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Assam Current Affairs & GK – April 2022

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Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – April 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the month of April 2022)

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 ‘Varuna’ Naval Exercise conducted by India and France

  • The 20th edition of the bilateral naval exercise that is named ‘Varuna’ is being conducted by India and France in the Arabian Sea from 30th March till 3rd April 2022.
  • In this exercise, various units of the two navies which include submarines, ships, fighter aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft, and helicopters are participating.
  • This exercise is conducted so that the participating units can sharpen and enhance their operational skills in the maritime sector. The participating units also look to improve their inter-operability so that they can undertake various maritime security operations. The units also demonstrate their commitment, as an integrated force, to the promotion of the region’s security, peace, and stability.
  • In 1993, this bilateral naval exercises between the Navies of the two were countries were first initiated. In 2001, the name of the exercise was christened ‘Varuna’ and it has become an important part of the bilateral strategic relationship between India and France.

 

India’s First Steel Slag Road at Surat

  • Surat, Gujarat is the first Indian city to get a road built from processed steel slag (industrial waste). This road has been developed as a joint-venture project by the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), NITI Aayog, Union Steel Ministry, and ArcelorMittal-Nippon Steel (AM/NS), at Hazira, a suburb of Surat.
  • This steels road’s construction cost is 30 percent cheaper than the roads that are built using natural aggregates. Also, this road’s thickness is 30 percent lesser than the normal ones. As steel slag is used to construct this road its durability is much longer.
  • This project has been implemented under the Waste to Wealth and Clean India Campaign initiative.

 

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Falguni Nayar and Radha Vembu in Hurun Richest Self-Made Women list 2022

  • Three Indian women Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw of Biocon, Falguni Nayar of Nykaa, and Radha Vembu of Zoho have been featured in the latest Hurun Richest Self-Made Women in the World 2022 (Hurun list of women self-made billionaires).
  • Wu Yajun, a Beijing-based property developer has topped this list. Her estimated worth is USD 17 billion. She cofounded Longfor in 1993 with her ex-husband Cai Kui. In 2021, Longfor reported revenues of USD 34.6 billion.

 

Indians on this list

  • CEO and Founder of Nykaa, Falguni Nayar with 7.6 billion dollars has been placed in the top 10 richest list. She overtook billionaire Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw to become India’s richest self-made woman. She was also featured in first place in Hurun’s list of Top 10 New Faces.
  • Among the biggest risers, Radha Vembu is first in India, and second across the world. Vembu is India’s second-richest self-made woman billionaire with USD 3.9bn. Vembu is Zoho’s product manager, a company she founded along with her brother. On the Hurun list, she has been placed on the 25th rank.
  • Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder and executive chairperson of Biocon Biologics and Biocon Limited, has been placed 26th on the list with a wealth of USD 3.8 bn. From last year she dropped down two places.

 

Arunachal Pradesh inked pack with WWF India to develop State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

  • To develop the State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (SBSAP) a pact has been inked by Arunachal Pradesh with WWF India. The SBSAP will be aligning with the Pakke Declaration and the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
  • Through a participatory approach and multi-stakeholder consultations, the SBSAP will be developed.
  • This pact will be showcasing Arunachal Pradesh’s participatory conservation initiatives and will be looking to develop an action plan that will be inclusive in nature and will be looking to secure nature’s contribution to people.
  • The plan will also be reflecting the people as well as the state’s aspirations toward sustainable development.

 

About Pakke Declaration

  • In 2021, the “Pakke Tiger Reserve 2047 Declaration on Climate Change Resilient and Responsive Arunachal Pradesh” was adopted by the state Govt and aims to promote development that is climate-resilient in the state.
  • This declaration also focuses on multi-sectoral approaches for climate-resilient development and low emission which are based on five themes which are Health and Well-being for all; Environment, Forest, and Climate Change; Livelihoods, and opportunities; Sustainable and Adaptive living; and Evidence generation, and collaborative action.

 

 

HDFC Limited to merge with HDFC Bank

  • HDFC’s board of directors has approved the merger of HDFC Bank, India’s largest private sector bank with HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corporation), India’s largest housing finance firm
  • The deal will be building the housing loan portfolio of the bank and will also be enhancing its existing customer base.
  • Under the agreement that has been proposed, public shareholders will be 100 percent owning HDFC Bank, and HDFC Limited’s existing shareholders will own 41 percent stake in HDFC Bank.
  • The proposed agreement will be creating a large net worth as well as a balance sheet that would allow a greater credit flow into the economy. Also, underwriting of larger ticket loans such as infrastructure loans will be enabled due to this agreement.
  • After merging, the total assets of HDFC Bank and HDFC Ltd will be more than Rs 25 lakh crore. The turnover of HDFC is Rs 35,681.74 crore while for HDFC Bank it is Rs 1.16 lakh crore.

 

Composer Ricky Kej and Indian-American singer-songwriter Falu: Winners at the Grammy Awards 2022

  • At the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, two Indian musicians were among the winners. Falu, an Indian-American singer-songwriter won her maiden Grammy in the category of Best Children’s Music Album. Composer Ricky Kej also won his second Grammy as he and Stewart Copeland won the award in the category of Best New Age Album.
  • Falguni Shah or Falu won the award for her album A Colorful World in the category of Best Children’s Music Album. Falu is a New York-based musician and has collaborated with AR Rahman for the movie Slumdog Millionaire.
  • In 2015, Ricky Kej had won his first Grammy Award and this win was his second. He won the award with Stewart Copeland for the album Divine Tides. He won the award in the Best New Age Album category.
  • Jon Batiste won the Best Album of The Year award. The award for the Best New Artist as well as for Best Pop Vocal Album was won by Olivia Rodrigo and Doja Cat won the award for Best Pop Duo/ Group.

 

India’s export in 2021-2022 touch a record high of USD 418 billion

  • In 2021-22 fiscal, the merchandise exports of India grew to touch a record high of USD 418 billion. This was due to higher exports of products including engineering goods, petroleum products, jewellery, etc. In 2020-21, the merchandise exports of India were worth USD 292 billion.
  • During 2021-22, the goods trade (imports and exports) of the country crossed USD 1 trillion.
  • India’s imports also touched USD 610 billion a record of its own.
  • In March 2022, the outbound shipments of the country also touched a record high of USD 40.38 billion. In March 2021, the exports of India stood at USD 35.26 billion.
  • During the period of April 2021 to March 2022 the Agriculture exports crossed USD 48 billion.
  • The sectors that played a key role in the increase of merchandise exports include engineering, petroleum products, jewellery, gems, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals.

Top export destinations

  • The US, Bangladesh, the UAE, Singapore, the Netherlands, the UK, Hong Kong, Germany, and Belgium were the top export destinations for the products.

 

India’s Agriculture Exports in 2021-22 touched USD 50 billion

  • For FY 2021-22, the exports of agricultural products, including plantation and marine products of India have touched a record USD 50 billion. This is a 20 per cent increase from last year.
  • The export of marine products which stands at USD 7.71 billion has benefitted farmers of West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
  • The export of Spices has touched USD 4 billion.
  • For the first time, coffee exports crossed USD 1 billion and have helped in enhancing the income of coffee growers in Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
  • This growth in export has been achieved due to a surge in shipments of marine products, rice, buffalo meat, sugar, wheat, and raw cotton.
  • This growth has been achieved despite facing logistical challenges like container shortages, high freight rates, etc.
  • This increase in the growth of agriculture export will also enhance the income of the farmers of the country.
  • The highest ever exports have been achieved by
  • rice (USD 9.65 billion)
  • wheat (USD 2.19 billion)
  • sugar (USD 4.6 billion)
  • other cereals (USD 1.08 billion).

 

Tripura and Manipur among Top 3 smaller states performers in NITI AAYOG’S STATE ENERGY & CLIMATE INDEX

  • The State Energy and Climate Index (SECI) has been launched by NITI Aayog. It is a first-of-its-kind index that aims to track the efforts made in the energy and climate sector by the states and UTs of India.
  • This index’s parameters have been devised while keeping in mind the country’s goals regarding clean energy transition and climate change.
  • This index has ranked the states and the UTs of India based on the efforts they have put towards improving energy consumption, energy access, safeguarding the environment, and energy efficiency.
  • This index has also helped to move toward the agenda of the accessible, affordable, clean, and efficient energy transition at the State level.
  • Six parameters have been used by this index that are:
  • Access Affordability and Reliability of Energy
  • Discoms’ (Power distribution companies) Performance
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Clean Energy Initiatives
  • New Initiatives
  • Environmental Sustainability

 

  • The States and the UTs have been categorized into three groups i.e. Achievers, Front Runners, and Aspirants.

Top 3 performers among the larger states

  1. Gujarat
  2. Kerala
  3. Punjab


Top 3 performers among the smaller states

  1. Goa
  2. Tripura
  3. Manipur

 

QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022

  • Recently the QS World University Rankings 2022 by subject has been released. The rankings have been announced for subjects including engineering and technology, humanities and arts, natural sciences, medicine and life sciences, and management and social sciences.
  • Global higher education think-tank QS Quacquarelli Symonds released this report.
  • To rank the universities five components were considered
  1. employer reputation,
  2. academic reputation,
  3. h-index,
  4. research citations per paper,
  5. international research network (by broad-faculty area).

World Rankings in ARTS AND HUMANITIES

  1. University of Oxford
  2. University of Cambridge
  3. Harvard University
  4. University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
  5. Stanford University

World Rankings in ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

  1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  2. University of Cambridge
  3. University of Oxford
  4. Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU)
  5. Stanford University

World Rankings in LIFE SCIENCES AND MEDICINE

  1. Harvard University
  2. University of Oxford
  3. Johns Hopkins University
  4. University of Cambridge
  5. Stanford University

World Rankings in NATURAL SCIENCES

  1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  2. Harvard University
  3. University of Cambridge
  4. University of Oxford
  5. Stanford University

World Rankings in SOCIAL SCIENCES AND MANAGEMENT

  1. Harvard University
  2. University of Oxford
  3. The London School of Political Science and Economics
  4. University of Cambridge
  5. Stanford University

 

Indian Universities in the list

  • In India, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has topped the list.
  • IIT Delhi’s four academic programmes have also featured among the top 100 in the rankings.
  • Under Arts and Humanities category, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the University of Delhi (DU) have secured 101-150 and 151-200 slabs respectively in the History subject.
  • Under Life Sciences category, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has secured a 204 ranking for the subject of medicine followed by Delhi University (330) and Manipal Academy of Higher Education (375).
  • Under Natural Sciences category, for Chemistry IISc Bangalore has been ranked 81 followed by IIT Bombay (112) and IIT Delhi (151-200 slab).
  • For mathematics, IIT Bombay has been placed among the top 200 with a rank of 117. Next on the list are IIT Delhi (128), IIT Kanpur (132), IISc Bangalore (142) and IIT Madras (148).
  • Under Engineering and Technology, IIT Delhi (65) and IIT Bombay (67) have been placed among the top 100 ranks in Computer Science subject. Also, IIT Kanpur (109), IIT Kharagpur (109), IIT Madras (114), and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore (144) have also been placed on this list. Among the top 251-300, IIT Roorkee has been placed. Among the top 301-350, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) has been placed and among 351-400 IIT Guwahati and DU have been placed.

 

Dipika Pallikal won mixed doubles and women’s doubles in World Doubles Squash Championships

  • Dipika Pallikal won the mixed doubles and women’s doubles championships at the World Doubles Squash Championships teaming up with Saurav Ghosal and Joshna Chinappa respectively.
  • This is the first time India has won the gold medal in this tournament.
  • Teaming up with Saurav Ghosal, Dipika first clinched the mixed doubles title with an 11-6, 11-8 win over Alison Waters and Adrian Waller of England.
  • Dipika teamed up with Joshna Chinappa to win the women’s doubles final with an 11-9, 4-11, 11-8 win over Sarah Jane Perry and Alison Waters who were representing England.
  • In 2014 and 2016 India won two silver medals in this tournament. In 2016, Dipika and Saurav had lost the mixed doubles final. In 2014, Saurav and Ritwik Bhattacharya had lost the men’s doubles final.

 

Nilamani Phookan conferred with Jnanpith award

  • Assam Chief Minister, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma presented the country’s highest literary award, the 56th Jnanpith for the year 2021 to one of the most celebrated poets of Assam, Nilamani Phookan.
  • Nilmani Phookan is the third person to win the Jnanpith Award from Assam after Mamoni Roisom Goswami and Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya. The Award carried a Citation, a shawl, and Rs. 11 lakh.

BIOGRAPHY: Nilmani Phookan

  • The octogenarian was awarded the Padma Shri in 1990 and received the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 2002.
  • He was selected as an ‘Emeritus Fellow’ for a period of two years by the Cultural Department, Govt. of India in 1998.
  • Assam Sahitya Sabha also conferred ‘Sahityacharya’ honour to him.
  • The notable works of Phukan are ‘Xurjya Henu Naami Aahe Ei Nodiyedi’, ‘Kabita’ and ‘Gulapi Jamur Lagna’.

 

Waterways Conclave 2022 at Dibrugarh

  • The Waterways Conclave 2022 was organized by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) on 11th and 12th April 2022 in Dibrugarh.
  • The aim of this conclave was to focus on harnessing the potential of the international and domestic waterway ecosystem in the country’s North-eastern region.
  • The industry partner of this conclave was the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).
  • The conclave was launched by Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and AYUSH.
  • The conclave was attended by various stakeholders in the sector of the waterway ecosystem like Senior Govt Officials, Policy Planners, Sector Experts, Domestic and International Investors, Infrastructure players, Cruise Tourism industry, Vessel Owners and Operators, Representatives of Major Ports, Cargo Passengers, and representatives from the Govts of Maritime States in India.
  • The aim of this conclave is to fast-track the Multimodal projects for the development of the country’s Northeast region so that business opportunities, economic activities, and employment generation can be enhanced.
  • Gauhati University (GU) and the IWAI signed an MoU on the research and development as well as investment and consultancy in inland waterways.
  • Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited (BCPL), Dibrugarh and IWAI also signed an MoU for cargo transportation via inland water transport.

 

Discovery of Megalithic Stone Jars in Assam’s Dima Hasao district

  • In the Dima Hasao district of Assam, a number of megalithic stone jars have been discovered. This discovery has highlighted the possible links, that date back to the second millennium BC, between Southeast Asia and the Northeast region of India.
  • Three distinct shaped jars have been documented in the paper, ‘An archaeological survey of the Assam stone jar sites.’
  • In a site named Nuchubunglo, 546 jars were discovered making it the largest such site across the planet.
  • The study that has been published in Asian Archaeology has called for more research so as to understand this cultural relationship between Laos and Assam and Indonesia.
  • Indonesia and Laos are the only two other sites from where such similar jars have been discovered.
  • The jars that were discovered in Assam were first sighted in the year 1929 by John Henry Hutton and James Philip Mills, British civil servants. The presence of the jars was recorded by them to have been found in six different sites in Kobak, Dima Hasao: Derebore (now Hojai Dobongling), Molongpa (now Melangpeuram), Kartong, Bolasan (now Nuchubunglo), and Ndunglo. In 2016 and 2020 more such sites have been discovered.

 

 

ADB loan to Nagaland for Urban Infrastructure Projects

  • The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Govt of India have signed a USD 2 million Project Readiness Financing (PRF) Loan for strengthening the institutional capacity, designing urban infrastructures that are climate-resilient, and improving the mobilization of municipal resources in Nagaland’s 16 district headquarter towns (DHTs).
  • The loan has been signed by Additional Secretary Rajat Kumar Mishra of the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission, Takeo Konishi.
  • The PRF loan will help in the facilitation of various key preparatory activities to ensure projects that are aimed to improve urban infrastructure and other services to boost the economic potential of Nagaland.
  • The loan will ensure the state’s project readiness by undertaking feasibility studies, preparing the implementation of detailed engineering designs for selected subprojects and an urban sector strategy, and capacity building of various state-level agencies for the purpose of project implementation, anchoring reforms, and resource mobilization.

 

Hyderabad and Mumbai recognised as the ‘2021 Tree City of the World’ by Food and Agriculture Organisation

  • The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UN-FAO) along with Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Hyderabad and Mumbai jointly as the ‘2021 Tree City of the World.’
  • The recognition has been won by the two Indian cities due to their commitment to maintaining and growing greenery and urban trees so as to build resilient, healthy, and happy cities.
  • This is the first time Mumbai has made it to the list. Hyderabad has been featured on this list for the second consecutive year.

 

Lieutenant General Manoj Pande appointed India’s New Chief of Army Staff

  • Lieutenant General Manoj Pande will be replacing General Manoj Mukund Naravane as the 29th chief of the Indian Army. He will be taking charge of this post from 1st May 2022.
  • On 1st February he replaced Lieutenant General CP Mohanty as the vice army chief.

BIOGRAPHY: Lieutenant General Pande

  • He is an alumnus of the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun and the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla. In 1982, he was commissioned into the Bombay Sappers after passing out from the IMA.
  • Lt General Pande held prestigious command and staff assignments in counter-insurgency and conventional operations in all types of terrain during his 39-year military career. In the Western theatre, he has commanded an engineer brigade. He has also commanded an infantry brigade along the Line of Control (LoC), in the Ladakh sector and a corps in the North-east region of the country.
  • Before taking over as the army’s vice-chief, he has also served as the Eastern Army Commander. From June 2020 to May 2021, he served as the Andaman and Nicobar Command’s commander-in-chief. After General Narvane retires, he will be the senior-most officer of the Army.
  • He has been conferred with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Param Vishisht Seva Medal, and Vishisht Seva Medal, two times with the GOC-in-C Commendation, and the Chief of Army Staff Commendation.

World Bank Report on Extreme Poverty in India dropped to 10.2% in pre-Covid year of 2019

  • According to a working paper of the World Bank, extreme poverty in India has dropped from 22.5 percent in 2011 to 10.2 percent in the pre-Covid year of 2019. Also, the pace of poverty reduction in rural India has been more than in urban areas of the country.
  • In the urban and rural areas poverty level declined by 7.9 percent and 14.7 percent respectively during the period 2011 to 2019.
  • In 2019, the poverty level stood at 11.6 percent in rural areas and 6.3 percent in urban areas.
  • Extreme poverty measured based on the number of people living on less than USD 1.90 (around Rs 145) per day has been used to measure extreme poverty.

 

World’s Highest Tunnel at Shinku La Pass

  • The world’s highest tunnel will be constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at Shinku La Pass at 16,580 feet. This tunnel will be connecting Himachal Pradesh to Ladakh.
  • The construction of this tunnel by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) will begin by July 2022 and will be completed by 2025.
  • This tunnel will be connecting Ladakh’s Zanskar Valley to Himachal Pradesh. The tunnel’s south portal will be at Shinku La. The tunnel’s north portal will be at Lakhang.
  • This tunnel will help in boosting the economy of the Zanskar Valley as the travel time between Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh will be reduced after this tunnel is opened.

 

National Civil Services Day observed on 21st April

  • On the 21st of April every year, National Civil Services Day is observed to acknowledge the work of all the officers across the country who are engaged in various public service departments.
  • This day also acts as a reminder to the civil servants to run the administration of the nation with the dedication to serving the citizens.
  • This date was chosen to commemorate the day when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Independent India’s first Home Minister, in 1947 addressed the probationers of Administrative Services Officers at Delhi’s Metcalf House in Delhi.
  • Civil servants were referred to as the ‘steel frame of India’ by him as they act as the supporting pillars of the country’s administrative system. Father of Indian Civil Service title has been given to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
  • On 21 April 2006, the first such function was held in New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan and since then this day has been celebrated as National Civil Service Day.

 

India’s first commercial-Green Hydrogen Pilot Plant commissioned at Jorhat

  • Oil India Limited (OIL) has commissioned India’s first commercial-grade green hydrogen production plant at Jorhat, Assam.
  • To produce hydrogen, this plant will be using renewable energy from Oil India’s 500kW solar plant pump station.
  • The produced hydrogen will be blended with natural gas to run hydrogen buses in the state of Assam.
  • This newly commissioned pilot project has a daily production capacity of 10kg, which will be increased to 30kg per day.
  • Green hydrogen has the potential of replacing fossil fuels.
  • Green Hydrogen is being produced in the plant from the electricity that is generated by the existing 500kW Solar plant utilizing a 100 kW Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) Electrolyser array. This is the first time AEM technology is being used in India. This plant is a big step toward the country’s target of achieving energy independence.

 

Ajay Kumar Sood is the new Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to Govt of India

  • Ajay Kumar Sood, an eminent physicist has been appointed as the central Govt’s principal scientific advisor (PSA). He will be succeeding renowned biologist K Vijay Raghavan.
  • He is a member of the Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council to the Prime Minister.
  • He is known for his work on graphene. Also, he is a physics professor at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.
  • The PSA’s office has the aim of providing objective and pragmatic advice to the cabinet as well as the prime minister on matters that are related to the fields of technology, science, and innovation with a special focus on the application of technology and science in economic and social sectors and critical infrastructure in cooperation with the various Govt departments, industries, and institutions.

 

 

 

 

NIXI World-Class Data Centre to be setup in Tripura

  • A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been inked between the Govt of Tripura and the NIXI-CSC Data Services Centre to establish an international standard Data Centre in the state.
  • To set up this proposed data centre, CSE e-governance services Ltd and the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) have floated a joint venture.
  • The international standard Data Centre will be located at Indranagar, the headquarters of Tripura’s IT Bhavan.
  • Rs 150 crore will be invested by the joint venture company while the state Govt will only be providing the space for setting up the Data Centre.
  • The MoU was signed by AK Bhattacharjee, in-charge director of the IT department on behalf of Tripura and CEO Anil Jain, NIXI-CSC Data Services Centre.

 

Suman Bery appointed as Vice-chairperson of NITI Aayog

  • The central Govt appointed economist Suman Bery as the vice-chairman of NITI Aayog after Rajiv Kumar resigned from the post on 22nd April 2022.

BIOGRAPHY: Suman Bery

  • Suman Bery was the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) director-general for a period of 10 years from 2001 to 2011.
  • He was also a senior visiting fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, Delhi.
  • He is a Global Fellow in the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars’ Asia programme in Washington, DC. Also, he is a non-resident Fellow of Bruegel which is a Brussels based economic policy research institution.
  • He had earlier served as a member of India’s Statistical Commission, Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, and Reserve Bank of India’s Technical Advisory Committee on Monetary Policy.
  • From 2012 to mid-2016 he served as the Chief Economist of Shell International and also advised the management and the board of Royal Dutch Shell on global political and economic developments.
  • Prior to joining NCAER, he was with the World Bank, Washington DC, having joined through the Young Professionals’ Program. At World Bank, he worked on country policy and strategy, and financial sector development notably in the Caribbean and Latin America. His country experience included Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Chile.
  • Between 1992 to 1994 he was also appointed as a Special Consultant to the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India

 

 

 

National Panchayati Raj Day observed on 24th of April

  • On the 24th of April annually, National Panchayat Raj Day is celebrated. In 2010 this day was first celebrated.
  • In India there are over six lakh villages, with over 750 districts and six thousand blocks that are all governed by the Panchayati Raj system.
  • Panchayati Raj Institution is one of India’s oldest governing bodies. A panchayat is a five-member assembly that works for the improvement of local communities and settles disputes at a lower level.

History of this day

  • On this day in 1992, the Indian constitution’s 73rd amendment was enacted. As a result of this amendment, the powers of the grassroots were decentralized and the Panchayati Raj was founded. Hence, this day is commemorated by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj as the National Panchayati Raj Day.
  • It was necessary to have governing bodies for the country’s rural areas. Hence, in 1957, a committee under the chairmanship of Balwantrai Mehta was established. This committee suggested bringing changes to the central power system and thus the Panchayati raj came into existence. In 1959, the first state to implement this system was Rajasthan.

 

World Malaria Day observed on April 25

  • Annually on the 25th of April World Malaria Day is observed across the world to highlight the need for sustained political commitment and continued investment so as to prevent and control malaria across the world.
  • The World Health Organization has continuously highlighted the need for and also called for innovations and investments to bring in new vector control approaches, antimalarial medicines, diagnostics, and other tools that will help in fighting against malaria.
  • The theme for this year’s world malaria day is “Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives.”
  • In 2007, WHO got the idea of observing this day came from Africa Malaria Day, which is observed by the African Govt since 2001. At the WHO-sponsored World Health Assembly’s 60th session it was proposed to change the Africa Malaria day to World Malaria Day. This was done with the aim of generating greater awareness regarding the fight against malaria.

Malaria

  • The day is significant as despite being a treatable disease, Malaria continues to impact the livelihoods of people all over the world.
  • According to the WHO, in the year 2020 around 241 million new cases of malaria and 6,27,000 fatalities due to malaria in 85 nations were witnessed.
  • In the African region, more than two-thirds of the reported fatalities were among children who were below the age of 5.

Meghalaya Enterprise Architecture (MeghEA) Project won UN Award – World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum Prizes 2022

  • The Govt of Meghalaya’s Planning Department’s initiative of the “e-Proposal System”, has won the UN Award – World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum Prizes 2022. The “e-Proposal System” is a part of Meghalaya Enterprise Architecture (MeghEA), which eliminates 75 per cent physical work of files in all Govt departments in the state.

About MeghEA Project

  • The Meghalaya Enterprise Architecture Project (MeghEA) was launched with the aim of improving governance and service delivery for the people of the state using the power of various digital technologies.
  • Enterprise Architecture (EA) is the process by which various organisations standardise and organise their Information Technology related infrastructure to achieve various business objectives.
  • This initiative of the state Govt of Meghalaya is spread across six different pillars that are Human Resources, Governance, Primary Sector, Entrepreneurship, Environment, and Infrastructure.
  • Through this initiative Meghalaya will be made into a high-income state by 2030.
  • MeghEA is supporting the digital Govt goals that are:
  • A planned transformation initiative of the state Govt which demands efficient coordination among policies, strategies, services, processes, and organizational capacity.
  • All information and communications technology (ICT) initiatives will be coordinated under one umbrella to provide a better holistic perspective.
  • Implementation of ICT enabled state Govt process with the aim of providing multi-channel service delivery.
  • Ensuring that the systems and applications of the state Govt provide users with all relevant information.
  • Crafting an ecosystem to boost the digital economy by leveraging ICT for growth and employment.

 


India 3rd top military spender: SIPRI Report on World Military Expenditure

  • A report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on World Military Expenditure stated that India was the world’s third-highest military spender behind the US and China.
  • The global defence expenditure in 2021 reached an all-time high and stood at USD 2.1 trillion despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • In 2021, the US has accounted for 38 percent of the world’s military spending. China accounts for around 14 percent and the UK has moved up two ranks as it spent USD 68.4 billion.
  • Top five military spenders account for 62 percent of the world’s global military expenditure. The five countries are:
  • The United States
  • China
  • India
  • The United Kingdom
  • Russia

Military spending of India

  • Military spending of India stood at USD 76.6 billion in 2021, which is a 0.9 percent increase from 2020 and a 33 percent increase from 2012.
  • India is facing ongoing border tensions and disputes with Pakistan and China that occasionally cause armed conflicts. Hence, India is constantly modernizing its armed forces and is increasing its self-reliance in the production of armaments.


Jammu’s Palli village is India’s First ‘Carbon-neutral Panchayat’

  • Palli village located in the Samba district of Jammu has become India’s first panchayat to become carbon neutral, fully solar energy powered, and all its records have been digitized which will help in receiving all benefits of Central schemes easily.
  • Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the 500 KW solar plant at this carbon-neutral panchayat. With this inauguration Palli has become the country’s first panchayat to become carbon-neutral.
  • Palli will now be looked at as a model panchayat, and this will motivate the other panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir, and India to become carbon-neutral.
  • In Palli in a total area of 6,408 square metres 1,500 solar panels have been set up. These solar panels will be providing clean electricity to 340 houses that are located in the panchayat.
  • The central Govt has been pushing for major technology-related measures, modes of payments, and e-swaraj with the aim of making Panchayats of the country more powerful.

Carbon Neutrality

  • This refers to achieving zero carbon dioxide emissions. This can be achieved by balancing carbon dioxide emissions with their removal or through the elimination of emissions.
  • The term “net-zero” is used to describe a comprehensive commitment to climate action and decarbonization. Net-zero emissions can be achieved only when an organization’s greenhouse gas (CO2-e) emissions are balanced by their removal.


Odisha’s oldest fortified settlement at Asurgarh

  • An advanced radiocarbon dating technique that has been conducted on the Asurgarh fort settlement in the Kalahandi district of Odisha has placed this settlement in the ninth century BC or the Iron Age. This makes the settlement 2,500-2,600 years older than Odisha’s oldest fortified settlement, the Sisupalgarh fort.
  • Archaeologists have used the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon technique to establish that this settlement spanned over three cultural phases beginning from the ninth century BC to the third or fourth century AD. This settlement was earlier believed to be from the Mauryan period.
  • The Sisupalgarh fort dates back to the fifth to sixth century BC.
  • Asurgarh fort consists of exterior fortification and the main fort. The main fortification is spread over an area of 12 hectares.
  • Human settlements in Asurgarh began around the ninth century BC, but the iron tools found in this site are believed to have been developed between the fourth century BC to the second century AD which coincides with the Mauryan period.
  • This site’s cultural period has been divided into three phases that are:
  • Iron Age (9th century BC – 4th century BC)
  • Early Historic Period (2nd century BC – 1st century AD)
  • Late Period (2nd century AD – 3rd -4th century AD).
  • 417 antiquities have been excavated from this site so far including beads of coral, carnelian, lapis lazuli, jasper, glass, shell, garnet, milky quartz, agate, kaolin, terracotta, and soft stone. The people of that period were good with iron technology and its uses. The iron materials that have been found at the Asurgarh site have not yet rusted as they have high ‘Fe’ content.
  • The first excavation on this site was done by N K Sahu in 1973 on behalf of the Postgraduate Department of History, Sambalpur University. Later in 1973, this site was declared protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.

 


Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – North East Festival

  • The week-long Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – North East Festival began on 28th April 2022 and it will be showcasing the potential of the Northeast region.
  • This week-long festival will be held across the 8 states of the northeast region in their own significant and special manner.
  • This festival’s coordinating body is the Ministry of DoNER.
  • This festival is being leveraged to discuss the various fundamental aspects of the development of India’s Northeast region. This festival will be celebrating aspiration, hope, and vision for a prosperous and developed North East Region.
  • Starting from the 29th of April, every day will be celebrated under a different theme across the 8 different states. Cultural programs will also be held that will celebrate the uniqueness of this region and will also be highlighting its potential.

Themes of the festival

  • Shillong: Investment Potential and future energy needs of North East (29th April)
  • Itanagar: Welfare of Tribals and Border Management (30th April)
  • Gangtok: The Smart City Revolution in the North East (30th April)
  • Agartala: Role of women in the development of North East (1st May)
  • Aizawl: Eco-Tourism in North East (2nd May)
  • Dimapur: Agri Horti and organic products potential of North East (2nd May)
  • Sports Potential of the North East region will be celebrated as a parallel to Sports week.
  • Imphal: The culmination would be celebrated (3rd May)

 

Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) program launched

  • The launch of the Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) program was announced by the Govt of India with the aim of creating Microprocessors for the country’s and the world’s future and to achieve industry-grade commercial silicon and design for the next generation of microprocessors by the month of December 2023.
  • RISC-V is an open and free ISA that will enable a new era of processor innovation through collaboration. This initiative is in line with the Govt’s ambition toward Atmanirbhar Bharat.
  • DIR-V will be witnessing partnerships between academia, start-ups, and multinationals with the aim of making India not a talent hub of RISC-V as well as a supplier of RISC-V SoC (System on Chips) to the world for mobile devices, servers, IoT, automotive, microcontrollers, etc.
  • Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship unveiled the blueprint for the roadmap of implementation and design of the DIR-V Program with the VEGA Processor by C-DAC and the SHAKTI Processor by IIT Madras.
  • Ministry of Electronics and IT has plans to join the RISC-V International as a premier board member to contribute, collaborate, and advocate India’s expertise with other global leaders of RISC-V.
  • IIT Madras’s director, Professor V. Kamakoti will be the Chief Architect and the program manager will be S. Krishnakumar Rao of the DIR-V Program.

 

Maharashtra Gene Bank is first-of-its-kind project in India

  • Recently, Maharashtra Cabinet approved the ‘Maharashtra Gene Bank’, a first-of-its-kind project in India.
  • Objective of the Maharashtra Gene Bank Project is to conserve genetic resources in Maharashtra including marine diversity, seeds of local crops, and animal diversity.
  • The ‘Maharashtra Gene Bank Project’ will work on seven themes:
  1. Marine biodiversity
  2. Local crop/seed varieties
  3. Indigenous cattle breeds
  4. Freshwater biodiversity
  5. Grassland, scrubland, and animal grazing land biodiversity
  6. Conservation and management plans for areas under forest right
  7. Rejuvenation of forest areas.
  • In the next five years, an amount of ₹172.39 crores will be spent on these seven focus areas.
  • Indigenous knowledge resources will be tapped. The species and the knowledge of local communities will be well documented.
  • Genetic and molecular samples will be preserved and their breeders will be supported.
  • To preserve crop biodiversity, the Govt will encourage genome carriers who conserve seeds of local crop varieties and create seed banks.

About National Gene Bank of India

  • The Indian National Gene Bank has been established by the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) to conserve the national heritage of germplasm collections in the form of seeds, vegetative propagules, tissue/cell cultures, embryos, gametes, etc. National Gene Bank can preserve about one million germplasm in the form of seeds.

About National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR)

  • National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) was established in 1976 as the nodal agency at the National level for the Management of plant genetic resources (PGR) for food and agriculture, and to carry out related research and human resource development.

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Assam Current Affairs & GK – March 2022

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Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – March 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the month of March 2022)

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Manas National Park – Tiger and Rhino Population

  • The Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam have witnessed a sharp rise in the population of rhinos and tigers. he authorities of the national park expect the tiger population will rise to more than 60 from 48 as per the 2021 census.
  • The park’s Rhino population has also increased. Under the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV 2020), the Assam Govt decided to reintroduce rhinos in Manas National Park in 2005, and the first rhino was translocated to the park in 2006, from the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) near Kaziranga National Park.

About Manas National Park

  • Manas National Park is a national park that has been given the status of UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, an elephant reserve, a Project Tiger reserve, and a biosphere reserve.
  • It is located in the Himalayan foothills of Assam and is contiguous with Bhutan’s Royal Manas National Park.

 

Assam extended Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act,1958 (AFSPA) for six months

  • The Assam Govt has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in the state for six more months.

 

DoNER Ministry celebrates‘Nari Shakti of the North East’

  • The Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (MDoNER), as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, is celebrating a week-long campaign called ‘Nari Shakti of the North East,’ to recognize the exceptional achievements of women and girls in North East India ahead of International Women’s Day 2022.
  • The campaign was launched by Minister of Development of the North Eastern Region, G. Kishan Reddy.
  • The North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Society (NERCRMS), Shillong and Changlang Community Resource Management Society (CCRMS), in collaboration with the District Administration and with support from the North Eastern Council and Ministry of DoNER, successfully conducted an awareness campaign on female hygiene and care products across District Changlang, Arunachal Pradesh.
  • It was conducted under the convergence of the Chief Minister’s flagship initiative, which promotes girls’ hygiene and health, with awareness in waste management. Under CCRMS and NERCRMSS, low-cost biodegradable and re-usable sanitary napkins are being produced by self-help groups with the focus being on girls and rural women.
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India adds 10 GW Solar Capacity in 2021

  • As per the ‘Annual 2021 India Solar Market Update’ of Mercom India Research, India installed a record 10 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity in the calendar year 2021, a 212 percent increase year on year (y-o-y). Only 3.2 GW of solar capacity installations were made by India in 2020.
  • India’s cumulative solar installed capacity was at around 49 GW at the end of December 2021.
  • India added a total of 10 GW of solar power, the highest in a single year. In 2021, solar accounted for 62% of new power capacity additions, the largest power capacity shares ever.
  • Large-scale solar projects accounted for 83 percent of installations during the year, with a 230 percent y-o-y increase.
  • In 2021, rooftop installations increased by 138 percent y-o-y.
  • As of December 2021, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh were the top three states in terms of cumulative large-scale solar capacity, accounting for 50% of the country’s installations.
  • Rajasthan led capacity addition in 2021, with 4.5 GW of solar capacity installed.

Indian and Sri Lankan Navy bilateral maritime exercise SLINEX 2022

  • From March 7 to 10, the ninth edition of the Indian and Sri Lankan Navy bilateral maritime exercise SLINEX (Sri Lanka–India Naval Exercise) will be held at Visakhapatnam.
  • In two phases this exercise will be conducted with the Harbour Phase taking place at Visakhapatnam on March 7 and 8, and the Sea Phase taking place in the Bay of Bengal on March 9 and 10.
  • In October 2020, the previous edition of SLINEX was conducted in Trincomalee.
  • The aim of SLINEX is to increase mutual understanding, interoperability, and the exchange of best procedures and practices for multi-faceted maritime operations between the two navies.

 

India’s set to export record 7 million tonnes of wheat

  • This financial year, India is set to export around 7 million tonnes of wheat. This would be one of the highest exports of wheat by India.
  • India is the world’s second biggest producer of wheat, accounting for 13.53% of global production. But it only accounts for 1% of global wheat exports.
  • Annually India produces around 108 million tonnes of wheat. However, majority of the production goes for domestic consumption.
  • India exported a record 6.5 million tonnes in the financial year 2012-13. By the end of February 2022, India already exported 6.6 million tonnes of wheat.

 

Rajasthan announced Camel Protection and Development Policy

  • The state Govt of Rajasthan in its budget 2022-23 has announced a Camel Protection and Development Policy.
  • According to the state Govt figures, in Rajasthan there are less than two lakh camels left. Since 2012, the number of camels has reduced by 1.5 lakh in India. Around 2.5 lakh camels were left when in 2019 it was last counted.
  • The state animal of Rajasthan is the Camel and their number is decreasing continuously. In 2014, the Govt of Rajasthan had declared the camel as the state animal.
  • Nearly 85 per cent of India’s camels are found in Rajasthan which is followed by Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
  • According to the 2019 animal census, the number of camels in Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, and Nagaland dropped to zero, although these states had 45, 03, 07, and 92 camels, respectively, in 2012.
  • As the camel population is continuously declining, the Govt of Rajasthan has announced this policy. For this policy, a budget of Rs 10 crore has also been proposed. The amount will be used for protecting, rearing and developing the animals.

 

International Women’s Day on 8th March

  • On March 8th Women’s Day is celebrated annually across the globe. This day is dedicated to women and talks about their achievements and the journey they have taken to better their lives.
  • This day is celebrated with the aim to focus on gender equality and spread the message that without the inclusion of half of the planet’s population no vision can be fulfilled.
  • The Theme for International Women’s Day 2022 ‘Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow’ is the theme for International Women’s Day (IWD) 2022.
  • ‘#BreakTheBias’ is the IWD 2022 campaign theme. Its aim is to encourage a gender-equal world free of stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination.
  • In 1977 the United Nations first officially recognized International Women’s Day. However, one of the earliest calls for women’s rights dates back to 1848, when Americans Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott organized the first women’s rights convention in the United States at an anti-slavery convention.
  • On February 13, National Women’s Day is held in India to commemorate Sarojini Naidu’s birth anniversary. She was a pioneer in women’s rights advocacy. Sarojini Naidu was called the Nightingale of India and was a poet as well as political leader.

 

PARAM Ganga supercomputer installed at IIT Roorkee

  • PARAM Ganga is the ‘Made in India’ Petascale supercomputer installed at IIT Roorkee under National Supercomputing Mission (NSM).

About PARAM GANGA

  • PARAM GANGA has a supercomputing capacity of 1.66 PFLOPS (Peta Floating-Point Operations per Second). It was designed and commissioned by C-DAC under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM).
  • The crucial components required to build PARAM GANGA are manufactured and assembled in India along with an indigenous software stack developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).
  • PARAM Ganga will provide greater computational power to Indian scientists and will give a boost to research and development activities across various disciplines.

About National Supercomputing Mission (NSM)

  • National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeiTY) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
  • It is being implemented by the C-DAC and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. It is the responsibility of C-DAC to design, develop and commission the supercomputing system. The goal of the mission is to develop the indigenous supercomputing ecosystem of India.

The four major pillars of the mission are:

  1. A) Infrastructure
  2. B) Applications
  3. C) Research and development (R&D)
  4. D) Human Resource Development (HRD).

About supercomputers

  • Supercomputers are the fastest and high-performance systems that are primarily used for scientific and industrial purposes requiring high-speed computations.
  • Supercomputer’s performance is measured in floating-point operations per second. Petascale computing refers to the computing systems that are capable of calculating at least 1015 floating-point operations per second.

 

Mission Indradhanush: Odisha Tops highest coverage of complete immunization

  • Odisha topped the list at the national level in full immunization coverage, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5, with 90.5 percent coverage.
  • Odisha’s twenty districts were above 90 percent in full immunization, while the remaining 10 districts were less than 90 percent.
  • As per the composite index assessment Ganjam, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jharsuguda, Koraput, Keonjhar, Malkangiri, Khurda, Sambalpur, Mayurbhanj, and Sundargarh districts were selected for inclusion under Intensified Mission Indradhanush.
  • Preventive doses against 12 different kinds of diseases are included in full immunization. The disease includes tuberculosis, polio, diphtheria, jaundice, tetanus, whooping cough, brain fever, HIV, measles, pneumonia, diarrhoea, rubella, Japanese fever, and others.

About Mission Indradhanush

  • The Govt of India’s Mission Indradhanush is a healthcare initiative. It was first launched on December 25, 2014. This scheme seeks to achieve 90 percent full immunization coverage in India and also sustain it by the year 2022.
  • Vaccination is being provided against Whooping Cough, Diphtheria, Polio, Tetanus, severe form of Childhood Tuberculosis, Measles, and Hepatitis B and pneumonia &meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenza type B and also against Japanese Encephalitis and Rotavirus Diarrhea in selected states and districts of the nation.

About Intensified Mission Indradhanush

  • PM Narendra Modi launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) in October 2017 to further intensify the immunization programme. The Govt hopes to reach every kid under the age of two, as well as all pregnant women who have been left out of the routine immunization programme. The goal of the special drive was to boost immunization coverage in a few districts and cities, with the goal of reaching 90 percent coverage by December 2018 instead of 2020.

About Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0

  • Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0 was launched in December 2019 to ensure reaching the unreached with all available vaccines and to speed coverage of children and pregnant women in the specified blocks as well as districts from 2019 December to 2020 March.
  • It also aims that by 2030, the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing avoidable child deaths will be achieved. Because of the difficult-to-reach and tribal populations, it seeks to immunize 272 districts in 27 states and 652 blocks in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
  • Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Youth Affairs, and Ministry of Urban Development have joined to guarantee that vaccine benefits reach the last mile.

Intensified Mission Indradhanush 3.0 scheme was implemented to cover children and pregnant women who missed routine immunization due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Intensified Mission Indradhanush 4.0 was launched recently by the Ministry of Health. It will ensure that unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children, as well as pregnant women, receive Routine Immunization (RI) services. Children up to the age of two will be covered under this drive.

 

India’s First Women-owned Industrial Park opened in Hyderabad

  • Commemorating the International Women’s Day 2022, India’s first 100 percent women-owned industrial park was opened in Hyderabad, Telangana. Telangana Industries Minister KT Rama Rao inaugurated this park.
  • With 25 women-owned and operated Green Projects, this industrial park has begun its operations.
  • The FLO Industrial Park is named after the FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO), which is promoting it in association with the Telangana Govt. The FLO Industrial Park, covers 50 acres and cost Rs 250 crore to build.


Indian Govt to setup National Land Monetization Corporation

  • The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi has approved the setting up National Land Monetization Corporation (NLMC).
  • NLMC was first proposed in the Union Budget 2021-22 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. NLMC will now be set up as a wholly-owned Govt of India company.
  • NLMC will be under the administrative jurisdiction of the Department of Public Enterprise, Ministry of Finance. NLMC’s initial authorized share capital will be ₹5000 crores and paid-up share capital is ₹150 crore.
  • NLMC will support and undertake monetization of excess land and buildings of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and other Govt institutions. NLMC will also provide technical advice to the Govt in the implementation of the asset monetization program. CPSEs may transfer their non-core assets to NLMC to manage and monetize them.

Need for monetization

  • Many Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) have surplus assets like land and buildings, which are not put into productive use. Monetization of such non-core assets with help in unlocking their value.
  • Through monetization, these un-used & under-used assets can be productively used to attract investments from the private sector and generate new employment opportunities.
  • Monetization of these assets will also generate substantial revenues to the Govt, which can be used for creating economic and social infrastructure.
  • Monetization by National Land Monetization Corporation (NLMC) will speed up the strategic disinvestment process of CPSEs.


India tops medals tally at ISSF World Cup 2022

  • The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup 2022 was held in Cairo, Egypt from 26th February to 8th March 2022.
  • With a total of seven medals, the Indian team took first place in the medals tally, with four gold, two silver, and one bronze.
  • Norway, won six medals which include three gold, one silver, and two bronze, and came second on the medals tally. With three golds, France came third.

India’s performance

  • The first gold medal was won by Saurabh Chaudhary. He defeated Germany’s Michael Schwald with a score of 16-6 in the Men’s 10m Air Pistol gold medal match.
  • Anish Bhanwala and Rhythm Sangwan won the gold medal in the 25m rapid fire pistol mixed team match against Thailand.
  • Indian trio of Anish Bhanwala, Gurpreet Singh, and Bhavesh Shekhawat won the silver medal in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol team competition after losing to Germany.
  • In the women’s 10m air pistol team event Nivetha Paramanantham, Esha Singh, and Ruchira Vinerkar clinched the gold medal.
  • In the women’s 25m pistol team event Esha Singh, Rahi Sarnobat, and Rhythm Sangwan won the gold for India. They defeated the team from Singapore in the gold match.
  • In the women’s 10m air pistol individual event Esha Singh clinched the Silver medal.
  • In the 50m rifle 3 positions mixed team event Akhil Sheoran and Shriyanka Sadangi won the bronze medal.


Katalin Novák elected Hungary’s First Female President

  • Katalin Novák, a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has been elected as Hungary’s first female president by the Hungarian parliament.
  • She won 137 votes to 51 in the parliament, which is dominated by Orban’s right-wing Fidesz party, defeating opponent Peter Rona, an economist.
  • Novák will be succeeding Janos Ader, a co-founder of Orban’s ruling Fidesz party who has served as prime minister since 2012.
  • Novák has been the face of Govt initiatives which include encouraging young families to have more children, as well as giving significant tax breaks.


Gujarat top position in 2nd edition of Export Preparedness Index 2021 by NITI Aayog

  • NITI Aayog, in partnership with the Institute of Competitiveness, released the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2021.

About the Report

  • The Export Preparedness Index is a data-driven endeavour to identify the fundamental areas critical for subnational export promotion.
  • Primary Goals-
  • To instil competition among all Indian states (‘Coastal’, ‘Landlocked’, ‘Himalayan’, and ‘UTs/City-States’)
  • To bring about favourable export-promotion policies,
  • Ease the regulatory framework to prompt subnational export promotion,
  • Create the necessary infrastructure for exports
  • Assist in identifying strategic recommendations for improving export competitiveness.

4 Pillars

  • Policy: A comprehensive trade policy provides a strategic direction for exports and imports.
  • Business Ecosystem:An efficient business ecosystem can help attract investments and create an enabling infrastructure for businesses to grow.
  • Export Ecosystem:This pillar aims to assess the business environment, which is specific to exports.
  • Export Performance:This is the only output-based pillar and examines the reach of export footprints of states and union territories.

Top Performers

  • Gujarat has retained the top position at the NITI Aayog’s second edition of the Export Preparedness Index 2021 followed by Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as among the states who are the top 10 performers.
  • Among union territories, Delhi has topped the index followed by Goa, Jammu, Kashmir, Chandigarh, and Puducherry while Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Tripura, Sikkim, and Manipur were at the top five spots among the Himalayan states.

 

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India on verge of achieving SDG Target of Maternal Mortality Ratio

  • In a significant achievement, Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of India has declined by 10 points as per the Special Bulletin on MMR released by the Registrar General of India.
  • The ratio has declined from 113 in 2016-18 to 103 in 2017-19 (8.8 % decline).
  • The country has been witnessing a progressive reduction in MMR from 130 in 2014-2016, 122 in 2015-17, 113 in 2016-18, and to 103 in 2017-19.
  • With this persistent decline, India is on the verge of achieving National Health Policy (NHP) target of 100/lakh live births by 2020 and certainly on track to achieve the SDG target of 70/ lakh live births by 2030.

 

 

States that achieved SDG Targets

  • The number of states which have achieved the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target has now risen from 5 to 7 viz. Kerala (30), Maharashtra (38), Telangana (56), Tamil Nadu (58), Andhra Pradesh (58), Jharkhand (61), and Gujarat (70).
  • There are now nine (9) States that have achieved the target of MMR set by the NHP which include the above 7 and the States of Karnataka (83) and Haryana (96).

States with MMR between 100-150

  • Five states [Uttarakhand (101), West Bengal (109), Punjab (114), Bihar (130), Odisha (136) and Rajasthan (141)] have MMR in between 100-150.

States with MMR above 150

  • 4 states namely, Chhattisgarh (160), Madhya Pradesh (163), Uttar Pradesh (167) and Assam (205) have MMR above 150.

 

Debasish Panda appointed as the new Chief of IRDAI

  • Debasish Panda has been appointed as the new chairperson of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) for a three-year term.

About IRDAI

  • The IRDAI is a regulatory body that falls under the ambit of the Ministry of Finance. This organization is responsible for licencing and regulating the insurance and reinsurance sectors in India. It was constituted under the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act of 1999.
  • The agency’s headquarters have been in Hyderabad since 2001 when it relocated from Delhi. The chairman, as well as five full-time and four part-time members selected by the Indian Govt, constitute the IRDAI.

 

Mukhyamantri Chaa Srami Kalyan Prakalpa scheme

  • Tripura Govt has announced a special scheme ‘Mukhyamantri Chaa Srami Kalyan Prakalpa’ for tea workers.
  • It is introduced as a step towards bringing the 7000 tea garden workers of Tripura under the social security net.
  • This special scheme would ensure housing, rations, and financial support to the tea garden workers.

India’s equity market in Top 5 in terms of market capitalization

  • For the first time, India’s equity market reached the world’s fifth position in terms of market capitalization.
  • At present India is ranked 5th, after the U.S., China, Japan, and Hong Kong. At the start of 2022, India was ranked 7th. Later, India climbed two positions despite a 7.4% drop in its market capitalization. Now, India’s total market capitalization is $3.21 trillion.
  • Market capitalization (market cap) is the total market value of a publicly-traded company’s outstanding shares of stock. Market cap is calculated by multiplying the total company’s outstanding shares by the current market price of one share

 

Sikkim announced ‘Bahini’ scheme

  • The Govt of Sikkim is set to announce the Bahini scheme in its annual Budget later this month.

About the Bahini scheme

  • The Bahini scheme aims to provide secondary and senior secondary school-going girls with 100% access to free and safe sanitary pads. Under the Bahini scheme, Vending machines will be installed in 210 secondary and senior secondary Govt schools of Sikkim to provide free sanitary pads.
  • The scheme will cover 18,665 adolescent girls studying in Govt schools in Sikkim.
  • This is the first time in India that a state decided to cover all girls studying in Class 9-12. Under the scheme, incinerators will also be installed at the schools to dispose of pads.
  • Anganwadi and ASHA workers will also be involved in the Bahini Scheme.

Aims of the Bahini scheme

  • The main aim of the Bahini scheme is to curb the dropout of adolescent girls from schools. According to an international NGO WaterAid India, 23% of adolescent girls drop out of school due to a lack of proper sanitation facilities and sanitary napkins. The scheme also raises awareness about menstrual hygiene among school-going adolescent girls.

 

Assam launched Unique Land Parcel Identification Number

  • Union minister of rural development and Panchayati raj, Giriraj Singh launched Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) in Assam.

About ULIPN

  • Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULIPN) project was launched in Assam on a pilot basis.
  • Under this project, every land parcel in Assam will have a 14-digit alphanumeric geospatial unique identification number (UIN). Thus, ULPIN will act as an “adhaar for land”.

About Mission Basundhara

  • ‘Mission Basundhara’ is a mission launched by the Govt of Assam to streamline and make land revenue services accessible to all, thereby promoting ease of doing business environment in the land management ecosystem of Assam. ‘Mission Basundhara’ aims to reduce the pendency in the updation of the land records.
  • The three components of ‘Mission Basundhara’ are:
  1. Purification of the land records in the state in a mission mode.
  2. Conducting Polygon survey of yet to be surveyed 672 non-cadastral villages.
  • Conducting a Re-survey of 18789 cadastral villages using the hybrid methodology.

About DILRMP

  • ULPIN project is part of the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP).
  • DILRMP was launched in 2008 by the Govt of India. It was earlier known as the National Land Record Modernization Programme (NLRMP). The objective of DILRMP is to digitize and modernize the land records and to develop a centralized land record management system in India.
  • The three important components of DILRMP are:
  1. Computerization of the land records.
  2. Conducting a survey or resurvey of the land.
  • Computerization of the land registration.
  • The ultimate aim of the DILRMP is to move towards the conclusive titling system with title guarantee by replacing the present presumptive title system in India.

 

Karnataka launched India’s first-ever Digital Water Data Bank

  • Karnataka’s IT Minister, C N Ashwath Narayan launched India’s first-ever digital water data bank, AQVERIUM.
  • The Digital water data bank is a list of water data sourced from various institutions.
  • It provides reliable information and insights regarding the various aspects of water.
  • It helps in making evidence-based policies and decisions to achieve a water-secure world.
  • This data will help tackle some common development challenges and water pollution. It also helps in improving service delivery, sustaining water resources, & building resilience.

About AQVERIUM

  • AQVERIUM is India’s first-ever digital water data bank. It is an initiative of AquaKraft Ventures, a company that has expertise in sustainable initiatives to provide drinking water and sanitation to all.
  • AQVERIUM intends to train around one million youth in water, sanitation, hydro-geological sciences, and data sciences. It is a unique innovation combining sustainable technologies along with IT, skill development, and entrepreneurship.
  • A unique social franchising model is also offered by the company. The objective is to create ‘water entrepreneurs’ and make India ‘Water Positive’ by 2030.
  • Achieving water security is crucial for India to become a USD 5 trillion economy. At present, the Indian water market is highly unorganized and there is a need for a comprehensive 360-degrees approach towards water management.

 

Nagaland India’s first state Assembly to implement National e-Vidhan Application

  • Nagaland became India’s first State Assembly to implement the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) programme to become paperless.

About National e-Vidhan Application

  • NeVA is a type of work-flow system that was deployed on NIC Cloud, MeghRaj which helps to conduct the proceedings of the House smoothly by the Chair of the House and also to conduct Legislative Business of the House in a manner which is paperless.
  • NeVA is a member-centric and device neutral application that was created to equip the members to smartly handle various House Business by putting entire information regarding the contact details of members, list of business, rules of procedure, bulletins, notices, starred or unstarred questions, and answers, bills, committee reports, papers laid, etc. in their handheld devices such as tablets and equip all Departments and Legislatures to handle it efficiently.
  • Through the use of NeVA the process of sending out a request or notice for the data collection is completely eliminated.
  • Each Member of the House has a secure page where they can submit questions and other notices.
  • mNeVA is a user-friendly mobile version of NeVA that is accessible on both Android and iOS. mNeVA has made information about how legislatures conduct business available to the public which can be accessed any time and from any location.

Aim of NeVA

  • NeVA aims to bring the country’s legislatures together, in one platform thus creating a massive depository of data without having the complexity faced due to having multiple applications.
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Surajkund Crafts Mela being held in Surajkund, Haryana

  • From the 19th March 2022, the annual Surajkund International Crafts Mela is being held in Surajkund, Haryana for celebrating Indian cultural heritage and folk traditions.
  • This Mela attracts more than a million visitors including thousands of overseas visitors. The aim of this festival is to promote the vast culture and talent of the nation’s indigenous artisans.
  • This Mela is the largest crafts fair in the world, showcasing the rich diversity of India’s handlooms, handicrafts, and cultural fabric.
  • This Mela is an international artisan fair that is one-of-a-kind and provides a platform for artists from across the globe to demonstrate their creativity and culture.
  • Haryana’s Tourism Department hosts this Mela at Surajkund annually, and it attracts travellers of all ages.
  • The partner nation of this year’s Mela is Uzbekistan.
  • The theme state of the Surajkund Mela 2022 is Jammu &Kashmir, presenting its rich legacy and distinct culture via handicrafts and art forms and is the theme state of the Surajkund Mela 2022. Hundreds of artists from Jammu and Kashmiri will perform various indigenous performances to enchant the audience, ranging from exquisite crafts to traditional dances.

 

World Water Day observed on 22nd March

  • On 22nd March, World Water Day is observed annually. This day is observed to raise awareness regarding the importance of water and its conservation.
  • This day focuses to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) of the United Nations. SDG 6 looks to ensure sanitation and safe water for all across the globe by 2030.
  • This day acts as a reminder for us to take precautionary steps to tackle water crisis across the globe.

The theme of World Water Day 2022

  • “Groundwater, making the invisible visible” is the theme for this year’s World Water Day. The programs that have been organized for this day will focus on groundwater importance.
  • Many organizations, as well as individuals, are being called upon to create awareness regarding this resource which is continuously depleting.
  • In 1992, during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro, the idea to observe this day was first put forward. The UN General Assembly, in 1992, adopted a resolution declaring 22nd March as World Day for Water. The observation of this day began in 1993.

 

Rooftop Solar Programme Phase- II

  • The Rooftop Solar Programme Phase-II is being implemented by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The guidelines for this were issued in August 2019. Through Central Financial Assistance (CFA), 4000 MW rooftop solar (RTS) capacity addition has been targeted under this programme in the residential sector.
  • For RTS projects till 3 kW capacity and till 20% for the RTS system capacities with more than 3 kW till 10 kW for individual households, the CFA up to 40% of the benchmark cost is provided.
  • For Residential Welfare Associations and Group Housing Societies, the CFA has been limited to 20% for the RTS plants for power supply to the common facilities with a maximum capacity of 500 kW.
  • Additionally, around 10 per cent of the rooftop solar cost are provided as incentives to the distribution utilities depending upon capacity addition above baseline.
  • For the residential sector, the ministry has allocated a capacity of 3162 MW so far. A total of 1252 MW capacity out of the allocated capacity has been reported to have been installed as of 28th February 2022. Under this programme, Rs 1,132.74 crore of Central financial assistance has been distributed to various electricity distribution corporations.

 

Dennis Parnell Sullivan won Abel Prize for 2022

  • The winner of the Abel Prize 2022 is Dennis Parnell Sullivan, an American mathematician. This award also includes prize money which amounts to 7 Million NOK (Norwegian Krone).
  • He received this award for his contributions to topology, especially its geometric, algebraic, and dynamical aspects.
  • Topology is a field of mathematics that considers two things of different forms to be equivalent only if they can be deformed into each other. Topology is a new field of mathematics as it was born at the end of the 19th century. Topology is important in maths and various other fields like data science, economics, and physics.

About Abel Prize

  • The King of Norway presents the Abel Prize and it is given annually to an individual who has done a remarkable job in the mathematics field.
  • This prize has been named after Niels Henrik Abel who was a famous Norwegian mathematician. This award took inspiration from the famous Nobel Prize.
  • Nobel Prize doesn’t have a section for mathematics, though some mathematicians have won this prestigious prize in other fields.
  • The Fields Medal is an annual award that is also considered to be the ‘Mathematics Nobel’ but it is only awarded to those individuals who are below the age of 40.
  • The Abel Prize was first awarded in 2003 to Jean-Pierre Serre, a French mathematician, for his contribution to algebraic geometry, topology, and number theory.
  • In 2007, S. R. Srinivasa Varadhan, who is an Indian-American citizen had won the Abel Prize for his contribution in probability theory and for creating a unified large deviation theory.

India’s exports crossed the USD 400 billion for the first time

  • India’s exports crossed the USD 400 billion mark in a fiscal year. This is the first time India’s export has reached such heights.
  • This milestone has been achieved due to good performance by various sectors such as engineering, petroleum products, jewellery and gems, and chemicals.
  • Exports increased by 37 percent to USD 400.8 billion in 2021-22 until March 21, compared to USD 292 billion in 2020-21. Earlier, a record of USD 330.07 billion in 2018-19 was reached by outbound shipments.
  • During this period imports amounted to USD 589 billion, which leaves a USD 189 billion trade deficit. The country had a target of USD 400 billion for merchandise export set for FY2022 which was was achieved with 10 days remaining in the fiscal. There’s a chance that the total export for this fiscal might cross USD 410 billion.
  • Increase in the export of other types of goods. Several goods such as motor vehicles, auto components, buffalo meat, cereal preparations, carpets, rice, and processed fruits saw an increase in their overall exports volumes despite commodity price decline.
  • Engineering goods contributed the most. It grew at a nearly 50 percent rate and is expected to touch USD110 billion by FY2022’s end. By 42.8 percent the export of electronics goods rose. By 57.3 percent the jewellery and gems exports rose.
  • Due to a steady increase in the prices of crude oil, petroleum products exports rose by 147.6 percent.
  • Along with this inorganic and organic chemicals, meat, readymade garments, dairy products, and marine products saw an increase in exports.

 

Reserve Bank Innovation Hub in Bengaluru inaugurated

  • The Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) has been inaugurated by Shaktikanta Das, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in Bengaluru.
  • RBIH has been set up as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the RBI with Rs 100 crore as an initial capital contribution.
  • Gopalakrishnan is selected as the Chairman.
  • This initiative of the RBI puts it among a select few global central banks that are trying to bring about change in the mode of engagement while trying to bring about innovations in this sector.
  • The aim of the RBIH is to create an ecosystem that will focus on the promotion of access to various financial products and services for the low-income group population across the nation.
  • The RBIH also has the objective of bringing world-class innovation to the country’s financial sector along with working towards the theme of financial inclusion.
  • The Hub will also be looking to mentor and identify various start-ups. It will also collaborate with Govt Departments, Ministries to identify and resolve challenges in different domains.

 

Indian Antarctic Bill 2022 approved

  • A Draft legislation has been approved by India’s Union Cabinet to provide a regulatory framework for research activities of India in Antarctica and also to protect the continent’s environment. The Ministry of Earth Sciences has piloted the Indian Antarctica Bill.
  • This bill is expected to help fulfill the nation’s obligations under the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources of 1982, the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, and 1998s Treaty of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic.
  • India’s Antarctic program began in the year 1981 and since then 40 scientific expeditions have been completed. India has also built three bases on the continent.

India’s base stations in Antarctica

  • As of now, India has two fully functioning base stations in Antarctica named Maitri which was established in 1988, and Bharati which was established in 2012. Another one named Dakshin Gangotri was established in 1983 but it is not functional currently.

 

PV Sindhu won Swiss Open 2022

  • P V Sindhu won the Swiss Open 2022 defeating Busanan Ongbamrungphan of Thailand in the finals of the Swiss Open Super 300 badminton tournament held in Basel, Switzerland.
  • This is her second title this season as she had earlier in January won the Syed Modi India International.
  • She is the second Indian woman to win this tournament, following Saina Nehwal who had earlier won in 2011 and 2012.
  • PV Sindhu is a two times Olympics medal winner having won the silver in the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
  • This is her second finals appearance in the Swiss Open, having been defeated by Carolina Marin in 2021.

Oscar Awards 2022 – Winners full list

  • The Oscars 2022 or the 94th Academy Awards ceremony which is presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

All Winners

  • Best Picture: CODA
  • Best Actress: Jessica Chastain for the movie The Eyes Of Tammy Faye
  • Best Director was won by Jane Campion for The Power Of The Dog.
  • Best Actor: Will Smith for the movie King Richard
  • Best Supporting Actress went to Ariana DeBose for the movie West Side Story.
  • Best Supporting Actor: Troy Kotsur for the movie CODA
  • Best Original Screenplay: Bellfast
  • Best Adapted Screenplay: CODA
  • Best International Feature Film: Drive My Car (Country-Japan)
  • Best Documentary Feature: Summer Of Soul
  • Best Animated Feature Film: Encanto
  • Best Animated Short: The Windshield Wiper
  • Best Original Score: Dune
  • Best Live Action Short: The Long Goodbye
  • Best Cinematography: Dune
  • The Queen of Basketball received the award for Best Documentary (Short)
  • Best Original Song: No Time To Die (Movie- No Time To Die)
  • Best Production Design: Dune
  • Best Costume Design: Cruella
  • Best Sound: Dune
  • Best Makeup and Hair went to the movie The Eyes of Tammy Faye
  • Best Visual Effects: Dune
  • Best Film Editing: Dune

 

Stockholm Water Prize 2022 to Professor Wilfried Brutsaert

  • The Stockholm Water Prize 2022 has been awarded by The Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) to Professor Wilfried Brutsaert for his innovative work in evaluating environmental evaporation.
  • This prize is widely considered to be the Nobel Prize for Water.
  • Professor Brutsaert was awarded this prize as he has developed methods for quantifying evaporation and the role it plays in the Earth’s energy balance that allows for accurate estimations of how precipitation can evolve.
  • This method is of utmost importance to the exposed local communities across the world as they will be needing to predict daily water levels as well as water levels available in the future.

About Stockholm International Water Institute

  • SIWI is a not-for-profit, independent organization that aims to strengthen freshwater governance regionally, globally, locally, and nationally.
  • This organization was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. Torgny Holmgren is the current Executive Director.
  • This organization performs research, provides advisory services, and builds institutional capacity in five areas of transboundary water management, water governance, the water-energy-food nexus, water and climate change, and water economics.

 

Pradhan Mantri Sangrahalaya to be setup in Delhi

  • The Museum of Prime Ministers or the Pradhan Mantri Sangrahalaya is being built at Teen Murti Estate in Delhi.
  • This Museum will be covering the life of all of India’s 14 Prime Ministers who have taken up this role so far. Their contribution will also be showcased. The works and collection of Jawaharlal Nehru will however be staying in the Nehru Memorial Museum, which was also his residence at one point in time.
  • In this museum, speeches, rare photographs, newspapers, video clips, interviews, and original writings will be displayed. There will also be displays of personal belongings like caps, pens, letters, etc as well as interactive digital displays in this museum. Virtual reality and digital displays will be focused upon. This museum has been designed to accommodate all future PMs as well.

 

Gilbert F. Houngbo appointed ILO’s New Director-General

  • Gilbert F. Houngbo has recently been elected as the International Labour Organization’s 11th Director-General. He is the former Prime Minister of Togo and will be taking office in October 2022.
  • He will be the first African to have been elected to this post.
  • Since 2017, he is serving as the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
  • Every 10 years, the ILO elects a new Director-General. The votes for this post are cast by the governing body of ILO which comprises representatives of workers, Govts, and employers.

 

National Education Society for Tribal Students established under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs

  • National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) is an autonomous organization that was established under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA).
  • NESTS started its journey four years back with the aim of providing high-quality education to all the tribal students across the country in their own specific environment.
  • It has also approved the building of 391 new schools. 140 schools are currently under construction and a total of 123 schools have started to function
  • NESTS and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs have set up targets to complete the construction of a total of 452 new schools and the pending 67 schools under its old scheme by the year 2025.
  • The constructed schools will be having state of the art facilities which will be in line with the Navodya Vidyalaya. 
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Assam Current Affairs & GK – February 2022

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Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – February 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the month of February 2022)

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3rdborder haat on Bangladesh-India border to be set-up at Kamalpur-Kumarghat

  • The foundation stone for the third border haat at Kamalpur-Kumarghat on Tripura- Bangladesh border was laid jointly by the Chief Minister of Tripura Biplab Kumar Deb and Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi. High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami was also present on the occasion.
  • Apart from enhancing trade relations between the two countries, the border haat will also strengthen friendly relationship between the two countries.
  • Tripura CM said that eight border haats are proposed to be built on the border between Tripura and Bangladesh out of which two are already functional at Kamalasagar in Sepahijala district and Srinagar in South Tripura district. Two others are already approved.
  • The border haat will start functioning at Kamalpur from this year. The consent for the fourth border haat at Raghna in Dharmanagar has been received on which work is expected to start from this year.
  • Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said that with the improvement in trade relations between the two countries, both the countries will benefit and come closer.
  • Border haats have become vibrant centres of trade, people to people connect and cultural exchange between border communities.
  • The border haat is spread over 75 square metres and can accommodate 100 vendors on each side of the border.

 

216-feet ‘Statue of Equality’ of 11th-century Bhakti saint Ramanujacharya unveiled at Hyderabad

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dedicated to the nation 216-feet tall ‘Statue of Equality in Hyderabad to commemorate the 11th-century Bhakti saint Ramanujacharya. The statue has been conceptualised by Chinna Jeeyar Swami of Sri Ramanujacharya Ashram.
  • The inauguration of the statue is a part of the 12-day Sri Ramanuja Sahasrabdi Samaroham, the ongoing 1000th birth anniversary celebrations of the Bhakti saint. A 3D presentation on the life and teachings of the saint will also be showcased during the event.
  •  
  • The statue is made of ‘panchaloha’, a combination of five metals- gold, silver, copper, brass, and zinc. It is among one of the tallest metallic statues in sitting positions in the world.
  • The 216-feet tall ‘Statue of Equality statue is mounted on a 54-feet high base building, called ‘Bhadra Vedi’.
  • The floors of the building are dedicated to a Vedic digital library and research centre, ancient Indian texts, a theatre, an educational gallery detailing works of Sri Ramanujacharya.

Divya Desams

  • The monument will be surrounded by 108 `Divya Desams’ of Sri Vaishnavism tradition (model temples) like Tirumala, Srirangam, Kanchi, Ahobhilam, Bhadrinath, Muktinath, Ayodhya, Brindavan, Kumbhakonam and others. The idols of deities and structures were constructed in the shape at the existing temples. The idols were also painted.

BIOGRAPHY: Ramanujacharya

  • Ramanuja or Ramanujacharya was an Indian philosopher, Hindu theologian, social reformer, and one of the most important exponents of the Sri Vaishnavism tradition within Hinduism.
  • His philosophical foundations for devotionalism were influential to the Bhakti movement.
  • Ramanujacharya promoted the idea of equality in all aspects of life including faith, caste and creed.

 


Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented Union Budget for 2022-23 in Parliament

  1. Capital expenditure outlay hiked by 35.4%
  2. Total expenditure in 2022-23 estimated at Rs. 39.45 lakh crore.
  3. Total receipts other than borrowings in 2022-23 estimated at Rs. 22.84 lakh crore.
  4. Fiscal deficit in current year: 6.9% of GDP (against 6.8% in Budget Estimates)
  5. Fiscal deficit in 2022-23 estimated at 6.4% of GDP.
  6. Direct Taxes: Provision to file an Updated Return on payment of additional tax. This will enable the assessee to declare income missed out earlier.
  7. Direct Taxes: No change in income tax slabs.
  8. Scheme for taxation of virtual digital assets: Any income from transfer of any virtual digital asset to be taxed at rate of 30%.
  9. Gems and Jewellery: Customs duty on cut and polished diamonds and gemstones being reduced to 5%.

10.Customs duty of at least Rs 400 per Kg to be paid on imitation jewellery import.

11.Customs duty on umbrellas being raised to 20%. Exemption to parts of umbrellas being withdrawn.

12.Tariff measure to encourage blending of fuel: Unblended fuel to attract an additional differential excise duty of Rs 2/ litre from Oct 1, 2022.

13.National Highways Network to be expanded by 25000 Km in 2022-23.

14.Railways: One Station One Product concept to help local businesses & supply chains.

15.Ken Betwa project: 1400 crore outlay for implementation of the Ken – Betwa link project.

  1. MSME: Emergency Credit Linked Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) to be extended up to March 2023.
  2. Skill Development: Digital Ecosystem for Skilling and Livelihood (DESH-Stack e-portal) will be launched.
  3. Startups will be promoted to facilitate ‘Drone Shakti’ and for Drone-As-AService (DrAAS)

19.Education: ‘One Class-One TV channel’ programme of PM eVIDYA to be expanded to 200 TV channels.

  1. Health: An open platform for National Digital Health Ecosystem to be rolled out.
  2. Har Ghar, Nal Se Jal: Rs. 60,000 crores allocated to cover 3.8 crore households in 2022-23
  3. Housing for All: Rs. 48,000 crores allocated for completion of 80 lakh houses in 2022-23 under PM Awas Yojana.
  4. NE: New scheme PM-DevINE (Development Initiative for North-East Region) launched for the North-East.
  5. Vibrant Villages Programme for development of Border villages on the northern border.

25.Banking: Scheduled Commercial Banks to set up 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) in 75 districts.

  1. Accelerated Corporate Exit: Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE) to be established for speedy winding-up of companies.

27.AVGC Promotion Task Force: An animation, visual effects, gaming, and comic (AVGC) promotion task force to be set-up to realize the potential of this sector.

  1. Defence: 68% of capital procurement budget earmarked for domestic industry in 2022-23, up from 58% in 2021-22.
  2. Digital Rupee: Introduction of Digital Rupee by the Reserve Bank of India starting 2022-23.

30.States: In 2022-23, States will be allowed a fiscal deficit of 4% of GSDP, of which 0.5% will be tied to power sector reforms

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PR Sreejesh wins World Games Athlete of the Year 2021 Award

  • Veteran Indian Hockey goalkeeper P R Sreejesh has won the prestigious World Games Athlete of the Year for his 2021 performances, becoming only the second Indian to receive the accolade.
  • In 2020, Indian Women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal became the first Indian to win the honour for her 2019 show.
  • Sreejesh beat competition from sport climber Alberto Gins Lopez of Spain and Italy’s wushu player Michele Giordano for the award.
  • Sreejesh, a former captain of Indian Men’s Hockey Team and part of the Tokyo Olympics-bronze medal winning side, received around one lakh twenty seven thousand votes, whereas Lopez got around sixty seven thousand votes and Giordane accumulated over fifty two thousand votes.
  • The 33-year-old was the only Indian nominated and was recommended by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
  • In the FIH Stars Awards in October, Sreejesh was named the goalkeeper of the year for 2021.
  • Sreejesh has represented India in 244 senior international matches. At the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Sreejesh led the Indian hockey team to the quarterfinals of the tournament. He led the Indian team that won the silver medal at the 2016 Men’s Hockey Champions Trophy held at London


Gujarat’s Khijadia & UP’s Bakhira wildlife sanctuary declared as Ramsar sites

  • India gets two more Ramsar sites; Gujarat’s Khijadia & UP’s Bakhira wildlife sanctuary declared as Ramsar sites, taking the total number of protected sites in the country to 49, covering an area of 10,93,636 hectares, the highest in South Asia.
  • Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary in UP provides a safe wintering and staging ground for a large number of species of the Central Asian Flyway while Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary is a coastal wetland with rich avifaunal diversity providing a safe habitat to endangered and vulnerable species.


World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on 2 February

  • This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea.
  • The Standing Committee of the Convention has approved the themes for World Wetlands Day as follows:
    • 2022: Wetlands action for people and nature, 
    • 2023: Wetland restoration
    • 2024: Wetlands and human wellbeing
  • World Wetlands Day is observed every year on 2nd February all over the world. The idea is to raise global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and our planet. This day also marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2nd February, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar.
  • On this occasion, “National Wetland Decadal Change Atlas” prepared by the Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad was released highlighting the changes which have happened in Wetlands across the country in the past decade.

IISc Bengaluru Commissions one of India’s most powerful supercomputers ‘Param Pravega’

  • The Indian Institute of Science (IISc.), Bengaluru, has installed and commissioned ‘Param Pravega’, one of the most powerful supercomputers in India.
  • It is also the largest supercomputer commissioned in an Indian educational institution.
  • Param Pravega has a total supercomputing capacity of 3.3 petaflops (1 petaflop equals a quadrillion, or 1015 operations per second).
  • The supercomputer has been designed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)
  • It has been developed under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), a joint initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and implemented by C-DAC and IISc


JNU Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar named as new Chairman of UGC

  • Govt of India has appointed JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) Vice-Chancellor, M Jagadesh Kumar as the new Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC). University Grants Commission was founded in 1956.

Biography: M Jagadesh Kumar:

  • Hailing from Mamidala village in Telangana’s Nalgonda district, 60-year-old Kumar holds a masters degree and a PhD from IIT-Madras. He also completed his post-doctoral research at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, at Ontario, Canada.
  • He was a professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering at IIT-Delhi before being appointed as the JNU vice-chancellor in January 2016. He continued teaching at IIT-Delhi while serving as the JNU VC.


4th February observed as 2024 World Cancer Day: closing the care gap

  • Cancer is one of the world’s leading causes of death, and its burden is growing. In 2021, the world crossed a sobering new threshold – an estimated 20 million people were diagnosed with cancer, and 10 million died. These numbers will continue to rise in the decades ahead. And yet all cancers can be treated, and many can be prevented or cured.
  • Care for cancer, however, like so many other diseases, reflects the inequalities and inequities of our world. The clearest distinction is between high- and low-income countries, with comprehensive treatment reportedly available in more than 90% of high-income countries but less than 15% of low-income countries.
  • Similarly, the survival of children diagnosed with cancer is more than 80% in high-income countries, and less than 30% in low- and middle-income countries. And breast cancer survival five years after diagnosis now exceeds 80% in most high-income countries, compared with 66% in India and just 40% in South Africa.
  • A recent WHO survey found that cancer services are covered by a country’s largest, Govt health financing scheme in an estimated 37% of low- and middle-income countries, compared to at least 78% of high-income countries. This means that a cancer diagnosis has the potential to push families into poverty, particularly in lower-income countries, an effect that has been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.


India’s Atal Tunnel is now the World’s Longest Highway Tunnel above 10,000 ft

  • The 9.02 km Atal Tunnel at Rohtang has created a new record! Located at an altitude of more than 10000 ft, this tunnel connects Manali with Lahaul.
  • It has been recognised as the world’s longest single tube highway at this height by the World Book of Records, London.


White Cheeked Macaque found in Arunachal Pradesh

  • The scientists recently found white cheeked macaque in Arunachal Pradesh. The discovery adds a new species to the mammal list of India.
  • The White Cheeked macaque was first discovered in southeastern Tibet.
  • With the discovery of White Cheeked macaque, India’s total mammal count has increased to 438.

About White Cheeked Macaque

  • These macaques are different from the other macaques mainly because of their white cheeks. Also, they have a longer tail, long and thick hairs in the neck area. It has not yet been included in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
  • The major threat to the species is hunting, habitat degradation, infrastructure development and consumption by the locals.

Other Macaques in India

  • Apart from the white cheeked macaque, India has Arunachal macaque, Assamese macaque, Rhesus macaque.

Macaques

  • The macaques are old world monkeys. There are 23 species of macaques in the world. They are mainly found in Asia, North Africa, Gibraltar. They mainly feed on leaves, seeds, flowers and tree bark. The pig tailed macaques in Malaysia eat rats. Also, there are crab eating macaques.


India ranked 46 in Democracy Index 2021: EIU Latest Report

  • The Economic Intelligence Unit recently released the Democracy Index Report, 2021. The report described the state of democracy in 165 countries.
  • The report was prepared based on five parameters. They were functioning of the Govt, electoral process and pluralism, political participation, civil liberties and political culture.
  • Norway topped the index. The country scored 9.75. Following Norway, New Zealand was at the second position. Finland, Sweden and Iceland were at the third, fourth and fifth position respectively. Afghanistan scored the least with 0.32. Earlier North Korea was at the bottom most position.
  • China was ranked at 148th position. Myanmar: 166, Nepal: 1010, Pakistan: 104, Bhutan: 81, Bangladesh: 75, Sri Lanka: 67
  • Countries that showed improvement are Singapore, UAE, Uruguay, Guyana, Montenegro, Republic of Congo, India, Moldova, Qatar, Indonesia, Zambia.
  • One – third of the world population is living under authoritarian rule. 6.4% is having full democracy. The current global democracy score is 5.28 out of 10.
  • India ranked 46 in the index. The overall score of India was 6.91. The individual scores of the country are as follows:
  • Political Culture: 5
  • Electoral process and Pluralism: 8.67
  • Civil liberties: 6.18
  • Political participation: 7.22
  • Functioning of Govt: 7.5


LIC to be India’s largest Initial Public Offering

  • The Govt of India is planning to sell 5% of its share in Life Insurance Corporation (LIC). With this, the Govt is trying to raise Rs 65,000 crores.
  • The IPO is to help Govt of India in achieving its target. In the fiscal year 2021-22, the Govt of India had set a divestment target of Rs 2.1 lakh crores. However, the target counldnt be achieved. For the fiscal year, 2022-23, the divestment target is Rs 78,000 crores.
  • 10% of the shares are being reserved for eligible policy holders. These shares will carry discounted prices. The plan is to sell 316.25 million shares. This is 5% of the total equity base. The total equity base of LIC is 6.32 billion shares. The pricing of IPO, Initial Public Offering, has not yet been decided. 35% of the shares are to be reserved for retail investors. Discounts are to be provided to LIC employees.
  • The most valuable firm right now is Reliance Industries. The market capitalization of Reliance is Rs 16.1 lakh crores.

Initial Public Offering (IPO)

  • The IPO is providing the shares of private corporation to the public. The fund raised through IPO is used in further development of the business. It helps in publicity, fundraising, exit opportunity, etc. Also, it helps in the expansion of the company. The transparency in the process brings credibility.


Vice Admiral (retd) G Ashok Kumar appointed India’s first National Maritime Security Coordinator (NMSC)

  • Following the 26/11 terrorist attack, India has been consistently trying to augment the nation’s maritime security. In regard to this, the Govt has appointed Vice Admiral (retd) G Ashok Kumar as the nation’s first national maritime security coordinator with the view of strengthening the country’s maritime security.
  • This move has been made with the aim of ensuring cohesion among the various defense stakeholders of the nation with the primary aim of securing the country’s interest.
  • Since the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, the Govt has authorized a plethora of security measures to ensure that a repeat of such attacks does not occur again.
  • About Vice Admiral (retd) G Ashok Kumar served as the nation’s 35th Navy Vice Chief. He assumed this position in the year 2019 and served till July 2021.

Working of the National Maritime Security Coordinator (NMSC)

  • The NMSC works in tandem with the National Security Council which is headed by Ajit Doval (NSA). The NMSC is tasked with coordinating with the Coast Guard, the Indian Navy, and various other security agencies who are involved in providing maritime and coastal security, in 13 Union Territories and coastal states of the country.


Nepal to be the first country to adopt India’s UPI system

  • The first country to adopt India’s UPI system will be Nepal which will be critical in modernising the neighbouring country’s digital economy.
  • To deliver the services in Nepal, NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), NPCI’s international arm, has partnered with Manam Infotech and Gateway Payments Service (GPS). In Nepal, GPS is the authorized payment system operator, and Manam Infotech will implement the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) there.
  • According to NPCI, the collaboration will benefit Nepal’s greater digital public good by strengthening interoperable real-time person-to-merchant (P2M) and person-to-person (P2P) transactions in the neighbouring country. This collaboration will allow the citizens of Nepal’s last-mile consumers to benefit from an interoperable, open payment system that enables real-time financial transfers between merchant payments and bank accounts.
  • It will open the way for real-time cross-border P2P transfers between Nepal and India in the future. UPI’s real-time payment system can help accelerate Nepal’s financial inclusion process while also expanding business opportunities.
  • It will aid in the modernization of Nepal’s digital payment infrastructure and provide citizens with the convenience of digital payments.

About the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)

  • The Reserve Bank of India’s specialized section, the National Payments Corporation of India which was founded in the year 2008 is managed by the Ministry of Finance of the Govt of India. It was established by the Reserve Bank of India to manage India’s retail payment and settlement systems.

About NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL)

  • NPCI has established a separate business to market its product internationally. Countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East have approached NPCI to strengthen their payment infrastructure. NIPL wants closer cooperation with international partners in areas such as cross-border remittance, UPI implementation, and the use of indigenously produced technologies in digital payments.


Asia’s largest Bio-CNG plant in Indore

  • Asia’s largest Bio-CNG plant will virtually be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Indore.
  • Indore is considered as one of the cleanest cities India. With the inauguration of bio-CNG plant, it will set another high standard in cleanliness.
  • The Bio-CNG plant will be operated using 100 per cent wet waste. It is estimated to produce 18,000 kg gas per day. As per estimates of Indore Municipal Corporation, amount of Bio-CNG will help in running around 400 buses in the city daily.
  • The bio-CNG plant has a total capacity of 550 MT. It will produce CNG with 96 per cent pure methane gas.
  • This ‘lighthouse plant’ has been set up under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, by Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) and Indo Enviro Integrated Solutions Limited (IEISL). From this, Indore Municipal Corporation will earn a revenue of Rs 2.5 crore per year.
  • This plant will improve the calorific value as well as increase the effectiveness of Bio-CNG. It will help in purifying the air quality of densely-populated cities. It will further help in mitigating 1,30,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually.

Indore: Cleanest City of India

  • Indore has emerged as the cleanest city in India, over the past few years. It ensures 100 per cent segregation of solid waste at source. It leads to less than 1 per cent impurities in wet waste. As per experts, quality of wet waste in Indore is one of the best across the world. This prompted the private partners to participate in PPP bid to set up the plant.
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India’s new Green Hydrogen Policy

  • India’s new green hydrogen policy was unveiled, promising cheaper renewable energy, a 25-year fee waiver for inter-state power transmission for projects completed before June 2025, land in renewable energy parks, and mega manufacturing zones to help local industries move away from fossil fuels.
  • The policy aims to boost green hydrogen and ammonia, also making it easier for green power producers to ‘bank’ their surplus renewable energy with an electrical distribution business for up to 30 days. It also proposes the construction of bunkers near ports for the storage of green ammonia for export.

Importance of Green Energy for India

  • The race for green energy takes is very important as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis has pushed up energy prices around the world, particularly in India, which imports 85 percent of its oil and 53 percent of its natural gas.
  • A transformation to large-scale hydrogen fuel use could assist India’s geopolitical influence as well as its energy security.
  • India’s strategy is to use its vast landmass and low solar and wind tariffs to manufacture low-cost green hydrogen and ammonia for export.

Domestic boost caused by the policy

  • Any new renewable energy facilities built to produce power for green hydrogen generation before July 2025 will receive 25 years of free power transmission under the new policy. This move is projected to make green hydrogen production more cost-effective for users of hydrogen and ammonia, such as the fertilizer, oil refining, and steel industries.
  • A single portal will be created by the Govt for all green hydrogen production clearances, as well as facilities so that excessive energy production can be stored with discoms for up to 30 days and use it as needed. Energy plants that create green hydrogen/ammonia will be granted priority access to the grid.
  • Under this policy, power distribution industries may also acquire renewable energy to supply green hydrogen manufacturers, but only at a reduced rate that includes only the wheeling costs, cost of procurement, and a small margin defined by the state commission.

About Green Hydrogen

  • Green hydrogen is created by electrolysis of water, which is a technique for separating water into hydrogen and oxygen and can be done with renewable energy.


Assam to launch Project Arohan mentorship program

  • Assam Govt is set to launch a four-year mentorship programme called Project Arohan. This project will be launched to provide guidance to students and boost their skills.
  • For this project, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met Anita Rajan, CEO of Tata STRIVE, to sought their cooperation on this project.

Tata STRIVE

  • Tata STRIVE is a skill development programme of Tata Trusts.
  • It was launched with the aim of Tata STRIVE started working under the parent head of Tata Trusts in FY 2017-18. It was started working a result of strategy of ‘Simplification, synergy and scale’ of Tata Group.
  • This move recognises close synergies between Tata STRIVE and broader community interventions of Tata Trusts. This initiative is skilling youth from underprivileged backgrounds by means of innovations in technology, methodology and pedagogy. Since 2014, 6.5 Lakh Individuals have experienced the advantage of Tata STRIVE.

 

International Mother Language Day 2022 observed on February 21

  • The International Mother Language Day 2022 is being observed on February 21. The day is observed every year for promoting awareness on linguistic and cultural diversity.
  • The day is raises awareness with the aim of promoting multilingualism, that is, the ability to speak multiple languages or using multiple languages.
  • It is part of a broader initiative of promoting preservation and protection of all languages that are used by peoples across the world, as adopted by the UN General Assembly.
  • The international mother language day was an initiative of Bangladesh. It was later approved at the 1999 UNESCO General Conference. Since then, it has been celebrated annually. First ever International Mother Language Day was observed in 2000. This day was first announced by UNESCO on November 17, 1999. In 2002, it was formally recognised by the United Nations General Assembly.

Indian Army’s Bent-Toed Gecko discovered in Meghalaya

  • A team of researchers recently discovered a new species of bent-toed gecko or lizard, from Umroi Military station in Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya.
  • The new species of Gecko or lizard belongs to the family of Cyrtodactylus exercitus (‘exercitus’ means army, in Latin).
  • It has been named to honour the valour of Indian Army for their services to India.
  • These new species was discovered as part of efforts of research team, to uncover herpetofaunal diversity of North East India.
  • North East India has now become home to 16 species of bent-toed gecko.

Genus Cyrtodactylus

  • The genus Cyrtodactylus is represented by about 320 species across the world. It is the third most speciose vertebrate genus worldwide. Members of the genus range from South Asia to Melanesia. There is high diversity of the species in south Asia.

About bent-toe gecko

  • Bent-toe geckos are scientifically known as Cyrtodactylus. It is a diverse genus of Asian geckos. This genus has about 300 described species as of 2020. Thus, it is the largest of all gecko genera.



Statehood day of Arunachal Pradesh & Mizoram on February 20

  • On February 20, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted people of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram on the occasion of statehood day both the states.
  • Year 2022 marked the 36th State Foundation Day of Arunachal Pradesh. North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) was given a new name and a new identity as Arunachal Pradesh, 50 years ago.
  • On February 20, 1987, Arunachal Pradesh became a full-fledged state and Mizoram was the 23rd state of India with 53rd Amendment Act of Indian Constitution, 1986.



Arunachal Pradesh

  • Arunachal Pradesh is called as “Land of Dawn-Lit Mountains”. It is the erstwhile North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) region.
  • It states border with states of Assam and Nagaland to the south.
  • It has international borders with Bhutan, Myanmar and China.
  • It is the largest among Seven Sister States of Northeast India by area.

About Mizoram

  • It is one among the seven sister states of north-eastern India. Name of this state is derived from Mizo and Ram’ which means land in the Mizo language.
  • It is the southernmost landlocked state among northeast region of India. The state share borders with three states namely Tripura, Manipur and Assam.
  • It also shares a 722-kilometre border with Bangladesh and Myanmar.

 

Japan launched first Hydrogen Train

  • Japan has launched its first hydrogen-powered train. This unveiling is seen as a step towards the country’s objective of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. The hydrogen-fuelled train will be tested in the country in March.
  • “Hybari” the two-car train costs over USD 35 million or 4 billion yen and can go up to 140 kilometers or 87 miles at a top speed of 100 kilometers per hour on a single hydrogen refuelling.
  • In hydrogen-fuelled trains, Europe has been a pioneer. Germany launched the world’s first train in 2018 which was built by Alstom SA. Special fuelling stations and new regional trains are being developed by Deutsche Bahn AG and Siemens AG, and they will be tested in 2024.
  • The Govt of Japan has plans to increase hydrogen usage to 20 million tonnes by 2050. Energy industries such as Kawasaki and Iwatani Heavy Industries are attempting to develop hydrogen supply chains in order to lower the cost of fuel.

 

National Digital University to be setup

  • The Union Budget for 2022-23 looks to implement the National Education Policy (NEP). To help this the decision to establish a National Digital University was announced that will look to solve India’s seat scarcity problem in educational institutions. It will provide world-class quality education and promote online learning in several Indian languages.
  • The digital university will provide access to high-quality higher education in several languages while also complying with the National Education Policy 2020.
  • The digital university which has been proposed along with the increased education through television programmes will help in guiding the nation through a pioneering, modern, and practical blueprint.

 

Professor Neena Gupta conferred the Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians 2021

  • Professor Neena Gupta, conferred the Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians 2021.

BIOGRAPHY: Neena Gupta

  • Neena Gupta is a mathematician from Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata.
  • She conferred the award for her outstanding work in affine algebraic geometry and commutative algebra.

About Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians

  • The Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians is a mathematics prize, that is awarded annually by “International Centre for Theoretical Physics” in Italy. It has been named after Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.
  • The prize was founded in 2004 and first awarded in 2005.
  • It is awarded to researcher from a developing country who are aged below 45 years and has conducted outstanding research in developing country.
  • It is supported by Ministry of Science and Technology (India) as well as Norwegian Academy of Science & Letters through the Abel Fund, in cooperation of “International Mathematical Union”.
  • The prize is funded by Department of Science and Technology (DST) in collaboration with International Centre for Theoretical Physics and International Mathematical Union.

BIOGRAPHY: Srinivasa Ramanujan

  • Srinivasa Ramanujan was an Indian mathematician lived during the British Rule in India. He had almost no formal training in pure mathematics, but he made substantial contributions to mathematical analysis, infinite series, number theory, continued fractions, and solutions to mathematical problems, that were then considered unsolvable.


India ranks 43rd in USCC International Intellectual Property Index

  • According to an annual report which has been published by the US Chamber of Commerce’s Global Innovation Policy Center, India’s total IP score has risen from 38.4 percent to 38.6 percent, and the country is now ranked 43 out of 55 countries on the International Intellectual Property Index.
  • The overall score of India has increased from 38.40 percent (19.20 out of 50) in the ninth edition of this report to 38.64 percent (19.32 out of 50) in the latest edition.
  • The report of this year analyzed data of the last 10 years and revealed that the global IP environment has consistently improved over time, even in the last two years of turmoil due to the pandemic. The report also states that emerging economies are strengthening their IP regimes.
  •  

The Top 5 Countries in the International Intellectual Property Index

  • United States of America
  • United Kingdom
  • Germany
  • Sweden
  • France

About Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC)

  • The USCC’s principal institution is the GIPC and handles all the issues which are related to creativity and innovation by advocating strong standards of intellectual property.
  • The GIPC is working to promote creativity and innovation across the globe through intellectual property standards that save lives, create jobs, cultural prosperity, and advance global economy.

 

First Dugong Conservation Reserve of India to be setup in Palk Bay region

  • Tamil Nadu Govt has begun work to set up the first Dugong Conservation Reserve of India in the Palk Bay region.
  • Dugongs are endangered species and are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act’s, 1972 Schedule 1.
  • Tamil Nadu’s Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Department accepted the concept note of Shekhar Kumar Niraj, the Chief Wildlife Warden, and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, for the Dugong Conservation Reserve’s creation.
  • The size of the reserve will be spread over around 500 sq km and will be located in Palk Bay’s northern part from Adiramapattinam to Amapattinam.
  • There are plans to build enhanced seagrass beds and an international conservation centre under the Climate Change Mission.

About Dugong

The dugong is a sirenian species found along the Indian coast. Dugongs are related to manatees and have a similar plump appearance to them, but they have a tail that looks like a dolphin’s fluke. Unlike manatees, which live in freshwater, dugongs are purely marine mammals. Dugongs are also known as Sea Cows. They graze, on seagrass, in shallow coastal waters of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.

Population of Dugong in India

  • The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) states that only 200-250 dugongs are left, of which 150 are found in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay. The dugong is on the verge of becoming extinct.
  • The Dugong population of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is less than 100. In the Gulf of Mannar, there are only a few left. There are only a few sporadic records in the Gulf of Kutch.

About Palk bay

  • Palk Bay, a semi-enclosed shallow water body is located between the southeast coast of India and Sri Lanka and has a maximum water depth of 13 m. It is said to be one of the Gulf of Mannar’s major sinks for sediments.


National Science Day 2022 observed on 28 February

  • On 28 February, every year National Science Day is celebrated to recognize the contributions of scientists towards the nation’s development.
  • On 28 February 1928, an important discovery in the field of spectroscopy was made by renowned Indian Physicist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman. Later, this discovery was named after him i.e. the Raman Effect. In 1930, CV Raman received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work.
  • On February 28, 1987, the first National Science Day was observed in India.

BIOGRAPHY: CV Raman

  • CV Raman was an Indian physicist and is known for his work in light scattering under the fields of physics. He and his student K. S. Krishnan, using a spectrograph developed by Raman, discovered that when light passes through a transparent medium, the frequency, and wavelength of the deflected light change. They named this phenomenon “modified scattering” and was later termed the Raman scattering or Raman effect.
  • In 1930, CV Raman received the Nobel Prize in Physics for this discovery and was Asia’s first person to receive a Nobel Prize in science.
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Assam Current Affairs & GK – January 2022

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Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – January 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the month of January 2022)

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Current Affairs Assam -Assamexam

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Assam partners with National Dairy Development Board to set up Rs 2,000-cr dairy joint venture

  • The Assam Govt and National Dairy Development Board signed an agreement to create a Rs 2,000-crore joint venture for holistic development of the sector in the state.
  • A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Guwahati in the presence of Union Animal Husbandry & Dairying Minister Parshottam Rupala, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, state Agriculture Minister Atul Bora and other senior officials.
  • As per the MoU, a joint venture company will be set up for Rs 2,000 crore with a target of processing 10 lakh litres of milk through six new units in seven years.
  • Milk from more than 4,100 dairy cooperative societies will be processed, packed and marketed.
  • This will benefit more than 1,75,000 farmers associated with dairy farms in Assam and increase their earnings, Sarma said.
  • Two cattle feed and organic manure manufacturing units will also be set up as per the agreement.
  • The milk producers will be provided subsidies for market price fluctuation of their produce and urged all the cooperatives to engage in healthy competition for the economic growth of Assam.
  • As part of the dairy development project, more than 15,000 high milk-yielding Gir cows will be brought to Assam to ensure high returns to the farmers of Assam.
  • This joint venture will be guided and managed by NDDB, and it will introduce technological innovations.
  • The foundation stone of Guwahati-based Purabi Dairy’s expansion initiative was laid under the World Bank-funded Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transportation Project.As part of the expansion project, Purabi Dairy’s processing capacity will be upgraded from the existing 60,000 litres per day to 1.5 lakh litres.

 

Urjit Patel appointed as Vice-President of AIIB

  • Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Urjit Patel has been appointed as a vice-president of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a Beijing based multilateral development bank.He will be one of the five Vice Presidents of the AIIB with a three-year tenure.
  • Urjit Patel was the 24th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) succeeding Raghuram Rajan in September 2016 and was with RBI till December 2018.

AIIB & India

  • India is a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with the 2nd highest voting share after China.
  • India has emerged as AIIB’s biggest beneficiary by obtaining $6.8 billion funding for 29 projects.
  • AIIB has funded projects across sectors in India especially in transport and energy sectors.

Members of AIIB

  • Except the US and Japan, most of the developed and developing countries have joined the bank. In late December, the AIIB approved the application of Iraq to join, becoming the bank’s 51st regional member to bring its membership to 105.
  • Jin Liqun is the current President of AIIB.

 

India State of Forest Report 2021 – Highlights

TheUnion Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change has released the biennial ‘India State of Forest Report 2021’ prepared by the Forest Survey of India (FSI).

The ISFR-2021 provides information on forest cover, tree cover, mangrove cover, growing stock, carbon stock in India’s forests, forest fire monitoring, forest cover in tiger reserve areas, above ground estimates of biomass using SAR data & climate change hotspots in Indian forests.

(OF: Open Forest; MDF: Moderately Dense Forest; VDF: Very Dense Forest)

Major Findings

Forest and Tree Cover

  • The total forest and tree cover of the country is 80.9 million hectare which is 62 per cent of the geographical area of the country.
  • Increase in Forest & Tree Cover: As compared to the assessment of 2019, there is an increase of 2,261 sq kmin the total forest and tree cover of the country. Increase in forest cover has been observed in open forest followed by very dense forest.
    • Forest Cover:1,540 sq km
    • Tree Cover:721 sq km.
  • Top Three States Showing Increase in Forest Cover:Andhra Pradesh (647 sq km) followed by Telangana (632 sq km) and Odisha (537 sq km).
  • Area-wise Largest Forest Cover: Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
  • Forest Cover as Percentage of Total Geographical Area: In terms of forest cover as percentage of total geographical area, the top five States are Mizoram (84.53%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%), Meghalaya (76.00%), Manipur (74.34%) and Nagaland (73.90%).
  • 17 states/UT’s have above 33 Percent of the Geographical Area Under Forest Cover: Out of these states and UT’s, five states/UTs namely Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya have more than 75 per cent forest cover while 12 states/UTs namely Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Goa, Kerala, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Assam, Odisha, have forest cover between 33 per cent to 75 per cent.

Mangrove Cover

  • Total mangrove cover in the country is 4,992 sq km.
  • An increase of 17 sq Km in mangrove cover has been observed as compared to the previous assessment of 2019.
  • Top three states showing mangrove cover increaseare Odisha (8 sq km) followed by Maharashtra (4 sq km) and Karnataka (3 sq km).
  • Carbon Stock
  • Total carbon stock in country’s forest is estimated to be 7,204 million tonnes and there an increase of 79.4 million tonnes in the carbon stock of country as compared to the last assessment of 2019.
  • The annual increase in the carbon stock is 39.7 million tonnes.
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Kerala’s Kumbalangi village is India’s first sanitary-napkin-free panchayat

  • Kumbalangi village in Cochin is all set to become India’s first sanitary-napkin-free panchayat. The village has previously won acclaim as India’s first model tourism village.
  • This move is a part of ‘Avalkayi’ initiative, which is being implemented in the Ernakulam parliamentary constituency, in association with “Thingal Scheme” of HLL Management Academy’s and Indian Oil Corporation.

 

Avalkayi Initiative

  • Under this initiative, menstrual cups will be distributed to women aged 18 and above in Kumbalangi village. 5000 menstrual cups will be distributed under it.

Model Village

  • In the same event, Governor will also declare Kumbalangi village as a model village. The model village project is implemented as a part of ‘Pradhan Mantri Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (PM-SAGY)’.

About Kumbalangi village

Kumbalangi is an island village, located in the outskirts of Kochi city of Kerala. It is a major tourist attraction and is famous for the Chinese fishing nets. It is situated amidst backwaters, about 12 km from the city center. The village is also the first eco-tourism village in India.

Kumbalangi Integrated Tourism Village project

This project seeks to transform the tiny island of Kumbalangi into a model fishing village and tourism spot. Project is being implemented by panchayat (village council) while state Govt is providing financial assistance. This project was started in 2003 to help the local people, economy and locality through tourism.

 

Assam to expansion of Orang National Park

  • The Assam Govt has recently decided to increase the size of Orang National Park. The park is to be expanded thrice.
  • Assam is to add 200.32 square kilometre to the Orang National Park. The area to be added consists of Brahmaputra river. It also includes sandbars and islands of the river.
  • Tigers and Rhinos are using the islands and sandbars that are being included. Orang region in the northern bank of Brahmaputra is essential to Kaziranga Orang Riverine Landscape. This is because animals move between the Orang and Kaziranga stretch through these lands. This stretch is 180 km. It is a corridor connecting two habitats.
  • The rhinos and Gangetic Dolphins are to be benefitted greatly with the addition of this extra land. It will also benefit 16 species of turtles.
  • Orang NP is a major rhino habitat. It became a tiger reserve in 2016.
  • The other seven national parks in Assam are Dehing Patkai, Dibru – Saikhowa, Manas, Kaziranga, Nameri, Raimona.

 

Future plans for Kaziranga – Orang

  • Gharials became extinct in the region six decades ago. The Assam Govt is planning to reintroduce gharial here.

 

National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries

  • National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries are declared under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. On the other hand, the Biosphere reserves are declared under UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve Programme, 1971.
  • The Wildlife Protection Act says that the area comprised within the forest as decided by the State Govt is declared as the wildlife sanctuary and National Parks.
  • The National Parks, Wild Life sanctuaries and other wildlife related subjects were moved to Concurrent List. Earlier it was under the state list. In 1976, the 42nd constitutional amendment moved these subjects to concurrent list.
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Lt Gen Manoj Pande appointed as next Vice Chief of Army Staff

  • Eastern Army Commander Lieutenant General Manoj Chandrashekhar Pande has been appointed as the next Vice Chief of Army Staff.He will succeed Lt Gen CP Mohanty who is scheduled to superannuate on January 31, 2022.
  • Lt Gen Manoj Pande has taken active part in Operation Vijay and Operation Parakram.

 

S Somnath appointed new Chairman of ISRO

  • Dr S Somnath is to become the new chairman of ISRO. He is to succeed K Sivan.
  • Currently he is the Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).

Biography: S Somnath

  • Somnath completed his college pre – degree in Maharaja College, Ernakulam.
  • He studied his engineering in TKM College of Engineering. He joined the VSSC centre in 1985. He completed his master’s in Indian Institute of Science in aerospace engineering.
  • He was associated with PSLV project in its early phases. Under his leadership, the experimental test flight of LVM3-X/CARE was completed.
  • In 2010, he became the Associate Director of ISRO. He was the project director of GSLV Mk – III.
  • In 2014, he acted as the Deputy Director of Propulsion and space Ordinance Entity. In 2015, he was made the director of Liquid propulsion system centre at Valiamala, Thiruvananthapuram.

About Chairman of ISRO

  • The chairman of ISRO is the secretary to the Govt of India. He is an executive of Department of Space. The Department reports to the prime minister directly.
  • Vikram Sarabhai is the longest serving chairman of ISRO. He served for 12 years. In 1962, he urged Nehru to establish INCOSPAR (Indian National Committee for Space Research) under Department of Atomic Energy. INCOSPAR became ISRO in 1969.

 

Lakshya Sen won “Yonex-Sunrise India Open” Badminton title

  • India’s Lakshya Sen secured his maiden Super 500 title by winning “Yonex-Sunrise India Open”, on January 16, 2022.
  • He secured the title with a stunning straight-game victory over reigning world champion from Singapore, Loh Kean Yew in the men’s singles final.
  • 20-year-old Lakshya had earlier claimed his maiden world championships medal with a bronze in Spain in December 2021.

Doubles’ final

  • In the doubles’ final, top doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won against three-time world champions Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan from Indonesia. The pair become India’s first men’s team to win the Yonex-Sunrise India Open. The world no. 10 Indian pair had won its first Super 500 tournament in 2019 in Thailand.

India Open Badmintor tournament

  • India Open is an annual badminton event. It has been held in India since 2008. It is a BWF World Tour Super 500 Grade international badminton tournament.
  • The first three editions of the India Open were designated as Grand Prix Gold events. It was upgraded to BWF superseries tournament in 2011. India open is categorised as one among seven BWF World Tour Super 500 events by BWF since 2018.

 

Indonesia’s New Capital at Nusantara

  • The Indonesians are moving to a new capitalcalled ‘Nusantara’, it is East Kalimantan. Till now, Jakarta was the capital of Indonesia.
  • Nusantarais located in the Borneo island. The plan to shift the capital here was announced in 2019.It was announced by President Joko Widodo.
  • Jakarta has been the capital of Indonesia since 1949. Jakarta is facing environmental and financial issues. Pollution is increasing in Jakarta and it has been consistently ranked as one of the most polluted cities in the world.
  • Currently, Jakarta is densely populated, also, Jakarta is sinking. By 2050, most of the Jakarta is expected to go under water. This is mainly because Jakarta is surrounded by several rivers. These rivers are prone to frequent floods. Between 2019 and 2020 many cities in Jakarta sank up to 10.7 cm.

The other countries that recently changed its capital are as follows:

  • Brazil changed from Rio De Janeiro to Brasilia. Brasilia is more centrally located. The country changed in 1960.
  • In 1991, Nigeria changed its capital from Lagos to Abuja.
  • Kazakhstan changed its capital from Alamty to Nur – sultan.
  • In 2005, Myanmar changed its capital from Rangoon to Naypyidaw.

 

SEBI’s Saa₹thi mobile app about security markets

  • The Securities and Exchange Board of India, SEBI launched the Saarthi mobile application. The application provides information about security markets. It is highly useful for investors.
  • The application provides explanation about mutual funds, its working, trading and settlement, KYC (Know Your Customer) processes, developments in the market, etc. Also, the application includes grievance redressal mechanism.
  • The application uses both Hindi and English. It is available for both iOS and android users. In future, the app will be made available in local languages as well.
  • Recently, the number of individual investors entering the market is increasing. The app was launched to help these individual investors. Also, the new investors are using smart phones to do trading. Thus, they are being assisted through mobile apps.

Security Markets

  • Security markets are those markets where the securities are bought and sold. Securities are nothing but guarantees. The securities are forfeited when the concerned person fails to repay the money.
  • In simple terms, the securities are the tradable financial instruments that raise capital in public and private markets.

Rise in individual investor in India

  • In India, the individual investors have been increasing. Their share was 39% in 2020. In 2021, it has increased to 45% according to NSE (National Stock Exchange) data.
  • The interest rates in the banks are reducing. The Fixed Deposit rates are varying between 2.9% and 5.4%.Thus, the returns from such investments is very low. There is increase in global liquidity. Also, people are spending more time at home because of the pandemic.
  • The market capitalization at BSE (Bombay stock Exchange) increased by 1.8 times. It increased by 1.6 times in Russia. The other countries with significant increase are China, France and South Africa.
  • It is evident that market capitalization is higher in India as compared to other countries.

Waterfowl Census in Kaziranga National Park

  • The Kaziranga National Park is a Tiger Reserve and a World Heritage site. The park recently conducted its water fowl census.
  • The census is conducted in the 52 wetlands in the parks. In 2021, the bird count increased to 93,491. It was 34,284 in 2020. The bird count has increased by 175% in one year.
  • Around 126 species were spotted during the census. The census used point count method.
  • The census reported 868 deers. This includes 173 males, 557 females and 138 yearlings. Unfortunately, the deer population has decreased. Earlier it was 907. The population of deers in the park decreased mainly because of floods.
  • 66,776 wetlands birds were reported. Of this 42,205 were counted in the national park area. 24,571 were counted in Burhachapori Wildlife sanctuary and Laokhowa.
  • Of all the animals, the bar headed geese were in greatest numbers. There were 16,552 bar headed geese. Also, the census reported 5,631 common teal, 9,493 northern pintail and 2,236 ferruginous ducks.
  • 40,000 hog deers were reported. They are the main food for the tigers in the park.
  • 35 elephants were spotted.
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Omo Kibish I is the oldest Human Fossils

  • As per a recent study, one of the oldest known Homo sapiens fossils, Omo Kibish I, may be around 35,000 years older than it was previously thought.
  • Omo Kibish I was first unearthed in Ethiopia in 1967.The study used volcanic ash to date the fossils and thus there were 22,000-year margin of error.
  • New minimum age for Omo I is consistent with most recent theories of human evolution. Study also brings it closer to the age given to oldest Homo sapiens remains, which were discovered in 2017 in Morocco. Remains in Morocco were dated to 300,000 years ago. Omo I is the only fossil, with all the morphological characteristics of modern man.

 

Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura celebrated Statehood Day January 21

  • Every year, the states of Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura celebrate their statehood day on January 21. These states were formed under the North Eastern Region (Reorganization) Act, 1971.
  • The princely states of Manipur and Tripura were joined with India in 1949. They were then granted the union territory status.
  • In 1972, Meghalaya and Tripura were granted complete statehood. The states were formed under the North Eastern Region (Re-organization) Act, 1971.
  • In 1947, the north eastern region of India comprised of Assam plains, North Eastern Frontier Tracts and hill districts. Later in 1949, the princely states of merged with India. They were made as union territories. The state of Nagaland was formed in 1963.
  • In 1969, the Assam Reorganization (Meghalaya) Act was enacted. Under the act, Meghalaya was carved out of Assam and was made an autonomous state. This was done under the sixth schedule of Indian constitution.
  • In 1972, the North Eastern Reorganization act was enacted. It granted full statehood to Meghalaya and Tripura. Also, under the act, the NEFA and Mizo hills of Assam were made the union territories.
  • The Mizo Accord was signed in 1986. The state of Mizoram was created in 1987.
  • In 1987, NEFA, that is, Arunachal Pradesh was granted full statehood.

 

 

 

Assam’s Shakuntala Choudhary and Dhaneswar Engti conferred Padma Awards 2022

  • ·         Ms. Shakuntala Choudhary and Shri Dhaneswar Engti from Assam receive the Padma Shri Award for the year 2022. The Padma Awards were announced on Tuesday 25 January by the Indian government.
  • ·         Shakuntala Choudhary from Assam has been selected for her contribution to social work for the welfare of society.Shakuntala Choudhary was earlier honored by the government of India with the National Awards for Senior Citizens – Vayoshestha Samman in the year 2021. She works as the supervisor at the Kasturba Ashram located in Guwahati and is recognized as a well-known social worker of the state. She has immense contribution to the well-being and empowerment of women across the country.
  • ·         Dhaneswar Engti from Karbi Anglong district is a well-known lyricist and a writer who is widely recognized for his contribution to the field of Karbi music and Karbi literature. He has been selected for the most prestigious award in the field of Literature and Education. Notably, the renowned writer has earlier received the prestigious award of Kristinandan Literary in the year 2017.
  • ·         Six esteemed personalities from the Northeast will be receiving the fourth highest civilian award, Padma Shri for the year 2022.
  • ·         On 25th January, 2022, on the eve of 73rd Republic Day, Padma Awards were declared. The President has approved conferment of 128 Padma Awards including 2 duo case (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one) – 4 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri Awards. 34 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 10 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 13 posthumous awardees.

 

19 January observed as Kokborok Day in Tripura

  • On 19 January 2022 Tripura observed 44th Kokborok Day, also known as the Tripuri Language Day.
  • The day commemorates the initial recognition of Kokborok as the official language in 1979.
  • The state Govt. is stressing more on regional languages and renamed Baramura hills to Hatai Kotor two years ago.
  • Govt in Tripura officially rechristened two more locations with Kokborok names while observing the 44th Kokborok Day – Gandacherra was renamed as Ganda Twisa, where the picturesque Dumbur Lake is there and Atharomura range to Hachuk Berem in Kokborok language.

 


India becomes the largest exporter of Cucumber and Gherkins

  • India emerged as the ‘Pickle King of The World’, in a recent development.
  • India crossed the exports of worth USD 200 million of agricultural processed product, pickling gherkins, cucumber or cornichons, in the financial year 2020-2021.
  • With this, India became the largest exporter of cucumbers and gherkins worldwide.
  • India exported 1,23,846 metric tonnes (MT) of cucumber and gherkins, with a value of USD 114 million during April-October 2021.
  • In 2020-21, India shipped 2,23,515MT of cucumber and gherkins with value worth USD 223 million.
  • India meets 15 percent of total global requirement of demand of gherkins. Indian plants are of international standards and have been made to cater to the requirements of foreign countries.
  • Export of pickled cucumber – Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh process and export the pickled cucumber across the world. Pickled cucumbers are imported by more than 20 countries, namely, USA, France, South Korea, Japan, Israel, Canada, Germany etc.
  • Gherkin is also known as pickled cucumber. It is a cucumber that has been pickled in vinegar, brine, or other solution and left to ferment for some time.

 

Steps by APEDA to promote export

  • Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has also undertaken several initiatives in infrastructure development, product promotion in international market and food safety management systems across processing units. The gherkin manufacturing and exporting companies are ISO, IFS, BRC, FSSC 22000 or HACCP certified or they possess all the certifications.

 

National Girl Child Day celebrated on January 24

  • Every year the National Girl Child Day is celebrated on January 24. The day is celebrated to promote the rights of girl child in the country. Also the day aims to spread the importance of education, health and nutrition of the girl child.
  • The first national girl child day was celebrated in 2008. It is an initiative of Ministry of Women and Child Development.
  • International Girl Child Day is celebrated on October 11. It is celebrated by the United Nations and several other international organisations. The United Nations celebrated the first International Day of Girl Child in 2012.
  • 8 percentage of girls are married before the age of 18 years. The under five mortality rate of girl children is 40 per 1000 livebirths. This is 11% higher than that of the under five mortality rate of boy child.
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Govt of Assam conferred its highest award ‘Assam Baibhav’ on Ratan Tata

  • Govt of Assam conferred its highest civilian award ‘Assam Baibhav’ on Ratan Tata, on January 24, 2022. However, Ratan Tata did not attend the event personally because of Covid-19 situation. Award was received by his representative during a programme held in Guwahati.
  • Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma announced to confer Assam Baibhav, Assam Saurav and Assam Gaurav Awards, for the year 2021.
  • Assam Saurav award was conferred on Professor Dipak Chand Jain, Lovlina Borgohain, Professor Kamalendu Deb Krori, Dr Lakshmanan S, and Neel Pawan Baruah.
  • Assam Gaurav award was conferred on Manoj Kumar Basumatary, Munindra Nath Ngatey, Dharanidhar Boro, Hemoprabha Chutia, Dr Basanta Hazarika, Kaushik Baruah, Khorsing Terang, Akash Jyoti Gogoi, Namita Kalita, Dr Asif Iqbal, Kalpana Boro, Boby Hazarika, and Bormita Momin.

FACTFILE: Assam Baibhav

  • It is the highest civilian award of Assam. It was declared on the occasion of “Asom diwas” (Assam Day). The Award carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh. Furthermore, the recipient can avail medical treatment at Govt expense, throughout his life. Obverse of the award has an image of Jaapi and words “Assam Baibhav” has been inscribed in Assamese script, on the leaf of Hollong tree.


India rank 85th in 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index

  • The Transparency International recently released the Corruption Perception Index. According to the index, India ranked 85 among the world countries. The report said that the score of corruption has been stagnant for India over a decade.
  • The rankings were created based on the corruption in the public sector of the countries. Based on this, the Corruption Perception Index is calculated. Here zero means highly corrupt, a score of 100 means the country is clean. India scored 40.
  • India in the ranking:India scored 86th in the ranking in 2020. In 2019, India was ranked 80th. According to the report, the journalists in India are facing severe risks.
  • Relative performance of India: Around 86% of the countries showed little or no improvement since 2012. India was one among them. India was in 94th position in 2012.
  • Top Countries: Denmark topped the index followed by Denmark, New Zealand. Their scores were around 88.


India’s first Graphene Innovation Centre set up in Kerala

  • The first Graphene innovation centre of the country is set up in Kerala. This is the first research and development centre being established for graphene.
  • The central Govt has allocated Rs 86.41 crores of funds for the project. The centre is to be built along with the support of Kerala Govt. Tata steel is the industrial partner.
  • The state Govt run Digital University Kerala and the Centre for Materials for Electronics will join hands along with the state and central Govts in implementing the project.

About Graphene

  • Graphene is the strongest material in the world. Also, it is the thinnest material. Graphene has good electrical conductivity and chemical stability. It is transparent, light in weight and has a large surface area.
  • Graphene has the ability to replace indium. It brings down the cost of Organic Light Emitting Diode. Graphene is an isotope of carbon. It has a two – dimensional honeycomb nanostructure.
  • Graphene is addressed to as “Wonder material” for its electronic and electrical properties.
  • Graphene is a zero gap semiconductor. This means the conduction band and the valence band are at the same energy level. For an element to conduct electricity, it should have free electrons in conduction band.

Applications of Graphene

  • It is used to make tennis racquets. Also, graphene is used in making composite materials, biological engineering, energy storage and filtration. It is also used in lubricants, paints, functional fluids, batteries, coatings, oils, capacitors, display materials, solar cells.
  • Graphene is also used to add strength to other materials. Adding a very little amount of graphene to metals, plastics or any other materials makes it highly stronger.
  • As Graphene has high surface area to volume ratio, it is ideal to be used in making super capacitors.
  • Graphene has anti – corrosion coatings. It is used in drug delivery, sensors, paints and solar panels.


James Webb Space Telescope succeeded the Hubble Space Telescope.

  • The James Webb Space Telescope succeeded the Hubble Space Telescope. It was jointly built by NASA, European Space Agency and Canadian Space Agency. It uses infrared light to make observations.
  • It was at first called the “Next Generation Space Telescope”. It was renamed in 2002. James Webb was a former NASA administrator. He played a major role in the Apollo programme of NASA. It has a large sized 6.5 metre mirror.
  • The telescope is to be used to look deep into the cosmos. It will capture light from the very first star population. That is, the telescope will study stars that were formed 13.5 billion years ago.
  • The main telescope used is Korsch telescope. The transponders in the James Webb Telescope use S – band for tracking. S – band is a part of the microwave band. It covers frequencies between 2 GHz and 4 GHz. Usually the S – band is used for communication between NASA and International Space Station. Also, S – band is used for airport surveillance, for weather monitoring, air traffic control.
  • Orbit of the telescope is Halo Orbit. The halo orbit is an orbit near one of the Lagrange points. The Halo orbits exist only in three body system. For instance, in sun, earth and moon.
  • The Space Telescope Science Institute located in Baltimore, Maryland operates as the Science and Operation Centre of the James Webb Space Telescope.
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Anantha Nageswaran appointed new Chief Economic Advisor

  • The Govt of India has appointed Anantha Nageswaran as the new Chief Economic Advisor. He is a former member of Prime Minister Economic Advisory Council.

BIOGRAPHY :Anantha Nageswaran

  • Nageswaran has taught in Business schools in India and Singapore. He is a visiting professor at Kre University. Krea University is one of the top private universities of the country. It is sponsored by IFMR. IFMR is Institute for Financial Management and Research.
  • He has completed post-graduation from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. Also he has a doctoral degree from the Massachusetts institute.
  • Nageswaran worked as a senior advisor to the International Financial Services Authority of India (IFSCA) between 2019 and 2021.
  • Between 1994 and 2011, he worked as a currency economist at the Union Bank of Switzerland.

Chief Economic Advisor

  • The post of CEA was lying vacant after Dr Krishnamurthy Subramanian left office in December 2021. He succeeded Arvind Subramanian in 2018.
  • The CEA reports to the Finance Minister of India.The post is equivalent to Secretary in India.
  • The CEA is the head of the Department of Economic Affairs that operates under Ministry of Finance.

PM Economic Advisory Council

  • It is an independent body. Nageswaran had led the council for PM Modi. Currently Dr Bibek Debroy is the Chairman of the council. The council advises the PM on national and international economic issues.

IFSCA

  • IFSCA aims to bring a strong global connect between India and rest of the world. It was created in 2020 at the GIFT city, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
  • IFSCA develops and regulates financial services and financial products. It is governed by nine members. Each member from IRDAI, SEBI, RBI, PFRDA.Two members from Ministry Finance and two members as recommended by the selection committee. It is led by a chair person.

 

 

Rafael Nadal won his 21st Grand Slam at Australian Open

  • Rafael Nadal won his 21st Grand Slam title as he beat Daniil Medvedev at the Australian Open Final to grab his Grand Slam.
  • Roger Federer of Switzerland and Novak Djokovic of Serbia have won 20 Grand slams.

Asteroid named after Nadal

  • In 2003, the 128036 astroid in the main asteroid belt was named after him. The asteroid is now called the Rafale Nadal asteroid. The asteroid was named by the International Astronomical Union.

BIOGRAPHY: Rafael Nadal

  • Nadal is ranked at fifth place by the ATP ranking. He was ranked number one for 209 weeks. Nadal has won 62 ATP singles titles. This includes 13 French open titles.Also, he has won Olympic gold medal, five Davis Cup titles.
  • He has continuously won 81 matches on clay. This is the world longest single surface win.
  • He was the first person to win on all the three different surfaces such as clay, grass and hard surface.
  • He is the youngest to win Grand Slam. He won his first grand slam when he was 24 years old.
  • The top level tennis players Roger Federer, Noval Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are addressed to as the Big three. Nadal is the only left – handed player of the big three.

 

 

Rapid Train connectivity in Manipur – First freight train to enter Manipur

  • On January 27, 2022, the first goods train reached the Rani Gaidinliu station of Manipur. This is the first freight train to enter Manipur after 75 years. This shows the rapid transformation happening in the state of Manipur.
  • Manipur is a hilly state. The new railway line built in the state is 111 km long. It runs from Jiribam to Imphal. The Jiribam railway station is 17 km from the Assam – Manipur border.
  • The Railway department is to construct 46 tunnels along the new rail line. Also, it includes 153 bridges. The world tallest bridge is in this line. It is in Noney district. The bridge is 141 metres high.
  • The Railways has spent Rs 14,000 crores in constructing the railway line so far. The construction started in 2013. The line was to be constructed up to Imphal. Now, there are plans to extend up to Moreh. Moreh is a trading centre located in Manipur-Myanmar border.

 

India’s First Geo Park in Jabalpur, MP

  • The first geological park of India will be built in Lamheta, Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.
  • Park will be constructed with an investment of Rs 35 crores, over five-acre land.
  • The geological park will be built in Lamheta, because this place is among significant places in world, from geological point of view. In 1928, William Henry Sleeman had discovered Dinosaur fossil from this area. UNESCO has also recognised Lamheta as geo heritage site.
  • Geopark is a unified area, which advances the protection and use of geological heritage in sustainable manner. It also promotes the economic well-being of the people living there.
  • Lamheta Formation is also called as Infratrappean Beds. It is a sedimentary geological formation found in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. It is associated with the Deccan Traps. It is of Maastrichtian age and is known for dinosaur fossils.

FACTFILE: Geological Survey of India (GSI)

  • GSI was founded in 1851. It is a scientific agency of India, working under ministry of Mines organisation. It is one of the oldest organisations worldwide and the second oldest survey organisation in India, following Survey of India. The Survey of India was founded in 1767.
  • It was set to conduct geological surveys and studies of India. It also acts as prime provider of basic earth science information to general public, industry and Govt besides official participant in coal, steel, cement, metals, power industries and international geoscientific forums.

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Assam Current Affairs – January 01-03, 2024

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Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – January 01-03, 2024

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the January 01-03, 2024)

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Current Affairs Assamexam

January 01-03, 2024 

MoU signed between the Government of India, Assam, and representatives of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA)

Memorandum of Settlement signed between the Government of India, Government of Assam and representatives of United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), in New Delhi to end insurgency in the NorthEast region. 

Key Points

  • The tripartite agreement is very important for peace in Assam and the entire Northeast. Under this agreement, ULFA representatives have agreed to abjure a path of violence, lay down all their arms and ammunition and disband their armed organisation. 
  • Apart from this, ULFA has also agreed to vacate all camps occupied by its armed cadres, engage in the peaceful democratic process established by law and maintain the integrity of the country.
  • The Union Home Minister said that the Modi government has signed the NLFT agreement in 2019, Bru and Bodo in 2020, Karbi in 2021, Adivasi agreement in 2022, Assam-Meghalaya border agreement, Assam-Arunachal border agreement and agreement with UNLF in 2023. 
  • Shri Amit Shah also said that a time-bound program will be made by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, to fulfill the demands of ULFA and a committee will also be formed for its monitoring.

Uttar Pradesh Plans to Develop India’s First AI City in Lucknow

Uttar Pradesh plans to establish the country’s first AI city in Lucknow. This initiative aims to create a thriving hub for artificial intelligence, integrating cutting-edge technology, research centers, and educational institutions to foster innovation and nurture the workforce of the future.

Key Points

  • The AI city is proposed to be located in the city of Lucknow, according to an Expression of Interest issued by UP Electronics Corporation Ltd. 
  • The city already features Centers of Excellence in areas such as AI and MedTech, thereby forming a sound base for the establishment of the AI city. 
  • The city is expected to become a hub for nurturing a culture of creativity and entrepreneurship among AI/ML startups. 
  • Lucknow’s AI city represents an advanced step in implementing artificial intelligence at a large scale and nurturing the workforce of the future.

Assam CM Launches 200 Eco-Buses In Guwahati To Combat Pollution

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma flagged off 200 electric buses from Guwahati. The government has taken this decision to create a pollution-free environment in Assam.

Key Points

  • Unlike CNG-powered buses, these buses will ply on a total of 13 routes in Guwahati. Furthermore, charging stations have been set up at several places, including Mirza and Jagiroad. 
  • The new initiative aims to establish Guwahati as the country’s first city powered by a 100% green public transportation system by the year 2025.
  • Additionaly, CM Sarma ceremonially launched the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) in Guwahati. The NCMC serves as a versatile transport card designed to simplify various transactions related to travel, toll taxes, and retail purchases, and allows cash withdrawals. 
  • Operating via the RuPay card system, the NCMC can be obtained as a prepaid, debit, or credit card from associated banks.

NEHHDC Establishes Ashtlaxmi Haat for Northeast Arts and Crafts

The North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC) establishing Ashtlaxmi Haat & Experience Centre at Guwahati with a project cost of ₹ 7.6 crore.

Key Points

  • The initiative attempts to develop and promote the indigenous crafts of the region by connecting craftsmen to prospective markets and consumers and generating economic, cultural, and social opportunities for creators while adding cultural value for consumers.  
  • The Haat will have 24 permanent stalls, which will provide market access to artisans of all Northeast states & will have an artisan residency to provide accommodation to artisans from outstation.
  • It provides the artisans a direct city outlet bridging them to contemporary consumers seeking authentic ethnic wares. 
  • The residency component lets craftspeople from remote hills and villages stay during sales exhibitions.
  • The organization procures handicrafts and handlooms from artisans and weavers across the region and retails the same. Moreover, it promotes the products at various National and International Markets through exhibitions and trade fairs. 

Jammu And Kashmir Becomes First UT To Implement PM Vishwakarma Yojana

Jammu & Kashmir has become the first Union Territory to implement the PM Vishwakarma Yojana (PMBY) skill training program for craftsmen and artisans. 

The initiative aims to empower and enhance the skills of the craftsmen community in the country. 

The start of training for the first batch of 30 trainees in Darzi craft at the Industrial Training Institute in Shopian. 

This initiative, launched by the Central government in September 2023, aims to uplift and recognize the crucial role these skilled individuals play in preserving and enriching India’s cultural heritage.

Gujarat Sets Guinness Record In Mass Surya Namaskar

Gujarat sets Guinness record for performing mass Surya Namaskar simultaneously in the state on the first day of the new year.

Over 4,000 participants across 108 locations and 51 different categories performed Surya Namaskar, solidifying the state’s commitment to wellness and cultural heritage. 

The record-breaking event was held at the majestic Modhera Sun Temple. The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from diverse groups, including families, students, yoga enthusiasts, and even senior citizens.

India, UAE Launch Maiden Military Exercise ‘Desert Cyclone’

The collaborative military exercise ‘Desert Cyclone 2024’ involving India and the UAE is scheduled to take place in Rajasthan from January 2 to January 15. 

Key Points

  • The UAE contingent is being represented by troops from the Zayed First Brigade.  The Indian Army contingent comprising 45 personnel is being represented mainly by a Battalion from the Mechanised Infantry Regiment. 
  • The aim of this Exercise is to enhance interoperability in Sub-conventional Operations including Fighting in Built-Up Area (FIBUA) in desert/ semi desert terrain under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter on Peacekeeping Operations. 
  • The Exercise will enhance cooperation and interoperability between both the sides during Peace Keeping Operations. 
  • Drills planned to be rehearsed during Exercise ‘DESERT CYCLONE’ include Establishment of a Joint Surveillance Centre, Cordon and Search Operation, Domination of Built-Up Area and Heliborne Operations. 
  • The Exercise will also foster collaborative partnership and help in sharing best practices between the two sides. 
  • Exercise ‘DESERT CYCLONE’ signifies further strengthening of bonds of friendship and trust between India and the UAE. 
  • The Exercise aims to achieve shared security objectives and foster bilateral relations between two friendly nations.

India, Pakistan Exchange List of Nuclear Installations

India and Pakistan exchanged the list of nuclear installations and facilities through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad. 

About Non-Nuclear Aggression Agreement

  • The Non-nuclear aggression agreement is a bilateral and nuclear weapons control treaty between India and Pakistan, on the reduction (or limitation) of nuclear arms.
  • It is also known as the India-Pakistan Non-Attack Agreement, that was signed on 31 December 1988 and entered into force on 27 January 1991.
  • It provides that India and Pakistan inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the Agreement on the first of January of every calendar year. 
  • Each party shall refrain from undertaking, encouraging or participating in, directly or indirectly, any action aimed at causing the destruction of, or damage to, any nuclear installation or facility in the other country.

Importance of this agreement

  • Both the countries reaffirm their commitment to durable peace and the development of friendly and harmonious bilateral relations. 
  • They are conscious of the role of confidence building measures in promoting such bilateral relations based on mutual trust and goodwill.

Assam Current Affairs & GK Quiz for APSC 2024 – Set 349: January 2024, Week 1

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Assam Current Affairs & GK Quiz for APSC 2024 – Set 349: January 2024, Week 1

(Daily and Monthly Assam Current Affairs & GK Quiz & MCQ for APSC Exams and various Assam exams)

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Q1. Who has been appointed as the Chairman of the Sixteenth Finance Commission?

  1. Arvind Panagariya
  2. Niranjan Rajadhyaksha
  3. Dr. Soumya Kanti Ghosh
  4. Ajay Kumar

Arvind Panagariya

 

Q2. Which state has become first in recording entries on the Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) platform?

    1. Assam
    2. Madhya Pradesh
    3. Kerala
    4. Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

  • Uttar Pradesh has retained top rank for the third straight year in ensuring extensive usage of the Supreme Court e-committee’s Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS), a nationwide platform integrating courts, police, prisons and forensic labs. 
  • Madhya Pradesh and Bihar trail at second and third position respectively. 
  • The wide adoption by U.P. police aims to employ ICJS’s data analytics to predict crimes, manage law & order situations better and reduce pendency of cases.

 

Q3. China’s cutting-edge ocean drilling vessel designed to penetrate the Earth’s crust and reach the mantle for the first time in human history is

  1. Yaogan
  2. Mengxiang
  3. Zhuque
  4. Shuijing

Mengxiang

China has unveiled its first ocean drilling vessel, the Mengxiang, which is designed to delve into the Earth’s crust and explore the mysteries of the mantle. If successful, this will mark humanity’s first exploration into the upper mantle.

 

Q4. Who has been recently appointed as the new Chief of Materiel of the Indian Navy?

  1. Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi 
  2. Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti
  3. Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh 
  4. Vice Admiral Naveed Ashraf

  Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh

Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh has taken over as the new Chief of Materiel of the Indian Navy from Vice Admiral Sandeep Naithani. Vice Admiral Deshmukh is an alumnus of VJTI Mumbai and a postgraduate from Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.

The Chief of Materiel is the head of the Materials Branch of the Navy, dealing with logistics and maintenance. 

 

Q5. Which oceanographic research vessel of the Indian Navy has embarked on the Sagar Maitri Mission-4 to Oman?

  1. RV Sindhu Sankalp 
  2. INS Sagardhwani
  3. INS Samundar
  4. RV Sindhu Sadhana

INS Sagardhwani

INS Sagardhwani, an oceanographic research vessel of the Indian Navy, has embarked on the Sagar Maitri Mission-4 to Oman. The goal of the mission is to establish long-term scientific partnerships and collaboration with Indian Ocean Rim countries for ocean research and development.

 

Q6. Which company has decided to introduced “Copilot key” in PC keyboards?

  1. Apple
  2. Google
  3. Microsoft
  4. Yahoo

Microsoft

 

Q7. Joint military exercise ‘Desert Cyclone’ is conducted between India and which country?

  1. USA
  2. Iran
  3. Australia
  4. UAE

UAE

The Joint Military Exercise ‘Desert Cyclone’, between India and UAE is being organized in Mahajan, Rajasthan. The exercise aims to enhance interoperability by learning and sharing best practices in operations.

 

Q8. India’s first submarine tourism will be started in which state?

    1. Tamil Nadu
    2. Gujarat
    3. Maharashtra
    4. Kerala

Gujarat

The Gujarat government, in partnership with Mazgaon Dock Limited, is set to pioneer India’s first-ever submarine tourism project at Dwarka.

Q9. Who among the following has been honoured with M S Swaminathan Award?

  1. Prof B R Kamboj 
  2. Jadav Payeng
  3. M. Yoganathan  
  4. Rajendra Singh 

Prof B R Kamboj 

Prof. B.R. Kamboj, the Vice Chancellor of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, has been bestowed with the prestigious M.S. Swaminathan Award. He was awarded with this prestigious award for his significant contributions as a scientist and extension specialist in the field of agronomy.

 

Q10. Which space agency has launched XPoSat aboard PSLV-C58?

  1. ISA
  2. NASA
  3. ISRO
  4. JAXA

ISRO

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) aboard Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C58.

 

Q11. Who among the following has been appointed as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff

  1. Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi
  2. Vice Admiral Ajit Singh
  3. Vice Admiral Gurpreet Singh
  4. Vice Admiral Kuldeep Yadav

Vice Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi

The Vice Chief is the deputy of the Chief of the Naval Staff and is usually the second highest ranking officer of the Indian Navy.

 

Q12. Who will represent India at Uganda NAM Summit in January 2024?

  1. Amit Shah
  2. Dr S Jaishankar
  3. Nirmala Sitaraman
  4. Rajnath Singh

Dr S Jaishankar

India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar is set to represent India at the upcoming Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Uganda’s capital Kampala.

 

Q13. Who becomes the first woman to amass a $100 billion?

  1. Nita Ambani 
  2. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers 
  3. Julia Koch 
  4. Jacqueline Mars
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers

 

Q14. Which city will host the International Kite Festival ahead of Ram Temple’s consecration?

  1. Jamnagar
  2. Surat
  3. Ayodhya
  4. Rajkot
Ayodhya

Q15. First all-girls Sainik School inaugurated recently in which state?

  1. Assam
  2. Himachal Pradesh
  3. Bihar
  4. Uttar Pradesh 
Uttar Pradesh

The first-ever all-girls Sainik School was inaugurated in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh.

 

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Assam Current Affairs & GK Quiz for APSC 2023 – Set 347: October 2023, Week 4

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Assam Current Affairs & GK Quiz for APSC 2023 – Set 347: October 2023, Week 4

(Daily and Monthly Assam Current Affairs & GK Quiz & MCQ for APSC Exams and various Assam exams)

Quiz Home Page Current Affairs Assam Quiz - Assam exam

 

Q1. Which small finance bank is set to merge with Indian fintech unicorn Slice?
  1. North East Small Finance Bank
  2. Equitas Small Finance Bank
  3. Paytm Payments Bank
  4. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank
 
 North East Small Finance Bank
 
 
Fintech unicorn Slice is set to merge with North East Small Finance Bank (NESFB) following approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Slice is a Bengaluru-based fintech company that offers a range of financial products and services, including credit cards, buy now, pay later (BNPL), and insurance. NESFB is a Guwahati-based small finance bank that focuses on providing financial services to underserved and unbanked segments of the population.
 
 
Q2. Which Indian state has approved the formation of a Special Tiger Protection Force?
  1. Assam
  2. Arunachal Pradesh
  3. Karnataka
  4. West Bengal
 
Arunachal Pradesh
 
The Arunachal Pradesh State Cabinet has approved the formation of a Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) for three tiger reserves in the state. The STPF will be responsible for combating poaching and other threats to tigers and their habitats.
 
 
Q3. Which is the most visited monument in India?
  1. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
  2. India Gate
  3. Gateway of India, Mumbai
  4. Taj Mahal
 
Taj Mahal
 
 
Q4. Who was awarded the Tata Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023?
  1. C S Lakshmi
  2. Satish Jacob
  3. Mark Tully
  4. Ruskin Bond
C S Lakshmi
 
 
 
Q5. Which country is connected to India by the ‘Cheriyapani’ ferry service?
  1. Mauritius
  2. Bangladesh
  3. Sri Lanka
  4. Maldives
 Sri Lanka
 
 
The ‘Cheriyapani’ ferry service connects Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu, India to Kankesanthurai in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. It is an age-old sea route that has been rejuvenated to bolster bilateral ties, boost tourism, and increase people-to-people relations.
 
 
Q6. Where is the Atal Bihari Training Center for Divyang Sports, India’s first high-tech sports training centre for persons with disabilities, recently inaugurated?
  1. Pune
  2. Guwahati
  3. Gwalior
  4. Chennai
Gwalior
 
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched India’s inaugural state-of-the-art sports training centre for Divyangjan (people with disabilities) in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, named in honour of former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The initiative’s goal is to ensure equal sports opportunities, foster talent development, and promote participation in diverse sporting fields.
 
 
Q7. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy tournament is related to which sports?
  1. Football
  2. Field Hockey
  3. Cricket
  4. Tennis
Cricket
 
 
Q8. Which state has announced a policy to reserve 35% of all state government job positions for women, excluding the Forest Department?
  1. Assam
  2. Manipur
  3. Madhya Pradesh
  4. Jharkhand
Madhya Pradesh
 
 
Madhya Pradesh government has announced a policy to reserve 35% of all state government job positions for women, excluding the Forest Department. This progressive amendment to the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Special Provision for Appointment of Women) Rules, 1997, comes just ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections.
 
 
Q9. The newly approved Sarakka Central Tribal University will be located in which state?
  1. Andhra Pradesh
  2. Telangana
  3. Chhattisgarh
  4. Jharkhand
 Telangana
 
 
The Sarakka Central Tribal University will be located in Mulugu district, Telangana. It is a commitment made by the Central government as a part of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. The university will have a budget of Rs 889 crore and will aim to provide quality education to tribal students in the region.
 
 
Q10. What is India’s rank in the Global Remote Work Index (GRWI)?
  1. 34th
  2. 48th
  3. 64th
  4. 92nd
64th
 
India is ranked 64th out of 108 countries in the GRWI, reflecting a significant decline of 15 places from the previous year. 
The top 5 countries which scored the highest on the Global Remote Work Index (GRWI) are Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Sweden.

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Assam Current Affairs & GK Quiz for APSC 2023 – Set 345: October 2023, Week 2

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Assam Current Affairs & GK Quiz for APSC 2023 – Set 345: October 2023, Week 2

(Daily and Monthly Assam Current Affairs & GK Quiz & MCQ for APSC Exams and various Assam exams)

Quiz Home Page Current Affairs Assam Quiz - Assam exam

 

Q1. Who recently launched India’s first 5G Training Labs and 5G applications in the health sector in all the eight North Eastern States?

  1. Jitendra Singh
  2. Narendra Modi
  3. Amit Shah
  4. Kishan Reddy


Kishan Reddy

India’s first 5G training labs and 5G applications in the health sector have been launched in all the eight North Eastern States. The project is centrally funded through North East Council (NEC) and being implemented by Assam Electronic Development Corporation (AMTRON), a PSU of Assam government.

 

Q2. Which state’s Yak Churpi has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag?

  1. Arunachal Pradesh
  2. Assam
  3. Himachal Pradesh
  4. Mizoram

Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh’s Yak Churpi has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. It is a naturally fermented dairy product crafted from the milk of yaks. Churpi is a traditional food of the tribal yak herders in the state. It is rich in protein and has been a lifeline for them in the harsh conditions of the Himalayan region.

 

Q3. Who was awarded the 2023 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize in Mathematics?

  1. Neena Gupta
  2. Ruixiang Zhang
  3. Adam Harper
  4. Will Sawin

Ruixiang Zhang

Mathematician Ruixiang Zhang, an Assistant Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, USA, was awarded the 2023 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize in Mathematics for his pioneering contributions to number theory.

 

Q4. Where is the world’s second-largest Hindu temple outside India located, which was recently inaugurated?

  1. Australia
  2. US
  3. New Zealand
  4. United Kingdom

US

The world’s second-largest Hindu temple outside India is located in Robbinsville Township, New Jersey, US. It is called the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple and is set to be inaugurated on 8th October 2023.

 

Q5. What is India’s rank in the IMD World Talent Ranking for 2023?

  1. 32nd
  2. 42nd
  3. 56th
  4. 59th

56th

India slipped four spots to the 56th position (Out of 64 economies) in the 2023 World Talent Ranking, compared to its 52nd position in the 2022 ranking.

Top Ranking countries are

  1. Switzerland
  2. Luxembourg
  3. Iceland
  4. Belgium
  5. Netherlands


Q6. Which state will be the location of the newly approved Sarakka Central Tribal University?

  1. Chhattisgarh
  2. Jharkhand
  3. Andhra Pradesh
  4. Telangana

Telangana

The Sarakka Central Tribal University will be located in Mulugu district, Telangana. It is a commitment made by the Central government as a part of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. The university will have a budget of Rs 889 crore and will aim to provide quality education to tribal students in the region. It will offer a variety of courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, as well as research programs.

 

Q7. When is World Tourism Day 2023 celebrated?

  1. September 25
  2. September 26
  3. September 28
  4. September 27

September 27

World Tourism Day 2023 is observed worldwide on September 27. This annual celebration, initiated by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), aims to promote and highlight the significance of tourism across the globe. It serves as a platform to raise awareness about the importance of tourism and its positive impact on economies and cultures.

 

Q8. The Indian-origin professor who has been awarded the 2023 Dutch Spinoza Prize for climate change research?

  1. Dr. Rajendra Pachauri
  2. Jaap Sinninghe Damsté
  3. Dr. Joyeeta Gupta
  4. Dr. Sunita Narain

Dr. Joyeeta Gupta

Dr. Joyeeta Gupta is an Indian-origin professor at the University of Amsterdam who has been awarded the prestigious Dutch Spinoza Prize for her groundbreaking work in the field of climate change. The Spinoza Prize is the highest scientific award in the Netherlands. It is awarded annually to two or three researchers who have made outstanding contributions to their field.

 

Q9. The recently established 54th Tiger Reserve in India, Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve is located in which state?

  1. Uttar Pradesh
  2. Karntaka
  3. Rajasthan
  4. Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh

India’s 54th Tiger Reserve, the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, was established in Madhya Pradesh in 2023. It is the seventh tiger reserve in the state.

 

Q10. When is World Nature Day celebrated?

  1. October 1
  2. October 3
  3. October 5
  4. October 7


October 3

World Nature Day is celebrated on October 3 every year. It is a day to raise awareness about the challenges facing our environment, particularly due to climate change. The theme for World Nature Conservation Day 2023 is ‘Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet’. This theme highlights the importance of forests for both people and the planet. Forests provide us with essential resources such as food, water, and clean air. They also play a vital role in regulating the climate and protecting biodiversity.

ADRE 2023 Test Series Assamexam

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Nobel Prize 2023 Winners in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Economics, Peace and Literature & their achievements

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Nobel Prize 2023 Winners in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Economics, Peace and Literature & their achievements

Nobel Prize 2023 winners Full List & their Contributions | নবেল পুৰস্কাৰ বিজয়ী ২০২২
Watch Nobel Prize 2023 Winners Video
Nobel Prize Awards
  • Awarded to those who have conferred the greatest benefits to humankind.
  • Alfred Nobel in his will, he bequeathed all of his “remaining realisable assets” to be used to establish five prizes which became known as “Nobel Prizes” in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace categories.
    Nobel Prizes were first awarded in 1901 & Prize in Economics started in 1968.
  • Prize includes = A gold medal, a diploma, and a monetary award of 11 million SEK (=1 million US $)

 

Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine 2023
Katalin Karikó & Drew Weissman
“for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19”
Nobel Prize in Literature 2023
Jon Fosse
“for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable”
  • He is the fourth Norwegian recipient of the prize.
Noble Peace Prize 2023
Narges Mohammadi
“for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all”
  • Iranian human rights activist and Vice president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC)
Nobel Prize in Physics 2023
  • Pierre Agostini
  • Ferenc Krausz
  • Anne L’Huillier
“for experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter”
  • new tools for exploring the world of electrons inside atoms/molecules.
  • Demonstrated a way to create extremely short pulses of light that can be used to measure the rapid processes in which electrons move or change energy.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023
  • Moungi Bawendi
  • Louis Brus
  • Alexei Ekimov
“for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots”
  • Independent of each other, Ekimov and Brus succeeded in creating quantum dots, and Bawendi revolutionised the chemical production.
Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2023
  • Claudia Goldin
“for having advanced our understanding of women’s labour market outcomes”
  • Goldin gives an account of women’s earnings and their labour market participation
  • She discovered the key drivers of the gender gap in labour market and employment.
  • Women’s choices have been limited by marriage and domestic responsibility, family
  • Female labour participation forms a U-shaped curve in the last two century
    Participation of married women decreased with transition from agrarian to industrial society due to Industrial revolution in 19th century, but increased due to growth of service sector in the early 20th century.
  • The gap in the labour participation has increased after the birth of the first child.
  • The award was established in 1968 by an endowment “in perpetuity” from Sweden’s central bank, Sveriges Riksbank.
Watch Nobel Prize 2023 Winners Video

Nobel Prize Winners 2022 in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Economics, Peace and Literature

Nobel Prize Winners 2021 in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Economics, Peace and Literature

Nobel Prize Winners 2020 in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Economics, Peace and Literature

Nobel Prize Winners 2019 in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Economics, Peace and Literature

 

India’s Achievement in 19th Asian Games 2023 – 107 Medals & Records (Current Affairs/GK for Assam ARDE 2.0)

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India’s Achievement in 19th Asian Games 2023 – 107 Medals & Records (Current Affairs/GK for Assam ARDE 2.0)

Current Affairs Quiz Monthly- September 2023 PDF    |    Go to Current Affairs Page

India reached a historic milestone at the Asian Games 2023, securing their best-ever performance of 107 medals – 28 gold, 38 silver and 41 bronze. This remarkable medal haul represents India’s most successful performance in a Asian Games edition. This outstanding feat surpassed India’s previous best of 70 medals in the Jakarta Asian Games.

India ended at 4th spot in the medal tally in 2023, behind China, Japan, and Republic of Korea.

India sent 655 athletes to compete in 41 disciplines at the Asian Games 2023 held from September 19 to October 8. It was India’s largest representation at the Asian Games in the 19 editions held so far.

  • Indian shooters won seven gold medals and Four of the seven gold medals for India in shooting at the Asian Games 2023 came with world records.
  • Indian archers, led by Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Ojas Pravin Deotale, won nine medals in archery at the Asian Games 2023. The nine medals won by Indian archers included five golds. India’s previous best was one gold, one silver and one bronze from Incheon 2014.
  • The men’s doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy claimed India’s maiden gold medal in badminton.
  • The men’s and women’s Indian cricket teams also won their first gold medals in the Asian Games on their tournament debuts.
  • Avinash Sable set an Asian Games record in men’s 3000m steeplechase for gold.
  • Parul Chaudhary won gold in the women’s 5000m race
  • Annu Rani won gold in the women’s javelin throw.
  • Medal winners in hockey – Gold in Men’s team & Bronze in Women’s team.
  • In KABADDI, India triumphed over Iran in the men’s final and Chinese Taipei in the women’s gold medal match to ensure a clean sweep in the sport.
  • Sanjana Bathula became the youngest Indian to win a medal at the Asian Games after she won the bronze in the women’s speed skating 3000m relay event.

Medal Tally at Asian Games 2022

Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 People’s Republic of China 201 111 71 383
2 Japan 52 67 69 188
3 Republic of Korea 42 59 89 190
4 India 28 38 41 107
5 Uzbekistan 22 18 31 71
 

 

Asian Games 2023 India’s medal winners list

No.

Athletes

Sport

Event

Medal

1

Team India

Shooting

Women’s 10m air rifle team

Silver

2

Team India

Rowing

Men’s lightweight double sculls

Silver

3

Team India

Rowing

Men’s pair

Bronze

4

Team India

Rowing

Men’s eight

Silver

5

Ramita Jindal

Shooting

Women’s 10m air rifle

Bronze

6

Team India

Shooting

Men’s 10m air rifle team

Gold

7

Team India

Rowing

Men’s four

Bronze

8

Team India

Rowing

Men’s quadruple

Bronze

9

Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar

Shooting

Men’s 10m air rifle

Bronze

10

Team India

Shooting

Men’s 25m rapid file pistol team

Bronze

11

Team India

Cricket

Women’s T20 cricket

Gold

12

Neha Thakur

Sailing

Girl’s Dinghy – ILCA4

Silver

13

Eabad Ali

Sailing

Men’s Windsurfer – RS:X

Bronze

14

Team India

Equestrian

Team dressage

Gold

15

Team India

Shooting

Women’s 50m rifle 3 positions team

Silver

16

Team India

Shooting

Women’s 25m pistol team

Gold

17

Sift Kaur Samra

Shooting

Women’s 50m rifle 3 positions

Gold

18

Ashi Chouksey

Shooting

Women’s 50m rifle 3 positions

Bronze

19

Team India

Shooting

Men’s skeet team

Bronze

20

Vishnu Saravanan

Sailing

Men’s dinghy ICLA7

Bronze

21

Esha Singh

Shooting

Women’s 25m pistol

Silver

22

Anantjeet Singh Naruka

Shooting

Men’s skeet

Silver

23

Naorem Roshibina Devi

Wushu

Women’s 60kg sanda

Silver

24

Team India

Shooting

Men’s 10m air pistol team

Gold

25

Anush Agarwalla

Equestrian

Individual dressage

Bronze

26

Team India

Shooting

Women’s 10m air pistol team

Silver

27

Team India

Shooting

Men’s 50m rifle 3 positions team

Gold

28

Team India

Tennis

Men’s doubles

Silver

29

Esha Singh

Shooting

Women’s 10m air pistol

Silver

30

Palak Gulia

Shooting

Women’s 10m air pistol

Gold

31

Team India

Squash

Women’s team

Bronze

32

Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar

Shooting

Men’s 50m rifle 3 positions

Silver

33

Kiran Baliyan

Athletics

Women’s shot put

Bronze

34

Team India

Shooting

Mixed team 10m air pistol

Silver

35

Team India

Tennis

Mixed doubles

Gold

36

Team India

Squash

Men’s team

Gold

37

Karthik Kumar

Athletics

Men’s 10,000m

Silver

38

Gulveer Singh

Athletics

Men’s 10,000m

Bronze

39

Aditi Ashok

Golf

Women’s golf

Silver

40

Team India

Shooting

Women’s trap team

Silver

41

Team India

Shooting

Men’s trap team

Gold

42

Kynan Chenai

Shooting

Men’s trap

Bronze

43

Nikhat Zareen

Boxing

Women’s 50kg

Bronze

44

Avinash Sable

Athletics

Men’s 3000m steeplechase

Gold

45

Tajinderpal Singh Toor

Athletics

Men’s shot put

Gold

46

Harmilan Bains

Athletics

Women’s 1500m

Silver

47

Ajay Kumar Saroj

Athletics

Men’s 1500m

Silver

48

Jinson Johnson

Athletics

Men’s 1500m

Bronze

49

Nandini Agasara

Athletics

Women’s heptathlon

Bronze

50

Murali Sreeshankar

Athletics

Men’s long jump

Silver

51

Seema Punia

Athletics

Women’s discus throw

Bronze

52

Jyothi Yarraji

Athletics

Women’s 100m hurdles

Silver

53

Team India

Badminton

Men’s team

Silver

54

Team India

Roller skating

Women’s speed skating 3000m relay

Bronze

55

Team India

Roller skating

Men’s speed skating 3000m relay

Bronze

56

Team India

Table tennis

Women’s doubles

Bronze

57

Parul Chaudhary

Athletics

Women’s 3000m steeplechase

Silver

58

Priti Lamba

Athletics

Women’s 3000m steeplechase

Bronze

59

Ancy Sojan

Athletics

Women’s long jump

Silver

60

Team India

Athletics

Mixed 4x400m relay

Silver

61

Team India

Canoe Sprint

Men’s canoe double 1000m

Bronze

62

Preeti Pawar

Boxing

Women’s 54kg

Bronze

63

Vithya Ramraj

Athletics

Women’s 400m hurdles

Bronze

64

Parul Chaudhary

Athletics

Women’s 5000m

Gold

65

Mohammed Afsal

Athletics

Men’s 800m

Silver

66

Praveen Chithravel

Athletics

Men’s triple jump

Bronze

67

Tejaswin Shankar

Athletics

Men’s decathlon

Silver

68

Annu Rani

Athletics

Women’s javelin throw

Gold

69

Narender Berwal

Boxing

Men’s +92kg

Bronze

70

Team India

Athletics

Mixed team race walk

Bronze

71

Team India

Archery

Mixed team compound

Gold

72

Team India

Squash

Mixed team

Bronze

73

Parveen Hooda

Boxing

Women’s 57kg

Bronze

74

Lovlina Borgohain

Boxing

Women’s 75kg

Silver

75

Sunil Kumar

Wrestling

Greco-Roman 87kg

Bronze

76

Harmilan Bains

Athletics

Women’s 800m

Silver

77

Avinash Sable

Athletics

Men’s 5000m

Silver

78

Team India

Athletics

Women’s 4x400m relay

Silver

79

Neeraj Chopra

Athletics

Men’s javelin throw

Gold

80

Kishore Jena

Athletics

Men’s javelin throw

Silver

81

Team India

Athletics

Men’s 4x400m relay

Gold

82

Team India

Archery

Women’s compound team

Gold

83

Team India

Squash

Mixed doubles

Gold

84

Team India

Archery

Men’s compound team

Gold

85

Saurav Ghosal

Squash

Men’s singles

Silver

86

Antim Panghal

Wrestling

Women’s 53kg

Bronze

87

Team India

Archery

Women’s recurve team

Bronze

88

HS Prannoy

Badminton

Men’s singles

Bronze

89

Team India

Sepaktakraw

Women’s regu

Bronze

90

Team India

Archery

Men’s recurve team

Silver

91

Sonam Malik

Wrestling

Women’s 62kg

Bronze

92

Kiran Bishnoi

Wrestling

Women’s 76kg

Bronze

93

Aman Sehrawat

Wrestling

Men’s freestyle 57kg

Bronze

94

Team India

Bridge

Men’s team

Silver

95

Team India

Hockey

Men’s team

Gold

96

Aditi Swami

Archery

Women’s compound individual

Bronze

97

Jyothi Surekha Vennam

Archery

Women’s compound individual

Gold

98

Ojas Pravin Deotale

Archery

Men’s compound individual

Gold

99

Abhishek Verma

Archery

Men’s compound individual

Silver

100

Team India

Kabaddi

Women’s kabaddi

Gold

101

Team India

Badminton

Men’s doubles

Gold

102

Team India

Cricket

Men’s team

Gold

103

Team India

Kabaddi

Men’s kabaddi

Gold

104

Team India

Hockey

Women’s team

Bronze

105

Deepak Punia

Wrestling

Men’s freestyle 86kg

Silver

106

Team India

Chess

Men’s team

Silver

107

Team India

Chess

Women’s team

Silver

 

 

 

 

 

India’s Asian Games 2023 medal-winning team members

Team

Members

Women’s 10m air rifle shooting team

Ashi Chouksey, Mehuli Ghosh, Ramita Jindal

Men’s lightweight double sculls rowing team

Arjun Lal Jat, Arvind Singh

Men’s pair rowing team

Babu Lal Yadav, Lekh Ram

Men’s eight rowing team

Neeraj, Naresh Kalwaniya, Neetesh Kumar, Charanjeet Singh, Jaswinder Singh, Bheem Singh, Punit Kumar, Ashish, DU Pande

Men’s 10m air rifle shooting team

Rudrankksh Patil, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Divyansh Singh Panwar

Men’s four rowing team

Jaswinder Singh, Bheem Singh, Punit Kumar, Ashish

Men’s quadruple rowing team

Parminder Singh, Satnam Singh, Jakar Khan, Sukhmeet Singh

Men’s 25m rapid file pistol shooting team

Vijayveer Sidhu, Adarsh Singh, Anish Bhanwala

Women’s T20 cricket team

Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Amanjot Kaur, Devika Vaidya, Pooja Vastrakar, Titas Sadhu, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Minnu Mani, Kanika Ahuja, Uma Chetry, Anusha Bareddy

Dressage equestrian team

Hriday Chheda, Anush Agarwalla, Divyakriti Singh, Sudipti Hajela

Women’s 50m rifle 3 positions shooting team

Ashi Chouksey, Manini Kaushik, Sift Kaur Samra

Women’s 25m pistol shooting team

Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwan, Esha Singh

Men’s skeet shooting team

Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Gurjoat Singh Khangura, Angad Vir Singh Bajwa

Men’s 10m air pistol shooting team

Arjun Cheema, Sarabjot Singh, Shiva Narwal

Women’s 10m air pistol shooting team

Esha Singh, Divya TS, Palak Gulia

Men’s 50m rifle 3 positions shooting team

Swapnil Kushale, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Akhil Sheoran

Men’s doubles tennis team

Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan

Women’s squash team

Joshna Chinappa, Anahat Singh, Tanvi Khanna, Dipika Pallikal

10m air pistol mixed team

Sarabjot Singh, Divya TS

Mixed doubles tennis team

Rohan Bopanna, Rutuja Bhosale

Men’s squash team

Saurav Ghosal, Abhay Singh, Harinder Pal Singh, Mahesh Mangaonkar

Women’s trap shooting team

Manisha Keer, Preeti Rajak, Rajeshwari Kumari

Men’s trap shooting team

Kynan Chenai, Zoravar Singh Sandhu, Prithviraj Tondaiman

Men’s badminton team

Kidambi Srikanth, Lakshya Sen, Chirag Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, MR Arjun, Dhruva Kapila, HS Prannoy, Mithun Manjunath, Sai Pratheek, Rohan Kapoor

Women’s speed skating 3000m relay team

Karthika Jagadeeswaran, Heeral Sadhu, Aarathy Kasturi Raj, Sanjana Bathula

Men’s speed skating 3000m relay team

Vikram Rajendra Ingale, Siddhant Rahul Kamble, Anandkumar Velkumar, Aryanpal Singh Ghuman

Women’s doubles table tennis team

Ayhika Mukherjee, Sutirtha Mukherjee

Mixed 4x400m relay athletics team

Muhammad Ajmal, Vithya Ramraj, Rajesh Ramesh, Subha Venkatesan

Men’s canoe double 1000m team

Arjun Singh, Sunil Singh Salam

Mixed team race walk team

Manju Rani, Ram Baboo

Mixed team compound archery team

Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Ojas Pravin Deotale

Mixed team squash team

Anahat Singh, Abhay Singh

Women’s 4x400m relay athletics team

Vithya Ramraj, Aishwarya Kailash Mishra, Prachi, Subha Venkatesan

Men’s 4x400m relay athletics team

Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Amoj Jacob, Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi, Rajesh Ramesh

Women’s compound archery team

Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Aditi Swami, Parneet Kaur

Mixed doubles squash team

Dipika Pallikal, Harinder Pal Sandhu

Men’s compound archery team

Abhishek Verma, Ojas Pravin Deotale, Prathamesh Jawkar

Women’s recurve team

Ankita Bhakat, Bhajan Kaur, Simranjeet Kaur

Women’s regu sepaktakraw team

Khushbu, Maipak Devi Ayekam, Leirentonbi Devi Elangbam, Priya Devi Elangbam, Chaoba Devi Oinam

Men’s recurve archery team

Atanu Das, Tushar Shelke, Dhiraj Bommadevara

Men’s bridge team

Raju Tolani, Ajay Prabhakar Khare, Rajeshwar Tewari, Sumit Mukherjee, Jaggy Shivdasani, Sandeep Thakral

Men’s hockey team

PR Sreejesh, Krishan Pathak, Varun Kumar, Amit Rohidas, Jarmanpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Sanjay, Sumit, Nilakanta Sharma, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Shamsher Singh, Abhishek, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay

Women’s kabaddi team

Akshima, Jyoti, Pooja, Pooja, Priyanka, Pushpa, Sakshi Kumari, Ritu Negi, Nidhi Sharma, Sushma Sharma, Snehal Pradeep Shinde, Sonali Vishnu Shingat

Men’s badminton doubles team

Chirag Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy

Men’s cricket team

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rahul Tripathi, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Shivam Dube, Prabhsimran Singh, Akash Deep

Men’s kabaddi team

Nitesh Kumar, Parvesh Bhainswal, Sachin, Surjeet Singh, Vishal Bhardwaj, Arjun Deshwal, Aslam Inamdar, Naveen Kumar, Pawan Sehrawat, Sunil Kumar, Nitin Rawal, Akash Shinde

Women’s hockey team

Savita Punia, Bichu Devi Kharibam, Deepika, Lalremsiami, Monika, Navneet Kaur, Neha, Nisha, Sonika, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Deep Grace Ekka, Vandana Katariya, Sangita Kumari, Vaishnavi Vittal Phalke, Nikki Pradhan, Sushila Chanu, Salima Tete

Men’s chess team

Gukesh D, Vidit Gujrathi, Arjun Erigaisi, Pentala Harikrishna, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa

Women’s chess team

Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Vantika Agrawal, Savitha Shri B

India’s Asian Games 2023 medals tally: By sport

Sport

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Total

Shooting

7

9

6

22

Athletics

6

14

9

29

Archery

5

2

2

9

Squash

2

1

2

5

Cricket

2

0

0

2

Kabaddi

2

0

0

2

Badminton

1

1

1

3

Tennis

1

1

0

2

Equestrian

1

0

1

2

Hockey

1

0

1

2

Rowing

0

2

3

5

Chess

0

2

0

2

Wrestling

0

1

5

6

Boxing

0

1

4

5

Sailing

0

1

2

3

Bridge

0

1

0

1

Golf

0

1

0

1

Wushu

0

1

0

1

Roller skating

0

0

2

2

Canoe

0

0

1

1

Sepaktakraw

0

0

1

1

Table tennis

0

0

1

1

TOTAL

28

38

41

107

 

Current Affairs Quiz Monthly- September 2023 PDF    |    Go to Current Affairs Page