The Assam government has launched a new tourism policy. The new policy was launched by Jayanta Malla Baruah, state minister of public health engineering, skill development Employment & entrepreneurship and tourism Jayanta Malla Baruah, in New Delhi and was prepared fter consultations with the World Bank, stakeholders and industry experts.
Key Points
The policy aims to improve the tourism sector in Assam and support the private sector engaged in tourism in the state.
It aims to guarantee and safeguard the effective standardisation of processes and practices to foster uniformity, which can result in sustainability and an overall improvement in the quality of tourism products.
It will promote sustainability by limiting the negative effects of tourism on social, environmental, and economic sectors while ensuring the positive effects.
The policy will aim to advance women for management and leadership positions in their companies and encourage employers to provide childcare support and safe transport for female workers. Particular efforts will be made to train women in male-dominated positions such as guides, cooks, waiters, and drivers, and provide recognition to firms that encourage women in these positions.
Mission Basundhara 2.0
Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the Mission Basundhara 2.0 initiative to ascertain the concept of ‘mor maati, mor adhikaar’ (my land, my rights).
It has been developed to make land revenue services more efficient and accessible to citizens. The services under Mission Basundhara 2.0 are ownership rights to occupancy tenants, settlement of transferred annual Patta land among others.
Mission Basundhara initiative was started by the Government of Assam on 2nd October 2021.
About Mission Basundhara 2.0
Mission Basundhara includes land-related services like land mutation, updating of land records and delivery of these services to the people at their homes without visiting Circle offices through a completely digital process.
Settlement of Government ‘khas’ land and ‘ceiling surplus’ land to eligible persons.
Settlement of Annual Patta (AP) lands that have already been transferred from the original AP Holder to eligible occupant by granting Periodic Patta (PP) with a view to confer permanent, heritable and transferable rights to the PP Holder.
Settlement of Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR)
Settlement of hereditairy land to tribal communities.
Settlement of land for special cultivation (tea, coffee, rubber etc.) to indigenous growers.
Northeast Green Summit begins in Umsaw
The 7th edition of the Northeast Green Summit begins in Umsaw, Meghalaya with the theme ‘Balancing People, Planet, Profit: Sustainable Northeast India and BIMSTEC region’.
The event is organised by Vibgyor NE Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that specialises in green issues of Northeast India.
According to the organiser the event will bring together policy makers, green professionals and budding entrepreneurs.
The event aims to celebrate the rich and diverse natural and cultural heritage of Northeast India, showcase their inter-linkages and focus on the need for an integrated approach for sustaining this heritage.
The summit will showcase the region’s achievements in adopting green practices, products and services. It is striving towards preserving, maximising and developing the potential of the unique biodiversity zone of Northeast India through various awareness programmes.
Shri Arun Goel appointed as new Election Commissioner
President Droupadi Murmu has appointed retired IAS Arun Goel as Election Commissioner of India with effect from the date he assumes the office.
Goel will join Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey in the poll panel.
The post of Election Commissioner in the three-member Election Commission of India had been vacant since May when Rajiv Kumar was elevated from the post of Election Commissioner to CEC upon the retirement of Sushil Chandra.
Arun Goel is an IAS officer from the Punjab cadre. Even though he was scheduled to retire on December 31 at age 60, he took voluntary retirement. Until his voluntary retirement, he was the secretary for heavy industries. He previously worked for the union ministry of culture.
Gandhi Mandela Award 2022
The 14th Dalai Lama conferred the Gandhi Mandela Award 2022 at Thekchen Choeling in Dharamshala’s McleodGanj by the governor of Himachal Pradesh Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.
Key Points
The Gandhi Mandela Foundation is a non-profit organisation and a government of India registered Trust.
The foundation is formed with the motive to promote Mahatma Gandhi’s and former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela’s values of non-violence.
It has constituted an international prize, the Gandhi Mandela Award.
The foundation instituted the award on the 150th birth anniversary of MK Gandhi.
The award is given to the personalities who have carried forward the legacies of Gandhi and Mandela by making significant contributions in the fields of Peace, Social Welfare, Culture, Environment, Education, Healthcare, Sports and Innovation.
This time, the awardee, Dalai Lama, was selected by a jury including former Chief Justice of India, former Chief Justice of Nepal and former Chief Justice of Bangladesh.
The Dalai Lama is the recipient of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize.
National Sports Awards 2022
The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announced the National Sports Awards 2022. The President of India will present the awards to the recipients at a specially organized function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 30, 2022.
Key Points
Major Dhyaan Chand Khel Ratna Award: Shri Sharath Kamal AchantaTable Tennis
Arjuna Awards For Sports and Games 2022:
Ms Seema PuniaAthletics
Shri Eldhose PaulAthletics
Shri Avinash Mukund SableAthletics
Shri Lakshya SenBadminton
Shri Prannoy HSBadminton
Shri AmitBoxing
Ms Nikhat ZareenBoxing
Ms Bhakti Pradip KulkarniChess
Shri R PraggnanandhaaChess
Ms Deep Grace EkkaHockey
Ms Shushila DeviJudo
Ms Sakshi KumariKabaddi
Ms Nayan Moni SaikiaLawn Bowl
Shri Sagar Kailas OvhalkarMallakhamb
Ms ElavenilValarivanShooting
Shri Omprakash MitharvalShooting
Ms Sreeja AkulaTable Tennis
Shri Vikas ThakurWeightlifting
Ms AnshuWrestling
Ms SaritaWrestling
Shri ParveenWushu
Ms Manasi Girishchandra JoshiPara Badminton
Shri Tarun DhillonPara Badminton
Shri Swapnil Sanjay PatilPara Swimming
Ms Jerlin Anika JDeaf Badminton
Dronacharya Award for Coaches in Sports and Games: Regular Category:
Shri Jiwanjot Singh TejaArchery
Shri Mohammad Ali QamarBoxing
Ms Suma Siddharth ShirurPara Shooting
Shri Sujeet MaanWrestling
Dronacharya Award for Coaches in Sports and Games: Lifetime Category
Shri Dinesh Jawahar LadCricket
Shri Bimal Prafulla GhoshFootball
Shri Raj SinghWrestling
Dhyanchand Award For Lifetime Achivement:
Ms Ashwini Akkunji C.Athletics
Shri Dharamvir SinghHockey
Shri B.C SureshKabaddi
Shri Nir Bahadur GurungPara Athletics
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2022: Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar
Awards
Dhyan Chand Award: It was instituted in 2002. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is given for the most spectacular and outstanding performance by the sportsperson over the period of the previous four years.
Arjuna awards: It was instituted in 1961. The “Arjuna Award for outstanding performance in Sports and Games” is granted in recognition of exemplary performance over the course of the previous four years as well as leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline-related attributes.
Dronacharya Awards: It was instituted in 1985 to honour eminent Coaches for producing medal winners at prestigious International sports events.
The “Dronacharya Award for exceptional coaches in Sports and Games” is granted to coaches who consistently perform excellent and meritorious work and help athletes succeed in international competitions.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy: It was instituted in 1956-57. It is given to the overall Top performing University in inter-university tournaments.
Rashtriya Khel Protsahana Purushkar: It was instituted from 2009 to recognize the corporate entities (both in private and public sector) and individuals who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and development.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma launches Assam Millet Mission
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the Assam Millet Mission at a function held in Guwahati.
The programme aims to expand and increase millet cultivation across the state.
Key Points
Millet Mission is targeted to raise the nutrition quotient and doubling of farmers’ income.
The mission will also increase crop productivity and contribute to crop diversification.
It will help the farmers of Assam to gain knowledge and handholding about millet farming.
Synchronizing with the programme, the Assam chief minister also started the process of distributing power tillers, pump sets, mini trucks, harvesters, crop seeds, financial aids among beneficiaries.
Along with launching the Millet Mission, the Chief Minister also launched six soil testing and quality control laboratories Bongaigaon, morigaon,Golaghat, Udalgiri,Karimganj and Darrang.
Manipur will host Femina Miss India 2023 in Northeast
The government of Manipur has signed a partnership agreement with the Times group to host the 59th edition of Femina Miss India in the Northeast state of Manipur in April 2023.
The finale of the 59th Femina Miss India in Manipur will be historic as it will be the first to be held in Northeast India.
The partnership agreement was signed between Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Vineet Jain, managing director of Times group.
The objective of this agreement is to celebrate the diverse and inclusive Indian culture and to inspire and empower the local youths by welcoming the best of India talents and providing an opportunity to showcase the state’s rich cultural heritage.
Asia’s largest fountain will be installed in Ujjayanta Palace in Agartala
Asia’s largest fountain will be installed in one of the lakes of Ujjayanta Palace in Agartala in Tripura.
Key Points
The fountain will be 120 metres tall which will be the largest in Asia, will be done under the Agartala Smart City Limited (ASCL) project.
Installation of this fountain at the Ujjayanta Palace in Agartala will be completed by January 2023.
The central government released Rs 294 crore and the state government gave Rs 78 crore. The total amount stands at Rs 372 crore of which Rs 342 crore have been spent on construction so far CEO of ASCL Dr Shailesh Kumar Yadav said.
In total, 67 projects were enlisted and among them, 49 have been completed while 17 projects are are still in progress.
Manipur tops in the Northeast Olympic Games for the second consecutive time
Manipur bagged the top position in the Northeast Olympic Games for the second consecutive time with 237 medals, including 85 (gold), as the second edition of the regional multi-sport event.
Key Points
The Games are being organised by the government of Meghalaya and the state Olympic Association under the aegis of Northeast Olympic Association (NEOA).
Manipur bagged the top position with a total of 240 medals which included 88 gold medals, 75 silver and 77 bronze medals.
Assam took the second spot with a total of 203 medals which included 79 gold medals, 61 silver and 63 bronze medals.
Arunachal Pradesh got the third spot from the host State with a total of 112 medals which included 39 gold, 36 silver and 37 bronze medals.
Meghalaya was at the 4th spot followed by Nagaland at the 5th, Mizoram at 6th, Tripura at 7th and Sikkim was at the last position.
Around 3000 athletes competed in 18 disciplines at 12 venues spread across Shillong. The first edition in Manipur had 12 disciplines.
Nagaland will host the third edition of the Northeast Olympic Games.
Manipur had also topped the medal tally (80 gold, 49 silver, and 33 bronze) when it hosted the inaugural Games in October 2018.
India ranks 8th on Climate Change Performance Index
India has ranked 8th in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2023. India jumps two spots higher to rank eighth out of 63 countries in the Climate Change Performance Index 2023 (CCPI).
The Climate Change Performance Index report was published by German Watch, New Climate Institute and Climate Action Network International based in Germany.
About Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI)
The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), which has been published since 2005, aims to enhance transparency in international climate politics and enables comparison of climate protection efforts and progress made by individual countries.
The CCPI is an independent monitoring tool for tracking the climate protection performance of 59 countries and the EU.
Every year, the CCPI sets off important public and political debates within the countries assessed.
The climate protection performance of these 59 countries, which together account for 92% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The CCPI looks at four categories, with 14 indicators: GHG Emissions (40% of the overall score), Renewable Energy (20%), Energy Use (20%), and Climate Policy (20%).
Key Highlights of the report
In the overall standings, no country ranked first, second or third on the index. Denmark, with a score of 79.61, ranked fourth, followed by Sweden and Chile.
India scored 67.35 points. India’s ranking in categories: In GHGs, it ranked 9 , Renewable Energy (24 ), and Energy Use (9 ), and on Climate Policy (8 ).
The ranking given by CCPI places India as the only G-20 country in the top 10 rank.
The United States rose by three ranks to the 52nd, Iran (63rd), Saudi Arabia (62nd) and Kazakhstan (61st) fared the worst.
Economist Arvind Virmani appointed as full-time member of NITI Aayog
The Government of India has appointed the former Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Virmani as a full-time member of NITI Aayog.
His appointment as the full-time member of NITI Aayog has been approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Currently, there are three members: Dr V K Saraswat, Professor Ramesh Chand and Dr V K Paul.
About Arvind Virmani
Mr. Virmani is the founder-chairman of the non-profit public policy organisation Foundation for Economic Growth and Welfare.
He has served as the Chief Economic Advisor in the Finance Ministry during the Manmohan Singh led Government from 2007 to 2009.
In 2009, he was appointed the Executive Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and he served there till 2012. During his tenure at IMF, he represented India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan.
He was a member of the Reserve Bank of India’s Technical Advisory Committee on Monetary Policy from February 2013 to August 2016.
Assam govt signs MoU with IIM Bangalore for training young professionals
The government of Assam has signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Management (Bangalore) for a training programme for young professionals.
and facilitators to support government administration.
The Chief Minister’s Young Professional Programme (CMYPP) aims at bringing transformative changes in health, education, women, and child development in the state.
Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Samir Kumar Sinha singed the MoU on behalf of the Government of Assam and Director IIM Bangalore Prof. Rishikesha T Krishnan signed the understanding on behalf of IIM Bangalore to develop a cadre of committed and competent leaders.
Indo-US joint training exercise ‘YUDH ABHYAS 22’
The 18th edition of Indo – US joint training exercise “YUDH ABHYAS 22” is scheduled to be conducted in Uttarakhand this month. The previous edition of the exercise was conducted at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska (USA) in October 2021.
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 joint exercise will also focus on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
The training schedule focuses on employment of an integrated battle group under Chapter VII of the UN Mandate and the schedule will include all operations related to peace keeping & peace enforcement.
Troops from both nations will practice launching of swift & coordinated relief efforts in the wake of any natural calamity.
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.
Supreme Court agree to hear plea against first amendment of constitution
The Supreme Court of India agreed to examine a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) challenging changes made to the right to freedom of speech and expression by the first amendment act 1951.
About First Amendment to the Constitution
First Amendment to the Constitution amended Articles 15, 19, 85, 87, 174, 176, 341, 342, 372 and 376.
Provided for the saving of laws providing for the acquisition of estates, etc.
Added the ninth schedule to protect anti-zamindari laws from judicial review. After Article 31, Articles 31A and 31B were inserted.
Added three more grounds for restrictions on freedom of speech and expression: public order, friendly relations with foreign states, and incitement to an offense. Also, it made the restrictions ‘reasonable’ and thus, justiciable in nature.
Provided that state trading and nationalization of any trade or business by the state is not to be invalid on the ground of violation of the right to trade or business.
Arguments against this Amendment
The petitioner, Section 3(1) of the amending Act substituted original Clause (2) of Article 19 with a new Clause (2), which contained two objectionable insertions.
Original Clause (2) of Article 19 was dealing with reasonable restrictions on the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a).
New Clause (2), contained “two objectionable insertions” allowing restrictions also “in the interest of public order” and “in relation to incitement to an offence”.
The amendment neglects national security by dropping the expression ‘tends to overthrow the State’ which raises grave concern in the context of the dangers posed to the concept of the secular democratic republic by radicalism, terrorism and religious fundamentalism.
These two Insertions Protect Sections:
124A: Sedition
Section 153A: Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.
295A: Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs)
505: Statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code from the vice of unconstitutionality.
The plea urged the court to declare Section 3 (1)(a) and 3 (2) of the First Amendment “beyond the amending power of Parliament” and void since the “same damage the basic or essential features of the Constitution and destroy its basic structure”.
G-20 Summit 2022
The 17th G20 Summit began in Bali, Indonesia with the theme of ‘Recover Together, Recover Stronger’. Leaders from the world’s major economies attended the summit.
Key Points
The two-day Bali Summit comprises three working sessions at the leaders’ level, in which PM Modi will be participating.
The summit focuses on global economic recovery, global health architecture, digital transformation, sustainable energy transition and climate change etc.
The world is currently struggling with many important challenges including environmental challenges, lack of progress in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), uneven post-pandemic economic recovery, debt vulnerabilities especially in the countries of the global south, ongoing conflict in Europe etc.
G20 leaders will discuss these challenges and underscore the importance of closer multilateral cooperation to help overcome these challenges.
They promised to take coordinated action to address food security challenges and recognised the importance of digital transformation in reaching the sustainable development goals.
They encouraged international collaboration to further develop digital skills and digital literacy.
They expressed their continuous commitment to promoting a healthy and sustainable recovery which builds towards achieving and sustaining universal health coverage.
The 2022 summit is especially important for India since it will be taking over the G20 presidency from Indonesia from December 1, 2022.
19th ASEAN-India Summit
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar led the Indian delegation, including the External Affairs Minister, Dr S. Jaishankar, at the 19th ASEAN-India Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The Vice President of India stated that India-ASEAN relationship forms the central pillar of India’s ACT-EAST policy. He reiterated India’s support to ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific.
He said that India and Cambodia share rich traditions and culture while having centuries-old civilization connect. He further added that today Cambodia is an important interlocutor and partner in our ‘Act East’ policy and the ASEAN.
Key Points
At the summit, ASEAN and India adopted a joint statement announcing the elevation of the existing Strategic Partnership to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, maritime safety and security, freedom of navigation and overflight in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Joint Statement also reiterated the commitment to enhance India-ASEAN cooperation in various areas such as maritime activities, counter-terrorism, transnational crimes, cyber security, digital economy, regional connectivity, smart agriculture, environment, science & technology, tourism, among other areas.
The Joint Statement also proposes expediting the review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) to make it more user-friendly, simple, and trade-facilitative.
About Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on August 8, 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand.
It is a regional grouping to promote economic growth, peace, security, social progress and cultural development.
Its member states are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
India is hosting the two-day conclave to mark the 30th anniversary of its relations with the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The year 2022 has been designated as the ‘ASEAN-India Friendship Year’. This year also marks the tenth anniversary of India’s strategic cooperation with ASEAN.
India and ASEAN
ASEAN and India share land and maritime borders, and there is a lot of scope for enhancing connectivity through land, air and sea.
India and several other countries, including the US, China, Japan and Australia, are its dialogue partners.
India provides financial assistance to the ASEAN nations through various mechanisms like ASEAN-India Cooperation Fund, ASEAN-India S&T Development Fund and ASEAN-India Green Fund.
India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway is an ongoing effort to enhance road connectivity between Northeast India and Southeast Asia.
Renowned mathematician and great scholar Padma Shri Awardee Shri RL Kashyap passed away. RL Kashyap translated around twenty-five thousand Sanskrit mantras into English language. He wrote more than 250 research papers.
Kashyap has made many important contributions to the field of Veda.
He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2021 by the central government for his considerable service in the field of studying the Vedas.
Kashyap received many international awards for his immense contributions to the fields of science and technology.
Kashyap worked as a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computers for three decades at Purdue University in America.
Q1. Which Notheastern state has celebrated the 7th edition of the Amur Falcon Festival has been in which of the following state?
Nagaland
Mizoram
Manipur
Arunachal Pradesh
Manipur
The 7th edition of the Amur Falcon Festival has celebrated in the Tamenglong district of Manipur.
Q2. Which country won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022?
India
New Zealand
Pakistan
England
England
England defeated Pakistan by 5 wickets to win the ICC Men’s T20I world Cup 2022.
Q3. World’s highest polling booth Tashigang is located in which state?
Himachal Pradesh
Uttarakhand
Sikkim
Jammu and Kashmir
Himachal Pradesh
Around 98.08 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the world’s highest polling station booth in Tashigang, in Himachal Pradesh.
Q4. Which country will host the Kabaddi World Cup 2025?
India
South Korea
Bangladesh
UK
UK
The World Kabaddi Federation announced that the UK’s West Midlands Region will host the 2025 Kabaddi World Cup.
Q5. The Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary has been notified in which state?
Karnataka
Tamil Nadu
Kerala
Telangana
Tamil Nadu
In its latest step for wildlife conservation, the Tamil Nadu government has notified a “Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary.”
Q6. When is World Diabetes Day 2022 observed?
14 November
05 November
17 November
01 November
14 November
The theme of World Diabetes Day between the years 2021 and 2023 is a really important topic “Access to Diabetes Care.”
Q7. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2022 will be awarded to whom?
Achanta Sharath Kamal
Pullela Gopichand
Kapil Dev
Narain Karthikeyan
Achanta Sharath Kamal
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2022 will be awarded to the Table Tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal.
Q8. Which country is the frontrunner in climate mitigation, as per the Climate Change Performance Index?
India
Germany
Japan
Norway
Denmark
As per the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), the current frontrunner in climate mitigation continues to be Denmark.
Q9. Who has been recently awarded the UK’s Royal Order of Merit in recognition of their distinguished service to science?
C.N.R Rao
Venki Ramakrishnan
Dr Anish Ghosh
Dr Saket Saurabh
Venki Ramakrishnan
Nobel laureate professor Venki Ramakrishnan has been awarded the prestigious Order of Merit by Britain’s King Charles III in recognition of his distinguished service to science.
Q10. India’s rank in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2023 is
4th
7th
8th
11th
8th
India has climbed two spots to bag the eighth position out of 63 in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2023.
Q11. India’s rank among the largest producers of steel in the world?
China
USA
Saudi Arabia
India
India
India has also moved from 4th largest producer of steel to the second largest producer of steel at a global scale.
Q12. Uttar Pradesh Govt announced to make Mathura Vrindavan a carbon-neutral tourist destination by which year?
2024
2029
2035
2041
2041
Q13. National Education Day is observed on November 11 to mark the birth anniversary of
Madan Mohan Malaviya.
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
M. Visvesvaraya
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
National Education Day is celebrated every year in India on November 11 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
Q14. World population, as per the World Population Prospects 2022?
10 Billion
9 Billion
8 Billion
7 Billion
8 Billion
As per the ‘World Population Prospects 2022’ report, the world’s population will reach 8 billion.
Q15. Which state has emerged as an overall team champion of the North East Olympic Games 2022?
Manipur
Arunachal Pradesh
Assam
Meghalaya
Manipur
The 2nd edition of the North East Olympic Games concluded in Shillong, Meghalaya with Manipur emerging as the overall team champion with a total of 240 medals which included 88 Gold Medals, 75 Silver Medals, and 77 Bronze Medals.
Union Minister Gadkari approves Rs 68,000-cr road projects in four Northeastern states
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari approved Rs 68,000 crore, in four Northeastern states to make international standard surface connectivity.
According to Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, the new projects worth Rs 50,000 crore for Assam, Rs 9,000 crore for Meghalaya, Rs 5,000 crore for Nagaland and Rs 4,000 crore for Sikkim were approved.
He stressed upon the importance of coordination and partnership between Central and State agencies to develop top-class transport infrastructure in North Eastern States.
He announced several infrastructure development projects for Assam. He also approved many Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the state.
He informed that his Ministry has approved the DPR of a ring road in Guwahati including a new bridge over Brahmaputra connecting Narengi and Kuruwa apart from 10 flyovers across the State.
Assam government approved the proposal to engage retired Army veterans for training the State Police Personnel
The government of Assam has given its approval to the proposal to engage the retired Army veterans for training the State Police Personnel.
According to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, at least 34 retired Army personnel will be appointed by the state government to impart training to the state police personnel in battalions.
In order to remove disparity in remuneration between Assam Civil Service (ACS) and Assam Police Service (APS) officers the approval has been given by the Assam government to bring parity to pay and promotions (up to the Selection Grade level) for both ACS and APS officers.
During the Assam cabinet meeting several other key decisions in regards to installation of smart meters, enhancement of power supply and bringing parity in pay/promotion of ACS and APS officers were also taken.
State of Food and Agriculture Report, 2022
The State of Food and Agriculture 2022 is one of the annual flagship reports released by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
It provides comprehensive insights into the various issues related to the field of food and agriculture based on science-based assessment. It covers topics that are important for rural and agricultural development as well as global food security.
Highlights of the report
The report assessed various drivers of agricultural automation, including the recently developed digital technologies.
The report analyzed the business case for the adoption of these digital automation technologies based on 27 case studies across various agricultural production systems in the world.
It identified various challenges that are preventing inclusive adoption of these technologies, especially by small-scale producers.
It recognized two major barriers for their adoption – low digital literacy and lack of supportive infrastructure like connectivity and access to electricity.
The report recommended policies that will enable disadvantaged groups to access the agricultural automation technologies, which will help in the creation of sustainable and resilient agri-food systems.
Agriculture sectors in high-income countries in North America, Europe and Oceania have been highly mechanized since the 1960s.
Only ten of the twenty-seven service providers are profitable and financially sustainable. All of these profitable service providers are based in high-income and used solutions that are in the mature phase, serving only large-scale producers.
Adoption is especially limited in sub-Saharan Africa. Agriculture in this region is dominated by human and animal power, limiting productivity significantly. The report recommends setting up sustainable rental mechanisms to address this issue.
The report addresses the concerns regarding the unemployment crisis caused by labour-saving technologies. It gives several recommendations in this regard:
Avoiding subsidization of automation in regions where rural labor is abundant and wages are low
Creation of favorable environment for the adoption of automation technology
Providing social security for low-skilled workers who are likely to lose their livelihood because of the automation.
India will host Women’s World Boxing Championships in 2023
India will host the Women’s World Boxing Championships in 2023 in New Delhi.
This will be the third time that the elite women’s competition will be held in the country having conducted the championships in 2006 and 2018 in New Delhi.
The International Boxing Association (IBA) and the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) signed the MoU in presence of IBA President Umar Kremlev and BFI President Ajay Singh.
Recently, BA President Umar Kremlev, had announced that the men’s world championship, to be held in Tashkent next year in May.
Atal Innovation Mission launches women centric challenges under ANIC program
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog today launched Woman centric challenges under phase-II of the 2nd edition of the Atal New India Challenge (ANIC).
ANIC is an initiative launched to select and support technology-based innovations that solve sectoral challenges of national importance and societal relevance through a grant-based mechanism of up to ₹1 crore.
Key Points
The Woman centric challenges address the major issues faced by women from all spheres of life.
These include driving women hygiene through innovation, innovations to improve women’s safety, professional networking opportunities for women, innovations that make working mothers’ life better, and easing the life of Rural Women.
NITI Aayog currently runs the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), which was launched in 2018, to help women become entrepreneurs, scale up their innovations and create sustainable, long-term strategies for their businesses.
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is Government of India’s flagship initiative to create and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of our country.
AIM’s objective
Developing new programs and policies to promote innovation in various sectors of the economy.
Providing forums and opportunities for collaboration for various stakeholders.
To create an umbrella structure to create awareness and monitor the innovation ecosystem of the country.
PM Narendra Modi flagged off first ‘Vande Bharat’ train in South India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first Vande Bharat Express Train on the Mysore-Chennai route at Krantiveera Sangolli Railway station in Bengaluru.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also flagged off the ‘Bharat Gaurav Kashi Darshan’ train which is operated by Karnataka’s Muzrai Department under the ‘Bharat Gaurav’ train policy of Railways.
Key Points
This will be the fifth Vande Bharat Express train in the country and the first such train in South India.
The Chennai-Mysuru Vande Bharat Express will boost connectivity as well as commercial activities between Chennai, Bengaluru and Mysuru.
Vande Bharat Express Train is touted to be an advanced version of trains developed indigenously by the Indian Railways.
PM Modi also flagged off the ‘Bharat Gaurav Kashi Darshan’ train. Under the ‘Bharat Gaurav’ train policy of Railways, the train is operated by Karnataka’s Muzrai Department.
Karnataka is the first state to take up this train under the Bharat Gaurav scheme in which the Government of Karnataka and the Ministry of Railways are working together to send pilgrims from Karnataka to Kashi.
Chief Minister of Assam inaugurates Northeast’s largest-ever cold storage facility in the state
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated North-East India’s largest-ever cold storage facility at Chaygaon and also inaugurated a fruit processing centre at Panery.
Key Points
The cold storage facility will have 5,000-MT capacity.
The facility has been constructed by the state government at the cost of Rs 24.75 crores.
The Assam CM also emphasised on the planting of high-value trees like sal, agar, teak, etc, at home to reap economic benefits.
While addressing the event, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, the food processing and proper packaging of agricultural produce will lead to economic transformation in our state.
Chief Minister of Assam inked mou with Bright Star Investments Pvt. Ltd for medical infrastructure
Chief Minister of Assam inked mou with Bright Star Investments Pvt. Ltd for medical infrastructure development of the academic block of the second medical college in Guwahati.
It is for the first time that the Assam government has collaborated with the private sector for building infrastructure of a medical college in the state. Bright Star Investments Pvt. Ltd. has chosen Assam as the first state to start the noble collaboration.
Chief Minister Dr. Sarma also said that the state government is working with a vision of one medical college per district in Assam. The government has taken steps for setting up 15 new medical colleges in addition to the nine existing ones.
With the increase in medical colleges in the state, the number of MBBS seats have also increased from 726 in 2014 to 1,200 in 2022. Till 2014, the total number of postgraduate (PG) seats in Assam was 395. In 2022, the total number of PG seats has increased to 711.
India participates in Malabar Naval Exercise-2022
India is participating in the 26th International Malabar Naval exercise Yokosuka of Japan. Australia, Japan and the US are also participating in the Malabar Naval Exercise.
Key Points
The naval forces of these countries will take part in the exercise till the 18th of next month. Indian Naval Ships Shivalik and Kamorta are ready to demonstrate at the event.
It marks the 30th anniversary of the multinational maritime exercise MALABAR which began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between India and US.
The exercise will witness live weapon firings, complex surface, Anti-Air and Anti-Submarine Warfare drills, and joint manoeuvres including advanced tactical exercises.
The presence of these indigenously built ships of the Indian Navy will also be an opportunity to showcase the ship-building capabilities of Indian shipyards.
Aruna Miller becomes first Indian-American to be Lt Governor of Maryland
Aruna Miller has became the first Indian-American to hold the office of Lieutenant Governor in Maryland, Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
Aruna Miller, a former delegate to the Maryland House, was on the Lieutenant Governor ticket along with Wes Moore.
She represented District 15 in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2010 to 2018. She ran for Congress in 2018 in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District and secured the second spot among eight candidates.
he Lieutenant Governor is the state’s highest official following the Governor and assumes the role when the Governor is out of State or incapacitated.
The 2nd edition of North East Olympic Games 2022 will be organised in Meghalaya
The Government of Meghalaya and the North East Olympic Association (NEOA) will host the 2nd edition of the North East Olympic Games 2022 in Shillong, Meghalaya from 10th November to 16th November.
Key Points
Over 3,000 athletes from the eight north-eastern states will participate across 18 sports disciplines.
Disciplines in the games include archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, football, judo, karate, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, wushu, cycling, golf, weightlifting and wrestling.
The official game mascot, ‘NEO’, is inspired by the Clouded Leopard, the state animal of Meghalaya.
The attire worn by NEO is a fusion of the cultures of the prominent tribes of Meghalaya.
The first edition of the North East Olympic Games was held in Manipur in 2018.
Irene Dkhar of Meghalaya was crowned Miss Northeast after she won the hearts of the judges in the final round, raising the issue of mental health.
Q2. The National Cancer Awareness Day observed on
November 03
November 07
November 09
November 17
November 07
National Cancer Awareness Day is observed every year on November 7 to raise awareness about the deadly disease.
Q3. Which institution has recently released the report titled ‘Adaptation Gap Report 2022: Too Little, Too Slow – Climate adaptation failure puts the world at risk’?
NASA
NITI Aayog
UNEP
World Bank
UNEP
The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) launched a report titled ‘Adaptation Gap Report 2022: Too Little, Too Slow – Climate adaptation failure puts the world at risk’.
Q4. Which team has won the ‘Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2022’ for the first time?
Mizoram
West Bengal
Kerala
Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai defeated Himachal Pradesh to win the 2022 edition of the ‘Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2022’.
Q5. Which country has recently created a world record by operating the world’s longest passenger train?
China
Australia
Switzerland
USA
Switzerland
Switzerland has created a world record by operating the world’s longest passenger train. The train is designed to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the country’s first train system. The train has 100 coaches, measures 1910 metres and consists of 4,550 seats.
Q6. Which organisation released the ‘State of the Global Climate in 2022’ report?
UNEP
World Meteorological Organization
World Bank
IUCN
World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization released the provisional State of the Global Climate in 2022 report.
Q7. Which technology giant company has recently launched the FloodHub platform that will display when and where floods may occur?
Meta
Microsoft
Amazon
Google
Google
Google, an American technology giant, has launched a platform that displays flood forecasts, namely ‘FloodHub’.
Q8. Reliance India Limited will develop India’s first multi-modal logistics park in which state?
Tripura
Gujarat
Tamil Nadu
Odisha
Tamil Nadu
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has been awarded the project to build India’s first multimodal logistics park (MMLP) in Chennai by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
Q9. Which aerospace company will launch India’s first privately developed rocket Vikram-S?
Garuda Aerospace
Skyroot Aerospace
Antrix Corporation
Skylabs Aerospace
Skyroot Aerospace
Skyroot Aerospace, a Hyderabad-based private space startup, is set to launch India’s first private rocket between November 12 and 16 from the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Sriharikota.
Q10. Which country hosts the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC?
USA
Egypt
Sri Lanka
France
Egypt
The 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, is being held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt in November 2022.
Q11. Which country is the leading producer of millets with 41 per cent of world’s total production?
Pakistan
India
China
Malaysia
India
India is one of the leading producers of millet in the world with an estimated share of 41 per cent of the global production.
Q12. Which country has taken over the G20 Presidency in 2023?
UK
Bangladesh
China
India
India
The theme of India’s G20 Presidency in 2023 is ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or ‘One Earth One Family One Future’.
Q13. Who has been appointed as the Chairperson of the 22nd Law Commission of India?
Rituraj Awasthi
Shri Rajiv Kumar
Anup Chandra Pandey
Arun Goel
Rituraj Awasthi
Q14. Which of the following tiger reserves has recently unveils the elephant adoption scheme?
Kaziranga National Park
Anaimalai Tiger Reserve
Manas Tiger Reserve
Ranthambore National Park
Anaimalai Tiger Reserve
The Anaimalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) has launched an Elephant Adoption Programme in which NGOs, institutions, trusts, or individuals can sponsor the costs of the Forest Department’s camp elephants.
Q15. Who has become the first batter in cricket history to reach 4000 runs in T20 Internationals?
Government of Assam is planning to transform the Assam Medical College (AMC) in Dibrugarh into a state-of-the-art research institute
The government of Assam is planning to transform the Assam Medical College (AMC) in Dibrugarh into a state-of-the-art research institute for dealing with new age ailments.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said this while attending the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Assam Medical College (AMC) in Dibrugarh.
He asked the medical college authority to coordinate the partnership between the state government and IIT Guwahati for high-end medical research.
Hailing the medical college administration for maintaining its rich legacy in medical education and treatment, he asked the college management to initiate its growth and development in sync with its green milieu.
For construction of teachers’ quarters and students’ hostels the Assam government will give Rs 300 crore to Assam Medical College (AMC).
Chief Minister of Meghalaya launches “Citizen Engagement and Communication Programme”
The Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad K Sangma has recently launched “Citizen Engagement and Communication Programme” at Tura, West Garo Hills district, in Meghalaya.
Launching the programme, the Meghalaya Government has initiated various welfare programs and the information should be disseminated for the larger benefit of the public.
Key Points
This program aims at grassroots penetration of all schemes so that governance is improved in all aspects.
The program will create much-needed awareness amongst the masses so that people will have the right information to avail benefits of the schemes being launched by the Government.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma encouraged the team to sensitize themselves so that they can in turn sensitize the public regarding all the available schemes.
SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy Rocket
SpaceX launched the Falcon Heavy rocket into a geosynchronous Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, US.
SpaceX claims Falcon Heavy to be the most powerful rocket in the world.
Key Points
The rocket is carrying satellites to space for the U.S. military in a mission named as US Space Force (USSF)-44.
The rocket has a height of 70 m, a width of 12.2 m and a mass of 1,420,788 kg.
It has a lifting capacity of around 64 metric tonnes into orbit, which can lift more than twice the payload of the next closest operational vehicle, the Delta IV Heavy.
Falcon Heavy has 27 Merlin engines which together generate more than five million pounds of thrust at lift-off, equalling around eighteen 747 aircraft at full power.
Merlin is a family of rocket engines developed by SpaceX for use on its Falcon 1, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles.
Merlin engines use RP-1 and liquid oxygen as rocket propellants in a gas-generator power cycle. These engines were designed for recovery and reuse.
‘Niveshak Didi’ – India’s first floating Financial Literacy Camp
India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has recently conducted India’s First Floating Financial Literacy Camp with an initiative called ‘Niveshak Didi’ in Srinagar,Jammu and Kashmir.
Key Points
The Floating Financial Literacy Camp was conducted among the local residents around the world-famous Dal lake of Srinagar.
The Niveshak Didi held the Financial Literacy session in the local Kashmiri language from Shikara itself.
The session in the camp covered topics ranging from banking and financial products, the significance of joining the mainstream financial services offered by the regulated entities, and the protection against various types of risks involved with the investments.
About Niveshak Didi initiative
“Niveshak Didi” initiative is implemented based on the concept of “by the women, for the women”.
It is launched by IPPB, in collaboration with Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) under the aegis of Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).
World’s first Vedic clock will be installed in Ujjain
Madhya Pradesh education minister Mohan Yadav laid the foundation stone of the world’s first Vedic Clock at the 300-year-old Jiwaji Observatory in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
Key Points
The ‘Vedic Clock’ will be constructed at Jantar Mantar Government Jiwaji Observatory at a cost of Rs 1.62 cr.
This clock will be fixed on the basis of the principles of Vedic time calculation in which the 24 hours of the day are divided into Muhurats.
The Vedic clock will be synced with the position of the Sun.
The application of the Vedic Clock will be used for moon position, festival, auspicious time, birth anniversary, fast, festival major holidays, celestial planets etc.
The citizens will be able to access the Vedic clock through their smartphone, computers, TVs and other electronic gadgets.
Assam Chief Minister flags off new operations of Alliance Air
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, along with Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia attended a virtual programme to flag off the operations of Alliance Air in the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram.
Key Points
New flight operations will lead to greater air connectivity in the North East, particularly between the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Manipur.
As a part of the new operations, Alliance Air will travel between Lilabari, Ziro, Shillong, Imphal and Mizoram.
Lilabari in the Lakhimpur district is an important corridor for the rest of the states.
The launch of these air operations will boost people to people contact, tourism and trade in the region.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that under the Prime Minister’s initiative of the UDAN scheme all important cities of the North East have been brought together under the regional connectivity scheme.
Union Cabinet approves naming of the Hollongi Greenfield Airport in Itanagar as Donyi Polo Airport
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the naming of the new Greenfield Airport at Hollongi, Itanagar, the State Capital of Arunachal Pradesh as “Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar”.
Key Points
The airport is being developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) with assistance from the Central Government and the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Resolution was passed by the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh to name the airport ‘Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar’, which reflects the people’s reverence of the Sun (Donyi) and the Moon (Polo), and symbolises the rich cultural heritage of the State.
The requirement of a Greenfield airport at Hollongi, Itanagar was a long pending demand of the people of Arunachal Pradesh, which has been finally fulfilled under the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
Currently, Tezu and Passighat are the two airports operational in Arunachal Pradesh. The Donyi Polo Airport will be the third operational airport for Arunachal Pradesh.
Northeast’s first fish museum will be set up in Arunachal Pradesh
Northeast’s first fish museum will be established in Tarin (Ziro) in the Lower Subansiri district in Arunachal Pradesh. The museum would be a part of the Integrated Aqua Park (IAP), sanctioned by the Union Ministry of Fisheries.
Key Points
The existing Train Fish Farm (TFF), which is located at high-altitude Bulla Village, will be upgraded as the Integrated Aqua Park where the Northeast’s first fish museum would come up.
The fish museum in Arunachal Pradesh will have all kinds of fish species from the state. It will also serve as a training center for the fisherfolk.
An amount of Rs 43.59 crores was sanctioned for the project in the current financial year as the first installment.
This fish museum will also be India’s first-ever Aqua Park.
The ambitious project is sanctioned under the CSS Component of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, which aims to modernize and strengthen the value chain, establish a robust fisheries management framework and enhance traceability.
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates 7th India Water Week
The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the 7th India Water Week at the India Expo Centre in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The theme of the 7th India Water Week is “Water Security for Sustainable Development and Equity”.
Key Points
The five-day-long events will bring together experts, planners and stakeholders from across the globe.
It is an initiative of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India.
The ministry of water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation organized the 7th edition of India Water Week (IWW) from 1st to 5th November in an effort to raise awareness and conserve and use water resources in an integrated manner.
Denmark, Singapore and Finland are the partner countries for India Water Week 2022.
The event will address the issues of sustainability of water resources development and management in line with the sustainable development goals.
Performance Grading Index (PGI) for 2020-21
The Union Education Ministry’s Department of School Education and Literacy released the Performance Grading Index (PGI) for States/UTs for 2020-21, a unique index for evidence based comprehensive analysis of school education system across State/UTs.
Key Points
The objective of the Performance Grading Index (PGI) is to promote evidence-based policymaking and highlight course correction to ensure quality education for all.
So far, the PGI report has been released for years 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20. The present report is for the year 2020-21.
The PGI structure comprises 1,000 points across 70 indicators grouped into two categories –Outcomes, and governance management.
These categories are further divided into 5 domains, viz, Learning Outcomes (LO), Access (A), Infrastructure & Facilities (IF), Equity (E) & Governance Process (GP).
The PGI divides states and union territories into 10 grades. The highest achievable grade is Level 1, which has states and UTs scoring more than 950 points out of 1,000 points. The lowest grade is Level 10, which has states and UTs scoring less than 551.
The PGI is expected to help States and UTs to pinpoint the gaps and accordingly prioritize areas for intervention to ensure that the school education system is robust at every level.
A total of 7 States and UTs, Viz., Kerala, Punjab, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh have attained Level II (score 901-950) in 2020-21 as compared to none in 2017-18 and 4 in 2019-20.
Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh are the new entrants to the highest achieved level of any state so far.
Ladakh has significantly improved its performance in PGI. It has moved from Level 8 to Level 4 in 2020-21 or improved its score by 299 points in 2020-21 as compared to 2019-20 resulting into the highest ever improvement in a single year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi declares Mangarh Dham as National Monument
Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared Mangarh Dham a National Monument in the Banswara District, Rajasthan. PM Modi mentioned that India’s past, present, and future are not complete without the tribal community.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute to Bhil Freedom fighter Shri Govind Guru at the event.
About Mangarh Dham
Mangarh Dham is a symbol of tenacity and sacrifices of tribals. Mangarh hill holds special importance for the Bhil community and other tribes of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat.
Mangarh Dham is known for the massacre of tribals. The massacre took place in Mangarh on November 17, 1913, where 1.5 lakh Bhil was performing a rally against the British, under the leadership of Shri Govind Guru.
Britishers opened fire at this gathering, leading to Mangarh Massacre where approx. 1500 tribals were martyred.
