Tag: Assam Current Affairs August 2019

Assam Current Affairs – August 29 – 31, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – August 29 - 31, 2019

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

August 2019 – Monthly PDF | Monthly Quiz eBook

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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

Posted on by admin 
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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