Tag: North East Current Affairs

Assam Current Affairs – June 08 – 14, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – June 08 - 14, 2019

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of June 08 – 14, 2019 )

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June 08, 2019

Madhabdev College upgraded to University
  • Assam State government elevated the Madhabdev College in Lakhimpur’s Narayanpur to a university by appointing its first Vice Chancellor.
  • The university now fulfil the aspirations of thousands of college passouts to go for various masters programmes from interior areas of Lakhimpur, Biswanath and Majuli districts who usually could not make it to Dibrugarh and Gauhati University for long distance and limited intake capacities.
  • Founded in 1964, Madhabdev College is one of the leading centres of higher education in Lakhimpur district with both humanities and science streams. It has a sprawling campus ideal for academic establishments like a university and fairly good infrastructure.
  • Professor Dibakar Chandra Deka, Head of the Department of Chemistry, Gauhati University has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of Madhabdev University who will soon assume his office in Narayanpur. An alumnus of Gauhati University and IIT-Kharagpur, Prof Deka did MSc in Organic Chemistry in 1983, M Tech in High Pressure Technology and Catalysis from IIT-Kharagpur, PhD on Organic Reaction under Pressure from IIT-Kharagpur, Diploma in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from Tokyo Institute of Technology, and DSc in Organic Synthesis from Gauhati University.
  • A former UNESCO Research Fellow in Japan and Commonwealth Visiting Fellow at University of Manchester, UK Prof Deka has a research experience of 31 years and teaching experience of 29 years.
Indo-Nepal Treaty of Trade and Transit to be amended
  • With the aim to strengthen connectivity between India and Nepal, New Delhi is taking the lead to amend a clause of the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Trade and Transit in order to explore water routes for better links between the two countries.
  • There is a clause in the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Trade and Transit, 1991, which only allows present movement by road and rail from India to
  • Couple of meeting have already been held and they have drafted the amended clause.
  • Three water routes have been accepted by both the There is in-principle approval of all these agencies of India and Nepal on the three routes.
  • The routes are the Kolkata-Sahebganj waterway and then to Nepal’s Biratnagar by road, Kolkata-Kalughat near Patna by waterway and then to Birgunj and the Kolkata-Varanasi (waterway) and then to either Nepalganj or Mahendra Nagar.
  • The Nepal government had also requested India to explore whether the Gandak river could be used as a waterway right up to the border of these two
PM Modi, Sirisena hold talks in Sri Lanka
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena and the two sides agreed that terrorism is a “joint threat” that needs collective and focussed action, weeks after the island nation witnessed the worst jihadi attack.
  • Modi is the first foreign leader to visit Sri Lanka after the deadly Easter terror attacks in April. His visit is considered as a sign of India’s affirmation of solidarity with Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the attacks.
  • The two leaders discussed bilateral issues of mutual interest. A banquet was hosted in honour of Prime Minister Modi by President Sirisena.
  • Modi also held extensive meeting with the Leader of Opposition Mahinda Rajapaksa and discussed the need for close collaboration between the two countries in the fields of counter terrorism, security and economic development.
G20 Finance Ministers call for creation of Digital Tax
  • The Finance Ministers of the G20 member nations called for the creation of a digital tax for multinational technology
  • The initiative was debated during a G20 Ministerial Symposium in the Japanese city of Fukuoka, with the world’s leading industrialized countries coming out in favour of setting up a new tax model that is adapted to the digital economy.
  • The representatives from Japan, US, China, France and the UK supported modifying their current regulations.
  • G20 leaders agreed to work together to seek a consensus-based solution to address the impacts of digitalization on the international tax system.
  • The G20 ministers committed to working on charting out a “digital tax” by the end of the year and publish a report in 2020 in which the details of the measure are to be finalized.

June 09, 2019

Over 50 pc tracks under NF Railway to be electrified by 2020
  • Work on preparation of Detailed Project report (DPR) for electrification at various sections is in progress and more than 50 per cent of the total railway tracks under the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) zone will be electrified by March 2020.
  • Work on preparation of DPR is in progress for sections where electrification was sanctioned during 2018-19. Notable among these sections are Rangiya-Rangapara-Harmuti-Naharlagun (339 km), Harmuti-Murkongselek (230 km), Badarpur-Silchar section together with Arunachal-Jiribam and Katakhal-Bhairabi section, Badarpur-Karimganj-Agartala-Sabroom section together with Agartala-Akhaura and Karimganj-Mahishashan section (total 590 km) and Mariani-Jorhat Town-Furkating and Tinsukia Junction-Makum Juntion-Tirap together with Makum-Dangri section (174 km).
  • While a total of 534 km of railway lines has already been electrified, additional 2,631 km of railway line will be electrified by March 2020 (which is more than 50 per cent of the total 6,242 km of the railway track).
Maldives confers highest civilian honour on PM Narendra Modi
  • In a gesture of goodwill, showing Male’s regard for the Indian Prime Minister, the Maldivian government honoured Narendra Modi with ‘The Most Honourable Order of the Distinguished Rule of NishanIzzuddeen’, the highest honour conferred by Male on foreign dignitaries.
  • The prestigious award was presented to Modi by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih during a ceremony.
  • Modi presented President Solih, a cricket enthusiast himself, with a cricket bat signed by the Indian team currently playing the World Cup series in England.
  • The two-day state visit of Prime Minister Modi is aimed at further cementing ties with the Indian Ocean archipelago.
  • President Solih and Modi exchanged plasantaries upon the prime minister’s arrival at Republic Square where he was accorded a ceremonial welcome.
  • Prime Minister Modi and President Solih held delegation-level talks as the two countries signed a slew of agreements to strengthen bilateral ties in a number of key areas including defence.
  • The prime minister also inspected the guard of honour.
Rakesh Makhija Appointed as Chairman of Axis Bank
  • Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approves the appointment of Rakesh Makhija as the chairman of Axis Bank. In March 2019, the board of Axis bank had approved the appointment of Rakesh Makhija as chairman subject to RBI clearance.
  • Rakesh Makhija, independent director was appointed as the non-executive (part-time) chairman of the bank, for a period of 3 years, with effect from July 18, 2019 up to July 17, 2022.
  • Rakesh Makhija has held a number of top management positions within the SKF Group. Prior to joining SKF, he was the chief executive officer and managing director of Tata Honeywell Ltd.

FACTFILE – Axis Bank

  • Axis Bank is the third-largest bank in India offering a wide assortment of financial products.
  • The bank has its head office in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It has 4,050 branches, 11,801 ATMs and 4,917 cash recyclers spread across the country as of 31 March 2019 and nine international offices.
  • The bank employs over 55,000 people and had a market capitalization of ₹1.31 trillion, as on 31 March 2018).
Coastal radar system inaugurated in Maldives by PM Modi
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldives Ibrahim Mohammad Solih jointly inaugurated composite training centre and coastal surveillance radar system.
  • The two sides also signed five Memoranda of Understanding apart from a technical agreement on sharing white shipping information between Indian Navy and Maldives National Defence Force.
  • The MoUs were signed after delegation-level talks between the two leaders.
  • The declaration also sought “consistent strengthening of the multilateral trading system based on the rules of the World Trade Organisation(WTO), and through opposition to the fragmentation of global trade and trade protectionism in all its forms”.

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June 10, 2019

Nagaland puts together waste management policy
  •  The Nagaland waste management policy targets efficient management and proper disposal of waste and educate the people to segregate biodegradable, recyclable and inert waste at the source.
  • The Nagaland Integrated Waste Management Policy 2019, enacted by the State Government in February this year, covers all urban and rural areas of the State.
  • The intention of the policy is to enable the community to reduce waste, reuse and recycle. As per the policy, the waste management scenario in the State is still by and large rudimentary in the absence of a proper policy or regulatory mechanism.
  • Of the urban areas comprising 19 urban local bodies of the State, only Kohima has a scientific solid waste treatment plant with 50 tonnes per day (TDPs) capacity.
  • The policy stated that some of the major issues faced in waste management, especially in the urban areas, are the availability of land, manpower, machinery and resources at the disposal of the authorities.
  • The policy stated that the Urban Development Department would ensure that all urban local bodies prepare an action plan individually as to how they will manage their wastes.
Jorhat to get new age Tea Auction Centre
  • The Tea Board of India has proposed to introduce a new age technology-based e-auction platform for tea auction at Jorhat.
  • The new age e-auction system at Jorhat will be different from the existing e-auction systems in the country’s tea auction centres.
  • ‘mjunction’, a venture jointly owned on a 50:50 basis by the Tata Steel and the Steel Authority of India (SAIL), has been selected for the purpose of running the Jorhat auction system.
  • The old e-auction system is still in use at the seven tea auction centres of the country – Kolkata, Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Guwahati, Coimbatore, Coonoor and Kochi. These auction centres are run by the NSE.IT, a 100 per cent subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd.
  • The new auction system is sought to be introduced to initiate a competition among the e-auction centres and also to cut cost in tea auction.
  • Out of Assam’s total tea production, only 45 per cent is sold through auction centres at Kolkata and Guwahati, and the rest 55 per cent is sold directly from factory or exported. Hence, the new auction centre at Jorhat can target this 55 per cent of Assam’s production to bring it under the new-age auction platform.
  • Five districts of Assam – Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia – produce more than 470 million kg of tea annually, which is about 70 per cent of Assam’s total output.
  • Jorhat is located at a central location for all these districts as well as for tea factories of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. This auction centre is expected to increase economic activity in Jorhat and generate employment.

FACTFILE – Tea Production in Assam

  • Assam produced about 692 million kilograms of tea in 2018 and out of this about 188 million kg were sold through Guwahati Tea Auction Centre, while about 127 million kg were sold through the auction centre in Kolkata.
Punjab Government to promote micro-irrigation
  • Aiming for sustainable water management, the Punjab government announced that it would promote micro-irrigation of maize on 1,000 acres this season.
  • For 2019, the government has set a target of irrigating 1.5 lakh hectares. Of this, micro-irrigation of maize crop in 1,000 acres would be undertaken.
  • While 900 acres would have surface-based drip system, the remaining sub-surface-based drip system.
  • Four micro-irrigation companies would take up drip irrigation projects for maize in 10 acres each. The companies also urged reducing the 12 per cent goods and services tax (GST) on micro-irrigation to zero.
  • Earlier, a pilot micro-irrigation project was conducted for cotton by the Soil Conservation Department. Under it 200 acres of cotton crop was brought under the drip irrigation system.
India to train 1,000 Maldives civil servants
  • India’s leading civil services training institution NCGG will train 1,000 Maldives civil servants over the next five years, The Ministry of External Affairs will bear all expenses of the training programme.
  • A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the capacity building of 1,000 Maldives civil servants was signed between the National Center for Good Governance (NCGG) and Maldives Civil Services Commission during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Male.
  • The agreement envisages that the NCGG will be the nodal institution for designing and implementation of customised training modules taking into account the requirements of the Maldives Civil Services Commission.
  • The areas of training programme will include public administration, e-governance and service delivery, public policy and governance, information technology, best practices in fisheries in coastal areas, agro-based practices, self-help group initiatives, urban development and planning, ethics in administration and challenges in implementation of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).
  • Maldives will nominate suitable civil servants in the senior, executive and middle management levels as per agreed timelines.
  • The NCGG will also assist the Civil Services Training Institute, a subsidiary of Maldives’ Civil Services Commission, to develop training programmes and materials, and to organise the exchange of experts as needed by the Commission.
  • NCGG had trained 28 Maldives civil servants in April and this successful engagement encouraged the two countries to take the collaboration forward.

June 11, 2019

Dzükou Valley in Nagaland declared plastic-free zone
  • The Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO), in affirmation to its pledge to preserve and protect the environment, has declared Dzükou Valley, a tourist destination in Kohima district of Nagaland, a plastic-free zone.
  • Nagaland Government’s adviser to Youth Resources and Sports department Zale Neikha made the declaration after unveiling a monolith on the National Highway 2 beside the entry point into the Valley in Viswema village on Wednesday.
  • Dzükou Valley as one of the most valuable assets of Nagaland besides being a tourist hotspot and the most sought after destination in the State.
Tech Mahindra partners with IIT- Kanpur on cyber security
  • With an aim to introduce innovative cyber security solutions and enhance digital resilience of critical national infrastructure, software major Tech Mahindra announced a partnership with Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K).
  • As a part of this research partnership, Tech Mahindra will share real world challenges in cyber security with IIT Kanpur teams to find suitable solution.
  • Through partnership with IIT Kanpur, Tech Mahindra aim to collaborate and co-create superior research-based solutions in cyber security.
  • Through this partnership, Tech Mahindra will bring real world industry exposure to students of IIT Kanpur.
  • Tech Mahindra will be working closely with IIT Kanpur on research projects to develop and foster an environment to deal with automation in cyber security and to enhance digital resilience of critical national infrastructure.
G20 Ministers issue joint statement on digital economy
  • Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors from the Group of 20 economies issued a joint statement in the Japanese city of Fukuoka after a two-day meeting on trade and digital
  • Global growth appears to be stabilizing and is generally projected to pick up moderately later this year and into 2020. However, growth remains low and risks remain tilted to the downside.
  • The finance chiefs also discussed new tax rules on global IT giants, which make huge profits through cross-border data transfers, as well as the impact of aging populations on the
  • They agreed to reform global corporate tax rules on internet giants.
  • Meanwhile, the Ministers reconfirmed their commitment to refraining from competitive currency devaluations in order to gain an unfair trade advantage.
  • They also pledged to increase their efforts to combat money laundering and funding of terrorist groups through the use of virtual assets and enhance regulations on cryptocurrency trading.
  • The agreement by the finance chiefs will be reported to their leaders at the G20 summit scheduled for June 28-29.
Sunder Pichai and Adena Friedman to be awarded with the Global Leadership Award 2019
  • Google’s Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai and Nasdaq’s President Adena Friedman selected for Global Leadership Awards 2019 by business advocacy group USIBC.
  • They both are recognized for their companies’ contribution as the leading technology-driven platforms.
  • Washington-based US-India Business Council (USIBC) gives this award for achievements in over 30 categories for talented people who are recognized for their work by their companies.

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June 12, 2019

Meghalaya to soon have a Water Policy
  • Meghalaya is soon going to adopt the State Water policy for better management of this precious resource in the State.
  • Chief Minister Conrad Sangma informed during an international seminar on ‘Understanding Water Crisis: The Way Forward’, organised by Synod College that the policy would be presented before the Cabinet soon.
  • The State Water Policy takes a holistic approach to water and encompasses budgeting, prioritising and equitisation of water supply and protection and conservation of catchment and springshed areas.
 India test fires Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle
  • India successfully test-fired Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) off Odisha coast. It was test-fired from launch pad number-4 of Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Abdul Kalam Island in Balasore
  • With scramjet engine, it can cruise at Mach 6 and have multiple civilian applications. It can be used for launching satellites at low cost and long-range cruise missile.
  • The trial was conducted in the presence of the senior scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Defence secretary Sanjay Mitra.
  • The HSTDV is an unmanned scramjet demonstration
Odisha to formulate new agriculture policy
  • The Odisha government will formulate a new agriculture policy, which will focus on the income enhancement of farmers.
  • Agriculture Secretary Saurabh Garg said the state government will replace Agriculture Policy 2013 with a new one that would stress on the income enhancement of farmers.
  • The Agriculture Department had sought suggestions from other departments concerned to formulate the new policy. The departments were asked to give their inputs within two weeks.
  • The vision of the draft policy was to harness Odisha’s agriculture potential in a sustainable manner and raise its farmers’ income continuously while ensuring nutritional security.
  • The draft policy is being worked out through a wide process of consultation with experts, universities, civil society bodies and farmers’ groups.
  • The policy recommends sector-wise interventions for overcoming the difficulties faced in last years and maximising of the outcomes.
  • The Odisha government has taken pioneering steps like rolling out an exclusive budget for agriculture and forming a separate Agri-Cabinet.
French Railways to develop Indian railway stations
  • India and France have signed an agreement under which the French Railways will help develop Indian railway stations. The Indian Railway Station Development Corp (IRSDC) entered into a tripartite agreement with French Railways.
  • Minister of State of Railways Suresh Angadi and French Minister of State for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean Baptiste Lemoyne were present when the agreement was signed.
  • Under this pact, French development agency AFD will provide in-kind grant of up to 7,00,000 euros through French National Railways-Hubs and Connexions as a technical partner to IRSDC to support the railway station development programme in India.
  • This will impose no financial liability on IRSDC or Indian Railways. 
World’s 100 big cities represent 10% global emissions
  • Consumption-based emissions from nearly 100 of the world’s big cities already represent 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, a new study revealed.
  • Without urgent action, those emissions will nearly double by 2050. The study by C40 Cities revealed an incredible opportunity for cities and their citizens to contribute even more to the global effort to cut emissions and address the climate emergency.
  • The research tiled ‘The future of urban consumption in a 1.5 degrees Celsius world’ was produced in partnership with Arup – The University of Leeds, and cautioned that urban consumption-based emissions must be cut by at least 50 per cent by 2030 in order to maintain the possibility of keeping global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees.
  • When combined with firm city efforts to reduce local emissions, this would allow cities to deliver 35 per cent of the emission savings needed to put them on a path to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
  • High income areas, which generate the bulk of emissions, need to cut their emissions much faster, i.e. two-thirds by 2030.
  • The report explores six sectors where leaders, businesses, and citizens in the world’s cities can take rapid action to address consumption-based emissions: food, construction, clothing, vehicles, aviation, and electronics.

June 13, 2019

Tripura Govt gets IIT Kanpur help to monitor education system
  • The Tripura Government has enlisted the help of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, to build a comprehensive data bank to monitor the education system in the State on a real-time basis.
  • The data bank, which will comprise status of teachers, non-teaching staff, information on schools, and progress of various government programmes, is considered a key area to improve the overall education system.
  • The entire system will be in the form of a grid. All offices of the inspectors of schools and district education offices will be connected to the Directorate of Education.
  • Ministers and other high officials will be able to check the status of a particular school within minutes as the data bank will be available online.
President’s Rule in J&K extended for six months
  • The Union Cabinet approved the extension of President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir for a further period of six months.
  • Based on the prevailing situation in the state as stated in the report of Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Cabinet, has approved the extension of President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir for a further period of six months with effect from July 3, 2019, under article 356(4) of the Constitution of India.
  • The present term of President’s rule in the state is expiring on July 2.
  • A resolution seeking approval of parliament for the same will be moved in both the houses of parliament during the forthcoming session.
  • The President’s rule was implemented in the state in June 2018.
Union cabinet approved the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC) Bill, 2019
  • The Union cabinet has approved the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC) Bill, 2019, with a view to promoting ease of doing businessa in
  • The Bill will be introduced in the scheduled Parliament session.
  • The Bill seems to be a positive step in establishing an independent and autonomous regime with a well-defined structure for institutionalized domestic and international arbitration.
  • Institutionalized arbitration will attract quality experts in India, and as a consequence, it will substantially reduce the cost incurred in the process of arbitration, especially at various international forums.
  • The Bill provides for setting up an independent an autonomous body for institutional arbitration and to acquire and transfer the undertakings of International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ICADR) to New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC).
  • The Bill will replace the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Ordinance, 2019, promulgated by President on March 2, 2019.
  • All the actions done or taken under the Ordinance which will be deemed to have been done or taken under the provisions of this Bill.
  • The Bill will help the government in establishing an independent and autonomous institution for resolving International and domestic commercial disputes expeditiously by Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism.
Tripura, Mizoram launches afforestation plan
  • The Tripura and Mizoram governments have undertaken an ambitious plan for afforestation in the two Northeastern states.
  • Tripura Forest and Tribal Welfare Minister Mevar Kumar Jamatiatold that the state government has decided to plant at least 10 lakh trees across the state this year.
  • The 70th anniversary of the ‘Banomotsav’ (annual afforestation celebrations) would be held at Sachirambari (in southern Tripura) on July 2.
  • From July 2, plantation of at least ten lakh trees of numerous varieties and species would start simultaneously across the state.
  • The 70th anniversary of the ‘Banomotsav’ (annual afforestation celebrations) would be held at Sachirambari (in southern Tripura) on July 2. From July 2, plantation of at least ten lakh trees of numerous varieties and species would start simultaneously across the state.
  • In Mizoram, the state government has also undertaken a massive afforestation

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June 14, 2019

Assam Govt to introduce free dialysis in 18 hospitals
  • The State Health department has decided to introduce free hemo-dialysis facilities in as many as 18 Government hospitals as part of the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme under the National Health Mission.
  • As per the public-private partnership, Apollo Hospitals will be responsible for execution of the programme. Apollo Hospitals will be paid Rs 1,296 for each dialysis session in the first year by the Government and the rate will increase by 8 per cent after each year till the completion of the contract.
  • The Government has signed the agreement with Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited for a period of five years. While 90 per cent of the cost would be borne by the Centre, the State Government would spend the remaining 10 per cent.
  • Alongside, the Government has also vouched for a study by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) to ascertain whether the chemical residue used for commercial vegetation in Lower and Central Assam is triggering the rise in the number of patients suffering from kidney-related ailments.
  • The first free dialysis service will begin at Nalbari’s Swahid Mukanda Kakati Civil Hospital followed by another seven hospitals in the State, which will be covered by June 20. These hospitals include Darrang’s Mangaldai Civil Hospital, Sonitpur’s Kanaklata Civil Hospital, Tezpur Medical College and Hospital, Tinsukia’s LGB Civil Hospital, Morigaon Civil Hospital, Barpeta Medical College and Hospital and Bongaigaon District Hospital.
  • In the next six months, ten more medical set ups would have similar facilities, taking the total number of hospitals offering free dialysis to 18.
Bihar launches pension scheme for poor senior citizens
  • Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched the Mukhyamantri Vriddha Pension Yojna for poor people above 60 years of age in the state.
  • Poor people above 60 years of age will get Rs 400 per month and those above 80 years will get Rs 500 per month.
  • The scheme, which is effective from April 1, 2019, will not cover retired government employees.
  • So far, 2 lakh people have applied online for the pension and the government expects the applications to go up to 35 to 36 lakh.
BDL, Navy sign contract for supply of torpedoes
  • Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) has signed a contract worth Rs. 1,187.82 crore for supply of heavy weight torpedoes to the Indian Navy.
  • The contract was signed by N.P. Diwakar, Director (Technical), BDL and Nidhi Chhibber, Joint Secretary and Acquisition Manager (Maritime & Systems) in the Defence Ministry in New Delhi.
  • The weapon will be manufactured at BDL’s Visakhapatnam Unit under collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO).
  • The heavy weight torpedo or the ‘Varunastra’ is a ship-launched, electrically propelled underwater weapon equipped with one of the most advanced automatic and remote controlled guidance systems. The weapon system uses its own intelligence in tracing the target.
Microsoft launches AI labs with 10 colleges in India
  • Microsoft launched Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled digital labs in collaboration with 10 higher educational institutions in India.
  • The programme, ‘Intelligent Cloud Hub’, covers institutes including BITS Pilani, SRM Institute of Science and Technology and Trident Academy of Technology among others.
  • As part of the three-year programme, Microsoft would support the selected institutions with best-in-class infrastructure, curriculum and content, access to Cloud, AI services as well as developer support.
  • The company would also facilitate setting up of core AI infrastructure and Internet of Things (IoT) hub along with providing access to a wide range of Azure AI services like Microsoft Cognitive Services, Azure Machine Learning (ML) and Bot Services.
  • Training programmes designed for faculty would include workshops on Cloud computing, data sciences, AI and IoT.
World’s highest operating weather stations installed on Everest
  • The National Geographic Society has announced the successful installation of the world’s highest operating weather stations on Mount Everest to provide researchers, climbers, and the public with near real-time information about mountain conditions.
  • The multi-disciplinary team installed the world’s two highest operating automated weather stations at Balcony area (8,430 m) and South Col (7,945 m), as well as three other weather stations on Mount Everest.
  • The other stations were placed at Phortse (3,810 m), Everest Base Camp (5,315 m) and Camp II (6,464 m).
  • Each weather station will record data on temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed, and wind direction.

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Assam Current Affairs – June 15 – 21, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – June 15 - 21, 2019

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

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June 15, 2019

Japan to invest Rs 13,000 crore in various Northeast projects
  • Japan has decided to invest Rs 13,000 crore (205.784 billion Yen) in several ongoing and new projects in different Northeastern states of India.
  • After a meeting between Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh and a Japanese delegation led by Ambassador Kenji Hiramatsuin New Delhi, it was officially disclosed that the Japan Government is to invest Rs 13,000 crore in several ongoing and new projects in different Northeastern states of India.

Some of the important projects in which Japan would collaborate include

  • The Guwahati Water Supply Project and Guwahati Sewage Project in Assam
  • Northeast Road Network Connectivity Improvement Project spread over Assam and Meghalaya
  • Northeast Network Connectivity Improvement Project in Meghalaya
  • Bio-diversity Conservation and Forest Management Project in Sikkim
  • Sustainable Forest Management Project in Tripura
  • Technical Cooperation Project for Sustainable Agriculture and Irrigation in Mizoram
54th Jnanpith Award conferred on author Amitav Ghosh
  • Author Amitav Ghosh was conferred the 54th Jnanpith Award. He was awarded for his contribution to the enrichment of Indian literature in English.
  • Amitav Ghosh is the first English writer to get the prestigious Jnanpith Award.

BIOGRAPHY – Amitav Ghosh

  • Amitav Ghosh is an Indian writer who is best known for his work in English fiction.
  • In 2007, the government of India awarded him the civilian honour of Padma Shri.
  • He has also received the Israeli Dan David Prize, together with Margaret Atwood.
  • His book, The Circle of Reason won the Prix Médicis étranger which is France’s top literary awards.
  • His work ‘The Calcutta Chromosome’ won the Arthur C. Clarke Award for 1997.
  • Also, his work ‘Sea of Poppies’ was shortlisted for the 2008 Man Booker Prize. The book ‘River of Smoke’ was shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize 2011.

FACTFILE – The Jnanpith Award

  • The Jnanpith Award is an Indian literary award, instituted in 1961.
  • It is presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their outstanding contribution towards literature.
  • The award is bestowed only on Indian writers who writes in Indian languages that are included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India and English, with no posthumous conferral.
  • Sankara Kurup was the first recipient of the award in 1965.
  • The award consists of a citation plaque, a cash prize of Rs.12 lakh (around), and a bronze replica of Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of knowledge and wisdom.
  • The award is sponsored by Bharatiya Jnanpith, a literary research organization.
Union Ministry finalized the Data Protection Bill
  • The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has finalised the much-anticipated Personal Data Protection Bill, Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
  • The next required step is a Cabinet approval before the Bill goes to the Parliament.
  • The draft Personal Data Protection Bill, submitted to the government by the Justice B. N. Krishna Committee in July last year, sets out how the personal data of individuals should be processed by the government and private entities incorporated in India and abroad.
  • Prasad said that along with data security, the focus should also be on data availability, utility, innovation and localisation.
  • He also emphasised on the need for data anonimity. Giving an analogy, Prasad, who also holds the telecom and law portfolios.

SCO called for coordination among the international community

  • The SCO called for closer coordination among the international community over terrorism’s cross-border threat and sought comprehensive measures to intensify efforts against terrorism and its ideology and to eliminate the factors that promote it.
  • The Bishkek declaration adopted at the conclusion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting, dwelt at length on terrorism, a key concern of
  • The member states also expressed concern that the process of economic globalisation is being hindered by “growing unilateral protectionist policies and other challenges in international trade”.
  • The declaration also said as the modern world continues to change rapidly, the global balance of forces is going through a reconfiguration, primarily due to emergence of new development centres in
  • The SCO members also called for consensus on adopting the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
  • The SCO also marked, as a priority, joint global efforts to “counter the attempts to involve young people in the activities of terrorist, separatist and extremist groups”.

June 16, 2019

Assam eyes tie-up with Japan for mega industrial park
  • Assam is eyeing a JETRO city on the lines of the Japanese Industrial Park at Neemrana in Rajasthan and the State’s Industry and Skill Development Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary is scheduled to meet a delegation of industrialists from the east Asian country to further the proposal.
  • “Two rounds of preliminary talks have already taken place. We are meeting representatives of around 150 Japanese companies on Wednesday in Delhi again,” Patowary said.
  • He said the government has already identified a plot of 2,000 bighas at Nagarbera in Kamrup district for the plan.
  • The Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) is a government-related organisation that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world.
  • The industrial park in Rajasthan’s Alwar district in a plot of 1,100 acres is an experiment between JETRO and the Rajasthan government. The park is exclusively dedicated to Japan’s corporations and global titans like Toyota, Hitachi, etc. It has created about 10,000 factory jobs.
  • “Honda has a manufacturing plant in Bangladesh. But the spare parts are brought from outside. We are exploring the possibility of setting up a spare parts manufacturing unit in Assam,” Patowary said, adding that the total investment in the JETRO city could be over Rs 3,000 crore.
India, Krygyz Republic raise ties to strategic partnership
  • India and Kyrgyz Republic raised their bilateral relationship to level of a “strategic partnership” and signed a slew of agreements including on a bilateral investment treaty.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who attended the SCO summit here, later held bilateral talks with Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov.
  • The two countries have decided to set up a joint working group to boost defence cooperation.
  • 2021 will be observed as friendship year between the two countries.
  • Modi said and urged Indian companies and investors to explore areas such as medicine, textiles, railway, hydro power, mining, minerals and tourism in the Central Asian country.
  • He also announced a $200 million concessional Line of Credit to meet development needs of the Kyrgyz Republic.
  • Among the agreements signed were an MoU for cooperation between the National Security Council Secretariat of India and Office of the Security Council of the Kyrgyz Republic and Protocol to Amend Article 26 of India-Kyrgyzstan Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA).
G-20 energy, environment Chiefs meet
  • G20 energy and environment ministers gathered in Japan for talks likely to focus on energy security concerns following the attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, as well as environmental issues.
  • The two-day meeting began in the Japanese resort town of Karuizawa which the US blames on Iran, heightened Middle East tensions and sent crude oil prices
  • Also on the agenda meet was ways to utilize clean energy sources such as hydrogen, as well as efforts to reduce plastic waste in the ocean.
  • About 300 million tonnes of plastic waste is produced every year, of which 8 million tonnes end up in the world’s oceans, according to the UN Environment

FACTFILE – G-20 Group

  • The G20 (or Group of Twenty) is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 19 countries and the European Union (EU).
  • Founded in 1999 with the aim to discuss policy pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability, the G20 has expanded its agenda since 2008 and heads of government or heads of state, as well as finance ministers and foreign ministers, have periodically conferred at summits ever since.
  • It seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any one organization.
  • The G-20 consists of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the US and the European Union.
  • The EU is represented by the European Commission and by the European Central Bank.
  • Collectively, the G20 economies account for around 90% of the gross world product, 80% of world trade (or, if excluding EU intra-trade, 75%), two-thirds of the world population, and approximately half of the world land area. 
GEF meeting approved programmes and projects to tackle growing threats to the environment
  • Countries have approved programmes and projects worth almost $1 billion to tackle growing threats to the environment and to help some of the earth’s most vulnerable people adapt to climate change at two consecutive Global Environment Facility (GEF) meetings in Washington this week.
  • India, among the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change, is both a donor and a recipient of GEF funds, an international partnership of 183 countries.
  • The new projects range from an ambitious $232 million integrated programme aimed at a “transformational shift in the agriculture and land use systems that are major drivers of environmental degradation around the world”.
  • To helping fishing people in Timor-Leste, improving the management of soils in Caribbean islands, and tackling the illegal world wildlife trade.
  • The 56th GEF Council meeting passed its biggest ever work programme, totalling $865.9 million from its Trust Fund.
  • It was then followed by a meeting of two smaller GEF funds – the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) – which approved work programmes adding up to a further $101.57 million.

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June 17, 2019

India, Myanmar forces coordinate to target NE militant camps
  • In a coordinated operation between the armies of India and Myanmar, several camps of militant groups operating in some north-eastern states have been destroyed inside Myanmar’s territory.
  • The militants were targeted in two phases of the operation. While the second phase is spread over 20 days starting from the middle of June.
  • Its first phase is learnt to have been conducted about three months ago against suspected Arakanese militant camps inside Indian territory.
  • The camps have been on the radar of security agencies. Militants apprehended by the Indian Army have all been handed over to local police forces.
  • Like Bangladesh, Myanmar also has been cooperating with India in tackling the militant groups with camps on their soil. Both countries have borders of about 5,800 kms with
Suman Rao from Rajasthani Crowned Miss India 2019
  • Suman Rao from Rajasthan won the Femina Miss India World 2019 Title and Telangana’s Sanjana Vij won as Miss India Runner Up 2019.
  • Suman Rao is a CA Student who is studying in Rajasthan.
  • Shivani Jadhav from Chhattisgarh won Femina Miss Grand India 2019 title and Shreya Shanker from Bihar won Miss India United Continents 2019 title.
  • The judges were designer duo Falguni Shane Peacock, Miss World 2018 Vanessa Ponce de leon, actors Huma Qureshi, Chitrangda Singh, Aayush Sharma, choreographer-filmmaker Remo D’Souza, sprinter Dutee Chand and football captain Sunil Chhetri.
  • The show was hosted by Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar and actor-anchor Maniesh Paul along with Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar.
ADB approves Infrastructure projects of 1,650 crore in Tripura
  • The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a project worth Rs 1,650 crore to develop infrastructure in seven district headquarter towns of Tripura.
  • The ADB will provide Rs 1,650 crore, out of which 80 per cent will be grant-in-aid and the state will have to repay 20 per cent loan in due course of time.
  • The ADB has approved the project submitted by the Urban Development Department amounting to Rs 1,650 crore for infrastructure development such as piped water supply, underground drainage, underground sewage or scientific seepage management, roads with pavement, in the seven district headquarter towns, other than Agartala.
  • The project will be taken up in Khowai, Ambassa, Dharmnagar, Kailashahar, Udaipur, Bishramganj and Belonia.
  • Representatives from the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs had approved the project in its 89th screening committee meeting held in November 15, 2018.
  • The ADB sent a Consultation Mission to Agartala, on December 21, 2018 to seek the feasibility of Project Financing Readiness (PFR) and Technical Assistance (TA) for preparations of DPRs of this project.
  • The Urban Development Department of the Tripura government will start preparing DPRs with the assistance of ADB for speedy execution of the said project.
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought observed on June 17
  • The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is a United Nationsobservance each June 17.
  • Its purpose is to raise awareness of the presence of desertification and drought, highlighting methods of preventing desertification and recovering from drought.
  • Each year’s global celebration has a unique, novel emphasis that had not been developed previously.
  • This day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly resolution A/RES/49/115 on January 30, 1995, after the day when United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification is drafted.
  • 2019 Theme “Let’s Grow the Future Together”
  • The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) celebrates the 25 years of progress made by countries on sustainable land management.
  • At the same time, the UNCCD looks at the broad picture of the next 25 years where we will achieve land degradation neutrality.

June 18, 2019

Assam govt to set up Skill University at Darrang district
  • Assam government will set up a Skill University at the cost of 850 crore rupees at Darrang district, the proposed institution will be known as Skill City.
  • This will be perhaps the first Skill University of the Country with a capacity of 10 thousand seats.
  • The admission test for the first batch of the North East Skill Centre will be held on 30th of this month
  • 80 per cent seats will be reserved for Assam and rest 20 per cent for other North Eastern states. 
Railways sign’s MOU with Railtel to upgrade signaling system
  • The Indian Railways signed the MoU with RailTel Enterprises Ltd (REL), for modernization of signalling system on four sections, which includes Automatic Train Protection System with Long Term Evolution (LTE) based Mobile Train Radio Communication System (MTRC), together with provision of Electronic Interlocking (indoor) wherever required.
  • The modern train control system shall be as per open standard, and interoperable with multi-vendor support.
  • The MTRC system shall be deployed using LTE backbone for communication between train running staff, drivers, guards and control office.
  • The modern train control system, based on LTE based MTRC, is one of the most ambitious modernization projects of Indian Railways, which envisages upgradation of signalling system at par with the world standards.
ISRO opens its laboratories for Indian school students
  • The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has, for the first time, opened its laboratories for Indian school students to undergo two-week training from this year.
  • The first batch of 108 students drawn from all states and Union Territories recently completed their exposure in its laboratories in Bengaluru, Sriharikota, Thiruvananthapuram and other places. 
  • The training module has been devised as part of its new Young Scientists Programme, or YuvaVigyanikKaryakram, YUVIKA.
India to host COP-14 UNCCD Meet
  • India for the first time will host the 14th session of the Conference of Parties (COP-14) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in September.
  • It will see participation from at least 5,000 delegates from nearly 197 countries and will be held between September 2 and 14 in Delhi.
  • It will be implemented during a pilot phase of three-and-a-half years in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Karnataka.
  • The project will aim to develop and adapt the best practices and monitoring protocols for the country, and build capacity within the five pilot States.
  • A 2016 report by the Indian Space Research Organisation found that about 29% of India’s land (in 2011-13) was degraded, this being a 0.57% increase from 2003-05.
  • At the previous edition of the COP, India had committed to restore 13 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by the year 2020, and an additional 8 million hectares by 2030.
  • The Bonn Challenge is a global effort to bring 150 million hectares of the world’s deforested and degraded land under restoration by 2020, and 350 million hectares by 2030.

FACTFILE – Conference of Parties (COP-14) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

  • The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (UNCCD) is a Convention to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements.
  • The Convention, the only convention stemming from a direct recommendation of the Rio Conference’s Agenda 21, was adopted in Paris, France on 17 June 1994 and entered into force in December 1996.
  • It is the only internationally legally binding framework set up to address the problem of desertification.
  • The Convention is based on the principles of participation, partnership and decentralization—the backbone of Good Governance and Sustainable Development. It has 197 parties, making it near universal in reach.
  • To help publicise the Convention, 2006 was declared “International Year of Deserts and Desertification” but debates have ensued regarding how effective the International Year was in practice.

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June 19, 2019

Agartala airport to be 3rd international airport in NE

  • After Guwahati and Imphal, the Agartala airport is set to become the third international airport in the northeastern region by the end of this year or by early 2020.
  • The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has informed that their ongoing works to make Agartala’s Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport as an international one would be completed by this year end. If the works are hampered due to the monsoon season or any other factor, then the declaration would be made by early 2020.
  • The AAI had undertaken a Rs 438 crore project to upgrade the Agartala airport to international standards by providing world-class facilities.
  • Following the completion of the project, flights between Agartala and Dhaka, as well as other Bangladeshi cities like Chittagong and Sylhet, will be operated.
  • The state government had already provided 72 acres of land to the AAI for construction of the new terminal building, runway and other necessary infrastructure.
  • The AAI is now implementing Rs 3,400 crore projects for the up-gradation of various airports in the northeastern region. Rs 720 crore project now being implemented for further up-gradation of the Imphal International Airport.

FACTFILE – Agartala airport

  • Agartala airport was built in 1942 by then King Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur.
  • During the World War II, the Agartala airport was used by the 4th Combat Cargo Group of the US Army Air Forces 10 Air Force, flying Curtiss C-46 Commando aircraft over Myanmar.
  • It was used as a supply point from which the unit air-dropped supplies and ammunition to the advancing Allied forces on the ground.
  • The airport in Agartala is the second-busiest in the northeast.
  • The Agartala airport handled on an average nine lakh passengers per year.
  • The Union Civil Aviation Ministry last year renamed the Agartala airport, earlier known as Singerbill Airport, after Tripura’s last ruler Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur.
IIT Madras researchers develop techniques to extract methane
  • The researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras are developing new techniques for extracting methane from natural gas hydrates.
  • Hydrates are particularly promising methane sources in India because nearly 1,900 trillion cubic meters of methane gas lie untapped in these cages within the waters of the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone.
  • IIT Madras research towards developing techniques to extract methane from gas hydrates can enable the indigenous supply of natural gas and potentially lighten the nation’s natural gas import burden.
  • The research is being headed by DrJitendraSangwai, Professor (Petroleum Engineering), Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras, who studies state-of-art processes used to recover crude oil from offshore reservoirs in India, and includes Research Scholars Pawan Gupta and Vishnu C.
  • Four techniques are being studied in various laboratories for this dissociation, namely – thermal stimulation, depressurisation, chemical injection and carbon dioxide injection.
  • Development of emerging techniques for controlled extraction of methane from hydrates entails concerted efforts between academic, government and industrial laboratories and can potentially lead the country towards self-sufficiency in the energy sector.
UP highways to have herbal plantations for clean air
  • The national and state highways in Uttar Pradesh will soon have clean and bacteria-free air as the government is planning to plant herbal Ayurvedic plants along the highways in the state to improve air quality and also promote Ayurveda.
  • Uttar Pradesh is on its way to becoming the first state to implement the plan which is an extension of the Ayushman Bharat Yojna.
  • A pilot project has been launched in 18 districts.
  • The project aims at curbing the growth of non-native species such as cacti and bonsai in homes, offices and parks, and promoting plants mentioned in the Ayurveda system of medicine.
  • A pilot initiative has already been implemented on busy stretches of the Delhi-Yamunotri state highway 57 in Saharanpur, Ashapur-Sarnath in Varanasi, Panchkosi-Parikrama in Ayodhya, Gorakhpur-Deoria, Aligarh-Mathura highway via Keshavdham and the Banda-Bahraich highway in Chitrakoot.
  • Plants like turmeric brahmi, ashvagandha, anantmula, janofa, mashparni, saptparni, tulsi and jalmeem are among the 34 herb varieties that have been identified for plantation along the highways. 

June 20, 2019

 AYUSH directorate to be set up in Nagaland
  • The Centre has assured to set up a separate directorate for the AYUSH in Nagaland.
  • The AYUSH project would cover all the 11 districts of Nagaland.
Back to village programme starts in J&K
  • The back to village mission mode programme started in many districts of Jammu and Kashmir, the ‘back to village’ programme will continue till June 27 across the state.
  • During this period the entire administrative apparatus of the state government is going to move out of state, provincial and district level offices to reach out to the villages.
  • Sheetal Nanda, Administrative Secretary of the rural development department, said during this period one gazette office will go to each of the around 4,500 panchayats in the state.
  • The officer will spend two days and one night at the panchayat and will hold meetings with elected ‘panchs’ and ‘sarpanchs’, hold ‘graam’ and ‘mahilasabhas’ in addition to other grassroots level interactions.
  • The basic objective of this programme is to move governance from its seat of operation to the doorsteps of the people in villages.
  • During this programme, the officers will collect data on the guidelines contained in the 20-page booklet that has already been given to them. Five main problems will be highlighted from each Panchayat.
  • After collection of all the data, it will be uploaded to the website and respective administrative departments will be asked to attend to these problems on top priority basis.
IIT Kharagpur to sponsor undergraduate research program
  • In a bid to nurture the spirit of research and innovation among undergraduate students, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur will launch a sponsored research program from the upcoming Autumn semester of 2019-20.
  • Through Undergraduate Research Program (UGRP) IIT is promoting the idea of research challenge among them which will germinate their potential as innovators and problem-solvers.
  • For the UGRP, the institute will fund select research ideas proposed by the students on a competitive basis and each successful proposal will be guided by a member of the IIT faculty.
  • The Institute which has been supporting various co-curricular activities of the undergraduate students through travel grants and fellowships to facilitate them participate in competitive projects will now float a competitive grant of Rs 56 lakh for four years.
  • Twenty such proposals will be accepted each year. Each selected group will receive support to the extent of Rs 25,000 for one Credit Project and Rs 50,000 for 2 credit projects.
  • A portal is going to set up for project submission. If successful, these could also develop into B.Tech thesis projects of the students.
  • Students who have completed four semesters at IIT Kharagpur can form departmental or interdisciplinary groups and submit project proposals under faculty supervision.
  • The project submission needs to be completed 30 days prior to the beginning of the fifth semester.
AHSI partners with Singapore Botanical Gardens
  • The Agri-Horticultural Society of India (AHSI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Singapore Botanical Gardens, a unit of the Singapore National Parks Board, to work on a shared set of objectives for environment protection and sustainable development.
  • Under this partnership, both parties will share knowledge on management and appreciation of the living heritage and foster capacity building in horticulture.
  • They will work together for public interpretation and educational outreach.
  • Skill development for staff will be facilitated through exchange programmes and participation in horticulture shows, conferences and workshops organised by the either institution.
  • The AHSI and the Singapore Botanical Gardens will also work on joint horticulture projects.

FACTFILE – Singapore Botanical Gardens

  • Set up in 1959, the Singapore Botanical Gardens is the only tropical garden to be honoured as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • It has an array of botanical and horticultural attractions with a rich history and a wonderful global plant collection.

The Agri-Horticultural Society of India (AHSI) – founded in 1820 by Reverend William Carey with the objective of developing and promoting agriculture and horticulture in India, is celebrating bicentennial anniversary.

Indian engineer Nitesh Kumar Jangir wins Innovation Award in UK
  • Nitesh Kumar Jangir, an Indian engineer whose low-cost neonatal breathing device has saved the lives of new-born babies across small towns of India, has won the 2019 Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Innovation for Sustainable Development Award in London.
  • Nitesh Kumar Jangir, who created Saans as a breathing support device to tackle avoidable deaths of premature babies from respiratory distress syndrome due to a lack of immediate access to complex medical equipment .
  • Received his award in the “People” category alongside 14 other innovators from across the 53 member-countries of the Commonwealth.
  • The Bangalore-based electronics engineer is the co-founder of Coeo Labs, a medical device company with a vision to prevent preventable deaths in the field of emergency and critical care.
  • Saans, which has been in circulation for the past three months across district hospitals of India that lack neonatal ICU facilities as well as at medical colleges, has been in development for four years.
  • It is the world’s first neonatal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device that can be powered in multiple ways – through direct source electricity, including a vehicle’s electrical supply, a rechargeable battery, compressed gas, or even manual air pumping.
  • Each of the 15 winners of the inaugural Commonwealth Innovation Awards receive a trophy, a certificate and 2,000 pounds in prize money.
KSEB sign’s agreement with GJ Eco Power Pvt. Ltd. to establish Waste-to-Energy plants
  • Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) signed a power purchase agreement with Kochi-based GJ Eco Power Pvt. Ltd., the agency implementing the project at the Brahmapuram solid waste treatment plant.
  • Under the agreement, the KSEB will purchase the power generated from the 9.76 MW — WtE plant at a rate of ₹6.17 per unit for a period of 20 years from the commercial operation date.
  • The company had been roped in by the Kochi Corporation to implement the State’s first WtE project on a public-private partnership mode. The firm, which will be supplied with 330 tonnes per day (TPD) of municipal solid waste by the local body, is tasked with generating 47 million units (MU) of power.
  • The proposed plant is expected to be commissioned within 18 months of the launch of its construction.
  • The power purchase agreement was signed in the presence of Electricity Minister M.M. Mani, Electricity Department secretary B. Ashok and KSEB chairman and managing director N.S. Pillai.
  • The KSEB would bear the additional expenditure as part of upholding its social commitment by encouraging such projects that provided an effective solution for the accumulating garbage woes in the State.
  • KSEB had decided to purchase the entire power generated by similar WtE plants that would be established in future at tariffs decided by the regulatory commission.
  • The plant will be established on a plot of 20 acres that has been allocated for the project. The processing of wastes will involve reducing their moisture level using bio-drying technology. The process will also employ the gasification technology that will use minimal amount of oxygen in the treatment process and could reduce the need for landfill space.

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June 21, 2019

Namsai gets first rank in education among ‘aspirational districts’ of country
  • The Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh has secured the first rank in education among the 117 ‘aspirational districts’ in the country on the basis of incremental progress made in February-March, 2019.
  • The Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog, Amitabh Kant, has conveyed this information to the Government of Arunachal Pradesh through an official letter to Chief Secretary Satya Gopal.
  • Namsai district has become eligible for a one-time additional allocation of Rs 3 crore, in the nature of untied allocation.
International Day of Yoga celebrated on 21 June
  • International Day of Yoga, or commonly and unofficially referred to as Yoga Day, is celebrated annually on 21 June since its inception in 2015. The Theme for this year: Yoga for Climate Action.
  • Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice originated in
  • The idea of International Day of Yoga was first proposed by the current Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi during his speech at the UNGA, on 27 September 2014.
  • On 11 December 2014, India’s Permanent Representative Asoke Mukherji introduced the draft resolution in the United Nations General Assembly. The draft text received broad support from 177 Member States who sponsored the text, which was adopted without a vote.
  • A total of 177 nations co-sponsored the resolution, which is the highest number of co-sponsors ever for any UNGA resolution of such nature.
World’s largest lift irrigation project inaugurated in Telangana
  • The world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project—Kaleshwaram—which is built across the Godavari river was inaugurated by Telangana Governor ELS Narasimhan at Medigadda in JayashankarBhupalpally district.
  • The multi-purpose lift irrigation project will begin pumping water from July and will help meet the irrigation, industrial and drinking water requirements of 70 per cent of the districts in Telangana. 
  • The project has been built over three years and includes three barrages, 19 reservoirs and 20 lifts. It has a storage capacity of 141 TMC (thousand million cubic feet).
  • The project comprises a water supply system spread over 1,832 km, a gravity canal spanning 1,531 km and 203 km of tunnels. As much as 4,993 MW of electricity would be required to fill up the 19 reservoirs which have a capacity of 141 TMC.
  • Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are also set to benefit from the project.
Government issues EOI for six P-75 (I) submarines
  • The government issued Expression of Interest (EOI) for shortlisting of potential Indian Strategic Partners for construction of six conventional submarines for P-75(I) project of the Navy worth Rs 45,000 crore.
  • The case was approved by the Defence Acquisition Council on January 31 this year. This is the second project undertaken under the latest Strategic Partnership model, with the first being the procurement of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters`.
  • This would provide a major boost to the indigenous design and construction capability of submarines in India, in addition to bringing in the latest submarine design and technologies as part of the project.
  • All six submarines under this project will be built in India by the selected Indian Strategic Partner in collaboration with the selected OEM.
  • The Indian companies would be shortlisted based on their capability for integration of system of systems, expertise in shipbuilding domain and the financial strength.
  • The OEMs would be shortlisted primarily based on their submarine design meeting the Navy’s qualitative requirements and qualifying the transfer of technology and Indigenous Content criteria.

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Assam Current Affairs – May 22 – 28, 2019

Posted on by admin 
Current Affairs Assam – May 22 - 28, 2019

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

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May 22, 2019

Hemchandra Baruah Literary Award presented to Anuradha Sarmah Pujari
  • Noted litterateur Anuradha Sarmah Pujari received the Hemchandra Baruah Literary Award presented by Dergaon Sahitya Sabha (DSS).
  • The noted litterateur said that the award presented to her as a token of honour from the people of Dergaon has increased her responsibility towards Assamese literature.

BIOGRAPHY – Hemchandra Barua

  • Also known as Hem Barua was a prominent writer, social reformer of Assamese of the 19th century.
  • He was the compiler of the first exhaustive Assamese dictionary Hemkosh, where spellings based on Sanskrit were first introduced. It was the second dictionary of the Assamese language. It was published in 1900 after his death under the supervision of Capt. P. R. Gordon, ISC and Hemchandra Goswami.
  • Some of his other works are: ‘Ôxômiya Byakôrôn’ (Assamese grammar) (1859),’Adipath’ (1873), ‘Pathmala’ (1882), ‘Ôxômiya lôrar byakôrôn’ (1886) etc.
Assam Rifles and Coast Guard sign Charter of Affiliation
  • The Assam Rifles and the Indian Coast Guard signed a ‘Charter of Affiliation’ to utilise each other’s assets for operational training, sports and adventure.
  • Assam Riffles director general Lt Gen Sukhdeep Sangwanand Indian Coast Guard Director General Rajendra Singh represented their respective forces at the signing ceremony at the AR headquarters
  • Affiliation has been carried out between 3rd (Naga Hills) Battalion of Assam Rifles and the Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Shaurya’.
  • The initiative will facilitate greater understanding of operational ethos, sharing of best practices from each other, building camaraderie and utilization of one another’s assets for training, sports and adventure.
  • The Indian Coast Guard has immense technological advantage in using technology to guard frontiers along the sea while Assam Riffles has got specialization in jungle warfare, mountain warfare and conventional operations.
  • The Indian Coast Guard DG announced that five personnel of the Assam Riffles will be taken on board for international exposure very soon after the pact was signed.
ISRO flagged off the shipment of India’s largest Liquid Hydrogen Storage tank
  • Sivan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation, flagged off the shipment of India’s largest liquid hydrogen storage tank at VRV Asia Pacific production plant in Sri City.
  • The storage tank of 120 kilo litre capacity handles liquid hydrogen used as fuel for satellite launch vehicles.
  • VRV Asia Pacific, a Chart Group company, designs and manufactures cryogenic equipment from its factory located in Sri City.The factory, situated on a 30-acre plot, is among technologically sophisticated manufacturing facilities of cryogenic equipment in the world.
  • VRV Asia Pacific manufactured the storage tank with a Liquid nitrogen (LIN) shield, in collaboration with SatishDhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, under Make in India initiative.
DBT & DAE Govt of India collaborate for Cancer Research
  • AnMoU has been signed in between the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) Focusing On Cancer Research Advancements.
  • The two Govt bodies under this MoU will be supporting joint collaborative Cancer research programs.
  • This MoU will have quite an impact on the current Cancer research scenario in India.
  • This collaboration is expected to strengthen further the initiatives taken in the field of cancer research & development.
  • Under this DBT & DAE Collaboration, Tata Memorial Centre will represent the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) acting as coordination center on behalf of – The National Cancer Grid of India.
  • This collaboration is expected to strengthen further the initiatives taken in the field of cancer research & development.
  • Strategizing and prioritizing the development of new technologies to battle cancer& jointly funding clinical trials will be one of its core aims.
  • Furthermore, the clinicians shall coordinate with the researchers for the development of r&D [programs and public health initiates to educate the mass public. 
INDIA successfully launches RISAT-2B
  • India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C46) successfully launched RISAT-2B satellite from SatishDhawan Space Centre(SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota.
  • This was the 72ndlaunch vehicle mission from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota and 36th launch from the First Launch pad.
  • PSLV-C46 lifted-off from the First Launch Pad and injected RISAT-2B into a orbit of 556 km.After separation, solar arrays of RISAT-2B were deployed automatically and ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) at Bengaluru assumed control of the satellite.
  • RISAT-2B is a radar imaging earth observation satellite weighing about 615 kg. The satellite is intended to provide services in the field of Agriculture, Forestry and Disaster Management.

May 23, 2019

China shares Brahmaputra hydrological data with India
  • China has begun sharing hydrological data with India on the Brahmaputra river for this year’s monsoon season. China is also expected to start sharing data on the Sutlej river from June 1, the start of the monsoon season in the country.
  • The Brahmaputra originates in China’s Tibet and flows into Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. It later drains into the Bay of Bengal through Bangladesh. Sutlej, a tributary of the Indus, also originates in Tibet, and flows into India and then enters Pakistan.
  • China provides data from three hydrological stations – Nugesha, Yangcun and Nuxia – located on the mainstream of the Brahmaputra, also known as Yarlung Zangbo. Data for the Sutlej, also known as the Langqen Zangbo, is provided by the hydrological station at Tsada.
  • The data is necessary for flood management downstream when the rivers swell due to rains.
  • Following the Dokalam standoff, China had stopped sharing the data on the Brahmaputra in 2017, claiming that the hydrological data gathering sites were washed away due to floods. However, with relations thawing, the two sides again resumed sharing of data in 2018. They also signed two Memoranda of Understanding for this.
UN forecasts Global economy to grow 2.7% in 2019
  • The United Nations downgraded its forecast for world economic growth, announcing that it expects overall growth of 2.7 per cent this year and 2.9 per cent in 2020.
  • In a revision of its earlier economic outlook, the international body modified downward the figures it had published in January.
  • It expected the world economy to grow by 3.0 per cent both in 2019 and in 2020.
  • The downward adjustment came as a result of trade tensions and political uncertainty, a complicated confluence of internal and external factors affecting most of the developed and developing economies.
  • The UN predicts for 2019 that the United States’ economy will grow at 2.3 per cent, while the European Union’s overall economy will expand at 1.5 per cent, Japan at 0.8 per cent and Russia at 1.4 per cent.
  • The UN projects that world trade will grow in 2019 by 2.7 per cent, significantly below the 3.6 per cent growth achieved in that area last year.
  • The UN said that the flexibility of monetary policies adopted by some central banks in response to slower growth could produce financial imbalances if they continue for a prolonged period.
ADB to provide USD 750 million loan to India for railway track electrification
  • Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed an agreement to provide USD 750 million equivalent in Indian rupee long-term financing to electrify railway tracks in India.
  • It is the largest single non-sovereign loan ever committed by ADB to Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) to fund the railways track electrification project.
  • As part of a broad modernisationprogramme that will help India’s railway sector transition to electric power and away from dependence on fossil fuels.
  • Concurrently, with the loan agreement signing, risk participation agreements were signed with private risk participants for the project.
  • IRFC will use the proceeds from the loan to install electric traction equipment along about 3,378 kilometres of existing railway lines to enable migration of passenger and freight traffic from diesel to electric traction.
  • The electrification assets will be leased to Indian Railways, the country’s national railway system, under a long-term lease agreement.
Pakistan successfully test-fires ballistic missile Shaheen-II
  • Pakistan successfully test-fired surface-to-surface ballistic missile Shaheen-II, capable of hitting targets as far as 1,500 kilometers away.
  • The Pakistan Army said in a statement that the launch was aimed at ensuring operational readiness of the Army Strategic Forces Command.
  • Shaheen-II Missile is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads upto a range of 1,500 km.
  • Shaheen-II is a highly capable missile which fully meets Pakistan’s strategic needs towards maintenance of desired deterrence stability in the region.

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May 24, 2019

International Day for Biological Diversity observed on May 22
  • With the theme ‘Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health,’ the International Day for Biological Diversity was observed at the District Library Auditorium, Haflong with great enthusiasm.

FACTFILE – The International Day for Biological Diversity (or World Biodiversity Day)

  • International Day for Biological Diversity is a United Nations–sanctioned international day for the promotion of biodiversity issues.
  • The International Day for Biological Diversity falls within the scope of the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals.
  • The critical role of biodiversity in sustainable development was recognized in a Rio+20 outcome document, “The World We Want: A Future for All”.
  • From its creation by the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly in 1993 until 2000, it was held on December 29 to celebrate the day the Convention on Biological Diversity went into effect. On December 20, 2000, the date was shifted to commemorate the adoption of the Convention on May 22, 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit.
Kerala becomes the First State into the Masala Bond market
  • Kerala became the first state to tap into the Masala Bond market by listing the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board’s (KIIFB’s) Masala Bond worth USD 312 million (Rs 2,150 crore) in London Stock Exchange’s (LSE’s) International Securities Market (ISM).
  • The Masala Bond has a tenor of 5-year and a 9.723% coupon. Kerala’s state finance minister Thomas Issac executed this move.
  • The main objective of this initiative was to tap the masala bond market and to rebuild the infrastructure in Kerala from the proceeds of the masala bond.

FACTFILE – Masala bonds

  • Masala bonds are bonds issued outside India but denominated in Indian Rupees, rather than the local currency.
  • The term ‘Masala bonds ‘ was used by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to evoke the culture and cuisine of India.
  • Unlike dollar bonds, where the borrower takes the currency risk, Masala bond makes the investors bear the risk.
  • The first Masala bond was issued by the World Bank- backed IFC in November 2014 when it raised 1,000 crore bond to fund infrastructure projects in India. Later in August 2015 International Financial Cooperation for the first time issued green masala bonds and raised Rupees 3.15 Billion to be used for private sector investments that address climate change in India.
  • In July 2016 HDFC raised 3,000 crore rupees from Masala bonds and thereby became the first Indian company to issue masala bonds. In the month of August 2016 public sector unit NTPC issued first corporate green masala bonds worth 2,000 crore rupees.
SpaceX successfully launches 60 internet satellites
  • SpaceX sent a packed rocket of 60 satellites into space in a key first mission toward building the company’s own high-speed internet network.
  • The satellites represent the company’s ambitious plan to build an interconnected satellite network to beam high-speed internet to anywhere on the planet.
  • The Falcon 9 rocket launched from the company’s pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. About an hour after liftoff, SpaceX deployed the 60 Starlink satellites in a “very low Earth orbit” of 440 kilometers above the surface.
  • The full Starlink network would consist of 11,943 satellites flying close to the planet, closer than the International Space Station.
  • SpaceX is one of several companies, including Jeff Bezos’ Amazon, which are building these so called “constellations” of interconnected internet satellites.

 May 25, 2019

Tripura Gramin Bank posts Rs 125-crore profit
  • Posting net profit for seven consecutive years, the Tripura Gramin Bank (TGB) is among India’s top three out of 46 regional rural banks (RRBs) in terms of profit, business and growth.
  • After some of them merger with commercial banks, currently India has 46 RRBs against the earlier 56.
  • The bank has posted a net profit of Rs 125.45 crore in the fiscal 2018-19 against the net profit of Rs 44.14 crore in 2017-18, and of Rs 56 crore in 2016-17.
  • The Central government has a 50 per cent stake in TGB, the United Bank of India (UBI) has 35 per cent, while the 15 per cent is held by the Tripura government.
  • The TGB is the only one among the eight RRBs in the north-eastern region, comprising eight states including Sikkim, that has been making profit successively.
  • Crossing ther Rs 9,000 landmark for the first time, the TGB grew its volume of business in the last financial year to Rs 9,267.45, which is 11.23 per cent more transacted than the corresponding period of the previous financial year.
  • “The deposits of the Gramin Bank increased by 12.57 per cent and crossed Rs 6,691.77 crore as on March 31, from Rs 5,944.55 crore on March 31, 2018.
  • The bank’s Credit Deposit Ratio (CDR) currently stood at 38.49 per cent against the 48 per cent CDR of nationalised banks functioning in the state.
  • The TGB’s Capital to Risk Assets Ratio in the last fiscal (CRAR) was 18.40 per cent. This, however, is much higher than the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) stipulated ratio of 9 per cent CRAR.
  • Covering over 75 per cent of Tripura’s four-million population, mostly in the rural and interior areas, TGB’s gross non-performing assets (NPAs) as on March 31 this year stood at Rs 230.41 crore, which is 8.95 per cent of the total advance of the bank, against Rs 254.05 crore NPAs as on March 31 last year.
  • The TGB is the first RRB in India to have been accorded permission by the RBI to start treasury function of the Tripura government and open a currency chest.
DRDO successfully test-fires guided bomb from Sukhoi fighter
  • The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested a 500 kg class Inertial Guided Bomb from the IAF’s frontline Su-30 MKI fighter at the Pokhrantest range in
  • The guided bomb achieved the desired range and hit the target with high precision.
  • All the mission objectives have been met and the weapon system is capable of carrying different warheads.
  • The 2.5 ton supersonic missile air to surface cruise missile with ranges of close to 300 km, was smooth and followed the desired trajectory before directly hitting the land target.
India’s first Tree Ambulance initiated in Chennai
  • International Day for Biological Diversity tree ambulance was inaugurated in Chennai, Tamil Nadu by Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu.
  • The initiative was proposed by Green man of India, Dr K Abdul Ghani and it is sponsored by the SASA Group.
  • The ambulance can be availed through the number 9941006786 and volunteers can register on www.treeambulance.org.
  • Services provided by Tree Ambulance first-aid treatment are uprooted tree planting, seed bank, seed ball distribution, plant distribution, aiding tree plantation, shifting trees, a survey of trees and removal of dead trees.
  • The reallocation of trees will be done free of cost.The ambulance has helpers and a plant expert, who carry gardening tools, water, manure, and pesticide with them.
Oman author Jokha Alharthi won the Man Booker International Prize
  • Jokha Alharthi won “Man Booker International Prize” for her work “Celestial Bodies”. “Celestial Bodies” is the story of three sisters of a desert country confronting its slave-owning past and a complex modern world.
  • JokhaAlharthi, the first Arabic-language writer to take the prize, will split the 50,000 pounds or 64,000 US dollar purse with her UK-based translator, Marilyn Booth.

FACTFILE – Man Booker International Prize

  • It is a prize that is presented by the Man Group of United Kingdom.
  • It is awarded for the “Best book in English translation”.
  • It carries a reward of £50,000.
  • The first Man Booker International Prize was awarded in 2005.

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May 26, 2019

BJP won 9 seats and Congress won 3 seats in Assam
  • The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) registered its highest-ever tally in Assam by winning nine out of 14 Lok Sabha seats.
  • The ruling party, which fought the election on the issues of development and the face value of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was successful in beating off issues like the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill-2016 as well as charges of non-performance and perceived anti-incumbency.
  • The BJP this time bagged two seats more than what it had managed to win in 2014, when the party had secured seven parliamentary constituencies riding on the ‘Modi wave’ which was palpably visible at that time.
  • The final tally in Assam stands at nine seats for the BJP, three for the Congress and one seat each going to the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and to an Independent candidate.
  • With the BJP registering its best-ever performance both at the national level as well as in Assam, the Lok Sabha poll witnessed some major upsets with heavyweights getting trounced.
  • The prestigious Guwahati constituency went to the BJP with the ruling party’s Queen Oja winning by a big margin against her nearest Congress rival Bobbeeta Sharma. By this victory, the BJP created history by becoming the first party ever to win from Guwahati constituency for the third consecutive term.
  • In the final tally, BJP secured Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Tezpur, Autonomous District (Diphu), Karimganj, Silchar, Guwahati and the Mangaldai seats.
President Kovind dissolves 16th LokSabha
  • President Ram NathKovinddissolved the 16th LokSabhaon the recommendation of the Union Cabinet.
  • The Presidential order came a day after Prime Minister NarendraModimet him and informed of the Cabinet recommendation, while also tendering the formal resignation of his Council of Ministers.
  • The Union Cabinet passed a resolution to dissolve the 16th LokSabhawhich was constituted on May 18, 2014.
Indian Army Lt Gen Shailesh Tinaikar to head UN peacekeeping in South Sudan
  • Commandant of the Indian Army Infantry School, Lieutenant General ShaileshTinaikar, has been appointed the commander of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the second biggest peacekeeping operation.
  • UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced that Tinaikar will succeed Lieutenant General Frank Kamanzi of Rwanda who will complete his assignment.
  • The mission was created in 2011 when South Sudan gained independence from Sudan. Sixty-seven peacekeepers have died while serving in the mission.
NSIL, the commercial arm of ISRO inaugurated in Bengaluru
  • NewSpace India Limited, that was registered by Department of Space(DoS) as the new commercial arm of ISRO was officially inaugurated in Bengaluru on Thursday by ISRO’s honorary advisor Dr K Kasturirangan along with chairman Dr K Sivan.
  • NewSpace India Limited, that was registered by Department of Space(DoS) as the new commercial arm of ISRO back in March, was officially inaugurated in Bengaluru on Thursday by ISRO’s honorary advisor Dr K Kasturirangan along with chairman Dr K Sivan.
  • NSIL will also be at the helm of producing Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) and Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) to cater to the increasing SSLV market demand, including the supply of various sub-systems for worldwide applications and will.
  • NSIL would soon conduct a workshop with industry in Bangalore, whose main objective would to build a viable working correlation between ISRO and the industry.

May 27, 2019

Assam’s colleges finds place in nation’s ‘best college’ list by India Today
  • In a list published recently by India Today, colleges of the state secured ranks in the best college – Sonapur College (89), Silapathar College (95), Barnagar College (107), ADP College (109) in Arts, Jagiroad College in 112th position and ADP College (115) in Science.
  • In a list published recently by India Today, out of the 119 best Arts colleges and 120 best Science colleges of the country, Jagiroad College Arts stream emerged at 112th position and the Science stream emerged at the 112th position.
  • Out of 145 best Commerce colleges, the Commerce stream of Jagiroad College got its 141st position in the best college list.
  • In the survey, top three Arts, Science and Commerce colleges of the country are St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi; Miranda House, New Delhi and Sri Ram Commerce College, New Delhi respectively.
Prem Singh Tamang takes oath as the CM of Sikkim
  • Sikkim KrantikariMorcha (SKM) President Prem Singh Tamang, who is famously known as P.S. Golay, took oath as the Chief Minister of Sikkim.
  • 51 year-old Tamang was administered the oath by Governor Ganga Prasad at Paljor Stadium in Gangtok, Sikkim. He took the oath in Nepali.
  • SKM won 17 seats in the 32-member assembly, ousting former CM Pawan Kumar Chamling-led Sikkim Democratic Front after over 24 years.
  • Golay assured the people that his government would work to ensure peace in Sikkim, and for the welfare of all sections.
India-Bangladesh officials discuss border issues
  • The India-Bangladesh District Magistrate-Deputy Commissioner level meeting to discuss border-related issues including crime as well as terrorism.
  • The one-day meet would discuss border-related issues including crimes, human trafficking, infiltration and terrorist activities.
  • Joint patrolling of the Border Security Force and Border Guards Bangladesh and setting up of more “Border Haats” (markets) also be discussed in the meeting.
  • Apart from District Magistrates of Tripura’s Dhalai, Unakoti and North Tripura districts and Deputy Commissioners of Bangladesh’s Rangamati, Khagrachari and Moulvibazar districts, senior officials of the BSF, the BGB, the Customs, the Geological Survey of India, as well as Superintendents of Police of both the Indian and Bangladeshi districts present at the meet.
  • Tripura, which is surrounded by Bangladesh from three sides, shares 856-km border with India’s eastern neighbour. All of this, except a nearly 20-km-stretch, is fenced.

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May 28, 2019

Assam launches campaign to control diarrhea
  • The National Health Mission, Assam launched the Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight (IDCF) campaign and will be targeting at least 34 lakh children across the state.
  • The fortnight will be observed from May 28 to June 9 this year, the IDCF was launched and observed across the state by district health societies and block level units at all health institutes.
  • During this fortnight campaign, frontline health workers and other departments stakeholders will be sensitized to prioritize investment in control of diarrhoea, one of the most common childhood illnesses.
  • It aims to create mass awareness about the most scientific, effective and economic diarrhoea treatment” a combination of Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) solution and zinc tablets.
  • It may be mentioned here that almost all the deaths due to diarrhoea can be averted by preventing and treating dehydration by use of ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution) and administration of zinc tablets along with adequate nutritional intake by the child.
  • Diarrhoea can be prevented with safe drinking water, sanitation, proper breastfeeding/appropriate nutrition and hand-washing.
Manipur top among NE States in implementing Ayushman Bharat
  • Manipur is best among all the North- eastern States in implementing Ayushman Bharat, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and National Health Authority, Government of India, Dr Indu Bhushan said.
  • AB-PMJAY is a Centrally sponsored health scheme covering free hospitalisation of upto Rs 5 lakh per year per family. The scheme was launched in India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 23, 2018.
  • Dr Bhushan said, “In the last eight months, about 2,000-3,000 patients in Manipur have benefitted and the State has done very well in terms of reaching out to the beneficiaries.” So far, in the whole country, around 25 lakh families have benefitted from the scheme.
IAF all-woman crew flies Mi-17 chopper for first time
  • An all-woman crew flew a medium-lift helicopter for the first time in India, The crew, comprising Flight Lieutenant ParulBhardwaj (Captain), Flying Officer AmanNidhi (co-pilot) and Flight Lieutenant HinaJaiswal (flight engineer).
  • Flew a Mi-17 V5 helicopter for a Battle Inoculation Training Mission, taking off and landing from restricted areas at a forward air base in the South Western Air Command.
  • Flight Lieutenant Bhardwaj hails from Mukerian in Punjab and is incidentally also the first woman pilot to fly the Mi-17 V5.
  • Flying Officer Nidhi hails from Ranchi and is also the first woman IAF pilot from Jharkhand while Flying Officer Jaiswal hails from Chandigarh and is the first woman Flight Engineer of the IAF.
  • The pilots had undergone basic flight training at the Helicopter Training School at Air Force Station, Hakimpet followed by advanced training at Air Force Station, Yelahanka.
  • The helicopter was certified airworthy by Squadron Leader RichaAdhikari, the unit engineering officer.
US removes India from its currency monitoring list
  • The Trump administration removed India from its currency monitoring list of major trading partners, citing certain developments and steps being taken by New Delhi which address some of its major concerns.
  • Switzerland is the other nation that has been removed by the US from its currency monitoring list which among others include China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.
  • India has been removed from the monitoring list in this report, having met only one out of three criteria a significant bilateral surplus with the US for two consecutive reports.
  • After purchasing foreign exchange on net in 2017, the central bank steadily sold reserves for most of 2018, with net sales of foreign exchange reaching 1.7 per cent of GDP over the year
  • In both Switzerland and India, there was a notable decline in 2018 in the scale and frequency of foreign exchange purchases.
  • Neither Switzerland nor India met the criteria for having engaged in persistent, one-sided intervention in either the October 2018 report 
  • India for the first time was placed by the US in its currency monitoring list of countries with potentially questionable foreign exchange policies in May 2018 along with five other countries – China, Germany, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland.

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Assam Current Affairs – April 29 – 30, 2019

Posted on by admin 
Current Affairs Assam – April 29 - 30, 2019

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of April 29 – 30, 2019 )

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April 29, 2019

Assam govt done commendable job against measles, rubella
  • Assam has been able to do a commendable job vis-à-vis Measles Rubella (MR) campaign of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHF). A coverage evaluation by the Government of India has rated Assam’s performance as high – with the State being credited with achieving the highest increase in coverage with 31 per cent points compared to the earlier low percentage of 66.
  • This turnaround has been possible largely due to the painstaking efforts of grassroots health workers (ASHAs and ANMs), who braved the hostile terrain and weather conditions in remote, hilly and forested areas to ensure that every child was vaccinated. The number of ANM and ASHA workers engaged was 10,854 and 31,955, respectively.
  • The MR campaign, which concluded recently in the State, achieved a coverage of 98.04 per cent with the figure being of 90,28,321. The total enrolment estimation done by ASHA workers was 92,09,059.
  • The campaign mandated vaccination of all children between the ages of 9 months to 15. A shot of this vaccine prevents the two diseases, measles and rubella.
  • Assam also topped the special programme ‘Indradhanush’, which was aimed at ensuring foolproof coverage by the MR campaign.
Indian ships join FTX joint exercise with South Korea
  • Indian naval ships Kolkata and Shakti arrived at South Korea’s Busan to participate in the ADMM-Plus Maritime Security Field Training Exercise (FTX) as part of deployment of the Eastern Fleet to the South China Sea.
  • The Indian ships will have professional interaction with ADMM-Plus Navies towards further enhancing co-operation between the navies.
  • The Indian ships are scheduled to undertake Maritime Security Exercise with the participating navies and, later, to sail to Singapore to participate in the International Maritime Defence Expo IMDEX-19 and the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise, SIMBEX-19.

ADMM-Plus

  • The ADMM-Plus is a platform for ASEAN and its eight dialogue partners to strengthen security and defence cooperation for peace, stability and development in the region.
  • The ADMM-Plus countries include ten ASEAN Member States and eight other countries, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States.
CSIR-CCMB and IPC MOU to facilitate regulatory process for biosimilars
  • Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s constituent laboratory, the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Hyderabad, and the Indian Pharmacopeia Commission (IPC), Ghaziabad, have joined hands to facilitate the regulatory process for biosimilars and herbal drugs.
  • The scope of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between CSIR-CCMB and the IPC is the development of biopharmaceutical reference standards and impurities therein, development of monographs for important Monoclonal Antibodies and identification of herbal drugs based on DNA Barcode analysis.
  • Use of biologics – biological products that function as drugs against diseases – also known as biosimilars, are expanding their presence rapidly in the healthcare sector, including in
  • The agreement was signed by CSIR-CCMB Director Rakesh Mishra and IPC’s Secretary-cum-Scientific Director G.N. Singh.
  • This collaboration, which has come into force with immediate effect, is very important in the current scenario owing to the increase in use of therapeutic proteins and herbal drugs for various diseases.
  • This collaborative project will be executed at par with pharmacopeia standards of other countries.
ISRO plans to launch radar imaging satellite RISAT 2BR1
  • India is planning to launch its radar imaging satellite RISAT 2BR1 by the end of May 2019 on one of the variants of its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket. The rocket that would carry RISAT 2BR1 is designated as PSLV-C46 as per ISRO’s numbering system and will blast off from the first launch pad at the country’s rocket port in Sriharikota.
  • ISRO will send up a cartography satellite Catosat-3. India will also launch two more defence satellites sometime in July or August with its new rocket Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). 

 April 30, 2019

ONGC gets environmental nod for drilling at Trishna sanctuary in Tripura
  • The ONGC to start exploration drive at the Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary in South Tripura district, as the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Central Wildlife Board (CWB) have cleared the long-pending proposal of the oil major.
  • The Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary has immense potential as far as natural gas reserves are concerned but exploration is not allowed in such a protected area leading to a stalemate for a long time.
  • The ONGC had taken up the issue with the Ministry and other statutory bodies to get clearance for undertaking exploration drive at Trishna, one of the best managed bison sanctuaries in the country. Finally, the Ministry, CWB and Eco Sensitivity Board cleared the proposal to start drilling at the sanctuary.
  • Currently, Tripura produces 5 MMSCMD of gas, which is more than what the ONGC has planned for the 2018-19 financial year. ONGC was committed to push industry in Tripura and has made attempts to break the jinx.

Oil and Gas Reserves in India

  • In terms of proven oil reserves, India is 24th country in the world. Venezuela and Saudi Arabia are largest countries in terms of proven reserves.
  • India’s major oil producing states / UTs are Assam, Tripura, Manipur, West Bengal, Mumbai, Gujarat, Jammu &Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Coastal Kerala, Andaman & Nicobar.
  • The oil and gas industry in India dates back to 1889 when the first oil deposits in the country were discovered near the town of Digboi in the state of Assam.
  • As on 31 March 2018, India had estimated crude oil reserves of 594.49 million tonnes (MT) and natural gas reserves of 1339.57 billion cubic meters (BCM).
  • India imports 82% of its oil needs and aims to bring that down to 67% by 2022 by replacing it with local exploration, renewable energy and indigenous ethanol fuel.
  • India was the third top net crude oil (including crude oil products) importer of 205.3 Mt in 2018. 
Assamese entrepreneur Pallavi Hazarika awarded the India Business Award
  • Assamese entrepreneur Pallavi Hazarika has been honoured with the India Business Award for her innovative work on Assamese traditional jewellery.
  • She was presented the award by Bollywood actress Diya Mirza at a function at Bengaluru.
  • The title of her award was ‘most creative Assamese jewellery collection in Assam.
  • Hazarika, who was a government employee earlier, gave up her job to dedicate herself wholeheartedly to her passion of jewellery making.
India, China mark first anniversary of Wuhan summit
  • India and China are marking the first anniversary of the icebreaking meet between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Wuhan, by holding a week-long celebration in the central Chinese city.
  • To commemorate the event “Colors of India” a week-long exposition of Indian culture, together with business and tourism-related events, will be held in Wuhan, Hubei, from April 29 to May 3.
  • India’s envoy Vikram Misri held consultations with Jiang Chaoliang, Communist Party Secretary of the Hubei province to discuss activities and ideas to take forward India-China relations and further strengthen the role of the province in this endeavor.
  • It’s being jointly organised by the Indian embassy, Beijing, and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi, in association with the Hubei provincial government and the Wuhan municipal government and supported by the China Arts Association.
  • A business event to encourage Chinese companies to invest in India is also lined up. A tourism roadshow is also scheduled.
 India to Buy Israeli Anti-Tank Missiles, Russian Igla-S VSHORAD
  • The Indian Army is likely to procure Spike-LR Anti-Tank Missiles from Israel and Igla-S Very Short Range Air Defence Systems (VSHORAD) from Russia through a set of new emergency financial powers sanctioned by the Defence Ministry.
  • Under the latest emergency financial powers, armed forces have been given a free hand to procure equipment worth up to ₹300 crore on a priority basis.
  • The Request For Proposal (RFP) for the two deals have been issued and negotiations are ongoing.
  • Under the emergency route, the Army is looking to procure about 12 launchers and around 250 missiles for each system. Deliveries have to be completed in three months, but extendable to six months.

Spike

  • Spike is an Israeli anti-tank guided missile and anti-personnel missile with a tandem-charge HEAT warhead, currently in its fourth-generation developed by Israeli firm Rafael.
  • It is available in man-portable, vehicle-launched, and helicopter-launched variants. It is a fire-and-forget missile with lock-on before launch and automatic self-guidance.
  • It has a range of about 4 kilometres. The missile is equipped with an imaging infrared seeker.

Igla-S

  • The Russian Igla-S man-portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile is newest variant.
  • It has an improved variant with longer range, more sensitive seeker, improved resistance to latest countermeasures, and a heavier warhead.

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Assam Current Affairs – April 15 – 21, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – April 15 - 21, 2019

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

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April 15, 2019

 Aizawl records highest temp in 20 years
  • The capital city of Mizoram on Monday, 15th April, 2019 experienced its hottest day in 20 years as the mercury soared to 34.2 degrees Celsius.
  • Temperatures are being recorded in the state since 1999, and the maximum temperature that was recorded before was on a day in April 2015 when it rose to 34.1 degrees Celsius, the Chief Scientific Officer of the Mizoram Directorate of Science and technology, Dr R K Lallianthanga, said.
  • Temperature over 32 degrees Celsius is regarded almost unbearable in this hilly state where the average temperature is generally between 11 and 21 degrees Celsius during winter and between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius during summer.
India successfully test fired sub-sonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’
  • The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully test-fired 1,000 km strike range sub-sonic cruise missile named ‘Nirbhay’ from Odisha coast.
  • The 1,000-km range missile was fired for a shorter range from a launch pad from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Balasore district
  • India’s Aeronautical Development Establishment has said the cruise missile is India’s first indigenously designed and developed long-range missile.
  • Indigenously developed by the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), the Nirbhay missile can carry warheads of up to 300 kg.
  • The successful test of the 1,000 km long range missile will definitely provide a boost to India’s defence power.
Cabinet approves reservations in admission for Economically Weaker Section (EWS)
  • The Union cabinet approved provision of reservations in admission for economically weaker section students (EWS) in Central Educational Institution (CEIs).
  • With the cabinet approval, a total of 214,766 additional seats would be created (118,983 additional seats in 2019-20 and 95,783 additional seats during 2020-21).
  • A sanction of Rs 4315.15 crore has been approved for 158 CEIs for reservation to economically weaker sections.
  • The move follows Human Resource Development Ministry instructions in January to all CEIs to increase the intake of students in all branches of study in pursuance of the 103rd Constitutional Amendment to provide 10 percent reservation in economically weaker sections without adversely affecting SC/ST and Socially and Economically Backward (SEBC) classes and also not reducing the seats for general category.
Union Cabinet approves continuation of Phase-4 of GSLV
  • The Union Cabinet approved the ongoing Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) continuation programme’s phase-4 that consists of five GSLV flights during 2021-2024.
  • The phase-4 programme will enable the launch of 2 tonne class of satellites for geo-imaging, navigation, data relay communication and space sciences.
  • The total fund requirement for the phase-4 programme is Rs 2,729.13 crore and includes the cost of five GSLV vehicles, essential facility augmentation, programme management and launch campaign along with the additional funds required for meeting the scope of the ongoing programme.
  • It will meet the launch requirement of satellites for providing critical satellite navigation services, data relay communication for supporting the Indian Human spaceflight programme and the next interplanetary mission to Mars.
  • The phase-4 GSLV programme will meet the demand for the launch of satellites at a frequency of up to two launches per year with maximal participation by the Indian industry.
  • The GSLV Continuation Programme was initially sanctioned in 2003 and two phases have been completed. The third phase is in progress and is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2020-21.
3 Indian teams win awards at NASA rover challenge
  • Three Indian student teams won awards in NASA’s annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge at the US Space and Rocket Centre in Huntsville, Alabama.
  • The team from KIET Group of Institutions in Ghaziabad won the “AIAA Neil Armstrong Best Design Award” in the college/university division.
  • The Mukesh Patel School of Technology Management and Engineering from Mumbai won the “Frank Joe Sexton Memorial Pit Crew Award” in the college/university division. The school also won the System Safety Challenge Award at the competition hosted by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville and held at the US Space and Rocket Centre.
  • Lovely Professional University from Phagwara, Punjab, won the STEM Engagement Award.

April 16, 2019 

HDFC Bank tops Forbes Best Indian Banks 2019 list
  • Indian private lender- HDFC Bank was ranked at the top of the ‘Forbes Best Indian Banks 2019’ list.
  • Forbes has compiled a first-ever list of the World’s Best Bank 2019 in terms of customer services and technological advancements.
  • HDFC Bank claims to provide the best of its technological features to its 43 million customers. Another private lender ICICI Bank took the second spot, while DBS was at the third rank in Forbes list of Indian banks.
  • Kotak Mahindra Bank and IDFC Bank had managed to gain the fourth and fifth spot respectively. Syndicate Bank, PNB, Allahabad Bank, Vijaya Bank and Axis Bank were ranked from sixth to tenth respectively.
  • The banks were rated on the basis of the following attributes- Trust, Digital Services, Financial Advice and Fees
Cabinet approves creation of sixth deputy CAG post
  • The Union Cabinet approved creation of an additional post of Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General (Coordination, Communication and Information System) in the office of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.
  • The position in pay level 17 was created by abolishing one STS level post,. At present, the country’s top auditor has five posts of deputy CAGs.
  • The Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General shall oversee the coordination among state audits, audit of telecommunication and to coordinate the various information systems initiatives within the Indian Audit and Accounts Department.
  • The expenditure on account of creation of this post will be about Rs 21 lakh.

FACTFILE – The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India

  • CAG is an authority, established by Article 148 of the Constitution of India, which audits all receipts and expenditure of the Government of India and the state governments, including those of bodies and authorities substantially financed by the government.
  • The CAG is also the external auditor of Government-owned corporations and conducts supplementary audit of government companies, i.e., any non-banking/ non-insurance company in which Union Government has an equity share of at least 51 per cent or subsidiary companies of existing government companies.
  • The reports of the CAG are taken into consideration by the Public Accounts Committees (PACs) and Committees on Public Undertakings (COPUs), which are special committees in the Parliament of India and the state legislatures.
  • The CAG is also the head of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department, the affairs of which are managed by officers of Indian Audit and Accounts Service, and has over 58,000 employees across the country.
  • The current CAG of India is Rajiv Mehrishi. He is the 13th CAG of India.
  • The CAG is mentioned in the Constitution of India under Article 148 – 151.
  • The CAG is ranked 9th and enjoys the same status as a judge of Supreme Court of India in Indian order of precedence.
 India, UK renew Defence cooperation pact
  • India’s defence cooperation with the UK renewing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) amid their keenness to identify mutual capability needs and collaborate in the areas of defence and security.
  • The Defence Equipment Cooperation MoU renews the one signed on April 1, 1997, which was subsequently renewed on April 2007.
  • The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding underpins the collaboration between our two nations, building on our defence ties, and ensuring our nations are able to combat emerging threats for generations to come.
  • By collaborating and exploiting procurement opportunities together, both nations will be able to benefit from technological and manufacturing capabilities and support long-term cooperation between their defence and security industries.
  • The pact was signed by Air Marshal Richard Knighton on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence and Barun Mitra, Additional Secretary Defence Production in the Ministry of Defence on behalf of the Indian government.
  • At bilateral defence and security equipment talks in London, the two nations agreed to re-double efforts to identify mutual defence and security capability needs and collaborate on solutions.
UN owes India $38 million for peacekeeping operations
  • The UN owes India $30 million for its contributions to the peacekeeping operations, face frequent cash constraints that force the organisation to postpone the settlement of its obligations to troop- and police-contributing countries.
  • Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a report to the General Assembly on UN’s financial situation. He blamed the failure of member nations to pay their budget dues on time, in particular the US, for the arrears to India and other countries that send personnel to the peacekeeping operations.
  • Earlier, India’s Permanent Representative Syed Akbaruddin told the Security Council that the arrears were an “enormous burden for a TCC (Troop-Contributing Country) to bear, in addition to what they are doing in terms of providing people and personnel, equipment, etc”.

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April 17, 2019      

World Hemophilia Day 2019 observed on April 17
  • April 17, 2019 is marked as the 29th World Hemophilia Day. This year, the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) is focusing on reaching out and identifying new members of the bleeding disorders community.
  • For many years, the WFH has supported outreach projects in different countries and conducted educational events for both lay and health care professionals in conjunction with our national member organizations (NMOs).
  • The WHD2019 campaign will feature examples of WFH outreach initiatives such as organizing regional workshops, raising awareness of bleeding through media coverage or training health professionals and collecting data.
  • It will combine these examples with submissions from our community about outreach efforts in their own regions or ideas about what would be helpful for future initiatives.
  • This landmark day also helps to illustrate the importance of the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program—an important endeavour for the WFH that provides a range of integrated care development training programs to ensure the local infrastructure and medical expertise are available to optimize and appropriately use donated products.
India partner with Japan and UAE to set up projects in Africa
  • India is joining hands with Japan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to implement two projects in Africa as it seeks to extend its footprint on the continent where strategic rival China has made deep inroads.
  • India will build a cancer hospital in Kenya in collaboration with Japan, it will partner with the UAE to set up an information and communications technology (ICT) centre in Ethiopia.
  • India and Japan had announced the Asia Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) with four major strands, including capacity building and human resource development in Africa, creating quality infrastructure and institutional connectivity, people-to-people partnership, and development and cooperation projects.
  • It also envisaged developing capacities to sustain infrastructure, greenfield projects, power grids, agriculture and agro-processing, besides health and pharmaceuticals.
China develops world’s first armed amphibious drone boat
  • China has successfully tested the world’s first armed amphibious drone boat which could be used in land assault operations and is capable of forming a combat triad with aerial drones and other drone
  • Having a maximum operation range of 1,200 kms, the Marine Lizard can be remotely controlled via satellites.
  • The 12-meter-long Marine Lizard is a trimaran propelled by a diesel-powered hydrojet and can reach a maximum speed of 50 knots while maintaining stealth. When approaching land, the amphibious drone ship can release four continuous track units hidden under its belly, and travel at 20 kms an hour on land.
  • The Marine Lizard’s payloads include an electro-optical system and a radar system. In the weapon department, it is equipped with two machine guns and a vertical launching system for anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles.
  • This amphibious drone boat is suitable for island assault operations as a swarm of such drone ships could lead an attack following a first wave of artillery and air strikes.
  • Guided by China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, the Marine Lizard can cooperate with other battle units in an integrated command system.

April 18, 2019 

Meena Kumari wins Gold in Cologne Boxing World Cup
  • India finished its campaign at the Cologne Boxing World Cup 2019 with a haul of five medals with Meena Kumari Maisnam winning the only gold medal for India.
  • Meena Kumari Maisnam (54kg) won the only gold medal for India in the tournament.
  • It was the only bout of the tournament for the Manipur pugilist Meena Kumari as she had been directly placed in the final due to a smaller draw.
  • Youth world champion Sakshi (57kg) and India Open gold medallist Pwilao Basumatary (64kg) lost their final bouts and finished with silver medals.
  • Pinki Rani (51kg) and Parveen (60kg) won bronze medals after losing their semi-final bouts.

FACTFILE – Cologne Boxing World Cup

  • Cologne Boxing World Cup earlier known as Chemistry Cup witnesses participation from more than 20 nations and 160 boxers in seven women and ten men weight classes.
  • It is one of the strongest international events in Europe with nearly 50 years of traditions.
Ministry of Corporate Affairs is likely to revamp LLP framework
  • The Ministry of Corporate Affairs is likely to review and revamp the decade-old Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) framework.
  • The review of LLPs, considered the lowest compliance hybrid between companies and partnerships, comes following representations against aRs 100 per day penalty for delayed filing and difficulties faced in dissolution of such entities.
  • The ministry may ask the Registrar of Companies (RoC) to consider revising an office memorandum, which barred LLPs from any manufacturing activity.
  • The memorandum had anguished some quarters in the industry and hence was withdrawn.
  • A committee would be set up to review the LLP framework and look into issues regarding its implementation.
  • The memorandum was implemented without any prior notice to companies which created confusion and the sudden withdrawal also created confusion.
Indian coast gaurd offshore patrol vessel deployed by General Bipin Rawat
  • Indian Coast Guard vessel Veera has been commissioned by General BipinRawat, Chief of Army Staff, in the presence of Director General of Indian Coast Guard Rajendra Singh, Chief of Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral Karambir Singh and other senior dignitaries of the Central and State government in a ceremony organised at Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam.
  • Veera, the third in the series of the new generation Offshore Patrol Vessel is under the administrative and operational command of the coast guard regional headquarters (east).
  • The 98-meter long, 15-meter wide vessel has a 3.6 m draft and a range of 5,000 nautical miles. It can attain a speed up to 26 knots. The vessel has 12 officers and 94 men. The ship is equipped with an ultra-modern navigation and communication system.

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April 19, 2019 

Nagaland lone North-Eastern State to join pan-India helpline number ‘112’
  • Twenty States and Union Territories, including the lone North Eastern State of Nagaland, have so far joined a pan-India network of a single emergency helpline number, 112, on which immediate assistance can be sought by anyone in distress.
  • The ‘112’ helpline is an integration of police (100), fire (101) and women (1090) helpline numbers and the project is being implemented under the Central Government’s Nirbhaya Fund.
  • The 20 States and UTs include Nagaland, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) envisages a single pan-India emergency number 112, which is an internationally recognised number, to target all types of emergencies.
  • A panic button is already provided on all mobile phones, which on activation will trigger an emergency call to 112. The Emergency Response Centre (ERCs), being set up by the States and UTs, can receive panic signal via voice call to 112, e-mail requests on the State ERSS website or the ‘112’ mobile app.
  • Location-based tracking of victim can be done through location-based services of all phones or even more accurately through GPS for smartphones.
  • The ‘112’ India app provides for ‘shout facility’ designed especially for women, for enlisting support of volunteers who have registered themselves with the State police for emergency response.
  • To access emergency services, a person can dial ‘112’ on a phone or press the power button of a smartphone three times quickly to send a panic call to the Emergency Response Centre. In case of a normal phone, a long press of the ‘5’ or ‘9’ key will activate the panic call.
  • People can also log onto the ERSS website for the respective State and send an emergency e-mail or SOS alert to the State Emergency Response Centre. They can use the ‘112’ India mobile app, which is available free on Google Play Store and Apple Store.
  • The Nirbhaya Fund was set up by the Central Government for projects specifically designed to improve the safety and security of the women.
India’s 1st Centre for drone development soon at IIT Hyderabad
  • Japan-based Terra Drone Corporation, Terra Drone India and the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, have signed a pact to establish a first-of-its-kind Centre of Excellence for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in India.
  • The centre will be set up at IIT Hyderabad.
  • Terra Drone Corporation is one of the world’s largest providers of industrial drone solutions.
  • The company is at the forefront of several innovations in the aviation industry, including promoting the application of AI technologies in drones and providing advisory services to the ongoing ‘flying car’ project in Japan.
  • Terra Drone will support IIT Hyderabad to organise workshops, seminars, lectures and joint projects that leverage cutting-edge unmanned technologies and drone LiDAR systems.
  • Terra Drone India would also offer internship programmes to talented students and prepare them for the real-world technology applications.
Saudi Arabia to host G20 summit in 2020
  • Saudi Arabia announced it will host the G20 summit in November next year in the capital Riyadh, The first G20 meeting in the Arab world will be held in November 2020.
  • G20 world leaders met for the first time in 2008 with focus on rescuing the global economy from the worst financial crisis in more than 70 years.
  • According to the final communique of the G20 summit last year in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which confirmed that the summit will be held in Japan in 2019, and in Saudi Arabia in 2020
  • Saudi Arabia confirmed that it looks forward to hosting the event.

April 20 2019 

3 North Eastern States to get DNA testing facilities
  • DNA testing facilities are being set up at forensic science laboratories of 13 States and Union Territories including the three North Eastern States of Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura at a cost of Rs 131.09 crore.
  • Cyber forensic laboratories and cyber forensic training facilities are being set up in these States as part of the Rs 223.19 crore Cyber Crime Prevention Against Women and Children project.
  • Five States – Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Uttarakhand – have already set up cyber forensic training laboratories.
  • A total of 3,664 personnel, including 410 public prosecutors and judicial officers, have been trained for the purpose.
  • The project is being implemented under the Nirbhaya Fund, set up by the Central Government for projects specifically designed to improve the safety and security of women.
  • According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 12,187 cyber crime cases were registered across India in 2016 in comparison to 11,331 cases in 2015. There was a 20.5 per cent increase in the number of cyber crime cases in 2015 over 2014 and 6.3 per cent increase in such cases in 2016 over 2015.
Japan-US welcomes growing ties with India
  • The US-Japan 2+2 ministerial meeting has welcomed the growing ties between their countries and India in the Indo-Pacific region that is of vital strategic interest to them.
  • The defence and diplomatic cabinet officials of the two countries expressed satisfaction with the trilateral meeting with India and noted significance of joint military exercises.
  • US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan met with Japan’s Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya for their high-level strategic meeting focused on building a free and open Indo-Pacific.
  • The Ministers also noted with satisfaction the first Japan-US-India trilateral summit meeting in 2018 and highlighted significant joint exercises, such as Malabar 2018 and Cope India 2018.
  • Building upon these various trilateral efforts, the Ministers welcomed the regularization of quadrilateral engagement among Japan, the Us, Australia, and India.
  • Ministers called for full respect for freedoms of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the sea, and reiterated the importance of activities that support those principles.
India suspends LOC trade with Pakistan
  • The Home Ministry issued orders to suspend the Line of Control (LoC) trade between Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Jammu and Kashmir effective from April 19.
  • The government has taken this step after receiving reports of cross LoC trade routes being misused by Pakistan-based elements.
  • It may be recalled that the LoC trade is meant to facilitate the exchange of goods of common use between local populations across the LoC in Jammu & Kashmir.
  • During ongoing probe of certain cases by NIA, it has been brought out that a significant number of trading concerns engaged in LoC trade are operated by persons closely associated with banned terror organisations involved in fueling terrorism/separatism.
  • So it’s decided to suspend LoC trade at Salamabad & Chakkan-da-Bagh in J&K. Meanwhile, a stricter regulatory and enforcement mechanism is being worked out & will be put in place in consultation with various agencies.

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April 21, 2019 

Indian Navy launched guided missile destroyer Imphal
  • Indigenously-designed and constructed guided missile destroyer ‘Imphal’ was launched at the Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. Yard.
  • As per maritime traditions, Reena Lanba, wife of Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba named the ship and broke a coconut on the 3,037 tonnes ship’s bow prior to the launch amidst invocations from the Atharvaveda.
  • Enhanced stealth features have been achieved through the shaping of hull and use of radar transparent deck fittings which make the ships difficult to detect. 
  • The ship is the third in the Project 15B vessels – the earlier ones launched are ‘Vishakhapatnam’ (2015) and ‘Murmagoa’ in 2016 – which feature cutting edge advanced technology and are comparable to ships of similar class anywhere globally.
  • Designed by the Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design, each ship spans 163 metres long and 17.4 metres at beam and displaced 7,300 tonnes.
Ebaku Bishu celebrated across Lakhimpur
  • Ebaku Bishu or the Bohagiyo Bisu of the Deori community was celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety across Lakhimpur district.
  • Observed on the first Wednesday of the Assamese month of Bohag, the EbakuBishu this time got under way on the same day.
  • The festivities began with offerings at various thaans of the Deori communities across the district and ceremonial bathing in the morning of the day.
  • The “Suwasani Puja” was also observed on that occasion in Deori households for the welfare of the members of the family.
  • In villages elaborate arrangements were made for ChhajeKhula, places which are situated either isolated from the village or middle of the village where husori were performed by the youth which began with a declaration by DeoriBharali following offerings at thaans.
  • The women of the community organised egg fights during the Bihu. Youngsters also revelled in smearing mud on each other.
NASA spots universe’s 1st molecule
  • NASA’s airborne observatory has detected the first type of molecule ever formed in the universe. This is the first time helium hydride has been found in the modern universe.
  • Scientists discovered the molecule in our own galaxy using NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), as the aircraft flew high above the Earth’s surface and pointed its sensitive instruments out into the cosmos.
  • SOFIA is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 106-inch diameter telescope. It found modern helium hydride in a planetary nebula, a remnant of what was once a Sun-like star.
  • Located 3,000 light-years away near the constellation Cygnus, this planetary nebula, called NGC 7027, has conditions that allow this mystery molecule to form.
  • The discovery serves as proof that helium hydride can, in fact, exist in space.
  • Scientists believe that around 100,000 years after the big bang, helium and hydrogen combined to make a molecule called helium hydride for the first time.
  • Helium itself is a noble gas making it very unlikely to combine with any other kind of atom.

 

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Assam Current Affairs – March 15 – 21, 2019

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Current Affairs Assam – March 15 - 21, 2019

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

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March 15, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FACTFILE – The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

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

FACTFILE – Wholesale Price Index (WPI)

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

FACTFILE – Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT)

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

March 16, 2019

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

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

Indian Army Indian Navy

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

FACTFILE – 5-star ranks

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

FACTFILE – United Nations Environment Programme

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

FACFILE – Transports Internationaux Routiers’ Convention

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

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March 17, 2019

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

FACTFILE – Geographical Indication

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

March 18, 2019

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

Features of the Lokpal Act 2013:

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

FACTFILE – India–Maldives relations

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

FACTFILE  – National Green Tribunal

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

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March 19, 2019

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

FACTFILE – The Special Olympics

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

March 20, 2019

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

FACTFILE – The India Energy Modelling Forum

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

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

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

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March 21, 2019

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

FACTFILE – Genome editing

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

FACTFILE – Afghanistan’s cricket team

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

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Assam Current Affairs – March 08 – 14, 2019

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

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

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March 08, 2019

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

FACTFILE – Chakra III

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

FACTFILE – The Kalashnikov Rifles:

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

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

March 09, 2019

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

BIOGRAPHY – Subhash Chandra Garg

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

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March 10, 2019

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

FACTFILE – The Metro railway system in India

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

March 11, 2019

The Munin Borkotoky Award honoured on Debabhusan Bora, Dalim Das

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

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

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

FACTFILE – Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)

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

FACTFILE – Geographical Indication (GI)

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

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March 12, 2019

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

FACTFILE – Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

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

March 13, 2019

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

FACTFILE – Council of Ministers

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

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

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

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March 14, 2019

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

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

The Locarno Agreement establishing an international classification for industrial designs.

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

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Assam Current Affairs – March 01 – 07, 2019

Posted on by admin 
Current Affairs Assam – March 1 - 7, 2019

( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of March 1 – 7, 2019 )

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March 01, 2019

Union Cabinet approved construction of India’s longest Bridge over Brahmaputra connecting  Assam and Meghalaya
  • The Cabinet approved the construction of four-lane bridge including approaches over Brahmaputra between Dhubri in Assam and Phulbari in Meghalaya on National Highway 127-B.
  • The construction of the bridge will save huge travel distance from 205.3 km to only 19.282 km and save in time of five hours to 20 minutes between Dhubri and Phulbari.
  • The bridge will be built under the scheme of North-East Road Network Connectivity Project Phase-03.
QRSAM Missile successfully test fired from Chandipur, Odisha
  • India has successfully test-fired two indigenously developed Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air missiles (QRSAM) from the Chandipur test range off the Odisha coast.
  • The two missiles tested for different altitude and conditions successfully demonstrated robust control, aerodynamics, propulsion, structural performance and high maneuvering capabilities.

FACTFILE – Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air missiles (QRSAM) Missile

  • This missile is developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in association with Bharat Electronics Limited and Bharat Dynamics.
  • The missile is an all-weather, all-terrain missile with electronic counter measures against jamming by aircraft radars.
  • QRSAM uses solid-fuel propellant and has a range of 25-30 km.
  • The first test firing of the Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile took place on June 4, 2017 and this was followed by the second successful test on July 3, 2017.
Union Cabinet approved the proposal for setting up of a Centre for Disability Sports at Gwalior
  • To be registered under the Societies Registration Act, the proposed Centre will entail an estimated cost of Rs 170.99 crore and be completed in five years.
  • The improved sports infrastructure created by this Centre will ensure effective participation of persons with disabilities in sports activities and also enable them to compete at national and international levels.
International Arbitration Centre to be setup in New Delhi
  • The Union Cabinet approved promulgation of an ordinance for establishing the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC) to create an independent and autonomous regime for institutionalized arbitration.
  • The NDIAC will be advantageous for people and public institutions in terms of quality of expertise and costs incurred and will facilitate India becoming a hub for institutional arbitration.
  • NDAIC will seek to bring targeted reforms to develop itself as a flagship institution for international and domestic arbitration. It will also provide facilities and administrative assistance for conciliation mediation and arbitral proceedings.
Union Cabinet approved FDI up to Rs 25,000 crore in Vodafone Idea
  • The Union Cabinet approved the proposal for Foreign Direct Investment of more than Rs 5,000 crore and up to Rs 25,000 crore in Vodafone Idea as part of the proposed equity fund raise through rights issue.
  • It also approved to take on record the proposed changes in the indirect foreign investment in the subsidiaries of Vodafone Idea, which will take place on account of non-residents subscribing to the equity shares in the fund raise.
  • FDI up to 100 per cent is allowed in telecom services sector wherein 49 per cent is under automatic route and beyond 49 per cent through government route. The 100 per cent FDI has been approved in the company.
  • It is necessary to take the government approval for FDI beyond Rs 5,000 crore even if there is no change in the percentage of foreign equity already approved.
Union Cabinet approved two Metro rail projects in Kanpur and Agra
  • The Union Cabinet approved two Metro rail projects in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur and Agra at an estimated cost of Rs 19,456.1 crore in order to boost urban public transport connectivity.
  • The Kanpur project will include two corridors, one from ITT to Naubasta and the other from the Agriculture University to Barra-8. The project’s estimated cost is Rs 11,076.48 crore.
  • The ITT-Naubasta corridor will cover 23.785 km and comprise 22 stations – 14 elevated and 8 underground, while the Agriculture University-Barra-8 corridor is 8.6 km and will have four elevated and four underground stations.
India and Bangladesh hold joint exercise ‘Mainamati Maitree Exercise 2019’ to boost confidence on Tripura border
  • A series of joint exercises and exchanges are being held in the Tripura-Bangla frontier since a four-day standoff between the two forces centering 31 Rohingya people who were found crossing the international border into Bangladesh in January month.
  • Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) concluded a three-day ‘Mainamati Maitree Exercise 2019’ as a part of ‘Confidence Building Measures’ between the two border guards.
  • The objective of the Exercise was to plan and conduct anti-smuggling and anti-criminal activity related operations with an aim to achieve better joint operational efficiency and border management in the area.
  • The exercise was held in Comilla district of Bangladesh and is named after a hill range situated 8 km west of Comilla township in Bangladesh, which is home to an ancient Buddhist archaeological site in the region.

March 02, 2019

Hailakandi tops among aspirational districts nationwide
  • Hailakandi has made leapfrogged from the 52nd position to the No. 1 slot among the aspirational districts of India, according to the Delta ranking released by NITI Aayog.
  • In the championsofchange. gov.in portal of the NITI Aayog, Hailakandi has been given the overall No. 1 ranking among the 112 aspirational districts of India on the basis of Delta ranking covering performance in November-December 2018 and in January 2019. Kondagaon of Chhattisgarh follows next.
  • In the education sector, Hailakandi ranks No.1 followed by Khunti of Jharkhand.
  • Aspirational district Hailakandi will be given an additional allocation of Rs 10 crore for securing the first overall ranking. Government of India has approved a special scheme for SDGs in aspirational districts under which additional allocation to districts on challenge method is envisaged on performance based competition.
  • Earlier, Hailakandi district was put at the bottom rung of the aspirational districts among the least improved districts in the second Delta ranking conducted in June-October 2018. The then Deputy Commissioner Adil Khan (now posted as DC Bongaigaon) dashed off a letter to CEO, NITI Aayog, Amitabh Kant, for his intervention to put things in proper perspective vis-a-vis rectifying the mismatch in official data and that of the data collected by TATA Trusts during its field survey.
Delhi Cabinet approves 1,000 electric buses
  • The Delhi Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, approved 1,000 Low Floor Electric Buses for the national capital
  • Delhi will become the first India city to have such a large no of electric buses.
  • Last July, the Delhi government gave in-principle approval for the hiring of a consultant to run 1,000 electric buses at an estimated cost of Rs 2,500 crore in the national capital as promised in its 2018-19 Budget.
2nd sports academy in Arunachal Pradesh opened
  • The second sports school of Arunachal Pradesh – State Sports Academy, Miao – was dedicated to the people of Tirap-Changlang-Longding region by Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Dr Mohesh Chai.
  • The sports academy has been set up by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh with the twin objectives of improving the ecosystem and sports culture in the districts of Tirap, Changlang and Longding, as also to identity sports talents from these districts and train them for excellence.
  • The Sports Academy will initially run from the Miao Sports Club before its permanent infrastructure is built. It will offer courses in four sports disciplines namely, archery, badminton, judo and table tennis.
Odisha CM inaugurates two power generation units of OPGC
  • Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the third and fourth units of the state-owned Odisha Power Generation’s (OPGC) Ib Thermal Power Station at Banharpali in Jharsuguda district. These two thermal units, built at an investment of Rs 15,000 crore, will provide additional 1,320 MW electricity to the state.
  • The Chief Minister also inaugurated a coal mine at Manoharpur in Sundargarh district through video conference. The coal mines at will feed coal to the two new power units of the ITPS.
  • The state government owns the Odisha Coal and Power Limited (OCPL) mines at Manoharpur and dip-side Manoharpur.

FACTFILE – Odisha Power Generation Corporation Limited (OPGC)

  • OPGC is the only thermal power generating company owned by Government of Odisha.
  • It was incorporated under the Companies Act 1956 on 14 November 1984. OPGC started as a solely owned Government Company of the state of Orissa. It owns and operates 2 units of 210 MW power plants at Ib Thermal Power Station (ITPS), Banharpali in Jharsuguda District of Odisha.
  • The entire generation from these units is committed to GRIDCO on the basis of a long-term Power Purchase Agreement.
IRCTC launches payment aggregator ‘IRCTC iPay’
  • The Indian Rail Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) launched its much-awaited payment aggregator system ‘IRCTC iPay’.
  • The exclusive digital payment gateway will provide better digital experience and improved online digital payment convenience to rail passengers availing online travel-related services through the website.
  • With the launch of IRCTC iPay, the passengers will not need any third-party platforms. IRCTC iPay provides payment options like credit card, debit card, unified payment interface, international card.
  • IRCTC will have full control of the payment system because of its direct relationship with acquiring banks, card networks and other partners.
  • Moreover, in case an online transaction is unsuccessful or some other error occurs, IRCTC can directly get in touch with the bank instead of relying on an intermediate source which usually delays the process.

FACTFILE – Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)

It is a subsidiary of the Indian Railways that handles the catering, tourism and online ticketing operations of the Indian railways, with around 5,50,000 to 6,00,000 bookings every day is the world’s second busiest portal.

ICJ advised Britain to return Diego Garcia to Mauritius
  • The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has advised Britain to return the Diego Garcia Archipelago in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius as soon as possible.
  • The advisory has been issued by the ICJ on the request of the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to look into the issue.
  • In a majority opinion, the court noted that the decolonisation of Mauritius was not lawfully complete when it attained independence because Britain carved away the Chagos Archipelago from it and retained control over it.
  • Britain is under an obligation to bring an end to its administration of this Archipelago.
  • It should be noted that Mauritius was the colony of erstwhile British Empire. When the calls of decolonisation grew stronger, the British granted independence to the Mauritius, but cut off the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965 and was handed over to the US to established its strategic Indian Ocean military base.
  • Both the UK and the US had vehemently opposed the UN resolution which referred the matter to ICJ saying it was a bilateral matter with Mauritius. It is unlikely that the UK would accept the advisory.

FACTFILE – Diego Garcia

  • Diego Garcia is an atoll just south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean, and the largest of 60 small islands comprising the Chagos Archipelago.
  • It was one of the “Dependencies” of the British Colony of Mauritius until it was detached for inclusion in the newly created British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) in 1965.
  • Between 1968 and 1973, the population was forcibly removed by the United Kingdom and the United States establish a large naval and military base.
  • The atoll is located 3,535 km east of Tanzania’s coast and 1,796 km south-southwest of the southern tip of India.

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March 03, 2019




Assam CM inaugurates Sadarghat bridge, lays foundation for Mini Secretariat in Barak Valley


    

  • Chief Minister SarbanandaSonowal inaugurated the long-awaited second RCC bridge over river Barak at Sadarghat in Silchar. The bridge has been constructed within four years at an estimated cost of Rs 59 crore.
    • 

  • Sonowal also laid foundation stone of the much-awaited Mini Secretariat in Barak Valley along with a slew of projects including revamping of the new auditorium of District Library, sports stadium at the Police Parade ground under Utton scheme.
    • 

  • The Swami Vivekananda Cultural Research Centre centre will come up at Assam University Silchar and 80 bigha of land. A sum of Rs 1 crore (first phase) has been allotted therein while the 1200-seater auditorium at District Library will be completed utilisingRs 29.13 crore.
    • 

  • Rs 10 crore will be used for the state-of-the-art sports stadium and Rs 90 crore has been sanctioned for construction of the new bridge at Itkholaghat over river Barak connecting Dudhpatil with Silchar city.
    • 

  • The Chief Minister also informed that Rs 160 crore has been sanctioned under AMRUT scheme for setting up safe drinking water plant in Silchar.
    • 





Agartala among 6 cities to be ‘live laboratories’ for Lighthouse Project


    

  • Six cities across the country including Agartala have been selected as “live laboratories” for a pilot project under which 1,000 houses will be built using innovative technologies that are low-cost, sustainable and disaster-resistant, according to a senior official of the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.
    • 

  • Six cities have been identified to serve as live laboratories for the Lighthouse project. These are Agartala (Tripura), Rajkot (Gujarat), Ranchi (Jharkhand), Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh).
    • 





American 2019 Missile Systems Award to DRDO Chairman G. Satheesh Reddy


    

  • Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman G. Satheesh Reddy is the joint winner of the 2019 Missile Systems Award given by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics in the US.
    • 

  • Satheesh Reddy was selected for his over three decades of national contributions to indigenous design, development and deployment of diversified strategic and tactical missile systems, guided weapons, advanced avionics and navigation technologies in India.
    • 

  • Reddy is also the Defence Secretary and Director-General of DRDO’s aerospace arm Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). Reddy contributed to the Agni-5, the 5,000km range surface-to-surface, long-range strategic missile.
    • 

  • The other winner of the missile award, Rondell J. Wilson is the retired principal engineering fellow of Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Arizona.
    • 



The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is a professional society for the field of aerospace engineering. The AIAA is the U.S. representative on the International Astronautical Federation and the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences.




OSDA signs MoUS to boost skill ecosystem


    

  • The Odisha Skill Development Authority (OSDA) signed two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to strengthen skill ecosystem. The first MoU was signed with Tata Community Initiative Trust to scale up the Nano Unicorn Programme of OSDA.
    • 

  • Nano Unicorn is a programme of the OSDA where youths are nurtured through training and philanthropic capital to become small entrepreneurs and create employment.
    • 

  • The second MoU was signed with the State Council of Technical Education and Vocational Training (SCTEVT) and CISCO Systems India Private Limited (CISCO).
    • 

  • SCTEVT and CISCO will help in skill development, IT education and workforce development for the youth of Odisha undergoing training at industrial training institutes (ITIs) and polytechnics.
    • 

  • To streamlining and pay more attention for improving employability of youths through systematic pattern of training, Government of Odisha has created the new department in the name of Skill Development and Technical Education Department.
    • 

  • Government of Odisha has created State Employment Mission that seeks to create synergy in various development sectors in terms of skill development of youths and linkages of employment opportunities.
    • 

  • The Mission’s principal task is to formulate sector and trade specific strategies for specialized skill trainings in order to maximize employment opportunities on a sustainable basis in the state supported and private sectors. To fulfill these objectives the Mission seeks to work in close coordination with National Skill Development Mission.
    • 





Railway Minister announced creation of a new railway zone announced for Andhra Pradesh


    

  • Union Minister for Railways Piyush Goyal has announced the creation of a new railway zone for Andhra Pradesh as ‘Southern Coast Railway Zone’ with headquartered at Visakhapatnam.
    • 

  • The Southern Coast Railway Zone would comprise of existing Guntakal, Guntur and Vijayawada divisions, which are presently within the South Central Railway.
    • 

  • The South Central Railway will then consist of the Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Nanded divisions.
    • 

  • Under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014, Indian Railways was required to examine establishing a new railway zone in the successor state of Andhra Pradesh.
    • 

  • India currently has 17 zones and a total of 73 divisions. The new South Coast Railway Zone would be an 18th Railway zone.
    • 





March 04, 2019




Assam Govt announces PRANAM Commission


    

  • The Chief Minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal has announced a PRANAM Commission to look after the issues related to the Parents Responsibility and Norms for Accountability and Monitoring (PRANAM) Bill.
    • 

  • The Parents Responsibility and Norms for Accountability and Monitoring (PRANAM) Bill makes it mandatory for State Government employees to look after their parents and unmarried differently-abled siblings who do not have their own sources of income.
    • 

  • The bill proposes that if any complaints related to ignorance towards parents or unmarried differently abled siblings, then 10 or 15 per cent of the employee’s salary will be deducted by the Government and paid to the parents or differently-abled siblings.
    • 

  • also aims to cover the Employees of private companies and the Central Government working in the state at a later stage.
    • 

  • The bill is first of its kind in the country and is an effort to financially protect elderly parents and unmarried differently-abled siblings.
    • 





Assam University demands chair professor post at Swami Vivekananda Cultural Research Centre


    

  • A day after Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone for the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Research Centre to be set up across 80 bighas of land in the premises of Assam University Silchar, the university have placed a demand for the post of a chair professor and fellowship for better research activities at the centre.
    • 

  • It may be mentioned that Rs 1 crore has been sanctioned in the first phase for the construction of the cultural research centre.
    • 





National Security Council meet chaired by Prime Minister


    

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the National Security Council. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale attended the meeting.
    • 

  • The meeting comes amid a report that Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar getting killed in the bombardment by Indian Air Force (IAF) on a terror camp in Balakot going viral.
    • 

  • It also comes after two militants, five security men and a civilian were killed in the 48-hour-long gunfight that ended on Sunday in Jammu and Kashmir’s border Kupwara district.
    • 



FACTFILE – The National Security Council (NSC) 


    

  • The National Security Council (NSC) of India is an executive government agency tasked with advising the Prime Minister’s Office on matters of national security and strategic interest.
    • 

  • It was established by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government on 19 November 1998, with Brajesh Mishra as the first National Security Advisor.
    • 

  • Prior to the formation of the NSC, these activities were overseen by the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.
    • 





India, Bangladesh begins joint military exercise ‘Sampriti’


    

  • India and Bangladesh began a two-week-long joint military exercise in Tangail, Bangladesh, to hone their tactical and technical skills to counter insurgency and terrorism.
    • 

  • The eighth edition of the exercise “Sampriti” started at the Bongobondhu Cantonment, Tangail, Bangladesh, with an impressive opening ceremony.
    • 

  • The Bangladesh contingent was represented by the 36 East Bengal Battalion, while the Indian side was represented by the 9th Battalion of the Rajputana Rifles.
    • 

  • The aim of the exercise is to increase mutual cooperation, bonhomie and camaraderie between the two armies through inter-operability and joint tactical exercises.
    • 

  • The exercise, which was started in 2009 with a platoon level engagement, graduated to the company level in 2015.
    • 



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March 05, 2019




2019 Assam State Science Awards announced


    

  • Bhupendra Nath Goswami, a climate scientist of international repute, known for his discovery of the ‘Indian Ocean Dipole Mode’, and who was former Director of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and a Shantiswaroop Bhatnagar Awardee, has been chosen for the Lifetime Achievement Award.
    • 

  • Young Scientist Award, DrManashita Borah, an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineening of Tezpur University was chosen for her contribution in the field of biomedical implementation, automated waste water treatment, etc.
    • 

  • The CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (formerly RRL-Jorhat) has been chosen for the award for the Best Scientific Organisation for promotion of science and technology for the benefit of society.
    • 

  • The State Department of Science and Technology has been conferring Assam State Science Awards to eminent scientists, upcoming scientists and institutions for promoting science and technology since 2017.
    • 





Amulya kakati award conferred on Singer Pankaj Bordoloi


    

  • Singer Pankaj Bordoloi was conferred the Swabhab Shilpi Amulya Kakati Memorial Award, 2019 for his unique contributions in promoting JyotiSangeet and RabhaSangeet in their purest forms.
    • 

  • The award, given annually in the memory of playwright, writer, director and popular actor AmulyaKakati, has been instituted by the Students-Artistes-Litterateur Welfare Trust of the All Guwahati Students’ Union (AGSU), the Guwahati wing of AASU.
    • 

  • The award carries a memento designed by noted sculptor BirenSingha, a gamosa, a cheleng chador, an eri jacket, a bouquet of flowers and a cash award of Rs 25,000.
    • 





Prime Minister Modi launches One Nation One Card


    

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched One Nation One Card, which would allow paying for travel on any mode of transportation.
    • 

  • The newly launched card is an amalgamation of all the smart cards used for different public transport services, it can be used for paying for any mode of travel across the country.
    • 

  • It could be used by the commuters in PoS machines at ticket counters to get a ticket or just like a Metro Rail smart card directly.
    • 

  • Several agencies are involved in this including Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, banks, and Urban Development Ministry.
    • 





Museum on freedom struggle’s unsung heroes opens in Red Fort


    

  • AzaadiKeDiwane, a museum paying homage to the unsung heroes of Indian freedom struggle, was inaugurated by Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma in the Red Fort.
    • 

  • The museum talks about the sacrifices of great freedom fighters. It pays tribute to the selfless sacrifices of revolutionaries, brave female freedom fighters and valiant children.
    • 

  • This new museum has been started in the series of Kranti Mandir to inspire the younger generation and letting them know the cost of freedom that the great fighters achieve by sacrificing their lives,
    • 

  • The museums have been made in barrack buildings that were closed since decades in the Red Fort. The museum uses experiential touch displays, scenario-based installations, and the more conventional informative displays to recreate memories from Indian history between 1857 and 1947.
    • 





ISRO unveils ‘Young Scientist’ programme


    

  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced the launch of its Young Scientist programme to train class 9 students in space technology and its applications.
    • 

  • ISRO has launched the special programme for school children ‘Yuva Vigyani Karyakram’ (Young Scientist programme) to impart basic knowledge on space technology, space science and applications to the young ones to arouse their interest in space activities.
    • 

  • Three students will be selected from each state/union territory to participate in the programme each year covering CBSE, ICSE and state syllabus.
    • 

  • The space agency has approached the Chief Secretaries of the states for the selection of three students from each state and Union Territories.
    • 

  • The selection is based on the academic performance and extracurricular activities. Students belonging to rural areas have been given special weightage in the selection criteria.
    • 



FACTFILE  – Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)


    

  • The Indian Space Research Organisation is the space agency of the Government of India headquartered in the city of Bengaluru.
    • 

  • Its vision is to “harness space technology for national development while pursuing space science research and planetary exploration.”
    • 

  • Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was established by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of the Indian Government under the DAE in 1962, with the urging of scientist Vikram Sarabhai recognizing the need in space research.
    • 

  • INCOSPAR grew into ISRO in 1969 also under the DAE. In 1972 Government of India setup a Space Commission and the Department of Space (DOS), bringing ISRO under the DOS.
    • 

  • The establishment of ISRO thus institutionalized space research activities in India. It is managed by the Department of Space, which reports to the Prime Minister of India.
    • 

  • ISRO built India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, which was launched by the Soviet Union on 19 April 1975. In 1980, Rohini became the first satellite to be placed in orbit by an Indian-made launch vehicle, SLV-3.
    • 

  • Satellite navigation systems like GAGAN and IRNSS have been deployed. In January 2014, ISRO used an indigenous cryogenic engine in a GSLV-D5 launch of the GSAT-14.
    • 

  • ISRO sent a lunar orbiter, Chandrayaan-1, on 22 October 2008 and a Mars orbiter, Mars Orbiter Mission, on 5 November 2013, which entered Mars orbit on 24 September 2014, making India the first nation to succeed on its first attempt to Mars, and ISRO the fourth space agency in the world as well as the first space agency in Asia to reach Mars orbit.[21] On 18 June 2016, ISRO set a record with a launch of twenty satellites in a single payload, one being a satellite from Google.
    • 

  • On 15 February 2017, ISRO launched one hundred and four satellites in a single rocket (PSLV-C37) and created a world record.
    • 

  • ISRO launched its heaviest rocket, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mark III (GSLV-Mk III), on 5 June 2017 and placed a communications satellite GSAT-19 in orbit.
    • 





Punjab CM launches water supply, sewerage schemes


    

  • Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh laid the foundation stones of three surface water supply schemes, in addition to a domestic sewage treatment plant, worth Rs 197.69 crore, for the rural areas of Amritsar district.
    • 

  • The state currently has 14 lakh tubewells against 50,000 which was the required estimate after the construction of the Bhakra canal.
    • 

  • This state-of-the-art project would be executed with financial assistance from the World Bank on a design, build operate and transfer (DBOT) basis, for which the tenders have already been floated.
    • 

  • The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of an arsenic removal project for 102 villages of Amritsar district, involving a cost of Rs 21.97 crore.
    • 

  • Arranged from the NITI Aayog after the demonstration of a pilot project undertaken by the State government in three villages based on nano-material technology developed by IIT Chennai.
    • 





TN CM launches Rs 2,000 special assistance for BPL families 


    

  • Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palanswami launched financial assistance of Rs 2,000 for 60 lakh below the poverty line (BPL) families in the state.
    • 

  • At the state secretariat, Palaniswami handed over to 32 families the administrative sanction to deposit Rs 2,000 in their bank accounts.
    • 

  • The outlay for this will be Rs 1,200 crore and will be made in the supplementary demands for grants to be made this fiscal. 35 lakh families in villages and 25 lakh families in cities will be benefited by this financial assistance.
    • 

  • The government had paid Rs 1,000 as a cash gift and gift hamper to ration card holders-BPL and non-priority household with sugar-only ration card to celebrate Pongal festival.
    • 





March 06, 2019




CM Sonowal lays foundation of formalin plant at Dhaknamari


    

  • Chief Minister SarbanandaSonowal laid the foundation stone of a formalin plant at Dhaknamari in Bongaigaon district .
    • 

  • The plant, which will be built in an area of 163 bighas of land at a cost of Rs 100 crore, will make 200 tonnes of formalin, a chemical preservative, daily from methanol supplied by APCL’s methanol plant located at Namrup.
    • 





NEEPCO gets 2 Hydel power projects in Meghalaya


    

  • The North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) will execute two hydel power projects in power-starved Meghalaya.
    • 

  • The two power projects are the Umja-ut Hydro Electric Power project with a capacity of 69 MW (renamed Wah Umiam Stage I) and the Umduna Hydro Power Project of 57 MW (also renamed Wah Umiam Stage II).
    • 



FACTFILE – North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO)


    

  • North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) is a schedule-A ‘MINI RATNA’ Category-1 Central public sector Enterprise owned by the Government of India under the Ministry of Power.
    • 

  • It was formed on 2 April 1976 to plan, investigate, design, construct, generate, operate and maintain power stations in the North Eastern Region of the country.
    • 

  • It has 60% of total installed capacity of North east region, which is 1457 MW.
    • 





Delhi launches common mobility app


    

  • The Delhi government launched a common mobility app ‘One Delhi’ to allow users plan more efficiently their journey with Delhi Metro and all city buses.
    • 

  • To make travel easier in Delhi, the app allows users to access all bus stops, bus and metro routes, fares, expected time of arrival (ETA) of buses and metro.
    • 

  • The Delhi government has been taking several initiatives to improve access, reliability and safety of Delhi’s buses. The government is in the process of augmenting the fleet of buses by adding 3,000 new buses.
    • 

  • Recently Launched ‘Connect Delhi’ project to achieve the goal of connecting all colonies and villages of Delhi with a reliable bus service within 500 metre walking distance.
    • 





Andhra Pradesh signs MoUs with various companies


    

  • The Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) worth Rs 21,0000 crore with various companies.
    • 

  • The MoUs were signed in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, APEDB Chief Executive Officer J. Krishna Kishore and representatives of different companies.
    • 

  • These MoUs would fructify into the investment potential of Rs 21,000 crore and generate direct employment of around 57,000 and indirect employment of around 1,65,000, said APEDB.
    • 



Nara Chandrababu Naidu is the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh


Ekkadu Srinivasan Lakshmi Narasimhan the Governor of Andhra Pradesh




TATA Steel recognised as one of World’s most ethical companies


    

  • Tata Steel has been recognised as one of World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute for 2019. This is the eighth time Tata Steel has got the recognition in the ‘Metals, Minerals and Mining’ category. Wipro is the other Indian company to find a place in this year’s list.
    • 

  • Ethisphere Institute is a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices.  128 companies are recognized for exemplifying and advancing corporate citizenship, transparency and the standards of integrity in the year 2019.
    • 



FACTFILE – Ethisphere’s Ethics Quotient


The companies are listed World’s Most Ethical Companies based on their score in the Ethisphere’s Ethics Quotient which collects and objectively scores self-reported data in five weighted categories namely:


    

  • Leadership and Reputation
    • 

  • Ethics Compliance Programme
    • 

  • Culture of Ethics
    • 

  • Corporate Citizenship and Responsibility
    • 

  • Governance
    • 





Bhagwan Lal Sahni appointed Chairman of the National Commission for Backward Classes


    

  • Bhagwan Lal Sahni has been appointed as the Chairman of the National Commission for Backward Classes and Kaushalendra Singh Patel and Acharya Talloju have been appointed as the members of the commission.
    • 



FACTIFILE – National Commission For Backward Classes:


    

  • It is a Constitutional body set up through the 123rd Constitutional amendment bill 2018 and 102nd amendment act under the provisions of Article 338B of Indian Constitution.
    • 

  • It was established on 14 August 1993 under India’s Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
    • 

  • The commission consists of one Chairman and five Members with the term of three years.
    • 

  • The Commission is vested with the responsibility of considering inclusions in and exclusions from the lists of communities notified as backward for the purpose of job reservations.
    • 



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March 07, 2019




P K Bezbaruah reappointed as the chairman of Tea Board of India


    

  • The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industries has approved the re-appointment of P K Bezbaruah as the Chairman of Tea Board for a second tenure.
    • 

  • P K Bezbaruah is the first non-IAS chairman of the Tea Board. He has been urging the Indian Tea Industry to explore export opportunities in the vast Chinese market. He was instrumental in initiating a revamp of the old electronic auctioning system in association with the IIM.
    • 



FACTFILE – Tea Board of India


    

  • The origin of the Tea Board can be traced to 1903 when the Indian Tea Cess Bill was passed to provide for levying a cess on tea exports. The proceeds of the cess were to be used for the promotion of Indian Tea both within and outside In
    • 

  • The Tea Board of India is a state agency of the Government of India established to promote the cultivation, processing, and domestic trade as well as export of tea from India.
    • 

  • It was established by the enactment of the Tea Act in 1953 with its headquarters in.
    • 

  • It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industries.
    • 

  • The Tea Board India is responsible for the assignment of certification numbers to exports of certain tea merchants.
    • 

  • The Tea Board India’s tasks include endorsement of the diverse production and productivity of tea, financial support of research organisations and the monitoring of advances in tea packaging as it relates to health beneficial aspects.
    • 

  • It coordinates research institutes, the tea trade and government bodies, ensuring the technical support of the tea trade in the global industry.
    • 





World Bank to provide Rs 2,200 crore loan for Andhra Pradesh healthcare project


    

  • The World Bank will provide Rs 2,200-crore loan to Andhra Pradesh for a project aimed at strengthening the state’s overall healthcare systems.
    • 

  • The Central and state governments and the World Bank signed the loan agreement for a $328-million project to improve the quality and responsiveness of public health services and increasing access of population to an expanded package of primary health services.
    • 

  • The AP Health Systems Strengthening Project (APHSSP) will be implemented in the state with a focus on improved quality of care, improved responsiveness of public health services and increased access to an expanded package of primary health services.
    • 

  • The $328-million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has a six-year grace period, and a maturity of 29 years and 6 months.
    • 

  • The agreement was signed by Bandana Preyashi, Director – MI, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India; Poonam Malakondiah, Special Chief Secretary to the government, Health Medical & Family Welfare Department, State Project Director, APHSSP, Government of Andhra Pradesh; and MohiniKak and Kari L. Hurt, representatives of the World Bank India.
    • 



FACTFILE – World Bank 


    

  • The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to countries of the world for capital projects.
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  • It comprises two institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), and the International Development Association (IDA).
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Assam CM launches pension scheme for workers of unorganized sector


    

  • Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the State’s 1.80 crore workers under the unorganised sector will get old-age protection and social security with a minimal monthly contribution, once they opt to come under the ambit of the Pradhan MantriShram Yogi Maan-dhanYojana.
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  • Pradhan MantriShram Yogi Maan-dhanYojana would entitle an individual to a voluntary and contributory pension scheme, under which the subscriber would receive a minimum assured pension of Rs 3,000 per month after attaining the age of 60 years.
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  • Under the Shram Yogi Maan-dhanYojana, a worker of the unorganised sector can opt for the pension scheme within the age group of 18 to 40 years with a monthly income of Rs 15,000 or below.
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  • Once the beneficiary joins the scheme at this entry age, the beneficiary has to contribute till 60 years of age.
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  • On attaining the age of 60, the subscriber will receive by DBT the assured monthly pension of Rs 3,000 with the provision of family pension. If the subscriber dies, the spouse shall be entitled to receive 50 per cent of the pension as family pension.
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Assam Current Affairs  – January 29 – 31, 2019

						

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Current Affairs Assam – January 29 - 31, 2019


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


January 2019 – Monthly PDF | Monthly Quiz eBook PDF


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January 29, 2019




India to participate in PISA-2021 


    

  • The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry signed a pact with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for the participation of students from Central government schools to take the PISA-2021.
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  • PISA is a competency-based test, which tests the learning levels of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics and science.
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  • With the signing of the pact, Indian students aged 15 will be able to take the Programme for International Student Assessment or PISA, which is conducted every three years.
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  • Under this initiative, students will be tested in reading, maths, and science. I am sure that Indian students will come out with flying colors.
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  • Schools run by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) and schools in the UTs of Chandigarh will participate.
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Regional medicine warehouse opened at Pamohi, Assam


    

  • Union Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping, Chemicals & Fertilizers Mansukh L Mandaviya inaugurated the Regional Warehouse under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadi Pariyojana (PMBJP) at Pamohi.
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  • It is set up by the Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI), which would facilitate the seamless supply of medicines to all PMBJP Kendras functioning across the North East.
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FACTFILE – Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI)


    

  • Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) is the implementing agency of Pradhan Mantri Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).
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  • BPPI was established in December, 2008 under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Government of India.
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January 30, 2019




India ranked 78 in Global Corruption Index 2018 


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


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


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


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




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


    

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


    

  • NDRF is a specialised force constituted “for the purpose of specialist response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster” under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
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  • The Apex Body for Disaster Management in India is the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
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  • The Chairman of the NDMA is the Prime Minister.
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  • The responsibility for disaster management in India’s federal system is that of the State Government.
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  • When ‘calamities of severe nature’ occur, the Central Government is responsible for providing aid and assistance to the affected state, including deploying, at the State’s request, of Armed Forces, Central Paramilitary Forces, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and such communication, air and other assets, as are available and needed.
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  • National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is under the National Disaster Management Authority.
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Padma Shri Award to Assam’s Ilias Ali and Udhab Kumar Bharali


    

  • Assam surgeon Ilias Ali and social innovator Udhab Kumar Bharali have been hounoured with Padma Shri awards, India’s the fourth highest civilian award.
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  • Ilias Ali is known for working on family planning and education of Muslim women, whereas Udhab Kumar Bharali has more than 100 innovations to his credit, mostly at the grassroots level.
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  • Two others from North East region, to get the Padma Shri award are archer Bombayla Devi Laishram from Manipur and musician Thanga Darlong from Tripura.
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FACTFILE – Padma Shri Award


    

  • It is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. It is awarded by the Government of India, every year on India’s Republic Day.
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  • Padma Awards were instituted in 1954 to be awarded to citizens of India in recognition of their distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the arts, education, industry, literature, science, sports, medicine, social service and public affairs. It has also been awarded to some distinguished individuals who were not citizens of India but did contribute in various ways to India.
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Bharat Ratna Award to Dr. Bhupen Hazarika 


    

  • India’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna is conferred on Dr Bhupen Hazarika, the music maestro form.
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  • Hazarika is only the second person from Assam, after the state’s first chief minister Gopinath Bordoloi, to have been honoured with Bharat Ratna which is conferred “in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order”.
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FACTFILE – Bharat Ratna Award


    

  • The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India.
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  • Instituted in 1954, the award was originally limited to achievements in the arts, literature, science, and public services, but the government expanded the criteria to include “any field of human endeavour” in 2011.
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  • Bharat Ratna recipients rank seventh in the Indian order of precedence.
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  • The first recipients of the Bharat Ratna were C. Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and  C. V. Raman, who were honoured in 1954.
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Assam launched subsidy scheme for farmers


    

  • Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal ceremonially launched the Farmers’ Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme.
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  • The Assam Farmers’ Credit Subsidy Scheme under which all short-term crop loan availed from scheduled commercial banks, regional rural banks and the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank will be availed at 25 per cent government subsidy for any loan availed between April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019. Govt will provide subsidy to a maximum limit of Rs 25,000 per farmer for a minimum loan amount of Rs 1 lakh.
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  • Under the Assam Farmers’ Interest Relief Scheme, farmers can avail short-term crop loan up to Rs 2 lakh at zero per cent interest rate. It will provide a one-time cash incentive up to Rs 10,000 per account for activating the overdue and NPA KCC account.
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  • The scheme was launched marking the Krishak Swahid Divas to honour the martyrdom of nearly 140 peasants who laid their lives in 1894 protesting against the increasing land tax rate and other exploitation by the British Raj.
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FACTFILE – Patharughatar Ran / Patharughatar Uprising


    

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



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