthcare, agriculture, education, smart cities and infrastructure, women safety, smart mobility and transportation, environment, accessibility and disability and digital literacy.
  • As part of the programme, engineering students across the country will be invited to apply and join in a learning journey that will help them transform their bright ideas into real-world solutions.
  • Applicants will take part in online and offline learning opportunities on key technologies such as Machine Learning, Cloud and Android.
  • These will be offered through Google’s Developer Student Club network and other Google Developer networks.
  • Google will also offer mentorship sessions in product design, strategy and technology to the most promising products and prototypes.
IIT Kharagpur and Amazon Web Services (AWS) join hands to develop AI portal
  • To promote learning and development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur announced a collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to develop a National Artificial Intelligence Resource Portal (NAIRP) platform.
  • NAIRP was launched with initial funding from the Ministry of Human Resources Development, as part of the National Digital Library of India (NDLI) platform.
  • It builds upon and expands NDLI to AI by indexing a wide variety of AI-specific resources such as learning materials, courses, workbooks, datasets, codes, tools and platforms.The upcoming portal will provide search, browse, learning and computation services.
  • Hands-on AI training will be facilitated to all AI learners, practitioners, and researchers in India through workbooks and the cloud.
  • The system will start off using AWS Cloud, and will also be connected in the future with the in-house cloud developed at IIT Kharagpur.

FACTFILE – Amazon Web Services (AWS)

  • Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a subsidiary of Amazon that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms and API, on a metered pay-as-you-go basis.
  • These cloud computing web services provide a set of primitive abstract technical infrastructure and distributed computing building blocks and tools.
  • AWS’s version of virtual computers emulate most of the attributes of a real computer including, hardware central processing units (CPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs) for processing, local/RAM memory, hard-disk/SSD storage; a choice of operating systems; networking; and pre-loaded application software such as web servers, databases, customer relationship management (CRM), etc.
  • The AWS technology is implemented at server farms throughout the world, and maintained by the Amazon subsidiary.
  • AWS operates from many global geographical regions including 6 in North America.
  • AWS comprised various services spanning a wide range including computing, storage, networking, database, analytics, application services, deployment, management, mobile, developer tools, and tools for the Internet of Things. The most popular include Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) and Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3).
  • As of 2017, AWS owns a dominant 34% of all cloud (IaaS, PaaS) while the next three competitors Microsoft, Google, and IBM have 11%, 8%, 6%.

September 02, 2019

 Sivasagar becomes first district in Assam to launch e-office
  • The Upper Assam Divisional Commissioner Julie Sonowal launched e-office (e-file management system) at the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Sivasagar. With this initiative, Sivasagar has attained the status of being the first district in the State to launch ‘e-office’.
  • With the office of the Deputy Commissioner trasitioning towards a complete electronic file management system, four more offices of the district, namely, office of the Superintendent of Police, office of the District Transport Officer, Agriculture office and Zila Parishad will also come under the e-office system.
  • Attending the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner Dr S Lakshmanan elaborated upon the advantages of e-office. With the benefit of having zero maintenance cost, the system will not only provide full confidentiality of the office files, but will also save us from the worries of space management.
  • The success of the system will depend largely on the quality, dedication and involvement of the manpower working with the system.
  • The Deputy Commissioner highlighted the importance of e-office and the facilities available in the system for better service delivery to the citizens.
  • The e-office is a Mission Mode Project developed and designed by National Informatics Centre (NIC) which was first implemented by the Government of Assam at the Assam Secretariat in 2017.
  • Later, it was extended to the Directorate, Commissionerate, attached offices and districts levels. The Secretariat Administration Department (SAD) is the Nodal Department of the project in Government of Assam.
5 new governors appointed is various states
  • President of India, Ram Nath Kovind announced new governors for five states in the country.
  • Kalraj Mishra has been transferred from Himachal Pradesh to Rajasthan, where he replaces Kalyan Singh as the new Governor.
  • BandaruDattatreya replaces Mishra in Himachal Pradesh.
  • Bhagat Singh Koshyari has been appointed the new Governor of Maharashtra shunting out Vidyasagar Rao.
  • In Kerala, Arif Mohammed Khan replaces P. Sathasivam as the new Governor.
  • DrTamilisaiSoundararajan has been made the new governor of Telangana replacing E.S.L. Narasimhan.
Himachal Pradesh signs pacts to tap 250 MW solar power
  • Himachal Pradesh signed two pacts for setting up solar power plants with an outlay of Rs 1,000 crore.
  • One pact for Rs 600 crore was signed with Renew Energy Private Ltd for setting up a 150 MW solar plant, which is proposed to commission by 2021.
  • While the second was signed with CSE Development (India) Private Ltd for setting up a 100 MW plant.
  • On behalf of the state government, the pacts were signed here by Principal Secretary PrabodhSaxena where Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur was also present.
  • The solar plants would be set up in Una and Kangra districts.
Pune-based agritech startup Agrostar is helping boost crop yields for farmers
  • Nearly 70 per cent of small farmers — those cultivating fewer than three acres — in India often find their crops damaged by unforeseen weather and pests. An even higher number, 74 per cent, lack access to farming-related information.
  • To bridge this knowledge gap, Pune-based agritech startup AgroStar has a multi-lingual mobile app on Google Cloud Platform that is helping boost crop yields and encourage sustainable practices for small farmers in the country.
  • Launched as an on-premise, e-commerce platform selling farm tools in 2008, the firm turned to Google Cloud Platform (GCP) to expand its offerings.
  • The firm now uses Cloud-based analytics and is deploying machine learning (ML) models to provide timely advice in five languages — from seed optimization, crop rotation and soil nutrition to pest control and commodity price forecasting to small farmers.

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September 03, 2019

 IAF inducted Eight Apache choppers at Pathankot
  • The Indian Air Force (IAF) inducted eight Apache helicopters at the Pathankot Air Base in Punjab.
  • The variant of the helicopter, Apache A64E, is the most advanced version and has been designed by the US-based manufacturer Boeing to meet the IAF”s requirements.
  • Boeing formally handed over the aircraft keys to Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa at the function in Pathankot.
  • The eight helicopters were brought to India in two separate batches. They were delivered at the Hindon Air Base in Ghaziabad over July and August in two equal batches of four choppers each.
  • India had signed a multi-billion contract with Boeing in September 2015 for purchasing 22 Apache helicopters. The entire fleet is scheduled to be delivered to the IAF by the year 2020.

FACTFILE – Apache helicopter

  • The Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopter is an advanced multi-mission helicopter being operated worldwide by the US, UK, Israel and many numbers of countries. The helicopter has proved itself as an operational success across the world. It is one of the most fierce attack helicopters in the world.
  • It is a twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems.
  • The U.S. Army is the primary operator of the AH-64. It has also become the primary attack helicopter of multiple nations, including Greece, Japan, Israel, the Netherlands, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. It has been built under license in the United Kingdom as the AgustaWestland Apache.
Haryana CM launches UDAN regional connectivity scheme
  • Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar launched the UDAN regional connectivity scheme that will allow tourists to fly from Hisar to Chandigarh for just Rs 1,674 in 45 minutes.
  • The launch of the flight was part of the Centre”s UDAN, or ”UdeDeshkaHarNagarik” scheme, building efficient regional air connectivity.
  • The Air Shuttle Services and Flying Training Organisation is also being set up at TheHisar airport by SpiceJet for the training of at least 100 cadet pilots per year initially.
  • Four meritorious girls with state domicile will get 50 per cent fee concession for the entire training and 10 per cent students with domicile will get 50 per cent waiver on tuition fee.
  • SpiceJet has also committed to ensuring absorption as well as placement of 70 per cent pilot trainees.

FACTIFLE – UDAN (UdeDeshkaAamNaagrik)

  • UDAN is a regional airport development and “Regional Connectivity Scheme”(RCS) of Government of India, with the objective of “letting the common citizen of the country fly”, aimed at making air travel affordable and widespread, to boost inclusive national economic development, job growth and air transport infrastructure development of all regions and states of India.
  • At the beginning of the scheme, out of total 486 airports, 406 were participating unserved airports, 27 were well served airports out of 97 non-RCS airports and 12 were operational airports out of 18 participating underserved regional operational airports with regular fixed-wing scheduled flights.
  • The scheme has two components. The first component is to develop new airports and enhance the existing regional airports to increase the number of operational airports for scheduled civilian flights from 70 (in May 2016, total 98 operational including army airports) to at least 150 airports (by December 2018) with regular scheduled flights. Initially more than 100 underserved (no more than 7 scheduled flights per week) and unserved regional airports will be developed by December 2018, for which the initial funding of ₹45,000 million(equivalent to ₹47 billion, US$680 million or €610 million in 2018) for the enhancement of 50 regional airports was approved in May 2017.
  • The second component is to add several hundred financially-viable, capped-airfare, new regional flight routes to connect more than 100 underserved and unserved airports in smaller towns with each other as well as with well served airports in bigger cities by using “Viability Gap Funding” (VGF) where needed.
  • Union government share of “Viability Gap Funding” is from the cess applied to flights to popular routes to main cities and respective state governments have also offered additional benefits to the flight operators to make UDAN-RCS viable.
  • UDAN-RCS Round-Iconcluded in April 2017, 5 airlines companies were awarded 128 fixed-wing flight routes to 70 airports (including 36 newly made operational airports, taking the number of total number of operational airports with civilian scheduled flights to 106 and total 131 airports operational with civilian and army operation including dual-use airports), several of which have already become operational by November 2017 and most of remaining routes will become operational by 15 December 2017.
  • UDAN-RCS Round-IIresults will be awarded in late December 2017, from among the 141 proposals received for 502 new regional routes from 17 airlines and helicopter companies to operate flight services.
  • Number of aircraft jumped 38% to 548 in December 2017 from 395 in 2014 and 50 aircraft are being added every year. Subsequent phases with inclusion of seaplanes will boost the number of potential landing sites from nearly 500 airports to over five lakh (500,000) waterbodies as well as more locations along India’s 7,000 km coastline.
  • UDAN-RCS is both enabler and beneficiary of other key Government of India schemes, such as Bharatmala, Sagarmala, Dedicated Freight Corridors, Industrial corridor, BharatNet, Digital India and Make in India, National e-Governance Plan, Startup India and Standup India.
 Cabinet clears hike in ethanol prices for 2019-20
  • The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved an increase in prices of ethanol for the upcoming sugar season 2019-20 (October-September).
  • The CCEA decided to increase prices of ethanol derived from “C heavy” molasses to Rs 43.75 per litre from the 43.36 per litre.
  • The prices of ethanol derived from “B heavy” molasses would also be increased from Rs 52.43 to Rs 54.27 per litre.
  • The CCEA also decided that the price of ethanol from the sugarcane juice, sugar and sugar syrup route would be fixed at Rs 59.48 per litre.
  • The government has been implementing EBP Programme wherein OMCs sell petrol blended with ethanol up to 10 per cent.
  • This programme has been extended to whole of India except the Union Territories of Andaman Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands with effect from April 1 this year to promote the use of alternative and environment-friendly fuels.
  • The government intervention also seeks to reduce import dependence for energy requirements and give a boost to the agriculture sector.

September 04, 2019

 IIT Guwahati develops AI chatbot to support EEE students
  • A team of postgraduate students from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, along with their faculty members are developing an Artificial Intelligence-enabled chatbot named “ALBELA” to teach and support first year students of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE).
  • The chatbot would help students find their class schedule, tutorial schedule, and examination queries via a AI-based chat window.
  • Students at times may hesitate to approach an instructor regarding their queries, but with this chat-based system students can clear their doubts, both technical and non-technical, according to the institution.
  • The team is developing the analytical problem solving skill. It will be helpful for the students to learn how to solve analytical problems related to the course.
 Union Cabinet approved infusion of Rs 9,300 crore in IDBI Bank
  • The Union Cabinet approved infusion of over Rs 9,000 crore capital in the IDBI Bank to meet the regulatory capital requirements by raising the capital adequacy ratio (CAR).
  • The government and the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India — will infuse Rs 9,300 crore in the bank. Of this, the government will infuse RS 4,557 crore and the LIC Rs 4,743 crore.
  • The IDBI Bank”s capital base has got eroded with the CAR at 8.1 per cent. The government and the LIC own 49 per cent and 51 per cent stake in the bank.
  • The move is aimed at supporting the credit growth and the regulatory compliance by lenders.
  • IDBI Bank has been a poor performer on many metrics. Its non-performing asset (NPA) is at 29 per cent and has reported loss in the 11 straight quarters.
  • The bank is under the Reserve Bank of India”s prompt corrective action (PCA) framework.

FACTFILE – Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI Bank Limited)

  • IDBI Bank was established in 1964 by an Act to provide credit and other financial facilities for the development of the fledgling Indian industry. Initially it operated as a subsidiary of Reserve Bank of India RBI transferred it to GOI . Many institutes of national importance finds their roots in IDBI like Sidbi, Exim bank, NSE and NSDL.
  • It currently has 3,702 ATMs, 1892 branches, including one overseas branch in Dubai, 58 e-lounges and 1407 centers.
  • The bank has an aggregate balance sheet size of INR 3.74 trillion as on 31 March 2016.
  • On June 29, 2018 Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has got a technical go-ahead from Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to increase stake in IDBI Bank up to 51%. LIC of India completed acquisition of 51% controlling stake in IDBI Bank on January 21, 2019 making it the majority shareholder of the bank. Subsequent to enhancement of equity stake by LIC of India on January 21, 2019, IDBI Bank stands re-categorized as a Private Sector Bank.
 BRICS countries are stepping up technology transfer and transformation
  • BRICS countries are stepping up technology transfer and transformation, said a conference organised by the BRICS Technology Transfer Center in Kunming, capital of southwest China’s Yunnan Province.
  • Representatives from enterprises, universities and research institutes in 11 countries and regions, including the BRICS members (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) held discussions on seeking closer international technology cooperation.
  • A display and trading system for international technology transfer was launched on the occasion.
  • Eighteen per cent of global GDP and 17 per cent of R&D spendings come from BRICS countries, which account for 42 per cent of the world’s population.
  • The BRICS Technology Transfer Center was set up in Kunming in 2018 to promote industrial transformation of advanced innovations.
 

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September 05, 2019

 Assam Governor launches Poshan Maah
  • Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi today launched the ceremonial beginning of Poshan Maah (Poshan Month) at a function held at the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakhshetra.
  • It may be noted that the entire month of September is being celebrated as RashtriyaPoshanMaah and this year the theme is ‘Complementary feeding’ with the vision to address malnutrition with a targeted approach by 2022.
  • Governor Mukhi said the PoshanAbhiyaan has been launched to emphasise the need for healthy nutrition and it should be the one-liner objective to generate awareness about this mission to involve more and more people so that no targeted group is left behind.
  • At the same time, he observed that special emphasis should be given in the tea garden areas to make up for the nutritional deficiency and reduce low birth weight in those areas.
  • He said that though the programme strives to reduce the level of stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and low birth weight among babies, without unified efforts it would be very difficult to achieve the target.
  • He therefore called for inter-departmental convergence for the success of the objective.
  • The Governor also emphasised the need for coordination, convergence and cordiality among all the stakeholders for making the PoshanMaah a huge success.
  • As part of the programme a pledge was also administered to make a malnutrition-free India by 2022.

FACTFILE – POSHAN Maah

  • Month of September 2018 was celebrated as Rashtriya POSHAN Maah. The activities in POSHAN Maahfocussed on Social Behavioural Change and Communication (SBCC).
  • The broad themes were: antenatal care, optimal breastfeeding (early and exclusive), complementary feeding, anaemia, growth monitoring, girls’ – education, diet, right age of marriage, hygiene and sanitation, eating healthy – food fortification.
  • More than 12.2 Crore women, 6.2 Crore men and over 13 Crore children (male and female) were reached through the various activities undertaken during POSHAN Maah. It is worth mentioning that 30.6 Crore people were reached in 30 days. POSHAN Maah has given a major impetus to the Abhiyaan.
 15 MoUs exchanged during PM Modi’s visit to Russia
  • A total of 15 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) or agreements were exchanged during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Vladivostok in Russia.
  • Joint Statement “Reaching New Heights of Cooperation through Trust and Partnership”.
  • Joint Strategy for the Enhancement of India-Russia Trade and Investments.
  • Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and Government of the Russian Federation and on the cooperation in the production of spare parts for Russian/Soviet military equipment.
  • Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation on Cooperation in Audiovisual Co-production.
  • Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation on bilateral cooperation in the road transport and road industry.
  • Memorandum of Intent between the Ministry of Shipping of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation on the Development of Maritime Communications between the Port of Chennai, Republic of India and the Port of Vladivostok, Russian Federation.
  • Plan for cooperation between the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Ministry of Finance, Republic of India and the Federal Customs Service (Russian Federation), for combating customs violations in 2019-2022.
  • Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas of the Republic of India on the use of Natural Gas for Transportation.
  • Programme between the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation on expansion of cooperation in oil and gas sector.
  • Memorandum of Understanding between Coal India Limited and Far East Investment and Export Agency to cooperate in coking coal mining projects implementation in the Russian Far East.
  • Cooperation Agreement between Invest India and the Russian Direct Investment Fund for Investment Collaboration.
  • Cooperation agreement between the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry the Roscongress Foundation.
  • Memorandum of Understanding between the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Autonomous Non-profit Organization Agency for Strategic Initiatives to promote New Projects.
  • Memorandum of understanding between the Joint Stock Company NOVATEK and PETRONET LNG Limited on cooperation with respect to the joint development of downstream LNG Business and LNG supplies.
  • Agreement on Cooperation between Joint-Stock Company Rosgeologia and Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited.
 Bihar Govt signs pact with Skymet Weather Services for weather forecasts
  • Bihar government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Skymet Weather Services, India”s largest private weather monitoring and agri-risk solutions company, to facilitate weather forecast services.
  • The MoU intends to support the Bihar Water Resource Department in disaster preparedness from the data shared by Skymet Weather on rainfall forecast and inclement weather alerts.
  • Bihar is one of India”s most flood prone areas.
  • Skymet will be supporting with information on weather forecast, which will help to incorporate measures to share timely information with the people at large.

September 06, 2019

 Bhagat Singh Koshyari takes oath as Maharashtra Governor
  • Former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Bhagat Singh Koshyari, sworn-in as the 19th Governor of Maharashtra.
  • Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog of the Bombay High Court administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new Governor at the sprawling Raj Bhavan facing the Arabian Sea.
  • After taking oath, Koshyari, who had served as a college teacher in Uttar Pradesh”sEtah, also greeted all teachers on the occasion of Teachers Day.
  • Koshyari, 77 takes over from C.V. Rao, whose term ended earlier this week.

FACTFILE – The Governors and Lieutenant Governors/Administrators of Indian States/UTs

  • The Governors and Lieutenant Governors/Administrators of the states and union territories of India have similar powers and functions at the state level as that of the President of India at Union level.
  • Governors exist in the states while Lieutenant Governors exist in Union Territories and in the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
  • The governor acts as the nominal head whereas the real power lies with the Chief ministers of the states and his/her councils of ministers.
  • In India, a lieutenant governor is in charge of a union territory. However, the rank is present only in the union territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Puducherry (the other territories have an administrator appointed).
  • The governor of Punjab acts as the administrator of Chandigarh.
  • The governors and lieutenant governors are appointed by the President for a term of five years.
 India inks two defence MoUs with South Korea
  • India and South Korea signed two MoUs pertaining to defence co-operation during Defence Minister RajnathSingh”s visit to the East Asian nation.
  • The MoUs are aimed at furthering defence educational exchanges and extension of mutual logistical support for the navies of both countries.
  • Singh met his South Korean counterpart JeongKyeongdoo during his three-day visit to the country.
  • The two leaders had a comprehensive review of bilateral defence co-operation and noted that defence co-operation lies at the heart of the Special Strategic Partnership between India and South Korea.
  • India and Korea were also discussed apart from exchange of views on regional and international developments of mutual interest.
  • Singh paid homage at the National Cemetery of Korea and also visited the War Memorial where he presented a copy of the citation received by the Indian 60th Para Field Hospital for its exceptional contributions during the Korean War.
 President Kovind confers awards to 46 teachers on Teachers’ Day
  • President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the National Awards to 46 teachers at Vigyan Bhawan on the occasion of Teachers” Day.
  • Teachers from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Rajasthan and Jharkhand received the prestigious awards for their innovation and making their classes interesting.
  • For the first time that a teacher from an army school, which is governed by the Defence Ministry, has also been included to the list of the award winners.
  • The Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry had invited nominations for the prestigious awards between May 6 and June 25, from which the teachers were selected on the basis of a three-tier process.
  • The teachers were first required to nominate themselves online, following which the district, state and the national level committees selected them.
  • The nominated teachers gave a presentation before the independent Jury comprising a senior educationist.
  • The prestigious award carries a silver medal, certificate and Rs 50,000 as award money.

 

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September 07, 2019

 President felicitates 27 women for role in Swachh Mission
  • President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the Swachh Bharat Awards on 27 women champions from each state for their outstanding contribution to the Swachh Bharat Mission.
  • These women worked at the grassroots level to provide better sanitation access to their families.
  • The President said the biggest achievement of the Swachh Bharat Mission was that it had become a campaign of every Indian and was not just a government campaign.
  • While referring to the UN sustainable development goals to be achieved by 2030, the President said India was set to achieve the cleanliness target in 2019 itself, 11 years ahead of schedule.
  • The goals for the next phase should be achieved by strengthening the first phase’s success.
  • The culture of cleanliness should be imbibed and the attention should be paid towards maintenance of facilities set up during the first phase.
  • The Swachhta Pakhwada Award was given to the Department of Defence. Power Grid Corporation received the award in the category of public sector undertakings. Gujarat and Sikkim were given Open Defecation Free (ODF) and Behaviour Change awards.
 CII Telangana to train 5,000 teachers in IT skills
  • The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Telangana, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Telangana Department of School Education to train 5,000 government teachers in basic IT skills.
  • The project would be implemented in collaboration with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and CII member companies.
  • About 500 corporate volunteers would be involved in implementing the project, which will be launched in Hyderabad and will later be expanded to Warangal, Nizamabad, Karimnagar and other districts.
  • Vijay Kumar, Director, Department of Education, and V. Rajanna, past Chairman of CII Telangana and Senior Vice-President & Global Head – Technology Business Unit, Tata Consultancy Services, signed the MoU.
 Indo-US joint military exercise begins in Washington
  • A joint military exercise between India and the US began in Washington as part of the ongoing defence co-operation between the two nations.
  • It is being conducted at the Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington.
  • Named YudhAbhyas, the exercise is one of the largest joint-running military training and defence co-operation endeavours between India and the US.
  • Armies of India and the US will jointly train, plan and execute a series of well-developed operations for neutralization of threats of varied nature during the exercise.
  • At the end, a joint exercise will be undertaken by both countries in an operational setting under a UN mandate. Experts from both sides will hold academic and military discussions to share each other”s experiences on varied topics for mutual benefit.
  • The exercise will provide an opportunity to the armed forces of both countries to train in an integrated manner at the Battalion level, with joint planning at Brigade level, whereby multiple scenarios will be rehearsed to understand each other”sorganisation structure.
 Arif Mohammed Khan sworn in as Kerala Governor
  • Arif Mohammed Khan took oath as the new Governor of Kerala. Chief Justice of Kerala High Court Hrishikesh Roy administered the oath of office to Khan in presence of state Chief Minister PinarayiVijayan.
  • Khan was appointed as the Governor of Kerala on September 1 and he replaces Justice (Retd) PalanisamySathasivam who was appointed as governor of the state in September 2014.
  • Khan was appointed as the Governor of Kerala on September 1 and he replaces Justice (Retd) PalanisamySathasivam who was appointed as governor of the state in September 2014.

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Assam Current Affairs – August 29 – 31, 2019

Posted on by admin 
Current Affairs Assam – August 29 - 31, 2019

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of August 29 – 31, 2019 )

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August 29, 2019

Assam topped NE in road accidents last year, Report says
  • Assam had topped the northeastern region in the number of road accidents last year, a report published by the State police said.
  • A total of 2,966 people were killed and 7,375 injured in 8,248 accidents last year, according to the report titled ‘An analytical glimpse on road accidents in Assam’.
  • The report said the State had ranked 16th in the country in the number of road accidents. It said 30 people were killed and 89 injured in every 100 accidents in the State. Eight people were killed and 20 injured on an average in road accidents in the State every day last year, it said.
  • “Lack of knowledge of road safety rules is one of the main causes of accidents. Majority of these were caused due to negligent and callous driving,” State Director General of Police Kuladhar Saikia said. He said many deaths and injuries due to road accidents could have been prevented.
  • The occurrence of road accidents had risen by 15 per cent in 2018 over the previous year, while fatalities had seen a spurt of six per cent and injuries rose by 19 per cent, the report said.
  • Forty eight per cent of the accidents had occurred on the national highways, while 26 per cent of those had taken place on the State highways and other roads.
  • Road accidents had risen in 30 districts of the State whereas four districts had witnessed a dip. On the other hand, fatalities and injuries had risen in 24 and 26 districts respectively, it said.
India wins first-ever gold in WorldSkills competition
  • The Indian contingent at the WorldSkills competition in Russia’s Kazan has bagged five medals – including a gold medal – and finished at the 13thposition amongst all participating countries.
  • For the first time ever, India has secured a gold medal in the competition which is the biggest vocational education and skills excellence event in theAworld.
  • The gold medal for India was won by Aswatha Narayan Sanagavarapu, who belongs to Odisha, in the Water Technology category.
  • He was also awarded ‘Best of Nation’ among all competitors from India. He had competed against participants from 11 countries.
  • Pranav Udayarak Nutalapati from Karnataka won a silver medal in Web Technologies while Shweta Ratanpura from Maharashtra and Sanjay Pramanik from West Bengal won bronze medals in Graphic Design and Jewellery, respectively.The Indian contingent also won 15 medallions in various categories.
Delhi govt announces fellowships for street artists
  • The Delhi government announced Street Performance Fellowships for 1,000 artists, to encourage, promote and mentor young street artists.
  • The Art, Culture and Languages Department, under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, said Rs 5,000 per month will be given to the artists individually.
  • The applications were invited from individuals working in the field of acting, direction, scriptwriting, dance, music and other forms of street performance.
  • Fellows will be divided into 100 groups. Each group will have a maximum of 10 artists.Each of these 100 groups will be performing at least four times a month.
  • An individual fellow will be provided with Rs 5,000 per month and an additional Rs 4,000 will be provided for the group leaders of the individual groups for the logistical arrangements per show. The performances will take place across the city.

                                                      

August 30, 2019

Numaligarh bio-refinery to be completed in 2021
  • The first biorefinery in the world producing cellulosic ethanol and bio-based chemicals from bamboo while producing green power as byproduct for local use, which is coming up at Numaligarh, will be completed by 2021.
  • Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), Finland’s Chempolis Ltd and Finnish energy company Fortum 3 BV had established a joint venture Assam Bio Refinery Private Limited in 2018 for building and operating the biorefinery.
  • Chempolis CEO Tomi Honkala said he was confident that the biorefinery will be operational in planned schedule. “Our joint venture is currently finalising the technical process details. Construction work of the refinery has started.
  • NRL managing director SK Barua was on a visit to Finland for a review of the biorefinery project and to hold discussion on strategic options for growth. He also held a discussion with Finnish Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Skinnari during his official tour to Chempolis Biorefinery Park at Oulu.
  • The biorefinery will use 300,000 tonnes of bamboo annually from the vast natural and cultivated bamboo reserves of Northeast India. The plant will produce annually 60 million litres of bioethanol, 19,000 tonnes of furfural, 11,000 tonnes of acetic acid, and 144 gigawatt hours of green energy.
  • Chempolis is the licensor of the plant’s advanced technology and is providing technical expertise. Barua said NRL has invested heavily on the cooperation with Chempolis in India.The goal of the Indian government is to increase bioethanol’s share from the current 3.3 per cent to 20 per cent by 2030.
  • The biorefinery will be the first biorefinery in the world producing cellulosic ethanol and bio-based chemicals from bamboo, while producing green power as byproduct for local use. Bio-ethanol will be blended to petrol by NRL in order to reduce carbon footprint of its fuels and to reduce the dependence on imported crude.

FACTFILE – Numaligarh Refinery

  • The Numaligarh Refinery is located at Morangi, Golaghat district, Assam in India is a refinery owned by Numaligarh Refinery Limited, a joint venture between Bharat Petroleum (61.65%), Oil India (26%) and Govt of Assam (12.35%).
  • As of 2014, it had a capacity of 3 million metric tonnes per year.
  • In January 2019, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved plans to increase the refinery’s capacity to 9 million metric tonnes per year.
Punjab gets Rs 1,040 Crore for Greening Punjab
  • Accepting Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s request, the Centre sanctioned Rs.1,040 crore for the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) for greening Punjab.
  • Forest Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot received the sanction letter from the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar.
  • Javadekar also appreciated the state”s effort to turn afforestation into a mass-movement with schemes, like ”Ghar Ghar Hariyali”, and planting of 550 trees in each village during the 550th Prakash Purb celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev.
Centre approves Nagpur zoo
  • The Centre granted approval to the new Gorewada International zoo in Nagpur.
  • The approval of the new Gorewada International Zoo in Nagpur, ambitious project of Maharashtra Government.
  • In addition to having dedicated areas for animal exhibits, the zoo will include an entrance plaza, bio-park, aviary, trail of senses, tribal village trail, river ride and a reservoir.
Real-time monitoring of the movement of the goods trains using ISRO Satellites
  • Real-time monitoring of the movement of the goods trains has started in the control office application system through ISRO’s satellite. GPS systems in more than 700 trains have been installed.
  • Goods trains, especially those which transport coal and oil (diesel and petrol), are major source of earnings for Indian Railways.
  • However, complaints of theft of oil and coal are often received, which involves the running staff, railway security forces (RPF), and local employee mafia of railway stations. 
  • The new technology is expected to prevent theft of oil and coal from goods trains, as real-time monitoring would make it difficult to stop these trains at unauthorized stations or outer signals.
  • Now it will not be possible to stop the goods trains at unauthorized stations. If someone stops the trains and steals oil and coal, he will be caught red-handed.
  • Earlier, the system used to monitor the movement of trains was done only when they used to pass from a particular station. It was difficult to tap the trains which halted between two stations.
  • However, with the new satellite surveillance the speed of the train and its location will be available in real time.
Delhi Govt approves new scholarship scheme for SCs
  • The Delhi Cabinet approved a new scholarship scheme to provide financial assistance up to Rs 20 lakh to students from the Scheduled Caste community living in the national capital to pursue higher studies abroad.
  • The decision to provide Rs 5 lakh each student per year to 100 students for Ph.D, having a maximum limit of Rs 20 lakh, and Masters courses, having a maximum limit of Rs 10 lakh, was taken in the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
  • The students, below 30 years of age, with 55 per cent marks in Master Degree will be eligible for the Ph.D scholarship, while those with 55 per cent marks in Bachelors Degree will be eligible for the Master Degree.
  • The total family income from all sources should not exceed Rs eight lakh per annum.
  • After completion of the course, the candidate will have to submit the course completion certificate by the concerned Institution/University to the Secretary, Department for Welfare of SC/ST/OBC, Delhi.
Delhi cabinet nod to free DTC bus travel for women
    • The Delhi cabinet gave in-principle approval for a free ride to women in DTC and cluster buses starting October 29, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot announced.
    • The Cabinet gave the approval to the Department of Transport”s proposal in its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
    • Single journey duration passes will be issued to women passengers in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses.
    • For every pass, a reimbursement of Rs 10 will be made to the DTC. Similar payment in the designated account of cluster scheme for proper accounting of this facility will be done by the government.
    • The Cabinet has directed the DTC to propose suitable amendments in the DTC (Free and Concessional Passes) Regulations, 1985 subject to any alterations, if any, “so that the same may be notified in the official gazette”.
    • The Cabinet has also asked the DTC and the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) to strengthen their ticket checking mechanisms to ensure that the facility is not misused.
  • The free services will be also available for the airport and other special services along with for women passengers plying in the NCR region.

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August 31, 2019

Assam CM launches Fit India Movement
  • Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched the Fit India Movement at a programme organised by the sports and youth welfare department in association with the Kamrup Metro district administration.
  • CM Sonowal stated that the Fit India Movement organised on Khel Diwas is a tribute to Dhyan Chand who was born on this day and mesmerised the world with his fitness, stamina and hockey stick.
  • He also laid stress on transforming the Fit India Movement into a mass movement for generating awareness and good health and mind. He led the gathering present at the function in a pledge for fitness.
  • The Chief Minister further said that a good mind and good health lead to success and that through sports anybody can become strong.
Union govt announced the merger of 10 PSU banks into 4 banks
  • The government announced the mega-merger of 10 PSU banks into four, where the Punjab National Bank, the Oriental Bank of Commerce and the United Bank to merge become the second-largest PSB while the Canara Bank and the Syndicate Bank will amalgamate to make the fourth-largest PSU bank entity.
  • The Union Bank, the Corporation Bank, and the Andhra Bank will be merged to become the fifth-largest PSU bank and the Indian Bank and the Allahabad Bank merge to be the seventh-largest.
  • Post consolidation, the number of PSU banks will come down from 27 to 12 and this, according to Sitharaman, was “the right number of PSU banks to have”.
  • The mergers would help in better management of capital, she said, while announcing the merger proposal as a part of a package of reforms for the economy.
  • She also announced a series of governance reforms for government banks in the hope that the capital infused by the government into the lenders would result in “stronger banks”.She also announced a series of governance reforms for government banks in the hope that the capital infused by the government into the lenders would result in “stronger banks”.
  • She also announced a series of governance reforms for government banks in the hope that the capital infused by the government into the lenders would result in “stronger banks”.
  • The combined entities will control 82 per cent of all public sector banks and 56 per cent of all commercial bank businesses.

FACTFILE – Banking in India

  • Modern banking in India originated in the last decade of the 18th century. Among the first banks were the Bank of Hindustan, which was established in 1770 and liquidated in 1829–32; and the General Bank of India, established in 1786 but failed in 1791.
  • The largest and the oldest bank which is still in existence is the State Bank of India. It originated and started working as the Bank of Calcutta in mid-June 1806. In 1809, it was renamed as the Bank of Bengal. This was one of the three banks founded by a presidency government, the other two were the Bank of Bombay in 1840 and the Bank of Madras in 1843. The three banks were merged in 1921 to form the Imperial Bank of India, which upon India’s independence, became the State Bank of India in 1955.
  • In 1960, the State Banks of India was given control of eight state-associated banks under the State Bank of India (Subsidiary Banks) Act, 1959. These are now called its associate banks.
  • In 1969 the Indian government nationalised 14 major private banks; one of the big banks was Bank of India. In 1980, 6 more private banks were nationalised.
  • The Indian banking sector is broadly classified into scheduled and non-scheduled banks. The scheduled banks are those included under the 2nd Schedule of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
  • The scheduled banks are further classified into: Nationalised banks; State Bank of India and its associates; Regional Rural Banks (RRBs); foreign banks; and other Indian private sector banks.
Microsoft partnered with IIT Roorkee to conduct lectures on quantum computing
  • Microsoft partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee to conduct lectures on quantum computing for a full semester. IITs BTech and MTech students can choose the course as a pool elective.
  • The course, which has been structured by IIT Roorkee and Microsoft Garage at Hyderabad, will provide the students, access to “Q# Programming Language” practical examples, Microsoft Quantum Development Kit and Microsoft Quantum Faculty.
  • The Garage is a resource to Microsoft employees that supports experimentation and encourages problem solving in new and innovative ways, ultimately empowering people to achieve more.
  • Microsoft”s quantum computing programme which has been running for more than 15 years, helps students understand the technology, develop practical applications and build the quantum workforce of the future.
  • The experts from the company will provide engineers at IIT Roorkee a unique approach to learn quantum computing with real-world experiments and access to tools.

FACTFILE – Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee)

    • Formerly University of Roorkee and Thomason College of Civil Engineering, is a public engineering university located in Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India
    • Established in 1847 in British India by the then lieutenant governor, Sir James Thomason, it is the oldest technical institution in Asia.
    • It was given university status in 1949 and was converted into an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in 2001, thus becoming the seventh IIT to be declared.
  • IIT Roorkee has 22 academic departments covering Engineering, Applied Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences and Management programs with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.

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Assam Current Affairs – August 22 – 28, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – August 22 - 28, 2019

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

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August 22, 2019

NRL records highest ever revenue of Rs 18,511 crore
  • The Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) has recorded the highest ever revenue from operations of Rs 18,511 crore during the year 2018-19, registering a growth of 16.25 per cent over the previous year. However, the profit after tax for the financial year was marginally lower at Rs 1,968 crore as compared to last year.
  • This was revealed at the 26th annual general meeting of the NRL, which was held at its corporate office in Guwahati on Friday. The meeting was presided over by D Rajkumar, Chairman and Managing Director – Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and Chairman, NRL and was attended by Managing Director SK Barua, other members of the NRL Board and shareholders of the company.
  • The company has declared a total dividend of Rs 17 per share for the year 2018-19.
  • The earnings per share (EPS) for the year stood at Rs 27.79, while the net worth of the company at the close of the financial year 2018-19 reached Rs 5,551 crore, signifying strong economic fundamentals.
  • The NRL’s contribution to the Central and State exchequers in the form of taxes, duties and dividends during the year 2018-19 has been Rs 4,159 crore.
  • The NRL recorded highest ever sales volume of 2,978 TMT during the year 2018-19 surpassing the previous high of 2,912 TMT in 2017-18. High speed diesel sales reached an all-time high of 1,949 TMT, while paraffin wax sales was 36 TMT, including export of 8 TMT. By the year-end, 35 countries were included in the list of NRL’s wax export market. 80 TMT gas oil (diesel) was exported to Bangladesh from it’s terminal at Siliguri.
  • In recognition to its outstanding performance in different spheres of activities, NRL was conferred several awards and accolades during the year. They include the ‘Fastest Growing Miniratna of the Year 2018’ recognition by Dalal Street Investment Journal; ‘Governance Now PSU Award’ for Best Miniratna PSU in Strategic Performance; ‘Refinery Performance Improvement Award’ by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and ‘Dun & Bradstreet PSU Award’ for best overall Miniratna.
  • The project also includes simultaneous laying of over 2,000 km of pipeline for transporting imported crude oil from Paradeep port in Odisha to Numaligarh and then to facilitate evacuation of products from Numaligarh to Siliguri in West Bengal, making NRL an active player in the midstream section.
  • The year 2018-19 also marked the beginning of a few strategically important projects for NRL. The ground breaking ceremony for the 130-km Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline, for transporting products from Siliguri Marketing Terminal to Bangladesh, was held in September 2018 in the presence of Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh through video conferencing.
  • Assiduous efforts to establish the first bamboo biomass-based 2G Bio Refinery Plant in the country was brought to realisation with the formation of the joint venture company – ‘Assam Bio-Refinery Pvt Ltd’ – in June 2018.
  • The NRL also took its first steps in the upstream business of exploration and production under Open Acreage Licensing Policy/Discovered Small Field rounds. After due diligence, the company is now in the process of acquiring 20 per cent participatory interest in Namrup Block from M/s Oil India Limited for which farm out agreement has already been signed.
Rajiv Gauba appointed as the new Cabinet Secretary
  • The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Mr Gauba as the Cabinet Secretary with a tenure of two years from 30th of this month.
  • Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba will be the new Cabinet Secretary. Mr Gauba who is a 1982 batch IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre will replace P.K. Sinha.
  • It has also approved the appointment of Mr Gauba as Officer on Special Duty in the Cabinet Secretariat from the date of his assumption of charge till he takes over as Cabinet Secretary. 

FACTFILE – Cabinet Secretary of India

  • The Cabinet Secretary is the top-most executive official and senior-most civil servant of the Government of India.
  • The Cabinet Secretary is the ex-officio head of the Civil Services Board, the Cabinet Secretariat, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), and all civil services under the rules of business of the government.
  • The Cabinet Secretary is the senior-most cadre post of the Indian Administrative Service, ranking eleventh on the Indian order of precedence.
  • The Cabinet Secretary is under the direct charge of the prime minister. Since 2010, the Cabinet Secretary’s term length was extended to a maximum of four years.
Ajay Kumar appointed as Defence Secretary
  • The government has appointed Ajay Kumar as Defence Secretary. Ajay Kumar, is a 1985 batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre and is currently serving as Secretary, Department of Defence Production.
  • He will succeed Sanjay Mitra, upon completion of his term. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointments.
  • Brij Kumar Agarwal has been appointed as Secretary to the Lokpal and Subash Chandra as Secretary of Department of Defence Production. 
MoUs signed to push agri-entrepreneurship in Odisha
  • State-owned Agricultural Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Ltd (APICOL) signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to promote agriculture entrepreneurship and enhance the income of farmers.
  • One MoU was signed with Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), a non-government organisation, to promote entrepreneurial ventures at the grassroots level.
  • The scheme will operate in 40 tribal dominated blocks spread over 12 districts on a pilot basis to promote entrepreneurial ventures at the grassroots level.
  • Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO), farmer interest groups and small and marginal Farmers will be assisted by the Agriculture Entrepreneurs (AE) for increasing the income of farmers through enhanced production and productivity in agriculture and allied sectors.
  • Another MoU was signed between APICOL and CSC e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC-SPV) for successful implementation of the Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana (MKUY).
  • CSC-SPV, a central government undertaking, will help in implementation of the Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana launched in June last year with the objective to establish more commercial agri-enterprises in the state.
Telangana inks pact with Google to increase local language use in Google tools
  • Google India and the Telangana Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve and get more local language content online using Google’s digital publishing tool, Navlekha.
  • As part of the MoU, Google will work with the state government to help digitise the government”s content in Telugu to make it easier for the common man to get access to all the information and services on government sites in their local languages.
  • Besides, Google will also collaborate with the government to support its digital literacy vision and aid in the overall digitization agenda of the state.
  • Google will also be involved in providing technical mentorship and advisory support to various government departments for successful implementation of multiple digital projects.
Millennium City Marathon partners with MCG to promote water conservation
  • The Millennium City Marathon (MCM) will be partnering with the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) to promote water conservation.
  • Milind Soman, who completed the Ironman challenge in 2015 and the ULTRAMAN in Florida in 2017 along with Abhishek Mishra, will join the marathon as the brand ambassador.
  • The fifth edition of the Millennium City Marathon (MCM) to be held on December 1.
  • In a first, the marathon will also have a Kids’ run category. The 5km timed race will be open for children aged 12 years and above.

August 23, 2019

Miyawaki method of afforestation launched at Amingaon
  • Environment, Forest & Wildlife Minister Parimal Suklabaidya inaugurated a Miyawaki method afforestation programme at Amingaon.
  • The innovative plantation method pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, aims at building a forest in a considerably very short period of time, and the method has been adopted under Guwahati Refinery’s Swachhta Pakhwada observance.
  • As part of the initiative, Guwahati Refinery will plant 5,000 saplings of indigenous plants at the site with an aim to build a small forest resonating with Indian Oil’s theme ‘Lungs of Guwahati City’.
e-Visa facilitation centre to be set up in Champhai
  • The Mizoram Government will set up an e-Visa centre in Champhai near the Myanmar border to facilitate issuing of visa online for entry into Myanmar.
  • The proposed e-Visa facilitation centre will be set at the Champhai district deputy commissioner’s office within one or two months from now.

 

PM Modi embarks on 3-nation visit
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a three nation tour to France, UAE and Bahrain. The Prime Minister will hold high level meetings with the top leadership of the three countries and will also attend G7 summit in France.
  • In the first leg of his tour, Prime Minister Modi will arrive in Paris where he will hold bilateral meetings with President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.
  • On UAE, there would be comprehensive talks with His Highness the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The Crown Prince and PM would be releasing a stamp to mark Bapu’s 150th Jayanti.
  • In Bahrain there would be interactions with the Indian diaspora andattend the special ceremony marking the re-development of the temple of Lord Shreenathji, among the oldest temples in the Gulf region.
Nepal, India ink MOU on food safety
  • Nepal and India inked an agreement on food safety standards, while India handed over cheques amounting to Rs 3.74 billion for two projects, including reimbursement for post-quake reconstruction, during the Fifth Nepal-India Joint Commission meeting.
  • The Fifth Nepal-India Joint Commission meeting was attended by Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Nepalese counterpart Pradeep Kumar Gyawali.
  • The two sides inked a memorandum of understanding on food safety between the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control of Nepal and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
  • The Indian government handed over a cheque of Nepali Rs 2.45 billion towards reimbursement to the Nepal government for post-earthquake housing reconstruction in Nuwakot and Gorkha districts.
  • The Indian government handed over another cheque Nepali Rs 1.29 billion towards strengthening road infrastructure in the Tarai region of Nepal.

 

CSC signs MOU with Ministry of Panchayat
  • The Common Service Centre SPV (CSC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to convert all gram panchayats into digital panchayats.
  • Besides supporting the over 2.5 lakh gram panchayats in data digitisation, the CSC will also ensure speedy delivery of all panchayat-level services.
  • This MoU will also act as a catalyst in promoting Rural BPOs in every gram panchayat.
  • The gram panchayat bhawans will host the CSCs so that all government services and social schemes are made easily available to villagers.
  • The CSC will help all gram panchayats to regularly update all Ministry of Panchayati Raj applications and provide them online services.
  • These CSCs in the panchayat buildings will regularly update data for all schemes and programmes being run by the Central and State governments.
  • The CSC will help all gram panchayats to regularly update all Ministry of Panchayati Raj applications and provide them online services.
  • These CSCs in the panchayat buildings will regularly update data for all schemes and programmes being run by the Central and State governments.
  • The MoU will also ensure that the CSCs will maintain records of all gram panchayats in digital format, besides supporting them in conducting various surveys.
  • The CSCs will also work as digital literacy centres for all elected representatives of gram panchayats.
  • The CSC will also be responsible for overall project management, monitoring and coordination with the ministry, the state government, other ministries and gram panchayats.
  • The CSC is a strategic cornerstone of the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP), approved by the government in May 2006, as part of its commitment to introduce e-governance on a massive scale. The CSCs would provide high quality and cost-effective video, voice and data content and services, in the areas of e-governance, education, health, telemedicine, entertainment as well as other private services.

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August 24, 2019

Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd bags honours at Bangkok meet
  • Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd (APL), a state government undertaking located at Namrup and a pioneer petrochemicals company in the entire North East, received two awards during an international seminar on “Indo-Thai Economic Cooperation” held at Bangkok, Thailand.
  • Institute of Economic Studies (IES) conferred two prestigious awards – International Icon Award 2019 to APL managing director Ratul Bordoloi and Gold Medal to APL for its remarkable steps in the field of methanol economy as well as for India’s first green and clean fuel pilot project of methanol cooking stove.

FACTFILE – Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited

  • Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited is a semi-governmental Indian company with major stakes held by Government of Assam, Oil India Limited and Assam Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC).
  • The company was incorporated in 1971 and by 1976 had started production at their small methanol plant located at Namrup along with formaldehyde and a few urea-formaldehyde resins like urea-formaldehyde glue and urea-formaldehyde moulding powder. Post expansion in 1989 and 1998, the company expanded the methanol plant to the capacity of 100TPD (tonnes per day) and formaldehyde plant to 100TPD.
  • The company announced in September 2017 that it would invest ₹1,337 crore (US$190 million) and expand to produce 500TPD methanol and 200TPD formalin and become the largest producer of methanol in India.
  • Natural gas, supplied by Oil India Ltd, is used as feedstock for methanol production. Urea and carbon dioxide are supplied by Namrup Fertilizer Plan.
  • APL marked a new era in the field of alternative cooking fuel and methanol economy as well by launching Asia’s first canister-based and India’s first methanol cooking stove.
  • APL has also introduced methanol as an alternative fuel in tea factories and started a pilot project at the Tocklai Tea Research Institute, Jorhat.
Delhi Lt. Governor launches safety app for city travelers
  • Delhi Lt. Governor Anil Baijal launched a “QR Code Scheme” called Himmat Plus designed to enhance the safety and security of commuters, particularly of women, travelling in the yellow and black taxis and auto-rickshaws from airports, as well as Railway and Metro stations in the national capital.
  • Around 3,000 auto-rickshaws and taxis are now associated with this initiative.
  • Explaining the objective of the scheme, Railways Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Dinesh Kumar Gupta said the purpose of developing this application was to provide quick emergency help to Delhi citizens.
  • The citizens can avail this service just by downloading and registering on the app at no cost. Once users complete the registration, they can avail emergency help with just a click.

Former PM Manmohan Singh takes oath as Rajya Sabha member
  • Former Prime Minister and Congress leader Manmohan Singh took oath as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan.
  • Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu administered the oath in presence of many senior Congress leaders.
  • Interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ahmed Patel attended the oath ceremony held in the chairman’s chamber.
  • The 86-year-old was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan where the Congress has a slim majority in the state Assembly.
Odisha announces Rs 500 crore package for Puri city
  • Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced a package of Rs 500 crore to develop Puri as a World Heritage city.
  • The package focused on a range of modernisation plans that include infra development, multi-lane road, bridges, multi level parking, amenities, revival of Musa river, rehabilitation of the affected people in security zone, renovation of lakes and Mathas.
  • As per the announcement, new link road connectivity from Puri bypass from Malatipatpur to Jagganath Ballav Matha will be built at a cost of Rs 190 crore. This 1.5 km iconic link will be connected by a Trumpet Bridge.
  • The Jagganath Ballav Matha will be developed as an attractive pilgrim centre with multi-level car parking, amenities, commercial and meditation space and multi-modal hub at a cost of Rs 180 crore.
  • Musa river will be revived and connected to Mangala river at a cost of Rs 85 crore.Besides, Atharnala will be developed as an iconic pedestrian heritage bridge with the support of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
  • The government has also planned to develop a lake on 28 acres of land at a cost of Rs 35 crore.Many heritage lakes of Puri such as Sweta Ganga, Markanda, Narendra and Indradyumna will be renovated and heritage sites will be preserved.
Russia launches 1st ever floating nuclear power plant
  • Russia has launched the world’s only floating nuclear power plant, built to withstand tsunamis and crashes with icebergs, despite criticism by environmentalists who consider it a time bomb comparable to the Chernobyl nuclear station.
  • The Akademik Lomonosov set sail from the northern White Sea port of Murmansk and was headed for Pevek in the Chukotka region some 4,700 km away.
  • The floating nuclear power station measuring 472 feet in height and 98 feet abeam, and which is being towed by two icebreakers, will call in at its destination port in three weeks and will begin to generate electricity in December.
  • With a combined power of 70 megawatts and 50 gigacalories, the plant has the capacity to provide electricity for a city of almost 100,000 inhabitants.
  • Once it begins operations, the nuclear power plant, which will remain at anchor but attached to port infrastructure on land, will remain active for 40 years.
Government announces major steps to boost MSMEs
  • Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced measures to boost the subdued micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector.
  • Sitharaman announced that all pending GST refunds due to MSMEs will be paid within 30 days.
  • All future GST refunds shall be paid within 60 days from the date of application.
  • Public sector banks will issue an improved one-time settlement (OTS) policy based on “check box” approach to benefit MSME borrowers in settling their overdues.
  • The government has also decided to soon shift to a single definition for MSMEs.

August 25, 2019

Imphal Airport to be renamed Bir Tikendrajit International Airport
  • The eighth session of the 11thManipur Legislative Assembly took a major decision to rename the Imphal International Airport as Bir Tikendrajit International Airport. Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who is also the Leader of the House, moved a resolution and it was supported by Leader of Opposition O Ibobi Singh.
  • The Imphal airport, located about 7 km south of the state capital, is the second largest and second busiest airport in the North East after Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati. More than 10 flights operate from Imphal daily.

FACTFILE – Bir Tikendrajit

  • Tikendrajit Singh (29 December 1856 – 13 August 1891) also known as Koireng was a prince of the independent Kingdom of Manipur in present-day northeastern India.
  • He was the commander of the Manipuri army and engineered a palace revolution that led to the events known as the Anglo-Manipur War of 1891 or the ‘Manipur Expedition’.
  • Bir Tikendrajit was a prince of the then kingdom of Manipur who was sentenced to death for waging war against the British in 1891.
Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley passed away
  • Former Finance Minister and senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley passed away on 24th August at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
  • The minister had complained of trouble in breathing, following which he was admitted to the institute.
  • He was being attended by a team of endocrinologist, nephrologist and cardiologist and was kept under observation since then.
  • Jaitley proved to be one of the most important leaders in the Vajpayee and Modi governments. He was the go-to troubleshooter in their cabinets.

 

PM Modi releases Mahatma Gandhi stamps,launches Rupay card in UAE
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi released postage stamps on Mahatma Gandhi to commemorate his 150thbirth anniversary in the presence of Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
  • India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) share values of peace, non-violence and pluralism. The fact that the Gandhi stamp is launched as the UAE celebrates the Year of Tolerance has special significance.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi also launched the RuPay card making the UAE the first country in the Middle East to initiate the Indian indigenous system of electronic payment. 
  • Modi launched the RuPay card by making a special purchase which he will offer as ‘prasad’ at the Shreenathji Temple in Bahrain.
  • An MoU to establish a technology interface between the payment platforms in India and UAE was exchanged between the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and UAE’s Mercury Payments Services in the presence of the prime minister.

FACTFILE – RuPay

  • RuPay is a card scheme, conceived and launched by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on 26 March 2012.
  • It was created to fulfil the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) vision to have a domestic, open and multilateral system of payments.
  • RuPay facilitates electronic payment at all Indian banks and financial institutions.
  • NPCI maintains ties with Discover Financial, JCB to enable RuPay card scheme to gain international acceptance.
  • In India, 90% of credit card transactions and almost all debit card transactions are domestic; however, the cost per transaction was low with RuPay compared to the foreign card schemes.
  • RuPay cards are accepted in India, Singapore, Bhutan, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain etc.
  • RuPay cards are accepted at 97% of all PoS terminals in India. RuPay has partnered with 39 PoS-acquiring banks in India to accept their cards at PoS terminals located at different merchant locations.
 

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August 26, 2019

Cachar district selected for Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao project
  • Cachar District has been selected by the Central Government as one of the project districts in the State for implementation of the flagship scheme ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao'(BBBP) to empower the girl child, said Deputy Commissioner Laya Madduri.
  • DC Madduri said, “Empowerment of girl child has been a challenge as well as an opportunity for us here as well across the state and the country overall. Along with Dhemaji, the inclusion of the district as one of the project destinations on a pilot run gives us the scope to bring in certain vital measures towards the cause. A detailed action plan has been prepared which would be implemented soon.”
  • Elaborating further on this, Madduri said that the campaign would kick off within the next fortnight and the execution would be in two simultaneous broad categories. “We would get support from the Unicef for training the human resources to create district-level resource persons to augment gender sensitization. Also, the formation of Gudda-Guddi board and #Silcharkibeti campaign are in the scheme of things, the Deputy Commissioner maintained.”

FACTFILE – Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao

  • Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao is a campaign of the Government of India that aims to generate awareness and improve the efficiency of welfare services intended for girls in India.
  • The scheme was launched with an initial funding of ₹100 crore (US$14 million).
  • According to census data in India, the child sex ratio (0–6 years) in India was 931 girls per 1,000 boys in 2001, which dropped to 918 girls for every 1,000 boys in 2011.
  • A 2012 UNICEF report ranked India 41stamong 195 countries. In the Population Census of 2011 it was revealed that the population ratio of India 2011 is 919 females per 1000 of males. The Sex Ratio 2011 shows a downward trend from the census 2001 data.
Centre launched 85 people-oriented development schemes in Jammu and Kashmir
  • The Centre launched 85 people-oriented development schemes, like PM-KISAN, PM-KISAN-Pension, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana and Stand-Up India, in Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The government aims to achieve 100 per cent coverage of these schemes, which come under 21 ministries, within one month.
  • A slew of insurances schemes, including the Atal Pension Yojana, has also been introduced in the newly carved Union Territory and the government plans to provide electricity to all the J&K households.
  • Governor Satya Pal Malik said, “As we march to a new and bright future, I want every resident of J&K to benefit from the changes that have been made. I want every eligible individual to be covered by the development programmes being implemented by the Government of India all over the country, including J&K.

 

PV Sindhu becomes First Indian to Win BWF World Championships Gold
  • PV Sindhu became the first Indian to win the BWF World Championships, crushing Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara 21-7, 21-7 in just 38 minutes in a one-sided final.
  • With the win, Sindhu now has a full set of medals at World Championships – two bronze medals, two silver medals and a gold medal.
  • Sindhu’s gold is the second medal that India won at the Worlds this year with Sai Praneeth winning a bronze in men’s singles category.
  • This is Sindhu’s fifth medal at the World Championships, which is the joint highest in women’s singles in the history of the tournament along with Xhang Ning of China, a two-time Olympic gold medallist.
  • Apart from the two silvers, Sindhu won in the last two editions, she had also won the bronze in 2013 and 2014.

FACTFILE – The BWF World Championships

  • The BWF World Championships, also known as the World Badminton Championships is a badminton tournament sanctioned by Badminton World Federation (BWF).
  • The tournament offers the most ranking points, together with Summer Olympic Games.
  • The winners will be crowned as the “World Champions” and awarded gold medals. However, it does not offer any prize money.
 PM Modi conferred with top Bahraini award
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa in recognition of New Delhi”s strong friendship with the Gulf nation and his efforts to strengthen bilateral ties.
  • Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Bahrain.
  • Modi and the Bahraini King reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations.
  • Three MoUs were also inked, in the field of space, culture, the International Solar Alliance and RuPay card.
  • The three MoUs were on: Statement of Intent on collaboration between Indian Space Research Organisation and National Space Science Agency in the area of Space Technology,Statement of Intent on collaboration of the Kingdom of Bahrain with International Solar Alliance (ISA),Cultural Exchange Programme between India and Bahrain.
  • The Prime Minister also spent time at the Shreenathji Krishna temple in Manama, which is being renovated. Modi also interacted with the Indian community at the temple.

August 27, 2019

IIT Guwahati, RD Grow ink MoU on water purification technology
  • Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RD Grow Green India Pvt Ltd on technology transfer for chemical-free treatment technique of drinking water.
  • The agreement was signed recently at the institute’s North Guwahati campus between Dr TG Sitharam, Director of IIT Guwahati, and Rajeev Saikia, Managing Director of RD Grow Green India Pvt Ltd.
  • “Drinking water contamination is a major problem in most of the States, including Assam. This ‘chemical free’ treatment technique might be useful to the citizens in the rural and urban areas. I appreciate the initiative made by the team from IIT Guwahati that has resulted in one of the successful incubations of a company, RD Grow Green India Pvt Ltd, within IIT Guwahati, which has taken up the challenge to supply contaminant-free drinking water in Assam using the technology,” said Dr Sitharam.
  • The technology is based on the ‘Apparatus and Method for Removal of Fluoride, Iron, Arsenic and Microorganisms from Contaminated Drinking Water’ developed by Prof Mihir Kumar Purkait of the Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Guwahati. The technology is patented by Prof Purkait under the Indian patent ‘Number: 286481’.
  • Explaining the technology, Prof Purkait said, “In electro coagulation process, an applied potential generates the coagulant species in situ as the sacrificial metal anode (aluminium or iron) dissolves, while hydrogen is simultaneously evolved at the cathode. Coagulant species aggregate the suspended particles or precipitate and adsorb dissolved contaminants.”
  • Tiny bubbles of hydrogen and oxygen that are formed during electrolysis of water collide with air bubbles which compel the pollutant particles to float.

FACTFILE – Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati

  • IIT Guwahati is a public institution established by the Government of India, located in Guwahati, in the state of Assam in India.
  • It is the sixth Indian Institute of Technology established in India.
  • IIT Guwahati is officially recognised as an Institute of National Importance by the government of India.
  • The history of IIT Guwahati traces its roots to the 1985 Assam Accord signed between the All Assam Students Union and the Government of India, which mentions the general improvement in education facilities in Assam and specifically the setting up of an IIT.
  • IIT Guwahati was established in 1994 by an act of parliament and its academic programme commenced in 1995.
Sapta Shakti Natural Park opened in Jaipur
  • Lieutenant General Cherish Mathson, GOC-in-C, Sapta Shakti Command, inaugurated the Sapta Shakti Nature Park.
  • On the occasion, an information booklet containing details of plants, migratory birds and evolution & execution of the project was also released by Mareena Mathson, Regional President, Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA).
  • In April the General Mathson noticed a natural wet land near the Dravyavati Sewage Treatment plant teeming with birds including few migratory birds.
  • The idea of developing it into a nature’s park was conceived. Harsh Vardhan, famous ornithologist of Rajasthan, too contributed his expertise and supervised the plan.
  • After three months, there are over 1,500 trees, two ponds, panoramic view point for sunrise and sunset and about 30 different varieties of birds, which form the Nature Park.
  • Besides serving as a source of oxygen, it has attracted large number of migratory birds as well. A complete eco-system has been created.

Punjab launches plantation drive to mark 550th Prakash Parva
  • Punjab has begun a plantation drive of flower trees in Sultanpur Lodhi to mark the 550th Prakash Parva of Guru Nanak Dev in November.
  • Under this project 550 saplings of ”gulmohar” and ”amaltas” will be planted, out of which nearly 300 have already been planted, in the historic Gurudwara Sri Ber Sahib and the banks of the holy Bein river, besides flower beds for providing a picturesque view to millions of devotees likely to converge there.
  • Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner D.P.S. Kharbanda said 1,100 MGNREGA workers have been involved to undertake the plantation of four lakh flowering plants all along the Bein river facing Gurdwara Sri Ber Sahib.
  • Apart from this, flowers of celosia, cristata, French marigold lemon, French marigold, orange Celosia plumosa, gomphrena purple and cosmos bippinatus varieties will be planted in the flower beds spread over nearly four acres on the outskirts of Bassowal village.
  • It has also been decided to write 550 on an elevated soil platform by planting marigold flowers in commemoration of this sacred occasion. All the flowers being planted would blossom during the last week of October till January.

Tamil Nadu government launches Education TV channel
  • Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami said the state government”s 24-hour Education TV channel will broadcast not only programmes that are related to studies but also about skill development as well as suggestions to parents.
  • Palaniswami said a sum of Rs 1.35 crore was spent on procuring modern cameras, drones and technical equipment for the channel.
  • The channel will have experts on different subjects clearing doubts and on tests to take to prepare for competitive exams, among others.

Tiktok, IIMC join hands to train budding media professionals
  • TikTok announced its partnership with Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) to train budding media professionals on the existing industry-wide challenges arising from the evolving social media landscape in India.
  • Under this partnership, TikTok and IIMC would organise a series of workshops with the students and professors of IIMC across its six regional campuses starting on August 26.
  • The workshops would feature a curriculum that incorporates insights and learnings shared by thought leaders from new media, internet-based companies and the educational institutional community.

FACTFILE – Indian Institute of Management Calcutta

  • Indian Institute of Management Calcutta is a public business school located in Joka, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
  • It was the first Indian Institute of Management to be established.
  • IIM Calcutta is the first and only triple accredited management school from India (and one amongst 86 such business schools globally.
  • It offers a two-year full-time MBA, Fellow Program in Management (equivalent to PhD), and Executive Post Graduate Diploma in Management (equivalent to executive MBA).

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August 28, 2019

IIT Guwahati, private firm find solution to Assam’s contaminated water
  • The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-G) has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with RD Grow Green India Private Ltd, which has made it possible to treat contaminated ground water without using any chemical.
  • Drinking water contamination is a major problem in most states, including Assam. This chemical-free treatment technique might be useful to citizens both in rural and urban areas.
  • The technology is based on the principle Apparatus and Method for Removal of Fluoride, Iron, Arsenic and Micro-organisms from Contaminated Drinking Water.
  • RD Grow Green India is an incubating company at the Technology Incubation Centre in IIT Guwahati and is working on this project for the treatment of contaminated drinking water and industrial effluents.
  • At least 24 districts in Assam currently face the problem of either arsenic or flouride contamination of ground water.
  • In the past announced many schemes to remove arsenic and fluoride contamination but none of them have proved effective.
Microsoft to train Govt techies in India
  • Microsoft India announced the “Digital Governance Tech Tour” programme to skill government IT officials in new-age technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and intelligent cloud computing,
  • Microsoft will organise a series of physical and virtual workshops to train 5,000 government IT personnel over a period of 12 months.
  • The programme was inaugurated during the “Digital Governance Tech Summit 2019” by Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog and Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
  • The “Digital Governance Tech Tour” will be open to technocrats and IT professionals across the entire government ecosystem, including employees of public sector undertakings, government partners as well as solutions/systems integrators.
  • Participants will learn a range of skills, including being able to move, transform and analyze data, design and deployment skills for end-to-end solutions, and monitoring and troubleshooting in the cloud, including a deep dive into the fundamentals of Azure Cloud.

Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya, India’s first woman DGP passes away
  • Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya, who created history as India’s first women Director General of Police (DGP), has died here after a brief illness.
  • The second woman IPS in the country after Kiran Bedi, Bhattacharya was a 1973 batch officer and created a record when she became the DGP, Uttarakhand in 2004 – the first female police officer in India to attain the position.
  • A native of Amritsar, Bhattacharya was keenly interested in joining the police force and went all out to achieve her ambition.
  • During her tenure as DGP of Uttarakhand, she supported the downtrodden, combated bias against women and implemented the policy of female home guards manning traffic.
  • During her 33-year-long police career, she was awarded the President’s Police Medal in 1997, served with the CISF and represented India at an InterPol meet in Mexico in 2004.

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Assam Current Affairs – August 15 – 21, 2019

Posted on by admin 
Current Affairs Assam – August 15 - 21, 2019

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of August 15 – 21, 2019 )

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August 15, 2019

‘Shillong Declaration’ adopted at 22nd National Conference on e-Governance
  • The 22nd edition of the National Conference on e-Governance held here concluded today. The two-day conference, attended by 535 delegates representing 28 States and all Union Territories, made the ‘Shillong Declaration’ in connection with the e-Governance.
  • The 10-point declaration is an outcome of the commitment made at the inaugural session on Thursday. It was prepared after two days of deliberations by participants representing States and Union Territories.
  • The 10-point ‘Shillong Declaration’ said that the Government of India and State governments would collaborate to improve the citizen’s experience with government services by promoting timely implementation of India Enterprise Architecture (IndEA) and implementing a single sign-on for interoperability and integration among e-Government applications throughout the country, to consolidate the successful State-level e-Governance projects and domain-based projects with the focus on replicating them as a common application software with configurable features, to ensure improvement in ease of living and ease of doing business by making a big shift in the role of the Government from service provider to service enabler.
  • It also agreed to take steps to enhance the activities of the Electronics Sector Skill Council in the North Eastern States and explore the possibility for opening an electronics skill centre in Shillong, to promote use of e-Office and move towards less paper State Secretariats in the North Eastern States and in the district-level offices, to improve the quality of delivery of e-Services in the North East to fulfill the vision of improved citizen experience.
  • The declaration further agreed to develop India as a global cloud hub and facilitate development of government applications and databases on cloud by default, to adopt emerging technologies for finding e-Governance solutions and to promote the Digital India Projects with focus on Smart Cities and Smart Villages through startups and smart entrepreneurship.
Rail Minister Piyush Goyal inducts first CORAS commandos in railways
  • Railway Minister Piyush Goyal inducted the Commando for Railway Security (CORAS) and promised to set up a commando training centre in Haryana to modernize and train commandos of the Railway Protection Force (RPF).
  • These CORAS commandos will be posted in Left extremist wing affected areas, northeastern region and Jammu and Kashmir where providing security to the passengers and the railway network is of utmost priority.
  • A new state-of-the-art commando training centre for RPF will be started in Jagadhri (in Haryana) which will have access to latest technology and equipment.
  • The RPF’s crack commando team of 1,200 officers will get the most modern equipment and world-class training. This will help train the other 60,000-65,000 fellow officers of RPF.
  • A network of CCTV cameras will be set up at every station.The link of these cameras will be given to the local stations, GRP, RPF, divisional office and even to the Minister’s office.
UP government signed a MOU with the Russian region of Zabaykalsky Krai
  • The Uttar Pradesh government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Russian region of Zabaykalsky Krai for cooperation in the fields of agriculture and food processing.
  • There are possibilities of development of agriculture and its allied areas in about 8 million hectares of far east Russia. This will open up investment opportunities in the region.
  • The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) are top research and development institutions in the field of agriculture and contract farming in India.
  • Their expertise and guidance will help in preparing the road map for integrated development of agriculture in far east Russia.
IIT Madras develops multimodal robot with human-like grasp
  • Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-Madras) researchers have developed a multimodal robotic system with good grasping, manipulation and locomotion abilities for use in industrial and field applications.
  • Called ‘GraspMan,’ the system comprises a pair of graspers that are capable of holding objects securely and manipulate it much like the human hand.
  • A prototype of the grasper has been fabricated at the Robotics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Design, IIT Madras, and the experimental results confirm manipulation capabilities of the robot.
  • Two such graspers, equipped with the robotic platform provides behavioural adaptation, which is the capability to change the locomotion behaviour to adapt to the environment.
  • The research is being led by Prof Asokan Thondiyath, Robotics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Design, IIT Madras with his student and Research Scholar Mr. Nagamanikandan Govindan.
  • This new class of robot developed by the IIT Madras team has various industrial applications such as pipe climbing and inspection, which involves climbing, holding and assembling, all of which are possible in their design.
  • The robotic platform features a multipurpose grasper that is designed to perform complex manipulation and locomotion tasks, without the need for dedicated motors for manipulation, locomotion, and grasping.

August 16, 2019

Centre to fund model tribal villages in Tripura
  • The Centre will provide financial assistance to the Tripura Government to raise ten tribal model villages covering eight districts of the State, said Tribal Welfare Minister Mever Kumar Jamtia.
  • The proposed model villages will have all modern facilities – all-weather roads, pucca houses, toilets, electricity, drinking water supply, community halls, market sheds, Internet and mobile telephone network. A sum of Rs 10 crore will be spent on each model village.
  • Once the project is implemented, all the model villages will be transformed into a mini township with all modern facilities available.
  • The project will also lay emphasis on socio-economic development of the villagers. Special focus will be given on agriculture, animal resources and vocational training to upgrade skills of the villagers.
  • The Ministry of Home Affairs has set up a high-powered modality committee to look into aspects of socio-economic and linguistic development of the indigenous people of the State.
  • The committee is learnt to have recommended establishment of 10 model villages to ensure welfare of the indigenous people.
Odisha Govt announces ”Mo Sarkar” Initiative
  • Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced a new initiative ”Mo Sarkar” based on 5T model of governance which will be implemented from coming Gandhi Jayanti.
  • The Chief Minister said that the new initiative will be implemented at all police stations and district headquarters hospitals in first phase from Gandhi Jayanti.
  • In the next phase, all the departments will execute the ”Mo Sarkar” initiative by March 5, 2020.
  • The state government is implementing the 5T model governance – Teamwork, Transparency, Technology, Time leading to Transformation.
  • Under ”Mo Sarkar” initiative, the Chief Minister and other Ministers would dial common citizens to seek their feedback on the kind of response they got during their visits to police stations and district headquarters hospitals.
  • He also announced that electricity connection will be provided to villagers within 48 hours of submission of application at concerned panchayat offices.
BRICS Minister of Environment Meeting
  • Acknowledging the importance of urban environmental management for improving quality of life in cities, the Environment Ministers of BRICS countries presented at the 5th Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) Minister of Environment Meeting held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, agreed to work together to resolve the multifaceted environmental issues faced by the BRICS cities
  • Speaking on the occasion, Indian Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar highlighted the path breaking work done by India in achieving its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
  • India is walking the talk on NDC’s and it has achieved reducing energy intensity by 25 percent  and already 78 Giga Watts  of renewable energy has been made possible.
  • The forest cover of the country has also increased by nearly 15,000 sqkm and tree cover outside the forest is increasing rapidly.

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August 17, 2019

Assam’s Golden Butterfly tea gets Rs 75,000 a kg
  • The Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) saw another record when a lot of 1 kg tea was sold at Rs 75,000. The tea – ‘Golden Butterfly’ – is a speciality tea and was produced by Dikom Tea Estate owned by Rossell Tea Company.
  • The tea is bought by one of the oldest tea shops in Guwahati – M/s Assam Tea Traders for their customers. They have bought a lot of speciality tea in the past auctions at high prices.
  • The tea is named Golden Butterfly because only the soft golden tips go into making this exceptionally rare and special tea. In the evenings, these exclusive tea bushes witness a fleet of butterflies and hence the name reflects the meticulous care and attention to crop husbandry in Dikom’s tea fields.
  • An exotic tea is judged by its aroma, taste and colour, and this tea is characterised by extremely mellow and sweet caramel flavour that matches the exoticness it deserves.
  • One of the oldest tea buyers in the State, Assam Tea Traders has been providing quality tea to the buyers across India and even abroad.
  • Last month, the Gold Special tea of Manohari Tea Estate was sold for Rs 50,000 a kg, and a day later, the Maijan Ortodox Golden Tea tips broke the record, fetching Rs 70,501 per kilogram.
IIT-Madras researchers working on power from estuaries
  • Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) are working on ‘Osmotic Power’ or power from estuaries, an alternative source of power.
  • Osmotic power generation is, based on the osmotic pressure that is generated when a semi-permeable membrane separates salt water from fresh water. This pressure can be converted into electricity.
  • The first osmotic power plant was built in 2009 in Tofte, Norway, and produced 4 kilowatt of power, which, while sufficient to perhaps run a clothes dryer, is inefficient for any large scale use.
  • The IIT-M team is trying to first produce membranes in the scale of square centimetres rather than square micrometres that are currently possible, with future plans to increase size further
  • This is based on the calculation that a single membrane, roughly one square meter wide, would generate enough power to light up 50,000 energy-saving light bulbs.
Indian Army emerges champion in Scout Masters contest
  • Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presented the champions trophy to the Indian Army team which won the 5th Army International Scout Masters Competition held at Jaisalmer Military Station from August 6 to 14 in which teams from Armenia, Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Sudan and Uzbekistan also participated.
  • The Indian Army team was selected and trained under the aegis of Southern Command.
  • The closing Ceremony of the Fifth Army International Scout Masters Competition was held in Jaisalmer in which Rajnath Singh was the chief guest.
  • The ceremony was attended by General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff, Lieutenant General S.K. Saini, Southern Army Commander, delegations of participating countries, members of the International Organising Committee and several civilian and military dignitaries.
  • The Defence Minister gave away the Champions Trophy to the winning Indian team, Runners Up Trophy to Uzbekistan and the Second Runners Up trophy to Russia.
  • The International Army Games are organised by the Ministry of Defence of Russia. This year the games have 32 disciplines to be hosted by 10 countries — Russia, India, China, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Iran, Mongolia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. India hosted Stage 2 of the games.

 

August 18, 2019

Meghalaya’s economy to double in 5 years, says state CM Conrad Sangma
  • Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government has clear vision to improve the well-being of every section of the society.
  • “I want to assure all of you that my government has a clear vision and strategy to improve the well-being of every section of the society including farmers, youth, entrepreneurs, elderly, school-going children, and citizens in rural areas,” Sangma said after unfurling the Indian flag and taking the salute at a parade here on the occasion of 73rd Independence Day.
  • “We are specifically focussing on Human development, Primary sector rejuvenation, Infrastructure expansion, Entrepreneurship promotion, Environmental protection and Governance reform,” CM Sangma said.
  • In order to achieve the goals and aspirations of the 3 million Meghalayans, the state’s economy needs to grow more strongly than in the past decade.
  • The present size of Meghalaya’s economy is about 30,000 Crore or 4.2 billion US dollar, the Indian economy will expand to 5 trillion dollars by 2024-25 in which Meghalaya’s economy also needs to double in the next five years and at least become 10 billion US dollars.
  • State’s growth rates should be higher than 10 percent in the next few years. To make such growth rates possible, investments by both the Government and Private Sector are necessary.

PM Modi launches several Projects in Bhutan, signs 9 MOUS

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Rupay card in Bhutan and signed nine memorandums of understanding (MoUs), including one on the ISRO-built earth station in Thimphu and a power purchase agreement.
  • One power purchase agreement for the Mangdechhu hydroelectric power plant was also signed between the two countries.
  • Modi and Bhutan Prime Minister jointly inaugurate the 720 MW Mangdechu Hydroelectricity Project in Bhutan.
  • One of the MOUs include establishment of SATCOM Network in Thimphu for the utilisation of South Asia Satellite.
  • Other MoUs include cooperation in aircraft accident and incident investigation, peering agreement, cooperation in judicial education and mutual exchanges, and academic and cultural interchange in the areas of legal education and research.
  • The Prime Minister also inaugurated the ground station built by India’s space agency ISRO to allow Bhutan to use the South Asian Satellite for communication and disaster management.
  • Modi also announced linking Bhutanese students and researchers to Indian universities.
  • Royal University of Bhutan and IITs will cooperate under this programme and five Post Graduate scholarships for Bhutanese students will be provided by the Nalanda University in Bihar for five years.
High-level committee for Defense procurement formed
  • A 12-member high-level committee has been formed by the Union government to revise and align the procedure of Defence procurement with the aim of strengthening the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
  • The panel headed by the Director-General (Acquisitions) has been tasked to review the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2006 and the Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) 2009.
  • The DPP contains policies and procedures for procurement and acquisition from the capital budget of the Defence Ministry in order to modernise the Armed Forces including the Coast Guard.
  • The DPM contains principles and procedures relating to procurement of goods and services for the Defence Services, organisations and establishments.
  • The panel will also include provisions in the policies in order to promote Indian start-ups and boost research and development.
  • Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the constitution of the panel that has been given six months to submit its report of recommendations.
  • The panel will examine and incorporate new concepts, such as life cycle costing, life cycle support, performance-based logistics, Information Communication Technology (ICT), lease contracting, codification and standardization.
Bihar signs MOU to set up lightning alert system
  • The Bihar State Disaster Management Authority (BSDMA) has signed an agreement with Bangaluru-based Earth Networks to set up a lightening forecast system in the state.
  • Earth Networks monitors and collects data on lightning strikes around the world.
  • Its system will inform the BSDMA, District Collectors, Municipal Officers and other public representatives about an impending lightening strike 30 minutes before its occurrence.
  • The authorities will then sends alerts on a mobile application, which will help save lives in the state.
 

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August 19, 2019

Assam CM launches state’s first CNG station in Dibrugarh
  • Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the first-ever CNG fuelling station of the state in Dibrugarh.
  • Sonowal said that to make Assam free from air pollution and to promote the use of clean and green fuel, State government is preparing a roadmap for setting up CNG fuelling station in all districts of the state.
  • The Government is working sincerely to promote the use of compressed natural gas in the state.
  • Making a pollution free state is one of the primary objectives of the government and therefore, the government, has been taking series of steps to make Assam free from the scourge of pollution and its manifestations.
Prof PJ Handique takes over as VC of Gauhati University
  • Assam Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi had appointed Prof PJ Handique as the new Vice Chancellor of the Gauhati University. He takes over the charge from the outgoing VC Dr Mridul Hazarika.
  • A biotechnologist of repute, Prof Handique obtained his PhD degree from Gauhati University in the year 1992. He did post-doctoral research on molecular biotechnology at Leicester University, UK, during 2005-06 in the laboratory of Prof JS Heslop-Horrison.
  • Dr Handique is one of the pioneers who worked for the development of biotechnology in Assam as well as in North East India. He has been involved in frontline areas of research in biotechnology for the last 30 years.
  • Currently he was working as a Professor of Biotechnology in GU. He was the Head of the Department of Biotechnology of the University during 2010-13.
  • During the same period, he was also the Member of Executive Council and Member of the Gauhati University Court; Chairman, DRC-Biotechnology and Chairman, CCS-Biotechnology. Besides, he worked as a ‘Coordinator–Administration and Logistics’ in the GUIST (2009-12).
  • The newly appointed VC shall hold his office for a period of five years or till he attains the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier, as per provision under the Gauhati University Act-1947.

BIOGRAPHY – Gauhati University

  • Gauhati University is located in Jalukbari, Guwahati, is the oldest and one of the most renowned universities in North East India.
  • It was established in 1948 as a teaching-&-affiliating university.
  • Starting with 18 affiliated colleges and 8 Post Graduate Departments in 1948, Gauhati University, today, has 39 Post Graduate Departments, besides IDOL (Institute of Distance and Open Learning), a constituent Law and Engineering College.
  • It has 341 affiliated colleges offering undergraduate and post graduate courses in the faculties of Arts, Science, Commerce, Law, and Engineering. Gauhati University is a member of the Association of Indian Universities and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
  • The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranked Gauhati University 65 overall in India and 42 among universities in 2019.
  • It is accredited grade “A” by National Assessment and Accreditation Council.
Union Govt notifies amended Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code law
  • The government has notified the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Act, 2019, under which a deadline of 330 days has been set for completion of corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP), including litigation and other judicial processes.
  • The new law aims to provide greater clarity on the permissibility of corporate restructuring schemes, rights and duties of authorised representatives of voters, manner of distribution of amounts among financial and operational creditors and the applicability of the resolution plan on all statutory authorities.
  • The “resolution plan” under the new law, mandates an explanation why the insolvency resolution of a corporate debtor is a growing concern and may include provisions for corporate restructuring — by way of merger, amalgamation or demerger.
  • It also mandates that votes of all financial creditors covered under Section 21(6A) shall be cast in accordance with the decision approved by the highest voting share (more than 50 per cent) of the financial creditors on present and voting basis.
  • The new law also makes the resolution plan binding on all stakeholders, including the Central government, any state government or local authority, to whom a debt in respect of payment of dues may be owed.
India and Bhutan agree on close coordination on security and national interests matters
  • India and Bhutan has agreed to maintain close coordination on matters linked to each other’s security and national interests, and emphasised on the hydro-power development as one of the important areas of mutually beneficial cooperation.
  • They reiterated their commitment during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Bhutan. Modi and Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering reviewed all aspects of the bilateral ties as well as other regional and international developments. They also reviewed the bilateral discussions on the Sankosh Reservoir hydroelectric project.
  • PM Modi reiterated India’s commitment to advancing the economic and infrastructural development of Bhutan.
  • The two Prime Ministers jointly released Bhutanese stamps, commemorating five decades of mutually beneficial Indo-Bhutan cooperation in hydro-power sector.
  • They also launched the facility for use of Indian RuPay cards in Bhutan, which would facilitate Indians’ travel to Bhutan by reducing the need to carry cash, boost the Bhutanese economy and further integrate the two economies.
  • The two Prime Ministers inaugurated in Thimpu the Ground Earth Station of the South Asian Satellite, constructed with the support of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
  • They also agreed to collaborate on the joint development of a small satellite for Bhutan and form a joint working group to implement the project and other related activities, including developing a geo-portal system for Bhutan for natural resources and disaster management, using remote sensing and geo-spatial data.
  • They also inaugurated the inter-connection between India’s National Knowledge Network and Bhutan’s Research and Education Network.

August 20, 2019

Assam CM Sonowal inaugurates Khagen Mahanta Udyan
  • Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated Khagen Mahanta Udyan – the park set up by the State government in memory of cultural doyen Khagen Mahanta at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati.
  • The programme was organised by Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra Society and the Cultural Directorate, Government of Assam.
  • Union Minister of State for Food Processing Rameswar Teli, Cultural Minister Naba Kumar Doley and noted singer and Khagen Mahanta’s son Angarag Mahanta also spoke on the occasion.
  • MP Queen Ojha and Media Adviser to the Chief Minister Hrishikesh Goswami were also present among other dignitaries in the programme.

FACTFILE – Khagen Mahanta Memorial Park

  • The Khagen Mahanta Smriti Udyan (Khagen Mahanta Memorial Park) is to be constructed at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra.
  • The Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra Society had submitted a proposal for the construction of the memorial park to the government an amount of Rs 1.5 crores in October 2015.
  • Finally, in March 2019, the work began at the Kalakshetra. While the structural work will be completed within the stipulated time, the beautification work will take some more time.

BIOGRAPHY – Khagen Mahanta

  • Khagen Mahanta was a singer and composer of folk and traditional music of Assam. Khagen Mahanta was a notable person in Assamese folk music and known as the “King of Bihu”.
  • His Bihu songs, Borgeet and other folk songs remain popular in Assam.
  • The artist, along with his wife Archana Mahanta and son Angaraag Mahanta who is known as Papon, represent one of the most influential families in Assamese music. He died on 12 June 2014.
  • He was also awarded the Sangeet Natak Academy award for folk and traditional music in 1992.Some of his awards/ recognitions are listed below: 1988 – Film Craft Award, 1992 – Sangeet Natak Academy, 1994 – Shrimoy Award, 1999 – Sangeetacharya
IIT Guwahati researchers develop oil-water separating device
  • The researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, (IIT-G) have developed two membranes that can separate oil and water.
  • The research, by Uttam Manna, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, IIT-G, and his team, comprising Avijit Das, Dibyangana Parbat and Arpita Shome.
  • The membranes – super-water repellent in air, and super oil-repellent in water — could separate complex mixtures of oil and water. The oil-water separation membranes could also be used in oil spill management.
  • Scientists have studied the surface structures of lotus leaves and fish scales to understand superhydrophobicity (super-water repellence) and superoleophobicity (super-oil repellence), to replicate them for oil-water separation applications.
  • Manna and his team also developed a system of ‘super liquid-repellent’ materials, by combining the lotus leaf superhydrophobicity and fish scale superoleophobicity.
  • Layer-by-layer deposition technique was used to obtain alternating layers of ‘chemically reactive polymeric nano-complex’ and ‘amino graphene oxide nanosheets’ on a stretchable and fibrous substrate.
  • These systems allow continuous, parallel and selective separation of oil-water mixtures, irrespective of surface tension, density, and viscosity of the oil phase and chemical complexity in the water phase.
IIT-Mandi developing technology to convert heat into electricity
  • Indian Institute of Technology Mandi researchers in Himachal Pradesh are developing thermoelectric materials that can efficiently convert heat into electricity.
  • Generating power from heat, for example, is attractive as there is a lot of energy that is generated through human activity in industries like power plants, home appliances and automobiles, where most of this heat is lost.
  • A research team led by Ajay Soni, Associate Professor (Physics) with the School of Basic Sciences, IIT-Mandi, is studying materials that can convert heat into electricity.
  • The team has been engaged in research on thermoelectric materials and many of its papers have been published in reputed peer-review international journals, including Applied Physics Letters, Physical Review B and Journal of Alloys and Compounds.
  • About 70 per cent of energy globally is wasted as heat and this heat is released into the environment, becoming one of the key drivers of global warming.
  • The trapping and conversion of waste heat into electricity can serve the dual purpose of energy self-sufficiency and environmental preservation.

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August 21, 2019

Tripura to build IT hub
  • Tripura will soon have an IT hub at the Old Central Jail land to ease the unemployment problem in the State, said the Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb in his speech on the occasion of Independence Day celebrations.
  • The State has a population of 37 lakh and over 7 lakh registered unemployed youths. He said the tender process for setting up the IT hub has already started and the Government is determined to build the project at the earliest.
  • “Once the project is completed, youths need not rush to Bengaluru, Hyderabad or Chennai to get jobs in the IT sector. There will a lot of jobs for local IT professionals,” Deb claimed.
  • The Chief Minister said that the Government has been giving due importance to the development of the transport sector in the State.
 President Ram Nath Kovind launches plantation drive
  • President Ram Nath Kovind planted a sapling of Maulsari in the Rashtrapati Bhavan Estate and launched a plantation drive as part of Van Mahotsav celebrations.
  • On the occasion, the President met students and urged them to encourage fellow citizens to plant more trees and reaffirm the commitment to a greener and sustainable planet.
  • As part of ”Van Mahotsav” celebrations, the President”s Secretariat over the next few weeks will be planting 3,252 trees and 2,962 shrubs in the President”s Estate
  • This will include ornamental and fruit trees such as Peepal, Neem, Maulsari, Champa, Gul Mohur, Mango, Chiko, Anjir and Amrud among others.
  • The President’s Estate, spread over 330 acres, harbours a rich biodiversity with noted trees of the Estate include Sita Ashok, Bistendu, Shisham, Gab, Gourd Trees, Wild Almond, Lemon-Scented Gum, Doon Siris and more.
DRDO hands over design of mobile metallic ramp to Army
  • Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over the design of Mobile Metallic Ramp (MMR) to the Indian Army at an event held at DRDO Bhawan.
  • DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy handed over the design of MMR to Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Devraj Anbu.
  • With a load-bearing capacity of 70 metric ton (MT), MMR has been designed and developed by DRDO’s premier research laboratory -Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES).
  • Based on requirements projected by Army for reducing mobility time for mobilising armoured vehicles.
  • The ramp will provide strategic mobility for armoured and mechanized units and formations of the Army.
  • It is portable, modular in design, which can be easily assembled or disassembled.
Punjab launches health insurance scheme
  • In a tribute to late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 75th birth anniversary, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh launched his government’s flagship universal health insurance scheme, benefiting nearly 46 lakh families, i.e. 76 per cent of the total population.
  • E-cards were handed over to the first 11 beneficiaries from Mohali district to kick-off the ”Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana”.
  • Which would entitle beneficiaries to avail annual cashless treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year, including pre-existing diseases.
  • The scheme is aimed at ensuring the best possible treatment to the beneficiaries free of cost.
  • With this scheme, Punjab has become the first state in the country to offer medical insurance cover to the maximum number of its people, the Chief Minister said.
  • It would cover a total of 20.43 lakh smart ration card holder families, in addition to 14.86 lakh families enrolled as per Socio Economic Caste Census Data, and 46,000 small traders, among others.
  • The scheme has also been extended to around 4,500 journalists accredited to the state or those holding yellow cards.

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Assam Current Affairs – August 08 – 14, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – August 8 - 14, 2019

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of August 8 – 14, 2019 )

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August 08, 2019

Assam CM lays foundation of one lakh houses under PMAY(G)
  • Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone of more than one lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Grameen) at a function held at the Sarusajai Sports Complex.
  • The Chief Minister handed over sanction letters for loan to one thousand Self Help Groups (SHGs) under the Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission and three thousand appointment letters to youths under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana`
  • The Panchayat and Rural Development department has set a target of making two lakh houses under the PMAY.
  • In the financial year 2019-20, of the total 1,94,338 registered houses, the State government has received sanctions for 1,22,304 houses.

FACTFILE – Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana (PMGAY),

  • Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana (PMGAY), previously Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY), is a social welfare flagship programme, created by the Indian Government, to provide housing for the rural poor in India. A similar scheme for urban poor was launched in 2015 as Housing for All by 2022.
  • Indira Awaas Yojana was launched in 1985 by Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, as one of the major flagship programs of the Ministry of Rural Development to construct houses for BPL population in the villages.
  • Modern technology like information communication and space technology are being used to make sure the accurate selection of beneficiaries.
  • PMGAY combines all of the following schemes together – Aadhaar platform, Skill India and Jan Dhan Yojana, and Make in India. Besides this, the government is also planning to deploy MGNREGA scheme to train and allocate labour
  • The Swachh Bharat and MGNREGA amongst other institutions funded totilets for the PMGAY scheme.
  • 1 crore pucca houses are to be constructed for the people of the rural areas in the next three years.
  • Totally, 4 crore households will be constructed under the PMAY-G scheme by the year 2022
  • The estimated total expenditure of PMAY-G is Rs.60,000 crore.
The New Consumer Protection Bill, 2019 passed in Parliament
  • The new Consumer Protection Bill, 2019 proposes penalty for celebrities endorsing false or misleading advertisements of a product, along the manufacturers of the products.
  • The Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha and was already approved by the Lok Sabha earlier. It will replace the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
  • A Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) will be set up to protect, promote and enforce consumer rights, under the Bill.
  • The CCPA will have an investigation wing headed by a Director General to inquire into violations of consumer rights and for imposing penalties.
  • The CCPA can impose a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh on celebrity endorsers and manufacturers for a false or misleading advertisement under Clause 21.
  • The authority can also order imprisonment of up to two years for false advertising.
  • In case of a repeat offence, the authority can impose a penalty of up to Rs 50 lakh and a jail term of up to five years.
  • Endorsers can be barred from promoting advertisements for up to a year, extending up to three years for repeat offenders.
  • The Bill defines “endorsement”, as any message, verbal statement, demonstration or depiction of the name, signature of an individual.
  • Endorsement can also be a depiction of the name or seal of any institution or organisation, which makes the consumer to believe that it reflects the opinion, finding or experience of the person making such endorsement.
RBI slashes lending rate by 35 base points to 5.40 %
  • The Reserve Bank of India reduced its key lending rates by 35 basis points, the RBI’s monetary policy committee (MPC) in its third policy review of the current fiscal reduced the repo, or short term lending rate for commercial banks, by 35 basis points to 5.40 per cent from 5.75 per cent.
  • The reverse repo rate was revised to 5.15 per cent, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the bank rate to 5.65 per cent.
  • On growth, the MPC reduced the growth forecast to 6.9 per cent from 7 per cent in FY2019-20.
  • The GDP growth for the first quarter of FY2020-21 is projected at 7.4 per cent.
  • Real GDP growth for 2019-20 is revised downwards from 7 per cent in the June policy to 6.9 per cent — in the range of 5.8-6.6 per cent for H1:2019-20 and 7.3-7.5 per cent for H2 – with risks somewhat tilted to the downside.
Rajasthan launches new higher education model
  • A new higher education model has been launched in Rajasthan for distribution of faculties and movable assets among the government colleges at the district level to rationalise the availability of resources.
  • Minister of State for Higher Education Bhanwar Singh Bhati inaugurated the model, titled Resource Assistance for Colleges with Excellence, in the presence of principals of colleges.
  • The colleges in need will submit their requirement to the nodal college in the district, which will send the teachers on deputation, if needed, and provide the facilities such as projectors, digital libraries, equipment and technicians
  • The model will help the colleges situated in small towns facing shortage of faculties and infrastructure.
  • Though the sanctioned posts of teachers in the government colleges are 6,500, the State at present falls short by about 2,000 teachers.
  • Until the additional posts are created and new appointments made, the RACE is expected to help channelise resources and ensure quality education.

August 09, 2019

Guwahati slips to 81st spot from 26th spot in Smart Cities list
  • The delay in starting the major projects under the Guwahati Smart City Limited (GSCL), has made Guwahati slump from the 26th position to the 81st in the list of smart cities in the last three years.
  • High officials of GSCL said that at the initial stage they had proposed some major projects like pan city, development of the Borsola Beel, development of the Bharalu river, development of the Deepor Beel, development of the Morabharalu river, development of the Brahmaputra riverfront, installation of smart bio-toilets and water ATMs, refurbishment of the Gandhi Mandap, etc.
  • But due to various technical reasons and delay caused by dragging official formalities, the GSCL could not start most of these projects except installation of bio-toilets and water ATMs along with refurbishment of the Gandhi Mandap.
  • Due to some technical reasons, the GSCL has handed over the Deepor Beel Development Project to the forest department. The forest department is yet to take any step to implement the project.
  • The GSCL is going to start developing the Brahmaputra riverfront and the pan city project soon. They have already obtained ‘no objection certificates’ from most of the line departments for these two projects and the work will start soon.
  • Under the Brahmaputra riverfront development project the GSCL will prepare a master landscape design for a 6-km stretch of the riverfront for development of a walkway, cycle track, jogging track, smart city pavilions, etc. It will also take bank protection measures along with various infrastructural works like development of viewpoint, water stairs, fountains, interactive pond, ramps, stairs, jetty, ferry terminals, kiosks, bridges over outflow structures, etc.
Delhi Cabinet approves Free wifi Hotspot in the Capital
  • The Delhi cabinet approved free WiFi hotspots across the national capital, there will be 11,000 hotspots all over the city.
  • A total of 4,000 hotspots will be installed at bus shelters and 7,000 in various colonies. Each of the 70 Assembly constituency will get 100 hotspots
  • The project, with an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore, will be on ground in three-four months.
  • Each user will get 15 gb limit per month.
  • About 200 users can use the hotspots simultaneously having a speed of 200 mbps in a radius of 50 meters.
  • The free WiFi will be an addition to what people are already getting from the telecom companies.
Indian firm develops MedGeneome Labs test to detect drug-resistant TB mutation
  • Genetic diagnostic and drug discovery research firm MedGeneome Labs claimed to have developed the first whole genomic sequencing-based test to detect early drug-resistant mutation in tuberculosis (TB) bacteria.
  • The breakthrough DNA test will enable a doctor to correctly prescribe the most effective drug to a TB patient without a time-consuming trial and error process.
  • The test is based on the whole genome sequencing of mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), the TB causing bacteria, to assess the mutations in bacteria”s genome and allows a clinician to determine which drug will work for a patient.
  • The conventional tests available in the country equip us to identify resistance in a limited fashion. Mtb (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) is slow-growing, taking 6-8 weeks for culture growth, thereby delaying not only TB diagnosis, but also the drug resistance testing.
  • Spit sequence is a culture-free method to identify Mtb and predict drug resistance in 10 days.
IIT-M, NIOT working on generating power from ocean waves
  • Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) and National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) are working towards developing better turbines that can harness the power of ocean waves to generate electricity.
  • The research is being headed at IIT-M by Dr Abdus Samad, Associate Professor, Department of Ocean Engineering, who works towards extracting energy from the ocean waves.
  • The recent research by IIT-M and NIOT, is being funded by Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, and focuses on improving the devices and machines used for wave energy harvesting.
  • The challenges to realising practical wave energy have been that while waves harbour copious energy, they are also unsteady and the ocean has unpredictable forces acting on the energy devices.
  • Efficient recovery of energy from waves hinges on improving the performance of devices that convert inconsistent wave movement to electricity.
  • The aerodynamic performance of the turbine plays a major role in the wave-to-wire conversion efficiency.
  • The turbine is the heart of the wave energy system and a huge amount of research works are done through fluid dynamic analysis, experimental system development, design, and tests.

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August 10, 2019

Indo-Bangla talks on NE connectivity with Chittagong
  • India and Bangladesh held preliminary discussions on the proposed new connectivity between the North Eastern States and the port city of Chittagong in Bangladesh.
  • The discussions took place during the delegation-level meeting held between Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and visiting Bangladesh minister Nurul Islam Sujan at the Rail Bhavan.
  • India and Bangladesh have decided to enhance railway connectivity between the two neighbours.
  • The Railway Minister announced that the frequency of the Kolkata-Dhaka Moitree Express and the Kolkata-Khulna Bandhan Express would be increased to meet growing demand of passengers from both countries.
  • On the proposed connectivity between the North East and Chittagong, the details would be firmed up during the visit of Bangladesh Prime Sheikh Hasina and Prime Minister Narendra Modi when the former is expected to visit India in October.
  • India and Bangladesh are in the process of laying a new railway line connecting Tripura and Bangladesh. Work had already started on the 45-km rail link between Agartala and Akhaura, a sub-district of Chittagong.
Two wildlife reserves near Mumbai declared as ‘Eco-Sensitive Zone’
  • The Centre has declared two wildlife sanctuaries near Mumbai as ”Eco-Sensitive Zone”(ESZ), according to Union Minister for Environment Prakash Javadekar.
  • There are 11 more such ESZs in Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh,
  • The two wildlife sanctuaries in Maharashtra are Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary (TWLS) and Tansa Wildlife Santuary (TWS), both lush green areas spread across several hundred square kms in Palghar and Thane districts adjoining Mumbai.
  • They also serve as the catchment areas for lakes and reservoirs supplying drinking water to the country”s commercial capital.
  • The total protected area of the TWLS is around 86 sq km and will have the ESZ of 67 sq km.
  • For the TWS, the total protected area would be around 305 sq kms with the ESZ of around 490 sq km which will also include 150 villages.
  • Both the TWLS and TWS are ranked as major habitats for several wildlife, including leopards.
  • Declaring an ESZ, or a buffer zone, around a wildlife reserve would help conserve the ecosystem since only agriculture, a few small scale industries and minor infra-works are permitted within the ESZ.
UP Govt plants 22 crore saplings in a day
  • Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a massive plantation drive by planting a sapling in Jaiti Khera village of Lucknow. The state government plans to create a world record by planting 22 crore saplings in a day.
  • The Chief Minister said that next year, the state would set a target of planting 25 crore saplings in a day.
  • He asked the forest officials to identify the trees that are over 100-year-old and take steps to preserve them as heritage trees.
  • A sum of Rs 100 crore had been provided from the Chief Minister”s Contingency Fund for the plantation drive, under which saplings planted have been geotagged to ensure monitoring of their growth.

August 11, 2019

J&K Re-organisation Act gets President”s approval
  • President Ram Nath Kovind gave his approval to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which was passed by the Parliament.
  • Notwithstanding the controversy, the Bill was passed in the Parliament with the Lok Sabha giving its nod after a little over seven hours discussion. The Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha earlier.

FACTFILE – Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019

  • The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 is an act of the Parliament of India. It contains provisions to reconstitute the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir, a part of the larger region of Kashmir, which has been the subject of dispute among India, Pakistan, and China since 1947, into two Indian-administered union territories, one to be called Jammu and Kashmir, and the other Ladakh, on 31 October 2019.
  • The introduction of the bill was preceded by a Presidential Order under the Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which superseded the 1954 Presidential Order.
  • A bill for the act was introduced by the Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, in the Rajya Sabha, on 5 August 2019. The bill was passed in Rajya Sabha the same day and was passed by the Lok Sabha on 6 August 2019.
  • The introduction of the bill was preceded by a presidential order under Article 370 of the Indian constitution that revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
Jharkhand govt launches direct money transfer scheme for small farmers
  • Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu launched the Jharkhand government’s ‘Mukhya Mantri Krishi Ashirwad Yojana’ under which money will be directly transferred into the bank accounts of farmers in the state
  • Under the scheme, beneficiaries having farm land of less than one acre to five acres, will get 5,000 to 25,000 rupees in their bank accounts.
  • As soon as Mr Naidu launched the scheme, money was transferred into the bank accounts of farmers, and some them showed their mobile phones with the money transfer message to the vice-president.
  • Mr Naidu said conservation of rainwater should be made people’s movement and hoped that farmers will use traditional method to help conserve ground water.
  • Praising the Centre and the state government’s efforts in protecting the interests of farmers, Mr Naidu stressed on the importance of developing village and recalled the efforts made by him when he was the Union Rural Development minister.
    Under the Mukhya Mantri Krishi Ashirwad Yojana, approximately 35 lakh farmers will benefit and by October 3,000 crore rupees will be sent in the accounts of the beneficiaries.
TCIL signs MoUs with Benin, Guinea
  • Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd, a PSU under Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, has entered into a strategic alliance with the African countries of Benin and the Republic of Guinea, as part of a larger pan-African e-network project on education and medicine.
  • A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed by President Ram Nath Kovind during the first ever state visit from India to Benin, Gambia and Guinea.
  • The MoU is for setting up of the e-VBAB Network as part of a larger pan African e-network project on education and medicine. The e-VBAB is e-vidhyabharti and e-arogyabharti (e-VBAB) network.
  • TCIL will, initially, extend free tele-education courses to about 15,000 African students and tele-medicine courses to 5,000 doctors and paramedics in Africa, which may be extended more on a self-sustainable model later after looking at its success.
  • The PAN African e-network project has been now renamed as e-Vidya Bharati and e-Arogya Bharati (e-VBAB) Network Project.
  • The Ministry of External Affairs has initially proposed to start a pilot project with 14 African countries namely Ghana, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Zambia, Uganda, South Sudan, Liberia, Benin, Republic of Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mozambique and Sudan. TCIL has initially signed an MoU with two countries — Benin and The Republic of Guinea – during the President’s recent visit to West Africa.
 

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August 12, 2019

Government signs peace pact with Tripura terror outfit National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT)
  • A tripartite Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) was signed in New Delhi between the Central and Tripura governments and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) facilitating to surrender of 88 terrorists of the banned outfit.
  • After the signing of the MoS, the NLFT (SD) representatives called on Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
  • the MoS was signed by Union Home Ministry’s Joint Secretary (North-East) Satyendra Garg, Tripura government’s Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Kumar Alok and Sabir Kumar Debbarma and Kajal Debbarma on behalf of the NLFT (SD faction). 
  • NLFT (SD faction) has agreed to abjure the path of violence, join the mainstream and abide by the Indian Constitution.
  • It was agreed that the 88 NLFT cadres would surrender soon with their arms and ammunition.
  • The government also told the NLFT (SD) leaders that surrendered members of the outfit would be given surrender benefits as per the Surrender-cum-Rehabilitation Scheme, 2018 of the Union Home Ministry. 

FACTFILE – National Liberation Front of Tripura

  • The National Liberation Front of Tripura (abbreviated NLFT) is a Tripuri nationalist militant organisation based in Tripura, India. It has an estimated 550 to 850 members.
  • The NLFT seeks to secede from India and establish an independent Tripuri state, and is an active participant in the Insurgency in Northeast India.
  • The NLFT is currently designated as a terrorist organisation in India.
  • T he Baptist Church of Tripura was initially set up by missionaries from New Zealand in the 1940s. Despite their efforts, even until the 1980s, only a few thousand people in Tripura had converted to Christianity. In the aftermath of one of the worst ethnic riots, the NLFT was born in 1989 with the backing of the Baptist Church of Tripura.

FACTIFLE – Tripura Peace Accord

  • Tripura Peace Accord is the tripartite accord signed-in on 10 August 2019 by the Government of India, Government of Tripura and the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) to end the insurgency.
  • The tripartite memorandum of understanding was signed by Satyendra Garg, Joint Secretary (Northeast) of Ministry of Home Affairs, Kumar Alok, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Tripura and Sabir Kumar Debbarma and Kajal Debbarma of NLFT.
Two crore farmers to be enrolled under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana
  • The CSC e-Governance Services India, which manages over 3.5 lakh common service centres across the country, has set a target of enrolling 2 crore small and marginal farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana by August 15.
  • The PM-KMY was launched by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh which entitles eligible farmers for monthly pension of Rs 3,000 per month.
  • The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has roped in CSC, a special purpose vehicle under the Ministry of Electronics and IT, as exclusive “enrolling agency” for enrollment of subscribers.
  • Any eligible farmer who wants to join the scheme can visit his nearest CSC along with his Aadhaar card and bank passbook or account details.
  • Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs), who manage CSCs, will complete online registration process after taking all relevant details of farmers.
  • After the authentication process is completed, the enrolled farmer will be informed and his PM-KMY Pension Card with a unique Pension Account Number will be generated.
  • The scheme is being implemented across the country, including Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Farmers holding up to 2 hectare farm land will be eligible for the PM-KMY scheme.
GRSE launches 5th Fast Patrol Vessel for coast guard
  • The fifth and last Fast Patrol Vessel for the Indian Coast Guard was launched at the Raja Bagan Dockyard Unit of premier warship maker Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).
  • Inspector General Rajan Bargotra, Commander Coast Guard Region (North East) and others senior GRSE and ICG Officials graced the occasion.
  • The ship – 50M long, 7.5 M wide and with a displacement of around 308 Tons – has a maximum speed of 34 knots with an endurance of more than 1,500 nautical miles.
  • The FPVs come with an efficient hull form developed in-house and proven after extensive model testing.
  • The FPV designs, which are exclusive to GRSE are an improvisation on the Inshore Patrol Vessels (IPV) built by the defence PSU for the Indian Coast Guard in 2013.
  • The fuel- efficient and powerful platforms are well suited for patrolling, anti-smuggling, anti-poaching, and rescue operations.

August 13, 2019

‘Bulbul Can Sing’ wins Rajat Kamal Award at the National Film Award
  • ‘Bulbul Can Sing’ by renowned director Rima Das has won the National Film Award and has been declared the best Assamese film. The 66th National Film Awards were announced by chairperson, feature film category Rahul Rawail, chairperson, non-feature film category, AS Kanal, and chairperson, best writing on cinema Utpal Borpujari.
  • Gujarati film Hellaro was declared the best feature film, while Badhai Ho bagged the award for best popular film providing wholesome entertainment. Hindi movie Padman was declared best film on social issues, while Kannada film Ondalla Eradalla got Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration.
  • Ayushman Khurana and Vicky Kaushal jointly won the best actor award for their performances in Andhadhun and Uri: The Surgical Strike
  • Keerthy Suresh was declared winner of the best actress trophy for her performance in Telugu movie Mahanati.
  • Aditya Dhar won the best director award for Uri: The Surgical Strike.
  • Marathi movie Naal received the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director.
  • Rima Das of Village Rockstar fame won the Rajat Kamal Award, which carries a prize money of Rs 1 lakh. Produced by Flying River Films, the film was awarded for capturing the trials, tribulations and aspirations of a group of teenagers in rural Assamese backdrop.
  • The Land of Poison Women directed by Manju Bora and produced by Aaas Productions also won Rajat Kamal Award for depiction of an individual’s effort to break the myth of “poison women” in a remote part of Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Bobby Sarma Baruah was awarded the Rajat Kamal for Best Sherdukpan Film for the film Mishing, which was produced by BB Entertainment Trade Private Limited.
  • Ma’ama directed by Dominic Sangma and produced by Anna Films was adjudged the best Garo film.

FACTFILE – National Film Awards

  • The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremonies in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government’s Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.
  • Every year, a national panel appointed by the government selects the winning entry, and the award ceremony is held in New Delhi, where the President of India presents the awards. This is followed by the inauguration of the National Film Festival, where the award-winning films are screened for the public.
  • Declared for films produced in the previous year across the country, they hold the distinction of awarding merit to the best of Indian cinema overall, as well as presenting awards for the best films in each region and language of the country. Due to the national scale of the National Film Awards, it is considered the Indian equivalent of the American Academy Awards.
Goa CM signs MoU for business ties with Russian province
  • Chief Minister Pramod Sawant signed and exchanged a memorandum of understanding for business cooperation with Governor of Russian province of Kamchatka, Vladimir Ilyukhin, at Vladivostok, Russia.
  • Sawant is in Russia, as part of a 150-member-strong Indian delegation led by Union Minister Piyush Goyal, which includes Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
  • Russia, chaired a sectoral session on minerals, metals, rare-earths and fisheries with business representatives of India and Russia.
  • Goa is one of the favourite beach tourism destinations for Russian tourists, near a lakh of who visit the state every year.
World’s largest water pump house begins operation in Telangana
  • Lakshmipur pump house, a key component of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) and claimed to be the world’s largest pump house, has successfully commenced operations in Telangana.
  • Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL) unveiled Laximpur Underground Pumping Station (LUPS), also called as the Package 8 of the mega project across the Godavari river.
  • Around 3,000 cusecs of water was lifted to a height of 111 meters and flown into Mid-Manair reservoir through the gravity canal.
  • LUPS would enable live storage of water in reservoirs throughout the year in the Godavari river belt.
  • MEIL described the pump house as outstanding engineering marvel as it is the world’s largest underground pumping station constructed at 470 feet below the earth’s surface.
  • Billed as the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project, Kaleshwaram was formally inaugurated in June.
  • It is designed to irrigate 45 lakh acres for two crops in a year, meet drinking water requirement of 70 per cent of the state and also cater to the needs of industry.
Reliance jio in long-term strategic partnership partners with Microsoft
  • Reliance Jio has announced a long-term strategic partnership with Microsoft. The two companies working together on a number of solutions comprising connectivity, computing, storage solutions, and other technology services and applications essential for Indian businesses.
  • Microsoft will be working with Jio to give a push to data analytics, AI (Artificial Intelligence), cognitive services, blockchain, Internet of Things, and edge computing among small and medium enterprises to make them ready to compete and grow, at the same time help in the GDP growth in India.

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August 07, 2019

North East Startup and Craft Fair gets under way
  • The North East Startup and Craft Fair-2019 organised by NEDFi at the newly constructed NEDFi Haat at Rupnagar, was inaugurated by Dr Inder Jit Singh, Secretary, Ministry of DoNER.
  • The fair has a total of 54 participants out of which 27 are startups. Seven participating startups have been funded by NEDFi. With varieties of tea stealing the show at national and international exhibitions, the NEDFi event has white tea from Nagaland and white and purple tea from Barpathar in Karbi Anglong on offer.
  • The state-specific products include sun-dried roselle, non-fermented bamboo shoots, sun-dried Mizo lomba flower, hatkora candy, zinger drink and roasted inca seeds of Mizoram. Sikkim has brought yacon syrup, organic buckwheat, beaten rice and organic pulses.
  • Assam’s startups and food processing units have brought purple tea, green tea, orthodox tea, passion fruit squash, pickles, king chilli sauce, lemon juice, orange juice, exotic variety rice, mustard oil, etc.
  • Dried and smoked chicken and pork pickle are on offer for foodies at the Manipuri stalls along with vegetarian and non-vegetarian ground spices, dry fish, black rice, etc.
  • The Nagaland stalls are offering ginger powder, white tea, dried cardamom, fruit candies of pineapple, wild apple and gooseberry. Meghalaya has brought turmeric latte brand, red sticky rice, lakadong turmeric powder, coffee and black pepper.
  • The craft section has masks from Majuli, wrap-around dresses from Nagaland, Arunachal, Mizoram and Manipur, tribal jewellery from Arunachal and Nagaland, black pottery and kauna craft from Manipur and other traditional attire and handicraft from the eight NE states.
Government issues scheme for PSBS purchase of pooled assets of NBFCS
  • The Government has issued a scheme regarding partial credit guarantee, The Scheme would enable the public sector banks (PSBs) to purchase pooled assets of financially sound NBFCs amounting to Rs.One lakh crore.
  • It is expected that this measure would provide liquidity to the NBFC Sector and, in turn, enable them to continue to play their role in meeting the financing requirements of the productive sectors of economy including MSME, retail and housing.
  • The scheme has been named as ‘Partial Credit Guarantee offered by Government of India (GoI) to Public Sector Banks (PSBs) for purchasing high-rated pooled assets from financially sound Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)/Housing Finance Companies (HFCs)’.
  • The aim of the scheme is to address temporary asset liability mismatches of otherwise solvent NBFCs/HFCs without having to resort to distress sale of their assets for meeting their commitments.
  • The window for one-time partial credit guarantee offered by GoI will open from the date of issuance of the Scheme by the Government for a period of six months, or till such date by which Rupees One lakh crore assets get purchased by banks, whichever is earlier.
All India Radio to train students in English
  • The All India Radio (AIR) will now help students brush up their English speaking skill. From September 1 “Aao Angrezi Seekhein (Come lets learn English)” will be on air from 11 a.m. onwards on all working days.
  • The joint project by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Uttar Pradesh government and the UN International Children”s Fund (UNICEF) will include a total of 120 episodes of 15 minutes each that would be broadcast for the 2019-20 academic session.
  • The pilot project will be launched from the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) where students of Class 5 to 8 of and junior high schools will take their English lessons by listening to the radio programme.
  • The programme will guide students on how to use English language in daily conversation and also stress on pronunciation of words.
  • The teachers have been directed to note down the highlights of each episode in a register and revise the lesson with students.
  • The programme is meant to improve their English speaking skill just by listening. Students will not be required to do any writing work.

FACTFILE – All India Radio (AIR)

  • All India Radio (AIR), officially known since 1956 as Akashvani, is the national public radio broadcaster of India and is a division of Prasar Bharati.
  • It was established in 1936 It is the sister service of Prasar Bharati’s Doordarshan, an Indian television broadcaster.
  • Headquartered in the Akashvani Bhavan building in New Delhi, it houses the Drama Section, the FM Section, the National Service, and is also home to the Indian television station Doordarshan Kendra, (Delhi).
  • All India Radio is the largest radio network in the world, and one of the largest broadcasting organizations in the world in terms of the number of languages broadcast and the spectrum of socio-economic and cultural diversity it serves.
  • AIR’s home service comprises 420 stations located across the country, reaching nearly 92% of the country’s area and 99.19% of the total population. AIR originates programming in 23 languages and 179 dialects.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee opens World’s 1st museum on Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
  • West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Inaugurated the world”s first museum dedicated to the life and teachings of 16th century saint and social reformer Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
  • The Gaudiya Mission, a spiritual and philanthropic organisation established in 1935, propagates the teachings of Sri Chaitanya and the Vaishnava faith. It has many centres in India and temples in London and New York.
  • The museum is a three-storey structure built on an area of approximately 1,350 square metres and includes galleries, public utility areas and a library.
  • Each floor is dedicated to different phases of the saint”s life starting from his birth, his marriage with Vishupria, journey throughout the country up to the period after he attained ”Sanyasa” (sainthood).
  • Life-size models, 3D films, audio tracks and animatronics will ensure maximum engagement of the visitors.
  • The museum has been designed by the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM).

BIOGRAPHY – Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

  • Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, was a Bengali Hindu mystic, saint, and the chief proponent of the Achintya Bheda Vedanta school and the Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition within Hinduism.
  • He also expounded the Vaishnava school of Bhakti yoga, based on Bhagavata Purana and Bhagavad Gita.
  • Of various forms and direct or indirect expansions of Krishna such as Lord Narasimha, Mahavishnu and Garbhodaksayi Vishnu respectively, he is Krishna in the mood of a devotee.
  • He popularised the chanting of the ‘Hare Krishna mantra’ and composed the Siksastakam (eight devotional prayers) in Sanskrit.
  • His followers, Gaudiya Vaishnavas, revere him as a Krishna with the mood and complexion of his source of inspiration Radha.
  • His birthday is celebrated as Gaura-purnima.
  • Chaitanya is sometimes referred to by the names Gauranga or Gaura due to his fair complexion, and Nimai due to his being born underneath a Neem tree.

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Assam Current Affairs – August 01 – 07, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – August 1 - 7, 2019

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

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August 01, 2019

Aminul Laskar elected as the Deputy Speaker of Assam Assembly
  • BJP legislator from Sonai constituency Aminul Haque Laskar was today elected as the Deputy Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly.Laskarwas the lone candidate for the post and he was elected unopposed.
  • Assembly Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami declared Laskar elected during today’s session of the House.
  • After the announcement, senior leaders, including Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and other ministers as well as MLAs belonging to both the treasury benches and the Opposition, escorted Laskar to his chair, amidst thumping of desk.
  • Extending his felicitations, Goswami exuded confidence that the newly elected Deputy Speaker will fulfil his role and responsibilities with dedication, and by taking into confidence everyone in the House.
  • Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia said he and members of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) are happy at Laskar’s elevation to the post of Deputy Speaker and assured all cooperation in the running of the House.

FACTFILE – Assam Legislative Assembly

  • The Assam Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Indian state of Assam.
  • It is housed in Dispur, the capital of Assam, geographically situated in present Western Assam region.
  • The Legislative Assembly comprises 126 Members of Legislative Assembly, directly elected from single-seat constituencies. Its term is five years, unless sooner dissolved.
  • According to provisions of the Government of India Act 1935, a bicameral legislature of Assam province came into existence in 1937. After the Government of India Act, 1935 was passed, it paved the way for the formation of Assam Legislative Assembly, and became a bicameral legislature.
Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 passed in Rajya Saba
  • The Rajya Sabha passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 to improve road safety, raise penalties for traffic violations, curb RTO (Regional Transport Office) corruption and other measures to transform the transport sector.
  • Under the amendments, the minimum penalty for driving without licence has been increased to Rs 5,000 from Rs 500 while the fine for driving despite disqualification has been increased to Rs 10,000.
  • Also, driving without wearing a helmet will attract a penalty of Rs 1,000.
  • A new provision has been added to the Bill with regard to underage drivers under which the guardians or vehicle owners shall be held guilty in case of an offence by a juvenile.
  • A fine of Rs 25,000 with three years imprisonment will be imposed and the juvenile will be tried under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act while the registration of the vehicle will be cancelled.
  • Over speeding will now attract a fine of Rs 1,000 for light motor vehicle and Rs 2,000 for medium passenger vehicle while not wearing seat belt will cost Rs 1,000.
  • Fine of Rs 10,000 for not providing passage to emergency vehicles.
  • The Bill also provides for a National Road Safety Board, to be created by the Central government through a notification.
  • The Board will advise the Central and state governments on all aspects of road safety and traffic management, including standards of motor vehicles, registration and licensing of vehicles, standards for road safety and promotion of new vehicle technology.
  • The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019, is based on the recommendations of the Group of Transport Ministers (GoM) of states constituted by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to address the issue of road safety and to improve the facilitation of the citizens while dealing with transport departments.
Lok Sabha passes Bill for adjudication of river water rows
  • Bill to streamline the adjudication of inter-state river water disputes and make the present legal and institutional architecture robust was on Wednesday passed in the Lok Sabha.
  • The draft legislation proposed to introduce a mechanism to resolve the water disputes amicably by negotiations through a Disputes Resolution Committee (DRC).
  • The DRC would be established by the Centre consisting of experts from relevant fields before the water dispute was referred to the Tribunal.
  • The Bill seeks amendment to the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 considering the increase in demand for water by the states and that inter-state river water disputes were on the rise.
  • The Bill seeks to provide for a single standing Tribunal (with multiple benches) instead of multiple Tribunals, which shall consist of a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson and not more than six members (three judicial and three experts).
  • The term of office of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson shall be five years or till they attain the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier.
  • It is proposed that the assessors, who provide technical support to the Tribunal, shall be appointed from amongst experts serving in the Central Water Engineering Service not below the rank of Chief Engineer.
  • The total time period for adjudication of a water dispute has been fixed at a maximum of four and a half years.
  • The decision of the Bench of the Tribunal shall be final and binding on the states concerned.
Cabinet approves new subsidy rates for fertilizers
  • The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved subsidy rates for P&K (phosphatic and potassic) fertilizers for the year 2019-20.
  • The subsidy rates for nitrogen will be Rs 18.90 per kg, Rs 15.21 per kg for phosphorus, Rs 11.12 per kg for potash and Rs 3.56 per kg for sulphur.
  • The expected expenditure for release of subsidy on P&K fertilizers during 2019-20 will be Rs 22,875.50 crore.
  • This will enable the manufacturers and importers to formalize supply contracts for fertilizers and fertilizer inputs and make fertilizers available to the farmers.

August 02, 2019

Centre releases Rs 191 crore, State Govt Rs 189 crore to implement Guwahati Smart city
  • The Central government has till now released Rs 191 crore to implement the Guwahati Smart City Project, while another Rs 189 crore has been released by the State government.
  • Various projects have been taken up with funds allotted by the Centre and the State government and these include beautification of Gandhi Mandap, setting up of 30 smart bio-toilets and 20 water ATMs and project management consultancy, among other activities.
  • The West Guwahati Water Supply Project implemented by the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), is progressing at a fast pace and over 95 per cent work has been completed.
  • The South East Guwahati Water Supply Project is targeted for completion by 2023.
  • The JICA-funded water supply scheme has witnessed progress of 56 per cent so far and steps have been taken to complete it by 2020.
  • GMDA is also undertaking work on cleaning and dredging of water bodies like Silsako, Bondajan, Pamohi river and Borsola Beel to increase their water retaining capacity.
  • Work has been completed on clearing and widening of the Pamohi river and the drain along the National Highway 37 from ISBT to ensure passage of excess water of the Basistha and Mora Bharalu rivers to the Deepor Beel.

The Arbitration and Conciliation Amendment Bill passed in Lok Shaba

  • A Bill seeking to make India a hub of arbitration for settling commercial disputes in a shorter period of time was passed in the Lok Sabha.
  • The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2019, moved by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for passage, seeks to set up the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC) for creating an independent and autonomous regime for institutionalized arbitration.
  • The Bill seeks to amend section 11 of the Act relating to “Appointment of Arbitrators” so as to change the present system of appointment of arbitrators by the Supreme Court or the High Court, to a system where the arbitrators shall be appointed by the “arbitral institutions” designated by the Supreme Court or the High Court.
  • Government’s move to amend the earlier law on the alternative dispute resolution mechanism is aimed at making India a major arbitration centre in the world on the lines of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) and Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) among others.
  • The draft legislation provides for establishing an independent body to lay down standards for timely and cost-effective disposal of cases and eventually improving ease-of-doing business.
  • The proposed law provides for setting up of an independent Arbitration Council of India (ACI) to frame arbitral institutions and grade arbitrators.
President Kovind gives assent to multiple Bills
  • President Ram Nath Kovind has given his nod to the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 that abolishes the practice of instant Triple Talaq. 
  • The law comes into force retrospectively from 19th September 2018. A Gazette Notification to this effect was issued.
  • The bill seeks to declare the practice of instant Triple Talaq as void and illegal and makes it a cognizable offence. 
  • It also provides allowance to women victims and their dependent children. The offence is made compoundable with the permission of the Magistrate at the instance of the married Muslim woman upon whom talaq is pronounced
  • President Ram Nath Kovind has also given his assent to the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
  • The Bill seeks to amend the Companies Act, 2013. It aims to tighten Corporate Social Responsibility-CSR compliance, transfer certain responsibilities to National Company Law Tribunal and recategorise certain offences as civil offences. 
  • President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent to the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill 2019. The law comes into force retrospectively from 21st February, 2019.
  • The bill seeks to provide for a comprehensive mechanism to ban the unregulated deposit schemes other than deposits taken in the ordinary course of businesses and to protect the interest of depositors.
  • It will work as a crackdown on Ponzi schemes and will help protect the interests of poor people and their hard-earned money. Depositors have been given a top priority in the bill.
  • The bill also proposes adequate provisions for repayment of deposits in cases where such schemes nonetheless manage to raise deposits illegally. 
Scientists create new technique to 3D print heart scaffold
  • Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University used soft and living materials to create a biological scaffold, making a step closer to being able to 3D print a full-sized, adult human heart.
  • The study reported the first-of-its-kind technique that could print tissue scaffolds out of a major structural protein in the human body.
  • Human organs like the heart are built from specialised cells that are held together by a scaffold called the extracellular matrix (ECM).
  • It has not been possible until now to rebuild the complex ECM using traditional methods.
  • The technique called FRESH can print pieces of the heart out of collagen and cells into truly functional parts like a heart valve or a small beating ventricle.
  • The collagen is a desirable 3D-printing biomaterial since it makes up literally every single tissue in human body. But it starts out as a fluid and tends to deform during printing.
  • The FRESH technique allows collagen to be deposited layer-by-layer within a support bath of gel, so that the collagen could solidify in place before being removed from the gel.
  • Then, the support gel would be melted away by heating from room temperature to body temperature without damaging the printed structure.
  • The FRESH is a robust and adaptable tissue engineering platform since a wide range of other soft gels including fibrin, alginate, and hyaluronic acid can be used.

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August 03, 2019

North East gets 49 projects worth Rs 1,232 crore
  • The Centre has sanctioned 49 development projects worth Rs 1,232 crore for the northeastern region in the first 50 days of the Modi government.
  • The projects include construction and renovation of roads, bridges and upgrading of tourist spots. The Ministry of Development of North-East Region (DoNER) has sanctioned 49 projects worth Rs 1,232 crore in the first 50 days of Narendra Modi government’s second term which began on May 30.
  • While eight new projects have been sanctioned for Rs 586.3 crore under the North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS) and the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS), some other projects are upgrade of the AT Road from Tsusangra to Input Junction (26 km) with three bridges, Tenning-Lekie Road (37 km) in Nagaland, and the Dikhow Bridge-Amguri road leading to Nagaland.
  • Upgrade of the Tuensang- Longleng road in Nagaland, construction of the Mukroh-Umspar road linking Jrikyndeng in Meghalaya, improvement of eco-tourism centre connectivity from Amarpur (Fatiksagar) to Chabimura in Tripura, improvement of Gandacherra-Raishyabari road for easy access for the tourists from Dhalai to Narikel Kunja Island in Tripura are also part of the projects.
  • In addition, 36 ongoing projects under various schemes like the Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) scheme, special packages and schemes of the North Eastern Council were completed at an approved cost of Rs 529.18 crore.

FACTFILE – Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region

  • The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region is a Government of India ministry, established in September 2001, which functions as the nodal Department of the Central Government to deal with matters related to the socio-economic development of the eight States of Northeast India: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.
  • It acts as a facilitator between the Central Ministries/ Departments and the State Governments of the North Eastern Region in the economic development including removal of infrastructural bottlenecks, provision of basic minimum services, creating an environment for private investment and to remove impediments to lasting peace and security in the North Eastern Region.
  • Jitendra Singh is the current Minister of Development of North Eastern Region (Minister of state, Independent Charge).
Indian, Chinese soldiers mark 92nd year of PLA
  • Defence personnel from India and China gathered at Nathu La, Damai, Bumla and other places along the Line of Actual Control to mark the 92nd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
  • Special border personnel gathering between India and China, was held at Nathu La (Sikkim), Damai, Bumla (both Arunachal Pradesh) and other places along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to celebrate the 92nd anniversary of PLA foundation day.
  • The PLA troops interacted with the visiting Indian delegation and presented a cultural programme comprising of several events to celebrate the occasion.
  • As a gesture of goodwill, the Indian side also reciprocated with traditional cultural performances to mark the occasion.
  • The LAC with China traverses the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

FACTFILE – Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA)

  • The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is the armed forces of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and of its founding and ruling political party, the Communist Party of China (CPC).
  • The PLA consists of five professional service branches: the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, Rocket Force, and the Strategic Support Force. Units around the country are assigned to one of five theater commands by geographical location.
  • The PLA is the world’s largest military force and constitutes the second largest defence budget in the world. China is one of the fastest modernising military powers in the world and has been termed as a potential military superpower, with significant regional defense and rising global power projection capabilities.
  • As per Credit Suisse, the PLA is the world’s third-most powerful military.
  • The PLA is under the command of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the CPC. It is legally obliged to follow the principle of civilian control of the military, although in practical terms this principle has been implemented in such a way as to ensure the PLA is under the absolute control of the Communist Party.
  • Its commander in chief is the Chairman of the Central Military Commission (usually the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China).
Parliament approves bill to scrap 58 obsolete laws
  • Parliament passed a bill to repeal 58 old central laws which the government said has been done to achieve maximum governance. The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2019 was passed by the Rajya Sabha through voice vote.
  • Moving the bill in the Upper House, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said government has decided to get rid of redundant and absolute laws. A committee has identified 1824 old laws.
  • So far, 1,428 old and archaic central Acts have been repealed and about 75 laws — which the Centre drafted for states in view of the President rule — have also been repealed till date.
  • The current bill aims to repeal 58 old central laws, which have become “irrelevant”. This is being done to ensure minimum legislation and maximum governance.
Rajya Sabha passes UAPA Bill to tag individuals as terrorists
  • A Bill amending the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 that allows the government to tag individuals as terrorists was passed by the Rajya Sabha.
  • The Bill, under which the government can designate individuals as terrorists if they commit or participate in acts of terrorism, prepare for acts of terror, promote terrorism or are otherwise involved in terrorism.

August 04, 2019

Agarwood plantation to help ailing tea industry in Assam
  • After the accomplishment of the bid to commercialise the traditional Agarwood plantation and Agarwood-related trades in the State with the provision to infuse artificial inoculation of the fungus, locally known as ‘Sanchi Vecur’ (Agarwood fungus), in the immature Agarwood trees, bids are now afoot to join-up the State’s beleaguered tea industry with Agarwood plantation, so as to open up a new vista for the plantation-based economy of the State.
  • This endeavour would go a long way in providing both the tea industry and the Agarwood-based industry of the State a new direction. The economic prospect of this stitching together of the two traditional industries of the State is tremendous. This can act as a game changer for both the tea and the Agarwood sectors, they asserted.
  • Jehirul Islam, who was the brain behind the State Government’s latest Cabinet decision to accord commercial activities status to Agarwood-based industry, has been engaged in generating public awareness about the importance of Agarwood plantation and Agarwood-based industry for the past over one decade now.
  • Legally, tea estates of the State can use five per cent of their unused land for other plantation activities. So, this much of the TE land in the State could be well used for Agarwood plantation.
  • Resorting to Agarwood plantation on the fallow land, TEs would be highly benefited and since the tea industry is an organised one, its taking to Agarwood plantation is also going to help the Agarwood industry as well.Agarwood trees can also act as shade trees in tea plantations.
  • This will in the long run help the State’s economy to grow.
ISRO to build centre to protect high value Space assets
  • The Indian space agency said that the foundation stone for a centre to monitor and protect high value space assets from space debris has been laid.
  • Sivan, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), laid the foundation stone for the Space Situational Awareness Control Centre in Peenya, Bengaluru.
  • Space Situational Awareness & Management (SSAM) has become an internationally significant area due to the ever growing manmade space debris population and the increased collision threat with operational spacecraft.
  • ISRO has set up a Directorate of Space Situational Awareness and Management aiming at protecting high valued space assets from space debris close approaches and collisions.
  • To carryout systematically all activities related to SSAM, a control centre is being established at Bengaluru.
  • The control centre would facilitate the intensified activities foreseen for SSAM, in view of the increasing debris population and operational space assets.
  • The control centre would host a range of activities pertaining to protection of Indian space assets from inactive satellites, pieces of orbiting objects, near earth asteroids and adverse space weather conditions.
  • It would assimilate the tracking data of inactive satellites from indigenous observation facilities and generate useful information from bare observations through analysis.
Parliament passes Code on Wages bill to ensure minimum wage
  • Parliament approved a bill to enable introduction of minimum wage for every worker besides addressing issues like delay in payment to employees.
  • The Code on Wages Bill, 2019 — which seeks to amend and consolidate the laws relating to wages, bonus and matters connected therewith.
  • The Bill will subsume four labour laws — Minimum Wages Act, Payment of Wages Act, Payment of Bonus Act and Equal Remuneration Act.
  • As per the bill, the tripartite committee comprising representatives of trade unions, employers and state government would fix a floor wage for workers throughout the country.
  • At present there are 12 definitions of wages in the different Labour Laws leading to litigation besides difficulty in its implementation.
  • The definition has been simplified in the Bill and is expected to reduce litigation and also reduce compliance cost for employers.
 

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August 05, 2019

Madhabilata Literary Award to Sarifa Khatoon Choudhury
  • Sarifa Khatoon Choudhury, an Assamese poet, president of the Tinsukia Zila Sahitya Sewa Mancha and retired principal of Dangari HS School, has been selected for the Madhabilata Literary Award 2017-18.
  • Atul Sharma, the managing trustee of the Madhabilata Literary Trust, said that the award will be presented to her at a special programme in October. The award carries a memento, a citation, an anga bastra and Rs 10,000 in cash.
  • The Madhabilata Literary Trust instituted this award in 2005 and since then it has been presenting the award after every two years to an eminent writer of Tinsukia district for his or her contributions to Assamese literature.
  • Authors like Robin Choudhury, Horendra Nath Borthakur, Punnya Saikia, Joykanta Gondhiya, Sushil Kumar Gogoi and Parul Sharma have received this award.

BIOGRAPHY – Khatoon Choudhury

  • Khatoon Choudhury started her poetic career during her school days. Hundreds of her poems have been published in various magazines, periodicals and newspapers of Assam and other places.
  • Three collections of her poems have also been published. She also participated in the South Asian Literary Festival held in New Delhi in 2018. A few of her poems have been translated into English.
India test-fires Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile
  • India test-fired a sophisticated all-weather and all-terrain Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM) from a test range in Odisha.
  • The state-of-the-art missile has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the India Army.
  • The air defence system, QRSAM, was test-fired from a mobile truck-based launch unit at complex 3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur.
  • The all-weather and all-terrain missile, which can be mounted on a truck and stored in a canister, is equipped with electronic counter measures against jamming by aircraft radars.
  • QRSAM uses solid-fuel propellant and has a range of 25-30 km.
  • The test flights had successfully demonstrated their aerodynamics, propulsion, structural performance and high manoeuvring capabilities.
UN team for study on transforming Assam into a skilled economy
  • Representatives from the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), led by Keshav C Das, Programme Coordinator (Energy and Environment), paid a courtesy call to Dipok Kumar Barthakur, Vice Chairman of the State Innovation and Transformation Aayog (SITA), Assam
  • During the visit, the representatives made their plans known for an assessment study for transforming Assam into a skilled economy.
  • They opined that Assam needs a holistic approach to vocational education and skill development by having a defined approach for both short-term and long-term training courses to meet the objectives of the Skill India programme.
  • The representatives also sought the help of SITA in their future endeavour in organising a State-level workshop or seminar after completion of the study.
  • Discussions took place on the GIS platform for resource-based planning and computing and networking infrastructure for the State designed to integrate in alignment with the national-level GIS infrastructure.
  • GIS asset and GIS portal and applications were also discussed during the occasion.

August 06, 2019

Centre to launch Rs 3,000 crore projects in 100 days in North-East region
  • The Centre has decided to launch 200 projects worth Rs 3,000 crore in the North East in the first 100 days of the new Modi government. Keeping in mind the targeted approach for bringing the rest of India closer to the North East, an action plan has been formulated for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).
  • Among the initiatives the DoNER has taken in the 100 days action plan is to sanction or start or complete or operationalise 200 projects worth about Rs 3,000 crore, which means on an average two projects for Rs 30 crore per day.
  • The Narendra Modi government has always accorded top priority to the “hitherto neglected” areas of the country – the North Eastern region being one of them. During the first five years of his term as Prime Minister, Modi undertook over 30 visits to the North East and his personal outreach put all the development activities on a fast track.
  • In the first term of the Modi government, the primary focus was not only to bring the North East closer to the rest of India, but actually to bring the rest of India closer to the North East.
  • A key project under the action plan is setting up of a bamboo industrial park at Manderdisa in Dima Hasao district in an area of 75 hectares at a cost of Rs 50 crore.
  • In addition, 36 ongoing projects under various schemes like the Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) Scheme, special packages, schemes of the North Eastern Council (NEC) have been completed with approved cost of Rs 529.18 crore.
Lok Sabha Passes bill to increase number of SC judges to 33
  • Lok Sabha passed a bill which seeks to increase the number of Supreme Court judges from the present 30 to 33 with a view to reduce pendency of cases.
  • As of now, the Supreme Court has a sanctioned strength of 30 judges, plus the chief justice of India – 31 judges.
  • Once the bill gets parliamentary approval, its sanctioned strength will go up to 33, plus the CJI, according to the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill piloted by Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Lok Sabha passes Bill to define identity of transgenders
  • A Bill seeking to empower transgenders by defining their identity and prohibition of discrimination against them was passed in the Lok Sabha.
  • The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019, Minister for State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Rattan Lal Kataria said the draft legislation will benefit transgender persons and bring them into mainstream of society.
  • The Bill prohibits discrimination against a transgender person, including denial of service or unfair treatment in relation to education, employment, healthcare, enjoyment of goods, facilities, opportunities available to the public, right to movement, right to reside, rent, or otherwise occupy property, opportunity to hold public or private office, access to a government or private establishment in whose care or custody a transgender person is.
  • It prohibits government as well as private entities from discriminating against transgender persons in employment matters, including recruitment, and promotion and that every establishment is required to designate a person to be a complaint officer to deal with complaints in relation to the Act.
  • The Bill which also seeks facility to every transgender person to have a right to reside and be included in his household.
  • It defines a transgender person as one whose gender does not match the gender assigned at birth. A transgender person may make an application to the District Magistrate for a certificate of identity, indicating the gender as ”transgender” as per the Bill.
  • A revised certificate may be obtained only if the individual undergoes surgery to change their gender either as a male or a female, the Bill defines. It states that the relevant government will take measures to ensure the full inclusion and participation of transgender persons in society.
  • It recognizes offences against transgender persons like forced or bonded labour (excluding compulsory government service for public purposes), denial of use of public places, removal from household, and village, physical, sexual, verbal, emotional or economic abuse. Penalties for these offences vary between six months and two years.

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August 07, 2019

IIT Guwahati builds hand-held device to detect bacteria
  • Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati researchers have developed a low-cost, hand-held device for rapid detection of bacteria, bringing portable bacterial detection kits closer to reality.
  • This novel, low-cost diagnostic device is a biocompatible sensor that can detect bacteria without cell culture and microbiological assays.
  • The ready-to-use diagnostic tool could facilitate rapid detection and diagnosis at the point of care.
  • The researchers believe that besides being useful in a healthcare set up, the device could aid anti-bioterrorism measures and environmental monitoring applications.
  • The Organic Field Effect Transistor (OFET)-based bacterial diagnostic device has been shown to have the ability to distinguish between Gram positive and Gram negative types. The sensor detects the charges on the cell walls of bacteria.
  • Current diagnostic processes are frustratingly time-consuming, especially when time is of the essence in administering treatment.
  • While newly developed techniques such as real time qPCR can detect bacteria faster than conventional assay-based methods, they are restricted by the need for expensive apparatuses and trained personnel.
  • The current device is particularly useful for the detection of bacteria primarily for water-borne diseases. These sensors will also be useful in instantaneous detection of time-critical illnesses such as meningitis.
Parliament passed the Jammu and Kashmir Re-organisation Bill 2019
  • Parliament passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019 and approved the resolution to abrogate the Constitution’s Article 370.
  • The Bill, which was passed by Rajya Sabha, was approved by the Lok Sabha.
  • The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha with over 350 members voting in its favour.
  • Home Minister Amit Shah said as Article 370 stops Jammu and Kashmir to associating with India, it should be abolished.
  • Shah asserted that the decision has been taken for the welfare of the Valley.
President declares abrogation of provisions of Article 370
  • President Ram Nath Kovind has declared abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The move came after both houses of Parliament passed a resolution in this regard.
  • In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (3) of Article 370 read with clause (1) of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, the President, on the recommendation of Parliament, is pleased to declare that, as from the 6th August, 2019, all clauses of the said article 370 shall cease to be operative.

FACTFILE – Article 370 of the Indian constitution

  • Article 370 of the Indian constitution gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir state in India, – conferring it with the power to have a separate constitution, a state flag and autonomy over the internal administration of the state.
  • The article was drafted in Part XXI of the Constitution: Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions.
  • The Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir, after its establishment, was empowered to recommend the articles of the Indian constitution that should be applied to the state or to abrogate the Article 370 altogether.
  • After consultation with the state’s Constituent Assembly, the 1954 Presidential Order was issued, specifying the articles of the Indian constitution that applied to the state. Since the Constituent Assembly dissolved itself without recommending the abrogation of Article 370, the article was deemed to have become a permanent feature of the Indian Constitution.
  • This article, along with Article 35A, defined that the Jammu and Kashmir state’s residents live under a separate set of laws, including those related to citizenship, ownership of property, and fundamental rights, as compared to residents of other Indian states. As a result of this provision, Indian citizens from other states could not purchase land or property in Jammu & Kashmir.
  • On 5 August 2019, President Ram Nath Kovind issued a constitutional order superseding the 1954 order, and making all the provisions of the Indian constitution applicable to Jammu and Kashmir based on the resolution passed in both houses of India’s parliament with 2/3 majority.
  • Following the resolutions passed in both houses of the parliament, he issued a further order on 6 August declaring all the clauses of Article 370 except clause 1 to be inoperative.
  • In addition, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act was passed by the parliament, enacting the division the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories to be called Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh. The reorganisation took place on 31 October 2019.
  • Rajya Sabha passes bill to evict MPs living in govt houses illegally
  • Seeking to swiftly evict illegal occupants from government accommodation, the Rajya Sabha passed the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019.
  • The bill which amends the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, was moved by Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. It has already been passed by the Lok Sabha.
  • The amendment being brought is very limited one and relates to public premise for residential accommodation. It applies to members of Parliament, government officers and employees.
  • The bill has proposed to insert a new sub-section (3A) in section 7 of the Act requiring that if the person challenges the eviction order passed by the estate officer in any court, he has to pay the damages for every month for the residential accommodation held by him.
  • The existing law has lengthy eviction process involving a show-cause notice and appeal provisions. As a result, it takes years at times to evict the unauthorised occupant.
  • The bill has proposed to apply summary eviction procedure to residential accommodation given on licence basis with a short show-cause notice of three days to the unauthorised occupants.

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Assam Current Affairs – July 22 – 28, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – July 22 - 28, 2019

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

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July 22, 2019

  Tripura set to scale up white tea production
  • The successful completion of pilot projects on white tea has paved the way for planters in Tripura to go for full-scale production of the ‘costly and delicate’ variety.
  • Earlier this year, the 95-year-old Golokpur tea estate in Unakoti district of the State set a record when it sold its white tea for Rs 10,000 a kg to a Banglore-based retailer.
  • White tea is minimally processed. It is harvested even before the plant leaves unfurl fully with the buds still covered by fine white hairs, hence, the name white tea.
  • Besides fetching good money, white tea will also earn the tea estate a good name, as people in the industry know that the production process is difficult. We have been getting more orders for this special variety, De said.
  • Fatikcherra, another 101-year old tea estate in the hill State, has produced 6.8 kg white tea this year, which fetched Rs 5,500 per kg.
  • Around one quintal of white tea has been produced in the State this year. Tripura annually produces nine million kg of tea in 58 gardens.
  • The agro-climatic condition is favourable for tea production in Tripura. Now we have got a logo approved for Tripura tea, and even convinced the tribal villagers to grow wild tea near the Tripura-Mizoram boundary.
  • The Tea Board of India is now trying to convince planters to turn to organic brew, besides encouraging white tea production, he said.
  • Tripura has always had a problem of auctioning tea as there is no auction centre in the State. The Bangladesh Government has, however, agreed to allow planters from Tripura to auction their produce at Sreemangal subdivision of Moulavibazar district, which is near the Tripura border.
 Russia launches manned spacecraft to space station
  • Russia’s Soyuz MS-13 spacecraft carrying three astronauts successfully took off for the International Space Station (ISS) and entered the planned orbit.
  • Soyuz MS-13, carrying Roscosmos astronaut Alexander Skvortsov (commander), Luca Parmitano (flight engineer-1) from Italy and Andrew Morgan (flight engineer-2) of the US, will automatically approach the ISS and dock to it.
  • The new expedition will join Roscosmos astronaut Alexei Ovchinin, and NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Christina Koch on the ISS.
  • The space launch was conducted on the 50th anniversary of the moon landing of the US Apollo 11 spacecraft.
 Rajasthan government launches ‘police training’ programme for school students
  • The Rajasthan government has formally launched a training programme for school students, in line with the National Cadet Corps practice, which aims to curb rising adolescent delinquency and make them aware of basic laws and legal procedures.
  • The training programme initiated jointly by the state education and police departments will be available in selected government schools in the current academic session.
  • The two-year programme for students of classes 8 and 9 aims to curb rising adolescent delinquency, strengthen the teenagers mentally and physically, and make them aware of basic laws and legal procedures.
  • On the guidelines of the central government, the SPC training programme has been launched in 930 state government schools and 70 KendriyaVidyalayas.
  • As many as 15 modules covering all aspects of public and personal life, including personality development, physical and mental growth and social responsibility, have been developed for the SPC training which would be imparted at three levels that include indoor classes, outdoor activities and visits to relevant places and offices.

July 23, 2019

 Tiger number in Assam goes up to 190
  • Assam now has 190 tigers, marking an increase from 167 recorded in the 2014 Tiger Census. The country’s total tiger population is 2,967 tigers and the growth in the fourth cycle of the Tiger Census has seen a 33 per cent increase.
  • Nine years ago it was decided in St. Petersburg that target of doubling tiger population will be 2022. India completed this target four year early, as per the ‘All India Tiger Estimation Report 2018’.
  • As per the later tiger census, Madhya Pradesh saw the highest number of tigers at 526, closely followed by Karnataka at 524 and Uttarakhand at number three with 442 tigers.
  • While Assam witnessed an increase in tiger population, Nameri Tiger Reserve saw a declining trend. Chhattisgarh and Mizoram saw a decline in their tiger numbers while tiger numbers in Odisha remained constant. Loss in North East is due to poor sampling, the Report said, adding that all other states witnessed a positive trend.
  • The Tiger Census 2014 pegged the total number of big cats in the country at 2226 while the 2010 census put the figure at 1706 and the 2006 version at 1411, indicating that tiger numbers have been increasing continuously.
 India successfully launches Chandrayaan-2
  • India successfully launched its second moon mission Chandrayaan-2 from its most powerful rocket with a plan to land the rover on September 7 in the unexplored lunar south pole.
  • The most complex and prestigious mission ever undertaken by the Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO), if successful, will also make India the fourth country after Russia, the US and China to pull off a soft landing on the moon.
  • The Rs 978-crore unmanned mission also brought woman power to the fore as it was helmed by two woman scientists of the ISRO–RituKaridhal and M Vanitha, the Mission and Project directors respectively.
  • Joined by President Ram NathKovind and leaders across the political spectrum, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the scientists.
  • The ISRO is aiming for a soft landing of the lander in the South Pole region of the moon where no country has gone so far.
  • Immediately after Chandrayaan-2’s separation from the rocket, the solar array of the spacecraft automatically got deployed and the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network at Bengaluru successfully took control of the spacecraft.
  • Chandrayaan-2 comes 11 years after ISRO’s successful first lunar mission Chandrayaan-1 which scripted history by making more than 3,400 orbits around the Moon and was operational for 312 days till August 29, 2009.
 IIT Kharagpur students develop AI App for elderly care
  • Students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur have developed two interconnected android smartphone applications.
  • The app named ‘CARE4U’, developed by an interdisciplinry team of 2nd year B.Tech students, connects the caregiver to the elderly.
  • While one of these apps can be installed on the phones of the elderly, the other can be attached to the smartphone of the caregiver.
  • The neural network-based fall detection algorithm in the app installed on the phone of the elderly can detect whether the elderly has fallen down.
  • If there is a fall, it automatically calls the caregiver and emergency services with the location of the elderly person.
  • The other features include detecting emotion by taking a picture and calculating the mood index.
  • To make this feature more effective the team has developed a cognitive intelligent chatbot for the elderly person to engage with.
  • Moreover, the app can also do other activities like make a call, send a text, book a cab and so on. It also has a record of medical histories, an account of allergies, an SOS button, real-time location tracking, among others.
  • The ‘CARE4U’ app includes a ‘Medicine Reminder’ feature to remind both the elderly person as well as the caregiver that it is time for the former to take medicine.
 The National Medical Commission Bill, 2019 Introduced in Lok Sabha
  • Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan introduced The National Medical Commission Bill, 2019, to provide for a medical education system that also encourages community health perspective and makes services of medical professionals accessible to all citizens.
  • The Bill seeks to replace the Medical Council of India and usher in major changes in medical education sector as well as promote national health goals that encourage medical professionals to adopt latest medical research in their work and to contribute to research.
  • The Bill that seeks to improve access to quality and affordable medical education and ensures availability of adequate and high quality medical professionals all over the country to promote equitable and universal healthcare.

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July 24, 2019

 Assam relaxes restrictions on Agar tree cultivation
  • The Assam government has relaxed the restrictions on cultivation of the scented Agar tree. The Cabinet approved growing and cutting of Agar and Chandan trees on non-forest lands.
  • The Cabinet also approved setting up of an International Trade Centre for Agar in Golaghat.
  • The plantation of Agar tree is seen in Assam’s Sibsagar, Sadiya, Nagaon, Darrang, Goalpara and Cachar districts of Assam.
  • Apart from Assam, the tree is also grown in Khasi Hills and Garo Hills districts of Meghalaya and also found in the forests of Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh.
  • As Agar wood was classified under the wood based industries, cutting of Agar tree was not allowed and there was requirement of registration for sending the same outside.
  • At present the Hojai district in Assam is the hub of distilling the agar oil.
 Assam Govt’s important Cabinet decisions
  • Procurement and distribution of free sugar to the tea garden beneficiaries under ANNA Scheme at 2 kg per family per month.
  • Through the Assam Municipal Amendment Act, educational qualifications has been set for Ward Commissioners – Class 12 pass for general category candidates, Class 10 for SC/ST/OBC category.
  • An international trade centre for Agar Tree will be set up at Golaghat.
  • 3-year exemption on levy of cess on green leaves for big tea gardens.
  • New syllabus for APSC examination in line with UPSC exam.
  • Reservation of 80 per cent in managerial and supervisory and 90 per cent in non-managerial cadre in State PSUs and industries availing benefits from State Government.
  • Under the New Assam State Industrial Policy, 2019, power subsidy at Rs 2 per unit will be given for a period of 5 years subject to a maximum of Rs 50 lakh per annum.
  • 50,000 subsidy to the higher education loans.
  • The number of wards in Guwahati Municipal Corporation has been increased to 60.
  • The honorarium for GP Member has been hiked from Rs. 1500 to Rs 2000, AP Member from Rs. 2500 to Rs. 3000 and ZP Member from 3500 to Rs. 4000.
  • The New Film Policy approved under which Rs. 25 lakh subsidy will be given for films whose production cost is Rs. 1 crore. Films honoured with National Award will get Rs 1 crore and those nominated for Oscar Rs 2 crore. Moreover, a corpus fund will be created collecting Rs. 1 from each ticket sold for the welfare of artistes.
 UN calls nations to join clean air initiative
  • The United Nations, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UN Environment and Climate and Clean Air Coalition announced the clean air initiative and urged governments participation.
  • The announcement was made by Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Climate Action Summit.
  • The climate and the air pollution crisis are driven by the same factors and must be tackled by joint actions.
  • The governments at all levels have both an urgent need and huge opportunity not only to address the climate crisis, but also to improve the health and save the lives of millions of people around the world, all while making progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
  • The clean air initiative calls on national and sub-national governments to commit to achieving air quality that is safe for citizens, and to align climate change and air pollution policies by 2030.
  • According to the World Bank, air pollution costs the global economy around $5.11 trillion in welfare losses.
  • Meeting the Paris Agreement on climate change, however, could save over 1 million lives a year by 2050 and yield health benefits worth $54.1 trillion, twice the costs of mitigation, through reduced air pollution alone.
  • Governments at all levels can join the initiative by committing to specific actions, including implementing air quality and climate change policies that will achieve the WHO ambient air quality guideline values.
  • The initiative comprises implementing e-mobility and sustainable mobility policies and actions with the aim of making a decisive impact on road transport emissions.
 Lok Sabha passes Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill
  • The Lok Sabha passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which seeks to transform Indian roads with adequate safety measures to reduce road accidents, imposing stiffer penalties for violations and weeding out corruption.
  • As part of the initiative, the Centre will develop a system for cashless treatment of road accident victims in the so-called golden hour—the period up to an hour after a traumatic injury, during which there is highest likelihood of preventing death by providing medical care.
  • The bill also seeks to protect good Samaritans, ensuring that people who come forward to help accident victims will not be harassed by the law.
  • The proposed law has suggested higher penalty for offences such as driving without a licence, speeding, dangerous driving, drunk driving and for vehicles plying without a permit.
  • There will be strict provisions and suspension of licence for dangerous driving and driving without seat-belts.
  • The bill proposes a fine of as much as ₹10,000 for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, up from the existing ₹2,000.
  • Besides, the Govt will have the power to increase the penalty by 10% every year.
  • Under the bill, the Centre can tell an automobile manufacturer to recall motor vehicles in case of defects that cause damage to the environment.
  • The bill caps the maximum liability for third-party insurance in case of an accident at ₹5 lakh, compared with ₹50,000 now.
  • There will also be an eight-time increase in compensation in case of hit-and-runs.
 Bills to overhaul labour laws, boost jobs moved in Lok Sabha
  • Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar, introduced The Code on Wages, 2019, and The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2019.
  • The Code on Wages seeks to consolidate the laws relating to wages, bonus and connected matters.
  • The Bill will replace 44 archaic labour laws and aims to set standards of minimum wages across industry, including small businesses, which employ nearly 90 per cent of India”s work force.
  • It will repeal four existing laws, including one on wage payments passed in 1936 and one on minimum wages dating to 1948.
  • The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code seeks to consolidate and amend the laws regulating the occupational safety, health and working conditions of the persons employed in an establishment.
  • It proposes a single-registration, single-licence regime for companies, instead of multiple permissions under 13 labour laws and allows women to work night shifts.

July 25, 2019

 Rail link to Gangtok from all NE State capitals by 2022
  • The Railways is set to link Sikkim’s capital, Gangtok, to capitals of all North Eastern States by March 2022. With this linkage, all the seven North Eastern State capitals will be connected to the national railway network, the Railways official added.
  • The capitals of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura have already been connected by a broad gauge rail network.
  • Work on new broad gauge lines has been taken up to connect the other State capitals – Shillong (Meghalaya), Imphal (Manipur), Kohima (Nagaland), Aizawl (Mizoram) – which is expected to be completed by 2020.
  • In Sikkim, the project has been riddled with land acquisition issues. The project of laying a broad gauge line from Sivok to Rangpo of length 45 km was sanctioned in 2008-09. However, the project has been in limbo since then with just 19 per cent of the work being completed so far, officials said.
  • Among the most significant of the ongoing projects is the 111-km Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal line, 64 per cent of which has been completed so far will not only put the Manipur capital on the railway map in the next couple of years but also prepare grounds for taking the railways to Moreh on the Myanmar border and beyond to become part of the proposed Trans-Asian Railway.
  • A 10-km section from Jiribam-Vaingaichungpao has already been completed.
  • In Aizawl, 58.43 per cent of the 51.38-km Bhairabi-Sairang line has been completed, while in Kohima, the Railways has made a progress of 25.23 per cent in the 82.5-km Dimapur-Zubza line.
  • In Shillong, the 21.50-km Tetelia-Byrnihat line has seen a 40 per cent progress, while a 10-km section from Tetelia-Kamlajari has been completed. Another line in the State, the 108.40-km Byrnihat-Shillong line has only seen progress of around 5 per cent.
 IIT scientists devise robotic hand for Paralytics
  • The scientists at the IIT-Kanpur have ventured into the world’s first robot hand for the rehabilitation of stroke patients.
  • The device is a two-finger robotic hand (exoskeleton) that uses a four-bar mechanism and has four degrees of freedom (DOF).
  • Professor Ashish Dutta and Professors K S Venkatesh have achieved this feat.
  • The exoskeleton can be used by a patient on the hand.
  • It uses brain signals, with the help of the brain computer interface (BCI) that is worn on the head, and helps paralysed patients to open and close the movement of their thumb, forefinger and middle fingers for physical practice.
  • The exoskeleton is operated by an MEGA microcontroller of 300 Mhz and powered by a battery.
  • The device has sensors that control the pressure of the fingertip applied by the patient.
  • If the patient can close or move the finger, the device follows the movement passively.
  • If it does not, then the device actively forces the finger to close, while taking BCI instructions using signals.
 HAL delivers Chetak helicopter to Indian Navy
  • Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) delivered a Chetak helicopter to the Indian Navy. The documents were handed over by S Anbuvelan, General Manager of Helicopter Division-HAL to Commodore Vikram Menon, VSM, CSO(Air), HQNA at an event.
  • HAL entered into a contract with the Indian Navy in August of 2017 for the supply of eight Chetak helicopters with the delivery schedule of the first two in August of 2019 and the rest in August of 2020.
  • These helicopters are fitted with the latest communication and navigation systems developed by HAL and the company is committed to providing continuous support to the Chetak fleet.
  • These helicopters are used by the Navy for communication duties (passenger transport), cargo/ material transport, casualty evacuation, search and rescue, areal survey and patrolling, emergency medical services, electronic news gathering, anti hijacking, offshore operation and under-slung operation.
  • HAL has so far produced more than 350 Chetak helicopters and delivered around 80 to the Indian Navy. Presently, 51 helicopters are flying with the Navy and the serviceability has always remained high.
 RS passes Bill including death penalty for child abuse
  • Rajya Sabha passed the bill for amending the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
  • The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was moved by Union Women and Child Development Minister SmritiIrani.
  • The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2019 provides for stringent punishment including life imprisonment for using children for pornographic purposes.
  • The new law is expected to discourage the trend of child sexual abuse by acting as a deterrent due to the strong penal provisions in it.
  • It intends to protect the interests of vulnerable children in times of distress and ensure their safety and dignity.
 The Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2019
  • The Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2019, which would replace the ordinance on the same, seeks to tackle the menace of illicit deposit-taking, being done by exploiting regulatory gaps and due to lack of strict administrative measures.
  • A Bill to protect depositors from Ponzi schemes and put in place a mechanism by which the investors can be compensated was passed by the Lok Sabha.
  • The Bill also provides for 1-10 years punishment and Rs 2 lakh to Rs 50 crore fines to deter any such act.
  • The Bill ensures that no hardship is caused to genuine businesses, or to individuals borrowing money from their relatives or friends for personal reasons or to tide over a crisis.
  • It contains a clause, which bans deposit-takers from promoting, operating, issuing advertisements or accepting deposits in any unregulated deposit scheme.
  • The Bill also proposes to create three different types of offences — running of unregulated deposit schemes, fraudulent default in regulated deposit schemes, and wrongful inducement in relation to unregulated deposit schemes.
  • The proposed law also provides for attachment of properties or assets and subsequent realisation of assets for repayment to depositors.
  • It will enable creation of an online central database for collection and sharing of information on deposit-taking activities.
  • The Bill also aims to prevent such unregulated deposit schemes or arrangements at their inception.
 Andhra Pradesh passes law to reserve 75% jobs for locals
  • The Andhra Pradesh government has made it mandatory for existing and upcoming industries in the state to reserve 75 per cent jobs for locals.
  • This hass been done through the passage of a new law called the Andhra Pradesh Employment of Local candidates in the Industries/Factories Bill, 2019.
  • Passed by the state legislative assembly the bill asks existing industries to ensure 75 per cent employment to the local candidates within three years from the date of commencement of this Act.
  • In case there are no qualified/suitable candidates available, the employers will have to train and engage local candidates within three years in close collaboration with government agencies, according to the bill.

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July 26, 2019

 Proposal for a new greenfield airport at Silchar, NE airports to get major face-lift
  • The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has received a proposal to develop a new greenfield airport at Silchar. The response from the Minister came in reply to an unstarred question (no. 5361) on whether there is any proposal to build new or develop existing airports in Assam and other states in North East raised by Guwahati MP Queen Ojha on July 25.
  • The Minister mentioned that for the Silchar airport, the AAI has requested the State Government to share the land details for conducting the pre-feasibility study.
  • Referring to the question on the development of existing airports across North East, the minister informed that the AAI has started work to build new terminal building at the LGBI Airport at Guwahati and also at the Imphal airport, re-carpetting of runway at Leelabari airport, extension of runway and other important allied works at Dibrugarh and Barapani airports, strengthening of runway at the Dimapur airport, construction of hangar and cargo building at Agartala airport and other development work at Rupsi and Teju airports.
  • The Ministry of Civil Aviation has also granted ‘in principle’ approval for setting up of a new greenfield airport at Hollongi in Arunachal Pradesh for which steps for bidding documents are in process.
 Clean Green Arunachal campaign launched
  • The Aalo Forest Division has launched the Clean Green Arunachal Campaign and Vanmahotsav, 2019, under the theme, ‘Plant more trees, make environment pollution free’. As many as 4,900 saplings were planted at various locations on the occasion.
  • Plastic-free zone: The Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Aalo has been declared a plastic and tobacco-free zone under the Swachhata Challenge. Officers and other staff have been given clear instructions not to bring plastic items like water bottles and single-use plastic items and tobacco products within the premises of the office building.
  • Regular water supply will be provided by the PHED, Aalo, and an alternative site for dumping of office waste is being identified. Disciplinary action will be taken against the office staff violating the decision under the Arunachal Pradesh Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1997.
 IIT Kanpur inks pact with Ericsson to deploy NB-IoT to monitor Delhi’s air pollution
  • Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) entered into a partnership with Swedish telecom gear maker Ericsson to deploy Narrow-band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) to monitor air pollution in Delhi.
  • With support from Ericsson, IIT will develop and deploy India”s first NB-IoT based low cost particulate matter sensors at multiple locations across Delhi.
  • As part of the memorandum of understanding (MoU), Ericsson will use locally developed air quality sensors that are capable of sharing environmental data including PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 levels at defined time intervals.
  • This will lead to better monitoring and analysis of data collected from different parts of the capital.
  • The findings will be shared with local authorities and other key stakeholders on a periodic basis.
  • The sensors are automated and will relay information on defined time intervals, providing data on pollution levels, sources and locations in a sustainable and cost-efficient way.
 Whatsapp teams up with NITI Aayog to promote women entrepreneurs
  • India’s Niti Aayog entered into a partnership with Facebook-owned WhatsApp to support the growth of a robust ecosystem to promote women entrepreneurs in India.
  • Under this partnership, WhatsApp, in collaboration with NITI Aayog, will announce an annual calendar of events aimed at capacity building of the women entrepreneurs and evolve specific programmes aimed at addressing challenges being faced by women entrepreneurs.
  • WhatsApp will also provide support amounting to $100,000 for the winners of NITI Aayog’s Women Transforming India (WTI) Awards 2019.

July 27, 2019

 NE police forces join hands to fight human trafficking
  • With human trafficking becoming a major cause of concern for Assam and other states of the Northeast, the police forces of the region have decided to improve coordination with real time input sharing to deal with the menace.
  • The heads of the police forces of the northeastern states have also stressed the need for a detailed research on the issue by a reputed organisation.
  • At least 380 cases of human trafficking were reported in Assam only in the last five years and the actual number can even be higher as in some cases, the families of the affected girls do not come forward to report such incidents to police. As per records of the Assam Police, 82 trafficking cases were reported in 2014, 73 in 2015, 75 in 2016, 79 in 2017 and 70 cases were reported last year.
  • The Assam Police has already created an anti-human trafficking cell in the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and efforts would be made to make the cell more active.
  • Most of the girls trafficked from Assam end up in states like Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, and they are often lured with job offers.
 NGT nod for Delhi Government’s water conservation project
  • The National Green Tribunal (NGT) gave its nod to Delhi Government’s water conservation project on Yamuna floodplains.
  • The project aims to conserve water on floodplains and build mega reservoir between Pall and Wazirabad to meet water demand.
  • Under the project, small ponds will be created to catch water from an overflowing Yamuna during this monsoon season.
 Cabinet approves merger of National Institute of Miners’ Health with ICMR-National Institute of Occupational Health
  • The Union Cabinet, has approved to dissolve National Institute of Miners’ Health (NIMH), an autonomous Institute under Ministry of Mines (MoM) and merge with ICMR-National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH), Ahmedabad.
  • Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW) with all assets and liabilities; and absorb all the employees of NIMH in NIOH in the similar post/pay scale as the case may be and their pay be protected.
  • NIMH, ICMR, NIOH, MoM and Department of Health Research (DHR), MoH&FW to take actions required for effecting dissolution and merger/amalgamation of NIMH with NIOH
  • The merger of NIMH with NIOH will prove beneficial to both the Institutes in term of enhanced expertise in the field of occupational health besides the efficient management of public money.
 Cabinet approves creation of buffer stock of sugar
  • The Cabinet has approved the creation of buffer stock of 40 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of sugar for one year and to incur estimated maximum expenditure of Rs.1674 crores for this purpose.
  • However, based on the market price and availability of sugar, this may be reviewed by the Dept. of Food and Public Distribution any time for withdrawal / modification.
  • The reimbursement under the scheme would be met on quarterly basis to sugar mills which would be directly credited into farmers’ account on behalf of mills against cane price dues and subsequent balance, if any, would be credited to the mill’s account.
  • Creation of buffer stock of 30 LMT of sugar for one year from 1st July, 2018 to 30th June, 2019 was one of the various interventions which were made by the Government.

 

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July 28, 2019

 Assam Police to induct hi-tech Sillinger boats
  • Assam Police is all set to induct a fleet of highly-sophisticated Sillinger boats that could be pressed into action for combat and non-combat operations, especially along the Indo-Bangla riverine border.
  • Sillinger boats, which are used by armed forces across the world, would be deployed with trained operators. Assam shares the riverine border stretch of 110 kilometres with Bangladesh.
  • As many as 70 Sillinger boats would be procured as part of its upgrading exercise in the first phase. Each boat will come with a payload capacity of 1,100 kilograms.
  • Sillinger boats are inflatable and would allow fast movement for the armed forces on the riverine areas. Along with that, it could be deployed for a wide range of missions, including rescue and search operations.
  • Once the boats are procured, a team of technicians would also be developed by the Assam Police.
 Assam Legislative Assembly inks pact with UNICEF
  • The Assam Legislative Assembly signed a Letter of Understanding (LoU) with UNICEF Assam to work together on issues related to children in the State. The letter was signed by the Principal Secretary of State Assembly Mrigendra Kumar Deka and UNICEF Assam officer-in-charge Sweta Patnaik in the presence of Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami.
  • 41 per cent of Assam’s population is children, which is almost the majority. The sustainable development goals which are related to women and children will be the purview for the Committee for the Welfare of Women and Children.
  • Addressing the need for protecting the rights of children, starting with their right to survival, MLA Dr Numal Momin said Assam has made significant strides in improving under-five mortality rate and stunted growth, but a lot is needed to be done to improve quality and access to nutrition, sanitation, drinking water and health interventions, among others, especially in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.
  • Assam loses 87 infants and 96 under-five children daily. About 36 per cent children in the State are malnourished, which could be due to several reasons such as mothers not receiving adequate diet during pregnancy and lactation in the first 1,000 days.
 CISCO partners with Google to launch free high-speed Wifi in India
  • Global networking giant Cisco in partnership with Google announced to roll out free high-speed Wi-Fi access globally, starting with India.
  • The first pilot under the partnership has been rolled out at 35 locations in Bengaluru.
  • Cisco will work with Google”s “Station Platform” to provide communities around the country access to a free public Wi-Fi.
  • It will run on https environment — the same environment in which we do online banking transactions.
  • The service will be supported by advertisements.
  • By September this year, 200 locations in Bengaluru will be Wi-Fi enabled, followed by another 300 by in the second phase.
  • The locations include public spaces like bus stops, hospitals and government offices, etc.
  • According to a TRAI report, globally, there is on Wi-Fi hotspot for every 150 people, and in India, eight million additional hotspots must be installed to achieve the same ratio — creating new market opportunities for infrastructure providers and internet service providers.
  • India has only 52,000 Wi-Fi hotspots today, necessitating a proactive strategy to make high-speed Wi-Fi hotspots ubiquitous across the country.
 Delhi to get country’s most advanced & tallest ATC tower
  • National capital’s IGI Airport will soon sport the country’s most technologically advanced and highest ATC tower, which is expected to enhance the safety and the efficiency of air transport management services over the city’s sky.
  • The migration procedures have already commenced from the old ATC to the new tower and the process is expected to be completed before 15 August.
  • At present, AAI which has been mandated to handle the air traffic management services at the airport is running a parallel operation to test the automation and other systems in the new facility.
  • The commissioning of the new tower is expected to enhance the efficiency of air traffic management services at the IGIA which is the busiest airport in India.
  • On an average, Delhi Air Traffic Control handles more than one flight operation every minute throughout the day.
  • At least 1,200 landings and take-offs happen every day from Delhi airport along with overflying traffic of at least 250 planes.
  • Besides, the new facility with its physical and technologically advanced equipment is expected to provide a more robust safety systems.

  • At a height of 102 meters, the tower enables air traffic controllers to have better visibility of all the three runways, apron area and taxiways.

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