Assam Current Affairs – November 16-18, 2022

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – November 16-18, 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the November 16-18, 2022)

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November 16-18, 2022

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma launches Assam Millet Mission

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the Assam Millet Mission at a function held in Guwahati. 

The programme aims to expand and increase millet cultivation across the state. 

Key Points

  • Millet Mission is targeted to raise the nutrition quotient and doubling of farmers’ income.
  • The mission will also increase crop productivity and contribute to crop diversification.
  • It will help the farmers of Assam to gain knowledge and handholding about millet farming.
  • Synchronizing with the programme, the Assam chief minister also started the process of distributing power tillers, pump sets, mini trucks, harvesters, crop seeds, financial aids among beneficiaries.
  • Along with launching the Millet Mission, the Chief Minister also launched six soil testing and quality control laboratories Bongaigaon, morigaon,Golaghat, Udalgiri,Karimganj and Darrang.

Manipur will host Femina Miss India 2023 in Northeast

The government of Manipur has signed a partnership agreement with the Times group to host the 59th edition of Femina Miss India in the Northeast state of Manipur in April 2023.

The finale of the 59th Femina Miss India in Manipur will be historic as it will be the first to be held in Northeast India.

The partnership agreement was signed between Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Vineet Jain, managing director of Times group.

The objective of this agreement is to celebrate the diverse and inclusive Indian culture and to inspire and empower the local youths by welcoming the best of India talents and providing an opportunity to showcase the state’s rich cultural heritage.


Asia’s largest fountain will be installed in Ujjayanta Palace in Agartala

Asia’s largest fountain will be installed in one of the lakes of Ujjayanta Palace in Agartala in Tripura.

Key Points

  • The fountain will be 120 metres tall which will be the largest in Asia, will be done under the Agartala Smart City Limited (ASCL) project.
  • Installation of this fountain at the Ujjayanta Palace in Agartala will be completed by January 2023.
  • The central government released Rs 294 crore and the state government gave Rs 78 crore. The total amount stands at Rs 372 crore of which Rs 342 crore have been spent on construction so far CEO of ASCL Dr Shailesh Kumar Yadav said.
  • In total, 67 projects were enlisted and among them, 49 have been completed while 17 projects are are still in progress.

Manipur tops in the Northeast Olympic Games for the second consecutive time

Manipur bagged the top position in the Northeast Olympic Games for the second consecutive time with 237 medals, including 85 (gold), as the second edition of the regional multi-sport event.

Key Points

  • The Games are being organised by the government of Meghalaya and the state Olympic Association under the aegis of Northeast Olympic Association (NEOA).
  • Manipur bagged the top position with a total of 240 medals which included 88 gold medals, 75 silver and 77 bronze medals. 
  • Assam took the second spot with a total of 203 medals which included 79 gold medals, 61 silver and 63 bronze medals. 
  • Arunachal Pradesh got the third spot from the host State with a total of 112 medals which included 39 gold, 36 silver and 37 bronze medals. 
  • Meghalaya was at the 4th spot followed by Nagaland at the 5th, Mizoram at 6th, Tripura at 7th and Sikkim was at the last position.
  • Around 3000 athletes competed in 18 disciplines at 12 venues spread across Shillong. The first edition in Manipur had 12 disciplines.
  • Nagaland will host the third edition of the Northeast Olympic Games. 
  • Manipur had also topped the medal tally (80 gold, 49 silver, and 33 bronze) when it hosted the inaugural Games in October 2018.

India ranks 8th on Climate Change Performance Index 

India has ranked 8th in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2023. India jumps two spots higher to rank eighth out of 63 countries in the Climate Change Performance Index 2023 (CCPI).

The Climate Change Performance Index report was published by German Watch, New Climate Institute and Climate Action Network International based in Germany.

About Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI)

  • The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), which has been published since 2005, aims to enhance transparency in international climate politics and enables comparison of climate protection efforts and progress made by individual countries.
  • The CCPI is an independent monitoring tool for tracking the climate protection performance of 59 countries and the EU. 
  • Every year, the CCPI sets off important public and political debates within the countries assessed. 
  • The climate protection performance of these 59 countries, which together account for 92% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
  • The CCPI looks at four categories, with 14 indicators: GHG Emissions (40% of the overall score), Renewable Energy (20%), Energy Use (20%), and Climate Policy (20%).

Key Highlights of the report

  • In the overall standings, no country ranked first, second or third on the index. Denmark, with a score of 79.61, ranked fourth, followed by Sweden and Chile.
  • India scored 67.35 points. India’s ranking in categories: In GHGs, it ranked 9 , Renewable Energy (24 ), and Energy Use (9 ), and on Climate Policy (8 ).
  • The ranking given by CCPI places India as the only G-20 country in the top 10 rank.
  • The United States rose by three ranks to the 52nd, Iran (63rd), Saudi Arabia (62nd) and Kazakhstan (61st) fared the worst.

Economist Arvind Virmani appointed as full-time member of NITI Aayog

The Government of India has appointed the former Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Virmani as a full-time member of NITI Aayog.

His appointment as the full-time member of NITI Aayog has been approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Currently, there are three members: Dr V K Saraswat, Professor Ramesh Chand and Dr V K Paul.

About Arvind Virmani

  • Mr. Virmani is the founder-chairman of the non-profit public policy organisation Foundation for Economic Growth and Welfare.
  • He has served as the Chief Economic Advisor in the Finance Ministry during the Manmohan Singh led Government from 2007 to 2009. 
  • In 2009, he was appointed the Executive Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and he served there till 2012. During his tenure at IMF, he represented India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan.
  • He was a member of the Reserve Bank of India’s Technical Advisory Committee on Monetary Policy from February 2013 to August 2016.

Assam Current Affairs – November 13-15, 2022

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

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

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November 13-15, 2022

Assam govt signs MoU with IIM Bangalore for training young professionals 

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

and facilitators to support government administration. 

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

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


Indo-US joint training exercise ‘YUDH ABHYAS 22’

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

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

Key Points

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

Supreme Court agree to hear plea against first amendment of constitution

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

About First Amendment to the Constitution 

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

Arguments against this Amendment

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

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

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

These two Insertions Protect Sections:

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

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


G-20 Summit 2022

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

Key Points

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

19th ASEAN-India Summit

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

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

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

Key Points

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

About Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

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

India and ASEAN

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

Renowned Mathematician Rangasami Lakshminarayan Kashyap passed away

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

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

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

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

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

Assam Current Affairs and GK Quiz – Set 331: November 2022, Week 3

Assam Current Affairs and GK Quiz – Set 331: November 2022, Week 3

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

Quiz Home Page Current Affairs Assam Quiz - Assam exam

 

Q1. Which Notheastern state has celebrated the 7th edition of the Amur Falcon Festival has been in which of the following state?

  1. Nagaland
  2. Mizoram
  3. Manipur
  4. Arunachal Pradesh

Manipur

The 7th edition of the Amur Falcon Festival has celebrated in the Tamenglong district of Manipur.

 

Q2. Which country won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022?

  1. India
  2. New Zealand
  3. Pakistan
  4. England

England

England defeated Pakistan by 5 wickets to win the ICC Men’s T20I world Cup 2022.

 

Q3. World’s highest polling booth Tashigang is located in which state?

  1. Himachal Pradesh
  2. Uttarakhand
  3. Sikkim
  4. Jammu and Kashmir

Himachal Pradesh

Around 98.08 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the world’s highest polling station booth in Tashigang, in Himachal Pradesh.

 

Q4. Which country will host the Kabaddi World Cup 2025?

  1. India
  2. South Korea
  3. Bangladesh
  4. UK

UK

The World Kabaddi Federation announced that the UK’s West Midlands Region will host the 2025 Kabaddi World Cup.

 

Q5. The Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary has been notified in which state?

  1. Karnataka
  2. Tamil Nadu
  3. Kerala
  4. Telangana

 Tamil Nadu

In its latest step for wildlife conservation, the Tamil Nadu government has notified a “Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary.”

Q6. When is World Diabetes Day 2022 observed?

  1. 14 November
  2. 05 November
  3. 17 November
  4. 01 November

 14 November

The theme of World Diabetes Day between the years 2021 and 2023 is a really important topic “Access to Diabetes Care.”

 

Q7. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2022 will be awarded to whom?

  1. Achanta Sharath Kamal
  2. Pullela Gopichand
  3. Kapil Dev
  4. Narain Karthikeyan

 Achanta Sharath Kamal

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2022 will be awarded to the Table Tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal.

 

Q8. Which country is the frontrunner in climate mitigation, as per the Climate Change Performance Index?

  1. India
  2. Germany
  3. Japan
  4. Norway

 Denmark

As per the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), the current frontrunner in climate mitigation continues to be Denmark.

 

Q9. Who has been recently awarded the UK’s Royal Order of Merit in recognition of their distinguished service to science?

  1. C.N.R Rao
  2. Venki Ramakrishnan
  3. Dr Anish Ghosh
  4. Dr Saket Saurabh

Venki Ramakrishnan

Nobel laureate professor Venki Ramakrishnan has been awarded the prestigious Order of Merit by Britain’s King Charles III in recognition of his distinguished service to science.

 

Q10. India’s rank in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2023 is

  1. 4th
  2. 7th
  3. 8th
  4. 11th

 8th

India has climbed two spots to bag the eighth position out of 63 in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2023.

 

Q11. India’s rank among the largest producers of steel in the world?

  1. China
  2. USA
  3. Saudi Arabia
  4. India

 India

India has also moved from 4th largest producer of steel to the second largest producer of steel at a global scale.

 

Q12. Uttar Pradesh Govt announced to make Mathura Vrindavan a carbon-neutral tourist destination by which year?

  1. 2024
  2. 2029
  3. 2035
  4. 2041

 2041

 

Q13. National Education Day is observed on November 11 to mark the birth anniversary of

  1. Madan Mohan Malaviya.
  2. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
  3. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
  4. M. Visvesvaraya

 Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

National Education Day is celebrated every year in India on November 11 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

 

Q14. World population, as per the World Population Prospects 2022?

  1. 10 Billion
  2. 9 Billion
  3. 8 Billion
  4. 7 Billion

 8 Billion

As per the ‘World Population Prospects 2022’ report, the world’s population will reach 8 billion.

 

Q15. Which state has emerged as an overall team champion of the North East Olympic Games 2022?

  1. Manipur
  2. Arunachal Pradesh
  3. Assam
  4. Meghalaya

 Manipur

The 2nd edition of the North East Olympic Games concluded in Shillong, Meghalaya with Manipur emerging as the overall team champion with a total of 240 medals which included 88 Gold Medals, 75 Silver Medals, and 77 Bronze Medals.

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Assam Current Affairs – November 10-12, 2022

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – November 10-12, 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the November 10-12, 2022)

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November 10-12, 2022

Union Minister Gadkari approves Rs 68,000-cr road projects in four Northeastern states

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari approved Rs 68,000 crore, in four Northeastern states to make international standard surface connectivity. 

According to Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, the new projects worth Rs 50,000 crore for Assam, Rs 9,000 crore for Meghalaya, Rs 5,000 crore for Nagaland and Rs 4,000 crore for Sikkim were approved.

He stressed upon the importance of coordination and partnership between Central and State agencies to develop top-class transport infrastructure in North Eastern States.

He announced several infrastructure development projects for Assam. He also approved many Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the state. 

He informed that his Ministry has approved the DPR of a ring road in Guwahati including a new bridge over Brahmaputra connecting Narengi and Kuruwa apart from 10 flyovers across the State. 


Assam government approved the proposal to engage retired Army veterans for training the State Police Personnel

The government of Assam has given its approval to the proposal to engage the retired Army veterans for training the State Police Personnel. 

According to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, at least 34 retired Army personnel will be appointed by the state government to impart training to the state police personnel in battalions.

In order to remove disparity in remuneration between Assam Civil Service (ACS) and Assam Police Service (APS) officers the approval has been given by the Assam government to bring parity to pay and promotions (up to the Selection Grade level) for both ACS and APS officers.

During the Assam cabinet meeting several other key decisions in regards to installation of smart meters, enhancement of power supply and bringing parity in pay/promotion of ACS and APS officers were also taken. 


State of Food and Agriculture Report, 2022

The State of Food and Agriculture 2022 is one of the annual flagship reports released by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

It provides comprehensive insights into the various issues related to the field of food and agriculture based on science-based assessment. It covers topics that are important for rural and agricultural development as well as global food security.

Highlights of the report

  • The report assessed various drivers of agricultural automation, including the recently developed digital technologies. 
  • The report analyzed the business case for the adoption of these digital automation technologies based on 27 case studies across various agricultural production systems in the world. 
  • It identified various challenges that are preventing inclusive adoption of these technologies, especially by small-scale producers. 
  • It recognized two major barriers for their adoption – low digital literacy and lack of supportive infrastructure like connectivity and access to electricity.
  • The report recommended policies that will enable disadvantaged groups to access the agricultural automation technologies, which will help in the creation of sustainable and resilient agri-food systems. 
  • Agriculture sectors in high-income countries in North America, Europe and Oceania have been highly mechanized since the 1960s. 
  • Only ten of the twenty-seven service providers are profitable and financially sustainable. All of these profitable service providers are based in high-income and used solutions that are in the mature phase, serving only large-scale producers. 
  • Adoption is especially limited in sub-Saharan Africa. Agriculture in this region is dominated by human and animal power, limiting productivity significantly. The report recommends setting up sustainable rental mechanisms to address this issue. 
  • The report addresses the concerns regarding the unemployment crisis caused by labour-saving technologies. It gives several recommendations in this regard: 
  1. Avoiding subsidization of automation in regions where rural labor is abundant and wages are low 
  2. Creation of favorable environment for the adoption of automation technology 
  3. Providing social security for low-skilled workers who are likely to lose their livelihood because of the automation. 

India will host Women’s World Boxing Championships in 2023

India will host the Women’s World Boxing Championships in 2023 in New Delhi. 

This will be the third time that the elite women’s competition will be held in the country having conducted the championships in 2006 and 2018 in New Delhi.

The International Boxing Association (IBA) and the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) signed the MoU in presence of IBA President Umar Kremlev and BFI President Ajay Singh.

Recently, BA President Umar Kremlev, had announced that the men’s world championship, to be held in Tashkent next year in May.


Atal Innovation Mission launches women centric challenges under ANIC program

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog today launched Woman centric challenges under phase-II of the 2nd edition of the Atal New India Challenge (ANIC). 

ANIC is an initiative launched to select and support technology-based innovations that solve sectoral challenges of national importance and societal relevance through a grant-based mechanism of up to ₹1 crore.

Key Points

  • The Woman centric challenges address the major issues faced by women from all spheres of life. 
  • These include driving women hygiene through innovation, innovations to improve women’s safety, professional networking opportunities for women, innovations that make working mothers’ life better, and easing the life of Rural Women. 
  • NITI Aayog currently runs the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), which was launched in 2018, to help women become entrepreneurs, scale up their innovations and create sustainable, long-term strategies for their businesses.

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is Government of India’s flagship initiative to create and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of our country. 

AIM’s objective 

  • Developing new programs and policies to promote innovation in various sectors of the economy.
  • Providing forums and opportunities for collaboration for various stakeholders.
  • To create an umbrella structure to create awareness and monitor the innovation ecosystem of the country.

PM Narendra Modi flagged off first ‘Vande Bharat’ train in South India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first Vande Bharat Express Train on the Mysore-Chennai route at Krantiveera Sangolli Railway station in Bengaluru. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also flagged off the ‘Bharat Gaurav Kashi Darshan’ train which is operated by Karnataka’s Muzrai Department under the ‘Bharat Gaurav’ train policy of Railways.

Key Points

  • This will be the fifth Vande Bharat Express train in the country and the first such train in South India.
  • The Chennai-Mysuru Vande Bharat Express will boost connectivity as well as commercial activities between Chennai, Bengaluru and Mysuru.
  • Vande Bharat Express Train is touted to be an advanced version of trains developed indigenously by the Indian Railways. 
  • PM Modi also flagged off the ‘Bharat Gaurav Kashi Darshan’ train. Under the ‘Bharat Gaurav’ train policy of Railways, the train is operated by Karnataka’s Muzrai Department.
  • Karnataka is the first state to take up this train under the Bharat Gaurav scheme in which the Government of Karnataka and the Ministry of Railways are working together to send pilgrims from Karnataka to Kashi.

Assam Current Affairs – November 07-09, 2022

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – November 07-09, 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the November 07-09, 2022)

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November 07-09, 2022

Chief Minister of Assam inaugurates Northeast’s largest-ever cold storage facility in the state

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated North-East India’s largest-ever cold storage facility at Chaygaon and also inaugurated a fruit processing centre at Panery. 

Key Points

  • The cold storage facility will have 5,000-MT capacity.
  • The facility has been constructed by the state government at the cost of Rs 24.75 crores. 
  • The Assam CM also emphasised on the planting of high-value trees like sal, agar, teak, etc, at home to reap economic benefits. 
  • While addressing the event, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, the food processing and proper packaging of agricultural produce will lead to economic transformation in our state.

Chief Minister of Assam inked mou with Bright Star Investments Pvt. Ltd for medical infrastructure

Chief Minister of Assam inked mou with Bright Star Investments Pvt. Ltd for medical infrastructure development of the academic block of the second medical college in Guwahati.

It is for the first time that the Assam government has collaborated with the private sector for building infrastructure of a medical college in the state. Bright Star Investments Pvt. Ltd. has chosen Assam as the first state to start the noble collaboration.

Chief Minister Dr. Sarma also said that the state government is working with a vision of one medical college per district in Assam. The government has taken steps for setting up 15 new medical colleges in addition to the nine existing ones. 

With the increase in medical colleges in the state, the number of MBBS seats have also increased from 726 in 2014 to 1,200 in 2022. Till 2014, the total number of postgraduate (PG) seats in Assam was 395. In 2022, the total number of PG seats has increased to 711. 


India participates in Malabar Naval Exercise-2022

India is participating in the 26th International Malabar Naval exercise Yokosuka of Japan. Australia, Japan and the US are also participating in the Malabar Naval Exercise. 

Key Points

  • The naval forces of these countries will take part in the exercise till the 18th of next month. Indian Naval Ships Shivalik and Kamorta are ready to demonstrate at the event.
  • It marks the 30th anniversary of the multinational maritime exercise MALABAR which began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between India and US.
  • The exercise will witness live weapon firings, complex surface, Anti-Air and Anti-Submarine Warfare drills, and joint manoeuvres including advanced tactical exercises. 
  • The presence of these indigenously built ships of the Indian Navy will also be an opportunity to showcase the ship-building capabilities of Indian shipyards.

Aruna Miller becomes first Indian-American to be Lt Governor of Maryland 

Aruna Miller has became the first Indian-American to hold the office of Lieutenant Governor in Maryland, Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

Aruna Miller, a former delegate to the Maryland House, was on the Lieutenant Governor ticket along with Wes Moore. 

She represented District 15 in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2010 to 2018. She ran for Congress in 2018 in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District and secured the second spot among eight candidates.

he Lieutenant Governor is the state’s highest official following the Governor and assumes the role when the Governor is out of State or incapacitated. 


The 2nd edition of North East Olympic Games 2022 will be organised in Meghalaya

The Government of Meghalaya and the North East Olympic Association (NEOA) will host the 2nd edition of the North East Olympic Games 2022 in Shillong, Meghalaya from 10th November to 16th November.

Key Points

  • Over 3,000 athletes from the eight north-eastern states will participate across 18 sports disciplines.
  • Disciplines in the games include archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, football, judo, karate, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, wushu, cycling, golf, weightlifting and wrestling.
  • The official game mascot, ‘NEO’, is inspired by the Clouded Leopard, the state animal of Meghalaya. 
  • The attire worn by NEO is a fusion of the cultures of the prominent tribes of Meghalaya.
  • The first edition of the North East Olympic Games was held in Manipur in 2018.

Assam Current Affairs and GK Quiz – Set 330: November 2022, Week 2

Assam Current Affairs and GK Quiz – Set 330: November 2022, Week 2

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

Quiz Home Page Current Affairs Assam Quiz - Assam exam

 

Q1. Who was crowned Miss Northeast 2022?

  1. Irene Dkhar
  2. Eshanee Hatimuria 
  3. Lika Chophy 
  4. Mannasha Devi Sapam


Irene Dkhar

Irene Dkhar of Meghalaya was crowned Miss Northeast after she won the hearts of the judges in the final round, raising the issue of mental health.

 

Q2. The National Cancer Awareness Day observed on

  1. November 03
  2. November 07
  3. November 09
  4. November 17

November 07

National Cancer Awareness Day is observed every year on November 7 to raise awareness about the deadly disease.

 

Q3. Which institution has recently released the report titled ‘Adaptation Gap Report 2022: Too Little, Too Slow – Climate adaptation failure puts the world at risk’?

  1. NASA
  2. NITI Aayog
  3. UNEP
  4. World Bank

 UNEP

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) launched a report titled ‘Adaptation Gap Report 2022: Too Little, Too Slow – Climate adaptation failure puts the world at risk’.

 

Q4. Which team has won the ‘Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2022’ for the first time?

  1. Mizoram
  2. West Bengal
  3. Kerala
  4. Mumbai

 Mumbai

Mumbai defeated Himachal Pradesh to win the 2022 edition of the ‘Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2022’.

 

Q5. Which country has recently created a world record by operating the world’s longest passenger train?

  1. China
  2. Australia
  3. Switzerland
  4. USA

 Switzerland

Switzerland has created a world record by operating the world’s longest passenger train. The train is designed to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the country’s first train system. The train has 100 coaches, measures 1910 metres and consists of 4,550 seats.

Q6. Which organisation released the ‘State of the Global Climate in 2022’ report?

  1. UNEP
  2. World Meteorological Organization
  3. World Bank
  4. IUCN

 World Meteorological Organization

The World Meteorological Organization released the provisional State of the Global Climate in 2022 report.

 

Q7. Which technology giant company has recently launched the FloodHub platform that will display when and where floods may occur?

  1. Meta
  2. Microsoft
  3. Amazon
  4. Google

 Google

Google, an American technology giant, has launched a platform that displays flood forecasts, namely ‘FloodHub’.

 

Q8. Reliance India Limited will develop India’s first multi-modal logistics park in which state?

  1. Tripura
  2. Gujarat
  3. Tamil Nadu
  4. Odisha

Tamil Nadu

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has been awarded the project to build India’s first multimodal logistics park (MMLP) in Chennai by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

 

Q9. Which aerospace company will launch India’s first privately developed rocket Vikram-S?

  1. Garuda Aerospace
  2. Skyroot Aerospace
  3. Antrix Corporation
  4. Skylabs Aerospace

 Skyroot Aerospace

Skyroot Aerospace, a Hyderabad-based private space startup, is set to launch India’s first private rocket between November 12 and 16 from the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Sriharikota.

 

Q10. Which country hosts the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC?

  1. USA
  2. Egypt
  3. Sri Lanka
  4. France

 Egypt

The 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, is being held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt in November 2022.

 

Q11. Which country is the leading producer of millets with 41 per cent of world’s total production?

  1. Pakistan
  2. India
  3. China
  4. Malaysia

 India

India is one of the leading producers of millet in the world with an estimated share of 41 per cent of the global production.

 

Q12. Which country has taken over the G20 Presidency in 2023?

  1. UK
  2. Bangladesh
  3. China
  4. India

 India

The theme of India’s G20 Presidency in 2023 is ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or ‘One Earth One Family One Future’.

 

Q13. Who has been appointed as the Chairperson of the 22nd Law Commission of India?

  1. Rituraj Awasthi
  2. Shri Rajiv Kumar
  3. Anup Chandra Pandey
  4. Arun Goel

 Rituraj Awasthi

 

Q14. Which of the following tiger reserves has recently unveils the elephant adoption scheme?

  1. Kaziranga National Park
  2. Anaimalai Tiger Reserve
  3. Manas Tiger Reserve
  4. Ranthambore National Park

 Anaimalai Tiger Reserve

The Anaimalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) has launched an Elephant Adoption Programme in which NGOs, institutions, trusts, or individuals can sponsor the costs of the Forest Department’s camp elephants.

 

Q15. Who has become the first batter in cricket history to reach 4000 runs in T20 Internationals?

  1. Virat Kohli
  2. Rohit Sharma
  3. Babar Azam
  4. Shane Watson

 Virat Kohli 

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Assam Current Affairs – November 04-06, 2022

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – November 04-06, 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the November 04-06, 2022)

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November 04-06, 2022

Government of Assam is planning to transform the Assam Medical College (AMC) in Dibrugarh into a state-of-the-art research institute

The government of Assam is planning to transform the Assam Medical College (AMC) in Dibrugarh into a state-of-the-art research institute for dealing with new age ailments. 

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said this while attending the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Assam Medical College (AMC) in Dibrugarh.

He asked the medical college authority to coordinate the partnership between the state government and IIT Guwahati for high-end medical research.

Hailing the medical college administration for maintaining its rich legacy in medical education and treatment, he asked the college management to initiate its growth and development in sync with its green milieu.

For construction of teachers’ quarters and students’ hostels the Assam government will give Rs 300 crore to Assam Medical College (AMC). 


Chief Minister of Meghalaya launches “Citizen Engagement and Communication Programme”

The Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad K Sangma has recently launched “Citizen Engagement and Communication Programme” at Tura, West Garo Hills district, in Meghalaya.

Launching the programme, the Meghalaya Government has initiated various welfare programs and the information should be disseminated for the larger benefit of the public.

Key Points

  • This program aims at grassroots penetration of all schemes so that governance is improved in all aspects. 
  • The program will create much-needed awareness amongst the masses so that people will have the right information to avail benefits of the schemes being launched by the Government. 
  • Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma encouraged the team to sensitize themselves so that they can in turn sensitize the public regarding all the available schemes.

SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy Rocket

SpaceX launched the Falcon Heavy rocket into a geosynchronous Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, US. 

SpaceX claims Falcon Heavy to be the most powerful rocket in the world. 

Key Points

  • The rocket is carrying satellites to space for the U.S. military in a mission named as US Space Force (USSF)-44. 
  • The rocket has a height of 70 m, a width of 12.2 m and a mass of 1,420,788 kg.
  • It has a lifting capacity of around 64 metric tonnes into orbit, which can lift more than twice the payload of the next closest operational vehicle, the Delta IV Heavy. 
  • Falcon Heavy has 27 Merlin engines which together generate more than five million pounds of thrust at lift-off, equalling around eighteen 747 aircraft at full power.
  • Merlin is a family of rocket engines developed by SpaceX for use on its Falcon 1, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles.
  • Merlin engines use RP-1 and liquid oxygen as rocket propellants in a gas-generator power cycle. These engines were designed for recovery and reuse.

‘Niveshak Didi’ – India’s first floating Financial Literacy Camp

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has recently conducted India’s First Floating Financial Literacy Camp with an initiative called ‘Niveshak Didi’ in Srinagar,Jammu and Kashmir.

Key Points

  • The Floating Financial Literacy Camp was conducted among the local residents around the world-famous Dal lake of Srinagar.
  • The Niveshak Didi held the Financial Literacy session in the local Kashmiri language from Shikara itself. 
  • The session in the camp covered topics ranging from banking and financial products, the significance of joining the mainstream financial services offered by the regulated entities, and the protection against various types of risks involved with the investments.

About Niveshak Didi initiative 

  • “Niveshak Didi” initiative is implemented based on the concept of “by the women, for the women”. 
  • It is launched by IPPB, in collaboration with Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) under the aegis of Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).

World’s first Vedic clock  will be installed in Ujjain 

Madhya Pradesh education minister Mohan Yadav laid the foundation stone of the world’s first Vedic Clock at the 300-year-old Jiwaji Observatory in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. 

Key Points

  • The ‘Vedic Clock’ will be constructed at Jantar Mantar Government Jiwaji Observatory at a cost of Rs 1.62 cr. 
  • This clock will be fixed on the basis of the principles of Vedic time calculation in which the 24 hours of the day are divided into Muhurats.
  • The Vedic clock will be synced with the position of the Sun.
  • The application of the Vedic Clock will be used for moon position, festival, auspicious time, birth anniversary, fast, festival major holidays, celestial planets etc.
  • The citizens will be able to access the Vedic clock through their smartphone, computers, TVs and other electronic gadgets. 

Assam Current Affairs – November 01-03, 2022

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – November 01-03, 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the November 01-03, 2022)

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November 01-03, 2022

Assam Chief Minister flags off new operations of Alliance Air 

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, along with Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia attended a virtual programme to flag off the operations of Alliance Air in the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

Key Points

  • New flight operations will lead to greater air connectivity in the North East, particularly between the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Manipur. 
  • As a part of the new operations, Alliance Air will travel between Lilabari, Ziro, Shillong, Imphal and Mizoram.
  • Lilabari in the Lakhimpur district is an important corridor for the rest of the states.
  • The launch of these air operations will boost people to people contact, tourism and trade in the region.
  • Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that under the Prime Minister’s initiative of the UDAN scheme all important cities of the North East have been brought together under the regional connectivity scheme.

Union Cabinet approves naming of the Hollongi Greenfield Airport in Itanagar as Donyi Polo Airport

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the naming of the new Greenfield Airport at Hollongi, Itanagar, the State Capital of Arunachal Pradesh as “Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar”.

Key Points

  • The airport is being developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) with assistance from the Central Government and the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
  • The Resolution was passed by the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh to name the airport ‘Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar’, which reflects the people’s reverence of the Sun (Donyi) and the Moon (Polo), and symbolises the rich cultural heritage of the State.
  • The requirement of a Greenfield airport at Hollongi, Itanagar was a long pending demand of the people of Arunachal Pradesh, which has been finally fulfilled under the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
  • Currently, Tezu and Passighat are the two airports operational in Arunachal Pradesh. The Donyi Polo Airport will be the third operational airport for Arunachal Pradesh.

Northeast’s first fish museum will be set up in Arunachal Pradesh

Northeast’s first fish museum will be established in Tarin (Ziro) in the Lower Subansiri district in Arunachal Pradesh. The museum would be a part of the Integrated Aqua Park (IAP), sanctioned by the Union Ministry of Fisheries.

Key Points

  • The existing Train Fish Farm (TFF), which is located at high-altitude Bulla Village, will be upgraded as the Integrated Aqua Park where the Northeast’s first fish museum would come up. 
  • The fish museum in Arunachal Pradesh will have all kinds of fish species from the state. It will also serve as a training center for the fisherfolk. 
  • An amount of Rs 43.59 crores was sanctioned for the project in the current financial year as the first installment.
  • This fish museum will also be India’s first-ever Aqua Park.
  • The ambitious project is sanctioned under the CSS Component of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, which aims to modernize and strengthen the value chain, establish a robust fisheries management framework and enhance traceability.

President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates 7th India Water Week

The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the 7th India Water Week at the India Expo Centre in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The theme of the 7th India Water Week is “Water Security for Sustainable Development and Equity”.

Key Points

  • The five-day-long events will bring together experts, planners and stakeholders from across the globe.
  • It is an initiative of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India.
  • The ministry of water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation organized the 7th edition of India Water Week (IWW) from 1st to 5th November in an effort to raise awareness and conserve and use water resources in an integrated manner. 
  • Denmark, Singapore and Finland are the partner countries for India Water Week 2022.
  • The event will address the issues of sustainability of water resources development and management in line with the sustainable development goals.

Performance Grading Index (PGI) for 2020-21

The Union Education Ministry’s Department of School Education and Literacy released the Performance Grading Index (PGI) for States/UTs for 2020-21, a unique index for evidence based comprehensive analysis of school education system across State/UTs.

Key Points

  • The objective of the Performance Grading Index (PGI) is to promote evidence-based policymaking and highlight course correction to ensure quality education for all. 
  • So far, the PGI report has been released for years 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20. The present report is for the year 2020-21.
  • The PGI structure comprises 1,000 points across 70 indicators grouped into two categories –Outcomes, and governance management.
  •  These categories are further divided into 5 domains, viz, Learning Outcomes (LO), Access (A), Infrastructure & Facilities (IF), Equity (E) & Governance Process (GP). 
  • The PGI divides states and union territories into 10 grades. The highest achievable grade is Level 1, which has states and UTs scoring more than 950 points out of 1,000 points. The lowest grade is Level 10, which has states and UTs scoring less than 551.
  • The PGI is expected to help States and UTs to pinpoint the gaps and accordingly prioritize areas for intervention to ensure that the school education system is robust at every level. 
  • A total of 7 States and UTs, Viz., Kerala, Punjab, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh have attained Level II (score 901-950) in 2020-21 as compared to none in 2017-18 and 4 in 2019-20.
  • Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh are the new entrants to the highest achieved level of any state so far. 
  • Ladakh has significantly improved its performance in PGI. It has moved from Level 8 to Level 4 in 2020-21 or improved its score by 299 points in 2020-21 as compared to 2019-20 resulting into the highest ever improvement in a single year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi declares Mangarh Dham as National Monument

Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared Mangarh Dham a National Monument in the Banswara District, Rajasthan. PM Modi mentioned that India’s past, present, and future are not complete without the tribal community. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute to Bhil Freedom fighter Shri Govind Guru at the event.

About Mangarh Dham

  • Mangarh Dham is a symbol of tenacity and sacrifices of tribals. Mangarh hill holds special importance for the Bhil community and other tribes of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat.
  • Mangarh Dham is known for the massacre of tribals. The massacre took place in Mangarh on November 17, 1913, where 1.5 lakh Bhil was performing a rally against the British, under the leadership of Shri Govind Guru. 
  • Britishers opened fire at this gathering, leading to Mangarh Massacre where approx. 1500 tribals were martyred.

Assam Current Affairs – October 28-31, 2022

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – October 28-31, 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the October 28-31, 2022)

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Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – October 2022

Assam Current Affairs and GK Quiz – Set 316: July 2022, Week 4 

October 28-31, 2022

Bharati Das takes charge as new Controller General of Accounts (CGA)

Bharati Das took charge as the new Controller General of Accounts (CGA) Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. 

She is the 27th Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

Bharati Das has served as Principal Chief Controller of Accounts (Pr. CCA) Central Board of Direct Taxes, Pr. CCA Ministry of External Affairs, Pr. CCA Ministry of Home Affairs and CCA, Ministry of Health and Family welfare. 

She has also served as Director, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and Ministry of Port, Shipping and Waterways.

About the Controller General of Accounts

  • Controller General of Accounts (CGA) is ‘the Principal Advisor’ on Accounting matters to the Union Government.
  • The CGA is responsible for establishing and managing a technically sound Management Accounting System and preparation and submission of the accounts of the Union Government. 
  • The CGA is also responsible for exchequer control and internal audits for the central Government.

Dr Shefali Juneja appointed as the chairperson of the Air Transport Committee (ATC) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

Dr Shefali Juneja has been appointed as the Chairman of the Air Transport Committee (ATC) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The Air Transportation Committee (ATC) is the council’s advisory body on air transportation matters specified in the Chicago Convention.

Juneja, a 1992 batch officer of the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax Cadre). She served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) before joining the ICA. 

Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation

  • The Convention on International Civil Aviation, also known as the Chicago Convention, established the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
  • The convention was signed on December 7, 1944, in Chicago by 52 signatory states.
  • It is a specialized agency of the UN charged with coordinating international air travel. 
  • The Convention establishes rules of airspace, aircraft registration and safety, security, and sustainability, and details the rights of the signatories in relation to air travel. 
  • ICAO came into existence on 4 April 1947.In October of the same year, ICAO became a specialized agency of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). 

Two Indian beaches enter the coveted list of Blue Beaches

Minicoy Thundi Beach and Kadmat Beach in Lakshadweep recently entered into the coveted list of Blue Beaches, an eco-label given to the cleanest beaches in the world.

Key Points

  • The Thundi Beach is one of the most pristine and picturesque beaches in the Lakshadweep archipelago where white sand is lined by turquoise blue water of the lagoon. It is a paradise for swimmers and tourists alike. 
  • The Kadmat Beach is popular with cruise tourists who visit the island for water sports. It is a paradise for nature lovers with its pearl white sand, blue lagoon waters, its moderate climate and friendly locals.
  • Together the two beaches have taken India’s tally of Blue Beaches to 12. 
  • The other Indian beaches in the blue list are Shivrajpur (Gujarat), Ghoghla (Diu), Kasarkod and Padubidri (Karnataka), Kappad (Kerala), Rushikonda (Andhra Pradesh), Golden beach (Odisha), Radhanagar (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), Kovalam (Tamil Nadu) and Eden (Puducherry).

About Blue Flag Tag

  • The Blue Flag tag certification or tag is a globally recognized eco-label accorded by Foundation for Environment Education in Denmark (FEE).
  • It is one of the world’s most recognized voluntary awards for beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators. 
  • To qualify for the Blue Flag, stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria must be met and maintained. 

Pankaj Tripathi declared ‘National Icon’ by Election Commission of India

Actor Pankaj Tripathi has been declared the “National Icon” by the election commission of India. The announcement was made by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.

CEC Rajiv Kumar complimented Pankaj Tripathi for his association with ECI in creating voting awareness across citizens, and henceforth declared him as the National Icon for ECI.

Pankaj Tripathi has been announced as National Icon to encourage voters and increase the voting percentage in India. ECI significantly chose an icon to create voting awareness among the citizens.

The actor Pankaj Tripathi is a National Award winner. He made his mark on Bollywood through various hit movies and web series.


Shehan Karunatilak has been awarded the Booker Prize 2022

Sri Lankan author Shehan Karunatilaka won the 2022 Booker Prize for his second novel ‘The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida’.

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida tells the story of a war photographer who has woken up dead in what seems to be a celestial visa office. He has ‘seven moons’ to try and solve the mystery of his death and to help unveil a cache of photos that will rock war-torn Sri Lanka.

Shehan Karunatilaka is the second Sri Lankan to win the award, following Michael Ondaatje’s victory in 1992 for “The English Patient”.

About Booker Prize

  • The Booker Prize is a literary prize awarded each year for the best novel written in English and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland.
  • The winner of the Booker Prize receives international publicity which usually leads to a sales boost.
  • The prize was established as the Booker Prize for Fiction after the company Booker, McConnell Ltd began sponsoring the event in 1969.

Nobel Prize Winners 2022

The Nobel Prizes are five separate prizes according to Alfred Nobel’s will of 1895, which are awarded to “those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind.”

The prize ceremonies take place annually. Each recipient receives a gold medal, a diploma, and a monetary award.

Nobel Prizes are awarded in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Economic Sciences and Peace.

Nobel Prize for Literature 

Annie Ernaux won the 2022 Nobel Prize in Literature for her autobiography “the courage and clinical acuity”. This book uncovers the roots, estrangements, and collective restraints of her personal experiences. 

Nobel Prize for Peace 

Ales Byalyatski, Jailed Belarusian activist, Russian rights group Memorial, and Ukraine’s Center for Civil Liberties won the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. 

This award was bestowed to Ales for promoting the right to criticize power and protect the fundamental rights of citizens. Whereas the Organization memorial and Organization Centre for Civil Liberties for showcasing outstanding efforts to document war crimes, human rights abuses, and the abuse of power. 

Nobel Prize in Physics 

The prize is mutually shared by scientists Alain Aspect, John Clauser, and Anton Zeilinger for their compilations in quantum mechanics which laid the ground for new applications in computing and cryptography. 

Nobel Prize in Chemistry 

The Nobel prize 2022 in chemistry is jointly given to scientists Carolyn Bertozzi, Morten Meldal, and Barry Sharpless for the placement and development of click chemistry and bio-orthogonal chemistry. 

Nobel Prize for Economics 

Douglas Diamond, Philip Dybvig, and U.S economists Ben Bernanke won Nobel Economics Prize 2022 for their research on banking and financial crises. 

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 

Professor Svante Paabo won the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. This award was conferred to him for discoveries on the genetic identity of two of humankind’s earliest ancestors and the human evolution process.

Assam Current Affairs – October 16-18, 2022

Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – October 16-18, 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the October 16-18, 2022)

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Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – July 2022

Assam Current Affairs and GK Quiz – Set 316: July 2022, Week 4 

October 16-18, 2022

President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates ‘PARAM KAMRUPA’ Supercomputer facility at IIT Guwahati

President of India, Droupadi Murmu, inaugurated ‘PARAM KAMRUPA’ Supercomputer facility and a high-power active and passive component laboratory of SAMEER at Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati.

Key Points

  • PARAM Kamrup, a one of its kind supercomputer in the NorthEast region, has been set up under the National Supercomputing Mission. 
  • It will provide advanced computing, healthcare techniques along with solutions for many issues to this region. Many components of this supercomputer developed indigenously.
  • The SAMEER laboratory will be used for the design and development of high-power microwave passive and active components. This facility will provide a platform for scientists to carry out research and development activities in different areas of high-power microwave engineering.
  • The National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) has deployed Supercomputer PARAM Ganga at IIT Roorkee in March 2022.

About National Supercomputing Mission 

  • The National Supercomputing Mission was launched In 2015 with the objective to enhance the research capacities in the country to form a Supercomputing grid. 
  • The mission is being jointly operated by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
  • It supports the government’s vision of ‘Digital India’ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives. 
  • It is implemented by Center for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune and IISc, Bengaluru.

Meghalaya will host ‘Megha Kayak Festival, 2022’

Meghalaya is all set to host a four-day mega global adventure sports spectacle, the ‘Megha Kayak Festival, 2022’, starting October 13 at the picturesque Umtrew River at Umtham Village.

Key Points

  • The event is organized by Meghalaya Tourism which is in line with Hon’ble Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s vision of showcasing the mesmerizing Meghalaya to the world.
  • The 2022 edition of the festival will see over 100 participants from around 20 countries across the world.
  • The festival will include white water kayaking events in three competition categories – Downriver Time Trial, Extreme Slalom and Downriver Freestyle for professionals as well as intermediate and amateur racers.
  • This festival will be a wonderful opportunity to promote adventure tourism and help establish Meghalaya as one of the major water sports destinations in the world.

Roger Binny elected as the 36th BCCI President

Former cricketer Roger Binny has been officially elected as the 36th Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president. He replaces Sourav Ganguly, who had been on the post since 2019. He was elected unopposed.

Binny has represented India in 27 Tests and 72 ODIs and has also served as a member of the national selection committee.

He was one of the architects of India’s 1983 World Cup triumph and president of Karnataka State Cricket Association. 

He previously served as a member of the BCCI selection committee.


Global Hunger Index 2022

India has ranked 107th out of 121 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2022. The GHI, aims to track prevalence of global hunger by region and by country. 

The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is released by Concern Worldwide and Welt Hunger Hilfe. Its ultimate aim is to help the world achieve “Zero Hunger by 2030″.

Key Points

  • The proportion of undernourishment in the population went from 14.8 in 2014 to 16.3 in 2022.
  • India’s child wasting rate under five years jumped from 15.1 in 2014 to 19.3 in 2022.
  • Stunting in children under five has reduced from 38.7 in 2014 to 35.5 in 2022, and under-five mortality reduced from 4.6 in 2014 to 3.3 in 2022.
  • Prevalence of undernourishment has also risen in India from 14.6% in 2018-2020 to 16.3% in 2019-2021. 
  • India is ranked behind its neighbours Nepal (81), Pakistan (99), Sri Lanka (64), and Bangladesh (84).
  • India score of 29.1 which falls in the ‘serious’ category of hunger level.
  • The top of the list is dominated by European nations including Croatia, Estonia and Montenegro. Yemen has ranked in the lowest position at 121. 
  • China and Kuwait have ranked the highest among the Asian countries.
  • The 2022 GHI score (measured by a GHI score of 18.2) for the world is considered “moderate”. 

Indicators

The GHI, focuses on 4 main parameters

Undernourishment: The share of the population with insufficient caloric intake. 

Child stunting: The share of children under age five who have low height for their age, reflecting chronic undernutrition. 

Child wasting: The share of children under age five who have low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition. 

Child mortality: The share of children who die before their fifth birthday, partly reflecting the fatal mix of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments.


Ukrainian people win European parliament’s Sakharov prize 

The people of Ukraine have been awarded the Sakharov Prize 2022 by the European Parliament for Freedom of Thought to honour their fight against Russia’s invasion. 

The Prize was bestowed to the people of Ukraine, represented by their president, elected leaders, and civil society.

This award recognizes the bravery of Ukrainians who have been affected by the Russian invasion and their role in defending freedom, democracy, rule of law, and European values on the battlefields. 

The Sakharov Prize involves prize money of 50,000 euros. 

About the Sakharov Prize

  • The Sakharov Prize was established in December 1988 by the European Parliament. 
  • This award is conferred to individuals or groups who have dedicated their life defending human rights and freedom of thought. 
  • The award is named in honor of Russian scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov.
  • The first award was given to South African Nelson Mandela and Russian Anatoly Marchenko. 
  • Previous year, the Sakharov prize was conferred to the imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
  • The first organization to receive the award in 1992 is the Argentine Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo.