Tag: assam current affairs february 2020

Assam Current Affairs – February 22 – 29, 2020

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Current Affairs Assam – February 22 - 29, 2020

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of February 22 – 29, 2020 )

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FEBRUARY 22, 2020

Assam CM lays foundation of 32 schemes in Majuli
  • Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stones of 32 schemes and projects and inaugurated 21 other projects in Majuli island that included the blood bank at the Shree Shree Pitmambar Devagoswami Sub-divisional Civil Hospital at Garmur.
  • The Rs 25.92-crore Majuli District Science Centre and Planetarium under Assam Technology and Environment Council of the State Science and Technology department, 28 pure drinking water supply schemes under the State Public Health Engineering department that will cost Rs 104.9 crore
  • Construction of the building to house District Transport Officer’s office that will cost Rs 2.03 crore.
  • Zonal office complex of the Brahmaputra Board at a cost of Rs 9.46 crore, a Rs-75-lakh project to check erosion by drone surveillance.
  • The Chief Minister in the same function launched 20 hybrid solar-powered and electricity irrigation schemes for Majuli the total cost which was Rs 37.53 lakh
  • Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated the blood bank at the Shree Shree Pitambar Devagoswami Sub-divisional Civil Hospital at Garmur.
18 percent growth in the collection of  State GST (SGST) in Assam
  • Speaking at the 3rd edition of ‘Emerging Northeast 2020’ – organized by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) in Guwahati, Assam Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal said there is 18 percent growth in the collection of State GST (SGST) in the state and refunds have been made on time.
  • CM Sonowal urged the Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman to release the Central GST (CGST) and Integrated GST (IGST) refunds so that business community here gets encouragement to increase business activity.
  • Assam Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary invited investors to take advantage of Assam’s strategic location and rich resources in the state and said the Government is aiming to turn Assam as the investment destination.
  • During the round table meet, discussions were held on government initiatives and schemes for development of North Eastern region; opportunities for investment in various sectors like energy, services and infrastructure, food processing based on locally available resources, etc.
India, Maldives discuss expansion of bilateral cooperation
  • India and Maldives discussed expanding their bilateral cooperation and mutual interests in areas of security and law enforcement cooperation.
  • Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his Maldivian counterpart Sheikh Imran Abdulla discussed these issues among other specific points related to both the countries in day long meet in presence of delegation from both sides.
  • It was Shah’s first meeting with Abdulla, who is on a four-day visit to India beginning.
  • The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest in the area of security and law enforcement cooperation.
  • Both the Ministers welcomed the expansion of bilateral cooperation between their counties in diverse fields including policing and law enforcement, counter-terrorism, counter-radicalisation, against organised crime and drug trafficking and in capacity building.
  • The meeting was also attended by the Maldives” Minister of State for Home, the Union Home Secretary and other senior officers from both sides.
  • The Maldivian delegation also met the Director General, National Investigation Agency (NIA), Director, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the Director General, Central Bureau of Investigation, and Director, Enforcement Directorate.
Kerala IT startup launches social digital assistance platform
  • Kerala based IT startup launched a ”social digital assistance platform” – Bitdle.
  • This brings together the features of hybrid social networking, search engine, social shopping, sharing economy, online reputation building, CRM, data analytics, social service, entertainment, and above all, ”empowerment of society”.
  • Its Acore competency will be its social commitment as it will not end up making its users just consumers, killing time and other resources along.
  • Bitdle will deliver a wise concoction of hybrid virtual community platform, smart devices, virtual med pad, AI and VR (Intelligent Personal Assistance – IPA) and Facial and Object Identification System (FOIS).
  • Bitdle targets people in the age group of 18 to 35 while it”s ideal for businesses of any size – from startups to big corporates.
  • Connecting with peers, monitoring real-time situations and events, offer entertainment, collaborating ideas and events, educating masses, mobilizing public opinion and instant messaging/video chatting are some of the add-ons, besides people can spot trends, follow brands, share great finds and make purchases.
  • For businesses, the application can be used for optimization of costs, targeted marketing of products, targeted sourcing and human resources development.
FEBRUARY 23, 2020
Dr Amiya Rajbongshi receives NCSTC National Award
  • Eminent science writer and retired vice-Principal of North Lakhimpur College Dr Amiya Rajbongshi received the National Award for Outstanding Efforts in Science and Technology Communication through Print Media for the year 2019 from President Ram Nath Kovind at New Delhi.
  • Instituted by the National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC), the award was presented to Dr Rajbongshi at a glittering function held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on the occasion of National Science Day– the day which commemorates the discovery of Raman Effect by Nobel laureate physicist Dr CV Raman.
  • Dr Amiya Rajbongshi was presented a plaque, a citation and a of cash Rs 2 lakh.
  • Dr Rajbongshi was shortlisted for the prestigious award for her “science communication efforts are extended for dissemination of science to masses through print media and popular talks”.
Assam to remove “Maktab” from names of govt schools
  • The Assam government has decided to delete the Arabic word ”maktab” – traditional islamic elementary school – from the nomenclature of 63 state and state-aided primary schools immediately.
  • The state government has passed an order directing these schools to drop the word ”maktab” from their names”.
  • However, these schools would be allowed to retain the remaining part of their names.
  • The classical definition of Maktab refers to the traditional Islamic elementary school primarily teaching literacy and the Quran.
Scientists from BSI Shillong Centre discover new Balsam plant species
  • Botanical Survey of India (BSI) scientists have discovered a new species of Balsam plant in the North East region, again pointing to the rich plant biodiversity of the vast area.
  • Balsam plants are known as Demdeuka in Assamese, Gulmehendi in Hindi and Dushparijat in Sanskrit.
  • They have immense potential in the horticultural sector as beautiful flowers and as pot plants.
  • A few of them are used as wild leafy vegetables by different ethnic communities in states like Arunachal Pradesh.
  • A team of scientists comprising Dr M Murugesan, LR Meitei and C Lyngwa of the BSI Eastern Regional Centre, Shillong, collected a few interesting species of Balsam plants from various parts of Nokrek Biosphere Reserve of Garo Hills in Meghalaya.
  • They collected the Balsam plant species as a part of live plants collection for ex-situ conservation in the Barapani Experimental Botanical Garden.
  • Out of those samples, one species emerged to be a species unknown to science so far and it is distinctly different from all known species of the group due to the presence of smaller habit, pink and white bi-colour flowers and true bucciniform lower sepal with curved spur.
  • The species has been named in honour of a renowned botanist Professor Shasin Kumar Barthakur of the Gauhati University (GU) Botany Department for his contribution towards better understanding of the flora of North East India, along with his outstanding contribution to ethnobotany of the region.
  • This striking bi-coloured new species grows at an altitude ranging between 1,200 metres and 1,600 metres at the Nokrek peak.
PM  Modi opens Khelo India University Games in Cuttack
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the first Khelo India University Games in Cuttack.
  • Modi inaugurated the Games at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack through video link from Delhi.
  • The Khelo India campaign had played an important role in attracting youth towards sports and recognising young talents in every corner of the country.
  • When it started in 2018, 3,500 players took part in it. But just in three years, the players” number had crossed over 6,000.
  • The event was attended by several dignitaries and sportspersons, including Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
  • As many as 3,400 athletes from 159 universities will take part in 17 disciplines, including rugby that”s among the six team events.
  • The disciplines include archery, athletics, boxing, fencing, judo, swimming, weightlifting, wrestling, badminton, basketball, football, hockey, table tennis, tennis, volleyball and kabaddi.

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FEBRUARY 24, 2020
Punjab CM conferred with ”Adarsh Mukhya Mantri Puraskar”
  • The Bhartiya Chhatra Sansad (BCS) conferred the prestigious ”Adarsh Mukhya Mantri Puraskar” (Ideal Chief Minister Award) on Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for his initiatives to ensure good governance and holistic development in the state.
  • The award was presented to Amarinder by former President Pranab Mukherjee at Vigyan Bhawan during the valedictory function of 10th edition of four-day national conclave of BCS.
  • The BCS also acknowledged Amarinder”s vast experience and the values he had practised, which had earned him recognition and eminence in society.
  • Ex-Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had received this award in 2015, followed by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in 2016 and ex-Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar in 2017.
  • Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik won the award in 2018 and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in 2019.
IIMs, IITs Form Consortium to Promote Entrepreneurship
  • The IIMs and IITs have formed a consortium to promote entrepreneurship ecosystem through research and collaboration around innovation.
  • IIMs in Bengaluru, Kolkata and Kozhikode and IITs in Bombay and Madras have formed the Innovation-Venturing and Entrepreneurship in India Network (iVEIN) to leverage their strengths and work with incubators, investors and the government for disseminating knowledge.
  • The iVEIN network will facilitate research in the field among the academic fraternity and create avenues for disseminating knowledge through conferences and journal publications.
  • The network will also create a strategic bridge between stakeholders, strengthen the ecosystem and synthesise the knowledge that is in silos among different groups.
  • The network will also document Indian experiences in entrepreneurship and innovation and create a data-based knowledge for all stakeholders.
  • The initiative will give a fillip to entrepreneurship in the country by aiding policy formulation, implementing innovation and helping managerial practice.
Himachal Pradesh sets up two waste-to-energy plants
  • Himachal Pradesh has set up two waste-to-energy plants in the state, one of them is of 1.75 MW with an outlay of Rs 42 crore in Shimla, while another is of 1 MW in Manali.
  • Also, 5,633 individual households, 1,198 public and 370 community toilets have been set up.
  • They all have been commissioned under Swachh Bharat Mission in two years to ensure hygiene, waste management and sanitation.
  • The main objective of the mission is to eliminate the practice of open defecation by providing toilet facilities to the citizens of the state, converting dry toilets into flash toilets, ending the practice of manual scavenging and ensuring management of solid waste in modern and scientific manner.
  • The state government is also organising various awareness activities for behaviour change and public participation in the state.
  • Plants for waste manure are being set up in 40 urban bodies. A memorandum of understanding has been signed with cement companies to use waste collected from urban bodies as fuel.
Jagaddhatri-Harmohan Das Literary Award presented to Bhupendra Raichoudhury

The 17th Jagaddhatri-Harmohan Das Literary Award was presented to litterateur Dr Bhupendra Raichoudhury at a function organised at the Pandit Tirthanath Sarma Conference Hall.

  • Dr Raichoudhury, a former professor at Gauhati University, received the award for his book Jugo Sandhikshyanar Guwahati, a brief write-up about the history of the city from 1851 to 1950.
  • The award, instituted in 1985, has completed its 35 years. During the period, several noted personalities in the fields of philosophy, literature, religion, art and culture have been honoured with this award.
  • The biennial award, instituted in the name of educationist Harmohan Das and his wife Jagaddhatri Das, carries a citation, a memento and also a cash amount.

FEBRUARY 25, 2020

CM Sonowal launches Asom Darshan scheme
  • Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched the Rs 710 crore Asom Darshan scheme, calling it a fulfilment of the promise to preserve and promote the state”s spiritual and historical heritage.
  • The comprehensive scheme seeks to develop religious places of all faiths, including 915 institutions.
  • He said the scheme would protect, conserve and develop Assam”s religious sites and tourism spots, which are not only mesmerising for their scenic beauty and historic importance, but are also icons of the state.
  • The scheme has four components — annuity grant to Devalayas; improving basic infrastructure of places of natural beauty and historical significance; improving key infrastructure in religious places; improved connectivity for visitors.
  • The 915 religious institutions include 459 temples, 186 ”satras” (Vaishnav monasteries), 123 namghars (prayer and community halls), 47 mosques and 27 churches.
  • To make the experience of tourists pleasant and seamless, a budget of Rs 10 lakh will be given to each tourist destination under the Asom Darshan scheme.
  • A budget of Rs 150 crore has been allocated under the Asom Darshan scheme to improve the infrastructure of 316 listed destinations.
  • A fixed amount would be provided to each place for construction of restrooms and providing clean drinking water and garbage disposal facilities.
  • The project has raised the annuity given to each religious and charitable institution of public nature by Rs 2 lakh and also promises one-time grant of Rs 1 lakh for CCTV set up.
Google launched 4th batch of ”Startups Accelerator India”
  • Google announced that it is inviting applications for the fourth batch of Google for Startups Accelerator India programme.
  • The programme mentors early-stage startups on various aspects of their business, across the areas of technology, product strategy, marketing, UX/UI and leadership.
  • According to the company, startups that use technology like AI/ML to solve systemic problems in India can submit their application by visiting ”Google for Startups Accelerator India” by 15th March 2020.
  • Successful applicants will be notified in early April. The batch will commence with a week”s mentorship-bootcamp in April 2020, in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
  • At Google for Startups Accelerator India programme, a batch consisting of 10 startups receive (for three months) intense mentorship bootcamps, tech workshops, design sprints, and marketing growth labs along with the opportunities to forge crucial connections to tech teams within Google and experts in the industry.
Microsoft, SBI partner to help youth with disabilities
  • Microsoft announced a collaboration with the SBI Foundation to create opportunities for youth living with disabilities across India.
  • Through this collaboration, Microsoft and the SBI Foundation will equip youth living with disabilities with the technology and training needed to better prepare them for integration into the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) workforce.
  • In its first year, the programme aims to upskill 500 youth for the BFSI jobs across five major geographies, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and the National Capital Region.
  • The programme will be driven in collaboration with various government organisations, industry skilling bodies and non-profits.
  • The goal of the programme is to build a sustainable and scalable programme that not only empowers youth with the skills they need to find employment in the financial services industry, but also advances cross-industry advocacy efforts to drive inclusion for and hiring of people living with disabilities.
  • As part of this joint effort, Microsoft and the SBI Foundation will also develop an Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered marketplace that will enable the BFSI industry to more easily connect to people living with disabilities for upskilling and employment opportunities.

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FEBRUARY 26, 2020

North East states’ CMs reiterated for 90% central funding for all schemes, projects
  • Chief Ministers of north-eastern states have reiterated to maintain the funding pattern to 90:10 ratio in all central government sponsored schemes and projects including Smart City projects.
  • The demand to revise the funding pattern for all schemes and projects from 50:50 ratio to 90:10 ratio was raised by the chief ministers of northeastern states in the ongoing three-day Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Conclave 2020 in Guwahati.
  • Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has demanded revision of existing 50:50 fund sharing pattern to 90:10 for various schemes and projects like Smart City for the northeastern states.
  • Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang also supported the Tripura Chief Minister”s demand for 90:10 funding pattern.
  • NITI Aayog has the mandate of overseeing the adoption and monitoring of SDGs at the national and sub-national level.
  • The Guwahati conclave is part of NITI Aayog”s continuous efforts towards fostering partnerships at the sub-national level. In terms of SDG localisation, the states in the region have taken major strides in integrating the “Agenda 2030”.
India to launch Geo Imaging Satellite
  • India will launch its Geo Imaging Satellite (GISAT-1) with its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV- F10).
  • According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), its GSLV-F10 rocket carrying the GISAT-1 is expected to lift off on March 5.
  • The launch is subject to the weather conditions.
  • Weighing about 2,275 kg, GISAT-1 is a state-of-the-art agile Earth observation satellite which will be placed in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) by GSLV-F10.
  • A four metre diameter Ogive shaped payload fairing (heat shield) is being flown for the first time in this GSLV flight. This is the fourteenth flight of the GSLV.
  • Operating from geostationary orbit, GISAT-1 will facilitate near real time observation of the Indian sub-continent, under cloud free condition, at frequent intervals.
3 Bilateral pacts inked during Trump visit to India
  • India, US have concluded three bilateral agreements in the health and energy sectors during Trump visit to India.
  • Two of the agreements finalised during the US President’s visit include a memorandum of understanding on mental health, and one that deals with the safety of medical products.
  • The MoU on safety of medical products was signed between the USFDA and India”s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation.
  • The MoU on mental health is between India”s Department of Health and Family Welfare and the Department of Health and Human Services of the US.
  • A Letter of Cooperation was also signed by Indian Oil Corporation and ExxonMobil India LNG Limited, with Chart Industries of the US.
Joint Ministerial Commission between India and Australia
  • The 16th Session of the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) between India and Australia was convened in New Delhi.
  • The Session was co-chaired by Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Government of India and Senator Simon Birmingham, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Government of Australia.
  • India and Australia agree to enhancing bilateral trade and investment through revival of the bilateral CECA negotiations, and harmonise standards and regulations on important products.
  • Work on market access issues in both directions to increase trade.
  • Work on mutual recognition of educational qualifications of the two countries .
  • Continue collaboration to encourage increased direct flights between Australia and India.
  • The two sides acknowledged the considerable growth in the India-Australia economic relationship in strategic, trade and people-to-people links since the last Joint Ministerial Commission in June 2018.
  • Both sides welcomed efforts to elevate the bilateral economic relationship. They agreed to consider reviving the negotiations on the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).
  • Both sides noted the visits by three delegations of Australian superannuation funds over the previous year. They agreed to continue to work together to foster awareness of the opportunities in India among Australian investors.
  • Both sides reflected on the important role the private sector played in building the bilateral economic relationship.
  • India raised the issue of taxing of off-shore income of Indian firms through the use of India-Australia Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) and sought early resolution of the issue.

FEBRUARY 27, 2020

PepsiCo to invest Rs 400 crore in Assam to set up manufacturing plant
  • Assam’s Industry Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said PepsiCo India has proposed to invest Rs 400 crore in the state to set up a greenfield project for manufacturing snacking products.
  • A delegation from PepsiCo India comprising Viraj Chouhan, Chief of Government Affairs and Communications Officer for India, Rahul Sharma, Public Policy and Government Affairs Officer, and Nitin Jindal, Associate Director- Business Planning, met Patowary in Guwahati to discuss the proposal.
  • The team informed the minister that PepsiCo India has submitted a proposal to set up a greenfield project for manufacturing Lays and Kurkure in Assam worth Rs 400 crore.
  • The company would engage in contract farming, whereby it would provide seeds to farmers and buy back the matured potatoes from them. The company would also provide handholding support to the farmers.
  • Minister assured the team of the State Government’s support and said that the Industries and Commerce Department would take up an initiative with the State’s Agriculture Department so that PepsiCo can directly train farmers.
  • Minister Patowary also requested Feiner to open a German business chapter in Guwahati which would exclusively work with the state’s Industries and Commerce Department to take forward and expand the initiatives at the next level.
Guwahati  resident Kapil Jain awarded with Digital Marketer of the Year Award
  • Kapil Jain, a resident of Guwahati and founder CEO of Graphitto Labs, a new-age Mumbai-based communication company, has been honoured with the ‘Digital Marketer of the Year Award’ at the World Digital Marketing Congress held in Mumbai .
  • The award has been instituted in association with CMO Asia & The World Federation of Digital Marketing Professionals as Knowledge Partner.
  • Dr RL Bhatia, global chairman and patron of the World Marketing Congress, presented the award to Jain at the awards function attended by over 350 industry leaders from various nationalities.
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved setting up National Technical Textiles Mission
  • The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved setting up of a National Technical Textiles Mission with an outlay of Rs 1,480 crore for four year implementation period in line with the announcement made in Budget 2020 presented earlier this month.
  • Textile Minister Smriti Irani said the idea behind the mission is to integrate technology and manufacturing.
  • The Mission will aim at increasing the size of the domestic market to $40 billion which would require an average growth of at least 10 per cent per annum.
  • The Mission will also promote technical education at higher engineering and technology levels related to technical textiles and its application areas covering engineering, medical, agriculture, aquaculture and dairy segments. Skill development will be promoted and adequate pool of highly skilled manpower resources will be created for meeting the need of relatively sophisticated technical textiles manufacturing units.
  • Another component of the mission aims at export promotion of technical textiles enhancing from the current annual value of approximately Rs 14,000 Crore to Rs 20,000 crore by 2021-22 and ensuring 10 per cent average growth in exports per year upto 2023-24.
  • An Export Promotion Council for Technical Textiles will be set up for effective coordination and promotion activities in the segment.
Early Warning Dissemination System for natural disaster alerts launched for coastal Andhra Pradesh
  • An Early Warning Dissemination System (EWDS) to send alerts about natural disasters to coastal Andhra Pradesh was launched
  • Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharitha inaugurated the system in the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).
  • The EWDS has been enabled in 76 ”mandals” or blocks, 16 fish landing centres and eight tourism destinations in all nine coastal districts of the state.
  • Andhra Pradesh is the second state in the country to be equipped with an advanced mechanism of the early warning system.
  • During natural calamities like floods, cyclones and lightning strikes, the early warning system will help in shifting people to safer places and minimizing loss of human lives.

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FEBRUARY 28, 2020

Swami Vivekananda Karmayogi Award for Jadav Payeng
  • Environmental activist and forestry worker from Assam Jadav Payeng, who is known as the Forest Man of India, will be conferred the prestigious Swami Vivekananda Karmayogi Award instituted by My Home India for his consistent efforts in creating a real man-made forest through massive reforestation.
  • The award would be given to him at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi by Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, in the presence of General VK Singh, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, and Sunil Deodhar, national secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party.
  • wami Vivekananda Karmayogi Award is an annual award function organised by My Home India, a voluntary national organisation having its reach across the country.
  • Every year, this award is bestowed to an individual from North East India, who dedicates his/her life to promote and preserve the art, culture, sports, environment, education, industry, science and technology, etc.
  • The award is composed of a trophy, a recitation and a reward of Rs 1 lakh.
Indian Coast Guard’s 6th off-shore patrol vessel launched
  • The sixth OPV of Coast Guard was launched by Geeta Mandaviya, the Minister”s wife at the L&T Shipbuilding, Kattupalli.
  • The asset needs of Indian Coast Guard are on a rapid expansion path requiring ships and aircraft to strengthen the maritime security mechanism in the prevailing security scenario, Union Minister of State for Shipping, Chemicals and Fertiliser Mansukh Mandaviya said.
  • The 6th OPV launched is likely to be inducted into the Indian Coast Guard in October 2020 after completion of extensive trials and testing for the equipment and machinery fitted onboard.
  • The OPV with a gross tonnage of 2,100 ton has a length of 98 metres and a breadth of 15 metres.
  • The endurance of the vessel is 5,000 nautical miles and powered by two diesel engines, it can touch a maximum speed of 26 knots.
  • The ship will be fitted with one CRN -91 and two 12.7 mm guns and will be capable of carrying an Integral Twin Engine Helicopter which will enhance its operational, surveillance and search and rescue capability.
  • The OPV will be used for day and night patrol/surveillance, anti-terrorist/smuggling operations in the Exclusive Economic Zone and also for coastal security.
  • It will have two navigation radars with ultra-modern technology, sophisticated navigational and latest communication systems.
MP government, Tatas sign MoU for healthcare
  • The Madhya Pradesh government signed an MoU with Dorabji Tata Trust to provide better healthcare services in the state.
  • Primary health services will be improved through Arogyam Health and Wellness Centres in the state under the MoU.
  • Chief Secretary S.R. Mohanty, on behalf of the state government, and former state chief secretary and Vice President of the Dorabji Tata Trust, Vijay Singh signed the MoU.
  • A committee comprising representatives of National Health Mission and Tata Trust will be formed to monitor the implementation of the project.
  • The Health Department and Tata Trust will initially work in five centres each in 23 high priority districts.
  • Thus, the 115 identified health and wellness centres will provide technical and managerial support to the programme.
  • In the fourth year, Tata Trust will expand the programme to 500 health and wellness centres.
  • Each of these districts will have an electronic record saved in an urban primary health centre.
  • Tata Trust will also provide healthcare support by creating data for referrals and follow up about cases of pregnancy, hypertension, diabetes and cancer.
HAL offers new multirole chopper to Indian military
    • State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) offered an indigenous multirole helicopter to the Indian military for replacing its medium lift choppers such as MI-17s, Kamovs and Seakings.
    • The city-based defence behemoth displayed a mockup of the multirole helicopter to Rajnath Singh at its helicopter production facility in the city’s eastern suburb.
    • The aerospace major has submitted to the Defence Ministry a project report for sanctioning funds by the Cabinet committee on security to develop the new helicopter
    • The HAL Chairman also told the Defence Minister that it was waiting for the ministry’s order to roll out its Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) for the IAF and the Army.
    • The public sector enterprise has submitted a techno commercial proposal to the ministry for rolling out 15 combat choppers under the limited series production.
    • The indigenous 5.5-tonne LCH is powered by two Shakti engines and has many features of the company”s Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).
    • LCH is the first attack helicopter to land in forward bases at Siachen, 4,700m above sea level, with 500kg load.

Feb 2020 Current Affairs Monthly PDF  |  Assam 2020 Yearbook  | Jan 2020 Quiz Monthly PDF

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FEBRUARY 29, 2020

Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal presented with Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee award
  • Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was presented the prestigious Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee award 2020 for Politics at the 6th India Ideas Conclave in Gujarat.
  • The award, instituted by India Foundation, was presented to Chief Minister Sonowal by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Speaker of People’s Majlis of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed, which carries a citation, a specially designed trophy and a cheque worth Rs. one lakh.
  • While receiving the award Sonowal said that the award is an inspiration to work for national integration and to take Dr. SP Mukherjee’s vision and philosophy forward. He also dedicated the award to the people of Assam, who have been the source of inspiration and guidance during his public life.
India, Myanmar stress on boosting connectivity
  • India and Myanmar emphasised the centrality of connectivity between the two countries and reaffirmed their commitments to expedite the completion of the various India-funded projects presently under way in Myanmar, with the neighbouring country’s continued support towards their execution.
  • From April 7 the people of the Northeast will be able to travel all the way to Mandalay in Myanmar by bus when a coordinated bus service will be launched from Imphal.
  • India also welcomed the decision by Myanmar to extend tourist visa on arrival for Indian citizens in the neighbouring country till December 2020.
  • A 29-point joint statement signed between the two countries on the occasion of the visit by Myanmar President U Win Myint covers a whole gamut of issues ranging from connectivity to use of digital payment to facilitation of trade and commerce.
  • At least 10 memoranda of understanding were exchanged during the visit.
  • The both sides noted the need to further facilitate easy movement of passenger and cargo traffic by streamlining procedures and expeditiously developing infrastructure.
  • They also agreed to commence establishment of border haats with a priority to carry out a pilot project, which was previously agreed by the both countries in accordance with the MoU signed in 2012.
  • The two sides look forward to setting up of border haats after finalising the mutually agreed mode of operation.
  • The two countries also took note of the positive developments related to Sittwe port and the Kaladan transit transport project.
  • They hailed the appointment of a port operator to operate and maintain the Sittwe port and Paletwa inland water transport terminal and associated facilities from February 1.
  • Both the countries also reaffirmed their commitment to early completion of the Paletwa-Zorinpui road – the final leg of the Kaladan transit transport project.
  • India also expressed its support for the bilateral pacts signed between Myanmar and Bangladesh for the repatriation of the displaced persons from Rakhine state and hoped that Myanmar and Bangladesh would continue to work together for voluntary, sustainable and speedy repatriation of displaced people currently in the Cox’s Bazar area of Bangladesh to Myanmar in accordance with their bilateral agreements.
  • Both sides agreed to work together to enable the launch of India’s RuPay card in Myanmar at the earliest, noting that the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) needs to adhere to Myanmar laws and regulations, and that the launch of RuPay card would stimulate the economy of Myanmar and facilitate tourism and business from India.
PM Modi to launch 10,000 farmer producer organisations (FPO) across India
  • On the occasion of completion of one year of PM Kisan Scheme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch 10,000 farmer producer organisations (FPO) across the country from Chitrakoot.
  • The Prime Minister has also talked about laying the foundation stone of the Bundelkhand Expressway from Chitrakoot.
  • The Prime Minister will launch a campaign for the distribution of Kisan Credit Card to all the beneficiaries under the PM Kisan Scheme.
  • The number of small and marginal farmers is around 86 per cent, with an average cultivation of less than 1.1 hectare in the country.
  • These small marginal and landless farmers face enormous challenges during agricultural production.
  • The FPO will help in the grouping of small, marginal and landless farmers, so that the collective power of farmers can be increased in dealing with these issues.
  • Members of the FPO will be able to manage their activities under the organisation, so that they can have better access to technology, investment, finance and markets, and their livelihood can grow rapidly.
  • The government had launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM Kisan Scheme as an income support for farmers, to help farmers bear the expenses of agriculture, related activities and household needs.
  • Every eligible beneficiary is given a sum of Rs 6,000 per year under the scheme. This amount is given as two thousand rupees thrice in four months instalments.
  • The payment is sent online directly to the bank accounts of the eligible beneficiaries under the direct benefit transfer system.
14th Meeting of India-France Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism
  • India and France held the 14th Meeting of Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism in New Delhi.
  • An inter-agency Indian delegation was led by Mr. Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary for Counter Terrorism, Ministry of External Affairs, while the French delegation was led by Mr. David Bertolotti, Assistant Secretary of State for Strategic, Security and Disarmament Affairs of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
  • Both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stressed the need for strengthening international cooperation to combat terrorism in a comprehensive and sustained manner.
  • They exchanged views on current counter-terrorism challenges including countering radicalization, combating financing of terrorism, preventing use of internet for terrorist purposes, threats posed by internationally designated terrorist entities as well as cross-border terrorism in South Asian region.
  • Both sides stressed upon the need to deny safe havens and sources of financing to terrorists.
  • Both sides agreed to further strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation, as a cornerstone of the strategic partnership between India and France, interalia, through regular exchange of information, joint capacity building efforts, mutual legal assistance, sharing best practices for countering terrorism and radicalisation and cooperating in multilateral fora such as Untied Nations and FATF.

 

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Assam Current Affairs – February 15 – 21, 2020

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Current Affairs Assam – February 15 - 21, 2020

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of February 15 – 21, 2020 )

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FEBRUARY 15, 2020

Rail projects in Northeast to be completed by 2023
  • Railway projects of “national importance” in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast that have been pending for over a decade will be completed by 2023, Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav.
  • Yadav said the priority of the railways in the next five years is to complete its 50 remaining super critical projects, augmenting capacity in order to introduce 1,500 new trains and wrap up its projects of national importance.
  • A project of national importance, the 51.38-km Bhairabi-Sairang project in Mizoram, was sanctioned in 2008-2009, but is yet to be completed. The new deadline for the project is 2023 and a cost of Rs 5,021 crore has been proposed for it.
  • The Railway Budget 2020-21 has proposed an outlay of Rs 400 crore for the new broad gauge railway line for the year.
  • The railways has also set a deadline of March 2023 for the BG line connectivity from Dimapur (Dhansiri) to Zubza (Kohima) (82.50 km) in Nagaland, which was sanctioned in 2006-07. The Railway Budget 2020-21 has earmarked Rs 300 crore for this project. The total cost of the project is Rs 4,600 crore.
  • In Sikkim, the Sivok-Rangpo new BG line (44.39 km) which was sanctioned in 2008-2009 but suffered due to delay in handing over of encumbrance free forest land by the West Bengal government is now scheduled to be completed by 2023. This project has been allocated Rs 607 crore in the 2020-21 Union Budget.
  • Another long-pending project in Manipur connects Jiribam to Imphal (110.62 km), which was sanctioned in 2003-2004. It now has a deadline of 2022. The project has been given a layout of Rs 800 crore in the 2020-21 Railway Budget while its total cost is estimated to be around Rs 12,524 crore.
  • Seven of the 58 super critical projects that are under way in congested routes have been completed in 2019, while one has been wrapped up in 2018. He said that the remaining 50 will be completed by March 2022.
  • The completion of these projects would bring in opportunities for greater economic growth for the regions and increase their geopolitical importance.
ICRISAT launches new facility to accelerate plant life-cycle
  • The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) launched new facility, which is projected to significantly lower time and cost of crop varietal development.
  • Called RapidGen, this facility has in it the technology that can make plants zoom through their lifecycle to quickly reproduce and bear seeds.
  • Where it normally takes about a decade to develop new varieties, RapidGen can help cut that down by about 40 per cent.
  • The state-of-the-art facility, a first for any public sector agricultural research institution, will accelerate plant lifecycle in light, temperature and humidity-controlled conditions.
  • Presently, breeding a new crop variety takes about a decade or more, with six or seven years spent in seasonal generational advancements to arrive at the elite lines that go for testing and release as varieties.
  • RapidGen will shorten the six-seven year window significantly.
  • ICRISAT is collaborating with several agricultural research institutes under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), State Agriculture Universities and industry partners to mainstream rapid cycling of the crops for which protocols have already been standardised.

FACTFILE – International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)

  • The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is an international organization which conducts agricultural research for rural development, headquartered in Patancheru (Hyderabad, Telangana, India) with several regional centers (Bamako (Mali), Nairobi (Kenya)) and research stations (Niamey (Niger), Kano (Nigeria), Lilongwe (Malawi), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Bulawayo (Zimbabwe)).
  • It was founded in 1972 by a consortium of organisations convened by the Ford and the Rockefeller foundations. Its charter was signed by the FAO and the UNDP.
  • Since its inception, host country India has granted a special status to ICRISAT as a UN Organization operating in the Indian territory making it eligible for special immunities and tax privileges.
  • ICRISAT is managed by a full-time Director General functioning under the overall guidance of an international Governing Board.
  • The current Director General is Dr. Peter Carberry who took the post in 2018.
  • The current chair of the Board is Dr Paco Sereme.
Tamil Nadu to install CCTV in buses with funds from Nirbhaya Fund
  • The Tamil Nadu government has decided to install closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in all the buses to enhance women safety.
  • Presenting the 2020-21 budget for the state in the Assembly Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said in order to enhance the safety of women in buses, CCTV cameras are to be fitted in all buses at an estimated cost of Rs 75.02 crore allotted under the Nirbhaya Fund.
  • Action will be taken to introduce electronic ticketing in all transport buses to enable cashless transactions.
  • In the Budget Estimates for 2020-21, Rs 2,716.26 crore has been allotted for the Transport Department.

FACTFILE – Nirbhaya Fund

  • Nirbhaya Fund is an Indian rupee 10 billion corpus announced by Government of India in its 2013 Union Budget.
  • According to the then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, this fund is expected to support initiatives by the government and NGOs working towards protecting the dignity and ensuring safety of women in India. Nirbhaya (fearless) was the pseudonym given to the 2012 Delhi gang rape victim to hide her actual identity.
  • The Ministry of Women and Child Development, along with several other concerned ministries, will work out details of the structure, scope and the application of this fund.
OIL organises month-long fuel-conservation awareness drive
  • As per the directive of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), the Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) in association with Oil India Ltd and other petroleum companies is observing SAKSHAM-2020.
  • This is a month-long mass awareness drive with an objective of involving the citizens to actively participate in fuel conservation for health and environmental protection and simultaneously help in reducing India’s dependency on import of crude oil.
  • This year the theme for SAKSHAM-2020 is ‘Indhan Adhik Na Khapayein, Aao Paryavaran Bachayein’.
  • During the observance of SAKSHAM-2020, various programmes such as cycle rally, walkathon, and emission checking of vehicles and equipment, etc., were organised in and around Duliajan.
  • A ‘Free Emission Testing of Vehicles’ was organised at Bihutoli, Duliajan. Around 250 commercial and private vehicles were checked during the campaign.
FEBRUARY 16, 2020
India set to host UN’s first Biodiversity Summit
  • India is set to host the UN biodiversity summit that will bring together more than 1,200 delegates from over 110 countries to deliberate on the alarming decline of migratory species in Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
  • The agenda of the talks include new proposals to mitigate effects of infrastructure on migratory mammals and joining the Gobi bear, the only bear living in the desert, the Persian leopard and the urial, a wild sheep, in the Central Asian mammal species for their protection.
  • Besides, Indian species like the Asian elephant, the great Indian bustard and the Ganges river dolphin are likely to get more priority in biodiversity conservation.
  • Delegates at the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS COP13) will consider the need for guidance and implementation tools to mitigate the impacts of linear infrastructure on migratory species.
  • CMS is the only United Nations treaty that addresses migratory species and their habitats.
  • CMS Guidelines have advised countries on how to avert linear infrastructure threats to large mammals in Central Asia through the Convention’s Central Asian Mammals Initiative.
  • In the future, guidance and implementation tools will be developed for other regions and CMS-listed species not included in the initiative.
  • Parties will also discuss the adoption of dedicated concerted actions for 12 different species, including the giraffe, the Ganges river dolphin, the common guitarfish and the antipodean Albatross.
Assam NGO launches library initiative for deprived kids
  • Gyan Vardhini, a social organisation of Assam, launched a library initiative with the title “Project Educate All – Leave None Behind” .
  • Under the initiative, the organisation has set up its first library at an orphanage, Ananda Ashram, here which aims to make reading books and story books accessible to deprived children and those residing in slums, orphanages and communities in remote locations.
  • Volunteers of the organisation will conduct reading classes for children under the initiative. It also aims to set up 10 libraries across Guwahati within this year.
Portuguese President arrives in India for two-day visit
  • A visiting Portuguese delegation led by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa signed a series of MoUs with state and central government agencies at a formal ceremony in the fields of defence, industry, water and sewage management, education, knowledge sharing, science and technology, heritage, shipping and technology.
  • The signing of agreements followed a series of negotiations between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa which began during a visit by the latter to India in 2017.
  • Among the agreements signed are an MoU between Goa-based Defence Ministry shipyard Goa Shipyard Limited and Portugal”s Estaleiros Navais De Peniche in the field of design, construction and supply of ships in Africa and Latin American countries.
  • Five MoUs and letters of intent between the Portuguese Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science (INESC-TEC) and India”s IIT-Goa, National Institute of Oceanography, National Centre for Polar and Oceanic Research.
  • The Energy and Resources Institute and the Goa Shipyard Ltd were also signed under the cooperation for excellence in marine exploration and navigation technologies initiative.
  • The initiative is aimed at generating innovative projects in the field of technological co-operation for marine engineering, shipbuilding technology, blue economy, ocean resources and technology.
  • An MoU for co-operation between IIT-Madras and INESC-TEC in the area of ports and waterways management was also signed.
  • Other MoUs which were signed include a co-operation agreement between the Goa-based VM Salgaoncar Institute of International Hospitality Education and Turismo de Portugal and between the Govind Ramnath Kare College and Portugal”s University of Coimbra to establish academic, scientific and cultural cooperation in the field of law.
  • A strategic tripartite agreement for research and exchange between three institutions, Portugal”s INESC-TEC, Faculty of Engineering of the University Porto and IIT-Madras focussing on marine exploration and energy technologies .

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FEBRUARY 17, 2020
NRL research centre at IIT Guwahati to develop bioplastics
  • NRL has provided an initial research grant of Rs 4 crore to its Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Materials set up at IIT Guwahati.
  • The centre was inaugurated by Union HRD Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal in the presence of Prof TG Sitharam, Director of IIT Guwahati and SK Barua, Managing Director, NRL.
  • The centre is a first of its kind academic-industrial collaborative venture with the broad objective of developing sustainable materials from various waste and by-products sourced from multiple sectors like petroleum industries, bio-refineries and agro-industries.
  • It will serve as an umbrella for many such upcoming collaborative research projects on the development of sustainable materials like bioplastics and other value-added chemicals under one platform to serve the industries like NRL in combating environmental pollution.
  • The first project of the centre is ‘Development of biodegradable plastics from refinery and bio-refinery streams’ and officials associated with it say it is in an advanced stage with prototypes which could be commercially viable having been already developed.
Lui-Ngai-Ni festival celebrated at Ukhrul
  • Lui-Ngai-Ni, a seed-sowing festival of the Nagas of Manipur, was celebrated under the theme, ‘oneness through culture’, at Ukhrul.
  • The two-day festival was organised by the State-level organising committee under the aegis of the United Naga Council and hosted by Tangkhul Naga Long, the apex body of the Tangkhul community.
  • Lui-Ngai-Ni is one of the biggest festivals of the Naga community. It is a cultural festival marked by a plethora of cultural events.
  • The main highlights of the Lui-Ngai-Ni celebrations were lighting of the sacred fire, consecration of the seeds to be sown for the season, beating of the traditional log drum, traditional dances and songs.
  • The festival heralds the season of seed sowing and marks the start of the year for the Nagas and the festival was declared a state holiday since 1988
India-Bangladesh’s 14-day joint exercise ‘Sampriti-IX’ concludes
  • The two-week India-Bangladesh military training exercise Sampriti-IX that focused on counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism and disaster management concluded at Umroi, Meghalaya.
  • The joint military exercise was aimed at strengthening the military relations between the two countries and it allowed the two armies to understand each other’s tactical drills and operating techniques.
  • In all 150 troops from each side took part in the ninth edition of Sampriti.
  • The head of observer delegations from both sides conveyed their appreciation for the participating contingents for achieving the objectives of exercise.
  • The Sampriti series is an important military and diplomatic initiative between the two nations and strengthening the edifice of trust and friendship, which has been nurtured with the sweat and toil of officers and soldiers of contingents participating in each edition.
  • Besides training, both contingents also participated in a number of activities, including sports events and played volleyball and basketball games.
  • A magnificent parade and the customary exchange of mementos marked the completion of the joint exercise.
Norway sees India as important player against climate change
  • Norway said that it saw India as an important player against climate change and that both countries could play leading role in tackling the global issues of environment and climate change.
  • Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar and Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment Sveinung Rotevatn met at the Mahatma Mandir to discuss bilateral and global issues on climate and environment.
  • A Conference Of Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species will be held at the venue.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the event via videoconferencing. It is for the first time that the triennial event would be held in the country.
  • Both countries stressed the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation on environment and climate change, particularly marine pollution.
  • The Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that India had initiated an ocean dialogue with Norway to address marine plastic litter.
  • Both the countries have formed joint working groups on blue economy with sustainable development.
  • Both the countries agreed on the importance of delivering concrete, scalable solutions for ocean health and wealth at the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon in June 2020.

FEBRUARY 18, 2020

46th Karbi Youth Festival started in Karbi Anglong district
  • The 46th Karbi Youth Festival (KYF) organised by the Karbi Cultural Society (KCS) got off at Taralangso village, just seven kilometres from Diphu with Rong Ketong, a traditional procession at Karbi People’s Hall.
  • Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council’s Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang officially inaugurated the festival. Addressing a gathering of participants and artistes at the festival ground, Ronghang called for unity among Karbi groups.
  • The inaugural programme was attended by Hill Areas Development minister Sum Ronghang, Karbi traditional king Ramsing Ronghang and Dumra Karbi traditional king Holi Sing Ronghang, former Asam Sahitya Sabha president Rongbong Terang and other dignitaries.
  • Around 5,000 delegates from 29 KCZ zones from Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Biswanath Chariali, Kamrup have joined the festival. Cultural troupes in their traditional dresses took part in the procession ‘Rong Ketong’ led by drums under the standard of Karbi totem pole Jambili.
  • Thousands of Karbi youths from several parts of the North East are taking part in a series of traditional games and sports, including sling, stilt race, hambi kapathu- ghela khel, folk dances and songs like romance ballads, cradle songs and mourning songs. The festival will conclude on February 19. That day has been kept aside for concerts and prize distribution ceremonies.
Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the 13th CMS COP13
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP13) with the presence of over 2,500 delegates from 111 countries in Gandhinagar.
  • Modi opened it through video conference, the first time the head of government hosting the CMS conference has opened a CMS COP, marking the importance of migratory species in India.
  • The conference kicks off ”the super year” for nature, which will include a UN Summit in September and culminate in the UN Biodiversity Conference at the end of 2020.
  • The concept of ”ecological connectivity” is the top CMS priority for the Post-2020 Framework, which calls for the protection and restoration of important geographical areas that together support migratory species during the different phases of their natural lifecycles, such as breeding and feeding.
  • CMS COP13 will add new species for protection under CMS and also address emerging issues and threats.
PM Modi unveils tallest Deendayal Upadhyaya statue in Varanasi
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the 63-ft tall statue of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya while inaugurating the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Memorial Centre in Padao on the Varanasi-Chandauli border.
  • The ”pancha loha” statue is the tallest statue of the BJP ideologue in the country. Over 200 artisans have worked for almost a year in order to complete the structure.
  • The Memorial Centre, spread over nine acres, will also have the engravings of the life and times of Deendayal Upadhyaya.
  • About 30 Odisha craftsmen and artists have worked on the project during the last year.
  • The Prime Minister also launched projects worth Rs 1,200 crore for his constituency.
  • The projects include a 430-bed superspecialty government hospital, and a 74-bed psychiatry hospital at Banaras Hindu University.
Indian Navy chief in Myanmar to bolster maritime relationship
  • To strengthen relation between India and Myanmar, Indian Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh is on four-day trip to Naypyitaw and other parts of the neighbouring country to bolster the bilateral maritime relationship.
  • The visit is intended to consolidate and enhance the bilateral maritime relations between India and Myanmar.
  • During his visit, Admiral Karambir Singh will hold bilateral discussions with Admiral Tin Aung San, Commander-in-Chief Myanmar Navy and also call on Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief Defence Services, and other senior government officials.
  • He will also interact with the trainees of the National Defence College in Naypyitaw, and will visit the Naval Dockyard and Training Command of the Myanmar Navy in Yangon.
  • Myanmar Navy is a member of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium and participates in the activities conducted under the symposium.
  • Both the Navies also interact during maritime activities such as Admiral”s Cup, Goa Maritime Conclave and Exercise Milan.

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FEBRUARY 19, 2020

Titabor becomes Assam’s first zero waste town
  • Setting high standards in effective integrated waste management, Titabor has become Assam’s first ‘zero waste town’. No other town in Assam has been able to revolutionise municipal solid waste management the way Titabor has done.
  • As per the general standard, if any town succeeds in processing up to 80 per cent of waste, it can claim to be a zero waste town. Titabor, as part its consistent campaign, has set up a material recovery facility where all organic waste is managed through aerobic composting.
  • This move of door-to-door collection, some primary and some tertiary segregation, has resulted in reduction in foul odour and greenhouse gas emission from the dumpsite.
  • Not just that, Titabor is also credited to have started Assam’s first bio-mining project to completely recover the dumpsite and move toward 100 per cent processing of waste, which is an exceptional case in Assam.
First India- Bangladesh tourism festival in Agartala
  • The first ever two-day India-Bangladesh tourism festival would be held in Agartala, ministers, members of Parliament, top officials, experts, artists, singers, performers, tour operators of Bangladesh and Indian states of West Bengal and various northeastern states would participate in the festival, planned to boost tourism in the region.
  • Seminars, discussions, cultural functions, visit to the important tourism spots, historical and archaeological sites are part of the two day India-Bangladesh tourism festivals.
  • Freedom fighters, leading politicians, writers and poets would also participate in the mega event
EESL, BSNL to erect EV charging stations across India
  • The state-run Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) for installation of public charging stations to boost e-mobility adoption across India.
  • Under the partnership, the EESL will set up public charging stations in 1,000 BSNL sites in a phased manner on a pan India basis.
  • EESL will make the entire upfront investment on the services pertaining to the MoU, along with the operation and maintenance of the charging infrastructure by using qualified personnel.
  • BSNL would be responsible for providing the requisite space and power connections for installing the charging infrastructure.
  • At present, EESL has commissioned 300 AC and 170 DC chargers across India.
NTPC, RSDCL to develop solar park in Jaisalmer
  • Public sector major NTPC and Rajasthan Solarpark Development Company Ltd (RSDCL), a subsidiary of Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Ltd (RRECL), signed an ‘Implementation Support’ agreement to develop a 925 megawatt (MW) capacity Nokh Solar Park at Nokh in Jaisalmer.
  • As per the agreement, the RSDCL will develop infrastructure in the solar park and NTPC will develop the solar projects. The agreement is likely to bring investment of more than Rs 4,000 crore in the state.
  • The RSDCL will invest about Rs 450 crore in infrastructural development in the project and NTPC is expected to invest more than Rs 3,500 crores in solar projects development. 

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

65th Filmfare Awards organised at Guwahati, Winners List

Winners of the 65th Amazon Filmfare Awards were announced at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati, Assam on 15th February 2020.

Award Winners

BEST FILM – GULLY BOY

CRITICS BEST FILM – ARTICLE 15 (ANUBHAV SINHA)

CRITICS BEST FILM – SONCHIRIYA (ABHISHEK CHAUBEY)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE (MALE) – RANVEER SINGH

CRITICS BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE (MALE) – AYUSHMANN KHURRANA

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE (FEMALE) – ALIA BHATT

CRITICS BEST ACTOR IN LEADING ROLE (FEMALE) – BHUMI PEDNEKAR

CRITICS BEST ACTOR IN LEADING ROLE (FEMALE) – TAAPSEE PANNU

BEST DIRECTOR – ZOYA AKHTAR

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (MALE) – SIDDHANT CHATURVEDI

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (FEMALE) – AMRUTA SUBHASH

India, Myanmar sign MoU for bus service
  • A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between two agencies in the presence of authorities of both India and Myanmar for commencement of a bus service between the two countries.
  • The MoU was signed between Shwe Mandalar Express Company Limited, Yangoon and Seven Sisters Holiday, Imphal on February 14 for commencement of the bus service from April this year.
  • The process of selection of the operator for the sector through bidding is likely to be finalised by March.
  • Under the Act East Policy, an integrated check post was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 4, 2019 in Moreh town, which is now fully operational.
  • Both India and Myanmar have agreed to open nine border haats to facilitate free exchange of locally available commodities and services.
  • Two border haats in Manipur will be set up at Khin Man Behiang (Churachandpur district) and Khampat New Saomtal (Chandel district).
  • In addition, two border haats are also proposed to be opened at New Tusom, Ukhrul district, and Hume Thana/Konkanthana at Kamjong district.
Union Cabinet approved setting up of the 22nd Law Commission
  • Union Cabinet approved the setting up of the 22nd Law Commission for a period of three years.
  • The Law Commission will consist of a full-time Chairperson, four full-time Members (including the Member-Secretary) and the Secretaries, Legal Affairs and the Legislative Departments as ex-officio Members, and not more than five part-time Members.
  • The Law Commission is a non-statutory body constituted by the government from time to time. Originally constituted in 1955, it is re-constituted every three years. The tenure of the 21st Law Commission was up to August 31, 2018.
  • The various Law Commissions have been able to make an important contribution towards the progressive development and codification of law of the country and have so far submitted 277 reports.

FACTFILE – Law Commission of India

  • Law Commission of India is an executive body established by an order of the Government of India.
  • Its major function is to work for legal reform. Its membership primarily comprises legal experts, who are entrusted a mandate by the Government.
  • The Commission is established for a fixed tenure and works as an advisory body to the Ministry of Law and Justice
  • The first Law Commission was established during the British Raj era in 1834 by the Charter Act of 1833. It was presided by Lord Macaulay. After that, three more Commissions were established in pre-independent India.
  • The first Law Commission of independent India was established in 1955 for a three-year term. Since then, twenty one more Commissions have been established.
  • The 21st Law Commission under Justice B.S. Chauhan(retd.) was established in 2015, and had tenure to August 31st 2018.
  • The terms of reference of the Law Commission include the review and repeal of obsolete laws, the examination of existing laws & the revision of central Acts of general importance.
  • Membership: Chairman, 1 Permanent Member, 1 Member Secretary, 2 Part-time Members, 2 ex-officio members.
Indian Navy to get purchase of 24 American Seahawk helicopters
  • The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) cleared the purchase of 24 American helicopters for the Indian Navy. The deal to procure MH-60R Seahawk helicopters is worth Rs $2.6 billion.
  • The 24 helicopters would be a big boost to the Navy. The multi-role helicopters will be equipped with Hellfire missiles and torpedoes, and are meant to help the Indian Navy track submarines in the Indian Ocean, where China is expanding its presence.
  • Currently, P8i aircraft are being used to keep vigil on enemy submarines.
  • The US State Department had approved the sale of the choppers to India last year along with radars, torpedoes and 10 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles.

FACTFILE – Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk

  • The Sikorsky SH-60/MH-60 Seahawk is a twin turboshaft engine, multi-mission United States Navy helicopter based on the United States Army UH-60 Black Hawk and a member of the Sikorsky S-70 family.
  • The most significant modifications are the folding main rotor and a hinged tail to reduce its footprint aboard ships.
  • Able to deploy aboard any air-capable frigate, destroyer, cruiser, fast combat support ship, amphibious assault ship, or aircraft carrier, the Seahawk can handle anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW), naval special warfare (NSW) insertion, search and rescue (SAR), combat search and rescue (CSAR), vertical replenishment (VERTREP), and medical evacuation (MEDEVAC).

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FEBRUARY 21, 2020

IIT Guwahati organises National Seminar on Sub-Regional Cooperation
  • The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-G) in association with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Kolkata Chapter, organised a national seminar titled ‘Sub-Regional Cooperation: BIMSTEC and North East India in Perspective’, at IIT-G.
  • The speakers discussed the possible bottlenecks that need to be identified to mitigate the challenges of development through sub-regional cooperation in the NE region.
  • The session on food, technology and livelihoods also discussed techniques of plant tissue culture to improve food production.
  • A book titled India Myanmar borderlands: Ethnicity, Security and Connectivity authored and edited by Dr Pahi Saikia and Dr Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury, was released at the seminar.
COW nod to India plea on GIB, Asian elephant, Bengal Florican
  • The central government’s proposal for inclusion of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), Asian elephant and Bengal Florican in the appendix I of the 13th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention for Migratory Species of Animals (CMS) was unanimously accepted by the Committee of the Whole (COW).
  • Wildlife species facing extinction threat are included in the appendix I. It leads to push for greater habitat protection, prohibition against poaching and facilitation of their movement in the regions and countries that are part of these species ranges.
  • The GIB, found only in the Indian subcontinent, is considered close to extinction as its population has dropped drastically, are largely concentrated in the Desert National Park in Rajasthan.
  • India had submitted that there was seasonal movement of the GIB between India and Pakistan.
  • Urging the COW to include the Asian elephant in the appendix I, the government said it would help in their greater protection. Found in India, this sub-specie migrates into Bangladesh and Nepal. According to India’s proposal, 93 elephants also move across Indo-Bangla border.
  • India, the home of 60 per cent of the Asian elephant’s global population, has a primary duty and responsibility for ensuring their survival. The number of wild elephants is estimated to be 29,964 in India.
  • In case of Bengal Florican, the government said it was on the verge of extinction and its population is declining mainly due to habitat loss and degradation, and hunting.
Railways partners with University of Birmingham for joint PG plan
  • The Indian Railways announced its partnership with the University of Birmingham for the Joint Master’s programme in Railway Systems Engineering and Integration in academic year 2020-2021 by the National Rail Transportation Institute (NRTI).
  • The programme that has been launched leads to dual M.Sc. that would see NRTI students obtaining two postgraduate degrees from both institutions, after spending a year studying at each institution.
  • It will also provide flexibility for some modules of the programme to be delivered online in the form of a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) and support for undergraduate teaching by University of Birmingham faculty at NRTI.
  • The initiative has been taken under the Centre of Excellence for Next Generation Transportation Systems that had been set up through a Memorandum of Understanding between the NRTI with the University of Birmingham.
Tamil Nadu to set up Protected Special Agriculture Zone
  • Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a Bill declaring the Cauvery delta region, comprising Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, some portions of Cuddalore and Pudukottai districts, as the Protected Special Agriculture Zone (PSAZ).
  • The Bill, introduced by Chief Minister K. Palaniswami, excluded the Trichy, Ariyyalur and Karur districts — also the part of the Cauvery delta region, and existing industrial projects.
  • As per the new law, zinc/copper/aluminium smelter, iron ore processing plants, tannery, hydrocarbon exploration and other industries would not be permitted in the PSAZ.
  • The law excludes infrastructure projects, like building of harbour, laying of roads, pipelines, telecommunications, and water and power supply lines.
  • It also provides for setting up of Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Authority, headed by the Chief Minister. The Authority will have 30 members.

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Assam Current Affairs – February 08 – 14, 2020

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Current Affairs Assam – February 8 - 14, 2020

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of February 8 – 14, 2020 )

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FEBRUARY 08, 2020

Tocklai Tea Research Institute made breakthrough in micro-propagation of Tea plants
  • The Jorhat-based Tocklai Tea Research Institute (TTRI) has achieved a major breakthrough in micro-propagation of tea plants by applying the tissue culture technology. So far, this technology could not be utilised for mass propagation of tea plants. This achievement of the TTRI is hailed as a remarkable one and will have far-reaching benefits for the country’s tea industry in matters of quality.
  • So far, most of the tea tissue culture work was successful in the laboratory only, and that too using the germinating seeds as the starting material, he said.
  • Pranita Hazarika, a young lady scientist of the TTRI, has solved the problems faced so far in transferring the tissue cultured tea plants from ‘flask to field.’ The plants developed by her have completed one year of luxuriant growth and received the first prune on January 20 last.
  • The work demonstrated that the tissue culture technology can in fact be made applicable for commercial micro-propagation of tea plantlets at a reasonable price and much faster pace than the conventional methods. It throws up the possibility of complete transformation of the entire supply chain management of tea planting material in the near future and is thus going to have a far-reaching impact on the tea industry. The tissue culture has the potential to generate a large number of plantlets within a short time from a single cell or tissue or explants, that is plant parts.
  • The conventional tea plant multiplication methods either through germinating seed or vegetative nodal cuttings are unable to meet the mounting demand from tea gardens for good planting material and calls for a rapid low cost alternative technology. Thus, making available climate resilient and superior cultivars as well as innovative technology for adoption by the tea gardens are crucial components for ensuring sustainability of the tea industry.
  • The procedure is quite reproducible and requires less time by concurrently inducing rooting and hardening of micro-shoots. In-vitro regeneration of tea plantlet from shoot explants collected from the field has also been successfully carried out.
  • Efforts at utilising the tissue culture technology were hitherto accosted by several problems. Further, there were reports that the few hardened tea plants developed in laboratories did not grow well in the outdoor field conditions.

FACTFILE – Tocklai Tea Research Institute

  • The Tocklai Tea Research Institute was established in 1911, at a site near the River Tocklai in Jorhat, Assam, India. The initial construction of a laboratory and two bungalows was funded by the tea industry, subsidised by the national government of India, and the Indian states of Assam and Bengal.
  • The beginning of a new era of tea research in India was marked by the establishment of the Scientific Department of Indian Tea Association (ITA) in the year 1900. This was consolidated with the creation of the Tocklai Experimental Station in 1911.
  • The formation of the Tea Research Association (TRA) in 1964 with Tocklai at the centre of all activities further expanded the horizon of tea research to cover the entire Northeast India.
  • Research on all aspects of tea cultivation and processing is carried out at the Tocklai Tea Research Institute, Jorhat, the oldest and the largest research station of its kind in the world.
  • Apart from research on various aspects of tea cultivation and processing, the research on tissue culture of modern tea and its medicinal benefits are also being carried out here.
  • Transfer of technology to its member estates is carried out through its advisory network covering 1,076 tea estates occupying 341,049 hectares (1,317 sq mi) of land spread over The South Bank, North Bank, Upper Assam, Cachar, Tripura, Dooars, Darjeeling and Terai.
  • Tocklai has its regional R & D Centre at Nagrakata, West Bengal.
  • Chairman – PK Bezboruah.
India, Sri Lanka to cooperate on fight against terrorism
  • India and Sri Lanka agreed to furthering cooperation with each other in combating terrorism in South Asia.
  • During a visit of the Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to New Delhi.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi said,Terrorism is a major danger in our region. Both countries have fought this problem firmly.
  • Prime Minister Modi also revealed that Sri Lankan police officers have started participating in anti-terrorism courses in India”s training institutes
IIT Madras and AIIMS Mangalagiri partner for tech solutions
  • Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) announced collaboration with AIIMS Mangalagiri on affordable technology solutions.
  • IITM said the partnership between the two institutions will also feature academic and research collaborations.
  • Officials of the two institutions discussed on the areas of collaborations like healthcare robotics, predictive models using artificial intelligence and remote presence point-of-care solutions to improve hospital and community health out-comes.
FEBRUARY 09, 2020
Bangladesh win maiden ICC U-19 World Cup, defeated India in final
  • Bangladesh cricket team clinched its maiden ICC Under-19 World Cup title after beating favourites India cricket by three wickets in the summit clash at JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom.
  • Set a revised target of 170 under D/L method, after a brief rain interruption, Bangladesh won the match with 23 balls to spare. Sent in to bat, India’s batting wilted under pressure as a superb Bangladesh bowling attack shot the defending champions out for a paltry 177 in 47.2 overs.
  • Yasashvi Jaiswal (88 off 121 balls) was once again a standout performer but not for once did he look like dominating the Bangladesh bowling unit whose new ball bowlers Shoriful Islam (2/31 in 10 overs) and Tanzim Hasan Shakib (2/28 in 8.2 overs) literally stifled the Indians for runs.
  • The third seamer Avishek Das (3/40 in 9 overs) was the most successful bowler in terms of figures but it was Shoriful’s first spell with channelised aggression that put the Indians on the back-foot from the onset.
  • After a short rain break towards the end, the target was revised to 170 from 46 runs but Bangladesh reached 170 for 7 in 42.1 overs to win the match.
  • Opener Parvez Hossain Emon top-scored for Bangladesh with a 79-ball 47 while captain and wicketkeeper Akbar Ali was not out on 43 from 77 deliveries.
  • For the India U-19 side, Ravi Bishnoi was the most successful bowler with figures of 4/30 while Sushant Mishra had 2/25.
  • India thus missed out on a record fifth title in their seventh final appearance.

FACTFILE – ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup

  • The ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup is an international cricket tournament organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) contested by national under-19 teams.
  • First contested in 1988, as the Youth World Cup, it was not staged again until 1998. Since then, the World Cup has been held as a biennial event, organised by the ICC.
  • he first edition of the tournament had only eight participants, but every subsequent edition has included sixteen teams.
  • India have won the World Cup on a record four occasions, while Australia have won three times, Pakistan twice, and Bangladesh, England, South Africa and the West Indies once each. Two other teams New Zealand and Sri Lanka have made it to tournament finals.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath announces Rs 2,500 stipend for students

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that government would soon introduce an internship scheme under which students of classes 10, 12 and undergraduates would be linked to various technical institutes and given Rs 2,500 per month as stipend.

  • The Chief Minister said that the internship period would be six months or one year after which the government would help in their placement.
  • He said that of the Rs 2,500, the state government would give Rs 1,000 while the Centre would contribute Rs 1,500.
  • The Chief Minister further announced that an ITI and a skill development centre would be opened at every tehsil so that the youth could hone their skills.
Wipro recognized 18 Indian educational under it’s earthian awards
  • Global software major Wipro recognized 18 Indian educational institutions for embedding sustainability in the learning process as part of earthian awards.
  • Wipro earthian is a flagship program that tries to bring together the themes of sustainability and education in meaningful ways.
  • The programme helps stimulate curiosity and interest in young minds in critical areas of sustainability.
  • Some of the winning institutes are Government Senior Secondary School Bojoghari, East Sikkim, Rajkiya Uccha Madhyamik Vidyalay, Sirohi, Rajasthan, St. Joseph”s Educational Institute, Chandor, Goa and BMS College of Engineering, Bengaluru among others.
  • In its ninth edition, earthian, a sustainable education program for schools and colleges, received 1,300 project entries out, of which 10 schools and eight colleges emerged winners for the year 2019.
  • As part of the programme, teams of students from the educational institutes demonstrated understanding on biodiversity, water and waste along with other activities such as writing essays on those topics.

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FEBRUARY 10, 2020
Justice T Vaiphei takes over as Chief of Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC)
  • Retired Chief Justice of the Tripura High Court, Justice T Vaiphei has taken over charge as the chairperson of the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC).
  • The MHRC was functioning under acting chairperson Peter JP Hanaman after Justice Aftab H Saikia retired last year. As per rules, only Chief Justices of High Courts can be appointed as chairperson of the commission.
  • Justice Vaiphei took charge on February 7 in the presence of Hanaman, member Baffyndalyne Giri and other officials and staff of the Commission. Justice Vaiphei was earlier the chairperson of the Assam Human Rights Commission.

BIOGRAPHY – Justice T Vaiphei

  • Justice Vaiphei graduated in 1976 and passed his LLB in 1979 from the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi.
  • He enrolled in the Bar Council of Assam in 1980 and was appointed as the Additional Advocate General of Mizoram in 1999.
  • He was elevated as Additional Judge of the Gauhati High Court in 2003. Justice Vaiphei was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Tripura High Court on September 21, 2016.
  • After his retirement in 2018, he was appointed as the chairperson of the Assam Human Rights Commission.
92nd Academy Awards – Joaquin Phoenix for ‘Joker’ and list of other winners
  • The 92nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, honored the best films of 2019 and took place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards (Oscars) in 24 categories.
  • This event marked the first time in Oscar history that more than three films had received ten or more nominations.
  • The South Korean film Parasite led the ceremony with four awards and became the first film not in the English language to win Best Picture, as well as the first South Korean submission to be nominated for (and win) Best International Feature Film.
  • The war film 1917 won three awards, while Ford v Ferrari, Joker, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood won two awards each. American Factory, Bombshell, Hair Love, Jojo Rabbit, Judy, Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl), Little Women, Marriage Story, The Neighbors’ Window, Rocketman, and Toy Story 4 won one award each.
  • Hollywood star Joaquin Phoenix finally ended his dry run at the Oscars as he picked up the best actor trophy for his performance in and as “Joker” at the 92nd Academy Awards. Phoenix had emerged as an undisputed frontrunner against the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”), Adam Driver (“Marriage Story”), “Antonio Banderas (“Pain & Glory”) and Jonathan Pryce (“The Two Popes”).
  • Phoenix’s career most praised performances include “Signs “, “We Own the Night”, “Two Lovers”, “The Immigrant”, “Her”, “You Were Never Really Here” and “Inherent Vice”.

Winners of the Oscar 2020 Award

Best Picture

Parasite – Kwak Sin-ae and Bong Joon-hodouble-dagger

Best Director

Bong Joon-ho – Parasitedouble-dagger

Best Actor

Joaquin Phoenix – Joker as Arthur Fleck / Jokerdouble-dagger

Best Actress

Renée Zellweger – Judy as Judy Garlanddouble-dagger

Best Supporting Actor

Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as Cliff Boothdouble-dagger

Best Supporting Actress

Laura Dern – Marriage Story as Nora Fanshawdouble-dagger

Best International Feature Film

Parasite (South Korea) in Korean – directed by Bong Joon-hodouble-dagger

IIIT-Delhi partners with edu-venture Extramarks to promote research in AI
  • The Indraprastha Institute of Education Technology, Delhi (IIIT-D) signed an MoU with the global education technology company, Extramarks, to promote and encourage research in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
  • Extramarks, in partnership with IIIT-D will set up a research laboratory in the computer science department, which will be dedicated to the task of creating new breakthroughs in the area of ”AI in Education”.
  • This partnership opens the doors of constructive research for our students, who will benefit greatly from the practical experience they will gain from engaging with Extramarks.
  • The benefit will accrue to all students, teachers and schools who adopt such futuristic technologies in classrooms as well as home-learning segment.
Skill development centre for women opened in Jammu
  • Union Minister Rattan Lal Kataria inaugurated a skill development centre at the Kashmiri Pandit Migrant Colony in the Jagti.
  • Opened under the Athroot initiative, a project by Sewa Bharti Jammu, a non-government organisation, for uplift of women Kashmiri migrants residing in different migrant camps in and around Jammu.
  • The initiative is aimed to impart training and create self-help groups to empower women and girls to earn a livelihood and shape a better future.
  • The women are provided vocational training in various skills, like embroidery, stitching, spice grinding, pickle making, soap making, classical music and computer courses.
  • It also has a Bal Sanskar Kendra to impart social and moral education to kids.
  • The project is being run under the supervision of Anjali Radhu, a resident of Jagti.

FEBRUARY 11, 2020

Smart Idea Innovation Award 2020
  • State Minister for Fisheries, Excise, Environment and Forest Parimal Suklabaidya gave away the prizes to winners of the 6th Dinanath Pandey Smart Idea Innovation Award.
  • Ha Tade from Arunachal Pradesh won the Dinanath Pandey Smart Idea Innovation Award 2020 for his innovation SOFT.SPY, a device which helps in recording the minute details of a vehicle’s movement – both two-wheelers and four-wheelers.
  • The award has been instituted by the family of Dinanath Pandey who was a master innovator and tried to change the way of life with his innovations.
  • The ‘Innovation Festival’ which is organised by the Indian Council for Science Museum in collaboration with the National Innovation Foundation (NFI), provides a common platform to people of all the states in the north-eastern region working in different fields like innovators, artists, performers, craftsmen and science-demonstrators among others to showcase their creativity.
  • More than 34 innovators from the north-eastern states and West Bengal participated in the two-day exhibition ‘Innovation Festival’.

 

 16 villages in Hailakandi district solar electrified under Souro Shakti project  
  • Altogether 16 villages which did not have access to conventional electricity have been covered following installation of 349 solar street lights in Hailakandi district under project Souro Shakti.  
  • Remote and interior villages such as Ramnathpur, Gutguti, Baruncherra, Nunai FV, Kukicherra, Kanchiwala, Ahyalapur and Sahebmarra, to name just a few, have been brought under solar street lights. Another eight villages which have been groping in dark since independence have been recently installed with 80 solar street lights.
  • Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) has helped connect off grid interior villages such as Raifalmara, Bhai Bonti, Bangla Basha, Gendacherra, Gutguti and Bandukmara Grant with rooftop solar panels covering about 1,551 individual households.
  • The remotest corners of the district still lack electricity connectivity due to lack of terrain and off grid issues. In a bid to ensure that these remote villages are also mainstreamed, solar as an alternative source of energy was proposed to be tapped into, as it is eco-friendly, renewable and self serving option. ONGC was asked to sponsor the project through its CSR initiative.
  • Renewable energy-based solar power will boost small businesses, create local jobs and build economies. This will improve living standards in villages. That in turn will ensure women’s empowerment, better health and education.
  • Almost all the sub centres and health institutions including the SK Roy Civil Hospital have been covered under Project Souro Shakti and have all been lit by solar lights irrespective of availability of electricity. 255 solar lights have been installed in the health sector alone.
Ayurveda Institute Bill introduced in Lok Sabha
  • The Government introduced the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill, 2020 in the Lok Sabha which seeks to confer the status of institution of national importance to a cluster of ayurveda institutions in Gujarat Ayurveda University campus in Jamnagar.
  • The three institutes which would be clubbed are Institute of Post Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Gulab Kunverba Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya and Institute of Ayurveda Pharmaceutical Sciences.
  • Introducing the Bill, Minister of State for Ayush Shripad Yesso Naik said he would consider the suggestions made by the members of the house regarding the draft law.
Andhra Pradesh ink MoUs with 11 institutes for developing agriculture sector
  • The Andhra Pradesh government signed 11 MoUs with leading organisations from across the country to develop agriculture sector in the state.
  • The state’s Agriculture Department signed the MoUs with the officials of various institutes in the presence of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and his cabinet collages Kurasala Kannababu, Mopidevi Venkataramana and Kodali Venkateswara Rao.
  • Arun Kumar, Special Commissioner, Agriculture, signed the MoUs with the officials of the institutes.
  • As part of these MoUs, farmers will be trained in organic and natural farming techniques. They will also be offered training in various agriculture domains.
  • The institutes with which the state signed the agreements include the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Chennai, the National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM), Hyderabad, the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, the Central Fertiliser Quality and Training Institute (CFQTI), Faridabad, the National Seed Research and Training Institute (NSRTI), Varanasi, the Central Institute of Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad, the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals (IAHVB), Bengaluru, and the ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), Bhubaneswar.

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FEBRUARY 12, 2020

Assam Govt to make higher education free
  • Launching two scholarship schemes for students, Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the State government is working to make higher education completely free, including taking care of the “hidden costs”.
  • Sarma was speaking at a function organised to launch the Gyan Deepika Scholarship announced in the State Budget 2019-20. Under the scheme, the State government would provide subsidy of Rs 700 per month for 10 months through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) on dues to 13,414 hostel students of government colleges and State universities.
  • The Government of Assam also launched the HPC Scholarship Scheme to provide financial assistance of up to Rs 1 lakh to students whose parents are currently employed in Hindustan Paper Corporation’s units at Panchgram and Jagiroad.
  • The two schemes by Government of Assam are of significant importance in providing financial relief to families with children who aspire to pursue higher education.
  • The government has taken measures which will ensure that higher education too is completely free and there are no hidden costs for students. Parents should not spend a single penny for education of their students, including their pocket money.
  • Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the State government is putting efforts to develop the personality of students who are academically brilliant, socially conscious and professionally successful.
WHO launches global research forum against coronavirus
  • A two-day global research and innovation forum led by the World Health Organization (WHO) was launched to mobilise international action in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
  • Co-hosted by the WHO and the Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness and funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
  • The forum gathers roughly 400 participants, both live and online, including leading scientists from virus-related disciplines around the world, representatives of countries with confirmed novel coronavirus cases and those of public health agencies, ethics experts with related expertise, and representatives of major research donors.
  • Chinese representatives from the National Health Commission and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention will brief the forum on China”s research on the outbreak, listen to views of all parties and participate in discussions.
  • The forum is to identify the uncharted waters of the virus, prioritize research options and coordinate global efforts to avoid duplication of research, and speed up vaccine and medicine development.
Sanjay Vatsayan takes over as Eastern fleet commander
  • Rear Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan took command of the eastern fleet deployed across the indo-pacific region to safeguard the nation”s maritime interest. He took charge at Visakhapatnam.
  • The Eastern Fleet comprising of frontline warships of the Indian Navy are deployed across the indo-pacific region to safeguard the nation”s maritime interest.
  • Rear Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan is an alumnus of the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Naval War College, Mumbai and the National Defence College, New Delhi.
  • The Admiral, who is a Gunnery and Missile systems specialist, has vast experience at sea and ashore.
  • He has commanded missile vessels Vibhuti and Nashak, the guided-missile corvette Kuthar and has also been the commissioning Commanding Officer of the indigenously constructed state-of-the-art stealth frigate Sahyadri.
  • Rear Admiral Vatsayan has also held vital appointments dealing with personnel policy and naval plans at the integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy).
  • Prior to assuming Command of the Eastern Fleet, he was serving as the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy and Plans) at New Delhi.
Odisha govt signs MoU with HDFC Bank to boost startups
  • The Odisha government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the HDFC Bank Limited to provide smart banking solutions to Startups in the state.
  • The Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Department signed the MoU with the HDFC Bank in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
  • The bank would provide smart banking solutions to the Startups recognised by the Startup Odisha along with opportunity to pitch their solutions to requisite stakeholders and will work towards providing them an opportunity to showcase their solutions.
  • In addition, the bank will extend incubation and acceleration support to all Startups banking with them.
  • HDFC Bank is having third party alliances to provide discounts for startups across key business support functions like shared work spaces, digital marketing, content writing, tax and legal advisory, financial management, compliance among others.

 

FEBRUARY 13, 2020

Assam Cabinet nod for scholarships, grants to tea community
  • The State Cabinet approved the Swahid Dayal Das Panika Swaniyojan Achoni under which financial assistance of Rs 25,000 would be given to youths of the community to “encourage entrepreneurship.”
  • The one time grant will benefit some 15,000 youths of the tea tribe community.
  • To further “empower” students of the tea tribe community, the Cabinet approved the Simon Sing Horo Special Scholarship scheme of Rs 10,000 each to HSLC and HS passed candidates belonging to the community.
  • The Cabinet also approved provisions for construction of pucca houses for workers of the Assam Tea Corporation Limited gardens at the cost of Rs 1.3 lakh per house.
  • The Cabinet further resolved to increase allotment of agricultural land from 3 bighas to 7 bighas under the Land Policy 2019.
  • The Cabinet approved an amount of Rs 20,000 each to install solar kits in those PMAY houses which do not have electricity connection.
‘120% rise in Budget allocation for NE rly projects a big boost’
  • The General Budget 2020-21 has proposed an increase in the allocation for railway projects in Assam and the Northeast and it will help in upgradation of facilities and expansion of network in the region.
  • Subhanan Chanda, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), said that the Union Budget has proposed an allocation of Rs 4,669 crore for railway projects in Assam and the Northeastern states taken together. This is 120 per cent more than the average annual outlay of Rs 2,122 crore for the same region during 2009-2014.
  • The proposed outlay includes a number of projects for doubling of railway lines in the region, including the newly proposed doubling of the 381 km-long Lumding-Tinsukia-Dibrugarh section at an estimated cost of Rs 3,810 crore.
  • He said that the Budget has also allocated additional funds for other ongoing doubling works including Rs 200 crore for the New Bongaigaon-Rangiya-Kamakhya section (142.97 km), Rs 450 crore for New Bongaigaon-Goalpara-Guwahati (Kamakhya) section (176 km) and Rs 400 crore for the Digaru-Hojai section (102 km).
J&K and Ladakh to host 1st edition of Khelo India Winter Games
  • The Sports Ministry is set to organise the first-ever Khelo India Winter Games in the Union Territory of Ladakh in the third week of February and in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in the first week of March.
  • Seven different sporting disciplines have been chosen with an effort to popularise winter games among the youth of the country.
  • The Games will have Open Ice Hockey Championship, Figure Skating and Speed Skating and the competition will be conducted at Block, district and Union Territory levels with an expected participation of about 1,700 athletes.
  • The competitions of the Khelo India J&K Winter Games will be held at Kongdori in Kashmir’s hill resort of Gulmarg in four age categories for both boys and girls. Athletes in the age categories of 19-21 years, 17-18 years, 15-16 years and 13-14 years can compete in Alpine Skiing, Cross Country Skiing, Snow Boarding and Snow Shoeing.
Odisha government approved Rs 803.65 cr action plan for more green cover
  • The Odisha government approved its annual action plan entailing an expenditure of Rs 803.65 crore under CAMPA for the 2020-21 fiscal to increase the green cover in the coastal state.
  • The action plan was approved by the state-level steering committee on Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy.
  • The government decided to undertake various activities under the action plan, including block plantation, assisted natural regeneration, bald-hill plantation, maintenance of previous year”s plantation, fodder and fruit-bearing plantation, bamboo culture and wildlife management.
  • A target has been set to take up plantation in 1,500 hectares, with 1,600 saplings per hectare during 2020-21 and to grow 5,71,48,000 seedlings during the period.
  • Rs 41.13 crore was approved for maintenance of the fire protection line, operation of 216 fire protection squads and support to the Vana Surakhya Samiti (VSS) for fire protection work.

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FEBRUARY 14, 2020

Strengthening of case for Classical language status to Assamese
  • With new breakthroughs emerging on the antiquity of the Assamese script, and research shows that Assamese script to be far older than previously thought, some sections have called for according it the status of Indian Classical Language.
  • Generally the Indian Classical Language status is given to languages which have a rich heritage and are of independent nature. The status is awarded by the Government of India and so far this honour has been bestowed on six languages of India – Tamil in 2004, Sanskrit in 2005, Telugu in 2008, Kannada in 2008, and Malayalam in 2013, with Odia being the latest addition to the list in 2014.
  • Languages declared as classical get three primary benefits.
    • First, two major international awards for those who contribute significantly to Indian Classical Languages are presented every year.
    • Secondly, the government has to set up a Centre of Excellence for the study of Classical Languages.
    • Thirdly, Central universities can give grants for Professional Chairs for Classical Languages.
  • According to eminent scholar Dr Nagen Saikia, the Assamese language deserves the status of classical language. The Assamese language has a long glorious history dating back to the prehistorical times.
  • According to Ashok Sarma, who is doing extensive research in Kamrupi civilisation, script, and language, the Assamese language has much more antiquity than ever thought.“We can trace the written form to the 4th century BC, i.e., the language found in the Mahasthangarh stone inscription (now in Bangladesh). It should be noted that today’s Bangladesh was within the territory of ancient Kamrup in the manner the ancient Indian civilisation of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro are now in Pakistan. The language of the Mahasthangarh inscription was in Prakrit language and it did not belong to Ashoka’s empire. The language of this inscription cannot be Magadhi Prakrit either because the contemporary language of the Ashokan edicts was not found anywhere after his reign. If the language was to be the language of Magadh, then it could not be extinct,” he said.
  • The criteria evolved by the Government of India to judge the eligibility of a language to be declared as classical language include
    • (a) high antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1,500-2,000 years,
    • (b) a body of ancient literature/text which is considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers,
    • (c) the literary tradition be original and not borrowed from another speech community, and
    • (d) the classical language and literature being distinct from modern, there may also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots.
Sri Lanka engages Indian Navy to carry out shore-based survey
  • Enhancing bilateral relationship, Sri Lanka has engaged India to carry out hydrographic and several shore-based survey activities off its south-west coast.
  • The Indian government has assigned the task to the Indian Navy.
  • Indian Navy’s Sandhayak class hydrographic survey ship, INS Jamuna, has been deployed to Sri Lanka based on a mutual agreement to carry out Joint Hydrographic Survey off the South West Coast of Sri Lanka.
  • The ship is commanded by Captain H.A. Hardas.
  • Over the two-month deployment period, the ship will carry out detailed hydrographic surveys and several shore-based survey activities.
  • Sri Lanka Navy personnel will embark the ship during the conduct of the joint survey and additionally the personnel will also be provided ”hands on” survey training during every operational turnaround in port.
  • INS Jamuna also hosted a meeting between Rear Admiral Sisira Jayakody, Chief Hydrographer of Sri Lankan Navy, officers of Sri Lankan hydrographic department and Indian officers of the ship.
20th edition of ”Hunar Haat” begins in Delhi
  • The 20th edition of the ”Hunar Haat” was inaugurated at the India Gate lawns, the 10-day event is based on the theme of “Kaushal Ka Kam”.
  • Master artisans, craftsmen as well as culinary experts from across the country will be participating in the event.
  • The event was inaugurated in the presence of Railways and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Minorities Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
  • Hunar Haats have been organised at various places in the country such as Delhi, Mumbai, Prayagraj, Lucknow, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Punducherry and Indore.
  • In the coming days ”Hunar Haats” will be organised in Gurugram, Bangaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Dehradun, Patna, Bhopal, Nagpur, Raipur, Puducherry, Amritsar, Jammu, Shimla, Goa, Kochi, Guwahati, Bhubneshwar, Ajmer and other places.
  • At the India Gate lawns, more than 250 stalls have been set up where master artisans, craftsmen and culinary experts from across the country are participating.
  • They are here displaying exquisitely handmade indigenous products.

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Assam Current Affairs – February 01 – 07, 2020

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Current Affairs Assam – February 1 - 7, 2020

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of February 1 – 7, 2020 )

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FEBRUARY 01, 2020

Economic Survey 2019-20 presented in the Parliament
  • The Economic Survey of India is the flagship annual document of the Ministry of Finance, Govt of India. It is prepared under the guidance of the Chief Economic Adviser of India. This document is presented to both Houses of Parliament during the Budget Session. The first Economic Survey of India was presented in 1950-51 as part of the Union Budget. After 1964 it was separated from the Budget and presented each year during the Budget Session before the presentation of the budget. The document is non-binding.
  • The Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Economic Survey 2019-20 in the Parliament on January 31, 2020. Krishnamurthy V. Subramanian is the Chief Economic Adviser of Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

Highlights of the Economic Survey 2019-20

  • GDP growth pegged at 6-6.5% in fiscal year starting April 1, 2020, up from 5% in the current fiscal.
  • Uptick in growth projected in second half of current fiscal based on 10 factors including higher FDI flows, build up of demand pressure, positive GST revenue growth.
  • Share of formal employment increased from 17.9% in 2011 -12 to 22.8% in 2017-18 reflecting formalisation in Indian economy.
  • To achieve GDP of $5 trillion by 2024-25, India needs to spend about $1.4 trillion over these years on infrastructure.
  • Around 2.6 crore new jobs created in rural, urban areas between 2011-12 and 2017-18 among regular wage/salaried employees.
  • Declining inflation from 3.2% in April 2019 to 2.6% in December 2019, reflecting weakening demand pressure in the economy.
  • GST collections grew by 4.1% for the centre during April-November 2019.
  • Government should deliver expeditiously on reforms to revive growth. The Survey suggests government to systematically examine areas where it needlessly intervenes and undermines markets.
  • Excessive government intervention in markets, especially when the market can do the job of enhancing citizens welfare perfectly well, stifles economic freedom.
  • Economic Survey calls for improving governance in public sector banks, more disclosures to build trust and for measures to make it easier to start new business, register property, pay taxes, enforce contracts.
  • The Survey also calls for easing of crude prices lowers current account deficit; imports contract more sharply than exports in first half of current fiscal.
Government to restructure Ministry of External Affairs
  • The government has decided to restructure the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the MEA will get decentralised by setting up several verticals, specialisation-wise.
  • This will enable separation of consular services and other routine administrative affairs from the diplomacy involved in areas like economics, trade, development, technology, cultural exchange etc.
  • Each vertical is to be headed by a ”political director” at Additional Secretary level.
  • Until now, like all other ministries, the MEA has been a pyramid like structure, with lot of work pressure on Joint Secretaries and the four Secretaries.
  • The restructuring began with handing over all the four development partnership divisions responsible for foreign aid and development projects in South Asia and Africa to Akhilesh Mishra, who was heading the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
  • The council, which is the cultural arm of MEA, will be under Dinesh Patnaik.
  • The economic section will be handled by P. Harish and three divisions of Africa will be under Nagma Mallik.
  • All multilateral meetings and summits will now be handled by VikramDoraiswami.
  • The ministry also plans to expand and hire experts from the private sector and non-profit bodies as well.
European Investment Bank to invest 600 million euros in Pune Metro
  • The European Investment Bank (EIB) will invest 600 million euros (Rs 4,800 crore) in the upcoming Pune Metro Rail (PMR) project, the Maharashtra government announced.
  • A Memorandum of Understanding for the first tranche of 200 million euros (Rs 1,600 crore) was signed in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
  • The state government said, This will enable easier and affordable access to jobs, healthcare, education, reduce pollution, generate employment and slash commuting time for over 600,000 daily commuters among Pune’s three million population.
  • The fundings received will be utilised for the underground sections, a metro depot and other purposes.
  • The PMR will be 32.50 km long, costing around Rs 11,420 crore, running both on the surface and underground with 30 stations.
  • The PMR will help India achieve several United Nations” sustainable development goals like SDG 13 (climate action), SDG 11 (sustainable cities) and SDG 5 (gender equality).
FEBRUARY 02, 2020
Union Budget 2020-21 presented in the Parliament

The Union Budget of India for 2020–2021 was presented by the Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman on 1 February 2020. The central ideas of the Budget are – “Aspirational India, Economic development, A Caring Society.”

Highlights & Important Point

~ Income Tax & other Personal Taxes ~

    • A simplified and new Income Tax Regime has been proposed as an option to the old regime.
    • Income between Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh: Reduced to 10% from the current 20%
    • Between Rs 7.5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh: Reduced to 15% from the current 20%
    • Between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 12.5 lakh: Reduced to 20% from the current 30%
    • Between Rs 12.5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh: Reduced to 25% from the current 30%
    • Above ₹15 lakh: Continue at 30%, but without exemptions

However, those who wish to continue to pay old rates may do so.

~ Business Sector ~

  • Concessional corporate tax rate of 15 per cent to new domestic companies in manufacturing and power sector.
  • Corporate tax for existing companies slashed to 22 per cent.
  • Govt proposes 100 per cent tax concession to sovereign wealth funds on investment in infra projects.
  • Concessional tax rate of 15 per cent extended to power generation companies.
  • Tax concession for sovereign wealth fund of foreign governments and other foreign investments.
  • Tax benefits to Start-ups by way of deduction of 100 per cent of their profits are enhanced by increasing turnover limit and period of eligibility period of eligibility.
  • Concessional tax rate for cooperatives proposed.
  • Turnover threshold for audit of MSMEs increased.
  • Extension of time limits pertaining to the tax benefits for affordable housing.
  • Issuance of Unique Registration Number to all charity institutions for easy tax compliance.
  • Health cess to be imposed on imports of medical equipment.
  • Dividend Distribution Tax removed and classical system of dividend taxation adopted
  • Simplified GST return shall be implemented from 1st April 2020. Refund process to be fully automated.
  • National Textile Mission to be launched with a proposed Rs 1,480 crore allocation. National Technical Textiles Mission for a period of 4 years
  • Allocation of Rs 27,300 crore for development of industry and commerce.
  • Foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country has increased to $284 billion during 2014-19 from $190 billion in previous five years.
  • Scheme to encourage manufacturing of mobile phones, electronic equipment and semiconductor packaging
  • NIRVIK Scheme for higher export credit disbursement launched
  • Setting up of an Investment Clearance Cell to provide end to end facilitation
  • Extension of invoice financing to MSMEs through TReDs
  • A scheme to provide subordinated debt for entrepreneurs of MSMEs
  • Scheme anchored by EXIM Bank and SIDBI to handhold MSMEs in exports markets

 

~ Health Sector ~

  • Rs 69,000 crores allocated for the healthcare sector.
  • More than 20,000 empanelled hospitals under PM Jan Arogya Yojana.
  • FIT India movement launched to fight NCDs
  • Expansion of Jan Aushadhi Kendra Scheme to all districts by 2024

 

~ Infrastructure Sector ~

  • 9,000 km of economic corridor will be set up.
  • Chennai-Bengaluru expressway will also be started.
  • Delhi-Mumbai expressway to be completed by 2023.
  • 100 more airports to be developed by 2025
  • Transport infrastructure: Rs 1.7 lakh crore
  • National Infrastructure Pipeline: Rs 22,000 crore
  • National Logistics Policy to be launched soon National Logistics Policy to be launched soon
  • Accelerated development of Highways
  • Railways will set up Kisan Rail through PPP model so that perishable goods can be transported quickly.
  • 150 trains will run under the public private partnership (PPP) mode, also four stations will be redeveloped with the help of the private sector.
  • More Tejas type trains for tourist destinations
  • Coporatizing at least one major port
  • An International Bullion Exchange to be set up at GIFT City.
  • Power sector: Efforts to replace conventional energy meters by prepaid smart meters.
  • Gas Grid: Expand National Gas Grid to 27,000 km

 

~ Education & Training ~

  • Rs 99,300 crore allocated for education in FY21.
  • Govt will start Ind-Sat Exam to promote under Study in India programme and a degree-level online education programme for the deprived.
  • A total of Rs 3,000 crore will be given for skill development.
  • About 150 higher educational institutions will start apprenticeship embedded courses.
  • Internship opportunities to fresh engineers by urban local bodies.
  • Special bridge courses to improve skill sets of those seeking employment abroad.
  • Degree level online education programmes for students of deprived sections of the society.

 

~ Social Welfare Sector ~

  • Allocation for Swachh Bharat Mission for 2020-21 stands at Rs 12,300 crore.
  • In further push to PM Modi’s ‘Nal se jaal’ scheme, govt proposes Rs 3.6 lakh crore towards piped water supply to households.
  • Rs 35,600 crore allocated for nutritional related programme in FY21.
  • Rs 85,000 crore has been budgeted for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and other backward classes.
  • Rs 53,700 crore for Scheduled Tribes
  • Allocation for senior citizens and ‘Divyang’ enhanced to Rs 9500 crore.
  • Rs 4,400 crore to tackle Delhi’s air pollution problem.
  • Extends additional Rs 1.5 lakh tax benefit on interest paid on affordable housing loans to March 2021.
  • Tax holiday to affordable housing developers.

 

~ Women and Child Development ~

  • A task force to be appointed to recommend regarding lowering MMR and improving nutrition levels
  • Rs 28,600 crore will be allocated in FY21 for women-linked programmes.

 

~ Banking and Financial Sector ~

  • DICGC has been permitted to increase Deposit Insurance Coverage for a depositor from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh per depositor.
  • Amendments in Banking regulation Act to strengthen Cooperative Banks.
  • Proposal to sell balance holding of the government of India IDBI Bank to private investors.
  • Recovery eligibility limit for NBFCs reduced to asset size of 100 crore or loan size of 50 lakh.
  • Separation of NPS Trust for government employees from PFRDAI
  • Specified categories of government securities would be opened for non-resident investors
  • FPI Limit for corporate bonds to be increased to 15 per cent.
  • New debt ETF proposed mainly for government securities

 

~ Technology Sector ~

  • 550 WiFi facilities have been commissioned at railway stations.1 lakh gram panchayats to get optical fibre link
  • An allocation of Rs 6,000 crore will be provided for BharatNet scheme.
    Rs 20,000 crore for renewable energy sector in a bid to tackle pollution and climate change.
  • A new scheme of smart meters will be launched.
  • An allocation of Rs 8,000 crore will be made for National Mission on Quantum Computing and Technology.
  • Knowledge Translation Clusters for emerging technology sectors
  • Scaling up of Technology Clusters harbouring test beds and small scale manufacturing facilities.

 

~ Disinvestment ~

  • Govt proposed an ambitious disinvestment target of PSU stake sales to the tune of Rs 2.1 lakh crore in the next financial year 2020-21.
  • Government to sell part holding in LIC.
  • Govt to also sell stake in IDBI Bank to private investors.

 

~ Agriculture & Allied Sectors ~

  • Budget allocation of Rs 2.83 lakh crore for agriculture and allied activities.
  • Doubling farmers incomes by 2020.
  • Krishi Udaan under Ministry of Civil Avaition on international and national routes to benefit farmers. Krishi Udaan scheme to transport agri products to national as well international destinations to be launched.
  • Self Help Groups will be allowed to set up village agri storage facilities.
  • NABARD will map and geo-tab 162 mn tonne capacity agri warehouses across country. FCI and Warehousing Corporation of India to build warehousing facility on their land.
    Government to incentivise farmers to go solar.
  • Over 6 crore farmers under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna have been insured.
  • Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha and Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) to be expanded, providing 20 lakh farmers in setting up standalone solar pumps.
  • Railways will set up Kisan Rail through PPP model so that perishable goods can be transported quickly.
  • Agri-credit target for the year 2020-21 has been set at Rs 15 lakh crore.
  • One horticulture crop in one district on cluster basis will be promoted.
    Viability gap funding for creation of efficient warehouses on PPP mode.
  • SHGs run Village storage scheme to be launched.
  • Integartion of e-NWR with e-NAM.
  • Elimination of FMD and brucellosis in cattle and PPR in sheep and goat by 2025.
  • Increasing coverage of artificial insemination to 70 per cent.
  • Doubling of milk processing capacity by 2025.
  • Fishery extention through 3477 Sagar Mitras and 500 fish FPOs.
  • Raise fishery exports to `1 lakh crore by 2024-25
  • Fish Production target of 200 lakh tonnes by 2022-23.

 

~ Culture & Tourism ~

  • Five archaeological sites would be developed as iconic sites with on-site museums would be developed at Rakhigarhi in Haryana, Hastinapur in Uttar Pradesh, Sivasagar in Assam, Dholavira in Gujarat and Adichanallur in Tamil Nadu.
  • Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation
  • Museum of Numismatics and trade
  • Tribal museum in Ranchi
  • Maritime Museum in Lothal
  • Tourism promotion gets Rs 2500 crore.
  • Ministry of Culture to get Rs 3,150 crore.

 

~ Fiscal Scenario ~

  • Fiscal deficit target pegged at 3.8% of GDP for FY 2019-20. FY21 fiscal deficit target pegged at 3.5% of GDP.

 

~ Miscellaneous ~

  • G20 Presidency in 2022 – Allocation of Rs 100 crore
  • Allocation of Rs 30,757 crore for Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir
  • Allocation of Rs 5,958 crore for Union Territory of Ladakh

 

  • State of Indian Economy §
  • Between 2006-2016, 271 million are out of poverty and we should be proud of it.
  • Total of 60 lakh new taxpayers and 105 crore e-way bills generated under GST
  • Central government debt reduced to 48.7 per cent of GDP in 2019 from 52.2 per cent.
  • India is now 5th largest economy in world.
  • Gross enrollment of girls is 94.32 per cent in elementary levels, 81.32 per cent in secondary level and 59.7 per cent in higher secondary level.
  • Foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country has increased to $284 billion during 2014-19 from $190 billion in previous five years.
  • Nominal growth of GDP for 2020-21 has been estimated at 10 per cent
  • Receipts for 2020-21 estimated at 22.46 lakh crore rupees, and expenditure at 30.42 lakh crore rupees
  • ‘Vivad se Vishwas’ scheme for direct tax payers whose appeals are pending at various forum. 4.83 lakh direct cases pending in various appellate forums. Under the scheme, taxpayer to pay only amount of disputed tax. They will get complete waiver on interest and penalty if scheme is availed by March 31, 2020.
  • 15th Finance Commission has cut state share of central taxes by one percentage point to 41 per cent.
  • Rs 12.7 lakh crore to be transferred to states and union territories in 2020-21.
  • Government has insured 6.11 crore farmers under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna.
Centre to soon release National Logistics Policy
  • To create a single window e-logistics market, the Centre plans to release a ”National Logistics Policy”.
  • It will create a single window e-logistics market and focus on generation of employment, skills and making MSMEs competitive.
  • At present, India”s logistics sector is highly fragmented and the policy aims to reduce the logistics cost from 14 per cent of GDP to less than 10 per cent by 2022.
  • The sector provides livelihood to more than 22 million people and improving the sector will facilitate 10 per cent decrease in indirect logistics costs, leading to the growth of 5 to 8 per cent in exports.
  • The policy which has been formulated by the Commerce and Industry Ministry will improve India”s trade competitiveness, create more jobs, improve India”s performance in global rankings and pave the way for India to become a logistics hub.

 

Gopal Baglay appointed as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka
  • The government appointed Gopal Baglay as the next High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka.
  • Baglay, who is currently in the Prime Minister”s Office in New Delhi, will take over from Taranjit Singh Sandhu who was recently appointed as Ambassador to the US.
  • An 1992 batch IFS officer, Baglay has served in Moscow, London, Kathmandu and Islamabad besides holding key positions in the Ministry of External Affairs.
Government to launch new schemes to support export sector
  • To support and promote exports, the Centre proposed to launch new schemes in FY 2020-21.
  • Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, said that the Centre plans to launch the Nirvik and ”Reversion of duties and taxes on exported products” scheme.
  • To achieve higher export credit disbursement, a new scheme, Nirvik is being launched, which provides for higher insurance coverage, reduction in premium for small exporters and simplified procedure for claim settlements.
  • It is proposed to digitally refund to exporters, duties and taxes levied at the Central, State and local levels, such as electricity duties and VAT on fuel used for transportation, which are not getting exempted or refunded under any other existing mechanism.
  • The development assumes significance as these schemes are expected to facilitate higher exports.
National Recruitment Agency for all computer based exams
  • Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that a National Recruitment Agency (NRA) will be set up for all computer-based examinations for recruitment to non-gazetted government and public sector banks posts.
  • The move has the potential to give a breath of fresh air for the youth of the country, who have been stuck in the vicious cycle of recruitment exams and an indefinite wait for jobs.
  • The Minister said that at present, candidates have to appear for multiple examinations conducted by multiple agencies at different points of time for similar posts.
  • To mitigate the hardship faced, it is proposed to set up a NRA as an independent, professional, specialist organisation for conduct of a computer-based online Common Eligibility Test for recruitment to non-gazetted posts
  • Non-gazetted jobs are the government jobs or posts which do not give the person the authority to issue an official stamp on the behalf of the government.
  • In terms of types of jobs, this includes Group B, Group C and Group D government jobs.

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FEBRUARY 03, 2020
Karbi New Year ‘Nikam Kimi’ celebrated
  • Nikam Kimi, the Karbi New Year was celebrated with pomp and gaiety throughout the district by different celebration committees.
  • As per the Karbi calendar, February 1 is considered as New Year by the community.
  • Nikam Kimi was celebrated throughout the day by holding various Karbi traditional events and games where male, female and youth participated.
  • It may be mentioned here that Ningkam Kimi was welcomed by symbolically releasing pigeons in the sky by the dignitaries.
  • The Karbi Ningkan Kimi (Karbi New Year) was celebrated with splendour and exuberance across the twin hill district of Karbi Anglong on February 1.
  • The Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) declared February 1 as official holiday.
US, India celebrate 70th Fulbright exchange program
  • The United States and India celebrated the 70th anniversary of the prestigious Fulbright exchange program which has awarded scholarships to over 11,000 Indians and Americans so far.
  • US Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce from Washington to attend the gala event in New Delhi.
  • The Fulbright program, created by Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946, was designed to increase mutual understanding among the people of the United States and the people of other countries. It has now grown into the premier US international educational exchange program in the world.
  • The binational United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) was among the earliest of the Fulbright Commissions or foundations.
  • On February 2, 1950, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and US Ambassador to India Loy Henderson signed a bilateral agreement to implement and administer a country Fulbright Program on behalf of the partner governments.
  • Since its inception, USIEF has awarded approximately 11,128 Fulbright Fellowships to Indians and Americans.
  • On July 4, 2008, the United States and India signed a historic new Fulbright agreement that made India a full partner in the governance and funding of the Fulbright Program.
Sakhi centre, one-stop centre to provide support to women of sexual violence, inaugurated in Tezpur
  • Sakhi, a one-stop centre to provide integrated support and assistance under one roof for women affected by sexual and physical violence, was inaugurated at VidyaMandir building at Dhanua Nagar, Morabharalipaar.
  • The one-stop centre has been set up by the Sonitpur district administration and the Social Welfare Department to provide integrated services of medical and legal aid, guidance on the procedure of registering police complaints, along with psycho-social counselling and temporary shelter to women who have been victims of sexual or physical violence.
  • A toll-free number 181 has also been made available for women in distress.
  • The scheme is Centrally sponsored by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development under the National Mission for Empowerment of Women.

FEBRUARY 04, 2020

Madhya Pradesh’s Kalidas Awards for Assam dance guru, Kathak danseuse
  • Veteran classical dance guru from Assam, Jatin Goswami, and renowned Kathak danseuse Guru Uma Sharma will be conferred Madhya Pradesh”s prestigious cultural award, National Kalidas Samman, for 2017 and 2018 respectively during the Khajuraho Dance festival.
  • The award amount comprises Rs 2 lakh and a plaque.
  • Goswami, 87, is a legendary choreographer of the Sattriya dance form which originated in eastern Assam.
  • It is a dance-drama form with origins in the Krishna-centric Vaishnavist monasteries of Assam and attributed to the 15th century Bhakti movement scholar and saint Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev.
  • Sharma has a reputation as a senior guru, choreographer and dancer in the field of Kathak dance.
  • Born in Delhi in 1942, she received dance education from Guru Hiralal and GirivarDayal.
  • Following the Kathak tradition of the Jaipur Gharana, she also received guidance from ShambhuMaharaj and BirjuMaharaj. Her dedication to Kathak is acknowledged the world over. She has also received the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan.
India to have 10 more Defence Attaches
  • To strengthen India’s defence diplomacy, the Ministry of Defence announced creation of 10 new posts of Defence Attaches (DAs).
  • The government has introduced a new scheme to promote defence exports through Defence Attaches to their respective countries.
  • Under this scheme, funds have been allocated for export promotion to 34 countries.
  • The Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) have also opened offices for their liaison officers in countries like Vietnam, Singapore, Myanmar, Oman and others.
  • India has also offered several defence Line of Credits (LOC) to friendly countries to allow Indian defence exports and increase their presence in the global market.
IIT-Madras builds AI technology to convert brain signals into language
  • Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-Madras) have developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to convert brain signals of speech impaired humans into language.
  • The researchers can potentially interpret nature’s signals such as the plant photosynthesis process or their response to external forces.
  • Electrical signals, brain signals, or any signal in general, are waveforms which are decoded to meaningful information using physical law or mathematical transforms such as Fourier Transform or Laplace Transform.
  • The output result is the ionic current, which represents the flow of ions which are charged particles.
  • These electrically driven ionic current signals are worked on to be interpreted as human language meaning speech. This would tell us what the ions are trying to communicate with us.
  • They tested this concept by getting experimental electrical signals through experiments in the laboratory to get signals from nanofluidic transport inside nanopores.
  • The nanopores were filled with saline solution and mediated using an electric field.

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FEBRUARY 05, 2020

Highest priority accorded to North Eastern Region in Union Budget 2020-21
  • Union Minister of Development of North Eastern Region is Jitendra Singh (Minister of state, Independent Charge) said the hallmark of the Union Budget 2020-21 is that it accords the highest priority to the overall development of the Northeastern region.
  • The budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) saw a hike of over 14 per cent from Rs 2,670 crore last year to Rs 3,049 crore in 2020-21.
  • The budget for the North Eastern Council (NEC) has been doubled from Rs 700 crore to Rs 1,474 crore in the last five years.
  • The budget has accorded the highest priority to the overall development of the Northeastern region keeping in tune with the vision and declaration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he came to power in 2014.
  • He said there is a constant and progressive rise in funds for the development of the Northeastern region since 2014.
  • In case of the Ministry of DoNER, the budgetary allocation for 2020-21 is Rs 3,049 crore as against Rs 2,670 crore in the Revised Estimate (RE) 2019-20. Of the total Rs 3,049 crore, the provision for development of infrastructure is around Rs 2,900 crore compared to Advance Estimate (AE) 2014-15 of Rs 1,719 crore.
  • The budget allocation of the Ministry of DoNER in 2020-21 is higher by 77.26 per cent, he said.
  • In case of schemes being implemented by the North Eastern Council (NEC), the current year’s budgetary allocation is Rs 1,474 crore, an increase of 19.23 per cent over RE 2019-20 allocation of Rs 1,237 crore.
  • The government is ensuring smooth access to financial assistance from multilateral and bilateral funding agencies to help introduce innovative and global best practices. The Central government has effectively used an online portal to reduce gestation period. This has improved the flow of funds to the Northeast region.
  • The inland waterways received a boost in the last five years. The Jal Vikas Marg on National Waterway-1 will be completed. Further, the 890-km Dhubri-Sadiya waterway will be completed by 2022.
  • Plans are afoot to energise eco-heritage sites. Government proposes to establish an Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation under the Ministry of Culture; it shall have the status of a deemed university to start with.
  • Five archaeological sites – Rakhigarhi (Haryana), Hastinapur (Uttar Pradesh), Sivasagar (Assam), Dholavira (Gujarat) and Adichanallur (Tamil Nadu) – would be developed as iconic sites with on-site museums.
Union Cabinet approves amendment Bill for IIITs
  • The Union Cabinet has approved the Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
  • The Bill grants statutory status to five Indian Institutes of Information Technology in Public-Private Partnership mode at Surat, Bhopal, Bhagalpur, Agartala and Raichur and declare them as Institutions of National Importance along with the existing 15 Indian Institutes of Information Technology under the Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-Private Partnership) Act, 2017.
  • The Bill, once it gets parliamentary approval, will amend the principal Acts of 2014 and 2017 to enable these IIITs to use the nomenclature of Bachelor”s in Technology (B.Tech) or Master”s in Technology (M.Tech) or Ph.D degree as issued by a university or Institution of National Importance.
  • It will enable the institutes to attract enough students required to develop a strong research base in the country in the field of information technology.
  • The five IIITs at Surat, Bhopal, Bhagalpur, Agartala and Raichur are already functioning as societies registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860.
  • After changes in the existing laws, these institutions will be covered under the IIIT (PPP) Act, 2017, similar to 15 others established under the scheme in the PPP mode.
UP to procure Dornier aircraft to ferry passengers
  • Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that his government will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with HAL for two 19 seater Dornier aircraft for non-military purpose.
  • The aircraft can be used to ferry passenger from one destination to another.
  • The Chief Minister said that flight services could be started from Lucknow to Varanasi or Lucknow to Agra.
  • He also said that his government is making a military manufacturing policy so that Uttar Pradesh can become a hub of defence production.
  • The Chief Minister also said that the corridor is being developed with an objective of promoting indigenisation and supporting the ”Make in India” initiative towards fulfilling equipment requirements worth over $250 billion by 2025.
  • The Chief Minister announced that his government has planned to develop the Ganga Expressway from Uttar Pradesh to Bihar.

 

FEBRUARY 06, 2020

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma inaugurated Meghalaya Police Academy
  • Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma inaugurating the Meghalaya Police Academy in Ri-Bhoi district. With this, Meghalaya got its own police academy which, in due course of time, is expected to be developed as a research centre to study the social pattern related to crimes and the health of the State’s population.
  • The Meghalaya Police Academy is located at Umran, Niangbyrnai, close to the North Eastern Police Academy (NEPA) in Ri-Bhoi district. The academy will initially take in 40 trainees.
  • This centre should also function as a research centre by bringing together the society, not necessarily in policing, but in maintaining law and order with simple standard operating procedures right from the village level.
  • Maintaining law and order has become more complicated, and requires specialised training and skill sets under the changing scenario. Issues like cyber crimes have made a huge impact on the society and stressed the need of analysing situations with new skills and technologies.
  • The first phase of the academy has been built with a total fund of Rs 50 crore provided by the 13th Finance Commission from 2013. Work for the second phase of the academy will start soon with an additional fund of Rs 92 crore from the 15th Finance Commission.
  • The NEPA, which was established in 1978, is mandated to provide training to recruits in the police forces from all the North Eastern State. Some State Police personnel undergo training at the NEPA, while the majority are trained at the Police Training School (PTS).
HAL signs MoU with Israeli firm to make & sell drones
  • Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bengaluru based Dynamatic Technologies Limited (DTL) and Israel Aerospace Industries Limited (IAI) at DefExpo 2020.
  • In India drones are playing significant role in wars and other tactical missions such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
  • HAL has the best capability and infrastructure available in India to manufacture world class and battle-proven drones.
  • HAL as a long-time partner of IAI is involved in the depot level maintenance of all ranges of drones supplied by IAI to the Indian forces since 2004.
  • The partnership would be the first in the country to manufacture IAI designed UAVs in India such as short range tactical class having long endurance.
  • This collaboration will enhance technology sharing and business partnership between India and Israel.
Union Cabinet decision for Cooperative Banks to come under RBI regulations
  • The Union Cabinet has taken a major step to reform the cooperative banks of the country. Now the banking operations of as many as 1540 cooperative banks of the country have come under the regulation of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
  • At present, commercial, scheduled and nationalised banks regulate under RBI.
  • But now under the Banking Regulation Amendment Act 2019, the norms of commercial banks will be applicable on cooperative banks as well.
  • The administrative system of the cooperative banks will continue as per the rules of the Co-operative Registrar as usual.
  • RBI norms will apply only to the banking system of cooperative banks.
  • Now candidates will have to qualify and fulfil certain conditions to become a cooperative bank officer.
  • Rules will also have to be followed for loan waiver. If the situation worsens, RBI will also have the rights to supersede and take control of the bank.
South Salmara Mankachar district bagged national award for Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
  • The South SalmaraMankachar district has bagged a national award for proper execution of Pradhan Mantri MatruVandanaYojana (PMMVY) scheme.
  • Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Zubin Irani, presented the award at a function held at New Delhi recently.
  • Indore of Madhya Pradesh and Kurnool of Andhra Pradesh shared first and the second prize respectively, while South SalmaraMankachar district bagged the third prize.
  • The Assam team was represented by JishnuBaruah, Additional Chief Secretary of Assam; Hemen Das, Secretary to the Government of Assam, Social Welfare Department; Niva Das, Joint Director, Social Welfare Department and KishoriBaruah, District Social Welfare Officer of South SalmaraMankachar district.

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FEBRUARY 07, 2020

Govt proposes jail term for ads promoting magic remedies
  • The Health and Family Welfare Ministry has proposed the draft amendment to the Drugs and magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements Act, 1954), with a stringent punishment of a jail term of up to five years and a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh.
  • For advertisements for magic remedies and drugs for fair skin, enhancing sexual performance, stammering, infertility in women, premature ageing and greying, increasing brain capacity among others.
  • The draft amendment has made several additions to the list of diseases, disorders, conditions covered in the Act.
  • The Act says that medicines, “magic remedies” and products to cure any of these 78 diseases, disorders, conditions named should not be advertised.
  • Under the Act, the first conviction is punishable with imprisonment of up to six months or fine or both; and a subsequent conviction can result in imprisonment of up to a year or fine, or both.
  • The amendment proposes to increase the penalties. For the first conviction, the proposed punishment is imprisonment of up to two years and fine up to Rs 10 lakh. For subsequent conviction, the imprisonment may extend to five years with a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh.
  • The draft bill also proposes an expansion of definition of an advertisement.
  • It says, “any audio or visual publicity, representation, endorsement or pronouncement made by means of light, sound, smoke, gas, print, electronic media, internet or website and includes any notice, circular, label, wrapper, invoice, banner, poster or such other documents.
Tripura CM seeks Israeli help in security, water management
  • Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb held a meeting with Israeli Ambassador to India Ron Malka in New Delhi and discussed mutual cooperation in a variety of fields including security and surveillance systems.
  • Deb discussed diverse potential areas of cooperation with the Israel Ambassador.
  • The Chief Minister discussed about the joint cooperation on the areas of security and surveillance system, water management, agriculture, food processing, packaging, cold storage, technology transfer, tourism and culture.
  • The Israeli Ambassador expressed willingness to visit Tripura along with his team soon.
J&K Administrative Council approved the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission
  • The Jammu & Kashmir Administrative Council approved the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and the roadmap to achieve 100 per cent coverage of piped water supply by December 2021 across the region aligning it to the National Mission of Jal Jeevan.
  • The objective of the mission is to provide Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) to every rural household with priority to desert, drought prone,border areas, schools, anganwadi and health centres.
  • Under the mission, sustainability of the water supply system will be ensured besides empowerment and development of human resource in the sector so as to meet the demands of construction, plumbing and water quality management.
  • Under the National Jal Jeevan Mission, every rural household of the country will be connected with piped water supply by 2024 with an aim ”HarGharNal Se Jal”.
  • At present, 30.5% of J&K’s rural households have piped water connections compared to the national average of 18%.
  • To achieve 100 per cent coverage under JJM in a phased manner by December 2021, the PHE Department has carried out a detailed exercise to prepare a District Water Security Plan through the District Water and Sanitation Mission headed by the concerned Deputy Commissioners.
  • In the initial phase, seven districts viz. Poonch, Reasi, Samba, Srinagar, Ganderbal, Shopian and Pulwama will be covered for 100% piped water supply by June 2020.
  • In the second phase, seven more districts will be covered by June 2021 and the remaining six districts shall be covered in the third phase ending December 2021.
Indian, Russian companies ink 14 defence MoUs
  • As many as 14 MoUs were signed between Russian original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Indian companies at Defexpo currently on in Lucknow.
  • The MoUs were signed during the fifth round of India-Russia military industrial conference which was co-chaired by Ajay Kumar, Defence Secretary, and Oleg Ryazantsev, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russian Federation.
  • The first ”Request for Proposal” for manufacturing of parts in India under the provision of inter-governmental agreement was also handed over by the Indian Navy to the identified Indian industry.
  • Representatives from both the countries acknowledged that the MoUs would pave the way for more contracts for joint manufacturing of spares parts.
  • The IGA provides framework for partnership of Russian OEMs with Indian industry for manufacturing of spare parts of Russian origin equipment in use by the Indian defence forces.
  • The Indian side has taken steps to expedite the collaboration between the Indian and Russian companies as the country looks forward to expeditious commencement of manufacturing in India.

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