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Assam Current Affairs – November 13-15, 2022

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Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – November 13-15, 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the November 13-15, 2022)

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November 13-15, 2022

Assam govt signs MoU with IIM Bangalore for training young professionals 

The government of Assam has signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Management (Bangalore) for a training programme for young professionals. 

and facilitators to support government administration. 

The Chief Minister’s Young Professional Programme (CMYPP) aims at bringing transformative changes in health, education, women, and child development in the state.

Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Samir Kumar Sinha singed the MoU on behalf of the Government of Assam and Director IIM Bangalore Prof. Rishikesha T Krishnan signed the understanding on behalf of IIM Bangalore to develop a cadre of committed and competent leaders. 

Indo-US joint training exercise ‘YUDH ABHYAS 22’

The 18th edition of Indo – US joint training exercise “YUDH ABHYAS 22” is scheduled to be conducted in Uttarakhand this month. The previous edition of the exercise was conducted at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska (USA) in October 2021.

Exercise Yudh Abhyas is conducted annually between India and USA with the aim of exchanging best practices, Tactics, Techniques and Procedures between the Armies of the two nations. 

Key Points

  • US Army soldiers of 2nd Brigade of the 11th Airborne Division and Indian Army soldiers from the ASSAM Regiment will be participating in the exercise.
  • The joint exercise will also focus on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. 
  • The training schedule focuses on employment of an integrated battle group under Chapter VII of the UN Mandate and the schedule will include all operations related to peace keeping & peace enforcement. 
  • Troops from both nations will practice launching of swift & coordinated relief efforts in the wake of any natural calamity. 
  • The scope of the Field Training Exercise includes validation of integrated battle groups, force multipliers, establishment and functioning of surveillance grids, validation of operational logistics, mountain warfare skills, casualty evacuation  and combat medical aid in adverse terrain and climatic conditions.
  • The exercise will involve exchanges and practices on a wide spectrum of combat skills including combat engineering, employment of UAS/Counter UAS techniques and information operations.
  • The exercise will facilitate both Armies to share their wide experiences, skills and enhance their techniques through information exchange.

Supreme Court agree to hear plea against first amendment of constitution

The  Supreme Court of India agreed to examine a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) challenging changes made to the right to freedom of speech and expression by the first amendment act 1951.

About First Amendment to the Constitution 

  • First Amendment to the Constitution amended Articles 15, 19, 85, 87, 174, 176, 341, 342, 372 and 376. 
  • Provided for the saving of laws providing for the acquisition of estates, etc.
  • Added the ninth schedule to protect anti-zamindari laws from judicial review. After Article 31, Articles 31A and 31B were inserted.
  • Added three more grounds for restrictions on freedom of speech and expression: public order, friendly relations with foreign states, and incitement to an offense. Also, it made the restrictions ‘reasonable’ and thus, justiciable in nature.
  • Provided that state trading and nationalization of any trade or business by the state is not to be invalid on the ground of violation of the right to trade or business.

Arguments against this Amendment

The petitioner, Section 3(1) of the amending Act substituted original Clause (2) of Article 19 with a new Clause (2), which contained two objectionable insertions. 

  1. Original Clause (2) of Article 19 was dealing with reasonable restrictions on the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a). 
  2. New Clause (2), contained “two objectionable insertions” allowing restrictions also “in the interest of public order” and “in relation to incitement to an offence”.

The amendment neglects national security by dropping the expression ‘tends to overthrow the State’ which raises grave concern in the context of the dangers posed to the concept of the secular democratic republic by radicalism, terrorism and religious fundamentalism. 

These two Insertions Protect Sections:

  • 124A: Sedition 
  • Section 153A: Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony. 
  • 295A: Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) 
  • 505: Statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code from the vice of unconstitutionality.

The plea urged the court to declare Section 3 (1)(a) and 3 (2) of the First Amendment “beyond the amending power of Parliament” and void since the “same damage the basic or essential features of the Constitution and destroy its basic structure”.

G-20 Summit 2022

The 17th G20 Summit began in Bali, Indonesia with the theme of ‘Recover Together, Recover Stronger’. Leaders from the world’s major economies attended the summit.

Key Points

  • The two-day Bali Summit comprises three working sessions at the leaders’ level, in which PM Modi will be participating.
  • The summit focuses on global economic recovery, global health architecture, digital transformation, sustainable energy transition and climate change etc.
  • The world is currently struggling with many important challenges including environmental challenges, lack of progress in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), uneven post-pandemic economic recovery, debt vulnerabilities especially in the countries of the global south, ongoing conflict in Europe etc.
  • G20 leaders will discuss these challenges and underscore the importance of closer multilateral cooperation to help overcome these challenges.
  • They promised to take coordinated action to address food security challenges and recognised the importance of digital transformation in reaching the sustainable development goals.
  • They encouraged international collaboration to further develop digital skills and digital literacy.
  • They expressed their continuous commitment to promoting a healthy and sustainable recovery which builds towards achieving and sustaining universal health coverage.
  • The 2022 summit is especially important for India since it will be taking over the G20 presidency from Indonesia from December 1, 2022. 

19th ASEAN-India Summit

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar led the Indian delegation, including the External Affairs Minister, Dr S. Jaishankar, at the 19th ASEAN-India Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. 

The Vice President of India stated that India-ASEAN relationship forms the central pillar of India’s ACT-EAST policy. He reiterated India’s support to ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific. 

He said that India and Cambodia share rich traditions and culture while having centuries-old civilization connect. He further added that today Cambodia is an important interlocutor and partner in our ‘Act East’ policy and the ASEAN. 

Key Points

  • At the summit, ASEAN and India adopted a joint statement announcing the elevation of the existing Strategic Partnership to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. 
  • Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, maritime safety and security, freedom of navigation and overflight in the Indo-Pacific region.
  • The Joint Statement also reiterated the commitment to enhance India-ASEAN cooperation in various areas such as maritime activities, counter-terrorism, transnational crimes, cyber security, digital economy, regional connectivity, smart agriculture, environment, science & technology, tourism, among other areas. 
  • The Joint Statement also proposes expediting the review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) to make it more user-friendly, simple, and trade-facilitative.

About Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

  • The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on August 8, 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand.
  • It is a regional grouping to promote economic growth, peace, security, social progress and cultural development.
  • Its member states are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
  • India is hosting the two-day conclave to mark the 30th anniversary of its relations with the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
  • The year 2022 has been designated as the ‘ASEAN-India Friendship Year’. This year also marks the tenth anniversary of India’s strategic cooperation with ASEAN.

India and ASEAN

  • ASEAN and India share land and maritime borders, and there is a lot of scope for enhancing connectivity through land, air and sea. 
  • India and several other countries, including the US, China, Japan and Australia, are its dialogue partners.
  • India provides financial assistance to the ASEAN nations through various mechanisms like ASEAN-India Cooperation Fund, ASEAN-India S&T Development Fund and ASEAN-India Green Fund. 
  • India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway is an ongoing effort to enhance road connectivity between Northeast India and Southeast Asia.

Renowned Mathematician Rangasami Lakshminarayan Kashyap passed away

Renowned mathematician and great scholar Padma Shri Awardee Shri RL Kashyap passed away. RL Kashyap translated around twenty-five thousand Sanskrit mantras into English language. He wrote more than 250 research papers. 

Kashyap has made many important contributions to the field of Veda.

He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2021 by the central government for his considerable service in the field of studying the Vedas.

Kashyap received many international awards for his immense contributions to the fields of science and technology.  

Kashyap worked as a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computers for three decades at Purdue University in America. 

Assam Current Affairs – September 13-15, 2022

Posted on by admin

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – September 13-15, 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the September 13-15, 2022)

Go To Assam Current Affairs                      Go To Assam Current Affairs Quiz

Current Affairs Quiz – Set 321: September 2022, Week 2  

September 13-15, 2022

For the first time Sikkim will host three Ranji trophy matches

Sikkim will host three Ranji trophy matches for the first time in December. The matches will be played at the mining cricket ground near Rangpo in Sikkim.

Key Points

  • The state will welcome three northeast teams: Mizoram, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, at the Mining Cricket Ground near Rangpo. 
  • Along with Ranji Trophy matches, Sikkim will also play two Cooch Behar Trophy matches, and three Col CK Nayudu Trophy matches at Mining. 
  • The Cooch Behar Trophy match on November 12 against Assam will be the first major domestic match in Sikkim. 

Nagaland celebrates the first ever Naga Mircha Festival

Nagaland  celebrates the first-ever ‘Naga Mircha (King Chilli) Festival’ at Seiyhama village in Kohima District. The first Naga Mircha Festival was sponsored by the Department of Horticulture.

Key Points

  • Naga king chilli has been considered as the world’s hottest chilli and is constantly on the top five in the list of the world’s hottest chilies based on the Scoville Heat Units (SHUs).
  • Naga Mircha is also referred to as ‘Raja Mircha’, ‘Bhoot Jolokia’ or ‘Ghost Pepper’.
  • Naga Mircha was the first product to receive a GI tag from Nagaland in 2008. 
  • It is an indigenous crop of Nagaland believed to have originated from Nagaland’s Zeliangrong region; and is extensively grown in Peren, Mon, Kohima and Dimapur.

JIMEX 2022: India-Japan begins joint naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal 

The sixth edition of Japan-India Maritime Exercise 2022 (JIMEX 22), hosted by the Indian Navy, commenced in the Bay of Bengal. 

Key Points 

  • The JIMEX series of exercises began in Japan in 2012. 
  • The JIMEX 22 exercise marks the 10th anniversary of JIMEX and also coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.
  • JIMEX 22 exercise involves two phases that includes one at sea and another is the harbour phase at Visakhapatnam. 
  • This exercise seeks to consolidate the high degree of interoperability that exists between maritime forces of the two countries, through complex exercises in the surface, sub-surface and air domains.
  • The Indian Navy is represented by three indigenously designed and built warships, Sahyadri, a multi-purpose stealth frigate and Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvettes Kadmatt and Kavaratti.
  • Additionally, Guided Missile Destroyer Ranvijay, Fleet Tanker Jyoti, Offshore Patrol Vessel Sukanya, submarines, MIG 29K fighter aircraft, Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft and ship borne helicopters are also participating in the exercise.
  • The 5th edition was conducted in October 2021 in the Arabian Sea.

National Defense MSME Conclave and Exhibition 

The two-day National Defense MSME Conclave and Exhibition began in Kota, Rajasthan. In the exhibition defense equipment including T-90 and BMP-2 tanks, artillery guns, various types of sniper and machine guns and military bridges are being displayed.

Key Points

  • Youth innovating in the defense sector, start-ups and MSMEs are also displaying their products.
  • More than 50 companies, start-ups and MSMEs working in the defense sector are participating in this event.
  • The Drone Light Show and Live Concert will also be the highlight of the programme. 
  • Defense Conclave and Exhibition is being held for the first time in Rajasthan.

Kalinga Institute of Medical Science conferred with the UNESCO International Literacy Prize 2022

Kalinga Institute of Medical Science conferred with the UNESCO International Literacy Prize 2022 at a ceremony organised by UNESCO in Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa).

The award comprises a silver medal, a diploma and a cheque for USD 20,000.

Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences is the fifth recipient from India and the first and only institute from Odisha to receive the highest global recognition on literacy. It is also the third among the Indian non-profit NGOs and the first Indian tribal-based organisation to be conferred with this award.

Kalinga Institute of Social Science

  • Kalinga Institute of Social Science (KISS) was founded in 1993.
  • It is an NGO based in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha. 
  • Its aim is to promote inclusive education, women empowerment, tribal uplift and sustainable development. 
  • It has collaboration with various UN bodies and international organisations.

Exercise Parvat Prahar

Parvat Prahar Exercise is an exercise conducted by the Indian Army to undertake disengagement from Patrolling Point 15 in eastern Ladakh. 

Army Chief General Manoj Pande recently visited the Ladakh sector to review Exercise Parvat Prahar. The exercise witnessed the deployment of all new major inductions of the Army.

Key Points

  • The exercise comes as India and China are separating from the Gogra-Hot Springs (PP-15) in eastern Ladakh, as announced on September 8.
  • It is being conducted by the One Strike Corps of the Indian Army. 
  • The exercise was held in the Ladakh plateau at an altitude of 14,000 feet. 
  • This exercise used newly inducted all-terrain vehicles transported by Chinook heavy lift helicopters and K9-Vajra howitzers. 
  • The exercise featured a display of operational capabilities by artillery guns and other key weapon systems. 
  • The exercise involved high-altitude infantry personnel, T-90S and T-72 tanks, mechanized infantry, K-9 Vajra, Bofors and M-777 howitzers, helicopters and aircraft.

Current Affairs Quiz – Set 321: September 2022, Week 2