Q1. Which state/UT has recently launched the ‘Amrit Brikshya Andolan’ app?
Tripura
Assam
Gujarat
Uttar Pradesh
Assam
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the Department of Forest and Environment’s Amrit Brikshya Andolan web portal/mobile application and the Wood-based Industry (WBI) registration web portal, along with the theme song for the Amrit Brikshya Andolan. It is an initiative aimed at planting a total of 1 crore commercially-viable saplings across the State by individuals from various walks of life.
Q2. Which institution has released the Digital Payments Index (DPI) in India?
RBI
Finance Ministry
NITI Aayog
NPCI
RBI
Digital payments across India registered a growth of 13.24 per cent in a year through March 2023, as per RBI’s index that measures the adoption of online transactions.
RBI’s Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) stood at 395.57 at end-March 2023 compared to 377.46 in September 2022 and 349.30 in March 2022. The index is a base to capture the extent of digitisation of payments across the country.
Q3. Now, Indian companies can list themselves on foreign exchanges through which of the following institution/organisation?
BSE
SEBI
RBI
IFSC
IFSC
Q4. As per the Supreme Court, which institution retains power to scrap Article 370?
Prime Minister of India
Chief Justice of India
President of India
Parliament
President of India
The Supreme Court said that the President of India retains power to scrap Article 370, after Constituent Assembly dissolved in 1957. Clause (3) of Article 370 gave the President power to notify the Article inoperative or modify it. But a provision had made it necessary that such a move would have to be recommended by the Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly.
Q5. Which Union Ministry has set up a working group to decriminalise laws to further promote ease of doing business?
Ministry of Corporate Affairs
Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of MSME
Ministry of Commerce and Industry
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has set up a working group to decriminalise laws to further promote ease of doing business. The group comprised representatives from industry associations, business chambers, legal professionals, and officials of seven ministries. It would also have representatives of the National Housing Bank, NABARD and CPCB.
Q6. Which state launched the ‘Gruha Jyothi scheme’?
Odisha
Chhattisgarh
Karnataka
Madhya Pradesh
Karnataka
The Karnataka government launched the Gruha Jyothi free power scheme, which aims to provide free electricity up to 200 units for every household in the state. About 2.14 crore households will get benefited from the Gruha Jyothi scheme./bg_collapse]
Q7. Which institution releases the ‘Rice Price Index’?
World Bank
NITI Aayog
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
In July 2023, the United Nations food agency reported that the rice price index rose by 2.8%, reaching its highest level in nearly 12 years. The increase was driven by strong demand and export restrictions imposed by India, affecting prices in key exporting countries, as indicated by the Food and Agriculture Organization’s All Rice Price Index.
Q8. What is going to be the applicable Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate on full face value of online gaming?
5%
12%
18%
28%
28%
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, in its 51st meeting held recently, decided to stick to its earlier decision to impose a 28 per cent tax on the full-face value of the bets placed on online gaming, casinos and horse-trading. The council said a 28 per cent GST would apply from October 1.
Q9 The world’s first hundred percent Ethanol fuelled Car has been developed by which automobile major?
Maruti Suzuki
Tata Motors
Toyota
Tesla
Toyota
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari unveiled the prototype of the world’s first Bharat Stage (BS)-VI-compliant electrified flex-fuel car, developed by Toyota Kirloskar Motor. The car, which runs on 100 per cent ethanol (E100), is based on the Toyota Innova HyCross. It can cover 40 per cent of its distance on ethanol and the remaining 60 per cent on electric, with the petrol engine shut off.
Q10. Approximately, how many Income Tax Returns were filed for AY 2023-2024 in India?
2.71 crore
3.57 crore
6.77 crore
8.80 crore
6.77 crore
The total number of ITRs for AY 2023-24 filed till 31st July, 2023 are more than 6.77 crore, which is 16.1% more than the total ITRs for AY 2022-23 (5.83 crore) filed till 31st July 2022. Over 64.33 lakh ITRs were filed on a single day-on 31st July, 2023.
Q6. Lieutenant Commander Ms Karabi Gogoi is India’s first woman Navy Officer to be posted as defence attache in a foreign country. What is her basic expertise?
Submarine technology
Rafale fighter jet operations
Aeronautical training with reference to MIG-29
Warship construction and maintenance
Correct option: (D) Warships constructing and maintenance .
LT-Commander Karabi Gogoi is the first woman naval officer to be appointed as a defence attache to Indian missions abroad.
She has been selected as an assistant defence attache at the Indian Embassy in Moscow.
She is a naval engineer currently posted in Karwar Base in Coastal Karnataka.
Gogoi specializes in constructing and maintaining warships.
Gogoi is the third woman in the military to be appointed as a defence attache.
Wing Commander Anjali Singh from Indian Air Force is the first woman officer to be appointed as a defence attache.
Topic to focus : Important Persons in News
Our Opinion: Not a Grade 1 job standard question – Too specific about a personality in news (even if she is from Assam).
Q28. The 7 member committee for revitalisation of Assam economy in the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic was headed by
M.P Bezbaruah
Subhash Chandra Das
Jayanta Madhav
Bhaskar Baruah
Correct option: (B) Shri Subhash Chandra Das
Advisory Committee for revitalization of economy of Assam
The Advisory Committee for revitalization of economy of Assam in the backdrop of the situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic and consequent lockdown submitted its report to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
The Advisory Committee with seven members, headed by retired IAS officer Subash Chandra Das, assessed the macro-economic and socio-economic impact as well as sector specific impact of COVID-19.
The committee made the sector specific recommendations on agriculture and allied sector, industries, trade and commerce, transport, tourism and hospitality, construction sector, employment including migrant labours.
The committee observed that as the economy needs to be made fully functional gradually, standard operating protocols, rules and guidelines need to be made for the sectors which are still closed with special emphasis on the opening of tourism and hospitality industry including hotels, restaurants with other personal care services and industries.
Q70. Which tribe of Assam organised the ‘Judima Festival’ in the middle of December 2020 to promote its art and culture, performing arts and ethnic practices?
The Bodo tribe
The Dimasa tribe
The Karbi tribe
The Mising tribe
Correct option: (B) Dimasa tribe
Haflong host the three-day ‘Judima Festival’ on sports and culture. The festival has been named after Judima, which is Dimasa tribals’ traditional brew. It is considered as one of the best traditional brews in the region and occupies an integral part of the social and cultural life of Dimasa tribals. The theme of the festival is to preserve, promote and nurture ethnic culture, music, dance, craft and folk art of Dimasa tribals residing in Dima Hasao district of Assam. The first edition of the festival, which was held in January 2016 saw the conglomeration of people of different ethnicities and strengthened the harmony among various tribes of the hill district. In addition, the initiative has been undertaken to promote tourism and establish Haflong into the tourism map of the Northeast.
Topic to focus : Assam Current Affairs
Q7. On 23rd of March 2019, the first Lokpal of India was appointed. Identify the first Lokpal from the options below:
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan
Reena Saud
N.R. Modi
Pinaki Chandra Ghose
Correct option: (D) Shri Pinaki Chandra Ghose
First Chairperson of the Lokpal is Shri Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, who is a former Judge of Supreme Court of India and was a sitting member of National Human Rights Commission.
(We updated his appointment in Current Affairs section of assamexam.com / fb page)
Q26. Name the Indian citizen who is also a Nobel laureate in Economics
Abhijit Bannerjee
Amartya Sen
Jagdish Bhagawati
Har Gobind Khurana
Correct option: (B) Amartya Sen
Abhijit Banerjee is American citizen.
Topic to focus : Prizes and Awards
Q27. Under which scheme given below, a programme has been launched by Govt of India to train youths on GST and related matters?
Skill India’s certified professionals to help GST implementation; Launches a 100- hour course under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)
Topic to focus : Govt Schemes & initiatives
Q53. The PM of India kickstarted the largest vaccination drive in Indian history against COVID-19 virus on
14th Jan, 2021
16th Jan, 2021
18th Jan, 2021
20th Jan, 2021
Correct option: (B) 16 January, 2021
(Very hard to remember start date of any campaign/drive/scheme)
Q54. The biggest vaccine manufacturer, by volume, in the world is
Codagenix
SpyBiotech
Serum Institute of India
Novavax
Correct option: (C) Serum Institute of India (SII)
Serum Institute of India (SII) is an Indian biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals company. It is the world’s largest manufacturer of vaccines located in the city of Pune, India and was founded by Cyrus Poonawalla in 1966.
Q55. Which city has been conferred the Swachh Survekshan, 2020 award as the cleanest city in the NorthEast Region and the State under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan?
Sivasagar
Jorhat
Tezpur
Lakhimpur
Correct option: (B) Jorhat
Jorhat has won the Swachh Survekshan 2020 award for the cleanest city in the NE region in the 50,000-1 lakh population category.
Q56. Which country on 19th July, 2020 launched its first mission to the Mars?
India
Malaysia
UAE
Iran
Correct option: (C) United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates’ historic first mission to Mars is under way, after a successful lift-off in Japan. The Hope probe launched on an H2-A rocket from Tanegashima spaceport, and is now on a 500-million-km journey to study the planet’s weather and climate.
Q59. Against 232 electoral votes won by Donald Trump, how many electoral votes were bagged by Joe Biden in the November 2020 US elections.
300
306
310
315
Correct option: (B) 306 votes
Presidential Election Results: Biden Wins
Joseph R. Biden Jr. was elected the 46th president of the United States. Mr. Biden defeated President Trump after winning Pennsylvania, which put his total of Electoral College votes above the 270 he needed to clinch the presidency.
306 votes for Joseph R. Biden Jr.
232 votes for Donald J. Trump
Really? It’s a really poorly selected of Question.
Q60. The Nobel Prize in literature for the year 2020 was won by
Louise Gluck
Peter Handke
Alice Munro
Kazuo Ishiguro
Correct option: (A) Louise Gluck
2020 Nobel Prizes in Literature
American poet Louise Gluck has been awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature. The 10 million Swedish crown ($1.1m) prize is named after dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel and has been awarded since 1901 for achievements in science, literature and peace in accordance with his will. The Swedish Academy said Gluck was honoured “for her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal”. Gluck previously won the Pulitzer Prize in 1993 for her collection The Wild Iris, and the National Book Award in 2014. A professor of English at Yale University, she “seeks the universal, and in this she takes inspiration from myths and classical motifs, present in most of her works”, the Academy said. It said her 2006 collection Averno was a “masterly” and “a visionary interpretation of the myth of Persephone’s descent into Hell in the captivity of Hades, the god of death”.
Q62. On 26th January 2020, we lost an all-time great basketball player who used to play for Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association for two decades. Who was he?
Micheal Jordan
Kevin Durant
Shaquille o’Neal
Kobe Bryant
Correct option: (D) Kobe Bryant
No comments about the Q selection, kiyahi kahe!
Q63. The FIFA World Cup 2022 will be hosted by
Argentina
Russia
Qatar
Germany
Correct option: (C) 2022 FIFA World Cup
It is scheduled to take place in Qatar from 21 November to 18 December 2022. This will be the first World Cup ever to be held in the Arab world, and it will be the second World Cup held entirely in Asia after the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan.
Topic to focus : Sports and Games
Q64. (B) Who among the following removed the pro-democracy books from its public libraries recently
China
Hong kong
Malaysia
Russia
Correct option: (B) Hong Kong
Q65. On 25th May, 2020, a few officers of Minneapolis Police mercilessly killed a black man who was charged of using counterfeit $20 note after buying cigarettes from a convenience store. The name of this man, whose death rocked the US political and social systems for a long time is
Mike Freeman
Thomas Lane
Derek Chauvin
George Floyd
Correct option: (D) George Floyd
Q66. The National Education Policy, 2020 was approved by the Union Cabinet on 29th July, 2020. The visionary policy that aims to touch upon every aspect of education from elementary to higher education will replace the
National Curriculum Framework, 2005
National Policy on Education, 1968
National Policy on Education, 1986
None of the above
Correct option: (C) National Policy on Education, 1986
Topic to focus : Govt Schemes & initiatives
Q67. On 9th November, 2019, the SC of India gave a verdict in the Ram Janambhoomi – Babri Masjid case, popularly called the Ayodhya verdict. Which HC referred this case to SC after 2010?
Lucknow HC
Allahabad HC
Delhi HC
Patna HC
Correct option: (B) Allahabad High Court
Topic to focus : Important Judgements/ Judiciary events
Q68. Three agricultural bills were signed by the President of India, after both houses of the Parliament has earlier passed on 27th September 2020. Which of the following is not part of the package?
The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce(Promotion and Facilitation) Act
The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Subsidies Act
The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act
The Farmers Subsidy and Insurance Act
Correct option: (D) Farmers Subsidy and Insurance Act
The three bills, now Act, namely, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance, Farm Services Bill, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 are meant to attract private investors and transform the deplorable state of Indian agriculture.
Topic to focus : Important Acts/Legislations
Q69. The CBSE partnered with which company to launch a curriculum on Digital Safety and Augmented Reality for students and educators?
Facebook
Google
Microsoft
Apple
Correct option: (A) Facebook
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Facebook have partnered to launch curriculum on digital safety and online well-being and Augmented Reality for students and educators.
Q71. During 27th September 2020 and 10th November 2020, a fierce battle was fought between two countries for the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Which are these two countries?
Armenia-Iran
Armenia-Azerbaijan
Turkey-Iran
Azerbaijan-Russia
Correct option: (B) Armenia and Azerbaijan
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is an ethnic and territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war was an armed conflict between Azerbaijan, supported by Turkey, and the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh together with Armenia, in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding territories.
Difficulty Level: Tough (These events doesn’t get coverage in Indian media)
Q72. For the first time in India, a senior defence personnel in the newly created position of CDS was installed on 1st January 2020, who will be above the three chiefs of the three wings. Who is the first incumbent in this position?
General Bipin Rawat
General Bikram Singh
General Manoj Naravane
Admiral Karambir Singh
Correct option: (A) General Bipin Rawat
The Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces (CDS) is the head of the military staff of the Indian Armed Forces and the chief executive of the Department of Military Affairs. As the highest-ranking serving officer in the Indian Armed Forces, the CDS is the commanding officer and chairperson of the Joint Commanders and Staff Committee – making him the chief military adviser to the government of India and the Ministry of Defence. As the professional head of the armed forces, the Chief of Defence Staff is also aided by the newly formed office of Vice Chief of Defence Staff, the nation’s second highest ranking military officer, and the three chiefs of staff of the army, navy and air force, who are the leaders of each respective branch. The first and current CDS is General Bipin Rawat, who took office on 1 January 2020.
The CDS is a four-star officer selected from among the serving officers of the Indian Armed Forces. While being “first among equals” among the service chiefs, the CDS is a single-point military advisor to the defence minister.
Q78. The best passing out cadet of the National Defence Academy Khadakvasla (Pune) is conferred with
Chatrapati Shivaji Gold Medal
Lachit Borphukan Gold Medal
Rani Laxmibai Gold Medal
President’s Gold Medal
Correct option: (B) Lachit Borphukan Gold Medal (Best Cadet of NDA)
The best passing out cadet of National Defence Academy is conferred the Lachit Borphukan gold medal every year from 1999 The announcement of institution of the award by Indian Army chief General Malik on 25 April 1999 at the Delhi programme in presence of India’s vice-president and other dignitaries was the pivot to perpetuate the memory of Lachit Borphukan at the national level for the very first time. Battalion Cadet Adjutant Aaditya Udupa, 126th NDA Course,was awarded the medal for the Spring Term 2014 on 28 May 2014.
Q1. The Hornbill festival is being organized in which state?
Meghalaya
Manipur
Nagaland
Mizoram
Nagaland
The Hornbill festival in Nagaland became the venue for the launch of India’s G20 presidency.
Q2. Which country partners with India on the Kaziranga Project of Assam Project on Forest and Biodiversity Conservation (APFBC)?
United Kingdom
France
Germany
Finland
France
India and France are collaborating under the Kaziranga Project in the Kaziranga National Park in Assam.
Q3. World AIDS day is observed on which date?
December 5
December 9
December 1
December 3
December 1
Q4. The first north-eastern state to launch its ‘Mental Health and Social Care Policy’ is
Assam
Sikkim
Tripura
Meghalaya
Meghalaya
Q5. Recently a UN panel has recommended that the Great Barrier Reef is to be listed as a World Heritage Site in Danger. Great Barrier Reef is situated in which country?
USA
South Africa
Australia
Japan
Australia
A UN panel has recommended that Australia’s Great Barrier Reef be listed as a World Heritage Site in Danger.
Q6. As per recent data, India’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) during 2018-20 is
130 per lakh live births
117 per lakh live births
97 per lakh live births
72 per lakh live births
97 per lakh live births
As per the Special Bulletin released by the Registrar General of India, India has witnessed a significant decline in the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to 97 per lakh live births in 2018-20.
India’s MMR was 130 per lakh live births in 2014-16. With this, India accomplished the National Health Policy target for MMR of less than 100 per lakh live births. The SDG target is 70 per lakh live births by 2030.
Q7. The first Sylhet-Silchar festival started in Assam’s Barak valley to celebrate the cultural ties between India and which other country?
Myanmar
Bhutan
Nepal
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Q8. India will assume Chairmanship of Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) Plenary on 01 January 2023 for a period of one year. Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) is related to
Conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies
Climate Change and global warming
Crypto-currency and and blockchain technology
Nuclear and biological Weapons
Conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies
Q9. World Soil day is observed every year on
December 04
December 05
December 07
December 11
December 05
Q10. Which country is India’s largest trading partner in 2022?
Saudi Arabia
US
Russia
China
China
Q11. Which organization has released the ‘State of Global Water Resources 2021’?
World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)
Greenpeace
Global Environment Facility
United Nations Water
World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)
Q12. Mount Semeru volcano which has recently erupted on December 4, 2022, is located in which country?
Greece
Indonesia
Cyprus
Ireland
Indonesia
Indonesia’s Mount Semeru volcano has erupted, sending ash billowing into the sky and sparking evacuations on the country’s main island, Java.
Q13. Which country is the largest trading partner of India after China and the US, in 2022?
Saudi Arabia
UAE
Russia
Japan
UAE
After the United States and China, UAE is India’s third largest trading partner. As per projection, the bilateral trade of $88 billion for the current financial year may surpass FY 2021-22’s figures of $73 billion.
Q14. Recently, India and which country has declared December 06 as ‘Maitri Divas’?
Bhutan
Sierra Leone
Myanmar
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Q15. Which state Govt to set up the Nilgiri Tahr conservation project?
Rajasthan
Karnataka
Tamil Nadu
Kerala
Tamil Nadu
The project will be implemented during the 2022-27 period. Tamil Nadu is set to implement Project Nilgiri Tahr, aimed at developing a better understanding of the population, distribution and ecology of the endangered species which is the state animal.
Furthermore, October 7 will be celebrated as ‘Niligiri Tahr Day’ in honour of E.R.C. Davidar, who was responsible for pioneering one of the first studies of the species in 1975.
Assam’s Nayanmoni Saikia was conferred with the Arjuna Award at Rashtrapati Bhawan by President Draupadi Murmu.
Nayanmoni Saikia was nominated for the award for her achievements in Lawn Bowl.
Apart from Nayanmoni Saikia, Shushila Devi from Manipur was also presented with the prestigious award for her remarkable contributions and achievements in the field of boxing.
Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sharma congratulated Commonwealth Games gold medalist Nayanmoni Saikia for receiving Arjuna Award, 2022 from Hon’ble President Droupadi Murmu.
Mirabai Chanu won silver medal in World Championship 2022
Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has won a silver medal at the weightlifting World Championships in Bogota, Colombia.
Mirabai won a silver medal at the World Championships with a total lift of 200kg. China’s Jiang Huihua, who won the gold with a total effort of 206kg (93kg+113kg) while Tokyo Olympics champion Hou Zhihua who won the bronze with a total effort of198kg (89kg+109kg).
Mirabai had previously won gold in the 2017 world weightlifting championship. This was Mirabai’s second medal at the World Championships.
Tripura gets its first Film and Television Institute
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha inaugurated Tripura’s first film and television institute at Nazrul Kalakshetra in Agartala.
The institute has been set up in collaboration with Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI).
This film Institute will promote Tripura’s rich cultural heritage in the global sphere. It will help the youths of the state to nurture their cultural talents and will also help to improve the socio-economic condition of the youths.
The state government has allocated Rs 5.76 crore for the institute. Four short-term courses, including screen acting, film appreciation, production, and management along with news reporting, anchoring and newsroom automation would be started initially.
India ranked 87th in the world’s strongest passport list for 2022
India has been ranked 87 in the world’s strongest passport list for 2022, published by Arton Capital.
Passport Index 2022 published by Arton Capital ranked the world’s strongest and weakest passports.
Key Points
The Passport Index is based on the 139 members of the United Nations and 6 different aspects have been considered to make this list.
UAE ranked first in the rating of passports for 2022 followed by Germany, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain and France.
Travellers with UAE passports can travel visa-free or “visa on arrival” to 180 countries.
Countries with the weakest passports are Afghanistan (38) Syria (39), Iraq (40), Pakistan (44).
The data for this list has been given by the governments of different countries.
Indian-American Krishna Vavilala receives US Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award
Indian-American Krishna Vavilala receives the US Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to his community and the country.
The Presidential Lifetime Achievement (PLA) Awards, led by AmeriCorps, is an annual event held to honour citizens, who exhibit outstanding character, worth ethic, and dedication to their communities.
Krishna Vavilala is from Andhra Pradesh and is a retired Electrical Engineer. Currently, he is the founder and Chairman of the Foundation for India Studies (FIS), a non-profit organization whose major project, the Indo-American Oral History Project, won the Mary Fay Barnes Award for Excellence.
He has also received several awards and accolades from various organizations, such as the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston, the Indo-American Press Club, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the India Culture Centre.
Oxford dictionary announces ‘goblin mode’ as word of the year 2022
The Oxford English Dictionary recently announces ‘goblin mode’ as word of the year 2022 that was selected by public votes – Goblin mode.
It’s the first time Oxford Languages opened up its annual word of the year listing to a public vote.
Goblin mode is a slang term that describes a type of behavior that is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, generally rejecting social norms and expectations.
The word goblin mode is used to acknowledge that individuals are not always idealized, curated selves that they force themselves to present in social media platforms.
The term speaks to the current times when people are embracing their inner goblin and choosing to reject the accepted social customs.
American dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster has chosen “gaslighting” as its word of the year for 2022.
The first ever Silchar-Sylhet Festival, organized to celebrate the cultural ties between the Barak Valley region of Assam and the Sylhet segment of Bangladesh.
Key Points
Assam’s Silchar town is hosting the two-day Silchar-Sylhet Festival, to celebrate the linguistic and cultural ties between the Barak Valley region of Assam and the Sylhet segment of Bangladesh.
Silchar-Sylhet Festival is organised by the India Foundation.
The Festival coincides with the 75th year of India’s independence and the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan.
The festival underlines the commonalities between India and Bangladesh, specifically the Sylheti variant of the Bengali language and the Sylheti culture.
The festival will showcase tribal culture, cuisine, arts, crafts and local produce, entertainment and bring together eminent people from both sides to discuss and deliberate on issues of mutual growth and opportunity.
Indo-French Partnership on Kaziranga Project
India and France are collaborating under the Kaziranga Project in the Kaziranga National Park in Assam.
The Kaziranga project is a part of a larger Assam Project on Forest and Biodiversity Conservation (APFBC) for which the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has committed funding of €80.2 million for a 10-year period, between 2014-2024.
The project conceptualised the reforestation of 33,500 hectares of land and the training of 10,000 community members in alternate livelihoods by 2024.
The Assam government, with the support of AFD, launched the APFBC in 2012, to restore forest ecosystems, protect wildlife and enhance the livelihood of the forest-dependent communities.
About Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park is a national park in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam.
It is the single largest undisturbed and representative area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplain.
It was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1950, and notified as Kaziranga National Park in 1974.
It is the home of the world’s most one-horned rhinos.
In 1985, Kaziranga was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its unique natural environment.
It is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for conservation of avifaunal species.
India ranked 48th position in the global aviation safety ranking
India ranked 48th position in the global aviation safety ranking by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
India was in the 102nd position four years ago in the ranking.The position is the highest-ever spot attained by the country.
Key Points
In the ranking, Singapore is at the top, followed by the UAE and South Korea at the second and third positions.
As per Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the audit was conducted in the areas of legislation, organisation, personal licensing, operations, airworthiness and aerodromes.
India’s score in terms of effective implementation of key safety elements has improved to 85.49%.
India’s score for civil aviation organizations increased from 63.64% to 72.73 %, aircraft operations from 80.34% to 97.44%, personnel licensing and training from 25.58% to 84.71%, and aerodrome and ground aid from 72.36% to 92.68%.
‘Millets-Smart Nutritive Food’ Conclave
‘Millets-Smart Nutritive Food’ Conclave is being organized by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry through its apex agricultural export promotion body, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
The Conclave is to be a pre-launch event of the ‘International Year of Millets – 2023’ (IYoM-2023). It is organised with the objective of promoting the export of millets.
Key Points
At the Millets Smart Nutritive Conclave, stakeholders of the supply chain such as Farmer Producer Organisations, Start-ups, exporters, producers of millet-based value-added products are key participants.
At the Conclave, exhibition and B2B meetings will also be organized to showcase Indian millets and millet-based products.
At the first-of-its-kind Millets Conclave, the government will release e-catalogue on 30 potential importing countries and 21 millet producing states of India.
India is one of the leading producers of millets in the world with an estimated share of around 41 percent in the global production.
India recorded 27 percent growth in millet production in 2021-22 as compared to millet production in the previous year was 15.92 MMT.
India’s top five millet producing states are Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Share of export of millets is nearly 1% of the total millet production.
Exports of millets from India include mainly whole grain and the export of value-added products of millets from India is negligible.
First G20 Sherpa Meeting under India’s Presidency begins at Udaipur
The first G20 Sherpa Meeting under India’s Presidency begins at Udaipur. Representatives of 19 countries including the European Union and nine unique invitee countries will take part in the discussion.
The G20 Sherpa Meeting will be presided by Amitabh Kant.
Key Points
The Sherpa meeting of G20 will be held in the Udaipur district of Rajasthan from 4 December to 7 December.
Important conversations on some of the most pressing issues of recent times will be discussed.
India will have the opportunity to convene discussions on shared global priorities with G20 Members and guests.
India formally assumed the year-long Presidency of the G-20 on 1st of December.
During the course of its Presidency, India will be holding about 200 meetings in 32 different sectors in multiple locations across the country.
As a host, New Delhi will set the agenda for the G-20 summit meeting to be organized in September 2023.
Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar has been appointed as the chairperson of the National Statistical Commission
Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar has been appointed as part-time chairperson of National Statistical Commission of India (NSCI) for three years.
Karandikar will take up this role as an additional responsibility while continuing as Professor Emeritus at Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI).
He is widely known for his work on probability theory as well as applications of mathematics and statistics to real world questions.
He has designed, supervised and analysed nationwide opinion polls for the Indian parliamentary elections as well State assemblies since 1998.
He is also known for developing a new model and methodology for seat prediction, which has been quite successful for over the last 20 years.
About National Statistical Commission (NSC) of India
The National Statistical Commission (NSC) of India is an autonomous body which was formed in June 2005 under the recommendation of Rangarajan commission.
The objective of its constitution is to reduce the problems faced by statistical agencies in the country in relation to collection of data.
The Chairperson of the Commission enjoys the status of a Minister of State and the Members of the Commission have the status equivalent to the Secretary to the Government of India.
Shekhar Pathak has won the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Award for the book based on the Chipko Movement
A book on the Chipko Movement, written by historian-activist Shekhar Pathak, was named the winner of the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize 2022.
Translated from Hindi by Manisha Chaudhry, “The Chipko Movement: A People’s History” was selected from a diverse shortlist of five books covering a wide expanse of modern Indian history and encompassing distinct topics and perspectives.
About Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize
The Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize recognises and celebrates excellence in non-fiction writings on modern or contemporary India by writers from all nationalities.
The Prize was established in 2018 by the New India Foundation, a charitable organisation which also awards research fellowships and book grants for Indian writers.
The foundation provides grants for scholars and writers who are writing non-fiction and fiction books about India, and also provides translation grants for works translated from Indian languages.
The award carries a cash award of Rs 15 lakh, a trophy and a citation.
Assam govt announces yearly stipend for female PG students
The government of Assam will introduce a scheme under which all female students pursuing post-graduate courses in the state will be provided a yearly stipend of Rs 10,000 each which would be helpful in covering their commutation and other related expenses.
This was announced by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The Chief Minister appealed to the female students pursuing PG courses to apply for getting the stipend in the portal to be launched by the Department of Education for the purpose in a few weeks from now.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also distributed scooters to meritorious candidates who cleared the last higher secondary examination conducted by the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) with a percentage above a certain threshold at a ceremony held in Guwahati.
To be eligible for the award, the male candidates had to score a minimum of 75 per cent in higher secondary examination, while for female candidates the cut-off was fixed at 60 per cent.
The 23rd Hornbill Festival 2022
The 23rd edition of the Hornbill International Festival 2022 begins at the Heritage Village Kisama in Nagaland. The festival commenced on December 1 and will continue till December 10.
The aim of the festival is to revive and protect the rich culture of Nagaland and display its extravaganza and traditions.
About Hornbill Festival
The festival is named after the Indian hornbill, the large and colourful forest bird which is displayed in the folklore of most of the state’s ethnic groups.
To encourage inter-ethnic interaction and to promote cultural heritage of Nagaland, the Government of Nagaland organizes the Hornbill Festival every year.
The 10-day Hornbill Festival represents all ethnic groups of Nagaland for which it is also called the Festival of Festivals.
The festival host guests from across states and nations, representing the rich culture of various tribes of Nagaland,
The festival provides a colourful mixture of dances, performances, crafts, parades, games, sports, food fairs and religious ceremonies.
Traditional arts which include paintings, wood carvings, and sculptures are also on display.
The Hornbill Festival has contributed significantly to enhancing the state’s tourism brand.
India-US joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’
The 18th edition of India-US joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’ is scheduled to be conducted in Uttarakhand.
Exercise Yudh Abhyas is conducted annually between India and USA with the aim of exchanging best practices, Tactics, Techniques and Procedures between the Armies of the two nations.
Key Points
US Army soldiers of 2nd Brigade of the 11th Airborne Division and Indian Army soldiers from the ASSAM Regiment will be participating in the exercise.
The training schedule focuses on employment of an integrated battle group under Chapter VII of the UN Mandate.
The schedule will include all operations related to peace keeping & peace enforcement.
The joint exercise will also focus on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
The troops from both nations will work together to achieve common objectives and will practice launching of swift & coordinated relief efforts in the wake of any natural calamity.
In order to derive full benefit from the professional skills & experiences of both the armies, a Command Post Exercise and Expert Academic Discussions (EAD) on carefully selected topics will be carried out.
The scope of the Field Training Exercise includes validation of integrated battle groups, force multipliers, establishment and functioning of surveillance grids, validation of operational logistics, mountain warfare skills, casualty evacuation and combat medical aid in adverse terrain and climatic conditions.
The exercise will involve exchanges and practices on a wide spectrum of combat skills including combat engineering, employment of UAS/Counter UAS techniques and information operations.
The exercise will facilitate both Armies to share their wide experiences, skills and enhance their techniques through information exchange.
The previous edition of the exercise was conducted at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska (USA) in October 2021.
Stephanie Frappart will be the first woman referee at men’s’ FIFA World Cup
Stephanie Frappart will be the first woman to referee a men’s World Cup match after FIFA announced that she will take charge of the Group E match between Germany and Costa Rica.
Frappart is one of three women referees among the 36 selected for the tournament in Qatar, alongside Rwandan official Salima Mukansanga and Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita.
She was the first woman to referee in France’s Ligue 1 in 2019, the same year she took charge of the women’s World Cup final in her home country.
She also officiated the 2019 Uefa Super Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea, before refereeing the Champions League in 2020 and then the French Cup final last season.
India assumes United Nations Security Council Presidency for December 2022
India assumed the monthly presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the second time in its two-year tenure as an elected member of the Council in 2021-22. India had earlier assumed the Presidency in August 2021.
India has been a non-permanent member of the United Nations security council for 8 terms, with the most recent being the 2021-22 term.
Key Points
India will hold a “high-level open debate” on “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism (NORMS)” at the Security Council.
New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism (NORMS) envisages reforms in the current multilateral architecture, with the UN at its centre, to make it more representative and fit for purpose.
The other signature event planned is the high-level briefing on the theme “Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts: Global Approach to Counter Terrorism — Challenges and Way Forward”.
This briefing intends to underscore the necessity of collective and coordinated efforts to combat the menace of terrorism.
About United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) was established by the UN Charter in 1945.
It is one of the UN’s six main organs and is aimed at maintaining international peace and security.
The Headquarters of the UNSC is located in New York City.
The Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Security Council.
It is composed of 15 members: 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent.
Five permanent members: China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The 10 non-permanent seats are distributed on a regional basis as follows:
Five for African and Asian States.
One for the Eastern European States.
Two for the Latin American and Caribbean States;
Two for Western European and other States
Maternal Mortality Ratio in India dips to 97 per lakh live births in 2018-20
According to the report released by the office of the Registrar General of India, The maternal Mortality Ratio in India has dropped from 130 per lakh live births in 2014-16 to 97 per lakh live births in 2018-20.
About Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)
Maternal mortality in a region is a measure of the reproductive health of women in the area.
According to the World Health Organization, “Maternal death is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes”.
The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is the number of maternal deaths during a specific time period per 100,000 live births during the same period.
Key Points
As per the statistics derived from Sample Registration System (SRS), the country has witnessed a progressive reduction in MMR from 130 in 2014-2016, 122 in 2015-17, 113 in 2016-18, 103 in 2017-19 and to 97 in 2018-20.
Upon achieving this, India has accomplished the National Health Policy (NHP) target for MMR of less than 100/lakh live births.
Target 3.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations aims at reducing the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 1,00,000 live births during the same period.
According to the data, Assam has the highest MMR of 195, followed by Madhya Pradesh with an MMR of 173 and Uttar Pradesh with MMR of 167 per 1 lakh live births.
Kerala has the lowest MMR, followed by Maharashtra at 33 and Telangana at 43.
Q1. Kameng Hydro Power Station has been recently inaugurated in which state?
Meghalaya
Mizoram
Assam
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 600 MW Kameng Hydro Power Station in Arunachal Pradesh.
Q2. ‘Sangai Festival’ is a cultural festival celebrated in which state?
Mizoram
Arunachal Pradesh
Manipur
Assam
Manipur
Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy inaugurated the ‘Manipur Sangai Festival 2022’ at the Sangai Ethnic Park.
Q3. Who has become the first Indian table tennis player to win a medal at the Asian Cup Tennis Tournament?
Achanta Sharath Kamal
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran
Manika Batra
Sreeja Akula
Manika Batra
Indian Table Tennis Player Manika Batra defeated World No. 6 Hina Hayata of Japan in the Asian Cup 2022 women’s singles bronze medal match in Bangkok, Thailand.
Q4. The Union Minister of AYUSH has recently inaugurated the North East’s 1st Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine in which city
Shillong
Silchar
Agartala
Dimapur
Silchar
The Unani medicine institute in Silchar of Assam was inaugurated by Union Ayush minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
Q5. The conservationist from Assam who has won the UN’s highest environmental award ‘Champions of the Earth’ for 2022?
Jadav Payeng
Vandana Shiva
Purnima Devi Barman
Krithi Karanth
Purnima Devi Barman
Assam’s leading conservationist Purnima Devi Barman has been awarded the United Nation’s highest environmental honour, ‘Champions of the Earth’, for 2022.
Q6. Who was honoured with the Indian Film Personality of the Year 2022 award at the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI)?
Chiranjeevi
Amitabh Bhachchan
Hema Malini
Mohanlal
Chiranjeevi
At the opening ceremony of the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi was honoured with the Indian Film Personality of the Year 2022 award.
Q7. India’s rank as per the ‘Network Readiness Index 2022 Report’ is
32
40
45
61
61
India has improved its position by six slots and is now placed at 61st rank as per the Network Readiness Index 2022 report.
Q8. ‘Constitution Day’ is observed on
November 26
November 12
November 24
December 05
November 26
Since 2015, November 26 is observed as Constitution Day to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India by the Constituent Assembly in 1949.
Q9. Which village has been recently notified as Tamil Nadu’s first biodiversity heritage site?
Odunthurai
Navinipatti
Arittapatti
Kidaripatti
Arittapatti
The Government of Tamil Nadu issued a notification declaring Arittapatti Village near Melur in the Madurai district as a biodiversity heritage site.
Q10. Which state is to get India’s first Buddhist University?
Himachal Pradesh
Haryana
Madhya Pradesh
Tripura
Tripura
Tripura is to get India’s first Buddhist Varsity whose foundation stone is to be laid on November 29.
Q11. The seventh edition of the Amur Falcon Festival organized in which state?
Nagaland
Mizoram
Meghalaya
Manipur
Manipur
With an objective to spread awareness on the protection and conservation of Amur falcon, Manipur forest authority is gearing up for the seventh edition of the Amur Falcon Festival at Tamenglong district headquarters, 150 km West of Imphal on November 14.
Q12. Which country recently launched the ‘Orion spacecraft’?
China
Japan
Russia
USA
USA
NASA’s Orion spacecraft has successfully performed its first Moon flyby as part of the uncrewed Artemis I mission It has passed within 130 kilometres of the lunar surface. Orion will travel about 57,287 miles beyond the Moon at its farthest point from the Moon, passing the record set by Apollo 13. Orion will enter a distant retrograde orbit beyond the Moon.
Q13. Who has been recently appointed as Election Commissioner of India?
Arun Goel
Anurag Singh Thakur
Ashok Lavasa
Y. Chandrachud
Arun Goel
Current Election Commissioners are
Rajiv Kumar (15 May 2022 )
Anup Chandra Pandey (8 June 2021)
Arun Goel (19 November 2022)
Q14. Which country launched the ‘Middle East Green Initiative’?
Qatar
Iran
UAE
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the kingdom would contribute USD 2.5 billion to ‘Middle East Green Initiative’ over the next ten years, and host its headquarters. The Middle East Green Initiative was launched by the crown prince in 2021 as part of efforts to reduce regional carbon emissions. The initiative aims to reduce carbon emissions from regional hydrocarbon production by more than 60%.
Q15. Which state became the first state in India to get 5G service in all districts?
Maharashtra
Tamil Nadu
Gujarat
Kerala
Gujarat
Gujarat became the first state in the country to get 5G service in all districts.
Meghalaya cabinet approved mental health and social care policy
Meghalaya announced the first-ever draft state mental health and social care policy. The aim of the policy is to promote overall mental health and well-being and facilitate appropriate access and care pathways.
With this, Meghalaya has become the first state in the Northeast and the third state in India to have ‘Mental Health and Social Care Policy’.
According to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma this policy will ensure proper attention to mental health, especially for children, adolescents, and youths. This policy will ensure that proper attention is given to mental health, particularly for our youth and adolescents.
FSSAI approves Himalayan Yak as a ‘food animal’
The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has approved the Himalayan Yak as a ‘food animal’.
The move is expected to help slow the decline in the population of the high-altitude bovine animal by making it a part of the conventional milk and meat industry. This was proposed by the National Research Centre (NRC) on Yak at Dirang in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.
About Himalayan Yak
The Yak is found throughout the Himalayan region – Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, North Bengal, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Yaks are highly valued by Himalayan peoples. They are endemic to the Tibetan Plateau and the adjacent high-altitude regions.
They belong to the Bovini tribe, which also includes bison, buffaloes, and cattle.
They are the lifeline of pastoral nomads in high altitudes of the Indian Himalayan region.
Traditionally, yaks are reared through a primitive, unorganized, complex transhumance system.
India, Australia wargames “Austra Hind 22” begins
The bilateral training exercise “AUSTRA HIND 22” between contingents of the Indian Army and the Australian Army is scheduled to take place at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges (Rajasthan).
Key Points
This is the first exercise in the series of AUSTRA HIND with participation of all arms and services contingent from both armies.
The exercise “AUSTRA HIND” will be a yearly event that will be conducted alternatively in India and Australia.
The purpose of the exercise is to build positive military relations, and promote the ability to operate together while undertaking multi-domain operations in Semi deserts terrain under a UN peace enforcement mandate.
This exercise will further help in strengthening ties between India and Australia.
NITI Aayog releases study report on ‘Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) Policy Framework
NITI Aayog has recently released a study report on Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) Policy Framework and its Deployment Mechanism in India.
Key Points
The report explores the importance of Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage as an emission reduction strategy to achieve deep decarbonization from the hard-to-abate sectors.
The report outlines broad level policy interventions needed across various sectors for its application.
As, India has updated its NDC targets for achieving 50% of its total installed capacity from non-fossil-based energy sources, 45% reduction in emission intensity by 2030 and taking steps towards achieving Net Zero by 2070.
The role of Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) becomes important as a reduction strategy to achieve decarbonization from the hard-to abate sectors.
CCUS can enable the production of clean products while still utilizing our rich endowments of coal, reducing imports and thus leading to an Atmanirbhar Indian economy.
CCUS projects will also lead to a significant employment generation. It estimates that about 750 mtpa of carbon capture by 2050 can create employment opportunities of about 8-10 million on full time equivalent (FTE) basis in a phased manner.
The report indicates that CCUS can provide a wide variety of opportunities to convert the captured CO2 to different value-added products like green urea, food and beverage form application, building materials and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) with wide market opportunities in India, thus contributing substantially to a circular economy.
Global Technology Summit 2022
The 7th edition of the Global Technology Summit will be held from November 29, 2022 till the 1st of December in New Delhi in a hybrid format.
Key Points
The Global Technology Summit is India’s flagship annual event on geotechnology and is co-hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs and Carnegie India.
The theme for this year’s Summit is ‘Geopolitics of Technology’.
Its main purpose is to develop new ways to address various concerns of all parties without hindering technological growth and new ideas.
During the summit, the world’s leading experts in technology, government, security, space, startups, data, law, public health, climate change, academics, and the economy will discuss technological progress and its future opportunities.
They will discuss the advantages and challenges of technologies, sustainability, emerging geopolitics in the technology sector, and data for development and ideas for India’s G20 Presidency.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya wins UNESCO Award for cultural heritage conservation
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) in Mumbai has won the Award of Excellence in the 2022 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation is supported by a partnership between UNESCO and Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation since 2021.
Key Points
13 projects from six countries- India, China, Afghanistan, Nepal, Iran, and Thailand- have been acknowledged for awards by the jury in 2022.
Jury deliberations were carried out in November when members reviewed 50 entries from 11 countries from the Asia-Pacific region.
The Domakonda Fort of Telangana and Byculla station of Mumbai are among the winners in the ‘Award of Merit’ category.
The step-wells of Golconda in Hyderabad have won an award in the ‘Award of Distinction’ category.
Topdara Stupa, Charikar, Afghanistan, and Nantian Buddhist Temple, Fujian, China have also received the ‘Award of Merit’.
India-Malaysia joint military exercise ‘Harimau Shakti-2022’
India–Malaysia joint military exercise “Harimau Shakti 2022” commenced at Pulai, Kluang, Malaysia.
The exercise will enhance the level of defence cooperation between the Indian Army and the Malaysian Army which in turn will further foster the bilateral relations between the two nations.
Key Points
Exercise Harimau Shakti is an annual training event between the Indian and Malaysian Army which has been conducted since 2012.
The scope of this exercise involves a Command Planning Exercise (CPX) at the Battalion level and Company level Field Training Exercise (FTX) on sub-conventional operations.
Combat-experienced troops of the Garhwal Rifles Regiment of the Indian Army and the Royal Malay Regiment of the Malaysian Army are participating in the exercise.
The joint exercise schedule includes the establishment of a joint command post, joint surveillance centre, sharing expertise in employment of aerial assets, technical demonstrations, casualty management & casualty evacuation apart from planning logistics at the Battalion level.
Assam Cabinet approves Rs 500 crore for building 2,000 Anganwadi centres
The Assam Cabinet approved Rs 500 crore to construct 2,000 new Anganwadi centres across the state in order to improve childcare services.
The cost of each Anganwadi centre will be Rs 25 lakh, and the total cost of all the centres will be Rs 500 crore.
The Assam Cabinet, which held a special sitting at New Delhi, sanctioned Rs 332.59 crore for building a trumpet interchange at Gauripur in North Guwahati to connect NH-17 with the under-construction six-lane road of the bridge on the Brahmaputra.
To boost the handloom sector, administrative approval was granted to start up the College of Sericulture at Titabar in Jorhat. An amount of Rs 22.14 crore has been approved to set up the institution.
India celebrates 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Barphukan
The 3-day long celebrations of the 400th birth anniversary of Ahom commander Lachit Barphukan began in New Delhi.
Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the exhibition on the occasion highlighting the life and achievement of the Ahom dynasty and Lachit Barphukan among others.
About Lachit Barphukan
Lachit Barphukan was born on November 24, 1622, was a commander and Bophukan in the Ahom Kingdom.
He is remembered throughout the country for his foresight and outstanding leadership in the 1671 Battle of Saraighat.
He was an excellent military leader who was given administrative, judicial, and military duties as one of the five Borphukans of the Ahom kingdom by king Charadhwaj Singha.
He has long been a symbol of the Assamese people’s courage, bravery, and intelligence.
Manipur celebrates Sangai Festival
Manipur Sangai Festival is organized every year to showcase the uniqueness of Manipur. The festival helps in promoting Manipur as a world-class tourism destination.
The festival is named after the state animal, Sangai, the brow-antlered deer found only in Manipur.
The festival is being organized from November 21 to 30.The 10-day festival promotes the northeastern state’s tourism sector.
This festival showcases the tourism potential of the state in the areas of arts and culture, handloom, handicraft, indigenous sports, cuisine, music, adventure sports etc.
The Sangai Festival was held at Sangai Ethnic Park located at Moirang Khunou of Bishnupur district. The festival is being celebrated across 13 venues in six districts of Manipur. The theme of the festival is the ‘festival of oneness’.
Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards announced
The Sangeet Natak Akademi has announced the list of 10 Akademi fellows and 128 artists who will receive the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award For the years 2019, 2020 and 2021.
The awards are given in the categories of music, dance, theatre, other traditional arts and puppetry, and for contribution/scholarship in performing arts.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi has also announced the names of 102 artists for the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for the years 2019, 2020, and 2021.These artists are below the age of 40 years.
The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar identifies and encourages outstanding young talents in diverse fields of performing arts and gives them national recognition so that they may work with greater commitment and dedication in their chosen fields.
The North-eastern States of the country have also been adequately represented with 19 artists from the North-east selected for the Award from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar carries a purse money of Rs. 25,000/- . The Yuva Puraskar will be presented at a special ceremony by the Chairman, Sangeet Natak Akademi.
About Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
The Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards are the highest national recognition conferred on practicing artists.
The awards are given in the categories of music, dance, theatre, other traditional arts and puppetry, and for contribution/scholarship in performing arts.
The Akademi Awards carries purse money of Rs. 1.00 lakh, a Tamrapatra and an Angavastram.
Khalid Jawed’s ‘The Paradise of Food’ won the 2022 JCB Prize for Literature
Author Khalid Jawed’s “The Paradise of Food”, won the fifth JCB Prize for Literature.The book has been translated by Baran Farooqi from Urdu.
Khalid Jawed’s book ‘The Paradise of Food’ which was originally published as ‘Ne’mat Khana’ 2014, is the fourth translation to win the award and the first work in Urdu.
The book tells the story of a middle-class joint Muslim family over a span of fifty years where the narrator struggles to find a place for himself, at odds in his home and the world outside.
Urdu writer Khalid Jawed received the prize money of Rs. 25 lakh along with a trophy- a sculpture by Delhi artist duo Thukral and Tagra, “Mirror Melting”. Baroon Farooqi also received an additional Rs. 10 lakh for the award.
The shortlisted books, which only included translation, also featured the International Booker-winning Novel ‘Tomb of Sand’ by Geetanjali Shree and Imaan by Manoranjan Byapari.
It was also the first time that the titles in Hindi and Nepali made it to the shortlist of the Literary Award.
The shortlist also included the debut books- Song of the Soil by Chuden Kabimo and ‘Valli’ by Sheela Tomy and each of the shortlisted authors also received Rs. 1 lakh, and the translators Rs. 50,000.
India’s first privately-built rocket Vikram-S has been successfully launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre
ISRO has successfully launched the country’s first private rocket, Vikram-S suborbital vehicle from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
The launch vehicle, Vikram-S (VKS), developed by aerospace startup Skyroot Aerospace is the first-ever launch of a privately developed and built rocket in India.
Vikram launch vehicle consists of the Vikram II and Vikram III series. The Vikram-S launch vehicle can be assembled and launched within 24 hours from any launch site.
VKS is a single-stage solid fuelled rocket, built using advanced technologies including carbon composite structures and 3D-printed components.
Skyroot launched its maiden rocket under the launch mission, ‘PRARAMBH’, which was unveiled by ISRO Chairman, Dr. S. Somanath in Bangalore in November 2022.
Skyroot’s launch vehicles are named ‘Vikram’ as a tribute to the founder of the Indian space programme and renowned scientist Vikram Sarabhai.
Network Readiness Index 2022
India has improved its position by six slots and is now placed at 61st rank as per the Network Readiness Index 2022 (NRI 2022).
The report is prepared by a US-based Portulans Institute, an independent non-profit research and educational institute.
Key Points
The NRI 2022 report ranks a total of 131 economies based on their performances in four different pillars: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact.
India has not only improved its ranking in the Network Readiness Index 2022 but has also improved its score from 49.74 in 2021 to 51.19 in 2022.
As per the Network Readiness Index 2022, India secured 1st rank in “AI talent concentration”. second in ‘Mobile broadband internet traffic within the country,’ third in ‘Annual investment in telecommunication services,’ fourth in ‘ICT Services exports,’ fifth in ‘FTTH/Building Internet subscriptions,’ and sixth in ‘AI scientific publications.’
India is ranked out of 36 in the group of lower-middle-income countries after Ukraine and Indonesia. 4. Notably, the country has a score higher than the income group average in all the pillars and sub-pillars.
The United States tops the list followed by Singapore and Sweden.
Usha Mangeshkar will be conferred with Dr Bhupen Hazarika Award
Assam Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi will present Bishwaratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika International Solidarity Award to renowned singer Usha Mangeshkar.
Usha Mangeshkar was chosen for her contributions to the music industries of Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Nepali, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, and Assamese.
The award consists of a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh, an angavastra, a commendation and a collection of books.
A committee is set up by the Assam Sahitya Sabha to carry out the selection process for the award. Notably, the Asam Sahitya Sabha has been presenting this award in collaboration with Numaligarh Refinery Limited since 2013.
Lubna Marium, a renowned Bangladeshi dancer, art director, researcher, and cultural activist, received the first Dr Bhupen Hazarika International Solidarity Award.
Kokrajhar wins National e-Governance Award
Assam’s Kokrajhar district received a national award for successfully implementing an e-governance project for an effective service delivery system.
The initiative ‘Infrastructure Snapshot Kokrajhar’ won the award for e-Governance for 2021-2022 under the category ‘Excellence in District Level Initiative in e-Governance’.
The award was given by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions of the Government of India.
The ‘Infrastructure Snapshot Kokrajhar’ app is a convergence application developed specifically for grievance redressal, supervision and monitoring.
The app was conceptualised by deputy commissioner of Kokrajhar, Varnali Deka, as a 24×7 configurable mobile based application for effective monitoring of all government schemes and public institutions with both offline and online status update facility.
Purnima Devi Barman honoured with the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Champions of the Earth award 2022
Assam’s Purnima Devi Barman is one of the five ‘Champions of the Earth’ for this year, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced.
Dr Purnima Devi has won the award this year in the ‘Entrepreneurial Vision’ category, for her trail-blazing work in protecting the greater adjutant stork, called ‘hargila’ in Assamese.
Hargilas are five-foot-tall birds that dwell in wetlands in some parts of southeast Asia including India and Cambodia..
Purnima Devi Barman is a wildlife biologist who won the award along with four others from different countries for their transformative action to prevent, halt and reverse ecosystem degradation.
She dedicated the award to Mother Earth and all the mothers of the planet as the best education begins at home on the mother’s lap.
The other recipients include Lebanon’s environmental enterprise Arceniel, Peru’s Constantino (Tino) Aucca Chuta for pioneering a community reforestation model driven by a local community. Sir Partha Dasgupta of the UK in the Science and Innovation Category. Cameroon’s Cecile Bibian Ndjebet for advocating the rights of women in Africa to secure land tenure.
About the award
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) established Champions of the Earth in 2005 as an annual awards programme to recognize outstanding environmental leaders from the public and private sectors, and from civil society.
It is an annual award accorded for transformative action to prevent, halt and reverse ecosystem degradation.
In 2017, the program was expanded to include Young Champions of the Earth.
Two new dwarf varieties of Kalanamak rice has been developed
Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) successfully tested two new dwarf varieties of Kalanamak rice i.e., Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1638 and Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1652 in Uttar Pradesh .
About Kalanamak rice
Kalanamak is a traditional variety of paddy with black husk and strong fragrance.
It is considered a gift from Lord Buddha to the people of Sravasti when he visited the region after enlightenment.
It is grown in 11 districts of the Terai region of northeastern Uttar Pradesh and in Nepal.
It is grown mainly without using fertilizer or pesticide residues, making it perfect for crop production.
It is protected under the Geographical Indication (GI) tag system.
It has been awarded under ‘One District One Product’ (ODOP) scheme as an ODOP product of Siddharthnagar which is an aspirational district located in Terai belt of Uttar Pradesh.
Russia becomes India’s biggest supplier of fertilizers
Russia has become India’s biggest fertilizer supplier in the first half of the 2022-23 fiscal year, overtaking China.
Key Points
Russian exporters reportedly grabbed a 21% share of the Indian fertilizer market in the first half of the 2022-23 fiscal year.
Russian exports reportedly surged 371%, to a record 2.15 million tons from April to October.
In monetary terms, India’s imports over this period increased by 765%, to $1.6 billion.
Russia’s share of Indian fertilizer imports was hovering around 6% during the last fiscal year, while China’s stood at 24%.
In the first half of 2022-23, China’s exports to India halved to 1.78 million tons amid growing Russian supplies.
Arittapatti Village in Madurai notified as Tamil Nadu’s first biodiversity heritage site
The Tamil Nadu Government issued a notification declaring Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage site the first biodiversity heritage site in the State. The declaration was made under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
Key Points
The state government notified 193.215 hectares of area spread across Arittapatti and Meenakshipuram villages in Madurai district as ‘Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage Site’.
Arittapatti village, known for its ecological and historical significance, houses around 250 species of birds including three flagship raptor species – Laggar Falcon , Shaheen Falcon, and Bonelli’s Eagle.
It also has Indian pangolin, python, and slender loris.
The area is surrounded by a chain of seven hillocks or inselbergs that serve as a watershed, charging ‘72 lakes, 200 natural springs and three check dams.’
The Anaikondan Lake, built during the reign of Pandiyan kings in the 16th century is one among them.
Several megalithic structures, rock-cut temples, Tamil Brahmi inscriptions and Jain beds add to the historical significance of the region.
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards 2021
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India announced “Tenzing Norgay Adventure Award” (TNNAA) for the year 2021.
The award is given in four categories which are Land Adventure, Water Adventure, Air Adventure, and Life Time Achievement.
Key Points
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards are given every year to recognize the achievements of persons in the field of adventure.
The award aims to encourage young people to develop the spirit of endurance, risk-taking, cooperative teamwork, and quick, ready, and effective reflexes in challenging situations.
Awardees will receive statuettes, certificates and award money of Rs. 15 lakh each.
This year, the National Selection Committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Secretary (Youth Affairs).
Based on the recommendations of the Committee and after due scrutiny, the Government has decided to confer awards upon the following:
Ms. Naina Dhakad in the Land Adventure category.
Shri Shubham Dhananjay Vanmali in the Water Adventure category.
Group Captain Kunwar Bhawani Singh Samyal in the Life Time Achievement category.
