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Current Affairs Assam – May 29 - 31, 2019

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

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May 29, 2019

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India ranks 43^rd in Worlds’ Most Competitive Economy

• India has moved up one place to rank 43^rd most competitive economy in the world on the back of its robust economic growth, a large labour force and its huge market size, while Singapore has toppled the US to grab the top position.
• Hong Kong SAR has held onto its second place, helped by a benign tax and business policy environment and access to business finance.
• The IMD Business School into account a wide range of statistics such as unemployment, GDP and government spending on health and education, as well as data from an executive opinion survey covering topics such as social cohesion, globalisation and corruption.
• India’s ranking has improved by one place in past one year to 43rd, driven by a robust rate of growth in real GDP, improvements in business legislation and an increase in public expenditure on education

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DRDO successfully test fires Akash-1S missile system

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired the Akash-1S surface to air defence missile system.
• This is a new version of the missile fitted with an indigenous seeker.
• Developed by the DRDO, the Akash missile system has the capability to neutralise aerial targets such as fighter jets, cruise missiles and air-to-surface missiles as well as ballistic missiles.
• The Akash-1S is capable of striking down enemy fighter jets and drones very effectively and accurately. 
• The Akash surface-to-air missile was designed to intercept enemy aircraft and missiles from a distance of 18 to 30 km.
• Akash missile system has already been deployed by IAF at its bases in Gwalior, Hashimara, Tejpur, Jorhat and Pune since 2013.

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India elected to Executive Board of first UN-Habitat Assembly

• India has been elected to the Executive Board of the first UN-Habitat Assembly at the Plenary Session of the Assembly started yesterday in Nairobi, Kenya.
• The special theme for the UN-Habitat Assembly is “Innovation for Better Quality of Life in Cities and Communities”. 
• The first session of the UN-Habitat Assembly started on May 27 at the headquarters of UN-Habitat in Nairobi and will go on till May 31.

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NSIC signs MoU 2019-20 with Ministry of MSME

• The National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC) signs the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) for the year 2019-20.
• The MOU was signed by Shri Ram Mohan Mishra, AS & DC (MSME) and CMD (NSIC) with Dr. Arun Kumar Panda, Secretary, MSME, and Govt of India .
• The NSIC MoU 2019-20 with Ministry of MSME, Government of India envisages provision of enhanced services by NSIC under its Marketing, Financial, Technology and Other support services schemes, for MSMEs in the country.
• The Corporation projects to increase ‘Revenue from Operation’ by 22 per cent from Rs 2540 crore in the year 2018-19 to 3100 crore in the year 2019-20.
• Corporation also projects growth of 32 per cent in ‘Profitability’ during the year 2019-20.
• Under the scheme of National SC-ST Hub, NSIC’s continued endeavour shall be to provide assistance to the SC/ST Entrepreneurs through different interventions and various outreach activities with the overall objectives to increase their participation in public procurement.

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Russia launches world’s largest nuclear-powered icebreaker

• Russia launched the world’s largest nuclear-powered icebreaker as the country responds to the commercial opportunities presented by melting Arctic sea ice.
• Amid warming winters and rapid loss of sea ice cover, Russia is preparing for more shipping via what it calls the Northern Sea Route (NSR), which is expected to soon become navigable year-round.
• The ship, named the Ural, was floated out at a dockyard in St Petersburg and is one of a trio of new vessels which will be the largest and most powerful fleet of icebreakers in the world.
• It will eventually be handed over to Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation Rosatom in 2022, when the other two icebreakers – the Arktikaand the Sibir – also enter service.

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May 30, 2019

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Telangana to set up Country’s First ‘Blockchain District’

• Telangana released a draft blockchain policy to set up country’s first ‘Blockchain District’ in Hyderabad.
• It is aimed to create an ecosystem for major blockchain companies, start-ups for promoting research, innovation and industry collaboration.
• Earlier, the Telangana Government signed an agreement with Tech Mahindra to set up the Blockchain district in 2018.
• The main focus will be given to the sectors such as banking, financial services and insurance, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, government institutions and departments, logistics and supply chains.
• The incentives like access to investments, subsidies, tax credits will be rolled out to attract large enterprises, Small and Medium Enterprises and startups.
• Other incentives include 25% subsidy on lease rentals up to Rs. 5 lakh per annum for the first three years of operations.
• 100% reimbursement of State Goods and Services Tax (SGST ) for the first three years for startups with revenue less than Rs. 5 crore and along with one-time grant of Rs. 10 lakh, 75% subsidy in travel fare when the founders attend global conferences and 25% reimbursement on Internet charges would be provided.

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IAF ties up with ISRO for Manned Mission Crew Selection

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) signed an agreement with the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for crew selection and training for the country’s prestigious maiden manned mission Gaganyaan by 2021-22.
• The agreement was signed by Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Space Operations) Air Vice-Marshal R.G.K. Kapoor and Gaganyaan Project Director R. Hutton in the presence of the space agency’s Chairman K Sivan.
• The crew selection and training will be conducted at ISRO’s Human Space Flight Centre, opened on January 31 adjacent to its headquarters in the city, to develop technologies for the manned space missions.
• ISRO on January 31 opened a Human Space Flight Centre adjacent to its headquarters to develop technologies for manned space missions.
• The Human Flight Space Centre will also develop engineering systems for crew survival in space and sustained human space flight missions.​

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Jagan Mohan Reddy takes oath as Andhra Pradesh CM

• YSR Congress chief Yeduguri Sandinti Jagan Mohan Reddy was sworn-in as the second Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh post its bifurcation.
• Governor E S L Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy in a grand public function at the IGMC Stadium in nearby Vijayawada.
• The YSR Congress bagged 151 of the 175 seats in the state Assembly, decimating the TDP headed by N Chandrababu Naidu, who became the first chief minister of the state after it was bifurcated to carve out Telangana five years ago.
• For the first time, special arrangements have been made at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in New Delhi for live streaming of the swearing-in ceremony.
• Ambassadors of various countries, representatives from unilateral and multi-lateral agencies, international donor agencies, industry associations, multinational corporations and international media have been invited to witness the event at the AP Bhavan.
• After taking the oath, Reddy addressed the invited dignitaries through the video link and present his vision and mission for building a new Andhra Pradesh.

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ISRO sets up space tech incubation centre at NIT Trichy

• The Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) Chairman K. Sivan from Bengaluru remotely inaugurated, a Space Technology Incubation Centre (S-TIC) at the The National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirapalli.
• The S-TIC was first of its kind incubation centre in the southern region of It aims to develop innovative indigenous technologies that could be used for ISRO projects and which will help lower the cost significantly.
• The (S-TIC) will incubate startups to build applications and products in tandem with the industry and they would be used in future space missions.
• The final year students will be exposed to the problems of relevance and importance to the ISRO and proof of concept or prototype developed by them will be validated through tied-up industries.
• According to the NITT, the S-TIC is a novel concept conceived by the ISRO to tie up the academia, industry and research and development (R&D) institutions in different regions of the country.

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May 31, 2019

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ISRO-IITGuwahati inks MoU on Space Tech Cell

• The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati, has signed an MoU with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Department of Space, Government of India, to set up an IITG-ISRO Space Technology Cell (STC) at the IIT Guwahati.
• The IITG-ISRO STC would be a first of its kind in North East India and is bound to augment research and capacity building processes in the field of space technology.
• The STC will consist of faculty members from IIT Guwahati, visiting scientists and experts from ISRO, research students and technical staff.
• Through the STC, the IIT Guwahati aspires to partner with the ISRO for performing cutting-edge research not only catering to the socio-economic needs of the North East, but also to contribute towards the basic research activities of various ISRO projects across India.
• It would serve as a platform for motivating and involving undergraduate, postgraduate students and research scholars and orient them towards the realms of space-research activities.

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Narendra Modi takes oath as PM for the second time

• Narendra Modi took over as the country’s Prime Minister for a second term after he was sworn in along with Union ministers. Modi, 68, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by President Ram Nath Kovind at a glittering ceremony at the forecourt of majestic Rashtraparti Bhavan.
• Top opposition leaders including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, corporate honchos, film stars, Chief Ministers and a galaxy of leaders from BIMSTEC countries were part of the nearly 8,000 guests at the ceremony.
• Narendra Modi will be the 15^th Prime Minister (in person) of India. He is the 4th Prime Minister of India who would serve two consecutive terms as Prime Minister of India
• This is the second time Modi took the oath at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Modi was sworn in by the then President Pranab Mukherjee in 2014 in the presence of over 3,500 guests including the heads of SAARC countries.
• Earlier, Chandra Shekhar in 1990 and Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1999 were sworn in at the sprawling forecourt.
• Leaders of BIMSTEC countries including President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, President of Myanmar U Win Myint and Bhutanese Prime Minister LotayTshering also attended the gala event.
• Kyrgyz President and current chair of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, and Mauritius PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth also attended the event.

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Admiral Karambir Singh takes charge as new Navy Chief

• Admiral Karambir Singh took over as the Chief of the Naval Staff replacing incumbent Sunil Lanba. Having served the nation for the past four decades, Lanba served as the 23rd Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
• Admiral Karambir Singh PVSM AVSM ADC assumes charge as the 24th Chief of the Naval Staff.He is scheduled to continue in the post till November 2021.
• Admiral Singh’s priority would be to expedite the long-delayed modernisation of the Indian Navy, including by inducting new warships, submarines and aircraft.

FACTFILE – The Chief of the Naval Staff

• The Chief of the Naval Staff is the commander and the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Navy. The position is abbreviated CNS in Indian Navy cables and communication, and is always held by a full admiral.
• The office of the Chief of the Naval Staff was created by The Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act, 1955 of the Indian Parliament in 1955, replacing the erstwhile office of the Commander-in-Chief, Indian Navy.
• Appointments to the office are made by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
• The Chief of the Naval Staff generally reaches superannuation upon serving three years or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier.

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Current Affairs Assam – May 15 - 21, 2019

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

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May 15, 2019

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India’s smallest Orchids ‘Lecanorchis Taiwaniana‘ discovered in Assam

• LecanorchisTaiwaniana (the parasitic bloom), a type of Orchid was accidentally discovered in Assam by Assam’s forest officer named JatindraSarma. He is also the Member Secretary of State Medicinal Plants Board.
• The orchid species is already known in Japan, Taiwan and Laos.This is the first time it is discovered in India.
• The discovery of LecanorchisTaiwaniana adds to the Orchid wealth of North East India (NEI).
• Its discovery was published in the Japanese Journal of Botany with the title as “New record for the flora in India.

FACTFILE – LecanorchisTaiwaniana

• LecanorchisTaiwaniana is a mycoheterotroph, which means it is one of the two known types of parasitic plants which have abandoned photosynthesis and derives nutrients and its energy from fungus.
• It is a variant of a Japanese orchid.
• It is India’s one of smallest botanically recorded Orchids in terms of size and duration of bloom.
• India has about 1,300 species of orchids out of which 800 are found in NEI, about 300 species are found in the Western Ghats and 200 in North Western Himalayas.

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Indian Navy’s first full-fledged SSB opened at Kolkata

• The Indian Navy’s first full-fledged Services Selection Board (SSB) was inaugurated by Navy Chief Admiral Sunil LanbaatDiamond Harbournear Kolkata.
• The SSB (Kolkata) is located at a place that was previously occupied by a Naval Coastal Battery.
• This is the fifth SSB of the Indian Navy and will cater for selection of both permanent and short service commission (SSC) officers.
• The other boards are located in Bhopal, Bengaluru, Visakhapatnam and
• Spread over 27 acres on the banks of Hooghly, the SSB (Kolkata) has the capacity to screen 5,000 officer-candidates annually.
• The board can accommodate 160 candidates at a time and has separate facilities and accommodation for men and women candidates.
• This SSB will boost the induction of officers, both men and women, into the Indian Navy.
• Its location will reduce the travel time and effort for candidates from northern and northeastern parts of the country.

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Aarohi Pandit is world’s first woman to fly solo across Atlantic Ocean in Light Sport Aircraft

• Aarohi Pandit, 23, has become the world’s first female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA).
• Pandit completed the feat when she landed at Iqaluit Airport in Canada on 13 May, having flown there from Wick in the UK.
• It also made Pandit the first female pilot in the world to successfully complete a solo flight across the Greenland ice cap in an LSA.
• Mumbai-based Pandit is flying around the globe as part of the WE! Women Empower Expedition; the expedition is the first all-women team to circumnavigate the world in LSA.
• Her aircraft is a single engine Sinus 912 plane, and is the first LSA registered by India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
• The aircraft’s cockpit was equipped with a raft, oxygen and other safety gear for the Atlantic crossing.
• Pandit embarked on the expedition with fellow pilot KeithairMisquitta in July 2018. They flew across Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat in India, before crossing over Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Serbia, Slovenia, Germany, France and the UK.

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May 16, 2019

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Manipur drafts solid waste management policy

• A policy on solid waste management is at the drafting stage and waiting for approval in Manipur. At the same time, the segregation of municipal solid waste at the household level through urban local bodies (ULBs) is likely to begin in the State from July this year.
• Efforts are on to encourage self-help groups (SHGs) to take up roles from the generation point of waste to its disposal in most municipal wards of the State to streamline solid waste management.
• The Govt aims to encourage at least one SHG in every ward. This will help in enhancing the solid waste management initiative in the State.

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India’s child mortality rate was World’s highest

• At 47.8 deaths per 1,000 live births, India in 2015 had more deaths among children under five than any other country, new research has found.
• During 2000-2015, the annual mortality among children under five came down from 2.5 million in 2000 to 1.2 million in 2015.
• The country had, however, large disparities in the under-five mortality rate between richer and poorer states.
• The highest mortality rate, in Assam, was more than seven times that in the western state of Goa.
• Although most under five deaths were due to preterm complications, preventable infectious diseases featured prominently as causes of death in higher-mortality states.
• For the study, the researchers analysed state-level Indian data on the causes of death among children under five for the years 2000-2015.
• In 2017, India’s under-five mortality rate matched the global average (39 deaths per 1,000 live births), according to a report released on September 18, 2018, by the United Nations Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

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CTBTO, the nuclear test ban body offers India ‘observer’ status

• The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) has offered India an “Observer” status and access to International Monitoring System (IMS) data.
• CTBTO runs International Monitoring System (IMS) that constantly monitors the planet for nuclear explosions and shares findings with its member states.
• At present, IMS has 337 facilities, located in 89
• CTBT is a global treaty with the objective of banning all nuclear explosions across the world. In 1996, it was opened for signature after being adopted by the UN General Assembly. However, the treaty has yet to come into force as it is considered “discriminatory” by several countries including India.
• India has not signed the treaty yet as it favours five nuclear weapon states — China, US, Russia, France and UK. India wants the treaty to have a clause on complete nuclear disarmament.

FACTFILE – The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)

• CTBTO is an international organization that will be established upon the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, a Convention that outlaws nuclear test explosions.
• The organization is tasked with verifying the ban on nuclear tests and will operate therefore a worldwide monitoring system and may conduct on site inspections.
• The Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO, and its Provisional Technical Secretariat, were established in 1997 and are headquartered in Vienna, Austria.

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May 17, 2019

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Lakhimpur’s Meghashree Borah tops HSLC exam for 2019, Selim Ahmed from Goalpara tops Assam High Madrassa exam

• Meghashree Borah of Sankardev Shishu Bidya Niketan (Lakhimpur) and Selim Ahmed of Rakhaldubi High Madrassa (Goalpara) topped the High School Leaving Certificate Examination and the Assam High Madrassa Examination, 2019.
• While Meghashree scored 594 out of 600 marks, Selim managed 561 out of 600 marks.
• The overall pass percentage of HSLC examination this year was 60.23, an increase from last year’s 56.04 per cent, the success rate for High Madrassa examination this year stood at 58.18 per cent.
• Among the districts, Dhemaji once again ruled the roost recording the highest pass percentage of 83.28.
• Similarly, in the High Madrassa examination, Baksa recorded the highest pass percentage of 81.01.
• A total of 336203 candidates, including 175939 female, appeared in the HSLC examination this year compared to 9127 candidates (including 5446 females) appeared in the High Madrassa examination.

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Nagaland gets first Level 2 Food Lab in North East

• The Nagaland State Food Laboratory has been upgraded to a Level-2 Laboratory. This is the first state-of-the-art Level-2 food laboratory in the entire North East.
• The laboratory has been equipped with three major equipment – liquid chromatography mass spectrometer, gas chromatography mass spectrometer and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer.
• For analysing a wide range of food components such as cereals, oils, food products, beverages, spices, sweets, vegetables, additives, etc.,
• Besides organic and inorganic parts of food contents like vitamins, proteins, peptides, amino acid hormones, food colours, minerals, etc., and test their purity.
• The machinery of the new laboratory, costing Rs 10 crore, was provided as non-recurring grant by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

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India supplies two attack helicopters to Afghanistan

• As part of its assistance to Afghanistan, India handed over two Mi-24 attack helicopters to Kabul to battle terrorism.
• The two helicopter gunships will replace the four supplied in 2015, giving more fire power to the Afghan armed forces.
• Indian ambassador to Afghanistan Vinay Kumar, acting Minister of Defense Asadullah Khalid, Air Force Commander Gen. Abdul Rahim Ramin and others attended the handing over ceremony at Kabul air base.
• The gunships are being refurbished for Afghanistan by Belarus with financial support from India though Indian Air Force (IAF) is phasing out its own Russian-origin stack helicopters replacing them with Apaches.

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May 18, 2019

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Arunachal Pradesh holds 35 % of India’s Graphite Reserves

• The Geological Survey of India (GSI) in its report said that about 35% of India’s total Graphite reserves are found in Arunachal Pradesh. This is the highest level of Graphite reserves found in the country.
• With 35% of India’s Graphite deposits being found in Arunachal Pradesh, the state could now be developed as the leading producer of graphite in the country thus helping in meeting its future needs. At present India imports majority of Graphite from other countries.

FACTFILE – Geological Survey of India (GSI)

• The Geological Survey of India (GSI) was set up in 1851 primarily to find coal deposits for the Railways.It is headquartered at Kolkata.
• Geological Survey of India (GSI) is one of the oldest of such organisations in the world.
• It is the second oldest survey in India after the Survey of India.It conducts geological surveys and studies of India.
• The objectives of GSI are achieved through various surveys like the marine, airborne, ground and also by mineral prospecting and investigations.
• It also undertakes multi-disciplinary studies like geo-environmental, geoscientific, geotechnical and natural hazards studies, glaciology, seismotectonic study, and carrying out fundamental research.

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BSNL Partners with Google to expand Wi-Fi Footprint

• On the occasion of World Telecom Day, state-run telecom major BSNL has partnered with Google to increase access to its Wi-Fi footprint in the country.
• With the launch of this service, people across the country will be able to enjoy BSNL’s free Wi-Fi services.
• This initiative will allow customers use BSNL’s high speed internet services on Wi-Fi.
• BSNL is also taking steps to increase the rural Wi-Fi footprint, promoting the government’s ‘Digital India’ initiative.
• There are 38,000 BSNL Wi-Fi hotspot locations operational in India.

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Meghalaya-Assam CMs to resume talks on border dispute

• Chief Ministers of Meghalaya and Assam are slated to resume stalled talks over the disputed boundary between the two States after the LokSabha election results are declared.
• Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister, PrestoneTynsong said, the stalled talks over the boundary dispute is likely to be held in early June.
• Periodic talks were held between the two States over the decades-old boundary dispute. Following talks between the two Chief Ministers, Chief Secretaries of the two States held bilateral talks a few years back to resolve the issue.
• Meghalaya on its part has handed over maps and other documents to the Assam Government staking claim over the disputed area.
• Little development has taken place after handing over these documents to Assam by the Meghalaya Government.

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May 19, 2019

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Mizoram policy aims to make sports big industry

• The ambitious sports policy of the Mizoram Government aims to turn sports into a major industry, State Sports Minister Robert Romawia Royte has said.
• Minister Royte said making Mizoram the first State to make sports a revenue-earning subject is one of the basic objectives of the policy which, he said, would be rolled out within 365 days from the day the MNF Government assumed office.
• Reorganisation and promotion of those disciplines recognised by the International Olympic Committee as well those indigenously practised and regarded as culturally and intrinsically important by the locals are also among the objectives of the policy.
• Restructuring of the sports associations and bodies within the State will also come under the ambit of the sports policy.
• The sports policy aims to develop sports into a lucrative profession in Mizoram, and to start with, a centre of excellence would be established at Siaha for young talents who aspire to build a career in boxing.
• The Mizoram Government has approved of the Mizoram State Games, an annual event, for which Rs 150 lakh has been allocated this year.

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India ranked 117^th in Kids Right Index

• India stands in a lowly 117th position out of 181 countries in the KidsRight Index, the annual global index which ranks how countries adhere to and are equipped to improve child rights.
• Countries are judged on five indicators: right to life, right to education, right to health, right to protection and enabling environment for child rights.
• KidsRights Index is an initiative of Kids Right Foundation in cooperation with Erasmus University, Rotterdam.
• They release annual reports every year by pooling data from UNICEF, UNDP and UN Committee on the Rights of the Child by considering individual country reports.
• India has a score of 0.64 out of 1 in the overall category. Out of all categories, it performed better in protection and child rights environment and secured 94th rank with a score of 0.8 in the protection category and performed worst in the health indicator being ranked 153 with a score of 0.54.
• Around 45 per cent of children in our country are malnourished and India spends only 1.2 per cent of its GDP on health and 3.7 per cent on education, when the international standard on education is 6 per cent.
• When it comes to the child rights environment, India has scored 0.57 and ranks 85.93. This indicator considers legislation, budget, non-discrimination and participation of children.
• According to the KidsRights Index, some economically developed countries such as the UK and New Zealand have also scored poorly on the basic principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

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Govt plans to introduce artificial intelligence system in MCA 21 portal

• Corporate affairs ministry plans to introduce artificial intelligence system in the MCA 21 portal as it seeks to make compliance process easier as well as ensure routine enforcement activities are done round-the-clock on autopilot basis.
• MCA 21 is the electronic backbone for the dissemination of information to all stakeholders, including the regulator, corporates and investors.
• All filings under the companies law are submitted to the ministry through this portal.
• The ministry would look to “introduce Artificial Intelligence in MCA 21 when version 3 of the portal is rolled out in about a year’s time”.
• It will look to rationalise all the forms, follow the principle of a single source of truth so that one is not required to fill in known details and also interlink databases, so that routine enforcement is done 24×7 on autopilot basis.
• MCA 21 allows electronic filings of various documents under Companies Act, 2013 and has fully automated all processes related to enforcement and compliance monitoring under the Act.
• MCA 21 system was started in 2006. The first phase of the e-governance initiative of the ministry was implemented by Tata Consultancy Services and the second phase is being implemented by Infosys for the period from January 2013-July 2021. 

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May 20, 2019

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Ministry of Environment to create DNA Database of Indian Rhinos

• Union Ministry of Environment announced a project to create DNA Database for Indian Rhinos.
• This is done in order to curb poaching and collect evidence for wildlife crimes upon Rhinos. The deadline to meet this project is 2021.
• The database will be kept in the Wildlife Institute of India(WII) headquartered in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
• The proponents of this project include the World Wide Fund for Nature-India(WWF-India) and the Centre-funded Wildlife Institute of India.

FACTFILE – The Wildlife Institute of India(WII)

• The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate change, Government of India.
• It was established in May 1982.
• WII carries out wildlife research in areas of study like Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Wildlife Policy, Wildlife Management, Wildlife Forensics, Spatial Modeling, Ecodevelopment, Ecotoxicology, Habitat Ecology and Climate Change. WII has a research facility which includes Forensics, Remote Sensing and GIS, Laboratory, Herbarium, and an Electronic Library.
• The founder director was V. B. Saharia while the first Director was Hemendra Singh Panwar who remained the director from 1985 to 1994.
• Vinod B. Mathur is the Director of Wildlife Institute of India

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Meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers of SCO

• External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj will be attending the meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of Shanghai Cooperation Organization to be held in Bishkek (Kyrgyz Republic) on 21-22 May 2019.
• This will be the second CFM meeting that India will be attending as a full member of SCO. External Affairs Minister had also attended the last CFM meeting in Beijing (China) on 23-24 April 2018.
• India actively took part in various SCO dialogue mechanisms under the Chairmanship of the Kyrgyz Republic over the past year.
• The CFM meeting in Bishkek will review the preparations for the forthcoming SCO Summit in Bishkek on 13-14 June 2019 and also exchange views on topical issues of international and regional importance.
• External Affairs Minister’s programme in Bishkek will include the meeting of Council of SCO Foreign Ministers and a joint call of SCO Foreign Ministers on Kyrgyz President H.E. Mr.Sooranbay Jeenbekov.

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Indian Scientist Ankur Patwardhan wins German chemistry prize

• In a international competition ‘Elsevier Foundation-ISC3 Green and Sustainable Chemistry Challenge’, a project idea by Ankur Patwardhan from Pune has bagged the second prize of €25,000.
• His project named ‘Butterfly attractant for pollination and ecosystem health’ is about the relation between chemistry and ecosystem.
• Patwardhan is currently working as head of the ‘AnnasahebKulkarni Biodiversity Department’ at AbasahebGarware College, Pune.
• This competition received 600 applications from around the world. Out of them, 50 were shortlisted and the final five were selected for presentation in the 4th Green and Sustainable Chemistry Conference in Germany.
• AnkurPatwardhan developed the project idea with the help of TejaswiniPachpor and DattatrayNaik.
• Patwardhan serves as a member of the Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board. He is also the president of a high-level committee appointed by the Centre on Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani Eco-Sensitive Zone.

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World Metrology Day on 20 May

• World Metrology Day is an annual celebration of the signature of the Metre Convention on 20 May 1875 by representatives of seventeen nations.
• The Convention set the framework for global collaboration in the science of measurement and in its industrial, commercial and societal applications.
• The original aim of the Metre Convention – the world-wide uniformity of measurement – remains as important today as it was in 1875.
• The theme for World Metrology Day 2019 is The International System of Units – Fundamentally better.
• This theme was chosen because on 16 November 2018, the General Conference on Weights and Measures agreed perhaps one of the most significant revisions to the International System of Units (the SI) since its inception. Research into new measurement methods, including those using quantum phenomena, underpin the change, which comes into force on 20 May 2019.

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May 21, 2019

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Meghalaya Govt to implement Free Drug Policy and promote herbal medicines

• In its bid to provide free medicines to every citizen in the State, the Meghalaya Government held a review meeting on Wednesday to gear up for the implementation of the Free Drug Policy.
• A total of 72 essential medicines will be made free of cost for the people of the State.
• The government will have to spend Rs 100 crore annually for implementation of the Free Drug Policy in the State.
• Chief Minister Conrad Sangma held a meeting with the State Health and Family Welfare Minister AL Hek and a scientist from IIT Kanpur to discuss the possibilities and way ahead to promote indigenous and herbal medicines. This will pave the way for traditional healers in Meghalaya to improve their economic status and also help preserve the traditional way of healing besides boosting health tourism in the State.
• There are more than 500 traditional healers in Meghalaya who are registered with the State.

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Shyam Saran to be conferred with Japan’s ‘Order of the Rising Sun’ award

• Former foreign secretary Shyam Saran will be conferred with Japan’s second highest national award for his contributions to strengthen the strategic ties and enhancing mutual understanding between India and
• The Government of Japan announced that in its 2019 Spring Imperial Decorations, it will confer 72-year-old Saran, ‘the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star’.
• Saran, who was India’s Foreign Secretary during 2004-2006, has played an important role to elevate Japan-India relationship to strategic partnership.
• During his tenure, the then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited India for the first time in 5 years.
• Saran’s contributions in strengthening mutual understanding between Japan and India includes “India Festival”, which was held in Japan in 1988, when he was Deputy Chief of Mission of Embassy of India in Japan.
• Since 2017, Saran has been enhancing mutual understanding between the two countries, such as by hosting an “India-Japan Colloquium,”
• The Order of the Rising Sun is a Japanese government honour established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji.

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Tech Mahindra signed a defence contract with Indian Navy

• IT major Tech Mahindra has signed a defence contract worth Rs 300 crore, As part of the ‘Armed Forces Secure Access Card’ (AFSAC) Project, Tech Mahindra will implement RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) based access control system across all naval bases and ships.
• The new AFSAC card will replace the existing paper based identity card for all Navy personnel, including dependents and ex-servicemen.
• The Mumbai-based company will develop a secure application to manage the access control devices, network devices and the AFSAC card through a data centre.
• Scheduled to be implemented over the next two years, the project will ensure smooth issuance, handling, administration, management and life cycle support of AFSAC Cards on turnkey basis.
• Tech Mahindra is already working with entities like Coal India, India Ports Association, Kanpur Smart City and others.
• The security of Indian Naval establishments against unauthorized access, is a thrust area and the AFSAC Project will be an important step towards achieving this aim.

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Anti-terrorism day observed on May 21

• May 21, the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi is observed as Anti-Terrorism Day in India, to spread the message of peace and humanity and to promote unity among the people. The purpose is to spread the message of global peace and non-violence and stop youngsters from following cult practices and being misguided.
• Anti-Terrorism Day also honours the sacrifices made by thousands of soldiers who fought against terrorism. It’s a day to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in terrorist attacks.
• Rajiv Gandhi became the youngest prime minister of the country when he was sworn in at the age of 40 as the sixth Prime Minister of India after his mother Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984.

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Rafael Nadal Won the Italian Open 2019

• Rafael Nadal has won a record 34th ATP Masters 1000 title by defeating Novak Djokovic in the Italian Open final 2019.
• In his 9th Rome title, Nadal dominated in a 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 win broke a tie with his longtime rival Djokovic. For his victory, Nadal received 1,000 ATP Ranking points and earned ₹7.5 crore.
• After three semi-final defeats in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid, Nadal has returned to his best form ahead of Roland Garros and clinched his first title of the season.

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Current Affairs Assam – May 1 - 7, 2019

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

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May 01, 2019

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International Workers’ Day celebrated on May 1

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

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India ranks 4^th in biggest military spender

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

FACTFILE – Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)

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

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Indian Navy to have 8 anti-submarine warfare shallow watercraft

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

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Indo-French joint naval exercise Varuna 19.1

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

FACTFILE – Varuna

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

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May 02, 2019

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Germany to grant €6.5 million for Nagaland forestry project

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

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India Chandrayaan-2 mission to be launched in July

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

FACTFILE – Mission Chandrayaan-2

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

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‘Green Nobel’ Goldman Environmental Prize Awarded to Alfred Brownell

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

FACTFILE – Goldman Environmental Prize

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

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DCIL inks MOU with WAPCOS

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

FACTFILE – Dredging Corporation of India Limited

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

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May 03, 2019

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2^nd Ginger Festival starts at Pherzawl in Manipur

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

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World press freedom day observer on May 3

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

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BHEL signs MOU with ARAI for e-mobility projects

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

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Reducing dirty fuels can help curb air pollution

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

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 May 04, 2019

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First brain surgery of south Assam performed successfully

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

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International firefighters’ day observed on May 4

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

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Defence Ministry clears acquisition of 10 Kamov-31 choppers

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

FACTFILE – The Kamov Ka-31

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

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INS Ranjit to be decommissioned

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

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May 05, 2019

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Manipur is third highest tobacco consumer state in India

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

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E-Governance Services India ties up with IIT-Kanpur

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

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

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

FACTFILE – The National Order of the Legion of Honour

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

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May 06, 2019

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

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

FACTFILE – Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC)

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

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Asian Development Bank launches Healthy Oceans action plan

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

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

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

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

India’s Aircraft Carriers

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

FACTFILE – HMS Queen Elizabeth

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

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Assam to establish organic agricultural university

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

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May 07, 2019

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

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

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India, US discuss trade issues discussed

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

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India Launches 4^th Kalvari-Class Attack Submarine

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

FACTFILE – Scorpene class submarines

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

FACTFILE – Project 75I-class submarine

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

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

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

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

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

May 2019 – Monthly PDF | Monthly Quiz eBook

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