Tag: assam current affairs

Assam Current Affairs – August 29 – 31, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – August 29 - 31, 2019

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

August 2019 – Monthly PDF | Monthly Quiz eBook

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August 29, 2019

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

                                                      

August 30, 2019

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

FACTFILE – Numaligarh Refinery

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

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August 31, 2019

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

FACTFILE – Banking in India

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

FACTFILE – Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee)

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

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Assam Current Affairs – August 22 – 28, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – August 22 - 28, 2019

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

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August 22, 2019

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

FACTFILE – Cabinet Secretary of India

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

August 23, 2019

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

 

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

 

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

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August 24, 2019

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

FACTFILE – Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited

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

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

August 25, 2019

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

FACTFILE – Bir Tikendrajit

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

 

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

FACTFILE – RuPay

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

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August 26, 2019

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

FACTFILE – Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao

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

 

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

FACTFILE – The BWF World Championships

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

August 27, 2019

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

FACTFILE – Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati

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

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

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

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

FACTFILE – Indian Institute of Management Calcutta

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

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August 28, 2019

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

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

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Assam Current Affairs – August 15 – 21, 2019

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

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

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August 15, 2019

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

August 16, 2019

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

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August 17, 2019

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

 

August 18, 2019

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

PM Modi launches several Projects in Bhutan, signs 9 MOUS

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

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August 19, 2019

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

BIOGRAPHY – Gauhati University

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

August 20, 2019

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

FACTFILE – Khagen Mahanta Memorial Park

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

BIOGRAPHY – Khagen Mahanta

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

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August 21, 2019

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

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Assam Current Affairs – August 08 – 14, 2019

Posted on by admin 
Current Affairs Assam – August 8 - 14, 2019

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

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August 08, 2019

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

FACTFILE – Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana (PMGAY),

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

August 09, 2019

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

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August 10, 2019

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

August 11, 2019

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

FACTFILE – Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019

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

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August 12, 2019

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

FACTFILE – National Liberation Front of Tripura

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

FACTIFLE – Tripura Peace Accord

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

August 13, 2019

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

FACTFILE – National Film Awards

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

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August 07, 2019

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

FACTFILE – All India Radio (AIR)

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

BIOGRAPHY – Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

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

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Assam Current Affairs – March 29 – 31, 2019

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

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

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March 29, 2019

NTPC Bongaigaon power plant’s 3rd unit operation begins
  • State-owned power giant NTPC said that Unit-3 of Bongaigaon Thermal Power Project with 250 MW capacity will begin commercial operation, which will increase the plant’s generation capacity to 750 MW.
  • The two units of 250 MW each of Bongaigaon project have already been made operational in June 2016 and March 2017. The total capacity of the project is 750 MW (250MWx3).
  • With this, the commercial capacity of Bongaigaon Thermal Power Project, NTPC and NTPC Group will become 750 MW, 45,065 MW and 52,206 MW, respectively.
  • Bongaigaon power plant is the first project of NTPC in the Northeast. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had laid foundation stone for this project in January, 2006. 
Dr. Rajendra Kumar Joshi awarded Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award
  • RUJ Group’s founder and chairman, Dr. Rajendra Kumar Joshi, has been awarded with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award for his contributions in the field of science, education and medicine, promoting the honour and prestige of India.
  • The Embassy of India in Switzerland, on behalf of the President of India, handed over a commendation letter and a medal to Dr. Joshi at his residence.
  • The scientist was feted by Sibi George, Indian Ambassador.
  • Joshi, who belongs to Rajasthan, is a scientist of Indian origin and is based in Switzerland.

FACTFILE – The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA)

  • PBSA is the highest honour conferred on Non-resident Indians by the President of India for their significant contributions towards bringing honour and glory to India.
  • The theme of 2019 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention was ‘Role of Indian Diaspora in building New India.’
Croatia honours President Ram Nath Kovind with Highest Civilian Award
  • Indian President Ram Nath Kovind has been honoured with Croatia’s highest civilian award the Grand Order of the King of Tomislav.
  • Croatia’s highest civilian award the Grand Order of the King of Tomislav is awarded to heads of state for their important contribution towards the development of state relations between Croatia and their respective countries.
  • President Kovind is the first-ever Indian head of state to visit Croatia.

FACTFILE – Croatia

  • Croatia is located in the northwestern part of the Balkan Peninsula and its capital is Zagreb.
  • Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia On 25 June 1991.
  • Croatia is a republic governed under a parliamentary system is a member of the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN), the Council of Europe, NATO, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Union for the Mediterranean.
UN Security Council adopts resolution to counter terror funding
  • The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution that calls upon countries to prevent and counter the financing of terrorism, especially in its new forms.
  • Initiated by France, Resolution 2462 is intended to update existing resolutions and adapt them to new forms of financing of terrorism and new challenges in this field.
  • It also expresses concern at the continuing use by terrorists and their supporters of information and communications technologies, to facilitate terrorist acts, as well as inciting, recruiting, funding, or planning terrorist acts.
  • The resolution calls upon all countries to enhance the traceability and transparency of financial transactions.
  • It also encourages member states to apply risk-based anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regulations to virtual asset service providers, and to identify effective systems to conduct risk-based monitoring or supervision of virtual asset service providers.

FACTFILE – The United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

  • UNSC is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), charged with ensuring international peace and security, accepting new members to the United Nations and approving any changes to its charter.
  • Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations and international sanctions as well as the authorization of military actions through resolutions
  • It is the only body of the United Nations with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states.

March 30, 2019

Tashigang Village in HP is the Highest Polling Station in the World
  • Tashigang, a small Himachal Pradesh village has got the distinction of the highest polling station in the world. It is located at an altitude of 15,256 feet.
  • Tashigang polling station forms part of the Mandi Lok Sabha seat. Tashigang is situated at about 29 km from the India-China border and the polling station covers two villages- Tashigang and Gete.
  • The polling station has 48 voters, of which 30 are men and 18 women. Even though Tashigang has all necessary facilities like power and water supply but lacks mobile connectivity and election officials will use a satellite phone during polls on May 19.
PFC is India’s second largest state-owned financial firm
  • Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has completed the acquisition of majority stake in REC Ltd by transferring Rs 14,500 crore to the Government, thus making itself the second largest state-owned financial firm in the country based on the current market capital after State Bank of India (SBI).
  • PFC will be the third-highest profit-making financial player in India.
  • PFC taking over REC makes it a dominant player not only in the power sector but also in the entire financial market space. PFC’s strategic importance to the government will further increase upon completion of the acquisition as the combined entity will become the biggest non-bank finance entity in which the government holds a controlling stake.
India-African Union signs MoU in healthcare sector
  • An agreement has been signed between India and the African Union to establish an India-Africa health sciences collaborative platform.
  • The MoU will pave the way for cooperation in research and development, capacity building, health services, pharmaceutical trade and manufacturing capabilities for drugs and diagnostics
  • The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) partnered with Indian Council of Medical Research and had jointly organised the first India-Africa Health Sciences Meet in 2016 in New Delhi.
European Parliament voted for EU-wide ban on single-use Plastic Products
  • The European Parliament has voted for an EU-wide ban on single-use plastic products such as the straws, cutlery and cotton buds that are clogging the world’s oceans.
  • The law on single-use plastic ban sets a target to gather 90 per cent of plastic for recycling by 2029 and mandates the production of plastic bottles with 25 per cent recycled material by 2025 and 30 per cent by 2030.
  • The law also insists on “polluter pays” principle by insisting polluters to pay the costs of a clean-up. The principle will be extended to manufacturers of fishing nets so that companies, not fishing crews pay the cost of nets lost at sea. 

FACTFILE – Single-use Plastics

  • Single-use plastics, or disposable plastics, are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled.
  • They are not usually biodegradable and goes into a landfill where it is buried or it gets into the water and finds its way into the ocean.
  • They degrade into tiny particles after many years, in this process of degradation, they release toxic chemicals which make their way into our food and water supply.

 

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 March 31, 2019

Wipro and IIT Kharagpur partner for advanced research
  • Wipro Limited, consulting and business process Services Company, and Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur), signed a MOU to collaborate on high-impact, industry-focused applied research in the areas of 5G and AI.
  • Research outcomes from this partnership will be leveraged by Wipro to develop solutions for its customers, across industry verticals.
  • IIT Kharagpur will benefit from the commercialization of the joint research insights and Wipro’s real-world industry expertise.
  • Wipro and IIT Kharagpur will jointly take up applied research projects on industry challenges related to the design, planning and operations of 5G networks and cognitive information processing for the automation of these processes and 5G use cases.
Defence Cyber Agency to empower Indian armed forces
  • According to the report “Credible Cyber Deterrence in Armed Forces of India” by the New Delhi-based Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), the Indian armed forces must have modern means and capabilities for cyber exploitation, technical intelligence, cyber deception and launching of probing operations.
  • India urgently requires to enhance the cyber capabilities of its armed forces, including the operationalisation of a Defence Cyber Agency.
  • The report identifies seven pillars for enhancing the cyber capabilities of the Indian armed forces, including operationalisation of a ‘Defence Cyber Agency’ as a stepping stone to develop cyber power within the designated time frame.
  • Aware of cyber power being a critical component of India’s comprehensive deterrence capability, the foundation has set up a task force headed by Lt. Gen. Davinder Kumar (Retired) to suggest a road map for cyber deterrence in the armed forces.
Turing Award 2018 awarded to Geoffrey Hinton, Yann LeCun and Yoshua Bengio for works in Deep Learning
  • The Turing Award 2018 has been awarded to Geoffrey Hinton, Yann LeCun and Yoshua Bengio who have kick started an AI revolution by studying the learning abilities of large artificial neural networks.
  • The deep neural network uses layers of artificial neurons which mimics the structure of animal brains. Such AI is increasingly used in products that people use every day. This forms the backbone of Deep Learning. 

FACTFILE – Deep Learning

  • Deep learning involves building computer programs which mimics the structure of animal brains, with many layers of artificial neurons used for processing the data. 
  • When the network of neurons digests data, each neuron has individual responses within each layer. These outputs are passed to the next layer until the network finally forms a decision or judgment about the input. 
  • This deep learning technology can be used to transcribe human speech or recognise a person’s face in different photographs.

FACTFILE – Turing Award

  • Turing Award is an annual prize given by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) for individuals who have contributed a lasting and major technical importance to the computer field. 
  • Turing Award is recognized as the highest distinction in computer science.
  • It is often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of computing”. 
  • The Turing award is accompanied by a prize of US $1 million, with financial support provided by Google. 
China launches new data relay satellite ‘Tianlian II-01’
  • China sent a new data relay satellite into orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Sichuan Province. The Tianlian II-01 satellite was launched at 11.51 p.m. (Beijing Time) by a Long March-3B carrier rocket.
  • As the first satellite to constitute China’s second-generation data relay satellite network, the Tianlian II-01 will provide data relay, measurement and control, transmission services for manned spacecraft, satellites, carrier rockets and other non-spacecraft users.
  • The Tianlian II network will be markedly more advanced in mission planning, system management and operations than the first-generation network composed of Tianlian I satellites.
  • The new network, with faster data transfer and higher multi-objective service capability, will play an important role in improving the transmission promptness, in-orbit security and mission flexibility for medium and low-Earth orbiting satellites and manned spacecraft.
  • The satellite is developed by the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

 

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Assam Current Affairs – March 22 – 28, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – March 22 - 28, 2019

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

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March 22, 2019

Gauhati University and Oil India Limited Signs Mou
  • Gauhati University and Oil India Limited (OIL) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to extend the facility of the Technology Incubation Centre at GU as part of the flagship National Programme of Startup India.
  • It may be mentioned that Gauhati University has already constituted a Technology Incubation Centre (TIC) which is working towards fostering industry- academia linkages and formulating an ecosystem for startups and incubators.
  • GU Registrar Prof Nani Gopal Mahanta signed the MoU on behalf of Gauhati University and Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, OIL Dr Rahul Dasgupta signed it on behalf of Oil India Limited.

FACTFILE – Oil India Limited (OIL)

  • OIL is the second largest hydrocarbon exploration and production Indian public sector company with its operational headquarters in Duliajan, Assam, India.
  • The company is a state-owned Navratna under the administrative control of India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas with its corporate offices in Noida in the New Delhi-NCR region.

FACTFILE – Gauhati University

  • It is the oldest and one of the most renowned universities in North East India.
  • It is a teaching-&-affiliating university. It is accredited grade “A” by National Assessment and Accreditation Council.
  • Starting with 18 affiliated colleges and 8 Post Graduate Departments in 1948, Gauhati University, today, has 39 Post Graduate Departments, besides IDOL (Institute of Distance and Open Learning), a constituent Law and Engineering College. It has 341 affiliated colleges offering undergraduate and post graduate courses in the faculties of Arts, Science, Commerce, Law, and Engineering.
  • Gauhati University is a member of the Association of Indian Universities and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
UN Certificate of Excellence to Guwahati poet Saikh Md Sabah Al-Ahmed
  • Guwahati-based poet SaikhMd Sabah Al-Ahmed was awarded the United Nations Certificate of Excellence for his excellent poetry at the office of the United Nations Resource Centre (UNRC), North East Region (NER), Khanapara.
  • The certificate was handed to him by DrAswiniSarma, executive director, UNRC-NER at a ceremony at its Khanapara office.
Japan provides $69 million to UN World Food Programme
  • Japan has donated 69 million dollars to the United Nations World Food Programme to provide vital aid to 28 countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, with the biggest shares of the money earmarked for Yemen and Iraq.
  • The Japanese funding will go towards food, nutrition and initiatives to build resilience in vulnerable populations.
  • $18 million will be used to give continued support needy families in war-wracked Yemen where over 20 million people are struggling to get enough to eat each day.
  • A total of $3.5 million of life-saving assistance will be given to Malian refugees in Mauritania and to people who have fled their homes due to conflict and food shortages in Mali.
  • Host communities sheltering the Malian refugees and internally displaced persons will also receive aid.

FACTFILE – The World Food Programme (WFP)

  • WFP is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations and the world’s largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security.
  • According to the WFP, it provides food assistance to an average of 91.4 million people in 83 countries each year.
  • From its headquarters in Rome and from more than 80 country offices around the world, the WFP works to help people who cannot produce or obtain enough food for themselves and their families.
  • It is a member of the United Nations Development Group and part of its executive committee
Indian writer Raghu Karnad Wins Windham-Campbell Prize
  • Indian Writer Raghu Karnad has won the Windham-Campbell Prize of $165,000 in the non-fiction category for his debut book- The Farthest Field: An Indian Story of The Second World War.
  • Karnad is one of the eight winners chosen across four categories- fiction, non-fiction, drama and poetry. The other awardee in the non-fiction category was American writer Rebecca Solnit for the diverse body of work she has produced over her career.
  • Raghu Karnad is the second Indian to receive the award. Earlier in 2016, Jerry Pinto had won the award for his novel- Em and The Big Hoom.

FACTFILE – Windham-Campbell Prize:

  • The Windham-Campbell Prize is administered by the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University in the US and was established in 2013.
  • The award was constituted with the generous gift from writer Donald Windham in memory of his partner Sandy Campbell. The jury selects two winners each for each of the category- fiction, non-fiction, drama and poetry.

March 23, 2019

Karen Uhlenbeck becomes first woman to win the Abel Prize
  • US Mathematician Karen Uhlenbeck has been chosen for the Abel Prize 2019 for her fundamental work in geometric analysis and gauge theory, which has dramatically changed the mathematical landscape.
  • Karen Uhlenbeck’s theories have revolutionised the understanding of minimal surfaces, such as those formed by soap bubbles, and more general minimization problems in higher dimensions.
  • Karen Uhlenbeck is the first woman to win the prestigious Abel Prize.

FACTFILE – The Able Prize

  • The Able Prize was established by the Oslo government in 2002 honours outstanding scientific work in the field of mathematics, a discipline not included among the Nobel awards.
  • The Able Prize, also known as Maths Nobel Prize, is named after the 19th century Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel.
  • It comes with a monetary award of 6 million Norwegian Kroner (NOK).
  • The sole Indian recipient of the Able Prize is Indian American mathematician S. R. Srinivasa Varadhan. He was awarded for his fundamental contributions to probability theory.
2nd Assam Science Festival from March 23
  • To to strengthen science, technology and innovative activities in the State, Tezpur University is going to host North East India’s biggest science fest – The 2nd Assam Science Festival – from March 23 to 25 on the university premises.
  • The Assam Science Festival is being organised by Assam Science Technology and Environment Council, popularly known as ASTEC, under the aegis of Department of Science and Technology, Government of Assam.
  • This time the science fest is being organised by the council with the active support of Tezpur University (TU).
  • The purpose of the festival is to showcase science, technology and innovative activities of various institutions.
  • India’s 2019-20 GDP forecast is 6.8%
  • Fitch Ratings cut India’s GDP growth rate projection for the next financial year to 6.8 per cent, from its previous estimate of 7 per cent, on account of weaker-than-expected growth momentum.
  • It has also changed outlook on the Reserve Bank of India’s monetary policy review, projecting another interest rate cut of 25 basis points (bps) in 2019 owing to inflation staying below the target and easier global monetary conditions.
  • Credit availability has tightened in areas heavily dependent on non-bank financial company (NBFC) credit such as automobiles and two-wheelers, where sales have dropped.
  • On the banking sector credit to the private sector increased in recent months, filling the void left by NBFCs facing a liquidity crisis.
  • Further capital injections and a looser regulatory stance of the RBI have the state banks’ capital constraints, while the central bank has raised the limit on collateral-free loans that banks can make to farmers, helping prevent a decline in bank lending.
India cut 84% TB deaths in AIDS patients
  • India achieved 84 per cent reduction in tuberculosis deaths among people living with HIV by 2017 – three years ahead of the target, said a report by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
  • India is among the five low or middle-income countries — Eritrea (83 per cent), Djibouti (78 per cent), Malawi (78 per cent) and Togo (75 per cent) — that achieved or exceeded the target of a 75 per cent reduction in TB deaths among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), by 2017, three years ahead of the 2020 target.
  • Globally, TB deaths among people living with HIV have fallen by 42 per cent since 2010, from 520,000 down to 300,000 in 2017.
  • The report also showed that between 2010 and 2017, in around 40 countries the number of TB deaths among people living with HIV rose.
  • In eastern Europe and central Asia, the number of TB deaths among people living with HIV increased by 22 per cent between 2010 and 2017, with increases being seen in all but three countries in the region.
Chinese Scientists Li Ning converts plant waste into jet fuel
  • Chinese scientists Li Ning, a research scientist at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.have developed a method that could convert plant scraps from agriculture and timber harvesting into high quality jet fuel, an advance which may help reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from airplanes and rockets.
  • Biofuel is important for mitigating CO2 emissions because it is derived from biomass and it has higher density compared with conventional aviation fuels.
  • The utilisation of high-density aviation fuel can significantly increase the range and payload of aircraft without changing the volume of oil in the tank.
  • The aircraft using this fuel can fly farther and carry more than those using conventional jet fuel, which can decrease the CO2 emissions during the taking off and landing.

 

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March 24, 2019

Bill passed to bring back total prohibition in Mizoram
  • Mizoram assembly has passed a bill to bring back total prohibition of liquor in the northeastern state after four years.
  • The state government decided to prohibit manufacture, import, sale and consumption of liquor for the common people for their general health and help in law enforcement, Excise and Narcotics Minister Dr K Beichhua said while introducing the bill.
  • Cutting across party lines, all the legislators supported the Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Bill, 2019 and it was passed. The ruling party had promised during the assembly election in November last year that if voted to power, it would ensure total prohibition in the state.
  • Total prohibition was in force in Mizoram from 1997 to 2015. The previous Congress government led by Lal Thanhawla allowed opening of wine shops in the state from March, 2015.
India launching electronic intelligence satellite ‘Emisat’
  • India on April 1, 2019 will launch an electronic intelligence satellite Emisat for the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) along with 28 third party satellites and also demonstrate its new technologies like three different orbits with a new variant of PSLV rocket.
  • According to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), a new variant of its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket will first put the 436 kg Emisat into a 749 km orbit.
  • The rocket will be brought down to put into orbit the 28 satellites at an altitude of 504 km.
  • Carrying three experimental payloads: Automatic Identification System (AIS) from ISRO for Maritime satellite applications capturing messages transmitted from ships
  • Automatic Packet Repeating System (APRS) from AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation), India – to assist amateur radio operators in tracking and monitoring position data
  • Advanced Retarding Potential Analyser for Ionospheric Studies (ARIS) from Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) – for the structural and compositional studies of ionosphere
  • The 28 international customer satellites (24 from US, 2 from Lithuania and one each from Spain and Switzerland)- will weigh about 220 kg.

FACTFILE – The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

  • DRDO is an agency of the Government of India, charged with the military’s research and development, headquartered in New Delhi, India.
  • It was formed in 1958 by the merger of the Technical Development Establishment and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production with the Defence Science Organisation.
  • It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.
Vice Admiral Karambir Singh takes over as next Chief of the Naval Staff
  • Government of India appointed Vice Admiral Karambir Singh, PVSM AVSM ADC as the next Chief of the Naval Staff, 24th Navy Chief, on superannuation of Admiral Sunil Lanba PVSM AVMS ADC.
  • Vice Admiral Karambir Singh would be the first helicopter pilot of the Indian Navy to be appointed as the Chief of the Naval Staff.
  • Vice Admiral Karambir earned his wings as a helicopter pilot in 1982 and has flown extensively on the Chetak and Kamov helicopters in support of Fleet Operations. 
  • On promotion to the flag rank, the Admiral was appointed as Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command. 
  • His other important flag appointments include Chief of Staff of the Tri-Services Command at Andaman & Nicobar Islands and as the Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra and Gujarat Naval Area.
  • The Admiral is a recipient of the Param Vishist Seva Medial and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal awarded by the Hon’ble President of India.

FACTFILE – Chief of the Naval

  • The Chief of the Naval Staff is the commander and the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Navy. The position is usually held by a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral.
  • The office of the Chief of the Naval Staff was created by The Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act of the Indian Parliament in 1955, replacing the erstwhile office of the Commander-in-Chief, Indian Navy.
  • Appointments to the office are made by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
  • The Chief of the Naval Staff generally reaches superannuation upon serving three years or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier.
SAIL has Launched ‘Smart Garbage Bins’
  • Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has launched The Smart Garbage Bins made of stainless steel which integrates technology for smart waste management.
  • It will send signals to the garbage collection vehicle about the ‘fill-up’ position of the bin. This provides for better cleaning cleaning and lower human intervention.
  • These are made up of SAIL SALEM stainless steel will be installed in underground Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) pits at the Smart Garbage Station. This will help prevent the spread of stink and diseases.
  • There will be separate bins for recyclable and non-recyclable wastes. The pits will be covered with a pit cover fabricated out of stainless steel slip-free sheets.
  • Suitable openings on the pit cover will be provided to allow the sanitation crew to dump the collected garbage into the stainless steel bins placed underground.
  • IOT (Internet of Things) enabled Gazelle sensors on the pit cover will transmit signals to the collection vehicle about the “fill-up” position.
  • Compactor will lift the stainless steel bins from the underground pits and empty the garbage into the compactor vehicle.
World Water Day Observed on 22nd March
  • World Water Day 2019 was observed on 22nd March with the theme ‘Leaving no one behind’.
  • The World Water Day encourages people to focus towards marginalized groups as these are often overlooked and discriminated against when they try to access safe water.
  • The theme ‘Leaving no one behind’ underscores the motto of ‘water for all’ which aims to ensure all including elderly, disabled, marginalized and poor people get access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation, as enshrined under Sustainable Development Goals.

FACTFILE – The World Water Day

  • World Water Day aims to draw attention to the importance of freshwater and advocates for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
  • As requested at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, the United Nations General Assembly designated 22nd March World Water Day by passing a resolution.
  • World Water Day celebrates water and each year World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater.

March 25, 2019 

Assam’s tallest golden pagoda installed in North Lakhimpur
  • A golden pagoda installation ceremony was held at the Buddha Bihar campus in Borpathar Khamti village of Narayanpur in North Lakhimpur district.
  • The golden pagoda, said to be the tallest and costliest in the State, was dedicated to the people at a function held on the occasion. It is also expected to give a boost to tourism in the area.
India ranks 76th in the Global Energy Transition Index 
  • India has secured rank 76th on a Global Energy Transition Index compiled by Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF). It moved up two places from last year’s position.
  • The index ranked 115 economies on how well they are able to balance energy security and access with environmental sustainability and affordability.

TOP3 – Sweden, Switzerland and Norway.

SpiceJet Becomes First Indian Budget Carrier to Join IATA
  • An Indian low-cost airline SpiceJet has joined the International Air Transport Association (IATA). SpiceJet is the first Indian budget carrier to join the IATA, which has over 290 airlines as members.
  • The membership of IATA will allow SpiceJet to explore and grow its collaborations with international member airlines of IATA through interlining and code shares and also enables to seamlessly expand the network options for its passengers in future.

FACTFILE – the International Air Transport Association (IATA)

  • International Air Transport Association (IATA) is the trade association for the world’s airlines and represents some 290 airlines which contribute to about 82% of total air traffic.
  • IATA helps airlines to operate safely, securely, efficiently, and economically under clearly defined rules.
  • IATA provides professional support is provided to all industry stakeholders with a wide range of products and expert services.
  • IATA also aims to improve understanding of the air transport industry among decision makers and increase awareness of the benefits that aviation brings to national and global economies.
  • IATA advocates for the interests of airlines across the globe and challenges unreasonable rules and charges and strive for sensible regulation.
NITI Aayog to organize FinTech Conclave
  • The NITI Aayog will organise the FinTech Conclave 2019 on financial technologies in the national capital.
  • The objective is to shape India’s continued ascendancy in fintech, build the narrative for future strategy and policy efforts, and to deliberate steps for comprehensive financial inclusion.
  • The Conclave will be featuring representatives from across the financial space – central ministries, regulators, bankers, startups, service providers and entrepreneurs.
  • The conclave will host more than 300 representatives from the leading financial institutions, including HDFC Bank, IndusInd, ICICI Bank, SBI Card, Tata Capital and fintechs like BankBazaar, PhonePe, Capital Float, Zerodha, PayTM, MobiKwik and PayU.
  • The valedictory session of the conclave will have presentations consolidating sector-specific findings of the various panels on themes such as “digital onboarding of customers and merchants for financial inclusion, building financial products for millennial India and emerging areas of fintech.”

FACFILE – The NITI Aayog

  • National Institution for Transforming India, is a policy think tank of the Government of India, established with the aim to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and to enhance cooperative federalism by fostering the involvement of State Governments of India in the economic policy-making process using a bottom-up approach.
World’s largest e-waste recycling hub opened in Dubai
  • The world’s largest e-waste recycling facility has opened in Dubai, Located at the Dubai Industrial Park, the 280,000 square feet plant will process Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), IT asset disposition (ITAD), refrigerant gas and specialised waste.
  • The facility will utilise state-of-the-art reclamation technology, which surpasses the European Union’s standards for e-waste.
  • It has a processing capacity of 100,000 tonnes of total integrated waste per year, of which 39,000 tonnes is e-waste.
  • The facility can process the entire range of WEEE from consumer and industrial to commercial and military.

FACTFILE – Electronic waste or e-waste

  • These are describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. Used electronics which are destined for reuse, resale, salvage, recycling, or disposal are also considered e-waste.
  • Informal processing of e-waste in developing countries can lead to adverse human health effects and environmental pollution.
  • Electronic scrap components, such as CPUs, contain potentially harmful materials such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, or brominated flame retardants.

 

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March 26, 2019

RBI Defers the Implementation of Indian Accounting Standards
  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has deferred the implementation of new accounting rules, Indian Accounting Standards (Ind AS) for banks.
  • This delay in the implementation of Ind AS will give banks more time to prepare for the expected credit-loss model. This is the second extension provided by the RBI. Earlier in April 2018, RBI had postponed the implementation of Ind AS by the banks by one year.
  • RBI has reasoned that since the legislative amendments recommended by the RBI are under consideration of the government, it has been decided to defer the implementation of Ind AS till further notice.

FACTFILE – Indian Accounting Standards (Ind AS)

  • Indian Accounting Standards (Ind AS) is a set of accounting norms developed by Indian authorities, which converge with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
  • Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) shall not be required to apply Ind AS and shall continue to comply with the existing Accounting Standards.
  • Fitch Ratings estimated that India’s state-run lenders would have had to increase provisions by as much as 1.1 trillion rupees ($16 billion) in the fiscal first quarter ending June 30 if the rules had gone ahead. Which would have forced public sector lenders to raise substantial amounts of extra capital, beyond the estimated 1.9 trillion rupee infusion already committed by the government.
Delhi Airport is world’s 12th busiest airport
  • Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has now become the world’s 12th busiest airport according to the preliminary World Airport Traffic Rankings 2018 released by Airports Council International.
  • The ACI report states that the IGI airport witnessed 6.9 crore domestic and international flyers in 2018

Busiest Airports – Atlanta-Hartsfield-Jackson Airport kept the top place and handled over 107 million passengers. Beijing Airport was at the second position.

HAL rolls out 16th Tejas fighter
  • State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has rolled out its 16th Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas fighter in the initial operational clearance (IOC) configuration to be inducted into the fleet of Indian Air Force (IAF).
  • The Tejas aircraft was inducted into the IAF squadron ‘Flying Daggers’ on July 1, 2016.

FACTFILE – Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)

  • HAL is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company headquartered in Bangalore, India.
  • It is governed under the management of the Indian Ministry of Defence.
  • The government-owned corporation is primarily involved in the operations of the aerospace and is currently involved in the design, fabrication and assembly of aircraft, jet engines, helicopters and their spare parts.
Adani Power got nod to set up India’s first power SEZ
  • The government paved the way for Adani Power Limited (APL) to set up India’s first power sector special economic zone (SEZ) by amending guidelines.
  • With the amendment to power-related guidelines for SEZ by the Ministry of Commerce earlier this year, APL is set to build a power-specific SEZ over 425 hectares in Jharkhand’s Godda district, the existing site for its coal-fired thermal power plant.
  • Adani Power got the go-ahead from the SEZs board of approval on February 25, a month after the Commerce Ministry prompted the amendment in January. With the SEZ status, it would now enjoy duty waiver, tax exemptions and faster clearances.
  • As per the memorandum of understanding signed between APL and Bangladesh in August 2015, the plant will supply most generated power, about 1,600 megawatt (MW), to the neighbouring country.

FACTFILE – Special Economic Zone (SEZ)

  • SEZ is a geographical region that has economic laws that are more liberal than a country’s domestic economic laws. India has specific laws for its SEZs.
  • The category ‘SEZ’ covers a broad range of more specific zone types, including free-trade zones (FTZ), export processing zones (EPZ), free zones (FZ), industrial estates (IE), free ports, urban enterprise zones and others.
  • It’s goal is to increase foreign direct investment by foreign investors.
India’s HWB to supply heavy water in India for non-nuclear use
  • India’s Heavy Water Board (HWD) plans to supply heavy water to Indian companies to produce deuterated compounds within the country.
  • A deuterated compound is one in which the ordinary isotope of hydrogen has been replaced with deuterium.
  • Presently deuterated compounds are imported in the country, intend to make heavy water available for the Indian companies to produce them indigenously at much lower costs.
  • Few products like Acetone-d6, Acetonitrile-d3, Benzene-d6 and others have been commercially launched by HWB through Board of Research in Isotope Technology (BRIT) for the benefit of Indian industry and society at large.
  • Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research & Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Mumbai, to establish the anti-cancer potential treatment of Deuterium Depleted Water.

FACTFILE – Heavy water

  • Heavy Water a compound of hydrogen’s deuterium isotope and oxygen, is used as a coolant or moderator in pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR).
  • Deuterium Depleted Water of 25 to 120 ppm (parts per million) has applications in anti-cancer, anti-ageing, anti-diabetic, nonspecific immune defence of the body. Deuterium and deuterium labelled compounds have potential applications in life sciences for increasing the stability of organic molecules, macromolecules, viruses and vaccines.

                          March 27, 2019                                                              

India successfully tested Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) Missile
  • India demonstrated its capability to interdict and intercept a satellite in outer space based on indigenous technology The Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) Missile test, Mission Shakti, conducted from the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Island launch complex in Odisha, a technological mission carried out by the DRDO.
  • The test was fully successful and achieved all parameters as per plans. The test required an extremely high degree of precision and technical capability.
  • The significance of the test is that India has tested and successfully demonstrated its capability to interdict and intercept a satellite in outer space based on complete indigenous technology.
  • With this test, India joins an exclusive group of space faring nations consisting of the US, Russia and China.
  • The satellite used was an Indian satellite and DRDO’s Ballistic Missile Defence interceptor was used, which is part of the ongoing ballistic missile defence programme.
India reduced poverty rate from 55% to 28% in 10 years: Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2018
  • According to the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2018 Report prepared by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, India has reduced its poverty rate drastically from 55% to 28% in 10 years.
  • The country still has the largest number of people living in multidimensional poverty in the world – 364 million people.
  • The report which covers 105 countries states that, 1.3 billion people in the world live in multidimensional poverty

FACTFILE – Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 

  • The Global Multidimensional Poverty Index(MPI) was developed in 2010 by the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative and the United Nations Development Programme and uses different factors to determine poverty beyond income-based lists. It replaced the previous Human Poverty Index.
  • The global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) is an international measure of acute poverty covering over 100 developing countries.
  • It complements traditional income-based poverty measures by capturing the severe deprivations that each person faces at the same time with respect to education, health and living standards. The MPI assesses poverty at the individual level.
  • These characteristic make the MPI useful as an analytical tool to identify the most vulnerable people – the poorest among the poor, revealing poverty patterns within countries and over time, enabling policy makers to target resources and design policies more effectively.
Joint Naval Exercise ‘AUSINDEX’ between India and Australia
  • Third session of the Joint Naval Exercise of India and Australia- AUSINDEX will be held off the coast of Vishakhapatnam from April 2 to 16, 2019.
  • The joint exercise will focus on anti-submarine warfare, as part of efforts to ramp up bilateral naval cooperation in the strategic Indian Ocean region.

FACTFILE – AUSINDEX 2019

  • AUSINDEX 2019 will be held off the coast of Vishakhapatnam from April 2 to 16.
  • From the Australian side, HMAS Canberra, Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment vessel, two frigates – HMAS Newcastle and HMAS Parramatta and P8I and P8 maritime patrol aircraft will be involved in the exercise.
  • A Kilo-class submarine, land-based Hawk aircraft that will provide the air attack element for the exercise, a Kamorta class anti-submarine vessel, besides a stealth destroyer will lead the Indian deployment for the exercise.
  • AUSINDEX 2019 will also witness the largest ever deployment of an Australian defence group to India, over 1000 Australian defence personnel will take part.

 

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March 28, 2019

Cabinet approves creation of additional posts in NCLAT
  • The Union Cabinet approved the creation of additional posts of three judicial members and three technical members in the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).
  • The posts will be created in Level 17 (Rs 2,25,000 fixed per month) plus allowances as admissible.
  • This will ensure to meet the mandate provided to the NCLAT by the Finance Act, 2017, the Companies Act, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 and the time frame provided for disposal of cases.

FACTFILE – The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT)

  • NCLT is a quasi-judicial body in India that adjudicates issues relating to Indian companies.
  • The NCLT was established under the Companies Act 2013 and was constituted on 1 June 2016 by the government of India & is based on the recommendation of the justice Eradi committee on law relating to insolvency and winding up of companies.
  • All proceedings under the Companies Act, including proceedings relating to Arbitration, Compromise, arrangements and reconstruction and winding up of companies shall be disposed of by the National Company Law Tribunal.
  • The National Company Law Tribunal is the Adjudicating Authority for Insolvency resolution process of Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.
Sharda Peeth Corridor proposal in POK Approved by POK Government
  • Pakistan government has approved a proposal to establish a corridor which would allow Hindu pilgrims from India to visit Sharda Peeth in the region of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
  • Sharda Peeth Corridor will be the second corridor to be established after the Kartarpur Corridor which provides access to Gurudwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Pakistan.

FACTFILE – Sharda Peeth

  • Sharda Peeth is an abandoned Hindu temple and an ancient centre of learning.
  • The temple is dedicated to Goddess Sharada, the Hindu Goddess of learning.
  • Sharada Temple is located at Sharada village and it is here that river Kishanganga and two streams Madhmati and Sargun meets, in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
  • Goddess Sharada is the ‘Kuldevi’ of Kashmiri pandits.
  • It is also one of the three famous tirthas, or holy sites, for Kashmiri Pandits, the other two being the Martand Sun Temple and the Amarnath Temple.
  • Sharada Peeth is also revered as one of 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, or “Grand Shakti Peethas” which commemorates the location of fallen body parts of the Hindu Goddess Sati.
  • Sharada Peeth is believed to be a foremost centre of learning Between the 6th and 12th centuries CE hosting scholars such as Kalhana, Adi Shankaracharya, Vairostana, Kumarajiva, and Thonmi Sambhota.
Singapore’s Changi Airport is awarded world’s best aviation hub for 7th time
  • Singapore’s Changi Airport has been crowned the world’s best aviation hub for the seventh time in a row, while New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport featured at number 59.
  • The prestigious accolade was awarded at the Passenger Terminal Expo 2019 in London. The Skytrax World Airport Awards are voted for by customers in a global airport customer satisfaction survey.
  • Singapore Changi Airport is known for its rooftop swimming pool, two 24-hour movie theatres and shopping spots.
  • At number two on the list is Tokyo International Airport (Haneda), up one place from 2018. Three is Incheon International Airport, down one place from its second-place spot in 2018. Incheon remains a stalwart of the airport rankings, also nabbing an award for World’s Best Transit Airport.

Point2Remember – Indian Airport in the list

  • New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport featured at number 59
  • Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at 64
  • Rajiv Gandhi Hyderabad International Airport at 66
  • Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport at 69
Assamese artist Sanjoy Das receives award at Canadian gallery
  • A painting by Assamese artist Sanjoy Das, titled Exuberance, received a ‘Special Merit Award’ in the 10th Annual Abstract Competition at the Lightspacetime Gallery in Los Angeles, California.

 

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Assam Current Affairs – March 15 – 21, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – March 15 - 21, 2019

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

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March 15, 2019

Guwahati Lok Sabha seat has highest, Diphu has lowest number of voters in Assam

  • The Guwahati constituency has the highest number of electorates among all the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam, while the Diphu constituency has the lowest number of voters who are eligible to exercise their franchise in the forthcoming general elections.

  • There are a total of 21,49,230 voters in the Guwahati Lok Sabha constituency, the highest in Assam. Dhubri constituency with 18,44,040 voters and Mangaldai with 17,75,182 voters are the seats having the second and third highest number of electorates in the State.

  • Nagaon has 17,74,467 voters, followed by 17,48,865 voters in Kokrajhar, 17,10,939 in Kaliabor, 16,81,434 in Lakhimpur, 16,65,689 in Barpeta, 14,82,368 in Tezpur, 13,43,872 in Jorhat, 13,13,469 in Karimganj, 12,97,671 in Dibrugarh, 11,89,667 in Silchar and 7,83,711 voters in Diphu.

  • The total number of general electors in the State stands at 2,17,60,604, of which, 1,11,32,782 are males, while 1,06,27,319 are females and 503 are from the ‘third gender’. The number of third gender voters is highest in Guwahati and Silchar constituencies. There are 78 voters belonging to the third gender in both the constituencies.

  • There will be a total of 28,143 polling stations across the State for the Lok Sabha polls. Guwahati constituency will have the highest number of polling stations (2,592), followed by Dhubri (2,450) and Mangaldai (2,353).

  • The number of polling stations under Kokrajhar constituency will be 2,347, while it will be 2,283 in Nagaon, 2,188 in Barpeta, 2,174 in Kaliabor, 2,110 in Lakhimpur, 1,880 in Tezpur, 1,753 in Jorhat, 1,721 in Karimganj, 1,657 in Dibrugarh and 1,461 in Silchar. Diphu constituency will have the least number of polling stations (1,174) in the State.

DRDO test-fired anti-tank missile successfully
  • A man-portable anti-tank guided missile (MPATGM) was successfully test-fired in Rajasthan desert, the missile has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
  • The indigenously developed, low-weight missile operates on a “fire and forget” principle, which means it does not require guidance after the launch.
  • MPATGM is incorporated with advanced features, including state-of-the-art imaging infrared radar-seeker with integrated avionics.
  • The first test was conducted on March 13. In both the missions, the missiles hit the designated targets precisely at different ranges. All the mission objectives have been met.

FACTFILE – The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

  • DRDO is charged with the military’s research and development, headquartered in New Delhi, India.
  • It was formed in 1958 by the merger of the Technical Development Establishment and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production with the Defence Science Organisation.
  • It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.
  • With a network of 52 laboratories, which are engaged in developing defence technologies covering various fields, like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, land combat engineering, life sciences, materials, missiles, and naval systems.
  • DRDO is India’s largest and most diverse research organization, having around 5,000 scientists belonging to the Defence Research & Development Service (DRDS) and about 25,000 other scientific, technical and supporting personnel.
India’s February 2019 WPI rises to 2.93%
  • India’s annual rate of inflation based on wholesale prices rose to 2.93 per cent in February from 2.74 per cent reported for the corresponding month of 2018.
  • Wholesale prices rose on a faster rate than the rise of 2.76 per cent reported for January 2019.
  • Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 2.75 per cent compared to a build up rate of 2.56 per cent in the corresponding period of the previous year

FACTFILE – Wholesale Price Index (WPI)

  • WPI is the price of a representative basket of wholesale goods.
  • It also influences stock and fixed price markets. Some countries (like the Philippines) use WPI changes as a central measure of inflation.
  • India has adopted new CPI to measure inflation. The advanced base year 2011-12 uses 697 items.
  • The WPI is published by the Economic Adviser in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
  • The Wholesale Price Index focuses on the price of goods traded between corporations, rather than goods bought by consumers, which is measured by the Consumer Price Index.
  • The purpose of the WPI is to monitor price movements that reflect supply and demand in industry, manufacturing and construction. This helps in analyzing both macroeconomic and microeconomic conditions.
IITs collaborate to develop Himalayan climate change vulnerability assessment
  • The Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati, Indian Institute of Technology-Mandi and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru have collaborated to develop a climate change vulnerability assessment for the Indian Himalayan region using a common framework.
  • The assessment exercise is unique because for the first time all 12 Himalayan states have used a common framework resulting in the production of comparable state-level and within state, district-level vulnerability maps.
  • The 12 states are Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, hilly districts of West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The adaptation to climate change is a collaborative effort between appropriate use of technology, a vision that produces policies, a change at ground level and engaging the local communities.
  • Swiss national policy for climate change adaptation has been complemented by local government strategies, based on detailed and locally anchored risks assessment, maps and preparedness, plans and actions.

FACTFILE – Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT)

  • IIT are autonomous public institutes of higher education, located in India.
  • They are governed by the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 which has declared them as institutions of national importance and lays down their powers, duties, and framework for governance etc.
  • The Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 lists twenty-three institutes (after the last amendment in 2016).
Facebook launch “Facebook Hubs” to foster innovation and support entrepreneurs
  • Facebook Hubs will provide support for the start-up community by hosting mentor hours and conducting trainings, workshops, discussions across 20 locations in Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Navi Mumbai and in Goa.
  • Facebook Hubs also encompasses co-working community hosting, planning and organizing structured activities such as learning and skill development programs for budding entrepreneurs.
  • Facebook Hubs aims to be part of a global network for training and mentoring facilities for not just start-ups, but also developers, small and medium businesses, creators, and job seekers.

March 16, 2019

Major General Rana Pratap Kalita of Assam promoted to top post in Indian Army
  • Major General Rana Pratap Kalita from Assam, who is presently serving as the Additional Director General (ceremonial and welfare) in the Army Headquarters, New Delhi, has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General in the Indian Army.
  • He is the second Army official from Assam who has been promoted to this rank after the first Assamese Lieutenant General Pranab Bharali.
  • Lieutenant General Kalita, an alumnus of Sainik School, Goalpara (SSG) and National Defence Academy (NDA), was earlier awarded ‘Sena Medal’ and ‘Vishisht Seva Medal’.
  • He was also conferred with the prestigious ‘Ati Vishisht Seva Medal’ for his outstanding performance and service to the nation during his tenure as the General Officer Commanding of XIX Infantry Division at Baramulla in the aftermath of the fidayeen attack in Uri in the Kashmir valley.

FACTFILE – Officer ranks in Indian Army, Air Force and Navy

Indian Army Indian Navy

Indian Air Force
*Field Marshal *Admiral of the Fleet *Marshal of the Air Force
General Admiral Air Chief Marshal
Lieutenant General Vice Admiral Air Marshal
Major General Rear Admiral Air Vice Marshal
Brigadier Commodore Air Commodore
Colonel Captain Group Captain
Lieutenant Colonel Commander Wing Commander
Major Lieutenant Commander Squadron Leader
Captain Lieutenant Flight Lieutenant
Lieutenant Sub-Lieutenant Flying Officer

FACTFILE – 5-star ranks

  • The top ranks of the three Indian Defence forces Field Marshal (in Army), Marshal of the Air Force (in Air Force), and Admiral of the Fleet (in Navy) are 5 star ranks. It is considered a huge prestige to receive such a rank
  • The Field Marshal rank has been awarded to Kodandera Madappa Cariappa and Sam Manekshaw till date.
  • Arjan Singh has received the rank of the Marshal of the Indian Air Force and is the only living Indian military officer with a 5 star rank
  • Till date, no one has never been awarded the Admiral of the Fleet rank.
  • Officers who hold a 5 star rank are considered to be serving officers till death and hold their rank for life.
IIT Roorkee ties up with ISRO to set up a Space Technology Cell
  • The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee in Uttarakhand tied up with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to set up a Space Technology Cell at its campus.
  • The ISRO-IIT Roorkee Space Technology Cell shall pursue advanced research in the areas of relevance to the future technological and programmatic needs of the Indian space programme.
  • The cell shall ensure to maximise the use of research potential, infrastructure, expertise and experience that exist in ISRO and IIT Roorkee.
  • The institute will be providing the infrastructure and administrative support in setting up of the cell.
  • The research facility will consist of faculty members, visiting scientists, experts, research personnel, technical, administrative and support staff.
India bats for banning single-use plastics
  • India has piloted resolutions on two important global environment issues related to single-use plastics and sustainable nitrogen management at the UN Environment Assembly. Both resolutions were adopted with consensus.
  • After five days of negotiations at the Fourth UN Environment Assembly in this Kenyan capital, ministers from more than 170 UN member states delivered a bold blueprint for change.
  • The Indian delegation, led by the High Commissioner of India Rahul Chhabra, also participated in the panel discussion in high-level segment on need for additional commitments of public finance and the ways to maximise mobilization of climate finance.
  • India has been initiating domestic climate actions, both related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, primarily through its own financial resources.

FACTFILE – United Nations Environment Programme

  • The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), an agency of the United Nations, coordinates the organization’s environmental activities and assists developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices.
  • It was founded by Maurice Strong, its first director, as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm Conference) in June 1972 and has overall responsibility for environmental problems among United Nations agencies
  • UNEP’s activities cover a wide range of issues regarding the atmosphere, marine and terrestrial ecosystems, environmental governance and green economy.
  • It has played a significant role in developing international environmental conventions, promoting environmental science and information and illustrating the way those can be implemented in conjunction with policy, working on the development and implementation of policy with national governments, regional institutions in conjunction with environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
  • UNEP has also been active in funding and implementing environment related development projects.
World Kidney Day 2019 observed on 14th March
  • Second Thursday of March every year is observed as World Kidney Day as a global health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of the kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.
  • The theme of the World Kidney Day 2019 is “Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere.”, emphasizing on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for prevention and early treatment of kidney disease.
  • World Kidney Day is an initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF).
  • The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; blood exits into the paired renal veins.
  • The nephron is the structural and functional unit of the kidney. Each human adult kidney contains around 1 million nephrons, while a mouse kidney contains only about 12,500 nephrons.
India gets first TIR shipment via Chabahar Port from Afghanistan
  • The first shipment under the United Nations ‘Transports Internationaux Routiers’ (TIR) convention has arrived in India from Afghanistan through the Chabahar Port of Iran.

FACFILE – Transports Internationaux Routiers’ Convention

  • The Transports Internationaux Routiers is an international Convention aimed at harmonising the administrative formalities of international road transport.
  • The customs officials only verify the carnet and check the seal without requiring physical checking of the contents. This enables shipments to pass through countries without being opened at borders.
  • Reciprocal recognition of customs controls is at the heart of the TIR Convention. The convention enables a facilitative and non-intrusive environment for multi-modal transport of goods through several countries.
  • The convention acts as a strong catalyst for moving goods using the multi-modal transportation route like Chabahar and International North-South Transport (INSTC) Corridor.
  • The convention offers a great opportunity for the landlocked countries by providing seamless border crossing facilitation and intermodal capabilities.
  • India joined the TIR Convention in 2017. 

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March 17, 2019

Security feature to be included in mineral transport challans, says  Meghalaya CM
  • Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has informed that the State Government has taken a serious view on reports of fake challans issued for mineral transportation and so security features are being incorporated in these challans.
  • A committee has been constituted to look into incorporation of security features in the mineral transportation challans.
  • The challans with the security features would include QR codes, bar codes and other security features to reduce duplicity and fake challans.
  • With regards to issuance of fake challans, whenever such reports are received the department files complaints and FIRs so that the guilty persons are booked.
  • Three departments – Mines and Minerals, Forest and Transport – are being sensitised so that the new technology can work seamlessly in these departments.
Mizoram House passes bill for supplying cadavers to Medical college
  • Mizoram Assembly Thursday passed a Bill to facilitate the supply of cadavers to the medical college in the State. Health Minister Dr R Lalthangliana introduced the Mizoram Anatomy Bill, 2019, and it was passed unanimously.
  • The Bill, after enactment, would facilitate availability of bodies for the Mizoram Institute of Medical Education and Research (MIMER) at Falkawn, about 20 km.
  • Cadavers are required by medical colleges for the purpose of anatomical examination and dissection.
Cardless ATM services inaugurated at Silchar
  • The State Bank of India (SBI) launched cardless transaction facility at its ATMs via its latest service You Only Need One (YONO).
  • People can avail the services by downloading the latest version of YONO app from Google Play Store. The OTP is available for 30 minutes for making transactions after which the term will expire.
Erode Turmeric and Sirsi Supari of Karnataka receives GI tag
  • Erode Turmeric of Tamil Nadu has received GI tag from the Geographical Indication Registry.
  • Sirsi Supari of Karnataka has got the GI tag by the Registrar of Geographical Indications. It is the first product from the Arecanut sector to get a GI tag.

FACTFILE – Geographical Indication

  • Geographical Indication defines the goods as originating in the territory of a country or a region or locality in that territory, provided a given quality reputation or other characteristics of the product are attributable to its geographical origin.
  • The product that is to acquire GI tag has to indicate that the product is of a particular origin has a certain quality or reputation or some other characteristics which are essentially attributable to its geographical origin.

March 18, 2019

Pinaki Chandra Ghose to be the First Lokpal of India
  • The name of former Supreme Court Judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose has been cleared by the Lokpal Selection Committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the first Lokpal of India.
  • The ambit of Lokpal would cover all categories of public servants, including the Prime Minister with the exception of armed forces.

Features of the Lokpal Act 2013:

  • The Lokpal Act provides for setting up of an anti-corruption ombudsman called Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayukta at the State-level.
  • The Lokpal would consist of a chairperson and a maximum of eight members of which 50 per cent shall be judicial members.
  • 50 per cent of members of Lokpal shall be from SC/ST/OBCs, minorities and women.
  • The Lokpal Act mandated the states to institute Lokayukta within one year of the commencement of the Act.
  • Lokpal will also have powers of superintendence and direction over any investigation agency including CBI for cases referred to them by the Lokpal.
  • Lokpal is appointed based on the recommendation of the five-member panel comprising the Prime Minister, the Lok Sabha Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition the Chief Justice of India and an eminent jurist nominated by the President.
  • President would appoint the eminent jurist based on the recommendations of the other members of the panel.
OIL’s solar solution programme concludes
  • The OIL Urja Happy Home Solar Solution (UHHSS) programme, a CSR project of Oil India Limited, implemented by the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) in Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts of Upper Assam, came to an end on March 15.
  • The concluding event of the programme was held at Zero Point near River Police Station of Dr Bhupen Hazarika Setu wherein 68 households of the anti-poaching camps under Tinsukia Wildlife Division were provided with the solar home lighting system and solar energy lanterns and improved biomass cook stoves.
  • The objective of the programme was to provide access to clean and affordable energy for domestic lighting and cooking through sustainable and inexhaustible low maintenance solar solutions. The programme has helped in reducing indoor air pollution and the use of kerosene or firewood for cooking, provided adequate lighting facility to enable evening study for students, besides other benefits towards creating a clean energy solution at the household level.
  • The solar home system includes multiple LED lights, mobile charging points and other home appliances through a battery that can be recharged by using solar photovoltaic panels. The solar energy lanterns consist of a light-emitting diode (LED)-based portable lamp which is powered by small solar panel battery and as an ideal multipurpose solution of rural households.
  • These lanterns can be used for inhouse lighting and portable outdoor lights. These lights also recharge mobile phones. The improved biomass cooking stoves provided is an efficient devise consuming less biomass fuel and significantly reduces indoor air pollution through better combustion of biomass fuel.
  • The project also made effort to create village solar entrepreneurs through training and capacity-building. 
Goa CM Manohar Parrikar passes away
  • Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, a former Defenceminister who had been battling a pancreatic ailment for over a year, died at his private residence.
  • Born on December 13, 1955 into a middle-class family, his political career began as an RSS pracharak and he continued working for the Sangh even after graduating from IIT-Bombay as a metallurgical engineer.
  • Parrikar entered electoral politics in 1994 when he won on a BJP ticket from Panaji constituency.
  • He was the defence minister from November 2014 to March 2017 during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
India, Maldives discussed measures to strengthen bilateral ties
  • India and the Maldives discussed measures to strengthen bilateral ties and collaborate in the fields of defence, development cooperation, capacity building and health
  • The two countries had also agreed to remain mindful of each other’s concerns and aspirations for the stability of the Indian Ocean region and not allow their respective territories to be used for any activity inimical to their interests.
  • The two sides discussed ongoing and future cooperation across all spheres, including defence, development cooperation, capacity building, health and consular issues.

FACTFILE – India–Maldives relations

  • The bilateral relations between India and Maldives have been friendly and close in strategic, economic and military cooperation.
  • India contributed to maintaining security on the island nation.
NGT directs 6 states to submit action plan on air pollution
  • The National Green Tribunal has directed six states to submit their Action Plans for bringing air quality standards within the prescribed norms, failing which they would be liable to pay environment compensation of ₹1 crore each.
  • A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel ordered the chief secretaries of Assam, Jharkhand Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Nagaland governments to submit their plan within the stipulated time.
  • The States, where action plans are found to be deficient and deficiencies are not removed till April 30, 2019, will be liable to pay ₹25 lakh each and the timeline for execution of the action plans is six months from the date their finalization.
  • The tribunal warned that if action plans are not executed within the specified timeline, the defaulting states will be liable to pay environmental compensation and may also be required to furnish performance guarantee for execution of plans in extended timeline as per recommendations received from the Central Pollution Control Board.

FACTFILE  – National Green Tribunal

  • The National Green Tribunal has been established on 18.10.2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources including enforcement of any legal right relating to environment and giving relief and compensation for damages to persons and property and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
  • It is a specialized body equipped with the necessary expertise to handle environmental disputes involving multi-disciplinary issues.

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March 19, 2019

Assam has 1.2 lakh ‘D’ voters
  • Former Speaker of Goa legislative assembly and BJP MLA PramodSawant was sworn in as the 11th Chief Minister of Goa.
  • VijaiSardesai from the Goa Forward Party and SudinDhavalikar from MaharashtrawadiGomantak Party, both alliance partners, have been inducted as Deputy Chief Ministers.
  • Sawant succeeds former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who died on Sunday due to complications arising from advanced pancreatic cancer.
India to provide humanitarian assistance to Mozambique
  • There are around 1.2 lakh ‘D’ voters in Assam, State’s chief electoral officer Mukesh Sahu said.
  • To encourage all sections of voters, especially the new generation, to cast their votes in the upcoming election, the State election department has been carrying out a massive awareness drive across Assam. The videos and posters portray personalities such as singer Tarali Sarma, sprinter Hima Das, actor Kapil Bora, bodybuilder Golap Rabha and environmental activist Purnima Devi Barman who have been appointed as State icons by the election department to sensitize people on the Lok Sabha elections.
  • The chief electoral officer also released a handbook titled Aaideur Hatputhi as part of its ‘Aaideur Chora’ campaign undertaken in collaboration with the Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission (ASRLM) and Assam State Urban Livelihood Mission (ASULM) to sensitize women voter of the State. The handbook will be distributed by the department across the State among female voters.
  • The state election department will appoint 2,556 village ambassadors across the State. To be known as ‘Chandraprava’, the village ambassador will spread the message of voter education and electoral participation among the masses.
Pramod Sawant sworn in as Goa CM
  • Former Speaker of Goa legislative assembly and BJP MLA PramodSawant was sworn in as the 11th Chief Minister of Goa.
  • VijaiSardesai from the Goa Forward Party and SudinDhavalikar from MaharashtrawadiGomantak Party, both alliance partners, have been inducted as Deputy Chief Ministers.
  • Sawant succeeds former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who died on Sunday due to complications arising from advanced pancreatic cancer.
RN Bhattacharya literary awards to Assamese poet Anubhav Tulasi and Bengali poet Pijush Kanti Routh
  • The Ramanath Bhattacharya Foundation literary awards for 2017 in the memory of Padmanath Vidyabinod and Ramnath Biswas would be given to Assamese poet Anubhav Tulasi and Bengali poet Pijush Kanti Routh of Tripura respectively.
  • Both the awards comprise a cash prize of Rs 51,000, a citation, a memento and a specially designed Muga scarf.
  • The awards would be presented at a function to be held on March 24 at the Vivekananda Kendra.
  • A souvenir will also be released on the occasion by Nandita Bhattacharjee Goswami.
Special Olympics World Games inaugurated in Abu Dhabi
  • The Special Olympics World Games 2019 are being hosted by the cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. This is the first time that the Special Olympics are being held in the Middle East and North Africa region.
  • The host UAE had introduced the term “people of determination” as part of a new National Strategy for Empowering People with Disabilities.

FACTFILE – The Special Olympics

  • Special Olympics is a global movement of people creating a new world of inclusion, where every single person is accepted and welcomed, regardless of their ability or disability.
  • The Special Olympics are held every two years and alternates between summer and winter.
  • Previous Special Olympics were held in Austria (2017) and the next Special Olympics will be held in Sweden (2021).
  • The motto of Special Olympics “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me brave in the attempt.”

March 20, 2019

President Kovind appoints chief & eight other members of Lokpal
  • President Ram Nath Kovind appointed chief and eight other members of Lokpal, the anti-corruption ombudsman will be headed by retired Supreme Court judge PC Ghose. Four judicial and non-judicial members are also part of first Lokpal.
  • The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act was enacted in 2013 and received the President’s signature on January 1, 2014.
  • As per the law, a Lokpal for Centre and Lokayuktas for states have to be set up to probe corruption complaints against MPs, MLAs, former PMs, and government employees.
  • President Kovind appointed four non-judicial members to the body. Maharashtra Chief Secretary Dinesh Kumar Jain, former first woman chief of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Archana Ramasundaram, retired IRS official Mahender Singh, and retired IAS officer IP Gautam, were given the important responsibility.
First Workshop on the Development of the IEMF Organized
  • NITI Aayog in association with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) organized the first workshop on the development of the India Energy Modelling Forum (IEMF)
  • The workshop was organized under the Sustainable Growth Pillar of the India-U.S. Strategic Energy Partnership.

FACTFILE – The India Energy Modelling Forum

  • IEMF is envisaged as a pan-stakeholder platform for debating ideas, scenario-planning & discussing India’s energy future.
  • IEMF seeks to provide a platform for leading experts and policymakers to study important energy and environmental issues and ensure the induction of modelling and analysis in the informed decision-making process.
  • IEMF aims to improve cooperation and coordination between modelling teams, the Government of India, knowledge partners and think-tanks, build the capacity of Indian institutions, and identify issues for joint modelling activities and future areas of research.

FACTFILE – The India-U.S. Strategic Energy Partnership:

  • India-U.S. Strategic Energy Partnership affirms the strategic importance of energy cooperation to the U.S.-India bilateral relationship and sets the stage for deeper and more meaningful engagements through government and industry channels.
  • Under the Strategic Partnership, the United States and India will pursue four primary pillars of cooperation:
  1. Oil and Gas
  2. Power and Energy Efficiency
  3. Renewable Energy and Sustainable Growth
  4. Coal
Indian firms invest in Afghanistan healthcare
  • Three Indian health bodies have entered agreement with an Afghan health firm at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health to facilitate quality healthcare across the country.
  • The contracts worth $6.5 million aim to set up a fully equipped diagnostic centre, an advanced dialysis centre and a manufacturing plant for the production of pharmaceuticals in the Afghan capital.
  • These agreements have grown over the initial talks in the USAID-sponsored Passage to Prosperity: India-Afghanistan Trade and Investment Show held last year.
  • The quality of secondary and tertiary healthcare is yet to improve in Afghanistan despite an overall progress in the sector and as a result, several Afghans go for medical treatment abroad.
The United Nations Environment Programme released the Global Environment Outlook 2019
  • The Global Environment Outlook (GEO) is the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) flagship environmental assessment.
  • The first publication was in 1997 and the Global Environment Outlook Report 2019 is the sixth edition.
  • The report notes that a quarter of all premature deaths and diseases worldwide are due to manmade pollution and environmental damage.
  • The report warns that deadly emissions, chemicals polluting drinking water, and the accelerating destruction of ecosystems crucial to the livelihoods of billions of people are driving a worldwide epidemic that hampers the global economy.
  • The report observed that India could save at least $3 trillion in healthcare costs if India implements policy initiatives which are consistent with ensuring that the globe didn’t heat up beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius by the turn of the century.
  • Among India’s commitments under INDC, India is on track to achieve the target of lowering the emission intensity of its GDP by 33-35% compared to 2005 levels by 2030 and increasing the total cumulative electricity generation from fossil-free energy sources to 40% by 2030.
  • To achieve the goal to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celcius, India needs to abandon plans to build new coal-fired power plants.

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March 21, 2019

President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated FINE in Gujarat
  • The Festival of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (FINE) was inaugurated by President Ram Nath Kovind at Grambharti near Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
  • The Festival of Innovation & Entrepreneurship is an initiative of the Office of the President of India to recognise, respect and reward grassroots innovations and foster a supportive ecosystem.
  • The Festival of Innovation & Entrepreneurship is organised by the President’s office in association with National Innovation Foundation-India and Department of Science & Technology.
  • The Festival of Innovation & Entrepreneurship aims to provide a platform to the innovators for building the linkages with potential stakeholders whose support can improve their prospects in the coming years for the larger social good.
  • The Festival helps in promoting lateral learning and linkages among the innovators to enrich the ecosystem for new India.
International Day of Forests 2019 Observed on March 21st
  • International Day of Forests 2019 was observed on March 21st with the theme ‘Forests and Education’ to raise awareness on how sustainably managed forests provide a wide array of contributions.
  • International Day of Forests 2019 promotes education to ‘Learn to Love Forests’.
  • March 21st was established as International Day of Forests by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on November 28, 2012. International Day of Forests was observed for the first time on March 21, 2013
Chinese scientists Xie Hui develop robotic swarm
  • Chinese scientists Xie Hui have developed a robotic system inspired by a colony of ants that can collectively achieve complex tasks like gathering large prey.
  • The nanorobots fleet that have demonstrated potential for in-body diagnosis and treatment at the cellular or even molecular level.
  • A single robot is two micrometre in diameter, 40 times smaller than a hair, thus capable of running through blood capillaries.
  • The peanut-shaped iron microrobots can be energised by an alternating magnetic field, offering high flexibility to collectively perform multiple tasks in a confined environment.
  • By tuning the frequency of the rotating magnetic field and its polarisation in three-dimensional space, the researchers obtained a series of well-controlled, fast and reversible transformations.
  • Those formations include liquid, chain, vortex and ribbon. They can form narrow paths or channels to deliver heavy loads beyond a single robot’s capability.
WHO urges global framework on human genome editing
  • The World Health Organization (WHO) called for a strong international governance framework on developing global standards for governance and oversight of human genome editing.
  • the WHO’s new advisory committee on human genome editing reviewed the current state of science and technology in this field, and agreed on core principles of transparency, inclusivity and responsibility.
  • It also urged a central registry on human genome editing research in order to create an open and transparent database of ongoing work, and had asked the WHO to immediately begin working to establish such a registry.
  • The committee will develop essential tools and guidance for all those working on this new technology to ensure maximum benefit and minimal risk to human health.
  • For the next two years, the WHO committee is expected to hold a series of in-person meetings and online consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, with an aim to provide recommendations for a comprehensive governance framework on human genome editing.

FACTFILE – Genome editing

  • It is a type of genetic engineering in which DNA is inserted, deleted, modified or replaced in the genome of a living organism. Unlike early genetic engineering techniques that randomly inserts genetic material into a host genome, genome editing targets the insertions to site specific locations.
  • In 2018, the common methods for such editing use engineered nucleases, or “molecular scissors”.
  • These nucleases create site-specific double-strand breaks (DSBs) at desired locations in the genome. The induced double-strand breaks are repaired through nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) or homologous recombination (HR), resulting in targeted mutations (‘edits’).
Afghanistan Registers its First Test Cricket Win
  • Afghanistan’s cricket team claimed a historic first Test win as they beat Ireland by seven wickets in Dehradun, India. Afghanistan were steered to their target by a 139-run partnership between Shah, who made 76, and debutant Janat, who hit an unbeaten 65.
  • It was Afghanistan’s second Test outing after making their debut last year when they lost to India inside two days in Bangalore.

FACTFILE – Afghanistan’s cricket team

  • Afghanistan is the 12th test cricket playing Full Member nation.
  • The Afghanistan Cricket Board was formed in 1995 and became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2001 and a member of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in 2003.
  • After nearly a decade of playing top class international cricket, on 22 June 2017, in an ICC meeting in London, full ICC Membership was granted to Afghanistan, taking the number of Test cricket playing nations to twelve.
  • They are also the first country to ever achieve full member status after holding Affiliate Membership of the ICC from 2001 until 2013 and were the only Affiliate member country to ever compete in a major ICC international cricket tournament.
  • They hold the world record for the highest ever T20 score with their 278-3 against Ireland in the same ground

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Assam Current Affairs – March 08 – 14, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – March 8 - 14, 2019

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

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March 08, 2019

Foundation of 100-bed hospital laid at Lumding
  • Assam State Finance Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma laid the foundation of the 100-bed civil hospital at Lumding.
  • The present civil hospital would be developed into a 100-bed hospital under the NHM Scheme.
  • Dr Sarma also checked on the progress of the PHE construction which had been started earlier to provide clean water to the town’s people.
  • Dr Sarma later proposed that an auditorium would be constructed for social gathering purposes.
IIT Kharagpur students develop app to detect fake currency
  • Researchers at IIT Kharagpur have developed a smartphone-based application to detect counterfeit currency and also provided solutions for industrial operations ranging from thermal power plants to nuclear radiation tracking.
  • A group of six students from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering developed the code for a smartphone application to detecting counterfeit currency.
  • The image processing application which can detect counterfeit currency, can be installed on smartphones and thus used by people at various points to reduce the chances of fraud.
  • A user can upload a currency note image and the mobile app would verify its authenticity using 25 features extracted from the front and rear side of the currency note. In case of detection of a fake note, the user will also be notified.
India signs pact with Russia for nuclear-powered submarine
  • The government inked a deal worth USD 3 billion with Russia for the leasing of a nuclear-powered Akula class attack submarine for 10 years.
  • An inter-governmental agreement was signed by India and Russia after months of negotiations on price and various other aspects of the crucial deal.
  • Under the pact, Russia has agreed to deliver the submarine, to be known as Chakra III, to the Indian Navy by 2025.  The Chakra III is going to be the third Russian submarine to be leased to the Indian Navy.
  • Indian Navy currently boasts of 14 conventional submarines apart from a nuclear attack and nuclear ballistic missile submarine.

FACTFILE – Chakra III

  • Weighing around 8,140-ton, the Chakra III will have a submerged speed of 30 knots and an operating depth of 530 meters. The submarine will be capable of carrying a crew of 73.
  • The Chakra III comes loaded with four 650-millimeter and four 533-millimeter launch tubes for firing Type 65 and Type 53 torpedoes. Both these torpedoes are made in Russia.
  • A 190 mW nuclear reactor will be used for propelling this submarine.
Assam CM lays foundation of new flyover in Guwahati
  • Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone of a new flyover connecting the RG Baruah Road with the BishnuRabha Flyover at GaneshguriChariali.
  • The PWD has taken up the construction of the 476-metre flyover under the State Own Priority Scheme-General (SOPD-G), 2018-19, with a financial outlay of Rs 58.76 crore.
  • The PWD has already mooted plans for construction of flyovers connecting Ganesh Mandir to Ganeshguri and at the GNRC point.
PM MODI lays the foundation stone for AK-203 Rifle Manufacturing Unit in Amethi
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for AK-203 rifles manufacturing unit in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. This new Kalashnikov assault rifles will fulfil the needs of national security agencies in this category of small arms, resting upon advanced Russian technologies.
  • The AK-203 rifles will be manufactured in Amethi as a joint venture between India and Russia.
  • In the Amethi Manufacturing facility, world-famous Kalashnikov assault rifles of the newest 200 series would be manufactured.
  • This unit envisions full localisation of production over a period of time. The rifle manufacturing unit in Amethi symbolises the military and technical cooperation between India and Russia which has been the key areas of the strategic partnership between Russia and India.

FACTFILE – The Kalashnikov Rifles:

  • Kalashnikov Rifles were developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov.
  • The rifles were officially accepted by the Soviet Armed Forces in the year 1949.

Even after seven decades, the model and its variants remain the most popular and widely used assault rifles in the world because of their substantial reliability, low production costs and ease of use.

March 09, 2019

Manipur launches project ‘Rejuvenation and Conservation of Nambul River’ to check Nambul river pollution
  • Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s ambitious project to prevent pollution in the Nambul river was launched at a function held at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat. 
  • The project called ‘Rejuvenation and Conservation of Nambul River’ aims at controlling pollution of the Nambul river by intercepting and treating urban waste originating in the stretch between Iroisemba and Heirangoithong through use of the water treatment plant, MBBR (Moving Bed Bio Reactor), at Mongsangei and Samushang.
  • The Central Pollution Control Board has identified Nambul, which originates from the Kangchup Hills, as one of the most dirty rivers and a major pollutant of the Loktak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the North East.
  • The Directorate of Environment will implement the Rs 97.72-crore project under the National River Conservation Plan of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, along with four other departments concerned, within three years, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Environment Dr T Brajakumar said. Fifty-six eco-friendly crematoria and 20 toilets will be constructed across 14 municipal wards along the Nambul river.
  • The State has also submitted the projects for eight rivers at an estimated cost of Rs 500 crore, Chief Minister Biren Singh called for a halt to the littering of the river banks.
India, Japan hold their first Space Dialogue
  • India and Japan held their first Space Dialogue with discussions centering on cooperation between their space agencies as also on global navigation satellite system, space situational awareness (SSA), space security and space-related norms.
  • The dialogue brought together ministries and agencies related to outer space in the two countries and provided an opportunity for information exchange on the respective space policies.
  • Discussions were also held on bilateral cooperation between Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), their space industries, global navigation satellite system, space situational awareness (SSA), space security and space-related norms.
  • The Indian delegation was led by Indra Mani Pandey, Additional Secretary for Disarmament and International Security Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs, while the Japanese delegation was co-led by Kansuke Nagaoka, Deputy Assistant Minister, Foreign Policy Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mr. Shuzo Takada, Director General, National Space Policy Secretariat.
Subhash Chandra Garg appointed as Finance Secretary
  • Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg was named as the Finance Secretary, The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved designating Garg as the Finance Secretary.
  • As per the convention, the senior-most among the five secretaries in the Finance Ministry is designated as the Finance Secretary.
  • While Ajay Bhushan Pandey is the Revenue Secretary, Rajiv Kumar is Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Atanu Chakraborty is Secretary in Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) and Girish Chandra Murmu is the Expenditure Secretary.

BIOGRAPHY – Subhash Chandra Garg

  • He is a 1983 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre.
  • He has been working as the Secretary in Department of Economic Affairs since June 2017.
  • He has also served as an Executive Director in the World Bank.
PM Narendra Modi lays foundation stone for Delhi-Meerut RRTS project
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stones for the construction of India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) between Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut and the Meerut Metro Service at Sikandarpur in Ghaziabad.
  • The rapid rail corridor will be built at a cost of Rs 30,274 crore and is scheduled to be operational by 2024. The corridor will be the first RRTS project in the country.
  • Both the rapid rail and the metro will run on this corridor in Meerut. Once completed, the 82 km stretch between Delhi and Meerut will be covered in less than an hour.
  • The rapid rail would offer high-speed, high-frequency, safe, reliable, comfortable and green public transit.
  • The operating speed of the RRTS would be 160 km per hour with an average speed of 100 km per hour.
  • The Meerut Metro will have 12 stations in a 18 kilometre stretch between Modipuram and Meerut South on the RRTS infrastructure.
  • The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor is the first of the three prioritised corridors planned for implementation in Phase-1. The other two are Delhi-Gurugram-SNB-Alwar and Delhi-Panipat.

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March 10, 2019

Assam Governor, Prof Jagdish Mukhi sworn in as Governor of Mizoram
  • Prof Jagdish Mukhi has been sworn in as the 19th Governor of Mizoram, in addition to his current posting as the Governor of Assam.
  • The President of India asked Mukhi to take additional charge as the Mizoram Governor after the resignation of Kummanam Rajashekharan.
  • The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Durbar Hall of the Raj Bhavan. It was attended by Chief Minister Zoramthanga, Assembly Speaker Lalrinliana Sailo, Cabinet ministers, ministers of state, MLAs and other dignitaries.
  • The oath of office to the Governor was administered by Gauhati High Court judge Justice Nelson Sailo. The swearing-in ceremony proceedings were executed by Chief Secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo.
Union Govt approves Rs 12,020 crore Surat Metro project
  • The central government, approved the 40.35 kilometre Surat Metro Rail project with two corridors. Expected to be launched, the project would be completed in five years at an estimated cost of Rs 12,020.32 crore.
  • It will provide affordable, reliable, safe, secure and seamless transport system in the urban agglomeration of the city. It will reduce accidents, pollution, travel time, energy consumption, anti-social incidents as well as regulate urban expansion and land use for sustainable development.
  • The project will be implemented by the Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC) Ltd. It will be financed mainly through equity from the central government and the Gujarat government on a 50:50 basis, and loans from bilateral/multilateral agencies.

FACTFILE – The Metro railway system in India

  • Metro railway system and service are operational in 10 cities in India.
  • These are Kolkata, Delhi, Bengaluru, Gurugram, Mumbai, Chennai, Jaipur, Kochi, Hyderabad, and Lucknow.
  • The Kolkata Metro rail is the oldest metro service, being established in 1984.
  • The Delhi Metro, which began operations in 2002, is the largest metro in the country by distance covered, covering a distance of 231 kilometres and has 160 stations in operations.
  • The Namma Metro serves the city of Bengaluru and became operational in 2011.
  • The Rapid Metro, which is operational in Gurgaon, covers an area of 11.7 kilometres.
  • The metro rail has become the most affordable and convenient mode of travel. Metro rail is providing good connectivity in the congested cities of India and its success has made a case for setting up the metro rail in other cities where there is a large urban population and traffic congestion.
India Urban Observatory inaugurated in New Delhi
  • Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep S. Puri, inaugurated state-of-the-art India Urban Observatory in New Delhi, which would plug into the myriad sources of data from cities, both real-time and archived.
  • The conceptualisation of the Observatory recognises the value of enhancing engagement among all four stakeholders of the ‘quadruple-helix’ model- government, citizens, academia and industry, along with improvements in the internal workflow and decision-making processes of the city governments.
  • The Observatory will help in getting reliable, up-to-date information on a meaningful set of indicators over various domains such as transport, health, environment, water, finance and so on, which will further assist in developing best practices, strategies and policy interventions.
  • The first-of-its-kind observatory will leverage data analytics to optimize city operations, improve governance and enhance economic performance of cities across the country.
  • The India Urban Observatory is an important component of the recently launched DataSmart Cities strategy that envisions to create a ‘Culture of Data’ in cities, for intelligent use of data in addressing complex urban challenges. Making cities ‘DataSmart’ is key to realizing the full potential of technology interventions and innovation ecosystems in cities.
  • The DataSmart Cities Strategy also presents a Data Maturity Assessment Framework (DMAF) that measures the readiness and evolution of cities in their efforts to implementing the Data strategy.
  • The concept of Urban Observatories was formally initiated at the UN Habitat-II Conference in 1997 in Istanbul.
ISRO and CNES sign key agreements on Maritime Surveillance and Gaganyaan project training
  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Space Agency of France CNES have agreed to collaborate on Maritime Surveillance and Training for Gaganyaan project.
  • An agreement is signed to set up a maritime surveillance centre in the country. The agreement intends to supply an operational system for detecting, identifying and tracking ships in the Indian Ocean, provides for a maritime surveillance centre to be set up in India, sharing of capacity to process existing satellite data and joint development of associated algorithms.
  • ISRO and CNES will build a constellation of satellites for maritime surveillance intended to identify and track ships in the Indian Ocean.
  • These two roganisation have signed an agreement to train Indian Scientists for the ‘Gaganyaan’ project at the Toulouse Space Centre in France.

March 11, 2019

The Munin Borkotoky Award honoured on Debabhusan Bora, Dalim Das

The Munin Borkotoky Memorial Trust gave away the literary award for the year 2018, to young literary-critic Dr Debabhusan Bora for his book Nirbasan, which is a collection of articles of literary criticism.

Ajit Kumar Mohanty Appointed Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)

Ajit Kumar Mohanty is appointed as the Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre for the period of three years. Presently, he is the Director, Physics Group in BARC and Director, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics.

FACTFILE – Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)

  • The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is India’s premier nuclear research facility headquartered in Trombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
  • The Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (AEET) was established by the Government of India in 1954 to consolidate all the research and development activity for nuclear reactors and technology under the AEET.
  • After the demise of Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha in 1966, AEET was renamed Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). It has emerged as the multi-disciplinary research centre with extensive infrastructure for advanced research and development.
  • BARC’s core mandate is to sustain peaceful applications of nuclear energy, primarily for power generation.
Marayur jaggery given GI tag status
  • The Marayur Jaggery, which is largely produced in the regions of Marayur and Kanthallur grama panchayats of Kerala has got the GI tag. The GI tag will now enable to initiate legal action against fake jaggery being sold as Marayur Jaggery.
  • Marayur in the Idukki district of Kerala is known for its tensive sugarcane cultivation. In the regions of Marayur and Kanthallur, more than 2500 acres of land is under sugarcane cultivation. The unique geographical location of Marayur amid the forests of the Western Ghats gives the sugar cane a distinct geographical identity.
  • The local people have integrated the age-old tradition have imparted age-old specialized skill to make Marayur Jaggery a distinct product in itself.
  • The distinct features of the Marayur Jaggery are high sweetness with less saltiness, high content of iron and less sodium.
  • The produce is free of impurities and the sugar cane fields are free of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, it is produced without adding any chemicals has always been known for its high quality.

FACTFILE – Geographical Indication (GI)

  • Geographical Indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which correspond to a specific geographical location or origin.
  • Geographical Indication act as a certification that the product possesses certain qualities, is made according to traditional methods or enjoys a certain reputation, due to its geographical origin.

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March 12, 2019

3 Nagaland villages declared tobacco-free
  • Three Nagaland villages – Nsunyu, Chunlikha and Likhwenmchu – under Tseminyu sub-division under Kohima district were declared tobacco-free recently, taking the total number of tobacco-free villages in Nagaland to 12.
  • Nagaland Tobacco Control Programme State Nodal Officer and joint director of Health and Family Welfare department Dr Hotokhu Chishi made the declaration at a tobacco-free declaration programme at Nsunyu village community Hall.
  • Tseminyu sub-division has now earned the distinction of having four tobacco-free villages among the 12 in the entire State.
India, Bangladesh jointly inaugurates 4 projects
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina jointly inaugurated four projects, via video conferencing, in the areas of transport, health and education.
  • Both leaders unveiled “e-plaques” for the supply of buses and trucks, inaugurated 36 community clinics, 11 water treatment plants and the extension of the National Knowledge Network to Bangladesh.
  • The National Knowledge Network will connect scholars and research institutes in Bangladesh to India and the world.
DRDO successfully test-fires Pinaka rocket system
  • Defence Research and Development organisation, DRDO successfully test fired the PINAKA guided WEAPON rocket system from Pokhran range in Rajasthan. 
  • The weapon system is equipped with state-of-the-art guidance kit comprising of an advanced navigation and control system.
  • The weapon systems impacted the intended targets with high precision and achieved desired accuracies. 
  • Telemetry Systems tracked and monitored the vehicle all through the flight path and all the mission objectives have been met.
  • The indigenously developed Guided PINAKA by DRDO will significantly boost the capability of the artillery to make precision hits.

FACTFILE – Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

  • DRDO is an agency of the Government of India, charged with the military’s research and development, headquartered in New Delhi, India.
  • It was formed in 1958 by the merger of the Technical Development Establishment and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production with the Defence Science Organisation.
  • It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.

March 13, 2019

Deficit budget tabled in Meghalaya Assembly
  • Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, who also holds the Finance portfolio, presented a deficit budget of Rs 1,323 crore in the Assembly for the fiscal year 2019-20, which is about 3.65 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).
  • According to the budget estimates for 2019-20, excluding borrowings, the total receipt stood at Rs 14,463 crore.
  • The total expenditure, excluding repayment of loans, is estimated at Rs 15,786 crore, leaving a deficit of Rs 1,323 crore.
  • The revenue collection in the State is expected to increase during 2019-20. It is estimated that sums of Rs 2,090 crore and Rs 601 crore would be generated as tax and non-tax revenue respectively.
  • The revenue collected by the taxation department is expected to touch Rs 1,478 crore by the end of this year, registering a growth of 15 per cent. The overall tax revenue, including Goods and Services Tax (GST), Excise and Motor Vehicle Taxes, is estimated at Rs 1,716 crore.
  • For the year 2017-18, the GSDP at the current market price was Rs 29,864, which shows an increase of 10.33 per cent over the previous year. The advance estimates indicate that the GSDP for 2018-19 is Rs 32,972 crore, which is an increase of 10.41 per cent over 2017-18.
  • Attributing the highest priority towards development of the health and education sectors, CM Sangma said that the Government has increased the budget allocation of the education sector by 17 per cent and that of the health department by 21 per cent over the previous year.
  • The Chief Minister said 11 Ekalavya Model Residential Schools would be built in the State at a cost of Rs 24 crore each. “The setting of these schools brings in Rs 264 crore of investment towards development of infrastructure for human capital in the State,” Sangma said.
  • He further said that incentives for maternity benefits and ASHA have been paid for four years. “We have now provided about Rs 25 core for clearing two years of payment,” he said.
  • The Health and Family Welfare Department was allocated Rs 66 crore from last year’s budget of 44 crore and the education department was allocated Rs 1,077 crore.
  • In the infrastructure sector, Sangma said under the Central road funds, 44 schemes comprising 40 road works covering a length of 269 km and four bridge works were sanctioned at a cost of Rs 322 crore. The road and bridge sector was allotted Rs 590 crore.
  • He also informed the House that various projects for rural water supply have been sanctioned and work on these projects is progressing satisfactorily. In the urban areas, work on the Greater Shillong water supply project, the Ampati water supply scheme and the Nongstoin urban water supply scheme is in progress. Work on several power projects is progressing well, he said, adding that they will be commissioned soon.
  • Under the poverty alleviation programme, the Government has allotted Rs 1,045 crore for the MGNREGS. Under the National Rural Livelihood Mission, an amount of Rs 52 crore has been earmarked for the current fiscal.
  • The State Government has set aside Rs 165 crore for the Meghalaya Livelihood and Access to Markets Project meant for the development of the rural sector. Moreover, a sum of Rs 138 crore has been allotted for the community-led Landscape Management Project. Some of the other major allocation of funds was for the Sports and Youth Affairs Department (Rs 201 crore) and the Social Welfare Department (Rs 558 crore).
Tripura to appoint ‘Academic Leaders’ to improve quality of education
  • The Tripura government has decided to appoint 800 Academic Leaders to closely supervise teaching in schools and to improve the quality of education in the state. Before postings them in 58 blocks, they would be given good training. During the training, the teachers would be given financial assistance and other required support, including laptops.
  • Besides, special training would be given to the 25,000 government teachers in various schools. Rs 28 crore has been allotted for the new schemes.
  • The state government has also launched a “Natun Disha” (new direction) programme to assess the academic level of students in classes III to VIII.
  • NCERT courses would be introduced in nearly 5,000 government-run schools from the 2019-20 academic session.
Cabinet approves notification of LS elections
  • The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a notification to begin the election process to constitute the 17th Lok Sabha.
  • The Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19 and counting of votes in all 543 constituencies will be taken up on May 23.

FACTFILE – Council of Ministers

  • The Union Council of Ministers exercises executive authority in the Republic of India. It consists of senior ministers, called ‘cabinet ministers’, junior ministers, and called ‘ministers of state’ and, rarely, deputy ministers. It is led by the prime minister.
  • A smaller executive body called the Union Cabinet is the supreme decision-making body in India.
  • Only the prime minister and ministers of the rank of cabinet minister are members of Union Cabinet in accordance with Article 352.
Envoys of six countries present credentials to the President
  • The Ambassadors of Chile, Bulgaria, the Kyrgyz Republic, Nepal and Montenegro and the High Commissioner of Seychelles presented credentials to President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan
  • The envoys who presented their credentials were Juan Rolando Angulo Monsalve (Chile), Eleonora Dimitrova (Bulgaria), AseinIsaev (Kyrgyz Republic), Nilamber Acharya (Nepal), Thomas Selby Pillay (Seychelles) and Zoran Jankovic (Montenegro).

Diplomatic credentials  is a letter that formally appoints a diplomat as the ambassador to another country.

  • The letter is addressed from one head of state to another.
  • It is presented by the ambassador to the receiving head of state in a formal ceremony.
  • The ceremony further marks the beginning of the official period of ambassadorship.
Facebook launched “FACEBOOK HUBS” to foster innovation
  • Social media giant Facebook has launched “Facebook Hubs” to foster innovation and offer support for budding entrepreneurs.
  • Facebook Hubs will provide support for the start-up community by providing mentor hours and conducting trainings, workshops, discussions across 20 locations in Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Navi Mumbai and in Goa.
  • It aims to be part of a global network for training and mentoring facilities for start-ups, developers, small businesses and job seekers.
  • It also encompasses co-working community hosting, planning and organising structured activities such as learning and skill development programs for budding entrepreneurs.

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March 14, 2019

India, US to work to prevent proliferation of weapons
  • India and US have reaffirmed their commitment to work together to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and to deny access to such weapons by terrorists and non-state actors.
  • The two sides exchanged views on a wide range of global security and non-proliferation challenges during the ninth round of the India-US Strategic Security Dialogue held in Washington.
  • The Indian delegation was led by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale while the US delegation was led by Andrea Thompson, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.
  • The two sides committed to strengthen bilateral security and civil nuclear cooperation, including the establishment of six US nuclear power plants in India.
  • The US reaffirmed its strong support of India’s early membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Cabinet approved proposal for Accession to the Nice, Vienna and Locarno Agreements
  • Union Cabinet approved the proposal for Accession to the Nice, Vienna and Locarno Agreements, which will allow India an opportunity to include Indian designs, figurative elements and goods in the international classification systems.
  • The proposals approved are for India’s accession to The Nice Agreement concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the purposes of registration of marks. These agreements will help the Intellectual Property Office in India to harmonise the classification systems for examination of trademark and design applications, in line with the classification systems followed globally.
  • The accession would also facilitate in exercising rights in decision-making processes regarding review and revision of the classifications under the agreement.

The Vienna Agreement establishing an International Classification of the figurative elements of marks.

The Locarno Agreement establishing an international classification for industrial designs.

Kavinder Singh Bisht wins gold at 38th GeeBee Boxing Tournament
  • Kavinder Singh Bisht wins gold at the 38th GeeBee Boxing Tournament held at Helsinki, Finland.
  • Altogether, India won one gold, four silver and three bronze medals in the tournament.
  • Other Silver medals for India were won by Govind Kumar Sahani (49kg), Shiva Thapa (60kg) and Dinesh Dagar (69kg).
  • Bronze Medallists were Sachin Siwach (52kg), Sumit Sangwan (91kg) and Naveen Kumar (+91kg) after their respective semi-final loss.

March 2019 – Monthly PDF | Monthly Quiz eBook PDF

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Assam Current Affairs – February 22 – 28, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – February 22 - 28, 2019

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

February 2019 – Monthly PDF   |   Monthly Quiz eBook PDF

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February 22, 2019

PM Narendra Modi receives Seoul Peace Prize
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the Seoul Peace Prize, while in south Korea on a two-day visit. The prime minister was conferred the honour for his efforts in promoting global peace and harmony through inclusive economic growth and for improving quality of life.
  • Prime Minister dedicated it to the people of India and the prize money of $200,000 that he contributed to the Namami Gange fund.

FACTFILE – The Seoul Peace Prize

  • The Seoul Peace Prize was established in 1990 as a biennial recognition with monetary award to commemorate the success of the 24th Summer Olympic Games held in Seoul, Korea, an event in which 160 nations from across the world took part, creating harmony and friendship.
  • The Seoul Peace Prize was established to reflect the wishes of the Korean people and to crystallize their desire for everlasting peace on earth. The nominating group consists of 300 Korean nationals, and 800 internationals.
  • The awardee receives a diploma, a plaque and honorarium of US$200,000.
All India Citizens Survey of Police Services to begin in March
  • With an aim to strengthen the good governance practices in the police, the Union Home Ministry commissioned the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) to conduct a pan-India survey called “All India Citizens Survey of Police Services.”
  • The survey will be conducted through the New Delhi-based National Council of Applied Economic Research.
  • The survey is aimed to understand public perception about the police, gauge the level of non-reporting of crime or incidents to the police, the situation on ground relating to crime reporting and recording, timeliness and quality of police response and action, and assess citizens’ perception and experience about women and children’s safety.
  • All states and Union Territories would be included in the survey, which will be completed in 9 months.
President of India approves changes in Stamp Act
  • President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to changes in the Indian Stamp Act, 1899, which will rationalise and harmonise the system of levying stamp duty and help curb tax evasion.
  • The Amendments to the Indian Stamp Act, 1899, were introduced as part of the Finance Act 2019, and was approved by Parliament.
  • The amendments propose to create the legal and institutional mechanism to enable states to collect stamp duty on securities market instruments at one place by one agency.
Cement Manufacturers’ Association inks pact with trade unions
  • Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA) has signed a four-year wage settlement agreement with federations of major central trade unions entailing a rise of Rs 5,000 in gross monthly pay of 20,000 workers in the sector.
  • The agreement was signed with Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) before the chief labour commissioner.
  • The settlement is for four years from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2022, and it will benefit around 20,000 employees in the Indian cement industry by way of an increase in gross pay, enhanced dearness allowance and service weightage.
  • The settlement provides for an increase of Rs 5,000 per month in the gross pay of cement employees.
  • A total of 21 cement companies, consisting major players which cover 60 per cent of the country’s total cement capacity, had authorised CMA to negotiate with the trade unions on their behalf.

FACTFILE – Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA) is the apex body of major cement plants in India. We are the Indian Cement Industry’s consolidated voice on issues such as environment, waste recycling, taxation, logistics and fuel supply among others.

HAL to make 16 Tejas this year for IAF
  • State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is ramping up production to deliver 16 of them for the Indian Air Force (IAF) operational fleet by this year-end. They have increased the production capacity with an upfront investment of Rs 1,380 crore in Bengaluru complex.
  • Recently Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd handed over the first three advanced light helicopters (ALHs) as part of the 22 ALH MK III contract to the Indian Army at the ongoing Aero India show.
  • As partner in co-developing and manufacturing the combat fighter, the city-based defence behemoth has already delivered to the IAF 16 Tejas in the Initial Operation Clearance (IOC) configuration.
  • The regulator Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (Cemilac) Chief Executive P. Jayapal handed over the FOC certificate and release-to-service documents to Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal B.S. Dhanoa.
  • Touted as the world’s only lightweight combat aircraft, the advanced fourth generation Tejas is a single twin engine, agile mutli-role supersonic fighter.
  • The ‘Made in India’ fighter has quadraplex digital fly-by-wire flight control system with advanced flight control laws.

FACTFILE – Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)

  • HAL is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company headquartered in Bangalore, India. It is governed under the management of the Indian Ministry of Defence.
  • The government-owned corporation is primarily involved in the operations of the aerospace and is currently involved in the design, fabrication and assembly of aircraft, jet engines, helicopters and their spare parts.
  • It has several facilities spread across India including Nasik, Korwa, Kanpur, Koraput, Lucknow, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kasaragod.
WWF-India Ek Prithvi programme launched in Assam
  • Assam Education Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya launched the WWF-India Ek Prithvi programme in the state. Assam is the eighth State in the country where WWF-India is implementing the Ek Prithvi programme.
  • It is a pan-India programme designed to build conservation leaders by raising awareness about environment, engaging them in conservation action and building positive attitudes towards a sustainable lifestyle.
  • Along with the programme, the Ek Prithvi Leadership Manual and Teachers Manual in Assamese language for classes I to XII were also released.
  • The launch was followed by ‘Leadership and Teacher Training’ for SCERT officials, DIET nodal officers, principals and teachers towards implementing the Ek Prithvi programme.
  • The Ek Prithvi programme will empower more than 1,100 students in the State in the first phase. It starts from three schools namely, No. 144 Mayong LP School, Mayong HS School and Lokapriya GNB High School in Morigaon district.

FACTFILE – World Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF-India)

  • WWF-India was founded with the express objective of ensuring the conservation of the country’s wildlife and natural habitats. It was set up as a Charitable Public Trust on 27 November 1969.
  • It was then known as the World Wildlife Fund-India, much before the terms ‘wildlife’ and ‘environment’ had caught the attention of the government or the public.
Goalpara district to adopts green tech for rural roads
  • At the initiative of the district administration, Goalpara has set an example by adopting green technologies in the construction of a number of rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) scheme across the district.
  • Adopting green technologies for road construction for enhancing accessibility in providing all weather road connectivity to the people, particularly those living in the rural areas.
  • The green technologies such as waste plastic technology, geo-grid technology, cell-filled concrete technology, interlocking concrete block pavement will not only reduce dependence on natural resources, but also make it economically viable by bringing down the construction cost as well as maintenance of the roads.
  • Around 150 km of roads have been constructed by using various green technologies in the last six months.
  • The Ministry of Rural Development has sanctioned a total of 565 km-length for the district under PMGSY for 2018-19 out of which the targeted 380 km will be completed.

                                                                February 23, 2019 

Centre to deploy 100 companies of paramilitary forces in J&K
  • The Centre has decided to deploy additional 100 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) on an urgent basis in Jammu and Kashmir. Including 45 companies of the CRPF, 35 companies of the Border Security Force (BSF), and 10 companies each of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
  • The move came the night after raids were carried out in south, central and north Kashmir areas in which dozens of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders, including its chief Abdul Hamid Fayaz, were detained.

FACTFILE – The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) or Home Ministry

  • Home Ministry is a ministry of the Government of India. As the interior ministry of India, it is mainly responsible for the maintenance of internal security and domestic policy.
  • The Home Ministry is also the cadre controlling authority for the Indian Police Service (IPS), DANIPS and DANICS. Police-I Division of the ministry is the cadre controlling authority in respect of the Indian Police Service; whereas, the UT Division is the administrative division for DANIPS and DANICS and the All India Services officers posted and working in the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre.
Clean and Green Village Mission launched in Hailakandi District
  • Clean and Green Village Mission, a new initiative of the State Government, was launched in Hailakandi district.
  • The inaugural event at Paikan village under 6 Hailakandi Legislative Assembly Constituency (LAC) was organised under the MyGov Assam initiative.
  • Saplings were distributed among the people on the occasion. Local villagers took part in the programme with the promise of carrying forward the mission.
  • Team members of MyGov Assam, who are closely monitoring the progress, appealed to the villagers to complement the efforts of the State Government and the district administration in creating awareness about cleanliness and environmental-related issues.
February 2019 – Monthly PDF   |   Monthly Quiz eBook PDF

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Assam Current Affairs – January 29 – 31, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – January 29 - 31, 2019

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

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January 29, 2019

India to participate in PISA-2021
  • The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry signed a pact with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for the participation of students from Central government schools to take the PISA-2021.
  • PISA is a competency-based test, which tests the learning levels of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics and science.
  • With the signing of the pact, Indian students aged 15 will be able to take the Programme for International Student Assessment or PISA, which is conducted every three years.
  • Under this initiative, students will be tested in reading, maths, and science. I am sure that Indian students will come out with flying colors.
  • Schools run by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) and schools in the UTs of Chandigarh will participate.
Regional medicine warehouse opened at Pamohi, Assam
  • Union Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping, Chemicals & Fertilizers Mansukh L Mandaviya inaugurated the Regional Warehouse under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadi Pariyojana (PMBJP) at Pamohi.
  • It is set up by the Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI), which would facilitate the seamless supply of medicines to all PMBJP Kendras functioning across the North East.

FACTFILE – Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI)

  • Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) is the implementing agency of Pradhan Mantri Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).
  • BPPI was established in December, 2008 under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Government of India.

January 30, 2019

India ranked 78 in Global Corruption Index 2018

India has improved its ranking by three positions in the Global Corruption Index 2018 while the US has dropped out of top 20 countries for the first time since 2011.

India is ranked 78 in 2018, improving it’s position by 3 place from 81st in 2017.

The CPI measures public sector corruption in 180 countries and territories, drawing on 13 expert assessments and surveys of business executives to give each country a score from zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

Point2Remember: Denmark and New Zealand topped the 2018 index while Somalia, Syria and South Sudan were at the bottom.

Central assistance of Rs 7,214 crore from for Puducherry, 6 states

  • The Centre announced additional assistance of Rs 7,214 crore to six states and Puducherry, which were affected by natural disasters like floods, landslides, drought, cloudburst and cyclone during 2018-19.
  • A high-level committee chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh approved the additional central assistance of Rs 7,214 crore from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
  • The committee has decided to provide Rs 317.44 crore to Himachal Pradesh, Rs 191.73 crore to Uttar Pradesh, Rs 900.40 crore to Andhra Pradesh, Rs 127.60 crore to Gujarat, Rs 949.49 crore to Karnataka, Rs 4,714.28 crore to Maharashtra and Rs 13.09 crore to Puducherry (cyclone).

FACTFILE – The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)

  • NDRF is a specialised force constituted “for the purpose of specialist response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster” under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
  • The Apex Body for Disaster Management in India is the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
  • The Chairman of the NDMA is the Prime Minister.
  • The responsibility for disaster management in India’s federal system is that of the State Government.
  • When ‘calamities of severe nature’ occur, the Central Government is responsible for providing aid and assistance to the affected state, including deploying, at the State’s request, of Armed Forces, Central Paramilitary Forces, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and such communication, air and other assets, as are available and needed.
  • National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is under the National Disaster Management Authority.
Padma Shri Award to Assam’s Ilias Ali and Udhab Kumar Bharali
  • Assam surgeon Ilias Ali and social innovator Udhab Kumar Bharali have been hounoured with Padma Shri awards, India’s the fourth highest civilian award.
  • Ilias Ali is known for working on family planning and education of Muslim women, whereas Udhab Kumar Bharali has more than 100 innovations to his credit, mostly at the grassroots level.
  • Two others from North East region, to get the Padma Shri award are archer Bombayla Devi Laishram from Manipur and musician Thanga Darlong from Tripura.

FACTFILE – Padma Shri Award

  • It is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. It is awarded by the Government of India, every year on India’s Republic Day.
  • Padma Awards were instituted in 1954 to be awarded to citizens of India in recognition of their distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the arts, education, industry, literature, science, sports, medicine, social service and public affairs. It has also been awarded to some distinguished individuals who were not citizens of India but did contribute in various ways to India.
Bharat Ratna Award to Dr. Bhupen Hazarika
  • India’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna is conferred on Dr Bhupen Hazarika, the music maestro form.
  • Hazarika is only the second person from Assam, after the state’s first chief minister Gopinath Bordoloi, to have been honoured with Bharat Ratna which is conferred “in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order”.

FACTFILE – Bharat Ratna Award

  • The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India.
  • Instituted in 1954, the award was originally limited to achievements in the arts, literature, science, and public services, but the government expanded the criteria to include “any field of human endeavour” in 2011.
  • Bharat Ratna recipients rank seventh in the Indian order of precedence.
  • The first recipients of the Bharat Ratna were C. Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and  C. V. Raman, who were honoured in 1954.
Assam launched subsidy scheme for farmers
  • Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal ceremonially launched the Farmers’ Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme.
  • The Assam Farmers’ Credit Subsidy Scheme under which all short-term crop loan availed from scheduled commercial banks, regional rural banks and the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank will be availed at 25 per cent government subsidy for any loan availed between April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019. Govt will provide subsidy to a maximum limit of Rs 25,000 per farmer for a minimum loan amount of Rs 1 lakh.
  • Under the Assam Farmers’ Interest Relief Scheme, farmers can avail short-term crop loan up to Rs 2 lakh at zero per cent interest rate. It will provide a one-time cash incentive up to Rs 10,000 per account for activating the overdue and NPA KCC account.
  • The scheme was launched marking the Krishak Swahid Divas to honour the martyrdom of nearly 140 peasants who laid their lives in 1894 protesting against the increasing land tax rate and other exploitation by the British Raj.

FACTFILE – Patharughatar Ran / Patharughatar Uprising

  • On 28 January 1894, around 140 peasants were killed and a large number of people were injured in an unprovoked police firing while protesting against enhanced revenue.
  • It is also known as Assam’s Jallianwala Bagh.
  • Since 2000, the army has been paying homage to the martyrs on 29 January every year and has also set up martyrs’ column in memory of the 140 peasants.

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