Assam Current Affairs – May 2018
( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the month of May 2018 )
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May 13
Lata Mangeshkar Conferred With Swara Mauli Award
Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar was honoured with the Swara Mauli title by spiritual guru Vidya Narsimha Bharati Swami at her residence Prabhu Kunj at Peddar Road in south Mumbai.
During the occasion her sisters Asha Bhosle and Usha Mangeshkar and brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar were also present.
She is the recipient of the ‘Bharat Ratna’, ‘Dadasaheb Phalke Award’. She was awarded the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in the country, in 2001.
Government has decided to expand Buddhist tourism circuit in 21 other states.
The Ministry of Tourism has decided to expand Buddhist tourism circuit in 21 other states. Earlier envisaged by the government as mainly comprising seven major Buddhist pilgrimage sites, in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Buddhist tourism circuit, under the Ministry’s Swadesh Darshan scheme a total of Rs 362 crore has been sanctioned so far, of which Rs 75 crore has been cleared for Madhya for the development of Sanchi, Satna, Rewa, Mandsaur and Dhar.
The Ministry of Tourism has identified stupas and viharas in these states, around which small intra-state Buddhist zones will be developed. The states include Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, as also Kerala, West Bengal, Goa, Gujarat and Jammu & Kashmir.
The aim of this scheme is to attract more Buddhist tourists. Hence, the Buddhist circuit is being imagined as India’s first trans-national tourist circuit, with efforts to promote tourism starting from Lumbini in Nepal, where Buddha was born.
UNDP to set up skill development centre in Hyderabad
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) going to set up a skill development centre at ‘Bharosa,’ an integrated support centre for distressed women and children in Hyderabad.
This initiative aimed at empowering vulnerable and marginalised women by imparting skills training.
Key Facts
(i) The agreement has been signed by UNDP Hyderabad Police under the ‘Disha’ project to build capacities and skills of women affected by violence to help make them economically self-sufficient. The agreement extends support to enable these women to learn marketable skills and connect with income opportunities.
(ii) The centre provide 24X7 services related to police, medical, legal, prosecution, psycho-therapeutic counselling and relief and rehabilitation services in completely private counselling rooms to maintain confidentiality and privacy.
(iii) Since its inception this initiative has helped 3,560 victims out of which 2,600 are victims of domestic violence.
(iv) The centre is equipped with well-trained staff and modern gadgets, including facilities like video conferencing so that the victims need not go to the court.
India and signs agreement in the field of renewable energy
India and Peru signed an agreement in the field of Renewable Energy at Lima. The agreement was signed in the presence of Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and the Prime Minister Cesar Villanueva Arevalo.
Vice President’s visit comes at a time when India is celebrating the 55th anniversary of establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Peru. Mr Naidu, is in Lima on the last leg of his visit to three Central American nations Guatemala, Panama and Peru.
Key facts
(i) Both the countries discussed various bilateral and international issues of mutual interest during the meeting. The discussions were held in the field of pharmaceuticals, space, defence, supply of LPG, clean energy, agriculture and science & technology also talked about the possibility of collaboration in Quinoa cultivation and processing with Peru.
(ii) Peru is an important country for multilateral issues and all the leaders strongly supported India’s candidature for a permanent seat in UN Security Council. Both the leaders have agreed to work together to combat the menace of terrorism.
(iii) This visit in Peru is very important as this will enhance and strengthen the bilateral relations and will increase trade, investments and cooperation among these countries.
May 14
India witnessed most Internet shutdowns
According to the Clampdowns and Courage-South Asia Press Freedom Report 2017-18, released by the UNESCO India alone accounted for 82 out of 97 instances of Internet shutdown in South Asian countries between May 2017 and April 2018.
Among the other South Asian countries Pakistan witnessed 12 instances, while Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka reported one such case each.
In India, Jammu and Kashmir experienced nearly half of the cases of Internet shutdown in the country. Over 10 instances were witnessed in Rajasthan, while Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana had less than 10 cases of Internet shutdown.
According to the report, Internet shutdowns are any intentional disruption of the broadband or mobile Internet or Internet-based mobile apps, by an order of the authorities or threat of non-state party, to control communication or online content or slowing down the access to the general public.
Nepal to host 2018 BIMSTEC Summit
Nepal is going to host 2018 Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit. This announcement was made by the Prime Minister of Nepal, KP Sharma Oli during his meeting with Indian PM Narendra Modi in Kathmandu.
It would be the fourth edition of the summit of the seven-member grouping of the South Asian and South East Asian nations.
FACTFILE: BIMSTEC
(i) It was established on June 6, 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.
(ii) The BIMSTEC is an international organisation of seven nations of South Asia and South East Asia, including Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, and Nepal.
(iii) Its main aim include technological and economic cooperation among south Asian and southeast Asian countries along the coast of the bay of Bengal.
(iv) It provide cooperation to one another for the provision of training and research facilities in educational vocational and techinical fields.
(v) It also promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in economic, social ,technical and scientific fields of common interest.
Kerala and NTPC Sign MoU For Increasing Solar Power Generation
The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) for increasing solar power generation in the state.
The agreement was signed by NTPC Director (Commercial) A K Gupta and KSEB CMD N S Pillai in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and state power minister M M Mani.
Key Facts
(i) The MoU includes agreement to set up a 15 MW solar power unit at the NTPC complex in Kayamkulam.
(ii) In addition to this, the possibility of setting up solar plants at reservoirs, open space and top of buildings also would be explored.
(iii) The power generated would be given to KSEB at a rate fixed by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
Indian wrestler Harpreet Singh wins a bronze medal in the Asian Wrestling Championship.
Indian wrestler Harpreet Singh won a bronze medal in the Greco-Roman weight divisions in the Asian Wrestling Championship held in New Delhi.
He defeated his rival Jun Ji Na of China 3-2 in 80kilogram category. The three other Indian Greco-Roman wrestlers — Ravinder, Hardeep and Naveen — were knocked out of the tournament.
In the championship, 112 freestyle, 103 Greco-Roman and 83 female wrestlers are vying for 24 Gold and Silver, and 48 bronze medals.
FACTFILE: Greco Wrestling
(i)This type of wrestling is practiced worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908.
(ii) Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in two three-minute periods, which can be terminated early by a pin (or fall). This style of wrestling forbids holds below the waist. This restriction results in an emphasis on throws because a wrestler cannot use trips to take an opponent to the ground, or avoid throws by hooking or grabbing the opponent’s leg.
(iii) According to United World Wrestling Greco-Roman wrestling is one of the six main forms of amateur competitive wrestling practised internationally today.
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